Kindling

Chapter 1

Kindling.

Elliot/Olivia. Season 7
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Dick Wolf and NBC. I just let the characters go out and play once in a while.

Kindling - to ignite, to excite, to stir up, inflame
______________________________

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. Olivia repeated to herself again, resting her head on the worn wood of the bar. She rubs her eyes and sits back up, reaching again for her whiskey sour. What was she doing here? Yes, they were co-workers, partners even, but did she really agree to a drink with Elliot? Was it just a drink? Was it is date? He was separated from his wife, but...Jesus, she needed to get out of her own head and stop thinking so much.

She takes a long swig of her drink, forgoing the straw to feel the liquid burn down her throat. Maybe after a good strong drink, the butterflies would start to settle. But really, what did she have to be nervous about? This was Elliot...one of her best friends, her partner of 7 years. He was funny, charming, honest, sexy....fuck, did she just say sexy?

Another huge swallow of her drink down the hatch.

"Whoa, slow down there tiger." His words coupled with his gravel voice made her jump. "Hey, its just me." Elliot states, resting his hand on her back as he slides into the bar stool to her left. His right hand, meant to soothe, was now burning through her leather jacket, her skin under his touch suddenly on fire.

Olivia clears her throat and glances up at his blue eyes. "I thought you weren't coming." She tries to sound calm, gosh she hoped she sounded calm, because the butterflies in her stomach had come back full force.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Liv" He shrugged, resting his forearms on the bar.

Since the moment she met him, the moment they were introduced, she knew it was done. It just happened, it was a pairing. She couldn't help the chemistry they had, it was there from the first second. The only way to describe it was like two souls fitting together. Gosh, now she sounded cheesy too.

Elliot waves toward the bartender, the same mid-30's gentleman who had no shame in staring down Olivia's scoop neck t-shirt earlier when he placed her drink in front of her. Funny that now he wouldn't so much as glance in her direction with Elliot sitting by her side.

"Two whiskey shots and a Guinness" Elliot ordered, turning his head to rest his chin on his shoulder and winking at Olivia. Her cheeks instantly burned and she swallowed hard, hoping Elliot hadn't noticed the sudden redness of her face. Maybe he had, and maybe it had affected him just as much because she noticed his slight shift in the barstool. He quickly put his left hand in his jeans pocket, shifting again before pulling his hand out. Jesus, was he just adjusting himself? Was he? No, he couldn't have been turned on just from the blush in her cheeks? Could he?

Olivia reached for the shot of whiskey, a sudden surge of pride and adrenaline making her brave. "To a night we never forget" She winks right back at him, downing her shot and scooping up her whiskey sour.

"Damn Liv, let me catch up" Elliot protests, throwing back his shot in the process. He quickly ordered another and soon they have a slew of empty shot glasses in front of them. It probably wasn't the best idea to drink this much, especially since they had to be back at work in the morning. But gosh, Elliot is cute and she is single and what's one night of fun between friends?

With thoughts like that, Olivia quickly realized she could feel the alcohol course through the veins. It didn't help that she had forgone dinner earlier in her state of nervousness. "You know what we should do Elliot?" Her voice drops an octave and she places her right hand across her to rest on his right bicep, leaning close to whisper to him.