#i'm not sure if you can be in multiple clubs in nrc... but if not please pretend it's possible <3

[merakiui]

reverse harem, but it's a very silly, shoujo-esque romance where you start a club at nrc called "second choice sweethearts," which is dedicated to helping those feel loved and not be the easily forgotten second choice for once.

to your surprise, people actually pop in for club meetings and activities. some even join! you weren't expecting it, considering it was a dare from ace, who didn't believe you had what it takes to start and run a club. the idea is mostly playful, but then students start committing to it and now you're taking it seriously.

you just wanted to help raise people's self-esteem and allow them to relax for an hour of chitchat and happy vibes. you weren't expecting the members would start falling in love with you. suddenly romantic things keep happening, and you're wholly unprepared to handle them because, like everyone else in this club, you've never been the first choice. and now you are. it's awfully strange.

many thoughts, but the most coherent one is that cater and jade are your first two members hehe. >:) ace also joins, but he claims it's just so he can watch you fail.

[unpredictable-probabilities]

Azul Ashengrotto of Royal Sword Academy || Chapter 11: Lunch Dates and a Bedroom Visit

Summary:

Jamil continues his visit in Royal Sword Academy with Azul by his side, visiting the outdoor cafeteria before finding himself on the threshold of the merman's dorm.

Word Count: 5,904

"Thanks for answering my question honestly, especially since it was a rather personal one. And that was a fun game," Azul's voice becomes a little more playful. "Perhaps next time you can ask me ten questions."

"Heh. Sure. You've been pretty honest with me so far, though, so do you still have any secrets left?" he jokes.

"Oh, has the game started already?" Azul raises an eyebrow.

"No. I don't even have a reward to aim for." Jamil replies, crossing out into the corridors.

Azul chuckles, though there seems to be a hint of nervousness in it somehow. "You mentioned basketball practice earlier, you're part of the club at NRC?"

"Ah. Yep, with Floyd," Jamil nods. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Azul gives a half shrug. "I just realized that I'd never watched a basketball game before. I'm not even entirely sure how it works."

"You haven't? Not even here?" Jamil remembers facing RSA's basketball team. Their matches would lead to a frustrating defeat, as usual.

Azul shakes his head. "I'm often busy attending to other things during the games, and I had no one to watch play or show support for, anyway, since I don't really have any close friends on the basketball team. Or, at least, I didn't," he smiles.

"Consider me honored to expose you to the world of regular sports, then," Jamil says with a playful flourish. "As a spectator, all you gotta know about basketball is that there are two teams with five active players each. You score every time you throw the basketball into the enemy team's hoop. The games are divided into four quarters, which vary in time depending on the level of play and when it's over, whichever team's got the most points wins."

"Oh, so it's similar to football?" Azul asks. "In the sense that there's one ball that each team has to throw into the area of the other team. Though if I remember correctly, you can't use your hands in football."

"Yeah, and in basketball, you can only use your hands, and you can't take more than two steps just carrying the ball. You either gotta bounce it on the floor or pass it to another player," Jamil explains. "You can prolly imagine what a terror Floyd can be there... both as an enemy and as an ally."

Azul laughs lightly as they walk along Main Square. "Has he ever passed the ball too hard and injured a teammate?"

"Multiple times, with no end in sight," Jamil shakes his head at the memory. "And that's him in a good mood. It'd be a miracle to get him to stay interested in playing the court for more than ten minutes, But if you've got a keen eye for putting him in at the right time—when he does get serious—he's a valuable teammate."

He glances at Azul. "What about you? If Knight Classes are classes, then do you have a club?"

"I'm in the Music Club," Azul answers. "We were in charge of playing music at the Autumn Dance. Our other performances are usually held at the auditorium we were just in. Ah, that reminds me that we have rehearsals tomorrow, I should add that to my schedule." He pulls out his phone and begins to take note of it.

As they enter the threshold into what Jamil assumes is the cafeteria, he finds himself pleasantly surprised that there's an outdoor space for it. In the middle of the area, a gold-trimmed white building contains a kitchen and dining space, its facilities expanding to the neatly-maintained outdoor garden around it, resulting in a pleasant ensemble of fine dining and picnics all at once.

