xp_logs | Amanda, Angelo, Joyita

Relationships sometimes take some juggling. Almost literally in this case.

It was the case, on occasion, for Amanda to end up staying over at Angelo's suite almost as often as he stayed at her apartment - the commute wasn't insanely far, and sometimes it got too late for her to be driving home. Tonight had been one such situation, and now the two of them were fast asleep, Amanda's arm wrapped loosely around Angelo's waist and her chin resting on his shoulder. With Forge's absence they'd gotten into the habit of not closing the door all the way in order to let Joyita come and go as she liked, and it was with the faintest of creaks that the dog nudged it wider open with her nose in order to come in.

Another habit that Angelo had fallen into, this last couple of months, was not throwing the dog off the bed when she jumped up - mostly during the time Amanda hadn't been staying over and the bed had felt too empty without some other being's warmth there - and Joyita had got used to being allowed. That was why she climbed onto the end of the bed now.

And why she squirmed her way under Amanda's arm and between the sleeping pair. Joyita wasn't a puppy any more, and her size meant something had to give to let her fit. In this case, it was Amanda, the witch rolling over to make space in the suddenly-crowded bed. Unfortunately, it meant she rolled out of bed, abruptly vanishing from beneath the covers and hitting the floor with a thud and a yelp.

Angelo blinked, waking up suddenly at the noise from off the bed, and leaned over the furry body to peer down. "...you okay?" Joyita just nestled down happily.

There was some muttered swearing, and then Amanda's tousled head appeared over the edge of the bed. "...Yeah. 'M gunna have a bruise in the morning, but nothing worse than that," she replied, sounding disgruntled and glaring half-heartedly at Joyita. "You, puppy, are in my spot."

"An' not gonna move without a fight, from the look of her", Angelo said in amusement, reaching to help Amanda back up without otherwise moving. "Think there's room anyway?"

"Well, I'm not sleeping on the couch, that's for bloody sure." She took the offered hand and let him pull her to her feet. She paused, rubbing her bruised behind and contemplating the situation, glad she'd kept on the over-sized t-shirt she slept in. Her dignity was bruised enough without being naked as well. "Come on, Joyita, bunch over."

Angelo helped as best he could, pulling at the dog with his free hand until she moved... only to provoke a winded noise by flopping straight across his chest and stomach.

Amanda snickered at that and climbed back into the bed. "Much better," she said, shamelessly taking advantage of Joyita's new position to avail herself of more space.

Angelo glowered at her, unable to move anything but his head, legs and one arm for the moment. "See if you say that when she decides she'd rather sleep on you."

She took the opportunity to poke him. "As long as she doesn't push me out of the bed again, I don't mind so much," she said, grinning at him. "Besides, I think you make a better pillow than I do."

"It's..." he started to protest, then stopped. "Why?"

"There's more of you?" she suggested. "And you aren't as bony as I am in places." Although she was definitely less bony than she'd been on occasion at the school. "Besides, Joyita seems to prefer you, and I can't argue with that."

"Well, she's my dog", he said with a shrug. "She loves you too, you know that."

"That's 'cause I'm adorable," Amanda pointed out, perfectly reasonably, she thought. She yawned a bit and snuggled up to him, Joyita's back legs and tail warm against her stomach. "Ev'ryone loves me."

Joyita's tail wagged contentedly, now she was in the middle of a pile again. "Fair point", Angelo agreed, laughing.

"Of course," came the sleepy response. There was a pause, during which it seemed Amanda had gone back to sleep, and then she said, drowsily. "Think maybe you could ask for a bigger bed?"

Angelo cracked up. "Hell, I'll buy one."