[bananaspazzifavs]

Pazzi Fic Favorites

These are my personal favorite Pazzi authors and fics. Some notes:

Major themes: heavy storylines, mature plot, smut, fluff, sub!P

Most are links to reblogs, in case the fic itself is taken down. Otherwise I linked masterlists if I felt the entire blog was great.

Please let me know if you'd like to be removed from this list, or if you'd like me to change my description of your blog!!

Oneshot Favorites

Oneshot Favorites Pt 2 (newer stuff)

Series Favorites

[bananaspazzifavs]

do you know which fanfic had paige and azzi are trying to set boundaries but then azzi gets in the ice bath with paige and asks her to finger her?

Found it! Sorry I Took so Long Ch 8, a classic by @pazzifudd535

[wecrytogether]

GREEDY (long-ish blurb)

contains: brat!azzixpleasuredom!paige. porn without plot. dirty talk. dry humping mid-air. cum eating(?). kitchen sex. BRAT TAMER NATION RISE. mean!paige. shower sex. biting. overstimulation as a form of punishment. oral sex (a recieving). ass eating. strap. strap referred to as paige's dick. degradation (slut). dacryphilia. thumb in da booty. implied aftercare.

word count: 4.2k

niyah speaks: this is a blurb i wrote in an ovulation haze and then when i re-read it, i hated it. so i put on pnd4 and edited it... and i still hate it :/ but! i promised @hcneymooners i'd post it, and it also helped me ge tout of my writing slump (s/o @pbaz7 for #inspiring with the newest chapter of btl) so maybe i'll finally finish ldayluam chapter four. proof read(not really) as alway, enjoyyy and ttm about it in the inbox.

ONE

over the course of their relationship, paige had grown accustomed to how needy azzi was. it wasn't like she was that way on purpose. it was just natural for azzi to want everything she could possibly get her hands on. the difference between paige and the average human being was, she wholeheartedly believed that azzi deserved everything she ever thought of wanting.

and they were older now— less clumsy and more sure. but paige was just as dedicated to giving azzi what she wanted as she'd ever been. and all day, azzi wanted a reaction out of paige.

they'd gone to the state fair together, and azzi had made it her personal mission to drive paige absolutely insane. she'd been touching and feeling and whispering little devious nothings, and then she'd separate herself with a giggle and a scratch of her nails against paige's forearms. paige had spent all day with azzi pressed against her, holding her— teasing her. she'd been teasing her. she knew what the fuck she'd been doing. and she knew that there was nothing paige could really do about it until they got home.

they were home now.

it started merely as a placing of hands. paige just wanted to touch her at first. she wanted to touch her over and over again and drive her crazy so that they'd be even.

so after she locked their front door, paige crept up behind azzi, who was putting their food in the refrigerator, and slid her arms around so that one hand was splayed across azzi's ribs, and the other was just outside of her inner thigh. they were almost the same height, but azzi was so small in paige's hands.

the moment paige touched her, azzi fell into the woman behind her. she tossed her head against paige's shoulder, and pressed her ass into paige's hips and let out a long breath through her nose.

"hi, baby." she cooed, trying to take paige's hands in hers.

this was how she did it. how she got everyone to bend to her will. she'd drive them right to the edge and then turn soft and pliable like nothing had happened at all.

paige knew better.

she rotated her wrist before azzi could interlock their fingers so instead, she took azzi's wrists in her hands and held them tight.

"hey, mama." paige smiled into azzi's shoulder, amused at the gasp her girlfriend let out. "you okay?"

"mhm." azzi breathed out, and when paige opened her mouth and sucked at dip between azzi's neck and collarbone, she nodded her head as if that action solidified the answer.

paige kept kissing at azzi's neck, taking her time with it. her mouth moved slow, down to azzi's shoulder then all the way back up to her ear. she abused the flesh, scraping her teeth along it before alleviating it with her tongue. her hands wandered, slipping under azzi's shirt and over her ass.

she wanted to stay there for a while, dragging it out. holding her girlfriend against her, soaking in every whine azzi let out. but then azzi turned in her arms and pressed her lips to paige's and well… plans change.

azzi's mouth was hot against paige's. her whole body was warm, a flame burning through every layer of clothes between them. she was so fucking beautiful. five feet eleven inches of smooth brown skin and raw fucking greed.

she was so damn greedy. but maybe paige was, too. because she deepened the kiss, wanting more of azzi— wanting all of azzi. she pressed her against the now-closed refrigerator and hooked one of her legs around her. they were closer. no space between them. azzi was eating it up, her hands moving against whatever piece of paige she could get to. she was grinding, bending her spine however she could to get some sort of relief. 

paige knew she wanted more because she was azzi and azzi was insatiable. but that was the point, wasn't it? paige would always give her all that she wanted.

a gasp slipped from azzi's throat when paige lifted her other leg up, sweeping her complety off the ground and into the fridge. paige swallowed it, opening her mouth wider against azzi's.

azzi was like putty in her hands, locking her ankles beind paige's back and holding her shoulders. somewhere in paige's brain, she smiled because azzi trusted that she would keep her up. she felt safe in paige's hands. but the forefront of her brain told her to laugh, because azzi was absolutely not safe in paige's hands. she was pissed off and horny with a point to prove— never a safe situation.

especially not with azzi's pussy burning through her biker shorts. paige could feel it, and she moaned at the sensation before licking from azzi's mouth her jaw. her fingers curled around the ass in her palms. there was so much heat meeting her at every touch. she was obsessed. with the way azzi felt, the way she smelled, the way she sounded.

she was already moaning in paige's ear, her forehead pressed to the blondes temple. she was squeezing paige's shoulders so tight, she knew they'd be bruised. obviously, she didn't give a damn. no, she was too busy trying to get into azzi's shorts. 

literally. 

there was no space between them, so it was an awkward journey, but paige got there. she slid her hand passed the band of azzi's shorts, then her panties, until she felt azzi's mess right above her pussy. she was soaked, leaking all over herself.

she was hungry for it— desperate even.

god, paige could feel it. she pressed her palm against azzi's mound, and the moment she did so, she felt azzi grind down against it, her pussy leaving a sopping trail behind with each pass. she whined in paige's ear before kissing her again. azzi's thumb brushed along paige's throat before she slid her hands into her hair. 

"baby," azzi whined, the word ending with a wet crack. "you feel so good."

she didn't stop fucking herself against paige's hand, and paige didn't stop sucking at the skin of azzi's neck. in an ordinary situation, paige would have slid two fingers into azzi and finger fucked her against the fridge until she came all over herself. but this wasn't an ordinary situation, and paige wasn't in the mood to make it easy. she pulled her hand out of azzi's shorts. when azzi whined and stopped the movement of her hips, paige took her wet hand and gripped her jaw.

"chase it, mama." paige bit out, gently shaking azzi's head. "you want it?"

azzi nodded, eyes closed and panting. "mhm,"

she was already a bit of a mess. they'd hardly done anything yet and azzi was already reaching peak pillow princess mode, where she didn't want to do a damn thing but be taken care of.

tuh.

paige smiled a little and tapped azzis cheek before locking her hands together under her ass. "go get it, then."

azzi opened her eyes and looked at paige. it was only a few seconds, but paige was watching her in slow motion. she watched azzi's whole face change, going from its frustrated scrunch to a soft pout. in real time, paige watched her brows soften and her lips untighten. 

something evil in paige lit up watching azzi realize what was about to happen to her. watching her mentally prepare herself to be put through hell. a sense of pride hit her, too, when she felt azzi's hips start to roll against her stomach.

paige's shirt had ridden up, but there was still layers of clothes between them. either way, azzi wouldn't be stopped. she wanted to cum, even if she had to work for it this time. she moved slow at first before eventually speeding up, pressing herself hard against paige's abs. 

paige almost couldn't hold her. she'd almost lost her grip, but, determined to see the fireworks pop in azzi's eyes, she fixed her grip then slapped azzi's ass. 

"work for that shit," she said, moving so her stomach met azzi's pussy halfway. "you feel that?"

"yes baby—fuck," azzi moaned, pushing paige's shirt further up so she could claw at her back. she pulled at the skin, scratched it, soothed it.. 

it felt kind of violent. their pace shook paige's heartbeat out its rhythm, forcing it into something quicker—harder. everything was booming around her. the hum of the refridgerator, the sound of azzi falling apart right in her ear, the sound of her own breath tumbling out of her mouth. everything was being recieved in the largest amount, and paige felt like she was experiencing the best high of her life. 

she had her beautiful girlfriend literally in her arms, humping her like a bitch in heat, about to cum from something as slight as dry humping. she just couldn't believe she had it like that. she kept meeting azzi, kept fueling that fire she knew was building. 

she licked at azzi's neck then moved to her cheek, licking at the wetness there from her hand. she slid her tongue along her face, trying to get every hint of azzi she could. 

"i'm gonna cum," azzi announced, throwing her head back as she took paige's in her hands. "paige, baby you're gonna make me cum."

paige kept going, and when azzi's mouth fell open, and her nails scraped against the edges of paige's scalp, she pressed herself against azzi one last time, hard and sure, and stayed there, letting the orgasm travel through her girlfriend's entire body.

TWO-THREE

paige held azzi's neck as she kissed her against their shower wall. they hadn't washed yet, too busy trying to fuse into one another. she wasn't choking her or anything, she just had her hand there as a reminder that azzi couldn't get out of this. that they were gonna go until paige said they were done. 

"you think you fuckin slick." paige took azzi's nipple between her thumb and index finger and pinched, licking at azzi's bottom lip when her mouth popped open. "but imma show you."

she bent down and took one of azzi's tits into her mouth, swirling her tongue around her nipple before moving to the other one. her free hand crept down the front azzi's body, following the path from her bellybutton to her pussy.

she rolled azzi's clit between her index and middle finger, squeezing it tight between her knuckles. 

azzi's breath caught, her chest shaking as the air tried to fight its way out. when paige delivered two firm slaps to her pussy, she reached to grab her wrist. but when paige rubbed the ball of her palm against her pussy, azzi redirected and placed her hands on paige's hips.

"paige." she said it like it was a warning. with wide eyes and shaking hands, azzi was already close.

that's good. paige thought. she wanted azzi at that edge. she wanted her there all fucking night, just ready to give until she had nothing left. still sucking at azzi's nipple, paige slipped two fingers into her sopping pussy. 

"paige." this time, she said it like a thank you. like she was oh-so-grateful to be getting stretched open. "oh my god."

azzi's back arched off the tile of the shower, shoving her breast further into paige's mouth. her teeth scraped against the skin, and she had to breath though her nose, but paige kept going still. she fucked her fingers into azzi, her pussy taking her in and keeping her there. she curled her fingers so that she was touching the spot that made azzi preen. 

"pussy too fucking good." she kept pushing at the gummy spot, fucking into a whimpering azzi. "that's why you act like that, huh?" she sucked at the knob of bone that appeared everytime azzi sucked in a breath. 

"you wanna fuck around all day because you know you'll have your way, huh?" she kept going down until she was on her knees, where she bit the muscle on azzi's hip until it flushed a deep shade of red. "you just think imma always give you what you want? is that it?" 

fucked out and heaving, azzi leaned over so that her tits were back in paige's face, and her hands were wrapped around her head. she was right there. paige could feel the way azzi was dripping down her wrist, and the way her pussy was spasming around her fingers.

paige leaned up and whispered in azzi's ear. "you'n hear me talking to you?" 

azzi didn't answer, just gripped paige's wet hair. the blonde didn't expect an answer, but she still let the laugh leave her lips because azzi being incoherant from being fucked was almost as adroable as it was sexy as hell. 

she pressed an open mouth kiss to azzi's cheek. "'s okay." she said, crouching down even further. 

"imma give it to you anyway." with what she knew was an evil ass grin, paige slid a third finger, stretching azzi further. "even though you never listen, and you can't answer a simple fucking question, imma give my girl what she wants."

azzi let out a small scream at the addition, but paige knew her girlfriend. knew what she could take. she knew the stretch of it all was something euphoric to azzi. which is why she didn't let her adjust before she upped her speed and wrapped her lips around azzi's clit. 

she sucked at the bud, entirely encouraged by the hot water beating into her back, and the sound of azzi's strangled cries above her. 

"my princess." she groaned into azzi, lapping at her pussy. "so fucking pretty, and this pussy tastes so fucking good."

she continued her pace and multitasking. her arm burned and her hand was cramping, but she kept going because she could see a ring of white pooling around her knuckles.

"im— fuck i'm gonna cum," azzi whimpered into paige's head. "oh my god i'm gonna cum."

and so she did. azzi's knee's buckled when she came, and she began sliding down the wall of the shower but of course, paige caught her. she wasn't done. 

paige slipped her fingers out and grabbed both of azzi's thighs, holding them up against the wall. and she ate, tasting the cum that dribbled down azzi's thighs and the arousal that continued to gloss over the pink of azzi's swollen clit. 

"fuck baby, wait." azzi moved to close her legs, but paige kept them in place, leaning up so she had that much more room. azzi fisted her hair, tugging it before pushing at paige's forehead. "'s too much."

looking up though her lashes, paige pulled away. "oh you can talk now?"

she didn't even give azzi the chance to try and form an answer. she dove back in, sucking azzi's clit back into her mouth.

"shiiiiit." azzi's whole body sputtered, and she threw her head back with a thump against the wall.

paige folded her hands together, placing them flat on azzi's lower belly. she thought it was cute, smirking into her pussy as azzi's hips fought to leave her and her hand spasmed in her hair. she kept her mouth on azzi's clit, swiping her tongue against it in wet passes.

"this is what you wanted right?" paige asked from between her legs, knowing that azzi was about to burst again. she was answered with a scream and a shove into the spray of the shower. 

azzi's legs trembled beneath her, and she slid down the wall landing on her ass. her knees came together and her hand flew between her legs, trying to calm down the feeling that had taken over her. 

paige leaned forward, kissing her girl's forehead. "imma fuck you til you can't take it no more." she pecked her cheek, then her lips. when she pulled away, she held azzi's head so that she had no choice but to focus those big brown pools of want on paige. 

"and then imma fuck you some more."

FOUR-SEVEN

azzi's leg shook in the air as paige's strap broke into her. she let out a low ugh, then threw an arm over her rolling eyes. her marked tits bounced with every slow stroke paige gave her with the strap.

paige tapped her elbow, telling her to put it down. “i wanna see that pretty fucking face when you cum again.” she said, holding azzi's other leg around her waist. "i needa make sure you feel me."

paige was entranced by her view. azzi on her back, bruised and wet and flushed, taking her dick like a fucking champ. she never wanted to forget the sight. she wanted azzi's open mouth and frizzy hair and wet lashes burned into the back of her eyelids.

she leaned in close, forcing azzi's knee to her chest, as she further violated the skin of azzi's neck. she felt azzi's jaw go slack, reaching behind her head to clutch a pillow. 

"you feel me, az?"

"i feel you, baby." azzi nodded into paige's shoulder. "so fuckin full, oh my god." 

"yeah?" still going slow, paige looked between them, watching herself slide in out, hearing the squelch of azzi's messy pussy taking her. "you gonna cum for me again?"

azzi threw her arms around paige's shoulders and dug her teeth into her shoulder, the muscle bending under the bite. they were chest to chest now, tits sliding against each others, breaths fanning each other's ears. 

"gonna cum on my dick?" paige rolled her hips, hitting azzi so deep she knew the girl could taste the orgasm building. "be my little slut and make a mess all over me?"

azzi let out a choked oh shit, before pushing her hips up to meet paige's strokes. 

"so deep," she sighed, clearly towing the line. her voice was strained and tired, and her throat was moving with every swallow, like she was struggling to perform automatic bodily function.

"i'm deep mama?" paige's mouth watered at how tight azzi was against the strap. if she could, she would have done years of scientific research to discover how the fuck she thought she could actually feel the vice grip azzi had on the silicone between her legs. because damn, she swore she could feel that shit, and it had her own pussy throbbing. she placed a hand between them, pushing on azzi's lower belly. "you feel me right here, huh?"

azzi whimpered, eyes crossed under their lids as paige fucked her just a little bit harder. slow, rough, deep strokes were tearing her apart and she could do nothing but exactly what paige wanted. 

"i'm so close, paige." she moaned. "i'm right there."

"do it." paige demanded. "cum, azzi."

screaming into paige's shoulder, azzi came again, cum spilling around paige's strap and staining her thighs.

paige didn't stop, she tugged azzi's trembling leg from over her shoulder so that she was on her side, both legs pressed together against her chest while paige fucked into her faster and harder, gripping and pulling her thigh for momentum. 

"waitwaitwait," azzi keeled over, face buried in the pit between her legs. she reached out for paige's arm, but she was so far gone that she ended up aimlessly flapping her thigh, which was already covered in pebbles of sweat. "its— 's too much— i can't."

paige smiled because yes, azzi could. and she would.

"you did it to yourself, mama." paige said, thrusting her hips as hard as she could. "i'm just giving you what you been wantin."

azzi's ass clapped against her thigh, her whole body rocking with every stroke. her head still buried between her knees but paige could see her mouth moving, stuttering out whatever she could. 

she leaned over—still stroking— and gripped azzi's neck, squeezing a little so she'd raise her head up.

"fucking you like this cuz that's what you asked for." she said, moving her thumb so it slid passed azzi's lips. "'s what you need. you just need to be made a mess."

she looked over her girlfriend. her stubborn, bratty, beautiful girl was tonguing at the pad of paige's thumb and looking at her like she didn't know anything but this. 

"i wish you could see how fucked out you look." paige huffed out a laugh. "pussy just soaking me back in and you got stars in your eyes. eatin it up. drooling all on my pillows, fucking up my sheets"

her pillows. her sheets. her pussy. her tears. her azzi. this was all hers. 

"you like it, don't you?" paige asked, pushing her thumb against azzi's tongue, watching it flatten as she stuck it out. "you like it when i'm turning this pussy inside out? bein slutted out like this?" 

azzi's mouth stayed occupied with paige's thumb. and paige knew azzi was hardly concious, and that she'd let it slide earlier. 

but it was her pussy. her mouth. her azzi. and she could do whatever the hell she wanted with what belonged to her. she ripped her hand away and cracked a palm against azzi's ass.

"answer me."

"yes!" azzi shouted, hugging her knees. "fuck i love it," she cried, tears streaming down her face. "love you— paige you're gonna make me cum again holy shit!"

paige forced azzi's legs apart and swiped her fingers against the puffy flesh, and azzi literally screamed out and balled her hands into fists against her chest as she came again, creaming around the light purple strap. 

paige watched as it smeared across the silicone and fuck she wanted to taste her again. 

she slowed, fucking her through it, still ghosting her fingers over her clit. azzi mewled under her until she realized her throat was raw, and paige took that moment to flip her onto her belly and arch so that she could put her mouth to azzi. 

her tongue rolled through azzi's folds again, her eyes fluttering closed as she fell into it. the groan azzi let out sounded so rough, paige imagined it had to claw it's way out of the woman's throat. she felt azzi trembling, her whole body vibrating as paige palmed at her ass. she spread her open, and licked at azzi's asshole, too. she went on like that, licking azzi from front to back until she was writhing again, wailing that she was about to cum yet again. 

she held her in place and focused all of her attention to azzi's pussy, sticking her tongue in the gummy hole and fucking her that way. she felt azzi's orgasm build around her tongue, and she tasted the tang of that pressure exploding in her mouth. she shook her head, trying to stay in place despite azzi moving so much.

when azzi started to crawl, paige felt herself be taken over by someone she'd never quite met. she popped her head up, strap dangling between her legs. 

"uh-uh." she stood on her feet and lurched forward, grabbing azzi by her hips and dragging all the way to the edge of the bed. "bring yo ass back.

she lined the strap up with azzi's pussy, then gripped both of her shoulders, forcing her back onto it. azzi let out a sob, head hanging foreward as paige began to pound into her. 

"so fucking greedy." she changed her gip, wrapping her hands around each of azzi's biceps from behind. "greedy pussy cryin for me, taking my dick like you'n know what else to do."

azzi kept shaking against her, not moving on her own. she just let herself be pushed and pulled by paige, taking it all. there was nowhere she could go, nothing she could do but take it. 

paige's eyes stayed on azzi's pussy, mesmerized by the way her strap disappeard in azzi. inandout inandout, she kept going. even when her clit was rubbig against the hardness. even when her own orgasm chased her down and washed over. she kept going, fucking and fucking, losing herself in the motion and noise and sight. 

azzi's hands flexed in and out of their fists and and herpussy clenched faster around the strap. and paige knew.

"paige i can't—" azzi weeped. "can't take it."

"yeah you can." paige went even harder, mustering up every bit of motivation she had left. "c'mon gimme one more."

she let go of one of azzi's arms, pinning the other one to her back. she pumped her hips and circled azzi's ass with her thumb. azzi whined, arching into the mattress and fisting the sheets with her free hand. 

"let it go one more time," paige sucked her thumb and pushed it passed the entrance she'd been spiraling, easing it into azzi and she used the arm she was still holding as an achor to dig azzi out. "'t's gonna feel so good. let it go. all over me. lemme pull it outta you, c'mon mama."

and at last, azzi howled into the mattress and jerked forward into a ball at the head of the bed, cupping her pussy and shaking like a leaf in a storm. 

paige, out of breath and overcome with pride, crawled up the bed and took her girlfriend in her arms, hugging her against her chest and let azzi's tears stream against her collarbone.

🏷️ @kehlaniscript @thaatdigitaldiary @hcneymooners @paigefudd

[paigeandahalf]

Drenched in sapphire moonlight - pt2 of it’s all for you

Long overdue, am so sorry but here’s pt2 as promised :)

~Coming of age, wlw yearning, best friends to lovers ofc, homoerotic friendship, heavy on the erotic part, young love, mildly internalized homophobia

Word count : 2.7k

Warnings : smut 😁 but romantic and sweet not so porny

Part 1 here - it’s all for you

Azzi’s bedroom is steeped in blue moonlight, the sound of crickets masking their careful footsteps. Paige turns on the shower in the bathroom connected to Azzi’s room while she tosses their damp towels over the bedframe to dry. She gingerly joins Paige under the water to rinse off the chlorine, as they’d done a hundred times before. Only this time she’d had Paige’s tongue in her mouth ten minutes prior, a notable line they’d yet to cross. They stifle their laughter and tease each other with a newfound lightness. They don’t yet dare discuss the moment they’ve just shared, but it’s recognized nonetheless through the noticeable weight lifted from the air between them. Paige doesn’t feel like she’s choking on Azzi’s presence anymore. She feels giddy and breathless, like nothing could intrude on the delicate sanctuary this room and tiny cabin has brought them. After a final complaint about the heat of the water, Paige excuses herself from the shower.

She stands just outside, watching the droplets fall from her skin onto the fuzzy green bathmat. They bleed a deeper, mossy color as the fabric absorbs them. She reaches back to unclasp her swimsuit top, unintentionally catching a glimpse at the shower beside her. The glass is fogged up and steam curls around them. She can still vaguely make out Azzi’s now nude form from behind the frosted wall. She snaps her head away, suddenly embarrassed. Something about seeing the vague blur of her body from outside the shower feels more intimate than having just been in there with her. She slides her wet bottoms from her body, the material sticking to her knees as she tugs them off. She contemplates hanging the suit from the shower door next to where Azzi’s draped hers, but she decides against it. The breach of their ever so delicate dance of friendship having already complicated things. Before this confirmation of their feelings for one another, they could get away with doing wildly intimate things under the guise of being “just close friends.” Sharing a bed with their limbs entwined and showering together after the lake was allowed to mean nothing when, for all they knew, they were best friends. She’s reminded of the lollipop they shared earlier, just a thing Azzi had found in her backpack and plucked the plastic from as they got ready to walk down to the lake. They passed it back and forth between one another, sometimes with Azzi taking the red sucker out of her mouth with a pop, and placing it right between Paige’s lips. She’d swirl her tongue around it, searching for any flavour of Azzi in the cherry sugar. They’d lock eyes while they did it, reading every micro expression to try and figure out what the other was thinking. It drove Paige crazy. They would push and push, carefully toeing the line of what the other was okay with, having yet to find a limit. This sudden shift meant Paige wasn’t sure what she was allowed to do anymore. She didn’t want Azzi to feel uncomfortable with anything. 24 hours ago, Paige likely would’ve thrown her wet top over the shower wall and attempted to hit Azzi in the face with it. She opts to leave it on the window sill.

The sound of crickets takes over as the muffled hum of water stops.

Paige is sitting on the side of the bed, held up by the heels of her palms when Azzi steps out of the bathroom. She looks half zoned out, her gaze turning to Azzi as she’s absorbed by the sliver of orange light swallowing the bedroom as it pours from the bathroom door. For once, she looks almost bashful, her eyes on Azzi as she flicks off the light. As her eyes adjust to the darkness, she takes in the girl on her bed. She’s in gray calvin klein boxers and a thin white t-shirt that looks almost blue in the moonlight. She looks pretty. Her low messy bun and the few escaped strands dripping water onto her shirt. The peaks of her breasts through the thin material and the way that despite her timid expression, she sits relaxed with her legs slightly apart. Azzi takes a step toward her, the floor creaking lightly beneath her feet. Both girls jump, instinctively looking toward the door to the hallway. Their eyes meet again, both enjoying a breathless giggle.

Azzi’s right above her now. Paige smiles, blinking up at her as she breathes in the scent of her skin. Some type of sweet, tropical lotion and the familiar floral smell of her curls. She rakes her eyes down her body, over the little black tank top and her pink plaid pj shorts. Her hand comes up instinctively, curling around the back of Azzi’s thigh, anchoring her where she stands between Paige’s legs.

“We should talk.” Azzi mumbles, smiling.

“Yeah.” Paige agrees, dropping her head, letting it rest against Azzi’s middle.

“But not right now.” She responds, her voice a whisper as she tilts Paige’s chin back up. Paige’s eyes are wide and before she knows it she’s on her back against the cool white sheets and Azzi’s lips are on hers. They kiss like that for a while, content with only the sounds of their mingled breathing and mouths moving together. Paige tangles her fingers in Azzi’s curls, maneuvering them onto their sides. They part for a moment to breathe and Paige swears she sees stars in Azzi’s big brown eyes. They can’t help but grin, their hands on each other's faces like the other might slip away, even now. Paige sits up onto her elbow, whispering into Azzi’s jaw. “C’mere.” She plants a kiss following her words. She slides backwards until she’s up against the bedframe. Azzi shuffles until her knees are on either side of Paige’s legs. The blonde taps the outside of her thigh, prompting her to lift her leg enough for Paige to move hers through. Now Azzi’s straddling her thigh. She pulls her down with a gentle guiding hand on her lower back, pressing her thigh up just enough to spark that delicious pressure between Azzi’s legs. They kiss again, tentative and slow. Azzi’s lips are soft and all Paige can taste is her sweet chapstick. She rolls her hips against Paige’s thigh and breathes out soft sounds into her mouth. Paige swallows everything she gives her, her long, lithe fingers dragging along the sides of Azzi’s torso, fingertips slipping under her tank top. They stop carefully under the ridges of her breasts, with Paige breaking the kiss. “Can I?” She breathes, her blue eyes wide and pleading. Azzi grins, planting a long kiss on Paige’s mouth before sitting back on her heels. She grips the bottom of her tank top, pulling it over her head. Paige’s lips are parted and slick with her spit and Azzi thinks it’s the prettiest she’s ever seen her. Maybe because she rarely sees Paige without words. The blonde’s hands find her waist, pulling her forward. They wander shamelessly, her thumbs kneading her breasts, sliding over the peaks of her nipples as her tongue finds Azzi’s neck. “You’re so perfect.” Paige’s tongue soothes her words, sucking gently on the soft skin behind her jaw. Azzi hums in contentment, gasping softly as Paige’s mouth covers her nipple. She tangles her fingers in the loose tangle of blonde hair from Paige’s bun that's come undone. Paige swirls her tongue over Azzi’s nipple, sucking softly. She thinks of the lollipop, of how her bare skin is a thousand times sweeter than the cherry sugar. Paige keeps one of her hands busy on Azzi’s breast, dropping the other to trace a delicate path on the inside of Azzi’s thigh. The other girl whines almost desperately and it’s beautiful. Paige wants to drink the sounds she makes as the fist in her hair tightens. “Please.” Azzi pleads, staring down at her, her pupils wide and black as ink.

Paige’s fingers press deeper into the flesh of Azzi’s thigh. “What?” She smiles, a glint in her eye.

“Touch me. Please?” Azzi mumbles gingerly, her hips pressing forward into Paige’s grip.

“I am touching you.” She replies, her thumb swiping over the bud of Azzi’s breast. Azzi cocks her head, sliding a hand from Paige’s chest to cup her jaw. “Fuck me, Paige. Please.” She whispers, boldly and bluntly. Paige feels her throat tense and her brain short circuit. She’s looking at Azzi and her gaze is on fire. It reminds Azzi of the look she gets when somebody starts shit talking to her on the court. It’s that crazy eyed stare she gets when she’s only thinking about one thing. Usually it’s winning, but right now it’s Azzi. Something about it makes her nervous to have it directed at her. She’s snapped out of it by Paige’s lips below her navel. “Take these off f’me.” She mumbles, tugging on Azzi’s shorts. She shuffles back, sliding them off and tossing them somewhere on the floor.

She has on the prettiest white cotton panties, delicate lace trimming the edges and Paige just wants to go down on her right then and there. But she paces herself, kissing just above her waistband, trailing each press of her lips with her tongue. Azzi makes the most delightful sounds above her, and she thinks they can’t possibly get better until she brings two of her agile fingers between Azzi’s legs, pressing down gently. She’s so wet it drives Paige insane. She makes a choked sound between a gasp and a moan and pulls her blonde hair. Suddenly all Paige wants to hear is her name in that same tone. “Lie down.” She orders curtly but gently, following Azzi’s body with her own. Paige’s lips are on hers the moment the brunette is on her back. Paige is propped up on one elbow, the other arm dragging softly over Azzi’s tawny skin. She stops to toy with her breast and then ghosts her fingertips over the piercing on Azzi’s navel. She jerks her hips as Paige’s fingers meet her waistband, sliding down to rub soft circles over the wet fabric of her underwear. Azzi whines into Paige’s mouth, which she takes as a signal to stop her teasing. She breaks apart the kiss briefly to tell Azzi to lift her hips as Paige slides her panties down her legs. She can read the nervousness in Azzi’s eyes, kissing her gently as she finally slides her fingers through the wetness between her thighs. Azzi gasps, tossing her head back against the pillow. Paige grins, triumphant, continuing her gentle motions. She glances down in awe at where her hand sits between the girl's toned thighs. She’s never seen a more beautiful thing in her life.

Azzi lifts her head from its place on the pillow, concern and shyness in her wide eyes. She smacks Paige lightly on the side of her arm. “Stop looking!” She scolds in a hushed voice. Paige grins, abruptly removing her hand as she kisses Azzi’s neck. “You say stop?”

“Paigee..” Azzi whines, long and drawn out as she reaches for the blonde's wrist, placing her hand back between her legs. “Mhmm?” She hums in response, a lazy smile in her voice as she goes back to her previous motions. Their playful moment lulls as Azzi’s mouth finds hers again, every so often stopping as she raggedly exhales.

Paige collects the wetness on two of her fingers, slipping them inside. She curls her fingers just right. “Fuck, fuck.” Azzi breathes into her ear. “That feel good?” Paige asks, knowing the answer. “Feels so good.” Azzi parrots, practically babbling.

They kiss for a while as Paige’s fingers find their way back to Azzi’s clit. She’s pulling on Paige’s hair now, and kissing her hard. “You’re so good at that, don’t stop, please don’t stop.” She pleads, and Paige isn’t sure there’s anything on this earth that would make her stop. She breathes Paige’s name alongside a string of curse words and Paige thinks she must be in heaven. Azzi’s body shakes as she comes, her thighs closing tightly around Paige’s hand. She’s louder than Paige had expected, having to muffle her soft moans with her own mouth.

The air between them is thick with their mingled heavy breathing as Azzi comes down. Paige’s heart is suddenly racing and she’s filled with fear that Azzi will regret what has just happened. She anxiously meets her eyes when Azzi finally opens them and tilts her chin down to face Paige. She wears a timid smile. “How are you so good at that?”

Paige opens her mouth before Azzi cuts her off. “Actually, don't answer that.” They both laugh, breathless and Paige is filled with relief. Azzi suddenly feels aware of her nakedness and glances rapidly between Paige’s face and the silver cross rocking against her white shirt. She tugs on the fabric, indicating she wants it off. Paige smiles, incredulous as she reaches back to pull the shirt over her head. She drops it on the bed near their feet and Azzi presses up onto her palms to be on her level. Paige swallows nervously as Azzi rakes her fingernails over the girl's chest. They catch on the cross and their eyes meet at the same time. Azzi has no way of proving it, but she knows they’re thinking the same thing. What that cross means to them, for them. To others about people like them. She decides this is not the time to think about it, wrapping and arm around Paige’s ribs to kiss her tenderly. She takes the opportunity to explore, her fingers tracing the small roundness of her breasts and the pink of her nipples. She plants kisses along Paige’s collarbone, hearing her gasp as her tongue finds the peak of her breast. She sucks on the milky skin, separating briefly to admire the few purple marks littered over her chest. She grins. “White people bruise so easily.” she whispers, a teasing giggle as her fingers touch the skin. “Hey, not too much on me now.” Paige rolls her eyes, her hand clasping the one on her chest. “White girl just made you come–” Paige is cut off from her cocky and ever audacious remark by Azzi’s muffling hand over her mouth. “Shut up!” She scolds, her cheeks red and her dimples showing. Paige simply chuckles and kisses her again. Azzi’s hand trails lower, slipping past Paige’s waistband between her thighs. She’s wet, it’s soaked through the gray cotton of her boxers. She sighs into the kiss as Azzi starts moving her fingers in shy, tentative circles. Paige hums, content, which encourages Azzi to add a bit more pressure. “Is this okay?” She asks nervously. “I haven’t–” “Yes. You couldn’t possibly touch me and have it not be okay, Az.” Paige cuts her off, comforting her as she tucks a few curls behind her ear. “Can I… try?” Azzi asks, her fingers hovering over the waistband of Paige’s boxers. Paige pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, smiling as she nods bashfully. She lifts her hips, sliding the material down her legs and tossing it on the ground to join Azzi’s shorts. Azzi slides her fingers a few times through the slick between her legs and Paige feels like she might die if she hasn’t already. There’s something so beautiful about the earnestness with which Azzi moves, careful but eager to please. Paige tangles her fist in Azzi’s curls and pulls her down for a kiss. Her tongue is in Azzi’s mouth as she moves her hips in time with the motions between her legs. She pulls back, a string of saliva still connecting their lips. “You’re doing so good, please don’t stop Az.” She praises breathlessly before leaning in to kiss her again. Paige is all ragged breaths and curse words as she comes. She tugs on Azzi’s hair and pulls her impossibly closer by the waist.

They catch their breaths in sync, lying face to face under the thin white sheet, a sheen of sweat on their bodies from the summer heat. Drenched in sapphire moonlight, they fall asleep to the chirping of the crickets outside the window. Maybe they'll talk tomorrow.

[soloey]

hanging out to dry (fuck!) (3+1)

ao3 link here

uconnless!pazzi, wings!au

word count: 7.4k

synopsis: three times paige should have kissed azzi, and one time she actually did. 

notes: paige is a LOSER. azzi thinks that's hot. paige isn't sure if azzi is flirting with her, and she also isn't sure if she's flirting back. both are a definite yes.

----

two people had already asked paige if she and azzi were dating. aziaha, two weeks ago; jessica, last thursday. that’s why it was particularly humiliating when she got a text from arike at two in the morning, having just returned from a group hangout at alanna’s place downtown. 

arike: so…

arike: u n azzi?

not this shit again. paige threw her head back against her headboard with a sigh. 

chillllll bro

it’s a vibe

she couldn’t think of any better way to explain what was happening. they didn’t really hang out alone, but they texted a lot. and flirted. paige was trying beyond comparison to be chill and normal, and was doing her damnedest to not hit on her. 

the only problem was that azzi fudd was jawdropping. paige had never in her life seen someone that gorgeous. to make things worse, she had a thing for talent, and the way azzi could shoot– paige got genuine heart palpitations watching her sink shots in practice. 

they were only a year apart, but azzi was her fellow number-one-draft-pick and her rookie of a whopping one month. it was stupid to have a crush on her, stupid to send her dumb jokes and to hang around her after practice as much as possible. paige should be leading. paige should be setting examples. 

well if she was leading the homo brigade and setting examples on how to look pathetic, she was doing a pretty good job. 

arike: wait did u know each other in college?

no, paige replied, too quick. the answer was more complicated than that; of course paige had known who azzi was in college. they’d played each other a handful of times. but college-paige had only cared about one thing while on the court: a natty. azzi was nothing more than another player to scout, some straight girl with a good shot. 

only, azzi wasn’t straight. and she was certainly no longer just another player that paige could ignore. 

sure, she’d seen the headlines back in the day– bueckers vs fudd, who will carry their team to victory– but it was all some bullshit. 

arike: bullshit 😂

arike: [picture attached]

paige squinted. it was a picture of her and azzi at some conference, azzi mid laugh at something and paige making a face. 

dang, paige had no clue where that had been taken. she’d given so many speeches with so many players over the years, made so much small talk– it could have been taken the week prior and paige wouldn’t have had the faintest idea. 

i dont even remember that bro fr fr

arike: she looks mad good tho

yeah

arike: 😂🫵

shut up. paige locked her phone, rolling her eyes. bait. 

after about three seconds, she unlocked it again, re-opening the picture and zooming in a little on azzi. dang, she really did look good. 

arike: don’t look too hard at it. you gotta look her in the eye at practice tomorrow ;)

kill yourself, paige shot back, locking her phone again and throwing it on her nightstand. it buzzed once more, but she refused to look. 

laying on her back and staring at the ceiling, she rested her hands on her chest. stupid. her heart beat against her palms. 

she closed her eyes, deciding to fall asleep. the image of azzi sprung into her mind, mid-smile, bathed yellow in the living room light. her mind supplied a little glint in her eye, a detail of a freckle on her cheek, a little curl by her ear. her heart rate sped up, pounding against her hands. 

“fuck,” she groaned. this was bad. she should not be thinking this much about azzi. but at the end of the night… she let herself flash back to earlier. 

…

if you asked paige what project hail mary was about, she’d be able to give you about a two word summary. first word: azzi. second word: fudd. 

the team was getting to know each other with all the new additions, hanging out at alanna’s house and watching a movie. it was literally nothing special– alanna just happened to have the biggest space to hang out, and they ordered food to eat and lounged around. 

half the team was off to the right, talking at the kitchen table in the next room. the remainder were huddled in the living room around two bowls of popcorn. 

when the movie started, paige was cognizant of about thirty seconds of science fiction freakiness before her gay brain took over entirely. azzi sat directly to her left, muscular arm brushing against paige’s, thigh pressed into hers. she didn’t seem to be aware of how close they were, at all, which was unfortunate because the situation was a little catastrophic for paige. 

she exhaled a little strangely and winced. smooth. nice.

it was honestly ridiculous, feeling her stomach jolt at the feeling of a pretty girl next to her. paige had cuddled with plenty of girls on couches before, had lounged around with tons of her friends. she should know what to do with her hands, should be able to keep her anxious stomach in check. 

but azzi was a category that paige couldn’t define; one year paige’s junior, and her athletic equal, paige felt responsible for ensuring her well-being. paige also felt like her brain melted like a popsicle every time azzi spoke words to her. which was unfortunate, because that was a lot. 

if this was a date, or if azzi was anyone but paige’s coworker that she was sitting with at a group function, paige would have leaned right into the touch and played along. if azzi were her longtime friend, paige would have manspreaded into her space to try to get on her nerves. but azzi was neither, and paige couldn’t decide how to act, so she just sat there, stiff. 

paige’s internal monologue was as follows: arm. she smells good. her hair is brushing my shoulder. can she feel how fast i’m breathing from the rise and fall of my shoulder? arm. thigh. dang, she really smells good. should i kill myself?

after about twenty minutes, azzi grew visibly uncomfortable. she shifted her torso away from paige, against the armrest of the couch, and drew her feet up to where they stopped just shy of resting on paige’s legs. 

paige stared really hard at her feet. she wanted to ask her– was it weird? 

no, it was weirder to overthink it. it was a friendly gesture, a kind gesture. they were hanging out. it was chill. 

“azzi,” she muttered. the brunette turned towards her, eyes wide and expectant. “stretch your legs out.”

azzi’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. trying to stop her cheeks from pinkening, paige patted her own lap. here. 

azzi smiled gratefully, understanding. she shifted her body so that her back was against the armrest, legs splaying across paige’s lap. 

bzzz. bzzz. paige’s phone vibrated violently from her pocket. her eyes snapped up, scanning the room. aziaha, who was sitting on a chair to their right, was pointedly raising an eyebrow at her.

aziaha: bro….

aziaha: be fr

paige stole a frantic glance at azzi to see if she was watching paige’s screen. which she wasn’t, clearly. why would she be? 

dude chill i’m just helping her be more comfortable

aziaha: wouldn’t have done ts for me 🤨

ur feet stink like poo 

she smells like sunshine and rainbows

aziaha: there’s a word for the likes of you and it rhymes with bomosexual

i swear bro i swear

don’t even know her middle name stop talking crazy

of course paige knew her middle name. her middle name was jazlyn. she’d found that out when she’d looked up azzi fudd on google, and also azzi fudd college highlights, and also azzi fudd from where and what perfume smells like jasmine but like better and valentino born in roma perfume and is there a born in roma cologne. she’d gotten distracted.

okay, jesus. she needed to focus. 

ryan gosling, in the movie, was wearing a really distracting yellow coat that made paige think of curious george. they were saying something about the sun dying, and paige wondered if they made him yellow on purpose. like the sun. that was dying. maybe he was going to die later in the movie, and it was foreshadowing.

she kept trying to see him as a serious scientist, but she couldn’t stop thinking of him as ken from barbie. this was Depressed Ken, maybe. he was certainly dressed the part, in some bullshit a depressed person would pull from their closet without thinking twice. 

her brain launched into an impromptu performance of i’m just ken, and she lost track of a decent amount of minutes before she came crashing back online. 

azzi’s legs were shifting uncomfortably again. don’t move, she wanted to say, but that would be pathetic. 

“you uncomfortable?” she murmured. stupid. clearly, azzi was uncomfortable. 

“yeah,” azzi whispered. “this armrest is really hard.”

“that’s what she said,” paige whispered back. azzi socked her on the arm. 

aziaha sat up straight. “what are y’all whispering about over there? i’m getting fomo.”

“i’m wondering if there’s a pillow i could use? the armrest is kind of hard,” azzi asked. 

at the conversation, everyone’s heads turned towards them. paige suddenly became incredibly aware of the two legs draped across her thighs, of the way her hands laid on top of them awkwardly. 

shit. she desperately did not want to seem like she was trying to make moves on the rookie, regardless of how incredibly badly she wanted to make moves on the rookie. 

“just use paige,” aziaha suggested. to azzi, she might have looked genuine, but to paige, who’d known her longer, she could see the shit-eating smile aziaha was trying to hide. she narrowed her eyes at her. 

“hey!” she complained. 

“paige got all that muscle now. go head and put it to good use.” paige was going to smack her the next time she got within arm’s reach.

azzi’s eyes flicked down for a second. paige unintentionally flexed a little. “yeah, alright.” azzi decided, shifting herself around. 

paige’s mind went full blown static as azzi laid down on her lap, on her back, head facing the screen and feet hanging over the armrest. it was a wonder sparks didn’t fly out of her head by the way that she was short-circuiting. azzi’s head was warm against paige’s thighs, flyaways brushing her bare skin with every breath. 

paige had the horrible urge to smooth her hands over azzi’s head, to play with her hair and scratch her scalp, and then she decided that she needed to die. honestly, she genuinely didn’t know how azzi was comfortable, but she wasn’t about to ask and risk her moving. 

she needed to distract herself, stat. could azzi hear her heartbeat in her thighs? was that a thing? because that could be a problem. clearing her throat, she squinted at the television and tried to pay attention again. 

on the screen, ryan gosling was having an existential crisis in a tunnel while eating some shit from a thermos. then, he was staring really hard at a plaque. then, he was doing some sciency shit in a lab coat that tried to cover up the world’s ugliest striped sweater. 

the best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time, paige’s brain sang. she snorted out loud. that was a good spongebob reference. 

azzi turned her head so she was looking up at paige. 

“what?” she asked, quiet. christ, she was beautiful. and really near paige’s crotch. enough.

paige blinked back at her. 

“what’s funny?” azzi tried again, whispering. 

“nothing,” paige muttered, “was thinking about something else.”

that seemed to be good enough for azzi, who rolled back over. paige spent the next few minutes thinking about the shape of azzi’s lips and pretending that she wasn’t. 

paige’s leg started to feel numb. azzi, bless her heart, was completely restricting blood flow to her lower left extremity. unfortunately, paige would rather die than kick a beautiful girl out of her lap, and she didn’t want to look fucking stupid, so she resolved herself to ignoring it and hoping her leg would figure it out. 

“wait, why is he on a plane?” azzi turned again, asking under her breath. 

“i really couldn’t tell you,” paige admitted. “i’ve been thinking about how to get the last piece of popcorn from that bowl without moving your head.”

azzi’s mouth curved upwards into a small smile. she reached her hand out and grabbed the last piece, holding it in front of paige’s face. the demons in paige told her to take it with her mouth, but she was a rational human being, and she let azzi drop it into her hands. 

“isn’t it cold now?” azzi asked. 

“eh,” paige shrugged, “like, room temperature. it’s still nice and salty, and that’s what matters.”

azzi wrinkled her nose. “makes me too thirsty.”

“good thing you have a water then, thirsty girl.”

thirsty girl? was paige fucking serious?

azzi snorted. she was fully looking up, then, not paying any attention to the movie. paige stared at her, hoping the dim lighting of the room was enough to cover the way she greedily drank in the sight of all of azzi’s face. 

“what’s he doing now?” azzi whispered. 

paige, with great effort, tore her eyes away from azzi to look at the screen. “he’s standing in front of a room of people who look like they’re in the military.”

azzi listened for a second. “i keep hearing ken whenever he opens his mouth.”

paige’s head snapped back down. “right?”

“he was just so good in that role. it ruined any of his other movies for me.”

“he was the perfect casting,” paige agreed. 

they looked at each other. dang, paige’s leg was really numb. 

paige was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to bend down and kiss her, awkward and mismatched, uncaring of anything but the feeling of their lips against each other. she held azzi’s gaze, dark and unblinking, and her thoughts started moving a million miles a minute. 

no, she shouldn’t. azzi was her fucking rookie, for god’s sake, and who knows what the team, let alone the rest of the world, would have to say about it. and it would be ridiculous to do it right there, in front of everyone. she’d never in her life gotten the impulse for such drastic pda. 

but she wanted to. 

azzi’s tongue darted out and wet her lower lip. paige followed the movement with her eyes, eyelids falling just a fraction. 

there was a sudden warmth at the corner of paige’s mouth, and she startled as she realized that azzi’s gentle thumb was brushing at her skin. 

“salt,” azzi murmured in explanation, like she hadn’t just given paige a heart attack. paige wanted her to do it again. the way azzi looked at her lips, the feeling of her soft and sweet, was intoxicating. 

paige’s breath caught in her chest, and her mind went a little blank, and–

she hissed loudly, leg jolting hard. fucking pins and needles, jesus christ, her entire leg was being stabbed–

azzi shot up. “what? oh my god, are you okay?”

even through the pain, paige felt immediately cold. “yes, yeah, pins and needles.”

someone paused the movie. “paige, bro, what–”

“pins and needles,” she groaned again, louder, “ignore me, play the movie.”

azzi laughed in her face, the rest of the team joining in. azzi patted her thigh gently. 

“fuck,” paige muttered, “sorry.” she tried to give her a sheepish smile. 

“s’okay,” azzi shrugged, “my fault.” she knocked her shoulder against paige’s, turning back to the tv. paige needed to get her fucking act together. 

____

TWO: 

paige had now known azzi for two and a half months. in the last week, alanna and jj had both singled her out to inquire about the status of her and azzi’s relationship; she’d had to tell them both a miserable no. 

with how chill all of her teammates were being about it, she figured that the whole “azzi is a rookie” hangup didn’t hold much water now. paige herself had only been in the league for one measly year, as arike liked to remind her. 

the point was that that was a good thing, because she was now pretty sure that azzi was flirting with her. 

she wasn’t positive, of course– it was very much a possibility that paige’s own delusional thoughts were misinterpreting azzi’s actions entirely. maybe azzi was looking for a super close best friend when she texted paige good morning with a little sun and a heart every day. they clicked so well on and off the court, it would make sense. 

but paige had to let hope cloud her vision a little, especially at times like this, where–

arike: bro where did u guys go

arike: always disappearing somewhere together i swear

arike: this my own house

arike: don’t desecrate it

woah woah calm down

we’re just talking in the driveway

arike: don’t wanna watch the fireworks out back with the team?

we’re having fun

ur buffalo chicken dip is fire

arike: of course it is

arike: come inside and eat my wife’s dessert before i whoop you both

be there in a minute mom

arike was hosting the team for a fourth of july party. everything was going well this season, and the wings were coming off a much-needed win. they were celebrating in the dallas heat, everyone a little happy and sweaty.

there’s a line paige remembered from to kill a mockingbird about the southern heat, something about the ladies being like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum. she said as much to azzi, who looked at her kind of funny. it sparked a conversation about whether or not talcum was a carcinogen, a topic on which neither of them were particularly knowledgeable. 

the point of her thought process was that azzi looked sweet and shiny and smelled really good, and paige kind of wanted to eat her whole.

as previously mentioned, half the season gone by had done wonders for getting rid of the azzi-is-a-rookie nerves. paige tried not to be corny, but azzi fit into her life in a way that she never expected her to. they had similar interests, hobbies, and humor, and they became practically inseparable. sports media adored them, calling them all kinds of names and gushing over their chemistry. 

it wasn’t something paige was proud of, having a fat and massive crush on azzi, but it was truly impossible not to. the more she’d gotten to know her, the worse it had become. she kept expecting azzi to do something weird and offputting that would change the way paige felt, but paige was endeared to all of her quirks. they just fit together.

time after practice was spent grabbing food together, time off on the weekends was spent hanging out with each other’s friends, and time before bed was spent texting back and forth about whatever crossed their mind. it was nice.

dressed in a striped blue tube top and little shorts, azzi looked like a muscled vision sitting next to paige on the pavement. her knees were drawn up to her chest, chin resting atop one. paige had been resisting the urge to wrap her arms around her for about twenty minutes straight. 

paige looked like an idiot in a white wifebeater and massive firetruck-red jorts, her butt in genuine pain from digging into the driveway. she probably had pebbles stuck up her crack. not really. but it felt like that. that was the common theme with paige when it came to azzi; she was stupid around her. every time she considered making a move, she managed to make herself feel so dumb that she thought azzi would get weirded out. 

“i just think it’s unrealistic for king kong to be that massive. like, think of evolution. everything got small again before apes even evolved,” paige complained. 

“not everything,” azzi disagreed, “think about whales.”

“yeah, but that’s underwater. they got their own freaky shit going on down there. i’m talking about on land.”

“well, why don’t you have a problem with godzilla?”

“because they didn’t make godzilla a massive fucking ape. massive fucking ape implies real-world evolution.”

“they probably have some logic for it. maybe he got chemicals spilled on him, or he was part of a species of giant apes living on an island and he was the last one, or something,” azzi mused. 

“massive fucking ape,” paige grumbled, again. “stupid.”

“you’re stupid.”

“your mom.”

azzi rolled her eyes, but paige could see her biting back a smile. 

a loud popping sound rang out, and they both winced. 

“oh– there, there!” azzi pointed, excited. the house diagonal from arike’s must have been setting off fireworks from their backyard, because the sparks were loud and massive. 

azzi’s eyes were wide as she looked up at the trailing colors streaking the sky. she looked beautiful, calm and happy, fully at peace in the moment. paige studied the way the lights fizzled out in the reflection on azzi’s pupils. 

on instinct, she moved her pinky so that it overlapped azzi’s. azzi turned to her, then; paige couldn’t tell if her cheeks were a little pink in the fading light or if it was a lingering beam from the almost-set sun. 

“this is romantic,” azzi said quietly. 

paige blanked, eyes widening. “what,” she said, more caught off-guard than a question. 

“i mean,” azzi clarified, flustered, “like, y’know, in the sense of the word where it means something pretty. like romanticize. like it– it just feels really lovely.” she tucked a stray curl behind her ear. 

right. sure. 

“i guess it could also be romantic,” azzi was definitely blushing, “with the right person.”

“yeah,” paige agreed, dumbly. she didn’t know why she said what she said next, but she did. “at my family’s cabin in minnesota, we used to go to the lake every fourth of july. my dad and my stepmom, well, my first stepmom, used to always stop what they were doing and kiss at the first firework.”

azzi leaned her shoulder against paige. “that’s really sweet.”

paige laughed. “yeah, i mean– they didn’t work out, clearly, but i always kinda wanted to do that some day. have a family, have a woman i love, make up stupid reasons to kiss each other. y’know.”

azzi’s pinky twitched underneath paige’s. “my dad does something similar,” she said. “he does this stupid thing called pancake kisses, where he makes pancakes on saturday mornings, and he kisses my mom once for every pancake she eats.”

paige grinned. “i could get behind that. i eat a lot of pancakes.”

“oh, you wouldn’t be the one making them?”

“depends. which would you prefer?” paige asked.

“i like waking up to the smell of batter and eggs,” azzi admitted.

“then i change my mind. i’d be the one making them.”

“whatever,” azzi grumbled, but she looked away and tried to hide a pleased smile. 

“are you someone who,” paige cleared her throat, “really likes things like that?”

azzi thought about it for a second before nodding. “yeah, i mean. my parents have always been like that, so i guess it’s by example. i just think it’s so sweet, always doing things to keep the relationship special,” she paused, “what about you?”

“probably, for the right person. i like keeping things fun. and i like to make people i care about feel appreciated,” paige admitted. 

azzi made a playfully intrigued face. “good to know.”

“taking notes?”

“maybe. you want me to?”

paige choked a little on her own spit, and tried to pass it off by clearing her throat. “wouldn’t complain.”

“then i’ll jot it down, boss.”

“perfect.”

“aren’t i?”

“yeah.” paige should kill herself. what the hell was she even saying? she couldn’t flirt for shit. was this flirting? jesus, what if azzi wasn’t even flirting?

“i get that a lot,” azzi sighed, scooting a little closer to paige so their sides pressed together fully, “usually in more,” she paused, “intimate context.”

nope, azzi was flirting. 

“oh?” 

“you heard me.”

paige laughed softly. “i’ll jot it down, boss.”

“perfect.”

the conversation lulled for a moment. another round of fireworks went off, red and spiraling high into the air before exploding. paige took a moment to appreciate what a blessing it was that she was able to be there, seeing something beautiful, warm and full of something like hope, with someone she cared about. 

she turned to face azzi. she kind of wanted to see the awe on azzi’s face as she looked up at the lights, to trace the curves of her face in mental graphite and commit it to memory forever. azzi, though, was already looking at her, eyes deep and dark. 

“you look pretty,” azzi whispered. 

which was ridiculous, because azzi was making paige’s heart functionally arrhythmic in her chest. paige couldn’t even think of the words to rebut that, just let her eyes drag down azzi’s frame and back up to her face. she raised an eyebrow as if to say really? coming from you?

azzi scrunched up her nose and smiled. paige felt a little breathless, a little captivated. jesus christ, she wanted to lean in so badly. she was fairly sure that azzi wanted her to. she let herself imagine moving forward, capturing azzi’s lips in hers, cupping her jaw and finally, finally, kissing her.

azzi blinked up at her slowly, and paige’s pinky curled around azzi’s. her heart fluttered against her chest like a caged bird, violent and frenzied. 

she wanted it bad. she wanted it like an angel pleading for its fucking wings.

but they were sitting outside of arike’s house. in public, on the pavement, in front of the windows, where anyone could be watching. she couldn’t. she couldn’t do it right there. 

oh, shit, arike. “oh my god,” paige blurted out, heart sinking. “arike wanted us inside, like, twenty minutes ago. she’s gonna kill us.”

azzi stared at her for a second like she was still processing her words. “yeah,” she said, slowly. 

“we’re dead,” paige groaned, “they’re gonna give us shit for the next week.”

“yeah,” azzi repeated, brushing off whatever haze she was in. she shook her head and stood up, facing the door. “nice night, huh?” 

paige brushed her hands off as she scrambled to stand up, too.

“let’s go eat lala’s dessert,” azzi said, turning away and walking. 

that was abrupt, paige thought. did she look a little disappointed? shit.

azzi made it to the door, opening it and waiting for paige. 

“one second, i need to tie my shoe. go on ahead,” paige lied, waving azzi in. the younger woman disappeared through the door.

“fuck!” paige cursed, kicking a rock on the pavement. “stupid!”

__

THREE: 

it was the beginning of august. count of people who’d asked paige if she and azzi were together: fourteen. her mother, for one. her college best friends. the trainer. her dietician. name them, and they’d asked paige if she’d had her tongue three thousand leagues down the length of azzi’s gullet. it was beginning to piss her off, honestly. if that wasn’t obvious.

don’t say a word.

arike: wasn’t gonna

arike: later… 😏

NOTHING later. i will kill you. with a gun.

arike: hey man

arike: you’re digging your own grave

the team were sitting around a table, plenty of drinks for everyone. the place was a nice one, crisp black tabletops and comfortable chairs. they’d even given the table a bowl of chips to snack on, which paige was pleased with. the music was fairly loud, enough to really worm into paige’s brain when she finished her second beer, but it was nothing unpleasant. 

underneath the table, azzi’s hand was on paige’s thigh. 

it had started with her turning to the side, quietly complimenting paige’s rings while the rest of the team were arguing about something. paige had shown them to her, and she’d leaned in to get a better look, and paige had lost her breath at the proximity and felt like a fucking loser. 

azzi said, “i like the one that spins. i always need something to fidget with.” 

paige replied, “feel free,” and stuck her hand out. azzi giggled, dragging her fingernail up paige’s hand to the ring on her middle finger. she spun it gently once, twice, and gave paige a grateful smile. 

paige tried to tune back into the conversation after that, but she noticed that her and azzi’s chairs seemed inexplicably closer. she tried to laugh at something alanna was saying, tried to make fun of aziaha, but her brain kept replaying that little tilt of azzi’s lips. 

she was wearing this really shiny gloss that somehow hadn’t come off as she sipped her cocktail with a straw, and she also smelled really nice, and–

paige felt a finger trail across her knuckles. her eyes shot down to her lap, where her hands rested, and she saw azzi’s hand gently stroking her way back up to paige’s ring. paige felt her face pinken, and her free hand nervously came up to stroke at her ponytail. 

she stole a glance at azzi, but azzi was turned forwards, intently listening to the conversation in front of them. her hand was as low as possible, trying to be discreet– and she knew paige would let her. paige felt hot. 

not five minutes later, azzi’s fingers drew a sharp path down, onto paige’s lap. 

paige looked over, eyes widening in question, and azzi breathed a laugh. “these rips are bothering me.”

rips? what rips? 

right. the rips in her jeans. paige begged her brain to come back online. “what, you want them bigger? can’t see enough of me?”

not that online, jesus christ. middle ground. middle ground. 

azzi’s eyelids lowered just a fraction, barely noticeable. “no, the little white strands that come off of them– they’re all tangled.”

“so detangle them,” paige muttered, shifting her attention back to arike. the older woman was complaining about her brother-in-law, something about coming over to her house to detail his own car in her driveway. 

azzi didn’t need to be told twice. for a few minutes, she tugged on the outside of the rips, combing fingers through and separating them. she didn’t even look down as she did, just felt around paige’s thigh for the next rip and kept moving. 

when she finished tugging on the strands, her fingertip would circle the tear gently, as if seeking out another strand to focus on. if there were none there, she’d stay there for a minute, softly stroking the skin of paige’s thigh. she’d start with the pad of her finger, little lines, then edge it over to her fingernail, drawing little shapes. when she was bored of that, she’d go back to stroking, a little firmer and bolder.

it only became a problem when she reached one particularly close to the inside of paige’s thigh. the top half of paige wanted to jerk away– not appropriate for team dinner– and the bottom half of paige wanted– well. it wanted.

a bit more forcefully than she would have liked, she brought her hand over top of azzi’s, forcing it flat and stopping her movements. 

alanna turned towards her questioningly, looking down. paige drew her hand back up, tucking her hair behind her ear. she tried so hard to be nonchalant that her elbow knocked against the top of azzi’s chair, and she ended up extending her arm across it. 

great. now her arm was practically around azzi. subtle! cool!

it definitely did not help her case. clearly, nobody cared about what was going on between them, but paige was still nervous. it was rude, if anything, to be overly absorbed in one person at a group hangout. 

what also definitely did not help her case was the fact that azzi didn’t move her hand at all. for the next hour, azzi’s hand just rested on top of her thigh, tightening minutely as she laughed, absentmindedly fidgeting, and paige felt as red as a tomato and twice as wet as one. or whatever. 

past a certain point, she could almost forget about it; then, azzi would crack a joke too loud, and someone’s eyes would move from her face down to where her arm was slightly too far away from her own body, and someone would raise an eyebrow at her. whatever! whatever. 

slowly, people peeled off, paying for their own meals and excusing themselves to go home. eventually, it was just arike, paige, and azzi. 

paige was grateful that arike was there– she and azzi weren’t paying any special attention to each other, and minus the hand on her thigh, the interactions between them were perfectly friendly. it was three people settling deeper into their dynamic, talking life and firsts and basketball, and it was chill. 

it wasn’t even her fault that her and azzi had parked next to each other, and arike had parked down the street. 

when they left the bar, she and azzi lingered outside of their respective cars for a few minutes too long. paige leaned against her door, a casual elbow resting on her side mirror. 

“arike’s so funny,” azzi said quietly, lips curving upward. 

jesus, she was beautiful. paige’s brain took a mental snapshot. the short distance between them felt much bigger after their proximity all night, and paige wanted so badly to touch her again, to be close to her. 

“she’s aight,” paige shrugged, a lopsided smile on her face. “you know she’s real stubborn sometimes.”

“aren’t we all?” azzi asked with a laugh, and paige nodded. 

“for real, though, you’re really lucky to have her as your vet. on the personal level, she’s been through it all. ups, downs, getting overlooked….anger issues,” paige said, seriously. 

azzi snorted. “and being a lesbian. publicly. that’s pretty cool.”

“everyone’s a lesbian, bro.”

“yeah, but not everyone is open about it. i’m not. it’s brave.”

paige had to agree. “yeah. it is.”

“especially because, y’know, until recently nobody really watched us. the stereotype was that we were all dykes. nobody wanted to watch a league full of dykes. and now they do watch us, and there’s so much hatred being brought into our space, and she’s still proudly who she is. that’s really fucking cool.” 

paige looked at her, her eyes wide and earnest, and felt something in her chest soften. “you should tell her that,” she agreed quietly, “i think she’d love to hear it.”

azzi shrugged. “someday.”

“tomorrow, first thing at practice,” paige smiled.

“fat chance,” azzi rolled her eyes. 

they looked at each other for a minute, quiet and soft. 

“i should get going,” azzi said, eventually. 

“you should,” paige agreed.

they stood there for another moment. paige grinned. azzi mirrored her expression. 

“seriously,” azzi insisted. 

“sure,” paige nodded. neither of them moved. 

a feeling passed through paige that was too gentle to handle, and she finally shook her head and stepped forwards, arms wide. “c’mere,” she muttered. 

azzi stepped into her arms, hugging her goodbye. 

“i’ll see you at practice tomorrow,” paige said, cheek pressed up against azzi’s hair. 

“yep,” azzi agreed from somewhere next to paige’s neck, “don’t be late.”

“i’m never late.”

“you were late to this.”

“this isn’t practice.”

“well, you better practice being on time, because i better see you tomorrow.”

“bro, i’m gonna be there,” paige complained, finally pulling back. neither of their hands quite left the other, still in each other’s space. 

azzi’s face was a few breaths from paige’s, just below her, luminescent under the street lamps. her eyes were dark, wide and bright, and she was smiling again, and paige’s chest did some awful squeezing motion that almost knocked her breathless. 

she looked down at azzi’s lips. her eyes darted back up to azzi’s eyes in a fraction of a second, trying not to overstep, but azzi’s gaze was pointed right at her mouth. 

okay. she should kiss her. 

azzi had just spent an hour feeling up her thigh. azzi was looking up at her like she’d hung the moon. azzi’s hands were still around her back. 

she wanted to kiss her. 

azzi was right there, beautiful, perfect, and it would be so easy to just lean down and take her lips in a kiss–

right. paige was overthinking. all she had to do was lean down– or– wait. should she ask her first? was azzi the sort of person who assumed a kiss was okay, or was she someone who wanted to be asked? shit, if paige asked, would it be good, or would it ruin the moment– or– god, she should just do it, fuck– 

azzi moved her gaze back up to paige’s. she searched her eyes, pausing, and for a moment everything was still; then, at the same time, they both pulled away. 

“bye,” paige tried to say, but no sound came out. their hands dragged against each other for a heartbeat too long. 

see you tomorrow, azzi mouthed at her. she gave her one last smile before disappearing into her car. 

paige felt like a marionette, limbs uncoordinated and jerky as she forced herself back into her own car. she fumbled with the ignition for a moment, cursing under her breath. 

out of the corner of her eye, she saw azzi’s car back out of the parking lot and disappear. immediately, she groaned and slumped against the steering wheel. she sat like that for five full minutes, feeling pathetic and miserable and like a giant fucking loser. finally, she straightened up and put on her seatbelt. 

“FUCK!” she yelled, slamming her fist against the horn. BRAAM, her car protested loudly. she jumped. 

—

paige’s mouthguard hung halfway out of her mouth. she bent over challengingly, hands on her knees, eyebrow cocked. 

azzi smirked, dribbling the ball between her legs once, twice. she bent her knees like she was going to move forward, pretending to fake paige out. 

“go,” paige called out. her voice echoed in the gym. “you playing or just showing off?”

azzi shrugged, keeping the ball moving. “doesn’t matter. you can’t guard me either way.”

someone behind paige whistled, and paige narrowed her eyes. her gaze landed on the sweat on azzi’s collarbone. her bicep. her thigh. she shook her head. 

azzi started forwards, and paige sucked her mouthguard back in, hands immediately out. azzi stopped, grinned, and went the other way. 

fuck no. paige dogged her determinedly, fighting through a li screen and trying to get her hand on the ball before azzi shot. as her hand came down, azzi passed it to maddy on the three-point line. shit. she caught paige’s gaze and smiled, and there was a glint in her eye that sent a jolt down paige’s spine.

the ball bounced off the backboard to alanna, who shot it back to maddy. 

odyssey got in maddy’s face, and paige saw azzi’s body turn before the idea even came to maddy’s head. paige knew azzi’s catch-and-shoot, knew she was going to release it immediately–

the ball flew to azzi and paige was already jumping as azzi moved the ball up. azzi pivoted, turning past paige and sprinting in for a clean layup. 

absolutely not. paige hit the ground running, chasing her back, following the movement of her arm up, and BAM. 

the ball slammed back down to the earth before it had the chance to fly for more than half a second. paige’s chest pounded with exhilaration, and she shot azzi a cocky look as she turned on her heel. 

azzi, usually known for being calm and collected, looked pissed. it made something in paige’s stomach churn. she couldn’t stop a wild grin from taking over her face as she waited for azzi’s team to inbound the ball. her heart pounded. this was fun. 

alanna inbounded to arike. jessica ran a screen on odyssey. arike to alanna, paige shifted, alanna to maddy, paige shifted. 

her eyes, focused on the ball, never strayed for long from azzi. she looked intense and determined, brows furrowed and face flushed with exertion. she looked godlike. 

maddy to azzi, outside the arc, and before paige could blink, azzi nailed a three over her head. 

she froze, dumbfounded. how–? 

azzi backpedaled and winked at her. paige wanted to tear her clothes off. 

“that’s game! arike’s team, twenty points. water break,” jose yelled.

“she traveled,” paige complained weakly, but she knew it was a lie. she thought of azzi’s shirt riding up her stomach as she jumped up for the shot. she couldn’t think straight.

arike raised an eyebrow at her. “that’s it? no hitting the wall? no yelling? just a ‘she travelled?’” she clicked her tongue. “you’re soft on her.”

“no, i’m not,” paige grumbled, eyes flicking over to azzi. azzi grinned at her, reaching over and hitting her lower back. the touch rippled through paige like fucking sonar, and she needed to leave stat before her brain drove her absolutely insane. 

arike snorted.

“whatever,” paige muttered. “i left something in the car. be right back.”

ducking the rest of the group, she jogged out of the practice facility doors and through the hallway that led to the parking lot. she pushed open the exit, desperately fanning herself. she kept thinking about azzi’s face, determined, her perfect shot, how unfairly fucking attractive it was for her to be so good. 

she walked over to her car and rested her forearm against it, putting her head down for a fraction of a second before yelping at the hot metal and drawing back. she deserved that, she thought miserably, for being incapable of having normal, friendly thoughts about–

“paige!” azzi called out, walking out of the facility. 

jesus christ. this was not going to help. “hm?” she tried, unable to say much else. 

“oh,” azzi shrugged, “you left your phone inside.” she held it out, waiting for paige to take it from her. 

paige stared at her, trying to read her expression. slowly, she took her phone from azzi’s hand, letting their fingers brush together for longer than strictly necessary. 

“you know i don’t need my phone to get something from my car, right?” she didn’t even need to get anything from her car. she just needed some air.

“i know,” azzi said, matter of fact. “i just wanted to see you.”

paige held back a laugh. “you just saw me.”

“sure did.”

“and you came out here in the scorching hot sun to see me again.”

“is there a problem with that?” azzi challenged, stepping closer to her. her eyes sparkled mirthfully. paige wanted to swallow them whole. 

“depends.”

“depends on what?”

silence. 

paige couldn’t take it anymore. azzi was so– and– she was right there, and there were no excuses, there was nobody around– paige didn’t just want it, she needed it. azzi was a fire and paige had to stoke it, needed to breathe life into this thing that was driving her fucking mad. 

azzi raised an eyebrow at her, and paige stared back helplessly. they were so close, hovering on the verge but not quite daring to fall over it, and she was going to do it, she was finally going to do it, fuck it, she was going to ask–

“can i–”

azzi interrupted her by kissing her full on the mouth.  

paige felt like she was bursting into flames. azzi’s lips on hers were hot, perfect, firm and absolutely sure of what she wanted. paige’s hands clung to her waist like it was keeping her on earth, kissing back for all she was worth.  

it was whatever paige had fantasized about since the moment azzi had walked into practice on the first day, letting her hand linger in paige’s for a second too long when they shook hands. it was perfect. paige was fucking melting.

after a moment, azzi pulled back. “god, i’ve been waiting for you for months. you’re such an idiot.”

“well,” paige shrugged, “did it live up to the hype?”

“i need a second opinion.” azzi kissed her again, and paige smiled so wide she nearly broke their lips apart, and azzi only kissed her harder, and paige felt so happy she could fucking die. 

yeah, she could get used to this. 

___

[11:04 am]

arike: u massive liar

arike: “i need something outside” headass yeah needed some TONGUE

arike: i can see u thru the window  

[11:05 am]

arike: u dont get paid to kiss women on the clock get a move on

[11:14 am]

arike: dang let that lady ass go

[11:23 am]

paige: fuck you

[pbaz7]

FLIGHT 2136: PART 8

paige x azzi

warning: sexual content

word count: 13.9k

A/N: I have nothing to say I’m sleepy lol. Very minimal proof reading. I hope you enjoy 🫶🏼 leave live reacts, comments and any suggestions that you have!!

—————————————————————————

3rd Person POV - October

Paige would be lying if she said she wasn’t sick to her stomach lying next to her girlfriend right now. The warmth of Azzi’s body should have been comforting, grounding like usual—but instead, it only fueled the unease twisting inside her. For the past four days, she had woken up alone, the sheets cold beside her, Azzi nowhere to be found. The first few times, she’d call, voice still thick with sleep, confusion laced in her words as she tried to figure out where her girl was. But each time, Azzi had given her some vague response about where she was.

At first, Paige had believed her, of course she did, it was Azzi. But the more she thought about it, the excuses never quite made sense. Not with the way Azzi avoided eye contact afterward, not with the way she brushed off Paige’s questions as if she was overthinking things.

By the third morning, Paige stopped asking. Stopped calling. Instead, she let the silence stretch between them until Azzi reached out, a quiet attempt at self-preservation. But now, lying beside Azzi, she couldn’t keep the words down anymore.

Azzi was here—warm, close, and wrapped around her like nothing was wrong. But Paige couldn’t ignore the gnawing feeling in her gut, couldn’t pretend she didn’t notice the distance in Azzi’s tone in an attempt to avoid Paige’s questions. So she swallowed the hesitation clogging in her throat and finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Where do you go in the morning Az?”

Azzi stirred slightly, her body heavy with exhaustion from practice as she barely registered Paige’s tone. She nuzzled closer against Paige’s side, her face buried against her shoulder, completely oblivious to the storm of questions raging in her girlfriend’s brain.

“Don’t worry about it, baby, go to bed.” Azzi mumbled, her words thick with sleep.

Paige tensed. “What do you mean, don’t worry about it?”

Azzi let out a breath, her hand lifting sluggishly to Paige’s jaw, fingertips grazing her skin in an attempt to soothe her to sleep. She sighed, her voice barely audible now. “Nothing,” she mumbled, already slipping further into unconsciousness.

