Title: It's Christmas
Disclaimer: I do not own SVU or these characters (darn it!) nor am I making any money off them (darn it!). No infringement intended.
Fandom: Law and Order: SVU
Pairing: Alex/Olivia
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Pure fluff. So much so that I almost choked on my own fluff, hehe. And, as you may have guessed from the title, it is Christmas fluff. :-)
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It's Christmas
"But it's Christmas Eve, Olivia!" Alex was usually understanding. Usually. Usually. But it was hard to be understanding every single night. And especially hard tonight.
"Alex, sweetie, I know," Olivia sighed internally, her heart aching, her heart torn. She'd never minded getting calls on this night in the past. But then again, she'd never had someone to spend it with in the past, either. "I'm sorry."
"But, Liv, I need you here," as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Alex knew they were unfair. Knew they were wrong. Knowledge that was only confirmed when they were met with silence. She exhaled, "I'm sorry. That wasn't fair. I know you're needed there, too."
"Believe me, Alex," Olivia replied, her voice conveying her sincerity, "There is no placed I'd rather be than at home. You know that, right?"
Even if Alex had wanted to remain angry, she wouldn't have been completely able to as her heart melted just a little bit over Olivia's probably unconscious slip up of referring to the attorney's apartment as 'home'. She closed her eyes, exhaling once again, and acknowledging Olivia's last statement. "I know.
Olivia remained silent for just a moment longer, a moment that contained mutual understanding. It contained resignation as well, but mostly understanding. "I'll be there as soon as I can," Olivia finally broke the silence.
"I'll wait up," Alex said just barely above a whisper.
Olivia chuckled, "I appreciate the thought, but I know how you are," Olivia teased good-naturedly through a smile.
Alex chuckled back. The tease was well deserved: she always had the best of intentions of staying up late but more often than not ended up drifting off. "How about I leave the lights on," she conceded.
Olivia smiled again, a little wistfully this time. "I'd like that," she whispered. They were both silent again for several seconds, reluctant to hang up. Finally it was Olivia who once again broke the silence, "I've got to go. I'm really sorry."
"Don't be. I understand and I know. So go," Alex said, her voice firm, trying to reassure Olivia with it that she really did understand and that it really was okay, "I'll see you later."
With that, the line went dead and Alex was left sitting alone on her sofa, staring at the Christmas tree. She usually had spent this evening at her parents'. But for the first time in a long time she had someone she wanted to spend it alone with. So it figures that Olivia would be called to a scene just minutes before she was going to come home from work. Just figures.
With an exhale, Alex got up and poured herself a glass of wine, slipped out of what she had been wearing and into something a little more comfortable, grabbed a book, and then settled back onto the couch.
A couple of hours ticked by, a second glass of wine, and Alex exchanged the book for the television remote. Another hour later, she turned off all the lights save the Christmas tree lights and threw a blanket over herself. Something inconsequential was on the television screen which was just as well since most of her mind was focused on staring at the tree, and thinking about Olivia. And it was just like that, sometime around 10:30, remote in one hand, cell phone in the other, and her mind on her favorite detective, that Alex's eyes drifted shut and she herself drifted asleep. An hour later, the television, having been put on a timer by the attorney, turned off by itself.
- - - - - - - -
Not quite two hours later, Olivia, as quietly as possible, turned the key in the lock and opened the front door. And was immediately encompassed in warmth. A deep warm hue thrown off by the multi-colored lights on the tree, comforting warm air quietly pumping from the living room radiator, and most importantly, most consoling, an enveloping warm feeling. It was the feeling of being where she belongs. It was the feeling of coming home.
She paused, momentarily overwhelmed with this unfamiliar feeling, stronger on this night than normal. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and tried to just enjoy the feeling. After a second or two she opened her eyes and shed her jacket, throwing it over a chair before quietly making her way to the living room.
And the beauty she saw there momentarily overwhelmed her once again.
Alex.
It wasn't as if she'd never seen the blonde sleeping before. It wasn't as if she hadn't been practically living with her for the last several months. And it wasn't as if Alex hadn't made it abundantly clear how the she felt about the detective.
So Olivia got it. She understood. She really was standing here. This really was her life. Alex really was hers.
