#jackie and jaida friendship is important

[thecollectionsof]

59 + crygi

Flirting is common in queer friendships. It’s one of the things that queer people do—judge straight men on their “fashion choices”, have a friend in middle school that straddles that line between friend and more (and have a messy not-breakup-or-maybe -it-is with them that leaves them feeling emotionally destroyed), and flirt with their friends. It’s a part of life.

But something about Crystal made her feel like maybe there was something more.

Crystal flirted with her friends, she did it all the time! Not just to Gigi. Like that one time she overheard her calling Daya a “dirty girl” for drinking soap, or how close she seemed to be with Denali. 

But when Crystal flirted with her… it didn’t seem like a joke. She’d say something flirty and then her eyes would linger on her, her voice losing some of the joking tone, making Gigi’s heart race and she’d inevitably start giggling like that. It would be embarrassing if she knew what was going on, but maybe it’s more embarrassing this way, obviously pining after the relentless flirt of the friend group.

“Knock knock,” Crystal sing-songs as she walks up to the couch Gigi’s sitting on at a kickback with most of their friends. Gigi blinks and then goes to smile at her but finds that she already was, the sight of Crystal and her bright grin and her bouncy curls making her feel giddy. She’s got her button down unbuttoned, tied in the front, and the only thing between the open sides of the shirt is an expanse of smooth skin and the necklaces that rest on her chest. 

She shakes herself out of it, looking away quickly so she’s not caught admiring her. “What’s up?” Her eyes scan anywhere but Crystal, falling to Jan and Jackie passionately discussing some musical that she’s never heard of on the other side of the room. It takes her a second too long to realize that Crystal hasn’t responded, and when she looks back (at her face, though she has to consciously avoid looking at her chest) she finds Crystal gazing at her with that same look, the one that makes Gigi’s heart race. It’s important, as if Gigi was the most important thing in the room, or at least the only one she wants to focus on. It makes her feel like she’s burning, the pleasant yet red-hot attention setting her on fire. “Crys?”

“You know… I had sex with the last person who looked at me like that.” Her tone doesn’t waver, and if she wasn’t looking at her like that then she’d have a much easier time brushing it off as Crystal being Crystal. But her eyes are locked onto Gigi’s and she feels like she’s trapped. 

She lets out a breath but it turns into a nervous giggle, one that only seems to come out around Crystal. Her eyes fall to the floor, trying to hide the way her face burns at the words. “Um,” she pauses, flustered. “God, you’re such a flirt, Crystal Elizabeth.” 

“That wasn’t—” Crystal stops herself, bouncing up on the balls of her feet before dropping again with a sigh. “Do you want another drink? I’m getting myself one and wanted to know if you wanted one. That’s why I came over here.” She seems anxious for some reason, and Gigi stands, forgetting how close Crystal got to the couch. They’re dizzyingly close and Gigi steps away quickly, not making eye contact. 

“Let’s go together.” She grabs Crystal’s hand (to make sure they stay together, no other reason) and starts towards the kitchen. Glancing back, Crystal’s looking flushed and oddly distracted, and Gigi can feel her palms sweating. She holds Crystal’s hand a little tighter, knowing that she should probably have some water—she’d been smoking on the balcony with Heidi and Jaida for most of the night so far, it must be from her high. 

No matter why, Gigi can help her fix it now. She might be a little bit drunk but she can get her some water and sit with her, and from the way Crystal’s clinging to her as she trails behind her and weaves through people having conversations she’d probably be okay with it. She just had to make sure she could deal with it, especially after what she said earlier.

I had sex with the last person who looked at me like that. God, Crystal was going to be the death of her.

[lesbianzhane]

an artists history 2/? (jackie/crystal)

a/n; hello hello! i am back with another part. i am not sure if i want to make this a series or not, but i really enjoy writing these two and this cute little au! i made this part a bit longer (it’s almost 2k words wow). this part is more jackie centric, and i think it really sets the tone for the universe. if you’d like to see more, please let me know! i hope you all enjoy!

“Please don’t forget about tonight's assignment! And have a great weekend, everyone!” The last few students trickled out of the classroom as Jackie spoke, and once she was alone, a soft sigh left her lips. Don’t get her wrong, she absolutely loved her job. She adored being able to spread the knowledge she had gained through her years, and there were a few exemplary students who made everything worth it. It didn’t make her work any less exhausting though. 

As Jackie was packing up the last of her things in her bag, the small slip of paper that she not so discreetly hid poked out from under the rest of her classes worksheets. She pulled the paper from where it was hidden, glancing down at the scribbly handwriting staring back at her. 

Shoot me a text after school when you aren’t busy! I’ll be waiting impatiently! ~ Crystal

Crystal’s handwriting was so… Crystal. Her I’s were dotted sloppily, and she always seemed too excited to slow down and write neatly. Jackie wouldn’t change it for anything. Her lips quirked up into a smile and she neatly folded the piece of paper, sticking it into her bag for later. She began to leave the school. Walking through the now barren hallways. Just as she was passing the English department, a familiar face joined her. 

Jaida Essence Hall, yes the ‘essence’ was very important, was the closest colleague that Jackie had. The two of them had met during a training seminar for the school, and had been inseparable ever since. Jaida was similar to Jackie in the way that she much preferred separating her personal and professional life. In the years that Jackie had been working here, Jaida was always a constant she could rely on. The Perisian sent a small wave her way, hiking her purse up over her shoulder. 

“Chile… today has been a day.” She started, pushing a lock of beautifully silky black hair behind her ear. The rest of the staff would often complain about just how gorgeous Jaida was, and Gigi even made jokes about how one day she would put a hit out on her for being too perfect.  It made Jackie laugh, and she really couldn’t disagree with the younger teacher. 

“It sure has.” Jackie sighed softly. She hadn’t crossed paths with Jan, thank god, but she would be lying if she said she hadn’t been thinking about her. She wondered if everyone had already heard the news, if they knew that Jackie had broken the heart of the optimistic gym teacher that was always seen smiling. It ate away at her the entire today, and she was more excited to be home than she had been in awhile. 

“Heard about the shit with Jan.” Jaida approached the topic lightly, sneaking looks at the Persian every few seconds. She wanted to be careful she didn’t cross some unspoken line in broaching the topic. 

“Yeah.” Jackie kept her eyes locked forward, turning a corner down the next hall and towards the front entrance to the school. “I’m trying to ignore it. At least while I’m at work.” 

Jaida could understand that. She never was one for mixing her romantic life and her professional life, and she was surprised to find out about Jan and Jackie’s relationship. Of course, she supported them fully. Jackie was her best friend, and she wasn’t about to go and squash something down just because of her own morals. Still, it hurt to see her friend going through something alone. Just as the pair stepped out of the school and made their ways down to their cars, Jaida reached out to place a hand on Jackie’s shoulder. 

“If you ever need me, don’t be afraid to shoot me a text or call me. I’m here for you, girl.” Jackie smiled at her words, nodding softly. Jaida disappeared into her car after giving the other teachers shoulder a squeeze, speeding away a few moments later. Jackie let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as she got into her own car.

Jackie took the folded piece of paper out of her purse, looking down at it carefully. She held her phone in one hand, fingers slightly trembling as she punched the digits in and saved it under the simple name ‘Crystal’. She waited a few moments before typing something out and promptly deleting it. She didn’t know why she was overthinking this so much, it was just a simple work project. Crystal was a nice person, she probably wouldn’t over complicate things like Jackie was. The Persian took a deep breath and typed out a message, clicking send before she could think too much about it. 

