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Aladdin squinted into the distance, following Hakuryuu's focused glare across the palace courtyard. "What are you looking at?" he asked, unimpressed, folding his arms. "Youre ignoring me. Didn't you want to talk to me or something?"
"Yes," Hakuryuu said without moving his eyes from the two figures lounging by the fountain. Alibaba was laughing at something Judar said, leaning closer, fingers brushing as they passed a waterskin between them. "It's about Alibaba."
Aladdin blinked. "Huh? What about him? He is right there, talk to him yourself."
"That's the problem." Hakuryuu finally turned, jaw tight. "He's here all the time. And he's with Judar. Alone. Constantly." His fingers tightened around his weapon. "Those two spend too much time together. I don't like it."
Aladdin's laughter echoed across the courtyard. "So you're jealous or something?" He wiped his eyes, oblivious to Hakuryuu's deepening scowl.
Hakuryuu stabbed a finger into Aladdin's chest, hard enough to make the boy stumble back a step. "Listen," he hissed, voice low with barely restrained fury. "Tell your king to get his hands off my boyfriend! This isn't funny." His nails dug into his palm, the sting grounding him. "He wanted Morgiana? Fine. But not Judar. How greedy is that bastard? Stealing everyone I want for myself?"
Aladdin sighed, massaging the spot Hakuryuu had poked. "I think you're misunderstanding something." He gestured vaguely toward the fountain, where Judar had now slung an arm around Alibaba's shoulders, whispering something that made the other man's ears turn pink. "Those two? Seriously? They're just friends—that's all. And Judar is obsessed with you. He wouldn't cheat." Aladdin rolled his eyes. "Plus, Alibaba is into women."
Hakuryuu scoffed, arms crossing tight over his chest. "From what I can tell, he's never even touched one."
Aladdin's fingers tightened around his staff, the fabric of his turban shifting as he shook his head. "Hey, don't be mean," he frowned. "You're being ridiculous."
"Am I?" Hakuryuu's voice cracked on the words. Across the courtyard, Judar threw his head back in laughter—the same exaggerated, performative sound Alibaba always made—and Hakuryuu's lips twisted into a grimace. "Look at them." His fingers dug into his own sleeves hard enough to tear the embroidery. "I swear I'll kill him again if you don't tell him to stop trying to fuck Judar."
Aladdin exhaled through his nose, shoulders slumping. "God," he sighed, rubbing his temple. "You're really serious? Alibaba is married—you think he'd do something like that?" He jabbed a finger toward the fountain where Judar was now leaning too close, whispering something that made Alibaba's ears turn scarlet. "If anything, Judar is the problem here."
"See?!" Hakuryuu's breath hitched, his voice rising half an octave. "There it is! You're admitting there's something going on!"
"I didn't—" Aladdin held up his hands in surrender. "Maybe Judar wants to make you jealous? To get your attention or... I don't know." He kicked a pebble across the cobblestones. "I don't get why people make relationships so complicated."
Hakuryuu's frown deepened, his gaze flickering back to the fountain. "We never had a fight," he muttered. "Just last week, Judar stopped coming to my chambers. Started inviting him instead." His jaw worked silently for a moment. "Maybe he's bored with me. I don't know. But why him?" The words tasted bitter. "Judar always told me how bland Alibaba is—said he's like a plate of plain rice without even salt. Told me how boring he was and that compared to me, he is just-"
"Yeah, yeah," Aladdin interrupted, rolling his eyes. "I get it. Judar doesn't like him." He righted his headpiece with an impatient tug. "If you're so fed up, why don't you just talk to Judar instead of lurking around pillars like some jilted lover?" His staff thumped against the ground for emphasis. "This is childish."
"I did that," Hakuryuu muttered, crossing his arms as he leaned against the courtyard wall. "What do you think?" His fingers drummed impatiently against his bicep. Judar had said everything was fine—too quickly—but Hakuryuu had known him long enough to spot the tension in his shoulders. "He's... I don't know? Nervous?" The word felt foreign on his tongue. Judar didn't get nervous. "That's so unlike him. I don't get what's going on."
Aladdin sighed, rolling his staff between his palms. "Fine," he conceded, though his tone suggested he'd rather be anywhere else. "If you insist." With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a swirling orb of water above Judar's head, where he stood several paces away, deep in conversation. The orb burst without warning, drenching Judar's hair and shoulders in a cold deluge.
Judar froze. Water dripped from his braid onto the cobblestones with audible plinks. Slowly, he turned, crimson eyes narrowed to slits.
"Hey," Aladdin grinned, utterly unrepentant as Judar stalked toward them, his sodden clothes clinging to his frame. "What are you doing, brat?" Judar hissed, shaking water from his sleeves like an irritated cat. "I am in the middle of something!"
"Of what?" Aladdin asked, blinking with exaggerated innocence. Judar's fingers twitched like he was resisting the urge to throttle him. "I didn't want to interrupt your conversation."
"Well, you did," Judar groaned, raking a hand through his dripping hair. "Happy now? If you want to talk to me, just do that! I don't have time for your stupid games."
Aladdin shrugged. "Hakuryuu wanted your attention," he said casually.
Hakuryuu lunged forward faster than a striking viper, grabbing Aladdin's collar with enough force to lift him slightly off the ground. "Don't say that," he hissed, cheeks flushing dark.
Judar blinked slowly, water still dripping from his eyelashes. "Huh? I don't get it." He shook his head like a dog shaking off river water, sending droplets flying onto Hakuryuu's immaculate robes. "Whatever. I'm done talking anyway—this is getting boring." He folded his arms behind his head, the movement causing his damp sleeves to cling awkwardly to his biceps.
Hakuryuu's grip on Aladdin loosened. "I know," he muttered, so quiet the words barely carried over the courtyard's fountain.
Judar arched an eyebrow when Hakuryuu didn't immediately follow. "You coming?" He jerked his chin toward the empty colonnade, damp sleeves clinging to his forearms as he shifted his weight. "If you wanna talk so badly, we can do that." His tone was casual, but his fingers twitched at his sides—tiny, restless movements Hakuryuu had learned to read years ago.
