โโเญจgeraniumเงโโ
โ chapter one: blooming things ใ คโ
ใ คโ pairing: mechanic!rafe x florist!reader
ใ คโ warnings: fluff!, language, alcohol, a little insecurity/shyness
ใ คโ word count: around 4k
the second you step inside, you know you shouldnโt have come. the musicโs too loud, the airโs thick with sweat and cheap perfume, and everything about the house party buzzes with that restless, chaotic energy that already makes your skin feel too tight. you shouldโve stayed home, like you said you would.
โcome on, we need drinks,โ tara giggles, already tugging your hand like a lifeline toward the kitchen. sheโs in a tiny black dress with thin straps and a hem that barely skims the tops of her thighs. it sparkles slightly under the cheap halloween lights strung along the ceiling, little orange bulbs shaped like pumpkins, and it clings to her like it was stitched on. you can feel the weight of a dozen eyes following her every step.
โiโm good for now,โ you say, offering her a soft smile. โjust gonna run to the bathroom real quick.โ she pouts, sticking her lower lip out in exaggerated disappointment. you roll your eyes with a small laugh, gently slipping your hand from hers and stepping away.
your eyes drift along the walls as you move, fake cobwebs stretched thin across doorframes, plastic skeletons taped to corners, a haunted house sign hung crookedly above the hallway. it all smells faintly of pumpkin candles and spilled beer. youโre halfway to the bathroom when you crash into something. someone. solid.
โow,โ you mumble, rubbing your arm where the impact hit.
you look up, and for a second, itโs like everything blurs around the edges.
heโs tall. like, makes-you-tilt-your-head-back tall. and broad, his shoulders stretch the fabric of his tank in a way thatโs unfairly distracting. heโs got messy, sandy-blond hair and dark eyes that flicker down to meet yours with something unreadable. confident. calm.
โoh god, iโm so sorry,โ you say quickly, flustered, your voice a little breathy. thank god your hands are empty. no spilled drink. no disaster. small miracles.
โitโs alright,โ he says, voice warm and smooth, the kind that settles low in your stomach. โpretty sure that was my fault.โ thereโs a lazy curve to his mouth, like heโs trying not to smile all the way but failing just a little.
you notice how close youโre standing. too close. close enough to catch his cologne, woodsy, clean, a little smoky like cedarwood and something subtly sweet underneath. it sinks into your lungs, makes your heart do something it shouldnโt.
โiโm y/n,โ you manage, holding out your hand.
his is bigger than yours, fingers a little rough, like someone who actually works with them. but it wraps around yours gently, like he knows how to be soft when it counts.
โrafe,โ he says, the smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. โnice to meet you, y/n.โ
his gaze flicks down, not in a sleazy way, just curious, like heโs trying to piece you together.
โso what are you supposed to be? ballerina?โ
your cheeks go warm. you glance down at your outfit, some kind of silky pastel dress that hugs in the right places and flares in the rest. nothing dramatic, just something soft and thrown together at the last minute. you smooth it down with a nervous laugh. โno, it was last minute. i wasnโt even gonna come tonight. just kindaโฆ threw something on.โ
his eyes linger a beat longer, and then that smirk deepens. itโs lazy. a little cocky. but in a way that makes your stomach twist.
โwait right here,โ he says, already turning before you can reply. he disappears down the hall.
you stand there, blinking, heart fluttering against your ribs. your fingers fidget with the edge of your dress, twisting the fabric between them. the hallwayโs quieter than the rest of the house, walls faintly pulsing with bass, but distant enough to feel like another world.
when he comes back, thereโs something hidden behind his back. heโs grinning, this boyish, proud kind of smile, and then heโs gently setting something on your head, fingers brushing through your hair as he adjusts it.
