Work Text:
9 Years Ago…
The chattering from the rest of the class was…loud. There’s really no other way to put it. Children were huddled in groups, speaking on whatever nonsense filled their lives.
“My mommy said this—“
“My mommy said that—“
“Can you believe that game of tag?”
Kids giggled loudly with their friends, happily talking about the day that had barely just started. One could hardly blame them— they had just come back inside from recess, of which an apparently tremendous game of tag was played.
However, Azul Ashengrotto didn’t partake in the childish ramblings the rest of his class did. He truly never did. This wasn’t his fault, if he had the opportunity to be friends with his classmates he would. No one else seemed to share that sentiment though.
Normally, this would make the little octopus sad. He would spend his class time utterly alone and his recess period hiding in an octo-pot. Today was different, however. Today was his birthday.
Azul happily drummed his fingers on the desk in front of him, his tentacles swaying with whatever melody his mind came to. Afterall, he had a plan for today.
See, no one could deny the birthday boy, that’s what his Mama always said. Anything he wanted on his birthday should be his, within reason of course, and being able to hang out with everyone sounded very reasonable.
Sure, recess hadn’t quite gone as he hopped. He had tried to join in with that extravagant game of tag, and as per usual the other kids just laughed him off. They called him slow and asked ‘Why would we want to play with a sore-loser crybaby’. And yeah, that might have not felt great, but he had one more idea to surely sway them today.
Besides, his octo-pot made for great comfort when he failed at Plan A, and if he needed it again it would always be there.
“Alright kids, settle down now.” Perfect, the teacher was coming back. That meant it was about to be his moment to shine. “We have a surprise for everyone today!”
The young children all settled down in their seats, the excitement palpable in their eyes. “Today we have a birthday in the room! How exciting!” Azul’s classmates started looking around the room confused, as if they were trying to figure out whose birthday it was today.
That’s weird, don’t we have a chart for birthdays? Maybe they just all forgot, and that’s why they wouldn’t let me play tag!”
That small revolution suddenly upped Azul’s already good mood by a million! Afterall, his classmates weren’t so mean they’d leave out the birthday boy on his birthday. That’d just be cruel.
“Happy birthday to you Azul! Why don’t you stand up, hm?” The teacher gestured for him to come to the front of the room, so Azul floated upwards off the small stool with a shy blue-blush on his face, slowly swimming towards the front.
“And as a special gift, Mrs. Ashengrotto baked cupcakes for the whole class! Isn’t that sweet everyone?” The teacher gestured towards the trey that everyone had previously ignored once Azul was standing next to her.
That’s when the murmurs started. They were always around when Azul was at the front of the class, or entered any room, or did anything really.
It’s different this time though. They’re all just properly talking about how delicious Mama’s cupcakes look!
“Uhm, I hope everyone likes them. I actually helped—“
“Mrs. Nautica,” A little boy, the one who told Azul he couldn’t play with them, raised his hand, “are we sure we should be eating those cupcakes. What if we end up looking like him?” Children started making disgusted faces.
Keep it together, Azul. He probably didn’t mean it like that.
“Now, now, Myerson. That isn’t very nice—“
“Yeah!” Another kid piped up, interrupting Mrs. Nautica. “I don’t wanna be all big and chubby!”
“Or slow!” A chorus of affirmations soon encircled the classrooms.
“Now children—“
They don’t mean it Azul. They just don’t know how amazing Mama’s cupcakes are.
Azul desperately tried to keep his head down, squeezing his eyes shut to hide the tears threatening to fall. In doing so, he missed the kids that got up from their seats and swam behind him, right where the cupcakes were.
A loud crash sounded throughout the room as multiple smashed bits of food floated around the waters.
“Hey wait no! You can’t! Those are mine—“
“Oh, hush it octopus, quit being a baby!”
Suddenly, the whole room was up in chaos. Children rushed from their seats hoping to get their hands on at least one cupcake to destroy.
“Children—please—!” Mrs. Nautica desperately tried to reclaim peace in the room, but no one seemed to listen to her.
Azul’s tears quickly and quietly fell as he watched the destruction. With each bit of cupcake he saw lost, a part of his soul went with it. “Stop…please…” he quietly mumbled.
Apparently, it wasn’t quiet enough. “What’d you say cry baby? I can’t hear you beneath all the tears!”
“Please…please stop!”
“Did you say keep going?”
“No…stop…please!”
“And why should we?” The child just laughed in his face, using his tail to swat at cupcake bits. They landed on Azul’s face.
“I thought… I thought everyone would like them. Would like me.”
The kids around him started bursting into more laughter at that. “As if anything could make us like you. They probably taste terrible anyway.”
