“You don’t have to stay with us,” Nicky said kindly, taking a sip of his cocktail. Nile thought it was a Cosmopolitan, something she wouldn’t have expected Nicky to drink. She’d had him pegged as a wine guy, and Joe as a beer guy.
Joe, at least, had proven her right. He had a strong arm thrown over Nicky’s shoulders, and was deep in conversation with Andy. The woman was drinking tequila straight, and Nile was more than a little frightened of her.
“I like you guys though,” Nile said with a grin.
Nicky took another sip of his drink, a soft smile on his face. Nile loved Nicky’s smiles. They made her feel safe and so incredibly loved. He and Joe were just amazing. As was Andy, but Andy still frightened her in a way.
“You’re going to be stuck with Joe and me for centuries, cara,” Nicky pointed out. “And I’ve seen you eyeing that woman over there. She’s eying you back, if that’s what’s holding you back.”
Nile looked over to the woman she had, admittedly, been eying for a brief moment, before swinging her gaze back to Nicky.
His smile faded, and he reached over, brushing a braid over her shoulder. He and Joe had spent the better part of an afternoon installing box braids for her, and Nile still felt weepy when she thought about it. She’d asked them how they’d learned, and they had launched into another story, this one about a young girl they had fostered. There had been grief in the story, as the woman was long since dead, but also joy. Nile hoped she’d be able to talk about her mother and brothers that way someday.
“We love you, Nile,” he said, taking her hand gently. “We all do.”
Nile blinked back tears at the acceptance in his voice.
“I don’t even know…” she trailed off, not sure what she was going to say. The words died the moment she started to say them.
Joe looked over from his conversation with Andy, grinning widely at her. “Go have fun, Nile!” he said, pulling Nicky a little closer. “We’re being boring.”
Andy snorted, standing and stretching slowly. “Speak for yourselves,” she scolded. “I’m plenty fun.”
Nile laughed. Joe and Nicky were that old married couple and knew it, while Andy was certainly more wild.
Joe laughed loudly and happily. “Sure, boss,” he teased.
Andy rolled her eyes and stalked away. Nile decided she didn’t want to know what the other woman was going to get up to.
Nicky squeezed her hand again. “We would love for you to stay with us -”
“- but won’t be offended if you go have some fun. We know you love us, kid.” Joe finished.
Nile shook her head. “I like spending time with the two of you,” she protested honestly.
Joe grinned. “And we love spending time with you. But don’t want to hold you back.”
Nile finished her beer. “You’re not,” she promised. “I…” she trailed off. “I’d rather stay with you two right now, unless you want some time alone. Then I can totally clear off.” She wiggled her eyebrows to show that she wouldn’t be offended if they did want some to themselves, but was also feeling suddenly fragile and unsure of herself, and didn’t want to be alone.
No matter how stunning the woman at the bar was.
Her emotions were a mess, and she didn’t want to deal with them. Not now. She knew she would have to at some point, but not tonight. Tonight she wanted to enjoy the live music and be with her new family. She felt safe with Joe and Nicky, and knew herself well enough to know that’s what she needed.
Joe smiled at her, eyes kind, and Nile knew he and Nicky understood.
“Wing eating contest then?” he asked.
She laughed, snorting when Nicky rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
“You’re on, old man!” she grinned.
Nicky mumbled something under his breath in a language Nile did not understand, but she knew him well enough to figure out he was making a comment about the food. She didn’t mind - it was part of his charm. She’d had a lot of fun eating frozen pizza, just to see his reaction.
“Old man!” Joe laughed, white teeth flashing behind his well groomed beard. “Just for that, I’m not going to go easy on you!”
Nile stuck out her tongue, but felt considerably lighter.
She had all the time in the world to figure things out. Right now she wanted to spend time with her new family, feeling loved and safe. Not worrying about whether or not she liked women.
Nicky smiled at her again, kind and soft, and Nile leaned over to kiss his cheek, then Joe’s. She really did love them.
