A/N - Hope y'all had a great week! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy! (I don't own these characters.)
Chapter 4 - Choppy Waves
It had only been a few minutes since Sachiko's raven black hair had disappeared down the ladder and into the cabins below, but it felt like an hour. When she had found Sachiko asleep on the couch Yumi had stood and stared in disbelief at the beauty of the woman she had dreamt of off and on for the last thirteen years of her life. At one point they were dreams of longing. Seven years ago they had turned to a mixture of lustful fantasies and torturous nightmares of rejection and mockery. Never did she imagine that in the seven years they had been apart Sachiko would have grown even more beautiful. Her curves had filled out in tantalizing ways, but it was the softness of her face that had drawn her in the most. In their youth, Sachiko had often sported a severe look with a taut jawline and borderline glare, which had put many on the defensive and intimidated even more people. Now, in her sleep, Yumi couldn't see anything of that once severe girl. Her jaw was lax, eyes resting easily, and mouth drawn slightly upwards in a gentle smile.
The instinct to reach out and trace the lines of her softened features was nearly too much for Yumi to withstand. Drawing her hands into fists at her hips, she had instead moved smoothly and quietly into the kitchen. At first, she was only going to make herself a meal, but that age-old instinct to take care of Sachiko won out and before she knew it she had finished her own food and plated a meal for her ex-sister as well.
When it became clear that Sachiko was on the brink of waking, her nerve had run out and so did she, straight above deck. It had seemed like forever before she heard the creak of the door below and saw Sachiko's alluring figure walk into view on the lower deck. For long minutes she simply stood and watched her. When Sachiko had finally noticed her, Yumi was beyond grateful that her glasses were firmly in place. That way Sachiko couldn't see the desire, mixed with equal parts guilt and anger, flaring in her brown irises. Years of practice had trained her to school her facial muscles into a mask of indifference, but she had never mastered her eyes. Despite the growing darkness, she had kept the glasses firmly in place on her face in order to give herself time to control the emotions she knew would instantly be visible in her eyes.
Their conversation had gone much the way Yumi had feared it would, though at the same time she didn't feel anger directed at her from Sachiko as she had anticipated. Instead, while she sensed a small amount of frustration it actually appeared that Sachiko was feeling more guilty than anything else. It kind of shocked Yumi that even after so long she could still read Sachiko so well. Was it because she did know her that well? Or could it be that while Yumi had gotten better at controlling her emotions, Sachiko had in turn let some of her skill in that area fade? Or… and she hesitated to even think about this last option out of fear of the hope it would plant within her, but she couldn't help it. Was Sachiko intentionally lowering her walls for Yumi? Could it be possible?
Shaking herself from the thought, Yumi growled at herself for being so ridiculous. Sachiko was married. She had chosen that life, so why would she ever attempt to open that intimate line of connection with Yumi ever again? Looking down, she noted their location and heading once again and then turned the wheel in a slight course correction. It was practically a straight shot from Tokyo to her island home, with only one landmass she would need to circumnavigate along the way. That was days away though, so there was little fear or danger that she would run into anything in the dark. There was always a danger of other boats and ships out on the open water, but her trusted radar showed no activity for thirty nautical miles, so she relaxed back into her seat and closed her eyes to allow herself to simply enjoy the cool wind off the sea. Before long the wind would turn warmer and have a tropical scent to it, but for now, Yumi allowed herself to enjoy the cooler winds that reminded her so much of the home she had left behind. Tokyo wasn't the nicest place she had ever lived, but it undoubtedly held the most memories for her. She couldn't deny the hold it had on her heart and so didn't even try. She did try to push away the fresh rush of memories that cascaded through the recesses of her mind. Memories of Sachiko.
Opening her eyes, she stared into the sky above. Without looking, she reached to the left of the radar console and flipped a tiny switch. All at once, the lights on the boat flickered out and the lights of the heavens burned brighter in the sky. Sometimes the beauty of the night sky at sea still managed to take her breath away. She could see thousands of stars burning in the thick blackness above her. Clusters that glowed deep and bright seemed like clouds in the cosmos. Galaxies millions of miles away seemed so close that Yumi could reach out and trail her fingers through them, feeling the interstellar bodies flow around her touch like a pool of cool liquid.
She smiled to herself, knowing that she had a way of losing herself in the endless expanse above her as well as the fathomless depths beneath her. Her problem though was her inability to remain at ground level and face the issues life threw her way. No, she would much rather dive into the soundless waves or float away in daydreams of the stars above. That would be simple. That would be sweet. And she knew that would be unrealistic. She couldn't hide from her past any longer, not with Sachiko roaming the cabins just meters beneath her feet.