โthere,โ he says softly. โnow youโre a bunny. and a damn cute one.โ
you laugh, flustered, your fingers automatically reaching up to touch the fuzzy ears now perched on your head. theyโre soft and slightly lopsided, and you kinda love them. โohโฆ thank you,โ you say, tucking your hair behind your ear, glancing up at him with a small smile. โand youโre dressed asโฆ a mechanic?โ
you finally really take him in, the dirty white tank, stained in all the right places, clinging to his chest. loose, oil-smudged pants slung low on his hips, and a rag hanging lazily from his back pocket. grease stains on his hands. jaw a little stubbled. he looks like trouble.
โnahโฆ well, kinda,โ he says with a shrug. โi actually am a mechanic. wasnโt gonna come either. topper dragged me out. just showed up like this.โ
he rubs the back of his neck and your eyes follow the movement, trailing the stretch of muscle along his arm, the slight flex in his bicep. your breath stumbles.
you just smile, fingers tugging gently at one of the bunny ears.
โwell,โ you murmur, eyes lifting through your lashes, โyou wear grease really well.โ
โthank you, bun,โ he says, voice dipping lower, a little rougher. โyou wear that dress really well, but thatโs not exactly surprising.โ
you feel that compliment all the way down.
โletโs get you somethinโ to drink,โ he adds, his hand brushing your lower back. light. casual. but your body feels it like a firework.
he keeps you close as he leads you through the crowd, weaving past sweaty costumes and swaying bodies. the scent of pumpkin spice, beer, and too many body sprays thickens the air. you catch sight of tara again, tangled in a dance with some guy you donโt recognize. her hairโs wild, and her smileโs even wilder. when her eyes find you, they light up. she mouths oh my god and throws you a dramatic thumbs up that makes you laugh softly under your breath.
โthat your friend?โ rafe asks, glancing in her direction with a crooked grin.
โyeah, thatโs tara. weโve been best friends since forever. sheโsโฆ kind of a lot,โ you smile, brushing hair from your face. โshe always drags me to stuff like this. i only said yes because itโs halloween.โ
he nods as you both step into the kitchen. itโs quieter here, the music muffled, the air cooler. thereโs a soft hum from the fridge and a half-dead candle flickering on the counter.
โwell iโm glad you came to this one, pretty,โ he murmurs, crouching down to open the fridge. โwhat are you feelinโ?โ
your cheeks warm again at how easily the word pretty rolls off his tongue, like it belongs there.
you peek inside, eyes scanning rows of cheap beer, a few ciders, something suspiciously green in a mason jar. your eyes land on a pink bottle with a shiny silver cap. โthat one, please.โ
he pauses for just a beat, eyes flicking back up to you like heโs thinking something. then he grabs it, pops it open, and hands it over.
โhere ya go,โ he says softly. his fingers brush yours, warm, calloused, lingering just a second longer than they need to.
โthank you,โ you hum, bringing it to your lips. you take a sip and your eyes go wide. โoh, this is really good,โ you giggle, genuinely surprised.
he watches you like he wants to record the sound.
โoh no,โ he grins, cracking open his beer. โyouโre gonna be trouble, arenโt you?โ
โno,โ you laugh, shaking your head. โiโm not much of a drinker. but i can appreciate one.โ
he leans back against the counter, eyes still on you like the rest of the room doesnโt matter. โso what do you do?โ
you look down for a second, shy. โi work at a flower shop. downtown. i kind of run it unofficially.โ
his smile grows just a little. โthatโs cute.โ
and the way he says it, it doesnโt sound small or patronizing. it sounds warm. like he means it.
โiโll have to stop by sometime,โ he adds, voice soft, like itโs a promise.
you imagine him there for a second, standing between tall buckets of wildflowers and potted herbs, probably still smelling like motor oil. the image makes your heart skip.
โyeahโฆ iโd really like that,โ you say, brushing hair behind your ear as your eyes meet his again. thereโs something quiet between you. charged, but soft.
and then-
โy/n!! hi, bug!โ tara barrels into the kitchen like a storm in heels, flinging her arms around you in a hug that nearly knocks the drink from your hand.
you laugh, holding her steady. โyouโre drunk.โ
โyes, extremely,โ she says with pride, then spots rafe. her eyes narrow like sheโs assessing a threat. โbut not drunk enough to miss that. please tell me you got his number.โ
your face flushes immediately. rafe lets out a low laugh behind his beer, clearly entertained.
