Day 1
Kalim was upset.Ok,not upset,disappointed.Jamil and him had agreed to give their friendship another try and for a day now they had been stuck in a stalemate,neither one of them making the first step to achieve that goal.He would've done so all the way back at lunch yesterday,but he was...scared.To push Jamil away,to ruin this chance like his careless actions and words did the previous one.So he kept his mouth shut,waiting for his vice dorm leader to reach out,even a little,but nothing.Classes and meals passed.They had a dorm room meeting in an hour or so and with that,today would soon be over with nothing,but a now seemingly meaningless agreement.Just like yesterday."Then what are you doing just sitting here?Get up and do something!You only have this for one month.Use it,you idiot!" his thoughts screamed at him.Kalim got up,his face turning determined.They're right,he wasn't just gonna waste this and stay back like a sitting duck.So he ran out of his room,reaching Jamils in almost no time and knocking as politely as he could while he was still inwardly panicking.
Looking up from his finished homework,Jamil turned his face towards the door.Who could it be?Probably not a first year,if that polite,but frantic knocking was any indication.He opened the door and sure enough,it was Kalim."Hey Jamil,can I ask you something?"he asked with a grin way too fragile to be casual."Sure."the taller responded cooly,moving away from the doorway to let the heir in."Thanks."the younger said,acting like he was a kid in a museum,looking around with an air of discomfort.Quite the contrast to how he use to act in Jamils room,treating it like his own place and taking this and that as he pleased."What did you wanna ask?"he asked,trying to sound calm,but not hostile.
"Oh,you know I was just wondering if we could..."the heir started,before he felt a smell pass his nostrils.A mix of ocean breeze and melon if he wasn't mistaken."...Do something.New shampoo?","Yeah.And do what?"Jamil asked,moving to stand in front of the shorter boy,looking at him with his silver,disinterested eyes.Or did they just appear silver because of the candlelight reflected in them?Though he wasn't sure if the right expression was glowing or shining.Shining,probably,but aren't those synonymous?Perhaps not."Kalim?","Huh?What were we talking about again?","What do you wanna do? You kinda spaced out for a moment.You good?"Jamil asked,his eyebrows seemingly knitted in concern."Yeah,yeah I'm great.Amazing,never been better."Kalim responded,his words coming out rushed and squeaky."Aha.So what are we gonna do?"the young Viper asked.The heir looked around the room for any sort of "hangout inspiration " ,but he came up with nothing.Until his eyes landed on Jamils loose,freshly washed,but dry hair.A smirk spread over Kalims features as his eyes went to his friends face."I think I just got it."
"Oh no,I know that look.And nothing good comes out of it."Jamil said,as he saw a look of mischief spread over the shorter boys face.That could only mean two things.A party,a parade or a horrific third option,a combination of both."Listen, I know what you're gonna say..."Kalim started in his pleading tone,which would usually be followed by begging and puppy dog eyes.And occasionally crying.If he wanted to put his foot down,he has to do it now."Which is no.Kalim,there is no way I can or will organize a party in matter of an hour."he said,annoyance building up inside him.He knew the boy could be unreasonable,but this is ridiculous!"Lucky for you it's not a party."Kalim said grinning,looking proud of himself.Jamil raised an eyebrow,unimpressed."A parade then?".He only got a shake of the head in response."An unholy mix of both?"the brunette breathed out.Great Seven,give him the patience."Nope."came Kalims swift and cheery response."Then what?","I want to do your hair."the heir said,unreasonably excited about something so mundane.Then again,what's new there?"Or...I have another idea.We don't do that."Jamil said crossing his arms,backing away.
"Look,we have to start from somewhere.We haven't done anything out of the ordinary yesterday or today for that matter.We can't make progress or improve by doing nothing."Kalim said matter of factly.He tried not to sound petulant,knowing that would make his argument less valid.Was he still that unlikable to Jamil that he didn't want to spend any more time with him than was absolutely necessary?Probably not,since he humored him so far,but the possibility still gnawed at him."You may not be as invested in this relationship as I am,which I understand but if we agreed to do this,then let's do it.I was serious about becoming your equal,so let me be one.".Jamil looked him up and down,eyes narrowed as he took Kalim in,like he was seeing the younger boy for the very first time.
He couldn't believe it.The heir didn't childishly demand something or beg for Jamil to let him do a thing he wanted.He presented the facts and resolutely made a request.The brunette was weirdly impressed,if he was being honest.This was the first time Kalim had ever shown a bit of the powerful blood running trough his veins.A request that left no room for a no,simply by its decisiveness.So,he sighed and walked over to his bed."Alright.You've convinced me.But..."he began,turning to glare at the other boy"If I see a fistful of my hair in your hand,I am never talking to you again,despite the deal we made.Is that clear?","Crystal."the younger said,giving him a smile and a thumbs up.
