Make You Believe [Jerrie]

Chapter 11

Things are nice. They slowly fall into their relationship, becoming accustomed to the whispered sweet nothings and tender touches. Jade will often feel eyes on her and glance up to see Perrie staring, fond and warm. Each time, Jade will flush and look away, butterflies flitting about in her stomach. The other girls settle into it too, no longer teasing when Perrie kisses Jade backstage at a show, or when Jade reaches over to link their fingers out of view of their stylists.

Getting each other off becomes a regular thing. Jade only ever gets to use her hands on Perrie, because the younger girl is still worried about triggering her. It's annoying, sure, but she understands and doesn't push.

So they do what they can and they cuddle and kiss and keep being Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards of Little Mix and that's comfortable, really. It's nice.

*

"Jade?" Perrie asks one day while they're lounging around before a TV appearance, Jesy getting her hair done, Leigh texting someone.

"Yeah?" Jade hums, nuzzling back into her chest.

"Just wondering something. Um. I've never hurt you, yeah? Like, I've never triggered you, and then you didn't tell me?" Perrie asks out of nowhere, and Jade turns her head to frown at her.

"Where's this coming from?" She questions, noting the way Perrie's eyes flicker to the others, making sure they can't hear.

"I just. I was thinking about the other night, y'know." Perrie says with a blush and Jade smirks faintly. "And how your mind wandered? And then I started thinking about, like, if I've ever done that to you. If I've ever done something you didn't like, or, I don't know. Something that made your mind wander and you didn't tell me."

"I always tell you." Jade pouts.

"No you don't." Perrie sighs, eyebrow raised.

Jade runs through all their, er, activities in her mind and tries to think, tries to remember if there was ever a time that Perrie did something that wasn't perfect. Her brain only comes up with one example, really, and it's small. But it's clearly shown on her face, as always, because Perrie pinches the bridge of her nose.

"I have, haven't I?" She groans, making Jade turn over and tuck her chin on Perrie's collarbone.

"Look, it was just the once, and it was a total accident. You couldn't have known, and to be quite honest, I couldn't have either." Jade explains, but Perrie tips her head back against the arm of the sofa.

"Fuck. What was it?" She mutter-asks.

"Perrie, please just listen to me. It wasn't your fault, alright? It was, ugh, it was in the restaurant bathroom?" She tells her, lowering her voice. "And you, um, when you, well. You squeezed my hip when you got off? And it was just, it was kind of hard, and it was kind of like when my dad used to grab me and throw me around."

Perrie covers her eyes with her palm.

"But Pez, I kept control and I didn't freak out or anything, I swear. I focused on you and I was fine. And it wasn't your fault and you've never done it since and now that I've told you I know you never will." Jade hurries to say.

She's nervous when Perrie doesn't reply at first, and she reaches up to tug her face down by her chin, making her meet her eyes. Perrie looks guilty, very guilty, and Jade wants to kiss it off her. So she does.

"Not your fault." She reminds her into her lips, and Perrie seems to come back to herself a bit, kissing back softly.

"I know, I just." She sighs when they pull away. "I'm sorry."