鏡花水月

indie multimuse. by kyo.

[inardescere]

Rather than a tracker...

Well, no. It was indeed a tracker for him to always be aware of where the other went. An emissary, he had called it. Rafayel was doubtful that the other truly understood its existence when Caleb seemed to treat the little fish like any other. Probably, he was imagining it as a little servant of his, reporting back to Rafayel like a loyal minion, like one of those animal characters from human stories Caleb had told him before. The blue fish swims around them as they lean close, then fades into the water, leaving behind nothing but a few bubbles.

"Not unless you want to." He teases, well aware that it flustered the man still when thinking about that warm afternoon. Although Caleb might not believe him, he didn't have any interest in showing his vulnerability to others or in sharing what he now deemed was purely for him alone. In that moment, he simply didn't care what others thought or saw; his vision narrowed down to Caleb, and him alone. His reaction to his voice, his touch, the heat gathered tight under his skin. The fingers once treading along the edges of his hairline now give a little flick on the surface of his bathwater, tossing droplets on the man's face. "You want to be eaten so bad." He drawls, flicks another droplet, and his eyes flicker up to Caleb's.

Listening to his story, the Lemurian hums softly and considers stopping all those demands when they could very much do those themselves, but when Caleb pouts and complains, he laughs softly and leans into the hand by his chin, holds it, and nuzzles his palm open so he can rest his face in the crook of his hold. "Here I thought I was joining those dreary meetings because you were too busy playing nice human neighbor with everyone to pay attention to me." Slowly, his lashes fluttered as he closed his eyes, and he hummed a pleased sound. "As an apology, we should run away again. There's somewhere I want to show you." Opening his eyes with a smile, he gets up on his knees and tugs at his hand.

"Get dressed, quick. It'll be a long swim."

[hancfubuki]

there's a slight strike of red going through his cheeks that he is unable to hide even if he wishes. yearning eyes looking back at rafayel. that moment way too engraved in his brain, changing completely the chemistry of it. and then, he just keeps getting teased, and he couldn't help but looking like a puppy that's been messed up with, changing completely his previous flirty, and confident demeanor. though, this doesn't mean he is weak, instead, it shows how comfortable he is with showing vulnerability with him.

still, he is glad his feelings don't go unnoticed. he snuzzles his cheek against rafayel's palm, warm and soft, offering a tiny smile as soon as contact is given. "i would ditch them for you anytime." he confesses, eyelids softly closing as he allows himself to melt in the touch. "a new adventure?" so sudden, but he doesn't complain. his body does feel sore and he would rather stay and rest, but he also understands rafayel need to explore the world, so who is he to take that away from him?

caleb hops out of the tub. wet hands grabbing rafayel's face, pressing his cheeks and making his lips to purse before stealing a quick kiss from him. he doesn't add any word, instead he grabs a towel and wraps it around himself before retreating into the room and take his clothes. once done, he returns to rafayel, drying his hair with the towel. "i still don't understand how this is possible." he says, shaking his head. "yet again, i can't die. so there's really nothing for me to understand." he chuckles, leaving the towel hanging on the wall of the bathroom as he gestures to rafayel that he is ready to go.

[inardescere]

Rafayel watches as his touch slowly stirs the sleeping man awake, watching the blank stare of his eyes where his hand touches his reddened skin, the slow blink of clarity shaken into him with every flutter of his thick lashes. The Lemurian smiles, amused that despite being stuck in the limbo of sleep and reality, there's recognition. He watches as his dark brows furrow before he purrs against his touch, leaning into his hand like a tamed creature with a besotted smile that instantly lightens the strict look of his face. A sick satisfaction fills his heart when he shivers, a tendril of possession materializing in a soft coo to wake him up further, his finger drawing a line from the other's chin slowly up to the corner of his eye, waiting for the man to follow his guidance, let those sleep-addled eyes reflect nothing but him.

Yet by the time Caleb opens his eyes fully, the young God is smiling sweetly, a playful, charming little master who rolls his eyes at Caleb's words, shaking his head in fake disdain, as shown by the amused smile on his lips.

"Hmm?" Rafayel hums softly, teasing as he watches him slowly gain back control of his body, moving in the tub. "Stagnancy is boring," he agrees nonchalantly, pulling his hand back but speaking softly to the waking man, whispering like he's telling a secret. "Next time, we'll bring a bottle of that sweet wine I enjoyed to douse you as my dessert. It would be a nice change to my palate." He rolls to sit sideways, leans close, lips brushing gently against his cheek, voice lowered further. "But, you can find better ways to burn my tongue than with hot water, Sunset." Rafayel watches the hand reaching out for him, tilting his chin to let him touch his scales like a cat being scratched, a shaky breath escaping him as it sent tingles down his spine, lowering himself further, deciding to just lie on the bathroom floor so their faces are nearly on the same level, poking his cheek at the mere mention of him going into that hot liquid.

"Good. You're situationally aware."

The poke becomes a pinch at the silly nickname, letting go so he can perch his head up and animate his hand as he speaks. "I found some pretty shells that washed through the hole behind the chapel before I went to the meeting, so I might spend some time working on that for a while. Maybe a bracelet, earrings, or maybe I'll just crush them into powder. I'm still contemplating." He hums with a tilt of his head. "The meeting with the elders wasn't any more interesting than usual. Their opinion of you, though, has changed drastically." Earn their trust, their forgiveness... At this point, was there anyone who truly held contempt for him within his domain other than the contempt that Algie had out for him? Rafayel had a feeling that this specific case went deeper than purely hatred, but that was a story for another day. "What about you?" He deflects the conversation, shows interest in the other. "What did our perfect, capable sir do out in Whalefall City today?" He reaches a hand out, tickling the back of his till he loosens his fingers from his makeshift pillow, enough for Rafayel to link their hands together. There's a pause of silence, a light squeeze to his hand once.

"You always come back exhausted." If they continued to rely on him too much, maybe he should think about intervention.

[hancfubuki]

the sense of permanency constantly remains in both his words and actions. moments of solitude that were very much needed, suddenly needing the presence of the god. almost as if he could call him with his mind, as soon as he closed his eyes, he could sense him around. caleb knew about the little emissary, but never really cared about it. he finds it adorable that the other needs some kind of tracker on him. and used to this presence, he will always lean into the touch, like a domestic animal snuggling against his owner. he smiles at the touch of the finger on his chin, on his face, trying to reach more affection by moving his head. after all, he did kind of become a pet as soon as he reached this palace, and he couldn't be happier about it. he tries to reach back for the hand leaving his side, muscled body leaning against the edge of the bathtub, as drops of water fell on the floor. the concept still alien top him, not being able to ignore it as he looks down at the water spilled. at least the curiosity of his humanity still remained. but, at the mention of the wine, he feels his cheek burning a bit, a soft shade of red taking all over his face.

"naughty." he laughs, relaxing once again at the memory of them at the tavern. "hopefully not with gideon in the same room." his own fingertips caressing softly the scales on his neck, letting out a pleased hum as he watches him lying down. long and beautiful legs resting on the floor, his own head tilting with even more curiosity than before. despite being underwater, they don't float, they can walk and don't have to swim, and yet, he realizes there's only one thing he has never seen. aren't lemurians supposed to have tails?

"oh? did it really change?" at long last, considering some of them has requested caleb's help too. "does that mean they're not ordering you anymore to eat me alive? aw, i was preparing myself for it." he couldn't help but laugh again. "joking, joking." he says, lifting up his palms and waving them softly in a playful manner before rafayel took his hand in his. "you know, the usual." he pauses, looking at the side before imitating the citizens of whalefall, changing the pitch of his voice. "we need to move this crates, let's ask the human! maybe the human can fix our house. oh! we should sent the human to an expedition! that sort of things." he shrugs his shoulders, knuckles getting closer to rafayel's chin, caressing it softly. "i don't mind, it's not like i have something better to do, considering you are busy mooost of the day." that last line sounding kind of pouty, playfully complaining on purpose.

[inardescere]

For all the noise that the elders made when he first dragged Caleb's drowning body back to Lemuria, they were quite calm and accommodating to his presence when the topic of his chivalrous attitude towards their kin came up among other discussions now. The young sea god couldn't help the desire to add a quip about their quick turnaround once they concluded that he was not only harmless to them but a great help to their people. However, he bites his tongue. He is certain that some of them are just itching for any opening to start teasing him if he dares speak out with his emotions, turning his head to look outside the frosted glass of the temple, towards the town where said person must be.

He is indeed harmless, but by choice.

It's been a long time since he first arrived in this underwater world, but also a long time since their little escape to the world above the surface, where they danced, where they watched the sky change. Walking through the paths of his home, one he's lived in for as long as his memory lasts, he wonders if he is the only one who yearns for that freedom once again. Maybe his steps become faster as he dreams of another escape with him.

Maybe not tonight, but soon.

When he opens the doors to his room, he is disappointed to see that Caleb hasn't arrived yet, walking in silently and heading for the windows to gaze out again. But as he walks further in, his little emissary appears, the blue little fish swimming around him. He's close. Suddenly, his feet feel light as he follows the little creature, entering the bathroom to find him sleeping with his head just barely above the water, supported by the edge. The young God snorts a laugh and pads across the smooth stone, sitting next to the tub, staring down at the sleeping man, leaning back on a perched arm. This isn't the first time he's come home tired, and it most likely won't be the last. Rafayel reaches out to touch the other's cheek gently, his gaze and fingertips wandering to exposed skin where he has turned a pretty pink, warmed by the ridiculously hot water that he prefers.

"Are you boiling yourself as a feast for me tonight?"

[hancfubuki]

caleb couldn’t count the exact days since he arrived, but he could count how many times the citizens requested his help. ironic. his first arrival made him seem like a devil for them, and if it weren’t because of his condition, he wouldn’t be able to help them anyway. oh well, no hard feelings. the greediness of his man brought him something that money can’t buy. something— someone more valuable.

he would be lying if he didn’t admit how tired he was. wake up, help, build, fix. that’s his routine every day, leaving him exhausted yet only shoeing a smile on his face while his thoughts drown with the idea of running away for a while with rafayel. to have their little adventures and moments of rebellion, showing the god a little bit of his own world, his favorite food and visiting the annoyingly friendly gideon back at the inn. any time he returns and finds himself alone in the chambers of the palace, that’s all his mind can focus on; rafayel’s face, voice… his warmth. he feels himself falling into deep slumber until all those things feel so familiar and close to him.

caleb leans into the touch, eyes not opening but flinching a little at the touch, wondering if he is drifting between reality and the realm of dreams. but it feels so warm against his skin, a different kind of warmth that definitely didn’t emanate from the water, but from touch instead. he finds himself almost purring, smiling at the known voice with his eyelids still closed as the fingertips against his skin send shivers down his spine.

