#Delulu Rafayel

[chocolate-flavored-rafayel]

Is this all I need?

Don't you also think I'm handsome?

Someone once asked if I've been secretly looking at her.

I find it hard not to even if I try. And I have tried.

I admit defeat. It doesn't matter if I end up losing. As long as I can see her I'll be happy!

[iravesh]

— When they want to ask something but too shy.

He said goodbye to go to work and saw you busy in the kitchen. He wanted to go straight away but felt something was missing. So he stopped in front of the door and started talking.

Zayne : "i will go to work now."

You : "okay, keep up the good work and hope all goes well."

Zayne : "yeah, thank you. then, i'll go now?"

You : "oh sure, be careful and take care of yourself while work."

Zayne : "..."

You : "..."

Zayne : "hmm, okay."

You walking to the door and saw him still standing there not moving. You looked at him and stifled a laugh.

You : "what are you waiting for?"

Zayne : "nothing."

You hold the door when he is about to come out with his dull face. Then slowly stand on tiptoe and kiss his lips, you give Zayne a soft kiss and he is shocked. He smiled faintly before kiss your forehead.

You : "next time, remember that you don't need to chit-chat or ask me like that, okay? just do your thing as my husband."

Zayne : "i still don't have the courage, we haven't been married for long, so sorry if i'm a little awkward about doing it straight away. i will never make small talk again in the future when i want it."

You are going out to markets. After you finished getting ready, you saw Xavier looking at you from the bed. Then, you went into the room and sat on the edge of the bed to tell him.

You : "i'm going out for a while to the market to buy cooking ingredients. will you come along?"

Xavier : "no, i'm sleepy."

You : "alright then, is there something you want to buy?"

Xavier : "nothing, right now."

You : "okay, i'll go now."

When you stood up, his eyes couldn't lie that he was sad. Then in a low tone he said again.

Xavier : "can't we order online to eat today?"

You : "hmm? what did you just say?"

Xavier : "nah, nothing. it's cold, i will sleep again and use this blanket."

You chuckle when you saw his blushing face. Then pulled the blanket as it covered his whole body.

You : "of course, we can. why don't you just say it loudly? you're cold and want to cuddle, right?"

Xavier : "..."

He pulled you into the blanket and hugged you tightly. He also kissed your neck and closed his eyes with his ears and cheeks still red.

You cleaned the dusty bedroom window and let Rafayel paint nearby. until you finally looked at him, as he focused on watching you.

You : "what? you want to help me?"

Rafayel : "no, no. i'd rather get hung up on painting ideas than touch that dusty place."

You : "okay, then focus on your work."

He sigh. then he looked at the canvas again and painted carelessly. You saw that and approached him from behind.

You : "what's wrong?"

Rafayel : "ah, puh-lease. don't startle me like that."

You : "i didn't mean it like that, you just seemed unfocused since earlier. why?"

Rafayel : "i just need to shower because i feel sticky. and i think you also need too because you sweat, your work is done anyway right?"

You : "i see, i'll take a shower later. you can shower first if you want, i want to sit for a moment."

Rafayel : "but.."

You stopped when you heard that, then turned around as you were about to sit down and looked at him. He looked tired and stood up to go to the bathroom. You smirk.

You : "do you mind if i come in the shower with you?"

Rafayel : "NO! ah, i mean up to you."

You : "then come here and carry me."

He approached and carried you with a bridal style to the bathroom, while continuing to look at you and occasionally kissing your lips anxiously.

it's just all my delulu, hope you all like it and can deluluing with me lol 😭✋🏻.

[love-and-deepspace-fanfic]

Rafayel Fanfic - Drunken Intimacy

This story is inspired by the 4* Rafayel card "Oceanic Nightfall," though I personally don't like how MC handles the situation, so here's a different scenario where I think things could get better.

Hope you've been enjoying my delulu so far

Imagine you just came back from a tired mission trip, and Raf has just finished throwing a party and got drunk....

Drunken Intimacy

You had just finished carefully placing your suitcase back in your bedroom after a long mission trip when you spotted a figure slumped against the sofa by the window, holding a glass of wine you had set down countless times since you saw him.

"Argh, this boozer."

You muttered under your breath. Resigned, you navigated around the remnants of a party scattered across the living room, making your way towards a collection of overflowing wine bottles. The sight of the trashed mansion after a long and tiring trip filled you with a mixture of surprise and disappointment.

You'd envisioned a different homecoming with Rafayel – a walk by the lake or a visit to his favorite restaurant, as usual. But this scene was far from what you'd expected. Since arriving home, you'd been deliberately avoiding Rafayel's gaze, not wanting to betray your disappointment, even though deep down you knew he must have had his reasons.

Rafayel remained motionless on the sofa, swirling the wine in his glass. His eyes, usually sharp, held a strangely gentle glint as they met yours. An unsettling silence lingered between you, broken only by the jarring ring of a phone.

You recognized the ringtone as your own, but couldn't find it anywhere. It wasn't until you spotted it lying beside Rafayel on the sofa that you realized he must have noticed your avoidance too.

