This was originally posted as chapter 28 of the "Short & Sweet" series and takes place between seasons 19 and 20.

"Short & Sweet" was a series of standalone one-shots (for the most part, anyway; occasionally a storyline would consist of a few chapters instead of just one chapter).


Olivia Benson cracks one sleepy eyelid open, blinking in confusion for a moment as she takes in her surroundings before relaxing with a sigh when she is greeted with the blurry image of a living room that is almost as familiar to her as her own. She is curled up on the couch in the home of Amanda Rollins, the younger woman's apartment dim and silent in the early hours of Saturday morning, spotting Frannie snoozing on the floor a few feet away when she lifts her head from the pillow and watching as the dog's furry legs twitch while she dreams.

This has become a habit for the two of them over the past year; spending Friday nights together with their kids after a long week at the precinct, enjoying pizza and movies and walks in the park before eventually deciding that it's too late to go their separate ways and ending the playdate with their usual sleepover. Olivia has awoken on Amanda's couch more times than she can count now, occasionally finding the blonde detective snuggled up with her on the cushions, or the pair of them falling asleep in Amanda's bed together and awakening the next morning cuddled up with each other on the rumpled sheets, feigning surprise that another one of their playdates had ended in a slumber party.

This morning she is alone on the couch, however; the door to Amanda's bedroom standing slightly ajar and Jesse's door shut tight, both kids having collapsed into the toddler's bed and dozing off instantly after an evening filled with silliness and laughter. Olivia is still wearing the same outfit that she had changed into when work was finished the day before; a short-sleeved white T-shirt and black yoga pants that are wrinkled and stretched after a night spent on the couch, and she chastises herself for not bringing proper pajamas when their playdates end this way more often than not.

She decides to get up and put some coffee on for herself and Amanda, wondering when the younger woman will drag herself out of bed, and stretching her weary limbs when she stumbles to her feet. Frannie doesn't move a muscle as she creeps by on her way to the bathroom to relieve her bladder first, the canine letting out a loud snore and Olivia chuckling quietly in response as she sidesteps a hairy paw.

A soft sound catches her attention as she passes Amanda's bedroom, pausing when she notices movement through the small crack between the door and the wall, and opening her mouth to say good morning to her friend. The words fade on Olivia's tongue and her eyebrows raise in shock when she gets a proper look at the other woman, a blush blooming on her cheeks as she watches the lithe figure of her detective shimmying around the darkened space in nothing but a pair of striped underwear and a matching tank top, singing along to the lyrics of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" in a low, melodic voice.

She stops dead in her tracks, unable to tear her gaze away from Amanda while she dances, mesmerized by the blonde's moves which appear both goofy and sensual at once. Olivia feels a rush of heat pooling at the juncture of her thighs and tries to ignore the disconcerting sensation; a reaction that has been happening quite often lately as her life becomes more intertwined with Amanda's and they continually toe the line between friendship and something more.

The gradual shift in their relationship is not a topic that is ever spoken of, slowly evolving over the passage of time without either of them acknowledging it aloud, but Olivia can admit that friendship is the last thing on her mind right now as her eyes zero in on the swaying of Amanda's slim hips. The younger woman seems to have completely lost herself in the music as she whirls around the room and sings quietly to the jovial tune, and Olivia begins to feel something more than just lust as she watches Amanda in this private moment, getting a rare glimpse of the softer side of the tough detective.

She is so entranced by the blonde that it takes her a moment to realize that Amanda has stopped moving and is now standing stock-still in the middle of the bedroom, Olivia's gaze lifting to meet Amanda's smoldering blue eyes. The other woman looks more amused than embarrassed at being caught engaging in an activity that is so out of character for her, although something darker simmers in those cobalt orbs; an awareness of sorts, like she knows exactly what her lieutenant is thinking.

"Sorry," Olivia mutters under her breath, the blush on her cheeks growing more profuse as she starts backing further into the hallway.

"You don't have to leave, Liv." The corners of Amanda's lips are quirked into a tiny smile as she opens the door wider and motions for Olivia to come inside the room.

"I didn't know you were a fan of Taylor Swift," Olivia murmurs after a brief pause, trying to think of anything to say in an effort to assuage the sudden awkwardness that has enveloped her.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Amanda replies with a shrug, a full-fledged grin on her face now, and Olivia feels a tendril of relief that her friend doesn't seem angry with her intrusion.

