#About his dynamic with Rafe AND with Barry

[keyh0use]

If Barry and Rafe were ‘official’, do you think Barry would be met with the same reception at the yacht club as Sofia is this season, with Ruthie calling Rafe out for dating a pogue and also do you think Rafe would have the same reaction of denial? Thought to ask the Topper expert, although I think he kept completely quiet that entire scene

No!

Here's my two main reasons: 1. Sofia can blend in and Barry can't. She isn't a kook but she's surrounded by the wealthiest of them all day, it's something she envies (for good reason, not knocking her for wanting a more comfortable, safer life) and she can play the part well. I seriously doubt visiting parties even realise she doesn't belong. On the flip side I don't think there's a universe where Barry would conform (maybe self indulgent here but Rafe wouldn't expect or want him to) and he would stay true to himself, to his style and mannerisms regardless of social status, company or partner. Because of this the kooks would already know, there's probably not a single one of them who hasn't seen him at a house party dealing, who hasn't seen Rafe trailing after him like a lost, doped up puppy. They were whatever to eachother at Tanneyhill, drinking beer and gossiping in a corner. On the beach, sitting too close as Rafe's eyes droop. In a bar sharing appetizers. What difference would it make to the majority of the north side, or at least the younger generation, if the two of them are doing the same shit in the country club or some benefit their parents forced them them to attend? Besides the obvious in-your-face differences between kooks and Barry, that they would've grown accustomed to by the events of season 4, he's not approachable and the fact he's sold to many, many of them would be reasoning enough for them to keep his name out of their mouth. This segues into reason two but fits here as well, Rafe could actually be himself with Barry, which means he wouldn't have to pretend to be a good guy when someone says something he doesn't like.

2. I feel like their dynamic happened naturally, quietly. Very little discussion. Very personal to them, they just work. They don't do certain things that will upset the other because it's common sense (Barry) or because someone got pissy over the very thought of something (Rafe), whatever it was. Barry definitely claims him verbally; my bitch, my boy, stuff like that. Rafe would do the same, less crude out of fear, but he certainly wouldn't correct others who refer to Barry as his boyfriend. (Meaning Wheezie). So Ruthie has a problem, tries to pick on Rafe for dating a pogue, would Rafe be dumb enough to deny their relationship? I doubt it, at least not out of embarrassment. Who thinks of Barry as a pogue? Not me, not Rafe, do you? He's just a handsome guy who happens to live on the cut. I've always viewed him as other from the kooks and the pogues. If Rafe did downplay their relationship, I think it would be out of uncertainty, the word boyfriend throwing him off and he just spews whatever deflective word vomit that comes to mind, little thought to what he's actually saying. But I know one thing for sure two things for certain my friend, regardless of Rafe's reasoning for denial, there's not a chance in the fiery depths of hell Barry is laid up with him afterwards playing house. I don't know if it's more satisfying to imagine Barry walks out without word, giving Rafe the cold shoulder without an explanation, dodging every call, text, visit; goes all in on revenge, cause he already knows all the soft, mushy parts of Rafe so he can make sure it really hurts this time; or Barry confronts Rafe right there in front of his friends, watches realisation set in, followed by horror, what he's said and done to them, what he's losing...maybe he'll cry, or beg, or chase after someone like Barry in front of all the high class patrons.

Let's just hope Rafe is smarter than that and would rightly put ms. Ruth in her place.

It's not the question so I won't go into Rafe and Topper being surface level friends (they're getting closer, that's the problem), or how having Barry around is necessary for them both to keep their sanity. Instead I'll just say Topper is indifferent to Sofia because her presence doesn't offend or benefit him. I know Topper wonders why Rafe is so determined to put on an act, has questioned him about why he isn't hanging out with Barry, tries not to get too involved in his friends life but it's so difficult when it's just them in the sharing circle.

Anyways I loved this question! Thank you for asking <3

[eu-nicola]

non think

summary: your friendship with Rudy began naturally and fluidly, but when his girlfriend's jealousy begins to interfere, tensions arise

warnings: nothing (?)

word counter: 5049

author's note: english is not my first language, this is fiction, don't take it seriously

From the moment you stepped onto the Outer Banks set, you felt that unmistakable energy of a team completely in sync. But even though everything seemed to click, it was Rudy Pankow who you instantly connected with. It wasn’t something you could plan—it just happened naturally.

Your role wasn’t easy. Playing Isabella Cameron, the middle Cameron sibling, meant bringing depth, charisma, and a hint of rebellion that contrasted with Sarah and Rafe but still shared a certain sensitivity with Wheezie. Even though Isabella wasn’t a Pogue like JJ, her connection with him promised to be one of the season’s most interesting twists.

On your first day on set, the nerves were real. This wasn’t your first acting gig, but something about joining a cast with such strong chemistry was intimidating. Rudy was one of the first to approach you.

“New Cameron?” he asked, with that grin of his that always seemed ready to crack a joke.

“The one and only,” you replied, trying to hide your nerves.

He burst out laughing.

“I like it. I’m Rudy, but I guess from now on we’re calling each other JJ and Isabella.”

The conversation flowed like you’d known each other forever. From that moment, it became almost a tradition for the two of you to find each other between takes to talk about scripts, crack jokes, or improvise ridiculous lines just to make the rest of the cast laugh.

One afternoon, during a scene where Isabella and JJ were supposed to argue about something involving Sarah, the directors decided to let you two improvise a bit to explore your characters' dynamic. It was a mess… in the best way possible. Your quick comebacks and Rudy’s ability to keep up with sarcastic remarks had everyone on set laughing. After calling cut, Jonas Pate, one of the show’s creators, came over.

“You two have something special. I think we’re gonna lean into that.”

It wasn’t until weeks later that you understood what he meant. In one of the season two episodes, Isabella and JJ would share an unexpected kiss—a moment that would completely shift their dynamic.

“A kiss?” you asked, stunned after reading the script.

Rudy shot you a playful look.

“What? Not excited? I’m a great kisser.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Your sarcastic tone made him laugh, like always.

Filming that scene was… interesting. Even though you got along great off-camera, you couldn’t help feeling a little nervous. But Rudy, ever the charmer, made sure to ease your nerves before the take.

“It’s like we’re mocking the cliché, but with style,” he said, adjusting JJ’s jacket.

The scene turned out so well that the director asked to shoot it from multiple angles. After every take, Rudy would wink at you, making you smile despite yourself. The funny thing was, even though JJ and Isabella’s kiss wasn’t originally meant to happen again in the series, the on-screen chemistry between you two led to more moments like that.

Still, the main storyline for Isabella revolved around Barry, the character who was supposed to be her big love interest. Barry was different, but his relationship with Isabella brought an emotional depth that fans quickly adored.

Even so, every time you and Rudy shared a scene, the vibe on set shifted. There was something contagious about the way you interacted, both on and off camera. It wasn’t uncommon for the other cast members to watch you two during breaks and joke about your 'explosive chemistry.'

“You two would be absolute chaos if they let you,” Chase said one day, watching you rehearse a particularly intense scene.

And he wasn’t wrong. Despite Isabella clearly being paired with Barry, you couldn’t deny that working with Rudy was one of the most fun and genuine parts of the production. That connection eventually led fans to start shipping Isabella and JJ, even though the show’s narrative had other plans.

The on-screen kisses quickly became a recurring topic among the cast and crew.

Everything was going perfectly fine between you and Rudy until the fans started noticing what you and the rest of the cast already knew: your on-screen chemistry was undeniable. Comments on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter exploded as soon as the first kiss scene between Isabella and JJ aired.

'Does anyone else think JJ and Isabella should be endgame?'

'Barry has nothing on JJ-Bella tension. Sorry, not sorry.'

'The way JJ looks at Isabella when she walks away… CHEF’S KISS. I need more of them.'

'I don’t care what anyone says, Rudy and Isabella HAVE to be together, ON and OFF screen.'

At first, the comments didn’t bother you. After all, most of them were about the characters, not you as actors. Even the more insistent ones were easy to brush off. But things changed when fan theories started crossing the line.

'Have you guys noticed how Rudy is always around her in BTS? 👀'

'I refuse to believe there’s nothing going on between them off-screen. Look at their interviews.'

'Sorry, but Rudy’s girlfriend doesn’t hold a candle to her. Stay with Y/N.'

That last comment felt like a trigger. Suddenly, the presence of Rudy’s girlfriend, whose relationship with him had been private and mostly unknown to fans, became glaringly obvious. She hadn’t been around during the first few months of filming, but now she showed up on set often, always quiet but clearly watching everything.

At first, you tried to be friendly. She wasn’t part of the cast, but you understood her wanting to be near Rudy. However, the tension started becoming noticeable when she stopped hiding her discomfort around you.

“So, this is the famous Isabella Cameron?,” she said one afternoon during a break. Her tone was sharp, even though her smile tried to mask it.

“Yeah, I guess that’s me.”You smiled, trying not to let it affect you.

“Well, I hope you don’t take everything the fans say too seriously. Rudy and I have something real, not like those fake kisses you share with him.”

You were caught off guard. It wasn’t like you cared about what she thought, but her comment made it clear she didn’t really know where the line between fiction and reality was. From that moment on, her little digs became more frequent.

One day, while scrolling through your social media, you saw a comment she left under one of your photos promoting the show. It didn’t say much, but the sarcasm was obvious:

"Wow, working with Rudy must be the highlight of your career. You must love it."

Fans, as expected, picked up on it right away. ‘Why’s Rudy’s girlfriend so passive-aggressive towards her?’ was one of the top comments on your profile. You laughed it off, but the whole thing left a bitter taste in your mouth.

The tension hit its peak during one of the more intense scenes between Isabella and JJ, where the two characters had to share an intimate moment in the middle of an argument. You and Rudy had rehearsed the scene, and everything seemed fine until you noticed his sudden change in attitude.

“Everything okay?” you asked him before shooting.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” His answer was short, distant, and not like him at all.

You couldn’t help but think his girlfriend had something to do with it. She was sitting in a corner of the set, arms crossed, watching you both. She wasn’t doing anything obvious, but her presence was enough to throw him off and, by extension, ruin the dynamic you two usually had.

After the scene ended, you confronted him.

“What’s going on with you? We never had problems before, but now it’s like you don’t even want to be around me.”

“It’s not that.” He avoided your gaze, confirming what you already suspected.

“Then what is it? Your girlfriend? Because if it’s about her, I need you to tell me now if we’re going to keep working like we used to or not.”

Rudy sighed, running a hand through his hair. You knew he didn’t want to have this conversation, but it was necessary.

“She just… doesn’t get it. And I don’t want things to get messier than they already are.”

“And what about our work?” you asked, more frustrated than you intended to sound.

He didn’t answer, but his silence was enough to tell you that, fair or not, things wouldn’t go back to the way they were.

After that, Rudy started pulling away not just from you, but from the rest of the cast too. The jokes between takes became less frequent, and the fun improvisations you both used to enjoy practically disappeared. No one said anything, but it was obvious something was wrong.

Social media wasn’t helping. Every time you posted something about the show, fans kept fueling the drama with their theories and comments.

‘Rudy’s girlfriend is definitely behind this. They’re not even in interviews together anymore.’

‘It’s so sad that JJ and Isabella have such good chemistry, but off-camera, it’s a mess.’

You tried to ignore it, but some nights you couldn’t help feeling frustrated. Not because of the comments, but because you missed how things used to be. Rudy was one of the best co-stars you’d ever had, and now it felt like you couldn’t even be friends.

And the worst part? He wasn’t doing anything to fix it.