Re: Nile/Dizzy, Nile/OFCs, Exploration of Nile's sexuality 2/4
Joe, at least, had proven her right. He had a strong arm thrown over Nicky’s shoulders, and was deep in conversation with Andy. The woman was drinking tequila straight, and Nile was more than a little frightened of her.
“I like you guys though,” Nile said with a grin.
Nicky took another sip of his drink, a soft smile on his face. Nile loved Nicky’s smiles. They made her feel safe and so incredibly loved. He and Joe were just amazing. As was Andy, but Andy still frightened her in a way.
“You’re going to be stuck with Joe and me for centuries, cara,” Nicky pointed out. “And I’ve seen you eyeing that woman over there. She’s eying you back, if that’s what’s holding you back.”
Nile looked over to the woman she had, admittedly, been eying for a brief moment, before swinging her gaze back to Nicky.
His smile faded, and he reached over, brushing a braid over her shoulder. He and Joe had spent the better part of an afternoon installing box braids for her, and Nile still felt weepy when she thought about it. She’d asked them how they’d learned, and they had launched into another story, this one about a young girl they had fostered. There had been grief in the story, as the woman was long since dead, but also joy. Nile hoped she’d be able to talk about her mother and brothers that way someday.
“We love you, Nile,” he said, taking her hand gently. “We all do.”
Nile blinked back tears at the acceptance in his voice.
“I don’t even know…” she trailed off, not sure what she was going to say. The words died the moment she started to say them.
Joe looked over from his conversation with Andy, grinning widely at her. “Go have fun, Nile!” he said, pulling Nicky a little closer. “We’re being boring.”
Andy snorted, standing and stretching slowly. “Speak for yourselves,” she scolded. “I’m plenty fun.”
Nile laughed. Joe and Nicky were that old married couple and knew it, while Andy was certainly more wild.
Joe laughed loudly and happily. “Sure, boss,” he teased.
Andy rolled her eyes and stalked away. Nile decided she didn’t want to know what the other woman was going to get up to.
Nicky squeezed her hand again. “We would love for you to stay with us -”
“- but won’t be offended if you go have some fun. We know you love us, kid.” Joe finished.
Nile shook her head. “I like spending time with the two of you,” she protested honestly.
Joe grinned. “And we love spending time with you. But don’t want to hold you back.”
Nile finished her beer. “You’re not,” she promised. “I…” she trailed off. “I’d rather stay with you two right now, unless you want some time alone. Then I can totally clear off.” She wiggled her eyebrows to show that she wouldn’t be offended if they did want some to themselves, but was also feeling suddenly fragile and unsure of herself, and didn’t want to be alone.
No matter how stunning the woman at the bar was.
Her emotions were a mess, and she didn’t want to deal with them. Not now. She knew she would have to at some point, but not tonight. Tonight she wanted to enjoy the live music and be with her new family. She felt safe with Joe and Nicky, and knew herself well enough to know that’s what she needed.
Joe smiled at her, eyes kind, and Nile knew he and Nicky understood.
“Wing eating contest then?” he asked.
She laughed, snorting when Nicky rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
“You’re on, old man!” she grinned.
Nicky mumbled something under his breath in a language Nile did not understand, but she knew him well enough to figure out he was making a comment about the food. She didn’t mind - it was part of his charm. She’d had a lot of fun eating frozen pizza, just to see his reaction.
“Old man!” Joe laughed, white teeth flashing behind his well groomed beard. “Just for that, I’m not going to go easy on you!”
Nile stuck out her tongue, but felt considerably lighter.
She had all the time in the world to figure things out. Right now she wanted to spend time with her new family, feeling loved and safe. Not worrying about whether or not she liked women.
Nicky smiled at her again, kind and soft, and Nile leaned over to kiss his cheek, then Joe’s.
She really did love them.
Even if Joe was going to go down.