#nerdy!rafe

nerd!rafe who knows everything academically, like he can break down an entire economic theory in seconds, but the second a conversation turns even slightly flirty, he’ll turn into a deer in headlights, trying to awkwardly exit. 

nerd!rafe who taps his pen against the desk when he’s thinking, faster and faster the more frustrated he gets, until he forces himself to stop because he doesn’t want to draw attention.

nerd!rafe who hates being wrong. like it genuinely bothers him more than it should, so he double checks everything, triple checks, rereads emails before sending them like five times, and he’ll get weirdly competitive in academic settings. like he won’t say anything out loud, but if someone scores higher than him on an exam? you’ll find him studying twice as hard for next time. 

nerd!rafe who always smells so clean, like laundry detergent and an expensive subtle cologne, because he needs to feel presentable, like that’s one thing he can control.

nerd!rafe who has a slight eye twitch when people are being loud or obnoxious around him, like he’s overstimulated but trying to hide it.

nerd!rafe who definitely stress studies. like something goes wrong in his life? suddenly he’s deep into textbooks at 2am because it’s the only thing that makes sense, because to him? everything must have a logical answer. 

nerd!rafe who lowkey has control issues, but it shows in smaller ways, planning his schedule down to the hour, needing things to go a certain way or he he’ll get tense. 

nerd!rafe who notices you before he even realizes he’s noticing you. like one random lecture, his eyes just drift, glancing behind him, and suddenly you’re there. but then it keeps happening. every class, every time. like his brain just automatically searches for you. 

nerd!rafe who’s first thought is literally 'who is that?' because there’s no way someone like you has been on campus this whole time and he’s somehow missed it. 

nerd!rafe who stares at you when he thinks you won’t notice, like fully watching you from across the room, but the second you even move in his direction, he’s looking down at his hands like his life depends on it.

nerd!rafe who sits there trying to focus on the lecture but keeps getting distracted by the way you take notes, the way you tuck your hair behind your ear, or the way you lightly chew on your pen when you’re concentrating.

nerd!rafe who starts noticing you’re in more than one of his classes. advanced audit. federal tax. and now econ too? and suddenly he’s like 'how the hell have i never seen you before?'

nerd!rafe who realizes pretty quickly you’re not just some girl coasting by. you answer questions in class, so confident and correct. and now he feels this weird mix of admiration and intimidation because he’s used to being the smartest one in the room and now there’s you. 

nerd!rafe who, in his own head, compares you to a positive integer. because there’s just something about you, that makes sense to him in a way nothing else does. 'she’s like a perfect number', he thinks once, and that’s it, his only logical way to describe you. 

nerd!rafe who sees your name pop up on the tutoring schedule and genuinely freezes. rereading it like three times, just to make sure it’s actually you.

nerd!rafe who without even thinking too hard about it, pays the assigned tutor $1500 and hands over his perfect accounting 3 notes just to switch students. but then immediately regrets it after because now he actually has to sit across from you and talk to you. 

nerd!rafe who stands up the second you walk in, heart racing way too fast for someone who literally presents in front of classes, and lecture halls all the time. “h-hi, um, i’m rafe.” but blushes the second you smile and say, “i know, we have a few classes together.” and short circuits because you noticed him, out of everyone, him. “oh yeah, we do, i just, yeah” he miserably tries to respond as you sit down. 

nerd!rafe who freezes when you ask “you’re graduating summa cum laude, right?” he’s confused on why you’re asking. “um, yeah. i think so.” he says, but of course he knows he is, adjusting his glasses even though they’re already sitting perfectly. “i’m really happy they assigned you to me then, i only wanted the best” you say, taking your books and pens out. he tries to play it off, flipping open his notebook like normal, but his handwriting is just slightly messier than usual because his hands aren’t as steady. he ends up over explaining the first concept just to prove mostly to himself that he’s worth that title.

nerd!rafe who takes your comment too seriously. like instead of laughing it off, he straightens up a bit in his chair, suddenly feeling this quiet pressure to actually be the best for you. “i’ll, make sure you understand everything,” he says softly, almost like a promise. and from that point on, he’s locked in. he’s patient and thorough, explaining things step by step, glancing at you every few seconds to make sure you’re following. not because it’s his job, but because you said you wanted the best, and he needs to live up to that in your eyes.

