disclaimer: I don't own Magi in any way, shape or form.

-x-

He really didn't know what he was feeling. He was desperate at the very least, desperate to get this aching feeling away from his chest; it hurt.

The funeral had been about two days ago. Friends and family all gathered to give the two boys their condolences, and he simply took it without a word. Business partners of the family company arrived too, much to his dismay; with everything going on, he would rather not have those two-faced mannequins making everything worse.

Now, two days later, as he was kneeling next to his drawers with the suitcase he always tucked away in his closet for trips away from the mansion, he wondered if he was making the right decision.

When he took out his suitcase, dragging it right next to his drawer to stuff it full with the many shirts and pants he was gifted with, he was angry. Seething. But most of all… lost. And if he allowed himself to be more honest with himself, he would've admitted that he still hadn't found his way yet.

His movements slowed, hands coming to a stop as he limply clutched the white shirt in his hands. He took a glance out his window. The sky was dark- the time was barely peaking at 2 am. Everyone was asleep, he was sure. Taking a shaky breath, he looked back down into his suitcase, letting go of the shirt.

Perhaps, this was a mistake. Perhaps, he shouldn't be doing this. But no matter, his hands moved automatically, clutching and stuffing, rinse and repeat.

And soon… he was done. Finished. Not just with stuffing the suitcase, but with everything really. What had he done to deserve this? Hadn't he been a good child, following the rules, helping others? He chuckled bitterly to himself, as he stood up, dragging the suitcase up with him. Life had a cruel way of repaying someone, didn't it?

He blinked away the tears, held in the sob at the back of his throat and he took a look at his room. His former room. Everything was neat and tidy. He might as well give less work to the cleaning maids if it was going to be his last day in the mansion, anyways.

His eyes landed on his night table, the lamp turned off as to not raise any attention to his room. He trudged towards it, reaching out for the picture that was tucked into the picture frame that sat atop the table.

The picture was old. A family was etched onto it, in pale, inaccurate colors. His family. He flipped it over, the date of 3 years ago when he barely turned 6 printed onto it, before turning back to the front. He looked over it once more, before he stuffed it into his pocket.

A moment of silence, and he rolled the suitcase over to his window. Pushing it open, he let the nighttime breeze ruffle his hair for a second or two, shivering as the cold air seeped in, and he heaved the suitcase outdoors before following in suit. At the very least, he was grateful that the mansion was only one story tall.

Without even a second look towards the his home- his former home, he trudged forward carefully, because he knew if he did, he would most likely sprint back to the window, and jump back in.

There was a split moment when he regretted his decision. But he had already made it, and there was no going back now.

-x-

He'd rather not relish in those memories, really. A sinking feeling always churned in his stomach whenever he recalled trekking past the gates of the mansion, and finding his way into the harsh reality of life.

The picture he had grabbed out of pure instinct was set right on his night table, just as it had been in his room back at the estate. But for some reason, he could never bring himself to look at it.

A knock interrupted his thoughts, thankfully, followed by the voice of his second eldest roommate. "Sharrkan, you better hurry if you want to make it to Yamuraiha's swim meet." Ja'far called through the door. "It's already noon, and the meet starts at 2. You're gonna pick her up, right?"

His eyes snapped open in realization. Oh. That's right. Yamuraiha. The girl who managed to get a genuine smile on his face in years. "Yeah, hold up. I'll be out in a minute."

True to his word, he bounded out of his room in less than a minute, the pajamas he was formerly clad in swapped out for clothes slightly more formal than his usual white shirt and green pants. Might as well dress for the special occasion.

He ambled towards the kitchen, a plate of french toast and fruit already set on the table, waiting for him to eat them. Ja'far was standing at the stove, finishing up a batch of toast for himself as he sat himself down.

"Shouldn't you be at work right now?" Sharrkan asked, stuffing some toast into his mouth.

