do no harm.

Raul E Vargas. 40. Trauma Surgeon. Seraph Leader.

[lohastings]

@vargasxraul​

“I have to say it’s nice having some time to relax and not to have to worry about everyone for once.” Logan admitted with a sigh, she tucked her hair behind her ear. “So how have you been settling into your new position? I mean after the last one abruptly left I have to admit I was worried.” She new the last leader had left in a haste and left the leadership in a tizzy. “Although it is nice seeing a Vargas back as the leader.” She told him with a smile. “So besides all this seraph leader stuff I have to ask, did you submit a basket or are you one of the many bidders?”

[vargasxraul]

“Do you actually relax,” Raul asked quizzically. He was only half joking. The other half of him couldn’t remember what it felt like to feel fully relaxed. Raul shrugged slightly at the next question. He’d been expecting it, social niceties and all, and yet, he wasn’t sure what answer to give. “I keep waiting for everything to go to hell.” The answer was given before he’d had time to consider the implications of it, and as the words fell from his lips, he regretted them. “But it comes with the territory, right? Being in charge is hell,” he hedged, injecting humor into his tone in a hope that she’d think of him as more dramatic than incompetent leader. “Bidding. I don’t think I have the romantic skills needed for curating a basket. You?”

[kenxmatsui]

for: @vargasxraul​ location: by the basket auction

With arms crossed sitting on a nearby bench with his box next to him, Ken wore his sour mood clear on his face. The nature of the event meant that people would bid on baskets, he knew that going in but he wasn’t expecting anyone to actually bid on his entry, let alone for it to be a dollar less than value of the contents. He had half a thought to leave the box where it was and be on his way and had it not been for the rule that he had to be there or the small hint of curiosity that arose when the winner approached, Ken would’ve done so. “I assume you’re the bidder?” he questioned, eyeing the man up and down, “You made a wish by the fountain earlier, right? I hope to god this wasn’t it.”

[vargasxraul]

Throughout the years, Raul had participated in a variety of fundraising events. He was convinced that each one was worse than the one before it, and yet, for the hospitals, he attended and donated, hoping that each act would fall squarely in his fair when he met his end. He wasn’t quite sure what he expected to see on the other side when his time came, but it couldn’t hurt to hedge his bets. Donating to the hospital’s efforts seemed to be the easiest way to go about doing so. “That would be me, yes,” he replied taking in the man’s dour expression. “Raul Vargas,” he introduced himself. “If I say yes would that make me one of the gullible?” 

[vargasxraul]

arthur-m-hawthorne​:

-&-

“Well…” Arthur playfully smirked and pretended to ponder, reeling his head back and looking up at the clouds as if asking the Lord above for an answer. It looked like a real head-turner but the answer was actually quite simple. “Boring innocent people with historical lectures is a common occurrence at this point. Lost, innocent old ladies specifically? Now that’s a first.” His second in command erupted into a hearty chuckle, setting his hands on his hips in defeat. “Oh, c’mon Raul. You’re allowed to laugh! In fact, I encourage it!” God knows that the tension around the Agency made it hard to breathe easy some days. And, judging by that look on his face, Raul was in need of at least a little chortle. “Hell, I’ve got half a mind set on making you my next victim. Should I start with the park’s new ducks or its old trees?”

“That was...” Raul began, statement punctuated by a gentle roll of the eyes... “exactly the kind of answer I expected from you.” At Arthur’s laugh, Raul couldn’t help but join in. What he wouldn’t give to feel carefree again. If even for a moment. It had been so long since life had been simple and straightforward. “Okay, fine.” He huffed a sigh as if the pause to his day came at great cost. “Enthrall me with your remarkable knowledge of ducks and trees.” 

[vargasxraul]

delphinahamptonthesiren​:

.

It was an odd land tradition. To place a wish on a piece of metal and toss it into a statue that spit water. But Delphina wasn’t about to knock anything until she tried it once. She exhaled pressing her lips together as she shut her eyes to conjure up a small request before tossing her own coin over her shoulder. The siren blinked as she heard a voice beside her. “This is actually my first try at this.” She explained with a shrug of her shoulders. “Maybe it’s more like because you’ve actively done something to make your wish come true you are likely to get it? But really your guess is as good as mine.” She smiled but turned to face the fountain. 

“Well then, I’m happy to have been part of your introduction to an age tradition.” With a half smile and a slight nod of his head, Raul gestured for her to proceed. “Apologies for interrupting. I know that wishes can be sacred moments for some.” He couldn’t count the amount of wishes he’d whispered throughout the years. The majority had gone unheard and unanswered. So now, the time honored tradition. It was enough to make a skeptic of even the most devout. “So, god helps those who help themselves, then? That’s probably where I’ve gone wrong all these years.” 