Feeling herself dozing slightly, she grabbed the accelerator and pulled back to half speed. She was hard-pressed to get home, so she didn't want to stop altogether, at least not until she put more distance between herself and Japan. At the same time, she was wholly against going full throttle in her sleep. She was already on a yacht on her own, which was undeniably one of the dumbest things Yumi did on a regular basis. Sailing was dangerous, especially when you were by yourself. Yumi specifically loved the challenge of it and the solitude she found on the waves by herself. No matter how her friends argued with her about it, she had never relented, insisting on this one freedom. So far Yumi had been lucky, the only issue has ever come about being some mechanical damage that had her at the mercy of the coast guard a time or two. Since then she had taken courses and was adept enough that she could handle most minor repairs she might come across while at sea. This skill had already saved her from many long hours of waiting to be rescued, something she found great pride in.
She hadn't noticed that she had dozed again until her satellite phone, always close at hand, crackled to life at her side. Without thinking she clicked the button to accept the incoming call.
"Yumi-chan, you there?"
Sei's voice crackled low from the speaker. Their connection wasn't the greatest, but still, Yumi had to be grateful for this line of communication she had to her Tokyo-bound friend. Lifting the bulky phone to her cheek, Yumi smiled into the receiver. "You can't be missing me already."
A sharp laugh sounded over the speaker. "I think you get more full of yourself every time I talk to you."
Kicking her feet up on the side of the cockpit, Yumi chuckled. "I have years of cringe-worthy timidness I have to make up for. Excuse me if I sometimes overcompensate."
"Fair point, though I have to say, I liked the timid Yumi."
"No, no. You liked teasing the timid Yumi. There is a difference." Her tone was accusing, but they both knew she was joking.
"Yes, I won't deny that. But, seriously, you had a charm all your own when you were that timid little pigtail wearing high schooler I first met."
"Are you implying I have no charm now?"
Silence. "Well, let's just say you've turned into a badass scientist, Dr. Fukuzawa. Charm comes secondary to your badassery."
Yumi couldn't hold back her laughter at that and a tear trailed from the corner of one eye. Wiping at it she shook her head. "Am I really that bad now?"
"Instead of answering that let me ask another question."
"Okay?"
"How many women have you charmed into bed lately, Yumi?"
Yumi's feet hit the deck with a loud thud and her cheeks flushed at the question. "Uh, Sei-senpai, you're my best friend, but… What the fuck?!"
"Exactly. What the fuck? Answer the question." Her voice was amused while at the same time serious.
Shaking her head, Yumi leaned forward to hide her face against the console. "You know, I don't have much time for all of that. But… I mean, I do okay?"
"Why does that sound like a question instead of a statement?" When Yumi didn't respond, Sei continued. "Does a certain black-haired woman with vibrant blue eyes still have sole possession of your heart?"
Upon hearing that question, Yumi felt a stab of anger and narrowed her eyes at nothing. "Despite what anyone may think, my heart is not up for grabs and will certainly never be possessed by anyone else ever again. That includes Sachiko."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I put myself out there and then spent two years just trying to pick up the pieces. I'm five years into my recovery and I'm sure as hell not going to go back for another shot to the gut. So, drop it, Sei."
The line crackled and then Sei spoke again. "Okay, I won't push. Though, can I ask how the meeting with said stowaway went?"
"She's still aboard and in one piece both physically and emotionally. So you and Yoko - who I know is standing in the wings waiting for that particular update - can rest easy."
A moment later Yoko's crisp voice sounded down the line. "Good evening, Yumi-chan."
"Good evening, Yoko-sama."
"Is Sachiko really okay?"
Yumi sighed into the receiver but didn't hold back from the update because she knew it would put Yoko at ease. "Yes, she's fine. She even seems to be handling the waves fine with no motion sickness yet that I know of. I made her food and we talked for a few minutes."
"How did the talk go?"
If it had been Sei talking to her she probably would have joked the question off and changed the topic, but with Yoko, she just couldn't. "It wasn't what I would call productive, but we did talk. I guess that's a step in the right direction."
"Does the divorce change anything for you?" Sei's voice drifted down the line, though it was obvious she was still not the one holding the phone.
Yumi stiffened at the question even as she heard Yoko quiet Sei in the background.
"Yumi-chan?" Yoko's voice came tentatively over the line.
"I'm- I'm still here."
There was quiet on the line for a full minute before she heard Yoko ask, "She didn't tell you about the divorce yet, did she?"
"No. No, she didn't."
"Shit." Sei's swearing would have normally lightened the mood for Yumi, but not this time. This time things were far too heavy.
"When?"
"When what, Yumi?" Yoko spoke this time.
"When did she get divorced and why?" When Yoko didn't respond, Yumi spoke again. "Yoko-sama? Sei-senpai?"
