Chapter Text
He’d just returned home from a conference about investigating child homicide. He was emotionally and physically exhausted. And all he wanted was to wrap his arms around his wife and son.
He heard Christmas music when he walked in the door. He found her in the kitchen. He stopped at the kitchen entry to watch her and listen to her. She was dancing to the music and singing softly (singing wasn’t her specialty). He saw the fabric crisscrossed across her back so he knew their son was with her. She was putting the final touches on a charcuterie board that they were taking to a holiday party later.
He waited a few minutes before entering. She heard him when he started walking but didn’t immediately turn around. She was still laying the last few crackers. He placed his hands on her hips. He kissed her shoulders before peeking over to see his son looking up and smiled when he saw his Daddy’s face.
“Hi, Noah.”
“Say ‘Hi Daddy.’”
“Hi, Mommy,” he said as they each turned their faces towards each other and their lips met. “Liv, why don’t you let me take Noah, while you get ready.”
“Hm, thanks, El.” Olivia said, kissing Elliot again. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Me, too, Momma.” Olivia passed off Noah and proceeded to saran wrap the charcuterie board. She then went to her bedroom to change into something a little fancier. Elliot took Noah to dress for the party as well.
The boy wore red corduroy overalls with a three green Christmas trees smock motif across the front. He wore a white long sleeve shirt with red trim on the collar. On his feet, Noah wore extra thick red, green, and white argyle socks.
Elliot took the time to get himself dressed too. He wore dark blue jeans with a red dress sweater over a white dress shirt with the top two buttons undone. He also wore red, green, and white argyle socks (Olivia had found matching father-son socks at a suit shop) with brown oxfords and a belt to match.
After the boys were dressed Elliot took Noah out to the living room to play. Elliot was excited that Christmas was next week because he was ready for a few quieter toys. He knew the importance of brightly colored musical toys for positive developmental growth, but Uncle Fin and Uncle Munch went a little overboard. This year, he and Olivia bought Noah an activity table that was a two-in-one. While he was a baby there was a seat in the middle. Once the boy could stand there was a flat piece to make the center a flat extension of the activity table. And the best part - all of the pieces of the table were quiet.
But for now, he’d soak up every loud moment with his favorite boy as he smashed EVERY button on EVERY toy and gave the best belly laughs after each one. It made Elliot feel a little less hatred towards the loud, obnoxious toys in his living room.
Forty-five minutes later Olivia walked out. She had chosen a Christmas tartan plaid silk blouse. The top had a fairly deep-V neck with long puffy sleeves and button cuffs. She’d put on dark brown pointed toe boots with a matching belt. Her hair was pulled back loosely in a banana clip with a few tendrils around her face. She finished off her polished look with pearl earrings.
“Noah, look at Mommy.” Elliot picked Noah up and walked over to Olivia.
“My boys look so handsome,” Olivia said, taking her son who was pretty much leaping from his father’s arms.
Elliot wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist from her side so as to not squish Noah. He kissed her temple. “My girl looks so beautiful….” Before finishing his statement he leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear. “....and sexy.”
“Babe, will you please grab the charcuterie board?”
“Fine,” Elliot groaned. “But when we get home, you + me + sweats + that couch.”
“Deal.”
Elliot grabbed the board that Olivia had so beautifully prepared. Olivia bundled both herself and Noah up and helped Elliot get his coat, hat, and gloves on. Olivia grabbed her large “mom bag” with all of the necessities and they all headed over to the Captain’s for the holiday party.
The couple stayed at the Captain’s party for about 2 hours before Noah decided he was done. Noah had decided that he would assist his mom in almost flashing the party guests. After the third time, she passed the boy off to Elliot and began gathering their things. The family bundled up yet again and made their way home.
As the three walked in the door, Noah was beyond consolable. Olivia dropped her coat and almost ripped Noah’s coat off of him. She headed straight to the bedroom. She laid her screaming cherry red-faced son down on the bed while she tore her own shirt off, unhooked her nursing bra, picked Noah back up, and helped him calm enough to latch.
She’d left Elliot in the entryway as he was taking his own coat off. Elliot walked through the apartment picking up the coats that Olivia had thrown on the floor in frustration. He put everything away. He cleaned up the kitchen from her earlier preparations. He put away the toys that had been strewn about the room throughout the day. He went to Noah’s room and grabbed pajamas for him and he made his way to the bedroom he shared with Olivia.
When he walked in Olivia was in tears. “Liv, Baby,” Elliot whispered to her as he walked in the room.
“I’m tired, El.”
Elliot squeezed himself between Olivia and their headboard and had her lean against his chest while she nursed. Before Noah, when one of the two would get home from a business trip they’d greet each other and then start helping each other out of their clothes (well, maybe not that quickly but you get the picture). But since Noah had arrived, laying like this, together, him holding her holding their little one was enough.
After Noah was fed, Elliot changed the baby boy who was milk drunk and almost asleep, into his pajamas. He and Olivia both kissed his head and laid him down for the night. They proceeded back to their room to change for bed.
No love making was had that night. Olivia was drained after her son’s 45 minute desperate cry for food and sleep (she wasn’t upset with him, just frustrated at the situation, traffic made the trip home almost twice as long). And Elliot was tired after his business trip. And that night, her head on his chest. His arm holding her close. Their legs and their fingers intertwined together. His soft kisses on her crown. This was enough.
“Did I mention that I’m glad you’re home?”
Elliot smiled. “You did.” Elliot kissed the top of her head again. “I love you, Liv. So much.”
“I love you. More than you know.”