[ there's a roll of his eyes at that, if only because, ] If my goal from the start was to seduce you, I think I could've done a better job of it.
[ what is this, amateur hour? it's more like if rafayel's awake again, then tobari is too. still, he'll stay close, one hand still keeping track of the tempo of raf's heartbeat while his fingertips on his free hand trail along the loose fabric of his open pajama shirt. just idly toying with the idea of keeping it on or taking it off. ]
We can try to go straight to sleep if you think you can manage it, or I can tire you out if you don't. Pick your poison, Raf.
Would you? Maybe your target was more charming than you anticipated? Maybe they also had an otherworldly allure and you couldn't help but be dumbfounded? [ he says as he lets the pajama shirt slide off one of his shoulders, he looks at the bare skin exposed before looking back at tobari.
that said, it takes a second before he's letting go of him and pulling his shirt back up. ] I can't have you thinking I always fall asleep after doing it. So I'll let you off the hook this time.
this reasoning for giving up makes him laugh outright ]
If you aren't that satisfied after, I don't think I'd be doing my job.
[ but he'll also let it go, even if all this means is that he's wrapping his arms around raf again to pull him back down to actually get back into a comfy enough position to sleep. ]
Come on, charming headache of mine. The sun'll be up before you get any rest at this rate.
he's about to argue that there's a distinct difference between being content and being completely pushed to their limits, but he doesn't end up clarifying. instead, he curls in closer, also letting his hand rest on tobari's body. ]
[ mumbles under his breath 'not how it works' but he doesn't want to actually bicker anymore... and honestly now that he's closing his eyes he can't help but yawn. it's about his bedtime real now...
but he'll still curl in closer to rafayel by default anyway.
give me the timeskip to assassin times, bijou. even though it's probably funny when the next morning there's a report of a fire at some rich person's summer vacation home after there was an accusation of human trafficking wow noooo wild how that happened. more people just keep dying or having their second or third spare mansions destroyed what a weird conicidence ]
[ maybe for once, he isn't plagued with the the continuation of the same dream. the sensation of drowning, which is both ironic, and an oddly fitting retribution against a sea god who had failed to truly liberate his people. when he returns to sleep, he actually isn't sure what dreams his mind conjures up against him, but when he wakes... he gets the feeling it wasn't a bad one.
...
days like that continue on. at least, until the nightmares inevitably return as they always do.
maybe it's finally the night before the big event he's asked tobari to follow him to. between that moment and now, the news has been littered with talks of mysterious deaths and/or the increasing arson cases cropping up in the city. apparently, they seem to strike only those in high society attached to the most unsavory rumors. rafayel could care less what happens to them, if anything, he's more surprised by the occasional overlap in his own goals. the fires make for the perfect opening. who doesn't like rumors of the rich getting their just desserts, and so he takes the mysterious fire-starters as a sign of divine will. ... or, well, there's probably a thought they both have.
an inkling of something they both seem keen on ignoring. rafayel understands tobari has his secrets and so does he. it's why he doesn't press him, but at the same time, he does wonder if the day he tells him is coming sooner than later.
that said, right now they're in the town he's lived in before arriving in linkon city. they're in an older apartment that rafayel said he used to live in. compared to the home that sits nestled on a private island in whitesand bay, this place feels a little less polished, and a bit more conservative. rafayel has mostly been busy sorting through old artworks. if tobari notices, they're very similar in style to rafayel's, but a little different somehow.
still, he's been oddly quiet since they've started cleaning this place up. he only breaks this silence to tilt his head in his direction. ] Sorry this place was just collecting dust. I should have thought about that before suggesting to stay here for the duration of our trip.
