#topper radio

[topperradio]

Inhaler’s ‘Your House’: A Love Song, or a Slightly Concerning RSVP?

Inhaler’s new single “Your House” is opening the door to a brand-new era. Released ahead of their forthcoming album Open Wide, the track gives fans a sneak peek of what they can expect from the band’s latest work. And yes, for the record, I was a fan before this album dropped.

Inhaler 'Your House' album art

If you’re unfamiliar with Inhaler, allow me to introduce you to the wonderful world you’ve been missing. Inhaler is an alternative and sometimes indie rock band based in Dublin, Ireland. Formed in 2012, the group consists of lead singer Elijah Hewson, lead guitarist Josh Jenkinson, bassist Robert Keating, and drummer Ryan McMahon. A surprising detail for some fans? The band has a hint of nepotism. Gasp!

Our charismatic lead singer, Elijah Hewson, is the son of none other than Bono (yes, the Bono, lead singer of U2). While I tend to be skeptical of “nepo babies,” Hewson stands out. He’s earned his place and has managed to separate his success from his father’s legacy.

“Your House” kicks off with a head-banging riff, backed by the steady beat of the drums. Soon, Hewson’s voice joins the melody as he sings, “Right around six or something / There I was / Barefoot on the street / Where I thought I’d / Float your door.”

The song immediately conveys a sense of longing and unease. The mood is laced with anticipation and paranoia, created by Hewson’s emotive delivery and the persistent use of minor chords. It’s a track that seems to explore the perspective of someone unwilling—or unable—to let go, despite knowing they should.

The chorus furthers this narrative with lines like, “I’m going nowhere you won’t find me / Maybe I sold love / For what it’s worth on the street / Saying ‘Oh-oh love’ / There ain’t a sharp enough knife / To cut me out of your life / I’m going to your house tonight.” If it weren’t Elijah Hewson delivering these lyrics, I’d probably be terrified.

As the song progresses, the second chorus takes a darker turn. The line “I’m going to your house tonight” shifts to “Who’s going to your house tonight”—delivered in a more threatening tone, hinting at possessiveness. You all heard it too, right? Thank goodness this man is good-looking.

The bridge introduces a new sonic texture, veering into psychedelic territory. Echoing vocals, swelling guitars, and an overall hazy atmosphere evoke the feeling of a protagonist spiraling into obsession.

As the song builds toward its conclusion, a choir is added to the mix. While their inclusion feels slightly misplaced, they sound undeniably beautiful.

Overall, I loved what Inhaler has accomplished with “Your House.” The angsty desperation layered throughout the track is an exciting preview of what’s to come on Open Wide. Here’s hoping the new music comes with tour dates in Texas—not that I’d attend, because the thought of being in the same room as them terrifies me. Using Britney Broski’s reverse manifestation method, I definitely don’t want to meet them.

Written by Elliana Guardado

[actual-corpse]

Im so tired of Nothingburger music!!!

[downthetubes]

First issue of The Beano, with only known surviving Free Gift, offered at auction

A copy of The Beano Comic No.1 with its free gift Whoopee Mask and promotional No. 1 Flyer leads the latest Comic Book Auctions sale, online now at compalcomics.com and closing on Sunday September 1st 2024

[picspammer]

This Is Radio Clash by The Clash

[the-busy-ghost]

Will never understand why Spotify keeps trying to advertise Top 40/UK Charts playlists to me, like who tunes into Spotify specifically to listen to a playlist of Top 40 music? You mean the same Top 40 music that is on every radio station 24/7? The same Top 40 music that is forced into your eardrums ad nauseum, to the point where even if you liked the music to begin with, it very soon becomes meaningless and also oddly rage-inducing? The same Top 40 music I trip over on my way out of the house every morning? The same Top 40 hits that break into my brain and beat my sub-consciousness into submission if I so much as LOOK at a device capable of playing music? That Top 40 music? Who on earth needs it to be advertised to them? The sort of people who need a signpost to tell them they're on planet earth?

[papercutie]

i have a coworker i cant fucking stand closing with cause when it's just us two, she will ALWAYS at some point try to break my comfortable silence by asking if I like the music she has playing. and she never likes my answer. yesterday she asked if im into kpop and didn't like my vague answer that im mostly into girl groups, when she very clearly was implying BTS and NCT etc so she started hounding me on why. later that day she asked if I liked p!atd and got really offended when I said I only liked their stuff pre-breakup and then got really upset with me when I made fun of brendan urie's patheticness because I "don't even know him in real life he could be nice". im not even gonna go over when she asked me if I liked hamilton

[zee-aka-pretty]

As a person who wasn't allowed to access the Internet or a smartphone before the pandemic, I can confirm. The discourse was going long before the smartphone.

If you think people used to willingly stare off into the distance before smartphones, my dad told me he had this psychology assignment when he was in college in the 80s which was basically

Go to a restaraunt by yourself and eat a meal without a newspaper or journal or anything else to keep you occupied and then write a report about it

Which tells me that this was a way for a professor to inflict psychological torture on their students and that people used to bring little things with them to keep them entertained. Shown by those old pictures of everyone in a trolley reading a newspaper with one hand.

Frankly I think that the human brain has been craving smart phone forever. Perhaps we use it too much at times but if this was 1985 we also wouldn’t be talking to people. We’d just be looking at newspaper or drawing stuff on notepad instead. And the old people would all be shaking their fists about how kids spend too much time looking at that damn TV because yes this discourse has been going on long before smart phone

[softbabybelle]

make the new fic a series thank

corruption 002. 𓍯𓂃 r ֶָ֢cameron

rafe cameron x shy!reader

𝜗𝜚 summary : you've been avoiding rafe since your shared moment in his bedroom and he's been trying to reach out to you by every means possible. of course he finds you at a fucking glitter party.

𝜗𝜚 words : 2.6k

𝜗𝜚 c!w : drinking, weed, icky men, use of 'slut', violence, swearing, suggestive.

part 1, part 3.

to say you'd been avoiding rafe cameron was putting it very, very lightly.

you hadn't uttered a word of the moment let alone the kiss you'd shared with your best friend's older brother to anybody. much less to sarah. you were sure she'd murder you both before you could finish the sentence.

but you couldn't help it, the kiss had plagued your memory.

it stung when you tried to think of anything else. you were so buzzed, a floaty feeling as your head turned to nothing but pure fuzz. rafe's hands were big and warm, fitting around your waist like a glove and his lips oh so soft. you'd never kissed anyone before him, and you were sure now that you never again wanted to kiss anyone but him.

rafe had a pretty good idea why, though was still slightly confused to your sudden detachment.

he knew you were shy, practically cowering in on yourself when any attention was directed your way. he knew he was pushing you, all but forcing your hand when offering you a blunt and not wasting a minute asking are you sure? before crashing his lips into yours.

though he'd be lying if he said he wasn't growing frustrated with the sudden radio silence.

he walked through the doors of kelce's house. he'd been here a number of times, especially for events just like the one tonight.

rafe had to hand it to him. kelce knew how to throw a house party.

despite the blaring music around him and the glitter that was swarming him, all he could think of was you. he'd tried getting a hold of you on various occasions but it was as if you'd fallen off the map. he wondered why you hadn't visited sarah until he found her in the kitchen, stating that she was off to your house.

meaning you had been avoiding him. hell, you'd been avoiding tannyhill altogether.

"man, my fucking eyes." rafe actually had to hold a hand to his eyes when he took sight of topper. kelce had been trying this new thing where he added a 'theme' to each of his houseparty's. tonight's theme was glitter.

topper's face was decorated in gold glitter, swarming through the golden locks of his hair and dripping onto his white shirt. "where's your glitter?"

an annoyed squint was all he offered. "i'm not putting that shit on me."

"kelce isn't gonna be happy. we're supposed to be supporting this whole 'theme' thing." rafe rolled his eyes as topper spoke. they moved through the house, making their way to the living room where most the party was.

kelce's house was huge and the kook's sure as hell filled it.

"dude." the sight of kelce filled his vision. he was seated on the couch, his arm strewn across the back, around some girl rafe didn't care to know the name of. "where's your glitter?"

but his words fell on deaf ears.

rafe's eyes were too busy travelling across the room, landing on you.

you weren't sitting on the couch with your friends or the chairs behind you. you were seated on the carpet, hands playing with a dainty bracelet that you often wore on your wrist. rafe wondered for a moment were you messing with it to soothe the anxiety he knew was bubbling in you. you didn't often come to things like these.

you were dressed in a white, almost silverish dress with two thin straps winding around your shoulders. he swore you never showed so much skin in public, usually a cardigan drawn over you.

pink glitter dusted your hair and he could see it faintly tracing your skin along with your eyelids and your nails painted the same glittery pink.

he was almost getting sick of the glitter everywhere, but you seemed to be changing his mind on the matter.

the chatter continued through the room and they quickly turned their attention away from rafe. you, however, couldn't seem to. you felt your cheeks heat up at the mere sight of him.

how could you ever look him in the eyes again? especially after that night. you'd been so desperate, asking him with a please to kiss you. you'd rutted your hips subconsciously against him, all doey eyed and all but begging for his lips. you'd never done such a thing, acted such a way. you were sure you could never face him ever again after it.

but rafe only took that as a challenge.

you watched as he walked towards you, plopping onto the free armchair you'd chosen to sit next to. like this, he could have fooled himself into thinking you were sitting pretty on your knees for him.

"hey, sweetheart." his tone was a soft greeting, lips playing into a quirk.

a squeaked out "hi." was his response before you whipped your head away from him, turning red in the face. the colour of your cheeks almost matched the glitter in your hair.

"leave her alone." sarah was dressed in a shimmery gold dress, almost the same shape as yours. it was apparent that you'd been matching. yet she also found a way to match with her boyfriend, same golden glitter decorating her face as his did. "she doesn't need you following her around like a dog."

rafe rolled his eyes, watching his sister blow out the smoke from a blunt and pass it off to her boyfriend. it appeared as though two blunts were going around the circle gathered in the middle of the living room. most people at the party were off doing their own thing. they wouldn't dare join.

"it's―it's okay, sarah." your meek words caused sarah's brows to furrow while rafe's face only went slack, a smirk filled with pride falling across his lips.

you didn't often speak up to sarah.

but you did, for him. perhaps it was just a quiet argument, nothing extreme. but to rafe? well he thought you ought to gain a reward.

"y/n?" your eyes snapped across the room to a boy on the couch. rafe believed his name was max, dark hair and dark eyes, shorter than himself. "you want a pull?"

a breathy giggle passed your lips as your cheeks turned pink for a reason nobody but rafe knew. "no, thank you." was your gentle response.

good girl rafe uttered in his head.

as if on cue, your eyes glanced up at him where he sat on the armchair. he gave you the smallest of nods, one not perceptible to anyone but you.

and you knew as you squirmed on your knees that you'd done the right thing.

"please." a huffed laugh fell from sarah. "y/n would have to be possessed by satan himself before she'd touch weed."

again, your eyes flickered back to rafe, this time more hesitantly.

he had this amused look on his face, as if he could read you so well. and he could. perhaps that was the scary part. these people surrounding you, they'd known you for forever. sarah was your best friend, you were closer with nobody else in the world, you told her all your filthy secrets and she shared all of hers.

but rafe... it was rafe who seemed to know you the most out of everyone in the entire room.

he was aware of your filthy little secret, not sarah.

she was completely naive to you sitting in her brothers room, atop his lap, glazed over eyes as you begged him over and over again to kiss you, a blunt being passed between you two.

a shaky breath left your lips and you stood. "'m gonna go get a drink."

