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The morning air in the Kou Empire’s inner palace was crisp, but the atmosphere inside the small courtyard pavilion was already thick with tension.
Aladdin sat perched on the low stone railing of the balcony, his staff resting against his knee. He had received a formal invitation from Hakuryuu just a few days prior, asking him to come over to the palace in order to keep helping Judar regain his former strength. It was a slow, grueling process now that the world's magic system had fundamentally shifted, and nobody was taking it worse than the former Magi of the Kou Empire.
"You know, Judar," Aladdin said, propping his chin in his hand with a highly deliberate, innocent smile. "With all the trouble you used to cause with your power as a Magi, I think it’s actually for the best that you’re a little bit weaker now."
Judar, who had been aggressively glaring at an open spellbook on the table, stiffened. His crimson eyes flashed with immediate fury. He slammed his fist down, rattling the inkstones.
"Shut up, chibi!" Judar roared, jumping to his feet. "I can do it on my own! I don't need anyone's help, especially yours! And what the fuck do you mean I'm not as strong?!" He snarled, his loose black braid whipping over his shoulder as he gestured wildly. "I've never just relied on my Rukh and being a Magi! I actually study! Those idiots in Magnostadt couldn't teach me anything more than force me into physical training! Nothing I can’t do myself. It was Hakuryuu who asked you to come, not mine."
Hakuryuu sat quietly at the edge of the pavilion, watching the explosion with a sigh, but before he could intervene, Judar lunged across the stone floor. He grabbed Hakuryuu tightly by the collar of his tunic, yanking him upward.
"You're coming with me," Judar hissed, dragging the young Emperor toward the courtyard stairs. "Right now."
Aladdin’s grin widened. He leaned back against the balcony railing, thoroughly pleased with himself as his provocation worked its magic perfectly. Below, Judar stormed onto the grassy field, violently stretching his arms.
"I'll show everyone what I can do," Judar muttered, launching himself into an aggressive sprint around the courtyard perimeter.
Hakuryuu folded his arms over his chest, his brow furrowing as he watched the raven-haired magician tear across the grass with entirely too much reckless energy. "Judar! You shouldn't overdo it just because a cheap provocation worked to motivate you!" he called out. “This is just Aladdin’s plan to not having to deal with you all day.”
"Shut up and be useful and help me!" Judar yelled back over his shoulder, his breath already starting to hitch as he pushed into his second lap.
Exhaling through his nose, Hakuryuu unclasped his heavy outer robes, tossing them onto a wooden bench. "Fine," he murmured. He leaped over the pavilion steps and fell into stride right beside Judar. But it wasn't a fair match. Even without using his metal vessels, Hakuryuu had spent his entire life training. He easily glided past, showing that he was significantly faster, his breathing steady, his endurance vastly superior.
By the third lap, Judar dropped to a miserable jog, his chest heaving violently. His face was flushed, and his knuckles trembled with rage.
"Fucking... damn it!" Judar spat, stumbling to a halt and sinking to his knees on the grass. He slammed his palm into the dirt, tears of pure frustration pricking the corners of his eyes. "I'm weak as fuck! I'm slower than Kougyoku at this point! I hate this!" He threw his head back, screaming at the sky. "I curse Sinbad! It's entirely his fault the Magi system has vanished! He ruined everything!"
Hakuryuu slowed to a stop, his expression softening as he looked down at the trembling magician. The anger in Judar wasn't just anger; it was fear. Gently, Hakuryuu knelt down in front of him, placing a firm, grounding hand on Judar’s shoulder, forcing him to take a break.
"Listen to me, Judar," Hakuryuu said, his voice quiet but incredibly steady. "Your worth isn't measured by your physical strength anymore. I know you're probably used to feeling like you must constantly prove yourself to everyone around you, but you don't. Not here. Not to me."
Judar let out a long, ragged sigh, his head dropping forward until his forehead brushed against Hakuryuu's shoulder. "I know," he muttered, his usual sharp voice sounding small and defeated. "But I just feel useless. And stupid. I want to be myself again." He paused, his fingers lightly gripping the fabric of Hakuryuu's shirt. "When you first joined me... back during the rebellion... it fueled my ambitions so much. I had never felt better. I want to be someone you can be proud of, Ryuu."