Paige exhaled slowly, staring at the ceiling. Azzi wasn’t even awake enough to realize how much her answer—or lack thereof—was eating her alive.

There was nothing Paige could do. Not tonight. So she took another slow, measured breath, forcing herself to close her eyes. Even if sleep felt impossible, which it was for most of the night.

The next morning, Paige woke up alone in Azzi’s bed. Again.

She stared at the empty space beside her, her throat tightening as tears welled in her eyes—but she blinked them away. She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to get up. She brushed her teeth, grabbed her phone and her bag, and left without another thought, heading for her suite.

When she walked in, Ice and Jana were sprawled on the couch in the common area. They both glanced up as Paige wordlessly dropped into the chair across from them, her body sinking into the cushions like all the energy had been drained from her.

Ice arched her eyebrow, tilting her head. “Who shat in your cereal?”

Paige slumped further into the chair, running a hand over her face before mumbling, “I think Azzi’s cheating on me.”

Jana and Ice burst out laughing almost immediately.

“You gotta be trolling,” Jana said, shaking her head.

Ice added, “Yeah, and I think the sky’s purple. We can be delusional together.”

The two of them laughed again, fully entertained by the absurdity of the idea—until they noticed Paige wasn’t laughing with them. She just sat there, lips pressed into a tight line, fingers playing with the ring on her finger.

The laughter died down and Ice leaned forward, her expression turning serious. “Paige bro, please be serious.”

Paige met her gaze. “I am.”

Ice blinked at her, still trying to process Paige’s words. “There’s literally no way Azzi is cheating on you.”

Paige exhaled, shaking her head. “She’s been gone every morning this week when I wake up and she turned off her location for everyone.”

Jana and Ice exchanged a look but still didn’t seem convinced.

Ice shrugged. “Okay… yeah, that’s a tiny bit weird. But come on—we’re talking about Azzi Fudd here. The same Azzi that is probably the textbook definition of down bad when it comes to you.”

Paige didn’t respond. Their words were supposed to be reassuring, but they did little to ease all the questions in her head. She leaned back in the chair, absentmindedly twisting the ring on her finger, her thoughts spiraling.

Ice and Jana sighed in unison before giving each other a look. Without a word, Jana pulled out her phone and started dialing.

Paige frowned. “Who are you calling?”

Jana didn’t answer. Instead, she pressed speaker as the call connected.

“Hello?” Caroline’s voice came through, sounding slightly confused.

Jana didn’t waste time. “What the hell is Azzi doing?”

There was a pause on the other end.

“Huh?” Caroline genuinely sounded completely lost.

Jana didn’t hesitate in adding. “Paige thinks Azzi is cheating on her.”

There was a loud what?! in the background, followed by clatter—something dropping, then frantic shuffling.

A second later, Azzi’s voice cut through the speaker, calmer this time. “What did you just say?”

Jana glanced at Paige, silently asking if she should keep going. Paige quickly shook her head, eyes wide, mouthing no.

But Ice ignored her. “Paige thinks you’re cheating on her.”

There was a beat of silence.

“Where’d you hear that?” Azzi asked.

“From Paige,” Ice answered bluntly. “She’s sitting right here actually.”

Paige groaned, sinking further into the chair as she dragged her hands down her face. She could feel Azzi’s reaction through the phone, even without seeing her.

Azzi exhaled sharply. “Give her the phone.”

Jana handed Paige the phone, and she took it off speaker, pressing it against her ear.

“Hello,” she said, her voice quiet.

There was a pause on the other end before Azzi spoke. “Baby, what’s going on?”

Paige swallowed, shifting in her seat. “Nothing.”

Azzi sighed. “Paige.”

“What?” Paige responded. There was a distance in her tone that Azzi immediately picked up on.

“Are you seriously thinking I’d cheat on you?” Azzi asked, her voice softer now.

Paige stared at the floor, rolling the ring on her finger. “I don’t know what to think right now.”

Azzi was silent for a moment before saying, “Baby, come on.”

Paige closed her eyes at the nickname but didn’t respond.

Azzi exhaled. “Talk to me.”

Paige hesitated before finally saying, “You’ve been gone every morning this week.”

“And that makes you jump to the conclusion that I’m cheating?”

Paige’s grip on the phone tightened. “I don’t want to think that,” she admitted. “But you won’t tell me where you are without lying about it. What else am I supposed to think?”

Azzi let out a slow breath. “Paige… I promise you, I'm not cheating on you. I would never do that to you baby.”

“Then tell me,” Paige said, still distant.

There was a pause, and Azzi’s tone turned almost guilty. “I will. Just… not right now, okay?”

Paige nodded even though Azzi couldn’t see her. “Okay.”

Azzi sighed. “Paige—”

“I have to go. I'm tired,” Paige interrupted. She wasn’t mad, she doesn’t know what she is, but she also didn’t want to keep going in circles.

Azzi hesitated, then said softly, “I love you.”

Paige closed her eyes for a second before saying. “I love you too.”

But when she hung up, the weight in her chest was still there.

Wordlessly, she tossed the phone back to Jana and stood up, not bothering to explain herself. She walked to her room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

When Paige got to her room, she didn’t bother with anything else. She pulled her phone out and set it to Do Not Disturb, the familiar action a small, automatic comfort. Then, without a second thought, she pulled off her hoodie and crawled into bed, burying herself under the covers as if they could shield her from everything.

On the other side of campus, Azzi was sitting with Caroline, surrounded by an array of balloons and flowers.

Azzi let out a frustrated sigh, throwing her head back against the wall. “Fuck, I didn’t think this through.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow. “I thought you guys were good. Why is she jumping to conclusions?”

Azzi shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck. “Her ex cheated on her,” she stated simply.

Caroline’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”

When Azzi didn’t say anything in return Caroline added, “I really thought she’d piece together you were doing something for her birthday.”

Azzi shook her head, letting out a long breath. “She doesn’t like her birthday. She probably doesn’t even know it’s tomorrow.”

Caroline nodded. “What do you want to do?”

Azzi grabbed her phone, unlocking it and scrolling to her and Paige’s messages. She paused when she saw that Paige’s phone was set to Do Not Disturb. A wave of frustration hit her as she stared at the screen for a moment.

She sighed, tossing the phone onto the floor. “Let’s just finish this. We’re almost done.”

…

Practice was the first time Paige and Azzi saw one another that day and Paige was doing everything in her power to keep her distance. She focused on the drills, moving mechanically–perfectly and stayed glued to KK’s side whenever possible.

Their only real interactions came in fleeting touches—quick hand slaps after a good play, a murmured "good pass" before moving on. Paige barely looked at Azzi, her focus trained on anything but the girl who had the ability to break her with a few words.

Even when Paige took a hard fall, landing awkwardly and grimacing as she reached for her lower back, she kept the wall up. Azzi was there in an instant, her hands outstretched, eyes scanning Paige with concern. Paige let her help her up.

“You good?” Azzi asked.

Paige nodded, forcing out a small, “I’m good.” And then she was already walking away, putting space between them once again.

It wasn’t that Paige was mad at Azzi. Paige just didn’t know what to think, her thoughts were too scattered and her only solution to making sure they didn’t get anymore scattered was to be perfect in practice. She would talk to Azzi later if her girlfriend tried to.

…

Later that night Paige had been trying to force herself to sleep for some time now—she really had. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t stop thinking. She was confused. Her and Azzi had never even really argued, so none of her trains of thought made any sense. The silence in her room was suffocating, and the questions spun in her head faster than she could catch them.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard a knock on the door. She chose not to respond, hoping it would go away, but the door creaked open anyway, and she knew it was Azzi.

Azzi shut the door quietly behind her, her eyes immediately finding the lump on Paige’s bed. She knew that Paige wasn’t asleep—she could never fall asleep on her side like that.

With a soft sigh, Azzi slipped off her hoodie and shoes before climbing into the bed beside Paige. She didn’t say anything at first, letting the silence linger, hoping maybe Paige would be the one to break it. But when the quiet stretched on, Azzi couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Baby,” Azzi said softly, her voice full of the weight she felt.

Paige, still tucked under the covers, murmured, “Hm?”

Azzi hesitated for a moment before asking, “Can you look at me, please?”

Paige slowly pulled the covers back from her head, her eyes shifting to Azzi. Her gaze held the same softness she always had for Azzi but there was a distance in it. Azzi let out a soft sigh when she saw the expression on Paige's face.

“I’m not Leah, Paige,” Azzi said. Her voice was tinged with frustration and a hint of hurt.

Paige blinked, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know that, Az.”

Azzi’s gaze softened, but the tension in her chest was still there. “I’m not cheating on you. I promise. You don’t need to worry about that.”

Paige just nodded, her emotions too tangled for her to find the right words.

Azzi leaned closer. “What do I need to do to prove it to you?”

Paige shook her head slightly, her gaze dropping. “You don’t need to prove anything to me. I’m fine.”

Azzi wasn't convinced. “You’re not.”

Paige opened her mouth to argue, but Azzi cut her off. “Did you or did you not tell Ice and Jana that you thought I was cheating?”

Paige let out a deep sigh, looking away for a moment before she spoke. “I was just talking, baby.”

Azzi shook her head slowly, her eyes serious. “No, Paige. You weren’t just talking. You were worried and that’s okay, but you have to talk to me about it…”

Paige opened her mouth, but the words didn’t come right away. She hesitated, her thoughts tangled up with her emotions. She licked her lips, her gaze steady on Azzi before she finally spoke. “I wouldn’t survive if you cheated on me.”

Azzi’s heart clenched at her words. Without thinking, she reached for Paige, gently cupping her face in her hands. “I Promise I’m not. I just need you to trust me. Like you’ve been doing since we met.”

“I’m serious, Azzi,” Paige whispered. She paused, gathering her thoughts, before continuing, “When I say I wouldn’t survive, I mean that...I—I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and I’ve... I feel like I’ve given you a part of me, and I don’t know what I would do if…”

Azzi didn’t let her finish. She couldn’t—not when she saw the way Paige’s eyes glistened, the way her voice wavered.

“Paige,” Azzi murmured, her thumbs gently brushing against her cheeks. “Baby, look at me.”

Paige blinked rapidly, her throat working as she tried to steady herself.

“I know what you’re trying to say,” Azzi said, her voice softer now, more certain. “And I need you to hear me when I tell you that you will never have to find out what that feels like.”

Paige’s jaw tensed, her lips pressing together, but she didn’t pull away. Azzi took it as permission to keep going.

“I know what it’s like to give someone a part of you, because I’ve given you a piece of me.” Azzi said, her hands still cradling Paige’s face, grounding her. “And I know how terrifying that is. But, baby, I’m holding what you gave me with everything I have. I swear to you, I would never break you like that.”

Paige exhaled shakily, her hands lifting to rest over Azzi’s. Her fingers curled around Azzi’s wrists, holding onto her like she needed to feel the promise in her words.

“I love you Paige Madison,” Azzi whispered, leaning in until their foreheads touched. “More than anything, more than I ever thought I could love someone. And I need you to believe me when I say that you don’t have to be scared of me hurting you.”

Paige let out a breath, a small, broken sound, before she nodded. It wasn’t immediate, and it wasn’t all at once, but Azzi felt the shift. The walls Paige had built out of fear the last few days weren’t down completely, but they were cracking, letting Azzi in.

“I love you too,” Paige whispered, her voice a little steadier now.

Azzi kissed her forehead, lingering there for a moment before wrapping her arms around Paige, pulling her into her chest.

The two of them laid silently like that for a while. Azzi’s words linger as Paige allows them to untangle all of the thoughts in her head.

After a while Azzi breaks the silence with a small smile on her face. “Damn, you really love me, huh?”

Paige groaned, closing her eyes as if she could physically block out Azzi’s teasing. “Azzi.”

“What? You basically admitted that you wouldn’t survive without me.” Azzi smirked. “Kinda obsessed, don’t ya think?”

Paige let out a soft huff, but Azzi didn’t miss the way her lips twitched, like she was fighting a smile. “Shut up.”

Azzi chuckled, pressing a lingering kiss to Paige’s forehead. “You love me.”

Paige sighed dramatically, finally opening her eyes again. “Unfortunately.”

Azzi gasped. “Unfortunately?”

“Yeah. ‘Cause now I’m stuck with you.”

Azzi grinned, rolling onto her back and tugging Paige with her so she was resting against her chest. “You sure are”

Paige let herself relax, listening to the steady rhythm of Azzi’s heartbeat beneath her ear. The tension from earlier wasn’t completely gone, but it had eased into something lighter.

After a beat of silence, Paige mumbled, “You should’ve just told me if you wanted to have a secret girlfriend.”

Azzi laughed, shaking her head. “Shut up. I just can’t ruin the surprise.”

Paige furrowed her brows, lifting her head slightly. “Surprise?”

Azzi’s body went still for half a second before she quickly recovered, shrugging. “Nothing.”

Paige narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Azzi.”

Azzi looked away dramatically. “Wow, look at the time. We should get some rest, it's pretty late.”

Paige huffed but let it go, settling back against her. “Fine.”

Azzi smiled to herself, tightening her arms around Paige. “Goodnight, stalker.”

Paige pinched her side, making Azzi yelp. “Goodnight, princess.”

Azzi chuckled, pressing one last kiss into Paige’s hair before they both let their eyes drift shut.

…

The next morning Paige stirred against the warmth beneath her, her face buried against soft skin as she slowly drifted toward consciousness. She barely registered the gentle weight of a hand resting on her shoulder, fingers absentmindedly tracing over her back. A quiet sigh left her lips when she realized Azzi was still here. She shifted slightly, mumbling something incoherent.

Azzi chuckled softly, setting her phone down and glancing down at Paige with a smile. “Good morning, birthday girl.”

Paige let out a low grumble, her forehead pressing against Azzi’s thigh as she squeezed her eyes shut. “S’too early for allat,” she mumbled, her voice still raspy from sleep.

Azzi raised an eyebrow, running her fingers through Paige’s hair. “Too early for your own birthday?”

Paige frowned slightly, still half-asleep, before cracking one eye open in confusion. She blinked up at Azzi, her mind sluggishly catching up. “…Wait.”

Azzi’s smile widened. “Yeah, genius. It’s your birthday.”

Paige let out another groggy noise, her face pressing back into Azzi’s lap like she could hide from the realization. “Mmm. Five more minutes.”

Azzi laughed, shaking her head as she gently tugged at Paige’s arm. “Nope, no hiding. You’re officially the birthday girl, and I’m officially on annoying girlfriend duty.”

Paige groaned dramatically, but there was no real protest as Azzi leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of her head. “Happy birthday, baby.”

A small smile tugged at Paige’s lips. “Mmm. Now a kiss, I wouldn’t mind.”

“You have morning breath.”

Paige scoffed, eyes finally opening fully as she shifted to look up at Azzi. “That’s never stopped you before… If I remember correctly, there was this one time where you were begging me to—”

Azzi immediately cut her off with an eye roll, already knowing exactly where she was going. “Okay, okay, that’s enough.”

Paige pouted dramatically when Azzi still didn’t give her a kiss. “I thought it was supposed to be my birthday or something.”

Azzi let out an exasperated sigh but couldn’t hide her smile as she shifted, adjusting so she could comfortably lean down. “You’re annoying,” she mumbled before pressing her lips against Paige’s.

The kiss started slowly—the kind that made Paige melt further into Azzi’s lap. Azzi’s hand slid up, cupping Paige’s jaw, her thumb tracing the edge of her cheek as she deepened the kiss just slightly. Paige responded, tilting her head, her fingers curling around Azzi’s wrist to keep her close.

Azzi hummed against her lips, letting the kiss stretch longer than she intended. It was too easy to lose herself in the warmth of Paige, in the way her lips moved against her own. Paige let out a quiet sigh, her other hand gripping at Azzi’s thigh.

When Azzi finally pulled back, just enough to catch her breath, she smirked down at Paige. “Satisfied now, birthday girl?”

Paige’s lips were still parted, her eyes half-lidded as she took a second to process. Then, with a grin, she muttered, “That’s more like it.”

Azzi rolled her eyes. She let her fingers brush lazily through Paige’s hair for a few more moments to give her some time to fully wake up before shifting beneath her and saying, “Alright, time to get up.”

Paige barely reacted at first, her eyes still half-lidded as she remained comfortably curled up against Azzi. But then the words actually registered, and she blinked up at Azzi like she had lost her mind. “What?”

Azzi smirked, tapping her shoulder. “You heard me. Get up.”

Paige groaned dramatically, burying her face back into Azzi’s stomach. “Why can’t we just stay in bed all day? My back still hurts.”

Azzi’s smirk faded, her brows knitting together. She immediately sat up a little straighter. “Wait—are you serious?”

Paige hesitated for half a second, realizing too late that she had triggered Azzi’s worry. She let out another groan, knowing she couldn’t just brush it off now. “I’m okay,” she mumbled. “It’s just a little sore.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes, scanning Paige’s expression like she was trying to gauge if she was lying. Then, without warning, she grabbed a pillow and smacked Paige with it.

Paige let out a startled noise, sitting up with wide eyes. “What the hell?!”

“That’s for making me worry, idiot,” Azzi huffed, but there was clear relief in her voice.

Paige pouted, rubbing her head where the pillow had made an impact. “Abuse. On my birthday.”

Azzi rolled her eyes before tossing the pillow aside. “Yeah, yeah. Now get up.”

Paige grumbled as she got up heading for the bathroom. Azzi followed behind her.

Once they had both showered and brushed their teeth, Azzi now leaned against the dresser, her gaze trailing over Paige as she finished getting dressed. “You look too good.”

Paige laughed, tugging the sleeves of her orange hoodie over her hands. “I didn’t even do anything special.”

And she really didn’t. Just a hoodie and beige splatter jeans—simple. But to Azzi, Paige looked good in anything. Too good when she wasn’t in oversized sweats. Her hair was down, slightly tousled, and it only made things worse. Azzi sighed, reaching out to play with the ends of Paige’s hair between her fingers, mumbling something under her breath.

Paige smirked, catching the soft words. “What was that?” She stepped closer, tilting her head as she pulled Azzi in by the waist.

Azzi huffed, avoiding eye contact. “Can you at least put your hair up?”

Paige chuckled. “That’s what you want me to do, pretty?”

Azzi nodded, a little too quickly, and Paige shook her head with a quiet laugh. She reached for one of the hair ties on her wrist, gathering her hair and putting it into a low bun. Once she finished, she turned back to Azzi, raising an eyebrow. “How’s that?”

Azzi groaned, running a hand down her face.Because somehow, somehow, Paige still looked too good. Maybe even better. The bun was too perfect.

Paige chuckled, reaching out to tug playfully at Azzi’s jacket. “Doesn’t matter what I look like. You look better, baby.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, but the slight upturn of her lips gave her away. She had thrown on a brown set she’d just gotten from a Savage X Fenty ad—a cropped top that showed off her piercing, paired with matching sweats. A jacket was draped over her shoulders to keep herself warm, but Paige still caught glimpses of her toned stomach every time Azzi moved. To top it all off, she had on a pair of Paige’s shoes that matched perfectly.

Azzi didn’t bother to address Paige’s compliment, she just grabbed Paige’s hand, intertwining their fingers as she pulled her toward the door. Paige followed, but her brows furrowed slightly when they stepped into the common area, and it was completely empty. Considering they had today off, she had expected at least some of their teammates to be lounging around or causing chaos.

She glanced at Azzi. “Where is everyone?”

Azzi smiled, grabbing her keys from the counter. “I banned them from bothering you today.”

Paige laughed at that, amused but also silently wondering how long that ban would actually last. Their teammates weren’t exactly known for respecting personal space—especially on birthdays.

Azzi led them out, and as they walked toward the car, Paige instinctively veered toward the passenger side, only to watch in amusement as Azzi did the same. She stopped, giving Azzi a look as the other girl casually opened the door and slid inside.

Paige just shook her head, laughing under her breath as she got into the driver’s seat. “Passenger princess.”

Azzi shot her a glare, but the effect was ruined by the way she was already reaching for the seat heater and adjusting the radio.

…

When they got to the diner, Paige slid into the same side of the booth as Azzi, pressing up against her like it was second nature. Azzi just rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything, the small smile tugging at her lips giving away just how much she liked it.

Azzi picked up the menu, scanning it for options, but Paige didn’t even bother. Instead, she rested her chin on her hand and just stared at Azzi, watching her like she was the most interesting thing in the room.

Azzi didn’t look up as she spoke. “The answer to what you’re going to eat isn’t on my face Paige.”

Paige smirked. “I meannn…”

Azzi snorted, shaking her head. “I’m serious.”

Paige just shrugged. “You can order for me.”

Azzi finally looked at her, raising a brow. “I’m not your mother.”

Paige grinned. “You’re my girl.”

Azzi rolled her eyes again, but this time, a faint blush dusted her cheeks as she glanced back at the menu. “Whatever, idiot.”

When the waiter approached the table, Paige and Azzi were leaned in close, their forearms resting against the table as they talked. The space between them was practically nonexistent, their faces just inches apart as Paige whispered something that made Azzi bite back a smile.

The waiter hesitated for a second too long, eyes flickering between both of them as if she couldn’t decide which one to focus on..

Clearing her throat, the waiter straightened her notepad. “Hey! Welcome in. Are you guys ready to order?”

Azzi gave a polite smile, her voice smooth as she said, “Good morning. Yeah, we are.”

Paige smiled at how effortlessly charming Azzi could be, but instead of saying anything, she reached under the table, lightly tracing her fingers along Azzi’s leg. Azzi, already scanning the menu, didn’t even flinch.

“She’ll have the pancakes, her eggs scrambled with cheese, and a side of bacon—extra crispy,” Azzi said, eyes still on the menu.

Paige grinned, pleased with the order, but she wasn’t done bothering Azzi. She slid her hand up slightly, fingers toying with the hem of Azzi’s cropped top. Azzi casually smacked Paige’s hand away without even pausing.

The waiter blinked, caught between amusement and curiosity as she watched the interaction unfold.

“For me, the avocado toast with an extra egg, and a side of bacon and fruit,” Azzi said, as if nothing had happened. Paige, still being annoying, nudged their knees together, her smirk growing. Azzi sighed through her nose but kept her cool. “Two coffees please, one just black and the other with cream.”

The waiter nodded, scribbling down the order, though her gaze still flickered between both of them. Azzi had this quiet confidence about her, like she was used to being listened to. And the way they interacted, how effortlessly Azzi spoke for Paige and how easily Paige let her, it was enough to make anyone curious.

“Got it. I’ll, uh, get that in for you guys,” the waiter said quickly before scurrying off.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Paige tilted her head, still watching Azzi like she was the only thing in the room. “You see that? You made her nervous.”

Azzi scoffed, not even addressing Paige’s comment as she went back to the story she was telling Paige before the waiter came over.

When the waiter returned with their food a bit later, Azzi was now leaning in close, her lips just barely brushing against Paige’s ear as she whispered something. Whatever she said had Paige’s eyes slightly blown, her jaw tightening as she tried to keep her expression neutral. But Azzi knew better. She smirked against Paige’s skin, satisfied with the effect she had on her.

The waiter hesitated, clearing her throat as she carefully set the plates down. Azzi turned to her with a polite smile. “Thank you.”

Paige exhaled slowly, trying to pull herself back together as she finally looked up. The moment the waiter locked eyes with her, she froze. She hadn't actually seen Paige’s eyes last time—hadn’t realized just how beautiful and striking the shade of blue was. And paired with whatever intensity Paige was still carrying from Azzi’s words, it nearly knocked the air out of her.

“Th—” The waiter stumbled over her words but quickly recovered. “Th-there you go, enjoy.”

Paige swallowed, her voice slightly rough as she murmured, “Thank you.”

The sound of it, sent the poor waiter fumbling with the cream and sugar box she was holding. It tipped forward, teetering off the tray, and before she could react, Paige’s reflexes kicked in. She caught it.

Azzi let out a small chuckle, clearly amused.

The waiter, meanwhile, looked like she was about to pass out. “Oh my god, I am so sorry—”

“It’s fine,” Paige said, lips twitching slightly as she handed it back.

The waiter quickly nodded, backing away, clearly rattled. “R-right, okay, enjoy your food!” She practically rushed off after that.

Paige finally turned back to Azzi, who was watching her. “What?” Paige asked, reaching for her fork.

Azzi just shook her head, pretending to focus on her plate. “Nothing.”

Paige narrowed her eyes. “Azzi.”

Azzi finally looked up, smile growing. “You flustered her.”

Paige scoffed. “You flustered me.”

Azzi hummed, tilting her head slightly. “Exactly.” Then she picked up her fork, completely unbothered.

The two of them enjoyed their breakfast. Talking casually, Paige listened as Azzi talked about her classes and how excited she was for the season to pick up.

As the waiter returns with the check, she finds Paige and Azzi still seated close together, plates mostly empty. Azzi’s arm is draped lazily along the back of the booth behind Paige, her fingers tracing against her neck.

The waiter sets the check down and lets out a small laugh. “I have to say, you two are probably the most attractive couple I’ve ever seen in person. It’s actually kind of unfair.”

Paige smirks, sitting back slightly, but it’s Azzi who responds with a small laugh. “You’d be surprised about how often we hear that.”

The waiter chuckles. “I bet. What do you guys do, anyway? You look like models or something.”

Azzi shakes her head. “We play basketball.”

The waiter’s eyebrows raise in interest. “Oh, like for college?”

Azzi nods. “Yeah, UConn.”

The recognition is immediate. “Wait—UConn? Like, UConn UConn?”

Azzi grins. “The one and only.”

The waiter whistles. “Damn. No wonder you both look like that.” She glances between them again, eyes flickering over Paige, who just quirks a brow but stays quiet.

“Something like that,” Azzi says, clearly entertained.

The waiter shifts on her feet before hesitating. “Okay, so… this is probably super inappropriate, and I swear I don’t usually do this,” she says, holding up her hands in mock surrender. “But I have to ask because I’ll never get this opportunity again and I’ll probably regret it later if I don’t at least try—are you two looking for a third?”

Paige, mid-sip of her water, immediately chokes, coughing hard as she nearly knocks the glass over. Azzi’s amusement disappears. “Oh my god—baby, breathe,” she says, concern lacing her voice as she rubs Paige’s back. Paige tries to wave her off, but Azzi isn’t having it. She grabs Paige’s drink, checking how much is left to figure out how much she choked on before pushing it aside and reaching for a napkin.

Paige, still coughing, manages to wheeze out, “What—I—Azzi, what did she just say?”

The waiter winces.

Azzi exhales, shaking her head. “You good now?” she murmurs, still rubbing her back.

Paige, voice still a little hoarse, wipes her mouth and glares at Azzi when she feels her girlfriend’s body shaking with small laughter beside her. “Don’t,” Paige warns.

Azzi lets out a laugh once she realizes Paige is fine. She looks back at the waiter with a polite smile, “I respect it, but we’re good. Really.”

The waiter shrugs with a grin. “Had to shoot my shot.” She backs away with a smile. “Enjoy the rest of your day, birthday girl.”

Paige groans, rubbing her temples as Azzi leans in. “I mean… should I be flattered or jealous?”

Paige just huffs, shaking her head. “Get me out of here.”

…

As they pulled back onto campus, Paige was ready to head straight to the dorms, but when Azzi told her to drive to the gym instead, she shot her a confused look.

“Why?”

“I told them your back was sore, so you have the ice tub waiting for you.”

Paige groaned, letting her head fall back against the headrest. “Azzi, you know I hate those, bro.”

Azzi’s eyes narrowed. “One, don’t ‘bro’ me. And two, I don’t care.”

Paige turned to her, her lips pulling into a dramatic pout. “I thought you were supposed to be nice to me today.”

“I am,” Azzi replied. “I need you to have a good back for later.”

Paige raised a brow at that. “What’s later?”

Azzi just shrugged, staring out the window. “Whatever you want.”

Paige clenched her jaw, gripping the wheel a little tighter as she headed for the gym.

When they stepped into the locker room, both Paige and Azzi quickly stripped out of their clothes, swapping them for sports bras and spandex. Paige stretched her arms over her head, rolling her shoulders with a slight wince, which, of course, Azzi noticed immediately.

“You sure it’s just sore?” Azzi asked.

Paige sighed, already knowing Azzi wouldn’t drop it. “Yes, mom. Just sore.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “Keep calling me that and see what happens.”

Paige smirked. “Oh? And what’s gonna happen?”

Azzi only raised a brow, saying nothing as she grabbed her phone and started heading toward the training room. Paige followed, falling into step beside her.

After a second, Azzi glanced at her. “So, what’s your ideal birthday?”

Paige thought about it for a second before shrugging. “I mean… I don’t really care that much. I like spending time with people I like, eating good food…chillin.”

Azzi hummed. “So basically what we’ve been doing today.”

Paige grinned. “Exactly.”

Azzi shook her head with a small smile. “You’re easy to please.”

Paige bumped her shoulder against Azzi’s. “You already knew that.”

Paige eased herself into the ice bath, a sharp groan escaping her lips as the cold water bit at her skin. She tensed immediately, her muscles instinctively trying to reject the freezing temperature before she forced herself to settle. After a few moments, she exhaled and relaxed into the tub.

Azzi, however, remained outside of it, perched on the edge.

Paige glanced up at her, brows furrowing. “Why aren’t you coming in?”

Azzi shrugged. “I’m fine. You’re the one with the sore back.”

“Then why’d you change?”

Azzi smiled, tilting her head slightly. “Because I figured you’d beg me to get in eventually.”

Paige scoffed, a slow grin creeping onto her face. “So let’s just get it over with.”

Azzi sighed, shaking her head, but set her phone down and stood. “You’re annoying,” she muttered, but there was no real bite behind her words.

Paige watched as Azzi stepped onto the first submerged step, her body immediately tensing at the temperature. She inhaled sharply through her nose.

“This is awful,” Azzi muttered, her entire expression contorted in discomfort.

Paige chuckled, shifting slightly in the water. “C’mon, tough girl. It’s not that bad.”

Azzi glared at her as she took another step, the water creeping up her legs. “Says the one who was groaning like she got stabbed two seconds ago.”

Paige smirked. “You were listening that closely?”

Azzi rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight the small smile on her lips. She continued lowering herself into the bath, until she was finally settled in front of Paige. She watched Paige with quiet curiosity as she reached for a hair tie resting on the edge of the pool. Without a word, Paige lifted her hands, still damp from the water, and gathered Azzi’s curls, gently twisting them into a bun. Her fingers moved with a familiar ease, securing the tie in place before letting her hands linger for a moment.

“That bad, huh?”

Paige smirked. “Just figured you’d complain about it getting wet.”

Azzi scoffed, tilting her head slightly as a few curls escaped, still framing her face. “I don’t complain that much.”

Paige hummed in amusement, dragging her fingers along Azzi’s arm under the water. “Mmm, sure.”

Azzi rolled her eyes again but leaned into Paige’s touch, letting her hands momentarily distract from the icy temperature surrounding them. “You’re lucky I like you.”

Paige grinned. “I know.”

Azzi felt Paige’s gentle but insistent pull, her body naturally following the motion. “What are you doing?” she asked, voice dipping with suspicion.

Paige barely lifted her head. “Kissing my girl,” she mumbled, and before Azzi could think of a response, Paige was pressing their mouths together.

Azzi allowed herself to melt into the kiss, her hands instinctively finding Paige’s forearms under the water. The chill of the ice bath was a stark contrast to the heat building between them as Paige’s tongue swiped over her lips, silently asking for entrance. Azzi parted them, letting Paige deepen the kiss, her fingers curling slightly against Paige’s skin.

But just as Paige was about to pull her closer, Azzi broke away, her breath slightly uneven. “We’re not supposed to be making out in the ice bath,” she whispered, though she made no effort to move back.

Paige tilted her head. “Who made that rule up?”

Azzi opened her mouth, but no answer came. She frowned, realizing she didn’t actually have one.

Paige smirked, her grip on Azzi tightening just a little. “Exactly.”

Azzi let out a soft laugh against Paige’s lips but didn’t resist when Paige pulled her back in for another kiss. This time, it was slower—controlled—but it didn’t take long for Paige to push it further, her hands trailing along Azzi’s sides under the water.

Azzi chuckled against her mouth, sensing where this was going. “Paige—”

But Paige ignored her, tilting her head and pressing hot, lingering kisses along Azzi’s neck. “I can’t help it,” she murmured between kisses, her lips brushing against Azzi’s skin. “You’re too sexy. Look good all the time. You got that sexy bun in and everything.”

Azzi felt a shiver run down her spine, despite the chill around them. She tried to keep her composure, but it was hard with Paige’s lips trailing down her neck, leaving soft marks. Azzi chuckled softly, trying to focus. "We’re literally in a tub of ice, Paige," she said.

Paige hummed in response, unbothered. "Exactly, gotta keep us warm." She let her lips move lower, brushing against Azzi’s collarbone. Azzi's breath hitched, betraying her resolve to keep it light.

Paige wasn’t rushing. She marked Azzi’s skin slowly, savoring the moment, but Azzi could tell she was toying with her. The way Paige murmured against her skin, telling her how beautiful she looked, how good she always looked—it made Azzi’s pulse quicken despite the ice bath.

Azzi tried to resist, but she could feel her resolve slipping with each soft kiss, each gentle swipe of Paige’s tongue. Her head tipped back slightly, giving Paige better access as she surrendered to the moment and tangled her wet hands in Paige’s hair. But despite how good it felt, the awareness of their surroundings began to creep in.

Azzi listened for a moment, hearing the distant sound of footsteps, voices echoing down the hall. She pulled back just enough to meet Paige’s gaze. "I don’t want anyone to walk in, baby."

Paige’s lips curled into a smirk, but there was a flicker of understanding behind her eyes. She sighed dramatically, releasing Azzi’s waist but not fully letting go of her. “You’re no fun, you know that?”

Azzi laughed, brushing a few strands of hair out of Paige’s face. “I just don’t want us getting caught in here looking like... well, like this. Basically a free show.”

Paige relented and the two of them sat next to one another for a few minutes until the timer went off.

Once they were done the two of them walked out of the training room, slipping down the hallway toward the locker room.

When they arrived, they noticed something was off—the lights were out, the hallway eerily quiet. Paige furrowed her brow, glancing at Azzi. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.

Before either of them could reach for the door, it swung open suddenly with a loud crash, and the lights flashed on. The team erupted from the darkness, jumping out from their hiding spots with a chorus of “Happy Birthday!”

Paige froze, her eyes wide, her heart skipping a beat at the loudness. She stood there, stunned for a moment, before a grin spread across her face.

The team cheered again, clapping and hollering as they rushed forward to surround Paige. “Happy Birthday, P Boogers!” KK shouted, pulling Paige into a big hug.

“Surprise!” Ice added, tossing a small confetti popper into the air.

Paige laughed, clearly touched by the gesture.

Jana handed her a small cake, and Ayanna placed a birthday crown on her head. “We couldn’t let you get away without a proper celebration.”

Paige looked over at Azzi, catching her eye. "You helped plan this, didn't you?" Paige asked.

Azzi just shrugged. "Maybe."

Paige rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop smiling as the team continued to “bother” her with pictures and singing.

After spending time in the locker room, laughing and joking with the team as they celebrated her birthday, Paige finally leaned back against her locker, feeling warm. The day had been unexpectedly perfect, and she was grateful for everyone who had put it together—including Azzi, who had been quietly watching her the entire time.

Just as Paige was about to sink further into the moment, Azzi nudged her side. “Alright, it’s time to go.”

Paige turned her head, raising an eyebrow. “Go where?”

Azzi just smirked, standing up and grabbing her phone. “Don’t worry about it.”

Paige narrowed her eyes. “Azzi—”

“Nope,” Azzi cut her off. “Just trust me.”

Paige exhaled, giving her a look. “I don’t like surprises.”

Azzi huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, yeah. You’ll like this one.”

Paige studied her for a moment, trying to read her expression, but Azzi just held out her hand. With a sigh, Paige finally took it, letting Azzi pull her to her feet. “This better not be some weird conditioning session disguised as a birthday gift,” Paige mumbled.

Azzi grinned. “That would be funny, but no.”

Paige rolled her eyes but didn’t fight it as Azzi led her out of the locker room.

When Azzi pulled up to a building Paige had never seen before, she frowned, glancing out the window in confusion. The area was unfamiliar, and that alone had her on edge.

Azzi shifted beside her, pulling something from her bag. “Alright,” she said, holding up a black blindfold. “Do you trust me?”

Paige looked at her suspiciously, eyeing the blindfold. “You’re not trying to kill me, right?”

Azzi burst out laughing, shaking her head. “No, baby. I promise.”

Paige still hesitated, glancing between the blindfold and Azzi’s expression. “Then why do I need to be blindfolded?”

Azzi pouted. “Because it’s a surprise. Please, baby?” Her voice softened, taking on that tone she always used when she wanted something from Paige.

Paige exhaled, fighting the urge to roll her eyes, but when Azzi tilted her head just a little, still pouting, she sighed in defeat. “Fine,” she mumbled.

Azzi grinned, stepping behind her to gently tie the blindfold over her eyes. “Good girl,” she whispered, adjusting the knot.

Paige huffed. “I swear, Azzi, if this is some elaborate prank—”

“It’s not,” Azzi reassured her, placing a quick kiss on her jaw. “Now, come on.”

Paige swallowed, her senses already heightened now that she couldn’t see. She let Azzi take her hand, feeling the warmth of her palm, and allowed herself to be led forward, the anticipation building with every step.

Azzi guided Paige carefully up a short flight of steps.

“Almost there,” Azzi whispered, her voice close to Paige’s ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

When they finally stopped, Paige tilted her head as a soft, familiar melody filled the room. Her ears perked up instantly. “Is that SZA?” she asked.

Azzi chuckled. “Of course.”

Paige bit her lip, curiosity rising as she tried to pick up on more details. The air smelled subtly of something sweet—maybe vanilla—and there was a warmth to the space, a coziness that made her relax despite not knowing where she was.

Azzi adjusted her hands on Paige’s hips. “Stand still for me,” she instructed.

Paige huffed out a laugh but didn’t move. “You always bossing me around.”

Azzi smirked, stepping around her to make sure she was positioned exactly how she wanted. “And you always listen.”

Paige muttered, “Whatever,” under her breath.

Azzi stepped in behind her, pressing close as she whispered, “Close your eyes.”

Paige scoffed. “I literally have on a blindfold.”

“Shut up and close them,” Azzi shot back as she reached up to untie the fabric. She tugged it off smoothly and tossed it to the side before resting her hands lightly on Paige’s shoulders. “Okay, open.”

Paige blinked her eyes open, and for the first time in a long time, she was almost speechless.

The room was softly lit with candles, a warm glow reflecting off the scattered white and purple rose petals forming a trail across the floor. Light purple balloons floated gently, filling the space but not overwhelming it.

At the end of the petal-lined path, a small table sat illuminated by a candle, its soft glow dancing across the surface.

Paige exhaled, glancing over at Azzi, who was watching her reaction carefully, a small smile tugging at her lips. Paige swallowed, her voice quieter than usual. “Azzi…”

Azzi watched Paige closely, her expression softening. “Do you like it?”

Paige turned to her, eyes still flickering around the room in awe. “I love it, baby. But—how did you? When did you—?”

Azzi smiled, shrugging casually. “Every morning this week.”

Paige’s stomach twisted. The realization hit her hard. All those mornings she spent overthinking, spiraling in her head, convinced Azzi was being distant, convinced she was—“Fuck, Az, I’m so sorry,” Paige muttered, guilt pressing down on her chest. “I didn’t—”

Azzi shook her head, stepping closer. “You don’t need to apologize, baby.”

Paige clenched her jaw, looking away. She still felt bad. Really bad. She had been so wrapped up in her own insecurities, so convinced Azzi was pulling away, when in reality—Azzi had been here. Doing this.

Azzi saw it all over her face. “Paige.” She reached for her, slipping her arms around Paige’s waist. “Stop. I wanted to do this for you.”

Paige exhaled shakily, hands settling on Azzi’s hips. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Shut up,” Azzi mumbled, pressing a kiss to Paige’s jaw. “Come on.”

Azzi grabbed Paige’s hand, pulling her toward the table just as a private caterer placed their food down. Paige’s brows lifted in surprise, watching as the dishes were set in front of them.

When she looked down at her plate, a laugh escaped her. It was simple—exactly the kind of meal she liked. Nothing overly fancy or extravagant, just good food that she would actually enjoy.

Azzi smirked. “What? You thought I was gonna have them bring out some five-star, Michelin-style meal with ingredients you can’t pronounce?”

Paige grinned as she sat down, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t put it past you.”

Azzi sat across from her, reaching for her fork. “I know you, baby,” she said, eyes flickering up to meet Paige’s. “I wasn’t about to have you sitting here picking at your food all night.”

Paige exhaled, a warmth spreading in her chest as she looked at Azzi. “You really thought of everything, huh?”

“Of course.”

As they ate, Paige’s eyes kept drifting around the room, taking in every little detail—every petal, every candle, every soft touch that Azzi had so carefully put together. The guilt gnawed at her again, heavier this time.

She set her fork down, exhaling. “Az, I’m really sorry,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “I feel like an ass.”

With a small sigh, Azzi stood up, adjusting her chair so she was right next to Paige. Once she was settled, she leaned in, voice dropping to a soft whisper. “Stop apologizing, baby.”

Before Paige could say anything else, Azzi’s fingers curled around her jaw, tilting her face toward her. She searched Paige’s eyes for a moment, before pulling her into a slow kiss.

Paige melted instantly, her hand resting on Azzi’s thigh as she sighed into the kiss. When Azzi pulled away, she ran her thumb over Paige’s bottom lip, smirking. “Just enjoy your night, okay?”

Paige swallowed, dazed. “Okay,” she murmured.

As they ate, the conversation flowed easily, slipping between them teasing each other like they had been best friends for years and more genuine moments. The whole time, Azzi’s foot was lazily running up and down Paige’s leg.

“You really did all this by yourself?” Paige asked, glancing around again in disbelief.

Azzi smiled. “Well, I had some help from Caroline setting up the table and everything, but yeah. Every morning this week, like I said.”

Paige shook her head, setting her fork down for a moment. “I don’t even know what to say.”

Azzi grinned. “That’s a first.”

Paige rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”

Azzi just chuckled, leaning back slightly. “I wanted to do something special for you, baby. You do so much for everyone else all the time. I wanted to make sure you felt special today.”

Paige felt something stir in her chest at Azzi’s words, a warmth settling in her stomach. She looked down at her plate, taking another bite instead of answering right away.

Azzi’s foot brushed against her calf again, but Paige didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she hummed. “You’re really out here setting the bar too high. What am I supposed to do for your birthday?”

“You’ve got a little time to figure it out.”

Paige shook her head with a small smile. “Yeah. But I don’t think I can top this.”

Azzi shrugged. “You don’t have to top anything. Just being with you is enough.”

Paige held her gaze for a moment before laughing softly. “You’re corny.”

“That’s ironic coming from you.”

Paige scoffed. “I’m not corny.”

Azzi gave her a look, tilting her head slightly to the side, her expression making it clear she wasn’t buying it. Paige just smirked, refusing to argue.

She looked away for a second, but when her eyes found Azzi again, her breath caught slightly. Azzi had that look—the one that always made Paige’s pulse race. Her lips were caught between her teeth, her gaze locked onto Paige.

Paige swallowed, keeping her expression neutral. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Azzi’s smirk grew as her foot traced a lazy path up and down Paige’s leg beneath the table. “Like what?”

“You know like what.”

Azzi hummed, taking a long sip as she finished off her wine, fingers tapping lightly against the glass. “Maybe I just like looking at my girlfriend.”

Paige arched an eyebrow. “Is that all?”

Azzi shrugged, dragging her foot just a little higher before settling again. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

Paige smirked, leaning back in her chair, but her eyes never left Azzi’s.

Azzi tilted her head slightly, her gaze not leaving Paige’s, a clear challenge now simmering between them.

Azzi leaned forward, her chin resting lightly on her palm as she watched Paige with a mix of amusement and curiosity.

Paige’s smirk only deepened. She slowly licked her lips, the movement deliberate, drawing Azzi’s focus.

They continued their silent exchange, neither willing to break the stare. Paige could feel the heat building in the pit of her stomach, the playful game they were playing taking on an entirely different edge.

Paige finally broke the silence, her voice low. “You think you can win this, huh?”

Azzi’s smile formed slowly. “I don’t think I’m losing.”

Paige's pupils grew slightly. "You forgetting, I usually have you begging by the end of the night, Az?”

Azzi’s lips curved into a smile, leaning forward just enough to close the space between them. "You forgetting I can get you off without touching you Paige?" Her tone was a mixture of playful arrogance and something more seductive.

Paige’s breath caught for a moment, her heart rate quickening.

Paige stood up suddenly, her chair scraping against the floor just enough to break the lingering tension in the air. Without saying a word, she made her way toward the door. Azzi pushed herself up from her seat with a smooth, almost predatory grace, and followed Paige out without another word.

Azzi was itching to get them back to the dorms, her heart racing in anticipation, but as she slid into the driver’s seat, her grip tightened around the steering wheel. Despite the urgent desire gnawing at her, she couldn’t help but slow her pace, taking her time on the road.

When they got upstairs Azzi watched Paige with a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. The way Paige moved wasn't like her usual fire. Normally, the heat between them would have ignited as soon as they entered the room, but tonight, Paige was different. The calmness was unnerving in a way Azzi wasn’t used to, and she felt the weight of it settle on her chest.

She locked the door behind her, her movements slower than usual, before following Paige to her room. As she entered the room and shut the door behind her, she glanced at Paige, standing at the foot of her bed, hands in her pockets. Azzi felt the air between them shift, and she hesitated for a moment, unsure of what this new version of Paige meant. Her stomach twisted slightly, the uncertainty gnawing at her.

“Why the calm act?” Azzi asked, her voice quieter than usual, but laced with a hint of nervousness. She could feel herself second-guessing, unsure whether Paige was in control or if she was.

Paige’s lips curled into that faint, unreadable smile as she sat down and patted her lap. “Come here, baby.”

Azzi hesitated for just a second, not out of reluctance, but because she started piecing together what Paige’s calmness meant. It wasn’t hesitation—it was patience. Control.

Still, Azzi listened, stepping forward until she was standing between Paige’s legs. Paige leaned back on her elbows, her gaze dragging over Azzi in a way that made Azzi’s stomach tighten.

Paige reached for Azzi’s hand and pulled her down onto her lap. Azzi adjusted automatically, settling against Paige as Paige shifted back, leaning back against the headboard. Paige’s hands slid to her waist, thumbs pressing just enough to make Azzi feel grounded—but not enough to distract from the way Paige was looking at her.

Paige tilted her head, studying her like she had all the time in the world. “You nervous, baby?”

Azzi scoffed. “I don’t get nervous.”

Paige hummed like she wasn’t convinced, her fingers drawing lazy circles on Azzi’s hip. “You sure?”

Azzi started to reply, but the words caught in her throat when Paige shifted beneath her, adjusting her so Azzi was straddling her fully now, their bodies pressed closer.

“That’s funny,” Paige whispered, her voice dropping lower. Her fingers slipped under Azzi’s jacket, teasing her skin. “Because you feel nervous to me.”

Azzi exhaled sharply, gripping Paige’s shoulders, grounding herself. “I’m not.”

Paige didn’t respond to that. Instead, she just looked at Azzi, her expression unreadable, and said, “Gimme a kiss.”

Azzi leaned down, capturing Paige’s lips in a kiss that was meant to be deep—but Paige had other plans.

Paige made sure the kiss was agonizingly slow, dragging it out in a way that forced Azzi to feel every second of it. Even though it was messy, there was no rush, no chance for Azzi to take control. Paige set the pace, tilting her head just enough to deepen it when she wanted, pulling back slightly when Azzi tried to push for more.

Azzi let out a quiet sound of frustration against Paige’s lips, her fingers tightening on her shoulders. Paige smirked into the kiss, her grip on Azzi’s waist tight, keeping her exactly where she wanted her.

“Relax, baby,” Paige mumbled against her lips before diving back in, keeping that same rhythm, making sure Azzi felt every ounce of control she wasn’t being given.

For the next twenty minutes, Paige kept the same slow pace, her lips moving against Azzi’s. There was no urgency, no desperation—just full control. Every time Azzi tried to speed it up, Paige would pull back slightly, tilting her chin up with a smirk before diving right back in.

Azzi’s fingers gripped Paige’s shoulders, her frustration evident in the way she tried to chase her lips. Paige just chuckled against her mouth, her hands rubbing slow circles on Azzi’s waist.

“You’re enjoying this too much,” Azzi murmured between kisses, her voice breathless.

Paige hummed, brushing her lips over Azzi’s again but not quite kissing her. “Maybe.”

Azzi huffed, shifting slightly in Paige’s lap, but Paige only tightened her grip, keeping her still.

“Patience, baby,” Paige whispered before kissing her again, deeper this time but still slow.

Azzi let out a quiet whine against Paige’s lips, and Paige felt the sound go straight through her.

“You’re killing me,” Azzi admitted, pulling back just enough to look at Paige.

Paige chuckled, her lips ghosting over Azzi’s. “What’s wrong?”

Azzi huffed, shifting in Paige’s lap, trying to press closer, to silently tell her exactly what she wanted. But Paige’s hands tightened around her hips, holding her in place.

Azzi’s eyes flickered with frustration as she tried again, but Paige didn’t budge.

“Use your words, baby.”

Azzi exhaled sharply, her fingers digging into Paige’s shoulders. “Paige…”

Paige tilted her head slightly, her smirk growing. “Yeah?”

Azzi narrowed her eyes, but Paige could see the way her breath hitched, the way she was fighting to hold back another whine.

“Tell me,” Paige coaxed, pressing the faintest kiss to the corner of Azzi’s mouth before pulling back again.

Azzi swallowed hard, her voice quieter now. “I want more.”

Paige smirked against Azzi’s skin, placing slow, wet kisses along her neck, taking her time. “Like what?” she whispered between kisses.

Azzi’s breath hitched, her fingers tightening on Paige’s shoulders. “Anything,” she exhaled, barely above a whisper.

Paige hummed against her skin, letting the word hang between them.

“You sure?” Paige murmured, her lips brushing against Azzi’s pulse point.

Azzi let out a frustrated sigh, tilting her head back slightly hoping she would do something with the extra access. “Paige—”

Paige licks her lips before saying “Touch yourself Az.”

Azzi’s eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across her face. Paige just smirked, tilting her head as she studied Azzi’s reaction.

“Trust me, baby,” Paige whispered, her fingers brushing soothing circles against Azzi’s waist.

Azzi hesitated for only a moment before nodding slowly, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the words. Paige smirked at that, satisfied.

“That’s my girl,” Paige whispered, pressing a wet kiss just below Azzi’s jaw.

Without any other directions she adjusts on Paige’s lap for a second. Slipping off her clothes and tossing them to the side before going back to straddling Paige.

Slowly, she started tracing her fingers through her folds, her touch barely there as she let herself explore.

Her eyes flicked to Paige’s, clear desire pooling in her brown eyes. “Like this?” she asked softly.

Paige’s smile deepened. She saw right through Azzi—knew she was putting on a show.

“Mm,” Paige hummed, pretending to consider it, her hands still resting lazily on Azzi’s waist. “You can go slower, baby.”

Azzi bit her lip, following Paige’s instruction, but Paige could see the flicker of impatience in her eyes.

“Good girl,” Paige praised. “Now, keep going.”

Azzi did as she was told. Tracing a few soft circles over her center as Paige watched. Azzi’s patience didn’t last long though. She was more than ready, she had been ready since the moment they stood up from the table. So she easily slides two fingers into herself, sighing softly at the feeling.

Paige doesn’t tear her eyes away from Azzi. Stuck between watching her fingers work and watching every reaction unfold on her face. Her grip on Azzi’s waist tightened just slightly. “Slow down,” she whispered. “You’re rushing mama.”

Azzi exhaled shakily, adjusting just like she was told, her movements becoming more deliberate as she pulled her fingers all the way out before pushing them back in letting out quiet whimpers. Paige watched closely, noting the way Azzi’s brows furrowed, the way her lips parted just slightly as she tried to stay in control.

“Good girl,” Paige praised softly, and she felt the way Azzi tensed in response. “See? You can follow directions when you want to.”

Azzi let out a quiet breath, her fingers still working inside of herself. Paige smirked. She could see the frustration already starting to build.

“Keep going,” Paige instructed, tilting her head back as she watched. “Nice and slow, mama. No need to rush.”

Azzi tried, she really did, but after another moment, she let out a small whimper, her movements faltering. Her head dropped onto Paige’s shoulder, her breathing uneven.

“What’s wrong?”

Azzi swallowed hard, shaking her head. She wasn’t sure she could put it into words how needy she was.

Paige hummed, dragging her hands up Azzi’s sides. “Tell me.”

Azzi clenched her jaw, tilting her head back slightly. “I can’t—”

“You can,” Paige corrected. “You just don’t want to.”

Azzi’s hands twitched as she sped up her movements, her breathing uneven as she let out a frustrated sigh. “Paige,” she whispered, almost pleading now.

Paige leaned in, her lips brushing just below Azzi’s ear as she whispered, “Keep going, baby. You’re doing so well for me.”

Azzi shuddered, her resolve slipping further. She adjusted her movements again, obeying, but this time there was no mistaking the slight tremor in her breathing, the way her body was betraying her patience.

Paige couldn’t get enough of this—the way Azzi’s eyes were hooded, the way her lips parted as soft sighs escaped her. And the best part? Paige hadn’t done anything yet. It reminded her of all those late-night phone calls, of the times she had Azzi like this just from her words alone.

A smirk tugged at Paige’s lips as the memory surfaced. “Remember when I used to talk you through it over the phone pretty?”

Azzi barely managed a nod, her breath catching slightly as she worked her fingers in and out of herself.

Paige hummed, dragging her fingers lazily up Azzi’s sides. “I used to tell you exactly what to do… tell you how pretty you sounded.”

A quiet whine left Azzi’s lips.

Paige smirked, knowing exactly what she was doing. “I remember the first time I heard you.” Her voice dropped even lower, a soft rasp threading through her words. “Swear I thought I was in heaven. Had never heard anything so pretty in my life.”

Azzi let out a shaky breath, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

Paige tilted her head, lips ghosting over Azzi’s jaw as she added, “You told me I talked too much.”

Azzi exhaled a breathy, “You do.”

Paige chuckled, pressing a wet kiss to Azzi’s neck. “You like it.”

Azzi nodded, voice barely above a whisper. “I do, baby.”

Paige smirked. “I know you do.”

Azzi exhaled, her body melting further into Paige’s touch.

“Bet you used to put me on speaker… lay back, close your eyes, just listening to me while you touched yourself.”

Azzi’s breath hitched slightly, her lashes fluttering. “Maybe.”

Paige chuckled, pressing another kiss just beneath Azzi’s ear. “Maybe?” she echoed, feigning surprise. “Baby, I know you did.”

Azzi let out a quiet whimper at that, and Paige could feel the way her hand flexed slightly against her shoulders, gripping onto her.

“You always got so quiet toward the end,” Paige mused. “Like you were trying to be good for me, but I could still hear it—the way your breathing would change… the little noises you couldn’t hold back while you fucked yourself to my voice.”

Azzi’s fingers dug into Paige’s shoulders just slightly. “Paige…”

Paige smirked. “What, baby?”

Azzi shook her head, her voice coming out breathier now. “You talk too much.”

Paige chuckled, her grip tightening slightly around Azzi’s waist. “Mmm, and, you hang onto every word.”

“Shut up,” Azzi mumbled.

Paige grinned, her fingers grazing the nape of Azzi’s neck. “Make me.”

Azzi pulled Paige into a kiss, pressing down on her, trying to feel anything—anything more than this dull ache of needing Paige. Her own fingers weren't enough. Not anymore. She was too used to feeling Paige, the way she knew exactly how to unravel her. Anything else felt empty, unsatisfying.

Azzi pulled back, her breath coming in short, uneven pants as she met Paige’s eyes. “It’s not gonna work, baby. I need you.”

Paige’s expression didn’t change. She just blinked at her, head tilting slightly. “Hm?”

Maybe it was desperation, maybe it was the fact that they’d been at this for nearly an hour with no release—whatever it was, Azzi couldn’t take it anymore. She gripped the back of Paige’s neck, making sure she was listening. “It’s not enough. I need you to do it.”

Paige let the words linger between them, dragging her eyes over Azzi’s face, over the way her lips were parted, the way her pupils were blown wide. Slowly, Paige’s lips curled into a smirk.

“You need me to do what, baby?”

Azzi let out a small whimper, her fingers tightening against Paige’s skin. “Paige—”

Paige hummed in amusement, completely composed, completely in control. “I just wanna hear you say it.”

Azzi swallowed hard, pressing closer, her body begging Paige for mercy. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she finally gave in. “I need you to fuck me please baby.”

Paige’s hands, which had been resting innocently on Azzi’s waist, finally moved, dragging down just enough to make Azzi shudder. “That’s my girl,” Paige whispered. “All you had to do was ask.”

As soon as Paige replaces Azzi’s fingers with two of her own Azzi feels her stomach tighten as she throws her head back letting out a moan.

Azzi begins pushing herself against Paige’s hand grinding down against her jeans in a desperate attempt to feel more before she unravels. Paige notices and helps Azzi guide herself along her thigh as she pushes deeper into her.

The added pressure has Azzi whimpering near Paige’s ear as she holds her shoulders for leverage. She lets out a shaky breath, gripping the fabric of Paige’s hoodie as she pressed their foreheads together. “Your jeans…” she whispered, her voice uneven. “Don’t wanna mess them up.”

Paige let out a chuckle. “Fuck my jeans.”

Azzi exhaled sharply at that, her fingers tightening in Paige’s hoodie as she felt warmth pooling in her stomach. Paige just smiled, brushing her lips against Azzi’s jaw, her voice softer now. “Stop worrying about my clothes and make a mess on my lap like I know you want to pretty girl.”

At these words Azzi nods rapidly, her body letting go of the last bit of restraint as her legs start to shake against Paige. She lets out a series of moans as she releases against Paige’s hand riding out the feeling for as long as she can.

For a second Azzi kept her forehead resting against Paige’s shoulder, her breathing still uneven as she slowly came down. Paige pressed a lingering kiss to Azzi’s cheek before murmuring, “Lemme get up, baby.”

Azzi tightened her arms around Paige’s waist, shaking her head slightly. “We’re not done.”

Paige huffed out a soft laugh, brushing her fingers along Azzi’s back. “I know,” she assured. “Lemme go get it.”

Azzi hesitated for only a second before finally nodding, letting her arms fall away as she shifted off Paige’s lap.

Azzi stayed close even as she moved, her fingers lingering on Paige’s wrist before finally letting go. She watched as Paige stood up, stretching slightly before running a hand through her hair.

Paige glanced down at Azzi, taking in the way she was still catching her breath, her skin flushed, eyes heavy. She smirked, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind Azzi’s ear. “You good, baby?”

Azzi nodded. “Hurry up.”

Paige chuckled, shaking her head as she turned toward the closet. “So bossy.”

Azzi hummed, shifting on the bed as she leaned back against the pillows. “You like it.”

Paige didn’t respond right away, but the smile on her face said everything. As she grabbed what she needed, she looked over her shoulder at Azzi. “I do.”

Paige felt Azzi’s eyes on, watching her every move as she pulled her hoodie over her head, letting it drop to the floor before tugging her shirt off right after. Paige smiled as she heard Azzi exhale, making no attempt to hide how intently she was watching.

Paige chuckled, shaking her head. “You good?”

Azzi didn’t answer right away. Instead, she dragged her eyes over Paige’s body, making sure Paige saw exactly where she was looking. “Mhm,” Azzi hummed.

Paige laughed under her breath, shaking her head as she finished stripping off her clothes before adjusting the harness to fit perfectly. When she glanced up, Azzi was already leaning back against the pillows, head tilted slightly, one brow raised, excitement dancing in her eyes.

Paige smirked at the look she was getting. “You got something to say?”

Azzi licked her lips, eyes flicking down before meeting Paige’s again. “Yeah,” she said smoothly

Paige raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. “Wassup?”

Azzi didn’t look away. “I can’t wait to feel you,” she admitted.

Paige’s smile widened as she studied Azzi for a second before getting in the bed. She hovered over Azzi, her eyes warm as she took her in, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She traced her fingers along Azzi’s side before whispering, “I love you, beautiful. Thank you for today.”

Azzi’s expression softened, her thumb gently sweeping across Paige’s cheek. “I love you, P,” she whispered.

Paige leaned down, capturing Azzi’s lips in a slow, full kiss, one that felt more like a promise than anything else. Azzi sighed into it, her arms coming up to wrap around Paige’s head as she melted into her completely.

They stayed like that wrapped up in nothing but each other until Azzi finally pulled back, breathless, her fingers tangling in Paige’s hair. “You can do whatever you want, P,” she whispered, eyes searching Paige’s.

Paige smiled down at her, brushing her nose against Azzi’s before whispering, “This is what I want.

Azzi searched Paige’s eyes, her fingers tracing light patterns along her back. “You sure? It’s your birthday.”

Paige let out a soft laugh, shaking her head slightly before pressing a kiss to Azzi’s jaw. “I’m positive,” she murmured against her skin.

Without another word, Paige captured Azzi’s lips again, kissing her gently but deeply, pouring all of her affection into the moment. Azzi sighed into the kiss, her grip tightening around Paige.

Paige leaned back slightly to adjust the strap so it was angled correctly before she pressed forward, glancing down, making sure Azzi was okay. Azzi’s eyes were fluttered shut, her breaths tight.

“You okay, mama?” Paige asked softly.

Azzi swallowed, nodding quickly. “Mhm.”

Paige brushed a hand down Azzi’s side. “You need a minute?”

Azzi let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. “God, no.” The thought of waiting any longer seemed unbearable, like it might actually ruin her.

Paige chuckled at Azzi’s urgency, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her temple. “Yeah?”

Azzi exhaled shakily, nodding. “Yeah… been waiting all day.”

Paige smirked against her cheek. “I know, baby. You’ve been so good for me.”

Azzi lets out a quiet moan when she feels Paige press into her full. She tilts her head to look at Paige. “Only for you,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Paige traced gentle patterns along Azzi’s side, her touch soft as she started working in and out of her slowly. “I love when you talk like that.”

Azzi smiled softly, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of Paige’s hair behind her ear. “I mean it,” she said, her voice steady despite the way her body trembled as Paige worked into her. “Nobody else, P. Just you.”

Paige’s chest tightened at the sincerity in Azzi’s voice, at the way her eyes held nothing but truthfulness. She leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to Azzi’s lips before whispering, “I know, baby.”

The room settled into a comfortable silence, nothing but their slow, steady breaths and Azzi’s soft moans filling the space. Paige pressed soft kisses to Azzi’s shoulder, her fingertips tracing light, aimless patterns along her waist as she moved in and out of her slowly. She was in no rush, completely content in the moment in letting Azzi soak up the pleasure for as long as possible.

After a while, Paige broke the silence. “You feel so good, baby,” she whispered, her lips brushing against Azzi’s skin.

Azzi let out a shaky breath, her fingers gripping at Paige’s back. “P…” she warned, already struggling.

Paige smirked. “What?” she asked, feigning innocence.

Azzi swallowed hard, her head tilting back slightly when Paige pushed in a little harder than before. “You know what.”

Paige chuckled softly, pressing a kiss just below Azzi’s jaw. “Mmm, I don’t think I do,” she teased. “I was just saying how good you feel.”

Azzi groaned, her fingers flexing against Paige’s back. “You’re trying to make me talk,” she mumbled, her voice already strained.

Paige hummed. “Is it that hard, baby?” she teased, her smirk widening when Azzi only let out a breathy whimper in response. “C’mon, use your words,” Paige encouraged, dragging her lips down Azzi’s throat. “Tell me how you feel.”

Azzi tried—she really did—but all that came out was a soft, incoherent sound. Paige chuckled against her skin, clearly pleased with herself.

After that Azzi tried to hold back, swallowing the sounds that threatened to escape her lips not wanting to give Paige the satisfaction. But as time went on, it became impossible.

“God, P…” Azzi exhaled, her voice breathy.. “You feel so—” Her words cut off as another sharp gasp left her.

Paige smirked, her grip on Azzi’s hip tightening just slightly as she worked into her. “Yeah?” she murmured. “Tell me, baby.”

Azzi didn’t hesitate this time. “You feel so good,” she admitted, her fingers grasping at Paige’s back, nails digging in just enough to leave faint marks. “So good, P.”

Paige groaned softly at that, her body reacting instinctively as she started to speed up. “Yeah?” she pressed, her own breathing growing heavier. “You like that, mama?”

Azzi nodded rapidly, her head tilting back against the pillow. “I love it. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” she whispered against her mouth. “So much.”

Azzi whimpered into the kiss, her legs instinctively tightening around Paige. “Don’t stop,” she pleaded softly, her hands pulling Paige closer.

Paige chuckled, pressing her forehead against Azzi’s for a brief moment as she reached down to circle Azzi’s bud. At the adding sensation Azzi immediately starts pressing herself further into Paige letting out breathless moans.

Paige’s gaze softened as she looked down at Azzi, her chest tightening with something deeper than desire.

“You’re so pretty, baby,” Paige whispered, her voice dripping with adoration. “I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

Azzi swallowed a sigh, her lashes fluttering as she looked up at Paige through hooded eyes. She reached up, threading her fingers through Paige’s hair, tugging gently. “Keep going.”

Paige smirked slightly but kept her voice soft, intimate. “You know I’m not gonna stop, baby,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to Azzi’s lips.

Azzi shook her head, her grip tightening. “No—keep talking to me, P… fuck, please keep talking.”

“I love you so much, Azzi,” she whispered, her breath warm against her skin. “I promise Imma spend the rest of my life making you feel this good. However you want, whenever you want. Anything for you, baby.”

Azzi whimpered at that, her body trembling slightly. Paige kissed her temple, then her jaw, then the hollow of her throat. “You want something, all you gotta do is ask,” she continued, making sure Azzi felt every word as she pushed into her every time she whispered. “I’d give you anything, you know that?”

Azzi nodded rapidly, clinging to her. “I know,” she breathed.

Paige was completely lost in Azzi, her lips brushing against heated skin, her words nothing but breathy promises between them. But then—

Maybe: Leah Caldwell.

Siri’s voice cut through the air like an unwelcome intruder. Paige barely registered it, too consumed by Azzi—by the way she felt, the way she responded to every touch, every whisper. But she did notice the way Azzi’s body tensed slightly, the flicker of distraction in her eyes.

Without a second thought, Paige reached over and declined the call, never once breaking rhythm, never pulling away. “Focus on me, baby,” she whispered.

Azzi exhaled sharply, squeezing Paige tighter, but then—

The phone rang again.

Paige felt Azzi’s hesitation this time, saw the unspoken questions flicker in her eyes. But before Azzi could say anything, Paige shook her head no. Silently answering any questions Azzi had.

She kissed Azzi’s cheek, then her lips, whispering, “Just me and you, baby. No one else I promise.”

Azzi searched her face for a moment before nodding, fingers digging into Paige’s back as she clung to her. Paige kissed her again, pouring everything into it, silently telling Azzi that nothing—no one—could pull her away from this. From them.

Paige felt Azzi shift beneath her, reaching over to the nightstand. She didn’t stop kissing her neck, just smirked as she asked, “What you doing, mama?”

“Answering the phone.”

Paige chuckled, shaking her head as she pressed another kiss to Azzi’s neck. “That right?” she murmured.

Azzi swallowed, steadying herself before bringing the phone to her ear. But before she spoke, she turned her head slightly, whispering, “Don’t stop.”

Paige’s lips curled against her skin. She nodded once. “I won’t.”

And then, with her body still wrapped around Paige’s, Azzi swiped to answer.

The line clicked open, but Azzi didn’t say a word. She let Leah speak first.

“Happy birthday,” Leah’s voice rang through the speaker, like she still had a place here. She must’ve assumed Paige had answered.

Azzi exhaled slowly before responding, her voice coming out breathy, barely above a whisper. “She’s busy.”

There was a pause on the other end, like Leah wasn’t buying it. “Very funny Paige” she said, a hint of skepticism in her tone.

Azzi parted her lips to respond, but before she could get the words out, Paige’s palm pressed down against her stomach as she worked into her faster, making her body arch slightly in reaction. Her breath hitched, her eyes fluttering shut as a quiet, “Oh my god fuck” slipped past her lips.

Azzi’s grip on the phone tightened as Leah’s voice came through again, but this time the tone was different.

“…Paige?” Leah asked, her voice sounding a little confused, like she was finally starting to pick up on the fact that maybe this wasn’t a joke.

Azzi swallowed, trying to keep her composure, but her breath was still shallow. “I told you…she’s busy,” she said, voice shaking slightly.

Then, through the line, Leah could hear Paige’s voice in the background. “Hang up that shit so I can make you finish for me, pretty girl.”

Azzi’s eyes fluttered at the sound of Paige’s words, and her breath hitched.

Leah’s voice came through, more forceful now. But Azzi struggled to focus, the tension building in her chest. Paige wasn’t letting up, increasing her pace, and Azzi felt herself slipping further. The world was spinning. It was getting harder to breathe, harder to think.

Azzi could barely form the words, her voice strained, but she forced herself to speak. “Don’t… call again,” she managed, her chest tightening with every word.

Before Leah could respond, Azzi pressed the red button and tossed the phone aside, her hands trembling. The moment she let go of the phone the words started tumbling out of her.

"Baby, fuck, please," Azzi whimpers, crying out fully at Paige's thrusts, "right there—yes baby keep doing that, fuck."

Pressing down a little harder on her stomach, Paige speeds up watching as Azzi’s face contorted in pleasure underneath her.

A few seconds later Azzi is letting out a high pitched moan, squeezing her eyes shut and dragging her nails down Paige’s back as she comes undone under her.

Despite this Paige keeps moving her hips into Azzi as she moves her hand back down to circle Azzi’s clit with two fingers and not a few seconds later Azzi is screaming out again, seeing white as she soaks Paige’s stomach and the sheets below them as she scrambles to push Paige out of her.

Paige’s jaw drops as she looks down, the mess between them slowly sinking in. Then a huge grin spreads across her face.

Azzi, barely feeling like she’s in her body, lets out a quiet, “Don’t…”

Paige, knowing Azzi’s warning, just chuckles lightly, her eyes still fixated on the puddle on the bed. “Okay…” she hums, but her gaze doesn’t leave the mess.

Azzi, trying to gather herself, pushes herself up slightly, her voice still shaky. “We’re getting in the shower.”

Paige, gives her a grin and a shrug. “Yup.”

“And you’re changing the sheets.”

Paige’s smile widens, her voice dripping with affection. “Yes, ma’am.”

Azzi, still breathing a little unevenly, chuckles softly. “Good,” she murmurs, resting her head back on the pillow.

“Let’s get cleaned up, beautiful,” Paige says, helping Azzi sit up before throwing her on her back as they make their way to the shower.

[pbaz7]

FLIGHT 2136: PART 6

paige x azzi

warning: drinking, sexual content (don’t say i didn’t warn you)

word count: 11.6k

A/N: I didn’t get much sleep so I’m beat and don’t have much to say today lol 😭. I think people will like this chapter and maybe it’ll make you leave me alone about heat check part 2 😒. Leave live reacts and comments if you can. I also want to know what you guys want to see going forward 🫶🏼

—————————————————————————

The morning after Ted’s, Paige and Azzi laid tangled together in Azzi’s bed, the room was silent besides the hum of the fan that Paige insisted they turn on after they got out of the shower. Azzi’s fingers were tracing feather-light patterns along the scar on Paige’s torso, the touch absentminded but still deliberate.

Paige’s eyes were closed, her breathing steady, and for once, she looked completely at peace. Azzi watched her for a moment, then used her other hand to brush a few stray strands of hair from Paige’s face.

“What are you thinking about?” Azzi whispered.

Paige’s lashes fluttered slightly, but she didn’t open her eyes. “Surprisingly… nothing,” she mumbled.

Azzi smiled at that, finding an odd sense of warmth in Paige’s answer. She didn't say anything back, just let her head rest back against the pillows, closing her own eyes as she continued tracing soft patterns along Paige’s scar.

A moment passed before Paige’s voice broke the silence. “That feels nice baby.”

Azzi’s eyes opened again, meeting the now familiar blue ones staring up at her. Paige was watching her now, her expression completely tender. Azzi felt her heart tug, a slow and steady ache that had nothing to do with pain.

“You’re so beautiful,” Azzi murmured as she gazed into Paige’s eyes.

Paige let out a quiet hum, a smile growing on her face. “You’re gorgeous, angel.”

Azzi exhaled a soft laugh. “You ever gonna just accept a compliment?”

Paige’s smile widened. “Can’t help but give you one back.”

Azzi’s fingers stilled for a moment before she spoke. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

Paige’s blue eyes softened as she looked up at Azzi. “I’m glad I’m here too.”

Azzi let her fingers go back to tracing patterns across Paige’s torso before a smirk tugged at her lips. “You’re a little rusty on the court though.”

Paige scoffed, lifting her head off of Azzi’s stomach slightly. “Excuse me?”

Azzi laughed. “Just a tiny bit.”

Paige narrowed her eyes, propping herself up on one elbow. “C’mon, Az, you know that’s a lie.”

Azzi looked like she was about to argue, but before she could, Paige shifted, slipping from between her legs and rolling off the bed. “Nah, c’mon. Let’s go play.”

Azzi groaned dramatically, flopping back against the pillows. “Baby, please, it’s Saturday.”

Paige shook her head no as if not going wasn’t an option. “You called me rusty. I can’t let that slide.”

Azzi still didn’t move, looking way too comfortable in bed. Paige knowing how to get her up raised a brow as she said, “What, you scared I’ll prove I’m better?”

