#rafi sayed

[throughthejunobush]

Any Rafi fans out there?

I wrote a short little sweetie (only 3.5 pages) for him based on Leonard Cohen’s song “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye”

Rafi and Gracie wake up on their last day of Love Island.

Read on AO3 or Wattpad

Hope you enjoy!

[archiveofliterature]

letty couldn't handle the fact a brown man rejected her, but also couldn't handle knowing that ramy would pick robin over and over again, that he would rather have a (chinese) MAN over a (white) woman

she tried to connect with him the ways robin could, by talking abt his foreign land, by "appreciating" him ("but your skin is lovely—"), mimicking his banter with robin (constantly going against every mundane opinion he had in an effort to tease him) but she could never see how she was constantly hurting him by never listening to him, by putting down his feelings of britain's settlement in india, by her utter ignorance to the group's collective experiences

but no, it's ramy's fault, obviously. he wouldn't even look at her and she couldn't stand it

[indycinders]

56 pulls, $18, 2200 diamonds

Worth it because he gave me a twofer ;w;

[erensfeed]

I was listening to Rafayel’s new card audio, and the way I couldn’t stop screaminggg???

and even more so because of the thirst tweets headcanon I had of him suggestively implying how we’d be his new “canvas,” and then him saying we’re a “blank canvas” in this audio LIKE OH SO IT IS CANON THAT HE’D PLAYFULLY AND JOKINGLY SAY THATT 😭😭😭

LIKE OKAY INFOLD AND RAFAYEL

[rhythmic-idealist]

as of my last post I’ve realized that my polycule features four of us and an animal in one apartment…… hey loves give me feedback on my Scooby gang assignments (tags)

[sillimancer]

I had no idea Kacey Musgraves put stuff up for Grammy noms! I'm actually really happy she won something for The Architect, it was one of my favorite tracks from her Deeper Well album

[sentofight]

Rafayel and his wiiiiine.

[fatecantstopme]

Late Night Brilliance

Pairing: Rafael Barba x Reader

Summary: Barba shows up at your house unexpectedly one evening to go over a case. What began as an honest need to work through some inconsistencies, turned into a battle to maintain professionalism and composure.

Warnings: SMUT, unprotected sex (P in V), oral (M receiving), mentions of F receiving oral, fingering, light dom/sub vibes (Rafi is totally a dom).

A/N: Spanish Translations:

Querida/Cariño/Nena: Terms of endearment (darling/sweetheart/baby)

Meirda: shit

Por favor: please

The rest will be in brackets and italics after the sentence.

You were in the middle of eating your Chinese takeout when you were disturbed by a knock at your door. You weren't expecting any company and had been taking full advantage of a quiet Friday night in.

You sighed quietly as you pulled yourself off the sofa and went to answer the door. A shiver of surprise ran down your spine as you peered through the peephole. You groaned inwardly, glancing down at your rather disheveled appearance. You'd thrown on an old baggy t-shirt and leggings when you'd gotten home from work, but one look at the man standing on the other side of your door filled you with regret.

You pushed down any feelings of dread--and butterflies--as you opened the door and greeted your visitor with a warm smile. "Rafael Barba. What brings you by at 6:30pm on a Friday?"

Your tone was light and teasing, despite the unease you felt internally. He gave you his signature half-smirk, eyes quickly scanning you from head to toe, making you feel even more self-conscious.

He was wearing a beautiful three piece navy pinstripe suit with a lovely pink tie. You had no doubt he had matching suspenders under that damn vest...you hated how good he looked even after a long day of work.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said in a tone that indicated he knew damn well he wasn't interrupting anything. "I was hoping to talk to you about the Milligan case."

"Nothing better to do on a Friday night, Counselor?"

He chuckled. "My options were to spend the evening in my office, at home alone, or come spend it with a beautiful woman. I chose the latter."

You were more than a little surprised by his words, though you did your best not to show it. The two of you were known to flirt occasionally, but neither had dared to cross the line. A relationship between the two of you was out of the question, not that he was even interested in pursuing one with you. After all, he was married to his work and you were quite far from his type...you'd seen Yelina.

"Lucky for you, I also have no life outside of my job," you teased. "Come on in and make yourself at home. I've got Chinese food if you're hungry and I just opened a bottle of Merlot."

Rafael followed you in, shedding his suit jacket and draping it across the back of a dining chair. He began to roll up the sleeves of his white button down and you felt a stirring in your abdomen. "Chinese sounds amazing, but I can't say I'm a fan of Merlot."

It took you a moment to register the words he'd spoken as you were too preoccupied with not revealing how incredibly sexy you thought he looked in that moment. "I, uh--I think I have some bourbon if you're interested."

You practically bolted to the kitchen to look in the cabinet where you kept the liquor. You desperately needed to be as far away from him as possible before your face gave away the thoughts in your head.

"Bourbon sounds good."

Your eyes scanned the cabinet, locating the half-empty bottle at the back of the shelf. "Two fingers or three?"

"Three," he answered, voice much closer than it had been moments before.

You turned around to see Rafael leaning against the door frame with his arms folded across his chest. Your eyes nearly rolled into your head at the sight and you let out an audible sound you hoped could be interpreted as surprise.

You poured the drink in silence, before handing it to him and gesturing for him to follow you to the living room. "We can eat at the table if you prefer..." you trailed off.

"Not necessary. The couch looks perfectly comfortable."

He sat down on one end of the couch and you sat on the other, as far away as you could possibly get without sitting on the arm. He raised an eyebrow at you, but didn't comment on the awkward distance you'd managed to put between you.

"So you--um--you wanted to talk about Milligan?" you asked.

"Not exactly. I wanted to talk about the victim, Shelly."

"What about her?"

"Something about her story isn't sitting right with me."

"Okay..."

"I want you to go over it with me again. Maybe give me a fresh set of eyes and a different perspective?"

"I'm not sure how much help I can be, Barba. I was in the room when she disclosed--that's not exactly a fresh set of eyes."

"Perhaps, but you are a psychologist. You see things very differently from the rest of us."

You sighed. "Alright, I'll bite. Where do you wanna start?"

As the two of you began to discuss the case and the inconsistencies in the victim's story, your discomfort started to evaporate. This is what you were passionate about--what you were best at. Everything else simply faded away and Rafael became just a colleague, not a man you were hopelessly romantically interested in.

Two hours passed, but it felt like no time at all. Your coffee table was littered with files and papers, and both you and Rafael were leaning over it, examining pieces of evidence. He was mere inches from you, but you were so absorbed in what you were doing that you hardly noticed.

"Cariño, can you pass me that witness statement?" Rafael asked.

You grabbed the paper he was referring to and handed it to him, eyes still scanning the page in front of you. The term of endearment didn't even register in your mind, nor did he seem to realize he'd even said it aloud.

After a few moments, Rafael asked you another question. "Do you have the surveillance photos from the bar?"

You pushed a few folders out of the way, digging the file with the photos out from the bottom of the stack. "What are you looking for?"

"Her outfit."

"Why?"

He didn't answer as he flipped through the photos, finally landing on the one he had been looking for. "Look at this."

He handed you the photo, which you'd seen before. "Yeah that's Shelly leaving the bar before the assault."

"Right. Notice her outfit?"

You glanced at the photo again. "Typical night out attire. Why is this important?"

He handed you the statement he'd been reading earlier. "She came directly to the precinct after her assault to disclose, right? Nowhere in her initial statement does she say she ever changed clothes."

You'd been there the night in question, had sat beside Olivia as she took Shelly's statement. "She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt," you stated.

"So why didn't she tell us she went home first?"

"She might have been worried we would judge her or blame her for the assault because she wasn't dressed like a nun."

"Yeah, I suppose that's possible."

He looked a little crestfallen, like you'd rained on his parade. He knew in his gut Shelly wasn't telling the whole story, but he couldn't prove it. He needed a single thread...just one thread to pull on. He needed to know now before the trial began and the defense unraveled the entire case.

A thought dawned on you. "No semen, no body fluids," you mumbled as you searched the coffee table for the rape kit report from the hospital.

Rafael watched you, unsure of what you were thinking.

"Ahh!" You grabbed the report and flipped through it. "There was evidence of trauma to her vagina and several bruises on her body, but there were zero traces of any DNA that wasn't hers."

"Okay, but that's not uncommon."

"Perhaps if she'd waited to report, I would agree, but I think there's an alternative reason."

He raised an eyebrow and waited for you to continue.

"She went home and showered."

Realization dawned on his face. "Didn't you or Olivia ask that question?"

"Of course we did, but I think she was scared to tell us, scared of what we'd say."

"We need to reinterview her."

You nodded.

Rafael pulled out his phone and called Olivia. He relayed what you'd discovered and asked her to reinterview Shelly the following day. Olivia agreed and thanked him for letting her know.

"You're brilliant, you know that?" he said as he hung up, vivid green eyes locked on your face.

"Minor detective work, at best," you said with a shrug. "I've been doing this long enough that I should be able to put pieces of a puzzle together. Besides, as you rightfully mentioned, it's my job to study and understand human behavior."

He smiled. "Even still, it was good work."

"You found the pieces, I just put them together."

"Take the compliment, (Y/N). You know I give them so rarely."

You laughed. "Alright, alright. Thank you, Rafael."

His expression shifted slightly, gaze darkening as he looked at you. "I don't think you've ever called me by my first name before." Even his voice was lower, huskier.

You felt the heat rise in your cheeks. "I--uh, I'm sorry."

He reached out and grabbed your hand. "Please don't apologize. I liked hearing it...very much."

Heat began to spread through your entire body, coloring more than just your cheeks. You were unsure how to respond--the unfamiliar territory both daunting and exciting.

Rafael mistook your silence for discomfort, immediately removing his hand from yours and looking incredibly uncomfortable. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Everything in you wanted to reach out and touch him, reassure him that his words--and his touch--were welcome, but you knew that would be crossing a line you couldn't uncross.

"No worries," you mumbled.

The awkward silence stretched on for a few moments, during which time you were silently kicking yourself for making things weird.

