Needs, Wants, Desires, and Dreams

Burning Desire

As the days continued to pass, Emily and Alison practiced the art of living around each other, not with each other. After the events of Friday afternoon, Emily had quickly backed away from their tender hug to add distance between them. Alison understood this maybe more than anyone. She empathized with everything in her heart, telling her that Emily could be hers again if she acted instinctually. But reason fought with instinct every step of the way. Instinct would make her no better than Maya, and she damn well knew she was better than her.

They were pleasant and enjoyed time together when spent with Olivia. But as soon as she was put down for a nap, went to visit with Pam, or went to bed at night, they disappeared into their own areas of the house. They tiptoed around one another, neither wanting to step too firmly and cause another disagreement. It was with this fragility that Emily walked toward Alison that Tuesday afternoon as Alison sat on the couch reading casually.

"Hey..." Emily stated cautiously, approaching the couch as though it could be hot to the touch.

Alison replied with little formality, quickly turning her head back to her book, "Hey."

"Could you put that down, please? I need to talk to you about something."

"Who, me?" Alison inquired both flirtatiously and sarcastically which threw Emily off, sending blush directly to her cheeks. "Sorry, instinct. Go ahead." She dog-eared the page while setting the book down in front of her.

Emily brushed her hair behind her ear, allowing the side of her neck to become visible to Alison who couldn't help but stare, "So, typically I would ask my mom, but um, now that you're here and all..."

Alison picked her book back up immediately, opening it again to her reserved location, "You need me to babysit, right? I mean, I have to say yes, or I'm the dick. When's the date?"

"It's not a –"

She looked up over her reading glasses, cocking her head to the side. Emily gulped at the remembrance of how hot Alison's glasses tended to make her look. Not that she wasn't always attractive in Emily's eyes, but as a bookworm herself, it still gave Emily a little extra tingle.

"It's with Maya, right?" Emily nodded in reply. "So it is a date, Em."

"Well, okay..." she stuttered, standing up to walk away, "It's tomorrow night by the way." She stated moments from turning into the kitchen.

"Question." Alison asked as Emily spun back around, exhaling heavily, noticing that Alison had re-set down her book and crossed her legs astutely, "Do you know if your mom has spoken to her in any real depths about your relationship? I mean, do I need to sit Maya down and ask what her intentions are with my wife? Do you typically have a curfew, or should I expect you to not come home tomorrow night? Is it alright if I wait up for you to see if she treated you okay, or is that not appropriate consider –"

"Ali –"

Alison smirked at the carpet, knowing she had hit a nerve, "Oh, sorry. Was that too far?"

"You know what you're doing." Emily muttered, walking back toward her wife, who was still seated on the opposite couch.

"One more question, then I'm all done. Wednesday's are your usual date night, I assume." Emily nodded once again at Alison's query, "Great, so Maya knows that in two weeks' time, she'll be taking you out on our 4th wedding anniversary, right?" Alison watched as Emily's face went cold both in touch and in appearance. "Oh! You hadn't considered that yet? Noted. Got it, babe."

Alison left her book on the coffee table as she moved toward the stairs, stopping to turn back around to her wife before ascending, "You should let her know about that tomorrow when you see her. While you're at it, can you ask if we could maybe share that day? You know, it was kind of our day first, but I would hate to intrude on the endless memories you both have created on Wednesdays. Wouldn't it be terrible if I came in and disregarded the foundation you had built over the past, let's say, half a year for a four year anniversary?"