Azzi’s eyes widened, her head snapping toward Paige. “Excuse me?”

Paige smirked. “I’m better than you, Azzi.”

Azzi scoffed, sitting up. “Paige, baby… no, you aren’t.”

Paige just gave her a look with a smirk on her face. That was all it took. With a dramatic sigh, Azzi threw off the covers and got up, grabbing a pair of sweats.

Paige chuckled, shaking her head as she watched Azzi get dressed. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Azzi pulled on her hoodie. “I’ve seen you in practice this week. Yes, you’re good…great actually—but you’re not better than me.”

Paige just shrugged. “We’ll see.”

With that, the two of them headed out of Azzi’s room, making their way to the gym.

After stopping by the locker room to grab their shoes and change, Paige and Azzi stepped on the court, both in shorts and T-shirts.

Azzi had a ball tucked under her arm, spinning it once on her palm before bouncing it toward Paige. “Shoot for ball.”

Paige caught it easily, dribbling once before shooting. The ball swished cleanly through the net.

Azzi playfully rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

Paige smirked as Azzi walked toward her, meeting her at the top of the key. “First to eleven. Ones and twos.”

Azzi nodded.

Paige checked the ball, bouncing it to Azzi, who quickly returned it.

Paige jabbed left—not too hard, just enough to gauge Azzi’s reaction. Azzi shifted slightly, staying balanced, eyes locked on the ball. Paige smirked, repeating the jab, this time dragging her dribble before shifting between her legs, one quick bounce to the right.

Azzi stayed in front of her, cutting off the drive, but Paige was a slight step ahead. She created just enough space, fading back from the elbow of the, the ball rolling off her fingertips smoothly.

Swish.

Paige walked back to the top of the key, her smirk growing. “1-0.”

She checked the ball with Azzi again, who bounced it back, this time playing a little further off. Paige noticed the adjustment immediately.

Without hesitation, she pulled from the top of the key. The ball barely grazed the net as it fell through.

Paige’s smirk deepened. “3-0.”

Azzi huffed, rolling her shoulders as she locked in.

Paige checked the ball, and Azzi bounced it right back—this time stepping in closer, a soft hand resting on Paige’s hip.

Paige smirked. “Oh, we hand-checking now?”

Azzi mumbled out,“Shut up.”

Paige chuckled, trying to shift past Azzi with another move. Just as she went to explode forward, Azzi’s hand was quicker—stripping the ball.

“Damn,” Paige muttered.

Azzi cleared the ball beyond the three-point line, keeping her dribble low. She hit an in-and-out, between-the-legs, before stepping back—just enough space.

Azzi flicked her wrist perfectly.

Paige didn’t even have to turn around to know. The sound of the ball snapping through the net was enough.

Azzi smiled as she jogged forward. “3-2.”

Paige licked her lips, eyes shining with challenge as she picked up the ball.

Azzi held out her hands, nodding. “Check up.”

Paige grinned. This was going to be fun.

…

The game had stretched on for who knows how long. What started as something that was supposed to be a quick matchup had turned into a back and forth game. At some point, they agreed to win by two, causing them to blow past eleven.

Paige’s shirt had been discarded a while ago, her skin glistening in her sports bra. Azzi’s shirt clung to her in patches, damp with sweat, her toned arms slick as she wiped her face with her shirt.

Right now, Paige had the ball, Azzi locked in on her, close enough that Paige could feel her breath. Azzi was hand-checking again, her palm pressing lightly against Paige’s hip.

Paige huffed a laugh, pushing it off.

Azzi put it right back.

Paige knocked it away again, sweeping the ball low as she exploded into a right-handed dribble. Azzi followed immediately, but her defense had gotten… handsy. More than what regular defense allowed.

Not that Paige was about to complain.

She read Azzi’s movement, baiting her into thinking she’d pull up, hesitating just enough to freeze her. The second Azzi’s weight shifted, Paige was gone, blowing past her toward the rim.

Azzi recovered fast, but not fast enough.

Paige got the layup off clean, the ball rolling off her fingertips.

Breathless, she backpedaled, smirking at Azzi. “18-17.”

Azzi shook her head, laughing under her breath. “You really think you’re winning this?”

Paige just grinned. “Check up and find out.”

Just as they were about to check up again, the sound of the gym doors opening caught their attention. A few of their teammates strolled in, KK’s voice ringing out first.

“Why y’all didn’t tell us y’all were hooping?”

Azzi chuckled, shaking her head as she took the interruption as an opportunity to walk over to the sideline. She grabbed her water bottle, twisting the cap off and taking a swig. Paige followed her, still breathing a little heavy.

Azzi extended the bottle toward her without a word. Paige took it, their fingers brushing as she brought it to her lips, tilting her head back for a long sip.

“Y’all been going for a while, huh?” Ice said, nodding toward Paige’s discarded shirt and the clear sheen of sweat on both of them.

Paige wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smirking. “Just proving a point.”

KK raised a brow. “Who’s winning?”

Azzi shot Paige a sideways glance before she could answer. “We’re not done yet.”

KK laughed, shaking her head. “Well, y’all mind some company? Since you decided to sneak off this morning and not tell anybody.”

Azzi looked at Paige, wordlessly asking if she was cool with it. Paige shrugged, a small smile forming on her lips. “You sure you wanna get embarrassed, too?”

KK scoffed. “Man, check ball.”

The gym was alive with energy after that as KK, Ice, Paige, Azzi, Aubrey, and even Sarah played a game of queen of the court. They’d barely noticed how much time had passed—just caught up in the back-and-forth.

At some point, Ayanna and Jana showed up, making it a full-on team affair when they told everyone else to come, though not everyone was playing. Ayanna and Caroline were on the sidelines, watching, making sure they chime in here and there to instigate.

Paige and Azzi found themselves staying on the court for longer stretches, each one pushing the other in ways that only they could. Paige, who seemed to always have some energy stored away, was relentless, while Azzi—despite her competitive spirit—was starting to feel the weight of how long they’d been playing.

She gave one more glance at Paige, who was too focused to notice, and made the call to sit down for a bit.

She jogged over to Caroline and flopped onto the chair beside her, grabbing her water bottle and sighing in relief.

Azzi leaned back in her chair, her eyes following Paige as she moved around the court, effortlessly making shot after shot. There was something about the way Paige played that made it hard for Azzi to look away. It was just so smooth, so effortless, yet still entertaining. Her hair was in a low bun now, strands of it sticking to her forehead with the sweat glistening on her skin. Paige was completely in her element, her chain dangling over her chest with each movement, catching the light perfectly each time. The sight sent a jolt of heat through Azzi, and her mind wandered to a few things she’d rather not be thinking about in the middle of the gym.

Azzi crossed her legs, trying to shift her focus, but once she got started it was impossible. The way Paige moved, the sheer confidence and grace she exuded when she played—it was sexy in a way Azzi hadn’t figured out how to explain just yet. Her thoughts drifted back to last night when they got back from Ted’s, her body so close, the chain swinging over her face as Paige—her thoughts were interrupted by Caroline, who snapped her fingers in front of Azzi’s face a few times.

“Earth to Azzi,” Caroline said.

Azzi blinked, snapping out of her trance, her eyes meeting Caroline’s. “Hm?” she mumbled, trying to hide the flush creeping up her neck.

Caroline raised an eyebrow, her gaze following Azzi’s flicking over to Paige, who was still showing off on the court. “Checking her out again, huh?”

Azzi felt a nervous laugh bubble up, but she quickly cleared her throat. “No, I—No.”

Caroline laughed. “It’s kind of obvious, you know.”

Azzi mumbled, trying to brush it off, “No, it’s not.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Sure, whatever you say.”

She leaned back in her chair, her gaze flicking between Azzi and Paige, enjoying being able to tease her best friend. “I will say though, you’re not the only one enjoying the show,” Caroline said, her voice carrying some amusement.

Azzi’s attention snapped to Caroline, her eyebrows furrowing as she processed the words. “What do you mean?”

Caroline subtly nodded towards Q, and Azzi followed her line of sight. She saw Q, who was sitting off to the side on the floor. Her eyes were locked on Paige as she moved around the court. The intensity and intrigue in her gaze was clear as day and Azzi couldn’t help but chuckle when she saw it.

“Yeah, I noticed the other day,” Azzi replied, an amused grin forming as she looked at Q.

“So, you’re not gonna say anything?”

Azzi’s laugh that followed was lighthearted. “Nah, not really worried about that.” She said, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes.

Caroline tilted her head, watching Azzi for a moment before asking, “You think it’ll pass?”

Azzi shrugged nonchalantly, her gaze drifting back to Paige. “Haven’t really thought about it, honestly.” Any attention Azzi was paying to the conversation vanished when she looked back at Paige. Paige had just scored on Morgan, a smirk on her face as she chirped about nobody being able to guard her. Azzi couldn’t help but admire the ease with which Paige played, the way her confidence on the court seemed larger than anything in the world.

Paige caught Azzi’s eyes from on the court and smirked, a playful glint flashing in her blue eyes. Without looking away, she tossed the ball to Aubrey. “Alright, I’m done,” Paige said, walking off the court.

Some of the girls on the court playfully started celebrating, knowing they’d have more time on offense now. Paige strolled over to where Azzi was sitting, dropping down beside her with a sigh as she laid on the floor.

Azzi couldn’t help but smile, her eyes softening when she looked down at Paige. “You finally done?” she teased.

Paige groaned, letting her head rest on the floor. “Yeah, I’m tired,” she admitted, closing her eyes for a moment.

Azzi stayed quiet, simply watching Paige for a second. Paige’s skin was dripping with sweat at this point, her muscles were relaxed but still toned from playing. Azzi’s gaze wandered for a second longer, tracing the lines of Paige’s body.

Azzi smiled gently at how comfortable she looked. When Paige had first taken off her shirt in the locker room, she knew people would notice, but no one on the team had said anything. There was sort of a quiet, unspoken agreement that Paige would explain the scar if she wanted to—no pressure. Them doing that allowed Paige to feel comfortable enough to be shirtless around them, which was pretty often considering she just didn’t seem to like wearing shirts for some reason.

Azzi’s thoughts were interrupted when Paige broke the silence. “I won, by the way.”

Azzi immediately turned her head. “No, you didn’t.”

Paige smirked, throwing her arms behind her head. “It was 18-17.”

“Yeah, and it was win by two. So no, you didn’t win.”

Paige chuckled, leaning back onto the floor with her hands behind her head. “Whatever you say, Azzi.”

Just as they were about to settle into yet another back and forth, Caroline spoke up. “I realized something,” she said, a slight smile tugging at her lips. It was the kind of smile Azzi knew all too well—it meant Caroline was up to something.

Azzi groaned, already bracing herself. “What?”

Caroline’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “We haven’t fully integrated Paige onto the team yet.”

At the mention of her name, the blue-eyed guard sat up, her attention now fully on Caroline. Before Azzi could stop her, Caroline shouted across the gym, “Truth or drink tonight in my suite!”

The other girls, scattered around the gym, stopped what they were doing. A few exchanged excited glances while others groaned. Caroline always had a way of turning truth or drink into a game that had everyone black out by the end of the night.

Paige looked at Azzi with a confused expression, raising her eyebrow. “Is this how you welcome people to the team?” she asked, leaning closer to Azzi.

Azzi shook her head. “This is a Caroline thing and a Caroline thing only.”

…

About an hour later Paige’s room was quiet except for the sound of pages turning and Paige’s steady breathing.

Azzi was propped up against the headboard, her back cushioned by pillows as she held a book in one hand, the other lazily combing through Paige’s hair. It was something she did absentmindedly, her fingers threading through the strands, tracing small patterns against Paige’s scalp.

Paige had barely made it five minutes after her shower before exhaustion took over. The moment she crawled between Azzi’s legs and rested her head against her stomach and thigh, she was out, her arms loosely wrapped around Azzi’s waist.

Azzi glanced down for a moment, her eyes softening at the sight of Paige curled up against her. She felt the rise and fall of Paige’s breathing against her, a small reminder of just how comfortable they had become with one another. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she turned another page, letting herself enjoy the quiet moment, knowing they wouldn’t have many like this once the season was in full swing.

For now, though, she just kept reading, her fingers still moving through Paige’s hair, the quietness and the warmth between them easing her into her own sense of calm.

A few minutes later, a knock at the door broke the quietness. Azzi hesitated, glancing down at Paige, who was fast asleep between her legs, arms wrapped around her waist. Paige had only thrown on a sports bra and sweats after showering, her body completely relaxed against Azzi’s. Azzi, in her short pajama shorts, suddenly became aware of how…compromising this looked.

She considered not answering, it wasn’t even her room, but the knock came again.

“Who is it?” she finally called out.

“Ice.”

Azzi exhaled, knowing Ice already had a pretty good idea about them at this point. “Come in.” She set her book down as the door opened.

Ice stepped inside, took one look at the scene in front of her, and smirked, crossing her arms. “Well, well, well.”

Azzi rolled her eyes. “Yes, Ice?”

“Well, I was about to ask Paige something, but I see that’s a lost cause.”

Azzi chuckled, glancing down at Paige, who was still dead to the world, her breathing slow. “Yeah, she’s out.”

Instead of leaving, Ice made herself comfortable, dropping onto the bean bag in the corner of the room. She stretched her legs out and looked at Azzi with curiosity. “So… how’d this actually happen?”

Azzi took a page out of Paige’s book and just shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ice leaned back in the bean bag, arms still crossed as she studied Azzi. After a beat, Ice arched her eyebrow, smirk still in place. “So, she just knocked out on you like that?”

Azzi barely looked up from where her fingers absentmindedly played with strands of Paige’s hair. “Yup.”

Ice scoffed, shifting in the bean bag. “Right… the same Paige that won’t let anyone on the team touch her outside of a high-five or a pat on the back?”

That got a laugh out of Azzi, her stomach moving with the motion. Paige groaned at the disturbance, burying herself deeper against Azzi as she tightened her grip around her waist. Azzi smiled down at her, rubbing slow circles against her back to soothe her before glancing back at Ice who had an amused look on her face.

“Yeah, that same Paige,” she mumbled.

Ice huffed dramatically. “Bro, when are y’all just gonna admit you have something going on?”

Azzi blinked at her, feigning confusion. “We do?”

Ice booed, grabbing a small pillow from the bean bag and throwing it at Azzi. Azzi moved, trying to bat it away, but instead, it hit Paige.

Paige grumbled in protest, shifting again but not fully waking up. She tightened her hold on Azzi’s waist, her face now completely buried between Azzi’s stomach and thighs.

Azzi shot Ice a glare. “Seriously?”

Ice held up her hands in surrender, but she was still grinning. “My bad, my bad.”

Paige mumbled something incoherent against Azzi’s skin, which sounded a lot like a “stop moving baby,” before settling again, completely unbothered.

Azzi sighed, shaking her head as she ran her fingers through Paige’s hair again, trying to keep her relaxed. “You’re lucky she’s too tired to care.”

Ice smirked. “Oh, I know. But don’t think you’re off the hook.” She tilted her head. “So, what were you saying?”

Azzi just smirked back. “I wasn’t saying anything Ice.”

Ice stood up, stretching slightly before smiling. “I think you forgot—we’re doing truth or drink tonight.”

Azzi tilted her head, the corner of her lips curling. “Hm. Should be fun then.”

Ice chuckled, shaking her head as she mumbled, “Sure will.”

She made her way to the door, casting one last glance at the two of them—Paige still completely wrapped around Azzi, sleeping peacefully, and Azzi looking more than comfortable with it. Ice mumbled something to herself before shutting the door behind her.

Azzi sighed softly, glancing down at Paige, who was still fast asleep.

“Truth or drink, huh?” she mumbled to herself.

…

Later that night the whole team was gathered in Caroline’s suite, sprawled out in a loose circle on the floor. Paige sat with her back leaned against the couch, her usual composed demeanor on display as she sipped from her red cup, though the positioning of those around her told a different story.

Azzi was comfortably settled on her left side, their proximity unmistakable—Paige’s arm was casually draped along the back of the couch behind Azzi, fingers occasionally brushing against her shoulder discreetly. On her right, Qadence sat, though there was a noticeable gap between them, one that subtly contrasted the ease Paige had with Azzi.

Everyone had shot cups in front of them, some of them opting for more casual drinks in red cups as well, their fingers lazily wrapped around them as they settled into the game. Ice was grinning like she had been waiting for this moment all day.

Caroline clapped her hands together. “Alright, y’all know the rules. Truth or drink. You answer honestly, or you take a shot. No skipping, no backing out.”

Azzi smirked, glancing at Paige. “You ready for this?”

Paige just chuckled, shaking her head. “Not at all.”

The game had started off light. The more seasoned players—Ice, Caroline, Aubrey, and KK—had eased the freshmen (Morgan, Allie, and Sarah) and newer members (Paige and Kaitlyn) into the game with safe, easy questions. Simple things like, What’s your guilty pleasure song? or What’s your favorite thing to do outside of basketball? Everyone laughed as Morgan admitted to blasting country music in her car when no one was around, and Allie’s favorite pastime turned out to be baking cookies while binge-watching crime documentaries. Kaitlyn joked about being “uncoordinated” when she first started playing basketball.

But as the group settled into their rhythm, it became clear that Caroline was ready to take things up a notch. She leaned forward with a grin, her eyes scanning the room as she clapped her hands together.

“Alright," she said, her voice filled with excitement. “Time to spice things up a little.”

Everyone exchanged glances, some of them smirking, others letting out nervous laughs as they felt the tension shift in the room.

Caroline started with Ayanna. “So, Yanna…you’ve been a little MIA at night lately. You wanna tell us where you’ve been going?”

Ayanna’s lip twitched as she smiled but without hesitation, she grabbed her shot glass, filled it to the brim, and downed it. She then chased it with whatever was in her red cup, leaning back on her hands. “What can I say?” Ayanna shrugged, “I like my space.”

The room buzzed with laughter as the others took turns asking questions that they knew would have someone taking a shot. Once Ice took her own shot she turned to Paige, her gaze settling on her with a smirk. “How many people have you slept with?”

Paige, though slightly surprised by the inquiry, didn’t flinch. Her response came quickly, “Seven.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Paige had never really hinted at anything regarding her relationship status or past, so her answer intrigued them all. Most of them were just curious to learn more about their teammate, get more ammo to tease her, but Azzi didn’t miss the way Q sat up a little at this information.

Paige, feeling the eyes on her, shrugged nonchalantly. Not knowing who to ask next, she turned her gaze to Caroline. “What about you?” she asked, looking for a little distraction.

Caroline grinned, answering the question with an easy “Five,” before turning the tables. Her eyes flicked over to Qadence, a smile spreading across her face. “Q, who's your crush?”

Azzi couldn’t help but snort at the question, knowing full well what Caroline was trying to do. Azzi’s eyes flicked over to Paige, who seemed momentarily confused by Azzi’s reaction. Azzi just shook her head, Paige raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it.

Meanwhile, Qadence, who was already a little flustered from being put on the spot, quickly reached for her shot. The alcohol burned as she swallowed, and she took a deep breath before scanning the group for her next target. Her eyes landed on Paige.

“Paige,” she started, hesitating only slightly before continuing, “when’s the last time you kissed someone?”

Paige’s lips parted slightly, as if considering whether or not she wanted to answer. Her fingers toyed with the shot glass in front of her before she finally poured herself a shot, lifting it in a silent response.

A mix of groans and cheers filled the room as Paige tossed it back, the liquor burning a familiar path down her throat. She didn’t even flinch, simply grabbing her red cup to chase it down with a sip of her vodka and juice.

Caroline was the first to break the silence, leaning in with a knowing grin. “Ohhh, so it must’ve been recent, huh?”

Paige just shrugged, setting the empty shot glass down with a casual clink. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

Qadence narrowed her eyes. “That’s such a cop-out.”

Paige only smirked in response before saying, ”Somebody else ask a question.”

Caroline grinned at the invitation as she turned toward Azzi. “Alright, alright. Since Paige wants to be all mysterious, let’s spice it up. Azzi,” she challenged, “when’s the last time you slept with someone?”

The room went silent for a second as everyone processed the question, and a quiet snicker came from Ice. Paige bit the inside of her cheek to stop from smirking. Azzi arched an eyebrow at the question, taking her time as she leaned back further into the couch.

“Yesterday,” Azzi answered nonchalantly, her voice completely calm despite the waves of attention it immediately drew.

The reaction was instantaneous. The whole team erupted with questions, all talking over each other.

“What?!” Morgan exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief. “Who was it?”

“Wait, wait, wait—yesterday?” Aubrey yelled.

Caroline just smiled with a wide grin, clearly enjoying the chaos she’d sparked.

Paige was fighting to keep a straight face, her cheeks flushing slightly at how the conversation was unfolding. She glanced at Azzi, trying to gauge her reaction. Azzi remained cool, despite the attention. She smirked, clearly unbothered by the sudden influx of questions. “Next question.”

The game continued like usual, the alcohol loosening everyone up. Most of the team took continuous shots as they got more specific with their questions, digging into each other’s secrets. The laughter started to get louder, and occasionally someone would answer between all the boos.

When it came around to Paige again, Caroline leaned forward with a grin, clearly enjoying the opportunity to mess with her again. “Paige, when's the last time you slept with someone?”

The room went quiet, and all eyes turned to Paige, who chuckled. She knew there was no easy answer to that, and Azzi shot Caroline a quick glare, silently warning her. Paige filled her shot cup, downing it,, but her reluctance to answer questions like this didn’t go unnoticed. Suspicion hung in the air, and the team began to lean in a little closer, eager to get to the heart of the matter.

“Paige, come on,” Morgan said, “don’t be so mysterious. We know you have something going on.”

But Paige didn’t budge. She simply said, “Next question,” with a slight smile on her face.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. The moment she asked someone else a question, it was immediately thrown right back at her.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” KK asked.

Paige answered this one. “Yup.” Her response was quick, but it only seemed to fuel the growing curiosity.

“Where is she from?” Aubrey asked, and Paige took a shot this time. Each time Paige asked someone else a question they threw it right back at her. Everyone trying to figure out what she was hiding.

“How did you meet?” came the next question, followed by Paige taking yet another shot.

“Does she play basketball?” Sarah asked, and this time, Paige answered with a grin. “Yup.” It was the easiest question yet.

As Paige continued to drink the alcohol had her feeling a little more carefree, and she found herself laughing and joking with the team more freely. Her usual calm, guarded demeanor was slipping away as she playfully went back and forth with her teammates, teasing them just as much as they teased her every time someone asked her a question.

Caroline deciding to switch things up a little tossed the question Azzi’s way, a playful grin forming on her face. “So, Azzi, you seeing anyone these days?”

Azzi paused for just a moment as she thought about her next move.

She could answer truthfully.

But where was the fun in that?

Instead, she smirked, lifting a shot to her lips saying, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” before throwing it back.

Caroline raised an eyebrow with a smile tugging at her lips as she leaned back on her hands. Even though Caroline didn’t press for an answer, the rest of the team was now curious about Azzi’s lack of answer.

Paige, still sitting in her original position, shifted slightly. Her gaze looked around the room for a moment before turning her attention to Azzi. She leaned in close, her lips brushing Azzi’s ear as she whispered something no one else could hear. All eyes landed on the pair. Paige’s words were soft, too quiet for anyone to pick up, but Azzi’s smile widened at whatever was being said. Both of their actions were fueled by the alcohol in their system and the fact that most of the team had already pieced together that they were at minimum sleeping with each other.

As Paige pulled back, leaving Azzi with parting words, Azzi’s smile faltered slightly, her teeth catching her bottom lip instead. The others in the group couldn't help but watch in stunned silence, some eyes wide, others trying to piece together what they were witnessing.

Aubrey’s voice broke the quiet, it was a half-laugh, half-statement. “Ya’ll are definitely fucking.”

Ice, wanting to stir the pot and mess with Paige at the same time, leaned forward with a grin. "Paige, are you sleeping with Azzi?"

Paige smirked a glint of amusement flickering in her eyes. She grabbed the bottle of liquor, poured a hefty shot into her glass, and threw it back with ease. She followed it quickly with a swig from her red cup before she smiled at Ice.

Caroline, of course, couldn't resist chiming in. She glanced over at Azzi with a raised eyebrow. “Azzi care to comment?”

Azzi, leaning back in her seat, shook her head with a playful smile. "It’s not my turn to answer a question.".

Caroline wasn’t having it. “All in favor of Azzi answering?" she called out. Almost every hand shot up, almost all of them with eager grins. Azzi glanced around the room, her smile widening at the overwhelming response. She let out a small chuckle, clearly entertained by how quickly the team had caught on.

“Alright, alright,” Azzi relented with a dramatic sigh, pouring herself a hefty shot. Azzi too threw her shot back. Then, with a grin, she reached for Paige's red cup, taking a generous sip from it to chase the burn of the shot.

The room was full of snickers and raised eyebrows, everyone now fully invested in what was unfolding between Paige and Azzi..

As the game continued, they let off of them for a while, aiming for teammates who they thought weren’t drunk enough yet. Until Q, seemingly trying to figure out if it was casual or serious, says, “Paige, how long have you and Azzi been messing around?”

Paige leaned back and glanced at Azzi. She whispered to Azzi under her breath, “If I don’t answer, Imma be messed up. Can’t do another shot.”

Azzi, barely suppressing a smile, simply nodded. “It’s fine,” she replied softly.

With a sigh, Paige lifted her head again, then looked around at the group before answering. “November,” she said, the word slipping out easily enough, but the moment it did, the entire room seemed to erupt with cheers. Caroline and Ice, the only ones who didn’t seem completely shocked by finally getting an answer.

Aubrey, her eyes wide, looked between the two. “Y’all knew?”

“I did,” Caroline admitted, leaning back casually.

“I had my suspicions,” Ice said.

The room was filled with surprised laughter as the rest of the team processed the information. The game, at that point, took a brief pause as everyone let the new piece of the puzzle sink in and they all started talking amongst themselves.

Azzi chuckled, watching as Paige let her head fall back against the couch, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment. Azzi nudged her gently. “You good?”

Paige let out a soft mumble, barely moving. “I’m drunk.”

Azzi smirked, shifting closer and leaning her weight against Paige, her head resting lightly on her shoulder. “Me too,” she admitted. “Just a little bit.”

Paige, still slouched against the couch, cracked one eye open and turned her head slightly to look at Azzi, her lips quirking up in amusement.

“What?” Azzi asked, feeling Paige’s gaze on her.

“If I’m drunk, you’re definitely drunk.”

Azzi scoffed, sitting up just enough to look at Paige properly. “You took a few more shots than I did,” she argued.

Paige hummed, eyes twinkling as she tilted her head to look at Azzi. “Yeah, but you chased all of yours with my drink,” she pointed out.

Azzi blinked, then glanced at the red cup in her hand. “I thought it was only juice,” she muttered.

Paige shook her head, a grin tugging at her lips. “Vodka too.”

At this, Azzi’s eyes narrowed slightly, she reached over, softly pulling the cup from Paige’s grasp. “Yeah, you’re done.”

Paige just chuckled, letting her head tilt back against the couch again, her gaze trailing over Azzi in a way that didn’t go unnoticed. She licked her lips, her eyes hazy with something that had nothing to do with the alcohol.

Azzi sighed, shaking her head with a smile. “Don’t start.”

Paige’s smile widened slightly. “I didn’t even say anything.”

Azzi arched an eyebrow. “I know that look.”

Paige shrugged. “So?”

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “So no.”

Paige just smirked. “Yeah, alright.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly to create some space. “You think I’m lying?”

Paige licked her lips again, before leaning in just a little closer, eliminating the space Azzi created. “Definitely.”

Azzi didn’t want to admit it—not out loud, at least—but Paige was right. Because the way Paige was looking at her right now, with that dark, lazy gaze, had her feeling warmer than she should. And with the drinks still settling into her system, that warmth was only spreading.

Azzi swallowed, shifting slightly. “You’re so full of yourself,” she muttered, trying to take Paige’s attention off of her.

Paige, deciding to push Azzi’s buttons a little, smirked before whispering, “You look good, baby.”

Azzi huffed, shaking her head at the sudden compliment. “Thank you.”

Paige’s smirk only grew. “I don’t look good?”

Azzi sighed, already seeing where this was going. “You always look good.”

Paige leaned in just slightly, eyes flickering to Azzi’s lips. “So tell me I look good then, mama.”

Azzi sucked in a breath, the name making her stomach flip. Paige only ever used it when they were having sex, most of the time it slipped out unintentionally. Having it paired with that look Paige was giving her, that smirk, it was dangerous.

Azzi shifted again, trying to keep her cool, but the way Paige was watching her—like she already knew she had her—made it damn near impossible. “You look good, baby,” she finally said, her voice quieter now.

Paige hummed, tilting her head. “How good?”

Azzi clenched her jaw slightly, feeling the warmth of the drinks settling in, mixing with the heat Paige was so effortlessly igniting in her.

“Paige.”

Paige licked her lips, closing the small space between them just a little more. “C’mon, mama. Be specific.”

Azzi let out a quiet breath, glancing away briefly in an attempt to collect herself. But when she looked back at Paige, she knew there was no getting out of this one.

“You look so good,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “Too good.”

Paige’s smirk widened. “C’mere.”

Azzi swallowed hard, keeping her expression neutral despite the fire Paige was so effortlessly stoking inside her as she scooted closer.

Paige, still leaned back against the couch, let her lips hover dangerously close to Azzi’s ear. “I want you,” she whispered, like she wanted Azzi to feel every word.

Azzi exhaled sharply through her nose, tilting her head just slightly, pretending to stay relaxed even as her pulse betrayed her. She knew the team wasn’t paying too much attention to them right now, but she also knew Paige had no business talking to her like this in front of everyone.

“You’re drunk, baby,” Azzi whispered back, keeping her voice steady, even though her hands flexed slightly against her thighs.

Paige shrugged lazily, completely unbothered.

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “No not,” she murmured, mimicking Paige’s shrug.

Paige only smirked. “I’m sober enough to know what I’m tryna do to you.”

Azzi clenched her jaw, inhaling through her nose as she fought the urge to react.

“I know you’re warm for me Az,” Paige whispered.

Azzi bit her lip, shifting again, suddenly hyper aware of how her body was reacting.

“Can’t wait to have you mama,” Paige continued. “Imma have you screaming for me.”

At this point the alcohol was fueling the words falling off of Paige’s tongue. She meant every word she was saying, the alcohol simply making it easier for them to roll off her tongue in the middle of Caroline’s suite. Every word Paige whispered had Azzi’s control slipping.

Azzi felt her resolve cracking, her body leaning further into Paige before she could stop herself.

Slowly, Azzi turned her head, hovering just above Paige’s lips, ready to whisper something back—ready to give in just a little.

But before she could—

"Alright, y’all are way too comfortable now, take that shit somewhere else.” Ice’s voice cut through the tension, making Azzi freeze for half a second before she turned toward them, schooling her expression.

The whole team was watching. Some were smirking, some shaking their heads laughing, one of them wishing it was them.

Azzi exhaled, forcing a chuckle as she leaned back slightly. But Paige? Paige didn’t move.

Didn’t look away.

Didn’t even acknowledge the interruption.

Her eyes stayed locked on Azzi, gaze steady, amused—like she hadn’t just been caught whispering the filthiest things in her ear in front of their entire team.

Azzi opened her mouth to say something, but Paige was already moving.

With an easy confidence, Paige stood up, her fingers gently wrapping around Azzi’s wrist as she tugged her up with her. There was no hesitation, no explanation.

Azzi, still holding Paige’s basically empty red solo cup, glanced at it for a brief moment before tipping it back, downing the rest of whatever mix of juice and vodka was left. She set the cup down with a soft thud and turned back toward the group, throwing up a hand as she called out, “Bye”

The team barely had a chance to respond before Paige was already leading her out the door.

As soon as they stepped into Paige’s suite, the door barely clicking shut behind them, Paige was on Azzi. With a soft but insistent push, she pressed Azzi against the door, pressing her body flush against hers.

Paige’s warm and eager lips found Azzi’s neck, her teeth grazing over the sensitive skin before her tongue soothed the spot, leaving marks in her wake. Azzi let out a quiet whimper at the contact, her breath catching as if she’d been waiting—almost aching—for this.

Paige hummed at the sound, her hands settling on Azzi’s waist as she continued working her mouth against her neck, sucking lightly before dragging her teeth over the same spot, repeating this process all over her neck. Azzi shivered, threading her fingers through Paige’s hair, holding her close, wanting more.

Then, suddenly, Paige pulled back.

Azzi let out another soft whimper at the loss of contact, her grip tightening in Paige’s hair to pull her back in, but Paige didn’t move forward just yet. Her breath was warm against Azzi’s skin as she exhaled.

"You good, right beautiful?" The words were quiet, but the meaning was clear. Paige was checking in, making sure Azzi wasn’t too drunk, making sure they were on the same page.

Azzi swallowed, her heart pounding as she met Paige’s gaze. "I’m good," she nodded.

Almost immediately she feels Paige push inside of her. She doesn’t even know when Paige dipped her fingers inside her sweats, didn’t know when she pushed her underwear to the side. All Azzi knows is she feels Paige pumping her fingers in and out of her and she feels perfect.

Before Azzi even knew it, her head was falling back against the door, her breath hitching as something loud and unrestrained left her mouth. Paige just smiled at the sound, watching Azzi’s reaction with dark, hooded eyes. She looked so damn proud of herself, so in control.

Azzi felt like her soul was leaving her body, floating somewhere outside of herself, completely lost in the moment. But every time Paige curled her fingers—every brush of her lips, every press of her body—Azzi was yanked right back to reality, her senses drowning in Paige.

They had never been like this before.

So needy. So desperate.

So completely all over one another.

Paige had never been this dominant, never taken control like this, and it was making Azzi’s head spin. She could barely think, barely breathe.

Azzi surges forward, crashing their lips together in a messy, desperate kiss. She bites down on Paige’s lip, tugging slightly until Paige let out a low groan, parting her lips in surrender.

Azzi doesn’t hesitate when Paige grants her access, sliding her tongue into Paige’s mouth, deepening the kiss as Paige groans against her. It was all-consuming—hands gripping, bodies pressing closer, the taste of alcohol on each of their lips.

Paige easily slides another finger into Azzi causing her to let out another unrestrained sound, her head falling back against the door as Paige’s fingers bury themselves further into her. Azzi’s grip in Paige’s hair tightens, her breaths coming out in short, shaky exhales as she completely loses herself in the way Paige is fucking her against the door.

Paige watches her–really watches her. The way Azzi’s eyes are half-lidded and hazy, her jaw slightly slack, her lips parted like she’s trying to catch her breath. Paige smirks, licking her lips before leaning in near Azzi’s ear. “Fuck…you’re taking my finger’s like such a good girl baby.”

Azzi’s reaction is instant–a sharp inhale, a soft, needy sound slipping out before she can stop it. Paige immediately grins, her smirk widening because damn–Azzi likes shit like this.

And now that Paige knows, she isn’t about to let it go.

She brings her hand up to Azzi’s throat, wrapping her fingers around it just tight enough—not restricting, just enough for Azzi to feel it. Paige watches Azzi’s eyes flutter, her breath hitching as her body reacts, heat rolling off of her in waves. Paige tilts her head slightly, as she murmurs, “Oh, you like this shit, huh?”

Azzi's chest rises and falls with shallow breaths as she fights to keep herself grounded. Her eyes lock onto Paige's, her lips parted as she breathlessly responds, "I... I do." Her hands grip tighter in Paige's hair, tugging her closer as she leans into the pressure of Paige's touch, desperate for more.

Paige smirks at her reaction, clearly enjoying the power she has over Azzi. "Good," she breathes against Azzi’s neck. "Then work for it."

The words cause all thoughts to leave Azzi’s head as she starts grinding down on Paige’s hand. An almost pornographic moan escaping from her throat—she’s never been so grateful that her teammates were probably drunkenly passed out in Caroline’s room. Paige pushes into her with a little extra pressure, a little faster as Azzi follows her pace completely. Azzi’s able to keep the rhythm for a few seconds before her eyes are rolling back.

Paige sucks on her neck whispering, “Mmm that’s it baby. Keep working for it just like that mama.”

Azzi gasps as she says, “Oh my God…please.” There’s a pause before she’s whimpering again saying, “Fuck please baby.”

Paige murmurs against Azzi’s neck, “Please what.”

“Please I need it baby. I’m right there.”

At this request Paige is curling her fingers perfectly, mumbling incoherently at how good Azzi feels. But every word brings Azzi closer and makes her push harder against Paige.

“Paige, fuck. I’m right there baby. Fuck, please…please baby.” Azzi sounds almost desperate as the pleas leave her lips, Begging Paige to give her more, to let her come undone.

But then Paige is pulling her fingers completely out of Azzi causing her to whimper out, “please no.”

Paige chuckles as she gently shushes Azzi saying, “I got you baby, just hold on gimme a second.” She begins tugging Azzi toward her room. She walked backwards, a small smirk tugging at her lips. Her eyes never left Azzi. Watching with a quiet intensity as Azzi’s gaze flickered between dazed and hungry, every inch of her body on fire with anticipation.

Paige’s steps were measured, each one pulling them closer to the bedroom. She walked backwards, a small, smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. Her eyes never left Azzi’s, watching with a quiet intensity as Azzi’s gaze flickered between dazed and hungry, every inch of her body aching with anticipation.

Something about Paige’s presence made everything feel charged, like the weight of the room had shifted. Her energy was commanding, but smooth, like she owned every inch of the space between them, her confidence practically radiating off her. It was a kind of energy from Paige that Azzi had never experienced to this extent before.

Paige's smirk grew as she felt Azzi’s gaze following her every movement. She leaned in, her voice just above a whisper but filled with the same confidence. “Come on, baby,” she murmured. She tugged gently at Azzi’s hand.

Azzi took another step forward, the space between them narrowing until she was almost pressed up against Paige as they walked. She could feel the pull, could feel her heart racing in her chest as Paige’s energy swirled around her.

This was different. This was different from anything they’d shared before.

When they get to the room, Paige gently pushes the door closed making sure she locks it. She gently tugs on Azzi again, pulling her completely against her.

Azzi expects to be led to the bed, but instead, Paige gently moves her toward the desk.

She gently bends Azzi forward, pressing Azzi’s chest against the surface of the desk. Azzi inhales sharply at the sensation, feeling her heart race as Paige’s presence wraps around her like a second skin.

The room feels smaller now. Azzi’s breath catches as Paige leans in, her lips close to Azzi’s ear. “Stay right there,” she whispers. Azzi’s body responds before she can even process the words, warmth pooling in her stomach.

Paige nudges her legs apart slightly before she’s pulling Azzi’s sweats down and getting on her knees, her hands resting on the back of Azzi’s thighs as she leans into her center.

The moment Paige connects her mouth to Azzi, she’s letting out a quiet moan.

Paige hums into Azzi as she lets her tongue move all over her, making sure she doesn’t miss an inch. She’s sucking and licking, pushing herself into Azzi, gripping on her thighs and Azzi feels like she’s about to fall apart.

Azzi feels the heat from her stomach rise to her chest, getting stuck in her throat as she lets out another whimper–the only sound she can muster as she rocks herself forward. Paige encourages the movement, humming against Azzi silently telling her to keep going. It doesn’t take long for Azzi to return to where she was just moments ago near the front door and her leg’s start to slightly tremble.

Paige notices it, and she immediately adds her finger to the mix, circling Azzi’s clit as she swipes her tongue across her completely.

Azzi let’s out a breathy moan, “Paige…P, please–”

Paige smirks as she mumbles against Azzi center saying, “I know, it’s ok baby you can let go. Lemme taste you.”

This is all it takes for Azzi to let out a loud cry as she releases on Paige’s face and Paige is lapping all of it up, like she’s desperate for Azzi, like it’s the best thing she’s ever had. The pleasure is crashing over Azzi over and over again and at one point she feels like she isn’t even on earth anymore as Paige cleans her up.

Even though Azzi finishes it doesn’t seem like Paige is going to stop anytime soon. Her mouth is still on Azzi, tongue still working all over her–just fast enough, just firm enough. Azzi thinks she sees stars when she squeezes her eyes shut, grasping at the desk for something to hold onto.

When Paige pushes her tongue back into Azzi she thinks it becomes a little too much, the warmth in Azzi’s stomach returning immediately. “Baby,” she whispers out, one of her hands reaching back to try to push Paige away. Paige immediately grabs her hand, trapping it with her own as she continues. Azzi whimpers saying, “I can’t…baby…it’s too much.”

Paige pulls back just enough to speak to Azzi saying, “C’mon baby I know you got one more for me. Please…you taste so good mama.”

Azzi’s breath catches when she hears the tone of Paige’s voice, when she hears her pleading to keep going. Azzi simply nods as she drops her cheek back to the desk as Paige immediately dives back down her mouth moving against Azzi again, perfectly swirling her tongue.

Azzi’s voice cracks as she whimpers out, “Fuck.” This time instead of reaching behind her to push Paige away she’s trying to push herself further into Paige’s face. In response Paige pulls Azzi closer leaning back just slightly to admire the wetness dripping down Azzi’s leg before she’s diving back in. Azzi’s eyes rolling back into her head as she lets out another moan.

Paige hums against Azzi whispering, “You sound so pretty Az.” The praise has Azzi whimpering again, her legs trembling as Paige brings her to the edge again. Her entire body feels like it’s on fire, she feels like her brain is going into overdrive, her nerves firing in every direction. Then Paige is speaking again saying, “Fuck I can’t believe you’re all mine.”

Azzi nearly sobs out, “Oh my fucking god,” at the words, at the feeling of Paige, her chest pressing harder against the desk as her back arches slightly. Paige doesn’t respond. She just hums against Azzi as she continues eating her, seemingly enjoying this more than the girl sprawled out over the desk.

Azzi’s second release catches her completely off guard. It shocks her entire system like a cold plunge and her entire body convulses, seeing white as her soul leaves her body, choked gasps escaping her lips.

Paige helps Azzi ride out her high, holding her up against the desk, cleaning her up completely as waves of pleasure continue crashing through Azzi’s body. When Paige pulls back Azzi is all over her face. Her nose and lips are wet, there’s liquid dripping down her chin and Paige looks like she just won the lottery with the way her eyes are sparkling.

Paige gently helps Azzi over to the bed, her hands lingering for a moment longer than necessary, as if savoring the way Azzi’s body reacts to every touch. She guides Azzi down slowly, making sure she’s comfortable before standing above her. The sight of Azzi lying there, all flushed and needy, makes Paige’s breath hitch just for a moment before she leans down, her lips capturing Azzi’s in a kiss that’s deep and slow. Azzi hums in response, her tongue swiping all over Paige’s lips as she tastes herself, sending more heat pooling in her stomach.

Paige pulls away after a long moment, her lips curling into a faint, smile as she whispers, “Take off your shirt, baby.”

Azzi doesn’t hesitate. She doesn’t need any more encouragement. She reaches up, her fingers trembling slightly as she pulls off her shirt and bra, her eyes never leaving Paige’s as she does. Paige watches her for a few moments, her gaze dark, before turning and walking toward her closet.

Azzi watches her, breathless, completely dazed and in awe at the way Paige is making her feel right now. Paige leans over in the closet rummaging for something for a second before she stands up.

When Paige stands up she says, “You wanna do something different, baby?”

Azzi’s heart skips a beat when she sees what is in Paige's hand, without a second thought, she almost breaks her neck with the speed of her nod, her body reacting before her mind can fully catch up. Her eyes are wide, glossy, reflecting the anticipation that’s swirling inside of her.

Paige watches the reaction with a sense of satisfaction, knowing that she’s already driving Azzi wild making her grin even more. She takes a slow step toward Azzi, her eyes not leaving her as she answers, “I thought you might like that.”

Paige unwraps the new packaging before ridding herself of her clothes. Each time she takes off a layer Azzi feels the anticipation growing in her stomach. Once all of her clothes are off, Paige just stands there for a moment, completely open in front of Azzi. Azzi watches the entire time completely in awe as Paige slowly puts the strap on, making sure everything is perfectly in place before she’s moving back toward Azzi.

Paige climbs back on the bed moving slowly, carefully, like she’s savoring each moment with Azzi. Their lips meet in a kiss that starts soft and tender but quickly grows messy, desperate. Their mouths find each other like it’s the only thing that matters, the rhythm of their kisses erratic as their bodies draw closer.

Paige eventually pulls away, her breath shaky as she looks down at Azzi, her thumb gently brushing over Azzi’s cheek. The softness of the touch contrasting with the intensity of the moment, and Paige’s voice is barely a whisper, heavy with a quiet concern. “You gonna be okay?”

Azzi’s eyes lock with hers, her breathing shallow as she nods up at Paige, the trust clear in her gaze. It’s enough for Paige to lean back down, her lips brushing Azzi’s a few more times before she pulls away again, her eyes filled with affection and an unspoken hunger.

Paige licks her lips slowly, eyes never leaving Azzi’s face. The thought of what comes next makes her pulse race, but she keeps her tone soft, controlled, as she adds, “Tell me if you need me to stop.”

The weight of her words lingers in the air, an unspoken promise that she’ll be attuned to Azzi’s every need, ready to pull back if needed.

Paige swipes it across Azzi a few times and Azzi who's still sensitive whimpers at the sensation. Then Paige is easing into Azzi, slowly. Paige only goes in enough to allow Azzi to adjust to the size. Azzi bites her lip at the feeling, her eyes fluttering slightly as she gets herself used to the stretch. Once she adjusts she nods up at Paige and Paige pushes in deeper, still not completely but enough to give Azzi a sense of how much she can take.

Azzi whimpers out a delicate sound as she looks up at Paige who’s studying her intently.

“You like it mama?” Paige asks as she looks at Azzi softly.

Azzi nods, reaching for Paige’s waist pulling her into her completely– moaning loudly at the feeling.

Paige’s breath catches when she does this, her eyes never leaving Azzi’s as she studies her with a mix of awe and desire. She takes in every detail—how Azzi’s chest is rising and falling, the way her lips are parted. Paige mumbles out, “Jesus, you’re so perfect.” As she says this she starts rolling her hips into Azzi. She starts off slow, being careful with every thrust initially, but when she sees the way Azzi is taking it, the way Azzi’s lips are parted as she looks up at Paige with hooded eyes she can’t help but to pick up her pace.

Azzi can’t help but whimper every time Paige pushes into her, her movements causing Azzi to naturally rock into her, only adding more to the feeling. Paige is completely spent as she watches Azzi and she can’t help but sing her praises. “Fuck you’re so incredible, baby,” she whispers, “feel so good...every inch of you, so perfect.” Azzi lets out a loud slew of loud moans in response, Paige’s voice always doing something to her body.

“You’re all I want, baby. Make me lose control... so fucking easily mama.” Paige continues, her voice a little raspy as she works in and out of Azzi, her hands on Azzi’s hips, keeping her still as she works into her. “I’ve never seen anyone like you. So beautiful, so fucking perfect... you drive me crazy.”

Azzi feels like she’s in heaven. She can’t even manage to find words as heat spreads through her body, her breath ragged. Everything Paige is doing right now feels perfect. Azzi feels like it’s too much and like she can’t get enough at the same time. Like Paige is too deep but not deep enough. Azzi reaches up, pulling Paige by the shoulders to bring her closer. “You feel so fucking good P,” she whimpers out, her voice breaking halfway through at the pace that Paige is going.

At the confirmation Paige only speeds up, as she works in and out perfectly, Like she knows exactly what Azzi needs, exactly how much her girl can take. The sound of Paige moving in and out of Azzi fills the room and Paige can only groan at the sound, knowing it’s all for her. “Damn baby, that shit is crazy. You hear that?”

All Azzi can do is nod as her nails dig deeper into Paige’s sides.

Paige keeps talking, the words leaving her mouth naturally. Like she’s been waiting to have Azzi like this. Paige smiles against Azzi's skin before mumbling, “This shit’s all mine Azzi.” She leans down again, kissing Azzi's neck as she savors the sound of Azzi's breathy whimpers near her ear.

Azzi's hands tremble as they grip Paige’s skin, her breath shallow and quick. "I'm all yours," she says with a strong sense of submission, her voice shaky but filled with certainty. "Only yours baby."

Paige licks her lips at the admission, her pupils completely blown as she rocks into Azzi. She slides her hand in between them two of her fingers finding Azzi’s bud as she begins circling her fingers in rhythm with her movements.

This addition has Azzi screaming out a moan her body bucking into Paige as she squeezes her tighter, “Fuck Paige, Oh my God you’re amazing.”

Paige whispers in Azzi’s ear, “I want you to finish for me baby. I wanna see you shake for me, pretty girl.”

Paige’s voice is enough to send Azzi over the edge and for the third time that night she’s coming undone. This one feels impossibly better, her legs wrap around Paige’s waist to pull her deeper as she shakes underneath her, her vision blurring as she lets out a series of unrestrained moans, screaming Paige’s name for any and everybody to hear.

Paige doesn’t stop, she only slows her movements making sure she lets Azzi feel every bit of pleasure she possibly can as she whimpers under her. When Azzi’s breath subsides slightly Paige is pulling out and flipping her over and fuck Azzi feels like she’s about to pass out when Paige slides back into her.

Azzi looks back at Paige whispering, “I can’t do anymore baby.”

Paige, who is still breathing heavily, licks her lips as she looks at Azzi. Usually she wouldn’t hesitate to listen to Azzi’s words, she would be sliding out immediately. But she doesn’t miss the way Azzi slightly pushes herself further onto the strap, the way she sighs at the feeling. So Paige smirks saying, “Lemme get one more beautiful.” Then Paige is chuckling because Azzi immediately nods as she arches further into Paige.

Paige knows Azzi won’t last long so she savors the sight. Azzi’s chest pressed into her mattress, her back arched—it’s all so perfect, Azzi’s perfect. She begins pushing herself into her. In this new position she’s pulling out completely before pushing back in, admiring the view each time.

Once she gets a nice rhythm she reaches forward, tangling her fingers in Azzi’s curly hair and tugging just slightly. Azzi immediately lets out a whimper and Paige smirks saying “You want me to pull it?”

Azzi whimpers out, “Please.”

Paige obliges, tugging Aziz’s hair with a little more aggression as she picks up the pace of her hips. At this point Azzi is already close, her jaw is slack and she can’t bring herself to make any sounds, just feel the way Paige is pushing into like nothing else matters.

Azzi never knew how much she liked rough sex before this moment. She loved how Paige hadn’t given her an inch to make a decision—the moment they walked into the door, Paige was on her, doing what she wanted to her. She gets so lost in the feelings, in the way Paige is hitting something deep inside her over and over that she sobs out a broken, “Fuck I love you baby…please don’t stop.”

Paige catches this and she feels like her chest is about to explode. Paige licks her lips, her fingers tightening in Azzi’s hair as she tugs harder, pulling Azzi up towards her slightly. “You love me, pretty girl?”

Azzi’s breath was ragged, her throat dry as she nodded, her body betraying the warmth of her confession. It was a truth she hadn’t meant to say out loud—not like this, not with the world spinning around them, but it was there now.

Paige’s grip tightened. “Show me,” she whispered, her tone a velvet demand that sent a shiver down Azzi’s spine. “Put on a fucking show for me, Az. Show me how much you love me mama.”

It’s like the words ignite something in Azzi as she starts throwing herself back against Paige, her eyes watering at the feeling. Paige throws her head back at the feeling of the harness pressing against her. “Shit baby, just like that. Feels so fucking good,” Paige mumbles out as the tension in her stomach grows.

Azzi keeps going, her pace relentless as she holds off on her own release knowing Paige is close.

Paige decides to meet Azzi’s pace with her own thrust causing both of them to be a moaning mess, both of them letting out incoherent words and desperate sounds as they meet one another. Paige mumbles out, “Fuck I love you Az. I’m bouta cum baby. Keep going for me please baby.”

All it takes is one more push from Azzi before they’re both coming undone together. A mess filling the sheets as they ride out their high.

After a few seconds Paige slumps next to Azzi, both of them completely spent, their bodies still buzzing with the remnants of everything that had just unfolded between them. The room was still, the only sound filling the space was their heavy breathing, both of them trying to catch their breath. Azzi felt like her body had turned to jelly, every muscle was heavy and warm, while Paige felt like she’d just run a marathon. There was a peaceful stillness between them, a quiet that had settled in, as they both tried to regain their bearings.

With their eyes still closed, Azzi spoke first. “That was different,” she said, her words a bit breathless, a slight tremor still in her voice.

Paige chuckled lightly, her chest still rising and falling with each deep breath. “Yeah, I know.” She didn’t even need to see Azzi’s face to know she licked it.

Azzi nodded, though Paige couldn’t see it. “I liked it,” she admitted..

Paige’s lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. “Yeah?” she asked, her tone teasing but affectionate.

Azzi nodded again. “Yeah,” she repeated, feeling her heart race as she lay there in the quiet, her chest feeling tight from the confession she hadn’t quite intended to make.

The silence hung in the air between them for a moment, the silence was peaceful, but it didn’t last long before Azzi spoke again, her words more hesitant this time.

“I didn’t mean for that to come out like that,” she murmured, feeling a small wave of insecurity wash over her, unsure if the words she’d let slip were too much, too soon.

Paige turned her head toward Azzi, even though neither of them were looking at each other. She reached out, her hand finding Azzi’s, her fingers lacing together.

“Neither did I,” Paige murmured, her voice low,

She paused, gathering her thoughts, feeling the weight of her own admission. After a beat, she whispered, “I meant it though, Az.”

Azzi’s breath caught at the sincerity in Paige’s voice. She slowly opened her eyes, her heart pounding as she processed the words. For a moment, everything felt suspended in time. She reached over, her hand gentle as she rubbed Paige’s cheek with her thumb, savoring the softness of her skin. Her thumb moved higher, trailing over the scar near Paige’s hairline, something so familiar, something that had always been there. Azzi traced it slowly, memorizing the curve of it, the way it marked Paige in a way that was all her own.

Azzi’s voice was barely above a whisper, the words slipping out like a secret she couldn’t keep any longer. “I love you, Paige.”

Paige’s chest tightened at the confession. Her heart raced, and before she even realized it, her eyes opened to meet Azzi’s. Paige’s blue eyes searched Azzi’s brown ones, filled with something deeper than she had ever realized before. A smile tugged at the corner of Paige’s lips as she replied softly. “I love you.”

Azzi leaned down to kiss Paige softly, her lips pressing gently against hers, savoring the moment, committing it to memory. When she pulled back, her smile was tender, but then her gaze shifted to the sheets beneath them and she realized just how damp they were.

"We're not sleeping in here," Azzi mumbled,

Paige chuckled, her lips curling into a grin. "Figured."

The two of them carefully climbed out of bed, Paige removing the harness. They quickly agreed to take a quick shower in Paige's room before heading over to Azzi’s. The water was warm and soothing, washing away the remnants of their night as Azzi completely leaned against Paige, not able to fully stand on her own. They didn’t speak much in the shower, just sharing soft glances and quiet smiles as Paige cleaned both of them.

Once they were done they both threw on sweats and a hoodie. Azzi jumped on Paige’s back and Paige carried her a few doors down to her room, both of them giggling along the way. When they entered Azzi's room, they both let out a quiet breath of relief, sinking into the softness of the bed once they tugged off the hoodies.

Paige pulled Azzi against her chest, her arms wrapping around her tightly, holding her like she never wanted to let go. Azzi snuggled closer, breathing in Paige’s scent, her head resting against Paige's chest as she whispered softly, “I love you.”

Paige smiled softly at this as she pressed a soft kiss to the top of Azzi’s head, her voice barely a murmur. “I love you more, beautiful.”

With that, Paige felt a sense of peace wash over her, her mind quieting and her chest light, like all of the weight she’d been carrying for years had simply melted away at the words. Her eyes fluttered closed, and soon enough, she easily drifted into a deep sleep, the warmth of Azzi in her arms filling her with a sense of calm and contentment she had never known before.

[hcneymooners]

౨ৎ fawn(ing).

antihero!paige x civilian!sister-of-arch-nemesis!azzi. men & minors dni.

wc: 25.9k

synopsis: paige saves dallas for a living, but can't save herself from azzi fudd. azzi fudd knows a story worth telling when she sees one. but this is not that story. it's another one.

cw: medium-burn, alternate universe, superheroes & villains, enemies-adjacent to lovers, kind of second chance considering they knew each other in high school, my invention of an entirely non-existent fudd family member, injury, blood, near death experiences, non-sexual intimacy, religious imagery, explicit sexual content, vaginal fingering, overstimulation, light breathplay, light impact play, cunnilingus, dom/sub dynamics, implied brat/tamer dynamics, childhood-classmates-to-lovers, slight codependency but the healing kind, everyone's a bit morally grey, complex familial relationships, pining across a considerable timeline featuring olympic level emotional repression, pazzi vs being normal about each other.

notes: hello, hello. i'm just as surprised as you are that i'm back to my old haunting grounds, but i find my love for writing them renewed, & i wanted my return to be a good one. we are playing quite fast and loose with the worldbuilding, so bear with me, please. i hope you all enjoy. please leave a comment, or come into my inbox to let me know what you think. it keeps me motivated. love you forever. x

header art by @/cutiicosmo on all platforms.

1.

paige knew she inhabited the grey area of morality despite a tired history of always choosing good because she loved one woman, and by extension, if said woman were at risk of danger, it would be her first, her over everything. it was the love over it all, the loyalty—even when paige was in the face of the earth on fire, begging for water. it was azzi above all, azzi in face of the world, azzi as her world, azzi in exchange for the death of it.  

paige wanted her in the way you could ache for a blade at the neck, always the threat of press, blood singing at the threat of her presence. though she highly doubted that azzi fudd, editor-in-chief of the dallas herald, would ever believe it if she told her—especially given paige’s habit of, well, making herself a bit difficult to pin down in the first place.

it started like this: she’d first seen azzi in the aftermath of what must’ve been paige’s fourth defense of the city that week—it had been a long month—dark hair drawn half-up, half-down, waved mermaidish like a marine homage, crouched on her heels in the thick bloom of the villain’s weapon of choice: noxious gas, angel caught in a keylime weep. she was beautiful, yes, but that wasn’t the first true thing paige had noticed about her. the first thing she’d noticed was the way azzi had squinted against the poison, wheezing weakly through the thick knit of her navy-blue turtleneck sweater, the fabric slipping to reveal the pen gripped between her teeth, which made paige glance further down to find the recorder between her fingers. sony icd-tx660 sleeping sweetly against her palm, black and sleek. she was looking right at paige, determined to pull a story out of her, but paige was well-versed in getting free and had fled after leaving the villain of the day tied in a neat pile for the dpd.

paige’s off-days were not days off in any real sense.

the world had a penchant for pushing back against her, coming hard on her shoulders despite all the saving; news stations and social media posts regularly called paige cocky and a show-off, sometimes nonchalant, borderline inhuman with her superhuman strength, telekinesis, and healing ability. didn’t help her case that she’d taken well to fighting—a dog with a bone, the bullet and the bite. but she saved them regardless, always finding a way to keep the faith, pulling and pulling at the thread until she could convince herself the silver lining was that these days still acted as pressure firm enough to force the city to loosen its hands from her throat.

paige got at least two minutes, maybe five, to breathe without gagging. she had two minutes, maybe five, where she was allowed to wake without the sensation of impact still blooming in her bones: the bruises, the phantom aches, remnants of unassigned missions within her instead of a nervous system. dallas had a way of staying inside you. heat in the blood. sirens in the nerves.

so the morning after, paige performed her daily slink to her favorite corner shop, determined to make her choice of shitty protein shake from the lukewarm freezers housed inside. she’d dressed casually, futile, really, given that she was too singular for anonymity. her abilities made her a modern dream, flicker of movement people saw in the corner of their eye and thought they’d imagined, always turning to check: wheat blonde hair pulled low into a loose ponytail at the nape, roots gone dark like the soft spots along a fruit; whispy and careless because most times she’d done it fresh from sleep with her mouth half-open, still waking. airpod maxes sealed over her ears, color lilac heaven, expensive but necessary because the noise cancellation turned the world into something distant. a black sweater, oversized, sleeves swallowing her hands; a white shirt hem spilling out beneath over black trousers that were loose through the leg, moving when she moved. her sneakers, scuffed to hell—a gift from drew—90s onitsuka mexico 66 tigers in birch.

never mind the effort, it didn’t matter. there was always something slightly strange about how she looked on a normal street. just shy of glamorous, and fully out of place, like a weapon left on a dinner table.

paige did her walk to the corner shop as she always did: a soldier trekking through a battlefield, head tilted down, shoulders high to the ear, attention everywhere. she knew the rhythm of her neighborhood in small, humiliating details - that one particular pothole that collected rainwater like a dark eye, the cigarette butts crushed into the curb (dirty fucking habit), the graffiti that was routinely painted over and then replaced by another artist’s tag the next night, angrier each time. she knew which cars had a habit of sitting too long at stop signs, which men liked to lean burly and heavy against desert-red brick walls. she knew the city’s tells, the way a dog knew the mood of its owner before the voice ever rose.

the heat pressed at her even this early in the morning, thick and bright, eager to greet, as if the sun were determined to make a spectacle out of her regardless of paige being unwilling. dallas was perfume over sweat, a confectionery glare. it did shine. it did money and hunger, hand-in-hand.

inside the shop, the air-conditioning washed over her, her shoulders going low as every thread of tension finally slackened. fluorescent lighting buzzed overhead, relentless, bulbs washing everything with antiseptic honesty. the floor was sticky under paige’s feet, which made her mouth twist, and she knew the small bell chimed when she came in, despite her being unable to hear it, cheerfully oblivious. she saw the clerk’s gaze lift—pause—then look away too quickly.

she didn’t blame him. no hard feelings. most wanted her smiling for the cameras with blood on her mouth, savior and spectacle, so they could make her their lockscreen. people didn’t know what to do with her when she wasn’t somewhere in the sky.

paige moved toward the back, toward the lukewarm freezers with their flickering lights and their sad little rows of protein shakes that were most definitely a day off. she stood there longer than she knew was necessary, boring holes into faded labels she already knew by heart, pretending she was just another girl choosing between vanilla and chocolate, pretending her hands couldn’t recall the shape of evil’s throat from last night.

her healing was a quiet horror in moments like this. it made her look clean and new, untouchable and ready to go the extra mile. it made it seem as though she hadn’t been thrown through concrete three days ago, as though she hadn’t been on the business end of a sword last night—who even used those anymore?—as though she hadn’t tasted blood come running from the split side of her hollywood smile, so often it had become familiar as salt over her homemade chicken.

sometimes she wondered if the city liked that best, how easily it could deny what it demanded of her. finally, she grabbed her usual shake—strawberry—and turned, and there they were. the headlines.

they sat near the register in tidy stacks, magazines gone glossy and cruel, their covers screaming with hd color, not a single thing to lack in quality. her own face peered back at her from more than one, caught mid-flight or on the ground, hair wild, blue eyes hard. one featured a photograph taken from below, as if she were a spiritual phenomenon, showcasing her incarceration by the physical realm, leagues above the human world.

DREAM GIRL EVIL: TEMPEST, SAVIOR OR THREAT?

and beneath it all, smaller print but still capped, like an afterthought:

CITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR OVERSIGHT, DPD SOURCES QUESTIONING HER METHODS.

next to that one was: GOLDEN GIRL WITH A VIOLENT STREAK: ANTIHERO SAVES AGAIN, WITNESSES SAY SHE SMILED ALL THE WHILE!

paige’s stomach tightened, but it wasn’t from fear; it had yet to be. instead, she could feel the lazy head of that familiar hydra rising, the ugly ache of being misunderstood on purpose for a good story; the endless weight of being forced into shape, non-consensual malleability into something palatable, a woman made sellable. a villain when they needed one. a hero when the cameras were pointed in the right direction. she stood there, hands trembling, grip like an iron vice around the milky pink body of her protein shake, the urge to toss it all over the rack quickly swallowed down.

she walked back to the front and placed her bounty on the counter, eyes trailing upward until they found the tv screen mounted behind it. the morning news was on, crowning the day with its early hour special, bright with energy as if cheerfulness could disinfect tragedy. live notes from the thick of the action! read the banner bleeding at the bottom, and paige watched as a familiar face rose before her: that of azzi fudd.

azzi appeared composed, dark hair still siren-like as it spilled over her arms and curtained around her face, full mouth soft but set, eyes kindled with a quiet fire that made paige want to seek the warmth promised. she was framed like a jewel against the studio lights, gorgeous in a way that felt unfair; gorgeous in the making of someone who had never been hit, never been thrown, never been asked to sacrifice her body for the sake of strangers.

but paige knew better.

the lead anchor was speaking, asking the questions everyone always asked in some form or another: whether paige tempest was still a hero, whether she’d gone too far this time around, whether she was becoming something dangerous, whether or not she’d benefit from “management.” paige watched as azzi listened, watched her blink slowly, nose twitching like she was smelling something bitter. she looked nearly tired, which was rare. in fact, she looked as though she’d been awake all night.

but then she smiled, small and strange, front teeth peeking—dollmouth, girl bone—like she was permitting herself to be reckless. and paige watched as she said, clear as a bell in a room full of strange, hungry creatures:

“i didn’t really think of any of that when i was up close. i just thought, ‘i never realized how beautiful she is.’”

paige froze, and so did the clerk, his eyes rolling with surprise to stare at the screen. the world didn’t stop, but something in her did: a breath caught too high in the lungs, instinct interrupted. the clerk shifted back into position behind the counter as a customer laughed somewhere in another aisle, and azzi fudd kept talking, voice calm, as if she hadn’t just staunchly refused to throw paige further under the bus.

“she’s always the first one there,” azzi continued, voice low, honeyed, a syrup sweep. paige’s throat tightened because it sounded like praise and it sounded like grief. “always. we’ve gotten so used to it—these people are designated as chosen with a terrible, forced existence at the service of others because you aren’t allowed things like just going to college and buying a house when you can stop time and summon fire. supes aren’t a fairy tale anymore, so we’ve adjusted, and instead of extending our gratitude, we’ve grown a bit entitled.

“now, everyone wants her to be easy and neat going down. they want her to save them without reminding them that the saving hurts, or maybe even feels good. that danger can be near a drug in such high doses.”

azzi paused, then shrugged as she continued, calm though her tone was pointed.

“i think this city likes to pretend violence is something that happens in dark places. you know, like in the movies: the woods, that alleyway you were told to steer clear of, somewhere you can blame it on bad choices,” she said. “but when i look at her, at tempest, all i see is a fellow woman in her twenties, tired and battered and trying her best at battling the truth: that she’s one of the only reasons the violence doesn’t happen in your living room.”

outside, the sun struck paige like a warm hand. she stepped onto the sidewalk and swallowed a large gritty chunk of strawberry shake, noise-cancellation back to sealing the world away. still, she could hear azzi’s voice echoing in her hindbrain.

i just thought, ‘i never realized how beautiful she is.’

her hands remained steadfast, but her heart wasn’t.

2.

the thread between them was her older brother: a man who’d had it in for paige since she beat him out for the top position on their co-ed varsity basketball team junior year. he never forgave her for it, which was one of the lesser things she’d done that had sent someone after her.

azzi had been floating around even then, but she’d been younger—a dulcet dream always at the side of someone who looked old money but was as boring as the wood it came from; always the focal point, the person of interest even when she wasn’t trying to be. a girl, then a woman, who made others orbit her without ever seeming to lift a hand.

though she wasn’t a supe, she had the magnetism of one, a knack for getting you to chat, overshare spilling easily from your lips only ten minutes in to what was supposed to be a quick meet-and-greet at the local coffee shop. once, when her parents were still talking to her, paige’s mom had eyed azzi over the rim of her mug and said,

“that girl is going to be on a silver screen.”

the notion stuck so thoroughly with paige that whenever she sat back in the rusty bed of her dad’s pickup, her eyes would find the overbearing reach of the city billboards, and she refused to look away, imagining all the ways azzi’s face would be stretched out over them. she liked that. liked knowing that a girl as smart and fluid as azzi was taking her chance to flow right out of this state and move on to bigger things.

and like prophecy, azzi fell in line.

killshot trajectory, arrow singing through the sky: first an intern for some shoddy, now-extinct news venture. then, on the road with a girl group, paige would later find out had been harpies in disguise, ears stopped up with wax, while she dutifully detailed what would later become an exposé on the seduction and profit of female violence. from there, it was state to state, countries too, different magazines and journalistic spaces, until azzi felt firm enough on her two feet to splinter off and work for herself.

then she came back.

sick mother, sicker dad, and a home that had hummed with the smell of medicine and old carpet yet to be pulled up. she’d returned and rescued the only newspaper left in dallas with a generous pour of her own finances and the warmth and respect she drip-fed into the dreams of other young people trying to make it.

azzi and her younger brothers rose sky-high, three of the boys becoming exceptional athletes in their own right, given that they had more minor abilities no one thought necessary. but the eldest had spiraled out, which wasn’t the same as up, and things got messy fast. he’d always wanted a touch of power, and you could get a lot of that as a villain.

oh, i hate it. it’s horrible, azzi had once half-joked, having been asked about being the only non-supe sibling in the fudd quintet. it’s just awful, being the only person who has to be saved.

3.

it wasn’t even a real emergency at first. you get a sixth sense for things; living in an attention economy meant a lot of shit was started for views, couldn’t save everyone.

it started as a flicker on paige’s phone while she was halfway to a shower, perched at the foot of her bed in wide-legged sweatpants she’d stolen from her dad years ago and never given back. a notification, an alert, a pulse; one of those little digital taps that had become dallas’s new way of praying.

DALLAS POLICE DEPT. CIVILIAN ALERTS: disturbance downtown. possible meta involvement. all civilians are urged to seek shelter until further notice.

there was footage already, grainy and fevered, someone already streaming - shaky video from a girl with detailed, peach-pinkish acrylic nails and a laugh that sounded behind the lens, dissonantly bright for what she was witnessing. the camera panned across the street, searching for proof, five seconds of fame.

men in black could be seen moving with rehearsed violence. every action read tactical and coordinated, which made paige hone in with a bit more gravity. this didn’t have the desperation of a randomized attack. all faces were covered, even if just half, their insignia unmarked, but paige could see the signs regardless. she knew, intimately, the posture of hired work, the body language of people who’d been trained.

they weren’t looters or vigilantes, but they were someone’s.

paige watched as one of them yanked a bystander back by the collar, shoved them into the wall hard enough that their head bounced. the girl filming let out an avian shriek, the camera tilting up toward the skyline as if the phone itself couldn’t bear to look. soon, the image was lost altogether.

paige’s jaw clenched, and she felt her skin prickle with that old itch, the one that lived permanently under her ribs like an animal. she could leave it well enough alone, knew there were enough supes around dallas and neighboring cities to come running to the rescue. but that belonged to the smaller part of her, the girl aching for a shower and wishing she could sleep, the girl who was just another person with soft domestic light pooling on her floorboards. but that part of her was overruled by the larger one, the majority that belonged to the city and was deeply allied to her sense of morality.

paige was halfway into her suit before she finished blinking. muscle memory, space blue, and raven black lycra pulled on like a second skin. the fabric hugged her thighs, her waist, her shoulders tightly; signal enough that she was real, flexible enough to let her become whatever the world needed. she tied the half-mask behind her head and felt herself hollow out into tempest.

outside, dallas was a mouth. hot, wet, hungry. paige moved quickly, a blur between buildings, a streak of dark lightning cutting through the air, and the city below her looked almost peaceful from this height: streets like veins, headlights like little beads of prayer, people unaware of how quickly their lives could split open.

finally, she saw it, her bounty: a cluster of bodies pooled around the base of one of those glassy downtown buildings that was designed to look inordinately expensive so those who didn’t fit the mold didn’t think twice about trying to gain entry. a dozen men, she estimated, or maybe more, surrounding a black suv. someone was inside it—important, obviously—or else she wouldn’t have to play this part.

there was a moment where she thought twice, thought of turning back and shrugging herself free, but she knew that was a pipe dream. without another moment of hesitation, she let herself drop from the sky like a punishment. her landing sent the concrete cracking under her feet, and she felt the reverberations all the way to her temples, vibrations sawing at her teeth. every single one of them turned toward her, as one, a pack of dogs scenting blood.

and paige—paige knew that stance.

she knew it because she’d seen it before, many times, souvenirs via nightmares about the times she’d been held in rooms with men as unknowable as this, cruel like this. she knew it like a native language because she’d fought long and laboriously enough to find out the hard way that there was a stark difference between dedicated criminals and your average morally ambiguous layman. one man stepped forward, unfraid like the rest, lifting his gun, the barrel steady as a thought.

“tempest. there’s a girl,” he said, voice distorted by machine, but strong nonetheless in its hatred. “you’re late.”

paige’s mouth twisted. she was twenty-fucking-seven.

