Brian stood abruptly after his emotional outburst aimed at Olivia. Everything about SVU was getting to him lately. The cases, the victims, the perps, Olivia. They were driving him up the wall. He wasn't sure how much more he could take anymore, wishing Olivia would leave for a moment so he could regain his composure.
Olivia huffed and stood herself. "I'm gonna run these files down the hall." She said more to Elliot than anyone else. He nodded and watched her retreat through the doorway.
He made his way near Munch's desk, who was suspiciously quiet. After a while he spoke.
"Did you just see that moment our partners just had?" Elliot sniffed, digging through file cabinets behind him.
"Of course I did. I think they're both mortified." He answered nonchalantly. Munch chuckled.
"He's gonna leave soon. He's spiralling." This earned a look from Elliot.
"What? Over Olivia? You think so?"
"No. Well... Not all because of Olivia. This place is just eating him alive. I'm not ready to break in a new partner." Elliot sighed.
"It's not for everybody, John. Have you tried talking to him?" Munch stood, papers in hand.
"All the time. Nothing works. I was thinking..." He flashed a hopeful grin at Elliot. "I don't think he knows he can relate to someone my age. Y'know, maybe..." Munch gestured between them. Elliot sighed even louder.
Brian had definitely been icy towards him as of late. Ever since Olivia and he had hooked up. It made sense and he was used to it. Almost everyone thought he was seeing Olivia on the side. He scratched the back of his neck in discomfort.
"I could try." He said, forcing a smile. "For you." Munch slapped his hand on his shoulder.
"You're the best, Stabler." Elliot patted Munch on the back.
"Talk to me after my attempt." He approached Brian cautiously, who was still brooding out the window. "Hey, Bri." He tried, sounding as friendly as he could. This just earned a scoff from Brian. "I wanna talk for a second-"
Brian whipped around suddenly. "You wanna talk to me?" He answered incredulously. Elliot's smile pulled tight.
"Yes."
"Oh," Said Brian. "Great. Just great. Y'know I fucked your partner, Olivia." Several heads within earshot snapped towards the two men. You could almost hear the tea kettle whistling between Elliot's ears, the veins pulsing on his neck and head betraying the calm look on his face. "But you already knew that, didn't you? You smell it on her-"
Elliot held his hands up, tired of Brian's tantrum. "You know what, I did. And not because my partner told me. It was you, Brian. The next day you walked in here it was obvious. Okay? Are we done playing games?" He glared down into Brian's boyish face.
"I'm done with you. Period." He moved to walk around Elliot who grabbed his arm.
"Brian. You are drowning in here. Let me throw you a lifeline-" Brian wrenched free of his grasp.
"Oh, like you even want me to stay here?" Elliot exhaled loudly.
"To be honest, I'm not so sure if you belong here and I really don't care whether you're here or not. But your partner believes in you, our captain believes in you. Man up and give it a try instead of giving up." Brian's eyes bore right through Elliot's.
"We can't all be like you, Stabler. We can't have it all." He blew past the taller man angrily. But he followed.
"Hey," Elliot snarled, whipping Brian to face him. "What is that, huh? This attitude about me? I'n a regular guy who's a regular cop. What do you mean we can't have it all?" Brian stood toe to toe with Elliot, not caring that'd people stopped what they were doing to watch.
"You know exactly what I mean. The pretty wife, all the kids you wanted, and the most smartest most beautiful girl here to be your work wife! You got it all figured out-" Elliot grabbed at his shirt when he mentioned Olivia, releasing him when Munch stood up.
"That's all this is. You're jealous and you think I step out on my wife with Olivia?" He said, speaking levelly to try and calm himself down.
"Don't you?" Brian shot back, his jaw clenching. Elliot leaned closer.
"Never. Because I would never do that, to either of them." Brian snickered.
"Even if it's not sexually, you get something out of her. You get something out of her and then you go home to your wife. Like that's okay." Elliot's hand raised but he dropped it, not wanting to waste a rip on Brian.
"If you think I want anything but what's best for Olivia you're delusional." Elliot said, his voice level.
"You know what I think? I think you're a prick! And the only reason you're mad," he stepped closer, directly in Elliot's face. "Is because you know I'm right." Brian could barely finish his sentence before Elliot shoved him. He grabbed on to Elliot's blazer and tugged, causing Uni's and Munch to come running over.
Olivia walked into the squad room, her nose buried in a file. "El, are you about ready for lu-" She noticed the entire squad room was trying to pry her partner and Brian apart. "What the hell, guys! Elliot stop!" She screamed, running over and trying to wedge herself between them.
Nothing would make either man calm down, everyone was yelling and they were close to throwing punches.
"EVERYONE!" Cragen's voice made everyone fall still. Olivia took the reprieve from the fighting to drag Elliot away from Brian. "You." He pointed to Elliot. "Out." Elliot slithered out of Olivia's grasp and stalked out the squadroom.
"And you," He pointed to Brian. "My office, now." He left without seeing Brian follow and Olivia caught him first.
"What in the hell, Brian." She said dangerously slow. He burned under her gaze, suddenly embarrassed.
"Your partner was being an ass, Liv. You'll never realize that because all you do is back him up." Olivia scoffed.
"Why do you have a hard-on for us all of a sudden?" She threw her hands up in exasperation.
"A hard-On, Liv? Really. I don't have a hard-on-" He lowered his voice, knowing people were watching. "I like you, Olivia." She shook her head.
"Oh my god. This really is because I didn't want to sleep with you again." She shook her head, backing away from him. He followed her as she retreated.
"No! It's not! I know guys like him, Liv. I've worked with dozens of them. I get it. I'm a loser and I don't deserve you." She rolled her eyes, the real reason she lost chemistry with him was she was tired of hearing him harp on himself. "But ask yourself. Ask yourself in 10 years if you deserve to just be sitting on the fence of his life. And that's all you have to show for it." Olivia chuckled.
"He is my partner." She said lowly. "Not all these things you project on him. He's not my father, and neither are you." She blew past him out the door, so mad her ears were ringing. She was relieved Elliot was still out there.
"Elliot. Tell me what's going on?" He shook his head vehemently.
"No. Please, I don't want to piss myself off again." He stole a glance at Olivia, thinking about all the things Brian had said. "Olivia?" He began, his voice much softer.
"Yes?"
"Do y- Are you comfortable with our partnership? Do you think I respect your boundaries?" Olivia made a bewildered face as a response until she realized Elliot was expecting an answer.
"Elliot, if I didn't want you to be my partner I'd tell Cragen. You know that, right?" Elliot nodded.
"Right."
"Are you sure y-"
"Yes," Elliot said quickly, grabbing her wrist and leading her off. "Lunch. On me. For being a neanderthal."