It was a simple greeting, just a quick ‘Hi this is Jackie Cox!’. It really was nothing special. Jackie placed her phone down and started her car, making her usual trip home. Usually, her and Jan would go out for coffee after a long day of work, and Jan would recall every single thing that happened that day while Jackie simply admired her. It hurt Jackie’s heart to drive past their usual coffee place, hands gripping at her steering wheel as she drove. She pulled into her apartment complex, parking outside and exiting the car. 

When she lifted her phone, she had three text messages waiting for her, all from Crystal. It made her chuckle quietly as she pushed her way inside. Abandoning her purse on the table, she stood at her counter and read over whatever Crystal was so excited about. 

Crystal: omg hi!!!!!! im so excited to work with u!!

Crystal: wait do i have to be all professional bc this is work related???

Crystal: let me try again. Hello Miss Cox! I am very excited to work on this project!

Jackie let out a breathy laugh as she read over the texts, shaking her head. Crystal sure was a personality, and it was a fresh breath to everything she had been dealing with lately. 

Jackie: You can type however you want, Crystal. I don’t mind.

Crystal: oh thank god, i didnt know how much longer i could do that professional stuff

Crystal:  speaking of, are u free tomorrow? we can meet up and start planning!!

Jackie paused. She knew she had no plans, usually Saturdays were reserved for quiet days in bed with Jan. It would be good to fill up her time, rather than wallow in the sadness of her break up. Despite the fact that she had been the one to break things off, she really did love Jan. The two of them connected in a way that Jackie never thought she would connect with someone. She shook her head, tucking a stray strand of brown hair behind her ear. 

Jackie: Yes, I’m free tomorrow.

The two of them made plans to meet up at the local coffee shop that wasn’t far from Jackie’s apartment. She silently hoped that Crystal hadn’t heard rumors of her and Jan’s break up. Of course, she wasn’t interested in any romantic relationship any time soon, but she still didn’t want the awkwardness of the topic to hang over both their heads. And she certainly didn’t want Crystal to get the wrong idea of her. 

Jackie relaxed that night, and surprisingly, no tears were shed. She was too busy thinking about what she was going to wear to her meeting with Crystal the next day. She ran a bath, sinking into the warm water and closing her eyes. Perhaps she would pair the light yellow blouse she had with a black pencil skirt. She wondered if Crystal would think she was being too professional about this. Her mind wandered off as she sunk further into her bath, lost in thought about the art teacher. 

Tomorrow would be a good day, she was sure of it.

[artificialqueens]

Taste of a Poison Paradise, Chapter 11 (Multi) - Joley

Chapter Summary: Nicky takes a big step in her relationship with Jan. Jackie helps Jaida make a new career move. Gigi is forced to face their emotions about what happened with that sketchy client.

ao3 link

The car was tense with silence, Nicky and Brooke Lynn not making eye contact with each other while the latter drove.

“Tell me why I’m being roped into this again,” Brooke Lynn requested as she drove where the GPS on her phone directed her.

“You know goddamn well I can’t drive,” Nicky retorted, though she continued to pointedly avoid making eye contact with her friend.

The blonde rolled her eyes and scoffed. “I also know goddamn well that you could’ve paid a driver to take your ass out to Jersey for this. Now tell me why you asked me instead.”

Nicky looked down and rubbed the back of her neck. “Moral support?” She glanced back over at her, chewing on her lip, “look, I know you think this is a stupid idea, and you think it is too soon to propose, but it’s important to me. Important enough for me to be, you know…”

“Scared?” Her expression softened at the way Nicky nodded meekly. “And you’re sure this is what you want?”

“More than anything.”

Brooke pressed her lips into a line. As much as she doubted this was the right move, she could feel her friend’s sincerity. Besides, in the entire duration of their friendship, she had never seen that woman scared. Nicky was bold and courageous, and if the only thing she feared was losing Jan, that spoke volumes. “Then I guess we’re doing this.” She pulled in front of Jan’s family home, eyes going wide. “Christ, how did this girl end up in a strip club if this is where she’s coming from?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nicky retorted flatly before getting out of the car - she didn’t know either, but that was beside the point. She took a deep breath as she walked to the door and rang the bell, heart pounding wildly in anticipation. But she did her best to seem nonplussed when Jan’s mother opened the door. “Hi, Mrs. Sport. May I come in for a moment?”

“Of course, and I told you, you can call me Ellen,” she pointed out as she led Nicky inside. “Hey Chuck!” she shouted down the hall, “Jan’s girlfriend is here!”

Nicky looked up as she heard footsteps come down the hall, then cringed when it was followed by a gruff, “did something happen to Jan?”

“No, no, no,” she quickly assured as the three of them sat in the living room. “Jan is perfect… actually, that is why I wanted to speak with you both.” She took a deep breath as she wrung out her fingers, wanting to word her request just right. “I love your daughter. I love her more than I ever thought possible, she means everything to me. And… I am planning on proposing, I would like to have your blessing for it.”

The older couple looked at each other, then back at Nicky. “Oh honey, you two are adults, she’s not our property. You don’t need to ask us for that. We’re touched, though, and you have our support,” Jan’s mom replied.

Sure, Nicky knew she didn’t need a blessing from Jan’s parents – she wasn’t under their control and didn’t need to be given away in any literal sense. But it still made her happy to know they saw her as an acceptable fit for their daughter. “I know, but I appreciate it nonetheless.”

The three of them shared hugs before Nicky saw herself out, sighing in relief once she was back in the car. “Okay, that went better than expected.”

Brooke smiled softly and nodded. “Now all that’s left is the proposal. You have a plan?”

In much brighter spirits and noticeably less tense, Nicky nodded. “I do, just need it to set it in motion.”

——

“Hey,” Jaida greeted as she let herself into Jackie’s office. “I did a target run to stock up on everything the common room and bathroom are low on. We had some extra cash from last week so I went to Bath and Body to get some of that body butter they like so much,” she explained.

Jackie blinked in surprise. “Oh, um, wow. Thank you, you didn’t have to, I–” she furrowed her brows, “did you put everything away already too?”

“Yeah,” she shrugged, “I know how you like the goods set up.”

“You have no idea how attracted to you I am right now.”

Jaida let out a soft laugh. “Only you, Jackie,” she shook her head fondly. “Look, I know I haven’t been dancing as much with the way OnlyFans is paying out, but I don’t want no one thinking you’re only keeping me around ‘cause we’re an item.”

She got up and wrapped her arms around the taller woman’s waist, a small pout on her lips. “You know none of them would ever think that, right? You’ve been here the longest, everyone respects and looks up to you.”

“I know, it’s just… I don’t know,” she sighed, “I haven’t felt like a stripper in a minute, but I still wanna belong here and continue, you know? This place is my home, y’all are my family.”

Jackie nodded in understanding, pressing her lips together as she thought. “How would you feel about being the club’s den mother? The role is usually filled by a former dancer, and I think it’d be a better fit for you. Besides, it takes a little off my plate trying to wear both hats.”

Jaida’s body relaxed and her expression softened. “You trust me to take care of this crew?”

“There’s no one I would trust more.”

“Then you got yourself a den mother,” she decided, then added, “but only if you still call me mommy,” with a wink.

