Archive of Our Own

Wynonna was one and a half when her mother came home with another girl. Which meant there was three of them, Willa and Wynonna would play together, Wynonna was fiercely protective of Waverly, even from a very young age. And Willa and Waverly, well, Wynonna didn’t understand what Willa had against the youngest of the siblings. 

She was constantly shutting her out, not allowing the toddler to play with them, which made Wynonna frown but she didn’t do anything, because Willa was her big sister and she knew better then Wynonna did.

When Wynonna started school she and Willa began hanging out less. Willa had her own friends and didn’t want to be bothered by her little sister in the playground, so that’s when Wynonna and Waverly started to become closer (which, looking back now, Wynonna realised really pissed Willa off).

Wynonna couldn’t make friends, everyone at school thought she was weird so her only friend was Waverly.

At least until freshman year of high school.

After everything that had happened, her mother dying, then her shooting her father and big sister, she honestly didn’t see the point in school. 

She hated it, she was more of freak than she had been before. Before she was just ‘the weird kid’ now she was ‘the weird kid who shot her father and sister’.

She probably wouldn't have even gone to school at all if not for Gus forcing her to go (using the ‘be a good example for your kid sister’ cheap shot).

So, when a girl sat down beside her on the first day of freshman year Wynonna figured she must’ve been new to town.

“I’m Nicole,” She introduced herself as they waited for the teacher to arrive, Wynonna’s head probed up against her fist lazily.

Wynonna side-eyed the girl, a little frown on her face. “Wynonna.”

“Earp?” Nicole questioned and Wynonna hummed, her cheek swishing up as her fist pressed against it. 

“You can go sit somewhere else, it won’t hurt my feelings.” Wynonna grumbled.

“Why would I do that?”

“Well, you know who I am, right?”

“My dad is the new town sheriff,” Nicole said in a way of confirmation.

“Then you probably know that I’m the town freak,”

“I guess,” Nicole agreed but didn’t make any attempts to move.

Wynonna ignored her for the reminder of the class, doing her own work quietly, reading everything from the book instead of listening to the teacher speak, she found it easier to learn that way.

Wynonna didn’t see Nicole again until lunch time, when the girl sat down beside on at the lunch table Wynonna was occupying on her own.

Wynonna just glanced up at her, narrowing her eyes when Nicole offered her a smile. 

They ate in silence until one of the boys in their year, the kid of the local bank manager, made their way over to the table, a wicked smirk on his lips.

He and Wynonna had always hated each other, her was far too obnoxious and entitled for her liking.

“You obviously must be new, sitting with this freak.”

“Yeah, that’s what i pointing to me being new, not the fact you’ve never seen my face around this small town.” Nicole shot back in a clipped tone, and that had Wynonna curious. Nicole wasn’t sticking up for her, not really, but there was something in her tone that made her think maybe they could get along.

“Listen, you obviously don’t know anything about this girl, otherwise you wouldn’t be eating lunch with her. I’m just looking out for you.”

“See, I would rather eat lunch with her, someone who has been nothing but pleasant, than eat lunch with you, a judgemental, entitled asshole.” Nicole’s lips pulled up into a sarcastic smile and Wynonna decided then and there that she wasn’t going to continue to ignore this girl.

So she invited Nicole back to her place after school that day, which had the girl grinning and readily agreeing.

“You stay at a bar?” Nicole asked as they entered. “That’s pretty cool.”

“It’s fine,” Wynonna shrugged, leading Nicole through the relatively busy bar, into the back and up the stairs.

“‘Nonna, Gus said you need to…” A young girl rushed out of a room, meeting them in the hallway, but she stopped in her tracks at the sight of Nicole, her mouth still opening having stopped mid sentence.

Nicole offered the young girl a dimpled smile, a little amused at the girls ‘deer caught in headlights’ look.

They looked similar, Wynonna and her sister, the first thing Nicole noting was the similar jaw structure the girls had.

“Wave?” Wynonna said unsurely, shaking the dazed girl out of it, her eyes snapping back to her sister. “What’s up?”

“Uh, Gus. She said you have to cook dinner tonight. Curtis is going out of town to visit his sister and she is working all day.” Waverly explained, glancing shyly at Nicole.

“No problem, kid. What’d you want?” Wynonna asked, taking a left into the kitchen, leaving Nicole with her kid sister, who was staring at her shyly from under her hair.

“Anything,”

“I’m Nicole.”

“Waverly. I’m…” Waverly motioned toward the kitchen, not taking her eyes off of Nicole. 

“Wynonna’s?”

“Yes.” Waverly clicked her fingers. “Yeah, I’m Wynonna’s sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“Hot dogs okay? I can stick some chilli on too and we can have chilli cheese dogs?” Wynonna asked, peeking her head out to look at the girls. “You staying, Nicole?”

“Sure, yeah. If that’s okay?”

“Wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t.” Wynonna chirped, disappearing back into the room.

“Is she a good cook?” Nicole asked Waverly, nudging her head in the direction of kitchen.

“She can make toast, and six times out of ten it isn’t burnt.” Waverly commented, grinning when Nicole laughed. 

“Well, this should be an adventure,”

Nicole and Wynonna became fast friends after that day.

Wynonna had never (and would never) need someone to fight her battles for her, she was strong enough to stick up for herself, but it was nice having someone standing behind her ready and willing to help her fight.

Nicole was the first person outside of her family that she cried in front of. After everything, Wynonna didn’t know who to turn to.

Not Waverly, she was just a kid and she couldn’t handle talking to her about how she was the reason her father and big sister were dead.

Not Gus and Curtis, she just wasn’t comfortable talking to them about it.

So, almost a year into their friendship (and five years after she killed her father and sister), Wynonna decided to confirm or deny any rumours Nicole had heard. They stole a bottle from behind the bar and Wynonna took her to her old home, both of them settling on a hay barrel in the barn.

The bottle was half done before Wynonna finally spoke. 

“This is my old place,”

“S’nice,” Nicole hummed, handing the bottle off to Wynonna.

“Yeah,” Wynonna grumbled, taking a gulp of the liquid and pointing out the door to the front yard. “That’s where I shot m'sister and father.”

“So, that’s true?”

“Yup. Right in front of Waverly.” Wynonna’s jew tensed and her voice wobbled. “I don’t know how she doesn’t hate me.”

“She knows you didn’t mean it, Wy. You didn’t do it on purpose and you might beat yourself up for it but Waverly’s a clever girl, she knows how much it cuts you up, she wouldn’t want you doing this to yourself.”

“All I was trying to do was protect'em. They were being taken, I tried to shoot the people takin'em. I shot my dad, then I tried again and got Willa.” Wynonna sniffed, wiping her nose with her sleeve. “I was just tryin' to help.”

