where sofia santiago, a prolific lawyerās, life suddenly becomes untwined when she meets her daughterās teacher. what starts off as vitriolic leads to unexpected romance and drama ā two things neither one of them anticipated.
CONTENT WARNINGS;
angst, explicit language, mentions of single-parent household, enemies-to-lovers (kind of), eventual smut/romance, mutual pining, unresolved tension, avoidance of feelings, feelings denial, feelings realizations, kissing, hurt/comfort. [more tags to be added]
twenty eight. single mother. lawyer. part-time artist. shows disinterest in rafe upon their first interaction. reluctant on dating again much to her sisterās insistence.
RAFE
thirty. single. first grade english teacher. part-time photographer. currently dating around, but hasnāt found anyone interesting enough to settle down with.
Authorās note: this is like my third blog and I promised myself I wasnāt going to write any Rafia stuff here. Butā¦ Iām listening to Oliviaās new album on my cd player and this idea hit me. This is sincerelypetal.. if anyone remembers me lol.
Iām a sad shell of a woman and Iāve got maggots for brains
But thatās just what happens when my
Baby goes away
Sofia downs another beer, some of it slushing the sides of her mouth. It burns the back of her throat, but she was hoping for the sting. Needed something to distract her, and the cheap beer was doing somewhat that. Her purse hits her gently on her arm, she ignores it.
This was never her crowd, she was never one to be found here, lounging around with people she hardly spoke to. Drinking disgusting beer and laughing at jokes she didnāt actually find funny. But lately, she found sheād been ripped by the seams.
Old Sofia wouldnāt be here. This new her, despite not knowing why she was in the boneyard, was here to findā¦ something. She was even dressed like everyone else today. Short shorts with a tight halter top. Her sandals the only thing she kept the same.
āSofia?ā
She doesnāt turn, just bends down to grab another beer from the cooler. Handing over her last few dollars to the Kook selling it.
āRafe wouldnāt like this.ā
Her eyes closed, her lips stretching into a thin line. She finally leveled her eyes to Topper, who annoyingly has a worried look on his face. Here he goes, wanting to be some kind of hero to someone who doesnāt want him to be. She hugs the beer close to her chest.
āHeās not here, is he?ā She tastes the venom in her voice, her heart tells a different story. One of aching harrowing pain.
She feels the wind tousle her hair, doesnāt bother to push it off her face. Glad it obscures Topperās face, she doesnāt want to see him either.
āBut I am. And I know he wouldnāt want me to leave youā¦ like this.ā
Her face scrunches up in annoyance, who the hell did he think he was? She could take care of herself just fine. It was only two beers.
āAnd from the looks of it. It seems you came alone. Which means you drove here alone.ā
āSeems like youāre being observant.ā This time her voice falls flat on venom.
āLook, I can take you homeāā
āI didnāt ask you too.ā
āRafeāā
She drops her beer; both. Feels the liquid spill against her sandals.
āRafe isnāt here, Topper! I donāt need you to babysit me! He doesnāt care what the hell happens to me! So why should you?ā
The unused resentment spills out of her, she isnāt even drunk, sheās just angry. Topper mouth opens like a fish out of water and she wants to laugh. He must have thought she was going to make it easier for him. That she wouldnāt push back. But fuck it, new Sofia does.
āHe wouldnāt want you here. Look, I donāt know what happened between you. But I know he careāā
Sofia lets out an ugly scoff, she crosses her arms, head shaking.
āHe didnāt even like you.ā Sofia says, her eyes narrowing at him. āHe thought you were hung up on his sister and it made you pathetic. He thought you were the worst kind of Kook.ā
āOkay.ā Topper says, blinking rapidly, his brows furrowing into confusion, his hands in front of him like heās actually trying to process it. Like it hadnāt been so obvious.
āYouāre just upset.ā
āSure.ā
āAnd youāre saying mean things so Iāll leave you alone.ā
She doesnāt bother refuting, heās clearly not used to the idea of someone he considers like him, not liking him.
āBut look, this isnāt your kind of scene Sofia. And I wouldnāt want something bad happening to you. Itāll just kill Rafe.ā
Each time his name slips out of Toppers mouth, just feels like another jab to her heart. Itās all her fault anyway, sheād ruin it, crushed it beneath her toe. His icy blue eyes flashes in her head and she winces.
āHe cares. So let me just take you home.ā
āWhat if it is?ā
āHuh?ā
She gesticulates around her, at the boneyard, at the people dancing and getting drunk. People giggling at jokes they probably didnāt truly find funny around the bonfire, the fire cracking, turning to ash.
āThis. What if this is me now? Who are you to tell me this isnāt my kind of scene?ā
āSofiaāā
āWhatever, take me home. Doesnāt make a real difference.ā
She sits in the back seat of Topperās bmw, staring out the window, tears flowing down her face. The music covering up the little hiccups that escape her lips. The ac is on full blast, if Rafe had been here, he would have known she didnāt like it that way. He would have known, she feels the phantom touch of his thumb rubbing circles against her thigh.
Maybe theyād been some truth to Topperās words. Maybe Rafe did care.
His words echo in her head again.
āJust because we hook up doesnāt mean sheās my girlfriend, okay.ā
She remembers the way his words slurred but he had still said them. No matter what she wanted to believe, Rafe still didnāt see her as someone who he could see himself with.
But he had proposed.
It all felt so contradictory, she wiped her eyes, hoping Topper hadnāt seen. The last thing she needs is him running to tell Rafe. How he found her at the boneyard, trying to get drunk. āShe looked heartbroken dude.ā With his stupid frat boy voice of his. She places her hands in her lap, staring at them, she could only forgive so much. Could only excuse so much. Could only conclude, Rafe didnāt really care.
God, she really wished she could change everything. Had stopped herself from hearing what he had said. She wouldnāt have lost him and therefore wouldnāt have lost a part of herself. The naive part of her who believed they could have worked out.
āUhā¦ weāre here.ā
Sofia glances up, her rickety old house, the juxtaposition of her sitting in Toppers expensive car. She bursts into a fit of laughter, her shoulders shaking, tears springing out of her eyes. She probably looked crazy from the inside looking in. But the whole thing felt like a weird fever dream she was going to wake up from. How weird was it that Topper was the one who found her. She couldnāt help but let out another shriek of laughter.
āI know break ups are hard. Especially with someone like Rafe. Butāā
āThanks Topper for driving me home. But I donāt need any advice.ā
She opens the car door, slamming it shut, not bothering to say anything more to him. She digs around her purse, retrieving her keys and entering her house. She only hears the engine of his car before he drives away.
Sheās pathetic, thatās probably how everyone sees her now. A naive girl fed a dream. So naive that she even quit a ādecentā job for a man who wasnāt reliable. The townās piranha, but if they really knew Rafe, they would know he really didnāt bite.
The most he could do was sting. Deep down, she knew he didnāt even know why he did. Everything he did was a reaction from what others did to him. Not because he really felt inclined to it. There was no real danger. Just a scared little boy wanting to throw the first punch so he didnāt look like a coward.
But he was.
She slipped back into her room, jumping straight onto her bed, burying her face into the sheets. She wanted this night to be over with already.
Rafe
Rafe
Rafe
Rafe
Thatās how many times Topper had said Rafeās name. Too many times. She felt as if he was stitching his name into her brain, so she didnāt forget him. So she could see that no matter how much she thought she was finally getting over him. Rafe was still worming his way into her, even if it wasnāt for love.
She closed her eyes, praying sleep dragged her under.
When do we think OBX fans will realise Lilah and Jonas unfollowed Elaine & Rudy when Elaine started posting more pro-Palestine content.
She wasnāt fired, otherwise Netflix wouldnāt have hired her for another shoot the month after.
Itās wild to me that fans will insist that theyāre some horrible people, while Madelyn will make the unfollowing public, proudly work with known abusers like Johnny Depp, and works with producers who are very pro Israel and pro-Trump (Josh Pate).
So much of it came down to politics and Rudy being able to take an actual stand, rather than shrug and ignore it.
uhhh..okay? lmao idk what prompted you to come in my ask about it this butā¦.. i donāt know anything about what elaine posts/posted š so i canāt speak on that. and as i said in a previous post most of the cast IS problematic madelyn included so i understand the hypocrisy there but everything else š¤·š½āāļø
Are you still going to post your Sofia and Rafe fic after the things Fiona has done?
yes. i wasnāt aware of what she did until i got on here because i donāt follow any of the cast, but personally iām able to separate actor from character. (iāve learned that most of the cast is problematic as are most celebrities which doesnāt excuse anything but itās an unfortunate reality.) so for me to enjoy my shows/movies i do this. some people arenāt able to and thatās perfectly fine. i did see that she apologized which she shouldāve. but yes, my stories arenāt stopping because of her. and if some are, itās a loss but itās their choice and i respect it.
