'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter VIII

(Sheesh that last chapter was somethin else, if you couldn't tell, I was struggling to put sentences together, I've got covid AND I was on the Christmas tequilas, lord have mercy👀)

"About time!" You hear a familiar voice call out as you step outside the house. Jj rounds the wall he was leaning against and stands in front of you, a toothpick in his mouth.
"The others went to get more drinks from Sarah's, gonna sneak a few bottles of wine from their cellar. Any favourites?" He asks as he pulls out his phone.
"Umm you know Rafe is here? Right? Won't Sarah get into trouble for literally robbing her own house?"
"Meh, not like he'd say anything. Doesn't exactly have the best wrap with his father anyways, nothing to really gain from snitching and he knows that. We're cool." He replies as he chews on his toothpick.
"Is that so?" You find yourself searching the crowd with your eyes.
"But uh, if wine doesn't do it for you, I still got these." He smiles as he lifts a 6 pack of rum in one hand. "So how about it? Wanna get on it with me?"
"Absolutely yes." You laugh.

You and Jj dance on the open grass to Empire Of The Suns: Walking On a Dream, a can in one hand each as Jj spins you in a circle and then pulling you back into him. This song has always felt ethereal to you but the beer from earlier and the rum you've been drinking adds a numbness to your face and finger tips. Just existing right now feels dreamy, like you're on cloud 9.

"My face feels so numb," you giggle, "I could probably take a punch straight to the face right now and I wouldn't feel a thing."
"You've only had a couple of cans Y/N, please tell me you can handle your alcohol." Jj giggles back.
"Well, yes and nooo, Rafe gave me a beer too. I've never tried beer before, it's not too amazing if I'm being honest. There's foam and-and bubbles and bleghh." You admit.
"Jesus Y/N, you know you really shouldn't mix drinks. Especially with rum." He says concerned as he twirls you into a circle and back into him.
"It's okay Jj, I'm with you." You assure with a smile.
Jj's chest flutters to your words.

You feel a hand abruptly land on your shoulder as you see the other on Jj's.
"Mind if I steal her for a moment?" You hear Kelce's voice from beside you. Normally you wouldn't have an issue with accepting a dance, especially being on the drinks but something about this interaction felt so unsettling to you and Jj could sense it too. You look up to see Kelce and behind him stands Rafe dormant, but making eye contact with you.
You look in front of you to see Jj with a tensed jaw, "sure, why not." You smile, linking eyes with jj again. Reassuring him that you'll be okay.

Jj stands to the side with Rafe, watching as you awkwardly dance with Kelce from a distance.
"Your boy is like a dog in heat, you know that?" Jj speaks up.
Rafe turns his head to Jj and then back to you.
"Yeah well, he's his own person and I'm not his baby sitter, alright? so don't come to me with that bullshit." Rafe says lowly, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"You came to us, remember?...god you know sometimes I really feel for Y/N, she's literally a walking shit magnet." Jj says temperamental as he gestures towards kelce.
"So what does that make you? You're the biggest lump of shit in the pile." Rafe replies. Earning a glare from Jj.
"What? You couldn't be more obvious, are you kidding me? It's fucking ridiculous sometimes that she doesn't catch on."
Jj bounces his leg in frustration before spitting.
"So am I supposed to pretend i didn't notice your whole personality change and that shitty 'nice guy' facade you were putting on show earlier?"
"Don't know what you're talking about." Rafe mumbles under his breath. Eyes still focused on you.
"Rafe, I know what kind of pretentious douche you are, I know you'd gladly beat me with a golf club if you were ever given the chance. Yet you're out here walking pretty girls to bathrooms and patching them up in a heartbeat."

Rafe stays silent in defeat his eyes watching your every movement with Kelce.
He knows he hadn't much to really say back to Jj. It was a rare sight, a defeated Rafe, especially against a pogue but even Rafe himself knows that his behaviour around you was unusual, maybe even eye opening. He didn't understand it himself but it felt natural, it made him feel at ease, it was anything but a facade.
Jj notices Rafes calm demeanour, surprised that his face hasn't caught a fist yet which it usually would.

"Yoohoo!" You hear Kie call from a few meters away, a bottle of wine in hand. "I think I might vomit in my own mouth if you stand here any longer." Kie says to Kelce as she locks her arm with yours. "Run along!"
"This is my house." Kelce says clearly pissed.
"Doesn't make Y/N your concubine." Kie says matter of factly as she begins to walk off with you.
"You know I can kick you out at any point right?" Kelce says with a little more anger evident in his voice.
Rafe feels a wave of disapproval at Kelce's attitude towards you and holds Kelce's shoulders. Turning him towards the bar, "lets get a few drinks alright? Relax."

"Phew, thank you Kie. He reeked of beer." You say.
"What're you doing dancing with a guy like that anyways?"
"I was dancing with Jj at first but then Kelce kinda asked for a dance and I figured I sorta owed it to him for inviting me in the first place." You shrug your shoulders.
"Don't be silly, you don't owe him anything."
You walk away with Kie and the others that had met back up with Jj during your dance with Kelce.
You look over your shoulder to see Rafe also looking over his as he walked away with Kelce and towards Topper. He flashes you a small smile before looking away again and disappearing amongst the crowd.