Ja'far's face scrunched up. "Don't talk with your mouth full." He chastised. "And to answer your question, yes, I should be at work. But I trust Hinahoho to run the cafe decently for now. After all, I had to check on you. And you should be glad that I did; if I hadn't you'd probably get ready after the meet had already ended."

"Hey, that's not true!" He protested, a pout forming on his face, but Ja'far only responded with a raised brow. Huffing, he downed the rest of his french toast, a scowl present on his face. "Whatever, I don't have time to hear you lecture me." He pushed away from the table, an arm reaching for a paper bag on the counter. He grabbed a coat and slipping on his high-tops, before he sauntered out the door. "Later, Ja'far!" He called back into the house before shutting the front door closed.

He was glad that picking up Yamuraiha wasn't much of a problem, other than the fact that he had to walk to her house. Really, he should get his driver's license soon; walking everywhere was starting to get a little tiring. He was already legal anyways.

Luckily for him, when he knocked on her door, it swung open to reveal the blue-haired beauty, and not that bearded man she called a father. Honestly, it was like that man was trying to burn him with his eyes.

But he had more important matters to take care of at the moment, and Yamuraiha had already shouted a farewell into the house where he assumed that the man in thought was, a hand clutching the straps of her purse and beach bag. She closed the door behind, giving him a smile before she bounded down the steps.

"Hey, angel." Sharrkan flashed her a quick smirk, and they began their trek. He was glad that the swimming complex this competition was going to be held at was close enough that they could walk to it without much trouble. "I brought you some food-" He held up the paper bag, "Some lucky mocha bread. We ran out of sponge cake ingredients a while ago so… But no matter, you can't kick some ass in that competition on an empty stomach, now can you?"

Yamuraiha rolled her eyes, but nonetheless giggled at his words, a small smile gracing her lips. "Thank you. But one question… Do you even know what I'm signed up for?"

"What?" His voice was a pitch higher than normal and he coughed awkwardly. "Of course I do." Her reaction was a blank one, a raised brow and unconvinced eyes, and he rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away sheepishly. "Don't look at me like that."

She grinned in response. "Of course not."

Sharrkan flushed. "I- You- Shut up, you mermaid!" He pouted, but held back any other bitter retort just waiting to be spilled out. Not because he knew that she was right or anything.

She would've continued on either way, using her fingers to check off the events. "Okay, so I'm only signed up for just one event this time… 200 meter freestyle. Got that?" He blinked, memorizing her words and nodded. "Good. Watch for me, okay?"

"Of course." He winked. A brilliant smile formed on her face, and he couldn't help but grin back. As somber as it sounded, this was the girl that had pulled him out of darkness. His angelfish. What a fitting name, he chuckled.

She must've heard his little laugh, and she furrowed her brow at him. "What's so funny?"

Sharrkan ruffled her hair, laughing once again as she fussed over the messy strands. "Nothing." He assured her. "Angelfish."

He smiled to himself, noticing as she fell slightly behind with her face scrunched up into a confused pout, and knew right then and there that he never could've had a better savior.

-x-

It had been raining the day he ran away. Surprisingly, actually. Heliohapt was known as the dry country, being built upon ancient desert ruins. Just a few feet beyond the mansion, the stars twinkled their goodbyes, disappearing under the dark clouds as the light sprinkle gradually becoming heavy raindrops. His steps slowed to a shuffle. What perfect timing he had, planning his escape just before a rainstorm.

Donned in only a jacket over his shirt, and loose pants, his skin quickly grew cold, and he could almost swear that his lips were turning a light shade of blue. So he ran. Not caring if puddles were forming in his path, not caring if his luggage hit more than a few bumps in the sidewalk. He stopped only to zip up his jacket, pulling up his hood, hoping that it would make him a little warmer, even the slightest. It didn't, really.

His skin was growing goosebumps. His stomach was beginning to crave food. And he really did wonder if he should just turn back to the mansion. But he had gotten this far, and wasn't at all ready to give up, and he clenched his teeth, pushing forward. Keep going. Don't Stop. Keep. Going.

