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Alibaba had always prided himself on being a man of the world. He was a husband now, after all. He knew how things worked.
Except, as it turned out, he didn't. Not even a little bit.
Ever since that fateful night he had walked in on a stark-naked Judar casually lounging in Hakuryuu’s quarters, Alibaba’s brain had been entirely short-circuited. He had tried to let it go. He had told himself it was private, that it wasn't his business. But the sheer logistical curiosity of the matter had festered in his mind like an itch he couldn't scratch.
And so, naturally, he chose the worst possible moment to bring it up.
"So, uh, Hakuryuu," Alibaba started, leaning against a marble pillar in the palace courtyard, trying desperately to look casual and failing miserably. He cleared his throat, fiddling with his cuffs. "I’ve been... thinking. About you and Judar."
Hakuryuu didn't even look up from the diplomatic document he was reviewing. He calmly turned a page. "A dangerous pastime. I suggest a new hobby."
"No, I'm serious!" Alibaba hissed, glancing around to make sure none of the palace guards were within earshot. He stepped closer, dropping his voice to a frantic whisper. "I just... I mean, I know how it works with a man and a woman, obviously. But between two guys? Especially you two? I just don't get the... mechanics. Like, who is doing the... you know... the woman's part in your case?"
The silence that followed was heavy.
Slowly, Hakuryuu lowered the paper. He looked at Alibaba, his expression entirely blank, though a dangerous, mocking glint flickered in his blue eyes. He didn't blush or stammer. He just looked thoroughly amused.
"The woman's part," Hakuryuu repeated flatly.
"Yeah! You know!" Alibaba’s face was already beginning to heat up. "Like, who is the one... taking care of the domestic, emotional side? Or, uh, in bed? Who takes the lead?"
"Alibaba," Hakuryuu said, his voice entirely too calm as he set the papers down on the stone table. He leaned back, folding his arms. "Those matters are private."
"Right, right, sorry, I shouldn't have—"
"But," Hakuryuu interrupted, a slow, merciless smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. "Since you're so incredibly consumed by curiosity... why don't you take a guess?"
Alibaba’s brain instantly evaporated. ‘Take a guess?!’ Images he absolutely did not want in his head flashed behind his eyelids. "I—uh—no! That’s fine! I don't need to guess! I have to go! Morgiana is waiting for me!"
Sprinting away before Hakuryuu could utter another terrifying word, Alibaba bolted down the corridor, his face burning a bright, unnatural scarlet.
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He should have dropped it there. Any sane person would have. But as the afternoon bled into evening, the mystery only grew louder. He couldn't sleep. He couldn't think. By midnight, Alibaba found himself sneaking down the dark, quiet corridors of the palace once again, entirely driven by a terrible, unyielding need to know the truth.
The heavy velvet curtains of Hakuryuu’s study were thick, dusty, and an absolute nightmare for someone trying to hold in a sneeze.
Alibaba pressed his back against the cold stone wall, suffocating a cough into his sleeve. He was officially questioning every single life choice that had brought him to this point. He was a hero of the world, a former prince, and a married man. Yet here he was, crouched in the pitch black behind a decorative drape at midnight, holding his breath like a common criminal.
‘Just five minutes’, he promised himself, his heart hammering against his ribs. ‘Just long enough to hear them talk normally, get a clue, and escape.’
The door to the study clicked open.
Alibaba froze, paralyzing every muscle in his body. Two sets of footsteps entered. One was the steady, measured stride of Hakuryuu. The other didn't touch the ground at all—the faint, rhythmic swoosh of floating silks signaled that Judar had arrived.
"Ugh, I'm so goddamn bored," Judar complained loudly, his voice echoing in the quiet room. A heavy thud followed, suggesting he had just dropped himself upside down onto Hakuryuu's divan. "Hey, Ryuu. Let’s go break something. Or fight. Or go to the city. This palace is a graveyard."
"I have three more trade agreements to sign, Judar. Be quiet," Hakuryuu replied flatly. The rustle of parchment filled the air. “You can entertain yourself.”
