Nympha

Romance and love wasn't exactly something Rafayel was overflowing with.

He had this everlasting bond tethered to MC, a woman who happened to be the little girl he had met when he was a young Lemurian. It seemed like he was waiting lifetimes to see her again, but despite that, the bond was merely a faint afterthought in this current life.

MC was in love with this doctor from Akso Hospital, a childhood friend apparently, according to her after he practically pestered her to spill the beans on her private life.

It left a bitter feeling in his heart, knowing he wasn't the only one who shared these moments of youth with her. Especially when she never returned back to the beach they met, a promise that was never fulfilled ever again.

She had forgotten him it seemed, and only ever remembered bits and pieces when they met as adults. Though their meeting wasn't exactly a happy reunion, she was simply a woman getting leads for her job.

A hunter meeting an artist. Once acquaintances, and now maybe somewhat friends. Begrudgingly, he supposed. He's probably messaged her more times than she did, her answers often short and brief.

Rafayel told himself it was fine, that not being the one in her heart as long as she was happy and thriving was enough for him. It didn't heal the growing loneliness within himself however.

He thought he hid it well, always masking such pain with playful sarcasm and well-placed smiles. No one in the media could tell the difference, he was just a famous artist with the exuberance of a man that was extremely talented and desired.

Though, the ones close in his life, like his aunt Thalia and Thomas, knew that when he was not in front of cameras or a canvas, he was a much different person than what is perceived.

There were many days where he would lay motionless in his bed with shut doors, his dissociative eyes lingering past the vast ocean from his windows as morning and night passed like an excruciating blur.

He was just escaping out of such a rut, at the insistence of Thomas who came by that morning after not hearing him for the past week.

It wasn't a big deal to him. So what if he didn't move or eat much for those few days? He'll get back to normal soon enough.

It's why he decided to don on some casual beach clothes and take his DSLR camera with him after all of Thomas's nagging and begrudging reluctance to eat breakfast.

He eventually reasoned with Thomas enough that if he took some pictures out by the beaches of Whitesand Bay today, he should at least be able to have enough inspiration to start the commissioned paintings.

Which wasn't a total lie, it's just part of it was so he could get some fresh air and more time to himself. Luckily, Thomas nodded with a tired sigh, parting with him at his house to who knows where in order to do all the busy work that comes with maintaining an artist.

Rafayel spent what seemed like hours walking across the coastline, trekking past the threshold of his home to the more public areas of the beach. With time, he started to see more faces around.

Couples, families, tourists... All of them living in their own little bubbles while he walked past them by his lonesome.

He did as he said he would, taking pictures of the oceanic landscape and inhabitants enjoying it.

Smiles and lighthearted laughter accompanied the rhythmic crashing of waves, the subtle sizzle and pop of damp sand being touched with seafoam. The golden sun was set high, a few clouds swirling in the blue skies. Winds smelled of salt and memories, his mind whisking him to a nostalgic, yet melancholy time.

Everything around him felt like a painting. Tangible and beautiful, but completely out of his grasp to step into. He felt as though he had no part of it, no ties like everyone else did.

He had no lover's hand to hold while walking, no child of his own following him around with sea shells to show him, not even a friend to converse with under a large, colorful parasol.

He was... alone. Painfully so.

With a long, somber exhale, Rafayel adjusts his camera's strap around his neck before bringing it up to take more photos. At this point it was becoming tedious work rather than bringing him anything joyful.

Another view of the ocean. Click.

Sprawling sands with people doing various activities. Click.

A woman crouched down with her phone pointed towards the sand...

Before his index finger could press the capture button, he paused and continued to stare through the viewfinder.

She seemed like an ordinary woman, wearing her light blue jean shorts, a loose summer camisole, and a cream colored crocheted sweater over top it all.

Her hair wisped around her face from the ocean breeze, her sandal covered feet shifting against the sand as she moved her phone horizontally and vertically a bunch of times.

He wouldn't think much of it, if not for her expression.

Her eyes were bright, blinking with crinkled eyes and a wide smile that made the apples of her cheeks that much more rounder. An ordinary face, or so he wanted to believe.

Rafayel couldn't help but be curious to what was so interesting on the ground, his camera zooming and pointing downward. With a focused squint of his eye through the viewfinder, his eyebrow slowly raised in surprised realization.

Crabs. Speckled and spotted ones.

She was enamored by the little scuttle of them heading sideways away from her. Her fingers could be seen frantically capturing the movement, following as they scurried further and further towards the shore.

Even from this distance, he could see the inaudible chuckle she lets out to herself as she was procuring her album with a scroll and tap of her index finger. He didn't know why, but he almost wished he could see what was so funny. As though he wanted to join in on her fun.

