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When Karim goes into the botanical garden to check up on his plants, he doesn't expect to find a familiar face lying on his side in front of them.
His eyes are shut, mouth slightly ajar, and chest rising and falling with small movements.
Leona Kingscholar.
His eyes twitch, and his tail waves.
His fellow dorm leader. A third year, had been one for quite some time now.
Karim finds himself entranced by this. Leona Kingscholar is not one to look this soft, this open. All harsh lines, glares, and sharp edges.
But here, with the sun shining its light on him, he looks ethereal.
The shadows of his face were nowhere to be seen. The blinding light is all Karim needs. He belongs there.
So Karim stays. He stays, and sits next to Leona. Content to keep looking, content to stare just a bit longer.
And when Leona wakes up, he thinks how those harsh lines may not be all he is. He wants to know more.
It's an impulsive need. A desire that surged from nothing, nowhere, but it is here. Here, and alive, and consuming him. Pawing at his heart, sinking its claws in, and pulling him towards Leona.
He wants— No, needs to know more. He wants to gorge himself on the information. All he can about Leona.
Ever since that fateful day, Karim finds himself in the garden far more often. Even when unnecessary.
Whether they discuss classes, activities in their dorms, responsibilities of being a dorm leader, their difference in culture, or anything else. Leona makes for pleasant company. Like chasing the high of sugar, Karim grows addicted to him.
To his low voice, to the way his lips moved when he talks, to his bright green eyes that always stared right back at him when he spoke, attentive.
Everything. Everything about Leona.
He wants to get drunk on him.
To be enveloped in Leona's arms, and feel his heartbeat in his ear.
To be with Leona. To learn everything he can, to open up the inside of his head and gaze upon it.
To stay by his side, and have him by his.
"—You totally have a crush on him. You so do!"
Jamil stops in his tracks and listens.
Currently he is on his way to the light music club to grab Karim by the back of his collar like a cat and hound him back to the dorms. It's time for dinner, and he was supposed to be back in the dorms hours ago.
But...
It never hurts to gain more intel.
He hears the squeak of a chair moving against the floor.
"Maybe? Aaah, I don't know!" So that's Karim.
Wait. That meant... Karim liked someone? How was he not made aware of this? Karim couldn't keep a secret to save his life.
Was it someone he knew?
"Fuhu~ With the way you were talking about him just now, I'd say that about sums it up."
"But! If that's the case!" The chair sounds like it is being rocked back and forth. "What do I doooo~"
"If you want him wrapped around your finger, you gotta make him want to be there. And everyone wants what they can't have~"
Jamil heard this. Jamil decided not to ponder over what this could mean, and who it was meant for. Assumptions were built-in for him in regards to one Karim Al-Asim, so it didn't matter.
At Cater's words, Jamil realized he was a hot commodity that was wanted by the heir to the Asim empire.
Naturally, he was not swayed.
(His irregular heartbeat was something he had been meaning to mention to the nurse. As well as when his face grows warm. He suspects it is swelling up, and this may be due to some strange potion. Azul may have done something.)
It was only natural of Karim to fall for his charms. They knew each other for so long, and Karim was constantly singing his praises. What could that be, if not his secret feelings for him?
It made sense. It put his recent behavior of distancing himself into perspective. But he couldn't have imagined it was for this sort of reason.
Karim always insisted on their friendship, so Jamil always believed in that. To think, all this time...
The rest of the conversation was lost on him.
("...What do you mean?"
"Jealousy! You gotta make Leona jealous! If he's the possessive type, and I know he is, he's gonna want you all to himself. And nobody wants someone else's hands on their things. You get it?"
"Hmm... but won't that only work if he already likes me?"
"No, no. I'd say Cater is right. Valuables like you are what people want most. A possessive lion cannot resist.")
Jamil shakes himself out of his stupor. There are more important things than Karim's crush on him. Example: The reason he came here.
He strolled inside of the club and looked down at Karim, who was still rocking in his chair.
"Are you ready to go?"
Karim had the decency to look sheepish at that.
"Yeah, let's go."
They make their way back to Scarabia, Karim not talking much during their trip together.
Was this shyness? A timid approach to his crush?
He never thought to associate the word timid with Karim of all people till today. Whenever he got sweet silence, he was simply grateful for it rather than contemplative like now.
Jamil flips the naan that's on the pan and gets the rest of dinner ready for Karim. The rest of the dorm already ate, and now it was just the two of them. Karim must've been a bit flustered, considering how he wasn't hopping at the opportunity to help him at the moment.
