Chapter Text
“How’s the bartender Haught?
“Perfect Pete, thanks for asking.”
“You two should double date with us, Chrissy, and Steph. After all they’re all friends with Waverly.”
“Yeah, we should have a triple date.”
“Yeah, What’s the harm Nicole?”
“Fine, fine, shut up both of you. I’ll ask her about it.”
Nicole really hadn’t planned on bothering Waverly any more than she had already, but she wasn’t about to go down without a fight. She wasn’t sure they’d get away with it, even if somehow Waverly agreed. Steph, Crissy, and Waverly had all been friends since high school, according to Pete and Kyle. They’d want to know intimate details she doubted Waverly would want to think about.
Nicole idled outside the bar, sighed slightly. The door was open, though Nicole didn’t have the gall to go in until she heard Waverly yelping. To her surprise, Waverly was hitting at the taps and covered in beer. Nicole unsuccessfully fought off a smile. “I didn’t know Shorty’s had wet t-shirt competitions.” Nicole laughed lightly as Waverly turned toward the ginger officer. “You okay?”
Nicole was pleased to be greeted by by another one of Waverly’s airy laughs and bright smiles. “Oh, fine; I keep telling Shorty to fix the taps,” Waverly trailed off, still wiping her shirt with a towel. “So, uh, what brings you by before opening officer?”
“I, ah,” Nicole stumbled, as Waverly stripped herself of her beer-soaked shirt, “I came to ask you on a date.” Waverly’s arms stopped midair. Nicole imagined a similar panic from the other night clouded the shorter girl’s eyes. “Fake, of course.” Nicole added, though Waverly still didn’t move from inside her shirt. “Kyle and Pete are idiots and you really don’t have to say yes. I would have kicked myself though if I didn’t try, and,” Nicole started to babble.
“Uh, officer, Nicole, I’m stuck.” Waverly said, squirming in her shirt. “Can you…”
Nicole’s brain clicked into motion. “Oh yeah, of course.” Nicole made her way around the bar in order to help pull the top off of Waverly. Waverly’s arms immediately shot to cover herself, so Nicole maid a conscious effort to keep her eyes on Waverly’s. Waverly ducked under the bar and grabbed a Shorty’s tee. It was by no means covering Waverly, but it seemed to make the brunette content.
“So sorry about that,” Waverly smiled, “So, uh, you want to take me on a fake date?” There was a look in Waverly’s eyes that Nicole couldn’t quite decipher. It could have been surprise, disgust, curiosity, or maybe interest (though that may have been wishful thinking on Nicole’s part).
“Pete and Kyle want to take us on a triple date with them, Chrissy, and Steph, but it would require quite a bit of work, and I probably shouldn’t have asked.” Was Nicole babbling? She felt like she was babbling.
“Yeah, Chrissy, Steph and I have known each other for a long time.” Waverly commented, though she appeared to think about the offer. “But,” Nicole’s heart skipped a beat. “I’m always up for the challenge if you are.”
Nicole stood in disbelief, “Really? Won’t your boyfriend have a problem with it? I mean, not that he owns you, but he seems like the type to not be cool with the whole fake dating thing.” Nicole really needed her heart and brain to calm the fuck down so she could stop messing up her words.
Waverly just shrugged, “He’ll be fine. When is this date?” Nicole didn’t mean to let out a chuckle, but evidently it decided to echo through her chest.
“Uh, I actually didn’t think I would get this far, so I’m not sure. How’s next Tuesday?”
Waverly shrugged, then nodded. “We should get together a few times before hand to rehearse everything.” Nicole agreed quietly; “Do you want to meet me tomorrow at the Homestead? I’m off the entire night.”
“I get off at 5,” Nicole offered softly, “I could pick up pizza or something on the way.” Waverly nodded.
“Sounds like a date.” Waverly smiled. Nicole returned the gesture before ducking her head and heading out. It’s not a real date Nicole.
Champ : dinner 2nite.
Waverly : I can’t I have other plans.
Champ : cancel them.
Waverly : I can’t, maybe another time.
Champ : wht r these importnt plans
Waverly : I’m doing a favor for a friend.
Champ : Wht friend
Waverly : Officer Haught.
Champ : Cancel on her, i dnt lke her
Waverly : Can’t. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Waverly breathed deeply, attempting not to throw her phone across the room in frustration. Her patience for Champ was getting slimmer and slimmer, yet still felt a pull to him. Champ was her history and Champ was safe. Champ was what Waverly knew and if it involved putting up with some annoying habits, or occasionally having to get from point A to point B herself, so be it.
She didn’t have a long time to simmer, as moments later, there was a knock at the door. Making sure to keep her steps at a constant pace, Waverly found her way over to the door and opened it slowly, expecting Nicole, but bracing herself for Champ. She was pleasantly surprised to see the redhead. “I brought the pizza,” Nicole smiled, as Waverly welcomed her inside. “Sorry about all of this.” Nicole apologized for what Waverly thought was the fifteenth time.
Waverly quickly grabbed plates and silverware from the kitchen, before settling in on the couch and motioned for Nicole to do the same. “You really don't need to apologize; as far as I know, I can always say no.”
The words were barely out of Waverly’s mouth before Nicole started to nod profusely. “Gosh, Waverly I would never ask you to be some you're not.” Waverly just nodded, smiling at the taller girl and grabbing a slice.
A laugh echoed opposite Waverly. “Why bring the plates and silverware if you're not going to use either?” The smile on her face and tone in her voice told Waverly there was no malice in Nicole’s question.
