#santifell

The vampire disappeared off down the corridor and Raphael turned left, towards his bedroom. There was a bouquet of flowers outside the door. Raphael bent and picked them up. He wasn’t accustomed to receiving flowers from anyone but Ragnor, but he had gotten a lot of them in the past week. He didn’t understand the point; flowers were for graves, what could he do with them? It wasn’t as though they were going to miraculously revive lost loved ones.

He had disappeared into his room many times during the last week, leaving the clan under Lily’s command. She was more than willing to take control for a while. No doubt she would even be disappointed when Raphael returned to work.

He checked the time on the clock hanging from the wall. Five minutes. He sat down on the edge of his bed and looked down at the bouquet. The smell was strong but not overpowering. He often put flowers just like these on his mother’s grave, but rather than recalling old memories of grief they summoned only nostalgia. Raphael lifted the flowers and inhaled deeply, the plastic they were wrapped in crinkling. Of all his siblings, he was the only one who still visited their mother’s grave regularly. He didn’t blame the others. To them, it had happened a long time ago. They had grieved and then gone on with their lives. In a way, they had been able to move on in a way Raphael never had; Raphael, his life forever stunted, felt like he could never move forward the way they could.

There was a card attached to the flowers: Raphael, our deepest sympathies. It was signed with the names of several vampires in the clan. It was much cheaper to buy flowers if more than one person pitched in for them. Cheapskates.

A portal opened up on the other side of Raphael’s room, seeming to appear right inside the wall like a newly uncovered door. Raphael stood up, flowers in hand. With thoughts of his destination in mind, he stepped through the portal.

He had long since gotten used to travelling by portal, but it was still disorienting. Travelling across whole continents in a matter of seconds was a lot for your brain and body to accept. So it took him a couple of seconds to adjust, but no longer than that. He was just grateful it did not made him feel nauseous anymore.

He had been allowed to portal directly into the house, which was usually warded against such things to keep out intruders. With it being daylight outside, portaling outside the house like everyone else would have to simply wasn’t an option. There were blinds pulled over the windows to block the sun out, but a bright fire had been lit in the fireplace. There were several vases dotted around the room holding similar bouquets to the one Raphael was holding.

‘More flowers. Everyone is so sorry for my loss, I think I could get used to this.’

‘They will stop being sorry in time,’ Ragnor said. He sat in an armchair by the fire and there was a book open but facedown on his lap. He closed the portal behind Raphael and then for a few seconds the room was surrounded in a rippling green glow, which Raphael supposed was the wards that blocked portaling into the house going back into place. ‘I’ve run out of vases, you’ll just have to put them in the kitchen sink for now.’

Raphael put them down on the coffee table, he would put them in water later. He leaned over the side of Ragnor’s chair to kiss him, and then sat down opposite.

‘How long do we have to keep this up for?’ Raphael asked. ‘I do appreciate the flowers and the attention, but as you said it won’t last. It’s rather inconvenient having to hide my very much alive husband from everyone.’ He paused as a thought occurred to him, and then he wrinkled his nose. ‘Everyone thinks I’m a widower.’

An amused smile curled Ragnor’s lips. ‘I cannot simply come back from the dead, Raphael.’

Raphael mirrored the smile. ‘Why not? I did.’

Ragnor laughed and Raphael felt a small swell of pride in his chest. Ragnor was always so stubborn and serious that even now, even though they were married, Raphael was still proud of his ability to make Ragnor laugh.

‘So I have to put up with this forever?’

‘I wasn’t planning on that long, but I am enjoying the solitude. No one demanding things of me.’

‘You can’t hide away in this house forever. It isn’t practical.’

Ragnor shrugged. ‘I suppose we’ll just have to see what happens. I don’t think it will last too long.’

‘Good. Because I don’t relish the thought of being viewed as a widower for the rest of eternity.’

‘That’s the only problem you have with this, isn’t it?’

‘Of course. I’m still too young for that.’

Ragnor rolled his eyes. He picked his book up, marked his page and closed it properly, dropping it onto the coffee table beside the newest bouquet. He stood up and stretched, then held a hand out to Raphael. ‘Let’s go to bed.’

