arrangedhusband!rafe x teddy!reader
Workaholic
the house was too big when it was quiet, and lately it was always quiet.
she padded down the hallway in soft socks, clutching the sleeve of one of his old sweaters in her fist, the fabric worn thin at the cuffs from how often she held it. the lights in his office bled under the door again, same as every night, same as every morning when she woke up alone and reached for a side of the bed that had long since gone cold.
she knocked once, gentle, like she was afraid the sound might shatter something.
“rafe?” her voice was small, barely there.
“yeah,” he called, distracted, not even looking up. the click of his keyboard didn’t stop. “what is it?”
she pushed the door open anyway, peeking in first before stepping inside. he was hunched over his desk, sleeves rolled, tie loosened, eyes fixed on his laptop like it held something more important than anything else in the room. more important than her.
she lingered by the door. “are you coming to bed soon?”
“in a bit,” he said automatically. “just need to finish this.”
“you said that yesterday.”
“and i meant it yesterday, too.” he sighed, rubbing at his temple, finally glancing at her. “it’s just busy right now.”
it was always busy right now.
she nodded like she understood, even though her chest felt tight, like something was pressing down on it. she took a few steps closer, stopping just on the other side of his desk. “you’ve been in here all day.”
“that’s kind of how work works.”
the words stung more than they should have. she shrank a little, fingers tightening in the sleeve she was holding. “i just… i barely see you anymore.”
rafe leaned back in his chair, exhaling through his nose. “i’m doing this for us, you know that, right?”
“i know,” she said quickly, because she did know, because that’s what he always said. “but i didn’t think ‘us’ meant… this.”
“what is this supposed to mean?” his tone sharpened, not loud, but enough to make her flinch.
she shook her head, already regretting it, already wishing she’d just gone back to bed and pretended it didn’t bother her. “nothing, i just—i miss you.”
there was a pause. a long one.
he looked at her then, really looked at her, taking in the way her shoulders curled in, the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes. something in his expression softened, just a little.
“hey,” he said, quieter now. “come here.”
she hesitated, but moved anyway, stepping closer until he could reach her. he caught her wrist gently, tugging her in between his knees. “i’m not ignoring you on purpose.”
“i know,” she whispered.
“i’ll try to be better about it, okay?” he brushed his thumb over her knuckles, absent, distracted even in the softness. “just give me a little time to get through this week.”
she nodded again, because that was what she always did. “okay.”
he leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, already half-turning back to his screen. “go get some sleep. i won’t be too long.”
she stayed there for a second longer, like she was waiting for something else, something more, but it didn’t come.
so she left.
the bedroom felt colder when she got back in it. she climbed into bed, pulling his pillow close, pressing her face into it like it might make up for the fact that he wasn’t there. she told herself she wouldn’t cry over something stupid, over something she’d already known was part of this arrangement, part of him.
but the tears came anyway.
quiet at first, just a few slipping down her temples into the pillow, then more, until her shoulders started to shake. she curled in on herself, clutching the blanket like it might hold her together, like it might fill the empty space he kept leaving behind.
it wasn’t fair, she thought dimly. she hadn’t asked for much. just him, just a little of him, and even that felt like too much lately.
she didn’t know how long she cried for. long enough for her head to ache, long enough for her breathing to hitch and break and turn messy.
the door opened at some point.
“hey—”
his voice cut off when he saw her.
she didn’t notice at first, too wrapped up in it, until the bed dipped and his hands were on her, turning her gently onto her back. “hey, hey, what’s wrong?” his voice was different now, stripped of that edge, soft in a way she hadn’t heard in days.
she tried to shake her head, tried to say it was nothing, but it came out as a broken little sound instead.
“don’t do that,” he murmured, brushing damp hair away from her face. “talk to me.”
“you said you’d come to bed,” she managed, words catching. “you said that yesterday, and the day before, and you never do.”
guilt flickered across his face, sharp and immediate.
“i know,” he said quietly. “i know, i’m sorry.”