“Hey,” Nicole slide her arm around Wynonna’s shoulder, pulling the shorter girl against her. “I’m sorry that this is something you have to deal with, and it will be with you for the rest of your life, but if you only ever believe one thing I ever say please believe that this was not your fault. You were trying to protect your family.”

Wynonna broke down after that, she had no idea how much she needed someone to tell her that it wasn’t her fault, she had no idea how much she needed to get all of this off of her chest after five years of bottling it up.

She cried for almost half an hour before she managed to regain her composure, warning Nicole that if she ever told anyone she actually had feelings she might just kill her. Nicole had laughed and swore never to tell anyone.

Their friendship reached a whole deeper level after that night (though both did end up getting caught drunk and grounded for over two weeks), they seemed to understand each other on a deeper level.

Whenever Nicole spent time at Shorty’s Waverly would hang out with them, sitting quietly at Wynonna’s desk, laughing at anything Nicole said and staring at the girl all doe eyes and amazement.

Wynonna never noticed but Nicole did.

She didn't hate it.

Waverly had been at high school for a little over a month when Nicole stopped by to see the girl angrily scrubbing at a table.

“Hey, there, mini Earp.” Nicole greeted, taking in the younger girls angry demeanour. “You okay?”

“I hate school,” Waverly grumbled.

“I feel you, kid.” Nicole hummed, yanking Waverly’s spare rag from Waverly’s back pocket and moving to the the next table. Waverly grumbled at the pet name like she always would, claiming to only be a year and a month younger than Nicole, she wasn’t a kid. “Any reason in particular you hate it?”

“The learning is fine. But my middle school friends have changed over the summer and Champ won’t leave me alone, he keeps saying ‘puberty hit you like a truck, Earp’.” Waverly’s lips turned up in disgust. “He is gross.”

“You want me to beat him up?” Nicole asked, quirking an eyebrow at Waverly. “Threaten him to back off.”

“You would do that for me?” Waverly sounded genuinely touched at this, leaning her thighs back against the table she was cleaning.

Nicole frowned, tucking the rag into the front pocket, moving to stand in front of Waverly. “‘Course,”

“I don’t want you to.” Waverly fiddled with the rag in her hand as she stared up at Nicole through her eyelashes, the same looking in her eyes that she would always have when she looked at Nicole. That look that caused Nicole’s stomach to twist.

Nicole nodded. “Do you want to date him?”

“No,” Waverly answered quickly.

“Then tell him to back off,”

“I’ve tried, he is claiming I am playing ‘hard to get’.”

Nicole frowned at that, debating whether to tell Wynonna about this or to deal with Champ herself. She decided on the latter, knowing Wynonna would probably scar the boy for life, both mentally and physically.

“You are far to good for him anyway, Wave, you deserve so much better.”

“I’m not really interested in dating right now,”

“Good,” Nicole grinned crookedly at Waverly, tapping the smaller girl on the nose, making her scrunch up her face, s shy smile other lips. She looked damn adorable. “I may not be your sister but I would definitely have to do a background check on anyone you date.”

Waverly snorted, rolling her eyes at Nicole. “I already have a big sister, I don’t need another one.”

“It isn’t only a big sister thing to be protective over someone.” Nicole commented, winking at Waverly, causing her to blush.

“Nico,” A voice interrupted, causing Nicole to jump back. She wasn’t doing anything, not really. So, why did she feel so sly? Like she had done something wrong and was trying to hide it from her best friend. “When’d you get here?”

“Few minutes ago,” Nicole answered, turning to look at her best friend, trying to gauge if Wynonna noticed how close she was to Waverly or just how shifty she was acting. Thankfully, she didn’t seen to pay them any mind, too distracted by her phone. “I was helping Waverly clean a few tables.”

“Gus should pay you,” Wynonna commented, looking up at Nicole, then to Waverly and back again. “What time is the movie?”

“Six,” Nicole answered. “Is your sister coming?”

“If she wants to,” Wynonna shrugged, and both she and Nicole looked over at Waverly expectantly.

“Yeah, okay.”

Nicole sat in between the Earp sisters during the movie, Wynonna’s elbow pressing against her arm on one side while Waverly’s foot touched her calf on the other. 

She felt like she couldn’t breathe properly, stuck between her best friend and her best friend's little sister, who she may or may not have been having funny feelings toward since they met.

Which was not okay, Wynonna was fiercly protective of Waverly after everything they had both been through, there is no way in hell she would ever been cool with Nicole looking at Waverly as anything more that her best friend's sister.

So she ignored the feeling, though it persisted through high school.

It persisted through her first girlfriend (secret girlfriend) and heart break.

 (“You’re gay?” Wynonna had frowned when she found out and Nicole began to panic.

“Yeah?”

“Suppose that makes it easier for me to beat up any one who hurts you.”)

It persisted through Waverly’s first boyfriend (a nice boy in her class), and her stomach was in knots and her heart was racing as Waverly clung to her after they broke up. Apparently Waverly wasn’t ‘emotionally available’, which seemed ridiculous, Waverly was obviously emotional enough to fall asleep crying on Nicole’s chest.

And now, at eighteen, sitting outside the high school she had just graduated from, she finally accepted the fact she was in love with Waverly Earp.

It was no use now, she and Wynonna were heading two provinces over for college, telling Waverly (or, God forbid, Wynonna) would only cause complications and the potential end to a four year friendship.

Nicole glanced up from the metal 'N' keyring Waverly had made her in shop class when she felt someone low onto the stairs beside her. Waverly didn’t ask what was wrong, after years of living with Wynonna she knew that people will open up when they are ready.

“Are you okay?” She asked instead. 

“Yeah, just thinking.” Nicole hummed.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving soon. Both of you.” Waverly sighed dramatically. “Leaving me. Alone. Forever.

“Shut up,” Nicole said with a laugh, knocking her shoulder against Waverly’s. “You will be here a year, then you are going off to college yourself.”

“If I make it that long,” Waverly’s shoulder slouched and she pouted.

“Wow, you are a damn drama queen, Little Earp.”

Waverly smiled softly, averting her eyes to get feet. “I’m going to miss you, though.” She said, peering up at Nicole through her eyelashes. “Both of you.”

“I’m going to miss you, too.” Nicole placed her hand on Waverly’s knee, giving it a little squeeze.

“I love you,” Waverly whispered, and something in the way she said it, all secretive and warily, gave Nicole the feeling that there was a lot more to it than a simple, friendly ‘I love you’.

Nicole stared over at the younger girl curiously, the lack of reply forcing Waverly to meet her eye. There was a venerability about her that made Nicole just want to hug her (because kissing her would be totally out of line).

“I love you, too.” Nicole admitted, throwing as much feeling behind the words without making it glaringly obvious what she really meant.

