You'll Never Know Until You Try It
Chapter 21. Grin And Bare It
Author: twin who likes to travel
Rating: R
Summary: This is what happened at the end of the Buffy Marathon, and Nikki poses for a sketching from Kerry.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Reviews: I would like them. Constructive criticism is ok.
Many hours later
When John and Diane had returned, they found the girls still on the couch. Nikki was watching the final episode on one of the DVDs while Kerry was asleep with her head resting on Nikki's left shoulder.
"Aw, that's so cute," Diane almost gushed at the sight of the smile on the redhead's face.
It was the happiest smile they had ever seen from Nikki's guest.
"Sshh, I was going to wake her after this episode was over," their daughter explained as they saw the empty pizza box.
"How long has that been sitting there like that?" John asked before sharing a smile with his wife.
"A few hours I think."
"Then why didn't you throw it away."
"Because I kind of didn't want to move," she told them as she gazed down at the girl resting her head on her shoulder, smiled, and gently ran a few fingers through the red hair.
"We understand," Diane admitted softly, so she didn't wake Kerry, "How much time is left on the episode?"
"About ten minutes. We got almost halfway through the season before Sleeping Beauty conked out."
"So are you full from the pizza? Because if you're still hungry or got your appetite back already, I was going to make pork chops."
"I could probably put away a few by the time they're ready."
"Alright, your mom and I are going to change into something more comfortable. Then I will start on the pork chops."
"Ok."
"Nikki, sweetie, do you mind if I get one picture of you two like that before you wake her?"
"No, but you better get changed quickly," Nikki insisted before giggling at being called "sweetie" yet again and her mom's request.
About ten minutes later
John and Diane returned just as the episode's final credits appeared on the screen. Diane almost let out another "Aw." before focusing the camera on the girls.
"Just take the picture already," Nikki suggested as she looked at her mom.
"Smile for me," her mom requested.
After she was finished, both parents stood and watched as their daughter woke up the redhead. They couldn't hold in smirks at what they saw next.
"Wake up, Beautiful," the older girl said softly after lightly shaking her shoulder.
Then she gently kissed Kerry on the forehead and ran a few fingers through the hair again.
"Huh…What…I'm s…," Kerry began as she stared at the other girl, unaware she was being watched by more than just Nikki.
"I said 'No more I'm sorry.', remember?"
"Oh, right," Kerry muttered as she leaned in to kiss the older girl.
She was confused when Nikki stopped her again by nodding to her right. Kerry peeked in the same direction and saw Nikki's parents standing there and smiling.
"H-How l-long h-have y-you b-been h-home?" she stuttered.
"I would say a little over ten minutes."
"Why didn't you say something when they got home?" Kerry groaned while turning back to glance at Nikki.
"Because I didn't want to wake you until the episode we…I mean I was watching was over. Besides, I was enjoying having you so close to me."
"How many minutes did I see before I fell asleep?"
"About fifteen, I think."
"Ok, I guess we can watch it again another time. Maybe you could take me home now."
"Sure," the older girl said as they got up.
"You didn't," Kerry asked them after seeing the digital camera still in Diane's hands.
"I'm afraid so," Nikki laughed, "and we're keeping it if it turned out ok."
"Can I see it?" Kerry questioned nervously.
Diane walked over and handed the camera over to her daughter and smiled at their reactions. Nikki smirked while Kerry blushed bright red for the second time that day. Kerry gave her a pleading glimpse to delete the picture, but Nikki wouldn't budge on the issue.
"PLEASE delete it," Kerry pleaded vocally this time.
"Not a chance. I've never seen you look that happy, relaxed, and beautiful all at the same time."
"I don't want any of my family to see it."
"They won't. I'm framing it and putting it on my nightstand, so it's the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing at night."
"Fine, but you better think of a way to make it up to me."
"Already working on it."
"Would you like to join us for dinner, Kerry?"
"I don't think so," Nikki answered for her friend, upsetting the redhead a little, "It's not that I wouldn't like to have you here longer. Dad's making pork chops, and I remember you telling me you're vegetarian, right? With the exception of chicken, I think."
Kerry was touched that the older girl had remembered after only talking about it once. She wanted to kiss the girl right there but wouldn't with John and Diane looking at her.
"She's right. I'm ready if you are."
"Then let's go."
"Keep the pork chops warm for me," Nikki reminded her dad before leaving with the redhead.
The girls said nothing to each other on the way over to Kerry's house, but that didn't stop the frequent looks they were giving each other. Nikki's was the same smirk the entire time while Kerry's varied from slightly angry, embarrassed, and happy.
Outside Kerry's house
"Nikki…"
"The next words out of your mouth better not be 'I'm sorry.', I mean it. The kiss and the promise to trust me was enough. I don't mind that you fell asleep on me. It's not like you can't watch it another time. Anyway, I liked the feeling of you resting your head on my shoulder while you slept. You were like my own Sleeping Beauty. And if my parents hadn't had come home first, then I, Princess Charming, would have awoken you with a kiss on the lips."
