cw: playfull teasing, driving without a license (don’t do that!)
the second jj tossed you his helmet, you knew this was a terrible idea. "absolutely not." you declared, crossing your arms while he happily nodded, "absolutely yes."
"jay.." you narrowed your eyes as he grinned at you, completely unbothered by the glare you were sending his way. leaning against his dirt bike, sunglasses perched on top of his messy blond hair, he looked entirely too pleased with himself. which usually meant trouble.
"i'm not getting on that thing." jj pressed a hand dramatically against his chest. "wow." you narrowed your eyes "don't." "wow," he repeated, shaking his head. "after everything we've been through together."
"we've survived storms." you crossed your arms. "jj-" he cut you off, "near death experiences." you tried again, "il." but he just continued, "my cooking."
"your cooking almost killed me." you complained. "exactly," he pointed at you triumphantly. "and yet somehow this is where you draw the line?" a laugh escaped before you could stop it.
jj immediately lit up. "there she is." you hated how easy it was for him. "i'm serious," you sighed. "what if i crash?" he shook his head, "you won't though."
"what if i do?" you whined, heart already thumping at the thought. "then i'll dramatically throw myself in front of the bike and save you." you shook your head, smiling despite yourself.
ji's expression softened. "c'mon, sweetheart." he nudged your shoulder. "i got you." and that was the problem. because everytime this boy looked at you like that, you found yourself agreeing to things you absolutely shouldn't.
ten minutes later, you were sitting on the dirt bike. regretting every decision that had led you here. "why am i doing this?" you asked weakly. jj stood directly behind you, hands resting over yours on the handlebars. "because you trust me."
"that feels manipulative." you raised a brow at him. "maybe it is." he shrugged. "jay!" his laughter rang out across the empty field. god. you swore half your life was spent trying not to smile around him.
"okay, okay." he squeezed your shoulders. "focus." you could feel his chest against your back as he leaned forward slightly, reaching around you to point at the controls.
his voice dropped lower, more concentrated now. "this is your throttle." you nodded. "and this is your brake." another nod. "and if things go wrong-"
"they're going to go wrong." you said quickly. "have some faith in yourself, mama." you looked over your shoulder. jj was already looking at you. of course he was. there was something unfair about the way he smiled. it always made your stomach flip against your will. "stop looking at me like that." you mumbled. "like what?"
"like that." his grin widened. "you nervous?" he dtarted teasing you. "terrified." you admitted. "cute." you groaned, turning away before he could see your face heating up.
"alright," he laughed. "go easy on the throttle." you took a breath. slowly twisted the handle. the bike suddenly lurched and you screamed. the bike moved three feet. and then stalled. silence.
you blinked. jj blinked. then he doubled over laughing. "three feet?" he wheezed. "i hate you." you hopped off immediately, cheeks burning. Ji was still laughing when you shoved his shoulder. "it wasn't funny."
"baby," he managed between laughs, "that was the funniest thing i've ever seen." you glared at him, "i almost died." at that he laughed even more, "you moved slower than a turtle."
"j!" he caught your wrist before you could shove him again. your breath caught. because somewhere during the teasing and laughing, you had ended up closer than intended. much closer.
jj noticed too. his smile softened. "hey." suddenly you forgot what you were mad about. "hey." his thumb brushed absentmindedly across your wrist. "you know i wouldn't let anything happen to you, right?"
the playfulness was still there, but quieter now. genuine. ji wasn't always good at serious conversations. sometimes he joked when he was scared, laughed when things got too real.
but every now and then, moments like this slipped through. moments where you could see exactly how much he cared. your heart squeezed. "i know." his gaze lingered on yours for a second longer. then-
"plus," he added, grin returning immediately, "if you got hurt, who else would laugh at my jokes?" you groaned. "and there he goes." he grinned innocently, "what?"
"ruining the moment." you sighed, taking a step back. "i thought it was romantic." crossing your arms you said, "you thought wrong." jj laughed before pulling you back toward the bike. "one more try."
twenty minutes later, you were actually riding. not well. not gracefully. but staying on the bike. the wind whipped through your hair as you laughed. and when you glanced over, ji was grinning so widely, throwing both fists into the air like you had just won a championship. "look at you go!"
"i'm doing it!" you cheered, "you're doing it!" you were both yelling now. both laughing. and when you finally stopped, breathless and exhilarated, ji practically tackled you in excitement.
