#sergeant benson

[oliviasgreenmug]

something about a woman in uniform 🥰

(also sorry the lieutenant one is so sad it’s the only one I could find with her wearing the hat)

[vivaciousoceans]

Olivia has been wearing 15 layers of gloss, a fresh blowout, and a smoky eye all season. If I didn’t know she lived at that precinct, I would think she had a man.

[chicago-pd-is-weird]

I currently have two anon requests. I promise I WILL answer them and write for you!! If y’all see this, I have not and will not forget, I am just trying to complete 100 posted chapters of Beyond the Badges by tomorrow morning and have two to go, then I am busy all weekend. I will get to you two next week!!

Anon #1 who put their request in on Monday, who wanted Hank pulling himself out of an explosion and the team comforting him, if you see this, PLEASE BE FRIENDS WITH US. @andgry4 and @kamryn1963 and I would love to be your friend. Especially @andgry4, who had a very similar request the first time we met. We would love to be friends! (Especially if you’re the same anon who’s been requesting recently the other Voight chapters.)

Anon #2, who put their request in today, I am assuming Benoight is Benson/Voight. I’m happy to write that for you, but do correct me if I’m wrong!! (I’ve never heard their ship name before.) 😊

Love y’all and have a great day if you see this Anons! I won’t forget about you and will get to it sometime next week, I promise!!

[rodpower78]

Olivia: Sergeant.

Amanda: Captain

*Olivia and Amanda shares a hug*

Me:

[winterstarfall]

“that’s my girl.”

🥹 pls i love cragen being liv’s Actual Dad™️

[oneshotnewbie]

SVU team x Reader:

The whole team and their kids are meeting up for a nice picnic at the park. Noah and Jesse ask if Reader and Carisi can come play football with them. While watching you play with the kids, Olivia is losing herself in watching you. Amanda notices.

𝐴𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑒: 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓. 𝑆𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑚𝑒. 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑜 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑓𝑓 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔, ℎ𝑎ℎ𝑎. 𝑂𝑛 𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝐼'𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑡.

ᕚ---ᕘ

The warm spring wind on this Saturday gently caressed the green meadows of Central Park, while the sun slowly emerged from behind the clouds and scattered its rays over the many playing children and their parents. A pleasant breeze blew through the branches, the sounds of nature. In the middle of this hustle and bustle was the team from the Special Victims Unit, who wanted to gather outside for a well-deserved afternoon.

Olivia Benson, SVU's veteran captain, entered the park with her 9-year-old son, Noah. The bright sun reflected in the little boy's eyes as he excitedly led his mother to the playground. Olivia smiled, her mind briefly lingering on work, but today was a day of rest and togetherness.

Amanda Rollins entered the park a few minutes later with her two daughters, Jesse and Billie, chatting happily and moving from one exciting story to the next. Dominick Carisi was also there and they both watched their girls lovingly, a warm smile on their faces before Noah called the two girls with a loud scream of their names and they immediately rushed over to join him. Carisi smiled proudly and felt blessed to share this moment of joy with his family.

Finn Tutuola, the group's sergeant, also entered the park, alone but with a big grin on his face. He knew he would already enjoy the company and the vibrancy of his team and the park, even though he didn't have any children of his own. His colleagues and their families had become like his own family, and that was more than enough for him.

And then there was you, an important part of the team, arriving with a warm smile and a picnic basket in hand. Although you didn't have children of your own in your young years, you always had a special connection with your colleagues' children and enjoyed spending time with them.

Together you all found a shady spot at a picnic table under a large tree and laid out lunch while the children ran around and laughed. The world seemed to stand still for a moment as the SVU team and their children enjoyed the beauty of life together in the park.

You all sat together at the table, chatting comfortably while relaxing leisurely. The mood was light and relaxed as the children ran across the lawn cheering each other. Noah and Jesse had just discovered the soccer ball in the bag Olivia had brought, and they enthusiastically asked Carisi and you to play soccer with them. "Y/n, can you play soccer with us? Please, please!" Noah asked and you couldn't resist his bright and big eyes, so you agreed to join the game with a smile. "Sure, Noah. I'm in."

"And you, Uncle Carisi? Do you play on our team?" Jesse also asked, taking his hand without hesitation and looking at him with her googly eyes. "Of course Jesse."

The kids cheered as you and Carisi joined the soccer group. You should play on Noah's team and Carisi on the girls' team. You both stood up, your eyes meeting briefly before joining the excited children. You took a quick look at the ADA and saw a smile on his lips. It was a moment of quiet exchange of togetherness.

You felt the familiar texture of the soccer ball beneath your feet as you juggled the ball, passing it to Noah with precision and skill. Carisi appeared less adept, passing the ball to the children more often than he had it under the soles of his shoes himself.

Noah in particular was impressed by your ability to keep up with them. He watched in fascination as you skillfully outsmarted Carisi, mastered the ball perfectly and effortlessly fought your way through the walls that Carisi seemed to build with his body. "Wow, y/n! You play really good!" The little boy remarked, pausing for a moment to take a sip of water. "Thanks, Noah. I used to play a lot, I was even on a team."

"Really cool!" the laughter of the children filled the air as they challenged each other and continued to run with you across the lawn, accompanied by the deft movements of their adult teammates.

Carisi was surprised by your skills on the ball. He didn't expect you to be so good. His respect for you grew as he watched you jump over his straddle with ease and grace, overwhelming him to the point where he wanted to give up. A warm feeling of admiration spread through him as he watched you having fun with the children and sharing their joy.

“Respect y/n, I didn’t expect that.” spoke the young ADA, giving you a high five. You smiled gratefully as you passed the ball back to Jesse, who happily passed it to her sister.

Meanwhile, Olivia continued to sit at the table and watched you play with the children. She admired the ease with which you blended into the world, the bright smile on your face as you laughed and joked with the children. It was a sight that warmed her heart and she couldn't help but get lost in your movements.

Amanda noticed her best friend's pensive look and stepped next to her, holding her third and youngest daughter in her arms. "Earth to Liv?" She asked, waving her hand in front of the brunette's face. She looked up in shock, her smile disappearing. "Sorry Amanda, what did you say?"

"You should stop staring at her like that. You're already drooling like a dog who can't wait to get it´s bone," the blonde giggled before sitting across from her best friend and placing her hand on the brunette's. "You're so in love, how can you hide it any longer?"

Olivia raised her eyebrows in surprise and now completely looked away from you and over to Amanda, who had an amused smile on her lips. "What? In love? I don't know what you're talking about, Amanda. I'm just being professional and watching the football game"

Amanda rolled her eyes and grinned mischievously as she gave the baby a bottle as she began to whine. "Sure, Liv. Just like I 'professionally' get ice cream out of the fridge at night as soon as the kids are asleep so I don't have to share. Come on, feel free to admit that you like y/n."

The unit captain laughed softly and shook his head to make her thoughts disappear. "Well, maybe a little." She spoke admittedly, pulling her hand away to brush her hair out of her face. "A little? Ha! I knew it! So when are you finally going to take her out?"

Olivia leaned back and let her gaze wander back to you, who was currently carrying Noah on your shoulders while you happily ran with him to the playground to hang him on the climbing frame. As you did, you heard Noah's loud laughter as you swayed him back and forth like a plane.

"Maybe I should think of something. But at the moment I'm just happy that she fits in so well with the team." She spoke and Amanda winked at her as she stood up to go to Jesse and Billie who called her. She walked around the table again and playfully pressed her elbow against her shoulder.

"Sure, sure. But don't forget that sometimes life is too short, especially in this job, to not enjoy it. So go ahead, do something! Maybe you could invite her to a romantic dinner."

Olivia laughed and nodded her head, imagining how she should ask you and where she should take you if you agreed to her. She looked over at you and Noah again, then decided to join you and spend time with you. She was nervous but also excited about the possibility of asking you out and having a lot of fun in the process if she found the courage to ask you.

[witchygagirlwrites]

Mistake

Jay Halstead x Reader (Nicknamed Jinx)

You're only back a week before your resolve fades when it comes to him. How the hell can you manage this with your heart intact?

Smut? Angst?

You were raised by your uncle Russ, a marine who’d done four tours before being handed a baby girl and being told “Congratulations you’re the only one there is that’s there to raise her” the man had done a pretty decent job if you said so yourself. He gave you a good sense of right and wrong, of who you were as a person and of what lines to draw in the sand. You knew what you could take and what you couldn’t.

You never thought you’d end up falling for Jay when you got partnered with him. He was gorgeous, yeah but damn you had eyes. He was also coming off a serious relationship. He loved Erin, he had lived with her, you’d heard Adam talking to Kim about how Jay had once considered proposing to Erin. You really wouldn’t want to be the act to go on after that and yet you found yourself falling for him within about two months of being his partner.

You’d gotten hurt, not bad mind you but you’d ended up getting tossed through a fence underneath a six foot five perp. The chainlink had bit into your side and dug in to the point you had to pry it out of your flesh. Jay went to Med with you, stayed in the room while Connor sewed you up and had given you his extra shirt to wear back considering yours was shredded.