Waverly nodded slowly, looking down at her hands as she wrung them together, obviously nervous, and after a few seconds she stopped whatever internal debate she was having, looking up at Nicole. Then, suddenly, she was leaning in, her eyelids fluttering closed. 

And Nicole let it happen, her own eyes falling closed in anticipation,

But it never happened, both girls springing back at the sound of Waverly’s name.

Gus was standing behind them and, honestly, Nicole expected her to look disappointed or disapproving, but she was smiling.

“Wynonna is looking for you,” She was addressing Waverly.

Waverly nodded, offering Nicole a shy smile as she got up.

Nicole ran her hands across her face once Waverly had disappeared inside, releasing a stressed breath through her nose.

“Wynonna wouldn’t be mad.”

“I can’t risk it,”

“Do you love her?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“You are a good kid, Nicole, smart.” Gus clapped her hand onto Nicole’s shoulder. “Waverly could do so much worse.”

With a little squeeze of Nicole’s shoulder Gus followed Waverly into the school.

Nicole headed home after that, getting changed from her graduation gown into a pair of jeans and a red and black plaid shirt.

“Hey, kiddo,” Her father poked his head into her room, smiling softly at his daughter. “You ready to head to Shorty’s?”

Nicole looked a little unsure, which had her father frowning, pushing the door opened and entering her room.

“You okay?” Her asked. “Did something happen with you and Wynonna?”

Nicole shook her head, “Waverly,”

“Ah,” The man hummed knowingly, taking a seat on Nicole’s bed.

“I wasted so much time, dad.” Nicole sighed, falling down onto the bed beside her dad. “And now I’m moving over a days drive away.”

“So you’ve known for a while? How you feel about her?”

“Since the very beginning, I think. At least I’ve known since the beginning that there’s something different about her. But Wynonna is my best friend, Waverly is her kid sister, dad. She would kill me, you know how protective she is over Waverly.” Nicole sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

“So, what happened?”

“We almost kissed, but she tried to kiss, not the other way around, so she has feelings for me, too.”

“Maybe you should talk to Wynonna,”

“There’s no point. Even if she was okay with it, which she wouldn’t be, I’m going to be over a day away in two months. And it is another year after that before Waverly would be going to university, too, and even then we don’t know if it will be the same one.”

“Look, kid, all I know is that you gotta do what makes you happen, and if that’s Waverly then…” The name trailed off, a little frown on her face when he really registered what he had just said. Nicole looked up at him with an amused smile. “Yes, I realise how that sounded but you know what I mean.”

Nicole’s amused smile morphed into a sad smile, “There’s no point now.”

The man nodded, wrapping an arm around Nicole’s shoulder and pulling her against him, giving her a little squeeze. “You wanna give Shorty’s a miss? We can go get pancakes instead.”

“Nah, Wynonna has already texted me loads of times. I just need a few minutes then we can go.”

The man nodded, planting a kiss on Nicole’s hairline and standing up.

“Nico,” Nicole glanced up from her hands at the sound of her name, raising a questioning eyebrow at her father. “Do you love her?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that,” Nicole grumbled. Her father gave her a stern look and Nicole sighed, nodding slowly, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. 

“Wynonna might understand,” The man offered, and Nicole knew he was trying to be supportive but she just wanted to forget about it.

“I will be down in five.”

“Sure thing, kiddo.”

The graduation part in Shorty’s had already started by the time Nicole go there.

“There you are,” Wynonna huffed, pushing a drink into Nicole’s hand, sliding her arm around her best friends shoulder and pulling her inside. “Where’d you go?”

“Had to go home and get changed. Not all of us live where the party is happening.” Nicole took a drink out of the glass, cringing when the taste to whisky washed over her tongue. “What is that?”

“Whiskey and coke. Mostly whiskey.”

“And Gus is okay with this?”

“Okay is such a strong word. Doesn’t know, would be more accurate.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, about to give Wynonna the drink back when she spotted Waverly, laughing at something one someone had said. Nicole’s stomach churned and she downed the liquid in her hand.

“That’s the spirit,” Wynonna grinned, clapping Nicole on the back.

They were drunk by the time Shorty’s closed, and either Gus didn’t notice (which is ridiculous, she spends every day with drunk people) or she just turned a blind eye to them.

Nicole had managed to avoid Waverly all night, but she really couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering to the younger girl, catching her eye one more than one occasion.

Honestly, Nicole was surprised that Wynonna didn’t notice the longing looks both girls had spent all night sending each other.

Everyone had left by one am and Nicole had settled in one of the booths, nursing a glass of water Gus had forced on her before she took Wynonna to bed.

“I don’t know if she is a bad influence on you or you are a bad influence on her.” 

Nicole didn’t even flinch at the voice, she knew it was Waverly, but she was too buzzed to realise that it was a terrible idea to be alone with her, especially drunk. “Both,” Nicole replied gruffly, bringing the glass of water up to her lips and taking a gulp.

“Are you excited to be out of school?” Waverly asked, sliding into the booth beside Nicole.

“You have no idea,” Nicole distracted herself by drawing lazy patterns on the condensation on the glass. Nicole finally lifted her eyes to look at Waverly when the young girl didn’t say anything else for a few minutes, but immediately realised it was a mistake. 

Waverly looked tired, her eyes droopy and her hair mused slightly, and Nicole couldn’t help but be envious at how she made looking sleepy so damn attractive.

Waverly glanced over at her, doing a double take when she noticed Nicole staring at her. “What?” She asked with a shy smile.

“You’re beautiful,” The words had left her mouth before she really had the chance to stop them, and it wasn’t like she didn’t mean it, of course she did, but she just didn’t feel like it was a good idea to announce it now.

The blush and shy smile that appeared on Waverly’s face almost made it worth it. Almost.

“I should get to bed,” Nicole said, clambering clumsily to her feet.

Waverly got to her feet too, “Do you want me to bring you in pancakes tomorrow morning, I said I would get Wynonna some?”

“Sure, that’d be nice.”

Waverly nodded, wrapping her arms around Nicole’s waist, resting her head against Nicole’s chest.

Nicole’s arms hovered uselessly to the side of her for a few seconds as she decided whether to hug Waverly back to not. She figured there was no harm in it, Wynonna was already in bed after all.

So she wound her arms around Waverly’s shoulder, resting her chin on Waverly’s head.

“When do you both leave?” Waverly whispered against her chest.

“Two months,” Nicole peered down at Waverly when she pulled back, her arms not dropping from around Nicole’s waist. “You better come visit.”

“You couldn’t keep me away,” Waverly grinned crookedly.

Nicole smiled, her hand moving to Waverly’s cheeks. “I should really go to bed.”

“Then let’s go to bed.”

The suggestiveness of the statement sobered Nicole up monumentally. “Wave,”

“You were going to kiss me today,” Waverly insisted.