"see?" he beamed, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. "told you." you rolled your eyes. "don't let this go to your head." he chuckled, pressing a kiss to your temple, "might be too late for that."
cw: slight angst, explicit language, violence, toxic family patterns
"hey, cameron-tell your girl to stop looking so fuckable if she doesn't want attention."
the words hit you like a slap. for half a second, you couldn't believe what you just heard. the music kept thumping, people kept moving, but your chest started to hurt as heat flooded your face.
you immediately felt embarrassment crawling up your spine. you turned, already knowing it's some drunk asshole with nothing better to do than run his mouth. but you didn't even get a chance to say anything. rafe already went rigid beside you.
you felt it, the way his body locked up stiff. his hand, which had been resting warm and familiar at your lower back, tightened hard enough to make you suck in a breath.
your mind was racing, 'please don't, please don't, please don't.’ because you knew this version of him. you've seen it before. the one that doesn't think, doesn't stop, doesn't care.
"what the fuck did you just say?" his voice was low. it wasn't loud though, it was worse than that. controlled. dangerous. the guy laughed, clearly unaware of the line he just crossed. "relax, man. it was a compliment." rafe let go of you in an instant. and that's when your stomach dropped.
he turned slowly, deliberately, like he wanted everyone to see exactly who they shouldn't mess with. you watched his jaw flex, his nostrils flare, the familiar storm brewing behind his eyes.
it wasn't not anger, no. it was something deeper. a wave of protectiveness, possessiveness, that gnawing fear he never talks about. the fear of losing control. the fear of becoming his father. the fear of failing you.
but right now? none of that mattered.
"you don't get to talk about her," rafe snapped, stepping closer, invading the guy's space. "you don't get to think about her. and you definitely don't get to open your mouth and say shit like that."
you could hear your heartbeat in your ears. part of you wanted to grab his arm, pull him back, diffuse it. but another part of you was frozen. because he was doing this for you.
"damn," the guy scoffed, hands raised. "didn't know she needed a guard dog." at that rafe lost it. he lunged forward, grabbing the guy by the collar and slamming him back so hard the wall rattled. people shouted. someone gasped while you barely registered any of it.
"don't you ever call her that," rafe snarled, forearm pressing into the guy's chest. "she doesn't need to hear shit like that from losers like you. she deserves respect, you hear me? and you clearly weren't raised with that."
your chest ached. you knew rafe's breathing pattern by now, the way his shoulders rise and fall when he's trying not to explode completely. you stepped forward, hands trembling, gripping his bicep.
"rafe," you said softly, your voice barely there. he didn't look at you at first. he couldn't. if he did, he might stop. "you think you can talk to her like that and walk away?" he continued, voice shaking with rage. "you think there aren't consequences?"
the guy's face went completely pale. "i didn't mean-" rafe slamed him, harder. "intent doesn't mean shit." you flinched at that, heart in your throat. this was the part that scared you. the part where rafe forgets the room, forgets himself, forgets everything except the threat in front of him.
you squeezed his arm harder, grounding him the only way you know how. "rafe." you mumbled again, your grip on his arm tightening. and this time, he hears you.
his head turned just slightly, eyes flicking to yours, and he shifted immediately. the rage didn't disappear, but it calms. you see it all in his expression. the fear of scaring you, the guilt already creeping in, the overwhelming need to keep you safe even from himself.
he leaned back into the guy one last time, voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "you ever talk to her again, i will fucking ruin you. do you understand me?" the guy nodded frantically before rafe shoved him away like he was nothing.
and suddenly all the tension in the room disappeared. rafe turned fully to you now, hands hovering like he was afraid to touch you without permission. his eyes searched your face.
"are you okay, baby?" he asked, breathless. you nod your head, swallowing past the lump in your throat. "yes, im okay." his face crumpled for half a second, not sure if you were telling the truth.
"i'm sorry," he said quietly. "i shouldn't have-" you cut him off by stepping into him, pressing your forehead to his chest. his heart was pounding like it was trying to escape.
"don't," you murmured. "you didn't do anything wrong."his arms came around you slowly, carefully, afraid you'll disappear if he didn't hold you right now. he buried his face in your hair, breathing you in, grounding himself in you.
