pairing ✴︎ brothersbsf!rafe x female!reader
oneshot! ✴︎ stuck on a boat with your brother's best friend, does tension finally allow itself to boil over?
word count ✴︎ 1.4k!
content ✴︎ fluff!, brothersbsf!rafe, mutual pining i guess, author's attempted understanding of a boat layout, flirting, tensionnnn.
the smell of salt and your pineapple body wash filled the summer air. you're strewn across the yacht sofa, sunglasses on as you let the sun beat down on your bikini clad body.
rafe is at the helm, trying and failing not to look at you as you lounge around. you turn your head towards him, not even his ray-bans could hide his obvious gaze. but as soon as he sees your head turn, so does his.
you laugh to yourself as rafe descends the steps, meeting you at the deck.
"your brother's supposed to be here by now." he remarks, looming nearby, close enough to cast a shadow. you sit up and slide your sunglasses of your face, realising with every minute that passes, it’s more obvious he isn’t coming.
you chew your lip, "we're getting pretty far into sea, he's probably not gonna be able to get to us at this point."
rafe just nods in response, still looking out on the water in to the outline of the outerbanks, slowly growing less clear as the distance stretches.
the thought of being alone on this boat with rafe now becomes apparent to you, tension brimming the air between you as you both take in the situation at hand.
neither of you moves. the water rocks beneath the hull, slow and even, a rhythm that should feel calm but doesn’t.
he's still standing just at the edge of your space, it’s enough to make your pulse keep time with the water. you keep your eyes fixed on the horizon, pretending to study the way the light scatters across it.
you're trying to focus on anything else, the slight sway of the boat, the salt in the air, the way the distant shoreline is slowly blurring into haze, but it doesn’t help. every time the boat shifts, you feel him sneak a glimpse at you, as if he’s just as aware of the silence pressing between you.
a gull cuts across the sky and he finally breathes out, a small sound that feels louder than it should.
“guess it’s just us then,” he says quietly.
you nod, still watching the water. “looks like it.”
another pause. the kind that hums.
he shifts, feet dry against the deck, and you feel that awareness again. how close he actually is, how the air between you feels heavier than it should.
rafe cameron, your older brother's best friend. he had always been around, always been annoying or funny or someone else to look up to. but as you got older, as rafe got taller, growing into his features, the air got thicker.
it was like some unspoken thing between the two of you, whenever your brother was around he was just the same old rafe you used to play pirates in the tanneyhill pool with. but the second your brother's presence faltered, something else hung between you.
like there was purpose in the stolen glances and protective gestures, especially when you finally graduated high school. the air began to felt heavier, suffocating, like if you waited long enough, time would just… stop. something would have to give. or someone.
you exhale through your nose, try to play it off, but the sound of it draws his eyes. for a second you meet his gaze, even under the sunglasses it’s too direct, too steady. your throat tightens, you look away first.
the boat drifts a little, the motion gentle but enough to make you reach for balance. you wonder if he can hear how loud your heartbeat sounds inside the quiet.
without a word, he turns and heads up toward the helm. the sound of the engine winds down, low and fading, until the only thing left is the steady slap of water against the hull. he cuts the motor completely, drops the anchor, and the boat settles into a slow, easy sway.
you watch him the whole time.
he comes back down to the deck, tossing his sunglasses beside you without much thought, then reaches for the hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head in one clean motion.
you don’t even try to look away this time.
his skin is golden from the sun, shoulders broad, muscles shifting with every move. lean, cut, effortless. there’s a drop of sweat sliding down from his neck to his chest, catching the light before disappearing beneath the waistband of his shorts.
he notices your gaze and smirks, the corner of his mouth tugging up like he’s caught you red-handed. and then he dives in; clean, unbothered, body cutting through the surface with a controlled splash.
a few seconds pass before he surfaces again, bangs wet over his face slightly, droplets catching the sunlight. “you comin’?” he calls, voice easy, grin wide.
you can’t help it. you grin, shaking your head as you push up from where you were sitting. the air feels lighter now, something unspoken cracking open between you. you kick off your slides, toss a quick glance his way, and then you jump.
the water hits cold and sharp, and when you come up for air, he’s already there. too close, smile lazy, eyes brighter than the ocean around him.
you barely get your bearings before a splash hits your face.
"hey!" you half scoff, blinking through the salt water. rafe's already grinning, backing up quickly like he didn't just start something.
"what?" he says, all faux innocence. "i didn't do nothin'"
you swipe your hand across the water and send a wave back at him, catching his shoulder. he laughs, loud, a sound you're not that used to hearing nowadays.
soon its both a mess of splashing and dodging, both of you half laughing and half trying to drown each other. the tension from before melting into something easier. you can't help but stare at water dripping down the sharp line of his jaw.
eventually, you both slow down, breathless and flushed, floating side by side. the water moves lazily between you, glinting gold in the late light. rafe looks over at you, grin still soft at the edges.
"you're trouble," he says almost quietly.
"you started it," you reply, kicking lightly towards him.
he hums, gaze dropping to the water before finding you again, "yeah but you kept it going."
the air between you feels different again, like tides changing, quieter, charged. like the laughter left something in its wake. he drifts closer without meaning to, you don't move away.
for a second there's nothing but the sound of the water and his breathing beside you. he tilts his head, staring again.
"you look good you know." he says finally, voice low. "like, this suits you..."
you narrow your eyes, a smile brimming your lips, "yeah?"
he hums in response before swimming to the boat and climbing back on again. your brow furrows for a second and you follow after, climbing up yourself while rafe goes back up to the deck and just stands there. facing away from you.
you catch up, "...rafe ?"
he looks down before turning around to face you, confusion is written all over your face until his palms cup your cheeks, slow and careful. confusion is replaced by shock and your lips part knowingly before he pulls you in, mouths almost meeting.
“can i kiss you?” he breathes, the words brushing against your lips and taking your breath with them. all you can manage is a small nod.
the first touch is slow, deliberate, like he’s giving you one last second to change your mind. his lips meet yours softly at first, barely there, more a question than a claim. but when you don’t pull away, when your fingers catch the edge of his shoulder, he deepens it.
it’s warm and unhurried, the kind of kiss that feels like it’s been waiting to happen. he tastes like salt and sunlight, his hand finding your jaw, thumb tracing the line of your cheek. the water rocks around you, gentle, the world shrinking down to the space between his breath and yours.
he kisses you again, slower this time, like he’s memorising the shape of it. there’s nothing rushed, nothing loud. just the quiet push and pull of it, the soft sound of water, the hum under your skin.
when he finally pulls back, it’s only far enough to rest his forehead against yours. his breath catches, half a laugh, half disbelief. “you have no idea how long i’ve wanted to do that,” he says, voice low.
you smile, stunned. still trying to breathe, the corner of your mouth brushing his. “yeah,” you reply. “i think i do.”
t talks ; can you tell i'm slightly intimidated by writing smut? idk one day i'll post a fic without deleting the smut part of the draft lol
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