Jackie giggled softly, hiding a blushing face in the crook of Jaida’s neck. “Always, Mommy,” she cooed, tilting her head back up and pressing a kiss to her cheek. She paused for a moment, simply gazing adoringly at the woman in her arms. “Hey,” she prompted softly, “I love you, Jaida.”

Jaida beamed with unbridled affection, kissing her girlfriend tenderly. “I love you too,” she answered against her lips, stealing another few kisses.

A quiet calmness took over the room as the couple basked in each other’s presence, needing nothing more than to be in the company of the woman they loved.

“Um, hi.” Gigi’s voice startled both of them.

“Need a fucking jumpscare warning for them,” Jaida muttered under her breath. “What’s up, Geege?”

Gigi was unfazed by the comment, if they’d even heard it. “Yeah, so, the DA’s office wants me to testify against the dude that stalked me. Not for that, but like, apparently he assaulted and… y’know,” they drew their thumb across their neck, signifying that he’d killed the victim as well. “Apparently he allegedly has a habit of antagonizing sex workers so it’d help establish premeditation if I went on record. Which I will… I just don’t know what to do.”

If it was anyone but Gigi, Jackie would’ve been unnerved by the lack of emotion in their voice, the matter-of-fact tone they had. But she knew them and how processing emotions just didn’t come naturally. “Oh, Geege,” she wrapped a reassuring arm around them. “I’m gonna make sure you’re prepared for this, however we have to figure it out. When do they want you in?”

Despite their empty expression, Gigi leaned into Jackie’s embrace. “Next month,” they answered. “Guess they need time to build the case.”

“That gives us enough time, I think,” Jackie decided with a nod. “But hey, let’s not worry about that right now, yeah? Did you hear that Nicky’s gonna propose to Jan?”

Finally, Gigi cracked a smile. “I’ve heard whispers,” they confirmed. “Must be happening soon, what’s the tea?”

“Nicky don’t wanna tell us shit,” Jaida chimed in. “Wants it to be a surprise, keeps all her notes in French, but I’m pretty sure it’s happening within the week.”

Gigi nodded. “I’m sure it’ll be extra, something to match Jan’s energy no doubt,” they mused.

Jackie chuckled and shook her head, “I’m not sure if that’s possible.”

It was a nice enough note to leave on, but Gigi simply couldn’t turn their mind off for the rest of the night. As soon as they got home, they were holed up in bed, researching every relevant court case, the state laws, watching video after video on what to do on the witness stand.

When Crystal came home from her shift to see them with their eyes glued to the screen, she frowned. “Geege,” she gently pulled them from their thoughts, “it’s three in the morning, you usually go to sleep early on your nights off.”

“I’ll sleep once he’s in jail,” they answered flatly. “People get away with shit like this all the time, I have to do everything I can to get him locked away.”

“Baby,” she shifted closer to her, carefully shutting the laptop before Gigi could object, “this case doesn’t rest on your shoulders. All you have to do is tell the truth. I know you don’t like talking about it, but that’s all you can do.”

Suddenly, much to Crystal’s surprise, Gigi started to cry, something she didn’t think they were capable of. “Maybe if I had said something more, this wouldn’t have happened,” they sniffled. “I kept trying to downplay it because I didn’t want to think about it and now a girl is dead!”

Crystal moved Gigi’s laptop to the bed and pulled them into her arms. “Hey, listen to me. You did what you needed to do to cope. Nothing you could’ve done differently would’ve stopped a bad guy from doing bad things. If it wasn’t her that night, it would’ve been someone else. You are not at fault, not even the slightest, okay?”

Gigi sniffled and hid their face in the crook of her neck. “Logically, I know you’re right. I just feel like shit.”

She nodded, squeezing them gently. “And that’s okay. There’s no right way to feel about this. What’s important is you don’t drive yourself crazy trying to solve a problem you didn’t create.” She pressed a kiss to the top of their head. “I’m gonna be here for you no matter what, we’re gonna ride this case out together.”

They slowly picked their head up. “Thanks, Crystal… I love you, you know that, right? I-I know I don’t say it much, ‘cause I’m shitty with words, but-”

Crystal cut them off with a gentle kiss, then cupped their face so their eyes met. “I know, Geege. I love you too.”

——

Nicky took a deep breath, focusing on keeping her tone as casual and flippant as she could muster. “I think we should take a little vacation this weekend, what do you think?” she asked, rolling onto her side to look at Jan, who was laying next to her in bed, scrolling aimlessly through her phone.

Jan set her phone down and shifted to face her girlfriend, a bright smile on her lips. “That sounds like fun, did you have somewhere specific in mind?”

“I have this beautiful villa in Costa Rica that I haven’t made use of in quite some time. Just you and me and a private piece of island… romantic, no?”

She nodded brightly, leaning over to press a kiss to her lips. “You’re so romantic, Nicky,” she cooed flirtatiously. “I’ll be sure to pack my skimpiest bikinis for the occasion,” she added with a wink.

Nicky kissed back, arms wrapped around Jan’s waist and holding her close. “So gracious, you make it so easy to spoil you.” And, if all went according to plan, she would have the rest of her life to continue spoiling Jan, and nothing made her happier than that.

But that didn’t quell her nerves in the slightest when they boarded the plane to Costa Rica, or when they arrived at the villa. At least the sex they had was enough to take her mind off of her nerves for a little while.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Jan stepped onto the balcony with a purple silk robe tied around her waist. “It’s so quiet, though. I’m so used to living in the city that never shuts up, but this… it’s so peaceful,” she mused.

Nicky smiled, tying her matching red robe on before joining her on the balcony, arms wrapped around her waist. “We can visit any time you would like, my love,” she promised, pressing a kiss to her cheek, “we can go anywhere you want.”

“You’re so good to me,” she cooed warmly. “I know I’ve grown up… privileged, but I really do appreciate everything you do for me. You always go the extra mile, it’s not lost on me.”

“I’m glad,” she replied, resting her chin on Jan’s shoulder. “I’m happy as long as you are,” she added, then glanced back into the room, catching the time on the clock and standing upright. “Not to cut this moment short, but we do have dinner reservations and I don’t want to be late.”

Jan arched her brow as she followed Nicky inside. “Since when do you care about not being late?” she teased as she got dressed.

Nicky’s cheeks flushed and she waited for a beat so her voice didn’t falter. “I can make exceptions from running on French time. Besides, we’ll likely end up making a French exit instead so I can get you back in bed,” she replied with a strained laugh, focusing instead on doing her hair and makeup.

They arrived at an upscale restaurant with a charming patio for outdoor seating, where Nicky elected for the two of them to sit. She ordered an expensive bottle of wine - something that was unsuspicious and on brand for her, and gave Jan some suggestions on what she should order, as her girlfriend was still developing her palette beyond that of a six year old.

“You should just order for me when we go out, that’s what my parents did until I was too old for the kids menu,” Jan recalled as she sipped her wine.

Nicky couldn’t help but laugh. “That explains quite a bit about your eating habits, minette,” she teased affectionately. “Why do you think I’ve made it my life’s mission to get you to eat like a big girl, hm?”

“You’ve broadened my horizons. I’ve even kept my Duolingo streak up, I’ll be able to understand if you’re secretly insulting me when you talk dirty in French before you know it,” she giggled.

She put her hand to her chest, pretending to be aghast at the accusation. “I would never!”

The dinner went as smoothly as every other night out they had. Nicky had relaxed enough to almost forget about her plans. It wasn’t until she had looked into her purse to check her phone that she saw the ring box and her nerves hit her again like a freight train.