“Wynonna is my best friend, Wave, I couldn’t do this to her. Not to mention I am moving away, you are going into your last year of school and I’m going into my first year of uni.” Nicole sighed. “It would just be too messy.”

Waverly looked like she wanted to argue but she decided against it, her eyes dropping to the little space between them.

Nicole dipped down, pressing a sweet, lingering kiss to Waverly’s cheek. “Goodnight, Little Earp.”

“Goodnight, Red.” Waverly whispered, not bothering to look at Nicole as she pulled back and headed up stairs.

Wynonna grumbled when Nicole climbed into bed beside her, shifting so that she was cuddled up against Nicole’s side, her head resting against the same spot Waverly’s had been a few minutes prior.

“No more school,” Wynonna muttered, smiling happily.

“Yeah, ‘Nonna,” Nicole hummed, patting Wynonna’s back. “No more school.”

Wynonna was lying almost fully on top of her when she woke up, snoring against her neck.

They danced around each other for the next two months. Not ignoring each other but there was this weird air around them whenever they were around each other and anyone with eyes could tell there was something different about them.

Well, everyone but Wynonna, thankfully.

They still spent time together, giving each other lingering looks and fleeting touches, but they were both on the same page, they knew this couldn’t happen.

Nicole tried not to be around Waverly alone but, the night before she and Wynonna were set to leave, she was staying at Wynonna’s so they could set off early the following morning, but something wasn’t sitting right with her. 

Waverly had been quiet all night and had slunk off to her room early.

She waited until Wynonna was asleep to get out of bed and tiptoe into Waverly’s room.

“Wave?” She whispered into the darkness. “You awake?”

“Yeah, you?” Waverly asked, probably by mistake.

“No,” Nicole replied playfully. 

“Shut up, jerk.” Waverly huffed, sitting up on her bed and switching her bedside lamp on.

“You okay?” Nicole asked, moving to sit on the edge of Waverly’s bed. “You’ve been quiet all night.”

“I’m just — Wynonna is the last scrap of family I have and she is leaving.”

“Not forever,” Nicole placed her hand on Waverly’s bare thigh when the girl moved to side beside her. “As hard as you may try I don’t think you’ll ever get shot of Wynonna.”

“I’m just going to miss her,” Waverly admitted sadly. “Both of you.”

“You remember the day we met?” Nicole smiled as she thought back. “You came rushing out to tell Wynonna something and you just stopped when you saw me.”

“Yeah. I remember thinking how beautiful you were, and how weird that was because we were both girls.” Waverly laughed quietly, sliding her hand into Nicole’s that was resting on her leg. "I was just a baby bisexual back then."

“I’m really going to miss you.” Nicole sighed, giving Waverly’s hand a little squeeze.

Waverly’s head fall against Nicole’s shoulder and they lapsed into a peaceful silence, Nicole’s fingers brushing up and down Waverly’s arm.

“Try to keep Wynonna from getting drunk every other night in college, will you?” Waverly picked her head up to looked up at Nicole.

Nicole nodded, looking down at the girl. “‘Course.”

Waverly’s eyes flickered from Nicole’s eyes to her lips and back against, and that was the only real warning Nicole got before Waverly kissed her.

And Nicole kissed her back, relishing in the way Waverly’s fingers gripped at the back of her neck.

She kissed her back but not for long, pushing lightly at Waverly’s shoulder.

“This is a bad idea,”

“So tell me to stop,” 

“I love your sister,” Nicole said, making Waverly frown. “Not like that, she’s my best friend, I can’t lose her.”

Waverly nodded solemnly and Nicole felt terrible.

“Hey,” Nicole whispered, her hand moving to Waverly’s neck, using her thumb to push at the underside of Waverly’s chin, prompting her to look up at her. After a few seconds of just staring into Waverly’s eyes she left forward, pressing a soft, sweet kiss to Waverly’s lips, lingering there for a few seconds before pulling back, letting their foreheads press together. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand.” Waverly whispered, her hand grasping onto Nicole’s forearm.

“I should get back to Wynonna’s room.”

“Okay,” Waverly hummed, shuffled backwards away from Nicole. “I’ll see you off tomorrow.”

And she did, standing outside Shorty's in a pair of sweats and what Nicole recognised as one of the many old army tee's she had got when she was a kid and went to visit her mom. Just like it was to big for her when she was a kid it was a little big on Waverly. 

She was biting her thumbnail as she watched them pack what little was left into the back of Nicole's truck, something Nicole knew she did when she was trying to stop herself from crying, so Nicole hugged her, wrapping her arms around Waverly back and pulling her tight against her. 

Waverly sniffed against her neck, her arms wrapping securely around Nicole's neck. 

"We will see you soon," Nicole whispered against Waverly's ear. "I love you, mini Earp.”

“I love you,” Waverly whispered back and Nicole gave her a little squeeze before letting her go.

Nicole made her way over to her dad while Wynonna said goodbye to Gus and Waverly.

“It’s not too late, Nico.” The man wrapped an arm around his daughters shoulder. “Long distance could work.”

“Nah. It’s better to just let it fizzle out.”

“Will it fizzle out? Or will you be sitting years from now wondering what if?”

“I guess I will just have to wait and see.” Nicole shrugged, offering Wynonna a smile when she made her way over toward the car. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,”

“Call us when you get there,” Gus called as they climbed into the car, Nicole in the drivers side.

Nicole told herself not to look at Waverly, who had actually started crying when Wynonna had gone over to talk to them. But she chanced a glance at Waverly, who was already watching her, her eyes red and her eyes watering. 

This caused Nicole to choke up, she claimed that she was just going to miss her father when Wynonna asked if she was okay. And, sure, she was definitely going to miss her dad but she definitely wasn’t getting choked up about leaving him.

The ride to the university was a quiet one, the only sound was the hum of the radio.

“I didn’t think you would be this cut up about leaving.” Wynonna commented as they switched out drivers a little over ten hours into the drive. “You used to always say how you couldn’t wait to get outta that town.”

“I couldn’t,” Nicole agreed, watching as Wynonna fiddled with the leaver on the drivers seat, trying to pull it closer to the wheel. “That doesn’t mean I won’t miss the people there.”

“Really?” Wynonna cocked a disbelieving eyebrows.

“Well, not everybody. Almost everyone sucks, but like my dad, Gus, Waverly.” The girls name sounded kind of strained as it left her lips but Wynonna didn’t seem to notice.

“You’ll get over it once we get to campus and you will see all the hot girls there.”

Nicole laughed, rolling her eyes at her best friend. 

“Nah, seriously, college girls are a lot more easy going and are up for experimenting.”

“And you?” Nicole grin flirtatiously at her best friend, wiggling her eyebrows at her. “You wanna experiment?”

“If I was to experiment it wouldn’t be with you.”

