Prompt: Magi Week Day Three, Love.
Summary: As good a sparring partner as Judal may be, he is - unfortunately so - still the most vexing person Hakuryuu knows.
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Hakuryuu, Judal, (it was going to be shippy but something went wrong), mentions of HakuMor, very briefly implied EnEi
Rating: G
Warning(s): much silliness I simply cannot believe how fluffy this is also a very abrupt ending idk also even shittier writing than my norm
Words: 1,367
As vexing as Judal may be, he isn't the worst sparring partner.
Of course, one doesn't typically have to worry about actually dying during practice sessions, but perhaps that is exactly what makes sparring with the Magi so rewarding. Particularly since Al-Thamen is made of talented magicians, there really is no better way to prepare oneself. But...
"So, who's Morgiana?" The question is so sudden that for a moment Hakuryuu's mind shuts down completely, and it's simply luck that allows him to barely stumble out of the way of Judal's most recent ice shard.
"W-where is this coming from?" he somehow manages to ask in response, his cheeks warming and his grip around his glaive tightening. Judal doesn't respond immediately, instead raising one brow as lightening gathers around his sceptre, and again Hakuryuu barely manages to step out of the way. Fortunately, he manages to gather his senses enough to prepare a counterpart, summoning a microbe that is quickly destroyed by another of Judal's ice shards. Biting his lip, he summons three more that end up suffering the same fate.
"Your fighting is all messy all of a sudden," the Magi states matter-of-factly. "Whoever she is, she really messes you up, doesn't she?" He yawns, lowering his wand, and Hakuryuu's grip on his lance somehow becomes even tighter. As a side-note, he adds, "Just like the hag with Sinbad."
"Where is this coming from?" he repeats, not trusting Judal enough to lower his weapon as the Magi has. His eyes narrow - perhaps Hakuei mentioned something? But no; even if he had alluded to her, Hakuryuu had never put a name to the girl he told his sister of during their time in the plains. Besides that, however, Hakuryuu hadn't spoken of Morgiana to anyone. Not to say he didn't think of her, because he did. Often. Maybe a bit more than often, but that's besides the point. The amount of time he spends thinking about her is in no way related to how in Solomon's name Judal heard of her, unless the Magi has somehow acquired the ability to read minds.
"You're always whimpering about her in your sleep," Judal finally replies, crossing his arms after tucking his wand away. "And clinging onto me. It's annoying."
Oh, that's beyond awkward.
"I told you to stop coming into my room!" is all Hakuryuu can think to say. Huffing in annoyance, he adds, "Besides, you're the one who's always clinging onto me. Don't be so hyprocritical."
"I do what I want," Judal states aloofly. Alright, Hakuryuu would be lying if he said that he didn't see that reply coming.
But wait, something about this seems... Hakuryuu's brow furrows, his grip on his weapon weakening just slightly as he watches the Magi begin to float just above the ground. Judal sleeps in far longer than Hakuryuu does. Before he had left for Sindria, the prince constantly had to shove the older man's dead weight off of him in the mornings. But since returning to Kou, he hadn't woken to being all tangled up in Judal's limps even once. Perhaps the Magi hasn't actually been in his room at all, and is just pulling his leg.
"You haven't even been in my bed recently," Hakuryuu points out as Judal floats even higher. The Magi crosses his legs now, placing his hands on his knees with a groan.
"Every time I come in you get all clingy and weird. Do you really think I can sleep through that?" Hakuryuu's face burns - just what exactly does he say in his sleep? "Anyways, you still haven't told me who she is."
"Why do you want to know?" Hakuryuu grumbles, his embarrassment making his patience with the Magi even shorter than normal. Besides, his love life is none of Judal's business. Knowing the older man, he's bound to just use it against Hakuryuu at the worst of times, anyways. Judal's eyes narrow, and even though he knows angering the magician is a recipe for disaster, Hakuryuu somehow finds himself adding, "I'm not obligated to tell you anything." Suddenly, the Magi is right in front of him, staring down at him from his spot in the air with an almost disgusted look.
"We're working together. I wanna know," Judal insists, and doesn't seem at all deterred as Hakuryuu takes a step back, instead just floating closer. "Hurry up; I'm getting hungry."
For a moment, Hakuryuu thinks he's going to rebut the question with some evasive and bitter reply once more, but for some reason he instead finds himself mumbling to the ground, "One of Lord Aladdin's companions."
Judal blinks, though his unsettling crimson gaze never leaves Hakuryuu's face for a moment, and the training grounds are suddenly uncomfortably silent. "The strong red-haired one?" Just the thought of her is enough to make Hakuryuu's face burn, and the Magi simply sighs. "You really aren't any better than the hag."
For some reason, Hakuryuu finds that very offensive. The prince's hands curl into fists as his eyes defiantly meet Judal's, lips pressed into a thin line as he asks, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Your little crushes are pathetic," Judal drawls, finally drawing his gaze away from Hakuryuu's as he floats higher, knowing the prince well enough to know that he's bound to try and hit him eventually considering the way this conversation is going. In fact, Hakuryuu is about to do just that when it occurs to him that Judal sounds almost bitter.
"Are you in love with anyone?"
Judal suddenly freezes, and Hakuryuu finds crimson eyes trained on him once again. "No."
No, that answer was just a bit too hasty, and Judal's cheeks are just a bit too flushed for that to be true.
Despite himself, Hakuryuu finds a somewhat sly smile tugging at his lips. "Who is it? Kougyoku?" Judal looks repulsed, and Hakuryuu finds he has to pause to think before quessing again, "... King Sinbad?"
"I don't like anyone like that!" Judal protests. "I just care about finding strong people."
"Kouen?" After all, besides King Sinbad, Kouen is definitely the one that Judal talks the most about when it comes to strength.
"That's disgusting," Judal whines. "Only your sister would be stupid enough to fall for a goatie like that."
Oh, now it's gotten personal.
"What about Lord Aladdin?" Hakuryuu snaps. "You've been talking a lot about him recently."
"I've only been talking about how he shouldn't exist," Judal hisses. "And he's, what, twelve now? That's just vile." A moment passes as Hakuryuu continues to stare thoughtfully at the floating Magi before Judal adds almost as an after-thought, "Also, we are not having this conversation."
"You're the one who started it," Hakuryuu points out, albeit a bit bitterly. "Besides, you know of my feelings for Lady Morgiana now. It's only fair that you tell me who you're interested in." Judal rolls his eyes.
"Well, I told you I don't like anyone like that. Besides, it's your own fault for being so vocal about her."
"I'm pretty sure it's your fault for crawling into my bed, actually!"
Judal shrugs. "It's an old habit. I can't exactly grow out of it." Hakuryuu groans, allowing his shoulders to slump defeatedly.
"Can't you sleep with someone else?" It's now the Magi's turn to grin slyly, and Hakuryuu cannot fight the chill that runs down his spine as a certain impishness dances in the eyes of the elder man.
"Well, actually," Judal purrs, and Hakuryuu finds it very suspicious that the ebony-haired man seems to be drifting further and further away as he speaks, "Ever since you got all clingy, I have been finding Hakuei to be a very good substitute. You two smell very alike, you know?"
As to be expected, Judal is far out of range of Hakuryuu's lance, but that does nothing to stop him from summoning a microbe as the Magi lands on the roof of the closest corridor. "I can't believe you - !" Judal merely shrugs, strolling along the roof as Hakuryuu blindly sends microbes after him.
As good a sparring partner as Judal may be, he is - unfortunately so - still the most vexing person Hakuryuu knows.