He’d asked you out around the six month mark. You’d ended up in his bed around the seven month mark and your heart was his. Unfortunately that was also the same time you started hearing the word “rebound” being tossed around with your name attached to it. “Poor thing doesn’t see he’s using her to get over Erin” “She doesn’t see she’s not even his usual type?” “Jay has a type and Jinx is not it” “She’s a rebound to get him back into the game, that’s it”

You tried so hard to not let it get to you, you really did but Jay had photos of Erin on his wall. He’d been with her a while. You wouldn’t be one of those girlfriends but you couldn’t ignore the knot in your stomach every time you thought too hard about it. You knew you loved Jay, you were in love with him but you were not telling him that. A part of you knew he still loved Erin, things like that didn’t burn out over night but maybe he could love you too if you just tried hard enough? 

You were at his place one night, one of his buddies called. Jay said he hadn’t spoken to him in a while. You knew he hadn’t. Yet when he asked Jay how Erin was it made your stomach churn. What the fuck were you doing? 

That was the night you decided you couldn’t be a rebound. You loved Jay, you truly did but it was best for you both for you to be the one to do a break.  Sergeant Benson had already contacted you once about the prospect of a temp position in New York so you sent her an email to accept and told Voight as well.  

The only problem was you couldn’t leave Chicago without being in Jay’s arms one last time because you knew when you left he’d find someone new.  You sought him out and let yourself pretend, just for a few hours, that it meant to him what it meant to you then when he fell asleep you left a kiss on his lips and slipped your clothes on before leaving.

Now, being home in Chicago? It felt so damn strange. “So, Voight put you right back with Halstead?” you cut your eyes up over the rim of your coffee mug “You don’t have to seem so damn smug about it uncle Russ” 

He shrugged “Like I told you before I aint telling you how to live your life, I’ve never tried to but baby girl that man looked whipped when he came here looking for you. You didn’t even tell him you were leaving” you sighed “Jay’s a good man. I never said he wasn’t but he came here looking for his missing partner. Not as a man looking for a woman” your uncle Russ raised an eyebrow “Do you think I’m an idiot because I’m a man or because I’m old?”

You laughed and shook your head “I gotta get to work” he grinned “And that is what we call problem avoidance Jinxy” you shook your head “See ya later old man” and blew him a kiss before walking out of the door.

___________________

You parked your suv next to Jay’s truck and took a deep breath before getting out. You grabbed your stuff and headed inside. When you walked past the front desk you smiled at Trudy “Morning” she nodded “Morning Jinx. Good to have you home”

You walked up the stairs and stopped at the palm scanner before heading up. You knew Jay would be there, those eyes boring into you. A part of you wished he had moved on while the other part died inside at thinking of it. You walked up the stairs into the bullpen and your eyes met Jay’s first thing. “Morning” Adam spoke and you tore your eyes from Jay to tell him “Morning”

You walked over to put your stuff away as Voight came out of his office “Gear up, we roll in five. Bank robbery on the north end” everyone stood to head down to roll up and you could feel Jay’s presence at your back without even looking. 

____________________

When you slipped your vest over your head Jay reached to double check it. You swallowed hard and moved your hair out the way as he tugged one of the straps “There ya go” you nodded “Thanks” and finished gearing up before grabbing your long gun to follow him out to his truck.  

You double checked everything as he pulled out on the road between Voight and Adam. “We good?” he asked and you nodded “Perfect” he nodded slowly “Ok” and focused his eyes on the road.  “Can we talk later?” he asked and you laughed lightly “Bank robbery Jay” he nodded “Right” and turned his eyes back to the road again “Right”

“I got it!” you hollered, chasing one of the men who’d ran out of the safe house and hearing Adam’s footsteps fall in next to you “On your left Jinx” he called out as you and him split the alley to catch up on the perp.

Your boots slammed against the concrete as you hollered “CPD FREEZE” and the man spun to fire on you. You hit the ground and rolled behind a dumpster.  Fuck. You scrambled to hit your com “Adam?” “I’m good” he called across the coms, the back feed squealing from how close you were but it wasn’t like you could get up and look.

You scooted to the edge of the dumpster and aimed for the perp’s knee. He went down hard “Offender down. I repeat offender down” you called over the com. You slowly moved out from cover, Adam doing the same. You both had your guns at ready as you approached the man. You kicked his gun away as Adam cuffed him. 

“Son of a bitch, you took us for a run” you muttered then hit your radio “We need an ambulance for a gsw to the left knee” and heard the dispatcher repeat it. You nodded to Adam “You got him? I need to grab the first aid kit out of one of the cars to get the bleeding stopped” he nodded “Yeah I got it”

By then Hailey and Kevin had caught up and luckily Hailey already had one of the first aid kits with her “Jinx” she held it out and you took it with a smile “Thanks”

___________________

You were standing to the side as the perp was loaded onto the ambulance. Adam was going with him and Kim was following. “Good shot Jinx” Voight commended and you nodded “Thank you sir”  Jay was standing about three feet from you “You must have been up to a lot in New York” you laughed “If only you knew Halstead” and turned back to a conversation with Hailey.  You spent one too many days chasing offenders down in way too tight of spaces and avoiding gunfire. 

You cut your eyes at Jay and saw him watching you. God your heart ached when he looked at you like that.

_________________

Jay watched you as you put your gear away in roll up. Fuck he’d missed you. He’d wanted nothing more than to have you home and now here you were. You’d been back a week and had yet to speak to him over a few words. He clenched his hands into fists to resist the urge to touch you. You weren’t his, no matter how bad he wanted you. You weren’t his. You leaned up to put your vest away and Kevin who was standing next to you let out a low whistle “Damn Jinx, the hell happened?”

Jay’s feet were moving before he thought of himself. Kevin was holding your shirt up and he could see a long jagged scar running up from your hip across to just above your naval. You glanced down at it then up at Kevin and shrugged “Knife. Some asshole sliced the shit out of me in close quarters but I got the eight year old he had hostage back so, a win’s a win”

“A win’s a win? That had to have been over twenty stitches” Jay blurted out, making Kevin and Hailey’s eyes widened. You nodded “Was twenty eight as a matter of fact and yeah, I didn’t die and I got the kid back” 

You were mentally kicking yourself for not paying better attention, especially when Jay walked over and his fingers reached out to brush across the still pink scar. Your body automatically reacted to his touch, goosebumps rising in the wake of his fingers. “Honey” he breathed out and

you tensed at the name “Don’t call me that” before you snatched  your shirt down. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked and you shrugged “Didn’t really seem right to only call to say I was in the hospital” he nodded slowly “I would’ve taken what I could get” you swallowed hard, eye flickering towards Hailey and Kevin, “Yeah, not doing this” then turned and walked away.

Jay caught you when you were going out to your suv. “Can we talk?” you sighed “Fine. I’ll follow you to your place, it’s closer and if Russ sees your truck he’s gonna annoy the hell out of me”

He smirked slightly “Ok” and walked to his truck. This was a bad idea but you couldn’t take any more of the little looks, the touches, the concern. It was time to bury it.

_____________________

You parked behind Jay’s truck and walked up to his door. When you knocked he opened it with a smile “Hey” and stepped back to let you in. You walked into his living room and stopped. God everything looked just like it had the last time you’d stepped foot in it. You turned to face him “Ok, I’m here. Talk so I can go home” 

He took a step towards you, pushing your hair back from your face “This is the first time you’ve been alone around me since getting back. Can I just look at you for a second?” you looked up at him and felt your eyes tear up “I’d rather not” “Honey, what did I do?” he whispered and you shook your head “I said don’t call me that” his eyes teared up slightly then “But you are my honey, remember?”

It was just a stupid joke. You’d asked Jay to grab you something out of the bakery for breakfast so he grabbed a fresh honeybun. When he’d brought it out to you he’d grinned as he handed it to you “A Honey for my honey” and brushed a gentle kiss against your lips. That was your first kiss.

“No, I’m not Jay” you breathed and he shook his head “Why did you leave me? You were here that night, you let me touch you, taste you, fuck you then you left me. I don’t understand. I called, I texted, baby I went to Russ” he shrugged, his hand cupping your chin “I tried so damn hard to treat you good and you still left me” you closed your eyes, swallowing hard “It doesn’t matter Jay” 

“Ok now open your eyes and tell me that” he ordered and you managed to open your eyes and stare into his and this time you phrased it “I don’t matter Jay” and he shook his head “Don’t you dare say that Jinx” you shrugged “Can I go please?” he shook his head “No” you stared him down “I’m just a stand in Jay. Even on the task force, I was a stand in for Rollins to finish her pregnancy” 

_____________________

You weren’t sure what happened next or how but when his lips crashed against yours, every other thought was chased out of your head. His hands slid down your side then back up, bringing your shirt off with them. You lifted your arms to let him pull it over your head, breaking from his lips just long enough to toss the shirt. 

He stared at you once you were down to your bra then leaned down to grab behind your thighs “Come here” he muttered picking you up and you wrapped your legs around his waist. He groaned when you ground your hips down against his. “I need you Jay” you breathed and he grinned “You got me” he carried you to his bedroom and laid you on the edge of the bed before pulling his shirt over his head. 

You watched him strip his shirt off then pulled him back down to you, eyes rolling back slightly when he moved from your lips across your jaw then down your neck. Your hands fumbled for his belt as his went for the buckle of your jeans. What was once a synchronised dance the two of you could do without a thought was now struggle.  You laughed against his lips when you finally got his zipper down and he helped you to get your jeans tugged down your hips.

