With High School over most of the gang split up to pursue their dreams or travel. Jade and Tori ended up in New York where Jade was trying out for broadway and Tori's new record company was located there as well as the college she wanted. Jade made do with the same college. Now that they were in the same city they decided to get an apartment together. Back in high school, the closer they got to graduation the closer they became. The last time Beck and Jade broke up in their junior year Tori was there for her, like she always was. The difference that time was that Jade let her in. Sure, Tori wasn't perfect, but Jade saw a lot of trust in her and knew that Tori was the safest person she could allow to know all of her. The pop star-to-be didn't disappoint.
In return Jade laid off purposely trying to hurt her. She offered the same companionship and trust which Tori accepted rather fast. So the decision to live together wasn't a drastic one considering they were already so comfortable with each other. They worked hard and studied all the time in between. When days off were afforded them they happily took advantage. They went out to eat and slowly mapped out the city together, both on foot and in Jade's car. But now winter had struck and Jade was less inclined to go out. She hated the cold because it was hard for her to stay warm. Her internal heat seemed to just dissipate into the air. Tori, however, was a walking heater with heat to spare. She loved winter and the approach of Christmas, which reminded her that they had to get shopping done as soon as possible.
"Jade," Tori called to her best friend in a sing song manner, prancing closer to lean over the back of the couch and wrap her arms loosely around Jade's shoulders. She liked that she could call Jade her best friend, especially since they had such a bumpy start. They couldn't stand each other before but now they spent all their spare time together. Jade rolled her eyes but kept them focused on the script in her hands. She had lines to memorize. It was a small part but it was something. Once she proved her worth she would get better roles.
"Tori," she replied simply. She turned a page and then glanced at her.
"Let's go out and do something. We have shopping to do but that can wait. I really want to go to that huge park," she suggested, bright smile blinding Jade.
"I want to stay in," she responded, reluctant to go.
"You just don't want to get caught up in the snow," Tori pointed out.
"Well, yeah. So what? I thought I told you I don't like being cold," she grumbled, going back to the script in her hand. Tori knew, both figuratively and literally. Even though Jade seemed cold, she wasn't. It was a defense mechanism Tori figured out while others couldn't. She saw the warm side to Jade that everyone else missed. Currently Jade was wrapped in a blanket with an empty mug on the coffee table. She wore a long sleeve and pajama pants. She even wore the Christmas socks Tori gave her last year. Tori smiled at them and then rested her head on Jade's shoulder.
"Please," she dragged out. Jade let out an exasperated sigh and dropped the script on her lap.
"Sorry, I have some savasana to do," she mumbled in a deadpan. Tori stood straight to put her hands on her hips. She knew Jade was plain teasing her now, and seconds later, she caught the telltale smirk on her lips.
"You don't do Yoga! I do! And that isn't funny!" she stated, crossing her arms. Jade laughed anyway and tilted her head back to see Tori better.
"Will you shut up if I say yes?" she questioned. Tori brightened quickly.
"Yep," she said with a nod.
"Fine. Let me get ready," Jade conceded, wondering why she always gave in. Tori grinned but held back celebrating so that Jade wouldn't take it back. She followed Jade into their shared room and began pulling out the clothes she was going to wear while Jade did the same. She set them on the bed and then began to strip right there. Tori turned around just in time to get an eyeful.
"Jade! Respect for other people!" she shouted, hastily covering her eyes and turning away.
"What other people? I only see you here," Jade said with a chuckle. She was far bolder than Tori and didn't care about nudity. She couldn't care less if she saw Tori naked either. Tori on the other hand didn't like to be seen or see Jade in such a state. She knew it was just another thing Jade liked to tease her about. Since she confided in Jade that she liked girls Jade went out of her way to playfully tease her. Sometimes it would be comments about girls they passed while out but there would be other times she herself would flirt with Tori. She didn't take it seriously but sometimes it felt like she meant it. Jade was the type of person to like who she liked so gender didn't matter. She wouldn't be surprised if Jade was open to it.
Having such comfort in each other only strengthened when Jade told her she didn't mind sharing a bed, especially since the room wasn't that big to begin with. It was a little awkward at first, what with Tori's need to cuddle and Jade's lack of clothes in the summer, but they got used to it. Jade agreed to at least wear undergarments so that when Tori subconsciously searched for her to cuddle she didn't get a handful of something she didn't want to. Jade meanwhile had to put up with her touchy tendency and started to expect the Latina pressed to her. She grew to need her presence when she slept, as sickening as it was to realize that. They literally shared each other's space and much more, but nudity was still something Tori couldn't get over.
"Oh come on, Tori. It isn't anything you haven't already seen," Jade replied, a smirk quirking her lips and brow raised.
"Just hurry up," Tori groaned, eyes still covered and a blush on her cheeks.
