Rafe Cameron Imagines

Man Up🤍

The Cameron house was never quiet, but tonight, the shouting rattled the walls.

You had been fast asleep in Rafe's bed, the tension of the day finally letting you rest. But muffled voices pulled you awake, and the tone of them—sharp, angry, desperate—had your heart racing.

In the living room, Rafe paced, avoiding Ward's eyes as he hesitated, then finally spoke.

"Um, I've been thinking, Dad," he started, his voice trembling. "Um, I need to know. Uh, this is...this is important to me, okay?"

Ward turned to face him, watching as Rafe sat down.

"What?" Ward asked flatly.

Rafe took a shaky breath. "If it comes down to that moment, and um...it's between me and Sarah, um...and I...I...I hate to even be asking this, okay. But you know as well as I do," he snapped his fingers, "that she'd just rat me out as soon as she got the chance, okay? Like..."

Ward frowned, shaking his head. "I don't know that."

"One of us is gonna have to go down. That you do know, okay?" Rafe pushed, his desperation growing. "So what I'm asking is...who would you pick? If it came down to it?"

Ward sighed, visibly frustrated. "I thought I told you I don't pick between my children. I love you both. I love all of you."

"But, Dad...Dad, if you just had—"

"I don't have to." Ward's voice was firm, cutting him off.

"Okay, well, you are going to have to!" Rafe's voice cracked as it rose, the words spilling out faster. "All right? You realize that. Sarah went off with our enemy, right? Someone who tried to steal from us."

"Yeah."

"And...I'm here with you. I mean, I'm helping you." Rafe's words were frantic now, almost pleading.

Ward stood up, clearly done. He started to walk away, but Rafe grabbed his shoulder.

"Dad...Dad, I saved...I saved your life. I just—I wanna know who you'd choose."

Ward turned back, his jaw tight. He grabbed Rafe's face, forcing him to look at him. "Stop it," he said sharply. "I need you to stop it." He let go and started walking away again.

Rafe's temper snapped. He grabbed a glass and hurled it at the floor, the crash shattering the tense silence.

"You just can't do it, can you?" Rafe's voice shook with fury. "You can't do the hard thing."

Ward turned back to him, glaring. "I can't do the hard thing?"

"No, you can't do the hard thing!" Rafe yelled, storming toward his father. He hovered over the wall, his whole body taut with frustration. "You can't even look at me when I'm trying to talk to you. I'm trying to have a real conversation with you!"

Without warning, Ward shoved him back into the desk, the heavy impact reverberating through the house. Rafe tried to push back, but Ward slapped him hard, stopping him in his tracks.

Rafe braced himself against the coffee table, his breathing ragged.

"How many times did I bail you out before that, huh?" Ward's voice was thunderous. "How many? You saved me? Rafe, you fucked us! All of us!"

The words hit like a dagger, and the house fell into tense silence as Ward walked away. Rafe stumbled back toward his room, his footsteps heavy and uneven.

You stirred as his door creaked open. The light from the hallway illuminated his figure, his face pale and bruised. He didn't even glance at you as he started pacing the room, his hands gripping his hair.

"I suck," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and cracking. "Man up. Just...man up."

"Rafe?" you called softly, sitting up in bed.

He froze but didn't turn around. "I'm fine," he muttered, his voice strained.

"Rafe, please." You got out of bed and crossed the room toward him, your heart aching as you saw the tears in his eyes.

"I'll never be good enough for him," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "No matter what I do... I'll never be his favorite."

"Rafe," you whispered, your throat tight. "You are enough. He just doesn't see it."

Rafe's hands fell to his sides, his whole body trembling. "I'm so tired," he admitted, his voice breaking.

You stepped closer, cupping his face in your hands. "I know," you said softly. "But you don't have to carry this alone. You have me."

His eyes closed, and a single tear slipped down his cheek. "You deserve better than this," he said.

"I deserve you," you countered firmly. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Rafe pulled you into his arms, holding you like you were his lifeline. You could feel his chest rising and falling, the tension in his body slowly ebbing as you held him close.

"Thank you," he murmured against your shoulder, his voice barely audible.

"Always," you whispered, running your fingers through his hair as he finally let himself breathe.

Then, after a long moment of silence, Rafe pulled back slightly, his hand brushing through your hair before he spoke in a low voice. "I love you."

You smiled softly at him, your heart swelling. "I love you too, baby."

He leaned down to kiss you, his lips soft and warm, and for the first time that night, you both felt the weight of the world lighten.