Chapter Text
*Chapter 1*
The noon sun over the Scalding Sands did not merely shine; it throbbed, baking the white stone architecture of the Asim estate until the air rippled like silk.
Kalim Al-Asim stood at the grand gates of his family’s palace, a vibrant blur of gold silk, white linen, and pure, unadulterated energy. Beside him stood Najma Viper, Jamil’s younger sister, looking remarkably cooler than the climate permitted. She was lazily scrolling through her phone, occasionally using a intricately painted fan to swat away the desert heat.
"They're here! They're actually here!" Kalim shouted, jumping up and down as a fleet of enchanted, hovering magic carpets and luxury desert transports pulled up to the estate.Out tumbled the main cast of Night Raven College looking varying degrees of disheveled, motion-sickness-stricken, and utterly overwhelmed.
Riddle Rosehearts was aggressively straightening his collar, trying to maintain his composure despite the sweat building on his brow. Behind him, Leona Kingscholar groaned, pulling his fur-lined cloak tighter around himself as if he could block out the sun by sheer force of will. Azul Ashengrotto was already adjusting his glasses, his eyes darting across the opulent architecture, likely calculating the net worth of the Asim gate.
"Welcome to the Scalding Sands, everyone!" Kalim beamed, his arms thrown wide.
"Happy Eid al-Adha! I'm so happy you all could make it! We’re going to show you everything today. The traditions, the markets, the animals—the whole experience!" Kalim continued.
"Thank you for the invitation, Kalim. It feels great to be back and It's an honor to experience such an important holiday with you." Trey said giving Kalim a polite but genuine smile.
"Yeah, yeah, it's great." Ace muttered, stretching his arms. "But man, it is hot. Hey, where's Jamil? Usually, he's standing right behind you like a shadow, holding an umbrella or a schedule or something." Ace continued surprised at not seeing Jamil around.
Deuce Spade nodded, looking around. "Now that you mention it, it's really unusual. Did he stay behind at Night Raven?" He asked.
"Oh, Jamil?" Kalim laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "No, no, he's here! He's just... super busy! You know how Jamil is, always making sure every single detail is perfect. He said he had to oversee the final kitchen inventory and checking on the suppliers. Don't worry, he'll be back soon." Kalim answered.
Najma didn't look up from her phone, but her fan stopped waving for a fraction of a second. "Yeah. Busy," she echoed, her voice carrying a dry, knowing edge that went entirely over Kalim's head.
Before anyone could press further, Kalim ushered them toward the royal estate’s private marketplace grounds. This wasn't a standard public market; it was a sprawling, shaded pavilion where high-quality livestock—goats, sheep, and massive, decorated camels—were kept. The air smelled of hay, dry earth, and animal feed.
"Wow, look at all of them!" Grim cheered, hanging onto Yuu’s shoulder. "Are we gonna eat all of these? Let's start with the big one with the humps!" Grim continued while pointing at a camel.
"Don't be ridiculous, Grim," Riddle chided, though his eyes were wide as he observed the bustling activity. "Kalim, these animals... they are for the ritual sacrifice, correct, The Udhiya?" Riddle asked while going forward to look at a camel, his eyes holding a look of awe as he looking at the tall animal eating.
"Yes they are." Kalim smiled brightly. "We select the best animals to honor the tradition. One third goes to our family, one third goes to friends and neighbors—that’s you guys!—and the last third goes entirely to the poor and needy in the city. It’s all about sharing and festivities."
"An impressive logistical feat," Azul noted,stepping closer to a pen of neatly groomed sheep. "To distribute fresh meat at this scale within a single day requires immense coordination. I assume Jamil is managing the distribution charts?" Azul asked one of his hands unconsciously reaching out to pet one on It's head.
"Actually," Najma interjected, finally pocketing her phone and stepping forward with a sly grin. "Jamil hasn't set foot within a mile of this market all week. He handles the finances and the contracts from a very nice, air-conditioned office on the opposite side of the palace." She said.
"Wait, really? Jamil-kun isn't here micro-managing the livestock? I figured he'd be checking every goat's teeth personally to make sure they're up to standard." Cater asked while making a small video of the grand market.
"He leaves that to the head shepherds." Najma said, her eyes glinting with a mischievous amusement. "My brother is a master of many things, but he has his... limitations." She said before dragging Cater back a step to make sure his phone wouldn’t accidentally get chewed on by a interested camel.