“No!” Azul tried desperately to defend them. “They don’t—er didn’t! I helped Mama make them—“
“Then they definitely tasted awful. If you help make them you probably added way too much sugar.”
Azul opened his mouth to try to defend himself and his cupcakes when someone else spoke out. “I don’t understand why you aren’t thanking us right now Azul. It’s not like you needed the extra food anyway, you could probably go without some sweets for a while.”
It was that comment that broke the dam. Azul started violently sobbing and swimming out of class as fast as he could. “Azul, wait!” He heard his teacher call out for him, but it didn’t matter. His classmates were never going to like him, nothing he tried to do to change that would ever matter.
His octo-pot was the only place where he could feel safe.
꧁𒀯𒀮𒀭𒀮𒀯꧂
5 Years Ago…
“Azulllll, that’s not the right melodyyyy” Floyd whined, rolling upside down over his drum set.
“Yes it is! You’re just not playing the drums right!”
“But I’m playing the drums funnnn, you should try it sometime!”
“That doesn’t even make sense—“
“Alright you two,” Jade cut in, his too sweet smile setting off all the wrong alarms in Azul’s mind. “Floyd I think you can play the agreed upon beat, can’t you?”
“But I don’t wanna—“
“It is Azul’s birthday afterall.”
Floyd just stuck out his tongue at his brother, yet reluctantly listened all the same. Azul was… unsure of how to feel about that. This was the first time the twins had spent his birthday with him, actually it was the first time anyone outside his family wanted to spend his birthday with him. If he didn’t acquiesce, if he didn’t let Floyd do whatever the hell he wanted, what if he didn’t want to return next year?
“No, it’s uhm, it’s fine. We can do it your way Floy—“
“Boys?” At that exact moment his mother popped her head into their practice room. “Ah good you're all in here! Come out to the dining room, cakes about to be served!”
“Yay, cake!” Floyd bolted upright and quickly swam after Azul’s mother, Jade chuckled slightly but was clearly as eager to follow for the food as well. Azul lagged behind a bit.
“Azul, sweetie, aren’t you coming? It’s your cake after all.” He nodded slightly and picked up the pace.
When the three of them arrived in the living room, all of the adults had already picked their places surrounding the table. Azul’s mother sat back down in her seat between his grandmother and step father, and on the other side of the table sat Mr. and Mrs. Leech.
“Azul dear,” Georgina Leech had a smile that matched her sons too well, “don’t you look handsome on your special day!” Azul blushed blue, and quietly took his spot at the head of the table, the only day of the year that he would sit there.
“Azul, you okay kiddo?” His step-father pipped up. He wasn’t a man Azul had been expecting to get along with so well, but after the unfortunate experience that was his biological fathers entire life, this guy was a definite upgrade.
“Yeah I’m fine.”
“You sure? You look a bit off, bud.”
“I’m sure.”
“Ughhhhh, can we please just get to the cake already?” Floyd groaned exasperatedly. Georgina chuckled behind her hand while her husband just smiled at their son.
“Patience, young one.”
“He’s got a point though, let’s sing already!” Azul’s grandmother looked just about excited to start eating as Floyd did. They both were practically foaming at the mouth.
The group quickly sang happy birthday, as not to cause any unnecessary eel-based damages. Azul had heard the song every year since he was born. It was always sung by the same few people. Well, until his step-father joined them. But even then, the number of people had always stayed the same.
Until now.
The Leech family was an unusual addition. Azul had become friends with the twins one or two years ago. He couldn’t really remember when they just started showing up to annoy him. They had all been in the same class since elementary, but they didn’t actually pay any attention to him until middle school.
Now, their families were friends, against his will might he add. One of the biggest griefs of his personal life at the moment was how often his Mama and Georgina Leech hung out with each other, constantly gossiping about their jobs and children. It was even worse when his Grandma joined.
The song came to an end soon and Azul was expected to blow out his candles. It’s just, he didn’t know what to wish for this year. He kind of sort of had friends, if one could even consider the twins that. Maybe, going to Magic school on-land. That would most certainly show those idiots from school. Being so good at magic he was invited to an arcane academy. Yeah, that sounds good.
Azul blew out his candles, praying to any god that would listen that he would get into an arcane academy. He didn’t actually know many, but his grandma probably did. Maybe he should ask her later.
Speaking of his grandma, both her and Floyd were staring intently at the cake in the middle of the table. Azul is pretty sure he actually saw drool come out of Floyd’s mouth. “I think it’s time we cut the cake.” Azul’s mother awkwardly laughed out, seeing the same sight that her son did.
