Let's Meet Again (Delana/Rafael)

Rafael was honestly incredibly surprised to hear from Delana. Things had been ended so abruptly when they were children, it was amazing that she even remembered him. He knew he was a bit strange as a kid, especially with her, but he'd done his best to grow out of it. Being around her, again, though... was going to be just... It was going to feel weird. But he wanted to see her, again.

Tucking his hair behind his ear, away from his face, he headed toward the cafe. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves as he caught sight of the familiar violet hair. Even after all this time, he'd recognize her from a mile away. He steered himself just a bit out of the way, so he wasn't approaching directly behind her... like a creep.

Rafael adjusted his satchel, clearing his throat as he approached.

A familiar smile welcomed Rafael when he approached her. She stood up, walked over and gave him a warm, welcoming hug. It was nice to hug him again.

"Thanks for coming out to see me on such short notice. How've you been?" She heard talk of him having a child or two now. She was sure that was more than a new adventure for him. Especially to take care of alone. She mentally shuddered at the thought of having to raise children on her own. Terrifying.

He gave a weak laugh, hugging her lightly. It was so strange, to see her again, after so long. "Busy, actually... I've been trying to get the boys settled into our apartment..."

Between work, the twins' drama club, their ventures into town... he'd managed to find very little downtime for himself. It had been quite a while since he'd had much time away from everything. He'd had to juggle a few things just to be sure he could get to the cafe for this get-together. "Ah. What about you?"

Her heart beat a little harder than she thought it would when she heard his voice. She looked at him again, giving him a once over. His hair, longer now, was just as vibrant as it was when they were kids. His eyes were still bright too. She took a seat and took a drink, gesturing to the seat across from her. "Boys? You have a family now." She said with a smile, though wasn't really happy about it. "I bet your girlfriend is beautiful. I live in one of these older rental homes in the older part of town. What are you staying at? I'd love to meet everyone." (This is when Delana realizes that she's morally corrupt. She would definitely try to break up a marriage and not feel bad about it.) She ran her finger around the rim of her coffee mug.

"... actually, it's just the three of us." He took a seat, running a hand through his hair. There was a little while that he'd tried to do something about that, but it was sort of tough, balancing work and family and still finding time to date. Not that he'd really had many people interested in him. There was one other girl he'd tried to get to know, but they hadn't made it far. Really, it was just their initial meeting. The turkey had pretty much resigned himself to being alone.

Glancing to her, he offered a weak smile. "I'd love to have you over, though..."

His hair was so beautiful. She smiled when he mentioned there wasn't anyone else in the family, she really hoped he didn't notice. God he made her smile like no other person could, not even Dael. Which was weird, especially considering how long it had been since they even talked. She sighed mentally.

"I'd love to come over!" She blurted, and then with cheeks as green as beautiful pine trees, she blushed. "I'd like to know if you'd wanna go on like, a date with me first though." She admitted. "I kind of wanted to try something again, we're older now, we understand a lot more. I think we can happen? I know it's weird. Childhood crushes actually getting together. But I mean, it's worth a shot?" She swallowed, feeling that lump that finally formed in her throat and wouldn't leave until he gave an answer.

He loved her smile. He'd loved it since they were kids. She had been his muse all that time ago, but she'd told him it was incredibly creepy how much he tended to obsess over her. Now she wanted to... date?

"I, uh," He cleared his throat lightly, "I thought I was too creepy for you."

Rafael didn't quite understand all of this sudden change of heart. He'd been the stalker-artist type and she'd run off with the handsome surfer-guy. Now, things hadn't worked out there and she wanted him back. It was... sort of hard to believe. The turkey still had those sketchbooks, rough as they were, that were filled with her deep violet hair and brilliant eyes. There were even a few in his newer sketches, when he was feeling particularly sorry for himself, when his boys were busy with their after school activities and he was left to his own thoughts.

