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Raphael was never one to express emotions outwardly, he never felt comfortable enough around anyone to open up. Except for one person. One person that gave Raphael the sense of comfort that he needed to express himself. Simon. Simon, who always knew what to say, in his flustered, rambling manner. Simon, who, despite his dorkiness and his lack of knowledge regarding romance, knew how to touch Raphael. Physically and emotionally.
And it seems like Simon is the only person who knows. It has been a while since Simon noticed that even some of Raphael’s closest friends cannot calm down Raphael or get him to calm down the way Simon did.
While Simon did not know why, Raphael did. One word that has been binding Raphael and Simon together for centuries and decades:
Soulmates.
Raphael remembers every time he and Simon have met. In past lives. How they fell in love, had to keep it a secret, and had to watch the love of his life marry another, a woman, that Simon’s parents approved of. And Raphael also remembered how he still would sneak around with Simon, and the pain when they departed. But worst of all, Raphael remembered every time Simon passed away before he did, and he remembered the pain.
And the only reason why Raphael remembers all of those memories is because of the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane. Raphael asked Magnus, centuries ago, to perform a spell on Raphael that will keep these memories of him and Simon locked away. Only to be unlocked when Raphael and Simon meet again.
And they have, the night when the vampires kidnapped Simon to use him as bait against Clary, the memories were unlocked. Which is why Raphael was jealous when Camille turned Simon into a vampire, why Raphael let Simon go, and finally, why Raphael so easily forgave Simon and let him back into the Dumort Hotel.
Only a few people know about the special connection between Raphael and Simon. Other than Magnus and Raphael, there are a few people in the Dumort that found out the night Raphael announced that Simon will be coming back.
But the one person that did not know, and should, was Simon. He did not know, and Raphael did not know how to tell him, so he sought out advice from Magnus, who had to bring his husband Alec along with him. Strangely enough, it did not bother Raphael, maybe two sets of advice are better than one.
But Simon had no idea about this secret meeting, which is why he was roaming the Dumort’s hallways looking for his boyfriend that he has not seen all night. Simon decided to check Raphael’s office, which is where Simon overheard a conversation he should not have.
“Wait, explain this to me again,” Said Alec, he was beginning to get the hang of it, but maybe just one more time will be enough for his brain to get working on the advice.
“I put a spell on Raphael so he will never forget his memories with Simon,” said Magnus, putting a hand on Raphael’s shoulders.
This made Simon smile. He meant so much to his boyfriend, that he had a spell be put on him so he cannot forget their memories together. Heat rose into Simon’s cheeks and he decided to walk away and to not eavesdrop on the conversation when it caught his attention yet again.
“and that includes all of your memories from past lives as well?” asked Alec.
This caused Simon to stop dead in his tracks and look through the small crack caused by the slightly ajar door to look at Raphael.
“Yes, all of them, from the 1800s till now. The memories unlock when we meet.” Raphael smiled a little when he remembered the very first time he ever met Simon.
Wait, what?! The 1800’s?! He has known Raphael that long?
Simon did not realize that he said “wait, what?!” out loud until Raphael was standing right in front of him with the door wide open.
“Well I think now is as good a time as any to tell him, Raph,” Magnus said in the softest voice manageable, he knew what was going on in Raphael’s head. He thought he screwed up and that Simon is going to leave him.
So it did not surprise Magnus when Raphael took off running, he was going to go after him when Simon stopped him.
“I’ll look after him later, but for now I need you to explain to me what is going on.” Said Simon, he was not angry, he was, strangely enough, very calm.
So Magnus did. He explained everything, starting from the concept of soulmates and how lucky some people are for finding theirs early on. To how Simon and Raphael met the first time, and how Raphael met Magnus. And how after explaining to Magnus, that he and Simon keep meeting and he refuses to take another lover, Raphael asked Magnus if he could retrieve and lock away all of Raphael’s memories of Simon. And finally, Magnus explained how his spell works and how it broke when Raphael kidnapped Simon.