WHAT IF... after hearing what Rafe thinks of her and their relationship Sofia blocks him from everywhere.
The words echoed in her head like a ticking clock.
Just because we hook up doesnāt mean sheās my girlfriend.
Iām not living with a Pogue ā I have standards.
It felt unreal. A nightmare. There was no way the man she loved could speak so carelessly about their relationship, like it meant nothing. Like she meant nothing.
Ragged tears blurred her vision, and all she could see was the back of his head. That was enough. She turned on her heel and walked away.
Right there āin the clubās parking lot, heart pounding and pride in shamblesā she made a decision: for once, she was going to put herself first.
She had gone against everything she believed in just to be with him. She had stood by him at his worst, held him when he was broken, made love to him like he was the only thing that mattered.
Even when people whispered rumors, warned her, judged her ā she didnāt care.
She just wanted him.
And when she fell, she fell hard.
She loved every part of him ā even the ones he hated.
But now? Now, she chose herself.
She refused to be a secret. Someone to be ashamed of. She deserved more ā and she finally saw it.
Pulling out her phone from her back pocket, she didnāt have to search for his name ā he was pinned at the top.
She blocked him.
Then opened his profile on social media and blocked him there too.
Turned off her location.
And without looking back, she drove away from the club ā away from him.
Rafe was furious ā at himself, at Topper, at Ruthie. At the world for making him say what he didnāt mean.
Sofia wasnāt supposed to hear that. It was all bullshit, and he regretted it the moment the words left his mouth.
But she wasnāt supposed to be there.
Why the hell was she there? She said she was spending the day with her family. Why did she have to hear him?
Now, he felt numb.
One more thing he ruined.
One more person he let down.
She was never just a hookup. God, no. She was so much more ā she always had been. They didnāt need a label; he knew she was his girlfriend. They acted like it every damn day. And he loved her. He had never felt this way before. He looked for her in every room, breathed easier just knowing she was near.
āSofia, please ā let me explain.ā
He caught up to her in the clubās parking lot, heart pounding.
āI donāt want to hear you.ā Her voice cut like glass. āIām done hearing you.ā
She pushed past him, yanked open the driverās door. Just as she climbed in, he grabbed the edge before she could shut it.
āThey were being judgmental. I hated the way they were talking about you ā thatās why I said it. I didnāt mean it.ā
She let out a bitter, humorless laugh. āAnd you think thatās better?ā
āNo, of course not. It was horrible. I know that. Iām sorry. Please, baby ā letās just forget this ever happened.ā
āIām not your baby.ā
The words hit him like a slap.
āIām sorry,ā he repeated, panic rising in his throat. Her eyes ā those eyes that once looked at him like he was the only person in the world ā now stared through him, empty.
āListen, Rafe,ā she said, steady but broken. āIāve stood up for you more times than I can count. Everyone has something to say about you, and none of itās good. But I still defended you. Because I loved you.ā Her voice cracked. āBut Iām done. Iām done with this game where Iām your therapist one minute and a warm body the next.ā
āPlease donāt leave me.ā
She shook her head, eyes glassy but resolute, and closed the door.
Then she drove off ā from the club, from the night, from him.
From the very place where heād broken her heartā¦ all over again.
Sometimes, givin' up is the strong thing
Sometimes, to run is the brave thing
Sometimes, walkin' out is the one thing
A/N: got the idea on a sleepless night and went for it hehe.
ooo. ššššššššā¦based on this request.
ooo. šššššš šššššā¦ itās been so long since iāve written for them omgggg i missed them so much. i usually donāt take requests from my comments but i really liked this one.;) also iām opening my requests againnnnn.
breathy moans falls off their lips, intermingling, caught between murmured gasps and soft keens. her pristine hands cradle his face, holding him with an unprecedented delicacy as she ground her hips against his ā slowly and torturously, allowing him to feel every inch of her lithe body. āfuckinā hell, sof,ā rafe murmurs, mind dizzying at the friction of their chafing pelvises. the thin shorts sheās wearing obliterates the barrier, allowing him to feel the moisture of her arousal passing through her underwear.
his hands slide down to the cupping of her ass, gripping her through her shorts, and pressing her down firmly until sheās perched directly on his bulging cock. he rolls his hips upward in a tease, letting the friction linger.
ār-rafe!ā she whimpers, her breath catching in the back of her throat. she slides down further on his lap, feeling his large dexterous hands guiding her in her maneuver.
āwanna try something different today, baby.ā he whispers, sliding his lips over her sternum and pressing soft kisses there. āi wanna feel you ride me instead,ā he says, pulling back from the embrace a bit to gauge his girlfriendās reaction. so far, through every sexual encounter theyāve had rafe has taken dominance.
unbeknownst to his knowledge, the reason was due to sofiaās lack of experience in knowing how to properly ride someone. all of her previous boyfriends always preferred to be on top, taking their pleasure in any way that they could. she assumed that rafe would be the same and wouldnāt question why she always hesitated and hurriedly slid underneath him every time they became intimate.
itās not like sheās worried about how he would react to her inexperience, because rafeās never been one to shame her or make her feel embarrassed/uncomfortable about anything, she was more so worried herself about not being good at it. rafe was always adamant on pleasuring her and she wanted to do the same for him, she just didnāt know how to do that.
sofia bit on her swollen lip, lowering her eyes to him a bit bashfully. āi donāt know how,ā she murmurs with a shrug, watching as rafeās eyes softened as he looked at her.
āiāll help you, yeah? i just wanna look at every inch of you while weāre making love,ā sofia flushes at rafeās words, leaning closer into his touch as he reaches a hand up and brushes it against her face.
āif iām bad at itā¦ā
rafe rolls his eyes, smiling softly at her. ājust trust me, okay? iāve got you, baby.ā she nods, mimicking rafeās soft smile as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his mouth.
āi trust you,ā
āgood,ā rafe surmises, holding her firmly by the hips as he scoots himself upward on the mattress until his headās laid against the pillow tucked behind him. he slides one hand between her thighs, teasingly brushing his thumb against her clothed cunt. his stare turns heady as he watches her in awe. āiām gonna get you warmed up before we start, okay?ā his voice decimates into a throaty whisper.
sofia whimpers as she nods, chasing after the pleasure. she feels the slick gathering in her underwear, dampening the gusset completely with her milky arousal. āthat feel good?ā her chest heaves as she flutters her eyes. she nods imperceptibly, prompting rafeās oscillating onslaught to heighten. he pulls at the flimsy pair of sleep shorts, tugging them aside until heās caught a view of her pussy.
he slips a finger in between her lips, gathering the residue of slick thatās there. āmmfuck.ā she groans, overwhelmed by the dexterity of his fingers and the lewd noises that follow. he smoothly slips in another finger, one fondles her clit while the other dragged up her vulva. ārafe!ā
āi know, baby. i know.ā his cock lurches in his briefs, tightening so hard that he could feel the blood swell directly to the tip. her sweetness drenched his fingers, leaving a sticky residue. he scissors his fingers and slides them against her walls again feeling her cunt flutter reflexively in response. āthatās it.ā
sofia whines as he withdraws his fingers to lick clean, already mourning the loss of contact. ātake off your clothes for me,ā with trembling fingers sofia begins to doff out of her clothing, tugging the fitted tank top over her head until heās got a perfect view of her perked breasts.
she slides off of his lap so that sheās able to rid herself out of her shorts and underwear until sheās left sitting there completely nude. āyouāre so pretty, baby.ā rafe compliments, his eyes never wavering from her as he shrugged out of his own clothing and discarded them absentmindedly somewhere onto his carpeted floors.
rafe sprawls himself out supine against the mattress, gesturing a hand towards her. ācāmere,ā sofiaās crawls herself over towards rafe, her wetness drags along his thigh as she adjusts her perch. barring her legs securely over his waist, she rests her hands on his chest as his hands find their way to her hips again.
āyou okay?ā he asks, caressing softly against the skin on her hips as he watched her.
she nods, āmhm.ā
āgood. alright, baby. lift yourself up a bit and hold on to the headboard for me.ā he instructs, loosening one of his handās grip on her waist as she briefly alleviates herself off of him. he reaches between his legs and grabs ahold of his cock; groaning at the sensitivity that shivers through him at the contact. sliding his hand from base-to-tip, he jerks himself off groaning through the pleasure until he hardens fully. when his cockās curled and painstakingly throbbing with rivulets of precum skeeting messily from the tip, he angles himself at her center. āo-okay, slowly lower yourself down onto my dick.ā
sofiaās fingers curl around the wooden material of the headboard as she nods. compliant to rafeās instructions, sofia arches her hips in a curve and ever so slowly began to fill her cunt fully of his cock. she whimpers, the pain of the intrusion stretches through her. āslower, baby,ā she bites her lip, blinking through the bleariness of her vision as she nods tersely.
she shifts her hips, then lowers her eyes to watch the penetration. she heeds rafeās forewarning and slows her maneuver, feeling air immediately catch in her throat when the tip of his dick catches at her entrance. her pussy quivers, immediately accommodating to his breach. āgood, good. justāfuck, like that.ā he nods encouragingly, licking his lips at the sight of his tip of cock nudged inside of her.
heās desperate to thrust upward and just hurriedly fill himself of her, but this was about her. so he squeezes his hands on her hips and prompts her to continue. ākeep going,ā with just the tip of him inside of her, she could still feel the girth of him swell and it has her whimpering softly. she levels her hips and continues, lowering painfully slow, taking him inside of her ā feeling every ridge and vein of his dick brushing against her walls and through her wetness.
she mewls out a sob, digging her fingers deeper into the headboard. the pain subsides and all she feels is the complete pleasure of his cock swollen inside of her. she whines high and loud when she buries him deep at her hilt; feeling the tip of him curl just past her cervix as she makes her perch on his lap again.
