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Without looking up from his alchemic concoction, Jamil huffed out an exasperated sigh. “Please stop staring at me and work on your test.”
“And miss out on something as interesting as you? Perish the thought,” Azul responded with a flourish of the hand that currently wasn’t acting as a base to hold his head on. “The fact that you hide your potential so much should be a crime.”
“Why do you keep going on about that? I truly have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jamil replied without sparing a glance in the Octavinelle housewarden’s direction. He added more ingredients to the concoction carefully, keeping in mind the correct order and correct timing.
“See? Very interesting,” Azul chuckled and Jamil could feel the smirk on his lab partner’s face as the potion in the cauldron began to glow slightly blue.
“What’s very interesting?” Jamil questioned, feeling his eyebrow twitch in annoyance as he continued to stir slowly. “I personally think it’s interesting that you always seek me out and badger me constantly as if I have all the answers.”
He received another chuckle from Azul at that and he had to quell the urge to hit him upside the head with his ladle to knock that annoying smirk off his face.
“Well, considering the fact that half the class is struggling to figure out what to do and what went wrong with their mixtures while you just cook away without a hitch is what I find interesting.”
Jamil rolled his eyes, still refusing to look at Azul.
“I’m just following the directions.”
“So was everyone else, I’m assuming.”
“Maybe I’m just lucky then.”
Azul only hummed, unconvinced. Jamil began to feel uncomfortable with the amount of unblinking attention Azul was regarding him with, finally flitting his eyes in his lab partner’s direction. It was only for a very brief moment, but when he spared him that small glance, Azul’s smirk grew and he tilted his head more into his hand. Jamil felt his heart jump and face warm as he shifted his weight on his feet.
This is how it always was whenever they had lab together. Azul, without fail, would wave Jamil down to partner with him, never taking no for an answer, and would constantly talk Jamil into putting his thoughts into words. It wasn’t this bad before his overblot, but now it was a constant after.
Jamil preferred to stay unremarkable lest he draw any sort of attention to himself. It was how he was raised and how he lived. He wasn’t allowed to hope for more of that, shoving whatever hope he had down. It became second nature to him after a while, numbing himself from those feelings and pushing away anything that would bring attention onto him. He wasn’t used to having someone push him to be better.
No, not better. Push him to be himself.
After what felt like forever, class was finally dismissed and Azul quickly collected their papers to turn them in. Jamil bent down to help, but was stopped by Azul’s hand in his face. “No, don’t worry, Jamil. I got it.”
Jamil cocked an eyebrow at him, then simply shrugged and grabbed his bag before leaving. As he walked to his next class, he looked down at his feet and stopped. He was walking slower than usual. Why?
He turned to look back at the class, furrowing his eyebrows. Was he waiting for Azul to catch up? He let out a sigh and shook his head, facing forward again to see a giant wall had appeared in front of him.
“Heyy Sea Snakeyy~”
Jamil grimaced and clenched his jaw as he looked up at the left and right hands of the Octavinelle housewarden.
“Oh my. What a coincidence to run in to you, Jamil,” Jade said, pressing a hand on his chest and feigning surprise that Jamil didn’t believe for a second. “There’s something we needed to give to you, isn’t that right Floyd?”
“Yeah, Jade~” Floyd answered, his body swaying as he stared down at Jamil. Floyd stuck his tongue out and patted his pockets before finding an envelope, holding it out for Jamil to take. Jamil only spared it a glance before squinting his eyes and looking back up at the twins with heavy suspicion.
“What is this?”
“How should we know?” Floyd answered, pushing his arm out further to hold the envelope closer to Jamil. “It’s not for us, dummy.”
“It’d be impertinent of us to pry into something not intended for us.” Jade added smoothly, flashing Jamil a sharp-toothed grin. Jamil was starting to get irritated, eyes moving between twins before looking down at the envelope again. Floyd clicked his tongue and began to shake it impatiently. Deciding it’d be best to just go along with what’s happening to get rid of them faster, Jamil snatched the envelope out of Floyd’s hands and stuffed it into his pocket.
“There. Happy? Can I go to my next class now?” Jamil asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Of course,” Jade said, placing his hand on his chest again to bow, “We apologize for the interruption.”
“See you around, Sea Snake!~” Floyd waved at him as the two walked past Jamil, Jade passing on his left and Floyd passing on his right. Jamil let out a sigh, pinching at the bridge of his nose before continuing on his way.
Behind him, the twins stopped by a corner and leaned their heads around the side to look at their housewarden. Azul leaned against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed, opening the eye closest to the eels to give them a look.
“Did you two deliver it?”
