care about you [completed]

Comfort (Part 1)

Piper is super excited. A-troupe have a "wish you well" (Huh, that feels awful to say without Noah being on the team) party for Dancemania. Prom was the best, and James had told her some crazy stories about A-troupe parties. The best part is that she can go with her boyfriend. Oh wow, she's never going to get used to how good that feels.

Finn straightens his collar  and then tilts his bowtie in the mirror so that it's asymmetrical. Two of his favourite fictional characters wore bowties, Sheldon Cooper and Michael from The Good Place.  And they were both really intelligent, so, you never know.
He checks his watch. Oh, man. He's late to pick up Pipes. He's sure she won't mind though. He classily spritzes himself with some aftershave and heads out.

He's late. What should she have expected?  The doorbell rings, as if reading her mind, and she calls to James and Ri that she's leaving. Riley and James speak simultaneously.
"Have fun!"
"Don't stay too late Pipes!"
She rushes down the stairs and opens to door. She's nearly swept off her feet for a second. Finn in a suit. Finn in a suit is good.
"You look very attractive!" Smooth, Piper, smooth. He hangs his head back and laughs.
"Thank you. I like this newfound confidence. You, as usual, look stunning." She lets herself smile after that incident and leans into him as they walk out to the car.

Kingston and Lily were running exactly to time. This meant that Kingston was in a wonderful mood. He kisses her as they are in the doorway, cupping her face, which is a lovely surprise.
"Hey," She says.
"Hi you," He replies. He's so lucky to have her.

Richelle thinks she must have been in an unstable state when she agreed to let Ozzy pick her up for the party. He is late. Typical. Typical, typical, typical. Just then, she spies a limousine down her road. Oh, she could only dream of something so fancy. But she has Ozzy.

Kenzie was sort of surprised to say the least when Heath asked her to the party. She supposed everyone else was going together, so she said why not. Heath understood her sarcasm, and that was enough of a reason for them to hang out more.

Henry wanted to start small, but that had really gone downhill. Instead of,
"Hey, Amy, let's go to the party together?"
His mouth came out with
"Amy, I think I love you."
Wow,  Henry. Good job.
But to his uttermost shock, she had simply kissed him in response and replied,
"Pick me up at 7."

Emily was kind of embarrassed. Her whole troupe had dates and she was alone in her office. Totally alone. And missing Michelle. A lot. More than she cared to admit. And maybe in a more than just friends way?  Nick had suggested they go together, and she'd agreed, but he'd had a family emergency last minute.

Piper was uneasy getting into Finn's car again. They'd taken hers to the hospital, though he'd driven. This was the first time after their near death experience. He senses her nervousness and feels responsible,
"I'll take your car." He kisses her head before manvouering out of his own driver's seat.
"No," She says, "I don't want to go in your car but I should."
"Sure?"
"Sure." He gives her a smile for support and she feels herself relax more.
"Hey. That movie we saw yesterday? Chills. I dreamt about it last night." He distracts her from anxious thoughts whilst keeping his eyes on the road. Piper marvels. He was so handsome in that way. And tonight, he was also very handsome physically.

"What music? You look so beautiful. " Kingston asks, pushing a strand of Lily's hair behind her ear gently.
"Pop." She replies, smiling. She'd been feeling a little down about her appearance recently; after the double date she'd spent a lot of time looking at models on social media for a campaign her mum was running. So him calling her beautiful, it meant a lot.
"You know I love you, right, K?"
"I love you more."

Richelle nearly trips over her own doorstep when Ozzy steps out of the limo.  What? He strolls up to her, casual. He knows that gestures like this, not flowery but professional, mean a lot to her, and he's pretty damn proud of himself.
"Hey gorgeous."
"You got a limo?"
"For you. You like it?"
"Yes," She speaks the truth, "I really do. Thank you."
To others, this would make her seem superficial. But not to him. She's a boss, she's powerful, and she's different. He loves her for that.

Heath shows up at her door in a suit. He has flowers.
"Hey," He sort of thrusts the flowers at her, "Don't tell Oswald but he's a lot better at this romance stuff than I am." She smiles.
"Lucky for you, I'm great at it." She accepts the flowers and takes his hand.
"You're holding my hand."
"No! Really? I was so unaware." He laughs a little.

"Hi!" She saw him come up the driveway  and already has the door open. She has that Amy excited smile and that makes him smile. He presents her with some pink tulips, her favourite kind. She takes them happily.

☆

"Ooh!" He chuckles as Piper expresses her excitement. Emily has decorated and really well. Matching Dancemania banners, roses, plates, disco lights. (What? She does a job, she does it flawlessly.)
"Welcome!" She says sprightly as the whole team filter in. She might as well enjoy herself.  "First up we have an A-troupe party classic, machine!"
Piper positively shakes beside Finn. Machine! She's always wanted to play Machine. It's stupid, she knows, but James always raved about that exclusive A-troupe game.
She's so cute, he thinks, and he doesn't resist the urge to totally envelope her in his arms from behind.

Hi guys,
It is with so much sadness and heartbreak but also content that I tell you that the 'Comfort' parts (notice plural, it's not over yet) will be the end for this story. I am amazed at how much love it has gotten in so little time, and at how incredible the TNS community are on here. Love to you all.
BUT
I have some exciting and awesome news. If you haven't already, please check out the Oneshot collection I've started. Thank you for all the support it's getting already.
AND
I have a new concept for a Pinn/A-troupe mystery fic that I will be starting when this ends. I am in love with the idea I have and I hope that not only will I write it well, but that all of you wonderful readers follow along too.

❤