She brought over some plates and a large cake knife and stood to the side of Azul. “So, dearest, how large of a slice would you like?” His mother started hovering the knife over the cake, trying to assume what size Azul would want. Although, the cake size she was thinking…
“Uhm, Mama, if it’s okay, I don’t think I want any cake.”
“What?! But sweetie it’s your birthday, you can’t just not have any cake.”
“I’m just not all that hungry…”
Not with everyone still talking about how big I am anyway.
“But I made your favorite…” Mama had a concerned expression on her face, as if she could tell what he was thinking wasn’t anything good.
“Yeah, let’s just leave it to Floyd and Grandma. They do seem to be rather hungry.”
“Not hungry enough to deny you any, kelpling.” His grandma’s face matched the one Mama was making.
“Yeah! Birthday boys always get the first slice! So hurry up and get your slice so we can eat already!” Jade nodded along with his brother.
“…Fine. But a small slice.” Azul relented. He knew he was never going to hold out for long, he had just hoped his family wouldn’t be so pushy. Wishful thinking he supposes.
“Alright, a small slice.” His mother cut out a tiny piece, one no child would willingly ask for, and gave it to Azul. She kept a smile but Azul could tell it was forced, a small sad smile because she could tell something was wrong.
Azul didn’t want to admit she was right.
꧁𒀯𒀮𒀭𒀮𒀯꧂
2 Years Ago…
Azul was quickly writing notes from the digital lecture playing on his computer. It wasn’t that this was a topic that they were currently learning, but he thought it’d be nice to get ahead. He had to split his time in class in half to observe his classmates and actually write lecture notes. On top of still learning how life on land works, being able to get ahead was truly helpful.
The door to his room burst open. “Azullllll.” Of course.
“Floyd, Jade, I’m busy.”
“You’re busy… studying on your birthday?” Jade questioned, but it was clear he already knew the answer.
“I’m busy getting ahead so we can focus on our—plans.”
“Come onnnn, man. It’s your first birthday on land, you can take a break.”
Right, it was his birthday wasn’t it. In all Azul’s preparation for next year, he really had forgotten about it. His first birthday on land, his mother would say it was a major deal and make him a full seven-course meal just to celebrate.
After a long pause, Azul finally answered, “The world doesn’t break for birthdays. Neither does studying, so neither do I. If I want to be valedictorian and own my own business by sophomore year, then I have to keep working.”
“Maybe, but don’t you think it is a bit overkill?” Jade snuck up behind Azul and slid a small slice of cake in front of him. “You could at least spare time for a small celebration.”
Azul stared at the confectionery in front of him. It took every bone in his recently formed human body to resist, immediately grabbing it. “I can’t have that, it’s not in my diet.”
“Diets don’t account for birthdays.” Floyd plopped down on Azul’s bed. “What’s it called, a cheat day? Yeah, use one of those.”
“You can’t just ‘use a cheat day’. That’s not how diets work.”
“Regardless,” Jade cut in, “we’ve worked oh-so hard lately. We all deserve the break. It would just be so sad to deny us, your loyal friends, a chance to take a break and celebrate you. Sob-sob”
“Yeah, what Jade said. Sob-wah or whatever.”
Oh great. Jade was trying to guilt trip him, and now Floyd was trying as well. Just perfect. It wasn’t as if he was actually falling for the guilt trip, it’s just more so that he knows once this whole routine starts that he basically has to give in to the two of them. Neither will stop until he does.
Both twins were arguing in the background about the difference between ‘sob-sob’ and ‘sob-wah-whatever’. He decided to interrupt the two, “Alright, fine.” Both brothers stopped talking immediately.
“Fine?”
“Yeah, fine, we can take a break today.”
“Yay! Awesome, let’s fucking go!!!” Floyd cheered loudly.
“But! And yes there’s a but.” Jade smiled and titled his head like he expected this while Floyd groaned and flopped backwards onto the bed again, “We have to work twice as hard tomorrow to make up for it. If we want to own this restaurant by next year, then our plan for—with Crowley has to work out no matter what. And that requires lots of hard work.”
“That makes perfect sense.” Jade agrees while nodding his head, meanwhile Floyd groans yet again and mumbled something about ‘of course you’d think that’.
“And, I’m not having this slice of cake.”
“Azul—“
“No I’m not cheating on my diet when I’m already cheating on my plan. You get one, so pick.”
“We pick the break!” Floyd shot up and quickly wrapped an arm around his brother, as if to not get him to speak anymore. “We pick the day off .”
“You mean the celebration?” Azul looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
“Yeah the uh… celebration. Whatever, we need that more. We can focus on your terrible tastes in food later.”
“I do not have terrible taste in food! If you forgot, my mother owns a wildly successful high-end restaurant.”