“All according to plan,” Jade said, putting a soft fist up to his mouth to hide his smile.
Azul felt his face blush, so he pushed up his glasses with nervous fingers and cleared his suddenly thick throat. “Good, good.”
“Oho? Having second thoughts?” Jade asked, an amused glint in his eye.
Azul straightened and adjusted his jacket.
“Of course not. It’ll be fine,” he replied, mainly for himself, but not fully believing it.
***
Jamil laid in bed, holding the envelope he received from the twins up over his head and just stared. This cursed thing had been burning a hole through his blazer the whole school day. He couldn’t focus on anything else except the small white rectangle he currently held in his hands. He tried his best to ignore it, but he knew Azul had to be behind this. Who else would the Leech twins go out of their ways to deliver something for?
Even before his overblot, he noticed Azul would look at him out of the corner of his eye, but it was never really anything for Jamil to think twice about. But after that… incident , Azul had been up his ass. It was always ‘Jamil this’ and ‘Jamil that’ and at first, it made Jamil want to seal Azul to a broom and shoot him up into the sky.
But now…
Every interaction with Azul caused cracks to appear in the walls Jamil’s kept up and maintained his whole life. At first, he was getting frustrated and angry at having to keep them up and secure, trying to push Azul away to keep himself hidden. But the more the impromptu study sessions they had where Azul would surprise him with by sitting beside him while he was in the library alone or Azul finding him in the cafeteria on the rare days Kalim didn’t have food for lunch and chatting with him and Kalim while Kalim sang praises of Jamil’s cooking, the more Jamil found himself wanting it.
Wanting more.
Jamil dropped his arms to lay the envelope across his chest, staring at nothing on his ceiling. He could just throw the envelope away and wipe his hands with whatever ploy Azul had for him. That would be the easiest solution. It wouldn’t be the smartest solution, though, with Azul possibly pestering him about ignoring it.
Jamil let out a long sigh, opening the envelope and pulling out what looked to be an invite.
You are cordially invited to a special VIP experience in the Monstro Lounge tonight at 7.
We will provide food, drink, and dress that we expect will be up to your standards.
We hope you’ll accept and join us for a night we hope you won’t forget~
Jamil stared at invite and the shimmering gold text as some sort of emotion filled him. Nerves? Annoyance? Anger? …Hope? He let his eyes go unfocused as he honed in on that last one. What exactly was he hoping for? Nothing good ever comes out of whatever schemes Azul comes up with.
Pushing those thoughts away, he slid out of bed and raised his arms above his head to get a good stretch out before getting ready to go to what he hoped wouldn’t be a mistake.
He checked the time on his phone and saw that it was already almost 7. He heaved out a sigh before leaving his room, making sure to grab his pen just in case. The entire walk to the Hall of Mirrors, Jamil’s mind was on overdrive. He tried thinking of what sort of plan Azul had for him and for each plan he thought of, he planned an escape he could use to get the hell out of there.
The more he thought, the more confused he was about everything. Why have the twins deliver the invite when he was literally right next to him in class? Did he actually have no idea and this is actually one of the twins schemes? Then he snorted when he thought back to Azul’s actions earlier at the end of lab, when he waved off Jamil’s help.
Jamil was so lost in thought, he almost missed the way the Scarabia students he passed seemed to either flinch away from him or outright glare. He shoved his fists in his pockets and walked quicker through the halls until he finally made it to the mirrors, stopping right in front of the Octavinelle mirror. Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and walked through, not pausing in his steps toward the direction of the Monstro Lounge.
He received some odd looks from the student body here, but these were easier to shrug off and ignore. The closer he got to his destination, the harder he could feel his heart beating. Why he was so nervous, he didn’t know but he wished it would stop soon. He hated the uneasiness that came from not knowing what was happening. When he finally made it to the entrance, he noticed a sign was posted in front of the large, closed doors.
The Monstro Lounge will be closed tonight due to a private party reservation.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Jamil raised an eyebrow at that, feeling a new wave of nerves wash over him. What the hell was he so nervous for? Whatever Azul had planned (and he knew Azul was definitely behind it. He’d never allow the Lounge to close without his knowledge or consent), he knew he’d be able to find some way out of it. Jamil convinced himself of this and took in deep breath, reaching out to open the door just as it was opened from the inside.
“Ah, he finally shows,” Jade greeted, stepping aside to allow Jamil to pass through. “Our dear Azul was worried you wouldn’t come.”
“Let’s just get this over with,” Jamil grumbled, feeling his face warm up. He chalked it up to embarrassment for agreeing to come to whatever this was.
