HELLO!

I know I've been gone for a very long time from FF. But I am back!

I published this story back in ao3 and thought it was time to post it here. It's my first Saphael fic and it is a Pastel!AU, which I hope you like.

Thanks!

Raphael Santiago was not a man of many words. He was reserved and liked to keep his distance from people around him. He had very few friends, though he didn't mind that. His friends were like family to him and that's all that mattered to him. He was polite to everyone around him, though bordering on cold and distant. He was also known for his smirks and sassy remarks whenever someone commented something of non-importance. But he didn't really care what others thought about him. He spoke to few, and when he spoke it was because he had something to say.

Raphael preferred to speak through photographs. Ever since he had moved to the US with his mother and little brothers when he was just a child he had been in love with the idea of taking pictures. His mother had gifted him a polaroid camera, which he still kept at home years after it stopped working. But it had been the first camera he had owned. His mother said it used to belong to his grandfather, and it had been passed to her and then to him. Raphael had treasured it with his whole being. He never allowed any of his brothers to touch it. He used it any chance he got, enthusiastic about taking shot after shot after shot. He still had all the photos he had taken in a cardboard box in his closet. It was then that his passion for photography had been born. Since then it had only grown. When he was in high-school and he started working summer jobs, he saved money and bought himself a digital camera. Nothing too big or fancy, but from there he started spending his money on more cameras, lenses, lights and flashes. Anything that could help him with his photographs. In college he decided to study a mayor in photography with a minor in Literature. He had decided to take a minor in Literature because he was very passionate about literature. He enjoyed reading and had even tried writing a bit. In his childhood he had grown reading hispanic authors and later on started reading in English. His mother used to write poems in Spanish that she would later transform in lullabies. She would sing them to him and his siblings every night. It was a fond memory he kept close to his heart even though very few knew about it.

He loved his career. He enjoyed every part of it, as weird as that sounded. He was always eager to learn new things and new techniques and ways of making his photographs better. He had always liked his assignments and homework. Until one of his favorite professors had given them a different assignment and had given them specific instructions as to what model to use.

"You cannot use any model you've used previously" Professor Fairchild instructed the class.

"But why?" Raphael asked immediately "I mean, it's our final project. Shouldn't we use someone we already know how to work with?"

"I don't wanna see a face I've seen before" Professor Fairchild responded "Out there you'll be forced to work with people you don't know. You'll have to meet new people, new models and new subjects. I'm just getting you ready for that"

"But Professor" another student complained "Are we supposed to just go to some random guy and ask them to model for us?"

"You are supposed to look for a new model. It is up to you to decide how you prefer to do it" Profesor Fairchild said "I just want you guys to not get used to working with the same people. Don't get comfortable. Working with different subjects and models can be a great source of inspiration for you all"

"Do we have any other guidelines?" A guy from the class asked "Any theme or specifics?"

"No specific theme" Jocelyn Fairchild shook her head "You just have to create an aesthetic. 12 photos in total. You can use different models or just one, up to you"

Raphael took note of all that, his mind already spinning for ideas. He was completely screwed. He didn't know many people. He only had his close friends, Magnus Bane, Ragnor Fell, Catarina Loss, and Lily Chen. And he had already used all of them for previous projects. He was supposed to find a new model. That would be the hardest part about the project. Raphael Santiago was not a people's person. He would much rather stay away from any human interaction if it could be helped. How was he supposed to meet someone new and convince them to model for him.

With that thought in mind, Raphael made his way towards the gardens of campus. He sat down underneath an oak tree, as he often did whenever he needed to find some peace and get inspired. He took out his camera, placing it next to him and then took out his notebook. He started to brainstorm. His final project was to be presented in two-weeks time. It seemed like enough time, yet like it was not enough.

With a sigh Raphael looked up and across campus. His eyes wandered around the students walking by and chatting with friends, until they stopped in someone sitting on a bench right across from him. There wasn't anything outstanding about the person sitting on that bench. At least, not at first sight. But maybe that's why he caught Raphael's attention. This person seemed...soft. So soft and warm. Like a ray of sunshine that didn't realise was shining.

Dark curls covered the head, which was bent down as he read a novel. His hair was wild, going on every direction possible. On top of his dark hair rested flower pins. So small and delicate-looking. They were of different pastel colors, purples and pinks and blues. The boy was wearing an oversized soft pink sweater. The sweater was obviously a few sizes too big for him because the sleeves went past his hands. The collar of the sweater also rested very low over his chest, showing the boy's neck and collarbones. He was wearing white skinny jeans and brown high tops on his feet.

The guy was beautiful.

Instantly Raphael took his camera where it was resting by his side. Taking off the lens' cover from the front, he took the camera to his face. Looking through the small visor, he focused on the boy. The lens he had right now didn't reach far enough to catch as much details as he would have liked, but it was enough. With a small 'click' the photo was taken.