‘I’m working.’ Raphael held up the tray of empty glasses to indicate this.

‘It’ll only take a minute, I promise.’

With thought of this rich, potentially spoiled boy complaining about the staff still in mind, Raphael placed his tray down on the table and took a seat. ‘As long as it’s quick.’

Magnus beamed. ‘Trust me darling, it will be.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I want you to marry me.’

Raphael stared, wondering if Magnus was drunk after all.

‘You see, I have this friend,’ Magnus continued. He glanced around surreptitiously. They were on the open deck, the night sky bright with stars, and there was light music and low laughter around them. He seemed to be satisfied, because he looked back at Raphael and leaned forward a little over the table. ‘He’s a miserable old thing, I promised I would behave myself while we are on this cruise.’

‘And you have no intention of behaving,’ Raphael said.

Magnus’ eyes sparkled. Or maybe that was just the glittery eye makeup he was wearing. ‘Not exactly. I thought I’d just make this trip a little more...exciting. We pretend to get married to freak Ragnor out. No one gets hurt, just a little bit of fun.’

‘What do I get out of it?’ Raphael asked.

‘What do you want?’

Raphael scanned Magnus. His eyes landed on the numerous rings on his fingers, the soft silk of his shirt. Everything about him screamed rich. He could ask for anything. He wondered how far Magnus was willing to go to trick his friend. How much was he willing to spend to have his fun?

Raphael shrugged. ‘I want a meal.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I assume we need a fake date too if we’re going to announce a fake marriage. I want you to pay for dinner for me. A nice one.’

'You could have anything.’

‘I want dinner.’

Magnus appeared to be caught off guard as he processed this small request. It made Raphael wonder what he had actually been expecting. Evidently he had been willing to go pretty far in order to carry out his prank. But then he smiled and once again held his hand out to Raphael. ‘Deal.’

Raphael shook Magnus’ hand. ‘Deal.’

He had agreed to come and meet Magnus’ friend at the end of his shift, which would give Magnus time to break the news to Ragnor. It was midnight by the time he finished and he would have liked to just go to bed, but he had made a promise and he really wanted that free meal. Not one of the staff meals, but one of the ones prepared for the guests. One of the ones he would never have been able to afford himself in a million years.

He crossed the open deck, scanning the tables for a sign of Magnus. He wondered if Magnus would be drunk by now. He wondered if his friend was. He wasn’t sure he’d stick around if either of them were; he had never been comfortable around drunk people.

He spotted Magnus. He was not at the table he had been sat at before, but standing by the railing and looking out over the sea. There was another boy next to him, several inches taller than Magnus was.

Raphael cleared his throat when he approached them. Magnus beamed when he turned and his eyes fell on Raphael. The other boy glanced over his shoulder only briefly, long enough for Raphael to see the scowl on his face. Then he turned away again, elbows resting on the railing, looking down into the sea.

‘I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come,’ Magnus said.

‘You really doubted me?’ Raphael asked. ‘I’m not sure I want to marry someone who does not trust me.’

Magnus’ smile widened. ‘You’ve proven me wrong. I trust you now.’

‘You’ve just met him, idiot,’ Ragnor commented, without turning around.

Magnus rolled his eyes. ‘I told you he was miserable. He doesn’t know how to recognise true love when he sees it.’

‘I know that you don’t fall in love the same day you meet someone.’

‘You can think what you like,’ Magnus said, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest. But he winked at Raphael, since Ragnor wasn’t looking.

Raphael rolled his eyes and wondered of this was worth it for a nice dinner.

‘I’m going to leave the two of you to get acquainted while I get us drinks,’ Magnus said. ‘Would you like anything?’

Raphael shook his head. ‘I don’t drink.’

Magnus moved off towards the bar.

Raphael approached the railing and leaned over to look into the water below. Ragnor still had not looked at him.

‘How much has he paid you to play along with this?’ Ragnor asked.

‘Why do you assume I was paid?’

‘Because the idea that you are really getting married is ludicrous.’ Ragnor’s tone of voice was low and mournful. Raphael was getting the impression it had nothing to do with what he was saying, rather it was just the way he spoke all of the time. Perpetually grumpy. It made Raphael smile a little.