His hand dipped between your thighs and a shaking gasp left him “There’s no fucking way you’re that wet from me kissing you” you moaned when his fingers teased at your slit “Try me and find out” you replied and he grinned “There’s my girl” you pushed at his jeans and he took the hint, pushing them off his hips. 

His body weight on top of you was so achingly familiar as he kissed you. You knew you should stop this, you knew it but good fucking god. You missed him. You felt the head of his cock teasing at your entrance and slipped a hand between you to line him up. You didn’t want emotion, you didn’t want anything but him to make you feel good. You needed it.

He pushed into you and pressed his forehead over onto your collarbone, breathing heavily “Fuck baby” you closed your eyes against every emotion besides pleasure that was trying to nip at you. He gave a slow roll of his hips and your head fell back against the pillows. This was too much, too close, too intimate. You pushed at his chest and he raised an eyebrow but pulled back regardless of course “I’m sorry” you shook your head “Different position” he nodded and grabbed a pillow before helping you turn over, tucking it under your hips. When he slid in you cried out from how it felt when he stretched you around him, your hands balling into his comforter “Jinx?” he spoke softly, pressing a kiss to your tattoo “Fuck me Jay” you whispered and he chuckled “Ok then”

His hips rolled into yours, one hand pressing your shoulders down into the mattresses as you moaned out his name. “Did you miss me” he asked, cockily and you nodded “So much Jay” what were you doing? He snapped his hips into yours and your head fell over onto the mattress. 

He found a pace that had you unable to do anything but lay there and take it. “Fuck Fuck fuck” you gasped, him pushing you closer and closer to that edge. He folded himself over you, one hand on your waist and the other around your neck to pull you up off the bed as he brought your body back to meet every snap of his hips. You felt your orgasm slam into you as you shook and sobbed in his grasp. 

“Can I still cum inside” he asked and you nodded “Please Jay, let me feel you please” his hips snapped into yours, twice more before he pulled your hips back against his tight enough you grunted from the force, imagining you’d probably have bruises from his fingertips but didn’t care as you felt him cum, it spurting deep inside of you as your walls clamped down onto him. He stilled, pulling you up to where your back was flush against his chest, his lips trailing down your neck “I missed you honey, god I missed you” he breathed as he kissed your skin.

Jay was asleep, turned on his side. You laid staring at his back for too long. You wanted to believe him but the photo on the wall told you everything you needed to know. The old unit. The one before you stared back at you. You slowly slid out of his bed, gathering your clothes as you went. How could you have let this happen? Dammit you’d fallen right back into this. You were so damn weak when it came to Jay.

You quickly got dressed then looked back to make sure he was still asleep before heading for the door. You could not possibly risk falling asleep here. Nope.

Jay woke up and turned over to pull you into him and found an empty bed. He felt his heart drop. He reached for his phone and sent you a text Please tell me you’re at least still in Chicago then laid the phone down and groaned. He thought last night meant something. He thought he was getting you back. “FUCK” he threw the pillow against the wall, not caring that it knocked a picture down. 

He wanted his girl back, not just to get his dick wet. He dragged his hands down his face as a text came through and he checked it That was a mistake. It can’t happen again Why. why was it a mistake??

That’s what he wanted to ask. Why couldn’t he have you back? What did he do to begin with? Why couldn’t you just talk to him? How do we handle work?  He texted and you replied act like you did before we ever dated. Just pretend you’ve never touched me like that 

@desimarie12

He scoffed “Easier said than done there Jinx” he muttered to the empty room. Looking at you like he’d never wanted you? Might as well tell him to not breathe. Hell it would probably be easier to forgo breathing than you. Honey, I’m not a begging man yet I’m begging you yet again to talk to me he waited to see the bubbles pop up that meant you were replying but they never came. He sighed and tossed the phone. He had to get ready for work. He had to be shoulder to shoulder with you like his heart wasn’t aching for you. If only he knew what he did, he could fix it.

Last Time

@allisonargent144

@nevaehstreater18

[thena0315]

Sergeant Benson with her boys

[art-by-jas]

"Goodnight, Doll."

Summary: With the holidays approaching, Alex and you must hire more workers. Finn teases Sonny about his barista crush. Sonny takes you out to dinner.

After being told to take it easy and rest and relax, Sonny finally took the advice, he put in for a few days vacation, which Benson immediately approved. The sergeant explained that while they had started a big case, the Chicago Intelligence Unit, Detectives Lindsay and Halstead, were there to help. Sonny felt a little guilty about the timing, given the high stakes of the case, but Benson assured him they would be fine and that she understood his need to prioritize self-care. With his vacation approved, Sonny left the station feeling relief and excitement. He couldn't remember the last time he had taken real time off, having been too focused on work to prioritize relaxation.

As he entered the hallway of his apartment, he paused to glance back at your door. Stepping inside, he dropped his bag by the door and hurried to the kitchen. His fridge was woefully bare, a consequence of his long work hours and habit of eating most meals at the station's break room.

Surveying the sparse contents - some takeout containers, a couple of eggs, and a six-pack of beer - he let out a resigned sigh. If he wanted to unwind properly this week, a grocery run was clearly in order. With a renewed sense of determination, Sonny grabbed his keys and wallet and headed back out, the setting sun casting warm hues across the city skyline.

The familiar sounds of shopping carts and the hum of refrigerators greet Sonny as he steps into the store. He grabs a cart and begins browsing the aisles, gathering essentials like milk, bread, and vegetables. The store was surprisingly peaceful, with few other shoppers around. Sonny relishes the calm atmosphere, a welcome respite from the usual hustle and bustle of the city.

As he passed through the produce section, a display of fresh flowers caught his eye. On impulse, Sonny selects a bunch of mixed daisies, the camellias in particular drawing his attention. Placing the flowers in his cart, he feels a flicker of nervous anticipation. He’s not sure why he had chosen to buy them, but the sight of the blooms had made him think of you, and he found himself wanting to bring you a small gift.

After finishing his shopping and paying, Sonny exits the store feeling lighter and more at ease as he heads home.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

As the holiday season approached, your shop became increasingly busy, prompting you to make a difficult but necessary decision - you needed to hire additional staff to manage the growing workload.

After interviewing four candidates with Alex, you both carefully assessed their attributes. Jeziah, a 16-year-old boy, was lively but lacked maturity. Amy had a vibrant personality was a maybe. John seemed responsible, while Erin was efficient yet somewhat cold. Kiki had a positive attitude, but her tendency to gossip concerned you.

As you reviewed the interview notes in your office, you felt overwhelmed by the daunting task of selecting the right candidates to hire.

Alex glances at you, clearly sensing your hesitation. "What are you thinking, boss? Did any of them strike you as a good fit?"

You take a deep breath, biting your lip as you consider the question. "I'm not sure," you admitted.

Alex nods in agreement. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It's not an easy decision."

The work schedule has Martha arriving for the next shift at 3 PM, followed shortly by Sean. Several other employees would clock in after them. As your shift neared its end, you began wrapping up loose ends, tidying the counter area, and restocking supplies for the incoming crew.

Hearing the bell over the door jingle, you glance up, your heart racing -It’s Sonny wearing casual clothes, jeans, and a plain grey t-shirt. His hair was a little messy as if he'd just woken up, and he had a hint of stubble on his jaw. Seeing him walk in with a man beside him, they talked, sharing a laugh as they strolled further into the coffee shop.

Sonny greets you with a warm smile, approaching the counter, the man beside him trailing a step or two behind before he glances at the menu board, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"Hey," Sonny says, giving you a casual nod. "Sorry to drop in unannounced like this. We just needed a little caffeine boost." His voice was deeper than usual, with a hint of gravel in it, and you find yourself drawn to the sound of it. Blinking, you regain your composure, replying with a friendly smile of your own.

"No need to apologize," you reply, your voice steady despite the flutter in your chest. "Happy to have you. What can I get for you guys?"

"Hmm.. Why not be festival, I’ll try one of the pumpkin pie lattes, what about you?” Sonny glances at his friend to answer you.

“An Americano, please,” The man requests.

You nod and jot down their order on your pad. "Coming right up." Turning to the espresso machine, you began to prepare their drinks, the familiar motions helping to calm your nerves a bit. As you continue to prepare their drinks, Sonny glances back at his friend, who is standing behind him.

“Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” You ask with a smile.

"Right," Sonny grins, "this is Finn. One of the detectives I work with"

Finn steps forward, extending his hand towards you with a charismatic smile. "Pleasure to meet you," he says.

His eyes are bright and friendly, and his grip is firm as you shake his hand. "Likewise," you respond.

The coffee machine finishes brewing and you pour the drinks into cups. Adding the finishing touches, you slid the drinks across the counter to Sonny and Finn.

"Here you go, guys," you said, offering them a smile. "One Americano and one pumpkin pie latte."

Sonny picks up his coffee, savoring the aroma, before taking a sip. Finn did the same, a satisfied sigh escaping him.

"This is damn good coffee," Finn says, nodding in appreciation.

Sonny shoots him a look, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Told you this place was worth the trip." he winks at you. Finn chuckles and takes another sip while eyeing the pastries on display.

"I'm gonna check out the food," he states, wandering over to the display case. Sonny watches him for a moment before turning back to you, a shy smile on his face.

