Crybaby! Reader x Rafe Cameron
It had been weeks of the same routine. Rafe was up early, gone all day, and by the time he got home, he was too exhausted to do anything but collapse into bed. You understood at first—Rafe worked hard, and running a company wasn’t easy. But as the days turned into weeks, his absence began to gnaw at you.
Tonight, you’d reached your limit.
You were sitting on the couch, scrolling aimlessly on your phone, when the craving hit. You wanted ice cream, something sweet and cold to take your mind off the void of Rafe’s company. You peeked into the kitchen but found nothing that would satisfy you.
“Rafe?” you called, walking into the bedroom where he was sitting on the edge of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt.
“Yeah?” His voice was tired, his eyes barely lifting to meet yours.
“I wanna go for a drive. We can stop and get ice cream or something,” you said, your tone hopeful.
Rafe sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Baby, I can’t tonight. I’m dead on my feet. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”
The casual dismissal stung. “No, it can’t wait,” you snapped, your voice rising. “You’ve been saying that all week! Tomorrow, tomorrow—what about me, Rafe?”
“I’m doing this for us,” he said, his tone defensive. “I’m not saying no because I want to. I’m exhausted, okay?”
You stared at him, your emotions bubbling over. Before you knew it, you were crying, your chest heaving with sobs. “You don’t care! You don’t care about me anymore!”
Rafe frowned, standing up. “That’s not fair, and you know it.”
“Fair?” you spat, your voice cracking as you stomped your foot. “What’s not fair is you ignoring me all the time! All I wanted was a stupid drive, and you can’t even give me that!”
“Don’t call me that!” you screamed, tears streaming down your face. Your words tumbled out in a jumble, barely making sense. “You don’t listen to me! You don’t care! You just… you just—”
You weakly shoved at his chest, your small fists thumping against him as you hiccupped and choked on your sobs. Rafe stood there, letting you vent, his hands hovering as if unsure whether to grab you or give you space.
“You’re mean! And, and… I hate you!” you wailed, though you didn’t mean it.
Finally, Rafe had enough. “Alright,” he said, his voice firm. He grabbed your wrists gently but firmly, holding them still. “That’s enough, baby. Stop.”
But you didn’t stop. “You don’t love me!” you blubbered, your head dropping forward as you sobbed uncontrollably.
Rafe sighed, pulling you into his chest despite your protests. “I love you more than anything,” he murmured, his arms wrapping around you tightly. “But you’ve got to calm down, okay? You’re working yourself up too much.”
“I-I can’t!” you hiccupped, your body shaking in his hold.
“Yes, you can,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “Breathe, Dolly. Come on, with me. In and out.”
You tried, but the sobs kept breaking through, your breaths coming in shallow gasps. Rafe scooped you up and carried you to the bed, sitting down with you in his lap. He started rubbing your back in slow, soothing circles, his chin resting on top of your head.
“Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I just… I just wanted…” you sniffled, unable to finish your sentence.
“I know,” he said softly. “I know, baby. I’ve been a terrible boyfriend lately, haven’t I?”
You nodded against his chest, your tears soaking his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice full of genuine regret. “You’re right—I haven’t been around enough. I’ll fix it, okay? Starting tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” you mumbled, your voice small and wobbly.
“Promise,” he said, lifting your chin so you could see the sincerity in his eyes. “And tonight, I’ll make it up to you. We’ll stay up and watch whatever you want, or I’ll run out and get ice cream. Anything you need, baby.”
You sniffled, wiping your face with your sleeve. “Just want you…”
“You’ve got me,” he said, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Always.”
Your sobs began to subside, your breathing evening out as Rafe continued to hold you close. You clung to him, your face buried in his neck, finally feeling the comfort you’d been craving.
“Love you,” you whispered.
“Love you more, Dolly,” he murmured, his voice a soft promise against your hair.