“Oh, wow, I’m hurt.” Nicole gasped, her hand clutching her chest. “I will have you know I am very good in bed, I’ve had zero complaints about these hands.”

“That’s ‘cause you and one other chick are the only ones who has experienced those hands.” Wynonna shot back.

“And I didn’t complain.” Nicole grumbled. “And shut up, okay. it was a small town.”

“Well, I’m sure we could get you laid here, Nic.” Wynonna said, punching her best friends arm.

“Sure.”

Wynonna was right.

They had been on campus for about ten days and Nicole had been hit on at least five times (over ten time if you count the men, too).

Wynonna met Doc and Dolls after two weeks and after sixteen days they were invited to their first party.

That’s when it started to sink in that they weren’t outcasts anymore. That Wynonna wasn’t the weird girl who killed most of her family, and Nicole wasn’t the weird girls best friend.

Within the first month Wynonna was dating Dolls, or Doc, or both, Nicole wasn’t really sure, and she didn’t bother asking because she knew Wynonna would just wave her off with ‘it’s nothing serious’. Within the first month and a half Nicole had had two one night stands with relatively nice girls (but had many many more opportunities).

Then by a few weeks before Christmas Nicole had had more one night stands than she could really count.

Her one night stands never amounted to much because they weren’t looking for a relationship and Nicole know any relationship she had would’ve been purely a distraction from Waverly, but she did meet a girl at a party two months into university.

Her name was Chelsea and she was in pretty much the same boat as Nicole, whereby she had left someone behind, not that she was in love with her best friends sister.

They were drunk, Wynonna was off somewhere with her two not boyfriends, and Nicole had received a texted about an hour earlier from Waverly saying she missed her, so she was feeling venerable.

Chelsea had just poured her heart about about the girl she had left in Vancouver, and how long distance didn’t seem to be working too well.

“But maybe that’s ‘cause she cheated on me once while I was in Vancouver, why wouldn’t she when I’m not there?” Chelsea shrugged, taking a long drink out of her cup before pointing over at Nicole. “What ‘bout you?”

“I left someone, too. Not a girlfriend, we never even dated, but I think I had been in love with her for years. She was an almost, I suppose.” Nicole chewed the inside of her cheek. “Oh, and she was my best friends sister.”

“Ah,” Chelsea hummed sympathetically. “That really sucks.”

“I should be over her, I’ve been trying to get over her since I realised how I felt.”

“But it’s not that easy, is it?” Chelsea sighed, her arm resting against the back of the sofa, her hand playing calmingly with Nicole’s hair. “You can try as hard as you want, distract yourself with as many other people as you want, but when it comes down to it they’re always in the back of your mind.”

“Yeah, it sucks.”

“What would your best friend say? Do you think they’d be okay with it.”

“God, no. She’d kill me.”

Chelsea hummed sympathetically, draining the rest of her drink and sat up straight, her finger nails scratching at the back of Nicole’s neck. “You know, I’m not feeling this party. Do you wanna go get some late night breakfast at iHop?”

“Yeah, that’d be great.”

Nothing happened that night, they went and got breakfast and Nicole walked Chelsea home. But they met again, at a party a week and a half later, and Chelsea told her how she had broken up with her girlfriend, claiming she just wasn’t happy.

That night was the start of their friends-with-benefits arrangement. They had gone back to Nicole’s dorm room after iHop (again), and had sex. Nicole honestly expected her to be gone by the time she had woken up but she wasn’t.

When Nicole woke up she lifted her head to see Chelsea lying beside her, scrolling through her phone.

“I didn’t know if you would’ve wanted me to leave or not.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” Nicole replied in a gruff voice, stretching out her limbs.

“You wanna go get a burger?”

“God, yes.” Nicole groaned against her pillow.

So they went for a burger and they talked, first of all agreeing they neither of them were really in a place for any kind of romantic relationship, then they agreed that a friends with benefits kind of thing was something they would both be interested in.

They set rules; it was purely a physical thing, they were friends but nothing more. They could sleep with other people, but if they wanted a booty call they could call each other any time.

It was nice. Simple. Exactly what Nicole needed.

“So, is she your girlfriend now?” Wynonna asked one morning when Nicole came home from Chelsea’s, looking rough and wearing last night clothes.

“Nah, it’s not like that.”

“So it’s just sex?”

“Yeah,” Nicole wrestled to get her boots off, throwing them onto the floor and falling face first on top of her duvet. “Friends with benefit.”

“Oh,” Wynonna nodded. “And all those other girls you bring home?”

“Jealous? Cause I did extend the offer to you first.” Nicole teased.

“You wish, Nic.”

Things with Chelsea were so ridiculously uncomplicated that Nicole was just waiting for something to go wrong, for the whole thing to blow up in her face but it never did. They apparently were so cosy together out in public that people ere coming up to get telling her that they’d seen her ‘girlfriend’ go home with someone else last night, which was nice, she supposed, that people had her back like that.

Then Waverly dropped by for a surprise visit. 

Wynonna was at Doc’s (she thinks) and Nicole was lounging around with Chelsea, both dressed in a baggy shirt and underwear.

Waverly had eyed them both and, god, Nicole felt like the worst human being on the planet when Waverly’s expression morphed from confusion to hurt.

“Uh, is Wynonna here?”

“No, she’s at Doc’s, or Dolls’.” Nicole asked, still a little shocked to see the girl standing there. “But you can come in and wait.”

“Nah, you have company.” Waverly glanced back at Chelsea, offering the girl the best smile she could muster. “I’ll go wait in starbucks or something.”

“Wave…” Nicole sighed.

“You look good, Red.” Waverly flashed Nicole a sad smile before leaving, pulling the door behind her.

“That the almost something?” Chelsea asked when Nicole just stared at the now closed door.

“Yeah,”

“She’s beautiful,”

“Yeah,”

“I can go talk to her if you want? Tell her it wasn’t what it looked like.”

Nicole turned to face Chelsea, smiling sadly as she made her way over to her. “Nah, thank you, though.”

“She feels the same way about you.” It wasn’t a question, anyone with eyes could see who cut up Waverly was, but Nicole hummed anyway. “Look, Nicole, I’ve known you for a little over two months now, I’ve seen how you get whenever she texts or you talk about her. You love her, and its not the passive kinda love either, this is a kind of love that will probably always be there, regardless if you fall in love with someone else.”

Nicole gnawed on her lip, looking at Chelsea out of the corner of her eye.

“Fuck what Wynonna thinks, you could be happy, Nicole.”

“It’s not just Wynonna, thought, is it? I’m in a difference province from her.”

Chelsea, unlike Nicole’s father, seemed to know when to stop. She just nodded instead of pushing, taking a seat beside Nicole, placing her hand on the inside of the girls thigh. 

“I’m sorry,”

“No, you shouldn’t be.”

