"Please don't make me regret asking this."
Cass just laughed and grabbed a chair, hauling it to the middle of the room. "Aw c'mon, Vee. Surely you trust me a little more'n that."
Veronica hesitated in the doorway, an uneasy look on her face. "Um. Should I be concerned that you smell like you drank a bar?"
Cass grinned. "Haven't had that much; moonshine's just got a smell to it. 'Sides, it steadies my hands. We gonna do this or what?"
The scribe reached up and played with the dark brown hair just beginning to cover her ear and chewed on her lip. "Ugh, fine." She settled herself in the chair and tried not to tense as Cass approached.
The cowgirl wrapped a towel around Veronica's shoulders and went looking for a pair of scissors. She returned a moment later, twirling them on her finger and humming quietly. "So, how bald you wanna be?"
"Cass," Veronica pouted. "Be nice, I'm trusting you here."
Cass chuckled and studied the brunette for a minute. "Hold still." She set to work and started with a few careful snips, holding up what she'd trimmed to see if Veronica approved of the length. After receiving a tentative nod, the cowgirl continued casually, snipping here and there.
Veronica relaxed as Cass worked, surprised at how calm the redhead was. "A little off the top, barber," she joked, ducking away when Cass scoffed and swatted at her.
"Shuddup you," the redhead retorted with a grin. She lifted a lock of Veronica's hair and snipped at it carefully, letting it fall back into place and nodding to herself. "So."
The nosy smile in Cass' voice wasn't lost on Veronica and she cringed. "What?"
"This little haircut'a yours wouldn't have anythin' to do with the fact that Six's due back from Sloan soon, would it?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Veronica nearly turned her nose up before remembering that she rather liked having intact ears.
"Your blush says otherwise, darlin'." Cass let out a raspy laugh when Veronica's cheeks darkened even more.
"Maybe I just felt like I needed a haircut," Veronica retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.
Cass stepped around to Veronica's other side and started evening out her hair. "Maybe," she agreed insincerely before lapsing into silence. She trimmed carefully around Veronica's ears and evened everything up, then stepped back and looked at her, giving the scribe a nod. "Think I got it. Wanna take a look?"
Veronica carefully discarded the towel and headed for the bathroom, studying her reflection. She'd always hacked it off herself and used her hood to mask the choppy, ragged edged she'd left behind. Cass had smoothed everything out, cut it shorter than it ever had been before, but still kept it looking feminine and smart. The scribe ran her fingers through her hair carefully, brushing away loose hair, and grinned at her reflection. She could almost consider herself eye-catching, and hoped Six would think the same.
"Thanks, Cass," she said as she walked back into the bedroom, stopping short when she saw Cass chatting idly with the courier as she swept up the hair on the floor.
The cowgirl looked up and grinned, tipping her hat politely. Six followed the redhead's gaze, turning around and pausing when she saw Veronica.
"Hey, Six," Veronica offered weakly, self-conscious under the courier's gaze. "How was, uh... how was the quarry?"
"Fine." The courier shrugged, still staring at Veronica. "You look... different."
Veronica blushed and dropped her gaze to the carpet. "Cass cut my hair," she mumbled, trying to sound causal. "It needed it."
"I like it. It's sexy." A fond smile crossed the courier's face, and she gave Cass an approving nod before returning her gaze to Veronica. She took a few steps toward the scribe, pausing at arm's length and studying her once more. "Just… wow, Vee. You're a sight for sore eyes."
"Anything's better than the deathclaw in Sloan," Veronica retorted as she brushed some stray hair off her nose and tried to pretend she wasn't flustered.
Six scoffed. "You look better than a deathclaw even when you're covered in grit and grime. A hell of a lot better, if I do say so myself."
"Oh." Veronica wanted to kick herself for the lame response and settled for rubbing at a stain in the carpet with her toe. She didn't know when it had gotten so hard to simply talk to the courier, but the compliments weren't making conversation any easier.
"I'd tell you two to get a room," Cass interjected with a lazy grin, "but I'm in here and that'd be awkward, so I'll just show myself out."
Six and Veronica exchanged a confused frown, then looked at the cowgirl together. "What?"
Cass gave them both a dry look. "Y'both are nuts for each other. Got nothing to lose but a few hours of sleep, if you know what I mean." She winked and moseyed toward the door. "You're welcome. If you need me, I'll be at the bar in Gomorrah. But you won't. Have fun!" Cass grinned and pulled the door shut behind herself, leaving the courier and the scribe together in a confused silence.
"What?" Six repeated after a few moments, giving Veronica a bashful look. "Is she drunk?"
Veronica shrugged. "I never know. Her hands seemed pretty steady, so maybe not."
The courier tugged off her leather jacket and tossed it aside, trying and failing to hide her shyness. "So was she talking crap, or...?"
Veronica tried to think of a way to answer, coming up with nothing. She gave the other woman a helpless shrug and shook her head. "No, she... I..."
Six watched as Veronica grappled for words, relief flickering in her eyes. She stepped closer and paused inches from Veronica, putting an end to the scribe's stammering. "I really like you, Vee."
Veronica tried for a suave response, managing to squeak out a "me too." The scribe cringed and wanted to kick herself, thoroughly embarrassed.
The courier didn't laugh, just caught Veronica's chin in her hand and grinned at her. "Can I kiss you?"
A shy nod was all the scribe could manage, but it was enough for Six. The courier dipped her head and kissed Veronica gently. There was no denying the spark between them, and their kisses quickly deepened. Six's hands wound themselves in Veronica's hair and she cradled the scribe against herself. When they finally broke apart for air, the courier looked at Veronica and grinned as she ruffled the scribe's short brown hair gently. "Yeah, I definitely like your hair."