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It was not the first time that Raphael had been surprised by just how much of an impact he could have on the blonde. On anyone in fact but he'd never really seen himself as someone who could be that kind of man and encourage that kind of emotion. His talents tended to lie elsewhere but it moved him to know he could have such a positive influence on someone. And for that someone to be a person he regarded so highly too. "For you to be wanting that from me in the first place is quite the change in affection towards me." Raphael admitted given how Dominique had spent so long sneering at him when he'd come to England. He had actually began to doubt his abilities to sway her opinions of him. Of course, that had started out with different intentions to what he had now. Now they were more genuine and less to simply satisfy himself.

"Well..." Raphael began in gentle response. "Let's not put too much pressure on what the expectations for this ought to be, but perhaps we can start by clarifying that I'll be seeing no one else whilst we explore this and I would hope for the same from you." Not that Dominique was the type to do such a thing, it just felt right to confirm on both sides if they were going for clarity.

"Maybe so," she nodded, "But it doesn't make me any less grateful. Whether you planned to or not, you inspired me. And that means a lot to me so, I just wanted you to know that," Dominique elaborated with a shrug. When Raphael mentioned the possibility of having upset her, she shook her head with a laugh, "I was disappointed, sure. But honestly it was for the better. As much as I would've enjoyed that... I think everything happened the way it was supposed to," she assured. If anything it was a great show of his own character and how things had changed with him. Or at least it gave that impression.

"I'm afraid you're giving me far too much credit here, Raphael," her expression having shifted into one of pure surprise. Dominique never thought she'd hear anyone say that to her, let alone him of all people. After the way he'd left her feeling in the past, it was enough to render her stunned. "I just... I really like who I am with you and I want to explore more of that. If we just want to keep it casual that's fine and I get it but all I ask is that we make that clear from the get-go," she clarified.

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"Unlike you, apparently." Raphael responded back with quick wit, a smirk playing across his lips despite his words however. "Indeed. I think the thought was... unexpected." Not that he wasn't considerate but creating a scent that reminded him specifically of Dominique... well he supposed that was taking it to another level. "I believe she was catching up with one of her family members so I agreed to do the drinks run in the meantime."

"Spoken for? They grow up so fast," Alessandra teased, convinced that this was the first time she'd ever seen the other man with this particular demeanor. He looked happy but on such a peaceful level. "Well received? You're very welcome, Raph," she beamed. "So I take it the lucky lady isn't too far away if you're keeping an eye on those drinks?"

[rcphceltousscint]

🎉  - alessandra

Can be found here.

[rcphceltousscint]

🎉 - our muses run into each other at an nye party

"Alessandra, I would give you one of these drinks but unfortunately they are already spoken for." Raphael spoke pleasantly as he noticed her making her way to the bar. "I would however be happy to buy you one. It is the least I can do considering your help with creating that perfume. It was... very well received."

@alessandramacnair

[rcphceltousscint]

"You owe me nothing." He answered with a sincere shake of his head as he looked to the blonde. Honestly, if anything, the way he'd treated her in the past, this was the least she deserved as recompense for his actions. He couldn't pretend that was the reason why he did it though, the truth was he enjoyed it. "I did wonder why I hadn't seen so much of you recently though." Raphael confessed with a little laugh as he removed his glasses and set them to one side. "I thought that perhaps I had upset you." He had realised after all that she'd been hoping for something there that evening that he hadn't provided. It had been with the best intentions though for once from him.

At the question Raphael found himself smiling with more softness to his expression than he'd held in it for a long time. "Dominique, I do not see myself as a good man but for you I will try to be. Perhaps you will be the making of me."

"No, I couldn't have. You're totally right... who do I take myself for?" she huffed back playfully at that comment. If there was one thing Dominique had been sure of, is that she didn't have to worry about Raphael exposing that secret of hers. It just didn't feel like something the man would do. "I owe a lot of it to you, it only seemed fair," Dom confessed, nodding to the book in his hands, her face pink after that soft kiss to her cheek. "After the trip you'd curated well... I couldn't stop writing. I haven't been that inspired in a long time." And she certainly hadn't felt like that since their infamous summer together. When she wasn't writing or on occasion taking breaks to continue her regular reading, every other thought seemed to be consumed by him.

"And I... well I was thinking about you a lot too. I��� I guess this was me asking you if you wanted to try this all over again but like... for real?" she explained even if she was sure he had gotten the gist. "No mixed messages or getting lost in communication. If you want to try this I'm asking for total transparency. I don't want to get my hopes up again as I'm sure you can understand."