[ the ironic thing is that while tobari understands why murder is an answer for some people, it's not something he personally encourages. if it means risking the whole operation if they let one person go—fine, he'll be the one to pull the trigger. but when a series of other mysterious deaths pop up alongside the fires, sometimes the other guys ask 'tobari, have you considered doing something more straightforward like that?' but—in the end, he lacks conviction. he's naive and soft-hearted enough to not want more blood on his hands if he can help it, or on the hands of anyone associated with him.
he wonders if the person (or persons?) running the other side of things sleeps okay at night.
there won't be any acts of arson while tobari is gone, but that's fine. what's a week's gap? the apartment is hilariously probably more tobari's speed than rafayel's private home, and he's in the middle of pausing in his own work to generally spruce up and clear out the dust to tie his hair up into a ponytail so it's fully out of his face when rafayel breaks the silence. he glances over and shakes his head ]
S'fine. [ it seems like it holds memories for raf... ] Though you'll have to tell me more about it.
About this place...? [ there's a pause, as he looks to the ceiling. even on the ceiling, there are paintings. it's like the person who used to live here was under some type of spell, and almost every single space here seems to be filled with paint materials, or sketches. when he does, he gives a small chuckle. ]
I used to live here with... someone who I guess you could say was my art teacher. [ he gives a shrug. ] Kind of weird to imagine, right? The artwork here, though... you might be able to tell, it's not mine. Back then, I couldn't even bring myself to paint.
I guess I was pretty down. I was finally here, where I always wanted to be, but it wasn't exactly the right circumstances. [ the surface world was terrifying in a lot of different ways, especially after he knew what cruelty people were truly capable of, and yet. ]
... mm. It can be tough realigning expectations with reality as is.
[ tobari doesn't often get homesick for a place—but rather for a time. for people. when things might've felt simpler. though even that's a passing feeling, considering how rich he feels in his life now.
still... ghosts have a way of creeping up on you. ]
[ what tobari says is likely accurate to what he felt.
the disconnection. the apathy. he really was just a walking corpse of a person going through the motions of what could have been perceived as living a normal life. but, the fact that tobari can even understand this part of him, he smiles just a little. ] Mmm, that's right. Back then, my teacher would force me on all kinds of errands to try and get me out of the house. I used to think he was so frivolous and carefree.
[ but, maybe that was his way of showing concern. ]
[ hmmm. tobari will finish up arranging the clutter in the area that he's working in, then going to sit by raf—not for any great reason or purpose. just to be a little nearer to him while he's recounting his memories in this place. tobari looks around as he listens, trying to imagine the scenes in his head as raf speaks. ]
Ah... Or maybe he wanted you to go out and see more of the world that you'd wanted to reach. Both the good and bad parts of it.
while realizing that, rafayel still shakes his head. ] Nah, he was too simple-minded for that. All he cared about is alcohol and painting, you know. He was a total pain to carry home when he was drunk. [ but, he does finish sorting out the section of loose sketches and he neatly packs them away. ]
Anyway, are you ready for the best seafood dinner tonight?
[ tobari just makes a faintly amused sound at the mention. when rafayel finishes packing away the sketches, he'll reach out just to run his fingers through his bangs and then lightly fix his hair as an excuse just to touch him ]
I'm still glad the old lush could teach you.
[ he also loves raf's art, though it's more accurate to say he likes watching the process of raf paint more than the art itself even if he does always find it impressive ]
Me too. [ there's nothing remotely sad about his expression, but there is a brief pause, like he's lost in thought. when tobari reaches to brush his fringe from his face, he does end up dipping his head just slightly as if to make it easier for him to touch him. ]
I'll finish clearing these boxes, and then we can head out. [ that said, he does look at the television. they seem to be discussing the event they're heading to tomorrow. a grand birthday party for someone who also seems to love art and owns several hundreds of vineyards across the world.
[ . . . hmmm. tobari tilts his head as he watches raf's expression, but chooses not to press for now. instead he'll glance over to the television as well and
okay to his credit his expression doesn't full on scrunch but there's a very disdainful roll of his eyes. rich people. still, he'll briefly cup raf's cheek in his hand as if to express that he's not mad at him for the fact that tobari is here and move to get up ]
[ the boxes are moved with relative ease. he figures this will at least make the space more livable. though, he wonders when the next time he'll drop by even is. the thought gets a soft hum of thought from him before he closes the door of the closet he places them in.
he then sets out to find tobari. without saying anything, he wraps his arms around his waist from behind. ] I haven't forgot what I promised, by the way. [ that he'd gradually tell him more about him. ] I've been waiting for this event for a long time.
