John and Raphael in Two to the Power of Love

The song lyrics are italicized.

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John Point of View

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Raphael loves to sing, and he's really good at it, but like always, his anxiety gets in the way. I'm the only person that he feels comfortable sinning in front of! His favorite type of songs are cheesy love songs! He's such a hopeless romantic he still writes me a love poem at least once a month. With songs, we have this thing where I find a song, then he comes over, hears it once or twice then sings it, sometimes I sing along two, but I'm not as good at memorizing them. But he finds it cute when I stumble over words. No matter what happens, he's happy, and that's what I care about. Being truly happy is something he also doesn't feel enough about. His anxiety gets in the way, and he can't even ask for what he wants. We've been dating for almost 6 years now and have been friends for like forever, but it wasn't until like a few months ago that he allowed himself to start a kiss or ask for me to hold him! I had to learn the little things he does when he wants something. Like when he wants a kiss, he would bring his face close to mine, and when he wants to be held, I'd have to see it in his eyes or the way he tenses up. It took a while to learn to speak Raphael, but it was so worth it! I love him so much!

I was searching for a song for us, and I came across this old song called "Two to the Power of Love" by Janet Jackson. I'm not a wordsmith like Raphael but I noticed that if I changed one line, I could ask him what I wanted to ask him for a while! I took out my phone to text him. It was nine at night and I knew he was home because about an hour ago he texted me to tell me that he safely finished his patrol. No matter what he wanted, or what his mental illnesses made him think, Sun Eater was becoming quite a popular hero.

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Raphael's Point of View

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I was relaxing after my shift scrolling through social media while rewatching a show that I had already seen half a dozen times when I got a text from John. "Hey baby I found a song that I think you'd like want to come over and we can listen to it? <3 <3"

I love that he looks for new music for me, I love him so much and I want to move in with him, but I don't want to move out of my parents' apartment, I don't like change I had a panic attack when I moved into the collage dorms and it would be weird because I want to wait until marriage to have sex, I want to marry him but that seems scary too but exciting, I just don't like new things just thinking about all of these possible changes elevates my anxiety which is high as a baseline. It just goes down a bit when I'm with John. I realized that I was just holding my phone and not answering him. "When do you want me to go over? I can come over now if you want." I respond.

"Now's good see you soon! <3" I smiled and changed out of pajamas and into normal clothing, jeans, and a hoodie, I made sure I had everything, wallet, keys, a days' worth of meds, in case I end up staying the night, as that happens sometimes if I'm lucky. I told my parents where I was going as I put on my shoes and headed over. When John was looking for apartments, he made sure to get one near where I lived so it was just a fifteen-minute walk in the cool refreshing night air.

I knocked on his door and he answered immediately, he seemed off, a little nervous maybe. "You ok?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he chuckled I could tell he was nervous about something but wasn't going to tell me. I decided to hug him hoping to help him deal with whatever he was worried about. That's what he'd do for me, though his anxiety probably has more merit than mine usually does. He hugged me back, pulling me closer. Gently kissing my hair, just the way I liked it. I could feel his breathing slowing down, and when I felt it return to its normal speed, I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. His beautiful blue eyes, and smiled. He smiled back. We stayed like that until he remembered why he called me over. "You want to hear that song," he whispered, I nodded, and we untangled and went over to his laptop and pulled up the song. I closed my eyes and listened, I smiled as I felt John drape an arm around my shoulder.

" I know we just met, but I feel like I've known you before

But something about you, my heart has been searching for

I don't understand it, it's over my head

So don't try to solve it, just feel it instead, ooh

~

It isn't really such a mystery

Anyway you add it up it turns out to be

Attraction automatic, a simple mathematics

Two to the power of love

~

I look in your eyes and everything falls into place

You don't have to say it, it's written all over your face

By my calculation, I'm falling for you

It's a perfect equation

And I know that it's true, ooh

~

It isn't really such a mystery

Anyway you add it up it turns out to be

Attraction automatic, a simple mathematics

Two to the power of love

~

It's complicated, but it's easy to see

A combination that was meant to be, ooh-ooh

It's something you can count on

~

It isn't really such a mystery (it isn't really such a mystery)

Anyway you add it up it turns out to be

(Anyway you add it up it turns out to be)

Attraction automatic, a simple mathematics

Two to the power of love

~

It isn't really just a shot in the dark (it isn't really just a shot in the dark)

Somebody must've worked it out on the chart

(Somebody must've worked it out on the chart)

Attraction automatic, a simple mathematics

~

Two to the power of love

It isn't really such a mystery (it isn't really such a mystery)

Anyway you add it up it turns out to be

(Anyway you add it up it turns out to be)

Attraction automatic, a simple mathematics

Two to the power of love"

"I take it you want to hear it again?" he asked, I nodded.

He played the song, and I was able to hesitantly sing along to the course and some of the verses. "I think I got it," I told him.

He turned down the song and played it again and I sang out loud. He stayed in front of me for some reason.

" know we just met, but I feel like I've known you before

But something about you, my heart has been searching for

I don't understand it, it's over my head

So don't try to solve it, just feel it instead, ooh

~

It isn't really such a mystery"

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Raphael Point of View

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As he sang that last line, in one movement he brought back his left leg making him fall to one knee, and pulled a box from his pocket.

"Oh hey Raphael will you please marry me?" he sang, keeping in time with the song. Like it belonged there, it was a secret message just for us. He opened the box; it contained a simple gold ring. I stood there as I processed what just happened. Did he just propose to me!? Is that why he was so nervous!? I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't talk but I had to do something I didn't want him to think that I was saying no! I responded by dropping down to my knees and wrapping my arms around him. "Is that a yes?" he asked awkward and vulnerable in a way that I've never seen him show anyone else. I nodded into the side of his neck before pulling away. Smiles adorned both of our faces.

He took out the ring and I held out my hand for him to put it on me. It fit perfectly. He took out the lining on the box to reveal a simple gold-colored ring that he took out. "Would you like to do the honors?" he smiled. It felt right sliding cold ring onto his warm figure.

"Someone must have mapped it out on a chart," the computer played.

"Attraction automatic, a simple mathematics," I started singing.

"Two to the power of love," we sang together.

Like this story? I have others in this collection, and I have and several different series that I am working on, as well as a poetry collection. I keep a google doc housing summaries of each story and all of the installations that I've posted in an easy to navigate google doc: Click Here

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