"Princess Charming?" Kerry quizzed as she smiled at the other girl.
"Yeah, because I'm a girl. So that makes me a Princess, not a Prince, and I can be pretty charming."
"Yeah, you can. I promise I will never doubt you again because I DO feel safe with you."
"Thank you. That's all that I ask for." No it isn't all you want to ask for, but telling her otherwise would be VERY bad.
"Well, goodbye."
"Hold on a second," the older girl requested as she gently grabbed the younger girl's hand.
"Yeah?"
"I thought of how I can pay you back for embarrassing you."
"How?"
"You could come back over tomorrow with your sketchpad or sketchbook, and I would pose for you. Maybe you could even let me see any of your other work."
"What would you wear while I do that?"
"That's TOTALLY up to you. Think about it, ok?"
"Ok," Kerry agreed before giving Nikki a brief, soft kiss.
Around twenty minutes later, the girls' bedroom
After apologizing to her mom for missing dinner and eating what Cate had saved for her, Kerry went upstairs and saw Bridget reading a fashion magazine. Her sister set the magazine down for the usual talk about what went on over at Nikki's.
"So what happened this time?" Bridget inquired after smiling at her sister for a few seconds.
"Not much, we hung out and had another Buffy marathon. The show is pretty good actually and a lot better than the original movie."
"I told you so. What else?"
"We had pizza delivered and watched the show until I fell asleep."
"You fell asleep?" the blonde giggled after smirking at her sister.
"Yeah, the pizza was delicious and pretty filling. The couch was really comfortable…"
"Just like your head probably was on her shoulder."
"Yes…Wait …How did you know that…I mean what makes you think that?"
"Just a lucky guess. Actually, it seemed like something that would happen. So how did she react to that?"
"She wasn't upset if that's what you mean. She said she liked having me so close to her," Kerry answered as she smiled at how sweet Nikki was when she said that and how she chose to wake the redhead up.
"And?"
"And what?"
"How did she wake you up?"
"She woke me up by shaking my shoulder and saying, 'Wake up, Beautiful.' before kissing me on my forehead and running a few fingers through my hair."
"That sounds really sweet, but I'm sure more went on than that."
"No, that's it." Kerry said too quickly to make it believable.
When she only got an arched eyebrow from her sister, she knew she was busted and revealed everything except Diane talking a picture of her asleep with her head on Nikki's shoulder. She was expecting some kind of understanding when she mentioned the argument in the bathroom, but she got the same type of response from the blonde as well.
"Kerry, how could you think she would do something like that? She really likes and cares about you," Bridget told her as she was able to hide that Nikki was actually falling for her sister, "She treats you the way a girl should be treated. She never pressures you. And from what you've told me so far, she always makes sure you have fun whatever you two do together. Whether it's going to the movies, a museum, or even just watching a marathon of a very popular show. You two also have a lot in common. Do you know how lucky you are?"
"I know that, alright. I felt terrible that I did that. I feel bad every time I've treated her bad. Why do I do that, and why does she put up with it?"
"Because she's falling in love with you, you idiot!" Bridget said to Kerry silently before answering the confused redhead, "I'm not a shrink, but like I already said, she really likes and cares about you. I wish I could find that. It kind of makes me jealous. She'd almost be worth switching teams for if she and I had more in common."
"I promised her I wouldn't doubt her again," Kerry replied before comprehending what her sister had just said about the other girl, "You what!"
Bridget laughed as she looked at her shocked sister and responded, "I said if she and I had more in common, she'd almost be worth switching teams for. Can you even imagine the reaction that would have gotten from the guys in our school to see two of the hottest girls in school making out in the halls and holding hands?"
"Probably the same thing when she and Amanda kissed. If you like her so much, why didn't you ask her out?"
"Because, hello, I'm not gay, and she likes you a lot more. So don't mess up whatever you two have together by not trusting her. Got it?"
"Fine, and Bridget..."
"Yeah?"
"I know I've said it a lot lately, but thanks again. I n-needed that."
"No problem."
Wednesday morning, around 9:00 AM, Nikki's house
Nikki had gotten a call around a half an hour earlier from Kerry. She informed Nikki that she'd be over in a half hour and would be bringing her sketchbook.
Nikki had been working out when the girl had called and explained to Kerry that's what she had been doing to sound almost out of breath. As soon as she hung up the phone, Nikki raced up the stairs and took a quick shower. She had just finished drying her hair when the doorbell rang. She slipped a short robe on over the underwear she had on, intending on probably posing in just underwear for the younger girl. She tied the straps together as she started walking down the stairs.
"Hi, Beautiful," Nikki greeted when she saw that Kerry was alone on the porch while Bridget had waved hello before driving off. Nikki assumed it was to hang out at the mall or go to the movies.
