One single thread of Gold

Chapter 10 [Then]

"You come around and the armor falls, pierce the room like a cannonball, now all we know is don't let go. We are all alone, just you and me, up in your room and the slates are clean."

Then, Seattle 2013

Carina followed behind her as Maya leads her through the crowd and towards the exit, their hands firmly grasped in each other, fingers interlaced, palms flush together. The feeling of Maya's warm fingers intertwining with her cold ones sent constant jolts of electricity, unlike anything she'd experienced.

The feeling was new but not entirely unwelcome. Her mind had yet to catch up with her actions as she ran through the events of the night. Spotting Maya dancing in the middle of the room as everything surrounding her vanished and the blonde was the only one in her line of sight. Bumping into her once again and getting lost in her eyes and words as the dejected feeling from before came rushing back, but there was also the fact that Maya's words echoed loudly in her mind.

Broken.

There was more to her than what caught the eye and Carina so desperately wanted to find out. To peel back her shell of pain and uncover what was inside.

Carina was too lost in her thoughts to keep track of her surroundings before hit them, making Carina shiver. Andrea had always teased her about how she ran colder than most people, even when she was bundled up in multiple layers like she was now. She was somewhat glad she would never have to adjust to Seattle weather, it was too unpredictable for her liking anyways.

In comparison, Italy was quite the opposite, warm and comforting, even if she'd stopped associating either feeling with her home years ago.

This time it was the coldness of the thought that made a shiver run through her spine, making Maya finally take notice and squeeze her hand once, twice, and a third time bringing her back to reality.

"Cold?" she nodded in response, her cheeks tinged at the reminder of their hands clasped together, "Wish I could be smooth and offer you a jacket but..." she gestured down at herself pointing at the small top and genes that adorned the blondes figure. Maya wasn't even wearing a jacket and yet the cold seemed to be affecting the Italian more.

"How are you not freezing right now?" unbelievable, Carina clutched the fabric of her coat tighter around herself pushing a hand inside one of the pockets as the other remained in Maya's.

"Years and years of running in the cold." she shrugged, "My dad always said that bad weather is nothing but an excuse, and so I would run when it snowed when it rained when the heat was almost unbearable, and when you embrace pain as often as I did, eventually you stop feeling any of it." The revelation took Carina by surprise as her steps faltered a little, although, she didn't think Maya noticed the shift at all.

"Maya-" she tried to get the girl's attention but was interrupted when the blonde came to a sudden stop in front of her causing her to do the same.

"We're here," her tone was clipped and emotionless as she stared ahead at the brick building in front of them. Maya turned towards her and finally registered the shock on her face, "Yeah pretty decent for a college student I know," she chuckled bringing Carina's attention back to her, the storm behind her blue eyes was suddenly gone which baffled Carina more than anything else, "Come on."

She pulled on the brunette's arm leading her inside, only stopping to unlock the gate, before they made their way to the elevator, "So, you live here alone?" her tone was meant to be flirty but it came off as curious more than anything else.

"Hmm, not really. I have a roommate-" She paused looking back at Carina and then back down as she fumbled through her keys for the right one as they both stepped out. When she finally found it, a big smile adorned her face and it might've been the most adorable sight the Italian had ever seen.