Weird
by
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em. That honor goes to Dick Wolf etc…
Fluffy, floofy, pure sugar sappyness ahead.
To DiNovia: Kick Start Your Muse, Girl. :D
Like it or not, Razz the writer: shaych3@yahoo.com
%%%
ADA Casey Novak stared at the remainder of her meal and sighed. Lonesome lunches sucked worse than late nights and cold coffee. Tearing the bread into jagged chunks, she tossed it out for the birds and wiped her hands on her charcoal gray slacks.
Fifteen minutes remained to the hour
to which she was entitled to use for the consumption of a
Today, however, was the first day
she had broken free of her bonds and she had been determined to enjoy
the warm spring sun. It
had been wonderful to soak in the smells and sounds of
Yay me. I get to stand in front of
A flock of gray pigeons descended on the breadcrumbs. Squabbles broke out as bigger birds attempted to hoard all of the food while the little ones shrieked and fought for scraps.
Casey watched the conflict with a jaundiced eye. Briefly, she was inclined to compare the avian struggle to the goings on in the office of the district attorney. Arthur Branch liked to surround himself with go-getters with a penchant for punching first and saying please, thank you, and may I after.
Big fish, little pond - lots of plankton to consume. That's
us.
She smirked. "Casey, you should not eat tuna-turkey-cheddar-egg salad sandwiches when you're feeling existential."
"Counselor, if I ate that, I think existentialism would be the least of my worries." A familiar warm voice caused Casey to turn around.
"Liv. What are you doing here?"
Detective Olivia Benson leaned on
the back of the bench and smiled.
"Well, I thought I'd see if my favorite
"Oh,
ha-ha. I'm
sure you've got some left over childhood goodie that you felt guilty
for eating, but just can’t help it."
Favorite
Cocking her head, Olivia smirked and said, "Uh, nope. Pretty boring food fare for me, actually. Peanut butter and jelly, or bologna and cheese were the everyday staples of my childhood diet."
"Ah, well it's good to know that your tastes haven't changed much," Casey said. The last time they'd shared a meal, Olivia had ordered a ridiculously expensive grilled cheese sandwich while Casey had indulged in a concoction that looked like it could have fed a family of four.
Liv shrugged. "Hey, I know what I like. Can't blame a girl for going for it, can you?"
No, no you most certainly cannot. If only you liked me... would you go for it? Could I be your brass ring, Olivia Benson? Casey smiled. "No, I guess not." She glanced at her watch. "Hey, look - in thirty minutes I get to be verbally slapped around by a fellow member of the bar."
Olivia's expression darkened. "The Miller warrant?"
"Oh yeah. Granger's all over it." Casey pressed her lips together and made a face. "You know Lionel - no one's guilty until he can't prove them innocent. And the probable cause is shaky enough that a stiff wind will make it go away."
"Ah," Olivia said, nodding in understanding. "Petrovsky." She patted Casey on the shoulder affectionately. "You'll do fine, Case. You and I both know that Miller's guilty." She smiled. "If you want, I'll go sit in the gallery and lend some moral support and stare daggers into the bastard's back for you."
Casey laughed. "Why Detective, don't let an officer of the court hear you threaten a suspect - you might find a rat in your desk."
Liv frowned briefly. "I leave the cheese at home, Counselor. Only thing a rat's gonna find is a package of saltines."
"What have you got against those poor, innocent little crackers, anyway?" Casey asked as she stood. Liv came around to the other side of the bench and they began to head toward One-H-P together.
"Have you tasted them? It's like eating dry paste that's been soaked in salt."
"Detective, I'll have you know that I was a connoisseur of paste in kindergarten."
"I always knew there was something off about you, Counselor. Never would have figured you for a paste-head though."
Laughing, Casey said, "Are you going to arrest me, Detective?" She jokingly held out her hands, wrists pressed together.
Olivia felt her ears burn as a variety of erotic thoughts flooded her mind. Ice, cold water, pouring down your back. A pile of fresh dog shit. The scent of rotting garbage... She struggled to replace the carnal images with those of a less troublemaking nature.
Curving her lips into a wide smile, Liv said, "No, I'm sure the statue of limitations has long since run out on that offense. How about I chastise you over dinner later?" Did I just ask her out for a date?
