Lots of fluffy EO...
Enjoy loves... comments always welcome.
Dick Wolf owns everything
Brunch
A little after their escapades in the shower they were dressed and on their way to Amanda's apartment for breakfast and to pick up Noah. In the car Amanda called and told them to meet her and Sonny at a little bistro a few blocks from her place.
Olivia was still on the phone talking to Amanda finding out why the change in venue and when they stopped at a light, Elliot turned to look at her. She was smiling and laughing talking to Amanda, and her laugh… her laugh was infectious. He thought about in those few seconds how he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life listening to and making her laugh.
In their line of work, laughter was hard to come by. He hadn't really heard her laugh all that much in the twelve years they were partners, and he was going to change that. Now that they were taking big steps forward and moving in together, it was going to be his mission to make her, and Noah laugh daily.
That laugh… her laugh could cure anything. Even just her soft smile at him across from their desks had turned his night around more times than he could remember.
The light turned green as Olivia hung up with Amanda still chuckling to herself. Elliot immediately grabbed her hand and intertwined her fingers with his as she told him what street the bistro was on.
"So why are we meeting them there instead of her apartment?" El asked.
"Well," Olivia said laughing a little again, "Apparently, Billie and Jesse woke up early and decided Frannie wanted to dye her hair. They took Kool aide packets and filled up a plastic Sterilite container with water and dragged Frannie into it." She finished laughing again.
"What? Wait… who is Frannie?" he asked, thinking to himself. He thought Amanda only had two daughters.
"Oh sorry, Frannie is her dog." Liv said. Elliot nodded, it making sense to him now and Olivia continued.
"So anyway, her kitchen is filled with open packets of Kool Aide, water and a rainbow-colored Frannie." She said chuckling.
Elliot laughed and thought about all the crazy things his kids had done. He wondered if Noah had ever gotten into mischief, but knowing he was an only child maybe nothing too bad.
He felt a clutch to his heart once again thinking about all the time he missed out on. All the time watching Liv become a mother… Noah growing up… and how if things were different maybe he would have gotten to see Olivia glowing and carrying their child.
It only lasted a moment because he then remembered the conversation they had about fate and timing, and he took a deep breath and let the moment pass. He was here with her now and that's all that mattered.
He brought the hand he was holding up to his face and kissed her fingers. He felt her squeeze his back and when he glanced over, she was softly smiling at him, her eyes full of light and love.
EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO
It had been almost two hours since they had sat down for brunch with Amanda and Sonny. The more time he was spending with them, the more he liked them. He had never really talked to Sonny all that much, but now they were clicking...
Besides what Liv had already told him, he learned Sonny used to be a detective for her, and with his family history they had a lot in common. He could definitely hang with him more, regardless of him being a lawyer now.
And Amanda… well she was growing on him. He could tell the bond between Liv and Amanda was strong, but he could see it had taken time. He felt something there like a deeper story, and maybe he'd ask her about it later.
What was obviously clear was the strong admiration, respect, and protectiveness the two of them both felt towards Olivia.
And that made his heart happy. She deserved to be surrounded by people she trusted. People who would watch her back and do the right thing. This was the house she built, and it only made him fall more in love with her. SVU had Olivia written all over it and it was amazing.
It did make him miss being her partner, seeing her every day at work, but what they had now was so much better. Every time he had that little tug in his gut at knowing he hadn't been there for her; he would think about that ring in his bag. It reminded him how lucky he was. Lucky he was here with her, loving her.
He got all the parts of her he'd always wanted. And now that they were moving in together, he would never have to wake up without her. Yes, it would suck sometimes. With work and children, they would have less time just for them, but it didn't matter. Any second of time he was blessed to have with her meant the world to him. He was going to make all the seconds count with her.
Amanda and Olivia were laughing about some old case, involving Nick Amaro. She had told him about Nick. Her partner after him. He had been bristly about it, but it was fine. He was fine. While they were in the shower getting ready to come here to meet Amanda and Sonny, he had asked some questions about Amanda. It was very… "couple-y" of them… discussing tidbits about the couple they were meeting.
He wanted to get to know her, and Sonny, and Olivia's relationship with them. It was important to him to hear about the people that were there for her when he wasn't, and Amaro's name came up.
He had been standing behind her in the shower, his hands roaming, because how could they not, and she mentioned this name… Nick Amaro.
He felt her tense a little when he had asked who Amaro was.
"He… he was my partner."
