AN: This is just a simple story. A little tease…some fun with Elliot and Olivia. I needed something a little more light-hearted. I feel as if the stories I've written lately have been a little heavy. This will just be two chapters. Here is the first. Please leave a review and share your thoughts!
MONDAY
Elliot glanced over at Olivia as she stifled a yawn.
"I know sitting on this guy is boring, but we've only been stuck in the car for an hour. Am I that boring?" He was met with a roll of the eyes and another yawn as Olivia shifted in her seat.
"Funny." She said in a flat tone. "I just didn't get a lot of sleep this weekend."
Elliot held up a hand, a myriad of thoughts going through his mind at the implication. In his mind, Olivia went home every weekend and stayed there. By herself. He knew it was a selfish thought, but anything else was unbearable to him. "I don't want to hear the details." He said, attempting to adopt a teasing tone but not quite getting there.
"As if I'd share that with you anyway." She shot back. Olivia massaged the back of her neck with her hand and then lay her head back against the seat with a sign. "I wish it was something fun, but no such luck. The boiler's down in my apartment building and I froze my ass off all weekend." Olivia leaned over and turned up the heat, as if she still had a chill in her bones.
"They're not working on it?"
"Supposedly." Olivia closed her eyes. "For now, they have some rental boiler, but it's just to keep the pipes from freezing. It's not big enough to keep the heat much above 40 degrees."
"That's ridiculous." Elliot said indignantly. But he knew the New York landlords and the HVAC contractors moved at their own pace.
"Yeah, well…" Olivia said with another sigh, agreeing with him. But there was nothing she was going to be able to do about it. "I'm going to sleep in the cribs tonight."
Elliot had slept in the cribs plenty of times…they both had. It was not the best place to get some rest. There was a constant background din in the precinct. People coming and going. "You think you're gonna catch up on your sleep in the cribs?" He asked incredulously.
"At least I'll be warm."
"What about a hotel?"
"That might be fine for a night, but even with all my overtime, I'm not going to waste money on hotels at the rate this damn city charges. What if it takes a week? Or more?" She shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable.
Elliot saw she still had her eyes closed, and he watched as she covered another yawn. "Get some rest. I'll wake you if he shows."
EOEOEOEOEO
Olivia woke up to the movement of the car, and she was disoriented for a few moments. She wiped her hand across her eyes, and looked out through the windshield, taking in the night sky and the bright lights of the city. She looked over at Elliot. "What time is it?" She asked groggily.
"Almost 11."
Olivia straightened up in her seat and brushed her hair back from her face. "I can't believe I slept that long." They had set up about 5; right before the winter sunset. "You should have woken me up." She realized she must have been sleeping soundly, and she felt guilty because Elliot had probably been bored out of his mind. Especially for six hours.
"There wasn't anything going on." Elliot said. "I would have if he showed."
"Where're we going?" Once Olivia got her bearings, she realized they were heading in the opposite direction from the precinct.
"Apparently our suspect got himself picked up… causing trouble at a local strip joint, so he's chilling in a cell. Cragen told us to go home and we can talk to him tomorrow."
Olivia swallowed another yawn; she was still half asleep. She looked out the back windshield. "I need to get back to the precinct." She said as Elliot took a right. "You're going in the wrong direction."
"It's going to take 45 minutes to get back there, and then I'd have to drive all the way back. My apartment is 10 minutes from here. It's been a long day, so I thought you could just crash at my place."
Olivia was surprised by his suggestion. Despite what people thought, they didn't spend a lot of time outside work together. She had never even been inside his apartment; only outside his building for a rare pick up. But she felt bad that she had been sleeping, and to ask him to drive an hour and a half to drop her at the precinct was selfish. "That's OK. I can just grab a cab."
"Liv." Elliot said in exasperation as he pulled up in front of his building. "Just sleep here. There's no reason for you to go all the way back just to sleep in the cribs. I'm tired. You're tired."
Olivia wanted to argue. Despite the fact that they spent an average of 10 together a day, it felt odd to think about sleeping at Elliot's. But she was too tired to dwell on it. She just wanted to sleep. "If you're sure it's not going to put you out." She said, but Elliot was already getting out of the car. She climbed out and looked over the roof of the car, still feeling unsure. "You're sure it's not a problem?"
"Liv. I have heat and a bed. Everything we need."
Olivia was suddenly glad that it was dark out because she felt a blush in her cheeks. Elliot didn't seem to realize what he'd said, and he rounded the car and waited for her. "Coming?"
Olivia brushed her hair back from her face and swiped her hand over her cheek. She had to get her mind out of the gutter…she had to push her unwholesome thoughts about her partner back in the vault where they belonged.