Aladdin beamed, shoving Hakuryuu forward with both hands. "See?" His grin was infuriatingly smug. "It worked. Now talk to him."
Hakuryuu shot Aladdin a venomous glare but nodded curtly, falling into step behind Judar's retreating back. Alibaba stood alone where Judar had left him. "What's going on—?"
"You don't even wanna know," Aladdin interrupted, snatching two cups from Alibaba's grasp. "Come on." He dragged a spluttering Alibaba away by the sleeve. "Tell me why you´re being so secretive with Judar, Hakuryuu is annoying me about it."
Alibaba shrugged. "That's confidential," he said mysteriously, smiling wide. "You'll see."
Aladdin squinted at him, the scepticism written plainly across his face. "Hm, really?" He leaned in closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "Just don't do anything stupid, okay?"
"Sure," Alibaba replied, waving him off with a careless flick of his wrist. "Why would I?"
Aladdin groaned, rubbing his temple. "That's exactly what you say before doing something stupid."
------
"Since when are you complaining about being neglected?" Judar asked, amused, as he sat next to Hakuryuu in a nearby inn. The wooden bench creaked under his weight, but he leaned closer anyway, elbow propped on the sticky table between them. "Aren't you always like"—he pitched his voice high in a mocking imitation—"'Ew, Judar, get away from me! Not here!'"
Hakuryuu's fingers twitched around his untouched ale. "Only when you're trying to touch me in public," he argued, eyes fixed stubbornly on the far wall where a drunk merchant was losing spectacularly at dice. "I never said you should stay away from me."
Judar's grin widened. He nudged Hakuryuu's knee under the table, relishing the way Hakuryuu's jaw tightened but he didn't pull away. "I know," Judar said, swirling his drink lazily. The liquid sloshed dangerously close to the rim. "Guess it's time for a change. Kouen gave me quite the lecture about that a few days ago."
Hakuryuu's head snapped toward him so fast a strand of hair caught on his lower lip. "Kouen?" The name came out sharp, incredulous. "What did he say?"
Judar shrugged, turning his gaze toward the drunk merchant now face-down in a puddle of spilled ale. The barkeep sighed, dragging him out by his ankles. "Same old shit," Judar muttered, swirling his drink again. "Something about 'royal decorum' and 'not pawing at my cousin like a stray dog in heat.' As if he's one to talk—"
Hakuryuu's cup slammed onto the table. Liquid sloshed over the rim, soaking into the worn wood. "Why were you even with him?"
Judar's eyebrow arched. "Jealous?"
The flicker in Hakuryuu's gaze was answer enough.
Judar leaned forward, propping his chin on his palm. "What's with you?" His crimson eyes narrowed. "You're being weird."
Hakuryuu stiffened. "Am I?" He took a deliberate sip of his drink, avoiding Judar's gaze. "You're... we're not—"
"Hey!" A cheerful voice cut through the tension. Sharrkan appeared between them like a golden storm, grinning as he ruffled Hakuryuu's hair with enough force to dislodge his carefully arranged strands. "If that isn't the Kou prince! Where's Alibaba? I have marvelous news!"
Hakuryuu smoothed his hair down with more force than necessary. "Alibaba again," he muttered bitterly into his cup before draining it. "What news?"
Sharrkan puffed his chest out, his grin stretching wider. "I'm engaged!" he announced, laughing like he'd just won a duel. "Finally!"
"Yeah," Hakuryuu said dryly, swirling his drink. "How many years have you tried?"
"Oh shut up," Sharrkan laughed, cuffing Hakuryuu's shoulder with enough force to make him sway. Judar blinked between them, utterly lost.
"That guy's been hopelessly in love with someone," Hakuryuu explained, jerking his chin at Sharrkan, "but that woman didn't get it. At all. It was horrible to watch."
Judar snorted into his ale. "Worse than Alibaba and Morgiana?"
"Much," Hakuryuu deadpanned.
Sharrkan threw his hands up. "Excuse you! Not my fault Yamuraiha didn't get it!" He jabbed a finger at Hakuryuu's chest. "And how did you finally manage with that one?" He jerked his thumb toward Judar, who nearly choked on his drink.
Hakuryuu's fingers tightened around his goblet. "We're not—forget it. How did you manage to propose?"
"Well," Sharrkan said, tossing his silver hair with exaggeration, "I just gave her a ring, and I didn't know what to say, so I played it cool." He leaned against the table, swirling his wine. "I asked, 'You want that?'"
Hakuryuu raised an eyebrow. "Just that? How... dissappointing."
"Pfft, you're one to talk," Sharrkan shot back, pointing his goblet at Judar, who was currently sprawled across Hakuryuu's lap like an overgrown cat. "Just messing around with that guy—that doesn't have a future."
"If you say so," Hakuryuu shrugged, but his fingers tightened around his goblet hard enough to dent the metal. He stared down into the dark liquid like it held answers, irritation simmering beneath his carefully neutral tone. "So what did she say?"
Sharrkan blinked, momentarily thrown by Hakuryuu's intensity. "Huh? 'Thank you,' of course." His grin returned, smug and self-satisfied as he elbowed Masrur, who stood behind him with his usual blank expression. "She was happy about it. Practically jumped into my arms—"
"Idiot," Masrur muttered, shoving Sharrkan's shoulder. "She's not aware of your intentions."
"No, she got it," Sharrkan argued. Wine sloshed over the rim of his cup, staining his sleeve crimson. "What's not to understand about it?"
Hakuryuu sighed through his nose, pinching the bridge between his brows. "Don't tell me she thinks it was just a jewelry gift." The words came out flat, but his fingers twitched against the table—Judar noticed.
"Of course not," Sharrkan scoffed, whirling toward Masrur with all the grace of a drunken peacock. "Right?" He grabbed Masrur's shoulder, shaking him like a stubborn fruit tree.