"We are still here, Yumi-chan." Sei spoke closer to the phone this time, sounding contrite.
"But you should learn the details from Sachiko. Honestly, you shouldn't have even heard this much from us. We're sorry." Yoko's soft voice sounded apologetically from the line.
Yumi nodded though her friends could not see her. "I- I understand." She hesitated only a moment before continuing, "I can understand now why she would have run from Tokyo like this. Divorce is painful and messy."
Sei and Yoko were quiet for a time before Yoko's gentle voice finally crackled through the line. "Things aren't always what they seem, Yumi-chan. I would recommend refraining from judgment on this front until Sachiko reveals more to you."
Yumi could tell there was a story, a big one, that neither of her friends was telling her, but she also knew better than to try and pressure it out of them. If Sachiko wanted her to know the details of her divorce, she would speak up. Otherwise, Yumi resolved herself to stay quiet on the topic. Besides, this revelation changed nothing between them. Sachiko had still rejected her and Yumi had moved on with her life. Simple as that. Or that's how it should be. Instead, Yumi felt her heart racing, pounding a nautical mile a minute in her chest. Sachiko was free. If they were to connect then it wouldn't make Yumi a mistress. It wouldn't - Yumi shook her head violently to free herself of that train of thought. No, she wouldn't subject herself to that kind of poisonous hope.
Realizing her friends were still waiting for her response, Yumi spoke. "It's not my place to judge anyway. She has to live her own life, same as me."
"Well, it seems like you may have some thinking to do, Yumi-chan. We will let you go, but please keep in touch with us over the coming days." There was a note of pleading in Yoko's voice, though Yumi knew there would be no denying her request.
"Wanting to make sure we both make it there alive?" She asked with a chuckle.
"I'm less concerned about that than you might think." Though she sounded amused, Yoko made no further comment before Sei's voice took back over the line.
"You be careful out there. No matter how tempting, don't sleep with the fishes. If a man introduces himself as Davie, do not follow him to his locker. And by all means, do not get carried away by the waves of the ocean you love so much. Got it?"
Yumi laughed heartily and smiled into the instrument panel before her. "You got it, Sei-Senpai; no fishes, avoid Davie, and don't get carried away. I think I can handle it."
"You better, or I'll have something to say to you in the next life."
Standing from her chair, Yumi stretched and raised her arms above her head. "You got it. Talk to you soon, Senpai."
They disconnected, leaving Yumi to sit and wonder about the new information she had gleaned. Sachiko hadn't said anything, so had she not intended to tell her? Was she waiting? If so, why? Yumi had to force herself to stop her analysis because the truth was she didn't know Sachiko well enough anymore to work out the answers for herself. No, she would have to wait for Sachiko to tell her the truth. If she didn't then Yumi would know that the topic was unwelcome.
Hours later when she could no longer keep her eyes open, Yumi decided it was time to stop for the night. Checking the radar, she verified nothing was in the vicinity before adjusting the running lights and bringing Artemis to a stop. With the flick of a switch, she heard the anchor release and waited until she felt the vessel settle in the water before climbing down the ladder and making her way below deck.
She had just stepped into the galley for a cool glass of water when she turned and found Sachiko back in her place on the love seat, staring at her intently. Lifting a hand to her breast as if she could forcefully stop her heart from beating out of her chest, Yumi cursed under her breath. "For the love of all that is holy in this world, what the hell?!"
The small apologetic smile on Sachiko's face told Yumi that she was sorry, but not too sorry. "That wasn't intentional, I promise."
Shaking her head, Yumi grabbed her cup from the cupboard and retrieved cool drinking water from the dispenser near the pantry. "You have a way of making yourself comfortable wherever you want, you know that?"
"Not everywhere I want."
Yumi nearly choked on her water at what that one phrase could have been insinuating. Was she coming onto her? One look at Sachiko and her flushed cheeks gave her the answer she needed. That still wasn't enough to inspire Yumi to lower her walls though. "I - I guess there will always be places we can't go, no matter how much we want to." Her tone was flat and she intentionally looked away, refusing to meet Sachiko's gaze.
After a few awkward moments, she heard Sachiko rise from the couch and move toward the cabin. Yumi couldn't help but let her eyes drift in her direction as she went. Sachiko was no longer wearing her clothes from earlier, instead having opted for a thin pair of cotton pajama pants and a matching tank that clung to her curves in just the right way. The pants hugged the curve of her butt in a way that invited both looks and caresses while her peaked nipples showed clearly through the thin fabric of her top.
As if sensing Yumi's eyes on her, Sachiko turned before reaching the narrow hallway and caught her staring. Instead of showing annoyance at being ogled, she grinned as if knowing exactly how much Yumi was enjoying what she was seeing. "I recently revised my opinions on where I can go and where I can't. In short, I'm done living for others. I'm going to go wherever I want to go and do whatever and whoever I want to do." Her eyes flashed with the implication even as she backed further away. "The first on the left, huh?"