"No. I'm not being quiet." Judar kicked his legs in the air, his bangles clinking violently. "You're ignoring me. You've been ignoring me all day. If you don't do something interesting right now, I'm going to start throwing stuff at your bookshelf."
Behind the curtain, Alibaba was sweating bullets. ‘Oh god, I should leave. If Judar starts blasting magic, I'm going to get impaled. But if I move, they'll see me. I'm trapped.’
Hakuryuu let out a long, thoroughly exhausted sigh. The sound of a quill being set down clinked against the desk. "If you have energy to burn off that badly, go to bed. Let’s get it over with."
Judar’s whining instantly stopped. A sudden, dangerous silence filled the room. Alibaba could practically hear the wicked grin spreading across the former Magi's face.
"Oh?" Judar’s voice dropped an octave, dripping with a sharp, purring amusement. "Is that an invitation, my king? Because I'd love that kind of attention. Looks like you’re rewarding me everytime you tell me to stop annoying you. Why would I ever stop if it ends up getting me what I want?"
Alibaba’s brain instantly melted into pure panic. ‘Wait, wait, wait, no! I don't want to hear this! I need to get out of here right now before things get graphic!’ He shifted his weight to slide toward the window, but a floorboard beneath his boot gave a tiny, microscopic creak.
He stopped breathing.
Out in the room, Hakuryuu didn't even turn toward the curtain. He just leaned back in his chair, his voice completely casual, cold, and loud enough to carry perfectly across the room.
"Don't flatter yourself," Hakuryuu said lazily. "I mostly take you into bed just because you're such an unbearable nuisance when you're needy."
Behind the curtain, Alibaba's jaw practically dropped. ‘Wow. That's... harsh. Even for Hakuryuu.’ A weird, uncomfortable pang struck Alibaba’s chest. The cold, dismissive tone hit a little too close to home—it sounded exactly like the stories he’d heard about how his own father, the old King of Balbadd, used to treat people when he was finished with them. Alibaba’s panic briefly flared into a spark of genuine anger on Judar’s behalf. ‘How can he just say that to him?’
Meanwhile, in the center of the room, Judar’s jaw had also dropped—but for a completely different reason.
Judar stared at Hakuryuu, his eyes wide. ‘Wait’, Judar thought, his brain scrambling. ‘The idiot blonde didn't run away? He's still behind the curtain? The line didn't work!’
According to the plan they had whispered about right before entering the room, Hakuryuu was supposed to say something boring or mean to scare Alibaba into bolting out the window. But Alibaba was still there, completely paralyzed.
Instead of backing down, Judar’s competitive, exhibitionist streak flared to life. ‘Oh, you want to play it like that? Fine.’
Judar floated off the couch, hovering directly over Hakuryuu’s desk. He leaned down, tossing his long black braid over his shoulder, a sudden, fiercely genuine wave of mock-seduction in his eyes. He reached out, his pale fingers tracing the collar of Hakuryuu’s tunic.
"A nuisance, huh?" Judar murmured, tilting his head, his face inches from Hakuryuu’s. "Then why don't you make me shut up? Unless you're just scared you can't handle me tonight..."
Before Hakuryuu could even deliver a dry comeback, Judar decided to completely abandon the original script. He leaned down and aggressively captured Hakuryuu’s lips in a deep, bruising kiss.
Behind the curtain, Alibaba let out a tiny, choked gasp, completely paralyzing himself.
Judar didn't care. He gripped the lapels of Hakuryuu’s formal tunic, yanked him upward out of his chair, and began dragging him backward toward the large, plush bed across the study. Judar’s hands were a frantic blur, tugging at the silver fastenings of Hakuryuu’s collar, his bare feet sliding across the floor as he forced Hakuryuu down onto the mattress beneath him.
"What are you doing?!" Hakuryuu hissed in a furious whisper, his hands coming up to grasp Judar’s shoulders to push him back. He slanted his eyes desperately toward the velvet drapes, his chest heaving. "Are you out of your mind? We have company, remember?!"