The silence remains.
It's getting unnerving.
Jamil decides to approach the topic carefully.
"Have you been well recently?"
That made it sound like he cared about Karim's well being. He didn't. It was only important to him for his duties.
Karim looked up from where he was staring at the floor, a smile stretching across his face.
"Yeah! And how about you, Jamil?" His voice has a warm color to it, affectionate and loving. Karim must've liked him for a while then, since he was used to this level of fondness from Karim. No wonder it slipped past his radar.
"Mm."
Karim doesn't look satisfied by his answer but he doesn't press on it either. Jamil chews the inside of his cheek in deliberation before reaching a decision. Time to rip off the band-aid.
"Do you have a crush on anyone?"
Jamil sounds as casual as he feels. His insides are like calm ocean waves. Of course they would be. Why wouldn't they? There was no reason for them to be anything but at ease.
Karim looks surprised at the question, his cheeks instantly turning to a pleasant pink.
"Y-You noticed too?"
"Hm."
Karim bites the bottom of his lip, and squirms a bit. He slaps his cheeks, the hit only worsening the red on them. Did he think Jamil would find that cute? Was this his attempt at wooing him?
Well. It wouldn't work. Jamil found nothing about this display appealing in the slightest.
"Aaahh... Ahaha. I should've guessed. Jamil is so smart, of course he would know."
... Was this another attempt? Flattery will get you nowhere.
Jamil sets down a plate in front of Karim and slides over his favorite dessert.
"What is this person like?" He asks.
What? Flattery won't get you places, but it's still nice to hear.
Karim tore a piece of the naan before speaking. "Very honest."
Oh, was Karim still going on about that?
"I'm always with him."
Yeah, he knows. He's there for it, unfortunately.
"And when I'm away, I want to see him again."
Ah—
Jamil felt something twinge inside of him.
These sorts of sincere feelings...
Maybe they were best hidden away inside of Karim.
"He's really beautiful!" Karim gushes. "A lot of his efforts go unnoticed, but I can see them! I think he's the most incredible person I've ever met! And—"
Jamil clamps a hand over Karim's mouth, his face completely warm. He seriously needs to tell his doctor about this, he always comes down with it whenever he was around Karim.
Was it possible to have an allergic reaction to a person? It sounds stupid, but at his time in Night Raven College, he's seen worse. Maybe getting an allergy to your most beloathed was an effect of that potion. Again, that stupid octopus was to blame for all of this.
"I get it."
Stupid heart. What are you beating so loudly for? Karim will overhear you and get the wrong idea.
These affections of his were flattering, but uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted was even more of Karim's tender care.
Karim, who always looked at him with a smile.
Karim, who always praised him with incredible sincerity.
Karim, who always looked at people on the surface without understanding anything more about them.
When did he begin to care for these things?
It wasn't like Jamil could return them. For so long, resentment was the sole feeling that plagued his heart around Karim. Only recently did he become somewhat tolerable.
Even now, these affections that Karim holds for him...
They're nothing more than a charade.
But he would still like to see Karim's efforts. It would be interesting, at the very least.
What lengths would he go to pursue him? To follow Cater's advice? No doubt he won't be charmed in the end. But Karim is nothing if not persistent.
"I can help you out with your crush." Jamil says. It wouldn't hurt to play oblivious as to who Karim liked. See what his attempts at wooing Jamil looked like.
Karim stares up at him, wonder in his eyes.
"Really?"
It's so soft, the way he asks.
And then he beams.
"That would help a lot! Thank you!"
Jamil clenches his fist and lets go. His fingertips felt cold and a chill went down his spine. A nod in reply, and he left the room.
Jamil wondered what Karim had in store for him.
When Leona wakes up, Karim is there again.
He can't remember when this started, or how, but he does know that Karim is now someone that likes to stay by his side.
Not much to complain about. He chitters and chatters constantly, flittering about, like an eager puppy, but he has his moments of calm as well. Silence is golden, and Karim glimmers.
Didn't know much about him before this began. He understood there was more than what met the eye, a strange fondness for him growing at the thought, but nothing more.
It's fine if Karim likes to stay. Leona isn't bothered by it.
Karim likes to stare. Karim smiles at him like there's nothing wrong, nothing to be afraid of. Karim talks to him endlessly, and listens when he speaks.
He is earnest.
He's too good to be here, virtue leaking out of him, but he sits next to Leona anyway. And again, Leona isn't bothered by it.