“And you clearly didn’t get that gene. All you eat are stupid salads.”
The twins started walking out the door with Azul following them closely behind, still fully arguing with Floyd about food.
꧁𒀯𒀮𒀭𒀮𒀯꧂
1 Year Ago…
“I’m sorry, you got kidnapped?!”
Well this conversation wasn’t going how Azul wanted. He figured it wasn’t how his mother was expecting it to go either.
“Well I wouldn’t necessarily phrase it like that—“
“Azul, you were forcibly removed from school into some far-away scientific laboratory. I’m pretty sure that counts as kidnapping.”
“…Okay you may be right but—“
“No buts! Oh great Sea Witch, kidnapped, can you believe it?! How did this even happen?!”
Azul pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath in. He sank backwards into the comfort that was his office chair, glad that his mother decided to call while he was alone. At least he had that going for him.
“Mama, I’m fine. Everything is fine. We all returned safe and sound and even saved a person's life. And you know how it happened.”
“Then I guess I’m asking why it happened.”
“You know that too, Mama.”
“Well forgive me if I’m concerned about my son who apparently just got kidnapped. Actually, my son who has something bad happen everytime he calls me now-a-days.”
A knock resounded on the door to Azul’s office, a medium-hard double knock that Azul could easily pick out as Jade’s. He covered the mic on his phone as he called for the eel to come in. The door swung open, Jade walking in carrying a teapot and some tea cup with Floyd trailing behind him carrying a small container of some sorts. Jade looked at Azul’s phone and titled his head in questioning, Azul just mouthed ‘Mom’ at him as an answer.
“Seven, I should have never let you go to that seven-forsaken land school. No matter how much your grandmother raved about it.”
“Mama, don’t say that.” Azul took his phone away from his ear and put it on speaker, laying the phone on his desk so Floyd and Jade would be able to hear. “I promise I like it here. It really isn’t bad.”
“How could you say that when you just got kidnapped.”
“Why do you keep saying it like that?” Azul mumbled, putting his face in his hands. Floyd started cackling in the background.
“She does have a point there.” Jade smiled widely and tried to smother his very obvious laughter.
“What? Who was that?” His mother immediately asked.
“Mama, Jade and Floyd are here now. They just entered the room.”
“Oh, well hi there boys.” The twins both offered their own hellos to the elder octopus on the phone. “And how are you two fairing?”
“We’re doing alright.” Jade said, moving to sit in a chair on the opposite side of Azul’s desk from himself, closer to the phone.
“Yeah, business has been pretty good. Some of these small-fries are reallllll annoying though.” Floyd added.
“Well I’m glad at least the lounge is doing well, since apparently my son isn’t.” Of course his mother had to add in something else there.
“Mama, I’m doing fine.”
“Tell me boys,” and now his mother has entirely given up on speaking to him, great. “Did you two know about this kidnapping?”
“We did ma’am,” Jade began, “and we tirelessly looked for him the entire time he was missing. Truly a harrowing experience.” Floyd snorted in the background.
“Good, I’m glad you searched for him. Although for the record,” oh, we’re the twins about to get reprimanded with him? “All three of you could do a much better job and tell your mothers what is going on in your lives.”
“Wah? We do! I tell Ma’ what’s going on all the time!” Floyd shouted indignantly.
“Oh really? Because apparently this whole kidnapping went down, how many days ago?”
“Five days Mama—“
“Five whole days ago, and none of you had the forethought to tell your mothers.”
“Well how do you know I didn’t tell Ma’—“
“Because I spoke to Georgina yesterday, Floyd Leech. And she would have definitely mentioned to me that my son was kidnapped even if he decidedly does not tell me anything anymore. Including but not limited to the fact that he overblotted.”
Okay, well, ouch. That hurt. Azul loves his mother more than anything, but damn does she know how to drive a knife into an open wound. The silence that followed definitely proved it.
“Look, it’s your birthday my dear. I’m just worried about you, that's all. I have to get going, but we aren’t done talking about this.”
“Yeah, I know Mama, I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you much lately.” Azul looked down, feeling so incredibly guilty. He’s had very few people his whole life, but his mother was always at the top of his list of biggest supporters.
“It’s fine dear— you're a teenager, it’s expected. I’m just not used to it. And like I said, I’m just so worried, you live so far away now, it’s hard sometimes. I love you so much Azul, don’t forget that.”
“I won’t Mama. I love you, too.”
“And boys, make sure he has a wonderful day today and doesn’t work himself to the bone.”
“We will Mrs. Ashengrotto.” The twins answered in unions.
“Good. Have a good day boys. And Azul?”
“Yes Mama?”