Did she just ask me out on a date? "Sure - where, when, and should I bring a male companion?"
"I'll meet you at your office after work. And leave the boys at home. Let's make this a girl's night out." Damn. Guess she's straight. Gotta get a better gaydar - the blue light special just isn't working anymore.
Casey bit her lip.
"Sounds like fun. I'm
all for leaving the boys at home - they tend to make things complicated
anyway." And if that wasn't the most runaround way of
fishing for an Outing, I don't know what is... The
Liv replied, "And you prefer things... simple?"
"You could say that." They arrived at the door to the DA's office. "Looks like this is my stop."
Flashing a smile, Olivia said,
"Looks like. I'll
see you in a bit." She
turned to go, then
looked back at the
"Yeah?"
"I'm a simple kind of girl myself."
After retrieving her heart from the lunar surface of the moon, Casey said, "That's nice to know, Detective."
%%%
In a flood of the kind of luck only made by leprechauns and fairy godmothers, Casey found herself staring in shock as Petrovsky not only upheld the warrant, but admonished Granger for tying up the court with frivolous motions.
So it was just a little after five
when Casey was able to put the rest of her cases to bed. The streak held when the
shadowy form of Olivia Benson darkened her doorway at ten of six. Whatever
Karma I'm being blessed with right now, please let it last the night...
"Detective - hey, I'm just finishing up," she said as she shoved a few last papers into a folder, put it into a file drawer and locked the cabinet for the night.
Smiling laconically, Olivia leaned against the doorjamb and said, "Take your time, Counselor. I'm not going anywhere."
The desire to get up, walk over to the detective and kiss her senseless was quite possibly the hardest thing Casey Novak had ever had to shred into tiny particles of should'ves, could'ves, and would'ves. Instead, she stood, grabbed her briefcase and said, "Lead on, Detective. I'm all yours."
Fighting the urge to smile like a cat that’d discovered that creamed canary really did taste like chicken, Olivia held the door open for Casey and said, "Italian okay with you?"
%%%
It was, all in all, a well made meal. A variety of culinary delights had teased the women's palates, leaving their hunger sated while light banter satisfied the requirements of friendship. It was, however, the silent conversation that was carried on from gaze to gaze - chocolate and mint mixing and blending in an ineffable conflagration of unspoken questions that left both Casey and Olivia a little breathless by the time the check arrived.
They both reached for it simultaneously. Shared laughter was followed by similar statements of, "I'll pay - No, Let me."
Casey slowly licked her lips. "I suppose we could go dutch."
Olivia shook her head vehemently. "I'm all for compromise,
Counselor. However,
I asked you out - my treat." Impishly,
she said, "But you can pay next time."
There will be a next time -
please tell me there will be a next time.
Picking up her cup of coffee, Casey
sipped slowly at the dark, full bodied brew and considered the veiled
expression on Olivia's face. While
others might mistake Casey's nonchalance as an oblique form of
ignorance, what the
Setting her cup down, Casey said, "How about I make you dessert?" The expression on her face was a calculated blend of light flirtatiousness and outright sensuality.
I think I know this dance, now. Should I take the chance? Wasn't taking risks what she did for a living? Olivia slipped her credit card into the leather case containing their bill and said, "Does that come with breakfast?"
Casey was absolutely stunned. Her mouth dropped open and she stared at the detective in disbelief.
Regretting her words, Liv covered her face with one hand and said, "I'm sorry. That was extremely crass. Forget I said it."
Warmth encased Olivia's free hand. Fingers entwining with
hers caused her to look at Casey.
The
Gripping Casey's hand tightly, Olivia said, "Let me guess - Pop Tarts and Frosted Flakes with banana milk?"
"Actually, I'm more of a Cocoa Puffs with strawberry milk girl. But I'm willing to try new things," Casey replied with a twinkling smile.
"Am I a new thing?" Olivia asked softly.
Casey's reply was interrupted by the
return of Olivia's credit card. After
the detective had signed the receipt, she stood and waited for the
"You do realize that I want to kiss you, right?" The statement fell out before Liv could catch it. Hovering in the air between them, the words seemed to take on a form and shape that swirled them up in a cyclone that blocked all other sight and sound.