You approached Rafayel with your gaze fixed elsewhere. You quickly snatched your phone and answered the call from Thomas. Just as you were about to move away to talk, Rafayel suddenly grabbed your wrist, pulling you down. Taken off guard, you fell onto Rafayel's lap, right as Thomas' voice echoed from the other end of the line.

"Is that […]? Are you home already?"

You shot Rafayel a glare, but his grip was firm, preventing you from moving. You sighed and switched on speakerphone to answer. "Yes, I just got back. Is there something wrong?"

“Oh, you're back already? The party organizers and I wanted to apologize to you! The party tonight was supposed to be held at the pre-booked hotel, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they couldn't accommodate us. That's why I had to ask Rafayel to let us use his place. He usually refuses these requests, but for some reason he agreed today, which is why the party ended up being such a success. Please don't blame him, he didn't want any of this. On another note, there was a sudden power outage, and by the time Rafayel chased everyone out, we couldn't clean up. We'll send some staff over tomorrow to tidy things up."

You cast a sidelong glance at Rafayel before replying, "It's alright, Thomas. I understand."

Relief washed over Thomas on the other end of the line. As he was just about to ask about your trip, the call abruptly cut out. A moment later, it dawned on Thomas that Rafayel must be sulking again.

You yourself were also taken by surprise. All you'd heard was Thomas' voice on speakerphone, and the call had just abruptly ended because somebody’s slender and beautiful fingers pressed on the disconnect button. Still sprawled across Rafayel's lap, you lifted your eyes to meet his, their gazes locking. His eyes, glazed over with intoxication, held an undeniable intensity as they looked back at you. His body burned with heat, his cheeks flushed a deep red all the way across his face to his ear. Despite the haziness in his eyes, his focus remained fixated on you. His hand reached out to take the one holding your phone, gently setting it aside before wrapping his arm around you, pulling you close as if to meld you into his chest. The intensity of his grip startled you. You pushed yourself up, bracing your hands against his chest to create some space, forcing him back onto the sofa before sitting above him to catch your breath. A mix of annoyance and amusement bubbled within you.

“What is it? Are you trying to convince me that all this mess wasn't intentional?"

Rafayel remained silent, his gaze unwavering as he stared at you. His scorching hand reached out to touch yours resting on his chest. He squeezed it tightly, then began to stroke it gently, sending shivers down your spine. You realized there was something different about Rafayel today. You let him keep hold of your right hand while reaching out with your left to touch his cheek.

“Tell me," you said softly, "What’s bothering you today?”

Rafayel finally spoke, but his words were nonsensical.

“Do you think a mother turtle can climb trees now?"

What? Mother turtles?

As if lost in his own thoughts, Rafayel continued rambling. "Jellyfish must be able to walk, and sharks know how to eat grass as well."

You finally realized what he was hinting at. You sighed reluctantly, "Didn't I tell you the trip would take two weeks?"

"You said two weeks, but you came back a day late without telling me!"

Rafayel said, his voice laced with a hint of sulking. You felt a pang of guilt. You had indeed been delayed a day, preoccupied with finding a souvenir for him and forgot to inform him. This was serious… he was really upset.

You sighed and gave in, "I’m sorry…"

"We haven’t done yet!" Rafayel’s voice grew more "ferocious.”

“Do you know how annoying those people were today? The ladies with their suffocating perfume, the pot-bellied old men with their sly faces, just looking at them made me lose my appetite. But more importantly..."

Rafayel suddenly stopped, his voice dropping, gloomy

"...Without you, I don't want to do anything."

Rafayel’s hand moved from holding your hand to stroking your cheek. His eyes softened but were still filled with sadness.

“To you... it's just a day... but to me it has been long enough that I've stopped counting... until I see you again..."

Ah, it’s this topic again...

Though you knew about Rafayel’s Lemurian heritage, he rarely spoke about his distant past.

Except at times like this.

Sometimes, you wondered what had happened to make Rafayel show such pain, and you had a feeling it was connected to you...

Maybe you would never be able to change or control what had happened in the past, but at least, at this moment...

Putting your thoughts aside, you leaned down, your hands gently touching Rafayel’s handsome face and then placing a kiss on his forehead. You kissed him deeply and forcefully on his forehead as if to create your own "protective" mark.

"Do you know what kissing the forehead is for?"

You leaned your elbows on his chest and gently stroked the mark you had just left,

“This is a mark only for those who need to be protected. I don't know what you've been through, but as long as I'm here, I'll be your bodyguard, protect you like how you 'hired' me before."

You looked at him and smiled mischievously, making Rafayel sink into his old distant memories.

The girl in the Lemurian outfit, radiant as the sun, smiled and declared that she would give him everything. He was her belief, and she would become his faith. She always stood on an equal footing with him, never backing down.

While reminiscing about that distant memory, Rafayel felt a gentle pat on his face. You were staring at him with scrutinizing eyes. Before Rafayel could even react, you had pressed down on him. Seeing his ears gradually turn red, you blew gently on it and teased,

"But let me warn you, my bodyguard fees aren’t cheap."

