Chapter Text
“Jamil is all I have!”
Kalim had said it in passing while speaking with Cater and Lilia.
“What do you mean by that?” Cater had frowned at the words.
Kalim smiled a bit, “Oh you know, obviously he's not all I have, but he might as well be, everyone else around me tends to leave as soon as they come, you know? And I have my siblings but they’re little so I can’t rely on them, and my parents are busy so I can’t talk to them either. All in all, Jamil is the only person who’s ever been consistent in my life.”
Cater and Lilia didn’t know how to respond to that, and their club member only laughed a little before returning to playing with the drumsticks in his hands.
~~
Jamil is all I have!
Kalim explained it to Azul during the holidays while Jamil was still bed-bound in his room because of injuries from his overblot.
“He’s kinda like- the one person I know won’t leave you know? Like, everyone else has, and Mama and Baba are both too distant for me to really consider them there, and my siblings are gonna grow up eventually so they won’t need me there one day, but Jamil is always there, he always has been.”
Something in Kalim’s eyes dimmed after those words, “I thought he would always be there too…”
Azul gave him this small pity smile.
Kalim turned his head and stared at the paperwork he had been working on.
~~
Jamil was all he had
Kalim watched him turn as he practiced a spin for their choreography, Vil had given them a break but Jamil kept working.
“You watch him rather intently.” Vil commented.
Kalim sighed, “It’s all I can do.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Kalim’s smile was tight and fake, but if it weren’t for Vil’s eye as an actor, he wouldn’t even had known how fake it was, “Jamil doesn’t like me. I’m just a reminder to how horrible his life had been for him, but I like Jamil. Since he doesn’t like me I decided I wouldn’t talk to him as much to relieve some of his stress… so all I can do is watch.”
Vil stared at Kalim with a conflicted face, about to speak when an argument between Grim and Ace broke out and he had to move to deal with that.
Kalim’s eyes returned to Jamil.
If watching is all he could do without hurting Jamil more, he was happy to just watch.
As long as he was still in his sights, Jamil wasn’t gone just yet.
If he kept him in his view, Kalim wouldn’t have to admit that he was now alone.
~~
Jamil was the only thing Kalim knew
Kalim’s immune system was fairly weak. Getting sick so much as a child from various poisons and injuries had caused it. People had made comments to him about how the repeated poisons must have strengthened his immunity, but it didn’t work like that when the doses were so large and when they all had used different types of poison.
Because of his weak immune system, Jamil learned healing magic when he was in first year in order to assist Kalim more.
Therefore, It was routine for Kalim to go to Jamil when he felt sick.
Kalim only wished he had realized just where he was walking when he did.
He knocked on the door before he even registered his arrival, and Jamil opened it in only a few seconds.
“Kalim?” Jamil’s voice was so distant, it sounded surprised.
“Jamil… Jamil!” Kalim smiled gently at the sound of his voice before he remembered his goal because of a sharp throb in his head behind his eyes, “Jamil… I’m sick…”
“I see that… come on inside.”
“Yay… sleepover with Mimi…”
Jamil didn’t bother arguing as he closed the door behind Kalim and guided him to a chair having him sit down.
Kalim mumbled incoherent words as Jamil checked him over and started getting medicine for him.
“Jamil is always nice when m’sick.”
Jamil’s hands paused, Kalim hadn’t spoken much about his opinion on Jamil since his overblot, of course in front of people he defended him, he happily proclaimed them friends, but Kalim hadn’t once ran up to Jamil to start a conversation or asked him for help since. He hadn’t told Jamil what he was thinking about Jamil’s overblot, what his opinion on anything Jamil did was, he just went along with it when Jamil dragged him to class if he slept in accidentally or when Jamil told him to do a piece of work. Jamil hadn’t even been asked to organize a party by Kalim, though Scarabia still had them, they were always by request of other students who had the request approved by Jamil first, and then Kalim.
Kalim overall was happy, bubbly, naive, and completely distant.