“It's just something I've always done, I guess,” Waverly said with a smile and giggle. “When I was little Gus would insist on sitting down for dinner as a family, we’d sit at the table and eat off plates, but when Gus was out of town or working late, Curtis would let me eat on the couch. We’d watch cartoons and he’s pretend to be mad when I picked up whatever food it was, usually pizza, and eat it without all the proper stuff we’d brought out, but we’d just giggle.” Waverly sighed fondly. Curtis was a piece of work, but he loved Waverly.
“So,” Nicole said, finally starting to munch on her meal, “Were Gus and Curtis like your parents, or…?” Waverly could hear the hesitation in her voice and it dawned on her that Nicole knew nothing but rumor about the Earp family.
Waverly couldn’t help, but fidget a little, reliving the loss of every friendship ended over her last name.“Mama left when I was four. Daddy was killed two years later. That’s when Willa, my oldest sister, was taken, presumed dead.” Waverly gulped, not quite meeting Nicole’s eyes, “Wynonna bounced around a lot. No one wanted the troubled kid. She spent some time in juvie, but I stayed put. Gus and Curtis near raised me.”
Waverly suffocated on the silence for only a few moments before Nicole spoke again. “They say Wynonna killed your dad.” Nicole said, though her voice was quiet and uncertain, as if she didn’t want to offend Waverly, and for that, Waverly was eternally grateful.
“Daddy took Wynonna and Willa on a hunting trip, trying to teach ‘em early. Daddy wasn’t exactly sober and they ended up angering a pack of coyotes. Wynonna tried to shoot the one that had Daddy, but the gun Daddy had brought didn’t shoot straight. After they killed Daddy and were distracted by a screaming Willa, Wynonna ran to safety.” Waverly wasn’t sure when the two had inched so close and when Nicole had put her arm around Waverly, but she wasn’t about to complain. After a few beats of silence, panic settled over Waverly and she shot up. “I uh, I’ll be right back,” and she disappeared up the stairs.
“This is a terrible idea Nicole.”
“Yeah, and…? I’m like the queen of bad ideas.”
“No you’re not. You’re the rule follower, I’m the queen of bad ideas”
“Yeah, but we’re sisters so it counts.”
“Whatever weirdo.”
When Nicole loses sight of Waverly she sighs. She hadn’t meant to upset the shorter girl, neither with the question, nor the motion of getting closer and putting her arm around Waverly. Her attention is diverted, through, when someone messily stumbles through the unlocked door. “Wynonna?” Nicole asked tentatively, knowing the older Earp’s reputation for not being sober.
“I saw you two in the window.” Nicole hears Champ slur before she sees him. “You think you have a chance with her?” He asks, getting too close to Nicole’s face. “That’s disgusting. You’re disgusting.” Nicole rolls her eyes and shoves him lightly, in effort to get him to back up. The sad truth is, she’s grown up with homophobia and she’s just gotten used to it. Even from the new, further distance, Nicole could smell the alcohol on Champ’s breath. “You think you can steal my girl?” Champ grumply, falling onto the couch clumsily.
A growl echoed through Nicole’s body. “Lower your voice. Waverly doesn’t belong to anyone.” Idealy Nicole would get the bobblehead that was Waverly’s boyfriend off of the Homestead before Waverly noticed, but she resigned to just keeping him quiet until Waverly could take care of the drunk boy-man. Nicole would be there to help, of course, but only if Waverly needed it, and Nicole had a feeling, that Waverly wouldn’t.
“Champ,” Waverly’s gasp came from the upstairs landing, “you’re drunk, and apparently a raging homophobe!” Nicole turned to find the brunette descending the staircase, an angry look in her eye. The mere sound of Waverly’s voice seemed to shift Champ’s goal.
The drunk kid nearly launched himself on Waverly trapping her in a hug. “Waves, let’s open a little bar in Buenos Aires. I’ve always wanted that for us.” He slurred. Nicole stood at the ready to intervene, but Waverly squirmed out of Champs arms without aid. “Let’s shut that brain off.” This time, Champ grabbed Waverly from behind.
Without a word, Waverly squirmed out of Champ’s embrace; her breathing now was regulated, as if Waverly was trying to keep herself calm. “No, I don’t want my brain shut off. Okay? I don’t want to be a barmaid in Buenos Aires It turns out a pick up and a boner aren’t the whole enchilada. No, we’re done Champ. I’ll call you a cab.”
“I can take him home Waverly,” Nicole offered gently, the awkward atmosphere starting to weigh on her. “If you’d like.” She added quickly.
“Are you sure?” Waverly asked, batting away another advance from her (maybe ex) boyfriend.
“I’d be happy knowing he’d gotten home safely,” Waverly started timidly, “but Nicole you really don’t have to.”
Nicole just shrugged, “I’m a cop; it’s my duty.” Waverly’s smile made Nicole’s heart flutter and she had to remember herself that Waverly breaking up with Champ didn’t mean that Waverly would suddenly be interested in her.
Waverly nodded, “Okay, sorry about tonight.” Nicole scoffed, it hadn’t been Waverly’s fault that she was dating a tool that liked to drink. “I’ll text you?” Waverly asked, as if she wasn’t sure. Nicole was taken back by uncertainty as she was the one asking Waverly to fake date her, but she nodded and reassured the girl before getting in her car and bringing Champ Hardy home.
Nicole was certain that Champ had just thrown away the greatest thing in his life.