Rafael woke to the feeling of heat fading from his skin. Sonny was most definitely a cuddler. Not that he minded, of course, begrudgingly being one himself. He tried to turn over onto his back, so he wouldn't strain his shoulder, but a strong hand on his back stopped that decision.

"Sonny?" He asked, still groggy.

"Since you won't let me mark you… I have taken other measures."

It took Rafael's analytical mind a second to process the comment. "Sonny- You're not upset about my rule, are you? You never seemed to be upset earlier."

Rafael was not one for gossip, and he had a rule, discussed with Sonny eight months prior, that any hickeys were to be placed in a spot that was easily concealed. Last night, Sonny appeared to have forgotten, but Rafael did not rise to be one of the best ADAs in New York without a quick mind followed by a quick mouth. Sonny was prevented from leaving a hickey right along his jawline- which would have been impossible to cover up.

Unable to see how his boyfriend, Rafael still felt a wave of pure happiness when he thought the word, was reacting, he tried to apologize. "Sonny, I'm due in court in a few hours, I couldn't very well have a 'love-bite' on my jaw and argue for this poor girl."

Sonny responded, "Of course counselor, which is why I marked you another way."

Rafael could hear the smile in his voice, and that was what made him finally turn over and look the detective directly in the eye. "What did you do?" He asked. Sonny just smiled. Wider than the highway, that smile.

"Why don't you look in the mirror and see?" The thirty-five year old's smile never faltered.

He slowly got out of bed, suspicion tingling in his mind.

"I'll make some waffles." Sonny offered and headed to the kitchen in just boxer briefs.

"It would be more sanitary if you put actual clothes on."

"Rafi, do you want me to put more clothes on?" His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.

He didn't. He was quite enjoying the view actually. And while he was appreciating the strong physique, his eyes noticed the Sharpie in the man's hand. "Sonny- no te puedo creer!" Rafael fell back dramatically on the bed.

Sonny just laughed. "You might want to hop in the shower soon, you're due in court."

He was unbelievable. Booking it to the bathroom, it took Rafael less than five seconds to find the Sharpie written on his skin. There on his shoulder and down his left arm was written, Property of Dominick "Sonny" Carisi. His signature was on his left shoulder blade. It would be hidden by a shirt, Rafael's mind was quick to conclude. He turned on the water. Soap and water wouldn't get rid of it, but it would help it fade sooner.

As he showered, he didn't spend much time focusing on the Sharpie staining his skin. It was his rule about marks- and the rule was that they wouldn't be seen when he was in court. Of course, that was most of the time and often unexpectedly.

Maybe it wasn't that bad. It was kind of sweet. And childish, if he was being honest. When he had dried himself off, he tried to pick a suit for the day. He was tying his tie as he saw the plate of waffles Sonny was making in the kitchen. The Sharpie lay neglected on the counter.

A few thoughts tried to discourage what he was about to take part in. If Sonny worked out today, the sharpie would be seen in the NYPD locker room. Sonny was only teasing, and he knew it wouldn't cause any harm. Rafael ignored his rational side and tried to walk as lightly as possible while grabbing the offending permanent marker. He snuck up behind Sonny and uncapped it.

Rafi was all he need to write. It was all he could write before Sonny took the final waffle out of the waffle maker and placed on the plate. "Do I want to know?" He laughed.

"Well, now you're marked too. Or would you rather a hickey?" Rafael teased.

"I don't know which the team will be worse about. Guess we'll have to find out." Sonny was still smiling as he turned around. "What did you write?"

"I thought you didn't want to know."

"You have peaked my curiosity. What did you 'claim' me with?" Sonny asked.

"Just my name."

"But it was too quick to be Rafael Barba- Just Rafael?"

"Shorter."

Rafael swore that Sonny's grin was going to break his dimples one day. But until then, it was a beautiful sight to see.

"You did not sign my back as Rafi!" Sonny exclaimed.

"Maybe I did." Rafael pulled a waffle onto his plate with his fork. Sonny was trying to see what was written there like a dog trying to catch its own tail. Then he grabbed his phone and reached behind his back. Rafael enjoyed the view of his muscles stretching as his boyfriend took a picture of his own shoulders.

As Sonny Carisi looked down at the blurry photo on his phone screen and saw the quickly scribbled nickname. "Rafi!"

"Yes?"

"I can't believe you." He said, shaking his head jokingly but still grinning.

"Maybe you should work out today- show NYPD that just because you have a boyfriend doesn't mean you're excluded from regular… male-bonding… stuff. Anyone can give you a hickey, but who would you let write their name on your skin?" Rafael questioned.

"Good point. But in the face of my impeding embarrassment, I shall eat breakfast. And remember, no one at the precinct knows."

Rafael chuckled, and the two ate. Sonny was still standing naked, and Rafael was comfortable in his three piece suit. They munched on waffles and when Sonny finished he excused himself to shower. When Rafael was about to leave, Sonny, wrapped in a towel with hair slicked down by water, grabbed him lightly by the wrist and pulled him in for a kiss.

Pulling away, Rafael spoke softly, "Don't put as much product in your hair today."

"Okay." Sonny whispered back. And with that, Rafael was out the door. Sonny hurried to get ready for work, dressing sharply in a relatively new suit that he and Rafael agreed brought out the striking blue in his eyes.

Later, when Sonny walked into the precinct, Rollins commented on his hair. "It's not quite as… coiffed as usual. I like it. This new fella must be doing some good."

He might hold me in contempt if I had gelled it. "Yeah he's a bit more relaxed and-" Sonny shrugged. "I'm just trying something new."

"Well don't go changing yourself too much. We haven't even met your mystery man and I don't think I can approve of the relationship if it stops you from being Carisi." Liv jumped in.