Casey stumbled to a halt and turned to face Olivia. Taking a shuddering breath, she said, "What's stopping you?"
The smile on Olivia's face reflected her nervousness. "I don't know. Nothing. Everything. God, Casey - I look at you and I'm filled with all these thoughts and wants and you’ve never once said anything and now..." The softness of Casey's lips on hers was like feather down and sweeter than marshmallows. In her head, the pounding of her heart was thunderous and Olivia knew that in the space of those beats she was falling into a well with no end. She opened her mouth to breathe in and found it filled with the warmth of Casey's tongue. Unbidden, a quiet moan trickled out and was echoed by the attorney.
Weaving her fingers into the russet hair that brushed Olivia's collar, Casey drowned in the hedonistic ecstasy that the detective's kiss was engendering.
They broke apart to the sounds of catcalls and applause.
Flushed, but grinning happily, the two women ducked into the nearest cab. Casey gave her address and then sat back and covered her face with her hands.
"You okay?" Liv’s tone was breathless and a little higher than normal.
"Oh, yeah, I'm perfect, Detective. It's my habit to be caught kissing the woman of my dreams in front of the second most popular Italian restaurant on the island."
Hearing the words, "woman" and "dreams" applied to herself did wonders for Olivia's smile. In fact, it could be said that the grin that stretched itself, catlike, across the detective's face was edging into stunningly huge.
Captivated, Casey said, "If only I could run my laptop off that smile."
Olivia’s laughter filled Casey with such warmth that she decided right then and there to make a conscious effort to bring that laugh out on a daily basis.
The remainder of the cab ride would remain forever etched onto their memories as the slow burn from Hell. If Casey wasn't surreptitiously glancing at Liv, the detective was covertly eyeing her companion. In front, the cab driver was almost as clueless as a CSU tech in a dark, empty room. Except that the cabbie didn't have the benefit of a GCMS to pick up the scent.
As they pulled up to the apartment
building, Casey leaned forward and paid, tipping the driver generously. Piling out, Olivia
gallantly held the door for the
Getting from the entrance to the
lobby and from there to Casey's front door was a liquid progression
that included a short stop at the mail boxes and a brief but inspiring
break when the
The inside of Casey Novak's apartment was a lot like the young attorney. Bold, yet unpretentious - the walls held bright splashes of color in the form of framed prints while the furniture had the comfortable, lived-in appeal of items that had known their place within the scheme of the decor for a long, long time. The television was average in size, but the stereo system spoke of an audiophile's love of all things musical. Olivia looked around, smiling at the tiny piles of clutter that gathered like kittens on every available surface. Organization was obviously not Casey's strong point. Compared to the cold sterility of her apartment, Olivia found herself enjoying the hominess of Casey's place.
They hung their coats on pegs. Suddenly nervous, Casey turned to Olivia and said, "So, you want something to drink? Wine? Coffee?"
"No, thanks." Recognizing the attorney's agitation, Olivia said, "How about the two bit tour?" She finished the question with a soft, calming smile.
Casey laughed. "In this apartment, Detective, it's more like the half-bit tour." She ran a hand through her hair, gestured around the room and said, "Well, you can see the living room, dining room and kitchen from where you're standing. Over there is a hallway, which leads to the bathroom and my bed-" she stammered a little here, "-room."
"Ahh. Well, Casey Novak - are you secretly a pink and foofy girl, or is your bedroom a haven of white on white?"
Casey smirked. "Perhaps you'll find out."
Hooking her fingers into the waistband of Casey's slacks, Olivia drew the attorney into her arms and said, "Well, Counselor - as you know, I'm very good at what I do. Learning secrets is part and parcel of investigative procedure." She nuzzled Casey's cheek and brushed several tiny kisses over the soft skin. When she reached the attorney's ear, she whispered, "What secrets do you have, Casey Novak?"
Casey slid her hands up Olivia's chest and rested them on the detective's shoulders. "None worth keeping from you, Olivia Benson," she replied. Their kisses were tentatively passionate. Like finding an oasis in the desert, yet being unsure if it were a mirage or reality. Each touch, every caress was prefaced by a quick glance into the other's eyes.