"Well, umm, thank you for your help tonight. I-I guess I should be going," Rafael muttered lowly.

He started to get up and gather the papers strewn about the coffee table. You knew you should help him, but you didn't move--frozen in place with indecision. He couldn't see the war raging inside you, couldn't hear the thoughts screaming in your head.

After what seemed like an eternity, you finally forced out two words, "Don't go."

Rafael paused, holding a few papers in one hand and a folder in the other. "Pardon?"

You swallowed thickly, rising to your feet. "Please stay."

Surprise lit up his handsome face. "It's getting late," he said softly. "Are you sure you want me to stay?"

You nodded.

He slowly set the papers back down and came to the other side of the coffee table, positioning himself directly in front of you. He reached out, tentatively placing his warm palm against your cheek. You leaned into his hand, eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

"I need to hear you say it, querida," he murmured.

Your bright (y/e/c) eyes met his, a surge of confidence making your words clearer. "I want you to stay, Rafael."

His lips parted slightly, partially in surprise and partially in arousal. He stepped closer to you, closing the gap between you. His lips ghosted over yours before finally pressing gently against them, pulling you into a soft kiss.

You wanted nothing more than to lean into his kiss, to feel his hands on your body--you wanted to know what it was like to be worshipped by him, to make love to him.

But the rational part of your brain--the part that kept you on the straight and narrow your entire life--had managed to rear its ugly head. You couldn't drown out the voice in your head screaming at you that this was wrong--that you couldn't do this with him...he was your coworker, for god's sake.

You suddenly pulled away from him, voice coming out in a rushed whisper, "We can't."

While he was disheartened at the sound of your words, he wasn't really surprised. It wasn't forbidden--technically--but that didn't make it easy, or even right. "I won't force you, cariño."

His soft, comforting words made you want him even more. You sighed quietly and leaned your forehead against his. "We shouldn't," you whispered so softly he almost missed it.

His hands had settled on your hips and he began to rub soothing circles into your sides. "Can't or shouldn't?" he asked lowly.

Your trembling hand pressed firmly against his chest in a way that made him feel like you were pulling him closer, not pushing him away. "Please," you begged softly, neither of you sure of exactly what you were asking for.

Rafael's left hand slid lower on your hip, the tips of his long fingers pressing into the soft flesh of your bottom. His right hand pulled you closer to him, holding you flush against his body. "Tell me you don't want me--don't want this," he pleaded, voice husky with desire.

Your lips trembled against his mouth, body responding to his like it was made for him. "I can't..."

His left hand moved to grab you more fully, eliciting a soft moan of need from your lips. "Querida...tell me to stop."

"Please don't stop," you whimpered. "I need you--por favor, Rafi."

"Mierda," he growled, pulling you somehow even closer to him. His lips crashed into yours with a hunger you couldn't describe--a hunger you returned in kind.

The next several moments were a flurry of hands all but tearing at each other's clothes, desperate to feel skin to skin contact. In what had to be a record pace, the two of you found yourselves standing in nothing but underwear in the middle of your living room.

Rafael grabbed you tightly and tugged you down with him as he fell into a sitting position on the couch. You straddled his strong thighs, lips still hungrily devouring his.

He groaned lowly as your pelvis ground against his erection, the intense need for friction almost painful. His soft hands ghosted up your back, unclasping your bra with practiced ease.

You pulled away from him just long enough to send your bra flying across the room. Rafael licked his lips in anticipation before leaning forward to capture your nipple between his soft lips.

You sighed softly, fingers twining through his hair in order to hold him tightly against you. He used one hand to massage your other breast before switching to ensure both received equal treatment.

"Rafi," you whimpered as the need to feel him inside of you continued to grow.

"Si, hermosa?" he murmured.

You ground down against his erection again, silently telling him what you needed.

His hands immediately went to your hips, halting your movements. "I need you to tell me what you want, querida."

"You," you begged.

He smirked. "Puedes hacerlo mejor. Usa tus palabras." [You can do better. Use your words.]

If you were being honest with yourself, your Spanish was not nearly as good as it had been when you were younger...after all, you hadn't really spoken much Spanish since high school. Working with Nick Amaro, and now Rafael, had forced you to revisit your knowledge of the language in an attempt to brush up. Thankfully, you understood a hell of a lot more than you spoke, so you were able to piece together what he was telling you to do.

"I want you, Rafael, please."

"I'm right here, hermosa."

You glared at him, which earned you a patented smirk in response.

"Si quieres algo solo tienes que preguntar," he murmured softly. [If you want something, you just have to ask.]

You bit your lip. You weren't a shy person, but you had never been very vocal during sex in the past. Your partners didn't often ask you what you actually wanted, so you weren't even sure how to respond to him.

"I want you to touch me."

"Donde?" [Where?]

You realized he wasn't going to let you get away with not being explicit, but you couldn't quite bring yourself to say the words out loud. Instead, you grabbed his right hand and guided it between your legs, placing it firmly against your extremely damp panties. "Here."

Rafael smiled wolfishly. "Now was that so hard?" His voice was teasing, but there was a heat in his eyes that betrayed exactly how turned on he was.

He didn't give you a chance to respond as he pulled your underwear aside and slipped his fingers between your dripping folds. You gasped softly, hands gripping onto his shoulders for support.

"Is this what you needed, cariño?" His fingers gently toyed with your clit, providing some stimulation, but not exactly what you needed.

"More, Rafi, por favor," you begged.

In response, Rafael slipped two fingers inside of you, twisting his hand to form a come hither motion as he sought your sweet spot. His thumb provided the pressure against your clit that you so desperately needed and you moaned loudly as his fingers found your g-spot.

"There we go, nena. Te tengo." [I've got you.]

You clung to his shoulders as his expert fingers worked you closer and closer to the edge. You were almost surprised by the ease with which you felt your orgasm approaching--you couldn't remember the last time you'd cum from nothing more than a man's hands.

Rafael slid a third finger inside of you and began to add more pressure to his movements on your clit. The stimulation was exactly what you needed and you knew your orgasm was close. You were hesitant to tell him, but you also didn't want him to stop. "Rafi, I'm so close--please don't stop."

"I won't," he murmured, changing nothing about his current movements. "Quiero sentirte venir." [I want to feel you come.]

Your breathing was labored and your legs had begun to shake--a surefire sign of your impending orgasm. He could feel your walls squeezing his fingers and he couldn't wait to feel the sensation around his cock.

Your nails dug into his shoulders as your orgasm rushed over you, sending shockwaves of pleasure through your body. Rafael slowed his motions, but didn't stop until you began to whimper and squirm away from him.

He pulled his fingers out of you and lifted them to his mouth, sucking them clean with a groan of enjoyment. "Tastes so good, nena. Can't wait to taste you properly."

Your eyes widened slightly, having found the action extremely arousing. Your gaze then traveled down his body, landing on his still clothed cock. Your eyes flicked back up to his, your expression practically begging him to fuck you properly.

"Hay algo que quieras?" [Is there something you want?] he asked with a smile.

"I'd really like you to lose the boxers."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, enjoying your demanding tone more than he'd expected. "Stand up for me, querida."

You did as he asked, albeit slowly.

He lifted his hips and slowly tugged his boxers down, finally freeing his painfully hard cock. Your eyes widened slightly, gaze appreciative of his member. He was both thick and long, and the head was leaking enough precum to give you the strong urge to taste it.

Your eyes never left his cock as you tugged your own panties off, wanting to be just as deliciously naked as he was. You started to drop to your knees, but Rafael reached out and grabbed your arm.

"What are you doing, nena?"

"I wanna taste you," you answered softly.

He closed his eyes for a moment, swearing softly in Spanish under his breath. "As much as I would love to feel your pretty little mouth on my cock, I don't think I can take it."

You felt incredibly disappointed and your expression must have shown it because his gaze took on a slightly pitying look.

"Just a taste?" you pleaded.

He couldn't deny he wanted it as badly as you did--probably more so, but what really pushed him over the edge was the sound of your soft voice begging him. He didn't wanna say no to you--ever.

He released your arm with a soft sigh. "Está bien--just a taste." [Alright.]

You grinned, feeling pleased at having won. You dropped to your knees and gripped his cock in your warm hand, gently stroking him before leaning forward to lick the precum from the tip. Rafael groaned at the feeling, followed by a string of Spanish curses as you took his cock in your mouth.

The sensations you were providing him had him making more noise than you'd ever imagined. His fingers fisted into your hair and his hips jerked as you pleasured him--a feeling of pride settling into you as you listened to his moans. You felt powerful, having made the great Rafael Barba turn to putty in your hands.

His grip in your hair tightened and he pulled you off his cock much sooner than you would have liked--a groan of displeasure leaving your lips in protest.

"Get up here," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. It was the same tone he used in court when he was tearing someone apart on the stand.

You immediately did as he asked, once again straddling his thighs, but this time, you awaited further instructions. Everything about his demeanor oozed dominance and you were more than happy to slip into a submissive role for him.

He gripped his cock and slid the head between your folds, sending sharp bolts of pleasure through both of you.

"Dime que me quieres," he demanded. [Tell me you want me.]

"I want you, Rafael," you answered instantly.

He smiled at your clear willingness to obey. "Dime que me necesitas." [Tell me you need me.]

"I need you."

He leaned forward so his lips were inches from your ear. "Vas a gritar mi nombre?" [Are you gonna scream my name?]

"Si, Rafi! Please!" you begged. "Te necesito dentro de mi." [I need you inside of me.]

He rolled his hips up slightly, pushing the head of his cock into you. He held you tightly in place, not allowing you to move lower.

"More, please!" you cried, desperately trying to lower yourself onto him fully.

"Rogar por esto, nena. Dejame escucharte." [Beg for it, baby. Let me hear you.]

"Please, Rafi, please," you pleaded. "I'll do anything--please. Please just fuck me!"

His grip on your hips lessened just as he rolled his hips upwards, allowing him to plunge into you as you pressed yourself down on him. The tip of his cock brushed against your cervix, sending a jolt of pain through you, but pain quickly turned to pleasure as he began to move.