If it weren’t so jarring Jamil might’ve been grateful, but the way Kalim’s eyes dimmed and grew tired when he looked at Jamil, the way the heir’s smiles stopped reaching his eyes when he looked at him, the way that Kalim started gravitating towards others, away from his aide and his Scarabian classmates, it was gut wrenching.
Jamil moved his hand again as he got a bottle of water and had Kalim take the medicine he had acquired, muttering a response, “It’s my job to take care of you.”
Kalim frowned after he swallowed the pills with the water, “I know… I’m sorry…”
Jamil pressed his lips tighter together as he breathed through his nose.
“M’sorry for comin to Jamil…”
Jamil twitched, “It’s my job, Kalim, don’t apologize for letting me do my job.”
“But Mimi doesn’ wanna be ‘round me…” Kalim trailed off, leaning against the back of the chair.
Jamil checked his temperature again, crouching in front of him.
“Mimi doesn’ like me… wish Mimi liked me…”
Jamil grit his teeth, “Stop talking.”
Kalim frowned more, “M’sorry…”
Jamil shook his head as he grabbed a small towel and used a bit of magic to wet it, reaching up and wiping his forehead, “You’re impossible…”
Kalim let out a soft quiet whine and he leaned forward against Jamil’s head.
“What is it?”
“Head hurts… want Mimi.”
“You have Mimi, Kalim, I’m right here.” Jamil sighed, had the boy forgotten who he was talking with? Was he so sick he couldn’t recognize him?
“No I don’t… Mimi isn’t here… Mimi shouldn’t be with me… not good for him.”
Jamil almost ripped his hand and the towel away from Kalim’s forehead, “Excuse me?”
“‘M no good for Mimi… make him upset… don’t deserve Mimi…” Kalim explained slowly and he leaned closer to Jamil, “Mimi deserves better… just hurt Mimi when ‘m with him.”
Jamil’s throat closed up but his stomach also bubbled with anger, “You…”
“Wish I didn’t like Jamil so much… then it’d be easier to not burden him…” Kalim voice lowered, “I don’t wanna lose Mimi though…”
Jamil’s anger lowered to a simmer as Kalim’s words became more and more sorrowful, “Mimi was the only thing I had… had no one else”
Kalim ended up leaning against Jamil’s shoulder and the boy hesitated to move him.
“Thought Mimi wanted me around too…” Jamil felt his shoulder begin to wet as Kalim seemed to silently cry.
Jamil raised one hand, holding his pen in the other as he drew small circles as he used charms to relieve some of Kalim’s fever.
Jamil moved the boy to his bed, believing it would be safer to keep him where he was so that others weren’t disturbed. He cast another charm to send Kalim to sleep.
Kalim burried himself in the blankets when Jamil covered him, Jamil reached down and wiped one of the remaining tears off Kalim’s face.
“I want Jamil…”
Jamil sighed gently and sat on the edge of the bed next to his master, setting one hand on the others head gently, “Go to sleep, Kalim.”
The charm took hold seconds later and Jamil sat in his room, his housewarden asleep next to him, alone with his thoughts.
~~
Jamil Viper is the only person Kalim Al-Asim has ever been able to rely on.
Despite this.
In spite of this…
Kalim Al-Asim shouldn’t trust Jamil Viper.
He had tried to get him expelled, to kill him, to ruin him in order to get out of a position Kalim never intended to place him in, a position Kalim Al-Asim had no say in and no way to control. He had in all ways betrayed the boy.
Yet Kalim did trust Jamil.
Jamil had wondered why he would, wondered if he even still did trust Jamil, seeing how Kalim had distanced himself to sadly staring at him rather than excitedly talking about his newest interest with him.
During the VDC training camp, he had heard Yuu and Kalim speak, the soft conversation they had including how Kalim never wanted someone to regret what they’d done and be unable to change, how Kalim still wanted to succeed without stifling Jamil, Jamil assumed that was why he still seemed to somewhat trust Jamil, but that wasn’t it.