She had said it so tentatively, not turning, but she was preparing herself. The word "Oh…" was all he could get out. He had been so wrapped up in those ten years of thinking about her, and trying not to think about her, and worried about who was watching her back that he didn't even think about who was actually watching her back.
He had worried about all the time he had missed, and who was spending that time with her, and had she gotten married, or had a child, or a thousand other things, that he didn't think about the person who would eventually replace him.
But true to her form, Liv sensed his pause. Sensed his apprehension of reacting. He had wanted to react, felt it bubble from his gut, but he knew he shouldn't react. He had left, and he didn't get a say in what or who had happened to her in those ten years.
He was learning. He had learned to control his temper with his family, and now he was learning to not go over the edge with Liv. He could ask her anything, and he knew she'd answer honestly. But after the thing with Cassidy, he had heard her and agreed. He didn't get to pass judgment… he wasn't there… and it was in the past. Why argue over something that wouldn't change?
Her ex's… what had happened to her… and now her ex-partners, of which he was also on that list, weren't things he had a say in then.
He preferred to be referred to as… her "former partner".
But that wasn't his choice either. He had noticed though, over time since he'd come back into her life, she had stopped calling him her ex-partner and started calling him her former partner. It was like the healing of her heart and the forgiveness she had for him also transferred into her words she used to describe him. He appreciated it.
But then she turned to face him in the shower, wrapping her arms around his neck, biting her lip trying to keep her smile from reaching both corners of her mouth. She eyed him, and then let her eyes slide over his lips, and he felt his prickliness ware away, and the tug of his heart for her took over.
Then she soothed him with her words.
"You know Cragen wasn't going to just let me go solo for the rest of my life… even if that's how I wanted it."
She was right. She was always right. And it was dangerous to work cases on your own all the time. It could take over your life, put you in a stranglehold, send you down the rabbit hole. So, he had decided to be happy that someone was watching her back… and hopefully not her backside.
She told him a little of his story and where he was now. But she could still feel it inside him. He was trying. He hoped she could feel that too.
Then she once again, knowing what he needed to hear, she soothed him with her words once more.
"No one could ever replace you El… you know that right? What you were to me… what you are to me…"
She had said that, and he could see the hint of uncertainty in her eyes. She was worried he thought someone could replace him in her life, even though she would have had every right to try. And if someone else had succeeded in doing that, they would be here right now, not him. He was sure of that.
So, he knew. He knew just like how no country or ocean, or piece of priceless art, or Piazza, or person, or amount of time could fill the void left in him when he left her. The void he had left in both of them. Nothing could. They were linked uniquely in every way that was humanly possible, and he'd like to think divinely as well.
Like how Antonio Canova's Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss was etched into stone, she was etched into his soul. There was no him without her.
And actually, that sculpture was a perfect metaphor for them and the time between them that was lost.
The story of Psyche, the most beautiful woman in the world, and Cupid, the son of Aphrodite, was one of love and trust, but there had been obstacles that tried to derail the couple. Anger and misleading information, omissions of medaling and the envy of Aphrodite had separated them. But in the end Psyche had promised to do anything to get her husband back… even risking death to do so. As a result of their undying love for one another, Zeus allowed Psyche to drink the ambrosia of the Gods making her immortal and sealing their fate together forever.
He had remembered this story from the tour of the Louvre Kathy had dragged him to when they were in Paris for a weekend. He was by no means an art history buff, nor did he really care for it, or understand very much if it, but he did appreciate the scale of talent it took to sculpt.
They had come across this sculpture, and he felt it. The pull of Olivia. It gripped him hard in his gut. So hard Kathy asked if he was ok, and he couldn't just lopsidedly smile at her and shake his head. How could he tell his wife that his heart would bleed for the chance to see her again? That he'd crawl across broken glass for her… he'd die for her… and almost had.
There was just something about the shape of the embrace, so intimate, and longing for each other in the eyes of the carved marble.
He had decided to find out more about the sculpture and found out it was one of the only love stories to have a happy ending in Mythology.
They couldn't be together because he was a god and she was not, but they married despite the obstacles because it was love at first sight. And even thought trials had separated them, they found their way back to each other.
It had hit him like a train standing there, staring at it while he listened to the recorded dialogue the museum provided. His deep ache for her, wondering if they would ever get their happy ending.
So, as he stood in the shower with the love of his life, that sculpture… the moment Psyche is awakened by her love, Cupid, and the tender embrace they share connecting their souls again, flashed in his mind.