Judar just grinned, a wicked, feral gleam in his crimson eyes as he leaned down, pressing his body flush against Hakuryuu’s. His fingers hooked into the fabric of Hakuryuu’s shirt, pulling it open.
"I don't care," Judar whispered back, his breath hot against Hakuryuu's ear. He nipped at the prince's jawline, his voice dripping with malicious glee. "I don't mind an audience at all. Besides, that idiot gets exactly what he deserves for being an annoying, nosy little brat. Let him watch."
For a split second, Hakuryuu's posture remained rigid. But as Judar’s hands slid beneath the fabric of his clothes, a dark, competitive spark ignited in Hakuryuu's own chest. ‘Let him watch, then.’ If Alibaba wanted to violate their privacy so badly, why not give him an unforgettable lesson?
Hakuryuu's hands suddenly shifted, gripping the back of Judar's head and slamming their lips together in a fierce, deeply passionate kiss. It was an explosive, deliberate display of affection—a mutual desire to completely scandalize the intruder hiding in the dark. Judar let out a muffled hum of triumph into the kiss, his fingers tangling wildly in Hakuryuu’s blue hair as they rolled over on the mattress.
Behind the curtain, Alibaba’s soul practically left his body. He was crimson from his forehead down to his collarbone, his hands clawing at the velvet fabric in absolute, mortified agony. ‘Oh my god. Oh my god, they're actually doing it. I'm going to die here. Someone kill me.’
The heat on the bed was escalating rapidly, clothes shifting, breaths becoming shallow and loud in the quiet room—until Hakuryuu suddenly broke the kiss.
He panted slightly, his eyes clear and razor-sharp as he forcefully pinned Judar’s wrists to the mattress. He turned his head slowly, looking directly through the shadows at the heavy velvet drapes.
"Alibaba," Hakuryuu called out, his voice smooth, completely steady, and cutting through the heavy atmosphere like a block of ice.
He paused, a quiet, merciless smirk pulling at his lips.
"How much further did you plan on letting this get before you finally show yourself?"
Hakuryuu’s voice cut through the heavy atmosphere like a razor blade. He reached up, casually catching Judar’s wrist and putting a firm stop to the advance, while his blue eyes fixed directly on the velvet drapes. "Did you plan on staying there until you got all your answers," Hakuryuu asked smoothly, "or are you going to show yourself?”
The silence that followed was absolute.
Agonizingly slowly, the velvet curtain parted. Alibaba crawled out, his face a deep shade of red. He stood up, rubbing the back of his neck, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him into the Kou Empire's subterranean dungeons.
"Uh... hey guys," Alibaba stammered, his voice cracking. "Nice night, huh?"
Hakuryuu didn't move. He just looked at him with an expression of profound, unbothered pity. "If you have latent homosexual feelings you need to work through, Alibaba, I highly suggest you find a better outlet than hiding in corners to watch such intimate things."
"I DON'T!" Alibaba shrieked, his hands flying up in defense. "I don't! I swear! I was just—I was just curious, and it was awkward, and I—"
A loud, booming crack of laughter cut him off.
Judar had thrown his head back, floating upside down in the air again, clutching his stomach as he laughed so hard no sound came out for a second. "Oh my god! Look at him! He actually believed you!" Judar pointed a mocking finger at Alibaba's burning face. "You pathetic loser! He knew you were there the whole time! We spotted your dumb blonde head the second you crept down the hall! We played you so hard!"
Alibaba blinked, his brain trying to process the information. "You... you knew?"
"Of course we knew," Judar scoffed, tossing his braid and landing gracefully on the edge of the desk. He smirked, leaning forward. "And honestly, you asked the completely wrong person earlier. Hakuryuu is a total prude about details. If you wanted to know how things work, you should’ve just asked me. I'm much better for that."
