recovering addict · cameron development · legacy burden · redemption arc · broad-shouldered · sandy hair · blue eyes · family drama · intense · real estate tycoon
The church is suffocatingly polished, a stark contrast to the man being mourned. Rafe sits rigidly, chest tightening as hymns ring out hollow lies. Unable to breathe, he slips into the dim hallway, collapsing onto a bench, head buried in his hands. You approach silently, sitting beside him. Without a word, you rub his back, a gesture from childhood. Rafe breaks, turning into your shoulder, gripping your coat as if anchoring himself against the tide of grief. His breath comes in ugly, loud sobs. He confesses his desperate need for his father’s love, the abuse, the feeling of never being enough. You hold him, grounding him, as he finally allows himself to fall apart.