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“You picked the wrong porch, shit-ticket!”
Waverly is always on high alert on nights like this. Nights when Wynonna is out doing god knows what with Dolls and Doc. Nights when Nicole is otherwise engaged. Nights when Waverly knows that Revenants can’t set foot on Earp land, but at the same time, she also knows that not all threats come in the form of resurrected demon outlaws.
She hears the scrabbling on the front porch again, and the sound of Waverly racking her sawed-off shotgun echoes through the empty homestead as she braces herself in front of the door. Something drags and scrapes against wooden planks, followed by a loud thud.
Waverly tightens her grip on the shotgun.
“Shhhhit. OW.”
That causes her to drop her aim and tilt her head to the side. Because it sounded an awful lot like…
“Nicole?”
“Oh, crap.”
The muffled reply has Waverly even more confused, and she cautiously unlocks the front door. Pulling it open slowly, shotgun still at the ready, she finds Nicole sitting in a heap on the front step, leaning against the railing and rubbing a spot on her knee.
“What the hell…” Waverly mutters, propping the shotgun against the wall and stepping out onto the porch. The crisp air has a bite and she shivers violently, pulling her robe tighter around her body. Her fuzzy slippers scuff along the wood as she shuffles forward, squatting down next to her girlfriend.
“Nicole… What are you doing here?” she asks, reaching out to lay a hand on Nicole’s shoulder.
“Banged my knee,” Nicole mumbles, still rubbing the spot on her leg as she finally turns to look at Waverly. She can immediately see that Nicole’s eyes are glazed over, and the smell of alcohol is heavy on her breath.
Tequila, if Waverly had to guess.
And she’s gotten pretty good at guessing, thanks to Wynonna.
“Yes, I’d worked that bit out for myself,” Waverly huffs, rolling her eyes. She scoots forward and allows herself to fall back so that she’s also sitting on the step. “What’s going on, Nicole? Aren’t you supposed to be out with the guys?”
Things had been rough the past month. Things were always rough around here. But since the night of the party at the Wainwright, things had been bad, even by Purgatory’s standards. Nicole had been shot. Willa had died. Waverly had been through a possession and a subsequent exorcism. Dolls had been rescued from a government black site. Lucado was breathing down their necks and another, unspeakable threat was searching for a way in.
There was never a dull moment for the five of them, but they had learned that even in the midst of the chaos, they had to remember to live.
There’s more to life than death.
The night of the party had certainly created some interesting situations in that regard. Wynonna was currently engaged in some sort of strange dance, the lead shifting back and forth between two very different partners as easily as the music faded from a waltz to a tango and back again.
There was also the fact that Champ had outed Waverly and Nicole in front of half the town. And the half that hadn’t been present for that revelation had been witness to a desperate kiss before Waverly had run off. Needless to say, there was really no mistaking the nature of their relationship now.
For the most part, they had not run into any trouble, but Nicole was back at work this week – her cracked ribs finally healed enough for her to return to duty – and she had been nervous about the kind of reception she would receive from the other officers. To Nicole’s surprise, the guys she had been closest with had extended an invitation for her to join them over the weekend for a night of barhopping in the city as a celebration of her return.
Her first instinct had been to decline. It had been a couple of years since she’d been on a proper pub crawl – after the basketball championships her last year of college, to be exact – and she also felt like there were more far important things for her to be doing than getting drunk with a bunch of her work buddies.
Like doing research in the Black Badge office. Or helping Wynonna and company send a Revenant back to hell (now that she was allowed to see it, watching it happen never got old). Or spending the night curled up on the couch with her girlfriend while they pretended to watch a movie.
But when Waverly had overheard the invitation in the break room at the station, she’d had other ideas. She accepted on Nicole’s behalf before she could get a chance to make an excuse. Nicole deserved this. She’d been through literal hell recently and if the guys wanted to take her out now that she was recovered – meaning they obviously didn’t have any problem with the fact that she was dating Waverly – then she should go with them and have a good time. One of the dispatchers had volunteered to be the designated driver, so everything was covered.
If Nicole couldn’t go out with her friends, if they couldn’t have moments of normalcy like this, then what were they even fighting for, anyway?
Waverly is still waiting on an answer, and Nicole’s only response is to shove her hands into the pockets of her peacoat and lean forward to rest her head on her knees with a groan.
“Nic. Baby. Look at me,” Waverly pleads, and Nicole turns her head, still resting against her knees, to peek at her with one eye. “Did something happen? Why did I find you sitting on my porch, in the cold by yourself, at three in the morning?”