He didn't know how long he had been walking when he bumped into someone. A group. And instantly, he dropped his luggage, raised his fists, and dropped down into a slightly unstable stance.

There was a laugh, a cheery laugh. "Woah, hey there, little guy, we don't wanna fight you." There seemed to be 6 of them; three teenagers looking around the same age, a younger looking teenager (maybe even in his preteens, really) a large man who looked to be at least seven feet tall, possibly even taller, and… he squinted. A child? Why would a child be with these… these people? He had to be as old as himself, perhaps even younger. They all carried luggage, much like himself, and even the youngest carried a gigantic pack seemingly bigger than his body.

The large man spoke, taking away his attention away from the little boy. "Hey, yeah, Sinbad's right." The man jerked his thumb to the first speaker. "We don't pick fights randomly." The others nodded, save for the boy who stared up at him with unnerving eyes. He scowled.

That "Sinbad" guy smiled. He had an umbrella. They all did. "We don't wanna hurt you." He squatted down. "What's your name?"

They're lying to you! A little voice in his mind screeched, and he glared up at Sinbad, somewhat surprised to see warm eyes meet his own. Don't trust them! Stop! And against his own judgement he lowered his arms, the little voice fleeing is mind.

"Sharrkan." He proclaimed, and he puffed his chest out, hands on his hips.

Sinbad rose a brow, the corners of his lips quirking upwards. "Sharrkan, huh? I'm Sinbad. This is Hinahoho." The large man grinned. "Drakon." The green haired teen cracked a small smile, and nodded. "Mistoras." The red haired teen smiled, waving. "Ja'far." The younger, silver haired teen took a moment, before inclining his head. "And Masrur." The little red headed boy didn't say anything, and still he stared.

He inched away. He hoped no one noticed.

Mistoras crouched down beside Sinbad. "What are you doing up this late, Sharrkan?" Sharrkan looked down, pulling at the damp cloth. It was sticking to his skin, and he made a face. He didn't want to answer that question. He pretended to miss the glance that was shared between Mistoras and Sinbad.

The two of them straightened. "Alright then, why don't you come with us?" He almost took a step back. Of course he would have. Who wouldn't? "We were here to visit someone today, but due to… unspecified circumstances, we have been forced to cancel our plans. Our flight is in about an hour or two."

Ja'far narrowed his eyes, tugging on Sinbad's sleeve roughly. "Sinbad, just what are you doing?" He hissed. Sharrkan shuffled his feet awkwardly. "You can't just invite every stray you meet! We'll end up as some sort of orphanage!"

Sinbad held up a hand. "Ja'far, I know exactly what I'm doing. He obviously needs help. But really, who do you think is going to give him any if not us?" He took a look at the boy, who had been listening to their conversation, a small smile forming on the older boy's face. "You don't have to come with us. I leave the decision entirely up to you." He reached a dry hand out to him.

Don't trust him! That little voice was back and Sharrkan almost backed down. His brother had always told him he had been a prideful kid. His brother. Armakan. And suddenly, thoughts of the mansion gushed into his brain once more. He didn't want to go back to the mansion. Not yet. He wasn't sure if he ever did.

The image of his father slumped over his desk, red liquid pouring out from that little hole in his chest flashed before his eyes, and almost immediately, he made his decision.

No more doubts, no looking back, he mustered up all the dignity he had left, and grabbed Sinbad's hand.

-x-

It reeked of pool water when they arrived, the smell hitting Sharrkan like a punch to the face, but that was to be expected. Obviously.

Yamuraiha had pointed him to the bleachers meant for the audience while she headed for the registration, briefly telling him wish her luck as she handed him her purse.

"The schedule is up there." She pointed to the giant screen, hanging overhead. He squinted, reading the words that lit up on the monitor. "Like I said, I'll be doing 200 meter freestyle, which is the 4th race. So make sure you pay attention to that, okay?"

