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Laverne cleared off the Pizza Bowl’s last dirty table. Snow fell in thick flakes outside but the skin beneath Laverne’s tan uniform burned. She was supposed to get off work hours ago, but a gaggle of kids celebrating a birthday party had swept their way in, cheeks red and eyes shining, five minutes before close. Her pop’s eyes had lit up with dollar signs and Laverne didn’t have the heart to tell him (or the pleading kids) no. She figured it was for the best—she needed the money for last minute Christmas shopping and the parents promised to pay extra if they kept the bowling alley open another two hours.
It seemed easy enough (how bad could ten kids get?) so she didn’t call Shirley for backup. Shirley was spending an anniversary with Carmine, anyway, and wouldn’t have answered. In hindsight, Laverne realized she should’ve found and forced both Shirley and Carmine to help pick up the slack, anniversary be damned. Ten kids, could in fact, get pretty bad, and her poor, sore feet were paying for it. It didn’t help that her Pop left an hour early mumbling something about Edna’s apartment and a nice meal.
She slumped into the only chair not sitting upside down on a table and rested her head in her hands. A long night of uninterrupted sleep called her name. She would’ve fallen asleep right then and there if not for the loud, familiar footsteps walking through the Pizza Bowl door. Laverne lifted her head just in time to see Lenny walk into the dining area.
“We’re closed, Len.”
“Oh, yeah.” Lenny looked around as if the fact hadn’t occurred to him before that moment. “Shirley said I might find you here.”
“You talked to Shirl?” Laverne tried in vain to wipe the sleep from her eyes.
Lenny took a few steps forward. “Well, more like she yelled at me. She and Carmine were...y'know.” He laughed and bit his palm suggestively.
Laverne perked instantly at the insinuation. It wasn’t everyday she was clued into Shirley’s more intimate love life, especially since Shirley started writing code in her diary. Laverne would take any juicy details she could get even if she had to hear it from Lenny. She leaned forward, eyes locked on him. Just as she opened her mouth to prompt for more, she noticed the familiar joyful glint in his eye; a glint she recognized and dreaded.
Laverne came to a slow stand, her feet screaming in protest. “Uh, Len? Why exactly were you looking for me?”
He just shrugged, slowly advancing.
Lenny liked to tickle. It wasn’t a new development; ever since Laverne and her parents moved to Milwaukee and met an excited, six year old Lenny, he made his desire to tickle anyone and everyone known. Laverne, athletic from birth, was the only person who had successfully evaded his advances (much to Shirley’s frustration). Although she was tired and every bone in her body begged her to relent just this once, Laverne wasn’t going to let that fact change.
“Could you help with this chair?” It was a risk, bringing Lenny closer, but Laverne didn’t have any other plans. Lenny complied, grabbing the back of the chair and flipping it over. As he did this, Laverne made her escape, slipping behind him and darting towards the exit.
It took Lenny a second to notice what had happened, but when he did, Laverne could hear the bounding of his footfalls. She came to a halt at the door, staring at the raging snow storm outside. She looked down at her uniform and notable lack of coat and groaned.
“Forgive me, pop,” she muttered under her breath and veered right, pushing through the door that led to a long set of stairs. Glancing behind her shoulder, Laverne saw Lenny peering out the door, looking for her figure hidden within the snow. With a relieved sigh, she bounded up the rest of the stairs and found Pop's hidden key under the doormat.
For the third time that night, Laverne heard Lenny’s advancing footsteps. She quickly shoved the key into the door and flung it open. She was almost safe from the ordeal of being tickled, herself fully in the apartment with the door halfway closed, when Lenny reached the top of the stairs. They met eyes through the door’s crack, and he started sprinting to her.
She shoved the door as fast as she could, but Lenny was faster, his hand thrust out to stop it from latching. Laverne was stronger than Lenny--a fact she made clear to anyone who was stupid enough to ask--but that night she was beyond exhausted. Under any other circumstances, Laverne would have gotten the door closed with ease, but Lenny pushed the door open just enough for him to slip through the crack. Laverne knew she wasn’t in danger, Lenny would never go any further than a tickle, but she would not lose her untouchable title.
