It had started as innocent curiosity, as these things often do, though they usually stay in that realm; and not morphs into whatever it was that Tori now held hidden within her.
It had been bugging her since she first spotted the bandaid, and her curiosity was driving her crazy. Halfway through lunch it finally got the better of her and she could no longer hold her tongue.
"What you do to your finger?" everyone turned their gaze to Tori when she broke the quiet over the table, all with varying levels of focus.
"What's it to you? Butt out and mind your own damn business. Nosey git," Tori just rolls her eyes at the response and the complimentary insult, and while her curiosity wasn't sated in the least but she certainly knew better than to continue. Tori dug back into her lunch; missing the peaked interest on her friends faces as they finally took notice of the slightly darker flesh coloured patch circling her finger.
While she never found out exactly what had caused Jade's finger to be wrapped up, a few days later she did spot the bandaid missing and instead was a small, still healing, scratch on the inside of her index finger. As time passes and the wound begins to fade so do Tori's thoughts on the matter, only to be replaced by another in a few weeks time; the brighter, more vibrant streaks that run through her hair.
Logically Tori knows that she's seen Jade with recently touched up colours before, and she knows she'll see it again. For some reason it just seems to strike a chord with her more this time than previously. She catches herself watching her, or perhaps more so her hair, not that Jade isn't nice to look at, but those streaks... they just seem to call to her. She watches as Jade moves from indoors to outdoors, looking for that change in light that seems to alter the colour enough for Tori to be entranced by it all over again.
The thought began idly enough, Tori just wanted to see the colours twisted together, switching from one to the other and back again. That soon turned to wanting to see them twisted about her finger. Not that Tori was stupid enough to touch a strand on her head, Jade would certainly flatten her if she tried, but it never stopped her from wanting to.
Tori always knew that Jade carried scissors on her, everyone did really, but initially thought she carried them in her bag, because that makes sense and is logical. It was silly to assume that though, simply because Jade didn't always make sense and no one at Hollywood Arts was logical.
It was when Jade was acting out a scene in Sikowitz's class, when her shirt rode up just enough, for Tori to see that small flash of silver along her hip. At first Tori just thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, it wasn't until she was the same flash a couple of weeks later did it actually click that there was something there. Plenty of subtle staring and brain racking occurred in an attempt to figure out just what it was, however Tori could make no headway. When she saw it for the third time she finally caught on to it.
She had to wonder how Jade didn't manage to stab herself whenever she twisted and turned, she was certain that within an hour Tori would have cut herself at least three times and jab herself countless others. Tori continued to be fascinated by Jade's ability to not injure herself. In time she figured out her secret; she twisted and turned her body in such a way that the scissors would never jab into her.
It amazed Tori at just how adept and unconscious the movements were; it inevitably lead to her wondering just how long and how often Jade carries them with her. Is it every day? Just at school? Does she sleep with them next to her pillow?
When Jade isn't talking much one day Tori notices, but doesn't say anything; after all it wasn't out of the norm for Jade to be moody from time to time. The following day it continues, except now Jade appears tired, as though she could still do with a couple more hours shut-eye, and constantly has a bottle of water in her hand instead of her customary coffee.
Come the end of the day, Jade looked as though she was ready to lay down where she stood and sleep the remainder of the day away; absentmindedly rubbing her throat as she trudged about the halls. It was then that Tori realised that Jade had fallen victim to the cold running about the school, she began rummaging through her locker and bag, hunting for her prize. Without saying anything, though the small sympathetic smile said enough; Tori grabbed Jade's hand and placed the pack of lozenges in her hand before continuing her way to the parking lot. She completely missed the tiny grateful glance that followed her to the door as tablet was pushed out of the pack.
The past few days had passed slowly for Tori without the other girl to focus on. Beck did say that her cold did get the better of her and she was resting, something that Tori was thankful for. When she does return to school, Jade approaches Tori annoyance written all over her. Tori can immediately see the difference having those days off did, no longer does she look exhausted and just ready to fall asleep, more importantly there was a cup of coffee back in her hand. Jade grips Tori's hand raising it and turning it over so she can slam a fresh pack of the lozenges in her hand. To say Tori is shocked would be an understatement, Jade isn't the type to return gestures, however small.
With that Jade stalks across the hall to her own locker, leaving Tori with her hand still sticking out and a stupid silly smile on her face.
Originally I was writing these to try and get a better grasp of Tori now though, it's more thoughts that run about my head that I can't seem to work into a decent sized story (at least it will be once type them up). They will probably be all Jori ones because I just don't really care about any other pairing for Victorious.
Oh and Merry Christmas all.