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It was Azzi’s birthday. She was, at last, eighteen and there was nothing beating the excitement that she felt to be able to celebrate this special occasion with friends and family. That and the fact that today was finally the day she’d be able to see Paige after weeks of not being able to due to the girl’s busy schedule.
Maybe she was actually a little too excited, not being able to keep her legs still while scrolling on her phone on the couch, trying to preoccupy herself. She had received a text from her suitor the night before, letting her know she was going to be at the Fudd’s earlier than the start of the party, and despite the lack of preparedness their house had for her birthday bash, which she should be worrying about, Paige’s possible presence a few minutes from now is all her mind could bother thinking about.
Stop thinking about her. Stop thinking about her. Stop thinking about her. Azzi shakes her head, finding it stupid how down bad she was about seeing Paige on the day she should be focused on herself.
Before she could mentally scold herself some more about the way she was acting, the sound of their doorbell stopped her train of thought.
“Holy shit, the Paige Bueckers?!” Jose, Azzi’s younger brother playfully greets Paige.
Paige bursts out laughing, “Put on a shirt, dude.” Playing along with Jose, lightheartedly shoving him.
Jose recovers from Paige’s shove and quickly pries on what the girl brought with her.
“What’re these for?” Jose’s hand gets slapped into oblivion before he could even touch to investigate, followed by an ‘ouch’, “They’re for Azzi."
“Is she inside?” Paige suddenly sounded nervous.
“Yeah, I think she’s waiting for you, her ass can’t stay still–” Jose answers her question but was unable to finish as he gets cut off by a pissed off Azzi clearing her throat by the front door.
Paige’s eyes met with the girl she was courting, becoming all the more nervous. The girl was undoubtedly gorgeous. She currently had a glowing ‘just woke up’ look and her untied curls? Paige could die. How’d she even get this lady to agree to courting her? For the basketball phenom, the current situation evoked feelings out of her that were awfully similar to when her team would be down by the 4th with seconds left on the clock. Except there was no ball and teammates to rely on, just herself, along with gifts and a bouquet of flowers in her hands.
Meanwhile, Azzi is freaking out on the inside. Although she was currently facing both her brother and her suitor with a smug, unreadable expression on her face, she was entirely sure an egg could be cooked with how hot her face felt. It didn’t help her case that Paige was inching closer and closer towards her.
“Happy birthday, Azzi.”
Azzi thinks it’s criminal how three words from this blonde, blue eyed girl, are enough to make her knees weak, mind go on a frenzy, and get her begging to the universe for this girl to be the one for her. But instead of showing her inner feelings outwardly, she chooses to display it by doing a whole 180.
“Thanks, Paige.” Seriously, Azzi? Even she herself can’t believe that was all she could utter. Out of embarrassment, she breaks eye contact with the girl in front of her, completely forgetting to acknowledge the gifts the girl had brought for her.
Paige would be lying if she said the nonchalant response Azzi gave her didn’t affect her, but she knew better than to let it get to her. She was in no position to demand a different reaction from Azzi, one that she'd prefer. From the moment she realized she’d fallen for the girl to the day she’d ask permission to court her and up until now, Paige was Azzi’s. And for all Paige knows, she’d let Azzi do anything to her. So, she sucks up the tiny feelings of insecurity in her system and takes the initiative.
“For you.” Paige was being careful and minimal with her words, not wanting Azzi to be uncomfortable. Which she assumed was what the latter felt based on what happened seconds ago. However, she couldn't help but let her gummy smile escape despite her uncertainty. A kind of smile reserved solely for Azzi.
God, that smile. Honestly speaking, Paige could have pulled up without a single gift for Azzi and the birthday girl couldn’t have cared less, but the fact that she did, was far too much for her heart to handle.
Azzi gives Paige the softest, sweetest smile, and if only the blonde was more focused on looking at Azzi’s face than making sure she gently placed her gifts on her hands for the girl to receive, just maybe all her uncertainties would’ve been erased.
“You really didn’t have to, Paige.” Azzi looks at the pink tulips and three paper bags, now just taking in how Paige went all in with her birthday present for her.
“I wanted to.” Paige reassures her, “Plus, if we’re being truthful, you deserve everything and more.”
The now eighteen year old swears there was nothing better life could offer than what the tall, blue eyed, blonde girl in front of her made her feel right at this moment. And for a split second, Azzi feels the courage to be bold and act on what she genuinely felt. Until she didn’t. A faint sound of people chattering outside the Fudd’s causes her to direct her attention to it.