“Had ‘em bring me here,” Nicole answers, her words slurred.
“Obviously…”
“Neededa see you, Walervy. W-Wavelry.” Nicole scrunches up her face, still partially hidden. “Wave-er-ly,” she enunciates slowly, raising her head back up with a dimpled grin, clearly proud of herself. “Got it right, Wave!”
Waverly snorts. “Yes, I see so. Good job. Did…” she starts tentatively. “Did you guys have a good time tonight?” she finally asks, deciding on a different tactic.
The grin immediately fades from Nicole’s face and she returns to staring at her lap. She withdraws one of her hands from her coat pocket and goes back to absentmindedly rubbing the spot on her knee where she had knocked it into the railing.
“Yes,” she eventually mumbles.
“Well… that’s good. Where all did they take you?” she prompts, hoping this line of questioning will continue to produce results.
Nicole’s resolve finally crumbles and she lunges forward, grabbing one of Waverly’s cold hands in both of her own.
“I’m so sorry!” she blurts out, her words thick and heavy.
Waverly sees the anguished look on Nicole’s face and a tightness settles in her chest, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.
“What… What are you sorry for, Nicole? What happened?”
Nicole takes a deep breath, and then it all comes tumbling out in a jumbled up mess.
“We went to a couple of bars and everything was fine but then they got this idea and I didn’t know anything about it but then the next thing was… I mean the next place we went… they took me to Barebacks, Wave. And I tried to tell them no and I was going to leave but I didn’t have a ride and they said it was too cold outside and I had to go in with them and then there were… I mean there were a lot of… there were boobs. Everywhere. There were boobs everywhere.”
Waverly blinks a few times, trying to process everything that had just slurred together.
“…What?”
But Nicole doesn’t answer, instead jumping up from the step and starting to pace back and forth on the porch. Before Waverly can open her mouth to say anything, Nicole is off to the races again.
“And we were sitting by the stage because the guys were tipping the dancers and I was talking to Stanton and the next thing I knew there were more boobs but I swear I didn’t do it the guys did and I don’t know but I think they were making fun of me and I didn’t know what to do because there were boobs. In my face.” She comes to a sudden halt right behind Waverly, a look of terror on her face. “There were boobs in my face but I didn’t do it!”
Waverly fights the urge to giggle because she can see that Nicole is starting to panic, her movements going from wild arm gesticulations to wringing her hands nervously in front of her. Waverly immediately climbs to her feet and steps in front of Nicole, taking her hands in her own and squeezing them gently.
“Shhhhh. Okay. But, what’s wrong, Nic?” she asks in a soothing voice.
Nicole immediately yanks her hands back as though they had been burned, causing Waverly to jump.
“Did you not listen to anything I just said?” she accuses, throwing her hands up in frustration.
Taking a step closer, Waverly reaches up and slips her cold hands under Nicole’s scarf and links them behind her neck.
“Hey. I heard every word you said,” she whispers quietly. “I just don’t understand what has you so upset. Take a deep breath and start from the beginning.” She lets her thumbs stroke the nape of Nicole’s neck soothingly. “I’m right here, okay?”
Nicole jams her hands back into her pockets and stares down at their feet for a few moments before bringing her eyes back up to meet Waverly’s. When she finally opens her mouth to speak again, her words are still decidedly slurred, but she is much calmer this time.
“We went to several bars in the city. Lots of alcohol. I kept up with the boys,” she grins goofily. “Thought we were done ‘cuz we were driving back toward home. We were all pretty drunk,” she admits sheepishly. Then her eyes grow wide, panic creeping back into her voice. “Except for Ken! Cuz he was the driver!”
Waverly chuckles and nods, encouraging her to continue.
Nicole frowns for a moment. “We had to ride in his minivan,” she adds, almost as an afterthought. “He’s such a soccer mom.”
Waverly laughs again. “To be fair, Nic, I think it’s Cindy that’s the soccer mom. But I get your point.”
Going quiet again, Nicole draws her hands from her pockets and they absentmindedly begin to fidget with the ends of the belt on Waverly’s robe.
“But, umm… anyway,” Nicole mumbles. “We, uh… We weren’t going home.” She chews on her lip while she stares down at her hands. “They were taking me to Barebacks.”
There’s a long moment of silence, as though Nicole is waiting for Waverly to scold her. When nothing is said, she starts again, still mumbling with her chin buried in the scarf bunched around her neck.
“Thought they were joking at first. But everybody went inside and I didn’t have any way to leave.” She looks up, worried, but Waverly is only watching her quietly, waiting for her to continue. “Stanton wouldn’t let me stay in the van. Said I needed to loosen up and have some fun.”