When the fourth season rolled around, the news hit like a bomb. During a cast table read, the producers announced that JJ Maybank’s arc would come to a tragic end with a heroic death. While everyone murmured in shock, you could only look at him. Rudy sat in silence, arms crossed, eyes glued to the script, avoiding eye contact with everyone—especially you.

“What does this mean?” you asked Jonas directly.

“It was Rudy’s decision,” he replied, with a tone that made it clear he didn’t want to elaborate.

You couldn’t believe it. You’d heard rumors that Rudy wasn’t as excited about continuing on the show, but you always thought they were just that rumors. But now it was clear he’d made the most drastic choice possible.

That night, you couldn’t stay quiet. You found him outside the set, sitting on one of the service stairs, like he was waiting for someone to confront him.

“What the hell are you doing?” you blurted out. He looked up, surprised by your tone, but said nothing. He just shrugged.

“I’ve got nothing left to do here. I’m done.”

That lit a fire in you.

“Done? Are you serious? Rudy, your character is one of the fans’ favorites. JJ still has so much potential, and you’re just letting him die because… what? Because your girlfriend can’t handle us doing our jobs?”

He frowned, clearly annoyed.

“This has nothing to do with her. It’s my decision, and it’s final.”

“Of course, it has to do with her. Ever since she started coming to set, you’ve changed. You’re not the same anymore. You can’t even joke around with me like you used to. Now you’d rather run away than face things.”

Rudy stood up, defensive.

“And what do you expect me to do? Ignore everything? Pretend like I’m not losing my relationship?.”

“You’re not losing your relationship, Rudy. You’re sabotaging your career. And along the way, you’re throwing away everything we had, our friendship, all of it. Why can’t you see that?.”

“Because it’s not as simple for me as it is for you,” he said, raising his voice. There was frustration and pain in his tone.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you asked, crossing your arms.

“It means not everyone can separate things like you. Do you know how hard it’s been for me? Everyone assumes there’s something between us, like there’s more… And she sees it, the fans see it. No matter how much I deny it, someone’s always pointing it out.”

The intensity of his words caught you off guard, but you weren’t about to back down.

“So what? You’re just going to throw it all away? Let her control every decision you make? That’s not professional. It’s childish.”

He shook his head like your words couldn’t break through the wall he’d built.

“Do what you want, but don’t expect me to stay quiet while you ruin something that meant so much to all of us,” you said before turning and walking away.

From that moment on, things went downhill fast. What used to be a natural and fun connection turned into pure tension. Arguments became frequent, both on and off set. Something as simple as a rehearsal could turn into a battleground, and it wasn’t long before it started affecting the whole team.

In scenes where Isabella and JJ had to interact, the tension was so obvious that even the directors began to notice something was off. After weeks of trying, they decided to use doubles for the shots where the two of you shared the screen.

The rumor spread quickly among the crew. People whispered behind your backs, some blaming Rudy, others blaming you, but most were just confused. It wasn’t easy to explain how one of the cast’s most beloved dynamics had turned into something so unsustainable.

By the time the last scene rolled around, the atmosphere on set was heavy. That day, JJ’s final scene was being filmed—a moment that would mark the end of an era for the show and the cast. While everyone tried to keep the energy upbeat and positive, all you could feel was an overwhelming emptiness.

It wasn’t just about JJ leaving; it was because Rudy was leaving too. Even though your relationship had deteriorated to the point of being unrecognizable, you couldn’t help but remember how things had started: the laughs, the improvisations, the jokes that even got the directors to join in. Now, none of that was left.

The scene you were filming was heartbreaking, probably the most emotional one of the entire season. JJ sacrificed himself to save Isabella and the other Pogues, dying heroically. You, as Isabella, had to hold him in your arms while he said his final words.

When the director called action, you threw yourself into character completely. Isabella was desperate, her hands covered in blood as she tried to hold back tears.

“No, JJ, don’t do this to me,” you said, your voice breaking. The script called for you to cling to him, as if you could stop the inevitable.

Rudy, as JJ, looked at you with a weak smile the same one that had always defined his character, even in the darkest moments.

“Don’t cry, Bella. You always knew I’d do something stupid like this.” He coughed, mimicking the character’s weakness, but there was something else in his voice something that felt way too real.

“Don’t say that!” you screamed as Isabella, feeling a knot in your stomach that went beyond acting. Tears streamed down your face, and for a moment, you wondered if they were yours or your character’s.

“Take care of them... all of them.” He tried to laugh, but his voice faltered. JJ’s eyes closed, and the camera captured your devastated face as you hugged him one last time.

“Cut!” the director yelled.

The set erupted in applause. The crew, the cast—everyone knew they had just filmed something unforgettable. But you couldn’t move. You kept holding onto Rudy, trying to steady your breathing, because even though the scene was over, the emotions were still there.

“You were incredible,” someone said, but you didn’t register who. You barely heard Rudy mumble a “thank you” to everyone as he stood up and walked off set.

As soon as you snapped out of character, the real tears came. You weren’t one to cry in front of everyone, so you slipped away from the set and found a quiet corner where you could be alone. Sitting on one of the folding chairs, away from the lights and noise, you let the emotions take over.

“Are you okay?” Madison asked, approaching cautiously.

You looked up at her and tried to smile, but you couldn’t.

“Yeah, just... haven’t gotten much rest.”

Madison nodded and stayed quiet beside you. You knew she didn’t want to push you but was still worried. After a while, she gave your shoulder a squeeze and went back to the set, leaving you with your thoughts.

Later, when everyone was gathering to say goodbye to Rudy, you couldn’t bring yourself to go near him. You watched from a distance as he was surrounded by hugs, encouragement, and smiles. He seemed happy—or at least relieved. But to you, it all felt like a façade.

You knew you’d eventually have to face him, but you were too angry to do it now. Every time someone asked if you were going to say goodbye, you just answered, “Maybe later.”

The anger you felt toward Rudy had become constant. No matter how much you tried to justify it or make sense of it, it always led back to the same thing: he acted like none of this mattered. Like losing his friends, his job, and everything you’d built together meant nothing.

But what bothered you most wasn’t just his apparent indifference it was how, deep down, you found yourself wanting him. You hated yourself for it. You tortured yourself with thoughts that if things had been different if his girlfriend wasn’t in the picture, if he could see things the way you did—you wouldn’t be here now. But you knew he wasn’t that kind of person, which is why you’d always tried to give him the best advice, even if it hurt.

The night before Rudy officially left the set, he came to find you. You had just finished packing up your things and were walking to the parking lot when you saw him waiting by your car.

“Can we talk?” he asked, his expression unfamiliar. He looked exhausted, almost desperate.

“What for?” you shot back, crossing your arms. Sarcasm had become your go-to defense. “To have one last argument? That seems to be all we do lately.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“I don’t want to argue. I just... I need to explain myself.”

You were caught off guard by that. You hesitated for a moment before tilting your head toward the passenger seat.

“Talk.”

He leaned against your car, staring at the ground before finally speaking.

“I know you think I don’t care about any of this. That I’m just walking away because none of it matters to me. But that’s not true.”

You rolled your eyes, unable to hide your disbelief.

“Oh, really? Because it sure seems like you don’t care. You’ve distanced yourself from everyone, didn’t even try to fix things, and now you’re just leaving. What do you expect us to think?”

“It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just... I don’t know how to handle it,” he admitted, with a sincerity you hadn’t seen in him for a long time.

You stared at him, trying to figure out if he really meant it or if it was just another excuse.

“Rudy, we’ve all tried to help you. Madison, Chase, even the directors. We all wanted to help, but you wouldn’t listen to anyone. And you can’t blame us for being upset when it seems like all you care about is keeping someone happy who doesn’t even understand what you do.”

“It’s not as easy as you make it sound,” he shot back, his voice rising slightly. “She didn’t ask for this. She didn’t ask to compete with fans, theories, or with you.”

“With me?” you asked, stepping closer to him, feeling anger boil inside you again. “Are you seriously saying this is my fault?”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” he said quickly, but it was too late.

“Listen, I never tried to make you choose between your career and your relationship. In fact, I always told you that you could have both if you just took a second to put things into perspective. But you didn’t. You chose to pull away, not just from me, but from everyone. And now, you’re leaving. So tell me, what else do you want me to do?”

For a moment, he didn’t seem to have an answer. He just looked at you, his lips slightly parted, like he was searching for the right words.

“I want you to understand that this wasn’t an easy decision,” he finally said. “And I want you to know that I never wanted us to end up like this.”

You laughed, though there was nothing funny about the situation.

“Is that it? You want my forgiveness? Or are you expecting me to sit here feeling sorry for myself because you decided to throw everything away?”

He took a step toward you, but you stepped back.

“No. I’ve had enough. Do what you have to do. Go live your life, but don’t expect me to sit here waiting for you to realize you made a mistake. Because you did. Not just with me, but with everyone who cared about you here.”

His eyes darkened, but he didn’t argue. He just nodded slowly, like he was accepting your words.

“Goodbye,” he said, with a sadness he hadn’t shown before.

“Goodbye, Rudy,” you replied.”

After that night, Rudy disappeared from your life. No immediate messages, no attempts to reconnect—at least not in the first few weeks. You didn’t reach out either. You’d made everything clear that last time, and you didn’t want to go back to a cycle of arguments that never seemed to end.

But as the weeks went by and the Outer Banks team started gearing up for the promotion of the new season, something inevitable happened: contact between you two. The first time you saw a message from him, you were going through emails, looking for info about the upcoming red carpet event.

It was simple, almost casual.

Rudy: “Hey. Hope you’re doing okay. How’s everything going?”

You read it a couple of times, trying to decide if it was worth replying. You knew he’d probably written and rewritten that message several times before sending it, but you still weren’t ready to fully open that door again. Finally, you typed:

You: “All good. You?”

It took him days to reply. When he did, it was just as brief.

Rudy: “Good too. Thanks for asking.”

It didn’t seem like much, but for someone like Rudy, who always avoided uncomfortable conversations, it was something. The messages continued—spaced out, always short. He’d ask how work was going; you’d reply politely, sometimes returning the question, other times leaving the thread hanging. It didn’t feel like a conversation between friends, more like an attempt to hold onto something that wasn’t really there anymore.

When the first promotional event for the new season rolled around, you knew it was only a matter of time before you saw him. The whole cast was there—except Rudy—but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t show up. Even though he wasn’t actively part of the show anymore, his character was still important, and the producers wanted him there to honor that legacy.

The anxiety hit days before the event. Even though you’d managed to respond to some of his messages neutrally, the thought of seeing him in person made your heart race. You didn’t know how you’d react. Would you ignore him? Act like nothing happened? Talk?

The day came quicker than you’d hoped. You got ready in your hotel room, surrounded by stylists and makeup artists doing their thing while you stared at your reflection in the mirror, lost in thought. You wore a stunning dress, something that screamed strength and confidence, but inside, you felt more vulnerable than ever.

When you arrived at the event, the usual chaos of red carpets consumed you—flashes, photographers yelling, rapid-fire interviews. Everything seemed to be going as expected until you saw him. Rudy was on the other side of the carpet, talking to a group of reporters. He wore a simple but sharp suit, and while his smile was polite, there was something in his eyes you couldn’t quite figure out.

Madison, standing next to you, nudged you lightly.

“There he is,” she murmured, not needing to clarify who she meant.

“I know,” you said, trying to keep your composure.

You knew you’d eventually have to cross paths with him, but you avoided it as much as you could. There were interviews to do, group photos to take, fans to greet, and you stayed as far away from him as possible the whole time.

