Alex awoke the next morning to Olivia placing a tray across her.  “Aww, Liv!  You didn’t have to make me breakfast.”

 

Olivia smiled.  “Yes, I did.  I have to make sure my baby eats.”

 

Alex kissed her on the cheek and dug into her chocolate chip pancakes.  “You spoil me, you know that?”

 

“It’s my pleasure,” Olivia replied, brushing a few strands of hair behind Alex’s ear.

 

“You know something, Liv?”

 

“What?”

 

“Can you believe we actually slept in your bed without having sex?” Alex asked.

 

Olivia waggled her eyebrows.  “Speak for yourself.”

 

Alex’s mouth dropped open.  “You did not!”  Olivia grinned.  Alex repeated, “You did not!”

 

Grinning harder, Olivia continued, “At least I can say I had no use for your picture last night.  I had the real thing right beside me.” 

 

Alex slapped her on the arm.  “You mean you did that in front of Tweety?”

 

Olivia gave her an eye shag.  “I think Tweety rather enjoyed it.”

 

Alex put her hand over her eyes.  “Oh no!  You corrupted poor Tweety!”

 

Olivia rubbed her nose against her cheek.  “You’re so cute,” she cooed. 

 

Alex giggled in response and fed her a bite of pancakes.  “Tweety is gonna need counseling.”

 

Olivia responded by giving her a kiss on the cheek.  “Liv!  You got chocolate on my cheek!” Alex complained.

 

With a naughty grin, Olivia stuck her tongue out to lick it off.  “Liv!” Alex squealed, blushing slightly.

 

“What?  You’d let a puppy lick your face.”

 

“But you’re not a puppy!”

 

Olivia stuck out her lower lip in her best pout.  With those big brown eyes, Alex couldn’t help but think that she did indeed remind her of a puppy.  “Liv, don’t give me the goo goo eyes.  You know what they do to me.”

 

Olivia pouted more.  “Ok, ok.  You’re my puppy,” Alex relented.

 

Olivia grinned and kissed her on the cheek again, quickly slipping her tongue out to graze it.  “I wuvvie my Alex.”

 

Alex gave Olivia her own kiss on the cheek.  “And I wuvvie my Livvie.”

 

Olivia grinned widely at Alex’s first mention of a pet name for her.  “Livvie?  I like that.  So does that mean I get to give you a nickname too?”

 

“That depends.  You have a tendency to be naughty.”

 

“Does Alikins sound naughty to you?”

 

Alex smiled.  “No.  It sounds cute.”

 

“Or maybe Aly Poo,” Olivia suggested.

 

Alex gave her a look.  “Don’t push it.”

 

Olivia softly stroked her face.  “I just wanna cover you in kisses.  From head…” she said, pausing and kissing the top of her head, “…to toe.”  Olivia moved down on the bed to kiss her toes, eliciting a series of giggles from Alex.

 

“You know I’m ticklish!” Alex scolded.

 

Olivia applied more pressure in long strokes to massage her feet.  “Does that feel good?”

 

Alex closed her eyes.  “Mmm…”

 

Olivia moved on from her feet and slid her pajama pants up so she could work her way up her calves.  She slid them up even farther so she could work on her thighs.  Catching the hesitant look in Alex’s eyes, she assured her, “It’s ok, sweetie.  I won’t go up too far.”

 

Alex nodded and Olivia proceeded.  She was enjoying the pleasure Olivia’s strong yet soothing fingers were working on her thigh muscles.  “You have so much tension, sweetie,” Olivia commented.

 

Alex smiled.  “I can see you’re taking care of that.”

 

Olivia smiled back.  “Indeed.”  In a few minutes, she was done.  “Ok, you’re good to go.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“My pleasure,” Olivia said, moving back up beside Alex and kissing her softly on the cheek.  “You’re so gorgeous, baby.  I just wanna make you feel loved.”

 

Alex placed her hand on Olivia’s cheek.  “You do.  All the time.” 

 

Olivia grinned from ear to ear.  “I don’t want you to go home.”