Waverly nods at her again, smiling softly.
Still playing with Waverly’s belt, a blush creeps up Nicole’s face that has nothing to do with the chill in the air.
“Topless girls were everywhere, Wave.” Her eyes dart around the porch, as though she is afraid someone might overhear them. Her voice drops to barely above a whisper. “There were so many boobs,” she says with wide eyes.
Waverly can’t fight the giggle that bubbles up at her girlfriend’s antics.
“This is serious, Waverly,” Nicole admonishes.
Swallowing back her laughter, Waverly clears her throat and does her best to find a serious tone. “Yes. Yes, of course. Please proceed,” she says dramatically.
Nicole narrows her eyes, but then nods, apparently satisfied.
“We were sitting by the stage. The girls were giving us a lot of attention. I think they liked us because we weren’t disrespecting them like some of the douchebag frat boys and asshole truckers.” Nicole scowls indignantly and Waverly feels a twinge of pride.
“Of course,” she says quietly, chancing a quick kiss to Nicole’s cheek. Nicole stiffens, but doesn’t pull away.
It’s progress.
“And then…” The distress is back in Nicole’s voice and she tries to turn away. Waverly doesn’t let her, keeping her hands linked behind her neck. She begins stroking her thumbs over the soft skin again.
“And then?” she prompts gently.
“Well…” Nicole mumbles, fidgeting with Waverly’s belt so badly, she’s almost untied it. “I was talking to Stanton about something. He was sitting next to me, and I was looking at him.” She starts shifting her weight nervously from one foot to the other.
It takes her a minute to work up her nerve, and then she freezes, looking up at Waverly again with wide eyes. “And then the next thing I knew, I felt someone crawl in my lap and I turned around and there were boobs,” she blurts out, dropping the belt and bringing her hands up between them in an obvious gesture that clearly accentuates what she just said.
Waverly bites her lip trying to keep a straight face.
“Oh, really now…” she teases playfully, a smirk slowly tugging at her lips.
“She… She…” Nicole flounders, her face growing redder by the second. “She rubbed her boobs in my face and wiggled in my lap, and… and… and all I could do was stare at her.” She buries her face in her hands with a pitiful groan.
“Nicole,” Waverly says, trying to get her attention. Getting no response, she tugs gently at her neck. Nicole still won’t look up at her. Finally, with a wicked grin, she asks, “Well, was she hot at least?”
“What?” Nicole’s head snaps up, horror-stricken. “How can you joke about this, Waverly? I just had another woman’s boobs in my face!”
Waverly can’t take it anymore, unable to hold back her laughter.
“Boobs, Nicole? Really? I didn’t realize I was dating a teenage boy.” She’s giggling so hard there are actual tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
“It’s not funny!” Nicole scolds, raising her voice.
“Okay, okay,” Waverly chokes, dropping her hands from Nicole’s neck and holding them up in surrender. “It’s not funny.” She clears her throat a couple of times until her voice is steady again. “So tell me… What prompted ‘boob girl’ to crawl into your lap?”
A shocked expression settles on Nicole’s face, and she leans forward like she’s about to share an important secret.
“The guys paid her to,” she says in a low, scandalous tone. Waverly shivers when Nicole’s warm breath washes over her cheek and neck. Nicole pulls back to look at her, her eyes still wide as though this is the most unbelievable information.
“The nerve,” Waverly gasps with exaggerated disgust, one of her hands flattening over her chest in a gesture of disbelief.
“Right?” Nicole agrees, but then drops her chin to her chest again, half covering her face with her scarf once more. “It’s because they know. About… about me,” she mumbles, her voice taking on a sad tone. “I think they were making fun of me. I should have known what would happen when they found out.”
Nicole lets herself slowly slide down the end post of the railing until she’s crumpled in a heap with her face resting in her hands on top of her knees.
Waverly’s heart melts, and she drops to her knees in front of the woman she loves. “Nicole…” She gently strokes her fingers through Nicole’s soft red hair. “Don’t you see what it means?”
“Things are about to get a lot more difficult for us?” comes the muffled reply. Nicole slowly raises her head. “God, Wave… I’m so sorry you’ll get dragged into this, too.”
“Nic… Baby…” Waverly murmurs, resting her forehead against Nicole’s. “This was their way of letting you know that they’re okay with it. With you. With us. They’re your friends, babe. They want you around. And they want you to feel comfortable being yourself when you are around.”