“Have a wonderful birthday, my dearest son.”
And with that, a click signaled the end of the call. Jade decided that it was the perfect moment to lay out the teacups he had brought and start pouring the presumably herbal blend. The three sat in silence for a while while Jade poured the tea out for them.
“Soooo,” of course Floyd was the one to break the silence, right as Jade gave out the tea, “how did that conversation come up?”
“She asked if we were having a party, and when I said no she asked why. It’s not like I can lie to her, she my mom”
“Of course you can lie to her,” Floyd answered, “everyone lies to their moms at least once.”
“Well, I don’t. And if I were you, I wouldn’t want to either. I can’t imagine lying to Georgina, not without sending a prayer to the seven first.”
“Well it certainly isn’t for the weak.” Jade laughed lightly. “And you most definitely do not get away with it.”
Azul chuckled at that. He took a sip of his tea, and immediately had to try not to spit it out. It was so fucking hot. He had forgotten how much Jade enjoyed his borderline boiling tea. Floyd had less control and actually spit out the tea. Right onto Azul’s office rug.
“Jade, dude, stop drinking your tea at the temperature of the inside of a volcano.”
“As much as I agree with you Floyd, that rug stain is coming out of your next paycheck.” Azul grumbled.
“Speaking of your birthday party,” Jade interrupted, completely glossing over his tongue-burning tea, “I was able to completely call it off.”
“Ah, thank you. I’m assuming it wasn’t easy.” Azul grabbed some of the papers surrounding him he had put to the side when his mother had called.
“It’s fine, you did give me Friday off afterall.” Azul just shook his head and Jade’s smile. It likely wasn’t that difficult for the mer— he just liked bleeding people dry. Sometimes more than Azul did. “However, if you would like something small with our classmates, it isn’t too late to put something together—“
“No, no, there’s no need.”
“Azulllll,” Floyd whined, swaying back and forth even while sitting on the couch. “Comeonnn, you did the whole work thing last year. We can at least celebrate with some people.”
“I didn’t do the whole ‘work thing’ last year because a certain two troublesome eels refused to allow me. Besides, tensions in the dorm haven’t exactly gone down from the whole winter exam fiasco. If anything, the kidnapping made it worse as it served as a reminder to what happened.”
“Then we just have to celebrate the three of us.” Jade said, turning to Floyd with a hand reached out. Floyd handed him the mysterious container he had walked in with and Jade turned back to place it on Azul’s desk. “Open it.”
Azul opened the container and a small cupcake was on the inside, with scribbled writing that Azul could barely make out saying “Happy Birthday” on it.
“Guys…”
“I don’t give a shit about no diets this year.” Floyd said, with an uncharacteristically semi-serious tone. “It’s your birthday, and the birthday boy can eat whatever he seven-damn feels like. So eat the fucking cake.” Jade seemed shocked at Floyd’s outburst at first, but never made any moves to stop him. In fact, it looked more like he was agreeing with the eel.
To be honest, Azul didn’t really want to fight them on this. He wanted the slice of cupcake placed in front of him. He desperately needed a win as of late and this one came in delicious fluffy sweetness topped with delectable sugary frosting. “Okay. We can celebrate, and I’ll eat the cupcake.”
Both twins cheered and high-fived each other, and Azul shook his head. They really were so odd sometimes. He leaned down and grabbed the cupcake, taking off its wrapper and taking a small bite as both twins watched intently. He didn’t understand why they felt like watching, but he was too tired today to stop them.
They only stopped looking so focused when it was clear Azul had swallowed his first full bite and was going in for more. “Okay, so we actually have so much planned.” Azul was already regretting this immensely.
꧁𒀯𒀮𒀭𒀮𒀯꧂
One Day Ago…
Twelve times. Twelve times Azul had been stopped on his way to class this morning. Twelve. That was an insane amount. And it was only because, for some reason, people were desperate to go to his birthday party tonight. As if it was some highly exclusive event.
Newsflash, it wasn’t. Kalim and the twins were the ones throwing it after the former had asked in the now-third years group chat. Azul really did not care who threw him a party, so he said sure, and the twins being the twins felt like they had a right to be involved in the planning.
That much was fair, considering how they have been trying to throw him a proper birthday bash for the past three years and this was the first year it looked like they might actually succeed.
Either way, with those three being the ones to put the whole thing together, everyone in the entire school was invited. Many just assumed it was an exclusive event since it was the birthday party of a housewarden not named Kalim.
Azul walked into history class and plopped down next to his boyfriend, and immediately laid his arms on the desk and his head in his arms.
