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been on tumblr and in and out of fandoms for a looong time but only recently discovered this community and wanted to introduce myself!

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my current wip

Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 33: Not again?

A cold shower is the perfect remedy for her exhaustion. Refreshed, she changes into the cotton t-shirt and pants that Jardine has laid out on the guestroom bed for her. She takes some time to ground herself to her new environment – the soft texture of her slightly too loose pants that she also has to roll up to her ankles, the light scent of lilac of the room spritzer, and the near silence except for the hum of the air-conditioning and muted classical music floating up from somewhere.

Then she goes to Spring.

The Flower is sleeping. She is a pea in the pod of the king-sized bed, snug under the duvet and throws. It has been hours since Spring was jabbed but she supposes Flowers needed to be sedated long enough to be moved to the Colonies unawares. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer that she remains sedated. She considers changing her tattered clothes into the clean ones Jardine has left out but Spring’s face is peaceful in sleep, and she does not want to disturb her. So she brushes a soft kiss on her forehead instead and goes to find Colombo.

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 32: Flight of the Hummingbird

All is silent for a blessed second.

Then a thunder of footsteps. Her heavy rapid breaths. The low moan of a woman. And Faraday is staring down at her, his arm under her back to lift her into a sitting position. Marion crouches over Spring, muttering a string of colourful curses under her breath.

Faraday gives her the once over with a practised eye. “Superficial.” He points and she touches her cheek, feeling the clotting blood. “Are you injured anywhere else?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Good. We need to go,” he says calmly. “Can you walk?”

“Spring,” she exhales, wobbling to her feet with Faraday’s help. “Is she –“

“Just unconscious,” Marion says, picking up and brushing glass pieces from her body.

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 31: Mettle

Aden runs out of the cottage, hops into her buggy, and slams on the accelerator. The wheels screech in response as she tears her way through the House compound.

The seemingly never-ending day is finally turning into evening, the setting sun casting lavender and pink hues across the sky. Lamp posts flick on, illuminating the alarm on Flowers’ and their bodyguards’ faces as she swerves around them carelessly in her haste. They exclaim in surprise and clutch onto their evening dresses; Aden throws apologetic waves over her shoulder.

The uniformed guards outside Tsu Mi’s Residence glare at her when she pulls up outside the wrought iron gates. The Residence is set apart from the main residence complexes, occupying some of the best beachside real estate in the compound, enclosed by eight-foot concrete barriers and further surrounded by strategically placed forests for further privacy.

She shuts off the engine and walks towards the gates. “Good evening,” she greets the guard who bars her approach. He is bearded with a dark cap pulled low over eyes that tolerate no funny business. “I’m here to see Tsu Mi.”

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 30: Summer

As Aden makes her way back to her cottage, her steps are heavy, eyes swollen with tears. The sun has passed its zenith and the breeze has picked up, stinging her face. A shiver at first, then her breaths come rapidly and the next thing she knows, spots crowd her vision and she collapses against a tree, the heaviest anchor on her chest pinning her down.

A panic attack, she belatedly realises.

She forces herself to focus on her hands – tracing the outline of her fingers, breathing in through her nose with each stroke up, and breathing out from her mouth with each stroke down. She sits for a long time, grounding to the monotonous action.

Slowly, her breathing becomes regular. The usual sounds of the House return to awareness – the quiet chatter of Flowers around the residential area, the gentle rustle of leaves. The sun warms her skin. She sits for a moment longer, letting the waves of anxiety wash over her, the thoughts in her head like passing clouds.

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 29: Spring

Aden stumbles outside the central building, shell-shocked at the influx of information.

The scene outside is incongruously picturesque. White puffy clouds bloom across a bright blue sky. The sun blazes down on the compound and its abundance of colour summer flowers, scented and buzzing with bees. Surf tumbles soothingly in the distance. Flowers glance at her unmoving state as they walk by, slight concern on their faces. She tries to give a reassuring smile but thinks she may have grimaced instead. All the feelings that she shoved aside earlier floods her system, threatening to overwhelm her.

So she forces herself to walk. Fast. To run.

But breath-stealing hurt staggers her all at once. Tears threaten her vision. The thought that Spring had engineered their relationship from the start clears out all else in her mind. That Spring weaponised love against her. She feels so stupid. She had suspected, had worried right from the start. Right when she saw Spring and Tsu Mi walking along the beach. But they had come so far! All the moments that they shared. The intimacy, the jokes, the comfort. How could anyone fake all that?

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 28: Vindication

Before the sun rises the next morning, Spring presses a kiss to her head and slips out. She has a busy day ahead. With the near guarantee of a successful Bloom-halting BioChip, they set their escape plan in motion.

