Scenario: While protecting Kalim from an assassin, Jamil gets severely injured.
Jamil had been hiding the pain all day. By noon, however, it proved to be too much for even him, and he excused himself from history class and limped to the Mostro Lounge, where he knew he could find Barbara.
She was in the middle of a performance, but when she saw Jamil, she stopped singing. "Sorry, but the show's ending a little early today!" she apologized to her disappointed fans, and hopped down from the stage.
"Jamil!" Barbara greeted him with a cheerful smile, as she always did. "Hi! What brings you to the Mostro Lounge today?" She saw the pained expression on his face. "Is everything okay?"
"Um. Could we go to your room?"
Barbara's face flushed pink. "H-huh? I'm sorry, but I don't..."
"N-not for that!" Jamil said hastily. He probably would have blushed, too, except his injury felt like it was about to tear his body in half. Barbara still looked a little doubtful. "Please."
The desperation in his voice must have changed her mind, because she led him down the hall towards the dorm rooms. "Okay. Follow me!"
Once they were in Barbara's room, Jamil sat down on the bed and slipped his shirt off over his head.
Barbara blushed and covered her face with her hands. "Jamil! What are you—" She stopped short upon glimpsing the bandages wrapped all around his torso.
The bandages were soaked with blood.
Carefully unwrapping them, Barbara gasped when she saw the injury—a long, deep gash clearly made by a weapon of some sort—and scrambled for her catalyst, Favonius Codex. "Dear Lord Barbatos! How did this happen?"
Jamil thought about keeping it a secret from her, but for some reason, there was just something about Barbara that made you want to trust her.
"An assassin," he confided. "Last night, in Kalim's room. I didn't have my magestone with me, so I could only use my dagger. I managed to stop him from hurting Kalim, but not before his knife got me."
All through his story, Barbara's eyes grew wider and wider, even as she healed his wounds with her Hydro magic. Finally, she replied shyly, "You're just like my sister, Jean. She does so much to protect everyone around her, even if it means that she gets hurt."
"Jean's your sister?"
Barbara's hand flew to her mouth, as if she could take the words back. "I—um—yes." She hung her head, waiting for him to make a comment about how her sister was so much more powerful, and reliable, and helpful.
"Then Jean's very lucky to have you." Jamil chuckled, and Barbara stared in surprise. "I'm lucky to have you as well. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead right now."
"O-oh, thank you. But there's still a bit of healing left to do, so sit tight, okay?" A little flustered, Barbara opened her mouth and began to hum a sweet lullaby.
As the soothing melody wrapped around him, Jamil felt the pain from his wound ease. He looked down and saw only a thin scar where the ghastly cut had been.
"You have to be careful, understand?" Barbara asked him softly. She held a bandage in her hand and began wrapping it deftly around his wound. "It's no use to get yourself killed while trying to protect Kalim."
Jamil looked away. "I don't matter nearly as much as Kalim."
In response, Barbara tightened the bandage so that it rubbed painfully against his wound.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"That," she said sternly, "was for saying that you don't matter as much as Kalim. Do you really believe that?"
Jamil didn't meet her eyes.
In an uncharacteristically fierce tone, Barbara said, "Jamil Viper, listen to me. You're resourceful, and clever, and no matter what anyone else says, you're kind. You singlehandedly run Scarabia, and I never hear you complain. You're an amazing person, if only you'd stop comparing yourself to others! Now I don't want to hear another word about not mattering. Doctor's orders!"
For a moment, Jamil stared at her in amazement. "I never thought I'd see the day you actually got angry."
"Sorry!" Mortified, Barbara covered her face with her hands. "I-I won't do it aga—"
"Don't worry. I like it." Jamil smiled slyly and pulled her hands away from her face.
"Stay safe, okay?" Barbara hugged Jamil, careful not to touch his wound. "I like Kalim, but I like you a lot more."
Blossom: Read all the way to the bottom? Have a cupcake 🧁 and don't forget to vote!