Rafayel blinks back into focus when he realizes she's moved from his camera view, his head raising up to notice she was heading off further down the beach. Without much of a plan, his feet started taking him forward, following her every little action.

Every so often she pauses when she finds a colorful shell, stuffing it into her pocket before surveying the sands again. He kept himself a short distance away, stopping and trailing behind when necessary.

He tried to appear nonchalant, pointing his camera elsewhere with a small melodic hum while he looked at her from the corner of his eye.

There was nothing fascinating about what she was doing. People shell collect and take pictures of the beach all the time. It was nothing special. So then why was he picking up on all her subtle mannerisms?

Her hand repeatedly brushed her hair away from her face when the winds would pick up, which only made her sweater sleeves drop back and forth down from her elbows to her knuckles.

Clumps of sand were definitely getting into her sandals and in between her toes, making her waddle similarly to a duck. That managed to get a undignified snort out of him that he was hardly able to restrain with a back of his hand.

It was only when she stopped for a final time, crouching down in front of a group of hermit crabs that his body practically froze on the spot.

What now? Wait until she's finished taking pictures again?

Surely to anyone taking notice of this would say he looks a bit creepy, standing off to the side just staring at her.

But what would he say? He wasn't a stranger to talking with, well, strangers.

He didn't understand where this hesitation he was feeling right now was coming from.

It was almost as if he was afraid to disturb her peace with his presence. Would she even want him there or be bothered by some random man coming up to her?

His fingers tapped along the edges of his camera, lips pursing in thought.

He was tempted to leave now as the awkwardness seeped into his very body, but when he sees her eyes sparkle over the crabs and a soft giggle leave her lips, something told him that the embarrassment of not knowing what would happen was worse than leaving and never seeing her again.

With a small huff of breath through his nose, he finds the courage to get his own sandals moving across the warm sand.

"Taking pictures of crabs?" He asks once he was a few feet from her.

His voice makes her head whip up, the upturn of her round eyes causing a momentary lapse in his attempted suave demeanor.

Cute.

Why was the first thing that came to mind was that she looked cute?

And why was he feeling more fidgety and clammier than before?

"Ah, sorry, am I in your way?" She frantically voices out, quickly getting up into a standing position with her phone held tightly in one hand.

His eyes darted down to the hermit crabs scurrying off at the sudden commotion before slowly raising them back up to her, offering a small smile.

"Oh, no, it's fine. You're not." He notes, bringing a hand to nervously run through his hair, "Sooo, I was just curious... What's the pictures for?"

"Hm? Oh, uh, just for myself."

"Ah, right. I guess a lot of people do, huh. Do you... post them?"

"Um, well... sometimes, on my Moments account." She mumbles, her gaze flitting to her phone.

Was her cheeks getting flushed the longer they talked? It was hard not to notice in the bright sunlight.

Rafayel had to hold back an intrigued smirk, choosing instead to tilt his head in teasing inquisitiveness.

"Ooh, I see. A famous influencer, huh?"

She lets out a sudden snort, or really more like a chortle, at the tease. Their eyes both widened at the same time as soon as the sound left her throat, but his was more out of surprise compared to her more flustered mortification.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh like that."

His smile rose significantly, shaking his head.

"It's okay. Glad you liked my humor. I'm Rafayel, by the way."

"...Nonmc." She murmurs, giving a subtle smile back in greeting, "Nice to meet you."

His shoulder straightened at the pleasant introductions, somewhat pleased to have accomplished such a thing. Well, at least first impressions were going good so far.

"You know, phone cameras are good, but they always miss the finer details." He explains, tapping a hand against the side of the DLSR camera hanging around his neck, "Wanna try mine?"

Her eyebrows rose, lips parting into adorable confusion.

"Huh? Oh, I... I don't know. I feel like I'll break it or something."

"Don't worry, just follow my lead. Here, you can put the strap around your neck."

Nonmc sputters quietly, wanting to protest but failing to do so as he enthusiastically tugged the camera strap off his shoulders and gently put it around hers instead.

She could only blink rapidly as he helped lift her hair up that was getting caught under the strap, his fingers brushing against the edges of her crocheted sweater.

"Heavy?" He asks with a gentle cadence.

"...A little."

"You'll get the hand of it, I'm sure. Here, put your hands on each side of the camera like how I did."

She follows his gestures with tentative movements, raising her eyebrows for approval. He nods in agreement, moving to her side and pointing at sections of the camera with his index finger.

"Just like that! Now, you can look through here. The zoom scroll is up there and you click this button to capture."

She hums softly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

Rafayel was quite near to her shoulder, the speckles of pink and blue in his eyes becoming a bit mesmerizing. She swallowed thickly, calming her nervous beating heart and focusing on his instructions.

