Chapter Text
For maybe the first time in both their lives Kit woke up before Jade. Her arm was still wrapped around her middle pulling her close so they were flush and their legs tangled together. The back of Kit’s shirt had begun to ride up so she could feel the warmth of Jade’s skin against her’s. She sighed and offered herself a moment to be content, she twisted to get a glimpse of Jade sleeping peacefully, this might be the most peaceful she’d ever seen her.
Jade’s curls tickled her nose and chin. She loved her hair, like really loved her hair. Those fluffy red curls that Kit would do anything to be able to touch. She wanted to run her fingers through them, to braid them, to tug them. She longed for the intimacy that came with touching someone’s hair.
The others were beginning to move around them. Kit knew that meant it was time to get up. Jade would be furious if she got up without her but she just didn’t have it in her to wake her up. She’d gotten very little sleep last night and she doubted she had slept at all while Kit was missing so she deserved a couple of hours more of rest.
She bit back her groan as she slipped out of Jade’s arms. She stood up and stretched and made her way to the recently doused fire to start helping the others pack up the camp. “Are you feeling better?” Graydon asked, startling her slightly.
“What? Oh yeah of course. Nothing a good night's rest couldn’t fix.” She said casually. If she was going to talk about this with anyone it definitely wasn’t going to be Graydon. The arrangement they had on this trip was to lightly ignore each other and it had been working fine so there was no need to change it now.
“Let us pack up Kit,” Elora said and Kit turned to face her,” there’s a river right down the hill if you want to bathe. You smell like you need it.” Elora wrinkled her nose but her words lacked any of the bite she would have expected behind them.
She shrugged, she knew Elora was probably right, the grime on her skin was thick and she was sure the smell was equally so. She glanced over to where Jade was still sleeping, she could be back before she woke up, she was sure of it.
Jade woke with a start. The bed roll next to her was cold but she could still feel where Kit had been in her arms. Last night was like a dream to her, in fact if she hadn’t woken up on the princess’ bed roll she wouldn’t have believed it happened at all. But here she was, laying on the ground with the feel of Kit still in her arms, yet she was alone.
Alone. Shit where did Kit go? She jerked up right and scanned the camp looking for her, but she wasn’t there. Willow and Elora were talking together, clearly practicing magic, while Graydon watched longingly from a good distance away. Boorman stood next to him, eating something as he seemed to be heckling the prince quietly. But no Kit. She brushed herself off as she stood up,” Where’s Kit?” She asked, pulling eyes toward her.
“Oh she just went down to the river, maybe ten minutes ago,” Elora said. She said it casually enough that Jade knew she was trying to ease her nerves, but it didn’t work.
“Alone?” She accused, and nearly regretted it. However she didn’t have the time to feel bad as she was already headed down through the trees toward the hill.
She vaguely heard Boorman call after her,” I’m sure Kit can handle being on her own long enough to…” whatever he said after that was lost to the wind. Not that anything he said would have stopped her.
She rushed through the trees letting the branches sting against her skin as she came to face the stream. The clear blue water was surprisingly calm, with only slight ripples flowing across the surface, however it wasn’t the ripples that caught Jade’s attention but the cause of them.
It was too late that she noticed Kit’s clothes laid out on the ground. The princess was in the water, pale skin on complete display with water up to her shoulders. Heat rushed to Jade’s cheeks and then promptly through her entire body. Of course Kit had come here to take a bath, if her head had been on straight she would have easily come to that conclusion.
“Good morning,” Kit grinned at her, a delicious pink color spread across her cheeks and down her neck as she swam towards the grass,” I meant to be back before you woke up. Sorry I didn’t mean to worry you.”
She released a shaky breath as some of the tension began to ease from her shoulders. “I wasn’t- you didn’t- I’m sorry -“ Kit hooked her elbows on the grass and rested her chin on the backside of her hands. Her classic shit eating grin on her face but with a fond crinkle to the corner of her eyes that she reserved for Jade.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I was just cleaning up.”
Jade cleared her throat, trying to free the words that were lodged there,“ Oh yes, of course, I should leave. I didn't mean to invade your privacy like this princess.”
