A/N: I feel like this took forever! And it probably did to. But I think it turned out well after spending so long on it. I'm working a lot more on Judal so the second half is meant to be his POV. I want to thank everyone recently following and those continuing to stay interest even if I'm terrible at this update thing. Special thanks to SarcasticSeraph for helping me as I got a little stuck this chapter.
Spinning in Place
Standing at the far side of his temporary quarters, the prince of the Kou Empire smoothed over the silken fabric of his imperial clothing. His coarse fingers sliding over his body for the third time as he critiqued himself in the tall full length mirror that sat close to the wide open window.
Despite the climate of Sindria, Hakuryuu still preferred to wear his own attire, even though he still took to wearing cooler when training. It felt strange not to do so and only served to remind him of the bold contrast between the Empire's structured cage and Sindria's free spirit.
Looking within the mirror's surface, he glanced toward the pile of cloth laid neatly on the bed. Ever since that embarrassing incident where he had to expose himself to someone he barely knew he had been given an extra outfit. While he preferred to stick with something contemporary Jafar insisted otherwise, handing him an outfit that was much more suitable for his build. He'd never be able to wear such a colorful thing back home much less in mixed company. But it carried too much sentiment, too much of that man's scent to be tucked away so he decided to keep it near him while he slept.
Still fingering the lining of his top, he let himself be lost in those thoughts. It had been some time since he had felt this content and things were progressing well. He finally understood what Judal had constantly talked of in regards to Sinbad. He had found a man that was everything to him. A man he believed could light that cold, dark void growing within him.
Turning, he looked out the window. His glaze falling over the tall, glistening dome of Sindria's Purple Leo Tower – the place he had recently attempted to sneak into – then toward the White Aries tower, the place where Jafar spent his days working. It was also where he would be going to shortly, for in an hour's time he had an official summons to speak with Sinbad. Finally, he would be able to discuss his concerns in person instead of relating the particulars through Jafar.
Checking himself over one last time - fingers brushing over the neatly tied hair and crown perched above - Hakuryuu departed, heading toward the tower and the meeting that would decide everything.
Lying on top of the paper strewn desk, the magi of the Kou Empire stretched his legs. Both heat from the midday sun and the prevalent smell of relaxation herbs created a sleepy atmosphere for Judal. Struggling to get comfortable and refusing to be anywhere else, he kicked at another pile of parchment sending several pages twirling in the air like autumn leaves.
The hours had dragged on, boring him terribly. But he didn't really want to be anywhere else. He'd seize every chance he could to bask in the power of Sinbad's rukh. He just wished that idiot would pay more attention to him than those dumb papers in his hands.
"Hey, Stupid King," Judal began, hoping to catch his idols interest. He watched the hued eyebrows twitch, the broad shoulders stiffened and the large hands as they slowly brought down the set of parchment to look over the teen who was watching him in admiration.
"Guess what~?" He continued to taunt, his voice loud enough to fill the quietness of the room.
Judal watched the amber eyes glanced first to the mess on the floor then over his slender body stretched out on the desk. A jeweled hand drifted acrossed his bare stomach, fingers drifting down to trace his slender hips. With a sharp intake of breathe he squirmed, first into Sinbad's touch then away from it, changing his mind half way though.
"Get off," he continued to fidget, a slight pink coloring his cheeks. He really didn't want him to stop, but he also wasn't going to admit he was enjoying it.
A huff escaped his lips as Sinbad finally drew his hands away, chuckling softly. He was mildly disappointed. He wanted more but simply watched as Sinbad reached for the crumpled parchment under his shoulder, tugging it out from under him.
"Hey bonehead, I know something you don't know~" he attempted to win the king's attention again, this time rolling over onto the King's hand, trapping it between his chest and the desk.
Sin merely shifted his palm, pressing it up against the teen's chest. "I'm sure there are a lot of things I know that you're not aware of."
"That's not true, I know everything. More than you," he corrected arrogantly, shifting away a few moments after Sinbad had begun stroking his fingers against him. With an obvious fuss, he shuffled around the messy desk to sit upright, legs crossing and resting his palms between them. "And~ I know what Hakuryuu is up to."
"Oh?" Sinbad made a noise of interest, facing those excited ringed eyes.