"there's juice in the fridge!" kelce called after you, knowing you wouldn't actually dare drink any of the other beverages he had to offer. alcohol simply wasn't your 'scene'.

apparently weed was.

you didn't actually make it to the kitchen, though. rafe stopped you in the hallway before you could, his large hand coming to wrap around your upper arm.

skin on skin.

your head felt suddenly floaty. "shit." he let go of your arm once you were backed against the wall, swallowing thickly. "there's fuckin' glitter everywhere." wiping his hands against his jeans, coating it with pink glitter.

you frowned at his words. "'s on theme." you mumbled.

you were acutely aware of how trapped you were, between the wall and rafe's towering body. you never realised how tall he was until he was so close to you. "why are you avoiding me, huh?"

you couldn't look at him. you couldn't be this close. you couldn't. you couldn't. you couldn't.

all you could think of was his hands on your waist, his lips on your own. you could have let out a whimper at the mere flashback. "'m not."

"don't give me that shit, princess." his two fingers hooked under your chin, forcing your eyes to look up at him. this is when you panicked, eyes turning wide as saucers, top lip biting your bottom, as much as he'd told you to stop beforehand. "what, you're gone all shy 'cause you knew you wanted me to fuck you, is that it?"

for the first time, words slipped so easily from you. "rafe!" hands reached up, trying to cover his mouth.

you should've known better than that, though.

his hand swiftly grabbed your wrist, pushing it downwards. you were sure it'd leave a mark by morning. in a strange way, you hoped it did. a mark of his fingers digging into your skin. like his touch would still be there by the time you woke in your bed.

"scared people'll hear, huh? scared they won't think you're the good girl you're pretendin' to be?" he tilted his head gauging your reactions. "asked you a question, angel."

his grip tightened on your wrist and you couldn't help but whimper out, "yes." aware of the many bodies surrounding you, anyone could have easily spotted you two.

perhaps that was the upside to kelce inviting every single person to have ever lived on figure eight to his house parties. they were a bunch of nobodies. they didn't know you and you didn't know them. they didn't matter. what mattered was rafe, standing right in front of you, bending down lower so his lips could reach your ear.

"worried what they think, huh? 'n 'm the only one in this whole fuckin' house who knows who you are." suddenly his fingers softened against your chin, rough hold loosening while his fingers traced gently across your cheek. "so worried about what they think of you. y'can still be my good girl, yeah?"

you swore then and there that rafe had ripped every pretty thought that had ever developed in your head.

you were totally and utterly dumb.

and all you could offer him was a haste nod.

"y/n?" rafe allowed his hands to fall away from your skin at the sound of your name being called. you blinked, trying to come back to reality after rafe had messed you up completely. you were met with the sight of max, looking dangerously between the two of you. "he bothering you?"

you looked up at rafe in confusion while the blonde boy merely made a scowl at max. "wh―no, no he's not bothering me." your voice was sickly sweet, innocence radiating off it.

you didn't understand max's intentions.

that was why you were safe with rafe, who would make sure no man ever got to act on such thoughts.

none but himself. of course.

"come outside 'n smoke a blunt with me, then, yeah?" once again, your brows furrowed at his words. you didn't really know max all that well, just that he was a newfound friend of topper's. he moved to the outerbanks not too long ago.

"dude, are you deaf?" it was rafe who responded, instinctively standing out further than you, almost as if he were shielding you from the boy. "she said no, what―five fuckin' minutes ago?"

max's eyes squinted. "listen, with all due respect, wasn't fucking talking to you."

rafe's lips quirked upwards, tongue digging into his cheek. you looked nervously between the boys. "yeah, well you're talkin' to me now. fuck off 'n find someone else to go smoke a blunt with, yeah?"

"think i'll take this one, actually." you felt the boy reach out for you, grabbing your upper arm and dragging you forward. you stumbled as he did so, his grip made from seemingly iron.

rafe's face dropped almost instantly. his eyes glared at the hand that held you. his eyes flickered up to your face, head bent, nervously biting your bottom lip while your face contorted into a kind of stinging pain. "get your fucking hands off of her."

"yeah?" max suddenly pulled you closer, hitting your back against his chest. your eyes went wide as they looked for rafe's. you wouldn't admit it aloud, but sudden white hot fear filled your chest. "or what?"

a breathy chuckle left rafe's lips as he nodded to himself. it was almost as if he were mulling a thought over. it didn't take him long to decide.

max didn't get to let out another word before rafe was throwing a punch across his face, knocking the breath out of him.

the boy stumbled backwards, shouting out a swear and clutching his face. you felt rafe's hands immediately win you back, pulling you closer to him as your breath picked up. your eyes glanced around the house, a hundred eyes suddenly all looking at you. you didn't like this. you didn't like any of this at all. and it was all your fault.

"rafe." you practically whimpered out, hand tugging at his sleeve. you could feel tears welling in your waterline. "please, let's just g―"

"take her." max was wiping his bloody nose with the back of his hand. "don't fucking want the slut anyw―"

it was safe to say that max didn't get to finish his sentence because before you could do anything to stop it, rafe was discarding you. he was practically on top of max within a blink of an eye.

you called out for rafe, begging him to stop.

you didn't want any of this, and it was all your fault.

panic filled you and suddenly there was too much air in your lungs. you felt wet hot tears against your cheeks and you tried getting rafe to stop but too many people were surrounding you now, enclosing in on you.

people knew you were shy. you didn't like meeting new people or talking in groups.

but it went so much deeper than that.

the people surrounding you made your head fuzzy. the loud noises of screaming and yelling, some telling him to stop, some egging him on further. it was all beginning to get too much and you couldn't feel yourself breathe.

you only allowed yourself to leave out a breath when topper and kelce came running through the crowd, pushing people apart to get to rafe. they all but pulled the blonde boy off of max, kelce holding him by his chest and telling him to relax.

you couldn't actually hear anything, you could just see lips moving.

everything was a blur.

rafe was yelling back at kelce, half explaining-half shouting past him to max.

he didn't stop until his gaze reached your watery eyes.

"rafe!" you could hear sarah yelling from beside you. "what the fuck is wrong with you?"

you wanted to stay to help the boy. oh you did dearly. he'd done so much for you already. but you were a coward and the panic in your chest, the frosty fear in your stomach. it wasn't going to simmer away while you stared at rafe, hands all bloody and knuckles split.

so you turned.

and you ran from it. from all of it. from him.

[whytheylosttheirminds]

Don't Call Me Kid - chapter 1

(Rafe Cameron x Reader, series, 3.9k words)

series summary: You'd had a crush on Rafe Cameron since you were six years old, but he friend zoned you at every turn. Once shy and insecure, you found new confidence and self-love after high school. When your high school friends go on a reunion beach trip, Rafe finally sees what he lost, but he isn't going to give you up without a fight.

tropes: unrequited crush, glow up, she fell first/he fell harder

content: some angst, eventual fluff, slow burn, tomfoolery and shenanigans, drinking, fem!reader has occasional insecurity and body image issues

⇢ series masterlist

The drive down to Miami was idyllic. Windows rolled down, you and Carter sang along to the playlist you’d made for the trip and ate your favorite childhood snacks. Blue skies above you as Carter’s new Jeep flew down the coast, you actually started to feel excited for the week ahead.

Then, you pulled up to the Airbnb, and it all faded.

The second you saw all of Carter’s high school friends in the driveway, unpacking their cars and exchanging hugs, it all came rushing back. The way you felt like you never really fit in, how they’d tease you for being quiet, how the boys’ eyes would skip right over you in search of your sister.

Carter turned down the radio when she noticed the way you were biting your lip with trepidation.

“It’s gonna be fun,” she tried to assure you. “Promise.”

You put on your best fake smile, determined to make this a good week for her. After everything she’s done for you, if all she wanted in return was a fun week at the beach, you’d give her that. You pushed your anxiety down as best as you could and hopped out of the Jeep.

“Oh shit!” Topper called, standing at the open trunk of his Range Rover. “Is that who I think it is?”

He rushed over, sweeping Carter up and throwing her over his shoulder.

“Put me down, Top!” She yelped, not entirely convincing that she wanted him to.

He set her down and smiled wide at her, just as smitten as ever. She gave him a playful pat on the head, like a dog, and went to get the bags from her car. Topper’s eyes shifted over to you and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

“No way, Little Carter is that you?” He teased, using your least favorite nickname.

“What’s up, Topper?” You tried to sound unannoyed.

Before he could answer, still slightly gawking at you, another voice emerged from the front door of the house.

“Yo who is it, Top?” Kelce yelled down from the top of the front steps.

“Come see for yourself, jackass!” Topper shouted back.

Kelce hopped down from the top step and approached you in the driveway, throwing his arm around Topper’s shoulder.

“No fucking way,” he said, when it finally dawned on him who you were. He looked you up and down and added, “what do they put in the water at that fancy school of yours?”

“Smoothe, man,” Topper smirked at him.

Your cheeks burned, you rolled your eyes at them to try and seem unaffected. They had never talked to you like this before. The majority of your interactions with Topper and Kelce in high school consisted of them teasing you about Rafe and asking where your sister was. They never even came close to flirting with you, and now you couldn’t decide whether you liked it or not.

“Can you two stop drooling over my baby sister and come help me with these fucking bags?” Carter called to them from the back of her Jeep.

“Yes ma’am,” Kelce winked at you before going to help your sister carry in the hundreds of dollars worth of beer she’d made you stop to pick up on the way here.

“You assholes better pay us back,” she told them, passing Topper a couple of 12 packs.

“Okay, give me your sister’s number and I’ll Venmo her right now,” he responded with a smirk.

You actually laughed at that one, which caused his chest to puff out with pride. Boys had always been somewhat of a mystery to you, but these two were painfully easy. Their playfulness helped you relax a little, wondering if this week might not be so bad after all.

Once you were inside, you and Carter each chose your own rooms, all your recently opened trust funds allowing you to rent the biggest house in the neighborhood. After unpacking, you walked down to the beach with Topper, Kelce, a couple of Carter’s girlfriends, and a guy you’d never met.

Topper and Kelce introduced him as their friend from college, a frat brother. His name was Tom, he was on the taller side, brunette, super cute. The way his toned arms flexed in his sleeveless shirt was the first thing you saw, but his bright, dimpled smile is what really caught your attention.

When you told him your name, offering him your hand to shake, he held it for a few seconds longer than any of the other girls and Carter gave you a knowing look. You’d never wished so badly that you knew how to turn off your blush.

Once you got down to the water, you helped Carter set up the umbrella and volleyball net you’d brought. You played intramural volleyball for your college and had actually gotten really good at it, you were excited to play with Carter, who’d always wanted you to get into sports with her.

When everything was set-up, you started to take off the bathing suit cover you had on over your bikini, but quickly realized there was a problem.

“Shit, Car, did we even bring sunscreen?” You asked your sister.

“Fuuuuck,” Carter said with a careless giggle. “Guess we’ll just burn.”

“Um no, I’m not listening to you whine about your sunburn all week,” you scolded her. “Top, did you bring sunscreen?”

“I hate to say no to you, beautiful, but…no,” Topper answered.

“Great, so we have eight hundred Natty Lights but no sunscreen,” you huffed.

“Sounds like a perfect vacation to me,” Kelce joked, already cracking his first beer.

“I brought some sunscreen,” Tom offered helpfully.

“Ah, my hero!” you smiled at him playfully.

You could feel all eyes on you when you said it. None of them had ever seen you flirt so comfortably before, or really even heard you speak. This was the person you were at school, but they had never met her before. You cleared your throat, feeling uncomfortable.

“Could I borrow some?” You asked Tom, who appeared oblivious to the shift in atmosphere.

“Yeah, it’s up at the house, I’ll go grab it!” You watched him run up the beach, his toned back muscles flexing, Carter bumped her hip into yours.