"Sorry about him," he says, chuckling softly. "He's always hungry. Especially after a long night."He brings the coffee cup back to his lips, taking another sip before setting it down on the counter between you. There is a slight pause before he speaks again, his gaze lingers on yours.

"So, uh, how've you been?" he asks, his voice soft and casual. "It's been a while since we've seen each other."

"I've been good," you answer, a small smile on your face. "Things have been pretty busy here lately. And you?"

Sonny shrugs, his broad shoulders moving underneath the thin fabric of his shirt. "Oh, you know, the same old. Work, work, and more work. But today's my first day off in a while, so Finn and I thought we'd come by and grab some coffee before he has to go in later." He looks around the café, his eyes taking in the cozy atmosphere and the other customers scattered around. 

Just then, Finn appears at his side, holding a large cookie in his hand, 

"Man, I’m going to go broke, everything looks so good," Finn says.

You chuckle, “Why thank you, Finn, I appreciate it. You know what first one is free,”

“No, I can’t, c’mon, how much is it?”

“Seriously, a friend of Sonny is a friend of mine,” You smile at the other detective.

“Okay, if you are sure, Thanks,” Fin states with a grin.

You glance at the clock, noting the time. Sonny looks up from the cookie, his eyes locking on yours. He seems to hesitate for a moment before speaking.

"You know, since it's my day off, I was wondering if you'd be interested in hanging out? Maybe getting lunch or something?"

A flutter of excitement stirs in your stomach at his invitation. You hadn't expected him to ask, but you found yourself nodding almost immediately.

"Sure, I'd love to," you respond, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. Sonny's face lit up with a smile, relief clearly etched on his features. He glances at Finn, who is now eyeing a slice of cake with great interest.

"Great," he says, his voice a bit brighter now. "We can figure out the details later. I'll text you."

You nod, feeling your heart rate pick up a notch at the thought of spending more time with Sonny. "Sounds good," you reply.

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

As the two detectives walk outside, Finn shoots Sonny a knowing look before nudging Sonny lightly.

"You dog," Finn teases, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Sonny rolls his eyes but does not suppress a smirk. "Shut up," he says, giving Finn a playful smack on the arm.

"You couldn't resist, could you?" Finn persists, elbowing Sonny in the side. "Had to come back and see your little barista crush."

Sonny's face flushes a little, but he tries to play it cool. "She's not a crush," he protests, shoving his hands in his pockets. "We're just friends."

Finn raises an eyebrow, a smug expression on his face. "Just friends, huh? Is that why you were stuttering and blushing like a schoolboy when you asked her to hang out?"

"I was not stuttering," Sonny retorts, his face turning even redder. "And I wasn't blushing. It's hot out here, that's all."

"Yeah, hot in November, sure…” Finn laughs but relents, giving Sonny's shoulder a gentle punch. "Alright, alright. I'll lay off. But seriously, I'm happy for you, man. You deserve some happiness in your life."

Sonny's expression softens, and he shoots Finn a grateful smile. "Thanks, man," he says, the tension in his shoulders relaxing a bit. "I just hope I don't mess it up."

Finn claps him on the back. "You won't. You're a good guy, Carisi. And she seems to be a great girl. Just be yourself, and things will work out."

`. ݁ ⋆.˚ 𓆉°❀⋆  ݁°𓇼⋆ ˎˊ˖ .ೃ࿔*.˚˖𓍢ִ໋`. ݁ ⋆.˚ 𓆉°❀⋆  ݁°𓇼⋆ ˎˊ˖ .ೃ࿔*.˚˖𓍢ִ໋

When Sonny arrives home, he heads for the shower to freshen up. As the warm water cascades over him, he can't help but replay the scene in the café in his mind. The way you had smiled at him, the sound of your voice. He tried to remind himself to play it cool, to not come on too strong. You were just a friend, after all. But the memory of the way your eyes had lit up when he asked you to hang out made his heart race. 

As he got out of the shower and dried off, he mentally ran through different ideas for places to go for lunch. He wanted it to be somewhere casual, somewhere you would feel comfortable. He just hoped he wouldn't mess it up.

Gimme a min, a cup carrier decided to give out on me as I handed it to a customer. Covered in coffee -_- Let me take a shower first and I’ll be right over :)

Sonny saw your message and couldn't help but chuckle, he quickly typed out a reply.

Ouch, that sounds like a mess. Take your time though, no rush. I'll wait.

He sits down on the edge of his bed, trying to distract himself with his phone. But his mind keeps wandering back to you, wondering what you'd wear, how you'd do your hair. He shakes his head, scolding himself for being so damn smitten. To pass the time, he changes into a fresh pair of jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt. He runs his fingers through his still-damp hair a few times, trying to style it in a casual yet presentable way.

Sonny practically jumps at the sound of the knock ten minutes later, his heart pounding in his chest as he quickly gets up from the bed and goes to the door. He takes a deep breath to steady his nerves before opening the door, and his breath hitches as he sees you standing there, looking fresh and beautiful in a simple t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey," he says, his voice coming out a little huskier than he intended. He smiles, trying to act casual even though his body is buzzing with anticipation. "Ready to go?"

You smile back, "Yeah, I'm starving," you reply, your stomach growling as if to emphasize your point.

Sonny chuckles, "Well, let's get you fed, then," he says, gesturing for you to exit first.

He shuts the door behind him and leads the way down the hall, his mind racing with a mixture of excitement and nerves. As you two walk side by side, he’s acutely aware of how close you are, how he can practically feel the heat radiating off your body.

He struggles to find something to talk about, "So, uh..." he begins, racking his brain for a decent conversation starter. "How was your morning? Was the shift okay before the spill incident?" He cringes inwardly at how lame the question sounded.

You laugh softly, apparently unfazed by his awkwardness. "Yeah, the rest of the morning was pretty uneventful, thankfully. But I did give the customer a free drink to make up for it."

Sonny nods, relieved that you hadn't seemed to pick up on his nervousness. He shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to keep them from fidgeting.

"That's good," he says, pausing for a moment before adding, "So where do you want to go for lunch? I'm cool with pretty much anything."

You think for a moment before answering, "Hmm, I've been craving a burger all morning. Do you like burgers?"

A grin tugs at the corners of Sonny's lips at your suggestion. "Burgers sound perfect," he agrees. "There's a place a couple blocks from here that has really great burgers if you're cool with walking a bit."

You nod, falling into step beside him as you walk together towards the burger joint. The sun was warm on your skin, and a gentle breeze occasionally rustled through your hair.

Sonny is quiet for a moment, as if lost in thought. After a few minutes of walking, he suddenly speaks up.

"You know, I have to say," he begins, his voice soft, "You look nice today. I mean, you always look nice, but today especially."

A blush creeps up your cheeks at the compliment, and you smile shyly. "Thanks," you reply, glancing over at him. "You look pretty good yourself."

Sonny's heart skips a beat at your words, and he smiles back at you, feeling a flutter of excitement in his stomach. As you continue walking, the conversation flows smoothly between the two of you. Sonny finds himself relaxing more and more, enjoying the easy banter and the feeling of your presence beside him. The whole world seemed to shrink down to just the two of you, the noise and chaos of the city fading into the background.

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

Finally, you arrive at the burger joint, and the smell of frying meat and melted cheese drifts out through the open doors. Sonny holds the door open for you and follows you inside. The place was bustling with activity, but there was a relaxed, carefree ambiance to the place. Both of you are greeted by the hostess and are shown to a small booth tucked away in the corner. As you sit down across from each other, Sonny notices the way the sunlight streaming through the window makes your eyes sparkle.

You take a look at the menu and begin to scan the options, while Sonny tries to tear his gaze away from your face. He picks up his own menu, pretending to look at the choices, but he can't seem to focus on anything except the way you were biting your lip as you read.

"What are you planning on getting?" He asks, trying to distract himself from his growing attraction towards you.

"Hmm," You tap your chin with your finger. "I'm thinking of getting the bacon cheeseburger, extra cheese, and extra bacon, with some onion rings on the side."

Sonny chuckles, amused by your decadent choice. "Extra cheese AND extra bacon? You're a woman after my own heart," he teases.

You shoot him a smile. "Hey, you only live once, right? Might as well go big or go home".

Sonny raises an eyebrow, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Oh, I'm all for going big. You haven't seen me at an all-you-can-eat buffet."

You laugh, "Is that a challenge?"

Sonny leans back in his seat, a smirk playing on his lips. "Baby, I'll challenge you to anything," he says, his voice low and silky. He couldn't help but notice the way your eyes darkened at his words. A flush crept up your cheeks, and you try to hide it by pretending to study your menu again. Sonny watches you closely, enjoying your reaction to his flirtation. He was feeling emboldened now, his earlier nerves almost forgotten.

The waitress comes over and takes your orders, and Sonny asks for a burger and fries as you request your order. As the waitress walks away, Sonny leans back in his seat, a smug smile on his face. "So, tell me something interesting about yourself."

You laugh, rolling your eyes good-naturedly at his smugness. "Oh, you want the good old 'tell me about yourself' question, huh?"

You think for a moment before replying, "Well, I'm not that interesting, honestly. I grew up in a small town, moved here for college, and never left. I like to read and write and draw in my free time, and love watching true crime documentaries."