Hakuryuu quietly closed his ledger, a tiny, amused smirk gracing his lips. "That is true. Judar is a great partner. He tries absolutely everything I suggest, and he usually enjoys it thoroughly."
Judar’s smug, triumphant grin instantly vanished.
The Magi froze. His eyes widened as he stared at Hakuryuu, completely unequipped to handle a genuine, explicit compliment about his compliance delivered right in front of an audience. "W-what—hey! Shut up! Don't say stuff like that out loud!" Judar stammered, suddenly looking very small on the edge of the desk.
Alibaba watched Judar completely disintegrate into a blushing mess, and suddenly, all the tension left his body.
A massive wave of relief washed over him. He realized the truth now: Hakuryuu hadn't been genuinely cruel earlier. He had played Alibaba, and then he turned around and completely played Judar in a single, effortless move. Hakuryuu and Judar weren't broken or dysfunctional; they were just... exactly who they had always been, just weirder.
Alibaba let out a breathless, embarrassed laugh, rubbing his forehead. "You guys are unbelievable. Seriously." He took a step backward toward the door, bowing frantically. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for being an idiot and spying. I'll leave you two alone!"
"You'd better!" Judar snapped, still trying to hide his red face behind his sleeves.
"Goodnight, Alibaba," Hakuryuu called out, his voice back to its usual calm, pleasant tone. "Go back to your wife."
"Yeah! Goodnight!" Alibaba blurted, sprinting out the door and slamming it shut behind him.
As he hurried down the bright, quiet corridor of the palace, his face was still warm, but the frantic anxiety was completely gone. He didn't feel bad anymore. In fact, he smiled to himself. He hadn't gotten his logistical answers tonight, but it didn't matter. Next time, he wouldn't bother sneaking around or asking Hakuryuu. He'd just corner Judar in the courtyard tomorrow, offer him some sweet fried snacks, and let the loudmouth brag about every single detail.
Yeah. That was a much better plan.
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Days passed, and while Alibaba desperately tried to erase the imagery of the study from his brain, Judar’s craving for unbothered, distraction-free intimacy only grew. The busy palace offered too many interruptions, prompting the Magi to take matters into his own hands.
"Let’s go to the hot springs."
Hakuryuu paused, his brush hovering a hair's breadth above the ledger on his desk. He glanced up. Judar was currently draped backward over an armchair, his long braid pooling on the floor, kicking his legs back and forth with a look of profound, agonizing boredom.
"The springs?" Hakuryuu asked, setting his brush down. "Now?"
"Yes, now," Judar groaned, sitting up and fixing Hakuryuu with a heavy, intense gaze. His usual chaotic smirk softened into something a little more private, a little lower in tone. "Just you and me. No annoying palace guards. No endless stacks of trade agreements. We can just... relax. Or, you know, not relax. If you catch my drift."
A faint, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of Hakuryuu's lips. He leaned back in his chair. "I see. And here I thought you were planning on finding Alibaba to tell him everything he wanted to know. I recall you saying you didn't mind spectators, and that you'd happily give him all the details."
Judar scoffed loudly, crossing his arms and tossing his head. "Ugh, please. I only said that to make the idiot sweat. I'm not actually going to give that loser what he wants. Let him suffer in total ignorance."
Hakuryuu smiled, a genuine, soft warmth softening his features. He got up from his desk and walked over, leaning against the arm of Judar's chair. "I'm surprised. I didn't think my great, shameless Magi was capable of being reserved."
"I'm not reserved," Judar muttered, though a faint pink tint dusted his cheeks.
"No, I'm serious," Hakuryuu said softly, looking down at him. "Thank you. For respecting my boundaries. I know how much you like to cause a scene, but I've noticed you keep our public displays of affection at a respectable level. I appreciate that you don't try anything risky with me when people are around."
Judar blinked up at him, completely caught off guard by the sudden wave of sincerity. He cleared his throat roughly, looking away for a split second before a cocky, defensive grin plastered back over his face.