[deepspacezaynesmaster]

That Harem Lifestyle

Goodbye kitty cat boys

Edited for my farewell

Edited by CybillaFräulein

Missing them already! My MC will miss them too.

[harmonyrae]

Matches ALL their styles??

These actually fit ALL their personal styles somehow... Like Xavier would wear it for like a cozy movie night with MC, maybe trying a new restaurant. Rafayel would wear it shopping or exploring a new city with MC. Zayne would find it lowkey cute that MC would want to match with him and do literally whatever she wanted to do. Sylus would wear it if he had a proper day off and wanted to just blend it with MC in the city. I stg Sylus looks like a little nerdy punk boyfriend and I am deep in my delulu. WHERE HIS TATTOOS AT... Anyway, good day.

[dawnbreakersgaze]

Adding on to your rafayels body paint post, there's no way that man didn't have a fit too if it didn't meet up to his standards

Pt 1 here

Oh absolutely. The teasing you'd receive if the lines weren't perfectly symmetrical, or if one side was thicker or more heavily pigmented than the other would be so sharp.

You could argue that some art is better when it's asymmetrical, as nature often makes the most beautiful things with asymmetry in mind. He'd simply call that a rather weak excuse, and point out that every fish has two matching fins, every octopus has 8 legs, and every clam has 2 halves to its shell. Obviously, The Sea intended for its creatures to be balanced in both form and beauty, and the God of said Sea could accept no less.

So with a roll of your eyes (and a small smile hidden beneath your veil), you pick up the soft rag and wipe the blue ink from just above the generous swell of his pectoral and try again. This time trying to ignore the way his eyes follow every bob and sway of your own as your hand tries to match the descending swirls on the other side of him.

Surely he was making this harder on purpose right? As a test? A trial? A... punishment? Rafayel had to know that keeping his gaze so tightly fixated on yours would unsteady your hand, thus prolonging the training. Even the most seasoned of artists would buckle under the scrutiny of a teacher, but to have a GOD judge them so harshly as well?

In truth, the crooked lines don't bother him as much as he puts on. His people do not look upon him with such a scrutinizing gaze that they'd find it necessary to point out, and he's hardly standing idle long enough for anyone to throughly inspect the work.

If he was being honest with himself, it was simply endearing watching you try to steady your nerves as he peered down at you. He loved seeing your hands tremble ever so slightly and watching your eyes frantically flicker to-and-fro trying to mirror the designs. If he focused hard enough, he could even see you worry your bottom lip in concentration behind the thin veil that covered your nose and mouth. It was as if his mere proximity flustered you, and he was enjoying your charming little struggle.

"Surely you wouldn't expect me to be seen with such uneven work upon mine body. Tis a good thing we have plenty of time for practice this afternoon."

[mamalunawolf]

Delulu for L&DS

No don’t try to judge me on this. I’m going to ask all of you a question.

First look at them. Look. At. Them.

Ahhhhhhhh!! Ok.

Zayne

Xavier

Rafayel

Don’t need to answer that lol but you know.

[whatsitcalledagainn]

Can't wait to see all the wild sylus fans

-sincerely a wild sylus fan

[its-de]

Whenever i see you, i hear familiar melodies in my head

I love these bg sounds so much, it's so full of emotions, and it's so.. them 😭🤌🏻?

Imagine a proposal event and them confessing to us while these sounds playing 🫠

[letsgauxplay]

You know, just by the apple plushie drawing we see at the claw machine, I believe we are getting Caleb as a love interest. And that's my Ted Talk. 🍎🤓

[airjemsfandump]

What, something on my face? You're looking at me weird.

I don't know. There's just something familiar about you.

I've heard that one before. Try harder.

No, I mean...

Yes?

I mean...

Hm?

I... I mean...

Speak up.

Nevermind. It's nothing.

[grabby-smitten]

“Rafayel is so manipulative and bewitching,” she says with a dreamy sigh and lust filled eyes.

[iravesh]

My Beloved ; Bride.

He walking and grab your hands. Looking at you like there's no way to see another. He kissed the back of your hand and smiled. The grin of happiness on his face shows how much he loves you.

"do you want to be mine forever?" He said while looking at you. His gaze is sincere, looks warm and sweet. You smiled and stroked his cheek.

"for what?" That's what you said. He was a little confused but finally answered your question.

"for being my lover, my wife and my world until my last breath."

"are you sure?" You pulled your hand from his grasp, your gaze didn't look happy.

He was shocked. His face, which was originally smiling, suddenly fell silent and swallowed nervously.

"yes, of course."

"so, will you marry me?"

"to be what?"

"my bride." After he said that, you stood up. Your smile is sweet, but it hurts. He still remained confused and shocked.

"i will say yes."

Rafayel feeling moved, his heart was beating fast. But you're not done yet.

"to be your bride." You turned around and started to shed tears. His face was confused again and he stood behind you with his hands starting to get cold. "but not to be your goodbye."