“Are you okay, gorge?” Jan asked with furrowed brows, “you look like you just saw a ghost.”

Nicky quickly shut her purse and nodded. “Yes, of course. Just a business message. But don’t worry, I promised no calls while we’re out here,” she assured, then took a long sip of wine and finished up her meal. She took a deep breath, gathering herself while Jan finished her own plate. “Actually, there is something I would like to talk to you about.”

Jan swallowed her last bite and focused on her girlfriend with curiosity, as well as a bit of concern. In her whole time with Nicky, she was fairly certain she had never seen her nervous. Even when they had a disagreement, she kept her cool as they worked things out. But this was different, it looked like Nicky was carefully thinking through every word, every move. “Of course, is something wrong?”

“No, no, not at all,” Nicky assured as she subtly slid her hand back into her purse, this time taking the ring box out, but concealing it as she continued to speak. “Jan… I love you so much, more than I could describe in English, French, or anything else. You’ve made me a better, more compassionate person, I don’t think you have any idea how much I learn from you, how I can appreciate life more now that you’re in it. That’s something all the monies in the world can’t buy.” As she spoke, she slowly rose to her feet and took the few steps needed to bring her to Jan. Once finished, she got down on one knee and opened the box. “Janice Sport, will you marry me?”

Jan was already in tears before Nicky could finish her proposal. She nodded through her tears of happiness until she could calm herself down enough to answer, “yes!” and hold out a trembling hand for her now-fianceé to put the ring on her finger. “Oh my god,” she breathed out, “holy shit.”

Nicky let out a breathless laugh of both fondness and relief. She got to her feet and pulled Jan up as well, kissing her deeply with her arms wrapped around her waist. “I love you so much, I promise I will do my best to be the wife you deserve.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Jan assured between kisses. “I’m just happy I get to have you forever, I’m so fucking lucky.”

“Forever,” she echoed, still holding her in a tight embrace. Forever with Jan, she couldn’t think of anything better than that.

[missjanjie]

Taste of a Poison Paradise | Chapter 11

Title: Taste of a Poison Paradise Summary: Life at Jackie Cox’s strip club, Poison Paradise, isn’t just lapdances and g-strings. There’s enough drama, lust, and heartache to rival any soap opera. None of the girls know what to expect on any given shift, especially while navigating their torrid, complicated relationships. Word Count: ~2.9k (this chapter) / ~33k (total) Relationship(s): Lemyanka (Lemon/Priyanka), Crygi (Crystal Methyd/Gigi Goode), Sportsdoll (Jan Sport/Nicky Doll), Jaidie (Jaida Essence Hall/Jackie Cox), BVK (Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo/Kameron Michaels), Rosnali (Rosé/Denali Foxx) Rating: E

Read on AO3 | Ko-Fi

Chapter Summary: Nicky takes a big step in her relationship with Jan. Jackie helps Jaida make a new career move. Gigi is forced to face their emotions about what happened with that sketchy client.

-

The car was tense with silence, Nicky and Brooke Lynn not making eye contact with each other while the latter drove.

“Tell me why I’m being roped into this again,” Brooke Lynn requested as she drove where the GPS on her phone directed her.

“You know goddamn well I can’t drive,” Nicky retorted, though she continued to pointedly avoid making eye contact with her friend.

The blonde rolled her eyes and scoffed. “I also know goddamn well that you could’ve paid a driver to take your ass out to Jersey for this. Now tell me why you asked me instead.”

Nicky looked down and rubbed the back of her neck. “Moral support?” She glanced back over at her, chewing on her lip, “look, I know you think this is a stupid idea, and you think it is too soon to propose, but it’s important to me. Important enough for me to be, you know…”

“Scared?” Her expression softened at the way Nicky nodded meekly. “And you’re sure this is what you want?”

“More than anything.”

Brooke pressed her lips into a line. As much as she doubted this was the right move, she could feel her friend’s sincerity. Besides, in the entire duration of their friendship, she had never seen that woman scared. Nicky was bold and courageous, and if the only thing she feared was losing Jan, that spoke volumes. “Then I guess we’re doing this.” She pulled in front of Jan’s family home, eyes going wide. “Christ, how did this girl end up in a strip club if this is where she’s coming from?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nicky retorted flatly before getting out of the car - she didn’t know either, but that was beside the point. She took a deep breath as she walked to the door and rang the bell, heart pounding wildly in anticipation. But she did her best to seem nonplussed when Jan’s mother opened the door. “Hi, Mrs. Sport. May I come in for a moment?”

“Of course, and I told you, you can call me Ellen,” she pointed out as she led Nicky inside. “Hey Chuck!” she shouted down the hall, “Jan’s girlfriend is here!”

Nicky looked up as she heard footsteps come down the hall, then cringed when it was followed by a gruff, “did something happen to Jan?”

“No, no, no,” she quickly assured as the three of them sat in the living room. “Jan is perfect… actually, that is why I wanted to speak with you both.” She took a deep breath as she wrung out her fingers, wanting to word her request just right. “I love your daughter. I love her more than I ever thought possible, she means everything to me. And… I am planning on proposing, I would like to have your blessing for it.”

The older couple looked at each other, then back at Nicky. “Oh honey, you two are adults, she’s not our property. You don’t need to ask us for that. We’re touched, though, and you have our support,” Jan’s mom replied.

Sure, Nicky knew she didn’t need a blessing from Jan’s parents – she wasn’t under their control and didn’t need to be given away in any literal sense. But it still made her happy to know they saw her as an acceptable fit for their daughter. “I know, but I appreciate it nonetheless.”

The three of them shared hugs before Nicky saw herself out, sighing in relief once she was back in the car. “Okay, that went better than expected.”

Brooke smiled softly and nodded. “Now all that’s left is the proposal. You have a plan?”

In much brighter spirits and noticeably less tense, Nicky nodded. “I do, just need it to set it in motion.”

------

“Hey,” Jaida greeted as she let herself into Jackie’s office. “I did a target run to stock up on everything the common room and bathroom are low on. We had some extra cash from last week so I went to Bath and Body to get some of that body butter they like so much,” she explained.

Jackie blinked in surprise. “Oh, um, wow. Thank you, you didn’t have to, I–” she furrowed her brows, “did you put everything away already too?”

“Yeah,” she shrugged, “I know how you like the goods set up.”

“You have no idea how attracted to you I am right now.”

Jaida let out a soft laugh. “Only you, Jackie,” she shook her head fondly. “Look, I know I haven’t been dancing as much with the way OnlyFans is paying out, but I don’t want no one thinking you’re only keeping me around ‘cause we’re an item.”

She got up and wrapped her arms around the taller woman’s waist, a small pout on her lips. “You know none of them would ever think that, right? You’ve been here the longest, everyone respects and looks up to you.”

“I know, it’s just… I don’t know,” she sighed, “I haven’t felt like a stripper in a minute, but I still wanna belong here and continue, you know? This place is my home, y’all are my family.”

Jackie nodded in understanding, pressing her lips together as she thought. “How would you feel about being the club’s den mother? The role is usually filled by a former dancer, and I think it’d be a better fit for you. Besides, it takes a little off my plate trying to wear both hats.”

Jaida’s body relaxed and her expression softened. “You trust me to take care of this crew?”

“There’s no one I would trust more.”

“Then you got yourself a den mother,” she decided, then added, “but only if you still call me mommy,” with a wink.

