Running his hand through his hair in frustration Elliot Stabler groaned and shut the door behind himself. This was so not how he pictured tonight going.. It had been a rough case, a little boy was taken from the playground and after a grueling fourteen hours he had been found bruised and traumatized, but alive at least. He wanted nothing more than to come home and hug his own kids and get into the shower, his wife however, had other plans.
He had barely gotten through the door when she came flying through the room, her blonde hair whirling behind her. She was balancing a cookbook in one hand, and a phone between her face and shoulder, tilting her entire body sideways so it wouldn't slip out. "Yeah Nora that is totally fine, don't worry about it!" noticing Elliot in the doorway, she quickly added "Don't worry about getting a cab, Elliot will come pick you up" Elliot shook his head slowly, his lips pursed together. Wanting to avoid a direct fight, he quickly switched topics; "Where are the twins?" he half mouthed half whispered as to not interrupt Kathy's conversation with her sister too much. It didn't work. He saw her mood shift by the sudden sharpness of her eyes even before she told her sister she had to go.
"Lizzie's at a sleepover. Which I told you about, like six times this week. Dickie and Kathleen went to the movies, something else that had been planned for days now. Honestly Elliot do you never pay attention?" It wasn't that he didn't pay attention, it was just that he had forgotten it was already friday. His week had been crazy. Seeing as his kids weren't around - he knew better than to ask about Maureen, he would just knock on her door later to see if she was around - he shrugged his jacket off in hopes of fulfilling his other wish for the night, which was a nice hot shower.
"What are you doing?" he knew from her tone that it was the wrong move.
"I had a really long day Kath, I just want to shower and go to bed"
"A long day? You want to get me started about mine?" not waiting for an answer she added, " Either way, I just told my sister that you would pick her and Chloe up at the train station"
"Kathy please..."
"No Elliot. You have got to start contributing to this family. My sister is upset and I promised cookies for when they get here so you gotta go"
"Contributing to this family? Are you kidding me?"
"All day I run around, take care of the kids, cook dinner and I work twelve hour shifts on top of it all! Yes I think you could be contributing a lot more! Maybe get home for dinner once in a blue moon!"
"Kathy I just spent the last fourteen hours looking for a four year old kid. He's barely hanging on. You know I try to make it home but sometimes I just can't. Even Dickie understands, so why can't you?!" both their voices were echoing off the high ceiling of their entryway. Maureen stood at the top of the stairs, elbows on the handrails and debated how much she wanted that ice cream cone she intended to retrieve a few minutes earlier.
"It's always your fucking job. It trumps everything else in life. I hate it!"
"You hate that I help save children's lives? That I look out for people who can't defend themselves? Screw you Kathy" not waiting for a response, Elliot shrugged his jacket back on and walked out the door.
He swung by the train station to pick up Nora and Chloe, he did not want them hailing a cab this late, but told them he had gotten called into work. Instructing his gigging niece to save him a cookie Elliot made sure they got inside the house safely before driving away.
Not entirely sure where he was going, he fiddled with the buttons of his radio, looking for a station that was playing actual music- something that was proving to be difficult this late at night. Driving around New York was helping clear his head, and without consciously thinking about it, he arrived at Olivia's apartment thirty minutes later. Checking his phone quickly he noted no texts or calls from Kathy, no surprise really, having had this fight with her a hundred times over the last few months he suspected she felt much the same as he did by now; frustrated but indifferent. His mom always said that as long as you are angry at one and other there is hope, it is once you stop caring about what happens, that you have to start worrying about your relationship. He was pretty sure theirs was over a while ago but he was too exhausted with everything else to worry about ending it. Besides, it was much easier to live together and pretend everything was fine, than shuffling the kids around and telling their priest they wanted a divorce. No, it was much easier this way. Besides, Elliot had seen enough nasty divorces in his time to feel exhausted just by the thought.
He dialed Olivia's number and it rang a few times before going to voicemail. Fingers drumming on the steering wheel lightly he tried again, getting the same results. It was past eleven o'clock, and he wasn't sure where she could be, but he really did not feel like driving anymore, especially not home or to the precinct. Deciding this constituted an emergency, Elliot turned off the ignition and got out of his car. Taking the steps two at a time, he fished his keys out of his pocket and found the little gold one Olivia gave him a while back. Letting himself in, he made his way up to her floor and down the hall, the hallway lights flickering slightly as he went. He always loved Olivia's place; with the comfy cream couch and warm colors she used to decorate, it gave off a homey feel even his house did not have. The light in the kitchen was on, but there was no sign of Olivia. Making his way to the bathroom, Elliot retrieved a fresh towel from the hallway cabinet on his way - he had been here enough times after fights with Kathy in the last few months to know Liv wouldn't mind if he showered and crashed on her couch even if she wasn't here. He was slightly curious as to where she was but it was really none of his business so he pushed the thought out of his mind.