"Well, yeah. Obviously I respect whatever you want, Ryuu," Judar mumbled, his fingers tracing the edge of his golden bangles. Then, his eyes flashed with a familiar, wicked spark. "Even though it kills me. You have no idea how badly I want to brag to everyone about our amazing sex life. I am deeply, deeply satisfied, you know. Just knowing we’re together is fine, but it’s so damn hard to keep my hands to myself when we're out in the halls."
Hakuryuu let out a quiet chuckle, reaching down to briefly press his hand against Judar's shoulder. "I'm glad to hear you're pleased with me. Come on, then. Let's get packed. A weekend away at the springs sounds perfect."
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It was perfect. For approximately two hours.
The imperial hot spring resort was supposed to be completely secluded, booked under a private name to ensure absolute quiet. The steam rose lazily into the crisp evening air, the hot water bubbling over smooth river rocks, surrounded by a dense screen of bamboo.
Hakuryuu let out a long, blissful sigh as he sank into the steaming water, resting his arms along the smooth stone edge. Next to him, Judar slid into the pool, his long hair tied up securely, letting out a satisfied hum as the heat hit his shoulders. Judar immediately began drifting closer, a sly, predatory look in his eye as he reached through the water to grab Hakuryuu's waist.
"See?" Judar murmured, pulling Hakuryuu closer. "Told you. No distractions—"
"Oh! Look who it is!"
A high, cheerful voice cut through the steam like a lightning bolt.
Judar froze. Hakuryuu’s entire body went rigid.
From the entrance of the bathhouse, a massive group of people suddenly emerged, clad in matching linen robes and carrying stacks of towels.
Leading the pack was Kougyoku, her eyes wide with theatrical delight as she pointed right at them. "Hakuryuu! Judar! Wow, what an absolutely incredible coincidence!"
"A coincidence?" Hakuryuu repeated, his voice dropping into a flat, dangerous register as he slowly turned his head.
Behind Kougyoku came Kouha, already discarding his robe with a mischievous, sharp-toothed grin. "Yeah, totally wild!" he laughed, hopping right into the water with a massive splash that drenched Judar's face. "We all just coincidentally decided that we absolutely needed a relaxing weekend getaway at the exact same resort, on the exact same weekend!"
"Don't splash, Kouha, it's unrefined," Koumei sighed, looking entirely exhausted as he dragged his feet into the pool, sinking into the water until only his eyes and nose were visible.
"I hope you don't mind," Hakuei said, offering her brother a sweet, entirely unconvincing smile as she sat gracefully on the edge of the bath. "We simply realized it had been far too long since we had a proper family reunion."
And bringing up the absolute rear, looking entirely forced into this arrangement, was Alibaba. He was clutching his towel like a shield, sweating profusely from the steam, and refusing to make eye contact with either Hakuryuu or Judar.
Hakuryuu stared at his family, his eyebrow twitching with immense, overwhelming annoyance. He looked at his sisters, his brothers, and then locked his gaze entirely onto Alibaba, who shrank back instantly.
‘A coincidence,’ Hakuryuu thought, his jaw clenching as Judar wiped water from his eyes and let out a dangerous, low growl. ‘They definitely all know.’
Judar sat frozen in the water, a single piece of wet kelp from Kouha's massive splash sliding slowly down his cheek. His eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at the invading force. "You have exactly three seconds to get out of my sight before I freeze this entire pool solid and turn you all into popsicles."
"Oh, don't be like that, Judar!" Kougyoku chirped, splashing her hands in the water as she sat down a few feet away from them. She leaned forward, her eyes glittering with an entirely undisguised, hungry curiosity. "We're just here to bond! Besides, Hakuryuu is always so busy with paperwork. We wanted to make sure he was being... properly looked after during his time off."
"I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, Kougyoku," Hakuryuu said, his voice clipped and freezing enough to rival Judar’s ice magic. He crossed his arms under the water, glaring directly at Alibaba, who was trying to merge with a decorative rock formation in the corner. "And I see you brought a guest."
