Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order: SVU or any of its characters.
A Castle Without A Queen
Contrary to popular belief and his caffeine intake, Rafael Barba was a morning person. He awoke at seven to find his girlfriend snoring into his chest. Smiling, he passed a hand over her hair and kissed her head.
"Annie?", he spoke softly.
It took a few more kisses for her to move.
"Wake up", he lied, "It's almost eight"
"Five minutes", she mumbled and flipped on to her back.
He stood over her for a while. Her hair splayed freely across the pillows. On her neck was that faint scar he loved to kiss. He sighed, content.
"I'll wake you up for breakfast"
After Annie vehemently refused to get up and eat, Rafael sulked and had breakfast at his table alone. In the bedroom, he put on his tie and looked back to find her still asleep. He walked to the bed and pulled the sheets off her. Annie compensated for it by curving into a ball, eyes still closed.
"Oh my god. Get up already, you lazy woman", he shook her.
Annie grumbled,
"I don't wanna"
"Annie, it's 9 o'clock. You're going to be late"
"I don't care!"
"Fine", he moved away, "I don't have any more time to waste"
"I know a good way for us to waste our time"
Wasn't she just asleep?
Rafael turned to her with an eyebrow raised. Annie rose in bed with a drowsy smile. She seemed to remind him what they were doing last night, by revealing her soft cleavage and that lacy bra. Curving a finger, she beckoned to him.
"No way"
Her determination was undaunted. She crawled to the edge of the bed on all fours.
"You wanna play hard to get, Counselor? I like that"
Her hands were on his crotch and her mouth was puckered for a kiss that never came. Rafael freed himself from the grip of her limbs, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Annie, stop. I have to go"
He walked to the wardrobe, put on his coat while she watched.
"What kind of a man denies his girlfriend morning sex?!"
"One who is never late to work"
"Rafi", she crooned, "Per favore?"
"I'm sorry", he kissed her cheek, "When we get back, I promise"
"You're not getting anything when you get back. I promise you that!"
Rafael went to work with that crooked grin on his face.
It was well past 11:00 pm when he got back home. He headed straight for the bedroom.
"Annie?", he called, "I'm home"
She was not in there. Rafael put away his shoes in the wardrobe, slipped his coat off.
"Mi reina?", he called playfully.
Not in the bathroom, not in the kitchen, not in the balcony. He speed dialed her.
"Hey, handsome"
"Where are you?", he asked.
"At home?"
"You are not here. I just got in"
"It's Monday, Raf. I'm at my place. Everything okay?"
"Oh"
In his eagerness to see her, he had forgotten the weekend was over. His Annie had gone back to her apartment.
"Hello? You all right?"
"I'm fine", he sighed and lay down on the couch, "I foolishly expected you to still be here"
"I told you, you weren't getting anything today"
He laughed. It came out tired and disappointed.
"I feel stupid"
"Must be a nice change for you"
"It was never like this before, before you came. Now every time you leave, this place seems empty and... haunted"
"Oh Rafi"
"Come back"
"Babe, I would, but I have to go in early tomorrow. There is..."
"I'm asking you to come here", he closed his eyes, "Permanently"
The odd silence lasted a moment. Annie spoke with caution.
"You are asking me to move in with you"
"I am"
"Hold on. When we started dating, you told me there was a slim chance that we would ever live together or get married. You combined that with an elaborate explanation of why your job could prove dangerous to anyone you got close to"
"I remember that"
"And when I asked if I would get a bodyguard who looked like Keanu Reeves in Speed, you told me to be serious, and asked me what was the deal with me and Keanu Reeves"
"I know what I said. Look - maybe I'm being selfish, but I want you with me, Annie. Everyday"
He could see her shaking her head in his mind's eyes.
"Let's talk about this some other time"
"I am not going to change my mind"
"Raf... you...", she sighed, "What if we turn into other middle-aged couples? Become roommates instead of lovers?"
He said,
"Your fears are rational, but I have complete faith in us"
"You do?"
"Of course"
"Then yes"
He stood up at attention.
"You will move in here?"
"Yep"
"You sure? I don't want you to say yes if you don't mean it"
"I'm sure. Are you sure?"
"Yeah"
"You won't get bored seeing me every day?"
"Not in a million years"
They made plans right there. Rafael promised her a separate wardrobe. Annie said she'd settle for morning sex instead. Laughing, he agreed to both.
"You've got to be kidding me"
Rafael stood before Annie's towering, gigantic bookshelves - five of them. She hugged his waist.
"You get what you ask for, roomie"
He only nodded.