I carefully did stray

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

𝔼ℝ𝕀𝔸ℕ swung his axe with a steady rhythm, the thunk of the blade sinking into the wood echoing through the clearing. The air was crisp, and the scent of pine and earth filled his lungs as he worked alongside his fellow lumberjacks. Sweat beaded on his brow, but his mind wasn’t entirely on the task at hand. Instead, it kept drifting to Rain—her laughter, the way she always found a way to tease him, her constant spark that made life feel alive.

"Yo, Erian!" One of his workmates, Tim, called out, breaking through his thoughts. Erian paused, glancing over his shoulder as Tim and a couple of the other guys leaned on their tools, grinning like idiots. "You gonna marry that girl or what?"

Erian rolled his eyes, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Can you guys focus for once? We’ve got work to do."

"Work?" Another one, Jake, scoffed, throwing his axe over his shoulder. "C’mon, man, you’ve been together 8 months now. Hell, Rain practically lives in your head rent-free. You can’t shut up about her, so it’s only fair we know when the big day is."

A chorus of chuckles erupted from the crew, and Erian shook his head, half-grinning despite himself. "You guys need to find better hobbies."

"Oh, we got hobbies," Tim said, wagging his brows. "Like taking bets on how long it’ll take you to pop the question. My money’s on Christmas. You’re a romantic sap, and the holidays are perfect for it."

Erian groaned, leaning on his axe. "You’re all insane. It hasn’t even crossed my mind."

"Yeah right," Jake laughed, elbowing Tim. "This guy’s head over heels. I mean, come on, man. The way you look at her? It’s like a guy who’s been hit by a truck, but in the best way possible."

Erian gave them a deadpan look. "A truck? That’s your analogy?"

"Hey, I call it how I see it," Jake said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, man. Rain’s a keeper. What’re you waiting for?"

Erian shifted, a little uncomfortable now that the focus was entirely on him. He could feel his face growing warm, though he wasn’t sure if it was from the exertion of work or the embarrassing turn the conversation had taken. "It’s not that simple."

"Not that simple?" Tim hooted, leaning in like he was about to hear a juicy secret. "What, you think she’ll say no? Dude, she’s practically in love with you. She’d be crazy to turn you down."

Erian smiled to himself, thinking about Rain and the way she constantly surprised him, her fierce loyalty, and the way she had a knack for lighting up even his darkest days. He knew the guys were right in a sense—he was completely in love with her, and she felt the same way. But marriage? That was a whole new level.

"Look," Erian said, running a hand through his hair, "Rain and I… we’re good where we are. We don’t need a ring or anything to prove that."

"Yeah, but still!" Jake pushed, a grin plastered on his face. "You’ve got that look, man. The one that says, ‘I’m gonna wife her up sooner or later.’ We’re just waiting for the ‘sooner’ part."

Tim leaned in again, his eyes glinting with mischief. "So, what’s the plan? Proposal in the woods? At the cabin? Maybe while you’re chopping wood—real manly and rugged?"

Erian couldn’t help but laugh now, shaking his head. "You guys are impossible."

"Maybe," Tim said with a smirk, "but seriously, man. Don’t wait too long. Rain’s special. You’ve got something a lot of people would kill for."

Erian glanced away for a moment, his thoughts drifting back to Rain’s teasing smile that morning, her relentless energy, and the way she just fit into his life like she’d always been there.

He turned back to the guys, smirking. "You all act like I’m not fully aware of that already."

"Yeah, but we’re gonna keep bugging you until we see a ring on her finger," Jake said, tossing Erian a wink. "Consider it our new favourite pastime."

Erian shook his head, chuckling. "Fine, fine. I’ll let you know if I ever decide to propose. But until then, how about we actually finish this job before we all get fired?"

The guys let out another round of laughter before picking up their tools again, but the teasing didn’t fully stop.

As Erian swung his axe, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander back to Rain. The guys weren’t wrong—Rain was special. And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad to think about putting a ring on her finger someday.

But for now, he just smiled to himself and kept working, content with knowing that Rain was already his, in every way that mattered.

₊˚.༄

Rain pulled up to the house, the familiar crunch of gravel beneath her tires bringing a sense of comfort. The evening sun cast a golden glow over the yard, and she could see her dad, Charlie, sitting on the porch with a beer in his hand, his ever-present scowl softened by the peaceful setting. She smiled to herself as she parked and turned off the engine.

As she got out of the car and headed toward him, Charlie gave her a nod, a small grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "You’re back early," he said, his voice gruff but warm.

"Yeah, figured I’d hang out with you, old man," Rain teased, plopping down on the porch steps beside him. She kicked off her boots, wiggling her toes in the cool evening air.

Charlie snorted, taking a sip of his beer. "I’m not that old."

Rain chuckled, leaning back on her hands as she looked out at the fading sunset. The silence between them was comfortable, the kind that came from years of understanding and love without needing to say much. She always felt at ease when it was just her and Charlie, no pressure, no expectations—just father and daughter.

"So, how’s Erian?" Charlie asked after a beat, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

Rain smirked, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Oh, you know, being a lumberjack and all that. Swinging axes, chopping wood, looking rugged."

Charlie chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling. "He’s a good kid. Real solid."

Rain’s smirk softened into a smile. "Yeah, he is." She paused for a moment before nudging her dad with her elbow. "You know he’s your favourite, right?"

Charlie didn’t deny it. Instead, he gave a short laugh, shaking his head. "I just like that he’s got his head screwed on straight. Not many guys do these days." He turned to look at her, his gaze softening. "And I like how he treats you, Rain. That’s important."

Rain felt a warmth spread through her chest. Her dad wasn’t the type to gush or get overly emotional, but when he did give his approval, it meant everything. Erian wasn’t just someone she cared about—he was someone Charlie respected, and that was worth more than anything.

"Yeah, he’s pretty great," Rain admitted, her voice softer now. She leaned her head back, staring up at the sky. "But let’s not tell him that. His ego’s big enough as it is."

Charlie let out a hearty laugh. "Deal. Wouldn’t want to inflate the boy’s head too much."

They sat in silence again for a while, the evening breeze rustling the trees, the sounds of the town winding down for the night in the background. Rain took in a deep breath, letting the peacefulness of home settle over her. There was something about being here, with her dad, that made everything feel right. Even after all the chaos in her life, this was her anchor.

"You know," Charlie started after a moment, breaking the quiet, "I was thinkin'."

"Uh-oh," Rain teased, glancing at him with a mischievous grin.

Charlie rolled his eyes but smiled. "I was thinkin' maybe we could have Erian over for dinner this weekend. You could invite him, and I’ll fire up the grill. Make it a proper family thing."

Rain’s smile widened. "A family thing, huh? You trying to butter him up, Dad?"

Charlie shrugged, his smile turning sheepish. "Maybe. Just want to make sure he knows he’s welcome here."

Rain chuckled, leaning over to kiss her dad on the cheek. "You’re such a softie, you know that?"

"Don’t go spreading that around," Charlie muttered, though his smile didn’t fade.

"I won’t. It’ll be our little secret," Rain said with a wink, standing up and stretching. "But yeah, I think he’d love that. I’ll tell him."

Charlie nodded, satisfied, before finishing off his beer. "Good. I like having you happy, kid. And he seems to be a big part of that."

Rain paused, her heart swelling at her dad’s words. She walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, squeezing tight. "You’re the best, Dad."

As Rain stepped into the house, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of contentment. The simplicity of moments like this, being with her dad, talking about Erian—it was perfect. Everything was falling into place, and for once, she allowed herself to feel that happiness without hesitation.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

By: SilverMist707

Remember that you are enough and special just the way you are