"You feel so good, querida. So tight and warm--made for me, weren't you?" Rafael murmured into your skin as he slowly rolled his hips.

You whimpered slightly, the slow pace not enough to soothe the burning ache within you.

He noticed the way you shifted, clearly seeking more friction, so he loosened his grip on you, allowing you more freedom. You gripped onto his shoulders, using them as additional leverage as you began to ride him properly.

Salacious sounds filled the room, a mixture of your bodies joining together and your shared moans and whimpers. Rafael's mouth nipped and sucked at your pulse point, your collarbone, and your lips--anything he could reach.

The position was enjoyable, but Rafael sensed you needed more--and he felt the need to take over. He pulled you in close to him, holding you tightly as he stood, flipping you onto your back on the couch.

You gasped in surprise, delighted at the change in position. Rafael immediately took charge, bending your legs towards your chest and thrusting into you hard and fast.

"I need to feel you cum, hermosa. Dime que necesitas." [Tell me what you need.]

You were a whimpering, moaning mess beneath him, and your brain was struggling to make sense of the words he was saying. It took you a moment to understand, but even then you couldn't find the words. Instead, you slipped your hand between your bodies and began to rub your clit.

Rafael pushed your hand out of the way, replacing it with his own. He'd be damned if he wasn't the one who made you fall apart. "Vendrás por mi?" [You gonna come for me?]

"Rafi!" you cried out--the only coherent thing you'd said in minutes.

Your pussy clenched down on his cock, squeezing him so tightly he nearly came on the spot. He continued to fuck you exactly as he had been, fingers still pulsing against your clit.

Moments later, you came with a loud cry of his name, wave after wave of intense pleasure crashing down on you as he rode you through the orgasm.

He removed his hand from your clit, using it instead to grip the back of the sofa, his other hand supporting his weight on the arm. He chased his own high, finding it a few seconds after you. He groaned your name as his hot seed filled you up, hips still pumping for a few moments before he collapsed on top of you.

You wrapped your arms around him as he came down, aftershocks wracking both of your bodies.

Once you'd both caught your breath, Rafael lifted his head to look at you. He smiled as he took in your fucked out appearance--evidence of your enjoyment written all over your face.

"You're so beautiful, querida," he murmured.

You blushed. "So are you."

He chuckled. "I'm not quite sure a man wants to hear that he's beautiful."

"Eres muy guapo, papi," you said with a grin.

His eyes darkened slightly. "That's much better."

He pulled himself up so he could kiss you properly. When he deepened the kiss, you found yourself heating up--the desire once again building in your core.

"How 'bout I take you to bed and properly worship you, cariño? Would you like that?"

Your eyes widened. "You don't have to..."

"I know, but I want to. I wanna taste that pretty pussy properly before I fuck you again."

You grinned a little, enjoying the twinkling in his eye as he looked at you. "Second door on the left," you stated, pointing down the hall.

"Perfecto," he murmured as he stood up. He leaned down and scooped you up in his arms, bridal style, and began to carry you towards the bedroom.

"Rafi!" you yelled in surprise, a soft giggle leaving your lips.

He tossed you onto your bed and crawled on top of you to kiss you deeply. "Now, if it pleases the court, I'd like to spend the next 15 minutes with my head between these sexy thighs."

Your cheeks blushed as you chuckled lightly. "It pleases the court very much."

He gave you one last grin before lowering himself between your legs and sending you to heaven as many times as your body would let him.

[evan4ever]

You Left Me

Warnings— angst, that’s about it! And I did not proofread lol

a/n— I’ve wanted to write for Barba for so long and this popped in my head tonight so I hope it’s good, it’s my first Barba x reader!!

*******

“I’ve got donuts!” You chirped as you strolled into the station, holding the box of donuts up high for everyone to see, though blocking your own view momentarily. Thankfully, you knew your way around well enough that you maneuvered your way to your desk, still holding the box in front of you waiting for someone, anyone, to say something about the donuts— but when no one did, you finally lowered to box to see Amanda, Sony, Olivia… and Rafael staring at you.

Your heart nearly stopped. It had been nearly 3 years since Rafael had left. Left the squad. Left town. Left you.

No call. No text. No nothing. After a nasty case that left everyone confused and devastated, you arrived home to the apartment you had shared with your long time boyfriend, Rafael Barba, for all of his belongings to be gone. Nothing of his left, but a note.

“I love you. I’m sorry.

Rafi”

You were left broken beyond what you thought could ever be repaired. It took a lot of time, a lot of therapy, a lot of “self love” and time off for you to even come close to healing from that. You still weren’t completely healed. You were just on the mend, finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel, thinking that maybe things could be okay again. You were finally finding love towards your job again after spending the last three years being so angry and taking that anger out on every perp you could. Olivia knew what you were going through, thankfully doing her best to hold you together knowing you had no one else to do it for you. She never fired you when you were out of place, she never judged you when you blew up at anyone who looked at you wrong, no, she simply turned you in the direction she knew you needed to go.

And now, the moment your eyes landed on Rafael’s, they quickly diverted from his and found Olivia’s.

You swallowed hard, feeling uncomfortable with everyone’s eyes on you and the way silence filled the room. You dropped the box of donuts harshly on your desk and cleared your throat, running your hand through your hair, something you did often when nervous.

“Um, I can’t… this isn’t..” you stuttered, shaking your head, “I’m not doing this here.” You stated, turning and making your way into the break room, away from the wandering eyes, knowing Rafael would follow you.

The air felt thick around you, your skin hot and wet. You almost didn’t want to believe he was really here, that this was really happening. Why? Why now? After all this time? After all these years you had to spend healing the parts of you that he broke? Why now?

You felt the presence as someone entered the room, and it was all too familiar even after three years. Your ps were currently pressed against the counter, your body hunched forward.

“Close the door, please.” You demanded, quietly. You knew you weren’t going to be able to keep your temper under control when the two of you begin talking, and the others really don’t need to hear your dirty laundry.

You listen as he obliges, the door latching giving you the okay to push yourself away from the counter. You still couldn’t bring yourself to face him yet, so there you stood tall, facing away from him, staring at the white kitchen cabinets in the break room filled with only the presence of yourself and the man who was at one point the absolute love of your life.

It was dead silent, as if both of you were terrified to speak first. Or maybe neither of you knew the right thing to say. All you did know was you weren’t going to be the first to speak, and he had no right to make you.

“Can you turn to me?” His voice finally filled the room, filled your ears. “Please?” It was so soft, and still so beautiful, if you weren’t so pissed off at him, you probably wouldn’t buckled there.

“I don’t know if I can face you.” You admitted in a shaky whisper, you weren’t sure if he even heard.

“I know you’re angry, but if you would just listen—“

“Angry?” You cut him off, whipping yourself around so quick that he wasn’t expecting it and took a few steps back out of surprise. “No. I’m not angry, Rafael. I’m furious. I’m livid. I could kill you if it wasn’t illegal and I didn’t love my job.”

You stepped towards him with every one of your words, now chest to chest with him. Your noses were nearly touching as you stared up at him and he down at you, a look of pure despise mixed with betrayal in your eyes.

You stayed like this for a moment, almost threatening him to move away from you. When he didn’t, you finally backed off and put space between you, shaking your head at him.

“I know that I’ve hurt you y/n.” He states, his eyes remaining on you.

“You left me.” Your voice nearly squeaks in reply, causing Rafael to flinch slightly. “I would’ve done anything for you, Rafi, and you left me.”

“I had no choice!” He finally raises his voice, a hint of his own hurt showing. “I couldn’t make you give up the job that you worked so damn hard for all because I did what I did? I wasn’t going to make you pack up your life and come with me all because of a screwed up case! Don’t you get any of that? I was trying to spare you. I was trying to give you another chance at this beautiful life you built. I wasn’t going to make you follow me. I would never do that to you. Not because of my poor choices.”

You stared at him for a moment in disbelief, as if the last nearly decade you guys had spent together he truly had never heard a word you had ever said to him. Yes, you could see he was looking at your best interest, but he failed, miserably, at seeing what YOU would have wanted. What YOU would have thought was best.

“I would have gave up my entire life for you. My career, my home? Those are just things to me. You knew this.” You spoke slowly and clearly to him, making sure he understood you. “There was nothing else in this world I wanted more than to be with you, wherever you were, wherever you would go. I would have been there.” Your eyes stared directly into his, holding contact for a moment while he thought over what you just said. “But you took that choice from me when you left me here.”

Turning away from him now, you took a deep breath almost feeling free, finally getting that off your chest to him. He took that choice from you. He thought he knew what was best for you, and that’s what really hurt.

“And you didn’t even give me the courtesy of a phone call or… or a goddamn text message.” You laughed harshly. “No, I got to find out from a note Rafi! A note, and all your shit gone from our apartment! But hey, thanks for paying the rest of that year’s rent. You really did me a favor there.” You sarcastically joked, rolling your eyes.

All Rafael could do was stand there, thinking over your words again and again. He really did think he was doing what was best for you. That’s all he wanted, what was best for you. He didn’t want to make you pick your entire life up for him.

“I’m sorry y/n. I only wanted what was best for you. I didn’t think you—“

“No, you didn’t.” You cut him off, nodding in agreement. “You’re right. You didn’t think.”

He just stares at you, his mouth opening to say something but quickly closing on second thought.

You both now, once again, just stares each other down, neither daring to break eye contact. Though, his stare at you is filled with sincerity and warmth while your stare at him is still filled with anger and coldness.

“Do you know what I had to do to pick myself back up from that?” You once again break the silence, referring to his leaving. His eyes quickly meet the floor, almost scared to find out what his disappearance in your life had done to you. “I was in therapy FOUR DAYS a week with Olivia’s freaking shrink for months. Then it was three days a week. Now I’m finally at two days a week so, we’re making progress huh? I was on desk duty for a year because I would beat the living shit out of every perpetrator I could get my hands on. I had like.. four different lawsuits on my hands that, thank god for Olivia and the rest of my squad, they got me out of. I lost a partner to a bullet because my mind was on YOU. I lost the privilege to talk to victims for a year because my mind was on YOU.” His eyes remained on the floor as you flooded him with everything he had caused you to go through. “You left a hole in me, so big, that even three years later Rafi, I’m still working on filling it. All because I would have went with you.”