"Am I at least a turn on for you?" Jade questioned, wanting to mess with her a little longer before leaving her alone. She saw Tori swallow and shake her head, indicating that she couldn't answer. Not that she didn't want to answer, she was just too speechless to manage it.
"Fine. Then I'll go take my shower. At least that turns on when I'm naked," she commented. Tori removed her hands to shoot Jade a glare. Her temper made her completely forget that Jade didn't have a stitch on her. Her eyes widened and flicked over her form quickly before she blushed harder and moved to fall face first on the bed. She mumbled something Jade thought was along the lines of telling her to stop being a tease but she wasn't sure. The fun of embarrassing Tori never got old.
"Ok, ok. I'm done. Be right back. Get dressed," she said, smacking Tori's behind on her way to the bathroom. Tori yelped in surprise and sat up. Jade laughed heartily. Their comfort levels were pretty high up there. Once Jade was ready and wrapped in layers of clothes Tori dragged her into the biting air outside. Tori insisted on walking so that they had more time to talk and decide on what to eat later. She made sure to keep Jade warm with an arm draped around her heavily bundled body. Jade was grateful for the shared warmth and was more inclined to stay out longer as long as she remained warm, which is why Tori made sure to get her a coffee. Jade followed Tori, sipping at her drink slowly to make it last while Tori babbled on. It used to bug her before but now she liked watching her animated friend talk. She sometimes watched more than heard so Tori had to repeat herself. The longer they walked the far too familiar scenery was not lost on Jade who began to lose patience now that her coffee was gone.
"Tori, do you even know where you're going?" she asked. She felt like they were going in circles.
"Umm, yeah. Of course I do. I know this street like the back of my hand," she replied, avoiding Jade's skeptical gaze. After ten more minutes of wandering Jade knew for sure that they were getting turned around.
"I know this street like the back of my hand," Jade mocked in that way that sounded nothing like Tori. She gave Jade a weak glare for it but Jade ignored her.
"Yeah right. For future reference, this is the back of your hand, this is your elbow, and this is your ass!" she continued in her own, harsh, tone while jabbing her finger with each indication. Tori batted her hand away.
"It could be worse," she pointed out. She was already used to Jade's impatience and short temper so she wasn't concerned that Jade could get worse if they took any longer to get to their destination.
"Don't say that. It's a jinx," Jade told her, slightly irritated that she didn't upset Tori. She was tired of being out so long in the cold. To make matters worse it began to snow. See, a jinx.
"This is just the right amount of shitty," she remarked sullenly. Tori's smile widened and she tipped back her head to catch snowflakes on her tongue. Jade watched her, thinking that her friend was too cute. Like a puppy kind of cute. Jade's frown worsened with the thought. Suddenly, Tori brightened with an idea.
"How about I ask for directions?" she suggested.
"How about we use Google Maps?" Jade retorted, digging for her phone, but Tori stopped her.
"No. Part of the adventure is finding your way around on your own. It's not like one of your video games where you always have a map handy. We can do this," Tori told her. Jade bristled at the jab towards her past time but let it slide.
"I can turn the map feature off sometimes," she mumbled, a little petulantly. Tori wasn't listening though. She had just spotted a coffee shop and rushed towards it, pulling Jade along. She hoped she could calm her with more coffee while she found out how to get to the park. They entered the warm atmosphere of the shop and Jade hung back, sitting at one of the small tables while Tori went to get her a coffee, a hot chocolate for herself, and ask for directions while she was there. It wasn't long before some guy sat down at the table. Jade was already prepared for what she knew would happen. She fixed him with a glare but he just smiled.
"Wow. It's a beautiful day today. But maybe that's just because of you," he said, his very words making Jade sick.
"Yeah, thanks, now move along," she spat, shoving him almost out of his chair to get him moving. He stumbled but caught himself and walked away with a severely offended expression. Tori came back at that moment with a cup in each hand.
"Who was that?" she asked.
"A nobody," Jade answered, standing to take her coffee in one hand and filling Tori's now empty hand with her other. She looked to Jade questioningly but she just smiled in return and kissed Tori's nose.
"Let's go babe," she muttered, not bothering to keep the term of endearment quiet. Tori blushed, thoroughly confused now, until she saw where Jade's eyes had flicked to. She turned her head just enough to see the guy she had asked about. He was waiting in line with a scowl on his face and his hands in his pockets. He glared at Jade before looking away. Everything became clear now. Jade pulled her closer and wrapped her arm around Tori's waist to lead her out into the cold again. Her arm didn't drop once they were outside but Tori said nothing about it.
"So did you get the directions or did I have to deal with that idiot for nothing?" Jade remarked, glancing at Tori.