"..."

"I remember that moment, i remember every word you said, i remember your cry, i remember how you easily made me forget all the memories we went through, i remember how much it hurt when you have to go. and i also remember how you said..."

"Goodbye, my beloved bride."

"I REMEMBER IT ALL, RAFAYEL."

"then why have you been pretending to forget everything?"

"THAT'S YOUR WISH."

His heart felt like it had been stabbed by a knife many times, the pain hit him and made him fall limp in front of you. As if he had no enthusiasm to continue his life, he sobbed uncontrollably. Felt guilty as he continued to hit his chest which felt tight.

"but, you still choose me. cause i know, you can't live without me."

"???" Rafayel looked at you again, saw you squatting in front of him and kissing his lips gently.

"i will always here, and i want you to promise me.."

"you will never say that again."

He hugs you. Very.. very tightly as if not wanting to let you go for the umpteenth time. All he wants is you and always you. "i will."

"can you repeat again?"

"will you marry me?" He bent one knee and took out a beautiful blue gem ring from his pocket. "yes, I do." He put the ring on your ring finger with a smile. then stood up and hugged you tightly, he also kissed your lips gently.

[love-and-deepspace-fanfic]

Another delulu for our fishie! And this time of course will be for his newest steamy card “Omnipotent Perception”!

This will be the lighter version with different approach (suggested by LnD contest theme) but I hope to still be able to capture Rafayel’s complexity and profound feelings.

This personally is my favorite card (I know I know I had so many favs now huhu) but definitely on par with Private Trip and Floral Promise for me.

This journey of discovering Rafayel inner feelings has been quite a treat for me and I look forward to seeing more of these in the future.

Hands up to LnD dev team! Excellent job as always ❤️❤️❤️❤️

PS: I would also appreciate if you can check out the post on X as well!

Now is the time for our delulu!

Rafayel and I were enjoying our vacation on an island miles away from where the Lemurian ruins were discovered then fate found the better of us…

The Unspoken Feelings

"Today’s forecast: Sunny and breezy, perfect for picnics and outdoor sightseeing..."

The ding of a text message with a weather alert pulled me from my slumber. As I looked around the unfamiliar room, I realized I was on an island southeast of Linkon City, about miles from the discovered Lemurian ruins. Rafayel and I had come here for a summer vacation. A big yawn reminded me of how well-rested I felt thanks to him. Last weekend was hectic, but now I can relax and enjoy my vacation with Rafayel, with whom I want to spend the rest of my remaining time.

Even though this was my third day waking up to the colorful sunlight filtering through the blue-tinted windows of my room, as if I were submerged in the sea, I still couldn't stop marveling at this place.

An island surrounded by the sea, like a lone oasis in a desert. I'd heard rumors of mermaids living here, but only those who'd seen them could confirm the truth.

Not only the island itself but also the way someone had furnished this guesthouse intrigued me. It was very nautical, or rather, very Rafayel.

In my bedroom, beside the large blue-tinted windows, small sea-themed decorations were scattered on the shelves: seashells, pearls, coral, scented candles that smelled of the ocean, an hourglass, and a pot of bright red lilies.

If someone told me this was Rafayel's house, I wouldn't hesitate to believe them.

But when I asked if he had lived here for a long time because this kind of decor is usually found in places for people with long residences, he simply said that a friend had given him the house, so maybe that friend had decorated it in his style and left it there in case he needed it in the future.

I knew this was his usual way of avoiding an answer if he wanted to hide something. And it made sense. Why would Rafayel have a house on such a remote island, except for the local residents or curious people who wanted to explore the Lemurian ruins? If that were the case, it meant he had a past he hadn't told me about. I suddenly realized I might not know him as well as I thought.

When my phone buzzed a third time, I realized I'd been spacing out for quite a while. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I could immediately guess who had been texting me all morning. It was Rafayel who kept asking if I wanted a seafood breakfast, and really, only he would suggest something like that so early in the morning. Just as I was about to touch the screen to reply, I heard the door open, and the smell of the ocean mixed with his distinct scent and food filled the room. When Rafayel saw my dazed expression, still lying in bed, he chuckled and said,

'Cutie, it seems your sleep is about to turn into a fairy tale about a sleeping beauty.'

Without waiting for me to speak, he went straight to the round table by the corner of the wall, carrying the plate of food he had in his hand. The faint smell and vapors from the food also let me know that this was something he had just prepared. Before I could say anything, he went straight to the bathroom. The sound of running water echoed, and a moment later, a wet towel was draped over his arm along with a basin of water. His fluid movements left me stunned as I could only watch. Rafayel chuckled at my naive and silly expression. He sat down beside me and lifted my face to gently wipe it.

As he traced the lines of my face, Rafayel looked at me and teased, 'Haiz, I think I'm losing money on this deal. I hired you as my bodyguard, but it turns out I do more serving you than you do for me. I wonder if I can get a refund.'

I was silent, enjoying his gentle care, until I caught the distinctive salty smell of the sea.