Jamil rolled his eyes and turned his back to Kalim once again,as the heir climbed onto the bed."So,the oil is...","In the box under the bed,I know."the white haired boy responded,bending forwards and reaching under the bed.He wrapped his fingers around the handle pulling the box out from under it.Placing it next to himself,Kalim opened it,taking out a vile of gold liquid.After he applied it to his palms,Jamil tilted his head back,giving the heir the go ahead.The younger scooted over,his hands shaking."Why am I nervous?" he thought,before steeling himself with a deep breath.He slowly reached towards his friends hair,taking a handful of the coffee colored locks.The tresses felt silky under his fingers as he applied the oil to them.The sensation was making Kalims mind wander more than it should've,Jamils low hums only making it harder to think.The hair glistening made it look alive,almost like the locks were sable...snakes.The heirs breath hitched,as he let go, the hair dropping down the others back.He took a deep breath.That was over now.Long over."You okay?"the brunette asked."Yeah."Kalim choked out.He saw Jamil turn towards him,his smoky eyes regarding him with a troubled gaze.The younger smiled,trying to lessen the Vipers concerns,but he failed to give anything more than a shaky grimace."Let's get back to it,shall we?".His vice dorm leader still looked unconvinced,but turned around regardless.
"What was that about?"Jamil thought.He could hear Kalim gasp and swallow thickly behind him.His strained voice was enough indication that his response was an outright lie.He was clearly pretending to make him feel better.Did the Asim heir always cover up his feelings,for the sake of others and he failed to notice till now?And for that matter,did that make the two of them similar in some way?After all,they both had to pretend for the sake of others,though in Kalims case he did it out of desire,not obligation like Jamil did.Or maybe it was out of obligation for both.After all,nobody likes a sultan who doesn't inspire any morale or a servant that complains too much.
"Hm."the heir hummed,utterly stumped.Ok,so he knew the braid had to be thin,but how thin exactly?Maybe he can just spitball it and hope for the best?That probably wouldn't do,considering it's gonna get a bit thinner once he starts braiding.Then again...He can see the start of the thing and estimate from there?"About this thick."Jamil said,demonstrating with his finger half an inch from eachother."Did he just read my mind?"Kalim thought."And I'm talking about the amount of hair,not the braid itself.","He did it again!" .The younger took his advice and got to it,taking a strand of hair and separating it into three smaller ones.He intertwined them rather easily and finished it off with one of the golden baubles from the nightstand.This got him a single hum of of acknowledgement from his advisor.And he thought it leaned more on the "you didn't screw this up"side.But what if he's wrong?He should check."Just to be clear,that hum meant "you did good",right?"Kalim asked.Jamil took a deep breath,probably trying to resist the urge to turn around and yell"You think Captain Obvious?".However,that's not what happened."Yeah,that's what it meant."came a clearly tired,but gentle response.Kalim smiled at his good guessing.
"When have you started being so perceptive anyway?"the taller asked."Well,I kinda had to figure it out...Considering we didn't speak for a bit."the heir said.The hurt in his voice was hard to miss and that might've made Jamil feel a bit...guilty.He exhaled,slightly regretting what he was about to ask."What was that reaction from earlier about?","What reaction?"Kalim asked way too quickly."Don't play dumb.When you dropped my hair.","Oh..."the tone of dreadful realization was unmistakable,as he continued."It's just...your Overblot passed my mind that's all."And there's the guilt again."Oh.Sorry about that.","Don't be.Besides,as you said...I was ignorant.","To be fair,keeping you ignorant was the point,so it's not entirely your fault."Jamil muttered,holding back the urge to tell Kalim that it wasn't his fault at all.But his pride kept his mouth shut.Ugh,why was he so hard to hate all of a sudden!?
Silence fell upon them again,but it felt more warm and homely than before.It was almost like they were 10 again and all that mattered was their friendship and these small moments.Of course that wasn't the case anymore,but that didn't mean Kalim can't pretend."One more,right?","Yup.".The heir moved to sit in front of Jamil,reaching for the box of fake coins inside the bedside tables drawer.At first he thought that pulling the strand through the holes was hard,but the worst part was yet to come.It was when he started braiding that the issue came up.Doing a motion he'd already memorized at this point he allowed his mind to wander.He could feel the others breath against his neck,along with the Vipers scorching gaze.Is it hot in here,or is it just him?"Do you have a fever or something?"Jamil asked,snapping him out of it."What?Why would you say that?,"Because you're red all over.","No way..."Kalim started,before rubbing the back of his neck and noticing that the skin there was scorching hot."Oh...Guess I am a little warm.Must be from the heat.Desert and all that."the younger sputtered."Aha."the older replied skeptically.
After Kalim finished,there was only one thing left.The hair tie,which the heir insisted to put on himself.An eye roll and some hair tugging later,it was done.Jamil sighed out of relief,glad he still had hair on his head.He was just about to tell Kalim to get of his lap,when he saw the younger's blushing face and wide eyes.Seemingly getting the memo,the heir practically jumped of off him and ran out the door,rambling nonsense.Jamil simply blinked in confusion,unsure what had gotten into Scarabias dorm leader all of a sudden.
