Prompt #9: Jumping into a pile of leaves
The Jump
~oOo~
Noah runs around, picking up leaves and throwing them up in the air as they flutter to the ground. He then runs to his mother, handing her a beautiful orange leaf.
"Check this out, Mom," he says. "It's an almost perfect leaf, no tears or spots."
"Almost perfect, huh?" Olivia comments, taking the leaf from him. "Just like me," she jokes, ruffling his hair.
"Mo-om!" He laughs, pushing her hand away and trying to fix his hair. "Elliot thinks you're pretty perfect, ya know." He chuckles.
"Elliot does, does he?" she questions, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow playfully. "What makes you think that?"
"The way he looks at you," Noah says, his expression becoming more serious. "Like he loves everything about you. The way he looks at you is like..." He pauses, trying to find the right words.
Olivia's heart skips as she listens intently to her son's words. He describes Elliot's gaze in a way that makes her sense a hint of truth in his words. She feels her heartbeat quicken, but she quickly tries to hide her emotions.
"Noah..." she begins, her voice slightly shaky. "Honey..."
Noah looks at her with a knowing smile. "You don't have to hide it, you know." He knows his mom better than anyone and can see right through her. "I see the way you look at him too."
Olivia is surprised by her son's observation. She thought she had concealed her feelings well. "Noah, sweetheart..." She starts, her voice laced with caution. "Elliot and I... it's complicated."
"But you like him, don't you?" Noah asks, his eyes wide, waiting for her answer. Olivia hesitates momentarily, her feelings for Elliot being a tangled web she doesn't want to admit out loud.
"Sweetheart," Olivia starts, trying to find the right words. "Elliot and I have been through a lot together. He's a close friend who means a lot to me..."
She let out a sigh, realizing she couldn't hide her feelings from her perceptive son. "Yes, I do like him."
A knowing smile spreads across Noah's face. "I knew it," he says, his eyes gleaming.
Olivia rolls her eyes in amusement. "You're a little too perceptive sometimes, you know that?"
"Comes with the territory of being your son," he jokes with a cheeky grin. Olivia can't help but smile back at his wit.
As they walk hand in hand, Olivia looks down at her son with pride and admiration.
"Whoa!" Noah exclaims, his eyes wide with excitement as he spots the massive pile of leaves. "Can we jump in it, Mom? Please?"
Olivia can't resist his pleading look. "Alright, but not long," she says, feigning indifference. "Make sure you're careful though."
"Yes!" Noah cheers, his face lighting up with excitement. He lets go of her hand and runs straight into the pile, jumping and laughing as the leaves fly in the air.
Olivia watches her son with affection, a fond smile on her face. As Noah emerges from the pile, covered in leaves from head to toe, Olivia can't help but laugh at the sight.
As Olivia is occupied watching her son, utterly unaware of Elliot's presence, he continues to observe them discreetly from afar. A small smile forms on his face as he watches Olivia being a mother, her natural maternal instincts shining through.
Noah is now running around the pile, gathering more leaves, while Olivia stands nearby, her back still towards Elliot. Just as he begins to walk toward her, Olivia turns around. Their eyes lock, and the world seems to stop briefly.
Olivia's breath hitches in her throat as her eyes meet Elliot's. She wasn't expecting him to be there, and the surprise on her face quickly turns into a mixture of joy and nervousness. "Elliot," she finally manages to say, her voice betraying her slightly.
"Hey, Liv," Elliot responds with a warm smile. His heart skips a beat as he gazes at her, her face flushed from the cold. He can't help but notice how beautiful she looks in the autumn afternoon light.
"What are you doing here?" Olivia asks, trying to hide the fluttering in her chest.
"I was in the neighborhood," Elliot replies casually, his voice low and smooth. He steps closer to her, the distance between them slowly shrinking. "Couldn't resist seeing a certain Captain laughing and enjoying the leaves with her son."
Olivia's cheeks flush again, now from embarrassment and pleasure. She glances at Noah, who is still jumping into the leaves without a care in the world.
"You've been watching us?" she asks a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Just for a few minutes," Elliot admits, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "You two looked like you were having fun."
He takes another step closer, now standing right beside her. The gap between them is so tiny that it would only take a lean forward to close it.
Olivia can feel the heat radiating off Elliot's body and the scent of his cologne, making her heart race. She glances up at him, their eyes locking again, and in that moment, she can see the same longing reflecting in his gaze.
