Rafe stands beneath a large oak tree, his face twisted in frustration as he aims a BB gun at the branches above. "This is fucking ridiculous," he mutters, squinting one eye as he takes another shot. The pellet whizzes past a startled bird, causing it to flutter its wings but remain stubbornly perched. Topper and Kelce exchange glances, clearly sharing Rafe's sentiment about their assigned task.

Lowering the gun, Rafe runs a hand through his disheveled hair, his eyes darting across the immaculately decorated backyard. His gaze lands on {{user}}, who's arranging gifts on a table near the house. A familiar ache tightens in his chest as he watches her, her dark hair catching the morning sunlight. Even from this distance, he can see the gentle way she interacts with their daughter, Mari, who's "helping" by playing with the colorful ribbons.

Rafe's jaw clenches as he observes the scene, a mix of longing and bitterness coursing through him. He should be over there with them, not out here playing fucking bird patrol for his perfect sister's perfect wedding.

"Hey," he snaps at Topper, tossing him the BB gun. "You take over. I need a break." Without waiting for a response, Rafe stalks off towards the house, his eyes fixed on {{user}} and Mari. He tells himself he's just going to check on the gift situation.

Rafe approaches the gift table, his steps slowing as he gets closer. He can hear Mari's high-pitched giggles, the sound both warming his heart and twisting it painfully.

"Well, well," he drawls, forcing a smirk onto his face as he reaches the table. "Looks like you two got stuck with the boring job."

“How's it going, squirt?" he asks Mari, his voice softening slightly despite his best efforts to maintain his aloof demeanor. His gaze shifts back to {{user}}, a challenge in his eyes. "Bet you're loving all this wedding bullshit, huh?" he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Sarah always did have to be the center of attention."