[ tobari is probably just finishing wiping down the kitchen counter even though they're going to head out for dinner, and while the arms around him get him to still for just a second - he'll lean back against raf after. still gonna finish his task though. ]
... this one a friend of yours...?
[ if it's a birthday celebration...? except tobari's pretty sure he would've at least heard the name before this if that was the case... ]
A friend? [ he repeats quietly, before shaking his head. ]
Not exactly. But, he is important. [ as the object of his revenge. but, he doesn't get too in-depth about that here. he decides the best time to tell tobari everything was after the deed was done. where tobari doesn't have to feel complicit, walking into that venue with the pressing thought that rafayel arrives there as an assassin.
... and he likes this bit of peace before that. even if his heart couldn't be anymore erratic, and confused. the only thing he feels that grounds him is the feeling of tobari leaning back against him. ] Though, I promise we won't be there for long.
[ . . . hm. tobari looks thoughtful for a second at that and finds that his list of questions only grows. how can some rich person he's never heard of be important, but not in a fond way? what happened to rafayel's art mentor? what's this strange, unplaceable melancholy that he feels from rafayel every now and then... and how can he ease it?
it's not too long before he finishes the last of his cleaning, bringing his hand up to rafayel's cheek after and guiding him down for a kiss as tobari looks over his shoulder to meet him. ]
Something to worry about tomorrow then. [ he won't linger on it ] For now, you said this would also be our vacation, right? So I'm pretty sure that means until then, you should get to focus on this time with me.
[ larps being 2% demanding to see if it'll help distract raf from his depression ]
[ the hand to his cheek does successfully manage to shake him from his thoughts temporarily. he peers back at him, and releases a soft sigh. as their lips come together, he also can't help but lick the corner of his lips before pressing them together once more. when he pulls away, he can't help but find tobari's attempt at being bossy... really endearing. he knows tobari's words probably stem from concern. after all, he tended to be incredibly perceptive at times like these...
sometimes rafayel feels like tobari reads through his moods so easily. ]
That's the plan. Besides, I think there are lots of sights you can only see here too. [ ... ]
[ after opening up so much of your heart to someone, it's probably a little bit more obvious when they're holding something back. tobari's sure that rafayel feels the exact same way when he also guards his own secrets, given how rare they are to begin with. like a barrier that wasn't there before. those are the thoughts that linger for him as he idly lets his nose brush against raf's cheek, staying close for just a second after the kisses are over ]
Mm. Sure. You said you went to school around here, right? How many years were you here anyway...?
[ but he'll turn in raf's arms once he's done putting the cleaning rag down, arms circling around his neck in turn. he tilts his head, curious, but also once again studying raf's expression ]
[ he feels tobari's gaze on him. normally, he liked being studied. he enjoyed the way their eyes would meet, and appreciated that in moments like these they were genuinely trying to understand one another. it was almost like they were both attempting to fill in invisible gaps to a glass of water that was already halfway full, as if they both believed they could salvage it all. ... and maybe together they could. he feels a certain warmth, and it isn't just from the kiss they share. it makes it difficult for him to remain in his melancholy, and there's a slight shift as he tries to remain a bit more lighthearted. ]
It felt like centuries, honestly? But, maybe just two or three years? It wasn't very long. Long enough for the roads to become familiar, but where... it's not really home, yeah. Are you really that curious about me as a student?
[ he brushes a finger right beneath tobari's eyelashes. ]
[ he's still under raf's touch, letting his fingertip roam as he wants, not flinching away from the touch or his gaze. ]
Maybe? Who wouldn't be? [ curious about what their lover was like growing up, though tobari can also make a joke, ] Though it makes me wonder if we would've gotten along if we met when we were younger.
[ every group of friends that meets later in life but is like 'do you think we would've been friends in high school' and the answer is almost always no ]
Suzune and I moved around growing up... but we never left the city. [ they were shuffled from home to home for different reasons ] So I can't say I know what it's like.
