Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious or any of it's characters.
This is for JadeLynAshley, who wanted just a touch of fluff in Bodyguard.
Back in Chapter 22, Jade told Tori that if she just relaxed and performed a good show, they'd have a late dinner together and call it a date. This is what happened that evening.
:}
It was getting late, but Jade wasn't worried about that. Tori would be up for a while anyways. It took the singer time to come down from a good performance. 'Kinda the opposite of the way she was after that show in London, the one after she and Beck had just broken up. Man, that was a night.' Jade mused. It was her own need to distract that kept Jade from just sitting down and enjoying the anticipation of the meal Tori had ordered for them. The hotel had a five star restaurant, and was capable of cooking up just about anything a guest might need, often at the most odd of hours.
"Okay, I'm almost ready." Tori called from the bathroom.
"Don't hurry on my account." Jade called back. Thats when she realized she was pacing. Again! 'Chiz, I thought I had that under control.'
"So, wha da ya think?" Tori asked stepping out wearing a long light blue robe, reminiscent of the kind of flashy thing that wrestlers might wear over their ring gear. "Too much?"
"I thought we were taking it easy." Jade replied. The normally confident bodyguard was having trouble adjusting to the changes. Her feelings, her now apparent fantasies, where all a bit much for a girl who was so used to being in control. Her imagination went wild, mixing with her memories of seeing the singer naked, as well as far too many trips tot he beach where Tori's body was on display.
"We are." Tori smiled, flashing the pale girl the sleepwear she had on under the robes. It was her comfort mustachioed pajamas, the warm and fuzzy ones she wore when she needed to feel loved. "I wanted to be ready for us to just cuddle into sleep, like we did back in London."
"Where you hogged the pillows?" Jade smirked. 'Those are the PJ's her parents sent her, the ones like the pair she had as a kid.' Jade reminded herself. She realized she really did know a lot about Tori and here past. The reminder of Tori's tendency to hog the pillows was as much cover for how nervous Jade felt as a reminder of the last time they'd shared a bed, just the two of them.
"Give me something else to hold, and you can have the pillows." Tori smirked back. "Okay, I'll need two, but the rest, there all yours. That is, if I have something, or someone, to hold."
"I, uh, got that part." Jade said as she took her seat. "Damn, where's dinner?" Tori's aggressiveness was now on display, and once again Jade felt a bit uncomfortable. 'Need to regain control here.' She said to herself, looking at the door as if that would somehow cause dinner to arrive.
"It takes time." Tori said, a warm smile now overtaking the earlier smirk. "They have an off hours chef on duty, but only the one guys, instead of a whole crew to do the cooking for him like the regular hours chefs have. So we have to wait, sharing him with anyone who wants a late night snack."
"Who besides you would want a late.. You know what, forget it. I'm sure there are dozens of people getting room service right now." The blue eyed girl admitted.
"So, lets spend the time getting to know one another better..." Tori opened, motioning for her bodyguard to sit down again.
"How much better can we get to know one another?" Jade asked. "We've seen each other naked, and since they recommend I avoid strenuous activities for while, cause of the cracked ribs..."
Tori cut her off. "God, Jade, there's more to life then just sex." She huffed.
"Says the girl with a dozen pictures of my ass." Jade shot back.
"I only had ten." Tori defended herself.
"Had?" Jade asked.
"I kinda had Kasey take a couple more tonight, while you weren't looking." Tori admitted. "But I only did it cause I needed something…."
It was Jade's turn to jump in and cut the other girl off. "It's okay. I totally get it. If you can't have the real thing, might as well have some photos to keep you warm. I'm just surprised you didn't have her take a couple of the girls."
"A, I wanted deniability for the next time you accused me of having ten pictures of your ass." Tori counted on her finger. "And B, I have plenty of pictures of the girls. Pictures of you in swimwear. Hell, I even have video of them bouncing. I don't need any more for my, um..."
"Guys call it a spank bank." Jade offered.
"Regardless, I want the real thing." Tori said. But her confidence was growing. "I know I can't have it, not now, so I'll wait. In the meantime, you know an awful lot about me, and I know so little about you. Share."
It was the first time Jade could remember having a conversation like this where Tori hadn't blushed by that point. Instead, the singer was growing bolder. "Okay, Beck was my first, and practically my only boyfriend." Jade said. "I might have dated a bit out of desperation, but I was way to hurt to just sleep with any one night stand I might meet."