Yes. Of course. The only one I could ever focus on is you, anyways, so… But he didn't speak his thoughts and just nodded. She nodded back, parting ways with him as she walked to the registration. Of course, he took a moment to look at her back as she scurried to the desk, blue hair swaying side to side as she walked quickly.

He smiled and followed her instructions, climbing up the steps up to the third row. It was a nice view, perfectly set in the middle of the audience, he noted as he held Yamuraiha's purse in his hands. He stared at it for a while, waiting.

It had been a few minutes when Sharrkan closed his eyes. Breathed in the chlorine scented air. Things ran through his head, and the noise of excited chattering was muffled to murmurs as he focused on nothing but his thoughts.

-x-

He sat in the airplane with Sinbad and the others, who had bought an extra ticket for him last minute. "We came from a different country," Sinbad had explained to him as they stood in line for boarding, "from Parthevia. That's about four hours away on plane." Fine with him. He's never been on an airplane before. Or outside of the boundaries of the mansion's gates- No. He shouldn't be thinking of that anymore.

Deep breaths. He looked outside- the others had been happy to give him a window seat, wedged between Masrur and the window. There wasn't much to see as the plane flew above the clouds. It was dark still, the time peaking only at 4 in the morning. They had already been flying for a few hours now, and Drakon, who had been sitting in the aisle seat right beside Masrur, had said that they should be arriving any minute now.

He took a glance at Masrur, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. His eyes narrowed, face scrunching up into a grimace, but he didn't move the younger boy. After all, Sharrkan couldn't really blame him. He himself could barely keep his own eyes open, sleep finally catching up to him.

But the voice of the pilot jerked him awake, announcing that they would be landing in a moment or two. The sudden jolt had probably woke Masrur up, who blinked back to consciousness, rubbing his tired eyes.

Sharrkan looked out the window once more, marveling at the early morning lights that flashed down below. It was a beautiful sight.

Slowly, they grew closer to those lights until finally touching down, the landing slightly bumpy as the plane pulled up into its respective parking spot.

"Thank you for flying with us, and we hope you enjoy the rest of your day." The pilot said, and they were released from the aircraft.

There wasn't much conversation going on, as they exited the plane, neither did they talk much while gathering their luggage or even during the car ride home. Wherever "home" was.

Hinahoho was driving, Sinbad in the front seat with the rest of them crammed into the back. Once again he had gotten a window seat, and he looked out as they pulled up into the driveway of a little cozy building.

The seven of them filed out of the car, Sharrkan being the last one out. He was as they walked into the cafe, stretching and yawning. He blinked up at the building, reading the sign up above. "Sindria Cafe", it read. His eyes squinted, looking through the large glass windows, but before he could scrutinize them for long, someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry, Sharrkan, we just need to grab a few stuff from here before we get back home." Sinbad said, looking down at him. "Is that okay with you?" He nodded. "Great. Why don't you come inside? Perhaps you would like some hot chocolate before we leave. You look cold." Sinbad looked at his still damp clothes.

Sharrkan nodded silently, shuffling inside as Sinbad followed. Immediately, he was hit with the warm air of the establishment, the sweet smell of ice cream and pastries wafting into his nose. The interior was simple, not necessarily cute, not necessarily cool, and the others had scattered around.

"Ah, I see you're back, Sinbad." The voice of a girl spat out, bitterly. Sharrkan looked towards her. She was beautiful, long pink hair flowing behind her like a cape. But her face was contorted into a scowl, as she glared at the arrival of the purple haired boy behind him.

"Nice to see you, too, Seren. This early in the morning, too." Sinbad smiled. "It's always a pleasure to talk to you, but first, do you mind grabbing a blanket from the back?"

"A blanket?" She repeated, raising a brow. "Whatever would you need a blanket for?" Her eyes drifted downwards to Sharrkan, and he felt Sinbad place a hand on his shoulder once more. "Oh, have you picked up yet another wandering stray?"

