A/N: Let me know what you think!
Being a rookie cop in a small town with lots of strange "goings on", as Needley liked to call them, didn't afford Nicole Haught much time off-duty and out of uniform; and on the rare occasion it did, she usually spent it relaxing at home.
Tonight, however, she found herself at Shorty's. There was a half finished plate of hot wings in front of her, a freshly refilled beer in her hand, and a pretty girl staring at her from across the bar. She would easily call that a win.
"So, Officer Haught," She tried to ignore the way that her heart pounded when Waverly Earp said her name.
"Please, call me Nicole; especially when I'm off duty."
"So, Nicole, how is Purgatory treating you."
Turns out, it got the butterflies in her stomach even more riled up to hear her first name spoken by those pretty lips than it did to hear her official title.
Rule number one, Haught, don't fall for straight girls.
"I like it here, it's a nice change from the big city. It's cozy here- not too crowded,friendly, everybody knows everybody, -"
"Everybody knows your business." Waverly interjected.
"Well, I suppose every town has its downsides, and I don't know if you know, but there's actually a lot of weird crime that goes on around here."
"Oh trust me, I know all about the weird stuff that goes on around here."
"Right, cause Wynonna is a part of Black Badge; I forget sometimes."
"That's my sister! Always right in the middle of where the trouble is!"
One of the other bar patrons motioned Waverly over for a refill, and the youngest Earp held her finger up to tell Nicole she'd be right back.
Nicole tried to distract herself from those high waisted jean shorts by starting up a conversation with the rancher sitting next to her and almost immediately regretted it when he started telling her the story of how one of his cows had given birth that morning.
Her pint was half empty again by the time Waverly made her way back over, easy smile on her lips.
"So what exactly do you know about my sister?"
"Just that she got into some trouble when she was younger so she left town for a while, but now she's back doing some classified work for Black Badge."
Waverly rolled he eyes.
"If that's all the gossip you've heard about my sister, then a detective you are not, Officer Haught."
"I figured I'd give her the benefit of the doubt." She winked and to her utmost joy, a blush rose high in Waverly's cheeks.
"Well, what gossip have you heard about me then?"
"Only good things, I promise." The beer made her bold, and she winked again. "Since we're sharing, what kind of stuff has been going around about me? There has to be some good gossip on the rookie cop."
"Just that you're a lesbian-" Waverly's hands immediately flew to cover her mouth and Nicole snorted a laugh so hard that beer went up her nose.
"No, no, please continue." She managed to sputter out around the burning in her nostrils.
"Nedley says you graduated top of your class, even though you aren't always, ummm, buttoned up." There was that blush again.
"Who isn't buttoned up?"
The grin slowly fell from her face as a greasy looking blonde man draped an arm over Waverly's shoulder. She noticed the way that Waverly immediately stiffened under his touch and she straightened. She had seen this kid around before.
"Oh just talking to Nicole here. Nicole, this is Champ; my . . . boyfriend."
Of course. The boy-man
Champs eyes dragged lazily down Nicole's body and she fought the urge to wrap her arms around herself for protection. Instead, she met his lingering eyes with an icy gaze.
"Officer Haught, right?"
"That's me."
"Always nice to have a new lady cop in town." he leered, the hand that was on Waverly drifting inappropriately close to her chest.
Nicole chose not to answer, instead staring him down; trying to remember where exactly she had seen him before.
"Well, me and some of the boys are going out for a bonfire, prolly won't be back 'til in the morning."
"You know Wynona is never going to let you stay at the homestead, so there's not really any reason for you to check in."
Thank god for Wynona Earp. Nicole made a mental note to buy that girl a beer.
"Yeah, your sister is a real stick in the mud. But I better get going, wouldn't want to miss the fireworks." He planted a sloppy kiss on Waverly's cheek before pulling away and smacking her ass as he walked away.
A part of Nicole wished that she was on duty tonight just so that she could go break that little party up.
"Sorry about that." Waverly's face cringed in apology.