"Yeah."
EOEOEOEOEO
"This is nice." Olivia said. Elliot's apartment was exactly what she would have expected, albeit a little nicer than the average bachelor pad. It was furnished simply but comfortably, with shades of brown and navy blue.
"You sound surprised." Elliot said as he hung up his coat. He held out his arm to take Olivia's, and she shrugged it off and handed it to him.
"No." Olivia said quickly. "I just…I guess I didn't know what to expect." She yawned again and headed towards the living room. She felt Elliot's hands on her shoulders, and the next thing she knew, he was steering her down the hallway. "What are you doing?"
"You're sleeping in my bed tonight."
Olivia's stomach did a flip and she faltered slightly, causing Elliot's body to bump into her slightly. "What?"
Elliot laughed slightly, and Olivia could feel his warm breath on her skin. "Get your mind out of the gutter Detective." He whispered. He straightened up and dropped his hands from her shoulders. "I'm going to sleep on the couch."
Olivia turned around, hoping there wasn't a blush on her skin. "I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed."
"OK. I'm easy." Elliot said as he walked towards his room. "I'll sleep with you." He stopped at the doorway to his room and turned to face her with his hand on the doorframe. The look on her face made him want to smile; it wasn't very often that he was able to render Olivia speechless. "Liv…" He jerked his head towards the bedroom. "I'm taking the couch. C'mon."
EOEOEOEOEO
Olivia heard Elliot moving around in the living room and kitchen, and she felt bad about taking his bed. But she hadn't been in the mood to argue, especially because she had known she wasn't going to win. She sat down on the edge of the bed, wishing she had something to wear for bed. She considered asking Elliot for a pair of sweats but decided against it. She pulled her sweater off over her head and folded it up. Then she stood up and toed off her shoes, and then peeled off her jeans. She shivered in the cool air of the room, and quickly unclasped her bra, leaving only her cami and underwear. She climbed into bed quickly and pulled up the covers.
Olivia rolled over on her side and snugged the blankets to her neck, sinking in to the pillows. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the smell of Elliot…it was embedded in the sheets and blankets…in the room. She inhaled deeply, the scent of him familiar and comforting.
She could scarcely believe that she was sleeping in Elliot's bed. Of course, in her most private moments, Elliot was in this bed with her. She inhaled sharply as a shiver coursed through her body…she had to shut those kinds of thoughts down.
Although…Elliot's teasing tonight had been a surprise. His words…the tone of his voice.
Olivia snuggled deeper into the mattress closed her eyes, letting her mind wander…
EOEOEOEO
Elliot woke up about 3AM, lingering half in and half out of a dream. He realized he was bathed in sweat, and that he had kicked his blanket to the ground. He was also sporting an erection, and he tried to grasp at the elusive remnants of his dream.
It came to him then. He'd been dreaming about Olivia…
Elliot sat up and scrubbed his hands over his face. Dreaming about Olivia wasn't anything new, but it was something he always felt guilty about. She was his friend…his partner. He shouldn't be thinking about her like that. But no matter how many times he told himself that very thing, he couldn't seem to help himself.
It was even more awkward with her sleeping in the next room. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to get himself under control.
This wasn't just about sex…he loved her. But he knew he could never tell her that. She had already left him twice when things got too uncomfortable. Since she'd been back, they had settled into a rhythm. He wasn't going to be the one to ruin what they had.
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
Olivia was in his bed.
He wondered if she was sleeping.
Before he knew it, he was standing up and walking towards the bedroom door. He hesitated with his hand on the doorknob, telling himself that he was just going to check to see if she was doing okay. In reality, he knew he just wanted to see her in his bed.
Elliot twisted the knob quietly and opened the door slightly. He poked his head in the room, and he saw there was enough ambient light in the room for him to see her clearly. He knew he should look away, but he couldn't force himself too, and his eyes took in every detail.
Olivia was lying on her side, and she had slid one leg outside the covers. One long, bare leg. His eyes wandered up from her foot to her upper thigh, where blanket was draped across her hips. Her right arm was holding the blankets against her chest, and Elliot could see her bare arm and shoulder. For a moment, he wondered if she was naked beneath the sheets, and he felt a rush of heat through his body.
His eyes drifted to her face. She was sound asleep, and he looked away, feeling a stab of guilt at looking at her when she was so vulnerable. But then his eyes were irrevocably drawn back to her; knowing he'd probably never have an opportunity to see her like this again. He knew it was wrong, but she was so breathtakingly beautiful. He felt an ache in his chest and he felt like I couldn't breathe.