Sonny listens intently, genuinely intrigued by your responses. "A small-town girl, huh? I can totally see that. You have that wholesome vibe," he teases, grinning mischievously.

He leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Let me guess, you're secretly a huge fan of 'Unsolved Mysteries', aren't you?"

You chuckle, shaking your head. "Guilty as charged," you admit. "I have been known to binge-watch entire seasons in one sitting."

Sonny's eyes sparkle with appreciation, his smile widening. "See? I knew I liked you for a reason," he says emphatically. "I'm always looking for someone to discuss good old Robert Stack." You laugh, enjoying his enthusiasm. 

The waitress comes back with their orders and sets down two large and delicious-looking burgers in front of you. Sonny's stomach growls loudly at the sight of the food, and you can’t help but chuckle at his unabashed hunger.

He immediately digs into his burger, taking a large bite and letting out a satisfied moan. "Oh, my God," he says around a mouthful of food, eyes practically rolling back in his head. "This is heaven. Pure, delicious, greasy heaven."

You laugh incredulously, shaking your head at his shameless lack of manners. "Seriously? I've never seen anyone get so excited over a burger before."

You delicately take a bite of your burger, closing your eyes in pleasure as the flavors hit your tongue. "Okay, I have to admit, this is pretty damn good."

Sonny swallows his mouthful, a contented grin stretches across his face. "See? I told you," he says, winking at you. He takes another bite, trying to speak through a mouthful of food. "So, tell me more about your love for drawing. Are you one of those people who can draw a perfect photorealistic sketch of an apple or something?"

You snort, waving away the notion. "I'm no Da Vinci, that's for sure. I mainly doodle in my sketchbook when I'm bored or feeling inspired."

You shrug, taking another bite of your burger. "It's just a hobby, really. Not something I'd ever consider doing professionally. But it's relaxing."

Sonny nods, taking a moment to finish off his burger before responding. "Hobbies are important," he says, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "It's good to have something to help you unwind and relax. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So what do you draw? Landscapes, people, animals... what's your go-to subject?"

You think for a moment, contemplating your preferences. "I'm not sure I have a go-to subject. I like drawing people, but I also enjoy drawing nature, buildings, animals, anything with texture and shadows." You take a thoughtful bite of onion ring, chewing slowly as you continue. "I just doodle whatever strikes my mood at the moment, honestly. Sometimes it's a person, other times it's a landscape or a still life."

Sonny listens intently, feeling an unexpected pang of admiration for your creative pursuits. "Wow, that sounds really impressive," he says, his voice a touch softer than before. "I've always been jealous of people who can draw or paint. I can barely manage stick figures." He chuckles self-deprecatingly, running his hand through his hair. "But what I lack in artistic talent, I make up for in other areas, I suppose."

You arch an eyebrow, teasing him. "Oh yeah? And what areas might those be?" You bit back a smile, enjoying the banter between the two of you.

A cocky smile spreads across his face. "Oh, I have many talents, doll," Sonny drawls. 

You try to hide your flush by taking a long sip of soda, but Sonny's smug smile tells you he'd noticed the effect his words had on you. He reached across the table and grabbed an onion ring from your plate, popping it in his mouth, and winks.

You feign outrage, pretending to swat at his hand. "Hey, hey, hey! Get your own onion rings, buddy."

Sonny grins unrepentantly, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry, sorry," he says, not sounding sorry at all. "I just couldn't help myself. These onion rings are amazing."

You roll your eyes but can't help but smile at his cheeky behavior. "You're lucky you're cute," you say, trying to sound stern.

Sonny's grin widens at your compliment. "You think I'm cute, eh? Careful, doll, you might make me blush."

Sonny chuckles, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "Oh, so you think I'm cute, huh?" he teases, leaning back in his seat and resting his arms behind his head.

You shake your head, trying to keep a straight face. "Don't let it go to your head," you warn. 

Sonny feigns innocence, placing a hand over his heart. "Me? Let it go to my head? Never," he replies, his voice dripping with mock sincerity.

You laugh, shaking your head again. "You're insufferable, you know that?" you say, but there was no heat behind the words. You were starting to find his confidence flirting a bit endearing.

Sonny rests his chin on his hand and gives you a crooked smile. "But you like it," he responds, his eyes sparkling. "Admit it."

You opened your mouth to protest, but then closed it again, realizing that you really did like it. His confidence and cheeky charm were strangely attractive, even if you didn't want to admit it to yourself.

"Maybe," you finally concede, a small smile playing on your lips.

Sonny's grins again, his blue eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "I knew it," he states, leaning back in his seat again. "You can't resist the Carisi charm."

You roll your eyes, trying to hide your smile. "Oh, yes, I'm completely helpless in the face of your charms," you voice dryly, knowing full well the effect he was having on you.

"What about you, tell me something interesting about you," you ask.

"Well, I grew up and still am very much Catholic, played basketball and little league in high school. I'm O-negative, so if you ever need a transfusion, I'm your guy," Sonny continues telling random facts about his life.

As Sonny tells you more about his upbringing and his hobbies, you can’t help but feel more and more intrigued by him. There was something genuine and endearing about his willingness to share these random details about himself.

"O-negative, huh?" you say, smiling. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I worked in homicide, and I was a patrol officer before becoming a detective in Staten Island's SVU." Sonny continues.

He reached for another of your onion rings and pops it into his mouth, winking at you. You swatted at his hand again, but this time with less conviction. "Hey, those are mine!" you protested, but you couldn't help the small laugh that escaped your lips. The waitress comes over, leaving the check at the edge of the table. Sonny quickly glances at the amount before pulling out his wallet.

"Here, let me get this," he says, pulling out a credit card.

You are a little surprised by his quick move. "Oh, you don't have to do that," you protest. "We can split the bill."

Sonny shakes his head, waving off your protest. "Nah, I got this," he declares, giving you a look that brooked no argument. The waitress comes back and takes the card, leaving the two of you alone at the table again. Sonny leans back in his seat, studying you with a thoughtful expression on his face.

You fidget a bit under his gaze, feeling a little self-conscious. "What?" you ask, a hint of defensiveness in your voice.

Sonny smiles, his gaze softening. "Nothing. I just like looking at you, that's all," he replies, his voice a low rumble.

Your heart skips a beat, and you try to hide the effect his words have on you by averting your gaze. "You're laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?" you say.

Sonny laughs, unperturbed by your attempt to downplay his compliments. "Maybe a little," he admits, shamelessly. "But I only say what I mean, doll."

You roll your eyes, but you can’t help the small smile that tugs at the corners of your mouth. "You're impossible, you know that?" you express, but there is no real heat behind the words.

Sonny grins, leaning forward in his seat. "What can I say? You bring out the impossible in me."

His eyes flicker up to the waitress returning with his credit card before looking back at you. "Ready to go?" he asks, rising to his feet and holding out a hand.

You accept his hand, feeling a shiver run down your spine as your skin makes contact with his.

"Yeah, let's go," you voice, standing up and smoothing out your clothes.

Sonny squeezes your hand before releasing it, instead placing a hand on the small of your back as he guides you out of the restaurant. As you step out into the crisp night air, a brief shiver runs through you, the cool temperature a stark contrast to the warmth of the restaurant. Sonny notices you shiver and, without a word, slips off his jacket and drapes it over your shoulders. The material was warm and smelled faintly of his cologne, and you instinctively snuggled into the comforting scent.

"Can't have you freezing on me," he comments, his voice a low rumble.

"Thanks," you mutter, pulling the jacket tighter around your shoulders. Sonny slips his hands into his pockets and starts walking, falling into step beside you. 

As you stroll down the busy city street, a comfortable silence settles between you. Every so often, you stole a side glance at him, admiring his profile in the soft glow of the streetlights. He catches you looking more than once, and each time he flashes a cocky grin, knowing full well the effect he was having on you. 

The night air still has a chill, but with his jacket around your shoulders and the warmth of his presence beside you, you feel surprisingly warm. You try to ignore the butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

The apartment building comes into view, its familiar brick facade a welcome sight. Sonny glances at you as you approach, then slows his pace as you reach the steps leading up to the doors.

The elevator dings and the doors open, pulling you both back to reality. You step out onto the floor of your apartment doors opposite each other.

Sonny turns to face you, his expression unreadable. "Tonight was... fun," he smiles, his voice a little rougher than usual.

"Yeah, it was," you agree, "Thanks for dinner."

Sonny steps closer, closing the gap between you. Before you had time to react, he cupped your face with both hands, tilting your chin up to meet his gaze. Your heart leaps into your throat as Sonny steps towards you, his hands cupping your face gently. His warm fingers brush against your skin, sending little tingles down your spine.

As you meet his intense gaze, your breath hitches in your throat. You can feel the heat radiating off his body, and you can smell the faint scent of his cologne.

"Sonny..." you whisper, your voice barely more than a breath.

The loud voices of the kids down the hall break the moment between you and Sonny. You both jump apart, momentarily startled. You let out a shaky breath, feeling a sting of disappointment at the interruption. You look up at Sonny, trying to gauge his reaction. He looked equally annoyed, his face set in a scowl as he watched the rowdy kids run by. As the kids disappear around the corner, Sonny turns back to you, a small frown still on his face. "Sorry about that," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Kids, am I right? I should probably let you get some sleep," he speaks, his voice a little rough around the edges. He glances over his shoulder at his own apartment door, then back at you. 