Alibaba let out a high-pitched squeak. "I—I was dragged into this! I swear! I was just walking down the hall and then Empress Kougyoku herself said there was a mandatory diplomatic team-building exercise at the springs, and suddenly I was in a carriage!"
"A likely story," Judar snarled, wiping his face. He aggressively slid through the water, intending to wrap an arm around Hakuryuu’s waist just to spite them, but before his fingers could even graze Hakuryuu’s skin, a smooth, wooden bath ladle intercepted him, pressing firmly against his chest.
Judar blinked, following the handle of the ladle up to find Hakuei smiling sweetly at him.
"Judar, dear," Hakuei said, her voice dripping with gentle, sisterly poison. "The water is quite hot. It's best to maintain some personal space so none of us overheat. Why don't you move over to the other side of the pool? The draft is much nicer over there."
"Are you serious right now?!" Judar snapped, slapping the ladle away. "He's my boyfriend! I can sit wherever the hell I want!"
"He is also a prince of Kou, and as his older sister, it is my duty to ensure he maintains his dignity in public," Hakuei replied, her smile never faltering as she gracefully slid into the water, perfectly positioning her entire body as a solid, impassable barricade between Judar and Hakuryuu.
Hakuryuu pinched the bridge of his nose, a massive headache blossoming behind his eyes. "Sister, please..."
"So!" Kouha interrupted, lounging heavily against the rocks, a wicked, razor-sharp smirk on his face as he looked between Judar's furious expression and Hakuryuu's utter exhaustion. "Since we're all here, and we're all such good friends... what were you two planning on doing before we got here? Alibaba mentioned something about a very intense discussion in your study the other night. He seemed deeply concerned about the... logistics of your living arrangements."
Alibaba gasped, his face instantly turning a violent shade of crimson. "KOUHA! I told you that in confidence!"
"Oh, did you?" Kouha laughed, splashing some water at Alibaba. "My bad! But really, Judar, you always talk so loud. Is it true you're a total pushover behind closed doors?"
A dangerous grin slowly spread across Judar’s face. The anger vanished, replaced by a dark, terrifying amusement. If this family was going to ruin his romantic weekend, he was going to make sure they regretted it for the rest of their lives.
"A pushover?" Judar purred, deliberately leaning over Hakuei’s shoulder to look at Kouha and Alibaba. "Oh, absolutely not. In fact, if Blondie over there really wants to know how it works, I’d be happy to demonstrate right now. Ryuu is incredibly loud when he—"
"JUDAR, STOP TALKING," Hakuryuu ordered, his face finally flushing with a mix of deep embarrassment and intense rage.
"What? They asked!" Judar laughed maniacally, deliberately splashing water toward a mortified Alibaba. "Look at him! He's going to faint! Hey, Koumei, look, your new best friend is passing out!"
Koumei didn't even move. He just let out a long, pathetic sigh, sinking deeper into the hot spring until only his hair was floating on the surface. "Please... just let me drown in peace..."
Hakuryuu looked at his chaotic boyfriend, then at his fiercely protective sister, his nosy cousins, and the utterly traumatized Alibaba. He realized, with profound dread, that there was absolutely no escaping his family.
He stood up abruptly, the hot water cascading off his scarred chest as he grabbed Judar firmly by his long black braid. "We are leaving. Now."
"Ow! Hey! Watch the hair, Ryuu!" Judar complained, though he was laughing so hard he could barely float straight.
"Leaving so soon?"
A deep, commanding voice boomed through the steam, halting Hakuryuu in his tracks. From the misty entrance of the baths walked Ren Kouen, clad in a simple linen robe, looking entirely too relaxed for a man who had just dismantled his brother's private weekend.
"Brother Kouen," Hakuryuu muttered, his jaw tightening.
Kouen took great delight in the sheer, unadulterated fury radiating from the two of them. With a calm, measured stride, he stepped forward, deliberately placing himself directly between Hakuryuu and Judar.
