blues and greens (barson)

xvii.

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AN;
this chapter comes with trigger warnings for guns, suicide, and hospitals, as well as a reminder that this is an SVU fic and we know what they investigate. please mind your mental health and take care of yourself. x

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The next few days turned out to be relatively uneventful.
Elliot caught a time sensitive case and had to cancel their drinks.
Rafael's mother had to reschedule  their dinner for Friday because she was quarantined following a COVID surge in her building.
So Liv and Rafa had just enjoyed time home with the kids on those nights and had a weekend of getting to know them and playing court which was their current favorite thing to do. They liked to switch up roles but the adults were almost always the bad guys for stealing cookies or staying up past bedtime or other various "crimes."
The good news was, Langan had gotten back to them on Friday with permanent custody for Aspen and the twins. Family Court had decided that, due to the circumstances, the State couldn't argue the children being properly returned to their biological parents. They were all getting new birth certificates with Rafael and Olivia listed as their parents.

It was Monday again and things were all set to be in full swing at the office and Rafael's case was back in court since everyone had tested negative.
Rafa's anxieties had turned out unfounded last week and he'd taken the weekend to process and reorient himself. He was finally finding his footing amongst all the big changes that had been happening. He was finding a groove of spending time at work, coming home and having dinner and spending time with the kids, then working on case notes once they were tucked in, and finally spending some time with Liv before bed. He was happy with this new routine, he loved it.

July 18, 2022 - 6:55am
"Good morning," Rafa whispered as he rolled over after shutting off his alarm.
Liv groaned and curled into his side, "I hate Monday."
He chuckled softly, "me too."
It was just before seven and she was due at the office at nine and Rafa in court at nine-thirty.
"It was such a good weekend," she grumbled, "I still can't believe you were found guilty of bedtime fraud."
"It's not my fault I stole an extra two hours of being awake from those children. They had to be in bed at nine," he laughed.
"During summer vacation," she said, exasperated.
He rolled his eyes playfully and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
She happily kissed him back, brushing her fingers into his hair.
Pulling back just enough to whisper against her lips, Rafa said, "if you're not careful you're going to make us both late."
She smiled and kissed him again, enjoying the warmth of the sun coming through the large windows and his mouth on hers.
At seven, they both finally got out of bed and took turns showering.
This was part of their new routine, waking up five minutes early to steal a few minutes together before their days had to begin.
"You'll be home at five?" Olivia asked as she was digging through the still half in boxes closet for the shirt she wanted.
"Yes. Will you?" He was fixing his hair through the open archway in the bathroom.
"Well, you know I'm careful not to jinx myself and hope to be," she laughed.
He was certain she would hear him roll his eyes as he turned toward her, he finished his hair and turned, tilting his head as he looked her direction.
She was wearing black slacks and a black bra, bent over as she dug through a box, "I can feel you staring at me."
Leaning against the doorjamb, Rafa smirked, "I do have one hell of a view right now."
She paused, they spoke like this often but still hadn't taken that next step. She considered for a moment before deciding against what she was going to do, knowing she couldn't risk making him late to court.
"What are you looking for?" He brushed over the comment he'd just made.
"My black blouse with the silver buttons and the," Liv stood and turned, gesturing as she looked for the words to describe it.
Rafa froze, the way he did anytime he caught a glimpse of more skin than she normally showed. He respected her to the ends of the Earth, but he stared for longer than he meant to every time. Usually because he caught a scar from a time he knew she'd rather not revisit, a time when he'd let her down. Then, replacing the guilt was always the excitement. The excitement that she trusted him enough to let him see her this way. The excitement over just how damn beautiful she was.
"Ground control to Barba," she snapped in his face, a smile etched on hers.
"Sorry," he shook his head, "you're just beautiful."
"Quiet, you," she said with a shake of her head, "my shirt."
"Right the black one with the silver buttons and the," he made a gesture that was vague but similar to hers.
"You're still staring at me," she said.
"I'm sorry," he tore gaze from her, pink appearing at his ears as he started helping her look.
He would never get used to it, he was certain. Being able to see her everyday again, being able to hug her, to kiss her, to touch her. All of it reminded him how lucky he was on a daily basis.
"This one?" He held up a black shirt with silver buttons.
"Yes!" She looked at him excitedly and took it, pulling it on.
He watched as she did, admiring her beauty once again. He stepped forward and fixed her hair for her as she slid her shoes on.
"Thank you," she smiled.
"For?"
"The compliments, finding my shirt, fixing my hair," she listed, "being you. Looking so damn good in a suit."
He laughed, "my pleasure, darling."
Once she was dressed fully, she grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and kissed him again.
He happily obliged.
After they'd regained their composure they made their way to the kitchen where Lucy was making breakfast for four sleepy children sitting around the dining table.
"Momma, Lucy said we can't have chocolate syrup on our waffles," Noah complained.
"You shouldn't have that much sugar first thing in the morning," Liv smiled at him.
"You let me on my birthday though," he groaned.
"That was a special birthday treat," she reminded him, "and when it's Aspen's birthday on Sunday, maybe we can have a special birthday treat?"
Aspen looked up at the sound of her name, "birthday treat?"
"Of course," Rafael chimed in, "we'll have a special breakfast and cake and ice cream with the whole crew. Lucy, you're coming, right?"
"Sunday? Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world!" She said, placing a waffle on a plate.
"Are we going to have a birthday party too?" Maddox asked, quiet excitement in his tone.
"Of course," Liv smiled at him, she was proud of how comfortable he was getting.
"And we'll have a special breakfast then, too, my little defense lawyer," Rafa grinned at the boy.
"For both of us?" Felix pressed.
"Of course," Rafa smiled.
"Rafa and I have to get going, my loves," Olivia brushed her fingers through Noah's curly hair.
The kids all stood and each of them got a hug and a kiss on the top of the head from both Rafa and Liv.
Noah and Felix each grabbed one of their coffees from Lucy and handed them to the respective adult they belonged to.
Liv with her purse over her arm and her coffee in hand turned, "thank you, Lucy! Call if you need me!"
Rafael opened the door and picked his briefcase up, "my phone is on vibrate if you need me."
Then the two of them headed out the door.
On the sidewalk outside the building they turned to one another.
"You ready?" Liv asked him.
He took a deep breath and nodded, "I think so. There's nothing else I can do to prepare."
"You doing okay?" She asked referring to last week's panic.
He smiled, "I'm okay, darling. I'll see you tonight unless we adjourn early."
"Okay. Remember, don't be too cocky but be confident."
"I remember."
She nodded and smiled, "okay. I love you."
He kissed her one last time and whispered, "I love you, Liv."
And they headed opposite directions, Rafa toward the subway and Liv toward where her car was parked.