The shock was evident on Simon’s face. But it was not the whole spell thing that shocked him, it was the fact that he and Raphael were soulmates, heck, they had a bond stronger than that. And suddenly everything made sense for Simon. This is why he is the only one that has so much control over Raphael.
It was silent for a long minute, then suddenly, “Can you put the spell on me as well, Magnus?” the questioned shocked Alec and Magnus, but Simon knew what he wanted.
“I can, do you want me to do it now?” Magnus was hesitant, it is a powerful spell that left Raphael in a coma for days, but then again, Raphael was human when the spell was put on him. Simon is a strong vampire, he can handle it.
“Yes, please.” Simon was gaining more confidence by the second. He wanted to do this, for his Soulmate.
“Ok, this is going to hurt a little and will take a little while, are you ready, Simon?”
“I am.”
“Ok, close your eyes, conjure up a picture of Raphael’s face and focus on him, and only him.” Magnus started muttering under his breath, he needed more strength. He reached out a hand to Alec who immediately understood what Magnus needed and took Magnus’ hand in both of his.
A sharp pain pierced through Simon’s head as flashes of pictures from so long ago passed in front of his eyes. Every lifetime that passed made him realize just how much he is in love with Raphael and how wrong it was of him to take another lover, while all this time, Raphael refused. Simon watched at how fate has twisted and turned other people’s lives and decisions so Simon and Raphael could meet every time, in every lifetime.
Simon understood why Raphael would keep something like that away from Simon, this is huge, this, soulmates, destiny, fate, all things that Simon thought that he did not believe in. But now he does, if it means that Raphael and Simon were meant to be, he believed in everything.
Magnus finally let go of Alec’s hand as the spell came to an end, and to his relief, Simon did not collapse.
Simon got up, “I know where to find him,” he said. He did not need to specify who “he” is.
Simon ran to central park and headed straight towards his and Raphael’s tree. Where they had their first public date and Simon carved their initials in the trunk, much to Raphael’s dismay. And as Simon suspected, there was Raphael, under the tree, with head between his knees, muttering to himself in Spanish. Simon did not need to speak the language to understand what Raphael was muttering, he was telling himself off for screwing things up with Simon.
“Mi Amor,” Said Simon softly, so as not to startle Raphael.
Raphael slowly looked up and met Simon’s waiting eyes, “You came to find me,” he said hesitantly. There was a quiver in his voice that Simon has never heard, and he hated it. He hated the fact that Raphael did not expect him to look for him.
“Of course I did,” Simon slowly started approaching Raphael and sat next to him.
“I’m sorry,” started Raphael, “I really am sorry that I kept this from you, Simon. But I notice things about you, things that you may not notice yourself. And what I observed is that you don’t believe in soulmates.” Raphael stopped when he saw the look on Simon’s face, he knew that look, it was as if Simon knew what Raphael was going to say.
Simon spoke, choosing his word carefully, “But what I observed is that, in every life that you and I had ever had, we were pulled by this greater force, destined to find each other. So you can push me away now, but I will find you, in another life, and I will love you. Over and over again, until you learn to love me back.”
“I already do…” the words left Raphael’s lips before he can think.
And suddenly, Simon’s lips were on his, reassuring him that everything will be ok. But there was something more in that kiss as if Simon was telling him that he remembered.
So when they pulled away, Raphael asked, “how much do you remember?”
Simon answered, “May 27th, 1808, our fathers were friends, you were invited to dinner at our house. Our first kiss was in the back garden, you tasted like cherry pudding.”
“It was the dessert they served that night, your favorite.” Raphael smiled, “so you asked Magnus to perform the spell on you as well.”
“Yeah, I did. I wanted to remember everything about us, about you.” Simon smiled back. He got up and offered his hand to Raphael who immediately accepted.
They needed to get back, being the clan leader, Raphael expected that the Dumort was in complete chaos. But when he walked in and saw that everything was under control, he pulled Simon to their room.
It has been a long night.