The red carpet premiere was everything you’d expected—flashes, shouting fans, excitement everywhere. But for you, it all felt distant. Rudy and you barely glanced at each other the entire time. It was like you were both in your own worlds, aware of the crowd but completely detached from everything else.

There was an awkward tension in the air, one you couldn’t ignore. The pain from the past months was still there, but it wasn’t something you were willing to show in public. The press team and photographers fired off quick questions, and while the flashes lit up everyone’s faces, you responded just enough, smiling when necessary. Still, Rudy’s presence, even from a distance, made you feel shaky.

Every now and then, your eyes met his—brief, almost fleeting—but always heavy with something you couldn’t name. He didn’t approach you, didn’t try to break the ice. He kept his distance, and everything between you stayed frozen, like time had stopped. The laughter and chatter around you felt mechanical, as if all your emotions were locked away in a room neither of you wanted to enter.

It wasn’t until you moved inside the venue for the screening that things shifted. The photographers were still snapping group photos, this time with the entire cast. A bunch of people surrounded you, and among them, somehow, was Rudy. You didn’t even notice when he got closer, but when one of the photographers gestured for everyone to squeeze in, Rudy slid in beside you. Without a word, he put his hand on your waist, stepping closer to position himself next to you. The move caught you off guard.

The photographer, clearly waiting for that moment, shouted instructions.

“Closer, please!” he called as flashes started going off again.

Instinctively, you leaned into Rudy, the heat of his body almost too much, a reminder of everything you’d once shared. The closeness made you uneasy, but it also surprised you how natural it felt for him. Like nothing had changed. Like everything was fine.

The flashes kept coming. Then, in the middle of it all, Rudy leaned in slightly, his voice barely audible over the chaos of the cameras.

“Just for tonight,” he murmured, with a faint but genuine smile, like he was trying to ease the tension.

You froze for a second, staring at him. Annoyance bubbled inside you, but you knew this was part of the job. It was a moment neither of you could avoid, no matter how much you wished you could.

“Just for tonight,” you repeated, more to yourself than to him, taking a deep breath as you forced a smile onto your face.

The photographer kept directing the group, asking for different poses, more smiles, more closeness. A part of you wanted to pull away, but another part knew that would only make things worse. So you went with it, doing what was expected, perfect smile, flawless posture, all while Rudy’s hand stayed on your waist, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the photographer signaled that the shoot was done. Rudy’s hand dropped from your waist, but he didn’t step away. He looked at you, his gaze holding too many unspoken words.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his voice low, meant only for you.

You looked at him, feeling the words catch in your throat. There was something ironic about that question. You knew the answer wasn’t as simple as “yes.” Everything between you two was so tangled, so complicated, that words seemed pointless.

“I’m fine,” you replied, though it didn’t feel true. The answer came out more robotic than honest, but you weren’t willing to give him more than that.

Once again, the distance between you both became tangible. Rudy didn’t push. He gave you one last look before turning back to the group, rejoining the rest of the cast. You, on the other hand, stayed there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened.

Even though you’d had to interact with him for work, the frustration lingered in your chest.

The night went on, and you knew you’d have to face him again at some point. The red carpets, the events, the interviews—it was all part of the job. But at the end of the day, all that was left between you two was the weight of a past you still didn’t know how to let go of.

[mulswriting]

rafe!bf x femreader!gf summary: after discovering she’s pregnant, y.n’s excitement is overshadowed by fear. she remembers rafe admitting he’s not ready for fatherhood and hides the darker parts of their relationship from her friends. overwhelmed, she leaves alone, crying on the beach, unsure if rafe will ever change. warnings: swearing, mention of drug use, alcohol use, implied domestic abuse, very angsty, pregnancy, emotional distress, crying, and toxic relationship dynamics.

a/n: hii, i'm new here! lmk if u like it and want pt 2!

you wake up and feel the empty space beside you. the faint sound of the shower tells you that rafe is in the bathroom. closing your eyes, you shift onto his side of the bed, inhaling his lingering scent.

"y/n, you up, baby?" he steps out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

yawning, you glance over at him. "hey, good morning." he walks over and presses a soft kiss to your forehead "good morning, beautiful."

oh, he must be in a good mood today, you think to yourself before smiling. "you smell good. what are your plans today?"

"thank you, baby. going over to barry's for taking care some stuff. gonna be a long day," he says while getting dressed.

"oh, okay. i think i'll just stay home and read some books." you respond.

"good. see you later, y/n." ____________________________________________________________

the afternoon sun filters through the curtains as you turn another page of your book. you’ve been trying to distract yourself, but the words blur together, your mind unable to focus. with a sigh, you close the book and stretch, but as you do, a strange feeling washes over you—your stomach feels off, a mix of nausea and unease.

at first, you brush it off, blaming it on hunger or maybe just boredom. but then, realization creeps in like a cold chill down your spine. wait… when was my last period?

you quickly sit up, counting back the days in your head. one week… two… three.

three weeks late.

your heart pounds. no. no way.

without wasting another second, you grab your things and rush out the door, heading straight to sarah, kie, and cleo’s place. you don’t even think about texting them beforehand—you just need answers.

when you arrive, breathless and slightly panicked, your friends immediately pick up on your energy.

“what’s wrong?” kie asks, brows furrowed.

you hesitate before blurting out, “i think i might be pregnant.”

their eyes widen in shock, but without a second thought, cleo grabs her keys. “come on, we’re getting tests.”

the next hour feels agonizing. the three of them wait anxiously outside the bathroom while you sit on the closed toilet seat, staring at the sticks lined up on the counter. one by one, the results appear.

positive.

positive.

positive.

the room spins.

you step out, barely able to say the words before sarah, kie, and cleo erupt in cheers.

“oh my god!” sarah beams, pulling you into a hug. “you’re having a baby!”

“this is crazy!” kie grins. “but, like, in a good way.”

cleo nudges you playfully. “rafe’s gonna lose his mind, man. he’s gonna be a dad.”

they’re all so happy. but you’re not.

you try to force a smile, but it doesn’t reach your eyes.

sarah notices first. “wait… why don’t you look happy?”

you swallow hard, looking down at your hands. you want to tell them. you really do. but how could you? they don’t know everything. they don’t know about the nights rafe came home drunk, or the times he used just enough to take the edge off. they don’t know that his temper—though mostly controlled—sometimes flares, and in rare, awful moments, he’s lost it on you. they don’t know that on his worst days, when frustration and exhaustion pushed him over the edge, he had struck you. it wasn’t often, but once was already too much.

and yet… there’s also the rafe they do know. the one who kisses you awake in the mornings. the one who walks with you by the beach and talk about a lot of stuff. the one who takes you on late-night drives just to get your favorite snacks. the one who wraps his arms around you like you’re the only thing grounding him.

you don’t want them to see that version of him—the broken one. so, you keep it inside.

instead, you whisper, “i overheard rafe say he’s not ready to be a dad. that he’s still too… fucked up.”

their smiles falter, concern replacing excitement. “oh, y/n…”

kie rubs your back, while sarah takes your hand. “you don’t know for sure how he’ll react, though,” she says gently. “maybe he was just scared in the moment.”

cleo nods. “yeah, he loves you, y/n. that much we do know.”

you force a small smile, appreciating their comfort even if it doesn’t ease the fear in your chest.

after a little more reassurance, you thank them and say goodbye. you tell them you’re heading home, but that’s a lie.

instead, you go to your favorite spot by the beach.

by the time you get there, the sky is already dark, waves crashing softly against the shore. you sit on the cool sand, wrapping your arms around your knees, letting the night air sting your skin.

reaching for your phone, you realize it’s dead.

shit.

you were going to text rafe, tell him where you were. but now, you’re completely alone.

the weight of everything crashes down at once.

tears slip down your cheeks, silent at first. but then, a sob escapes, and before you know it, you’re crying—deep, gut-wrenching sobs that shake your whole body.

you’re terrified.

you love rafe, but what if he’s right? what if he’s not ready?

and worse—what if he never will be?

so, you sit there, crying under the night sky, feeling more alone than ever.

[strangeshoepatrolbandit]

Breakup Breakdowns.

Summary: Rafe Cameron has a reputation. Violent and untrustworthy. After some neglected communication, his girlfriend stands up for her worth.

Warnings: Rafe himself, rumors, mentions of a gun, mentions of drugs, unhealthy dynamics, love bombing(?), Barry himself, manipulation, Rafes mood swings, breakup.

This is my first time writing for Rafe. I'm sorry if he's a little OC.

𓇼

Rafe Cameron has had his own fair share of issues that have been present since he was just a boy.

You've heard all of the stories. Beating random Pogues, having bits of rage, and being coked up most of the day. You're familiar.

Despite that, you found yourself wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt.

He was kind to you, acting all sweet, giving you the attention you needed. When asked if he was busy, he'd always reply with "I'm never too busy for you."

Maybe that's what lured you in. The image of what would be the perfect boyfriend for you. The one who would take care of you. The one you would marry.

Rafes act only lasted for just a few months.

Soon, he was missing dates, calling you to say, "I'm sorry, baby."

Even then, calls started to dwindle as well. Now he just left quick text messages while you're in the middle of getting ready. Sometimes it leaves you at home alone, or just going out with friends and pretending like you're fine with plans being rescheduled again.

When he's with you, sitting with his thigh touching yours, he seems out of it, like he's somewhere far away. He's distant. Like always. You don't know where this came from. Maybe this is how it was always destined to be. Maybe it's from that cross you always hear him talk about.

-

A week. It has been an entire week since you have seen your boyfriend, Rafe Cameron. And only a few days since you've talked to him on the phone.

You texted him last night, but got no response.

You heard of some parties around Figure 8, and a big part of you thinks that is where your boyfriend was. You would text Topper if he was still on good terms with Rafe, and you would talk to Sarah if you believed that she actually knew where her brother was.

You woke up early this morning, deciding you were officially done with Rafe Cameron's shenanigans.

Barry's or Tannyhill first? You asked yourself.

Barry's, just to be sure.

The drive felt longer than usual just because of the weight on your heart and shoulders.

You never liked Barry, finding it weird that a grown adult drug dealer was your boyfriends best friend. You've seen how he treats his customers. He's intimidating and manipulative. You feel as if some of it had rubbed off of Rafe.

You closed your car door with a slam, already zeroing in on the man who's outside.

"Heyyy." His smile was almost like a smirk.

"Have you seen Rafe?" You cut to the chase, not wanting to be around the man for longer than you have to be.

"Country club?" Who else? If you didn't know Rafe and Barry, it would sound like he'd suggest that as an idea, but that's just Rafes nickname. "Naw. I haven't seen him since last night."

A laugh escapes the man, like he knows something you don't.

"That's all I needed." You sighed, already getting back into your car.

Barry raises an arm, waving you off for a second, just to get back to licking the blunt he was previously wrapping before you pulled up.

Hopefully Rafe is at home.

Here's another dreadful ride for you.

To the upper north side of Outer Banks you go.

-

When you step into Rafes bedroom, you notice him still sleeping in his bed. He's sleeping on his stomach, one arm under the pillow he's lying on. Even after you knocked.

You grab one of the other pillows that are on Rafes bed, raising it up before hitting him with it a few times, making him groan and jolt.

"What- what? Fuck..." He sighed, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"I've been calling you." You start off. No 'hello', no 'good morning'. "I've even been texting you."

"I was sleeping." He states, a little annoyed at you for waking him up.

A bitter laugh escaped you. "Well, apparently you weren't when I texted you last night. You were with Barry." Rafe knows how much you dislike Barry.

"He's my friend. What do you want me to say?" He grows defensive, standing up from his bed. He's shirtless, only in his boxers. That leaves you to suspect that he probably stripped after coming home during the early hours of the morning. He looks down at his floor, reaching for the shirt he threw down. You were right.