“i know you like your caleb raw, but the menu gotta change from time to time. don’t you think?” he lets out a soft chuckle, arms resting at the both sides of the tub as he slowly opens his eyes. “i would ask you to join,” he says, finally turning back at him, kind of dozing off as he is in that limbo between reality and dreams, but he managers to reach closer, touching softly the scales of his neck. “but i know that pretty mouth won’t stop complaining.” he smirks, leaning on the tub and using his arms as a rester for his face, focusing fully on rafayel now. “how was your day, your majesty?”

[hancfubuki]

he couldn't tell for how long he has been living under the sea. the faint smell of saline and algae no longer being perceivable for his nostrils as it has become part of his daily basis. his body even feels lighter in the sea, and the fact that gravity is also a concept here also helps him to at least keep himself distracted with his power and help others in an easier way.

but he still gets bruised and tired. the pressure of the water cannot really hurt him, but he does feel like the labor pull a toll on his muscles.

the concept of water within water is still strange for him. he stops to take a look at the bath inside the palace, fixing his eyes on the bathtub. rafayel does spend a lot of time in there, he loves that damn bathtub and he is fond of baths himself but not exactly a fan of cold water. which is kind of ironic, considering he is under the sea. caleb lets out a sigh, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he lets the water run, remembering one time he did changed the temperature with his own gravity power. and as soon as the temperature was hot enough for his liking, he jumped inside.

ahh... the sense of comfort. the hot water helping to ease his muscles, releasing the tension that the hard work left on him. it's not like he is stressed, but the citizens did ask a lot from him, so a moment of peace and rest is definitely deserved. in fact, he finds himself closing his eyes and falling asleep. what's going to happen anyway? is he going to drown? pff.

/ @inardescere

[hancfubuki]

he has never been good at planning events, let alone surprises. communication isn't exactly his strongest skill either, if he possessed it at all.

alhaitham can already hear a whiny and grumpy husband later mumbling and sighing dramatically saying 'you really forgot? after all these years? i’m married to a heartless man!', but he wants to do this smoothly, to avoid raising any suspicions of his little planned surprise. so he wakes up earlier than usual that morning, careful not to disturb the beautiful sleeping figure curled up beside him. he hesitates for a moment, upon seeing kaveh's golden hair across the pillow, his peaceful expression as he sleeps, wanting to stay more time by his side. a sigh. he has things to do. he even listens to him mumbling, half asleep complaining about him leaving early, to which he simply responds: work, leaning down to press a quick kiss to his forehead. the scribe doesn't even allow himself a second glance even if he wants to, knowing that, if he stays too long, kaveh might catch the lies on his face.

thankfully, he has the help of cyno and tighnari to cover him, asking them to say he is on a field mission in case he asked. though, the wait feels longer than he had anticipated. alhaitham finds himself lingering in a quiet corner of the grand bazaar, waiting for the help of some aranaras to send the signal that kaveh has already left the house. as soon as he's certain the coast is clear, alhaitham doubles back and lets himself into the house. everything he needs is already tucked away in the study, supplies he had delivered weeks in advance, mostly because of kaveh always complaining and accusing him of having 'no sense of atmosphere', whatever that meant; so for once, he is determined to prove him wrong.

he tries his best to work efficiently on their living room, to adorn it with soft string of lights overhead, bright silk throw pillows in jewel tones such as emerald, ruby and sapphire, dressing the small table at the center with an elegant cloth and a set for two, full of fresh and colorful flowers and multiple crates of fine wine. kaveh's favorite dishes been prepared by lambad's and delivered earlier, with him teasing alhaitham and saying he 'believed he was incapable of sentiment', dishes that alhaitham noted over months of observation, and the centerpiece, a carefully chosen cake with delicate gold filigree and the figure of kaveh's magnum opus, the palace of alcazarzaray that collei helped to commission. he repositions furniture to open the space, draping a soft throw over the back of the sofa, and even lights a few candles with faint, soothing scents. it's all so... absurdly sentimental, completely unlike him but he knows that's what kaveh would want. and if there's one thing alhaitham prides himself on, it's knowing kaveh as the palm of his hand. the final touch is a wrapped box placed on the table, inside, his gift: a custom-made leather-bound sketchbook, its cover embossed with an architectural motif kaveh once admired. alhaitham steps back, arms crossing over his chest as he examines his work. the room is no longer stern; it feels warm, inviting… disgustingly cozy even. but he knows kaveh will love it. better than he expected, really. he lets out a small huff of satisfaction.

as evening falls, he is told by the aranaras that kaveh is on his way home, and as alhaitham hears the front door creak open, followed by the sound of his shoes against the polished floor and the inevitable rise of a familiar voice calling his name, the lights flicker on, bathing the space in warm, golden light, revealing the transformed space and a serious alhaitham with his arms crossed waiting for him.

"yes?" he walks closer to the door, slipping an arm around kaveh's waist to pull him closer. "happy birthday, love." he leans in to kiss sweetly his lips, a smile appearing in between as he snuggles his face against his.

"were you about to complain that i left on your birthday, or think i would forget?" he hums happily, burying his face on top of kaveh's hair to kiss it softly. "i went to more trouble than i'd like to admit. but i care enough to see you smile."

[inardescere]

The story was meant to be a complaint about how badly he was treated during his first time on land. He just wanted to iterate how weird hot water baths were to Lemurians, because the waters they bathed in were freezing to the human touch. He expects the story to pass the conversation without much fuss, moving on to another topic. Yet he's met with a ticklish touch on his neck, eyes glancing towards the owner of those pesky little fingers that kept drawing on his skin, warming him in the presence of many to share. Rafayel raises a hand to pat the top of his head when he lies on his shoulder, fingertips tickling the shorter strands near his ear, baby hairs the same color as his nails curled absentmindedly as he speaks, oh so slowly as if dedicating a vow. She didn't know me like you do, he wanted to reassure with a soft tease, but he didn't even need to try. Caleb himself had already affirmed it as fact verbally, a thumb brushing his jaw in a way that had Rafayel move with his touch, pinkish blue eyes following his movements.

Maybe he needn't worry about the temperature of his water ever again with the other by his side. But this compressing moment of obsession, that darkness which crept from the depths of truths within this man to possess him. It could become a danger to him one day. A liability. He was aware the other had moments, slip of a tongue, a glimpse of his hidden desires that wrapped dark tendrils around Rafayel when he let go of inhibitions or jealousy took over. Yet the young God finds himself intrigued by the way he forms them into promises, unwavering worship, and sweet affection in the very end.

How curious the young Lemurian is, to throw him over the edge and see just how dark this little puddle could go.

Out in the open, Rafayel doesn't hesitate to walk towards the markets they saw before, leading the way with a confidence a stranger shouldn't have. But he's always been like this, hasn't he? He sees something that catches his eye, and he is already moving to retrieve it. Halfway down the street, he feels a light brush on his hand. Too shy, he tilts his head curiously and doesn't respond, curious to see what comes out of that mouth of his. He chuckles when he gets his answer, endearments ringing in his mind as he squeezes his hand back and guides him through the busy street. "Well, you promised to take care of me so I'm not kidnapped, so you better hold on tight." He would rather they laced their fingers together more, weave them together so they couldn't possibly part-- but for now, he accepts this version of hand-holding, heart pulsating with happiness settling deep.

If only this simple love could be their daily forever.

There is a musician sitting on a stool in the middle of the wide open-area of the market, some gaudy odd decoration of worship carved with stone, a few smaller sellers passing by the dancers and children with drinks in hand. Then there were the dancers, ones who listened to the music and decided to let their feet guide them as they weaved each step and twirled with the notes of the music. "I do play when I'm in the mood," he says softly, listening to the gentle tune that had everyone lulled to a sense of security, soft smiles on their lips, and some even closed their eyes. "Not bad, they know what they're doing. It's calming to hear, and it makes the people happy." Although he tells Caleb that, he looks up and sees his eyes, gazing down at him curiously... and it sparks something in him. "My performances, however, aren't so easy to come by," he teases, then takes a step away as if he would part. But instead, with their intertwined hands, Rafayel pulls him in facing forward, grasped hands between their chests as he holds his shoulder with the other, a pretty smile as he guides him into the first step. "But you could show me your dancing skills in compensation. A special perk, for my Sunset only."

[hancfubuki]

caleb's eyes stay on the musician for a moment, like a moth to a flame. the melodic strum of the strings and the soft voice that weaves into the air, wrapping the entire market in a joyous embrace. it makes him forget about the chatter of vendors and the laughter of children. he starts noticing something... indescribable. nostalgia perhaps, an odd yearning, even though he never really had a home. there's something about the simplicity of the scene, the way the bard plays, tugging at his heart. not only the music, but also the power which holds over the crowd. it reminds him of those limited moments of peace in his tumultuous life, moments in which the world's chaos seems to fade away. his gaze shifts to rafayel, and a soft smile touches his lips. strange. he rarely takes the time to pause like this, to admire the little details of life that bring joy into it, the music whispering him to stay a while, to feel this.

and who is he to refuse?

his breath catches as rafayel pulls him in, hand feeling warm from the touch as the world around them blurs. nothing else matters. all caleb could feel was the steady tempo of rafayel's heartbeat, matching the music's one. "oh. i'm not a good dancer." he says as he stares into the sea god's eyes, his voice low, yet full of confidence, obviously trying not to bluff. lies. he is obviously pretty good at everything he does. he follows rafayel's lead, taking a step forward, then another. slow movements, swaying to the gentle melody. and even though he allows the lemurian to lead first, as their bodies start moving in perfect synchrony, his confidence grows. he spins rafayel gently, hands still clasping, pulling him back into an easy embrace as their steps interlace a dance of unspoken promises. caleb's hand finds rafayel's waist, his favorite spot. a touch firm and tender as always, almost afraid to let go. his gaze softens, filled with overwhelming love and reverence as he watches rafayel following his lead. a special perk. and he notices how in every movement and every steps rafayel takes, are a gift. a quiet testament to their connection.

it feels almost as if his heart is swelling, his chest tightening with the weight of his emotions. "raf...", he whispers, his voice trembling as they sway. "if only this could be everyday. just us, like this..." the words hang in the air as he leans in closer, his forehead resting briefly against the other's. the music shifting into a slower tune, and caleb takes the opportunity to still their movements, holding rafauel in place as his eyes roam over his face, etching every detail of it into his memory.

he finds his cheeks flushed, pupils dilated like a devoted puppy, completely captivated. and he doesn't care about the curious eyes that might be around them. with a soft, almost desperate exhale, caleb closes the gap. a deep kiss, passionate even. his hands moving instinctively, one staying firm on his waist while the other slides to cradle the back of his neck as his fingertips thread through soft hair. the kiss speaking all the emotions that are too vast to even try to articulate. when he pulls back, his breath is ragged and his flushed cheeks match the pink hue of the setting sun. his hand remains possessive, refusing to release rafayel completely. his gaze lock with rafayel's, his eyes shimmering with affection and a hint of something deeper. as usual.

"i love you." he murmurs, his voice full of devotion. "and i'll make sure the world knows it too, no matter where we are."

