Raphael opened his eyes slowly and took in Elena's face, the color of a ripe apple, radiating heat in all directions. He raised one eyebrow.
"What are you looking at?"
He followed her gaze downward, cleared his throat once, and explained with a completely flat expression.
"Normal physiological phenomenon. Wasn't it in your textbooks? Maybe you missed that lesson."
He yawned after saying this. Not a trace of embarrassment. The overall energy was: why are you making such a production of this.
Elena had known what he was like for several days now, but this still left her thoroughly speechless.
How did a person exist like this. How did someone move through the world with this complete absence of self-consciousness.
"Don't change the subject! You took the medication! How are you still, how is it still—"
She pointed at his trousers and couldn't finish the sentence.
Raphael waved a hand.
