I didn't get or read the Titanic Raf card... but it got me thinking
The deck was peaceful. I was worried that I'd have to dodge stewards or busybodies, but it appeared that no one else wanted to be out on this frigid night. No one was around to give me strange looks as I drifted down the deck, staring towards the invisible horizon in front of me. The bracing sea air chilled me to the bone, and yet I cherished this moment of solitude.
It's something I'd had precious little of lately.
This infernal ship brought those I hate most in close quarters with me. Between my mother dictating my every move and my fiancé showing me off like a prized racehorse, I'd spent most waking hours wanting to crawl out of my skin.
A sob broke out from my throat. My hands found the railing and I clutched it hard as I tried to silence my cries. I glared out at the black sea, cursing it, cursing this boat, cursing all these wretched people who want nothing but to control me.
As I took deep, heaving breaths to calm my nerves, I saw, out of the corner of my eye, a flash in the water.
It momentarily stunned me out of my despair. Was that a dolphin? A shark? Even though the night is dark as can be, it glittered like the earrings dangling by my neck. I narrowed my eyes, trying to spot it again.
There! A bright silvery tail, though its top half was obscured by long tendrils. Was it holding seaweed in its mouth?
It came closer to the surface, swimming back and forth in an intricate pattern. The seaweed floated around its head like a halo. Except-
That's not seaweed.
It's hair. Purple hair. On top of a man's head.
I stared as it popped through the surface, looked around itselfs, then found my gaze.
Well, that's it then. Despair had driven me completely mad.
The creature quirked his head and appeared to move its mouth, but if he said anything, I couldn't hear it so far down below. As soon as the thought entered my mind, I scoffed at myself. "Couldn't hear it? It doesn't exist! You think the impossible sea creature has something to say to you? Will it whisk you away to its underwater palace?"
Shaking my head, I tore myself away from the railing and continued walking towards the stern. I'd become distracted from my original goal, but no longer. Maybe my impossible friend will keep me company in my final moments.
Dazedly, I continued my journey. Though it must have taken several minutes, I found myself abruptly at the rear of the ship. The engines were louder here, a constant dull roar that matched the one in my head.
I took several deep, calming breaths as I walked to the railing. This time, my hands were sure as I grabbed it and swung myself over. No more distractions. Soon I'd be free.
Clinging to the edge of the railing, I braced myself to jump. Three, two...
"I don't know if I'd let go if I were you."
I started at the voice. I turned, only to see a man with purple hair, pink eyes, and a knowing expression stood before me.
Impossible.
Stunned, I fell back on my ingrained politeness. "I beg your pardon?"
"I said I wouldn't recommend letting go. It's quite cold in there, and I don't think you'd enjoy it."
I'd gone insane. It's the only explanation.
"How should you know what I'd enjoy or not?" Should I be arguing with the sea monster turned man? Since it's clearly a figment of my imagination, I can't see why I shouldn't. "And did you not enjoy it yourself?"
My imaginary friend didn't attempt to deny it. "I can handle it. I don't think you would be able to- not for long anyways."
"Well I wasn't planning on enjoying a nice swim," I scoffed. "I was hoping it would be a rather short experience."
He raised a brow, then stepped closer to the railing. I gasped, and gripped the railing even more tightly. "Don't come any closer!"
He sighed, then changed course to stop slightly further down the railing. He looked impassively into the water.
"A short swim, sure, but a swim nonetheless. That height of fall certainly wouldn't kill you on impact." He turned back to me, "I assume that's what you're attempting to do?"
"I am," I replied stiffly. "And I would greatly appreciate it if you left me to it."
He nodded. "By all means."
I waited for him to leave, but he continued to study me like a mildly interesting painting.
Miffed, I turned up my chin. "I was hoping for some privacy."
He shook his head. "Unfortunately I can't give you that. You see, once you jump in, I'll have to jump in after you."
I looked at him in shock. "Why on Earth would you do that?"
He leaned against the railing, eyes looking me over.
"Nice clothes, expensive jewelry, and a ticket that allows you all the way up here in the middle of the night. Someone would be missing you, and they'd pull out all the stops to find you. That means more ships roving all over my home, day and night, searching for the body of the tragic young woman." He rolled his eyes. "I'm not dealing with that. So you jump in, I jump in, and I bring you back to the boat, safe and sound." He quirked a smile. "Minus some hypothermia, and likely a few broken bones."
I looked at the water below again, threatening to swallow me whole in its inky darkness. My breathing quickened.
"Or," the man drawled, drawing my gaze back to him, "you could make this easier on both of us." He took a slow step towards me, extending his hand.
I hesitated, considering the slender hand before me. My arms shook.
