š«ššššš„ šš„š¢šš š š«šššš² Ā Ā āø» Ā Ā ā i sit alone in this winter clarity which clouds my mind. ā
ā³ about | face | music | mood | pinterest | wanted connections

Origami Around
Sade Olutola
todays bird

PR's Tumblrdome

ē„ę„ / Permanent Vacation
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda

Janaina Medeiros
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
I'd rather be in outer space šø
sheepfilms
occasionally subtle

romaā

⣠Chile in a Photography ā£
Misplaced Lens Cap
YOU ARE THE REASON
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH

#extradirty
KIROKAZE
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Brazil

seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from Poland

seen from Germany

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from Malaysia

seen from Singapore
seen from Germany
seen from United States

seen from Malaysia

seen from Malaysia
@rafaeleliad
š«ššššš„ šš„š¢šš š š«šššš² Ā Ā āø» Ā Ā ā i sit alone in this winter clarity which clouds my mind. ā
ā³ about | face | music | mood | pinterest | wanted connections

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
where: lobby of the gracey group building when: lunchtime (generous description) with: @clarawebsterā
āHello, darling - terribly sorry Iām so late,ā Rafael says as he arrives in the lobby, looking genuinely apologetic as he leans down to press a quick kiss to Claraās cheekbone. āI had Phoebe make us reservations at the Connaught, if you still have time for lunch?ā
OLIVER JACKSON-COHEN as James in SURFACE (1.05)
where: the private garden of a five star hotel when: evening with: @warscornedāā
Another day, another charity dinner. Rafael has been attending these functions for thirteen years, and they never change; itās just an excuse for his high society peers to get together and congratulate each other for doing the bare minimum, while consuming as much champagne as possible. Donating oneās money to a worthy causeĀ does serve a purpose, thereās no denying that, but... personally, heād rather just get on with it - thereās really no need to devote an entire evening to standing around tossing each other off. Still, Rafaelās presence had been expected at the event tonight, and he has a reputation to uphold, even if he does wish he were anywhere else.
With the dinner finally over and the party in agreement to adjourn to the hotel bar for drinks, Rafael had taken the opportunity to quietly slip away from them, venturing into the private garden for the cigarette heās been craving all evening. Itās ironic, really, that Meagan Finley hates smokers so much, when spending any significant amount of time around her while sheās standing on her soapbox is enough to drive even the most commited of non-smokers into the nearest packet of marlboros.
Letting his eyes slip close as he takes the first, grounding drag of his cigarette, Rafael sighs as the events of the day wash over him. Itās cold out here in only his dinner jacket, but he finds he doesnāt mind - itās still better than spending another moment inside, deprived of nicotine and forced to listen to the inane prattle of somebodyās poor, drunk second wife, who really shouldnāt have been invited in the first place.
His brief window of respite is gone in an instant, the click of the door alerting him to somebody elseās presence in the space. Rafael opens his eyes, his expression instinctively flattening into his usual effortless neutrality as he observes the intruder: the latest in the Prime MInisterās line of loyal guard dogs.
āOh dear, caught red-handed,ā Rafael says, not seeming sorry in the slightest as he expels a smoky breath into the freezing night air.Ā āHave you come to chastise me, Sergeant Harris?ā
dayzedandconphusedĀ·:
-
Phee felt the corners of her mouth turn up ever so slightly at the simplicity of theĀ āyesā compliment from her boss. It was no surprise to her that she enjoyed praise, even if it came as a one worded reply to an easy question she herself had set up,Ā āI know I am, donāt you forget it.ā As much as she needed to hear her brief stint away from her job(s) left a void no one else was able to fill, Phoebe could tell in certain ways around the office and the casino crowd that her presence had been missed. Even down to the way the filing cabinet had looked upon her return - even as frustrating as it had been to reorganise - the blonde felt as if it somehow solidified how necessary her position was in certain ways.Ā