After a few adjustments and a steady squint of her eye through the viewfinder, there is an audible click that sounds off as she takes a picture. She pulls back slightly, scrunching her nose at the small screen where her created image popped up from.

A simple landscape shot of the shoreline, the edges shaky and slightly tilted.

"...I think it came out blurry." She mentions with a disappointed pout.

He glanced away from the camera's screen, taking in her features while she was busy scrolling the zoom pad to examine her mistakes. The pucker of her plush lips, the slope of her round nose, the eyelashes upon her eyes that looked full of bubbly life.

"I messed it up, Rafayel." She added, turning to him with furrowed eyebrows.

"That's okay. It was the first try."

Nonmc still hums sadly, one of her hands reaching for the camera strap as though she was ready to hand it back after her failed attempt. He immediately hovers up a hand to stop her, shaking his head quickly.

"Don't stop now. You just started!"

"But I already tested it out..."

"Mm-mm, you only took one photo. Try taking some more. Come onnn, don't tell me you're actually busy right now."

"Well, I..." She glances around the beach, the picturesque atmosphere too tempting to explore with the camera, "I guess I wasn't."

"Then I'll follow your lead! The SD card has a lot of memory, so do it to your heart's content!"

"Are you sure..?"

"Positive! I won't take my camera back until I'm satisfied."

She puffs up her cheeks in thought, the adorable expression stirring up his heart for reasons he couldn't explain. Only once she nodded back did he smile widely in accomplishment.

Just as Rafayel said he would, he followed her lead around even when he knew the beaches and coasts of Whitesand Bay like the back of his hand.

He's been here countless of times, it didn't matter if it was early morning or the dwindling hours of night. This, however, was the first time he walked here with the purpose of seeing through the eyes of someone else.

Where his walks were usually for quiet, solemn contemplation, hers was brimming with curiosity. She had been shy at the start, nervously clicking the capture button with less-than confident intention.

After a half hour of crouching and pointing the camera as far or as close as she wanted to, his words full of encouragement sprinkled in here and there for each picture taken, she started to have this pep in her step that signified just how much she had been warming up to doing this activity.

It was odd. Usually he was more cautious in offering his things to others or at worse, potentially feeling the incidental touch of another. With her, she was respectful, murmuring little apologies and giving reassuring smiles to show she meant no harm if her shoulder brushed his or something similar.

Her hands were gentle around his camera too, holding it with such care as to not let it dangle precariously around her neck or allow sand to enter the small crevices.

Nonmc was receptive to advice he had on any pictures she took, sometimes even giggling at his teasing remarks rather than taking them as serious jabs. At some point, he was simply fishing for more conversation, listening to her hum or mumble an answer in response to his mindless babbling.

He learned of little tidbits. Work, family, hobbies... even nonsensical facts like what color her shell would be if she was a hermit crab herself.

She took it all in stride, answering with as much enthusiasm she could muster around flushed, embarrassed cheeks. Even when he alluded to his fame as an artist, which she seemed at least a bit aware of, she still didn't pry on anything that anyone else would have taken the chance to.

People usually cared to know about how much money he had or what other famous people he knew, but she never asked. Instead, she began with questioning what were his favorite types of paints and brushes to use.

It seemed like all she wanted to know was what made him become an artist in the first place. She was interested in the inner workings of his mind, or at least what he'd allow her to see. He never expected that each time he'd offer up a new fact to learn about him, that her eyes would sparkle in awe.

It was different. To be seen as Rafayel, rather than Rafayel, the artist.

Soon enough, the sun that was high within the sky had dipped close to the ocean's horizon, leaving the beach in a dark orange glow. He takes that chance to eventually seat himself on the cooling sand, gesturing for her to take the spot next to him.

"Come on, let's sit here and review what you've taken so far."

Nonmc hums in agreement, lowering herself down so she could sit and tug the camera strap off from around her neck. Her thumb would then start to press down on the arrow button for the camera's dial every so often, pursing her lips at each image popping up on the screen.

"I think I took too many photos."

"It's fineee. We can choose and delete any you don't like. Sound good?"

"I guess so..."

And so that's what led them to just procuring her photography session for the next half hour, the gentle waves crashing against the shoreline and the occasional conversation of people passing by giving that comfortable, almost cozy feeling to the atmosphere.

"Sooo... what brought you to Whitesand Bay in the first place anyways?" He asks as she was silently looking over the photos, his hands fidgeting with a colorful rock that was nearby.

"Hm? Oh, it's my day off today so I decided to come to the beach. I figured I'd go to one of the best ones."

"You do that often? Going to beaches?"

"Ugh, I wish, but sadly no. Actually, it's probably been a few years since I really visited a beach before."

"Oh? City life problems?"

"Yeah." She answers with a soft huff of laughter, "Something like that."