You nod, feeling the same pang of disappointment at the thought of the evening coming to an end. "Yeah, I probably should," you reply, trying to sound casual. Yet, you both stand there for a moment, neither one of you quite ready to say goodnight just yet. The silence stretches between you, filled with an unspoken tension. You could feel the heat of Sonny's gaze on you, and you felt inexplicably drawn to him, like there was more to say, more to discover.

Finally, Sonny speaks up, "Goodnight, Doll."

"Night, Sonny." You give him a small smile before you turn to enter your apartment, Sonny does the same to his.

As you close the door behind you, you lean against it and sigh. Despite the interruption from the rowdy kids, the evening had been one of the best you'd had in a long time. Something about Sonny fascinated you and made your heart beat a little faster. You wander over to your couch and collapse onto it, replaying the evening in your mind, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

Masterlist

[rahleeyah]

What are your thoughts about Elliot Stabler consistently being labelled as 'toxic' for Olivia Benson? Despite all their differences, I always have found him to be very caring and respectful towards her.

Well my first thought is who is saying this consistently? Anyone who calls Elliot - not the EO relationship, not them together, but Elliot specifically - toxic is not someone whose opinion I value, really. That's not someone who sees him, who can actually recall his on screen actions or his words. That's someone who has an idea of who he is that is separate from what we actually know about him and like. Sure that's frustrating but we can't change everybody's mind and we'll go crazy trying. So like. Let em be wrong, you know.

Yes, Elliot was good for Liv. He looked after her. Sure she didn't advance in the job, didn't have a stable long term romantic relationship while they were partners, but to pin the blame for that on Elliot is reductionist and frankly a lil immature. Liv didn't have those things bc she didn't want them; she had what she wanted already. Elliot never stopped her from going for Sergeant; she never gave any indication that she wanted to! And for all that we talk about jelliot, the only time we actually see him give any of her boyfriends shit is Porter, who he already disliked for reasons unrelated to Porter fucking Liv, and we never saw him say anything negative to Liv about the men she was with. Hell, even Kurt, he goes to see Kurt bc he wants Kurt to help Olivia, and he is not unkind or violent or loud or anything toxic during that interaction.

It's back to Huang's classic question: how does she make you do anything? Huang helps Elliot realize Liv wasn't making him do anything; Elliot was making his own choices bc he cared for her. Olivia made her own choices bc she cared for him. Not seeing that, blaming Elliot for that, is a denial of Liv's agency over her own life.

Did they fight? Sure!! But for every sharp word he ever said to her she threw her own right back; he wasn't victimizing her. They were equals!! And equally complicit!

Now if you want to call their relationship toxic, sure, I've done that myself - half joking, but only half. It's toxic in the way they shut everyone else out, lie for each other, break the law for each other. Toxic in the way that if this was real life you probably wouldn't want to be friends with them bc my God, the drama. But it is not toxic in the sense that they hurt each other.

I think it boils down to the fact that people have an idea of Elliot, an idea they don't like, and in this current media climate standard practice is to moralize our preferences. If I don't like this thing it must be morally wrong. I am good and pure and right, and anything I don't like is evil and fucked up and wrong. It removes nuance from the conversation. It's not serious commentary.

[detectiveguapo3]

Music To Watch Boys To

Chapter 1: You Belong with Me

Monday, October 13, 2014

11 pm

It’s been three whole months since you stepped into the squad room of Manhattan’s Special Victims Unit, and it's been a wild ride. It's almost unbearable on most days but your team reminded you constantly the reason you did this. Every conviction, every confession, every time the victim spoke up and became a survivor; reinstilled your faith. 

You look up from your desk as Sergeant Olivia Benson leaves her office. “Are you two planning on sleeping here tonight?” she jokingly asks as she walks past you and your partner, Det. Nick Amaro. “Go home, paperwork can wait,” she says, “Good night.” 

You look over at him and almost get lost in his brown eyes, then compose yourself slightly so you don’t seem too obvious. “C’mon, I’ll drive you home.” he says. This has been happening a lot, not that you were complaining. You weren’t purposely trying to be alone with him but you’d be lying if you said you didn't enjoy it.

Your apartment was ten minutes away, but he insisted. Every time you’d talk about random nothings. Sometimes you’d overshare about yourself, your and family and sometimes he’d talk about his life. Then you’d lay awake cringing about what you’d said. Tonight, you thankfully chatted about music. 

You raise the volume and blast Taylor Swift. “I should’ve known you listened to her,” he teases.

“She’s a lyrical genius, what else can I say?” you reply smiling. 

“Yeah? Try listening to You Belong with Me on repeat for weeks, my daughter is obsessed.” 

You laugh and reply, “A lady of taste.” You ramble on, “So she’s releasing a new album named after her birth year which is also my birth year.”

He pulls up to your building, he smiles and you say thanks. When you unlock your door, you head straight to your bathroom since it's late and you have a shift tomorrow. You strip off some of your clothes on your way to the sink. As you’re brushing your teeth, you pause and stare, you feel so pathetic. He’s my coworker and he’s married, not even legally separated. He’s that nice to everyone, I’m nothing special. Stop thinking about him. You want to scream at yourself. You step into the shower and as you lather yourself with soap, you think about him. The way he smells like a man and it makes you want to drown in his scent. The silver ring he still wears on his finger, how you long for its coldness on your skin. His brown eyes, you got lost in them so often. His lips, everywhere on your body. His smile, you bet he’d smile like that whilst gazing up at you. When you get out of the shower you feel dirtier than when you started out.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

7:45 am

You’re about to snooze the alarm for what feels like the tenth time, and then you open your eyes and glance at the clock. Shit, I’ve got to get dressed. You shower, moisturize, and put on underwear, pants, and a blouse. You apply lip gloss and some light bronzer, blush, and mascara. You are there to work. You remind yourself. Don't look at him unless you have to. 

You thank the universe that New York is so fucking cold because you would’ve been a sweaty mess by the time you reached the precinct.

You chided yourself for being late, already dreading the day and the fact that you’ll have to suffer through the precinct’s generic coffee because you didn’t have time to eat breakfast. You put your bag down and just as you take your coat off, you notice a cup of coffee on your desk from the little cart across the street. “Nick, thank you.” you manage to say before burning your tongue on the bittersweet taste. 

After the briefing on the Stevenson case, you and Amaro were sent to interview the victim and her parents now that she was out of surgery. Margaret Stevenson: a seventeen, white female, was kidnapped by an unknown assailant sometime after she left school, on her way to her home, twenty-five minutes away. She was beaten, raped, wrapped in only a bed sheet, and left for dead on the subway, twelve hours after she was reported missing. The rape kit was still being processed. Her parents had insisted she was a straight-A student and didn’t have time for a boyfriend. Her friends claimed that if she was seeing someone, they had no clue who he was. 

She was awake now and talking to her dads. 

“Hi, Det. Amaro, Special Victims, and this is my partner” Nick gestures to you while mentioning your name, “Can we have a moment with Margaret?” 

After the parents leave, you take a seat on the chair next to her bed while Nick stands. “Margaret, can you tell me the last thing you remember?” you ask. She hesitates. 

Nick notices and says, “Margaret, do you know the person who did this?” 

On the verge of tears, she replies, “I don’t want to get into any trouble.” 

You gently touch her hand, “Honey, you did nothing wrong. We just wanna catch the person who hurt you.” 

She starts crying, “It's the college scout, Dean Michaelis, I’m sorry I didn’t want to ruin my chances of a scholarship.”

“Do you think he’s done this before?” you query as you drive back to the precinct. 

“I think so, maybe we’ll find his M.O. in ViCAP. I think he’s escalating.” When you get back to the precinct, you let Liv know everything the vic told you, along with your theory. 

“He’s definitely escalating.” she says when similar cases were found, “Do you think the school knows?” 

You add, “Possibly, was there any DNA found?” 

Liv replies, “Only Los Angelos, Georgia, and Ohio haven’t even tested the rape kits.”

“The rape kit came back with DNA from under her fingernails and semen, all from the same guy.” Odafin ‘Fin’ Tutuola tells us as he puts the phone down. 

“I’ll call Barba for a warrant for DNA, Fin and Rollins, go pick this bastard up.” Olivia commands as she dials the office phone number for the Assistant District Attorney, Rafael Barba. 

[oliviasgreenmug]

I will never forgive the squad for leaving Olivia’s Sergeant graduation ceremony thingy literally as she was on the stage. Like this was the biggest moment in her career so far and they just had to run out right when she was called? Just bc they got a call for a case? They couldn’t wait like two seconds?? Also their attitude in general about being there as if it was such a burden (esp Fin) to see their coworker and best friend achieve something so amazing and after the year she’d had??? And why was Cragen and Munch not there? I get that they’d left by then but still I feel like they would’ve been there to see their girl get her badge and plaque.

[tamara1234sky]

SVU dream team:

I think of how great these characters would have been as team🙌🏾🔥

Captain Olivia Benson

Sergeant Odafin Tutuola

ADA Sonny Carisi

Detective Katriona Tamin

Dectective Grace Muncy

Detective Joe Velasco

Detective Terrence Bruno

Officer Tonie Churlish

(But DW & producers wants to be cheap and have a small cast: not pay actors what they deserve, fire actresses, have a rotating cast for female characters etc.)

