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The fountain in Scarabia’s courtyard gently bubbled, providing the perfect accompaniment for the sound of leather shoes clicking along the stone pathway at a familiar pace. Nightfall had made the dry heat much more bearable, and the sparkling of the stars above remained unspoiled by the dim lighting throughout the dorm’s open-air corridors.
All in all, Jade thought it was a rather wonderful night. And it was all made even better by the occasional irritated sounds coming from the man in front of him.
“What a lovely evening,” Jade said with a smile. “Kalim certainly has a gift for hosting magnificent parties.”
Azul’s response came in the form of a huff. He really was in a foul mood. A snit, as Riddle might say.
How charming, considering he’d been all smiles up until time to leave.
Kalim really had put together a fine party. It wasn’t the typical type of grand affair he liked to host, with parades and thundering music, but it was a perfectly acceptable post-midterm get-together for a handful of Kalim’s closest acquaintances.
This time last year was also when Azul had had his… incident. Jade had tried not to think about that too much.
Jade continued, “The food was delectable, the company lively, and Floyd finally had the chance to show Riddle how he feels.”
Not even so much as a grunt this time. Goodness, Jade hadn’t seen Azul so ruffled in a long time.
“Judging by the look on Riddle’s face when Floyd kissed him, I’d say Floyd’s feelings were reciprocated.”
Of course, Jade had known long before the impromptu little game of Spin the Bottle that Riddle harbored some kind of feelings for Floyd. He could deny it all he wanted, but Riddle wouldn’t tolerate Floyd’s teasing if he didn’t enjoy it at all. Riddle Rosehearts was not one to tolerate anything. He and Floyd really were amusingly similar creatures.
“I do hope those two have stolen away somewhere more private to talk things over.”
Azul stepped through the mirror wordlessly, and Jade took a moment to chuckle. He knew, of course, that his musings weren’t going to improve Azul’s mood. However, they might inspire Azul to share whatever was troubling him.
At the very least, they might irritate him further, which could prove humorous.
Jade stepped through to the mirror chamber as well, his long legs letting him easily catch up to Azul and follow him through Octavinelle’s mirror. “I have to wonder what sort of transaction my dear brother had to make in order for his wish to come true.”
Nighttime in Octavinelle had a unique sort of beauty about it. Unlike the opulence of Scarabia with its polished arches and colorful lanterns, Octavinelle’s dim hallways evoked the same ubiquitous darkness as the depths of the Coral Sea. What little light the moon emitted lost its brilliance by the time it filtered down to the bottom of the ocean. Despite the oppressive feeling of it all, it was cozy to Jade. Comforting. Oddly fitting for Azul’s present attitude.
Even as Jade followed Azul through the front doors, the corridors’ subtle lighting only provided a soft glow, once again emulating the less saturated colors of back home.
“Would he agree to work extra shifts in the Lounge?” Jade continued. “Or would such a valuable wish require a more substantial payment?”
Azul came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the student lounge, his heel clicking commandingly as it was slammed to the floor. “Stop...”
Oh? So Azul was suddenly interested in making his voice heard? And he sounded so… angry.
“Pardon?” Jade asked, voice oozing with faux innocence.
Azul spun around and stomped his foot again. “Stop talking, Jade! I’ve had enough of you for one night!”
Jade blinked in genuine surprise. Azul was angry… with him? If Azul was annoyed or tired of Jade’s company, Jade wouldn’t think anything of it. But the idea that he’d evoked a wide-eyed, furrowed-brow, raised-voice brand of anger made his stomach turn. It thrilled him so to see Azul with such an expression when it was directed at someone else, but he didn’t like the idea of Azul being mad at him at all.
“Forgive me, but may I inquire as to what I did?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb with me,” Azul said, rolling his eyes. “You know exactly what you did!”
“I’m afraid I don’t.”
Azul’s shoulders rose as his eyes searched Jade’s face, as if bristling while he looked for confirmation that Jade was telling the truth.
Whether or not Azul found that confirmation didn’t stop him from practically spitting his response.
“Why did you spin me and then not even kiss me?”
Jade crossed his arms. “I most certainly did kiss you. I kissed your hand.”
That comment only seemed to make Azul angrier. “A kiss on the hand hardly counts when everyone else received kisses on their faces!” He let out an exasperated breath and rubbed his eyes. “Do you really take that much pleasure in making me look foolish?”
“I had no way of knowing the bottle would land on you. It’s mere chance–”
Azul’s head shot up again so he could glare at Jade. “You and I both practiced spinning bottles for hours, and you know it. You can’t feign innocence; you intentionally spun me.”
Well… Azul wasn’t wrong. The two of them had practiced, maybe a bit, before suggesting a game of Spin the Bottle with their classmates. Azul hated leaving things to chance. Jade merely liked the idea that he could put anyone he chose on the spot.
Or, in the case of this evening’s game, he could give himself an excuse to kiss Azul.
Jade envied his brother at times. It might have taken a few years, but Floyd had finally let the object of his affection know how he felt. Jade had known Azul even longer, but he was still too afraid to be too forward about his feelings. He adored Azul. He wanted to stay with him, whether Azul wished to continue living on land or return to the ocean.
Jade also knew how Azul felt about romance. He viewed attachment as an illogical feeling. If he were to find out Jade cared so strongly for him, he’d push him away. That’s what Jade told himself, at least. It was far safer to simply take advantage of ‘random’ opportunities to be close to Azul.
Sitting side by side on a narrow windowsill.
Acting as bait so that Azul could capture him on Beans Day.
Volunteering to play the part of Azul’s puppeteer on Halloween.