"Oh! Yeah, I got it. We were kinda going the right way except you know that street where we saw that funny sweater? We should have turned left instead of right-" she began, but Jade just rolled her eyes and let out a grunt of mild agitation.
"Ok, don't talk about it. Just take us there," she ordered. Tori sighed and gave her friend a scolding frown, her breath visible in the air, while Jade took a drink of her coffee, unaffected. Tori slipped from her arm and sped up a little, forcing Jade to speed up with an inquisitive quirk of her brow. In a few blocks they found the park they had been looking for.
"Finally!" Jade exclaimed, throwing up her hands. Her coffee had been finished off a while ago and she was starting to get antsy. She shifted her scarf and tucked her hands in her pockets to look for her gloves since it was getting colder. Tori pulled her beanie over her ears more securely, her chestnut brown locks helping to add warmth. She saw Jade searching her pockets and smiled. She always forgot her gloves so Tori had a habit of remembering to grab them for her. She pulled them from her pocket and held them out. The small but sincerely thankful smile worked its way onto Jade's face when she took them and it made Tori's own smile appear. The little things like that were what made dealing with Jade's temper worth it.
"So why are we here?" Jade asked. Tori took her by the hand and rushed through the park until they were at the large pond in the center. It was frozen over. Tori released Jade's hand and dug in the snow for a small rock that was mostly smooth.
"Ok, remember that one day when you were taking a long time to rehearse? You spent the whole day in our room. While you did that I made up this game," she began excitedly.
"And that is?" Jade inquired. Tori walked closer to the pond and crouched down, searching for something.
"First, you find a noticeable marker, like, right there. Do you see that crack way out over there?" she pointed out with her finger. Jade looked for it and found it.
"Yeah," she confirmed.
"You take your rock and try to slide it, not toss it, across the ice. Whoever gets the closest, or even lands on top of it, wins," she explained.
"Isn't that basically that game where-" Jade tried to explain, but Tori jumped to her feet to clamp a hand over Jade's mouth.
"Shoosh! No it isn't! I made it up!" she yelled dramatically, a playful smile on her face. Jade huffed out a breath through her nose and narrowed her eyes. Tori let her go and dug in the snow again for another rock. She knew Jade wouldn't want to touch the snow. When she found a good one, maybe even better than hers, she held it up until Jade opened her hand with a roll of her eyes and Tori placed it in her palm.
"Ok, I'll go first. You need to get it just right," she mumbled, crouched over and focusing. She swung her arm back and forth, testing the power she would put into it. Eventually she let it fly and it skid across to pass the crack by a little.
"Now you go," Tori said, gesturing to the pond. Jade groaned but stepped up to slide her rock across the ice. She let it fly haphazardly and it skid across to knock into Tori's which made it rebound back to stop at the crack.
"I won," she stated, smirking at Tori who stood with her mouth agape.
"Replay, replay!" she demanded.
"No. I'm cold and you already made us walk around so long. I'm going home. You can stay if you want," Jade disagreed, turning to leave. Tori pouted but jogged to catch up with her quick strides. She hooked her arm with Jade's and she pulled Tori closer for warmth.
"The snow isn't even that bad," Tori observed, catching more on her tongue. Jade ignored her but her eyes widened when more snow began to fall.
"You suck," she groused, turning her piercing glare on Tori who smiled sheepishly. They hurried home after that and made it in right when the strong winds began to pick up. They entered the apartment with snow still falling off them. Jade was quick to get into her warm pajamas while Tori turned on the heater before getting dressed too. She came back into the living room to see Jade had turned on their gaming console. It always helped her feel better as well as siphon off her anger on something other than people. She sat on the couch and reclined against a pillow propped up at the arm. She tossed Tori's fuzzy blue blanket printed with stars over her just as a shiver visibly wracked her frame. A deep set scowl was on her face. Tori felt sympathetic for her so she decided to offer warm by climbing over her. Jade didn't say anything. She only frowned and moved her head so that she could still see the screen. Tori chuckled fondly at her ability to devote all her attention to a game. Almost nothing could keep her from the screen once she was invested in it.
Tori knew because she tried and failed to distract her. She snuggled in under the blanket with Jade so that she was pressed to her side, her arm thrown over her stomach and legs tangled. She rested her head on Jade's chest, her heartbeat instantly thumping in her ear. Jade patiently waited for her to get comfortable with her arms held up, controller in hand and eyes still on the screen. It didn't bother her when Tori did that seeing as she benefited from her warmth. Even if she was taking up her space. She wouldn't admit it but it was comfortable to have Tori's whole frame pressed to hers. She felt safe. Bullets flew, enemies dropped, and curses fell from Jade's lips already. Tori grinned and inhaled the subtle scent that was Jade. The gamer cussed at the screen in triumph and set her arms down on either side of Tori, the vibration of the controller rumbling on her side. Her mind began to wander as she thought about the game Jade was playing. She often entertained herself with random things, just enjoying being with Jade more than anything.
