The time has come for Elliot and Olivia to part ways after this quick coffee break at the corner cafe, both going back to work. They've been doing this now. Quick meetings during the week, small pulses of quality time, gradually chipping away at the impervious walls they've both created. He takes a step closer, very close, to hug her goodbye. With his arms wrapped around her, his nose in her hair, and her breath on his neck, he tries, "My friend, Olivia. Can I kiss you?"
She pulls her head from his shoulder and gawks at him like it's the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard. "Please?" He whispers, running the back of his index finger over her cheek and down to her chin.
A sharp intake of air fills her lungs involuntarily, the bricks stacking up to her neck again. "Let's wait, okay?" She whispers, and he searches her eyes like he knows she doesn't believe her own words. He doesn't either.
"Okay…" he gave it a shot, and he didn't want to push her.
She continues to justify her reasoning, "I just… Noah, and…" Noah's not here right now, and she trails off realizing this is exactly what she's wanted for years. Why is she getting her own way?
He watches the gears turn in her mind, and smiles sweetly as it plays out on her face. Mild panic turns to realization, flows to clarity. She looks up at him and furrows her brows, like she's annoyed that she called herself on her bullshit. Tightening her grip on his shirt, she tugs him a little closer and his eyebrows shoot up to his hairline.
A crooked smile spreads across his face, and he huffs out a little laugh of relief. She brings one hand up to his cheek, running her thumb over his lips, and pulls him down into a tender, pressing kiss. He wraps his arms around her again and she melts, a sweet warmth spreading through her body and through her chest. The kiss doesn't feel stubborn anymore. His lips are warm and soft, and she can still smell the espresso they shared. They part slightly, allowing her tongue to slip through, and it just feels right. It feels like home.
They pull apart with heated breaths and he pulls her forehead to his, eyes closed. "Liv," he whispers, brushing his nose against hers.
"Yeah," she breathes.
"That was…"
"Yeah," she smiles uncontrollably.
He pecks her one more time on the lips and says, "Walk you back to the precinct, Captain?"
"Actually… Fin's parked across the street." She looks over his shoulder at the black SUV parked along the sidewalk. Fin smirks and shakes his head, and she blushes. "We got a call, he's picking me up on the way."
He chuckles and turns to wave at Fin, who stares him down through his dark sunglasses.
"I'll call you tonight." He says turning back to her, squeezing her hands.
She smiles and nods, and as they part ways their hands linger to release their grasp until the last possible moment.
She crosses the street and gets in the car, and Fin looks at her. "Not a word", she says.
"Copy that, Captain", he smirks as they drive off.
She rests her head against the headrest and smiles to herself as she watches the city go by.
"'Bout damn time," Fin mumbles under his breath.
She shoots him a look and he raises his hands in surrender, but she huffs a chuckle to herself and thinks, about damn time.