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Faith leaned forward on the couch as she heard the creaking of the final lock mechanism. The sound was grating- she would have had it fixed years ago if it weren’t so damn useful. Tonight’s squeak was slow, deliberate. So, this was indeed intended to be a hushed entrance. She pushed a bottle of ibuprofen aside so she could place her chow mein on the table. This ought to be good.
The smooth opening of the hinges stuttered. Ah. They’d figured it out.
Curious green eyes peeked through from the hallway and met with Faith’s. An awkward grin followed, then a slim form, carrying Faith’s satchel.
“Heyyyy, sorry I was out so late, it was just, really, really busy, you know? And I wasn’t stealing your stuff, I just needed-”
“Selina, shut up,” Faith stood. “Come into here and let me take a look at you.”
The younger woman slinked towards her, giving the door a little kick with her heel in order to close it. Faith walked across the room and secured all seven locks, finishing the last with a click, before turning to face Selina.
Faith ran her thumb over a fresh bruise on Selina’s temple. “Who gave you this?”
Selina pulled away. “No one. It’s… it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Nothing a few painkillers won’t fix.”
“You can’t keep going on like this, you know? You can’t let them hit you.”
“Then what am I supposed to do, huh? Leave before I get paid? Before I have something to bring back? As if that’s what you do! Don’t you dare lecture me on-”
The slap rang across the dingy apartment, knocking a book off a shelf. It clunked into a bowl of cat food below. Selina ran to rescue it, ignoring her now throbbing face. The Scarlet Pimpernel- her favorite novel. About a woman whose husband turned out to be a hero instead of the useless man she thought she’d married. What a fantasy.
Tears streamed down Faith’s face as she realized what she’d done. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me, I shouldn’t have hit you.”
“No shit, you shouldn’t have. We both get enough of that type of hell out there. Keep it out of this place. You made this place safe for me. You know I learn from what you do, not what you say... And I know you let that Woodsman knock you around more than once.”
“How-”
“Look, I know things. Don’t ask me. And no, this bruise? It wasn’t from a client, okay? It was…” Selina sighed. “It was from my hobby.” She reached into Faith’s bag and pulled out a magnetic device. “That’s why I borrowed your bag- it flops less than my purse. I finally finished my gizmo for gliding up walls. It’s not perfect yet… ha, I had a slight accident, but, it works. At least sort of.”
Selina tossed the device to Faith before continuing, “It lights up purple when you’re using it. I thought… you mentioned once you liked lavender, so I thought, as a present for everything you’ve done for me…”
Faith turned the device over in her hands as she sunk into the couch. A sigh emanated from deep in her soul, as tears began to flow. Before she knew it, arms were around her, and Selina was snuggling her head against her shoulder. The two women remained there, silent, for a few moments, reveling in the safety of one another’s embrace.
Finally, Faith gently pried herself away from Selina, who looked up and met her eyes. “I have to go, kitten. It’s almost dawn- I need to make it to rehearsal on time today.”
Faith tried to leave the couch, but Selina wouldn’t remove her grip on her arm. “Please, Sel.”
Selina pressed. “Promise me you’ll be back tonight. That you’ll try out my device. That the Woodsman won’t hurt you. That Georgie won’t hurt you. ”
Faith didn’t answer, but instead wrenched her arm from Selina’s grasp. She shouldered her satchel, and made her way to the door.
After she’d undone all seven locks, Faith stepped into the hallway of their dusty tenement building, managing only a tearful, “I’ll see you around.”