“Wow,” Jamil said upon watching Azul’s not so glamorous entrance, “honestly, I’m shocked I got here before you. We’ve been in the same class for the past two years and that’s still a first. Gonna have to write this down.”
“Oh har-har, you're so cute and funny.” Azul couldn’t help but be sarcastic, it was the beginning of the day and it was already off to a bad start. He turned his head to the side so he could actually see Jamil. “I got stopped a ton of times on my way here, which made me run a bit late.”
“Oh you poor, sweet, popular child, however will you manage.” Jamil started running his fingers through Azul’s hair gently. It was one of the man’s favorite things to do, a fact Azul found out when they officially started dating.
What a roller-coaster that way, trying to get with Jamil. It took a full year of having a crush, forming a friend group and said friend group pushing the two of them closer together, a lot of self-healing and a dramatic confession during a dance at someone else's birthday party for the two of them to finally start dating.
Now they were in their third year at NRC, their last year physically there that is. And over half way through– time does seem to be moving too fast. “Not fast enough right now, though,” Azul mumbled.
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing, just…reminicing.”
Jamil shot him a confused expression “Okay freak.”
Azul watched out of the corner of his eye as another student walked into the room and approached his and Jamil’s desk. He immediately put his head fully back into his arms, cutting off his line of sight of the whole room.
“Uhm…Housewarden Azul?” The student sounded very confused. Good. Azul did not wish to speak with him. “Is he…okay?”
“I don’t think he’s taking questions at the moment.” Jamil answered, Azul hoped he was making a face that screamed ‘go away’.
“I was just wondering if his birthday party tonight was an open invitation to everyone in the school.”
“It’s being hosted by Kalim and the Leech twins. Of course it is.” Azul could hear the deadpan expression his boyfriend was making right now. This is why Azul loved him, his ability to turn people away instantly. Super useful, especially right now.
“Okay, uhm, great, thanks for letting me know. Uh, sorry to bother you both.” Good. Scamper away you little goblin.
Azul turned his head to the side again to look at Jamil. “I wanna kiss you so bad right now.”
“I just hope we don’t run into him at the party, that’d fucking suck.”
“Jamil, I’m being so serious right now. Let me kiss you.”
Jamil laughed at that and turned his attention fully back to his boyfriend instead of looking straight forward. “I know, but no. Class is literally about to start.” Azul pouted. “You do owe me for that.”
Azul sat up and stretched his arms before responding. “And what may your heart desire my dear. As the ever-so benevolent Sea Witch, I shall do my utmost to make sure your desire is met.”
“Okay one, ew. Never do that again. I will break up with you if you do.” Azul smiled so brightly, he had to give credit to Floyd. It was fun to mess with your partner. “And two, clear your calendar for tomorrow.”
At that Azul paused. “Jamil–”
“Yes, I know tomorrow is your birthday, but the party is happening tonight.”
“And likely going on until very early morning hours, I think I’ll want to sleep in for my birthday.”
“Great, I won’t actually need you until the evening. But we are going on a date, for the whole evening. You can’t get out of it.”
Azul leaned his head on his hand, his elbow resting upwards on their shared desk. “The twins are going to hate you.”
“I can deal with an angry Floyd.”
“And Jade?” Jamil made a face saying he didn’t believe Azul. “Oh, I’m serious. Those two are very strict when it comes to birthdays and I’ve been spending the past five years with them. They won’t want to change that up now.”
“They are getting to throw you a birthday-ball extravaganza tonight. I think they can be satisfied with me wanting to spoil my boyfriend for his birthday.”
“Alright, I’ll tell them. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when Jade tries to drug your food.”
“Where would he even find any drugs around here?”
“The mushrooms he harvests can lead to some nasty side effects.”
“Wait, Azul, hold on, now I’m worried.” Azul could only laugh at his lover's predicament.
꧁𒀯𒀮𒀭𒀮𒀯꧂
Now…
“Honestly, Jamil, I’m impressed. I didn’t know you knew of this place.” As promised, Azul made sure his schedule was completely clear for his birthday-date with Jamil. And just as he said, the twins were not happy about it.
Jamil had taken him into foothill town, desperately wishing to get away from all the people trying to give Azul a million different gifts to get into the Octavinelle Housewardens’s good graces. He brought them to a cute, classy little hole-in-the-wall restaurant to begin their date.
“Yeah well, if I was going to take you to dinner, I needed a place up to your standards. So, I looked around for a bit.”
“Oh? Trying to impress me? Careful, someone might think you like me, you know.”
“Nah, no one could ever come to that conclusion. I’m too good-looking for you.”