Hakuryuu’s single eye softened completely. He reached up, his hand gently cupping the back of Judar's head. "I am already proud of you. And I'm impressed that you even made up your mind to realize and admit you had weaknesses at all. The old Judar would have never done that." He pulled back slightly, locking his gaze with Judar’s crimson eyes. "I will do anything to help you improve, if that is what you want."
The tension left Judar’s body. He stared at Hakuryuu for a long moment before a tiny, genuine smile broke through his frustration. "Yeah," he whispered. "Okay."
Hakuryuu helped Judar back up to his feet, and as they began the training cycle again, the suffocating pressure vanished. For the first time in months, Judar deeply relaxed, actually having fun as they threw playful insults back and forth under the fading afternoon sun.
The next morning, the consequences of that unyielding motivation had firmly set in.
Aladdin sat cross-legged on top of the balcony again, casually popping sweet grapes into his mouth, thoroughly amused. Below him, Judar was sprawled out face-first on the grass, looking like a discarded pile of dark fabric. He wasn't even attempting to move.
"I'm dead," Judar groaned into the dirt, his voice muffled. "My legs have turned to water. The sun is melting my brain. I'm going to decompose right here."
Hakuryuu stood over him, hands on his hips, completely unimpressed. His imperial robes were neatly folded on a nearby bench, leaving him in his training gear. "You ran exactly half a mile, Judar. Stop being dramatic and get up."
"No. Leave me to die."
Alibaba walked up the stone steps to join Aladdin, wiping sweat from his own brow after a sparring session. He stared down at the pathetic display in the courtyard, shaking his head.
"What is he doing now?" Alibaba asked, leaning against the wall next to Aladdin. "He’s been complaining non-stop since sunrise. Honestly, I don't know how Hakuryuu does it. Dealing with Judar's antics every single day seems like a full-time nightmare."
Aladdin popped another grape into his mouth, his bright blue eyes tracking Hakuryuu as the young prince shook his head and knelt down to pull Judar up by his arms.
"Well, you have to remember, Alibaba," Aladdin pointed out softly, his tone turning a bit more reflective. "Hakuryuu and Judar have known each other their whole lives. They grew up in the same palace under the same dark shadows."
Aladdin looked down at his lap, a nostalgic smile touching his lips. "When Hakuryuu lost Judar—back when we all thought he would never return—He was deeply affected by it. Did you ever notice how he changed after that? He started mimicking a lot of Judar's old antics and behavior. He became much more sarcastic, cynical, and demanding. It was like he was holding onto a piece of him."
Alibaba’s exasperated expression softened. He looked back down at the two figures in the courtyard. The memory of his own past brushed against his chest, warm and aching. "Yeah," Alibaba murmured, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "I get that. Growing up with Cassim... it was the same way. We fought constantly, but we knew every single habit the other had." He watched Hakuryuu patiently haul Judar to a sitting position. "Judar and Hakuryuu are most likely the same. They're just used to each other, like only best friends or brothers could be."
–
The laughter echoing from the courtyard below was light, a sharp and welcome contrast to the heavy silence that used to plague the imperial palace.
Hakuryuu and Judar had completely abandoned any semblance of formal training. Instead, they had devolved into a mess of playful wrestling, kicking up blades of grass as they rolled across the lawn.
Up on the stone balcony, Alibaba watched them with a softened expression, his chin resting in his palm. The sight instantly pulled a string in his chest, reminding him so vividly of growing up in the slums of Balbadd. He remembered the stifling heat of those dusty alleys, the sound of his own breath laughing until his lungs burned, and the exact physical weight of how he used to tack Cassim to the ground over a stolen piece of fruit or a stupid argument. They used to fight like stray dogs, but it was the only way they knew how to show they cared.
Below, Hakuryuu managed to pin Judar’s shoulders down, a rare, bright grin breaking across the young man's face. He reached out and gave a firm, teasing tug on Judar’s long raven braid, pulling it just enough to keep him anchored to the dirt.
Judar let out a breathless, dramatic laugh, swatting weakly at Hakuryuu's wrists. "Ah! Cheat! You’re a total cheater, Ryuu! Let go of my hair!"
Alibaba chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I can't hear exactly what they're saying from up here," he remarked to Aladdin, "but man... if I had ever tried to pull Judar’s hair like that during our journey, he would have instantly killed me. Hakuryuu really does have special privileges, doesn't he?"
Aladdin hummed in agreement.