'It's your honor to serve me, Mr. Rafayel. Now tell me why you got up so early this morning to go to the beach. You're not usually the type to wake up early, are you?'

'Silly girl, don't underestimate me! I need to exercise too, especially when I have the chance to come back here. Watching the sunrise and then immersing myself in the sea. The feeling of sinking into the water and forgetting all my troubles is the best way to de-stress.'

Rafayel flicked my forehead. 'If you're still feeling troubled by work, you should try it. I'll do my best to accompany you.'

I hit Rafayel, and he reflexively yelled. But before he could complain, I immediately pointed out a flaw in what he had just said.

'Rafayel, didn’t you always say you wanted to watch the sea or the sunset with me? So why didn’t you invite me this time? And by the way, what do you mean by getting de-stress?'

Rafayel sighed, looked at me, and stroked my hair from my temples to my face, then gently pinched my cheek.

‘You’re overthinking it, it’s just simply because I saw you sleeping so soundly, and I didn't want to wake you up, so while I was waiting for you to wake up, I had to do it by myself and for de-stressing, maybe from…not getting enough attention from you?’

Noticing a slight irregularity in Rafayel's voice, before he could finish, I quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, then looked straight into his bright cerulean blue eyes covered in fiery red with a determined expression and said,

"I want to do that with you from now until the end. So next time, don't forget to take me with you, no matter what happens, okay?"

Rafayel was momentarily surprised, but then he smiled softly, leaned down close to my cheek, and placed a kiss on it, watching the blush spread from my cheeks to my ears.

When satisfied with his handiwork, Rafayel replied, "Okay."

After we finished eating, it was time to carry out the plan that Rafayel had already set up, and the reason I emphasized that this plan was personally arranged by Rafayel was that he was determined to let me relax without a care in the world. It was in executing this plan that I realized Rafayel was more familiar with this place than I'd thought.

And that surprised me because he usually would proactively tell me things I needed to know, but perhaps this land, along with the buried past here, was something he didn't want me to touch. Not only that, deep in his eyes, there was a nameless sadness, like a fleeting nostalgia that quickly passed like a fish's tail gliding quickly across the palm of my hand, leaving me no time to grasp. Maybe I didn't understand Rafayel as much as I thought. I thought I understood a large part of him, but the chain of events of the past few days had revealed to me that I still had a long way to go.

I tried to learn more about what he hadn't revealed, but whenever I wanted to mention a part of that past, he would just pass it over with a calm tone as if it were just one of those trivial matters that didn't need to be mentioned - from the villages he had been to, to the streets he had walked. Everything he told me was like a third-person narration, not from the direct perspective of someone who had experienced it. I also asked if he was really happy when talking about those past times, and fortunately, because I knew he was a truthful person, instead of glossing over it, his answer through silence was proof of what I had guessed.

And that made me want to know more and more about him. So when I looked at the schedule for the last day, packed with places to go, from the harbor to the art gallery to the night market, I suddenly felt that I didn't want him to keep reminiscing about the unhappy memories anymore. I wanted to see him in a place where, although there was still a hint of nostalgia, he wouldn't feel suffocated. And that place was the guest house where we were staying.

That meant there was a possibility that today, both he and I would do nothing but look at each other. When he heard my suggestion, Rafayel was quite surprised and observed me for a moment as if trying to find something different about me, until he sighed and agreed.

"If you want, cutie..." he took my hand and gently kissed it. "I don't mind spending the whole day with you without doing anything. Luckily for us, I just found a flyer stating that there will be a seaside market near the shore around the afternoon when the fishermen have finished fishing, and they will also hold a small festival to celebrate the summer, so there will be fireworks by the shore. What do you think? That's also like doing nothing in this place, right?"

Fireworks and a seaside market? That's a great idea! I'm sure Rafayel would love it!

So I agreed immediately without hesitation.

The detailed plan for today was simplified drastically to "sit idly at home until there is a seaside market and fireworks in the late afternoon."

**************************************************************************************

The sounds of fishermen and vendors mingled with the excited chatter of shoppers, signaling to Rafayel and me that it was time for the seaside market. Conveniently, the market was located right next to the guesthouse Rafayel had arranged.

Hand in hand, we wandered towards the tents set up for the festival. It was quite different from what I had expected. Instead of just selling seafood, there was a wide variety of other items characteristic of the region. From seashells to thatched hut decorations, necklaces and bracelets made of pearls and stones, created mysterious sea colors. To emphasize the summer atmosphere, a multitude of Hawaiian-style shirts were sold everywhere in the stalls. Before I could tear my eyes away from all the goods, Rafayel had placed a straw hat on my head, having bought it from a nearby stall without me noticing.

“You’ll need this when walking by the sea in the afternoon, or you’ll end up like a dried fish,” he said with a smile. Seeing him wearing a similar hat, I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this memorable moment.

“Then I have to save a picture of you before you turn into dried fish too!” I teased. Rafayel grabbed my phone. “If we share the fun, we have to share the misfortune!”