Nonmc lets out a long sigh, lowering the camera to rest over her lap so she could gaze out at the waters.

"I remember I used to come to the beach all the time when I was younger. My friends and I used to play mermaids."

Rafayel snorts, the mention of that little game feeling a bit ironic when she was literally sitting next to what would be a merman.

"Mermaids..?" He repeated with a playful raise of his eyebrows.

"Hah, yeah, we'd bring our own twine and jewelry kits to make stuff from the ocean. Shells, rocks... you name it. We'd spent all day crowning ourselves with our jewelry and pretending to be different mermaid princesses presenting our gifts."

Somehow learning that she was playing pretend-Lemurian did amuse him. He even wondered what she'd look like as one.

What kind of shimmering scales would she have? Purple? Aqua? Maybe blue like his?

He thought it would have been nice if she was actually Lemurian, knowing he could have grown up with someone like her. He kind of liked the idea, to be honest.

Nonmc clears her throat right after, her eyes going downcast with a dejected smile.

"I must seem pretty weird to you, huh." She mentions in a dull tone, making him furrow his eyebrows slightly in confusion.

"Why do you say that?"

"I... I'm very quiet and... I usually don't talk to people for very long. It's why I stumble on my words and go into these long tangents that no one really cares about. I'm just... I'm not like you."

"What? 'Not like you'? Please, I'm not perfect either."

"That's not true."

"Hah, come onnnn, you're flattering me."

"I mean it."

"Yeah, yeahhh."

"I'm..! I'm telling the truth!" She suddenly exclaims in annoyance, staring at him with wide eyes before darting them away bashfully from her outburst, "I... I mean, I think you are... in my opinion."

Rafayel blinks over at her profile in bewilderment, before suddenly bursting into a bright chuckle. Her face burns from his laughter, her lips settling into a deep frown.

"No, no, don't be upset, I'm not laughing at you." He reassures her, waving his hands up to dismiss the notion, "Honestly, I think you're way off the mark for yourself."

"...Huh?"

"Well, you wanna talk about being perfect? You're actually quite confident yourself."

"Me? No way."

"Why not? Look at you, you're talking to me right now. Telling me about your interests, your whole life. Who can confidently talk about that?"

"That's because I'm getting comfortable. Besides... we'll probably never see each other again anyways, so it's just easier this way."

His eyebrows knit tightly together at that, his head moving in closer with an accusatory gaze.

"What do you mean we won't see each other again? Aren't we friends?"

"H-Huh? Are we..?" She sputters, blinking rapidly at his sudden near proximity.

"Seriously? We took pictures all afternoon and are chit-chatting together. Or is it because we didn't play mermaids? Well, excuuuse me, I didn't know I was supposed to bring twine and jewelry kits to the beach today in order to make a new friend."

His miffed demeanor, that pout and fiery stare... She couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth as more of it threatened to spill.

"Oh, now you're laughing at me? How dare you!" He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Geez... You know, you're... kind of dorky."

"Me, dorky?!" Rafayel practically cries out, making her shush him as people walking by turned their heads at the commotion, "I am not dorky!"

"Oh my god, Rafayel, It's not an insult. I meant dorky in a... cute kind of way."

He harrumphs, but at least quiets down at hearing her admit he was cute and perfect. How could he not preen at that?

"Well... since you meant well, I'll let it slide. But we are friends now, right?"

Nonmc sighs in halfhearted resignation, nodding along.

"Yes, yes, we're friends, if that's what you want."

"I do want that. And you should know, that friends... are supposed to gift each other things. It's like rule number one." He explains matter-of-factly.

"Huh? But... I don't have anything to give you right now."

Rafayel gives her an unimpressed look before taking ahold of his camera from her lap and placing it down onto his own. She thought she had done something else to somehow irk him, but instead, he starts to take off a bracelet that was around one of his wrists, dropping it into her palm as a replacement.

"Fine, I'll start then. Here. You owe me a gift for next time."

She slowly gazed down at her palm, lips parting in shock at the shiny golden chain decorated with various glittering, iridescent pearls of creamy whites and baby blues.

"Are these..."

"Yup. Actual pearls."

Nonmc couldn't believe her eyes at the intricate bracelet. These many pearls on a singular piece of jewelry would cost a fortune, and yet he had at least a dozen or more attached to it.

Not to mention the chain itself would fetch a hefty price.

The disparity between being a famed, wealthy artist and a regular person was quite clear.

"How did... This many..?" She managed to ask, eyes now as wide as saucers.

"That's a secret. Buuut just know I made it all by myself."

"The whole thing?"

"Mhm. The whole thing. You're not the only one who knows how to use jewelry kits."

"Wow..."

He looked over at her smugly, his hands leaning back behind him so he could leisurely square up his shoulders confidently.