Masrur didn't budge. "Right," he deadpanned, entirely unaffected.
Sharrkan's grip tightened. "Right?!"
Hakuryuu watched them argue their way outside, Sharrkan's increasingly desperate justifications dissolving into the night air.
"You're not saying anything," Hakuryuu said finally, nudging Judar's knee with his own beneath the table. "Wouldn't you normally say something? Like—Sharrkan's a lame excuse for a king if he sucks at such a simple thing." His fingers drummed again, restless. "That at that rate, he'll never get laid."
Judar raised an eyebrow, swirling his untouched stew with lazy disinterest. "Hm. Why would I make fun of him for that?" He shrugged, slouching further into his chair. "Not his fault that woman he likes is stupid like that." A pause, then sharper: "How obvious can someone be?"
Hakuryuu's jaw tightened. "If you want something," he said slowly, "you have to say it clearly." His gaze fixed on Judar's profile, watching for any flicker of reaction. "Not expect others to just know. That's not how things are done."
Judar scoffed, shoving his bowl away with a clatter. "How are they done, then?"
"I don't know," Hakuryuu admitted. "Not like that, that's for sure."
"You'd expect some awfully long, awkward confession?" Judar laughed, kicking his feet up on the table. "That's stupid. Look at us—we never talked about shit like that, and it's been working perfectly fine."
Hakuryuu's fingers paused mid-drum against the tabletop. "It has?" he asked flatly. "Why are you talking in past tense?"
Judar's grin faltered for half a second before he shrugged. "Dunno. Guess being casual isn't my thing anymore." He picked at a loose thread on his sleeve, avoiding Hakuryuu's gaze. "I mean... I don't want you to be my boyfriend."
"Fine." Hakuryuu shoved his chair back so hard it screeched against the marble. "You're breaking up with me?!" His voice cracked on the last word. "Good. Fine. Don't worry, I already know why!" He stormed off without glancing back, his cape swirling dramatically behind him.
----
"I'm sure you misunderstood," Aladdin said with a frown, tapping his staff against the tiles. The sound echoed sharply in the silence between them.
Hakuryuu scowled at his own reflection in the fountain. "What's there to read wrong?" His fingers curled into fists against the marble edge. "And why am I even talking about this with you? You're just a teenager—you know nothing about these things."
"Maybe," Aladdin admitted, sitting cross-legged on the fountain's rim. "But I know Judar. And I know you." His turban shifted as he tilted his head. "And you're overthinking this."
Hakuryuu's frown deepened. "Most people don't like my company anymore," he muttered, more to himself than Aladdin. "Not since I stopped playing perfect prince for everyone." A bitter laugh escaped him. "I'm not like Alibaba—people flock to him just because he smiles all the time. And I thought... I thought that was fine, as long as Judar still liked me."
"You've changed a lot since we first met in Sindria," Aladdin said, "But that doesn't mean people would stop liking you. I didn't."
"That makes me so happy," Hakuryuu sneered, voice dripping with sarcasm. He turned away sharply.
Aladdin sighed, swinging his legs against the fountain's edge. "All I'm saying is you're discouraged," he said, watching Hakuryuu's rigid back. "And jumping to conclusions. Go hear Judar out. Stop whining to me about it."
Hakuryuu froze mid-step. His fingers twitched at his sides—once, twice—before curling into fists. "Fine," he gritted out, exhaling sharply through his nose. "If you insist."
----
Hakuryuu frowned as he reached Judar's door, hearing voices inside. His fingers hovered an inch from the wood—then froze at the sharp crack of Judar's voice: "I fucked it up. Hakuryuu is already pissed—I can't tell him now."
"Wait, wait." Alibaba's voice, strained with exasperation. "You want to keep this a secret or something?"
Hakuryuu's stomach twisted. The familiarity of Alibaba's tone—the way Judar had sought him out instead—lodged like a splinter beneath his ribs.
"Fuck your friends," Judar hissed, followed by the clatter of something metallic hitting the floor. "I'm just not ready, okay?! This whole damn thing was a mistake. I knew it'd cause me trouble."
"You started it," Alibaba countered, his footsteps pacing near the door. "And you already told Hakuryuu you didn't want to continue dating him, right? Just finish what you started."
The words hit like a blade between the shoulders. Hakuryuu took a step back, the lush carpet muffling his retreat. Of course. Judar's fidgeting these past days, the way his gaze skittered away whenever Hakuryuu reached for him—it hadn't been nerves. It had been guilt.
Hakuryuu turned on his heel, his robe snapping sharply behind him as he strode down the corridor. He didn't wait to hear more. His boots struck the marble with deliberate force as he strode down the corridor, the echoes sharp enough that Judar would hear—would know he'd been caught.
----
Hakuryuu's fingers curled into fists against his folded arms as footsteps approached his door minutes later—expecting Judar to initiate their inevitable fight. When Alibaba stepped inside instead, Hakuryuu's lips twisted into something bitter.
"Oh hey," Alibaba laughed nervously, toying with a loose strand of hair. "Judar told me you're a bit upset—"
"Get lost." Hakuryuu's voice was a blade wrapped in silk. "I don't want to see you."
Alibaba closed the door anyway, his knuckles white around the handle. "I-I know what you're thinking," he said fast. "But you're wrong! It's not like that, I swear! Aladdin told me you're acting crazy because Judar hasn't said what's going on—"
"I know what's going on," Hakuryuu hissed, his fingers digging into the carved arms of his chair. The wood groaned under his grip. "You spent months alone with Judar on the Dark Continent, and now you realize you like him, don't you?!" He regretted it instantly.
Alibaba frowned, offended. "Judar is my friend," he said quickly. "I'm not in love with him...I don't even know where you got such a ridiculous idea." A nervous laugh escaped him. "It's absurd."
"It's not." Hakuryuu stood abruptly. "Judar said it. He doesn't want to continue things with me." The words tasted like ash. "And now you're—what? Comforting him? Planning your next expedition together?" His lip curled. "How convenient."
