Raphael slowly trudged home behind an uncharacteristically quick Doria, but he couldn't seem to keep up with the tense 16 year old.
He knew something was bothering her, but he didn't know how to ask her about it.
He considered going the shameless (AKA the dangerous) route, before trying to find ways to work the question seamlessly into conversation.
Perhaps a comment on the weather to start? The clouds were especially beautiful on that day after all. Maybe food would get her out of her shell. Doria loved food after all. Though she didn't look it, she could eat the entire world's supply and have space for more.
Food it was, Raphael decided before he finally heard his best friend say, "I love you."
Well, Raphael loved her too.
"Not that kind of love."
Ohhh~ Oh. Wait. What?
"I said I'm in love with you, damn it."
Like love love?
"Yes."
Like she wanted to kiss him and do other stuff?
"That's the plan."
Why?
"B-Because I think you're smart, a-and kind, and really handsome."
Huh? Why Raphael though? There were so many other guys who actually deserved her. Models, superheroes, actors, millionaires, billionaires, royalty, nobility, the list went on.
Raphael simply couldn't believe Doria's words as he realised what this was all really about.
He admitted it was wrong of him to have a crush on his best friend, but Doria was going too far with her joke.
"You think I'm joking?" she snapped as she angrily turned to face him, but yes.
There was simply no other reason she would like someone like Raphael.
Her hormones were probably just going through a phase where she developed feelings for any male who was kind to her. Like a surrogate mother keeping the baby last minute.
"Are you saying I'm behaving like I've just given birth?"
In a way yes, but for the sake of Raphael's head staying on his body, no.
"I'm not joking. I love you."
How far did she plan on taking this joke anyway-
Raphael braced himself for impact as Doria grabbed him by his collar and yanked him towards her.
Her headbutts had to have been the most lethal weapons she had, Raphael thought as he felt the sensation of something soft touching his lips.
Surprising, yet pleasant, but terrifying would be the best way to describe Raphael's reaction to the kiss as he felt her finally pull away.
"You can open your eyes now."
No. Raphael wanted to die with his eyes closed anyway, so it was fine.
"Stop joking around all the time."
Except Raphael wasn't joking around as he felt his entire body shut down and collapse right then and there before he found himself skipping along in his familiar darkness.
"You're happy."
Very much so.
"May I know why?"
Doria confessed to him!
"What?"
She actually liked him back!
"Are you sure that wasn't just another one of your wet dreams?"
No! Raphael was positive it actually happened.
"So she likes you?"
Uh-huh.
"Why?"
That's what Raphael said!
Neith stared at his magician with the most disgust and confusion he could muster as he commented, "It's sometimes very difficult to believe you are the top student in your grade, but I'm happy for you."
Really?
"Of course! And if you're lucky, those wet dreams may become reality …"
Neith!
"I'm pulling your leg." the Magi laughed.
How long was he going to keep the place so dark anyway?
"My bad." Neith said before he lifted his arms and changed the scenery to a grassy hill; his favourite place.
The hill was on Wisteria, but when Raphael went to look for it, he found an old school sitting on top of the hill. It looked dilapidated and Raphael found out it was going to be closed soon.
He made it his mission to buy the land, so Neith could run free-
"Speaking of which,"
Hmm?
"How exactly do you plan on doing that without a high school education?"
What was he talking about?
"You don't hear that?"
Hear what?
"You'll figure it out soon. You're a smart boy."
Thanks?
"And before you go-"
Why would he go?
"Keep an eye on your new girlfriend for me."
Doria wasn't his girlfriend!
"But you like her?"
Absolutely!
"And she likes you?"
That's what he remembered her saying.
Neith groaned as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He did that when he was confused, so Raphael got to see him do that often.
"Do you really not recognize that sound?"
Was he supposed to?
"I'll give you a hint: it starts with a and ends in m and without it you would always be later than you always are."
Why did he add "a" before 2 hints?
"You drive me insane."
Raphael couldn't drive yet. His test was next week.
"Just go to school before I end your life myself."
Huh?
Raphael looked confused as he stared at his family kitten scratching at his bed post. He didn't hear Neith very clearly at the end of his dream because of the sound of his … alarm!
He was late! He was late! He was so late!
Raphael scrambled out of bed as Clara walked into the room with one hand covering her eyes.
"I'm here for the cat." she declared as Raphael ran around like a mad man looking for his tie.
"You mean this tie?" Clara asked as Raphael snatched it from her hands and tied it around his collar as he dashed down the stairs. He ran right through the kitchen before Mom asked, "Forgetting something?"
Already short on time, Raphael ran back into the kitchen and grabbed Doria, who was sitting at the table, before bolting out of the house, and towards the school building.
In the end, it took Raphael and Doria arriving as the bell rang for the scatterbrained magician to realise he had forgotten his backpack at home … again.
"You can just share your textbook with Doria and get the notes later."
W-What? Raphael couldn't do that. That was one of the many impossible things that were to remain impossible in order to keep the space time continuum balanced.