Our laughter somewhat eased my mind as I thought about the part of Rafayel I didn't know. I told myself perhaps now wasn’t the right time to delve deeper.

But fate had other plans.

As we took photos, a heated argument erupted at a nearby stall. A customer, with a fierce expression, was holding a pearl and was berating the young boy behind the counter. “A trivial pearl like this, and you dare to say it’s priceless and charge a sky-high price? Do you know the price of pearls is going down? If you don’t sell it cheap, no one will buy it!”

The boy, almost tearful, replied, “No...this pearl is truly priceless...very precious...I can't sell it to you like that…”

Just as the customer was about to get physical, Rafayel intervened, grabbing the customer's hand and examining the pearl.

“Hmm, a very fine, aged pearl. Truly priceless, not something you can buy with money. Unlike someone who didn’t even know its true worth and still dared to make himself a bargain.”

Rafayel glanced at the customer and with a force only the man could feel, he snatched the pearl, wiped it with his sleeve, and handed it back to the boy.

“You're right. This pearl is priceless, and priceless things shouldn't be sold carelessly.”

The boy stammered, “But...I need money to…”

“Alright,” Rafayel interrupted, “if you want to sell, I can buy it and give it back to you, and of course, I won’t do it for free. So the condition for returning it is that you let me meet the owner of this shop, is that okay?”

The boy looked from Rafayel to me and then to the angry customer. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and said he would tell the owner.

When the owner met Rafayel, I felt indescribable, as if they were old acquaintances who hadn't seen each other in a very long time. As they went into the hut behind to talk, I grabbed the boy and asked about the stall owner.

The boy called the owner “Grandpa”. Grandpa was the one who had taken care of him as he once lived in an orphanage. The boy also said that “Grandpa” was very knowledgeable about the island, everything from tides to weather. He loved “Grandpa” very much, but “Grandpa’s” health had been declining lately as if he was sick even though Grandpa always told him there was nothing to worry about. With his small mind, he only knew that if “Grandpa” was ill, he would have to see a doctor, which would require a lot of money. But “Grandpa” rarely asked for help, especially from people wearing white coats, and Grandpa also forbade him from selling anything except for what Grandpa caught or made, and the money earned from those small items was very little. So while Grandpa was resting behind the stall, he had tried to sell the gift the man had given him: a pearl as bright as the moonlight shining on the sky when the tides ebb and flow. That's how we were able to encounter the scene today.

After putting everything together, I had a feeling of who the stall owner was. There may be some things I need to ask to clarify.

As I finished my conversation with the boy, Rafayel and the stall owner emerged. Before I could speak, Rafayel took my hand and said,

"Let's go, there are still many other stalls waiting."

He turned to the stall owner and said in a serious tone, "As the old saying goes, if you need anything, we're still here."

The stall owner laughed as if this was something he often heard. "I know, I know. If you keep saying that, you'll become an old man. But let me have a few words with this young lady."

Rafayel looked at me as if asking for permission, and I nodded without hesitation.

As I approached, the stall owner looked at me for a long time and sighed, "That boy, although he talks a lot and has quite a sharp tongue, still withholds a gentle nature. So would you mind taking care of him?"

"Don't worry, that's my plan!" I proudly replied. Seeing my sparkling eyes, the old man sighed as if a weight had been lifted from his heart. He looked directly at Rafayel and me and suddenly bowed, surprising me a little.

But before I could stop him, he looked at us and said, "Well, I wish you both a happy outing. Be careful because..." He whispered, "It will rain tonight, so you'll have to find something else to do."

To my surprise, the old man and the boy waved goodbye as Rafayel held my hand and led me away from the stall, leaving behind a multitude of unanswered questions.

The sun was setting, turning the sky a deep red. The stalls were winding down as people eagerly awaited the evening's fireworks. Yet, between Rafayel and me, there seemed to be an invisible divide.

Since our encounter with the mysterious stall owner, who seemed to be an old acquaintance of Rafayel's, his mood had been down, despite his attempts to hide it by avoiding more profound questions.

He could explain the stall owner's background but seemed reluctant to discuss the man's current condition or why he was on the island in the first place.

There were too many intertwined secrets, and I had an intuition that these secrets held the key to understanding Rafayel's true self, a facet of him I had yet to discover.

This led me to bolder speculations. Perhaps this was the true emotion he had always held, and I had only realized it now because he had hidden it so well. While I acknowledged that his genuine, happy smiles were always associated with the moments he spent with me, it was only when he mentioned his "past," the time before we met, when he was still in Lemuria, that he seemed distant. And it was largely due to my inattentiveness; I hadn't truly focused on learning more about him.

Determined, I decided it was time for Rafayel and me to break through this invisible veil. I wanted to understand him better, including the things that might have hurt him in the past and the scars he tried to hide from me.

I wanted to know everything, to understand him better, only because I loved him as much as he had, was, and would love me.

