webnovel

1. Chapter 1

This was from a prompt and honestly I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out:) I love to hear what you think so don't be shy!

Say "Hey" If You're Gay

The honest truth was that on that particular morning Waverly forgot she was wearing the shirt when she went out. She'd bought the thing on impulse because ok, she was bisexual, but there wasn't exactly a manual on how to find other girls that like girls. She'd researched, boy had she researched (though girl had she researched was a more apt phrase), and no matter how helpful the Internet was with its talk of vans versus converse, undercuts, hairstyles, clothes and filed nails, Waverly still didn't get how to find a girl loving girl, and when she thought that maybe she had, well she didn't just want to assume because of superficial appearance - stereotyping wasn't her style. But if one didn't assume, how was one to know? She looked cute girls in the eyes a little longer, even made some vaguely disastrous attempts at flirting, but she hadn't exactly received a positive response. Or if she had, she hadn't really read it as anything more than friendliness, and perhaps a little bit of pity because she got flustered and babbled. So when she'd seen the shirt, "Say hey if you're gay," online she'd bought it, planning to wear it around the house and maybe, maybe if she gained a shit load more confidence, out and about.

Waverly hadn't gained a shit load more confidence. She'd had one semi successful flirtation with a girl she was only semi attracted to, only to be introduced to the girls boyfriend about three minutes later. She did, however, love the shirt. It was a soft grey material, and it slid off one shoulder in what she thought an attractive manner. It was her go to shirt for lounging around in her apartment above Shorty's. It looked great with her high waisted shorts because with the high hem it bared a cute amount of midriff. It didn't really matter how much she loved that god damned shirt because she still hadn't got the confidence to wear it in front of Gus, Shorty, Wynonna not anyone, let alone out in public.

The thing was when Waverly rushed, and she frequently rushed, she got forgetful. She couldn't count the number of times she'd got down to the bar, only to realize she'd forgotten her wallet, her coat, her bag, documents. She blamed rushing on how she'd ended up wearing the damn shirt out without noticing. Her shift was staring in an hour and an hour wasn't nearly long enough for all the things she had to do. She'd gotten waylaid in research for Wynonna and Dolls, or for them all, really. About some revenant they thought was active. It happened a lot to her, utter absorption in the task at hand. Except she had to get said information to the police station, she needed milk and, God, did she need a coffee if she had any hope of not falling asleep during her shift (she really wanted to sleep). Cursing at the clock, she'd shoved her feet into ballet flats and rushed out the door, only to about turn half way down the stairs, rush back up the stairs, grab her notes and wallet, before speeding back down and through the bar with a cursory wave at Gus, before she was exiting into bright sunshine. She'd considered returning for her sunglasses, but it was sunglasses or coffee and coffee won.

She headed to the police station first, bursting in and rushing through to Black Badge, giving the door a cursory bashing,

"It's Waverly," she called through, before heading inside without waiting for a response.

"What's up baby girl?" Wynonna had her feet on the desk and was playing with Peacemaker, while Dolls was examining the Wall of Revenants as Waverly thought of it.

"I have the notes, but I can't stay as I need coffee before my shift. I may have become rather obsessed, but I got a lot of stuff so I think it will help you. Check out the second page."

"Hey," Dolls turned to greet her at which Wynonna laughed and waggled her eyebrows at him,

"Well you learn something new everyday," she smirked at Dolls and Waverly frowned in confusion, at what was clearly a private joke.

"I mean hello Waverly. Thanks for all this - it's a real help."

"It's no problem," Waverly smiled happily, just wanting to be involved.

"You know I didn't know you..." Dolls began but Wynonna interrupted,

"Would be such an asset to the team! Great work Waves," her sister winked at her and blew her a kiss for good measure.

"Sorry I can't stay but I like I said, I need my coffee and then I have work," she made a face.

"It's no problemo," Wynonna pursed her lips, a slight smirk still evident around her lips, "hope you get lucky."

"Lucky?" her brow furrowed not understanding her sister.

"And say hey to Amanda for me..."

"Amanda Fowler?"

"She works at the Coffee House. I'm assuming that's where you're headed for this much needed cuppa Joe? So say hey for me, ok?" Wynonna was giving her an earnest look.

"Just hey?" Her sister was weird.

"Just hey," Wynonna grinned.

"You don't even like Amanda Fowler!" Waverly accused, entirely suspicious.

"And she doesn't like me," Wynonna gave a casual little shrug, "but please, you know..."

"Say hey?"

"Exactly!" Wynonna smiled, and winked again. "Have a great coffee, sweetheart!"

"Call or text if you need anything, ok?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks Waverly," Dolls nodded in her direction as he bit back a smile. Waverly rolled her eyes - the two of them could be so ridiculously annoying. Wynonna was typically casual and carefree but Dolls snickering away was out of character and she felt like she'd stumbled into a weird joke for two she clearly wasn't quite part of. With a huff she buzzed out of the station, and walked up the street, hazy with the heat, and into the air conditioned cool of The Coffee House.

