A New Years Eve Story (Guiding Light)
I wrote Sophie/Tara Leverage fic here for femslash10.
And below the cut is an Otalia ficlet for the "Insert Kiss Here" challenge. New Years Eve 2008. Relevant clip of adorability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDFf3cCpAyA
"You guys!"
Natalia had not been dreaming. She'd been half-lying on the couch and watching Emma, who had tired of dancing and settled back next to her. Emma kept up a running commentary of the pre-ball drop on television. Emma enjoyed Ryan Seacrest.
Natalia enjoyed spending New Years Eve in the family room of her farmhouse and not at Towers, but she could tear herself away from the television long enough to glance at Olivia. Olivia patted Emma's head indulgently and met Natalia's gaze.
Olivia had mouthed "MTV generation."
"That's us," Natalia had whispered. "Not her. Us."
Olivia gave her one of those secretive smiles.
The next thing Natalia knew, she was trying to sit up. The side of her face felt flat from the arm of the couch. Olivia, too, was rousing herself into wakefulness. Emma's excitement was infectious.
Natalia tried to focus on the television. The ball was already moving and the music was already playing. Olivia's hand touched her back. Emma squirmed against her side. Natalia smiled. The crystal ball that cost more money than even Olivia had, that glittered like diamonds and starlight, lit up spectacularly as it became a new year.
Emma's shrill cheers drowned out the music. In the deafening sound, as Emma pressed against her and Olivia rubbed her back, Natalia felt something click into place inside her. She was home. Olivia had been insufferably right. She didn't need to work three jobs anymore to save up to get out of the boarding house, to get somewhere else, to be something more. She'd done it. With Olivia's insufferable help, but she'd done it.
Together a million people sang "Auld Lang Syne" and Emma joined them, getting half the words right, slurring the rest cheerfully. Olivia, though, only smiled, looking at Natalia. Natalia reached back and Olivia's hand slid into hers.
"Happy New Years," Olivia said.
"Happy New Years."
Natalia leaned closer, behind Emma's head, and Olivia kissed her. Olivia had been aiming for her cheek. Natalia twisted to meet Olivia's lips, which were warm and still against hers. She drew back and smiled.
Olivia said, "I'm sorry I don't have champagne."
"That's okay. Right Em'? We have each other." Natalia shifted on the couch, smiling as Olivia's arm settled around her shoulders.
"Guys, sing," Emma complained.
"I can't sing," Olivia said.
Emma poked her.
Olivia winked.
Natalia shrugged and sang, under Emma's volume, "We'll take a cup of kindness yet…"
"For auld lang syne!" Emma shouted.
Before Natalia's ears stopped ringing, Emma had curled up with her head in Natalia's lap and fell asleep. Natalia tapped her. When Emma didn't move, Natalia shrugged and rubbed Emma's back gently. Olivia mimicked the movement against Natalia.
"Do you remember what you were doing a year ago?" Natalia asked.
Olivia shook her head and closed her eyes. "I don't want to think about a year ago."
"Okay." Natalia hesitated, thinking back, "Two years ago, I took Rafe bowling for New Years. Back in Chicago. He was a little too young for a party like that, but that only made him love it, being around a crowd of 20-somethings, smelling the champagne with the disco lights and music he knew all the words to."
"Is he a good bowler?"
"Oh, not even close. But I could bartend, and it was nice to spend time with him and see him happy even while I was working."
"So that's why you--"
"Habit," Natalia said. "Time and a half plus tips, usually."
Olivia opened her eyes and rolled her neck. She gave Natalia a sideways smile.
"I wish he were here," Natalia said.
Olivia nodded and pursed her lips.
"Here. With us."
"Next year, he will be," Olivia said.
"Yes. Yes, he will."
"Until then…" Olivia drawled.
"It's going to be a very good year. I'm looking right into it."
"It is. Starting with a very good nap."
Olivia settled back against the couch and covered Natalia's hand on Emma with her own. Natalia waited until Olivia was asleep, her mouth open, her face slack and peaceful. Then she slid out from under Emma and began to clean up, with the music still playing on the television and her family to keep her company.
