Olivia is sitting her her apartment, nursing a glass of red, wondering for the millionth time today, how they got here. Just last night she swore to keep him at arms length and now she had full on made out with him. She felt her face and neck flush again, knowing it wasn't from the wine.
Poor Noah had to deal with her distracted state all evening. He finally gave up and went to his room once he asked the same question for the third time.
She swirled the liquid in her glass when she felt a buzz on the couch by her left thigh. She stopped and just looked in its general direction. Urg. She knew it was probably him, checking in. She sighed heavily as she reached down and looked at the phone screen.
Hey are you up?
She looked at the clock on the screen. It was only nine at night. Did he really think she went to bed before nine pm? Irritation instantly prickled at her nerves. She quickly unlocked her phone and started typing her reply, when suddenly her phone started to ring. She didn't recognize the number so she assumed he was calling from his desk phone.
"What?" She snapped as she answered the phone. She wanted to make sure her irritation was evident, maybe then he would give her the space she needed to breathe tonight.
The caller on the other end hesitated before saying "Olivia?"
She instantly squeezed her eyes shut and tapped her forehead with her phone. Shit.
"Edgar, I'm so sorry. I thought this was someone else. That was so rude, man I sound like a crazy person. Sorry again." She felt cringey. Of course it wouldn't be Elliot when she was trying to prove a point. She sighed into the phone. "Let's try this again," she attempted to make her voice sound cheery, "Hello?"
"Is this a bad time? I'm sorry I shouldn't have called so late. We can talk tomorrow if you would prefer."
He sounded confused. God bless this poor man. Their timing was always so wrong. She really did like him. "No no no. It's a perfectly fine time to talk. Fantastic actually. How are you?"
Edgar cleared his throat. "Well. Thank you for asking. I was wondering if you were going to Fins wedding? Christian mentioned you might be"
She heard him pause. Suddenly her mouth was dry. Was he about to ask her out? Well, well, well. Suddenly she felt like this was the best thing that happened to her all day. "Yeah of course. Fin is one of my best friends, I'm really looking forward to it. Are you going to go?" She feigned innocence hoping he would take the leap.
"Yes, I am going to attend. I was wondering if you would like to go together? Possibly as each other's dates?"
She smiled softly. She never took Edgar as the sweet, timid type. He seemed very self assured every time they had interacted. "Yes, I would love that."
"Perfect. How about I pick you up at five that night? Send me your address."
"Sounds like a plan. Thank you so much for calling Edgar. I'm looking forward to our date."
When he hung up she took a sip of her wine. She felt very accomplished, eat that Elliot. She looked down at her phone and realized she was in the middle of typing a reply to him. She erased what she had written and started to reply.
Elliot looked down at his phone for what felt like an eternity. The three dots had popped up and then disappeared and still hadn't came back. He knew she read his message. He sighed heavily and stared intently at his phone, willing her to respond.
"Man, what the hell happened the other night?"
Elliot looked up at Fin from across the bar table. He felt his eyebrows scrunch together, trying to decide if he should be honest with him or not.
Fin cocked one of his eyebrows up and pursed his lips at his friend. Something must have really went down and honestly he was tired of pushing gently with the two of them. Olivia deserved to be happy and damn if this fool didn't make her eyes light up when someone mentioned him. He noticed that she started to dress in lighter colors again. She seemed more carefree, for the most part. He could tell she was heart broken when she told him that Elliot had "flat out told her to leave him alone." Fin also knew that neither of them ever saw things the way things really happened when they weren't in sync. He threw one hand in a questioning manner at Elliot. I'm too old for this shit, he thought.
Elliot looked back down at his phone and saw the bubbles reappear. His heart skip a beat and he looked back at Fin. "I did, well I said something dumb, then I did something even dumber and now I am trying to feel out where she is at." He looked down at his phone again, damn she is still typing. That can't be good.
Fin made a clicking sound with his mouth. "Damn man, what the hell? We agreed you would handle her gently and approach slowly, what dumb thing did you say? Jesus, what dumber thing did you do?"
Elliot made an uncomfortable face at Fin but quickly looked down and noticed her message came through.
Yes Elliot I am not so old that I need to be in bed by nine. What do you need?
He stared at the message, his head tilted to the side slightly questioning. Why the hell did it take her so long to type that? He quickly started to reply back when Fins hand quickly covered his phone, stopping his efforts. "Hey!"
Fin slip the phone to the middle of the table and wiped his hand down his face in frustration. "Elliot, tell me what you did before you reply to this message. Olivia is not the same person you knew ten years ago. She has a hell of a lot more fight and stubbornness in her now. Let me help you with this before you fuck it up more man."
Elliot felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, irritation rising. But as quickly as it came, it was gone. Fin was right. Fin was the one who stayed and looked out for her in a way he couldn't. He looked down at the table and softly said, "I told her I loved her." He was afraid to look up. He could imagine his face without seeing it. The complete silence after his confession made peek though.
Fin looked like he was going to explode or throw up. His eyes were opened so wide that they looked like they might pop out and his jaw was clenched so tight the vein in his forehead looked close to popping.
