my expectations: *flowing in the sewer*

my three unhinged braincells: but what if they kiss and olivia says something that implies she's always loved him and elliot brushes a strand of hair behind her ear and—

Intercession

an SVU story

TW: n/a

Chapter Summary: after the disastrous intervention, Olivia turns to Doctor Lindstrom for assistance in untangling her own thoughts. 

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You know, speaking of IAB, did you, uh, tell Stabler about you and Tucker? What? No. He has… Too much going on as it is. And to be honest with you, the last time I saw him, he flat out told me to… to leave him alone.

accepting that you’re objectively weird & owning it is infinitely better than being constantly desperate to appear normal to people who don’t even matter to you

Olivia Benson and Elliot analysis

My sense is that Olivia has secretly held romantic feelings for Elliot, but it’s uncertain as to whether or not he’s returned her feelings. Olivia can read him, connect with him and understand him in a way that she can’t anyone else. You can also see just how shattered she is when Elliot leaves the unit without letting her know. 

Olivia herself is a pretty closed book. She has a trauma history, grew up never knowing her father and never had a stable attachment with her Mother, a Mother who was never able to meet her emotional needs due to her own trauma and alcohol abuse. I feel like this predisposes Olivia to being the style with a more insecure attachment style, one which will make her less in touch with her own feelings and less likely to pursue her feelings, for fears of being vulnerable and getting hurt. We see Olivia as pretty independent and as someone who is strong and can take care of herself. On top of that, Olivia would never want to be the woman who breaks apart a family, especially as she was a child who never had a stable family and knows more than anything how important that is. So I feel like not only did Olivia never pursue her feelings for Elliot, I don’t even think she even recognised that she had them, because doing so would be too painful and too dangerous. Instead, she buried them and nurtured the friendship they had. However, you can see glimpses as to how she feels towards him in the interactions they had. It might just be my biased Bensler lens, but I see it in the way she looks at him, checks in on him, takes interest in him and connects with him. She’s so in tune with where he’s at and what he’s needing. 

Elliot and Olivia also have their own trauma histories and shared valued surrounding their work. I feel like this allows them to connect with each other on a deeper level than other partners they have had. Also, their connection seemed so obvious to everyone else around them (i.e., Lewis, other perpetrators and civilians who would comment on their relationship, Elliot’s son, Kathy etc.,). I find it interesting that whenever someone mentions it to Liv and asks her if they have ever gotten it on or if they desire each other, she never outright denies that she is not interested in Elliot. Instead, she simply says that he’s married and it could never happen. 

To be fair, I haven’t seen episodes after Season 12 so I’m not sure what Olivia’s future romantic relationships are like. However, I find it SO interesting as a therapist that both Elliot seemed to be chained at work and struggled with his marriage and Olivia was also married to her job and did not seem to be able to develop much of a romantic relationship when she was partnered with Elliot. She even said herself that he’s the longest relationship she’s ever had. Only until Elliot has left SVU was she able to develop relations with Cassidy and others. 

I feel heartbroken when I think about it. How hard it must have been for Liv to harbour feelings towards a married man and be nothing but supportive of him and his family. 

you think you know what you’ve got buried down there… under the surface, but you don’t always. THE WILDS (2020)

Benson and Stabler reunited and I know Cragen is at home and just had a shiver go down his spine. Waking up in cold sweats and doesn’t know why.

[LISTEN]

My 3am thought - do you think Mariska has it in her contract that EO is endgame?

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT | 22.09 - “Return of the Prodigal Son” (2021)

hate when I make a playlist full of sad and happy songs cuz when I press play it’s like I’m opening a pack of jelly beans in the dark

Please. I know sexual tension when I see it. But don’t worry. 

— Margaret Schnabel

For sixteen days, actual death has been hanging over our heads… and, yet, the only thing I seem to give a shit about is love. Total fucking psychosis, right?

"Liv!"

"Elliot "

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!