Risa enjoys working despite the circumstances making her want to quit. She doesn't like rushing out of her office after work hours, hell, she would gladly stay inside and finish reading until midnight.
Not today, though. She left her office even before the clock ticked to eleven.
Leni's apartment was silent, which did not help with her worries. When Risa checked on her two hours ago, the woman had said she left the AB office early because of a mild headache. And while that was a clear understatement, she couldn't help but feel concerned for her wife's wellbeing.
By the time she got home, she was surprised to see Leni in bed, holding her phone close to her face. A lot of questions clouded her mind. Why was she using her phone? Who was she talking to at ten in the evening?
She moves closer. Apparently, Leni was playing wordscapes.
"How are you feeling?" Risa asked, running fingers through Leni's unusually disheveled hair.
"Tired." She replies simply and placed her phone on the bedside table.
"Did you take any meds?"
"No, I'm fine. Maaga ka ata umuwi?" She said, stretching
her arms. "Nagpahatid ka?"
Risa moved her hands to her shoulders, then to her neck. She was disturbingly hot. "Nilalagnat ka," she pointed out.
"Pagod lang."
"Nagluluha na 'yang mata mo. Kung alam ko lang na hindi ka na pala okay kanina pang umaga edi sana hindi na lang ako pumasok. Aalagaan naman kita, but how would I know? You're not telling me anything."
"I'm sorry," was all the older woman could answer.
Truth be told if it wasn't for her lover's state she would have continued proving her point. She is sick, and Risa needs to remember that.
"It's okay," she assures her. "Patulog ka na ba?"
"Not yet, pero inaantok na 'ko."
"Good then," Risa says, extending her arm to reach the medicines placed on the nightstand. "Tayo, inom ka muna."
"Okay na 'ko," Leni said. But the tone of her voice says otherwise.
Risa taps her shoulder, then taps it again, until Leni finally got too bothered, making her turn around out of annoyance.
"Open up," Risa commands with a tone sounding like a mother talking to her child.
"Ayos na nga ako sabi," whined Leni, repeatedly closing one eye after another. "See, hindi na ako naluluha."
"Lens, asan ang okay diyan? Kinindatan mo lang ako."
"Okay na nga, ano ba 'ya–" Leni was cut mid-sentence by Risa purposely shoving the medicine in her mouth. She glares at her as Risa offered her an apologetic smile. "Oh, 'di ba? Hindi na lang sumunod."
Risa pushes her to lie back down on the bed after placing another pillow on top of her existing one. "Tulog ka na."
"Wala na ngang sakit, eh," Leni murmured annoyingly, but loud enough for Risa to hear. She picks up her phone, opened wordscapes, and faced the other side.
"Gusto mo kumain before you sleep?" she asked.
Leni shrugged, "Pakakainin mo pa rin naman ako, even if I say no, 'di ba?"
"Sungit," she whispered, leaving the room by gently closing the door.
Risa makes her trip, grabs the food, and rushes back to the apartment. When she enters the woman's room, she stops and shakes her head. "Lens!" she shouts, making her flinch. Leni was sitting in the middle of the bed with her computer placed on her lap. Judging by the glasses she's wearing, and not to mention the serious expression, Risa was sure the woman was working.
"Bakit ka sumigaw?" Leni complained as Risa makes her way to her, closes the laptop, and sits it on the bedside table. "Ang kulit naman."
"Hindi ko natanong ano gusto mong kainin kaya binili ko na lang lahat ng klase," she says, watching Leni pull the things out of the bag.
"Sorry, dami bang laman?" the younger asks and Leni nods. She then pulls out a cute stuffed penguin and looks up at Risa with a confused expression on her face.
"Penguin...?"
"Umm, baka mas mabilis kang gumaling if you hug the penguin?" Risa reasoned out.
Holding the stuffed toy, Leni looked down at the thing and started tearing up. It might be because of the sickness, Leni was more affectionate during these moments. "Hey," Risa asks softly when she doesn't reply for a few moments and only looks up at her. Risa quickly sits down next to her, "Why are you crying? Mukha bang patay si pengu?"
Leni lightly nudged her rib, "Bakit may ganito ka pa, ayaw mo na ba akong yakapin?" she said between sobs.
"Yayakapin naman kita kaso you keep on telling me you're already fine," she joked.
With her ever-so-loving eyes, Leni stared at her as she held Risa's hand and voluntarily placed it on her neck. "Ayan oh, mainit ako 'di ba?"
"Edi inamin mo rin," Risa leaned in and laid down by her side almost immediately. She embraced her and pressed her warm forehead against Leni's neck. "Pero kakain ka pa rin, Lens. Hindi mo 'ko madadala sa gan'yan."
—
sources say she got better the next day, iba talaga ang powers ng yakap ni asir
missing them big time :(
YOU ARE READING
in between the lines
FanfictionA collection of lnrs drabbles and one-shots. Work of fiction. NOT REAL.
