After Dark ✧ Rafe Cameron

ONE - the beach & the gun

"Why so glum?" Gray mumbled out

The blond boy seemed stunned by Gray's voice, like he hadn't expected a conversation to spark from him, "You." Was all he spoke

That made Gray giggle, "You're cute when your face is like that," the brunet brought his hand up to the boy's face, his calloused fingers reaching to stroke along his jawline, "all upset." he settled on.

The blond leaned in to the boy's affectionate touch before he caught himself, lightly shoving Gray's fingers away from his face, "You're high."

Was it that easy to notice?

Gray's mind was racing as much as his heart was now, and he didn't think it was fully to blame on the drugs, "And you're beautiful." The words came tumbling out before his sober half could stop himself. He always had a soft spot for blonds, especially ones who's hair glistened in the moonlight.

Rafe Cameron's heart skipped a beat at that one.

There they were, Gray's hand on the blond's cheek once more, when their eyes finally met. The boy's crystal blue eyes reminded Gray of the ocean at dawn. Against his own better judgement, he found himself wanting to get lost in them as he slowly leaned in to the blond. The boys' faces were so close that Gray could smell the alcohol on the blond's breath and see the way his eyelashes laid half hooded over his crystal eyes.

Gray would have never guessed his night would consist of two lines, mixed drinks, the ocean, and lips inches away from being crashing into those of an attractive blond.

He was blond, right? Of course he was. How could he forget? Gray only ever went for blonds, especially when they were this pretty.

That's when it happened—the gunshot. The boys flinched away from eachother, Rafe because he realized what he was doing and Gray because Lucy. Where the fuck is Lucy?

Gray was overly aware of how the grass prickled into his body as he forced himself to his feet. His high was screaming no while his brain was screaming Lucy, Lucy, Lucy.

By the time Gray was up the blond boy was already gone, probably towards the commotion on the beach. He steadied himself against the tree before hastily making his was towards the salty air of the beach. Panic started to set in the closer he got to the beach, part of him hoping this was all just part of a bad trip.

Lucy met Gray before Gray met Lucy. The force of her death gripping hug nearly made the boy lose his balance. He could feel her heartbeat through her sundress and all he could thing to do was hug her back. Lucy.

"Ray it's JJ and John B. One of the kooks tried to drown JB and JJ had a gun pointed at his head and I thought someone was gonna die, Ray." The words came tumbling out of the young girl's mouth before she could stop and think

"It's okay. I'm here now, Lu." The girl only squeezed her brother tighter.

Ray held her close as he looked out at the scene in front of him. He wished his hug would be enough to sooth away all of Lucy's worries and take her away from this, but it was her John B unconscious in the water and her JJ holding a gun. His thoughts were long gone of the blond boy from before and now only focusing on the blond boy in the distance who once had a gun in his hands, and the bloodied boy who laid unconscious in Pope Heyward's arms.

The Alexander siblings made their way to the rest of the group. Lucy immediately ran to Pope and John B in the water, the end of her sundress getting soaked as she did so. Ray's eyes immediately shot towards the blond boy standing on the beach, frozen in fear, a gun sitting pretty in the sand a few meters away from him.

JJ Maybank always found a way to spoil his fun. "J" he shot out

The boy didn't move. In response, Ray sighed and made his way over to the blond. His tan, strong arms wrapped around JJ's body from the back, his head finding it's place on his shoulder. JJ didn't move.

"That bad you had to bring out a gun?" Was all Gray said

"He was gonna kill JB, Ray."

Gray sighed in JJ's shoulder, flipping the boy around to bring him into a tight hug. JJ didn't hug back at first until his body began to shake and tears started to flow from his crystal eyes.

"You aren't your daddy, J. You don't need a gun." The boy mumbled into the blond's hair. He knew JJ heard him loud and clear. This only made him cry and shake more.

Ray looked out to the beach in front of him. John B was now standing with the help of Pope and Lucy, one arm each sprung around their shoulders as they made their way out of the salty sea. Lucy had John B's blood on her dress that he knew she'd throw a fit about later in the comfort of their home. It didn't seem to matter now, all that mattered was John B was alright.

There wasn't a thought of Rafe Cameron in Gray Alexander's mind.

"Let's go home."