Waverly stood in the unfortunately long line, relieved that no one she knew well seemed to be in it - she wasn't in the mood for small talk. She pulled out her phone and skimmed Facebook, and checked her email, willing in the lineup to move. Then two things happened at once. A text from Wynonna;

Wynonna - Hella proud of you and you're cute lil "I'm coming out" shirt! Love you baby girl xxx

Waverly gasped in surprise, looked down in horror to see an upside down, "Say hey if you're gay" looking up at her, lost her balance and stumbled into the person who'd joined the line up behind her. Strong arms righted her and she found herself looking up into absolutely gorgeous brown eyes and a pretty smiling face, with dimples, literal dimples. Soft looking red hair was tied back and under a Stetson - a cop Stetson. The person quite literally holding her upright was a cop, a gorgeous, beautiful, hot as can be cop, who'd caught her mid stumble and was looking her over with burning, appreciative intensity, not dissimilar to that which Waverly was appraising her with. Then those brown eyes fell to the damn shirt that Waverly immediately cursed ever buying.

"Hey," the cop grinned, dimples become more pronounced. She ensured Waverly was steady before releasing her arms. She then winked. Waverly felt her cheeks heat up at least thirty degrees, burning despite the air conditioned interior of the Coffee House.

"I'm sorry, I just...lost my balance and..."

"It's ok, no worries. It's my job to help out and if I can prevent a pretty girl from crashing to the floor then its been a good day," the woman continued to smile, eyes sweeping Waverly's face with something like awe.

"I haven't met you before," Waverly stuttered, feeling ridiculous and caught red handed in the act of not being straight.

"Yes you have silly, I said hey," the cop winked and Waverly would have sworn her heart stuttered because, seriously, wow! "And you're Waverly Earp, right?"

"How did you? I mean, how could you know that? I..."

"You're quite the popular girl around town, and I work in the station...I've seen you coming in to Black Badge. I've been meaning to say hey for a while now," the officer arched her eyebrows, eyes dropping meaningfully to her dumb shirt. The blush that had been dying down returned in full force.

"I...just, this shirt is silly and I'm embarrassed. I don't normally wear it out but then I was rushing because I got distracted with Black Badge stuff and I keep bar at Shorty's and so I ended up running over to give my sister the work I'd done and..."

"Your t-shirt is quite the most wonderful thing I think I've ever seen, well aside from the person wearing it," the Officer kept a straight face through her delivery of the cheesy line, before smiling that dimple popping grin again.

"Wow, you're confident," Waverly found herself giggling.

"Says you who's wearing the 'say hey if you're gay' shirt," the woman reached out and rubbed the fabric of the sleeve between her fingers and Waverly found her heart thudding hard in her chest. "I'm Nicole, Nicole Haught."

"Hot?" she mumbled, staring at this woman, this beautiful woman with deep, soulful chocolate eyes, dimples and a face Waverly was sure must have been chiselled by the gods themselves.

"If you think so I won't complain," Nicole quipped back and Waverly laughed, flustered and embarrassed.

"I meant your last name," she mumbled, "it's Hot. Not that you aren't. I mean you are, you really are, but I meant your name."

"I'm Haught, H.A.U.G.H.T but if you want to hear Haught and think hot, H.O.T that's just fine with me," she stepped a little closer, and Waverly didn't move back because there was this amazing magnetism between them, and she wanted increased closeness not distance.

"Excuse me...Waverly, excuse me?" the irritated voice of Amanda Fowler, broke through the flirtatious haze only when Nicole nudged her shoulder softly,

"They're calling for you...can I buy you your coffee?"

"You don't have to," she shook her head.

"Yes but I'd kinda like to," Nicole shrugged and Waverly felt her face burn all over again but this time with attraction, pleasure and a sudden desire for the cop and to be with the cop.

"Ok, thank you, a latte please with two shots and skim milk. But I'll buy the next time."

"Are you talking to me or her?" Amanda bit out, staring at her with a scowl.

"Oh hi, uh, her and you I guess. A medium latte..."

"Two shots and skim milk, I heard," Amanda rolled her eyes.

"And I'll take the same please," Nicole ordered pleasantly.

"Uh, Amanda, my sister said to say hey," Waverly said and then blushed as she realized her damn sister had been mocking her shirt.

"Well I won't be saying it back," Amanda pointedly dropped her eyes to said shirt.

"Well, I for one am relieved about that," Nicole smirked and Waverly forgot all about Amanda and refocused on the beautiful officer.

"So are you new in town? I can't believe I haven't seen you before. Especially not in the station?"

