"Y/N?"
My eyes fluttered open at my whispered name. The house was dark, only a single lamp lit in the corner of the room. My vision focused on Maya's foot, then her whole body that was peacefully sleeping in Rafe's arms.
I lift my head from Rafe's shoulder, yawning and asking, "what time is it?"
"11:30, you fell asleep."
My eyes slightly widen at the late hour, remembering Maya's bedtime, but he immediately says, "it's ok, she went out a few minutes after you."
"You... stayed up?" I ask with a questioning smile.
"I didn't wanna drop her," he answers with a soft laugh.
I missed that laugh so much and I didn't even realize it. Rafe's eyes scan my face, smiling even more, then flickers to my lips briefly.
I snap out of the little trance he held me in, "here lemme put her in her crib-" I go to scoop her up, but Rafe hesitates to let her go, asking, "can I?"
I nod, motioning him up the stairs.
————
He carefully sets her down, gently rubbing his thumb on her forehead. I set up her monitor, pressing the button to turn it on and positioning it on her nightstand. I turn back to see Rafe leaning his elbows over the railing of Maya's crib, holding his fingers to his lips, small tears forming in his eyes.
A wave of guilt hits me for some reason, and I walk over him saying, "hey," quietly. His sniffles get louder as I pull him into my arms. "It's ok," I whisper a few times, holding him tightly.
"I'm sorry y/n. I'm so sorry," he confessed quietly. My eyes burn, and again, tears form in them. "It's ok. You did what you had to," I say truthfully, trying to look from his perspective.
He pulls away, his eyebrows furrowing with a tsk, cupping my cheeks slowly to wipe my tears away. As I look at him I try to look past the pure sadness and regret, and I see hope. Hope for a better future where Maya knows her father and loves him. She's just a baby too, she wouldn't know of anything unless we told her.
"I love you y/n. And I love her, and I missed you so much. So much," he says, gesturing to the sleeping baby. "A-and listen. If you take me back, I'm here to stay, I won't go anywhere I promise with my life-"
I cut off his words, pressing my lips on his for what feels like the first time in ages.
________
6 months later
We had a small ceremony, just us, Maya, and a high school friend as a witness. We were officially a little family, all under the same name and roof.
Rafe took on a steady job, which he only partially enjoyed since he hated not seeing Maya for even just an hour.
Right now, she plays on her mat, fiddling with a maze of toys. Rafe sits next to me on the couch as I rest my legs on his lap and he responds to emails on his phone, rubbing my calves every few minutes.
I examine Maya, taking a particular notice to the giant dimples that crease her cheeks as she laughs, her lips, the simple shape of her eyes.
"Babe"
"Yeah"
"Look at Maya"
He looks up from his phone, at his daughter, then back to me, raising his eyebrows in question.
"She looks like Wheezie."
His eyebrows furrow in the slightest way as he scans over her face. "You're right," he agrees, dragging on the last word. "Wait," he says with a laugh, gently moving my legs so he can stand and scoop Maya up. "Let's see here jellybean," he says with a faint grunt as he sets her down on his lap.
"See," I say with a smile, tracing my finger on her soft dimple.
"How have I not noticed before?" He questions himself.
He keeps looking at Maya, his expression saddening in the slightest way.
A tiny frown tugs at his lips.
"Man I miss her," he says inhaling, setting Maya back down on the ground.
I know Rafe hasn't had a very good relationship with Sarah, Ward or Rose, but he always held a soft spot for his youngest sister.
I pat the spot next to me as he sits right on it, I sling my arm around him, asking, "we're only a couple hours away from them. We can see her whenever you want."
"I-," he exhales, "I wish I could but I can't even imagine all the shit dad's gonna give me for leaving."
My mind wants to tell him that he's wrong, that he won't do anything to him, but I know he's right.
"When's her birthday?"
"Wheezie? April 12."
"Shoot. She's still 15, she can't drive here."
I take a deep breath, moving hair out of Rafe's face and tilting my head, "I think they deserve to meet her babe. At least your sisters."
He bites the inside of his cheek, nodding. "We'll make it work, I promise," I hold my pinky out and he grins, linking it with his and pecking my lips and whispering knowingly, "I love you."
HEY YALL. Ok so listen tf up.
First off.
I WAS TALKIN ABT DUNE WITH MY DAD AND THIS WHOLE TIME HE HAD NO IDEA WHO TF ZENDAYA WAS BC I FORGOT HES NOT GEN Z. BUT HOW TF DO U NOT KNOW ZENDAYA.
Also 😃 sorry for putting pt 2 out kinda late for the person that asked
Third: FUCK SCHOOL.
Hope y'all had a good day and ofc lmk if u want pt3 hehe <3
-MJ