"Except for MMA groupies." Tori sniped.
"Okay, yes, I have sex with a girl who wanted a night with a dangerous cage fighter, happy?" Jade groaned.
"No, cause you haven't shared anything with me. I know about her, how you thought she wanted more from you." Tori said. "Remember, part of the reason I took us to that bar back in New York was me trying to know more about you. I was, am, feeling kinda desperate to get to know you. The real you."
"You learned a lot about me that night." Jade pointed out.
"But you didn't tell me anything." The megastar groaned. "Jade, let me in. I really want to see more of you." Jade opened her mouth, and Tori's hand went up. "I mean, I shared, almost from the get go. Tell me something about yourself that I don't already know."
"Sine the early sharing was as much you acting all rebellious, I'll be wanting you to share something first." Inwardly, Jade felt she'd just played her best hand. 'I mean, I wanna share with her, let her in,. But what will she think when she realizes I'm just… Me.'
"I dated a creeper." Tori admitted. "Back before I was on American Voice, but after we moved and I was at Hollywood Arts, I briefly dated Sinjin. You remember him? Well, he was a creeper back in school. So while Trina was auditioning for the show, making her infamous audition fail that American Voice used to practically make my career, I was at high school, all alone, and Sinjin asked me out."
"And you were swept off your feet by what? His manly ways?" Jade wondered. She knew Tori had introduced them, but only the once. She was having trouble picturing what he must have been like in school.
"No, I kinda felt sorry for him." Tori admitted. "I was at a new school, feeling abandoned by my sister, and this boy, this weird, nerdy boy, was trying to be nice to me. So I agreed to go out on a date or two with him, just to be nice, to give him a chance. I was like that back in school, always wanting to give people a chance, see if there was more to them then what met the eye. We only went on the four dates..." Tori's voice faded
"So you dated a creeper, and he managed to last four dates before you realized this guy might just be planning on burying you in the desert?" Jade asked, trying not to laugh.
"No, I figured him out almost from the get go." Tori countered. "It took me four dated to realize I was the wrong princess for that fog."
"Oh..." Jade said, trying to decide what she could tell Tori about herself. That admission deserved at least something. "I'm guessing that was when the princess in you almost died, right? Must have been hard to hold onto that youthful idealism, the desire to see the best in people. That dream that if you were your best, saw the best in everyone, you'd have your happily ever after. I can see why you wanted to live that lie as long as possible."
"Says the right frog." Tori said, smirking again. The look on Jade's face was priceless. Tori thought about leaning in, just to see what happened.
That burgeoning moment, awkward as it was, was interrupted by a knocking at the door and the sound of a voice ringing out, saying "Room Service."
Seconds later, their dinner was being wheeled in by a bell boy. Tori and the boy spoke in Spanish, her telling him how she wanted the table set, with him obviously kissing her ass. It only took a few moments for the table to have a cloth tossed over it, candles lit and placed on the table, flowers added for atmosphere, and then their dinners were placed in front of them. Tori carefully examined the bottle before having the bell boy open it and taking a sniff of the contents. After taking a taste, she had two glassed poured, signed for the meal, and gave the man a notable tip.
Jade sighed. "I supposed it'll be a while before I can enjoy a good whine." she said, eying the bottle. She had been prescribed painkillers, if she needed them, and alcohol and drugs don't mix.
"Same for me." Tori said, offering the second glass to Jade. "This is sparkling cider. A good choice for our meals, I'm told. I have juice, and water, as well, if you want some."
"What was with the act, sniffing the top, sampling it, all that chiz?" Jade asked. 'Was she putting me on?'
"Just giving the bell boy a laugh." Tori replied. "I was talking to him about that, and we agreed it would be kinda funny. I'll bet he's laughing all the way back to the restaurant."
"You do that a lot?" Jade wondered.
"You've known me a while, and haven't noticed I love people?" Tori asked. "Sometimes, you just meet someone who you can have some fun with, and clean your mind cause I don't mean it that way. That boy, he and I could have joked with one another for a bit, cause we have similar scenes of humor. I just wanted to indulge. Now, I believe you own me some back story."
