your nerdy boyfriend rafe cameron.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who spends weeks preparing to ask you to be his girlfriend. it’s something he genuinely wants to get right, mentally rehearsing how to say it, going back and forth on everything. like whether to keep it simple or sound more put together, only to scrap every version because none of them feel good enough.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who instead, builds the whole question around you in intentional ways. like your favorite snacks, that movie you once said you watch when you’re stressed, or the kind of lighting you always switch it to. he’s been paying attention this whole time and this is his way of proving it without having to say too much.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who sets everything up himself, double checking it all like he’s running through a final review, dinners ready, playlist queued with songs you casually sing from time to time, a blanket laid out just right. and when you get there, he’s a little nervous, hands fumbling, “i wanted to do this right, because you matter to me.”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who ends up saying, “i really enjoy the time we spend together, and i want to make it official with you, if you want that too” he says, stopping himself from rambling, “what i’m trying to say is, may i be your boyfriend?” and the play on phrasing, fills your heart so much, because you know how much of an overthinker he is, and asking permission to be your boyfriend, instead of you his girlfriend, shows how much he wants to show up for you.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who immediately overthinks your reaction, looking at your facial expression like he’s analyzing an audit in real time. trying to figure out if you’re confused, or actually considering it.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who had a backup ‘clarification’ question ready because he’s worried he phrased it wrong, “to be clear, i’m expressing romantic interest. i just want to make sure there’s no misinterpretation.” and it’s so concise, but silly because of course you said yes.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who goes completely still when you say yes, because he’s hoped you said yes, and really wanted you to say yes, but now that you’ve agreed, he’s trying to make sense of it. a small disbelieving smile at his lips, with his hands finding yours, and when you kiss his cheek, his hand flies up to feel the warmth as you smile at him.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who opens doors, and pulls out your chair, because he’s thought through what actions might make you feel more cared for.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who keeps checking in throughout dates in small ways, like “is this environment comfortable for you?” “do you like this?” “we can go somewhere else, if needed.”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who listens more than he talks because in his mind everything you say is urgent, and important. no matter how insignificant it may sound to you, but when he does talk, it’s so thoughtful, and intentional, like every word has been filtered through care.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who always walks you home, or to your car and hesitates at the end, clearly running through possible next steps in his head.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who almost misses his moment to say goodbye because he’s overanalyzing whether a hug would be appropriate, and ends up quietly asking instead “may i hug you?”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who hugs you gently at first, then when you melt into him, he hugs you tighter like he never wants to let go.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who pulls back slightly, still close, and says, “i would like to do this again tomorrow, if you would also like that.” and when you lightly says “i’d love that, boyfriend” his cute shy smile appears, and it’s even better because his eyes crinkle, and he looks away, like it’s too much, but everything at the same time.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who replays the entire interaction later in his head, analyzing every detail, to understand what made you smile the most. and when you leave his sight he’ll always text you after to confirm you got home safely. but also because he just, misses you already, even if he won’t phrase it like that yet out loud.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who handles you like you’re something fragile, not in a bad way, but like he’s aware of how much he cares about you, so every touch is careful. when he’s cupping your face in both hands, or thumbs brushing your cheeks slowly like he’s making sure you’re okay. especially when your soft lips kiss him, he almost always follows your lips when you break the kiss, because holy hell do your lips feel good.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who listens to you like a puppy. head tilted slightly, brows furrowed in concentration while you ramble, mentally filing every word…and then days later, “you mentioned earlier that you prefer-” and you’re just staring at him like “you remembered that?”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who explains things in the most attractive way possible. you could be struggling with something and he’ll sit beside you, turning your notebook toward him. even better when he stands up behind you, both arms on the table as he’d hovered above you. “okay, look, don’t overthink it,” he says, pen tapping the page. and he’s sooo patient with you. breaks it down step by step, voice softer than you’ve ever heard it. and the whole time you’re just like why is this hot???