"Boy-men, what can you do?"
"Right."
Nicole spared a glance at the door just in time to catch Champ Hardy sauntering out of the bar. And that's when she remembered exactly where she had seen him before.
"Waves?"
"Yeah?"
"So don't take this the wrong way, but I'm pretty sure Champ asked me out when I first got to town."
Instead of sounding shocked, Waverly merely sounded resigned.
"Well, he tried to sleep with my sister on her first day back, so I'm not really surprised."
"Seriously? You could do so much better than that douche. No offense." She added quickly.
"You sound like Wynonna."
"Well she sounds like a smart lady."
"Not a lot of options for boyfriends around Purgatory. Not for an Earp anyway. Not really a lot of options for friends either." Waverly sounded so despondent that Nicole wanted to jump over the bar and wrap her in a hug. Instead, she leaned on the counter conspiratorially.
"Well, I have been told that I am a pretty good friend. And a good wingman if you're ever looking to replace boy-man Champ."
Waverly stared at her for a moment and she had to fight to stay afloat in those big brown pools.
"Oh trust me, when I get rid of Champ, you'll be the first to know."
And while she was sure that Waverly didn't mean that quite like it sounded, she couldn't help the way her heart thudded in her ears.
"Hey Waverly! Can I get another round?"
Waverly gestured over her shoulder, "I'll be right back." she promised, before skipping over to the other side of the bar.
This time, she let herself watch Waverly as she tended to the other patrons. The smile never left her face, and her hands were quick as she filled the orders. She thought back to the look on Waverly's face when she had first walked in out of uniform, the way her cheeks had heated up and her voice had stuttered. And then just now, the sputtering about when she was going to get rid of Champ, not if . Maybe Nicole had a chance after all.
Suddenly realizing that it was minutes later and she was still staring, she jerked her eyes to see the other woman behind the bar watching her watch Waverly. Gus she thinks her name is.
Shit.
Now the older woman is coming over, no doubt to admonish her for staring at Waverly.
"Officer Haught, huh?"
"Yes ma'am, but please call me Nicole."
"Nicole, I've heard a lot about you, so it's nice to finally meet you, I'm Gus."
"It's a pleasure." Nicole tipped her head, waiting on the reprimand.
"Champ Hardy is a asshole."
What?
"Excuse me?"
"Champ Hardy is an asshole. I'm not sure exactly how he managed to get in the good graces of our Waverly, but he is an asshole."
Nicole remained silent, sure this was some sort of trap.
"Now, I don't know a whole lot about you, officer, but from what I've gathered, you don't seem like an asshole. Are you an asshole?"
"No? Ma'am?" Maybe these beers were spiked with something stronger.
"Good. I can read Waverly pretty well, and I can tell she likes you. You might have to be patient with her, but she'll come around. Takes a while to figure things like that out. Just be her friend, it'll all work out. And I ever catch you being less than good to that sweet girl, well - I don't need to remind you about that big- ass gun Wynonna carries around."
The woman winked and was gone before Nicole could reply, and Waverly was soon in her place.
"Sorry about that."
"What's there to be sorry about? I'm just another customer, you can't spend your whole night talking to me!" No matter how much she'd enjoy it.
"Oh no, we're friends now, or have you already forgotten?"
Waverly winked, and started in on some story about a local crazy, leaving Nicole mezmerized. Before she knew it, it was closing time; only instead of getting kicked out with the rest of the crowd, she was invited to stay and hangout while Waverly closed up shop.
"I know I never got to buy you that cappuccino, but how bout a whiskey?"
"Aren't you closing up the bar?"
"Outside." She must have taken a second too long to answer, because Waverly quickly continued. "Since we're new friends and all. Or we don't have to, if you're tired, or-"
"I'd love to. Just let me settle up on my tab."
"Don't worry about it, it's on the house."
"What, no, just let me-"
"Seriously, it's always good for business when cops eat here, especially Haught ones." Waverly laughed at her own joke before making her way around the bar to stand next to Nicole. "Ooh!" She leaned over the bar and snatched a bottle of whiskey. "Can't forget this!"