Jade sighed, trying to find the right thing to say. "There's a part of New Jersey that has a split identity. The jersey shore is a long piece of land, but the part near New york, it's under pressure to be two things at once,. Both Jersey tough, and New York sophisticated. I know, kinda not what a lot of people think of when they think of New York City, but it's true. And I grew up right in the middle of that contradiction. Too poor to live in New York, I lived across the river and in another state. But I wasn't cut off from the whole world of The Big Apple. I could take a train, or a bus, or even a ferry, and go visit the city. I saw shows off, off Broadway, cause once you get a couple of offs, the shows aren't that expensive. I went to clubs. I did everything I could to take in the city, be like the people who lived there. Beck and me, we'd travel together, take the subway, take the buss, whatever it took to get us into the city and to where the lights were. Of course, there are a lot of dangers traveling that territory, so we learned early how to cross other gang turfs, how to be as safe as possible, and how to trade on the one thing we could sell without it being a bad thing. You'd be surprised how being white can sometimes be an advantage."
Tori nodded, listening with all her attention. 'I wonder, what did their skin color have to do with crossing through gang territory?' The singer wondered.
"Anywas, I was tough, capable of handling myself if things started to go sideways. Beck realized it was a hella lot more then just physical strength, or martial training. I had a knack for small unit tactics, for figuring out what to do in a tight situation. I knew how to identify the biggest threat, and how to end things fast in a brawl." Jade continued. "So he started, as we were getting lost in puberty, he started showing me a lot of attention, using me as his enforcer, the scrapper who would watch his back and make sure the few times he couldn't talk his way outta something, we could fight our way out."
"Beck always was a charmer." Tori agreed.
"And I'm drifting from my point." Jade said, pulling back to the present. "I don't think I had a choice, he knew me well enough to push my buttons. And despite all that, there as a time, before I was working for you, where I'd have jumped at the chance to be his girl again."
"And now?" Tori asked.
"Now his hold on me isn't so strong." Jade said, smiling. "Someone else has worked her way into my heart. And you make me feel as special as he ever did. I kinda want this whole thing to work out, for me to have the fairy tale ending. But then I remember, I'm just a scrapper from Jersey, who entered entertainment with the goal of one day having my face be a part of the opening montage for Saturday Night Live. I never once learned how to be funny, to tell jokes, and I wanted a part on Saturday night live. See, I learned to act, whatever Beck wanted me to do, but I allowed myself to drift to what was easy, cause I failed at everything else. Being a Bodyguard is the best I can do. Anything else, and I'm gonna fail."
"You can sing, you can act, your skilled as hell in that martial arts stuff you do, and I'll bet you can dance." Tori said, her voice growing stern. "And if things go right, I'm gonna marry you, ass and all, and make you mine. I love that you never once let yourself give up. Not when the shit hit the fan back in New York, and not when it was time to sneak me out. Now, however, we're talking about your career. If Trina wants you to go away, make a movie or maybe be on a television show, you fucking do it. Thats not abandoning me, it making sacrifices so we can be together. So, chin up and be strong, cause I won't let you give up on your dream."
Jade smiled. "Sorry, feeling sorry for myself there. I usually don't let my guard down long enough to let hat happen."
"You life is about to change." Tori said, smiling. "It's understandable."
Tori took Jade's hand, giving it a little squeeze. "Can I say something?" The singer asked.
"Sure." A shy smile crossed the pale girls face.
Tori continued to hold Jade's hand, saying "One thing I noticed about you was you love to be in control. Even when Andre's the boss, you have that part of you that wants to take charge and make things happen. And this, all of this, it's out of your control. You can't help but fall for me, not saying I'm irresistible, but that probably helped." She flashed that winning smile. "I am saying, however, that it had to be terrifying for you, taking this huge risk on a part of your life you believed would never happen. You're in control of your destiny, but so is Trina, and me, and even Beck. I'm thinking he's trying to make up for something, don't you? But, the point is, I love you. I've accepted that. You've accepted it. So, now, lets just enjoy dinner, and maybe some not so light talk. I've heard pieces, but tell me about growing up in your family. About Enzo, and Siobhan, and about all he people who helped shape this wonderful girl who's gonna be stuck helping Trina with her, um…."
"Trina's up to something else?" Jade asked, smiling.
"Lets just say, we're in the process of giving her yet another project, okay?" Tori said. "Now, I'm gonna lean over and kiss my girl, then we're gonna eat. You'll tell me about your family, all of them, and I'll listen. I really wanna know everything."
