As Azure searched through her suitcase for her clothes for tonight, Beth sat on her own bed, her lips pursed, as if trying to stifle a laugh.
Azure looked at her for a second, raising an eyebrow. It didn't take Beth more than that.
"Can I paint your nails?" Beth suddenly asked, and Azure grunted at the question, rolling her eyes.
"Fuck me," she muttered under her breath, her frustration evident. "You're relentless, aren't you, Beth?"
Beth grinned, undeterred by Azure's grumbling. "Come on, Azure, it'll be fun! Plus, I promise I won't make them too sparkly."
Azure sighed, knowing she was fighting a losing battle. "Black?"
"Aww, can we do red?" Beth pleaded, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Alright, fine. But only if it's a dark red," Azure relented, giving Beth a pointed look.
Beth's face lit up with excitement, her grin widening, clapping her hands together. "You won't regret this, Azure, I promise!"
"Already regretting it," Azure mumbled, sitting on her bed while Beth carefully chose a nail polish.
As Beth meticulously painted Azure's nails with the dark red polish, their conversation flowed easily, drifting from playful banter to more serious topics and back again. Despite Azure's initial reluctance, she found herself enjoying the moment, grateful for the unexpected opportunity to bond with Beth.
"So..." Beth said, looking at Azure for a second before focusing back on her handiwork. "You and Mccabe."
A smile immediately invaded Azure's lips at the mention of her girlfriend, though she tried her best to tame it under a look of nonchalance.
"What about me and McCabe?" Azure asked, raising an eyebrow, feigning innocence.
Beth chuckled, catching Azure's attempt at nonchalance. "Oh, come on, Azure, don't play coy with me. Just tell me. You two are together, right?"
Azure couldn't help but chuckle at Beth's persistence, knowing there was no point in denying it any longer. "Yeah, we are," she admitted, a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips.
Beth grinned triumphantly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I knew it! You two have been practically joined at the hip lately."
Azure nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as she acknowledged the truth. "Yeah, I guess we have," she agreed, a warmth spreading through her chest at the thought of Katie.
"I'm happy for you. Katie's a catch. But Katie's also one of my best mates. And one of Viv's best mates. So you better not hurt her."
"I won't."
"And I know she's... tough, confident, and strong, but she's still a girl. She'll never tell you that, but she's got a soft side. She gets hurt just like anyone else. And she needs reassurance and love, just like anyone else." Beth paused, her expression softening as she looked at Azure. "She likes little gifts, little attentions, cute nicknames..."
Azure raised an eyebrow at Beth's words. "Cute nicknames?"
Beth let out a small laugh, nodding her head and blowing on Azure's nails. "I mean, don't go call her princess 'cause you'll end up with her fist in your pretty face, but... yeah, cute nicknames," Beth confirmed with a small smirk. "You'll figure it out, Rockwell. Just... promise me you'll take care of her."
Azure met Beth's gaze, her own eyes reflecting a mix of determination and sincerity. "I promise, Beth. I care about her a lot. More than I've cared about anyone in a long time."