"God, Hakuryuu," Alibaba groaned, dragging both hands down his face. "How can you possibly think things are over when Judar, for the first time in his life, is trying to take a step toward you that’s actually hard for him?" His fingers dug into his own cheeks, distorting his words. "Don’t you get it? He wants to marry you!"
Hakuryuu stood frozen, the blood draining from his face so abruptly his vision swam. "I—" His lips moved soundlessly for a second. "What?!"
Alibaba held his mouth shut for a solid three seconds—his lips pressed so tight they turned white at the edges—before blurting out, "Oh fuck." His hands flew up like he could physically retract the words. "Pretend you never heard anything! Judar will literally murder me—"
Hakuryuu's fingers clamped around Alibaba's wrist hard enough to make the smaller man wince. "How do you know?! What?!"
Alibaba exhaled through his nose, rubbing the bridge where Hakuryuu's grip had left red marks. "Well," he muttered, "Judar told me Kouen said he should think about whether he wants to be a courtesan all his life—or get serious with you." He hesitated, watching Hakuryuu's fingers twitch against his own sleeves. "And... you had told Kouen years ago Judar would never be someone to marry anyone. So you never asked. I guess it kept him thinking."
Alibaba scratched his cheek, avoiding Hakuryuu's wide-eyed stare. "He asked me for... not help. Advice?" He gestured vaguely, as if trying to pluck the right words from the air. "He just doesn't know how to tell you. And Aladdin said you're mistaking his hesitation as him hiding something, and immediately think—"
"Hang on." Hakuryuu's voice came out strangled. "He's nervous?" His hands clenched at his sides, knuckles blanching. "He looked like he'd throw up the last few times we were alone."
Alibaba exhaled sharply through his nose. "Yes, you idiot. That's what nervous people do." He hesitated, then leaned in. "Look—he's gonna ask you tomorrow. Just... let him. However bad he screws it up, don't say you know."
—----
"I feel bad for him," Hakuryuu whispered to Alibaba, watching Judar squirm in his seat at the festival table. The usual arrogance had drained from Judar's face, leaving his fingers twitching around his untouched food. "I should say something. End his suffering."
Alibaba grabbed his sleeve before Hakuryuu could rise. "No," he hissed, barely moving his lips. "He'd know I told you." His grip tightened with unexpected strength. "Plus... I kind of enjoy it." A smirk tugged at his mouth as he nudged Hakuryuu with his elbow. "When's the last time Judar looked this nervous? Usually he's insufferably confident."
Hakuryuu sighed, watching Judar stab at a grapefruit segment. "He thinks I'm still mad at him." The truth curled like smoke in his chest—Judar's hesitation, his panicked glances whenever Hakuryuu entered a room. All this time, he'd mistaken fear for guilt. "I should be the one proposing. Not him." His fingers clenched around his own cup. "I would've asked ages ago if I knew he'd say yes. But getting rejected again..." The phantom ache of Morgiana's gentle refusal pulsed beneath his ribs. "That would've been horrible."
Alibaba's brows shot up. "You've proposed before?" His voice cracked on the last word, drawing a glare from Hakuryuu. "When?"
"Forget it." Hakuryuu stood abruptly, nearly knocking over his chair. Across the table, Judar's head snapped up—then immediately ducked back down when their eyes met. "I'm talking to him now." He adjusted his sleeves. "Don't worry. I won't mention anything about you."
Movement caught his eye—Aladdin watching them with a knowing smirk, fingers steepled beneath his chin like some miniature sage. Hakuryuu's stomach dropped. "Who else knows about this?" he muttered through clenched teeth.
Alibaba winced. "Uh. Kouen? Aladdin?" He gestured vaguely toward the high table where Hakuei sat stiffly beside Yamuraiha, pretending engrossment in a conversation. "...and your sister, I guess." At Hakuryuu's horrified stare, he added, "Judar wanted her approval. Though he told her he 'didn't give a fuck about her opinion' and would do it anyway if she didnt give her blessing."
"I don't understand," Hakuryuu murmured, watching Judar's fingers tremble around a discarded grapefruit rind. "How I could doubt him even for a second." The truth unfolded like a bloodstained map—Judar's sharp-edged devotion, his reckless loyalty. "He really loves me. Always has."
Alibaba snorted, shoving him forward with enough force to send him stumbling into the aisle. "Go let him tell you that himself," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "I'm done playing messenger. This week has been hell."
Hakuryuu watched Judar run a hand through his hair—the gesture sharp and restless—before settling beside him on the stone bench. Moonlight caught the silver embroidery of Judar's robes where they'd bunched at his knees, fabric crumpled from hours of anxious pacing. "You look good," Hakuryuu murmured, letting his fingers brush Judar's before twining them together properly. The contact felt electric despite the dozen eyes tracking them from the banquet hall's arched doorway.
Judar's fingers spasmed in his grip. "The fuck kind of opener is that?" he muttered, but didn't pull away. His thumb traced idle circles against Hakuryuu's wrist—nervous habit.
Hakuryuu exhaled through his nose. Knowing Judar had gone to Hakuei, of all people, twisted something in his chest. Judar was serious about it. "Sorry for being short-tempered lately," Hakuryuu said, low enough that only Judar could hear. "And yelling at you yesterday. I thought you wanted to...stop seeing me for good."
Judar's laugh punched out of him—harsh, startled. "You're goddamn stupid," he said, but his shoulders loosened fractionally. "But I guess you've got reason to feel neglected or whatever."
"Sure," Hakuryuu laughed, feeling Judar's fingers loosen slightly around his wrist—the tension bleeding out of him like a slowly unraveling knot. "I'm used to having you all over me all day," he murmured, lips brushing Judar's earlobe. "I pretend you're annoying, but I love it when you show up during the day and tell me everyone else is boring."