Her blue eyes rolled as Rafael explained why the doorstop of a human would be staying at the office for far longer than either of them wanted him to, groaning in clear disapproval,Ā āLukeās father should have been sterile,ā she commented softly, her eyes flicking through emails still as they discussed the other man. She couldnāt help but chuckle when he mentioned the specificity of Lukeās professional farewell,Ā āWe both know you see enough of me to not want to get that involved in the betting scene, donāt we?ā As good as she was at her job as an assistant, Phoebe found she excelled even more in her job as in asset retrievals⦠and to a certain degree she enjoyed it more. Her brain was tickled by the nuance of her other job and the day job helped to centre her from the chaos each week day.Ā
āYouāve never had coffee from the machine in my apartment,ā she replied, unable to stop herself from disagreeing with him for the sake of a playful argument,Ā āElite beans, elite machine ā everything will taste like dirt in comparison.ā Phoebeās ego had been bruised by her arrest and incarceration, so something as simple as a thank you from Rafael caused her spirits to lift slightly, praise having always been the quick way to lift her spirit. She pushed herself off the corner of the desk and made her way over to sit in her favourite of the seats in Rafaelās office as she probed for more information,Ā āAre we for or against said indiscretions?āĀ
āOh, I wouldnāt dare,ā Rafael answers, his voice carrying the faintest note of amusement as he goes back to his report.
āThereās certainly an argument to be made in sterilityās favour,ā he agrees, āBut without Luke, I would be having a significantly more difficult time keeping the front page of every major newspaper occupied with stories about the Duchess of Sussex or Prince Andrew - whichever one they happen to hate most at the time.ā In so many words, heās been working with Lukeās father to keep Malachi Liddellās name out of the press - it wonāt be forever, but he hopes it will make some small difference in the Jabberwocksā favour. Itās the least he can do. The reminder of Phoebeās other line of work inspires a quiet huff of air through his nose, which might be a laugh, or something close to it. āFair point, well made. I rather like my assets, both financial and personal, where they are, so I suppose Iāll leave the betting to the degenerates at the Rose.ā
āYouāve never invited me to your apartment,ā Rafael counters, āAnd I, like Dracula, would be remiss to enter somebodyās home without their permission, regardless of any superior coffee facilities they may possess.ā Making a quick, final note on the folder heās been examining so thoroughly, he sets it aside and immediately picks up another in its place, frowning at the way its been organised.
āIn this case, for.ā The firm is discreetly representing the honourable Philomena Winchester, the conservative member of parliament representing the constituency of Tunbridge Wells, whoād caused quite a stir when sheād been photographed in the intimate company of a junior staffer the month previous. It had only been too easy to find proof that her poor, betrayed husband was carrying on his own extra-marital activities, and for quite some time, if the sheer volume of evidence was anything to go by. āI would like a sample of the photos delivered by courier to the Daily Starās office before the end of the week, if you would oblige me. Their readers will be baying for his blood in due course.ā Perhaps he feels a modicum of pity for the young man photographed alongside Mr Winchester, whose life will implode as soon as the news breaks, but... results are more important. Somebodyās life will be ruined either way, so his people might as well make a profit from it.