Wow, he mouths, before catching a glimpse of Azul's phone. "Do you guys rehearse for fun or do you have some sort of new performance coming up?"

"The rehearsal tomorrow is just training, essentially," Azul says as he pockets his phone. "There aren't any performances coming up so far; we just like to keep our voices and instruments well-practiced."

They stop walking and Azul looks at the different seating arrangements: low tables with cushions around it on the ground as seats, tables at balconies overlooking the school grounds, standard cafeteria tables under the cool shade of trees.

"Where do you want to sit?" Azul asks him.

"... Where do you normally sit?" Jamil asks instead. "This is your turf, it'd be interesting to see what your everyday life's like."

Azul smiles and gestures to a table under the shade of a tree. "There. It can get really sunny here especially at lunchtime, so I usually stay under the shade. We should get some food first before we sit. Though you can also just tell me what type of food you want, I can get food for both of us so you can go to the table already, if you like."

Jamil smiles at the area Azul pointed to. "Nah, I'll come along with you. And in the meantime, you can hear about how our Pop Music Club's barely as diligent as yours..."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Azul asks as they make their way to the buffet-style tables.

"Well, first of all, there used to be only two of them when I was a freshman because they're the only ones who are chill enough to get along. Problem is, they're so chill I doubt they even practice. I haven't seen them perform outside Club Week..." Then Jamil grows contemplative. "Although I have heard rumors that they've managed to rope in the new kid from Ramshackle. I don't know them well, but if said rumors are true, they're hopefully responsible or enthusiastic enough to make the club active."

Azul hums in interest. "I'd like to see them perform some time."

They approach the tables; there are different meat dishes, vegetables, soups, fruits, and desserts. Then as they reach the appetizers, the server turns around and his eyes grow wide.

"Jamil! You're here!" Kalim smiles brightly, wearing an apron and a toque behind the table. "You visited Azul? That's so cool!"

Jamil blinks and stops right in his tracks.

He stares at Kalim and stares at the fact that he's standing behind the table as one of the servers.

"KALIM!?" He blurts out in surprise. "What're you doing there!?"

"I'm assigned to the appetizers!" Kalim grins, not really clarifying anything.

"Ah, it must be the Cooking Club's turn to serve lunch today?" Azul says.

"Yup!" Kalim says. "We still have a supervisor just to be sure we don't make any mistakes, but yeah! My other clubmates are here, too," he nods to the other tables where students are getting their food from their schoolmates.

"You took up Cooking Club?" Jamil asks, still incredulous. How come he didn't know this?

Well, it's not anything upsetting. This is but one of the many overhauls Kalim has decided to undertake, and really, it's better that he can finally cook for himself.

But…

He can't help but feel bothered that Kalim didn't bother to share such a development with him.

Wouldn't he normally come running to him to talk about how his day went or about the new idea or hobby he picked up?

Hmp. A voice inside his head mutters. Isn't this what you wanted? For Kalim to finally leave you alone?

The voice leaves a terrible taste in his mouth.

"That's… cool." He says, trying to at least sound happy despite the stony expression on his face. "What... Er… what do you recommend, then?"

"Ooh, the batata harra is good!" Kalim says. "It's just like what we have in the Scalding Sands, but this isn't as spicy because some students don't like overly spicy food. The macaroni salad is good too, and you can get extra cheese if you want! And then the classic vegetable salad if you're in the mood for crisp lettuce and ripe tomatoes."

"I'm going to get a fruit plate over there," Azul says. "Kalim, put his order on my tab." He turns to Jamil with a smile. "Don't argue." Then he walks off to the table laden with various fresh fruits.

Jamil tries to protest, but Azul has already left. It's just him and Kalim now.

"... All right, I guess I'll take the batata harra," he says. "Um... Kalim, since when did this whole cooking thing… become a thing?"

"I just joined the club this year," Kalim says as he scoops up some of the potato dish onto a small square plate. "Last year I was in the Music Club with Azul, but I transferred this year because I realized I wanted to learn how to cook," he hands Jamil the plate.

"Oh," Jamil mutters, taking it, then decides to do something he hasn't done in a long time about Kalim: take an interest. "What made you want to learn..?"