nerdboyfriend!rafe who is so dorky sometimes, with his small shy smile, and his big circular glasses. how his voices changes a pitch when he’s practicing his lecture hall presentations. how his apartment is neatly organized in a small system, because his ocd kicks in. but it’s what you like most about him, and you wouldn’t change a thing about him.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who has an almost unfair amount of patience when it comes to you. never rushing you when you’re upset, never interrupting, just sitting close with his knees brushing yours,, “take your time. i’m not going anywhere.” and he means it every single time.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who explains even his feelings like they’re observations, “i’ve noticed a consistent drop in my overall mood when you’re not around…i think that’s what missing you feels like.”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who’s best friend topper, always teases him about how whipped he is. and rafe never denies it honestly, telling them, “what’s wrong with treating my girlfriend like a queen?” and topper snorts at how gone for you he is.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who takes care of you in thoughtful ways. bringing you water without asking, adjusting the temperature because you once said you get cold, keeping his apartment, stocked with all of your favorites, from snacks to drinks. even buying copies of some of the books you're reading, he says “it’s more practical to have them in both locations, so you don’t have to carry so much when you’re traveling back and forth.” because it’s just standard to him now, to make you comfortable.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who genuinely doesn’t think about anything sexual most of the time, like you’ll be sitting in his lap, arms around his neck, and he just rests his hands on your waist, head leaning on your arms, or chest completely calm. asking “is this your preferred form of physical closeness?” and you always giggle at how he forms his sentences, because he’s so articulate, it’s admirable.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who watches you flirt with him like he’s trying to solve a puzzle, blinking, processing, not rejecting you, just not connecting the dots. “i’m not entirely sure what you’re implying” and when he eventually realizes what you mean he immediately gets flustered. coughing, clearing his throat, his eyes avoiding yours, “oh- i hadn’t considered that as the um goal.” he isn’t uninterested, just unfamiliar. affection to him is closeness, a sense of safety, but in a sexual way? he most definitely needs to be taught.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who would choose holding you over anything else. you fully tucked into his chest, fingers absentmindedly playing with your hair while he talks softly about something random. always having his hands touch some part of your body, whether its his arm wrapped around your thigh, your legs over his lap, his arm laying over your back, that’s what intimacy is to him.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who’s love language is definitely acts of service and quality time. he’ll literally rewrite your messy notes to make them neater, send you reminders about deadlines, bring you coffee without asking, and when you’re not at his apartment? he’ll stay up with you on facetime while you finish assignments.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who is always being reminded of you in the biggest or smallest of things. he’ll walk by flowers and think of your perfume, he’ll be watching a documentary about how the planets move around the sun, and he’ll think about your brightness. or lemons when he’s cooking because you love lemonade. and he’ll always text you something along the lines of “this made me think of you”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who checks in on you in the most him way possible, “have you eaten in the last four hours?” “your energy seems lower than usual today.” and will go into full caretaker mode when you’re sick. researching symptoms, making sure you’re hydrated, adjusting pillows, hovering just enough, like a case study, but so, so gentle. and when you’re on your period? he’ll lay with you for hours, just rubbing your stomach to soothe your cramps. whispering “you’re okay my love. i’m here for you.”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who pauses mid sentence sometimes, searching for the right words, then just exhales, resting his forehead against yours, “i don’t have the correct terminology for this, but i feel better when you’re here.”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who asks about your feelings because he genuinely wants to understand, “what does that emotion feel like for you?” “how can i respond in a way that helps?”
nerdboyfriend!rafe who pulls you closer when you drift, or will move closer, like he notices even the smallest distance and corrects it without thinking.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who gives you the lightest of kisses, always on your cheeks and forehead. he loves kissing your lips, but theres something that just comforts him even more, when he kisses your forehead.
nerdboyfriend!rafe who is so meticulous when it comes to you. always wondering how you’re doing, how you’re feeling. like your happiness is the only thing that matters, because loving you is something he refuses to ever fail on, or ever get wrong.
based off this ask! <3