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
the picture of dorian gray // oscar wilde
eilidhodeaĀ·:
.
She flasheda little smile of thanks his way as he swapped over to just using herfirst name, she wasnāt sure what it was but there was just somethingabout formalities that set her on edge. Probably a feeling like she was about toget a row or something. āIād hate to think yous all went to such a bother forwee old meā It wasnāt that urgent, right? She hadnāt meant to make it soundthat way either. It couldāve waited for a bit as long as it got seen toin the end. āIf thatās awrite with youā Respectfulness was an odd lookon her but she was trying.
Shetakes the cigarette when itās offered, pulling her lighter from her pocketlighting up and taking a drag before answering his question. āNo so much me goingto them but my team pointed me their way, said I needed to get folks to help metry anā sort out my mess but I was no quite a fan of how they wanted to goabout itā A bit too much of playing the blame game for Eilidhās taste. Puttingall of it on her and suggesting something akin to an apology tour. Itwasnāt right. Wasnāt her. āLike a know I party a bit much, but thatās my charmor something I dunno. That arrest though? No one ever listens to the fact thatthe charges were dropped. No itās aw about the photosā At least she looked greatin those.
āAnd I would hate for you to consider yourself a bother,ā Rafael replies. āIf this meeting is successful, Eilidh, and we are to continue working together, I will make myself available to you whenever you have need of me. I am a busy man, itās true, but I will find time for you, and you will be provided with the means to contact me directly.ā It isnāt something he offers lightly - Rafael has a huge amount on his plate already, and heās at the point in his career where he rarely takes on new clients himself, but his instincts are telling him that a connection with Eilidh OāDea will serve its purpose some day. He doesnāt mind playing the long game - heās a very patient man.
Once Eilidhās cigarette is lit, Rafael lights his own, allowing her a moment to gather her thoughts. āWould you like to tell me about your previous experiences? You donāt have to, of course, but any conversation between us would be confidential, and it would perhaps give me a better idea of how best to proceed.ā He suspects he already knows how to proceed, but part of that is letting Eilidh feel as though they are equals, as if she has some control. Whether or not that is actually true is... negligible.
āThe fact is, if the circumstances of your arrest had happened to a footballer on the menās side, they wouldāve been passed off as little more than a youthful indiscretion,ā Rafael says, āAnd with regards to the photographs, I would be lying if I told you I didnāt think they were cause for concern.ā The British public is at once prudish and perverse, a contradictory beast that loathes the very same thing it craves. How many of them had moralised over Eilidhās pictures, only to view them in secret? Countless, heās sure. āIt is clear to me, though, that these are concerns you donāt share?ā
STARTER: @rafaeleliadā
SETTING: Just after 7.00pm in Regentās Park
ASTRIDĀ found her days turn longer latelyā something she selfishly deliberately pursued. She strolled through the park with a pack of papers against her chest, also using them to fight off the brisk air of the night fall. Her cheeks were flushed pink without intention, slowing down to admire the flickering lights. She habitually dug into her pocket book to pull out her case of cigarettes only to lose grip on her due revisions from the sudden puff of wind.Ā ā Blimey! ā she sprung into action to catch the loose papers. The last few catching on to her saving graceās suit of the night.Ā ā Iām not shocked to see itās you, ā she grabbed her papers off his pant leg. ā Itās a pleasure right now, Mr. Gracey. ā
It isnāt often that Rafael finds himself in the park heād spent so much money to stare at through the windows of his penthouse, but London traffic is at a standstill, and so it made sense to leave his town-car behind and walk the remaining distance home, that he might reach his office that bit faster.
There isnāt a moment for him to wonder what Astrid West is doing in his neighbourhood before the wind is snatching her paperwork out of her hands, and he moves to intervene. Thereās no undignified scramble on his part, Rafael simply reaches into the air as one of the scattered pages dances over his head, deftly capturing it in his hand as another attaches itself to his trouser-leg.
āThen you have me at a disadvantage, Mrs West, as I must confess to being rather surprised at seeing you.ā Not that anything in his demeanour suggests this in the slightest, his face its usual placid mask even as Astrid peels one of her wayward papers from his suit. āYou would think the good people at the Times would be able to afford such a thing as a folder for their editor in chief. Nothing important has been lost, I hope?ā He says, offering her the document he recovered while politely averting his gaze from its contents.
excdvsĀ·:
When his eyes did hit her, it was worse than she imagined. He looked the same as he always did, her beautiful, stoic Rafael, but he knew.Ā Of course he knew, what did she expect? For Theo to keep her sins a secret? Of course the whole Jabberwock organization knew. They probably all discussed, mostly gossiped about, the entire situation. It made her wonder, what did Rafael have to say about it all?