 

“Silly, eventually I’m gonna have to go home.  I can’t wear Tweety all day long!”

 

“Sweetie, I have something you can wear.  Just spend the day with me, ok?”

 

Alex nodded.  “Ok.  Now let me finish my pancakes.”

 

Olivia watched Alex eat for a few more minutes.  Then she asked her the question she’d wanted to ask her two weeks before.  “Hey, Al.”

 

Alex turned her attention to her.  “Yeah?”

 

“Um…do you wanna, I mean, I was just wondering if…you know, you wanna…”

 

“Wanna what, Liv?”

 

“Go to prom with me?” Olivia asked hopefully.

           

“Prom?” Alex asked.  Olivia nodded.  Alex smiled.  “It’s a little early to be making dates.  Prom isn’t until April.”

 

“I know, I know.  But I wanna go with you.  And I wanna make sure no one else asks you before I get a chance to.”

 

Alex grinned, delighted in Olivia’s confidence of wanting to be out at such a public event with her.  “Ok.  Sure, Liv.  I’d love to go with you.”

 

Olivia’s whole face lit up.  She wrapped her arms around her in a big hug.  “Thanks, Al.”  She looked down at her chest.  “See pokies?  I told you she’d say yes.”

 

Alex laughed and shook her head.  “You’re crazy, Liv.”

 

“Cuddle?” Olivia asked hopefully.

 

“For a little while,” Alex answered, smiling.

 

Olivia removed her tray and pulled her into her lap.  “You have no idea how much I love holding you.”

 

Alex closed her eyes and smiled.  “And you have no idea how much I love being held by you.”

 

Olivia’s heart started racing.  It took all her strength to fight the urge to kiss Alex, but she remembered what Elliot had said about letting her set the pace.  Instead, she opted for placing soft, chaste kisses on her neck.  She lay back against her pillows and Alex snuggled closer to her.  The two lay in comfortable silence for several minutes, the only sounds coming from the gentle rise and fall of their chests.  It was Olivia who broke the silence with a question.  “Hey, Al?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Will you rub my stomach?”

 

Alex smiled and cooed next to her ear, “Aw, does Livvie need a little TLC?” 

 

Olivia nodded and grinned.  “Yes, please Alikins.”

 

Alex lifted up her tank a little and began rubbing lazy circles on her stomach.  “Does that feel good?”

 

Olivia nodded again.  “Mmm…I could go right to sleep if you keep that up.”  She closed her eyes but quickly opened them when Alex started placing little kisses all across her stomach.  “And I could stay awake for hours if you keep that up.”  She waggled her eyebrows at Alex.

 

Alex blew against her belly button, making Olivia giggle.  “Livvie, let’s not be naughty.”  Olivia just laughed.

 

After a few more minutes of cuddling, Alex untangled herself from Olivia’s embrace.  “Well…I need to go take a shower.  Do you have something I can wear?”

           

Olivia grinned.  “Would your birthday suit be such a bad idea?”  Alex gasped and Olivia continued, “Kidding, kidding.  Sure.  Hang on a sec.”  She went to her drawer and pulled out an oversized plaid button-up shirt and some boy-short underwear.  Waggling her eyebrows, she quipped, “I’m glad I finally get to see you in my underwear.”  Alex blushed deeply and took the clothes into the bathroom.

 

Fifteen minutes later, she came back out.  Olivia looked up from her book and smiled.  “Hey there.  Have a nice shower?”

 

“Very,” Alex replied, snuggling up to her.

 

Olivia happily drank in Alex’s scent.  “You smell wonderful.”

 

“Yeah, I smell like you.”  Olivia opened her mouth to make a smart remark but Alex cut her off before she could.  “Don’t even say it, Liv.” 

 

Olivia chuckled.  “You know me too well.”  Then running her hand through Alex’s damp locks, she asked, “Can I blow dry your hair?”

 

Alex smiled.  “Sure, Liv.” 

