Twice Two

Plane looked around with interest at the things scattered in a burst of passion last night. Along with clothes, there were half-bald makeup brushes and pieces of fabric, mostly yellow. Plane fished out her shorts from the mess and, rummaging in the closet, headed to the bathroom. It had been two weeks since she arrived here. Just two weeks. A whole two weeks. It all started touchingly — Nymphia met Plane, who was barely holding back tears, and lovingly hugged her. Looking at Nymphia, who listened attentively and stroked her hair, Plane couldn’t hide her feelings, which she’d always kept from others. She had never been so vulnerable in her life as that evening, but next to Nymphia she could afford it. The evening turned into night, and she continued to comfort her without resorting to words. Already the next day she felt much better, but the desire to return home never came. As soon as Plane imagined her mother’s smug, grinning face, the thought returned to her that she’d never set foot there again. She felt very good here — it reminded her of the times when she stayed with Nymphia during trips. But one week gave way to another, and Plane began to notice that the situation was much more complicated. She kept idling around, waiting for the upcoming trip to London and imagining how Nymphia would hastily organize a tour of the city she often visited while studying at the university. But Nymphia was often absent in the evenings, returning late at night. She was only able to rest for the first two days after Plane arrived. Then she got swept up in performances, and together they only spent rare weekends without leaving the bed. Plane also wanted to enjoy her beloved’s shows, but to her great surprise, Nymphia said she wouldn’t allow her to come — she didn’t want anyone to see Plane and find out about their relationship. Plane was shocked by these words — they had appeared online together so many times, fans had probably already made an altar with their joint photos, and it would’ve been logical to confirm their guesses and say they were really a couple. But Nymphia stubbornly insisted, refusing to explain her position. Nymphia heard Plane humming something in the shower (it seemed to be her own silly song about bananas she planned to perform with one day) and smirked. Wow, she had never done that before — Plane already felt at home. Nymphia gladly accepted these changes in her life — she had long dreamed that Plane would always stay by her side and never leave her. Sometimes she had this baseless feeling that Plane was spending time with someone in a way that wasn’t friendly at all. She didn’t know her friends — she’d only met Big Atlas once. Plane had never given her a reason to be jealous, but Nymphia still couldn’t get rid of that feeling. She never shared it with Plane, who could’ve turned it into a scandal. Well, now that she stayed home like an obedient wife, there was no need for that. ‘Fuck, Nymphia, what’s with this pigsty again?’ Plane lamented, kicking the junk on the floor. ‘I haven’t been able to find my socks for three days.’ ‘And you won’t,’ Nymphia giggled and, getting up from the bed, stuck out her bare ass. Plane sighed and, as usual, smacked her girlfriend before heading in the opposite direction. ‘I hope you’ll sort this out soon. I’m tired of living in trash,’ Plane said haughtily. ‘Why don’t you try cleaning the apartment at least once?’ Nymphia retorted, still standing there in her Eve’s outfit with hands on her hips. Plane froze for a few seconds, staring at Nymphia’s charms, then rolled her eyes. ‘Because no matter how much you clean, you’ll still turn it into a dump!’ ‘Maybe instead of claiming that, you could just try? By the way, I’m not the only one who leaves things around here. You could deal with it while you’re sitting at home doing nothing.’ Plane was taken aback by Nymphia’s tone. ‘And you’re so busy you’ve got no time for that. Right, you’re the star — the real winner,’ she said sarcastically. ‘You think I didn’t deserve to win?’ Nymphia exclaimed in shock. ‘Then who’s the real winner?’ Plane stayed silent. ‘Don’t tell me it’s you?’ Plane looked away, realizing she’d gone too far, and from the corner of her eye saw Nymphia approaching. She felt fingers grab her chin and, lifting her eyes, she met her furious gaze. Nymphia had never looked at Plane like that, and it pierced her through. ‘Well, say it,’ Nymphia demanded angrily. ‘I didn’t deserve to be in the spotlight? I stole it from you?’ ‘No,’ Plane shook her head. ‘Neither you nor anyone else can take it from me, and your win doesn’t change anything. I don’t even understand,’ she brushed Nymphia’s hand away. ‘Why are we back to this again?’ ‘I don’t know!’ Nymphia exclaimed, giving Plane a light push before flopping on the bed. ‘Maybe we should just stop recalling old wins and live in the present?’ ‘Great idea, Nymphia,’ Plane agreed. ‘You can start by clearing the floor of trash.’ Nymphia was stunned by the unexpected insolence. ‘I’ll join you in a couple of minutes,’ Plane added with a smile. ‘In the meantime, dig out something from your clothes there and cover yourself.’  