[vargasxraul]

ivygravey​:

“I’m gonna go with the first one but believing helps the magic.” Ivy shrugged as she tossed a quarter in “Either way a homeless person is gonna have enough quarters to buy a few hotdogs.” Making a wish through a fountain and believing it’ll come true is just a half assed as Santa and the Easter Bunny.

“One size fits all then,” Raul confirmed with a nod. “I can’t help but consider the implications of that,” he continued, only half focused on the conversation. It was a departure from the things that usually consumed his thoughts. So, naturally, he was now completely consumed in considering all the ways wish granting magic could go wrong. “Seems like a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands, know what I mean?”

[vargasxraul]

kenxmatsui​:

⇌

A stark contrast to the sunny spring day, Ken came to this little shindig wearing black and his standard look of disinterest, expect this time there was a hint of suspicion added to the mix. He couldn’t be blamed for not trusting the supernatural folk with throwing events anymore, and he wouldn’t have attended had it not been for a good cause, or well a cause directly relating to him. So, here he was walking around with hands in pockets and would’ve carried on had it not been for a question that made him scoff. “If you don’t believe it in, why are you wishing for things?” Ken asked, “But you know this fountain nonsense is just a lure for the gullible, right?” 

“That’s a somewhat dismal outlook.” Raul wouldn’t admit that the majority of him agreed with the sentiment -- he’d seen more than a few scams find success simply because they tapped into the deepest desires of their audience, and wasn’t the power to have one’s every wish granted the oldest scam of them all? Still, he couldn’t help but bristle slightly at the word gullible. “Sometimes people just need something to believe in. Some things are bigger than our own existence.” 

[vargasxraul]

where: the fountain who: open @darkesthourstarters​

Raul had never considered himself a believer in luck or fate. There were too many ways for plans to go awry when left to simple chance, and yet, as he stood in front of the fountain, quarter clutched in one fisted hand, he couldn’t help but think that this was just that -- asking the universe for some sort of small morsel of luck. Tradition, he thought to himself as his hand came up, quarter flying over one shoulder. “So, is this supposed to be a one-size fits all ask and you receive kind of thing or does the person in charge know when someone doesn’t believe?” 

[judge-collymore-deactivated2023]

Location: Central Park Status: Open! ( @darkesthourstarters​ )

“It’s actually quite fascinating! You see, Central Park was built on a large settlement of bedrock- So much bedrock that ,before the first landscapers could actually landscape, they needed to blow the place to smithereens with more gunpower than the amount used in the Battle of- And she’s gone.” Arthur glanced behind him to find that the elderly woman he was directing had already walked off. Now someone else was standing in her place. He winced and muttered under his breath, “Hopefully she caught the first half of all that.” Otherwise she was probably lost and asking someone else to point toward the restroom by now. “So sorry! I must be in your way.” A pathetic chuckle escaped his throat as he quickly ran a hand through his hair. “…How long have I been talking to the wind?”

[vargasxraul]

“I wouldn’t say it’s been that long,” Raul hedged. There was an amused edge to his voice, one that he was trying desperately to mask. He’d been strolling through the Park, mind half on the task of his upcoming shift when he’d noticed Arthur and had found himself too amused by the circumstances to interrupt. “Do you generally find yourself boring innocent old ladies with your deluge of historical facts?” 

[vargasxraul]

“…it may…be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.”

Raul Emanuel Vargas | 40 | he/him | trauma surgeon, seraph leader

Details (tw cancer, death): 

The Vargas family have lived in NYC for as long as Raul can remember. The family have a long history that is deeply tied to the Seraph institution. In the non-magical world, the Vargases are household names in the medical field, having sat on the board of one of NYC’s top hospitals for decades. 

tw cancer begin: during his early years, Raul’s younger sister was diagnoses with leukemia. A few months later, the youngest Vargas passed away. tw end

That event was formative for Raul. It made him into the empathetic, passionate person that he is.

During his teenage years, the family adopted two children. For a while, Raul tried to keep his distance. The loss of his younger sister, though formative, had left him feeling incapable of protecting those close to him. 

tw death begin: It was for that reason that the sudden death of his father forced Raul to acknowledge one difficult truth -- he was not ready to take on the mantle of leader of the Seraphs as his father before him at been. tw end

Seeing what the Seraphs had become did not sit well with Raul. So, when the new leader stepped down, he did what he failed to do before -- accepted the position of leader.

He’s determined to return honor to the ranks, even if that means weeding at any hint of corruption. 

Potential Connections: 

childhood friends

enemies 

flings 

siblings (2 -- adopted) 

fellow seraphs

any and everything tbqh

[priquintana-deactivated20241209]

ADAN CANTO The Cleaning Lady (1.01)