"Hi, Nikki," Kerry said as she blushed again at being called beautiful.
"Well, come in," the older girl suggested before stepping aside so her guest could enter.
"That robe looks great on you," the redhead complimented as she wondered what the other girl might or might not have on under that very robe.
"Thanks. Would you like something to drink before we start…I mean with me posing and you sketching," Nikki babbled as she nodded to the kitchen and tried to stop blushing at how she had just offered Kerry a drink, "It might be a little early for a soda. So if you would like something else, we have water or juice. Or if you're hungry, I'm sure we have something you would like."
"I'm not hungry, but juice does sound good right now."
After they each got some juice, they headed upstairs to the bedroom.
"So…Uh…What would you like for me to wear while I pose and how would you like me to pose?"
"What do you have on under that robe?"
"Just my underwear."
"Well, you could take off the robe and lie down on your bed."
"Ok, but I would be wiling to wear less than that. That's if you could handle me being completely naked or topless. Which way would you prefer me to lie down: on my back, my stomach, or my side?"
"On your stomach is fine. I-I know you said it was totally up to me, but it's ok if you don't want to take off anything else," Kerry said as the other girl paced toward the bed.
"It shouldn't be a problem. It's just the two of us, right?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, then," Nikki asserted as she turned her back to Kerry, untied the straps, and let the robe fall to the floor behind her.
Kerry gasped lightly while sitting down in a chair and getting a clear view of Nikki's butt. It felt almost like torture to have the girl that close and not try to put her hands on her. The torture increased as she watched Nikki take off her bra and pause briefly. When she didn't hear Kerry say anything, she took off the rest. Now the younger girl had to deal with something she hadn't seen since the morning before their third date and what could possibly happen next.
That question was answered as she saw Nikki climb onto the bed with her back still to the redhead. Then she slowly lowered herself down onto her stomach and carefully turned around. Kerry was now looking at the girl's naked profile as Nikki partially blocked the side view of her left breast with her arm and smiled at Kerry.
"Is this ok, or is it too much?"
"It-It's f-fine."
"Are you sure? Because if you want me to, I could put at least some of the underwear back on."
"No, honestly, it's fine. Just give me a minute to get ready," Kerry assured her as she reached for the book that was bigger than the usual one she used and a drawing pencil she had began using for her sketches.
"Before you start, do you want to know the two best things are about me doing this?"
"Besides me seeing you naked," Kerry muttered before she could stop herself and tried not to smile.
"Yeah. You don't have to pay the model, and the model wouldn't mind making out after this if the artist wants to."
"N-Nikki."
"Be honest. After seeing me like this, wouldn't it be strange if you didn't want to?"
"Yeah," Kerry answered while clearly having trouble concentrating on actually sketching and not just ogling Nikki.
"Kerry, relax. Just imagine you're in a college art class, and I'm the model chosen by the very wise and possibly horny, art teacher."
Kerry laughed, began to relax, and sketched her while Nikki was able to remain still and smiling off and on at Kerry. Nikki sighed in relief when Kerry told her she was finished. She had started getting tired of lying down on the bed in that position about five minutes ago and the fact that Kerry was sitting there fully dressed while she willingly took off everything was getting to her in a not so pure way.
"You can get dressed now," Kerry announced as she looked over the work in the book.
"Close your eyes or turn around first."
"Why?"
"Because I don't feel like turning around to change, and you're not going to get a free, full frontal view while you're dressed and I'm not," Nikki explained before smirking at the redhead, who was blushing again at the thought of seeing Nikki like that.
"Ok," Kerry mumbled before closing her eyes.
A minute later, Nikki responded, "You can open your eyes and join me on the bed now. I want to see it and the rest of the sketches. I saw you brought two books."
"Alright," Kerry declared as she opened her eyes to see Nikki lying on her side in only her underwear.
Kerry got up from the chair and casually advanced to the bed. As she reached it, bed, Nikki sat up and patted the spot beside her. Kerry handed over the book she had sketched Nikki in and waited for the other girl's honest opinion. When Nikki smiled, Kerry knew that the other girl liked it but wanted more than just a smile.
"S-So what do you th-think?"
"Honestly?"
"I wouldn't expect any less."
"I think if you turned this in during an actual college art class, it would get an A+."
"Thank you," Kerry commented before kissing Nikki softly on the lips.
"What, no doubting me?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"It's because of the new 'Never doubt Nikki again' policy I picked up after you dropped me off at home yesterday."
Kerry saw the heartwarming smile on Nikki's face and smiled back.
"Th-Thank y-you," Nikki told her as she felt a tear or two show up on her cheeks before looking away from Kerry, "Damn it."
"It's ok, I won't make fun of you," Kerry informed her as she made her friend/un-official girlfriend peer back up at her, "It means so much that you think I could get an A+ plus on this."
"Can I see the rest?"
"Sure."