"Unbelievable." You mumbled, shaking your head as you turned away from him with a huff.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Here we go.

You immediately spin back around in order to face him, pointing a finger. "My problem is you!"

"Me?! What did I do?!" Your voices travel around the room, and if anyone were to pass by, it's clear that an argument is happening inside.

"Hm, I don't know." You reply sarcastically. "Maybe it's the unreturned calls and texts. Maybe it's the fact that I never know where you are. Maybe it's the fact that you're constantly bailing. Maybe it's the fact that you hang out with shitty people."

"Come on-" Rafe puts his hands up, now working on trying to calm you down. Rolling his eyes as he looks to the side.

"Or maybe it's the fact that we only see each other when you need something!" You're definitely not calming down. He needs to be held accountable. "I'm not your therapist!"

Rafe stayed quiet, swallowing whatever was in his mouth. He wouldn't be lying if he said he didn't feel something dark sitting in the back of his mind.

"I'm done!"

"What do you mean by that?" He was on guard now. You just want to leave him?

The two of you stared at each other for a few seconds, right before you turned away from him, throwing open his bedroom door and storming out.

"Hey!" Rafe yelled, following right behind you. "You're just gonna leave? You're being dramatic. Psychooo!"

He dragged out his words, just saying things to try and make you look like you're blowing this out of proportion. It wasn't until you were downstairs and opening the doors to leave his family's home, where it finally caught up to him.

Rafes chest tightened when he felt that familiar sense of abandonment. "Wait- baby, don't leave. Don't leave me!"

He followed you to your car, his eyes stinging the second you climbed I'm and locked the doors.

"Please don't leave! Y/n!" He pulled the driver side handle a few times before realizing he couldn't get in. He put his hands on the windows, staring inside while watching you start your car. "We can talk about this!"

You didn't even wait for your car to warm up before switching out of park and leaving Tannyhill. You, too, felt the tears in your eyes. You loved Rafe, but sometimes you have to put yourself first.

Rafe put his hands on his head, letting his tears fall.

His sadness and fear soon turned to anger. He turned his body quickly, screaming into the air.

"Fuckkk!"

______________________₊ ⊹𐙚

Heyyy, guys...

Like, I've been gone for a while. I may have gone into psychosis and abandoned everything.

Heres a year old draft. Im honestly cringing.

I'm still nowhere near ready to return, my mentality is still fragile. But I understand my struggles and how leaving could have been jarring. I'll speak more of this when I actually continue posting again.

I'm sorry. - Shoe.

[love-fictional-ppl]

Rafe Cameron who loves his kook princess, despite how much of a bitch you are. Always demanding he buy you new things, judging his every move. Some how you know everything he does, before he does it! You’re the thorn in Rafe’s side that he came to love.

Rafe Cameron who at times wishes he never met you. You changed everything about him, he can’t just buy from Barry anymore or terrorize the pogues, he can’t just waste away. You make him be productive and Rafe doesn’t know how to deal with that.

Rafe Cameron who on the other hand can’t even remember life without you, it seems as though you had just always been there, always nagging him.

Rafe Cameron who you somehow wound up living with, your stuff slowly moved in along with you. At first Rafe was annoyed, especially with how much room all of your belongings took up. You took up more space in his closet than he did!

Rafe Cameron whose family absolutely adores you, adding to his annoyance. Ward, Rose and Wheezie all took to you immediately, finding amusement in your dynamic with the oldest child. Sarah was weary at first, not trusting you due to not trusting Rafe.

Rafe Cameron who wound up with his future wife without realizing it.

Season 1/2 Rafe coded!

[erwinsvow]

i feel like pogue!reader with rafe would have an interesting dynamic with barry. like, he doesn’t particularly like her - knowing her connection with the pogues, especially jj but at the same time he’s dealing with rafe and pogues as a collective have gotta stick together. he’s also just morbidly curious about how she and country club have became a thing.

barry laughs when he sees you walking into his place, attached to rafe's side.

"ain't that-"

"that's my fuckin' girl. so watch your mouth." rafe cuts him off before he can finish the rest of his sentence, which is sure to have something to do with the fact that the few times barry's seen you before, you've been with the pogues that rafe supposedly hates so much.

"your girl? is that right? well, pleasure to meet you again, m'barry-"

you look up hesitantly at rafe, wondering if you should say something back, and you briefly reflect for a moment just how different things used to be. with your best friends, with jj and john b and pope at your side, the group of you would go and make yourselves comfortable anywhere. they'd charm their way into the good graces of the host and you never felt like you couldn't just speak your mind.

rafe is different. you don't know if it's bad, if he's bad for you, or not. talking to someone when you know he doesn't want you to feels wrong, feels bad. and you like him taking lead, him showing you the way and calling all the shots.

so you smile at barry but don't engage, looking up at your boyfriend instead. he looks down at you for a second, but you can tell you did the right thing.

"sit down and shut up. c'mon, we got shit to discuss."

"tells me to sit down. in my own fuckin' house. i gotta tell you princess, you picked a real winner here in rafey boy-"

"did y'not hear the shut up part?"

a laugh escapes, though you try to keep it quiet. they go on discussing something that doesn't mean much to you, while you go on your phone and text your friends. rafe's phone rings, and he just steps away for a minute to answer. barry doesn't hesitate a second to get the answers he needs from you.

"so. you and country club. how long's that been goin' on?"

"um, a couple months."

"your boys know 'bout him?" you bite your cheek. they don't, yet.

"not yet. but, soon, i guess. waiting for the right time.." you mumble, playing with a loose stitch on your skirt.

"yeah. i'd get on that. not gonna be too happy, are they?"

"maybe."

"don't they hate your boy as much as he hates them? ain't that.. awkward?"

you think you should be offended by the line of questioning, but rafe talks about barry often enough for you to know that he's not a snitch, that he doesn't care. he's just curious.

and he should be. up until a few months ago, you were never seen without your boys, as barry put it. you used to be attached to jj's arm, permanent passenger princess in pope's truck and the twinkie. it all feels like a lifetime ago.

"i'm hoping we can all make amends," you finish softly, fresh waves of guilt washing through your body. it burns where it goes, a stinging similar to what your friends are gonna feel soon, when they find out you've been dating the boy who's been terrorizing them.

"for your sake, i hope so too."

"what're you two talkin' about?" rafe asks, coming back inside and taking his place next to you. he puts his hand on your knee, brings you in close without having to ask.

you hope it's all going to be worth it.

"nothing."

[cal-flakes]

please write more dealer!rafe idc what it is about i love that dynamic it was so cute !!!

you’re so real for this. i am LIVING for dealer!rafe right now. eeeeeeek

╰┈➤ saved by dealer!rafe

warnings: drugs, violence, weapons, death. possible tw; implied sa (no description as it doesn’t actually happen)

summary: doing a favour for dealer!rafe takes a dark turn.

“wait, can you run me through it again? please? just one more time?” sighing, rafe cupped her face. “princess, you really need to remember this for me, okay?” y/n nodded, the innocent look in her eyes almost making rafe feel bad for asking her.

“barry here..” rafe pointed “is gonna take you with him to a deal, all you gotta do is sit and be extra pretty, okay?” he explained, his patronising tone going straight over her head.

y/n thought hard about what he said, nodding her head as he spoke. “okay!” she beamed.

“alriiiight, come on little girl, gotta be there on time..” barry sang from the corner of the room, sighing as he stood from the couch.

“yes sir!” she squealed, not really understanding the danger of what she’s about to do.

rafe squeezed her tight as she wrapped her arms around his neck, planting a few kisses to his cheek.

loosening his grip, he peered over her shoulder to adjust her skirt, disgruntled by the short length.

she pulled away and followed barry to the door, a pep in her step.

“man i swear, if you let anything happen to her i’ll fucking kill you” rafe stated, pointing a threatening finger at his friend.

“chill out man, i’ll keep your little princess safe” barry mocked him, holding his hands up.

y/n situated herself in the passenger side, wincing slightly as her thighs stuck to the leather. the drive to the cut was comfortably quiet while y/n wracked her brain for what rafe wanted her to do.

barry glanced at her through his peripheral, sniggering to himself as she looked lost in thought.

“you forgotten already huh?” he smirked, mocking her. bowing her head, she nodded to the ground, picking up on his tone.

“all you gotta do, is sit there. okay? you sit there and don’t say a word, you’re just here to sweeten the deal. if they say anything to you, just be nice..” barry stated, gesticulating as he spoke.

“okay, just sit there..” y/n muttered to herself as they closed in on the porch.

the house, or shack, wasn’t anything y/n was used to. she wasn’t particularly stuck up, she had just never spent much time on the south side of the island, and that was set in stone once she got with rafe.

barry knocked a couple times, the look on his face was almost nervous, a small frown settled on his lips.

a disheveled looking man opened the door, ushering them in. y/n followed closely behind barry, avoiding the man’s prying eyes. the living room was a mess, she struggled to step over the countless empty bottles littered around.

“so, you got my money bare?” the strange man rasped, standing in the doorway sheepishly.

“yeah man, i got your money, but i wanna see the goods first..” turning his head, the man nodded to someone in the hallway.

narrowed eyes closed in on the pair as eerie footsteps sounded around the room. another man, just as strange looking, appeared in the room, duffel bag in hand.

the bag was placed on the table roughly, the silence in the room becoming awkward immediately. y/n picked at her nails, away in her own little world.

the men swapped bags, barry counted the pile of little packets while the other two counted the money. they whispered amongst eachother, their words muffled by the rustle of baggies

suddenly, barry perked his head up, his eyes meeting the knife that had been pointed at y/n. her breath hitched as she clocked it, failing to back up any further against the couch.

“hey man, what the fuck are you doing?” barry snapped, standing up without hesitation.

“you’re missing two-thousand dollars barry..” he sighed, throwing his head into his hands, mentally cursing himself for not double checking rafe’s bag.

“you wanna go get us our money barry, or this one’s not getting out of here alive..” the man motioned towards y/n with the blade.

“nah man, leave her out of this” he uttered, holding a shaky hand up.

“call your buddy, get us our money” the other guy demanded, reaching forward to pull y/n out of her seat.

she let out an ear piercing scream as she was dragged out of the room. barry groaned as her shrieks were muffled by a closed door, having been taken into the bathroom.

“balls in your court bare, get cameron down here with our money, and neither of you get hurt”

barry dialled furiously, “c’mon man, answer the fucking phone” he murmured into the phone.

“rafe! you gotta get down here, right now man” he whispered, “they’re keeping her hostage man, they know about the missing money”

“fuck!” rafe yelled.

“please! let me out!” a high pitched plea erupted from the bathroom. “shut the fuck up bitch!” their voices could be heard through the phone, igniting a burning feeling in rafe’s chest.

barry leapt from the couch, lunging at the man in the room, taking him down with a thud. heavy fists we’re thrown as the two men scuffled around the room, destroying furniture in their wake.

the screams and shouts went on for a while as barry struggled against the man.

the front door burst open as a shaking rafe stood in the door way, chest heaving. “barry! help me! please!” y/n yelped again.

without hesitation, rafe kicked the door open with a crazed look in his eyes. the man had y/n pinned to the wall, trailing a knife along her neck.

from what he could see, she hadn’t been physically injured, but the thought alone was enough for rafe to snap.

he lunged forward, dragging the man to the floor, knocking the knife out of his hand. y/n wailed as they struggled on the floor.