“Now, cmon Len, is this what you really wanna do?”
Lenny paused. “Uh, yeah?”
Laverne started to walk backwards. “If you tickle me, then you’ll have no one else to tickle. Where’s the fun in that, huh?” She watched as uncertainty crept into Lenny’s face. “Won't you miss the anticipation? The excitement?”
Her legs caught the arm of the couch and she fell backwards into the cushions. She tried to push herself up, but Lenny fell on top of her. He planted his hands on either side of her, centimeters from her hips. Laverne met Lenny’s eyes, their faces inches apart. Her breath hitched as Lenny shifted atop of her. Even with the fabric of their clothes separating them, Laverne’s skin burned where their bodies touched.
“Len…” Laverne whispered. It would be so easy for her to close the gap between their lips. She had thought about it before, but never felt this overwhelming desire. She didn’t have to; Lenny leaned forward, their lips slightly brushing.
It wasn’t enough. Laverne leaned in for more, but right as the kiss deepened,
“Len!” Laverne gasped, her words caught with a laugh. Lenny grinned down at her as his fingers danced across her hips. She wiggled in his grasp, but the weight of his body held her down. Laughter built uncontrollably, the tickling sensation overwhelming. With every bit of control she had left, Laverne brought her own hands to his hips and started tickling him in return.
Lenny’s eyes widened in surprise and his hands faltered at Laverne’s hips. Laughter of his own escaped his throat. It didn’t take long for Laverne to win the upper hand. She flipped them so that Lenny was the one pinned to the couch and grinned down at him as she tickled every bit of exposed flesh where his white tee had rode up.
“Laverne,” he gasped.
“I’ll stop if you promise never to tell anyone about this.”
“But-”
“No one. Not even Squiggy.”
He held out for a few seconds longer before gasping, “I promise!”
Laverne’s hands ceased as she sat on his lap, her legs straddling his, and waited for him to catch his breath. She kept a close eye on his hands, prepared in case he had any funny ideas. Once she was sure he wouldn’t try to tickle her again, she met his eyes once more. They bore into her own, his chest still heaving, though she didn’t think it was because of the tickling (maybe because her own breath matched his; synchronized like they were one).
Laverne couldn’t help herself. She leaned into Lenny’s lips once more, but not before pinning his hands to the couch with her own. Lenny didn’t hesitate to reciprocate, his mouth moving against hers as if muscle memory; as if they’ve done this before. Laverne gripped Lenny’s hands and brought them slowly to her hips, trusting him. Her own hands found home cradling his face as she deepened their kiss.
Minutes or maybe hours passed before she pulled away to catch her breath. She rubbed her thumbs over his kiss-swollen lips. Laverne always thought Lenny was cute, but sitting on top of him with his wide, dazed eyes staring up at her, she thought so then more than ever. She leaned forward and pressed a soft peck on the tip of his nose before carefully dismounting him and standing from the couch.
Lenny sat up and she slotted herself on the cushion next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, soaking up the comfortable silence. Butterflies fluttered in her chest, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long while.
The apartment was theirs for the rest of the night. Laverne knew her pop would stay at Edna’s and not be back till late afternoon the next day, leaving her and Lenny with endless possibilities.
“Len?” Laverne broke the silence.
“Yes, Verne?”
“Let’s watch a movie. I’m sure something must be playing.”
Lenny hummed in agreement and stood. Laverne tilted sideways at the loss of her human pillow, but she didn’t mind. Watching Lenny walk to the television and lean in front of it was worth the missing contact. She scooted towards the end of the couch and rested her head on the armrest. Her eyes slowly drifted close, and it wasn’t until Lenny gently tapped her shoulder that she noticed she fell asleep.
Laverne glanced at the TV playing the opening credits to It's a Wonderful Life. Laverne smiled lazily and sat back up so Lenny could reclaim his spot. His chest was much more comfortable than the armrest.
“I love this movie,” she mumbled.
“Me too.”
“You sap.”
That earned Laverne a small tickle to her side. She lightly hit his hand, not angry; she could never really be angry at Lenny.
“Laverne?”
“Hmm?”
Lenny leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
Laverne fell back asleep with a smile on her face.