 

Olivia took her hand and dragged her into the bathroom.  Reaching under the sink, she pulled out her blow dryer and began blowing out Alex’s hair.  Then she ran her comb through it, using her fingers to sift through the soft blonde strands.  “You are so gorgeous,” she breathed.

 

Alex blushed and looked down.  “Thanks, Liv.”  Looking back up, she asked, “So what are we gonna do today?”

 

“Well…we can bake brownies,” Olivia suggested, a twinkle in her eye.

 

The two headed to the kitchen and Olivia got out the brownie mix, bowl, spatula, eggs, and oil.  As she began mixing ingredients together, Alex settled her chin on her shoulder and whined, “I wanna stir!”

 

Olivia smiled and handed Alex the spatula.  “Go ahead.”

 

After Alex began stirring, Olivia took some of the batter and smeared it on her neck.  She then stuck her tongue out and slowly licked it off.  “Liv!” Alex exclaimed.

 

Olivia pushed the bowl over to Alex and said, “Go ahead.  Your turn to do me now.”  Alex gasped.  “Um…I mean, with the chocolate.”  Olivia blushed crimson and Alex began giggling.  “I give up,” Olivia finally said.

 

Alex dipped her finger in the batter and drew a line down her neck.  Olivia tilted her head to the side and Alex began to lick it off, carefully noting Olivia’s shivering at the motion.  “Satisfied?”

 

Olivia didn’t speak for a moment.  “Very,” she finally managed to get out.

 

Olivia picked Alex up and slung her over her shoulder.  “Stop, Liv!  Put me down!” Alex demanded, kicking and giggling.

 

Both girls were surprised to hear the sharp voice of Serena Benson.  “Olivia Benson, put her down!  What would Madeline say if she knew how you were roughhousing her daughter?”

 

Olivia immediately placed Alex back on the floor.  Alex partially hid behind Olivia.  “Good afternoon, Ms. Benson,” she said nervously.

 

“Good afternoon, Alex.  Olivia didn’t hurt you, did she?  I’ve told her about her tomboyish ways.”

           

“No, Ms. Benson.  I’m fine,” Alex insisted.

 

“We were just playing mom,” Olivia said, slightly annoyed.

 

“Just make sure you clean the kitchen when you’re done ‘playing.’  And Alex, tell Madeline I said hello,” Serena said, leaving the kitchen with a glass of water.

 

After they were sure Olivia’s mother was no longer in earshot, the girls burst out giggling.  “Well that was awkward,” Olivia said sarcastically.

 

“Yeah.  I’m glad she didn’t see us licking chocolate off each other’s necks!”

 

Olivia laughed harder.  “Oh yeah.  That would’ve been hard to explain.”  She waggled her eyebrows.  “But at least it wasn’t other places…” 

 

Alex giggled and poured the batter into the pan.  “You’re incorrigible.”  And with that, she put the pan in the oven.  “Wanna lick the bowl?”

 

Olivia smirked.  “And you say I’m incorrigible?  Uh huh, Cabot,” she quipped, taking the spatula from Alex and sucking off some of the chocolate batter.  She then held it out to her.  “Want some?”

 

Alex silently took the spatula and licked off the rest of the batter.  “Ew, now I have Liv cooties!” she joked.

 

Olivia pulled her up against her and licked her neck.  “Now you have even more.”

 

Alex gaped at her in shock.  “Liv!”  She lowered her voice.  “What if your mom walks in again?”

 

Olivia grinned.  “Then I’ll just ask her to take pictures.”  She laughed as Alex’s mouth dropped open even more.

 

Alex wrapped her arms around her waist.  “You’re so silly,” she said, kissing her quickly on the nose.

 

Olivia jerked her head in the direction of her bedroom.  “Come on.  What do ya say we get some quality cuddle time in while the brownies bake?”

 

“Race you!” Alex said, running toward her bedroom.

 

Olivia ran in behind her and shut and locked the door.  Alex squealed as she picked her up and placed her down on her bed.  “Mmm…I’ve always loved how strong you are,” Alex observed.