[inardescere]

Rafayel gives a little huff through his nose, tilting his head when Caleb teases him again. "I liked our bath. You made it nice and warm, but the last time I was here, that woman made the water so hot I thought she was trying to boil me alive!" He plays up for the dramatics, head tilted back like he's appalled. "I would have believed it if she hadn't stepped into that same water, as if it was nothing." He shakes his head as if in disbelief, wondering just why she had decided it was the perfect temperature when it left his scales feeling weak and nearly falling after the quickest little dip.  An experience he never wants to go through again, if he could help it, seeing as it was incredibly uncomfortable.

Silence falls upon the Lemurian as he listens to Caleb's conversation with Gideon, giving them space to catch up, laughing softly and leaning close to catch every detail. It's a rare chance for him to learn more about the man, so he takes in every story that might give him a hint to his behavior and adventure in Gideon's words, blue and pink eyes taking in every different expression he made from the corner of his eyes. He knows he isn't being as discreet as he could be, only hiding his face with a glass raised to his lips every so often to drink that sweet wine, his gaze sideways as he admires the other's smile and ease as he converses with his friend. Their eyes meet enough times for Rafayel to realize Caleb was keeping an eye out on him as well, which encourages him to drink without worry. The truth is, they had wine like this in Lemuria as well, though the taste was different. Alcohol was also brought from the upper world sometimes when ships were sunk, and he admittedly had had his fair share of messing around with his friends and taking a curious sip. Maybe he had never told Caleb of this, seeing the way he hovers and puts a hand to his lower back as Gideon leaves them, effectively giving him an opening to lean against the Captain without a word after receiving a kiss to his cheek.

"I like music. I wouldn't be opposed to listening to songs created by landlubbers," he jokes softly, giggling airily as his head lolls till it's on his shoulder. "Tipsy... Maybe a little." The admission comes with a dazed sigh, straightening himself and smiling with the softest flush to his cheeks. "Just enough to feel good. You had quite a few as well... Are you alright?" He reaches up, cups his cheek gently to caress-- and as if it's the most natural thing to do, the Lemurian gets on his tiptoes, lips brushing against the other's in a short little kiss. "Let's take a look at the performances, then you can take me to the pier. If there's enough time, we can walk all the way out to enjoy the sunset on the sea's surface."

[hancfubuki]

caleb’s joy suddenly falters for a single second at the mention of another woman, the one he guesses, is the same rafayel calls a betrayer. he knew about her, bur hearing from him directly they shared a bath together simply annoys him. as far as he remembers, the lemurian told him he was the one taking his first kiss, his first everything. yet, sharing a bath seems way too intimate to do it with a stranger. he tries to act composed, his gaze softening with a hint of intensity behind it, a possessive glance that it’s almost impossible to ignore. his head tilts slightly, fingers brushing against rafayel’s neck. “i can’t imagine why she thought that was the right temperature for you.” his words are gentle, casual, but carrying an undertone that betrays his calmness. and so, he leans forward, his head resting on his shoulder as his thumb moves to the edge of his jaw. “i mean, not everyone can understand what you need. it takes… attention. effort.” his gaze flickers down for a moment, jaw tightening as usual when he gets jealous at his own thoughts, this time, picturing rafayel in another bath with someone else. “but you don’t need to worry about that anymore.” he leans in, voice dropping to a murmur as his lips curve in a soft, possessive smile. “because i’m here now. and i won’t let anyone else near you to mess with your water again.” he places a kiss to his jaw before letting go. a promise along with words to claim him, thinking that he wants to be the only one to share this kind of intimacy with him from now on.

yeah. it didn’t matter anymore. caleb is the one with rafayel now, and whoever that woman was, she was nothing more than a horrid memory for the lemurian. the constant glances shared in between also reassured him about this. his palm occasionally laying on top of his knee, gently petting him as he speaks to gideon until it’s time to go. “i have good tolerance, yes.” even when his cheeks are slightly red, but mostly it’s because of the gesture. the soft kiss placed on his lips as he hums happily in response, wanting for it to linger for more seconds and stay connected until they are out of breath. he sighs when rafayel pulls away, the needy look on his eyes asking for more, even when he is aware that’s dangerous for both of them. if they kiss, they won’t stop, and the night will fall with no chances to explore the town a bit more.

as they step out of the tavern, the golden glow of the near afternoon basks the streets in warm hues. the sounds of the market are close, vendors calling out their wares, children laughing, and the faint melody of street musicians tuning their instruments somewhere in the distance. caleb walks a step behind rafayel at first, glancing at his profile and how the light played off his features, a flush creeping up his neck. ridiculous. they just had a moment of intimacy, yet he somehow feels shy about holding his hand. but to be fair, there’s something different about the simplicity of this moment. as he steps closer and without a word, his hand brushes against rafayel’s, curling his fingers around his. the hold grows firmer after a few second, thumb tracing small circles against his skin. “i don’t want to lose you in the crowd.” he says. a weak excuse he doesn’t even need yet somehow it helps him to hold back the urge to pin and kiss him again. after all, holding rafayel’s hand feels natural, yet every time he does it, his heart still races. the sound of the musician gets closer, and they finally find themselves in front of a crowd that’s listening and dancing.

they could see the bard sitting on a wooden stool, cradling a lute with well-worn strings. their fingers move with ease, a soothing sound, like a lullaby, carrying a story without words. he squeezes rafayel's hand for a moment, looking back at him expectantly to see his reaction. "what do you think?" caleb is not well versed in music, so to him it sounds good as long as it's enjoyable, but he wants to listen to the critique of someone like him. "do you make music, seashell?" now he is eager to learn more about the lemurian.

[inardescere]

"The spice is fine." He replies curtly, annoyed by the stinging pain his tongue continues to endure. He feels a little better when the other wipes his tears away for him, leaning into the touch, head tilted to make it easier for him to be taken care of like a child to his mother. He's shameless, Rafayel will admit to that. Any chance he gets to be pampered, he will not let it slide. "It's the heat. You humans like everything so hot, it feels scalding. How does it not burn you from the inside? Not only that, but you guys also like to take baths with hot scalding water. No idea who decided becoming soup was a good idea." The Lemurian is whining, muttering to himself as the waiter leaves, bringing back a shot glass of something white and another tall glass of wine. The younger man shakes his head at the mention of 'milk', the name already sounding as suspicious as the drink in his hand. Unlike the beautiful sparkle of colors and bubbles in the wine, this one was a rather putrid color. He raises a brow, looking at Caleb questioningly before he takes the shot from his hands.

Maybe, to a human, this looked pale white.

In his eyes, the color was rather damning. It was a white canvas with pink and blue, a greenish hue and swirling something else. If this weren't the world of colors he was used to seeing, he might have felt a bit sick. Instead, he sighs at the new concoction that looks weirdly familiar yet different, taking a little sniff. He brings it to his mouth and gives it a little sip, a rich flavor covering his tongue with a weird acidic taste and sweetness. Yet, he still finds it a bit too odd to take the whole shot, putting it down as he licks the roof of his mouth with a passive expression. It's fine, just a bit odd. It has the soothing effect that Caleb mentioned, the spice no longer stings on his sensitive tongue. But he knows the heat he feels isn't from the food, but the wine he so quickly ingested on an empty stomach. Yet he finds his hand going towards the glass, his appetite spoiled.

Rather than eat, he wanted to enjoy this glass of wine that sweetened his tastebuds, bringing him mellow fragrances, tart in his mouth.

After another sip, he puts it down. If he drank any more, he might actually start to feel tipsy. Pink and blue eyes slowly move to stare at the man next to him, silently watching as he converses with his friend. After another few seconds of staring, he decides to pick the glass up and put it against his mouth, slowly enjoying the sweetness he grows fond of on his lips.

"Thank you," Rafayel replies, a little nod of his head towards Gideon for his generosity before he leans against Caleb's side, humming gently in thought. "Where do you want to go next? I'll follow you."

[hancfubuki]

caleb chuckles as his mouth curls into a smile, watching rafayel's dramatic unfold slowly. his finger lingers for a moment below his eye, wiping the small tears only to move towards his cheek, giving it a soft squeeze before letting it go. "so you didn't like when i heat the bath water for you? it wasn't even that hot." he teases as his voice comes playful. and gideon across the table simply looks confused. "how do you take a bath underwater?" to which caleb simply responds 'lemurian magic'. gideon nods, deciding not to get too much into it and just watches at how cozy they suddenly get.

he watches with a raised brow as rafayel examines the shot. he rests his chin on his hand, eyes glinting with amusement as the lemurian hesitates, sniffs and finally takes a cautious sip. "well?" caleb says, leaning slightly closer. but considering the expression on the other's face, he could tell it is not of his liking. "alright. no milk in your menu." caleb laughs softly, his eyes flickering briefly to the wine glass rafayel was reaching for. "but wine is a must, is it?" he is unsure if rafayel has ever drank something like this before, probably not so he decides to keep an eye on him as the time passes and their food plates gradually empty, he keeps talking to gideon, catching up, listening to the stories he had to tell while he was on whalefall city. cups of wine and beer come and go to their table, and even though caleb's tolerance is high, he notices how rafayel grounds himself to that cup until he decides to taste it again. when it's time to go, caleb hugs gideon goodbye, with the new promise of finding his new settled place in this town. as well, gideon waves goodbye saying he would like to visit them too someday.

as they both leave the table, caleb's hand immediately goes to rafayel's lower back as they walk outside the tavern. "hmm~ we should make it memorable since it's your first time on land for so long. we already went through the market, i would say we are more low profile now, but you are very striking." he leans closer, a sweet kiss placed to his cheek. "the market is buzzing at this hour. music, lights... so that's an option. oooor maybe we could go somewhere a little quieter? a walk along the pier or someplace where we can just sit and watch the sunset." though he takes this chance to tease him. "how are you feeling by the way? tipsy?"

[inardescere]

"I do."

Rafayel looks at Gideon with amusement, a hand going up to his neck and hovering over his neck where his scales rested flat against his skin. "They lay flat against my skin, transparent, so it's not visible unless you get into my personal space and take a closer look. So it's only natural you haven't noticed." He rubs his nape, brushing his hand over the scales, smooth like a polished stone but soft and malleable like skin protected under the shimmering piece. The more time he spends with Gideon, the more he has no idea how this man is still alive with situational awareness worse than a jellyfish. But it was in a way that weirdly gave him a sense of fondness, considering his bright nature, slightly reminding him of a certain Lemurian friend back home. Caleb calls Gideon out for being rude, and Rafayel just rolls his eyes as he leans forward. "It's a matter of convenience. My city is too compact for all of us to live in if we were to live day by day in our Lemurian forms." A hand goes up to his chin, a thoughtful look passes as he turns his head to the captain, looking him up and down. "You humans are obsessed with our beauty. Here I thought you liked me for my personality." Rafayel jokes right back, teasing him with a smirk as he reaches out to flick his forehead. "In due time. I'll show it to you."