"I was too young to appreciate what you really meant by it." She started to stammer a little bit. "I- If I would have just talked to you I probably wouldn't have reacted the way I did." He totally was creepy. Or she thought. She didn't know what it meant when she signed up to be his muse. She just thought it would be fun to be a model. There was something more.. intimate about it though. She knew that now.

She hated how she treated him way back then. If she would have been nicer, if she would have just talked more. If she, if she, if she. If she did, she wouldn't have gotten cheated on, she wouldn't have been unhappy and she wouldn't be sitting here right now, basically asking for him to take her back. To take back what she didn't even know was his. Her.

Hearing her talk to him like that, even when he was a kid, it had done a lot of damage. Something in him had broken when she left and he'd withdrawn from most people. He'd all but lost touch with most of his friends, stopped talking to nearly everyone he'd known at the facility. If that was how she'd felt, if he'd been too creepy for his closest friend, then he had to be too much for everyone else, too.

His boys were starting to bring him out of that. His boys and the people he worked with, they made him feel like a person, again. Something he hadn't felt in a long while. He'd have given anything, for the longest time, to hear her take back what she'd said. But the truth of it was, she was right. He'd been obsessive and creepy. Still, there was the slightest bit of hesitation in him, having just started to really make a life for himself.

"I... yeah... we can... see what happens, right?" Rafael offered a weak smile.

Delana felt her heart flutter inside her chest. She couldn't believe what he had just said. Of course she wanted to try asking him, which was why she invited him here. But for him to actually say yes. TO SAY YES to her made her heart soar more than she thought it ever would.

She didn't have much of a life, she didn't have much of anything other than just working and going home to her little rose pet.

"Really?" She asked, she didn't want to seem too eager or anything, but before he could answer she was already speaking again. "Do you want to come hang out at my house? I hate being out and about all day.."

"Oh, y-yeah. We uh. We can do that..." He'd expected more of an out-of-the-house date, especially given that it was just a trial thing, but if that's what she wanted... that's what they were doing. For now, at least. He'd probably end up scaring her off, again. He wasn't really all that confident in this working, but it had been something he'd thought of for ages.

Pulling his phone out, he sent a text to the boys' phones, letting them know he may not be home when they got out of their classes. They usually found things to do, though, and he usually left a little bit of money if they felt like picking up a snack or anything when they got home. "Ah. Alright, so, uhm. Where are we heading?"

She nodded and stood up, pushing her seat in. "It's not too far only about a ten minute walk from here. I actually work here at this Cafe." She started talking a little more comfortably again as they started moving away from the establishment.

It was nice to even just walk with him again. "What are your boys like? If they're anything like you, artistic and intelligent are probably their two defining characteristics." she offered a smile.

He tried to relax a bit as they started walking, finding it easier as the conversation turned to his boys. " They're amazing. Different as can be, but really talented."

The turkey smiled a little, "They're both into theater and work really hard on the plays. Thalia does bodypainting and costuming and all. Mel is one of the best writers I've seen. They're insanely passionate about it. I try to get to opening night each time they do a production. They're never on stage, but the shows just wouldn't run without them."

He was a firm believer that his sons made all of the difference in everything they did. Whether or not that was true, he was glad to see them so happy.

Listening to the way Raffy talked about his boys was just heartwarming for the young woman to hear. She offered a smile. “Well, sounds like you’re quite the amazing father too. My father spent way too much time on his other kids. But I guess that’s just what happens when you’re adopted into a family with three older brothers.”

She shrugged off the thought of her father and his lack of presence after her adoption, but only after she mentally called him something that shouldn’t be said aloud.

“I’m glad to hear and see that though. They’re passionate about theatre and you’re passionate about them. I admire it.”

His boys were his world, honestly, but he didn't think he had much to do with their success. They were so intelligent and driven. All he did was make sure they had a home. "Well, they're my only kids... They'll probably be my only kids... I just want to be sure that they've got everything they need."

He worked hard, at both of his jobs, but that meant less time with his boys. It wasn't something he was happy about, but it meant they had a roof over their heads and everything they needed. Even just things they wanted, when he had the spare money.