I'm so sorry for the wait! But here you go, and there will be one more chapter after this!
After three days in the hospital, Sonny was getting restless. He was tired of hospital food (although Raf had managed to sneak him in some decent food) and he was especially tired of being woken up in the middle of the night by nurses checking his vitals. His chest still hurt and he couldn't walk much farther than the hall without having to catch his breath, but he was doing much better. And for the first time he was wearing his own clothes. Barba had dropped off a bag before heading off, something about talking to Cabot.
Barba had spent every night in the hospital sleeping on the couch in Sonny's room; he said he didn't want to leave Sonny alone, but Carisi knew it was just as much about Barba being afraid to spend the night alone at his apartment.
Neither of them said anything about that, of course.
As Sonny waited for his discharge papers he glanced over at the folded up blanket and pillow that were resting at the end of the couch. The past few nights he had watched Rafael toss and turn. Barba had taken the time off work–probably for the first time in his professional career–and there was shuffling going on within the DAs office as it was being investigated for further corruption.
A nurse walked into his room with a wheelchair, "you're all set to go," she said.
"I can walk," Sonny said as he stood.
"Hospital policy," she smiled.
Carisi nodded and sat in the wheelchair, resting his duffel bag on his lap, and let himself be pushed down the hall and out of the hospital. He confirmed that he had someone coming to pick him up. When they got outside Sonny breathed in the fresh air. There was a cold breeze and he shivered. A few minutes later a black SUV pulled up and Liv got out.
"How're you feeling?" Liv asked as he stood from the wheelchair and walked toward her.
She had stopped by the hospital a couple of times over the past few days, but Sonny knew she had been busy working. The three Rikers guards were going to trial and SVU was working with Cabot to build the case. Carisi and Barba hadn't been involved in the case since they were both victims, and would testify as such, leaving more work for the rest of the squad.
"Ready to be home," he said as he opened the passenger side door and sat down.
"I think there's someone else who's ready for you to be home," Benson muttered as she walked around to the other side of the car.
"What?"
"Nothing," Liv smiled.
When Liv got in the car she handed a small bag to Sonny. He took it and opened it, finding hair gel, a comb, some breath mints, and deodorant.
"You trying to tell me somethin' Cap?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she suppressed a smile.
Carisi looked at her quizzically, but lowered the sunvisor and opened the small mirror. To be honest, he had hated how his hair had looked the past few days. He put a small amount of gel in his hair and combed it back. He glanced down at himself, between the slacks and button down shirt Barba had brought him and his hair finally looking right, he didn't look too bad.
He glanced over at Liv, feeling weird about putting deodorant on in front of her, but she was focused on the road ahead. A few minutes later they pulled up in front of his apartment building. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had spent the night here. Between Barba's, the precinct, and the hospital it seemed like forever since he had laid in his own bed.
He got out of the car and Liv grabbed his bag, meeting him on the curb. She walked with him into the lobby and into the elevator and down the hall to his apartment.
"Don't forget the breath mints."
Carisi popped one in his mouth before pulling the key from his pocket and opening his front door. The first thing he noticed was the smell of food. And then he saw that his dining room table was covered in candles.
He turned back and looked at Benson, who set his bag down and gave him a smile before disappearing down the hall.
Sonny took a step into his apartment, the lights were dimmed and he could hear movement in the kitchen. He walked over and smiled when he saw Rafael, back turned, working at the stove.
"Something sure smells great."
"Oh!" Barba turned, startled, he hadn't heard the front door open, "I'm just about done. Why don't you sit down?"
Sonny made his way to the dining room table and sat. The table was set with his best dishes, given to him by his grandmother. There were lit candles that smelled like vanilla and he took a deep breath.
Sonny looked up when Rafael walked into the room holding a large platter and a bowl of rice. The food smelled wonderful.
"It's ropa vieja," Rafael said with a smile as he set it down on the table, "can I serve you?"
Carisi nodded.
Barba gave him two generous spoonfuls of rice and then scooped on the beef dish. "My abuelita used to make this for us," Rafael said, "it was always my favorite meal growing up."
"Wow," Sonny said once he had finished his first bite, "this is really good Raf."
Rafael's face flushed and he looked down at his own food.
"But I thought you said you couldn't cook?" Carisi questioned with a raised brow.
"My mom taught me this recipe, but ask me to make anything else and I may burn down your apartment."
"Sounds like you just need some more lessons."
"Is that an offer?"
"'Course it is," Sonny smiled.
His beautiful, goofy, joyous smile. The smile that made Barba's chest warm and allowed him to forget everything else that was going on in his life for just a moment. The smile that made Rafael want to kiss him.
"I'm glad you didn't die, Carisi."
Sonny reached across the table and rested his hand on Barba's, "I love you too, Raf."