Title: In Between Sheets
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Quinn/Rachel
Spoilers: none
Summary: Quiet moments in the early morning are always Quinn's favorites.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Fox and Ryan Murphy. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made from this work of fiction.
It's her favourite time of day. Not even day, really. Those moments just before the sun rises, just before another busy day begins, where she's filled with the promise of a new start and the memories of the night before.
Quinn is leaning up on one elbow, just watching the woman sleeping beside her. She supposes that this could probably be classified as creepy, but Rachel has told her in the past that she finds it rather flattering. Then she started rambling about preparing for future fans and Quinn just stopped paying attention. She tries to listen attentively, but sometimes it's just hard, okay?
Without bothering to try and keep the bed sheet around herself, Quinn slides up slightly against the headboard. Her muscles ache in the way that always brings a smile to her face. As the sheet falls a little lower, she shivers at the cool air hitting her skin.
Blonde hair falls into her eyes and she debates leaning over the edge of the bed to find the hair elastic she had been wearing earlier, but it seems like too much effort for a lazy Saturday morning. She makes a mental note to go see her hairdresser soon, her hair is getting too long anyways. It's messy and always getting in her eyes, though Rachel seems to like it long. She's always wrapping the blonde strands around her fingers and when Quinn's hair sweeps against her skin, Rachel can hardly keep still. So maybe no to the haircut after all.
A yawn cracks her jaw and the sound makes Rachel shift beside her, turning away from the sound. Quinn can't resist reaching out a hand and softly – gently, barely touching at all – laying it on Rachel's back. She keeps it still, just feeling the warmth radiating from the small body, sensing the slightest twitches of smooth muscle.
Long moments pass, peaceful in the quiet – serene, even. Quinn stays still, her hand resting motionless on Rachel's back. Then she moves, sliding her hand down Rachel's back to the small dimples at the base of her spine. She lingers there, pressing slightly harder at the skin then moving back upwards. When her hand reaches between Rachel's shoulder blades, she moves sideways, smoothing her fingers into the curves and over the sharp angles of bone. The brunette makes a soft noise, just an exhale, and Quinn freezes, waiting.
When Rachel doesn't make another reaction, Quinn continues, sliding her hand to Rachel's neck. She lets her fingers play with the dark strands splayed out over the skin, but stops before she tugs any of the hair. Her fingers rub over the bumps of Rachel's spine and she smiles when Rachel squirms in her sleep, drifting towards wakefulness. The back of Rachel's neck has always been a sensitive spot.
She presses just a little harder and then scratches her nails down her sensitive skin. Rachel's body jerks underneath her hand and Quinn starts grinning. Rachel twists around part way, her eyes still bleary from sleep.
"Good morning, love." Quinn says, her voice soft and full of that tender protectiveness she feels whenever she looks at Rachel.
"Mmph," Rachel replies, blinking slowly.
Quinn slides down the bad again, her hand slipping from Rachel's neck as she fits herself against Rachel's back. She ducks her head down and nuzzles her nose against Rachel's shoulder, pulling back slightly to kiss the skin there.
She can nearly feel the smile spreading over Rachel's face as she wraps her arms around Rachel's waist, her hands splayed over Rachel's stomach. "I didn't mean to wake you," she murmurs, arms tightening just a tiny amount.
"It's okay, nothing better to wake up to. Well, except that time on our honeymoon…"Rachel's voice trails off, her mind obviously wandering into pleasant memories. With a light nip at Rachel's neck, Quinn brings her right back to the present.
"I though about that, but then decided I just wanted to cuddle for a while, that okay with you?"
"Sure is, babe." Rachel wriggles back, nestling as far into Quinn's embrace as she can. She lays a hand over one of Quinn's curling their fingers together. Quinn feels lightheaded and happy, and she twists a leg between Rachel's. Rachel smiles as her eyes close again, "I love you, Quinn."
When Rachel's breathing evens out again, Quinn slides her hand down a few inches until it rests, still intertwined with Rachel's, over the slight swell of Rachel's lower belly; the feeling of pride and protectiveness that comes is still new and slightly overwhelming. "I love you, Rach, and you too, baby."
She closes her eyes, and sleep comes easily.