'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter LXXXIX

Rafes unexpected temperament towards Jj surprised you mildly, making you freeze up as you blink away at the astoundment.
"Rafe?" You mumble as you look up at him. He stays facing off with Jj, not sparing you a single glance even though he knew he wanted to.
"Your little play thing is calling you, cupcake."
Jj remarks with a sly grin on his face.
Rafe bites down on his bottom lip to keep himself from breaking as his tall body visibly begins to stutter in front of you, becoming increasingly jittery with aggressiveness as you too, find yourself growing outraged in Jj's harsh words.
You place one hand around Rafes arm, gesturing him backwards as your other runs up the middle of his back and between his tense shoulder blades.
"Jj," You begin fiercely, "The only brute here is you."
"Y/N-"
"No, I'm sick of the insults."
"But I-"
"If you don't give it up, Jj..." You pause, "I can't hang out with you anymore."
Jj's snarky smile fades into a bitter one as Rafe struggles to suppress a prideful smirk of his own.
"Is he putting you up to this?" Jj asks with venom laced into his words.
"Even if I was, which I'm not, how hard can it possibly be for you to just stop being worlds biggest moron for the sake of her?" Rafe cuts in.
Jj says nothing and only licks his teeth passive aggressively behind his rigid face.
"Huh?" Rafe shrugs as he slides your hand down from around his upper arm to in his hand instead.
"Sort your shit out." He says with finality as he walks off with you.

Rafe surprised himself that day.
Normally he would play the bigger person and keep quiet in fear of losing you as a result of messing with your friends; but you gave him confidence by sticking up for him when he least expected it. Although it's true, hearing you threaten your friendship with Jj was satisfying, it just goes to show that Rafe meant that much more to you.

He felt proud.

Proud to be something special to you and proud of himself for actually being the bigger person rather than choosing violence which he normally would succumb to. It was just easier, the blood shed, but having you on his side was far better.

"Hey, where are we going?" You ask quietly from beside him as he energetically leads you to some place away from the beach.
Rafe smiles brightly as he glances down at you at last, the sight sending your heart a flutter.
"I'm treating you to a juice." He says.
"Is that so?" You press, quickening your pace to match his, "What about the others? Won't they worry?" You ask out of uncertainty.
"I'm sure Jj will let them know what happened,
the way he runs his mouth." He huffs.
"Hmph." You smile, "You handled that really well back there, you know."
He smiles to himself before meeting your eyes again, "All thanks to you."
"What do you mean?"
"I feel calm around you, grounded even, when you're by my side. I expected to lose myself but I...didnt."
Rafe says with furrowed eyebrows as if he was confusing himself before a smile quickly finds its place back on his cheery face again, "You should be by my side more often."
You can't help but laugh as you lean into his body more, his arm switching to around your waist instead as yours also wraps around his.
"I don't know if that's possible, the way you insist on spending every second of the day with me, you know, in case of bad guys." You giggle.
"I gotta do what I gotta do." He smiles back as he squeezes your side playfully.

Rafe walks up to a small family owned hut made of shabby logs of wood and a straw roof. It was definitely something you would've mistaken for nothing more than a boat shed if it wasn't for the cute 'Juice bar' sign out front and it's short but modest menu pinned up on the outside of its window which was decorated in a string of pink hibiscus flowers and coconut lanterns.

Your eyes sparkle at its welcoming nature, wondering how a humble little store came to be in a place like this.
"Wow..." You stare in awe at its exotic flowers as Rafe gets his order taken by a larger man with a charming accent from the islands.
"I got you strawberry and peaches..." He says, stuffing his wallet into the back pocket of his shorts.
"Mmm...my favourite."
"It's my favourite too." He smiles as his hand finds placement on your lower back, rubbing it softly as he waits for your juices.

"Two strawberries and a hibiscus flower to go!"
The larger man calls out, earning a questioning look from you in return.

Rafe leaves your side for a moment, coming back with two juices that were a fair pink in colour and a single flower that matches.
"I saw how you looked at the ones strung up, so I..." He nervously twirls it between his fingers before feeling a pretty pair of hands cup his face and then a soft kiss against his lips. Softer than butterfly wings as you kiss him delicately with sentiment.
Rafe was star-struck, he had kissed you a dozen times before but it never gets old, so he cherishes it. He stands in place as he feels your hands drift down his chin until they graced his skin no more.

His eyes flutter open as you fall back onto your heels again after having to lean up to even compare to his taller stature.
A giddy smile flickers across his features as he gazes lovingly into your eyes that shone happily only for him, making his heart skip a beat as his anxious hand comes up beside your face, placing the flower in your hair. His fingers graze against the softness of your cheek as he dreads pulling them away at all.

"I really do love you."