"Since it is a family reunion, you two will be staying," Kouen ordered smoothly, a small, incredibly rare smirk playing at the edge of his lips. He turned a deadpan stare directly onto the dark Magi. "However, boundaries must be maintained. Judar, you will go with the women to the separate baths across this one."
Judar’s jaw dropped. He instantly freaked out, his hands flying to his hips as he floated a foot out of the water. "WHAT?! Are you out of your mind?! Why the hell would I go over there? There is no way in hell I'm doing that!"
Kouen didn't even blink. He crossed his arms, looking thoroughly amused. "I know exactly why, Judar. Nobody here wants to see you jump at Hakuryuu in a public hot spring. And since you have absolutely no romantic or sexual interest in women - as you’ve told us all countless times before, - you pose no threat to them. Therefore, that is your place to be."
Judar opened his mouth to scream another insult, but he stopped. He looked closely at Kouen’s face—at the specific, knowing glint in the older man's eyes and the subtle, smug curve of his smile.
Kouen knew. He knew exactly who took the lead and who topped in Hakuryuu and Judar's relationship, and he was using that exact knowledge to put Judar in his place.
A sharp, wicked smirk replaced Judar's outrage. He tossed his braid over his shoulder, locking eyes with Kouen in a silent, mutual understanding. "You really are a bastard, you know that?"
But instead of fighting further, Judar actually nodded, confirming Kouen's suspicion with absolute pride. They exchanged one last knowing glance before Judar rolled his eyes and floated off toward the women's side, cackling to himself about how much he was going to annoy Kougyoku.
Hakuryuu sighed, rubbing his temples, while Alibaba stared from his rock, his brain completely melting into sludge trying to decipher what that look meant.
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Hakuryuu didn't give the rest of his family a single glance as he hauled a delightfully unbothered Judar out of the water just an hour later. He snatched two towels from the rack, throwing one directly into Judar's face to shut him up.
"Enjoy the rest of your coincidental weekend," Hakuryuu called back over his shoulder, his tone dripping with icy sarcasm.
From the pool, Kouha waved cheerfully. "Goodnight, little brother! Don't do anything we wouldn't do! Which, honestly, leaves a lot of options open!"
"Please... just close the door quietly..." Koumei’s voice muffled from beneath the surface of the water.
Back in the safety of their private, locked room, the sliding door was firmly shut and barred. The silence of the night finally returned.
Judar was still snickering, sitting cross-legged on the tatami mats while rough-drying his hair with the towel. "Oh my god. Did you see the idiot’s face after I teased them just a bit? I thought his eyes were going to pop right out of his skull and float away. It was worth every single second."
Hakuryuu sighed, sliding into a fresh linen robe and tying the sash tightly. The absolute exhaustion of dealing with his family was weighing heavily on his shoulders, but as he looked over at Judar, the annoyance slowly melted away.
"You're terrible," Hakuryuu said, a faint, fond smile breaking through his stern expression. He walked over, dropping down onto the mats beside the Magi. "But... thank you."
Judar paused, pulling the towel down from his head, blinking his crimson eyes. "For what? I literally tried to traumatize your cousin."
"For not actually telling them anything," Hakuryuu said softly. He reached out, his fingers gently tangling in the damp, dark strands of Judar's hair. "You talked a big game to make Alibaba sweat, but you kept your promise. You didn't actually give anything away."
Judar scoffed, a dark pink hue rising to his cheeks as he aggressively looked away, crossing his arms. "Well, yeah. Obviously. Like I said, those fools don't deserve to know how good I have it. It’s private." He glanced back at Hakuryuu through his bangs, a familiar, cocky smirk returning. "But since we're finally alone... and no one is hiding in the curtains or under the rocks..."
Hakuryuu let out a soft chuckle, leaning forward to close the distance between them. "Yes, Judar. Finally."
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The next morning, the sun rose brightly over the resort.
Alibaba sat at a low table in the courtyard, staring blankly into his cup of green tea. He had huge, dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't slept a single wink. Every time he closed his eyes, he just pictured Judar’s grin and Hakuryuu’s furious, blushing face.
