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When word got out that Jamil and Ruggie were together, people were quite surprised. Most people had the same thought: “I thought Kalim and Ruggie would get together!”
Jamil tried to ignore those whispers as he passed through the halls. If he was gonna be honest, he had the same thought. They were much closer than he and Ruggie, so when the hyena came up to him with a bunch of roses and a box of (half-eaten) chocolates and asked him to go out with him... Shocked isn't even close to how you would describe how he felt.
Nonetheless, Ruggie chose him. Not Kalim. He couldn't help but smirk at the thought. For once in his life he didn't have to let Kalim win. Who cares what everyone thought was gonna happen? He wins, that's it!
With noticeable pride, Jalim walks into his class and takes a seat next to Ruggie. Ruggie looks at his lover with the ghost of the smirk. “What's got you all smiley?” He snickers, nudging Jamil on the shoulder.
“Just the fact I have an amazing boyfriend now.”
“Oh yeah? Who's the lucky fella?”
“The gorgeous beastman sat next to me...”
“Oh my Sevens get a ROOM...”
Both boys turn their heads to see a very disturbed Floyd looking at them with an irritated expression. “We get it! You're dating! Stop flirting in front of me...”
“How do you think everyone felt when you and Riddle started dating?” Jamil scoffs, narrowing his eyes at the eel. “I had to endure you teasing him because 'he looked cute when he blushed' for six whole months. SIX.”
Ruggie lets out a low 'oooooh', followed by a snicker, and Floyd simply just sticks out his tongue. That was oddly tame for him. “ 'Cept that's true. My Goldfishie does look cute when he's all embarrassed.”
“Yeah sure, whatever you say Floyd.” Jamil mumbles as he turns back around with a sigh. Ruggie still had a grin on his face, he found the interaction amussing. It was quite infectious so a smile slowly appears on Jamil's lips. Damn you Ruggie for looking so adorable...
His smile is quickly wiped when he notices Kalim has suddenly appeared next to them. His face was glowing with a wide grin, his eyes seemed to have their own shine in them. Kalim takes a sit next to Ruggie, and Jamil narrows his eyes. He usually sits next to him... not Ruggie.
He is way too close to him.
Jamil can feel himself growing more protective. There was no need for Kalim to be that close to Ruggie. His Ruggie. “Oh, Jamil! I didn't see you there!” Kalim suddenly shouts (why was he always so loud?), giving him a small wave.
“Of course you didn't...” Jamil mutters, not even bothering to look at him.
Kalim immediately goes back to talking with Ruggie, and Jamil notices that his hands seem to be getting closer and closer. Seriously? If he is trying something, that's such an amateur move... Although it's a little hard to stomach the fact he could be trying something.
He knows they're together, obviously, and you'd think that would stop him from trying anything, right?
“I should probably head to my actual class, I'll see you guys later!” Kalim chirps, giving Ruggie a peck on the cheek before quickly leaving the room.
Oh. Oh okay.
Even though he was gone, his presence lingered in the air like a bad perfume because yeah, he was trying something.
And he wasn't even trying to hide it.
“What. The. Fuck.” Is all that Jamil can utter. He never thought he'd do something so bold. He looks at Ruggie, who appeared quite dazed (and a bit flustered?), who then looks at Jamil.
Neither of them really knew what to say. Floyd however had something say. “I think he wants your man, Sea Snake.” He giggles from behind the pair.
“I can see that Floyd!” Jamil snaps, growing more irritated by the second. Can't Kalim just let him have one thing!?
Where'd he even get the confidence from? It's not like Kalim to be that bold. It's almost like he's trying to rile him up on purpose! “Tch, he's probably just jealous that Ruggie wants me and not him” He says as he glances over at Ruggie.
“Hm? Oh, yeah, probably.” Ruggie says quickly, still a bit surprised by what Kalim did. He feels kinda guilty because... He didn't hate it.
Jamil could sense something was off about him. Very off. He gave him the benefit of a doubt though. He chose him. He won. Not Kalim.
Right..?
･ ｡ﾟ★
At lunch, Jamil decided to confront Kalim about what he did. He had to meet up with him anyways, he had to give him the food he made (he was tempted to poison it out of spite). “Kalim.” Jamil says sternly as he stands in front of him, food in hand.
“Oh there you are! I was starting to get hungry–”
“What the fuck was that little stunt you pulled this morning?” Straight to the point. He was not playing around.
