DISCLAIMER: I don't own glee. Or these characters. Just my creys.
Hushed footsteps rushed through the thick air. The smashing of twigs and dried leaves beneath their feet echoed in their ears, but no one else could hear the fire crackling in their heads. A sudden halt in the blonde's movements jostled the brunette. Eyes slid up to question the other member's hesitation. Overhead, the sky was blackening as though reflecting the death beneath it. Shallow breaths muffled the silence. A hand squeezed the slightly smaller one still in its grasp. The trees turned away to give the illusion that the forest was swallowing them whole without having to say a word. A whimper captured Quinn's attention.
She gazed a Rachel, giving her an expression that inquired about the noise with a sort of patience that reassured her.
"Quinn..."
Her eyebrow furrowed upward.
"Where are we going?"
She sighed, reluctant to admit the truth.
"I have no idea."
"Then..." She huddled closer, bewildered by the curious revelation. "Should we stop for the night? It's getting dark, and I am one-hundred percent sure that I'll just fall flat on my face if we continue. It's a silly thing to worry about, but I'm sure that I'd just die of embarrassment if that happened so soon into our trek."
Embarrassment?
"Alright, Rach. Rest sounds nice." A bead of sweat trickled down her temple in agreement.
Rachel's eyes scraped over Quinn's arms as she removed the light, beige knitted jacket she had been wearing over the top half of her off-white dress which reached to cover her knees but just fell short. Her gaze landed on the outside of the former cheerleader's right arm that had donned a snarling purple bruise. The contrast with her fair skin startled Rachel, her mouth dropping open as guilt flooded out her throat.
"Where did you get that?" she exclaimed.
The bewildered girl in front of her startled Quinn. She looked down to where a petite finger pointed. Observing the dark violet blotch consuming her tricep, a dull pain creeped through her body. The day settled in her muscles like the bones hidden underneath the layers of tissue, and a slight throb in her skull intensified. She feared that her legs would collapse beneath her, so she gingerly sat on the damp ground. A chill flashed up her back, and she shook. She didn't notice Rachel's arms around her, nor did she notice when she placed her head in the crook of the neck before her. She only noticed that the pain had subsided and a faint smell tickled her nostrils.
Eyelids flickered against warm skin. Foreign lips grazed behind her ear gently in a manner not dissimilar to that of a small child delicately loving a small creature. A blush attacked Rachel's neck. She pulled back and observed the bruise by which she had previously been captivated.
"Where did you get that?" she repeated, nearly whispering.
"I..." Quinn started, but her eyes stopped on the lips before her on their journey to meet Rachel's gaze. "I think I landed on a rock or something one of the times I fell on the way to your house..."
"Oh..." she breathed.
The darkness which blanketed the two girls could not dim the light in her eyes as she continued to study the brunette's rosy lips, the gloss coating still evident from that morning's application. She did not flinch as the lips moved closer. At least, she thought they were moving closer. They were, weren't they?
What's happening?
A breath slid over her lips. She licked them in a nervous anticipation only to feel a peck above her brow. She found herself staring at Rachel's throat instead of the eyes she had been expecting. A peculiar question invaded the peace.
Why am I disappointed?
Rachel looked around over the soft, blonde hair for any immediate dangers. Calm breezes occasionally floated past the trees, stopping to watch the heap cuddling together, then moving on once their curiosity had been satisfied. The late October night had vanquished all the light of day, making scouting out the makeshift campsite a chore for the girl. She emitted a slow laughter.
"I suppose here is as good as any other place," she mused. Silence. "What did you bring in your bag?" Her arms gently extended enough to push the docile girl far enough back to look her in the eye momentarily. A lip dropped to expose the girl's bottom row of teeth as though she were preparing to speak. After a few moments without response, the one holding her removed both hands from her shoulders and took the liberty to look through her bag. Within the following seconds, smooth movements presented the two with an LED flashlight, three triple-A batteries, a Swiss Army knife complete with all eleven features that come with the Huntsman, eight nutritional bars, two packs of matches, a cell phone, a folded map of the area that was printed out from Google maps with directions from what Rachel inferred was Quinn's house to Shelby's, two and two-thirds filled bottles of water, and finally a single change of clothing—complete with a tee shirt, jeans, and undergarments.
As she held up the lace panties previously concealed by the bag, she blushed. Her arm thrust them back into the messenger back as she stumbled to regain her composure.
"You seem to be prepared. Good. I'm sorry I didn't bring... well, anything. I'm not much help."
A smile reached across Quinn's face. "I didn't exactly give you time to gather your things. I'm just glad that I got you out of there when I did. I don't know what I would have done with myself if I had let you die over a pair of underwear or something." Exhaustion evident for both of the girls, she continued, "Let's use our extra clothes for blankets. Sorry I kind of expected us to get to Shelby's by tonight. I don't know what happened."
"Earlier you said that you weren't sure where we were going... Do you think that we can get back en route?"
"Yeah. I'll... figure something out in the morning. For now, I don't think that I'd be able to think clearly enough to actually come up with a plan or do much of anything, really. I... don't know what's going to happen, Rachel."
"I know. I don't expect you to. We'll just have to get through this together."
Together.
She lowered her eyes when she failed to suppress a grin. "I'm so tired. Can we just get some sleep?"
Her exasperated companion nodded in agreement.
"Yes, please."
After she placed the rest of the belongings into the sack—spare the extra clothes, Quinn settled into the leaves under her jacket which she had dropped not so long ago. She offered the girl beside her the extra shirt and jeans. Graciously, Rachel accepted. She nodded in approval and watched the other girl get comfortable. Once it appeared this goal was accomplished, she surveyed the site once more and closed her eyes.
"Quinn..."
Eyelids cracked, and she peered through the dim moonlight into those eyes near her that were darker than the night surrounding them. The glow from the emerald irises looking back lit the space between the two bodies. They were alone, but they were by no means lonely.
"Ye...ah?" she managed to mumble, trying to mask something unknown to even herself.
"Are you cold?"
"A little..."
"Come here," Rachel whispered as she scooted closer. She slid an arm under the short blonde hair and another around the waist hidden by the jacket, cradling the small of Quinn's lower back. "Is that... any better?"
Pushing her way through the brown hair, she growled contently into the warm neck. Her cold nose eased with the newly presented heat.
"Perfect."