“Five minutes and he’s already whipped for you,” she teased. “Told you this trip was a good idea.”

By the time Rafe finally pulled up to the house in his truck, all the rooms had been claimed except for the shitty basement, with its low ceiling and lone twin sized bed. After dropping his bags, scowling at the mildew smell in the small space, he filled one of the coolers he brought with some imported beers and white claws and headed toward the beach.

“Yo, Top!” He called from the back porch, beckoning Topper up from the beach to help him carry the heavy cooler.

“Jesus, what you got in here?”  Topper grunted, struggling to lift his side of the cooler.

“Nicer shit than anything you brought,” Rafe said. “I’m not drinking cheap gas station beers all week.”

“Fine by me man,” Topper added a second hand to the cooler to help him lift it.

As they carried the cooler down the beach, Rafe mocking Topper for his inability to lift his share of the weight, Rafe scanned the private section of the beach to take a manual headcount of his housemates for the week.

He saw everyone he expected, the same people that would gather at the island club every time there was a break from school, the party always finding its way back to Tannyhill. The same girls that hung around him and his friends in high school, Carter, who he had never gotten along with, Kelce, who he had seen just last week, and…someone he didn’t recognize.

The mystery girl was facing away from him, but he could still tell she was gorgeous. Her bathing suit wrap hugging her body, her shiny, bouncy hair flowing in the ocean breeze. She bent down to set up her beach chair and he nearly dropped the cooler. 

“Woah, man,” Topper laughed. “Now who’s got butterfingers?”

“Who is that?” Rafe asked sternly, ignoring Topper’s harassment. 

“Dude, are you serious?” Topper eyed him.

Before Rafe could ask what Topper meant, you turned around, looking up towards the house in his direction, shielding the sun from your eyes and smiling a big, beautiful smile.

This time, Rafe really did drop the cooler. It was you. He hadn’t seen you in four years, and nobody told him you were coming on this trip. Nobody told him you looked like that now, either.

Everything that happened between you was so long ago, but he assumed you still hated him. But now, you were looking right at him and smiling. His lips started to turn upward for a moment and he almost lifted his hand to wave at you, when someone bumped into his shoulder.

“Shit, my bad man,” Tom said, his eyes not even looking at Rafe, glued to you. He ran off and approached you, and Rafe realized with a punch to his gut, it was this random guy you were smiling at and not him.

Rafe and Topper dragged the cooler a bit farther down the beach, dropping it behind all the umbrellas. Rafe immediately grabbed one of his expensive IPAs and twisted it open, throwing back a sip bitterly as he watched Tom hand you something, you smiled and touched his arm gratefully.

Carter approached the boys and the cooler, following Rafe’s eyes to you. She twisted her lips, trying to hide her smile, everything about this day going exactly as she had planned.

“Hey, Rafe,” She smirked. “You good?”

Rafe looked at her, eyes narrow as he tried to catch her meaning. When he realized she had caught him staring, he cleared his throat and took another sip of his beer, trying to seem nonchalant. 

“Fine,” he mumbled.

Rafe reached in the cooler and grabbed a white claw, offering it to Carter. Things had always been chilly between them, though they’d still been cordial with each other. Aside from that big argument senior year which they never talked about. Now, it hung in the salty air so prevalently, your presence after all this time stirring up old tensions.

Carter accepted the drink with a thank you, cracking it open and looking back to you. Both Carter and Rafe’s eyes went wide when you took off your cover-up, revealing a barely-there bikini and the new body none of your high school friends had seen yet. 

Everyone on the private beach was staring at you, but Rafe was staring at you, his knuckles going white around his beer as he eyed you up and down. His heart pounded so loudly in his chest he was afraid Carter and Topper would be able to hear it. Then, when you handed Tom the sunscreen and asked him to rub it on your back, an unfamiliar feeling bubbled in Rafe’s stomach and crawled up to his chest. He glared at Topper.

“Who the fuck is that guy?” He barked.

Carter and Topper’s heads both snapped towards him, neither surprised to hear the usual edge in his voice, though while Topper looked at Rafe with concern, Carter’s face only portrayed pure amusement.

“Who, Tom?” Topper asked, watching as Rafe’s eyeline returned to you, starting to catch on to the source of Rafe’s irritability. “He’s a brother from Alpha Tau.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a high school reunion trip,” Rafe snapped at him.

“Wow, someone’s pressed,” Carter beamed at him, delighted in his discomfort.

“I’m fine, just didn’t know we could invite people, that’s all,” he insisted.

“Sure, Rafey, that’s all,” she goaded him.

Rafe and Carter gave each other a knowing look, Topper’s eyes flashing between them, utterly out of the loop.

“What did I miss?” He prodded.

“Nothing,” Carter assured him. “Let’s play chicken, you’re on my team, Topper.”

“Oh hell yes,” he dashed after her like an excited puppy.

Rafe ignored the interaction, eyes glued to you in the distance as you settled into your beach chair and pulled out a book, Tom leaving your side and heading toward the water to join the game that had started. Rafe smiled, of course you were reading while everyone else was partying. Maybe you hadn’t changed that much after all. 

The spine of the brand new book cracked as you opened it, you sighed happily, loving the sound. You rarely ever got to read just for fun, always so busy with schoolwork, and you were so excited to dig into the fluffy romance you’d bought off tiktok and turn your brain off.

But then, just as your eyes grazed over the first sentence, you heard a voice from behind you that made your sun-kissed skin go cold.

“Whatcha readin’?” Rafe asked, his tall frame casting a shadow over your sunbathing spot.

You had pretended not to see him when he arrived a few minutes ago, throwing your attention at Tom instead, who took it happily, no idea that he was just a distraction from the flips your stomach was doing at Rafe’s arrival. You actually thought for a minute you might be able to avoid him this whole trip, but of course, he was pouncing as soon as you were alone. He always preferred talking to you when no one was around, sharing hours of meaningful late night conversations together, yet ignoring you at parties and in the halls at school as if you barely knew each other.

You closed the book slowly and placed it in your lap, any clever words you had to say to him flew suddenly from your brain. Regret swept over you, it was foolish to think you could pretend to be unaffected by his presence. He’d said two words to you and you were already nervous, overthinking every movement you made.

When you didn’t answer him, Rafe took it upon himself to plop down in the beach chair next to you, leaning over to read the title of your book.

“Is it any good?” You still didn’t look at him, but you could hear the teasing smile in his voice.

“Wouldn’t know,” you looked down at your lap. “Just started it.”

“Well let me know what you think, might need to borrow it,” he kept his eyes on you, running over your body, making his own face go warm.

“Since when do you read?” You finally lifted your eyes to him.

Rafe’s jaw went slightly slack, all the swagger he’d brought on this trip with him suddenly disappearing. You were even prettier up close, your features more defined and striking than he remembered.

“People can change,” he finally mustered up, less bravado in his voice.

You gave yourself exactly three seconds to look at him, eyes sweeping quickly over his nose, lips, chin, anything but his eyes. His eyes were like a prison you’d once been held in, and you swore you’d never go back.

After your three seconds were up, you shifted your gaze to the ocean, hating that you wished you had three more to take him in. He was just as, if not more, gorgeous as you remembered. His features somehow sharp and soft at the same time. His lips pink and soft, skin a golden bronze even though the summer had just started. His hair was a little shorter now, but still long enough to stick up in the back in that messy way you liked.

The familiar red hue crept up your neck slowly, making its way to your cheekbones. You needed him to get up and leave you alone before you broke into an all out blush. You picked up your book and pretended to start reading again.

“You should go play with everyone else, looks like Kelce could use someone on his team,” you threw out, hoping he’d take the hint.

“What if I’d rather stay here and talk to you?” He asked, voice dropping just a hint.

You thought you could handle this, but you couldn’t. Was he seriously flirting with you right now? If you knew Rafe, the second you tried to flirt back, he’d grow uninterested and blow you off. With him, it was always like he convinced you to jump off a cliff with him, but then at the last second, he’d step back, watching apathetically as you fell all alone.

“I need to go unpack,” you said, standing from your chair and grabbing your book and beach bag, knowing full well your stuff was already neatly sorted in your room.

He looked up at you as you collected your stuff, and you hated the way you were sucking in your stomach. You spent four years working hard to love your body the way it was, and now, in front of him, all that self-consciousness came flooding back. 

You hurried away, catching Carter’s eye as you beelined for the house.

“Where are you going?” She said, slightly out of breath by the time she caught up to you.

“I can’t do this,” you explained, still walking fast.

“Wait,” she grabbed your arm, causing you to halt, hot sand burning your feet. “What happened?”

“He’s here,” you didn’t have to explain any further for her to understand.

“I know,” she said sympathetically. “But we knew he would be. We’re gonna ignore him, remember?”

“I don’t think I can, Car,” you sighed. “I think I should just go.” 

“No, please please please don’t go,” she begged. “I need you here. And you were having fun before, right? Tom’s cute! Just hang out with us and tell Rafe to go fuck himself.”

“That sounds more like something you’d say than me,” you smiled at her.

“Okay, fine,” she agreed. “I’ll tell him to fuck himself and to leave you alone.”

“No, don’t, I don’t want to cause any drama,” you requested.

“Well I think storming out twenty minutes after we got here would be pretty dramatic,” she argued.

Your lips in a tight line, you gave her an annoyed look, but she did kind of have a point. Everyone would ask why you left, and how would Carter explain it to them? Plus, you didn’t want to give Rafe the satisfaction of knowing he affected you this much.

“We’re about to play volleyball,” Carter said. “Come show them what a beast you are now! And then after you kick everyone’s ass, if you’re still miserable, you can leave and I’ll tell everyone you got sick.”

You squinted back at the group on the beach, considering her offer. Topper and Kelce were wrestling in the sand, somehow both losing. You smiled affectionately at their antics, you were really enjoying hanging out with them before Rafe got here.

“Okay, fine,” you agreed. “One game.”

It took half of one volley for you to get comfortable, head fully in the game. You were tempted to put your cover-up back on before playing, well aware of Rafe’s eyes on you through the net, but you decided not to, determined to love yourself the same way you had grown to when you thought you’d never see him again.

Tom was on Rafe’s team, also eyeing you through the net, but with a much more innocent, friendly expression.

“You’re pretty good!” He said when you’d spiked a ball into the sand right next to him.

“Thank you,” you smiled sweetly. “I play at school.”

“Hey man, stop flirting with our opponent and focus,” Rafe snapped at him from the serving line.

Tom just raised his eyebrows at you in amusement and mouthed “I’m in trouble.” You giggled and Rafe seethed, slamming the ball so hard on his next serve that his hand was red. 

After a few more volleys, you had rotated until you and Rafe were face to face across the net again. As you waited for one of your sister’s friends, Sabrina, to make her third attempt at serving, Rafe eyed you up and down.

“You look good,” he said quietly, so only you could hear.

It lit a fire in you, but not the one he was hoping for. You locked-in, bent low in a competitive stance, ready for the setter to tee you up. When Sabrina finally made her serve, you went all out, diving in the sand and running all over the court to keep the ball in play. Rafe’s athletic instincts took over, and he met every one of your attempts to score with a firm block. Eventually, your lungs burning with your heavy breathing, Rafe spiked the ball and you slipped in the sand, letting it get past you and land next to your feet with a thud.

You looked up at Rafe, who was high fiving his teammates and looking down at you with a smirk. He ducked under the net and reached out a hand to help you up.

“Sorry, kid,” he grinned as he lifted you to your feet. “I’m just that good.”

Kid. It all came back as you stared at him. The hours spent in your car, waiting for him dutifully. All the late night texts that meant everything to you and nothing to him. The cheek kisses and side hugs that fueled your fantasies. His hands around Cassie’s waist as he kissed her in broad daylight, though he’d only talk to you behind closed doors. 