Day 2
"What the hell are you doing?"Jamil asked walking into the kitchen,to see Kalim cutting onions,one eye closed and tongue sticking out.The heir turned towards him with a beaming grin."Good morning,Jamil.Making breakfast of course."he said reaching for a paper towel to wipe his eyes.The taller walked over to him,taking the knife out of his hands and setting it aside."Alright,first off,how early did you get up?","Five in the morning.". Great Seven that's earlier than him!"Secondly,you know how I feel about you and sharp objects,so the knife is staying faaar away from you.".Kalim pouted in response,but didn't object."And thirdly,"of course"implies the thing being done or the reason for it is obvious which in this case it is not.Explain."he said tying his hair.This was gonna be good.Kalim wasn't an early bird or a cook by any stretch.In fact,it was a miracle he hadn't poisoned himself by accident in one of his many culinary attempts over the years.So what could've possibly compelled him to do this was a complete mystery.
"Well,I figured that if you're gonna be traveling,I'm gonna have to do certain things on my own.And if that happens soon I don't want our dorm members to starve.","I'm pretty sure they could manage.Also don't you have 99 other servants who could cook just as well if not better than I do?".The bitterness in the statement didn't escape Kalims ears,and it made him frown.Did Jamil really think he was that expandable?Just another servant in a sea of others?Is that really how his affection came off ?And here he was,thinking he was helping.Leaning against the counter the heir sighed"Yeah,but I don't wanna burden anyone else.Besides,if I make my own food the chances of getting poisoned are lowered.Which means,less things for you to worry about."he said,smiling.
"You forget it's my job to worry.And with your previous attempts being inedible,I'm not having high hopes for this one.","That soufflé was almost there though.","Hardly."he responded coldly.Kalim frowned,looking a bit hurt,but the smile quickly came back on."Well,this time you're here,so..."the heir said,pushing the onion covered cutting board towards Jamil."What do you think?".The dark haired boy took a good look at it.Kalim would've had better luck cutting with his foot at this point.The pieces were big,uneven and the ends weren't straight.But,he settled for"It's sloppy."since,for some reason,he couldn't bring himself to be harsher than that.The younger took it pretty well though.He simply sighed with a sad smile."Would you believe it if I told you this was my fifth attempt?","Yes.What are you even trying to make?"he asked,walking over to the trash can and pushing the onions into it."An onion omelet.","And this step took an hour?You're lucky I showed up before you started frying .Could you..."
Kalim showed him his palms before he could even finish.Despite the brief look of surprise,instinct kicked in soon enough,as Jamil took his hand in his,gaze downcast and scrutinizing.The contact felt...different.Every inch of his skin that was being touched felt like it was on fire,every time that his eyes met Jamils his cheeks would heat up and he'd avert his gaze."What's wrong with me?We've done this before,there's no reason for me to freak out.","Congrats,you still have all 10 fingers."the taller said letting go of his hands.Kalim let them drop to the sides,his mouth opening and closing,as he uselessly nodded.Clearing his throat,he spoke."So,do you mind helping me to keep it that way?"he breathed."Considering you're your own worst enemy when it comes to your safety,doing otherwise would be irresponsible."the young Viper said with a shrug,heading for the fridge.
With the eggs and new onions placed on the table,Jamil got to the next priority.The knife.He turned it back and forth in his hand,narrowing his eyes.It was far too dull for his liking,explaining why Kalim had trouble cutting with it.Well,aside from the obvious lack of experience.He placed it back into the drawer taking a sharper one out in the process.He placed it on the counter,and turned towards the heir."The eggs are over there,you don't have to separate the whites so it should be easy.","Actually...I was thinking I'd do both.","Do I need to remind you of your failure from a few minutes ago?"Jamil said,raising an eyebrow."No,you don't."Kalim said an awkward laugh escaping his lips."I just thought maybe you could show me instead of doing it for me.".With an exasperated "Fine" he agreed.
Taking the knife,the heir started cutting and immediately,Jamil took his wrist and adjusted the position a little.And there was that strange feeling again."Ok,what is going on with you?","What do you mean?"Kalim asked,looking up,before Jamil pushed his head down."Keep your eyes on the knife,idiot.I mean your face going all red and the stuttering.It's weird."he said in a deadpan tone."Honestly,don't know myself."Kalim said,clearing his throat.The other rolled his eyes but a small smile creeped up on his face as well.Kalim quickly returned his gaze back to its previous spot,before he could be caught star...looking,his cheeks warm.
Day 3
"Jamil!"Kalim screamed,running down the hallway like a madman.Jamil,obviously hearing him,turned around to see his dorm leader sprinting towards him.He quickly leaped into the tallers arms.The heir clung to him and the brunette adjusted putting one arm on the shorters back,supporting his weight by wrapping an arm around his waist,while Kalims legs wrapped around his.He waited for the younger to calm down a little bit,before he asked"What's going on?".There were only two reasons why the heir would do this.Either he's really happy to see him,which considering the slight shaking was unlikely or something scared him shitless.The only response he got was the youngers face being buried into his neck.So,the hard way it is.
