Timeframe: This takes place after Natalia’s canceled wedding and prior to Otalia ‘genuine’ kiss we have yet to see at this point (and not one of those, "I can’t say the word lesbians so I’ll just kiss you to show you what I mean" kisses. We’re talking a real kiss).
Author’s Notes: For those people that might ask, "Are you the CN who writes Xena and Buffy fanfic?" The answer is yes, I am. My friend Bridget (damn you!!) sent me a link to the youtube videos of Otaliafan and needless to say I was hooked. Parts of this story are slightly corny I’ll admit, but overall it’s a very nice pairing. 
Standard Disclaimer Ahead: Guiding Light is a product of Proctor & Gamble (like Ivory Soap, Crest and Pringles), and appears on CBS at the time of writing this. The characters are the creative property of the show and its producers – I’m just borrowing them for my amusement, and hopefully those few souls who read this.
Word Count: 2200 words

"Well, my oh my. Look what the cat dragged in," Doris said as she took a seat next to Olivia at the bar. "Or should I say dragged out."

Olivia’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the woman sitting next to her. She then took the time to examine Doris from head to toe and said, "No hat I see. Decided to leave the disguise at home this time?"

At first Doris didn’t say anything, but she did give Olivia a slight grin.

"So where’s your sweetheart?" Doris asked. "I figured by now you two’d be at home doing some serious pearl diving."

Olivia tried not to smile. "Pearl diving? That’s a lovely euphemism," she added sarcastically.

Doris looked over at Olivia’s drink and asked, "Margarita?"

Olivia just nodded and Doris motion to the bartender. "Two margaritas please," she said.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Mayor Wolfe?" Olivia asked.

Doris looked around the bar and then whispered, "You’re the best prospect here tonight so why the hell not?"

"Thank you." Olivia gave her a seductive leer and then cleared her throat. "But I must admit… I am in love. Madly, deeply, hopelessly… with Natalia."

"Hopeless love," Doris said with a slight shake of her head. "That’s never good, Liv."

"First, what would you know about it? And second, don’t call me Liv."

"Fair enough," Doris replied. She paid the bartender as she set the two drinks in front of them. Doris took a small sip and a silence passed between them. "Seriously," she said as she rested her glass back down upon the bar. "How are you two doing?"

"Why do you care?" Olivia asked. "Looking for another political move using my social life?"

"Hey," Doris said sounding serious, "if I make a successful match with you and Natalia I’ve made my gay quota for the year – I get the toaster oven, and not the single broiler either, but the fancy double one."

Dropping the façade slightly, Doris gave Olivia the slightest of grins and Olivia stared to chuckle in spite of herself.

"For a total bitch…you have your moments," Olivia announced holding up her glass.

Doris raised hers and clicked them together.

"Back at ya," she toasted. They each took a drink. "Really, where’s Natalia? Why are you here alone?" Doris asked, looking around the room.

"I invited her," Olivia said. "She said she’d stop by…maybe..." Olivia sighed heavily and downed the rest of her margarita.

"You know, you can talk to me," Doris prompted.

"Yeah? So you can go blab it to Frank and everyone else in Springfield?"

It was Doris’ turn to sigh.

"Technically I didn’t tell Frank how you felt. What I said was – and I quote - "Your ex-fiancée has the hots for Olivia." See? Big difference."

"Same difference," Olivia retorted.

"Look, either way the man deserved to know the truth. If you two weren’t going to tell him then someone had to."

Olivia’s shoulders slumped.

"You’re right," she said taking a drink from the new glass. "I can blame you for quite a bit, but when it comes to that one, well, you’re absolutely right."

For a moment, neither woman spoke.

"So…" Doris pressed on. "You’re all alone. You’ve got the ‘naughty business woman’ motif workin’ for you," she said as her fingers played with the lapel of Olivia’s jacket. "You’re slamming back margaritas like it’s Cinco de Mayo. None of this strikes me as being ‘Madly, deeply, hopelessly in love.’ If anything, it reeks of fear and frustration."

Olivia looked at Doris for a long moment as if on the verge of saying something until finally she spoke.

"If you say a word of this to anyone I will out you faster than you’ll can say Larry Craig. And I promise you… no ‘wide stance’ excuses like his will save your ass. You got it?"