Jade only hummed as he closed the door behind him. He moved to stand in front of Jamil and bowed, lifting his head up to look at him. “If you would just follow me, I’ll lead you to the dressing room for your outfit.”
“Outfit?” Jamil asked, his fight or flight kicking in, “If this is some ploy to get me to switch houses again-“
“No, no, nothing of the sort,” Jade interrupted, his pleasant smile never leaving his face. “Tonight is a special night, so we have an outfit set out for you to accommodate. The invite did say we would provide the dress.”
“What’s so special? What exactly’s going on?” Jamil asked, starting to get irritated.
“All in due time,” Jade said, standing up straight and closing his eyes, tilting his head to smile down at him, “Now, if you’d please follow me.”
Jamil stayed where he was while Jade walked off, crossing his arms over his chest. He rolled his eyes and began to follow after Jade, making sure to keep his distance. Floyd was unpredictable, sure but at least he showed what he was feeling when he was feeling it. Especially after being on the basketball team with him, Jamil was confident he could handle that twin to some extent. With Jade though, it was impossible to guess what was going through his mind at any given time.
Jade took him through the staff area and stopped at a room in the back, turning to Jamil.
“Here we are,” the Octavinelle vice housewarden remarked, bowing at Jamil and holding an arm out towards the door. Jamil clenched his jaw and opened the door, quickly getting in and closing it behind him. The quicker he gets through this, the quicker it’ll be over. He pressed his forehead against the door and sighed before straightening and turning to look at the outfit that was folded neatly on one of the tables inside.
Jamil didn’t know what he expected to find here, but he was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t a waitor’s outfit or an Octavinelle uniform, but a simple black suit with a grey button up and a red vest. He let out an amused huff and then changed into the outfit, the form-fitting clothes feeling slightly foreign on him compared to his usual loose clothes and hoodies. He looked at himself in the full length mirror nearby and was impressed with how it looked. The suit fit perfectly, making Jamil wonder when and how Azul managed to get his measurements for it.
He stepped out after a bit and lifted an eyebrow to see Floyd waiting for him instead of Jade. Floyd was typing away at his phone, putting it away when Jamil closed the door behind him and whistled as he looked Jamil up and down.
“Lookin’ good, Sea Snake~” The twin said, giving him a wink and a thumbs up. “Azul was being real annoying, grumblin’ about what to do if it wouldn’t fit. Can’t wait to see the look on his face.”
“Can we just hurry this up so I can go back to my room?” Jamil asked, staring up at Floyd. He hated not knowing what was happening. He felt like he was swept out into the ocean and being pulled left and right by the waves. But if anything, he was more frustrated at himself for being the one to jump in.
“Ooo, someone’s eager~” Floyd purred, doing a comical turn on his heel and leading Jamil out into the main area. Along with the smooth jazz that was playing softly around the Lounge, Jamil could hear some piano accompaniment that sounded like it wasn’t a part of the recording.
He looked around and saw Azul seated at a sleek, black piano, his eyes closed as he swayed with the music. Jamil wanted to voice his frustration at whatever was going on today, but he found that he couldn’t form any words at the moment. He was stuck as if hypnotized, watching Azul play, mesmerized at how calm and blissful he looked as he moved with the music.
Jamil could feel his throat thicken and couldn’t help the nervous cough that came out. Azul startled slightly at the noise, then smiled at the Scarabia vice housewarden as he continued playing.
“Jamil,” Azul said softly with a barely audible shake in his voice. “You startled me.”
“You’re the one who invited me here,” Jamil managed to say, crossing his arms over his chest when Azul began to slowly look him up and down. Jamil thought he could see a pink tint dusting the tips of Azul’s ears and neck. “What do you want?”
Azul paused his playing and patted the empty space next to him, smiling. “Come. Sit with me.”
Jamil shifted his weight between his feet, feeling his heart jump and his nervousness amplifying. He sighed then walked to where Azul was sitting and sat beside him, making sure to keep as much space between the two of them as possible. It wasn’t to much prevail considering the bench was barely big enough for two people.
“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Azul said, looking straight at Jamil and tilting his head to the side. After a moment of silence, Azul simply turned his attention back to the piano, straightened his posture, and began to play again.
Jamil looked down at Azul’s hands as he played and it felt hypnotizing watching the flurry of fingers seamlessly go from note to note. He didn’t know much about classical music, but he could see that this was a complicated piece.
“I didn’t know you knew how to play the piano,” Jamil was surprised to find himself saying.
Azul chuckled next to him, “There’s a great deal you don’t know about me.”