END
And below the cut is an Otalia ficlet for the "Insert Kiss Here" challenge. New Years Eve 2008. Relevant clip of adorability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDFf3cCpAyA
"You guys!"
Natalia had not been dreaming. She'd been half-lying on the couch and watching Emma, who had tired of dancing and settled back next to her. Emma kept up a running commentary of the pre-ball drop on television. Emma enjoyed Ryan Seacrest.
Natalia enjoyed spending New Years Eve in the family room of her farmhouse and not at Towers, but she could tear herself away from the television long enough to glance at Olivia. Olivia patted Emma's head indulgently and met Natalia's gaze.
Olivia had mouthed "MTV generation."
"That's us," Natalia had whispered. "Not her. Us."
Olivia gave her one of those secretive smiles.
The next thing Natalia knew, she was trying to sit up. The side of her face felt flat from the arm of the couch. Olivia, too, was rousing herself into wakefulness. Emma's excitement was infectious.
Natalia tried to focus on the television. The ball was already moving and the music was already playing. Olivia's hand touched her back. Emma squirmed against her side. Natalia smiled. The crystal ball that cost more money than even Olivia had, that glittered like diamonds and starlight, lit up spectacularly as it became a new year.
Emma's shrill cheers drowned out the music. In the deafening sound, as Emma pressed against her and Olivia rubbed her back, Natalia felt something click into place inside her. She was home. Olivia had been insufferably right. She didn't need to work three jobs anymore to save up to get out of the boarding house, to get somewhere else, to be something more. She'd done it. With Olivia's insufferable help, but she'd done it.
Together a million people sang "Auld Lang Syne" and Emma joined them, getting half the words right, slurring the rest cheerfully. Olivia, though, only smiled, looking at Natalia. Natalia reached back and Olivia's hand slid into hers.
"Happy New Years," Olivia said.
"Happy New Years."
Natalia leaned closer, behind Emma's head, and Olivia kissed her. Olivia had been aiming for her cheek. Natalia twisted to meet Olivia's lips, which were warm and still against hers. She drew back and smiled.
Olivia said, "I'm sorry I don't have champagne."
"That's okay. Right Em'? We have each other." Natalia shifted on the couch, smiling as Olivia's arm settled around her shoulders.
"Guys, sing," Emma complained.
"I can't sing," Olivia said.
Emma poked her.
Olivia winked.
Natalia shrugged and sang, under Emma's volume, "We'll take a cup of kindness yet…"
"For auld lang syne!" Emma shouted.
Before Natalia's ears stopped ringing, Emma had curled up with her head in Natalia's lap and fell asleep. Natalia tapped her. When Emma didn't move, Natalia shrugged and rubbed Emma's back gently. Olivia mimicked the movement against Natalia.
"Do you remember what you were doing a year ago?" Natalia asked.
Olivia shook her head and closed her eyes. "I don't want to think about a year ago."
"Okay." Natalia hesitated, thinking back, "Two years ago, I took Rafe bowling for New Years. Back in Chicago. He was a little too young for a party like that, but that only made him love it, being around a crowd of 20-somethings, smelling the champagne with the disco lights and music he knew all the words to."
"Is he a good bowler?"
"Oh, not even close. But I could bartend, and it was nice to spend time with him and see him happy even while I was working."
"So that's why you--"
"Habit," Natalia said. "Time and a half plus tips, usually."
Olivia opened her eyes and rolled her neck. She gave Natalia a sideways smile.
"I wish he were here," Natalia said.
Olivia nodded and pursed her lips.
"Here. With us."
"Next year, he will be," Olivia said.
"Yes. Yes, he will."
"Until then…" Olivia drawled.
"It's going to be a very good year. I'm looking right into it."
"It is. Starting with a very good nap."
Olivia settled back against the couch and covered Natalia's hand on Emma with her own. Natalia waited until Olivia was asleep, her mouth open, her face slack and peaceful. Then she slid out from under Emma and began to clean up, with the music still playing on the television and her family to keep her company.
END