"You can keep it."

Her head lifts up in one quick second at his statement, her expression now in complete disbelief.

"W-What? No, I couldn't take this."

"It's a gift. I want you to have it."

"You... Ugh, you won't let me say no, will you?"

"Nope." He answers readily, making her groan and hang her head down in defeat.

While he enjoyed teasing her, there was more to him giving that bracelet up.

Those pearls, they were the very ones he has cried before. Some old, some recent.

In the past, his tears were like endless mockery of his sorrow and pain. A reminder of all the things he lost and could never have.

He used to hide them away, kick them under some furniture or pack it away into some box so that it would stay buried between numerous things in one his many closets. After a while, he realized that doing so was no better than letting the pain fester like an open wound.

So, instead, he started using them.

Decoration filler for vases, something to line his windowsills, and now usually... jewelry. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets. At this point he was creating a small shop with them.

Rafayel wasn't offering it up for sale or anything, he was just simply creating a small collection that would fill a jewelry drawer to look at later. At least until he runs out of room for them.

Wearing one on his person was a way for him to somehow reclaim his grief, to have an anchor and a reminder that these were merely old memories.

It's why he can readily give it away to her. He wanted to see what she would do with his grief and whether that was something he could share with anyone.

He watches as she wrestles with this sudden offering, giving him a scrunch of her nose in answer.

"All right, fine, I'll take the gift. Even if it's too pretty to give away."

Rafayel huffs a laugh through his nose, a bit of relief untangling the metaphorical thorns surrounding his heart. He wouldn't have known how to react if she had refused the gesture and treated the whole thing like nothing special.

Luckily, she seemed to prove him wrong at every turn.

When he sees her gaze at the bracelet thoughtfully, that's when he tightens his hands against the coarse sand, feeling a sense of encouragement to up the ante.

"...What if I told you those were tears from a Lemurian?" He asks next, trying to mask the hesitating tremble in his tone.

"Lemurian..?" She repeats, tilting her head inquisitively as she glanced over at him, "You mean... an actual mermaid?"

"Oh, you know of them?"

"Kind of. Mostly as occasional blog posts about mythical creatures and stuff. Are you saying they're... real?"

"They could be. What do you think?"

"Hmm... Well, for the sake of going along with what you're saying, sure, I'll say I believe that they could be real."

"Then what if I told you that this specific Lemurian wept for days, enough to make that string of pearls? Can you believe something so beautiful could be created from such melancholy and despair?"

There was a shift in the playful mood, something dark lurking in his beautiful eyes. All he could think about in that moment was how would she react to hearing something so absurd.

Nonmc pursed her lips in turn, raising her eyebrows in mild confusion, perhaps subtle apprehension at the sudden lack of light in his expression.

"...You're joking, right?"

At her cautious question, he gave a smile quite like the ones he had been giving already, trying to ease what had been brewing underneath.

"Duh, of course I am. You're so gullible."

She hums in response, a little laugh through her nose drifting out afterwards. Her eyes followed how his turned to the sea after that, his gaze while crinkled from his genuine smile still lacked that luster from before.

It was easy to tell there was more to Rafayel than what was being shown.

Nonmc didn't know what lurked within his heart or mind, but even still, she felt compelled to listen. To be kind to this handsome stranger she only just met, it felt like the right thing to do.

"If they were really Lemurian tears, then..." She starts, "I'd treasure them with my whole heart."

He blinks back into focus, glancing back to see her open the bracelet clasp and slowly but surely wrap it around one of her wrists.

"...What? You... would?"

"Mhm. I would. After all, tears caused by such pain deserve to be treated with all the care in the world. If anything, I would hope that I could transfer some of my happiness to whoever made these pearls."

"Well... Maybe I was lying. Maybe there's no Lemurian actually."

"Even still... The thought that perhaps there's some truth to that little tale does pull at my heart strings. It makes me wonder about all the pearls created in the world."

Rafayel tries to let out a laugh to brush her off, yet the sound is frayed at the edges. He was barely holding his emotions together.

"T-There's no need to get sentimental. Not all pearls are made that way."

"Then I'm protecting them anyways since you gave them to me." She states resolutely, giving a stubborn pout as she clutched the bracelet around her wrist, "I'll keep it nice and clean in a pretty jewelry box. Maybe I'll place it near my bedside and wish it good night in hopes the Lemurian feels my gratitude."

Nonmc continues her dramatics by pressing the bracelet to her sun-flushed cheek, closing her eyes as though her thoughts could somehow reach the weeping Lemurian. Of course, she would never know that it was actually working, especially when that very one was watching her do her little ritual of compassion.

He had to turn away from her when she did, his hand resting over his mouth to hide the grin that's formed. He could feel his face warm, much more than from the beating sun earlier.