Your cheeks turned red as they so often did, but this time, it wasn’t from embarrassment, it was from anger. He wouldn’t make you feel small anymore, you wouldn’t let him.

You turned to your team to fire them up, “let’s go, fucking lock in guys! You got me Top?”

Topper nodded with excitement, loving your new energy, as he got ready for his turn to serve.

“Fuck yeah, I got you, captain,” he saluted you.

Topper served. Rafe tried to dominate again but you were two seconds ahead of him on every play. Now it was you that had him diving around in the sand like an idiot. The smug smile wiped from his face, his jaw now clenched in frustration as he grunted with effort every time he hit the ball.

You were on fire, un-fucking-stoppable. After a few more volleys, your team was winning, one point from game.

You wiped the back of your hand across your forehead and down your neck, flicking off the sweat that had pooled. You felt two sets of eyes on you, Tom’s and Rafe’s, but you didn’t care, laser focused on your next play. When you lifted off the ground, body stretching to reach for the ball, you threw every frustration into the hit, hand colliding with the ball as hard as it could. Rafe dove, but he couldn’t get it, he crashed down hard, sand flying in his face as he whiffed, and you won the game.

Your side of the net broke into cheers, high fiving and whooping obnoxiously. Tom approached the net to offer his sportsmanlike congratulations, but you didn’t notice him, already making your way towards Rafe, who still sat defeated on the ground, eyes burning from the sand.

He smiled as you approached, reaching out his hand, thinking you were gonna help him up. But you just stepped around him, bending down, lowering your voice so only he could hear as you said,

“Sorry, kid, but I’m better.”

You left him sitting there, hand reaching for nobody like an idiot, dumbstruck and down bad as you sauntered up the beach.

(chapter 2)

a/n: I know I literally just posted the prologue but I didn't want to wait to get into the actual story. I'd love to hear what you think and where you want to see the story go! xoxo

please note, the taglist for this series is currently closed. For updates, follow @whytheylosttheirminds-works and turn on notifs 💕

[topperradio]

Welcome to ACL: Where You Pay to Sweat and be Starstruck

I have been wanting to enjoy the atmosphere and experiences of ACL since I discovered my love for live music. Growing up in San Antonio, it was easy to make a quick trip to Austin for the weekend. Unfortunately, I never brought myself to buy those precious wristbands.

It wasn’t until this year, when my bank account had finally recovered from the multiple hits it took from previous concerts, that I had my opportunity to buy a one-day wristband. It was a no-brainer for my cousin and I to buy Sunday wristbands because, duh, Chappell Roan and Tyler, the Creator were performing on the same night. Sign us up!

(Photos provided by Elliana Guardado)

The anticipation of walking from our parked car— which I highly recommend paying in advance for— to Zilker Park was a warm-up to the heat and pain our feet would endure the whole day. Once you enter, the heat and pain don’t seem to matter anymore. It’s like going to Disneyland for the first time, but with multiple stages and the smell of weed everywhere.

Our first stop was at the T-Mobile stage to catch the remaining minutes of Malcom Todd’s set. Neither my cousin nor I had heard much of his discography, but what really caught our attention was his rendition of the “iCarly” theme song. With that, he gained two loyal fans.

After some sitting and water breaks, we made our way to the Honda stage to settle in for Orville Peck. Getting there a bit early allowed us to watch the end of MisterWives. Oh girl, that woman is a ball of energy. Jumping around in her sparkly outfit with the sun directly on her was enough for me to stop complaining about my exhaustion. After she finished, the crowd started to pour out, and my cousin and I got a spot on the barricade for Orville Peck.

Orville Peck was the beginning of the ideal experience we imagined ACL would bring. Performing songs like “Dead of Night” and “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other” had both of us swaying to his deep, raspy voice. Peck, being one of the first artists we were fans of, really made this experience special. We thought seeing him was the most exciting part—oh, do I have a story for you.

Where we were standing was near the entrance to the VIP section. Here we are, having the time of our lives listening to Peck sing his heart out. Guess who we see? None other than Jared Padalecki making his way past us to the VIP section. For those who don’t know, he is best known for his role as Dean from "Gilmore Girls" or Sam from "Supernatural." Like anyone would, I freaked out when we got confirmation that it was really him by catching a glimpse of his side profile. We had to prove that it was him and not just some really tall dude with great hair. Thinking that catching a glimpse of him was exciting, y’all, he came up and took a picture with the girl right next to us. He seemed like he was in a rush, so my cousin and I didn’t want to bother him again, but I unknowingly touched his arm. I was unaware I did this until later, when I was in disbelief that I had.

During this time, the sun had set a bit and was starting to show off its beauty. As we all know from experience, the Texas sun doesn’t let up, and we were still dying.

With a quick food break, it was already time to make our way to the American Express stage to snag a spot for Chappell Roan’s upcoming set. Even though we couldn’t see the stage, we had a view of the screens, and that is all that matters. Her stage presence was unbelievable. Roan’s breathtaking vocals performing some of her hit songs like “Pink Pony Club” and “My Kink Is Karma” made all the difference. My life is now complete thanks to being able to do the “Hot to Go” dance.

If anyone is familiar with the energy Tyler, the Creator brings to his sets, you know how this went down. Witty remarks, high energy, and some creepy facial expressions filled his entire time on stage. This was my favorite set of the day as he performed popular songs like “See You Again” and “New Magic Wand.” In his words at the end of his set, “For all you rich people, I will see you next weekend,” just confirms another reason why I envy the rich.

Since this was our first time at the festival, we had no expectations. As far as we were concerned from the numerous TikTok videos, the only thing we had to worry about was the dust and the recommendation not to wear cowboy boots. Oh, how I wish I had listened to you all about the dust and boots! My feet were blistered for days after, and three days following the festival, I caught the ACL plague. Nonetheless, I had an amazing time. I am so ready to buy my wristband for next year. This is the start of a joyous addiction.

(Photos provided by Elliana Guardado)

By Elliana Guardado

[lacydollette]

doll!reader was never a fan of bullying, so when toppers gf ruhtie decides to fight the pogues during their stay at the beach, she’s done taking her shit

warnings: rafe x fem!reader, rafe being whipped for doll, suggestive content, explicit language, kooks vs. pogues, ruthie being a bitch, dead baby turtles, arguing, reader fights ruthie

The sun was blazing, casting a golden glow across kildare as you and Rafe drove down to the beach. You were sat in the passenger seat of his truck, legs crossed and placed on the dashboard, your floral sundress riding up your thighs as you hummed along to a song playing on the radio, cherry-red nails tapping against your phone as you scrolled mindlessly.

Rafe glanced over at you, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as he took in your effortless beauty and the way your dress hugged your figure in all the right places, your plush thighs on full display for him. Of course you noticed and smirked, flipping your sunglasses down to look at him. “Careful, rafey,” you teased, voice filled with your usual sweetness. He returned the smirk, a quiet intensity in his voice, “Not my fault you’re distracting.”

“Eyes. On. The. Road.” You pointed dramatically forward, shaking your head. This man was unbelievable. His chuckle was low and warm, but the tension in his hands remained as he tore his gaze back to the road.

Soon you arrived at the beach, where your friends were already setting everything up. Topper and Kelce were unloading surfboards like they were training for the Olympics, and Ruthie, who was perched on Topper’s Jeep like she owned the damn thing, barked random instructions about where the cooler should go, while your best friend Sofia, was sprawled on a towel nearby, sipping Pepsi and pretending to be entertained by the mess.

“You’re late,” Sofia called out with a grin as you stepped out of the truck. “Blame this guy. Couldn’t keep his hands to himself,” you replied, grabbing the beach bag from the backseat and motioning to rafe who was unloading the trunk. “Ew y/n. Stop giving me nightmares.”Sofia cried out, weird images of you and rafe playing in her head, which made you giggle as you walked back to her layed out towel, placing yours next to it and falling onto the pink cloth.

Soon enough you turned your attention back to your boyfriend who was still rummaging through his car. “Rafe,” you called over, standing up and spinning to face him. “I need suncreen!” He glanced up, mid-struggle with a folding chair. “Yeah, just a sec—”

“Pleeeease.” you whined, pouting at him which made rafe sigh in defeat, of course he’d drop everything just to keep you happy, that’s just how much you got him wrapped around your finger.

As Rafe walked over you reached back and untied your dress in one smooth motion, letting it fall to the sand and revealing your new bright pink bikini that practically glowed against your tan skin in a way you knew would leave him speechless.

Rafe froze for a moment, his breath hitching as he took you in. Your body was glowing, and Rafe felt not only his chest tighten, the bulge in his pants growing. “Goddamn, doll,” he murmured, the words slipping out before he could stop himself, still stuck in frame. You looked over your shoulder, smirking. “You gonna help me or just stare all day? I’m sure Kelce would gladly help me out instead.”

That got him moving. He grabbed the sunscreen, squeezing some into his hands before running them over your back, his touch lingering just a little too long, making your skin tingle. his hands were warm and careful, savoring every second as an excuse to touch you and just then his hand slipped past your waist, stopping right on your round ass.

"Done?" you teased, glancing over your shoulder with a playful smile. "Barely," he muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips as his eyes dropped, tracing your curves for a moment longer. Things felt light—until Toppers voice cut through the peace, calling out to Sarah who was just getting out of the water, surfboard under her arm.

“Hey Sarah, I like the longboard. You know, classic.”

You turned your head just in time to catch Sarah's blank expression as she stepped out of the water, surfboard under her arm. "Thanks," she replied flatly, her tone making it clear she couldn't care less. She didn't even glance his way before walking toward the Pogues.

“Does he ever stop? Like he is still so obviously obsessed with your sister.” You turned to Rafe, propped on your elbows as you watched. Rafe just shrugged, he definitely couldn’t care less. "I don't know why he bothers," he muttered. "It's like a cat and mouse game he doesn't know he's losing." His tone was dismissive, but there was an edge to it, a hint of his own complicated feelings about Sarah and her new alliances.

Turning back to you, his expression softened, the faint trace of irritation melting into something sweeter. "Can you grab me a beer, baby?" he asked, his voice low, the pet name rolling off his tongue effortlessly. His eyes lingered on your face, taking in every detail-the soft curve of your lips, the way your hair framed your features.

You were quick to open the cooler, reaching for one of the bottles and handing it to him, a soft “thanks” falling from his lips as he stole a gentle kiss from you, It was brief but sweet, leaving you giggling softly. He was so down bad for you.

Nearby, Topper and Kelce were heading into the water with their boards, ready to take on JJ, who was already out catching waves. Ruthie cheered loudly from the shore, oblivious to the annoyed glances she was getting from everyone around her.

Everything was going smoothly as Topper got ready to take on a big wave, propping himself onto his board, when suddenly JJ budged in from the side, stealing Toppers wave. “Hey! Blatant poach, man!” Rafe yelled as you all watched JJ ride, the annoyed expression on Toppers face not going unnoticed.

“What the hell was that?” Ruthie complained, hands thrown together over her head. You and Sofia couldn’t help but chuckle, Toppers defeated pout just being too funny, while Rafe didn’t hold back and flipped JJ off. As long as these stupid kook versus pogue fights stayed innocent you had no problem with that, unlike others..

While Topper and Kelce were back on the sand and getting dressed you noticed the pogues gathering around something on the ground, yet you didn’t pay much attention to it as the two boys were still complaining about being defeated by JJ.

Suddenly you heard a loud engine revving behind you, turning on your belly just to see ruhtie sitting behind the wheel of Toppers truck, smirking devilishly. “Instead of whining about it, let’s drift.”