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"You wouldn't? Is this you saying that you are the one writing these books? Impossible." Raphael scoffed with a decent amount of teasing sarcasm to his words. He looked up from the book, glancing at the blonde from over his glasses. "Though I am sure that I would appreciate the fact you went to the trouble in the first place." Raphael assured the woman, leaning over to the woman for a moment to press a kiss to her cheek in a gentle action. "That was a very sweet gesture. Completely unexpected but very welcomed." Because given how he'd left her feeling in the past, Raphael was entirely too taken aback by her willingness to take a chance on him again. He didn't deserve it.

She could almost feel her heart rate accelerate at Raphael's response. To hear that he didn't think it was too cheesy or that it didn't put him off was a great sign, but for Raphael to say he would even go on the date was the biggest accomplishment of all. "I mean... I don't think I'd be nearly as creative as yourself. It takes real thought and planning to do what you came up with," Dominique replied, for the first time addressing things in a way that implied the truth of the situation. Of course she figured he knew it all, she wouldn't have made the choice to address him in the acknowledgments like that if she didn't. It was still a little scary to really confirm it, making it all feel a little more permanent. Now her secret wasn't only hers anymore. "But maybe I can put together something that's at least even half as thrilling and romantic as the long weekend you took us on," she shrugged, her fingers tapping on her knees as she released some excited nerves.

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"It's pretty imaginative but then I suppose I'd expect nothing less from such a talented writer." It was part compliment, part truth. If someone could create such in depth and intricate worlds, it only made sense that they could come up with such an interesting way to invite someone out.

Raphael found it interesting to listen to Dominique gently prod into his opinions on this given she'd never really been afraid of voicing how she'd felt before. Still, he supposed he'd given her plenty of reason to be cautious. This time however, it was more because of his lack of action than too much of it. "I think, should someone have gone to so much effort to invite me out, I'd have to be a fool to turn such an offer down. That is a grand gesture after all, it's something that will forever be out there now. Plus, if they were that inventive in their method of invitation, I'd be quite curious to see what they came up with for a date." He added with a little chuckle.

Dominique smiled lightly to herself. High regard. It was gratifying to know people out there liked her writing. To know that Raphael liked her writing. Especially since his tastes were something that in return, she held in high regard. "I see. I bet she's grateful to have devoted readers like yourself."

When Raphael didn't seem totally put off by the choice in gesture, she let herself release some of the tension in her shoulders. She'd take that as a positive. "I can't say I've seen something like this done before either," she admitted. It's why she'd thought herself so clever when she'd thought of the idea. Of course it was also terrifying but she had a bout of courage that had convinced her to take the leap. "What... what would you say if someone had done something like that for you? Would you decide to give them a chance and go on the date?"

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Raphael wasn't unaware of what he was doing to Dominique but he couldn't help himself. He wouldn't mess with her too much but there was also the fact she'd still not openly admitted to being the writer behind these books. He'd just about told her that he knew it was her and yet she was still being rather coy about the situation. "Yes, I am enjoying it that much. Though I admit that I may be a little on the bias side considering I hold this writer in rather high regard." The corners of Raphael's lips tilted up ever so slightly.

When she questioned the acknowledgement, it turned to a more overt smile. "Is this like the royal we?" He asked in a teasing manner. "Though I think that it's a bold move. I imagine the receiver would be extremely flattered to be held in such high regard, though I doubt they really did anything so impressive as to deserve the compliment." At least that was how he felt about it. To support someone you cared about and encourage them was what it meant to be a friend in the first place. "But yes, it's romantic. I can't say I have seen someone make such a move before either, so it's also unique."

She opened her mouth to huff at him only to shut it as he continued with his reading. While he was not saying anything untrue, this was different. She was itching to know what he thought of the book, but mostly what he thought about the very end. Dominique found herself rocking on her heels impatiently, only forcing herself to take a seat when she'd caught that she was doing that. Seeing the cover even more clearly caused the nerves to rise. "Second read through?" her eyebrows migrating swiftly upwards. "But it's brand new– are you really enjoying it that much?" There was a silent sense of pride she felt at the possibility of that, but dread hit her when she realized he'd most likely disregarded the contents of the acknowledgements.

As though reading her mind, Raphael began to talk about them. "Oh– do they now?" Dom swallowed back what felt like a lump forming in her throat. "And what do we think about that?" she shrugged as nonchalantly as she could manage. Raphael still wasn't looking at her so what did it matter. "Is it too corny? Or is a gesture like that considered perhaps... a little romantic maybe?"

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Admittedly, Raphael was more aware of his surroundings than he portrayed as he sat with his book, seemingly completely engrossed in what it was he was reading, and to a certain extent, that was true. He was enjoying his reading but he wasn't so concentrated on it that he didn't notice a familiar presence enter the coffee shop and eventually idle their way over to his seating area. In fact he hushed the blonde lightly when she began talking.