What he is bothered by is what Karim brought with him today.
"What is that?" Leona asks, pointing at the dish in front of him. One whiff is enough to tell him the amount of meat and spice in there.
"I brought some food!" Karim says, a dust of pink on his cheeks. "I thought you might like some!"
One way to a man's heart was food.
But he knows the hands responsible for the creation of that dish.
"And who made it?"
Karim, naturally, gives the response Leona was expecting.
"Jamil! His cooking is the best, he's really good at a lot of things, but his cooking is just... incredible!" Karim spills, as if in a hurry. As if he doesn't spew all his thoughts in this one moment they would vanish into the confines of his mind, never to be seen nor heard from again.
Jamil.
Leona wrinkles his nose, letting his disgust show.
"Oh, don't worry! It's safe." Karim says, like that's a normal thing to say when giving another person food.
That isn't what he meant. At all.
He wrinkles his nose some more.
As if he'd eat the cooking of that guy.
Karim pouts. Actually pouts at him. What a child.
"Come on! Leona, it's meat! Your favorite!"
He knows that, Karim. He can smell it from here.
Karim huffs and opens the tupperware anyway. He takes a piece of chicken with his hands and holds it out to Leona.
He bats his eyelashes and gives him a pitiful stare.
"Please?"
Leona rolls his eyes, but leans in and takes a bite anyway. If it would appease him, so be it. Meat is meat, even enemy-made.
Leona chews thoughtfully.
Unfortunately, that bastard knew how to cook.
It was damn good.
Karim stares at him expectantly.
"... I've had better."
Karim purses his lips at that, as if offended, but moves on quickly.
It almost makes Leona want to smile.
Even when he's put off by Leona, he still wants to stay by his side.
Again, Leona doesn't mind this at all.
Ever since the revelation that Karim likes him, things have... not changed. Actually, everything is just as it used to be.
He knew Karim's acting wasn't horrible, but he never expected such a big secret like that to be so well-hidden.
Which is why being dragged mercilessly by the arm to the class Leona was getting out of was a little unprecedented. How did Karim even know where Leona was getting out from?
Karim always knew where Jamil was. Was this that same strange instinct?
And what was the point of this? What was Karim trying to prove by letting him see him with Leona?
Both of them are hiding behind a wall, waiting for Leona to get out of the classroom. Karim claimed it was the only class Leona had when he didn't. When did Karim learn his schedule in such detail... Ah, it didn't matter.
Karim was staring at the door so hard Jamil was afraid he was casting some dark magic on it. Not even sparing a glance at Jamil, who was touching shoulders with him.
Was he playing hard to get? But Jamil didn't even want him!
Karim moved, pressing more of his arm onto Jamil. Jamil suddenly felt too hot. Karim was unnaturally warm, so that heat was transferring over to Jamil as well and heating up his arm.
Leona exited the classroom, seemingly alone. His movements were slower than the rest of the crowd, and his hair made him easy to spot.
"He's here." Jamil muttered. Karim's eyes followed his movement, and he nodded absentmindedly.
Karim took Jamil's hand, heading towards Leona. It was like a worm crawled inside of his arm and was making its way up. Incredibly uncomfortable, and made him want to roll his arm. Squirming and squirming.
Karim waved at Leona.
"Leona!"
Leona looked up at him and regarded him as a response.
"Hey! I'm so happy to see you!"
Leona only nodded, observing Karim as he happily recited how he wanted to see him and was glad he seemed to be doing well.
Jamil tugged Karim's hand.
Was this his plan? Make himself seem desirable to Jamil by showing how he could get along with others?
This is what Cater meant.
Karim twirled in his arms to face him. His smile was one of confusion. As if he didn't know what Jamil wanted.
In a sudden moment of impulsivity, Jamil hugged Karim close to him, his arms resting on Karim's shoulders.
This was for Karim's sake. He would be discouraged without some sort of reward from Jamil. And Jamil wanted to see this to the end of it.
Leona seemed disgruntled by the action. Jamil smiled, and hugged Karim closer.
Karim rubs his arms as he sits with Leona in the garden again, feeling cold all of a sudden.
Leona's glare wasn't icy, but it still made him shiver. He surprises Karim with a question.
"Why was there a snake coiled around you the other day?" He asks, shrugging off the sweater he was wearing and gesturing for Karim to come closer.
Karim tilts his head at the question, not understanding.
He doesn't remember seeing a snake, let alone having one coiled around him.