"Limitations? Jamil?" Ruggie Bucchi laughed, leaning against a wooden fence.
"The guy who cooks, cleans, looks after Kalim and singlehandedly manages the whole Scarabia dorm has limitation? Tell me more the next thing you’ll say would be the sun rises in the west." Ruggie continued, a small smirk adorning his face.
"Ruggie, mind your manners." Leona grunted from beneath the shade of a canopy, though his ears twitched with curiosity.
'But the hyena's right. It's weird. A shadow doesn't just disappear when the sun is this bright. Where could Viper be?' Leona wondered.
*Time skip*
The grand banquet hall of the Asim estate roared with life but for Leona Kingscholar, the noise was nothing short of an annoyance. Kalim was holding court at the center table, practically vibrating as he urged everyone to eat more spiced mutton, more rice, more everything. The Night Raven crew was completely absorbed in the feast. Grim was covered in sauce, Riddle was politely tasting a sweet pastry, and Azul was taking notes on the spice blend.But Leona’s eyes kept drifting to the empty space right behind Kalim’s right shoulder.Jamil wasn’t there. He hadn’t been there for the livestock tour. He hadn’t been there for the kitchen deliveries. Now, the feast was in full swing, and the meticulous, hyper-vigilant vice-housewarden still Couldn't be seen anywhere. It was completely out of character for Jamil. Leona sighed pushing his half-eaten plate away. The heavy, metallic scent of roasted meat and the rich oils of the food were clogging his sensitive feline nose anyway. Snagging a clean bottle of cold water from a nearby tray, Leona slipped out of the side doors of the banquet hall unnoticed.He didn't know the layout of the Asim palace, but his nose did the tracking. He actively steered away from the kitchens—where the suffocating smell of raw copper, blood, and heavy animal fats hung thick in the air—and followed a faint, distinct trail of charcoal and desert iris. Jamil’s scent.Leona wandered deep into the residential wing, far from the festivities until he stopped in front of a heavy dark wood door. He could hear the hum of a high-powered cooling charm radiating from the other side.Without knocking, Leona pushed the door open.The room was freezing. The air conditioning magic was cranked up so high that a faint, crisp frost practically clung to the edges of the room, completely purging any trace of the outside heat or the festival’s meaty aroma. The curtains were drawn tight, plunging the space into a deep, dim twilight. And there, in the far corner of a massive bed was Jamil Viper. He wasn’t wearing his pristine festive robes. He was stripped down to a simple, loose black tank top and soft cotton trousers. He was curled up on his side, his knees pulled tightly toward his chest, looking smaller than Leona had ever seen him. Clutched tightly against his chest was Najma’s pet fennec fox. The tiny, big-eared desert creature was buried in Jamil’s arms, its fluffy tail tucked over Jamil’s wrists, letting out soft, rhythmic purrs.
Jamil’s eyes flew open at the sound of the door closing. When he saw Leona standing there, his entire body stiffened, a flash of pure, defensive panic crossing his face before he forced his features into a rigid mask.
"Housewarden Kingscholar," Jamil’s voice was completely shot. It was raspy, dry, and lacked any of his usual smooth composure. He tried to sit up, but the moment he shifted, his stomach let out a hollow, violent growl, and a green tint flushed over his features. He immediately curled back down, squeezing the fennec fox a little tighter.
"Sit down, Viper. You look like garbage," Leona muttered, kicking the door shut behind him. He strolled over to the bed with his usual lazy gait, though his eyes were locked on the sight before him.Seeing the untouchable, calculating Jamil Viper reduced to a shivering, nauseous ball of anxiety, seeking comfort from a tiny, fluffy fox... it did something dangerous to Leona’s chest. A sudden, heavy warmth bloomed right behind his ribs. The sheer, raw vulnerability of the guy made Leona’s inner predator roar with a terrifying urge to just wrap himself around Jamil, shield him from the world, and eat him up.
But Leona kept his face completely blank, his tail giving a slow, lazy flick beneath his cloak.
"I... apologize," Jamil mumbled, pressing his face into the fox’s soft fur to block out the light. "I am indisposed. If Kalim needs me, tell him I am managing a... a sudden magical exhaustion." Jamil continued.
"Kalim is currently choking down his fifth plate of rice. He hasn't noticed a thing," Leona said, tossing the cold bottle of water onto the bed right next to Jamil’s hand. "And drop the act. Even someone blind would be able to tell what's wrong with you."
