Before The Storm ( wlw / lesbian )

Chapter 5

"Grace," Toni smiled. "this is my baby sister, Dakota."

Grace just looked at the little kid sitting as happy as can be at the edge of the bed in awe. She had a toothy grin, and looked like a carbon copy of Toni. She was staring back at Grace like she'd never seen- no sign of hatred or fear indentured on any of her features. Just a curiosity that mixed with something else, something soft. She had kind eyes, the same as her sister, and waved at the redhead before turning her attention back to the older Deere.

"I'm not a baby!" Dakota stuck her tongue out at Toni, resulting in the ladder attacking her in tickles, and Grace couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't remember seeing two siblings being so loving toward each other since her own brother was alive. But even then, she wasn't the best sister. More petulantly annoying. Her chest hurts with longing watching, and casts her gaze down. 

Dakota's lips tuck to one side and she points. "Is that your girlfriend?"

Grace blushed as the words that took her from her reverie, looking in time to watch Toni stutter, face beet red. "What? My girlfriend-no." She cleared her throat, carefully avoiding Grace that watched the usually so cool gang leader fumble. "What do you need, Kota? You've been shouting for a while."

Grace just stood awkwardly against the door frame, suddenly unsure of what to even do with her hands.

"I wanna go to the park!" The little girl bounced up and down impatiently, a pout present and Toni rolled  her eyes visibly and exaggeratedly. Maybe she was learning a thing or two from the redhead.

"We can't go to the park, bub." Toni sighed, sitting beside her sister and rubbing her back in soothing circles, "You know it isn't safe with all that's happening with the Moranos."

Grace's eyebrows raised, a frown drawn on her lips. It was no secret that Veronica's father was in the business of trying to demolish the indigenous lands that Toni and the rest of the Raven's lived on, nor was it a surprise. He was in all ways a very traditional and racist man, so far as beginning mining into their water reserve.

Her frown deepened. That must be a cross to bear, having to let her- what seemed to be- sole living family member down, and also having to explain such intense things when even the adults in the town could barely keep their bearings about the constant pop up scandals.

"I can take her-" the words came without even thinking, and when both sets of light brown eyes looked to her, she suddenly felt shy.

"Really!?" Dakota gasped, jumping to her feet and hugging around the cheerleader's leg.

"Yeah, really?" Toni mused, eyes flickering to her little sister and back up to green.

"It's the least I could do. I mean, the Northside parks are definitely cleaner and safer and probably have more things to play on." Grace justified with a shrug, patting the soft bundle of curls awkwardly

"My cars still at O'Flanagans, so if we ride half the way there, then I can take it from there..." She trailed off, and Toni nodded in thought, prying her sister off the leg she clung to and hoisting her into her arms.

"It won't be too long, she gets tired after a few hours."

Hours? Jesus Christ.

"Awesome."

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Wonderboy and Shasta stayed back, since they were definitely a target walking around the Northside hopped up on a weird concoction of liquor, candied fruits and menthols Grace saw them making in a bowl when they left. The ride there was weird, due to the fact that there was a tiny human nestled between Grace's chest and Toni's back, but eventually they got to where the Impala sat lonely in the darkening parking lot.