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Asra knew many things. He knew how to cast thousands upon thousands of spells, he knew how to brew an equal amount of potions, he was well read and was well versed in mathematics. He could find his way using just the stars and a breeze, he knew how to get what he wanted. Asra knew many, many things.
He did not know how to answer your question.
“Well?” you prompt.
Asra's jaw was slack and he stared at you in utter disbelief, the silence stretched for 1, 2, 3 seconds. You're convinced, that if he had not already been sitting on the fraying couch, he might have collapsed. “My dear… could you repeat that one more time?”
You sigh in agitation. “You know very well what I said Asra. Are you in love with Julian ‘Ilya’ Devorak?”
At the confirmation, you watch Asra's face filter through the stages of grief at a breakneck pace. He finally settled on resigned and it seemed as though Asra would rather return to the Devil’s realm, stare the Devil down and perhaps be tortured than answer the dreaded question.
“Darling, I love you, I would kill and die for you. I would never betray your trust and cheat on you.”
His response caused you to raise a scathing eyebrow, and you narrow your eyes. “Asra dear, you're answering a very different question than the one I asked," you begin slowly, "I know you wouldn’t cheat on me, though I appreciate the sentiment. Now, are you in love with Julian?”
Asra, was turning an alarming shade of red, and he had suddenly taken a keen interest in the floor.
“I didn’t realise our tiling was so interesting.” You tease.
At that, he somehow managed to redden further, though he still did not look up.
You sigh, and ask as gently as possible, “are you going to answer my question?”
“Perhaps…” he mutters.
There is caution and something close to fear tinging his speech. But there is also something else, something resigned.
“What was that dear? I couldn’t hear you.”
He sighs. “I think… I think I might be.”
There it was. His voice, which normally rung clear like windchimes swinging on a soft summer breeze, was scratchy and cracked. He rarely let his emotions be so transparent. He wasn't just scared, he was terrified.
You give him a gentle smile and consider your response. You knew just how important your next words were. You settle on, "thank you dear, that wasn’t so difficult was it?” hoping the light tone would ease his worries.
For a moment, he is silent. Then, he finally looks up at you, mouth agape. “You aren’t upset?” While not quite the response you were hoping for, he was at least surprised rather than scared.
His eyes are wide and vulnerable. They flicker across your face, searching for any hint of deception, you know he won't find it. You lift your hand to his face, caressing gently, thumb stroking his cheek bone. He leans into your touch, and his eyes flutter close.
“No Asra, I’m not upset.”
You stay there, in the soft glow of the sunrise, letting Asra drink in your touch. And though it pains you, you break the moment with a quick peck on the lips as you pull him off the couch. “Now, let’s get back to work!”
As he turns away, you let yourself grin.
Julian knew many things. He was an expert on the human body, and he knew just about every illness that could affect it, he knew thousands upon thousands of remedies, herbal or otherwise. Mathematics came easily to him and he had phenomenal social skills. Julian knew many things.
He did not know how to answer your question.
“What!? Am I in love with Asra!? I… I can’t answer that! You two are very in love and are a perfect pair and I would never come between you two!”
You giggle softly at his rambling and touch his shoulder gently. “Julian, relax, I won’t be mad, promise. So, are you in love with Asra?”
Julian’s face flushes, and his face quickly matches his hair. “N-no, of course not!”
You stare at him, deeply unimpressed, “Julian Devorak, do not lie to me.” You demand with no room to argue.
He refuses to meet your eyes and you watch as he withers under your gaze. “Okay, okay! Yes, I'm in love with him, and maybe I’ve been in love with him for the past six years, and maybe the few months we were together were the happiest of my life, but that doesn’t matter! You two are extremely happy and I won’t ruin your relationship just because I can’t get over a stupid crush.”
“…We’ll unpack that later. I have another question.”
He looks at you like a puppy you’ve just kicked with all your strength.
“Are you in love with me?”
Suddenly, everything goes very, very still and very, very quiet.
He shifts his weight, left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot.
“…Yes, I am.”
You smile.
“Thank you Julian, tomorrow could you come to our shop? There’s a lot to discuss.”
Julian looks vaguely ill, but he does not deny your request. “Of course.”