"Kalim..."Jamil whispered,his voice low in the heirs ear.It made him tense up and a chill run up his spine."If you don't tell me what's going on in a matter of seconds,I'm gonna drop you.".Kalims eyes opened as he leaned away from his friends neck to look at him.The brunettes silver eyes left no room for speculation.He was gonna drop him with no second thought."My arms are getting tired."he drawled.He immediately put his legs on the floor,still looking at Jamil with wide and nervous eyes.He looked down,before swallowing.This was gonna be embarrassing."There's a...spider in my room."he muttered under his breath.
"A spider?".Kalim nodded and Jamil snorted,before looking up from the floor back to the heir."Do you want me to take care of it?"he asked,a smirk on his face."No!I can't have you risk that!"the younger said,grabbing his lower arm with a look of palpable fear.Jamil slowly removed the others hands and put his own on the shorters shoulders."Kalim,I'm practically an adult.I think I can handle a little spider."the brunette said,walking towards the heirs door.Before Kalim could stop him,Jamil opened the door looking for it.He saw something move in the corner of his eye.It was the spider,coming towards them on all it's disgusting eight,hairy legs,at insane speed.Quickly shutting and closing the door,he turned towards the other,horrified."Ok...So,that's not happening.","Well,I guess I'll have to sleep somewhere else now."Kalim said,with a resigned sigh.The young Viper shook his head."No way.I won't allow it.We just need some more protection that's all."
Borrowing two suits of armor and swords,the two sat down in front of Kalims door to make a plan."So here's what we're gonna do.It's pretty clear neither of our Unique Magics are gonna work against it.So we'll have to go with an offensive approach.We'll weed it out with some spells and then when it's out,we strike it down with these."Jamil said lifting a sword."Sounds good?","Well...I have some notes."Kalim said,nervously,gesturing towards him."And those are?"the brunette asked,raising an eyebrow."For starters,we're gonna alert it to our presence if we wear these metal boots.Secondly,aren't swords a bit...overkill?","Do you want it to kill us?","No!Of course not.I just think we can do it without cutting ourselves or destroying things.And with swords that's...kinda a risk.","We can use the metal boot to kill it.Would that work?"the brunette asked."I think so.Besides,neither of us want that thing on our shoes.","Agreed."
"Okay,that's settled."Jamil said taking of the feet pieces.Once Kalim did that as well,the two slowly got up and opened the door,blades and wands at the ready.Their backs to eachother they scanned the room,the creature nowhere to be seen.After casting some spells,the two waited in tense silence.After a few moments the heir whispered"Do you think it could've left trough the window?","I don't think spiders usually do that.So,no."he replied,his silver eyes roaming the floor when he spotted it.The two attempted to stomp on it,but it managed do evade them every time,running trough the open door.The two followed it in hot pursuit.
It ran down the hall,quickly making it into the lounge.Noticing the glass on the counter,Kalim ran over and grabbed it,slamming it over the creature.Jamil walked over with a knife gesturing for Kalim to lift it a little.The brunette placed the knife under it at an angle.The heir let it fall back into its previous position,causing the knife to fall flat against the floor,squishing the bug.After a moment of silence,Kalim tackled Jamil in an embrace.Suprisingly,the young Viper returned the hug,a smile spreading over the heirs face as he buried his face into the others neck."You do realize you're paying for that knife?","Yeah I figured."
Day 4
"You want me to do what!?","Teach me how to fight with a knife.If someone tries to slice my throat open I can defend myself.","Deep breaths Viper,deep breaths.You can do this."Jamil thought taking a deep breath.All he has to do is calmly explain why that is an awful idea."Kalim,I'm your servant.I can't raise a blade against you.If anyone finds out,I'll...","Nobody will find out.And even if they do,it's just sparring.No blood will be drawn."Kalim said,reassuring as ever.And he had that stupid smile on his face.Of course.Though,he had to admit it didn't make him sick and his body surge with rage anymore.Why?He had no idea.
Grabbing the knife from under his pillow and another one from the drawer,Jamil pressed it into the heirs palm.At that moment,the gray eyes found the red,Kalims cheeks warm as he looked down.What was this feeling of electricity sparking at his nerves,why did it appear when him and Jamil were near eachother and why did he like it?"Kalim?","Yeah?"the younger sputtered.The brunette raised an eyebrow,saying"Shall we begin?","Yeah,sure."the shorter choked out.The older shrugged,turning his back to Kalim and stretching,his defined back muscles rippling as he did so,even trough the tank top.The heir looked away, afraid of getting caught despite his friends turned back,becoming even warmer in the face.