"Um, well, one day I was missing the lunches you used to cook for us back home. I told my friends that I was sad that the cafeteria doesn't often serve dishes from the Scalding Sands, and my classmate suggested that I join the Cooking Club, since sometimes members can suggest and cook dishes of their choice to serve here. Then those dishes can be included more in the menu even when it's not our turn to serve the food."

"Oh... So you're the reason we get dishes like these here," Jamil remarks, shooting him a small smile. "I gotta say, I'm impressed... So how long did it take you to get used to cooking? Did you have a hard time at first?"

"Yeah," Kalim says sheepishly. "I kept overcooking the dishes because I was so scared of undercooking them and making people sick. And the oil splashes when frying still scare me sometimes. Now I can cook simple dishes that don't involve a lot of marinating and then frying and refrying. I'm still a new member of the club, though, so there's still a lot to learn."

"... You've really changed, Kalim." Jamil concludes. "I'm... well, I'm happy for you. It's clear that you really found your place here. I almost couldn't believe it when Azul told me all these stories about you, and..." He huffs. There's a melancholic sort of feeling passing through him, though he doesn't know what it is. "I'm rambling. Point is, you're doing good. Keep it up."

Kalim beams. "Thanks, Jamil!" Then he seems to remember something. "Oh yeah, about Azul…" Kalim looks over at the merman who's now looking at the vegetable dishes section, a tray in hand with a fruit plate already on it. "I heard my classmates talking about it," Kalim continues, looking at Jamil again with an excited grin. "Is it true that you're dating him?"

"WHAT!? I— No!" Jamil stammers.

Why did he hesitate?

"No, we're not dating. We're just friends," he clarifies after actively calming himself down.

Kalim's eyes widen in surprise at Jamil's reaction. "Um, o-okay, sorry!"

"Is everything all right?" Azul approaches them, sounding concerned. He looks at Jamil. "Are you okay?"

Jamil nods. "Yep. Yes. Totally. We were just... talking about Kalim's cooking journey and it threw me for a loop. You know how it is. It's really shocking to see him pull all of this off now when not too long ago, he wasn't even allowed to handle the stove or a knife. How time flies." He fidgets with the strings of his hoodie.

"Oh, I see. I'll let you two catch up, I'm gonna go to our table so it doesn't get taken." He smiles politely at them and walks away with his tray of fruits and stir-fried vegetables.

"There's a lot more food over there, Jamil!" Kalim cheerfully says. "You should eat heartily for lunch!"

Well, at least Kalim is as bountifully hospitable as ever and that lil' fracas with Azul went by without a hitch. "Thanks. I'll have a bit of the vegetable salad, then, and some bread." He was about to leave when he stops to ask, "Wait, how about you? Have you eaten? When do volunteer servers get lunch breaks?"

Listen. Old habits die hard. He just can't help but fuss no matter how much Kalim's grown.

"Yeah, I've eaten already. I'm fine, Jamil! Go have fun!" Kalim waves him away.

"Are you sure..." Jamil asks, then stops himself. "No, you're right. My bad. Got a little carried away there. See you around, Kalim."

"See ya!" Kalim replies.

As Jamil walks away, there's a loud crash of several plates falling to the floor.

He whirls around to see Kalim staring horrified at the appetizers scattered on the ground. From what it looks like, he lifted the pot of batata harra, presumably to have it refilled because the pot was almost empty, but he had also unknowingly lifted the table cloth. And when he turned, he had yanked the fabric and sent the square plates and appetizers flying.

Someone in a chef's uniform comes running outside while Kalim remains in frozen shock. His other club members approach and start helping him clean up.

"NO!" he yells at them. "I made that mess! I should be the one to clean it!"

"It's all right, Kalim," the chef says. "We can help—"

"No," Kalim vigorously shakes his head while angry tears form in his eyes. "I should be better by now! I should—" he stops talking and pulls out his Magic Pen.

He waves it and the mess starts cleaning itself up. A garbage bag appears, and the food and broken shards of the plates fly quickly into it until no trace of the mess is left. Then the garbage bag teleports away to wherever they throw out their trash.

Kalim still has his pen raised, glaring at the empty space where the bag has vanished.

The chef and his clubmates are staring with wide eyes and open mouths. That was a whole lot of magic in a short amount of time.