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[ what is this, amateur hour? it's more like if rafayel's awake again, then tobari is too. still, he'll stay close, one hand still keeping track of the tempo of raf's heartbeat while his fingertips on his free hand trail along the loose fabric of his open pajama shirt. just idly toying with the idea of keeping it on or taking it off. ]
We can try to go straight to sleep if you think you can manage it, or I can tire you out if you don't. Pick your poison, Raf.
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that said, it takes a second before he's letting go of him and pulling his shirt back up. ] I can't have you thinking I always fall asleep after doing it. So I'll let you off the hook this time.
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this reasoning for giving up makes him laugh outright ]
If you aren't that satisfied after, I don't think I'd be doing my job.
[ but he'll also let it go, even if all this means is that he's wrapping his arms around raf again to pull him back down to actually get back into a comfy enough position to sleep. ]
Come on, charming headache of mine. The sun'll be up before you get any rest at this rate.
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he's about to argue that there's a distinct difference between being content and being completely pushed to their limits, but he doesn't end up clarifying. instead, he curls in closer, also letting his hand rest on tobari's body. ]
You too. Close your eyes. I'll be watching you.
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but he'll still curl in closer to rafayel by default anyway.
give me the timeskip to assassin times, bijou. even though it's probably funny when the next morning there's a report of a fire at some rich person's summer vacation home after there was an accusation of human trafficking wow noooo wild how that happened. more people just keep dying or having their second or third spare mansions destroyed what a weird conicidence ]
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...
days like that continue on. at least, until the nightmares inevitably return as they always do.
maybe it's finally the night before the big event he's asked tobari to follow him to. between that moment and now, the news has been littered with talks of mysterious deaths and/or the increasing arson cases cropping up in the city. apparently, they seem to strike only those in high society attached to the most unsavory rumors. rafayel could care less what happens to them, if anything, he's more surprised by the occasional overlap in his own goals. the fires make for the perfect opening. who doesn't like rumors of the rich getting their just desserts, and so he takes the mysterious fire-starters as a sign of divine will. ... or, well, there's probably a thought they both have.
an inkling of something they both seem keen on ignoring. rafayel understands tobari has his secrets and so does he. it's why he doesn't press him, but at the same time, he does wonder if the day he tells him is coming sooner than later.
that said, right now they're in the town he's lived in before arriving in linkon city. they're in an older apartment that rafayel said he used to live in. compared to the home that sits nestled on a private island in whitesand bay, this place feels a little less polished, and a bit more conservative. rafayel has mostly been busy sorting through old artworks. if tobari notices, they're very similar in style to rafayel's, but a little different somehow.
still, he's been oddly quiet since they've started cleaning this place up. he only breaks this silence to tilt his head in his direction. ] Sorry this place was just collecting dust. I should have thought about that before suggesting to stay here for the duration of our trip.
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he wonders if the person (or persons?) running the other side of things sleeps okay at night.
there won't be any acts of arson while tobari is gone, but that's fine. what's a week's gap? the apartment is hilariously probably more tobari's speed than rafayel's private home, and he's in the middle of pausing in his own work to generally spruce up and clear out the dust to tie his hair up into a ponytail so it's fully out of his face when rafayel breaks the silence. he glances over and shakes his head ]
S'fine. [ it seems like it holds memories for raf... ] Though you'll have to tell me more about it.
[ he can't deny he's curious ]
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I used to live here with... someone who I guess you could say was my art teacher. [ he gives a shrug. ] Kind of weird to imagine, right? The artwork here, though... you might be able to tell, it's not mine. Back then, I couldn't even bring myself to paint.
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Couldn't...?
[ he can have a guess at the timeline, all things considered, but he still can't help but sound concerned ]
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Isn't it normal to get homesick sometimes?
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[ tobari doesn't often get homesick for a place—but rather for a time. for people. when things might've felt simpler. though even that's a passing feeling, considering how rich he feels in his life now.
still... ghosts have a way of creeping up on you. ]
So it took you a while to pick up painting?