Jamil turned towards Kalim,eyebrow
raised.He had that weird look again.Ugh,whatever."Let me see your stance.".He did as asked and...Wow...It was bad.His limbs were wonky,his posture was off and the hold on the handle was loose."Judging by your expression I guess I'm not doing well."the heir said lowering his outstretched arm."First off,hold it."the brunette said raising his hand to stop Kalim from lowering it further,before continuing "Secondly,yes.Let me show you what you should do."he said walking over to him.
Jamil now stood behind him,his hands on the heirs bare shoulders."Ok,straighten your arm like so."he began,gently lifting and straightening Kalims arms,his fingers gliding along it all the while,making the younger shiver and his breath hitch."Tighten your grip thusly."the taller continued,enclosing the others fingers around the handle,his breath warm against the heirs head."And finally we adjust your waist like this...And done."he said moving Kalims waist a bit left,the heirs cheeks heating up as he did so.Jamil preceded to step away from him and looked at the shorter up and down,his gaze seemingly not missing a single detail,or mistake for that matter.However,a rare look of approval lit his features,as he finished up his evaluation."Not bad.","Thanks?So,what now?"
"Now..."Jamil said,taking his knife and turning it around in his hand."The real sparring begins."he finished,smirking,as Kalim gulped.For some reason that look filled him with unimaginable and weirdly sadistic glee.At first,the heirs movements were stiff and ineffective,but he had to admit Kalim's always been a quick learner.Jamil still remembered how he managed to pick up drums in a week.This was no different.Except this took about an hour.His quick uptake was no match for the years of training the other received however.In almost no time,the heirs throat was under the brunettes blade,his wrists in Jamils tight grip.Kalim had enough experience with these sort of situations not to struggle and he had enough experience to be able to think and hold this position at the same time.So,he did exactly that.If this has happened earlier,oh the things Jamil would've done...Slit his throat,stab him,choke him out...The possibilities were endless,especially with how naive he was back then.He remembered when the thought of life leaving those red eyes and the heirs limp body falling on the ground as any noise of his ceased caused him great joy...Now,it made him want to vomit."Jamil?You ok?"Kalim asked,concerned.He turned his face towards the other and said"Yeah."trying to calm the youngers nerves.
The heir pouted,but didn't press further.Jamil seemed honest and Kalim could differentiate at this point.So,he was sure there was no cause for concern.That made him wonder though,if he had been in this position with him earlier,knowing what he knows now,what would he have done?What would've Jamil done?Well,that was a stupid question.He would've slit Kalims neck with no hesitation,happy to have him gone.But would the heir have stopped him?The answer came fast.No,he wouldn't have.If he'd known what he'd been trough because of him,he might've even bared his neck a bit.It's the least he could do.Besides,it's not as if this position was uncomfortable.Feeling Jamils body against his,was...strangely pleasant actually.A peaceful and quick way to go out at least.With that out of the way,he moved his face towards his friends and...Was Jamil always that handsome?Was his jaw always that defined,yet thin?Were his eyes always that alluring?Were his lips always so...inviting,for lack of a better word?And with his face so close to his friends,Kalim could feel it go ablaze."So...how did I do?"the heir muttered,his voice unsure.The taller chuckled,the genuineness of it sending shivers up the youngers spine.It was a burst of laughter,expectedly so different from the extremely rare,quiet snorts Kalim would get out of him on a good day.
"Well,let's see.I have a knife pressed to your throat,your blade is on the floor and you have no way to retrieve it.So,you're pretty much helpless."Jamil said,voice low."Then,I guess the answer is not well."Kalim breathed.Was he...nervous?Flustered,perhaps...No.That's ridiculous.Letting go of him,Jamil shook his head."No.Actually you did way better than I thought you would.".The heirs face lit up at the praise,an almost blinding smile spreading over his features.Seriously,was getting praise from him,a servant,that important to Kalim?Jamil frowned.He never did praise him much,did he?"Or at all."his subconscious whispered."Really?You think so?"the heir asked,excited and disbelieving.Jamil nodded,a small,genuine smile on his face.Kalim ran out still beaming,his face as red as his eyes,leaving Jamil very confused.
Day 5
Kalim was taking a bath,when he heard footsteps going past the bathroom door.He turned around to see a tired Jamil,probably back from basketball practice,walking past."Jamil,could you come over here for a sec,please?"the heir exclaimed against his better judgement.The brunette turned towards the door and walked in with a face of annoyed confusion."What is it?","Could you...take a bath with me?"the shorter spat out,looking down."Why?","You look exhausted and I thought this might be more relaxing than taking a shower.Of course,if you don't wanna...","Actually,that's not a horrible idea.Sure why not.","Wait,huh?What?"Kalim thought."Are you serious?"he asked turning towards Jamil,who was already taking his jersey off.The heir had never turned around that fast."Did he always have abs!?Why am I only noticing this now?"he thought,his heart going a mile per second."Yeah,I mean we've done this before,so it's not as if it would be anything new for us."he responded,matter of factly."Ha,ha...Yeah...Not weird at all."Kalim said,his last words dying on his tongue."Anyway...Would you prefer if I stayed back turned to you or...","Yeah,actually.I would prefer that."Jamil interrupted,straight to the point as always.And even though it was hard,he respected that wish.