 

Olivia straddled Alex’s waist and flexed her muscles.  Alex, of course, leaned up to squeeze her biceps.  Olivia smiled down at her.  “You know…the biceps like being felt up by hot blonde cheerleaders.”

 

Alex laughed and pulled Olivia down to her.  “Oh really?  And which hot blonde cheerleaders are you referring to?”

 

“The ones who wear my undies,” Oliva said, nibbling her earlobe.  “You know…those little boy shorts make your ass look even more adorable,” she said, her breath hot against Alex’s ear.

 

Alex smiled coyly.  “Why, have you been staring Olivia Benson?”

 

“You bet,” she responded, burying her nose in the crook of Alex’s neck and wrapping her strong arms around her.  “So have the pokies.”

 

“And they like what they see, I take it?”

 

“Oh yeah.”   She began rubbing lazy circles on Alex’s stomach.  “One day I’m gonna find you some Tweety boy shorts…or a Tweety thong.”

 

“That’s just wrong,” Alex replied, shaking her head.  Olivia giggled.

 

It wasn’t long before they heard the timer going off.  Olivia got out of bed and bent over.  “Hop on.”

 

“No, Liv…I’m too heavy.”

 

Olivia smirked.  “You, heavy?  Haha, right.  Come on.  Get on.”  Alex smiled and climbed onto Olivia’s back, wrapping her arms around her neck.

           

Olivia didn’t put her down until after she got the brownies out of the oven.  “You wanna drizzle the chocolate?”

 

Alex already had the packet in her hand.  “I thought you’d never ask.”  As she began drizzling chocolate on the brownies, Olivia stuck her tongue out.  “Let me guess, you’d like some?”

 

Olivia nodded, tongue still out.  Alex giggled and poured chocolate on it.  Instead of swallowing it, Olivia licked her face.  “Liv!  I should’ve known you’d do that.”  Olivia just grinned wickedly.

 

Alex reached for a knife to slice the brownies with but Olivia stopped her hand.  “Wait a sec.”  Alex stared at Olivia quizzically as she went and grabbed a big heart-shaped cookie cutter.  With a twinkle in her eye, she explained, “We should use this instead.”

 

Alex grinned.  “Liv, what on earth?”

 

Olivia shrugged.  “I got this a couple weeks ago because I thought we could make cookies together one day.  But hey, brownies, cookies, what’s the difference?”

 

Alex leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  “That’s really cute, Liv.  And romantic.”

 

Olivia grinned.  “Come on.  Let’s cut it together.”  Alex came over behind her and placed her hands on top of Liv’s so they could cut out a heart-shaped brownie together.  “Now we have to take a picture!” Olivia demanded excitedly.  She raced to her room to get her digital camera.  When she returned, she snapped a picture of their brownie.  “Our turn!”  She set the timer and then ran back over to Alex.  “Ok, smile big!”

 

The camera flashed and Alex went over to examine the picture.  “Aww!  Liv, we look so cute with our little brownie!”

 

Olivia walked up beside her.  She smiled when she saw the photo, their arms wrapped around each other, smiling happily in front of their brownie.  “Indeed we do.”  Then with a mischievous grin, she continued, “Mmm…now I have a picture of you in the boy shorts that I can add to my um…late-night collection.” 

 

Alex slapped her on the arm.  “Liv!”

 

Olivia shrugged a shoulder.  “Hey now.  The chance that I’d get lucky enough to get you, chocolate, and boy shorts all in the same photo?  Doesn’t happen everyday, Alikins.”

 

Alex shook her head.  “Oh, Liv.  That picture is totally innocent!”

 

Olivia waggled her eyebrows.  “Won’t be when I’m done with it!”  Of course, that warranted her another slap on the arm.

 

Just then Alex heard her cell phone ringing from Olivia’s room.  “Crap, I need to get that!”  She ran back to Olivia’s room to answer her cell phone.  “Hello?”

 

“Hey…where are you?  Your mom is worried sick.  She thought you were at my house!” Serena explained.

 

“Why didn’t she call me first?  If she wanted to know where I was, she could’ve just asked me.”