"Serendine, please." Sinbad gave her a disapproving frown and she harrumphed, crossing her arms. "This is Sharrkan. He… can't live at his own home anymore for certain reasons."

Her face softened almost instantly. "My deepest apologies, Sharrkan, was it?" He confirmed with a nod. "Very well, I will fetch you a blanket. I take it you also need something warm to drink? Your clothes are wet."

Sinbad nodded. "Hot chocolate to be precise." He said. "Thank you."

Sharrkan turned to Sinbad, tugging on his shirt as Serendine disappeared into the door behind the counter. "Sinbad, who was that?" She seemed a little rude.

Sinbad laughed. "Don't mind her, Sharrkan. She's been through hard times such as yourself." He bent down, whispering into his ear. "She was kicked out of her home, just as Drakon has been." The younger boy marveled at his words, tilting his head. "Everyone is here for one reason or another. Mistoras and Hinahoho wished to travel outside their respective countries, Ja'far and Masrur hadn't found a place to belong, and as I said, Drakon and Serendine were not wanted at their own homes."

"What about you?"

"Me?" Sinbad grinned. "I had no home. So I decided to build one myself." His face glowed with pride. "This is your home now, too. Enjoy it."

Sharrkan once again looked around himself, watching as the rest of them smiled happily with one another, wondering if that could be him one day. It probably could. He smiled, nodding.

"That's the spirit, Sharrkan." Sinbad smiled, as Serendine came up beside them, wrapping the younger boy in a fluffy blanket and handing him a cup. He peered into the cup, letting the steam hit his face as the cocoa swished around in the mug. It smelled sweet. It felt... warm. "Welcome home."

-x-

He hadn't felt happiness like that since then. That warmth that had embraced him so tightly that he hoped it would never let go. It's been so long since he felt something like that. He missed it. So, so much.

But a voice interrupted his reminiscence, his eyes snapping open as the announcer's calls rumbled through the complex. "Congratulations to Sasan High for winning!" A slight pause to let the audience cheer, and Sharrkan winced slightly at the volume. "And it seems like that's it for the 200 meter butterfly! Let's not waste anytime now, everyone; time for the last individual race of the day: 200 meter freestyle! Swimmers, on the boards, please."

Sharrkan's mind reeled. Yamu's race was going to happen soon. His eyes darted around, trying to spot his best friend in the line filing out of the . Finally, he saw her, tucking the last strands of hair under her swim cap. Her goggles were hung around her neck, and she pulled them over her eyes. Unconsciously, he smiled.

He watched crouch on the board, her grip the edge, heart hammering even if he wasn't the one racing. He would've laughed if he wasn't so… nervous? Was that the word? No… he wasn't nervous. Sharrkan had no doubt that Yamuraiha would be the winner; he's seen her swim before, and it didn't take a genius to tell that the way she cut through the water was beautiful.

No, he was more… excited than anything.

"Racers, are you ready?" The announcer was met with several nods. "Then get ready… set… go!"

The swimmers- including Yamuraiha- pushed off the board, letting themselves glide before starting their stroke. Sharrkan's eyes never left the one he had dubbed a "fish". A fitting name if he did say so himself, the girl swimming as though she was born and raised in the water her whole life.

The pool was about 50 meters across. Four complete laps and she should be finished.

He leaned forward, watching her arms as they seemed to stretch outwards. She neared the end of her first lap, flipping quickly and pushing off the wall. And again at the second lap. And the third lap. And before he knew it, Yamuraiha had already started on her fourth lap. The others trailed behind her, and although closely, was not quick enough to match her speed.

Even if he had little to no hesitation in believing that she would come out victorious, Sharrkan held his breath in until he was almost sure that he turned blue. Yamuraiha's swimming entranced him, a pattern in her stroke forming. Stroke, stroke, stroke, breath, rinse and repeat.