Raphael was so determined to keep this impossibility as such that he promised to memorize every word his teacher said and write his own notes later.
"That is quite the challenge, Sullivan."
Did he think he couldn't do it?
"Cocky, huh?"
Raphael called it confidence.
"Alright, you're on."
Raphael, satisfied by his ability to keep singularities such as him and Doria ever being together unattainable, didn't quite notice how he had hurt Doria's feelings. However, when he did, even Neith was practically useless in ending his moping.
"Stop crying."
But Doria was avoiding him.
"That's not a reason to cry." the Magi said, making Raphael bawl his eyes out even more.
He was thoroughly convinced Doria hated him and would never speak to him again.
"Maybe that's a good thing- Listen before you start crying again."
W-What?
"A few days ago, I was hanging out with Anahit, and by habit, you came up in our conversation."
So?
"So, Anahit looked absolutely petrified when I mentioned Doria."
Doria? How was that possible?
"Not sure, but it's simply common sense to stay away from people who enjoy tormenting their own Magis."
B-but-
"Yeah, I know. You're in love with her."
And she hated him.
"Stop crying!" Neith yelled as Raphael sunk his head deeper in his own arms and wailed until the sound of nearby chattering followed by Neith's warning grasped Raphael's attention.
He peered down the window and saw Doria standing in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by a group of girls.
At first, Raphael thought she had recruited them to help her make a plan to publicly execute him, but he soon realized what exactly was happening and didn't hesitate to jump out of the window, into the mess below.
Thanks to his above average speed, Raphael was able to run into the confrontation and stop anyone from hurting Doria.
"Why are you protecting a freak like her?" he heard one girl ask, but he was more focused on Doria.
Was she alright? No injuries or anything?
"I'm fine."
Good-
"You need your man to come finish your fights for you?"
No, she needed him to step in before she beat all of them to near death.
"What did you say to me?"
Oh dear. Raphael wasn't carrying any hearing aids. Good thing he knew a bit of sign language.
"Is this a joke to you?"
No?
"You think you can beat all of us? You're outnumbered, stupid."
So?
"What do you mean 'so'?"
They couldn't beat him or Doria if they were blindfolded and tied up.
"Say that again!"
Hearing loss at such a young age had to have been devastating, Raphael commented before catching the magenta hand.
This time, Doria stepped up to the girl and whispered something to her, making her knees weak.
*****
He didn't think much of it back then, but maybe things would have turned out differently, Raphael thought as he quietly knocked on the door of his guest room.
He waited patiently as he watched the door knob turn and saw his little sister glare at him in the darkness.
"It is literally the middle of the night."
Raphael realised, but it couldn't wait until morning.
"What can't?"
He needed to talk to her.
Clara eyed her brother before opening the door and letting him in. He sat down as she turned on a lamp before asking, "What's wrong?"
A lot. A lot was wrong and Raphael didn't know how or where to start.
"How about from the beginning?"
The beginning? In the beginning there was nothing, and then the Creators made everything.
"Seems you're not in as bad of a shape as I thought you were if you can-"
He was. A million things were tormenting Raphael's mind and he couldn't sleep at night anymore. It was too painful to sleep knowing how many lives he could've saved, but didn't.
"Is this about mom and dad?"
…..
"Raph, you're okay. I'm okay. Axel and Doria are okay. Everything is going to be fine."
Yeah, it was, he thought before commenting on how amazing of a mother she would be.
"'Would?' I told you I don't plan on giving birth."
What about an adoption?
"What?"
He needed a favour.
"What is it?"
He needed Clara to go to Axel's room and leave the property with him.
"What? What are you talking-"
They just needed to head straight for the police station down the road.
"Raphael, you're scaring me-"
Most of all, he needed her to change Axel's first name.
"Why? Why do you need me to do this?"
He couldn't tell her.
"Why not?"
Because telling her was practically putting a target on her back. She would be hunted down if he told her. He just needed her to do this one last favour for him.
"I already lost mom and dad. Now you want me to give you up too?"
Axel would be her new family.
Raphael knew how painful the request was, but he also knew how strong his little sister was as they shared one last embrace.
He tried not to, but he couldn't stop the tears the second she went down the hall, and away from him.
He loved her.
He did his best to wipe the tears away as Raphael snuck back to his bedroom, only to find Doria sitting at their coffee table, playing with a bottle of wine.
He was hoping she wouldn't catch on so quickly, but-
"Is that why you invited her over on our first vacation in months?"
Not really. He had hoped Clara would entertain Axel as they tried for a second kid.
"Raph."
Yes?
"Why did you go this far?"
He was tormented-
"You mean guilty?"
That too.
"Raphael?"
Yes?
"Do you love me?"
Of course he did. He wouldn't have married her if he didn't.
"Are you telling me the truth?"
He had no reason to lie.
"If you love me as you say, then why do you insist on trying to help Axel?"
He was his son.
"Are sure that's not the hormones talking?"
