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“Look, even the twist on Coral Stars was less predictable than this one. That jump scare totally didn’t ge-”
Rafael shoves a fish n’ chip into your mouth and ignores your comment. You shoot him a look briefly, but Rafael watches on, totally in his element. He steals a fish n’ chip for himself as the masked magician on-screen levitates his next hapless victim into a wood chipper.
It’s a muggy summer night, and while everyone is piled up at Fishenchips, Rafael invited you to watch his favorite horror movie -- Alakazam -- at the blacksmiths’. What you expected was going to be a goofy, bargain-bin slasher turned out to be an absolute gorefest. Rafael hugs you a little tighter as the two of you slowly sink into the covers. He tucks his head under your chin, his eyes glued on the screen. His jet black hair is soft and smells a little sooty. He grabs your hand unconsciously as the masked magician on screen wrings the absolute life out of a police officer on the scene.
“Didn’t you say it was your fourth time watching this movie?” you say.
“My idea of excitement,” Rafael responds, shrugging slightly. You never would have guessed this in the one year you’ve known him.
Looking to find a way to crack open a mysterious geode you found in a trash can, you happened upon the blacksmiths’ shop -- and there was Rafael, stacking fuel into the furnace, just noticing you walk in. “Can I help you?” he spoke up softly. He turns towards you. “Oh, you must be the farmer that just moved in. My name’s Rafael. My brother Pablo and I run the blacksmiths’ shop here. Nice to meet you!” His voice was deep, but welcoming; his face was worn slightly from working all day.
“Nice to meet you too!” you said. “Think you could crack open this geode I found? From, uh, from the mines.” You wipe a little bit of soda gunk off the rock sneakily and hand it to him alongside some gold coins.
“Sure,” Rafael said. He places the geode on the anvil and swung his hammer with a practiced fluidity, as a painter would his strokes. The geode cracked open and revealed insides lined with a purplish-blue metal.
“This-” Raf gasps in excitement, “-this is tevandium! The metal used to craft the Ironeye Hammer!” Your eyes meet Rafael’s; they are glittering at the discovery, the bags under his eyes disappearing under his grin. He clears his throat, and proceeds to hand the geode to you. “Here, this is yours. If you want to craft a new tool out of it, let me know!”
You take the geode, glance at it, and then back at him. He’s blushing, embarrassed at getting so giddy with someone he met mere minutes ago. Chuckling under your breath, you speak up. “Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me more about this Ironeye Hammer. I’ve only read about it in passing in folk tales.” You patted the books in your knapsack.
Rafael lit up again. “There’s a lot to say about it. Been reading about these magic tools since my father started teaching me smithing. Maybe, uh, we can talk over some sashimi? I’ll even let you try the anvil yourself.” His muscles rippled as he tried to suppress his overexcitement again, and his neckline glistened with sweat. “I would love to,” you said.
Something between you two began to click.
Since that day, you’ve hung out with him every day. You read him the romance novels you brought from Pokyo as he cleaned the moss off the gravestones in the morning, shared tacos with him at Emma’s truck in afternoons, helped him load logs into storage some nights.
Even his brother Pablo began to notice the change in atmosphere every time you barge in the blacksmiths’ spot with a bag full of geodes. “He’s not the kind of guy that goes out of his way to go out, y’know?” he remarks. “Always staying inside, always preferring the quiet. But he’s warmed up to you. You two make a real good pair. Inseparable, even.”
Rafael’s hands are tough and calloused from working the anvil and furnace all day, but his fingertips fit seamlessly between yours. It’s a familiar feeling, and you relish in it, curling your body around him just a little more. The credits roll as the camera pans across a trail of blood and corpses.
“So, what’d you think?” Rafael sits up to look at you. You struggle to express how surprised you are that such a quiet, kind-hearted man could enjoy a movie like this. How, honestly, you didn’t pay much attention to the movie because between the muggy weather, the furnace in the shop, and the snuggling under the covers, you almost fell asleep from how cozy you were feeling. How familiar and real of a feeling this was, and how grateful you were that it was just the two of you, holding each other.
So you pull Rafael into a kiss, instead. Taken aback for just a moment, he follows your lead, cupping your face as the two of you melted into each other. You feel Rafael blushing. Was it the heat? Was it your odd timing? Was it just something about Raf that made him so endearing? You push the thoughts aside as your lips part as Rafael pushes in, tongues dancing like embers.
Rafael sat at the edge of the lake, opposite Alun-Alun plaza and away from the New Year’s Eve festivities. Taking in the quiet flow of water, he twiddled with a small tool in his hands. The frigid air was brisk, and Rafael could feel his heart beat. He liked the cold, no ‘unbearable Summer heat’. Stars speckled the night sky as the moon shone over the healing lake shrine.
“Hey, there you are! How’s the party going on over there?” He brushed some snow off of his beard and adjusted his puffy jacket.
“Almost twisted an ankle, but I won the sack race! Loser’s bracket, at least,” you said with a scoff. “I’m challenging you to a one-on-one before the Cherry Blossom festival next year.” You shared some sashimi and green tea and sat next to him.
You didn’t know how long the two of you relaxed by the shrine before Rafael blurted out, “Can I kiss you?” You almost didn’t hear it at first, but you did hear Rafael gulp out of nervousness, his gloves rubbing together. He turned toward you, his ears red from the cold and snow-tipped. His expression appeared almost concerned that he had said the wrong thing, his mouth twisting into a pout, ashamed at his curtness. “I- I mean, if you…”
As you lean in, his embarrassment cleared away immediately as your lips met his and tongues danced like embers. Right on cue, fireworks popped in the sky like crystals, and you felt as though you and Rafael were breaking something brand new, wide open.
You both pull away from the kiss, breathless. Just the same as it was the first time. Rafael wraps you in for a hug, bringing you back to reality.
“Really sets the mood… my idea of excitement, for sure.” You flash Rafael a wry smile. Rafael’s eyelids are getting heavy, and so are yours. “Wanna watch another next week? Got a month before late fees,” he says behind a yawn. “Sure thing, Raf,” you yawn back. Rafael pulls the covers up, and you sneak in one last kiss before the two of you drift off on the couch.