"Elliot, I—" she starts to say, but the words die in her throat as she feels his hand reach out to touch hers.
"Liv," Elliot whispers, his voice barely above a murmur. He intertwines his fingers with hers, the contact making her heart skip a beat. "It's okay. I get it. I just wanted to see you and Noah."
Her fingers intertwine tighter with his, the warmth of his touch sending a jolt through her body. She looks back at Noah, who is half-buried under leaves.
"Noah," Olivia calls out, her voice tinged with a hint of emotion. "Look who's here."
Having finally noticed Elliot's presence, Noah runs over to him with a big smile on his face.
"Elliot!" he exclaims, throwing himself into Elliot's arms for a hug.
Elliot laughs and ruffles Noah's hair, a warm smile spreading across his face.
"Hey, kiddo," he says, giving Noah a firm hug.
Olivia watches the interaction, her heart swelling with joy and uncertainty.
As Elliot releases Noah, he looks between Elliot and Olivia, sensing the shift in the mood. He glances at his mother, a knowing smile on his face.
"I'm gonna go throw more leaves around. I'll be over there," he says, gesturing to an isolated area of the park.
Olivia nods, silently appreciating her son's subtle cue to give her some privacy with Elliot.
Once Noah is out of earshot, Elliot turns his attention back to Olivia. The silence between them is thick with unsaid words and feelings.
He takes a step closer, the nearness causing Olivia's heart to race. "Can we talk?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
She nods silently, her heart clenching at the seriousness in his tone. She can sense the weight of the conversation they're about to have, and a part of her longs to remain in their carefree moment among the leaves.
"We can talk," she replies, her voice soft and steady.
Elliot retakes her hand, his thumb gently caressing her knuckles. The simple, intimate gesture sends a flutter through her stomach as he leads her to a secluded bench a short distance from the clearing.
They sit down, the bench creaking softly under their weight. The sound of distant laughter and the rustling of leaves fill the air, but all Olivia can focus on is the man sitting next to her. His thigh is pressed against hers, the warmth of his body seeping through their clothing.
Olivia can feel Elliot's eyes on her, but she keeps her gaze fixed on the ground. The weight of the words she wants to say, the words she's been holding back for so long, feels almost impossible to express.
Finally, Elliot breaks the silence. "Liv, I—" he starts, his voice gruff, but he trails off, seemingly at a loss for words.
Olivia glances up at him, her eyes meeting his, and the raw emotion she sees there takes her aback. It's a mixture of longing, uncertainty, and the same feelings she's been trying to ignore for years.
She takes a deep breath, steadying her nerves, and turns to face him fully. "Elliot, I need to say something," she says, her voice surprisingly steady despite the turmoil she's feeling inside.
He nods, his eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. He doesn't say anything, giving her the space to gather her words.
Olivia swallows hard, the words coming out slowly, as if she's having to extract them from the depths of her soul. "I've been thinking about us a lot lately," she starts, her voice wavering slightly. "I... I know you've been patiently waiting for me to… be ready."
Elliot reaches for her hand again, his fingers intertwining with hers, giving an encouraging squeeze. "You know I'd wait forever for you, Liv," he says, his voice low and sincere.
She nods, her heart swelling at his words. The patience and understanding he has shown her has been unyielding. "I know, Elliot," she says, her voice quieter now. "And the truth is, I… I think I'm ready. I think I'm ready for us to give this a try."
Elliot's face lights up at her words, a mixture of relief and joy visible in his expression. After all these years of waiting and hoping, he can hardly believe what he's hearing. "Are you sure, Liv?" he asks, his voice thick with emotion.
Olivia nods, a small, nervous smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, I've been doing a lot of thinking and healing," she explains, her heart beating faster. "I… I want this El, with you."
Elliot cups her face in his hands, gently tilting it towards him. His eyes search hers, looking for any sign of doubt or uncertainty. When he finds none, he leans in and presses his forehead against hers, a small, relieved sigh escaping his lips.
Olivia leans into his touch, her heart in her throat. The warmth of his hands on her skin, the scent of his familiar cologne—it all feels overwhelming and perfect. They remain like that, foreheads touching, neither saying a word.
As Olivia and Elliot lose themselves in the moment, Noah peeks over in their direction, catching them in their intimate pose. He watches with curiosity, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Noah can't contain his excitement. With a broad grin on his face, he runs in their direction.
"Mom! Elliot!" Noah calls out excitedly. His footsteps crunch through the fallen leaves as he dashes towards them.