“I’m still going to go before she comes back with her sister.” Chelsea planted a lingering kiss on Nicole’s temple. “If you feel like you need to get away my dorm door is open.”

“Thank you,”

Chelsea smiled, wiggling into her jeans. “I’m keeping the shirt.” She called over her shoulder, grabbing her bag and heading for the door.

Wynonna and Waverly came back about half an hour later.

“Where’s your girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Nicole answered, more to Waverly than Wynonna.

“Fuck buddy, whatever.”

“She’s gone, what does it matter.” Nicole snapped.

“Jeez, relax.” Wynonna huffed. ”What is it with you two today? Have both of your cycles synced up?”

“I actually don’t get pissy when I’m on my period.” Nicole shot back.

“Neither do I,” Waverly added.

“Whatever, I’m going to get changed then we are going out for food.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Nicole stressed once Wynonna disappeared into the bathroom.

“It’s none of my business.”

“I just wanted to make sure you knew.” Nicole whispered dejectedly.

“Wynonna’s told me about the girls you’ve had in here.” Waverly commented, not maliciously. “I thought I was over the initial hurt, it was nothing compared to actually seeing you with a girl.”

“Wave,”

“Okay, lets go.” Wynonna announced, eyeing Waverly and Nicole. “Everything good?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Waverly smiled.

They went to one of the campus parties after getting something to eat and it was fine at first, Nicole hung out with Doc, which was fine until Wynonna dragged him away, leaving Waverly with her new ‘friend’, who Nicole didn’t like one bit.

“Easy there, Nicole,” Chelsea whispered teasingly. “Keep glaring at Matt like that and you might just set him alight.”

“If his hand gets any lower,” Nicole growled, eyeing the boys hand that was resting a little to low on Waverly’s hips for Nicole’s liking.

“Remember you don’t have a claim to her. Until you admit to her that you love her, anyway.”

“He’s a sleaze.”

Chelsea laughed, patting Nicole’s shoulder. “Just don’t hit anyone, Tiger?”

She didn’t, because that’s not the kind of person she was, but as soon as Matt’s hand moved lower she was over there in a shot, shoving him backwards and wrapping a protective arm around Waverly.

The boy looked befuddled but didn’t argue when Nicole lead Waverly out of the party. “You don’t get to do that!” Waverly snapped once they were outside, pointing her finger at Nicole. “You don’t get to fuck every girl that crosses your path and then interrupt me when I’m dancing with someone.”

“He was touching your ass!”

“So what?”

“So what?” Nicole snapped back, a little frustrated huff leaving her lips as she stepped into Waverly’s space, her entire demeanour relaxing. “So what is that I don’t want to see someone with their hands all over you.”

“And I don’t want to see you the morning after with some girl.”

“I’m sorry,” Nicole sighed.

“Prove it,” Waverly shot back and, against her better judgement, Nicole took Waverly’s chin in between her hands and kissed her.

The kiss didn’t last long, Nicole was to worried that someone would spot them, so she pulled back, smiling softly down at Waverly. 

“How about we get outta this cold?”

They made their way back to Nicole’s dorm room, Nicole pulling the chain lock on in case Wynonna decided tonight was going to be the first time in a while she came home after a party.

They ended up lying on Nicole’s bed, Nicole tentatively stroking Waverly’s face.

“How long are you here for?”

“Five days,” Waverly replied quietly. “Nicole, I really can’t keep doing this, dancing around one and other. I hurts too much, and I’m so tired of feeling sad.”

“I’m sorry,” Nicole whispered, her fingertips tracing Waverly’s jaw.

“Is that an ‘I’m sorry for making you feel that way’ Or an ‘I’m sorry but this can’t happen’.”

“Wave,”

Waverly rolled her eyes at Nicole’s tone, moving her face away from the woman’s hand and sat up. “God, Nicole, woman the fuck up. You say that this is all down to Wynonna finding out but that’s only part of it. You’re afraid. And, fuck, Nicole, I am too, but I’m not too cowardly to do something about it. I’m willing to put my feelings on the line, why aren’t you?”

“I’m just — With Chelsea it was easy.”

“Easy, sure, but would you be happier continuing what you’ve been doing?” Waverly asked, and Nicole’s little head shake confirmed exactly what she knew. “Then stop pushing me away, Nicole! This could be it, you know? This could our forever and you aren’t just robbing yourself of that but you’re robbing me of that, too. And that’s not fair.”

“Wynonna—“

“Will understand, given enough time.”

“No, you don’t get it, she doesn’t have a very good view of me and women right now.”

“She knows you wouldn’t hurt me,”

“Do you believe I wouldn’t? Wynonna has told you how I’ve been recently.”

“I don’t believe you are a bad person for sleeping with girls and having a little fun. And I do believe you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“You have more faith in me than your sister does,”  Nicole sighed, shuffling to sit behind Waverly, resting her cheek against her back.

“She would come around eventually,” Waverly whispered, glancing over her shoulder at Nicole.

“Maybe,” Nicole breathed back, peering up at Waverly. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Waverly replied softly.

Nicole smiled softly, moving closer to Waverly, her hand moving to her left cheek, her lips pressing against her right one.

“You aren’t drunk are you?” Waverly asked as she turned her head toward Nicole.

“Not nearly enough to forgot how much your sister is going to kill me.”

“Does that scare you enough to stop?”

“Not anymore,” Nicole shook her head, her fingertips touching Waverly’s cheek. “I’ve tried for years to stop loving you, it is too exhausting.”

“Years?”

“Since we met, probably.”

“We could’ve been happy.”

“I was scared,”

“Of what?”

“Of being in love, of you not loving me back, of loosing Wynonna, of being ridiculed in that small town, of doing long distance.” Nicole rhymed off and, honestly, she expected Waverly to laugh at her but when she looked up Waverly was staring at her with caring eyes and a sad smile.

“Love is scary, there’s nothing I can say to help that. I do love you back. Wynonna will understand, maybe not right away but eventually. You aren’t in that town anymore. And long distance is hard but what we have is special, we will make it.” Waverly spoke in a soft but determined voice and, surprisingly, Nicole believe everything she was saying. “There, does that ease any of the fears you have?” 

“You can’t make any grand promises,”

“I can’t.” Waverly agreed. “I can’t promise that something unforeseen won’t happen and we won’t break up, but I can promise that I will never stopped loving you and I will work damn hard at this relationship. I can’t promise Wynonna will understand but she loves both of us, she wants nothing more than for us to be happy. I can’t promise that you won’t get ridiculed, you will, and it was suck, but for every one person who judges you there are ten that will love you. And this long distance thing, it is only for six more months, then I’ll be back here, and I will come visit at least one weekend a month. Nicole, nothing in this world is for certain but if you don’t do something because you’re afraid then you won’t do anything and you won’t be happy.” Waverly ran a calming hand through Nicole’s hair, turning to face the girl as she spoke. “I could make you happy, Nic.”