"Say something. I know, I know I messed up."
Fins voice sounded more croaked than he would like. "No you royally fucked up. She is going to run. You have no idea. Damnit Elliot, what the fuck?" He took a swig of his beer then stopped mid air "wait, what did you do?"
Elliot looked quickly to the side and then cleared his throat. "Um, well, she came to the house this morning, to talk I think. I don't know what came over me, but I was sick of fighting it so.. I kissed her." He shrugged a little to play it off like it wasn't a massive deal.
Fin looked like he was going to fall out of his chair. "What? I'm sorry, you did what?"
"She kissed me back! Not that thats much of a defense but then the kids walked in and it became a fight and -"
Fin cut him off, "the kids?! Fuck. Fuck." He downed the rest of his beer and looked at Elliot intently. "What did she say when she left? Think hard. Tell me exactly what she said."
Elliot leaned back in his chair, keeping his palms on the table in front of him. Could Fin tell her state of mind just by her words? They had always been closer than him and Fin but they were on a new level. He cleared his throat. "She said, 'I've got to go and that we would talk later-"
Fin nodded, "ok that's not that bad-"
"- then she said 'this is fine right?-"
"Ok, getting worse.." Fin leaned back in his chair.
"- then she said ''Alright, bye bye."
"Shit." Fin hit his fist on the table lightly.
"What? That didn't seem bad. She was spooked but she didn't seem mad." Elliot picked up his beer and took a drink while he watched his friend.
"Shit man, you don't know shit anymore." He pinched the bridge of his nose before continuing. "Does she sound pissy in that last text she sent?"
Elliot nodded, she was obviously irritated.
"Great," he sighed before rubbing his hands down his face, "ok," his hands went up and he leaned forward, "ok this is what I want you to say-"
Olivia finished her glass of wine and was in the kitchen getting a second glass when she heard her phone buzz. Finally, what took so long? She sat back down on her couch, tucked her legs under her and unlocked her phone while take a sip.
Just checking in.
She read the message two times before placing phone down on her leg. She took another long sip of her wine. What was he playing at? This was the most non-Elliot message she has every seen. Elliot is a get to the point kind of person, he would never send such a relaxed message after today. Then it dawned on her, he wasn't alone. Damnit Fin.
She quickly replied back. Is Fin with you? She twirled her wine while she waited for his reply.
Yeah, why? We are drinking a few and watching the game.
She knew it! Did you tell him about last night and today? She cringed inwardly as she pressed send. She knew the answer to that question before she even sent it. Fin has been way too involved in Elliots return. Mentioning to Elliot that she was in a relationship prior to his return, making a point to ask her about Tucker. This whole thing was a set up. God love Fin, he has had to deal with way too many years of our "will they, won't they" relationship. She had to admit he must be getting soft in his old age, he never would have intervened before. His engagement to Phoebe really had made him a sucker. She smiled thinking about it when her phone buzzed again.
Maybe the highlights...
Great. While she was starting her reply another message came in.
Listen, speaking of Fin, how about we go to his wedding together? Since we both don't have a plus one.
The audacity! Granted she just got a plus one fifteen minutes ago but that is a big assumption on his part. She quickly typed her reply.
Actually Stabler, I do have a plus one, but I'll be sure to say hello.
She smirked as she hit send. That should get his blood boiling. She could almost see him now getting red in the face. Instantly her phone buzzed.
Who
She could tell Fin hadn't gotten a chance to think of a smooth reply before he sent it. She felt his impatience and irritation coming through those letters. She put her phone down and took another sip of her wine. She was going to make him sweat for a second. She remembered all the dates and men she blew off when they were still partners. Nope, not this time. She picked her phone back up and typed
You wouldn't know him. His name is Edgar. Goodnight Elliot.
With that she locked her phone and brought her glass to the kitchen. She hoped he agonized over that last message for the rest of the night. She laugh a little and turned off the kitchen light for bed.
Elliot threw his phone down on the table and looked up at Fin, who was watching one of the TVs on the wall.
"Who the fuck is Edgar?"
Fin made a small whistling sound. "Aw shit, she's going with Edgar? Tough luck man." He took a sip of his new beer and went back to watching the tv absentmindedly saying, "She really has a thing for them Ed's."
Elliot blinked at him. Tough luck? Ed's?
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Fin sighed and turned back towards Elliot, "he is a friend of the chiefs, he tried to set them up once but it didn't work as planned. He is a defense attorney and him and Liv 'had a moment' but timing was off. He was defending a scumbag and you know how she is." He shrugged his shoulders. "Brothers tall too."
Elliot looked like he was going to throw up or hit a wall. This was a look Fin remembered, all those years and Elliot still is a jealous asshole. "Look man, leave it alone for the night. I know Liv, she is more likely to talk to you if you don't push her. Have another beer and try to relax. You need to up your game for this wedding. Three piece suit and all that. Show her what she's missing or whatever. You guys have history, she barely knows this guy." He watched as the wheels started to turn in Elliots head.
Elliot nodded and reached his phone, hitting the lock button. Fin was right. Acting insane will not help their already delicate situation. He would give her space, even if it killed him.