Olivia mumbled something and shifted slightly on the bed. Elliot froze, wondering what he could possibly say if she opened her eyes right now. But she settled back in, and he closed the door quickly. He rubbed his hand across his eyes, as if to erase the image of her in his bed from his mind.
But he knew it was seared there forever.
He also knew that falling back asleep was going to be nearly impossible.
TUESDAY
The day had been a whirlwind of activity since the moment they had arrived at the station. Olivia had left her duffle bag in her locker the day before, since she hadn't planned on staying at Elliot's, so she only had minutes to shower and change before the first call came in.
Now, it was 6:30PM, and they were scarfing down sandwiches as they went over the details of their latest case. It was pretty much and open and shut case, but they still had to do all the paperwork. She took another bite, just as Cragen walked out of his of his office.
"Don't stay too late tonight." He said, nodding towards the stack of papers between them. "I'm off to a dinner with some of the suits from 1PP."
Elliot leaned back in his chair and rubbed a hand over his head as Cragen walked out. "Don't need to tell me twice. Let's finish this tomorrow." He was exhausted. After his 3AM check-in on Olivia, he had tossed and turned fitfully on the couch, catching small bits of sleep until he had to get up at 6AM.
"You go ahead. I can finish it up."
"Whaddaya mean?" Elliot asked. "I'm your ride."
Olivia glanced over at Fin and Munch, who were working on files of their own. She dropped her voice. "I'm not going to kick you out of your bed again."
"Liv." Elliot said, leaning across the desk and lowering his own voice. "It wasn't that big of a deal. I slept fine on the couch." He lied. "You're not going to sleep in the cribs."
"Hopefully it's just one night. I'll be fine." Olivia shifted in her chair. She didn't really want to sleep in the cribs, but she felt badly about taking advantage of his hospitality.
Elliot let out a heavy sigh. "Are we really going to argue about this?" He asked. She was so damned stubborn. "I wouldn't offer if it was a problem."
Olivia pressed her lips together. She was stubborn, but depending on the topic, Elliot could hold out longer than she could. "OK, OK. But on one condition."
Elliot stood up and grabbed his coat. "There's no negotiation." He pulled her coat off the hanger and handed it to her. "Let's go."
EOEOEOEO
Elliot watched Olivia climb the stairs in front of him, shifting her duffle bag on his shoulder and trying not to look at her ass. Which was damn near impossible because she was just a few steps ahead of him.
"So, what does Elliot Stabler do on the rare evening he's home?" Olivia called back. It was only a little after 7, and she wondered what they were going to do all evening, sitting in Elliot's apartment. It felt odd.
"I don't know. Watch TV…do laundry…make dinner." Elliot said. "What do you do?"
Olivia shrugged as she reached the landing and headed towards Elliot's apartment. "Same I guess. Or I go to the gym."
"Well, we already had dinner." Elliot said, unlocking the door. "I don't have any laundry to do." He pushed open the door. "And I'm too tired to go to the gym." He stepped aside so she could walk in. "So, I guess we're watching the Rangers game."
"Hockey?"
"Yeah. Got a problem with that?" Elliot closed the door behind them.
"You know I'm not a big fan…" Olivia said, grabbing her bag from Elliot. She wanted to laugh at the look on his face. He had tried to get her interested in the sport for years, but mostly she just ignored his attempts.
"It's just because you don't understand the game." Elliot said, walking into the living room, turning on lights and then the TV. "If you really watched…" He flipped around until he landed on the game.
"Aren't you tired of trying to win me over?" Olivia said with a laugh.
"Nah. Because if you don't like hockey, that could be a deal breaker."
"A deal breaker?" Olivia raised one eyebrow at him, giving him a small smirk. She loved this casual banter, and the slight innuendo in his voice. She was more than happy to give it back. "You're going to leave me? Even after all these years?"
Elliot grinned and looked at her appraisingly. "Probably not, but why take a chance?"
EOEOEOEOEO
Olivia had to admit that she was enjoying the game, now that she was starting to understand the rules. She was also enjoying the fact that Elliot was sitting on the couch next to her, laughing and teasing her as he quizzed her on players names and penalties. When he got excited about some action in the game, his thigh bumped hers, and her heart skipped a beat at the contact.
She'd glanced over at him…thinking back to moments before the game started. Elliot had come out of his bedroom, fresh from a shower, with sweats slung low on his hips and a Ranger's t-shirt in his hands. As he'd come around the corner, she couldn't help staring. Even though she'd seen Elliot without a shirt dozens of times before, this seemed more intimate. The way droplets of water lingered on his skin...his abs…
She had looked away, embarrassed by her reaction.