Was it just him or did Kalim seem a bit...antsy?He was tapping his finger against his knee,and he was splashing the water with his other arm.Jamil shrugged and chalked it up to the heir just being weird lately.Once he finished,the brunette coughed and as if on cue,Kalim looked up,taking a deep breath and blinking rapidly.He slowly got into the water,the younger still looking up.After submerging himself a bit further,the taller tapped the Asim heir on the shoulder.Kalim turned towards him,eyes frantic and smile nervous."So...We haven't done this in a while."he said.Jamil nodded,leaning against the edge of the tiled bath.Ever since the...incident,Jamil's been avoiding this.A lot of other thing as well,but this in particular was what he avoided most.Him and Kalim tended not to sit in complete silence when they did this,and the only thing they could discuss back then was the Overblot.And he didn't trust himself not to blow up at Kalim if he brought it up.He had to admit thought...It was nice to do this again.
"So how did practice go?","It was great.We're going to destroy Royal Swords Academy in the finals,that's for sure."Jamil said,grinning as he thought about it.Kalim hadn't seen him so happy in...a long time.The heir smiled softly."That's nice to hear.Kinda."he said,not sure whether or not he should be happy about other people being humiliated,even if it was their rival school."Yeah.Anyway,how's music club going?","The usual,more or less.Lilia busting our ear buds with his base,Cater making spontaneous photo shoots for no reason.We do have a big gig coming up though.","Really,what are you guys gonna be playing?","It's a surprise.All I can tell you is that it's for Rooks and Vils anniversary.","Hmm..."Bad Romance"?","No....Ok,maybe.Yeah.Yeah,it's that."Kalim said hanging his head low in embarrassment.It's almost as if Jamil could read his mind."Well you were always easy to read."the older groaned,stretching."Yeah."Kalim responded,with a chuckle."Wait a minute.If I'm an open book,does that mean...Oh no."the heir thought,face going red."Hey,Jamil d-do you by any chance...Uhm,have an...idea of what I was thinking when you held a knife to my throat yesterday?"he stuttered.Jamil thought for a moment,fingers on his mouth.He shook his head."No,I was kind of thinking about other things at the time.","Good."Kalim said,breathing a sigh of relief.He corrected himself once he realized Jamil was looking at him suspiciously."I mean...Really,what things?"
Is he going crazy or is Kalim embarrassed?Those words didn't go together,but he couldn't think of any other way to describe the heirs behavior.He was usually so shamelessly chatty and affectionate that seeing him like this was...strange to say the least.And is he blushing?"Nothing important really."he responded."No way.We've known eachother for 17 years.Why would he be embarrassed around me?It has to be something else."the brunette thought.Maybe if he scrutinizes this a bit more he'll get to the bottom of it.So,he examined every visible inch of him.And he didn't notice anything.Not the toned arms,the redness of his eyes,the noticeable collarbone or the outline of his lips for that matter.He looked away.Maybe he'll check some other time.
Day 6
"Jamil!"Kalim screamed.He was laying unconscious in a pile of ink,sand and crow feathers.Kalim sprinted over,tripping over himself and eventually fell onto his knees next to his friend.He took Jamil into his arms to examine the situation.Even though his skin was no longer gray as it was during his Overblot,it was still very pale and ice cold under Kalims fingers.Not only that,but his limbs were limp and heavy.The heirs blood ran cold.No,he couldn't be...Even if the signs were there,it can't be.He shook him as hard as he could,but there was no reaction.Not a slight scrunch of the face,a shift to the side,nothing.His face was relaxed,expressionless.Kalim could feel his throat tighten and his eyes water as it fully hit him.Jamil was gone and he's never coming back.He'd never again see the sight of Jamil waking him up.He'll never hear him scold him,as Kalim drags him down the hallway god knows where.He'll never feel the others hand against his forehead when he gets sick.And they'll never get to make up.The last thing they did was fight.That made the sobbing start.His sobs were ragged,as he cradled Jamils corpse.
Kalim gasped,waking up in a cold sweat and tangled sheets.He must've been turning in his sleep.Again.Straightening,he wiped the still oncoming tears from his eyes."It's just a dream.Your head made it up to scare you."he told himself.He could still feel the weight of Jamils corpse in his arms.He pulled his legs to his chest and sobbed.The nightmares have never been this...real before.And even though he knew they weren't,the coldness of the brunettes body still haunted him.He has to check if Jamil was ok.He just has to.
It was almost midnight when Jamil heard a knock on his door.He walked over to it,annoyed.Who the fuck would knock at..."Kalim?".The heir was standing in front of him with a weak smile and watery eyes."Hey,Jamil."he said his voice shaky and his body shivering,probably from the shock of whatever happened.He placed his hands on Kalims shoulders,concern building up in his chest."What happened?!"the taller said trying to keep calm,but failing miserably.He hasn't seen Kalim this shaken up since he had nightmares about that time he was poisoned.Whatever this was about has to be that bad or worse.
