This Lullaby ( Kaylor )

( sun is going down )

Sorry it took so long to get this up!  I had (well, still have---and it's going on four weeks now) bronchitis and a sinus infection.  And the flu.  So, needless to say, writing hasn't been coming easy lately.  So here's a very delayed update.  It's really short, but I have the story fully plotted out now, so hopefully updates will come more quickly after this!

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Two weeks later, Taylor awoke in a different house in a different city, still with Karlie curled up in her arms.  But the blankets weren't enough to protect them, and Taylor could feel her blood sluggishly crawling through her veins like half-frozen water.  Winter had been pricking at the backs of their necks for a while, but these frigid mornings were a stark reminder that they didn't have much time left.

Their coats were on top of their packs at the foot of the bed.  Karlie's was a Nike hoodie with holes biting the elbows.  Taylor's was weary fleece that looked ready to peel away from its seams.  They needed something much warmer.  The former singer could see through the place where the curtains separated from the window that the sky was filled with clouds.  They were the slowly lumbering kind, with swollen bellies filled with snow.  It wouldn't be long until they opened up and covered everything in a blanket of freezing whiteness.

The world had ended 14 months ago, but the first winter had been so much easier.  It was early enough that food was still readily available, and many buildings with generators still had heat.  Now pantries were barren, and all power was gone.  There wouldn't be refuge, and if they ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time, they'd be dead for sure.

The thoughts weren't ones she really wanted to be having this early.  A low sigh escaped her, and she dipped her head to press a kiss to Karlie's sleeping mouth.  Once, twice.  On the third, there was a clumsy response, beautiful despite its sloppy early morning nature.  When Taylor pulled back, Karlie's eyes were open and foggy.  But she was smiling, and she leaned forward, nuzzling her nose against Taylor's.

"It's getting cold," Taylor murmured, as her arms wrapped around Karlie's body, pulling her a little closer, reveling in the natural warmth to her skin.

The other girl made a soft sound of agreement, "No shit, Sherlock.  Your feet feel like blocks of ice."

Taylor pursed her lips and shifted so she could press her feet against Karlie's shins.  The taller girl yelped, pulling away a little too dramatically and falling off the bed with a thud, taking the blanket with her.  Taylor burst into laughter, climbing out of bed and hopping on her toes as the cold floor shocked them.  As she hurried over to the other side of the bed, she found Karlie sprawled out, blanket tangled around her legs, eyes closed.

"Karls?  Are you okay?"

No answer.

Fuck, I knocked her unconscious with my cold feet.

"Karlie?" Taylor's voice rose in pitch, high and strained and worried.  God, all they needed was for Karlie to have a concussion or something.  Gently, Taylor reached out to grab Karlie's shoulder and shake her awake.

But then a hand caught her wrist, and she caught sight of a broad grin and shining green eyes before she was pulled down on top of Karlie's body.  Fingers curled in rapid succession along her ribs, and Taylor squirmed and tried to beg for mercy from the tickle onslaught, but she was laughing so hard she wasn't even making noises except hard, whistling breaths.

Karlie only stopped when tears burned trails down Taylor's face with the force of her breathless laughter.  The blonde collapsed on Karlie's chest, and, still panting, choked out, "I'll get you back for that, Kloss."

"Too bad you can't defeat me.  Always on my toes.  I'm like Bruce Lee.  I've got those cat-like reflexes," Karlie replied, grin painted with snark.  In response, Taylor slid her hand beneath the fabric of the other girl's shirt.  Fingers found a nipple, and she rolled and tugged at it long enough to draw a moan from Karlie's mouth.

Then she stopped, pulling away and standing up.  She threw Karlie a grin over her shoulder, then went to dig out some food from their packs, "It is getting cold, though."

The other girl joined her after a moment, grabbing her jacket and tugging it on.  She zipped it up beneath her chin, and then wrapped one side of the blanket around Taylor's pale shoulders, hand rubbing up and down her upper arm, "You're not wrong.  We can look through the closets?"

"Take clothes, you mean," Taylor said, a little apprehensive.  She tore open a pack of dried fruit then handed another one to her girlfriend.  As Taylor popped one of the rubbery little things in her mouth, she gave Karlie a nervous glance.  The people who owned this house were dead, but it still felt like stealing.

Karlie sighed out and chewed on her lower lip, obviously as disturbed by the thought as Taylor was, "Well, we don't really have another choice, babygirl.  As harsh as it sounds, we need the clothes a lot more than they do now."

She was right.  So the blonde nodded, finished off the fruit even though she was significantly less hungry, and walked over to open the closet doors and start searching through them for winter clothes.   An hour later, they were dressed in multiple layers, warm pants and shirts, with extras packed into their bags.  They'd found thick winter coats, and Taylor was wearing the one that must have belonged to the wife, while Karlie was wearing the husband's.  The clothes still smelled faintly of perfume and shampoo. 

It was kind of sickening.  But there was no other choice, and Taylor was warm for the first time in days.  She knew she wouldn't feel so bad about the decision during the first snowfall of the winter.

"You okay?" Karlie asked, as they threw their bags in the back seat and climbed into the car.  She was in the driver's seat, and she reached over the console to squeeze Taylor's hand. 

A pause, then Taylor looked up at her and managed a soft smile, "Yeah.  I'm okay."

And with Karlie's hand holding hers, it wasn't even really a lie.