"Oh, really? Care to share?" Her curiosity is piqued as she leans against the door frame and crosses one ankle over the other in a more relaxed manner, making sure to keep her gaze fixed firmly on Amanda's face and not let it stray down to the matching tank top and panties set that aren't leaving much to the imagination.

"Only if you actually come in here and stop hovering in the doorway like you're about to turn around and make a run for it," Amanda chuckles as she swipes an errant strand of blonde hair out of her face, the rest of her golden tresses piled on top of her head in a messy bun. "I don't bite, Liv."

"I just don't want to invade your privacy," Olivia protests softly, holding her hands up in the air before taking a tentative step inside, unsurprised at her lack of success in fooling Amanda with her false nonchalance. "Well, any more than I already have."

"You're not invading my privacy," Amanda says with a loud sigh and a roll of her eyes, Olivia feeling slender fingers closing around her wrist and tugging her fully into the bedroom before the door is closed behind them. "I was just about to get dressed and go out to the kitchen to cook a big breakfast. I wanted to make sure you and Noah have a good meal before you leave."

"That's very sweet of you," Olivia answers as a smile graces her own lips now. "I was actually just about to get the coffee started when I got distracted."

"Distracted by what?" Amanda asks with feigned innocence, and it's Olivia's turn to roll her eyes as she gestures down at what the other woman is wearing without actually looking.

"Do you find me distracting, Liv?" Amanda continues in a coy voice as she gives a little shake of her hips and sidles closer.

"Yes. Very," Olivia admits in an unintentionally husky tone, a slight shiver running through her as the younger woman's body brushes against her own, Amanda standing so close that she can feel the warmth radiating from the small detective.

"Would it make you feel more comfortable if I put some clothes on?" Two of Amanda's fingers begin walking playfully up her forearm, the gesture inducing another shiver, and Olivia sees the smirk pulling at the blonde's mouth.

"I-" Olivia finds herself at a loss for words as she stares down at the other woman, those big blue eyes gazing steadily up at her. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Amanda pulls her hand away and puts a finger to her chin, an exaggerated frown marring her delicate features as if she is thinking very hard. "Well, would you prefer if I just took them off, then?"

Olivia lets out a ragged cough, sweat beading on her forehead as she contemplates what she should say in response, and decides that they need to stop dancing around whatever is happening between them and just confront it head-on. "If that's what you want to do, you won't hear any complaints from me," she replies honestly, the blush on her cheeks burning so hot now that she is convinced her face is about to burst into flames.

Amanda looks dumbfounded for several seconds, the teasing grin falling away to be replaced by the slight dropping of her jaw, as if the younger woman had not been expecting this reply, and Olivia fights down the sudden urge to giggle. She reaches out to take Amanda's hand into her own and give it a tender squeeze, and for a moment they simply stand there and hold hands, staring into each other's eyes without speaking.

Olivia's heart starts up a quick rhythm inside her chest when Amanda squeezes back and then steps away from her, a somewhat mischievous, lustful glint in those blue eyes now, and Olivia swallows hard, praying the kids decide that this would be an excellent morning to sleep in. Her gaze is riveted on the beautiful detective as Amanda grasps onto the bottom of her tank top and begins inching the material slowly up her toned stomach, Olivia's heart racing faster with each inch of smooth, creamy skin that is revealed.

She is pretty sure that her heart stops beating altogether when Amanda raises the shirt over pert, pale breasts, no bra in sight and pink nipples hardening when they come into contact with the cool air in the bedroom, a low noise emanating from Olivia's throat that is somewhere between a gasp and a moan. She watches as Amanda yanks the top over her head and tosses it carelessly to the floor, blonde hair sticking out from the bun and standing up in a halo of static as the smaller woman plants her hands on her hips and cocks a leg like she is posing for Olivia, one eyebrow arched as if in challenge.

"Do you want me to keep going or do you think it would be better if I just got dressed and went out to the kitchen to make us some breakfast?" There is a teasing quality to Amanda's voice, although blatant desire is residing just beneath the mirth, and Olivia once again finds herself at a loss for words.

She is completely stunned that the familiar routine of waking up together on Saturday morning, either at Amanda's apartment or her own, has taken a decidedly unfamiliar turn with the detective performing a spontaneous striptease and Olivia's eyes glued to the action like she can't look away. When an answer isn't immediately forthcoming and both of Amanda's eyebrows are raised high on her forehead now, a raspy breath escapes from Olivia's mouth when one of the younger woman's hands drifts to the waistband of her panties.