“gun! y/n grab the fucking gun!” rafe bellowed, startling her. nodding through the tears, she pulled the gun out of his waistband.

he stuck a hand out hastily, reaching for the gun in her shaky hands. quickly cocking it, he didn’t give the man a chance before putting a quick bullet in his head.

y/n’s hand covered her mouth as she wept, in a heap on the floor. breathlessly, rafe hurried to her side, scooping her onto his lap.

“i’m gonna get you out of here princess, c’mon angel..” he breathed, lifting her into his arms.

“you good bare?” he shouted, stopping for a response. a sweaty barry appeared in the door way, unconscious man left behind. “all good here bro, let’s fucking go!”

rafe placed y/n in the car carefully, wiping her tears. “it’s okay princess, i’ve got you now, it’s okay..” he cooed, meeting her glassy eyes as he spoke.

arriving back home, he carried her through the house, placing her on the couch. “stay still for a second angel, im gonna clean you up” he said soothingly, rubbing his forehead as the guilt set in.

“rafe..” she let out a shaky whimper. “yeah?” he stopped in his tracks. “please don’t, sit with me..” she cried.

“whatever you need baby, i’m here now, you’re safe with me” he whispered, pulling her into his side.

[lostsyren]

My unpopular obx opinions:

(I am NOT invalidating anyone’s interpretation of the show and its characters. Usually I’m very diplomatic in the way I phrase things but I couldn’t be bothered this time. So this is your warning!! And I’m open for discussion about anything!!)

– I have no interest in John B and Sarah as a couple. Like yeah they’re cute, but I don’t ship them particularly, or care about their development together

– The Cameron family are by far the most interesting aspect of the show, beating whatever the pogues have going on. Rafe and Sarah’s relationship is so fascinating, and Ward Cameron is such a good antagonist.

– I think it’s unfair to say jiara came out of left field. Their scenes in s1 were undeniable, probably due to Rudy and Madison’s off screen chemistry. I didn’t see the chemistry between Kie and Pope (the planned relationship). But jiara still shouldn’t have happened. JJ and Cleo could’ve been interesting and I honestly can see Pope and Kie get developed to point where it could’ve been believable.

– Having all the pogues neatly couple off together I disliked. The main reason I enjoyed s1 so much was the friendship dynamic. It felt reminiscent of movies like Stand by Me and The Goonies but modern. S3 came around and it just felt like your generic teen drama with cheating side plots and all of them getting with each other.

– Speaking of cheating, Sarah cheating on John B made sense😭. I feel it was inevitable. Whenever she feels disrespected in a relationship she moves on to try and regain some sense of control (like with Topper in s1). And her feeling alienated from the rest of the pogues felt accurate too– them all going back to their families and her with nothing? Yeah it makes sense she heads back to Topper–someone familiar and comforting.

– Barry being written out of s4 was upsetting. But it made sense given the nature of his relationship to Rafe. Rafe only goes to him when he needs something (be it advice, drugs, a gun, a means to push the narrative)

– People getting up in arms that Rafe got with a pogue??…bfr. His whole character is made up of contradictions. He says he hates pogues in s1 but spends half his time on the Cut, in a trailer park with his drug dealer. He doesn’t actually hate pogues (in the classist sense, he does hate John B and co.) He only says that because the rest of the kooks do and he wants to fit in. And he wants to get under the pogues’ skin and glean a reaction. Though I agree he is classist in other ways– like he thinks they just need to work harder, he hates the Cut, he doesn’t care about gentrification etc etc.. (but he’ll happily fuck them)

– Ward Cameron did love his kids. Yes he was greedy, but that greed was entwined with the desperate need to keep the family together. I kinda wanna make a post about his character hmn…

– Some of the criticism/hate on Sofia’s character is definitely motivated by how she disproves people’s perception of Rafe. Like idk what to say, sorry you had the wrong idea about him? I’ve made a post about this, but I genuinely think the two major Rafe Cameron camps are both wrong. He’s not this cocky womaniser or a depraved pervert…he’s literally just a messed up boy trying to be a man.

– Takes which say Sofia is a character who gives nothing are being dramatic. Like shoot me, but her and the Hollis plotline in s4 was actually interesting. I was most anticipating Rafe finding out about that in the period between p1 and p2. I liked how we got to see her family and her home. I liked how she was sweet and kind. The direction the Pates take in making all the female characters “strong and feisty” feels weird to me. People just hate her because she “gets in the way” of their own ships/ their delusions of self-shipping.

– I adore Cleo and Barry, but they’re just as underdeveloped as Sofia. They’re both used to further another character’s development (Pope and Rafe) but they don’t receive the same condemnation from the fandom.

– I dislike riara but not for the reasons I see other people do. I don’t think the kook year theory tracks– idk why everyone treats it like it actually happened, it’s just a headcanon. They didn’t have much chemistry. When I first watched the show and I found out people shipped them, I genuinely thought it was because she was the only available female character😭 The idea of them getting together is so unappealing to me. I just see them in the way Drew and Madison play them– Rafe as the creepy guy making fun on the only girl in the group and Kie as an outspoken hater of all things kook. Maybe it’s reductive of me, but all their scenes are just icky… perhaps people like that about them though? Meh

– Ruthie’s character was unnecessary BUT she was such a slay😭idk the hate for her feels so aggressive. (*how can you not say cunt like that’s cunt💅🏽*) She’s basically an embodiment of all those bitchy kook readers people like. I’m not defending her or anything but she was entertaining and hot okay?😭

– In a similar vein, hate for Kiara seems equally aggressive and weird. People will just throw around the most misogynistic takes… “she’s such a pick me girl…she’s a homie hopper…” She’s messy, that’s for sure, but her character is so unfairly ragged on. I js think the fandom has twisted her character into either being an extension of JJ or an extension of Rafe to fulfil those ships and she’s kinda been lost in all of that.

– Groff was such a goofy villain. No hate towards the actor, it’s just his character as a whole. His motivations were cartoonish and shallow. There was no depth to him. Following such a great villain like Ward, having this laughable dynamic between him and JJ was so odd. JJ believing in him and his bullshit felt ooc. Him killing his son bore no emotional relevance. Compared to the father/son scenes between Rafe and Ward, it js felt like they were trying to imitate that.

– JJ’s death was for sure not planned and didn’t fit the tone of the show. It kinda plunged it into this realism that changed the vibe completely. Whatever end the pogues reach it will be unsatisfying, because despite all the treasure they obtain, it won’t be worth the death of a friend.

– The pregnancy plot line was odd. That’s all I have to say. Why? I really don’t understand it.

– Ik everyone hates the proposal between Rafe and Sofia but it makes sense!! Like he was grasping onto the ONLY person who loved him and making sure she went nowhere when he left. And you can tell Sofia was shocked at the idea. She knew it was too much, but she ignored reason, grasping onto the prospect of his forgiveness and his acceptance. It was in character for both of them (and it ending like it did feels accurate too).

[rafessecret]

༉‧₊˚. REINTRODUCING MY READERS

── ⌗ stepsister¡reader ⋆.˚

She’s his sweet stepsister, giggly, always in Brandy Melville shorts and dainty little tops, all soft skin and sleepy smiles. Rafe’s obsessed. He acts like she’s his to protect, spoil, and corrupt. Their bond is quiet but intense, full of brushing hands, lingering looks, and the kind of closeness that makes people stare. He values it too much. And she knows it’s wrong knows she shouldn’t like the way his touches linger or how he looks at her like she’s everything. But she does. She always does.

── ⌗ trailer¡park reader ⋆.˚

You’re his blue babydoll pun-out, slutty, trailer trash with glossy lips and track marks, always in blue and never clean for long. Rafe treats you like something he owns, never sweet, never official, just his filthy little secret he’d sell off without blinking. But when things get real, when your mascara’s smudged and your voice is shaking? He feels everything too much. The sex is crazy. Nasty. Addictive. And Barry? Barry likes you too—maybe too much. Enough to make Rafe notice. Enough to make him jealous.

── ⌗ toxic¡ reader ⋆.˚

They’re a beautiful disaster built on power plays, manipulation, and filthy sex. He throws money like an apology or buries himself in someone else to forget her but always comes crawling back, desperate. She’s poison in lip gloss, an icy Y2K baddie wrapped in Isabel Marant fur, all pout and attitude. Their fights are brutal; their sex is even worse: loud, angry, electric. They wreck each other just to feel something. Addicted. Possessive. Destroyed and still hooked. But when she’s sobbing over some guy who got too handsy? Yeah, he’s the one holding her.

── ⌗ strawberry¡ ⋆.˚

She’s soft pink, pouty, a little spoilt but smarter than she looks, always fluttering around in bows and gloss, sweet as sugar. He’s older. Too old. Her daddy’s closest friend, rich, serious, and protective. Been watching her far too long, waiting until she was just barely old enough to have her. Now she’s his bunny, his princess, his first and only. He spoils her, shields her, and comforts her like a little wife. It’s sweet. It’s wrong. You should stay away.

── ⌗ precious ⋆.˚

Their dynamic is twisted, rotten at the root. Rafe and Barry stole her, and she never really tried to leave. Barry’s the cruel one, with rough hands and mean words, always making her cry, while Rafe plays softer, but he’s just as sick. They drug her when she’s too mouthy, spank her when she disobeys, and take polaroids of her ruined and crying. It’s always the three of them – nasty, messy, feral. She’s their broken little doll, brainwashed and beautiful, too far gone to want anything else.

── ⌗ doll ⋆.˚

Their dynamic is pure filth, secret rot dressed in pink lace. You’re Daddy’s angel, his sweet little doll, with a soft voice and softer thighs, always so eager to please. But Rafe gets you too, his own sister, his obsession, stretched out and soaked for him behind Ward’s back. They both fuck you like you belong to them, whispering filth into your ear with the same breath they call you their baby. Neither knows about the other. But you know. And you love it. You love being their little secret.

── ⌗ protective¡rafe ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

He’s a soldier through and through. sharp, silent, and masked, the kind of man who looks terrifying but holds you like you’re the most fragile thing alive. You met, by chance, a bored girl with too much pretty stationery, writing to a random soldier. He’s your fierce guardian, your camo-clad shadow who’d kill for you without hesitation. To him, you’re his little Bambi fawn – soft, giggly, and entirely his. When it’s just the two of you, the world fades, replaced by good, secure sex that anchors you both in something real and unbreakable.

── ⌗ angel¡bsf ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

You and Rafe are way too close for just friends. He’s a total perv for you, stealing your panties like trophies and jerking off to your Insta stories when you think he’s not looking. But underneath all that dirty obsession? He’s hopelessly in love with his giggly angel best friend. There’s never too many cuddles in his bed, and no such thing as TMI between you two. You’re a little ditzy, clueless about how hard he’s always getting around you, but Rafe? He’s completely infatuated, heart and body both caught in your orbit.

── ⌗ bitchy¡reader ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

She’s the town’s glittering disaster, bratty, high-maintenance, all gloss and chaos. He’s the quiet, brooding sheriff who’s supposed to keep her in line but ends up breaking every rule for her. She teases him, flirts with his deputies, and wears his hat like a crown. He pulls her over just to see her, bails her out more times than he can count. But behind the lashes and lip gloss, there’s something darker. And when he finally sees it – the bruises, the silence – he stops being a cop. It becomes hers instead.

── ⌗ cowboy¡rafe ⋆.˚

He’s all grit and sunburnt shoulders, a real cowboy with dirt under his nails and hands that never stop working. You’re his cherry-slick sweetheart with red lips and little boots, always smelling like strawberries and summertime. You bring him lemonade at the fence, and he pulls you into his lap like it’s instinct. He fucks like he works hard, honestly, and relentlessly. You’ve been his forever, ever since he tipped his hat and called you darlin’. Now he doesn’t sleep right unless you’re tucked under his arm.