It was a different kind of warmth. The kind that seeped into the cold depths of a heart that was more akin to a deep ocean cavern.

How was her words able to reach there? How is it that he felt touched by her inconsequential actions?

"Natural flirt..." He mumbles into his palm, barely a whisper heard.

"Hm? What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing." He sighs out, looking back at her nonchalantly, "Just thinking about how much of a sap you are."

With the sun setting past the horizon, they took that as their cue to head out from the beach where the breeze was becoming a colder chill.

Rafayel kept to her side while they headed back towards the parking lots, most cars from throughout the day having left at this point. Eventually her keys jingled out from her pocket, her head turning to give an appreciative smile as they finally stood by her car.

"Thank you for spending time with me, Rafayel. I had a lot of fun today."

"Yeah... Me too."

They both stood there awkwardly, unsure how to end it. Nonmc, being the shy person she was, didn't know what was protocol, while he on the other hand was just reluctant to part with her at all.

He decides then to clear his throat, his hand coming up behind his flushed neck.

"So, um, I have to start on my next commissions once I get home. Do you... want to come over to watch me paint? It's not that far. I could even make dinner and stuff."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise, the invitation not lost on her. She wasn't one to get such things often, but even that had her questioning what that would entail. Was it a courteous suggestion or... something more?

"O-Oh, uh, sorry, I would love to, but... I have work tomorrow morning. It's all the way back in Linkon, so..."

"Ah... I see. Well, it's no big deal. It's whatever." He shrugs it off, trying to not show how dejected he was actually feeling inside.

Nonmc bit into her bottom lip nervously, glancing up at him in contemplation. She could easily end the night this way, more or less rejecting the possible advances from him, but...

"Is... the offer only for today?" She asks next, making him lift his eyes up with brightening hope, "I could maybe... visit this weekend. U-Unless you're busy, of course..."

He shakes his head before she could even change her mind, holding back the giddiness from getting to see her again.

"No, no, that's perfect. Yeah, I can wait till the weekend."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"O-Okay! Weekend it is then!" She concludes, giggling softly to ease her own excited nerves.

Rafayel lets out his own cheery laugh, promptly taking his phone out from his pants pocket and handing it to her with the 'new contact' screen open.

"Here. Put your number here." He directs enthusiastically, his words almost jumbled together into one with how quickly he said them.

She nods in agreement, tapping away her information.

"If you text me the address to your house, I'll go as soon as I can." She explains, but he shakes his head once more.

"Don't worry, I'll come pick you up instead."

"Huh? Really?"

"Sure. You're my guest, it's only right that I treat you."

Nonmc snorts, giving his phone back with a playful pout.

"Looks like I'll end up owing you a gift and an invite someplace too now."

His smile turns into a toothy grin at her response, his head tilting to the side in that charming way of his.

"I guess I should keep being nice to you so you'll owe me forever."

"Haha, very funny." She halfheartedly rolls her eyes as she goes to open her car door, heading inside.

Rafayel stays planted there to the side of her car while she starts it up, giving her a wave back when she does the same through her window before watching her drive off down the street.

Once her car was no longer in sight, he stretches his arms up with a satisfied sigh, his cheeks a little sore now from all the smiling he was doing all day.

He quite liked the feeling, actually. It was... rewarding.

It seemed like this time, he won't wait for love to come find him. He'll go running towards it.

-`✦´-Masterlist-`✦´-

Taglist:

Rafayel is kind with his actions, when you look closely.

“Is my little fishie still in bed?”

Rafayel comes into your bedroom, undoing his tie. A fancy lunch with potential exhibit investors was to blame, and he was glad to be back home.

He smiles affectionately as his eyes come to rest across your figure still in bed, crackers that have been munched on and water sipped from. All brought to your side before he left.

“Mmm hmm,” you reply, not even bothering to move but you raise your head slightly. You watch him take off his shirt and swap his pants for something more comfortable.

“Good, I didn’t miss the party going on in here," he says softly.

From anyone else that would sound sarcastic, but as he gently comes into bed next to you and hugs you from behind, you know he is being genuine.

“Did I miss anything?” Rafayel asks you, joining you to gaze out of the bedroom window together.

“Only a pigeon that flew by.”

“Only a pigeon?” He asks. “That poor pigeon. Just living life and you don’t appreciate it.”

He smiles against your shoulder as you tangle your legs with his.

“And there was a flying insect. I think it was lost because it wanted to come inside.”

“See... it just knew you were in here, and it wanted to be cosy too.”

You nod.

“Would you look after me if I was that bug? Or would you squish me?” He asks seriously.

You laugh and he glows at the sound. “Of course I would.”

“Hey! I knew you would squish me!”