“So come with me now.”

His words take you back, nearly making you trip over your own feet as you process what the hell he just said. You stare at him, your eyebrows pushed together, questioning if you heard him right. Surely, he didn’t just say that now, after all this, after all this time.

“What?” You whisper, deciding you need to hear him say it again to confirm it.

Rafael pushes himself a few steps towards you now, maybe a foot between the two of you, and looks down at you carefully, and gently repeats himself. “So, come with me now.”

Your mouth drops open in awe, and not the good kind.

“Are you kidding me? Why now? Why now and not then?!” You raise your voice again, feeling the anger once again rise, though he quickly grabs either side of your arms and gives them a small squeeze.

“Please. Just listen to me.” You want to object but instead, you sigh and allow him to continue. “I realize now how wrong I was for not giving you the choice. Y/n, leaving you was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my entire life. A mistake I have been dwelling on since the day I left. But I needed to hear you say, from your own mouth, your own words, that you would’ve came with me. I would’ve never forgiven myself if I forced you to come and you hated it. Please understand that.” You slowly relax at his words, in his touch, feeling slightly more confident that he truly meant well by his actions, though they still weren’t okay. “There’s nothing I love more in this world than you. There’s nothing I want more in this world than you by my side wherever I go. And if you still want that, so do I.”

He lets his jabs gently run up and down your arms, in a familiar way he used to years before, and God it felt so good. Your eyes flutter shut as you replay his words in your mind, your stomach turning in all which ways making you almost nauseous. You’re not ever sure how to feel at this point, you don’t even know what to say or how to respond.

Maybe it was instinct, or maybe it was just so natural, but you found yourself leaning into him and allowing him to hold you. He was careful not to overstep any boundaries you may have put up, only holding onto the sides of your arms and allowing you to rest into him as you pleased, your head lying against his chest. You felt his chin finally rest on the top of your head after some moments, like he wasn’t sure if you’d allow him to or not.

Here, like this, you guys stayed for some minutes in silent. You had no idea what to do, or what to feel. All you did know was in this moment, it was the most whole you have felt in three years, since before the day Rafael left you. It might seem silly, or cheesy or cliche, but you really would have given up your entire life for this man. He was your everything. He treated you with the utmost respect, kindness, love, he treasured you. You guys had a good thing going. And you had no one else. Sure, you had your squad and they were the closest to a “family” you were going to get, but Rafael was the one.

“I have to get going mi amor.” Rafael finally pulls himself away, your heart skipping a beat at his use of Spanish, something you haven’t heard in so long and god, something you have missed. He looks down at you, you quickly squeeze your eyes shut to hold back the tears that suddenly tried to push themselves out, then blink a few times before looking up and meeting his eyes. “There’s that case, with the veteran and his daughter, Nydia.” You nod, knowing which he’s talking about before realizing he must be going against Carisi. Rafael notices your realization and a small smirk grows on his lips. “Yeah” he confirms. You clear your throat and nod. “We can talk later, if that’s okay?”

You nod again as he back away towards the door, watching him carefully but staying where you are.

He stops before he leaves and looks back at you one last time, meeting your eyes, “just think about it, okay?”

[throughthejunobush]

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE RAFI FIC!!!! HES MY S3 LI AND I FEEL LIKE HES SO UNDERRATED!!!!

Omg thank you!! I’m so glad you liked it! I ONE HUNDRED PERCENT agree. He is so underrated. He’s just so lovely and kind and hot.

I actually have a slightly longer fic for him I’ve got mostly done so I’ll post that eventually!

[archiveofliterature]

anyway i have Thoughts™ about how ramy is perceived to be just a mouthpiece for rf kuang's anti-colonialist views

at this point i'm genuinely gonna have to reread babel for a 3rd time to see what that means bc. huh?

of course disclaimer preface whatever you are allowed to have your own views you're allowed to feel what you feel you're allowed to not like a book

i just feel like – it's the way a queer character just exists in fiction and in the real world, where they happen to experience prejudice in regards to their identity, but cishets just perceive them to be making "queer" their entire personality

it's the same thing here? when you see a brown character talking about how he feels about britain settling in india (britain, who ends up murdering 100 MILLION indians during this settlement btw!!!) and therefore witness how that naturally results in his strong-willed anti-colonialist views – how is that just his personality? how is that just all that he is? is that all there is to pay attention to whenever ramy opens his mouth?

from what i recall, ramy loves reading and translating, loves cooking even though he's bad at it, loves his religion and okay maybe there is a reading on colonialism in those bits too but when you are literally living in a colonial world, i don't know how you expect none of it to link back. that's how writing works and that's what it means to be a poc in a white man's world

again, just some thoughts lol

[crimeronan]

I started reading the Raven Cycle books because of you, and reached this bit in book 3:

So it just straight up says that in the text, huh.

THEY!! WERE!! ALL!! IN!! LOVE!! WITH ONE ANOTHER!!!!

[alexrosa13]

Unhurried Moment

Rafayel x female!reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings: 2k words, mc!reader

Note: fanfiction for the ongoing Rafayel Birthday contest: link to the X post here →

for masterlist and request info head to the navigation →

Rafayel's birthday celebration has come to an end, let's spend some more time together away from the prying eyes, in the arms of the man you love the most.

To say that this day has been spent well would be an understanding.

Rafayel's birthday came to an end together with the clock hands pointing midnight.

The sun has set a long time ago, but the lights placed all around the beach allowed the party to go on until now.

Laughter, singing and games turned into a calmer atmosphere with hours passing by and people slowly disappearing from the celebration.

"I know, it's just the way he is." you giggled, currently having a conversation with Auntie Talia about Rafayel, talking about how he loves to act all sassy and diva-like while also wanting to be treated like a princess (that he is), of course you talked about it only to purposely annoy him since you knew he is currently eavesdropping on your little gossiping time.

"Excuse you?! I do not act like a spoiled brat, what are you two implying here?" you hear your lover's annoyed tone coming from behind you, turning his way you send him a playful smile while holding up your glass of champagne.

"Aww baby, it's okay, I love you just the way you are. Your bratty personality is just another part of you that I can't live without." you took a sip of the liquor while watching him attentively, slowly his expression turned from annoyance to shock, the blush slowly showing itself on his face and ears, easy to miss in the faint light surrounding you.

"Now you just want to act all innocent like a moment ago you didn't complain about my 'moods'. You won't be forgiven that easily. And you Talia, how could you betray me like this and agree with her?" he looked at the woman with betrayal and hurt.

"Oh Rafayel please, you know very well how we adore you, but you have to admit that this woman's patience for you is otherworldly." she decided to tease him even more while also taking a sip of her drink and chuckling a little at his deepening shock.

"So that's how it is? I'm the bad one here?! You all are teaming up to beat up the already laying guy." he crossed his arms across his chest while turning his head away from you.

Both you and Talia laughed at his reaction.

"And now you're laughing at me, I'm a victim of bullying here." he looked at you as if you just had the audacity to curse his whole family and ancestors without even saying a word.

Leaving your already empty glass on the table you stood up from your seat and made your way to your annoyed fishy.

Being close enough you simply tugged him into your arms, one arm wrapping around his waist with the side of your face planted against his chest as you continued to chuckle.

Your free hand took a hold of the fabric of his shirt, gently playing with it between your fingers.

"I'm sorry darling, I'll stop teasing you, please don't be mad at me." you looked up at him with a smile, clearly proud of your actions.

"And now you think that you can bride me into forgiving you with sweet words and cuddles?" he glanced at you with the same annoyed expression still on his face, not returning your hug.

"Please Rafy, you know you can't stay mad at me for too long, you love me too much." you smirked, while trying to stay in the act of a cute, innocent girl.

He was this close to finally breaking, but instead of giving in he turned his head towards the ocean, clearly not able to stay irritated while you looked at him with those pretty eyes.

"I'll leave you two to it, it's time to call it a night." Talia announced loudly, standing up and gathering her things while trying not to look at the two of you with a knowing expression.

"Have a wonderful rest of the night Auntie and get home safe." you said while sharing a look with her and exchanging smiling.

"Thank you sweetie, I wish you a peaceful night. I hope your birthday was well spent this year Rafayel, and take care of this girl, she's a gem in today's world." finally the man turned to look at his aunt.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning to let her go any time soon, she's stuck with me." and finally his arm came to embrace you, not able to deny himself the comfort of your body pressing against his any longer.

"Aren't you two adorable, goodnight." she smiled and made her way towards the still remaining at the party people to say her goodbyes.

You simply waved at her before turning to your boyfriend once again.

"Have I earned his Majesty's forgiveness?" you asked playfully and his eyes turned to look at you, a smile finally breaking through his stern expression.

"Hm I don't know, I think that his Majesty needs way more apologies and attention for you to earn his forgiveness." he says, looking at you with squinted eyes, curious about your next move.

Your palms went higher up, holding his head between them while you gazed straight into his eyes.

"Oh please my dearest, handsome darling, forgive me for I have been mean to you and you deserve only the best, nicest, kind words to be spoken about your beautiful being. I'm sorry for saying that you're needy and bratty, please never change, I love you exactly the way you are, nothing you do annoys me, you're perfect and all mine." with every spoken word your body leaned closer into his until your face found itself an inch away from his.

"Well you passed the apologies part, but with the attention part you still need to try harder." and right then and there your lips landed on his pretty ones, sharing a long kiss that felt almost magical together with the ocean breeze and sounds of the waves swaying your way.

Not caring for even a moment that someone from the still going party could have come out from around the corner and see you, the only thing important to you being the person in your arms.

His palms wandered to your waist, gently holding you through the material of your clothes, while your arms hugged his neck, bringing him even closer to you.

