My Ex Ex (except gay)

Chapter 10: Dancing in the Moonlight pt. 2

Nicole stands with her arms around Waverly, keeping the smaller woman in a tight embrace until her breathing slows. Nicole is having an internal argument with herself about the situation. Mercedes told her that Tucker was going to be at the bar, and she had promised herself that she wouldn't let him get anywhere near Waverly. But she did and she was too slow to get to Waverly before he laid his hands on her. She knows that she should probably step back, offer Waverly comfort in a more platonic way, but she can't bear to move for fear of Waverly falling apart. Just as Nicole begins to relax into the brunette, she's pulled from her thoughts by Waverly's panicked voice.

"Oh God Nicole," she squeaks. "The picture. H-He has a picture. Of us"

"Doing what exactly?" Nicole asks even though she already has a pretty good guess.

"Almost...almost kissing...What if he shows it to Shae? Does he even know Shae? What if he puts it on the internet and she sees it? What if Wynonna sees it? You're gonna get killed. I'm gonna get killed."

"Hey," Nicole coos gently, "no one is going to get killed. If Shae somehow sees the picture then I'll explain what happened. The same goes for Wynonna."

"You're going to explain that we almost kissed to my overly protective sister and your fiancé?" Waverly extracts herself from Nicole's arms and looks at her with raised eyebrows. "Nicole that's literally asking to be murdered!"

Nicole reaches out and plants her hands firmly on Waverly's shoulders. "Do you trust me?" She asks and gently squeezes her hands. "Do you trust me when I say that I know what I'm doing?"

Waverly nods and bites her lip, closing her eyes and melting under Nicole's touch. "Yes."

"So let me get us through this. Wynonna knows what's up; that we're trying to make things work as friends again. And she knows that it might come with some moments like this. If anything, she'll be on our side if Shae finds out."

Waverly opens her eyes slowly and meets Nicole concerned ones. In that moment, Waverly feels all of the anxiety flee from her body; the panic being replaced with something else. There's an unspoken chemistry between the two women and Waverly doesn't know why. It's been years since they last spent time alone together, things should be awkward. They shouldn't be this easy and they most certainly shouldn't feel this right. Waverly notices that she's been staring for far too long and ducks her head.

Nicole thinks it's the cutest thing in the world.

"How about I order us another round of drinks and we settle down in one of those booths in the corner? I think it's time I owe you an explanation about everything," Nicole breaks the silence.

Waverly nods and cracks a genuine smile. Waverly considers it to be less of an explanation and more of just updating her on Nicole's life, she's done nothing wrong, but she decides to not say anything and head over to a booth on the far side of the building.

- - - - -

Nicole walks back to the bar and orders a drink for herself and Waverly. She pulls a twenty dollar bill out of her wallet and sets it on the bar top deciding it better to pay for the drinks now before her tab starts racking up. The bartender, a burly dark-skinned man who gives off an ex-Navy Seal vibe, returns with her drinks and stares down at the bill.

"I can't accept this," he says to Nicole.

"Pardon?" Nicole cocks an eyebrow and looks up at the man. "I believe that this is enough to cover these drinks and a tip."

"I can't accept this," he says again, "because heroes drink free, Nicole."

"Heroes?" Nicole furrows her brows now, tilting her head to the side. "Dolls, I'm far from a hero."