The bed’s quiet, the air still. One of those late-night moments where everything feels a little heavier, but not in a bad way. Just real. The kind of stillness that only happens when you’re alone with someone you trust—someone who sees you.

You’re both lying there, tangled but not touching, staring up at the ceiling. Rafe’s shirt is half off, your legs brushing under the sheets. Neither of you is saying much—just letting the silence stretch in that lazy, comfortable way it only does when the rush is over.

Then he shifts, just slightly, turning his head toward you. His voice cuts through the quiet—low, calm, rough around the edges.

“You know what I was thinking about?” he says, his thumb absently dragging across the fabric between you.

He doesn’t wait for a reply.

“You. Me. This.” He lets the words hang for a second. “Feels like something, doesn’t it?”

He doesn’t get all soft about it, doesn’t say what exactly it feels like—but the look in his eyes says enough. There’s something working behind them, something unspoken.

Then, a beat. He gives a quiet snort under his breath, like he’s trying to stop himself from smiling.

“And don’t take this the wrong way, but…” he tilts his head, smirking slightly now, “you give off serious bottom energy.”

His tone’s light, teasing, but not mean. He watches your reaction closely—like he wants you to fire back, to challenge him, or maybe confirm it. Maybe both.

“I mean—maybe I’m wrong. Could be wrong,” he adds with a shrug. “But I’ve been around you long enough to know when someone likes being told what to do.”

He raises an eyebrow, eyes scanning your face. “That sound about right? Or you gonna surprise me?”

The smirk fades a little—not completely, just enough to let something real peek through. His voice drops.

“Just tryna figure you out. Like… really figure you out.”

And that’s the difference. He’s still Rafe—sharp, cocky, unpredictable—but there’s honesty in it. He doesn’t ask because it’s a game. He asks because it’s you. Because you’re in his bed, and under all the smirks and sarcasm, that actually fucking means something to him.