✶ ✭ ✶ ✭ ✶

Nymphia was finishing her performance, casting a tired glance over the excited crowd, when a familiar profile caught her attention. That can’t be. Nymphia had forbidden her to appear at shows. And on top of that, Plane wasn’t alone. Not believing her eyes, Nymphia began to stumble over her words and froze, trying to see the picture before her. Plane was sitting at a table with a young guy, chatting with him casually. Suddenly, she noticed Nymphia’s gaze and, smiling, waved at her. Nymphia returned to her work, trying not to think about the incredible discovery and not to look at Plane as she finished her act. Walking across the stage one last time, she glanced back at the table. Plane joined the cheering crowd, waving her arms, not paying attention to the boy who was devouring her with his eyes. Plane’s appearance had ruined all of Nymphia’s plans. What was she supposed to do now? If she went down to her like this, she’d draw too much attention. But if she went to the dressing room to take everything off and clean up, it’d take at least half an hour — and who knew how Plane’s conversation with that horny type... With no time for long deliberation, Nymphia left the stage, hurried down the dark corridor’s twists and turns, and headed to the table. It happened so suddenly that no one even realized the radiant star they’d just seen on stage was now in the crowd, dragging along some guy who turned out to be none other than their beloved Plane Jane, whom no one had expected to see in New York. Without a word, Plane obediently rushed after Nymphia, whose long yellow nails dug into her palm. Once they were behind the door in the dark corridor, Plane slowed down, pulling at Nymphia’s hand, demanding she stop. But with a shake of her head, Nymphia kept dragging her further. Finally, they ended up in the dressing room, which wasn’t nearly as cluttered as Plane had imagined. ‘It’s tidy here…’ she muttered. ‘What are you doing here?’ Nymphia asked in surprise, without a hint of anger, as she kicked off her heels. The initial irritation she’d felt when she saw Plane dissolved the moment she entered the hall and grabbed her hand. They could’ve been spotted, and that sense of danger thrilled the hooligan side of Nymphia. She had to admit, she liked what Plane had done. ‘Baby, I can’t stay at home anymore,’ Plane pouted sadly, sticking out her lips. ‘I want so badly to be next to you when you perform. You can’t imagine what I felt watching you from the audience.’ Nymphia smiled, flattered, and turned to the mirror to begin her routine. ‘Are you very angry?’ Plane asked, looking at her reflection. ‘Strangely enough, not much,’ Nymphia replied matter-of-factly, starting to pull off her wig. ‘I’m more interested in who that guy was sitting next to you.’ Plane frowned, as if trying to recall something unimportant. Realizing what she meant, she shrugged and kept watching Nymphia through the mirror. ‘No idea. He just sat down to chat.’ ‘And what were you talking about?’ Nymphia asked calmly, moving on to her face. ‘Oh, this and that…’ Plane’s eyes stayed glued to Nymphia. ‘I wasn’t even listening — I couldn’t take my eyes off you. I only answered him now and then for politeness.’ ‘Looked to me like he had plans for you,’ Nymphia smirked. ‘If I hadn’t come for you, he’d have dragged you to the bathroom.’ ‘You think I’d let him get me off in the john while you’re in here changing?’ Plane raised an eyebrow in surprise. Nymphia didn’t reply, continuing her ritual. Plane stepped away from the mirror, picked up the wig from the table, and placed it on the mannequin. ‘You’ve got such a high opinion of me,’ she said. ‘So if I wanted to mess around with someone, I’d need to come specifically to the club where you perform, sit where everyone could see me, and grab your attention? Or do you think I came just to piss you off?’ ‘I hope not,’ Nymphia admitted. ‘I’m sick of fighting with you. I just want things to be like before.’ ‘But you know things can’t be like before now. We need to figure out how to live in this situation.’ ‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Nymphia sighed. ‘And we’ll definitely come up with something.’ She turned to Plane and hugged her tightly. Plane didn’t want to let go, but imagining what was happening under Nymphia’s tights, she quickly released her. ‘Why are you still dressed?’ she exclaimed indignantly. ‘Get undressed, I’ll help.’ ‘Just not like last time,’ Nymphia asked. ‘I want to get out of here quickly. I still need to pack everything — tonight was the last show.’ Plane nodded eagerly and started unzipping the tight costume, freeing Nymphia. Once the outfit was off, she began helping her pack, speeding up the process considerably. ‘There,’ Nymphia exhaled. ‘All clean. Now no one would guess Miss Banana was here.’ Plane smiled to herself, pulled a lipstick from her pocket — apparently picked up during the cleanup — and wrote ‘Nymphia’ in a huge heart on the mirror. ‘Whoever comes to clean this up will know the real star’s name.’  