Chewing the newly acquainted food now in his mouth, Rafayel decides he likes this version of chicken. It's a bit dry in some parts compared to fish, but it gave way under his teeth so easily compared to some tougher cuts of fish he has eaten before. "I never said it was fish. But you said it was close enough-- holding back on me with the critique? It tastes nothing like the fish." Rafayel continues to talk back, swallowing his food. Just as he's about to swipe his tongue over the sauce on his lips, he feels a thumb wipe it away for him, curious eyes following his movements as the other takes it to his own and licks it clean. A tease, one that provokes him, and Rafayel is surprised he has the guts. There is a warning look in his eyes as he stares back at Caleb, turning his body whole and perching a hand on his knee, warm and calming still as he holds the fork out. Try him, and Caleb wouldn't have another bite of chicken their whole trip. The warning was clear, but it disappears the moment Caleb dives in for the food, his hands leaving him to be placed on the table as he puts the utensil down, pleased that the man had eaten.

He's even more pleased when Caleb indulges him and feeds him by hand, spoiling him silly as usual. A smile stays on his lips as he takes this new piece of chicken into his mouth. It's crispy on the outside, the spicy kick now much stronger compared to the ginger and lime, prickling the inside of his mouth. It's a little too strong for his very mild palette, but he also doesn't hate it enough to stop eating. If anything, he weirdly likes it the way warm soup and hot baths had been prickly hot yet soothing at the same time. As Caleb and Gideon continue to talk in that way only old friends do, he decides to chew down on the chicken once, the inside juicy and tender compared to the exterior. His shoulders jump in surprise when his bite causes hot juices to burst in his mouth, burning the roof of his mouth and his tongue, blinking and brows furrowing as he puts a hand to his mouth, lips parted as he huffs for cold air. Saliva pools in his mouth, tears prickling the edges of his eyes as he takes another huff and swallows everything whole. Hurriedly, he reaches for the first thing his hand could grab, his glass, and fills his mouth with the cold drink.

Sweet, numbing, and cold, yet his throat burns.

"It was too hot." He states, not a complaint or even a whine, just stating why he was in pain. He looks at Caleb, blinks away the tears in his eyes, and takes the last sip in his glass slowly, filling his mouth with cool liquid as his tongue continues to throb in pain. "Can I have another of this? It's tasty and cold." Suddenly, he feels quite warm too. Gideon looks at him worried, and he shakes his head in reply, a hand up in reassurance. "I'm fine, just a little burnt." He sighs, not sure if he wants to keep eating the spicy one after it hurt the inside of his mouth. Instead, he reaches for the bread on the side and dips it in the sauce of the first chicken, the cream of it soothing the burn of the spice still left in his throat. "You were saying-- you were thinking of staying. It would make it easier for us to come and find you, but it is up to you. I plan to have your captain take me around the human lands, to as many places as he can. So we might find you even if you were to continue living a nomadic life." Rafayel raises a brow at Caleb, questioning him. Gideon was his friend after all, he had the final say about what would be for the best.

[hancfubuki]

caleb's lips leave a soft hum as he smiles, head slightly tilting as he catches the teasing coming from his partner's words. he doesn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around his shoulders again, pulling him closer as his knuckles brush softly against his scales, this time with a comforting touch. "nope. i don't care about lemurians and their beauty. i am obsessed with you." the teasing exchange between them leaves him grinning, but deep inside, a genuine curiosity started stirring. he has already learned a lot about rafayel in the past few months, though, seeing his tails feels like a secret piece of the puzzle he is trying to pierce together. he cannot deny he is curious about his color and shape, and how the light might project on the scales there. did they shimmer like gemstones? or perhaps they were iridescent and the color moved fluidly like water itself. he starts growing a fascination to find out, but caleb could be a patient man, and he will wait until the day he can finally see it instead of imagining it. gideon interrupts his thoughts, mouth full of food as he speaks. "now i can't deny the stereotypes about us, caleb." he shakes his head, and it looks as if he's disapproving but despite of his serious face, it's clear he is joking. "i am curious to see them, but i'm sure if i go near you our dearest captain is going to snap me in half."

"i'm glad you know me." gideon scoffs, continuing his food and deciding to ignore caleb for the time being. gideon has never seen caleb acting like this towards someone, though, he is aware caleb can be possessive over the people and things he holds dear. with rafayel, it's obvious that intensity of his only amplifies.

caleb laughs at rafayel remarks, shrugging softly his shoulders. "i had to cope." he jokes back as he stares fondly at him eating. the warning not going unnoticed, and he simply chuckles and mouths a 'what?' in return in a playful manner. but he already had plenty of fish before lunch, so he decides to put his entire attention on the chicken he has been craving for so long. soft hums of happiness as he eats, the nostalgic taste on his tongue as the flavors dance inside his mouth. and when it's his turn to feed rafayel again, he does it willingly, without complaining. in fact, he enjoys it. he likes the idea of being needed even for the simplest things. as he continues talking to gideon, the sudden jump of rafayel's shoulders cause him to shift his attention to him. "careful, there. it's hot." he mutters as he leans slightly closer, a smile that's equal parts amusement and concern. he gestures at the waiter, hand moving to rest another glass of wine along with a shot of milk. "are you okay?" gideon asks while caleb softly wipes the small tears away. "you can't handle spice, huh?" caleb teases again, leaning more to kiss softly his cheek. the waiter arrives with the glasses caleb asks previosly, gesturing at rafayel's side as he nods his head as a thank you. "have you try milk before?" he is unsure how his stomach will react, reason why he requested a shot instead. "drink it, it will soothe you."

turning back to gideon, he finds himself conflicted. part of him wants gideon to stay but the frequency of his visits is honestly unpredicted. it would be selfish to keep him here when he has the entire world to explore. "it really depends on you." as if eating drives him away from the question, he focuses on the chicken. gideon simply looks at him, waiting, a long silence fills the table for a moment and caleb finds no other way to change the subject. "i can't really tell you when i'm coming back, so as much as i would like to find a familiar face, i can keep you here if you don't want to." gideon tilts his head, grimacing at him, questioning caleb. "so?" caleb looks back at rafayel, waiting to see if he had something to say. though, he knows he is the one who has the last word. "i don't mind staying. i have gathered enough money to settle somewhere and the market fluids well here."

"then why are you waiting for me to tell you what to do?"

"to hear you say you miss me, but you really are obsessed with the fish." he points at rafayel, a soft smile on his lips. "the food is on me. if you need to go back soon then go around and explore. i won't keep you here longer. but next time we see each other, i'll let the tavern owner where, so you two can find me."

[inardescere]

Rafayel gives a soft hum as he cleans the other up, listening to him quietly as he has them dressed up and presentable to the public eye once again. "I'm glad to know you enjoyed it, Sunset. You were perfect, I couldn't have asked for better." The Lemurian reassures him, pecking his cheek and smiling gently, pushing his hair back to admire his handsome face, hand cupping his cheek as he does so. Still a bit red, but with some air and food, he's sure they'll return to normal soon. The Lemurian's face drops for a second when he mentions how he's suffocated before, and it pains him somewhere deep in his chest to think about what could've caused it in those years he hadn't been by his side. Rafayel himself had put his hands on him as well; he had killed him. "You feel safe with me." A statement, but there is a question in his tone as he brushes his thumb over his warm cheek, shaking his head gently to get rid of those dark thoughts. The guilt that eats up at the edge of his mind could be dealt with another day. Right now, he just presses their foreheads together, a thoughtful hum rumbling through his chest. "You can let me take care of you any time, love. But if you ever feel unsafe, know that I will listen to your wishes no matter what." Rafayel opens his eyes, pink irises shining in the dim light. "If you say no, I will drop everything and make sure you feel comfortable and safe. If you get hurt, I would be incredibly upset with myself-- so don't hold it back and tell me."

There is soft laughter when he realizes Caleb continues to have that cute wide grin, completely fucked out and relaxed. His feet are unsteady, he looks seconds away from being swayed into giggling, and Rafayel doesn't bother to hold back his little chuckle as they take a seat and the other gets comfortable in such a brazenly happy manner. Their hands are locked, and it seems like the Lemurian's hands would never be let go-- something he rather enjoys. The younger man rolls his eyes as he jokes about growing scales again, even Gideon seems to be laughing at his bad joke. "I'm starting to think you want to grow scales. Curious what it's like after you've seen mine?" The Lemurian raises a brow, a teasing look of his own as he sits back against his chair, trying to get comfortable first.

Once he feels like he isn't going to dive headfirst into the table, he takes a look at all the dishes. Some had odd colors, some were vibrantly colored, and the smell was intense. Rafayel thinks to reach for his drink first, throat parched after all the noise they had made up in Caleb's private room. But before he could choose what dish to start with, he saw Caleb holding out a bite in front of his lips. It reminds him of how he had done the same in his kitchen, fed him personally his first ever taste of the ocean's delights. The food in front of him was fragrant, something almost sweet wafting from what he thought of the milky substance making the sauce, an almost spicy tang that cleared his nose just from the smell alone. If it were Caleb and him alone, he would have found this intimate moment no different from their usual affectionate gesture. But he's snapped out of his thoughts when he hears Gideon's commentary as well, suddenly watched by two pairs of eyes, then four, then eight; others getting curious as the most handsome duo act like a married couple.

A light blush crosses his cheek, eyes wide and beady as he looks up at Caleb. He looks so expectant, and Rafayel decides to open his mouth and take the bite, chewing slowly to savour the taste while his cheeks slowly calm from its heat. The first taste feels spicy, surprisingly so from the ginger. Then there's a tang from the lime, something sour yet it is mellowed out by the creamy taste on his tongue. The chicken--- he is furrowing his brows in confusion now, tilting his head as he takes another few chews till he swallows the food. Lips pouted, deep in thought, he stared at the dish for a moment before looking up at Caleb. "You lied. The chicken tastes much more savory and has a depth of flavor that ocean fish don't have. What is this..." It's tender yet tough, flavor seeped into the deepest parts of its flesh, yet the saltiness was much more balanced with the sauce on it. "There's this creamy mouthfeel. Is that the coconut? I like that, it feels and tastes really good." A smile graces his lips, and he picks up his fork to get another bite, this time less methodical and simply enjoying his favorite parts of it in his mouth, moaning softly as the kick of spice satisfies his taste buds.

Rafayel then cuts out a bite and holds it out for Caleb expectantly, wanting to share it with him too. "You need to eat too, aaaah-- don't let it fall. I can see why you like it so much. It's satisfying and fills the stomach better. What about this other one? What is this? It looks different." He points out the other dish once the captain takes his cutout bite. Then, he turns his head and tilts his head up expectantly towards the other, mouth parted slightly, waiting for him to feed him.