Allowing the hot water to run down his back he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Yes this was definitely what he needed, a hot shower and a good night's sleep. Turning the shower off, Elliot dried off and wrapped his towel around his waist. Gathering his dirty clothes, he walked back to the couch and dumped his pile unceremoniously onto the floor. Digging out his boxer shorts, he slipped them on quickly and checked his phone again. He had a text from Maureen; 'I love that you help people who need it the most. Makes me proud to be your daughter, and I know you're always here for me too. I love you'. Smiling to himself he sent a quick text back letting her know he loved her too and would see her tomorrow. It was clear his nineteen year old had heard him arguing with Kathy but it didn't seem to phase her too much either. He was pretty sure Lizzie was the only one who still thought her parents were happy. Everyone else was just biding their time.
The usual blanket wasn't on the couch - they had spilled salsa on it last weekend and she probably hadn't had the chance to do laundry after the week they had - so Elliot made his way down the hall to Olivia's bedroom to retrieve one. Walking into the room, his breath hitched in his throat; Olivia lay splayed out on top of her sheets, her hair splayed out around her, shining in the dim light of her bedside table. One of her hands fisted in her pillow, the other laying across her abdomen, fingers glistening slightly, her full lips curled in a gentle smile while she slept. She was completely naked. Elliot could see the shadow her full breast made on her glowing skin, both breast and shadow moving evenly with each breath she took. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he shook his head slightly and instructed himself to ignore his partner and her beautiful naked body. Grabbing the first blanket he saw, the one lying at the foot of her bed, he retreated out of the room quickly, shutting the door behind himself firmly.
Making his way to the couch, he covered himself with the blanket and ignored the sudden tightness of his boxer shorts. Trying to think about anything besides her was proving to be difficult however; he himself had used her body wash and the blanket smelled of her shampoo and a faint musky scent that had to be… Elliot was starting to regret coming here in the first place.
Olivia woke up to the morning sun peeking through her blinds. Rolling out of bed, she grabbed her robe and made her way to the kitchen for some much needed coffee. Yesterday's case had been hard, and she was proud of herself for making her night good in spite of that. Unwinding has always been something she struggled with, but she believed the hot bath and intense orgasm she allowed herself to indulge in the night before were steps in the right direction. Starting the coffee pot, she turned around to grab a mug, only to spot Elliot asleep on her couch. She wasn't too shocked, she half expected him to end up here last night; he always fought with Kathy after cases like yesterdays. After taking an hour long bath and not hearing from him the night before, she decided he must not have fought with his wife and made her way to bed to unwind some more.
Grabbing two mugs from the cabinet instead of one, she poured coffee for both of them before heading over to the living room. Just as she expected, Elliot started stirring upon smelling the coffee. Opening his eyes sleepily, he pushed himself into a sitting position so she could take a seat on the couch. Sitting down, Olivia tucked both her legs underneath herself and reached over to hand Elliot his steaming mug. He was rubbing his eyes and groaning, barely managing to grab the coffee Olivia was holding out to him without spilling it.
"Good morning to you too" Olivia was smirking slightly, always enjoying how clumsy and unfocused her partner was without his coffee in the mornings. Elliot grunted and took a sip of the hot liquid.
The blanket pooled around his lap, his upper body completely exposed to her gaze. Normally, he slept in sweats and a shirt or hoodie when he crashed at her place, but he was too shocked to grab clothes when he walked in on her the night before.
Slow sips of coffee were helping him wake up and Elliot was becoming acutely aware of his situation; he was sitting on Olivia's couch, in his boxers, sporting a painful erection. Olivia herself was sitting a few feet away from him, her hair framing her face in messy waves, her robe falling slightly open on top, not helping matters at all. She held her mug close to her face with both hands, her smile reaching her eyes. If she knew that he had walked in on her the night before she was not giving him any indication of it. She was absolutely beautiful, completely relaxed in his company and smelled just like that damn blanket did. Elliot thought it was pure torture.
Not wanting her to notice his awkwardness he searched his brain for something fitting that he could say to her. He finally settled on explaining his presence in her living room, his voice cracking slightly as he did so. "I couldn't reach you last night. I hope it's okay that I came over" he hoped she would chalk up any oddities in his behavior to his sleepiness.
"Yeah you're fine. I was really out of it yesterday, must not have heard your call." she was casual, taking a sip of coffee, and Elliot did the same hoping it would save him from answering and dissipate the knot that was once again forming in his throat at the thought of exactly how out of it she was last night. Finishing their coffees in silence Olivia announced she was headed to shower, and Elliot was thankful he could ditch the blanket he was still using to cover his erection and get dressed.
After getting his thoughts and body under control, Elliot dressed, folded the blanket and placed it on the couch. He just finished rinsing both his and Olivia's mugs in the kitchen sink and placed them on the drying rack when she emerged from the bathroom. Her wet hair and simple outfit were making Elliot's mind run wild again so he said goodbye quickly, making some excuse about promising to pick Lizzie up from her sleepover. He was out the door before she had a chance to really say anything, but still heard her call that she would see him at work Monday.
AN: This story is finished on my computer, so I will be uploading it pretty quickly as long as there is interest. :)