"Kalim," the chef says firmly. "Come with me, let's get you to the infirmary."

Kalim looks like he's about to protest, but he sees the stern look on the chef's face and he nods, lowering his pen and looking down shamefully.

"Theo, you're in charge until I get back," the chef says to a club member that looks like an upperclassman.

"Yes, sir," Theo nods, and he assigns another club member to be in charge of the appetizers.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria gradually begins to calm down as Kalim and the chef walk away.

Jamil turns to see Azul standing behind him, looking as bewildered as everyone did.

If anyone was truly bewildered by it, Jamil's surprise was stronger by a landslide.

What the hell?

What did he just witness?

That accident was very much a Kalim thing, but that outburst... wasn't.

Kalim had always been the sort of clumsy fellow who'd make mistakes, but he would laugh them off and then move on with his merry little day.

What happened didn't sound or look like him at all.

Was he just being strict with himself now that he's decided to take things seriously?

He heads to Azul. "Does... Does that happen often?"

Azul shakes his head, looking worried. "I've never seen him like that before. I'll text my classmate who's a student assistant at the infirmary, ask him to let us know how Kalim is. They might not let us visit him so soon after what happened. They'll make sure his Blot levels are stable first before they allow visitors. Let's sit down first, we can visit him later." He pulls out his phone and types a text as he leads the way to their table.

Jamil nods, feeling troubled as he follows Azul.

"It doesn't make sense for him to just act like that out of nowhere," he reasons as they take their seats. Could something have happened to him while he was studying here?

He feels worried.

Then he wonders why he's worried. It's not like Kalim was in any physical danger.

And he was immediately taken to the infirmary to monitor his Blot. It's more treatment than he expected.

But the look on Kalim's face... An unpleasant sensation crawls up his spine at the memory of it.

"Hey," Azul says gently. "He'll be okay. We can visit him later so we'll see for ourselves."

Jamil sighs. "Right. You're right. Maybe I'm overthinking it..."

"It's understandable that you're worried for him. I am, too. We'll do what we can to help him after we know more later. In the meantime, shall we eat?"

Azul pushes one of the two small fruit plates towards Jamil. This one has small fruits shaped like stars and crescent moons of various colors. It reminds Jamil of those cereal brands for kids.

"They recommended these berries at the fruit section," Azul says with a small smile. "I've tried some and they're good."

Jamil stares at the plate before he quietly takes a piece with a fork and samples it.

When he bites down, he immediately tastes the sweetness. The caramel-honey flavor spreads across his tongue and he's hit with a wave of nostalgia.

It tastes like… like a certain fruit that he hasn't had in so long…

Jamil looks at Azul in surprise, considerably brightening. "What fruit is this called?"

"Dates." Azul's eyes are twinkling. "They had dates at the fruit section, so I bought some, and I asked them if they could magically change the appearance. I helped them with it; we removed the pits, then changed the shape and color of each one."

Jamil exhales. Realizing that he's eating his beloathed fruit makes him slightly recoil, but it fortunately was not as bad as he expected.

"...Thank you. They're really delicious. Here. Have you tried it already?"

He takes another with his fork and extends it out for Azul to bite.

Azul looks surprised for a moment, then he leans forward and eats the fruit from Jamil's fork.

"They are really delicious," Azul says after he stops chewing. "I can see why you like them. You can have the rest if you want, I bought them for you, anyway. I just lied about them being berries," he smiles playfully.

"You can't expect me to have both fruit plates to myself," Jamil reasons. "I have one and you keep the other. You deserve the sweet treat, anyway."

Azul smiles and pulls the other fruit plate to him. "All right, then." He takes his fork and gets a crescent date. "What time do you need to go back to NRC? You're not gonna get in trouble for suddenly coming over here, are you?"

Jamil pauses in helping himself to another 'berry'.

…

"I'll find a way," he shrugs.

Also he seriously doubts that the Headmage would care that one or two of his students would sneak out, as long as they don't cause any massive incidents that'd attack his school's reputation.

And if he gets in trouble, the visit was worth the detention.

Azul chuckles, shaking his head. His phone buzzes, and he takes it out to read the text.

"Kalim's okay," he says with relief. "His Blot levels are stable, but they're still holding him in the infirmary for observation just to be safe. My friend said that the nurse told Kalim to rest there for now, and nap if he can."

