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"Alright, I think two stories is enough for one night, papito." Rafael said, closing the book and slipping it back onto the bookshelf beside Noah's bed. He pulled the covers up to Noah's chin and leaned down to kiss his forehead.
"Mommy said your birthday's tomorrow." Noah said, Rafael nodded as he stood from Noah's bed.
He sighed. "That's right."
"Why aren't you excited?" Noah asked.
"Well, Noah, birthday's become slightly less exciting when you get old like me." Rafael explained, eliciting a laugh from the boy.
"You're not old!"
"If you're trying to get another story out of me it's not going to work." Rafael ruffled his hair. "Goodnight, Noah" He said, switching the light off.
"Night, Rafa."
Rafael smiled and closed the door to Noah's bedroom. He walked out into the living area and sat down at the kitchen bar. Liv was washing off the dishes from dinner. He enjoyed these moments of their life together, the moments after Noah was in bed that they could just talk to each other. But tonight, his mind was elsewhere. He had been trying to keep his mind off the fact that he was turning 50 tomorrow. He had tried to tell Olivia that it was no big deal, but she was having none of that.
Olivia dried her hands on the dish towel and then poured a glass of scotch for Rafael and slid it across the table. "Penny for your thoughts?" She asked as he circled the rim of the glass with his middle finger.
He looked up at her, "This whole year has felt like I've been treading water. And now it just feels like the riptide is getting stronger." She nodded.
"This is about your birthday." It wasn't a question. She knew him. Even with his way with words. She always understood him.
"Ding ding."
"Talk to me, Rafa." She walked around the bar and leaned against the wall. "Why is this birthday bothering you so much?"
He sighed, taking a sip of the scotch. "It's not just another birthday. I'm half a century old."
"I'm still two years older than you."
"I don't feel fifty."
"You don't look it either, my love." Olivia promised, placing her hands on his shoulders, squeezing gently. She kissed his head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "At least in happens only once in your life. Fifty is nothing. Just wait til Noah turns eighteen then you'll really feel old." He laughed.
"Joys of parenting." He turned his chair around to look at her. She leaned forward and kissed his lips.
"Bingo."
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The next morning, Rafael rolled over in bed and opened his eyes and Noah was standing by the bed. "Happy birthday, Raf!" He exclaimed, and he smiled through his sleepiness. Another thing he enjoyed was having Noah wake him up in the morning, a reminder that maybe he wasn't so old, he still had a seven year old son. Noah kept him young. Even if the lines on his face were getting longer.
"Mommy told me to wake you up, she's making you breakfast, and Abuelita is here too." Rafael looked behind him, just now realizing that his wife's side of the bed was empty.
"Alright, well then we shouldn't keep them waiting, should we, papito?" He asked, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Rafael lifted Noah onto his lap, squeezing him in a hug.
"Papi!" Noah exclaimed, laughing.
Rafael let the boy go and he ran out of the bedroom. He stretched his legs and got up to get a shower. Afterwards, he got dressed and made his way out into the main area of the apartment. "There's the birthday boy!" Lucia exclaimed, wrapping him in a hug. "Your wonderful wife made you breakfast."
Olivia came out of the kitchen and over to her husband. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly. "Happy birthday, my sweet man." Rafael smiled and thanked her. He might not have been feeling the greatest about his birthday, but he'd always be thankful for his wife.
The four of them ate breakfast together, enjoying each other's company, as they hadn't seen Lucia much during quarantine. She had been taking precautions to keep herself safe and Rafael and Liv were taking precautions to keep Noah safe. But they had agreed that if Lucia tested negative she could come see them all. And Lucia wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see her son and his family, so she had gotten tested the week before and had tested negative.
"Rafa, I have a surprise for you." Olivia said after they had finished eating. He looked at her confused. "Everyone get a mask. We're going to Central Park!" Noah jumped up and immediately ran to grab a mask, returning a few seconds later with his Avengers mask that Rafael had gotten for him. Once everyone has their masks and were ready to go they left for the park.
Olivia slipped her hand into Rafael's as they walked to the park. "Be optimistic." She said, squeezing his hand.
When they arrived at the park, he looked around and noticed Liv's squad all socially distanced around a picnic table. He hadn't seen any of his friends since March. They all had masks on and he was grateful that they had gone out of their ways to come together to celebrate him.
"Liv, you didn't have to do this."
"You deserve it. The most normal 50th birthday I can give you right now." She smiled.
"Thank you all. It's good to see you all."
"Least we can do for you, Barba. You look good for an old man." Fin joked, and Rafael glared at him.
Pleasantries were exchanged and they all gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday", and for a moment he felt like he needed to run away, but then he felt Noah pull on his hand. He lifted the boy up and held him on his hip.
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"You've been 50 for a whole day now, how does it feel?" Olivia asked the day after his birthday as they laid in bed together. Rafael relaxed against his pillow and sighed.
"It's not too bad." He said.
He had a lot of hopes for this year of his life. He wanted to be the best father and husband that he could be. And his wife didn't know it yet, but he wanted to get back to the DA's office. It'd been two years and he was realizing how much he missed it. How much he had really enjoyed having court.
"I know this year has been a lot different than expected, but we're still us, Rafael. We'll always be us. No matter how old we get." Olivia promised. He knew that much to be true, he and Olivia would be squabbling at 85 if he got any say in the matter. He rolled over onto his side and he felt Olivia slide her arms around his waist to spoon him. One of her legs draped across his and he felt her press a kiss to his shoulder. "Do you remember what happened on my 50th?" She asked.
"I left." He sighed. "I'm sorry."
She tightened her hold on him. "Doesn't matter. You're here now."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
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A year later, Rafael had accepted his age and Olivia was smiling as she watched him chase Noah around the park. He had returned to the DA's office as the Bureau Chief of ADA's after McCoy let Hadid go. Olivia was very happy about that. "Come here, old man!" She called out, and he turned to walk back over to her. "51 suits you."
He sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I don't feel old yet. But I'm going to say the grey in my hair and beard is giving me away." He replied, and she laughed, turning to examine the salt and pepper look he had going on. She reached a hand up and ran it through his hair.
"Hardly. I think it's hot."
"All that matters in my book."
Olivia smiled. "Have you asked our son yet?"
"He might not be as nice as you." Rafael said, because he knew Noah was going to be brutally honest.
"Only one way to find out." She leaned forward and called for the boy. "Noah! Come here, sweet boy." Noah immediately ran over to his parents and climbed up onto Rafael's lap. "Do you think Papi looks old?" Olivia asked, smirking at her husband. Noah contemplated the question and turned his body to examine his father's face.
"He's getting grey hair like Abuelita." The curly haired boy said, causing both of his parents to chuckle. "Sorry, Papi."
"No harm done. You can't bruise my ego that easily, papito." Olivia rolled her eyes.
As Rafael sat there with his family, he allowed himself to reflect on his life. He knew that at some point he would start to slow down, he wouldn't be able to do everything he was doing now. And maybe the joke was true, Noah kept him young. "Let's go get ice cream." He said, and Noah immediately jumped up.
"Really?!" Rafael nodded as he stood from the bench. "Can I get a milkshake?" The boy asked as he grabbed a hand of each of his parents and pulled them toward the ice cream parlor.