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the disconnection. the apathy. he really was just a walking corpse of a person going through the motions of what could have been perceived as living a normal life. but, the fact that tobari can even understand this part of him, he smiles just a little. ] Mmm, that's right. Back then, my teacher would force me on all kinds of errands to try and get me out of the house. I used to think he was so frivolous and carefree.
[ but, maybe that was his way of showing concern. ]
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Ah... Or maybe he wanted you to go out and see more of the world that you'd wanted to reach. Both the good and bad parts of it.
[ he shrugs ]
But you'd know better than I would.
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while realizing that, rafayel still shakes his head. ] Nah, he was too simple-minded for that. All he cared about is alcohol and painting, you know. He was a total pain to carry home when he was drunk. [ but, he does finish sorting out the section of loose sketches and he neatly packs them away. ]
Anyway, are you ready for the best seafood dinner tonight?
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I'm still glad the old lush could teach you.
[ he also loves raf's art, though it's more accurate to say he likes watching the process of raf paint more than the art itself even if he does always find it impressive ]
Ah. I'm hungrier than I thought I'd be.
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I'll finish clearing these boxes, and then we can head out. [ that said, he does look at the television. they seem to be discussing the event they're heading to tomorrow. a grand birthday party for someone who also seems to love art and owns several hundreds of vineyards across the world.
two criminals... always watching the news ]
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okay to his credit his expression doesn't full on scrunch but there's a very disdainful roll of his eyes. rich people. still, he'll briefly cup raf's cheek in his hand as if to express that he's not mad at him for the fact that tobari is here and move to get up ]
Ah. Sure. I'll just wipe down the other rooms.
[ to clear any last traces of dust... ]
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he then sets out to find tobari. without saying anything, he wraps his arms around his waist from behind. ] I haven't forgot what I promised, by the way. [ that he'd gradually tell him more about him. ] I've been waiting for this event for a long time.
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... this one a friend of yours...?
[ if it's a birthday celebration...? except tobari's pretty sure he would've at least heard the name before this if that was the case... ]
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Not exactly. But, he is important. [ as the object of his revenge. but, he doesn't get too in-depth about that here. he decides the best time to tell tobari everything was after the deed was done. where tobari doesn't have to feel complicit, walking into that venue with the pressing thought that rafayel arrives there as an assassin.
... and he likes this bit of peace before that. even if his heart couldn't be anymore erratic, and confused. the only thing he feels that grounds him is the feeling of tobari leaning back against him. ] Though, I promise we won't be there for long.
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it's not too long before he finishes the last of his cleaning, bringing his hand up to rafayel's cheek after and guiding him down for a kiss as tobari looks over his shoulder to meet him. ]
Something to worry about tomorrow then. [ he won't linger on it ] For now, you said this would also be our vacation, right? So I'm pretty sure that means until then, you should get to focus on this time with me.
[ larps being 2% demanding to see if it'll help distract raf from his depression ]
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sometimes rafayel feels like tobari reads through his moods so easily. ]
That's the plan. Besides, I think there are lots of sights you can only see here too. [ ... ]
We can even walk around after we eat.
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Mm. Sure. You said you went to school around here, right? How many years were you here anyway...?
[ but he'll turn in raf's arms once he's done putting the cleaning rag down, arms circling around his neck in turn. he tilts his head, curious, but also once again studying raf's expression ]
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It felt like centuries, honestly? But, maybe just two or three years? It wasn't very long. Long enough for the roads to become familiar, but where... it's not really home, yeah. Are you really that curious about me as a student?
[ he brushes a finger right beneath tobari's eyelashes. ]
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Maybe? Who wouldn't be? [ curious about what their lover was like growing up, though tobari can also make a joke, ] Though it makes me wonder if we would've gotten along if we met when we were younger.
[ every group of friends that meets later in life but is like 'do you think we would've been friends in high school' and the answer is almost always no ]
Suzune and I moved around growing up... but we never left the city. [ they were shuffled from home to home for different reasons ] So I can't say I know what it's like.
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