Kalim didn’t have anything else he could do besides trusting Jamil.
Kalim was raised alone, he practically wasn’t even raised, every servant came and went without anything beyond polite replies, every relative either wanted something from him or didn’t care, Jamil was the only person Kalim had ever become close to in his entire life.
And Jamil hated everything about Kalim.
Kalim didn’t have any other options, without Jamil, Kalim was lost, and with Jamil, Kalim was safe.
Kalim and Jamil were puppets of theirs and their parents' own creation.
And neither of them had any say in their lives.
Jamil’s mistake was letting himself ignore the invisible strings that held onto Kalim as well. Jamil’s mistake was that he didn’t look past skin deep.
Just as Kalim had with him.
Jamil would internally curse himself when he realized this.
Jamil Viper and Kalim Al-Asim were made for each other- Molded for each other.
They were perfect for each other.
In a beautifully twisted and fucked up way.
~~
Kalim tended to spend a lot of his time sneaking away now.
Since he had been sick Jamil had seen less and less of him, which both increasingly annoyed him and made him relieved he didn’t have to bring up the problem between them.
Jamil tried not to worry, tried not to panic when he saw Kalim talking with another person that was a threat to not just Kalim but anyone they talked to.
Kalim tried to stay out of sight; minimize his appearances around his aide. He said a lot of things he never meant to burden Jamil with when he was sick.
Kalim spent time at the Monstro lounge quite a bit. He at some point vaguely remembered asking if Floyd would teach him how to cook, leading to him spending at least an afternoon or so there on the weekdays with the eel who had decided that day he was happy to help the heir cook.
“These have venom.” Kalim had said offhandedly.
“Huh? Yeah, you have to remove it to cook it but it tastes good once you do.” Floyd commented as he looked over with a lazy smile.
Kalim laughed a little and a thought slipped out of his mouth he didn’t intend to say, “The fish actually tastes a bit sweeter with the venom actually, so it’s rather an interesting flavor to keep it in.” Kalim watched Floyd’s hands freeze as he was cutting out the venom sack from the fish.
“Sea Otter?”
Kalim looked up as he rethought his words, “Ah! Sorry… I uh… haha” Kalim laughed awkwardly, “I’ve had it before… when I was younger. Jamil was sick that week, I uh, got poisoned, no biggie…”
Floyd frowned at him, “The venom is fatal, Sea Otter.”
Kalim nodded a bit, “Yeah, it was a long time ago, I’m fine, no need to worry about it.”
“But…” Floyd’s mood had noticeably dampened.
Kalim brushed it off, “No need to worry Floyd! As my Baba always says, such is the fate of the Asim heir!”
He when back to the item he had been chopping before and Floyd seemed to work a little bit slower.
~~
The Monstro Lounge was usually peaceful for Kalim, he didn’t eat the food a lot but he was usually confident it was safe. On occasions Floyd or Jade would take their breaks with him and talk to him, on other occasions Azul would emerge from his office and do his paperwork across the table as Kalim while Kalim worked on dorm paperwork.
Overall Kalim felt safe at the lounge.
Or he had felt safe.
“What are you guys doing for Spring break anyways?” Kalim looked up at Azul.
“Hm? Ah, we’ll be heading home since the ice has melted mostly and the waters will be warmer, why?” Azul looked at him.
Kalim shrugged, “I dunno, I’m just wondering if anyone’s staying here or not.”
Azul nodded, “Do you plan to?”
Kalim made a noise of conflict, “Not sure, probably not.” Kalim took a bite of the food he had ordered before freezing and spitting it out into a napkin discreetly, he picked up the ice water he had and sniffed it before taking a sip.
Azul frowned as Kalim did this, “Kalim?”
Kalim looked up and smiled gently, “It’s nothing.”
“Is something wrong with the food?”
Kalim waved him off, “No, I’m sure it’s wonderful, I just lost my appetite.”