"What snake?"
Leona guides Karim's arms through the sweater and buttons it up for him, leaning back and admiring his handiwork.
It's warm. Feels like the sun is cradling him in its arms, a gentle warmth. His heart swells, as if held by the sun as well.
Leona's lip quirks a bit, and Karim finds himself drawn to the sight.
"Forget it. And don't take that off either. You being cold will only bring trouble for me."
Karim tugs the sleeve a bit, unable to shake off his giddiness at the idea.
"Okay!"
Currently they were in the cafeteria, and Karim was staring off into the distance. Even though Jamil was right next to him.
And he wasn't even eating anything. Just kept looking, and every so often he would look back at his food, but then immediately went back.
Well, that won't do.
Karim can't be malnourished. It would look bad on his abilities, since Karim is his charge. He needs to make sure Karim is safe and healthy.
That's why he grabs the spoon and pokes Karim's lips with it.
"Open up, and eat."
His arms felt a little weak, trembling slightly. He nudged Karim's mouth again, to which he just opened it and ate the food.
Without even turning to look at Jamil.
What is with this attitude! Playing hard to get! Again, Jamil doesn't want you! It doesn't work like that, Karim!
Looking off as if wanting to see someone else, and not even paying attention when your crush is feeding you.
Cater's advice is not the end all be all! Does he have no other strategy at gaining his attention?
Of course he doesn't. Karim was too simple-minded to think of something himself. Any advice offered would be all he thought about.
Jamil took another spoonful and nudged his lips again. Karim sighed and finally turned towards Jamil, and taking the spoonful into his mouth.
"Leona didn't look over here once. Not even once." He pouted at the thought.
Jamil furrowed his eyebrows.
So what? Leona wasn't the one feeding you from his hand right now, was he? This attitude was seriously not charming.
He shifted closer to wipe off some of the excess with his thumb. Karim watched him.
"You're so messy."
Karim only sighed again.
"What Cater said would've worked if he just looked over here. You were doing really good, Jamil."
Jamil's hands stiffen, and he retreats away from Karim.
That level of confidence. Who even was he to say something so unabashedly?! So convinced he would endear himself to Jamil!
"Yeah, sure."
Jamil was going to see the nurse after this.
"What are some courting methods in the Sunset Savanna?"
Karim isn't looking at him when he asks this. It's odd, Leona is used to looking at red. But Karim shuffles around, gazes at the rest of the garden, and avoids Leona's direction.
Was he embarrassed?
"Gifts. Typically jewelry, but homemade food counts as well."
Was it the same for Silk City? Well, Karim's little gift could be taken into a new light then.
Karim whips his head around and peers at him. "Oh! We do the same! Well, you have to ask for the parent's permission beforehand to court," Leona is not doing that. "But we use gifts as well. Acts of service, letters of love, and especially jewelry. I saw Baba use these pretty often."
Letters, huh?
Karim talking to him every single day endlessly could count as a love letter to him. It's easy for him to praise others, and hard for him to point out a negative.
And the food he gave him as well...
Hm. Alright then. His own gift won't be unexpected then. They're on the same page.
Leona pulls out a small white box. Karim gives it a curious glance.
"What's that?" He questions, placing his pointer finger on his bottom lip.
He lifts it up and down, gesturing for Karim to take it. Karim grabs it carefully. Slowly, he lifts the lid of it.
A pair of golden earrings with small rubies at the bottom.
They would bring out his eyes. And replace the ones he wore now.
Karim stares at them a bit longer, eyes still shocked wide and lips still parted open.
"Oh."
Karim says it breathlessly.
Leona likes the sound of it.
"Are you going to put them on?"
Karim reaches for his own earring and traces them with his fingertips. He looks forlorn, as if the thought of leaving them behind makes him upset.
To Leona's surprise, he takes them off anyway. And smiles. Not brightly, nothing like his usual smile, but instead a calm, small smile. The serenity of it reminds him of the moon.
Leona wants to suck in a breath himself.
This sight... he wants it to himself. All for himself. An unparalleled beauty to store as his own, and treasure in his heart.
His.
He wants Karim to be his.
"In exchange for the food you gave."
Karim guides the needle of the earring out, brushing his thumb against the metal before placing it on the lid. He takes the earrings Leona gave, but before he can raise his hand again Leona grabs his wrist.
Leona takes his hand and scoots closer, leaning his body in to leave barely any space between the two.
"Here, let me."