He was sure.
"I'm sure I told you about the tainted blood of the dragon slayers."
She did.
"If that mythical power can be manifested, we'd be able to create a portal to Magiterra."
But that would've killed Axel in the process-
"And ended the cycle of misery that follows my name."
No. That was just what she assumed with no evidence to back it up.
"Richard's mother-"
Died! He knew, but mothers died of complications during childbirth all the time. It was the truth!
"Why do you fight so hard for this child? For this experiment?"
Because he was Raphael's son!
"Then telling me, dad, who do you love more, me or Axel?"
Raphael begged Doria not to make him choose, but she persisted until Raphael finally said he loved Axel more, causing Doria's anger to spike as the wine in her glasses turned into an explosion, engulfing their home in flames.
Raphael, however, didn't have time to just lie around as he searched for the bottom of the broken wine glass and made his way outside.
He watched as Doria staggered after Clara and Axel, but he blocked her way to them, and without wasting any time, he plunged the broken glass into her chest as she was turning to face him.
"Raph...ael."
Confession time, he said with a smile as the tears poured down his face.
"Per...fect timing … as always."
Go on.
"I … ate the cheese...cake."
He knew it, he said, making Doria smile a bit as she coughed up blood.
His turn. He lied.
"...Bout what?"
He said he loved Axel more than anything.
"I … knew … it." Doria laughed as she coughed up more and more blood.
He was sorry. He was so sorry.
"You ... were always … a crybaby."
He loved her so much.
"I … love … you … more …"
*****
Raphael watched closely as Michael and Phyna glided across the sky, following Louvre as he tried to trap them in pillars of ice.
The ground underneath and near every pillar froze up as the temperature continued to plummet. The power of the dragons was truly a sight to behold, Raphael thought as his amazement for Louvre's poise and elegance reminded him of a less tempered, but equally powerful late empress.
"What did you do to him?" Aaron asked as he also observed the two boys fighting, but Raphael hadn't done anything new to him.
At least he didn't think he did.
"Then how do you explain his ability to keep up with Kylian?"
Oh! That! It wasn't much. PROJECT ANARCHY was instilled into Michael the day he made his contract. All Raphael did was give Michael the keys to his own power.
"You say it like it was easy."
It was easy. He explained how the system worked and all the dangers associated with it, and he nodded and said 'yes'. See? Easy.
"You have no problem with giving your kid the tools he needs to kill himself?" Aaron laughed, "Though I don't expect more from you."
Was he still annoyed that Raphael killed Gilbert, Ines, and Antoine? He had no choice. Aaron of all people should know how that feels.
"I don't like the fact they're dead, but at the same time, they got on my nerves a lot."
They were stubborn at times, but they were some of the only friends Raphael ever had.
"Is that because you're a sadistic bastard who gets a kick out of killing magicians without using your magic?"
Raphael wouldn't call it sadistic. It was just more fun that way. Speaking of which, did Aaron like the sword? Daisy had gotten it for Raphael for a birthday present.
"It's … pointy."
Right? Very high quality if you ask-
"Are you always like this?"
Like what?
"I feel like you've gotten dumber since the last time we met."
Had he? Raphael didn't really feel dumb.
"Be honest."
What?
"How long have you been planning this?"
Since he and Chadwick almost killed Clara's kid.
"Clara's kid?"
Daisy helped Brandon get into the mainframes, while Raphael and Python managed to slow the terrorists down. He should've stayed with her, but he left the second she chased him away-
"Why did you call your son 'Clara's kid'?"
After that, Raphael tipped Chadwick about Aaron's fight with the kids before-
"Raph!"
What?
"Michael is your son whether you like it or not."
Michael became Clara's son the moment she named him. As far as Raphael was concerned, he murdered his wife and child on the same night all those years ago. He no longer had any right to call him his son.
"...I'm sorry."
And Aaron called him strange. Who apologizes to the man who just stabbed them?
"You're right. I should be bawling my eyes out by now."
That would've been a sight to behold, Raphael laughed as he jumped up and caught Phyna before his body could hit the ice cold floor.
"I'm okay." he said, "I just need to go back and-"
And do what? The battle was concluding, Raphael noted as he stared at Kylian, who had been pinned onto the floor by Michael.
"Do it!" he screamed, "Kill me and let me join my family!"
"No," Michael replied, "I can't let you do that."
"Is it because you can't kill, Axel? You can protect and side with murderers, but you can't kill me? The one who killed Louis? The one who killed your Aunt Clara?"
"No. I can't kill my older brother."
"... You're weak."
"And you are going to call me weak for the rest of our lives. I don't mind. As long as you're there with me, I don't mind."
"I do." Kylian declared as an icicle pierced Michael's chest before turning red.
He smiled.
Raphael saw Michael smile just like Doria as he placed his hand on top of Kylian's chest and ended the battle.
It took 14 years, but Raphael finally realised why Doria wanted to kill him sooner. She was right. He was just like his uncle.
He made people evil.