Jade give a big sight. "So, I'm letting you in?" The pale skinned girl asked.
"I've seen you without your cloths. Now it's time to see you naked." Tori said.
"Oh my chiz, if thats from Firefly, we have a lot to talk about." Jade said, trying to sound angry.
"You're a fan?" Tori asked. "Of course you are. How the hell else would you know that line from that show. From one of the episodes that wasn't shown in the original run, might I add. So much to learn about you. So, babe, tell me about your life?"
"Give me a kiss for confidence." Jade said. "And let me try just a taste of that, um, what the hell is it?"
"There are some wonderful vegetarian meals out there." Tori said, leaning over to kiss Jade again, before sneaking a fork full of her meal into the other girls mouth. "Like it? Good, cause I've done a lot of sharing, and I wanna know about your family."
Jade started telling Tori about growing up, letting the things the other girl knew be filled in. After they ate, Tori stood and offered the other girl her hand. "Dance with me." She said. "I just wanna hold you and sway to the music." Jade accepted, standing and dancing for just a bit, by the window and under the moonlight. The moment was romantic, the kind of moment that the hotel would love to capture and put in their brochure. Despite the magic in the air, both girls knew that it was already fairly late when they srtarted, and that they'd have to go to bed soon.
"Damn, your a good dancer." Jade said.
"Funny, West." Tori growled. "This kind of dancing, it's nothing more then leaning into each other and swaying to the music. Now, I'll admit, the way your built, it feels wonderful. I can feel the strength in your body, not to mention how soft yet firm other parts of you are. But this, it's not the dancing that we appreciate, its the time together."
"Just can't take a compliment, can you?" Jade asked, smirking.
"Oh, I could, if you were to say I was comfortable, or you felt safe in my arms." Tori gave a squeeze for emphasis, and saw her bodyguard flinch. "Sorry..." She tried to pull away, only for Jade to hold on.
"Yes, it hurts, but I've had worse." The pale girl explained. "Besides, I like it when you hold me. It makes me feel... special. Loved. Whats a little pain if I'm getting that with it."
"The difference between us being intimate sooner or later." Tori said, but smiled. "I like the way you smell. I can really smell it from here. It's not what I expected, all old spice and musk. I smell lavender, and vanilla..."
"Still a girl." Jade said. "Still care what I smell like, what my skin feels like when I'm caressed, or caressing someone. I still want to be held sometimes, cause even the strongest of us have our nights when the monsters win, and we just don't have the strength to face them any more. I have my moments when the blanket is my shield against the world, and I hope nothing bothers to look under it. But I'm an adult, a bodyguard, and I can push those fears down, for a while. But every so often, I gotta let them out, or I'll explode."
"Awww." Tori cooed. "I'm trying not to want to take you right now."
"I was trying to be open, romantic." Jade explained.
"You were. Thats the problem." Tori said, looking her in the eye. "And thats why I'm saying, you're gonna have to sleep in your own room. Now, I wanna hold you, squeeze you until you feel safe, but with those ribs, I'm gonna have to give you distance. And hay, look, the time. It's been magical, like a musical, something you'd see off off off broadway. I so want this night to never end. But I also want Trina to be in a good mood, and heaven help us if I'm not up to snuff for my performance on Conan."
As Jade walked out of her room, she and Tori both agreed it was a successful date. Tori walked her as far as the door out of her room, and then kissed Jade goodnight. Her hands behaved, allowing Jade to feel like a woman, maybe a princess, for the short walk back to her own room. Tori had gone to bed, and it was time for Jade to follow suit.
Jade got o her room, and checked her phone to see if anything happened that she needed to know about. Everyone save Trina had texted asking the same question. "How'd it go?"
Her response to most of hem was a mass tweet saying "None of your business." But to Trina, she sent a text saying "Promising dinner. Made progress. I'm sure Tori is dying to fill you in on the details."
She drifted to sleep watching the other side of her bed. "Am I really ready to share this with her?" She wondered. She already knew it was too late to back out. She'd given Tori her heart. 'I just hope she shares the pillows.'
:}
So, fluffy enough for you?
Not sure if there will be any more bonus chapters. But I did owe you guys this much. Thanks to JadeLynAshley for pointing out the deficiencies.