‘I think Magnus is the kind of person who often does ludicrous things,’ Raphael said.

‘Are you?’

Raphael glanced over at Ragnor. Ragnor was much taller, and Raphael had to tilt his head to look up into his face. He found that Ragnor was finally looking at him and for the first time Raphael could see him properly. His hair was a very dark blonde, almost brown, tumbling over his forehead in careless tangles. Lanterns strung across the deck cast odd shadows over Ragnor’s face but Raphael had the feeling that, in bright light, Ragnor’s eyes might be the same colour as the ocean he seemed to be so interested in. There was a little crease between his eyebrows, a permanent frown line.

‘Am I the kind of person who often does ludicrous things?’

‘Yes.’

Raphael smiled up at Ragnor. ‘Not usually, no.’

Ragnor grunted in response and turned his attention back to the sea. Raphael kept his eyes on Ragnor. He was strikingly different to Magnus. Where Magnus was all bright colours and extravagance, Ragnor was much more subdued. In contrast to Magnus’ jewellery and silken clothing, Ragnor wore a long sleeved coat that fell almost all the way to the ground. Magnus demanded attention, Ragnor seemed to prefer to blend into the background. But there was a casual elegance in his posture; the way he leaned against the raining, the way he stood with one ankle crossed over the other, the way he kept his head lowered as he gazed out into the distance.

‘You’d really rather be here than enjoying the party?’ Raphael asked, gesturing over his shoulder at the other guests.

‘Not my thing.’

‘So why are you here?’ An impertinent question, but if Ragnor minded he didn’t show it.

‘I like the ocean,’ he said. ‘Besides, Bane needs constant supervision. It’s a fulltime job.’

‘So he doesn’t do something stupid like marry a stranger?’

‘Exactly.’

‘You don’t seem to be doing much to stop him.’

Ragnor simply shrugged in response.

Magnus returned with his drink. He held a glass of whiskey in the other hand, which he handed to Ragnor. ‘You’re being nice to my fiancé, I hope.’

‘I’m always nice,’ Ragnor replied.

Magnus laughed like it was the funniest joke he’d ever heard. ‘I’m surprised you even know the meaning of the word nice.’

Ragnor sipped his drink without comment.

‘I should be going to bed,’ Raphael said. ‘I have to work in the morning.’

‘And then dinner in the evening?’ Magnus asked.

‘Of course.’

He inclined his head a little to Magnus, but it was Ragnor he was looking at as Raphael turned to leave. Just before he went below deck, he glanced back over his shoulder and found that Ragnor was still watching him.

He was serving breakfast in the morning when he spotted Ragnor at a table in the corner of the room. Alone. Raphael approached the table. Ragnor looked half-asleep, the scowl on his face a little more prominent than it had been last night.

‘Anything I can get you?’

‘Just coffee, please.’ He looked up at Raphael as he spoke and Raphael noticed two things simultaneously. The first thing; Ragnor’s scowl slipped away when he made eye contact with Raphael. The second thing; Raphael had been right. Ragnor’s eyes were a mix of green and blue, the colour of the ocean.

‘Of course,’ Raphael said. ‘Where’s Magnus?’

Ragnor shrugged. ‘Still in bed.’

Ragnor looked like he wished he was still in bed too, but Raphael did not point this out. He brought Ragnor’s coffee and they didn’t speak again, but Raphael was distracted for the rest of the morning. He found himself unable to think of anything but the ocean.

He drifted through the rest of the day, looking around for any sign of Ragnor.

He was to meet Magnus outside of the dining hall at eight o’clock that evening. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as he dressed and he wasn’t sure he’d even be able to enjoy the meal anyway. It wasn’t guilt over the lie itself, it was...something else.

Magnus was already there waiting for him. He smiled when he saw Raphael, but the smile faltered. Raphael’s mood must be evident on his face. He simply stood before Magnus for a moment, before sighing heavily.

‘I can’t do this,’ Raphael said. ‘Your fake marriage sounds very entertaining, but I can’t be a part of it. It would be wrong.’

‘You don’t want to lie?’ Magnus asked. He looked disappointed.