Eventually you slowly pulled away, studying every detail of his face visible in the faint light like you haven't already encoded every inch of him into your mind times and times before.

You smiled at his expression, his eyes staying focused on your lips while his mouth opened slightly taking a deep breaths.

"Have I passed the attention part now?" you asked, to which he still didn't seem like waking up from the daydream about your lips on his.

"I think that it will take you some more time to earn full forgiveness, you know." he said and before you could have laughed in response his lips came crashing back into yours, a hand on the back of your head forbidding you from moving away.

Your eyes closed once again while you savoured the familiar feeling of his kisses.

You felt more drunk on him than on the alcohol you had consumed through the night, your sweet, sweet addiction.

And he wasn't fairing any better, lost on your taste, the thought of parting from you a painful needle pricking his heart again and again.

But he couldn't stay in the moment forever, the only thing allowing him to let you move away being the promise of more moments like this to come.

Your eyes met, a soft and short giggle escaping you and leaving a lovestruck smile behind.

"Now?" you asked.

"Not yet." he whispered while admiring you attentively, his muse.

You chuckled once again, head falling to his chest.

A comfortable silence fell onto the both of you, heads turning to watch as the waves meet the sand before leaving the shore again.

The hug surrounding your body making the chilly wind go unnoticed, it felt peaceful.

The chaos of your daily life shared with the lemurian artist leaving your mind for a little while, allowing you to simply relax in the moment, in the arms of your lover.

Slowly you moved away, sending him another warm smile before walking over to the table where your purse was lying.

Standing right before it, your hand fell to the edge of the glassy surface, holding onto it while bringing your leg up a bit, allowing you to take off your shoes. Looking up at Rafayel you gestured with your head for him to do the same.

"What are you planning?" he bent down to follow your acts, soon enough finding himself standing barefoot on the cool sand, shoes with tugged in them socks in one of his hands.

Taking your purse and your footwear you made your way back to him.

Your free hand reached out to him, silently asking him to take it which he did without a hint of hesitation.

"Let's walk to the car like this." slowly you moved forward with him following you closely behind, not paying any mind to the quests, leaving without any goodbyes.

You heard a soft chuckle leaving him before silence once again fell between you two.

Lazily you strolled along the shore, sand cracking under your feet with every step, palms holding onto each other tightly.

At some point you found yourself close to the water, jumping up a bit when the cold waves touched your skin.

Rafayel laughed with you following him shortly, the joy coming from the fairytale-like moment making both of you feel light and blissful.

Unhurried you finally made your way to the parking road, you were about to walk onto the hard cement but Rafayel untangling his hand from yours made you pause.

Not answering the question in your eyes he moved to wrap his hand around your back while the one holding his shoes found itself under your knees, in seconds you found yourself in his arms like a bride.

Letting out another laugh you hugged his neck with your free hand, the other letting your shoes and purse dangle on your lap.

Your head fell to his shoulder, enjoying the short walk to his car in his hold.

Right next to his vehicle you looked through your purse in search of the keys, finding it you pressed the button unlocking the car.

With minimal effort he opened the passenger door and put you down onto the seat leaving your feet outside of the car before moving to the trunk, taking two towels prepared by you for today he unfolded one lying it on the footwell before you.

Giving you one more kiss on the lips he allowed you to put your legs inside, next to your shoes, closing the door behind you before walking to the other side.

Sitting down on the driver seat he cleaned his feet from the sand the best he could before putting his socks and shoes back on.

A minute later he got ready to turn the vehicle on when a hand on his arm stopped him.

Turning to look at you he sent you a silent question with his gaze, but your answer came in silence too.

Your palm gently met his cheek before you moved closer, leaning above the central console to kiss him one more time, staying glued to his lips for quite some time before slowly turning away to fasten your seat belt.

Looking up at the view before him he turned the car on.

A wonderful birthday indeed.

©alexrosa13 on tumblr

[cissyenthusiast010155]

Taking Care of My Girl ~Dom!Rafael Barba xFem Sub!Girlfriend!Reader

Summary— Aftercare with Rafael.

Mommy… Master List

Requests & Prompt-List

Warnings: Implied smut, aftercare, overstimulation, implied dom/sub relations, implied daddy kink, comforting, physical comforting, kissing, post-sex bliss, etc.

Enjoy (;

You let out a breath you didn’t know you’d be holding as your body went limp against Rafael’s.

“Rafi… that was fuck…” you breathed out with a light chuckle, too speechless and fucked out to finish your thought.

“I could say the same thing, Mierda…” Rafael sighed in content, letting out a chuckle as well and using one hand to swiftly swipe his messed up hair out of his face.

The man was holding you up from behind, and his cock was still deep inside your core. You ran a hand through your now messed up hair, before turning back and looking at the man who had just fucked you to ecstasy. You were both beaming with blissed out smiles. His fingers traced mindless patterns along your now sensitive skin.

“I’m going to pull out now, hmmm hermosa…?” Rafael gently told you.

“Alright. just… slowly please, Papi…” you responded still in your sub space, your eyes fluttering shut for a moment as your body tingled in the after affects of your orgasm and as the overwhelming wave of post-sex hit you.

“Mhmmm, always.” he sighed reassuringly, before slowly pulling her length out from your core.

You winced slightly at the adjustment of Rafael’s dick pulling past your sensitive walls. His hands were now soft and caressing your shoulders and sides, holding you steady and comforting you through the brief discomfort, compared to the vice grip he had your hips and shoulders just mere moments ago when you were screaming his name as you came together.

“Such a good girl, Cariño…” Rafael cooed in your ear, once he was fully out of you.

His warm and sexy hands then guided you to lay down on the bed. And Rafael came up against your back, big spooning you while running his fingers through your hair and whispering strings of praise in your ear.

“You did good, Querida… so good… bueno nena, mi amor…” Rafael praised you with gentle, soft love.

Your body’s numbness and limpness had faded, and you were now trembling lightly. Your breathing was still shallow, and your head was spinning.

Rafael tended to have this effect on you. Curse him and whoever gave him the genes of not only a silver tongue, but also ten nice thick fingers, on top of a back breaking, leg splitting cock…

He began to rub and massage your trembling and sweaty frame with his hands in soft and loving motions. His mouth gave you kisses along your back and shoulders and neck.

You sighed, finally able to take a breath and resurface from your deep mindset that reeked of sex and power and control. Your eyes fluttered closed as you leaned back into Rafael’s sweaty body, humming in happiness at the skin on skin contact.

“There’s my Cariño…” Rafael hummed with a smirk caressing your side now, always proud of how blissed out he made, but just as happy to have his girlfriend back.

“Mmmmmm…” you hummed, turning your head up and back to look at him, then leaning toward him and rubbing your nose against his lovingly, cupping his cheek with your hand, “I love you, Rafi…”

After rubbing noses, you two landed on being head on head, just laying together with closed eyes in peaceful love.

“Mmm, I love you too, hermosa… mucho mucho, mi amor…” Rafael breathed out under his breath for only you to hear.

You both couldn’t help the bright, blissed out smiles that spread across your faces. And you both laid in each other’s arms, taking in and enjoying the moment, while you regained your composures.

You began to doze off in Rafael’s arms, and his heart melted at the sight. Somehow, the cutthroat, ambitious DA that took down rapist and pedophiles had fallen for you and had turned into the biggest softie. He couldn’t deny that he loved who he was with you, just as he enjoyed who he was at work.

He let you sleep for about 20 minutes, drinking in your blissful, resting form, before gently tapping your thigh and rocking you back awake. You snorted a little as you came back to Rafael, stretching a little in his arms still as you woke up.

“I would have let you sleep, but I want to make sure to get you cleaned up, fed, and taken care of, Cariño…” Rafael hummed lovingly.

You now flipped over to your other side slowly as you could feel your impending soreness. Now facing your boyfriend, you looked at his pearly green, caring eyes and your heart melted.

You leaned in just enough to gently place your lips on his. It was a light kiss, short and sweet, but filled with so much unsaid love and care. You then pulled away, too soon for both of your liking, but content at the same time.

“Mmmm thank you… you’re so kind to me…” you hum, your mind still a little fuzzy.

At this, Rafael brought his hands up to your cheeks, and his gaze bore into yours.

“Of course, mi amor… you deserve all the love in the world.” He genuinely said, with a hint of vulnerability and a whole lot of care.

It was Rafael’s turn to press his lips against yours now, before pulling away after a moment with a smile.

“Now, let me go get a warm washcloth, hmmm…? Then I’ll clean you up, maybe we order some take out, I can give you a bath, then bed…?” Rafael breathed out.

You smiled back, pressing your body into his and wrapping your arms around him.

“Yes please…You take such good care of me…” you murmured into his warm and sexy chest.

Rafael chuckled lightly, slowly getting up from the bed, placing a kiss on your forehead before standing up completely.