[hancfubuki]

     caleb leans into the touch, eyes fluttering shut for a moment as rafayel cups his cheeks. he will never grow tired of this, the way their foreheads always meet, melting be him every time, a tenderness he never experimented before. he lets out a breath as a soft laugh escapes his lips. “yeah. i know, honey. i should be the one saying that.” it sounds as if he’s joking, but it is true as well, or maybe it’s just the part of him not used to be at the other side of the table. usually these are the comfort words he would say to someone he appreciates, and even if the idea of feeling like a damsel in distress is not his favorite, he is slowly learning to accept it as it comes from rafayel. he is able to see the guilt in his eyes, being able to detect it’s probably because of his previous words. “i don’t want you to feel pity for me, though.” he says, leaning on to kiss his forehead in return. “you can’t carry the world’s weight by yourself, not even for me. so the same applies to you. i’ll tell you anything, but don’t lose yourself trying to keep me afloat. talk to me too.”

    leaving their little bubble and already in their table, caleb is not even surprised gideon has no idea what was going on. strong with a head full of air, and he has never been more thankful of his friend’s cluelessness. “i think i would look pretty hot with them. don’t you think, gideon?” he nods his head at his friend, who is too engrossed in his own food. “hm?” he looks at them confused for a moment, gaze lingers on rafayel for a second, then on caleb, then on rafayel again. “rafayel has scales? i didn’t notice.” he takes a bite of his food, talking with his mouth full. “well i should have guessed it’s obvious considering i saw his skin shimmering earlier. thinking about it… why do you have legs? i thought lemurians were fishes.” caleb blinks, holding back his laughter. “don’t be rude. you don’t go around asking people why they have legs.” he jokes, elbow pressing against the table as he uses his palm as support for his face, looking at rafayel, smirking mischievously. “you haven’t shown me your tail, actually. is it as pretty as your face?” gideon rolls his eyes and decides to politely ignore them for a moment, caleb taking this moment to feed rafayel instead. 

     caleb chuckles as his lips curve into a pleased smile. “lied?” he teases, leaning his chin on his hand as he watches him. “i said it was similar, not that it was fish. but i did told you how savory it actually was, didn’t i?” his hand goes up, cleaning the side of his mouth with his thumb and licking the drops of sauce off it, still smirking at rafayel, knowing exactly what he is doing. “you got a sharp tongue, seashell.” he laughs, completely teasing him on purpose as he noticed the blush from earlier, definitely wanting it to spread again on his cheeks. but when rafayel holds out the bite for him, he leans forward with exaggerated enthusiasm, closing his mouth around the fork and letting out an approving him as he chews. ah. the first taste of chicken in months. he might have added theatrics in his movements on purpose, but it does taste like heaven. the explosion of flavor in his mouth as he closes his eyes in total bliss while he swallows the food. “hmm~ i missed this.” he says, taking his own fork and having another bite of it. “it’s coconut, yes. it helps balancing the ginger and lime. told yaaaa, perfect harmony.” 

    he takes a look at the other dish, the special blackbeard’s spicy fried chicken. “this one is more crunchy. it’s the tavern special.” indeed, a different plate completely. a blend of smoked paprika, cayenne and crushed res pepper. he wonders if it will delight rafayel’s palate considering it might be a bit spicy, and along with the garlic, onion and brown sugar the taste could be sweet but hot. he notices rafayel is waiting for him to feed him again, and he doesn’t even hesitate in doing it. “open up, sunshine.” caleb waits for rafayel to take the mouthful, eager to see his reaction. “you look so cute. you should let me cook back home just to see you pout over the flavors.” and gideon? he simply stares. he is trying his hardest not to laugh but fails in the process. he is not even mocking them, or find them funny. he is just glad to finally see caleb in this situation. “never pictured the great captain acting so cheesy with someone. it’s adorable.” he then looks at rafayel. “you mentioned before about taking him back with you. that means you don’t have any plans in staying? i thought about leaving soon, but if you are going to be close this town i could move here, so you can have a place to stay and i can keep caleb’s stuff.” 

[inardescere]

As heat consumes him whole, chest heaving with sharp breaths and whimpered moans, Rafayel slides in and out of his warm mouth, deep into his throat and shudders when he feels him suck him in deeper. It takes a few more thrusts, hands moving to the back of his head, and he holds him tightly so he cannot move, letting out a broken cry as he spills in him, bleary eyes just barely making out the little dent he makes in his throat.

Pulling out, blinding sparks dance in his vision as he topples forward onto his hands, blinking away the buzz of pleasure as he crawls over to his lover to check on him, hands over his hair to pull it away from his face. He heard him gasp for air, but the sudden silence that returned at his gentle shake made him pause. It takes two seconds before blood drains from his face as he rolls him onto his back. He pats his cheek and fingers against his pulse behind his ear, breathing a sigh of relief when he feels the soft thump against his fingertips, his heartbeat just as fast as he expected under his hand. Rafayel nearly cries when his eyes blink open, but it just comes out as a wet sigh and a shake of his head when their eyes meet. Triumph and something smug dance in his beautiful purple eyes, pulling a smile onto his once quivering lips when he hears that beautiful tenor of his voice let out a husky little chuckle. There's another wave of relief once he realizes he did not mess up whatever they just had, that he hadn't read his reactions wrongly, and maybe accept just how much Caleb seemed to enjoy what he could give.

"Hey, handsome." Rafayel laughs softly, voice hoarse and deep as his heart slows from the excess of excitement, love in his eyes as his fingers push those short bangs away from his face, leaning down to kiss his forehead, lips pressed against him for a long second before he presses another to his temple. "You did so well, love. You're a sight to revere."

Rafayel lets the other take his time to come down from his high, peppering soft kisses to his face, some lingering longer than others as he whispers praises and words of affection against his skin. "I enjoyed that very much. You were perfect for me, listened to me so well. You held on for me-- thank you. Are you alright, though? You knocked out for a minute, and I was worried." He sees his mouth open, but words seem lost in his throat and a pretty blush crosses the young Lemurian's face and up to his ears as he recognizes it's his fault, a little proud and yet flustered that he had let go his himself more than intended. It doesn't help that Caleb wipes his mouth, taking the leftover stickiness, and starts playing with it, making his stomach tighten at the sight. The Lemurian straightens, gets off the bed, and mutters something about getting a cloth when he feels the other follow him, arms wrapped around his shoulders before their lips meet again. A sigh escapes his lips mid-kiss, relaxing in his hold as his hands now move to hold his waist.

"You liked it?" Rafayel peeks up through his lashes, disbelief showing in a moment of weakness before a small smile curls his lips. He pulls the captain in with a hand to their lower back, leaning their faces together for a few more soft kisses before he nuzzles their noses together, foreheads close. "Okay, let's go get your favorite food before Gideon eats it all. Let me take care of you first because you look thoroughly ravaged. It'll only take a minute."

After a tight hug that lifts Caleb off the bed and lowers him back on the edge, Rafayel turns and finds a spare cloth, using the sink far off to one side to wash it a few times before bringing it back. Rafayel leans down, a hand on Caleb's shoulder to balance himself as he holds the cloth close to his face, gaze tender. "Close your eyes and relax. I've got you." With soft urging, he waits for his eyes to close before wiping away the dried tear tracks left on his face, the spit smeared over his skin, sticky residue from fucking his mouth and the coolness of the wet cloth to help the swelling of his lips. He wipes down his whole body with quick, methodical swipes, and after cleaning his own face, throws the thing in the sink before tucking and buttoning their clothes back into place. Those soiled gloves though... Rafayel decides to take both gloves off and stuff them in a pocket to wash them another time.

The Lemurian takes his hand and pulls him up onto his feet, his other hand grabbing his waist to pull him close, pressed together as he gives one last kiss. "Let's go," he says with a grin and holds his hand tight, guiding him out of the room. For how little time must have passed, his every step felt lighter and also more dizzying, still drunk on his post orgasm bliss as they enter the tavern again. This time, without Rafayel gloating his beauty and posing for attention, not as many bother to look as they make their way through the sea of tables and chairs, sitting at the table where Gideon was already digging in, their food and drinks already served and luckily, still steaming slightly.

"It was the pressure after all. I gave him some homemade solution, and he should be feeling much better now. I apologize for leaving you like that."

[hancfubuki]

     his cheeks remain dyed a rosy pink. eyes wide, shining as if he had just received the biggest treat in the world. hands rest on rafayel's chest, melting under the attention given with a boyish grin on his lips. "was i really that good? like... reaaaally really?" he chuckles, head tilting expectantly, acting like a puppy again, but this time aiming for more affection as he leans into rafayel's touch. "yes. i almost pass out." he says casually, already coming down from pleasure and regaining his composure little by little. “but i kinda like it?” as someone who has experimented death several times, he is not exactly a fan of it, but the previous taste of suffocation wasn’t as unpleasant as he would have expected. at the thought of it, caleb’s cheeks burn, the blush spreading all the way to the tip of his ears. “i mean— not exactly liked it liked it, but the way you made me feel. i have suffocated several times by now, but this time i felt safe. like i could let go and not have to think for a second.” he eyes drift away for a second, complying to rafayel’s movements and allowing him kiss him softly, lips puckering in return as the softness embrace him. “i have never been good at not being in control. so this was… different. and helped me learned a thing or two about me as well.” he chuckles, doing what he is asked, closing his eyes and allowing rafayel to pamper him in return.

     he feels the tenderness rafayel cleans him up, a smile curling on his lips allowing himself to receive this. indeed. it’s different. he is used to be at the other side, taking care of others instead. but with rafayel, he feels cherished. every second spent together brings him unbelievable happiness and a sense of reassurance, especially after the number rafayel created back in the tavern. it is a reminder that, at the end of the day, they belong together. 

     caleb stands up, being suddenly pulled but accepting the miss gladly as he fixes his clothes. as they make their way back to the tavern, he stumbles a little as they reach the table. there’s a dazed smile still present on his face, refusing to leave as his grip on rafayel’s hand becomes firm. the memory of rafayel’s tenderness and also intensity still fresh in his head, warming him up and cracking a smirk as he goes back to his seat. gideon’s eyes turn to look at both of them. “you’re back. it’s everything okay?” he nods when rafayel replies, not having a clue of why really was going on behind closed doors. “i started feeling a bit dizzy. probably because i have been underwater for so long. maybe i’m really growing scales.” he jokes, elbow poking at rafayel as the smell of the chicken suddenly fills his nostrils.

     that’s when he allows his head to be carried away again. chicken. it’s been so long. 

     caleb stares at the food and at the glass of wine replaced from earlier, and as much as he wants to take the first bite of both dishes, he simply turns to rafayel with bright eyes, waiting patiently to see his first reaction after tasting his favorite meat. though, different from what rafayel did before, caleb instead grabs the fork and takes a piece of the dish, to get it closer to rafayel’s mouth. “say ahh~” at the other side of the table, gideon is also watching curiously, completely entertained by the idea of a foreigner to taste local food for the first place. “knowing caleb, he probably put a lot of expectations on it.” gideon says as his elbow is placed over the table, his cheek resting on his fit as he waits for rafayel to eat. caleb simply laughs, holding the fork with the chicken thighs marinated in coconut milk, lime and ginger. “this one is more of a tropical flavor. what do you think?”