nerd!rafe who replays that moment later, sitting at his desk with his notes open but not actually reading them. just staring at your small doodles on the corner of his notes, while your voice loops in his head. ‘i only wanted the best’ he exhales quietly, running a hand through his hair, and from that point on, every tutoring session feels different to him. like it’s not just about teaching you anymore, it’s about not disappointing you.

nerd!rafe who tries so hard to stay composed during the session but fails miserably, getting warm from how nervous he is, his hands slightly shaky as he flips through notes.

nerd!rafe who doesn’t even realize his glasses are fogging up until he can barely see the page in front of him, so when you lean closer, reaching toward him “can i?” and he’s already nodding before you finish the sentence “y-yes, yeah.”

nerd!rafe who immediately looks away when you lift your tank top to clean his glasses, his head snapping to the side so fast, refusing to even risk glancing at your more esposed breasts, ears burning red, because he respects you way too much.

nerd!rafe who just sits there, hands gripping his knees, trying to breathe normally while his brain is absolutely losing it. and when he looks back at you, finishing cleaning his glasses for him, he genuinely forgets what he was saying. 

nerd!rafe who blinks at you like he’s buffering when you smile and say, “you look good without your glasses” his cheeks turn red, responding with a shy “thank you.” 

nerd!rafe who is painfully oblivious to your flirting. so he thinks it's a coincidence when your hand brushes his. thinks completely nothing of it when you sit closer. or thinks you just “like being prepared” when you show up as early as he does now. 

nerd!rafe who genuinely believes you’re just really dedicated to tutoring when you ask questions he thinks you should definitely already know the answers to. 

nerd!rafe who’s doesn’t react when you slip him your number, “for scheduling our next sessions,” you say casually. he nods immediately, taking it like it’s completely normal. “yeah yeah, that makes sense.”

nerd!rafe who sits in his room later, staring at your number in his phone, then realizes he has another method to speaking to you that’s not in class or a scheduled tutoring session. he then decides to type out a text, deletes it thinkings it’s too awkward sounding, types another, then deletes that too now thinking it’s too corny sounding. 

nerd!rafe who has no idea that you’re not just asking for a tutor now, but waiting for him to make a move, because you’ve been flirting with him this whole time. because he’s insanely smart, but when it comes to you? he’s completely and utterly clueless.

nerd!rafe who struggles with emotions because he can’t logic' his way through them like he does everything else, so he’ll write things down he wants to say to you beforehand, and then still can’t get the words out right when he’s actually in front of you. 

nerd!rafe who overanalyzes every interaction with you after it happens, asking himself “did i sound weird?”  “did she notice that?”  “why did she smile like that?”

nerd!rafe who notices almost everything, and if not, everything about you. from what you wear, when you change your hair, that cute little lip pout you do when you’re upset, if you changed your perfume, and files it in the drawer that says your name on it, in his mind, because nothing about you is uninteresting to him.  

nerd!rafe who would absolutely help you with anything. assignments, scheduling, fixing something, but acts like it’s no big deal when he clearly went out of his way.

nerd!rafe who loosens his tie, when the sessions go too long and unbottons his shirt a little, exposing his chest a bit, running a hand through his hair, looking unintentionally really fucking good.

nerd!rafe who is a bookworm through and through. like he always has a book on him, “just in case.” mostly science fiction, space, time travel, anything educationally complex, but he has a soft spot for harry potter, even if he’d never admit it out loud unless you asked first.

nerd!rafe who reads at night instead of scrolling on his phone. with his glasses always low on his nose, one hand absentmindedly pushing them back up while the other flips pages, completely lost in whatever world he’s in.

nerd!rafe who lights up, actually lights up, when you ask him what he’s reading, like he tries to play it cool at first but then starts explaining the plot, getting a little too into it before catching himself “sorry, yeah, it’s good.”

nerd!rafe who starts off with a crush, and slowly gets to know you over more tutoring sessions, dissecting your brain, like a frog in your high school freshman science class, but less gory of course. 

nerd!rafe who still gets nervous around you even after you start talking more, because no matter how much he studies people in theory, he’ll never fully understand how you make him feel.

nerd!rafe who realizes he doesn’t just like looking at you, he really does like you.

nerd!rafe who starts watching youtube videos, and tiktok videos on how to flirt with a girl, trying the pick up lines he’s learned in the mirror. and getting frustrated at how stupid they sound.

