Prologue
The first winter away from her was definitely the hardest. Each cool morning, an icy breeze lulled over the bed that contained two women who were cuddled together. Outside, the leaves that once skipped and skittered along the sidewalk, were now stuck and buried in the white blanket that coated the whole city. Footprints large and small were both dotted in the snow. Adults forced themselves against the violent winds trying to ignore the drastic weather change in their desperate endeavor to get to work, whilst children played with glee, ignoring all worries and cares. Another gust of wind pushed through the broken window, brushing past the curtains to caress the entangled bodies. A shiver ran over both women as they scrambled across the very little bed sheet left to get as close as possible. A kiss was pressed against her shoulder that would be interpreted as intimate if viewed by anyone else, but Rachel or Santana. Because they were just friends.
"Is it still snowing...?" Rachel asked with a groan. She rubbed at her eyes and tried to let them adjust to the sudden wave of light that hit her. She ducked out of the path of the light and coughed. Her voice was croaky after a good eight hours of sleep, so blindly, she reached out for her glass off of the bedside table. She gulped down the water gladly before squinting to look out through the crack in the curtains.
"You got eyes." Santana quipped, pulling Rachel into her arms open, and trying to bite back a chuckle as she spilled the water. "How come you're so wet? I don't need wet girls in my bed..." Rachel gasped, struggled out of Santana's loose embrace and jumped out of the bed and shook herself a little. The brunette glared at Santana, who had now acquired even more of the blankets but looked focused on something else. She looked down, realizing she only had a large top on, and underwear. Her toned legs stuck out from the black shirt and she growled.
"First of all, this is my bed, Santana. Mine." Rachel sighed, as she started her journey into the bathroom. She picked up a slightly damp towel and patted herself down, and then grabbed her bright pink tooth brush. "And seconwly, awen't wet women the onwy kine' you wan' in your bed?" She chirped inaudibly as she brushed at her teeth. The sparkly toothbrush moved of it'w own accord as she spoke, before Rachel took it out. Santana appeared around the corner, her eyebrows scrunching a little, but a soft smirk carved onto her face. Her hands sat on her hips.
"Are you speaking English, or Elvish?" Santana teased, starting to set up her shower. She grabbed a dry towel from the rack, and Rachel spat into the sink. Santana giggled, brushing her hair out of her eyes and grabbing her favourite body scrub and shampoo. Today was a big day. She was going to sign up for a dance class, and this time she wasn't going to quit just because the dance teacher reminded her of a certain blonde.
"Is that another Hobbit joke, because if so, I think you're highly immature. You're 23, Santana. Grow the hell up." The comment awoke Santana from the mini coma she'd found herself in, entranced by agony and lust, but merely for a moment.
"Says the 4" midget.." Santana muttered softly, looking down at the tile floor. Her heart pounded with a dull ache, that caused her stomach to roll uncomfortably. Images of the blonde dancing floated through her mind. Rachel noticed the change in heart and she let out a gentle breath. It was something she'd grown very used being in pain.
"Actually, I'm 5"2..." Rachel said, moving to square up to the woman. Her eyes were fierce, but the smile that was seeping through was genuine, and heart felt. Santana looked up and let her lips turn into a gentle smile. Rachel pulled the taller woman in for a hug, and smiled, then pulled away. It was an action that also, Rachel had grown used to. "Just because you're a couple of inches taller than me. Though I am almost completely certain your um.. weave, adds a couple of centimetres at least." She said, offering a smile.
"You smell minty."