Tentatively, I let go of the railing with one hand, and clasped his tightly.
He quickly moved behind me, placing our hands at my waist. He held tightly and, with a strength that belied his build, pulled me over the railing.
I gasped, but in an instant I was in his arms. My legs shook as I sobbed into his chest, the terror and exhaustion catching up with me. Shock, relief, and sadness battled in my mind, and all I could do was cry.
As I calmed, though, embarrassment creeped in. I glanced up at him, cleared my throat, and stepped back. I meant to speak, but in this situation, what on Earth could I say?
He seemed to understand though, and his gaze softened. "You know, I don't believe I ever got your name."
I gave a choking sort of laugh. "Rose."
"Rose," he smiled. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Rafayel."
This is why I live in this city. Through the brutal, snowy winters, and the chilly, rainy spring, we finally arrive at a beautiful June day. Blue skies and a warm summer breeze were all wanted while I was bundled up inside.
Well, almost all I wanted.
"I'll never understand how you can drink these," Xavier frowned as he set down my beer. "It's entirely too sour."
I rolled my eyes. "That's kind of the point- that's why it's called a 'fruited sour'. Now let me drink it in peace."
He settled onto the other side of the picnic table and smiled as he took a sip of his own beer. "As you wish."
I took a drink and sighed. Now this is all I wanted.
After an excruciating week at work, all I wanted was to relax with my boyfriend while we drank wine and ate as much pasta as we could possibly stomach. Unfortunately, a last minute "inconvenience" has held him up, so I decided to camp out at a roadside diner on the outskirts of the N109 zone and use the opportunity to finish up my book. The diner felt like it hadn't changed in the better part of a century, but it had comfortable stools at the counter and served up all day breakfast. They even played jazz music from an honest to god jukebox in the corner, which wasn't bad for the ambiance.
I smiled at the waitress as she refilled my mug. As much as I love pour overs made from Sylus' expensive coffee beans, diner coffee has always held a special place in my heart. It's always slightly burnt, and isn't palatable without a heavy pour of cream, but something about it tasted like adventure. I took a sip before diving back into my novel.
Unfortunately, peace was in short supply in this area.
Sometime around coffee number three, the floor began to tremble. Other customers looked around nervously as the rumbles grew louder. Soon, the faint sound of gunshots joined in. The waitress and I made eye contact. I wondered if she was also worried. But, with a bored expression, she simply turned her gaze to my empty mug.
"Another refill?"
I gave her another smile and a nod. Clearly, you wouldn't last long at this place without getting used to these kinds of nights.
The chaos came to a head when the doors to the diner swung open. Everyone inside flinched. Some screamed, but most stayed quiet and ducked below their tables, trying to avoid the flurry of bullets being fired just outside the door. Amidst the chaos, in strolled a tall figure, partially concealed in black and red mist. He looked over the room, gaze sweeping over each table. I sighed, and placed my bookmark before jumping out of my seat and walking over to him.
"You took your sweet time." As I got closer, the mist appeared to fade, and Sylus' face came into view.
"Sorry sweetie," he grinned. "The vermin were particularly annoying tonight. The twins are handling the clean up though, so I'm all yours for the evening. How does a quiet night at home sound? I can let the chef know that we're on our way."
We walked outside, stepping carefully through the maze of overturned tables. The mist seemed to have enveloped me as well, as I wasn't able to see the curious expressions of the customers, nor the entirely unimpressed one of the waitress. As we made our way over to his bike, I gave a loud, drawn out sigh. "Absolutely not. I had four cups of coffee while I waited for you, I had to use the bathroom like every 20 minutes! I'm more caffeinated than I've ever been!"
He threw a helmet at me with a raised eyebrow. "Is your heart about to burst?" I saw a faint glow in his right eye, and scoffed. "Of course not, I'm not weak. I'm not at all tired though, so I'm gonna need you to think of a new plan."
He gave me a once over, grinned, and turned to get on his bike. "Next time, switch to decaf."
Stupid rain. Stupid door, and stupid touchpad that doesn't work with stupid wet fingers. I finally managed to punch the code in correctly with the back of my knuckle, granting me access to my beautiful, warm, and dry apartment.
Linkon weather is always unpredictable, so getting caught in the rain isn't exactly a novelty. But this storm caught me in the middle of an investigation in the forest, and I spent hours finishing up and making my way back. The temperature continued to drop as I rode my bike home. All of that led to me dragging my shivering body to the bathroom to start warming up the shower.
I dried my hands off on a towel and decided to check my messages while I waited. I looked at my watch-
"...Oh no."
Five, five missed calls. My heart plummeted. I immediately hit 'dial'.