“For you? Anything, Cariño…” Rafael hummed, before going to get that warm washcloth to clean you up.

~~~

Rafael Barba Masterlist ~Coming Soon (;

[rhythmic-idealist]

Velma has the same amount of fun calling them Mystery Inc when she knows damn well they aren’t a corporation. To Velma this is equally, privately, hilarious

I think it’s very cute if the Mystery Gang are polyamorous, and Daphne gets such a kick out of going “Fred Jones! Are you making eyes at that other woman?”

These people are poly hippies. Daphne and Fred have slept with every other human person in that van. But she LOVES to do her little monogamous boyfriend-girlfriend roleplay, “What did you say about our gracious host, Freddie,” “You keep your eyes looking for clues,” “Daph- people are- people are looking at me…”

[perkqularkreashions]

Living with the Enemy, Joe Goldberg x Reader

Part 1: Last Nice Guy in New York??

Prompt: YN is close friends with Peach, Annika, Beck, and Lynn. She doesn't fit into their circle, nor does she try to. Joe soon sets his sights on YOU, leading to a domino effect within Y/N's life.

Requested: YES | Requested are OPEN|

Warnings: Mature Content, Manipulation, Stalking, Slightly Proofread.

It had been some time since you last spoke with Peach and her willing and obedient entourage. You blissfully ignored them, avoiding the usual hangouts and skipping daily walks with your son. You took different routes and dined at other eateries, and for a while, you enjoyed this simple and slow-paced lifestyle. 

It was a particularly warm day in New York; the increasing winds had died, allowing you to turn off the space heaters that litter your apartment. You relished the smell of cleaning products and baby formula rather than burning rubber. You watched as Rafi bounced around in his walker from his room back to the living room. His hand slapped against some trinket that sang a quick tune of “You are my sunshine.” It was probably his favorite plaything on that bouncer, but it annoyed the absolute hell out of you. The loud and high-pitched continuous loop of "you are my sunshine... my only sunshine", but he loved it, so you endure it. You cracked open the window, allowing the fresh air to filter into the apartment, the warm breeze washing over you briefly before returning to stillness. Contently, you sighed. Your eyes flickered to the door; a hesitant knock followed by two more confident knocks. You shuffled off the couch, unable to gaze through the peephole due to the grime built up over the years. You mentally noted that you need to tell the landlord about that. Unlocking your three deadbolts, you pressed your ear against the door, hearing the muffled female voices.

You opened the door and noticed Peach, Beck, Lynn, and Annika. Your eyes widened as you stumbled back, Peach charging into the apartment. Her eyes glanced around as she brightly smiled at Rafi before returning her cold gaze to you. She crosses her arms, waiting for you to fill the silence with an apology. The tension hung in the air like a heavy fog, palpable and suffocating everyone as they all watched you, their once easy rapport replaced by an uneasy silence. Every word left unsaid seemed to echo between them, filling the space with a sense of unease that was almost tangible. You chuckled before turning away, gathering some of Rafi’s items out of habit. “You don’t just go MIA for weeks like that!” Everyone slowly shifts into the apartment; you feel suffocated. “I called, you never answer.”

You plainly answered, “I know.” You shoved some clothes into the hamper before returning to the group. You tried to think of something to say and formulate something harsh and crude to say back to Peach and her brainless minions that followed her every call, jumping at the snap of her fingers and pleading for some sort of acceptance from her. You sighed, sitting on the sage-colored love seat, your elbows resting on your knees as you rubbed your temples gently. “Peach, you and your…whatever this is. Can happily get the fuck out of my apartment. You can’t just storm into my home and expect me to drop to my knees begging for you to what…forgive me?” 

You felt the couch dip next to you, the smell of her engulfing you. It iterated the fuck out of you yet offered you a warm feeling. She was home; despite her manipulation, gas-lighting, and bitch behavior, she was home. You finally looked at her, your face growing warm as you pressed your lips together. Her smile growing as she knew, she squealed, wrapping her arms around you. “Say you forgive us… me?” You nodded against her before pulling back. “Great, let’s go out to eat! We’ve missed you and have lots to catch you up on!”

You nodded, pressing a feigned smile on her lips; Annika smiled, wrapping you in a brief, one-armed hug. She was followed by Lyn, who seemed more than pleased that you had returned. They moved away, gawking at Rafi as they spoke with him in an annoying, high-pitched tone. They were flashing toys in front of him before snatching them quickly as he giggled loudly. You stood beside Beck; an awkward silence washed over you both. Beck wanted to speak… she wanted to ask if what Peach had been filling in her head was true. Suppose you had been trying to pine after Joe; how would she feel? She admitted her feelings for Joe were growing; she liked having him around and the attention he provided her when Benji was off on a binge of whatever drug would provide him with whatever relief. “We missed you… I missed you,” Beck spoke, cutting through the silence. 

“I’m sorry,” You mumbled, bumping into her shoulder and offering her a half smile. She tucked a small piece of hair behind her ear.  

“I’ve been dying to tell you about everything, I mean everything,” Beck whispers through her laugh as she watches you for a moment. Beck confided you about everything; you weren’t judgmental and never gave advice—you were just a lending ear that she craved in the whirlpool that was Peach. You sighed, knowing that no matter where you were in your life and how far you thought you had escaped Peach, she was always lurking in the shadows, ready to devour you at any minute.

You hummed softly, your hand occasionally, moving the visor back to check to see if your son was still alive. Your hand fluttered in front of his face; quickly, he reached for your fingers. You had spent most of the morning shopping for groceries and wanting to find some fresh produce. You gathered green apples, strawberries, and some blueberries. It has been a slow-paced morning; class was canceled, you were finally caught up on your assignments, and only needed to grade some papers from some of your classes. You hadn’t seen Peach since your lunch date with the girls two weeks ago. It was spent, for the most part, talking about Beck’s choices in men and the plethora of men that have taken her to bed… all this steaming from Benji ghosting her. You didn’t know what she saw in him, but he was a poser and couldn’t hold down an idea, let alone his own business. She had fucked, Mr. Bedroom Eyes, someone that she had met in the library, all while leading on Joe and worrying about Benji.

Your eyes shifted slightly; noticing him underneath the navy-blue baseball cap, he examined the fruit before placing it down. You smiled brightly, peering left and right before approaching him. You stuttered for a moment; wait is it weird that you were approaching him? Did you even need to say hello? You stood behind him, mindlessly watching his gaze at the fruit. Weaving through the throngs of people as your eyes held steady on him, your hands tightening against the stroller. Panic surged through you, threatening to overwhelm my senses as your hands hesitantly reach out to his shoulder. Joe jumped as he spun around; a toothy grin fell on his lips as his eyes shifted to Rafi. “Sorry, this must be weird.” You quickly tried to explain, and yet there you stood. 

“No!” Joe smiled, “No weird at all.” He watched you, taking in your beauty from the curve of your lips to the furrow of your brows. Your eyes are a soft color, filled with so much emotion. He contained his excitement, continuing to handle the slightly ripe peach in his hand. A soft breath of relief escaped your lips; Joe watched you, taking in every moment, from the twitch of your eye when you smiled to the slight tightening of your hands against the stroller’s handle. Were you nervous? You didn’t need to be! I am all yours! Joe’s thoughts muddled aggressively through his head, his eyes concentrating more on your slight movements, the way you shifted your weight to your left hip as you stood there, watching him. Your index finger nervously taps before stopping.

“Good, I thought it’d be weird if I recognized you in this crowded space,” you laughed; it was soft. A small smile crept on his face as he moved closer to you, a single step to be closer to you. You slightly shifted, leaning against the stroller as you pushed it in front of you before bringing it back. “It’s nice to see you again.” Your heart fluttered as you watched his goofy take hold of his lips. His cheeks dusted pink as he nodded hesitantly; he stepped forward, watching you walk away in the crowd, occasionally wiggling your fingers in front of your son’s view. 

“Are you alone?” Joe mentally cringed as you paused, peering over your shoulder in confusion, “I meant, I could keep you company while you go shopping… If you don’t mind.” Do you mind? You wouldn’t mind, would you? Joe thought; he watched you ponder his offer, and you fully faced him as you smiled, nodding at him. Joe joined you, shoulders bumping into each other as you continued to walk through the farmer’s market. Looking at the different herbs and vegetation sprawled on the tables, you fingered at them, rubbing your fingers with a concentrated look on your face as Joe pushed Rafi. Joe watched you in awe, his hand gripping against the stroller in angst and yearning. He watched you tuck a piece of hair behind your ear; you quickly turned to him, putting a strong-smelling herb in his face. He winced as he swatted at his nose; you laughed softly before agreeing with the saleswoman that the left one was more pungent. 

“My mom made this weird-tasting soup for me when I was sick, but it always helped. It helps when Rafi has a little bug. He hates it; he scratches at my arms when I force-feed it to him.” You laughed, showing him the small craters in her skin that hadn’t healed properly. Joe took your arm, letting his thumb trace over the craters. “He’s so mean when he wants to be; I guess he gets that from his dad.” Joe watched you, taking in every word that was said. 

“His dad hit you?” You were stunned; you placed the herbs in your tote bag before looking at Rafi, making a slight face and tickling him. Joe observed you, your face tense as you seemingly tried to feign enjoyment in the brief time with your son. He watched how you weren’t standing so close to him; your shoulders still touched every again, but not the same as before. Joe cursed at himself for bringing it up; Joe hated that he made you feel so small and helpless again. You froze at the sound of your name; Joe noticed it, too. He peered over his shoulder seeing someone rush to you, his hand waving wildly as he began to jog to catch up to you. He called your name again. Joe’s eyes flickered at you, and you were frozen, eyes wide in fear. Joe leaned closer to you, but you were snapped out of thoughts when the man stood directly behind you. You slowly turned, now facing the stranger. Joe watched the man; something about was familiar, the curve of his lip and the bushiness of his brow. His hair was long and pulled into a rendition of a man-bun with some pieces falling in front of his face; he was clean-shaven and muscular. His skin was a deep cooper color that glistened but wasn’t sweat…more of an oil-based lotion. 

“It’s been so long!” he smiled with a bright smile, teeth perfect and in a row, no obscurities or imperfection. He tried reaching out for a hug, but you backed away, letting a small smile rest on your lips. You didn’t say anything, but you didn’t have to for Joe to notice how uncomfortable you were. “Who’s this?” His eyes never left yours. Joe could see the intimidation in his eyes, and his smile never reached his eyes when he spoke. 