โtara,โ you hiss, giggling, โheโs literally right here. his nameโs rafe.โ
her eyes go wide. โoh.โ she lifts a finger to her lips, very exaggeratedly, then turns to him and holds out her hand with the kind of grace usually reserved for queens or people trying very hard to appear sober.
โhello, rafe. iโm tara. y/nโs best friend. and the girl who will absolutely cut your balls off if you hurt her.โ
rafe raises a brow, amused, and shakes her hand. โi would never. nice to meet you, though. y/nโs told me a little about you.โ
he glances at you again, still halfway talking to tara, but his gaze is anchored. like it never left. like it doesnโt ever plan to.
you can still feel his eyes on you.
even as tara keeps talking, something about the playlist being trash and how she shouldโve worn a different pair of heels, you feel that low, magnetic hum from him. it buzzes somewhere just beneath your skin, warm and steady. itโs not overwhelming. justโฆ there.
like gravity.
you glance over your shoulder, and yep. still looking. same little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, like he knows something you donโt.
โiโm gonna go find the bathroom,โ tara announces suddenly, spinning a little too fast on her heel and nearly tripping over absolutely nothing. you catch her elbow with one hand, steadying her.
โdo you want me to-โ
โnope,โ she grins. โyou stay here with your tall drink of grease and flirt. iโve got it.โ
you laugh under your breath as she disappears, and when you turn back, rafeโs already holding out his beer in a casual little toast.
โyour best friendโs kinda great.โ
โsheโs a menace,โ you say, but your smile gives you away.
he lifts his beer to his lips and takes a slow sip, eyes still on you. โsoโฆ y/n. flower shop by day, bunny ears by night. tell me something else about you.โ
you raise a brow, sipping your drink to hide the way his voice makes your stomach twist. โlike what?โ
โanything,โ he says, shrugging. โfavorite flower. biggest irrational fear. first concert. most illegal thing youโve ever done. whatever comes to mind.โ
you pretend to think for a moment, tapping your fingers against the neck of your bottle.
โokay,โ you say slowly, โi have this really stupid habit of naming the flowers in the shop. likeโฆ all of them. i talk to them when i water them. sometimes i apologize when i have to trim them.โ
he laughs, really laughs, like something about that genuinely delights him. โyou talk to your flowers.โ
โi do.โ
โyouโre even cuter than i thought,โ he says, and itโs so casual that it knocks the breath right out of you.
you try to play it cool, even though your cheeks are definitely pink now. โokay, your turn.โ
โalright,โ he says, setting his beer down on the counter behind him, crossing his arms loosely over his chest. โi hate clowns. like genuinely hate. not in the fun halloween way. in the if-i-see-one-i-will-run kind of way.โ
you blink. โclowns?โ
โyep. canโt do it. childhood trauma or maybe just bad vibes, i dunno. but no thank you.โ
you giggle, leaning slightly against the counter beside him. โso if a clown walked in here right now, youโd bolt?โ
โiโd be gone. youโd just see smoke.โ
youโre both laughing now, light and easy, and the space between you shrinks just a little.
his eyes drop again, not in a way that makes you nervous, but like heโs noticing things. the way your lashes catch the kitchen light. the way your necklace rests just above the neckline of your dress. the way you havenโt stopped smiling since he handed you that drink.
โyou got a boyfriend?โ he asks, voice quieter now. not pushy. just curious.
you shake your head. โno.โ
โgood,โ he says, just as quiet.
you tilt your head, trying to fight the grin thatโs already spreading. โyeah?โ
he nods slowly. โyeah.โ
the silence that follows doesnโt feel awkward. it stretches like warm honey between you, a little sweet, a little slow. he steps in just slightly, close enough that your arms almost touch.