Jackie giggled softly, hiding a blushing face in the crook of Jaida’s neck. “Always, Mommy,” she cooed, tilting her head back up and pressing a kiss to her cheek. She paused for a moment, simply gazing adoringly at the woman in her arms. “Hey,” she prompted softly, “I love you, Jaida.”

Jaida beamed with unbridled affection, kissing her girlfriend tenderly. “I love you too,” she answered against her lips, stealing another few kisses.

A quiet calmness took over the room as the couple basked in each other’s presence, needing nothing more than to be in the company of the woman they loved.

“Um, hi.” Gigi’s voice startled both of them.

“Need a fucking jumpscare warning for them,” Jaida muttered under her breath. “What’s up, Geege?”

Gigi was unfazed by the comment, if they’d even heard it. “Yeah, so, the DA’s office wants me to testify against the dude that stalked me. Not for that, but like, apparently he assaulted and… y’know,” they drew their thumb across their neck, signifying that he’d killed the victim as well. “Apparently he allegedly has a habit of antagonizing sex workers so it’d help establish premeditation if I went on record. Which I will… I just don’t know what to do.”

If it was anyone but Gigi, Jackie would’ve been unnerved by the lack of emotion in their voice, the matter-of-fact tone they had. But she knew them and how processing emotions just didn’t come naturally. “Oh, Geege,” she wrapped a reassuring arm around them. “I’m gonna make sure you’re prepared for this, however we have to figure it out. When do they want you in?”

Despite their empty expression, Gigi leaned into Jackie’s embrace. “Next month,” they answered. “Guess they need time to build the case.”

“That gives us enough time, I think,” Jackie decided with a nod. “But hey, let’s not worry about that right now, yeah? Did you hear that Nicky’s gonna propose to Jan?”

Finally, Gigi cracked a smile. “I’ve heard whispers,” they confirmed. “Must be happening soon, what’s the tea?”

“Nicky don’t wanna tell us shit,” Jaida chimed in. “Wants it to be a surprise, keeps all her notes in French, but I’m pretty sure it’s happening within the week.”

Gigi nodded. “I’m sure it’ll be extra, something to match Jan’s energy no doubt,” they mused.

Jackie chuckled and shook her head, “I’m not sure if that’s possible.”

It was a nice enough note to leave on, but Gigi simply couldn’t turn their mind off for the rest of the night. As soon as they got home, they were holed up in bed, researching every relevant court case, the state laws, watching video after video on what to do on the witness stand.

When Crystal came home from her shift to see them with their eyes glued to the screen, she frowned. “Geege,” she gently pulled them from their thoughts, “it’s three in the morning, you usually go to sleep early on your nights off.”

“I’ll sleep once he’s in jail,” they answered flatly. “People get away with shit like this all the time, I have to do everything I can to get him locked away.”

“Baby,” she shifted closer to her, carefully shutting the laptop before Gigi could object, “this case doesn’t rest on your shoulders. All you have to do is tell the truth. I know you don’t like talking about it, but that’s all you can do.”

Suddenly, much to Crystal’s surprise, Gigi started to cry, something she didn’t think they were capable of. “Maybe if I had said something more, this wouldn’t have happened,” they sniffled. “I kept trying to downplay it because I didn’t want to think about it and now a girl is dead!”

Crystal moved Gigi’s laptop to the bed and pulled them into her arms. “Hey, listen to me. You did what you needed to do to cope. Nothing you could’ve done differently would’ve stopped a bad guy from doing bad things. If it wasn’t her that night, it would’ve been someone else. You are not at fault, not even the slightest, okay?”

Gigi sniffled and hid their face in the crook of her neck. “Logically, I know you’re right. I just feel like shit.”

She nodded, squeezing them gently. “And that’s okay. There’s no right way to feel about this. What’s important is you don’t drive yourself crazy trying to solve a problem you didn’t create.” She pressed a kiss to the top of their head. “I’m gonna be here for you no matter what, we’re gonna ride this case out together.”

They slowly picked their head up. “Thanks, Crystal… I love you, you know that, right? I-I know I don’t say it much, ‘cause I’m shitty with words, but-”

Crystal cut them off with a gentle kiss, then cupped their face so their eyes met. “I know, Geege. I love you too.”

------

Nicky took a deep breath, focusing on keeping her tone as casual and flippant as she could muster. “I think we should take a little vacation this weekend, what do you think?” she asked, rolling onto her side to look at Jan, who was laying next to her in bed, scrolling aimlessly through her phone.

Jan set her phone down and shifted to face her girlfriend, a bright smile on her lips. “That sounds like fun, did you have somewhere specific in mind?”

“I have this beautiful villa in Costa Rica that I haven’t made use of in quite some time. Just you and me and a private piece of island… romantic, no?”

She nodded brightly, leaning over to press a kiss to her lips. “You’re so romantic, Nicky,” she cooed flirtatiously. “I’ll be sure to pack my skimpiest bikinis for the occasion,” she added with a wink.

Nicky kissed back, arms wrapped around Jan’s waist and holding her close. “So gracious, you make it so easy to spoil you.” And, if all went according to plan, she would have the rest of her life to continue spoiling Jan, and nothing made her happier than that.

But that didn’t quell her nerves in the slightest when they boarded the plane to Costa Rica, or when they arrived at the villa. At least the sex they had was enough to take her mind off of her nerves for a little while.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Jan stepped onto the balcony with a purple silk robe tied around her waist. “It’s so quiet, though. I’m so used to living in the city that never shuts up, but this… it’s so peaceful,” she mused.

Nicky smiled, tying her matching red robe on before joining her on the balcony, arms wrapped around her waist. “We can visit any time you would like, my love,” she promised, pressing a kiss to her cheek, “we can go anywhere you want.”

“You’re so good to me,” she cooed warmly. “I know I’ve grown up… privileged, but I really do appreciate everything you do for me. You always go the extra mile, it’s not lost on me.”

“I’m glad,” she replied, resting her chin on Jan’s shoulder. “I’m happy as long as you are,” she added, then glanced back into the room, catching the time on the clock and standing upright. “Not to cut this moment short, but we do have dinner reservations and I don’t want to be late.”

Jan arched her brow as she followed Nicky inside. “Since when do you care about not being late?” she teased as she got dressed.

Nicky’s cheeks flushed and she waited for a beat so her voice didn’t falter. “I can make exceptions from running on French time. Besides, we’ll likely end up making a French exit instead so I can get you back in bed,” she replied with a strained laugh, focusing instead on doing her hair and makeup.

They arrived at an upscale restaurant with a charming patio for outdoor seating, where Nicky elected for the two of them to sit. She ordered an expensive bottle of wine - something that was unsuspicious and on brand for her, and gave Jan some suggestions on what she should order, as her girlfriend was still developing her palette beyond that of a six year old.

“You should just order for me when we go out, that’s what my parents did until I was too old for the kids menu,” Jan recalled as she sipped her wine.

Nicky couldn’t help but laugh. “That explains quite a bit about your eating habits, minette,” she teased affectionately. “Why do you think I’ve made it my life’s mission to get you to eat like a big girl, hm?”

“You’ve broadened my horizons. I’ve even kept my Duolingo streak up, I’ll be able to understand if you’re secretly insulting me when you talk dirty in French before you know it,” she giggled.

She put her hand to her chest, pretending to be aghast at the accusation. “I would never!”

The dinner went as smoothly as every other night out they had. Nicky had relaxed enough to almost forget about her plans. It wasn’t until she had looked into her purse to check her phone that she saw the ring box and her nerves hit her again like a freight train.