"Telling Kalim to stay in one spot?" Jamil asks, half-joking. "You're practically subjecting him to torture. We still gonna visit him after this?"

Azul smiles at the joke. "Do you want to?"

Jamil searches inside himself.

Does he want to? Or is this just more of his instincts as a servant?

"... I suppose… if he's feeling stable and people are watching over him, anyway… I guess not," he mumbles.

He sighs internally. He really should stop being so fussy at Kalim over nothing. It's his life now and Kalim's learning to grow up. His frustrated demeanor earlier just goes to show how dedicated he is to his craft now and he's trying to take responsibility. It wouldn't do to coddle him.

"Yeah, never mind," Jamil says. "You guys seem to have it under control. But if you find Kalim having trouble with anything, you feel free to tell me, all right? I think he's developing your school's habits of saying, 'I'm totally fine, you don't have to worry about me' in our texts so I don't super trust it. Same logic applies to you."

"Of course, I'll keep you updated," Azul says. "And to be honest, I…" he picks at his food. "I think I've gotten so used to all the work and stress and fatigue that I genuinely think I'm fine unless I'm already having a breakdown," he says half-jokingly.

"That's the problem," Jamil says pointedly. Luckily for him, the students here are shown to be extremely empathetic. "How about every time you're about to push yourself to do something, you stop for a moment and think: If I see any of my friends doing the same thing as I'm doing right now, would I want them to rest and take it easy? If the answer is yes, then you've got yourself a decent mental limit."

Azul thinks about it and nods slowly. "I'll try to keep that in mind." Then he tries for a smile. "Would you still like to visit the dormitories after this?"

Jamil perks up in interest. He honestly did not expect that they'd be okay with him visiting such private spaces. "Yeah, but… I was kinda half-joking when I said that. I'll be just fine with walking around the perimeter or something."

"All right," Azul nods.

Shortly after they finish their meals, an alarm rings from Azul's phone. He takes it out and silences it.

"Ah, it looks like we'll be entering the dormitories after all," he says after reading what's on the screen. "I'd forgotten that this is the tenth day of the shifting potion's effects; I would have to go underwater later and drink the potion again after swimming around in my merform for a few minutes. Is it all right if we take a detour to my room first to get the potion? I just want to have it on me already so I wouldn't have to go to my room later in the day to get it."

Jamil's eyes widen at the idea that today is the day Azul's gonna turn back into a merman.

A part of him is really curious, but he remembers Azul's discomfort with revealing such a side of himself.

So he won't push it.

He nods. "Fine by me, then. You got any roommates I should potentially be ready to meet?"

Azul shakes his head. "I got assigned my own room this year, a privilege that comes with being one of the senior members of the committee," he smiles. "So no worries about meeting any strangers." He stands up and picks up his plates. "Shall we?"

Jamil nods and picks up his plates and walks with Azul to his room, curious about his style.

... Wait.

He's actually going to Azul's room.

Just the two of them?

Something stirs inside him at the thought, but he shoves it away.

"Are you used to having a room all to yourself?" he asks.

Azul nods as they leave their plates on the rack. "I have no siblings so I grew up having my own room. Do you have any roommates at Scarabia?" he turns to Jamil curiously, leading the way to one of the buildings.

"Once you become a housewarden, you have a room all to yourself. So at the moment, I don't have any roommates, either... What's this committee you've been mentioning a lot? Do they work like some sort of student council for RSA?"

"Yes. Officially it's called the student council, but us students and even some professors are more used to just calling it the committee. There are three senior members and three junior ones. Rielle is the Committee Head, and I'm the one in charge when he's not around, so I suppose I'm like a Vice Prefect of sorts, in NRC terms, but for the whole school."

"How does one qualify to become a part of the committee?"

They enter a building that reminds Jamil of the Pomefiore dorm, an elegant structure with tall towers and rounded cone tops.

"Those interested can file an application," Azul says as they walk down a corridor lined with unlit torches on the walls. Tall open windows let in the sunlight. "Then they'll be evaluated based on their academic performance and behavior on campus in general. Afterwards, the most likely candidates would be given a two-week trial. They would be handling responsibilities that the committee would be most likely to handle, from making sure that the classrooms are comfortable and functional to planning inter-school events. Those who earn the highest scores would be elected to the committee."

