Walking up the stairs to the second floor seemed daunting, the throbbing in her legs was persistent and she had to use the handrail to haul herself upwards. One step after another and her calf muscles were twitching from the shock of her feet hitting solid ground. ‘Note to self: next time stretch longer before running.’

Reaching the top step, she almost pulled a ‘Rocky Dance’, fists pumping in the air while she jumped around but thought better of it and made her way down the hall to Spencer’s bedroom. Not bothering to knock, she pushed the door open, stepped in, shut it behind her, and looked up to find the blonde sitting on the bed and reading a book. An orange glow from the sunset cast its radiance on her, making the golden locks of hair seem like they were on fire.

Seeing no point in disturbing her, Ashley took advantage of the moment to simply watch Spencer.

“A picture lasts longer you know.” Spencer said with quiet voice and a smile, not taking her eyes off of the book in her lap.

“Imitations can’t do the real thing justice though.” Ashley replied.

She watched her look up, blue eyes staring intently into her own. “Such a charmer.”

“You know it.” A smirk on her face, she ran over and jumped on top of the blonde, yelps of surprise and laughter filling the room.

“Ugh, you’re all sweaty.”

Taking her previous position before she went out for the run, she stretched her body the length of Spencer’s. Pressing her still flushed cheek against her girlfriend’s smooth skin and speaking with a low timber in her voice. “You wouldn’t be complaining about that if we were both naked.” The moan that accompanied the statement made her smile.

“Maybe,” Spencer responded. “But I’d still say that you stank like hell.”

They sat waiting on their back porch, staring idly up at the sky as plumes of smoke puffed upwards from their lips. Brother and sister, literal partners in crime. There wasn’t much to be said between them right then. All they needed was their moment of peace before the work had to begin; an instance of calm just before they turned the streets upside down.