"Honestly, I think I've noticed it for a long time," Alibaba continued, his voice dropping into a more reflective, quiet tone. "Back when we were stuck together in the dark continent... I remember talking to Judar. He had this deep look in his eyes, totally lost in thought, and he kept talking about how he was longing to 'come home.' At the time, I didn't fully understand. I even suggested that maybe he should travel and see the actual village where he had been born, to find some closure." Alibaba smiled gently, watching Hakuryuu finally let go of the braid. "But looking at them now... I knew what he really meant. He didn't care about a geographical birthplace. He just missed Hakuryuu."
Down on the grass, Judar rolled over and extended a hand, helping Hakuryuu up to his feet. He wiped a smudge of dirt from his own cheek, grinning. "Alright, Your Majesty. What's next on the grueling schedule?"
Hakuryuu brushed off his clothes, his expression shifting into something remarkably soft and full of an affection he usually kept guarded. "Next, you should relax. We're in the middle of a terrible heat wave, and you need to be careful not to push yourself to exhaustion."
Judar arched an eyebrow, a wicked, delighted smirk spreading across his face. "Oh? Relax? Since when are you so laid-back, huh? Usually, you're the first one lecturing me about being a lazy piece of garbage."
"I didn't mean it like that," Hakuryuu replied smoothly, a rare, genuine smile gracing his features. He stepped behind the magician and placed his hands firmly on Judar's shoulders. "Turn around."
Judar complied, a spark of pure smugness lighting up his eyes as he realized exactly what was happening. Hakuryuu’s strong thumbs dug into the tight, knotted muscles of his upper back, working with a practiced, deliberate care. It was an incredibly intimate gesture, showing a side of Hakuryuu that was fiercely protective and deeply tender.
To make it even better, Judar glanced up and noticed Aladdin and Alibaba staring down at them from a nearby balcony.
The temptation was entirely too good to pass up. Judar let his head fall back against Hakuryuu's chest, throwing his eyes shut, and let out a loud, entirely theatrical, fake moan of pure delight.
"Ahhhh, right there, Ryuu~!" Judar called out, exaggerating the sound so it carried perfectly across the courtyard.
Up on the balcony, Alibaba’s jaw dropped. He looked utterly startled, his face flushing a violent, catastrophic shade of red as he gripped the stone railing for dear life.
Judar laughed quietly at the reaction, the bratty performance melting away as he leaned his head all the way back against Hakuryuu’s shoulder, looking up at him. Hakuryuu didn't stop the massage, but he did tilt his head down, his eyes gazing into Judar's with an unshakeable, profound warmth.
Judar reached up, his hand cupping Hakuryuu's jawline, and pulled him down into a soft, deep kiss.
As their lips met, a quiet sense of peace finally settled over Judar. For months, the loss of being a Magi had felt like a hollow ache, a constant reminder of what had been taken from him. But right here, wrapped in Hakuryuu’s arms, the frustration entirely vanished. He thought to himself: ‘Yeah, fuck being an all-powerful magician. I have him.’
It was an overwhelming wave of pride. It was a silent brag to the rest of the world—a smug, triumphant thought of 'See? That’s my king.'
Judar pulled Hakuryuu just a fraction closer, the reality of what they shared sinking deep into his bones. For the first time in his chaotic, manipulated life, he had someone who genuinely cared about him for exactly who he was. Someone who supported him through every ugly, weak moment without asking for anything in return.
Breaking the kiss, Judar rested his forehead against Hakuryuu’s temple, his voice dropping into a rare, entirely sincere whisper. "Thanks, Ryuu. For putting up with me. And... for everything."
Hakuryuu just hummed softly, his hands never stopping their soothing rhythm on Judar's shoulders.
Up on the balcony, Alibaba’s eyes went wide, his face flushing a violent, bright crimson as he choked on his own breath. He pointed a trembling finger down at the courtyard, completely paralyzed by shock.
Aladdin didn't look surprised at all. He just turned his head toward Alibaba, a massive, incredibly smug smirk plastered across his face, his eyebrows raised knowingly.
Alibaba squeaked, frantically looking between the intimate couple and the completely unfazed Magi next to him. "Did—did you know about this?!" he whispered loudly, his voice cracking.
Aladdin simply shrugged, kicking his legs back and forth over the edge of the wall as he grabbed another grape.
"I had taken a guess," Aladdin said with a mischievous wink, though his smile turned deeply fond as he looked back down at his friend. "But... I'm just really glad that those two aren’t alone anymore."