Spring will meet with Tsu Mi and terminate her contract with the House tomorrow. To do so, she will have to finalise the details with her team of lawyers, ready the outrageous sum of money Tsu Mi will demand for her termination, and pack her necessities.

In the meantime, Aden has to calibrate Spring’s Bloom-halting Chip and implant them later that afternoon so she will be safe when she leaves the House the next day.

Nerves brew in her stomach. She has a regular update meeting with Tsu Mi scheduled later that morning, where she has to maintain a façade and not raise any suspicion. An ordinary meeting, with only updates and no issues. For now. Once Spring secures the termination of her contract and leaves will she then raise her compunctions about her contract.

When the appointed time arrives, Marion admits her to Tsu Mi’s office.

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 27: Plans, Plans, and More Plans

One month.

One month to create a Bloom-halting BioChip, after which she expects Tsu Mi will allow only another month to create a Bloom-instigating Chip. Neither Chip is possible to any safe degree, but time is no longer on their side.

So Aden and Spring spend the next morning making plans, for their priorities have changed. Then a backup plan, and a backup plan for the backup plan.

New priorities:

First, to halt Spring’s Bloom permanently and prolong her life span. Even if Aden cannot realistically and safely create Bloom-halting BioChips for all Flowers at this stage given individual variation in BioProfiles, she has enough data and perhaps just enough time to create one for Spring.

Second, for Spring to leave the House. Once Spring is no longer a Flower, she will not require Tsu Mi or the House’s protection. But while she has the money to buy her way out of her contract with the House, they know that the real battle is getting Tsu Mi to agree. Spring will contact her legal team to devise an airtight strategy for contract termination.

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 26: Aden

Aden comes awake slowly. The room is aromatic with Spring’s fragrance and the saltiness of the sea breeze. There is a dull ache in her muscles, some she’s not used in a long while. But she feels content and satisfied.

Spring is sleeping soundly on her chest, face angled towards her. She takes a few moments to take her in, to imprint this moment in her memory – her button nose, long soft pink lashes, her slightly swollen lips; Spring’s bare skin on hers, warm; naked. Love strains against Aden’s ribcage. An unfamiliar sensation that she catalogues.

Then predictably, anxiety, solutions, defences; they flood her mind. She may be in love but she is not a total fool. Tsu Mi had announced a deadline, greater oversight –

“Mmm,” Spring grumbles softly. “I wish you wouldn’t.” She rests her chin on her chest, looking at her with half-lidded eyes. “I can hear you overthinking. A particularly annoying sound.”

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Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 25: Coward

Spring is not in her penthouse.

Aden stands outside her front door, confused. According to Tsu Mi, she should be resting. After that harrowing brush with death, she should be resting. But Spring hasn’t answered the doorbell, even after ringing multiple times.

Unopened parcels are heaped outside her door. A freshly delivered bouquet stands out, bountiful with multi-coloured roses and lilies, some of Spring’s flavoured flowers. She bends to read the accompanying card, unable to help herself.

“Friday was magical. Thinking of you this Bloom. I cannot wait to see you again. Love, B. C.”

Friday? Spring mentioned wanting to spend time with Winter the Friday before her Bloom, a long-awaited catch-up for the best friends. It was a rare day she did not come into the lab; she remembered feeling foolish for missing Spring, even though it was only one day apart.

Spring is a master of deception, Tsu Mi had said.

The turmoil grows inside her.

One more futile ring of the bell. Then she leaves.

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House of Flowers

Genres: original Fiction, sapphic romance, sci fi/fantasy Featuring: sapphic enemies-to-lovers, asian rep, slow-burn, female friendships Summary: Here

Chapter 24: Questions

She waits to be summoned.

In her cottage, Aden sits hunched on the couch, head bowed with the weight of self-criticism far more imaginative than what Tsu Mi can throw at her. For someone who has always prided herself on her logic, she has made some asinine emotional decisions recently – to implant Spring without any proper procedure was just another one. She should have just completed Spring’s Bloom. What was her problem with doing so? Why is she so resistant to thought? But, perhaps implanting the prototype chip was the logical move?

She lets out a muffled groan into her hands. She can’t seem to remember how to make decisions logically without the overwhelming sense of Spring, Spring, Spring consuming all possible consideration.

I love you, Spring’s voice sounds in her head.

She freezes. Is this what love is? She thinks she knows love – a quiet kind of companionship and warmth. She had felt that with Imaan. But this… the complexity of what she felt for Spring… it is being caught in the middle of a desert storm on the outskirts of Grenain – otherworldly elatedness at being alive in its sheer power and overpowering fear of not making it out.

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