JJ's biggest flaw was his recklessness, and his bad ideas. Honestly, that didn't seem that bad to Bexley.
Rafe's biggest flaw? Jealousy. Pure, uncontrolled jealousy.
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tw: slight mentions of past sexual assault
"Rafe, you can't be here," Rose said with a heavy sigh. She thought they'd be free of the boy for a while. But here he was, banging on the door.
"Shut the hell up," he mumbled, roughly brushing past her. She stumbled a bit.
"Hey, you have to leave!" Rose said to him. "Your dad doesn't want you here!"
"Dad!" Rafe called out.
Ward came out of his office. "Rafe? What the hell are you-"
Rafe brushed past him too, going into his office and sitting in the chair across from the desk. He waited for his father to reenter.
Ward shook his head. "You think you can just barge in here after everything you-"
"Dad, I need help."
Ward stilled. He glanced out the door, to where Rose stood in the living room, clearly upset Rafe reappeared in their lives. After a moment, Ward shut the door. He turned to his son, a pit forming in the bottom of his stomach.
"...Did you do something?" Ward asked, nervous.
Rafe gulped. He nodded. "Yeah. I-I really some help right now."
Ward walked to the desk, sitting on it, facing Rafe. He gripped the desk. It was clear the older man was struck with worry. "Is she okay?"
Rafe frowned slightly, confused. "She?"
"Bexley."
The boy scoffed. "I didn't do anything to Bex. That's not why I'm here."
His dad visibly relaxed.
"I mean..." Rafe felt his hands slightly trembling. "Bex's kind of involved."
Ward wished that for once in his life his son would stop being so cryptic. "Involved in what?"
Rafe shut his eyes for a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I fucked up dad. I really need some help."
"Hey, snap out of it." Ward roughly pulled his son's hand away from his face, forcing the boy to look at him. "What'd you do, Rafe?"
Rafe already felt the anger seeping from his father. But this was his last choice for help. Rafe swallowed his nerves. "...Do you know about Joshua Richards?"
Ward paled. Everything about Joshua Richards came flooding into his mind. The boy was missing. Rose was sure Rafe had something to do with it since the beginning, but Ward had defended his son. It was clear he shouldn't have. "The boy that's missing?"
"What're you talking about?" Ward demanded. Rafe rubbed his hand up and down his pant leg. This time, Ward reached forward and grabbed his son's jaw, forcing him to make eye contact. "Do you know something about it?"