Jamil went entirely rigid. A sharp, bitter breath escaped him. "Of course... Of course you can tell....all that effort and this is where I get stuck." he whispered bitterly, his fingers digging into the mattress.
"Then go ahead and laugh. The flawless servant can't even stand the smell of the kitchen on a holiday. Go tell the rest of the school. I'm sure Azul would love the blackmail."
Leona rolled his eyes, dropping his heavy frame onto the edge of the mattress. The bed dipped under his weight, making the little fennec fox perk it's ears up.
"Quit whining. If I wanted to laugh at you, I would've brought a crowd," Leona grunted. He reached down, his large, calloused hand surprisingly gentle as he hooked his fingers under Jamil’s chin, forcing the vice-housewarden to look up at him. Jamil’s eyes were wide, glassy, and filled with exhaustion.
"You haven't eaten a single thing today, have you?" Leona asked he had a worried look in his eyes which was completely new look that Jamil had never seen before.
"I can't," Jamil choked out, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. "Even thinking about the food... knowing where it came from makes me think of the amout of blood.... It makes my stomach turn. I can handle supermarket cuts. I can handle cooking daily meals. But today? The sheer scale of it... the blood... I can still smell it if I leave this room. I can’t eat it. I can't even look at a kitchen counter right now." Jamil continued his face turning greener as he spoke.
Leona stared down at him, his thumb brushing just a fraction of an inch against Jamil’s jawline before he pulled his hand back, stuffing it into his pocket to hide how much he wanted to lean down and bite that exposed neck.
"Then don't eat it." Leona said simply.
Jamil blinked, caught off guard. "What?" he asked.
"You heard me. You think you're the only one who gets sick of the traditions?" Leona leaned back on his elbows, staring at the ceiling. "Back in Sunset Savanna, my brother throws these massive, bloated festivals. Half the time, the sheer noise and the scent of a hundred different packs clashing makes me want to rip someone's throat out. So I leave. I find a tree, lock myself away, and sleep through it." Leona continued thinking about the savanna.
Jamil let out a weak, breathy laugh, his shoulders finally dropping a fraction of an inch. "It isn't the tradition...the fact that so many people get to eat something they usually couldn’t even think about affording makes me happy. Also You do that because you're lazy, Leona. And while they let me take the day off I still have a duty. A duty I avoid because of a stupid childhood trauma." Jamil said, his voice slightly cracking and his hands clenching around the bedsheets.
"Your duty right now is not fainting and cracking your skull open on the tile," Leona replied, his tone turning sharp and authoritative.
"Drink the water. It’s sealed. No smell, no meat." He said while nudging the water bottle closer to Jamil’s chest.
Slowly, Jamil untangled one arm from around the fox. His hand was trembling so much he could barely twist the cap off. Leona scoffed under his breath, reaching over to snatch the bottle, twisting it open effortlessly, and handing it back. Jamil took a few small, hesitant sips, the cold liquid visibly grounding him as a bit of color returned to his lips."Thanks," Jamil muttered, his voice barely a whisper. He looked up at Leona through his bangs, his guard still slightly up but clearly fading under the weight of his exhaustion. "You're being surprisingly quiet about this." Jamil said countless thoughts going through his mind starting from Leona might use this as a blackmail later to maybe he's not that bad.
"I'm tired," Leona lied smoothly, his eyes tracking the way Jamil’s throat moved as he drank. "And the banquet hall is too damn loud. I'm taking a nap here. Don't crowd me." Leona said and without waiting for permission Leona shifted, lying down flat on the massive bed just a few inches away from Jamil’s curled-up form. He closed his eyes, throwing an arm over his face to block out the dim light, but his ears remained sharply tuned to Jamil’s breathing. Jamil watched him for a long, silent moment. Realizing Leona truly wasn't going to judge him, mock him, or force him back into the heat, Jamil let out a long, shuddering sigh. He curled back down, pulling the little fennec fox close to his chest again, and closed his eyes.Within minutes, the cool, silent air of the room worked its magic, and Jamil’s breathing slowed into a deep, exhausted sleep.Underneath his arm, Leona’s tail gave a satisfied, protective thud against the mattress. He opened one green eye, looking at the sleeping vice-housewarden curled up like a bruised kitten in the corner.
'Lucky for you Viper, I prefer my meals completely blood-free too.' Leona thought , a faint dangerous smirk touching his lips before he closed his eyes to join him in the quiet chill.