Jamil lifted his eyes from Azul’s hands to look up at his face, feeling his own heat up when Azul slightly turned and tilted his head to do the same.
“Just like there’s a great deal I don’t know about you,” Azul continued, looking back down at his hands. “I don’t know about you, but I want that to change.”
Jamil couldn’t help but scoff, “The way you talk to me, you’d think you already know everything about me.”
“I know you have potential,” Azul began to say. “A great deal of it, but refuse to act on it. It intrigued me and I always questioned why you hid it. Well, up until a few months ago, that is.”
When I overblotted , Jamil thought, looking down at his hands.
“Then everything clicked. I know that you hold yourself back from who you truly are and what you want. You can’t help it, it’s how you were raised and how you lived,” Azul said, his playing slowing down as he regarded Jamil with a sidelong glance. “But I want to know the you that you hold back. The you who wants to stand out and show everyone what you’re capable of. I saw but a glimpse of it before and I yearn to see it again.”
Jamil wanted to tell Azul to be quiet and that he didn’t know what he was talking about, but he couldn’t find it within himself to do so. Azul was right and he hated that he was. He wanted to be able to say and do what he wants without having to worry about someone else. He hasn’t ever allowed himself to want it, but since that night, that craving has been clawing at his self-control, at the walls he’s had built up his whole life.
The walls Azul’s been carving away at with each stroll in the halls between classes, each study session in the library. Jamil suddenly understood what it was Azul was truly asking for. Why he set this whole thing up.
“Play with me.”
“What?” Jamil startled, jolted out of his thoughts and snapping his gaze back up to Azul’s face. “Play?”
“Yes, play,” Azul chuckled, smiling softly. “Nothing too difficult, I assure you.”
Azul stopped his playing and held his hands out for Jamil’s. The Scarabia vice housewarden looked down at Azul’s waiting hands then cautiously looked up at his face as he lifted his hands and placed them in Azul’s. Azul simply held onto them for a moment, Jamil shivering slightly at how cold they were, before placing them on the keys and laying his hands on top.
“Just play these few notes here and repeat” Azul whispered, pressing down on Jamil’s fingers to make him press the keys. Jamil tried to memorize the notes and he’d be able to manage under normal circumstances, but currently he was struggling. He was too distracted by how Azul’s hands felt on his and how close Azul was to him, Azul’s hair brushing against his cheek and his scent filling his senses.
“Think you got it?” Azul asked after a couple rounds of notes, moving to lift his hands up from Jamil’s. Jamil wanted to say no just so Azul would keep his hands on his, but nodded instead. He didn’t trust himself to speak.
“Good,” Azul said, adjusting himself on the seat again, his shoulder lightly touching Jamil’s.
“Ready when you are,” Azul stated, his hands hovering over the keys. Jamil swallowed and began to play the notes Azul had him learn. Azul nodded and began to play alongside him, refining Jamil’s shaky music and turning it into a beautiful melody.
A short laugh escaped Jamil’s mouth and he couldn’t help the small smile on his face. The two played seamlessly, Azul leaning against Jamil and Jamil unconsciously leaning back. As the song drew to a close, he slid his hands back onto his lap and looked up at Azul to find that Azul was already regarding him with a soft look. Jamil could feel his smile fall away.
“What?” he asked, glaring slightly at the man next to him.
“You look nice when you smile,” Azul answered, his face turning slightly pink. “I want to see it more.”
Jamil felt his face warm considerably at that, tearing his gaze away to look out at the empty lounge. An idea suddenly popped in his head.
“Okay, my turn now,” Jamil said, getting up from the seat and moving to stand by Azul. Azul looked up at him in confusion.
“Your turn for what?” Azul asked, his brows furrowed.
Jamil placed one arm behind his back and held his other one out to Azul. “Come. Give me your hand.”
Azul huffed out an annoyed sigh at having his words turned on him, but he relented and placed his hand in Jamil’s. Jamil pulled him out of his seat and led him to the middle of a big empty area in lounge.
“Dance with me,” Jamil said, still holding onto Azul’s hand. Azul stiffened.
“Absolutely not,” Azul said quickly, his face scrunching up and turning red. Jamil smiled and rolled his eyes before lifting their joined hands up and wrapping his other around Azul’s waist. Azul could only make a surprised yelp before Jamil began to quickly move the two of them around the open space in circles.
“Jamil! Please!” Azul shouted, one hand holding onto Jamil’s shoulder tightly and the other still clasped in Jamil’s hand as the dancer continued to spin them around the area. Jamil laughed as Azul’s feet scrambled to keep up, finally slowing down to stop to give Azul mercy. Azul dropped his head onto Jamil’s shoulder to catch his breath.
