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Bright sun shining above, few clouds in sight, and classes letting out for a mid afternoon break makes perfect weather conditions for taking lunch outdoors. And afterwards, finding the perfect shaded tree under which Raphael can withdraw from the murmur of civilization yet still people watch at his leisure. A colorful tapestry of souls drifting through the streets under his watchful gaze. He crosses his arms behind his head, cowl tangling and caught somewhere between them but he's grown far too comfortable to consider pulling it free, braid lazily stirring in the wind.
He doesn't remember closing his eyes, drifting off, but the spray of dirt showering across his face certainly startles him awake. His mask keeps most of it out of his eyes but he spends a few moments spitting dirt out of his mouth, earthy smell clogging up his nose and lingering on his taste buds.
Raphael blinks, a few times, sitting up. He automatically accepts the sunflower - still bearing roots and all, attached with a healthy heap of clod - thrust at him and then examines the gifter.
A grinning, copper haired young man, bright yellow sunshine eyes clearly visible under the lack of a mask pushed up over his hair.
"I'm Admetos! And this is from my roommate Hades," he says with a wink. "He thinks your soul is very beautiful. Hades! What colors did you say it was again?"
Beside Admetos, a little further off, another young man looks like he wants the very ground to open up and swallow him whole. Scowl twisting his mouth, Hades slinks up to his friend's side.
"Pale green and gold," he mutters. Then, raising his voice, "I did not tell you to pull that out of one of the public beds, Ad. Put it back before someone sees."
Admetos rolls his eyes sky high, though clearly more out of fond exasperation than irritation, still cheerful.
"Don't mind Hades," he says behind one hand, fake whisper quiet, leaning in toward Raphael conspiratorially close, "he's just a little shy."
Amusingly, Hades pulls his cowl tightly over his ears, scowl deepening.
"I am not --"
While they squabble, Raphael takes the opportunity to glance them over in turn. Admetos, facing Hades directly now, gesticulating and prodding his friend's chest, appears blue under his sight. A cauldron of shifting shades and hues, mixing and melding together harmoniously.
And then Hades, still scowling, hand occasionally snapping out and swatting Admetos away. Surrounding him shimmers a glow of purple. Such rich violet, threaded throughout with arcane ley lines. Like few Raphael has ever seen. And he spends many afternoons observing souls milling about the plaza. In fact, everywhere he goes. Everyone forever an amalgam of their particular mixture of shades and unique magics under his gaze.
Raphael shakes his head and with the motion dislodges some more dirt across his lap, lifting the sunflower he still holds. Really ought to repot the poor dear. After they leave.
"Well, shy Hades," he says, interrupting their spiraling argument, "I think your violet is most beautiful, as well. The ley lines only accent it, honestly."
Hades turns to look at him. "Great," he says, tone flat, "now there are two of you teasing me."
But his gloved fingers toy with some fraying thread off one sleeve he only makes worse, slow flush spreading underneath his mask.
Admetos elbows him in the side.
"Hey, isn't that great? He must have the same sharp sight you do! All I see when I look at you," and Admetos gets right up in his friend's space, staring at him, "is purple. Maybe if I squint?"
Hades scowls again, pushing him back.
But Admetos just laughs. "You two have so much in common I'm starting to feel like a third wheel here."
Admetos claps his hands, startling both of his companions, but he seems quite earnest when he summons a scrap of paper and a quill dripping with ink from the aether, messily scribbling out something against his palm.
"I know we just met and all, but this is our dorm room number. Drop by sometime, yeah? We'll call it a date! Stars knows Hades needs all the help he can get."
Hades covers his face in his hands, groaning.
"Admetos!" The shout echoes from somewhere out of view but raised in barely contained anger. "You've been digging in the flowerbeds again? After everything I told you last time?!"
Admetos slides his mask back in place, one hand plucking the sunflower from Raphael's grasp.
"Sorry! I'll make Hades create you something special for when you come by!"
With his other hand Admetos grabs hold of Hades and drags him off, waving the sunflower over his shoulder in some form of goodbye.
"I will do no such thing! Unhand me!"
Unfortunately for the pair, displaying the flower out in the open as such makes them predictably easy to track. Raphael watches a guardian come dashing through the plaza, Admetos' long legs keeping him and Hades sprinting ahead. Even if Hades seems to be flagging a little and might soon be dragged along bodily by his friend. But somehow Raphael doesn't doubt the pair will escape their pursuer, neither helping nor hindering the chase in the slightest.
He covers his mouth with a gloved fist, chuckling. What curious new friends.
About a sennight later Raphael calls on his new friends, curious and intrigued. Shades of purple threading through his dreams since their first meeting, shapeless and lacking any sort of guidance. But always, always featuring violet.
Hades meets him at the door, de-masked but skin still somehow mildly red. He places a small package into Raphael's arms and then crosses his own, golden gaze glancing anywhere and everywhere but Raphael's face.
"Admetos only chose the wrapping," he mutters, like he's making a point.
Raphael raises an eyebrow but humors him, glancing down at the scarlet tissue paper around whatever object he's been given, light as air. Peeling back its layers reveals a single rose, though far from any typical variety Raphael has seen outside of Halmarut's botanical gardens.
Deep, velvet violet seem to twinkle, sparkle when Raphael picks up the rose, careful of any thorns, like stardust shimmers among its petals. He runs a finger down the flower's pale green stem, a few wild leaves yet to fall away tickling his skin.
"Don't say a word," Hades warns.
Raphael shrugs. He doesn't want words? He doesn't get words.
And in the middle of the hallway, Raphael removes his mask with one hand. Careful not to squish the flower in the other, he leans in, pecking a surprised Hades on the cheek before he breezes past him into the dorm beyond, greeting Admetos like an old friend.