 

“I don’t know.  But you still didn’t answer my first question.  Where exactly are you?”

 

Alex took a deep breath before answering.  “I’m at Olivia’s.”  By this time, Olivia was in her doorway.  She walked over to Alex and put her hand on her arm reassuringly.

 

Serena rolled her eyes on the other side of the line.  “You’re at Olivia’s?  You just went over to her house without telling your parents?”

 

Alex sighed.  “Serena…usually I don’t need their permission to go anywhere.  Besides, I’m surprised either of them care enough to inquire about my whereabouts, anyway.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Alex?”

 

“My parents had a big fight last night.  I was scared, so I called Olivia.  She came and got me.”

 

“You called Olivia?  What happened to me?  I’m your best friend!  She’s the one who broke your heart—multiple times, might I remind you.”

 

Olivia could hear Serena through the phone.  She looked down and sighed.  Alex answered, “Yeah, I called her.  She’s my friend too, you know.”

 

Alex heard Serena snort through the phone.  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure she had only the friendliest of intentions last night.  She’ll do anything to get you back in her bed; you know that!  And what’s funny is that it’s almost 2 in the afternoon and you’re still at her house!”

 

Alex was getting irritated.  “Serena, it’s not like that.  She doesn’t pressure me to do anything.  All she did was comfort me.”

 

“Yeah, and I’ll bet I know how!  I see the way she looks at you at school.  Always hovering around you like some puppy.  No one else can get a word in edgewise with her around.”

 

Alex rolled her eyes.  “Serena, she loves me.  And I love her.  I’ll admit we’re really close and we’re working on things, but we haven’t done anything.  We’re just friends.”

 

“A friend you spend 99.9 percent of your time with.”

 

“That’s not true and you know it!” Alex retorted hotly.

 

“Oh really?  Cuz every time I wanna do something, you’re with that bitch!  When was the last time you spent the night at my house?  Oh, that’s right.  When you were crying over Olivia.  Now you’re in her bed, and you know there’s no telling how many people have been in it!”

 

Olivia had had enough.  She grabbed the phone from Alex and said, “Look, Serena.  She’s in very good hands with me.  Mind your own, ok?”  And with that, she closed the phone.

 

Alex looked at her as if she were crazy.  “Why’d you just hang up on my best friend?”

 

Olivia looked at her in disbelief.  “I can’t believe you’re asking me that!  Your best friend just berated you and insulted me!”

 

Alex looked down.  “She only wants what’s best for me.”

 

“And that’s not me, right?” Olivia asked.  Alex could hear the hurt in her voice.  “But then again, I’m just your friend, aren’t I?”

 

“Liv…”

 

“Alex, you know damn well we are more than just friends.  Even if you won’t let me kiss you.”

 

“Liv, that’s not what I meant.”

 

“Oh really, Al?  Then please, please enlighten me as to what you did mean.”

 

Alex sighed.  “Liv, I like spending time with you and I do wanna be with you again someday.  But even though we cuddle a lot, we don’t kiss each other, we don’t touch each other in certain areas, and we don’t have sex.  That makes us still technically just friends—even though we’re in love.”

 

Olivia sighed deeply.  “Listen, Al.  I understand that you’re still hurting and you need more time before you can be with me again.  And I’m sorry for all that.  Don’t get me wrong—I love all the time we spend together, but I can’t help it if my heart wants to spend every waking moment with you.  And in my heart, you’re still mine and you will always be mine, regardless of any technical terms.”

 

Alex smiled and placed her hand on her arm.  “That’s really sweet, Liv.  But Serena doesn’t need to know all our business.”

 

Olivia stepped back, pulling her arm away.  “You’re ashamed of me.”  It was more a statement than a question.

 

Alex shook her head fervently.  “No, no Liv, it’s not that.  I could never be ashamed of you.  But if Serena knew how we cuddled or that I’m wearing your underwear right now, she’d flip!  She was already freaked out just because I spent the night.”

