Hellu everyone this is my #delulu to the max ๐ฅน The idea was soooo exciting that I couldnโt hold myself and try to finish it in one go! I hope all you fellow fishies enjoy it and letโs delulu together ๐ซฃ๐ซฃ๐ซฃ๐ซฃ
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DRUNKEN INTIMACY
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You had just finished carefully placing your suitcase back in your bedroom after a long mission trip when you spotted a figure slumped against the sofa by the window, holding a glass of wine you had set down countless times since you saw him.
"Argh, this boozer."
You muttered under your breath.
Resigned, you navigated around the remnants of a party scattered across the living room, making your way towards a collection of overflowing wine bottles. The sight of the trashed mansion after a long and tiring trip filled you with a mixture of surprise and disappointment.
You'd envisioned a different homecoming with Rafayel โ a walk by the lake or a visit to his favorite restaurant, as usual. But this scene was far from what you'd expected. Since arriving home, you'd been deliberately avoiding Rafayel's gaze, not wanting to betray your disappointment, even though deep down you knew he must have had his reasons.
Rafayel remained motionless on the sofa, swirling the wine in his glass. His eyes, usually sharp, held a strangely gentle glint as they met yours. An unsettling silence lingered between you, broken only by the jarring ring of a phone.
You recognized the ringtone as your own, but couldn't find it anywhere. It wasn't until you spotted it lying beside Rafayel on the sofa that you realized he must have noticed your avoidance too.
You approached Rafayel with your gaze fixed elsewhere. You quickly snatched your phone and answered the call from Thomas. Just as you were about to move away to talk, Rafayel suddenly grabbed your wrist, pulling you down. Taken off guard, you fell onto Rafayel's lap, right as Thomas' voice echoed from the other end of the line.
"Is that [โฆ]? Are you home already?"
You shot Rafayel a glare, but his grip was firm, preventing you from moving. You sighed and switched on speakerphone to answer. "Yes, I just got back. Is there something wrong?"
โOh, you're back already? The party organizers and I wanted to apologize to you! The party tonight was supposed to be held at the pre-booked hotel, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they couldn't accommodate us. That's why I had to ask Rafayel to let us use his place. He usually refuses these requests, but for some reason he agreed today, which is why the party ended up being such a success. Please don't blame him, he didn't want any of this. On another note, there was a sudden power outage, and by the time Rafayel chased everyone out, we couldn't clean up. We'll send some staff over tomorrow to tidy things up."
You cast a sidelong glance at Rafayel before replying, "It's alright, Thomas. I understand."
Relief washed over Thomas on the other end of the line. As he was just about to ask about your trip, the call abruptly cut out. A moment later, it dawned on Thomas that Rafayel must be sulking again.
You yourself were also taken by surprise. All you'd heard was Thomas' voice on speakerphone, and the call had just abruptly ended because somebodyโs slender and beautiful fingers pressed on the disconnect button. Still sprawled across Rafayel's lap, you lifted your eyes to meet his, their gazes locking. His eyes, glazed over with intoxication, held an undeniable intensity as they looked back at you. His body burned with heat, his cheeks flushed a deep red all the way across his face to his ear. Despite the haziness in his eyes, his focus remained fixated on you. His hand reached out to take the one holding your phone, gently setting it aside before wrapping his arm around you, pulling you close as if to meld you into his chest. The intensity of his grip startled you. You pushed yourself up, bracing your hands against his chest to create some space, forcing him back onto the sofa before sitting above him to catch your breath. A mix of annoyance and amusement bubbled within you.
โWhat is it? Are you trying to convince me that all this mess wasn't intentional?"
Rafayel remained silent, his gaze unwavering as he stared at you. His scorching hand reached out to touch yours resting on his chest. He squeezed it tightly, then began to stroke it gently, sending shivers down your spine. You realized there was something different about Rafayel today. You let him keep hold of your right hand while reaching out with your left to touch his cheek.
โTell me," you said softly, "Whatโs bothering you today?โ
Rafayel finally spoke, but his words were nonsensical.
โDo you think a mother turtle can climb trees now?"
What? Mother turtles?
As if lost in his own thoughts, Rafayel continued rambling. "Jellyfish must be able to walk, and sharks know how to eat grass as well."
You finally realized what he was hinting at. You sighed reluctantly,
"Didn't I tell you the trip would take two weeks?"
"You said two weeks, but you came back a day late without telling me!"
Rafayel said, his voice laced with a hint of sulking. You felt a pang of guilt. You had indeed been delayed a day, preoccupied with finding a souvenir for him and forgot to inform him. This was seriousโฆ he was really upset.
You sighed and gave in, "Iโm sorryโฆ"
"We havenโt done yet!" Rafayelโs voice grew more "ferocious.โ
โDo you know how annoying those people were today? The ladies with their suffocating perfume, the pot-bellied old men with their sly faces, just looking at them made me lose my appetite. But more importantly..."
Rafayel suddenly stopped, his voice dropping, gloomy
"...Without you, I don't want to do anything."
Rafayelโs hand moved from holding your hand to stroking your cheek. His eyes softened but were still filled with sadness.
โTo you... it's just a day... but to me it has been long enough that I've stopped counting... until I see you again..."
Ah, itโs this topic again...
Though you knew about Rafayelโs Lemurian heritage, he rarely spoke about his distant past.
Except at times like this.
Sometimes, you wondered what had happened to make Rafayel show such pain, and you had a feeling it was connected to you...
Maybe you would never be able to change or control what had happened in the past, but at least, at this moment...
Putting your thoughts aside, you leaned down, your hands gently touching Rafayelโs handsome face and then placing a kiss on his forehead. You kissed him deeply and forcefully on his forehead as if to create your own "protective" mark.
"Do you know what kissing the forehead is for?"
You leaned your elbows on his chest and gently stroked the mark you had just left,
โThis is a mark only for those who need to be protected. I don't know what you've been through, but as long as I'm here, I'll be your bodyguard, protect you like how you 'hired' me before."
You looked at him and smiled mischievously, making Rafayel sink into his old distant memories.
The girl in the Lemurian outfit, radiant as the sun, smiled and declared that she would give him everything. He was her belief, and she would become his faith. She always stood on an equal footing with him, never backing down.
While reminiscing about that distant memory, Rafayel felt a gentle pat on his face. You were staring at him with scrutinizing eyes. Before Rafayel could even react, you had pressed down on him. Seeing his ears gradually turn red, you blew gently on it and teased,
"But let me warn you, my bodyguard fees arenโt cheap."
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