Nicole watches her silently for a moment, searching her eyes. “Do you really think so?” she whispers quietly.
“Of course I do.” Waverly continues to stroke through her hair and leans forward to place a soft, chaste kiss on Nicole’s lips. “They’re boys, Nic. Boys aren’t always the best with the talking and the feelings,” she chuckles. “They probably didn’t know how to tell you that they’re cool with everything. This was how they knew to show you.”
Sitting quietly for a few minutes, Nicole ponders what Waverly just said. Suddenly, she bolts upright, startling Waverly enough to make her fall backward on her ass.
“What the hell, Nic?” she grunts as she pulls herself to her feet, but Nicole is already pacing again.
“So, they thought the best way to let me know all of this was to put boobs in my face? Were they trying to get me in trouble with my girlfriend?”
Waverly smacks her palm to her forehead in frustration. “You’re not in trouble, baby. Why do you keep thinking that?”
“Because…” Nicole stops pacing and shoves her hands back in her pockets. “I… Well… ‘Cuz she was in my lap and her boobs were in my face!” Nicole is stammering and Waverly is finding it difficult to keep from laughing again. “And she wasn’t you!” she adds in a higher pitch.
“Well,” Waverly starts, taking a step closer. “Did you get her phone number?”
“What? No!” Nicole is about to continue when Waverly cuts her off again.
“Did you go to the back room, the bathroom, or the parking lot with her?” she asks, close enough now to run her hands up Nicole’s arms.
“No! Oh my god, no! Why would you even ask me that? You know I would never!” Nicole’s voice is thick with indignation.
Waverly grins and cups Nicole’s cheek in one of her hands.
“Then why would you be in trouble?”
Nicole instinctively turns into Waverly’s touch, her lips brushing the soft skin when she speaks. “Because some other naked woman was in my lap…?” she answers, blushing again, and the heat makes Waverly’s fingertips tingle. “You… You’re really not upset with me?”
“Of course I’m not upset, Nicole. I know it was just a bit of harmless fun that didn’t mean anything. You were just looking. And I can’t fault you – or her, for that matter – if she had the good taste to crawl in your lap and flirt with you. It’s not like I’d be able to help myself if I were in her shoes.”
Nicole’s face is burning now, and Waverly turns it so that she’s looking at her again, bringing her other hand up to hold her in place.
“I trust you, Nicole Haught. I know firsthand the kind of person who would cheat. And you are nothing like them.” One of her thumbs strokes softly over Nicole’s cheek before drifting down to brush over her lips. “And, more importantly… I love you.”
Waverly surges up on her tiptoes, pulling her girlfriend’s face down so that she can press her lips to Nicole’s forehead, then her cheek, and finally her lips. The kiss starts slow, but quickly turns meaningful, and Nicole’s arms instinctively wind around her waist pulling her closer. When Waverly shivers, Nicole wraps the flaps of her peacoat around her pajama-clad body, drawing her into the warmth radiating from her chest.
When they finally break apart, Waverly runs her tongue over her bottom lip. She was right about the tequila – mixed with the distinct flavors of lime and salt – and it makes her mouth tingle. She looks up at Nicole, who is breathing heavily, and a smirk settles on her face as she playfully jabs her in the ribs.
“So…” she says, waggling her eyebrows. “You never did answer me. Was she hot?”
Nicole chokes, her jaw falling open.
“Well… she… uh…” she splutters, and Waverly pinches her in the ribs gain, raising an eyebrow to indicate she’s still waiting on an answer. “Erm… yeah. Yeah, she was pretty hot,” Nicole finally mutters.
“Ooooo… Busted!” Waverly teases. “Well, she apparently had some rather memorable boobs,” she snickers, mimicking the gesture with her hands that Nicole had made earlier.
Nicole pushes her hands down with a groan before letting one of her slender fingers follow along the edge of the collar of Waverly’s robe, causing her to shudder. Nicole’s finger dips under the thicker fabric and trails along the hem of the camisole pajama top beneath it.
“They were nothing compared to my favorite set of boobs,” she says, her voice husky as she begins softly stroking the smooth skin she finds.
Waverly grabs Nicole’s scarf and yanks her down into a passionate kiss, and Nicole’s hands slide down to tug the already loose knot of Waverly’s robe the rest of the way open. They slip inside, her fingers skimming over the warm skin exposed by the crop top.
“Come on, Haughtstuff,” Waverly says seductively when she pulls away from Nicole to take a much needed breath.
Keeping her hold on Nicole’s scarf, Waverly drags her inside, kicking the door closed behind them.
“I’ll show you a real lap dance…”