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Paige has anxiety swirling in her belly. From the outside, all anyone ever sees is how confident she is, how sure of herself she is on the basketball court.
Right now, Paige is anything but. “Az, should I wear these?” She looks down at the grey pair of briefs with black piping as she worries about the decision and whether or not Azzi will judge her.
Azzi is completely enthralled with getting her hair just right in the mirror and doesn’t spare Paige a glance. “Wear whatever you want. I’m sure you’ll look good.” Objectively, Azzi thinks Paige always looks good in everything she wears.
Paige huffs and frowns down at her underwear. “But-“ she’s not sure what she’s trying to argue, if she’s even trying to argue anything. It’s more that she feels self-conscious. She’s been trying out different clothes and styles lately but that’s different than her predicament today. No one is going to see her underwear. Well, she’s standing here without any pants on and she desperately wants Azzi to turn around and look at her underwear, but Azzi doesn’t count. Azzi is her best friend. But with each day that passes and Azzi slots more into life at UConn it’s getting harder for Paige to not think of her as her everything.
She’s not sure why it seems like such an important thing right now, but Paige really needs Azzi’s approval.
They’re just going out for dinner as a team. It’s not like it’s some big fancy event.
“Azzi.” She whines and throws her hands in the air for the girl’s attention.
The brunette scrunches her brows at Paige’s dramatics before finally turning around to look at her. “Why don’t you have any pants on?” She stares at pale legs.
Paige blushes and ducks her head, shy now that Azzi is eyeing her. “I was- you know what- nevermind.” She turns her back to Azzi looking for the pair of cargo shorts she was going to wear.
Azzi takes two steps forward, putting a hand on Paige’s shoulder. “Hey.” She tugs in an effort to get her to turn around. “Look at me, Paige.” She curious as to what this is all about.
Slowly, Paige turns but doesn’t meet Azzi’s eyes.
“Look at me.” Azzi says softly but steadily. “What’s going on?”
The blonde shrugs still avoiding eye contact. “I just- you know how I’ve been trying out new clothes and styles.”
Azzi hums. “No more skinny jeans.”
Paige looks up at that and nods. She smiles softly because Azzi obviously was listening when she rambled on about how skinny jeans may have been in style but she never really liked them.
The brunette continues. “You never felt comfortable in them.”
Paige nods and stares into warm brown eyes. She’s so screwed because this girl standing before her just seems to go along with everything that she is. She doesn’t question it, she just lets Paige be who she is and accepts her for who she is. And she has since day 1. It’s a reminder that she needs again today. That reassurance that whoever she is and whatever she wears are acceptable. That Azzi accepts her for her she is.
Azzi reaches out with two fingers and touches Paige’s hipbone that is thinly covered by the briefs. “And you want to find your style.”
Paige nods again in awe and amazement. She’s not sure about anyone else but she thinks this feeling right here has to be love. It’s scary and it’s terrifying and all encompassing. But it feels so good to be understood. When she was younger all she wanted was to be understood and accepted. Something that Paige had searched for her entire life until she meet Azzi.
In their years before this, it was good, great. But having Azzi here with her everyday with no parents, or siblings, or teachers, or any high school friends. Just the two of them in the same place at the same time with the ability to really learn and explore each other on a deeper level is any amazing opportunity.
She holds in, though, what she wants to say. She’s certain it will scare Azzi off but that doesn’t negate that fact that she’s in love with her best friend. Probably always has been.
“Are you trying to decide what pants to wear?”
Paige shakes her head.
Azzi chuckles. “I’m going to need more clues than just head movement.” She has a sly little smile on her lips as she teases a bit.
“These.” She puts her hand on her hip, trapping Azzi’s two fingers there.
“Your-“ Azzi looks down, she can’t help herself. They play basketball, they’re best friends, they’ve messed around plenty of times so it’s nothing out of the ordinary to be in any state of undress in front of each other but something feels different about this.
“What do you think?” Paige’s words are shaky, unsteady.
Brown eyes shift up again. “I think you should wear what makes you feel most comfortable.” She licks her lips.
“But?”
Azzi shakes her head ever so subtly. “No but.”
“I don’t-“ Paige sighs.
Azzi moves slowly, her other hand coming up to Paige’s other hip so that she’s gripping onto her sides with steady hands. “Do you like them?”
“Do you?” Paige, deflecting, asks a question in return.
“Paige.” She is stern but not unkind. She gives Paige a look that’s says she expecting an honest answer.
“Y-yeah.”
Azzi leans in and presses a soft kiss to Paige’s cheek. “Then wear them.” She whispers in the blondes ear. “You look good in them.”
Heat creeps up Paige’s neck and cheeks. “Yeah?”
She can’t help but smirk as some confidence returns even through her blush.
Azzi’s right hand reaches around and squeezes at Paige’s ass. “Yes.” She says before slapping it.
Paige squeals and jumps a little.
Azzi laughs and turns back to what she was doing.
Feeling settled, Paige puts her shorts on and sits on the end of Azzi’s bed and watches as the brunette finishes getting ready.