[chicago-pd-is-weird]

Hey!! Could you write a Benoight fic please?? Maybe something were Erin is there too I love Dad Hank too ❤🩷💞

Hi Anon! Absolutely! This was fun to write! I will say that I don’t know much about the modern day SVU, so please forgive inaccuracies. (I tried to avoid anything I wasn’t sure about.) I am only on S10, but have watched some later episodes just on TV. :)

Sorry this took so long! I haven’t been feeling well these past few days and work has knocked me out the rest of the week (ugh). Anyways, I really hope you like it and thank you for your patience!!

Find it on AO3 or below the cut!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60025387/chapters/162249583

Olivia walked through the bullpen and into her office, a smile crossing her face when she saw someone familiar sitting in her chair. “I think you’re lost, Sergeant.”

Hank chuckled as he stood up. “Actually, I think I found exactly who I was looking for. How are you?”

Olivia hugged Hank, a smile still on her face. “I’m good. We just closed a big case and put a pedophile away for life. I had no idea you were coming.”

For years, they’d been doing this sort of long-distance relationship “thing.” They’d never put a word to it, but they’d never dated anyone else, either. It was a mutual agreement. They had video calls monthly, asking about cases, updates, and just talking about life stuff. Usually, Hank was in his office at night taking these calls, drinking the whiskey he kept in his drawer. Olivia was typically at home with Noah, always showing Hank how big he’d gotten, and talking about her cases after she put him down for the night. It was comforting, having someone on the outside, someone not too close, and someone who could offer a fresh perspective. They were coworkers, friends, consultants, and most importantly, they were lovers, just not in the “traditional” way.

Hank’s “love” came from sending Olivia followers now and again for special occasions like when she wrapped up a huge case or on her birthday. During Christmas, he often sent a gift, which was coupled with chocolates, and something for Noah. Noah didn’t know him very well at all, but he was referred to as “Mister Hank.”

Hank, on the other hand, loved Noah like his own son, despite the distance. He missed Daniel so much since Olive moved away, and he never got to see him - truthfully, Hank stopped trying after a while, thinking that he was a burden to Olive and Daniel. Hank was made to be a father, however, and took to it easily when Olivia adopted Noah, even giving her tips and advice.

Hank smiled at Olivia, hands on her shoulders. “Good job. I think that calls for drinks tonight.” Hank had learned over the years that Olivia liked words of affirmation. It was one of her love languages.

Olivia laughed. “I’ll take you up on that, but you still haven’t told me why you’re here,” she said, breaking away from him and sitting at her desk, sitting through the paperwork.

Hank shrugged, sitting down across from her and crossing his legs. “I came to visit Erin, figured I’d stop by. I know you’d kill me if you found out I came to the city and didn’t say anything.”

Olivia laughed. “You’re probably right.” She looked through her files, setting some aside, then looking up at him again. “So, you’re going to take up residence in my office the whole day?”

Hank chuckled, checking his watch, then shrugging. “I’ve got time. Maybe we should go get coffee.”

Olivia couldn’t help but smile again. “I’ll take you up on that, too.” She got up from her desk, grabbing her purse and walking with him out of the bullpen, chatting. Some of the people in SVU glanced up, then looked at one another confusedly.

Fin just shook his head. He’d known about Hank and Olivia for years, even though nobody said it out loud. “Back to work,” he said to the others sitting at their desks.

—

Later that day, Olivia was called away to a case, Hank sitting at a diner for lunch, where he was supposed to meet Erin. He had ordered a coffee for himself, waiting on her to get food.

Soon enough, she walked in, his foster-daughter. He missed her. She looked more and more grown up every time he saw her, and especially with that suit on. They made her wear it, apparently. She even had the sunglasses to go with it this time.

Hank stood, greeting her and hugging her tightly. “Lindsay, you look more and more like the FBI every time I see you.”

Erin laughed, shaking her head and squeezing him just a little tighter. “And you look exactly the same. Old Chicago cowboy cop.”

Hank chuckled, sitting down in the booth with her. “How’s the job?”

“It’s been alright. Nothing like Chicago.” She said that every time. Years had gone by and still, she kept saying it, as if she could even remember what it was like being a Chicago cop. It had been something like seven or eight years. Her memories had faded. She was a different person then.

“You’re right,” Hank replied, as it was his normal reply to her saying that. He sipped his coffee, then looked at the menu. “What’s good here? You picked this place.”

Erin laughed. “It’s my guilty pleasure place. I always get a meatball sub.”

“Then I’ll have that, too,” Hank said, pushing the menus to the end of the table and telling the waitress when she came to pick them up.

Erin and Hank chatted on about everything they had going on. Erin had found a boyfriend a few years back who had recently proposed. Hank was proud of her for making her own life, even when it all seemed like it was going to hell. He had been right - Bunny was toxic to her. She had finally realized that after moving to New York. They talked on and on about cases and work, but also about the Intelligence Unit and those who had left or died. Jay, Antonio, Hailey, Martel, Alvin, and so forth. Hank talked about some cases they had, the trouble they’d gotten into, and how they’d gotten out of it. He also talked about possible retirement and choosing a successor.

“You know, I don’t know what I’d do if I retired,” Hank said, shrugging. “I mean, I’d have Adam take over the unit, but really, where would I go? Would I stay in Chicago? Or would I move here?”

“Why would you move here?” Erin said, taking a bit of her sub.

“Because you’re here,” Hank replied with a shrug. “Olivia’s here. We keep in touch a lot. I’d be able to see both of you more often.”

Erin looked him over. She had no idea about Hank and Olivia’s half-relationship. “Olivia Benson?”

Hanks shrugged. “If I couldn’t work anymore, maybe I could still help her with her cases, at least. Support her, you know?”

Erin hummed. “I guess so. I had no idea you two were a thing.”

“We-Well, we’re not, really, we just talk a lot.”

“But you’re mutually exclusive?”

Hank shrugged. “I guess you could say that. But it’s not like we’ve dated or anything.”

Erin laughed. “If it’ll make you happy, you could move here after retirement.”

“I know, but… I’d be leaving everything else in Chicago. Everyone else. Trudy, for one, but also Al and Camille and Justin…”

“You’ll be able to see them again after you die,” Erin replied.

Hank scoffed. “I’m definitely not going the same place as them after I die,” he replied. “Maybe Al.”

Erin laughed, shaking her head. “I’m sure you’ll know what’s right when the time comes.”

—

Later that night, Hank met Olivia for drinks, putting down his credit card for the tab at the beginning of the night. He smiled at her. “Hey, Liv.”

“Hey, Hank. How was your day in the city?”

“It’s good, I met Erin for lunch, then just walked around. It’s not Chicago, that’s for sure, but I’m sure I could feel at home here, eventually.”

Olivia laughed. “Looking to move?”

Hank shrugged as he took the whiskey from in front of him, sipping it. “Maybe.”

“Really?”

“After they force me into retirement,” he replied. “I can feel it coming. They’ve been breathing down my neck for ten years about getting me off the street, but now, they’re bearing down on me for retirement.”

Olivia frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. I wouldn’t know what to do if they forced me to retire.”

“It’s because I’m a menace,” Hank replied with a chuckle, sipping his drink and not elaborating. “How’s Noah?”

Olivia smiled. “He’s great. I told him I’d bring you to see him. He’s really excited to see ‘Mister Hank’ again.”

Hank couldn’t help but split into a wide smile. “I’d be happy to spend some time with him.”

“You’re great with kids, you know,” she replied. “I mean, my unit works with kids all day, but you’d be excellent at it.”

“I don’t have the heart to work in SVU, Liv. I can barely take those cases in Intelligence. I’d beat the guy to hell if you let me loose on him.”

“Which is why I’d never make you do it, but you do have a talent for it.”

The night went on, the two going to Olivia’s apartment. It was a Friday night, so she didn’t have to be in the next morning, despite being on call.

When they got there, Olivia checked on Noah, Hank peeking in and smiling. After she shut the door, he walked with her to her living room. “He’s adorable.”

Olivia smiled. “Yeah, he is. I’m just glad he’s mine.” She grabbed him a glass of water, sitting with him in the living room. “You know, Hank, if you ever did retire, you’re welcome here with us.”

Hank nodded slowly. “Thanks. I haven’t decided yet… You know, you’re here, and Noah, and Erin… But I’d be leaving behind Camille and Alvin and Justin… Not to mention Trudy would have something to say about it.”

“But she’s married,” Olivia reasoned. “She would be alright without you.”

“I guess so,” he replied, shrugging. “My dad’s in Chicago, too. But I guess, since I become a cop for him, if I couldn’t be a cop anymore, then what’s the sense in staying.” He shook his head as he tried to rationalize it.

“It could be a fresh start with some familiarity,” Olivia replied. “I’m not trying to convince you, Hank, I’m just saying, you’re always welcome here.”

“Thanks,” he replied again, sipping the water as if it were bourbon, not caring that it wasn’t.

—

The next morning, Hank was up before Olivia, slowly inching out of her bed and leaving a kiss on her temple. He got dressed, deciding to sit out on the balcony with another glass of water, watching the sun rise.