"Ma’am, yes, ma’am," Doris teased.

"I mean it," Olivia said, her voice rising slightly as she waved her finger. Doris just motioned with her hands for Olivia to continue.

"Natalia wants to take things slow; to get comfortable with us, like we were when we were roommates."

"Oh, noooo," Doris said shaking her head.

"Oh, yes," Olivia replied with heavy frustration in her voice. "And while that’s not bad in theory, libido-wise, it’s…"

"A real downer," Doris replied.

"It’s killing me," Olivia confessed. "I look at her and I feel like I’m going to burst. And I literally ache – I mean there’s actually physical pain in particular…regions because I want her so badly."

Doris put a hand on Olivia’s shoulder.

"You poor woman – talk about karma coming and biting you in the ass."

"Yes, I have few… indiscretions… in my past," Olivia said. Doris harrumphed and rolled her eyes. "Okay," she admitted, "a lot of indiscretions, and yes, I know I was crazy to think that I’d ever find anyone that truly makes me happy who’s not totally insane… But I did... And now…"

"It’s lesbian bed death without ever having gone to bed," Doris replied.

"Lesbians…dead…in bed…what?" Olivia was totally confused.

Doris smiled.

"Lesbian bed death," she repeated. "It's a sociological theory that says lesbians have less sex the longer the relationship lasts. Which is why I make it a rule to never let a woman I sleep with stay overnight. Well, that and the whole being in the closet thing. Anyway, the point is you essentially become roommates… which is exactly what Natalia says she wants…and which is not good for your… aches and pains."

"Well, what do I do?" Olivia asked. "I think about kissing her or making a move and then I freeze up. I don’t want to scare her. But then I think maybe I’ll let her set the pace and when she’s ready she’ll-."

"Be the man," Doris interrupted her.

"Excuse me?"

"Someone has to be the man here and take charge," she repeated.

"You’re a gay homophobe AND a sexist?" Olivia asked sarcastically. "You think women can’t take charge? I can take charge."

"Exactly," Doris replied. "Whoever is the most domineering, outspoken and aggressive in the relationship needs to take on a masculine role, which in this case is you, because, let’s face it, that doesn’t describe Natalia at all. For gods sake she almost married a man she didn’t love because she couldn’t say no."

"Now that’s not entirely true," Olivia said trying to defend Natalia.

"Whatever," Doris brushed her off. "Point is, if you don’t decide to be the man then…You’ll be roommates forever."

The bartender came back by. "Can I get you anything else?"

"I’m good," Doris answered, and pitched her thumb toward Olivia. "But she’s going to need another margarita STAT." The bartender nodded as Olivia tossed back the rest of the drink as if on cue. "You have three ways to play this," Doris advised.

"One is be the man," Olivia answered. "What’s the other two?"

"One is something I know you can do - be the tease; the seductress."

Olivia grinned at the prospect, but muttered, "Bitch," into her margarita glass.

"Third option? Force her hand," Doris continued, "Make her think if she doesn’t make a move, she might lose you."

"And how do I do that exactly?" Olivia asked.

"Well, it would take an elaborate scheme with lots of planning…" Doris trailed off as she looked over to see Natalia enter the front door. "Or it might work this very moment."

"What?" Olivia asked.

"Don’t look now, but Natalia just walked in," Doris replied. "She’s chatting with the doorman."

Olivia began to search and Doris slapped her arm.

"I said don’t look!" she chastised firmly, but tried to keep quiet at the same time. "Here’s what we’re going to do – I’m going to kiss you; you’re not going to resist at first, but then you’ll push me away and shake your head. Got it?"

Olivia smiled. "You’re cra-."

Before she could finish the sentence Doris’ lips were on hers. She found herself relaxing into the kiss as her hand made its way to Doris’s knee, giving it a light squeeze.

Doris for her part pushed her fingers through Olivia’s hair pulling her closer. When Doris’ tongue gently pushed through Olivia’s closed lips she found no resistance. In fact, Olivia’s fingertips dug deeper into Doris’ thigh.

From across the room Natalia froze in her tracks and her mouth began to slowly open in surprised. She continued to watch as Olivia pulled away and began shaking her head. Doris just shrugged in response. The mayor then looked over and saw Natalia.