Lilliana could not tell you of a time in her life before Rafael Gracey because he had always been apart of it in some form or another. From the time she was ten years old, it seemed like her gaze followed Rafael wherever he went. He then being mature seventeen year old boy, she kept her heart full through doodling nothings in journals, hearts with their initials, and tracing the words Lilliana Byrne-Gracey in her diary over and over to see how it looked on paper. While time went on, Lilliana never forgot about Rafael. Her school girl crush followed her into adolescence then womanhood. At twenty one, she decided to finally go for it with Rafael in the way she did best. Gentle touches, cheeky smiles, and flirtatious eyes.Ā She got bits and pieces of what she wanted from him, but never fully. She took the bits he gave her and clung to them. If friendship was all that heād give her than she would take it. In the meanwhile, she tried to show him she was worthy of more. She did this through the way she looked, always tailored and perfect. In the way she spoke, always thoughtful and articulate. In the way she listened, deeply and intently. In the way she loved him, from a distance because she knew thatās what he wanted. In the end, she was never able to convince him. Even so, for a long while after, she still sometimes looked in her old diary, to see if she still liked the way Lilliana Byrne-Gracey was spelt.
This past year, she had thought of Rafael very little. She had finally moved on from him, from whatever didnāt happen between the two. Now, she stood before him because she was desperate, she needed some sort of knowledge of what was going on with Theo and the Jabberwocks. Some sort of intel. She would have saved herself the trip if he had answered when she called. All she had gotten was a disconnected number robot on the line.
āRafael, please.ā
Lilliana tried her best to wedge her foot in the opening, to give herself sometime, but any force of Rafaelās part would easily push her away.Ā āIf you have ever cared about me at all,ā she started in a rushed whisper, āYou wonāt turn me away.ā
If Lilliana had gotten what she wanted out of Rafael all those years ago, they would have still been spending tonight together, but it would have gone so much differently. Theyād be a couple, married by now, living in a house not a flat. They have a baby, itād be a boy, she would have just put him to bed. Sheād be jumping into the shower, Rafael would be following her in shortly. Theyād go to bed to do it all over again tomorrow. Theyād be happy. Theyād be whole. Theyād be together. But Lilliana didnāt get what she wanted. It seemed like she never did.
āPlease, Rafael,ā she said again.Ā āI need my friend.ā
The version of Lilliana that stands before him now is little more than a stranger, a changeling, at once achingly familiar and entirely divorced from the girl heād known. There was a time, not so long ago, that Rafael wouldāve observed the small differences in her appearance with the kind of discernment that only comes from the sincerest of affection. The lightness of her hair, how thin she seems, the smattering of freckles across her nose where sheās been touched by the Spanish sun - these are the things he would've noticed simply because he cared about her, and now they only serve as a reminder of all that has transpired, the distance between them that can never be reclaimed.
Lilliana catches her foot in the door, and Rafael immediately stops trying to pull it shut - he would never hurt her, even now. It seems the sentiment is not mutual, and though his expression doesnāt change, his blue eyes flash when she has the audacity to invoke his feelings for her in such a way. Does she truly believe he didnāt care about her?
He loved her. Cold as he may appear, Rafael isnāt in the business of denying his feelings, and though he had never allowed the thing between them to truly progress, that didnāt mean it wasnāt real. When Lilliana made her intentions towards him clear, heād allowed himself to entertain the idea of their future together, of marrying her, of having a partner to share his life with, but... the timing wasnāt right. So he put his feelings away, tucked into some secret drawer inside himself to be brought out and looked at later - but there never was a later. There was always something else that demanded his attention, and then it was too late. She found somebody else.
āYour friend?ā He repeats, the quirk of his eyebrow dismissive and incredulous. āAny friendship between us was concluded the moment you chose to abandon your family and pursue that girl. How little it must have meant to you, to have discarded it so easily.ā In Rafaelās eyes, itās the ultimate betrayal, an unforgivable stain on her character. What she did to the Liddells, to Theodore, to Weston, makes him sick to his stomach - family is everything to Rafael, and it seems clear to him now that their core values were never truly in alignment. It appears as though he may have dodged a bullet, so why isnāt he relieved? Why does it hurt? Why does he still love her?
None of this matters. He knows what he has to do and, god help him, he will do it, no matter the personal cost. āComing to my door was a mistake, Lilliana. There is nothing for you here.ā
āI say, you do have a heart!ā āSometimes,ā he replied. āWhen I have the time.āā
ā Jules Verne, Around the World in Eighty Days (via wordsnquotes)