── ⌗ blue¡collar rafe ⋆.˚

You’re his sugar, plain and simple, his sweet little’ pin-up doll in gingham and those tiny sinful shorts that ride up when you bend, always prancing’ ‘round in your cowboy boots like trouble wrapped in a bow. Rafe works hard so you don’t have to; your pretty hands are too soft for labour, your voice too sweet for stress. He’ll sweat through a hundred jobs in the Southern sun if it means coming’ home to your kisses, your smile, your soft, slow honey-drip of a “ray”, —whatever it takes. Ain’t nothing he won’t do if it means keeping’ your life easy, soft, and sugar-sweet like he swore he would. he's all broad shoulders dusted in sawdust, and calloused hands that always find your waist sweetly when he walks through the trailer door. Mostly he’s on construction sites, boots heavy and jeans dirt-streaked, but if he catches even a flicker of worry on your pretty face about bills? He’s out before sunrise, taking’ on mechanic work, hauling scrap, fixing fences

── ⌗ loser¡rafe ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

He’s the bruised-up, scraped-to-hell skater boy with scabbed knees and chipped nails, always too shy to look you in the eye for more than a second. loser Rafe with his 2000s older brother vibes, asking his friends to talk to you first because he’s convinced he’ll combust if he tries. Now that you’re his? He's going to marry you. You read your little book at the skate park while he shows off, and he does anything you ask. No thoughts, just pretty blue eyes and love.

── ⌗ bimbo¡reader ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

Rafe Cameron is your husband—controlling, obsessive, and completely in love. You’re his soft, spoilt housewife who means well but can’t always keep up. He likes it that way. You try to be perfect for him: packing his lunch, keeping the house pretty, and looking good in pink. He handles the hard stuff, calls you his good girl, and loves spoiling you rotten. He’s rough in bed, gentle after, always saying you were made just for him. It’s messy and a little toxic, but it works because you love being his, and he never wants anyone else.

── ⌗ marines¡rafe ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

Rafe is a rugged, devoted Marine buff, loyal and endlessly protective—while you’re his soft, glowing girl in a breezy white dress, effortlessly radiant and showing your growing baby bump. Their dynamic is a perfect mix of fierce devotion and tender care: he’s all rough edges and gentle touches, endlessly doting and slightly over-the-top with his babying, while she melts into his arms, feeling safe and cherished. Together, they’re summer warmth, messy love, and the beautiful chaos of new beginnings.

── ⌗ officer¡rafe ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

Rafe’s the town’s golden cop—protective, respected, a little awkward but with her, he’s all heart. She’s soft and sweet, always stopping by the precinct with a giggle and something baked. He worships her, touches her waist like she’s delicate, and kisses her like he still can’t believe she’s his. They’re steady, real. He lets her ride along just to keep her close. Their love is warm, playful, domestic slow mornings, whispered promises, soft giggles tangled in sheets, and deep, deep trust.

── ⌗ gynaecologist¡rafe ⋆.˚ . . . coming soon

She shows up to her first-ever gyno appointment nervous and fidgety in a white sundress, not expecting the doctor to be so handsome. Dr Rafe Cameron is calm, kind, and a little too gentle, guiding her through the exam with warm praise and lingering touches. What starts as routine becomes something far more intimate, full of flushed cheeks, shaky breaths, and unexpected reactions she doesn’t understand. But he does. He always does. Each visit leaves her more confused, more breathless, and more wrapped up in Dr Cameron’s dangerously soft obsession.

𖦹 ׂ 𓈒 masterlist for all ¡readers here ／ ⋆ ۪

©RAFESSECRET ⋆˚࿔ est. 2025 do not plagiarise or repost my works on any other platforms.

[starkeyshirt]

Manipulated

little! rafe cameron

caregivers! the pogues

in which rafe is manipulated by more people than just his father.

tw//: manipulation, low self esteem, guilt, feeling unwanted, pushing, talk of drug use (cocaine).

<<•>>

When people hear of Rafe Cameron, their minds drift to the cocaine addicted, polo shirt wearing, bad tempered young man with a rich dad and a pretty sister. Those who know him better think of a cold blooded killer, the guilty suspect in Sheriff Peterkin's murder and an accomplice in several others. But truly, do any of those people really know Rafe Cameron?

Rafe Cameron is a boy with a complex personality, substance abuse issues, and a devotion to his father. It's hard to look at such a bad person and think, "Hmm, maybe he's just misunderstood." But the truth about Rafe is that he isn't a bad person; he's a lost boy with daddy issues to a point causing damage beyond repair.

Throughout his entire life, Rafe has wanted to please his father. He wanted to draw the pictures in art class he thought his father would like and do good in the subjects his father enjoyed. He wanted to beat his sister in making his father a father's day breakfast or in buying him a new watch. Rafe wanted to hear his father tell him he was proud of him. He wanted his fathers trust and love, he wanted to be useful and needed with every step he took.

Rafe was never a mean kid. When he was a little boy he didn't have many friends and he didn't like going to school. The other kook boys were loud and obnoxious and uncaring, and Rafe was quieter with a lazier personality. When he first started kindergarten, being his father's only child attending school at the time, he cried every day when his father picked him up and clung to him for dear life. He couldn't tell anyone why; it was that childish urge to hold onto your parents and cry and never let go. He didn't want to be in school wearing polos and khaki pants, he just wanted to be at home with his daddy.

Then one day, when Rafe came crying to his father at the end of the school day, Ward Cameron didn't bend down and scoop his distraught son into a comforting hug. Rafe could tell his father was on the phone, and even though he took his hand and led him to the truck, his father paid him no attention whatsoever. As Rafe sniffled in the backseat, he listened to his father's phone call. It was something about Sarah being upset with whatever babysitter had to watch her while their dad was at work. When they picked his crying little sister up and his father cuddled her and talked to her and comforted her the whole way home, little Rafe felt anger for the very first time. He hated his sister and his father for liking her more.

That night while she slept, Rafe cut a chunk of her hair out with safety scissors.

Rafe was never the same after that day, and he was suddenly aware of the dynamics in their household. Sarah always came first, Rafe was always second. Sarah didn't have to compete for anything, but Rafe sure did. He learned to really and truly hate his sister, to take everything from her that he could in hopes that his father would someday realize he was just as good of a person.

As he grew older, Rafe also grew erratic, impulsive, and emotionally unstable. He received little to no love from his father by the time he was nine, but he still spent every waking moment trying to receive that praise that only Ward could give him. And we all know how things went from there.

Rafe was aware of the things he's done; he knew he was wrong and the guilt ripped away at him everyday. But there were things about Rafe that nobody knew; people controlling him who weren't his father.

•••

Rafe didn't know what he was supposed to do. His brain was short circuiting, but he knew Barry was pissed.

"You do realize what you did, right man? By hurting the guy, you're putting a target on my back, Country Club!" Barry yelled, shoving his finger into Rafe's chest. He watched him quiver.

"I- I didn't know what to do! He was gonna kill him!" Rafe stuttered back, shoving his arms forward in a weak attempt at proving his point.

Barry laughed and rolled his eyes. "That's what you signed up for!"

"I changed my mind..." Rafe mumbled, rocking forward to place his head in his hands. Tears welled at his eyes and his chest was stinging.

Barry knew how to work Rafe. He had his brain wired so he performed when he needed him to but also in a way that Barry could trigger when he crashed. And Barry liked to think he was the only person who could control Rafe in that way; he helped Rafe discover that softness, and he was the only one who could access it.

Rafe's abandonment from his father caused strains on his mental state. A lifetime of fighting for his father's praise, competing for his love - well, that left very little time for a childhood or any way to relax. Barry saw it before Rafe even knew it happened. When Rafe reaches his breaking point and emotions spill from his eyes, that's when Barry can see his mind drifting away; it's a clear switch of mindsets, of headspaces, that Barry recognized well. Something he has used for leverage in many deals, and he could use said leverage to control Rafe.

The first time it ever happened, Rafe was terrified. He couldn't understand what had changed; one second he was freaking out with frustration tears flowing down his cheeks and a heat in his chest, and the next he was being shushed on the drug dealer's shoulder, soaking his shirt with sobs.

Rafe had never let himself be so weak in front of anyone before, not since that last time in kindergarten when he cried on his father's shoulder. He didn't understand what was different either, he didn't feel the switch in his brain - and if he did, he didn't understand it. All he knew was suddenly, he was encapsulated in a warm embrace much like the one he daydreamed about for many years and he had a distinct warm, calming feeling in his chest. His mind was quiet, and things were peaceful until he woke up the next morning and lost his shit again.

Things only became routine when Barry threatened him. When Barry turned him in because he was trying to be resilient against whatever mind games were being played on him, but Rafe learned his lesson. Barry was in control and he had proved that, and when he returned to the Outer Banks, Rafe came back to him like a kicked puppy with his tail between his legs.

Since that day, Barry has felt like a god; he held the remote to control Rafe Cameron, the rich and completely mentally unstable young man with a bad temper and a quick impulse to shoot a gun. Every time he visited Barry, he was freaking out. And every time he was freaking out, Barry did the same thing he did that night before he turned him in: Barry held him and let him cry into his shoulder, he whispered soft things into his ear and Rafe's mind melted away. Rafe would hug Barry tight and embrace himself in having at least one person he felt he could hold onto.

And then Barry would let him sleep in his trailer, he would share his bed and let Rafe lay with his head on his chest. Rafe didn't talk much when he felt like this, but Barry made up for it. He talked nonsense and told him stories Rafe would forget when he woke up in the morning. Rafe would never admit that he enjoyed the relaxation this weird situation brought him, but every morning after, when he was snapped out of his little daze and back into reality, he was always scared and furious. He always felt out of control of his own body and he usually had to break something to feel better.

Rafe felt the familiar fog in his chest starting to well up as he avoided Barry's gaze. He had never felt that way when Barry was angry before; he had only ever fallen into that mindset when Barry was hugging him or saying nicer things. Rafe didn't know what to make of himself, mostly because he didn't trust his mouth to say what his brain wanted it to and partly because he was afraid Barry would hurt him.

  "Are you even listening? Nah nah, don't be starting that baby shit with me, Country Club. Get the hell out of here, man!" Barry shoved Rafe away from his trailer by his chest.

Rafe stumbled, glancing at Barry with a dull and blank look of confusion and highness, but layers of sadness and guilt hid underneath. He could hear Barry shouting as he stumbled away, although he couldn't make out what he was yelling; he was far too busy watching his own far away feet to notice. He felt like he was drunk, his vision blurring and his mind not comprehending right. Rafe didn't know where to go, either. He couldn't walk back to Tannyhill from Barry's, it was much too far. And he didn't really know anybody who lived on the cut.

Rafe started thinking about the things Barry used to talk about when he felt like this. He mumbled to himself about sea animals and the beach, making up little stories as he stumbled along in a childish attempt to keep himself awake and on his feet. Sooner or later, the kook found himself walking up the driveway of the pogues' chauteu, ready to fall over his own feet or fall asleep standing up.

If Rafe was in his normal mindset, he would have never risked going to the pogues with everything going on, but with that fuzzy feeling in his chest and the cloudiness in his head, he found nothing wrong with it. It was Kiara who opened the door after he stumbled up the steps and knocked on the door. Her face dropped into a scowl once she saw him. Rafe flinched and angled his eyes down, something normal Rafe would never do.

"What the hell are you doing here, Rafe?" Kiara hissed. Rafe saw JJ come up behind her with the same scowl on his face.

