Outer Banks Imagines ~ JJ and Rafe

Rafe ~ sleepover

POV: the Pogues betrayed you and you had no where else to go

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You pull up to the Cameron estate, your eyes puffy and your cheeks stained with tears. You takes a deep breath, steeling yourself before knocking on the door.

Rafe opens it, surprise flickering across his face. "Y/N? What are you doing here?"

"Um, is Sarah here?" you ask, your voice trembling slightly.

"No, she's not. Are you okay?" Rafe replies, his expression shifting to concern as he takes in your appearance.

"Uh, I don't have anywhere to go. Can I stay here?" You ask, your vulnerability laid bare.

"Yeah, of course. Come in," Rafe says, stepping aside to let you in.

As you makes your way toward Sarah's room, Rafe quickly interjects, "Actually, why don't you stay in my room? It'll be more comfortable."

You hesitate for a moment but nod, grateful for the offer. He opens the door to his room and gestures you in as you look around awkwardly.

"I'll let you wash up first," Rafe adds, handing you a t-shirt from his drawer.

After you finish in the bathroom, Rafe heads to take a shower himself. The water runs, a calming backdrop against the tension of the day.

That night, you settle into bed, feeling a mix of exhaustion and unresolved tension. Rafe approaches, attempting to slip under the covers beside you.

"Uhh, what are you doing?" You ask, holding your hand up to block him.

"Sleeping?" he replies, sounding incredulous.

You raise an eyebrow, a sarcastic smile creeping across your face. "I thought you'd say that. So I made a cozy, separate bed for you." You tilts your head toward the floor at the foot of the bed, revealing a single pillow laid out neatly.

He exhales heavily, looking at the makeshift arrangement, "this is my room."

"But I'm the one who's sad," you say, pouting.

He sighs and settles down on the floor without further complaint.

You fluff your own pillow, a sense of satisfaction washing over you as you shut off the lamp on the nightstand, plunging the room into darkness. You can hear Rafe shift uncomfortably on the floor, and for a moment, you feel a pang of guilt.

"Hey," Rafe calls softly from the floor, breaking the silence. "You're really going to make me sleep down here?"

You smile to yourself, your voice teasing. "You told me I'd be more comfortable in here. I could always move to Sarah's room."

"Touché," he replies, his tone lightening.

"Goodnight Rafe," You say, feeling a flicker of warmth at the familiar banter.

"Goodnight, Y/N," Rafe says, his voice drifting off as he closes his eyes, the tension in the room slowly beginning to ease.

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In the middle of the night, you stirred to the sound of Rafe's voice, barely a whisper in the quiet. "Psst, Y/N. Y/N."

You groaned, turning slightly to face him. "What?"

"Can I sleep on the bed? My back is killing me."

With a sigh, Y/N lifted the covers, and he climbed into bed beside your, careful to respect the space between them. Rafe stared up at the ceiling, his hand tucked behind his head, exhaling quietly.

Moments passed, and just as you was drifting back to sleep, Rafe's voice broke the silence again. "Y/N," he murmured softly.

"Yes, Rafe?"

"Did you... want to talk about it?" His voice was gentle, cautious.

"Not really."

A pause lingered between them, thick with unspoken thoughts. "I don't know what it is about you that makes me care so much," Rafe finally says.

Your brows furrowed as you turned to face him, curiosity tugging at you. "What are you talking about?"

Rafe glanced over, a soft smile forming. "You've shut down every attempt I've made to get you to like me back, but I keep trying anyway. So what is it about you, Y/N...? Why can't I just let you go?"

You shifted in the bed, suddenly wide awake, the weight of his words settling over you. "Rafe, I don't even know what's happening right now. But if we're going to talk, maybe we could focus on... literally anything else?"

He chuckled quietly. "Then tell me what happened tonight."

You sighed, rolling onto your back and staring up at the ceiling. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Not a chance. Unless you'd rather hear me ramble about how much I care about you."

"Alright, alright." You took a deep breath, your voice barely above a whisper. "Long story short... I was at my lowest, and my friends weren't there for me. They chose something else over me when I needed them most." You hesitated. "Not to mention I found JJ with Kie tonight. So... yeah, there's that."

"I'm sorry I asked."

Rafe's gaze softened, and he instinctively reached out, gently covering your hand with his. You sniffled slightly, quickly wiping away the few tears that had escaped.

"It's fine. You're the last person I would've wanted to talk to about this but you're the only person that's here for me right now."

"I meant what I said Y/N. I'll always care about you."

"Thanks Rafe."

You met his eyes, and in that quiet, vulnerable moment, something shifted.

Without a word, you closed the distance, your lips finding his in a tentative kiss, testing the boundaries between them.

Rafe responded, gentle at first, before deepening it with a tenderness you hadn't expected.

His hand came up to rest on your cheek, thumb brushing lightly across your skin, as if anchoring your to the moment.

He pulls your closer as you swings your legs over him, straddling him. Her hand finds his jaw as you other fingers brush over his pants as he lets out a moan within the kiss.

"Fuck..."