Title: She Helped Her Paint Summer (Part 2)
Genre: Cliche-ish (?), Character Development, Romance (?)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Jessica/Tiffany
Summary: "In that year, the picture was blurry, so together they cleared summer."

---

"I remember how simple things were with her, the blonde. She answered and gave reasons to everything as if it were that simple. "

Tiffany remembers that too.

And she wonders if everything really was as simple as the blonde made them out to be.

"You don't like holding hands?"

Tiffany remembers the blonde questioning her back then when she had pulled away, breaking their hands apart. It wasn't that Tiffany minded the hand-holding, it was just not something she'd do with people she barely knew. Jessica hadn't budged from her position next to her and Tiffany had wondered if she had hurt the girl's feelings.

Her voice came out a bit too low and husky for her liking, "I..." Tiffany started, coughing into her hand again and vaguely scolding herself for being such a nervous wreck. "...it's just not something I do, very often."

From the corner of her eyes, Tiffany watched the blonde pull a frown again, her brows crinkled.

It was true though, because she didn't really like holding hands.

"How come?"

And perhaps Tiffany should have ignored her and moved on for next class because she was running late, but Jessica's tone made her tilt her head to look at her. She couldn't refrain from scrutinizing the innocent gaze the blonde was projecting through her brown eyes.

Someone like her, as oblivious and naive as she was, actually existed?

"Tiffany?"

And she should have known the blonde would tug on her arm again, Jessica gazing up at her like a child waiting for candy. Tiffany wanted to tell her that she wasn't really knowledgeable, that she wasn't experienced enough to answer everything, and that Jessica should look for someone else. Why was she even talking to her anyway? Why not someone else?

"Holding hands..." Tiffany could feel her thoughts play along her lips as she paused, staring down at Jessica's hand that was still latched on her grey sleeve, "...I never liked holding hands."

"Why?"

Tiffany stared at the pair of brown, incredulous and slightly bewildered. She was sure she was late for class now, and probably the blonde too, but it didn't look like Jessica cared.

"Delicate," she hadn't realized she spoke her mind until the blonde took a step closer towards her to probe.

"What?" Jessica whispered, but Tiffany hoped the blonde wouldn't realize that 'delicate' was referring to her. The blonde who looked fragile and innocent that Tiffany suddenly felt obligated not to stain her with the reality called 'life'.

Tiffany watched a strand of blonde fall loosely beneath Jessica's neck, and she seemed to struggle with herself not to place it back behind the blonde's ear.

"Holding hands is delicate," and she applauded herself for sounding so smooth when the two variables were never supposed to be together in the first place, "I hate letting go."

Tiffany hadn't planned to speak her mind, but she figured it was fine if it was Jessica. Because Jessica was clueless and naive and innocent.

And she figured Jessica was just as delicate.

"Then don't let go," she heard her whisper, as if the answer was just that obvious. Tiffany felt Jessica slide her fingers down her arm to link their hands together once more, and all Tiffany could do was stare.

She lifted their hands to take a closer look.

She felt the softness of the blonde's skin beneath her callused own, how different they were in comparison. Jessica's fingers felt a little tiny and thin, and she could feel the bone underneath as she slid her thumb across them. Tiffany loosened her hold to fiddle with Jessica's slim fingers, but not enough for their hands to break apart, eyeing her digits carefully for inspection.

Jessica didn't protest, so Tiffany continued to quietly observe.

"I'll have to, sometime." And Tiffany's gaze flickered from their entwined hands to meet Jessica's brown eyes, "Letting you go," she felt a slight tug in her chest when she simply demonstrated how she felt to Jessica, removing her hand from the blonde's to prove her point.

Even if Tiffany suddenly didn't want to.

"Then hold on again," Jessica replied quietly as she reached out to lace their fingers together.

Tiffany couldn't understand her, and she vaguely wondered if she ever would.

"You're safer on your own," Tiffany advised to the blonde as she motioned to move, but not once did she try to let go.

She pulled Jessica gently to walk again, but she wasn't heading to class anymore. Tiffany figured there was no point and settled for wandering around campus instead. She was waiting for Jessica to speak her mind.

For reasons alien to her, Tiffany felt Jessica was doing this for comfort. Some sort of safety net, and Tiffany refused to be one.

But her actions thought otherwise.

"Aren't you going to let go?" Tiffany murmured, not looking back as she continued to listen to Jessica's steps that trailed behind her.

Considering how fast her stride was going, she wondered if Jessica had trouble keeping up. That was her intention after all, so the girl would let go. She wanted the blonde to learn that sometimes, people would have to learn to be on their own.

"I don't want to, I want to be with you."

Tiffany cringed from the childlike behavior. Why was Jessica so trusting? So open? It was dangerous, especially if she was with someone else who had other motives.

And why me?

"Don't sleep outside where everyone else can see," she began, slowing her steps so Jessica wouldn't have to jog to keep up. "you aren't safe with anyone but yourself,"

Though truth be told, Tiffany was just paranoid, and she knew that herself. Everyone enjoyed watching her sleep underneath that big oak tree, but she felt it wouldn't hurt to avoid danger, no matter how minimal it may be.

"But what if I'm myself when I'm with you? Wouldn't that mean I'm safe too?"

When Tiffany couldn't answer, a smile graced Jessica's lips as she pressed their hands even tighter together.

---

"She likes watching people smile, but she doesn't do the action herself as often. No one ever bothered asking why,"

Tiffany closes her eyes to allow her memory to kick in, and when it finally comes back to her, she thinks, 'yes, that's true'. She had wanted to ask the blonde herself, when the topic came out in English class again.

She was resting her cheek against the palm of her right hand, staring at the teacher make motions toward the black board. Her thoughts were elsewhere when someone had tugged on her sleeve for her attention again.

"Does it hurt to smile?" Tiffany's gaze instantly flickered to the blonde beside her, craning her neck just enough to properly see her without needing to move from her position. "Is it hard to smile?"

Tiffany had only scrunched her brows in curiosity as Jessica blinked back her stare with overwhelming innocence.

She pursed her lips before replying quietly, "...No,"

The frown on Jessica's face actually bothered her at that moment.

The blonde scooted her chair a little closer towards Tiffany, leaning her head in to meet her gaze. "Then why won't you?"

Tiffany's gaze had flitted to watch a strand of blonde curl beneath Jessica's chin, and the urge to place it back was just as strong as ever. She didn't realize the lack of attention she was giving to Jessica's question until the blonde let out a tiny noise of protest.

Tiffany lifted her head from her palm to scratch the back of her neck in embarrassment, feeling sheepish. "I don't need to,"

Jessica looked confused for a moment, as if her statement took a little more time than usual to process before the blonde pursed her lips in wonder.

"Do you need a reason to smile?"

It didn't take Tiffany long to answer, "Yes,"

And silence loomed over them momentarily, as if Jessica needed time to think, but that was all it took for Tiffany to let the corners of her lips curve upwards. She couldn't help it as soon as she saw the crinkles on Jessica's brows from evidently thinking too hard. How the blonde had her lips shaped into a pout, her eyes casted downwards, and her expression scrunched.

She was amusing to Tiffany.

"...You're smiling," and Tiffany hadn't bothered hiding it when Jessica announced it, merely feeling content to just aimlessly stare at the blonde. "did you find a reason already?"

Tiffany remembers not telling her.

She remembers how her smile grew wider when Jessica had tugged on her sleeve in protest and frustration at the lack of response.

Jessica didn't need to know that she was the reason.