āay dios mio,ā tears stick wetly against her lashes, her lip trembles, body shakes at the penetration. heās always felt good inside of her but this position has her feeling everything, every curve, ridge and inch. itās overwhelming but gives her an unprecedented pleasure.
looking down, she looks at rafeās awestruck facial expression. his face is completely flushed, eyes are dilated and dazed, mouthās gaped, fingers are digging roughly into her skin already imprinting deep bruises. āfuck sof. you feel so fuckinā good, baby,ā he marvels, breathing languidly through parted lips. his head lolls deeper into the mattress, captivated. āgive me a second. youāreāshit, so fuckinā tight and warm,ā his eyes linger on her body, at her breasts and beautifully sculpted figure, before eventually wandering back up to her face.
his cock twitches at the sight of her kiss swollen lips and the doe eyed expression that sheās giving him. she sits atop of him with her ass pressed firmly against his pelvis and some of her slick slipping from her thighs onto his.
he licks his lips and nods his head, āyou ready?ā she nods her confirmation. āiāll guide you with my hands first, okay. just grind your hips against mine.ā he adjusts his hold, feeling his hand curve around her slender hips with ease.
sofia rolls her hips experimentally on a slow grind. rafe makes a low noise in his throat. āis this okay?ā he huffs, nodding his head.
āyeah. itās good, just go a little deeper,ā he drags her hips against his, slow and deliberate. she whimpers at the pleasure of her clit dragging against his cock. ālike that.ā she nods as mimicked his movements, grinding her pelvis against his in an increased momentum. she releases her grip on the headboard and rests her hands on his chest; continuing her slow grinds.
āsofia,ā he groans deep and guttural, reaching behind her to squeeze her ass.
āgood?ā
āso fucking good, baby.ā he presses his hand against her stomach, letting her feel the bulge of his dick protruding through when he lifts his hips and meets her thrust-for-thrust. he holds the pressure there, never fully sliding his dick out so that heās back inside of her immediately. āyou think you can handle bouncing on me?ā he didnāt want to overwhelm her, but she had seemingly picked up the feat well enough already.
she looks a bit hesitant at first but nods slowly. ājust pull your knees upā¦yeah andāoh fuck.ā sheād implemented a experimental bounce, tucking her legs at the sides of his hips and lifting up enough so that heās slipped halfway out of her and then sliding back down onto him. āk-keep doing that.ā
she feels the deliciousness of rafeās thick cock buried deeply inside of her ā fucking long and penetrative strokes into her cunt that has her body throbbing every time their bodies conjoin. she slides and brushes her cunt against his cock; feeling the responsive flutter it gives around him every time he enters inside of her.
she swivels her hips and ruts against his pelvic bone as they moved in a feverish, slow grinding tandem, lifting her hips in a whine as she meets each of his thrusts. āyouāre doing so good baby,ā his eyes narrowed, a line of sweat beads his brow, hands slightly trembled as he glanced down feeling enthralled at the sight of his cock pistoning inside of sofia, easing ever so gently inside of her.
āoh my god,ā she whimpers, her head tossing backwards, mouth falling open. through rapid clenches of her cunt tugging at his cock; she shivers as the pleasure rolls through her body. she rolls her hips, teasing her clit against his cock again, wondering why she ever denied herself this delicious feeling of pleasure.
ākiss me,ā she whimpers and rafeās quick to acquiesce as he grabs her by the hips and sits up in an upright position. he grabs ahold of her chin and tugs her mouth towards his, sliding his tongue within hers and deepening the embrace. āi love you.
she leans her forehead against his, looking into his eyes. āi love you too, baby.ā he whispers, feeling his resolve shatter the more she continued to milk him. rafe bites on his lip as he watches her move with a profound confidence; now alternating her movements between bouncing and grinding against him.
āyouāre such a quick learner, doinā so good for me.ā he grabs her by the ass and strokes himself into her ā deep and long, feeling her body shake at the penetration. their sex is noisy, the sounds of their slick skin grinding against each otherās entices sofia and encourages her to move with a profound gusto.
she holds onto rafe for leverage, yelling out pleading whimpers as she feels her cunt quiver at her impending release. rafe slides his hands between the slickness of her thighs, greedily seeking out her pussy. he fingers her, thumbing at her sensitive clit until sheās gasping and gripping his forearm to steady herself. ālet go for me baby,ā
she nods, tucking her trembling lip into her mouth as she drags her hips against his once more before she finally feels her orgasm burst out of her. she slumps forward, falling on rafe whoās still working through his own release. his grunts reverberate in her ears, accompanied by soft cooing praises and platitudes. itās not too long before she feels the warmth of his cum mixing in with hers and spilling onto both of their thighs.
he pants roughly against her neck, feeling his body go limp against hers as his cock flaccids. āyou okay?ā he asks in between heavy breaths feeling her nod in response. he pulls away slightly to brush her disheveled hair out of her face and smiles sheepishly at her. ātold you youād be good at it.ā
Authors note: I had this in my draft for weeks. Finally decided to finish and post it.
S4! Rafe x Sofia
All I can say/ is that you belong to me/ and a dreamer should dream
Sofia ran a finger down Rafeās face, admiring how smooth it was. No sign of his facial hair present. She missed when he wouldnāt shave, letting her face rub against his when it wasnāt fully shaven yet. Heād laugh, seeming to enjoy her affections. She grin up at him brightly. Enjoying the smile that etched onto his face. One she had crafted, as if she molded it in between her fingers.
They lay together on his bed. Her legs tangled with his. She felt so at bliss just being able to be here with him like this. So peaceful, just the two of them. He finally looks up at her once he noticed her hand starting to caress his face.
āWhat?ā He said, almost shyly. She knew that was the side of him only she got to see. Almost as if he was surprised she was extending love his way. Her love. āShe loved how easily he ate it up. She wanted to press it into his fingers like flowers pressed onto a page. Remind him of her love. Her eternal love.
āYouāre so pretty.ā She said, soft as cashmere and silk. His expression softened.
āYou think Iām pretty?ā He teased. His eyes roaming her face, mimicking the way she was looking at him. His lips curling into a smile, his eyes gleaming.
āOf course you are.ā
āSays the prettiest girl Iāve ever seen.ā He says, leaning his face to hers. She blushed, a gentle smile touching her lips.
āShut up.ā She pushed his head away, she can feel his laugh vibrating against the palm of her hand; as he laughs into it.
āMy pretty girl.ā He leaned towards her once her hand is no longer in the way. Pressing kisses on her neck, on her cheeks. Down to her collarbone. She leans in, letting him. She would give herself whole, be his entirely.
āMyāā He kisses her neck, āPrettyāā He kisses the edge of her breast, āGirlāā He pushes down her bra so he could get better access to her breast. His mouth engulfing her bud.
She squeals.
āRafe!ā He chuckles against her breast, he lets go with a wet pop. Stares at her from behind his lashes. His lips wet, shiny from his own saliva. His lips a bright pink now from how swollen theyād gotten.
āYouāre something else.ā She murmurs as she strokes his temple.
āYeah?ā
āYeah.ā
She kisses his nose, his hand reaching up to cup her breast now. His eyes shining as he continues to stare into her eyes. Sofia shakes her head, a small grin spreading onto her lips like jam spreading on toast.
āYou know, if youāre just here to fuckāā
He scoffs, āCanāt a man just admire his girl.ā He lets go of her breast, his eyes searching her face.
āOh? Your girl, huh?ā
āYeah, my girl.ā
His eyes zero in on her lips, he licks his own. He reaches over, panting soft kisses against her lips. His hand resting onto her cheek, deepening the kiss. His body moving to cover hers. One of his hands cupping her breast once again.
āYouāre so annoying.ā She murmurs against his lips as he laughs.
āCanāt help it.ā He continues to kiss her, āYouāre so beautiful.ā He whispers.
She smiles against his lips as they continue to kiss. His hands reaching into her skirt. As her hands reach for his shirt.
