Aria ended up leaving her house that night finally. It was dark, and mosquitoes were biting at her arms. The air was cold, a chill running down her spine while little bumps ran across her arms. Her hair was down, the wind blowing it back in the slightest. She didn't drive, she walked until she got infront of the Cameron house.

She could see Rose through the clear, sliding doors in the back. Aria thought she'd walk through, but she really didn't wanna deal with the sympathetic looks and having to be hugged and comforted. She looked up at the side of the house, a tree seeming worth climbing up. Aria did, slowly so she wouldn't scratch her palms, though she was already bruised up from the hours of destroying things around her house.

Rafe wasn't in his room, her knocking on the window and the lack of answer was enough for her to know. He didn't have it locked though, which was something she never did either. Unlike Aria though, he didn't keep his unlocked to push up because they hadn't had AC. He kept his unlocked because when Aria was old enough, at the age of eleven, she started sneaking over at night and sleeping on the couch in his room.

Old habits die hard.

Aria didn't know where Rafe was, she wasn't even sure he was home at all. She could imagine he might be getting high with Barry. But then she remembers Barry turned him into the police and she doubted he'd run to him again. Either way, it didn't stop her from pulling his drawers open and taking one of the shirts out. A peach colored one, that had the expensive and breathable material.

Obviously, sneaking into Rafes room wasn't for her to take advantage of his shower. But all things considering, she went ahead and hopped in as a way to waste time before he got back, wherever he was.

Rich people had good water pressure, but complicated dials. It took Aria about four minutes to figure out how to get it on warm instead of cold. Though she got in pretty quick and socked up the steaming water. They rarely had hot water, and when they would it wouldn't last very long. Aria use to sneak into the school to shower until a teacher caught her and video cameras went up. That was just a few months ago, but she forgot how much she missed it.

Rafes body wash was old spice, one she always liked but never could afford. She wasted more then she needed to but ended up smelling just like him when she got out of the shower. Her shitty day felt better, a lot better at that. She liked being out of her house, having hot water, feeling like her worries washed away. It was easy on her heart after the suicide of her dad this morning, the little things that comforted her tremendously.

"Aria." Rafe called from the other side of the door, knowing it was her because no one else would sneak through a window and her over worn combat boots laid by his bed. She pulled the door open after getting the shirt over her head. He didn't even realize it was his at first, the small bag she brought with her throwing him off, "What are you doing?"

"Wasting time." she said, leaning on the doorway, "I figured you'd be in here."

"I was in my dads room." he said back, Aria then noticed the blazer she saw Ward wear once or twice. It looked better on Rafe, fit him better around the shoulders then it had Ward. Aria noticed his eyes, sad and his pupils were blown.

Aria jumped up on the counter by the sink. The bathroom was still fogged, the mirror the same, "You're gonna be good at this thing."

Rafe stepped into his bathroom slightly, "What?"

"The whole business guy thing." Aria said back with a shrug, "You're gonna be really good at it."

Rafe leaned against the wall infront of her, his eyes saw the tattoo on her thigh but didn't stare long, though apart of him wanted to, "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Aria said back, "Fuck college, you don't even need it. You're gonna do good."

Weather Aria was right or not, she said it anyways. Because it was Rafe, and she knew he was hurting pretty bad right now.

"I'm gonna pull some strings for you." Rafe said suddenly as Aria gave him a questionable look, "I'm gonna need some help, you know?"

"Like your assistant?" Aria asked, a minor teasing grin across her face, "Get you coffee, print you some important papers, give your business cards to random strangers, occasionally pick up your kids from school since you're too busy banging your secretary in your super private office."

Rafe laughed. He didn't think he could laugh after the day he had. But he did, and it made her happy he did, "Maybe not the kids part, but if the secretary is hot then i'll send you to get coffee and hand out business cards."

Aria hummed with a nod of her head, "Definitely a hot secretary. No ones gonna come into your offices if they aren't hot."

Rafe gave a serious look again, "I was leaning more toward you just helping me out a bit. I mean, I don't know what you would call it. But, I want you there with me. You know, like, taking trips when needed and figuring out what's good for business. I can't handle it alone."

"Well, why would you want that, Rafe?" she asked. Her voice was teasing but serious all at the same time. If made him unease, but maybe that was the look in her eye, or the fact that she looked so pretty with wet hair and in his clothes, or the way she said his name. He wanted her to say it again. Rafe went with the tone of her voice, because that was a better answer then any of the other ones, "I could do what my mom did and completely rob your Bahama house. Or steal from you like my dad did and nearly destroy your whole business."

