'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter LXXXVI

Rafe leans in beside you, reaching for the door as he opens it charmingly for you, letting you inside first before walking in afterwards and pulling it shut again, locking it securely by its built in lock and the hook above it.
"Y/N!" John B exclaims joyously with his arms outstretched in the air, "how was it?"
"It's was amazing." You say before turning your attention to Jj who seemed not the least bit interested, "I know it wasn't on the best circumstances but thank you, Jj...for the hot tub, I mean."
Jj only clicks his tongue, avoiding conversation as he leans backwards against the pillows to stare at the ceiling instead. Something was off about his demeanour and the boys knew exactly why, including Rafe, but they lay it to rest while you were present, knowing the reason behind his tension was the boy who accompanies you.
"Uhhh, Y/N! You're welcome to wear something of mine, just help yourself." John B says, his cheery smile never failing to lift the spirit back up again.
"Thank you, John B."
"Yeah, no worries. The girls are asleep though so just careful not to wake them." He adds.
"Already?" You whine.
"You're tired too, I can see it. There should be room for you on my bed so just hop in and get some rest, would you?"
"No problemo." You groan tiredly, pushing yourself up against Rafe for a kiss before turning your body around the corner and into the hallway.

Rafes eyes watch you up until you shut the bedroom door behind you before going and throwing himself onto the couch behind the boys set up, sighing a sigh of discontentment at their obvious edginess.
Their boring silence only intensifies the chirping of the crickets outside and further deepening the homesickness he felt. Not particularly his home, but the sense of home he felt with you. He missed holding you in his arms as he drifted off to sleep while feeling you breathing softly against his skin.
It felt almost heart wrenching.

You pull John B's drawers open, one drawer at a time, slowly and steadily to ensure their old and squeaky runners don't wake the two girls sleeping peacefully in the bed behind you.
Digging through his shirt drawer, you come across a baggy grey t-shirt, plain with a small slash in the chest and it makes you smile. It was the very shirt he wore on one of the adventures when he got spooked by a gator and fell, his shirt got caught on a tree and ripped it but it was barely visible at the time because of how much mud he was covered in too.
"Perfect." You whisper to yourself as you run a finger of the slash, reminiscing the fond memory.

You turn towards the wall as you reach behind you to untie the bikini that you wore under your clothes today, it's become pogue tradition to wear one under every shirt for adventures sake since the pogues were always spontaneous when it comes to adventures.
Your hand, however, pauses.
You can't bring yourself to undress just yet, sensing a weird feeling of being watched.
You turn behind you to make sure the girls were still sleeping and they were.
You avert your eyes to the window that was mostly closed by its drapes except for the small gap in the middle, about a hand in length, a deep and dark depth behind it as you peak through its void to see nothing but the night.
You pull it shut, closing it completely.

'It's just in my head'  You think to yourself, taking out the knot in your bikini top before placing it over the bed post to dry and throwing on the oversized
t-shirt from before.

You insert yourself between Sarah and Kie as they snore quietly. Kies leg automatically props itself on top of your waist while Sarah's head leans against your shoulder which you would normally consider cozy but you couldn't help but feel restless instead, like something was keeping you from falling asleep.

In the living room, the boys had fallen asleep as well, all except Rafe who was in the same position as you were. He laid back against the couches raggedy cushions with one arm rested behind his head while the other rests on his stomach, he stays staring at the ceiling as he listens to the nocturnal sounds outside.
He took notice of the crickets, the bats and even an owl hooting in a distant tree but one distinct thing in particular caught his undivided attention.
A thud just outside the porch.
While it's true that critters like foxes and opossums are known to be around this part of the cut, as confirmed by John B himself, something about this thud was off. It was followed by the sound of something glass softly falling on the dirt but not smashing, only falling. Bouncing once and then not at all, as if it was caught.

He convinces himself that it was just a critter, maybe even a snake like earlier but he wasn't too convinced. Still, he was supposedly wrong the last time around so it's not like it's impossible that he's wrong again.
'It's just in my head.'
"Rafe?"
He lifts his head up to see you standing at the end of the dark hallway, anxiously fiddling with the clunky, gold ring on your necklace.
"Hey, is everything okay?" He asks softly, sitting up.
"I can't fall asleep." You mumble.
"Neither can I."
"Can I...?"
"Come here." He says, holding a hand out to you as you take it in yours without delay.
He pulls you down gently on top of him as he too lays down, back against the cushions like before as you crawl up and situate yourself on his chest, one leg intertwined with his while your other props itself high against his hip.

It didn't take long for you to fall asleep now but Rafe was still wide awake.