"i can't stand it," he admitted under his breath. "the idea of anyone thinking they can treat you like that. it makes me fucking sick." you laced your fingers into his, steaduying both of you. "i know."
he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. a stark contrast to the rafe he was just a few minutes ago. "ill always protect you," he promised you. "even from the worst parts of myself."
hi sweets 🥹 life has been so hectic lately my gosh.. my family is moving houses and ive been taking an endless amount of exams. and on top of that im kind of seeing someone, who’s also claiming some of my time.. oopsie. i miss u guys so much tho and i will hopefully return soon !!
i grew up in a war torn country and thunder gives me really bad ptsd so that was super comforting 🥺🥺
first of all im so sorry u had to go through that traumatic time ☹️ that’s nothing a little kid or any human should go through !! you are so strong sweetheart !! and im so so glad my fic could give u a little bit of comfort. love u <3
“ahh .ᐟ” you screeched as the first rumble hit, knees immediately pulled to your chest and heart racing. the storm came almost out of nowhere, making the walls shake with every hit.
rafe noticed immediately. he always did, even when you didn’t say anything. he muted the tv, setting the remote aside before scooting closer until your sides touched. “hey,” he said quietly, “you good?”
then another loud thunderclap and you flinched before you could stop yourself. rafe didn’t hesitate. he wrapped an arm around you, pulling you into his chest like it was instinct, like his body knew what to do before his brain caught up. “c’mon,” he murmured, tugging you closer. “it’s just a storm, baby. it’s not gonna hurt you.”
you pressed your face into his hoodie, fingers curling into the fabric like you were afraid he might disappear if you let go. you breathed him in, the smell of clean laundry and faint cologne climbing up your nose.
rafe’s jaw tightened for a second, then he relaxed, one hand coming up to cradle the back of your head. he rubbed slow circles into your scalp, grounding, steady. “i gotcha,” he repeated, softer now. “promise.”
lightning flashed again, thunder immediately followed. your breath hitched, and rafe felt it. he shifted so you were practically in his lap, back against his broad chest, arms wrapped all the way around you. “don’t worry,” he said, trying to sound casual, but there was something serious underneath it. “i’m not letting anything happen to you. okay?”
you nodded against him, even though he couldn’t see it. his heartbeat was fast, but steady, and it made yours slow down a little. “i hate storms,” you admitted quietly, voice muffled by his hoodie.
“yeah,” he said, “i know.” after a second, he added, “i used to hate ‘em too. thought the house was gonna come apart or something.” your boyfriend huffed a small laugh. “guess i still don’t love ‘em. but when you’re here, i only find them half as scary.”
another crack of thunder rolled through the sky, but this time rafe just tightened his hold, chin resting on top of your head. his thumb traced lazy patterns along your arm, counting how many seconds passed between the thunder and lightning. “see?” he murmured. “still here. house’s still standing.”
you tilted your head back slightly, catching his blue eyes. his expression was soft in a way he didn’t show to many people. his guard down, attention on you only. you wondered if he knew how much it meant. how the way he stayed so still, so present, made the noise outside fade into the background.
you pressed a little closer to him, fingers tightening in his hoodie. “you don’t have to act all tough for me,” you whispered. rafe scoffed quietly, pressing a soft kiss to your temple. “not actin’,” he said. “i just.. like knowing you’re okay. mean i’m doing something right for once.”
outside, the storm kept raging, rain pouring heavily. but being wrapped up in rafe’s arms you slowly blurred out everything around you, melting into him completely. “you’re safe,” he promised again, voice low and sure. “with me. always.”
mary janes. baking. animal lover. picnics. golden girl. sundresses. luxurious curls. poetry. paired with cowboy!rafe
SUGAR!READER who is the kind of woman people remember long after they’ve left the farmstand. she is gentle, warm, and endlessly kind, but she’s never been stupid or blind to the world. she spends her days gathering eggs, milking cows, and setting up the little farmstand by the road. cooking is her love language, and while she adores her wife duties, she also enjoys taking care of herself. putting in rollers for the perfect blowout, always wearing dainty blouses and keeping her lips glossy.
SUGAR!READER who got married at eighteen for the sake of her parents and stepped straight into the role of a wife without ever questioning it. she didn’t travel, didn’t rebel, didn’t dream too big, cause deep down she knew with whom she was destined to be. the farm became her whole world, and she learned to love its routines and quietness. she never thought she was missing anything, because she didn’t know there was more.
SUGAR!READER who meets rafe and feels something shift inside her. he’s free in ways she’s never been. at first, she thinks he’s just passing through, just to help out. but the longer he stays, the more he makes her curious. with rafe, she starts to question the life she accepted without thinking. he doesn’t try to change her, doesn’t belittle her life. he sees sugar as more than just the farmer’s wife. how gentle she is with the animals, and how the whole place seems warmer when she’s around.
SUGAR!READER and rafe who keep their distance at first. falling for each other slowly. they know every look is a risk, that every touch could ruin everything. but with rafe it feels different. he writes her notes instead of touching her, meeting her in the barn instead of stealing her away. they know it’s wrong, but every time they try to stop it, one of them comes running back the day after. walking away from each other feels impossible.
happy new year dollies <33 wishing u health, wealth and happiness for 2026 !! thank you so much for your endless support. can’t wait to spend another year with youuu !!