“traffic,” she ribbed, light and easy, because if she didn’t joke, if she didn’t force that crack of smile, she might start screaming and never stop.

he laughed, and the sound came out amiss, poured out in a thick, soured sound like a throat clogged with phlegm; like he hadn’t done this in a long time, like he hadn’t ever known how to do it. and then, like a magic trick, the air shifted.

paige felt the change long before she ever saw it: a pressure like drowning behind her eyes, a temptation to collapse, a tremor in the atmosphere. the silence of the world when it simpered, childlike, in the face of something devastatingly enormous about to happen. anticipation swarmed, droning like a hive held over fire, coming in droves.

she observed as one of the men pulled something from the trunk of the suv. a case, large and long and black. he opened it like a vendor setting up shop. inside, metal gleamed, the glisten mean.

paige’s stomach sank, though it wasn’t because she was afraid of being hurt—she hadn’t been afraid of pain in years—but because immediately she recognized the intention. they weren’t here to steal or kill or scare her off. they were here to test her, wanted to make a point, to see if she could be made to bleed.

that machine they were crawling all over, setting up quick and clean, was designed to terrorize; to stretch and maim the psyche until you were agonized straight into heaven. this was personal and, naively, paige had had the hope that it wouldn’t be.

another man shouted something, a hand signal thrown, and suddenly the street gave birth to motion. two men moved to flank her, a third climbing the fire escape, trying to get higher ground. another tossed a canister that hit the pavement and cracked open like an egg, releasing a bloom of chemical fog like noxious egg yolk. mustard and acidic, thick enough to make even the streetlights look sick.

paige took a large inhale, faced it head-on, because she didn’t have the luxury of caution. almost instantly, she was tormented, lungs throbbing for breath, eyes watering like the atlantic, all senses sent hysterical with the pain. she could feel her healing kick in, that instinct to preserve, choice of fight over flight; her body frantically stitching itself back together while the world tried to tear her apart.

and she never helped herself, because she always fought. god, she fought.

it was ugly, close-quarters violence, bodies colliding, fists meeting ribs, nails scraping until blood was granted, boots screeching across pavement. she gave it her all, ripping weapons from hands, one man tossed idly into the side of a parked car hard enough to dent the door like aluminum foil. another she pinned with a single thought, suspending him a foot off the ground while he kicked and cursed like a child.

“who sent you?” paige demanded. she wasn’t teasing anymore.

the man took his time with the answer, swishing blood cheek to cheek like cherry mouthwash, before spitting with a cracked laugh.

“you know,” he said. “you’re smarter than you let on. you always know.”

paige’s pulse throbbed at her throat.

the eldest fudd brother had always been bitter, so fucking hungry, always convinced the world owed him the kind of reverence it kept giving to other people. and now—now he had money, now he had men who were almost always willing to sleep with violence. and paige, no matter the heights she flew, no matter how many times she saved this deflating city, was still the girl who had humiliated him in high school.

you’d think it’d matter less, but men always held on to things.

the gas thickened, and it made the street turn hazy, dreamlike, a lawless swamp, and god, paige wanted to go to sleep. she dropped to one knee for a second—just a second—breathing hard, tasting metal. she could hear sirens in the distance, delayed as usual. dallas’s response time was always slower when it was her. she looked up, trying to gauge her chances, when she saw her.

across the street, half-hidden behind a news van, azzi fudd stood with her crew, the only one not flinching.

everyone else was clustered together like flies, sticky and helpless in the spider’s web. the camera operator was holding hands with the sound guy, who looked close to passing out flat in the street, with an identical expression of terror to the young assistant beside him with a bright orange clipboard. but azzi had always been one to keep her eyes wide open.

violence was almost always temporary, but beauty in the moment became forever.

she was bundled in a coat too nice for this, cream and to her knees, hair slicked into a high bun that forced you to look right at her; that same pen clenched in her teeth, that same recorder in hand, standing tall in heels that would be terrible for running. paige felt something cleave deep, hot and proximate, an animal recognition. a bodily knowing, like every bit of her blood had leaned toward her.

azzi’s dark gaze met paige’s through the commotion, and there wasn’t a lick of fear nor the fevered admiration that always gave paige discomfort.

it was that look from the first meeting, the tv, her eyes like planets, mouth pursed as if trying to swallow back: i see you. i see the person inside the costume. i see a woman bleeding, the teenage girl underneath her, too.

paige’s breath hitched, and she knew she was fucked because she should have been more focused. she should have been calculating exit angles and villainous trajectories, should have been tearing through these men like a blade through sheets. but azzi was there, and azzi was watching. one of the henchmen saw it too. he turned his head slowly, curiously following paige’s line of sight, and in a matter of seconds, his plan had changed; a subtle shift of target, but paige caught it.

he lunged toward azzi’s crew, and it wasn’t all that fast, certainly not fast enough to reach them, but fast enough to make the threat seem real enough. paige saw azzi refusing to lose her ground and the flinch of the young girl behind her, and she moved without thinking, heart slamming so intensely she thought she might look down to find a concave in her chest.

energy snapped out like a whip, telekinesis unrefined, yanking the man backward so strongly that his feet left the ground. he hit the pavement with a wet crack, the sound of falling, and paige was on him in the next breath, knee to his chest, her hand ungloved so that it could better curl around his throat. he gagged, retching with fear, eyes bulging.

paige leaned down, and she could smell the leak of urine. she spoke carefully, voice very low, profoundly venomous.

“your fight is with me.”

she released him with disgust, stood, wiping a smear of blood off her cheek with the back of her hand. the gas was thinning now, pushed away by the wind, the street slowly resolving back into itself. she could hear the sirens coming closer; she could hear her own breathing. and through it all, she could feel azzi’s attention like a hand at the base of her spine.

azzi’s crew began to move into position, sensible and still scared, but determined to report. but azzi slipped away from them; the distance gained through motion came quietly and smoothly. running wild, sweetheart, paige thought with a hidden smile as she felt azzi not far behind, determined to follow her, to loop a hand around the myth and tug until she was sated with what she found. but what came out of paige’s mouth instead was,

“you shouldn’t be ‘round here, mama.”

the words echoed as paige turned around, smiling crookedly, ensuring they were boxed in by the alleyway paige had led them to. those big eyes were suddenly on her, wide and dark-lashed, landing on you as opposed to looking at you. face like a saint, that one; a force to her. paige was religious for a lot of reasons, enjoyed the challenge of keeping faith, but for a moment she thought of a video she’d seen on the algorithm - a woman saying cruxifiction was the mot feminine thing a man could do, bleeding out for something [1] - and suddenly she understood it, found it crystal clear, because if asked she’d lose a lot of blood for azzi fudd.

“i know—i just. just one quote, tempest. please,” azzi said, and her lips were so pink as she said it.

paige felt a hot snare in her chest, an image coming unbidden: azzi, back against her chest, both breathing hard and glossy with sweat. paige with her fingers crooked into the bunnypinkslickhotsweet center of her, azzi with that gorgeous head lolling, saying pleasepleasepleaseplease for a different reason, paige’s voice low and cracking as she tells her: got you, baby, i got you, right there? yeah? yeah, never gonna stop, princess, just like that, you can take it, you can take it, you can fucking take it just—

“are you okay?” azzi asked, stepping forward with a hand out, and just like that, paige was back in real time. 

“yeah, mama. thanks,” because she can’t say your brother’s men fucked me up pretty good.

because she knows azzi has a lot of shame about that.

and then she’s gone.

4.

“i don’t know what it is about you that sets him off so much.”

the words trickled directly into paige’s ear, silt settling along the ocean floor. paige gasped as she shot up, hand shooting out, blindly striking the intruder and sending them toppling to the floor with a small scream. in a moment, she was on top of them, straddling the warm plain of their stomach. it was only after blinking profusely to adjust to the dark that paige realized she was currently holding a dagger’s edge to azzi fudd’s rather elegant brown neck on the floor of her apartment.

she sat back with a harsh exhale through her nose, looking up at the ceiling in astonishment before looking back down at the woman beneath her.

“jesus fucking christ, azzi,” paige said, rolling to the side so that azzi could catch her breath. she watched as azzi sat up, hand to her throat, a thick stack of white-gold and diamonds sliding neatly down her wrist. “you okay?”

“yes,” azzi breathed out with a wane smile, visibly shaken. “not my best idea, clearly.”

“glad we know,” paige agreed and reached out to thumb along her pulse. “slow down, you’re fine. you just scared me, ‘s all.”

“how did you get in here?” paige said.

it wasn't really a question.

azzi smoothed her hands down the front of her jeans and had the grace to look mildly sheepish, which was not the same as sorry. she waved aimlessly toward the open bedroom window, curtains gauzing around like two halves of a spirit.

“your neighbor. the older one, um, mrs.—”

“castellano.” paige supplied, pressing her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. "of course she did."

mrs. castellano had a theory that paige needed looking after, which was objectively insane, but you couldn't argue with seventy-three.

“she let a stranger in.”

“i have an honest face,” azzi answered.

paige looked back at her. she was wearing a black long-sleeve, fitted at her mid-belly, and wide-leg jeans the color of dark water. the waist sat low on her hips. all the way at its bottom: flip-flops, dark brown rubber, which had to have been genuinely awful on the fire escape or wherever castellano's version of hospitality had deposited her. she looked like she'd walked off a regular tuesday, as if she'd just stepped off a sidewalk somewhere, with a plan to visit a friend, unthreatening and unannounced. as if she hadn't just had paige’s blade at her throat sixty seconds ago.

paige stood fully, rolling the stiffness from her shoulder and tugging her hair into a low, golden bun before gesturing vaguely at the apartment around them. “you want water or something?”

“no, thank you. i'm okay.”

“good, 'cause i was being polite. sit down.”

azzi sat straight where she’d stood, cross-legged on the floor, which paige hadn't expected. she'd thought she'd go for the couch’s end, would've bet on it. but she folded herself down, an origami swan, like she was comfortable anywhere, that signature recorder nestled like a baby in her lap, and looked up at paige with that open, planetary attention.

“i don't want an interview,” paige said, reading her. it wasn’t hard to do.

azzi laughed. “i know.”

“then what?”

azzi was quiet a moment. outside, a siren looped past and dissolved into the distance, and the apartment settled back into its nighttime hum—the refrigerator going—the city doing its thing, indifferent to the two of them. azzi turned the device over once in her hands, a small, considered motion, before she set it on the floor beside her like an offering reversed.

“i really don't know what it is about you that sets him off so much,” she repeated, picking up the thread she'd dropped when paige's elbow had introduced itself to her sternum. “i've been trying to figure it out ever since—for a while. it's not just the basketball thing, that was a long time ago, that's—i know that's not all it is. it just can’t be.”

paige leaned against the wall across from her, arms folding over her chest. she searched azzi's face intensely, only to find it the way she always found it: infuriatingly sincere, not a shred of performance in it, no glaringly obvious angle she could identify.

“he doesn't need much,” paige said finally, tilting her head. “probably never did. some people are just wired to resent whoever gets what they want. doesn't matter what it was. could've been a parking space.” she paused. “happened to be me.”

“that's very charitable of you.”

“i'm a hero, mama. it's kind of the job.”

something flickered across azzi's face, close to a surprised smile, but then it passed, and she was back to that unguarded seriousness that made paige feel slightly like she was being studied by someone who meant well and couldn't help it.

“well, no point in beating around the bush. i want to write about you,” azzi told her. “not—not like they do. no oversight piece or the threat-assessment thing or whatever city council is spinning this week.” her fingers returned to the thin spine of her recorder, but then she seemed to catch herself and set it down again.

“i want to write you like a person. i’d like to give people the version they're not getting. i think if they understood you—”

“they'd still be scared,” paige said with a derisive snort. “wouldn’t change a damn thing. that doesn't go away just 'cause you make someone sympathetic.”

“maybe not. but they'd be scared of the right thing.”

paige looked at her for a long moment, the refrigerator singing that white-blue hum. somewhere above them, a door closed.

“why?” paige asked.

“because everyone deserves a fair account.”

paige shook her head, leaning back against the wall.

“that's not why.”

another pause. azzi's jaw moved slightly, her gaze momentarily distant as she chose between two true things and decided which one to hand over. paige had watched her do it on television, had learned the tell without meaning to.

“because he keeps sending people,” azzi said, quieter now. “and i can't—i can't stop that. i can't make him stop. but—you’re so defenseless, paige.” paige startled at the naked reveal of her name, felt her heart clench. “i mean i found you, and i’m not one for exemplary investigative skills, anymore. now, i have people for that. and given the personal nature of all these fights and the way you don’t look like just anyone—”

“lots of blondes in dallas,” paige deadpanned, ripping right through azzi’s monologue. azzi shot her a look.

“you’re six feet, paige, with a tattoo of the scripture verse that used to be in your instagram bio at the nape of your neck. not to mention, i didn’t go to high school with many girls who made a habit out of slinging people around with their minds.”

that shut paige right up, though the attention to detail settled like a coal in her stomach.

“i can make it harder for everyone else to pile on while he does,” azzi continued. she looked up, and there was something plainly ashamed in it. “it's not nothing.”

“no,” paige agreed, after a moment, voice softer. “it's not nothing.”

the silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable. that bothered paige a little, how easily the room had found its rhythm with azzi in it, as if she'd always been here to take up exactly this much space. paige gazed at her, long and hard, committing to memory the sight of her sitting cross-legged on the floor of a near-stranger's apartment at some ungodly hour in a long-sleeve and low-slung jeans and flip-flops she'd worn into the dark.

“you really came here in sandals,” paige said.

azzi glanced down and blushed. “i didn’t really plan this. impulsive thought.”

“clearly.” paige shook her head, and the laugh came out before she could stop it, small and involuntary, the kind that surprised you.

it was a proper giggle, nectar-sweet, and it lit up her entire face. azzi's expression shifted at the sound of it, something warming at the edges. if she could write sound into paper, she’d let the article dawn with that first. paige caught the tail end of her gaze and looked away first.

she was quiet for a second, and then, almost to the floor: “i didn't know you remembered me. from high school.”

the words fell soft and a little unguarded, and paige felt them leave her mouth with the faint sensation of having handed something over. she felt discombulated, scrambled, by how easily she was already letting this woman in.

azzi looked at her, unflinching but not unkind.

“of course, i did,” she said. simple as that. no explanation offered, no qualifier.

of course, i did.

like it had never been a question.

5.

first memory: a gymnasium, the smell of one, that specific cocktail of sneaker rubber and old wood and the collective exertion of people who had something to prove and wanted to prove it. a girl with a smile like a star blown out, heart like pinkorangeredyellow, a melodramatic dream, free and wild; heart sending you up a little bit, eyes like water clear through, face to rival helen of troy, presence just as epic.

she hadn't known her name yet. she'd been a junior, azzi a sophomore, though junior felt insufficient for whatever this girl was, which was: unignorable. there was no obnoxiousness; that was the thing. she wasn't parading herself, hoping to garner enough attention to confirm a badly scaffolded lie. she was simply assured in the way people were when they knew what they thought of themselves was true. she had wheat-blonde hair gone dark at the roots and a jaw sharp enough to feel like a cut up close, and the way she moved on the court was the way very few people ever moved in their lives, which was: like her body was entirely hers.

azzi had sat in the bleachers with a baby blue composition book open across her knees, supposedly getting a head start on an assignment. she'd written three sentences in forty minutes.

she remembered watching that girl beat her brother. and not just at basketball, though she'd done that too, fair game and without apparent cruelty. a lot of grace, that one, which had somehow made it worse for him. but she meant the way she'd beaten him in the aftermath: when dakota said something, low and bitten, that azzi was too far away to catch, and the girl had turned and looked at him before her eyes slid off of him, leisurely, like she'd already decided he wasn't worth any of her time or the reach of her voice.

dakota hadn't forgiven it. azzi had understood it immediately.

she'd written one more lazy sentence before closing the book. she'd watched her leave.

later, she'd found out her name. paige; it had suited her, she'd thought, in the way names could sometimes land exactly right, as though whoever gave them had briefly seen a clear picture of the future. later still, she'd found out what she could do.

by then, azzi was out of dallas, working for someone else in some other city, and she'd come across a small piece buried in a news round-up, a girl in a blue and black suit doing the impossible over a pockmarked interstate, and she'd sat with it for longer than made sense.

she'd thought: i know you.

and then she'd thought: oh, of course. i can’t ignore you.

scratch that. that’s a lie.

alright, here’s the truth.

first true memory: a gymnasium, the smell of one, that specific cocktail of sneaker rubber and old wood and the collective exertion of people who had something to prove and wanted to prove it. a girl with a smile like a star blown out, heart like pinkorangeredyellow, a melodramatic dream, free and wild; heart sending you up a little bit, eyes like water clear through, face to rival helen of troy, presence just as epic.

but azzi hadn’t been tucked up on a bleacher this time around; no, she’d been a freshman and paige a sophomore, and they’d had pe together. their teacher, desperate for engagement but not one for innovation, offered to teach them a few wrestling moves, given that he coached the school team in his free time.

no one had wanted to go, except paige, who was brash and unafraid even then. and then azzi, who had lost her mind to her own surprise, followed and said: me, too. paper-thin lie, cucumber ribbon of words wanting abdly to be believed.

so, they’d done it. yanked and pushed at one another. at one point, azzi had gotten underneath her, fighting just to fight, fighting with no teeth for violence but for the sake of feeling her. paige pinned her down, apex predator, teeth too white that close up. told her, low and slightly pleased, you put up a good fight, didn’t you, and azzi folded, bad house, cards down.

azzi could smell her: blood mandarin, grapefruit, mint, cinnamon, rose, amber, leather, woodswoodswoods, dry vanilla. she’d been working at a little boutique downtown, holding a position dressed up in the outfit of “olfactory expert,” whatever that meant; it was just a good way of saying she worked with perfumes. and she knew in that moment that paige was wearing paco rabanne, 1 million. the cologne.

and she liked that about her, so she told her, i guess. i didn’t know it could feel like that.

paige had let her go with a little laugh.

feel like what?

i don’t know, azzi said, and paige stood, tugging her up with one hand.

they ignored their teacher crowing platitudes from the sidelines, assurances of a job well done. paige looked azzi dead in the eye, golden crucifix at her neck rhinestoned on one side, and said,

let me know when you figure it out.

everything came after.

6.

“what was it like to discover you were different?”

they were sitting together when azzi asked. well, azzi was sitting, perched at the edge of the table, her knees apart, paige settled between them on the floor, back propped against the table's leg, head tipped up, and eyes squinted against the light. the moon spun a web of light through the window, falling on the couch and the coffee table, barely reaching where they huddled close in the kitchen under the large, overhead light.

the wound at paige's hairline had stopped bleeding properly, which was her healing doing its quiet work (sometimes paige treated it like something she could speak to, begging it for pause so she could just fucking feel it sometimes, but the power was inexorable) but it had bled enough first: down her temple, behind her ear, soaking the pale cartilage scarlet and the collar of her suit which had been left to soak in the bathtub like shed skin. beneath it, she was stripped to a white tank, thin enough to be translucent in places, and low-rise navy sweats with a waist that gaped from her hips when she sat because they were a size too large. without the suit, she looked both more and less: more like a person, less like an idea. azzi kept having to remind herself to focus.

they both knew she was mostly trying to keep paige awake, that she was combating the fact that she had been inexplicably terrified when she saw her slammed into the luminous side of a dallas high-rise by another supe who couldn’t have cared if she lived or died. azzi didn't know how to explain the stop of her heart, the way her mouth had just opened and her throat had gone wrong as the horrified shriek of paige’s name left her, so she wasn't saying it.

azzi was so fucking good at her job, but had terrible discernment. paige had had to save her from near-death at least three times alone in two days. this was yet another result of her insistence to follow paige into the thick of it, true journalism she’d said, and paige taking one look at her and knowing she wouldn’t budge. right now, however, azzi was wishing she had fucking budged.

(paige had never heard someone scream like that, so scared for her. she thought of what azzi had said post-apartment break-in: you’re so defenseless, paige.)

so, instead of forcing the issue, she allowed azzi to do this: cotton ball dampened, pressed with two careful fingers to the gash above paige's brow, her other hand braced at the base of paige's neck to keep her still. the overhead light was too bright, and paige had been meaning to say so, but it meant azzi could see clearly, make sure she wasn't missing anything, so she kept quiet.

sometimes love was keeping quiet.

“terrifying,” paige rasped out. "but kind of relieving."

one of azzi's fingers slid carelessly over a knot of blonde and caught in the snarl. paige hissed sharply between her teeth.

“fuck, that hurts.”

"sorry," azzi whispered.

paige didn’t know what to do with the fact that she meant it, so she grunted a sound that meant it's fine. she was unsure of how to go about this, how to remain standing in the unflinching gaze of someone who was seeing her at point break, at her worst, and still choosing to lay gentle hands on her—fingertips searching for ways to give her certain comfort, to tend to her. paige hated that shit, that azzi was finding ways inside of her, crawling off that tv screen and into her blood to tell her, you know that i know what's going on. you know i’ll handle you at every turn, even hand around my neck, even teeth punctured miles deep in my arm.

and she couldn’t look at azzi then, in those moments, because how do you look at someone whose lips you want to kiss split?

she was leaning into it now, paige, shoulders propped heavier against azzi's leg, head at a slight tilt that gave azzi better access but also just looked like rest, instead of the exposure therapy it was—to handling, affection in the smallest increments—testing whether it held. one arm had coiled loosely against azzi's calf at some point, and neither of them acknowledged it. the room swallowed silently around the fact of it.

“dunno,” paige started, eyes finding a point on the wall across from her, “when you're a girl, it's like the world just keeps doin' shit to you. keeps penetrating you, right up until womanhood, and it just keeps going. all these acts of violence you can never fight back against, and everyone's watching and looking away when you ask for a hand.” she paused. swallowed. “you get up and shit, y'know, and then it's like—boom. you're a freak.”

azzi said nothing, palm still at the base of paige’s neck. and there was movement, a spider crawl of slow soothing, her fingers dragging carefully through paige's hair, finding the tension in her scalp.

“you get pissed because it's already fucking hard enough. but then you look again, and you realize you finally have something to hold, to use, to defend yourself with. and better yet—you get to keep it. it lets you go home with it.” a long exhale, the loosening of another knot. “you have a purpose. relief, because finally there's somewhere to put the anger. you get to penetrate the world right back.”

the words landed in all of their blunt, flat glory, and still, azzi felt it somewhere low. she pressed the cotton to the wound again, gently, seeking pain in the ridges of paige’s face. paige didn't flinch this time.

“and i’ve always wanted to help people,” paige continued, quieter now, like she was talking herself through something she'd been turning over for years. “loyal at heart. always staying behind for people, trying to pull them out of a trap. took a while to realize that sometimes people trigger it on purpose. my mom was like that.” she almost smiled, humorless. “hero bit kind of helps with it. or it did. then they started hating me, and i started choosing myself a little more.”

“i don't hate you,” azzi said quietly.

paige tilted her head up. the angle made her look younger, made the wound look worse, and azzi felt her heart begin to throb in aching; a try at beating free, out of its cage of bone and straight into paige’s hands.

supplicant, azzi thought. that was the word.

“i never did,” azzi added.

the voice inside paige visibly moved against that. azzi could see it, the small war waged across her face, a knee-jerk resistance to being offered something without a catch buried in it, disagreement as a first line of defense. she waited it out, refusing to look away.

“i think you've only ever responded to the way the world treats you,” azzi told her, choosing her words very carefully. “i've seen it this week, being with you in the field. you get cocky when you're hurt. put on this whole show, lean into it.” she smoothed her thumb, very lightly, along the unblemished skin just above the cut. “and it makes me realize how young we are. you and me. how much can just be thrown at you? and you have to remain grateful, humble, can’t even have a moment where you get to scream and cry. and i hate it for you. i hate it.”

paige didn't answer for a minute, but she didn't move away either, and her arm stayed where it was against azzi's calf. then she said,

“it’s okay, mama. really. i mean, ‘s all i know.”

and azzi had been doing fine until she wasn't, because the resignation in paige’s voice dispelled any illusion of being unaffected that she’d been trying to project. her hands went still in paige's hair, and there was a rev of sound—her breath hitching and changing—and she was too close to paige for her not to hear it. or feel it: a tremor in the strong leg she was leaning against, slight and quickly suppressed, a slip of seismic movement submerged by will. all signs that needed close attention to heed them.

paige was always paying close attention.

“hey,” she said.

azzi let a small, wet sound that was trying very hard to be nothing. it was terrible, the reluctance of it.

"hey, what’s going on? hey, hey, mama, c’mon. look at me.”

her face was still upturned, so azzi turned hers to the side.

“sorry, sorry. i'm fine.”

“azzi.”

paige’s tone was firmer now, no room for further bravado.

“you're shakin’, mama. hol’ on—” paige shifted, turning carefully so she could look up at azzi properly, ignoring the flare of pain that lanced through her temple at the movement. what she found on azzi's face gutted her, the waned expression of someone who’d only held it together through sheer adrenaline and the action and the sanitization and minimization of the wound, and was now, in the aftermath, coming apart at the seams.

her eyes were wide and wet, dark with devastation, lashes thick and clumped with salt. she wasn't crying fully, or at least not yet, but it was very close. close enough that the light could catch in the sheen of water, close enough that there was no pretending, close enough that paige wanted to stop the flow—put her mouth to it.

“it's nothing," azzi tried again, which was the wrong thing to say to someone who had a good knack for sensing a lie. “i just—i watched you go through a fucking building, paige.”

“i've gone through worse.”

“that is not—” azzi stopped, pressed her lips together. she tried again. “that’s not the comfort you think it is. you could’ve died.”

paige stayed low, on her knees; eyes like ice, kept on azzi. the recorder was on the table behind them, switched off, had been since they got back. at some point, azzi had taken her hair down from the bun it had survived the night in, and her curls fell around her face now, slightly disheveled, and she looked more like herself than she ever did on television: unguarded and unhappy and trying to manage it in real time with the tools she had, which were considerable but not infinite.

“i’ve also gone through worse,” azzi told the floor. “way worse, in a world leagues different from dallas. it doesn’t make it any easier to bear the pain.”

paige glanced away at that, throat cinched shut.

“you do this every time,” azzi said, voice low and tremulous, slightly wrecked at the edges. “someone sends something time and time again, and you just—absorb it. like it's the cost of doing business. like, there isn't a person in there paying for it. no matter how awful it is.”

“it is,” paige said quietly, “the cost, azzi. there’s always one, mama. it’s how it goes.”

“i know. that's the fucking problem." azzi laughed, small and humorless, and swiped beneath her eye with the back of her wrist in a gesture so quick it was almost deniable. "sorry. i don't know why i'm—this is so embarrassing.”

“azzi. can you please look at me?”

azzi finally turned back to glance at her, reluctant.

“you were scared,” paige told her. somehow, her hand had found its way to the outside of azzi’s thigh. “‘nd that's allowed.”

“if we’re going to make this work, i'm supposed to be objective. i can’t get too close.”

look where you are right now, paige wanted to admonish her, but instead she said,

“you're supposed to be human first.” it was delivered gently, no bite to it. “profession—journalist second. and you been real human tonight, so.” paige tilted her head slightly, a small wry thing at the corner of her mouth. “good job. ‘m proud of you.”

azzi laughed again, properly this time, damp and a little undone, and paige felt it move through her like a current.

“please don’t be nice to me right now,” azzi said. “it's making it worse.”

“yeah?” paige couldn’t help herself. she let her voice drop low, words on their stomach. “want me to be mean?”

azzi’s mouth parted, keyhole peek with a rosy cupid’s bow. her cheeks were slightly pink.

but you know, it was very warm in here.

“genuinely, maybe.”

paige smiled—a wide, unhurried show of teeth—and said: “noted.”

she turned back to face front, resettling her shoulders against azzi's leg. after a second, she felt azzi's hands return to her hair, slower now, less purposeful, more like something done for its own sake. the room was back to silence, but no less full.

“i'm not going anywhere,” paige added after a long breath, to the wall, to the room, to the warm body behind her.

the words came out softer than she'd meant them to. she hooked her arm back around azzi’s calf.

azzi's hand stilled for just a second, then kept moving.

two thumbs stroked down the column of paige’s neck, fingertips warm along the meat, pressing delicately into the ivory.

strokes like, okay, thank you.

strokes like yes, i won’t let you, catching in the baby hairs.

7.

they had both been losing focus.

paige knew this, had known this instinctively even when she had agreed to azzi’s break-in proposal. but she always managed to surprise herself with how deep her devotion could run when earned, even with it right there looking at her—tiger in the snow.

there had been small signs along the way. paige learned azzi’s birthday, wrote it down in sticklike scrawl on her calendar, and had other notes like: scorpio, birthstone citrine, favorite color pink. azzi was staying over more often, “conversational sessions,” she called them, and paige let her. azzi cooked dinner, remembering that paige hated the texture of cooked spinach. azzi and all of the other wounds that she kept clean, brown eyes sweet with laughter, paige’s own crinkling in mirrored response. azzi, curled hot against paige’s side most nights, because paige wanted her there, only to blame it on the hour instead.

and then more, deeper.

paige thought she wasn’t predisposed to domesticity, but now she’d gotten a taste of its cream and she suddenly wanted more on her tongue, wanted more to suck from the backs of her teeth. dreams of an inner thigh dragged through the act of azzi, muscle tensed against the warmth of her, stigmata as the word for the way her mouth opened at the press of paige’s knee. dreams like telling azzi you’re okay, you’re okay because paige had her mouth on her, around her, tongue pointed as azzi creamed around it, fingers tucked right in until azzi spasmed like a spiritual movement, and after, where azzi would kiss paige right out of her ribs, trail her fingers over the skin around it. a feeling like the sun; topaz radiation.

all these small ways azzi continued to weave into paige’s life, these small determinations to take care of her, made paige feel bigger than anything, spine like violence, and the feeling was starting to seep outside of where she couldn’t control it. and paige fought back, because she could never take anything lying down, but then one night, azzi had asked her why am i not allowed to take care of you? as she wiped blood from the sides of paige’s eyes and scraped dirt from her side. and paige had felt so overwhelmed, had wanted to lean in and swipe at her, hold azzi’s face and beg her low and heavy: take me home, take me home, take me home. take me to another place until i’m saying pleasepleasepleaseplease.

but it had all come to a head with the limitus test of all limitus tests: a world for a person, a person for a world.

the first explosion was downtown.

it blossomed between glass towers like an efflorescence, flowers for a funeral, a bright white rupture that made the morning sky’s blue eye cloud over with a wide cataract of smoke. for a second, dallas was stunned into silence, the way a body went quiet and rigid under shock, right before it remembered to scream. then all sound arrived, a surge of consequence, a deep concussion; blunt palm to the city’s face.

windows fractured and blew out, car alarms from vehicles parked below them starting up in chorus—a flock of birds scattered from a far western corner in a frantic, black prayer. paige was already moving by the time the smoke began to curl upward. she dropped from the sky in a clean line, suit smoothed tightly against her limbs like truth, and the air parted around her in answer. the wind whipped her ponytail behind her, a golden banner, and she found a moment to tug it into severe submission via a low bun at her nape. she’d landed hard enough to send a crack along the pavement, knees bending to take the impact, palms briefly touching the ground like she was blessing it.

it probably wasn’t the best idea to tempt an already shaky foundation, but what was a little more damage to the scene?

dust rose in thick plumes, and paige could hardly find her bearings with all the people screaming. it was always the screaming first, then the crying. the silence was worse.

she spun to see them pouring out of buildings in waves, suits and heels and handbags coming from all directions, mouths open wide as if the city had forced itself down their throats. some of them were bruised and bleeding already: thin lines of red from foreheads and arms, cuts made by falling glass and the sharp suddenness of panic, noses streaming crimson under stress. others stumbled by without injury, faces slack with the astonishment of being reminded they could die.

paige stood stock still and inhaled—gasoline and burnt insulation, that electric metallic tang that always came after a blast, like the world’s fuseboard had been scavaged, briefly rewired—when her comms crackled. she rarely used them, preferred to work alone, but the intensity of the alerts had made her dig them out from a dusty junk drawer in the kitchen of her apartment.

she knew there would be other supes on this. it would be best for them to have every ease they could.

“tempest, we’ve got multiple sites. repeat, multiple sites. downtown, uptown, deep ellum. we’ve got structural damage at the skybridge and an active fire on commerce.”

paige was half zoned out, already scanning. her eyes swept the street, the skyline, feeling for instability the way you might have felt for a pulse; telekinesis unfurled inside her like a muscle, another set of hands. destruction had an energy, like a black hole so large it was swallowing itself, beating like a hard dark heart. she finally found its point of saturation: the skybridge between two towers, glass-steel arrogance, swaying slightly as if drunk. people were clearly still trapped inside, silhouettes moving behind windows. the bridge itself was a body close to collapse.

paige lifted her arm and closed her fist. the air seized in answer. the skybridge did a great shudder, then steadied, held in place by an invisible grip that made paige’s skull ache. pressure rushed in like high tide behind her eyes, the familiar burn of power, the sensation of holding up something too heavy with bare hands. she knew she soon, too, would start to bleed. ears usually, sometimes eyes.

she heard a hoarse scream from above and looked up in time to see a man dangling from a window ledge, his suit jacket flapping like a beige flag as he flailed with desperation. his fingers were slipping, and his mouth was open, soundless from this distance, but his expression was unmistakable: terror stripped down to its purest form.

paige groaned, a deep sound through her belly, as she raised her other hand.

he jerked upward, suspended, legs kicking. he hung there, a puppet on an invisible string, then floated down in a trembling arc until his feet touched the ground. he collapsed on his side instantly, sobbing into the pavement like he’d been returned fresh to earth from the grave. paige turned away before he could sob out a thank you to her directly. there wasn’t time for that at the moment.

besides, she felt it was needless because most, at minimum, deserved their life.

another blast went off somewhere to the east, and the shockwave rippled through the air. the skybridge dipped again, and paige gritted her teeth and held it steady, her muscles straining with phantom motion though she wasn’t touching anything at all. her comms crackled again, louder now, urgent.

“shit—tempest, we’re getting reports of armed units moving on a federal convoy outside love field. possible weapons transfer. we think this is a coordinated diversion.”

paige’s stomach dropped.

god-fucking-damn it. a diversion. of course, it was a diversion. dallas was never attacked for the sake of being attacked—dallas was attacked for the sake of being watched. paige peered up at the skyline, and for a moment, she could see the city the way every villain saw it: a board, pieces scattered, people reduced to numbers. fear reduced to leverage.

another voice cut in, breathless.

“we need you on the convoy, with meta angel. we need you now.”

paige forced the bridge steady, hands trembling at her sides. the air had gone thick, as if the world itself was resisting her. she swallowed harshly, tasted iron. she suddenly felt like a little girl again, desperate for help, overwhelmed.

“copy,” she responded, though her voice came out rough.

a second later, another message pinged through.

“fuck—listen—there’s been another attack. at our lady catholic church. we—.”

“our lady of what?” paige snapped. “it’s fucking dallas. there’s a church on every fucking corner.”

“our lady and saint rose of lima.”

paige froze so immediately that you would’ve thought her turned to stone.

saint rose of lima.

saint rose’s was not downtown. it was not near the convoy, nor was it one of the major sites on the map. it was incredibly small, a quaint space, not one of the million infamous megachurches. but it was azzi’s church.

her comms crackled again, but the dispatcher’s voice was an eerie echo, as if far-off and underwater.

“we have reports of casualties. structural damage. people trapped. we have—”

paige didn’t hear the rest of it. she didn’t care what they had.

that church had azzi.

paige’s body had already begun to move, a long, slow uncoiling of despair and anticipatory grief. her mind was working hard to catch up, trying to yank her back into the role she was meant to play, the one the city had carved into her like scripture: tempest, protector, first responder, golden girl, savior. the one who went where she was needed most, who chose the many over the one.

but now some other creature had risen in her chest, hotter than logic, sharper than duty, unanswering to anything but her basest desires. a thrum like a hymnal, a calling like prayer. she knew, now, how joan of arc had felt: young and scared. unimaginably, ruinously scared.

paige saw it all in an instant, and the images came so vividly that it made her dizzy. fear made her a prophetess: azzi’s blood, a ruby endurance against church tile. azzi’s lips split open, front teeth fractured by force. the softness of her throat crushed beneath falling stone. azzi.

azzi in stained glass light. azzi, with her hair pinned back, eyes closed, and full mouth forming heavenly pleas she once hadn’t believed in but clung to now because she knew what it was to need something bigger. azzi, kneeling low in a pew, hands folded as if she had ever been capable of surrender.

azzi.

paige’s lungs buckled, and her next breath left her in a horrible, wet gasp.

“tempest?” the voice in her ear demanded. “tempest, respond—”

paige released the bridge.

for half a second, the structure stayed suspended in place, then a gradual wilting began as if it struggled to believe she was letting go. people inside either tower screamed, their silhouettes swarming like startled birds. paige’s power slammed back into her body, the recoil like that which followed the blast of a shotgun; it made her vision go white at the periphery. her heart was a hammer. she turned. the air around her seemed to tilt, the city skewing sideways as if the earth itself was vying to stop her.

“tempest!” the dispatcher barked. “what the hell are you doing? we need you on the convoy. we need you on the convoy now.”

paige’s feet were already leaving the ground. she climbed in height, slowly at first, then faster, faster, her body cutting through the smoke and heat with fervor—a canary, auric and bright, discovering the cage opened. the world receded beneath her, became small. the screaming drifted off into distant souvenir. she could hear the overlapping panic in her ear, the frantic bark of voices, the way the city was starting to discover that she was slipping out from under its hand.

another: “tempest, we’re losing the bridge—”

another: “we’ve got civilians—”

another: tempest—tempest—”

another.

paige closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, and every sound dropped away, swallowed by the noise-cancellation of her own resolve. the city was a chorus of need, an immortal child teething and asking to be fed, but paige had heard need her entire life. had once been in it. need was not new. need was not sacrosanct.

but azzi—azzi was. had become so, somehow. treated paige as the same.

paige opened her eyes and gazed ahead.

dallas stretched out, gleaming and indifferent, highways looping like veins, rooftops shimmering like coins. from above, it nearly appeared clean. from above, it appeared as if nothing had ever gone wrong here. but paige had always known how to find the fallacies.

she flew harder, pushing her body beyond every measure, back flexing as if she could force wings to burst free and free her from this human blight. wind tore at her suit, and she felt the fabric give way at her side; it was not meant for this. her hair lashed at her cheeks, and her chest throbbed with every breath as if her ribs were trying to break outward. the comms blared one last time, the incoming voice ragged now, threaded with anger.

“tempest, if you leave this site, you’re abandoning your post.”

paige laughed, unable to help it. not an inch of this was funny, but the sound spilled anyway, a low, sharp sound of disbelief.

abandoning her post. as if she were a fucking soldier, or employed. paid for this. as if she belonged to them. as if she hasn’t been doing this, day one, for free, bleeding for strangers, healing herself back together like a dog crawling home after being kicked. as if she hadn’t been swallowed by the city and spat back out again and again, expected to return wagging her tail.

her throat tightened. she allowed no time to think, just answered on instinct.

“get someone to the towers to continue holding the skybridge. i managed to restrengthen some of the cables, but there’s only an hour left in the hold, tops. make sure someone is there in less than that.”

then she clicked it off.

silence flooded around her, and she felt the seductive arms of peace enfold her. only wind and breath, the violent hum of her heart. all there was was the name in her skull:

azzi.

azzi.

azzi.

saint rose appeared ahead, squat and old against the new-money horizon, brick darkened by time and weather, a stubborn little thing refusing to be erased.

the church parking lot was utter chaos. cars were angled in wide arcs, the doors flung open and left there, people sprinting free in a frantic direction. smoke poured from the building’s side entrance, a gape in the stone like an open wound. a section of the roof had caved in. the stained glass window—mary’s face, blue and serene—had shattered outward, mother of god now only a jagged hole.

paige descended too quickly, the fall hot and hard, devoid of grace. the people nearest her stumbled back, eyes wide with terror, hands grasping at any part of her they could reach. someone said her name as if to cry for her salvation. someone nearer spat at her feet as if to tell her she was too late. paige didn’t spare a glance for any of them. she looked solely at the church.

she could hear the fire alarm, shrill and insistent, a constant wail threaded through the air. smoke seared her lungs, and the smell of charred wood and melted wax made her stomach roll. but she moved like a woman possessed. inside, the light was anything but blessed, gone red from emergency strobes, turning it all into a deep fever dream. the air had a taste like ash and caked the back of paige’s throat in the same manner. the pews were splintered, hymnals lying scattered across the floor like a colony of song thrush. someone’s shoe sat abandoned near the altar, small enough to belong to a child.

paige’s pulse spiked so violently she nearly vomited right then and there. it was only god’s design that allowed her to call out, cracked and human,

“azzi?”

she shouldn’t have said her name out loud. she shouldn’t have been announcing it to god and the world, but the word tore itself from her anyway, desperate and bare.

“azzi!”

she heard coughing, groaning. the collective, animal moan of people trying to stay alive. paige stepped over debris, toeing around broken glass, bypassing a toppled statue of a saint whose face had been chipped away. her hands shook as she moved, fingers trembling like she was trying to remember what to do with them. she felt agitated beyond belief.

she was tempest. she was meant to be calm. she was meant to be capable. but this was so different. this wasn’t a stranger; this wasn’t a body she could lift and set down and forget, leaving it for someone else to grieve. this was azzi fudd, and paige could feel the possibility of losing her like a bullet slowing in approach to her heart.

she rounded another corner near the side aisle and saw her. relief struck her so thoroughly, she thought she might implode with the intensity of it.

azzi was on the ground. not dead—not yet—not—her body was folded into an incorrect shape, half-buried in dust and plaster, one arm curled toward her chest as if she were trying to hold herself together. her hair had come loose, dark and thick against the white grit. there was blood in it—entirely too much blood—threaded through like ribbon, as if someone had thought to decorate her like a doll. her face was turned slightly to the side, cheek pressed to tile, lashes clumped with soot, skin streaked with tears. her mouth was open, like paige had imagined, but she was breathing shallowly—as if it hurt.

paige came to a halt. it was as if her body no longer had any idea how to do its job. her lungs refused to inflate, and her heart stalled out in her chest, stunned into stillness by the sight of her. azzi was hurt.

her shirt had torn at the shoulder. there was a cut along her temple, blood sliding in languid, patient lines down her face. her hand was scraped raw, palm shining wet, glass glittering in the center like garnet. there was a mess of red at her lips, and paige’s mind supplied the worst possibilities before she could stop it: broken teeth, bitten tongue, punctured lung.

paige stumbled forward, her boots crunching glass. she dropped to her knees, bruising the bone, but she barely felt the impact, her hands hovering over azzi for a second, shaking as if she were cold. paige had held up buildings, had ripped men off the ground, and sent them through walls without remorse. paige had been stabbed and shot and laughed through every inch. but she had never been afraid of her own hands until now.

“azzi,” she whispered.

her voice trickled through, thin and wrong, all emotion unmasked. she reached out slowly, like she was approaching a wounded animal, like azzi might bolt even half-conscious. her gloved fingers brushed azzi’s hair back from her forehead, gentle, careful, reverent. the curls were damp and matted where the blood had soaked through, sticky at the roots. paige’s throat constricted so vehemently she thought she might find it permanently closed.

so much blood. too much blood. paige didn’t even know that much blood could be in a person.

her eyes stung. she blinked in an effort to clear them, but it didn’t help. the tears slipped through anyway, a hot, humiliating pour. they sluiced down her cheeks under her half mask, gathering at her jawline. she hated herself for them, for the weakness, for this betrayal of her body, but she couldn’t stop. she couldn’t stop because this was not a villain, not a mission to compartmentalize, not just another assignment.

this was azzi, broken and on the brink of death, and paige couldn’t do shit about it.

telekinesis. flight. superhuman strength. superhuman healing. all these gifts and none of them meant a damn thing in the face of a woman bleeding out on church tile. paige couldn’t knit skin together with her mind, nor could she rewind time. she couldn’t lift the injury out of azzi’s body like a splinter. she could only be here. she could only be the person to see her, to hold her.

she was a slave to this.

paige slid one arm beneath azzi’s shoulders, careful of the debris, careful of her head. her other hand cupped the side of azzi’s face, thumb brushing her cheekbone where soot had smeared her into something nearly unrecognizable. azzi’s skin was warm, thank god, still warm.

“Hey,” Paige said, voice half-gone. “Hey, mama. Can you hear me?”

the endearment came out instinctively, soft as a kiss. this was how they had always talked to each other; this was what was needed now.

azzi’s lashes fluttered. paige leaned closer, forehead nearly touching the other woman’s, breath catching on the smell of smoke and flowers and blood. azzi’s perfume was still there underneath the injury: heliotrope and violet leaf, gardenia and strawberry. and paige knew the name of it, just like azzi had known hers on that mat in high school—daisy, by marc jacobs. paige wanted to smell her always, but she also never wanted to smell her like this again: powdery and floral and sweet with all this saturation of suffering, of bright, vicious blood.

“hey,” paige repeated, quieter. “you hear me? c’mon, baby. stay with me.”

azzi made a sound, small and wet, barely there. her eyes peeled open only halfway, but it was enough. and when they landed on paige, it was as if paige’s ribs cracked. face like a saint, that one. a force to her.

azzi’s lips parted.

“tempest,” she murmured, a weak effort, as if saying a name was all she had left.

paige shook her head.

“you can say my name,” she whispered. “it’s me. it’s paige. i’m right here.”

her voice shattered on the last word. she adjusted her grip to better lift azzi carefully, drawing her up against her chest. azzi’s head lolled slightly, heavy with shock, and paige tucked her closer, shielding her from the surrounding damage like her body could be a fortress against the world. azzi’s blood slurred across paige’s suit in thick, dark strokes. paige didn’t give a damn. it was warm. it was real.

azzi was real, but she was not supposed to be here.

paige cradled the back of her head with an open palm, long fingers threaded gently into azzi’s curls. she pressed her cheek against azzi’s temple for half a second, breath shuddering.

“fuck,” paige sobbed, a broken laugh slipping out with the tears. “fuck, az. you really scared me.”

azzi exhaled shakily, her fingers twitching against paige’s shoulder as if she were trying to hold on. paige rocked her slightly, the way one might rock a child, the way one might rock something valuable you couldn’t afford to drop.

“shh, ‘s okay. you’re okay. i got you,” paige said, voice low, desperate with it. “i got you, okay? i got you. don’t gotta worry about anything else. ‘s okay, promise, i’m not gonna leave you in here.”

paige’s heart felt far too big for her body, swollen with fear and devotion until she thought it might burst. outside, a choir of alarms continued to scream, and dallas continued to burn in many places. the city continued its call for her, but she didn’t move away from azzi. she couldn’t. she refused.

with a low grunt of pain, paige shifted her stance, braced, and then stood with azzi cushioned in her arms. her legs were weak, not from the weight—azzi was light, it terrified her—but from the terror that came with the realization of having something to lose. paige looked down at the injured woman she held, at the slackness of her mouth and the bruising already beginning to bloom at her jaw, an indigo spread of ink. she swallowed hard and set her shoulders.

“okay,” she murmured, voice hoarse. “okay. we gon’ get you out. you hear me? you’re gonna be fine. promise.”

she began to pick her way back through the wreckage, azzi’s body pressed tenderly to her chest, her arms tightening instinctively around her every time she hit a misstep, as if she could keep her alive by pure force alone. she gravitated toward the light spilling in through the shattered stained glass, toward the serrated hole where mary, holy mother, used to be.

her tears kept coming, even in the baptism of light, but paige made no move to wipe them away. she couldn’t spare a hand. all she could do was hold on, and hold on, and hold on.

she’d never been more selfless.

outside, the air draped over paige, a bridal veil of heat and smoke and light atop her crown, reality too radiant for what she’d witnessed inside.

the parking lot had transformed further into a living, frantic thing, pulsing. people mulled about in ragged clusters, some sobbing, many praying, several staring devoutly into nothing. sirens wailed in the distance, approaching in layered waves, and paige could feel the old, familiar fury spark in her chest: too late, too late, always too fucking late.

azzi’s blood had soaked clean through the seam of paige’s suit, now. it was a slow crawl against her skin, warm with an iron odor strong enough to make paige dizzy, but she could feel her own tears finally cooling as they slowed their streak down her cheeks. someone ran toward her, one then two emts in navy uniform, faces pinched and pale with adrenaline, a stretcher rattling behind them.

“here!” one of them shouted at her. “bring her here!”

paige stopped short, reluctant in a way that made her feel stupid.

“ma’am—” the man began, eyes flicking over paige’s suit, her mask, the abrasions. recognition dawned. “tempest—”

“don’t,” paige snapped, the words raw. “just—please just help her.”

he nodded quickly, swallowing his words. he reached for azzi, hands careful and practiced, his colleague coming around to aid him, but paige’s grip tightened instinctively, body curling around her. azzi moaned, small and pained, and paige’s heart lurched.

“you’re alright, az. i got you.” paige spoke it into her hair. “i got you, mama. i got you.”

one emt touched azzi’s wrist, checking for a pulse. the other leaned in with gauze, pressing it to her temple. paige watched every movement with a hawklike gaze, primed to strike if someone thought to hurt her again. azzi’s eyes fluttered open, a wider spread this time but still unfocused, pupils blown wide in the sunlight. her face was greyed out with shock, lips parted, breath shallow. she looked like an angel cast out, dropped from eden into a parking lot.

paige bent down close, her hands trembling.

“hey,” she murmured. “hey, gorgeous. you with me?”

azzi’s gaze found her. and even like this—bloodied, bruised, half-dreaming—azzi was still azzi. still sharp in the way she’d always been, somehow relentlessly present and capable of making paige feel as though she was the one being cared for. her fingers spasmed in an aborted movement, but then they clamped, her hand clutching paige’s wrist with surprising strength, nails digging with wrath through the glove like she was trying to carve herself into her.

paige clutched back.

“azzi?” she said.

azzi’s mouth moved like it was full of sand. her voice poured forth hoarse and decimated, but threaded with that same ferric insistence paige recalled from every interview clip, every headline, every miniature moment in her cluttered living room. azzi, and her ability to sound as if she were incapable of speaking harshly, while still making the room bend to her every whim.

“paige,” she breathed out.

“yeah,” paige said, helpless. “yeah, mama, i’m right here.”

azzi tightened her grip. her eyes flicked to the side, to the lot, to the growing crowd, to the sleek multicolored backs of phones already lifted; the screens caught light, sharks in the water. paige hadn’t even noticed them at first. she hadn’t realized the way people had turned to them, the way their bodies had pivoted toward the two of them like a compass needle, drawn by animus toward spectacle. a woman’s voice rose somewhere behind them.

“oh my god—oh my god, that’s her. that’s tempest.”

paige’s stomach dropped.

no.

no, no, no, no.

azzi’s fingers dug in again, a warning. paige came in closer, forehead nearly touching hers, and azzi whispered, breath burning against paige’s cheek:

“go.”

paige blinked, falling back in shock.

“what?”

azzi swallowed with a wince, but pushed on. her eyes had gone glassy with pain, despite the pain medication paige knew the emts were filtering in through iv, but she still managed to glare at paige as though she was the one in control.

“you need to go,” she said again, voice barely audible. “you have to. you can’t stay here.”

paige’s mouth opened, useless.

“like hell, i will. i’m not leaving you,” she snapped, fierce and shaking. “i’m not—”

azzi shook her head, effectively cutting her off.

“yes,” she insisted. “yes, you are.”

paige stared at her, stunned, bewildered by the fact that azzi was even capable of asking this of her. paige wanted to argue further. she wanted to scream. she wanted to sink flush to her knees beside azzi’s side and stay there until her suit rotted off her skin. anything other than admitting that azzi was right. but her gaze looked again to the crowd, and she could see twice as many camera lenses as before, unfurling to capture the scene.

azzi’s jaw tightened.

“if they see you,” she breathed, “if they see you with me like this—”

paige’s mouth twisted with insult.

“i’m not fucking ashamed of you, azzi. i’m not—”

azzi’s voice sharpened despite the weakness in it, the pain dragging at every syllable.

“paige, i know. this isn’t—this isn’t a judge of character. but, p, they will eat you alive.”

the nickname disarmed her, and paige suddenly felt the world rush back in, her body aching so acutely she nearly began to cry again. azzi peered up at her, begging without begging, face softening to undermine the weight of the demand.

“i told you i was trying to protect you, give you what you deserve. and that means in every way. you don’t owe them anything,” she said, and it came out almost angry. “least of all your suffering as a goddamn sound bite.”

paige’s shoulder slackened, defeated. she glanced at the emts, at the stretcher, at the gauze at azzi’s temple already darkening red. she stared blankly at azzi’s blood on her own hands.

then she looked over her shoulder.

she could see a news van pulling in at the edge of the lot, tires squealing with the speed. the dallas herald logo flashed on the side, familiar and obscene. paige felt bile rise. azzi was right. they were coming. they were coming to take this moment by the hand and lead it to the slaughter, chewing it down into something sellable.

TEMPEST COMPROMISED!

HERO ABANDONS CITY FOR LOWLY REPORTER!

she couldn’t allow this decimation of her life, azzi’s life. azzi’s fingers squeezed again.

“p,” she called to her.

paige crouched down, finding a way to chip away at the little distance between them, eyes burning.

“i don’t wanna go,” paige admitted. it could’ve been a whimper; it was a close thing. “i don’t wanna leave you here.”

azzi’s lips parted. for a second, she looked as though she might smile. instead, she said,

“so come back.”

paige stilled. azzi continued, laying down a path through fire.

“go out the back,” she told her. “there’s still something happening. you can feel it, can’t you? you can feel the city’s distress.”

paige could. even here, even with azzi’s blood caking her suit front, she could feel it. the attack wasn’t over, still emitting the low-hum frequency of ongoing violence. dallas was still wounded, the villain still moving. azzi coughed, grimacing.

“you help stop it,” she whispered. “and then you come back to me.”

paige stared at her.

“and you better come back,” azzi added, and her grip tightened once more, like she was anchoring paige to a promise. “because if you don’t…i swear to god, p, i will hunt you down myself.”

paige laughed then, a sodden, broken sound.

“you can’t even walk right now,” she teased.

azzi’s eyes flashed.

“oh yeah? just try me.”

paige laughed again, the sound singing high, and she felt a strike of lightning—an entombment of love. azzi had become so necessary to her, a creeping of ivy that was now all over the cathedral of her heart. she wanted to kiss her. she wanted to press her mouth to azzi’s forehead and leave a mark there like a blessing. she wanted to crawl inside her ribs and live there, safe. if azzi died before her, she wanted to be buried alive. paige felt intoxicated with the knowledge that she had chosen azzi, and azzi, without hesitation, had chosen her back.

so, she nodded.

“okay,” paige said, finally. “okay. i’ll go.”

azzi exhaled, her body deflating with relief. but then she caught paige’s wrist one last time as paige started to pull away, eyes suddenly pointed, urgent.

“your mask,” azzi rasped. “it’s slipping.

paige paused.

“tighten it,” azzi instructed her.

paige’s hands were steady as she lifted them, pulling the mask into its proper place over her eyes and nose, sealing herself back into tempest. it felt like putting the wrong lid on the world’s largest jar of grief, loosely locking her inside a box and handing the key to the city. azzi watched her as she did it, eyes heavy-lidded.

“good. now go,” she urged again. “before i change my mind.”

paige bent close, close enough that only azzi could hear her.

“you stay alive,” paige ordered, threatening and tender both. “you hear me? don’t you dare die on me. don’t dare fucking do that.”

azzi tilted her head forward until they were, for one singular perfect, touching one another.

“i won’t,” she agreed. “i swear. as long as you come back.”

paige closed her eyes and turned so that her lips dusted a pale imitation of a kiss to the side of azzi’s face. then she stood.

the crowd was larger now, louder. she didn’t look at them. paige wasn’t stupid; she knew someone had recorded something, but she was resolute. she gave them nothing else.

she turned away, heading for the side of the church. azzi’s grip lingered in her mind like a bruise. the slip around the building was easy, an unhindered duck into a narrow service alley that smelled densely of wet stone and days-old garbage, past the cracked back doors that gaped open, unhinged and revealing. she could hear more emergency workers calling out vitals.

but she kept walking.

because azzi told her to.

8.

the decision should have come as no surprise after that.

it should've been paramount that azzi pulled the piece, good mourning and all that. but still, it was its own blowout.

she came over to deliver the news on a wednesday, which wasn't unusual anymore. unusual had quietly retired somewhere around their eighth month, replaced by azzi appearing often at paige's door with food or without it, staying until the hour made leaving inconvenient. eventually, the pretense melted into her staying without any reason at all, and paige had long stopped pretending she didn’t want her to.

so wednesday was fine, wednesday was normal. except that azzi started it off by knocking instead of using the key paige had given her two weeks ago, and that was the first thing gone wrong. the second was paige cracking open the door, brow furrowed, to find every aspect of azzi’s energy off immediately.

she stood before paige in a black slip dress, thin-strapped and full nineties, falling to her mid-thigh, the silk moving with her every movement, water finding its own level. her hair waved down all around her face, and she wore a sleek pair of chaumet hoops, two mid-sized gold half-circles with a thin layer of diamonds along the bone. paige’s first thought was absurd and immediate: fuck, i want to eat her. azzi shifted in place, dark eyes skimming over paige’s shoulder, body forced into an unnatural rigidity, ill-fitting composure. in her hands was a large container of food she hadn’t needed to bring, but paige suspected it was more to busy her hands than feed them.

“hey, p,” she said, and her voice was careful.

“hey, mama,” paige answered, stepping aside.

paige was in a navy sleeveless tank washed soft from years of use, low-rise grey sweats, bare feet. her hair had been scraped back into a low pony at her nape, the scripture verse exposed at the base of her skull in clean black ink: i can do all things; 4:13. she looked like someone who had been home all day and comfortable in it, which made what was about to happen worse.

paige sidled in close for a moment, gently taking the container from azzi’s hands without asking what was in it, and walked off to set it on the counter. when she turned back, she found azzi still standing, hands twisting over her wrists. soon, she switched to a silent stance in the middle of the living room with her hands loose at her sides, and paige watched her from the kitchen doorway and waited. she knew the shape of disaster arriving, catalogued it over months of proximity: azzi still almost always meant azzi thinking, azzi arranging and rearranging, azzi deciding in real time how much of the truth she could afford to give and in what order.

“az,” paige said, slowly, “you’re kind of stressing me right now.”

azzi jolted as though she’d been struck, eyes widening in shocked guilt, and then blurted,

“i think i'm going to pull the piece.”

the words were dropped between them, ugly and cheap, where they lay on the floor. paige said nothing, blindsided, staring at her for a long, hard moment. it was as if she’d been slapped in the mouth and was waiting to taste blood. something in her chest did a slow, nauseating drop—a stone through still water—and she felt herself switch into defense, making the decision not to feel a single ounce of it. not yet, and absolutely not in front of azzi.

she laughed instead, softly but without warmth.

“are you being for real?”

azzi’s face crumpled slightly, and paige felt it like a blow to her stomach. “yes. i’m so sorry. it wasn’t an easy decision and—”

paige cut her off. “okay.”

azzi's eyes moved to her face, fast. “paige—”

“nah, i mean it.” paige cracked her neck with a strong tilt to the left and moved back toward the couch, dropping into it with an easy motion, her body in studied nonchalance, as if performing it for the sake of protection. she reached for the glass of water on the coffee table and took a slow sip, pulling the water through her teeth before swallowing.

her tongue pressed briefly to the back of her molars, as if she could keep herself from saying something stupid if she held her mouth right. look at that, she thought bitterly. growth.

“it’s cool,” she said. “you got your shit. looked right at it. now you're done. that's—that's fine. that's how it goes.”

“that is not what's happening,” azzi told her, the argument immediate.

“isn't it, though?” paige glanced over at her, blue eyes flat. “because from here it looks a whole lot like you got close and saw me—all of me, all that ugly shit—and you don’t like an inch of what you see. so now, you want out, but you're too—” she paused, tilted her head. “—too you to say that. can’t tell me you want to break your promise. so instead we're doing this.”

azzi made a sound of pure frustration and moved, not toward paige but sideways, a tight circuit, one hand coming up to press against her own sternum as if to keep something inside. paige tracked her without moving her head.

“you should know me better than that,” azzi said, and her voice was taut with danger. paige nearly licked her lips, body electric in response to azzi rising to the fight. azzi angry meant azzi alive and too wired to be careful and professional. “it’s been fucking months. you should know that’s absolute bullshit.”

paige shrugged, affecting innocence. “dunno. maybe i'm starting to think i don't.”

the thing was—and azzi could not say this, could not find a single responsible way to say it—the thing was that she was acutely, humiliatingly aware of paige at all times. had been for months and could trace the exact escalation of it like a fever chart: the way paige's arms looked in the tank she was currently wearing, muscle flexed and large, the carved line of her shoulder, the tattoo at her nape that azzi had memorized without meaning to, which she thought about in her most private moments with an embarrassing frequency.

she’d gotten caught on the way paige laughed when something actually surprised her; rare and sudden, the sound of something unlocking. she’d fallen addict to the subtle bits of chivarly paige routinely extended toward her: hand on the small of her back as she made her switch sides when walking on the sidewalk, an arm around her middle to keep her from near accident on the street, the soft gather of her hair as she rubbed her back when she’d gotten food poisoning, voice low and soothing. paige had once helped her build a dresser for an apartment she barely frequented now, and the way paige had lifted her over the pieces of it was an image azzi had reconjured after, and came to it for days.

azzi had been trying for two weeks to just sit and write the profile, listening back to months of material, and had produced, in total, four sentences she didn't hate. the rest was unsalvageable. too close, too warm, very obviously written by someone who no longer had any interest in being fair.

who couldn’t be.

“i can't be objective anymore,” she confessed. “that's what i'm trying to tell you, paige. the piece doesn't serve you if i can't be—”

“right.” paige nodded slowly. “right. so it's pity. that's what we're calling it.”

“oh, my god." azzi pressed her fingers to her mouth briefly, a gesture paige had learned meant she was choosing not to say the first thing that arrived. “what is wrong with you right now?”

“nothing.” flat, easy, a closed door. “i'm just listening to what you're telling me.”

“you're not listening to anything. you've decided what i mean, and now you're just—” azzi gestured, a short, frustrated motion. “you're being mean.”

something shifted in paige's expression, a slight calculation. a slow, cruel smile, barely there.

“thought you liked that,” she drawled.

“not right now.” the words came out sharp as they were shot back, an edge azzi didn't usually let show, and she saw paige register it—saw her slip into mild tension, as if azzi had yanked on a leash paige hadn’t realized was at her neck. “i'm trying to do something decent. i'm standing here—" she stopped. her hands moved to her own waist, crossed there, holding herself together. “i'm trying to protect you. i am trying to give you something real, and i don’t want you to be mean in the face of that. i mean, fuck, p. you won't even let me get a full sentence out because you've already decided i'm abandoning you.”

the arrow of accusation hit its mark, and paige's jaw tightened in response, throat bobbing once.

“i didn't say that.”

“you didn't have to.”

silence. paige looked away, unable to combat, eyes stuck fast to the window, the middle distance, somewhere that wasn't azzi's face. her fingers flexed against her knee once, like she was resisting the urge to reach. when she spoke again, her voice had dropped.

“you asked me,” paige said, finally, “at the church. you told me to come back. you said it like this was a two-way thing.”

“it was,” azzi said immediately. “it is. i swear it is.”

paige spun back to her, hands coming to tug at her ponytail before she crossed her arms, the motion tart, defensive, almost boyish.

“then what the fuck is this, azzi?”

“this is me trying to keep being someone you can trust.” azzi's voice had lost its edge, gone careful again, pulled back to the register she used when she was most serious. she took a step closer without seeming to decide to. “you can't trust a profile written by someone who—”

she stopped. paige uncrossed her arms, gaining more ground through another step.

“someone who what?” paige prompted.

azzi looked away for a second before gazing back at her. she again fell to the ink at paige’s nape, to her bare arms, to the way the light played along her face, illuminating her in all of her exhausted beauty. she watched her sitting there trying to look as if she didn't care, and doing it badly, which was somehow the most paige thing she'd ever done.

“i can’t—i can't see you plainly anymore,” azzi admitted. “i’m no longer someone who sits down to write and does just that.” she exhaled. “it isn't journalism. whatever i'm doing when i try to write about you, it isn't that.”

then, slow as a bad accident, she said, “i can’t do any bit of that with what i feel for you.”

they both stiffened, azzi’s hand coming to cover her mouth in horror. she clearly hadn’t meant to say that. paige honed in, abandoning her performance of disinterest. she was watching azzi like a vulture, eyes on her prey, patient and total, nothing held back.

“what?” was the first thing she said.

azzi said nothing, but she started backing toward the door. paige rose from the couch, stepping forward, undeterred. she could catch azzi if she needed to; they both knew that.

“azzi, stop. i’m talking to you.” paige’s voice was husky now, words coming slick.

azzi listened, but she was still too close to the door for paige’s liking.

“imma ask you again. what do you mean?”

“i didn’t—”

“don’t lie to me, azzi,” paige interrupted. “don’t try it, mama. trust me.”

azzi skated her gaze down the length of paige’s body, in a way she hadn't let herself outside of her own head, and that was when she saw it. the hem of paige's tank had ridden up slightly at her left side, and there along her hip, half-hidden, was a second tattoo. small and dark against the pale skin, the script was too fine to read from here.

azzi hadn’t known it was there, had somehow missed it. she was suddenly eclipsed by desire, by the wanting to cross the room and get on her knees, read it with her teeth. the urge was so immediate and so physical that it briefly displaced everything else, her mind going white-hot and empty like a new york summer.

“azzi,” paige said again.

she was remarkably patient, which made azzi’s stomach warm. it was the consequence of being someone who’d learned the hard way that most things worth having had to be waited out.

azzi dragged her eyes back to paige’s face and met her there. she found her closer than before. paige was right in front of her now, and azzi didn’t remember her crossing the room. it was like she’d blinked and paige had appeared. a strong hand lowered to her waist and nudged her into place, positioning them so that azzi was away from the door and against the wall adjacent to it. her back met drywall.

paige cupped her by the jaw, thumb pressing lightly beneath her chin as if testing the shape of her, as if checking whether azzi would yield. her eyes were half-lidded and dark. it was like staring into the maw of a lion.

“what do you feel f'me, azzi?”

it was said as a question, but wasn’t quite one. it was a door, opened from the inside, and held.

“i—” azzi started, compelled by some unseen force.

paige smiled as she faltered, the expression slow and knowing. then she leaned in, close enough that azzi could feel her breath on her mouth.

“i can take a guess,” she murmured. “want me to help you?”

azzi let out a punch of air. the hand at her waist crawled up to press down on her stomach, pinning her gently to paige’s own body. the touch had weight to it, a kind of calm authority, fingers spread and flexed against the muscle like stay. azzi’s thighs tightened instinctively, and her mouth went dry.

paige leisurely tilted azzi’s head to the side with two fingers under her jaw, turning her like a page, pushing and pushing until she had azzi’s neck bared to her, a long brown line of deference. for a moment, there was nothing. then azzi shifted, small and nervous, as if she might slip out from under the pressure of paige’s hand and regain control of her own body. paige’s grip tightened, the restriction immediate.

azzi went still.

paige leaned in and bit her.

a firm dig of teeth at the soft slope where azzi’s neck met shoulder, where the skin thinned, and the pulse lived close to the surface. paige’s mouth was a chamber of fire, her teeth blunt and real. azzi felt the pressure first, then the sting, then the slow-blooming ache of it, a birthmark of pain. azzi moaned in surprise—loud and helplessly honest—and her fingers curled at her sides, nails scraping faintly against the wall at her back.

paige pulled back. her lips were slightly parted, damp with azzi.

“i told you not to move.”

azzi swallowed, pupils blown out.

“‘m sorry,” she whispered.

paige’s thumb dragged slowly across azzi’s bottom lip, the motion almost absentminded, as if she was smoothing something back into place.

“mmm,” she said.

then she ducked back in.

there was no bite this time, only the sultriness of a kiss. paige pressed her mouth to azzi’s neck and pulled gently, suctioning the skin between her lips, tongue laving slowly over the oncoming bruise. the kiss landed directly over azzi’s pulse, and azzi felt her own heartbeat stutter, trapped beneath paige’s mouth. paige kissed again, lower, lingering to feel the rush of blood as it flooded to the surface. only when she felt azzi twitch again with the pain did she let go.

then again: three kisses, spaced like footsteps, like paige was mapping her. azzi’s knees threatened to buckle. she felt soft all over, holding herself upright through sheer will, embarrassed by how quickly she was unraveling, embarrassed by how much her body wanted to be handled like this; how natural it felt to be guided and placed. paige’s hand remained on her stomach, steady pressure of a silent promise. her voice returned, quieter now, almost amused.

“i know, mama,” paige murmured into the skin. “you’re always apologizing.”

azzi exhaled, the breath cleaving in the middle. paige kissed her again: slower, wetter, mouth dragging, tongue tracing the curve where azzi’s throat met her collarbone. her lips pressed there as if she could drink something out of her, as if she could drain the truth straight through the skin. azzi’s head tipped back without permission, and a soft sound slipped out of her, helpless and humiliating.

paige hummed, pleased at the sound. then she pulled back just enough to look at her. her eyes were bright, oceanic. tender, but still predatory in a way that warned of consequence.

“you gon’ tell me what you meant now?”

paige’s thumb pressed once more at azzi’s lip, a gentle command, and azzi felt herself open under it like a door. her eyes were glassy now, gone wet with the sheer overload of sensation. it was ridiculous, really. azzi fudd, whose whole life was built on commanding language, on pulling confession and quotes out of other people like teeth, was now unable to form a sentence when the subject was paige and paige’s mouth was still warm on her skin.

paige watched her struggle with that same unyielding patience from before. she kissed azzi’s throat once, slow and open-mouthed, then lingered there with her lips pressed to her pulse like she was listening to it, memorizing azzi from the inside out.

“c’mon,” paige coaxed, voice still coming from somewhere deep, every word threatening to put azzi flat on her back. “use your words.”

azzi’s breath came out uneven. she could feel the way her own body had begun to betray her, heat gathering low, sticky and insistent. she hated that she couldn’t hide it.

“i, unh, i, fuck—” azzi stopped and started, her mind hazy.

despite pushing for an answer, paige was doing the most to make sure she wouldn’t get it. she maneuvered them with an easy nudge to the inside of azzi’s ankle, spreading her legs so that she could drag azzi down with mild pressure, perching her firmly on the flexed trunk of her thigh. the hand at azzi’s jaw tightened as she stuttered over the pressure on her clit, not hard, but enough to remind her who was holding her up. paige’s thumb pressed beneath azzi’s chin again, forcing her to keep her head turned, throat bared, submission extracted to the fullest extent.

“yeah?” paige asked.

azzi’s eyes fluttered shut, but paige didn’t want that, so she rocked her forward with a firm hand at her lower back, forcing friction. azzi’s eyes flew open, and she was trying her best at breathing normally, breath coming hot and hard. paige kissed the corner of her jaw, then the hinge where her neck met her ear. the kiss was soft, almost gentle, but the intention behind it wasn’t. paige’s mouth moved like she already owned the space she touched.

“you meant what?” paige asked.

azzi gazed up at her dizzily, mouth a little slack. paige was too close, not close enough; paige was everywhere. paige’s lashes were dark against her cheeks. paige’s mouth was damp, pinker than usual. paige’s pupils were blown wide with want, but her face stayed perfectly controlled.

“um. ummm, i meant,” azzi said, voice thin, “that i—”

another forced rock against her thigh. the motion dragged the soaked cotton of her baby pink thong across her clit, and azzi moaned then, and paige smiled like a cat that got the cream.

“c’mon, mama. can only get what you want if you tell me,” she urged, soft as velvet.

azzi finally gave in.

“i can’t—want you.”

it was a relief to have the words out, and azzi let her head fall back. paige’s expression shifted straight into satisfaction, like a piece of a puzzle started long ago had finally clicked into place.

“mm,” paige hummed, as if tasting it. “there you go.”

azzi’s cheeks flushed hot, embarrassment and arousal mixing into something almost painful. her hands hovered uncertainly at paige’s sides, not touching, not sure if she was allowed. paige noticed.

“you can touch me,” paige said simply.

azzi blinked. the permission granted made the need worse somehow. paige’s eyebrows lifted in mild impatience, the look she cast her like an incision.

“i know you know how to do it,” paige murmured. “know i don’t gotta tell you twice.”

azzi followed orders, fingers spreading over paige’s ribs, the warmth of her body startling through the thin fabric of the tank. paige’s skin was so warm beneath it, so solid and real. azzi’s palms flattened like she was trying to anchor herself. paige exhaled through her nose, pleased.

“good girl,” she said.

azzi shivered at the praise, the words slipping into her, heavy and undoing. she didn’t know it could feel like this, would feel like this—a solar shock to the nervous system.

paige lowered her thigh, laughing lowly at the wounded sound azzi gave her in response, before crawling her way up azzi’s dress to sneak a thick finger under her thong and straight between her pussy lips. azzi arched instinctively, a guttural groan falling free, but paige held her fast. she dragged her finger up and down, near fucking that bubblegum pink drip; bunny-eye-pink soak. she could imagine the suction as she tucked her fingers inside. beneath her, azzi was unraveled, excavated, newly open to life; paige was suddenly patriotic, beholden to that inner wet weep.

fuck, paige was wet.

she wanted to put her mouth right on azzi’s cunt, but she returned her mouth to azzi’s neck, instead, back to kissing her ridiculously slowly. she sucked a bruise into place over her heart with a damp scrape of teeth that felt obscene. azzi’s knees fully went out, and she whimpered, her head knocking straight back against the wall. paige’s hand tightened on her stomach, then skirted down to her hip, holding her upright by the bone.

“uh-uh,” paige warned gently. “stay with me.”

azzi’s breath stuttered.

“i’m—i’m trying,” she protested.

paige bit back a smirk. she knew she’d be a brat; she was glad azzi was starting to give her a peek. paige kissed the disobedience right out of her, tongue slipping slick into her mouth, only drawing back when she felt azzi struggling for air. she knocked their foreheads together, wiping a bit of drool from azzi’s full cheek.

“you sure?” paige whispered, suddenly meek in the face of possible rejection.

azzi’s eyes snapped open. paige was looking at her like she was seeing the entire world. azzi swallowed hard.

“yes. please.”

paige’s gaze sharpened.

“yes, what?”

azzi could feel herself trembling, the humiliation of being made to clarify, to obey.

“yes,” she repeated, voice quieter, “i’m sure.”

paige’s thumb slid along the sensitive skin of azzi’s inner thigh, just barely there, the ghost of touch. azzi’s stomach clenched. she felt light-headed with desire. paige smiled as if she could tell.

