remained clenched, his knuckles white. He stopped, turning to face me, his eyes still blazing. ''Just so you know, I'm not letting it go. Not when they almost ran you over like that.''

I sighed, glancing back toward the beach where the Kooks had been. ''Just... thank you, okay? For standing up for me.''

JJ's expression softened slightly, though the anger didn't fully leave his eyes. ''Always, Mavie. Always.'' 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE HORIZON MELTED into a deep orange as the last of the sun disappeared, leaving streaks of pink and purple reflected across the water. I sat on the edge of the pier, my legs dangling over the edge as the cool breeze brushed against my skin.

I couldn't stop replaying the image of the crushed turtle shells in my mind. Every detail felt sharp, like a splinter lodged too deep to pull out. I wrapped my arms around my knees, staring at the ripples on the water, trying to force my thoughts elsewhere.

Footsteps on the pier broke the quiet. I didn't bother turning around. I already knew who it was.

''Hey,'' Rafe's voice was softer than I expected. Not mocking, not cocky—just calm.

I glanced at him briefly, my brow furrowing. ''What do you want?''

He hesitated, shoving his hands into his pockets. ''I wanted to check on you.''

I shook my head. ''Why? You didn't even try to stop it.''

Rafe sighed, stepping closer until he leaned lightly against one of the wooden posts beside me. ''I did try,'' he murmured, his eyes locking with mine. ''I'm sorry I couldn't stop her. Ruthie's... she doesn't listen to anyone.''

I frowned, unsure whether to believe him. ''Yeah, well, that doesn't make it any better.''

He nodded, his gaze dropping briefly to my knee. ''How's your leg?''

I followed his eyes down to the cut, where dried blood clung to the torn skin. ''It's just glass,'' I replied dismissively, brushing off his concern.

''It's not just glass,'' he countered, crouching down in front of me. ''Let me see.''

Before I could protest, he gently lifted my leg and rested it on his lap. His hands were careful, like he was holding something fragile, and I felt my chest tighten unexpectedly.

''You don't have to—''

''Stay still,'' he interrupted, fishing a tissue out of his pocket. He dipped it into the water beside the pier, wringing it out before pressing it lightly against the cut. I winced slightly but stayed quiet, watching as he wiped away the blood and sand with deliberate care.

When he reached into his pocket again and pulled out a Peppa Pig band-aid, I couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped.

''You seriously kept that?'' I asked, raising an eyebrow.

His lips tugged into a faint smirk. ''Yeah, and if I remember right, you told me, 'That's all you get, bitch,' and droped it on me.''

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help the hint of a smile on my face. ''You deserved that.''

''Never said I didn't,'' he replied smoothly, not pulling my leg away even after securing the band-aid.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The only sound was the soft hum of the waves beneath us.

''I took care of it,'' Rafe finally said, breaking the silence.

I frowned again. ''Took care of what?''

''Ruthie. And Topper,'' he explained, his voice steady. ''They're not gonna pull something like that again.''

''Why?'' I asked, genuinely curious. ''Why does it matter to you?''

Rafe shrugged, his gaze turning thoughtful. ''Because I wish we could get along, Mavis. Despite everything.''

I blinked, caught off guard. ''Why? We're nothing alike. I'm a Pogue; you're a Kook. You've made that pretty clear before.''

He tilted his head slightly, his expression softening. ''You're more than just a Pogue to me. You're... brave, smart, and you don't take anyone's shit. That's rare. I don't care about status or labels. I care about you.''

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening as his words settled between us. I didn't know what to say, so I looked away, focusing on the ripples in the water again.

When I felt his hand brush against mine, I instinctively pulled back, standing up quickly. ''I should get back,'' I blurted, my voice a little too loud. ''John B will be worried.''

Rafe straightened, his expression unreadable. ''Let me walk you home.''

I shook my head, stepping back toward the path leading to the beach. ''No, it's best the others don't see you after what happened. They're already on edge.''

He nodded, understanding. ''Yeah, you're probably right.''

''See you,'' I muttered before turning and walking away feeling his gaze burning on my back.

Back at the house, JJ and John B were sprawled out, fast asleep. The living room was dimly lit, a fan lazily spinning above. In the kitchen, Kiara and Sarah were huddled together gossiping.

''What was Rafe's deal earlier?'' Kiara asked as I walked in, her gaze flicking toward me.

I shrugged, opening the fridge for a bottle of water. ''He was probably upset about the turtle hatch.''

Sarah snorted, crossing her arms. ''Oh, trust me, it wasn't about the turtles. He didn't give a damn about them. He was pissed because Ruthie almost ran you over.''

I frowned, leaning against the counter. ''That's not—''

''Mavis,'' Sarah cut me off with a knowing look. ''I grew up with him. I know how he works. He only cared about you in that situation.''

Kiara raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. ''Damn, you've got a Kook wrapped around your little finger.''

''It's not like that,'' I argued, though my voice lacked conviction.

Kiara smirked. ''Honestly, it's not the worst thing. If we ever need something, Rafe will probably jump to help if you ask.''

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. ''You're all reading way too much into this.''

''Are we?'' Sarah challenged, her eyes glinting with mischief.

I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath as I headed toward the stairs. ''I'm going to bed.''

Their laughter followed me, but I tried to shake it off. As I climbed into bed my knee throbbed faintly, and my mind kept circling back to Rafe. His words, his actions—they didn't match the version of him I thought I knew. And that, more than anything, left me restless.

words: 4086

A/N

I lowkey forgot about Pope and Cleo scene after this... oops