Peter Scanavino and Kelli Giddish on ‘Law&Order: SVU.’. Photo: Zach Dilgard/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

After all their ups and downs, Peter Scanavino is happy that his character, Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, and Detective Amanda Rollins got their happily ever after.

While the Law & Order: SVU star admits he doesn’t think their romance was “really intentional” when Carisi was first introduced in season 16, he says the real-life chemistry between him and Kelli Giddish helped move their story in that direction onscreen.

“It was just the result of Kelli and I working really well together,” Scanavino tells PEOPLE of his co-star. “We were friends off camera and I think there was always a bit of a connection there and then it seemed like the only place you kind of could go.”

Peter Scanavino and Kelli Giddish in season 22 episode 14 of ‘Law & Order: SVU.’. Virginia Sherwood/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

Their connection culminated in season 22 amid what Scanavino describes as a “boiling point.”  The two finally shared a kiss at Sergeant Odafin “Fin” Tutuola (Ice-T) and Phoebe Baker (Jennifer Esposito)’s almost wedding after Rollins made the first move.

“I remember reading the scene … where we kiss for the first time and it did feel like a kind of cathartic release,” he recalls. “And I’m glad that that stayed healthy.”

Their relationship has continued to develop over the years and in season 24, they tied the knot in a courthouse wedding in front of Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Detective Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano) and Fin.

However, it has not always been the happiest of times for the couple, as evidenced in season 26’s fall finale airing Nov. 21, which sees Carisi in the middle of a hostage situation as he tries to protect himself and two women caught in a deli.

Peter Scanavino in episode 8 of season 26 of ‘Law & Order: SVU.’.Peter Kramer/NBC

Scanavino says filming for the episode happened over the course of several days and in a rare occurrence, in sequence.

“It felt like every scene was some intense situation that my character had to figure out how to get out of or what to do or think on the fly and then that would lead to an even more intense situation, which would lead to an even more intense situation,” he says of the episode.

“The whole thing just felt really relentless,” he continues, later adding: “Physically it was tiring as well, just to maintain that level of tension within the deli.”

The end of the episode sees Carisi, who survives the traumatic event, having dinner with his wife and Benson who suggests he sees a therapist after what he endured. However, Rollins says that route isn’t for him.

Kelli Giddish in season 26 episode 8 of ‘Law & Order: SVU.’.Peter Kramer/NBC

Scanavino says “help can come in many different forms” and while he’s not sure what that will look like for Carisi, “obviously Rollins is going to be there for him in any way that he needs.”

“The consequences of this episode and this event that he goes through, they’re not really wrapped up quickly,” he says. “It’s something that he’s going to be dealing with for the rest of the season.”

Season 26 of Law & Order: SVU will return on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.