“i feel like i don’t even have a husband,” she whispered, and that one slipped out before she could stop it.
his jaw tightened, not in anger this time, but in something heavier. regret, maybe. he exhaled slowly, leaning down until his forehead pressed against hers.
“you do,” he said. “you have me. i’m right here.”
“but you’re not,” she sniffed, tears still slipping out no matter how hard she tried to stop them. “not really.”
he went still for a second, like that one hit deeper than the rest.
then his arms were around her, pulling her into him, tucking her against his chest. “i’m here now,” he murmured into her hair. “i’m not going anywhere tonight. i promise.”
she clung to him without thinking, fingers curling into his shirt, like if she let go he might disappear again.
“i’m sorry,” he said again, softer this time, like he meant it more. his hand moved up and down her back, slow, steady, grounding. “i didn’t realize it was getting like this.”
she nodded against him, still trembling a little. “i just… miss you.”
“i know.” he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “i miss you too.”
they stayed like that for a while, her breathing slowly evening out, his hand never stopping its gentle rhythm. when she finally looked up at him, her eyes were still glassy, lashes clumped together.
“stay?” she asked, small.
“yeah,” he said immediately. “i’m staying.”
he shifted them both down into the bed properly, pulling the covers up around them. his hand came up to cup her face, thumb brushing under her eye, catching the last of her tears.
“you’re okay,” he murmured. “i’ve got you.”
she leaned into his touch, soft, pliant, like she always was with him. “don’t go back to the office.”
“i won’t.” his voice was firm this time. “not tonight.”
something in her finally settled at that.
she moved closer, pressing into him, her hand slipping under his shirt, resting against his chest like she needed to feel him there, solid and real. his breath hitched, just slightly, at the contact.
“rafe,” she whispered.
“yeah?”
she didn’t answer with words.
instead, she tilted her face up, kissing him, soft at first, hesitant, like she was testing if he’d pull away. he didn’t. his hand slid to the back of her neck, deepening it just a little, grounding her, steadying her.
it wasn’t rushed, not like before, not like the nights that felt more like obligation than anything else. this was slow, careful, like he was trying to make up for every moment he’d been gone.
she melted into it, into him, into the way he was finally here.
his hand slipped under the hem of her shirt, warm against her breasts. he rolls her nipple between his thumb and index finger, making her gasp out a moan.
he strips her from the pajamas, worshiping every part of her body with his mouth. he kisses her jaw, her neck, her breasts, stomach, hips, and thighs.
“want your cock.” she whines, reaching down to tug his hair for attention. he just nods, taking off the cloth restricting them of what she needs.
as soon as he pulls his thick member out, she whimpers just at the sight, because no matter how many times they have sex, she’ll never get used to it.
rafe brings his face back up to level with hers. he lifts her thighs to wrap around his waist, kissing her as the head of his cock aligns with her.
he pushes deep inside, gently thrusting and pausing to give her time to get used to it.
she moans quietly, her breath shaking as he starts to move inside of her. she clenches around him unconsciously.
“i love you, honey, you know that? you’re a good girl.” he murmurs the praise against her lips. almost immediately after that, she comes undone, lifting her hips desperately as she cums, and him following in notion.
tags: @amelialovesrafe @alyisdead @illumoria @blissfulbutterfliess @sydneysslove @matthewswifeyy @meetmeintheemeraldpool @lcversvoid @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account @cokewithcameron @drewrry @harubunnyy @lifeonawhim @ar1ynx @tottassss @nessasmultiverseoflove @camerxnlove @mochibunnyyyy @starkeysfile @rosiecherie @dainted @my-fabulousness-has-arrived @angelicameron @p34rlzzz @maximumstructurearchivist @seraphiccrafe @graciegibsonn @obxobsessedbitch1 @dabishou @corallandtragedy3 @dxphhnnee @angxls @l1ttlebones @kavycakes @drewsbby @ghosttinvs @fiercetigerpoison @friedvoidstrawberry @ssugartalkin
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