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Azul walked, at the dead of night, toward Scarabia. He was invited by his boyfriend of six months Jamil Viper.
He couldn't believe Jamil returned his feelings and they started dating. He felt on cloud nine each time he remembered their first kiss, their first hand hold or their first sleepover.
He was a romantic at heart and his Pearl was making all three of his hearts flutter.
When he was invited to come over after their duties he said yes without any hesitation, anything could be rescheduled later if needed.
He went through the Scarabia portal with a happy smile on his face, impatient to see him again.
The temperature dropped slightly from the mirror chamber, desert nights being much colder than in full daylight.
He passed through the lounge, where he saw a figure leaning against the wall was waiting. It was his boyfriend, who looked up at his appearance and smiled at him.
He joined Jamil and kissed him lightly on the cheek as a greeting, which was happily returned with another cheek kiss.
“My Pearl, I'm delighted to see you”
“Me too, Zul”
They both have a plethora of pet names for each other, only used in private to avoid teasing from the students.
Seeing Jamil smiling at him lovingly made him want to smother him in kisses until he begs for mercy.
Who was he to not listen to his own wants ?
He caught Jamil by the waist to trap him and started his attacks. The cheeks, the nose, the forehead, the chin, the lips, nothing escaped him. He felt Jamil trying to push him away and hide his laugh.
He wasn't about to give up yet, he relentlessly continued his touches until Jamil laughed out loud. He loved to hear him laugh, he slowed down until he freed him from his arms. His boyfriend lightly swatted his shoulder, blushing, for his actions.
He doesn't regret anything and would do it again.
“Dumbass, what took over you ?” Jamil liked to call him an idiot from time to time when he was too clingy, he didn't mind because he knew he didn't mean it.
“I couldn't help myself, you looked beautiful” He always thought Jamil beautiful, more so after they started dating.
“Sap”
“Your sap” He responded
Jamil sighed “Unfortunately” With a teasing smile on his face.
He loves this man
“So, why did you call for me in the middle of the night ?”
He was taken by the wrist and pulled deeper into the dorm “Remember what you showed me last week ?”
How could he forget ?
He took Jamil to watch the underwater ocean in Octavinelle, the beauty of a night life only he could show. He remembered fondly the awe that took over Jamil's entire expression. His skin shining from the bioluminescent fauna behind the glass and his eyes reflecting the wonder of something new. He fell more in love with him that day.
“Last time you showed me your world, today I want to show you mine”
He let himself be pulled to a balcony, wondering what his boyfriend had planned for them.
He abruptly came to a stop, halting the both of them, steps before the balcony.
Kalim's magic carpet waiting behind the rail was everything he needed to know about this outing. All of his happy feelings went through the window in an instant and were replaced by dread.
“I believe I left the oven on at Mostro Lounge, sorry, I think we need to reschedule” He stammered fast, before turning away to walk away but the grip on his wrist made it impossible to get farther than arm length.
He looked back sheepishly at a pouting Jamil.
Jamil Viper, pouting.
He was more used to seeing this expression on Floyd than his boyfriend.
“Az, it will be fin-”
He cut him “You don't know that !” He wanted to escape so much but he's incapable of wrenching his arm away, he will never repel his pearl.
The pout was becoming harder to ignore “Don't you trust me Habibi ?” This was emotional blackmail at its finest, he would have been so proud if it wasn't used against him.
“This is extortion !” Against his better judgment, he let himself be pulled toward the carpet, by a now beaming Jamil.
He watched as his boyfriend climbed the rail and sat on the artifact, holding a reassuring hand toward him, asking him to follow.
A shaking hand joined it and the next instant he was sitting on flying fabric next to him. The carpet felt as if he was sitting on a hard sofa, a moving one with a conscience, that is.
He knew that they were on the first floor and that the ground was just beneath them. But his body started to shake uncontrollably from fear, he snapped his eyes shut and curled into a tight ball and he hid his face in his knees, mindful of his glasses. He was absolutely terrified of being in the air, tears started prickling his eyes, ready to slide down at the slightest movement of his eyelids.
He wanted to get back to the ground.
Curse his weakness for Jamil, he never should have accepted.
A steady hand on his tense shoulder made him stop panicking, he was softly pulled into his pearls chest, the other hand running through his hair delicately. He was soothed until his body uncurled from its position.
“I'm so sorry Azul” He started, guilty to have put him in this situation “I wanted to show you the beauty of the stars up close” Jamil hugged tighter “I thought the carpet would be fine for it. I didn't think your fear would be that bad, I never wanted to scare you” His voice sounded heartbroken, he looked up to a sad face, it made his own hearts ache from seeing it.
They were having such a nice evening before the carpet incident, he couldn't leave it at that.
Unfortunately for him, there was only one solution.
“Let's go see them then” He whispered, already regretting his words.
He felt him tense in shock “No, no, it was a bad idea, let's go watch them with a telescope instead, on the ground, how about that ?” Jamil was trying to find an alternative, he wanted to say yes to it, but perhaps some exposure therapy will help in flight lessons ?
“I said” He reluctantly gritted through his teeth “Let's do it”
“Don't force yourself Az-”
“Don't make me say it a third time”
“Are you sure ?” He asked hesitantly.
“Yes” No
“Heard that carpet ? Nice and steady rise tonight” He hid his face in Jamil's shoulder when it started moving away from the dorm. The carpet obeyed Jamil and kept slow movements to not overwhelm him.
It was only helping slightly.
He hugged Jamil close and stopped moving completely. He was aware of the wind flowing through his hair, of the carpets moves or the tan hand running through his curls.
He was aware of everything but his body refused to move an inch. All of his muscles were tense in Jamil's arms and he refused to open his eyes. He buried deeper in his neck, focusing on the spicy scent he loved so much.
The carpet flew them until it was still in the sky, announcing their arrival to the view post.
He stayed hidden where he was safe, he promised Jamil to watch the stars but it was impossible to move.
A hand threaded in his hair “Look up Zul, the view is not in my neck”
“Agree to disagree” He replied, his voice muffled. It made Jamil laugh softly.
“I know you can do it Habibi”
Reluctantly, he lifted his head from his hiding spot, tilted his head up and opened his eyes.
They became wide at the sight in front of him. Thousands of tiny lights sparkling in a dark sky. Cluttering of stars forming constellations on a black canvas. He never saw stars before he came on land, being from the deep sea. He saw them when he became a human but never from this close. He watched left and right, how each light took his attention, shined at him and made the night less scary.
He was hypnotized by all of them.
Jamil was watching him stare at the sky with a fond look, falling in love all over again from the awe he felt and the stars reflecting in the ocean eyes.
“See ? Not so scary” He teased
“I…don't enjoy flying but this is something” It was not easily explained, how he felt about the thousands of stars blinking at him, at them.
He let himself be pulled down until they laid down side by side on the carpet, staring up at the night sky.
Jamil's hand covered his and threaded their fingers together. He squeezed it in return, matching the warmth he felt in his heart between their hands.
They went back to the dorm slightly after, their feet on the hard floor once more.
He felt… light, in a way he hasn't felt in years. As if the stars had taken all of his worries for the night.
They walked toward Jamil's room, their hands not having left each other for a second.
He wouldn't mind doing it again one day.