Rafe Cameron Imagines

You and I🤍

The night was quiet, save for the sound of the ocean waves lapping against the shore. The stars above glimmered brightly in the clear night sky, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling inside your mind. But here, under the blanket of endless stars, it felt like the world had paused, holding its breath just for the two of you.

Rafe's hand was warm in yours as you walked along the beach, the cool sand shifting beneath your feet. He was quiet, unusually so, his gaze flicking to you every few moments. You knew he could feel the tension rolling off you, the weight you'd been carrying for weeks now, but you weren't ready to speak.

He didn't push. That wasn't his way. But his thumb brushed against the back of your hand every now and then, a silent reminder that he was there, whenever you were ready.

After a while, he stopped, his thumb still moving in soothing circles over your skin. You felt his eyes on you, studying you the way he always did when he was trying to figure out what was wrong. "You're too quiet," he finally said, his voice soft. "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"

You hesitated, your eyes locked on the dark waves as they stretched out to the horizon. The lump in your throat made it hard to respond. You didn't want to cry, didn't want to admit just how much you'd been holding in.

Rafe took a small step closer, his free hand brushing against your cheek as he gently turned your face toward him. "Talk to me, love," he urged, his blue eyes searching yours. "Please."

The concern in his voice broke something in you, and before you could stop yourself, the words tumbled out. "I just feel like everything's falling apart," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "Like no matter what I do, it's not enough. Everyone expects me to be okay, to hold it together, but I—I can't."

His brows furrowed, his grip on your hand tightening slightly. "You don't have to do it all," he said firmly. "You don't have to hold the world on your shoulders."

"But I do," you said, your voice breaking as the tears finally spilled over. "If I don't, who will? Everyone's counting on me, Rafe. I can't let them down."

His jaw tightened, and his eyes softened as he watched the tears streak down your cheeks. He shook his head, pulling you closer so your foreheads almost touched. "You're not letting anyone down," he said quietly. "And even if you did, so what? You're human, love. You're allowed to stumble. You're allowed to feel like this."

"But what if I mess everything up?" you asked, your voice trembling. "What if I'm not strong enough?"

Rafe let out a quiet sigh, his thumb brushing away the tears that continued to fall. "Then I'll be here to catch you," he said simply. "Every damn time. You don't have to do this alone. You have me."

His words broke the last of your defenses, and the tears came harder now, your shoulders shaking as you tried to hold it together. Rafe didn't let go, didn't try to shush you or tell you to stop crying. He just pulled you into his arms, holding you as tightly as he could without hurting you.

His chin rested on the top of your head, and his voice was a soothing murmur in your ear. "You and I," he said after a while, his voice low but steady. "We don't have to be like everyone else. We don't need to be perfect or have it all figured out. We just have to stick together. That's all that matters."

You pulled back slightly, looking up at him through tear-filled eyes. "What if I'm not enough?" you whispered, your voice barely audible.

Rafe's hands moved to cradle your face, his thumbs brushing away the last of your tears. "You're more than enough," he said, his voice fierce and unwavering. "You're everything, okay? And I'll keep reminding you of that until you believe it."

A small, shaky laugh escaped your lips, and a flicker of relief crossed his face. "You really mean that?" you asked.

"Not even the gods above could separate us," he said, his tone firm but full of affection. "Not them, not anyone, not anything. It's you and me, always."

Something inside you shifted, the weight on your chest easing just enough for you to take a deep breath. You nodded, your hands moving to rest on his chest. "I don't know what I'd do without you," you admitted, your voice trembling.

"Good thing you'll never have to find out," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. He leaned down, his forehead resting against yours as he held you close. "We've got this. You've got this."

His words settled over you like a warm blanket, and for the first time in what felt like forever, you believed them.

"I love you," you said softly, the words carrying the weight of everything you felt but couldn't say.

"I love you too," he replied, his voice steady and sure.

Rafe pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before he pulled you close again. He didn't let go for a long time, his arms a safe haven in the quiet of the night.

The waves continued their soft rhythm in the background, the stars above shining just a little brighter. And in that moment, you knew that no matter how heavy the world felt or how hard things got, you had Rafe.

Because it wasn't just you anymore.

It was you and him.

You and I.