“Are you okay, gorge?” Jan asked with furrowed brows, “you look like you just saw a ghost.”

Nicky quickly shut her purse and nodded. “Yes, of course. Just a business message. But don’t worry, I promised no calls while we’re out here,” she assured, then took a long sip of wine and finished up her meal. She took a deep breath, gathering herself while Jan finished her own plate. “Actually, there is something I would like to talk to you about.”

Jan swallowed her last bite and focused on her girlfriend with curiosity, as well as a bit of concern. In her whole time with Nicky, she was fairly certain she had never seen her nervous. Even when they had a disagreement, she kept her cool as they worked things out. But this was different, it looked like Nicky was carefully thinking through every word, every move. “Of course, is something wrong?”

“No, no, not at all,” Nicky assured as she subtly slid her hand back into her purse, this time taking the ring box out, but concealing it as she continued to speak. “Jan… I love you so much, more than I could describe in English, French, or anything else. You’ve made me a better, more compassionate person, I don’t think you have any idea how much I learn from you, how I can appreciate life more now that you’re in it. That’s something all the monies in the world can’t buy.” As she spoke, she slowly rose to her feet and took the few steps needed to bring her to Jan. Once finished, she got down on one knee and opened the box. “Janice Sport, will you marry me?”

Jan was already in tears before Nicky could finish her proposal. She nodded through her tears of happiness until she could calm herself down enough to answer, “yes!” and hold out a trembling hand for her now-fianceé to put the ring on her finger. “Oh my god,” she breathed out, “holy shit.”

Nicky let out a breathless laugh of both fondness and relief. She got to her feet and pulled Jan up as well, kissing her deeply with her arms wrapped around her waist. “I love you so much, I promise I will do my best to be the wife you deserve.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Jan assured between kisses. “I’m just happy I get to have you forever, I’m so fucking lucky.”

“Forever,” she echoed, still holding her in a tight embrace. Forever with Jan, she couldn’t think of anything better than that.

[freykitten]

Weird question - do you have any Crystal/Gigi fic recs?

Hello there, dear

That’s not a weird question at all, although there might be people who’d answer it better. But I’ll do my best, just for you.

My first idea would be to stalk @chachkisalpaca, who fell head over heels for them and I’d say Crystal and Gigi (GoodeMethyd, anyone?) are her it-ship at the moment, so she’s written A BUNCH - her collection of prompts and drabbles will be a gold mine for sure. I believe most of them are lesbian AUs, although I’ve read one that wasn’t and it was even canon-compliant. There is a one story in the making and even I haven’t seen it yet, but it sounds absoluetly amazing. As for stories that are already out, there you go:

In My Head (We Belong), multi-chap, lesbian AU, waitress AU

A delightful Spring story about our favourite characters sharing exactly 0,8 of a brain cell between all of them. Over the course of seven chapters, you’ll experience a lot of useless crushes and mutual pining, learning how to get rid of the “mis-” part of miscommunication, a few hook ups, the most adorable love confession, true friendship, and, probably, more than a few dishes being shattered.

The Beauty and The Kickboxer and also baby, let’s keep it a secret set in the same universe, in which Crystal is a kickboxer and Gigi is an ice-skater

For being both relatively short, they are very meaningful, highlighting problems that queer women encounter in professional sport, that aren’t talked about nearly as much and nearly as widely as they should be.

Blow a Kiss, Fire a Gun multi-chap, lesbian AU, mafia AU, written in collaboration with @leljaaa

It’s a mafia slash hitwomen AU. If that’s your climate, that’s all you need to know. If it isn’t, let me explain further.

Nicky is a future head of a French mafia. Gigi is a head of a Swedish mafia. Crystal is Nicky’s partner in crime and Gigi’s wanna-be partner. Jan is a hairdresser, and if you’ve heard that you can get fake documents in her basement, it depends on who sent you. Jaida is a police officer and Jan’s wife-to-be. I know. She doesn’t. Jackie is a police officer too, and she’s kind of falling for that misterious French seductress she’s recently met. Yeah, she doesn’t know either.

Spirit one shot by @opalescent-cheetah 

Now, this might be a bit of stretch, but then again, it isn’t. Remember Crystal’s Devil wears Prada look? Opal does too. Now, imagine it isn’t a costume. 

There is an abandoned werehouse, and it’s rumoured to be haunted, you know, like abandoned buildings sometimes are. Gigi is just a girl, standing in front of her “friends”, asking for them to remove the quotation marks. Crystal is sort of a devil and even more sort of cursed. Alternatively, Gigi she gets locked in an abandoned werehouse because of a stupid dare, and soon discovers that the rumours aren’t just rumours, but the Spirit that’s famously haunting the building is actually… pretty friendly?

Crystal Isn’t Counting a mini multi-chap by @a-tresia

Nicky and Crystal own a café. Gigi orders the same thing for the 37th time, but Crystal wouldn’t know it’s the 37th time. She isn’t counting, yeah? Why would she be? Because this cute customer makes her want to know her name and maybe also the way her eyes spark when she smiles? Because she would prefer not to hand her her order, but hold her hand? Listen, even if she would, she can’t stress it enough how bad it’s none of your business, okay?

leather and lace (and the taste of oxidation) a PLEASE MAKE IT A MULTI-CHAP, I’M BEGGING by @blackhaus

Listen, I don’t really know what this one is about, but I’m so freaking hooked and I need to know. But basically Gigi and Crystal are agents. Or assasins. Are they enemies? Are they friends? Are they lovers? Do they want to be friends and/or lovers, but have to be enemies? I don’t know. But shit goes down and I’m here for it. While looking for the author’s sideblog (thank you, Lily), I noticed there’s going to be a second part posted today on AQ and HOLY HECK CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW EXCITED I AM? Oh, and Gigi killed a man, I think it might be important.

For more one-shots go to @goodemethyd They have four or five little fics posted, and all of them are so cute, so adorable, so sweet (I know I’m not saying anything new, but I’m making a point here), written in such a nice, fresh way. I’ve reread them anytime they appeared on my feed, they’re so pleasant. Fantastic.

Now, the most important thing - there is more. I’m dumb - I have the memory or a goldfish - and chronically run thin on time, because life gets lifey, and in my case lifey means hectic. My heart cries for every GoodeMethyd fic there is that I have missed and continute to miss. But we have a crazy amount of incredibly talented authors in this fandom, so feel free to browse both @artificialqueens and Crystal/Gigi tag on AO3 to your delight. I may update this ask. I may not, but I’ll try. We’ll see. Today I’ve started a GoodeMethyd fic myself, but don’t really get your hopes up with me, I hate to disappoint.

Oh, and everything in bold is linked, so you can just click on it and it should take you places. I might have messed it up, I hope I haven’t, but I don’t know how to technology

[artificialqueens]

Taste of a Poison Paradise, Chapter 2 (Multi) - Joley

Chapter Summary: Jackie embraces her truth, Crystal and Gigi are deeply in the ‘idiots’ stage of ‘idiots to lovers’, Brooke Lynn and Vanessa take new steps in their relationship, and Priyanka continues her affair with Lemon.

ao3 link

When Lemon entered the dressing room, the other girls looked up, but looked a bit confused. “Jan didn’t come in with you?” Gigi asked.

“Jan didn’t even come home with me last night. She told me and Pri to go on without her. My guess is she pulled a Vanjie and went home with the hot business woman,” Lemon shrugged as she took her seat.