"I- I didn't know where to go." Rafe stuttered, suddenly very aware of the way his words slurred and how his tone was higher than usual.

Rafe refused to watch either of their faces, but he took the silence as his response; he was not welcomed there, just as he should have assumed. The oldest started to back himself up, still refusing to make eye contact. How could he have expected anything more? After everything he'd done to them he deserved a rightful beating, too.

   "Wait," Kiara blurted just as Rafe had turned to step off the steps. Rafe hesitated to turn back around, but he did just in time to watch JJ punch her in the arm. He looked confused. Rafe didn't blame him. Rafe hated himself too.

   She too hesitated before continuing, "This isn't normal, so please inform us on what the fuck is going on."

   Rafe flinched a little. He didn't know why. He hated how out of his mind he felt. It was like he was high without the bliss, he couldn't function but instead of enjoying it he felt vulnerable and useless. And very tired. "I-"

    JJ looked fed up with his stuttering. He pushed past Kiara, despite her protests, stomping over until he reached Rafe. He then didn't hesitate to shove him with great force down the chauteua's stairs. "That's for messing with us. Now get yourself off of our side of the island."

   JJ wasn't a mean boy, but he protected what little he had and Rafe knew that. He respected it, deep down. He just never showed it and that led to actions that disrespected JJ. Rafe hated everything he'd done. He hated that he helped his father steal the gold, he hated that he stole the cross from Pope, he hated everything he ever did to hurt anyone. Rafe didn't know why he did the thing he did. He wishes he could change.

  Rafe didn't move from the dirt at the bottom of the chateau steps, shaking from his position on his hands and knees on the soggy ground. Wet earth smushed in between his fingers and made him feel real gross on top of everything else. Rafe felt his lip begin to quiver and his breathing grow rapid, and even as much as he tried to hold back the fuzzy feeling in his head, he caved. The blond boy fell forward onto his elbows in the mud, salty tears beginning to slip down his cheeks. He pressed his forehead into the mud, heaving as the floodgates opened and he was left a sobbing mess.

  Rafe just couldn't help it. He hated himself so thoroughly that he might actually do something to himself if he wasn't so afraid. He felt so lost and alone, he had nobody to go to and he didn't even understand what was going on with his body. He felt used and manipulated by everyone, he felt abandoned by his father and like a useless toy of Barry's. Still, he missed them both. As he cried in the mud Rafe wished his dad was next to him, rubbing his back and telling him, "You're a good boy, Rafe. A good boy." He wished he was in Barry's arms instead of on the ground by himself. He even wished Barry was making fun of him for being such a baby, because even negative attention would be some attention.

  Rafe was choking on his saliva and sucking in oxygen roughly and desperately when he felt two grounding hands being placed on his shoulders. He panicked initially, flinching away and diving his face into the mud even more. When the hands didn't move or hurt him any further, he subconsciously dropped his defenses and leaned into the contact. The hands pulled his upper body over and Rafe didn't resist. He still had his eyes closed when the hands placed his head on a warm lap, crying harder with the thought that he might never feel such loving gestures again - he  didn't have anyone who loved him so kindly, and he didn't even know who these hands belonged to. Rafe dropped his butt from its nearly downward dog position, flopping into the mud entirely out of pure exhaustion. He was just so, so tired. So sad and so tired.

  Rafe slowly calmed himself as he felt the mystery hands run themselves through his hair and over his neck in rhythmic motions. They were so gentle and so kind, Rafe questioned who would treat a monster like himself with so much love and care, even if it was just for a moment. As his breathing slowed and the waterworks died down, Rafe came to his senses enough to hear that whoever the hands belonged to was humming softly to him. It wasn't a tune he recognized, but that made it even more comforting.

   Shamefully, Rafe opened his eyes and lifted his red face from the lap that he had properly soaked with his tears. He felt guilty just for that. Looking up, Rafe was met with concerned eyes belonging to none other than Kiara Carrera. "Rafe? Can you hear me?"

  Rafe heard her, but he was terrified. He didn't know how to respond. Glancing over, he was met with the wide eyes of none other than JJ, John B, Pope, and his own sister. He was mortified.

  "Rafe?" Kiara, while in no way liking the other male, couldn't help but be concerned when he collapsed in a full meltdown after being pushed; Kiara had seen him function fine in far worse fights than that. Rafe didn't seem right, and although he never truly did, she knew Rafe enough to know that this was not what normal out of his mind Rafe was like. No, this was very different.

  Rafe shifted his eyes down and nodded, closing his fingers together in his lap. Kiara was just glad for some acknowledgment that he had heard her. She sighed lightly.

  "Okay, good. Can you help me understand what's going on?" Kiara asked kindly. She didn't intentionally start speaking to Rafe like he was a scared child, but when he wasn't answering her, she didn't know how else to talk to him.

   Rafe wasn't sure how to explain what he felt. He felt like he was broken and this wasn't a normal thing to feel. Without looking up, Rafe spoke quietly. "Fuzzy."

  Kiara scrunched her eyebrows together. "Fuzzy? You feel fuzzy?"

  Rafe nodded and then paused. Even quieter this time, he spoke again. "Broken."

  Without a second thought, Sarah intervened. No matter how much Rafe did to hurt her, she couldn't watch her own brother sit in the mud any longer. "Hey, Kiara? Why don't you bring him in to change."

  Kiara sent Sarah a grateful smile. John B, JJ, and Pope made no effort to help, but they separated off to the side to give the girls a clear path into the chateau. Carefully, Kiara stood herself up, extending her hands back down for Rafe to grab onto. Hesitantly, Rafe did just that, He grasped Kiara's hands clumsily, using them to support himself on wobbly legs as he stood. It took a lot of supporting from Kiara and a lot of focus from Rafe to make it up the stairs.

   Pope and John B seemed very neutral; they were neither helping not being ignorant to Rafe. JJ, on the other hand, still sent nasty glares towards him. Rafe physically flinched away from JJ on his way through the door, stumbling into Kiara and almost making them both fall.

  "It's okay," Kiara spoke kindly. "he just doesn't understand that sometimes people aren't what they seem."

  Rafe had merely nodded, but her words meant a lot. He wanted to hug her, but he didn't think she would like it and he didn't want to make her muddier.

Sarah led them both into what Rafe assumed was John B's bedroom. Most of the items in there seemed like they would belong to him and some of Sarah's stuff mixed in with it. Sarah passed Rafe a towel, which he held in his right hand while he shivered. The blond girl then went from drawer to drawer in the dressers, pulling out some shorts and a shirt she thought would fit her skinnier older brother. He was much lankier than John B, but she figured it would just have to do.

"Here you go," Sarah passed Rafe the clothing. "the bathroom is the next room to the right, you're welcome to clean up in there if you would like."

Once again, Rafe adverted his eyes back down to the ground with a slight nod. He then shuffled slowly out of the room and the girls waited until they heard the bathroom door click to move or do anything.

Kiara turned to Sarah. "Have you ever seen him like that before? I mean I know he tried to drown you and all, but something really seems to be up there. "

Sarah nodded. "No, I completely agree. Something's up, and if we want to be even average human beings and try to sort things out, the boys have to be on board."

"Let me handle them." Kiara made a finger gesture to the kitchen.

Sarah smiled fondly and copied her gesture, directing hers towards the bathroom. "And I'll check up on him."

Sarah approached the bathroom door, gently pressing her ear against it for any signs of her older brother still getting himself cleaned up. She was met with silence. Drawing her eyebrows together, she knocked lightly and spoke up. "Hey, Rafe? Are you okay in there?"

On the other side of the door, silent tears slipped down the dirty blond boy's face as he struggled to unbutton his khaki pants. He knew how to unbutton them, he did it every day! So why couldn't he do it now? Rafe let out a frustrated whine as he yanked on the pants to no avail.

Sarah heard the small whine, knocking on the door again. "Rafe, are you okay? Do you need help?"

Rafe sniffled loudly and nodded his head, despite knowing his sister couldn't see him. "Help."

Sarah opened the bathroom door as soon as she heard his small voice, nearly melting at the sight of her older brother clad in just his ruined khakis and his socks with tear tracks down his cheeks and a pout evident on his face. She wasn't sure where this soft spot had came from, but she was pretty sure this is how she remembered Rafe before their father created a drift between them. It strangely made her happy to remember him this way. "Oh, Rafe."

Sarah watched his bottom lip quiver as he adverted his eyes to the ground. "It's okay, buddy. I can help you."

And she did just that, quickly unbuckling his pants for him and allowing him to do the rest. She gave him as much privacy as she could, turning around to grab the new pair of shorts for him, only needing to help him further with buckling those properly. John B's surf shirt somehow managed to still be a bit short on Rafe but also hugely baggy around his shoulders. Sarah giggled about it to herself, finding it funny how two boys of the same height could vary so much.

Rafe was getting very, very tired. At this time of night when he felt this way, he would normally be reading bedtime stories in Barry's camper, all curled up into his side. He let out a yawn. Sarah led Rafe back to the main area of the chateau, where the rest of the pogues were spread out along the floor or the couches. Rafe shuffled his feet as he watched all of their eyes shift to him, feeling guilty and insecure with himself all over again. Kiara elbowed John B, and he awkwardly spoke up. "You can sit over here if you want to."

Rafe looked to Sarah, seemingly asking her to confirm he was being genuine. She smiled and nodded, ushering him forward to sit on John B's right. Sarah took her seat on the couch on the other side of her brother, with Kiara by her feet. JJ and Pope were sat on the other side of John B. Lamps illuminated the space and allowed for a golden glow, the TV quietly playing the news in the background. JJ and Pope were talking amongst themselves about something Rafe couldn't bring himself to find interest in, and Sarah and Kiara did the same. John B was kicked back in his seat with his feet propped up on the coffee table and his arms folded behind his head. His eyes were closed and Rafe studied his face. He thought he looked pretty funny.

Hesitantly but curiously, with a childish hue clouding his brain, Rafe lifted up his fingers and touched John B on his nose. When the other boy's eyes opened in confusion, Rafe leaned back and erupted in a fit of giggles. Despite his better judgment, John B felt himself smiling, too.

"What, is that funny?"John B asked Rafe, a chuckle of his own escaping his lips.

Rafe smiled proudly and nodded. "Funny."

Pausing to watch Rafe for a second, John B could've sworn he had seen these very same mannerisms before. The same giggles and simple happiness that shone through Rafe's eyes; John B knew he had seen them through someone else's, he just couldn't figure out who's. Then, it hit him.

"Hey, JJ?" John B shifted his attention to his blond best friend. Rafe still watched John B intently, like a bored small child.

"What's up, B?" JJ replied, shifting his baby blue eyes from Pope to John B.

John B sighed, "Do you remember that time your cousin was being manipulated by his old dealer? Years ago, before he started his own operation?"

JJ immediately nodded. "Yeah, the dude like, controlled his head. He could shift his headspaces pretty much with a snap of his fingers. It was fucked."

John B raised his eyebrows and looked over at Sarah and Kiara, who seemed to be brought to attention like John B himself was. "Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?"

Sarah nodded slightly. "He does buy from that Barry douche. But JJ, how did your cousin act? Rafe seems to be acting like he did when we were younger, as far as I can remember, anyway. "

"Yeah, my cousin did too. It was just like he was a little kid again, and he couldn't come out of it willingly. I don't remember how he got over it, but maybe he never did." JJ put the pieces together in his head, too. It made sense; most of the dealers on this island were all the same, with the same mind games and tricks that they would use to both protect their operations and keep them running. Since Rafe was undeniably hooked on cocaine, it seemed almost certain that what side of him they were seeing was triggered by Barry.