Instantly the guy looked up, as if he had heard the shutter of the camera go off. Raphael put the camera down as quick as possible, but it seemed it was not quick enough. The guy locked eyes with him and blushed furiously. His cheeks were dusted with freckles, Raphael noticed. Raphael quickly looked away and started putting his camera away and his notebook back in his bag. He had been spotted taking a picture of some random guy like a real creep. He needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

As he stood up he noticed the guy was walking towards him. In panic, he started to rush away. Walking as fast as he could while making it seem normal.

"Excuse me!" The guy called and his voice was like caramel to Raphael's ears.

Raphael tried to ignore it, placing his hands in his coat's pocket and walking a bit faster.

"Excuse me!" the guy called again "You forgot something!"

Raphael turned around when he heard footsteps approaching him. The guy was trying to reach him, but stopped a few steps away from him when he noticed Raphael had stopped walking. Blushing again and playing with the hem of his sweater, the guy smiled shyly at Raphael.

"You forgot this" He said, showing the lens' cover. Raphael cursed softly in Spanish, moving to take it from the guy's hands.

"Thank you" He said plainly and turned around to walk away.

"Wait!" The guy called and reached towards Raphael's shoulder.

Raphael stopped instantly. The guy dropped his hand immediately from Raphael's shoulder. When Raphael turned around once again, he noticed the guy had walked much closer to him. His eyes widened at how close they were standing now. The guy blushed furiously once more and took a step back. Burying his hands in his sweater's sleeves once more, the guy brought one of them to cover his mouth while his other arm covered his stomach.

"You took a picture of me" the guy mumbled against his sweater's sleeve.

"What?" Raphael asked, not being able to understand what he had just said.

"You took a picture of me" The guy said again, taking his hand away from his mouth.

"Right. Sorry" Raphael said "I can delete it if you want?"

"Why did you take a picture of me?" The guy asked instead, ignoring Raphael's comment.

"Look, I don't know" Raphael said tensing his shoulders and standing straighter "I'll delete it if you want, I don't want any trouble."

"You think you'll get trouble from me?" The guy blurted out with a laugh "You could probably beat me up right now and I wouldn't be able to defend myself"

"I probably could" Raphael mused, not really meaning it.

"Please don't" the other guy said with wide eyes.

"I won't" Raphael promised with a chuckled and then silence extended between them.

"I'm Simon by the way" The guy said suddenly "Simon Lewis"

"Raphael Santiago" Raphael nodded towards him.

"Nice to meet you!" The guy grinned "So...about that picture"

"Right, I'll delete it right now" Raphael said taking out his camera

"No! Wait...I mean" the guy blushed again "I just...Can I see the picture?"

"Uh...sure" Raphael said opening it in his camera and turning the camera for Simon to see.

Simon stared at the picture for a long moment, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly parted. Raphael stood there awkwardly for a moment, not really knowing what to do. Simon was still looking at the camera, so Raphael didn't really want to move. Slowly, Simon lifted his hand and traced his fingers over the screen. His movements were slow and steady. Raphael's eyes were instantly on Simon's long fingers. They were skinny and delicate looking, though they had a few blisters.

"Wow" Simon whispered "Do I...Do I really look like that?"

Simon said it so softly, Raphael doubt he had talked to him directly. So Raphael decided not to answer. The screen of his camera turned black and Simon pulled his hand away from it. Raphael turned off his camera and put it away again.

"Please don't delete that photo!" Simon said quickly "I...Could you...could you maybe send me that photo?"

"Uh...sure?" Raphael asked with a frown "It's not really that good"

"Well, obviously it's a photo of me" Simon chuckled "Photos are never that good when I'm in them"

"What?" Raphael asked confused.

"Sorry" Simon covered his mouth "I have no filter...I just don't like appearing in photos too much."

"Why?" Raphael asked

"I just...don't like it" Simon shrugged "I don't think I look too good in them"

"Well, that depends on who is looking at the photo" Raphael said with a shrug.

"Anyways" Simon coughed, his cheeks still dusted with pink that made his freckles stand out "Could you please send me the photo?"

"Sure" Raphael nodded "I'll need your phone to send it..."

Suddenly someone called for Simon. They turned around to see a ginger girl waving at Simon from a distance. She was standing next to a dark-haired girl and a blond guy. Raphael recognised the ginger girl as Clary Fairchild, daughter of the professor who had given him the assignment.

"Here" Simon said, quickly taking his phone out "You can save your phone there...I'll text you"

Raphael nodded and quickly saved his phone number as a new contact in Simon's phone. Clary called for Simon again, sounding impatient. Raphael gave the phone back to Simon, who took it in both his hands and held it close to his chest.

"I'll...I'll text you" Simon said, a shy smile breaking in his lips.

Raphael just nodded and watched as Simon turned around to walk towards his friends. With one last breath, Raphael turned around and started walking away, unaware of Simon's eyes following his movements from afar.