Work Text:
Sonny straightened his tie and tried to look like he wasn’t too nervous. Despite his partners’ assertations and the stunning suit John had picked out for him, he still didn’t feel confident. There was still a strong part of him that felt like he couldn’t do this. It wanted him to run back to SVU and go back to the team. However, every time he thought about that he thought about the belittling, and it made his stomach turn.
No, he wasn’t going back to that life. He was going to do what he needed to make a new path for himself. Preferably one that didn’t involve daily mocking.
He had a choice. He could keep living with it, or he could walk into the courthouse with his head held high.
John shifted the grocery bag of Thai food to one hand and opened the door with his other. He had walked past the small room twice before he realized it was Sonny’s office. It looked like a storage closet rather than an office, but they all had to start somewhere.
Sonny looked up from the pile of paperwork on his desk and smiled at John.
“Tell me that’s lunch.”
“Thai food from your little place.”
“I love you so much right now.”
John chuckled and set the bag on Sonny’s desk. Sonny stood and started shuffling things to the side.
“Do you have a few minutes to eat together?”
Sonny nodded and finally cleared enough stuff away to reveal the actual desk. He sat back down in his chair and John couldn’t resist the urge to kiss him softly on the head. Sonny smiled sweetly at him in return.
“So, are you enjoying your first day?”
Sonny nodded and grinned. “Yeah, it’s actually been really amazing. I feel like I am learning so much already.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Rafael mentioned you already have a case.” John could tell his attempts at being sly failed.
“Really, my first day and you three are already keeping tabs on me?”
John shrugged. “We’re worried. You’ve had a rough few months and especially the last couple weeks. This is a big jump for you. We just want to make sure you’re alright.”
“Well, I appreciate it, really I do. Not a fan that apparently in your brains I’m nineteen, but I appreciate it.”
They settled into comfortable silence, paying more attention to their lunch than to each other. Food was very serious for both of them, and both liked to take their time and enjoy a meal. Once they had gotten through a good amount of the food, John felt like he could bring up the news.
“Well, I didn’t just bring you lunch. I also have some exciting news about Raf.”
“Oh? What is it? Something good I hope.”
John laughed. “You could say it’s good. He got offered a judgeship.”
John watched as Sonny’s face went through a series of motions and then settled on delight.
“That’s amazing! If there’s anyone that would make a great judge, it’s him.”
John held up his hands. “Now, don’t get too excited about it. He hasn’t officially accepted. He wanted to talk through all of it with us before he made any serious decisions. It’s a big step for all of us. And it would mean that you can’t ask him for advice on any of your cases. It would introduce an entirely new aspect of privacy into our household. I wanted to bring it up ahead of time, so you have a few hours before tonight.”
Sonny thought it over. His initial reaction was delight. Being offered a judgeship was a very rare opportunity and he wanted Rafael to step into that position. But he couldn’t ignore that John was right. It would change their relationship.
“Well, I don’t know what I think. Let me have a few hours to think it through.”
When Sonny came through the door that night, Rafael knew immediately what his answer was. He had known before he had even spoken to any of them.
“I think if you want it, you should take it,” Sonny said firmly.
Rafael slipped an arm around his waist. “You know what that would mean for our household right? No more legal advice, pretty much.”
“Yeah, that’s part of why I think you should take it.
Rafael’s eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
Sonny sighed and leaned into his embrace. “I want to know that I did this on my own. I want to get up every day, convinced that I did this all myself. That means that I can’t be running to you for every little problem. I don’t think it will be intentional for either of us. I just think that it will be something we naturally fall into. I don’t want that. I just want to do it on my own.”
Rafael hummed lightly and leaned over, kissing him softly. “Then I guess I’m going to take it.”
Sonny grinned. “Oh, that is so amazing! A judgeship!”
Rafael laughed a little. “Yeah, it is. I won’t lie and say that I haven’t been thinking about it for a long time, because I have. It’s an usual honor.”
They all settled down to dinner and Sonny looked at his family. Maybe they weren’t family by blood, but these three men had become the most important people in his life.
As they sat themselves down to dinner, Sonny couldn’t help but smile. It’d been a tough few months, but they were finally moving on.