“Give them a taste of their own medicine.” She added, pointing into the other direction. Topper immediately shook his head as he approached his girlfriend, “No, no. We’re not doing that.”

“Are you afraid?”

“I told them we’re gonna be cool.” He replied, definitely unsure of what to do. At this point Ruhtie was getting annoying, her constant fake smiles and obnoxious comments were bringing out the worst in you. “Hate to say it. You’re enabling Topper. That’s why they have a problem with you in the first place. They know they can just run all over you.” Topper stiffened, glared at his girlfriend. “Oh, they can run all over me, Ruthie?”

“Well, I’m about to buzz down there and show them whos beach this is. You gonna make me go by myself?” She replied mockingly. And when Topper didn’t reply she crossed a line, desperate to get to him.

“Or maybe one of these guys wants to go with me instead.” Immediately all the boys began to whistle, the other kooks gossiping in silence as you heard them mumbling next to you.

“What the—oh wow, she’s such a whore.” you whispered to Sofia, which made her hold back a laugh. Of course you loved to tease Rafe as well, usung other guys to make him jealous, and for you it was just all fun and games, but by the look on Ruthie’s face you could tell she was serious and that was a big ‘no no’. As much as you disliked Topper sometimes, he didn’t deserve that.

“All right, screw it.” Topper caved, getting into the passenger seat, a satisfied smirk on Ruthies face to which you just gagged. Everyone watched them take off, speeding down the beach at an insane tempo. You stood up, shielding your eyes from the sun as you watched the truck barell towards the pogues, not slowing down.

“Are they fucking crazy?” You yelled towards the other people, everyone just staring. “It’s all good, baby. Calm down. She’s not gonna do it.” Rafe mumbled as he reached your side, his hand finding its way to your lower back, but you pulled away.

“Good? No, Rafe it’s not. She’s about to run them the fuck over.”

Ruthie swerved dangerously close to the pogues, making them throw themselves to the sides to not get hit. It was actually insane. And as she turned the car to go for another round you could feel the anger inside you built, balling your hands into fists as you couldn’t believe how someone could be so recklessly playing with people’s life’s.

Once Topper and Ruthie got back to the group everyone was cheering, dabbing them up like they were some kind of heroes who just saved the poor villagers from a terrorizing army. Just then ruhtie came face to face with you, expecting you to hype her up as well, but you definitely didn’t want to play this game.

“Are you fucking serious right now?” You shouted at her, face red from bubbling with frustration. “What? It was just—“ she tried to defend herself as she suddenly got cut off by Kiara who was approaching with heavy steps.

“Look what you did!” She stood there, teary eyed as she held a dead baby turtle right into Ruthie’s face. “Is this okay?” Ruhtie looked away, the way her face turned into embarrassment was almost too good to be true, yet you could be victorious about it.

“No, look at it! There was a turtle hatch, you idiots! You drove right over it.” You looked up behind ruhtie, the lifeless body of the baby turtle making you sick to your stomach, clinging to your own body.

“I understand you’re upset, Kiara.” Topper tried to cool down the situation, but in vain. Kie was full on pissed and you could understand, it was just so fucked up. “I’m more than upset, Topper.”

“All right, but it was only one. I mean, look, there’s so many more of them.” Ruhtie shrugged as if she just didn’t care and that got to you, your anger now impalpable.

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you, huh?”

you budged in, brows furrowed in distaste as you faced Ruhtie who was obviously taken aback by your sudden outburst, thinking you were on her side before your gaze was fixed on her instead of Kiara.

“Me? Chill, y/n, they’re just turtles..and some irrelevant pogues.” She chuckled, not taking you serious which made you only angrier. “Just—what?” You looked at her in disbelief, ruhtie tossing her hair like she hadn’t almost run over actual people. “You almost killed them you absolute psychopath!”

“It’s not that deep.” She snapped back, towering over you, but you didn’t back away, voice steady. “You’re so goddamn selfish, it’s actually embarrassing.” But what was even more embarrassing was that no one, like absolutely nobody was saying anything, not even Rafe which made you just as furious.

He was just standing there, as the argument between you and Ruthie unfolded. He’d watched you stand toe-to-toe with Ruthie, your voice sharp and unwavering as you confronted her reckless behavior. His brows lifted slightly as he took it in—your fire, your refusal to back down.

A slow, subtle grin tugged at the corners of his lips. That was his girl. You weren’t like anyone else in this crowd, and watching you put Ruthie in her place sent a wave of pride through him. You were fierce and unapologetic, not afraid to call out the bullshit no one else would.

But as the argument escalated, Rafe’s grin faded. He saw the way Ruthie’s expression shifted from cocky to defensive, her crossed arms turning rigid as she tried to push back against your words. She had no idea who she was dealing with. Ruhtie huffed, crossing her arms, “why don’t you just stay out of it?”

“No, I’m done staying out of it,” you hissed. Your anger getting the best of you. Then it happened. In a flash of movement, you shoved Ruthie back with everything you had. The impact sent her stumbling, her arms flailing as she tried to catch her balance. Rafe’s eyes widened as he saw your body shaking with anger. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath, rushing into your direction.

Ruthie fell back, landing hard in the sand with a look of utter shock on her face. The crowd around you gasped, some exchanging wide-eyed glances while others stifled laughter at Ruthie’s humiliation. But Rafe wasn’t focused on any of them. His attention was entirely on you. Towering over her you growled, “It’s about time for someone to tell you what a reckless, spoiled little brat you—”

“Alright, enough,” Rafe’s voice suddenly cut through the tension as he stepped in, grabbing you by the waist and pulling you back, knowing that if he didn’t you’d probably lunge at her any second and it wouldn’t end pretty.

“Rafe, let me go,” you snapped, your tone fiery, your body still rigid with anger as you tried to push past him. “Not a chance,” he replied, his grip steady as he kept you firmly in place. His eyes darted between you and Ruthie, who was still on the ground, glaring up at you like she couldn’t believe what just happened.

“Rafe, she needs to hear this—”

“I know,” he cut you off, his voice softer now as he leaned in, his lips close to your ear. “I know, baby. Trust me, she deserved it. But you’ve made your point.” You struggled against him for a moment longer, the adrenaline still coursing through you. But as you glanced back at him, the calm yet determined look in his eyes softened something inside you.

“Come on,” he murmured, his hands sliding down your arms, grounding you. “Let’s not give her the satisfaction of dragging this out.” You huffed, shooting one last death glare at Ruthie before letting Rafe drag you away, now watching from a safe distance. Sofia quickly wrapped an arm around you, whispering, “God, she’s the worst.”

“It’s just the cycle of life, ain’t it right?” Ruhtie then turned to her friends, receiving hesitant nods in approval, yet they were there.“Cycle of life? Getting flattened by a truck is not the cycle of life!” Kie suddenly slapped Ruhtie in the face, she was really getting it today. As much as you wanted to see Kie kick Ruthie’s ass, it was better for everyone that JJ held her back. “There’s something seriously wrong with you people.”

As kie stomped back to her friends JJ turned around one last time, the words burning on the tip of his tongue. “If you come near her, or any of us ever again, I’ll come back and kill every single one of you.” and with that, he left.

“Topper they threatened us. We should press charges. I mean your grandfather, hes a judge, right?” Ruthie played scared, holding onto her boyfriend. “She seriously has to get over herself. The world doesn’t revolve around her.” You grumbled in frustration, biting down on your lower lip which was already sore.

“I know baby, but now is not the time for that, okay?” Rafe held you close, rubbing his palms over your tense shoulders to release the tension, yet you refused to lean into him as you were still pissed, stomping away. Rafe couldn’t help but glance down at you, his heart swelling with a mix of pride and adoration. “That was kind of badass, though,” he said quietly, a smirk creeping back onto his face.

You shot him a look, but the corner of your mouth twitched, betraying the faintest hint of a smile. Yet you didn’t feel like you wanted to stay around Ruthie and her friends, pulling on Rafe’s arm.“I wanna go home. Please get your stuff.” You pouted, walking off and back to the tent where Rafe had parked his car.

You definitely weren’t done with Ruhtie..

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[itneverendshere]

I love bartender!reader!!!!!! She seems so sweet and collected...but I was wondering if she's got a little fire in her? Maybe they're at a party together and she gets jealous......which is new because she's usually the calm one out of her and rafe. Hope you're doing great <3

loved writing this bc you're so right!!! it's just so not like her to lose her temper over trivial things but oh🫣 hope you're doing just a great as well💖

i'm usually so unproblematic - r.c

pairing: rafe x pogue!reader (bartender!reader universe) warnings: allusions to smut but no actual smut.

You’re sitting in Rafe’s truck, staring out at the huge house in front of you, stomach in knots. It’s a mansion, more like.

Kook house. Kook party. Rich people everywhere. You can already hear the distant thrum of music, even from inside the car, bass-heavy, vibrating through the seats.

You chew your bottom lip and glance over at Rafe. He’s calm, casually messing with the radio, probably about to put on those trashy songs he loves that you absolutely hate but pretend to like because you love him.

It's insane how easy it is for him to just... be cool about this. But you?

You’re not so sure.

"This was a bad idea," you mumble, half-joking but also half-serious.

Rafe turns to you, one eyebrow raised, lips pulling into a crooked smile. “Nervous?”

You give him a look. “Obviously. I’m not...I don’t do these things. I don’t know these people.”

You’ve been with Rafe for almost a year now, give or take. Said your I love yous, met each other’s families. Hell, you’ve spent more time at Tannyhill than at your own place lately, and you’ve grown used to Rafe’s kook side. His friends, though? These parties? A whole other beast.

“I already met Topper. Isn’t that enough?”

He laughs under his breath, reaching over to take your hand. “You’ll be fine. It’s Kelce, and a few other people. No big deal.”

No big deal, you think. Easy for him to say when he’s been around these people his whole life. For you, being a pogue, working extra shifts at the country club just to pay rent… yeah, this is a little different.

“I know, I know. I’ll be fine. It’s just— I’m out of my element.”

He squeezes your hand. “Hey. You’re with me. That’s all that matters.” 

You’re with Rafe. The Rafe who loves you, who can’t keep his hands off you even when you’re just watching movies. The Rafe who gets jealous over dumb things, like if you laugh too hard at one of JJ’s jokes, even though he’s just your seventeen-year-old neighbor. The Rafe who texts you goodnight, even when you’re in the same room, because he’s a sap and you secretly love it.

“Alright, let’s go,” you agree, trying to hype yourself up.

Rafe smiles, and then he’s out of the truck, jogging over to your side to open the door for you, like a perfect gentleman. You roll your eyes but step out, the night air brushing your bare shoulders. You weren’t sure how to dress for this party, so you chose to wear something…safe. A pretty red top you only used on special occasions and your best demim skirt. It wasn’t exactly kook material but at least you weren’t in your worn-out shorts and usual crop top or in your work uniform.

The moment you walk inside, though, it’s like stepping into a different world. The house is packed. People everywhere, laughing, drinking, hanging by the pool. Everything’s pristine and polished, and you feel their eyes on you the second you walk in.

Rafe wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close. “Want a drink?” he asks, leaning down so you can hear him over the music.

You nod, trying not to let the fact that people are definitely staring at you freak you out. You’re not a Kook. You’re his girl, though, and you know how much that pisses some of them off.

A few minutes later, you’ve got a drink in hand, and Kelce’s talking your ear off about something you don’t really understand. Golf. You smile and nod along, doing your best to keep up, but the truth is, you’re not listening. You’re too busy watching the crowd, still feeling like you don’t fit in. Like you never really will.

That’s when you notice her. Tall. Pretty, in that rich, polished way that’s almost too perfect. And she’s glaring. Right. At. You.