Those slender fingers that were just walking playfully up Olivia's arm are now doing the same thing to the tiny scrap of underwear, the digits sliding suggestively back and forth along the material before dipping slightly inside. This time the sound that emits from Olivia's parted lips is a definite groan of desire, Amanda's name whispered in a way that she has never heard herself speak it, and a return moan from the other woman has the moisture at the juncture of her thighs becoming more pronounced.

"I'm not hungry," Olivia finally manages to choke out, remembering that Amanda had offered to get breakfast started. "Well, not for food, anyway."

A sputtering laugh of surprise sounds in response to her statement, Amanda's eyes dark with arousal as they continue to stare intensely at each other, and the detective hooking her thumbs beneath the waistband of her panties. "Hungry for something else, Liv?" she murmurs almost inaudibly as Olivia watches the descent of Amanda's underwear down her legs with rapt attention, her heart beating so furiously that she expects the organ to burst right from her chest any second now.

When the panties have dropped to the floor and are kicked hastily to the side to join the discarded tank top, Olivia sluggishly comes to her senses as she stands there gazing at the naked form of her friend, her eyes roaming appreciatively up and down Amanda's gorgeous figure as the younger woman watches closely for her reaction. "What the hell are we doing?" she mumbles shakily as she wipes a trembling hand over her sweaty forehead.

"Well, this definitely isn't our typical Saturday morning," Amanda acknowledges with a chuckle as she steps closer again, her breasts grazing Olivia's T-shirt when they are standing toe to toe. "But I think we're finally doing what we should have done a long time ago...taking things to the next level."

"I think we might have skipped a couple of levels here," Olivia blurts out bluntly, and this time an uproarious laugh expels from Amanda's mouth, Olivia instantly panicking and doing the only thing she can think of to quiet Amanda down and keep the kids from waking up.

She slides her arms around the bare skin of the blonde detective's waist, the smooth expanse pebbled with goosebumps, and swiftly presses her lips to Amanda's, silencing the laughter as the other woman eagerly returns the kiss. Their lips caress gently together for a few minutes before picking up the pace and becoming more intense, the passion that has been building up inside of Olivia for the past several months finally spilling out as she grips slender hips tightly and grinds her pelvis into Amanda's.

"Ohhh, fuck, Liv," the younger woman gasps into her mouth, Olivia feeling nimble fingers sneaking beneath her shirt and trailing patterns along the heated skin of her back.

They have somehow stumbled over to the bed and are leaning precariously against the mattress in a tangle of limbs and breathless kisses, Olivia quickly righting their entwined forms before they fall onto the rumpled sheets and the situation has a chance to progress any further. She holds Amanda to her chest for a moment as they both struggle to catch their breath, smoothing a hand over wild blonde hair as the detective leans into her body and rests her head on her shoulder.

"We should stop," Olivia whispers raggedly as she places a kiss on Amanda's temple and feels the other woman's grip on her ribs tighten. "The kids are going to wake up soon and I don't want our first time together to be so rushed."

"You've thought about our first time?" Amanda murmurs as she leans her head back with a smile and Olivia catches her lips in another quick kiss.

"Yes, I have," she replies truthfully, stroking her thumbs over her friend's cheekbone as she gazes fervently down at her. "Many times, actually."

"Hmm, so have I," Amanda answers softly as the smile on her face widens and her blue eyes light up with mischief once again. "And to think this whole situation got started just because I was playing a Taylor Swift song. Which song of hers do you think I should play to get you in the mood for next time, Liv?"

"I wouldn't know, I don't listen to her music," Olivia says evenly, her lips quirking at Amanda's disbelieving look and another roll of those big blue eyes, like she knows her boss is lying and actually enjoys the young artist's ballads. "It was your singing and dancing that caught my attention." She lowers her voice, an unexpected swell of emotion overtaking her for a moment. "And that glimpse into a side of you that I don't get to see very much, even though we spend so much time together. You looked so peaceful...so free."

She neglects to mention the demons that haunt them both and the hell they have been through over the years in their personal and professional lives, and to see the younger woman so carefree and comfortable in her own skin has brought more than just a feeling of desire to Olivia's soul; it has brought pure joy.

"Well, maybe it's a side of me that I'll let you see more often, Liv." Amanda's tone is subdued and thoughtful, and that teasing glint in her eyes has been replaced with something else; something that Olivia dares not put a name to just yet but a feeling that she shares wholeheartedly and hopes to speak aloud one day in the near future.

"I'd like that," she replies reverently, the sun's golden rays beginning to peek into the bedroom and banishing the remaining darkness as they sway to the music together.