“Hey, don’t drag my name into it,” Vanessa huffed, though she supposed she couldn’t be that mad with that being her claim to fame. She was the first of the girls to date a client, and up until now, she had assumed she would be the only one.

Jan arrived a bit later, only about five minutes late, but took her seat as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Hey y’all, did I miss anything good?”

The girls giggled. “I don’t think anything here is as good as what you been getting,” Vanessa teased. “You have Brooke’s friend speaking French between your legs all night or what?”

A broad grin spread across Jan’s lips. “Oh, that’s only the start,” she replied. “God, you guys, I couldn’t even walk right this morning. She ruined me – I don’t think I can have sex with anyone else after her.”

“You bottoms are so dramatic,” Gigi remarked, looking at Jan through her reflection in the mirror.

“You’re just jealous you don’t have a bottom to ruin,” Jan retorted as she took her seat.

“One in particular,” Jaida chimed in.

Gigi rolled her eyes, wondering why she bothered saying anything in the first place. It’s not like Jaida or the other girls were wrong – her crush on Crystal was common knowledge among the dancers. She couldn’t help herself – when she had started working there, Crystal was the first to see through her stoic, standoffish front, something that took the average person weeks. The two of them bonded right away.

But To her dismay, Crystal had a girlfriend when her crush first developed. Though even when that relationship ended, she still did her best to use that as an excuse for not saying anything.

“I don’t see why you can’t talk to her. It’s been two months, it wouldn’t be a rebound,” Lemon offered.

“You’re technically correct,” Gigi conceded, “but it’s complicated, we’ve developed such a friendship in that time…”

“Bitch, that is the oldest excuse in the fucking book,” Vanessa retorted as she coated her brunette locks in a layer of hairspray. “Oh, we can’t date, it’ll ruin our friendship,” she mocked in a ‘white’ voice, “such a cop-out.”

Gigi frowned, strumming her nails against the vanity table. “Doesn’t make it untrue…”

Before Vanessa could reply, Jackie was at the door. She led Crystal, Priyanka, and Kameron in, then took a deep breath. “Ladies, I wanted you all in here because I have something to tell you.”

The girls looked at each other, murmuring with confusion and concern. Was something happening to the club? Were they in trouble? But they quickly quieted down and redirected their attention redirected to Jackie, urging her to continue.

Jackie took a deep breath. “Alright, I suspect this might not be the biggest surprise to you, but this is still difficult for me to say because, you know, it’s something I haven’t really said in my whole thirty-five years.” She pressed her lips into a line and swallowed thickly, doing her best to keep it together. “I’ve always felt a strong kinship with you guys, and deep down, I’ve always known it’s… it’s because I’m gay.”

The girls didn’t give Jackie time to brace herself for their reaction. Within seconds they surrounded her, hugging her tight. Sure, they had suspected it for a long time. Some of them had assumed Jackie was out but simply never mentioned it. But regardless of what they’d previously thought, all that mattered now was giving Jackie their complete, unbridled support.

And Jackie couldn’t do anything but sob. It was a sob of relief, of joy, but also of exhaustion – she had carried that weight on her chest for far too long and her lungs were desperate for the air of freedom. She knew this would only be the first time she came out, and she didn’t know when the next would be, but at least she knew she had a group of girls she could be safe with.

“That’s okay, sweetie. Let it out,” Jan soothed as she rubbed her back. “We’re all so proud of you.”

“The first time is always the hardest,” Jaida agreed. “You don’t gotta go tell everyone, just embracing it for yourself is enough.”

Jackie looked up at Jaida, opening her mouth to speak, only for her throat to run dry. Instead, she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. “Thanks, you guys. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

When the group hug ended, everyone relaxed into their usual spots. “Alright, ladies,” Jackie prompted, “let’s have a great shift.”

As Crystal and Priyanka returned to the bar, they were still processing their bosses’ confession. “I’m fucking proud of Jackie,” Priyanka was saying. “I almost peed myself when I came out to y’all.”

“Weren’t you already sleeping with Lemon when you came out to us?” Crystal asked as she continued getting her station ready.

Despite a tinge of embarrassment, Priyanka laughed. “Only like, three times,” she defended. Even though she hadn’t been out when she started working there, she had quickly found out that Lemon had no idea how not to be out, nor did she know how to be subtle. Priyanka had realized she had to choose between staying closeted at work and pursuing her budding affair, and the choice was obvious to her.

“Three more than some of us,” Crystal murmured under her breath.

Priyanka scoffed. “Bitch, if you’re still carrying a torch for Gigi, why don’t you fucking tell her already? It’s not the world’s biggest secret, you know. We all figured it out,” she said, then paused for a moment, “well, except her.”

“Therein lies the problem,” she lamented. “It’d be easier if I knew that she only saw us as friends, then I could let it go. But there’s always this… underlying sexual tension between us. I don’t know. I’m confused.”

“Underlying sexual tension?” Priyanka’s brows rose. “She’s the only one of the girls that doesn’t put her bra back on when she comes to get a drink from you… well, neither does Vanjie, sometimes, but the bitch is just forgetful.”

Crystal chuckled softly. “Either that or she’s swinging by the security booth. Did you hear her tell Jaida she was gonna broach the ‘open relationship’ subject with Brooke, like, soon?”

“No, but I think it’s a good idea. Nip it in the bud before things get messy, huh?”

“Why, because it’s too late for you?”

Priyanka opened her mouth to speak, then pressed her lips together. “I… yeah, pretty much. I’ve accepted my life’s chaos, though.”

——

When Brooke Lynn wasn’t visiting the club as a client, she was often there as both a supportive girlfriend and pseudo-manager for Vanessa. She held herself in a confident, professional way that allowed her to walk right through the front door and into the back where the dressing room was without anyone looking twice, let alone question it.

Vanessa looked up when Brooke walked in and smiled, ignoring the way her chest tightened. “Hey, boo,” she greeted, getting up to give her a quick hug and kiss. “I’m glad you’re here, I been meaning to talk to you.”

“Oh, good,” Brooke nodded as she sat in one of the empty chairs. “I wanted to talk to you too. Do you want to go first?”

Normally, Vanessa would’ve automatically jumped on the opportunity to go first. But her nerves were still twisting up her insides and she figured she could calm herself down while her girlfriend spoke. “No, it’s fine, go ahead.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it, and all things considered…” she took a deep breath, “I think it would be a good idea for you to move in with me.”

“Yeah!” Vanessa’s nerves were instantly replaced with excitement – she loved the idea of getting to move in with Brooke, they had gotten so close despite their relatively short relationship. She was there most of the time anyway, and it made her own apartment look like a prison cell in comparison. And it didn’t hurt that she wouldn’t have to deal with rent or a landlord anymore. “I love you, B, I think that’s a great idea.”

Brooke brightened up. “Really? Awesome, we can get started on that whenever, really. Most of your stuff is at my place or here anyway. What did you want to tell me?”

Vanessa deflated a bit, reconsidering the whole idea. Of course she was still attracted to Kameron and didn’t plan on throwing out the ‘open relationship’ idea entirely. The timing, however, felt off. Inappropriate. Cold, even. “You know what? It ain’t nothing important, it can wait.”

“Are you sure? If something’s wrong, you can tell me, I want to know.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Vanessa looked her in the eye so Brooke could tell she was being honest. “It just isn’t worth bringing up right now, I’d rather focus on this moving gig.”