“No! I meant of course I would look after you, silly. I’d make sure to feed you what you can eat. And I wouldn’t put you in a container, I’d let you fly around wherever you please.”

“Then what if a pigeon eats me…”

“Enough of that silly," you twist to poke his cheek playfully. "I will look after you, don't worry." He nuzzles closer into your hand.

"How was your lunch?” you ask.

“So boringgg…”

Rafayel is kind with his words, when you look closely.

This is how he comforts you on a day when you don’t want to go anywhere or get out of bed. He doesn’t think it’s shameful. Everyone feels like that at some point in their life, and if anyone is to understand it, it would be him.

Rafayel will stay with you, keep you fed and hydrated, warm and cosy even when your thoughts are racing. He will ask you silly questions to distract you. He’d suggest you both go for a walk on the beach at sunset, even offering to carry you the whole way. Whatever you feel like, he’d respect.

As the peaceful day comes to an end, you look up at him. “Raf… thank you for looking after me.” Rafayel is half engrossed in reading a fashion magazine but he's still very present.

He looks down at you resting in his lap and stokes your hair gently with a tilt of his head.

“No problem cutie, that’s my job. And for you, my services are free of charge. Remember, because you’re my VIP.”

© xavibloom 2026

The pout adoring the face of your boyfriend was comical, but you knew he was serious. You really felt bad for not telling him earlier, but Sylus was a valuable person to have on your side to help with cases in the Hunters Association. 

“No, no it’s not like that! We are just… working together, that’s all. I go with him to auctions sometimes, he gives me intel, that’s it! You know I love you raffy, I wouldn’t do that to you.” 

You hoped he wouldn’t take it the wrong way, you truly loved your boyfriend after all. He was funny, kind, caring and he loved you to bits, you knew that, so you felt guilty now when he got so worked up over it.

“I know that, obviously I’m better looking than him, you have much better taste than that.”

He huffed, as if offended at the idea that you worried he might actually think you were going out with Sylus. 

“What I am worried about though is that it’s unsafe, miss bodyguard. I thought a seasoned hunter would know better than to go looking at shiny gems with the big boss of the organisation your team is hunting down.”

He crossed his arms now, head tilted as if he was judging you instead of being worried and suddenly, Rafayel's big studio felt much too stuffy.

“I know, I’m sorry… but he isn’t trying to hurt me, I promise. And I’m careful around him, the association has my location at all times when I’m with him, so they know where to look if something happens.” 

You tried to reassure him gently, and you hoped he would go easy on you.

Rafayel looked at you for a moment, his expression trying to be stern, but he sighed and softened after a moment, coming up to you. 

You blinked in confusion as your boyfriend wrapped his arms around your body like an octopus, head on your shoulder, yet arms wrapped around your waist like a vice to keep your body pressed against him.

“... Rafayel? What are you doing?”

“Keeping you to myself, duh. You didn’t think I would let you off that easily, right?” His expression looked innocent and gentle, but knowing Rafayel, he probably really didn’t plan to let you go for a good while.

You relaxed into his hold, shifting slightly to lay down on the couch and pull him on top of you, his head resting on your chest, arms still tightly around you. It felt peaceful like this, and the situation seemed to be under control, he just seemed to be happy to have you all in one piece as he showered gentle kisses to your cheeks and the corner of your mouth.

What broke the nice atmosphere was your phone.

You both looked down at the phone next to you. On the screen?

A call from Sylus. Right, you were supposed to go meet him up a while ago.

Rafayel however, seemed to have a different plan as he took the phone, refused the call with a look of disgust and then promptly threw it somewhere onto the carpet. 

“Rafayel, sweetheart-”

“Nuh uh, you are not going with that guy. Why are you thinking about someone else while you are with me, anyways?” The expression on his face made you accept that you wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

“I still didn’t get my apologies, you know. I was so worried about you and as it turned out, I had every right to be because suddenly you are besties with some white haired guy with a motorbike.”

“I think I should get some apologies, no? Likee… you should go with me to my next exhibition aand stay with me for a few days, sounds like a fair deal to me.” He tightened his hold on you, nuzzling into your neck as if there was no better place to be.

“I think you just want to cling to me the entire time.”

🐚 Fanfic

@cherimoyatea

@miclipse

@rafasserene

@loveanddeephistory

@cutiepips

@lyrisnightblood

@promisedwildfire

@nymphaea-blue

🐚 Fanart

@hitsujirui

@yumemoonstar

@rin-lemurian

@rafayels-strawberry

@akuma-ren

@beechu-beechu

@alemuriansseashell

@mayweholdhands

🐚 Lore

@munnmolads

@rafsvoicelines

🐚 Yapping

@shypotatoes013-blog

@evolvinglittlebird

@vixenofthemist

@rafayelqi

@qiyusheart

You can also leave a short introduction of your blog in the comments! Also if you want to be added 🩷

Please be aware that your blog MUST be mostly about Rafayel. This list is meant to support the sparse Rafayel-centric blogs and help others find them. So please respect that 🫶🏻 (posts about others are okay, as long as most posts are somehow Rafayel-related)

Please be nice to the bloggers and help share the love for our Fishie 🩷.

