"Hey, Sid," Billy began, grinning at his girlfriend. "Would you mind telling me what answer you got for this question or do I have to marry you first to get it?"
Sidney sighed and shook her head. There he goes again, cracking jokes about their English assignment.
Her class had just begun studying Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Billy hasn't stopped making comments about it since page one.
"Why did I agree to study with you? You're insufferable," she said, but gave him the answer anyway.
Billy feigned offense as he wrote it down. "Don't be so prejudiced towards me, Sid. I take a lot of pride in my puns and jokes," he flashed her a wide grin when a laugh managed to escape from her chest despite the effort she put into the opposite happening.
"You're impossible," she said, amused despite herself.
"I apologize, Sid, for not being humorous enough to tempt you to laugh more than once," he seemed particularly proud of that one.
Sidney hid her smile behind her long hair and continued with the worksheet.
"Hey, Sid."
"Yes, Billy?"
"Can I be your Eli Bennett to your Fitzwilhemina Darcy?"
Sidney couldn't help it. That was just so cheesy and inventive she burst out laughing and didn't stop for a solid minute. By the time she composed herself, her sides were hurting. Looking over at her boyfriend to see him grinning at her, she asked through breaths, "Are you…done…now…with your…jokes?"
Billy shrugged. "Maybe," he responded. "Or maybe I'm longbourning to make another one."
Another wave of laughter left her at that. "I'm surprised you even remembered the name of Mr. Bennet's estate," she commented through giggles.
"There you go again with the prejudice! Maybe you should be Elizabeth!"
"At least Elizabeth doesn't have to make puns to be clever!"
That provoked an offended gasp from Billy. "That's it!" He rose to his feet. "I've had enough of your sassy attitude, Ms. Bennet!"
"And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Darcy?" Sidney challenged, rising to her feet as well so they were standing only inches away from one another.
"This!"
Sidney shrieked as Billy jumped at her. She stumbled back, hitting her legs against the foot of her bed and landing safely on the mattress. She barely had time to gasp when her boyfriend followed her and landed on top of her. Within seconds he was caging her in with both of his legs against her sides and tickling her, lightly digging his fingertips into her ribs and sliding them up and down and sideways.
His actions provoked uncontrollable laughter and she squirmed beneath him, screaming and begging for him to stop through joyful howls.
"Stop, please! You know…how…ticklish…I am!" She managed before launching into another round of loud guffaws.
"Not until you admit my jokes are funny!" Billy fired back, smirking down at her and never once ceasing in his friendly assault.
"Okay!" Sidney relented. "Okay, your jokes are funny!"
"And my puns!"
"So are your puns!"
"Do you love it when I make jokes and puns about your favorite class?!"
"Yes!"
"I couldn't hear you!"
"YES, BILLY! I LOVE IT WHEN YOU MAKE JOKES AND PUNS ABOUT MY FAVORITE CLASS!"
"And who's the best at making jokes and puns?!"
"BILLY LOOMIS IS!"
Instantly the tickling hands removed themselves from her body and he sat back on his heels, freeing her and allowing her to catch her breath.
Eventually she did catch her breath and laid on her bed, face painted crimson from all of the laughing she'd done during their tickle session. A smile was plastered from ear to ear and her sides, ribs, and stomach all hurt, but she couldn't find it in her to care.
"You're such an asshole," she said, but the soft look in her eyes told him that she was far from angry with him for the jokes and puns or for tickling her within an inch of her life.
Billy helped her sit up and arranged their seating position so her legs were wrapped loosely around his waist and his were splayed out behind her. Good thing he wasn't wearing his combat boots (that was a rule that Sidney absolutely enforced because not only was she a diligent student, she was also a neat freak) while on her bed or she really would be pissed at him.
"You love me, though," he said confidently, feeling her arms wind around his neck while his did the same around her waist. They were now officially in a cuddling, koala-like embrace and he was not complaining one bit about being so close to his beautiful, amazing girlfriend.
"I do," she confirmed, burying her face into his neck and inhaling his scent. She could mainly smell the spicy fragrance of his daily cologne (which she couldn't get enough of and he knew it), but her nose also detected the strangely pleasant mix of wood and gasoline from his time outside during football practice and in the garage at his house when he worked on his car. It was such a unique scent suited to Billy and she loved it more than she could express.
Similarly, Billy was also taking in Sidney's scent as he fit his head into the juncture between her neck and shoulder. She smelled like nature, notably lavender and roses, from the time she liked to spend outside. Aside from that was the sweetness of the vanilla shampoo, conditioner, and lotion set she owned and used daily, and the familiar aroma of books from how long she spent reading in her room or in libraries, although paper smelled much better when he was around her than in a classroom. The perfume that was purely Sidney was so addicting to him that it was agonizing to stay away from her.
"You wanna take a break for now?" Sidney whispered, lifting her face so her lips were next to his ear.
Billy shivered a bit from her close proximity. "You sure?" He asked, rubbing her back. "I thought you wanted to finish this tonight."
"I did, but it's Friday and I'm tired."
"Okay," he moved so they were still in their position on her bed, the only difference now being that they were lying down atop her comforter.
"Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked. "Mom and Dad left town for their anniversary and won't be back until Sunday."
"Of course," he said. And then, unable to resist, he told her: "I hope you won't get bourghed of me."
A groan and a slap on the chest was her only response, but the smile on her face spoke volumes.