Olivia and Elliot quickly pull apart as they hear Noah's voice. They both turn to see him running toward them, a wide smile plastered across his face.
"I saw!" Noah exclaims between gasps of air as he reaches them. "Does this mean you're dating now?"
Olivia can't help but chuckle at her son's forwardness. "Slow down there, buddy," she says, shaking her head slightly. "But yeah..." She glances at Elliot, her heart fluttering as she looks into his eyes. "We're going to give things a shot."
Noah's eyes widen in excitement. "This is awesome!" He jumps up and down, his energy boundless.
Elliot laughs, watching Noah's reaction. "You know what else is pretty awesome?" he asks, a playful smile on his face.
"What?" Noah asks, looking up at Elliot with eager eyes.
"All these leaves to jump in," Elliot replies, gesturing towards the pile of leaves where Noah was playing moments ago. "How about mom and I join you."
Noah's face lights up. "Yeah! Let's go jump!" He grabs Elliot and Olivia's hands, tugging them towards the pile.
Olivia laughs, giving in to Noah's enthusiasm. She glances at Elliot, smiling, and together, they follow Noah to the pile.
As they reach the pile, Olivia and Elliot share a look between them. It's a look filled with anticipation, excitement, and a hint of nervousness.
Elliot looks at Olivia, his usually serious demeanor replaced by a boyish grin, and says, "You ready to jump, Captain?"
Olivia laughs, her body on the verge of launching into the leaves. She grins, her eyes sparkling. "As I'll ever be, Partner."
They both jump in unison, the leaves crunching loudly under their weight. They land with a satisfying thump, a cloud of leaves surrounding them.
Elliot is laid out on his back, a laugh escaping his lips. He looks over at Olivia, who is sitting up next to him. The sunlight filters through the branches, casting a warm glow on them both.
Olivia smiles widely, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She's covered in leaves, her hair messy from the jump. She looks beautiful, radiant in her happiness. She glances over at Elliot, meeting his gaze.
Elliot sits up, his eyes never leaving hers. He reaches out and gently brushes away a stray leaf stuck in her hair. His touch lingers, his fingers gently caressing her cheek.
Olivia's breath hitches at the contact, her heart fluttering in her chest. She leans into his touch, her eyes closing momentarily, savoring the sensation.
Elliot studies her, taking in how her eyes flutter closed, the faint blush on her cheeks. It's a sight he's only ever dreamed of witnessing, and now here he is, literally and figuratively taking 'the jump' with the woman he has loved for so long.
Olivia opens her eyes and looks at him, her expression a mixture of vulnerability and desire. She reaches out and takes his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. "This is scarier than any jump I've ever taken," she admits quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elliot squeezes her hand gently, understanding the gravity of what they're embarking on. "I know," he says, his voice equally soft. "But I wouldn't want to jump with anyone else, Liv. Only you."
Olivia blinks back, the tears threatening to fall. The sheer intensity of the moment is almost unbearable. "Neither would I," she replies, her voice tight. "You're the only one, El."
Elliot leans in and gently presses his lips against hers. The kiss is soft and tender, filled with years of denied feelings and longing.
Olivia melts at the contact, her body reacting as if it had been waiting for this moment for eternity. Her lips move against his, the kiss becoming more urgent, more passionate.
As they get more engrossed in the kiss, Noah suddenly appears behind them, a leaf stuck in his hair. "Eww, gross," he exclaims, catching their attention.
Olivia and Elliot break apart, their cheeks flushed from the moment and embarrassment at being caught. They look at Noah, who is making a face at them.
"Noah, we-" Olivia starts to explain, but he cuts her off with a wave.
"I know, I know," he says, rolling his eyes in a way only pre-teens can. "You two are dating now. I get it."
Elliot chuckles, shaking his head. "What do you say we get hot chocolate on the way home?"
Noah's expression immediately brightens. "Hot chocolate! Mom, can we?" he asks, quickly forgetting his previous disgust at seeing his mother and Elliot kiss.
Olivia laughs, removing the leaf from her son's hair. "Sure, buddy. Hot chocolate it is."
As the three of them start making their way out of the park, Olivia glances at Elliot.
His eyes meet hers, and they share a knowing smile. Their lives are messy, chaotic, and beautiful all at once. She may not know what their future holds, but one thing is certain — she's ready to find out as long as Elliot is by her side.
The author of this SVU - Autumn in New York story will be revealed in November