Although Brooke wasn’t entirely convinced, she decided to let it go for the time being. “Alright. I’m gonna go grab a drink and let you finish getting ready,” she got up and kissed her cheek before heading back into the main room.

Vanessa ran her fingers through her hair and exhaled deeply. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. “Well, that got fucked up,” she muttered.

“You good, girl?” Lemon asked as she took her usual seat. “Usually you have a smug grin on when Brooke leaves the dressing room. The open relationship thing didn’t go over well?”

“It didn’t go at all,” she answered. “I was gonna, but then she asked me to move in with her… and I fucking love her, of course I wanna take that next step. But I couldn’t just jump from there to that just ‘cause I can’t stop thinking about getting fucked by Kameron.”

Lemon nodded and listened, fixing her hair and makeup in the mirror as well. “I mean, I can’t exactly be a moral compass here, but I get your concern. You guys haven’t done anything yet, have you?”

“Nothin’, just some flirting and shit. All hands-free. And mouths-free,” she confirmed. “You know I’d never wanna do something to hurt Brooke. Been on the other side of it before, shit sucks.”

“You guys love each other,” Lemon reassured. “I’m sure you’ve built up the trust to have that sort of honest conversation.” Under her breath, she added “must be nice.”

Vanessa didn’t catch it. “Guess you’re right, it’ll work out eventually,” she decided.

“Atta girl,” Lemon patted her shoulder as she got up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got my nightly home wrecking to do.”

Vanessa looked up as Lemon left, only to make eye contact with Brooke, who was standing in the doorway with a glass in each hand. “How long you been standing there?” she asked hesitantly.

Brooke walked in and sat in the same chair she’d been in before, setting one glass on the counter and holding onto the other one. “So… Kameron, huh? Can’t say I’m surprised. She’s beautiful and you do have a type.”

She furrowed her brows, unsure of how to process Brooke’s reaction. “You’re not mad? You don’t even look pissed or nothing.”

“Well, no offense babe, but with your line of work, I’ve already wrapped my head around the idea of having to share you. Sure, it’s a little different comparing clients to someone you’re actually interested in, but I can’t fathom it being that bad,” she explained. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll pick up a cute little side piece while you two are going at it.”

Even with the explanation, Vanessa was still perplexed. But she was getting her way, so she supposed she couldn’t really complain. “You still want me to move in though, right?”

“Of course I do,” Brooke answered without hesitation. “This doesn’t change how I feel about you or about us. We’ll try the open thing out, see how we feel, and take it from there.”

Vanessa finally allowed herself to relax. “Alright, yeah, sounds good to me.”

“Good,” Brooke hummed and finished her drink off. “I’ll see you later,” she said, giving Vanessa a kiss before she left again. But this time, instead of going back into the main room, she went out the back door. She fished a cigarette and lighter out of her purse and lit it, then leaned against the wall as she took a drag.

“Thought you were trying to quit,” Gigi remarked. She had been outside for a few minutes, wrapped in a long, black robe with a lit joint held between two fingers.

Brooke exhaled, smoke blowing through her mouth. “Well, I just gave my girlfriend permission to fuck the security guard, so I’m having a cheat day.”

Gigi furrowed her brows as she took another drag. “Kameron? Why’d you do that then?”

“Because I love her and trust her but at the same time, I’d rather know what she’s up to instead of her lusting after another woman behind my back. Also we’re moving in together. It’s been an eventful night. So… open relationship it is.”

“Look at it this way, you’ll probably be fucking more once you live together, maybe it’ll wear her out,” Gigi offered.

Brooke laughed softly. “That isn’t as reassuring as you think it is, Geege.”

“At least you’re getting some.”

“No progress with Crystal, I take it?” Brooke asked, then dropped her spent cigarette on the ground and put it out with her shoe.

Gigi shook her head. “And with this gig plus school, I haven’t had time to find some distraction sex. You know how it is, right? When your brain gets stuck on something and the only way to dislodge it is by railing a pretty girl?”

“Yes, I remember being twenty-two. First time I got my heart broken by a straight girl,” she recalled. She looked at Gigi with a fond smile. She saw a lot of herself in the dancer, felt something of a kindred spirit. “Let me get a hit of that, wanna see why Vanjie loves that shit so much.”

Gigi covered her mouth with her free hand to giggle. “Sure, go nuts,” she said and passed the joint to her. She lingered close to Brooke, watching her curiously.

Brooke took a drag the same way she would off a cigarette. While it felt the same physically, she did prefer the way the weed made her feel. “Hm, yeah, I get it,” she said as she passed it back to Gigi. But as she did, there was a moment where their eyes met, where their shared loneliness, with sex on their minds. They started to lean closer, their lips parting…

“Nope,” they said in unison, pulling back and laughing.

——

Once the club had closed for the night, Lemon was sitting up on the bar while Priyanka was cleaning up. “You coming home with me tonight, Pri?” she asked, batting her lashes and swinging her legs.

“Can’t,” Priyanka sighed. “I promised Mark I’d watch some stupid fucking documentary with him when I got home,” she rolled her eyes.

“Who cares about him?” Lemon whined. “We haven’t had sex in like, almost two whole days. I’m literally dying.”

Priyanka finished her task then came around the bar, trapping Lemon between her arms as she held onto the bar. “You are the neediest bitch I have ever met. You know that, right?” Despite her ‘scolding’, she started kissing Lemon’s neck.

And of course, Lemon was happy with any small victory. “I think you like it, though. I think you get off on being needed, on knowing that I’m thinking of you when I need to be sexy on stage.”

“Do you really?” Priyanka asked. “Do you think about how good I fuck you while your shaking your ass for a crowd?” she asked, moving one of her hands between Lemon’s thighs. “Let it get you all worked up and let them think you’re just really into your job?”

Lemon’s legs instantly spread when Priyanka’s hand slipped between her thighs. Even though she didn’t like feeding Priyanka’s ego, she couldn’t pretend the dirty talk didn’t affect her. “Mm, of course I do, easy when no one makes me come like you do.”

“Good girl,” Priyanka praised, then rewarded her by slipping two fingers inside of Lemon’s panties, then slowly easing them into her pussy one after the other. “Look at you, already wet. You really were just thinking about getting fucked, weren’t you?”

“Fuck…” Lemon breathed out, bucking against Priyanka’s fingers, trying to writhe in time with her thrusts. “I was, couldn’t help it.”

Priyanka smirked, kissing up Lemon’s neck, then along her jaw and the shell of her ear. “My needy little whore,” she cooed as she fucked her harder and faster.

Considering most of their coworkers hadn’t left either, Lemon did make an attempt to stay quiet. She bit down on her lip, just whimpering as she rocked against her fingers.

But Priyanka didn’t make it easy on her. He curled and twisted her fingers, knowing every which way to make Lemon squirm and whine. She kept it up, fucking Lemon through her orgasm and even a bit after that. She then eased her fingers out and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Think you’ll make it through the night now, you insufferable baby?”

Lemon rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll survive,” she giggled as she hopped down from the bar. “I’m gonna go get changed, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She wrapped her arms around Priyanka’s waist, gazing up at her and stealing another kiss before leaving.

“You better wipe that bar down thoroughly,” Crystal remarked when she returned from the kitchen.

Priyanka groaned. “Ah, fuck, forgot you were here.”

She shrugged. “Didn’t wanna interrupt. But seriously, clean that shit up.”