Work Text:
Azul stood in front of the Sea Witch statue, the cold of the night biting at his skin. It was fine, he experienced temperatures far lower than this when he was living in the Coral Sea. The cold wasn’t the reason he tugged his jacket closer to him.
The statues of the Seven on campus don’t have eyes; somehow, Azul still felt as if the Sea Witch was staring directly down at him. He used her name so often, said everything he did was an act of benevolence as the great Sea Witch would have wanted, yet that wasn’t completely true.
Everything he did for other people, well nearly everything, was so he could gain something for himself too. That was clear to everyone on campus, it was how most people on this campus worked. NRC was full of the most crooked people with the strongest magic; sans Kalim and Silver of course, no one really knew how those two sweethearts actually managed to stay at this school.
Truthfully, it wasn’t this part that he was afraid the Sea Witch was looking down on him for. He figured that it was just a part of life– you wish to gain something, you have to give for it. It was more so his reactions when he failed.
Part of the Sea Witch’s story was how she turned everything around. How even in the face of failure, she would never give up. She was much too determined for that. Azul liked to think he was as well. He tried so often to make something of nothing, to pick anything that had fallen apart back up and make it something useful again.
But some nights like tonight, he had to wonder…
What would the Sea Witch think of my Overblot.
The infamous winter finals overblot. The one that already feels like it was so long ago, where Azul had thrown a full-blown temper-tantrum over some sand. Okay, yes it was more complicated than just that, but it still was one of his most embarrassing moments.
Beyond that, it was scary, terrifying even. He realized too late that he was overblotting, but he could remember that feeling. The feeling of the blot completely taking over him, covering all parts of his skin, pouring from his eyes. The coldness that came with such a strong power he could almost mistake it for a warm hug.
He wanted that power. He wanted nothing more than to grab it for his own, to make every single person that ever doubted or belittled him to pay. Frankly, he still wants revenge on a number of people who did just that. Yet, he didn’t gain any power when he overblotted.
Truthfully, it was more like the power gained him. When he reached out to take it, it devoured him. Azul could no longer control his magic nor his mind and body. All of a sudden, it was like he was a third-person spectator of his own life. He hated that feeling.
At that point, when he realized what was happening, he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t do anything. He honestly doesn’t remember much about during his overblot, but he doesn’t really want to. The before and after is bad enough.
The Sea Witch would have never overblotted. She likely would condemn Azul, someone who galvants around saying how he is ‘following in her footsteps.’ He would be a disgrace to her. It’s nights like these that is most obvious.
“Do you really plan on standing out in the cold forever?” Azul, shocked out of his stupor, quickly turns his head towards the voice. There was Jamil, in his pajamas hugging his arms. It was likely too cold for him tonight, after all he was used to the brightness that is the Scalding Sands.
“It isn’t too cold for me, I did grow up towards the bottom of the sea after all. On the other hand, you don’t look to be fairing too well.”
“I’m fine. Some winter nights in the Scalding Sands can actually be worse than this, I just don’t appreciate it much.”
“I could offer you my coat, for a price of course.”
“I don’t even want to know what you view as an applicable price for borrowing a coat.”
Azul laughed at the joke at his own expense. There was no reason not to, he knew who he was. He was however curious about something.
“Why are you out here so late Jamil, in your pajamas no less?”
Jamil paused for a moment, as if he wasn’t expecting that question when, really, he should have been. It was the most obvious question to ask. “Just…couldn’t sleep.”
“So you leave your dorm to come all the way to campus?”
“I dunno, just felt like I should see the Sorcerer's Statue right now.”
Azul hummed, his suspicion likely correct. “So you get them too then.”
“Get what?”
Azul's expression turned rather solemn, “The nightmares. Of your overblot.”
Jamil fidgeted where he stood, squinting his eyes at Azul. “Too? What, are you out here because of a nightmare?”
Azul let out a humorless laugh. “Don’t say it as if you aren’t as well. At least I had the forethought of putting on actual clothes before leaving my dorm.”
“Oh, please. Forgive me that I don’t have a housewarden’s room and didn’t want to wake my roommate.”
“I genuinely forgot you had one of those.” Jamil glared at the octo-mer.
Azul turned his attention back to the statue of the Sea Witch and kept talking. “Do you ever wonder if the seven are disappointed in us?”
Jamil moved till he was standing next to Azul, their shoulders almost brushing. “Yeah, a lot actually.”
“And?”
“And, not much else really. I try not to think too hard about it, I have too many responsibilities as is. I don’t need some old dead guy giving me more baggage to lug around.”
Azul snickered. “I don’t believe you should be speaking of any of the Great Seven that way.”
“Who cares, they’re dead.”
“Plenty of people care.”
Jamil just shrugged, but Azul could tell there was more to it than that. He looked up to the Sorcerer of the Sands, and feeling like your idol is disappointed in you is never good.
Azul knows the feeling well.
“We should talk about them.”
“Talk about who?” Jamil asked, confused.
“Not, who. Them. Our nightmares.”
“Oh fuck no.”
“Yes, we should.” Azul looked at Jamil with a small smile to try and portray his sincerity. “It does help, you know.”
“And how would you know that, I have a hard time believing you just talk to people about feelings”
“Normally, I don’t.” Azul stated, he was really trying to offer an olive branch right now. “But the twins heard me one night. It was a particularly, ah…frighting nightmare, I suppose. They burst into my room demanding I explain what was going on. Now they try to break in every time it happens and force me to talk about whatever the nightmare was on. It…helps. It’s comforting.”
Jamil looked at Azul incredulously, “I never want to hear any of you say you aren’t friends ever again.”
Azul smiled, “We have our ups and downs.”
Jamil sighed, heavily. “And why, pray tell, are they not with you tonight.”
“Hm. Well, I woke up somewhat peacefully tonight, and figured I wanted to go for a walk rather quickly. It just felt wrong to wake them up at that point.”
“You weren’t walking much when I got here.”
“Much like you,” Azul turned his head towards Jamil and tilted it, “I felt an urge to see the Sea Witch and got a bit stuck here.”
Jamil just raised an eyebrow and said nothing. Azul wanted him to be the next one to speak, but it was clear that he didn’t really want to say anything at that moment. So Azul prompted, “My apologies, you don’t have to say anything you don’t like. I just meant that someone to talk to and be around might help.”
“Yeah I get that…it’s just…” Jamil cut himself off, starting in the direction of the Sorcerer of Sands statue. “How long are you planning on staying on this walk for?”
Azul hummed in contemplation. “A while longer at least, I’m not quite ready to retire for bed and Jade is managing the Mostro Lounge in the morning.”
Jamil nodded his head, keeping quiet for a little longer. “...I don’t think I really want to talk about my nightmare tonight.”
“I understand–”
“But I could use some company. So if you don’t mind…”
“You’d like to join me on my walk.” Azul finished for him, smirking at the boy.
“Don’t be a prick about it, I can just leave–”
“Now wait a second, I didn’t mean it like that. I would be glad to have you join me.”
Azul decided that was enough time spent at the statues he could feel judging him, leading him and Jamil towards another part of the school. Before they left the walkway, Azul took off his coat and swung it over Jamil's shoulders.
“Wha– hey!”
“Relax, we can’t have you getting cold and slowing our walk down, now can we. Consider it payment as being kind enough to be my company tonight.”
Azul watched as Jamil turned away and mumbled something, his ears turning slightly pink. Yet, he didn’t give the coat back, instead clinging onto it a little tighter.
Azul was starting to think this night might not be so terrible after all.