Touch you | Winrina

21

Another week passes, and even though Winter is clearly having trouble agreeing, she relents and lets her go back to her training routine. "But no heavy lifting," she says, pointing a finger at Karina's startled face. "You have a head trauma."

"I just have a small cut, Winter," Karina corrects her. It's already mostly healed. She's got a funny fuzzy patch of hair around the wound. She touched it once, and it felt weird. "My training also doesn't have much weightlifting. It's easy to exclude."

Winter nods, satisfied. "Good. I will also supervise you. Just in case." As soon as she says it, Karina immediately knows it's a bad idea. Well, not 'bad' per se, really. Not 'bad' as in 'bad for their relationship.' Certainly bad for her training, though.

(Is this a relationship?)

Karina's suspicions are proven to be right this same evening, and she briefly laments her wasted workout before kissing a breathless Winter again. On the other hand, Winter is certainly a form of workout. And more enjoyable than pretty much everything in her basement-turned-home gym where they currently are, with Winter pressing her into the mat and squirming at gentle kisses Karina's raining down her neck. Looks like the ban on sex has finally been lifted, and Karina is certainly not complaining.

She wonders if Winter's aware just how much Karina misses this. Needs this. Needs her.

"God, Karina..."

"Just Karina."

"How original."

"It's hard to be original with you on top of me." If it were any other day, Winter would have scoffed. Maybe ground down on Karina harder to make her squirm. But, as Winter likes to remind her, she's got a head injury and Winter would make an absolutely insufferable doctor one day. if she decides in favor of med school, that is. They haven't decided yet.

(They?)

So, as soon as Karina's words leave her mouth, Winter immediately rolls off, her expression one of concern. "Was I smothering you?" it's evident that Winter only heard 'hard' and 'you on top of me' and jumped to less gross conclusions than she usually would have.

Karina groans, plopping onto the mat. Winter is sweet and lovable, but this is becoming too much. Okay, that's a lie. She likes it. The constant doting that Winter has been doing. But right now that's not what she has in mind. "Winter," she starts, propping herself up on her elbows. "How did you even come to this conclusion?" And, really. She can bench press her own weight, and Winter has to be at least ten percent lighter than her. Maybe even more. She should let her know about that. And about being able to bench press her own weight. "I lift you all the time."

Winter smiles briefly before sobering up. "But you're not injured all the time." And there it is. Something that Karina expected to happen as soon as her health wasn't in immediate danger. Winter's eyes flash with barely concealed guilt, and she sighs, grasping Winter's hand with her own. It's so soft compared to hers. And little, too. She brushes her thumb over Winter's knuckles, and the girl lets out a sigh.

"Winter." She smiles her 'barely-there' smile, and Winter's eyes soften. "I'm fine. It's been a little over two weeks."

Karina thinks she's succeeded, just for a moment. But Winter is nothing if not stubborn. Her gaze falls, and she stands, brushing herself off. "Still. I shouldn't have jumped you like that."

This conversation is long overdue, and Karina mentally kicks herself for not starting it sooner. "Winter." She follows her step sister, rising to her feet as well. She's sweaty and feels a little gross, but this is important. "I'm fine." She takes her hand again, and Winter doesn't try to shake her off. She watches as Winter's fingers run over the boxing wraps she's still wearing. She smirks a little as she remembers Winter's breathless 'leave them on' before kissing her.

Her step sister shifts on her feet, and she blinks. Right. Important conversation.

Karina sucks at small talk and gentle approach, so she opens with what she has. "I know you think it's your fault." Winter's hand in hers twitches, but stays put, and she squeezes it once. "But it's not. It was an accident." It's a little funny, Karina thinks – the fact that they are discussing what happened two weeks after it happened, but timing has never been their strong suit, she supposes. Besides, Winter was too busy making sure Karina didn't die,and Karina was too busy assuring Winter she was not in any critical condition.

Winter sighs, and Karina knows she's not convinced. "Right." she says.

"No, Winter, don't right me," she squeezes her hand again, and Winter squeezes back, and she's suddenly taken back to the bathroom they hid out in at the parents' wedding. It's not often that Winter needs reassurance from her, Karina thinks. "It was an accident. They happen. I'm fine now, everything's okay." She knows it won't stop Winter from feeling responsible, at least not right away. Things like that take time. She's willing to reassure Winter whenever she needs her to.

She's not too sure, but she thinks she feels Winter smile against her shoulder when she hugs her. It feels nice. Hugging Winter. Feeling her in her arms, pliant and warm. She squeezes her before taking a step back, giving her a small smile and getting one in return. Winter's not entirely free of misplaced guilt, but it's a start. A late one, Karina thinks self-deprecatingly, but a start nonetheless.

She's focused on taking her boxing wraps off and so she's not entirely prepared for a soft kiss Winter gives her, but she gladly accepts it. She thinks that if they haven't been forced to abstain from sex for so long, it would have stayed what it was intended to be. Just a small, grateful kiss. But she's missing Winter like crazy, and the feeling is clearly mutual, so it almost grows into something more. Something that usually results in them panting against each other, spent and delirious with pleasure. Something that Karina finds herself craving somewhere deep in her stomach. She tugs at Winter, pressing into her and swallowing her gasps, and their tongues find each other and-

A sudden knock on the basement door startles them, and they jump away from each other, breathing ragged and eyes wide.

"Girls, dinner's ready!" Ms Narae's voice floats through the heavy oak door, loud and chipper. Karina has always liked Ms Narae's respect for personal boundaries, but lately, she's been grateful about it for a whole other reason. If she had a tendency to barge in, she would not have liked the things Karina was doing to her daughter.

She watches Winter watch her, chest still heaving with breath. Watches her bite her lower lip in frustrated longing, and yeah she's spending the night in her room today. It's been way too long.

Another knock. Dinner. Right.

Crap. She still needs to grab a quick shower.