"I'm fairly certain you'd be highly irritated if I came up to you and interrupted your reading. In fact, I know you have been in the past." Raphael murmured, nose still deeply buried between the pages, eyes not once lifting from the words. He did do her the favour of tilting the front of the book upwards however when she asked about what he was reading. "It's a new book out." Raphael let that linger there for a moment or two before continuing. "I'd say so given I'm on my second pass of it already." Again there was a stretch of silence before he spoke again. "The acknowledgements are perhaps just as interesting as the story itself. It almost sounded as though the author was asking someone out." He lifted his fingers from the pages to brush his middle finger lightly against the bridge of his glasses, guiding them further up his nose.

Dominique could've gone to any coffee shop in town but of course she chose to go to this very one with a not-so-hidden intention behind it. It had been a while since she'd seen a certain somebody but he had been pretty present on her mind. She hadn't kept a distance on purpose, she had just been so enveloped in her writing again and now that it was out... well perhaps she was hoping he'd gotten himself a copy. Given he'd claimed to be a fan of Vivienne's work before, what was keeping him from getting his hands on a new release? When she spotted the man she'd been hoping to see, that was the first win. To see the glimpse of a familiar cover art was the second one. She went to go get her order first before circling back over to where Raphael was sat. "What have you got there?" Dominique asked innocently as she came up to him. However she couldn't help the nerves that had begun to stir in pit of her stomach. "Anything worth a read?"

@rcphceltousscint

[rcphceltousscint]

"So what you're saying is I have to get the right paperwork. I mean, fine, I was trying to cut out the middle man but if you insist." He answered with a little shrug of his shoulders as he snapped the gloves off his hands. "And account for every leaf? Given their ability to grow, good luck with that one." Though he knew it was more a turn of phrase than anything else.

"I definitely can't let you do that," Theo replied, furrowing his brow a little. He was very protective of his plants but that wasn't the only reason, "The ministry paid good money to have it transported here for my research. I need to account for every leaf before it's returned and they won't let me give it out for unauthorised potions. Besides, if I let you, everyone will come knocking. Seriously, please don't."

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Raphael had to laugh because it was a good move. Maybe one he would have pulled at some point in the past. "I suppose it depends on the type of friend." He offered up after a moment. "I suspect we may be on different chapters right now however."

"Not looking to make any new friends then I see? Well, that's a shame," Laurel replied with a little pout. It seemed pretty clear from him that any attempt she'd make would end up in vain. "You're welcome to give me a call if you ever change your mind however."

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“Your loss honestly. I am a romantic and one hell of a charmer. Most wish I was trying to seduce them,” he insisted playfully with a little huff, puffing out his chest for good measure.

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"I used to. Less so these days actually." It had been such a big part of his life at one point but since moving here... seeing familiar faces... well perhaps he was becoming a little bit more aware of how it wasn't necessarily what he needed in his life. The right people were more important than the quantity of them. "I've had less need for new people more recently."

"It goes both ways," Laurel insisted with a little pleased shrug of her shoulder. If anything it was really him doing her a favor, since she was rather clearly desperate for the company that evening. "What? Go out to meet new people? I mean, I certainly try to," she replied with a light nod. "What about yourself?"

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"Bold of you to think I fight for anyone's honor but my own." Raphael responded back smoothly, a smirk playing across his lips. "Is that a compliment I hear from your lips though? I must look good to earn such high praise."

"Whose honor are you fighting for, fair knight?" she smirked lightly at him. "Are they by any chance here tonight? You look pretty dashing. For your sake I hope that they'll appreciate it."

@rcphceltousscint

[rcphceltousscint]

RAPHAEL TOUSSAINT HALLOWEEN 2028

Sir Lancelot

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"I'd suggest some hair loss potion but you wouldn't keep your job if you did that." Raphael mused absently, giving a little hum at the question. "Just looking up some things. It's getting close to Halloween. I thought I might go on a ghost tour or something... to get in the mood."

"I suppose my devotion to keeping up appearances or maybe the new haircut my boss got– I can't stand to look at it," she said the second part purely to see if he was even really listening given he seemed immersed in something else. "What're you up to?" Willow asked, nodding towards his phone.

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"As you should. But then so do I. It's really just a pain having to make people pay constantly for vexing me." Raphael spoke with a dramatic sigh before smiling. "But shall we? This does sound like it will make for an interesting experience."

“I will consider that as a big relief,” Alessandra replied with a soft snort of her own. They teased one another but she knew ultimately neither of them had any bad blood between them. It was all in good humor. “I’m sure I can rummage something from my bag. If not they do have coffee beans here you can sniff to reset your sense of smell.”