Back at the bar Doris slowly rose from her spot. "I think that might have worked Olivia."

Olivia smiled. "Call me Liv," she replied.

Doris just smiled and patted her hand before making her way toward Natalia.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Natalia asked Doris as she approached. There was no mistaking the anger in her voice.

Doris paused and looked over her shoulder at Olivia.

"Let me put it this way…" Doris then looked back at Natalia with a smirk. "You’ve got wolves at your gate – or at least one wolf." She began to walk away, but Natalia grabbed her by the forearm.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Doris gave her a condescending smile.

"Olivia is a passionate woman, Natalia. She won’t be content with just holding hands forever. If you don’t meet her needs - all her needs - she’ll find a woman who will. Best part of all? She won’t have to look any further than city hall."

Doris walked away and Natalia took an unsteady breath as she turned to face Olivia. Doris made her way to the door, but before she left she looked over at Olivia and gave her a thumbs-up sign. Quickly, Olivia tried to hide her smile behind her margarita.

Olivia acted like she was just noticing Natalia as the woman walked over. She rose, somewhat shaken from her seat, and pulled out the seat next to her for Natalia to sit down.

"Doris was just here," Olivia said. "She, uh…"

"She kissed you," Natalia replied. It was just three words but they were filled with worry and uncertainty.

"Yeah. I said thanks, but no thanks…It’s not her lips that I want."

Olivia’s hands cupped Natalia’s face and her thumbs gently ran across her cheekbones. Instinctively Natalia began to look around her to see who might be watching.

"We’re safe here," Olivia reassured her.

Natalia instantly relaxed and her hands went to Olivia’s hips, pulling her closer. "I saw you kissing her and I…"

"It was a set-up," Olivia confessed dropping her hands away. "I’m not going to build our relationship on lies. I’ve done that enough in my life. I told Doris about how..."

When Olivia didn’t continue Natalia asked, "About what?"

"About how much I desire you. And about how frustrated I’m feeling. Then she had the bright idea of forcing your hand, to make you jealous. Next thing I know she’s kissing me. I didn’t even have time to disagree and…and…the other option was for one of us to be the man as she put it and I know that you’d never just kiss me…and I-."

Natalia’s lips seized Olivia’s. The hands she had on Olivia’s hips began to migrate – one hand went to the back of Olivia’s head and the other one cupped one buttock. Natalia pulled away slightly before returning to Olivia with even more fervor than the first time.

Olivia moaned and deepened the kiss, making Natalia growl hungrily in response. She pulled back long enough to lift Natalia to the bar chair before she settled her body between her assistant’s legs. Olivia looked down to see Natalia’s legs quivering. She ran her hands along the outside.

"Am I making you tremble like that?" Olivia asked coyly.

Natalia swallowed hard and closed her eyes, as if soaking up Olivia’s touch. She couldn’t audibly answer so she nodded her head in the affirmative.

"Open your eyes," Olivia gently ordered. Natalia did as instructed to see Olivia hovering mere inches away from her lips. "Doris had another option I could try… being the seductress."

"R-really?" Natalia asked.

"Yeah, but…I don’t want to coerce you into something you don’t…want…" Olivia put extra emphasis on the word ‘want’ as her fingertips worked their way into the button on Natalia’s jacket. With one easy stroke she unbuttoned it, making it fall open. She smiled wide when she heard Natalia slightly gasp in surprise.

"I’ve been your roommate," she said as she worked her hands under the jacket until the came to rest on Natalia’s hips. "Now I want to be your lover… starting tonight. So be honest…is that something you want?"

Natalia smiled and reached up to stroke Olivia’s face.

"I can honestly say… although I have practically no idea what will make you happy in bed…I’d love to find out."

"Who said we had to be in the bedroom?" Olivia teased. She licked her lips subconsciously as her eyes appraised Natalia’s curves with unspoken appreciation. Natalia blushed under the scrutiny until Olivia took some money out of her pocket and threw it on the bar.

"Thanks. Have a good night," the barkeep said as she collected it.

"We plan to," Olivia replied as she took Natalia by the hand and led her from the bar.

The End