"Thanks for the concern Lieu, but he's not changing me at all. If anything, he's bringing me together."

"Don't get sappy on us Sonny. Not today. Capt. Jennings from the 33rd just called. They've got a victim unwilling to leave. She's too scared."

"Rollins, you're with me. If she doesn't want to leave the 33rd she might be too scared for male detectives. Carisi, Fin, go to the courthouse. Make sure Livia isn't straying from her story." Liv ordered. Amanda stood up and grabbed her phone. "Let's go."

Rafael sat in the courtroom, resisting the urge to fan himself with some of his papers. Of all the days for the courthouse's blessed air conditioning to shit the bed. His jacket sat on the back of his chair, but his shirt and vest were too hot. Of all the days. "The court will reconvene in fifteen minutes."

"Councilor!" Sonny yelled out as the court's careful quiet dissolved into loud chaos. Rafael turned towards the noise. Sonny's grin was wide as he and Detective Tutuola made their way through the crowd amassed in the courtroom. "Councilor, you must be dying with that vest on. Why don't you roll up your sleeves?" Sonny asked mischievously.

"I'm fine." Barba scowled, trying to maintain a rough exterior.

"You sure?" Fin chimed in. "You look a little sweaty."

"Fine!" He exclaimed. "If everyone's so anxious and concerned on my behalf, I'll roll up my sleeves." And he did just that. Sonny snickered a little bit and Rafael knew exactly why. "How much?" He sighed.

"Just 'Jr.'" Sonny tried to smother his laughter.

"Well. There goes any attempt at dignity. Guess I'll be signing a disclosure agreement sooner than expected." Rafael sighed.

Fin looked back and forth between the two of them. "You two are- wait. No. I can't- You two are a thing?"

"Yes." Rafael sighed. "I am actually dating a child."

"And you got his name tattooed on you?!" Fin exclaimed.

"Wait, wait, what?"

"I can't believe you would get his name tattooed on you before you even signed a disclosure. I thought you were smart, Barba." Fin was shaking his head.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no. You've got this all wrong. This isn't a tattoo."

"It's not?" Fin looked from the irritated ADA to the detective trying hard not to burst into laughter.

"This," Rafael indicated his elbow, "is Sharpie. And the person who drew it, is this," he indicated Sonny, "five year old."

Fin's face was a clear mirror of the man's confusion. "Hold on- you let him write on you? Wait- go back- you wrote on him?" He turned to face Sonny. "Carisi, what is wrong with you?"

"Rafi here has a rule about marks." The brunette began, while his boyfriend's face turned pink. "So I made sure no one could see it. I don't think anyone realized fate could be quite so cruel."

"I'm going to the bathroom." Rafael muttered, and walked in between the two detectives to the exit. Sonny followed and Fin shook his head in disbelief. Rafael Barba was Carisi's mysterious boyfriend? The one who dropped dinner off for him when they were working late? The one who convinced him to somehow wear less hair gel? The one Carisi described earlier as being "relaxed?" Rafael Barba, relaxed? Fin blinked forcefully. "That's it, I'm seeing things. And hearing them, apparently. Lord help me."

Meanwhile, Sonny walked in to the courtroom bathroom to find Barba staring at himself in the mirror. "What am I going to do?" The ADA whispered, just as much to himself as to Sonny.

"What do you mean?"

"Liv will freak. I don't need to imagine Rollins' snide comments, and you just saw how Fin reacted."

Sonny stood behind his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around the shorter man's waist and resting his head on top of the other's. "Well I think everything will go just fine. Lieu is a good friend of yours, I think she'll be supportive. If anything, she'll kick herself for not noticing. Rollins' comments, which I don't think are going to be snide, will all be because she's jealous. She won't admit it but she thinks you're hot." Sonny lowered his voice. "And who can blame her?"

Rafael sighed. "But Fin-"

"Was more surprised by what he thought was a tattoo than anything else, don't blame the poor guy. And maybe telling him about your rule was crossing a line. But don't think for a second he's going to freak out. He's got Ken and he is so incredibly supportive. The old man dragged himself to New York Pride to support his son and son-in-law. You should've seen the amount of rainbow he was wearing, it was priceless.

"Okay, you need to get yourself out of this mindset. In a few minutes you're returning to that courtroom and being amazing. You will continue to argue for this girl and I'm going to watch and enjoy every second of it. You're the most incredible human being I've ever met. And I love you."

"Thank you." Rafael whispered.

"What else am I here for? Other than to look nice."

"Well you do that quite well. But I think you're a better detective."

"Are you calling me ugly?" Sonny pretended to be appalled.

"Maybe." He cracked a smile that Sonny could see in their reflection. "I like your hair."

Sonny smoothly and slowly spun Rafael around so they were face to face. "A handsome guy told me I'd look better with less product. Since he always looks good I decided to take his advice." Rafael leaned up and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek.

"Glad to see we're agreed on who's the prettier one here." He leaned away and started to walk out of the bathroom.

"That was cold!" Sonny called.

"Love you too!" Rafael retaliated.

In the end, ADA Rafael Barba won his case. And Lieutenant Benson was informed of a blossoming relationship between the DA and one of her detectives. She was indeed surprised, and despite being extremely supportive, she got mad at both members of the relationship for not confiding in her. And a bit mad at herself for not figuring it out earlier, but incredibly proud of her best friend for finding someone at long last. Detective Rollins was indeed, a bit jealous, not that she would ever admit that.

The other day in the precinct, when no one noticed that Barba had walked in, he walked straight up to Carisi and kissed him fiercely. Garnering no reaction, the shorter man had blushed bright pink, but the taller of the two was stunned – and beet red.