Joe moved the stroller before him, stretching his hand in the process; a bright smile rested on his lips. “Joe.” The man didn’t acknowledge him or care for his name. Finally, he passed him a glance, his face churning into a distasteful look. His eyes moved to the stroller, and as a bright smile crossed his lips, he bent down for a moment. Wiggling at Rafi’s shoes, speaking in a babbled baby talk before looking up to you again. 

“You know he misses you and him; you shouldn’t run away. Especially with his child.” The man spoke, and he stood to his feet. “See around.” He spoke before brushing past you. Joe grabbed your arm, and you winced momentarily, flinching away from him. Your eyes finally connected with Joe’s; you sucked in a deep breath before grabbing unto the stroller. A sense of comfort washed over you. 

“Thanks for today… for this. I appreciate it,” you hummed. Joe nodded, watching you walk away; his eyes focused on the man who had ruined your perfect day together. It started innocently enough, stumbling into an impromptu game of hide-and-seek. Plunging into the maze of crowds, Joe found himself, trailing the stranger, drawn by the same curiosity that everyone in the market has. Joe shadowed his movements, picking up a weathered journal or a fruit that was slightly ripe. His eyes cut to the man every chance he had gotten. As Joe meanders through the maze of makeshift booths and colorful displays, the man he’s following remains blissfully unaware of his presence. They weave through the crowd, partaking in a dance that only Joe is aware of. 

“Dom! Dom! Dom Batista! As I live and breathe in the flesh it is you!” Joe groaned at the dramatic nature of New Yorkians, every word that stumbles out of their mouth an illicit affair with Shakespeare and a Soap Opera. “It has been so long since we’ve last seen each other!”

Joe followed behind you, face low as he watched you hurriedly move through the streets, passing men and women alike. 

Batista….Batista….Batista is the name of a Judge in New York City; their mother was an actress who starred in plenty of movies before her fall from grace and getting addicted to cocaine. They had three children, three boys: Jonathan, the oldest—who was a criminal defense attorney. He was married with two sons. He didn’t post on social media, but his wife, Mary Glassgo, came from an Affluent family in Virginia who had established wealth through “other means.” during the late 1700s, did, in fact, post and posted often. She was overly descriptive and pictured all the locations where they dined, shopped, and vacationed. She was on a trip with her two sons, enjoying the mountains in Vermont.  The caption was, “Can’t get away from life all the time, but when I do, it’s always with my two favorite boys.” Joe followed you across the street, scrolling through her Instagram until he came across a photo from Thanksgiving; he dragged his thumb across the screen, revealing a picture of her and another man who looked similar to Jonathan, tagged was St_Do_Batista. Dominick, the middle— Joe, recgonized him as the man he saw today; he frequently posted almost every day at the gym. He was a professional boxer; his face wasn’t riddled with too many lacerations and scars, which indicated that he was good at his craft. He had a girlfriend, one of many girlfriends. They all came and gone, as soon as a new one would be posted with a bright smile, not knowing her fate. Petite blondes, curvy brunettes, tall red-heads, even some bald girls with tattoos riddling every surface of their bodies.  

“Hello….” Joe thought; he scrutinized the photo, and you were smiling, your cheek pressed against him as you embraced him. He just won a fight; he hugged you tight. Joe scrolled to the following image… it was a video; he played it. You giggled as he spun, cheering as one hand held you tight against him. You spoke gently, words that the camera didn’t pick up, nor did anyone else. He continued to scroll as he noticed that most photos were of you cooking in his house, at the park with him, on his couch with the laptop tucked on your thighs as you carefully examined whatever was on the screen. You took up a majority of his life and then nothing. Joe saw a picture of him and another look similar to the Batista family; he clicked on the tagged name. RafiBat didn’t post much, but when he did, he generated a lot of attention from women. He was a boxer, too, and he and his brother were often referred to as the Basista Brothers. He didn’t post you often, once or twice; that was in photos with Dominick. But it was evident that you both were friends. He was attending a university known for its Marine Biology program. He had been traveling overseas, where he had been for the last few months, pictures of him with sharks, fish, turtles, and some other classmates. There was a picture of you, smiling brightly in his bed with her belly exposed; it was small, possibly in the early months of your pregnancy. His caption read “My Everything.”

Joe’s attention was averted to the left as he noticed someone briskly walking, eyes concentrated on you. His hand dug into his pocket as he pulled out his phone, dialing quickly. He spoke before hanging up. Did you not notice? Did you feel someone following you? Joe broke off in a sprint, laughing softly before calling out your name; you peered over your shoulder in confusion, hesitating as you squinted your eyes at him. 

Joe’s body collided against yours, taking your hand as he smiled gently. “Why’d you run off like that? I was looking for you everywhere!” he calls out exaggeratedly loud, his hand falling at his side; he watched your wide eyes swiftly snap to him while he continued to guide you forward, Joe’s hand pressed on your lower back. “Someone has been following you,” he whispered through a gritted smile. Her body stiffened as his words echoed through the stillness in the air; you were tempted to look, her head inching to the left slightly. “No, don’t look… Just keep walking baby.” You hummed in understanding. Joe peered over his shoulder, watching the man avoiding the dim street lights, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his body focused ahead of him, but he could see the whites of his eyes and the darkness of his orbs staring deep into your side. Then Joe remembered the small encounter you had at Peach’s party, the drunken party-goer grabbing you, retelling his woes of missing their friend group and a man who seemed to miss you just as much. Your body reacted negatively, your eyes watering, and your skin paled as you stumbled away from him.  Joe watched your hands dance against your face, trying to wipe the anxiety that was trailing through your body. Joe wanted to lead you home, protecting you from the evils lurking in the shadows you weren’t aware of. Joe allowed you to lead you both to your apartment complex. Joe swiftly grabbed Rafael, allowing you to close the stroller. You put in the code 76477; Joe held open the door as you shuffled in your hands, digging through your satchel in search of your keys. He noticed three locks; just as if you practiced this a hundred times, you easily unlocked the door. 

Joe smelled deeply, taking in the scent of baby powder and your aroma. Rafael rested against his neck, his chest breathing gently as he slept. His tiny breaths could be heard as they smacked against his pacifier. Joe scanned your apartment again; it was vastly bigger than Beck’s and his. His eyes fell on an opening; it wasn’t too big but just big enough to have a window, an oak-colored crib decorated with white and green. “You can just set him down in there…He won’t last too long in the crib,” He heard your voice as you locked the front door. You were latching on the deadbolts and other self-brought knick-knacks. Joe set Rafi down, brushing his hair out his face; he squirmed slightly in a panic. Joe quickly turned on the mobile, slightly out of reach for Rafi. He pressed a button; the mobile began to hum to live, and soon, water sounds came on. Splashing, sounds of whales and dolphins, and what seems like rain hitting the waters. It was soothing, and Rafi’s face soon mellowed. Joe allowed Rafi to hold unto his finger; his grip was tight as his body sprawled on the crib’s mattress.

“He usually isn’t so peaceful to put down. He must like you.” He heard you whisper; Joe peered over his shoulder, watching your head pressed against the door’s frame. Joe removed his finger, returning his attention to you. You walked out of the room as Joe followed you. The silence washed over you as you paced around the room, trying to find the right words. Joe stood there, waiting, allowing you to take as much time as needed. 

“Joe?” You finally whispered, your eyes finally landing on him. In that moment, Joe felt your souls tying together, latching and burning into each other. “Thank you.” you pushed out, tucking your bottom lip into your teeth. 

“I noticed him following you after the market…I didn’t know what to do but when I saw him trying to cross the street… Who is he?” 

“Dominick, my ex’s brother. Rafi’s father.” Joe nodded; you trusted him, you trusted him. You weren’t a liar like Beck, “Dom and I were close; I even thought we would be together, but then he got a girlfriend. He stopped coming around, that’s when I met Rafael, he was gentle at first…but I guess that was the point. I had a fling with him and then with his brother, shit just got messy fast, and I got pregnant. That’s when he got abusive… I tried pressing charges, but his dad always dropped the cases, saying that I was a daughter of a junky prostitute and a “john.” I asked for a different judge and each time I was denied. I was finally….finally allowed to get a restraining against him, but it expired, and I wasn’t allowed to renew due to no current impending dangers.” Joe watched you; he stepped close to you, grabbing your arms. You sighed, looking up at him. 

“If you need anything, anything… I am here for you.” Joe whispers; you nod, folding your arms underneath each other.

Please ask me to say; please beg me to stay. Joe thought; he nodded as he moved away from the couch. “Joe, wait!” You stood up, “You don’t mind staying for the night, do you? I would feel comfortable with a man around the house… just for the night.” Your voice is soft, and Joe could tell you needed him. He couldn’t deny you. He peered over his shoulder and smiled. 

The night progressed as you lay in the bed, shifting uncomfortably in the bed. Your eyes squeezing shut, trying to feign being asleep in hopes of tricking your mind into slumber.

“Joe, are you sleeping?” You called out into the darkness, “Joe?” You called out once more, panicked; you sat up quickly squinting through the darkness as you watched his chest slowly fall and rise. You sighed for a moment, shifting comfortably in the bed.

“Yes?” 

Joe rises from the couch, groaning as he shuffles to you. He crawls into bed, and you open the covers, allowing him to slide in. His eyes were low from being awoken from his sleep, his hands tight as he observed you move closer to him. You craved his warmth; a sense of comfort and protection seeped through to you. Your eyes focused on Joe’s, watching through the stillness of the night and the slight light that the moon gave you. His hand gently reached out, tucking your hair behind your ear, holding onto the strand until he reached the end. He moved closer, pressing a kiss on your forehead. He held it, trying to compose himself. He didn’t want to push himself onto you; he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. He wasn’t going to be like your ex or your father. Joe pulled back, your eyes fluttering open hesitantly, and you moved closer to him. Your lips molded together, smacking in the silence as your slight hums vibrated into his mouth. He pulled away; you were vulnerable and seeking out comfort in him. He needed to wait to see if this feeling rang true. He wanted you more than you could know, more than he thought possible. He couldn’t take advantage of you like this, not right now… not ever. He cuffed your cheek, kissing your forehead before you, wishing you a good night.