"I don't really wanna talk about it.And I know you told me to deal with nightmares myself and I'm sorry.I just....need to know you're...there."the heir said,speaking faster by the second.His voice broke at the last sentence,as he grabbed onto Jamils arms for stability and looked down,unable to look at the other without recalling the unnerving stillness of his dead selves face."Kalim,I'll always be there,you know that."Jamil said,squeezing his shoulders.Kalim looked up,but despite the olders reassuring words and smile,they weren't as comforting as they once were.And not just because the thought of "Because you have to be."kept ringing around in his head.
The shorter let go of him,giving Jamil a clearly fake grin.The young Vipers smile dropped,his face turning concerned.He can't leave Kalim by himself in this state.Who knows what the ever impulsive heir might do if he does."Thanks.Anyway I'm gonna get going.Sorry for...","Don't be ridiculous,come in."Jamil said pulling him in,before letting go of his shoulder.The heir let go of his arms,confused and surprised."Really?","Mhm.","Ok.So are we...","Sleeping in the same bed?Yup."he said climbing onto it.Kalim followed suit and soon the two were laying down,backs to eachother.He was surprised the heir was acting so reserved.Usually by now,he would've squeezed him in a crushing hug,sobbed for about a minute and then cuddled.At that moment Jamil felt hesitant fingertips brush against his hand.He sighed."He really never changes." he thought,as he intertwined their fingers and slipped into unconsciousness.
"So this is what a traitor gets."Jamil thought.Two days of triumph,then being stripped of his only company,eyesight and jewelry.Not to mention his family disowning him.He's been slowly rotting in this cold,wet and silent cell for five days now.He supposed it could be worse.They could've gouged his eyes out if not for Kalims intervention.He couldn't judge though,a unique magic like his is a serious wild card.And considering the Overblots lethal nature,his state could be much worse
"Master Kalim,what are you doing here?","I want to talk to Jamil.","Of course,sire.I'll wake him...","No need,once I'm inside the cell I'll do it myself.","My liege,I can't allow that.Viper's far too dangerous and the sultan will surely be furious if I do.","I wasn't asking for your permission I was stating a fact.And my father will surely be furious once he discovers you disobeyed the heirs orders.","But Viper...","Is in custody,weakened and blind.Now,give me the key.","But...","If it's my safety you're worried for,you can wait outside of the dungeon and I'll call if I need any assistance.Now,key.","Yes m'lord.".Jamil raised an eyebrow.Over their 17 years together he'd never seen the heir be stern or demanding,yet here he was.If he didn't know every inflection of Kalims voice better then his own he'd swear it wasn't him he was hearing.Where did this cold determination come from?Then he heard the guard leave and the lock turn. The door squeaked open,and familiar footsteps soon followed."So,how you holding up?"the heir asked,closing it.
Jamil straightened,partially from the fact Kalim could tell he was awake and partially because of the heirs tone.He knew he was blindfolded,but had the Asims oldest child gone blind as well?Could he not see Jamil was now a criminal?Someone to condemn,not someone to have a casual chat with?Then it dawned on him."Just do it."he muttered."Do what?","You know exactly what I mean!Scream at me,make me beg you on my knees for forgiveness,show me how badly I hurt you,make me look at your heartbroken face to make me feel worse!Anything!I know you want to!"he yelled,burying his face in his hands."Jamil..."Kalim said softly,taking Jamils hands in his and slowly pulling his arms down onto his lap."I'm not angry at you.","Don't lie.","I'm not lying.What you did was...horrible,but I don't hate you for it.You were pushed too far and lashed out.People do that.","Most people don't brainwash an entire dorm and throw five people into a desert."Jamil muttered."Look at me.","Do you see the blindfold or..."he asked.The heir chuckled and damn...He hadn't realized how much he missed that in this fucking silence."Right.May I?","I'd call you an idiot,but at this point I'd lose more by trying to take advantage,so go ahead."The next few moments were filled with Kalims quiet humming,and the sensation of his fingertips against the nape of Jamils neck.The tightness around his head decreased and soon disappeared.Once his eyes adjusted,they met Kalims crimson ones.They were filled with surprise at first,but quickly softened.The heir smiled."See?Everything's fine.".Jamil smirked and rolled his eyes."Ok,you were right.Why did you come here now though?A bit random isn't it?"