Her heart swelled, was this what it was like to fall for someone. So wholeheartedly and deeply. Her heart felt like it was beating for him. For once, it felt good to just relax. Let go. And he allowed that space for her too. She felt safe in his arms. Felt so cared for.
His whole body covering her now, her clothes slowly discarded from her body. His half way off, she never felt more at home.
āRafe!ā Kiara shook him awake, he shoots up in the bed. Her tall form standing in front of him. Her eyes squinted. āCan you shut up? Some of us are trying to sleep.ā
Rafe glares up at her through hazy sleepy eyes. He hates heād been awaken, the only times he sees Sofia nowadays are through his dreams. The only time he can ask for advice.
āYeah, you were being really loud.ā Sarahās raspy sleep voice cuts through. Rafe wants to roll his eyes, tell them to go to hell and go back to sleep. To find her again. But he promised he wouldnāt be a dick.
āMy bad, sorry I canātāforget it. Iām sorry.ā He pushes his face back into his pillow. A lump more like.
āGod.ā Kiara mumbles to herself, she heads back to her bed. Next to Cleo and Pope.
But Rafeās mind wonāt let him sleep anymore.
āYou really should let them sleep. You canāt keep dreaming about me, ya know.ā Sofias voice wafts back into the space. Only he can hear her, he wonders if heās back to sleep or this is a hallucination. Coke redraws.
āSof, pleaseāā
āSofia.ā
āSofia.ā He looks at her, unsure if sheās real. He nearly wants to reach over and test it. But a part of him worries sheāll disappear into nothing.
Heād always asks her why she did it. And it was always the reason why she would disappear.
āRafe.ā
āYeah?ā
āIām not sorry. You deserve everything you get.ā
He clears the lump in his throat.
āI know.ā He isnāt sure which part heās answering. But to him itās all the same. āI know.ā
āGood.ā He looks up at her, tears filming his eyes. He wants to reach over so bad, it feels like an elastic band ready to snap. ā She looks so goddamn mean. Nothing like his Sofia. Nothing in the same vain.
āYou donāt have to keep tormenting me. Itās not fair. Youāre the one who betrayed me.ā
āOh yeah?ā
Rafe is unsure how to respond, he just eyes the woman he loves. No matter how much heās hurt, the love he has for her doesnāt seep away. No matter how much he wants.
āYeah, youāreāā
He doesnāt remember, but all he remembers is the last look of her hurt face. Before heās awaken by Sarah once again. The Lisbon heat has his sleep sweat beat.
āYou stink, go shower.ā Sarah says, her nose scrunched up.
āSays you.ā Rafe gets up, turning to see the spot heād seen Sofia. Sheās gone. A dream.
All he wants to do is understand. But heāll settle for this. No matter how brief.
Synopsis: Sofia is pregnant, and the last thing she needs is for Rafe to find out. Itās her dirty secret, itās not like heās barging down her door to speak to her. He looks as if heās done with her for good. Will outside forces, force Sofia to confront the situation at hand. Or will she be able to keep this secret up? Not like, her belly isnāt growing everyday or anything.
Authorās note: the main plot of the series is finished. Just wanted to show you how Sofia and Rafe are like as parents and as a married couple. Sorry for how short it is! It took me so long to brain storm these ideas.
MASTERLIST
Chapter 14 | Epilogue
Four Years Later
āRory! Please, no running around in the house. Youāre going to hurt yourself!ā Sofia says in a sing song voice. Aurora lets out an audible grunt. She crosses her arms angrily.
āBut mommy Iām having fun.ā She pouts. She throws her head back.
āI know, but thereās other ways to have fun.ā Sofia picks up her daughter, twirling her around. As Aurora lets out a giggle, she grins up at Sofia.
āYouāre so silly mommy.ā
Rafeās not home, so itās just them too.
āVamos a bailarā¦ā Sofia continues to spin Rory around, erupting more giggles from her four year old daughter. Sofia laughs along with her. As they sway to the sounds of Sofiaās voice.
āCan we play music, mommy? Please?ā Sofia adjusts her better, turning to walk towards the record player Rafe had purchased for her. The vinylās next to it, tucked on a shelf.
āWhich one?ā
āThat one! That one!ā Aurora points to one of the vinyls. One Sofia constantly played when she wanted to clean around the house. Sofia smiled, reaching to remove it from the row of vinyls.
āThis one?ā
āYes momma.ā Sofia places the vinyl onto the record player, the music cracking to life. Sofia begins to sway Aurora around the room. Singing along to the lyrics.
She turns her once more, to be faced with Rafe. Sofia jumps.
āHow long have you been standing there?ā
Rafe has a hand in his pocket and a smirk on his lips. āNot long, can I join you guys?ā
āYes! Yes! Join us dad!ā
Sofia laughs as Rafe approaches, twirling them both around the room.
Rafe was alone with Aurora for the first time in a while. Usually so busy with work and finally he found a way to be with his family. Sofia, unfortunately for him, had work to do. She was now a preschool teacher.
āUgh, dad! Youāre doing it wrong!ā Aurora chastises her own dad, Rafe tries to hide his laughter. But her outburst makes him chuckle outloud. She glares at him.
āSparkly pink princess gets the red cup. Dr. Gloss gets the pink one.ā
Rafe pulls his hands up in surrender. āMy bad Rory. I thought since sheās called sparkly pink princess sheāll want the pink cup.ā
āNo, she doesnāt like everything pink. She likes colors that compliment her, duh.ā
Rafe brows furrow. āSince when did you learn the world compliment? Youāre four.ā
āI heard mommy saying it to you.ā
āSo Iām dad and sheās mommy.ā Rafe purses his lips comically. Aurora only giggles, pretending to make Dr.Gloss sip his tea.
āYouāre so silly, dad.ā
The front door opens then closes. He hears a shuffle of steps heading in their direction. Before long, Sofiaās head peers through the door.
She feigns a gasp. āYouāre letting daddy playing tea part with you?ā
āItās dad, Sofia. Apparently youāre mommy and Iām just dad.ā
Sofia smirks, āNot her fault she has her priorities straight.ā
Rafe shakes his head, smiling at her. His eyes roaming her body, she moves closer, placing a kiss on his head before moving to do the same on Aurora.
āHey mommy, can you join us please?ā Aurora says, smiling up at her.
āOf course I will.ā Sofia plops down on one of the seats. As Aurora prepares her ātea.ā
āI got Dr. Gloss to finally get the one you like. The chamomile.ā
āOkay, she needs to hang out less with you. Before you know it, weāll have our very own likeāboss baby.ā Rafe says, eyeing Aurora.
āYouāve been watching boss baby?ā
Rafe merely shrugs, āI was too lazy to change the movie.ā Sofia laughs, it sounds like music to his ears. Aurora smiles at them both, pretending she isnāt listening.
āOur smart little girl.ā Sofia coos at Aurora, kissing her cheek. Aurora giggles.
John B and Aurora glare at each other. Their uno cards pressed tightly to their chest.
āWhat do you know about uno?ā John B says in a whisper.
āEverything.ā Aurora whispers back, Sarah is trying to suppress her giggle. Little Jay shaking his head, rolling his eyes at his dad and his cousin.
John B dramatically drops his uno card, showing a draw 2 card. He smirks at Aurora but it instantly falls. A smile pressed onto Auroraās face as well. She drops her card, showing a draw 2.
āNoā¦ no.ā John B says, almost in horror. He picks up the four cards.
Sofia and Rafe are watching from the kitchen island. Theyād lost already, much to Rafeās dismay.
āI canāt believe she beat me.ā Rafe murmurs, Sofia kisses his cheek.
āSorry sore loser.ā
His eyes widen, turning to her. āYou lost too!ā
āYeah but not as bad as you.ā Rafe rolls his eyes as he continues to watch.
āUno.ā Aurora says, John Bās mouth opens. āSorry uncle Johnny.ā
āItās John B.ā
āWell, I just beat you at uno. So itās Johnny now.ā
Sarah laughs as John B continues to be dumbfounded.
āI canāt believe I just got beat by a four year old.ā
āBelieve it buddy.ā
Sofia turns to Rafe, āYeah, she gets that from you.ā Rafe only smirks, seeming proud of Aurora.
āSoā¦ you ready to tell them youāre pregnant again?ā
Sofia cheeks flush, her elbow knocking on Rafeās stomach.
āNot yet.ā
Aurora turns to her parents, smiling at them with a big grin. They smile back. Sofia rests her head on Rafeās shoulder.
Pope wasn't lying when he said it would be an early wake-up call. It just wasn't Pope who did the waking.
The birds outside create a cacophony that grates on Rafe's brain. He attempts to hide, curling into Sofia and digging his head into the curve of her neck, but the sounds still find him. Just like they do the others.
They all grumble through packing, quickly scarfing down rehydrated oats before hitting the trail again. The morning sun heats up the world steadily, though the cool night air still lingers in pockets beneath the rainforest canopy.