They had made it back to each other.
And it hit him harder in that moment as the steam moved around them.
God… he loved her.
And the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them.
"Marry me…"
He had realized after he said it, it wasn't what she deserved. He didn't mean to just blurt it out, and even though he didn't have a plan for how he was actually going to do it, she didn't deserve it like this.
She deserved everything.
And her face changed slightly… a little shocked at his question, and uncertainty… wondering if he was kidding or not.
So thought he had meant it, he let a grin cross his face, letting her know he was kidding around. Even though he wasn't.
He saw a little relief crawl into her features, and she relaxed and playfully rolled her eyes at him.
He hadn't said anything else after that in the shower and instead put shampoo in his palm and washed her hair while she lovingly connected their souls with her eyes.
And here they sat… at a table talking about old times, and Amanda's voice cut into his memory from a few hours ago in the shower with Liv.
"So, I'm sure you two have some crazy stories huh? I mean… twelve years… that's a long time to be partners." She said.
Olivia smiled at him, reaching for his hand and intertwining their fingers.
Their eyes connected and all the same memories flashed in a second between them.
"Yea… lots of bruised knuckles and bullets…" he said chuckling.
"And a lot of justice served… and sometimes not enough…" Olivia added. They all sat for a second or two, the dropped eye contact of knowing what it felt like to have the justice system fall short.
Amanda took a deep breath in and looked up at Stabler who was slowly rubbing circles on Liv's hand.
"Hey… I just wanna say… I am truly sorry for what happened at the precinct the other day… I want to start over. I've already apologized to Liv for over crossing, and I hope we can get off on the right foot now…" she said motioning to Elliot.
"Bygones…" El said smiling at her. Amanda let out a soft breath and smiled back, relieved to get that off her chest.
"It's been nice getting to know you, Elliot. Really." She added.
"Well, my mom always use to say before we can forgive one another, we have to understand one another." Sonny added in his thick accent.
"That sounds familiar… Your mom came up with that?" Amanda asked.
"No… it's Emma Goldman actually." He answered.
"A free thinker…" Liv said.
"And an anarchist…" Sonny added with a smile.
"I love strong rebellious women…" Elliot added with a kiss to Liv's hand, and they all laughed.
EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO
Another hour or so later and a few mimosas later and they were all laughing and sharing war stories.
All of them had a funny antidote about Munch and his conspiracy theories and every time he ended up being right and never let them hear the end of it, or Fin's great one-liners to perps.
The kids were busy coloring and then playing a game all together on Noah's iPad, so they didn't seem to mind all the fun the adults were having.
El and Liv talked about Cragen and all the times he had a fit over something one of them did, but then would turn around and lay himself on the line for them.
Elliot was really enjoying himself. Liv was too. It was nice to do this. Go out, have conversations and laughs with friends. Be able to touch Liv any time he wanted, share food… share a drink… kiss her. Have her wrap her arms around him so comfortably in front of one of her detectives and ADA and just be them.
Amanda and Sonny seemed… hesitant to display such affection but he could see it in their eyes. Another reason he connected with Sonny so quickly. Sonny looked at Amanda in a similar way that he looked at Liv. It wasn't the same way because no one else could have the same love he and Liv had. They were one of kind, and he'd die on that hill.
He wasn't usually one to pry into other's relationships, but his curiosity got the better of him, and maybe it was a little bit of the alcohol as well.
"So how long have you two been together?" He said.
Amanda smiled and looked at Sonny. She seemed afraid to answer at first but looked to Liv and seemed to relax.
"Well… I guess officially at Fin's wedding." She said and Sonny grabbed her hand, looking at her like he remembered the moment like it was yesterday and Elliot understood.
He remembered like it was yesterday too. Every moment with her. The mundane moments… the light ones… the terrifying ones and the painful. He remembered them all because it was them, and every second spent with her were the best moments of his life.
He was feeling especially in love these days and happier than he ever had been. The romantic in him was coming out. The Olivia Benson effect apparently… also the alcohol didn't help.
"So, tell me… how did all this start?" He asked and Olivia looked at him and giggled. Amanda looked to Liv, but she just shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know what had gotten into El either, but she wasn't going to pull him out of it. She was enjoying herself way too much and enjoying this romantic, sappy side of Elliot Stabler.
"Well, I dunno about Amanda, but for me it was the first time we met." Sonny said.
"What? Oh, come on… that's not true." Amanda said rolling her eyes and taking a drink.