‘Not just that. It’s just—’ Raphael put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Your friend. Ragnor.’

‘What about him?’

‘Is he single?’

Magnus hesitated before asking, ‘I’m sorry?’

Raphael gave Magnus a rueful smile. ‘I cannot fake marry you because I was considering asking your friend on a date. A real one.’

Magnus stared for another few seconds before laughing. His expression brightened again. ‘Yes. Ragnor’s single. And I think he would like to go on a date with you.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘Because he doesn’t usually get out of bed until mid-afternoon. I was wondering why he got up so early for breakfast this morning.’

Raphael recalled how tired Ragnor had looked that morning. Also the way his scowl had vanished when he saw Raphael.

‘So I can ask him?’

‘I still owe you a meal,’ Magnus said. It was not an answer and Raphael raised his eyebrows. Magnus just smiled, however. ‘Wait here.’

He retreated down the corridor, leaving Raphael standing alone. He waited several minutes and was just considering going back to his bunk and enjoying the rest of his night by curling up in bed with a book when he saw a familiar face approaching him down the corridor.

Ragnor looked a little bewildered, but he seemed relieved to see that Raphael was still there. ‘Magnus said you wanted to have dinner with me.’

‘That’s...not exactly what I said.’

Ragnor shrugged. ‘He said you wanted to ask me on a date and that he still owed you dinner. He’s paying for us both. This is really what he bribed you with to pretend to marry him?’

Raphael smirked. ‘It didn’t exactly work out the way he planned.’

‘I don’t want to be your friend,’ Raphael said.

Ragnor turned his glare onto Raphael, as if he had only just realised he was there. ‘Why are you here then? Leave.’

Raphael fought to keep the smile off his face. He didn’t think Ragnor would appreciate it right now, but he was just too cute.

‘What I meant was I don’t want to just be your friend.’

Ragnor finally raised his cup to his lips and sipped, still glaring at Raphael. Raphael wondered if he was deciding whether it was worth hexing him for daring to speak so early in the morning. If that was the case, Ragnor evidently decided he was too tired for something as strenuous as using magic, because he turned his scowl back to the wall and sipped his coffee again.

‘I’ll come back in an hour,’ Raphael said lightly.

As he left the room, he gently brushed his hand across the top of Ragnor’s head, making his hair stick up even more.

Raphael was readying himself for bed in one of Ragnor’s guest rooms, a blackout blind drawn to block out the early morning sun. He pulled on a blue hoodie that was roughly four sizes too big for him and hung down to his knees, the sleeves falling well past his hands. But the material was thick and he imagined it would be wonderfully warm if he had been able to feel warmth. It smelled faintly of fragrant sea salt, a clean smell, probably from some kind of body lotion Raphael guessed. He thought it was possibly the most comfortable piece of clothing he had ever worn.

He was comfortable enough in the hoodie to fall asleep immediately, but he didn’t allow that to happen. Instead, after an hour, he went back down to the kitchen. The moment he pushed open the door, Ragnor spoke.

‘I love you.’

‘Excuse me?’

Ragnor looked much more awake now. The sleepy glaze over his eyes had vanished and he seemed more alert, though his hair was still a mess and he hadn’t gotten dressed yet. He held an empty cup in his hands.

‘I...love you?’ He seemed less certain of himself now.

‘Any context for this?’ Raphael crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the kitchen door frame. A less intimidating pose than usual due to the overlong sleeves.

Ragnor put the empty cup down on the table. ‘I don’t want to be just your friend.’

Raphael raised one delicate eyebrow. ‘Figured it out, have you?’

‘You should know better than to talk to me before I’ve had my morning coffee.’

Raphael snorted laughter. He let his arms fall to his sides again and crossed the kitchen in three strides where he promptly sat down in Ragnor’s lap and kissed him. Ragnor made a small noise of surprise but Raphael felt him smiling as he wrapped his arms around him.

When they pulled apart again, Ragnor was still smiling. It was a rare sight and a strong contrast to the expression that had been on his face only an hour ago.

‘You must have been very confident of your chances,’ Ragnor said.

‘What makes you think that?’