Feeling lighter than he has in possibly his whole life, Jamil laughed into Azul’s hair, the owner still clutching onto Jamil’s suit for dear life.
“Please don’t do that again,” Azul said, still trying to even his breathing. He managed to loosen his grip on Jamil, but stayed close to him. Jamil slid the hand he had on Azul’s waist to lay it on the small of his back, pulling him closer.
“Let’s do something a little slower then, hm?” Jamil suggested, stepping side to side in a small sway. Azul lifted his head from Jamil’s neck to look down at their feet as he copied the action.
“See, not too hard,” Jamil said softly, watching him as the Octavinelle housewarden lifted his gaze up from his feet to look at Jamil. Azul pouted slightly and looked off to the side before looking back at him, his cheeks tinted pink. Jamil chuckled at the look on his face and was content to just sway there silently, staring into Azul’s eyes.
They stayed like that as the song playing faded off into the next song. It was when that song then faded into the next one that Jamil broke the silence.
“So, what’s the purpose behind all this?”
Azul stiffened in Jamil’s arms, his blush reappearing in his face. He cleared his throat and tried his best to put a smirk on his face, but it wasn’t very convincing. “Don’t you think it’s a little obvious?”
“I want to hear you say it.”
Azul groaned and dropped his head onto Jamil’s shoulder again. “You are an absolute pain.”
Jamil chuckled at that. “I should be saying that about you.”
Azul lifted his head and moved the hand he had on Jamil’s shoulder and placed it lightly on his cheek, swiping a thumb across Jamil’s cheekbone. The contrast between the cold hand and the increasing warmth growing on Jamil’s face sent chills throughout the dancer’s body.
“As I’ve said before, I want to know more about you. The real you. The you I’ve only seen in tiny spurts,” Azul said, tilting his head and smiling shyly. “The purpose of tonight is that I wanted to give voice some… feelings I’ve had for quite some time.”
Jamil moved his free hand from Azul’s back and placed it on top of Azul’s, leaning into it. “What feelings?”
Azul snorted. “You’re really going to make me say it?”
“Oh absolutely,” Jamil smirked, pulling Azul’s hand away from his face to kiss his palm.
“Ooo you are torturous,” Azul said, surging forward to capture Jamil’s lips in a kiss.
Jamil inhaled sharply, stunned still in shock for a moment before letting his eyes flutter closed and leaning in to kiss back. He placed a hand on the back of Azul’s neck to bring him closer, angling the housewarden’s head to deepen the kiss. He pulled away for a moment to tilt his head before going back in again.
“WOOO!! FINALLY!” a voice suddenly shouted behind them, causing them to jump and quickly turn to see Floyd fist pumping the air from where he stood in the back near the staff room door.
Jade was standing with him and quickly grabbed his shoulders to push him out. “I’m terribly sorry for the intrusion. Please, do continue.”
“Aw, what’re you doin’, Jade?” Floyd complained, trying to wiggle out of his brother’s grasp. “Little Azul’s been moaning and groaning about Sea Snake for months and you want to leave right at the good part?”
Jamil raised a questioning eyebrow and looked at Azul, who was hiding his very red face in his hand. “Jade, hurry up and get him out of here.”
“Of course. Now, come on, Floyd,” Jade insisted politely, finally getting him through the door. He stopped just before leaving himself to look back at the couple. “Oh, and congratulations.”
When the twins finally disappeared behind the door, Jamil turned back to see Azul still had his head in his hand, what little of his face he could see between his fingers was still a bright red. Jamil fondly huffed an amused breath out of his nose then reached out to slide his hand onto the side of Azul’s head, threading his fingers into his hair.
“Sorry about them,” Azul grumbled into his palm before lifting his head up and adjusting his clothes, straightening his posture. He looked at Jamil and smiled as he took Jamil’s hand out of his hair and held it between both his hands, locking eyes with him.
“Now, Jamil Viper,” Azul started, smiling softly, “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a date next weekend?”
Jamil chuckled softly. “All of this to ask me out on a date?”
“Well, I needed to make sure there was a somewhat mutual attraction before laying my feelings out,” Azul explained, keeping eye contact with him. “So?”
Jamil paused and pretended to ponder on it before looking back at Azul. “Sure,” he answered with a small smile before glaring at him, “But no more surprises.”
“Deal. I will inform you of the details once they’re arranged,” Azul promised, stepping closer to Jamil. “Now, where did we leave off before we were rudely interrupted?”
Jamil smirked as he reached up to grab Azul’s face, pulling him in for another kiss.