โyou always this charming at parties?โ you ask, eyes flicking up to meet his.
he leans in just a fraction more, voice low. โonly when i run into cute girls dressed like accidental ballerina-bunnies.โ
your laugh bubbles up without warning, caught off guard by how stupidly specific and charming that was.
you take another sip, trying to slow your pulse. โyou know, i really wasnโt planning on staying long.โ
โso donโt stay,โ he murmurs, gaze heavy on yours. โbut donโt leave yet, either.โ
you glance up at him. and for a second, you wonder if heโs going to kiss you. youโre not sure youโd stop him.
and then-
someone yells from the other room, and the moment breaks. the kitchen door slams open, and a couple stumbles through in full vampire getup, making out like theyโre the only two people on the planet.
rafe laughs under his breath. โokay, wow.โ
you step back slightly, letting out a soft breath you didnโt realize you were holding. โwanna get some air?โ
he looks down at you, that smirk still tugging at his lips. โyeah. lead the way, bunny.โ
you wind your way through the crowd again, his hand lightly grazing your back to keep close. outside, the airโs cooler, quiet, finally. the porch light casts a soft glow, and the skyโs smeared with stars barely visible through tree branches. it smells like leaves and wood smoke and just the faintest trace of him behind you.
you sit on the porch step, pulling your legs up and sipping the rest of your drink. rafe sits beside you, elbows resting on his knees, knee brushing yours.
itโs the kind of quiet where you donโt want to interrupt, but so badly want to keep talking and see where the night takes you.
he watches you for a second, then lets his gaze drift out across the yard, the silence between you soft and easy. thereโs a distant crackle of laughter from somewhere inside, a burst of music, then it all fades again behind the closed door. out here, itโs just crickets, the rustle of dry leaves, and the steady thud of your heart against your ribs.
he shifts slightly, turning so his thigh presses more firmly against yours, just enough to make you feel it. not enough to move away.
โyou always sit like that?โ he asks, voice low, playful. โlegs tucked up like youโre hiding something.โ
you glance down at your posture, then shrug with a half-smile. โitโs just comfortable.โ
โcute,โ he says, like itโs a simple observation. like itโs a truth.
you take a slow sip of your drink, the fizz dancing on your tongue. the bottleโs nearly empty now. the porch light casts a warm glow over the steps, over the curve of his shoulder, the way his hair curls slightly at the ends. he looks so good like this, lit from the side, shadows slipping down his jaw and catching in the hollows of his throat. your eyes linger a little too long. he notices. of course he does.
โyou keep lookinโ at me like that,โ he says, barely more than a whisper, โand iโm gonna start thinkinโ you like what you see.โ
you feel your cheeks warm, but the way he says it, itโs not smug. not really. itโs teasing, sure, but thereโs something careful under it too, like heโs testing the waters, watching the way you react.
you smile around the rim of your bottle. โmaybe i do.โ
his eyebrows lift just slightly, like he hadnโt expected you to say it. then his grin spreads slowly, deliciously, until itโs all teeth and dimples and something that makes your breath catch.
โyeah?โ he leans in a little closer. โyou like mechanics covered in grease who hate clowns?โ
โapparently,โ you murmur, your voice barely audible now. โat least one.โ
his eyes dip to your mouth, then back up. the space between you feels thinner than air, humming with something unspoken. your knees are still tucked up, but you feel the way his fingers drift down, brushing the outside of your thigh. light, like a question. his thumb lingers, gentle, warm against your bare skin.
โyou cold?โ he asks, voice just above a whisper now.
you shake your head slowly. โnot even a little.โ
he leans in, just enough that you can count the flecks of gold in his eyes. theyโre darker out here, under the porch light, but still soft somehow. still looking at you like heโs trying to memorize the moment.
you should look away. you donโt.
โcan i kiss you?โ he asks, and itโs so quiet you almost miss it. his fingers still resting against your thigh, his eyes not moving from yours.
your breath catches. you nod.
he moves slow, giving you every second to change your mind, but you donโt. his hand comes up, thumb brushing the line of your jaw, and then his lips are on yours, warm, gentle, tasting faintly of beer and something sweeter. the kiss is soft, careful at first, like heโs still not sure youโre real. then your hand finds the front of his shirt, fingers curling in the fabric, and the kiss deepens, just a little. just enough to leave you dizzy.
when he pulls back, he rests his forehead lightly against yours, breath mingling in the space between.
