Chapter Text
Phyllis sat on the edge of one of the Resort’s beds, Liliya was curled up comfortably beside her; her mask and headpiece had been long discarded. Phyllis was very adamant about wanting to see Liliya’s face, her scars, her messy hair, her lips. “You’re too pretty to hide your face all the time,” was what the woman had told her, and she removed the mask.
Phyllis was eager to talk when her father didn’t interrupt her. She talked about her life, about the children she protected, about her television series that Liliya had never before heard of. Dr. Futterman tended to chime in frequently with unwelcome and ill mannered comments that made Liliya’s blood boil on behalf of Phyllis; but she seemed used to taking the verbal abuse.
The longer she listened to Gooseberry talk, the more and more attached she grew to her. This wasn’t her first visit to the Resort, and they had become far more frequent. Liliya had long considered herself solitary by nature, but Phyllis had been changing that recently.
“Beloved,” Liliya spoke with a soft voice, and Phyllis stopped talking. She reached her clawed hand to the prosthetic hand mounted to her chest plate; she gripped the rosary between her golden talons and pulled it from its resting place. “Take this,” she dangled the rosary before Phyllis; the Russian orthodox cross swayed back and forth.
“Oh, that’s…” Phyllis stared blankly at the rosary. “…very sweet of you, but-“
“My daughter ain’t wearing your fakakta cross!” Dr. Futterman interrupted. Liliya tightened her grip on the beads and locked eyes with Phyllis as she fidgeted uncomfortably. “I want to protect you,” Liliya scooted closer.
“I’m just not exactly…” Phyllis tried to pick her words carefully, “the most comfortable with things like… this,” she tapped the cross and it swung back and forth. “You’re uncomfortable with God?” Liliya tightened her hold on the rosary. “We aren’t really church people, lady,” the puppet barked. “I don’t need you trying to manipulate my daughter,” he snapped. “Daddy,’ it’s very sweet that you care, but-“
“Quiet down, cow! The grownups are talking,” he huffed.
“I don’t wish to harm her,” Liliya tried to relax. “However, my business with her doesn’t involve you,” Liliya sat the rosary down on the bed and grabbed the puppet between her claws; she clamped his beak shut. “Beloved, I want you to take this because it means we’ll always be together,” they both glanced at the rosary. “You’ll have a piece of me with you even when we are apart,” she tightened her hold on the hand puppet.
“Darling, you’re so thoughtful,” Gooseberry smiled, but her tone still sounded unsure. “Don’t think of it as a gift from God,” Liliya tried to make her voice comforting. “Don’t think of this as protection from Him,” she slammed the puppet against the bed so she could lean in closer to Phyllis. “Think of this as a gift from me, so I may protect you, my love,” she purred.
Gooseberry went starry eyed with something crossed between devotion and love. “Well, how can I say no when you put it like that,” she grabbed the rosary from the bed. “Will you put it on me, dear?” Phyllis extended the beads to Liliya. “It would be my honor,” she released her hold on the puppet.
“Holy fuck!” Dr. Futterman honked. “Phyllis, you dumb slut! You were going to lets her kill me!”
“Oh, daddy, you’re being dramatic,” she chirped. “You stay aways from my daughter, whore,” the drill spun in his mouth and jutted out in Liliya’s direction.
Liliya slashed a section of the sheet with her golden claws. “Don’t you even fucking thinks about touching me,” the puppet snarled. “Dear, I’m not sure this is necessary,” Gooseberry placed a hand onto Liliya’s shoulder. “Let me,” Liliya remarked as she wrapped the torn sheet around the protesting hand puppet; she gripped the edge between her claws and teeth and pulled it tight.
Gooseberry’s hand was seized in Liliya’s grasp; she was careful not to cut the larger woman. “I prefer when he is gone,” Liliya’s tone was hushed. “You are lovely, but I find him burdensome,” she let go of Gooseberry’s hand. “I suppose it’s easier without him for some things…” she tried not to let her sorrow leak through her words.
Liliya gripped the rosary between her shiny talons and carefully slipped it over the other woman’s head. “It should be worn beneath your shirt,” she slipped a finger into the red ribbon around Phyllis’ shirt and pulled it loose. “Only you need to know that it’s there,” she struggled with the buttons to the white blouse; one handed tasks weren’t the easiest to accomplish.
“Would you like some help, dear?” Phyllis grabbed Liliya’s wrist as the smaller woman broke one of the buttons. “Apologies,” Liliya retracted her hand. “Oh, I don’t mind,” Phyllis unbuttoned her blouse further than necessary, exposing her entire bra and upper stomach.
Liliya touched the cross that rested on Gooseberry’s chest. “You’re my gift from God,” she placed her hand to Gooseberry’s chest; she felt her chest rise and fall with nervous breaths. “My reward before Heaven,” she placed a tender kiss to the larger woman’s lips.
She slipped her tongue gently past Gooseberry’s lips; their tongues intertwined and twisted about. Liliya’s long tongue explored each and every crevice of the other woman’s mouth. Liliya moved her hand slowly down the other woman’s body; she caught her claw in the blouse, and slid it down- slitting the blouse the rest of the way open.
“Oh, my,” Phyllis remarked as they parted and she stared down at herself. “I want to see you,” Liliya purred. “You’re very hard to say no to,” Phyllis giggled as she rolled her shoulders back; the blouse slid down. She pulled her left hand free from the sleeve, but the right side stayed tangled around the concealed hand puppet.
“I would like to give you a reminder of my love before you leave,” Liliya gave her best attempt at a gentle smile. “I thought that’s what the necklace was for,” she ran her hand through Liliya’s short, black hair. “It is, but I would like to do more for you, beloved,” she kissed Gooseberry’s cheek.