But still... but still... Sometimes it just hit her, leaving her unbelieving and blown away. And this was one of those moments.
After taking several more deep breaths, she approached the couch, smiling again and her heart clenching again, this time at how Alex was cradling the cell phone, knowing the attorney was doing so so she could answer immediately should Olivia call. Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the sofa and just stared at Alex's face. God she was just so beautiful, even more so bathed in the ethereal light from the tree.
Olivia reached out and gently brushed back several strands of hair from the attorney's face then leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Alex's forehead and then her temple, then the side of her lips.
Just as Olivia had finished the last light kiss and started to sit back up, Alex came awake, her eyes slowly opening to stare into those of her lover, not two inches away. And a smile of happiness and recognition broke across her face as she let her eyes drift shut again and without a word reached her arms up invitingly, up around Olivia's neck so she could pull the more than willing detective back down to her for a proper kiss.
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Several long lingering moments later, Olivia finally sat back up and Alex settled back into the couch, stretching just a little and looking around a bit, "What time is it?" she asked just a little groggily.
Olivia winced, some of her warm feelings dissipating, having already felt rueful about the time, "It's 12:15," she shook her head slightly, "I'm really sorry."
Alex frowned and some of those warm feelings returned to Olivia as she thought that the combination of that frown and the somewhat dopey look still in the attorney's sleepy eyes and face was one of the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. And Olivia almost didn't hear Alex's question when she asked, "Why are you sorry about that?"
Olivia tilted her head slightly and tucked another bit of hair behind Alex's ear, "I had hoped to make it home before midnight so," Olivia's voice got softer, "So, we could have at least spent a few minutes of Christmas Eve together," she couldn't quite meet Alex's eyes as she made her quiet confession, obviously just a little embarrassed at her own sentimentality.
Alex's previous frown turned into an expression of complete affection. She sat up and readjusted herself so that she could put her arms fully around the detective and give her another kiss. When she pulled back she laid her hand tenderly on the detective's cheek, "Aren't you sweet," she said quietly.
Olivia closed her eyes briefly, turning and kissing Alex's palm. "I try," she responded just as quietly.
"And you succeed," Alex whispered back, eyes glistening.
Olivia turned her head down and blushed, still not one to easily accept the compliments Alex continually threw her way.
Alex considered pursuing the matter and getting Olivia to admit or at least acknowledge how wonderful and sweet she was, but decided now was not the time. So instead she just let the moment linger for a second longer before lightening her voice and bringing the discussion back around to the time, "So. 12:15, you said it was?"
Olivia looked up at Alex's playful tone, instantly wondering at the attorney's change in demeanor and wondering what it meant the attorney might have up her sleeve. She nodded her head cautiously.
"In the morning?"
"Of course," Olivia couldn't help but smile curiously as she eyed Alex still a bit suspiciously.
"Well, you know what that means, don't you?" Alex asked mock seriously.
Olivia raised an eyebrow in question.
"It means," Alex continued, a small smile making its way to her face, "That it's Christmas."
That notion, at least, warmed Olivia's heart again, "I suppose it does," she replied.
"And you know what that means, don't you?" Alex continued playfully.
"No...what does it mean?" Olivia prompted, getting more and more into the playfulness of her lover.
"It means," Alex leaned in and gave Olivia a quick kiss, "I can give you your first present!"
Olivia laughed, "Oh, is that what it means?" Olivia asked.
"Yes, that's what that means," Alex grinned and leaned in and gave Olivia another quick kiss, "And it's a very special present, too."
Olivia returned the kiss and couldn't help but grin back, "You sure you don't want to wait until morning to open presents?"
Alex nodded emphatically, "Oh yes, I'm sure. Besides," Alex tapped Olivia on the nose, "You only get to open the one tonight. The rest I'll save for tomorrow."
Olivia chuckled again, "Well, okay then. Let's do it. So where's this 'very special present' of mine?"
Alex just grinned wider, "Right here!"
Olivia's eyebrows went up and she looked to either side of the attorney on the couch, "Right where?"