โyouโre trouble,โ he murmurs, smiling like he already knows heโs in over his head.
you smile back, your voice barely a whisper. โso are you.โ
his hand slips down to yours, fingers brushing along your knuckles before lacing them together. you sit like that, still tucked close on the porch step, as the night sways around you, slow and golden and full of maybes. and for the first time all evening, youโre glad you came.
you stay like that for a while, hand in his, the quiet stretching out like something sacred. thereโs something about the way his thumb traces lazy circles against your skin that makes your chest feel warm and a little too full. like youโve been waiting for this without knowing it.
his head tilts just slightly, nose brushing yours again, and you canโt help the soft smile that blooms on your lips. heโs close enough that you can see the tiny scar on the edge of his brow, the way his lashes are longer than they have any right to be. heโs stupidly pretty like thisโstill in that oil-stained tank top, still wearing that half-smirk like a second skin, but softer now, quieter.
โyou always kiss guys on porches?โ he asks, voice a little rough, like gravel smoothed down by something gentler.
you laugh under your breath, your fingers squeezing his. โnot usually. you always kiss girls on porches?โ
he grins. โonly the really cute ones.โ
you roll your eyes, but you donโt pull away. if anything, you shift a little closer, your shoulder brushing his as you settle in. he smells like smoke and skin and faint motor oil, and it shouldnโt work, but god, it does.
โso whatโs next?โ you ask, tilting your head toward him. โyou gonna offer to fix my car and win my heart?โ
his mouth curves slow, lazy. โdepends. does your car need fixing?โ
โmaybe,โ you tease. โmaybe iโll break it just so you have to come by.โ
he chuckles, low and warm. โdangerous move, bunny. you sure you want me showing up at your place with a wrench and no warning?โ
you hum like youโre thinking, tapping your finger lightly against his. โi think iโd survive.โ
he glances down at your hand in his, then back at your face, eyes softer now. โi think iโd show up either way.โ
the silence that follows isnโt heavy. itโs full, filled with everything that doesnโt need to be said yet. the music inside drifts in and out like waves, laughter rising and falling behind the closed door, but none of it reaches you out here.
rafe leans back slightly, tugging you gently with him until your head rests against his shoulder. his arm curls behind you, warm and steady, and you settle into it without thinking. itโs comfortable. too comfortable for two people who only just met, but it doesnโt feel wrong.
he exhales slowly, his breath stirring your hair. โyou ever do this?โ he asks after a beat. โjust sit with someone you barely know and feel like youโve known them for longer than youโve been alive?โ
your heart skips. you glance up at him, your voice soft. โyeahโฆ i do now.โ
he looks down at you, eyes crinkling at the corners. โgood. thought maybe i was crazy.โ
โyou are,โ you murmur, smiling. โbut maybe just the right kind.โ
youโre not sure how long you sit like that, the two of you curled into each other like some kind of quiet secret. eventually, your drink is empty, and the night grows cooler, the air brushing your bare skin in soft little chills. but you donโt move.
neither does he.
finally, he says, โcan i walk you home?โ
you glance up at him, surprised. โyouโre leaving the party?โ
โalready got the best part of it,โ he says simply, his hand still laced with yours.
your heart does that ridiculous fluttery thing again, and you try not to let it show on your face.
โyeah,โ you say softly. โiโd like that.โ
he stands, offering you his hand, and when you take it, he helps you to your feet like itโs something sacred. youโre still wearing his flannel, still a little buzzed, still wearing those stupid bunny ears. and yet, as he walks beside you down the front steps, his fingers twined in yours and his shoulder brushing yours every few seconds, you feel entirely grounded. warm. seen.
you glance over at him as the two of you start down the sidewalk, the night settling soft and quiet around you.
and for the first time all evening, you donโt want the night to end.
ใ คโ chapter two