Judar stiffened—just for a second—before exhaling sharply through his nose. "Reminds me of that day I invited you to that dungeon," he muttered, thumb digging into Hakuryuu's pulse point. "When we got shit-drunk and you said you didn't hate my guts for the first time ever." His grin was all teeth, but his voice dropped, roughened. "Guess you've got a soft spot for me or something."
Hakuryuu barked a laugh, loud enough that a few heads turned their way from the banquet hall's entrance. "Pfft. Who's Borg is weak around me?" he teased, pressing his knee harder against Judar's thigh. "Who's been obsessed with me? Who's been begging me every night to—"
"Shut up," Judar commanded, grabbing Hakuryuu's face and kissing him harshly. The impact sent a jolt down Hakuryuu's spine—Judar's fingers digging into his jaw, his lips insistent, the faint taste of spiced wine lingering between them. Hakuryuu flustered at the thought of their audience—Alibaba's stare, Morgiana's raised eyebrow, Sharrkan's poorly stifled laugh—but the heat pooling in his gut drowned out the embarrassment. He'd been jealous of Alibaba for days without reason, and now, with Judar's tongue sliding against his, that irrational possessiveness twisted into something triumphant.
Hakuryuu laughed against Judar's mouth, tasting victory in the sharp gasp Judar made when he bit his lower lip just enough to sting. He’d spent days simmering in jealousy over nothing, and now, with Judar’s fingers tangled in his hair and their audience gasping behind them, Hakuryuu couldn’t resist twisting the knife. He cracked one eye open, meeting Alibaba’s stunned stare head-on as he slid a hand up Judar’s thigh beneath the table. Judar’s breath hitched, his nails digging into Hakuryuu’s shoulders, but he didn’t pull away—just arched into the touch with a muffled sound that sent heat lancing through Hakuryuu’s gut.
"Fuck," Judar breathed when Hakuryuu finally broke the kiss, his lips swollen and glistening. He looked wrecked already, and they’d barely started. "When did you stop giving a fuck about kissing in public—?"
"Since you made me think I was losing you," Hakuryuu murmured, thumb brushing the hinge of Judar’s jaw. He didn’t bother lowering his voice; let Alibaba hear. Let everyone hear. "You really thought I’d let you go that easily?"
Judar’s laugh was ragged at the edges. "You’re such a bastard." But his fingers tightened around Hakuryuu’s wrist, dragging it higher until Hakuryuu’s palm pressed flat against the rapid flutter of his pulse. “I’m yours.”
"Are you?" Hakuryuu asked, tilting his head. His fingers traced idle patterns along Judar's hipbone beneath the table—light enough to be dismissed as accidental, heavy enough to make Judar's breath hitch. "I’m not so sure." The torchlight caught the curve of his smirk, gilding the edge of something dangerous. "How can I know? I’ve got nothing to show others." His thumb pressed into the dip of Judar’s waist, insistent. "If I had reassurance, I wouldn’t get so jealous anymore."
Judar stared at Hakuryuu’s knowing smile, the bastard, and kissed him again. "You know," he hissed when they broke apart, his palm slapping against Hakuryuu’s chest to keep him at bay. "Who told you?"
Hakuryuu leaned in, his whisper a hot brush against Judar’s ear: "Alibaba." His fingers tightened possessively around Judar’s thigh. "Since you didn’t have the guts, apparently."
Judar’s laugh was sharp, but there was no real bite to it. "I knew that idiot couldn’t keep his mouth shut." He shifted, straddling Hakuryuu’s lap in one fluid motion, ignoring the scattered gasps from nearby guests. The wood of the bench creaked ominously beneath them.
Hakuryuu arched a brow. "About what?" he asked, feigning innocence even as his hands slid up Judar’s back, fingers tracing the knobs of his spine through the thin fabric. "That you want to claim me as yours?" His grip tightened, pulling Judar flush against him. "Why don’t you do it, then? I thought you didn’t want me because—" His grin turned wicked. "Maybe you’ve become too nice? Friends with Alibaba and Aladdin? Turning into some kind of—"
"Bullshit," Judar spat, cutting him off. His grip on Hakuryuu’s hair tightened, forcing their foreheads together. "I love you, goddamn it. You can be nice—to me—but there’ll always be darkness inside you." His thumb brushed the scar beneath Hakuryuu’s eye, the touch unexpectedly tender. "And it makes you perfect."
Hakuryuu’s laugh was low, breathless. "Just like you," he murmured, tilting his head to catch Judar’s lips again.
Judar—slightly drunk, loose-limbed—broke the kiss to nip at Hakuryuu’s jaw, then lower, fingers fumbling with the ties of his tunic. "Mine," he muttered against Hakuryuu’s collarbone, the word muffled but unmistakable.
"Not here," Hakuryuu hissed, though his hands slid up Judar’s back, pulling him closer even as he protested. The banquet hall was crowded—though half the guests were pretending not to stare, their whispers carrying like rustling leaves.
Judar grinned against Hakuryuu’s skin, teeth scraping the hollow of his throat. "You wanted my attention," he teased, fingers skating lower. "You don't get to complain about having it now."
Hakuryuu caught Judar’s chin, forcing their gazes to meet. His grip wasn’t gentle, but Judar leaned into it, pupils blown wide. "I want," Hakuryuu said, voice rough, "you to ask."
Judar blinked. "Ask what?"
"You know what I mean." Hakuryuu’s thumb traced Judar’s bottom lip, pressing down just enough to sting.
Judar's breath hitched, his fingers digging into Hakuryuu's shoulders. The banquet hall's murmurs faded to white noise beneath the rush of blood in his ears. "You want a goddamn speech?" he snarled, hips rolling against Hakuryuu's with deliberate friction that drew a sharp gasp from them both. His lips curled, baring teeth. "Fine."
He caught Hakuryuu's chin, forcing their foreheads together. "I knew you from a long fucking way off," he began, voice ragged. "Always felt that pull—even when you were just some brat clinging to your mother's skirts." Judar's thumb traced the scar over Hakuryuu's chest, a relic from Belial's dungeon. "After that shitshow, I finally put a name to it." His laugh was sharp, self-deprecating. "Attraction. Should've fucking known sooner—I was such a pick-me bitch around you."