"No, no… it was. I came in and introduced myself, you all were pretty… um… harsh…" he said laughing, "…but when I heard that southern accent… looked into your beautiful eyes… I just… knew." Sonny said smiling and brushing a finger onto the blondes quickly flushing cheek.
Amanda caught her breath, feeling the heat creep into her face and said, "Well… it might not have been instant for me, but once you got rid of that mustache, I started to like you better." She said with a laugh.
"Oh, yea Carisi… don't ever try that again… you and facial hair is just…" Liv said scrunching you're her nose and laughing with Amanda.
"No facial hair huh?" El said turning to Liv.
Liv bit her lip and brushed her hand over his jaw, feeling a little bit of stubble. Her pulse quickened at the thought of what it would feel like to kiss a bearded Elliot… or the feeling of this stubble between her legs and heat rushed her cheeks. "Hmm, I don't know… maybe just a little might be ok…" she said and if his eyes could have sparkled like a blue diamond in his eyes they would have. Just like Tony Curtis's did in all those old movies.
"But in all seriousness…" Amanda started, "Somewhere along the way I looked over at you and you had suddenly become someone different to me. Someone I wanted to call and talk to… someone I wanted to watch cheesy reality tv with… someone I trusted with my life and my kids… and I realized you weren't a different person… you were there the whole time; it just took me longer to see it. Too long." She finished and leaned into him and kissed him.
Olivia smiled feeling the warmth of their love and was so happy for them. All the things Amanda had been through and put her through… they fit. And Amanda deserved to be happy. They both did.
Sonny grounded her. He showed her what a promise to be there really felt like.
"Ok you're turn." Amanda said turning to Liv and El.
"Uh… well…" Liv started. This certainly had turned into an eventful brunch. "I suppose I'd have to say Fin's wedding as well…" Olivia looked to Elliot, his eyes sparkling remembering the first time they kissed. How raw and almost surreal it was and how when it was over, he was left desperately needing to feel her lips against his again.
"Great… that means well all owe Fin." Amanda said chuckling and rolling her eyes a little.
Carisi sat there watching Elliot. Everything about this man screamed that he loved Liv. Everything. It was so loudly physical that a few times during this brunch he felt like he was intruding on them.
He had never seen her this way. This… happy. To hear about Stabler… see the pain she tried so hard to hide from them, except from Fin… it was astounding to see this connection in front of his face. It was… palpable… the air was thick around them with… heat and a flowing chemistry he'd only ever seen in movies. He could only imagine what it would have been like in the squad back then.
He wondered about that. Did they know then? Was it instant? Was it as instant as it had been for him seeing Amanda? He was curious because this connection almost seemed… unreal.
"Did you know… back then?" Sonny asked looking at Elliot.
Elliot smiled softly, looking down at Liv's hand tangled up with his. He wasn't so sure he wanted to tell them. This relationship with Liv was so personal and deeply imbedded in him that it almost felt like trying to share any part of it with anyone was giving away government secrets.
Plus, anytime in their complicated past he would have been scorched by a look from Cragen for not even saying the things he wanted to say about her. They could never talk about it then… but this was a whole new chapter.
The one where he could shout it from the roof tops if he wanted. And he did want Amanda and Sonny to trust him. Trust that he wasn't leaving her again, trust that he was here for good.
"I did… the second she walked in the 16th… time stopped when I first saw her." He lifted his head to look at Liv and meet the eyes of the woman who changed his life almost twenty-three years ago.
"It still does…" he finished. He saw her eyes get a little glassy and she leaned into him capturing his lips. She slowly pulled back blinking back her tears.
She couldn't believe this dashing romantic man sitting next to her was Elliot Stabler. Elliot Stabler openly conveying his lifelong love for her without opening the door of his heart and souls that was only for her.
And once again, every time she thought she couldn't love him more… she did.
His words marry me… and then his lopsided grin flashed in her mind. She had wanted to say yes… every fiber in her being was screaming at her to answer the beautiful man standing with her in her shower who loved her so intensely it was hard to breath sometimes.
But her mouth just… couldn't connect with her brain and then he had smiled at her… in a silly way, and she thought oh, it was a joke. He was joking… and relief had washed over her that she didn't miss her chance to say yes and yet he was quiet then. She couldn't help but wonder… maybe he had meant it.
So why had he made it seem like he didn't? She would ask him later… not here… not in front of people or Noah… later she thought. They were having such a good time; she didn't want to risk spoiling it.