Taking a deep breath, I took Rafayel's hand, who was still busy introducing the stalls in front of us. A determined look in my eyes conveyed my steadfastness, catching him off guard for a moment. But finally, he sighed in defeat. He squeezed my hand and stroked my palm gently as he said.,

"There's an open space on the other side of the dunes. Would you like to sit and watch the sunset while we wait for the fireworks?"

I nodded gently. The four footprints treaded side by side towards the base of a tree on the other side of the dunes.

The gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the blue sea mixed with the sand, creating a slightly itchy damp feeling, like rolling in the sand while still wet. It was uncomfortable and stuffy. Perhaps that was also the feeling the Lemurians had to face and adapt to when they first hesitantly set foot on the shore.

We both remained silent, watching the sun gradually set on the horizon until I decided to break it.

"Rafayel, you don't have to tell me more details. But at least you can share the basics about you. After all, those basics will help me understand you and your origins better."

Rafayel rested his head on his hand and looked at me intently. "What do you mean by basics?"

I took a deep breath and looked straight at him. "By basics, I mean things revolving around your daily life or at least how you feel. For example, how did you, as a merman, feel when you first stepped onto land? Did your feet, accustomed to swimming, hurt when you first learned to walk? Or did you feel lonely in a strange place? You may not need to tell me what happened, but at least how you felt when experiencing those."

Rafayel's eyes seemed covered in darkness immediately after hearing my questions. He lowered his head and let out a bitter chuckle before looking back at the sky, which was gradually darkening as the sun had set.

"So if I say it hurts, or I'm lonely, what will you do? I'm not naive. Who's to say that those past experiences and feelings weren't all fabricated by me to trap you?"

"Rafayel!"

I took his chin and pulled him to face me. "Look into my eyes."

Rafayel, startled, slowly turned his gaze from the dark sky to meet mine. "...Why? Why do you insist on knowing this? Isn't it easier to not know?"

Just as I was about to reply, a loud clap of thunder echoed through the sky, followed by heavy rain. Oh...just like the old man said...it's raining...

Before I could react, Rafayel quickly wrapped his arms around me, trying to shield me from the pouring rain. But the rain was coming down so hard that everyone had to seek shelter in the stalls being cleaned up, except for me, who was still in Rafayel's arms and protected by him.

But I didn't want to be protected like this...I wanted to face it with him.

My impulsiveness caused me to act faster than I thought. Amid the heavy rain, I grabbed Rafayel's hand and ran straight towards the guesthouse.

The sound of the rain pattering on the ground seemed to separate Rafayel and me from the outside world. This separation became even clearer when we finally reached the door and got inside. It was just him and me in our own space.

The heavy breaths mingled with the raindrops gradually falling to the ground made the atmosphere around us change invisibly.

When my sudden sneeze broke the silence, Rafayel quickly grabbed my hand and led me towards the bathroom. The sound of running water carried the warmth that gradually emanated from the bathtub. While Rafayel was still focused on preparing the bath, I continued to look at him and said what I hadn't been able to say in the downpour earlier.

"I want to know, Rafayel. Because I love you and want to understand you better, including the aspects you consider ugly and not worth mentioning."

After a long silence, Rafayel sighed. He approached me, touched my cheek, and said with a gentle voice.

"Alright, I can start by writing a book or telling you 1001 stories of the Lemurian people. Now go to the bathtub and rest, I'll wait for you.”

As Rafayel was about to leave after ensuring I was settled in the tub, my hand quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. My sudden action caused Rafayel to pause, and before he could pry my hand away, he lost his balance and fell into the bathtub.

Silence enveloped us until Rafayel took a deep breath and chuckled as if he had no choice.

Rafayel leaned against the side of the tub opposite me. The hem of his bathrobe was askew, almost like an invitation.

"So you want me to stay here? In this state? Just to find the answer to what you've always wondered?"

I looked at him and reached out to where his heart was beating. "Yes, I want to know more about you."

Rafayel took my hand and rubbed it gently on his cheek. "So what do you want to know?"

"You don't have to be specific, but you could start with...how your Lemurian people express affection?" I firmly acclaimed.

"You really want to know?" Rafayel moved his hand from my wrist to my fingers and gently placed a kiss on it, slowly saying, "When Lemurians fall in love with someone…All our senses are committed to perceiving them without questions."

Before he could finish, I moved my finger to touch his lips and stroked them. "You mean...like this?"

Rafayel chuckled. "Your way of triggering my “sense” has only touched the surface."

I chuckled too. Because, of course, this touch didn't stop there. To prove my point, my hand gradually traced along his neck and went down to where I had touched earlier.

Rafayel's body stiffened with each movement of my finger, signaling that he was also becoming tense. "You...are all humans so foolish...this isn't just about touching..."

Before he could finish, my finger went even deeper to places I wouldn't usually wander. And by now, even Rafayel couldn't stay calm. His eyes darkened, only faintly lighting up when lightning flashed across the dark sky, illuminating the entire space for a moment, revealing shades of deep blue and fiery red. Before I could react, he pushed me onto my back while holding himself above me with his arms. My whole body was submerged in water, enveloped by his strong body.