Your stomach drops, and you tear your eyes away, sipping your drink to cover the dread that suddenly hits you. You don’t know who she is, but she’s been staring at you since you walked in, and it’s starting to mess with your head. Was there something on your face? Had you met before at the club? Maybe she didn't like your drinks.

“Baby, you okay?” Rafe’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts, his hand resting on the small of your back.

“Yeah, fine,” you lie, forcing a smile. He frowns slightly but doesn’t push it. Kelce’s still talking, oblivious.

You try to ignore it, but as the night goes on, she keeps popping up. Always staring. Always with that look crazied in her eyes. Like she could kill you. You’ve had a couple drinks by now, and your nerves are turning into a kind of irritation.

Finally, you excuse yourself to the bathroom, needing a break from the overwhelming feeling of being watched. You lock the door behind you, exhaling slowly as you stare at your reflection. Were you seeing things? Overreacting? Surely, Rafe or Kelce would’ve noticed as well, right? Or maybe they were used to this. 

I’m just overthinking it, you tell yourself. I’m fine. She’s just..

But when you open the door to leave, she’s there. Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, staring at you with that same stupid look, like you personally offended her by daring to exist. 

“Can I help you?” you blurt out before you can stop yourself.

She doesn’t smile. Doesn’t even flinch. Just tilts her head, giving you the most disgusted once-over you’ve ever seen in your life. “You’re Rafe’s new thing, huh?”

What? You’ve had just enough to drink that your filter is basically nonexistent now. You blink, confusion killing the buzz in your head. “Sorry, do I know you?”

“No,” she says, her voice dripping with disdain. “But I know you.”

You laugh awkwardly, nothing about this is funny. “Okay? So what’s your problem?”

Her eyes narrow, lips tinted pink curling. Oh, she’s mad now. She steps up closer to you, practically chest-to-chest. “My problem is that I don’t get why someone like you is with Rafe. He used to have a certain standard.”

Oh.

You almost laugh again because...wow. Really? That’s what this is about? “Okay, Regina George,” you mutter under your breath. You’re not in the mood for this. You tilt your head, giving her your best innocent smile.  “And who are you?”

“Sophie. I dated Rafe for two years, before you, obviously,” she says, like that’s supposed to mean something. You didn’t know him back then, you hadn’t even spoken a word to him. "Guess he didn’t mention me."

His ex. Of course. Of course she’s his ex. 

You snort before you can stop yourself. "Nope, pretty sure he forgot to bring you up.”

You feel a little sting of jealousy in your chest, but you try to swallow it down. You’re not about to let this girl get under your skin. You’re better than that. You didn’t know him, it’s fine.

 “I’m not really interested in whatever this is.” You move to step around her, but she blocks your path.

“Just a word of advice,” she grits out, like you’ve personally offended her, “He’s not the kind of guy who sticks around for long. Especially not with girls like you.”

That does it. The alcohol, the nerves, the whole night—you’re seconds away from losing it. “What the hell is your problem?” you snap, your hands curling into fists at your sides.

“Dirty pogues who think—”

"Okay. I’m not gonna play whatever this is with you," you interrupt her, gesturing between the two of you, stepping forward so you’re toe-to-toe with her now. "If he wanted to be with a walking Vineyard Vines ad, he would be. But he’s not. He’s with me."

“You really think you’re different?” she spits, voice laced with venom. "Like you're special?"

Your laugh comes out sharp, more of a bark. “If you were so special, you wouldn’t be here, playing guard dog outside the bathroom. Move."

“Or what?” she challenges, her lips curling in that same superior smirk that makes your blood boil. “What are you gonna do, pogue?”

That’s it. You feel the fire flare up in your chest. Screw this girl. Your hands ball into fists, and you’re half a second from knocking that smug look right off her face when Topper steps in.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s not turn this into Jerry Springer, alright?" He holds up his hands like he’s breaking up a fight at a middle school dance. You’re staring daggers at Sophie, and she’s glaring right back, but his hands are still up, a peacekeeper grin plastered across his face as he looks between the two of you. “Let’s not do this,” his eyes landing on Sophie. “C’mon, Soph, no need for the drama, yeah?”

She scoffs, crossing her arms and stepping back with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Whatever, Topper.

He watches her go before turning back to you, eyebrows raised. “You good?”

You nod, still fuming, but grateful he stepped in when he did. "Yeah. Thanks."

You let him take you away because if he doesn’t, you're going to follow her and throw a drink in her face or do something worse. You feel like you could punch her right in her perfect, stuck-up face. 

He leads you back to where Rafe is, and you’re too upset to even look at him. His hands are on you the second you’re close, pulling you to him like he can tell something’s off. "Baby," his lips brush against your temple. "What’s wrong? You look like you’re ready to kill someone."

You don’t answer. You can’t. Not without completely blowing up.

Rafe’s brow furrows, his eyes darting between you and Topper. “What the hell happened?” he asks again, more forceful this time.

Topper gives him a look but doesn’t say anything, just shrugs. “Nothing, man. Just some girl drama. Don’t worry about it.”

Girl drama your ass.

He turns to you, and suddenly, he’s all over you, his hands on your waist, the other settling on the back of your head, “Baby, talk to me. What’s going on?”

You pull away, shaking your head, still too mad to speak.

He follows, his hands reaching for yours. “Hey, c’mon.”

Finally, you look at him. Really look at him. And the second you see his face, that stupid, worried puppy-dog expression, the anger starts to melt away.

“I’m mad,” you admit, “I got jealous. Your ex’s a bitch.”

Rafe blinks, and then, to your surprise, he laughs. A real, genuine laugh. You glare at him. “It’s not funny!”

“No, no, it’s not,” he says, quickly sobering, though there’s still a stupid smirk at his lips. “I just, I’ve never seen you jealous before.”

You cross your arms, still pouting. “I’m serious, Rafe. She was awful.”

He wraps his arms around you, pulling you close. “I don’t care about her. At all. I care about you.”

You roll your eyes, but your heart is softening. “She said you wouldn’t stick around.”

Rafe’s smile fades, and he pulls back just enough to look you in the eyes. “That’s bullshit. You know that, right?”

"She’s a psycho.”

Rafe’s expression changes, his frown deepening. "Sophie?"

"Yeah," you snap, because you hate the sound of her name coming out of his lips, "Sophie. Called me a dirty pogue, which—real original.”

“She what?” Rafe’s jaw tightens, and for a second, you see a flash of that old Rafe—the one who’d get into fights at the drop of a hat. "I’ll handle it.”

You’ve seen it before—his protective streak, the one that could turn dangerous if he wasn’t careful. Part of you loves it, the way he’d go to war for you without even blinking. But another part of you hates that you have so much power over him.

But right now, you’re still too mad to care about him handling anything. You push past him, heading for the exit, needing air, needing space. Everything inside you is on fire, and all you can think is that you need to get out. Anything but this house full of people who make you feel like you’re just dirt. People like her. You can’t stop hearing her nasal voice in your head, those snide comments digging into you like little needles, bringing up that same old insecurity.

“Baby, hold on,” His voice is behind you, and his hand is instantly catching yours, tugging you back before you can make it to the door.

You spin around, already ready to snap, but then you see his face—eyes wide, brow furrowed like he’s genuinely freaked out that you’re upset. “Don’t listen to her, she’s full of shit.”

You stare at him, your chest tight and aching, because yeah, you know she’s full of it, but it still got to you. It still hurt. “It just…” You swallow hard, trying to find the right words, even though everything feels like a mess. “It got in my head, Rafe. Like, I hate that she said that. I’m so sick of people looking at me like I don’t belong just because I’m not—”

He cuts you off, stepping closer, and before you can even finish the thought, he's dragging you into him. “You belong with me. That’s all that matters.”

You let out a breath, but you’re still worked up, “But it’s like—I don’t need some stuck-up kook girl who thinks she’s better than me telling me I don’t fit in. I know I’m not like them, but she said it like I wasn’t good enough for you. Like I’m just some—”

Rafe’s lips are on yours before you can finish. He only pecks you, but it’s enough to shut you up, to make your brain go silent for a second. “Stop,” his voice is almost pleading. “Stop thinking like that. I love you, okay? I don’t care what anyone else says.”

You blink up at him, you want to stay mad, but also want to let it go because he’s right here, so close, and he’s got that look on his face that makes your heart flip. “You don’t get it.”

He pulls you closer, hands gripping your hips like he can’t stand to have any space between you. “Then tell me,” he murmurs, pressing another kiss to your lips. “Tell me why you’re letting her get in your head.”

You huff, but the fight in you is starting to die out. “Because she made me feel like I’m less.”

He tilts your head back just enough to look at you, “That’s bullshit,” his fingers are gentle as they trail up your jaw, his thumb brushing over your cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”

You feel a little stupid for letting that girl get to you in the first place. But damn it, you’ve heard it before—from other people, from yourself—that nagging voice that says you’re not enough.

“I know.” you mumble though you’re still a little embarrassed.

Rafe smiles then, that sweet smile he only ever gives you, and he presses his lips to your forehead. “Good,” he says, tugging you even closer, like he’s trying to wrap himself around you. “Because I’m obsessed with you, and I don’t care what her or anyone else says.”

You let out a shaky laugh, finally letting yourself relax in his arms. “You’re obsessed with me?” you tease, tilting your head to meet his eyes.

“Hell yeah,” he grins, his hands sliding up your back, one hand slipping down to squeeze your ass, his thumb sliding just under the hem of your skirt. “I can’t keep my hands off you. You know that. It’s becoming a real problem.”

You roll your eyes, trying to play it cool, but you don’t stop the giggle from bubbling out. The way he’s looking at you right now, like he can’t even think straight because you’re standing in front of him—it drives you up the walls. Then he leans down and kisses you again, and this time it’s not...casual. His lips move against yours like he’s trying to take every thought in your head, and it’s working. Your hands slide up, wrapping around his neck as his tongue brushes against yours. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to this. 

He grips you harder, lips moving to brush against your ear, “You’re mine, baby and I’m not fucking going anywhere.”

That hits you, hard, like a truth he always reassures you off but still feels brand new when he does say it. Everything that pissed you off, all the crap Sophie said, it doesn’t matter anymore. 

“Stop making me horny,” You whine out, tugging at his shirt and pulling him closer. You can feel his grin against your skin as he leans in, biting your lip playfully before kissing you again, you know he’s enjoying teasing you. His hand slides down to grab a handful of your ass again, making you gasp against his mouth, and you feel him smirk.

“I like you horny.”

You’re in the middle of this stupid party, surrounded by people who probably hate you for breathing, but all you can think about is how much you want him right now. His lips move over yours like he’s trying to claim you, and you’re more than happy to let him. It’s messy, all tongues and spit, but you don’t care. You love how rough and needy he is, how he groans into your mouth like he’s been dying to kiss you all night. It’s the kind of kiss that leaves you dizzy, the room spinning, and you’re not sure if it’s the alcohol or him—or both.

You tug at his shirt, frustrated with how much fabric is in the way, and he chuckles against your mouth, biting down on your bottom lip just hard enough to make you gasp. His hands slide down up to your neck, tightening just enough around your throat, and you let out a soft whimper into his mouth, making him grin.

“You're just so—” his lips brush over your cheek, then down to your bottom lip, kissing and biting just hard enough to make you squirm, "Beautiful, aren't you?"

You’re normally not one for pda, not at all. The idea of people watching, of eyes on you while you're with someone, always made your skin crawl. But when Rafe kisses you like this? When he’s got his hands on you? God, your brain just goes dumb, and every ounce of self-consciousness fizzes out. It's embarrassing, almost. All you can think about is the way he’s making you feel, the way he’s holding you against him, leaving you breathless and wanting more. You’re so not this person, not the girl who makes out with her boyfriend in the middle of a crowded room.

