MUD ON MY BOOTS, BLOOD ON YOUR JACKET CHAPTER 3: “you ruin every other boy for me”
rafe cameron x f!reader (slow burn, obsession, best friends to ???)
obsession, jealousy, tension, possessiveness, unhealthy attachment, implied past violence, subtle gaslighting, reader is oblivious but lowkey addicted to him, toxic dynamics, cursing, emotional manipulation, blurred lines, porch light intimacy, minor physical intimidation (no harm to reader)
The sun was dragging itself toward the horizon, painting the Cut in molten gold. You were knee-deep in mud and hay, boots heavy, hands aching from brushing down the horses. Your shirt was streaked with sweat and dirt and you didn’t care because this was your space. The boy who was supposed to pick you up today hadn’t shown, hadn’t texted, hadn’t done anything, and part of you was relieved. Another part of you, the one you refused to admit even existed, still burned with disappointment.
You kicked at a patch of dirt, hard enough to make a horse snort and flick its tail at you, and muttered under your breath. “Of course.”
That’s when you heard it: the low rumble of an engine, one you knew too well.
Your head snapped up. Of course. He had to be here.
Rafe Cameron. Leaning casually on the fence, hoodie up, hands shoved into pockets like he didn’t just drive three streets over to find you (guys trust thats like 10 miles). But his eyes—his eyes were sharp, too sharp, taking in every streak of mud, every pulled strand of hair, every huff of your irritated breath.
“Rafe,” you said flatly, trying to sound like your usual sarcastic self, “what the hell are you doing here?”
“Watching you work,” he said, voice low, smirking like this was the funniest thing in the world. “Figured someone had to.”
Your eyebrows shot up. “Someone? Who else was gonna… what, cheer me on while I scrub mud off a horse?”
He shrugged. “Could’ve been worse. You could’ve been with him.”
Your stomach dropped. “Um… what?”
“The guy who was supposed to pick you up today. The one who ditched.” His smirk faltered just a little, and that quiet pause… that silence… it was enough to make your chest tighten. “He didn’t deserve you anyway.”
Your eyebrows pinched together—confused. How did Rafe know about that? About him?
You blinked. “You—what do you mean?”
He leaned against the fence, shoulders tense now, jaw working as if he had a lot of words and none of them were good enough. “You really thought he’d even show up?”
Your hands froze mid-swipe over the horse’s back. “I… I guess not.”
“Exactly.” His voice had dropped another octave, quiet but sharp, like a warning. “Because he can’t.”
You frowned, brushing hay off your jeans. “Rafe, I—”
He didn’t let you finish. Instead, he stepped closer, closer than you liked, and blocked your path without a word. His hoodie shadowed his face just enough that you couldn’t tell if he was joking, serious, or mad. “You let him even try,” he muttered, “and it made me want to—”
You stepped back, startled, and finally noticed it. His hands.
Bruised. Knuckles split. Dried blood caked under his nails.
Your fingers twitched, wanting to reach for him. “Rafe… what the hell happened?”
His chest rose and fell quickly. He didn’t look away. Didn’t answer. Just let you stare.
Your heart skipped. The boy hadn’t ghosted you. He hadn’t ditched. He hadn’t been anything but in the wrong place at the wrong time—Rafe had made sure of it.
“Oh,” you breathed, just that. Simple. But it carried everything. Confusion, disbelief, fear, something darker… something electric.
He moved closer, so close you could feel the heat from his body, smell the faint hint of his cologne mixed with sweat and adrenaline. He didn’t touch you. Not yet. But the space between you was too small, and your chest raced like it wanted to explode.
“You think you’re safe,” he said quietly, voice trembling just slightly—enough that it should have softened him, but it didn’t. “You think someone else can take care of you, or get to you, or… I don’t know…” His words stumbled, awkward in that frat-boy, trying-to-be-smooth way that somehow made you want to punch him and kiss him at the same time.
Your lips parted, but you couldn’t think of a single thing to say. You were frozen, boots caked in mud, heart hammering like it wanted to escape your chest.
“Rafe,” you said finally, trying to pull away, “you can’t—”
“I can’t what?” he cut in sharply. His hands twitched at his sides, clenching and unclenching, like he wanted to reach for you and also punch a wall. “I can’t just… watch someone else try to touch what’s mine?”
You froze. Mine. The word hit like a slap. You blinked. “You… what?”
“I’m saying…” His voice dropped, quiet now, but the edge was still there. “I’m saying that no one gets you. No one touches you. No one even thinks about you the way I—” He broke off. He ran a hand over his face, frustrated, fumbling. “…the way I want to.”
You shook your head, trying to make sense of him, but you couldn’t. Your mind scrambled. He’s hurt, he’s… obsessed, and I’m standing here in my muddy boots trying not to pass out.
“I—Rafe, you’re crazy,” you whispered.
He tilted his head, dangerous, sharp. “Yeah. Maybe.” You opened your mouth to speak.
Slow. Soft. Like a threat and a promise all at once:
“Why is it that you always have to ruin every other boy for me.”
The words hit you in the chest, hard. As if they haven’t just came out of your mouth. Heart racing. Breath gone. Everything inside you flipped upside down, scrambled like a storm you didn’t see coming. His gaze pinned you in place. You couldn’t move. You couldn’t speak anymore. And somehow— part of you didn’t want to.
The porch light flickered. Moths swarming around the radiant warmth of light. It Shadowed him. Shadowed you. But it didn’t matter. The world had narrowed down to just him, just this moment, and the weight of your words crushing you and him from the inside out.
hi guys, honestly ive had little to none motivation recently so sorry if this is kinda sucky🥹