"Yeah," he'd show that stupid prince. How dare he want, or even like, anyone that wasn't him. If he told the idiot king all about their plan – the plan they had made together that Hakuryuu didn't want Sinbad to know – he could get him back from that freckled midget.
"You see, Hakuryuu is going to take my dungeon. Then you're going to join me in helping him destroy the Empire and kill everyone in it!" He watched as Sinbad reacted with some alarm. He knew well enough that cruelty or injustice would spark anger in Sinbad and once that moron denied him, like he always did, he'd go and tell Hakuryuu about how their plan had failed. Then they would be free to take his dungeon like they were supposed to have done ages ago.
"Isn't that the best idea?" Judal grinned, waiting for the words he knew Sinbad would say. The rejection and concern he knew was coming.
But after several moments of watching and waiting, the king's bright and powerful rukh shifted and Judal frowned. This wasn't what he wanted. Something felt wrong.
"That is a good idea, Judal."
"EH!?" The exclamation was loud enough to echo down the hallway and he jumped up on the desk in complete surprise. "You're going to finally join me?!"
"No, but I think it's a good idea to let Hakuryuu have a dungeon," Sinbad corrected.
"Hey! You're supposed to do the other thing to," he gave a contemptuous noise, laying back down on his side but facing the other way as if to deny Sinbad his presence.
"You want Hakuryuu to have that dungeon, don't you? The one you raised on the island near mine years ago?"
"How'd you know about that?" Judal fought the urge to turn and face him.
"You came here the moment you did to taunt me about it."
That was enough to make him sit back up and face Sinbad again. "Oh yeah. You were so~ annoyed about it too!"
That wasn't the only reason Judal had done so. Back when he had first begun raising dungeons he was told by the rukh what type of djinn it would be and what type of person would be the most compatible with it.
It had pissed him off when that older magi kept getting rid of them. Didn't he know that made him spend even more time looking for other djinn in its place? But, no matter whom it was or how often he was asked he'd only pick the best; for both the person and the djinn.
Hearing the rukh's call and a djinn's voice in his mind gave Judal the greatest sense of pride. He loved being a magi more than anything, even if all this unused power drove him nuts.
Sinbad reached forward to stroke his fingers over Judal's shoulders but a knock against the door frame caught his attention instead.
"King Sinbad?" a dark blue head of hair peeked within, the innocent soft voice belonging to none other than Hakuryuu. "I was told you were looking for me."
Launching himself off the desk, Judal quickly stalking toward his prince and grabbing the sandpaper like hand he literally dragged him into the room, hauling him to its center and into the sun and breeze of midday.
"W-Would you stop that," Hakuryuu protested as Judal began patting his hands over his chest, beating against the fabric.
He just had to get rid of those other rukh, the ones that kept hovering around his prince. That small fry's rukh didn't belong here and no matter how many times he had to do this, he'd keep on chasing them away.
"Now isn't the time to play games. I'm here to talk with King Sinbad," Hakuryuu tried to push him away, as gently as he could.
"But I need to clean your rukh," he was almost done to. "You just had to be around that damn midget again. You even smell like him and he smells terrible. He looks like he fell down a laundry chute."
Hakuryuu was in full on glare mode but he didn't care. He shifted through his own rukh, picking out a few of his brightest to watch over him. "What do you see in a guy like that anyways? He's not good for you at all."
"He's nice and nothing like you," Hakuryuu answered firmly, still fighting to push the invading hands away from certain uncomfortable spots.
"That doesn't make any sense," He continued, too focused to notice Sinbad watching them attentively. "I told you, there's no reason to feel a bond with him when I'm right here in front of you."
"Nothing makes sense in that head of yours. I can like anyone I want to, and I like him." Hakuryuu bickered back, matching Judal's antagonistic attitude.
"I know from looking at him that he doesn't have any merits," He wouldn't stand for anyone taking away what he considered his.
Flipping his hair back from where it had fallen over his shoulder, Judal finally stood up to full height. There was just one more thing he had to do. Planting his lips fully against Hakuryuu's he breathed his own magoi into him. Proving that Hakuryuu was his and giving him his rukh.