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
headcanon 002. rafael was in a polyamorous triad for a significant portion of his time at cambridge. it was a discreet affair between himself, a school friend from eton, and said-friendās childhood sweetheart. the three were close to the point of codependency, and rafael was entirely devoted to them in his quiet, sincere way.
it all fell apart when the pair expressed their intention to get married - an announcement that came rapidly on the heels of benedict graceyās death. it was all terribly timed, and rafael was devastated, but he had no choice but to accept their decision. their paths were always going to separate, he just thought they would have more time together before they did.
dcvthā:
The office is silent. The sounds of sin stop dead at the doorstep and even the ajar door manages to stifle the cacophony of the casino. Rafael appears at the threshold, a little less like Raphael at the gates and a little more like Charon at the river.Ā
āLooking for leads.ā Theo bites out in reply. Right now itās a print out of the casinoās security detail for the last few months. His eeking exhaustion means just about everyone oozes suspicion and Theodore is this close to a murder spree, to hell with any due process. Better safe than sorry, eh? He tosses a ledger of obsolete codes onto the desk and opens another. In the mahogany lacquer of his office, Theodore is no longer constrained by the shackles of his controlled demeanor. He de-muzzles around Rafael, allows himself to snap and snarl, bare his teeth, all he wants. He scoffs at his comradesā assessment. A bitter sound with a razorās edge. āIf one more look-out comes up with some tin-foil hat conspiracy of what happened to Malachi, Iām going to blow my fucking brains out.ā He mutters darkly, just loud enough for him to hear. Theo holds out a paper ā for the other to take a look. āDead end, yeah?āĀ
Itās as good an invitation as any. Rafael steps into Theodoreās office and quietly pulls the door back into place, as if heād never passed through it at all. Itās a privilege to see the other man anything less than composed - Rafael understands this, because the same could easily be said of himself. Theyāre similar in a lot of ways, have experienced a number of the same milestones, but he doesnāt envy Theodore the position he finds himself in now. All Rafael wants is to make things as easy for him as he possibly can. āThat would be a terrible waste,ā he comments mildly, as close to joking as he ever really gets, āAnd it would ruin the rug.ā
Approaching the desk, he takes the paper Theodore offers him, his forehead creasing in an almost imperceptible frown as he skims the contents of the look-outās report. The other manās assessment is correct, of course. āYes,ā Rafael says, nodding his agreement, āI wouldnāt trouble yourself for such a vague physical description. All of our people ought to know that theyāre looking for a man with a burn on his hand - anything less is a waste of your time.ā
āFor my part, Iāve been working with my connections in the media to keep Malachiās name out of the papers - at least until we have an acceptable story to tell them.ā It wonāt last forever. Journalists are like sharks, and they already have the scent of Malachiās blood from his childhood disappearance. All Rafael can do is hold them off, provide the gang with the gift of time-enough to explain things on their own terms. Time the Jolly Rogers hadnāt had before the news of Eliza Crawfordās arrest had broken.
Having yet to take a seat, Rafael instead rests his hand on the back of the vacant chair, pausing for a moment as he considers how best to proceed. Honestly, is the only answer his mind supplies him - as if he isnāt always candid with Theodore in matters such as these. āI must confess, I didnāt come here today to speak about Malachi,ā Rafael says at last, his expression grim. āLilliana came to see me. Last night.ā He feels no guilt over the admission - he knows he hasnāt done anything wrong - except for the fact that heās adding something else to Theodoreās already overladen plate.
OLIVER JACKSON-COHEN as JAMES ELLIS SURFACE | 1x06 The Myth of California
eilidhodeaĀ·:
āYe can just call me Eilidh, that works fine for me likeā Theyāre the first words out of her mouth after sheād stepped into the office. Before any pleasantries or anything that wouldāve been more proper, formalities extended to herself always sitting so off with her that she just couldnāt help it. she caught herself and what she supposed couldāve been seen as a lack of manners as she slipped into the seat heād gestured to. āNo but thank you, Mr Gracey, for making the time an aw thatā Flashing a small smile as she tried to make herself comfortable, completely unsure of where to put her hands. āA mean if youāre offerinā am no gonna say no to a cigaretteā