“yeah? you want me to take care of you?” paige asked.

azzi nodded so fervently she nearly tipped right over. paige’s hand left her jaw and caught her chin again, tilting her face up.

“nuh-uh,” paige said. “words.”

azzi stared at her, those eyes so wide and dark-lashed, humiliation turning her into something pliant.

“yes,” she whispered. “please.”

“yeah, baby? how? wanna make sure i get you right.”

for a minute, azzi was confused, paige’s meaning escaping her. but then her face flushed a deep, berry pink. she cleared her throat, torso twisting with embarrassment. finally, she forced it out.

“paige, i want you to fuck me. please. please.”

paige’s eyes narrowed, satisfied.

“good girl,” she murmured.

heat blossomed anew inside of her and dribbled over paige’s fingers and down the tops of her inner thigh. paige watched the reaction with a small, dark smile.

“that do something to you?” paige asked.

azzi’s face burned. paige leaned closer, voice dipping.

“you like when i talk to you like that?”

azzi couldn’t answer, but her silence was answer enough. so was the slow close of her thighs, an intentional capture of paige’s hand between them. paige hummed again, pleased, then stepped in fully, pressing azzi into the wall. the silk of azzi’s dress rode up a little more from the contact. paige’s hips settled between hers with a little more pressure, letting azzi feel exactly where she was. azzi’s breath caught in her throat. paige kissed her neck again, then lifted her head and peered at her intently, searching.

“you been wanting this?” paige asked.

“yes,” azzi answered.

“how long?” paige pressed.

azzi’s voice shook. “p…”

paige’s hand slid out from between her legs to the back of her thigh, fingers curling, a secure grip.

“how long, azzi?” she repeated, tone even but unyielding.

azzi’s whole body shivered.

“since the church,” she admitted, voice breaking. “since—since before that. i don’t know exactly when, but i—i started taking care of you, and it just went from there.”

paige’s gaze darkened at that. she exhaled, slowly.

“yeah,” paige murmured, almost to herself. “i thought so.”

then, before azzi could gather herself, paige’s arms tightened around her—one under her thighs, the other around her back—and she lifted her clean off the floor. azzi gasped, hands flying to paige’s shoulders.

“holy shit, paige—”

paige showed no sign of strain. she held azzi like she weighed nothing, adjusting her so there was a better hold under her legs.

“you good?” paige asked, voice low.

azzi’s heart was beating so hard she thought she might choke on it.

“mmhm,” she managed.

“good,” she said. “then hush.”

azzi did. she didn’t have the energy needed to think properly. paige walked them away from the door, away from the wall, deeper into the apartment, the movement unhurried but determined. azzi’s dress rode up higher as paige carried her, silk gathering at her hips, and the exposure made azzi’s face burn with shame. it was different when she was the one seeing it.

she tried to tug it down instinctively, but paige’s voice cut in immediately.

“don’t,” she warned.

azzi froze, and paige’s grip tightened around her thigh, possessive.

“i didn’t say cover up,” paige murmured. “did i?”

azzi’s mouth fell open, body going liquid all over, as if every volcano on earth had poured its lava straight down the length of her spine.

“no,” she said.

paige’s eyes slid up to meet hers.

“that’s right,” paige said softly. “you gotta listen, baby. easier that way.”

and fuck if azzi wasn’t having a moment of self-discovery right now.

paige carried her back to the living room and lowered her carefully, not onto the couch, but onto the floor. azzi’s back met the rug. her hair spilled around her head like dark water. paige stood over her for a moment, looking down, breathing steady. azzi stared up at her, chest rising and falling too quickly, mind blurred with want. paige’s silhouette blocked the lamplight, turning her into a statue carved and ordained, a dangerous creature.

then she crouched, one hand bracing beside azzi’s head, the other sliding to her jaw again, thumb pressing lightly at her lip.

“you still wanna be mean to me?” azzi whispered, voice wrecked.

paige’s smile widened.

“baby,” she murmured, leaning in until her mouth brushed azzi’s ear, “i’m about to be so nice to you.”

azzi shuddered, but paige paid her no mind, focusing elsewhere. she pulled back, enough to get two fingers under the strap of azzi’s dress. she tugged at them on both sides, working the slip down until it was completely off and tossed over the back of the couch. azzi worked hard not to feel self-conscious, but couldn’t help the way she covered her chest as paige dragged her deeper into the ‘v’ of her legs.

paige kneeled, calves touching together, and arranged azzi with no small amount of care. she kept the thong on, dragging one thin pink side all the way out so that it snapped back, angry and hard, against azzi’s hip. azzi’s mouth fell open in a silent sound when it did, and paige slipped her thumb inside without looking at her.

“spread your legs,” paige said, calm as a verdict.

azzi obeyed. paige let out a low ‘fuck me’ as she crawled into the space, tugging azzi’s hands from her chest, freeing her tits to the light. despite her former declaration of kindness, azzi was pleased to find paige rough with her, borderline careless. she groped azzi’s chest, squeezing her tits with one hand, forcing a second finger into azzi’s mouth with the other. she reached back deep, until she touched a sacred dark space at the back of azzi’s throat and made her gag. saliva dribbled out around the sound, and paige’s eyes went darker than aziz had ever seen them.

“such a good girl, baby. showing me how bad you want it.” 

azzi moaned around her fingers in response, and paige reached her limit, dragging her fingers free and skating them in a wet line underneath azzi’s underwear. she took one hard nipple into her mouth, teething at it until azzi sobbed out a little “fuck, that hurts, p,” which made paige slide off with a wet pop and say,

“i know, mama. jus’ how you like it.”

azzi’s pussy clenched, gushing a river of wet, glistening arousal, and paige went back to it. point proven.

eventually, she sat back to tug azzi’s thong off, pupils dilating wider and wider as she led it down the path of those brown legs, a mile wide. as she slipped them gently off of azzi’s ankles, pressing a kiss to the small knob of bone, she realized azzi had been wearing heels with her dress, though paige had initially been heated notice. they were simple: black, seven-inch, slender heel, high arch. versace, the gold lettering in the sole told her.

“yeah, you’re keeping that shit on,” paige told her, and azzi couldn’t help but laugh, the sound bubbling fresh and freely from her belly.

paige tossed the underwear to join the crumpled body of azzi’s dress, then crawled back, hands and knees, to her exposed cunt, hands sliding up azzi’s hips as she lay on her stomach, fingers pressing into her skin. one hand slid under azzi to cup her ass, squeezing slightly as it rose to settle on the nape of her neck, finishing with a careful tightening of her throat. azzi’s back bowed, and paige laughed into her adonis belt before bringing both hands back to force azzi’s legs wide and over her shoulder.

paige’s first slurp over azzi’s clit was messy, before she drew back to place a sloppy kiss over her pussy, the pink glossy with arousal. she licked a long flat stripe from bottom to top, holding azzi down as she instinctively bucked with a drawn-out hum that cracks in the middle. 

 “you’re so good, baby. taste so sweet.”

azzi let her eyes slide shut. the backs of her eyelids are no longer just black, explosions of color staining them, ripping through her. paige lapped at her, taking her time but still intentional with the way she chose to touch her. she used a hand to spread azzi apart, burying her face into her pussy, her nose growing wet with azzi’s arousal. paige ate like she fought: messy, dirty, shaking her head back and forth, pointing her tongue just a little so that it could slide into azzi’s hole, sucking at her until azzi was almost shaking, on the edge of something greater.

she felt azzi tilt her hips down in a plea for more, legs twitching over paige’s shoulders. paige wished she had made azzi sit on her face. she wanted nothing more than to let her crush all the air clean out of her, tongue dragging lazily as azzi took what she wanted; paige’s chest burning, her head light as that pink, creamy pussy dripped all over her face, drooling down her neck and onto paige’s tits.

jesus fucking christ.

thank god they had infinite time.

paige pulled back and rose to kiss azzi briefly, just to let her taste herself, before she dipped back down. she slapped the inside of azzi’s thigh, pulled away with a groan, and slapped her pussy straight after, hand landing with a loud, soaked ‘plap’.

“fuck my face, mama. c’mon. show me you know how to ride.”

azzi, bless her, acquiesced in an instant, circling her waist, her cunt traveling in tight, controlled motions, grinding down on paige’s face. paige moaned into her, pulling back one final time—much to azzi’s loud whine of displeasure—so that she could spit harshly into azzi’s cunt. she rubbed it into her clit with the pad of her thumb, pressing down until it was almost painful. azzi couldn’t breathe correctly, couldn’t find oxygen.

she could barely even remember her name.

“paige,” she breathed out. “paige, fuckfuckfuck, oh my fucking god. right there, please."

paige said nothing in answer, but caught one of her pussy lips between her teeth, and bit down teasingly as she slid a finger in.

“unh,” was what azzi had to add to the nonexistent conversation, and paige smiled against her.

she added a second finger and curled them, urging azzi closer to her. azzi couldn’t feel her fucking legs.

and then it was all gone.

paige rose back to her knees. she slapped tenderly at azzi’s cheek, a breathy chuckle falling free as azzi’s head lolled in response. she leaned in, kissing azzi sloppily, open-mouthed, sucking on her tongue and bottom lip.

“mama,” she cooed, “you with me?”

azzi blinked and nodded hesitantly.

“good. need you to move.”

“hm?”

paige slid out from between her legs and tapped at her side.

“c’mon. ass up,” paige told her.

azzi somehow found the strength to roll half-heartedly on her stomach, mind nearly catatonic with desire. paige laughed a little, bending to kiss the small of her back.

“there you go. so fucking good for me, azzi.”

she positioned her again, forcing azzi down on her front and dragging her hips up so that she was supplicant on the floor in a high arch.

“yeah, mama. just like that.”

azzi hummed, head on its side, cheek pressed into the carpet as she gazed somewhere distant. paige kissed down her spine, teasing as she did, saying,

“jus’ easy as hell, mama. letting me do whatever i want, huh? mmm, thank you, baby. love you, baby.”

the last part should’ve come as a surprise, but not a single thing mattered in this moment. azzi only nodded and clutched back at paige’s arm as if to say, love you. love you too.

paige took her hands and placed them on azzi’s ass, spreading her open so that she could see her, pulling her apart until she could see the full scale of how pink and drenched she was, lips puffy, threads of arousal draping wide and warm before snapping in half. paige couldn’t help herself, and her mouth was back on her.

azzi let her head hang as paige ate her from the back, twice as vehement, tonguing at her hole in combination with tucking two fingers right inside of her, sliding deep into her tight heat. paige swayed, pussy drunk, lips shining as she stopped for a minute to watch, eyes blown at the easy gape of azzi’s hole around the intrusion. azzi let out a little, punched out sob at the feeling, clenching instinctively, but paige only hummed lazily, adding a third, milking her gently, telling her,

“you got it, mama. ‘s okay. rock back f’me, baby. yeah. yeah, fuck, there you go. feels so much better, huh?” 

“mmhmm,” azzi moaned.

paige fucked her hard, letting go of one ass cheek to slide a hand under the waistband of her sweats and against her own cunt.

“tell me about it, sweetheart.”

azzi sobbed more loudly then, sniffling as she tried her hardest to be good.

“it feels good. it feels so fucking good, p. yes. yeah. yeah, just like that. just like tha—oh, fuuuuuckkkk.”

paige had brought her down now, splaying azzi right in her lap, the cotton of paige’s tank soft against azzi’s bare back.

“uh-huh, i know. need you to cum for me, baby. need you to be good. gotta be good for me, azzi.”

azzi nodded in response and clutched at paige’s bicep, trying to steady herself. paige didn’t give a fuck if they keeled straight over. it would take a fucking swat team to stop her right now. paige nestled her fingers back into azzi’s pussy, hooking her chin over azzi’s broad shoulder as she thrusted harder and harder, working until she could hear the slap of her palm against azzi’s clit.

“c’mon, baby," paige urged her. “be good for me.,”

azzi is trying, goddamnit, and she says as much.

“‘m tryng, p. i swear. i’m trying,” she slurred.

“i know, baby,” paige soothed, dropping a line of kisses down her neck. “i jus’ wanna see you cum. jus’ want you to show me who you wanna be good for. want you to show me that this is my pussy like i know it is.”

paige forced a further spread of azzi’s legs and then walked her free hand up to pinch one of azzi’s straining nipples.

“fuck, az, you don’t even know what you look like right now. jesus, wish i had my strap right now, but imma get it when we done with this ‘cause fuck, baby. need you on it. gonna get my camera too, watch you turn my shit white as you cum as much as you want. gonna watch it back as i sit on your face, finish to it.”

paige trailed her gaze down to where her hand was working steadily into azzi, fucking deep into her cunt. azzi pleaded with her,

“more, paige. please. i want more.”

“okay, mama, okay. gonna give you more, promise.”

and she did. she slid further into azzi, groaning lowly at how she swallowed a fourth finger, nearly fisting her, pussy slick, hot, and quivering under the pressure of her touch. paige tilted her wrist, curling her fingers and grazing against that spongy spot that had made azzi clench so tightly. there was a moment where paige thought she might never let her back out.

true to form, paige stayed loyal to a fault, pressing and pressing until azzi jerked forward, one of her hands flying back to grasp at paige’s neck, dragging her forward into her neck. paige let herself be pulled, mouthing lazily at azzi’s collarbone and shoulder, her own cunt contracting with the need for something to fill it. but it wasn't about her right now; her pleasure was second-best. it was about azzi, about pleasing her, about showing azzi that paige could be good at guessing what she needed.

at providing it.

paige pressed into that spot again, nearly digging, relishing in how azzi let out a wet gasp, hips fucking down to lengthen the pleasure, grinding into the pressure, eyes nearly rolling back. and paige held her there, words slurring as she spoke to her.

“you're unmatched, az,” paige said, voice velvet-dark as the words snaked into azzi’s ear. “pussy's so fucking good. so fucking wet for me. love how tight you are, showing me how much you need it. need me to fuck you open, need me to fuck you stupid.”

azzi clenched again. hard.

“p—”

“shh, baby. you're okay.” paige started moving faster, mind running wild, her own cunt running warm at the thought of breaking azzi in; at fucking her straight into being hers. “you can take it, baby. know you can. you always do. always ready to take me, right? always want me, right? gonna let me lay you out, after, like a good girl? gonna let me plug this slutty little hole with my strap, huh?”

azzi’s breathing stuttered, a wail working its way up her throat, coming out as a hiccup. she closed her eyes, hunkering back into paige’s body, chest heaving. she moaned, the evidence of her pleasure bouncing off the apartment ceiling. they were sliding a little, their bodies sweaty, slipping across each other. the feeling was euphoric.

“such a good girl, dripping all over me,” paige said, humming as she pulled back slightly, fingers returning to shallow ground just to spread azzi open again, her thumb coming to play with her clit in tight little circles. “c’mon, az. show me you can work for it. take my fingers, so i know you can take my cock.”

two streams of fat, perfect tears came running down azzi’s face, and she cried out, words wet.

“cumming, cumming, cumming. 'm cumming, p. fuckkkkk, i'm cumming.”

paige’s answering moan was rough, stretched thin with need.

“yeah? that's all i want, mama. want you to show me how you take it, how good you are at taking my fingers, just swallowing me. made by god’s hands just for me.”

and that was it.

azz felt herself squirt, warm and wild, every single nerve singing, squealing as she finished. paige held her through it all, mouth sealing over hers to bury the sound, tasting and sucking at her tongue, grounding, whispering: “shhh, baby. you did so well. uh-huh. such a good fucking girl.”

azzi’s foot kicked out, her heel catching. she didn’t know if she’d made something topple from the glass lip of the coffee table, or if the distant sound she heard was a clap of thunder outside.

there was a flame rising inside of her, and she let it turn her to ash.

“i want it to be my turn, now,” azzi said.

paige came out of the bathroom and slipped back into their bed, lying on her side and settling beside her.

“watchu mean, mama?”

the question came in a tone of voice so charged that azzi’s eyes widened a little. the sight made paige laugh, low and warm. she reached a hand between them and cupped one of azzi’s tits, leaning in to kiss her until her mind went sweet. her hand slipped lower. azzi arched into her, but then paused.

“i want to touch you. please you,” she explained.

she cupped the back of paige’s head to cradle her as she rolled them over so that she was on top, blocking out the world and surrounding paige with her and only her. her hand dragged down paige’s sides, stopping with a firm hold on her hips, and then started up again, pushing paige’s thighs apart with no hardship.

“wanna start here.”

“azzi, fuck.”

paige let her head fall to the side, her neck up and open. azzi kissed the middle space, bestowing a large bruise right into the pale, shallow skin, relentless until it was so dark she could bite it and expect a burst of blood.

“and here.”

azzi had paige fully naked now, sliding their hips together until their cunts kissed. paige was losing sight.

“and here.”

paige was swollen, white-hot.

9.

he chose a sunday as their day of reckoning.

they’d just gotten in from church, azzi soft from the car ride, her body curled loosely under the yellow tongue of sun that had slipped through the cracked window of their marsh gray bronco. paige had guided her into their apartment with an easy grip, crouching to slide off her tabi ballerinas when they slipped through the door, leaving them hooved and scarlet by the front door. she’d continued to bundle azzi off to bed, tucking her in for a nap with a weighted kiss to her temple, staying a few moments longer to watch her baby sleep.

when the doorbell rang, paige immediately rankled, despite knowing that azzi was a deep sleeper. so deep of one that it worried paige sometimes, and she’d wake from a nightmare of that day in saint rose’s with a gasp, rolling over to check if azzi was still breathing. she answered the door with an expression of strong irritation that fell away to blank surprise, still half-buttoned into her peach linen long sleeve and her good white cotton trousers, which she always wore to service, freshly ironed by azzi’s hand. she looked at him for a long moment, and he looked back, and neither of them said anything immediately.

she thought of azzi once telling her that she was so easy to find, to seek out, and wound. point proven, mama, paige thought to herself.

he was taller than she remembered, or maybe she’d never had the time to truly appraise him, given that she was often just trying to stay alive. he had azzi's eyes, but less compelling, none of her warmth in them. this had always been the central tragedy of dakota fudd. there was a spray of freckles across his nose and cheeks, reminding paige of the appaloosas her father had once taken her to see when she was still a child.

“she know you're here?” paige finally asked.

“no,” he said.

paige considered him. then she stepped aside.

he came in clinically, without touching anything, an intention paige noted, and stood rather awkwardly in the center of the living room the way azzi had once stood: hands twisiting and nervous, same blood singing down the vein, different posture by the end—arms crossed over his chest, jaw working like he was chewing on whatever version of this conversation he’d rehearsed in the car.

if he even drove himself here.

“i'm not here to threaten you,” he started with.

“okay,” paige said, not an ounce of belief to be found.

“i mean it,” dakota insisted.

“i heard you.” she leaned in the doorway of the kitchen, arms loose, watching him. “you want something to drink?”

he looked momentarily thrown by that, suspicious of this timid kindness. “no.” then, like an afterthought, “thanks.”

“it’s cool.”

silence settled between them, old and complicated, years of sediment at the bottom. paige had known this man since she was sixteen, had beaten him at something he’d wanted badly, and had spent the better part of a decade paying for it in ways she still found herself tallying. she didn’t hate him—she’d tried, found it required more sustained energy than he was worth.

“we don’t talk much but—i know—i’m told she’s happy,” he said finally. the words scraped out rougher than she thought he intended, serrated at the edges, like they’d fought him all the way up. “i've never —she's been happy before, obviously. but this is—” he stopped, his jaw tightening. “it's different.”

paige kept quiet, but she felt a bird begin to take flight in her chest. the implication that azzi was the happiest she’d ever been because of her was a hard drug.

“she defended you,” dakota continued. “publicly, and more than once. went up against people she'd built relationships with for years.” he looked at paige then, directly, and there was something genuinely searching in it. “i know she isn’t the type to do that for just anyone.”

“i know that, too,” paige said quietly.

he shoved his hands into his coat pockets, the chestnut leather of his bomber jacket creaking mournfully.

“mom said she pulled the article she’d been working on for six months.”

paige felt a twinge in her throat when he said that, her body going a little softer at the thought of him still being someone who called his mom.

“i know.”

dakota exhaled through his nose and looked at the floor, then back up. the fight had gone out of him somewhere between the door and here, paige realized. what was left wasn’t the silhouette of friendliness, but it wasn’t exactly its opposite either. it came to a rest at something more exhausted than either.

“i'm not going to apologize,” he said. “i want you to know that.”

“i'm not asking you to.”

“i know what i’ve done. i know what i’ve sent after you. i know what happened to her because of—” he stopped again, and paige felt anger slither through her stomach at the confirmation of something she’d already figured out. something flit across his face that she recognized, not because she'd seen it on him before, but because she’d felt it herself once: the specific vertigo of an outcome you’d known was possible but hadn’t believed would ever ring true. “i know. and i know i can’t—i can’t fight you anymore. i’d need a better reason now.”

paige looked at him for a long while.

“she has to forgive you,” she said evenly. “not me. her. you’re her brother, and she loves you, and that’s the battle. so whatever you think you owe me—” she paused. “you don’t. you owe her. and when that debt is paid, then i’ll consider letting shit go.”

dakota's throat spasmed. paige thought for a moment she saw his eyes grow wet.

“yeah,” he said, quieter.

there were a lot of things they both knew.

the noon light trickled through the windows and swept across the floor between them, and the apartment was very still, lying in wait, and paige thought: sometimes, this is what the end of disaster looks like. not a reckoning in sight, but only two people in a room with the debris of their history, unable to erase it, deciding what to do next.

“if anything happens to her,” dakota said, and his voice had gone very low, “because of you: because of what you are, what you say, or do, or what comes after you—”

“i know,” paige said.

he met her gaze, earth to water.

“trust me, i know,” paige repeated. “i hold myself to it because that's a deal i’ve struck all on my own. i know what it costs. i'm not—i'm not asking her to pay it without understanding what it is. would never ask her that. ‘m just lucky.”

then,

“she really does love you.”

something in him settled, fractionally; something closer to a line drawn in a place they could both see. dakota nodded, blinking furiously, before bracing his shoulders and turning back toward the door. paige stepped forward, and he paused at the threshold, head tilted in acknowledgment without quite looking back at her.

“she used to write about you,” he said. “before all this. just—in her journal, or whatever. i found it once, when we were kids. she was the worst fucking hider, but i never told her i read it.” his lips quirked, and he shook his head slightly, as if to cast off a ghost. his mouth twisted a little more, but it didn’t ever become a smile. “she's always been like this about you.”

then he left.

paige stood in the open doorway for a moment, the day’s air warm against her face, and felt the sudden sense of fullness from a quality of life that had surprised her by being so readily available; the heavy nature of being chosen by someone who had been quietly choosing her for a very long time.

she closed the door and took off her own shoes, nesting her onitsukas right at the side of azzi’s, and shuffled down the hallway.

with a few motions, paige let her clothes drop to the floor beside her side of the bed, crawling further and further in until she was spooning azzi’s back. she kissed the delicate space behind her ear, careful not to jostle the cartilage above it too much, lest it disturb the fresh pink tourmaline lotus-shaped earring fanning along azzi’s inner conch.

she managed to drag a few sparse strands of hair back from azzi’s face, blinking slower and slower under the strengthening siege of sleep.

and for as long as she could, she watched her baby sleep.

epilogue. ( 10. )

azzi minimized her browser, inserting a pause into her work to shoot a quick slack message to lena from the photo department requesting a selection of portraits for the upcoming bridal editorial.

she was folded in a neat pretzel next to her desk, pencil between her teeth as she glanced at the outline of content spread along the floor. she was trying her best to leave her staff with a structure robust enough to carry through the next two weeks, mitigating her own stress as she focused on aiding production of a new documentary she’d been asked to assist with by a former colleague out in missouri who was on the brink of uncovering a deeply rooted environmental scandal that had been hidden for years.

the rhythm of the herald on this tuesday was a blessedly easy one: the low percussion of keyboards—her tea-green macbook at the forefront—an occasional phone call bleeding through a cubicle wall, someone in the kitchenette running the espresso machine for the third time. (she hoped it wasn’t one of the interns; that could not possibly be healthy.)

azzi had her hair up, curls pinned loosely at the crown in the way she did when she didn’t want to have to think about it for the rest of the day, the rhinestone cross at her throat catching the light from the window every time she shifted. its white ribbon had been tied painstakingly by careful fingers earlier in the morning. the ice blue satin of her pants pooled softly at her ankles. she blended in, as she always did at work, another flower in the office’s wallpaper, no sign of being the one who’d built this place from something failing into something worth having until she allowed it. she was rereading a caption, pencil slipping free as she leaned in to physically mark her printed copy, when the front door opened.

azzi didn't look up immediately—people came and went; that was the nature of a newsroom, even the smallest one—but lena, at the desk nearest the entrance, went quiet, which she seldom did. then cooper from features looked up from his monitor, and the new assistant, whose name azzi kept forgetting (ella? eliza? no—emma.), stopped mid-sentence on a phone call.

azzi glanced up at that and found paige standing just inside the door.

she was in a butter yellow essentials tracksuit, the fabric charmingly worn and slightly oversized as paige preferred; she prioritized comfort rather than public perception most times, which azzi encouraged. her hair was in a sleepy, messy bun, a few platinum pieces escaping at her temples, gone dark at the roots. she had a tote over one shoulder—boat-shaped, white canvas with forest green straps, utterly unremarkable but made differently because paige herself was—and she was scanning around the room with an even, focused expression of someone feeling for something specific.

nobody knew.

that was the thing that struck azzi first, a wave of something so tender it nearly undid her from her core. not a single person in this room knew that the woman standing at the entrance in butter yellow had, months ago, held up a failing skybridge with her bare mind bleeding through her mask all the while. they saw a tall blonde in comfortable clothes, resplendent in beauty and a little out of place, and they looked their fill, as people always looked at paige, and when sated, they broke away to return to their work.

paige’s gaze eventually found her, blue irises landing across the room, softening with ardor. her expression settled in its entirety. a small thing, nearly nothing, and somehow the most intimate thing azzi had ever been given in a room full of other people. for a moment, the world fell away, and there was nothing but them beholden to each other, bodies magnetized by the pure nature of their connection.

azzi found she was now standing, but she wasn't sure when she'd decided to.

paige crossed to her in four long strides, eager and sweet, to set the tote on the edge of her desk with a silken: “hey, mama.”

“hey, gorgeous girl,” azzi said, letting her hand reach out and lace with paige’s.

paige glanced around the office once, briefly, reading the room out of old habit. then she reached into the pale, yawning mouth of the tote and produced a set of glass tupperware alongside a paper bag spotted with grease that smelled, warmly and immediately, of the bakery two blocks from their flat—the one azzi had taken her to the first morning after, and which paige had been returning to alone ever since, which azzi only knew because she kept finding the receipt in the pocket of whichever coat of hers that paige had stolen most recently.

“brought you lunch and a little treat,” paige said. “you keep forgetting.”

“i do not,” azzi refuted on instinct.

paige gave her a look.

“sometimes,” azzi amended.

paige smiled at that, knocking azzi’s hip with a crooked smile (one that still occasionally made azzi lose the thread of whatever she’d been doing) and set the bag down.

“you work too much to be goin’ that long without eating, az.”

“you’re right,” azzi indulged her. then, just to see paige turn pink, she said, “thank you for always taking care of me, baby. i can’t believe i get to have you.”

paige did turn pink, satisfyingly so, the color rising from her throat to her cheeks in a slow tide. she ducked her head with a small, private laugh; that small unlatching, a gift every time azzi drew it out of her.

“stop,” paige said, which azzi knew to mean don't.

“no,” azzi told her simply, “i don’t think i will.”

paige shook her head, still smiling, and began unpacking the bag, every small task a miniature exhibition of love: setting out the tupperware, pale hands smoothing the paper flat, arranging every inch in the manner she’d observed azzi preferring without ever having mentioned it. that was the thing about paige that azzi had never quite found a way to capture, even at her most objective: the quality of attention she gave to people she loved was indistinguishable from the attention she gave to things that mattered most. she didn’t have a different register for it. it was just all the same to her: the city, the people in it, the woman she loved leaning next to her against this custom mahogany desk. all held with the same two hands.

“i put some of the lemon rice in there,” paige said, tapping the smallest glass container. “and there are, like, four raspberry cream chees danishes in the bag. y’know, the ones you said were too sweet last time but then ate three of.”

“i said no such thing.”

paige shot her a dry look.

“uh-huh.”

azzi raised her chin, resolute.

“i don't remember saying that.”

paige let her win, responding only with a “mmhm” borne from the infinite patience of someone deeply in love with a white liar. azzi raised the papers in her hand to cover her mouth, smiling into the copy.

paige zipped the bag and slung it back over her shoulder, and azzi stood to meet her, because she always did now, couldn't quite help the way her body oriented toward her whenever she was in a room. paige cupped her face briefly with one warm hand, tilting it up, and pressed a kiss to her cheek—a candied crush of lips in full view of the entire newsroom, which azzi ignored as she leaned into it, eyes closed as she swanned as close as she could.

“eat,” paige said, against her cheek, before pulling back and pressing another kiss to her temple.

“i will,” azzi said. “pinky swear.”

paige pulled back fully and looked at her for one moment longer, blue eyes clear and satisfied.

“see you at home. have a good day, mama.”

“you too, baby,” azzi told her, interlocking their hands to pull her back in for one last kiss, dusting across her jaw.

then she let paige go, allowing her to turn and make her way back through the office toward the door. she felt a spike of anxiety as she always did, terrified to let paige back into the world in case the next call to action would be her last. but she was learning how to trust it. she watched paige as she went, uncaring of how open she knew herself to appear. azzi was unashamed of her affection; she wished she could find a way to filter it straight into paige’s every vein, let it loop like blood.

she smiled to herself, then turned, her gaze dropping to the desk, only to find another item tucked in between paige’s delivery.

it was her recorder, sitting at the edge of her workspace like a black talisman. but there was something additional taped to it: a small piece of paper, ripped from somewhere, the handwriting on it large and angular in all of its blue-inked glory.

azzi hadn’t put it there. which meant paige had, at some point, in the quiet of the apartment—on some ordinary morning before azzi was awake or after she’d already left—found a piece of paper and written on it and pressed it to the recorder with a sliver of scotch tape and hard rub of her thumb, and then brought it here, to place on the desk while azzi was sufficiently distracted.

azzi reached down and picked it up, letting the flat back lie idle in her palm, dark eyes swallowing the note’s every word.

a little something, just to give it another go. love you. thank you for having me. — p.

© hcneymooners.

[bananaspazzifavs]

yall ally has outdone herself once again...im so...i have no words

[girliblue]

sure as the sun will rise, always - 1/2

pairing: paige x azzi💕

SEQUEL to 'is the moon still in love with the sun?'

"'Do people know about you guys?'

Paige, like the freaking angel that she was, took charge of the conversation again. 'Yeah.' She shrugged casually, 'Private, but not secret.'

She said those words like the whole thing was so simple, even if their dynamic at one point had been far from that. Azzi wished she could tell her old self, even from a few months ago, how much better things got when she stopped giving a shit; when she chose to accept her love for Paige rather than shield it."

... or, the epilogue to the sorority girl azzi x basketball star paige au that no one asked for :)

---------

a/n: title from 'always' by daniel cesar.

thank you guys so much for the words of encouragement during my crappy week. my surgery went well, and i was able to get this done during my recovery!!

however, my brain is still in a fog, so pls ignore any mistakes. I'll come back to fix them :)

as always, thank you for the support, and i hope you enjoy!🤗

wc: 18.5k

tw: sexual content (18+), mentions of grief

--------

part one: 'my love for you ain't going nowhere.'

"just know i'm not afraid..."

“So,” Paige started, gaze locked on the road as she drove them home from their date night. “First home game is tomorrow.” 

Azzi hummed in acknowledgment, biting back a smile as she leaned her head against the window. “Oh is it?” 

Paige’s right hand slid off the steering wheel, searching for Azzi’s thigh in the dark. “Yup. You have any thoughts about it?”

“Not really.” Azzi full-on laughed at the way her girlfriend’s face fell. “P, ‘m kidding! I’m obviously going.” 

Paige’s head snapped toward her, eyes wide, before she forced herself to look back at the road. “Really?”

“Of course.” Azzi shifted in her seat, turning toward her fully now. “I already have a fire wag fit planned too.”

Paige’s grip on her thigh tightened slightly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?”

“‘Cause it’s a surprise, silly.” Azzi slid her hand over Paige’s, guiding it so she could lace their fingers together and giving it a soft squeeze.

Paige squeezed back immediately, her thumb brushing soft circles over Azzi’s knuckles. Practically buzzing in excitement, she breathed out an exasperated, “Can’t wait.”

*

Stepping into Gampel, Azzi was nervous, barely paying attention to her friend’s conversation going on around her. She had a lot on her mind, like how her relationship was still very much on the down low, with her roommates and Paige’s teammates being the only ones who really knew. 

But, she wasn’t feeling the pressure of being a ‘wag’, it was who was in the friends and family section that made her anxious. Paige’s dad was in attendance, with her younger brother Drew, which Paige had casually mentioned the night before. 

She had only met them once before, when they came to visit for Paige’s birthday less than a week after the girls started officially dating. She instantly hit it off with Drew, who she had spoken with occasionally on facetime. The whole night of Paige’s twenty-second, she and Drew basically sat in their own bubble at the restaurant where they went to celebrate (which did indeed make Paige irrationally jealous). 

Paige’s dad was just the sweetest, showing genuine interest in Azzi’s life, especially her background in basketball. And Azzi, who typically hated revisiting that chapter of her past, had no issue talking about the subject, because Paige’s dad was just that easy to talk to. 

It was Paige’s mother that she was worried about seeing. She had heard stories about how things could get rather hostile between Paige’s divorced parents, especially at her games when they were seated in close quarters, which definitely wasn’t helping her anxiety for the evening. She also knew Paige’s mother wasn’t exactly thrilled about her dating Azzi. Not because she was dating a girl, she just felt that her daughter shouldn’t have anything distracting her from basketball (which Paige translated meant she didn’t want her distracted from securing brand deals, or tainting her image). 

Safe to say, Azzi was sweating as her friends found their spots in the student section. 

Bella, noticing that she was off, leaned over the railing of the bleachers to give her a pep talk. “It’s gonna be fine, don’t worry.” She smiled down at Azzi, “You sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

Azzi shook her head. “No, it’s okay.” She flexed her fingers once at her sides, trying to steady them. “Maybe call me with a fake emergency if I’m not back by halftime, though.” 

“I gotcha girl, don’t stress.” Bella gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Just be yourself, Az. It’s impossible not to like you.”

Bella’s words gave her the motivation to start the journey to the other side of the court, and she purposefully took the long way inside to avoid drawing attention to herself. When she reached the bottom of the section, she spotted a woman with a strikingly similar face to her girlfriend. She entered the row, watching as the older woman offered her a short wave. “Azzi.” She spoke in a monotone voice, “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Amy.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” Azzi cleared her throat to collect herself, hating how awkward she felt, standing above Paige’s mom who seemed to be barely tolerating her presence. “Did you just get in?” Azzi knew the answer to this already, but she wasn’t sure what else to say to keep the small talk going. 

“Yes we did. This morning.”

Great, give me nothing, Azzi thought with an internal roll of her eyes. She opened her mouth to ask another mundane question, but before she could, a small weight collided into her back. “Oh!” Azzi laughed, startled. 

“Azzi! Azzi, you’re here!” Drew hugged her fiercely, only letting go so that she could turn around. “I missed you!”

Azzi smiled brightly, ruffling his hair as she turned toward him. “I missed you too! How’re you?”

“Well I was bored before, but now I’m chilling.” He smiled up at her in a way that was so Paige that it almost took her breath away. “Come sit with me and Dad?”

Azzi nodded, looking back toward Amy. “I’ll be back in a little.” Amy barely spared her a glance, just nodded back and stared straight at her phone.

Having been fully debriefed on how the woman could be, Azzi was not at all offended by Amy’s treatment of her. She knew she’d worm her way into her heart eventually, she always found a way, but for now she would just take whatever she could get. Drew led her by the hand to where Bob was sitting a few rows down, already talking a mile a minute about his own basketball season starting. 

“Paigey says you have a really good shot, maybe we could play tomorrow?” 

Her instinct was to inform the seven year old that Paige had technically never seen her shot in person, considering Azzi hadn’t picked up a basketball in years, and she had planned on keeping it that way. But Drew looked so damn excited that, of course, Azzi answered with, “Sure, that sounds fun.”

Bob gave her a long hug when he saw her, and it was such a stark contrast to what she experienced earlier, that her nerves almost completely disappeared by the time she sat down next to Drew.

They caught up on what had been going on in the almost two months since they were last together, meaning it was mostly a recap of Drew’s blossoming social life. It was rather wholesome, except for the incessant teasing Azzi received for how she ‘cheesed’ whenever she talked about Paige. “I can’t help it!” She attempted to defend herself, but that same smile still had yet to leave her face.

“Okay, let me take a picture of you two.” Bob said after a few minutes. Azzi leaned toward Drew, resting her arm around his shoulders, and the two beamed at Bob as he snapped the photo. “Paige’ll be happy to see you in her jersey, I bet.”

Azzi blushed, laughing with a shake of her head. “She’s gonna get a big head about it is more like it.” 

*

Even though their relationship wasn’t a full blown secret anymore, she still found herself trying to keep her reactions to the game toned down at first. But when she saw how over the top the father and son were, she felt right at home to cheer whenever Paige showed off, or to yell when one of the refs made a shitty call. 

And, because she couldn’t help herself, Azzi found herself watching her girlfriend with literal heart eyes, mesmerized by her every move. It was insane sometimes, how beautiful Paige looked when she was doing the thing she loved most. She found every version of Paige beautiful, but there was almost a glow to her when she played, especially in the way she celebrated her teammates' triumphs. It was so Paige, the way she slapped her teammate’s backs when she’d help them to their feet, or slam her chest into them at full force when they made a clutch shot.

Before she knew it, the second quarter was almost over, and Bella had texted her, ‘still need that emergency phone call?’ Azzi found herself not at all in a rush to get back to her friends, and considered staying for the rest of the game. 

But, halftime was approaching, and Paige warned her that there was a solid chance a news reporter (cough cough, Holly Rowe) would end up in the section to interview at least one member of her family. And, although Azzi wanted nothing more than to openly support her girlfriend, ending up on tv during her first official outing felt like a bit too much. 

She said her goodbyes, including to Paige’s mom, who thankfully at least smiled as she said goodbye back. Bella and Nicole were practically buzzing when she got back to the student section, waiting for details like the nosy bitches they were. “So, how was it?”

Azzi filled them in, speaking in a hushed tone so no one around them would hear. She clocked the shift in Nicole’s expression as she finished speaking, her roommate looking at her phone with her lip caught between her teeth. “Nic, what’s wrong?”

Nicole met her eyes briefly, “Um, well…” She passed Azzi over her phone timidly. 

Naturally, because nothing could ever be easy, someone had taken a ‘subtle’ photo of when Azzi and Drew were posing for Bob’s picture earlier. It was on twitter, with the caption, ‘mystery girl with paige buecker’s dad and brother… seems close with the family. maybe a secret campus girlfriend?’

A random user replied to the post, which already had thousands of views, ‘how do yk she was a student?’, to which the original poster replied, ‘she went back over to the student section during the end of the second quarter. but i haven't seen her since.’

“Perfect.” Azzi grumbled, passing the phone back to Nicole. “Whatever, at least my face isn’t in it.”  

*

Azzi waited in the tunnel, playing random games with Drew to pass the time. They had been in an extremely intense game of chopsticks when Paige finally finished with media. She approached her mother first, offering a quick hug with her bag still on her shoulders. Azzi watched as Paige made the rounds, her face rather hardened for a girl who just scored twenty three points and annihilated their opponent. 

But, the second she turned to where Azzi and Drew were waiting, her entire demeanor softened. She crouched down and opened her arms when Drew started running toward her, babbling about how good she played, and how much he missed her.

Then, Paige stood, her features softening even more as blue eyes met brown. Azzi knew something was bothering her just from the way her lip trembled the slightest bit, her heart lurching at the sight. The blonde shrugged her bag off, taking two long strides down the tunnel, and pulling Azzi into a tight embrace. 

Azzi squeezed her back just as fiercely, her hand rubbing circles on Paige’s back the way she knew always calmed the other girl. “So proud o’ you, P.” 

Paige let go far quicker than she would have if they were alone, but she kept one arm lingering above Azzi’s waist as she straightened. “Yeah?”

“Of course, silly. You played so well, and you just seem so… happy.” Paige’s entire face lit up at those words, and for a brief moment it was like they were the only two in the tunnel. She watched blue eyes scan her face, her smile transforming into something far more genuine than whatever she first entered with. 

Drew’s forced cough interrupted the moment. “Okay, that’s enough.” He tugged on Azzi’s wrist, trying to pull the brunette closer to him.

“Bro, are you really tryna steal my girl right now?” Paige scoffed, a genuinely pissed off expression covering her features. 

Azzi had to cover her smile with her hand, amused at how this of all things was making her girlfriend jealous. “Sorry, Paige, but Drew’s replaced you. Right Drew?”

“Yup.” Drew nodded seriously. “Azzi’s my pookie now.”

“Dude, that’s so not funny.” 

*

Azzi had been stressing over the likelihood of them having to go to dinner with Paige’s mom and step-dad after the game, but they didn’t. They simply said their goodbyes in the parking lot, with Paige promising she’d ‘call more.’

“So, they’re not coming with us?” Azzi asked, leaning over to press a quick kiss to Paige’s cheek after she opened the car door for her.

Paige shook her head. “Nah, I only do when she brings my siblings.” She closed the car door before Azzi could respond, leaving her to process that as Paige made her way back around the car and into the driver’s seat.

Choosing not to push, Azzi moved on to the next pressing subject. “Wanna talk about what was bothering you earlier?”

Paige sighed, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. “That picture of you. It’s all over twitter, I got sent it like fifty times.” 

“You can’t tell it’s me at least, just my curls.”

“I know, it’s just…” Her voice trailed off, instead she started to bite at the nail of her thumb.

Azzi reached over, gently pulling her hand and resting it in her lap. “I told you to stop doing that, ‘s not good for you.” She said, starting to play with Paige’s fingers.

“I know, ‘m sorry baby.” Paige apologized in a soft tone, “I jus’ didn’t want this for you. I was hoping to keep you from all that,” She gestured loosely with her free hand, before clutching the steering wheel again, “for as long as I could.” 

Azzi hummed in response, trying to think of the right thing to say. Truthfully, she didn’t care what people said about her online, was pretty skilled at tuning all of that nonsense out. But, Paige was obviously far more accustomed to having random people voice their unwanted opinions, and Azzi had firsthand seen how much that affected her. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little bit apprehensive about all of that.

Paige parked her jeep, turning the car off and exhaling roughly. “I guess I jus’ don’t want you to get scared off again.”

Azzi couldn’t help the pout that appeared on her lips, reaching over to tilt Paige’s chin toward her. “Baby, nothing is ‘gonna scare me off. I’m so sorry that I’ve made you have to worry about that, but I swear I’m here to say.” Still gripping her chin, Azzi leaned forward to peck her lips. “I love you, Paige. And that means that I’ll be here for all of it, the good and the bad. Okay?”

Paige’s eyes were a little watery as she nodded. “Okay, yeah. Sorry this is jus’ where my brain goes sometimes.”

“I get it, I do.” Azzi kissed her again, this time for a little longer, sighing when Paige moved her hand to cup her jaw, deepening it. She pulled back with a smile, “You never commented on my ‘wag’ fit.”

“Sorry, I didn’t wanna say that you look hot as hell in front of half my family.” Paige pressed a kiss to her temple, “You look beautiful, Az, though. Seriously, ‘m so lucky.”

Azzi blushed, feigning casualty. “Just something I threw together.” This was a total lie, it had taken her, Nicole, and Bella almost an hour to land on the outfit she ended up choosing. She did her own hair, a half-up half-down with a red bow tied at the back of her head. The outfit was the hard part, but she ended up choosing to wear Paige’s jersey over a cropped white long sleeve, tucking the jersey into the shirt so that her midriff was showing. She paired it with a jean skirt and knee high boots, and the cross necklace Paige gifted her for ‘no reason’ the other day. 

“Okay let’s go eat, I needa grub now.”

—-

A little over a month later fell on Azzi’s twenty-first birthday, and Paige was determined to make the day as perfect as possible. She knew how much the change in dynamic with her roommates had been affecting her, how much she worried that Maria would drop the bomb that would shift everything.

As far as she had told Paige, none of her ‘sisters’ knew, but Azzi hadn’t been to any social events in weeks. Partially to avoid Maria in general, but Paige also knew she worried that some of the girls might start questioning her, especially after that photo of Azzi and Drew started circulating. 

Paige certainly wasn’t complaining about this, since Azzi was willingly spending her weekends with her, usually at her dorm. She had integrated herself with Paige’s teammates even more than before, to the point where they were always nagging Paige to invite her over. And when the Fudd girl would actually come, they each demanded her attention, talking over one another just to get a second with her. Considering Paige was never any good at sharing, this usually resulted in her giving attitude from across the room, until Azzi would just laugh, tease her a little, and kiss it better.

The weekend before Azzi’s birthday, Paige had an away game, and she humbly assumed this would encourage Azzi to take the leap and start going out with her sorority again. However, when Paige called her after the game to hear about her night, she found out that her girlfriend had stayed in and spent the night alone. 

One thing about Paige was that she didn’t play about the people she cared about. And when it came to Azzi of all people, fucking forget about it. So, with the help of Nika and Jana, she crafted a plan to make sure Azzi had the best twenty-first possible.

Which is how Paige found herself at a coffee shop just outside of campus, waiting at a table for the dead last people she ever thought she’d be willingly spending time with.

Okay, that was dramatic. She was learning to tolerate Nicole (she could finally remember the girl’s name which was a huge step in the right direction), and she always had fucked with Bella. It was Maria that she had no desire to see. 

She honestly figured Maria wouldn’t bother to show up with the other two, after she never responded in the group chat. But sure enough, there she was, trailing behind Bella and Nicole as they approached the table. 

“Ima jus’ get right into it.” Paige started, leaning back in her chair slightly once the girls took their seats. “I’m planning Azzi’s birthday, and I need your help.”

“You want my help?” Maria asked in genuine confusion.

Paige nodded. “You’re the most important part of my plan, actually. Listen, I know you have your thoughts, which is crazy to me, but you do you I guess.” She shook her head once, “But if you care about Azzi at all, you’ll make things right before her birthday.”

“Make things right, how?”

“You haven’t told anyone about her right? Or about her and me?”

Maria shook her head slowly. 

“And why is that?”

Maria picked at the label of her coffee cup. “I still love her, I jus… I’m still weirded out.”

Paige exhaled through her nose, choosing to bite her tongue and keep her mouth shut. “Well, even though I think you’re the worst, I trust Azzi’s judgement. And she clearly saw something good in you to live with you for two years now.” She leaned forward on her elbows, “So, even if you don’t apologize, can you please jus’ tell her you won’t out her?”

“Is that why she hasn’t come to anything in awhile?” Bella asked, brows furrowing.

Paige nodded. “Yeah.” She looked back at Maria, “Can you do that for me? Before this weekend?”

Maria took a long sip of her coffee, then leaned back in her chair. “Okay. I can do that.”

“Thank you.” Paige let out a sigh of relief. “Now, here’s what I need from the rest of you.”

Not even a full day later, Paige received a facetime from Azzi, practically glowing on the other end, telling her about the ‘super productive’ conversation she had with Maria, and how much better she felt. Smiling, Paige asked, “So you ‘gonna go out this weekend?”

Azzi scrunched her nose a little, “Eh, I’d rather hang out with you. Y’know, it is a special weekend.”

“Really?” Paige raised a brow, fighting a grin. “Why’s that?”

“Paige!”

“I’m jus’ messing with you!” Paige chuckled, watching as Azzi gave a full blown pout on the other end of the call. “I would go out with you.”

Azzi sighed, running a hand through her curls. “But I’d rather just, like, get dinner and chill with you.”

Of course this was the one time that Azzi Fudd, the literal social chair of her sorority, was adamant about not being social. In an attempt to stick to her carefully crafted plan, Paige exclaimed, “But you’re fucking turning twenty one! You have to go and drink legally!”

“I’ve done enough illegal drinking to last a lifetime, I think.” 

Paige, in a last ditch effort, pulled out the big guns. With a pout of her lips and her best puppy dog eyes, she pleaded, “But I wanna celebrate you f’real. And that means going out.”

And Azzi, thankfully, caved. “Fine.”

*

Azzi woke to the feeling of familiar lips pressing softly all over her face. She kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep to just soak in how lucky she was to start her birthday like this. 

“I can see you smiling.” Paige murmured into her neck, nibbling slightly beneath her pulse point. Azzi’s smile grew, opening her eyes to find her girlfriend already looking at her. “There she is.” Paige leaned down to brush a soft kiss against her lips, “Happy birthday, pretty girl.”

“Thank you, P.” Azzi attempted to slide out of her hold, but Paige clearly had other plans, slinging a muscular quad over her waist to keep her in place. “I needa brush my teeth!”

“Do it later.”’

“Then I’m not kissing you.” 

“‘S fine by me, I was planning on using my mouth for other things.” Paige wiggled her eyebrows, laughing when Azzi tried to shove her, instead catching her wrist and pinning it to the mattress. “C’mon Az, lemme give you a birthday gift.”

Knowing Paige as well as she did, she knew that if she didn’t give in, Paige would just nag her until she did. (Plus she may or may not really want that birthday gift). So, with an exaggerated sigh, she conceded. 

Azzi spent the morning of her twenty-first birthday in pure bliss, with her favorite person between her legs, eating her in such an attentive way it nearly brought her to tears. When the finally shuffled out into the kitchen, the room was covered in various decorations, her favorite muffins waiting for her on the counter, and a bouquet of roses sat on the center of the table. She traced the edge of an envelope resting against the vase with her name written in Paige’s handwriting. 

“When’d you do all this?” Azzi asked, biting into a blueberry muffin. 

Paige brushed a crumb from the corner of her mouth with a fond smile. “Was able to get some of this done before practice, and your roommates helped with the rest.” 

Azzi’s heart soared at the idea of Paige doing all of this just for her, just to make her feel special. “Thank you, baby.”

*

Azzi was finishing the last touch of her makeup when a knock sounded at her door. “Come in!” She called over her shoulder, preoccupied with filling in her brows. 

“Hey.” 

Azzi stilled at the sound of Maria’s voice, her essentially estranged friend being the last person she was expecting to walk into her bedroom. She looked back at her through the mirror, “Hey.”

Maria hovered for a second before sitting at the foot of the bed, her posture a little awkward. “I jus’ wanted to say happy birthday, since I haven’t seen you yet today.” 

Bella and Nicole took her to lunch earlier, insisting that the entire day needed to be spent celebrating her. And since Paige had to leave for lift, Azzi certainly wasn’t going to say no to getting mimosas with her friends. Maria, on the other hand, chose to stay back, claiming she needed to ‘rest’ before they went out. 

“Thank you.” Azzi replied, turning in her chair to face the other girl fully. “And thanks for coming out with us tonight. I’ve missed you.” 

It was true, Azzi really had missed Maria, even after everything that went down between the two of them. Recently, she’d seen glimpses of the friend she thought she could trust, especially within the past week. Like last night, when Azzi was trying to pick out what to wear for her birthday, Maria offered her a pink bodysuit to go with the belt she’d just gotten. 

The bodysuit Azzi was currently wearing. “My top looks good on you.” Maria said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And I’ve missed you, too.”

*

Azzi was freaking out. That was the best way to describe her nerves for the evening, which she was doing a terrible job of hiding based on the way she downed two shots in less than thirty seconds. “Whoa, chill there birthday girl. We’ve got a long night ahead of us.” Bella teased, nudging the shot glass away from Azzi.

“I know, ‘m just a little anxious.” Azzi looked over toward the window again, trying to see if anyone had arrived yet. “It’s like my two worlds are colliding, and it’s just.. a lot.” 

When her roommates insisted on hosting a big pregame before leaving for the bar, Azzi was hesitant for several reasons. The biggest being that she had never overlapped her circles before, save for the few times Bella had hung out with Paige’s teammates. But now the entirety of the UConn women’s basketball team was on their way to her house, where at least twenty of her friends already were. 

Most of her sisters still didn’t know full details about her and Paige, but she knew they were bound to be confused as to why the entire team was included in the group chat she made. Plus, rumors that she was the girl from that stupid viral photo had definitely been swirling, and she was preparing herself for people to paying too much attention to they way the two girls interacted tonight.

She also hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk to Paige about how exactly they were supposed to interact tonight either. So, pretty much, she just needed to get super fucked up to stop overthinking and actually enjoy herself. Thankfully, Nicole was on her same wavelength, handing Azzi a very large glass filled with something extremely strong. “What is this?” Azzi grimaced after taking her first sip. 

Nicole only smirked, leaning her hip against the counter. “Just drink it, you’ll thank me later.” 

The house was already packed with their friends, some girls sitting on the couch talking, others playing a game of pong, using the kitchen table as a makeshift setup. Azzi made the rounds, thanking people for coming, catching up with some of her friends she hadn’t seen in ages. 

She was talking to her friend Ryan when it happened. Azzi felt the energy of the room shift, turning her head instinctively toward the door, assuming the team had arrived. But, it wasn’t them, instead Matt and his friends were strolling through the entrance of her home. 

“I didn’t know they were coming.” Ryan said, following Azzi’s gaze.

“Me either.” Azzi muttered, her grip tightening on the glass she had been nursing.

It really wasn’t that big of a deal that their guy friends were there, if anything Azzi was excited to see them. It was just that she hadn’t seen Matt since they their ‘just friends’ conversation, and the last thing she needed tonight was for him to start something with Paige. 

Matt spotted her almost immediately, making his way over and pulling her into a side hug. “Sup, birthday girl!” 

“Hey.” Azzi said, barely hugging him back.

He scanned the kitchen, “Make me a drink?” 

“I’ll get you a beer,” she said flatly, already turning away. “That’s the best I can do.”

“Sounds perfect.”

She handed it to him from the fridge, grabbing her own beer, while he immediately launched into a story about his new pledge class. “Dude, this kid had the nerve to say ‘no’ when we asked him to do sum’. Isn’t that crazy?”

“Wow.” Azzi said dryly, taking a long sip of her cup.

He kept on with his rant, babbling about nonsense that Azzi had no interest in hearing about. She didn’t realize how tense she was until a familiar presence slid in beside her. “Hey, Az.” Paige leaned against the counter, bracing her arm behind Azzi, not touching, but making a clear statement. 

Azzi immediately leaned back into her, her shoulders brushing Paige’s bicep. Azzi leaned back so that her back made contact with Paige’s bicep. “Hi, P.” She let her eyes drag over her quickly, then again slower, swallowing thickly as she took her in.  Paige looked unreal, wearing a cropped blue tank top, paired with white sweats that were hanging off her waist in a ridiculously hot way. She glanced up into blue eyes, which were almost in a laugh, Paige tilting her head with an amused shake at Matt still standing beside them.

“Sup, Paige.” Matt interrupted their silent exchange. “We’ve met before, Ion know if you remember.” 

Paige gave him a short nod back. “Yeah. I remember.” Her attention was immediately back on Azzi, “Can I give you my present now?”

Azzi hadn’t even realized that Paige had been holding a, rather large, gift bag. “Sure, let’s go to my room.” She glanced back at Matt briefly, “I’ll find you later.” 

She heard Paige scoff at that, but chose to ignore it, instead leading the two of them down the hallway and into her room. Paige placed the bag on Azzi’s dresser, “‘I’ll find you later.’” She mimicked Azzi’s voice in a terrible impression. “Yeah, like hell you will.”

Azzi just giggled, looping her arms around Paige’s neck. She took in the sight of her girlfriend again, “I love when you wear blue.” She said, letting out a soft sigh when Paige’s hands tightened at her waist. 

“I love you in anything, baby.” Paige pulled Azzi even closer, placing a possessive kiss against her lips. 

She tasted like cherries, presumably from pre-ing the pre with a dirty sherley. And Azzi fucking loved it, licking further into her mouth to capture the taste. She nibbled on Paige’s bottom lip before pulling away, “Alright,” she breathed, still close, “so what’d you get me?”

Paige laughed, “I see how it is.” She tugged Azzi by the hand over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it and handing over the gift bag. “Open the bigger box first.”

Azzi did as she was told, removing the pink tissue paper and sliding off the top of the larger one. Inside was a Coach purse, and not just any Coach purse, the one she had been contemplating pulling the trigger on for weeks now, but ultimately decided it wasn’t worth the giant price tag. “Paige…”

Paige’s face dropped slightly. “Is it the wrong one? ‘Cause we have thirty days to exchange it and - -”

Azzi cut her off by leaning forward and pressing a firm kiss to her lips. “Paige, it’s perfect.” She kissed her again, softer this time. “But it’s so expensive, I feel like I can’t accept it.”

“Baby, ‘s chill, I swear.” Paige brushed a few curls off her shoulder. “Just wanna make you happy.”

Azzi did her best to fight the tears that were threatening to pour over. She still found herself being taken aback by the level of Paige’s thoughtfulness, or just how pure the older girl’s heart was. Not only did she buy the bag Azzi had maybe mentioned once in front of her, Paige always considered Azzi’s needs, was always doing anything to make her smile. Sometimes she felt like she didn't deserve someone like Paige, someone so effortlessly kind in everything she did.

“I love you.” She whispered, resting her forehead on a body shoulder.

Paige kissed her temple. “I love you too, baby. Now open the other one.”

Azzi lifted with a coy smile. “I’m so spoiled.”

“Hell yeah you are.”

Azzi giggled, taking the lid off of the smaller box. Once again, she was at a loss for words. Inside the delicate jewelry box was a silver necklace, complete with a diamond-encrusted charm. Azzi’s finger outlined the ‘5’, “I love it.”

Paige leaned forward a little, watching her reaction closely.  “You do?” Azzi nodded fiercely, already turning around and gathering her hair. “Put it on for me?” 

Paige huffed out a quiet laugh as she took it from her hands. “You don’t have to,” she murmured, even as her fingers brushed against the back of Azzi’s neck, carefully fastening it anyway.

Her hands lingered for a second after, thumbs brushing lightly over the skin of her shoulders and placing a soft kiss on the crook of her neck.

Azzi moved to see what it looked like in the mirror, and her face literally hurt from smiling so much. “It’s perfect.”

—

The walk to the bar was interesting, to say the least. It was only ten minutes, but there was a very distinguished separation. At the front of the group was Azzi, Paige (naturally) glued to her side, as close as she could be without touching. The rest of the team surrounded them, along with Bella tucked somewhere in the mix, already deep in conversation with Jana.

The rest of her friends, including Nicole and Maria, trailed behind with all the guys. It bothered Azzi a little, but if it was going to keep the peace with everyone, then so be it. The closer they got to the bar, the more fidgety Paige got, as if she was nervous. 

“They usually let me and the team cut the line,” Paige said, gesturing casually up the sidewalk, even though Azzi could hear the slight waver in her voice. “But I doubt they’ll let everyone.”

Azzi shrugged, bumping her shoulder lightly into hers. “It’s fine, it’ll be karma for them being all weird.”

Paige laughed in response, leading them toward the front of the line. “Sup, Malachi.”

“Yo, PB!” The bouncer practically beamed, stepping forward to dap her up. “This your crew?” 

“Yup.” Paige said, motioning behind her. “We all good?”

“All good.” He stepped aside, pulling the door open wider. “Keep being great, guys.”

They rest of them said their thanks as they entered the bar. “Of course when I’m finally twenty one they don’t even check my id.” Azzi said, letting Paige drag her through the crowd. “At least - - what the fuck.”

She was rendered speechless taking in the sight before them; an entire section blocked off in the back of the bar, covered in pink decor, a banner that said ‘Happy 21st Azzi!’, and a specialty cocktail menu labeled ‘the princess’s picks.’ 

Bella nudged Azzi in her side whispering so only Azzi could hear, “Pays off to have a rich girlfriend who’s pussy whipped, huh?”

Azzi gasped in shock, fighting every urge to slap her roommate. Actually, she did end up smacking her, knowing she couldn’t retaliate on the princess’s birthday of all days. “Shut your mouth.” 

*

The night was turning out to be perfect, probably one of the best birthday’s Azzi had ever had. Surprisingly, none of the conflicting types of people that were present had any issues, if anything everyone was getting along great. 

And, at the heart of it all, was her stupidly perfect girlfriend. Paige stayed at her side for most of the night, getting more relaxed with her touch the more she drank. Which led her to now, dancing outside of their closed off section near the rest of the bar, not a care in the world. 

Paige had her hands resting just above the pockets of Azzi’s jean skirt, and Azzi could physically feel the restraint the older girl was exhibiting. A slower song came on, one that made Paige pull her closer to whisper, “Wanna kiss you so bad, baby.” 

Azzi just hummed, stepping back and dragging her by the hand. “Should’ve just asked then.” 

She swayed her hips purposefully as she led them toward their familiar spot, the junk closet that was typically left empty since no one really knew about it. 

The second the door clicked shut, Paige was on her, large hands slipping underneath the hem of Azzi’s skirt, cupping the dip where her ass met her thigh. “Love you so much, Az.”

Azzi, also in a hurry to touch skin, sprawled her hands against Paige’s abs, watching as they flexed under her touch. “I love you too, P.” She moved her hands to the small of her back, tugging her closer and kissing her sweetly. “Thank you for tonight.” 

“It was nothin.’” Paige looked straight at the floor, that shy smile she only ever bore around Azzi creeping out. “I’m happy when you’re happy.”

Azzi huffed a small laugh, shaking her head. “You’re such a sap.”

“Shut up.” And Azzi did, surging back up to kiss Paige, licking into her mouth and moaning at the feeling of their tongues sliding against one another. 

They stayed like that, Azzi pressed against the wall, Paige’s thigh moving every so often between her legs. Just when Azzi was about to throw all self respect out the window and demand Paige get on her knees, her phone rang from her back pocket. 

Paige whined when Azzi pulled away, holding her still by her chin. “Ignore it.” 

“I can’t,” Azzi said, slightly breathless, already reaching behind her. “It’s my mom. Haven’t talked to her all day. 

Paige pouted, jutting her bottom lip out in the way that usually got Azzi to give in to whatever she wanted. “But ‘m doin’ some of my best work here.”

“And you can continue when we get back to my house.” Azzi gave her one last kiss, having to push Paige off her so she could escape the closet and answer her phone before it went to voicemail. “Hey, Mom.”

“Happy birthday!” Her mom’s voice echoed into her ear, “Can we facetime? I want to see my twenty-one year old.” 

Azzi let out a small chuckle, already moving toward the back door, needing a little space away from the noise inside. “Sure.” She pushed the door open with her shoulder, stepping out into the cool air. She clicked on the facetime button, smiling when her mom’s face filled her screen. “Hi again.” 

They caught up for a few minutes, Azzi filling her mom in on the special parts of her day, but carefully leaving out the fact that Paige was the reason for most of it. 

Eventually, her mom paused mid-sentence, her lips twitching into a knowing smile as she shook her head slightly. Azzi gave her a puzzled look. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just… that necklace is new right?”

And of course, her mother noticed the sparkling ‘5’ charm that was resting at the center of her chest. Azzi subconsciously reached for it, spinning the number in between her fingers. “Yeah,” She attempted casualty, “I got it today.” 

“Hmm,” Her mom gave another knowing smile, tilting her head. “I wonder from who.” 

Azzi groaned, smacking her palm to her forehead. “Mom, can we not do this right now?”

“Hey, I’ve been extremely patient. I didn’t say anything after that awkward encounter back in August, and I haven’t even brought it up since then.” 

That technically was true, her mom had tried to talk to her about it right after Paige had left that fateful morning, but Azzi shut down immediately. And, thankfully, she hadn’t brought it up since then. Until tonight.

“You’ll meet her eventually.” Azzi said, quieter this time, hoping this would be enough to hold her over for now.

“And who exactly is she to you?”

Azzi paused, her free hand gripping the railing in anticipation. “My girlfriend.” She whispered, eyes looking anywhere but back at her phone screen. “Does that bother you?” 

There was a small pause, and Azzi watched as her mom placed her phone down so she could see better. “Honey, of course not. I don’t care who you’re with as long as you’re happy.” Her mom smiled warmly. “You’re dad would’ve said the same thing.”

The mention of her dad completely threw her, and she suddenly felt like the ground beneath her was about to cave in. Her grip on the railing loosened, subconsciously taking a few steps back. “Okay, I gotta get back inside.” She said abruptly. 

Her mom’s expression shifted, concern flashing for a second. “Alright, honey. Happy birthday, again, and text me when you get home.”

“I will. Love you.” 

“Love you too!” 

The second she hung up, Azzi fell back against the wall, leaning down until she was sitting against the concrete floor. Her breaths came out uneven despite her best efforts to regulate them, and she couldn’t see two feet in front of her.

Because that was the first time she thought about her father all day. It was her fourth birthday without him, and the past few years, all she could do was think about him; how much she missed him, wished she could call him, wanted him there.

But today she hadn’t thought about him at all. And that was fucking terrifying. This wasn’t exactly a new feeling, she often felt like she was slowly forgetting him the more time passed. Just a few months ago, she had a breakdown when she couldn’t remember what his laugh sounded like, having to find an old video in her snapchat memories to jog her memory. 

Now a whole day went by, an important milestone at that, and she hadn’t thought about him until the day was almost over? 

She shot up to her feet quickly, wiping furiously at the tears she didn’t even realize had fallen. Her instinct was to bolt, to send a few texts and go home on her own. 

But, she had been working so hard on being better for Paige, at letting her in fully, even when it wasn’t easy for her to do so. 

So, fighting her own brain, Azzi texted her girlfriend. 

azzi fudd🤓

can we go soon?

im out back 

Less than a minute later, she got a response. 

paige bueckers💕

closing our tab n then i’ll be right out 

Azzi waited outside the bar, leaning against the railing and taking deep breaths. She doesn’t know how long she stayed like that, but some minutes later the back door swung open, revealing a concerned Paige. 

Paige approached her slowly, placing a hand over Azzi’s on the railing. “Hey, birthday girl.” 

“Not my birthday anymore.” Azzi clicked on her phone to show the time, ‘12:31 am.’

When she glanced up, Paige’s expression had shifted, her mouth twisted and eyes still staring at Azzi’s phone. “Your lock screen.”, was all she said, voice soft. 

And now she understood, because Azzi changed both her lock and home screen to be a photo of the two of them. It was from a night out a few weeks earlier, where Bella had taken a candid of them standing outside the bar and waiting for their uber. 

“Oh.” Azzi’s entire mood shifted, the pain from earlier transitioning into that butterfly feeling only Paige could evoke from her. “D’you like it?” 

Paige’s jaw dropped as if to say ‘duh’, while she turned on her own phone. “Changing mine right now.”

“Hmm,” Azzi hummed, watching her for a second, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Guess I beat you to it.”

“Whatever.” Paige rolled her eyes, but there was no real bite to it, her focus still on her phone. Her free hand found Azzi’s almost absentmindedly, fingers sliding into hers like it was second nature. “Walk or uber?”

“I could walk.” 

Azzi was grateful that Paige was distracted with the task of selecting the perfect wallpaper for her phone, leaving the pair to simply walk in silence at first. But, once she landed on the photo of them taken just hours earlier in front of the birthday sign she had made, reality crept back in. 

“You okay, baby?” Paige asked, glancing over at her, her smirk softening just slightly as she nudged Azzi with her shoulder. “Considering we just Irish goodbyed your party.”

The brunette contemplated how to answer that, because she was okay. She was over the moon for the effort Paige had put into this entire day, making her feel like the most special girl in the world. She didn’t want to come off as ungrateful by focusing on the one thing that went wrong. 

But, because she genuinely had a superpower of reading Azzi’s mind, Paige added, “It’s just me, Az. I’m not ‘gonna judge, everyone has those moments on their birthday. Me especially.”

Azzi glanced up at her, brows knitting slightly. “Really?”

Paige nodded. “I always cry on mine.”

She knew what she was trying to do, trying to make Azzi feel like she could open up, but it was still so hard. It always felt weird, talking to someone who had never lost a parent before, someone who didn’t fully understand. 

So, she opted for the more simplified version. “I guess ‘m just missing my dad.” 

“Oh, Az…” Paige murmured, turning toward her fully, her expression shifting instantly.

She stepped closer, her free hand coming up to cup the side of Azzi’s face for a second before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn’t - - do you wanna talk about it?”

Azzi dragged Paige by the hand so they started walking again. “It’s still so hard to believe, y’know? Like, he’s been gone four years but I still subconsciously found myself waiting for him to call.”

Paige squeezed her hand, “We could… pray for him maybe? When we get inside?” Paige said, unsure of herself, eyes darting anywhere but at Azzi.

The Fudd girl found herself having to squeeze her eyes shut to keep tears at bay, her heart soaring from how soft Paige was being. “I’d love that, P.” 

*

Back inside her bedroom, fresh faced and in the new pajamas Paige had bought her (another gift to add to the collection at this point), the two girls kneeled and bowed their heads at Azzi’s bedside. 

“You wanna start?” Paige asked softly. 

Azzi shook her head, “No, you go’head.”

“Dear Lord,” Paige started, “Firstly, we ask that you continue to offer Azzi’s dad nothing but joy and eternal peace from where he rests with you.” 

Azzi felt her chest tighten immediately, her eyes squeezing shut as she listened.

“And that he continues to watch over Azzi, as her own special guardian angel. We also thank you for gifting Azzi with another year of life, and I ask, since we all know she’s too selfless to do this herself, that you make this her best year yet.” 

Paige paused, angling her head toward Azzi. “You have anything to add?” When Azzi shook her head, Paige bowed her head again, both of them doing the sign of the cross and sealing the prayer with an “Amen.” 

Paige climbed into bed first dramatically, settling back into their familiar banter. “I’m ‘gonna be honest, Ion know how I just pulled that off. I’m pretty hammered.” 

Azzi let out a small laugh, standing there at the edge of the bed. “Actually…” she paused, glancing toward the door. “I’ll be right back.”

The blonde’s face fell, probably sensing the change in her demeanor, pushing herself up onto her elbows. “You okay? Need anything?”

Azzi planted her hands against the pillow, leaning forward to kiss Paige’s forehead. “I’m okay, I’ll be back in a minute.” She gave her forehead another kiss before exiting the room. She grabbed a zip-up on the way out, opening the front door and moving to sit on the porch. 

She took a long exhale, looking up toward the sky with a bittersweet smile. “Hey Dad.” Azzi shook her head to herself, clearing her throat to steady her voice. “This feels silly, but I have complete faith that you can hear me.” She leaned back on her hands, “I just really miss you, and there’s so much I wanna share with you. But, the biggest thing in my life right now is my girlfriend. Her name’s Paige, but I have a feeling you already know that - - I sorta think that you sent her to me.” She found herself smiling now at just the mere thought of her girlfriend. “She’s so similar to you, always looking out for me, always doing anything she can to make me laugh. And I, Ion know, I’m pretty sure she’s it for me.”

“But anyways, I just wanted to say sorry.” Her voice cracked with the emotional words. “I haven’t talked to you in awhile, and I feel like I’m slowly forgetting you sometimes.” Azzi wiped at a tear with her sleeve. “But I love you and I miss you so much, ‘specially tonight.” 

When she stood, she paused before opening the door, looking back at the sky for another moment. “I love you, Dad.”

The door clicked softly behind her as she stepped back inside.

Paige’s head immediately turned, dropping her phone onto the bed the second she saw her. “Hey,” she said, sitting up. “You okay?”

Azzi nodded, allowing herself to be pulled on top of the other girl, tucking her face into Paige’s neck. “I’m good. Just wanted to talk to my dad.”

Paige let out a sigh, the one she used when she wanted to extract the pain Azzi was feeling and take it on herself. She flattened Azzi’s curls with her hand, kissing at her hairline. “Did you have a good birthday, baby?”

Azzi lifted just enough to meet blue eyes, caressing her cheek with a manicured thumb. “The best.”

—---

Paige, despite being one to do her best to stay positive, was having a royally awful day. Practice that morning was brutal, her entire body was sore (and not in the good way, her and Azzi hadn’t fucked in almost a week and that was not helping her stress), and she got a stellar 59 on her marketing exam.

But the cherry on top was the phone call she had just received, in which her mother informed Paige that she and her siblings were no longer coming to their game that Saturday - - a result of a petty fight between mother and daughter. 

Trudging up the steps to her apartment, the only thing on her mind was plugging her dead phone in so she could call her girl. She dramatically swung the door open, ready to start ranting to whichever roommate was unlucky enough to be hanging in the living room, when she heard one of her favorite sounds in the entire world. 

Azzi’s laugh, bubbly and dorky, echoed right into her ears as she stepped into her apartment. Suddenly Paige’s shoulders were relaxed, a smile had found its way onto her face, and she completely forgot about what had been bothering her in the first place. 

Azzi’s back was facing her, so Jana was the first to spot her. “Oh, hey P. Sorry, I stole your girlfriend.”

Paige was fully prepared to fire back some form of a sarcastic remark, but her mind went static the second Azzi shifted, her doe eyes being the only thing Paige could focus on. “Hi.” Azzi smiled, a small blush forming on her cheeks. “Wanted to be here when you got back.”

Paige crossed the room, stopping above Azzi to kiss her hairline. “Why’re you so perfect?” 

Azzi’s blush deepened, and Paige nearly melted with cuteness aggression when the brunette dropped her head into her hands. Her words were muffled, “Stop saying things like that.” 

“Alright, I’ve seen enough.” Jana rolled her eyes dramatically as she stood. “Y’all want the couch?”

“Nah,” Paige said immediately, not even looking away from Azzi. “We’re going to my room and not coming out again.”

Jana popped a hand on her hip. “Um, no you’re not.”