"Well..." Nicole paused as she paid for the drinks and they moved down to the collection counter, "I only moved here on the weekend, and I'll be honest that I've been keeping my head down, making a good impression and all. And maybe a cop is just a cop when you're rushing? I have to admit I've noticed you."

"You have?" Waverly wanted to kick her own ass for being so flustered, as she knocked sugar packets off the counter and then stumbled slightly as she bent to retrieve them.

"You know I think I better walk you home Ms. Earp...you seem a little unsteady on those feet of yours."

"Yeah ok, that would be nice," her eyes fell of their own volition to the Officers perfect mouth and she wondered whether her lips would feel softer than a guys. It was a stupid thought really, because logically they would. Girls didn't have all that stubble, and she liked to imagine they had more finesse when it came to kissing. Not that she was stood in the Coffee House thinking of kissing Purgatory's new rookie Officer, she absolutely wasn't. Except she was. She was totally imagining those lips, pressed against hers, a hot tongue tangled with hers and that soft red hair framing that pretty face as the other woman hovered above her. Subconsciously her eyes drifted to the officers hands - strong looking, longish fingers and neat filed nails. That was good, all good - but then she was a police officer and maybe they were required to keep their nails short? Waverly shook her head in self-bewilderment - Nicole had said hey, pointedly in response to her "say hey if you're gay" shirt - the chances were looking favourable. She dragged her gaze away from those hands that were beating a rhythm on the counter and met amused brown eyes. Her whole body burned at being caught assessing the woman's nails, and she smiled shyly, looking at the ground and then at the girl making the coffees behind the counter. Amanda, whom Waverly didn't have a fond opinion of, rolled her eyes at her and scoffed derisively. Waverly ignored it and turned her eyes back to the hot Officer.

"So, you, uh...are...uh, new to town?" she asked a little lamely. "Sorry, you said you were. New, since the weekend." Waverly marvelled at her own ability to be the absolute opposite of smooth - she was a bumbling, flustered, bumpy mess.

"I am indeed." The woman had a positively delightful drawl and a near constant look of amusement, which just came off as flattering, and caused Waverly's heart to pound and her palms to sweat.

"I don't know why I've never seen you," she shrugged, grabbing three packets of sugar as their drinks were placed down, despite not actually taking sugar.

"Well I've definitely seen you...just not managed to say hey until now," her lips pursed as she let her eyes drop to the damned shirt. "Shall we?" Nicole gestured to the door.

"Yes, sure, of course," Waverly nodded like a damn nodding dog in the back of a car driving down a dirt road. She was flustered and attracted, and downright unsure of herself - it felt awesome. Nicole held the door for her and Waverly moved past her, her body brushing the officer's belt, just her belt and it felt like her body was throwing a electrical power surge palooza. "So where did you move from?"

"The city. Despite being bigger it was not nearly as interesting as Purgatory...you sure have interesting crimes here. And interesting people," as she said the latter, the officer fixed those charming eyes on her, and they seemed to sway nearer to each other. Waverly tried to think of something, anything, to distract away from the intense stare-a-thon.

"Have you been to Shorty's? That's where I work, unfortunately. It's where the legendary Wyatt Earp drank, you know!"

"Well I haven't been in, but I'm thinking I aughta pay it a visit. He any relation of yours?"

"My great, great granddaddy," Waverly admitted with a bob of her head.

"And are you also a gun toting upholder of the law?" Nicole arched an eyebrow and Waverly found herself flushing as she remembered the bullet she let fly when Champ was trying to get it on with Wynonna.

"I tend to leave that to my sister," she wrinkled her nose and Nicole looked at her with shining eyes and a knowing look,

"Now I don't believe that's entirely true!"

"I'm no stranger to my shot gun," she huffed, just a little proud because in Purgatory, with revenants, it was one place where guns were actually necessary. Nicole chuckled and gave her an appreciative once over,

"No, I bet you aren't!"

"My ex boyfriend came onto my sister. Admittedly I didn't know he was in my room with her because he's a jackass, but I let fire...embarrassingly enough in defence of Champ."

"Champ?" Nicole was looking at her, jaw slightly ajar in a goofy, adorable smile.

"The ex."

"Wow, so you're defensive of what's yours?" Nicole lowered her voice and Waverly felt everything south of her tummy button clench.

"I'm very protective though I don't think Champ ever deserved it."

"Maybe it's just as well you're no longer with this boy. And apparently open to other options," Nicole's eyes flickered down to her shirt momentarily before she smiled engagingly.

"Definitely open...to options," she babbled and Nicole's grin widened.

"Did I say how much I like your shirt?" the Officer tugged the floating hem and Waverly nearly moaned at her fingers proximity to her skin.

"Actually you said 'hey,'" she managed to flirt back, pleased that a sexy woman hadn't rendered her entirely useless.

"Well surprise," she did some cute dorky, hand wave thing and Waverly wanted to kiss her.