Kalim sighed,sitting next to him."It's not.I'm actually bringing some news.","Good or bad?",Just good.","That's a surprise.So what is it?","Well...I can get you out of here."he murmured."Really?","Yeah.You just have to get Scarabia back to normal and you're free.","What do you mean by that?".Kalims eyes widened with realization."You don't know.","What don't I know?"Jamil said,sternly."Well,once you fainted and were taken into custody,the magic probably got so ingrained into the place it might've become the only thing holding it together.","And?","After that ,it collapsed and most of the students were...severely injured."he said quietly ."Oh lord."Jamil whispered."Calm down.Nobody's dead.Besides,you can just reverse it.",Reverse it?Kalim,I don't even know how I did any of it!"Jamil yelled,panic rising.He knew that the consequences of this were gonna be dire,but this was...too much."It's your magic,so you can fix it.","Easy for you to say!","It's not.But I know we can fix it together.","KALIM,I CAN'T FIX IT!"Jamil screamed,before a light flashed and something pushed him back.After the disorientation wore off,he noticed Kalim laying unconscious on the floor.He crawled over to the heir and lightly shook him.No reaction."Kalim,come on,get up."he said,still calm.The heir was just knocked out.No reason to be concerned right?There was no reaction to that either,though.Jamil shook him a bit harder.Still nothing.His breath hitched.No,oh no.No way.This can't be.He...isn't."Kalim...Please..."Jamil whispered,pressing his hand against the others neck.His heart stopped.No pulse.His eyes watered as he opened his mouth to scream.
Day 7
"Kalim!"Jamil screamed,bolting up.After a few ragged breaths,he turned to see that Kalim was peacefully sleeping,still holding his hand.He fell onto the bed with a sigh of relief,turning towards the other.Clearly the heir had turned towards and got closer to him,but as he moved the hair out of the youngers face he couldn't bring himself to mind.He pulled Kalim closer and wrapped his arms around him.He was here,he was alive and that's all that matters.The heir nuzzled into his chest as Jamil fell asleep.
Kalim opened his eyes,slowly adjusting to the light.Quickly noticing the lack of weight next to him,he bolted up,looking around frantically,only to see Jamil pushing the door open,a tray with two cups of tea in his hands."Morning."he said placing the tray on the bedside table and handing Kalim a cup.The heir smiled,taking a deep breath."It was just a nightmare.No need to be concerned."he thought."Thanks.Morning to you too.","No problem."the older responded,taking his own cup.A few quiet moments passed before Jamil spoke again."Look,I think we have to discuss it now.".The heir didn't even have to ask what it was.He sighed."I'm sorry for being so ignorant.","Kalim...","Please let me finish.I took you being there for granted and made one unreasonable request after another without thinking twice.I just assumed you were okay with it,and I shouldn't have.I should've known there was something wrong.I mean you were my best friend for 17 years.I should know you better than that.And I'm sorry about that.","To be fair,you can't tell what's going on if I'm trying to conceal it as hard as I can.Besides,you were raised to believe that other people are and should be happy to heed your demands.Nobody gave you a reason to believe otherwise.And I expected you to basically be a mind reader.To know what I'm feeling even if I don't say it or show it.As for my resentment..."Jamil said taking a deep breath.This was the part Kalim was worried about.All the old and new questions started circling in his mind.Was his hatred truly that deep?Was this week only Jamil humoring him?Was Jamils resentment of him his fault?Was it his personality?It has to..."I suppose as a kid it was easier to blame it on you than on my family or the system.I never grew out of it and then every little annoyance just made it worse and it piled on and on,until...Well...You know."he finished,his gaze focused on the cup.
Jamil looked up,sensing Kalims eyes on him.The heir looked relieved,a small smile on his face,as if a weight fell off his shoulders.He sat down onto the floor in front of Jamil,legs crossed and smile wide.The two silently toasted to eachother.But he still felt like something was missing.He knew he probably already has Kalims forgiveness,but he also knew the heir deserved something more severe than an apology."Kalim.","Mhh?","I'm sorry for everything.And as an apology I'll do whatever you ask of me.".The shorter blinked at him in surprise."Really?","Your wish is my command."Jamil said,his voice serious.Kalim pouted for a moment,before responding."Right now,all I want is my best friend back.Since I have that,I can't really think of anything else."he said throwing a sheepish smile Jamils way.The young Viper smirked."You really are a saint aren't you?"he said,leaning back.Seventeen years and Kalims selflessness still throws him for a loop sometimes.The heir chuckled."I wouldn't say that.","Still,I owe you.So,I give you three favors and you can use them anytime,anywhere.","Alright."Kalim said, nodding in acknowledgement.He ran a hand trough his hair,looking at the ceiling briefly,before looking at Jamil with an unsure expression.Sighing,he began."So,just that we're clear...Everything is solved and back to normal?","We resolved our issues,I apologized...Yeah,I think it is.".Kalim sighed,relieved.The two smiled at eachother before going back to their tea.
About two hours later Jamil went to the library.He had an alchemy test coming up and while him and Kalim resolved their problems,the young Viper still wanted the peace and qiet the others absence provided.When he arrived,someone was sitting at his usual table,nose buried in a book.No matter.He sat down and then Yuu revealed herself with a smug smirk on her face."Hey Jamil.","Hey Yuu.Let me guess.You wanna know how your plan is going and how mine and Kalims week went.","Tell me every detail.".Let's just say,there was a lot of squealing in the next hour or so.