“You do.” Nicole hooked her arms around Waverly’s lower back, pulling her in until she was in between Nicole’s legs, Nicole moving her legs over Waverly’s while Waverly’s legs wrapped around Nicole’s body. “You make me so happy, Wave.”

“Then let yourself feel it, Haught.”

“You sure have a way with words.” Nicole laughed, her forehead leaning against Waverly’s.

“It is a true blessing,” Waverly grinned back, bumping her nose playfully against Nicole’s, whispering, “Kiss. Me.”

Nicole didn’t need to be told twice, kissing Waverly was something she would never get tired of.

They spent the rest of the night in bed, Waverly lying almost fully on top of Nicole, Nicole running her hand through Waverly’s hair, Waverly giggling at Nicole’s dump stories, kissing her whenever watching her lips move was getting too much.

It was perfect and everything Nicole would ever have hoped for, until there was a loud bang on the door and a drunk Wynonna yelled, “Open up, Nico, Wave has my key.”

Wynonna grinned widely when Waverly answered the door, a black penis drawn on her face with a sharpie and the middle of her eyebrows coloured in. “Hey baby sis. Didn’t go home with that loser freshman I see.”

“You are also a loser freshman.” Waverly shot back, helping her sister over to her bed.

“Uh, I am the coolest chick you’ll ever met, kiddo.” 

“You have a dick on your cheek and a monobrow.”

“Not for the first time,” Wynonna smirked. “The dick thing not..”

“Okay, this is not something I need to hear,” Waverly interrupted loudly while Nicole muttered ‘Imagine seeing it’ from across the room. “I’m going to get you water then you are going to bed.”

Waverly got up, heading into the bathroom, Nicole hot on her heels. Waverly almost tipped the glass of water over Nicole when she turned around, not expecting the woman to be directly behind her.

“You know,” Nicole started, cupping Waverly’s jaw. “You are beautiful.”

“I have a loser sister to look after,” Waverly whispered, but didn’t put up any kind of a fight when Nicole pulled her in for a kiss.

“She’s probably passed out by now.” Nicole grinned down at Waverly, thing the glass from her hand and setting it on the sink, backing Waverly up against the wall. “Tell me to stop and I will back off and you can go take that water to Wynonna.” Nicole brushed her thumb over Waverly’s bottom lip as she spoke, alternating between staring at her lips and staring into her big doe eyes. “Or we can kiss against the wall of our gross bathroom for a little bit.”

“I like your idea better.”

“I do too,”

Wynonna, thankfully, had passed out when they reemerged so she wasn’t suspicious of why her sister and best friend just spent over half an hour in the bathroom together. Wynonna was sprawled out across her bed so Waverly climbed into Nicole’s bed, Nicole tried to argue but Waverly just told her to shut up, that it wasn’t suspicious if Nicole didn’t act suspicious.

“Dolls said you took some girl out but ditched her at the restaurant when she said she wouldn’t come home with you.” Waverly whispered, her head setting on Nicole’s chest, and Nicole had to risk the urge to roll her eyes.

She had nothing against Dolls, she knew it wasn’t him, it was dumb gossip that had just made it’s way back to Dolls, sure he shouldn’t have repeated it, especially not to Waverly but it wasn’t his fault, it was her own fault cultivating a reputation like that had people talking about her like that.

Nicole waiting for a few seconds for Waverly to speak again, glancing down at the girl when she didn’t.

“Are you going to ask if it’s true?”

“No,” Waverly shook her head, sliding her hand into Nicole’s, resting it on the redhead's stomach. “I know you well enough to know better.”

That made Nicole smile, knowing that ever after hearing all the stuff she had done Waverly still had enough faith in her not to be that horrible.

“Thank you,”

“Nothing to thank me for, anyone who knows you will know you would never do something like that.”

“You’d think.” Nicole hummed. “Get some sleep, Little Earp, you sister is going to be god awful tomorrow.”

“Dibs on not dealing with her,”

“Nope, I’ve had her for months, your turn.” 

Everything was great, they decided to keep it to themselves for now, but that didn’t stop them from going out, Nicole taking Waverly to dinner, kissing her against her truck.

It was perfect and excited and Nicole couldn’t imagine herself being happier.

Which was why she wasn’t surprised something went wrong. 

It was two hours before Waverly was driving home and she was out filling up her tank when Wynonna came marching into the room, the door slamming behind her.

Nicole’s stomach dropped at how her best friend was looking at her, there was no doubt she knew something.

"Wynonna, what's--" Nicole didn't even get the words out before Wynonna's fist came into contact with her cheek, with considerably less force then she knew Wynonna was capable of but it still hurt, and the shock of it cause Nicole to stumble slightly. 

"My sister? Are you fucking serious, Nicole?!" Wynonna grabbed the front of Nicole’s shirt, yanking her closer. “My goddamn sister!”

"Look, Wynonna, it's not what you think."

"Doc saw you, are you seriously trying to defend yourself?"

"Well, sure, that part is what it looks like but-- Wynonna stop." Nicole commanded when Wynonna wound her arm back again, her voice much more threatening than Wynonna's ever could be. 

"What, Nicole?! What could you possible say to make you sleeping with my little sister any better?” Wynonna snapped, "My little sister isn't going to be one of those many nameless girls you have coming in and out of here.”

"We aren't sleeping together and-- okay, okay." Nicole held her hands up when Wynonna went for her again. "I love her,”

This caused Wynonna to falter, she expected a lot of excuses but she definitely didn't expect that. “You’ve had girls in and out of her for months, you can’t love her.”

"Since we were kids, Wy.” Nicole added, trying to ignore Wynonna’s comment. “There's always been something different about Waverly."

"She's my sister, and you're my best friend."

"Trust me, if I could stop it I would." Nicole sighed. "I won't pursue it if you tell me not too."

"I need-" Wynonna was getting flustered, Nicole could tell, her hands up and her eyes blinking rapidly. "To not be here right now."

Nicole considered tell Wynonna they had to talk about it but, honestly, she needed time to herself too.

So Wynonna left with a slam of the door and Nicole fell onto her bed was a throbbing left eye. 

Waverly came stumbling in a little over an hour later with an arm full off food from McDonald's. 

"'Nonna, I have..." She started but stopped when she noticed Nicole slumped on her bed. "Nicole, what's wrong?" She dropped the food onto Wynonna's desk and rushed over to Nicole, kneeing down in front of her, frowning at the redness around her cheek. "What happened?"

"Wynonna knows,"

"So she hit you?" Waverly snapped incredulously. "That's not okay!"

"She thought we were sleeping together, it was kind of warranted.” Nicole grumbled, flinching away from Waverly touched her eye.