As the others continued to chime in around him, Rafe grew very tired of having no attention. He was trying to be patient, he really was! But it was hard; he was tired and bored and starting to get hungry. Rafe brought his legs up in a crisscross on the couch, shifting around to face his younger sister. Gently, he tugged on her hoodie sleeve and started to fiddle with it between his fingers. Sarah smiled at him, bringing her other hand up to his hair. She rubbed gentle circles in his short hair, and he relished in the feeling by leaning into her touch.

"Well," JJ spoke up. "I would say we have our best bet on what happened, and the only thing left for us to do is keep him comfortable."

"What do you think, brother? You want to crash here for the night?" Sarah asked Rafe, ruffling her hair.

Rafe smiled brightly and nodded with enthusiasm. "Food?"

Kiara giggled. "Yes buddy, we can find some food."

[wubudubu123]

"I thought about this before" bsf!Rafe x kook!reader part two

here's part one and part three, part four

a/n: hey guys I decided to do a part two of my last story lmk if you like it

warnings: curse words

words count: 842

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

My phone rang unexpectedly. I picked it up and saw that it was Sarah. It had been two days since the party, and I hadn’t heard from any of the Camerons.

"Hey Sarah, what’s up?" I answered.

"Hey girl, I’m sorry to call you, but I wanted to ask if you’ve seen Rafe lately. I can’t seem to find him anywhere. Maybe he’s at yours?"

I was shocked by what I heard. Did Rafe run away? "No, sorry, he hasn’t contacted me in the last two days. I’ll try to find him," I said.

"Thank you, y/n. It means so much to me. You know, with Ward gone, he’s unpredictable," she replied, her worry clear in her voice. I knew their relationship wasn’t perfect—they had always had a troublesome dynamic.

"No problem. I’ll keep you posted," I reassured her, ending the call. Immediately, I tried calling Rafe.

"Hi, you’ve reached Rafe Cameron. I can’t talk right now. Leave a message," his voicemail greeted me, followed by a loud beep. Frustrated, I decided to drive to Barry’s place—maybe he’d know where Rafe was.

Twenty minutes later, I parked my 2022 Porsche 718 outside Barry’s trailer. Stepping out, I closed the door and walked up to knock. After a minute, the door creaked open.

"Oh shit, look who the fuck showed up at my humble doorstep. What’s good, y/n?" Barry greeted me, his eyes scanning me up and down.

"Hey, is Rafe here?" I asked directly, not in the mood for his games.

"Hell yeah. Yo, Country Club! Look who’s here!" he shouted, and Rafe appeared almost instantly, stepping outside and closing the door behind him.

"Y/n, what’re you doing here?" he asked, looking surprised to see me.

"What I’m doing here?! What the hell are you doing here? Your sister called me—she said she can’t get a hold of you. Why are you ignoring her and me?" His attitude pissed me off, and I found myself yelling at him.

Rafe raised his hands in surrender, trying to calm me down. "Listen, I needed to get away from everything. I’m sorry I didn’t pick up. When I woke up after the party, I didn’t remember anything and decided I needed to get clean for a while. Tannyhill was stressing me out too much."

"And you thought a dealer’s place was the best place to crash? Jesus, Rafe, you could’ve let me know." I rubbed my forehead, trying to think. He stood there, looking at me apologetically.

"So wait, you don’t remember anything? Like during the party or… anything at all?" I asked cautiously, trying to figure out if he remembered our kiss.

"I mean, I remember being mad and throwing a party, and then I fucking blacked out. That’s all," he admitted. I didn’t know how to feel. Should I be relieved? I knew he was drunk when he kissed me, but a part of me wished he would do it again. The pit in my stomach grew heavier.

"Alright, well, I’m glad you’re okay. Don’t scare me like that again. I’ll let Sarah know," I said and turned to head back to my car.

"Wait, y/n! Can you drop me off at home? I don’t have my car here," he called out.

"Sure, get in," I replied, unlocking the door. A short while later, we were driving to Tannyhill in silence.

Rafe broke it first. "Why were you asking if I remember anything? Did something happen?" he asked, looking at me with curiosity.

I froze, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. "I mean, nothing of much significance. I just got you to bed and made sure everyone left shortly after that," I lied, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Oh shit, really? Hahaha, I wouldn’t know," he chuckled, clearly not remembering a thing. I prayed he wouldn’t ask me more questions.

I dropped him off, and the rest of my drive home was spent in blissful silence. Only my thoughts interrupted it.

Why was I thinking about him differently now? It was just a meaningless, drunken kiss. He’s just my friend. That’s all. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling. How much longer could I keep lying to myself?

a/n: should I make a mood board for this🤭

[umathurwin]

is there anything you would tweak in canonically to make a slow burn riara endgame make more sense

wym is the evidence not compelling enough??

jk i think above all, we just needed more context. we have all these bits and pieces of longing stares, palpable tension when they’re alone, an unquestionable bad history, and none of this is given any explanation or background!

we’re missing so much information for them that leaves the duo too up for audience interpretation. did they grow up together on figure 8? did they even speak while she was friends with sarah? i’ve opined before that i think they dated— if i grit my teeth and pretend they didn’t, why on earth does she hate him so much in s1? can i be confident any of this is gonna be addressed in s5 while they’re “exploring their relationship”? lol

it’s just amusing because it’s currently a really compelling arc that’s entirely missing the first 3rd. we jump in and they hate each other— they have opposing values and objectives, and his spiraling behavior drives them apart, but this is temporary. they work together, they compromise and learn to trust each other. (the villa scene in barbados is crazy and people don’t talk about it enough; rafe opening up to say he doesn’t want to be violent with the people he loves but he feels pushed to do so? um, i’m sorry? when the fuck did rafe ever open up like that with ANYONE ELSE? not even barry! especially not s—)

and that context has to be explicit if i want the fanbase to agree. i think the people who don’t like this ship assume there is nothing more to their dynamic. just absorbing what’s directly on-screen, not acknowledging subtext or inferring things based on canon. i’ve always taken a more symbolic, metaphorical route of media consumption so i don’t end up all “b-b-but he tried to choke her in s1!!!”. as always in english class, no one here is right or wrong, obviously, but this hyper-literal way of engaging with the show is so exhausting imo

[rotting-inkblot]

Surprise Hire

Pairing(s): Barry/Rafe Cameron

Summary: Rafe decides to explore new feelings, that may be developing for a certain dealer, without risk of ruining a friendship by hiring at a different agency than he’s used to from the cut, but is instead confronted with a friendly face.

Warnings: Smut, daddy kink, power imbalance, mildly dubious consent? like very mild, light blackmailing (not for sex just for extra money), implied internalised homophobia.

Additional Tags: Sex worker! Barry, prostitution, surprise meeting, rough sex, rough oral sex, fight for dominance, dom/sub, power play, power dynamics, anal sex, gentleness, tenderness, hand jobs, size kink, first time blow jobs, blow jobs in a car, teasing, scent/musk kink, top/sub! Rafe Cameron, bottom/dom! Barry, Rafe Cameron is bad at feelings, body worship, boot worship, scars, praise kink, uniform kink kinda?, clothing kink, hair-pulling, hair kink, body hair, anal fingering, sexual inexperience, Rafe Cameron's first time with a man, simultaneous orgasm, multiple orgasms, cum swallowing, sweat, post-coital cuddling, sleepy cuddles, naked cuddling, subspace, almost kiss, forehead kisses, neck kissing, surprise kissing and laughter during sex.

9.1k words / oneshot

"Yeah- uh- I’d like to hire a, uh… a service." Rafe paces as he holds his phone to his ear, pressing his lips together anxiously as soon as he doesn’t have to speak. It’s not the first time he’s hired someone for sex, not by a long shot. It was never about not being able to ‘get it for free’ as he thought of it, more about the power of it. This time was completely different though, or at least felt so. The first time talking to this agency, first time where he’d go to them rather than them coming to him, first time hiring for anything other than the power, and most importantly, at least to him, first time asking for a man.

[wintfleur]

okay im already so in love with rosa like, i feel truly connected to her! I’d love to read more about her dynamic with her obx fam and her character, filming memories, and like… does she have a little crush on drew starkey?

𝓻oro's note. oh I’m so happy to hear that !! rosa is so dear to me <3

rosa has a great relationship with the whole cast !! since she is one of the youngest people on the cast she is a little babied by the rest of the cast, teasingly and affectionately. she is talked about very fondly by everyone and she’s definitely a mood maker, her sweet and funny personality makes everyone feel better !!

there are a lot of times where people have called her their battery, that they can go to her whenever they are tired and that she’s always there to cheer them up! a lot of pictures and videos of her cast mates clinging to her in behind the scenes

I’d say she is definitely the closest to Jonathan, Madelyn and Drew !! but like I said she has a great relationship with everyone !! She has said that she has 3 people she loves filming scenes with the most, Drew and Nick (barry’s actor) and of course her bestie Jonathan !!

her character is Emma Routledge and she is the twin sister of John b, technically his younger sister since he’s older! her character is known as the ‘pogue princess’ and she’s a very charming person, having connections with a lot of people, is known to be a smooth talker and can get out of tricky situations, her character is the closest with pope!! and has a kinda friendship with Barry in the beginning? she doesn’t have a love interest, but most of the obx fans ship her with rafe because they always have so much tension between each other and she’s the only pogue he has a ‘soft spot’ for!!

honestly rosa had a small crush on drew, and that’s mostly because her character Emma has a crush on rafe, but things between her and drew are strictly platonic!! They have a very close friendship and are always doing interviews and pr together !!

[half-a-brain-cell]

Posting my obx season 3 thoughts that have been sitting in my drafts for ages just bc season 4 is here lol

- jjpope arguing about going into the elevator shaft and then being like ok we go at the same time? Chaos boyfriends (I will always be a jjpope truther sorrayyy and i hate every single jiara moment wow they are chaos siblings ok)

- Pope immediately asking JJ what to do when things go sideways?? Like he knows?? Bro 😭😭😭

- The convo between pope and jj after pope almost caught jj and kie kissing........istg it sounds like pope is jealous of kie getting to kiss jj you can't change my mind

- I feel like ppl are quick to be like oh rafe has chemistry with kie or barry but i feel like drew starkey just plays rafe as a very intense character (which he is) and that's that; also the buzz cut 🥰 curtain bangs rafe you will always be famous tho

- kiara is such a queen (mean lesbian who cares about the environment) and she is SO pretty i wish they would give her better writing

- Big John is annoying ngl

- Sarah telling Topper "you're just such a giver" has me cackling

- Pope going along with JJs plans (no matter how insane they are) 🤧

- Pope hugging JJ immediately after they find out he's alive 🥹🥹🥹

- "i love you dude" b y e

- cleo x pope are actually cute tho!! I love how she is welcomed into his family!!!!!

- jj telling pope i just want you to be there 🩷

- obsessed with jjs and john bs dynamic.....not a single brain cell in sight, reminds me of the "gig economy" scene in season 1 (or 2?) - speaking of, - Sarah has the brain cell in her and john bs relationship my god he's just vibing

- I would never find el dorado bc i wouldn't dive through that fucking cave are you kidding me that looks HORRIBLE

[7-deadly-cats]

“Miss Fancy Boots actually dropped by earlier,” Barry added. “Had her little mutt with her too.” He made a cupping motion in front of his chest, smiling all big. “Top barely holding on for dear life. Wouldn’t even tell me which backwood shack she was visiting.”

just some no-context snippet from KMS 16 lmao

literally so excited and anxious about this part bc reader and rafe's dynamic will shift again