Rafe had become an expert on your facial expressions. He knew that when your lips twisted into a half frown, you were struggling with not letting anyone see how their actions had hurt you. Knew that when you bite at your lip, you were nervous or frightened. He’d spent so much time just staring at you, sneaking glances whenever he could, memorizing every feature.

Tonight, he’d spotted you talking with your prick of a boyfriend, Paul. And while he’d fought at the feelings of jealousy that sight invoked, he’d immediately noticed when your face changed. Your whole body had seemed to slump, like all the light had faded away from you. You’d wiped at your eyes, and his heart, the heart everyone thought he didn’t have, broke for you.

lost in darkness, you’re my focus

You were moving, your gait fast as you pushed through the crowd, trying to get outside. Your body was still shaking from Paul’s words, and you collapsed onto a deck chair, wiping away at your tears. You’d wiped felt cold in a way that had nothing to do with the night air.

“Here” you look up through your tears as Rafe Cameron wraps his jacket around your shoulders. You hadn’t realized he was at the party tonight. It struck you as weird that out of all the people there tonight, your friends included, he was the first one to find you and offer you comfort. Weirder still that you felt comforted by his presence.

He sits down on the chair next to you, his leg brushing against yours. You don’t move your leg, the warmth from his body next to yours causes your cheeks to flush.

you’re scared, I’m nervous, but I guess that we did it on purpose

He’s so lost in your eyes, confused by the way the brokenness he sees in them is effecting him. He didn’t do feelings, definitely didn’t do vulnerability, but something in him wants to comfort you. He doesn’t know that he’ll have the right words, he rarely does, but he wants to try. He’d try anything in this moment to take away some of the pain he sees in you.