Paige’s brow furrowed, “Whatcha talkin’ about?”

“Team dinner, silly.”

Fuck, Paige totally forgot. “Well,” she said, already shifting closer to Azzi, her hand brushing against her wrist, “Azzi’s here, and I’m not leaving her, so - -”

“Oh, I’ll be good, P.” Azzi cut in, glancing up at her.Don’t worry ‘bout me.”

Paige shot her a look, pissed that Azzi was not catching the hint. 

Jana spoke before Paige could formulate an excuse, “Nah, she can come. Aubrey’s bringing Lucy and Carlie’s bringing her new girl. ‘S very chill.”

Paige, still not in the mood, was ready to reject the idea entirely, but one glance back down at Azzi, and she knew the younger girl wanted to go. Which, don’t get her wrong, made her extremely happy, this was just not how she envisioned she was going to spend her evening. 

“Alright, we’ll go.” She finally gave in, tugging on Azzi’s wrist again to lift her off the couch. “Now can we please take a nap?” 

“Yes, you big baby.” 

*

The team split up between three cars, one of them naturally being Paige’s. Which, thanks to Azzi’s lack of punctuality when it came to getting ready, meant they were some of the last to arrive. “Sorry we’re late, my girl doesn’t know the meaning of ‘make haste.’” Paige complained, shuffling behind Azzi to sit at one of the open chairs in the middle.

“It’s not my fault you didn’t communicate what time the reservation was!”

“Okay, but I did tell you we had twenty minutes before leaving!”

Nika snicked from across from them. “You guys bicker like an old married couple.”

Paige opened her mouth to counter with a remark about the third guy Nika had introduced to the group in less than a couple weeks (which she was about to make in front of said third guy), but ended up choking on air when she saw who was approaching the table.

*A*

Azzi clocked Paige’s change in posture right as it happened, the way she turned ghostly pale on the flip of a dime. She followed the blonde’s gaze toward the other end of the table, which only confused her more. Carlie, a senior transfer on the team, was now there, some dark-haired girl Azzi didn’t recognize at her side. 

“Guys, this is Gemma.” Carlie introduced the girl, who shyly waved toward the table filled of the Uconn women’s basketball team and some of their significant others. 

Azzi looked over at Paige again, whose grip on her glass was definitely tight enough to break it. “Hey,” Azzi placed a hand on Paige’s bicep, letting go quickly when her girlfriend flinched at the movement.

Paige’s shoulders fell, some of the color returning to her face. “Sorry, didn’t meana jump.”

“Are you good?” Azzi asked, her voice softer now, searching her face.

“Fine.” She shot back far too quickly for Azzi’s liking. 

Dinner carried on, and it mostly consisted of the normal shenanigans that Azzi had become fond of in recent months. The only thing that was off was Paige; the one who normally commanded the attention of the entire room, who usually lit up in social situations like this, was practically mute. She only spoke when spoken to, and also barely picked at the grilled chicken she ordered.

Azzi pulled Paige’s plate closer, replacing it with her own dish of penne vodka. Paige looked over at her with that dorky smile, “You sure?”

“Yeah, you need to bulk a little, P.” Azzi squeezed at her bicep (which, to be honest, was actually rather muscular, and Azzi had to bite her lip to control herself when she felt it), “So eat up.”

Shockingly, Paige didn’t complain or offer a sarcastic comment back, she just started funnelling pasta in her mouth and coughing out a ‘thank you, baby.’

*

It was when the team was leaving the restaurant that things got weird. The group had stopped in the parking lot for a moment, debating on which ice cream place to go to for dessert. Azzi turned around when she felt a poke on her shoulder. 

It was Gemma, the girl that Carlie had brought. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” Azzi, who had lost track of Paige a few minutes ago, nodded, hesitantly following this random girl a few steps away. Gemma fidgeted with the bracelets on her wrist, “Listen, this is kinda awkward, but I thought you should know that, uh, Paige was like texting me a few months ago.”

“What? When?”

“Back in September.”

Azzi’s shoulders loosened at that, grateful that it had been during their break. She didn’t know what she would do if it was recent, but it would definitely involve getting physically violent. 

Now annoyed that this girl even tried to get in their business in the first place, Azzi popped her hip and asked, “Is that all?”

“I mean,” Gemma shrugged. “I just thought you should know considering she still likes my pictures and shit.”

The irrational part of Azzi wanted to punch this girl square in the face for being overly invasive. But, the more sane section of her brain recognized that she probably just wanted to be a girls-girl, and that she was quite literally dating one of Paige’s teammates. 

“Thanks for telling me, but we’re all good.” She walked past whoever this Gemma girl was, ignoring the scoffed ‘bitch’ that was muttered, still loud enough for Azzi to hear. 

Paige must have noticed the two talking, because she instantly laced her fingers with Azzi’s when she got close enough, leading her toward her jeep. “What about ice cream?” Azzi pouted, genuinely upset at the thought of not getting a sweet treat.

“We can still get ice cream, baby. Just wanna talk to you first.” Paige opened the passenger door for her, waiting until Azzi was fully situated before shutting it and walking back around to the other side.

Nerves began to pool in Azzi’s stomach as she waited for whatever Paige was about to say regarding that extremely weird conversation she had just endured. Paige shifted in the driver’s seat to face the younger girl fully, “Listen, Ion know what Gemma said, but her and I barely talked, it was when we were like broken up or whatever you would call it, and she was like obsessed with me. But that night we smoked together, I stopped answering her and unadded her on snap. Because that’s when I knew I was gonna take you back, so I obviously wasn’t bouta keep texting - -”

Azzi interrupted that long-winded rant by leaning forward and crashing her lips into Paige’s, causing her girlfriend to let out a surprised noise as she melted into it. When she couldn’t stop smiling into the kiss, Azzi let go to study blue eyes. “I believe you. That’s basically what she said anyway.”

Paige let out a sigh of relief, “Thank you, Az. But if you wanna, like, see the texts or something, I’ll deadass show you. I don’t want you to have doubts or anything.”

Azzi shook her head, “I trust you, P.” Then, she was reminded of the only thing that kinda-sorta, maybe (totally) bothered her just a tad. “Maybe stop liking her posts, though.”

“The fuck? I definitely don’t do that.” Paige's face twisted in what appeared to be genuine shock, “Here, I’ll show you.” 

Azzi laughed when Paige pulled her phone from her pocket, cursing under her breath while she pulled up the girl’s instagram. “Paige, I believe you, ‘s okay.”

Paige laid her phone down flat so Azzi could see, and as she scrolled through at least a dozen posts, none of them were liked. The most recent one was almost two years prior, from way before Paige and Azzi even knew each other. 

“Lyin’ on my name like that is crazy. I needa tell Carlie that she’s fucking nuts.” Paige shook her head, still bothered by this, and it was so adorable Azzi couldn’t help but lean over and place a soft kiss on her jawline. 

“Sooo,” Azzi dragged out the word. “Can we get ice cream now?”

“Yeah, lemme just unfollow this bitch real quick.” 

“Paige!” Azzi laughed, trying to stop her. “You’re so dramatic, you really don’t have to - -”

“Nah, going up to my girl like that is crazy. Fade her.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her. “You’re too good to me.”

“Good to you and only you, baby.”

—--

“Fuck, shitttt.” Azzi moaned, back arching even more as Paige continued to pound into her from behind. “Oh my - - Paige!”

“Aye, be quiet.” Paige reprimanded into her ear, bringing a hand to ghost at Azzi’s throat. “Your roommates are right out there.” 

Azzi was aware of this, plus she was pretty sure more of her sisters who were heavily suspicious that Azzi had been the mystery girl Paige was spotted with. But Paige just continued to fuck Azzi better than anything she could’ve imagined, let alone actually experienced before. 

The more she learned Azzi’s body in the year since they started fucking, the more she brought her to new highs she didn’t even know were possible. 

And tonight, Paige, who always had a high libido, was on. Her team had a string of close games, coupled with brutal practices, and she was tightly wound to the max. Which meant she was in a commanding mood, a version of Paige that Azzi fucking loved; loved even more being on the other end of it. 

“Fuck… I can’t - - mmph!” Azzi threw her ass back against Paige’s thrusts, which brought the strap even deeper. “You fuck me too good, P.” 

“Hey.” Paige stopped her movements altogether, scoffing when Azzi let out a loud whimper. “Don’t be a brat.” She barked from behind the younger girl, shuffling slightly. 

Azzi couldn’t see what she was doing from where she was planted on all fours, until her still-soaked panties were being shoved into her face. “Put this in your mouth.” 

Azzi shook her head with a pout. “I don’t wanna, baby. I’ll be quiet, promise.” 

“Did I fucking ask you? Or did I tell you?” 

If anyone else in the world was currently bottomed out inside of her, Azzi would have been embarrassed about the aroused groan she let out, and how even more wet she got from those words. But, even when she was fucking her brains out, Paige never judged Azzi, if anything she encouraged that submissive side of her girlfriend. 

“Okay, sorry baby.” Azzi opened her mouth, letting Paige place the lace thong in between her teeth. 

Paige kissed her shoulder, “Good girl.” She adjusted on her knees, bringing calloused hands back to Azzi’s hips. “Ready f’me again?” 

Azzi nodded eagerly, shivering when Paige brought one of her hands to palm at her tit. 

She squeezed roughly as she pounded back into Azzi, sending brown eyes rolling to the back of her head. With Azzi’s voice now muffled, the sound of the headboard clanging against the wall became louder, so Azzi reached forward to slide a pillow between the edge of her bed and the wall. 

“Mm, so smart. Thank you, baby.” Paige practically growled into her ear, keeping the even rhythm of her thrusts. It took everything in Azzi to keep it chill, wanting nothing more than to scream out in total bliss at how perfectly Paige was hitting that special spot inside of her. 

Paige brought the flat of her hand to Azzi’s abdomen, outlining where she was inside. “Feel that baby? Feel how deep I’m fuckin ya?” Azzi nodded at her words, back arching at the feeling of Paige’s fingers now working her clit. “Fuck, you’re so perfect, Az. Look at all this,” She squeezed at Azzi’s ass, “So full. And it’s mine. Right?”

In loo of a response, Azzi just threw her ass back again, revelling at the low groan Paige let out. “Can feel you getting close, baby.” She whispered into the younger girl’s ear, “You’ve been a good girl, but not good enough. So hold it for me.” 

Azzi bit down harder on the panties in her mouth, physically straining to try and keep her looming orgasm at bay. Just as she was about to be a brat and spit them out, demanding to come, Paige brought her fingers back to Azzi’s pulsating clit. “Now you’ve earned it. Come all over me baby.” 

Azzi let go of the strain in her legs, relaxing so that Paige’s movements would bring her to her climax. And Lord did it feel good, she came in waves as Paige continued to fuck her from behind. Paige brought her hand to Azzi’s mouth, removing the panties, “Can you take a little more? ‘m so close baby.”

If she were being fully honest, her legs were burning and she felt like her insides were going to explode after coming for the fourth time in less than an hour, but she wanted nothing more than for Paige to finish after making her feel that good.

“Flip me over, P.” Azzi said softly. Paige listened, pulling out. When she turned Azzi by her hips, the brunette could’ve literally cried over how soft Paige looked. After having just fucked her senseless, spewing filth in her ear, she now looked like she was seeing Azzi for the first time all over again. “What is it, baby?” 

“Nothing, I just really love you.”

Sometimes Azzi had no idea what the hell went on in Paige’s head, and this was definitely one of those moments. How they got from before to now, she had no clue, but she also softened, bringing a delicate hand to Paige’s forearm. “I love you more.” 

Paige shook her head, “Not possible.” Azzi just rolled her eyes, sitting up to push Paige back against the pillows. “You ridin’ me again?”

“No, you tired me out.” Azzi smacked the side of Paige’s arm with a huff at the smirk that covered her face. “Shut up, and help me get this off?”

“‘m just teasing, I love that you’re my pillow princess.” Paige grumbled, lifting her hips to help Azzi remove the harness. 

When she was free, Azzi placed a soft kiss against Paige’s lips. “Want my mouth?”

The blonde nodded, “Yeah, but ‘m not gonna last, I was pretty close.” 

“Okay, baby. Just relax for me.” Azzi used the voice she knew Paige loved, had openly admitted to how hearing it helped her get off. “Open up for me?” Paige spread her legs, a string of wetness stretching between pale thighs. 

“So wet, I love it.” Azzi kissed her way down Paige’s stomach, pausing in front of her dripping cunt. “Can’t wait to eat you, baby. My perfect girl.” 

Paige threw an arm over her head, but Azzi could still spot the pink in her cheeks. “God, Az. Can’t keep saying shit like that.” 

Azzi just hummed in contentment, thrilled in knowing the effect she had on her girlfriend. She dipped her tongue inside, groaning simultaneously with Paige at the feeling. She began lapping her tongue up and down, her thumb rubbing against Paige’s already twitchy clit. 

After a few minutes of repeating the same motions, Azzi pulled back. “You close baby?” 

Paige nodded, “Yeah, but can you c’mere. And… talk more?”

Azzi smirked, placing a final kiss against Paige’s clit, before climbing back up to the head of the bed. She slid two fingers through Paige’s folds, before sliding inside, watching as Paige bit her lip to keep quiet. 

Azzi kissed her cheek, “So beautiful, P.” She kept pumping her fingers in and out of the girl, shifting so her wrist was sliding against Paige’s clit. “So selfless, too. Fucked me so good, making sure I feel good before even thinking about yourself.” 

Paige turned her head to catch Azzi’s lips, licking against her bottom lip in gratitude. “Y’know Ion care, Az.” 

Azzi added a third finger, her heart soaring in a thousand different emotions when Paige caught her free hand at the change in positioning. She could feel Paige getting closer, could feel the way her walls were clenching tighter against her hand. “Well, I care, and I love you. Love how you take care o’ me, baby.”

“I- oh fuck.” Paige’s eyes squeezed shut as she came, her juices coating Azzi’s hand as she worked the older girl through it. After a minute, she swatted at Azzi’s hand, “Too much.” 

Pulling out, Azzi moved to lay beside her girlfriend, placing a sweet kiss against her shoulder. “You good?” 

“Perfect, actually.” Paige lifted her arm, wrapping it around Azzi and tugging her closer. “Either we’re staying to this side o’ the bed tonight or we need to change the sheets.”

Azzi giggled, looking over to see what Paige was talking about. They had been pretty mobile since Paige arrived in her mood earlier, first eating Azzi out while she finished homework in her desk chair, then fucking her at the foot of the bed twice, then finally with Azzi returning the favor on the side Paige usually slept on.

“We can change the sheets since it’s your rest day tomorrow. I wanna make sure you sleep good.” 

“Trust me, I will.” Paige beamed, smacking an obnoxious kiss to Azzi’s curls, before lifting them both. “Alright, let’s get ready for bed.” 

Azzi stood first, opening the top drawer of her dresser to give Paige a sweatshirt, while the blonde threw her sweats from earlier back on. “Hey! When did you take this?” Paige pretended to scold, “I’ve been lookin’ all over for it.” 

“Oops!” Azzi flashed an innocent smile, even though she knew how much Paige liked that sweatshirt - - it was from the weeknd concert she had gone to over the summer and it was definitely not cheap. “Well now you can have it back!”

“Mhm. Okay.” Paige rolled her eyes as she collected the ruined sheets, “Should I put these in the laundry room?” 

“I got it, thank you baby. Can you just put the new one on?”

“On it.” Paige gave her that dumb salute, beginning to meticulously spread the bottom sheet on the perimeter of Azzi’s bed. 

Azzi exited her bedroom, about to enter the laundry room when the bathroom door swung open. 

“Oh, hey Azzi!” One of her sisters who was over, Tess, said with a warm smile. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“Yeah, I’ve just been busy, y’know?” Azzi responded, a little awkward with the freshly ruined sheets still stuffed between her arms. “How are you?”

“I’m - - holy shit.” Tess cut herself off, eyes widening. Azzi turned in confusion, but understanding settled quickly when she saw her girlfriend making her way down the hallway. “So those rumors are true?” 

Even though Azzi really wanted nothing more than to show off the fact that she was Paige’s, in every sense of the sentiment, she was reminded of their rather recent conversation of keeping things on the down low.

Azzi stuttered, unsure what to say, only relaxing when Paige’s hand landed on her waist as she reached the end of the hallway. “Yup. All true.” 

Azzi couldn’t resist the smile that spread across her face, feeling warmth spread all over her body at how easily Paige claimed her. 

Tess raised her brows, clearly surprised, but not in a bad way. “Is this why you haven’t been around?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“I mean, not really. Like I said, I’ve been busy.” Azzi leaned back against Paige’s front, grinning again when her hand squeezed reassuringly at her waist. 

Tess nodded, “Gotchu.” She turned like she was about to go back toward the living room, but stopped short. “Do people know about you guys?” 

Paige, like the freaking angel that she was, took charge of the conversation again. “Yeah.” She shrugged casually, “Private, but not secret.” 

She said those words like the whole thing was so simple, even if their dynamic at one point had been far from that. Azzi wished she could tell her old self, even from a few months ago, how much better things got when she stopped giving a shit; when she chose to accept her love for Paige rather than shield it. 

“Okay, cool.” Tess started, “Well it was good seeing you, Azzi.”

“Yeah, you too.” 

Only when Tess was back in the living room and out of earshot did Paige speak. “Sorry, ma. You were taking too long and I had separation anxiety.” Paige looped her arms around Azzi’s front, clinging onto her as she shuffled into the laundry room. 

Azzi opened the washer, tossing the sheets inside. “Yeah, and you couldn’t at least put on the sweatshirt you were so bothered by me having?” She gestured over her shoulder to Paige’s exposed mid drift. 

“Oh, fuck. That’s so fucking embarrassing.” Paige whispered, looking down to spot the lines of scratches and hickeys that covered both her chest and stomach. “This is all your fault.”

“My fault?” Azzi scoffed, putting back the detergent and closing the lid to the washer. “You chose to walk out here in just a bra!” 

Paige leaned casually against the wall next to her. “Yeah, but you’re the reason I look like this right now. ‘Cause you’re so obsessed with my stomach for whatever reason.” 

Azzi blushed, pretending to busy herself with the settings of the wash so Paige wouldn’t see. That was absolutely true, she loved the older girl’s stomach. She loved watching Paige’s abs flex beneath her touch, loved even more how the soft skin there felt against her mouth. She was always leaving hickeys on a pale stomach, even if she was simply laying with her girlfriend, unable to control herself if even a sliver of Paige’s abdomen was showing. 

Azzi led them back to the hallway after starting the wash, looping her arm with Paige’s and resting her head on a bony shoulder. “If you think about it, it’s really your fault that I always end up scratching you and shit. So, this really all ties back to you.” 

Paige beamed, closing the bedroom door behind them. She pushed Azzi up against it, kissing a trail down the slope of her neck. “Thanks for confirming that I’m just that good, baby.”

“I, no, fuck that’s not what I - - whatever.” Azzi grumbled, succumbing to Paige’s scalding touch and moving her head to give the other girl better access. “Just shut up and kiss me.” 

“Whatever the princess wants.” 

——

“YEAH, PAIGE!” Bella’s voice echoed amongst the screams of the student section, after Paige’s first made foul shot. 

These past few home games, Azzi had stayed in the student section rather than sitting with Paige’s family, hoping to quiet down the rumors online spreading about Paige’s ‘possible new girl.’ Which definitely sucked, but there was something so electrifying about being in the stands with her peers, especially the die-hard fans. 

This included Bella, who only became more invested in the team since she befriended all of them. She was always screaming for them, shouting praises, doing way more than Azzi even was, and there was no one she cheered for louder than Paige. It did funny things to her heart, with how well her best friend and girlfriend got along; which also reminded her that past Azzi had been a dumbass and should have introduced the two of them much sooner. 

“Why’re you always so quiet during the games?” Nicole asked, pulling Azzi from her thoughts. “Bella’s like ten times louder than you are.”

Azzi chuckled, “I don’t know, that’s not really me I guess.”

“You should hear what she says under her breath, though. She’s certainly invested, trust.” Bella defended, nudging Azzi with her shoulder.

This was absolutely true, Azzi may have presented calm on the outside, but on the inside she was constantly buzzing with support for Paige. She tensed when girls got too physical with her, clapped when she scored, muttered curses when Paige would get slammed by what should be an illegal screen. 

“These refs fucking suck.” Azzi grunted shortly after, proving Bella’s point. 

By the time the game was over, Azzi waited outside of where Paige was doing media, so that they could leave together. She was reading over the texts of her roommate groupchat, discussing their plans for going out that night, when a pair of strong arms sneaking around her waist made her jump. “Jesus, Paige!” Azzi laughed, “Scared the shit outta me.”

“Sorry, baby.” Paige whispered into her ear, “You jus’ look too good, I couldn’t help it.”

Azzi turned around, shrugging her arms off her. “Go shower, weirdo. You stink.”

Paige pouted, but listened, “Alright, gimme ten.”

Azzi was the opposite of exhibiting nonchalance when Paige came back out again, hair wet and clad in a sweat set that was… doing things to Azzi, to say the least. “There’s my superstar.”

“Oh Lord, not that again.” Paige rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her. She guided Azzi out the back door with a hand at the small of her back. “C’mon, ‘m parked out back.” 

Paige held the door open, despite having a giant bag on her back and Azzi’s purse on her free arm, causing Azzi to whisper out a genuine “thanks, P.” in response. Azzi noticed the girl first, who was waiting next to the door. She couldn’t have been older than eight or nine, wearing a ‘Bueckers’ jersey, standing next to what appeared to be her older sister. Azzi gestured in their direction, “Think someone wants to meet you.”

Paige’s brow furrowed, but she smiled fondly when she spotted them. “Hey, nice jersey.” She said, walking over toward the two. 

The little girl beamed. “Thanks, I got it for Christmas!” She held out the ball she was cradling and a marker, “Could you sign this for me please?”

“Of course.” Paige dropped her bags to the ground, kneeling down to rest the ball against her knee and signed it carefully. “You wanna take a picture?”

The little girl gasped in delight, nodding. “Yes, please!” She looked over toward the older girl she had been with, “Nora, can you take it on your phone?”

Azzi watched in admiration as Paige posed for the photo, talking to her kindly even though the little one was clearly nervous. A few minutes passed before she picked up her bag again, “It was very nice to meet you guys, and thanks for coming out to support.”

The girl smiled back as her sister started dragging her away, “Bye Paige!” She waved. “Bye Paige’s friend!”

The two girls laughed, waving back before walking toward Paige’s jeep. “You saw the older one take a picture of us, right?”

Azzi nodded. “Yup. Probably be all over twitter later.”

Sure enough, Azzi’s roommate group chat started blowing up a few hours later when Bella sent a screenshot from twitter. She was laying in Paige’s bed, ‘new girl’ playing on her laptop as they winded down from the long day. Azzi turned her phone to show Paige, who just chuckled and shook her head. “At least they know I bagged a fucking ten.”

Azzi scoffed in fake annoyance. “Of course that’s what you have to say right now.”

“I mean, it’s true, so…”

—-

“Sometimes I wish I was a guy.” 

Paige said, eyes dilated and red from the blunt they were passing back and forth. They were in the bath tub of the hotel Paige had gotten them for the night. She had a rare off day mid-season and decided she wanted to spend it just her and her girl, uninterrupted. 

Azzi let out a startled laugh, “Um, you got something you wanna tell me?” 

Paige giggled, reaching for Azzi’s hip and guiding her in the water so she was straddling her. “Nah, nah. Not like that.” She accepted the blunt when Azzi brought it to her lips, inhaling and breathing back out in the small space between them. “I jus’ meant with the league coming up and everything. So many NBA guys, like, propose and shit to lock down their girls when they’re drafted.”

After taking in the look on the younger girl’s face, Paige realized she was speaking before her mind could keep up, instantly flushing out of embarrassment. “Wait, that’s so weird, forget I said anything.” 

She dropped her head to Azzi’s collarbone, relaxing slightly when her girlfriend brought a hand to play with the loose hairs of her neck. “Well besides the ‘locking me down’ part,” Azzi started, lifting Paige by the chin to meet her gaze. “Who said I would be opposed to that?”

Paige’s breath caught, searching Azzi’s face for any sign of humor. They didn’t talk much about what came next, not wanting to think about the looming future where Paige would get drafted in April and Azzi would still be at school for another year. It made her chest physically hurt, thinking about spending a year apart from her girlfriend. But now, the utter sincerity in Azzi’s voice was helping quiet some of those fears. 

“You being f’real?” Paige asked, lifting her hand from the water and tucking a curl behind her ear. 

Azzi nodded. “Maybe not right this second, but yeah. I love you, P. I’m in this fully with you.”

Paige feigned casualty, “Bet.” She squeezed Azzi’s ass from where it rested on her lap. “My girl’s bouta be the hottest wag out there when I get to the W.”

“Hell yeah I am.” Azzi surged down to kiss her, her tongue dipping inside Paige’s mouth and sliding against hers in that rhythm that made Paige’s head spin. The brunette was the first to pull away, moving to kiss down the exposed skin of Paige’s neck. 

One hand slid beneath her bikini top, twisting at her nipple, an involuntary gasp escaping Paige’s mouth from how good it felt. “Fuck, Az.” When Azzi kept sucking at the same spot on her chest, Paige tried to pull her away by the tie of her bikini, letting out a surprised laugh when the action undid her top. “Damn, didn’t even do that on purpose.” 

Azzi giggled too, but then put on a pout when she remembered she was supposed to be annoyed. “Why’d you stop me?” 

Paige pulled on her bottom lip with the pad of her thumb, “I gotta wear my jersey soon, baby.”

Azzi huffed, then shifted in Paige’s lap so she could comfortably reach the other girl’s breasts. “Is here okay?” Azzi pouted again, and realistically Paige should tell her no, because any marks would probably be seen when she wore a sports bra, and she’d never hear the end of it from her teammates. 

But, she genuinely didn’t have it in her to deny her girlfriend when she pouted like that. “Yeah, that’s okay baby.”

Azzi smirked, probably knowing what the answer was going to be before she even asked it, then moved to swirl her tongue around Paige’s hardened nipple. She sucked a bruise into the flesh, and Paige could physically feel herself getting wet from the sight, even with her waist still submerged in the warm water. 

She shivered when Azzi hooked her fingers beneath her bathing suit bottom, her voice like silk in her ear, “Can I take these off, baby?” 

Paige ignored her, pulling them off herself. “Please, ‘m ready baby.” 

Azzi laughed, first bringing a hand to cup her fully. “You’re such a bottom.” 

Paige scoffed, “That’s just not true.” 

Azzi slid a finger inside of her suddenly, causing Paige to throw her head back against the edge of the tub in pleasure. Azzi kissed the divet in her jaw, “Seems pretty true right now.” 

Paige decided not to counter that with the reminder that nine out of ten times Azzi was a (hot) lazy pillow princess, but decided against it when she slid another finger inside. “Feels so good, ma.” 

The sounds echoing in the bathroom were almost obscene, between Paige’s breathy moans and the swooshing of the water from Azzi fucking her with her fingers. Azzi adjusted her hand so she was stretching Paige even more, the heel of her palm grazing Paige’s swollen clit with each thrust of her hand. “Love you so much, P.”

Paige used all the strength she could muster to wrap her hand around the back of Azzi’s neck, kissing her to try and display even a fraction of what she was feeling. She pulled back with a gutteral moan, “Fuck, fuck ‘m so close.” She bucked her hips into Azzi’s hand, right on the precipice of that feeling that only the other girl could give her. 

She groaned into Azzi’s mouth when her orgasm reached its peak, letting out a disgruntled sound as she came. Azzi worked her through it, continuing to thrust her fingers, but in a much gentler manner than she had been before. She whispered things that barely registered in Paige’s brains, she only caught fragments of ‘loving making you come, baby’, ‘i’m so wet for you just from watching’, and (her personal favorite) ‘there’s only you for me, p.’ 

Later, when they were dried and laying intertwined in bed, Paige could tell Azzi was on the verge of knocking out. It was adorable, the way she fighting sleep so that she could listen to the nonsense story Paige was retelling, but she stopped herself, delicately tracing her thumb over the crease in Azzi’s brow and flattening it. “G’night, wifey.”

She prepared to be smacked in the face, or get the silent treatment, or something along those lines for saying something so forward. But, Azzi just smiled with her eyes closed, curling tighter around Paige’s bicep. “Mmm, I like that sound o’ that.

Paige kissed her forehead. “Me too.”

—--

Azzi woke from her nap to the feeling of familiar arms engulfing her from behind. She startled slightly, jostling in Paige’s arms. “Sorry, baby. Didn’t mean to wake ya.” 

Azzi smiled when she turned around, pulling Paige closer by the chain of her necklace. “That’s okay, I was barely asleep anyway.”

She allowed herself to be pulled on top of Paige, settling against her as the blonde sat up against the headboard. “C’mere.” 

Azzi listened, connecting their lips softly. Strong hands cupped Azzi’s ass, her fingers tracing up ever so slightly beneath her sweat shorts. Paige started a pattern of squeezing the swell of it every so often, causing a whimper to leave Azzi’s lips each time directly into her mouth.

Pulling back for air, Azzi sat back, ripping Paige’s t-shirt off for her. She pushed her back down by her shoulders, starting to suck a bruise into her chest. The older girl’s hands stayed near her ass, alternating between caressing her upper thighs or slipping beneath the fabric of her shorts to squeeze.

“Can you come back up here?” Paige asked, voice hoarse in a way that she had honestly never heard before. 

“Okay.” Azzi shifted further up Paige’s torso, relaxing against her figure again and bringing plump lips back down to hers.

They stayed like that for a while, like they had all the time in the world, sharing heated kisses and explorative touches, wetness continuing to build between Azzi’s legs. Paige’s hands found their way to her braless tits underneath her shirt, rubbing and squeezing in a rhythm that was borderline pornographic, and Azzi fucking loved it. 

But, because the moment was too peaceful to not be interrupted, that rather explicit image was what Bella opened Azzi’s bedroom door to. 

“Hey Az - - oh my GOD.” Bella covered her eyes, grimacing in disgust. “I feel like I just walked in on my parents, holy shit.” 

Azzi just laughed, tugging her shirt back down into place and smoothing it out absentmindedly while she waited for Paige to pull hers back on. She stayed right where she was though, still straddling her girlfriend, now sitting upright with a small, satisfied smile.  “You can open your eyes now.”

Bella slowly peeled her hand away from her face, squinting like she didn’t fully trust what she was about to see. “Bro,” she deadpanned, immediately gesturing toward the way Azzi was still sitting. “Is that necessary?”

Ignoring her, Azzi asked, “Did you need something?” 

“Oh, yes.” Bella shook her head, snapping back to reality. “Your mom texted to see if you were still going to your Grandma’s dinner. Said she hadn’t heard from you in a while.” 

“Shit!” Azzi flew off the bed, opening her phone from where she left it on her desk. Sure enough, there were countless messages from her mom and brothers asking if she had left yet. “I totally forgot!” she groaned, running a hand through her hair as she spun back toward Bella. "Thank you, that just saved me an ass whooping.” 

“Anytime.” Bella smirked, “But put yourself together before scarring your family too, please.” She closed the door behind her before Azzi could retaliate, leaving her scrambling to find an outfit appropriate enough for the evening. It was 7:00, and the reservation was at 7:30, so she would hopefully only be a few minutes late if she got her shit together quick enough. 

Paige cleared her throat from the bed, “What’s this dinner for?” 

Azzi, in the midst of sliding her arms through the holes of a sweater, sighed dramatically. “Nothing really, ‘s just ‘cause my grandparents are visiting, but they're always visiting. I just haven’t seen them in a while so I have to go.” 

When she successfully got the sweater over her frame, she was able to take in the distracted look of her girlfriend. Besides the fact that her mom practically harassed her each time they called about when she was going to finally meet Paige, she was reminded that tonight was their last chance to be together before March Madness started; before everything would start to change. 

“Do you wanna come with me?”

So, that was how they found themselves pulling into the parking lot of a nice restaurant outside of Hartford, only twenty minutes late. It would’ve been less, but Paige insisted on stopping to get flowers for both Azzi’s mother and grandmother. 

Azzi caught the slight waver in her hands as she opened the passenger car door. “Baby,” Azzi said gently, stepping out and smoothing a wrinkle of her shirt, “don’t be nervous. They’ll be chill and they know you’re coming.” She poked her cheek just to be annoying, “They’re just gonna ask a thousand questions and be super nosy.  

Paige laughed dryly, “Yeah, ‘cause that makes me feel much better, Az.”

*P*

“Hey guys!” 

Paige trailed a step behind Azzi as they approached the table, letting her take the lead. She adjusted her grip on the flowers, tensing when she felt the gaze of every single person at the table practically burning into her. Azzi bent down to kiss her grandmother on the cheek, “Hi Nona.” 

“Hi, doll.” her grandmother smiled warmly, her eyes immediately flicking toward Paige. “And is this your special someone?” 

Azzi laughed, her cheeks rosy as she glanced back. “Yes.” She tucked a curl behind her ear before gesturing toward her. “Everyone, this is my girlfriend Paige.” 

God, Paige would never get tired of hearing Azzi say that. She smiled shyly, lifting her hand in a wave. “Nice to meet y’all.” 

Azzi’s mom stood and approached them, first hugging her daughter and then pointing towards the flowers clutched in Paige’s hands. “I take it those are for me?” 

“Yes, and for - -“ Paige stilled, realizing she had no clue what Azzi’s grandma’s actual name or last name was.

Thankfully, her grandmother just laughed. “It’s Rose, but you can call me Nona.”

Paige exhaled, recovering quickly as she stepped forward and handed them over. “Well, these ones are for you.” 

“Thank you, doll.” 

They moved to the two open chairs, Paige pulling out Azzi’s seat for her first, before sitting herself. Azzi’s brothers introduced themselves next, and she was certainly not exaggerating about them having a lot of questions.

“Yo, how many points per game’re you averaging now?” 

“You think you guys will win the natty?” 

“Who’s the most famous person that follows you?” 

Paige answered each question smoothly, turning on the charm she knew almost always worked when she met new people. It seemed like everyone was already messing with her, the only one she couldn’t fully get a read on was Azzi’s mom. 

Now, that just wasn’t going to cut it for Paige, so she turned her attention to Katie. “So, I hear you played for Georgetown back when you were in school?” 

Katie nodded, “Yup. And we’d get crushed every time we played UConn.” 

Paige laughed at that, “Well, from what your daughter’s told me, you’d probably give us a run for our money nowadays.” 

Katie’s lips curved into a smile as she glanced at Azzi. “She’s good at flattery, I like that.” 

Paige mentally cheered, already feeling much more comfortable by the time everyone ordered their meals. Azzi was quiet, still staring at her menu, that indecisive furrow in her brow making her look so damn adorable. “What’re you gonna get?” 

Azzi sighed, dropping the menu abruptly down on the table. “I don’t know! I can’t decide.” 

Paige chuckled, resting a hand on the back of the brunette’s chair. “Ima get a cobb salad, maybe you get the chicken sandwich and we can switch if you don’t like it?” 

She watched as Azzi relaxed, “Sure, that sounds good.” She leaned over to place a quick kiss to Paige’s cheek. “Thanks, P.”

*

Surprisingly, when their food arrived, Azzi was actually satisfied with her order, although she did keep leaning over to steal cherry tomatoes from Paige’s bowl. It was her least favorite part of what the salad came with anyway, so she didn’t mind. 

Things were rather surface level (not that Paige was complaining), until later on in the meal. “Wait,” Jose started, “Who has the number one pick this year?” 

Both Paige and Azzi tensed, having been actively avoiding the D-word as that exciting, yet terrifying date loomed closer. Paige cleared her throat, “Uh, Dallas does.” 

“Damn, so you’re gonna be far as hell.” Jose said, to which Azzi kicked him in the shin. “Ow, what was that for?” 

Azzi caught her bottom lip between her teeth and ignored him. Paige hoped that this would be the end of the conversation, but Katie’s face also grew serious. “Have you two talked about what that means?” 

Azzi let out a frustrated huff, “Do we need to talk about this right now?”

“Your mom’s right,” Her Nona added, “That’s a big change, and it’s coming up soon.”

Sensing Azzi’s nerves, Paige took over. “Yeah, we’ve talked about it. And we know it’ll be a lot, but we’re gonna do our best to make it work.”

She caught the way Azzi smiled into her sandwich, trying to hide the effect those words had on her. “And what comes after that?” Katie asked. “You just up and move to Dallas post grad?” 

Azzi tensed briefly, but relaxed again when Paige’s hand subtly brushed against her thigh. “Yes, that’s the plan.” 

The table grew quiet after that, and normally Paige would crack a hilarious joke to lessen the tension, but she knew now was not the time. Katie was the first to speak again, “It’s just that I know how painful anything basketball related is for you, honey. I’m worried that if you don’t deal with what that means, then this isn’t going to end well.” 

“I have been working through that, Mom.” Azzi said firmly, “I’ll be okay.” 

“Talking about your dad once in a blue moon with your friends or whoever doesn’t count as ‘working through it.’”

Azzi dropped her fork against her plate, “I’ve been seeing a therapist.” 

“What?” Katie’s head snapped up. “Since when?” 

“For a few months now.” Azzi’s voice quieted slightly, her confidence wavering under the attention. “Are you mad?”

“No, ‘m not mad at all, Azzi. I think that’s really good for you.” Katie lowered her voice to ask, “I just… how are you paying for it?” 

There was the million dollar question Paige was praying wouldn’t come up. And naturally, Azzi glanced over at her, uncertainty filling those perfect doe eyes. “I’ve been helping out.” Paige attempted to shrug in casualty. “‘S no big deal, really.”

“Paige,” Katie said, looking at her seriously, “that’s very sweet of you, but that is a big deal.” She turned back to Azzi. “Going forward, I can pay for it, okay?”

Paige wanted to interject that it really wasn’t a big deal, and she was simply grateful that Azzi was actively working through everything she’d been through; for both their relationship and for herself in general. She had been incredibly proud when Azzi talked to her about taking that next step, and didn’t think twice about offering to pay for a therapist, not taking no for an answer otherwise. 

But, this was a family matter, and she ultimately decided to stay out of it. Choosing to change the subject, Paige said, “You guys should come to my game this weekend,” she said, her tone lightening again. “If you’re around. I’ve got some extra tickets, and it’s at home.”

“Oooo, can we?” Jon asked his mom in excitement. 

Katie nodded, smiling. “Sure, that sounds amazing. Thank you, sweetie.” 

And that’s when Paige knew she had done her job, that she had at least made a decent first impression. “Of course.” 

She felt Azzi’s hand squeeze her knee beneath the table, and when she turned her head, her beautiful girlfriend was already looking at her. “Hi.” Paige quipped. 

Azzi laughed softly, resting a hand on her forearm. “Hi.” 

“Ew,” Jose gagged in that typical little-brother way. “you guys are sickening.”

“I think it’s sweet.” Azzi’s Nona countered, nudging her grandson. 

Azzi’s mom nodded in agreement. “Me too.” 

———

“What d’you mean you’re not going?” Maria asked, exasperated. It was her turn to cook Sunday night dinner, which meant the four roommates were sitting around the table and devouring Maria’s mom’s chicken cutlet recipe. 

Azzi poked at her chicken, eyes locked on her plate. “It means I’m not going.”

Nicole interjected, “But it’s our last formal before until May! You have to go!”

Realistically, Azzi really should be attending, considering she planned the entire event and their mixer after as social chair. But, she felt weird going without a date, and she certainly wasn’t about to subject Paige from a crowd of people that was far from her vibe. 

Azzi knew she made a mistake as soon as she said, “I can’t go without a date.”, watching as each of her roommates processed her reservations about not going.

“Does Paige have a game or something?” Maria asked.

“No, I jus’ don’t think she’d wanna go.”

“Well, did you ask her?” Bella questioned carefully. 

“No,” Azzi muttered, “but I know she wouldn’t want to.”

“You should still ask and give her the chance to make the decision herself.” Bella suggested, “And I strongly doubt she’d say no to you.” 

Maria nodded in agreement. “Plus, you guys deserve to have some sort of normalcy in your relationship. You being a ‘wag’ has been great and all, but she should be a part of your world too.”

She was honest to God baffled that it was Maria’s words that swayed her, but what her roommate said was true. The thought of getting to show off Paige as her date, something she had yearned to do back when she was forced to go with Matt instead; she suddenly wanted nothing more than to bring Paige regardless of what anyone had to say about it.

After dinner, Azzi retreated back to her room, lying on her stomach and facetiming her favorite person. Paige’s face was a little flushed when she answered, “Hey, you.”

“Hi.” Azzi titled her head, nose scrunching. “You good over there?”

“Yeah, jus’ finished up a late night lift.” Paige raised her shirt to wipe sweat off her face, and Azzi genuinely felt her heart skip a beat, eyes raking over the older girl’s sweat-covered abs. They flexed as she inhaled, and she almost gasped when she caught the outline of a hickey she left a few weeks ago on the side of her ribs. “Hello? Az?”

She hadn’t realized she zoned out until Paige started dramatically waving a hand in front of the screen. “Sorry, what’d you say?”

Paige smirked in understanding, “I asked ya how dinner was.”

“Oh, yeah, about that,” Azzi propped her phone against her pillow, sitting criss-cross and fidgeting with her rings. “My roommates were talking about who they were bringing to formal, and they were saying I should ask you to go, if you wanted to, but there’s no pressure, plus Ion even know if you could come anyway - -”

“Azzi, take a breath baby.” Paige interjected, laughing fondly. Azzi saw herself turning even more red in the camera. “When is it?”

“A week from tomorrow.” 

“One second.” The screen paused for a second, and Azzi waited nervously in anticipation. Her face returned to the call a minute later, “Okay, I can go.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Paige moved so that Azzi could see her more fully. “I only have practice that day and the day after, so ‘m all set.”

Azzi started spinning her rings again, her brows pulling together, “But do you wanna go? Because you really don’t have to - -”

“I want to go, f’real.” Paige cut her off, “I wanna support you the way you support me.” 

“Okay.”

*

Azzi received about a hundred texts at once after putting Paige’s name down on the date doc, which she realized in hindsight was probably a little more than a soft launch. But, she was glad her friends at least knew before the night of, hoping to avoid any awkward subject matter in front of Paige. 

Because of practice, Paige wasn’t going to be ready by the time Azzi and her roommates were leaving for their friend’s pregame, so the plan was for her to get ready as quickly as possible and meet Azzi there. 

She was seated at someone’s kitchen island (she honestly had no idea who’s house this even was, it was someone’s little who she’d never met before), sipping on her drink and watching as her friends and their dates took photos together. And suddenly the thought of getting to do that with Paige, take photos and be out in the open, made her nerves for the night finally settle. 

Her phone buzzed from inside her purse.

paige bueckers💕

baby im so sorry but idk if im gna make it in time

they’re making us do film after and it’s mandatory 

Azzi’s heart fell to her ass, disappointment bubbling as she typed back.

azzi fudd🤓

what time do you think you’ll be done

buses leave at 7

paige bueckers💕

fuck i dont think we’ll be done

i'm so so so sorry az i feel horrible

azzi fudd🤓

dont apologize it’s not your fault

ik you wld be here if you could

She shut her phone off after that, shoving it back into her purse. She really did understand, she played basketball her entire life, she knew how legitimate mandatory events were, especially at UConn. It still sucked though, and she felt like God was laughing at her, or maybe punishing her for all of the times she made Paige feel like a secret that had to be hidden - - the one time Azzi was ready to be out there fully. 

The bus to the venue was fucking miserable. Every time one of her friends found their seat and saw her sitting alone, they asked, “Where’s Paige?”, leaving her to explain how she got stuck at practice, and they all gave her a pitying look back that read as ‘i don’t believe you’ or ‘yeah there was no way paige bueckers was ever actually coming to sk formal.’

They were a few minutes away when Azzi finally opened her phone again. 

paige bueckers💕

i still feel so bad 

and i really did want to go

i'm so sorry azzi really

i love you

She typed back a ‘love you too’, plastering on a fake smile as she made her way off the bus, determined to make the best of the shitty circumstances. 

*

“And I was like ‘why would she make the exam worth that much and then not curve it when more than half the class failed? It was so dumb, like actually.” Azzi ranted to her friend Kendall and her date Dan, who was also in her finance class. 

Dan nodded, “Bro, that was the worst I’ve done on an exam since I started college and - - “ He cut himself off, looking past Azzi’s shoulder. “The fuck? Is that Paige Bueckers?”

Azzi’s breath caught, whipping around to see if this kid was messing with her or not. 

And, really, she should have known that Paige was going to find a way to show up. It was so unbelievably Paige, to drop everything, get dressed up, and uber over forty minutes away, just to be Azzi’s date for the night she had planned. 

The blonde was talking to a girl by the dance floor, a sister of hers that Azzi knew for a fact had reposted edits of Paige in the past, but she ignored that jealousy that was threatening to pour out. No, she was focusing on the fact that Paige was actually here, hair pulled back in a slicked bun, a white button down and black dress pants that fit her just right; and all for Azzi. 

Azzi stood slowly, her legs a little shaky, and crossed the room to where Paige was. Like a magnet, Paige’s head lifted, blue eyes softening when she spotted Azzi making her way over. Azzi watched as her girlfriend bit her lip, eyes raking up and down her body, swallowing thickly at the tight (and rather short) black dress Azzi wore. She mentally squealed, having planned this specific dress in hopes of getting a similar reaction. 

When she got closer, she sped up, heels be damned, and practically ran into Paige’s open arms. Paige’s hand settled just above her ass, sprawled out over the expanse of her back. “Hey there, pretty girl.”

Azzi let go, but kept her hands on Paige’s shoulder, brushing out some of the wrinkles. “How the hell are you here?”

Paige winked, which was something that should not have been as attractive as it was. “I have my ways.” She pointed toward the bar, “But now I need a bev.” 

Azzi giggled, linking her arm with Paige’s. “Me too.”

And not only did Paige physically show up for her, but she showed up, introducing herself to any of Azzi’s sisters that she didn’t know, doing shots with her friends, dancing when the dj started his set; all while staying glued to Azzi’s side. 

When the food was finally ready, they beelined for the line, stacking their plates with pizza and quesadillas from the buffet. They found a seat with Bella and Declan, her basically boyfriend, stuffing their drunk faces with carbs. “This is the best chicken tender I’ve ever had.” Bella said dramatically, her mouth full. 

“Ima get some water, you want some too?” Paige asked, already shifting in her seat, one hand bracing against the table as she moved to stand.

Azzi nodded, glancing up at her with a small smile. “Yes, please.”

“On it.” 

“So,” Declan asked after Paige left, “How long have you guys been together?”

Azzi smiled, the one she always bore when talking about Paige. “We’ve been official for a little over five months now.” 

“Damn, okay.” Declan let out a low whistle, leaning back in his chair. “Can’t believe someone tied down the Paige Bueckers.”

Azzi huffed out a quiet laugh, shaking her head a little at that. “Yeah, well. I’m lucky.”

Paige returned with two glasses of water, which Azzi was more than grateful for, beginning to gulp it down. Bella lifted her camera, “Lemme get some pictures of you guys. Y’know, since we couldn’t earlier.”

Azzi finished chugging, setting the glass down with a small exhale before brushing the corner of her mouth with a napkin. She turned toward Paige, “Do I have anything on my face?”

Paige shook her head, “Nope, ya look perfect.”

Azzi shoved at her half-heartedly, scooching her chair closer to the older girl to pose for the photo. Apparently this wasn’t good enough for Paige, because she slid her hand beneath Azzi’s thigh, lifting her leg and draping a caramel quad over her own. “Smooth.” Azzi teased, pretending to be annoyed, but in reality she felt a heat beginning to grow between her legs from how hot that was.

Paige kept her hand on the thigh that was now rested on top of hers, and the pair posed for Bella’s camera. After taking a couple, Paige decided to be ‘funny’ and smack a wet kiss to the side of Azzi’s head, which made her laugh wildly. 

“Here, see if you like ‘em.” Bella handed her over the camera, and Azzi started scrolling through them, Paige hooking her chin over her shoulder to look too. 

The posed photos were cute, Paige certainly agreeing when she whispered, “Damn, we look hot together, baby.”

Azzi snorted, but she didn’t disagree. The last one was easily her favorite, though. It was taken after Paige had obnoxiously kissed her temple, capturing the look they shared after, Azzi mid-laugh and Paige just looking at her like she was everything. 

*

On the bus ride home, Azzi lay her head against Paige’s shoulder, feeling brave enough to be that public from the mixture of the dark bus and the alcohol still very much in her system. Paige lay her head atop Azzi’s, whispering, “I’m still so sorry ‘bout earlier.”

Azzi squeezed the hand that rested on her knee. “It’s all good, I promise. ‘Specially after you made your grand entrance.”

Paige laughed at that, bringing their interlocked hands to her face to kiss the back of Azzi’s. “I know things get crazy with my schedule, and it’s only ‘gonna get worse come April, y’know?” She whispered so only Azzi could hear. “So if something like this happens again, and it does upset you, promise me you’ll talk to me ‘bout it?” 

Azzi hated thinking about them separating in a little over a month. Living in separate states, no longer being a few streets apart. But, at the end of the day, she knew they could survive it. She knew they would survive it actually, knowing they had gone through worse and came out stronger because of it. 

Plus, nothing made Azzi happier than knowing Paige was about to live out her dream; a dream that she wanted Azzi to be a part of. Everything else, the things that could taint the future she had slowly been letting herself picture, all faded with one look into stunningly perfect blue eyes.

“I promise.”

*

"there will always be a space for you and me..."

-------

a/n: thank you for reading! also plsss lmk if there's mistakes to fix, it's one am and i'm so out of it LOL. thank you all again for the support as always!!

[bananaspazzifavs]

Oneshot Favorites (Pt 2)

My first oneshot favs list hit 100 links and it won't let me add more. Creating this one for future recs.

I'll likely start moving authors with more recent oneshots to this one so the other one will be more archival!

@ferstuff535

Love their oneshots. Great smut and plot intertwined nicely.

Azzi twerks on Paige's thigh (+ strap)

Pazzi FWB Smut (post championship)

@girliblue

I LOVE this author's writing...it's fluffy in a non-boring way. Read their masterlist!!

Paige surprises Azzi for Xmas (fluff)

P realizing she's in love with A

P and A love changing through the years

@karliesfics

Amazing writing, recently discovered their work!

Halloween party smut

Azzi obsessed with P's boobs

[bananaspazzifavs]

Oneshot favorites pt 1 has been updated with all of my favorite recent readings.

This part 2 list will grow; use it as like an index for fics you want to read again!

[bananaspazzifavs]

Oneshot Favorites (Pt 2)

My first oneshot favs list hit 100 links and it won't let me add more. Creating this one for future recs.

I'll likely start moving authors with more recent oneshots to this one so the other one will be more archival!

@ferstuff535

Love their oneshots. Great smut and plot intertwined nicely.

Azzi twerks on Paige's thigh (+ strap)

Pazzi FWB Smut (post championship)

@girliblue

I LOVE this author's writing...it's fluffy in a non-boring way. Read their masterlist!!

Paige surprises Azzi for Xmas (fluff)

P realizing she's in love with A

P and A love changing through the years

@karliesfics

Amazing writing, recently discovered their work!

Halloween party smut

Azzi obsessed with P's boobs

@graybuckets

All around great stuff but I recently loved Professor!Azzi x Student!Paige...so much sub!P and they're so cutie together. Buckle up though, it's 46K words!!

@wecrytogether

Go check out their series with Daughter Paige and Dad's GF Azzi.... but for the one shots, this one is so juicy it's lowkey crazy and I loved it. They dry hump on a fridge and have shower sex.

[pbaz7]

FINDING PEACE IN YOU: PART 8

paige x azzi

warning: sexual content ‼️

word count: 12.7k

A/N: Not going to lie the plot on this is very minimal towards the end. BUT I do think the way I wrote things advances the story so if you are uncomfortable with reading sexual content just lmk and I’m more than happy to post a little synopsis of this chapter and the important aspects of their growth that I kinda wove into the scenes. Don’t want anyone to miss out just because of their preference! Anywho this is for everybody who’s been begging for a part 2 of heat check! Let me know what you think and leave reactions if you can 🫶🏼

—————————————————————————

When Paige finally got back into town in the middle of the day on Friday, she checked the shared calendar on her phone, scanning Azzi’s schedule for the day. Seeing a small block of free time, she smiled to herself, already turning her car out of the Dallas facility toward her next destination. She made a quick stop, grabbing Azzi’s lunch from a spot they both loved, then ducked into a flower shop that was right on the corner. With a small bouquet of roses in hand, she headed back to her car.

A few minutes later she parked out front of Azzi’s clinic, locking the door behind her as she stepped out. The building was quiet, sun filtering through the glass entryway as Paige made her way inside, the elevator dinging softly as she pressed the button for the correct floor. Her hands full—lunch in one, flowers in the other.

Upon walking into the clinic, Kelly looked up from her desk and smiled warmly. “Long time no see.”

Paige returned the smile politely, adjusting the food in her hand. “Hey, Kelly. How you been?”

“I’m good, thank you for asking,” Kelly replied, before nodding toward the door. “She’s in her office—I’ll buzz you in.”

“Appreciate you,” Paige said, waiting for the soft click of the door before pushing through and making her way down the familiar office. She passed the recovery and training rooms and when she reached Azzi’s office, the door was cracked open. Paige paused in the doorway for a moment, her eyes tracing the scene in front of her—Azzi in a low squat, her knees pressed together tightly because of the skirt she had on, documents spread neatly across the floor as she skimmed through them.

Paige stepped inside quietly, setting the food down on the desk before speaking. “Anybody ever tell you how sexy you look in a skirt?”

Azzi’s head turned at the sound of Paige’s voice, a startled smile spreading across her face as she caught sight of her standing there—flowers in one hand, that familiar blue in her eyes lighting up the room more than the sun spilling through the window. Still crouched, Azzi arched an eyebrow and said, “Only every single day you’re in town.”

Paige grinned at the response, stepping further inside and nudging the door shut behind her with her foot. She set the flowers down next to the food on Azzi’s desk, eyes lingering for a moment too long on the way Azzi’s skirt hugged her legs. “Damn shame I wasn’t here yesterday then,” she murmured.

Azzi stood, smoothing down the front of her skirt with a smile. “You’re lucky I like surprises,” she said, her voice dropping just slightly as she moved toward her; Paige’s eyes raking over her shamelessly as she did. “Mmm, I’m definitely lucky.”

When Azzi reached her, her hands slid around Paige’s neck with ease, as though they hadn’t been apart for any time. Paige’s arms wrapped around Azzi’s waist, pulling her in until there was barely any space between them. Their lips met in a slow kiss—warm and familiar, yet still filled with a deep spark. Azzi’s nails grazed the back of Paige’s neck, just enough to make her hum against her mouth.

“I missed you,” Paige whispered into the kiss.

Azzi smiled against her lips, the kiss deepening for a moment before she pulled back enough to look Paige in the eye. “Yeah?” she whispered, her fingers still gently brushing the nape of Paige’s neck.

Paige hummed in response, her arms tightening around Azzi’s waist like she wasn’t ready to let go of her yet. Their lips met again as Azzi began to walk them back toward her desk, her steps guided by instinct and Paige’s gentle pressure.

When they reached the edge, Paige gave Azzi’s butt a small squeeze, earning a small breathy laugh from her between kisses. Azzi pulled back to look at her again, eyes a little dazed, cheeks flushed.

“I miss you more,” she said quietly. Paige's lips curved into a soft smile as Azzi reached up her thumb wiping the smudge of her lip gloss from the corner of Paige’s mouth. Paige started to step back to gesture toward the food she brought, but Azzi’s fingers tightened around the fabric of the black tank top, tugging her back in.

“Where you going?”

Paige laughed, “I got you lunch gorgeous,” she said, nodding toward the desk.

Azzi didn’t even look. Her eyes were still on Paige’s lips, then drifted lower—across her shoulders, the definition in her arms, the dip of her collarbone exposed by the tank top. With her fingers still holding Paige, she mumbled distractedly, “I’m not hungry.”

Paige smirked at Azzi’s response, dipping her head to press a soft kiss just beneath her jaw, whispering against her skin, “You sure?”

Azzi’s breath hitched slightly, her fingers sliding up the curve of Paige’s bicep, eyes fluttering as she whispered back, “Positive.” Her head tilting, offering Paige more access as her body leaned into the warmth between them.

Paige chuckled, letting her lips trail a few more kisses along Azzi’s jawline, before pulling back. “Promise I’mma get you right later,” she said. “Lemme just feed you before your next meeting. I know you haven’t had nothing but coffee today cause it’s Friday.”

Azzi exhaled, relenting with a soft smile as Paige finally stepped away to grab the lunch she’d brought. She nodded toward Azzi’s chair. “Go sit down.”

With a small shake of her head and a grin, Azzi obeyed, walking over and easing into her chair. Paige handed her the roasted salmon and quinoa bowl, her usual.

Paige sat on Azzi’s desk, settling right in front of her chair. From that vantage point, Azzi couldn’t help but take her in—up close now instead of over FaceTime. The stitches near Paige’s eyebrow had been removed, only needing to be in for a few days but there was still a small scar there that would eventually fade. A few bruises painted her arms in faded purples and greens and a few scratches looked newer than others.

Azzi chewed slowly, her eyes trailing over every detail before spearing a piece of salmon with her fork. Without saying anything, she lifted it toward Paige like she always did.

Paige laughed softly, leaning back away from the fork. “Stop, that's for you.”

“You need some,” Azzi countered easily.

“I don’t—” Paige started, but Azzi cut her off with just a look. One of those looks Paige had grown used to.

Paige sighed, the sound exaggerated but affectionate, and leaned forward just enough for Azzi to feed her. “You don’t play fair,” she mumbled as she took the bite.

Azzi smiled, pleased with herself. “Never claimed I did.”

Paige grinned, licking a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth after the bite. “We got a date later.”

Azzi chewed slowly, one eyebrow lifting as she eyed her. “You could barely keep your eyes open this morning when we were on FaceTime.”

Paige shrugged casually. “I’ll be aight. I wanna take you out.”

Azzi laughed, spearing another piece of salmon and offering it to Paige. “And where would we be going, exactly?” she asked, leaning in just a little. Azzi already knew she’d say yes no matter the answer.

“There’s this wine tasting.”

Azzi perked up before she could catch herself, her eyes lighting up slightly, and Paige caught it instantly, grinning. “Exactly.” Paige added casually, “I prolly can’t drive though.”

“Sam can take us,” Azzi replied without hesitation, trying to keep her tone even, but Paige was already grinning.

“Ohh, so you’re interested now,” Paige teased, watching Azzi try—and fail—to go back to being nonchalant.

Azzi shook her head, feigning indifference. “Not that interested.”

“Nahh,” Paige laughed, leaning back on her hands a little, “don’t start backpedaling now. I saw that lil sparkle in your eye.”

Azzi rolled her eyes, getting another bite of food and popping it in her mouth. “Whatever,” she mumbled around the fork.

Paige just watched her with a soft smile, clearly amused. “I missed you, pretty girl.”

Azzi’s chewing slowed for a second before she put her bowl down beside her and moved closer to where Paige was sitting on the edge of the desk. Her hands slid up Paige’s thighs, settling just above her knees as she looked up at her with a small smile of her own. “I missed you too.”

For a moment, they just looked at each other—soaking in the warmth of being near one another again.

Paige’s voice softened as she looked down at Azzi. “It’s only been, what, a week and a half? Why it feel like a month?”

Azzi rested her hands lightly on Paige’s belt. “Because you’re dramatic,” she teased.

Paige let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “Maybe. Or maybe I just don’t like being away from you that long.”

Azzi’s fingers began tracing, idle circles against Paige’s hip bone. “You FaceTimed me every day.”

“Not the same,” Paige murmured, her voice dropping just a little. “I can’t touch you through a screen.”

Azzi tilted her head, their eyes locked. “So you missed touching me?”

Paige’s smirk returned, as she leaned down until their noses brushed. “I missed all of you. Definitely missed touching you though.”

Azzi’s eyes flicked to Paige’s lips. “Good. You can have me later… Maybe.”

Paige’s smirk lingered until Azzi’s fingers slid just beneath the edge of her belt, tugging her forward a half step. Paige’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, the motion shifting her balance enough that her hands instinctively settled on the armrests of Azzi’s chair.

“Oh?” Paige murmured, the corner of her mouth twitching up. “What’s that about?”

Azzi didn’t break eye contact as she shrugged. “Just wanted to make sure you’re really here.” Her thumbs grazed along Paige’s waistband and Paige could tell that answer was bullshit so her smile only grew.

“Whatever you say.”

Azzi hummed at that, breaking the moment as she pulled her hands back and picked up her fork again. “Good. Then feed me. I have a client soon.”

Paige shook her head with a huge grin on her face as she grabbed the food container. “My girl’s bossy when she’s hungry, huh?”

Azzi looked up at her, shaking her head no. “Only when I’m in love.”

That made Paige's gaze soften. “I love you too beautiful.”

Something soft passed between them for a second. Before Paige grinned looking away and picking up the fork and scooping up another bite of salmon to hold it out to Azzi.

Azzi leaned forward to take it, still smiling as she chewed. “This is actually really good,” she mumbled through the bite.

“Would be better if you ate it without tryna feed me every other bite,” Paige grumbled, swatting lightly at Azzi’s hand as she tried to raise another forkful to her lips.

Azzi ignored her protest and held the food closer. “Open.”

“Azzi—”

“Paige.”

Paige huffed, laughing, before reluctantly leaning forward and accepting the bite. “This is textbook manipulation.”

“This is me making sure my girlfriend, who’s an athlete and doesn’t eat enough, eats more.” Azzi corrected.

They fell into a rhythm, talking about random things—practice, Lukas, a funny video that Paige’s mom sent them the night before. Paige fed Azzi slowly, and in between, Azzi snuck bites into Paige’s mouth every time she looked distracted or paused too long mid-story.

As Paige was reaching for the napkins, the office phone rang—its sharp tone cutting through the warm moment between them.

Azzi sighed through a soft laugh, grabbing the receiver as she mouthed behave before answering.

“This is Dr.Fudd,” she said, voice switching into her professional tone effortlessly, though there was still a trace of amusement tucked into the edges of her words.

On the other end of the line, Kelly’s voice came through the receiver. “Hey, just a heads up—your next appointment’s already here. Ten minutes.”

Azzi thanked her before hanging up, exhaling softly as she glanced at the clock.

Paige stood from the desk with a stretch, her tank top shifting up slightly to reveal her stomach muscles, Azzi’s eyes flicking down briefly. She reached for Azzi’s hand, gently pulling her up from the seat. “I’ll see you later?”

Azzi hummed, already stepping in to kiss her. It was slow and sweet, the kind of kiss that said she didn’t really want Paige to go. When she pulled back, her voice was softer. “What’re you doing for the rest of the day?”

Paige let her thumb graze over Azzi’s waist as they started walking toward the front of the office. “Bout to just chill with Lukas until later. He said something about wanting to switch his dirt bike engine since he’s ‘big’ now.”

Azzi smiled at that, nodding as they walked in sync down the hallway, their shoulders bumping once.

When they reached the door, Paige tugged Azzi into one more hug, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I love you,” she murmured.

Azzi smiled, nose brushing Paige’s as she whispered back, “I love you too.”

Then they stepped into the receptionist area where Kelly was typing quietly. Paige pulled Azzi into one last hug, more casual this time, but still lingering. “Put those flowers in water,” she said.

Azzi laughed softly. “I will.”

They exchanged one final glance, Paige winking at Azzi—before parting ways. As Paige walked toward the elevator, Azzi turned back toward the front, smoothing her skirt and offering a warm smile.

She motioned toward the client waiting in the seating area. “You can come on back.”

…

Later that night, Sam pulled up to the front of Paige's house, the blacked-out luxury vehicle idling quietly in Paige’s driveway. From the backseat, Azzi pulled out her phone and sent Paige a quick text.

Within a minute, the front door opened and closed. Azzi looked up to see Paige walking out—her diamond studs catching the faint porch light, silver chain resting against the loose white button up she wore. She moved with her usual calm confidence.

When Paige slid into the car, the scent of her cologne drifted in with her. She greeted Sam with a nod. “Preciate you, man.”

“Anytime,” Sam said before reaching forward to press the button that sent the partition up, giving them privacy.

As soon as they were alone, Paige turned toward Azzi, grinning. “You look good.” Eyes sweeping slowly down Azzi’s frame and back up with no rush.

Azzi leaned back into her seat, crossing one leg over the other, her skirt hugging her curves in a way that didn’t go unnoticed. “You saw me earlier today,” she pointed out.

Paige shrugged, her grin growing. “All of a sudden it looks better when I know I can take it off you soon.”

Azzi let out a laugh, rolling her eyes playfully. “You really know how to flatter a woman.”

Paige tilted her head. “You can take mine off if it makes you feel better.”

Azzi gave her a slow once-over, eyes dragging down Paige’s relaxed, tailored fit. She lingered for a beat, then looked back up at Paige with a smile. “Might take you up on that.”

“Yeah?”

Azzi didn’t answer—just smiled at her like she already had plans.

Paige played into the moment, a smirk creeping in as she licked her lips and leaned into Azzi. “Say the word and I’ll cancel the wine tasting right now.”

Azzi let out a soft scoff, immediately lifting her hand and pressing two fingers to Paige’s forehead, gently pushing her back. “Relax, Mr. Steal-Your-Girl,” she said, laughing.

Paige laughed too, leaning back with her hands up in mock surrender. “I’m just sayin.”

Azzi shook her head with a grin, both of them settling back into their seats.

…

The tasting room was warmly lit, making the atmosphere more intimate for each table. Paige and Azzi sat at a table near the back like always, legs pressed together beneath the tablecloth. Paige’s arm was casually draped along the back of Azzi’s chair, fingers occasionally brushing her shoulder or her neck in a way that felt possessive and protective at once.

They were in the middle of a conversation. Azzi tilted her head, swirling the wine in her glass as looked at Paige with amusement. “You literally said, ‘This wine stuff’s kinda boring unless you’re cute.’”

Paige shook her head, trying to fight the smile tugging at her lips. “That’s not what I said. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

Azzi leaned into her slightly, close enough that Paige could smell her perfume. “I’m not, I’m quoting you. Word for word. Then you looked at me and winked.”

Paige laughed, taking a sip of her wine before mumbling, “That doesn’t sound like me.”

Azzi gave her a look, smirking. “You winked, Paige. There was literally a witness.”

“Okay fine, maybe I winked. But I didn’t say the wine part was boring.”

Azzi narrowed her eyes. “You absolutely said it was boring.”

Paige turned in her seat slightly, angling toward her more. “Alright alright, maybe I did say it. But only ‘cause you looked too good for me to pretend like I care about what a wine’s body means. Specially when yours was right there.”

Azzi blinked once before laughing, trying to hide her smile behind the rim of her glass. “That’s your excuse?”

“Mmhmm.” Paige let her hand slip down just slightly behind Azzi’s chair so her fingers brushed the small of her back. “You got me out here talkin’ reckless over pinot noir. You should be proud.”

Azzi tried to play it cool, but her eyes darted down to Paige’s mouth for a second too long. She turned her head, pretending to refocus on the tasting menu in front of them. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you already undressed me in your head twice.”

Paige grinned, the corner of her mouth twitching as she leaned back a bit, moving to drape her arm over the back of Azzi’s chair again. “Twice?” she echoed. “That’s definitely lowballin’ it.”

Azzi let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she swirled her wine. “You’re so unserious.”

“But you like that about me,” Paige said, her voice quieter now. Her fingers brushed against the side of Azzi’s neck under the guise of adjusting her arm. “Don’t lie.”

Azzi tilted her head slightly in challenge, but there was a smile tugging at her lips she couldn’t hide. “I tolerate it.”

“Tolerate it so much you let me take you out.”

Azzi raised her glass. “I came for the wine, actually.”

Paige leaned in again, close enough that Azzi stilled for a moment. “You always stay for me though.”

Azzi didn’t respond right away. She took a sip instead, eyes locked on Paige’s over the rim of her glass. Then, slowly, she set it down and whispered, “Don’t get cocky.”

“It’s not cocky if it’s true.”

Azzi bit back a smile, nudging Paige’s thigh gently with hers. “Keep talkin’ like that and I’m not responsible for what happens later.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, lips parting like she was about to say something bold—but then she caught herself, laughing under her breath. “You tryna out-flirt me right now?”

Azzi rested her chin on her hand, looking at her with a calm sort of confidence. “Who said I’m trying?”

Paige leaned back a little, smirking. “This isn’t you trying?”

Azzi batted her lashes once at Paige. “Not at all, baby.”

Then casually Azzi rested her hand on Paige’s thigh. Not just her knee or above it, but higher, her fingers grazing the fabric just where Paige’s quad curved. Her thumb moved slightly, brushing in a small, slow arc like she wasn’t even thinking about it.

Paige looked down at the touch, then back up at Azzi with a sucked-in cheek and a bite of her lip, like she was weighing whether to say something slick—or just kiss her.

Before she could do either, the server approached with a fresh flight of wines. He placed the glasses down carefully, giving his well-rehearsed spiel: “This round is a Syrah—fruit-forward with a little spice on the finish.”

Azzi retracted her hand smoothly, fingers grazing Paige’s thigh on the way down as she picked up a new glass. Her expression never faltered, like her hand hadn’t just been inches from making Paige forget what planet she was on.

Paige cleared her throat and took the glass in front of her, eyeing Azzi sideways. “Spice on the finish, huh?”

Azzi glanced at her over the rim of her glass. “Sounds familiar.”

Paige choked on a laugh, covering her mouth just as the server walked away. “You really wanna do this here?”

Azzi gave her a beautiful smile and shrugged, sipping the wine like nothing was phasing her. “What? I’m just appreciating the wine love.”

Paige narrowed her eyes and leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of Azzi’s ear as she dropped her voice. “Keep playing, and imma forget we’re in a public setting.”

Azzi took another slow sip, but her cheeks warmed. “That's your problem, P, not mine.”

Paige just chuckled again, the kind knowing laugh that lingered as she sat back and finally brought her glass to her lips. Shaking her head because Azzi didn’t know what she was getting into.

From there, the mood shifted, the space between them had shrunk. The wine loosened them up and somehow wound them up at the same time, like every glance and touch lingered a second too long.

Paige’s arm rested more firmly behind Azzi now, her fingers messing with the back of Azzi’s neck every time she leaned in. Their legs were fully pressed together beneath the table, and neither of them moved to fix it.

Azzi took another sip of her wine, and when she set the glass down, Paige leaned in, her lips brushing beside her ear.

“You know I been thinking about you all day,” Paige murmured, her voice low and steady. “It;s your fault though. That skirt you got on... you really gon’ wear that around me and expect me to not say something?”

Azzi smiled, cheeks flushing, but she didn’t move away. “You like it?” she asked, a little smug.

“Liked it so much I almost stopped by your office again just to see it one more time.”

Azzi turned slightly to look at her, lashes low as she whispered, “Almost?”

Paige’s fingers traced up Azzi’s thigh. “Had to save some self-control for tonight.”

Azzi bit her lip, playing along, leaning in like she was going to say something—but instead she tilted her head slightly, giving Paige even more access to her ear. “Mmm.”

Paige leaned in closer. “I keep picturing you in that skirt on my lap… whispering in my ear...”

“You’re really trying to start something in a wine bar?”

Paige smirked, her lips brushing Azzi’s ear now. “Start? Baby, I’m already halfway through the scene in my head.”

Azzi giggled, eyes glinting with interest as she turned toward her, noses nearly touching. “Oh yeah?” she murmured.

Paige tilted forward like she was about to kiss her—but Azzi leaned back, just enough to dodge it, her lips still curved.

“Not here baby,” she said softly.

Paige tilted her head slightly, her eyes dropping to Azzi’s lips and lingering there. “Why not?” she whispered, her voice a little more hoarse now, a little more affected. The wine running it’s course through both of them.

Azzi laughed under her breath, leaning back in her chair just enough to breathe. “I can see the headlines now. Dallas Wings star caught.’”

Paige licked her lips, not even trying to hide how she was looking at her. “Don’t nobody in here know who I am.”

Azzi raised her eyebrow as she finished the last bit of wine in one of her glasses. “You’re really underestimating your visibility, Miss Bueckers.”

Paige shrugged, her fingers now drawing circles on Azzi’s thigh. “Visibility’s overrated,” she muttered. “Nobody in here’s paying attention.”

Azzi shot her a pointed look. “They are. You just don’t care.”

Paige leaned in again, her breath hot on Azzi’s neck as she whispered, “I only care about you right now baby.”

Azzi’s cheeks flushed, but she didn’t let it show. Instead, she pressed the tip of her index finger to Paige’s chest, holding her back with a smirk. “You keep sweet-talking me and we’re going to finish the night early.”

Paige grinned, biting her bottom lip. “Say the word.”

Azzi let out a low laugh, shaking her head as she looked forward again, but her fingers slid across the seat beneath the table, finding Paige’s hand and lacing them together. She gave it a gentle squeeze.

“You’re insane,” she whispered, unable to hide the smile tugging at her lips.

“I know and you love that shit so let’s stop playing.” Paige said the words laced with an arrogance that made Azzi pause for a beat.

She turned to look at her, eyebrows raised in surprise—not because of the words themselves, but because of the shift in tone. Paige, who was usually teasing, soft, sweet… had said it with something different in her voice. A little rougher. A little bolder. A little more her.

The surprise flickered in Azzi’s eyes, but so did something else lower in her stomach.

“You’re feeling yourself tonight, huh?” she asked, trying to play it off but her eyes told the truth. She loved it.

Paige’s tongue swiped across her bottom lip, eyes locked on Azzi like she already knew exactly what was going through her mind. “Nah baby I’m just feeling you. I keep telling you that mama.”