"I'm s-so sorry, I'm SO sorry. My arm is b-basically numb right now, I guess I didn't f-feel the vibrations," I launched into a stuttered explanation.
"Where are you," Zayne's voice cut me off. It would've sounded stoic to anyone else, but I could detect the undercurrent of fear.
"I'm home, I'm ok!"
"No you're not, you're hardly able to speak. What happened."
"I'm," I took a deep breath. "I'm fine, really. I just got caught in the rain."
"For how long?"
"A c-couple hours. It's fine." I heard him take a sharp inhale, and rushed to say, "I'm getting in the shower now, I'll order some hot food when I get out. Don't worry, I'll s-s-see you soon."
I hung up before he could respond. Maybe it was cowardice, or maybe I just couldn't bear to stand right next to my steaming shower any longer.
I got in and audibly groaned. For several minutes I did nothing but stand under the under the hot stream as my body gradually stopped shaking. I took my time cleaning the mud off of my ankles and out of my hair, and only got out once I could feel all of my toes.
After doing my skincare and pulling on my soft, fluffy robe, I made my way out to the kitchen, ready to order some spicy noodles. I could almost taste them... Until I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a very upset doctor.
"...I thought your shift didn't end for another two hours."
Zayne quirked an eyebrow. "I thought my patient told me that her association taught her basic survival skills."
Here we go. "It was one afternoon out in the rain! It'll be fiiiine."
"Yes, hours in the rain as the temperature dropped near freezing. Clearly you're the pinacle of health."
"And now I'm warm! So warm, like insanely warm. And comfy!"
"So warm, the woman says while her hair drips water down her back."
Damn. Time to switch tactics.
"And you're going to stop your patient, who's apparently on the brink of death, from ordering her dinner? I thought a nutritious diet was the foundation of a healthy body."
"I already ordered you those noodles that I know you were about to get, though I would hardly consider them a 'nutritious' meal."
I perked up. "Really?!"
"And a side of extra vegetables."
I deflated slightly.
"Which you will only be allowed to eat if you put on some real pajamas and sit on the couch under your heated blanket."
I glanced to the side, surprised to see it already plugged in. I looked back and grinned. "Deal."
After changing, I returned to see him standing next to the couch, holding my hair dryer. I collapsed into the cushions, completely out of fight, and let him blow dry each individual strand. By the time he was done, I could barely keep my eyes open.
I looked up at him as he unplugged the dryer. Sleepily, I asked, "You know that I know my limits, right? I would've called a colleague for a ride if I was really in danger."
He stilled, and turned to look me in the eyes. "I think our definitions of 'danger' are slightly different." He sighed. "I know you're competent. Just... don't pretend that it's fine for you to get sick while your boyfriend is away in a hospital trying to save someone else. I can't imagine how I would've felt if I came home after my shift ended, only to see you shivering on the couch." I winced slightly, and he softened. "Just let me take care of you every once in a while. That's all I ask."
I gave him a soft, sleepy smile. "Only if you help me eat those vegetables once they get here."
Hours after the battle was over, my nerves still felt on edge. The buzzing florescent hospital lights matched the ringing in my ears, and made it impossible for me to keep my thoughts straight.
My fingers shook slightly against a small plastic water cup. This was the worst part of a hard mission. The after. Several of our teammates had been badly injured in the attack from several high-grade wanderers. Xavier and I had escaped with only a few cuts and bruises, but we still needed to be cleared by medical staff.
I took a sip of water, and passed the cup to Xavier. His long fingers gently grasped the cup as he lifted it from my grip.
We had fought back to back against the onslaught of wanderers, resonating again and again. The school behind us needed to be evacuated, so we drew as much attention to ourselves as possible to keep the emergency exits clear. I saw the collar around his neck glow more times than I could count. Every time, my heart clenched.
Xavier took a small sip, then passed the cup back to me.
Soon we'd be back home, with takeout that we'd picked up on the way and cold beers from the fridge. We'd lean against each other on the couch and turn on some mindless TV show. I'd fall asleep within the hour, and Xavier would carry me to bed with a tender expression on his face. Tomorrow, we'd do in it all over again, to save those who can't save themselves.
But for now, I leaned my head on his shoulder and felt his warmth through his uniform. For now, this is enough.
To be fair, I'm not the most organized person in the world. But I unpacked my groceries just before my afternoon nap, and there's no way that I've already lost the strawberries.
"Did I leave them at the store? Or maybe they're in the pantry?"
While I rummaged through bags of pasta and lentils, I heard the bedroom door creak open, followed by an exaggerated yawn.
"Cuuuuutie, I can hear your frown from the hallway. Why are you making such a ruckus?"
I scoffed. "You're one to talk about a ruckus, I heard you banging on pots and pans out here while I was sleeping. I'm on a mission."