Hakuryuu's breath stuttered when Judar ground down again, the layers of their formal robes doing little to mute the heat between them. "Thought I just wanted a partner in crime," Judar admitted, fingers tightening in Hakuryuu's hair. "Turns out I really just wanted in your pants." The admission came with another rough roll of his hips, drawing a choked sound from Hakuryuu's throat.
Judar watched, mesmerized, as Hakuryuu's pupils swallowed the blue of his irises. "First time we fucked?" He leaned in, lips brushing the shell of Hakuryuu's ear. "Happiest fucking moment of my life." The words came out raw, unvarnished. "Always wanted more. But war kept getting in the way—and you were so damn skittish."
Hakuryuu's grip on Judar's waist tightened—not in protest, but something closer to possession. Judar smirked, dragging his teeth along Hakuryuu's jaw. "Then the brat banished me," he continued, voice dropping lower. "Dark Continent made it fucking obvious—I missed you. Not just the fights or the fucking. You." His fingers traced the line of Hakuryuu's throat. "Started imagining stupid shit—waking up together, sharing a bath, all that corny romance novel crap."
A startled laugh escaped Hakuryuu—half disbelief, half wonder. Judar scowled, pinching his side. "Shut up. I know what I said about marriage being pointless." His gaze flicked away, just for a second. "But I can't picture hating you. Ever. You put up with so much of my shit—forgive things I don't deserve." His next thrust was slower, deliberate. "So yeah. I'll try to be better. For you."
Hakuryuu exhaled sharply, fingers digging into Judar's hips hard enough to bruise. "Judar—"
"Ah-ah." Judar pressed a finger to Hakuryuu's lips, smirking at the way his breath hitched. "You wanted a speech. You didn't say anything about me stopping." He leaned back just enough to meet Hakuryuu's gaze head-on. "So. Answer me properly this time." His free hand slid between them, palming Hakuryuu through the layers of silk. "You gonna marry me or not?"
Hakuryuu's groan was muffled against Judar's shoulder as he arched into the touch. "Yes," he hissed, nails raking down Judar's spine. "Yes, you impossible—" The rest dissolved into a gasp as Judar's teeth found his throat.
Judar pressed Hakuryuu's body against his, suddenly still, breathing in relief through his nose. His fingers trembled against Hakuryuu's hip—not from exhaustion, but from the dizzying realization that Hakuryuu had said yes.
"You thought I'd say no?" Hakuryuu murmured against the shell of Judar's ear, lips brushing skin still damp with sweat from their earlier exertion. His hands slid up Judar's back, fingers splaying possessively between his shoulder blades. "I won't reject you ever again. I'm sorry I did before."
"You'd better be," Judar whispered, voice cracking on the last syllable. His hands moved with frantic urgency—up Hakuryuu's ribs, down his spine, mapping skin like he needed to confirm he was real. When his fingers tangled in Hakuryuu's hair, he closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through clenched teeth.
Hakuryuu felt it then—a wave of fondness so acute it staggered him. He pressed closer, seeking Judar's body like a drowning man seeking air—then froze. The banquet hall's murmurs crashed back into awareness. The scattered wine goblets. The torn silk of Judar's sash pooling at their feet. And Hakuryuu himself, shirt hanging open, trousers barely fastened.
"L-let's go somewhere else," Hakuryuu whispered against Judar's lips, fingers tightening in the fabric at his waist. His breath came fast—not from arousal now, but from the prickling awareness of a hundred eyes burning into his back.
Judar kissed him again before pulling back just enough to blink at their surroundings like he'd only just noticed the banquet hall, the guests, the way Sharrkan was fanning himself with exaggerated delight. "Huh," Judar said, thumb brushing Hakuryuu's lower lip. "I don't mind the audience." His grin turned wolfish. "Long as I'm the only one touching you."
"Oh, fuck you," Hakuryuu sighed, rolling his eyes skyward—but his pulse jumped when Judar's teeth scraped his earlobe.
"That's your job," Judar laughed, finally letting Hakuryuu drag him away from the table. He shot a grin over his shoulder at Alibaba, who gave a weak thumbs-up while Morgiana covered the children's eyes with her hands.
The courtyard air was cool against Hakuryuu's flushed skin, the moonlit gravel crunching underfoot as Judar crowded him toward a secluded alcove. "You're ridiculous," Hakuryuu muttered, though his hands were already sliding under Judar's sash. "We have rooms—"
"Too far," Judar interrupted, nipping at Hakuryuu's jaw. His fingers tangled in Hakuryuu's hair, tugging just hard enough to sting. "Besides, you liked it when they watched." He felt Hakuryuu's shudder against him, the way his breath hitched when Judar's knee pressed between his thighs. "Admit it."
Hakuryuu's grip tightened on Judar's hips. "I liked you," he corrected, voice rough. "And simply didn't care where we were."
"Hmpf," Judar said, trying to hide the fact that he was touched, unceremoniously shoving a ring onto Hakuryuu's finger. The gold band glinted under the courtyard torches. "There. I gotta make sure to stay rich by marrying royalty now that I'm not a Magi anymore." His voice was loud, betraying the flush creeping up his neck.
Hakuryuu examined the ring, turning his hand so the light caught the engraved vines twisting around the band. "Keep lying to yourself," he murmured, lips twitching. His thumb brushed the inside of Judar's wrist, feeling the rabbit-quick pulse there.
Judar yanked his hand back. "You want me to say the truth?" he snapped, grabbing Hakuryuu's chin. The words tumbled out like shrapnel: "I was waiting for you to ask me. Feels like shit that I had to be the one to propose." His grip tightened, nails biting into skin. "You think I enjoy begging?"
Hakuryuu's exhale was warm against Judar's fingers. "You want me on my knees?" he asked, voice dropping to something low and dangerous. Without waiting for an answer, he knelt in the gravel, the stones scraping audibly against his boots. His lips brushed Judar's inner thigh as he shoved the loose pants down, teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. "Like that?"