nerd!rafe notices when you’re cold one day, even before you say anything and ‘runs the stats’ in his head for a solid thirty seconds before pulling off his dark grey hoodie. “here, you can um, t-take this, if you want, you don’t have to of course” he stumbles over his words. “thank you” you say with a smile, and he swears your smile can melt him. 

nerd!rafe who has no idea where that confidence came from, but the second you put it on he’s so done for. to him, you look way too good in his clothes and he has to look down at his notes to hide it.

nerd!rafe who doesn’t open up easily, having such a hard time expressing his emotions, let alone speaking about them, so when he falls in love with you? it’s the same way he does literally everything else, obsessively, like once he lets himself feel it, there’s no going back.

nerd!rafe who secretly craves praise so bad it’s almost painful, but would never admit it, so when the compliments come in your sweet voice, he swears they’re imprinted in his mind forever.

nerd!rafe who doesn’t realize you notice everything, from the way he listens, the way he remembers, to the way he goes out of his way in quiet ways just for you. and you can’t fathom how he still has no idea that to you, none of it is weird, it’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for you.

professor!rafe who gets a little dorky when he’s excited about a concept, talking a bit faster, hands moving slightly as he explains, like he forgets he’s supposed to be “professional” for a second.

professor!rafe who makes random comments like “apple is honestly a disgrace to computer science” while opening his lenovo laptop, and the entire class laughs while he just looks up like “what? you all know i’m right.”

professor!rafe who isn’t really on social media. like at all, aside from occasionally updating his linkedin for his phd progress, but will casually mention going to a ballet or a play over the weekend like it’s the most normal thing ever.

professor!rafe who always has his hair slicked back just enough, glasses sitting low on his nose when he’s reading something closely, pushing them back up absentmindedly with his knuckle.

professor!rafe who somehow always has a faint smudge of marker or chalk near his jaw or chin, or even on this shirts from getting too close to the board, completely unaware of it.

professor!rafe who wears those stupidly cute short sleeve button downs, sometimes with tiny embroidered equations on the pocket, paired with slacks like he’s not accidentally distracting you.

professor!rafe who carries that same brown leather briefcase everywhere, filled with neatly organized notes, his laptop, and printed lesson plans, like his entire life depends on it. 

professor!rafe who says your name so naturally when calling on you, “ms. yln, what did you get for this?” and it shouldn’t make you feel anything, but you name on his lips, just does.

professor!rafe who notices effort more than anything, giving small nods of approval when you answer correctly, or saying, “that’s a really good way to think about it,” and you’re thinking about that for the rest of the day.

professor!rafe who once leaned slightly closer to your desk to check your work and said, “you’re picking this up really quickly,” and you had to actively focus on not forgetting how to think.

professor!rafe who compliments you in the most innocent, and appropriate ways possible. like “your perfume smells really nice today. i think my sister wears the same one” and you’re smiling while telling yourself, ‘that’s not what i wanted but i’ll take it’.

professor!rafe who started off, completely unaware of the effect he has, just treating you like a dedicated student, while you’re sitting in the front row every day, a little more put together than necessary, just waiting for him to notice it.

professor!rafe who takes his role super seriously. always keeping things respectful and professional, never letting anything blur. but there’s this warmth in the way he speaks to you that feels a little different. 

professor!rafe who looks at you like he’s trying to understand how you think, not just what you know, and somehow that feels more intimate than anything else. because he’s picking apart your brain where your ex’s want your body first. 

professor!rafe who has no idea you’ve checked his left hand more than once, just in case.

professor!rafe who leaves you wondering what it would actually take for him to look at you as anything more than his student ms. y/l/n, even just for only a second. 

professor!rafe who writes out full solutions before class in his notebook, but still works through them again on the board just in case someone needs to see the process twice, muttering softly to himself like “okay, let’s not skip steps here”

professor!rafe who always brings an extra pen or pencil and, without making it a big deal, and will slide it onto your desk if he notices you forgot one. “you can keep it,” like it was already accounted for. professor!rafe who gets slightly thrown off when the class laughs at something he didn’t mean to be funny, pausing mid sentence like “well that wasn’t intended as humor,” but there’s a small smile tugging at his lips anyway.

professor!rafe who has a habit of tapping the board lightly with his marker when he’s thinking, staring at the equation for a second before going, “okay, there’s a cleaner way to approach this,” and rewriting it completely.

professor!rafe who grades assignments with actual feedback instead of just numbers. putting small notes in the margins like “good approach here” or “i see what you were going for, come see me and we’ll walk through it together.”