The sound revealed itself to be from the UConn girls, scrambling to get inside the Fudd’s house.
“Girl boo, happy born day!” Of course KK got inside first, followed by the rest of the team and their birthday greetings.
The birthday girl didn’t want her little moment with her suitor to be over just yet, but she also didn’t want to be rude to her guests. She looked right at Paige’s eyes, as if silently asking to excuse herself, and Paige being Paige, she understood, giving the brown eyed girl the softest smile that extended to her eyes before verbally assuring her, “Go ahead, I’ll be fine."
Electric. That’s how Paige would describe the feeling of Azzi’s hand briefly touching hers before she went on and talked to their teammates.
Azzi must’ve placed a spell on the white girl because as her hand leaves Paige’s, the blonde’s gaze unknowingly follows her. She was tranquilized by a single touch from the brunette, whose back is facing her as she engages in conversation with Caroline and Aubrey.
Right behind her was Paige standing like a lost child, her hands now in her pockets, not knowing what she should do while Azzi entertained her guests. The difference in how the curly haired girl interacted with Paige and with her teammates did not go unnoticed by the blonde and she felt a slight pang in her chest as she watched Azzi smile from ear to ear and talk in a high pitched manner. However, she didn’t mind. If anything, she was thankful Azzi had finally gotten out of her shell. An intention of hers that went way back. She gives herself some credit knowing she’s played a part in breaking down the walls Azzi put up when she was younger, and she’s grateful that so many people now love and care for her. They may not love her the same way she does, but she’s relieved that no matter what, she had her people. Not to mention, her heart swelled with pride seeing the girl she was courting with the gifts she’d given her in her hands, not letting go of them even though it caused her minor inconveniences in conversations at times.
Not long after, Jose invites Paige inside the living room, shouting at her to play GTA V with him. She happily obliges. Any time spent with Azzi’s family was time well spent. She loves the girl and that includes loving the family that raised her and she grew up with.
“Paige got you all these?” Nika couldn’t believe it, not being used to this side of best friend, “That bitch doesn’t even get me the right kind of gift I ask for on my birthday, the hell?” The team laughs.
Azzi blushes after realizing the full extent of Nika’s statement, and suddenly, pride surges into her. She knew all about the countless girls that threw themselves at Paige. She knew Paige had the tendency to draw people to her without much effort. And she certainly knew about the dozens of girls linked with her. Yet, Paige chose her. And she felt even better knowing she’s the only girl to ever get this side of Paige. The side of Paige Buckers everyone knows, or more like assumes she’s the type, is a player and a flirt. They simply weren’t aware that she was the biggest lovesick puppy around Azzi and Azzi preferred it that way.
“Are the foods ready? I’m starving.” KK dramatically pouts and places her hands on her stomach, earning her a slap from each girl from the team.
Azzi giggled, endeared by the dynamic the team had, “Come on in, early birds get the worm anyway.”
KK punches the air in celebration meanwhile the entire team, clearly tired of her antics, either sighed or shook their heads as they walked inside.
The game was getting hectic. Jose was yelling all kinds of trash talk aimed at Paige, hoping she would be pissed and make her throw the game. In reality, none of it ever worked. He soon came to realize this when Paige is getting closer and closer to winning the challenge. Soon enough, Jose knew he had to do what he had to do to win.
“Jose, what the fuck?!” Everyone turns at Paige’s exclamation only to find Jose clinging his entire body to Paige like a monkey to a tree while she fights for her life to secure the win.
The team and Azzi are baffled at the commotion in the living room, staring with such confused faces.
The game was nearing to the end but Paige and Jose’s game faces were as if the game has just started and their lives were on the line. Azzi swears one of them was bound to get injured by the end of it. But it was worth it. Seeing Paige bond with her brother made her fall for the girl even more in a way she didn’t know was even possible.
“Not fair!” Jose turns grumpy after his plan to distract Paige worked horribly. Azzi laughs at the sight, knowing how much of a sore loser her brothers can be, especially Jose.
“Maybe next time, buddy.” Paige cockily tells Jose as if she wasn’t being a tryhard earlier, ruffling his hair in the process, pissing the boy even more. Azzi smiles at the level of comfort Paige had already established with her family. Her heart was truly fond of the blue eyed girl and she could no longer deny it.