You turn to leave and as you do, you hear a quiet, "I'm sorry."
You know many things, but most of that isn’t important right now. What is important are the things you have recently learnt. Asra loves Julian, who loves him back, and they are both deeply in love with you.
You wonder, with your combined intelligence, how the three of you managed to be so utterly stupid.
There's a soft, hesitant knock on the door. Asra gives you a questioning look from his spot at the kitchen table, you are closed after all. Your responding smile is less of a smile and more of a predatory grin, which makes Asra's eyes widen. You don't give him the chance to ask before you swing the door open and smile warmly at your guest. “Julian, come in! Make yourself at home.”
Out of the corner of your eye, you see Asra pale significantly, which only makes your smile widen.
He shuffles in and surveys the room, he eyes the windows and doors, assessing his options for escape. He glances at the seating available to him and opts for the stool closest to the kitchen window. His lanky figure contorting at an uncomfortable looking angle to fit on the small seat.
(Despite how anxious he looked, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of rightness at the image of Julian sitting in your home.)
"Ilya." Asra stares, face unreadable "...hello."
Julian grimaces at the cold greeting. “Asra. Fancy seeing you here. In your home. Where you live.”
Asra nods absentmindedly, hearing exactly none of what Julian just said. Instead he stares at you, his facade breaking and a panicked expression flitters across his face before disappearring again moment later.
“And what can we attribute this… surprise visit to?”
“Your partner asked me to come.”
They both turn to you. You smile. You muse, for a moment, on how uncannily similar their expressions were, both looking as though they were meeting the Devil again.
“Asra why don't you sit at the other stool, we have much to discuss.”
Asra does what he’s asked and sits, like a puppet on a string.
“First and foremost, is there anything you’d like to say to each other?”
“Nope!”
“No!”
You attempt to school the grin creeping onto your face into an expression of mild disappointment in hopes of hiding your amusement at the panicked response from both parties.
“Well, that’s strange, because I remember talking to-“
You didn't get the chance to finish your sentence before Julian, always the first to sacrifice himself, cuts you off.
“Alright! Alright! You don’t need to be cruel!”
Asra looks suitably confused, clearly believing he was the one who was about to be singled out by you. “Ilya?”
Julian sighs. “I get it, you think it’s funny that I’m in love with you, both of you. I know that I’m not as good or kind or-or talented as you two, that’s why Asra left me in the first place. But truth is, I get so jealous. Seeing you two together hurts. Because I wish it was me that you loved.”
Julian's eyes were watery and his cheeks were burning from the humiliation. He looked... well, he looked heartbroken.
There is silence - only for a second - before Asra speaks.
“…What?”
That seems to shock Julian out of his stupor. He blinks away his tears and tilts his head in confusion. “You didn’t know? I thought you invited me here to tell me to knock it off?”
Asra’s eyebrows practically shoot into his hairline, you could see him quickly connecting the dots. “....Oh. We’re idiots.”
“Excuse me?”
Asra stands abruptly, the stool making a horribly screeching sound against the tiles. He strides over to Julian, full of purpose, and grabs his hands, holding them firmly. He breaths deeply, and begins, "Ilya. I love you." You swear you hear Julian's jaw disconect with how fast it drops. "I have loved you for years but I didn’t think I could have both my wonderful apprentice and you, I assumed I could only have one. And that has been breaking my heart every single day for the past year. The reason you were invited here today was so we would get our heads out of the sand.”
Julian, unable to form a response, could only sputter, and his tears had returned full force.
You smile at them both. “There we go. I love you as well Julian, just as I love Asra.”
He snaps his head towards you, and you wince in sympathy for his neck. He struggles to respond for a moment, then begins, astonished. “Oh my… this isn’t a dream is it? Please tell me it isn’t a dream.”
Asra smiles. “No Ilya, you’re awake, I promise.”
Julian gapes at you both. “This really isn’t a dream?”
“Would you like me to prove it to you?” Asra’s grin is sly. He’s a snake in tall grass, artfully waiting for the right moment to strike.
“Oh god yes.”
That’s all Asra needs, he leans in and captures Julian’s mouth with vigour.
This, you thought, was perfect.