Rafayel looked straight at me with a frown.

"Do you know what you're doing?"

With his words, the thunder roared continuously, signaling something big was about to happen. I knew what it was, and I was the one who was looking forward to it. "I know. And I know you're looking forward to it, too."

Rafayel looked at me intently with eyes I'd never seen before. It was as if I were prey being watched by a predator, and in the blink of an eye, I could be attacked without a chance to fight back.

Our heartbeat gradually filled the silent air, drowning out the thunder outside. Even I couldn't tell whose heartbeat was so strong, mine or the person I loved who was facing me. But no matter who it belonged to, I knew the hidden intention.

Rafayel finally spoke after his hand gently stroked my lips. "I'm looking forward to it because it's from you."

His entire body leaned down as he pressed his lips against mine. A warm sensation appeared between our lips. From the familiar, it gradually turned strange. This kiss...was different...so intense...so passionate...and so unfamiliar... Could this also be another part of him?

Our heavy breathing continued after the passionate kiss he had given. It was frantic, as if devouring. There was no more thinking or reason. Only passion and intensity. My warmth caused him, a merman, to exclaim, "And you’re warm, I like that."

Somehow, those words touched my heart. They recalled many legends I had once heard, and one vaguely mentioned how mermen didn't like the heat and how difficult it was for them to adapt to the warmth. But for him to say that he loved my warmth, how much had he had to endure to adapt to that extent?

When Rafayel looked at me intently after the passionate kiss ended, I couldn't help but reach out, hold his face within my two palms, and gently caress it, which was unfamiliar and slightly different from usual. I uttered the words that I thought from the bottom of my heart.

"Rafayel...this different side of you...is it still you?"

Immediately after hearing that question, his eyes sadly looked down for a moment, but as if reassuring himself, after a moment, he looked up at me and said, his voice mixed with a little self-doubt and a touch of pleading, "So will you still love me no matter what I become?"

I suddenly realized. It turned out that he was worried about me no longer loving him after discovering his past?

Silly Rafayel, how can I tell him that my love for him can no longer be taken back?

Ignoring all reason, my body acted on the most primal instinct. I grabbed the necklace around his neck and pulled him down hard, leaving a bite mark on it. I bit down fiercely as if to leave a strong and unfaded mark, a mark to say that he belonged to me no matter what might happen.

And to his surprise, I reached out and touched the bite mark, uttering the crazy words I had hidden deep in my heart and now had the opportunity to express. "Rafayel, just to let you know, when you’re madly in love, human often have the urge to mark their territory. And this mark of yours is no different."

His eyes were filled with a thousand emotions, and one of them I could see was relief. It seemed that he, too, understood my feelings for him as much as he had always had for me.

So Rafayel, please don’t be hesitant to open yourself up to me as well.

As if reading my mind, Rafayel pressed his body against mine again and whispered a word only he could understand the depth of. "If you say so, then join me. Let’s drown in the ocean. Together."

Despite the pouring rain and the constant thunder in the sky, in that room, only two minds were sinking together into the current of the waves of love.

**********************************************************************

On that unforgettable night, as I drifted off to sleep, I heard Rafayel's faint voice telling me the first story he had promised in the collection of 1001 Lemurian stories. As mentioned in his first story, I vaguely recalled the image of the Sea God in the dream I had afterward.

Like in a film, I saw the image of that sea god swimming from under the sea to the shore. Then, from the shore, he wandered aimlessly in the endless night. I desperately wanted to reach out but couldn't get close. And that scene repeated over and over until I finally took on a definite form, the form of a traveler standing on the shore after my countless silent prayers just to get closer to that sea god. But instead of the Sea God, in front of my traveler form was the image of a merman whose eyes I was familiar with. And even before the merman raised his singing voice, I rushed forward and grabbed his hand, his cold, lonely hand, and hugged him tightly and gave him the warmth only I could give. And in return, I received from him a warmth that comforted my soul despite all the chaotic melodies in the outside world.

A breeze blew past me, carrying the salty scent of the sea, gradually waking me up from the bittersweet dream I was encountering. Facing me was the sunrise on the horizon hidden behind the seashore. And I was wrapped in warm blankets and cuddled deep in Rafayel's warmth.

Rafayel….he always remembered…no matter what I said despite how nonsensical they were sometimes.

Thank you, Rafayel, for always keeping your promise to me.

So this time, let me also make an unbreakable promise.

Lying quietly in Rafayel's arms and watching the sunrise, I made a silent wish.

I hope that you and I will always be together.

Forever. Despite all obstacles.

All for love.

[deepspacezaynesmaster]

Quad Banner

PoC MC edits

POC Edits by CybillaFräulein

Delulu for you toolulu

Zayne Fluffy Treatment, Rafayel Tailwag Moment, Xavier Floof Attack, Sylus Goodcat Code

[little-starr-bunny]

ASDFGHJKL I DID IT!!! I FINALLY REACH LEVEL 100 AFFINITY WITH XAVIER!!