Judar's fingers tightened in Hakuryuu's hair, almost painful. "That's a good start," he breathed, voice cracking on the last word as Hakuryuu's teeth grazed higher. The cool night air hit his exposed skin, raising goosebumps that had nothing to do with the temperature.
Hakuryuu hummed against his thigh, the vibration sending a jolt up Judar's spine. "Always so impatient," he murmured, dragging his tongue along the sensitive crease where leg met hip. Judar's grip spasmed, his other hand slapping against the courtyard wall for balance. The stone was rough under his palm, grounding him as Hakuryuu took his sweet time—kissing, nipping, mapping out every twitch and tremble like he had all night.
"You're—fuck—you're doing this on purpose," Judar accused, hips jerking forward when Hakuryuu's lips brushed the straining fabric of his underwear. The damp spot there was embarrassing, undeniable. Hakuryuu's smirk against his skin was worse.
"Of course I am." Hakuryuu's fingers hooked in the waistband, dragging everything down in one slow pull. Judar's cock sprang free, already leaking. "You waited years to say something," Hakuryuu continued, breath hot against Judar's length. "I can take my time now."
Judar's breath hitched when Hakuryuu's mouth closed around him, the heat almost unbearable after the teasing. His fingers spasmed in Hakuryuu's hair—painfully tight—but Hakuryuu only groaned around him, the vibration shooting straight to Judar's knees. “God," Judar gasped, his head thumping back against the wall.
Hakuryuu took him deep, then deeper still, until Judar could feel the click of teeth against his base. His hips jerked forward instinctively, but Hakuryuu's hands clamped down on his thighs, holding him in place with bruising strength. Judar choked out a laugh, ragged and breathless. "Always—ah—so fucking controlling."
Hakuryuu let go, licking the tip of Judar's cock eagerly. "You know I'm not," he said—a challenge wrapped in breathless laughter—before Judar yanked him up by the hair to kiss him hard. Teeth clashed, lips bruised, Judar's hands scrambling over Hakuryuu's chest, his hips, his thighs—overwhelmed, not knowing where to start, what to claim first.
"Calm down," Hakuryuu gasped against his mouth, but Judar only bit down on his throat in response.
"Fuck me first," Judar demanded, the words ragged. "You're so wild and harsh when you take me—god. You thought Alibaba could do me like that?" His fingers dug into Hakuryuu's shoulders hard enough to leave marks. "You thought I'd replace you?!"
Hakuryuu exhaled sharply, pressing Judar back against the courtyard wall. The stones were cold against Judar's bare skin, the contrast of rough granite and Hakuryuu's searing touch sending shivers down his spine. "I got so god-damn angry," Judar snarled, nails scraping down Hakuryuu's back. "When I heard your stupid theory—as if you didn't know I loved you before I spilled it out to you now."
Hakuryuu's breath hitched. His hands, which had been steadying Judar's hips, faltered for just a second—long enough for Judar to notice. "You never said it," Hakuryuu murmured, lips brushing the shell of Judar's ear. His teeth grazed the sensitive skin there, coaxing a shudder from Judar's body. "Not until tonight."
Judar twisted his fingers in Hakuryuu's hair, yanking his head back to meet his gaze. The moonlight caught the sharp angles of Hakuryuu's face, the flush high on his cheeks, the way his pupils swallowed the silver of his irises. "You knew," Judar hissed. "Every time I let you pin me down, every time I came back—you knew."
Hakuryuu's grip tightened. "I hoped," he admitted, voice rough. "But hoping isn't knowing." He leaned in, pressing his forehead against Judar's. "Say it again."
Judar scoffed, but his fingers trembled where they still clutched Hakuryuu's hair. "You're insufferable," he muttered—then, softer, "I love you, you bastard."
Hakuryuu turned Judar around with a sharp tug, pressing inside him in one smooth motion—gentle at first, just enough to watch Judar's breath stutter, his fingers scrabbling at the rough stone wall for balance. Then Judar looked over his shoulder, lips parted around a gasp, and grinned. The sight unraveled Hakuryuu completely. He snapped his hips forward, fucking into Judar with a roughness that had them both groaning, the sound echoing off the courtyard pillars. Judar arched back into it, his braid whipping against Hakuryuu's chest as their bodies slammed together.
The ring on Hakuryuu's finger glinted in the moonlight as he gripped Judar's waist. The metal was warm now, heated by skin and friction, and the sensation sent a thrill through him. Mine, Hakuryuu thought fiercely, his fingers digging bruises into Judar's hips. The possessive ache in his chest had nothing to do with the ring and everything to do with the man panting beneath his hands.
Judar choked out a laugh, sweat-slicked and breathless. "Finally—fuck—showing off?" he taunted, though the words dissolved into a moan as Hakuryuu angled deeper.
Hakuryuu didn't answer. He dragged Judar back by the hips, meeting each thrust with a snap of his own, the rhythm brutal and perfect.
Judar reached back blindly, fingers scraping against Hakuryuu's jaw as he tried to twist enough to kiss him. His spine arched dangerously—hips tilted, head thrown back—but Hakuryuu kept him pinned flush against the wall. "I'm close," Judar gasped, nails digging into Hakuryuu's cheek. "More! Fucking—hurry!"
Hakuryuu growled, deliberately slowing his thrusts to a torturous crawl. "Whose fault is it," he panted against Judar's shoulder blade, "for being so demanding now?" His teeth grazed the knobs of Judar's spine. "You've been avoiding me for days."
Judar snarled, thrashing against him. "Fuck, I'm sorry, okay?! Just—keep going!" His voice cracked on the last syllable, raw with desperation. "I missed you, stop fucking—teasing—" His words dissolved into a shuddering moan as Hakuryuu stopped moving entirely.
"Don't punish me," Judar hissed, writhing against the unmoving press of Hakuryuu's body, "for being... fucking... nervous!" The confession ripped out of him like shrapnel. "I didn't want you to laugh at me, ok?!"