professor!rafe who stays a few minutes after class every single time, even when no one asks questions, just in case someone wants to but feels awkward speaking up in front of everyone.

professor!rafe who lowkey gets excited when someone challenges his explanation, not defensive at all, just like, “wait, okay, that’s a good point,” and will literally work through it with them.

professor!rafe who drinks a black coffee he definitely forgot about halfway through class, taking a sip, pausing, then quietly going, “that’s definitely been sitting there for a while,” and setting it back down like nothing happened. 

professor!rafe who carries himself very well, but occasionally forgets the smallest things, like leaving the cap off his marker or misplacing his notes for two seconds before finding them exactly where he put them.

professor!rafe who pushes his sleeves up absentmindedly when he’s deep into explaining something, revealing his forearms without even realizing you’ve completely stopped paying attention to anything but his arms. 

professor!rafe who softens his tone without realizing it when speaking directly to you, like there’s a slight difference that only you would pick up on, but then doubt yourself because you want it to be different. 

professor!rafe who remembers your academic strengths specifically, “you’re usually really good with this type of problem, what part is throwing you off?” and it feels a little too personal in the best way. 

professor!rafe who once caught you already looking at him when he turned from the board, and paused for a second. just long enough to clock it, before continuing like nothing happened.

professor!rafe who organizes his entire lecture timeline down to the minute, but will completely abandon it if the class needs more time. “we’ll adjust, understanding this is more important than finishing everything.”

professor!rafe who quietly gets proud when the class starts improving, like you can see it in the way he nods more, or says “yeah, exactly.” 

professor!rafe who would be genuinely surprised if he ever found out you had a crush on him, because in his mind, he’s just doing his job. 

professor!rafe who then starts noticing you nearly at the end of the semester, gradually. in the way your gaze lingers a second too long when he’s explaining something, how you’re always already looking at him when he turns from the board. at first he tells himself it’s nothing, just attentiveness, but then it keeps happening. 

professor!rafe who realizes you stay behind after class more often than anyone else. not asking questions right away, just packing your bag a little slower, glancing up like you’re waiting for him to say something first. and it makes him pause sometimes, hands resting on the desk, debating whether to break the silence. 

professor!rafe who catches on that you come to office hours more than necessary. not in a concerning way, because you’re one of his best students, but your questions are weird? things you already understand, just worded differently. and he answers every time, but there’s a voice in the back of his mind like, ‘you don’t actually need help with this?’

professor!rafe who hates that he notices the smaller things now too. like the way you always come in put together, rather the consistency of it. your hair done, your outfits always nice, the faint scent of your perfume when he leans slightly closer to check your work. he doesn’t linger on it but he notices more than he should.

professor!rafe who has to actively redirect himself sometimes when he feels your eyes on him for too long. clearing his throat turning back to the board, having to reminding himself ‘this is not appropriate. she is your student.’ but it’s harder than he expected it to be.

professor!rafe who starts keeping interactions just a touch more structured once he becomes aware. nothing too obvious, just slightly more careful with his tone, or his distance because the last thing he wants is to blur a line he can’t fix later. but you noticed anyway. 

professor!rafe who still can’t deny the thought that slips in sometimes. ‘she’s beautiful.’ he’ll tell himself. and he shuts it down immediately every time, because it’s something he keeps not allowing himself to fall into. 

professor!rafe who sees you that same night outside campus wit the rain coming down hard. he’s halfway to his car when he spots you at the bus stop, with no umbrella, shoulders slightly hunched, trying to shield your bag from the water. and he stops. because he could keep walking. ‘it’s not appropriate. it’s late. she’ll be fine. someone else will-’ but then you move your bag closer to your chest, trying to keep it dry, and that’s it. decision made.

professor!rafe who mentally curses at himself for jogging back towards you. his umbrella tilted forward to block the rain, slightly out of breath when he reaches you. “hello, ms. y/l/n,” he says, voice a little louder over the hard noise of the rain. you look up, surprised. “oh! hi mr. cameron.” he thinks for a second, like he’s choosing his words carefully. “you can- um, you can call me rafe,” he says, almost hesitant. then quickly, “outside of class, i mean.” professor!rafe who gestures lightly toward the street, rain still pouring. “can i offer you a ride home?” he asks, and it sounds casual, but there’s a layer of concern under it he doesn’t bother hiding. you blink, trying to keep your voice normal, but you’re more excited than you show. “are you sure? i don’t want to be an inconvenience.” he shakes his head immediately. “no, not at all. i just- i couldn’t leave you out here like this,” he says, glancing at your bag. “especially with your work getting soaked.”