“Was Jade experimenting again?” Azul had an annoyed expression as he moved and grabbed Kalim’s discarded fork, making a move to test the food on the heir’s plate.
Kalim panicked and his water glass tipped over with a quick grab of his magic pen and a muttered spell.
The water spilled over Azul’s paperwork and Azul was distracted briefly, “Oh! I’m sorry! Your papers must be ruined!”
Azul tsked and shook his head, “They have waterproof charms, Floyd has a tendency to spill things when he’s in a bad mood, now the food, what’s the issue?”
Kalim grimaced, “It’s really not a big deal Azul, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
“Then why’d you knock over your water when I tried to taste it?” Azul gave him a pointed look.
“It’s just… it’s…” Kalim shifted awkwardly as he fidgeted.
“I own this establishment, Kalim, I need to know if there’s something wrong.”
“It’s poisoned.” Kalim sighed.
Azul’s eyes went wide, “What?”
“It’s not a big deal, it’s fine.” Kalim waved his hands awkwardly.
“Not a big deal? Kalim, Someone among my staff attempted to kill you!” Azul’s voice hissed at him in a lower volume.
Kalim shifted a bit awkwardly, “It happens sometimes, I doubt someone would do it to anyone else, I’m just an Asim and they realized that I actually ate the food here…” he sighed, “Sorry, Azul, I really do trust you and the twins I just… Can’t eat it. I probably shouldn’t have ordered anything in the first place, I don’t mean to cause issues.”
Azul looked at him with increasing alarm, “Jade!” He waved the twin over and the boy looked came over after a few moments.
“Is there something wrong.”
“I need you to get all of the files that we have from background checks on our staff.” Azul spoke lowly.
Jade glanced at Kalim who was uncomfortably fiddling with his pencil and finding interest in the financial papers spread across the table (side note- Kalim was very good at business, it was one of his talents from years of being raised to be an heir and he had to say: Azul was good at what he does )
Jade followed orders without question, leaving to Azul’s office, and Azul stood, “Stay here, Kalim, please.”
Kalim nodded gently in agreement, pulling out his phone and sending Jamil a text, ‘Might be late today, dw, nothing bad, make sure everyone at the dorm eats dinner, please, see you.’
Azul returned with Floyd and Floyd looked at the dish, “Mmm, I cooked it but I don’t remember who brought it to Sea Otter, it wasn’t me.” Floyd frowned as he looked at the food, “How’s Sea Otter?”
Kalim shook his head, “I’m just fine! I recognized it quickly so I really didn’t ingest any, no issues.”
Floyd frowned more and Jade returned with the files which he handed to Azul.
“We’ll sort this out Kalim, don’t worry.”
Kalim sighed softly, “Right…”
~~
“You were poisoned?!” Jamil spoke sharply as he slammed Kalim’s bedroom door closed.
Kalim watched as Jamil walked over to his bed and he put down his phone slowly, “Jamil! What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? Don’t fuck around Kalim! Someone poisoned you!” Jamil’s angry face causes bubbles of anxiety to stir in Kalim’s chest.
“I wasn’t even poisoned, Jamil! I spit it out, I didn’t ingest anything!” Kalim frowned at him.
“You spit it- that’s not the issue Kalim! You could have died! This is why we have the rule about only eating my food! What if you hadn’t noticed? You didn’t even tell me, I had to find out from fucking Jade!”
Kalim sunk a bit into his pillows, “It wasn’t a big deal, Jamil, these things happen, it’s normal.”
Jamil stared at him for a few seconds before he scoffed, “I can’t believe you.”
Kalim’s face flashed with hurt, “Jamil- I didn’t want to burden you for something that was being dealt with- why are you upset?”
“Why am I upset? Why aren’t you ? Gods, Kalim, it’s as if you don’t even care anymore!”
“I don’t- what? ” Kalim didn’t understand.
Why was he upset about this?