 

“Why do you even care what she thinks?  So what if she freaks out?  Let her.  But you can’t expect me to hide my emotions for you when she’s around just because she’d be pissed off.”

 

“Liv, I don’t expect you to.  She’s just worried that—”

 

“That I’ll what?  Hurt you again?” Olivia questioned, cutting her off.

 

“Yes, Liv.  Can you blame her?”

 

Olivia looked at her with her mouth wide open, a tear rolling down her cheek.  Her voice broke.  “That hurts, Alex.  To know that no matter how hard I try to prove that I’ll never hurt you again, you’ll always doubt me.”

 

Alex wiped it away.  “No, Liv.  Don’t cry.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean it that way.  I just meant that sometimes friends are overprotective.  If I hurt you, don’t you think Elliot would question my intentions from then on and think I’d inevitably hurt you again one day?”

 

Olivia looked down.  “I guess,” she finally mumbled.

 

Alex tucked a few strands of Olivia’s hair behind her ear and said, “C’mere.  I don’t care what anyone says.  If I did, I wouldn’t spend any time with you.  All I care about is that I love you and my heart can’t be wrong about you, even if Serena is.”

 

Olivia looked back up and gave a little smile.  “You really mean that?”

 

Alex reached out and stroked her cheek.  “Yes, Liv.”

 

Olivia pouted again.  “But you hurt my feelings.  And the pokies’.”

 

Alex laughed slightly and pulled her into a warm embrace.  “I didn’t mean to,” she said, kissing her on the cheek.  She then pulled back and looked down at Olivia’s chest.  “Tell the pokies to come out, so I can apologize to them.”

 

“No.  They’re sad,” Olivia whined, pouting harder.

 

Alex leaned down and started blowing on her breasts.  Slowly, her nipples surfaced, straining against the fabric of her tank.  Olivia giggled.  “Hey!  Stop that!  You coerced them!  That’s not fair!”

 

Alex hugged Olivia to her again, making sure to press her breasts right up against hers.  Olivia shuddered involuntarily.  “Do they accept my apology?” she asked.

 

Olivia closed her eyes and buried her face against Alex’s neck.  “Mmm…I suppose so.”  She snuggled closer to her when Alex began rubbing her back.  “Mmm…that feels good.”

 

“It does?  Well what about this?” Alex asked, slipping her hands under Olivia’s shirt.  Olivia gasped when she felt Alex’s smooth hands against her bare back.  Alex began kissing her neck, eliciting several whimpers from Olivia.

 

“Alex…you’re making me horny,” she whined.

 

Alex pulled back.  “Do you want me to stop?”

 

Olivia swallowed hard.  “No.  Not yet.”

 

Alex began stroking the back of her thigh.  Olivia moaned and began stroking Alex’s bare sides.  She was just playing with Alex’s navel when she heard her mother knocking at her door.

 

“Girls, do you have any intention of eating these brownies or are they just gonna sit out all day?”

 

Olivia groaned.  “We’ll be right there, mom.”

 

Alex smiled.  “You’re so adorable when you’re flustered.”  She reached out to stroke her face.

 

Olivia smiled back, feeling herself getting warm at the touch.  “I love you, Alex,” Olivia breathed.

 

“I love you too, Liv.  Come on, let’s go eat our brownie.”  Olivia groaned at the loss of contact with Alex as she began walking to the kitchen.  Alex turned around and waited for her.  “Are you coming?”

 

Olivia nodded.  “Yeah.”

 

Once in the kitchen, Olivia wrapped her arms around her waist and snagged a piece of the brownie.  She pulled off another piece and fed it to Alex.  “Good?”

 

“Very,” Alex said, turning around fully in her arms and kissing her on the cheek.

 

“So…” Olivia began.  “When are you gonna call your parents?”

 

Alex shrugged.  “I dunno.  Whenever, I guess.”

 

Olivia gave her a concerned look.  “You’re not gonna get in trouble for spending the night, are you?”

 

“Nah.  I just don’t know if I’m ready to talk to either one of them yet.”