"How much longer?" Cleo calls out, a few steps behind Pope.
"Only a bit more. We're coming up onā"Pope's eyes flicking from the map to the trail ahead. "Some waterfallsā¦ I think."
"These particularly important waterfalls?"
"Not the ones I think we're looking for," Pope admits.
"Hey, Rafe."
John B sidles up next to him, his right leg favoring a lighter step than his leftāthe bandage Sarah and Kiara wrapped earlier this morning still holding strong.
"What do you want?"
John B smiles. "Ever think you'd be trekking across a Mexican rainforest with the likes of us Pogue degenerates?"
Rafe rolls his eyesāplayfully. "Not once."
"Me neither," John B replies with a smirk. Almost in sync, they step over a thick tree root.
"You good?"
"With life in general?" John B trails off, searching for the thread.
Rafe nods toward the women up ahead. Sarah walks beside Sofia, her arm looped through his girlfriend's; mid-story, both laughing.
"Getting my sister pregnant."
John B blushes. "Ah. That."
"That," Rafe echoes.
"She's good. We're good," John B says with a little nod.
"Ever thought you'd be trekking it across a Mexican rainforest with a pregnant girlfriend?"
"Not once." John B repeats Rafe's earlier answer with a reserved sigh. "So long as she stays safe, I'm happy."
"Agreed."Ā
"Anyway, she's prepared." John B chuckles. "I've got all the gear, and she's lugging all the food. Stick with her if you get lostāelse, you're shit outta luck."
Rafe can't help the low laugh. Of course, Sarah's pack is loaded with snacks. The little gremlin was getting more peckish by the day.
"It's kinda nice," John B muses, "not wanting to deck each other in the face."
"Yeah, wellāthere's still time." Rafe quips. "Don't know if it's a customary big-brother duty, but if anything ever happened to her on your watchā¦"
"You'd kill me?" John B finishes with a cheeky, all-knowing smile.
"Something like that," Rafe mutters, eyes rolling.
"Duly noted," Sarah's boyfriend replies, surprisingly sincere. "You know, Rafe, we just had a heart-to-heart."
Rafe glances over, taking in John B's smug expression, and nods with faux solemnity. "Only in your dreams, Little John."
John B laughs.
He catches Sarah's eye. Her pleased smile as she quickly takes in him and John B before she turns back around. She leans into Sofia and whispers something that makes them both smile. He can't help the subtle smile sticking to his mouth longer than intended.
~~~~~
They reach the waterfalls Pope mentioned by lunchtime, mist rolling off the cascading drop, balancing the sun's heat and the humidity clinging to their skin. Granola and rehydrated lukewarm mac and cheese are all they're afforded.
Rafe's starting to miss the Mexican food they'd been eating all week.
Kiara steals the map from Pope as they start out again, wanting to double-check that he and his trusty compass actually know where they're goingābecause it feels like they've been heading deeper and deeper into nothingness.
But signs begin to show.
Small structures of old stone, half-swallowed by earth, are covered in vines that twist and curl like nature's security system. A darker tree line stands aheadādenser, more ominous.
And then they break through.
Another lost city.
No bigger than the last, but far more erodedālike time and earth decided this one needed to be swallowed whole. Trees and roots burst from the ground around what used to be homes, temples, and gathering spaces. Everything looks trampled by natureāyet somehow, still standing. Persisting despite centuries of decay.
There's a beat of awe.
And it's not just Rafe. The othersāSofia, Sarah, John B, Cleo, Pope, Kiaraāstare wide-eyed, brains short-circuiting.
How has no one found this?
"What the fuck," Cleo mutters, for all of them.
What the fuck.
Just like before, they move in slowly. Stepping over crumbled pillars and debris, skirting thick vegetation that's long since claimed the land. It's darker here, the massive canopy blanketing most of the cityāsave for the tall pyramid at its center. Like the forest was grown specifically to hide it.
Still, the heat is heavy, trapped in the overgrowth. The buzzing of insects is relentless. Distant screeches echo through the trees.
"Wow," Sarah breathes.
"Once again, I ask how," Kiara says. "How does this place look like it's never been discovered?"
Rafe starts down a crumbling staircaseāat least two stories tallāleading to an overgrown path that winds through what used to be, no doubt, a vibrant community. The others follow in small clusters.
"I'd love to pick Hollis's brain about how and why she had the artifact that led us here," Cleo says, her footsteps echoing on the stone.
"Too bad Groff killed her," Rafe mutters.
He stops at the bottom, scanning the ruins. Sofia's hand curves over his shoulder as she steps up behind him. Sarah glances up from the step next to him.
"She never mentioned anything like this to you?"
"No," Rafe answers flatly. "She only ever wanted my money." Sofia squeezes his shoulder lightly.
"So whatādo we head toward the pyramid?" Sarah asks, stretching her back.
"Seems like the right direction," Cleo offers.
"It's the only direction," John B murmurs.
Sofia's voice floats in from behind Rafe, aimed toward Pope. "Where's the trail from here? Wasn't this only the midpoint on the map from the museum? Maybe instead of heading to the largest structure, we should focus on where we need to be."
Pope sighs. "That's the problem. Everything I've found shows no clear continuation of the trail. So... all we've got is exploration."
"Then let's explore," Sarah decides, already moving.
They follow without much hesitationāwhat else can they do?
The quiet returns, broken only by the chatter of wildlife. A few monkeys hang lazily from broken stones in the distance, watching as they creep further in.
"Does anyone else feel like we're not alone?" Kiara asks softly.
"I feel like we're walking into a damn trap," Cleo mutters, adjusting her pack.
Sofia brushes her fingertips along the carved face of a nearby wall. "This is incredible."
She never got to take in the last ruinsāshe was too busy trying to get them out alive.
Rafe follows just behind her, his hand ghosting over the same markingsābut his attention isn't on the stone. It's in the shadows. The silence here isn't peaceful.
"I don't like it," he murmurs.
Pope and Kiara lead again, slipping through a narrow corridor formed by toppled columns. It opens into an overgrown courtyard, a vine-choked fountain in the center, and moss-covered steps leading to raised platformsālikely ceremonial.
"You think this was part of the same system as the last site?" Sarah asks, one hand absentmindedly resting on her belly.
"Could be. Layout's familiar... but this place feels older," Pope replies. "More forgotten."
Then, a sound cuts through the air.
They freeze.
Not an animal. Not wind.
Footsteps.
Human.
Cleo throws Rafe a look. Her hand's already on the hilt of her knife. John B shifts protectively in front of Sarah.
Rafe moves closer to Sofia, jaw clenched, scanning the brush.
Then againāvoices. Low, muffled. Foreign. Male.
Rafe catches Sofia's eye. She's already saying it with her look before she whispers, "Dalia's men."
"Move," Rafe mouths. "Now."
Pope points to a half-collapsed structure. "There."
They sprint across the courtyard, crouched low, diving behind the wall and pressing into the foliage. A heartbeat thuds in his ears.
Moments later, two armed men enter the courtyard.
They're not rushing. Just scanning.
Rafe lifts just enough to peer over the wall. They're too close.
One of the men nudges a stone with his boot, muttering about "not being far behind." The other mentions "clearing the path to the temple."
They're headed to the pyramid.
Eventually, the men move on, disappearing down the opposite path.
No one breathes for a long minute.
"So we're definitely not alone," Kiara whispers.
"We're not the first either," Sofia adds.
"Makes sense," Pope says, adjusting his grip on the map. "We're up against a private militia with serious resources." The paper crinkles too loudly, drawing glares. Pope winces.
"We could camp out here. Wait until they're gone."
"And let the bugs eat us alive?" Cleo scoffs, already stepping back out. "Pass."
They follow slower now. Rafe offers Sofia a hand over the rubble. She wipes her palms on her shorts and gives him a soft smile.
Their movements tighten. Quieter. Close to the walls, ready to duck at the first sign of danger.
Then the hum of noise grows louder as they near the heart of the ruinsāthe pyramid.
They step out of a long corridor and freeze.
A massive field stretches to the pyramid steps. Armored trucks sit parked just outside. Men mill aroundāsome searching, some resting.
They duck back into the crumbling doorway of a nearby building.
Rafe peeks out again.
"How the fuck did they get vehicles in here?" he mutters.
"Sheer will and good luck?" John B offers.
"Absolute disregard for nature and decency," Kiara adds with a sneer.
They're outnumbered. Outgunned.
"There's gotta be another way," Rafe murmurs. "We can't go through them."
Pope's already pulling the map back out. "If the layout's the same, we follow the perimeter. Stay low, avoid the plazas."
"Circle the city?" Sarah asks.
"Exactly."
No one argues. Boots still echo somewhere in the distance.
They move again. Quiet. Careful. The city thins as they approach its edgeāroots thick, terrain uneven. The old roads are mostly earth and broken stone.
