If someone told you to write Alex and Nia as a pairing, how would you do it? Like, how would that start? How would it progress? What does loving each other feel like?
It starts that day at brunch when Nia meets Alex. Nia feels this huge wave of relief at not being the only queer person there, but also, like, Alex is just hot. And at first, Nia is a little hesitant, because co-worker’s sister, etc, but eventually, Nia decides to hell with it, and asks Alex out, because again, totally hot. Alex is a little surprised, because she thought Nia was straight, but she agrees, because she hasn’t been on a date in ages, and Nia is cute.
The date goes really well, honestly. Nia doesn’t mind when Alex inevitably starts babbling about work, and can even add to the conversation about aliens in ways that surprise Alex, but they also have a lot more in common. They both watch way to much reality TV, they both like horror movies, they both feel a bit on the outside with the queer community, in a lot of ways.
Alex finds Nia utterly charming. She loves how smart and passionate Nia is, and she also loves that Nia is just as much of a dork as she is, and Nia loves the soft butch thing Alex has going, the way Alex is a total gentleman, opening doors offering Nia her arm, and how protective Alex is. Nia feels like she gets to lean into her femme side around Alex in a way that she loves.
Nia’s a little nervous when things start to progress, because that means telling Alex she’s trans, and that’s always a nerve wracking moment, but she goes over to Alex’s apartment for their date, and she starts it by leading Alex over to the couch, and when she tells Alex they need to talk, Nia laughs at the distraught look on Alex’s face, and promises she’s not about to dump her. She gives Alex a kiss, and it’s hard to keep it to just one, because kissing Alex is amazing and she feels so safe and cherished in Alex’s arms, but she does. And she tells Alex, and Alex thanks Nia for trusting her, and then asks if she can kiss Nia again, and of course, Nia says yes.
There first time, later that night is a little more tentative than it might otherwise be, not because Alex has any problem with Nia, or her body, but because she’s never been with a trans woman, and she’s nervous about making sure Nia enjoys herself, so she asks what Nia likes, and how to make her feel good, and at the end of the night, they fall asleep in each other’s arms, and both of them are happy.
It’s easy, after that, for them to fall in love. It’s so, so easy for them to become each other’s safe space, and that’s what them loving each other looks like. They become each other’s safe space. Their relationship isn’t full of drama and problems to work out. It’s calm, and quiet and safe and comfortable. They go to each other because being together doesn’t take any energy, but instead it relaxes and recharges them. And they’re good for each other. Nia’s more than willing to call bullshit on Alex when Alex needs to hear it, and Alex is always there for Nia, solid as a rock.