Azzi laughed again, quieter this time, more breath than sound, like she was trying to keep herself composed.

Just then, their waiter approached with their final flight—four new wines lined up with elegant precision. He began explaining each one, describing notes of citrus and oak, subtle spices, a bold finish. But Paige barely heard a word.

She was staring at Azzi.

Her elbow rested casually on the back of Azzi’s chair, body angled toward her, and while the waiter’s voice filled the air, Paige’s gaze stayed fixed on the curve of Azzi’s lips, the way her fingers delicately spun the stem of her new glass, how her tongue peeked out just briefly to wet her bottom lip. Paige’s eyes dropped for a beat before lifting again, hunger flickering behind them.

Thoughts were clearly running wild behind her eyes.

Azzi could feel it—could feel her looking. She slowly glanced over, catching her in the act, and raised her eyebrows like really? while the poor waiter was still talking about “mouthfeel.”

Paige didn’t even flinch. She just smirked, leaned in a little, and whispered, “Swear I don’t care about what he’s describing, I’m just tryna remember what you taste like. Been too long.”

Azzi’s eyes widened for a split second before she snapped her head forward, covering her laugh behind a cough. She was blushing now, nose wrinkling with effort as she tried to keep it together.

“You are so inappropriate,” she whispered through her teeth.

“M’just being honest. Too drunk to care.”

Azzi smiled, shaking her head as she squeezed Paige’s thigh.

Paige looked up at the waiter briefly, offered a tight-lipped smile like she hadn’t just whispered something filthy a second ago, and nodded along to his last words.

The moment he walked away, Azzi turned to her with a sigh, trying to act annoyed but failing. “You can’t behave for one second, can you?”

Paige grinned, reaching under the table to trail her fingers up the inside of Azzi’s thigh. “Didn’t hear you ask me to.”

Azzi inhaled sharply, then clamped her legs together, placing a warning hand over Paige’s. “Okay. Finish your wine,” she said with a smile, “before I actually get up and make us leave early.”

Paige chuckled, lifting her glass. “You keep saying that like it’s a threat.”

Azzi’s eyes were still dancing, but Paige could see the shift—how that usual collected edge softened just a little. So she pushed Azzi’s thighs apart, trailing her hand higher. Azzi didn’t move Paige’s hand this time. In fact, she let it stay there, her thigh tense beneath Paige’s palm.

Paige leaned in again, voice low. “You’re shaking.”

Azzi didn’t deny it. Her gaze flicked to Paige’s lips, then up to her eyes, and for a brief second, she looked like she wanted to say something but all that came out was a breathy, “Maybe I’m just cold.”

Paige smirked, brushing her thumb higher against the inside of Azzi’s thigh. “I promise I can warm you up.”

Azzi bit her bottom lip, her breath catching. She turned slightly, shifting to face Paige more directly now, her shoulder pressed into Paige’s chest. “We’re in public baby,” she whispered, the words slipping out softer than she intended. As if the point she was making became less important every time Paige spoke.

Paige leaned her forehead against Azzi’s temple, her lips barely grazing her skin as she murmured, “I told you I don’t care. I only care about you right now.”

Azzi’s eyes fluttered shut for a second like she was giving in to the feeling—then she caught herself and pulled back slightly, cheeks flushed, lips parted.

They stared at each other, the tension between them thick, almost heavy enough to pull them together.

Then, without another word, they both lifted their glasses.

They tipped them back in sync, draining the rest of their wine in silence—Azzi’s throat moving in slow swallows, Paige watching with an appreciative flicker in her gaze.

Paige set her glass down, reached for her wallet, and pulled out a few bills. She tossed them on the table—enough to cover the wine and leave a tip that was more than generous. Then she stood and extended her hand.

Azzi slipped her hand into Paige’s, letting herself be helped up, and with a small smile tugging at her lips, she stepped slightly ahead to lead the way out.

Paige followed, their fingers laced, her eyes shamelessly trailing the way Azzi’s skirt hugged her hips, the way her legs looked in her heels, the sway in her walk just enough to make Paige shake her head to herself. “Unreal,” she muttered under her breath, a small grin curling at the corners of her mouth.

Even distracted, Paige didn’t miss the door. As they reached the exit, she took two quick strides to slip around and pulled the restaurant door open.

Azzi glanced at her, eyes warm with a smile that said she noticed—and appreciated—every little thing Paige did. She stepped past her slowly, squeezing their interlaced hands.

They walked toward the car, the air cooler now, a soft breeze catching Azzi’s curls as they reached the vehicle waiting on the other side of the street. Once again without saying anything Paige moved ahead, opening the back door.

Azzi lets Paige help her in, her fingers lingering a second longer than necessary before she drops her hand. Paige closed the door gently behind her before making her way to the other side and sliding in next to her.

The low glow of the car’s interior lights flickered softly at the open door before fading out. Paige felt a subtle wave of relief wash over her when she looked up to see the partition still closed.

She doesn’t even let Azzi reach for her seatbelt. The moment she settles, Paige slides across the leather seat and pulls Azzi closer, one hand on her waist, the other finding the curve of her thigh. There's barely an inch between them now—heat passing back and forth, both of their hearts out of rhythm.

“You look too fucking good, baby,” Paige murmurs, her lips grazing Azzi’s jaw as she speaks.

The way she says it—not just the words, but the desperation in her tone—sends a jolt through Azzi. Her heart spikes, and warmth spreads like wildfire in her stomach. Without thinking, Azzi crosses her legs tightly, trying to settle the ache building in between them. Paige notices, her eyes dropping for the briefest moment.

Her jaw tenses.

She swallows hard.

Because as much as she loves Azzi—loves her deeply, in ways she’s never fully said out loud—none of her current thoughts are gentle. None of them are respectful.

Her hand tightens at Azzi’s waist, but she doesn’t move closer. She just looks at her, blue eyes dark and swirling with everything she wants to do but isn’t sure she should because they’re still not at home.

Azzi noticed the shift in Paige—the way her breath hitched, the sudden tension in her shoulders. But she didn’t back away. Instead, she leaned in and reached up to Paige’s chest. Her fingers found the silver chain resting against her shirt and began to play with it, twisting it gently between her fingers.

Paige couldn’t take her eyes off her.

Azzi’s gaze stayed on hers—like she already knew exactly what Paige was thinking. Like she was openly inviting it but was waiting for Paige to say something.

The silence in the backseat was heavy. Not a word between them, but everything was loud—the way Paige’s heart pounded against her ribs, the way Azzi’s breathing was shallow, the way heat pooled in both of their stomachs. Paige felt like her whole body was on fire, her restraint slipping fast, her thoughts dangerously unchecked.

“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to fuck you this bad, baby,” Paige whispered, her voice rough and broken at the edges.

Azzi didn’t respond. She just smirked, eyes still locked on Paige’s, and gave the chain a gentle tug—pulling her in, closing that last inch of space.

Their lips met like it was inevitable—slow and heated as their tongues traced one another’s mouths. Paige let out a low, involuntary sound from the back of her throat, something caught between a sigh and a moan, her hand sliding up to cup Azzi’s jaw. Her fingers curled beneath her ear, holding her in place like she couldn't bear the thought of any distance between them.

Azzi’s grip on Paige’s chain tightened, knuckles tight as she tugged her closer, their mouths moving together like they’d been waiting for this moment to explode between them. And it did—every brush of their tongues, every pull, was laced with desperation.

Paige tilted her head slightly and bit down on Azzi’s bottom lip—just enough to make her gasp, her breath catching in her throat before melting into a quiet moan that slipped out without permission.

Paige trailed her lips down the side of Azzi’s jaw, hot breath fanning against her skin. Her mouth found the space just below her ear, her tongue flicking and dragging, followed by soft bites that made Azzi’s fingers twitch against her chain. She pressed her lips to every exposed inch she could find, lapping sloppily at her neck before nipping just above her collarbone.

Azzi let her head tilt back, eyes fluttering shut, her chest rising and falling in tandem with Paige’s movements. Her hand was now holding Paige’s head like she wasn’t sure whether to pull her closer or stop her before she lost all composure in the backseat of a moving car.

“P…” Azzi whispered, like maybe she was trying to be the voice of reason—but even her breathy voice didn’t sound convinced. Her body arched toward Paige’s touch, and her fingers pushed into Paige’s hair that was pulled into a bun.

Paige didn’t stop. She just hummed against Azzi’s skin like she was somewhere else entirely, drunk on the taste of her neck, the feel of her, the heat radiating off her body in waves. Her kisses slowed, then paused, lips grazing the curve of Azzi’s neck one last time before she pulled back just enough to look at her.

Azzi’s breath got stuck at the sight.

Paige looked disheveled in the most gorgeous way. Her lips were slightly swollen, a soft blush painting her cheeks, and her blue eyes were dark and glassy—dilated. A strand of her hair had come loose from her bund and fallen across her forehead, messy and untamed in a way that made Azzi’s core pulse.

“Wassup?” Paige asked, she was trying to play it cool, but the desire behind her eyes gave her away.

Azzi opened her mouth, ready to say something, anything—but the words didn’t come. She blinked slowly, lips parting then closing again, her brain blank as she looked at Paige. She didn’t remember why she’d said her name. Didn’t remember why she was supposed to stop this.

All she could focus on was the way Paige was looking at her. The way the alcohol combined with not seeing Paige, being touched by Paige for so long made every inch of her body crave the athlete.

All she could feel was the ache between her legs and the way her heart was pounding. “I…” Azzi started, but then just shook her head with a breathless laugh. “I don’t know. Never mind.”

Paige grinned, leaning in again, close enough to brush the tip of her nose against Azzi’s. “That’s what I thought.”

Azzi didn’t say another word; she just tugged Paige forward by the front of her shirt, crashing their mouths together in a kiss that was messier than the first. This one was different—urgent and impatient, like they were trying to make up for every second they’d spent apart over the last week and a half.

Paige groaned into it, her hands gripping Azzi’s waist. Azzi leaned back against the seat, and Paige followed, not caring about the angle.

Azzi’s hands moved without thought, reaching up to undo the bun at the back of Paige’s head. The moment her fingers loosened the bun, Paige’s hair tumbled down around her face. Azzi let out a quiet sound of approval, threading her fingers through the blonde strands.

Still kissing her, Azzi’s hands found the top button of Paige’s shirt and made quick work of it, then the next, and the next. Paige’s breath caught when Azzi’s knuckles brushed against her skin, but she didn’t stop her.

By the time Azzi reached the last button, her fingers were already pushing the fabric off Paige’s shoulders, revealing the warm, flushed skin underneath. Paige shivered at the cold air, but didn’t flinch—just pressed herself closer, hands sliding up Azzi’s back as if to say keep going.

The second Paige’s shirt slipped off completely and pooled somewhere on the floor of the car, her black tank top clinging to the warm curves of her body, she guided Azzi lower against the seat—just enough so Paige could hover over her, lips latching onto the curve of her neck.

Azzi’s head fell back against the leather seat, breath catching as Paige’s mouth moved deliberately, sucking at the sensitive skin.

Her fingers, half-shaking, found the belt loop of Paige’s pants, and she began to undo the buckle, metal softly clinking in the backseat.

Paige’s hand slid up Azzi’s thigh, pushing at her skirt a little bit as she deepened the kiss against her neck, whispering something into her skin that made Azzi bite her lip and arch into Paige, her free hand tangling back in her loosened hair.

Azzi let out a soft sound as Paige sucked just beneath her jaw, the vibrations shooting straight through her. Her hand slipped under the hem of Paige’s tank top, fingertips grazing the warm ab muscles. Paige hummed at this, her hand gripping Azzi’s thigh tighter as she pushed her hips into Azzi.

There was a soft knock against the tinted window.

But neither of them heard it.

Azzi was opening her legs further for Paige now, eyes fluttering shut as she arched into her touch. Paige’s lips moved lower again, leaving another mark she didn’t even bother trying to hide. Her other hand slid in between Azzi’s legs, pushing her skirt up further in an attempt to gain better access.

Knock. Knock. Louder this time.

The sound sliced through the fog surrounding them. They slowly pulled away from one another, eyes dazed, breathing uneven. Paige’s pupils were completely blown, lips swollen from kissing, jaw tight as she looked down at Azzi. Her black tank top was pushed up her chest and her belt hung open at her hips. Azzi’s hair was tousled, her bottom lip glistening where Paige had bitten it, her expression caught between frustration and breathless disbelief.

Neither one of them spoke for a moment.

Then Paige whispered. “We’re at your place.”

Azzi barely nodded.

The second knock on the window still echoed in the back of their minds as they stepped out of the car, not even pretending to pull themselves together, Paige only pulling Azzi’s skirt down before they stepped out. The cool air hit them, but it didn’t help—didn’t cool the heat between them. Paige helped Azzi out first, hand slipping a little too low on her back, and Azzi leaned into her, lips grazing Paige’s neck as she murmured a breathy, distracted, “Thank you, Sam,” to the driver standing outside the vehicle.

Sam gave a polite nod and immediately turned away, pretending not to notice anything.

Paige didn’t even glance at him—her hand was already tangled in Azzi’s, the other wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her close as Azzi nipped at her jaw as they stumbled toward the front door, completely lost in each other.

Paige wrapped herself around Azzi from behind when they reached the door, her arms slipping around her waist, lips finding the slope of her neck. She kissed and nipped at her skin between hushed, breathy whispers that made Azzi’s fingers tremble as she tried to find the key.

“Can't believe I let you wear this out the house…” Paige whispered against her ear.

Azzi shivered, laughing softly under her breath as she fumbled with the lock. “You didn't say anything on the phone this morning when I was getting dressed,” she said, breath hitching as Paige’s teeth grazed her pulse point.

“That was me trying to behave.”

“Not doing a great job now,” Azzi mumbled, finally getting the key in after the third try.

The door clicked open and they practically stumbled inside, still tangled up in each other, neither willing to break contact. Azzi pushed the door shut behind them, but Paige had already spun her around, backing her up against it as their lips met again.

Paige’s hand blindly reached behind her to twist the lock with a soft click, not pulling her eyes from Azzi. The second it was secure, her fingers slid to the buttons of Azzi’s shirt, moving with ease. One after another, they came undone under her touch, and Paige pushed the low V-neck button up off Azzi’s shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

She started to lean in again—ready to attach her lips to the exposed chest—but paused mid-motion when her eyes dropped.

Red lace.

Paige blinked once, twice, her breath catching as her gaze lingered on the delicate fabric clinging to Azzi’s chest, the bold color looking criminal on her tan skin.

“Jesus christ,” Paige muttered, her brain short-circuiting for a full second. She let her eyes drag back up to Azzi’s face, jaw tight, eyes somehow appearing darker than before. “You wore this on purpose.”

Azzi tilted her head with a slow smirk, saying nothing—but the glint in her eyes said everything. She didn’t even try to speak—just pulled Paige into another desperate kiss, their mouths sliding together. Paige’s hands were everywhere—gripping Azzi’s waist, sliding down her back, tugging her closer as they moved with no coordination toward the stairs, each of them kicking off their shoes. Every step was clumsy, rushed, their breaths ragged and uneven.

“Fuck,” Paige groaned against Azzi’s lips, her voice wrecked. “You don’t know what you’re doing to me…”

Azzi’s knees nearly buckled at the sound of Paige’s voice. Digging her fingers into Paige’s arms to stay stable as Paige’s teeth grazed her neck. “I do. I was hoping you’d see it,” she whispered, just before Paige captured her lips again.

They made it halfway up the stairs before Azzi had to press a hand to the wall to steady herself, laughing breathlessly between kisses. “We’re not gonna make it to my room at this rate.”

Paige shook her head, her lips dragging down Azzi’s throat. “Then move faster, baby. I need you.”

The desperation in her voice lit a fire under Azzi, making her pick up the pace down the hallway, passing the guest rooms until she reached her own at the end. Her hands trembled as she reached for the door handle, Paige still pressed against her back, lips hot against her neck as her hands slid up beneath her skirt.

The second the door clicked open, they stumbled inside. Paige kicked it shut behind them, already tugging at Azzi’s skirt, fingers finding the zipper and dragging it down with deliberate care.

When it slipped off Azzi’s hips, Paige once again froze—her breath catching in her throat.

Because if the red lace bra had stunned her before, what it was matched to made her mind go completely blank. Matching red lace, delicate and sheer, hugged Azzi’s hips—attached with a small, garter belt clipped high up her thigh so Paige couldn’t feel it earlier. It made Paige forget where they were, who she was, and how to speak entirely.

“Holy… shit,” she breathed, eyes locked on Azzi like she was something out of a dream she’d been afraid to ask for.

Azzi smirked despite how hard her chest was rising and falling. “You going to just stare, P…or do something about it?”

Paige’s gaze flicked up to meet hers, but she still didn’t move. It was like she physically couldn’t. Her eyes were devouring Azzi—tracing every single inch. The way her dark, hazy brown eyes burned. The fullness of her lips. Her curly hair messily flipped to one side. The curve of her chest. Her body, perfectly hugged by the lace that left very little to the imagination. Paige’s mouth parted slightly, like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Just air. Just awe.

Azzi tilted her head, watching her watch her. She let Paige soak it all in, just for a second longer—relishing the way her presence alone had Paige stuck. Then slowly, she stepped forward and reached out, fingers slipping into the front of Paige’s waistband as she tugged her gently toward the bed.

Paige followed, almost dazed, her movements slow, breath shallow. When they reached the edge of the mattress, Azzi flipped their positions with ease—guiding Paige backwards before giving her a light push that had her sitting down, legs spreading slightly on instinct as Azzi climbed on top of her.

Paige’s hands instantly found her thighs, gripping them as her eyes flicked up. “You tryna kill me tonight or some?” she murmured.

Azzi leaned in, lips just brushing Paige’s ear. “Not kill you,” she whispered. “Just work you up a little.”

Paige swallowed hard, the sound audible in the quiet room, her throat bobbing as she looked up at Azzi. Her hands moved up to grip Azzi’s hips tighter. “Fuck, baby you’re so–shit I don’t even know” she whispered, voice unstable.

Azzi smiled down at her, leaning in closer. “Shh,” she breathed, lips ghosting over the shell of Paige’s ear. “Just sit there and be quiet, P.”

Before Paige could even think of replying, Azzi’s mouth was on her neck—soft, then biting, then soft again—her tongue trailing across every inch of skin she could reach. Paige’s head tilted back with a low gasp, her fingers flexing against Azzi’s sides as her body reacted to each kiss.

Azzi’s hands moved with slow, confident purpose, slipping down to the hem of Paige’s black tank. Her fingers slid beneath it, pushing the fabric up until the tight muscle of Paige’s abdomen was exposed. Paige’s breath hitched, her stomach tightening under Azzi’s touch as her whole body seemed to vibrate under her.

Azzi pulled back just enough to look down at her, breath fanning across Paige’s skin. “You’re so fucking sexy,” she whispered, fingers tracing the subtle dip between Paige’s ribs.

Paige let out a breathy groan when Azzi suddenly bit down on the curve of her neck, a little harsher this time, like she was claiming her. Paige’s hips lifted instinctively, her body aching for more. She tried to use that leverage to flip them, her hands pressing to Azzi’s waist.

But Azzi caught them. She grabbed both of Paige’s wrists and laced their fingers together, pushing them gently but firmly above Paige’s head, pinning them to the mattress as her thighs tightened around Paige’s hips.

Paige’s breath caught, her eyes burning into Azzi’s. “Why you tryna tease me? You know how much I want you.”

Azzi leaned in close, her nose brushing Paige’s. “I’m trying to help but I need you to stay still for me, baby.”

Paige nodded, breath shaky. But Azzi still didn’t let go of her wrists—one hand stayed firmly above Paige’s head, anchoring her in place.

Then Azzi started moving again.

Her lips trailed down Paige’s neck, teeth grazing just enough to make Paige gasp. She left a mark just below her collarbone, then another right along the neckline of the bunched up tank top.

“God, I love those,” Paige murmured, her voice a whisper of need. Her head tilted back slightly, eyes fluttering every time she felt Azzi suck at her skin.

Azzi didn’t answer. Her mouth continued its descent, soft kisses and sharp nips scattered down Paige’s torso. Paige’s abs tensed beneath her each time, breath catching when Azzi licked a slow stripe right under her ribs.

Azzi finally reached Paige’s waistband, her free hand playing lightly with the open belt and fabric of her pants. But instead of moving further, her dark eyes flicked up. Paige was already watching her, mouth parted, chest rising and falling like she’d run a mile.

Azzi smirked then leaned forward and licked a slow path back up Paige’s stomach, her tongue warm and wet, never breaking eye contact.

Paige’s eyes fluttered, struggling to hold the gaze, completely unraveled by the sight of Azzi crawling up her like that.

“F—fuck,” Paige mumbled, the word barely formed. “What the hell you doing to me, baby?”

Azzi just hummed at the sound of her voice, the vibrations low in her throat as she shifted slightly helping Paige pull her tank top and sports bra over her head, discarding them somewhere off the side of the bed.

The sight of Paige—bare skin flushed, taut muscles flexing slightly with every shaky breath, her chest rising and falling like she was barely holding it together—lit something deeper in Azzi. Her mouth parted slightly as her gaze traced over every inch of her.

Then Azzi was back on her—her fingers working quickly at the button of Paige’s jeans, dragging them open and tugging them down her legs to reveal the boxers underneath.

Azzi bit her bottom lip as she took Paige in. “You’re unreal,” she whispered, almost like she was saying it to herself as she traced the hem of the boxers.

Paige’s hips lifted slightly in response, silently asking for more, but her eyes didn’t leave Azzi’s body. “You—fuck, Azzi. You’re so perfect,” she murmured, gaze still caught on the red lace hugging Azzi’s frame like it was made just for her. “Look so good with your lace on baby.”

Azzi chuckled. “Yeah?” she teased, brushing her fingers along Paige’s side as she moved back up her torso. “Then maybe I’ll keep it on a little longer for you.”

Azzi leaned back down, capturing her mouth in another kiss. Azzi pushed herself into Paige’s stomach as they kissed, her body rolling into the contact, needing it just as much.

When Paige felt it—felt just how much Azzi wanted her, how wet Azzi was for her—she gasped against her lips and whispered, “Jesus Christ, baby. I haven’t even touched you.”

Paige’s head tipped back for just a second, her eyes fluttering shut as she tried to get her breath under control. But Azzi didn’t let up—not with her lips, not with her hands, not with the way her body moved just enough against Paige’s abs to drive her crazy and relieve some of the pressure in her own stomach.

“Azzi…” Paige whispered, her voice fraying at the edges. She moved her hands from above her head, placing them on Azzi’s hips and guiding her into a slow, grinding rhythm—helping her push harder, like she was trying to take control of the moment as Azzi’s wetness started to spread across her stomach.

Azzi let her have it for a beat or two, her lips curving into a smile as she watched Paige’s brows furrow, her jaw tighten, her chest rising fast beneath her. She liked the way Paige moved—needy, focused, just on the edge of losing it.

But then Paige tried to sit up again when Azzi let a moan slip out, once again trying to flip their position.

Azzi pressed both hands to Paige’s shoulders and shoved her right back down against the mattress. “I thought I told you to stop moving. Are you that desperate for me baby?”

Paige didn’t even bother to deny it. Her fingers dug deeper into Azzi’s waist, pulling her down harder against her as she whispered, “Of course I am. I can’t help it—you feel too good.”

Azzi’s lips twitched in a slow smirk. “I know I do,” and just like that, she rolled her hips down harder, biting at her lip, drawing a deep, broken sound from Paige’s throat.

Azzi leaned in, lips brushing the corner of Paige’s mouth. “Now be good, and let me take care of you.”

Paige nods as Azzi slowly starts kissing down her body again.

Azzi’s fingers grabbed the material of Paige’s boxers only tugging slightly before pressing her mouth to Paige's clothed center, feeling how wet Paige was through it.

Azzi let out a hum at this, kissing Paige’s center one more time before kissing back up to Paige's stomach.

Paige tenses her jaw at the teasing as she squirms a little before saying, "I swear Imma fuck you through this mattress when you’re done."

Azzi chuckles at this, clearly not taking Paige seriously as she moves back down attaching her lips to Paige’s thigh. She leaves a few soft kisses before sucking dark marks on the pale skin. Looking up at Paige to see her head tipped back and her lip between her teeth.

"Baby let me hear you." Azzi whispers, completely still until Paige follows directions.

Paige lets go of her lip mumbling out, “Shit m’sorry mama.”

At this apology Azzi finally moves to take off Paige’s boxers. Paige lifting her hips immediately to make the process easier as Azzi discards them without looking away from Paige, the sight causing her to nearly fall apart.

Paige was so soaked, the center of her body completely slick and pooling onto the sheets. The sight mixed with Paige laying completely bare in front of her, bright marks fanned all over the woman’s skin had Azzi’s mouth watering.

Azzi moved to adjust herself between Paige’s legs trailing her fingers in between Paige’s folds, slowly spreading her apart.

Paige's breath hitches when Azzi blows into her, the wetness mixed with the cool air causing her stomach to flutter. She pushes her hand into Azzi’s head. "Baby please-" she starts but she doesn’t get very far. The words falling off her lips when Azzi licks up her slit.

Azzi’s tongue begins to move slowly but expertly against Paige, causing quiet moans to slip past the blonde's lips.

Once Azzi finds a nice rhythm she takes Paige completely into her mouth, using her tongue to part Paige's folds and push into her with her tongue.

"Oh shit, baby." Paige whispers. Her legs already shaking slightly around Azzi’s head. "You feel so fucking good pretty."

Azzi digs her nails lightly into Paige’s skin, leaving marks on her thighs as Paige’s head falls back against the pillow mumbling something incoherent about not being able to last long.

This causes Azzi to look up, whispering “S’ok baby you’re doing so good for me I promise." Then she’s reattaching her lips to Paige’s center leaning her head on Paige’s thigh as she finds her rhythm again.

Paige is in complete awe as she looks down at Azzi for a few minutes, seeing her long curly hair, the red lingerie, the way Azzi is completely wrapped up in her. “You’re so beautiful Azzi baby. Swear you’re doing so good.”

A strangled moan falls from Paige’s mouth when Azzi pushes her tongue further into her, pushing at her walls in acknowledgement.

Azzi feels Paige’s legs begin to tighten and wanting to add to the sensation Azzi adjusts slightly before easing two of her fingers into Paige, working her fingers into her slowly as she continues to lick at her clit.

Paige’s hand pushes Azzi’s head down forcing her closer at the added feeling. "Shit Az…shit, I’m close baby."

Paige’s moans are music to Azzi’s ears as she pushes further into her girlfriend, Paige’s arousal making it effortless to work into her.

Azzi hums as she pulls her lips from Paige for a second mumbling, “I know love. Lemme have it baby,” before she attaches right back to Paige’s clit.

Paige nods at Azzi’s words, her legs starting to tremble. It only takes Azzi curling her fingers a few more times before Paige is gasping, her back arching up from the mattress. "Oh shit—baby I…shit m'cumming baby-” a loud moan and a slew of Azzi’s name rolling off her tongue cuts Paige off before she can finish her sentence.

Her hands tighten in Azzi’s long hair, tugging and pushing as she grinds against her to ride out her orgasm. Before she pushes Azzi's mouth away from her sensitive clit.

As Azzi slides her fingers out of Paige she’s still attempting to gather herself, her chest rising and following as she stares up at the ceiling.

Azzi climbs up her body, straddling her waist as Paige’s eyes find her. Paige’s eyes are completely glazed over and when Azzi sucks her own fingers into her mouth, eyes rolling back at the taste of her girlfriend Paige considers proposing right then and there. Willing to give up every cent to her name to have Azzi forever.

Paige exhales before she’s sitting up to roll them over, hovering over Azzi. "You're so perfect," she mumbles before connecting their lips, humming at the taste of herself on Azzi’s lips before she’s trailing her mouth down Azzi’s neck.

Azzi tugs at Paige’s hair, making her look up at her as she mumbles a little embarrassingly, “I can’t wait, baby,” her eyes flicking between Paige’s lips and eyes.

Paige’s mouth curls into a smirk. “You need it that bad?” she whispers, dragging her lips along Azzi’s jaw.

Azzi nods—her body already moving beneath Paige’s like she’s chasing contact. All that dominance she’d held moments ago flickering now, replaced with her desire to be

touched after so long.

Paige hums as she moves down Azzi’s body, eyes trailing to the dark spot on the red lace.

Under the guise of Azzi’s impatience but really just missing this herself Paige takes Azzi into her mouth for a moment, groaning at the taste despite the barrier between them causing Azzi to let out a small whimper at the vibration.

Paige begins to undo the lace pulling it down Azzi’s long legs. Once the lace is discarded Azzi doesn’t even have a moment before Paige is licking at her center completely losing herself in the taste of Azzi a little selfishly.

Azzi lets out a loud moan when Paige’s tongue pushes into her. “Oh fuck yes—Just like that baby, gimme more." She’s already pushing herself further into Paige’s mouth and the blonde easily takes the invitation, pulling Azzi forward as she lifts one of her calves over her shoulder.

"Swear I love how you taste baby." Paige whispers, her tongue tracing Azzi’s most sensitive spot, perfectly blue eyes locked on brown.

Azzi only hummed at Paige’s words using the leverage of her leg and her hands tangled in Paige’s hair to guide the blonde exactly where she wanted her. Somehow pushing Paige’s tongue deeper than it already was.

"You’re so so good love…but please I need more…please—need you to make me cum, baby." Azzi begged, thankful they were alone at her house instead of Paige’s.

Paige sat up, pulling herself from Azzi’s center peppering a few kisses as she did. Paige licked her lips clean as she reached over to Azzi’s bedside drawer grabbing the harness and strap. She gives Azzi a peck whispering, “You so impatient mama,” before sitting up so she can adjust the harness properly.

When she’s done she looks down at Azzi brushing her thumb gently across her bottom lip, wiping away the wetness left from their kiss. “You need my fingers first baby?” Paige already knows the answer. She can see it in the way Azzi’s hips are searching for any form of contact, the way her chest is still rapidly rising and falling despite Paige not touching her. Azzi’s past needing anything gentle. Still, Paige asks—because she always will.

Azzi shakes her head quickly, whispering out, “No baby.”

A pleased hum vibrates in Paige’s throat. She dips down, her lips ghosting along Azzi’s cheek giving her a gentle kiss before moving toward her ear. “I love you,” Paige whispers, before her tone dips slightly. “But I’m about to slut you out for talkin so much shit earlier, mama.”

For a moment, Azzi just blinks up at Paige, biting her lip, a little dazed at the thought, despite her usual preference for slower sex—then she nods.

Paige looks down, running the straps through Azzi’s folds a few times before she easies into her. She starts off slowly, giving Azzi time to adjust to the length with a few shallow thrusts. But then Azzi lets out a heavenly sound next to Paige’s ear, squeezing at her lower back.

The sensations go straight to Paige’s core and she speeds up her movements, looking down at the way Azzi is taking her in—completely in love with what she was seeing. She shook her head whispering, “Fuck you already taking it so well baby…can’t believe it.”

Azzi moaned out, “Feels so good that’s why,” pulling at Paige’s back in attempt to somehow bring her closer.

Realizing this Paige leaned in closer, sucking at Azzi’s neck as she moved her forearms to rest around Azzi’s head, caging her in.

Azzi whimpers at the closeness moving her arms to wrap around Paige’s neck.

Paige slows down her thrusts, rolling into Azzi harder at a deeper angle causing Azzi’s brown eyes to roll back. “Fuck baby you’re so deep…feels good.” Paige tightens her jaw as she feels the harness pushing into her already sensitive bud mumbling something before she’s pulling out of Azzi.

The brown-eyed girl protests this, her hips and hands chasing after Paige.

“Relax mama, I just gotta taste you again. Been too long, Imma get you right I promise.” Paige slides down Azzi’s body, hooking her legs with her arms holding her in place before she’s lapping at her again, finding a nice rhythm.

Paige hums into Azzi’s center as Azzi pushes her hips into Paige’s mouth. Matching each flick of Paige’s tongue with her own movements for a few minutes in complete bliss.

"Yes—yes just like that baby. I’m so close.”Azzi moaned, her legs starting to shake around Paige’s head.

Paige shook her head no mumbling, “Not yet sweetheart. Just started.” She held Azzi’s writhing hips down and pushed her tongue deeper causing Azzi to cry out. Paige’s name rolls off her tongue as her legs tighten around the blonde's head who continues to lap at Azzi like nothing is happening.

Then almost simultaneously another orgasm is rolling out of Azzi immediately and everything is too much. Her ears are ringing and her heartbeat is echoing through her entire body as she scrambles to push Paige’s head away.

Paige sits up, the entirety of her lower face wet as she grins at Azzi. She shifts up, her body hovering over Azzi's. Her lips brushed against Azzi's as she spoke, "You wanna taste, mama?"

Azzi nods before Paige can even finish speaking, her eyes glassy, lips parted in a silent plea. She looked completely fucked already-hair messy, chest rising and falling unevenly, a dazed look clouding her features that made Paige's stomach twist.

Paige cupped Azzi's jaw gently, her thumb brushing over her bottom lip before she pressed down slightly, coaxing her mouth open. "Open up for me, beautiful," she whispered. Azzi obeyed, her lips parting just as Paige leaned in closer. With her eyes locked on Azzi's, a trail of spit slipped from Paige's mouth and landed on Azzi's waiting tongue.

The second it hit, Azzi inhaled, her body arching into Paige’s as warmth rushed through her. Paige watched her reaction with hooded eyes, licking her lips as she whispered, "Good girl."

Paige shifted to the other side of the large mattress, her back pressing against the headboard as she sat up. She patted her thigh lightly, “C’mere.”

Azzi, still in that soft, hazy daze, moved without a word. Her body reacted before her brain could catch up, and she crawled over slowly, straddling Paige with an ease that made Paige's jaw tighten.

As Azzi settled into her lap, her arms looped around Paige’s shoulders and Paige let her hands glide over Azzi’s hips. Looking up at her like she was something unreal, something divine. Paige dragged her lips up Azzi’s jaw, whispering, “You look so fucked out already, and I haven’t even fucked you the way I want to yet.”

Azzi whimpered softly at that, burying her face in Paige’s neck for a moment as her fingers tightened slightly against her shoulders.

Paige just smirked, hands smoothing up Azzi’s back, feeling the warmth of her skin as she waited for Azzi to be ready.

Azzi lifts slightly, using Paige’s shoulders for support as she eases onto the strap, her eyes fluttering closed as she settles onto it. She spends a minute trying to set a rhythm, moving up and down as she's always done but her legs are already trembling every time she sinks back down on it and her movements are faltering.

Paige shakes her head whispering, "Know you can ride it better than that baby don’t play with me,” knowing it’ll spur Azzi on.

Right on cue Azzi tightens her jaw, pushing the sensitivity aside and her hips rise and fall at a quicker pace, her moans filling the room as she pushes her face into Paige’s neck, kissing and sucking at the pale skin.

"Mhmm. Shit baby—Yeah. Ride it just like that." Paige moans, her hands guiding Azzi’s hips.

Paige reaches behind Azzi, undoing the lace bra and throwing it to the side as she latches her mouth to Azzi’s chest. The combination of Paige’s mouth and the tip of the strap pushing into Azzi perfectly has her completely at a loss. No sounds falling out of her slack jaw.

Paige smirks up at her "You like that shit baby?"

Azzi nods frantically as she speeds up her movements. "Fuck yes baby. Love that. Love you.”

Paige begins to meet Azzi’s hips halfway, the entire length of the strap sliding in and out of her each time causing Azzi to let out a loud moan. "Shit oh my god—so…so—big baby, shit!" Azzi’s eyes rolled back at the feeling.

Each bounce and roll of Azzi’s hips pushed the harness into Paige. The blonde's hands tightening on Azzi’s ass as she struggles to find her own control. Her jaw tight as she watched Azzi bounce perfectly on top of her.

The band in Azzi’s stomach was unbearably tight and the burning feeling in her thighs was starting to be too much but she pushed through because of how much she could tell Paige was enjoying it.

Attempting to get Paige as close as she was, Azzi's hand moved to Paige’s neck squeezing it very slightly, nails digging into the skin as she pushed herself harder into Paige’s hips.

For a moment the only sounds in the room was their heavy breathing and the headboard hitting the wall as they worked into each other. Neither wanting to be the one who fell apart first.

"Shit baby—you’re doing so good for me. Just like that, need it just like that baby." Paige moaned out, squeezing at Azzi’s ass. She removes one of her hands, wetting it with her own spit before she’s rubbing at Azzi’s center, both of them keeping the frantic rhythm of their hips.

The sex they’re having is uncharacteristically loud. Both of them are complete messes as they attempt to get one another off.

“Yes right there—“ Azzi moans out as Paige pushes into her at a relentless pace, meeting Azzi every single time.

"Fuck, Azzi." Paige responds her legs starting to shake. "Shit—cum for me mama, l'm right there. Need you so bad baby."

Before either of them can say anything else they’re both seeing stars. The pressure too much to handle as they fall apart together, the orgasms rushing through them without their permission.

Azzi feels like she’s about to pass out and Paige is breathing heavily under her. Yet somehow Paige has the energy to pull out and put Azzi on her stomach, lifting the girl's hips into an arch exactly how she wants it.

Azzi hasn’t even come down from her last orgasm before Paige is pushing back into her. She can’t do anything but arch further into Paige, biting at her lip painfully hard as she grabs at the sheets for support.

Paige looks down at Azzi’s dripping center, thrusting in and out of her slowly, shaking her head in complete disbelief at the sight. She reaches forward wrapping Azzi’s curly hair into her hand gently before tugging it back to get a better view. Paige was completely drunk off of the sight of Azzi. The arch of her back, her fucked out expression on her face, her wetness dripping onto the sheets each time Paige pushed into her.

She smirks when she sees Azzi’s mouth open and close. Words completely lost on the girl. “Fucking you so good you can’t even talk to me huh baby.” Azzi nods and Paige somehow pushes deeper into her causing Azzi to let out a scream, tears building at the corners of her eyes.

“Feels so..so— fuck feels so good, baby." Azzi hiccups, her brain a complete mess.

Paige tugs Azzi back further, her back now pressed to Paige’s chest. She tilts Azzi’s jaw up towards the mirror on the ceiling that she’d gotten installed after an offhand comment Paige made. Paige whispers near her ear, “Open your eyes for me baby.”

Azzi’s eyes open slowly, her brown eyes hooded as she takes in the sight of the two of them. Paige wraps her hand around Azzi’s throat as she makes eye contact with Azzi in the mirror mumbling, “I’m so in love with you baby.”

Azzi nods, the rise and fall of her chest becoming erratic as she breathily says, “I—I love you too.”

“This my shit forever ok pretty?”

Azzi nods again.

Paige shakes her head, their eye contact in the mirror never breaking as Paige works into her faster. “You gotta say it for me. Use your words and tell me it’s mine forever baby.”

“I’m yours! Fuck it’s all yours baby—forever I promise,” Azzi cries out her body starting to tremble again.

“Finish for me then sweetheart. Wanna look at you while you cum for me.”

The words turn Azzi into mush as she screams Paige’s name as she finishes, a few tears falling down her cheeks. She collapses onto the bed, body still shaking as Paige follows her down to help ride it out.

But Azzi is so spent, so sensitive that she’s reaching back frantically, pushing Paige out of her. “Stop..stop baby. I can’t.” Paige immediately pulling out after hearing Azzi’s words.

Paige removes the harness, letting it fall to the side before she pulls Azzi into her arms carefully, guiding Azzi back against her chest. Azzi's body was still trembling, the aftershocks running through her.

Paige held her from behind as she pressed kisses to the bare skin of her back. The room quiet except for the sound of their breathing.

Every few seconds, Azzi’s legs trembled, and each time, Paige pulled her tighter. Her thumb brushing soothing circles over Azzi’s collarbone whispering I love you’s.

After a few minutes Paige glances down at Azzi—lips parted slightly, brows relaxed, completely lost to sleep. A small chuckle escaped Paige’s lips as she slowly untangled herself from Azzi and made her way to the bathroom. She grabbed a clean towel, soaked it with warm water, then wrung it out until it was just damp. Returning to the room, Paige kneels gently on the bed, taking her time as she wipes at Azzi’s thighs and legs knowing she’ll complain about sticky legs in the morning.

Once she finished, she padded back to the bathroom to rinse the towel and placed it on the sink to dry. On her way out, she spotted Azzi’s bonnet on the counter so she grabbed it before she walked back toward the bed. Taking a small moment to watch Azzi’s chest rise and fall in rhythm with her breathing—peacefully—safe. Paige swallows, pushing down the thought she’s having knowing it’s way too soon for that.

She climbs back into bed slowly, bonnet in hand, reaching to gently gather Azzi’s curls, doing her best not to wake her as she gathered them before settling the bonnet carefully on her head.

“Goodnight beautiful,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to Azzi’s temple before pulling the covers over both of them and wrapping her arms around her again. Azzi’s body naturally rolling onto Paige’s chest.

…

In the middle of the night Paige stirred faintly at the feeling of something warm and soft against her neck. At first, her tired brain thought it might’ve been the brush of sheets or her own hair. But then there was a kiss. And another. Slower this time—bare lips trailing a line down her throat, pausing at her collarbone.

She blinked groggily, adjusting to the faint moonlight still lingering in the room. Azzi’s face was tucked close, her lips dragging gently across Paige’s skin, her breathing slightly uneven.

Paige squinted, voice hoarse with sleep. “Az?”

Azzi didn’t say anything at first, just pulled herself closer, her hand smoothing over Paige’s stomach. Her lips ghosted up to Paige’s jaw as she finally whispered, “I want more baby.”

There was a beat of silence as Paige processed the words. For a second, she just blinked at the ceiling, still half-caught between dreaming and being awake—until the words clicked into place and Azzi’s lips found her neck again, warmer now, a little needier.

A sleepy laugh formed low in Paige’s throat as her arm wrapped around Azzi’s waist. “You don’t even gotta ask,” she murmured, her lips brushing against the shell of Azzi’s ear. “Ever.”

She rolled over slowly, pressing Azzi into the mattress with a soft exhale, gazing down at her, sleepy hooded eyes full of want.

Inwardly, Paige grinned to herself, heart pounding a little faster—not just from the automatic desire she always felt for the woman under her, but from the way Azzi looked at her like she hadn’t been touched in weeks even though just a few hours ago tears were coming out of her eyes. I created a monster, Paige thought, chuckling at her own thoughts.

Azzi gave her a small grin, eyes flickering between Paige’s lips and her eyes. “You sure you’re not too tired?”

Paige leaned in, kissing her slowly. “For you?” she whispered against her mouth. “Never.”

And just like that, they lost themselves in each other all over again, letting the night bleed into morning—neither of them noticing when the moon disappeared and sunlight began to stretch across the room.

[coldestduointhenation]

Pazzi Fic Recs

This is as much for me as it is for you. Giving all of these authors all their flowers because everyone is so, so talented.

Series

Between Shades of Blue Golden Hour For the Plot Looking Down at You Platonic Plus One Sherry Bomb Soft Spot Terms of Endearment Terms of Play Thinking of You (While I'm Up Here) Trouble Wishing You the Best (In the worst way) Your Lips My Lips

One-Shots

Anaktoria Beneath Her Tongue, There is a Poem... Between Breaths (I lose myself in you) Cause I Could Be So Good to You... Cost of Attention Exit 42 Five Lies and One Truth Heat Check I am giving you food because I cannot give you the world I want to be something useful, like in love Letters of Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd Long Time Coming Paige's Lessons on Kissing Petty Recognition Study In Want Tipping Point & TP2 Trust in me (I'll Give You All of Me)

[brynnsdreams]

𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏

Paring: Paige Bueckers x Azzi Fudd

Synopsis: Azzi and Paige dress up for Halloween and go out. But the tension between them thickens which leads them to end up in the bathroom. Azzi threatens to punish Paige for not being able to stay quiet but Azzi has a hard time with saying “no” to Paige.

Warnings: sexual content, and language

Wc: 8.1k

a/n: I’m so sorry, that summary is so ass😭. I’ll come back tomorrow to edit it. I would like to thank Doja Cat and Rihanna for helping me stay awake so I could continue writing this. I feel like I could’ve made the smut better but oh well it’s fine. Also I didn’t proofread this. I’m like half awake so I’m sorry for any mistakes or errors that I missed while I was writing this! :)

-

“No-, baby, be so for real right now.” Paige signed, palming her face before she made eye contact with Azzi-who was in front of her holding out a joker costume. Azzi narrowed her eyes, arching her brow, “im being deadass.” She stated, still holding out the costume bag waiting for paige to take it, which she did-snatching it out of her girl's hand with an attitude-which Azzi scoffed at.

Paige studied the costume as Azzi was browsing through the custom racks trying to find a Hailey Quinn costume in her size. Paige’s mouth dropped when she saw how revealing it was, “baby!” She harshly whispered out of shock as Azzi just gave her a smile. “What? It’s Halloween. God forbid a girl wants to look hot.” Azzi stated, rolling her eyes as she threw the costume in the shopping basket Paige was carrying.

“You would also look really sexy as the joker.” Azzi teased, giving Paige a smirk as she ran her finger down the girl's arm that was on full display because of her tank top. Paige’s eyes darkened as she met Azzi’s hungry gaze, “Yeah? You think so.” Paige asked, tilting her head to the side-really showing off her jawline that Azzi wanted to nibble on so badly.

Azzi gave her a small “mhm”, giving Paige a playful wink and walked away from her. Azzi made sure to sway her hips as she walked down the aisle to find the accessories. A smug look came across her face as she felt her girlfriend watching her. Paige blinked a few times, trying to knock some sense into herself as she ran to Azzi wrapping her free arm around the girl's waist.

Paige moved her head closer to Azzi’s ear, “you're not slick. I know exactly what you are doing.” She mumbled, placing a quick kiss behind Azzi’s ear-directly on the girl's sweet spot. Azzi froze as she sucked in a sharp breath, “what are you talking about?” She questioned trying to keep up her innocent act. Azzi could feel Paige tightening her grip on her waist, giving it a soft squeeze before she moved down to her ass to just rest her hand there.

Azzi jumped, “Paige!” She hissed, slapping Paige's hand away before she turned her head looking to see if anyone saw what Paige had just done. “We are in public.” Azzi said through her teeth, giving Paige a ‘cut it out look’ before she turned her attention to the different types of accessories in front of them.

Azzi reached out for a pair of black fishnet tights, throwing them into the basket as well. She grabbed a different variety of blue and red makeup, and also some black eyeliner. “You do realize your custom shirt literally says ‘daddy’s lil monster’ right? That’s wild.” Paige said, shaking her head in disbelief. She was looking down at the basket as she looked at Azzi’s costume again but more closely.

Azzi turned her head over her shoulder, meeting Paige’s eyes when the blonde finally looked up at her. “I mean you like it when I call you daddy so I don’t really see a problem with it.” Azzi shrugged, causing Paige to let out a loud cough. “Azzi!” She shrieked, her face was heating up from how blunt Azzi was being. Now it was her turn to look around to see if anyone heard.

“Cut it out.” Paige snapped, her voice deepened as she gave the girl a serious look, trying to make her point clear. Azzi giggled, not taking Paige seriously. She turned her head to reach for green hair spray, grabbing a can and putting it in the basket that was now stuffed.

“I don’t think I would look good with green hair.” Paige complained, “why are we even doing such a basic couple’s costume? That’s so lame.” She added, just wanting to stress Azzi out. She loved getting under the girl's skin.

Azzi scoffed, “but you think dressing up as magic mike isn’t? Be for real Paige.” Azzi argued, walking away from the girl as she headed to the check out. Paige was right behind her, following her like a lost puppy. “Swear, if this stupid dye stains my hair I’m gonna be so mad.” She mumbled, before she watched Azzi who had started scanning the items at the self checkout.

“Yeah, yeah. I'll make it up to you if it does. Now hurry up people are waiting on us.”

-

The sound of Azzi’s playlist filled Azzi’s bathroom as she stood in front of her mirror getting ready. Azzi ran her hairbrush through her freshly blown out hair, sectioning her hair down the middle to create two equal sections. She moved one section of hair over her shoulder as she grabbed the other section, grabbing the brush along with a hair tie to make a pigtail. Once she was done with one side, she did the same thing to the other side.

She looked in the mirror making sure that they were even and not crooked. She moved onto her makeup, using one of the blue pigmented eyeshadow that she had got, blending it out on her right eyelid. She looked down at her phone, looking at the reference picture she had pulled up to make sure she was doing the makeup right. She made sure she made the eyeshadow a little messy because of how Margot Robbie had hers in the movie.

Once she was satisfied with how pigmented the blue eyeshadow was looking, she moved onto her left side doing the same thing but using one of the red eyeshadows she had got. She leaned over the bathroom counter inspecting the eyeshadow up close before pulling back. She grabbed the black eyeliner, leaning back over the counter to focus on creating the perfect winged eyeliner.

She tried not to move a lot when she got startled from the bathroom door opening, revealing Paige. “Baby, are you almost ready?” She questioned, before she stopped dead in her tracks when she caught the sight of Azzi. Her mouth dropped as she took in the sight of Azzi’s legs that were on display from her short shorts she was wearing. Her eyes were mesmerized by how Azzi’s ass looked. She walked behind Azzi, her hands coming down to knead the girl's ass as she shoved her head into Azzi’s neck.

“You look so beautiful mama.” Paige mumbled into Azzi’s neck, kissing down the side of the girl's neck before she just rested her chin on Azzi’s shoulder. Azzi tilted her head to the side giving Paige more access, “You like it?” Azzi asked, leaning back into Paige.

“Mhm. Can we just stay home? I don't even wanna go anymore.” Paige whined, but Azzi shook her head in disagreement. “Hell no. I look too good. Also we promised everybody that we would be there.” Azzi said, before she moved off of Paige to grab her red lip liner and started lining her lips.

Paige stared at the mirror in awe, watching Azzi with a loving smile on her face. “Okay..” Paige said, giving in not even trying to argue. She couldn’t-not when Azzi looked like that. She’s so lucky. Azzi was staring at the mirror, laser focused on lining her lips. She reached for the red lip stick, applying it on her lips and rubbing them together.

“Damnn.” Paige teased, playfully slapping Azzi’s ass as she bit her bottom lip. Azzi groaned at Paige’s teasing, acting like she didn’t love it. Once she was done with her makeup she turned to Paige, “okay. We gotta start on your makeup now.” Azzi told the girl which caused Paige’s eyes to almost pop out of her head as she raised her eyebrow.

“Wait-, for real?” Paige asked, completely caught off guard. “Yes baby. It’s Halloween and I don’t think people are gonna know who you are if you don’t.” Azzi said in a knowing tone.

“I think the green hair will give it away.” Paige argued, shrugging her shoulders. Azzi just turned to her, giving her a hardened expression-but Paige wasn’t even paying attention. Her focus was on Azzi’s lips. She wanted to kiss them so badly. Paige tried leaning in but she was met with the side of Azzi’s face. “Nope, I spent too much time doing my makeup.” Azzi said, shaking her head which caused Paige to groan out of protest. “Mama please.” Paige whined, not caring about how desperate she sounded.

Azzi smirked before she signed very dramatically, moving some of Paige’s hair to the side as she kissed Paige’s neck-leaving a red printed kiss mark. “There. Are you happy now?” Azzi asked, looking up at a very smug Paige. “Oh very. I love how possessive you are.” Paige rasped out, turning her head to look at the mark fully in the mirror.

“Whatever.” Azzi mumbled, as she looked at her scattered out makeup on the bathroom counter. Her pointer finger tapped her chin as she was thinking, trying to figure out what she should do for Paige’s makeup. She grabbed the black eyeshadow and a makeup brush before she turned to Paige. “Look up at the ceiling.” She instructed, which Paige obeyed without hesitation.

“You gonna make me look like I have a black eye?” Paige asked, her eyes were looking up at the white ceiling of Azzi’s bathroom. “Pretty much.” Azzi simply replied as she blended out the black eyeshadow on both of Paige’s under eyes. Azzi reached out for a dark purple eyeshadow, blending it with the black eyeshadow to mix the colors together.

“Look at me.” Azzi demanded, her hands held the sides of Paige’s face as she looked at Paige's makeup again. “So bossy.” Paige grumbled but did exactly what Azzi told her. “You like it daddy.” Azzi teased, shooting Paige a playful wink as she let go of Paige’s face when she realized Paige was trying to lean in again.

“Bro.” Paige huffed out, before she looked at herself in the mirror. “Damn I lowkey look dead almost. Or like scary.” She added.

“That’s how his makeup is in the movie so stop complaining.” Azzi argued, grabbing a darker color lip stick before she turned to Paige-who looked scared. “What are you gonna do with that?” She asked, arching her brow at Azzi.

Azzi took the cap off the lip stick, twisting the button as she replied, “I’m putting it on your lips. What else would I do with it?” She reached her hand out to grab Paige’s face-caressing the side of Paige’s jaw. “Stay still.” She told the girl which Paige desperately tried to. She couldn’t stay still to save her life.

“Paige!” Azzi whined, when the girl jerked a little bit. Azzi narrowed her eyes up at Paige-making eye contact for a second before she went back to doing Paige’s lips. She smudged the lip stick on the side of Paige’s mouth whenever she was coating Paige’s lips.

Paige turned her head to the mirror in front of them, “I look stupid.” She said, her eyes were wide as she looked at her makeup. Azzi made eye contact with Paige through the mirror, “I think you look hot.” Azzi rasped out, moving her arm to run over Paige’s bicep that was covered with a white long sleeve button down shirt.

Paige smirked, bringing her hands to wrap around Azzi’s waist again, giving it a little squeeze as her fingers caressed the sliver of skin that was showing because of the shirt Azzi was wearing. Azzi wrapped her arms around Paige’s neck as Paige’s hands moved down to grip Azzi’s ass that was spilling out of her short shorts.

“Thought you said you didn’t want to ruin your makeup?” Paige whispered, with a smug look on her face as she stared at Azzi's eyes. Azzi gave her a smirk that was filled with mischief, “yeah but I have an idea.” She trailed off, her hands unwrapped against Paige’s shoulders. She moved to the collar of Paige’s shirt, unbuttoning the first two buttons of the shirt-showing off Paige’s collarbone but not too much.

Azzi moved her face closer to Paige’s chest, kissing the skin that was now on display-leaving kiss marks all over Paige. When Azzi pulled away she smirked at the prints before she stepped away like nothing happened to reapply her now faint lip stick.

“You're such a tease.” Paige groaned, she could feel her boxers become wet. This is going to be a long night, Paige thinks to herself.

Azzi glanced at her phone,” oh fuck! Come on baby we gotta do the hair stray and then we gotta go. We are gonna be so late.” Azzi said, mad at herself for losing track of time. She grabbed the can of color hair spray, shaking them with her hand.

“That’s all your fault.”

-

“Yeah you're not leaving my side tonight mama.” Paige said behind Azzi, her eyes were locked in on the girl's ass that was literally on full display, no matter how many times Azzi tried pulling down her shorts. Azzi just laughed, turning her body to face Paige as she reached out your girl's arm.

“Don’t worry baby. I’m all yours. I don’t care about anyone else.” Azzi said gently, as she gave Paige a loving smile. She wrapped her arm around Paige’s. They walked in sync on the sidewalk as they made their way to the entrance of the bar.

Paige’s heart squeezed at Azzi’s comment, god she loved her girl. There was no line outside the bar-surprisingly considering its Halloween. Azzi and Paige both greeted the bouncer-who was standing right outside the entrance. He just gave them a simple nod whenever he checked both of their id’s signaling they could go in.

They both gave him a thank you as Paige held the door open for Azzi. The hot air coming from inside hit them instantly as they walked in. There were a few Halloween decorations hanging from the ceiling along with a fogger that created this white fog that blew in their faces.

Azzi coughed as she fanned her hand in her face, her vision was a little blurred because of the smoke but Paige led them further inside to get away from the smoke. “Damn.” Paige complained, as she was silently praying that she didn’t run into anyone.

“Where is everybody at?” Azzi questioned, looking around the room trying to see if she saw any familiar faces. She tightened her grip on Paige’s arm. Azzi's heart quickened a little bit from all the people that were inside. Paige looked down at Azzi, “it’s okay, come on. I see them.” Paige whispered into Azzi ear-so the girl could hear her better over the blaring music.

Azzi nodded her head, allowing Paige to just lead her body through crowds of people, brushing past them with a small “sorry” as they walked over to their friends.

“Ooh! Az!” KK screeched at the top of her lungs when she saw Azzi’s costume. She jumped out of her seat, pulling Azzi from Paige to spin her around.

Azzi laughed out of surprise as her cheeks heated up from the attention, “do you like it?” She asked kk.

KK nodded, “yes girl. You have like everybody in here turning their head so they could look at you.” KK laughed before letting out a playful whistle, as their other friends who were watching them from the table nod in agreement.

“There were like four guys looking in your direction, right at you when you and p were walking over here.” Jana said, adding herself into the conversation.

Azzi flinched, “ew gross.” She mumbled as a disgusting look came across her face at the thought. KK finally made her way back to her seat causing Paige to wrap her arm around Azzi’s waist-making her claim.

Azzi allowed herself to be pulled in, basically standing right on top of Paige because of how close they were. Her hand wrapped around Paige’s white shirt, tilting her head up to Paige as she kissed the girl's cheek. The blonde leaned her head closer to Azzi-not caring around the kiss mark that was going to be there. Paige had at least thirty on her body at this point and the night had barely started.

Paige moved her head closer to Azzi's neck, “behave.” She rasped into the brunette's ear, gazing her teeth at the girl's ear lob before she pulled away.

Azzi's face reddened but this time it wasn’t from kk’s teasing. Her eyes were blown out as she looked at Paige, “you first.” She argued, whispering low so only Paige could hear her.

Paige just shook her head before she dragged Azzi into an open chair, pulling the girl on her lap as her hands rested on Azzi’s inner thighs-not caring about the questionable glances her friends were giving her.

Paige squeezed Azzi's inner thighs when the brunette wiggled in her lap. Azzi had a neutral expression on her face as she grinded her hips down onto Paige lap-trying to make it seem like she didn’t know what she was doing. Paige hissed as she rested her forehead on the back of Azzi’s red long sleeve and white shirt.

“Mama.” Paige warned into Azzi’s back, letting out a shaky exhale as she moved one of her hands up to grip Azzi’s hip to stop the girl from moving. “I’m not even doing anything.” Azzi groaned out, playfully rolling her eyes as a smirk stretched out across her face.

Paige didn’t even get to say anything back, she was cut off by kk who was flashing her phone light at the couple causing them to squint their eyes at the light. “Say hey yall! It's the power couple. Tell the camera what y'all are dressed as!” KK shouted out of excitement.

Azzi smiled at the camera, giving it a wave, “Hi! I'm Azzi and I'm dressed as Harley Quinn.” Azzi announced, moving her head a little to the side so the camera could see Paige more better. “No Az, do the accent.” KK groaned.

Azzi rolled her eyes, “This is my puddin’ or some of yall know him-her- as Mr. J” Azzi said, trying to imitate Harley Quinn's voice as she pointed at Paige's surprised face. Azzi giggled at Paige's face, breaking character as Paige was just caught off guard.

KK zoomed in on Paige's face on her video before she just turned the camera away from the couple whenever she realized Paige wasn't going to say anything. “Really. You gonna start callin me Puddin’ now?” Paige questioned but her voice was filled with confusion and shock.

Azzi slapped her face, shaking her head in disbelief, “no-. That’s what Harley Quinn calls the Joker. Did you even watch the movie?” Azzi asked, she was honestly understanding why everybody calls Paige a dumb blonde. She’s never going to beat the allegations.

Paige inched her hand up higher on Azzi’s inner thigh-which caused the girl to close her legs tightly around Paige’s hand. “Paige-.” She hissed, her eyes shot around the table trying to see if anyone saw what Paige was doing.

Paige laughed, but didn’t move her hand-if anything she just dug her nails into Azzi’s soft tan skin. Paige leaned further back into her chair, manspreading her legs out more trying to get comfortable.

Azzi brushed one of the strands of hair that framed her face, trying to get the hair out of her eyes. She placed both of her hands on Paige’s knees that were in front of her, to hold herself up as she pushed herself back further into Paige’s lap. Azzi made sure to settle some of her weight right in between Paige’s legs-just to mess with the girl.

Paige ducked her face back into the back of Azzi’s neck, her lips brushed up against the brunette’s ear as she whimpered into Azzi’s ear. Azzi froze, her face was red as she felt her heart quicken.

“Fuck-. Mama.” Paige rasped out, not even caring about anyone else at this point. Her boxers were ruined, drenched. She desperately wanted to clench her legs together but she couldn’t.

“Shh.” Azzi hissed, not wanting her friends to see-unlike Paige. Azzi ran one of her hands up and down Paige’s thigh, running over the dark denim jeans her girlfriend had on. “You look so handsome. I’m so happy you dressed up as the joker.” Azzi flirted, her voice was low, seductive.

Paige grumbled into Azzi’s neck, trying to hide herself from humiliation with how worked up Azzi was making her. Azzi was no help, she bit her lip as she grinded her hips onto Paige’s lap. She couldn’t help herself. She loved how worked up Paige was right now.

“Mama. Behave.” Paige said through her teeth. God this girl was gonna be the death of her.

Azzi turned her head to whisper to Paige, “why? Are you having a hard time controlling yourself? ” She asked teasingly, loving how Paige’s eyes darkened when they made eye contact. Azzi matched her gaze-her eyes were blown out. She was looking at Paige like she was daring the girl to do something about it.

Their stare off was interrupted by ice-who threw a plastic bag at them. Azzi was hit with it, giving ice a threatening look. “My bad. Put it on Azzi.” Ice instructed, pointing at the candy necklace that was now in Azzi’s lap.

Azzi turned her body away from Paige, holding the bag up with her hands as her eyebrow raised. “What is this?” She asked, looking at the candy necklace. What are they supposed to do with that?

Ice just let out a dramatic sigh which caused their other friends to laugh, including Paige. “Just put it around your neck.” Ice said, waving Azzi off. Azzi did as she was told, taking the candy beaded necklace out of the plastic bag and putting it over her head.

“What now?” Azzi asked, tilting her in confusion as she looked around the table trying to find an answer.

KK just laughed, “ we are doing a challenge. Paige has sixty seconds to bite off as many candies on the necklace and whoever eats the most wins.” KK informed the two which caused a wave of excitement to hit both of the couples bodies.

Paige nodded in agreement, “bet.” She said as she rested her chin on Azzi’s shoulder, holding the girl in her lap tighter as if she was going to run away. Paige then moved her head closer to Azzi’s neck, her lips brushed against the hard candy as she waited for the go ahead signal to start.

Azzi tilted her head closer to Paige, biting her lip as she just waited. She was at a loss for words. She was desperately trying to keep herself together-not wanting to make a foul of herself and Paige.

KK held up her phone, “3..2..1.. Go!” She shouted, fully blinded by the tension that was in the air between the two girls in front of her. She moved her finger on her phone to start the timer.

Paige shoved her face into Azzi’s neck, her teeth bit down on the sour but sweet candies. The small moan that left Azzi’s mouth-that they could only hear egged her on even more. Azzi leaned into the feeling of Paige’s lips touching her neck as she tried to keep a neutral expression on her face-not wanting to be called out by her friends that were watching them.

A small pout formed on Azzi’s lip when KK shouted “times up!” Paige left a small peck on Azzi’s skin before she pulled away, Azzi could feel her patience slipping by the second with how Paige was looking at her. She squeezed her legs together, hoping that her slick wasn’t going to seep through her shorts.

Paige had a smug look on her face and god Azzi wanted to whip it off so badly. Azzi couldn’t even hear or understand what KK was saying-her focus was just on Paige. Azzi’s needy eyes met the blonde, silently asking Paige to take her right here.

Azzi finally turned away from Paige’s tempting eyes, trying to catch her breath. “Um I gotta go get something.” Azzi said to the group, her voice was shaky. She turned her head to Paige again, “common you gotta come with me. I don’t wanna go alone.” She insisted, which earned her a shit eating grin from Paige.

Paige moved her arms off of Azzi from a second so the girl could get up from her lap. When Azzi stood up, Paige was right behind her, her front was smooshed with Azzi’s back. Azzi brought her arms up above her head to stretch as she threw her hips back out to Paige. Which groaned into the girl's ear as she moved her arms back to Azzi’s hips that were on display from her shirt raising up.

Azzi ignored the knowing looks Nika and ice were giving her when she dragged Paige away from the table and headed to the bathroom. She weaved through bodies, rushing to get Paige alone. And Paige was just giggling but she was also encouraging azzi with the small rubs she was giving the girl on her sides.

Azzi’s breath hitched when she knocked on the brown old wooden door. She could feel Paige hovering over her, she could physically feel Paige staring at her ass. Azzi moved her ear to the door, double checking that the bathroom was open. When she heard nothing she opened the door quickly, turning to grab Paige by the opening of her shirt dragging her into the bathroom with no care in the world.

“Damn someone needy.” Paige teased, while Azzi pinned her to the door, before she locked it. Azzi rolled her eyes, “shut up.” She groaned, as she smashed their lips together. Azzi moaned into Paige’s mouth from the feeling of Paige’s lips against hers. She moved her hands up to cup the sides of Paige’s face, holding the girl in place as she shoved her tongue in the blonde’s mouth.

Paige wrapped her arms around Azzi’s waist, trying to pull the brunette closer to her. Her eyes were closed as she tried fighting for dominance but it was no use when Azzi settled her leg in between Paige’s legs. Paige pulled away from Azzi's mouth gasping for air as Azzi grinded her leg into Paige’s center.

Paige’s eyes were half libbed as she rested her head back onto the door behind her. Her lips were slightly parted, the lip stick that she had on was smudged from the kissing. “That feels good.” She moaned, desperately trying to keep her noises down.

Azzi looked up at her with a smirk. She grinded her leg hard against Paige-just to watch the girl struggle. “Yeah? You like that?” She whispered into Paige’s ear, before she bit at the skin behind her ear.

Paige whimper echoed through the bathroom, she’s so fucked. She leaned into Azzi’s mouth, grinding her hips onto Azzi’s thigh-trying to chase her release. Azzi shook her head against Paige’s neck, “no babygirl. You have to be quiet.” She rasped out, moving her head away from Paige’s neck so she could see Paige’s face.

Paige had little beads of sweat on her forehead, as she looked at eyes with a fucked out expression. She bit her lip harder, really trying to obey what Azzi told her but it was so hard from how Azzi was grinding up against her.

Azzi moved faster when she saw the look in Paige’s eyes-the one where she was close to cumming. She loved watching how desperate Paige can get. Paige bucked her hips into Azzi’s thigh when she felt a familiar feeling low in her stomach.

“Fuck-so good-just like that.” She moaned, stuttering over her words before she tucked her head into Azzi’s neck to bite at the candy necklace that was still there-to muffle out her sounds. Azzi held Paige’s face as she whispered sweet nothings into Paige’s ear, allowing the girl to come down from her release. She slowed down her movements when she felt Paige whimper against her neck from overstimulation.

“Welp, I think you should be happy that you are wearing dark jeans.” Azzi said with a giggle, when she removed her leg from in between Paige’s thighs.

Paige groaned as she untucked her head, resting it back against the door again, still trying to catch her breath. “Bro shut up.” She grumbled, her face was red as she felt her arousal in her boxers. Her legs felt like jello.

“Don’t call me bro.” Azzi grumbled with a pout.

“Hm sorry mama. Can we leave please?” Paige begged, still a little out of it from her orgasam. Azzi just looked at her before she agreed, moving her body to unlock the door and dragging Paige out of the bathroom.

Azzi ignored the looks people were giving them on their way out, “you're getting punished because of how loud you were.” Azzi said simply, which Paige gulped at-knowing that she was about to get manhandled tonight. Which honestly she was happy about, but scared about what Azzi was planning.

-

The sound of one of Drake’s songs filled Paige’s car. The car was toasty from the heater as Azzi slouched in her seat with her legs crossed. She stared out the window, counting down the minutes-letting out a big sign when she realized only five minutes had passed. She moved her hands up to her pigtails that were now hurting her scalp.

She took out the hair ties, running her hands through her messy hair as she signed in relief. She turned her head a little to Paige, who was gripping the stirring wheel hard as she hummed along to the song that was playing. Trying to act like she wasn’t a second away from jumping Azzi’s bones-it was hard for her not to when they walked through the exit of the bar.

Azzi smirked when an idea popped up in her head. She moved her seat belt that was wrapped in front of her body behind her. So she could lean over the console, moving her hand to play with Paige’s green hair. She moved a strand behind the girl's ear before she moved a big portion of it to the other side of the girl's shoulder. “Your neck looks yummy.” Azzi whispered, eyeing Paige's neck that had dozens of lip stick kiss marks on it. Azzi traced some of the marks with the tip of her fingers, smirking at the little bumps that formed on Paige's skin from her touch.

Paige glanced at Azzi for a second before she moved her eyes back onto the road. She let out a shaky exhale as her hand turned white from the grip she had on the wheel. Azzi leaned in brushing her lips against the side of Paige's neck. She opened her mouth to suck on the skin, her jaw moved from the suction as her other hand gripped the console to hold herself up.

Paige let out a small groan as she gave Azzi more access to her neck. “Mama. I'm trying to drive.” Paige complained but she didn't want Azzi to stop. She was just talking out of her ass. Her pulse quicked as her breath hitched when she felt Azzi scrape her teeth against the mark she had just left. When Azzi pulled away she rubbed her finger over the mark, admiring it before she leaned back in. This time she moved a little higher up, sucking on the skin of Paige's jawline that was close to her ear.

Azzi pulled back again, “you look so hot covered in my marks.” She whispered seductively into Paige’s ear. Azzi moved her hand placing it over Paige’s heat, palming the girl through her jeans. “I can’t believe I made you cum with just my thigh.” Azzi added, butting her lip as she watched Paige’s face turn red.

Paige’s eyes were unfocused as her hands started to become sweaty, “ma please. We are ten minutes away. Promise I’ll let you do anything to me if you let me just drive.” Paige begged, not wanting to crash her damn car.

Azzi let out a small “hmm” as she thought to herself, “I want you to use the strap on me. And I don’t want to stop until we are both shaking.” Azzi said with a smirk, as she cupped Paige through her jeans. Paige's throat bobbed as she just stared straight at the cars in front of her on the road, “okay.” She agreed, not wanting to argue-she knew if she argued with Azzi right now she would be punished harder.

Azzi gave Paige a satisfying smile as she squeezed Paige’s crotch one more time before pulling away completely. Paige almost let out a whimper from the loss of Azzi’s touch but she had to stop herself from letting it slip.

Azzi leaned back into her seat, spreading her legs out as she tried to relax. “I think we should take a shower when we get home.” Azzi suggested, feeling sticky and gross from the bar and her makeup she had on.

Paige turned her head instantly, “you tryin’ to suggest somethin?” She questioned with a big smirk on her face, while licking her lips.

Azzi raised a brow with a shrug, “maybe. Do you think I’ve earned it?” She asked, looking Paige up and down.

Paige narrowed her eyes as she thought to herself, “hm. No but I think I can earn it. I’ll do whatever you say ma.” She answered honestly.

Azzi nodded her head in approval, “now that’s what I like to hear.” She praised the girl.

-

“Take your clothes off.” Azzi demanded, standing in front of Paige in the bathroom-her patience was thinning by the second. She just wanted Paige’s hands on herself. Paige followed the girl’s instructions, taking off her clothes quickly as Azzi started the shower.

“Do you think the hair dye is going to stain the shower?” Paige asked as she was looking at herself in the mirror-her face was a little stained from the lip stick. Some of Paige’s hair stuck to forehead because of how it got in the way when she was washing her face.

Azzi reached out for Paige’s arm, dragging her to the open shower door, “it’s fine. We can worry about that tomorrow.” She said, moving her naked body under the spray of hot water. Azzi ran her hands through her hair, the red and blue dye washed down her back and into the drain. Paige’s eyes ran up and down Azzi's figure, watching the girl bend over a little bit to pump shampoo into her hand.

Paige smirk, moving her body closer behind Azzi before she slapped the fat of Azzi’s ass causing the brunette to yelp. Azzi turned her head over her shoulder, shooting the girl a grumpy pout. “M’sorry couldn’t help it.” Paige fake apologized, rubbing her hand over the red skin.

Azzi-who was still bent over threw her hips back onto Paige. If she wants to be a tease, so can I. Azzi thought to herself. Paige just watched the girl in shock, her mouth was slightly open. “Okay now your just encouraging me at this point.” Paige breathed out, before she brought both hands out to hold Azzi's ass. Azzi just smirked, giving her a small “maybe.” Before she stood up straighter to lather the shampoo onto her damp hair that was now curling up.

Paige moved out of Azzi’s way. She moved so now she was in front of Azzi instead of behind the girl. “Can I help you wash your body?” She asked, looking at the unscented dove soap bar and the pink body scrubber beside it. Azzi narrowed her eyes up at Paige, her head was tilted back as she ran her hair under the water. “Yeah but no funny business. We aren’t fucking in the shower remember last time?” Azzi said, her fingers scrubbed her scalp.

Paige rolled her eyes, “bro that was one time. And I literally caught you so you didn’t fall and hit the ground.” Paige whined, before she ran the body scrubber under the water as well as the soap bar. “Your such a child.” Azzi stated when she saw the look on Paige’s face when the sound of the soap bar lathering onto the silicone filled the room.

Paige’s jaw dropped, “no I ain’t.” She defended herself knowing damn well Azzi was right. Paige stared at Azzi’s body like it was Christmas morning when she ran the silicone over the girl's body. “You're staring.” Azzi said simply, watching Paige’s eyes gawk at her boobs.

Paige looked up at Azzi, giving her a playful wink. “They are staring at me first.” She argued, licking her lips as she looked at Azzi’s hard nipples again.