Then they see it.
A massive stone wall rises ahead, nearly hidden by growth and terrain. It curves out of view, separating the city from the jungle.
"What the hellā¦" John B breathes.
"I didn't even realize we were this close to the edge," Sarah says.
"It's not marked on anything I've seen," Pope adds.
They follow it for a few yards, brushing away vines and watching where they stepāuntil something interrupts the stone pattern.
A gate.
Massive. Half-swallowed by earth. Unremarkable, save for the faint impressions of where hinges once might've been. But there's a pathāclearly visible on the other side. Worn flat. Leading somewhere.
"This," Pope whispers. "This is it. Has to be."
"And now we have to figure out how to open it," Sofia asks, brushing the cracked surface.
Sarah leans closer. "Doesn't look like it's opened in a long time."
Pope steps back, turning slowly to examine the surrounding wall. That's when Pope perks up. Rafe glances where Pope is gliding to, a weathered mural carved into the stone beside the gate, partially covered in moss and dirt.
"Guysāhelp me clear this."
They all move in, scraping back vines and earth until the faded image reveals itself: two pyramids etched into the stone, one taller, one smaller, drawn side by side. Between them, a faint symbolācircular, possibly a key of some kindāhovering above the smaller one. The gate, represented crudely, sits beneath the mural with a line connecting it directly to the smaller pyramid.
"Not again," Cleo mutters.Ā
John B responds, "Wouldn't be a proper ancient mystery without a few trials and tribulations, right?"
"Let's just hope there's no booby traps," Cleo replies.
"Well, if there are poison darts, Rafe's taking that one," Sarah teases.
Rafe glares.
Pope's breath catches. "This is a map."
"And it's leading us exactly where we need to go." Rafe states, "The keyāor whatever opens this gateāisn't in the one Dalia's men are raiding."
"It's in the smaller one," Pope confirms. "Just behind it."
"Soā¦ we go in through the back," Cleo nods. "While they're distracted."
Sofia steps back, eyeing the gate. "Let's just hope they don't figure that out first."
A beat of silence.
Then Rafe nods. "Let's go."
They all nodāexcept John B. The pogue shifts slightly beside Sarah.
"Wait," John B says. "Sarah shouldn't come."
Rafe stops short. He glances back, his brow tightening. "Why?"
"She's pregnant, man."
Sarah lets out a sharp breath. "Don't do that."
"I'm not trying to sideline you," John B says quickly, but his stance doesn't budge. "But going back toward a bunch of armed men with only half a plan and a wall mural? That's not smart."
"I'm pregnant, not fragile."
Kiara steps forward then, firm. "If something goes sideways, it's not just you we'd be worried about."
Sarah crosses her arms, staring them down.
Rafe shifts. "Look, I don't think anyone's saying you can't handle yourself, but if they spot or hear us, we have to run or fightā¦ it's just not worth the risk. Not for you. Not for the baby."
Sarah opens her mouth to argue, but this time, even Cleo nods, arms crossed over her chest like she's already decided.
"We're not leaving you," Pope adds, handing her a walkie. "Channel four. Short messages only."
Sarah accepts it reluctantly. John B slips an arm around her.
"Don't be gone long," she says.
"We won't," Kiara promises.
Cleo readjusts her bag. "We'll hang here. If they regroup, we'll warn you."
Rafe moves beside Sofia as they break off. She adjusts her pack, eyes sharp. Ready.
"You good?" she asks quietly.
He nods. "You?"
She mirrors it.
He glances at Pope and Kiara. "Let's go."
They disappear into the brush, the pyramid looming ahead. The group splits.
~~~~~
Rafe leads, one hand near his sidearm, the other brushing aside vines and low branches as they creep the long way around the city. Sofia stays close, her hand gripping the back of his shirt when the terrain steepens. Kiara and Pope trail behind, silent, eyes flicking about on high alert.
The smaller pyramid comes into view through breaks in the canopyāpartially buried in the jungle, its stone staircase cracked and uneven. Humble compared to the grand one towering beyond it, but unmistakably significant.
Thenāmovement.
Rafe freezes, throwing an arm up, stopping Sofia short.
Voices, low and fast. Male. Spanish?
They're just ahead.
Rafe ducks behind a crumbled wall, pulling Sofia with him until they're pressed shoulder to shoulder into the mossy stone. Pope and Kiara flatten themselves nearby. Rafe glances toward the noiseāshadows shifting at the tree line, maybe twenty yards off.
"Did you hear that?"
"Noāthere. I saw something move."
Leaves rustle. Rafe tenses.
Sofia slips her hand into his. No wordsājust pressure. His thumb brushes over her knuckles as he listens.
Then, a sharp movement in the brush. And it didn't come from them.
Then chaos.
Gunfire erupts into the rainforest. Immediate. Wild.
The mercenaries fire blindly into the jungle, shouting over one another. Birds scream overhead and scatter. Bullets tear into trees and dirt. Rafe jerks instinctively, pulling Sofia closer, wrapping one arm tight around her, shielding her body with his.
Dirt kicks up inches from his boot. A branch splinters above Pope's head.
"Shitā" Kiara breathes, ducking lower.
"They didn't see us," Pope mouths. "They think it's animals."
More gunfire. One of the men swears, calling something about monkeys. The other laughsādry and humorless. Rafe's heart hammers, chest pressed firm against Sofia's back.
She doesn't flinch. Just leans into him, calm, sharp-eyed. When she shifts slightly to peer through a crevice in the stone, her hand stays curled against his stomach, grounding them both.
He squeezes it. Quick. Reassuring.
"We need to move," he breathes.
Sofia nods against his shoulder.
He gestures rightāaway from the noiseātoward a narrow path curling between two collapsed stone walls.
This time, she grabs his hand before he can turn.
"You okay?" she whispers, locking eyes with his.
He nods. "You?"
"I'm with you."
That's all it takes.
They moveāquiet, fast. Boots barely touching the ground. Ducking beneath twisted branches, weaving through rubble and thick roots. The gunfire fades behind them. Then silence.
Almost.
Forest sounds return slowly. Birds. Insects. The whirl of distant wind.
They don't stop until the smaller pyramid looms closer, framed by tangled vines and time.
Rafe crouches behind a low ridge of rock, scanning the area.
No movement. No sound except their breathing.
They're clear.
He finally exhales, not relief exactlyābut something like it.
Sofia leans her forehead against his shoulder, hand still wrapped around his wrist. "That was close."
"Too close," he mutters, pressing a kiss to her hair. He lingers a second longer. "You good?"
"I will be when we get out of here."
Kiara drops to one knee beside them, brushing leaves off her arms. "They seriously shot up half the jungle for nothing."
Pope peeks through the brush and lets out a low whistle. "Fucking idiots."
Rafe reluctantly lets Sofia go as they all rise. The pyramid is only a few feet away now. Its steps are eroded, and the entrance at the top is barely visible through the overgrowth.
The base of the smaller pyramid is partially swallowed by the jungle, vines creeping like veins over the stone. Whatever entrance once existed isn't obviousāat least not at first.
They fan out slightly, still close, careful not to speak too loudly. Even with the gunfire gone, Rafe knows better than to think they're alone.
"Here," Pope calls softly, waving them over. He kneels beside a low, jagged opening half-hidden behind a collapsed slab. It's not an entrance in the traditional senseājust a break in the structure. Narrow. Just wide enough to crawl through.
"You sure?" Kiara asks.
Pope nods. "There's airflow. And I can see the floor slope down."
Rafe crouches beside him, peering into the dark. It's tight but passable.
He looks at Sofia. "You up for it?"
Sofia arches a brow. "After that sprint through gunfire? Yeah. I'm good."
He smirks faintly, pressing a hand to her lower back, guiding her toward the opening. He follows after, with Pope and Kiara close behind.
It's cooler insideāmusty and damp. The air smells old, thick with mildew. They crawl a few feet before the tunnel opens into a lower chamber. Rafe stands slowly, brushing dirt off his arms, eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through cracks in the rock.
They're inside.
But it's different this time.
No grand ceremonial chamber like the last site. No vast open floor.
This one's more intricate. Instead of one large space, walls weave along the inner floorāalmost like rooms, but with no doors. Nothing that would make any of them private. From up here, it almost looks like an ant farmāopen, segmented, visible save for a few obscured pockets.
Sofia steps beside him, peering over the ledge. Her arm wraps easily around his waist, and he leans into her touch, resting a hand on her shoulder.
She whispers, "What kind of place is this?"
Unease itches down his spine.
They descend the steps together, tighter now, careful. Who knows if they're the first ones in here?
āāāāāāāāāāāā
Next part: Coming Soon
*Hi. Sorry for the delay. Busy life things got in the way. But I've been on a roll with writing the next few parts, so it will be much sooner for the next chapter than this one.*
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sarahcam: cuuuuute! i miss you guys š„ŗ valās been asking about iliana, we need to catch up the next time you guys are in town again.