[obligatedart]

On their way to self destruction, they crash and burn together. For a brief moment, a flash of light and warmth, then, only darkness..

I love Applefish. They make each other worse <3

Third installation in my Nisekao Rafayel series~

[obligatedart]

Humid. Pulsating. Buzzing. So loud yet so quiet. Letting himself be held, touched. Drowning in an embrace. Dusk eyes catching dawn eyes. A lifeline for the night.

A fourth (?!?) Nisekao inspired piece - cause I just can’t seem to get enough ~

[withoutzeuzey]

Based on a tweet that talked about caleb leviating rafayel (who has a fear of heights)

[inardescere]

Any worries he had flew out the window the moment he stepped in.

Rafayel stood with his back against the door, fingers going to the lock and giving it a light click so no one could disturb them unless they broke down that door. Oh, his eyes widened at the sight held in front of him, spread legs and a body flushed red, a very naked one as he saw the muscles of his abdomen spasm with every languid stroke of his hand up and down, the shirt between his lips falling when he looks up, their eyes meeting for a moment. Gorgeous. Dark eyes scanned him from head to toe, his cheeks still red, and the freckles on him looked darker like this, his hips never still as he bucked into his own hand, desperate whines and muffled moans filling the room with a musky scent. Was he so worked up that he couldn't even wait the minute it had taken Rafayel to climb those stairs and follow him, had touched himself to the memory of his fingers tugging for relief?

He's not allowed to take even a step before he feels himself lifted, tossed onto the bed, and the springs creaking loudly underneath. "How is it unfair? You had just as many chances as I." Rafayel smirks up at the man now towering over him, eyes taking in his form and still deciding what role he should play. Does he want the domineering God who craves endlessly to devour him till he's had his fill, or would he like the submissive Lemurian with teary eyes that serves him like a good boy? The thought is cut off when he's pulled into a ferocious kiss, all tongues and saliva, the sharp canine of his scraping against his tongue in retaliation for the rough handling of his face, moaning into his mouth with glee as they swiped tongues and lips together with greed, hands holding onto his waist desperately. When he pulls away, Rafayel jumps in surprise at the sudden sound and taste of the other's saliva pooled in his mouth, eyes wide and blood turning his whole face and neck red as he meekly closes his mouth. Did he just... spit in his mouth? He doesn't even know how to respond, not swallowing, just letting his own mix together and pool in his mouth as he sees the smug look on his face, even as his pants are pulled off his legs, shocked.

It's only when he sees the other's ass right in his face, their position pulled every other way to get comfortable by his powers that he snaps out of it, the heat in his head spreading all over his body. Caleb had been sweet before; they had touched each other that one time, but this position felt so indecent compared... It made his head spin, turned on, and yet a bit confused by the fast pace. But it's better not to think, don't overthink it, when Caleb seemed so alive as he tried to tempt the Lemurian. A soft scoff escapes him, hands placed on those pale globes of flesh, giving them a squeeze. As if he had to do all that to tempt him. Rafayel lifts his head, then decides to use his hands to pull the other's hips closer instead, getting comfortable as he fondles his back a few times, squeezing hard as he leaves soft kisses to the dick in front of him. "Yes, you were so good. Kept your voice down and took to my hand so nicely." So desperate as well, he was already leaking from his previous teasing. As much as he smelled the distinct taste of him he remembered from their last tryst, he also smelled something sweet, sticky, and thin, tongue lapping up from the base to his tip, feeling it twitch under his tongue.

Oh, it was the wine Caleb had ordered for him.

Rafayel moans softly with his head tossed aside, nails digging into his flesh as he feels warmth cover him whole. So eager, he whimpers softly when he feels the cool air hit his length before he's enveloped in warmth again, breathing hard against the other's thigh, and he bites, leaving teeth marks on his soft flesh to ease the sudden wave of pleasure. "Caleb," he whispers under his breath, thighs tensing as he starts to grow hard with every slurping sound that reaches his ears, blood thrumming through his veins loudly in his ears. His lips quiver as he kisses every part of him he could reach, hips twitching as he feels the tip of his dick touch his throat, soft groans of pleasure filling the room. Shaky hands move to his mouth and he pushes all the spit pooled in his mouth onto it, fingers wrapping around the other's dick no different from how he had in the tavern, but firmer now, wrist flicking faster than before, thumbing his slit every now and then, trying to push him over the edge. No longer did he have to worry about the swish of skin against flesh, hand squelching as he mixed precum and spit to ease the glide, hands warmed with his power to give him heat, lips peppering kisses along the base and his balls, taking them in his mouth and sucking them loudly, letting go with a loud gasp. So good, Rafayel squeezes his eyes shut when he feels his legs shake as Caleb continues to suck him off, loud and unabashed compared to the meek, blushing mess he was before.

Without hesitation, the Lemurian finally guides him into his mouth from tip till halfway, his mouth a heated cavern-- a warm, slick mess he uses to make every slide smooth, tongue swirling around him languidly, letting him enjoy the soft walls of his mouth, encouraging him to move his hips with a squeeze of his ass, guiding him in a slow rhythm as far as he could go. His fingers leave a wet trail as he fondles his ass, the meaty flesh caving under his hand in a way that felt weirdly cathartic, long fingers reaching the seam and rubbing circles at his puffed entrance. He doesn't breach it like the last time, only circles it gently as he remembers the distinct sounds he made the last time he tried, only teasing him, knowing the pleasure that came with its touch. Rafayel stops teasing him, hips rolling slowly into the other's mouth a few times before he stills, pulling off with a sigh. Breathing in deep, Rafayel swallows him whole, bobbing his head and sucking, a sudden enthusiasm as he lifts his head and pulls his hips down with a hard squeeze to his bottom, leaving red imprints. His throat clicks, swallowing each time he's fully inside. It doesn't take long before he feels warm liquid down his throat, a choked groan gurgled against Caleb's length as he milks him, sucking diligently till he's cleaned him of his seed, pulling away with a soft kiss to the softened length, licking his lips.

Then, he wordlessly flips the man onto his back, getting on all fours and shifting, a hard grip on his arm to demand he stay still, kneeling above his head to peer down at him. "You look lovely with tears... Did you enjoy it that much?" Voice hoarse and eyes dark, Rafayel spreads his fingers over his cheek. Instead of wiping those beautiful tears streaking down his face, he smudges them, paints them all over his face, and feeds it to him with his thumb. He leans down, waits for Caleb to open his mouth willingly before he kisses him, messily with tongue, drool and traces of his cum smeared on their lips. The Lemurian hovers over his lips, his next kiss gentle as a butterfly as he whispers. "Keep your mouth wide open for me, my sunset. You can use your powers and pull me off if it gets painful. Understood?" He waits till he gets a response, cooing praise and kissing his cheek before his hands spread wide, starts to wander down his body. He caresses his face, his neck, all the way down to his chest where he warms his skin, massages his muscles, palm brushing over his chest, and his fingers play with his nipples, stopping there to twirl and tease, kissing him to keep his noises from getting too loud. His hands continue to tease and explore, then he grabs a stray pillow and makes Caleb shift it under his shoulders. With the support, Rafayel circles his thick neck with both hands, thumb drawing circles with feather-light touches on his Adam's apple, fingers pressing gently against the back of his head, tilting it back against the edge of the pillow.

Rafayel gets on his knees, legs spread wide as he guides his length forward into his open mouth. First, he just taps against his tongue, filling his cheek with a sigh. Slowly, he glides in till he fills his mouth, shuddering as the heat consumes him. He presses on his throat gently, thumb drawing circles to ease his throat, and waits till he feels the muscles relax against his tip. When there's no struggle, the Lemurian groans and thrusts in all the way, ignoring the click of his throat to adjust his length and his thumb feeling the bulge of himself as he slides through. "So hot," he gasps, hips twitching in shallow thrusts into his throat, fingers caging his neck to keep him still and unmoving so he doesn't get hurt. Unable to help himself, Rafayel pulls his hips back and thrusts back in with a hard slap of skin, the squelching noise burning his ears as he starts fucking his throat more and more enthusiastically, whimpering and moaning pitifully. At some point, he babbles, calling out Caleb's name and his endearments, drool pooling in his mouth as he slams his hips with precision, his blush spread from his ears down to his chest, eyes rolled back and squeezed shut as he trembles. Yet, there is still a tenderness to his grip around his neck, hips still making sure he's not using his full strength as he chases after his pleasure, fear of breaking him. "Good, oh, please, just a bit more-"

[hancfubuki]

it’s the first time caleb has ever experienced this kind of desperation.

the overwhelming heat radiating from rafayel’s hands beneath him, the press of their bodies together leaving no space between them, how rafayel’s body responds arching under his weight. all of this ignites a primal need, an insatiable feeling leading him to finally submit. his hands grip rafayel’s hips, taking him as far as he can inside his mouth, small tears coming down his eyes and loud but muffed moans coming out as he slowly becomes a mess, drooling as the erratic movements of his head start matching the pace in which rafayel touches him in exchange. already too worked up from before, he feels his length throbbing, precum dripping down with every movement of his hand and every tease of his tongue, knowing he is close.

as soon as rafayel takes him completely in his mouth, caleb finds himself even messier than before. his body tenses a little upon feeling the fingers on his entrance, his breath catching in his throat as he pulls away from rafayel’s dick. his head starts feeling heavy, burying it on his pelvis as he sticks his hips out, melting and surrendering to the sensations provided. hand is still wrapped around rafayel's length, but he is unable to form a single movement, whimpering loudly, exhaling the lemurian's name in shaky breathes. caleb feels his head spinning for a moment, redness creeping on his face as eyes roll. the realization hits him like a wave. he likes this. he likes the weight of someone else taking control, the vulnerability of being held down and the shocks it brings down his spine as he finally feels completed, whimpering loudly as rafayel's throat becomes warmer with his climax. he doesn't even have time to react or to catch his breath before being flipped to his back. puppy eyes staring at rafayel as he nods slowly at his question. yeah, he enjoyed a lot actually, and the blush on his cheeks totally give it away. and as he feels the other's fingers on his cheek, he realizes they are not being wiped, closing his eyes softly and leaning into the touch even though they were just being smeared. as he leans down, he obediently opens his mouth, happily accepting his tongue in a messy kiss as whimpers still come from the back of his throat. he can even taste himself in it, sucking rafayel's lower lip as if his life depended on it.

his head tilts slightly, half-lidded eyes as he stares at the other and nods at his command, leaning into the touch all over his body like a dog that just had been praised. he follows the silent orders, leaning against the pillow as he never breaks eye contact with rafayel. suddenly, it warms again. the familiar taste from just minutes ago lingering on his lips along with the saltiness of sweat. he feels the intrusion in his throat gentle at first, feeling his muscles of his neck relaxing around rafayel's fingers. the tightness of his throat easing as caleb instinctively sucks the deeper he gets, adjusting to the gradual depth. each subtle motion draws a soft sound from him, between a gasp and a whimper, leaning into rafayel's control. and as the struggle disappears, he notices the other's movements are becoming more assertive while his thoughts fade into submission.