Hakuryuu nodded, picking up his pace again. "I knew I'd get you to admit it," he laughed through panting breaths, voice ragged with exertion and victory. Judar couldn't form words—couldn't do anything but scream as his back arched violently, fingers scrambling against the wall for purchase that wasn't there. His release hit him like a collapsing star, tearing through him with a force that left his thighs shaking and his vision speckled with black. He came untouched, just from the relentless drag of Hakuryuu inside him, from the way those hips pistoned forward mercilessly, striking that spot again and again until Judar's knees gave out.
Hakuryuu caught him before he could slide down the wall, strong arms banding around his waist to keep him upright. Judar sagged against him, forehead pressed to cool stone as he gasped for air, every exhale shuddering through his chest. His fingers trembled where they clung to Hakuryuu's forearm.
Judar laughed as Hakuryuu kissed his shoulders softly now, tender where moments before his grip had been bruising. "That didn't go as planned," Judar admitted, voice still rough with exertion. He tilted his head back against Hakuryuu's chest, studying the cracks they'd left in the wall. "I know you're into romantic shit, so I had this whole damn speech prepared. Thought we'd try going slow with that."
"That's a stupid thought," Hakuryuu commented, deft fingers fixing Judar's clothes. "There's no reason to change for me, especially in that regard." His lips brushed the shell of Judar's ear. "You wouldn't be satisfied if I was gentle all of a sudden. We both don't like it that way."
Judar smiled, sharp and unrepentant. "Yeah, guess so," he said, letting Hakuryuu maneuver his limp arms back into sleeves. "I'm... glad."
"It was also stupid," Hakuryuu said in that serious tone that usually preceded a lecture, "to believe Kouen, saying you could only prove you're serious with me by asking for marriage." His hands stilled on Judar's waist. "Even without it, we belong together. It's nobody's place to tell you there's a condition to that."
"I know," Judar sighed, pressing his forehead against Hakuryuu's collarbone. "But I guess... I liked the thought." A pause, then Judar smirked against Hakuryuu's skin. "I mean, it's not half-bad to belong to you officially."
"You already do," Hakuryuu said firmly, catching Judar's wrist before he could pull away. "Do you have a ring for yourself?"
Judar blinked, then barked out a laugh. "Sure," he said, digging into the hidden pockets of his sash with his free hand. His fingers emerged clutching a slender silver band, its surface etched with tiny, jagged runes that caught the torchlight like fractures in ice. "That thing cost me a fortune. Figured if you said no, I could at least pawn it—"
Hakuryuu plucked it from his palm without ceremony, sliding it onto Judar's ring finger. The metal gleamed against Judar's sun-browned skin, a stark contrast to the gold now encircling Hakuryuu's own finger. "I never thought you'd be the one I'd do this with," Hakuryuu admitted, voice low. But the corner of his mouth curled—just slightly—as if the absurdity of it pleased him.
"Same," Judar grinned, flexing his fingers to watch the ring catch the light. Then he yanked Hakuryuu forward by the front of his robes, their mouths crashing together in a kiss that tasted more like a challenge than a vow. "Now let's go rub it in everyone's faces," he muttered against Hakuryuu's lips before dragging him back toward the banquet hall by the wrist.
Hakuei beamed at them, hands clasped together like she might burst into applause any second. Judar preened under the attention, already opening his arms for the dramatic sisterly embrace he knew was coming—only for Hakuei to blurt out, "You missed the announcement!"
Judar's arms dropped. "Huh?"
"Aladdin introduced me to Yamuraiha earlier," Hakuei continued, practically vibrating with glee. "And that woman was devastated—apparently her friend just got engaged, and she practically tackled him in the middle of the hall, demanding he marry her instead!"
Hakuryuu's eyebrow twitched. "Sharrkan?"
Hakuei nodded furiously. "You should've seen his face—he looked terrified!" She mimed clutching her chest dramatically. "Then he got all flustered and happy about it. We're celebrating later!"
Judar groaned loud enough to startle a passing servant. "That idiot tried upstaging me?" He jabbed a finger at their intertwined hands. "What about us?"
Hakuryuu exhaled through his nose, shoulders relaxing marginally. "I'm glad," he admitted, thumb brushing the inside of Judar's wrist. "I don't like the attention."
"Pfft." Judar rolled his eyes so hard his braid swung. "You're a prince of that damn empire. You outrank Heliohapt's king in every way that matters."
Hakuei giggled behind her sleeve as Hakuryuu's expression flattened. "We're both war criminals," he deadpanned. "I don't mind being left out of celebratory announcements."
Judar opened his mouth to argue when distant shouting erupted from the courtyard. All three turned toward the arched doorway just in time to see Sharrkan sprint past, his usually immaculate hair disheveled, with Yamuraiha hot on his heels brandishing a staff crackling with violet lightning. "MARRIAGE PROPOSALS AREN'T NEGOTIABLE, YOU COWARD!" she shrieked, levitating three feet off the ground in her fury.
Aladdin followed them lazily, his staff tapping against the marble tiles in an unhurried rhythm. Yamuraiha's lightning scorched the courtyard shrubs as Sharrkan vaulted over a bench, his robes flapping like panicked wings. "They've been arguing for twenty minutes," Aladdin remarked, plucking a grape from the banquet table remnants. "About who was actually the one deciding their engagement." He popped the fruit into his mouth, unbothered by the distant explosion that sent a decorative urn toppling.
"How lame," Judar commented, draping himself over Hakuryuu's shoulders like an indolent cat. "Making such a fuss over a stupid thing like that." The corner of his mouth twitched. "Honestly? I did way better, asking properly and everything. That's how you do it."
Aladdin and Hakuryuu exchanged glances—quick, weighted things that Judar barely caught before Hakuryuu turned sharply on his heel and followed Hakuei and Aladdin out of the courtyard.
Judar's brow furrowed. "What?" he called after them, jogging to catch up to them. "Hey! What did I do?!"