But with Rafe? You can’t even think straight. 

His hands slide under your skirt for the millionth time, blunt fingernails gripping your plushy thighs, and you nearly whine, “Rafe,” you breathe, trying to pull away long enough to think properly, but he just kisses you harder, more insistent. “Baby, stop,” you manage to whisper, though you don’t mean it at all.

He pulls back just enough to look at you, his eyes all dark, his breath hot against your lips. “You want me to stop?” he teases, his hands still tight on your hips, his fingers digging into your skin in a way that makes your knees go weak.

You shake your head, biting your lip, and his grin widens. “Didn’t think so,” he murmurs before leaning in to kiss you again, like he can’t help himself, and honestly? Neither can you. You’re so turned on, it’s ridiculous. 

“I—fuck,” you pant, trying to get the words out between kisses, but he’s relentless, pressing you back against a wall, his lips latching on to your neck, sucking a bruise into your skin “Baby, please—”

He groans against your neck, one hand sliding up under your top, fingers brushing the bare skin of your waist, and you swear you’re about to lose it. “Please what, hmm?”

You bite your lip, trying to stay composed, but you’re way past that now. All you can think about is how much you need him. Right now. Anywhere but here.

“Take me to the truck,” you nearly beg him, just loud enough for him to hear, but you know he catches it because he pulls back just enough to look at you, pupils blown wide.

He smirks, running his thumb over your bottom lip, teasing. “Yeah? You need me that bad?”

You nod, not even caring how desperate you sound. “Please.” Your voice cracks a little on the last word, but you don’t care anymore.

You need him, and you need him now.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀

Forty minute later, the air inside the truck reeks of sex.

You’re breathless, flushed all over, and your legs feel like jelly. Rafe’s next to you, grinning like an idiot already fixing his jeans like he’s not still catching his breath. It’s written all over you—the tousled hair, the smudged lipstick, the way your top is barely hanging on properly as you try to straighten it out, the stickiness you can still feel between your legs, on your panties.

You feel filthy.

You bite back a smile as you adjust your skirt, your body still recovering from the way he had your face pressed against the seat.  

“Shit,” you breathe out, trying to get it together, your fingers fumbling to fix your bra strap, “I feel like my makeup’s a mess.”

He just chuckles, leaning back in his seat with that cocky look that made you want to jump him in the first place, “You look perfect,” he says, eyeing you up and down like he’s ready to go another round.

You roll your eyes but can’t help the heat that rises to your cheeks. “Yeah, well, you look like you just ran a marathon.”

He laughs, reaching over to pull you close, his lips pecking your hair, “Worth it.”

You’re just about to leave the truck when the door opens, and as you both step out, you catch sight of Sophie and her friends walking past. Perfect timing. Of course.

She’s glaring—hard—and her friends are snickering, whispering to each other like they’ve just seen something they shouldn't. Sophie’s nose wrinkles as her gaze flicks between you and Rafe, her expression twisting into disgust like you’re both some kind of wild animals who just rolled around in the mud.

But you? You feel smug.

You meet her stare for a second too long, the corner of your mouth lifting in the tiniest, most satisfied smirk. You know she knows exactly what just happened in that truck, and it’s killing her. She’s practically seething, her friends muttering furiously under their breath as they walk by, noses in the air.

Rafe doesn’t even glances their way—his fingers hook into one of the belt loops of your skirt, tugging you back to him with just enough force to make you stumble slightly into his built chest, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And it is.

“Thirty more minutes,” he murmurs against your cheek, planting a kiss there, casual but so possessive, his lips lingering just long enough to make your stomach shake with butterflies again, "And I'm taking you home."

And that’s what makes it even sweeter.

[bambii1i]

Hesitation

Authors note: ending is kinda shit and cliffhanger i dunno if I’ll make a part two or just let it be lol

Warnings: angst, man-whore moves, jealousy, pettiness, slight mentions of; alcohol, weed, sex

Summary: ‘what are we?’ That specific question.

Safety net, or whatever that was called. That was you. Every time he gets bored hooking up with someone new, he goes back to treating you like his girlfriend before ignoring you again for two weeks, more or less. You guys have been friends, close friends for a while before the safety net thing, so you didn’t mind. You’ve always liked him a little, he didn’t have to know that you enjoyed that one week where in he’d shower you with affection.

Until you got fed up with it, how he ignored you just right after. You did have sex with him from time to time, just whenever he felt like it, he just avoided you during the ‘hook-up week’. Last night, you were at some party in figure eight, wearing the short black dress with hints of glitter and silver. Rafe eyed you all night, kept you close to him, his arm wrapped around your shoulder. You walked around proudly, giving smiles to whoever Rafe was talking to.

Of course you knew after the party was over, you two would have an after party in his car on the way home. The ride home was not awkward as you two were talking about going to the beach, your friends, his friends while the music was blasted on the radio, windows down. Once he parked his car, Rafe quickly opened his door, speed walking towards the passenger door and opening it for you. After an exchange of thanks and a minute making out he brought you to your door with a kiss goodnight.

The next day you planned to go to the beach together, along with Kelce, Topper, Chloe, and Ruthie. With your bikini, tote bag, sunscreen, and sunglasses already prepared on your table you were quick to change. You waited for the notification that they were downstairs, waiting for you in the car. The little ding was loud and you were running downstairs. Tilting your head as you stood there outside of your door, staring at the car that contained three people; Rafe, Kelce, and some other girl.

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes and closing the door behind you, making sure it was locked. You walked towards the car, staring at the bleach blonde girl on the passenger seat beside Rafe. “Yo, get in the car already!” Kelce said while groaning on the back seat. Snapping out of it you opened the car door and sat beside Kelce, placing your bag on the middle. “Did you guys bring drinks?” You asked, staring at Rafe, waiting for his response.

“You really think we’d forget that shit?!” Kelce answered, you turned your eye towards Kelce, a firm look. “Well you were a dumbass once that forgot the fucking joint—can’t blame me for thinking—“ you were cut off by Kelce “—yeah, yeah. How have you not gotten over that shit.” Once the car stared to move you sighed. You felt irritated seeing the blonde girl on the passenger seat. Staring at Rafe’s reflection through the rear view mirror.

You were pissed at Rafe, even more pissed at yourself for feeling so jealous even though you know about that stupid thing that Rafe has with you. It didn’t even last a week this time, it was 4 days. Rafe stole a glance at you through the rear view mirror while you were looking out the window, hearing Kelce’s chatter and the laugh of ms. Blondie upfront.

In no time you were at the beach. You sat cross-legged on the sand, fingers idly tracing different patterns into the grains. Every time you take a breath you could smell the air that was thick with the scents of saltwater and sunscreen, which also carried a cool breeze that moved your hair around, hitting your face from time to time. You couldn’t help but keep thinking about Rafe, this happened plenty of times already, but why is this one bugging you so much.

You looked around you trying to find ms. Blondie, spotting her lounging a few steps away from you on her own pink beach towel, scrolling through her phone while her sunglasses were positioned on her nose, the sun hitting her causing her to glisten. Rafe was right beside her, a bottle of alcohol on his hand while the other right on her bare back.

Chloe runs over to you, clearly wet from swimming around the beach with Kelce, Topper, and a few other people that arrived a little later. “Live a little won’t you? Why are ya just there? Swim with us!” She said, chuckling while grabbing the bottle beside you, quickly opening it and taking a sip and giggling. “I’ll catch up! Just left something in the car,” you hummed before receiving a nod from Chloe and watching as she runs back to the beach.

Once you saw her back in the water with the others, you lazily reached over the edge of the beach towel you sat at, your fingers brushing over the car keys beside the empty bottle of beer. You sighed heavily, shaking the loose grains of sand off your hand before grabbing the keys. You sat up, slowly standing up while you dusted your palms against your thighs, brushing off all the sand that was clinging onto your skin.

Each step you took on the sand left a little mark and a stinging feeling from the heat of the warm sand. Rafe on the other hand, glanced behind seeing how you stood up, walking towards the path leading to the parked car.

Ahead was the car, once you reached there, your fingers grazed the door handle. Using her other hand pressing the button with a soft click, the lock released and you opened the door. Reaching across the backseat for her tote bag. “Are you pissed at me or what?” You froze a bit shook with the sudden voice behind you. “Fuck!” you exclaimed, almost folding over the car, dropping the keys on the car floor. “Jesus fuck Rafe!” She added before straightening her posture and holding onto the seat.

“Are you pissed at me?” Rafe asked with a firm voice, staring at you bent over the car seat before quickly fixing yourself up. “What? Why would I be?” Her brows furrowed, as she was confused.

A little scoff left his lips, crossing his arms on his chest, his eye firmly staring at you. “‘Cause you’re ignoring me.” He replied.

“I’m not ignoring you. And I’m not mad at you either, okay?” Her voice was calm but firm, with a slight trace of annoyance before bending over once more to reach for her tote bag. Grabbing it from the edge of the backseat and standing upright.

“Good.” He stepped backwards from the car, giving you a bit of space, the gravel crunching beneath him. “Because for a second, ‘thought I did somethin’.”

“You didn’t,” you said, clutching on your tote bag, glancing down and opening it to check for her AirPods.

His brow lifted, skepticism flicked on his expression. “You sure?”

A scoff left your own lips, looking up from her tote bag and staring at him. “Why do you even care Rafe?” You asked, raising your brows and giving him a little irritated smile. “Well ‘cause you’re fuckin’ ignoring me.” He was quick to reply while staring at you.

Another irritated scoff left your lips. “Do you expect me to be all over you after you fucked me last night while you’re with some other girl right now? Want me to talk about how you were making me scream and making the car shake in front of miss blondie?”

He was slightly taken a back by how upfront you were with your words, his lips parting while raising his brows, noticing your jealousy, taking note of it as his lips curled. “Rafe I’m tired of your shit, you literally fuckin’ ignore me right after.. I’m just— fed up okay!” You exclaimed before taking a deep breath. Staring at him, nibbling your lips out of habit. “I know it’s what we have but I’m fed up with your bullshit. Be straight with me okay?” You took a little pause, closing your eyes for a second before staring into his. “It’s either we’re friends or something.”

“It isn’t that easy.” He hesitated.

“Your hesitation tells me otherwise.” You replied.

[fictionalmenxyn]

𝐁𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐬

Pairing: Rafe x Reader

Warnings: swearing, boys being boys (suggestive talking) and Rafe casually (to him) hitting someone.

◎◎◎

Rafe and the boys felt bored, they knew just the thing to cure that, you. So that’s exactly what the did. They spammed you with messages in their ‘the idiots and Y/n’ group chat. Then all parked their bikes on your driveway.

Rafe walked over and knocked your door. You swung it open, you shouted playfully “No!” You playfully shut the door in his face. You could hear them all laughing. You smiled and opened the door “yes yes, I’m coming I’m coming.” Kelce shouted “that’s what she said”. Earning a smack to the back of the head by Topper and a playful glare from Rafe.

Rafe looked back to you and smiled “hey, pretty girl, you got everything?” He leaned down and pecked your lips.

You smiled and nodded “yeah, got everything.” You head over to the garage and open it up. Revealing your Yamaha MT10. You pull your helmet on and get into the bike. You grew up with motorbikes, your father being a mechanic. Also a bike enthusiast. So you knew your stuff and saved your money well. Even if you’re a kook, you’re humble, not a spoilt brat. Like some….

You girl my head forward toward Rafe “put the radio thingy on, babe, please.” He chuckled as he walked over and put on your radio that connects to everyone else’s helmets. So you can all communicate.

You all started to leave the street you lived on, heading out for the day.

