Christopher Meloni revealed how he wants his character, Elliot Stabler, and Mariska Hargitay‘s character Olivia Benson’s story to end when Law & Order: SVU eventually concludes.

While talking to People in an interview published on Saturday, November 8, Meloni, 64, was asked what the “sexiest” thing about Stabler and Benson’s dynamic is.

“Gosh. They know each other in an unspoken way, and I think it’s the depth of their friendship,” he said. “And they’ve made these stabs or these attempts at making this thing another thing…”

Over the years, several loyal SVU fans have wanted Benson and Stabler to get together. Not only have the characters been known to say “Love you” to each other, but they also kept fans on the edge of their seats with a near-kiss in season 24.

“For Benson and Stabler to get together, it’s hard! Hard,” Meloni said of their characters’ future before he broke out into a laugh. “Am I blushing?”

After noting that anything is possible, he continued, “Oh, I have the energy, just not the time.”

After he joked about the characters possibly getting together, Meloni revealed how he hopes to see their storylines end. “Some conclusion to Benson and Stabler,” he said. “I think both characters, Stabler and Benson, should ride off into the sunset.”

Meloni and Hargitay, 61, have been working together since Law & Order: SVU premiered in 1999. He left the show in 2011, though he reprised the role of Stabler when the spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime premiered in 2021.

Outside of Meloni’s hopes for Benson and Stabler, Meloni also revealed that he’s always had a vision for his character.

“When I got the part, I thought after reading the script, ‘Wow. This is a really stressful job,’ because the bulk of what you’re dealing with are women and children. So, I asked [creator] Dick Wolf if I could have four children instead of three,” he recalled. “I gave Elliot what I had built in my head. The first part of which was a girlfriend who got knocked up, so I had to marry her to make it legitimate because I’m a good Catholic and I loved her. Then the last two kids weren’t planned, and they’re twins! I found it funny, but I also went, ‘Man, this is… [a lot].’ I kept wanting to dollop on top of Stabler. He’s a guy who handles pressure.”