"Fuck!" Elliot jumped off the couch, knocking over their empty beer bottles. "Are you blind ref?" He turned back towards Olivia. "Did you see that? That was a slash."
Olivia laughed at his violent reaction, and the way he screamed at the TV. "Yes, I agree. 100%."
"Are you mocking me Benson?"
"Absolutely not." Olivia said, trying to keep a straight face.
By the middle of the third period, Olivia was completely engrossed in the game. She could see why Elliot loved it. There was a lot of action and aggressive play…testosterone laden fights and yelling from the crowd.
"Are you kidding me?" Olivia jumped off the couch, staring at the TV. "That was tripping!" She looked back at Elliot with an incredulous look on her face. "Did you see that?"
"That's my girl." Elliot said with a grin.
Olivia didn't know what to do with his comment, so she turned back towards the TV. "I can't believe they got away with that."
Elliot laughed, putting Olivia back at ease. She glanced back over at him and saw he was staring at her. She held his gaze, wondering what was on his mind.
"What?" she asked.
"Why don't we do this more often?"
"Do what?"
"Just…" He shrugged. "Hang out."
"Maybe because we already spend 10-12 hours a day together." Olivia laughed as she grabbed her bottle of beer and took a sip.
"Yeah, but this is different. We're not working. We're not thinking about work. Or talking about work."
Olivia shrugged. "I guess." She set her bottle down on the coffee table. She saw Elliot was still staring at her, as if waiting for an answer. "It just wasn't something we got in the habit of doing." She thought of all the late nights Elliot rushed home to be able to say goodnight to his kids, and she went home or had a date. It seemed their routine had been set. He was married. She was not.
When he and Kathy had separated, there had never been any impetus to change. No conscious or unconscious decision. She assumed he was working on repairing what was broken…and life continued on.
"I guess." Elliot said. He paused for a moment, and flashed Olivia a grin. "Well…I'm glad we're doing it now."
WEDNESDAY
Olivia had insisted on taking her turn on the couch, but when Elliot got up, she was already in the kitchen. He saw her before she saw him, and he took in her black leggings and white t-shirt. Her hair was mussed from sleep, and her eyes were half closed as she blew on the contents of the mug in her hand.
"Did you make enough for two?" he asked as he shuffled into the kitchen.
Olivia looked up and flashed a smile, nodding at the coffeemaker. She wasn't used to conversation right away in the morning…and not being a morning person…she didn't want to start. "Can I use your shower?" she asked, already walking out of the kitchen.
Elliot nodded, pouring a cup of coffee for himself, and he turned just in time to see her disappear into his room. He chuckled at her demeanor, noting that he shouldn't try to make conversation first thing in the morning.
Not that she would be here in the morning for much longer.
He didn't dwell on the fact that he was already dreading the news that the boiler in her building was fixed.
He heard the shower start, and he topped off his coffee and leaned back against the counter. He listened to the sound of the water running, and he tried not think about her peeling off her t-shirt...tried not to picture her pushing her leggings down over her hips and down her legs.
He gave up then and closed his eyes. He imagined her standing nude in his bathroom. He saw her step into the shower…he could see the water running over her curves…and then he gasped as he spilled hot coffee on his hand.
"Damn it."
He didn't know what the hell his problem was. Why these thoughts were running unchecked through his head. He usually managed to suppress them, or at least keep them limited to his night time dreams. But now…
Two days…or rather nights…in his apartment, and all his control had slipped away.
By the time Olivia reappeared, dressed and ready for work, he had resolved to squelch his errant thoughts. Olivia was his partner…his friend. She would be mortified if she knew the ways she invaded his thoughts sometimes.
Olivia poured herself another cup of coffee. "Are you going to stand there all day or…?"
EOEOEOEO
Unbelievingly, the day was moving slowly. Olivia had put the finishing touches on their latest case by the time Elliot got back from court, and they decided to grab a bite for lunch.
"Looks like we're going to get out of here at a reasonable time tonight." Elliot said as they sat down at a table.
"Well, now you've jinxed it." Olivia said as she perused the menu.
"There's no such thing." Elliot said.
"I guess we'll see." Olivia shot back.
Elliot grunted at her comment, hearing the presumption in her voice, and hoping she was wrong. He found that he was really looking forward to hanging out with her again tonight. "Back to back Rangers games. The game starts at 7." He said as he took a bite of his club sandwich. "Should we order in? Maybe Chinese?"
"I really need to go to the gym." Olivia said as she stuffed a fork full of chicken salad into her mouth. "I've been slacking."
