Chapter Text
“I never noticed just how green your eyes were Barba.” Amanda commented with a strange smirk on her face as she and Rafael returned from the smoking area outside the bar. They were both attempting to cut back but allowed themselves at least one when on a squad night out. Rafael glanced at the half full margarita in her hand worryingly. He knew that pregnancy did affect women’s tolerance for alcohol but for Amanda Rollins to be this drunk on half of one margarita; that was worrying.
“You’re drunk.” Rafael replied and Amanda scoffed.
“This is basically a slushie,” Amanda retorted dismissively as she sipped the margarita. The bar had clearly ordered the cheap alcohol, she had had stronger milkshakes. “Anyway, your eyes,”
“Are green. Thank you for finally noticing.” Rafael stated. Olivia, Mike and Fin were deep in their own conversation at their table on the other side of the bar. Normally, Rafael would have tried to join it but just before he and Amanda had gone for a smoke, Mike had made the mistake of criticising the Knicks to Olivia Benson.
Mike Dodds was about to learn that Olivia was passionate about three things; justice for victims, Noah and the Knicks. And since they were off the clock and Noah was with a babysitter; all her focus was on the Knicks.
Instead of turning back to Amanda, Rafael turned his attention to the bar. Sonny was meant to be bringing Rafael his second scotch but of course, had been waylaid by someone he just had to have a conversation with. Damned extrovert. That was the only reason why he was annoyed. He was waiting on his drink. Sonny promised him his drink.
It had nothing to do with the fact that Sonny was talking with some meathead at the bar. It wasn’t that Rafael had gotten used to seeing that playful smile aimed at him and only him. He didn’t have ownership over Sonny. He was a free man who could do what he liked. Talk to whoever he liked. Even flirt if he wanted to. Although whatever that guy said could not have been that funny to get such a laugh out of Sonny and the sight of Sonny laughing at whatever the guy absolutely did not just cause a weird feeling in the pit of Rafael’s stomach.
He was just waiting for his scotch.
“Jealousy,” Amanda claimed in a singsong voice. Rafael’s head turned so quickly to glare at her that he felt a crick in his neck.
“I am not jealous.” Rafael protested as he rubbed his neck. “I’m waiting for my drink.”
“Sure,” Amanda drawled in a sarcastic tone as she continued to sip her margarita. “You’re not as subtle as you think you are.”
Rafael chose not to dignify that with a response. Perhaps it was a good thing that he was still in an annoyingly sober state. The last time he had gotten drunk near Amanda Rollins, he had somehow revealed that he was finding Sonny worryingly attractive and that he was potentially about to develop a crush on the detective. Not that it was his fault that Sonny just had to be so tall with such lovely blue eyes and of course he was determined and kind and hardworking and could cook so it made sense that he was at risk of developing a crush.
Not that he had feelings or any official attraction to Sonny. He could appreciate that another guy was handsome, the same way one might appreciate art in a gallery or the beauty of a sunset. It didn’t mean anything.
Although Amanda had promised not to tell anyone what she knew, it had become a weapon she used to poke at him whenever she felt like it. Usually in the form of sly comments or childish teasing. If her margarita was any stronger, she may actually resort to the ‘k-i-s-s-i-n-g’ chant of the elementary school playground.
If this was what it was like to have an annoying sister, then Rafael was glad that he was an only child.
“I am not jealous,” Rafael insisted as Sonny finally, finally, returned with his drink. “Did you have to travel all the way to Scotland for this?”
Sonny rolled his eyes goodnaturedly. “I saw one of my cousins at the bar. He’s in town with some conference thing so we were just catching up.”
“I thought all the Carisis were bound to Staten Island.” Rafael quipped as he sipped his scotch. Thankfully the wait had not affected the taste.
“Funny,” Sonny retorted as he turned his head to see Olivia repeatedly jab the table with her finger as she punctuated each point. Sonny winced sympathetically, understanding why they were yet to return to the table. “Who badmouthed the Knicks?”
“Dodds.” Amanda stated as she finished the last of her drink. “Should probably go and rescue him.”
“Rather you than me,” Sonny replied. It had been bad enough when he had insulted the Yankees in front of Amaro and had led to the creation of the “no discussion of sports teams in the precinct” rule.
“I’ll be fine,” Amanda reassured as she smirked at Rafael. “Figured you might want to tell Barba more about your cousin.”
Sonny furrowed his brow in confusion as Rafael contemplated how he would escape this nightmare. He was never telling Rollins anything ever again. He would also not refer to her as ‘Amanda’. She had lost first name privileges. “Guess that low tolerance thing is real.”
“Definitely. She’s drunk.” Rafael replied quickly. Sonny smiled at him and Rafael ignored the sudden flutter in his stomach. Those weren’t butterflies. He was hungry. Rafael was about to say something when Sonny’s cousin came over and clapped him on the shoulder.
“I’m about to head out. Tell Aunt Sera I said Hi.” Sonny’s cousin said as Sonny gave him a quick hug. Rafael watched the interaction calmly.
See, he wasn’t jealous. Why would he be jealous of Sonny’s cousin? Or anyone Sonny spoke to? He knew he definitely did not have a crush or feelings for Sonny therefore he had no reason to be jealous.
“Sonny? Hey man! Come over here!”
Rafael was jolted from his thoughts by the loud hollering from a nearby table. He and Sonny looked over to see a group of people around a table. The one who had clearly called over was a handsome guy with the confident air of someone who knew what they wanted and right now, that was Sonny.
Rafael instantly hated him.
“Those are some of my classmates from law school. I’ll join the squad in a minute.” Sonny said before he headed towards the table. Rafael watched him exchanged greetings, high fives and even a hug or two and felt a familiar, twisted flash in his stomach.
He wasn’t jealous.
Except, maybe, just maybe, he was?