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Walking into Publick Occurrences felt like running headlong into a firing squad.
It won't be that bad, Nora tried to tell herself. Don't stress. Far easier said than done. After their confrontation, the honest way Piper bared her concern, she knew she had to say something about this crush she'd been harboring for weeks. Piper deserved to know. Whether she felt the same was still questionable, at least in Nora's eyes.
Friends can care that deeply about each other, right? She could argue her thoughts back and forth forever, but that wouldn't change a damn thing. She watched Piper unlace her boots, watched her climb the stairs to her terminal. She sighed, knowing that no matter what sort of inner turmoil she may have, Piper needed some time to write.
Nora's work for the day was done, at least. She fell onto the couch, exhaling all the way from the pit of her stomach. She eased her boots off before flicking the radio on. Static greeted her for a moment, then the upbeat swing tune of music hit her ears.
"...There'll be fifteen minutes of teasing, fifteen minutes of pleasing-"
Face flushing, she jammed her finger against the dial and silenced the machine. "Nevermind," she muttered, her palm smacking her forehead.
"You okay down there?"
"Just fine!"
"Hey, Blue..." Piper's chair scraped against the floor. Nora watched the journalist descend the stairs, smiled as she plopped down on the couch next to her. "You wrote a ton of papers in school, right?"
"More than I can count."
"Mind offering a little writing advice?" Piper eased herself against the arm of the couch, one leg sliding over the other, her arm draping over the back. "How do you get your words out when they don't wanna flow?"
"Well," Nora tapped her bottom lip. "You can't force it out. If I tried to write when I wasn't feeling it, I'd just end up scrapping the whole paper anyway. Sometimes you can't write about what you should be writing because there's something inside you blocking it up."
"What do you mean?" Piper leaned closer, eyes focused and intense. Nora knew that look. When Piper wanted to suss out a story, dig deeper into the unknown, she'd pour herself completely into the moment, cling onto every word. Nora swallowed, hoping no one else could hear the erratic thump of her heart.
Here goes nothing.
"When you write, you're showing just a little piece of yourself to the world. Doesn't matter if its an analysis of a legal hearing, an article about a corrupt merchant cartel, or a private journal. You don't just put words onto paper. You bleed out a part of your soul. You have to be honest. Open. Otherwise everyone reading will see right through it. So if there's something inside of you that you're afraid to show, you can't write."
Nora watched Piper's throat bob, watched her gaze drop to her lap, never finding the right place to land. She sat patiently, watched as Piper frowned, the little crease in her brow furrowing.
"Even if you have to write out your feelings and never let anyone read it, at least you got it out." Nora thought over her words, wondering if they'd even hit the mark. Was she just waxing poetic about something she really didn't know? Maybe she was wasting time with all this talk, drowning out her increasingly worried thoughts with filler. She could spend weeks easing the conversation in the right direction, or she could just say it. The fear of driving Piper away scared her far more than deathclaws or even the Institute. Jesus Christ, she thought. You went to law school. You're supposed to be good at getting your point across through words. Just bite the bullet and tell her! Swallowing her insecurities down, Nora steeled herself.
Piper stood before she could speak, fiddling uncomfortably with her hands."What fun would that be? I mean, if no one ever reads what you have to say, what's the point of even saying it?"
"Find someone you trust, then. Someone who won't judge you or criticize you. Someone who's hands you can bleed your heart right into, and all they'll do is tuck it neatly back in your chest."
"Blue, I..."
Nora knew her moment was drawing quickly to a close. Piper seemed more flustered than ever. She willed herself onto her feet.
"Thanks." Piper turned her attention on Nora, eyes clear and intent. Nora gulped. "For the advice, I mean. This is gonna sound silly, but... its been a rough few years. I thought everything would turn around after I started writing the paper, but people changed. I was starting to think the only person I could rely on was my little sis."
"You can count on me." Nora took a step closer, even when her legs threatened to crumple underneath her.
"I know I can." A smile tugged at the corners of Piper's lips. "You're not afraid of me like everyone else. I've needed someone like you in my life for a long time, Blue. I just never thought I'd actually get them." Her chin dropped, her gaze falling to the ground. She fidgeted for a moment, hands pulling at her gloves. She glanced up through thick lashes, her cheeks coloring the barest shade of rose. "Thank you. For being the friend I can count on."