When six-thirty rolled around, Hank could feel a set of eyes watching him. He turned to the doors, smiling as Olivia came out in her robe. “Hey, stranger,” she said.

Hank chuckled and watched her sit down. “Hey there.”

“You know, I don’t use this balcony often enough. I’m so terrified Noah’s going to fall off of it. I should sit out here more often in the mornings.”

“It’s the perfect amount of space,” Hank replied. “Or, it would be great for dancing, assuming we moved all the furniture inside.”

Olivia smiled. “And who would take me dancing on a balcony?”

“Well, I could think of one person, but he would do it in the moonlight.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The two took in the fresh air, Hank reaching over and taking Olivia’s hand. Maybe he could get used to this.

[themotherofhorses]

paloma: first meeting

— simon "ghost" riley x oc!silentdove reyes.

summary: he's not annoyed, per se, but ghost is just not really in the mood to chit-chat with the american airman scurrying around the base. at best, he tolerates them.

(or the first exchange between ghost and his montanan woman.)

warnings: none, aside from explicit language.

note: okay, so despite this being an obvious OC-insert series, i invite anyone and everyone to read it :D this is actually my first time tackling an OC-insert fanfic (as well as writing ghost) so im still trying to get the rhythm of things.

dividers by: @saradika

paloma (masterlist) | main masterlist

[2021] 

Simon Riley won’t ever admit it — never aloud, anyway — but every time he steps foot on American soil, he feels more akin to a wolf draped in sheep’s clothing. 

In his mind, he sticks out like a sore thumb. He is not a hero, really; unlike the lot teetering around the military base he is currently stationed at for the next five or so weeks, he is less flesh and blood, and more a phantom. Or something along those lines. Actually, that could explain why there is such little traffic aimed his way. But he doesn’t particularly care. His schedule lacks the room to voice any complaints. 

Right now, his main concern is doing his job, and doing it right. 

Two weeks back, Price had him fishing out his passport tucked away inside his bedside table. “Fancy a two month getaway to the States?” Great Falls, Montana, to be exact. High west, nearing the border of Canada, and surrounded by land he’s only ever seen in those silly ass spaghetti western movies. 

The view is nice, he’ll admit. Beautiful, even. Exhilarating. He now understands why they refer to Montana as “Big Sky Country.” 

Malmstrom is much smaller than he imagined, and homier too. The Air Force base is nestled within the city’s east side, offering its own museum and park. He’s quite grateful for the latter; the trails allow for his nighttime walks when the nightmares prove too shitty to sleep. 

Great Falls is pretty as well. Price would like it, maybe Garrick too. He knows the two are big on history, and almost every inch of the city is drenched with some memory belonging to the old frontier days. 

Upon arriving, the yanks provided him with his own private office, housed in the back of the 341st logistics readiness squadron. It’s nothin’ fancy, really, just a wee room furnished with a dark mahogany desk, two windows, a steel cabinet, the Montana flag to his left, and the American to his right. 

Again, he’s not one to complain. Something’s something. 

Earlier, one of the higher-up airmen, a Staff Sergeant Benson (he believes is the name), had handed him a folder jam-packed with a shit ton of mission statements — logistics, strategic planning, reports of previous global concerns, and reviews of the base’s Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. All the documents are dated in a time range varying between two months ago to 0800 this morning. 

In the back of his mind, he can already hear Price chuckling.

“Have fun, Simon.”

Bloody bastard. 

So now, Ghost sits hunched over the desk, feeling a little too damn big for it. All the paperwork is strewn about messily around him, with sticky notes, a pen, and some other random shit of his. No one has yet to visit him; until that happens, he feels little need to remain organized. 

His boot taps against the floor. “—Initial efforts to clean polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from launch facilities at Malmstrom AFB are ongoing but seeing success…” Ghost reads under his breath. PCBs? That’s nice to hear.

“...after PCBs were detected on surfaces in launch facilities at all three of the command’s missile wings.” 

PCBs. Polychlorinated biphenyls — man-made and highly toxic, consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms. He clicks his tongue, shaking his head as he flips onto the next page.

“We know they’re present on what appears to be otherwise pristine surfaces, due to the survey—” 

—a sudden knock interrupts his reading. 

With a curse on his tongue, Ghost sets down the report. He quicks a sneaking glance at his watch. 1342 hours. He’s due in a meeting at 1700. 

“Come in.” His voice sounds low and raspy, the two words sounding more like a growl than a greeting. He’s not annoyed, per se, but Ghost is just not really in the mood to chit-chat with the American airmen scurrying around the base. At best, he tolerates them.

(In his mind, they’re all little Graves, ready to stir up a headache.) 

The door slowly cracks open.

“Lieutenant Riley?” A female voice calls out — soft and cautious; Ghost’s chin drops against his knuckles. “Apologies for the disruption, sir, but I have some additional paperwork I need to drop off with you, at the request of my superior.” He grunts, and the airman then steps into his office, quickly shutting the door behind her before meeting his eyes. 

It is entirely unlike him, Ghost knows, but his brain almost short-circuits right then and there. Two dark brown eyes, framed by thick lashes, peering up at him. Shit. He’d always thought brown was such a pretty eye color on a woman, but hers stretched further across common compliments. 

Both of  ‘em — they held no animosity, no uneasiness or fear, nothing. 

That, itself, is quite fucking bizarre. He’s not used to that.

Ghost is .... well, Ghost. He knows the mask he is always donning on his face isn't exactly a sign of welcomeness. Just his mere presence is enough to startle the living shit out of rookies, baby recruits, wide-eyed sergeants, and the like. There is something inherently unnerving when you are unable to get a good reading of the person you're standing across from.

She’s brave, he thinks. Or merely oblivious to who he is. 

“Here you go, sir,” the airman says while placing the packet of new documents down on his desk. Her lips are shaped prettily, plump and shining with a fresh layer of gloss, and across her nose is a splatter of faint freckles. Under a different circumstance, maybe he would’ve taken the time to try and count them all.

Ghost swallows hard, incapable (for what feels like the first time in his life) of mustering up an appropriate reply. “Ah, thank you, ma’am.” 

The airman's brow lifts.

“Reyes,” she then corrects him with a kind smile, gesturing to the name badge sitting above her right chest pocket. Sure enough, in bold military lettering, reads Reyes. “My name is Senior Airman SilentDove Reyes. I am actually a cryptologic linguist analyst here on base; but sometimes I run errands for others, when not needed for a translation, of course.”

There is a slight chirp in her voice that Ghost picks up, along with the way she casually rocks back and forth on her feet. She seems awfully young, no older than 22, possibly 23, but even that's cutting it; a kid, compared to him. Maybe 5'7, with dark hair pulled back into two tight braids that fall at her belted waistline.

A stark contrast compared to him.

He's oddly curious now — about her age and first name and those long braids and why she stands before him, calm, collected, and sure — but he knows damn well this is not the time nor place for any questions. Both of them are on the clock, and it is likely she’ll need to report back to her supervisor soon. 

He offers her a curt nod. “Well, thank you again, Reyes,” he states, keeping his voice flat. 

“You are welcome, sir.” She turns to leave, but when her hand latches onto the doorknob, Reyes glances over her shoulder at him, “—oh, and Lieutenant? If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

–

The successful cleaning came after a bioenvironmental team at Malmstrom AFB …. Malmstrom AFB .. consulted with engineers and ….. and medical experts on the cleaning …. cleaning processes and– 

–and agents most likely to effectively remove the chemicals…. 

He knows his mind is wandering off, in desperate search of that pretty senior airman from fifteen minutes ago. “Bloody fucking hell,” Ghost grumbles, leaning back in his chair. His head lolls back as he blinks upward, studying the ceiling overhead. The texture is popcorn, a creamy color, with a simple fan jutting down. One light bulb, probably a recent replacement. 

Fuck. He doesn’t need this shit. Not one bit. 

Five more weeks and he’ll be gone from here. 

Ghost rechecks his watch, feeling a bit peeved at the time. 1411. He has several more hours until he can leave all this work shit behind for the evening, and maybe catch a short walk before hunkering down for the night. He doesn’t like sitting down for too long; it causes him to become restless. Agitated. Overthinking.

He doesn’t want distractions. He doesn’t need ‘em. Distractions ruin work ethic; clouding up the mind while fucking up all sense of responsibility. Price will have his ass if he – somehow – becomes compromised. And he'll never hear the end of it from Johnny. 

Settling back into the paperwork, he decides that he won’t allow himself another second thinking about all that – the American airman and her pretty brown eyes and high cheekbones and first name. 

Something tells him that’s easier said than done. 

[catootjesmuses]

Lila was happy the day at school was over. It had been a long and dreadful day. She would rather spend time with her mother and the SVU team than return to the classroom any day. Lucky for her, she got an assignment to shadow someone she looked up to. Which wasn't that difficult to choose since she looked up to her mom and her team.

Walking into the precinct, Lila was greeted by her mother's friend and Sergeant Fin Tutuola. She considered him as an uncle. "Hey, Uncle Fin. Is my mom here?" She smiled, giving him a hug. She had learned a lot from Fin, as he was the one who made sure she could defend herself at a young age. "She is in her office, kid." He pointed at the room in the back.

Heading to the doorway, she knocked on the door. "Hey, mom. I'm back." Lila greeted her @captain-benson