“That doesn’t make it okay,” Waverly repeated, dumping out the sprit she had in the McDonald’s cup, wrapping it in a towel. “Thank god Mcdonald’s soda is ninety-five percent ice.”

Nicole smiled at the lame attempt at a joke, it was such a Waverly joke.

Waverly crouched down in front of Nicole, pushing her hair behind her ear, planting a soft, tentative kiss on the reddened skin before replacing her lips with the ice.

“I’m going to kill her,” Waverly said, her voice so sweet that it completely mismatched what she was saying.

“You have to understand, Wave. She doesn’t have a very good view of me when it comes to girls this past year, and I have technically betrayed her by loving you.”

“That’s not fair, you can’t help it, just like I can’t.” Waverly sighed. “I love my sister but what kind of friend and sister would she be in she got in the way of this? We would be happy, she wouldn’t stop that if she loved us.”

“Yeah.” Nicole agreed with a thoughtful from. “Yeah, she wouldn’t let me hurt myself or you if she loved us.”

“And Wynonna does love us, so she will come round, eventually.”

“I’m going to talk to her, tell her I’m not giving up on this.” Nicole was feeling little hyped up so she was thankful that Wynonna chose that moment to returned from wherever she had been, Doc in tow. Nicole’s face hardened and she marched over to her best friend. “I love your sister, and I won’t stop seeing her. And if you are any kind of best friend you wouldn’t get in the way of that.”

“Nicole—“

“And I can’t believe you would even think I would treat Waverly anything less than great, you are an asshole for that. You should trust me enough to never do anything to harm your sister.” Nicole jabbed her finger into Wynonna’s chest.

“Nic—“

“And fuck you for believing me incapable of loving your sister! Why aren’t you yelling back?” Nicole frowned when she realised Wynonna was just was just staring at her, her eyebrows raised impatiently.

“You done?”

“I don’t know…” Nicole answered unsurely, eyeing Wynonna cautiously.

“It’s okay. I mean, I’m a little pissed that you went behind my back with it all, and didn’t just come to me and talk about it.”

“Really? You are surprised I didn’t try to talk about it. With you. The girl who decided to punch me instead of, you know, talking about it.”

“That was for being sneaky about it. But punching you was totally not okay, I’m sorry. I just— she’s all I’ve got left, Nic, I couldn’t protect my sister and dad, I need to protect Waverly.”

“From me?”

“No. No, I realise that now. I just needed time to think things through, and I know you would never hurt Waverly.”

“So, does that mean..?”

“Just don’t kiss her in front of me,” Wynonna warned, somewhat playfully before growing serious. “If I ever walk in on you both doing anything not PG-13 I will break all of your fingers,”

“'Course, yeah.” Nicole agreed.

“Good,” Wynonna motioned toward Nicole’s face, a look of regret appearing on her face. “And I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s okay,”

“It’s not,” Waverly interrupted, moving to stand beside Nicole. “You could’ve really hurt her.”

“I know, I just didn’t really think it through. Doc told me her saw you both kissing and I freaked, but then he talked me down.” Wynonna explained, looking between her sister and best friend. “I should’ve just spoke to you about it instead of flying off the handle.”

“But flying off the handle is what you do best.” Nicole joked, relaxing a little when Wynonna laughed quietly.

“Bite me, Nico.” Wynonna rolled her eyes, moving toward her desk.

“See, I told you she would understand.” Waverly grinned happily, moving to stand in front of Nicole, running her hands down the girls arms until she could grasp her hands.

“I think your chicken nuggets may have helped.” Nicole commented when she heard Wynonna rummaging through the McDonalds bag.

Waverly smiled, pulling Nicole closer and pushing herself up onto her toes, pressing a kiss to her lips.

“Did did I just say?” Wynonna snapped around a mouth full of nugget.

“You told her not to kiss me, not the other way around.” Waverly shot back, her eyes not leaving Nicole as she pointed over at Wynonna, wiggling her finger slightly. “And you are in a lot of trouble for punching her so shut up.”

“God, you are both so gross,” Wynonna grumbled when the couple just smiled at each other, grabbing the Mcdonalds bag and Doc’s wrist, pulling him out of the room. “I will be waiting on at your car, Wave.”

“I will come to Purgatory in two weeks, I have a project due but after I will be free for a week or two.” Nicole spoke softly, her hands on Waverly’s cheeks and her thumbs smoothing over the skin over her cheekbones.

“This is going to work, Red.” Waverly commented confidently. “Long distance works.”

“I know,” 

“I need to go,” 

Nicole nodded, “Text me as soon as you stop for the night, okay?”

“I will.”

“And don’t stop at a sleazy hotel.” Nicole allowed Waverly to pull her out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

“I won’t.”

“And—“

“Nicole,” Waverly interrupted with a laugh, stopping just before the door to exit the dorm, forcing Nicole to stop. “I’m a big girl, I can look after myself.”

“I know, I will just worry.”

“That’s nice that you will but I will keep you posted.”

“Okay,”

Waverly smiled, pecking Nicole on the cheek and then began pulling her along again.

Waverly hugged her sister goodbye, warned Doc to look after her, and kissed Nicole goodbye, earning a groan from Wynonna.

Nicole could swear, however, she saw a soft smile on her best friends face when they told each other they loved each other.

Nicole snuck another kiss from Waverly before she left, heading back to her dorm with Wynonna after waving her off.

“I don’t believe you’d hurt her, Nico,” Wynonna commented as they entered the room. “But if you do I’m not sure it’s something we could bounce back from.”

“I’m not worried, I would never hurt her.”

“Good, because I couldn’t think of anyone I would want her to be with more.” And that was the end of the matter.

Wynonna went out and go her an ice pack and a couple of doughnuts a a peace offering, which Nicole accepted.

Nicole could still feel a little seed of worry in the back of her mind, and then she felt a little lost when she realised she couldn’t really talk to Wynonna about a lot of stuff now, it was her little sister after all.

“Okay, what is it?” Wynonna demanded later that night. “You’ve been chewing your nails and bouncing that damn leg all day. Talk.”

“It’s going to work, isn’t it? The long distance thing.”

“Yes, Nicole, I think you can both make it work.” Wynonna sighed. “You can talk to me about stuff, you know? To an extent, obviously, she’s still my kid sister, but I’m here for you with relationshippy stuff.”

“That’s good to know,” Nicole huffed, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly. “I’ve no other friends to talk to about it.”

“What about Chelsea?” Wynonna asked off-handedly. “Like, sure you guys had that thing going on but you were both also pretty good friends.”

“You think Waverly will be okay with that?”

“I don’t see why not, but I’m not Waverly. You need you talk to her about.”

Nicole nodded, turning her eyes back to her textbook. “Thanks, Wynonna.”

“Don’t mention it, Nerd.”