"Well Elliot, you sold me…" Sonny said breaking Liv out of her thoughts.
Elliot grinned his patented Stabler smile. "She's always had me… but we never crossed that line. I want that to be clear on that. I know once everyone knows about us… there will be rumors. But neither of us ever crossed it… didn't mean I didn't think about it…" he said adding the last part in slyly.
Amanda looked to Liv. "Was it love at first sight for you?" She asked softly.
"Well… no…" she said snickering a little. "I mean… not that I realized. It took me a little time… but he was married so I just… shoved it all down and tried not to think about it… but there was a pull. Elliot has always been… like gravity." She said.
"I get that…" Amanda said. "The first time I met you, now granted it was under terrible circumstances, but you do have this… energy about you." She finished looking to El.
"Yes… quite an intense energy… and let me tell you it's hard to ignore it when he directs it at you." She said feeling her cheeks flush.
"But once I realized what he meant to me… there was no turning back. So, I did the only thing I could… I ran from it."
Amanda looked a little confused.
"I transferred to computer crimes for a bit… it had gotten too… complicated. But SVU is in my blood… so naturally… gravity pulled me back." She said chuckling eyeing Elliot.
He had that look on his face. That smoldering look that just hit her deep in the pit of her stomach and between her legs. It had been too long since the last time he had any part of his body inside her in any way… and she was jonesing for him.
Olivia felt and urge of her arousal for Elliot sweep over her. All this open announcing of his love for her… the look in his eyes… the smell of him… his proximity to her, and his hand on her leg was turning her on, and she just needed some time alone with him.
Like now.
She very stealth-like pretended to rummage around her purse, looking for something and texted El.
Hey… pretend like this is a work message… and meet me in the bathroom.
She hit send.
Elliot's phone dinged and he reached into his pocket.
"Is it Bell?" Olivia asked with a hint of mischief in her voice. Just enough to tip off Elliot but leave Amanda and Sonny in the dark.
El eyed her and looked at his message. He felt a sweeping heat spread like wildfire over his body.
"Yea… sorry, I'm just gonna go call her real quick." He said, kissing Liv on the cheek and getting up.
"Sure… no problem." Amanda said.
"Hey, do you know where the bathroom is here?" Liv asked almost too enthusiastic.
"Yea, it's in the back past the bar." Sonny said. Just then Billie and Jesse started to fight over who's turn it was to play the game the three of them were playing and Sonny and Amanda were temporarily distracted.
Liv got up and followed Elliot. She reached in front of her and grabbed his hand closing both of hers around his.
She let go and went into the ladies, and Elliot looked around for a second to make sure no one was looking, and followed her in, locking the door.
"Everything ok?" He asked, wanting to make sure the reason she texted him was for what he thought it was, and not because of something else.
Olivia brought her hands to his face and kissed him, deepening it quickly as she pushed him up against the door. Her mouth was hot and possessive. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose and let her just own his mouth.
He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her lower body to his, and the feeling of her melting into him was all he could think about.
She pulled back, taking a breath in herself, and she looked at him with those big beautiful brown eyes of hers. She swallowed hard. That first rush of feeling her lips on his again was blissful.
"I just… needed you…" she breathed out, and he chuckled at her when the lopsided grin crossed her face. She giggled at herself and the rush she felt of sneaking off to maul him.
His hands slid down over her ass, and he pulled her into him, swaying a bit. "I needed you too…" he said as his right hand moved from her ass and found the waist of her jeans, slipping it in, feeling all her warm skin. She felt a tingle up her spine and her breathing got a little heavier.
She closed her eyes as his hand traveled lower sliding over the curve of her ass, slipping towards the inside of her thigh.
"El…" she huffed out, feeling herself getting wet. Her thighs trembled a bit as his hand continued to tease her.
"Hmmm…" he said as he pulled his lips in his mouth, watching her enjoy what he was doing.
"Ugh… you're making… you're making me wet…" she rasped out. Her mind was spinning and all she could think about was his hand.
"Yea?" he said, his eyebrow lifting as a cocky grin slid across his face. "How wet" he said, moving his lips by her ear, but only lightly brushing them across her skin, his breath hot on her neck. He felt her tighten her grip on him, and a little moan escaped her lips.
She pulled his hand out and turned herself around, pushing her ass up against his already half hard cock and he moaned, bucking his hips into her. She undid the button to her jeans and dragged his hand across her stomach and pushed it into the opening of her pants.
"How about you find out for yourself…" she hummed.