Turns out, 'outside' was the back hatch of Waverly's jeep, where they sat and passed the bottle of whiskey while swapping stories. She had a nice buzz going on -okay, she was drunk- and she wasn't 100% sure if it was because of the whiskey or Waverly's close proximity, but she wasn't really picky.
All that mattered was that Waverly was staring at her with wide brown eyes and an adorable grin hanging on her every word.
"So Nedley sends me into the office with some package, saying I need to deliver specifically to Agent Dolls, right? Well then I knock on the door, go right on in and march up to Dolls, babbling about how important this package must be and then he just looks at me without even flinching and goes 'If you ever come in my office without knocking again, then I'll have you arrested for treason.' So of course I realize the whole thing must have been a set up from Nedley. Other than that, the initiation hasn't been too bad. Officer Dobbs hid my hat and I ended looking for it for three hours, that wasn't too fun - but Dolls was definitely worse."
"See, I think Dolls is just a big teddy bear on the inside." Waverly defended, taking the bottle from her and taking a long swig.
"You would!" Nicole scoffed.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just means you seem like the type to always see the good in people. Nothing bad."
"Sometimes it's bad." Waverly's voice was almost too quiet for her to hear. She wasn't for sure what the shorter girl was referring to, but she had a feeling it had something to with a douchey wannabe cowboy named Champ.
"So you and Wynonna moved out to your old family homestead?" She says something, anything to distract Waverly, and even though her words are a little slurred a little, it works, the younger girl's face lighting up. She snags the whiskey bottle back.
"Yep! It's not much, but it's homey! And Wynonna's there - it's nice having her around. The place needs a lot of work, but it's good to be back."
Nicole leaned over to bump their shoulders together. "Well, if you ever need help painting, just give me a call."
Waverly snorted a laugh, "You don't have to do that."
"Hey, we're friends now, Waverly Earp, and friends help friends paint."
That sent Waverly into a fit of giggles, and Nicole couldn't help but think it was one of the prettiest sights she'd ever seen.
"What's so funny?"
"Where do you even come from?"
"Houston?" Now she was really confused.
"No!" Waverly smacked her arm.
"I mean where do girls like you come from? Who are pretty and smell nice and offer to be my friend and tell me they'll help me paint my shitty house."
"I-"
"Hey, babygirl!" They looked up to see Wynonna jumping out of a big black SUV, waving goodbye to Dolls as he drove off. "Thought I might find you here! Officer Haught?"
"Hey." Nicole smiled easily, despite the interrupted conversation.
"Wynona!" Waverly drew every syllable out, obviously inebriated.
"Hey, somebody's drunk! What, got the party started without me?"
"Hey, hey, Wynonna, Wynonna." Waverly tugged on her older sister's sleeve until she bent down to the same level. "Nicole's gonna help us paint."
Wynonna shot a confused glance in Nicole's direction.
"Yeah?"
"Yep! Cause we're friends." Waverly explained.
"Friends, huh?"
Nicole slung an arm around Waverly's shoulders and the shorter girl melted into her, giggling softly.
"Yep, it's official. I'm your friend painter."
"Is she our friend that helps us paint? Or a painter that paints our friends? Nobody knows!" Waverly lost it at that, doubling over until Nicole was the only thing keeping her off the ground.
"Alright, let's get you drunkies home. I would say we should stay out all night and live this up, but you two would probably kill me tomorrow. God, this is so weird being the responsible one for once."
"Take me home, tonight!" Waverly screeched at the top of her lungs, entirely off key.
"I don't wanna let you go til we see the light!" Nicole joined in, their voices melding together in a cacophony of song as Wynonna corralled them into the Jeep and shut the door, eventually joining in as they drove towards Nicole's apartment building.
The next morning, Nicole's alarm sounded way too early and her head pounded; but when she got to work and found a takeout coffee cup labeled 'friend' on her desk, it was totally worth it.