"So, what would you like for dessert? I have chocolate, cherries and vanilla ice cream for starters." Casey's question came between kisses.
Olivia's answer was prefaced by the
unbuttoning of all but two of the buttons on the
The final two buttons came free and she slipped the garment off, letting it fall to floor with a soft, shushing flutter. "For you, Olivia - I'm always on the menu." Her smile was rich, lush and enticing. Their kisses were thick, broken by gasps as they discovered the boundaries of flesh with slow, curving touches that left both women delirious with desire.
"So do I get to see the bedroom, Miss Novak, or am I going to have to ravish you where you stand?" The question was asked in a soft growl that vibrated from Casey's shoulder to her eyebrows. Olivia's lips were currently engaged in tickling a path of kisses, nips and bites from the top of the attorney's collarbone to the curving arch of her neck.
Momentarily unable to create sound, syllable and syntax, Casey could only wrap her arms around Olivia's body, slide her hands into the detective's back pockets and sigh contentedly.
In the semi darkness of Casey's apartment, Liv was happy to become entranced in the younger woman's pale opalescent skin. The thin bit of fabric masquerading as a bra vanished under her knowing fingers. The hitch in Casey's breath became a stutter for oxygen as Olivia pressed kisses into the curves of the attorney's breasts. Tugging her hands from the pockets, Casey stripped Olivia of her shirt and bra. Flesh on flesh in dreams was nothing compared to the reality of silk on satin as they slid together.
Casey put her hands on Olivia's shoulders and said, "Turn around, Detective." Gamely, Olivia did. Covering the older woman's eyes with her hands, Casey murmured, "Walk forward slowly, Olivia."
With a chuckle, the detective played
along and allowed Casey to guide her down the hall.
When they got to the bedroom door, she reached up and
started to remove the
"Why do I suddenly suspect its neon orange, lime green and grape purple in there?"
"I'll keep that in mind for the next time I redecorate, Detective."
Casey pulled one hand away from Olivia's face and opened the door. The light switch to her left illuminated the room in a soft glow of colored light cast by the shade of the Tiffany style lamp that adorned her dresser. Removing her other hand, Casey said, "You can look now, Liv."
As she blinked her eyes, Olivia took in the decor and was impressed. Not one shade of color that peppered the room was garish, clashing or disturbing. Muted, soft tones were highlighted with brighter, jeweled pieces that enhanced a sense of tranquility and femininity that seemed perfectly fitting to Casey Novak.
The furniture was wood, stained in cherry and made in a utilitarian style that harkened back to the Arts and Crafts movement of the early twentieth century. The bed was of the sleigh style, with both the head and foot boards being veneered in tiger maple. Bronze-gold and teal accents decorated the ruddy, almost mahogany red duvet that covered the bed.
The walls were done in Venetian plaster, colored in a pale terra cotta that evoked a sense of warm, rolling hills and vineyards rich with the heady scent of growing things. Olivia stepped into the room, letting her fingers glide over the door as she passed into Casey's haven.
"You spend a lot of time in here," she said without preamble. Smiling, she added, "I would too."
Ducking her head, Casey smiled shyly and said, "I'd like that." She bit her lip. "You spending a lot of time in here, that is."
Casey closed the door and then hugged herself. In her dreams, there had been no time for hesitations or nerves. Somehow it had been easy to fantasize about falling into bed with Olivia Benson, but the reality was fraught with the social undulations that could cause the undercarriage to suddenly drop and stall their vehicle in the middle of the road.
Olivia stepped into Casey's personal
space and set her hands on the
Suddenly it didn't seem so difficult to take the detective into her arms. Pulling Olivia against her, Casey laid her head on the detective's and sighed happily. Liv ran her hands up and down Casey's back, inducing trails of goosebumps with each pass.
Pressing soft kisses into the taller
Casey grinned. "Olivia Benson - poet detective. I love it." She pressed a kiss into Liv's hair. "I'd like nothing more than to have that chance to be your safety net, Liv."
Scared, hopeful and feeling just a tad bit shy, Casey stepped away from Olivia and held out her hand. "There's a bed in here that's almost as soft as your touch, Olivia. Join me, and let's see if we can't find a way to fly instead of fall."