He couldn't tell if she was joking or if she was truly pointing out that she could end up doing that, "You won't."

"How do you know?" she asked, her eyes were softer, and she suddenly looked sad, "I could end up just like them, you know?"

"You won't." he repeated himself, "You're not like them. Not actually."

Her lips formed into a tight lipped smile, but the gentleness in her eyes was enough to show his words brought her comfort of some kind, "I'm really sorry about your dad."

Rafe shook his head at her, "Not your fault. He took the fucking fall for me."

"He was looking out for you." Aria spoke, because she was somewhat grateful Ward did, but she wouldn't say that to Rafe, "Protected you."

Rafe looked down, because they both believed it at the time.

He hesitated, suddenly thankful the mirror was foggy because if it wasn't, he'd see how much of a pussy he looked right now. Aria got his hint when he walked closer, standing between her legs and leaning his head head down into her chest. Her chin came up onto of his head, rubbing his back. She had the urge to slap, but avoided it. She'd been tender with her hands, not use to any form of gentleness, but he didn't really mind.

Aria sucked in when his head turned, lips brushing against her neck. She knew he didn't mean to do it, but it flooded a weird feeling right in her abdomen and caused her whole body to suddenly become warm. Rafes head suddenly nudged her, knocking into her chin. She winced slightly, put rubbed the top of his head where her chin hit incase it hurt him.

Aria didn't even realize that was the start of it, where she messed up. Because now, even though the bump of his head hurt her and not him, she was worried about making sure he didn't feel any pain from it.

Rafes hands removed themselves from her back, and Aria thought the hug was done. His head kept in her neck, moving so his lips brushed her neck again. Instead, he put his palms on her bare thighs and rubbed. The rings on his fingers were cold but his hands were hot, yet so was her skin, yet so was the bathroom.

Everything suddenly felt really hot.

Aria tried not to do anything, tried not to move, tried not to have her breathing pick up. She'd only been touched like this once's, and that was back when she was sixteen and met a guy at a party. He lasted three minutes, and she didn't even mind since it's not like he could help it, but did absolutely nothing for her. After that her had this weird and unsatisfied feeling when it came to any form of intimacy.

But with Rafe, she liked it. Liked it in a weird way. Usually, she'd hate feeling her stomach flip around like a damn tornado. And she hated the heat, yet loved feeling like she was set on fire right now. She liked the feeling of his lips brushing her lips, how close his hands were getting. Then they suddenly stopped, making Aria let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"When'd you get this one?" Rafe asked, his thumb running across the little lighthouse tat on her upper upper thigh.

"When I turned eighteen." she spoke, and suddenly hated how weak and nervous she sounded. Aria never wanted to give anyone in this world the satisfaction or knowing they had any form of affect on her. It made her feel like she was being belittled and wasn't in control. She usually hated that, she hated feeling her father have control over her, hated knowing he knew she was terrified of him. Just for a second, Aria forgot her dad was dead, "I like lighthouses."

"Yeah, I know." he said, his head still digging into her neck. Apart of her wanted to see his face, another wanted to continue feeling his breath on her neck, "You use to say you wanted to live in one."

"I still wanna." she admitted, though it was a little embarrassing to say it out loud, "But I'd hate not having a garage."

Rafe laughed alongside her as he pulled his head back to look at her. She felt better now, not so warm and fluttery. Though it was back when he found her waist and was hugging her against, head hung over his shoulders. Aria knew Rafe all her life, they spend fifteen years side by side and they were never this affectionate. He, especially wasn't. They'd hug every now and then but they both went through the awkward stage of not being able to touch each other because elementary school it was cooties, middle school it was hormones and puberty, and high school was because everyone would make a huge deal out of it if they touched and then a rumor would spread that they were hooking up.

"I'm glad we're talking again." she had to admit. At first, it wasn't really anything. Yeah, it was weird being around him again. But she let the grudge of him abandoning her go a long time ago, yet still had the thought in the back of her mind. But now, like, right now, she realized how much she really did love being around him again.

"Wish we never stopped." he said to her. Pulling away, he looked at her, "I said some really insane things that night-"

"I was emotional, you were just trying to make me feel better." Aria stopped him before it could get awkward. Apart of her wished he'd have forgotten that final night together. At the light house, while it rained, right after she found out her dad was arrested. She really, really wished he had because it would make everything so much smoother. Rafe wanted to tell her that wasn't the case, but the knock on the door stopped him before he could.

•

kylie speaks

sigh