Both Lin and Pippa woke up to Pippa’s alarm clock at four forty once again. “Pip,” Lin said, his voice all gravely and rough from just waking up. “Turn it off, they cancelled classes for the week. Some huge blizzard or something.” He mumbled through the last little bit, already falling back asleep.
“Okay.” Pippa whispered and tucked herself back under the covers. It was truthfully only Lin who realized that within the past night, Pippa always kept some part of the two of them touching; whether it be Pippa's ankle on top of Lin’s, or she laid on the far end of her pillow so that she could feel that Lin’s arm was there, she would. He didn't take any of that as anything creepy or sensual, nobody in their right mind would. He took it as the fact that she felt safe around him, and he took that to heart. When he said he was going to protect her, he meant it. This go around, Pippa just gently grazed her wrist over where Lin’s hand rested on top of the pillow. It was gentle contact, and that's what she needed.
They woke up some five hours later, around nine. Pippa was up first, and walked around to the kitchen area of their dorm and started two cups of coffee out of the Keurig. Lin was quick to follow after her. “Man, it really is coming down out there.” Lin muttered, looking out at the building blizzard outside. New York perks, am I right?
“Yeah…” Pippa’s voice trailed off, and she handed Lin his mug, getting a, ‘thank you’, from him. At this moment, Pippa was avoiding all eye contact with Lin.
“Listen, Pip, we’ve got to talk about this. About last night.” Lin knew it had to be done, he also knew it would be hard. “For me to be able to help you, I need you to talk to me about it. I won't push you, but please, Pip.”
Pippa sighed. She knew this was coming. Pippa set her mug down and and looked at her hands, where her thumbs were fiddling around each other in attempts to remove her nervous energy. “It started a few months in to when we started dating. Think like...March. And, and he just got weirdly possessive, and would go through my texts, and he always accused me of sleeping with you, and he thought I was cheating on him with you, and--" Pippa stopped when her heart started to race.
“He thought you were sleeping with me? I'm the reason he did all of that to you?” Lin looked down at his lap. He couldn't help but feel guilty for the last few hits to both her body and her mental state.
“No, Lin, it's not your fault. He’s just...he’s the sick one. You're the one who brought me happiness in all of this. You're the saving grace here, you’re--" Emotion clogged her throat. “Please don’t think it is your fault.” Pippa whispered the last sentence.
“Pippa, answer me one more question.”
“Alright…” Her voice trailed off.
“Did he ever...take…” Lin cleared his throat. “Take advantage of you? Like...like that?” Pippa’s breath stilled. She contemplated if she should lie or not. I mean, he’d gotten this far, there was no point in lying now. Even then, Pippa’s eyes snapped up to Lin’s. Lin’s eyes widened at this, fearful of what her answer would be.
“He did once, when he got drunk.” Lin’s mind spun. “But he was too drunk to even comprehend what he was doing, and--"
“And that doesn't make it any better!” Lin exclaimed, standing up from his chair. “For one, he was drinking underage, and two, he’s conditioned you to think that everything he’s done to you is okay, and you know that it is not! Drunk or sober, you don't hit a woman, you don't threaten a woman, you don't take advantage of a woman!” Lin ran a hand through his growing out hair. Out of nowhere, he grabbed his jacket and phone.
“W-Where are you going?” Pippa stuttered, still scared from the yelling he just did.
“I'll be right back.” Lin pressed a gentle kiss to Pippa’s hand and went out the door. “Oh, and Pip?” He asked, peeking his head back into the door once again.
“Y-Yeah?”
“I got permission to stay here with you.” Lin smiled. It was true, he did have to get permission, but now he could make sure she was safe and not potentially get in trouble for it.
"But, Lin..." Pippa's voice trailed off. "What if he..." Her mind started to race once more. Lin nodded.
"I promise you'll be safe with me."
Pippa nodded slowly. "Hurry back, I don't want you getting stuck in the snow."
"Will do." Lin partially smiled and shut the door gently behind himself. Pippa didn't know where he was headed just yet, and maybe that was for the better.