professor!rafe who walks you to his car with the umbrella angled more toward you than himself, shoulder slightly damp because he’s not paying attention to where the rain’s hitting him, more focused on keeping you from getting further wet. 

professor!rafe who doesn’t even react when you apologize for getting his seat wet, just shaking his head like it genuinely doesn’t matter. “it’s fine. it’ll dry,” he says simply, already starting the car.

professor!rafe who relaxes a little during the drive, conversation coming easier than it ever has in class. talking about small things, from coffee shops, places near the shore, his phd progress, and it feels so normal, to the point where he questions how comfortable it is. 

professor!rafe who notices the way you look at him when he’s focused on the road, and every time he glances over and catches you, you both look away with small, almost embarrassed smiles like you’ve been caught doing something you shouldn’t.

professor!rafe who involuntarily flexes his hand, like he's silently restraining himself.

professor!rafe who realizes, fuck, somewhere between conversation and quiet moments, that, this, this right here is exactly why he kept his distance before. because it would be so easy to let it become something more, and that’s exactly what makes it dangerous, but i don’t think he really cares anymore.

nerdboyfriend!rafe who ends up saying, “i really enjoy the time we spend together, and i want to make it official with you, if you want that too” he says, stopping himself from rambling, “what i’m trying to say is, may i be your boyfriend?” and the play on phrasing, fills your heart so much, because you know how much of an overthinker he is, and asking permission to be your boyfriend, instead of you his girlfriend, shows how much he wants to show up for you. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who immediately overthinks your reaction, looking at your facial expression like he’s analyzing an audit in real time. trying to figure out if you’re confused, or actually considering it.

nerdboyfriend!rafe who had a backup ‘clarification’ question ready because he’s worried he phrased it wrong, “to be clear, i’m expressing romantic interest. i just want to make sure there’s no misinterpretation.” and it’s so concise, but silly because of course you said yes. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who goes completely still when you say yes, because he’s hoped you said yes, and really wanted you to say yes, but now that you’ve agreed, he’s trying to make sense of it. a small disbelieving smile at his lips, with his hands finding yours, and when you kiss his cheek, his hand flies up to feel the warmth as you smile at him. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who opens doors, and pulls out your chair, because he’s thought through what actions might make you feel more cared for. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who keeps checking in throughout dates in small ways, like “is this environment comfortable for you?”   “do you like this?”   “we can go somewhere else, if needed.”

nerdboyfriend!rafe who listens more than he talks because in his mind everything you say is urgent, and important. no matter how insignificant it may sound to you, but when he does talk, it’s so thoughtful, and intentional, like every word has been filtered through care.

nerdboyfriend!rafe who always walks you home, or to your car and hesitates at the end, clearly running through possible next steps in his head.

nerdboyfriend!rafe who almost misses his moment to say goodbye because he’s overanalyzing whether a hug would be appropriate, and ends up quietly asking instead “may i hug you?”

nerdboyfriend!rafe who hugs you gently at first, then when you melt into him, he hugs you tighter like he never wants to let go. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who pulls back slightly, still close, and says, “i would like to do this again tomorrow, if you would also like that.” and when you lightly says “i’d love that, boyfriend” his cute shy smile appears, and it’s even better because his eyes crinkle, and he looks away, like it’s too much, but everything at the same time. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who replays the entire interaction later in his head, analyzing every detail, to understand what made you smile the most. and when you leave his sight he’ll always text you after to confirm you got home safely. but also because he just, misses you already, even if he won’t phrase it like that yet out loud. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who handles you like you’re something fragile, not in a bad way, but like he’s aware of how much he cares about you, so every touch is careful. when he’s cupping your face in both hands, or thumbs brushing your cheeks slowly like he’s making sure you’re okay. especially when your soft lips kiss him, he almost always follows your lips when you break the kiss, because holy hell do your lips feel good. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who listens to you like a puppy. head tilted slightly, brows furrowed in concentration while you ramble, mentally filing every word…and then days later, “you mentioned earlier that you prefer-” and you’re just staring at him like “you remembered that?”