ā„ sofiaramirez we miss you too sarbear! šš„ŗā¤ļø weāll be back in obx this weekend for my grandmotherās birthday but we can still hang out then!!
ā„ sarahcam: yay! we can leave the kids with the guys and go out for drinks š
ā„ sarahcam: WAIT I JUST NOTICED THAT YOUāRE PREGNANT AGAIN? TELL RAFE TO STAY OFF OF YOU OMG. ALSO WHY AM I JUST FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS THROUGH INSTAGRAM?! IM ABOUT TO FACETIME YOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!
ā„ rafecameron1: @sarahcam ?? what did i do. sheās the one whoās on me
wheeziecameron awww who is this cutie?
ā„ rafecameron1: um your niece?
ā„ wheeziecameron: š¤¦š»āāļø i meant the cat, rafeā¦
ā„ rafecameron1: oh.
rafecameron1: my head is in its favorite position š
ā„ wheeziecameron: gross.
ā„ toppernorton: aaaaand now we see why you guys have two kids.
ā„ barrycastillo: @wheeziecameron this is not even the half of it. imagine being in a group chat with them.
ā„ rafecameron1: @wheeziecameron god forbid a man flirts with his wife š
ā„ sofiaramirez: @rafecameron1 you just canāt help yourself can you?
Authorās note: lowkey inspired by junji itoās āTomie.ā Been reading a lot of his work this month. And thatās one of my favorites of his.
Rafe was never one to be a writer. He hated anything to do with his bad penmanship. His inability to capture things with words. His prose wasnāt one heād say could live up to the greats. But he couldnāt help it now. She was someone he needed to remember. Someone he needed to express beyond the physical.
Her beauty something that deserved a section in his worn out notebook. One he never lets anyone call a diary. His words couldnāt ever live up to the real thing. Words couldnāt express his love for Sofia. How she made his heart flutter, made him feel like the man he always wanted to be. Her faith in him was one he couldnāt compare to someone who worshiped a deity. That would be too far.
But he appreciated it nevertheless.
He wrote about her and when he couldnāt write. He took pictures and when that went away too. He decided to draw her. But he couldnāt draw beyond a stick figure. So he could only observe from the photos.
Sofia. His Sofia. Her beauty and her faith. Her affections. She was like no other. His Sofia. His muse.
Heād become a mad man. A man obsessed. And he didnāt care. He would do whatever it took to etch her name into eternity.
āwhat itās like being held by you.ā rafia blurb
heās so needy. always desperate to be around her no matter in what proximity. he loves being held by her, at how she holds him with an affection that heās never felt before. his favorite position is when heās got his head buried against her stomach. he likes when she brushes her hand against his neck and holds him against her, not once showing any irritation at his clinginess and how much he needs her. he turns his head and presses a kiss against her stomach, feeling the reverberations of her body as she giggled softly.
she looks down at him as he meets her gaze, her beautiful big brown eyes stare at him with an intensity that makes his stomach flutter. āi love you.ā he whispers softly but full of vehemence.
she smiles, brushing her hand against his cheek. āi love you too.ā rafe kisses the palm of her hand before lowering his head back on her stomach; nestling comfortably in her embrace.
Sofia was left feeling perplexed by Rafeās hands. A Kook boy like him whoād never known a day of hard work in his life? She imagined his palms to be soft and pillowy and his fingers smooth and sleek.
Different to her hands. Roughened from carrying the heavy carts of stock for the bar; chapped from wiping down tables; coarsened from fixing her scrap metal car every other month.
No matter how much lotion she lathered her skin in, or how many manicures she bookedā it was impossible to hide the marks of being a pogue.
So the first time Rafe touched her she expected his hands to be the same as him: pristine, polished and lined in velvet.
But as he cupped her face, drawing her into a kiss, her cheek bristled from the rough-hewn skin. Itās not like it wasnāt niceā¦she liked it. Especially when his hands trailed lower and lower, slipping beneath the flimsy material of her red bikini.
But she wondered what he was hiding. Rafe Cameron and hard worker were antipodes in her book. He made everything look effortlessā all casual handshakes and airy smirks. But right now she didnāt want to think about any of that and let his callouses rub deliciously against her hot skin.
***
After they fucked, lying beside each other on the bed, she grabbed his wrist, examining his hands.
āLookinā for something there,ā her teased, lifting his head up slightly to watch what she was doing. He had half a mind to yank his arm back, suddenly feeling like he was being judged. But Rafe decided to let her hold him, lapping up her reaction. She looked amused but curious: her big, shiny eyes drinking in his hand, her thumb rubbing circles into his palm.
Sofia was a funny girl, Rafe noticed.
She drifted through life with a sunny smile and an unaffectedness that he craved. He wasnāt deaf and he wasnāt blind. He heard the girls chatting shit as he meandered through the party with Sofia on his arm. He saw the chary looks being thrown at her when he led her upstairs.
But when he checked on Sofia, her bright glowy gaze and that big grin of hers remained intact.
She was thick skinnedā¦like she had to be. Rafe was too. When half the island thought you were a raging psychoā hell when half your family did tooā you learn to toughen up.
āYou gonna tell me why youāre giving me a hand massage right now? Or is it just your way of saying thank you afterāā
āOh shush,ā she let his hand drop, turning to face him in bed. āYour hands arenāt like what I thought theyād be.ā
A slow, lazy smirk played across his lips. She was so strange. The handful of coke dazed hookups heād had always ended with them jumping out of his bed, eager to escape him. Sofia continuing to touch him, even when they werenāt fucking, fascinated him.
āOh yeah? My hands didnāt pass your examination then, Miss Sofia?ā
She rolled her eyes, settling into the pillow.
āI thought theyād be soft.ā
Rafeās face betrayed his feelings. His brows furrowed, smile vanishing. She caught on quick.
āIām not disappointed! I promiseā¦it felt good.ā Sofia gave him another one of those coy, coquettish smirks that made his stomach flutter. āItās just that with hands like those youād think youād be some sort of mechanic or builder you know?ā
Rafe considered her words. The fact she noticed enough to feel the difference in his palms. Heād never felt noticed beforeā¦at least not in any way that mattered (or in any way he accepted). And here she was marvelling at each callous on his finger and the texture of his touch. Here she was enthralled at his efforts, caressing the proof of his rough-hewn labour.
Rafe instinctively reached out for her, his hands going to drag her into his body.
After heaving the cross up the convey, the rope burn masticating his skin, and lugging the firewood to burn itā¦after beating up Singhās men and digging nails into his pulpy flesh whenever he felt stressedā¦Rafeās hands were a leathered mess.
āA mechanic or a builder? Thatās funny because Iām both of those things actually.ā
Sofia giggled, her soft head slotting perfectly into his embrace, āoh yeah? Here I thought you were just living off of some trust fund.ā
Rafe prickled with a bitter burst of insecurity. But he tried to keep up the levity. It was hard to get snappy at Sofia, when she was looking up at him so prettily, āheyā I worked for it okay? Wanna take another inspection of my hands huh?ā
Now it was Sofiaās turn to consider him, her honeyed eyes darting across his visage, āhmn no need, youāre holding on to me pretty tightly. I can feel them just fine.ā
Rafe teasingly squeezed at the soft flesh of her hips, āglad I made you feel good,ā he mumbled, his touch never relenting.
Heād been afraid of hurting her. She was so small and so seemingly delicate. But Sofia luxuriating in his calloused hands, softening as he fervidly kneaded at her doughy skin, showed to him she wasnāt as helpless as he thought. There was a raggedness to her that made her fit right up against his serrated edges.
Sweet, sunny Sofia. Her hands were just as rough as his.
request idea! sofia has a panic attack, and topper or one of rafeās friends see, and they know to go get him because he knows how to calm her down ā¤ļøāš„
ā in your arms is where iāll find home, r. cameron. ā
ooo. šššššššā¦ rafe cameron & sofia
ooo. ššššššššā¦ when topper realizes that sofiaās having a panic attack, he goes to the person he knows will help her calm down.
ooo. šššššš šššššā¦ sorry for the long wait anon! i actually contemplated on switching this ask and having sofia being the one to help rafe calm down buttt i ultimately decided against it. this oneās kinda short (and not my best work) but i hope you enjoy!;)
āhey, have you seen sofia?ā rafe questions, his curiosity piqued as his eyes wandered around the room in search of his girlfriend.
heād ventured off only for a few moments with a sworn promise of a haste return as he went to catch up with a few friends. when he sauntered back into the kitchen, he was surprised to see that she was no longer standing where heād left her. it had only been ten minutes that passed between their brief separation so he didnāt understand how she couldāve disappeared so quickly. rafe scoured the living room and backyard, searching through the crowd of bodies for her to no avail.
worry immediately coiled in his stomach.
he attempted to call and text her ā but he knows that the clamorous sounds of music playing through the speakers had hindered her audibility. rafe exclaimed an expletive, his worrying now transitioning into panic and fear as the thought of something happening to her wandered through his mind. rafe suddenly approaches topper, wrapping his hand around his elbow and tugging him offside, interrupting the conversation that he was in.
topperās a bit taken aback by rafeās interjection and is forcibly retracting his arm out of rafeās hold when he felt his fingers inadvertently tighten their hold around him. a bit of whiskey spills over from the rim of his cup from the exertion, forming a dark wet puddle that had already began to stain on his fatherās favorite imported carpet. topper groans exasperatedly, dreading another lecture about responsibility that he knows was now inevitable. ādude! what the hellāā
but the worried look furrowed in rafeās brow had relented topperās scolding. āwhatās wrong?ā he posited, noticing the way rafeās eyes continuously averted around the room in search of something. it was a look that topper had never seen from rafe before and he could see the sheer panic accruing with every passing second.