"Hey Jade? Did you know in the first game you start in a hospital, the second in a hotel, and the third at the character's home," she remarked.
"Ok, so?" Jade murmured, her brows furrowing as she tried to figure out why that mattered.
"They all start out sounding the same. See? Hotel, home…ho-spital," she began only to realize her mistake and attempt to change the last word to match the others. Jade laughed at the lame attempt and glanced down at Tori who was burying her face in Jade's chest to avoid the shame. This was why she didn't let her stupidly random thoughts out.
"Not the same," Jade said with a shake of her head.
"I know that now!" Tori fumed.
"Fail," Jade added, amusement in her voice. Tori just groaned.
"Well they all started with an 'Ho' then," she mumbled. With Tori talking Jade couldn't really ignore the way her lips moved against her skin.
"Having fun there?" she asked next, just to point out the obvious. Tori only then realized her predicament and quickly turned her head so that she was laying on Jade in a more appropriate manner. She was beet red again with embarrassment. Jade laughed at her, the light sound helping to make Tori feel better. Jade went back to playing and Tori shifted enough to watch her. She always liked to cuddle with Jade and just watch her play. Sometimes her eyes would be on the screen and other times they would be on Jade's face. Her expressions were adorable. Right now her sculpted brows were pulled down over her nose which was scrunched with the snarl of her bared teeth. She got so into it and Tori never tired of watching.
"Dammit, that's gonna be a problem," Jade muttered, eyes intense. Tori looked back at the screen to see the character fumble around until Jade was growling expletives.
"Why can't I ever figure out this stupid problem?!" she shouted.
"I think the problem isn't the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem," Tori spoke up, her lips brushing Jade's skin again.
"Quiet Jack. I'm concentrating," Jade snapped, her eyes never leaving the screen. Tori giggled and tightened her hold on Jade.
"Just block me out then," she countered. Jade's jaw clenched, the flexing muscles visible from where Tori laid on her chest.
"I can't," she responded honestly, eyes narrowed once more, but not with anger. She hadn't meant to blurt that out but she couldn't take it back now.
"Why not?" Tori pressed, looking up at her curiously.
"Just shut up," Jade demanded brusquely. That was a clear sign that Jade was rushing to correct a wrong and now Tori needed to know why.
"Make me," she retorted, pushing up so that she blocked the screen. Her sudden daring response caught Jade's attention and their eyes locked. Behind Tori, Jade could hear her character crying out as he met his demise at the hands of his enemy, but for once, she didn't care. She set the controller aside and cupped Tori's face in her now warm hands so that she could pull her into a heated kiss. Their eyes closed and their lips moved in sync. It was like that was what they were waiting for the year and a half they'd been living together, yet neither wanted to be the first to admit it. It felt so right. Tori straddled Jade's hips so that she was more comfortable and lost her hands in Jade's hair.
She groaned when Jade's tongue slid tentatively over her lips. She opened her mouth to let Jade in. Their tongues met in a flourish and it was Jade's turn to moan. Her hands found their way down Tori's lithe body to wrap around her. One hand slipped down to drag up her shirt and press her hand flat to Tori's hot skin. The other fisted the hair at the back of her head, encouraging Tori to fight back. She did, her hands gripping Jade by the shoulders and her tongue forcing Jade's out of her mouth to continue in hers. They only parted for a short break and then went right back to it. When they parted a second time Tori rested her forehead on Jade's and smiled deliriously with her eyes still closed. A satisfied smile curled Jade's lips.
"I didn't know you were such a good kisser. Please tell me we'll be doing that again," she mumbled, the timbre of her voice making a shiver run down Tori's spine.
"I think we'll definitely be doing that again," Tori whispered, her eyes opening just as Jade's did. She kissed her gently and then smiled at her before scooting back into place. A smile stuck to Jade's face as she looked for the controller. She found it and woke it up before unpausing the game and playing. Neither said anything more about the kiss and comfortable silence fell between them. The only sounds were from the game. Jade played an hour or two while Tori watched and then she turned it off. She set aside the controller and prepared to get up but Tori wouldn't move. She looked down to see that she had fallen asleep. Jade rolled her eyes but scooped Tori into her arms as she stood. She carried her to their room and set her in bed then climbed in next to her. She was the one to pull Tori close and cling to her instead of the other way around. She curled against her and kissed the back of her neck.
"Good night, Tori," she whispered.
"Night Jade," Tori's sleepy voice replied. Jade threaded her fingers with Tori's and gave her hand a squeeze. She let out a content sigh before following Tori into sleep. Whatever happened today couldn't be taken back. They didn't talk about it, but it wasn't needed. Their friendship had simply become something more and neither of them were going to question it.