Prompt #67: You're such a Scrooge

Christmas List

~oOo~

Olivia has been watching her partner of many years intensively writing something down only to cross it out and write something else on his legal pad for five minutes before asking, "El, what have you thought of that has you going so crazy on your notes?"

"I remembered that I have to pick up all the kids' gifts for Christmas today and forgot the list on the nightstand this morning. So I'm trying to remember what was on it," Elliot replied while not taking his eyes off his paper.

"So you didn't check for it twice before leaving this morning."' Olivia said with a soft grin at her partner.

"Ha ha very funny. With Christmas being two weeks away, I need to get everything today before Kathy finds out that I didn't get the gifts last week," Elliot said while adding to the list.

Olivia thought back to the last few days and Elliot's odd behavior of volunteering to get lunch for everyone only for Cragen to send Munch or herself instead.

"Oh, Cragen clocked you trying to shop during work hours."

"I'm aware of that. So that is why my partner is going to help me today."

"I am, am I? And why would I do that, El?" Olivia asked while already knowing the answer.

"Because you help shop every year. It's your chance to sneak in gifts for the kids," he said confidently with a smug smile.

She blushed slightly since it was true that in the past few years, she helped pick up some of the gifts for the young Stablers. What she hadn't expected was that Elliot would ever mention the few extra gifts mixed in.

"You're such a Scrooge. So as the fun pare— partner, I have to round out the practical and educational gifts with fun ones." She shot back trying to fight off her added blush from her slip-up. As much as she loved Elliot's kids as her own, she couldn't ever say that to him.

"Hey, we got them some fun gifts before. On Lizzie and Dickie's last birthday, we got them the camera and doctors kit that they both loved."

Liv felt a warm glow fill her chest with the knowledge that the youngest Stablers enjoyed her gifts.

"Those were my gifts to them, El," Olivia said while trying to hide her smile.

"Oh, I thought Kathy got those ones. Did they tell you that they wanted those gifts when they dropped by before their birthday?"

"No, I just noticed that Lizzie loves looking at Cragen's stash of Natural Geographic magazines when they wait for you if you're in interrogation. And Dickie was more interested in how the doctors healed you after you got injured the last time."

The warm look that Elliot was giving her caused her to look at the paperwork on her desk she'd been ignoring since Munch and Fin left to check on a cold case victim.

"Thanks, Liv."

"It's nothing. You have some great kids so they deserve some great gifts also," Olivia replied softly back before trying to get back on track.

"So is your Christmas list done? I should leave soon if I have to pick up lunch to cover for the shopping."

"Here, this should be all the big ones. I'll double-check when I get home if I forgot something. I can deal with anything missing later on," he said while tearing off the page from his legal pad.

Elliot got up to hand Olivia the sheet of paper.

"Thanks again, Liv." he repeated as his hand held onto hers a few seconds longer than what was necessary.

"Of course. Cover for me, I'll be back soon," Olivia said as she got up and put her coat on.

"Don't forget."

"I know, El, cheddar cheese not American cheese on your burger. I'm not Munch," she called out with an eye roll as she entered the elevator.

"No you are certainly not Munch," Elliot whispered to himself as the elevator left with his partner in it.

'Maybe I should get her a new necklace,' Elliot thought to himself as he started a new list.

The author of this SVU - Heart for the Holidays story will be revealed in January