"But…the Rangers are on." Elliot said.
"OK. Well, maybe I'll catch the end of the game when I get back." Olivia caught herself before she said home. It shocked her how easily she'd begun to think of Elliot's apartment as a place she belonged.
"I thought you liked hockey."
Olivia laughed. "I do. But…it's one game. Isn't there something like 900 games a season?"
"Hardly." He said, shaking his head. He leaned towards her slightly. "We're getting close to the playoffs. Every game is important. I don't want to miss it."
Olivia cocked her head slightly, narrowing her eyebrows. "Who said you had to miss it?"
"Well...no one." He leaned back in his seat. "I guess I just thought…" He shrugged his shoulders. "It's just been nice. Having someone to watch the game with. Hanging out."
Olivia gave him a small smile. She couldn't agree more. Ever since Elliot had mentioned it the night before, it had been on her mind. It was companionship…casual…comfortable. The thought of going back to her empty apartment every evening held less appeal now, and even though she knew she wouldn't be a guest at Elliot's forever, she hoped they could still spend time together outside of work once-in-a-while. "OK. I'll watch the game with you tonight." She leaned over and snagged a fry off his plate. "But if I get fat, I'm going to blame you."
Elliot raised an eyebrow at her. I'll be happy to help you keep an eye on your figure. The thought popped in his head before he could stop it. He was glad he caught himself before he said it out loud. "I don't see that happening." He handed her another fry. "But I tell you what. If you watch the game with me tonight, I'll go to the gym with you tomorrow night."
THURSDAY
Elliot watched Olivia from the spot where he was lifting weights at her gym. She was wearing a pair of black spandex leggings that ended right below her knee, a pale pink t-shirt and matching running shoes. He'd been surprised when he'd seen her emerge from the women's locker room; pink was not a color he'd ever seen Olivia wear.
Now, she was working the hell out of a stair stepper, and he was trying like hell not to watch her ass as she moved on the machine.
He didn't escape his attention that he wasn't the only one watching her.
He wondered how many times she got hit on during an average trip to the gym.
Olivia started her cooldown on the stair stepper. She glanced around, trying to locate Elliot. She spotted him pushing himself off the weight bench, and she let her eyes roam over his muscled arms and chest. She gave a silent thank you for the fitted t-shirt he was wearing. He caught her eyes before she could look away, and he started in her direction.
Just moments later, a blonde woman in a curve hugging sports bra and tiny spandex shorts stepped in front of him, and Olivia watched as Elliot was forced to stop abruptly. Even though the woman's back was to her, Olivia knew exactly who she was. The perky blonde woman…girl really…was a staple at the gym. She had to be in her mid-20's, firm young body and big breasts, and she hit on every guy in the gym.
Olivia hadn't really paid much attention to her; she wasn't at the gym to meet men and so she didn't feel any competition with the young woman. But now, watching her bounce in place as she talked to Elliot, she felt a stab of annoyance.
Elliot was hers.
The thought popped into her head unbidden, and she almost gasped out loud at the veracity of it.
She turned the thought over in her mind, trying to understand the source of it. She had no claim to Elliot. At least, not beyond partnership or friendship.
And yet…she was jealous.
She hated the thought that he might find this young woman appealing.
Olivia looked away. He was a single man…he could do as he pleased. Her emotions had no place here. She and Elliot were close…maybe closer than they should be…but he'd never made her think he thought of her in any other way than a friend.
"Hey."
Olivia gasped when she realized Elliot had walked up behind her, and she turned quickly to face him. "Hey." She looked around him and saw the blonde woman talking to one of the other women that was a regular at the gym. They were both looking over at her as she spoke to Elliot. "I see you made a friend." Olivia knew it sounded snarky, but she couldn't seem to help it.
"You know her?" Elliot asked, glancing back and then looking back at Olivia.
"Everyone knows her." Olivia said.
Elliot didn't miss the emotion in her voice, and he smiled inwardly. Could it possibly be that Olivia Benson was jealous? He could scarcely believe it, but he knew he was right. He couldn't resist teasing her a little. "She seems nice."
Olivia looked away quickly, so Elliot wouldn't notice the way she rolled her eyes. She grabbed her towel off the stair climber. "If you like that kind of thing I guess."
Elliot watched as Olivia turned away from him and headed towards the bank of treadmills, wondering what she meant by that kind of thing. He could tell she was pissed, and he didn't know if it was because she was jealous or because she been caught being jealous, but he knew he could really throw her off balance. "Nah…" He said, dragging it out, and he saw her pause for a second. "I really prefer badass brunettes."