“Summer heat is bad for fish and crows”
[crowfish crack-fluff, domestic one shot]
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ🐦⬛*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ🐟*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧: *✧
It almost sounded paradoxical but Rafayel despised summer.
The sweat pearling on skin, the clothes trapping the heat and the scorching sun that made the air too heavy to breathe even after it set… he loathed it all.
When the weather warmed up, all Rafayel craved to do was drawing the curtains close, turning on the fans and soaking in the bathtub for hours. He didn’t have the strength to hold a paint brush and his frying brain couldn't think of anything to draw. So he put his phone in do not disturb mode after sending a text to Thomas and prevented any kind of persuasion his agent might have attempted to make him do any work.
The cool water lazily lapped at his skin as Rafayel lay in the tub, dozing off for a bit. He couldn’t help himself, the constant buzzing of the fans paired with the seasonal tiredness lulled him into a state of relaxation.
The echo of the door getting unlocked stirred him awake, his eyebrows furrowing in annoyance as he heard footsteps walking in the main room. Reluctantly, he stepped out of the tub and reached out to wrap a towel around his waist.
Droplets of water ran down his bare torso and some even hit the floor, but Rafayel was too preoccupied to find out who had just barged into his place to mind.
“Hurry up! Get some ice-packs from the fridge-”
His feet came to a halt at the doorstep and he blinked in surprise to see Luke and Kieran fretting around while Sylus held a bundle of wet towels in one hand and his phone on the other.
“What are all you doing here?”
His question made Kieran stop mid-action from removing his mask and Luke stilled with his hand outstretched towards the doorknob of the kitchen. While Sylus let out a heavy sigh and tapped at his phone screen before pocketing it.
“You didn’t answer my call,” he said, crimson meeting indigo as their gazes locked.
Rafayel briefly glanced around as he realised that he didn’t even remember where he had left his phone, and then he crossed his arms, frowning at Sylus.
“So you just barged in?” He tried to play the offended part but his cheeks flushed pink when Sylus held up the keys of the MO Art Studio he had handed himself.
With an embarrassed gesture of his hand, Rafayel gave the twins permission to make themselves at home while he stepped closer to Sylus. He avoided looking up and seeing the amused smirk tugging at his boyfriend’s lips, and he diverted his attention to the bundle of towels in his arms instead. Curiously, he reached out and tugged at the hem to discover Mephisto -hot metal at the touch and electronic eyes half-closed.
“We’re looking for shelter from the heat,” Sylus explained, his voice low and gentler than before.
The N109 Zone wasn't built with comfort in mind. Concrete, metal and endless machinery trapped heat and the air shimmered above rooftops. It wasn’t like the Onychinus Base wasn’t equipped with a technological system of ventilation... but it was getting almost claustrophobic staying there and when Mephisto's temperature regulators started acting up, Sylus gave in and listened to the twins’ pleas to go somewhere else cooler.
“But I didn’t show up empty-handed to take advantage of my boyfriend’s generosity…”
That made Rafayel lift his gaze and follow Sylus’ nod to see a wide, heavy-looking cool bag beside the foot of the sofa.
“I bought the fancy strawberries-and-cream ice cream you like very much,” Sylus leaned down and whispered close to his ear just to see Rafayel fight back a happy smile.
After a pause, he tilted his head to the side and let the tip of his nose deliberately brush against Sylus’ one just to tease him back.
“Alright, you can stay over.”
A chorus of thanks came from the twins as they put a big bowl full of ice in the middle of the coffee-table and took Mephisto from their boss’ arms to carefully put it in there, perched atop damp towels to cool down.
“I’m going to grab some fresh clothes for you to change in,” Rafayel offered as he took Sylus’ free hand in his, their fingers locking together, and receiving a gentle squeeze in return.
He led the way towards the bedroom and once they were out the twins’ sight, Sylus tugged him close and captured him in a hug. His chest pressed against Rafayel’s bare back, unbothered by the fact that his clothes were getting wet, and he nuzzled his nose against the purple, wavy locks still damp from the bath.
“Smells good…” Sylus’ lips brushed against his temple, leaving a soft kiss there.
Rafayel chuckled in amusement at the affectionate display and leaned back against him, a hand reaching to cup his jawline tenderly. “Would you like to refresh yourself…?”
“Shameless,” Rafayel scoffed at the suggestion, even if his heart skipped a beat at the temptation.
He wouldn’t ever risk being indecent with Sylus when the twins were just a few rooms away… after all, Luke and Kieran were just beginning to look up at him with the same admiration they reserved towards their boss.
Freeing himself from the embrace, Rafayel kissed his jawline and then stepped back patting his shoulder. Sylus grumbled in discontent but understood the silent message and went into the bathroom to take a cold shower.
After a while, they were all lounging in the living room together.
The twins sat on the armchairs eating popsicles and wearing light, fresh clothes that were completely different from their usual dark attire... but at least they looked comfortable now.
A more active Mephisto was nesting atop damp towels on the coffee table, while Sylus rested on the sofa with one arm draped over the backrest and a spoon on the other hand.
Beside him, there was Rafayel happily eating his strawberries-and-cream ice cream and scolding his boyfriend every time he tried to steal some too.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ🐦⬛✧🐦⬛✧🐦⬛✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧: *✧: *✧:
I recently got Rafayel's “Fish’s Devotion” call, and right on time the weather is getting hot where I live too. Since I loathe the summer heat just as much as our dear fishie, I got inspired to write this small crowfish oneshot! 🙃
The idea came to me while I was sitting in the car, the sun making the inside feel like hell fires, and I thought… would the N109 Zone be cooler during summer? Or since it’s a place where there are no norms or regards for pollution and contamination, would it be actually way hotter than Linkon City?
I imagined Sylus flinch when Mephisto tries to perch on his shoulder like usual because due to its metallic body, the bird would be scorching hot- or worse! The heat would make the poor Mephie malfunction and see it would break Sylus’ heart, so he decides to listen to the twins’ pleas to go somewhere cooler to rest and… voilà!
Everybody is at Mo Art Studio. Rafayel is dumbfounded, both from the heat and the fact that his place is crowded all of a sudden, but of course he let them stay over and survive the heatwave together.
It was such a sweet, domestic picture in my head that I wanted to share it with you.
I hope you enjoy this headcanon of mine. 🥰
[Taglist: @thehyperfixationgirly ... ]
[To read more of this, check out in the masterlist “Like Blood in the Water”]
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