Alex raised her arms out wide, "Right here," Alex then lowered her arms and put them around Olivia's neck, pulling her close, bringing their faces, their lips within a breath of each other and smiling, "I'm your present," she whispered.
Olivia's heart pulsed (as did regions lower in her body) and she smiled back, putting her own arms around the attorney and closing the remaining distance between them so she could give Alex a quick kiss, and then a less quick kiss. "And it's the very present I've ever gotten," she whispered back in Alex's ear before laying several more kisses on the blonde's neck.
Alex sighed contentedly and allowed Olivia to continue kissing her but also spoke, putting the playfulness back in her voice, "Well, I was in much better and much more proper wrapping earlier in the evening."
"Oh yeah?" Olivia said somewhat distractedly as she laid another kiss on Alex's neck.
"Uh-huh," Alex struggled to maintain focused under the slow assault of Olivia's lips and so finally pulled away just slightly so she could look Olivia in the eye again.
Regretfully, Olivia gave up her quest and her kisses and swallowed once before asking, playing along since Alex obviously wanted her to, "And how exactly were you wrapped earlier?"
"Well," Alex brought her arms down from around Olivia's neck and started toying with the buttons on Olivia's shirt, watching as she ran her hands slowly down and then back up, "Well, it involved three bows..."
Olivia smiled and glanced down at Alex's hands. And when Alex didn't continue Olivia prompted her, "And what else?"
"What?" Alex looked up a little lost, her mind obviously having wandered elsewhere.
Olivia smiled at her distraction, "Your wrapping. It included three bows, and what else?"
Alex's previous confusion disappeared and a decidedly mischievous smile made its way to her face once again, her attention brought back to the moment, "Nothing else. Just the three bows" Alex briefly arched a suggestive eyebrow at the suddenly dumbstruck and dry mouthed detective.
Olivia swallowed hard. "That sounds lovely," she rasped out, her mind providing images of exactly where each of the three bows may have been placed.
"Oh, it was," Alex purred.
Olivia swallowed hard again, beginning to breath hard but trying to control it, "Lovely but not nearly as lovely as what was under the 'wrapping', I'm sure," she managed to say.
Alex smiled at Olivia's compliment and recognized what Olivia was trying to accomplish with it. She reached her arms back up and used them once again to bring the detective closer, whispering in her ear, "While I appreciate it, but you really don't need to sweet talk me tonight, you know."
Olivia pulled away so she could look Alex in the eyes. And when she did she found the same desire she was sure was in her own eyes shining back at her. "You're sure? You're not too tired?" the detective finally choked out.
Oh, Olivia. Ever the considerate one, ever the concerned one, ever and always thinking of the other person first. Not tonight. Alex leaned in and gave Olivia a slow, sensuous kiss, tongue playing over Olivia's lips, running along her teeth, making her intentions and desires more than obvious. She then pulled out and licked her lips, "Sweetie, I've been waiting all month to spend tonight with you," she ran her thumb over Olivia's open lips, then brought her eyes back up to meet Olivia's, "So, yes, I'm sure."
Olivia, still recovering from that kiss, that caress, and the promise in them, took several deep breaths and then started to stand, content to pull Alex up with her too lead them both towards the hall and the bedroom beyond.
But Alex resisted, "Where do you think you're going?"
Olivia's smile turned into a slight frown, "I thought...." her voice trailed off, suddently not sure how to finish the sentence.
Fortunately, she didn't have to finish it as Alex spoke up, "Oh, don't worry, you thought right, but," Alex pulled Olivia back down to the couch, "Right here. See, I've waited all month to spend tonight with you next to this tree."
Relief mixed with renewed playfulness spread across Olivia's face at that, "Oh, yeah? Next to this tree?"
"Ohhh, yeaaaah," Alex repeated only with a different inflection. She maintained eye contact with Olivia as she bit her bottom lip and reached for and undid the top button of Olivia's shirt, "And maybe under it," she undid the next button, "And by it..." she continued down Olivia's shirt slowly, seductively, undoing each of Olivia's buttons along the way, "Because you're my first and very special present, too," she purred as she undid the last button. She then leaned in to push the detective's shirt off her shoulders, and to place a lingering kiss on the detective's waiting lips before whispering against them, "Merry Christmas, love."