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Today had been good. A complete surprise but good. Olivia finds herself still tearing up at the tiniest things even though the ceremony was now hours ago. She still can’t believe Amanda and Carisi are married. It had felt like a lifetime before the two of them finally admitted to their feelings and started dating. She had seen that coming but this? It had taken her completely by surprise. Well, not the fact that they got married per se, that was bound to happen eventually even with Amanda’s history of self-sabotage, it was more the fact that it was so small and Olivia had only found out right before.
Now, they’re out drinking, celebrating. Olivia had disappeared to tie up some loose ends with work and pick up Noah so he could spend time with Jesse and Bille and then she’d joined her squad. They had gotten started with drinks and on the dance floor, no longer wearing her wedding dress, were Amanda and Carisi dancing away. For a moment, Olivia had simply watched them before eventually announcing her arrival to the others.
She’d caught up quickly. In both drinking and dancing. Currently, she’s got a bit of a warm, tingly buzz going on and she’s danced with almost every member of her squad. Each of them dances very differently with one member being particularly clumsy. Still, they all had Olivia laughing and having more fun than she’s had in a long time. It feels like a miracle that none of their phones has rung once although none of them has said so out of fear of jinxing it.
Taking a break, Olivia’s sitting at the bar. She watches as the squad sits around the same table. Muncy has just collapsed into one of the free seats, already laughing and joking with Carisi as Amanda appears to side with Muncy in whatever they’re discussing and although Fin sits back with his arms folded and rolls his eyes, Olivia can see he’s on the verge of laughing too. The only person missing is-
“Hey, Cap.”
“Velasco.”
She turns on her stool just as he slides onto the one beside her. He signals to the bartender for a refill on her drink and for another one too. When he looks at her again, she raises a brow and although the light isn’t the greatest — low and warm — she’s sure he blushes as his eyes divert from her. It would be easy to tease him about it, fake upset at him being so presumptuous but she still feels delightfully good and she had been thinking about getting another drink so when two glasses are set down in front of her, she takes it with a smile and sips.
“Sick of dancing?”
The question seems to make him relax. His shoulders slump ever so slightly, a low chuckle slipping out. “No, not sick of it but Muncy is…”
“A little clumsy?”
He laughs properly now. “You’ve had the privilege.”
“Yeah.” She takes another drink. “I think Fin conned you into playing darts with him while I danced with her.”
“He didn’t con me…”
“Right, so your wallet isn’t feeling a little light?”
“No.” Velasco sighs. “But my stack of paperwork is feeling a little heavier.”
Olivia is glad she didn’t take another sip of her drink as she bursts out laughing, tipping her head back. It’s a rookie move. When it comes to betting with paperwork, Fin will cheat if necessary because there’s no way he’s doing more of it if he can avoid it.
“You were doomed from the start.”
She’s still laughing, turning away from him as she looks back over at the team.
“Believe me, I figured that out fast.”
There’s something different about his voice and when her focus is back on him, Olivia notices the blush is back in his cheeks and has crept up his neck but this one is a little different. It doesn’t seem to be out of embarrassment for being caught out like his previous blush. His bottom lip is tucked between his teeth and his eyes are- Oh .
They’re on her face but not quite. Her neck and her jaw would be more exact. He releases his lip and runs his tongue along them instead.
“Velasco?”
When his eyes find hers, he just smiles lazily. “You look good tonight, Cap. Happy.”
She licks her lips and swirls the contents of her glass. “I don’t normally look happy?”
“Not like this, not like today. At least… Not that I get to see too often,” he offers up and when she hums, he continues on, “It’s nice.”
Now, she’s blushing. Her skin is warm from something other than the drinks and all the dancing. He sounds so genuine when he says it, it makes her tingle all over. He’s not exactly wrong. He hasn’t really seen her like this and this is one of those few times she’s felt genuinely light and happy, especially for a reason that doesn’t have Noah at the core of it.
Finishing up her drink, she slides off the stool. “Recovered enough to dance some more?”
He seems surprised. “Yeah?”
“You’re the only one I haven’t with yet.”
He pushes off of his own stool and the look he gives her seems almost fond. “Then, the only answer has to be yes.”
Grinning, Olivia is the first to move and lead the way to the dance floor. She doesn’t have to look to know that Velasco is following. He stays close enough behind her that she can almost feel him against her. When they actually get to the dance floor, he doesn’t stop when she does, stepping right up behind her instead. She moves first, he follows, hands on her hips. She’s thankful she switched her heels for flats when she’s able to lean her head back comfortably against his chest.
When she eventually turns around to face him, his hand slides over her body to wrap around her waist and hold her in close as they dance. Internally, she laughs. This is Velasco who she’s practically pressed up against, whose shoulders her hands are resting on, whose arm is around her waist, and whose other hand is currently reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. It’s surreal. She gulps, it’s borderline inappropriate even, but when she looks up, he’s watching her. His eyes dip to her lips and his arm tightens around her. It limits their movements but it feels better. He’s warm and solid and she finds she wants to get closer to him.
The thought seems to be a mutual one because suddenly, he’s drawing her up towards him and he’s leaning in. He’s going to kiss her, Olivia realises and the bigger realisation is that she wants him to. His eyes are on hers, giving her a chance to stop him, and when she doesn’t, he moves closer and closer until… She moves.
It’s only slightly. A last second decision. Turning a little to the side, he’s forced to brush his lips against her cheek. Her mouth is open ready to apologise, she had wanted to kiss him but the realisation of where they are and who they are with had struck her so suddenly. Only, she closes her mouth quickly because he’s smiling at her.
“It’s okay, Cap. I shouldn’t have even thought about it.”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, they untangle. She turns her whole body away from him as he steps back but the sight of her squad still laughing and talking across the room has her turning back to Velasco. His hands are dug into his jeans pocket and he’s looking patiently at her. Beyond that, he’s hard to read.
“Honest answer… Did you want to kiss me?”
He shrugs, still impassive. “I did.”
“Do you still want to?”
His brow furrows but he nods. “Yeah.”
Although his voice shows he’s nervous, Olivia can tell he’s being honest. With one more glance to make sure the squad isn’t watching them, she leans in fast but she’s gentle as she presses her lips to Velasco’s. He hums, surprised, before pressing in a little more to kiss her back. It’s short but good. He tastes sweet and his lips are soft and his facial hair tickles her just so.
When she pulls back, he looks a little dazed and it makes her grin. As he settles her with a soft, content smile, she sobers slightly. “I am happy.”
His smile only grows. “Good.”
“Are you?”
“I’m content.” With that, he tears his eyes away from her and looks past her, presumably at the squad’s table. “I’ll go to the bar and get everyone some drinks. You go back to them first.”
There’s something sad in his tone and Olivia almost comments on it but then he’s gone. It would be easy to allow her mind to wander. She considers following him to the bar. It’s not her place but she finds she wants to know… Is he sad? Does it have anything to do with her like she’s already imaging? Suddenly, she wishes they were still dancing, that she hadn’t turned her head when he first tried to kiss her, and that the second kiss lasted longer. She could easily pull him back into her, try it all again.
Instead, she turns and walks towards the rest of her squad.