Kit chuckled and bumped her elbow against her foot, Jade nearly jumped at the sudden contact,” you don’t have to, leave I mean. I’m almost done if you want to wait around, I can sit guard while you take your turn.”
“That won’t be necessary,” she said quickly.
“Or,” Kit drew out,” you could join me,” Jade mouth dropped open. Her knees nearly buckled, she was sure that her cheeks were as red as her hair. What little part of her brain that was still functioning realized that she needed to sit before her legs actually gave out on her. So with very little grace she sank to the ground and let her feet dip into the river. “Oh wow, I didn’t think you were actually going to take me up on that offer.”
“What! Oh no I’m not of course I’m not,” she stumbled realizing how it must have looked,” sweet mercy Kit, I thought you said you weren’t going to push.” She thinks she remembers the princess saying that she wasn’t going to push but most of last night was a blur, you could have told her that Kit climbed into her lap and kissed her senseless and she would have believed it. She probably would have passed out but she would have believed it.
“Hey you’re the one who interrupted my bath remember,” she joked,” you started this,”
“I never had any intention-“ she countered.
“Oh I’m sure your intentions are ever so pure Jade,” she said and the fond look in her eye turned mischievous,” mine however not so much.”
Before she could respond Kit sucked in a breath and sunk beneath the water. Jade furrowed her brow as she waited for her to resurface. She counted to five three times before she began to grow concerned. She leaned forward to gaze further into the water and as if she had been waiting for it Kit popped up out of the water. She was soaked again, hair plastered to her head, and then she shook. She shook and water flew from her hair and splashed all over Jade. She squealed, before she could stop herself. “Kit,” she exclaimed,” why did you do that?”
“To make you laugh,” she said and only then did Jade realize that she was smiling. Despite herself she did laugh. This was just so Kit, it reminded her of their childhoods, easier days when Kit used to pull off ridiculous stunts for the exact same reason. To make her laugh. She had always gotten herself in so much trouble.
Before she knows it Kit is resting her hand on top of hers and she is turning her hand over in order to lace their fingers together. It was a simple gesture, one they had done countless times before but it meant something different now.
“Ok before I turn into a prune, here is what’s going to happen next,” she said and Jade remembered just how naked she was under the water. “ I am going to come out of the water and get dressed. You are more than welcome to watch the show or you can turn around. Either way I’m coming out now.”
Jade blinked slowly, coming to terms with what she just said. Her princess had just offered for her too…
No, no she couldn’t do that. That’s why just before Kit pushed up on the bank of the river Jade snapped her eyes shut, but the temptation was still there, and it was oh so strong, so she turned her back.
She could hear her behind her, the slosh of the water, the crunch of the ground beneath her feet. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, and her breath quickened to match it. She heard the rustling of fabric which she meant that blessedly Kit was putting her clothes on. That was at least one form of temptation gone, not that everything about Kit didn’t tempt her, but she was at least slightly easier to resist when she was dressed.
Just when she had begun to get her breathing under control Jade felt fingers on her neck, tugging lightly at the hair on the nape of her neck. She sucked in a ragged breath as her head dropped back leaning into her touch. “It’s safe to turn around now, I promise,” she was close enough that her breath brushed against Jade’s ear causing a shiver to trail down her spine. She could practically hear the smile in her voice. Jade dug her heels into the ground and turned to face her.
Damp hair hung in front of her face and Jade gave into her instincts to reach up and tuck it behind her ear. She let her fingers linger for just a moment, savoring the softness of her skin. Kit’s eyes fluttered shut as she traced them down her cheek.
She pulled her hand back rather abruptly, clearing her throat, “ come on. The others will be ready to head out soon,” she motioned her head toward the camp as she stepped back putting some much needed distance between them.
“Course,” she answered and for a moment her mask slipped, and instead of the happy snarky princess she knew so well all Jade saw was sadness.
Her heart dropped in her chest as Kit brushed past her to make her way to camp. She longed to stop her, grab her arm and bring them face to face, maybe even push her up against the nearest tree, but she couldn’t. So she let her walk away, she trailed a ways behind her, close enough to keep a steady eye on her but far enough to give her her space.