A/N: So I haven't posted anything in two weeks, which could be the longest interval I've had. And the reason for it is…writer's block. I've never really come across it before these two weeks, and it's quite frightening. Hopefully it doesn't come again. So, just warning you, this isn't some of my best work. Anyways, this one-shot is dedicated to TeddyLuver, one of my FF BFFs, who is sadly going to be missing from the SWAC FF world for the next month. I'm sorry that this is such a terrible story; if I could, I would dedicate something much better to you. Hopefully inspiration will strike soon. I'll miss you! :(

Pet Names

"So, you and Chad are getting pretty serious, huh?" Tawni mentioned casually as she expertly applied another coat of lip gloss to her puckered lips, leaning toward her mirror. Sonny, brushing out her hair at the table opposite Tawni's, grinned in a self-conscious but happy way at the question.

"Yeah," she answered sweetly, a blush rising on her cheeks.

"Making out serious? Taking him home to see your mom serious?" Tawni interrogated further, smirking to herself.

"Um..." Sonny paused and tilted her chin up to the ceiling, considering. "Well, yeah. I guess so," she concluded, beaming.

"Oh. So you've already gotten past that stage," Tawni said knowingly, with the air of one who was an expert when it came to relationships - which she was, of course.

"That stage?" echoed Sonny, confused.

"Mhm. That awkward stage when you aren't sure if you should take his hand first or vice versa, or if it's alright for you to text him back immediately or better to wait a few minutes, or if you should keep calling him by his name like always or give him a special pet name. That stage." Tawni smiled brightly, flipping her blonde hair as she listed some of the typical characteristics of this particular phase in a relationship.

"Oh. Well, I hadn't really thought about it much," Sonny admitted, setting her hairbrush down and turning around in her chair to face Tawni. "I mean...he holds my hand when we walk together. And we call more than text, really, so that's not an issue. But..."

After a longer pause than necessary (even one for dramatic effect, the usual kind in Hollywood), Tawni tore her gaze away from her reflection and focused on her silent castmate (she would say friend, but she's not quite sure she's past that stage when it comes to Sonny, the stage where people stop being names and faces and start meaning something positive to her).

"But?" It takes two more seconds for the unspoken message to become clear. "You don't call each other special names?"

Sonny shook her head mutely, before adding uncertainly, "Is that bad?"

"Well...I mean...you just call him Chad?" Tawni asked, somewhat surprised, although now that she thought about it, she'd never heard Sonny refer to him in any other way.

"Yes."

"And he just calls you Sonny?" Tawni clarified, thinking. Sonny nodded in agreement, suddenly unsure of the status of her relationship.

"Who just calls you Sonny?" Both girls turned to see Chad smirking in the doorway of their dressing room, one elbow against the door, propping him up. "You better not be cheating on me, Sonny."

"Maybe I am," Sonny teased, tossing her hair behind her as she stood up and walked towards him. "You wouldn't mind that, would you, Chad?"

"Oh my gosh, you need pet names now," Tawni suddenly interjected. "Your relationship isn't complete without them!"

"...why would we need pet names when we don't have pets?" Chad furrowed his eyebrows, bewildered.

"Not that kind of pet name," Tawni explained. "You can't just call each other Sonny and Chad! You need...terms of endearment," she concluded, pleased that she had found another term that was less ambiguous.

"But that's boring! 'Hi, honey.' 'How are you, sugar?' 'Fine, darling.' 'I'm glad, pumpkin.' It's so...mom-and-dad-esque," Chad protested, grimacing at the thought.

"You could call Sonny babe," Tawni pointed out, racking her brain for a more age-appropriate name. Sonny and Chad both exchanged glances.

"No," they said together, firm in their disapproval.

"It makes me sound like I'm some kind of brainless model," Sonny elaborated. Chad grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I don't think Sonny's the babe type."

"Well, then, how about you just give her a name like the one she already has?" Tawni offered.

"Sonny's already a nickname for Allison," Chad reminded her. "And I think it suits her pretty well." Sonny beamed at the compliment, but Tawni wasn't convinced.

"Well, if you think Sonny suits her so well, then you should pick a cute name that has to do with the sun," she said matter-of-factly. "And yes, I know Sonny's a nickname, but it's what everyone else calls her too. And boyfriends - serious boyfriends - are supposed to have special names for their girlfriends. It's practically a law."

"Well, what Tawni says goes, Chad," Sonny joked, grinning. "I guess you'll have to call me sunlight, or sunbeam, or - "

"Sunshine," Chad interrupted. "Or should I say Son-shine?" He laughed for a few moments at his own joke before pausing, realizing neither girl had found the pun particularly amusing. Clearing his throat awkwardly to cover up the silence, Chad continued, "Anyways. Sunshine. It's perfect."