He doesn't miss the way Karim gulps at their proximity. Nor the way his cheeks heat, or how his breath hitches.
Leona picks up the earring with one hand, cupping Karim's face with the other. To keep him stable, of course.
His hand glides closer to his ear, fingers tracing the back of his lobe. And he slides the needle of the earring in, admiring the way it glistens against his skin.
He tilts Karim's head and repeats the same steps, slowly inserting the needle and watching the way it moves in the air.
Leona pulls back and admires him.
The red compliments his eyes perfectly. Gold has always suited Karim as well. Or, would it be Kalim?*
Karim is looking down at Leona's hands, his face still warm and chest not moving.
"It suits you." Leona whispers, and Karim purses his lips.
Breathless again, he murmurs, "Thank you."
Leona smirks.
The look that best suits Karim is the one that he makes.
Karim rarely thinks about the gifts he is given.
It may sound ungrateful, but it's true.
When he was given fine silk after waking up. When he was given bangles after returning home.
He has long grown used to being placated with gifts, showered in luxuries that a child like him would surely desire.
The only times he can remember a gift being given are the earrings he received in life. Once from Jamil, and another from Leona.
Jamil greeted him in his room and suddenly grabbed Karim, inspecting his ears, and claiming it "unsatisfactory." He later got earrings from him, cute golden snakes with little thread-like pieces that jingled each time he tilted his head. He loved the sound of it.
That was the first time his heart skipped a beat.
But that feeling had faded away long ago. When he realized that Jamil never saw him the same way.
That was fine! Karim would never expect anything else. Never expect him to fall. But it happened.
He still loves Jamil. The fondness for him never left, and neither did his trust. For Karim, Jamil was still one of the most important people.
But Leona...
He was charming. Kind. Attentive. Caring. He looked at Karim and tried to see him through, just as Karim did for him.
He wanted to hide under the blankets and never let Leona see it. And he wanted Leona to take a peek and see him, all of him, and stay anyway.
Karim wanted to stay. Stay for Leona, stay for what he sees of him.
Karim caresses the earring Leona gave him. Put on his ear so lovingly.
Today, he wanted to return the favor.
He held a box of his own, and approached Leona in the garden. Where it all started.
The sun highlights him, like a spotlight. It captures his green eyes, the way they glimmer and gleam, and the soft hues of his brown hair.
"I have something for you."
It isn't with his usual cheer or pepper he says this with. He feels at ease, a calm washing over him. It's always like this with Leona.
Leona hums instead of replying, and Karim gets on his knees. Right in front of where Leona sat.
"Close your eyes."
He raised an eyebrow, but listened with a grunt and shut them. Karim took the necklace out of the box.
A silver necklace with an emerald as its main piece.
It would bring out Leona's eyes as well.
He nestles himself in between Leona's legs and crowds in on him as his hands reach to the back of his neck and puts the necklace in place.
"You can open them now."
Karim doesn't back up. He watches as Leona's eyes flutter open, as he stares into Karim's eyes, and as a lazy smile overtakes his features.
He breathes out a laugh. "It suits you."
Leona cups his face and tilts his head, his eyes trailing down to his lips.
"I'll give you something in exchange. I'm sure it'll suit you as well."
With that, Leona closes the distance between them.
Both of them are strolling through the hallway, side by side. Karim seems delighted by his presence, quickly looking at him in awe every few seconds or so. As if he can't believe he got this far.
It's charming. He's charming.
As they turn the corner, Leona spots a familiar red hood in his peripheral vision. Leona smirks a bit, and snakes an arm around Karim's waist.
Karim looks up at him with a nervous smile, and averts his eyes. Seems like he's not used to being grabbed there. Good.
Leona stops them and pulls Karim towards him, both arms circling his waist and head buried into his neck. Karim squeaks at the sudden hug, but returns it with all his might and giggles.
Leona looks over Karim's shoulder and sees Jamil, standing still and watching them. Heh.
Keep watching. It's all you'll ever get to do.
He smiles viciously, in complete contrast to the one in his arms at the moment.
And slowly, but surely, raises his middle finger.
He watches Jamil's expression become aghast, and holds Karim even tighter.
Take that, you fucking snake.
At the end of the day, Karim was his and he was Karim's. And that's all that matters.
vanicanela Fri 18 Nov 2022 12:58PM UTC
Last Edited Fri 18 Nov 2022 01:01PM UTC
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vanicanela Fri 18 Nov 2022 01:47PM UTC
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