“Rightt.” Azzi trailed off finishing up washing her hair. She just stood there allowing Paige to wash her body. Azzi closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax to the hot water hitting her back. She opened her eyes when she didn't feel the scrubber on her body anymore. When she looked down in between her legs, she was met with Paige's wide blue eyes as they were just staring up at her. Azzi’s body shielded Paige from the water as she just admired Azzi from below.

Paige moved her hands up so they could grip the outside of Azzi’s thighs, “Can I eat you out ma? Pleasee, I've been waiting all night.” Paige whined, her lips hovering over Azzi pussy-waiting for the girl's consent. Her mouth was itching to get a taste of Azzi. She loved how her girl tasted. “Please, daddy.” Azzi begged, folding instantly. She had been dripping all night.

Paige arched her eyebrow, “please what?” She questioned, looking up at Azzi with a smirk stretched across her face.

“Please eat me out. Need it so bad.” Azzi pleaded, bringing her hand to rest in Paige's blonde wet hair trying to tug Paige's face closer to her center.

Paige laughed at Azzi’s neediness. She moved one of her hands that was gripping on Azzi thigh to Azzi heat, spreading the girl's folds open. Paige's jaw dropped out the amount of slick that covered the girl's folds and hole. “Aw, she needs it so badly huh?” She teased, not fully giving into Azzi’s needs.

Azzi wanted to cry from frustration. “Daddy please. I'll be so good for you, swear.” She babbled, just trying to come up with things that will make Paige happy. Paige moved her head closer, the smell of Azzi’s slick filled her nose as she ran her tongue over Azzi’s folds slowly. She moaned against Azzi’s folds from the girl's taste. She licked up all of Azzi’s slick with her tongue. Her nose brushed against Azzi’s neglected clit, causing Azzi to let out a soft moan at the feeling.

“No more teasing please.” Azzi begged, bringing her other hand down to grip Paige's hair as well so she had something to hold onto. But then Paige pulled away completely which confused Azzi. “What?” She whispered to herself. Paige stood up, tapping Azzi's ass before she turned the shower off and opened the shower door. She helped Azzi out of the shower, half drying them with a towel before she threw it in the hamper. “Common.” She instructed, taping Azzi’s ass again, before she picked the girl up, carrying her to the bed with one hand gripping the brunette's ass and the other holding the back of her thigh.

Azzi grinded against Paige's stomach-unpatiently. Azzi moaned into Paige's neck when she felt a familiar sting on her ass. Paige settled Azzi down beside the bed before she moved her body to lay down. She stretched her legs out on the bed as her head was propped up on a pillow. Azzi liked her lips as she watched the girl, just as she started moving to scrabble Paige, the girl stopped her. “Nah, I want you to face that way.” Paige said, pointing to the end of the bed.

Azzi immediately understood what Paige meant. She moved to where her ass was hovering over Paige's face as hers settled in between Paige's legs. “Been thinkin’ about this pussy all night.” Paige mumbled, bringing her hands up to hold Azzi’s ass as she shoved her face into the girl's heat. Azzi back arched, “fuck-daddy.” She moaned, before she shoved her face into Paige;s center.

Azzi moaned against paige clit as she felt the girl fuck her with her tounge. “Fuck.” She cried out, moving her face away from Paige center, trying to move her cunt closer to Paige's mouth. Azzi licked her hand, bringing it down to rub Paige's clit as she felt her eyes close at the pressure. Paige opened her legs wider, her hands tightening on Azzi’s skin as she grinded the girl further back on her as she sucked the brunette's clit.

Azzi tried to steady her breath as she removed her hand, bringing her lips back to Paige's cunt to flick the nub with her tongue. She brought the blondes clit in between her lips, sucking at it for a bit before she pulled away to let out a whimper. “Daddy, I'm close.” Azzi cried out, feeling her legs shake around Paige's face as sweat started to cover her body.

“Hold it mama, wait for me.” Paige said, mumbling against Azzi’s cunt. Azzi whined at Paige's words but did as the girl said. She moved her face back down to Paige’s heat, circling her tongue around Paige’s clit, before she spit on it and licked it up. Paige bucked her hips closer to Azzi’s face as she moaned into Azzi’s cunt. “Shit-.” Paige rasped out, before she matched Azzi’s speed.

Azzi groaned into Paige's clit as she felt her release bubbling up in her lower stomach, her hands gripping Paige's thighs as she tasted the girl’s release against her tongue. Azzi grinded her hips back onto Paige as she let her release go as well, letting out a long moan.

Azzi’s hip stuttered against Paige's face when the blonde didn't pull away. Azzi’s breath caught as she sat up trying to move herself away from Paige’s mouth. Paige's hands moved to Azzi’s inner thighs to hold the girl in place as she groaned against Azzi.

Azzi cried, feeling her eyes water from the overstimulation. “Daddy-wait.” She cried as her legs trembled. Paige flicked Azzi’s clit, sucking it a bit before she pulled away to blow on it. Paige bit her lip at the sight of Azzi clenching around nothing.

“Fuck, love this pussy so much ma.” Paige rasped out, bringing her tongue back to draw small shapes onto the brunette's red clit. “Oh-, wait, do that again, that felt good.” Azzi whined, trying to inch her pussy closer to Paige.

Paige obeyed, flicking her tongue side to side on Azzi’s clit-not caring about the spit that was getting everywhere from the movements.

“Mhm-oh I’m cumming again-daddy!” Azzi screamed into her hand that was trying to block out the sound. Azzi’s legs gave out under Paige’s grip as she leaned forward, resting her head into Paige’s stomach as she caught her breath.

Paige slapped Azzi’s ass that was still hovering over her face-not being able to stop herself. Her lips were red, swollen as she caught her breath as well. She laid her head further onto the pillow, giving her neck some relief. “Damn.” Paige mumbled, licking the rest of Azzi’s slick off of her lips.

“You good, ma?” She asked, wanting to make sure she didn’t kill her girlfriend.

Azzi just hummed against Paige’s stomach-not being able to find her words as her eyes fluttered shut. “Damn ate you out too good, you can’t talk now?” Paige questioned with a smug tone. Azzi just groaned, “your ego is too high, swear.” Azzi said, shaking her head against Paige’s stomach.

“You love me. Stop playin.”

Azzi rolled her eyes before she sat up and turned her body so now she was facing Paige. “Unfortunately.” She signed out, giggling at Paige’s offended expression. “I’m just kidding. I love you so much.” Azzi said, resting her forehead against Paige’s temple as her finger ran up the side of Paige’s face.

“But I didn’t forget about how loud you were in that bathroom.” Azzi added, sitting up so now she was fully straddling Paige’s body. Paige just groaned out of embarrassment, “m’sorry ma. I could hold it.” She tried to apologize but Azzi shook her head.

“I’m still punishing you.” Azzi stated, swinging her legs off of Paige’s body to go retrieve the dark purple strap that was hidden in Paige’s closet. Azzi trailed back to the bed with an evil smirk on her face-the one that made Paige’s heart sink.

“What’s that for?” Paige breathed out, waiting as Azzi silently put it through Paige’s legs, bringing it up girls legs and then secured the straps. Paige’s heart raced as she just felt the tight straps against her skin and hips.

“I’m gonna fuck myself on your strap and your not gonna be able to touch me.” Azzi finally said, shooting Paige a wink when their eyes met. Fuck my life, Paige thought to herself.

Paige just signed as she nodded her head, “okay..” she replied, looking down at Azzi-who was straddling her hips again, hovering over the silicone strap. “Wait-. I didn’t stretch you out or nothin’. Are you sure?” Paige asked, scared that Azzi was going to get hurt.

Azzi giggled at the sound of Paige's voice, “I’m okay baby. I’m just gonna go slow at first, just relax.” Azzi reassured, pushing Paige further into the bed. Azzi held the strap with one hand as she eased down on it, going at a slow pace. Azzi moaned at the stretch as she lowered all the way, causing the leather of the strap to touch the back of her thighs.

Paige’s arms gripped the sheets, fighting back the urge to hold Azzi’s waist. Azzi laughed when she realized how bad Paige was struggling. She took a deep breath before she placed her arms around Paige’s neck, moving up and down on the strap slowly.

Paige’s eyes were locked on the strap moving in and out of Azzi. The silicon was covered in Azzi’s slick, watching her folds stretch around the stretch. Azzi shoved her head in Paige’s neck, “fuck. So deep.” She moaned against Paige’s ear before she left kisses all over Paige’s neck.

Paige groaned, “that’s not fair. Your playing dirty ma.” She complained, watching Azzi increase her movements as she fucked herself harder on the strap. Azzi let out a high pitched whimper when Paige fucked her hips up to meet Azzi’s thrust. The bed squeaked under them as Paige bit her bottom lip.

“Come on mama, let me fuck you. I can make you feel so good.” Paige rasped out, watching Azzi’s face become sweaty and red but mostly tired from her two previous releases. “No.” Azzi said, holding her ground. A wet sound was coming from in between Azzi’s legs as she gripped Paige's shoulders.

“Can I at least hold you?” Paige asked, missing the feeling of Azzi’s skin against her finger tips.

“Fine. But you're not helping.” Azzi finally gave in but not fully. Paige smiled big at Azzi, giving her a small “thank you” before she wrapped one of her hands around Azzi’s hip and the other on her ass. Azzi’s breath hitched as she felt herself stutter against the silicon. She sunk her teeth into Paige’s skin, silently hoping that it would leave a mark.

Paige hissed, before she slammed Azzi down hard onto the strap-fucking the girl up into a harder pase. Azzi moaned out of surprise, “Paige!” She whimpered, trying to sound mad but failed. Azzi’s eyes rolled back as she felt herself clench around the strap.

“I'm gonna cum.” Azzi cried into Paige's neck, her tears soaked Paige's skin. Paige nodded, “me too. Come on baby. Give it to me.” Paige begged, feeling herself become close to the edge. Azzi shook around the strap before she felt her release snap, soaking the strap that was now just sitting inside her.

Azzi rested her tired body against Paige’s, not being able to find strength to hold herself up. Paige tried to lift Azzi’s up off the strap but Azzi groaned, “no-, hand on.” She grumbled not wanting to feel empty just yet.

Paige rested her head onto Azzi's curls, “okay but we gotta clean up in a bit.” She mumbled out, fighting sleep. Azzi just nodded, still trying to come down from her high. “You know, you really are down bad for me. You gave in so fast.” Paige teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Ugh, you literally cheated-.” Azzi argued back but her voice was raspy from her screams.

-

a/n: I’m so sorry! I know I promised aftercare but I wanted to post this now. So pls don’t hate me! 🥲 also I made a taglist so if you would like to be on it just tell me and I’ll add you! <3 goodnight y’all I’m actually so tired.

Taglist: @wbbfan19 , @blue0504

[girliblue]

is the moon still in love with the sun? - 3/3

pairing: paige x azzi💕

"But of course, Azzi listened. And Paige knew she always would. At least while they were protected by the four walls of her bedroom, where no one could see or know the truth.

That Azzi Fudd, social chair of Sigma Kappa and the local ‘it girl’, was in an almost debilitating situationship with UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers. 

A secret one, the dynamic that was bound to implode the further they fell for one another. But for now, they lived in denial, giving into their desires of pleasure, need, and maybe love, while ignoring their looming expiration date."

... or, the sorority girl azzi x basketball star paige au that no one asked for :)

-------

a/n: the final part is here!! don't get too sad though because there will be an epilogue coming soonnn :)

thank you for all the love on this series, it's been such a pleasure to get to share this with everyone. this has been such a rewarding series to write, putting pen to paper based on my own life experiences, so thank you for all of your sweet responses💕 enjoy!!

wc: 12.6k

tw: homophobic slur/comments, sexual content (18+)

--------

part three: 'does your heart still remember my name?'

Azzi felt like a shell of a person, like she was going through the motions of life without actually experiencing it. Sylly week was a blur of drinking past the point of obliteration, staying out too late, and doing whatever she could to forget her reality. 

She had spent every weeknight the past two weeks holed up in her room, either half-watching a show or lying in her own self pity. She barely spent time with her roommates, whose laughter from the living room would echo to where she lay in the dark, only making her feel worse for the pain she had inflicted onto herself. 

Paige wouldn’t talk to her, which she honestly understood, but it didn’t make that stabbing feeling in her ribs go away. She gave up on calling, but was still texting constantly, only receiving two replies back.

P💕

i just need some time az

i’ll come to u when im ready

So she tried to give Paige space, she really did. But she couldn’t be held responsible for what ‘drunk Azzi’ said or did, which led to five nights in a row of unanswered inebriated calls.

But one fateful Friday night weeks later, that all changed. She wasn’t blackout, which was frustrating because that was her goal for the evening. She ended up having to take care of her friend who couldn’t even hold herself upright, which ultimately sobered her. Mostly.

Now, she sat on the front steps of Pike waiting for her roommates, ready to order an uber, grub in the kitchen when they got back and knock out in her new bedroom. She was aimlessly scrolling on tik tok when it happened; Paige's contact filled her screen with an incoming call from ‘Matt.’

She audibly gasped and dropped her phone, sitting dumbly and just staring at the device from where it landed beside her frat shoes. Shaking herself out of it, she picked it back up, took a deep breath, and then hit accept.

“Hello?”

“Yo, Aziiiii.” Paige’s voice slurred on the other end, “Where’re ya?”

“I’m about to go home.” Azzi said, gripping the edge of her phone. “Are you good, P?”

“No. I want you here.”

“You… you do?”

“Yeah. But you can’t come.”

Thankfully, Azzi was still buzzed enough to blame her response on the leftover alcohol in her system. “I would come to you if you wanted.” Then, she whispered, “I would do anything for you.”

“I know. But if I saw you, I’d be mean. And I don’t wanna be mean.”

“Maybe I deserve it.”

“Maybe you do.” Paige’s voice was much clearer with that statement compared to her other drunken words, and Azzi had to squeeze her eyes shut to try and keep it together. “I think I’m done, Azzi. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Paige - -”

“I think part of me hates you.”

“What?!” She choked on a sob, her chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. “You hate me?”

“I’m just so fucking hurt, baby.” The unexpected use of the pet name was so jarring it barely registered past the shit-show of thoughts that were cycling around Azzi’s brain.  

“I’m sorry, P. I’m so sorry.” She was shaking now, pressing her forehead to her palm as she leaned forward, struggling to breathe. “I just - -”

The line went dead after that, and all Azzi was left with was the sound of Paige’s voice repeating over and over. The voice that had calmed her through stress, talked her through intimacy, showered her with praise, now telling her that she hated her. Part of her, at least.

That was how her roommates found her, sobbing into her lap, phone clutched to her chest. “Azzi?” Bella approached her first, sitting beside her on the stoop and hesitantly rubbing circles on her bent knee, “What’s wrong?”

Despite being the only person Azzi could talk to, she didn’t tell Bella what happened. Partially because she was so embarrassed of how she treated Paige, of how she rejected the wide-eyed beautiful girl on her porch just a few weeks ago. The other part of her was in sheer denial that there was a chance this was actually it. That they would really be done for good this time.

Still struggling to breathe, Azzi clawed at her chest, looking at Bella with pain-ridden eyes. “She said she hates me.”

Bella’s brow furrowed. “She… she what?” She pointed toward the phone that was still in Azzi’s grasp. “Just now?”

Azzi nodded frantically. “I don’t know what to do, Bell. I don’t know how to come back from this.” Her voice wavered, “I can’t believe she hates me.”

“Wait, who hates you?” Maria asked.

Azzi’s head jerked in her direction, having totally forgotten that her other two roommates were right there. She found herself speaking before her mind could catch up, “Paige.”

“What? Who’s Paige?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Azzi muttered, brushing off her jeans as she stood. “Let’s just go home.”

—---

Paige felt like a fucking asshole. It was almost four in the afternoon and she was still in bed, having skipped practice under the guise of not being able to move without profusely vomiting. She knew she was bound to get more than a strict talking-to about the example she was setting for the underclassmen, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

Not after what she said to Azzi.

She woke up with only fragments of memories from the night prior. She remembered most of the pre game, the first shot the team took together at the bar, and doing karaoke with the new freshman. Then, she drew a blank, her mind not remembering anything else except for that stupid phone call she should have never made.

She had no idea who she left with, or how she got back into her dorm, she just remembered sitting at the edge of her bed and pressing on Azzi’s contact. She also remembered everything she foolishly said, could still hear the hurt in Azzi’s voice, how Nika found her and snatched the phone from her hands, ending the call. 

“I think part of me hates you.”

God, why did she say that? It’s not true at all, she doesn’t hate Azzi, not even a sliver of her soul feels that way. She thinks her drunk mind just wanted to make Azzi hurt the way she had been drowning, and ultimately used vile words to do so. She regrets saying that, wishes she could just pick up the phone and make everything right.

But Paige is still so hurt over everything. She needed space, she needed to reevaluate how much more she could take when it came to Azzi. And if that meant having to fight every instinct telling her to run to the other girl, make her feel better from Paige’s messed up words, tell her everything will be fine, then so be it.

Because she can’t guarantee that everything will be fine. Not yet at least.

A knock on the door interrupted her from her thoughts. “Paige?” She recognized Jana’s voice, “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.” She croaked back, sitting up to try and look less visibly hungover. “What’s up?”

Jana stayed in the doorway, an almost timid look on her face. “It’s Azzi. She’s here.”

Paige froze, eyes widening, “What? Did you let her in?”

“Yes, but I can tell her to leave.” 

“Please. ‘M not ready to see her yet.”

She watched as Jana left, only exhaling once the door closed. She couldn’t believe that Azzi actually showed up. Part of her was pissed off, considering she had told the younger girl she needed time. But a much larger portion of her heart felt jittery in a good way, flattered that Azzi was fighting for them for once. 

She was still zoning out when another knock sounded. “Jana, I swear - -”

“It’s me.” A familiar soft, almost ethereal, voice sounded through the wood, and Paige hated how much it calmed her. “I won’t come in, I just… Can I just say one thing? From out here?”

She considered rejecting the younger girl entirely, but they both knew Paige would always cave when it came to Azzi, would always give in to her requests, even when it killed her. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry, Paige. I’m so sorry for everything. Not only just for last week, even though I feel fucking awful about that too, but in general.” Her voice broke, wavering slightly like she was fighting off tears. “I don’t deserve you, honestly. I haven’t deserved the patience you’ve shown me, or how understanding you’ve been. ‘N I don’t even blame you for what you said last night - -”

Paige felt herself tense at the reminder.

“- -‘Cause I know drunk words are almost always sober thoughts. I get why you feel like that, I do. I jus’ want you to know how much you mean to me, and how fucking sorry I am. I want things to be different going forward, I would easily do that for you.”

Paige stood now, her feet moving toward the door before she could chicken out. She swung it open, revealing a disheveled Azzi flinching in surprise. “Why d’you only say shit like this when you’re about to lose me?”

“What?”

“You’re saying this now ‘cause of last night.” She started counting on her fingers, “You told me you loved me for the first time after making me feel fucking worthless. And over voicemail of all things.” She wiped away at a tear roughly, “I feel like you take me for granted.”

Azzi stared straight at the floor as she let out a shaky exhale. “I think I do. You’re right.”

The honesty surprised Paige more than anything, her shoulders subconsciously loosening at the admission. She stood there stunned, unsure what to even say back to that. It hurt, hearing Azzi confirm what she had already been thinking, but it was almost reassuring to know that she at least slightly understood what she had put the older girl through. How the person who supposedly loved her could just turn her away like that.

Not even just that fateful morning in front of Azzi’s mom (although that felt like getting a knife straight in the chest). Paige knew that her reaction was amplified because of the months she spent feeling like she was Azzi’s illicit secret. That she was used when needed and discarded when Azzi was in public, distracted so as not to be reminded of that part of her she didn’t let anyone see; except for Paige. 

Paige’s gaze softened. “I jus’ need time, Azzi.”

“Okay,” Azzi took a step back, hands raised in surrender. “I’ll go.”

Paige shut her door after that, too caught up in how she was feeling to even deal with the sight of Azzi walking away again. 

She didn’t talk to anyone for the rest of the day, instead she stayed in her room in solitude, the blackout shades Azzi had purchased for her doing their job to keep her in a pit of darkness. She had no idea how much time had passed since Azzi left, but some hours later another knock sounded at her door. 

“Go away Jana!” She yelled, the sound muffled from the blanket covering her head. 

She lifted when she heard the creek of her door opening, eyes squinting as she adjusted to the light pouring in. “I’m offended that you don’t know what my knock sounds like compared to everyone else.” And there was Nika, a look of almost disgust on her face as she processed the state Paige was in. “You look like shit.”

Ignoring the latter half of that sentence, Paige sat up straight and shrugged her blanket off to make room on the bed. “How the fuck would I know what your knock sounds like?”

“‘Cause ‘m your twin, duh.” Nika chuckled to herself, moving the half-eaten bag of takis to sit down beside the brooding blonde. “You need to get your act together.”

“I know, I’m ‘bouta shower.”

“No, not that. Well, yeah you probably should take a shower.” Nika gave her another disgusted once-over, “But I meant with Azzi.”

Paige’s brow furrowed, “What d’you mean?”

Nika sighed, tugging on the end of her ponytail, a nervous tick Paige picked up on within the first month of the two becoming teammates. “Listen, I’m the dead last person to defend anyone’s significant other, y’know that.” Nika started, “But I think you needa cut her some slack.”

“What?” Paige’s jaw, honest to God, literally dropped at her best friend’s words. “You’re the one who used to tell me I deserved better and shit.”

“That was before I got to know her,” Nika shifted so she was laying down, propping her head on her elbow. “All I knew back then was there was some sorority bitch making you cry, and not eat, and lose yourself.” 

“And now?”

“Now I think you put all the blame on her so you don’t have to admit you’re not ready either.”

That response made Paige feel like she got the wind knocked out of her, not because she hadn’t thought about that before, she truly had, especially in recent months. She just hadn’t thought that anyone else had picked up on that either. “That’s… not completely false.”

“I know, ‘m pretty amazing at reading people.” Nika gave a cocky smirk, but her face softened almost immediately after. “But seriously, you’ve both fucked up. And she’s more at fault, I know, but she’s trying, Paige. I think that really says something.”

Paige bit her lip in thought. “I’m not ready to forgive her.”

“I’m not saying you have to yet,” Nika said, running a hand down Paige’s arm. “I’m just saying to at least let her try.” She smiled as she added, “Y’know, like actually letting her past your door next time.”

Paige laughed, a real authentic laugh that even she was surprised Nika was able to pull out of her. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

Nika patted the mattress before she sat up, “Good.” She crossed the room, calling behind her. “Now if you excuse me, therapist Nika has a date herself tonight!”

“Use protection!”

Paige ducked just in time to avoid the tube of aquaphor that was chucked her way. Later that night, Paige considered what Nika had said, and she knew deep down the Croatian girl was right. Azzi wasn’t entirely to blame for the demise of their situationship (God, Paige was really starting to hate that word), Paige had her faults too. And she knew that she was protecting her heart a little too much, keeping her guard up more than she should if she truly saw a future with her.

But she still wasn’t ready for forgiveness. She knew her feelings were valid, and she wouldn’t lose sight of that. She just hoped and prayed that Azzi wouldn’t stop trying in the meantime. 

—---

Another night began with Azzi not being able to rest, despite how heavy her eyelids were. Instead of accepting defeat and laying still, she shrugged the covers and rose with an irritated huff, swiping her keys from the nightstand. 

At first, she started driving to just pass the time, put on her sad playlist and drove through the mostly empty streets of Storr’s. Her breath hitched when she passed it; the lookout she and Paige had their first time at. There were no cars in the lot, which was empty more often than not anyway, so she pulled in. 

Being here without Paige felt wrong, like she was betraying her by being in the spot that was theirs. And because she was always in some form of emotional distress, slow tears began to fall as she felt, once again, the piercing hole inside of her that Paige had left. Being in this limbo of not speaking was torturous, but she couldn’t bring herself to be angry at Paige, not even a little bit.

Azzi knew Paige, knew all of the intricate crevices of her brain and how they worked. She knew the older girl always acted in self-preservation, it was a subconscious habit she opened up to Azzi about months prior. She also knew that once Paige felt unsure, that she had an even worse habit of bolting. So, the fact that Paige just wanted time to think, that she wasn’t flat out rejecting her, was a victory in Azzi’s eyes. 

The sound of tires on gravel pulled Azzi from her thoughts. She turned to see who could possibly be here at this hour, especially such an unknown spot. When she saw the outline of a jeep, her heart fell straight to her ass. 

It wasn’t just that Azzi knew that the car belonged to Paige, it was the fact that she was here, at night, the spot she brought Azzi where they fucked for the first time. And if she looked over and saw a girl in her car - - God, Azzi didn’t even want to know what she would do.

Acting on impulse, deciding she’d rather live in oblivion, she threw the car into reverse, trying to whip out of the lot undetected. 

Clearly, she was too late, because Paige brought her car horizontally to block Azzi from exiting, the brunette lunging forward from the impact of braking so suddenly. Paige rolled her window down first, her arm hanging from the car as she yelled, “The hell are ya going?”

Rolling her own window down, Azzi fired back, “You could’ve just killed me!”

Paige rolled her eyes. “Relax, I knew you would stop.” She reached over toward the back seat, dipping enough to confirm that there was no one else in the car. 

“Thank God.” Azzi, preoccupied in relief, hadn’t even realized she was speaking until it was too late.

Paige reappeared by the window, “What was that?”

Azzi felt her cheeks warm. “Nothing. Whatcha got there?”

With that sly smirk that Azzi missed all too much, Paige lifted up a pre roll. “For old times sake?”

So that was how Paige and Azzi hung out for the first time since, well everything, on a random Wednesday night. Sitting shoulder to shoulder on the roof of Paige’s jeep, facing the field of farmland and trees, passing the blunt back and forth. 

They smoked in silence at first, the only noise between them being the playlist Paige queued through her car’s speakers. Azzi doesn’t remember the last time she felt nervous like this around Paige. Not ‘butterflies’ nervous, no, those types of flutters were constant between them no matter how much time had passed. These nerves, like little balls of anxiety, were sitting in her stomach, making it impossible for her to enjoy the high that was trying to creep in.

Paige, either because she could read Azzi’s mind or just knows the younger girl incredibly well, broke the silence first. “‘M not mad, Az.”

Azzi turned to look at her, expecting to be met with sharp blue eyes, but instead saw Paige’s gaze locked on the view in front of them. She looked away, “I wouldn’t blame you if you were.”

“Okay, maybe I’m a little mad.” She said it with no bite, if anything she seemed more relaxed than before. “But I jus’ need to slowly let you in again. And if you can gimme the time to do that…” Her voice trailed off, instead she took another drag of the half-dying blunt. 

“Of course I can do that, P.” She lowered her voice to add, “I’d wait forever for you.” Azzi could feel Paige’s eyes practically burning a hole into the side of her face, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn, terrified of being rejected for saying something so forward.

She exhaled in relief when Paige looked away and passed her back the blunt. She had just opened her mouth to speak again when it happened; Paige shifted closer, close enough that their arms pressed against one another fully. It was such a small movement, but having been deprived of her touch for so long, the touch she craved always, it meant everything.

“Would you, uh, Ion know…” Paige shook her head, and Azzi caught the blush that matched the pink of her smile. “We could get dinner soon maybe?”

She felt like she was back in the early stages of their situationship (which, in a way, they were) with the way she was biting back a smile and practically freaking out on the inside. Feigning non-chalance, Azzi nodded. “Yeah, I’d love that.”

“Good.” Paige said. A beat passed before she reached over, slowly hovering her hand above where Azzi’s rested on her own knee. Getting the hint, Azzi twisted her hand so her palm was facing upward. She could have done literal back flips from how thrilling it felt when Paige laced their fingers together. 

She just about died five minutes later when Paige tentatively moved to lay her head against a tan shoulder.

—---

Azzi still wasn’t doing much outside of going to class and partying, each weeknight at her townhouse spent alone in her bedroom, trying desperately to avoid reality. Her roommates made constant efforts to get her to hangout with them, offering to cook her dinner, or put on whatever basketball game she usually wanted to watch.

She declined each time, because even such mundane acts like her typical routines with her roommates felt like too much when her and Paige still weren’t normal again.

Bella, having decided she had seen enough of Azzi’s moping, barged into her room one weeknight, demanding with physical force that she get out of bed and join them. Azzi allowed herself to be pulled downstairs, feeling slightly better at the way Maria and Nicole’s faces lit up. “There she is!”

Maria handed her a glass, pouring some of the wine they had been sharing. “Bro, finally. I feel like I haven’t seen you in years.”

This was her first night of normalcy in the new townhouse, the first night she actually let herself feel glimpses of joy. Three glasses in and she was relaxed, avidly engaged in the round of uno they had impulsively decided to play. 

She was about to demolish Nicole with a “+4” when her phone rang. She glanced down toward the coffee table, where the contact “Paige” filled the screen. In a step toward righting her wrongs, Azzi finally removed the dumb contact she had made, which was petrifying, but she didn’t regret it.

She ignored her roommates yelling at her that it was her turn, discarding her cards and pressing the phone to her ear. “Hey.”

A small sniffle sounded from the other end. “Hi. I’m outside.”

“Oh.” Oh? Why the fuck did she say ‘oh’ like that? She pressed a palm to her head, internally cursing herself. “I mean, do you want to come in?”

“Can you come out here?”

“Yeah, one second.” Azzi hung up, standing quickly. “Keep playing without me, I needa do something.” 

When she opened the door, the sight of Paige almost took her breath away. She looked beautiful, even though she always did, but tonight her hair was loose and tucked behind her ears in that soft feminine way Azzi loved.

But the part that made Paige’s appearance jarring was the tint of her cheeks, coupled with her red button nose and the quiver in her lip. 

“Baby?” Azzi let the pet name slip. She shut the door behind her, not even caring that there was a chance her roommates were within earshot, “What is it?”

Paige wiped at a tear with the collar of her shirt. “I jus’ really need a hug.” She sniffled, then whispered. “From you.”

Not at all needing to be told twice, Azzi moved, engulfing the girl she missed more than anything into tan arms. Her eyes squeezed in agony when Paige broke, freshly sobbing into the crook of Azzi’s neck. At first, Azzi stayed silent, just letting the other girl’s sobs fill the space between them, rubbing small circles on the center of her back. 

On instinct, Azzi angled her head to kiss the closest part of Paige’s neck, which only made the older girl cry harder. “P, what’s wrong? Please talk to me.”

Moving back so she was shorter than her, Paige rested her forehead on Azzi’s shoulder and took a shaky breath. “It’s stupid.”

“Paige, you just showed up at my doorstep and started crying. It’s obviously not stupid.”

She felt Paige’s grip on her hand before she saw it, gasping in shock at the unexpected gesture. Paige moved to sit on the step closest to them, dragging Azzi with her, and resting her head against the brunette’s shoulder. “It’s nothing, ‘m jus’ on my period, and I feel like shit, and I got in a nasty fight with my mom and…”

“And?” Azzi found herself asking, voice barely a whisper.

“And I really fucking miss you.”

Those words settled in the rather chilly night air, both girls taking a moment to just soak in the presence of one another. Azzi felt a sharp pain expand in her chest every time her heartbeat, the reminder that she was the reason the girl she loved was in pain hitting her all over again.

With Paige’s hand still clutched in hers, Azzi took another leap. “Do you wanna come inside?"

Paige jolted upright, the side of her forehead bumping the front of Azzi’s in the process. “Sorry, Jesus.” She apologized, “But you’re roommates - -”

“I told you I’m not hiding you anymore, P.” Azzi smiled almost shyly, raising a hand to brush Paige’s bottom lip with the pad of her thumb. “You’re a part of my life - - shit, you’re like my whole life. And I want them to know you, even if they don’t exactly know who you are to me.”

Azzi watched as fresh tears fell down porcelain cheeks, and it daunted on her that those words might have been the wrong thing to say. “Or they can know, Paige. I’ll tell them everything for you, fuck sorry I didn’t mean to repeat history - -”

She let out a startled yelp when Paige interrupted her with a searing kiss. She had only just processed that Paige was actually kissing her when she was already pulling away. “Ion care what they know, Az.” Paige kissed her cheek, and the brunette couldn’t help the stupid grin that spread across her face. “Yes. I’ll come inside.”

“That’s what she said.” Azzi fired back.

And then she heard the sound she missed more than anything, she craved more than anything. Paige’s adorable giggle rang out between them, full and bright and stupid and perfect. It was followed by that signature crooked smile, the one that covered her face and reached her eyes. The one that Azzi knew was reserved only for her. 

“So unserious.” But Paige was still smiling as she accepted the hand Azzi offered her, helping her to her feet. “So when we go in there,” Paige started, cracking her knuckles in apprehension. “What should I say? That I’m your friend from class or sum’?”

Azzi took a step forward, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek. “You’re just my Paige.” She turned again, moving to open the front door.

“Feels like we should’ve discussed more logistics here, but whatever ya want I guess.” Paige grumbled from behind her.

The second she heard her roommates laughter from the other room, nerves overtook her, the pit in her stomach practically gnawing at her as she moved toward the living room. This place was different, with the kitchen and living room on the first floor, along with Azzi’s bedroom. The rest of the girls' rooms were upstairs, which was supposed to be the convenient part of Azzi agreeing to take the lone room on the ground floor, but that’s besides the point. 

She silently thanked God that the reason she was grateful for that privacy was now following behind her as she approached her roommates, a reassuring presence despite the circumstances. “Guys, can you pause it for a sec?”

All three girls' heads looked away from whatever show they were watching at the sound of her voice. Azzi watched the different reactions of each roommate and took note of them. Bella looked like she was about to cry, probably from knowing how distraught Azzi had been without the beautiful girl by her side. Nicole just looked flat out confused, her mouth twisting and brows furrowing.

Maria was unreadable. Her face was emotionless, the only movement coming from the glass of wine she brought to her lips. There was silence for a beat, as Azzi swallowed the lump in her throat. “This is Paige.” 

Paige offered a short nod, expression neutral. “Wassup.”

Nicole was the first to speak, laughing slightly as she shook her head. “Obviously we know who she is, Azzi. But what’s she doing here?”

Azzi bit the inside of her cheek to keep from pointing out the fact that ‘she’ was standing right there, instead putting on a fake smile. “Paige is here to hang out with me.”

Bella, being the wonderful person that she is (who also hates silence and is constantly blabbering), swooped in. “Paige, I saw the box score for the exhibition game. 35 points is insane, you killed that.”

Paige shook her head, falling into the natural habit of rejecting praise. “Thanks. But that was all my point guard, Nika. Carried the game for us.”

Azzi laughed, nudging Paige a little with her shoulder. “So humble.” When she realized Nicole and Maria still weren’t saying anything, she figured this was a decent amount of progress for the night. “Okay, we’ll be in my room if you guys need me.”

“Wait,” Maria raised a hand as if to stop them. “Why don’t you hang out for a minute?”

Azzi looked over toward Paige, scanning bright blue eyes. The blonde cocked her head to the side as if to say ‘i don’t care’ but Azzi knew that also meant ‘like five minutes max’. Revelling in the fact that they still had a telepathic connection despite all of the messiness recently, she nodded. “Okay. For a little.”

They moved to sit on the open space of the couch, Azzi sitting criss-cross on the lounge part with Paige beside her, one ankle stiffly draped over her knee in a man spread. Maria cleared her throat, looking back and forth between the two girls. “So how d’you two know each other exactly?”

Paige glanced over at Azzi, smirking a little as she mumbled, “Told ya, logistics.”

The Fudd girl shoved her knee with an annoyed huff. “We met last year. Kinda a long story, but…” She didn’t finish her sentence, instead tried to change the subject. “So who won earlier?”

“I did!” Bella lit up, “I even took over your cards and still won.”

“What were you guys playing?” Paige asked, mainly prompting the question back to Bella.

“Uno. We should play next time you're over.” Bella paused to pour another glass for herself. “Wait, sorta speaking of, how was that celebrity poker tournament thing?”

“Oh, it was fire. I gotta play against Kyrie, which was insane.”

“Did you use my tips?” Paige laughed, “I did, but still ended up losing a ton of money.”

Azzi shook her head in disappointment. “Yeah, gambling's not really her thing.”

“Wait, you guys have met before?” Maria interjected, and Azzi was reminded of the fact that this conversation was more than incriminating. “What’s going on right now?”

Bella feigned casualty, shrugging and looking anywhere but at Maria. “Paige has been over before, ‘s just been when you and Nic weren’t home.”

“And you didn’t think to bring up that Paige Bueckers was in our apartment?”

“Maria, can you not? Please?” Azzi asked, her voice tight. Before the other girl could respond, she patted on Paige’s knee and moved to stand. “Let’s go to my room.”

Paige looked relieved as she followed, tossing a ‘nice to meet you guys’ over her shoulder. 

“At least we ripped the bandaid off?” Azzi attempted to joke when the door shut behind them. She stood awkwardly next to her vanity, suddenly unsure in a way she had never been in front of Paige before. She didn’t want to act too normal, worried that if she just tugged the blonde into bed with her it would seem like she was ignoring the faults she had been working to fix.

Paige seemed unbothered, instead walking up to the new photowall Azzi had made, freshly hung right above her nightstand. Her finger traced the outline of a childhood photo, “None of me, huh?” It was framed in a teasing manner, but regardless Azzi hated that she was missing from the mural in the first place. 

She walked up toward the taller girl, nudging her out of the way with her hip. “Um, alright. That was aggressive.” Paige grumbled, grabbing at her side.

“You’re such a baby!”

“I have cramps!”

Azzi softened, pouting as she remembered their conversation from earlier. “Shit, ‘m sorry P. Here, come lay down.” Azzi guided her to lay in the bed, Paige naturally taking her normal side. She plugged her heating pad into the wall, placing the thermal fabric beneath Paige’s long sleeve shirt. “This okay?”

Paige nodded, squeezing Azzi’s wrist once. “It’s perfect, thank you.”

“You need advil?”

“Took some earlier.”

Azzi just hummed, returning to her earlier plan. She opened the drawer to her nightstand, reaching toward the back to grab the collection of photos she had saved of her and Paige. One by one she stuck poster puddy to the back of each, adding them sporadically around the other photos.  

The first was a selfie of the two of them from their first night alone at Azzi’s apartment together last year, their heads pressed against one another like they couldn’t help but be in some form of physical contact. Paige had flour in her hair from the pizza they attempted to make and Azzi’s eyes were crinkled in a laugh. 

The second was one Nika took of them at a cozy restaurant last semester, their first ever double date. Azzi was dressed in a long brown dress, skin-tight just the way Paige liked. Paige wore jeans and a black sweater, the pair posing beneath fairy lights.

The last one was Azzi’s favorite. It was a photo, just of Paige, that she took on her disposable camera. It was from when she visited Paige in New York over the summer, where they spent the entire day having slow sex in her expensive hotel room. 

After insisting Azzi try ‘authentic New York pizza’, they ordered from one of Paige’s favorite spots (she’s still glad she let Paige talk her into it because it was easily the best pizza she’d ever had). Azzi took one of the disposable cameras her friends had bought for their vacation out of her purse, and attempted to take a funny action shot of Paige devouring a slice. Instead, the blonde caught on and naturally posed in a frustratingly hot way. 

In the present evening, she turned toward Paige to show her the photos she had just added to the wall. But, clearly the other girl had been watching, because she was already gazing in her direction, blue eyes shining in a way Azzi had honestly never seen before. 

Paige cleared her throat and shifted again so she was more on her side, “You ever find that other camera?”

She’s referring to the other disposable they used that weekend, the one with some rather tasteful photos of them on it. “No, but I’m pretty sure it’s at home in the purse I forgot to bring.”  

Paige hummed thoughtfully, and they stayed in a weird lull after that, neither girl sure what to say next. Paige broke the silence, gesturing with the hand not on the heating pad, “Can you c’mere please?”

“‘Course.” Azzi practically leapt into bed, laying so her chest was beside Paige’s head, cradling the blonde into her side. She rubbed a soothing hand over the exposed skin of Paige’s stomach. “Is this helping?” She tugged on the edge of the thick heating pad. 

“Mhm.” Paige said, then looked back up at Azzi with what could only be described as puppy dog eyes. “All of it is.” 

The movements of her fingers stilled, caught off guard by the sincerity of it all. She brought her forehead to the top of Paige’s, cradling the side of her face in the process. “I’m still so fucking sorry, P.” 

Paige brought a hand to rest against Azzi’s at her face, eyes shut, probably to try and still tears from falling again. “I’m sorry too.”

“For what?” 

“Saying I hated you.” 

“I deserved that.” 

“No, you didn’t.” Paige shrugged Azzi’s arm away, sitting up to face her fully. “Could never hate you. I swear, you could break my heart again and again and I still wouldn’t hate you.” 

“Do you trust me?” Azzi asked earnestly. “Trust that I’ll be better this time?” 

“I want to.” 

“Okay.” Azzi smiled softly. “That’s a start.”

—---

They quickly fell into a routine of keeping things traditional after that. ‘Doing things the right way this time’, Azzi had said the first night they went out to dinner, and Paige’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. 

This meant dinner at a sushi place Paige liked, ice cream that Azzi actually agreed to eat, a late-night drive just talking about whatever. It felt like they were getting back to who they were at their core, who they were before everything else played a part in who they got to be. 

They weren’t physical with each other, nothing more than a hand hold or a kiss on the cheek. Paige knew on her end this was a conscious decision, but she honestly didn’t know why Azzi was holding back either. That insecure part of her, the one that Azzi made prominent after that doomed morning on her doorstep, had Paige convinced that Azzi wasn’t attracted to her anymore. That she was just doing this to make things right, to clear her conscience.

She hadn’t realized how much that lack of physical affection from Azzi bothered her until one night in early October. They were at Azzi’s townhouse, the second official time Paige had ever been over for real, and Paige was confused. She knew Azzi’s roommates didn’t know about their history, besides Bella, so they obviously wouldn’t show physical affection anyway.

But Azzi was off. She barely spoke, which normally wouldn’t bother Paige considering she could make conversation with a brick wall, but in this context it did. Paige didn’t know how she was supposed to be in front of them, and she honestly hated Maria and what’s her name (she couldn’t remember the other girl’s name for the life of her, she was that much of a dud).

Azzi also recoiled when Paige sat too close, scooching over to keep a deliberate space between them on the couch. That was almost when Paige lost it, ready to get the hell out of there, but she took a steadying breath to reel it in. 

It was what Maria said that finally did it. The blonde bitch leaned forward, both elbows resting on her knees, a cocky smirk on her face. “So, Azzi.” Maria started, “I talked to Matt today.”

Normally Paige wouldn’t think twice about the mention of the stupid guy, no matter how much she hated him, but it was the way Azzi’s entire body tensed that caught her off guard. Azzi cleared her throat, “Yeah?”

“Mhm.” Maria continued, clearly also seeing how uncomfortable she was. “Heard about your little conversation the other day. How come you didn’t tell the rest of us about it?”

Azzi’s eyes flashed to Paige so quickly that if she blinked she probably would have missed it, instead moving to look straight into her lap. “Ion know, it wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“I mean,” Maria said, her smirk widening, “him asking you to be his girlfriend is a pretty big deal.”

The moment the words left Maria’s mouth it was like the entire room stilled. Paige had no idea what to do with herself, her hands shaking at her sides and her leg bouncing nervously. She gave Azzi a solid thirty seconds to clear it up, to say anything, but when she didn’t, Paige couldn’t take it anymore. 

“I gotta go, night guys.” She stood quickly, pocketing her keys from the coffee table and beelining for the front door. 

“P, wait!” Azzi called after her, but Paige didn’t stop. She just pushed outside, stepping straight into the pouring rain.

*A*

She was going to fucking murder Maria. How dare she bring up something so stupid in front of Paige? The conversation wasn’t even bad, she just hadn’t gotten a chance to talk it through with Paige yet. She knew exactly why Maria brought it up too, the manipulative bitch.

It was the morning after one of the first times Paige had spent the night again. Azzi awoke with a start, the sound of persistent banging echoing through her door. She shivered on instinct, the cool air of the vent above her causing goosebumps to form on her bare arms. 

Then she realized why she was cold; Paige had already left. Azzi clicked on her phone, ‘9:12 am’, which made sense for the older girl to be gone since she had practice. The thing that had Azzi’s shoulders deflated was that she didn’t wake her to say goodbye the way she always did. 

The knocking somehow got louder, more aggressive, and Azzi flinched, realizing she’d completely tuned it out while lost in thought.

“AZZI!” The voice made her movements still, because it didn’t belong to one of her roommates. Not only that, but it was a man’s voice. “I know you’re in there!” 

She dragged herself out of bed, running a hand through her messy curls as she crossed the room. When she yanked the door open, she was met with an exasperated Matt, chest rising and falling and dressed like he’d come straight from a run.

“What’re you doing here?” she asked, brows pulling together.

“Fucking finally,” Matt muttered, not even answering her question as he pushed past her shoulder and walked straight into her room.

Azzi closed the door behind him with a roll of her eyes. “By all means, come in.” She muttered under her breath. 

He stopped when he reached her bed, sitting on the foot of it. Azzi grimaced when she realized just how sweaty he was from running in the late-September heat, but she opted not to say anything. 

Instead, she moved to sit across from him, tucking one leg beneath herself, arms loosely crossed. “What’s going on?”

“You’ve been avoiding me.” 

Azzi sighed, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. It was true, she had been avoiding him more than usual, especially after that drunken phone call with Paige. That call changed everything, it was like it finally clicked for Azzi just how fucked this situation was for Paige, and if she wanted to make things better, she knew she had to be different. 

And that started with distancing herself from Matt. “Yeah, I guess I have.”

Matt’s eyes widened, probably expecting her to deny his claim. “Why? Did I do something?” 

“No, you didn’t. Trust me.” Azzi said quickly, shaking her head. “I just think I need to be alone for a while.”

“Oh.” His face fell, “Well that’s awkward, ‘cause I was bouta ask you to be my girlfriend.”

Azzi’s brain practically short circuited, not at all expecting that to be where this conversation was headed. “Matt…” 

“Hey, it’s okay. I get it, really.”

“I jus’ don’t feel that way about you.” Azzi nervously scratched the back of her neck. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s all good, really.” Matt leaned back slightly, letting out a slow breath. “Y’know,” he said, rubbing his hands together, “you could’ve just told me that instead of being all weird.”

She let out a small, awkward laugh. “I know, I’m sorry.” 

“Can I ask you something then?”

“Sure.”

“You care if I get with Maria?”

Azzi froze at that question, not because she particularly cared what he did one way or the other, but because she knew Maria would never let her live it down. She would twist it into him leaving her for him or something so far removed from reality. 

But, she couldn’t control what either of them did, so she just shrugged. “Do whatever you want.” 

“Bet.” He pushed himself up from the bed after that, pausing for a second to glance back down at her. “Still friends right?” 

“Yeah, still friends.”

“Fuck!” She exited the living room to follow Paige, but stopped suddenly in the doorway when she saw just how much it was raining. She could laugh at the deja vu she felt right now, with her in a fresh blowout and being hesitant to step out in the pouring rain. 

“Here, I’ll get the umbrella!” Nicole offered, moving toward the junk closet.

Azzi stood there for a second longer, contemplating how mad she would be for $200 to go down the drain after having just gotten her hair done that morning. But deep down, she knew what her decision would be. Paige’s grasp on her heart would always take precedent over everything else. 

“Fuck my life.” She mumbled to herself before bolting out into the rain. “Paige! Wait!” She yelled, sprinting across the street, bare feet slapping against wet pavement, reaching her just as the blonde got to her car.

By some grace from God, Paige listened, dropping the hand that was about to open her car door, instead turning around slowly. Her face was impossible to read, her mouth in a thin line and eyes almost empty. “I don’t really wanna hear it, Az.”

“Please, let me explain.” Azzi pleaded, her tank top sticking awkwardly to her skin as the rain continued to monsoon over them. She kept the space between them, instead making her tone gentler so as not to scare the other girl off. “I said no.”

Paige’s brows lifted slightly, like she didn’t fully believe her. “Really?”

“Of course I did!” Azzi stepped closer, hands coming up instinctively, like she could physically push the point across. Her previous plan of staying calm was completely out the window now, her voice rising in order to defend herself. “Why would I - -”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I didn’t get the chance to yet!” Azzi yelled out, exasperated. She brought a hand to her chest to try and slow her heartrate, waiting for Paige to make the next move. Paige’s lip was caught between her teeth, the tell Azzi took note of months earlier; the tell that meant she was fighting the instinct to bolt.

“I should - - I should go.” Paige turned on her heels again.

“That’s it?” Azzi yelled after her. “You’re done? Just like that?”

Paige stopped in place, feet planted firmly, her shoulders rising and falling, before she turned around and charged back down the sidewalk. When she spoke again, her voice was clipped, a cadence Azzi had only heard a handful of times before, “Why won’t you kiss me?”

Azzi’s face twisted, completely caught off guard. “What?”

Paige took another step closer, close enough now that Azzi could see the rain clinging to blonde lashes, her voice softer. “We’ve been doing this for weeks,” she said with another step forward. “And you won’t kiss me. You won’t touch me. You won’t say anything real.”

Azzi sighed, tucking a sopping wet, newly formed curl behind her ear. “I didn’t think you’d want me to.”

Paige let out a short, disbelieving breath. “The fuck? Why not?”

“Because of what you said! That I only say ‘I love you’ when I’m losing you. I didn’t want you to think that,” She gestured loosely between them, “Was what I wanted from you.”

“I want to feel wanted, Azzi. And I feel like you don’t no more.”

Azzi scoffed, genuinely confused as to how Paige could possibly feel that way. There was never going to be a version of her that wasn’t unbelievably attracted to Paige, no future where she didn’t constantly crave her skilled touch, delicate mouth, perfect physique. 

Now just mere inches apart, large raindrops clouding her vision, Azzi whispered, “I always want you Paige. Like, you have no idea.”

“Prove it.”

On instinct, Azzi looked over toward her house from across the street to find Nicole and Bella standing on their porch, watching. 

“Fuck, nevermind it’s fine - -” Paige started, but cut herself off when Azzi took another step forward, catching her wrist to stop her from moving.. “What’re you doing?”

Azzi brought both hands to the nape of Paige’s neck, thumbs cradling her cheeks. “Just shut up.”

And there, in the pouring rain, and with two of her roommates just across the way, Azzi kissed her. She poured her everything into their tandem of lips, months of holding back unleashed in one fell swoop. Their lips moved in sync, Paige tugging her closer by her waist so that their sopping wet chests were flush against one another.

Breathless, they broke apart for air, foreheads touching, and unable to contain their cheeky grins. “You taste like rain.” Paige quipped, gently pushing Azzi’s wet curls off her shoulder.

“So do you. I kinda like it.” Azzi didn’t give her a chance to respond, she just pulled her closer by the collar of her shirt, their lips somehow coming together with even more force. Paige’s tongue found its way between plump lips, making Azzi let out an involuntary groan at how perfect, yet also how familiar the action was. They stayed like that, trading easy kisses back and forth, before a loud crack of thunder sounded.

Both girls jumped, still not letting go of one another, if anything Paige managed to bring her closer. Azzi looked up into blue eyes, “Stay the night?”

“You sure?” When Azzi nodded enthusiastically, the blonde just laughed. “Okay.”

Only as they started walking back did Azzi remember that two of her fucking roommates just witnessed that entire exchange. She was pretty certain they couldn’t have heard over the rain, but that didn’t really matter considering they just saw them literally sucking face. 

As they reached the porch, still caught out in the rain, the two other girls waited in the entryway. Azzi opened her mouth to try and formulate some kind of explanation, but Nicole turned to Bella before she could. “You fucking knew didn’t you?”

“Uh…” Bella awkwardly looked over toward the uncertain pair still being soaked by the rain. “I, uh - -”

“Yes.” Azzi interjected, taking the first few stairs. “She knew. I asked her not to say anything.”

Still not looking at her, Nicole asked Bella again, “And you don’t care? This doesn’t weird you out?”

Bella shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.“I mean it was shocking don’t get me wrong, but no. I didn’t care.” 

“I just… I don’t know. This is so fucking weird.” Nicole took off inside without another word.

Azzi didn’t even realize that she was frozen in place until a hand brushed her lower back. “Baby, you’re gonna catch a cold.” Paige said quietly, “Let’s go inside.”

The younger girl nodded, tentatively entering her home behind Bella. Nicole hadn’t gone far, instead was leaning against the kitchen counter with her back facing the rest of them. Azzi approached her slowly, “Nic, I know I shoulda told you, and I’m sorry from keeping this from you- -”

“You think that’s why I’m bugging?” She spun around, crossing her arms. “I’m so weirded out right now, bro. Like, are you gay?”

Azzi swallowed thickly before nodding. “Yeah, I am.”

Nicole let out a breath, dragging a hand through her hair. “What the fuck?” she muttered, pacing once before stopping again. “I needa find Maria.”

“I’m right here.” The missing girl suddenly appeared at the foot of the stairs, “And I already know.”

Azzi’s brow furrowed, “What d’you mean you already know?”

“It means I had your fucking camera.” That’s when Azzi realized what Maria was clutching in her freshly manicured hands. “And I’ve known for weeks now.” Azzi lunged forward on instinct, attempting to rip the photos out of her hands. “Not so fast, bro. You’re not getting off that easy.” Maria jerked her hand back, stepping out of reach with a smirk. 

Azzi stilled her movements, doing her best to act unbothered. Unfortunately she had become quite the expert on how to handle Maria when she was behaving like a lunatic, and if she were to lose her temper, that would only encourage her more. “Those are private, Maria. Can I please have them back?”

Maria tilted her head, like she was considering it. “If you pay the $900 to break our lease.”

“What?”

“What?” Bella echoed, now stepping in the middle of the two girls. “What’re you doing right now?”

“I’m not living with a dyke next year Bella. And Ion know why you’d wanna either.” 

A loud, wildly overdramatic scoff broke the exchange. Azzi turned her head slightly, almost forgetting Paige was even there until that sound cut through everything. Paige was shaking her head, an almost amused grin pulling at her lips like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Maria’s eyes snapped to her. “Something funny?”

“Nah,” Paige said, shrugging. “I jus’ think you’re a real fucking bitch.”

“And I think I have pictures that would do pretty good damage to your career.”

Paige’s face transformed in an instant, any trace of humor gone. Her jaw tightened, shoulders squared, voice rougher now as she approached Maria. “Fuckin’ try me.”

“Alright.” Azzi stepped forward, effectively halting Paige with a hand to her chest. “P, can you wait in my room for me?”

“You sure?” She was still staring right at Maria, expression rigid as she gave her a condescending smirk. “‘Cause I’ll stay out here no problem.” 

Azzi huffed quietly, patting the hand still braced against her chest, “Yes, tough guy. I got this.” She added a kiss to her cheek to solidify the request. “I’ll be in soon.” 

Paige stayed for a second longer, staring daggers at Maria with a hardened jaw. Then she started moving toward the bedroom, thankfully listening and leaving the four roommates alone. 

They had somehow made their way over toward the kitchen, sitting awkwardly around the circular table. And even though this was the least of her problems, all Azzi could think about was how excited she was to get out of these sopping wet clothes, feeling more than uncomfortable at the way the cotton was sticking to her skin.

Bella broke the silence first, “Why d’you want to break the lease?”

Maria’s eyes were locked on Azzi as she said, “Cause I’m not living with a dyke next year.”

“Yeah,” Azzi shot back immediately, leaning forward, frustration bleeding through now, “well you’ve been living with one for two years and you’ve been doing just fine.”

“I don’t care, Azzi. It’s fucking weird.”

“Yeah, and now I’m rethinking, like, the way you compliment us and shit.” Nicole added with a shake of her head. “You’ve seen me naked, bro!”

Azzi hated how she felt in this moment, almost like she was back in high school. It felt like someone cut her heart open, saw all the good and the love there, but ignored it to focus on bullshit instead. “So? I’m still a normal girl - - I just happened to fall for another girl! Who’s fucking incredible by the way, not that you bothered to ask.”

Maria snorted at that, “Oh, the pictures certainly gave me that impression.” 

Bella cut in again, “What pictures?” 

Maria shuffled through a few, before picking one of them out and laying it down on the table. It wasn’t the worst one that had been taken, Azzi was at least grateful for that, but it was far from innocent. It was one they posed for in the hotel bathroom, with Paige taking a photo in the mirror from behind Azzi, her arm barely covering Azzi’s bare chest. Nothing explicit could be seen, but the idea was definitely there.

Azzi reached forward, smacking the picture with the palm of her hand to slide it closer. She flipped it upside down with more force than she meant, an involuntary tear rolling down her cheek. She used the back of her hand to wipe at it quickly, but the others saw it anyway.

“Are you crying?” Nicole asked, her voice uncharacteristically quiet.

A few more tears rolled down just the one side of her face, which happened sometimes when she tried to stop tears from falling, but emotion ended up winning the battle. The last time she remembered this happening was at her dad’s funeral. Azzi scoffed, “What d’you think?”

“I’ve never seen you cry before.” Nicole said, reaching out to place a hand on Azzi’s shoulder.

The now-curly-haired-from-the-rain girl recoiled, “Yeah, well,” she muttered, dragging her wrist across her face, trying to wipe everything away at once, “my best friends just said everything I’ve been terrified of hearing for almost a year now, so.” 

She could feel Nicole’s eyes locked on her, probably assessing the way Azzi was frustratingly wiping away her tears, reaching for a napkin to clean the snot forming on her upper lip. (She was grateful Paige was in the other room, because that was real attractive.)

“I’m sorry, Azzi.” Azzi’s head whipped toward her roommate, shocked at the complete change in her demeanor. Nicole continued, “I shouldn’t have… I don’t wanna not live with you. I guess I’m just processing.”

She hated how small she sounded to ask, “Really?” 

“I mean if you can forgive me for all that shit I jus’ said.”

Azzi couldn’t help but smile, nodding quickly. She always had a big heart for the people she cared for, always being willing to forgive when she thought an apology was genuine. It started after her dad passed, that profound loss putting everything into perspective; learning that life was too short to hold grudges. 

“I think ‘m still processing too.” Azzi admitted, “But yeah. I can forgive you.”

Nicole’s shoulders dropped, relief etched into her features. “I really am sorry.” 

There was a peaceful energy to the room then, and Azzi was honestly hopeful that things would actually be okay now.

She realized how naive she was when Maria suddenly slammed a hand down on the table. “Okay what the fuck is going on right now?” 

Bella, who had been watching the previous exchange with a fondness that mimicked the first time she herself found out Azzi’s secret, used the rough voice that was only ever present when was pissed. “She’s being a normal person. I don’t know why that’s so hard for you but,” Bella leaned forward in her chair, “Give her the pictures back.”

“Not until - -”

“Maria I swear to fucking God I will rip your head off. Y’know how fucked up that is,” She gestured animatedly at the stack of upside down pictures, “Give them to Azzi. Now.”

In an almost sheepish manner, an action Azzi had never seen before, Maria conceded. She slid the rest of the photos across the table, and Azzi relaxed, letting out the nervous breath that had been lodged in her esophagus. 

She didn’t say anything else to Maria, because honestly what was there to say? She had made her thoughts on the situation perfectly clear, and Azzi wasn’t about to beg for someone to just be a decent friend and support her. She stood, pushing the chair in behind her. “If you don’t wanna live w’ me, that’s fine. But you’re the one finding somewhere else to go.”

Maria rolled her eyes, “Yeah right.” She looked over at the other two, “You guys would really pick her over me?”

Bella nodded instantly, “Yup. Don’t even have to think about it. I’d rather live with a ‘dyke’”, She dragged the word for emphasis, adding air quotes, “than you at this point.”

Maria looked over at Nicole next, the one who never had a backbone when it came to their controlling friend, and who typically did whatever Maria said. “Nic?”

Nicole sighed, flexing her fingers against the wood of the table. “She’s not making me choose. So, yeah. I pick Azzi.”

Azzi couldn’t help but smile at the ghostly look on Maria’s face. “If you care for me at all,” She said, the words aimed solely at Maria. “You’ll keep this to yourself.”

When she didn’t respond, Azzi just shook her head and made her way to the perfect girl that was waiting on her. 

The millisecond she opened her door, she tossed the pictures into the top drawer of her dresser, and then immediately shifted her attention to the beautiful girl stretched out her bed. She let out an exaggerated sigh, gaining Paige’s concern, who softened, blue eyes filled with worry. “Ugh, my baby.” 

Azzi practically jumped on top of the blonde, making sure the entire length of her body was connected with at least a small piece of Paige’s. Her head naturally found its spot above Paige’s heart, desperate to hear the familiar rhythm of its beating. “I don’t regret it. I just…”

When Azzi’s voice trailed off, Paige only held her tighter, placing another kiss on unruly curls. “I know, Az. I know it sucks and ‘m so sorry they said all that.” Paige shifted to kiss her forehead, letting her lips linger as if to pour everything she was feeling against Azzi’s skin. “If I had it my way, no one in the world would ever be mean to you again and everyone would cater to the princess’s needs.” The absurdity of those words drew a laugh from Azzi. She twisted to meet Paige’s eyes, the small chuckle turned into a full blown giggle when she realized the other girl was being dead serious. “That’s okay, P. I have you for that.”

“Damn right you do.”

Azzi's breath hitched. “Do I? Have you?”

“You always have.” Paige brought the pad of her thumb to the corner of Azzi’s mouth. “But f’real, if you wanna be my girl, like, my girlfriend or whatever - -”

Azzi cut her off, unable to wait any longer before kissing her. When she pulled back, her grin was so wide it almost hurt. “Yes. I’ll be your girlfriend.”

“Cool, cool, cool.” Paige rambled, a dorky grin on her face. “Now can we please get the hell out of these wet clothes and shower?”

“Or,” Azzi sat up with a smirk, swinging a leg over Paige’s waist so she was straddling her. “We could warm each other up the good ole’ fashioned way.”

“You’re so weird, bro.” Paige chuckled, but the laugh turned into a sucked in breath when Azzi rolled her clothed core against Paige’s stomach. “Fuck, sure baby. Whatever you want.”

Azzi smirked, bringing her hands to the hem of her tank top and lifting, taking her sweet time, slowly revealing her lower stomach, then her navel piercing, and lastly tugging it off to reveal her bare chest. She shivered slightly at the cool air meeting her still-wet skin, her nipples hardening the second the fabric was gone.

Paige leaned up, palming one and placing a soft kiss on the other. “Lemme warm you up, baby.” 

“Thought I was a dork for saying that.” She smirked, watching in awe as Paige moved to peck at the underside of her left breast. She nipped and sucked all over Azzi’s chest, paying extra attention to perky nipples, swirling her tongue around each bud. “Feels so good, P.”

Paige removed her lips to look up at Azzi, a string of saliva hanging between her chest and Paige’s lips. Unable to help herself, Azzi leaned down to kiss her, licking into Paige’s mouth with increased urgency. She pulled away with a roll of her hips, “Need ya so bad, baby.”

The older girl smirked, moving her hands to slide down Azzi’s back. She shivered at the contact, goosebumps forming from the cool touch of Paige’s ring covered fingers. Azzi shrugged Paige’s arms off, tugging at the collar of her hoodie. “Off.”

“Bossy much.” Paige rolled her eyes, but listened, taking her sweatshirt and bra off in one go. Azzi felt her mouth literally water, having forgotten how much she loved watching Paige’s abs harden under her touch. She raked her fingers up and down those annoyingly hot abs, making Paige smirk. “Like what you see?”

Azzi blushed, tucking her head as she nodded. “Mhm.” 

Paige’s gaze softened, brushing her cheek with a touch so gentle it stole a gasp from Azzi’s lips. “You’re so beautiful, Az. It’s honestly insane.”

Trying to hide her blush, Azzi pushed Paige back against the mattress, beginning her annihilation of Paige’s chest. She kissed a trail down her collarbone, sucked between her breasts, tongued and nipped at both of her also hardened nipples. 

She tried to subtly pull off Paige’s sweats, but unsurprisingly, her hands were slapped away. Paige flipped them, hovering above Azzi with that possessive look in her eye. “Nuh uh, y’know how this works.” She leaned down to kiss swollen lips, biting at Azzi’s bottom one when she pulled back. “Always get my girl right first.”

“Whatever you want, P.” Clearly that was the right thing to say, because Paige practically lit up, her hands eagerly pulling off both Azzi’s sweats and her thong. Eyes locked on Azzi’s dripping cunt, she licked her lips. “God, I fucking missed you.”

“Me too, baby. C’mere.” Azzi tugged Paige back to her face by her chain, ignoring the slight wince the older girl let out from the action. She crashed their lips together again, holding her there, licking back into that filthy mouth. They stayed like that, Paige slotting a muscular quad between Azzi’s legs, which made the brunette’s entire body shake as anticipation continued to build low in her stomach. 

Paige stilled, keeping their faces close, blue eyes searching brown. “Can’t believe you’re mine.” She kissed Azzi’s cheek before sitting up on her knees again, shifting so she could hover close to Azzi’s entrance. “Never letting you go again.” 

Before Azzi could even begin to process the intensity of those words, or how much her heart soared from the admission, Paige was licking straight into her. “Oh fuck.” Azzi’s back arched at the feeling, “Really getting straight to the point, huh?”

Paige’s hands tightened at her waist, rough enough to leave a mark. She removed her head briefly to utter, “Been deprived of this for long enough, baby.” She kissed Azzi’s inner thigh, “Best pussy in the world, swear.”

Then, she dove back in, licking a stripe from the bottom of Azzi’s hole straight through her dripping folds. Each lick, the way she curved her tongue to lap up all of her juices, was bringing Azzi closer by the second. “‘M not gonna last long.”

Paige just hummed right into her core, adjusting her grip so that she slung one of Azzi’s legs over her shoulder. The new angle felt fucking phenomenal, while also giving her more of a view of Paige making out with her cunt. “Holy shit, don’t stop baby.”

Paige lifted to take a sharp breath in, “Ima getchu right, promise.”, before diving right back down. Azzi’s chest was heaving at this point, struggling to contain her moans as pleasure continued to waft through every crevice of her body. She could feel it in her toes, that light sensation building with each flick of Paige’s stupidly perfect tongue. 

“Mmph.” Azzi moaned out, eyes shut in ecstasy. “Please, P. Fuck - - please.”

Paige sprawled her large hand over the flat of Azzi’s stomach, trying to push her against the mattress. When she let go, Azzi’s back arched again immediately, the girl squirming involuntarily as she got closer. Paige’s voice was strained as she tapped on Azzi’s stomach again. “Relax f’me, Az.”

Azzi shook her head roughly. “Can’t. ‘M so close.”

“Ima get you there, okay?” Paige said, then unexpectedly ran her fingers through her folds. Azzi watched as Paige collected some of the witness on her digits, before slipping three in at once, smirking as she did so. “So wet f’me, huh? So ready?”

With finishing being the only thing on her mind, Azzi was far from embarrassed as she moaned out, “Only for you, baby.” 

It only took Paige thrusting her fingers in and out a few times before Azzi came, gushing over her hand and the sheets beneath her. Paige fucked her through it, pumping her fingers in and out even after she had settled. “Want you up here, P.” Azzi tried to reach for her chain, but Paige swatted her hand away. 

“Lemme clean you first.” She moved back down, licking around Azzi’s hole and inner thighs, “Tastes so perfect.” At first, Azzi found the action sweet, but then she realized her girlfriend’s ulterior motives when she dipped her tongue back inside. 

“Hey!” Azzi shoved her forehead, which made Paige giggle. “No. You’re turn.”

“C’mon, ma. I know I can give ya another one.”

Azzi sat up on her knees, pushing Paige with as much force as she could muster so that she lay perched against the headboard. “Later, baby.” She kissed the divet in Paige’s jaw, “Right now I needa show you how sorry I still am. And how much you mean to me.”

“Azzi,” Paige’s voice was soft as she gathered a chunk of her curls, twisting them at the root and pulling gently to get her attention. “We’re all good now, okay? I forgive you, it’s a clean slate.”

Azzi smiled, a bittersweet feeling sitting fresh in her chest. “Okay. But can I still take care of you?”

Paige nodded, “Whatever you want, princess.”

The younger girl kissed a trail down Paige’s toned physique, stopping to suck a bruise on her hip bone. Her hands gripped at Paige’s waist, the same way she had earlier, paying attention to the same spot and hoping to make a mark. When she lifted from her hip with loud pop, Azzi smirked possessively. 

“All mine.” Azzi said as she crawled back up toward Paige, who already looked fucked out. 

Paige’s hand gripped the nape of her neck with an equally possessive hold. “Damn right.” 

Azzi kissed her roughly, adjusting so that her thigh grinded down between Paige’s legs. When she felt a cool liquid against her quad, she let out a surprised laugh. “Oh, so it’s like that?”

“Shut up.” Paige blushed, dropping her forehead to a caramel shoulder. “‘S been a minute, okay? And like I said, I really fucking missed you.”

“I missed you too, P. Y’have no idea.” 

They continued to make out for a little while after that, the pace from earlier slowing so it was just them at their core; softer with each other compared to everyone else, a gentle love curated between them that had finally settled back to where it was supposed to be. 

Paige let out a shuttering moan when Azzi added pressure to her grinding, and she figured it was time to put the other girl out of her misery. “You ready for me?”

Paige nodded eagerly, “Just stay close, yeah?”

“Okay.” Azzi said softly. She shifted to lay on her side, gripping Paige’s chin with her left hand, bringing their lips together. As she set the languid rhythm of kisses, she trailed delicate fingers down Paige’s torso, stopping right before her entrance. “This okay?”

Paige nodded again. “Please, baby. ‘M ready.” 

Like muscle memory, Azzi angled her middle finger just right, sliding through Paige’s hole in the way she knew drove the older girl crazy. Sure enough, Paige moaned instantly, a hand moving to clutch onto the pillow behind her. “Shit, Az. Goddamn.”

Azzi smirked, not giving her much time to adjust before she pulled out to add another finger. She plunged deeper with each thrust, meeting that spongy spot deep inside that always made Paige squirm beneath her. 

Because she was vindictive as hell, Azzi brought her free hand to press down on Paige’s lower stomach. “Relax, baby. ‘S not that hard to stay still, right?” Azzi said it in an innocent voice, but her cocky demeanor told a different story.

Paige glared at her, “Fuck you.”

“I am, baby.” She pulled out again, re-entering with four fingers. Azzi would be lying if she said this wasn’t majorly boosting her ego, the way Paige was a fucking mess from her touch. She continued at the pace she had set, revelling in the way the filthy wet sounds of her fingers fucking Paige’s cunt filled the room. 

Feeling possessive, Azzi kissed just above Paige’s collarbone. “Only get like this for me, right P?”

Between staggering breaths, Paige managed to choke out, “Only - - fuck! Yes, baby. Only for you.” Paige’s eyes rolled to the back of her head when Azzi brought the heel of her hand to rub against her clit. “Oh, that’s it. That’s it baby, keep doin’ that.” 

Azzi continued to suck at Paige’s chest, listening to her request and increasing the pressure on her clit. “You close baby?”

“Yeah, ‘m right there.” Less than a minute later, Azzi felt Paige come hard against her hand, her strained moans sending a new wave of heat between her legs. 

Eventually, Azzi took mercy on her, pulling out her fingers and licking them clean. She lay perched on her elbow, watching fondly as Paige slowed from her high. She registered the exact moment the blonde came back to reality, turning to meet Azzi’s gaze. “Hi.”

“Hi.” She giggled, the sound intensifying when Paige impulsively pushed her to lay on her back, hovering over her. “Whatcha thinking?”

Paige smirked, moving to pepper kisses all over Azzi’s face. “I’m thinkin’ how I can’t believe Azzi Fudd is my girl.” She placed a final kiss below Azzi’s eye. “So lucky.”

Azzi tucked a strand of hair that had fallen out of Paige’s ponytail behind her ear, then cradled her face with her palm. “All yours. Have been for a while, honestly.”

Paige lowered herself to lay against Azzi, her head landing just above her hip, so that she was angled to look straight up at her. “Same, baby.” Her thumb started tracing patterns on Azzi’s thigh. “Hey, Az?”

“Yeah.”

“About that voicemail.” 

Azzi’s breath caught. “Yeah?”

Paige stayed quiet for a moment, before kissing her stomach sweetly. She rose again, caging Azzi in by her forearms, biceps flexing as she brought them face to face. 

“I love you too.” Paige smiled shyly. 

Azzi felt her bottom lip tremble, tears pricking at her waterline. “I fucking love you, Paige. So much.”

Paige brought their lips together in a delicate kiss, then rested her forehead against Azzi’s. 

“Great, now that that’s been established, can we go fuck in the shower?”

“How romantic, Bueckers."

But, of course, Azzi said yes. Because loving Paige, loving her wholly and completely, was worth blowing up her life for. That old life was built on lies anyway, and now she had the chance to just be; to be Paige Buecker’s girlfriend in any capacity, however Paige wanted her to be. 

She already felt lighter, knowing that Paige was hers, both in the privacy of her bedroom or out in the open, in front of others. And she would give her the world if she could, she had always felt that urge to give her everything. 

The only difference now was that Azzi didn’t care who knew it.

*

"is the moon still in love with the sun?"

------

a/n: once again, thank you for reading and supporting this series!! epilogue coming soon :)

[bananaspazzifavs]

hey i found a reblog of the draft fic that someone was asking for

https://www.tumblr.com/lloeysol/781536952885362689/good-morning-homosexuals-might-i-direct-your

TYTY! Here's the link embedded. This is the draft night smut fic!

[bananaspazzifavs]

Hi did you reblog worldmeetswbb pazzi draft fic ?

Thought I reblogged all of them, they're in my oneshots masterlist! This one is about Azzi wearing Paige's new jersey, There's also an ASW and national champs one but can't pinpoint exactly what you're mentioning