Burning something evoked a wide range of emotions in Joe, a symbol of something new shifting in the atmosphere. The flicker of a match igniting, the scent of smoke swirling in the air, and the crackle of flames consuming the body— the overwhelming sensory experiences that engage him in the death of Benji. He stood over the growing flames, watching them dance against his body; Joe thought he would feel at ease. He couldn’t–his mind racing back to you and Rafi. Joe grew angry, feeling compelled to kill Benji; he was powerless against the woe of Beck, her smile and innocence being stripped away. It's as if his autonomy is being stripped away, leaving him feeling vulnerable and exposed. The heightened feelings of frustration and resentment began to grow through this loss of control. 

He thought of you as he smelled the charred remains of Benji, your face dancing in the flames. He sighed, pushing his forearm against his brow. He quickly dialed you; he needed to hear your voice. 

“Joey?” Joe heard you whisper, soothing all anxieties that rushed through him. His hand gripping the steering wheel. “Joey? Everything alright?” He hummed, letting his head rest against the steering wheel. It has been one month since he had forced his way into your apartment, leaving articles of clothing behind and coming up with any excuse to stay the night, not that you minded. He had a key to your apartment now, coming in the mornings and getting Rafi together for daycare as you prep for classes and graded papers. Your glasses hung off the bridge of your nose while you gnawed on the cap of the pen—your eyes shifting from the monitor to the paper as you scribbled some markings on it before moving on to the next. The way his lips danced against yours, his hands gently caressed your skin as your lips tangled.

“Yes, everything is alright.” He heard you shuffling, the covers shifting off your body. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No, Joey, no, you didn’t. What’s wrong?” You could always read him; you would always tell. You didn’t even have to look at him to see that something was picking at him. He knew that you were good for him; you were everything that he needed you to be. Joe remained silent; the only that was heard was Rafi’s babbling. “Just come over and well talk, okay.”

“Okay.” Joe hung up and made his way to you, his head spinning from his recent murder. His fingers trembled as he pulled down your street, finding a parking spot adjacent to your apartment building. He moved out of the car. His key jingled in the locks swiftly; you swung open the door, watching in bewilderment. Worry drawn on your eyebrows and lips. “Joey, what is going on? Was it—”

“No…no, just Beck.” You nodded for a moment, allowing him to enter the apartment; slamming the door, you proceeded to deadbolt the locks. You stared at the final lock, trying to compose yourself; he wasn’t yours. You were just friends. Why did it hurt at the mention of her name at the thought of him being at her apartment, embracing her? “She just makes me insane, always having to watch her and look out for her. All the lies and the—” You picked up the clothes that scattered the floor, tossing them in Rafi’s dirty clothes hamper. Mindlessly, you grabbed the toys, tossing them in a bin as they interrupted his sentence. 

“I see.” was all you could mumble out, your eyes flickering to him. He continued to ramble about how he didn’t trust her–how she was always so secretive around him. But that was Beck; the doe-like look in her eyes always masked the truth that crawled beneath the surface. She was manipulative; everything she did was calculated and meticulous. Her bold red lip contrasted against her pale skin, and her dress revealed just enough of her thigh to keep her professor yearning for more. The way she teased and poked at man’s most animalistic and primitive yearning, dangling it in front of their face before yanking it. You turned to face him, letting the hamper fall against the floor. 

“I frankly don’t want to hear about Beck. I understand she’s your girlfriend or whatever she is but, I can’t take hearing about her. When you’re sitting in my apartment, helping me take care of my son… playing house with me. I don’t want to hear about Beck. I get enough of her when I am with them. Every issue that plagues her, I hear about, all the damn time. Benji, you, the Captian. I can’t–I just can’t do it.” You turn away, heated you move into the bathroom face burning with embarrassment and angry. Angrily you slapped at the knob, turning on the hot water on. It screeched for a moment before the hot water spit out.

As you step into the shower, the hot water cascades over your skin, offering a momentary reprieve from the turmoil. Droplets dance across your body, carrying away the remnants of anger and frustration that cling to you like a heavy cloak. With each passing second, the tension melts away, replaced by a soothing sensation of renewal. You close your eyes, allowing the water to envelop you completely, washing away the Beck and Joe's monologue that echoed in your mind. Steam fills the air, wrapping you in a comforting embrace as you stand beneath the gentle stream, letting it cleanse your body and soul. Slowly, the weight of the conversation begins to lift, replaced by a sense of clarity and calm. In this sanctuary of steam and solitude, you find solace. You sighed as the shower opened; you saw his feet planted in the shower and the sound of a soft sigh resting in the air. You feel his hands gliding against your waist, pulling you closer to him. His lips pecked your shoulder, sucking in the aroma that cascaded around him. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry. Do you forgive me?”  His hand gently drummed your abdomen, his cock hardening against you as he pecked at you, his hands moving to your breast, kneading at them slowly, letting his fingers squeeze and tug at your nipples. 

“Please, forgive me” he whispered; you couldn’t say no to him. So, you nodded, turning around fully to face him. Pressing a gently kiss against his lip, stepping out of the shower, grabbing the towel as you instantly moved to Rafi’s crib. 

As the tears streamed down his Rafi’s flushed cheeks, Joe’s heart ached with empathy. With gentle hands, he lifted the sobbing child into his arms, cradling him against his chest, his hand rubbing circles against his back something that he noticed his mom and he liked. Leaning close, he murmured soothing words in a soft, reassuring tone, his voice a balm to the boy's distressed soul. With each gentle stroke of his hand and whispered promise, Joe felt the tension begin to melt away from his Rafi’s trembling form. He rocked him back and forth, a steady rhythm that mirrored the beating of his own heart, a silent vow to always be there to chase away the shadows and dry the tears. Joe moved back your bed, and you reached out your arms, allowing Rafi to settle into your chest and Joe to cuddle back into your side. Rafi was a crybaby and wanted you to hold him 25/8; you wanted to break him out of that habit. Joe and you had been working on getting him to sleep through the night in his crib, it would only last two nights out of the week before Joe caved and dragged himself to Rafi’s crib, engulfing him in his arms. You didn’t bother to correct him; you could tell that something was off with him. You two didn’t speak much after your moment the shower; you didn’t try to get him to speak either.

A heavy knock on the door had woken Joe; he hissed in frustration, moving the walker out of the way as he stumped his toe against it. He looked back, seeing Rafi whining for him, his arm stretched as he crawled closer to the edge of the bed. Joe scooped him up, snatching your phone and checking the time—7:37 AM. He grunted as he moved to unlock the deadbolts and finally the door. The door swung open, revealing Peach. Her eyes widened as she glanced at Joe; quickly, she shook her head, trying to find the right words to say but couldn’t. Peach observed him, eyes squinted in fury and confusion. “She’s sleeping Peach.”

She called out your name, moving into the living room, her eyes falling on you as you lay in bed. Her head snapped to Joe, realizing that he was in his boxers. “What the fuck! What did you do to her?” Peach asked as she tried to grab Rafi. Joe stiffed her and backed away as she continued to reach for your son. 

Joe held Rafi tightly in his arms as Peach had her outstretched arms and a determined frown on her face. Ignoring Joe’s protective grip, Peach reached for the child, her fingers brushing against Joe’s before clasping around the little one's hand. Joe’s heart skipped a beat, a surge of protectiveness welling up within him. He pulled back, his hand resting against Rafi’s back as he watched Peach’s face morph, her eyes narrowing before he turned her attention to you. 

“Peach? What–What are you doing?” You shifted from the covers, you were in a grey crewneck, a B printed in brown and outlined in red. Your hair messing tied away from your face as you squinted to fully focus on her. 

“No! No—what are you doing?” She hisses, stomping towards you, your finger jabbing into the air as she throws her hands dramatically. 

“Peach, he was just—I saw Dominick. Since then, he has been here for me. Nothing… Nothing else has been going on.” You shouted over her rambles. Something in her face changed; she slammed her mouth shut, looking at you, taking in your words. She grabbed the back of her arm, holding it tighter to her person. Joe noticed the slight change in her demeanor at the mention of Dominick; he scared her. 

“Did you–” You quickly shook her hand, stretching out your hands for Rafi; Joe quickly moved to your side, sitting on the edge of the bed as Rafi crawled into your lap. Joe’s hands rested on top of yours; he pressed his lips against Rafi’s head before cuffing your chin. He rose to his feet. He grabbed his things, placing them on his clothes. He jiggled his phone before leaving out of your apartment, a silent single for you to call him when she leaves. “When did that happen?”

“Nothing happened. He just was here for me at the time and… I trust him.” Peach laughs, sitting on the bed. 

“Trust him, absolutely not. You know he’s playing you just like he’s playing Beck!” You rolled your eyes, unsure of what to make of her accusations. I mean, they weren’t incorrect in their entirety. Joe had a fleeting romance with Beck and probably still does. “He’s using you. I lost Beck to him, and I am not going to lose you. In this stupid ideology where you think you need him! You don’t need him! I am here for you; call me if you are feeling scared; call me if you are feeling down!” 

“I know” you mumbled, caressing Rafi. “I shouldn’t trust him” you confessed. “I really shouldn’t” a bitter laugh left your throat as you chocked on a sob that rose in your throat. 

“He could be like Rafael! You are so blinded by love that you didn’t see it then, but I did, and now, I do.” Peach whispered, as she inched in Joe’s spot. Resting her head against your chest, her hands wrapping against your torso. 

 Joe stood outside the closed door, his fists clenched at his sides, he strained to hear the muffled voices from within. Anger simmered beneath his skin, fueled by the snippets of conversation that reached his ears. Each word felt like a dagger, piercing through the thin veneer of his composure. He could hear her strained voice, a mixture with a Peach’s voice—a voice that grated on his nerves like sandpaper. His jaw tightened, muscles coiling with tension as he fought the urge to burst through the door and confront the source of his jealousy head-on. The temptation to intervene, to demand answers, pulsed through him like a steady drumbeat, drowning out reason and restraint. With every passing moment, his anger mounted, a raging inferno threatening to consume him whole. Yet, for now, he remained on the other side of the door, a silent witness to his own unraveling emotions. Something needed to happen, Peach was always in the way, the intricate dance of relationships that she always blocked. Stepping on his toes and stealing you away from him. Tangling you in her grasp, the same spell that Beck was under.  She was a figure looming in the background, casting a shadow over any potential romance that Joe worked so hard to grow and nourish. Her presence was like a shield, deflecting any attempts at romantic advancement with a casual remark or a well-timed interruption. 

He needed to kill her; her undoing was all the fault of her own. 

Goodbye Peach Sallinger.