nerdboyfriend!rafe who explains things in the most attractive way possible. you could be struggling with something and he’ll sit beside you, turning your notebook toward him. even better when he stands up behind you, both arms on the table as he’d hovered above you. “okay, look, don’t overthink it,” he says, pen tapping the page. and he’s sooo patient with you. breaks it down step by step, voice softer than you’ve ever heard it. and the whole time you’re just like why is this hot???

nerdboyfriend!rafe who is so dorky sometimes, with his small shy smile, and his big circular glasses. how his voices changes a pitch when he’s practicing his lecture hall presentations. how his apartment is neatly organized in a small system, because his ocd kicks in. but it’s what you like most about him, and you wouldn’t change a thing about him. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who has an almost unfair amount of patience when it comes to you. never rushing you when you’re upset, never interrupting, just sitting close with his knees brushing yours,, “take your time. i’m not going anywhere.” and he means it every single time.

nerdboyfriend!rafe who explains even his feelings like they’re observations, “i’ve noticed a consistent drop in my overall mood when you’re not around…i think that’s what missing you feels like.” 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who’s best friend topper, always teases him about how whipped he is. and rafe never denies it honestly, telling them, “what’s wrong with treating my girlfriend like a queen?” and topper snorts at how gone for you he is. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who takes care of you in thoughtful ways. bringing you water without asking, adjusting the temperature because you once said you get cold, keeping his apartment, stocked with all of your favorites, from snacks to drinks. even buying copies of some of the books you're reading, he says “it’s more practical to have them in both locations, so you don’t have to carry so much when you’re traveling back and forth.” because it’s just standard to him now, to make you comfortable.  

nerdboyfriend!rafe who genuinely doesn’t think about anything sexual most of the time, like you’ll be sitting in his lap, arms around his neck, and he just rests his hands on your waist, head leaning on your arms, or chest completely calm.  asking “is this your preferred form of physical closeness?” and you always giggle at how he forms his sentences, because he’s so articulate, it’s admirable. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who watches you flirt with him like he’s trying to solve a puzzle, blinking, processing, not rejecting you, just not connecting the dots. “i’m not entirely sure what you’re implying” and when he eventually realizes what you mean he immediately gets flustered. coughing, clearing his throat, his eyes avoiding yours, “oh- i hadn’t considered that as the um goal.” he isn’t uninterested, just unfamiliar. affection to him is closeness, a sense of safety, but in a sexual way? he most definitely needs to be taught. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who would choose holding you over anything else. you fully tucked into his chest, fingers absentmindedly playing with your hair while he talks softly about something random. always having his hands touch some part of your body, whether its his arm wrapped around your thigh, your legs over his lap, his arm laying over your back, that’s what intimacy is to him. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who’s love language is definitely acts of service and quality time. he’ll literally rewrite your messy notes to make them neater, send you reminders about deadlines, bring you coffee without asking, and when you’re not at his apartment? he’ll stay up with you on facetime while you finish assignments. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who is always being reminded of you in the biggest or smallest of things. he’ll walk by flowers and think of your perfume, he’ll be watching a documentary about how the planets move around the sun, and he’ll think about your brightness. or lemons when he’s cooking because you love lemonade. and he’ll always text you something along the lines of “this made me think of you” 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who checks in on you in the most him way possible, “have you eaten in the last four hours?” “your energy seems lower than usual today.” and will go into full caretaker mode when you’re sick. researching symptoms, making sure you’re hydrated, adjusting pillows, hovering just enough, like a case study, but so, so gentle. and when you’re on your period? he’ll lay with you for hours, just rubbing your stomach to soothe your cramps. whispering “you’re okay my love. i’m here for you.” 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who pauses mid sentence sometimes, searching for the right words, then just exhales, resting his forehead against yours, “i don’t have the correct terminology for this, but i feel better when you’re here.”

nerdboyfriend!rafe who asks about your feelings because he genuinely wants to understand, “what does that emotion feel like for you?”  “how can i respond in a way that helps?” 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who pulls you closer when you drift, or will move closer, like he notices even the smallest distance and corrects it without thinking. 

nerdboyfriend!rafe who gives you the lightest of kisses, always on your cheeks and forehead. he loves kissing your lips, but theres something that just comforts him even more, when he kisses your forehead.

nerdboyfriend!rafe who is so meticulous when it comes to you. always wondering how you’re doing, how you’re feeling. like your happiness is the only thing that matters, because loving you is something he refuses to ever fail on, or ever get wrong.