 

Olivia placed a hand on her arm.  “Are you scared, sweetie?”

 

Alex looked at Olivia and smiled sheepishly.  “A little.”

 

“You know you’re welcome to spend the night with me again.  Or…maybe I could spend the night at your place…so I can protect you,” she suggested hopefully.

 

Alex grinned.  “I’d like that.”

 

“Which one?” Olivia asked, feeding Alex more brownie.

 

“Either,” Alex replied around her mouthful.

 

“Let’s go to your place.  Maybe I’ll get to wear a pair of tweeties.”

 

Alex gave her a serious look.  “You are not to touch my tweeties,” she ordered.  Olivia just grinned.

 

**************

 

That night, Alex pulled the huge Tweety Bird that Olivia won for her at the fair in bed with them.  Olivia shook her head.  “Oh no.  No no no no no.”

 

“Come on, Liv.  This bed is certainly big enough for the three of us,” Alex whined.

 

“No, not really.  It’s just a stuffed animal, Al.”

 

Alex’s mouth dropped open in shock.  Olivia cringed at her reaction.  “He’s not just a stuffed animal, Liv!  He’s Tweety!” Alex yelled passionately.

 

Olivia held up her hands in surrender.  “Whoa, Al.  Ok, not just a stuffed animal.”  Alex frowned and turned away from Olivia, clutching Tweety tighter.  Olivia shook her shoulder.  “Alexxxxx, if you’re gonna hold Tweety all night then who’s gonna hold me?”

 

“I have to hold Tweety because you hurt his feelings!”

 

“Alex, he’s a stuffed animal.  He doesn’t have feelings.”

 

Another look of horror crossed Alex’s face.  “That’s it, Liv.  You are banished to my couch!”

 

“You’re not serious.”

 

“You’re insensitive!”  Alex got out of bed.  She grabbed a pillow and blanket then walked across the room to her plush leather couch.  “Night, Liv.”

 

“No way, Al.  I am not sleeping on your couch because you wanna sleep with Tweety.”

 

Alex shrugged.  “Fine then.  I’ll sleep here.”  She settled down under the blanket and hugged Tweety tightly to her chest.

 

Olivia jumped out of her bed.  Walking over to Alex, she picked her and Tweety up and dropped them back onto the bed, despite Alex’s adamant protests.  “No, Alex!  You are sleeping with me tonight and that’s final!”

 

Alex giggled.  “Liv, not so loud!”

 

Olivia giggled too.  “I guess that did sound kinda bad, huh?”  She snuggled closer to Alex.  “You’re not really mad at me because of what I said about Tweety are you?”

 

“I won’t be if you apologize.”

 

Olivia sighed.  Pulling Tweety out of her arms, she said, “Tweety, I am so sorry for everything I have said to offend you.  You are not just a stuffed animal and you apparently do have feelings.  Now please forgive me so the love of my life won’t kill me in my sleep.”

 

Alex giggled as she turned to face her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.  “Thank you, Liv.  That was really sweet.”

 

Olivia pulled Alex to her and put Tweety on the other side.  “There, now we both can cuddle with you.  But I get priority.” 

 

“Deal,” Alex said, nuzzling her nose against her neck.  They wrapped their arms around each other tightly. 

 

After a few minutes, Alex asked, “Liv?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you too, sweetie.”  Alex poked her.  “And Tweety.”  She paused for a moment before adding, “And whenever we make love again, Tweety is not allowed within 20 feet of this bed.” 

 

Alex giggled.  “Don’t worry.  I wouldn’t wanna corrupt Tweety.  He’s too young to know what sex is.  Hell, sometimes I think I’m too young for some of the stuff we’ve done.”

 

“Hey now, I resent that,” Olivia joked.

 

“Come on, Liv.  If our parents had any idea what we did in bed…”

 

“They’d come to us and ask for pointers.” 

 

Alex hit her with a pillow.  “Liv!” 

 

Olivia just laughed and kissed her on the forehead.  “Night, Alikins.”

 

“Night, Livvie.”