Azul laughed, smiling brightly within the dim restaurant. “Hm, maybe that’s true, but you still took me here so…”
“Yeah I know, I need to up my standard.” Azul tilted his head and looked at Jamil knowingly. “Okay, fine, kidding. Damn, you got me. Woah, shocker, I like my boyfriend and think he’s hot, sue me.”
Azul laughed brightly again, and interlaced his fingers with Jamil. Jamil squeezed his hand back, a light smile on his face matching the one on Azul’s own as they sat in silence for a moment. “So, do tell me, is this the only thing you have planned for tonight?”
“Oh, not even close. If I want to impress the Azul Ashengrotto I can’t just take him out to dinner. What, did you think I was dumb? I’ve been dating you too long not to know that.” Jamil looked at Azul as if he just asked a completely unfounded question.
“Dear, no amount of impressing me is going to out-impressed how much I am in myself right now. After all, I landed the Jamil Viper. That is no small feat.”
“It isn’t, but it’s also not my birthday today. It’s yours, so we are celebrating and complimenting you today, completely and only. It’s gonna be a challenge for you isn’t it.” Well now it just seems unfair, clearly Jamil can read Azul’s mind.
“I can try. So, why this place specifically?”
“After the massive event that was last night,” Seven, Azul got a headache just thinking about the chaos storm that was his birthday party at midnight last night, “I figured you might want something a little more lowkey.”
“A fair assessment, you always know what to think of don’t you, my heart?”
“What did I say about the compliments?”
The two continued to chat as their food arrived. They spoke about both everything and nothing. Just enjoying each other's presence. That is until the waiter came back once they both finished their entrees.
“Would either of you like to see the dessert menu?”
Azul was about to decline, about to say ‘no thank you’ and ask for the check. Jamil just happened to answer first. “Yeah, sure, you got any cakes?”
The waiter then went through the cake options with Jamil, with the latter periodically looking up to see Azul’s reaction to each option presented. Azul tried to keep a happy-neutral mask on, but he couldn’t help the reaction when the red-velvet was mentioned, and of course Jamil noticed it.
“We’ll take the red-velvet, to share, please and thank you.” As the waiter walked away, Jamil looked back at Azul with a sweet smile on his face. Azul was less than pleased.
“What was that?”
“What, me talking to the waiter?”
“No, obviously not. Ordering a cake, why did you do that?”
“Because it’s your birthday?” Jamil tilted his head with a confused smile, as if he couldn’t figure out what made Azul so upset. “Just be glad I didn’t tell that guy, or else we’d have a group of people surrounding us to sing.”
“I’d honestly prefer that over the cake.” Azul mumbled, but as do most of his mumblings in life, they are just short of too quiet.
“If I had told him, you’d get both.” Jamil had lost his smile at this point, now obviously upset at his boyfriend's reaction and completely bewildered by it too. “What’s with you? All I did was order some cake.”
This was not what Azul had wanted. The night had been going so well, but with the entrance of the dessert…”It’s– No, I’m sorry. I’m being irrational. You’re right, it’s just cake.” Azul looked down, he could feel burning in his eyes and tried to hide it, moving bits of food around his plate with a fork.
Jamil grabbed his hand, stopping the moving of the fork. “Clearly, it’s not nothing. I just don’t understand. Mind helping me out a bit?”
Azul looked up at his boyfriend, who had lost any sort of anger in his eyes. Now they flickered between confusion and concern. “I don’t really know. It’s just–” he stopped himself before he could continue, this was never an easy topic to bring up.
But Jamil squeezed his hand, he waited patiently for an answer. Azul looked at his eyes, he was waiting for him. Just him. Not pushing or prodding, just waiting for Azul to be ready.
‘Seven, I don’t know why this is so hard to explain. I just– already cheated on my diet today. This whole meal is like, way above my calorie count. I really shouldn’t be adding any sort of sweets to it.”
Jamil’s expression was not one of kindness anymore. It looked like he was upset, like truly upset. This is why Azul didn’t want to bring it up.
Great. He probably realized how large you are now, too. Just wonderful.
“Are you being serious right now?”
“I told you, I was just being overdramatic. Look its fine, I just won’t eat–”
“No, Azul–” Jamil put both of his hands in front of his face. “You do know you’re allowed to eat what you feel like on your birthday, right?”
Azul chuckled humorlessly. “Yes, trust me, the twins tried to beat that into my head last year. Which, by the way, is why I ordered what I did, and it was delicious. But I ate one thing I wanted, and I can’t afford to eat anymore.”
“What do you mean by can’t afford?”
“I just mean it’ll set me back, and I currently can’t afford that.”
“Set you back? What, so you can’t eat a slice of cake on your birthday, Azul–”
“It’s silly, I know. But, this is how I control what I look like. I must have discipline with what I choose to eat.”