āEilidh, then,ā Rafael agrees with a respectful incline of his head, not hesitating for a moment over the pronunciation of her given name. Heād done his research, of course, having no desire to look foolish or underprepared in front of a prospective client (or, indeed, anyone at all). "You really ought to thank my assistant - sheās rather adept at finding time where I was previously certain there was none,ā he says, his voice carrying the faintest note of amusement. āAnd you can call me Rafael, if that would make you more comfortable.ā
Retrieving his cigarette case from where it rests on the desk, Rafael opens it and offers the contents to Eilidh, waiting for her to take one before doing the same himself. The crystal ashtray between them already contains the butts of the two Malboro Reds heād smoked before her arrival, though the room doesn't carry their scent. āNow, I understand you went to the people at Atlas before you made contact with my agents downstairs? Since you are now here, I assume they were unable to provide an acceptable solution to your... undesirable predicament?ā
dayzedandconphusedĀ·:
Phoebe wasnāt about to admit it to anyone except the annoying nagging voice in the back of her head, but she had missed working. Being banged up on a rather pitiful extortion charge for a few months had really cramped her style. As usual, she was thankful for the simple fact that she had money to solve the issues for her and with some strings pulled by her father, sheād gotten away with a few months in lock up, aĀ āfineā to pay back what sheād managed to get out of the stupid old man her claws had sunk into and a community service order. She had missed working her two day jobs, but sheād missed her other work more. Community service be damned, Phoebe wasnāt about to miss anything else moving forward without her.Ā
Slipping back into her work routine had been easy, taking the first week to trash as many emails sheād been needlessly CCād in on and reassert her dominance in the administration and reception teams. The week just gone had been her first productive week back in society and Phoebe was ready to slip back into being her usual dramatic self⦠and of course that started with harassing Rafael over doing her actual work,Ā āAre you calling me a good assistant?ā she asked gently, a clear way of fishing for any compliment her senior would give her. Her eyes rolled softly and Phoebe couldnāt hold back the scoff at his thoughts on Luke,Ā āDonāt tell me my brief holiday up north is the reason heās still here. If heās a glorified doorstop now, are we expecting him to improve?āĀ
The hand not stabilising her laptop on her knees ran through her blonde hair, shaking the soft curls into submission before chuckling softly,Ā āItās not even good coffee,ā she warned softly.Ā
āYes,ā is Rafaelās simple response, given with no hint of irony. In all honesty, he had rather missed Phoebe while sheād been away serving her sentence - largely because heās something of a control-freak, and hates changes that impede the productivity of his business. Phoebe knows all of his idiosyncrasies by now, and though he is a patient man, trying to explain the way he likes things to a glorified receptionist who seemed genuinely afraid of him quickly grew tiresome. Phoebe isnāt afraid of him, and that is why she continues to hold the desk right outside his office, even after a term in prison. He likes having her around.
He shakes his head at her comment about Luke. āThereās a way these things have to be managed, Phoebe,ā Rafael says, āItās about maintaining our relationships with the right people - Lukeās father is an important man, and thereās no telling when an important man might become the ace up your sleeve, so to speak.ā Especially when said man is in the newspaper game, and you have a missing person to keep out of the headlines. āIn any case, I have a strange feeling that opportunity will come knocking for our professional doorstop soon enough. If I were a betting man, I suppose Iād say sometime in the next... forty-six days, twenty-two hours and sixteen minutes, even.ā Not that he's counting.
āIām starting to suspect thereās no such thing as good coffee,ā Rafael replies, taking the first painful sip of his americano. Itās too hot, which means the beans are burnt, and any potential the beverage may have once had has gone up in smoke. āBut thank you for going out all the same. Now, if you're going to stay in here, would you kindly relocate yourself to one of the many available chairs in the room? You're sitting on top of the PI photographs of Mister Wellington in flagrante.ā