"Interesting," Jamil mutters, looking around the area. The amount of competitive infighting and sabotage that would happen if this were implemented in NRC… "So that means you and Rielle applied for it. Were there any benefits that got you both interested?"

"Well," Azul says slowly as they climb a carpeted grand staircase. "The professors were expecting Rielle to apply since he's a crown prince, and it would be good leadership practice. I saw how nervous he was about it so I offered to apply too, so he wouldn't have to do it alone. He said I didn't have to, but I didn't really mind."

Ah, sweet sentiments. Of course.

Jamil smiles at Azul. "You really would put yourself through anything for your friend. That reminds me, I know your interest in being a restaurateur, but if Rielle was never born a crown prince... what would he have liked to do?"

Azul smiles wistfully. "A musician. He knows how to compose songs and arrange music. He even has the talent to conduct an orchestra, as we discovered in Music Club. Lately, though, he hasn't been a very active member because of his other responsibilities. I can barely be active in the club myself. It was just fortunate that the Autumn Dance needed music, so the piano playing was technically one of my responsibilities as committee member."

"Oh. It would be nice to hear him play someday, then," Jamil says, though he can already see the innate tragedy to the whole ordeal considering Rielle's future.

"You should, he plays the violin really well," Azul replies. "And he's a wonderful singer."

They reach the second-floor corridor and Azul leads him down along rows of elegant mahogany doors.

"Here we are," Azul stops in front of a door slightly bigger than the others, a shield with crossed swords carved at the top. "You can come in if you like."

He taps his door with his Magic Pen to unlock it and pushes it open, stepping inside.

Jamil carefully walks in, ogling up and around the space.

The walls are a soft shade of blue, and there are large windows on two sides, looking out at the school grounds and the beach beyond.

Azul's neatly-made bed is near the tall wardrobe against one wall. The pillows and bedsheet are white while the blanket is a seafoam green.

A desk with drawers and a chair in front of it is on the other side of the bed: folders and papers stacked on one side, a pen holder with different writing utensils on the other, and a closed purple notebook in the middle.

The wall above the desk is decorated with different framed awards; Jamil can see certificates for academic performances, a certification to be an official knight of the Coral Sea, and a shiny gold medal with a conch shell carved in the middle.

"This shouldn't take long," Azul heads for the wardrobe and opens it, showing three sets of the RSA uniform hanging inside among a few jackets and hoodies, and below it some drawers and folded clothes. "I'll just grab the potion then we can go."

"You really do like the sea theme," Jamil comments, deciding to lean against the wall by the door. "Not bad. Open and airy and bright… And look at you proudly showing off your accomplishments," he nods towards the framed awards.

"Hm?" Azul distractedly looks at the wall above his desk. "Ah, that," he shyly chuckles. "I spend a lot of time studying and working here, and it helps when I'm reminded of what I've achieved. It makes me think that perhaps I can achieve more things."

"Oh, you certainly can. What's that gold shell medal for?"

"Rielle's father had called it a medal of valor," Azul says, looking at it. "I was awarded with it after recovering from the incident at the valley downtown. I'm still not entirely sure if it's appropriate, since I didn't really do much to help Rielle. I wasn't even the one who got him out of that valley. But I didn't want to be disrespectful and refuse the king. Now I display that medal there and look at it from time to time to encourage myself, aiming to be someone who deserves it."

"Hm... So did you get that official certificate to be a knight at the same time, too?" Jamil inquires before perking up mischievously. "Do you have the benefits and access real knights have in the Coral Sea as long as you have this with you?"

"Yes, though I've never thought about it much." Azul looks at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, really. Yet. Just don't forget to take it with you when you show me around your hometown one day."

Azul chuckles, then he takes a small bottle from his wardrobe and pockets it. He closes the cabinet and walks towards Jamil. "Why are you so interested in my hometown?"

"I'm just as interested in it as any other new location," Jamil shrugs. "But it is drastically different, on account of being underwater alone... And also, it's where you live. I can't be interested in a friend's hometown?"

Azul falls quiet for a moment, his smile disappearing. "You really wouldn't mind going around with a gargantuan glowing half-octopus?"