Now or never, dammit.
"You've been an amazing friend to me." Nora toyed with the waist of her jumpsuit, unable to look Piper in the eye. Her throat seized up, words tumbling out of her mouth hoarse and shrill. "But...all this time we've spent together...I want to be more than just friends."
"Oh..." The sound fell from Piper's lips just above a whisper, causing Nora's stomach to drop. She contemplated running for the door, but waited, face growing warmer by the second. "I, uh, I mean I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about you in that way - not that I'm always thinking that way..."
A flood of relief washed over Nora. She raised her eyes just enough to catch the adorable way Piper tried to sidestep something she admitted. She kept quiet, waiting for the journalist's thought to finish.
"It's just, Blue," she paused, pacing back and forth again, her hands darting through the air in rhythm with her words. Her voice wavered with uncertainty. "I'm loud and pushy and constantly getting in over my head. Why would someone like you ever want someone like me?"
"You don't need to be flawless, Piper." Nora closed the distance between them, brushing her hands over Piper's. "You're perfect for me."
She smelled sweet and light this close. She could feel Piper's hands trembling, her breath stutter. She leaned in, lips pressing softly together. She couldn't think, couldn't feel anything besides the fullness of Piper's lips against hers and the erratic floundering of her heart. Piper gripped her hands tighter, fingers interlacing, as she pressed deeper into the kiss. Nora cursed her lungs when they burned for air, reluctantly pulling away just enough to inhale.
"Perfect, huh?" Piper murmured as their noses touched, foreheads pressing together. "That's a new one. I...I think you're perfect too."
Nora dove back in for another kiss, her confidence bolstered. Eager lips met hers, the tiniest hum resonating from Piper's throat. Nora tugged her hands, edging the other woman back toward the couch. She followed, sitting close enough for Nora to feel her pulse against her chest. Piper's lips parted and Nora took the cue, her tongue languidly swiping across Piper's bottom lip. When the tips of their tongues met, she felt a burst of warmth in her entire body, starting deep in her stomach and spreading all the way down to her toes. She sighed, tilting her head to deepen the contact. Her hands snaked around Piper's waist, urging her into her lap.
Click, click ca-thunk.
"Hey sis, you home?"
Nora was on her feet and halfway across the room before she could even blink. She buried her face in her hands, the heat threatening to scorch her skin. She didn't dare look at Nat.
"Oh, h-hey Nat." Piper couldn't act casual for the life of her. "How was school?"
"It's night time, sis. Did you hit your head again?"
"Is it...is it that late? Wow, time flies when you're busy writing the next thrilling issue of the paper, huh? You, uh, want something to eat?"
Nora felt Nat's eyes boring into her. She couldn't just stand there without saying anything. Mustering her most convincing smile, she twirled around.
"You two are really weird. I hope I'm not weird when I'm as old as you."
"Geez, Nat. I'm not that old." Piper frowned.
Nat sighed with annoyance, her eyes rolling. "I was coming home to get my stuff. Nina said I could stay at her house tonight."
"Oh..oh, that sounds like fun!" Piper got to her feet, following Nat over to her side of the room. "Just promise you won't bother Mr. Rodriguez too much."
Nora waited patiently as the sisters bantered back and forth. Her nerves were still on fire, her insides a fevered soup of emotions. She found her way back to the couch, sitting with her hands tucked at her sides. She waved goodbye as Nat left. Piper stood by the door for a solid minute, making sure Nat found her way safely. Finally satisfied, she shut and locked both doors, turning her attention back to Nora.
"Any chance we could pick up where we left off?" Piper asked. Nora smirked, patting the spot beside her. Her breath hitched, though, as she watched Piper's eyes darken, half lidded and brimming with eagerness. She sauntered over, hands easing her gloves off first, then unfastening the belt of her coat. Nora licked her dry lips as she watched the fabric slip from Piper's arms, only a plain shirt and pants clinging to her. Tossing her hat onto the coffee table, Piper slipped into Nora's lap, her thighs straddling the other woman's hips. Nora melted at the touch. Her head lulled back against the wall, a soft sigh escaping her lips as Piper slid a hand behind her neck.
They kissed again, this time without the tentative newness. Nora darted her tongue forward, tracing over the tops of Piper's lips, savoring the way she tasted like fruity gum. She barely had time to think before she realized Piper had taken her bottom lip between her own, teeth gently nibbling the tender skin. Her back arched, hands finding their way to Piper's hips.