it's suffocating, how he feels half of his length completely down his throat, eyes completely lost as the tears form again and fall on his eyelashes. though, it sends jolts of pleasure down his spine. it's intoxicating. every time rafayel thrusts harder, his chest tightens and his lungs burn as his body struggles for air. caleb's head tips back, throat straining as he draws in shallow breaths through his nose. the suffocated feeling doesn't disappear but he surrenders to it, allowing rafayel to fuck his throat as deeper as he could, enjoying the call of his name. his vision blurs, sweat on his forehead losing any track of sense, eyes rolling, allowing the lemurian to slam his mouth as he pleases. as he finally feels the cum dripping down his throat and with that rafayel pulling back, caleb falls to the side of the bed, catching his breath just enough before passing out. he opens his eyes, glassy and half-lidded, meeting rafayel's gaze with a spark of triumph. and he chuckles for a second, realizing he just had an awakening, waiting to be praised.

he stays there for another few seconds, feeling how his head comes back to earth and swallowing the remaining fluids inside of his mouth, some dripping from the corners of his lips. gideon, right— shit. CHICKEN.

caleb opens his mouth, waiting for words to come out but his throat hurts and his cheeks flushed again upon imagining how ridiculous he probably looks right now. he wipes his mouth, licking his fingers and playing for a second with the stickiness in his fingers. "as much as i would love to stay here, our food is getting cold." he rolls on the bed, managing to stand up at rafayel's height to wrap his arms around his neck and press a soft kiss to his lips. "i like this side of you."

[inardescere]

Better not mention Rafayel had single-handedly wrecked the ship and drowned everyone on board.

Except Caleb.

It was a good thing Gideon seemed very unbothered with the world outside, or what caused Caleb's late arrival, or the fleet's demise. He seemed a bit too relaxed, worryingly so, but Rafayel rather liked him for some reason. He could see why Caleb kept him by his side and became friends with him, a relaxed humor and attitude that made days languid and carefree, enjoying little things in life-- something Rafayel himself loved. "Sweet white wine?" The Lemurian perks up, trying to ignore the shivers that try to ease their way through his facade. He liked wine, and it was true that he had been feeling a need for something sweet on his tongue. He moans softly, a light blush on his cheeks as he flutters his lashes and smiles. "That sounds delicious. A kiss and a drink, you're trying to spoil me."

Gideon is a good kid. The human tells him stories of how they met, and Rafayel smiles a bit too playfully when Caleb struggles to form his sentences under his teasing touch. The Lemurian wondered where this thrill came from, and if he was abnormal for finding the other cute when he struggled so. Before Caleb, he had never been truly in love or tried to form a relationship beyond one of friendship or worship. He had guidance from the elders, friends who showed him the world, and adults who taught him basic ways of life. He had read books about love and romance, how it was a deep, profound thing that two souls shared. He knew that sometimes it meant sharing a passion that was indecent in the eyes of others, but a natural part of it all. As knowledge, he had known. But to experience it himself first hand, barely keeping his attention on the topic at hand, unlike his lover who was trying his best amid his length throbbing under his fingers, how his back straightens and his thighs quiver when he squeezes tight, pointer finger toying with his tip... oh, he's a goner. He's going to come, he can see it in the way his eyes glimmer in the candlelit room from the corner of his eyes, from the way his chest heaved and his legs shook against the back of his hands. Yet he found in himself a mixture of pure adoration and greed, hunger to see him unravel and show the first human beings to lay eyes on the God that this was his lover, his follower, and no one else could--

Rafayel gasps softly when he hears the whisper of his name, broken and pleading. Even he cannot tell if he was begging him to stop or to continue, but taking pity, he starts a different conversation to take the attention away. "Well, we had a similar meeting. I found him among the wreckage of his ship, and he was barely breathing." A slow, languid tug of his length, hand squeezing him tight, ordering him to be good. "I brought him back, furious because I thought he was part of the group that tried to harm my childhood friend. A lot happened..." He flicks his wrist faster, thumb sliding in for a better grip, "--but I completely fell for him."

THUD!

Both heads turn towards Caleb now, and the Lemurian furrows his brows as pleasure spikes through his being. Oh, he was a masterpiece. Flushed from his face down to his neck, eyes brimming with unshed tears as he held back the natural reactions to his diligent hand. Rafayel slows his wrist, but he isn't relenting but edging him, thumb now pressing into his tip and rubbing in. "It might be the sudden change in atmosphere? He's been with me down in the depths for so long, the heat here would affect him badly, too." Rafayel plays the role of a worried boyfriend well, leaning in and using his free hand to caress his cheek, wiping away the sweat on his temple with a worried furrow of his brow. Even the Lemurian hadn't meant to take it this far, but as they competed for an unknown victory, the competitive side of him won over and took charge, pushing him to the edge. He could see the cogs spinning in his head, finding a way out until-- Splash! A glass falls and the cold, sweet wine splashes over his hand and the captain's crotch. His hand pulled back immediately as attention was brought upon them at the waiter's mistake. That was no mistake, but Rafayel isn't about to comment as he watches the man put on a smile and walk out in a gait. Even Gideon looks confused by his weird behavior.

"I'll go check on him. He might be feeling sick, so don't wait for us if we take too long. Here, in compensation. I just picked them up off the seabed, but I heard they're valuable to you humans."

Throwing a handful of pearls onto the tabletop gracefully so they don't roll off, Rafayel stands and rushes out of the tavern to chase after his lover. He hastens his steps as he gets to the stairs, pausing only a few seconds when he sees his reflection in a mirror next to a door. Ocean blue and pink had darkened into deep red, desire thrumming through his veins, and so visibly perturbed, even his brows arched, and his lips couldn't stop dancing between a pleasant smile and a smirk. He takes slow steps up the stairs, taking a deep breath as he calms himself, blood electric as he remembers the red blotches of a blush all over his face. Would... Caleb accept this part of him? He had always seemed so keen on making Rafayel docile, taking control over him and desiring to make him soft and submissive under his touch. He understood that need, but he also loved being taken care of; he doesn't think he could give up one or the other. He puts his hand on the doorknob of their room, hands shaking slightly in anticipation and fear. Did he... go too far? Lips thin as he pushes the door open, quickly closing the door behind him.

"Are you okay, love?"

[hancfubuki]

     as soon as he manages to fully climb upstairs, caleb pushes the door to the previous room they were before. the boxes clattered at the corner revealed a bed in the middle of the room. forgetting to lock the door, knowing only rafayel or gideon would open it, he manages to sit at the edge of the bed. he lets out a shaky breath, one that he has been holding for a while by now. his hands trembling slightly as he runs them through his hair, trying to get a bit of the cool air in the room to try and extinguish the fire still coursing through his veins. his elbows rest at the mattress, gasping for air as he tries to calm down, but as his chest rise rise and fall with each deep breath and his erection continues as hard as before, he understands the dizziness is not going away until he unleashes himself. his mind continues replaying the way rafayel touched him, bold and unapologetic, acting as if nothing was happening and conversing so casually. 

     “damn him.” caleb mutters under his breath, his voice thick with frustration. his cheeks keep burning as he recalls the smirk on rafayel’s face, the way he had undone him with just a flick of his fingers. so he lays half down, using his elbows as support as he gets rid of the pants that are acting like a cage right now. he leans back, long fingers wrapping around himself ad he rocks his hips up and down to match the rhythm of his own hand. it’s not the same, but it is what it is. he no longer has a need to suppress his voice. the room is at the end of the hall and the noise downstairs is enough to disguise his soft, muffled moans, as he is holding the hem of his shirt with his teeth as he touches himself. he hears the doorknob clicking open, the sweet and frustrating voice of rafayel coming thought it, calling him love. oh… calling him love. he sighs deeply, his wrist going up and down slowly, legs spread open as he nods his head. “you played unfair.” the shirt falls over his torso, red cheeks and shiny half lidded eyes looking at rafayel as he closes the door. 

     caleb doesn’t even allow him to answer, with a flick of his fingers, the air around rafayel shifts, gravity pulling him towards the bed and landing on the mattress with a soft thud. caleb smirks. “take responsibility.” from the moment they met, caleb has been eager to get control of rafayel, wanting to push him into submission, making him whimper until he begs for him to continue. and now, being on the other side he can understand the appealing behind. wondering if this is how rafayel feels, if it turns him on as much as it does to him. watery eyes glancing at rafayel, pleading for more as he climbs on top of him. he grabs his face with his palm, thumb pressing a bit harder than he initially intended to, forcing rafayel’s mouth open as he introduces his tongue, messy kissing, almost drooling, and as he continues grabbing his face, parting lips move away but not before spitting shamelessly inside his mouth. caleb smirks, arrogance all over his face as he shifts his body to undone the pretty pants he helped put on not long ago, carefully removing it as he doesn’t want to ruin the fabric with bodily fluids. 

     he puts all his weight on rafayel’s torso, crushing him down as his ass purposely rest on his chest, even bouncing it a little in front of his face to tempt him to touch it. big, plush. a little bit more and it would clap by itself. and he doesn’t even wait for rafayel to move, he keeps abusing his gravity control as he position themselves as he pleases, his dick gracing against rafayel’s lips, pleading to be eaten. “you were saying earlier you prefer dishes you have tried before.” he rocks his hips down, waiting.“bon appetite.” he plays for a moment with rafayel, despite teasing him back there he doesn’t seem to be as worked up as he was before. and well, caleb knows when to admit defeat. so he whimpers loudly, a plea as he moves his hips desperately. “you can use your pretty long fingers too if you want. i grant you full permission. i’ll be a good boy.” 

     he buries his face on rafayel’s crotch. touching softly his thighs, fingers running through the skin before sinking his nose in there. he takes a deep breath, before taking his softened cock in his mouth. it’s messy again, saliva dripping as he starts feeling rafayel growing inside his mouth. he feels his heartbeat pulsing through it, growing harder as the second pass and filling his mouth so perfectly fine. he feels the sweetness, the stickiness, and the saltiness of the sweat, differently from being underwater. caleb moans against it, tongue crossing the slit, sucking and tasting. he wonders if there’s scales in here too, he has touched it before but never really paid attention to it. so he makes it a mission to discover, languid tongue going across the length, licking in circular motion at the base. just flesh, sweet and tender flesh. and he sucks at it, not even caring about the mess he is doing as he moans loudly with his dick down his throat. the little tears that threatening to appear at the table finally getting released as he feels the tip on his throat. he wants more. and he whimpers, moving his hips in return to feel rafayel in sync.