The front door swings open and Azzi’s moment of admiring Paige’s close bond with her brother was cut short. Paxton, a family friend of the Fudd’s, entered, demanding attention to him. Attention that Azzi was obligated to give him as the birthday girl and in which she does, mainly because she feels slightly guilty that she hasn’t seen the dude in a while.
“Paxton, you’re here!” Azzi hurriedly approaches him, “Glad you could make it!”
He initiates a hug, not really leaving any room for Azzi to refuse, “Wouldn’t wanna miss it.”
Discomfort was starting to be felt by Azzi when Paxton had yet to let go of the hug and lengthens it. Don’t get her wrong, there was nothing wrong with the physical contact. Paxton was gay and it was simply a friendly gesture, but the duration of the hug caught her off guard. Though, he must’ve realized he was making Azzi uncomfortable when she herself had finally flinched, “Sorry, just missed you. We haven’t hung out in a while.” He lets out an awkward snort.
Azzi, mentally chuckling, understood where his long-time friend was coming from and made sure to let him know it was alright. She tries to cover up the visible awkwardness between them by inviting him to the kitchen to introduce him to the entire team. She purposely avoids introducing Paige, knowing her friend would tease her about it as she had mentioned the suitor numerous times to him through chat.
“And who’s that blondie over there?” Paxton’s lips point to Paige who was on the couch playing another game now joined with Azzi’s two brothers Jose and Jon.
The dude didn’t even need to mention a name, the brunette knew immediately who he’s referring to, and fortunately for her the both of them were sitting down at the dining table, away from the team. She felt it was the perfect time to spill the beans, “She’s Paige, the suitor I kept chatting to you about.”
His jaw dropped at the revelation, followed by a playful nudge to Azzi, and she couldn’t help but burst out in laughter at his reaction.
The flowing conversation Paxton and Azzi had accompanied with continuous laughter did not go unnoticed by the girl who was their main topic. Paige had no idea who this dude was, but her heart strings were getting painfully tugged as she watched how happy Azzi was talking to him. Paige recalls the neutral attitude Azzi showed her when she arrived and couldn’t help but overthink things. The girl acted differently around her and it deflated her.
First, she saw how enthusiastically she greeted the UConn girls and now, she saw how jolly she chit-chats with this Paxton guy. Whatever she was currently feeling, she didn’t like it, but she ultimately decided to ignore it, focusing on the TV to get the nagging feeling in her chest away. You have no right, Bueckers. No right. Absolutely no right to be jealous like this. She’s not yours.
“P!” Tim, Azzi’s dad, shouts from all the way from the garage, “Mind lending me a hand in here?” Paige internally thanks the man. She desperately needed a distraction from all the chaos these stupid feelings of hers had created.
“Aren’t you awfully quiet.” Paige snaps out of her thoughts upon hearing what Tim said.
She tightens her grip on the piece of wood Tim ordered her to hold, “Just tryna lock in at helping you.”
“Lock in my ass. What’s going on with you?” The blonde didn’t even believe herself when she answered Tim, so she wasn’t surprised that he didn’t buy her awful lie.
She sighs, she knew better than to lie to the one person who knew her better than Azzi.
Paige takes a moment to collect her thoughts and formulate her response, not wanting the whirlwind of emotions within her to expose what she truly felt, “What do you do when the person you like seems to not like your presence?”
“And this is what, based on experience?” Tim raises his brows.
“Hypothetically.” Paige defensively retorts.
The older man laughs, gets up from the ground, and faces the younger girl, “Sounds like you need to talk to her.”
Paige’s heart stops. She was never the wordy and verbal type, often relying on her actions to do the talking for her, but she realizes at that exact moment that if she truly loved Azzi, she’d have to respect her wishes. Even if one of those wishes were for her to stop courting the girl. She thoroughly managed to convince herself that Azzi didn’t feel the same way about her, pulling this conclusion from Azzi’s recent actions when she was around compared to how she was to everybody else. She was determined to back off and let Azzi find happiness in someone else.
The sun was starting to set. Admittedly, Azzi had an absolute blast talking to everyone she invited over, not taking this time to catch up with them for granted, but she would also be lying if a huge part of her wanted to have spent most of the day with a certain six foot, blonde, blue eyed girl, which speaking of which, she hasn’t seen for quite a while now.
“Where’s Paige?” Her mouth asked in autopilot out of a slight concern to the girl’s whereabouts.
She earns a bunch of confused looks from guests and smirks from her teammates, “Miss her? Already?” Caroline teases.