"I'm not...moving too fast, am I?" Piper lifted herself just enough for their eyes to meet.
Nora gently shook her head. "I've thought about doing this for a long time."
"Why didn't you say anything before?" Piper cupped Nora's face, thumb running over the line of her jaw.
"I couldn't risk you rejecting me."
"Blue, you know you're special to me. I could never reject you." Piper kissed along her cheek, lips drifting over her eyelashes and landing delicately against her forehead. "I'm really starting to think you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"When I woke up from cryo, I thought I'd reached rock bottom. I thought I lost everything, everyone who mattered, who loved me. Not just my life, but the world I lived in. All gone. And it only felt like a couple of hours to me. Not two hundred years. Those first few days, I didn't know how to live, because I felt like a ghost. But when I met you, you did something to me. Suddenly there was color. There was music and feeling. And I felt like I could actually breathe. Sometimes I still feel like a stranger. But you make me feel like I belong."
Piper sat silent, her eyes searching Nora's for what seemed like an eternity.
"That's..." She stopped, eyes falling shut for a moment. "That's so sad, but really sweet, too. I think that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."
"I mean every word of it. I don't care if you're nosy or pushy or whatever else you may think you are. You, Piper Wright, are everything to me."
Nora felt her head teased backward as a downpour of kisses fell over her face, lips warm and tender. Piper focused on the corners of her mouth, moving to the edge of her jaw and back to her ear. Nora's breath stuttered in her throat, eyes lulling back in her head.
"You know I wasn't lying about the pushy part."
"I can be pushy too." Nora snapped her attention back. She tensed her arms, using all her strength to flip Piper to the side, laying her gently against the couch. Piper yelped in surprise at the sudden movement, but her shock turned to excitement as Nora hovered over her. "God, you're...so beautiful."
"Goodness, Blue," Piper chided, her cheeks growing impossibly redder. "You really know how to make a girl blush." Hands found their way behind Nora's neck, tugging her down. Their bodies fell flush together, meshing in a perfect series of curves and dips. Nora pressed her lips to Piper's jaw, kissing a wet trail from the juncture of her neck up to her ear. Piper's body grew taut as her tongue danced along the shell of her ear. Airy moans rewarded her touches. Nora dragged her hand down Piper's side to the bottom of her shirt, fingers slipping just under the hem.
"Is this okay?" she whispered into Piper's ear.
"Its more than okay, Blue." Piper placed her hand over Nora's, forcing it up the flat plane of her stomach to the swell of her breast. "I want this."
Nora felt her brain short circuit. A slow purr rumbled from her throat. She lowered herself, tucking her legs between Piper's. Her fingers brushed along the fabric of Piper's bra, ghosting across the surface until she reached the peak of her breast. Piper clamped down on her wrist, her back arching into the touch. Her lips found their way back to the other woman's throat as her fingers delicately played against the material of her bra, skin stiffening underneath.
Pulling away, Nora chuckled at the disappointed look on Piper's face. Smirking, she slipped both hands under Piper's shirt and yanked it over her head. She spared a lone second to admire the view of the journalist underneath her, squirming at the attention, before deftly undoing her bra. Nora plunged back in, kissing from Piper's neck, down to her collarbone and settling between the valley of her breasts. Her hand returned to its previous spot, idly drawing slow circles around a pert nipple.
Piper's legs wrapped around Nora's waist, pushing her closer against her. She hissed at the feel of heat against her thigh. Hands where in her hair, down her back, against her neck. Nora moaned softly against Piper's chest, a growing pressure coiling up in her core.
"No fair, Blue," Piper whimpered. "I can't figure out how to undo this stupid jumpsuit."
"Let me do the honors." Nora lifted up, kneeling over Piper. She already missed and craved the contact, but she knew the wait would be worth it. She grabbed at the zipper hidden in her collar, pulling it down at a tortuous pace, one click at a time. Piper's chest heaved as she watched, the flush on her face spreading down her neck. Her fingers twitched impatiently.