The door to the courtyard slid open, and Hakuryuu walked out, looking completely refreshed, perfectly composed, and entirely at peace. He looked like a man who had slept beautifully.
Alibaba instantly stiffened, clutching his teacup like a lifeline. "H-Hakuryuu. Morning."
"Good morning, Alibaba," Hakuryuu replied smoothly, pouring himself a cup of tea and sitting down across from him. He took a calm, measured sip. "I trust you slept well?"
Alibaba let out a hollow, defeated laugh. "Yeah. Sure. Completely standard amount of sleep." He stared at his friend for a long moment, before finally letting out a massive, exhausting breath. He slumped forward, resting his forehead against the wooden table. "Look... I give up."
Hakuryuu raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"I don't want to know anymore," Alibaba groaned. "I don't care who does the woman's part. I don't care about the logistics. I don't care about who is loud. I realize now that you and Judar are just a localized natural disaster, and trying to understand it is going to take years off my life. I'm going to mind my own business from now on.”
Alibaba flinched as Judar dropped down from the sky, landing gracefully on the stone table right next to Hakuryuu. He was grinning like a maniac.
"Fucking finally!" Judar laughed, pointing a finger at Alibaba's miserable face. "If you hadn't stopped, I swear to god I would have started stalking you and your little wife. Speaking of which..." Judar leaned forward, his crimson eyes glittering with malicious glee. "I bet Morgiana pegs you. She's totally the one on top, isn't she? And I bet you cry after you come!"
"WHAT?! NO!" Alibaba shrieked, his entire face turning a violent, explosive shade of dark purple. "That is—that is absolutely not true! Why would you even say that?!"
Judar rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and childishly pouting his lips as he kicked his legs back and forth against the side of the table. He shot Alibaba a thoroughly smug, judgmental glare.
"See how it feels when someone sticks their noses where they don't belong?"
Alibaba opened and closed his mouth like a fish, completely defenseless, while Hakuryuu quietly set his quill down, a tiny, deeply satisfied smirk finally crossing his face.
‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧
A week later, Alibaba finally got his answer, even though he didn't want to know anymore.
And he regretted it with every single fiber of his being.
Alibaba had been carrying a stack of urgent reports, completely lost in his own thoughts, when he walked straight into Hakuryuu’s bedroom without knocking.
He didn't just get a hint. He didn't just hear a noise. He saw everything. More than he had ever, ever wanted to see in his entire life.
Alibaba’s scream of terror had echoed through the entire residential wing of the palace. He had dropped the papers, covered his eyes, and fled down the corridor, profusely apologizing at the top of his lungs.
For three days straight, Hakuryuu remained absolutely furious. Every time Alibaba tried to approach him to discuss actual business, Hakuryuu would glare at him with a terrifying, icy intensity.
"It was an accident! I swear on my life, Hakuryuu, it was a total accident!" Alibaba yelled, raising his hands in defense as he cornered Hakuryuu on the fourth day.
"There is no way that was an accidental approach, Alibaba," Hakuryuu stated coldly, not even looking up from his ledger. "You lied. You were still consumed by that ridiculous curiosity, and you decided to spy on us in our own quarters."
"I DIDN'T! I REALLY DIDN'T!" Alibaba wailed, clutching his head in genuine, deep psychological agony. He slumped against a marble pillar, looking entirely traumatized. "Believe me, Hakuryuu, I would do absolutely anything to unsee what I witnessed. Anything! I can't sleep! My brain is scarred!"
Hakuryuu paused, finally glancing up at his friend's genuinely miserable, horrified expression.
Alibaba let out a hollow, exhausted sigh, staring blankly up at the sky. "I learned my lesson. I really did. Ignorance... ignorance is absolute bliss in such cases. I am never asking about anyone's relationship ever again."
A tiny, victorious smirk finally crossed Hakuryuu's face as he picked up his quill. "I'm glad we finally understand each other, Alibaba.”