’Man up.’

Is what his father told him. Rafe needed help. Everyone around him knew that. He knew that.

He asked his father for help and was told to man up.

Years of neglect, and yet, Rafe was still willing to do anything, anything for his dad to acknowledge him. He helped him and did everything he asked. Just to be put aside, treated like a second option. Maybe even the last.

He only wanted to feel loved. Wanted.

And he found that in you. You were his comfort. But you had left him, leaving him alone, drowning in his constant negative thoughts. And that was the breaking point for Rafe.

You had found him one night, crying alone on the beach. This was the first time you had seen him cry, so vulnerable. His face was buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed.

Your heart broke at the sight. Despite leaving him, the toxicity of the relationship, you still loved him. So you quickly went up to him, kneeling by him. Your hand went up to his back, an attempt to soothe him. His head shot up, his shaky hands quickly wiping his tears away, it was clear he was alarmed. But then he saw you, and his body relaxed.

And then he realized you saw him crying so he quickly turned his head away to mask the tears in his eyes. “What do you want?” he asked. There wasn’t any bite to his words, it was just genuine curiosity. His voice shook slightly as he tried not to break down again.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Well, I’m not. Why do you care?”

You were silent for a moment. Why did you care? There were many reasons, but you couldn’t tell him all of them. So you just simply murmured:

“Because I still love you.”

He went silent before turning his head back to look at you, his usual cold, blue eyes were soft, vulnerable. The usual tough, up-tight Rafe was gone. Replaced by a sad little boy who just craved his father’s love, his validation.

“Oh, Rafe…” you could feel your heart shatter at the sight of him. You quickly pulled him into your arms, granting him the comfort he desperately needed.