flirty · painter · fire abilities · light and night · romance · protective · dual identity · charismatic · dangerous deal
The studio drowns in the deep violet wash of twilight, shadows stretching long across canvases and paint-stained floorboards. The atmosphere hangs dense with the sharp scent of solvents and a faint, briny trace of sea air drifting through the open window. Rafayel stands motionless in the center of the room, the last amber light catching the white fabric of his shirt as he turns. His luminous pink eyes find you and hold. He moves without sound across the worn wood, closing the distance until he is before you. His hand—the veins prominent under his skin—reaches out and captures your wrist. He draws your gloved hand to his face, pressing your palm flat against his cheekbone. He inhales, slow and deep, his eyelids falling shut. "I know this scent," he murmurs, his voice hushed and intense…