Azzi blushes but eagerly repeats her question. She had spent way too much time with everyone else and not enough time with the girl she liked and the feeling was itching. She had to be in the same proximity as the girl immediately.
“Okay, chill, lover girl. I saw her make her way upstairs.” Azzi gives Caroline a quick thank you before heading up the second floor in haste.
As soon as Caroline mentions Paige was upstairs, she knew exactly where she would find the girl. And just as she thought, the moment she opens the sliding door leading to the balcony, she’s greeted by the sight of Stewie lying on Paige’s lap in the most comfortable loaf position. The scene screamed with so much domesticity that Azzi wanted to take a photo of it and place it somewhere in her room. But all thoughts of wholesomeness were buried six feet under once Azzi catches a glimpse of uneasiness from Paige’s body language when she realized Azzi was in the same place as her.
They maintain eye contact, both of their eyes full of admiration and love. Only that one has brown eyes and is staring in awe, while the other has blue eyes and is gazing into a pool of uncertainty and hurt.
Stewie must have felt the thickening tension between the two of them as she lifts her tiny feet up and plops down the ground, marching out the balcony, leaving the two girls alone. Just them and the million unspoken thoughts lingering in the air until the older girl cuts the deafening silence between them.
“Azzi.” Vulnerability written all over Paige’s face.
The brunette looks at her softly, picking up on the seriousness of Paige’s tone.
“I don’t want to force you to continue acknowledging me as your suitor.” It’s then that Azzi’s heart drops. What? Did she hear the blonde correctly?
“What are you saying?” Azzi’s voice breaks.
Paige swallows every bit of fear she’s feeling, “I don’t want to force myself on to you. I’ve witnessed how you are to others and I’ve seen how you are to me and I can’t help but think how different you are when it’s me. I can't stop myself from thinking everything that I feel is one-sided. I like you, Azzi. Hell, I like you so much that I’m willing to wait for as long as you want me to wait. But, I also like you so much that I’m willing to stop whatever I’m doing if it’s what you want. If it’s what’s going to make you happy.”
The once soft and full of life blue eyes of the blonde were quickly replaced with tears, “Just say the words, Azzi, and I’ll leave you alone. But I hope after this, you won’t stop me from loving you because truthfully I don’t think I can. Tell me to stop and I will. But I hope you don’t deprive me of one wish. Let me still love you, even if it’s just from afar. Just let me adore you–”
“God, you’re so fucking dense.” That was all Azzi could frustratingly let out before she grabbed Paige’s face and kissed her like her life depended on it.
So soft. Paige’s lips are so unbelievably soft, it’s driving Azzi insane. It drove her even more insane when the blonde took longer than 3 seconds until she responded to her obviously repressed and hunger driven kiss.
They were making out on the Fudd’s balcony, who were downstairs entertaining the guests, yet all their daughter could think about was how soft her suitor’s lips were and how stupid she is for waiting so long to give her the yes she has been waiting for.
The brunette swore she wanted to murder someone when Paige let go of the kiss, eyes widened in shock and lips covered in red from Azzi’s lipstick.
“W-Why’d you stop?” Azzi asked, trying her hardest to recover from the high of her first kiss with Paige.
If Paige was being honest, she had no idea how she got the audacity to stop her make out session with Azzi, but a bigger part of her wanted to clear things up before anything else.
“So you don’t hate me as your suitor?”
At this point, Azzi was offended, “Would someone who hated you make out with you on her parents’ balcony?!”
Paige turns red as she recalls how Azzi’s lips felt on hers.
Azzi sighs, “I’m sorry for whatever fuck I showed you back there. I was nervous. Extremely nervous. If you only knew how I couldn’t sleep just thinking about how I’d be able to see you today or how I kept pacing around the house waiting for your arrival. Paige, I’m sorry for being such an asshole and not outwardly showing what I genuinely felt for you, I just—”
Paige brings Azzi to a hug, holding her head to her chest and caressing her back, letting the younger one nuzzle herself into her, “At the end of the day, I’m still your suitor, Az. I have no right to demand anything from you. But thank you for assuring me that the feeling is mutual.”
It doesn't take long before tears fall from Azzi’s eyes.
“I’ll wait for as long as you need me to wait, princess.” What did I ever do to deserve this woman? Azzi thought to herself.
Azzi looks up to the older girl, flashing her big brown orbs that sends the blue eyed girl into an orbit, “What if I don’t want you to wait anymore?”
This time it’s time for Paige to shed tears, “Then you’d make me the happiest girl in the world.”