"Plus, I'm far and away the better person," he finished after the kiss. He tried not to blush as he felt the lips pressing back at him. Hakuryuu was a better kisser than he thought. Though not as good as Sinbad, but better than when they had first kissed.
A long period of silence followed as Hakuryuu stood in a daze, fingers touching his lips with an inexplicable expression. Judal grinned, happy at getting such a reaction from him. He knew the prince liked him back, that crybaby just needed to admit it.
Sinbad finally stood, walking over to place a hand on the Hakuryuu's shoulder. The blue eyes shifting from affection to expectation as they met honeyed amber.
"I-I'm sorry. Um..." Hakuryuu didn't know where to begin and Judal felt that ever present glow around Sinbad strengthen, a sign he was up to something. He could only guess it had to do with their prior conversation.
"Have a seat. We have a few things to discuss," Sinbad led Hakuryuu further in, toward the balcony where two chairs were draped within the shade of several plants.
Judal made himself at home on the edge of Hakuryuu's chair, legs hanging over the side as he listened to their conversation.
"Let me start by thanking you for keeping Jafar informed on my behalf," Sinbad began, leaning slightly toward the prince in confidence.
Judal stuck out his tongue. "That walking laundry pile made him do it you know."
"Don't interrupt," Hakuryuu warned in a serious tone.
"But it's true. And I already told Sinbad everything we had planned to do anyways," he kicked his feet against the side of the chair, earning an annoyed look.
"W-Why would you do that!" Hakuryuu literally jumped out of his chair, angry and alarmed. His eyes darted between Judal and Sinbad.
"Because you like that midget. But that stupid king ruined everything," he plopped down into the chair; legs still hanging off the side to soak up Hakuryuu's fading warmth.
The prince's expression turned suspicious, the Oracles words giving him pause. "What do you mean?"
"Duh, he said he'd help you," Judal knew that idiot would make it all his idea, even if he was the one that told him. "Isn't that right, Sinbad?" He stressed the name to mock him a little. "Even though this crybaby wants to go and kill everyone in the Empire."
Hakuryuu shuffled his feet in uncomfortable nervousness, obviously not having expecting this and shot Judal a glare before facing Sinbad.
"...What Judal says is true. I wish for nothing more than to avenge my family. And for that I'll need to kill Al-Thamen," Hakuryuu bowed low, the sun catching the glint of sincerity in his eyes. "I know your looking to do the same. If it means destroying the Empire to achieve this, then I'm willing to do it."
"And then he'll become the Emperor!" Judal added rather enthusiastically, something he had forgotten to mention earlier.
Sinbad leaned back into his chair and it was several moments before he spoke. "While I don't agree with what you want to do, I do think you should take the dungeon Judal's offering you. I'd be happy to provide you with whatever I can to accomplish that much."
"T-Thank you!" Hakuryuu bowed slowly, his eyes misting over slightly.
"However, I want you to reconsider taking on Al-Thamen and the Empire. We can discuss the rest afterwards. In the mean time, Judal will stay here with me."
"Eh? Why? I want to go to," Judal protested, swinging around in the chair to face them properly.
"Didn't you come here to escape Al-Thamen? If you leave my country I can't guarantee they won't find you. And I won't be there to help you either."
Even if that idiot had a point and even though he felt that djinn wanted Hakuryuu alone, he still wanted to go. "Hakuryuu is just going to end up crying and falling down some pit. He's way too weak by himself."
"I'll be perfectly fine."
"Ha, no you won't," while he knew Hakuryuu was capable of doing it himself, he really wanted to meet the djinn he decided his prince should have.
"Yes, I will," Hakuryuu insisted, glaring up at him again.
"No you won't," a hand closed over his mouth and he looked down at Hakuryuu who was now holding his scratchy palm over his lips. It felt kind of weird.
"I'm going and that's the end of it."
Judal watched as Hakuryuu removed his hand, turning toward Sinbad to bow in respect once more.
"I'll start making preparations. I'd like to leave as soon as possible."
Sinbad nodded, saying a few words that were too boring and nothing worth listening to. Instead, Judal watched that happy glow of rukh surround Hakuryuu. It was something he rarely saw and it felt much better than those moments after he was with that midget.
"You just want that power for yourself," and with that Judal hopped out of the chair, walking out of the room to follow Hakuryuu.