"I never pictured you as such a tease." Her hands shot up as soon as the jumpsuit fell past Nora's shoulders. Piper yanked the clothing down her torso, fingers greedily exploring her stomach before inching closer to her breasts. Nora bit her bottom lip as Piper reached her own bra, tossing it into the growing pile of discarded clothing. "That sneak peek I got was nice, but you're even more gorgeous up close."
"I still need to kick Cait's ass for that." Nora leaned down, diving into another kiss, heated and needy. Piper giggled against her lips.
"Mmm, I dunno." She nuzzled her nose against Nora's ear, nipping at the bottom of her lobe. "I thought about buying her a round for it."
"I hope you don't plan on teaming up with her. There are much better ways of catching me naked."
"As I'm learning." Without warning, Piper's hand slid between their bodies, nails dragging against Nora's stomach. She pushed lower until the tips of her fingers reached Nora's underwear, dragging mind-numbingly slow patterns over the already damp fabric. Nora gasped, a sharp intake of air that echoed through the entire room. Her eyes screwed shut, hands gripping tightly at Piper's arms.
Oh my god. She could barely process anything besides the pressure against her. She dared to open her eyes, catching Piper's gaze filled with curiosity and want. Her jaw hung open, breaths shallow and fast.
"This is...too much, isn't it?" Piper withdrew her hand just an inch, fingers lifting off Nora's skin.
"No. God, no. Its - its perfect." Nora urged her hand back, voice stammering against quickening gulps of air. Her grip traveled from Piper's arms back to her breasts, fingers teasing the already stiffened peaks. A long, rasping moan bubbled up from Piper's chest, her fingers dipping below the band of Nora's underwear. She felt the room spin as Piper found the most sensitive spot, lazily running circles around the hardened bud of nerves.
"F-f-fuck!" Nora toppled forward, losing her concentration. Her elbows fell against the couch on either side of Piper's head as she buried her face in dark strands of hair. She could feel Piper grin against her chest, warm puffs of air tickling between her breasts. Her skin buzzed, nerves standing on end, as Piper kissed every inch she could reach. She nearly lost her grip on reality, though, when Piper's hand slid lower, down to the tight ring of muscles slick with heat. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move as one, then two fingers slipped inside of her, steadily pumping in and out. Her whole body twitched involuntarily when the palm of Piper's hand sat against her clit, her pace quickening.
"Blue..." Fluttering breaths against her chest brought her somewhat back to reality. "You're so tense. I'm not hurting you, am I?"
Was she really so tense, or did Piper simply not realize how crazy the drawl of her fingers drove her? The steadily building wave of heat in her core grew sharper, winding up tighter and tighter as she urged Piper forward.
"Don'tstoppleasedon'tstop." She clenched her teeth, face pressed hard against Piper's forehead. For once, since this entire nightmare began, she felt every nerve in her body awake and alive. Her hips moved with the rhythm Piper's hand establishing, bucking harder against the friction.
Piper craned her neck, mouth brushing over her ear. Her voice sunk right into Nora's chest, husky and tender. "Just let go, doll."
"Oh my-" The coiling pressure inside of her snapped, unspooling into a melody of cries and gasps, her body jerking against her will. Her arms clutched at Piper's shoulders for dear life, the fear of falling right off the precipice and never returning real and there. Oh god, there, right there don't let this moment ever stop.
Collapsed, shaky breaths wracked her body, her arms and legs long since buckled under the strain. Piper's hand still rested inside her, gently coaxing out the last of her aftershocks. She withdrew it, a wet slosh reaching Nora's ears. She kept her face firmly against Piper's shoulder, not sure if she'd ever be ready for this to end.
Piper tucked her hand under Nora's chin, urging her up. "W-wow, Blue...I. That was..."
"...Incredible."
"I don't think I've ever...done that to anyone." Piper scanned Nora's face, eyes meek and searching. She brushed stray strands of hair and tucked them behind Nora's ear.
"Upstairs," Nora huffed, forcing her muscles to push her to her feet. "Now." She grabbed Piper's hands, leading her off the couch and up toward her bed. Piper followed, scrambling up the stairs as quickly as she could. She sat on the edge of the mattress, nibbling her bottom lip. Nora leaned in, pushing, demanding, forcing Piper closer to the headboard until she lay on her back, knees up, face flushed and anxious. Nora's hands instantly went to buttons and zippers, flinging pants off the other woman with an urgency that caused the journalist to go wide-eyed, fingers clinging to the mattress.