[inardescere]

In the first instance, he can feel the muscles under his hand tense. With a few swipes of warmth and gentle caresses, he feels the other relax into his touch, confidence back tenfold. Rafayel holds back a scoff of amusement at how he takes the challenge on so quickly, spreads his legs and pushes his thigh closer. If their legs weren't so long- if the table was a little taller, Rafayel could pull them over his lap to give proper attention, but that would defeat the purpose of being discreet. A small laugh escapes him either way as Caleb talks about chicken so enthusiastically as his thigh twitches as his nails dig into flesh through his pants, pretending his claims amused him.

The Lemurian was about to join in, add onto the story with dramatic flair, when he felt a sharp pleasure down his spine. He doesn't whip his head as he would like, and the shudder of breath is covered by a hum as Gideon praises the captain's cooking, confused and curious why a Lemurian has never seen a chicken before. Before he could even answer, Caleb breathed it out for him-- the deep sea. His home, where he belongs. A place that no human could reach, a civilization that no one on land truly understood or knew about other than from myths and hearsay. Yet here was a human with his arm around his shoulder, fingertips tracing over his weakness delicately, a sensual exchange that leaves Rafayel seeing white when a thumb presses down onto tender flesh and scale, a serene smile plastered on his lips and expression calm despite how his thighs tensed, hand on the other's leg digging in as shivers threatened to wreck his body. He sighs, heavier than intended. "Well, I assume you've never seen a Liparidae on the surface. Maybe, if eight hundred years pass, we'll see sharks crawling on the seabed and sea turtles climbing trees. They say all snakes once lived in the sea." He rolls his eyes, using the motion to turn his head towards Caleb and lean his head down on his broad shoulder, a quick need for comfort when he rubs circles into his neck, heat warming his ears, chest aching as his lungs beg for mercy to breathe after the electrifying touch.

None of the conversation truly reaches his brain anymore, wanting to sob when Caleb uses a weakness that he knows brings Rafayel to his knees, his voice a deep tone that reaches straight into his core. But he takes another breath, straightens himself, and lets his hand wander further. A challenge it is, and Rafayel refused to lose one that he started. "He can breathe if he's with me. I remember it's a fairy tale in the human world as well." No one was looking anymore, everyone was too busy living their own lives and eating their lunches, and even if there were a few curious ears, what could they do? Act like a madman and call him Lemurian? "A Lemurian's kiss grants even humans the ability to breathe in the deepest sea, was it?" He chuckles, hand now cupped over the other, the thin fabric of his pants doing little when he could feel the heat radiate from under his palm. The Lemurian even thinks he has a winning chance, fingers curling to fondle him gently with sparkling eyes, wide and sweet smiles as he turns to Caleb. "You find this part of me thrilling." It's not even a question, voice a seductive whisper and he breathes out the softest whimper against his cheek when he takes his ear between his teeth, a sound for him alone, while Gideon was distracted choosing his menu.

"What's gewürztraminer wine?"

Once the waiter leaves, Rafayel is still stuck to Caleb's side, his sneaky touch now a constant tease of gentle caresses or a fondle, his palm grinding against his length while fingertips reached down to cup his sack. "I'm excited to try these new dishes. Though I do enjoy eating foods I've already tried before..." he tilts his head to one side, thumb running from the tip down to the base over his pants, the tone light enough only Caleb could tell his suggestive meaning. He turns his eyes to Gideon, his free hand taking Caleb's and pushing it off his shoulders casually with a whine that "I'm hot," as he leans forward, cutting off his teasing. "I did cook for him, so he wasn't eating only raw fish despite his claims. But I admit, most of the things in the depths are cold. I tried something hot once and realized I could get used to it." All the while, he pulls at the front lapel, lithe fingers sneaking in through them, and he rubs at the fabric searching for the slip. Once he finds it, he lifts his hand away, a damp print on his palm that's hidden to everyone but him and his lover as he bites the finger and pulls it off, shoving the glove into his pocket. "Your weather, however, is far too hot and disturbingly sticky." He reaches down again just as casually, memorized his path so that the tip slides through the already open slit easily, warm fingers meeting even warmer flesh. "What do you do when you get overheated, Gideon?" Rafayel sighs as if complaining, a whining tone in his voice as if he was getting distracted by the stuffy weather, when really he is just brimming with satisfaction as their skin finally touched without barrier, shifting in his seat to get comfortable as half his hand slithers through the small opening.

"Actually, Caleb hadn't told me about you before." He confesses, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe it. "How did you two meet? Have you been traveling with him for a long time before I found him?" Rafayel is genuinely curious, even if half his attention is on his hand, now wrapped around him as far as his position allowed, wrist flicking tentatively, testing the waters to see how fast he could go without making a suspicious sound. Luckily, with all the slurping and clattering around them, thuds of mugs and scraping chairs on the wooden floor, loud cheers and cries, a few swishes of flesh couldn't even be registered by most human ears. "I... plan to take Caleb back with me. I need him. Do you have any plans?"

[hancfubuki]

"i have no idea what a liparidae is." gideon says unbothered, shrugging his shoulders. he really is unaware of everything that's going on, he notices rafayel leaning his head on caleb's shoulder, but considering the nature of their relationship he doesn't even pay attention to it. and of course, he is far from understanding the double meaning in their words. "huh. i think i heard a story or twice. one guy in our crew was obsessed with it and he was the main reason we went to look for it. since caleb is the only one here, i'm guessing he didn't make it. ah, he was annoying anyway." gideon adds, chugging the last sip of his beer before turning to the waiter.

caleb on the other hand, couldn't help but chuckle at the remark. indeed, he loves the thrill. and as long as he could keep up with this little game, he is more than willing to play. his fingers, still tracing delicate ridges of rafayel's scales, press a little firmer, his touch becoming more and more intentional, even after ordering their food. "gewürztraminer? it's like a kiss of sunlight trapped in a glass." if there's a characteristic about caleb, it's that he knows his food. to him, every meal is an experience, a story told through flavors. his palate is as adventurous as he is. he has an uncanny ability to dissect flavors, to detect the subtle undertones that others might miss, and that, of course, allows him to know exactly what type of drink pairs perfectly with every dish. however, gideon does pick up that part of the conversation, not even disguising the roll of his eyes as the other speaks. "it's white wine." alcohol, all the same. and despite rafayel's consistent teasing touch, caleb is able to keep the conversation, for now. "ah, ah. sweet white wine. and it pairs perfectly with chicken, especially with the creamy coconut and zesty lime." his words though, catch in his throat as rafayel pushes his hand off his shoulders. he watches for a moment, confused, but then as the lemurian's fingers pull at the lapel he feels his heart thundering in his ears. nah, this is not happening. this is not about to happen, is it? he hears rafayel talking, knowing damn well what the real meaning behind his words are. however, for the first time, he is unable to summon his usual cocky return. he stares at rafayel gripping the edge of the glove with his teeth and pulling it off in one fluid motion, and his breath hitches realizing this is definitely the end for him. he knows he should say something, retreat, ask for a truce, whatever helps him getting out of this situation, but he is frozen. a blush creeps up his neck, blooming across his face leaving behind his cocky and composed demeanor when he feels the hot fingers on his delicate skin.

"when i get overheated? i take a cold shower, i guess." gideon should consider himself lucky for not knowing what's going on between them. it doesn't even cross his mind, nor notices the blush creeping on caleb's face. "it was around... five years ago if i'm not mistaking. i was a simple merchant working for my family, but my ship wrecked. i was heavily bruised, and i supposed caleb ordered his crew to check for survivors or salvageable loot." caleb coughs, trying to act normal again and join the conversation to avoid raising any suspicion. "that's right." he adds, but his voice comes strained. "no gratitude. just... 'you're late'. and well, if he has got the nerve to say that, then he might be worth keeping around." his words keep coming out clipped, the spaces between them filled with subtle gulps as he swallows hard. rafayel's touch is testing every ounce of caleb's composure. he shifts in his chair, his thighs tensing and to his bad luck, this movement only intensifies the sensation.

caleb's cheeks burn hotter, his breathing becoming heavier. he forces a smirk, determined not to let rafayel win this out. "i wasn't wrong. gideon has been... useful." his voice drops again, and he finds himself biting his tongue in an effort to suppress any sound threatening to come out. his fingers curl around the edge of the table, leaning forward slight in an attempt to appear casual. this time he bites the inside of his cheek to mute a groan, his gaze flicking to gideon for a moment before darting back down, avoiding eye contact. this whole thing is... weird. "raf—" his voice now is barely a whisper, almost name slipping his name past his lips. and for a moment, caleb is not sure if it's a plea for him to stop or to keep going, and that terrifies him a bit. he clenches his jaw, teeth pressing together as he finds it hard to breathe. his eyes probably getting watery as he suppress with all his might any sound that tries to come out of his throat. and on top of that, in front of his friend. caleb is unsure if he dislikes this or not, but one thing is for sure. if rafayel wanted to humble him, then, he is doing it perfectly.

his mind races as he fights to keep control of himself, his thoughts darting between the growing heat and the need to salvage his pride. he couldn't afford to lose, not here, not in front of gideon either. but he knows if rafayel keeps this up, he will break, and the idea of moaning in public doesn't sound like a pleasant moment. well maybe, if they had a private room he wouldn't care if the entire city listened to him. but being exposed, like this? pass. though, suppressing his natural desires obviously takes its toll on, so as his voice cannot come out, he feels his muscles twitching, accidentally bumping his knee on the table and of finally getting gideon's attention. gideon stares for a moment, and he frowns upon seeing how red caleb's face is. "whoa, are you okay?" he asks, leaning into the table to take a better look at his face.

"me? y-yeah." he chuckles, visibly nervous. "must be the weather." his thoughts spiral heavily, dick as hard as a stone as rafayel's touches threaten to undo him. this is bad. really bad. he knows if he lets this go on any longer, he would either: a. end as a humiliating mess in rafayel's hand, right here in public, mostly because he has been waiting for a while to have some moment of intimacy with him, or b. standing up and show the evidence of his yearning to be full display for everyone to see. his heart drums in his ears, drowning out the muffled sounds of the tavern around him. think. and as his eyes dart around, he notices as the waiter comes back with the two glasses of wine he requested earlier. perfect. forcing a grin, caleb nods at the waiter as the glasses are about to be served, and with a minuscule flick of his fingers, he activates his gravity evol to shift the tray slightly, just enough for one glass to fall right over his lap. the waiter looks ashamed and he mentions how he is about to bring something, but caleb immediately interrupts and grabs a napkin to pat at the stain. "just my luck." he shrugs his shoulders, laughing softly and using the spill as cover to strategically position the napkin over himself. he glances at rafayel, cheeks still burning. "oops, guess i'll need to go change." he mutters, eyes darting over rafayel as if it was some sort of secret code. the waiter apologizes and states he is going to bring another glass, on the house and caleb responds kindly as he stands up covering himself with the napkin. "i'll be back in a minute." with that, he makes his way towards the stairs, doing his best to walk casually despite the tension in his body.