"No, I don't think I will," Jamil replies after pretending to give it some thought. "But I guess it's hard for you to believe that after the things you've been through. Could… there be anything I can do to prove that I really don't mind it?"

"... I'm not sure. It's not that I think you're lying, I'm just… worried that you think it's okay with you now, but your mind might change once you actually see it." Azul manages a smile. "Don't worry about having to prove anything, though, it's… really more of an issue with me. I'll find a way to be okay with it."

Jamil stares at Azul, at the soft blue eyes behind the glasses, the reassuring smile. He can't imagine ever being uncomfortable with him. "Take as much time as you need," he answers sincerely.

"Thank you, Jamil. And… admittedly, part of my hesitation is because I've read stories and seen depictions of giant tentacled beings pulling ships underwater and even devouring its passengers. I had no idea that land-dwellers thought of us that way, and it was quite the jarring discovery when I first saw the illustrations in books at the library. It seems like merfolk and land-dwellers share a certain dislike and even fear when it comes to creatures with tentacles."

Jamil rolls his eyes at this. "People get scared and dislike anything they don't know. Those land-dwellers are sailors who didn't know everything that lived under the ocean, and those dumb merfolk never took the time to know who you were before they decided they didn't like you. But I know you. And even if you look completely different, you'd still be Azul, and that's all that matters to me."

Azul looks surprised for a moment, then he playfully leans towards Jamil like he's telling a secret. "Then I promise not to devour you when we get to the Coral Sea, and I won't crush you under the waves with my tentacles."

Jamil is suddenly very aware that they're alone in Azul's bedroom with the door closed. And his back is to the wall while Azul's face is close to his. Talking about devouring and crushing him.

Wait, no. Azul is talking about not devouring and crushing him. That was an important distinction.

Azul is smirking and his eyes are twinkling with mischief. This close, Jamil can see how soft Azul's eyelashes look, can smell the cologne on him and the subtle hint of sea breeze underneath.

His V-neck shirt shows more collarbone than Jamil is used to seeing on him, and Jamil's gaze lingers for a moment on the dip on his throat.

The feelings he had shoved down earlier are coming back in greater force. He can't deny that there's an appeal in doing something daring now that they're somewhere so private.

Jamil swallows.

He takes a breath and tries his best not to lose his composure, choosing to stay still.

"... I'll hold you to it," his voice comes out as almost a whisper.

Azul chuckles and stands up straight again. Then he seems to realize something and looks at his watch. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't notice the time." He looks at Jamil. "Do you need to get back to NRC now? I wouldn't want you to get in trouble because of me."

Jamil blinks and snaps back into reality. "Oh. Right. I almost didn't notice either."

It was hard to notice anything else with Azul right in front of his face, so close for him to touch—

Stop.

Jamil steps away from the wall and quickly makes his way to the window before his brain could decide to do anything stupid.

He opens the window and prepares to fly out, tightening the grip on his broom.

But another thought crosses his mind. Something that's maybe not entirely stupid.

He sets the broom down and leans it against the wall.

He turns back to Azul, taking a deep breath. "Guess I'll see you again some other time. Just know that if you keep making your friends worry, I'll be visiting again and I might actually get in real trouble," he playfully adds. "So... take care of yourself, all right?"

He awkwardly raises his arms and wraps them around Azul, internally panicking. Is he doing this right?

Azul tenses up in surprise. Then he relaxes and wraps his arms around Jamil's waist, a tighter embrace compared to the one he had given him at the auditorium.

"Threatening to visit if I make my friends worry is counter-intuitive, you know?" Azul says in the same playful tone. Then he says more gently, "Take care of yourself as well, Vi."

Feeling Azul's objectively superior hug, Jamil mimics it and manages to hug him tighter, feeling the butterflies in his stomach flap around in glee.

He eventually pulls away, holding Azul's hands because he doesn't want to let go completely.

Then he nods before he quickly turns to hide the giddy look on his face. Taking the broom, he fearlessly leaps out of the window railing and smoothly sits sideways along the broom handle.

He hovers by Azul's window, gives him a casual two-finger salute, then adjusts his seat before flying off.

<- Chapter 10

Chapter 12 ->

(Masterlist)