“Huh? What're you... Oh! The kiss?”
“Yes the kiss! You can't just kiss my boyfriend! He's MINE!” Jamil huffs with a pout on his face. “There's a line Kalim, and you've already crossed it. I don't care if you like him or something, he chose me and that's IT.”
Kalim nods as Jamil scolds him, before looking at him with a bashful yet somber expression. “...yeah you're right. I shouldn't act on my feelings, he's yours now. I guess I just have to accept that.”
Jamil nods, very glad that he immediately realized he was in the wrong. “Exactly. Stop getting in my way. Capisce?”
“Understood... Wow! This is like when you were controlling me with your–”
“Take your damn food already will you!?”
Welp, at least that's dealt with!
...
Except it wasn't.
Later that day, Ruggie came by the Scarabia dorm for dinner like usual. He was helping Jamil out in the kitchen. It was almost like a wholesome cooking date.
Everything was going great. They shared a few kisses, their hands brushed more times than anyone can count, and most importantly: they made some yummy food! Yay!
As they were setting the table, Jamil could hear a very familiar voice from behind him.
Kalim. And he was speaking to Ruggie.
“Don't let it get to you” He says internally, “They're just having a regular conversation, like friends do! He literally said he would leave Ruggie alone!”.
However as he eavesdropped, he started to hear some not so casual sentences. He looks over and sees Kalim is holding a sheet of paper. Is he reading something?
Wait.
Is he reading him a fucking POEM?? A sonnet to be specific. No way. He's just hearing things. He's probably just showing him some homework or– No. Nope. That's definitely a sonnet. Did what he say to Kalim really just go in one ear and out the other!?
He drops the forks he has in his hand with a clatter and whips his whole body around before making his way over to the two. This is the part where somebody gets pissed off. (Hint: It's Jamil).
“Kalim Al-Asim.” The entire lounge goes silent at the sound of Jamil's firm voice. “Did you not get the message? Stay. Away. From. My. Boyfriend.”
Kalim lets out small 'eep!' when he hears the anger in Jamil's tone. “I-I'm sorry it's just–”
“Just what!? What excuse do you have for putting yourself on MY boyfriend even after I told you to stop?” He crosses his arms as his eyebrows furrow, he was not messing around anymore. Kalim had done more than just cross the line at this point, he basically destroyed it!
“I...I don't know, okay!? My stomach feels sick whenever I see you two together! I keep doing stuff like this because I thought, maybe if i start acting really romantic, and do really bold stuff like kiss him then maybe he'll start to like me more than you..!”
Jamil's eye twitches. His reasoning just made him even more angry. He wanted to take the only good thing in his life away from him because he was jealous?
“Are you serious? You get everything, you take everything from me. YOU always win. Yet the only time I manage to get something I want, you want to take it away from me!? Do you realize how fuckinf selfish you have to be to–”
“Ladies, ladies, calm down.” Ruggie suddenly speaks up. Jamil and Kalim both turn to look at him, a bit confused.
“I didn't think I was so charming that I have two handsome boys fawnin' over me... Jeez, you guys really know how to make a guy blush!” Jamil and Kalim look at each other like 'is he ok?'.
“Look, how about you stop fighting over me and just both date me at the same time! Works for me because I like ya both... Plus it means double the di–”
“Wait really? You'd be okay with that!?” Kalim perks up, his eyes lighting up again. Jamil on the other hand looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. “SERIOUSLY!? I HAVE TO SHARE YOU??”
“Would you rather not be with me at all?”
“..no.”
“That's what I thought.” Ruggie says with his signature grin. “This is way better than money, I'm rich in boyfriends!”
･ ｡ﾟ★
Around 2 weeks later, he was sick of things not going his way so Jamil broke up with Ruggie. Ever since Kalim joined their relationship he'd barely been getting any attention either of them, and he was basically being neglected emotionally by them.
That honestly surprised him because of how affectionate he and Ruggie were with each other, but I suppose that just means Ruggie and Kalim were a better, more suitable match.
It hurt him a lot more than he'd like to admit, and he did cry, but he got over it quick enough. Honestly? He should've had higher standards in the first place.
It was kind of hard to admit that the relationship was doing damage to him. He was trying so hard to convince himself that he was in love, and nothing was wrong, but deep down he knew what was wrong with him.
They were what was wrong with him.