Gently kissing his knuckles during a chaste game of Spin the Bottle with friends…
Jade drew a small breath to compose himself. “You hadn’t had your turn yet. I couldn’t very well ruin your lip balm before you had the chance to kiss… Kalim.” As much as it would have pained him to watch Azul kiss Kalim, that was who Azul had spun for during their game. Except, thanks to an abrupt spell of drowsiness from Silver, the bottle had turned to face someone else.
Jade grinned. “Oh, I see now.”
“Lip balm?” Azul asked, still hung up on the first part of Jade’s excuse.
“I saw you applying lip balm before our little game. You wanted your lips to taste perfect when you kissed dear Jamil.”
Azul flinched so hard his glasses went askew. “What?!”
Yes, the bottle had shifted away from Kalim to instead point at Jamil. Jade should have known. “Tell me, how did you know Silver would fall asleep on the table at the exact moment the bottle stopped? And how did you know to land on Kalim so the bottle would redirect to Jamil?”
“I never intended on kissing Jamil!”
Jade grinned. “There’s no need to be coy. You’ve been quite fascinated by him ever since the winter break incident last year. And he is handsome, besides.” You said so yourself, Jade added internally, feeling his skin prickle with jealousy.
“I don’t harbor any sort of feelings for Jamil!”
Jade’s smile faded as he watched Azul straighten his glasses and take a few deep breaths.
“I recognize that his intellect and magical skills would be useful to me,” he began, calmly. “But do you know what would be even better? The Asim family’s wealth. I planned to kiss Kalim. The bottle shifting to Jamil was merely bad luck.”
Jade put his hand to his chin. “So you’re upset that your turn was wasted.”
“This has nothing to do with my turn. Why did you spin me, Jade? Why?”
Jade lowered his voice. “I had no desire to kiss anyone else at that table.” That much was true, at least.
“And no desire to kiss me either, it seems,” Azul muttered.
That wasn’t true. But Jade couldn’t very well argue that point.
After an awkward moment of silence, Azul sighed. “Well, no matter. Floyd got what he wanted, so the night wasn’t a total loss.”
Even after receiving an explanation, Azul still appeared irritated. Perhaps not as angry as he had been, but still unhappy.
Was he… disappointed?
“Azul,” Jade whispered, his eyes growing wide with shock. “Are you upset that I didn’t kiss you?”
Azul’s lips twisted into a scowl, but he wouldn’t make eye contact. Well, Jade had his answer.
He thought for a moment that he might faint.
“I’m not upset,” Azul finally answered. “I am, however, cognizant of the fact that, during a game of Spin the Bottle, one person landed on me, and I landed on two people. I should have received three kisses, yet I received zero.” He turned his back, but Jade heard him mutter, “Am I really so repugnant that no one would question Jamil’s refusal to accept a kiss from me?”
Jade placed his hand on Azul’s shoulder, not missing the way he shivered under his touch. “Would you like me to kiss you?”
A moment passed.
Then another.
Then, Azul glanced over his shoulder with the same greedy glimmer in his eyes Jade had fallen for years ago. “You know I frown upon unpaid debts.”
Jade chuckled and spun him around. “Don’t worry, I’ll repay you with interest.”
Jade left one hand on Azul’s shoulder and raised the other to let it rest on Azul’s cheek. Azul was obviously nervous–his jaw trembling and eyes darting around Jade’s face–but he was trying so hard to look confident. Jade wondered if Azul could tell his heart was pounding.
Well, there was one way to put them both at ease.
Without giving himself a chance to talk himself out of it, Jade closed the distance between them and let his lips collide with Azul’s.
The little surprised noise Azul let out made Jade grin, as did the coconut flavor of his lip balm. What a gentleman he was to prepare his lips so thoughtfully for a kiss.
Of course, Azul was rarely satisfied with the bare minimum. Before he knew it, Jade found himself staggering backwards as Azul pulled him closer and kissed him more forcefully. Jade’s knees buckled as they ran into the end of one of the lounge sofas, and the two of them tumbled onto it together.
Jade happily allowed Azul to keep him pinned down. He’d stay lying on the sofa for days if it meant getting the chance to continue kissing Azul.
Unfortunately, their human bodies needed to breathe, and that was only possible through their mouths or noses. Azul was the first to pull away to catch his breath. Jade couldn’t help but admire him as his chest rose and fell. That was not a simple kiss exchanged during a friendly game of Spin the Bottle.
How long had Azul kept all of that bottled up?
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps caught both of their attention.
Azul quickly mumbled a spell that summoned a small invisible barrier so they’d go unnoticed as whoever it was passed by. Jade should have known the other person arriving so late to Octavinelle would be his dear brother.
His dear brother who sported a small bruise on the side of his neck.
Once Floyd passed, Azul dismissed his spell with a sigh of relief.
“Would you like one of those as well?” Jade asked with a grin. “I’d be happy to ensure everyone knew you’d received a kiss.”
“Oh, please.” Azul sat up so that he was straddling Jade’s legs. “My business is mine and mine alone. Your debt is repaid.”
Before he could stand, Jade pulled him back down by the tie. “I believe you’re mistaken, my dear Azul. If I recall, you were owed three kisses. That was only one.”
He could tell Azul was trying and failing to repress his own mischievous smirk. “That was only one? It was quite an extensive kiss to only be one.”
“I said I’d repay you with interest, remember? And, if you don’t mind, I shall take it upon myself to repay the two owed to you by our friends in Scarabia.”
“My, my,” Azul said, leaning closer with every passing second. “How benevolent of you.”
Azul’s lips were upon him once again before he could respond.
I learned from the best.