✶ ✭ ✶ ✭ ✶

Plane didn’t need to ask for permission to come to the next show. She knew how to convince Nymphia without words, so she worked hard to make Nymphia herself want to invite her. Nymphia understood what Plane was doing but didn’t let it show, enjoying her submissiveness. They agreed to meet after the show at the exit at a set time so that Nymphia could tidy herself up and not raise suspicion. She quickly got ready, anticipating the praise she’d hear from her number one fan. There was no one at the exit. Nymphia looked around nervously, but only tipsy couples lingered nearby. ‘Where is she?’ Nymphia frowned and pulled out her phone. No one picked up — Plane was probably still inside. The meeting time had long passed, and Nymphia began to get angry. She decided to go back into the hall and find out why Plane was late. It didn’t take long to find her — she was dancing recklessly, not noticing anyone around, as if she’d already had a couple of shots. Two half-naked guys were on either side of her, shaking their assets. They were moving closer and closer, trying to tear into her. Nymphia couldn’t hold back anymore and furiously lunged at them. One got a punch in the eye, and the other a knee between the legs. It all happened so fast and unexpectedly that no one even realized what had just happened. The two macho men groaned, clutching their bruises, while Plane froze mid-dance, staring at Nymphia. Without a word, Nymphia spun around and stormed toward the exit. Plane rushed after her. ‘Nymphia, wait!’ she shouted as she ran outside. ‘Don’t yell my name for the whole street to hear!’ Nymphia stopped and turned around. ‘Fine, just don’t run away from me,’ Plane said plaintively. ‘Alright,’ Nymphia shook her head. ‘We’ll sort this out at home.’ All the way home, Plane tried to talk to her, but she just kept her eyes on the road, showing no desire to converse. ‘Nymphia, stop being silent!’ Plane finally snapped. ‘I told you,’ Nymphia reminded her with an eye roll, ‘we’ll talk at home.’ Plane sighed and accepted her stubbornness. She hoped that by the time they got home, Nymphia would calm down and not be so angry. But no such luck. Nymphia didn’t rush to start a fight once they got home. She silently stepped over the threshold and, as usual, kicked the trash out of her way. Plane grabbed her hand and stopped her. ‘Nymphia, let’s talk…’ she pleaded, looking into her eyes. ‘Fine,’ Nymphia replied, lowering her gaze to their hands. ‘First question: why did I wait half an hour for you at the exit?’ Plane exhaled and slapped her forehead. Of course — she had totally forgotten the time. It felt like only ten minutes had passed, but she had actually been dancing and drinking for an hour. ‘Sorry, baby, I lost track of time. That club has so many great…’ ‘Guys?’ Nymphia cut her off. ‘Why the hell were there a bunch of men around you, and what were you planning this time?’ ‘What guys? Come on!’ Plane protested. ‘I wasn’t late because of them. I just didn’t notice the time. And don’t forget, I went there to see you.’ ‘Last time you said the same — you came just for me,’ Nymphia reminded her. ‘It’s not my fault everyone wants me!’ Plane exclaimed sincerely. ‘I don’t need any men, I only love you!’ Her words didn’t fully convince Nymphia, and she decided it was time Plane finally proved something worthwhile. ‘Strip down to your panties and get on your knees. I’ll be right back.’ Plane nodded eagerly and began pulling off her clothes. While waiting for Nymphia, she tried to guess what she had in mind. Obviously, she was supposed to please her. But how exactly? And why did she say to leave her panties on? Plane’s thoughts were cut short by the sound of footsteps and a bucket that appeared in front of her. She looked up in confusion at Nymphia, who tossed a rag at her, almost hitting her face. ‘What’s this?’ Plane asked in surprise. ‘It’s time to prove your love,’ Nymphia replied. ‘And that has to happen outside the bedroom too. Wash all the floors, then you can start on the bathroom.’ ‘Why not hire a cleaner?’ Plane whimpered but quickly stopped and nodded obediently. ‘You can get started,’ Nymphia said and stepped over her on her way to the kitchen. ‘She’s really going to eat while I slave away?’ Plane thought, dipping the rag into the water. She grudgingly scrubbed the floors as Nymphia returned and plopped down on the couch, ice cream in hand. Loudly smacking, she licked it while keeping an eye on the process. Plane turned her head under the weight of that gaze and saw Nymphia sucking her treat with gusto. Meeting Plane’s eyes, Nymphia smirked and swallowed the ice cream, lips wrapped around the stick. ‘Is it good?’ Plane asked acidly, squeezing the wet rag. Nymphia nodded and, swallowing, said, ‘Don’t get distracted, kitty.’ Plane forced herself to turn away and keep cleaning, accompanied by her smug partner’s slurps. Nymphia slowly licked the ice cream and her sticky fingers, all while admiring her girlfriend’s ass. Well, she’d found the perfect way to get Plane used to house chores. The ice cream was gone, and the knees were polished nice and red. Bored with the silence, Nymphia sprawled on the bed. Plane had just finished the floors and walked toward her, but without raising her head, Nymphia wriggled and exclaimed, ‘Go scrub the bathroom!’ Plane muttered something under her breath and went to obey. When she’d decided to move in, she hadn’t imagined she’d end up doing this, especially at night. And now she was scrubbing the bathroom, still fuming in her head. ‘Finished?’ she heard a sharp voice and turned. Nymphia stood there completely naked, giving the room an appraising look. ‘Now this is better. Finally, I can relax in the tub after a hard night.’ She looked down at Plane’s red knees. ‘You worked pretty hard,’ she sneered and turned on the faucet. ‘You’re free now. You can go,’ she added with a dismissive wave. Plane couldn’t hold back anymore. Tearing off her panties, she shouted, ‘I want to relax after a hard night too, you know!’ Nymphia looked away and bent down to close the drain. Plane’s eyes locked on her ass, and without another word she climbed into the tub. Forgetting her anger, Nymphia joined her.