You all stop at a stop light. Putting your feet either side of the bike and onto the ground. You spoke “so why did you all drag me out of my comfy bed?” They all almost say in sync “bored.” You playfully roll your eyes “so I had to come?! Couldn’t have done anythinnggg else??” They all answer “yup.” You joke “hate you guys…”

They all laugh the Topper spoke “no you don’t, you love us really.” You shrug playfully “mmm don’t know, might change my mind…” Rafe playfully shoves you a little. Then the light turning green you all sped off. You asked “where are we even going?” Rafe replied “don’t know, didn’t really think that far ahead…”

You laugh “what?! What do you meeeaaann ‘didn’t think that far ahead’… sometimes I think I’m actually friends with a bunch of idiots…” Rafe playfully gasped “hey! I’m your boyfriend, correct that shit, right now!” You roll your eyes and correct yourself “I think that my boyfriend is an idiot, that better?” He nodded and laughed “yeah, babe, better…”

Topper suggested “we could head for some food? That new grill house is finally open…” you practically squeal into the radio. Causing the guys to groan, Kelce complained “could you not?!”

You laugh “sorry… I like food… can you blame me?” Topper replied “touché.”

Rafe said “yeah, let’s head there for some food, then we can think of something to do while we eat.”

You all rode through figure eight and headed towards the coast line where the food and other stores were.

You all parked your bikes up and headed down the street. Taking your helmets off as you enter the grill house. Rafe walked first. Already acting like he knew the place. A thing he always did especially at stake houses. A random thing he did but never really knew why.

Rafe asked to the waitress “could we get a table for four, please?” You smiled a little at his manners. Usually you’d have to smack him under the table or give him the ‘evils’ as he says when you shoot a quick glare at him.

The woman nodded and spoke “come right this way…” she guided you four over to a booth. You all sat in. You and Rafe on one side, Topper and Kelce in the other.

Rafe purposely leaned over to grab a menu. Making sure you got squished as he did. You knew he was playing around, since he’s done this since you two were kids. He also knew that a jab to uis ribs was coming. Which you did. Sticking your index finger out and jabbing him in the ribs. He laughed softly “what? I wasn’t doing anything…” you remarked “oh really?? So everyone you do that, you don’t do anything??” He smirked and nodded. You shake your head with a smile, unbelievable he was.

After you’ve all ate your food and paid, you once again head out towards your bikes.

Your eyes widen a little as you see some guy leaning against Rafe’s bike. And a girl taking photos of the guy. Topper muttered “oh shit…” you and Topper shear a glance before you hear Rafe “what the fuck??”

You all walk over, the guy looks over and spoke “hey dude, this your bike? It’s sick! I’ve always wanted a bike like this…” you could see Rafe’s eye twitch ever so slightly as he sees the guy adjust a few things in the bike. That’s two things that pissed Rafe off. One, a stranger getting all up in his personal belongings. And two, someone touching and adjusting things on his bike.

Rafe replied “yeah, man, that’s mine. You taking pics or sum?” He scratched his nose with his thumb. You place a hand on his shoulder blade. Rafe stepped away from your touch. Not actually kissed at you for touching him but he knew he had to take a step from you so whatever he did, you wouldn’t get caught up in it.

He walked over to the guy, “Topper, my friend here-” Rafe slung his arm around Topper “-he’ll take some photos for ya. He’s good at that shit, ain’t ya Top?” Topper nodded. Knowing where this was going. Having seen Sons of Anarchy, with Rafe.

Topper took the guys phone out of the chick’s hand. Taking a photo of the guy against Rafe’s bike. Topper spoke “that’s the before…” the guy’s eyebrow raised “before?”

That’s when Rafe’s fist connected with the guys nose. Hearing a small crunch coming from the guy’s face. You and Kelce wince at the noise. Rafe stepped back with a smirk “don’t ever fucking touch my bike… you’ll have worse next time, buddy…”

The guy held his now broken nose. Topper snapped another photo “there’s the after…” Topper then tossed the guys phone to him.

You walked over to Rafe and muttered “you really wanted to do that after watching that fucking show, hm?” Rafe smirked. Looking down to you, he mumbled “what? Can’t help it…” you joked “sometimes i actually think you wanna be Jax…”

He playfully rolled his eyes. Looking at the guy and his chick. Rafe shot him a warning glare once more.

You all got on your bikes and sped off. Your little biker gang being the knockoff ‘Sons of Anarchy’.

‘The Sons of Outer Banks.’

And turns out you guys did think of ideas on what to do for the rest of the day.

◎◎◎

[fee224]

Motel hotel

Rafe cameron x overlooked!reader

When your boyfriend promised you an all American trip after exams, you were quite literally over the moon, because that’s how far anywhere outside of outerbanks was in your eyes.

He casually mentioned it during brunch with kelce and his girlfriend, Izzy, that the six of you would drive up and spend a bit of time in Georgia. Which one included rafe, topper, kelce and their girlfriends Izzy and Carrie.

You could barely finish your scrambled eggs with your mind racing at how exciting it was rafe was taking you somewhere.

“Don’t worry, everything’s sorted, the hotel, your parents” he reassured into your ear, squeezing your hands as you just beamed smiling into your plate.

The drive down was quiet between you and rafe, you never knew what to say and he was well versed in your love languages, quality time and acts of service.

Every few minutes you would hum to the radio and let him know you love this song, or gasp at the news which was not shocking enough to warrant your reaction. All in which rafe just grinned at.

Rafe knew there wasn’t enough in any car for the six of you, and was the first to offer the pair of you separate from them, and meet back later. Quiet time with you was his favourite time, your grounding aura and small comments he had to make sure he remembered.

When pulled into the gas station, he gave you ten dollars for an ice cream which you waited until he was done with gas, so you could go in together, too shy to go in middle of nowhere gas station without your scary boyfriend.

He had turned the radio down slightly, enough so he could hear the licks of your ice cream and the wind blowing in your hair from the cracked window.

When you finally arrived, topper was rushing over to the jeep with a big smile that only one of you returned.

Rafe brought in all the luggage, as you hurried along beside his strides, clinging onto his hand as you concentrated on not getting distracted by the lake and music coming from below, more content with rafe anyways.

When you insisted on a sit down that turned into a four hour nap, you were woken up by a banging on the door which only startled you. You tapped rafes shoulders as he groaned “back to bed baby, m’tired” he tried to wrap an arm around your waist but when you went to open the door, he was in front of you in a matter of seconds.

When toppers smug face met rafes, he turned around going back to bed, taking you with him, dragging you along with a hand as topper took it as an invitation to come in, with Carrie not far behind.

“There’s a kegger my friend, and carrie here got us invited” he planted a kiss to her forehead “so get your fat ass off the bed and follow me” topper instructed, kicking rafes legs.

All was heard was a grunt as he imbedded himself in your lap, until you tried to lift him and he brought himself up by his elbows, silently talking with your eyes as you told him you kind of want to go, and being rafe, your dedicated boyfriend, he dutifully rolled off bed to talk to topper, still holding your hand and dragging you along.

The fire was roaring, and Georgia folk were crazy! You clung onto rafes arm until you were placed on his lap, outdoor sofa that surrounded a fire. His hands were keeping you steady on your ass as you leant into his chest, letting him feed you the alcohol from his red cup.

You wondered how he managed to find something that tasted half expensive at a kegger but then you remembered who’s lap you were sitting on. The rafe Cameron, title lives on even in these parts of the woods.

You heard kelce screaming something about sickly sweet and rafe yelled something back, something that rhymes with puck uff.

The night was already dark and as much as you wanted to look up at the stars, you wanted to stay still in this moment even more. Clumsy drunks knocking into furniture and humans, loud boys with wide pupils, dirty games being played loudly and without shame, but all you could even begin to notice was the way your boyfriends fingers felt brushing through your fingers. How he’d squeeze your ass and press kisses on your skin. How he couldn’t go twenty seconds without his gaze drifting back to you, and your dress that was riding high on his lap.

A group shared bong being passed around made the pair of you a little hazy stumbling back to the hotel, a few yards behind your little group of people. Giggling with each other as you gently stood on each others toes, and running off a few steps, rafe making sure you didn’t fall over.

Until you were back at the hotel, as he brushed your teeth while you smiled with all teeth so he could get everywhere, sitting on the counter as he wiped your mouth with his thumb, melting under his touch, sinking into your own body, a result of his doting stare.

The way he tucked you like a burrito in the nearest bed he could find whenever you yawned, no matter where you were, was oddly one of your favourite things about him, babbling a thank you as your eyes shut for the night.

- fee xxx

[luveline]

yess i’m always up for roan fics!

roan struggling with math homework and eddie trying to help her and after a while he’s like….. 🤔😦 “go ask mom”. idk i think that’s rlly cute lol

“Dad.” 

Eddie leans in toward the cutlery he’s washing, nose wrinkled, a look of loving disgust on his face as the music turns to a grizzly guitar and drum mashing that Roan winces at. 

“Dad.” She pokes his leg. “Daddy, stop rocking.” 

Eddie rinses the cutlery off and shoves it on the drying rack. He turns the faucet off, which helps. Water drips from his hand as he turns down the radio. “Sorry, bub. What’s up?” 

“Can you help?” 

“I can always help you. With what?” 

“Homework.” 

He sighs. “I knew this day would come.” 

Eddie’s not stupid, he can do the same math a five year old can, but he just doesn’t understand the question. Jessica has apples and Leslie has pears and hiding his frown in Roan’s hair doesn’t work. “I can feel you being grumpy,” she says. 

“Not grumpy, babe, just stupid.” He frowns again. “You’re gonna havta go ask mom, I think.” He squints at the question. “What does that even mean?” 

Roan sighs and slinks of off the chair. She runs upstairs in a thunder of footsteps. Eddie can hear the door to the bedroom creaking, and Roan’s frustration. “Can you please come help me?” 

“With what? I’m doing laundry.” 

“I can’t do my math homework. Daddy can’t do it.” 

“Oh, okay. Sure, princess, I’ll come and help. Pull me up?” 

There’s some grunting and shouting. “I’m too small!” Roan says. 

“Oh, fine.” 

“Carry me?” 

“No! Come on, I hurt my back yesterday, you’ll have to hold my hand.” 

You and Roan walk down the stairs together, passing through the kitchen doorway hand in hand. He gives you a sorry smile. 

“Couldn’t crack it, Munson?” 

He can take all your teasing because it ends up like this, with the radio back on, the three of you huddled around a piece of printer paper with matching grimaces. You rub the skin between your eyes, Eddie laughs, and Roan looks back at you both, her grimace falling away. 

“What?” Eddie asks. 

“Can we give up?” she asks. “I wanna watch a movie.” 

“We can do this,” you say. You erase the notes you’d been writing with the pencil topper with your tongue poking out from between your lips as you start again. You write something, scribble it out, write something else, your nose listing forward toward the paper. 

“It’s okay, babe, we’ll just write a note for Mrs. Lundy that we didn’t get it,” Eddie says, reaching down to feel the fat and soft of your shoulder in his fingers. He loves that you care so much, but he’s done with apples and pears for the night. 

“Maybe it’s a trick question?” Roan suggests. 

Your shoulder relaxes in his hand. “You think so?” You can’t sound more in love with her, placing an arm around her tummy to lock her in. 

“Yeah, like, there’s no right answer!” Roan says. 

You wrap one of her curls around your finger and tug gently. “I think you’re right.” 

Eddie knows what you’re thinking. He presses a kiss to the side of your forehead, and, while you and Roan are distracted, he puts his hand on top of the homework sheet and slides it as far away from you all as possible. 

“What kind of popcorn do you want for your movie, macaroni?” Eddie asks. 

“I don’t know,” she whines. “Ask mom.”