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
šš¢š ššØš« š„šØš§ššØš§
a well-made suit is the armour of the modern gentleman. itās a lesson rafael learned as a young man, one who sought to commandeer the respect of those both older and more experienced than himself, knowing he would have to look the part in order for anybody to take him seriously. a manās clothing is as much an expression of his values than anything else, and rafaelās wardrobe paints a picture of reliability, solemnity and attention to detail.
you will find no obvious labels or logos on any of rafaelās clothing - the ostentatious display of oneās wealth is something better left to a different class of person. he prefers classic, clean silhouettes in dark, tasteful colours, and has a generalised dislike for loud patterns.
in his down-time (what little he has), his taste in clothes only relaxes incrementally. in these rare instances, rafael dresses sensibly for the british weather, favouring jumpers made of fine wool, slacks, and boots instead of his usual oxfords. he hasnāt owned a pair of jeans since he was a teenager.
rafael is never seen without his watch. it belonged to his father before he passed, and his grandfather before him, and one day it will be passed down to a new generation of graceys (whether those are rafaelās own children or not). he takes extremely good care of the piece, and itās one of the few things he is genuinely sentimental over.
TIME&PLACE: 09:33pm (On some date before her dinner with Theo), Outside of Rafael Graceyās Apartment. WHO: @rafaeleliadā
It wasnāt quite clear if Lilliana had intended to show up outside of Rafaelās door when she had left her apartment that night.Ā
It began with wandering. Iām going for a stroll, she had told Daphne. Perhaps, these were not the times to leave home after dark, but once Lilliana had slipped on her shoes and stepped out the door, her decision was final. She needed to clear her head. The two hadnāt been back in London long. A few days? A week tops. The days blurred together since their arrival back to her hometown, she was having a hard time differentiating. There was just so much to do. Lilliana had to make sure Daphne was adjusting okay to her new life, now that they were back at home. Lilliana had to make sure Daphne was doing okay, in general. Her journey had began with a walk down a few blocks, so she wasnāt a complete liar. As the woman continued, she started having some thoughts. Ideas floated around. Faces came to mind. And before she knew it, Lilliana was in the back of a cab, planning an ambush.Ā
Yet, when the cab arrived in front of his building, she took her time exiting, wondering to herself, Am I really doing this?Ā But as her feet hit the ground and as she slammed the cab door behind her, her decision was final. As Lilliana entered the building, knowing the way, because she had been to his flat just a time or two. They were always nothing, never anything, onlyĀ friends, but oh, how she used fantasize about a scene like this, her surprising him, arriving to his apartment, in the night. However, in these fantasies, Rafael would be more than delighted to see her. Lilliana was not expecting that out of him tonight.
Everything had changed. Everything was different now.Ā
Her feet stopped at his door, but Lilliana didnāt knock immediately. Go home, Lilli. Leave him alone. Spare Rafael of you and your mess. As her feet stay planted and she reached over and placed three, friendly, familiar knocks on his door, her decision was final. But knocking didnāt feel like a sign of hello. It was the start to goodbye.
Itās a rare occasion that Rafael actually finds himself at his flat of an evening. Heād paid an extortionate amount of money for the place - a bright, modern penthouse overlooking Regentās Park - but still, it holds little appeal for him, and in his heart of hearts, Rafael knows he could say the same of London itself. Heās lived here for over ten years now, but this city isnāt his home. Heās here because he has to be, his sense of duty overriding the pursuit of his personal happiness, as it always has done.
When the knock at his door comes, heās seated at his desk with his shirt-sleeves rolled up to the elbow, leafing through a stack of paperwork heās brought with him from the office. Rafael has always found it hard to sit idle, and the older he gets, the more it seems there is for him to do - he remembers his father telling him much the same, once.
Frowning at the disturbance, he gets up and heads over to investigate, the even click of his oxfords distinct on the hardwood floor. He doesnāt keep guns at his flat, abhorring weaponry of any kind, but it does cross his mind that an unexpected visitor at this late hour might mean him harm. As a precaution, he checks the video feed on the wall by the door, but what he finds waiting for him is worse than any physical injury.
Whatļæ¼ is she doing here? Why would she come to him, of all people? Why now? A few moments pass, and Rafael honestly considers leaving Lilliana standing on his doorstep, hoping that sheās somehow changed, that sheās less stubborn now than she has been for the rest of the time heās known her. Itās futile, really - he knows sheāll wait him out. He opens the door.
āLilliana,ā Rafael says in a quiet, measured voice, his expression kept carefully neutral. Heās very good at concealing his true feelings from people - he supposes she would know that better than anyone. āYou shouldnāt have come here; the doorman shouldnāt have let you up. Please, just go.ā And with that, he tries to close the door on her, blocking her out of his life as heād blocked her from his phone six months ago.