Raf raised an eyebrow. "A mission? What are you hunting for now, Miss Bodyguard? Or should I say Miss Detective?"
"My strawberries!" I shoved the cereal boxes back into place with a sigh. "All I want is some fruit for a post-nap snack, and yet here I am. Strawberry-less. And sad."
"Sad! I can't have a sad cutie on her first day off in a lifetime!" Rafayel stepped behind me to reach the fridge. "Luckily, I think I have a remedy."
I watched with suspicion as he started rifling through my fridge, pulling out a bowl all the way from the back. My mouth dropped in shock as I saw my precious strawberries- now covered in a beautiful dark chocolate.
"How did you manage that? And right under my nose!" I reached for a strawberry only for Rafayel to move it back and above his head.
"By 'banging on pots and pans' I suppose. What do you have to say about that?"
I pouted. "I say that I bought those strawberries AND that chocolate, and that I deserve to taste the fruits... of our labor."
Rafayel groaned. "That was terrible, but you know I can't resist that face." He grabbed a berry. "Open wide!"
I smiled, then opened my mouth to accept the strawberry. The first bite was perfect. "Incredible work on your part Rafayel." He looked entirely too pleased with himself. "By the way, what are you planning on doing with the leftover chocolate?"
rafayel/caleb: you are PROTECTED and WATCHED. they get along annoyingly well and end up telling each other all their secrets, even the ones kept from you. they decide working together fully is in your best interest. feed into each other's yandere tendencies. lots of ribbons and blindfolds and manhandling when they fuck you. their shared cute aggression and inability to say no to you is your greatest weapon.
zayne/sylus: daddy duo. zayne is the strict one. you go to sylus when you want to go behind zayne's back to get your way. sometimes sylus betrays you and ties you to the bed posts and leaves you for zayne to find when he gets home. they both call you sweet girl, and when you are in public, they both have a hand on you somewhere at all times.
rafayel/zayne: work really well together when shit gets serious. teacher/student roleplay, often. they have very different worldviews and you are always trying to prompt philosophical discussions between them for your own entertainment. also work together well at night. rafayel holds you against his chest, entirely restrained, while zayne punishes you with his cock. very gentle thorough aftercare.
rafayel/sylus: they nearly kill each other a few times at the start. they are apparently accidents, but you have your doubts. especially when sylus calls raf kitten one day and gets a dagger in his shoulder as a consequence. they take you on exotic trips very often. you get fucked in each place. they keep track of these places on a map and challenge each other in various games to decide who gets to choose the next place to take you. they both love dressing you up all pretty, often in pink.
xavier/caleb: always competing for your attention. snarky. passive-aggressive jealous bickering. lock in together when you need protecting. no hand raised against you lives. every time caleb feeds you a perfectly cooked meal, xavier fucks you for desert to make sure he's keeping the balance. caleb banned him from the kitchen for your safety. xavier makes you call him gege sometimes just to piss him off.
xavier/zayne: you catch them in discussions sometimes that make your head spin. they respect each other a lot. zayne has an accident with his evol one night and needs distance from you, escaping out into the cold night. but before he can spiral into self-loathing, xavier follows him out and talks him out of it. he tells him he's the only one in the universe he trusts with your life.
rafayel/xavier: pure joy and fun with a side of murder. they don't get along at first. xavier doesn't like how involved you are with rafayel's revenge/rescue missions. but after insisting on coming along, he quickly gets on side. ends up completely dedicated to the cause, especially when he sees how it upsets you. you find them napping together sometimes, and rafayel calls xavier old and out of touch when he doesn't understand his art. you have baths together nearly every day, and at night they grab at you and tug you between them like two only children who've never had to share their favourite toy.
xavier/sylus: sylus scares children off as he stands at your side and xavier smiles from your other side and tells them he's not nearly as scary as he looks. sylus stirs up xavier's jealous tendencies on purpose just to fuck with him, and because he knows you like it. he'll sit you on his cock and ask who fills you better or challenge xavier to try and take what belongs to him. respect each other but bicker like they hate each other.
zayne/caleb: serious plotting and scheming. have the potential to take over planet earth. EVER is rubble in 4 business days. no matter how much you want to see them fight, they keep it out of your sight, even when you tease and incite jealousy as best you can. sometimes when you've been more trouble than usual, they punish you together for being a bad girl.
sylus/caleb: the most pampered spoiled princess known to mankind. wants for nothing. sleeps in between them every night and when one of them is gone the other cockwarms you to soothe you. potential for absolute evil to manifest between them as they feed into each other's all-consuming obsession and desire for you. have the potential to work together to destroy all life in the universe if it would make you just a little bit happier.