So now, you sat on the couch in his studio as he worked, peacefully reading a book while your fur baby roamed around. You made sure he would be careful, but a cat was a cat and yours was an affectionate kind - Rafayel learned that quickly.

He was just working on a piece for his new collection, focused as ever, when he felt a tug at his pants. Surprised, he looked down… just to see your cat, nuzzling into his leg with a quiet purr.

“What are you doing, little guy? Shoo, you are distracting me. A painter needs his focus.” He sighed, gently moving the cat away with his foot but he stayed still for only a moment, before going right back to circling around the ladder Rafayel was working on and bonking his leg every now and then.

“Cutiee! Your little monster is touching me!” He shouted, still attempting to move the cat away with no success.

“Be nice to him, Rafayel. He just likes you.” You said back from the couch, still reading your book peacefully in hopes your boyfriend would handle it.

“Well I don’t like him, come get him please?”

With a sigh, you had to leave your book alone and go get your cat.

Another time, while you were out shopping, Rafayel had to stay with the small critter alone. It was peaceful for a moment.

Rafayel rested on one end of the couch, sipping his tea and scrolling on his phone while the cat stayed on the other end, playing with a little toy. 

That peace lasted only about 5 minutes.

Like a typical cat, he got bored eventually and decided to jump onto the small coffee table. Rafayel looked up, not sure what he was doing.

“That’s not a place for you to rest on, you know. Better get down.” He said, still not really sure how to talk to him.

Your cat though? Didn’t listen, rather he seemed very interested in your mug that sat on the table.

Rafayel watched him, his gaze focused and sharp on the moving fur ball.

“Don’t you dare.”

Then the cat moved the mug. And then again. While purring happily.

Next thing he knew, Rafayel shot up and caught the mug that could have fallen. He was sure that you wouldn’t be happy if your favourite would get broken, it was something you made during your date after all.

He set the mug down on the table and looked at the cat.

“You-!” He held the cat up with both hands, annoyed as he glared at it like he was his personal enemy.

Your cat only tilted his head and meowed adorably, nuzzling into his hands.

“...”

“... You are so lucky that you are cute and belong to her.” Rafayel sighed, relaxing a bit as he looked away for a moment.

Another time, the both of you were sitting on the bed, watching a movie, cuddling nicely. Your cat was next to you, content as you were petting him with one hand while Rafayel held the other. 

However, as soon as you stopped petting him to focus on the movie more, the cat moved. Going through your lap, sitting on Rafayel's legs instead. He looked mortified.

“Miss bodyguard, I need protection. He’s touching me.”

“Calm down Rafayel, he’s just a little affectionate, he won't bite your leg off.”

“You don't know that! Cats can be very mean too, ya know, even more than humans sometimes.”

“Okay, and was he mean to you? Did he scratch your furniture or something?” You asked, knowing the answer already.

Rafayel thought for a moment as he looked at your cat, now happily asleep on his lap. It didn't feel bad, to his surprise. 

“... No.”

“Exactly, he's a nice kitty, and he's important to me, so try to get along with him, okay?” You answered softly, the focus shifting from the movie to your boyfriend.

He sighed, but he didn't move the cat from his lap at all.

It was time for you and your cat to return to your apartment now that everything got fixed. You were still out signing some papers and inspecting the building while Rafayel stayed with your cat.

The both of them sat on the couch, your cat napping softly. Rafayel could have been painting, but he didn't really feel like it, rather he looked at the cat as if it was the greatest puzzle in his life.

Eventually, he reached over to pet the cat, which purred happily at the gesture. How could he not when the cat was your friend? Sure you gave him some affection but maybe it wasn't so bad, even if he left cat fur over his canvases.

The cat slept cutely, all curled up into a loaf, fur soft as always since you took care of it. When he felt Rafayel rub his head, he nuzzled into the touch.

“... You know, you aren't so bad, little guy.”

When you returned to Rafayel’s studio to get the last of your things and your kitten, you found an unusual sight.

Rafayel was sitting on the couch, scrolling on his phone, while his other hand was petting your cat that rested on his lap. 

You blinked twice in surprise. Nope, everything is still in the same place.

Rafayel looked up, noticing your expression of surprise.

“Cat got your tongue, cutie? You know, this little fur ball isn’t so bad, I wouldn’t mind it if you ever needed to stay here with him again.”