Sliding her hand into Casey's, Olivia allowed the younger woman to draw her toward the bed. The covers were thrown back revealing soft, dark green flannel sheets and thick pillows covered by the same fabric. Shyly, Casey reached down and, with one hand, unhooked the clasp to her slacks. Then she looked into Liv's eyes and said, "I could use a little help here, Detective." The smile she gave Liv was sweet and sexy.
Taking hold of the zipper tab on Casey's pants, Liv tugged while the attorney held the fabric. When it was completely undone, Casey let go and kicked her legs free of the material.
"Now it's your turn," she said and reached out to unbutton the detective's jeans. Five buttons later, Liv was shimmying out of the denim.
"Never figured you for lace," Casey said as she eyed the detective's choice of undergarment.
Liv smirked. "My momma always told me to be prepared."
Laughing, Casey said, "Were you a Girl Scout, too, Olivia?"
Liv climbed on the bed. "No," she said. "But I wanted to be a Boy Scout once."
As she moved over to make room for Casey, Liv said, "How about you? Did you annoy your neighbors with persistent requests to buy your cookies?"
Casey settled next to Olivia. "No. Four-H, Campfire Girls, and team sports - those were my things. Anything to be outside, in the sun, and surrounded by nature. Of course -" she grimaced good naturedly, "I learned young to bathe in sunscreen."
Trailing her fingers down Casey's pale arm, Olivia said, "A lesson that has paid off - you have the most beautiful skin. It makes you look fragile, but there's a core of steel within you. I admire that, Casey. You're so strong - a born fighter - I love that."
Casey turned onto her side and snuggled up against Liv. "How strange - you seem so tough, so stern sometimes that I spent months wondering if you even liked me and then... one day, you smiled at me and I had this rare opportunity to see something of the real you and that was it. I had to see that smile again."
"So that's why all the jokes. I was wondering." Olivia turned to put her arms around Casey. Kissing her softly, she said, "You don't have to make me laugh to get me to smile, Casey. Just seeing you makes it happen." She paused and then amended, "Well, unless you've come to the squad to tell me that my warrant is a no go. Then I won’t be interested in smiling. But it still makes me all fuzzy inside to see you."
Giggling, Casey scattered kisses over Liv's face. "I'll remember that the next time you accuse me of being an ineffectual slave to the system."
"Ah, but you're my ineffectual
slave," Liv replied sagely. Then
she slid her hands over Casey's breasts and cupped them gently. The
"Yes, yours," she whispered.
Then there was no time for talk, whispered or otherwise, as Casey and Olivia’s love flowered like night blooming jasmine.
%%%
"I don't know about this, Case."
"Oh, just try it, Liv. Come on, would I steer you wrong?" The attorney smiled winningly at her lover. "Please? For me?"
Olivia eyed the breakfast spread out before her. Two bowls, filled to the brim with dark nuggets of cereal were accompanied by cups of steaming coffee, slabs of toast and a pink carton of liquid.
Exasperated, Casey grabbed the carton, poured the strawberry milk over her portion and dug her spoon into the crunchy mess. "Open your mouth, Liv. Try it. If you hate it, I'll run down to the market and get you some of those pastries you adore."
Since that was a bet she was sure to win, Olivia bravely opened her mouth. The spoonful of cereal was delivered. Strawberry and chocolate swirled in her mouth. It was sweet, but not bad. Chewing, she realized that it was, in fact, quite good. She swallowed and grinned sheepishly. I think I've just found a new favorite breakfast. "Well Counselor, you'd better get out the book you're gonna throw, because I have to confess - it was good."
Casey's response was to indicate the carton of milk. "Do you want to pour, or shall I?"
"Oh, I think you can have the honor," Liv replied as she sat.
Casey smiled and drowned Olivia's cereal in a blush pink waterfall.
As she picked up her spoon, Liv muttered, "But if you tell Elliot about this, I will deny any knowledge of this behavior."
Laughing, Casey said, "Don't worry, Detective - your secrets are safe with me."
Olivia’s answering smile was sweeter
than all the pastries in
fin
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