Without a word, Yumi merely nodded and watched as Sachiko disappeared into the cabin that had been her own. She waited a breathless moment for the door to click closed. When it didn't, Yumi's heart skipped a beat and she had to physically refrain from approaching the door that was so invitingly cracked open. No, no - No, Yumi. Bad, Yumi. That is a very bad idea- bad Yumi!
Her knuckles turned white from the grip she was using on the butcher block countertop. "Breathe, Yumi. Nothing has changed." Her eyes swept toward the enticing doorway as she worked hard to remind herself of all that had happened that drove her away from the woman who lay beyond in the darkness. "She chose… Well, she didn't choose you." Nodding her head determinedly, Yumi straightened and walked toward the hallway.
She was just passing Sachiko's door when she heard a soft intake of breath from the darkness and a breathy voice whisper, "Good night, Yumi."
Without looking into the darkness, Yumi muttered her response, "I'm- uh - Yeah, good night." Then to herself, she added, "Get your ass straight to bed, Yumi. Ass, bed - Now!" She could have sworn she heard a soft chuckle from the main cabin even as she escaped to the far cabin at the rear of the boat, the one that was the furthest possible from the enticing presence of the woman who still visited her many dreams and fantasies. Leaning her back against the door to her room, Yumi heaved a sigh and groaned into the darkness. "This is going to be a long voyage."
A gentle rocking that had put her swiftly to sleep the night before, woke Sachiko the next morning. The soft lapping of the waves against the hull was comforting in a way that Sachiko had a hard time putting to words. It was a constant aboard this boat, yet unpredictable in its exact rhythm and intensity. Almost like it was a physical representation of the feelings roiling inside Sachiko herself. The desire for Yumi had been a constant in her heart ever since high school, she would no longer deny that. However, the guilt that had chased her from above deck the night before warred with her desire, causing the ebb and flow of her courage to pursue Yumi. When she had seen Yumi come below deck the night before, seeing first her muscular legs and then that chiseled midriff and gorgeous face - All pretense and reservation she had managed above deck had made a blatant swan dive off the bow of the ship straight into the depths of the deep dark ocean below.
With a loud groan of self-loathing, Sachiko turned on her stomach and buried her face in the pillow. Kicking in frustration, she tried to fight back her own embarrassment at the words that had so shamelessly escaped her mouth the night before. "I basically propositioned her right there… It only took me what? Six hours? If you only count the time I was actually with her I didn't even make it an hour!" Turning to her back she glared at the ceiling and growled, "Why, God, am I so freakin' hopeless when it comes to this woman?!"
Realizing her door was still open, Sachiko threw the blankets back and cautiously inched the door wider. Peeking her head out she saw no sign that Yumi was anywhere in the main area. With a sigh of relief, she backed back into the cabin and closed the door. "Get it together, Sachiko. You need to try and be her friend. Friend only." Grinding her teeth together, she pounded her fist back into the door. "Now if I could just figure out what to do with this urge to jump her whenever I see her." Looking up she chuckled and waved at the ceiling, "You probably didn't need to hear that."
"Nope."
With a start, Sachiko jumped back from the door and whipped it open with a snap of her wrist. Yumi, dressed in a navy pair of boy shorts and a form-fitting white tank that showed her sports bra clearly through the thin fabric, stood leaning against the wall with a look of amusement on her face.
"Uh - Yu-Yumi… You -" Rubbing her temples, Sachiko grimaced and mumbled, "You weren't supposed to hear that."
"Uh-huh." Yumi nodded, pushing herself off the wall with her shoulder. "I kind of figured. Though that knock against the door would have stopped anyone in their tracks."
With a quick nod of her head, Sachiko resigned herself to the reality of her humiliation. "Yeah, okay, I'm going to close this door and act like this mortifying moment never happened. If you mention it later then I may very well have to toss myself overboard. Okay?"
Biting her lower lip in the most adorable manner Sachiko had ever seen, Yumi shrugged and turned away, but not before Sachiko caught the hint of a grin on her lips. "You can act all you want, but that doesn't mean I'll play along." She hesitated just past the door before turning back as if she were going to say something. Their eyes met for a moment and Sachiko could have sworn there was something in her gaze, but whatever it was was gone an instant later. With a resolved nod of her head, Yumi turned away and disappeared into the galley beyond.
In response, Sachiko closed her door once more and leaned her head against the cool wood. "Oh, God, give me strength."
A/N - Enjoying this new story? It's kinda different than my others, but I am enjoying writing it. Have a blessed weekend and an amazing week to come!