āyou seen sof around anywhere?ā and of course topper shouldāve know that she was the cause of rafeās concern.
sofia had been the only one to always pull such visceral emotions from rafe; another thing that topper hadnāt witnessed prior to their dating. rafeās always been overprotective of her, especially when theyāre out in public together ā the hand intertwined with hers always got a little tighter and his eyes would narrow as his lips pursed tersely in a glower, shielding her away from the wayward looks that people gave whenever they saw them together.
topperās lips mimics rafeās as he frowns, ānah man not since you two came in earlier.ā
rafe nodded somberly in his acquiesced defeat as he turned around and walked towards the stairs, deciding to search around the third level of topperās house.
ā¦
heād just finished chugging down his fourth glass of whiskey when he feels his bladder fill in forewarning, prompting him to set the empty glass aside as he ascended up the stairs that lead to his bedroom.
he nudged the door open with his shoulder, his hands are already loosening his belt from the loops and tugging the zipper down in haste as he feels the pressure prodding. his hand reaches for the bathroom door, tugging it open but heās taken aback when he sees a girl sitting on the floor with her knees tucked against their chest. āuhā¦ā at first he assumed that maybe she sought refuge in here because she were sick and had decided to use his bathroom because it was in close proximity, even though heād publicly informed everyone that it was off limits.
he contemplates between asking the girl to briefly step out so he relieve himself or closing the door and leaving her alone to their own devices to use the downstairs bathroom instead. the accruing pressure on his bladder avers the former option. just as heās parting his lips to speak he hears the sound of ragged breathing emanating from the sitting girl. the sounds were rough in his ears; the breaths she exhaled got deeper, more uneven, spiraling into broken wheezes that pounded painful.
āhey, are you okay?ā he asks, not even bothering to acknowledge how foolishly redundant the question sounded as he crossed over the threshold and walked further into the bathroom. and it only takes a brief second for the realization to settle as he gauged at her brown shoulder length hair, denim cut offs and floral blouse ā the outfit looked similar. it was what sofia was wearing when she came in, āsofia?ā topper laments, seeing the rigidity tense in her shoulders at his beckon.
she doesnāt lift her head from its perch, just continues to exhale rasped breaths that seem to sound explicably worse than before.
topper alerts, feeling both panic and worry penetrate him all at once. he takes a preemptive step towards her, attempting to console her in any way that he could offer until he remembers rafeās frantic search of her earlier. āitās okay, iām-iām gonna go get rafe!ā he assures her, as he departs from the bedroom hurriedly adjusting his clothing again as he retreated downstairs.
thankfully, his search for rafe doesnāt extend too far because just as topper reaches the main level he sees rafeās towering figure pushing through the crowd of people as he approached the front door. ārafe!ā its miraculous that he manages to hear topperās clamor over the music; but he does and immediately turns around, furrowing his brows as he noticed the florid look marring across topperās face.
āi was gonna check outside againāā
topper shook his head, pointing his finger over his shoulders. āi found her. sheās upstairs in my bathroom, but i think somethingās wrongāā the remainder of topperās sentence falls into the void, unfinished and forgotten, because rafeās already haring up the stairs two steps at a time.
somethingās wrong, thatās all it took to have rafe running up the stairs to find her. his heart leapt in his throat, an uneasy queasiness coiled in his stomach as he treaded up the stairs desperate to find her. he rounds the corner, reaching topperās room at the end of the hallway. he pushes the door open without any regard, ignoring the way it bounces and trembles against the wall at the heaviness of his exertion.
āsof!?ā he hears her before he sees her. the rancorous sounds of her deep gasping breaths pull him towards the bathroom where he sees her lowered to the floor. at the sound of his voice, she untucks her head from its hidden perch against her knees. his heart drops sullenly at the sight of her, at the wetness that clung against her lashes as she looked up at him through her foggy vision. ābaby,ā he falls to his knees in front of her, his hand seeks purchase on her leg offering her gentle comfort.
āhey, look at me.ā he reaches his other hand up to cradle her cheek. he feels her tremble beneath him. āitās okay. just take deep breaths, baby. slow and deep,ā he says, through an exercising tutorial as he parts his mouth and inhaled a sharp, deep breath. he held it for a brief moment in his throat before pursing his lips and exhaling softly into the air.
he was all too familiar with what was happening, as he himself had fallen victim to panic attacks before. he knew how paralyzing and terrifying they were; how it felt like all of the air from your lungs was being suctioned out of you until you were choking on your own body. it was his mother who aided him through his attacks when he was younger, who taught him these breathing techniques that she discovered through her own research.
he remembered every technique that she used to help regulate his breathing again; how she maintained such a steady composure despite the fear that trembled through his body, how she kept her voice leveled and gently talked him through a conversation to distract him, how she repeatedly offered him reassurance that he was going to be okay. now the situation was reversed ā with him being the one reciting the techniques to lull his girlfriendās breathing again.
sofia trembled with every breath she took, but complied as she mimicked rafeās deep suspires. āgood, youāre doing so good, baby.ā he encourages, brushing his thumb over her cheek that was still wet with fallen tears. ājust keep looking at me and breathing. yeah?ā he reaches for a clean washcloth that he finds hanging up and wet it with cold water, gently wiping it against her forehead in attempts to calm her down.
itās a slow and steady staccato with every exhaling breath that she takes. but rafe continuously guided her through her hyperventilations, caressing her cheek as a gentle reminder that he was here and that she was okay, holding the weight of her stare as he saw her pupils that were previously lined with tears, slowly subside.
when her breathing finally evens, rafe leans forward and consoles her in a tight embrace, pulling her against his chest as he kissed the top of her head. āyouāre okay now.ā sofia nods, burying her head in his neck as she felt her body go lax at the familiarity of his touch.
they sit there wrapped in each otherās embrace until rafe presses one last kiss against her head and offers to end the night early so they could go home. sofiaās quick to acquiesce, letting rafeās hand rest on her back and gently guide her to her feet. he wounds a protective arm around her as they make their way downstairs; only briefly acknowledging topper with a head nod that said thanks before making his way outside to his truck.
he keeps a hand on her thigh the entire drive back home, his eyes look over at with every given opportunity through each red light and stop sign ā allowing his gaze to linger in its heeded attentiveness. when they get home, he leads her upstairs into the bedroom where she immediately burrows herself beneath the warmth of the covers. āiāll be right back,ā he avows in a soft whisper, pecking a kiss on her cheek after assuring she was tucked in.
heās makes his egress, descending down the stairs until he reaches the kitchen. rafe grabs ahold of the tea kettle that sat empty atop of the stove, pulling up the sinkās lever as he filled the pot with water. he then places it back in on its respective perch before turning the stove on medium heat.
he returns upstairs to his bedroom less than ten minutes later, carrying a cup of tea that he extends to sofia. āwhatās this for?ā she asks as she sits upright in the bed, reaching for the small cup.
rafe shrugged as he rubbed a hand sheepishly against the back of his neck. āiām not entirely sure, but my mom used to make me tea for me whenever i had an attack. it always made me feel a little better afterwards so i thought that it might help you too,ā
a soft smile of appreciation spreads across sofiaās lips at his considerate gesture. āthank you for this and for helping meā¦ā she murmurs as she lowered her gaze to the untouched cup of tea.
āyou donāt gotta thank me, baby.ā rafe assures her, his hands seeking purchase on her thigh again. āyou know iāll always be here for you,ā
she nods, biting on her lip as she looked up at him again. ācan-can you hold me? i think iām still a little shaken up from earlier,ā and rafeās already leaning over and absentmindedly setting her cup of tea aside so that heās able to kick off his shoes and sprawl his body out across the mattress behind sofia. she curls her body against his chest, tucking her head in the space between his neck and clavicle ā barring her arms around his waist.
rafe holds her a little tighter that night, pressing chaste kisses into her honey and vanilla scented hair, until he feels her body go lax as she succumbs to her exhaustion.
