STORM

-fifteen-

Their second kiss was soft, gentle. There was no rushed movement or hands exploring each other's bodies. There was only two pair of lips finding the other as if they'd been searching for them their entire life. Gabriella's hands became entangled with Storm's hair and Storm's hands were connected behind Gabriella's neck.

The first one had been based on lust, this one was much more than that. It had been needy and Gabriella hadn't appreciated the mere feeling of two lips meeting the same way she was now. She savored Storm like she was wine, drinking her in. She communicated with her lips, hoping Storm could decipher the meaning of her unspoken words. Actions spoke louder than words. Perhaps this wasn't what they'd been referring to, but Gabriella sure would make her actions count.

She let her lips linger for a couple of seconds longer before she let go of Storm. Gabriella rested her forehead against Storm's, running a hand through her hair.

"Do you get it now, Storm? I like-" love, "you, a lot. If you only want to be friends, I understand. But I can't continue pretending I have nothing but platonic feelings for you."

Storm's previously shut eyes fluttered opened and their eyes met. "I think I'm starting to like you too."

Gabriella couldn't believe her ears. "Really?"

A chuckle escaped Storm. "Yes, really. Why else would I have kissed you back?"

She shrugged. "You did imply it was just a kiss, what else would I believe?"

"I know. Maybe I was wrong, maybe it was more than just a kiss."

"Maybe?"

"I was wrong. But it's complicated. With Joey and all."

"So, where does that leave us?"

"I don't know. Can't we keep this on the down-low for now and see where it heads? Joey doesn't have to find out and if it leads nowhere, no harm is done."

Gabriella nodded. "Okay, yeah. I think I can do that. Should it be like a secret to everyone then?"

She smiled. "You can tell Ziv. As long as no one in our families or anyone close to Joey finds out, tell whoever you trust."

"Okay," Gabriella smiled, "I can work with that."

"Good."

"So, what now?"

"We can do whatever until Joey gets here, " Storm said.

"Yeah?"

Storm smirked. "Yes."

Though there was a sexual implication behind the tone of her voice and the way she phrased it, Gabriella didn't want to rush into anything. She rested her head on Storm's shoulder, scooting as close as possible to her. Storm wrapped an arm around her, allowing Gabriella to snuggle into her.

"Want to watch TV?" Storm asked and Gabriella nodded in response.

The remote was in front of Storm, so she reached for it and turned on the TV. They scrolled through some shows and movies, eventually settling for a thriller.

There was something about feeling Storm's presence, her warmth, right behind her that was so comforting. Gabriella wouldn't have traded it for the world. Storm was an affectionate person, it wasn't unusual for her to cuddle with her friends or hug them constantly. But something about this, something about this felt special. Maybe because it was associated with more than the normal platonic cuddle. There was a difference between an action depending on the intent. This was intimate, in a non-platonic way.

The movie was playing in the background. However, Gabriella only focused on the texture of Storm's fingers as they ran across the surface of Gabriella's neck, a feathery touch. One that assured her she was there while simultaneously refraining from putting enough pressure to make her touch the only thought circling in her mind.