Dinner with Olivia and Noah always felt…weird. Maybe not weird, that felt like too strong of a word, but she couldn't think of any other way to describe it. Awkward maybe. But not excessively so. On the surface everything felt friendly and civil, but there always seemed to be an undercurrent of discomfort. It wasn't anything personal on either side, at least she hoped. They just didn't click.
Tonight was different. Elliot made conversation, and Olivia seemed more at ease in his presence. Well, mostly. Ginny wasn't sure what their relationship status was. At least not officially, but he definitely knew how to get her to react…and he seemed to derive amusement from it.
It started out subtle. Like in the kitchen, he was simply in her space. From the handful of interactions they had throughout the year, Ginny had the impression that most people were too intimidated to get too close to Olivia. Hell, she was intimidated by her. First of all, she was incredibly beautiful. Not the ordinary kind. The kind that people stop in the street to look at as a person walks by. If that weren't intimidating enough, she was a powerful woman with a successful career in a male dominated field. And to top it all off, she had brown eyes that always seemed to see a person's soul. It was as unnerving as it was intimidating. But Elliot didn't look intimidated. Not even a little.
He didn't even look intimidated when she silently refused to sit when he pulled out her chair. She stubbornly waited for him to sit before she took her seat. The whole interaction left him with a smile teasing the corners of his lips.
About halfway through dinner, Ginny noticed Olivia's chair had significantly moved towards the end of the table. She hadn't noticed the small incremental change so she glanced over her wine glass when she took a drink. Sure enough, Elliot had scooted his chair a fraction of an inch closer so his arm would bump against hers while they ate. She pretended she didn't notice, but pink painted her cheeks everytime his arm lingered against hers.
Ginny had been too busy watching the exchange to keep up with the dinner conversation. She startled when Matt addressed her. "Isn't one of your nieces at a school in Colorado?"
She shook herself back into reality and answered. "Claire I think."
Matt snapped his fingers. "That's right. Your said your boy is out that way?" Matt asked Elliot.
Elliot had leaned back into his chair, completely at ease in their home. Ginny wondered if Olivia's general aloofness was a cop thing. Clearly not.
Matt and Elliot chatted about his son Eli, and different parts of Colorado he should hit next time he visited his son. Elliot told him he would be headed that direction sometime in the spring if work permitted.
Realizing her required input was over she snuck a glance over to where Olivia sat. She appeared to have checked out of the conversation too. Her eyes were a little distant and her fingers began toying with a gold pendant hanging around her neck.
Ginny discreetly looked closer and noticed that the pendant was a compass. The men were still engaged in their conversation so Ginny took the opportunity to ask about it. "Olivia, that's beautiful. I'm not sure I've noticed it before."
Olivia's eyes briefly flicked to Elliot before she answered. "Thank you. It was, uh, a gift."
Based on Olivia's reaction, the gift was from Elliot, and it looked expensive. She wanted to ask more questions about it, and what it meant, but Elliot's hand had snuck over to the base of Olivia's neck. He gave her a reassuring rub of his fingers, all the while keeping his attention on Matt.
Ginny tried to make conversation, and not focus on the large palm at the back of Olivia's neck. "Noah invited Connor to his recital. I hope that's okay."
Olivia nodded. "He asked me first. You're welcome to come with him…" the offer was hesitant, but sincere.
Ginny's eyes drifted to Elliot who seemed to be discreetly watching Olivia in his periphery, silently clocking her reaction.
"Maybe," Ginny replied. She needed to think about it. She didn't love going into the city, and she wasn't certain if Olivia's invitation was made out of simple courtesy. "I'll need to see what's going on that weekend." Olivia nodded, and didn't seem bothered by Ginny's lack of commitment.
The conversation settled into a lull, and the clamoring of forks against glass plates echoed. Ginny watched as a whispered conversation began between the pair.
"I'll be fine. Seriously. I slept longer than you over the last few days." She figured they were discussing their drive home.
"I know, but you just got back. It's bad enough that I dragged you to this." Her
"It's fine." His voice rumbled, "Liv, look, I want to be here."
"Seriously?"
Ginny chose not to be offended. Family dinner with his maybe girlfriend's son's biological half brother's family probably not what he expected for his evening.
"Well I mean this is nice and all, but I really meant I just want to be with you." His blue eyes held hers with an intensity that made Ginny squirm.
Olivia's cheeks started to pink. "Okay. Let's talk about it later. We don't need to go into it all right now."
Elliot's hand dropped to her knee. "You're right."
"Who wants pie?" Matt clapped his hands together suddenly, making Ginny jump.
"Yeah!" The boys cheered as they thundered into the kitchen.
Ginny smiled and shook her head and began picking up dishes. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Elliot tugging Olivia into the adjoining living room.
"Ginny, leave those, I'll help you clear in a minute."
Ginny waved her off, "no no, I got this." She smiled as Elliot all but dragged Olivia into the next room.
Ginny tried not to listen, but from where she stood she couldn't ignore them.
"You gotta stop that," Olivia chided.
"What?" He asked innocently. Ginny could imagine the boyish smile.
The was the sound of a smack, and Hinny suspected she was slapping one of Elliot's hands away from her. "All the touching," Olivia said in exasperation.
There was the sound of shuffling footsteps, and he chuckled. "What touching?"
Ginny couldn't help the quick peek over her shoulder, just in enough time to see him pull her into a hug. "Shut up Elliot," she said without malice.
He laughed. "Okay okay." She heard him step closer. "I'll keep my hands to myself…for now." Ginny could imagine the suggestive lift of his eyebrows.
Olivia let out an exhausted sigh that Ginny assumed was muffled by her head pressing into his shoulder. "Thank you."
She heard their bodies shift before he asked, "Have you ever thought that maybe I can't help it?"
Olivia's voice lightened with a playful sort of amusement. "You survived twenty five years. I think you can keep your hands off for a few hours."
He let out an exaggerated groan, like the idea physically pained him. "Twenty five years of not touching you was the hardest thing I've ever done." His joking tone fell into a poignant sort of seriousness. There was a story there, Ginny was sure of it. After all, they were partners for thirteen of those years…
She waited for Olivia's response, but his words left her speechless. She could almost feel Olivia Benson's tough exterior softening. Ginny resisted the urge to peek around the corner. She wanted them to have their private moment. That woman did so much for so many people. She deserved a little happiness.