Summer was long gone, and fall had quickly cascaded into winter. It seemed to go by fast. Too fast. One day she was enjoying the summer sun, and the next she was freezing her butt off in the harsh winds and pouring rain. Tori shivered and hugged her middle, teeth chattering slightly. She clenched her jaw shut, fighting not to react to another sudden gust of wind. Why did she agree to waiting outside for the others to show up? She hated the cold.
It bit at her cheeks and sunk into her bones until they ached. She preferred the comfort of the sun's rays on her skin. The fresh feeling of cooling off when it got too hot. The fun and energy it provided. She glanced at Jade, no worse for wear in the cold wind that blew past them. She stood utterly at ease in her oversized black hoodie. Her hands casually tucked in her pockets. Her jeans were torn at the knee, allowing cold air in. It made Tori squeeze herself tighter in an effort to keep out the cold.
She shuddered again, a bit harder than before, and huffed out a visible sigh. Jade liked the cold. She felt invigorated by cool gusts of wind. She was inspired by dark clouds, sheets of rain, and thunderstorms. She enjoyed the petrichor of freshly fallen rain after a long summer. A summer full of burning sun that suffocated her and caused her to sweat. Tori looked at Jade and saw someone in their element. Calm. Serene. Just as content in the cold as Tori was in the heat. Opposites. Always opposites.
Jade looked at her then, pierced brow raised in a questioning arc. A small smile danced at the edge of her lips, undetectable if Tori hadn't known what to look for. The color of her eyes were blue-gray today, changing with the weather. A color that should have been as gloomy as rainclouds but was somehow just as beautiful as the blue-green they became in summer. At least in her opinion. Jade blinked at her, and a frown started to take form when Tori failed to explain her staring.
Instead, she shuffled over slowly, approaching Jade who watched her every move, no doubt wondering if she would be subjected to a hug. Seconds later, Tori's ice-cold hands were slipping into either side of the pockets of her sweater. Her spine tingled as her skin transferred heat to Tori's hands once they were wrapped in her own. Tori breathed a sigh of relief and pressed closer, her chin resting on Jade's shoulder. Jade released Tori's hands to wrap her arms around her.
"You seem to be best friends with the cold. You're so warm despite the weather," Tori commented. Jade's shrug was restricted with Tori in her arms.
"And you seem to flourish when the sun is threatening to kill us all," Jade responded evenly. Tori nodded, agreeing.
"Thanks for this," she said, smiling. Her warm breath fanned Jade's neck. Only then did she allow a shiver to race down her spine.
"I told you to bring a warmer jacket," Jade reminded her. Tori rolled her eyes in mild irritation.
"Yeah, and I made my choice. So save the 'I told you so' for another time and just keep me warm," Tori demanded, pressing her hands against Jade's stomach from the inside of the pocket. Jade chuckled lightly at the pout on Tori's face and held her closer.
"Fine. Cry baby," she mumbled.
"I'm not a cr-" Tori began to retaliate, but Jade's lips were already pressed to her own, silencing her. Tori didn't really like the cold, but warmth like this was better than any amount of sunshine.