𝑹𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒍 / 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀 𝐆𝐎𝐃

oh,  so  what  you like  is  what  i  am?  that  hurts,    (  she  teased,  though  something  bitter  sparked  up  at  the  thought  of  only  being  interesting  to  be  solved;  used  for  what  she  is.  )      you  are  certainly  an  interesting  man,  why  go  after  a  puzzle  with  such  easy  answers?      (  she  certainly  didn’t  have  simple  answers,  but  being  so  used  to  herself  she  found  them  to  be  simple.  )

@blackcqt- 
            
            [ A slow, captivating smile curls the corner of my lips, my eyes half-lidded, amused by your persistence. ] "Do I? Perhaps I simply enjoy watching the gears turn as you try to decipher my meaning. It’s far more entertaining than a simple 'yes' or 'no.'" [ I lean forward just enough, a spark of genuine curiosity in my gaze.] "As for what draws me to observe... It's the delicate complexity. You're a puzzle I find myself quite compelled to solve.because you are, quite simply, an anomaly. A beautiful variable I can't predict. And that, more than anything, is what I find irresistibly interesting "

(  her  head  tilted  to  the  side,  just  a  little,  brow  arched.  )      do  you  enjoy  not  answering  questions  in  a  clear  way?  because  you  do  so  often,  and  it’s  confusing.     (  she  paused,  then  continued.  )       i’m  aware  of  what  draws  people  in,  however  i’m  not  clear  on  what  of  me  is  drawing  [ you ]  to  observe  me. 

@eyelesskillz 
            
            [ He tilts his head slightly, a faint smirk curving his lips as his gaze flicks toward the shadowed corners of the room.]“Terrible timing or perfect, depending on what—or who—I came looking for.” [ His tone is smooth, laced with quiet confidence as he steps forward, the sound of his boots echoing faintly. ] "Besides…” [ he glances over his shoulder, eyes narrowing just a little, voice dropping low ] “…you don’t seem like someone who minds a little danger either.”

@scarredtouch 
            
            "Oh," [he said, the small grin she observed earlier deepening a fraction as he leaned back on the bar stool, his gaze fixed on her.A slow, knowing smile plays on his lips his eyes are intense, perhaps a little challenging, but soft at the edges.]"You've given me an entire essay, which is a rare and precious thing indeed. And you've complimented the cook? I shall tell him immediately he will be insufferable for a week."[He paused, lifting a hand to briefly touch the rim of the glass he held. ]"You worry about failing a dead man's memory. I understand that devotion. But your question was rhetorical, and you answered my initial rant with a secret I never asked for That, I find far more fascinating than my 'reasoning'." [He tilts his head slightly, a spark of curiosity and appreciation in his expression as he makes 'fascinating' a clear point of emphasis.]"My reason for being here? It's simple, though perhaps you won't appreciate the effort this time either. It's the only place I can reliably find you," [he stated, his voice dropping to a lower, more intimate tone.] "And your promise of information, should I return... is the best incentive I've received all week." [ He took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving hers.] "I will be back, And I will tell you the rest."

edena listens to the words that come from the man sitting at her bar before she leans against the wooden island that contains all of the bar’s booze, her lips forming a thin line. she wonders, if perhaps, she should stop the babbling before he gets it all wrong. she decides against it, and she offers a small grin when he finishes his little rant with a question.   “you talk a lot,”   is the first thing that comes out of her mouth after a few moments of silence.   “which isn’t a bad thing, simply an observation. i’m going to dissect everything one by one now.”   she waits for a moment, her lips pursing in thought.   “my cook is absolutely not the most prideful, but he takes great care with his dishes which is the only time i will ever compliment the man. i do not take your attire as disapproval, i’m pointing out that you are in too fancy of clothing to be in a bar where we host bingo and pool nights on a regular basis. my question was a rhetorical one, not meant to be taken so literally, but i suppose i’ll appreciate the effort.”   she pauses to take a drink of her cran-sprite, because this was the most amount of talking to one customer she’s probably ever done and that doesn’t sit right with her.   “this place has nothing to do with being the best for me, because it isn’t about me failing. i built this place with my own hands to honor a dead man, so — if this bar fails, then that means that i failed his memory.”   she waits for a moment, sucking on her teeth as she realizes just how open she was. she may not have given specific details, but that was the most open she’d been with a customer in a very long while.   “i do not know what reasoning you will have should you ever return, but if you do — i hope that you will tell me.”

@scarredtouch 
            
            [Rafayel leans back slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. He lets his gaze linger on the owner for a moment, appreciating the way her words expose a flicker of vulnerability her pride. He runs a fingertip along the rim of his glass before answering, his voice a low, smooth murmur.] "A refined palate knows when a dish is prepared with genuine pride, regardless of the ingredients. You mistake my dress for disapproval, when in truth, I am only observing the fascinating anomaly of you.As for your question... you're asking me to dissect your motivations, yet you're only giving me a choice between the bland and the expected." [He shifts his weight, leaning slightly closer.] "Curiosity implies a fleeting interest in a specimen. Selfishness implies a need for personal gain. You spoke of your business feeding you, clothing you... but I sense something far more nourishing behind that defense.I'd call it a protective obsession, perhaps. A beautiful, desperate desire for everything you own to be the best it can be, because if it fails, you fail. And I find that fierce loyalty incredibly, dangerously attractive."[ His eyes hold hers, a new, sharp light in their depths. ] "So, tell me If I return, will it be for the excellent service you owe your establishment, or for a deeper satisfaction that neither of us has quite named yet?"