He didn’t even get poisoned.
Nothing happened.
Why is Jamil so angry about it?”
“You don’t care! You fucking run around the school and you do whatever you feel like and you don’t even update me when people try to fucking kill you! Kalim! My job is to take care of you! The only time you’ve even allowed me to touch you in months was when you were sick and delirious and missing your precious Mimi!”
Kalim’s face twisted, “I care…”
“About what? Cause it sure as hell isn’t about yourself! Gods, Kalim, how did you become someone who doesn’t even care about their life?!”
Kalim did care though…
Jamil had taken his silence as a response and had left the room before Kalim had formulated a response.
Outside the door Jamil cursed himself for his approach to the situation… he hadn’t meant to get so mad…
~~
The potions accident was Kalim’s fault, he had accidentally bumped Azul as the boy poured in an ingredient.
Azul was fine when the explosion came, he had fairly quick reflexes due to being friends with the twins; Kalim on the other hand found himself lightheaded and on the floor.
“Viper, take him to the clinic!”
Jamil mumbled an: “I’m already doing that,” as he picked the boy he cared for into his arms.
Kalim ended up with his legs wrapped around Jamil’s waist, held up piggyback style, he nuzzled his face into Jamil’s hair, “Mimi’s hair is so nice.”
Jamil brushed off the use of the nickname again, “Yeah?”
Kalim nodded against Jamil’s hair and by association, the other’s neck, “it’s soft, and pretty, all of Mimi’s soft and pretty.”
Jamil snorted, “Soft, huh?”
Kalim hummed, a clear smile in his words, “Mhm, Mimi is soft sometimes, like when he talks about traveling, or when he gets to eat curry, he gets a pretty smile then, too.”
Jamil didn’t know what to say, he tended to forget how observant Kalim was at times, how sensitive the heir was to other peoples dislikes and likes- it was a hidden talent of the boy that he collected knowledge on most people's preferences and habits just from a few conversations. A lifetime with Jamil had been enough to catch Jamil’s real preferences, even if Kalim never directly said it.
Kalim then said something that reminded Jamil of how terrible his relationship was with the heir, “I wish I could make Mimi smile like that.”
Kalim nuzzled further into Jamil’s hair, “Mimi has been smiling at the prefect recently… His real one two… not the fake one he always gives me…”
Jamil frowned, at Yuu? He supposed he had been friendlier with them but not significantly.
“Mimi never even fake smiles at me anymore… think he hates me more…”
Gods…
Jamil walked in the clinic and set Kalim down on the cot, the nurse wasn’t in so he instead let Kalim cling to him as the boy has whined when he tried to pull away.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Jamil spoke quietly.
“Really?”
“Yeah…”
“That’s nice… I hope he doesn’t… Jamil’s my favorite person… hm,” Kalim smiled, “in the dance competition thingy, he looked so pretty dancing… he’s always so happy dancing… I love watching Jamil dance…”
Jamil felt more sick the further Kalim spoke.
“I love watching Jamil be happy… I’m always happy when Jamil is happy… I still… I still wish I was what’s making him happy though…” Kalim’s eyes filled with tears and he buried his face in Jamil’s jacket, “I wish I could trade places with Mimi- I’d do anything to make Mimi happy.”
Jamil really hated Kalim’s words, because it reminded him: of course Kalim acted like a person who didn’t care about his life.
Kalim’s entire life up to this point had been him .
And when he separated from Jamil, distanced himself in an attempt to make Jamil happy, he lost the one consistency he had in his life.
Kalim gave up his life to try and make Jamil happy.
And the worst part is Jamil had hated every second of it, cause that wasn’t what he wanted . He didn’t want Kalim actually gone, despite the intrusive thoughts that came out in his overblot. He didn’t want this.
He didn’t want Kalim to become a shell of himself, so that Jamil could be happy.
That was exactly what he had done his entire life for Kalim .
He never…
He never meant to incite Kalim to do the same in return.