Nora paused, admiring the prize below her. Piper lay with legs splayed out, eyes half-lidden and wanting, chest rising and falling in a pattern that matched the fluttering of her own heartbeat. Their lips met again, noisy gasps mixed with the sliding of fabric as Nora pushed the rest of her jumpsuit down her legs. She kissed steadily downward, once on Piper's neck, then to the hollow of her throat, across each breast, then further past her navel. She paused at the small bit of clothing separating her from the treasure she truly wanted. Piper let out a frustrated sigh, hooking her thumbs on the band of her underwear and slipping them off herself.
"Don't just stare, Blue," she murmured, voice breaking, writhing under her gaze. Nora grabbed Piper's legs, hands sliding down her thighs as she lifted them over her shoulders, settling between them. Piper smelled sweet and heavy, the scent dizzying and irresistible all at the same time. Nora wanted to take her time, wanted to drag the moment out for hours - days, if she could. But she saw Piper holding her breath, legs trembling against the sides of her head. She glanced up, her gaze warm and reassuring upon Piper's nervous stare.
And she kissed, light, just enough for moisture to coat her bottom lip, enough to make one long, rattling breath escape Piper's mouth, her body relaxing into the bed. She dipped her tongue between velvet warmth, savoring every taste, every twitch and moan and stutter.
Piper's hand gripped into her hair, fingers grappling for something to keep her from jerking senselessly. Nora hummed against her, tongue sliding through wetness until she found her stiff bud of nerves. Piper yelped, pushing against Nora's head, legs falling further apart.
"There, Blue. Please-" She didn't need to beg. Nora wrapped her lips around the sensitive point, tongue lapping steadily as she urged, coaxed the jolting, tensing, gasping right out of Piper. She dipped her hand below her chin, fingers circling around her entrance. Muscles clamped down around her as she pushed gently in, curling up against a swollen patch of skin inside.
"Oh god, Blue!" Piper's hips lifted off the bed, crashing back down with a thump. Nora held on, anchoring herself in place with her free hand. A moment of flailing passed before they found a tempo, Piper crying her name, Nora savoring the flood of fluid coating her chin, the tight pull on her finger, the pressure against the back of her head. Heels dug into her back as she pushed in further, a second finger adding to the pressure.
"I'm...I'm gonna-"
Yes yes please yes, Nora thought, flicking her tongue faster, voice rumbling up from her chest and against Piper. Thighs clamped down around Nora's ears, hips bucking wildly as Piper came completely undone. She cried, deep and throaty and desperate, nails digging into Nora's scalp. Nora nearly lost herself over the edge again as she kept the pressure steady, dragging the moment out as long as Piper could stand before her legs fell limply on either side. She pulled her fingers out, tongue running down to relish the last of her taste before she crawled up Piper's body.
The two laid there, a tangle of limbs and sweat, panting, eyes fluttering shut. Nora fumbled for the sheets, draping the thin material over their bodies. Piper's hand found the curve of her hip, pulling them closer together. Silence fell over the room as their breathing evened out. Nora didn't dare speak, for some fear that maybe this perfect moment would shatter. She nuzzled her face into Piper's neck, burning every detail of the evening to memory. Minutes pass as the two lay basking in each others presence. Nora felt her body just about to drift off when Piper spoke.
"Hey Blue." Piper shifted until their noses nearly touched. "I think I can write my next article now."
"Oh really?" Nora couldn't stop herself from snickering, her brow quirked at Piper's choice in post sex conversation.
"I'll call it 'My 200 Year Old Girlfriend.' That would sell faster than we could print."
"Girlfriend, huh?" Nora squeezed around Piper's middle. "Are we official?"
"I, uh..." Piper froze, stuttering as the realization of her words hit her. "I mean, after all that, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea - not that I'm trying to force it or anything-"
"I would be absolutely flattered to be your girlfriend."
"Really?"
"Should I get down on one knee?"
"Blue!" Piper swatted at Nora's head, her grin stretching from one ear to the other. "This is serious."
"I know." Nora urged Piper to flip around, pulling her backside firmly against her hips. She nestled her face against Piper's shoulder, her hand gently sliding across the other's stomach. "I'm serious about you. I couldn't ask for anything better."
"Neither could I, Blue." Piper's hand found Nora's, their fingers intertwining. "Neither could I."