@dearpreys 
            
            " Maybe a little of both. Every stroke reminds me what I am… and what I’ve lost trying to be more than that .And careful, darling. If I start remembering too much, the tides might rise again. Best I keep painting to forget… for everyone’s sake."

@blackcqt- 
            
            "That's quite a keen observation you've made." [A slight, knowing smile touches the corner of his lips, but his eyes remain steady and unreadable.] "You're right. I have been around for quite some time long enough to accumulate this scent, I suppose. As for the exact number... let's just say, the sea has counted my years in tides, not centuries." [He tilts his head in a gesture that is equal parts respectful and dismissive of the inquiry.]"And I take no offense. It's an honest question, given what you've noticed."

if  it’s  not  rude  to  ask,  how  long  have  you  been  around?       (  his  scent  gave  him  away  more  than  anything;   saltwater,  with  something  much  more  ancient  mixed  into  his  blood.  she  figured  he’d  been  around  a  lot  longer  than  she  had,  but  she  wasn’t  certain.  )        i  don’t  mean  to  be  rude,  really,  but  you  don’t  think  like  anyone  i’ve  met.  and  you  smell  old—  no  offense. 

@blackcqt- 
            
            [ He leans back slightly, a charming, easy smile spreading across his face, his confidence radiating.]" I appreciate your concern, but a challenge is precisely what makes the pursuit worthwhile, wouldn't you agree? I find the idea of contradiction far more stimulating than confusing. And in case I haven't mentioned it, the name's Rafayel. It's certainly a pleasure to meet someone as discerning as you, Salem."

@sentimvntalist 
            
            [ A faint shadow of weariness in his eyes, his jaw still tight, a low, resonant tone.] "I know," [he would simply state, the admission soft but absolute. He wouldn't look at her, his focus returning to the spot on the art that was causing him so much grief.] "That 'irreversible fix' is the true creation. The original is a fleeting thought. The struggle the overlaying, the erasing, the breaking of the brush that is the artist's truth. It is not about sight it's about control." [Finally, his eyes would flick to hers, a fierce, protective glint in them ] "And I would know, too. Perhaps better. "

@firepaints /
            
            “an artist’s eye can never see the perfection they’ve created,” she said in a hushed tone, stepping closer to stand beside him, her gaze fixed on the art he was so adamant to call flawed. “you overlap one stroke over the other, unsatisfied, until the original vision becomes nothing but a blur— forgotten between irreversible fixes.” she was speaking to him, but it felt as though she was speaking to herself, lost in the drawing. “trust me…” her eyes lifted to his face, catching the tight clench of his jaw before meeting his gaze. “i would know.”

@sentimvntalist 
            
            [ Rafayel's focused expression momentarily shatters at her words. He stops what he's doing, his hand hovering over the 'piece.' He doesn't look at her immediately, his eyes darkening as a wave of sudden, raw frustration passes over him. He clenches his jaw before turning ] "Worse? You think I am making it worse? It's not 'fixed' when I can still see the flaw, when I know it’s not right. Don't you understand? "

" i - well , i don't know what to say . . "

@-sunshiinin- 
            
            " you think ? but i am not lying tho " 

" i - thank you , i think ? "

@painteros 
            
            /  Haha, soon I guess.You’ll know when the art starts. * Winks *

@firepaints |
            
            Before Rafayel can finish his sentence, before the words “what you sa-” can fully leave his lips, Grace moves. She moves herself forward, arms wrapping around his torso in a sudden, desperate embrace. Her face buries into his chest, hiding against him, seeking refuge in the steady presence she can feel beneath her hands.
            Her body trembles, shaking not just from adrenaline but from the release of fear she’s been holding tight. She clings to him as though letting go even a fraction would send the panic rushing back. The world outside, the shadows, the uncertainty—all of it falls away in the quiet heartbeat of the moment.
            “I… I don’t want to be alone” she whispers, the words muffled but urgent, pressed into the warmth of him. She squeezes lightly, then just as quickly relaxes, letting herself sink into the small, fragile comfort she’s claimed. “I… I’m scared” she admits, the words almost a whisper. “Not just now… but… everything. The world… it’s too much sometimes.”
            She inhales shakily, her forehead still resting against him. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone tonight” she murmurs, her words almost a plea. “Can… can you… stay with me?”
            
            
            / goodness, I love HIM!! Also is rafayel aware of his powers yet?

@_T0NIGHT 
            
            [ Rafayel’s composure holds, but the rigid set of his jaw and the slight flare of his nostrils betray the sudden rush of adrenaline that hit him. He looks deeply into her eyes, forcing her to focus on him as she apologizes.]"Shhh. It's fine, Grace. It's me." [His voice is steady and low, designed to be a calming anchor. He ignores the dropped tool entirely.] "Look at my face. It's me. You didn't do anything." [ He closes the distance in two quick strides, but stops just outside her reach. His hand moves, not to touch her, but to brace himself lightly against the wall beside her head, trapping her gaze. ]"But you are shaking. What made you think you were being attacked? Tell me what you saw," [he insists, his tone shifting back to the quiet, penetrating intensity that makes him a formidable presence.] "Not what you did. What you saw."
            
            /   That says so much about her past… always on edge, never able to let her guard down , but don't worry he totally understands that :)

// poor girl, Grace’s whole life has trained her to anticipate danger at every turn, she thought she was being attacked again : (