"And it's romantic," added Tawni, "which is what's important. Now you can sing that song to her! You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."

"You make me happy when skies are gray," Sonny sang along, smiling.

"...no," Chad refused to sing when both girls looked at him expectantly.

"Come on, Chad!" Sonny pleaded, pouting at him in the way she knew he couldn't resist. Chad let out a reluctant sigh, reciting the words dully.

"You'll never know, dear - "

"You're not singing!" Tawni chastised him in a singsong voice. Chad rolled his eyes before looking at Sonny intently.

"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away," he murmured, a small smile on his face. Sonny blushed as he kissed her lightly on her nose, red tinting her pale cheeks.

"Well. That's better, I suppose," acquiesced Tawni, managing to sound both disappointed and pleased at the same time. "But now Chad needs a pet name."

"No," Chad repeated, determined. "Pet names are so - not manly. And why are they called pet names anyways? It's not like your girlfriend or boyfriend is your pet. The whole concept is stupid."

"How about Chaddy?" Tawni asked Sonny, ignoring Chad's comments. "Chaddykins?" Sonny burst out laughing.

"CDC does not go by pet names, much less one like Chaddykins," Chad declared, affronted. His girlfriend sobered herself after a few moments, a grin still threatening to burst forth.

"What's a manly pet name then?" she asked, curious to see what his response would be.

"Nothing. Pet names just aren't manly. Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't do pet names."

"You could call him GAG," suggested Tawni. When Chad glared at her, she explained hastily, "For Greatest Actor of our Generation." He smiled self-satisfactorily, and Tawni put a finger to her mouth in a gagging motion when he looked away.

"What about something that describes him? Since my nickname describes me?" Sonny cocked her head, considering Chad.

"Gorgeous. Handsome. Heartthrob. Hottie. Eye candy. Charming. Stud. Superstar. Hot stuff," Chad listed off the top of his head, grinning arrogantly.

"Annoying. Conceited. Jerk," Tawni countered just as quickly. "Spoiled. Selfish. Drama Queen."

"I think we're trying to come up with a nickname for me, not for you, princess," Chad retorted, smirking.

"I don't think I could see myself calling Chad any of those on a regular basis," Sonny interrupted, seeing that Tawni was ready to fire back.

"I agree if you're talking about the ones he suggested. Romeo here is a little self-absorbed!" Tawni accused.

"Hypocrite," Chad retaliated swiftly. "And my name is Chad, not Romeo, blondie. I know it's harder for you to remember things than the rest of us, but mine is a name that you'll want to remember in ten years, when you're on the streets and I'm accepting an Academy Award."

"Romeo is actually a pet name, Mr. Ignorant," Tawni informed him mockingly. "It's used in reference to the play Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

"Well, I'm not your pet, so I don't know why you're giving me pet names. Then again, I'm not surprised. Who wouldn't want a taste of all this?" Chad gestured to his face before displaying his biceps.

"Um, me! You know, Sonny, I think you've got the right idea. Don't even bother giving him a pet name; he doesn't deserve the justification that your relationship is that far along." Tawni flipped her hair behind her shoulder haughtily before flouncing out of the room with her nose in the air. Chad grinned, pleased to have gotten the best of her.

"Chad, you know you shouldn't rile her like that," Sonny scolded half-heartedly, her admonishment diminished by her amusement in their argument.

"Oh, you know she enjoys it just as much as I do, sunshine," Chad replied easily, completely lacking any regret. "She lives to go at it with me; everyone wants a piece of the Chad, even if it's the arguing piece." He popped his collar as he spoke.

"I thought I had every piece of you," Sonny pouted, feigning jealousy.

"Trust me, sunshine, you don't want the part that she has." Chad shuddered in mock disgust.

"You're really getting into this sunshine thing," noted Sonny. "I guess Tawni was right."

"No, no, don't even say that," Chad cut her off quickly. "I only call you sunshine because I came up with it. It has nothing to do with Tawni, you hear me?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Sonny assured him, smiling.

"Sweetheart? I think you mean Superman," Chad corrected. "After all, I can do everything."

"Right. Because you're my hero." Sonny beamed up at him, her eyes glowing, and Chad leaned down to kiss her.

"Damn straight I am. And I don't need a pet name to prove it." And when he kissed her again, Sonny couldn't help but agree.

A/N: I honestly didn't want to put in a cuss word, but I couldn't think of another way for him to say it. Oh well. Hopefully that didn't significantly lessen your enjoyment of this one-shot, which is, in my opinion, fairly terrible. :/ Oh well. Review with your thoughts! :)