“Azul, that's not–
“Besides, it’s not like I need it anyway.”
“ Who told you that?”
“Told me what?”
“That you shouldn’t eat your birthday cake because ‘you don’t need it’.” Jamil looked completely and totally pissed. Now Azul was nervous to answer the question…
“No one really told me–
“No, that was an idea that came from someone else's head. Who do I need to fuck up?” The fury coursing through Jamil’s eyes did make Azul nervous, don’t get him wrong, but it also made him feel safe. Someone so willing to go for bat for him, over something that happened nine years ago.
“Some kids I grew up with, that’s all. Look there are a lot of factors to my eating habits, which I think are perfectly fine. But, for some reason, whenever I am faced with a birthday themed treat, I’m brought back to my, oh what was it, tenth birthday? I think?”
Jamil’s face contorted yet again, from one of pure anger to one of quiet understanding, he reached out to Azul's hand and interlocked their fingers, slowly rubbing his thumb across the Mer’s hand. “What, so you just don’t eat birthday treats?”
“No, some years I do, some I don’t. It really depends if whoever I’m with can coerce me. I think that’s why the twins like celebrating my birthday with me each year, no matter what. They figured that out really quick.”
“Azul, you know that–”
“Birthday’s are days of over-indulgence, I know that.” Azul finished his sentence, very done with this conversation.” And every year I over-indulge, I promise. I don’t take cuts to what I want to eat those days, at least not many. But for some reason, I can’t get over the confection based issues.”
“I was going to say,” Jamil huffed a little laugh at Azul, “you do know those kids were being cruel to you, right?”
“Oh, yes, I know that very well. Afterall, it’s why I’ve worked so hard.” Azul gave a tight-lipped smile to his boyfriend.
“But…?”
The octopus could help but sigh, “It doesn’t mean they were wrong.”
“No, the fact they were wrong means they were wrong.”
“Jamil–” Jamil held up a hand to stop Azul from talking, effectively cutting off his rebuttal.
“You didn’t deserve that as a kid, and you don’t deserve to be thinking about it now as an adult. You have poor eating habits, don’t think I haven’t noticed, and we are going to talk about it someday soon.
“But, for right now, It’s your birthday. You are in a nice restaurant, with very reasonable pricing, might I add, with your super-hot boyfriend going on an incredible date. You deserve every piece of frosting covered-shit you can think of. Just allow yourself to want it.”
Azul was speechless. Completely. He had no clue what to say. Jamil had basically only restated what others– the twins, his mother–have told him, what Jamil himself has told Azul. Yet that was different, somehow, someway, that affected Azul more than anything else that anyone has said to him.
The cake arrived right at that moment, because of course it did. Azul couldn’t tell if that was good timing or bad timing. But either way, the waiter placed the piece in the middle of the table with a fork on either side of the plate and cleared away their dinner plates.
“You have the first bite, Azul. It is your birthday after all, love.” Azul looked at Jamil cautiously while taking the fork.
“Love? Normally I use that pet-name”
“Just try it, you dork.”
Azul laughed and placed a small bit in his mouth, “It’s really good.”
“Good, I’m glad.”
They both sat in silence for a bit, slowly eating the rich red-velvet cake. Then Jamil decided to break it with a much lighter topic. “So, you mentioned the twins earlier…” Azul just hummed and flicked his gaze upwards at his partner, “on a scale of one to ten, how mad are they at me?”
Azul pretended to think about that for a moment. “Hm, when I told them? Eight. They couldn’t get to a full ten because I am dating you, but they were very pissed. I am pretty sure I saw them talking about which mushroom to drug you with.”
“Oh seven, and now?”
“Anywhere between a four and a six.”
“Well that was a large drop.”
“Only because I convinced Riddle to speak to Trey and have them both spend the day with the freak-of-nature eels. I don’t know how those two calm them down so well, it’s like giving a pacifier to a baby.”
Jamil chuckled at that, which made Azul smile. They needed a little bit of a lighter topic to turn to. They continued lightly chatting until the cake was finished, but Azul still had something to ask as Jamil paid the bill.
“So, Jamil…”
“Hm?”
“This isn’t the last we are going to speak about my eating habits, is it?”
Jamil looked up from the checkbook at him, “No it isn’t.”
“I see.”
“But it will be for today. We can talk about more heavy stuff tomorrow. I don’t know about you, but that was enough for what’s supposed to be a fun day.”
Azul smiled sincerely and squeezed his lover's hand. “I can live with that, as long as we still get to have fun today.”
“Well, of course.”
Azul hummed contendly, “I love you.”
“I love you, too. And, hey Azul? Happy birthday.”