"I swear in Purgatory I'd be less surprised to find a unicorn than someone who said hey to me wearing this shirt..."

"Oh we're everywhere," Nicole spoke with faux seriousness.

"Yeah, which is totally amazeballs," she gave a mini cheer and Nicole stared at her as if she wanted to eat her up.

"Amazeballs huh?" The teasing lilt to Nicole's voice made Waverly think hot was her superpower and not just her name.

"Yeah, totally."

"You want to go for a drink tonight Waverly?" Nicole had stopped and Waverly flushed when she realized they were outside Shorty's.

"I'm working," she frowned, disappointed. "Shit...I'm working, like now. And I'm wearing this shirt, and God...I'm not even out, not really. I have to go change, and I'm late. I'm never late, but you're a hot cop and you bought me coffee and were flirting and apparently a lesbian not a unicorn and..."

"So you noticed that, huh?" Nicole bit her lip and Waverly felt like less than putty, like liquid mushy desire in Officer Haughts capable hands.

"Yeah, when you said hey," she shrugged, smiling brightly.

"I did, yeah," Nicole's fingers brushed against hers and she swallowed down a gasp, but she knew what she wanted in that second.

"A date," she burst out, and the Officer chuckled.

"I'm sorry?"

"Uh, we should maybe...go on a date...if you wanted, because then the fact that I want to kiss you as badly as I do wouldn't be weird. But it is weird, right? Because I only met you half an hour ago and yet I really...god...yeah, I should get to work..."

"A date would be great Waverly," Nicole pulled out a card from her pocket. "Call me and we'll sort something out."

"I will, ok," she held the card in her hand, staring down at the name. "I guess I should...you know...go..." she gestured to the door.

"Ok," Nicole nodded.

"Ok. It was nice to meet you..." she lingered for a moment more than necessary.

"Oh believe me - the pleasure was all mine," Nicole reached out a hand and their fingers met. The officer gave a dimpled smile, and pulled her close. "Just so you know...I...would happily kiss you...after our date I mean...or the third date if you have a number of dates you like to go on before kissing is an option..." Nicole was staring at her lips and Waverly would have been thinking how cute it was that the other woman had talked herself into a blush, but really all she could think about was kissing.

"I don't...have a number. If I like someone, then I don't have a number."

"Well that's good because when I see something I want, I don't wanna wait..."

"No?"

"No," Nicole smiled. "Aren't you late for your shift?" she squeezed her hand and Waverly nearly whimpered.

"I'll call you. Or text you. Or you could come over after my shift? We could play cards? Talk?"

"Come over here?" Nicole tilted her head to one side.

"Yeah here. I live above the bar. Well until the weekend when I'm moving back to the old Earp homestead with my sister. But right now, it's here. I mean not that I'm expecting us to have a date in my room. I mean I wouldn't be opposed to that, but yeah, it's a first date, and so we could just hang in the bar, play pool, cards...talk..." her voice cracked as she imagined Nicole on top of her on the pool table. Her eyes floated down to those soft looking lips, and she swore she didn't mean to, but she tugged on Nicole's hand which was still holding hers. They were close, so close, and it was hard to breathe, to think rationally, and she wasn't even sure she wanted to breathe or think rationally.

"I'll be there. What time?"

"Midnight?"

"You're not gonna turn into a pumpkin?"

"Purgatory's strange but no," she smiled, and then without knowing who initiated they were even closer, breath intermingling, Nicole's hand that wasn't holding hers landing on her hip. Her lips were so close, and it was honestly as if they were humming, like some kind of radiator emitting heat, except Waverly was fairly sure Nicole's lips were pumping out pheromones and sexiness.

"Good," Nicole bumped her nose against hers and Waverly decided to give into the hedonistic drive inside of her telling her that this woman was special, amazing, everything she hadn't known she was looking for, and just kiss her...

"Waverly Earp, your shift started ten minutes ago and the place is heaving," Gus's voice. The spell broke and they took a step back, Nicole hastily releasing her hand.

"Sorry...I...was just...I..."

"You need to change and get behind the bar...normally I'd leave you to your conversation but there's some rowdy ones in this afternoon..."

"Ok, ok, I'll be in in a second," she widened her eyes hoping Gus would get the message.

"Ok, don't mind me...finish your conversation with the Officer..." Gus headed back inside.

"I have to go," she pouted.

"Well, I'll just count down the hours until I see you again."

"Me too," she smiled, and surged forward to press a kiss against the corner of that sweet smile. Nicole flushed and looked ridiculously pleased.

"Ok, then. See you later."

"Bye," she gave a little wave and watched the Officer walk away, eyes dropping to her backside.

"Oh and Waverly?" Nicole turned and she looked at her.

"What?"

"I love that shirt," she winked before striding off in the direction of the police station.

"Me too," Waverly murmured to herself, with a smile.