Fragments Of You(LAD BL FANFIC)

Rowan jolted awake to the sound of raised voices reverberating through the house. His eyes groggily searched for the source as he rolled out of bed, rubbing the remnants of sleep from his face. The culprit became apparent soon enough: Thomas's unmistakable tone, a mix of exasperation and scolding, echoed down the hallway.

He stumbled toward the noise and found himself in Rafayel's studio. The sight was almost comical. Thomas was pacing in front of an easel that held Rafayel's latest painting a stormy blend of gray and red while Rafayel stood calmly nearby, arms crossed, clearly unimpressed by Thomas's tirade.

"Gray and red? Are you serious?" Thomas's voice rose in pitch as he gestured dramatically at the canvas. "Who in their right mind uses these colors together for an expedition-themed piece? It looks so… gloomy! Where's the life, the excitement?"

Rafayel raised a single brow, his expression as impassive as ever. "Gray and red evoke raw emotion. Gray represents the uncertainty and vastness of exploration, while red conveys the passion and danger inherent in the journey. It's symbolic."

Thomas snorted. "Symbolic? It's depressing! Nobody wants to walk into an exhibition and feel like they're staring at a scene from a post-apocalyptic drama."

"That's where you're wrong." Rafayel's voice remained steady, as if Thomas's complaints were nothing more than a passing breeze. "Art isn't just about pleasing the eye; it's about stirring something deeper. If they feel something even discomfort then I've done my job."

Rowan, who had been leaning against the doorway, yawned loudly, drawing both men's attention. He waved lazily. "Morning. Are you two always this lively before breakfast?"

Thomas turned sharply to Rowan, his frustration now redirected. "Good! You're here. Maybe you can talk some sense into this stubborn artist. Look at this tell me what you think." He gestured dramatically at the painting, as if unveiling some great disaster.

Rowan scratched his head, stepping closer to examine the piece. Truthfully, he didn't know much about painting beyond basic anatomy and proportions for his webtoon work. Still, he tilted his head thoughtfully, pretending to scrutinize the art. Finally, he shrugged. "Well, uh… the red kind of looks like ketchup splattered on a rainy sidewalk."

Rafayel's calm facade cracked ever so slightly. He turned to Rowan, his eyes narrowing. "You dumbass."

Rowan raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it. You're the artist here, not me."

Thomas groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "See? Even he doesn't get it!"

Rafayel sighed, rubbing his temples. "Because he's an idiot who draws cartoon characters. I don't expect him to understand the nuance."

Rowan smirked. "Cartoon characters that get millions of views online, thank you very much."

Thomas waved his arms, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Enough! Look, Rafayel, I'm just saying… couldn't you add a bit more… I don't know, color? Something uplifting?"

Rafayel's lips twitched, as if suppressing a laugh. "Fine. I'll consider it for my next piece. Happy?"

Thomas huffed, clearly not satisfied but unwilling to argue further. "Whatever. Let's just hope the crowd sees what you see."

---

On the day of the exhibition, Rowan was lounging in his room when he received a text from Thomas.

**Thomas:** "Want to come to the exhibition?"

Rowan replied with a quick "Sure," and got dressed. As he stepped into the hallway, he noticed Rafayel sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Rowan asked, tilting his head. "It's your exhibition, isn't it?"

Rafayel barely glanced up. "I'm not going."

Rowan blinked. "What? Why not?"

"I hate socializing. And humans in general," Rafayel said bluntly, returning to his phone.

Rowan sighed, shaking his head. "Of course you do."

As he waited for Thomas to arrive, Rafayel suddenly stood and grabbed his coat. Rowan noticed a serious expression on his face. "Where are you going?" he asked.

Before Rafayel could respond, Rowan's system popped up with a warning:

**"Curiosity kills the cat. Don't ask questions."**

Rowan hesitated, swallowing his questions. "Uh, nevermind I don't care anyway"

Rafayel nod and left without another word.

Fifteen minutes later, Thomas arrived to pick Rowan up. As they drove to the exhibition, they made small talk.

"So," Rowan started, "is this exhibition a big deal?"

Thomas chuckled. "For Rafayel? Always. People love his work, even if it's hard to understand sometimes. There's just something about his style that draws them in."

Rowan grinned. "Even the stormy ketchup vibes?"

Thomas laughed. "Apparently. Art is subjective, right?"

---

When they arrived, Rowan was taken aback by the sheer number of attendees. The gallery buzzed with excitement as people admired Rafayel's work. Rowan turned to Thomas, wide-eyed.

"Seriously? This many people like his stuff?"

Thomas shrugged, looking equally bemused. "It's hard to admit, but yeah. Despite everything, there's something unique about it that people can't resist."

Rowan chuckled, turning back to the paintings. "Guess he's not just all talk, huh?"

---

Later that evening, back at Rafayel's studio, Rowan thanked Thomas and bid him goodbye. As he stepped inside, he noticed the space was empty.

"Where's that fish gone to now?" Rowan muttered to himself, glancing at the clock. It was nearing 9 PM, and Rafayel still wasn't home. Though he tried to brush it off, a small pang of worry crept in.

Finally, the door creaked open, and Rafayel stepped in. His usual aloof demeanor was overshadowed by something darker, almost unsettling.

Rowan stood. "Where have you been?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "It's late."

Rafayel looked at him, his gaze piercing. "Why are you still awake? Were you waiting for me?"

Rowan hesitated. "Yeah, I was. I was worried something happened."

A rare laugh escaped Rafayel's lips, though it lacked humor. "Since when do you worry about me?"

Rowan sighed. "Since I treat you like a friend. That's what friends do, isn't it?"

For a moment, Rafayel stared at him intently, making Rowan shift uncomfortably. Then, without warning, Rafayel placed his hands on his hips and said, "You know, I'm really tired and can't deal with this right now. Can you leave?"

Rowan quickly nodded.

"Sure. Goodnight." He retreated to his room, but unease gnawed at him. Something had happened to Rafayel, and it wasn't good.

Just as he lay down, the system popped up again:

**"Curiosity kills the cat. Don't push it."**

Rowan frowned, clutching his blanket. Whatever Rafayel was hiding, he'd have to find out eventually.