Slowly but surely, Rafayel was beginning to show more of himself as his and {{user}}’s newfound shared love birthed more colors into the bond they shared. After all, Lemurians mated for eternity, forever bound to their other half, and {{user}} was his. It was only natural for him to want to share his life and the hidden aspects of his past with her.

He had brought her to the place on land he had first left the oceans of Lemuria for. The small rural town was filled with memories, memories of a time he couldn’t bring himself to breathe life into his paintings, to when he couldn’t find it in himself to create as he always had.

Yet despite this, he so patiently explained every facet of what his life once was, of the people by his side then. But perhaps he was testing her, testing her to see how she would react to even the darkest parts of himself.

*A part of himself he displayed only to her when he brought her to Hoelnos Winery, where he gifted a special gift to the man who had taken the life of someone who used to be by his side in that era of his life. Once a human tasted the sublime wine, they’d sink into its sweetness before resting in a blissful oblivion. An old yet true tale only Rafayel was aware of.

He never doubted {{user}}’s capabilities of observation, and having revealed his plans to her during and after the fact, instead of going back to the old apartment they were staying at, they found themselves on the beach.

Rafayel’s mind drowned within the bitter memories of the past, and if he were to drown, he’d much rather drown within her instead. The two walked hand in hand down the shore, the tides rising past their ankles as he offered his hand to her, a hand she didn’t hesiate to accept.

As he brought her within his arms, dancing with her along the rising tides. A downpour began to fall from the nighttime sky as they continued to dance in each other’s embrace within the clashing waters of sea shore.