The others were on her tail, what seemed like a hair away from her, and his grip on her purse tightened. This was important to her, he knew. And she was so close, so fucking close to winning that screams built up at his throat. And honestly, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Yamu, I swear to the lord, you better win this race!" He cupped his mouth with either hand on each side, bellowing at the top of his lungs, the cry louder than anyone else's. Or was that just his imagination? "I know you can win! Prove me right, dammit!"

Maybe it was just him, but Yamuraiha seemed to swim a second faster, closer and closer to the wall before-

Her head rose from the water, and she turned quickly towards the monitor. And a grin spread across her face. And she giggled, before bursting cracking up at nothing. Between catching her breaths and loud laughter, her eyes searched for his, blue meeting green. Grin matching grin.

Yamuraiha waved joyfully, and he stood up to run down the steps to meet her. She pulled herself out of the water, barely hearing the announcer's voice saying through the speakers, "What a close race that was! But the winner has already been determined, so say congratulations to Southern Islands High for their win!"

Of course he would say congratulations, of course. He bounded towards her, carefully on the slippery floor, as she slipped off her swim cap, her blue hair falling down on her shoulders as she talked to what seemed like one of the competition officials. She looked at him, a brilliant smile on her face. She pointed to her neck, reaching for the medal that the official had presented her with.

Sharrkan grinned, not hesitating to wrap her in an embrace so tight that she might have choked if she hadn't pushed away with a giggle.

"Looks like the lucky mocha bread worked, huh?" He joked, and she smiled.

"I… I really did it. I'm not dreaming, right?" She breathed out, and he nodded. "I'm…" She smiled, "I'm so glad. I… I won."

"You did."

He hadn't burst with such happiness since that day, almost a decade ago. That warmth that had embraced him so tightly that he hoped it would never let go. It's been so, so long since he felt something like that.

And although it was short, and was but a vague feeling in the depths of his memory, he recognized it immediately, bubbling in his abdomen as he held onto Yamuraiha's shoulders. The happiness he had only experienced once had once again returned. And couldn't express it in words, but in actions.

And without any reluctance, he leaned in.

-x-

Upon Armakan's request, Narmes had escorted Sinbad, along with Serendine and Drakon back to Heliohapt. The manager had escaped his duties easily, as Ja'far had already knew that this case was more than just important. It was personal.

Their plane had already landed, the dry scent of the desert city hitting them instantly as they exited the airport. Quickly, they entered a taxi, Narmes muttering the directions to the mansion to the driver.

"Remember this place, Drakon?" Sinbad smiled. He marveled at the tall buildings he didn't recall seeing during their last visit. "Really, it has changed so much since the last time we were here."

"Of course it has." A deep, throaty chuckle rumbled through Dragul's chest, his arms crossed as he stared out of the window on his side. "It's been almost a decade, after all. Nothing is bound to stay the same."

Serendine stayed silent, sitting between the two men with her jaw set and arms folded over her chest.

The two men talked back and forth for a little while longer, making small talk until they reached what seemed to be their destination. Narmes handed the driver a few bills, before turning to the back seat. "We're here."

The three nodded, before getting out of the taxi, sending their thanks to the driver on their way out. They waited for Narmes to unlock the gate, the rumble of the taxi's engine growing farther and farther away and they stepped into the private estate. They stopped in front of the door of the main mansion, the grand mahogany door standing before them.

"Welcome, visitors from Parthevia, to the Amun-Ra Estate."

-x-

note: ohoho look who it is, the horrible person, suka! :))) it's been 84 yeeearrrs since i last updated this, i'm such a shitty person. i'm so absolutely absolutely absolutely sorry for this unnanounced hiatus! /gross sobbing in the distance/ i'm horrible. and yes, sharrkan wears green pants, isn't it perfect? picture them as sweatpants. because tbh sweatpants are loose and comfy and easy to wear. i really wish i had more lmao. he either wears sweatpants or jeans lol, but i think he likes sweatpants better (same). in other newwwws, bts had their comeback like two sundays ago, and i cried. bc whalien 52, house of cards, CROW TIT. but good news is, it motivated me to write! kinda! i mean, i got most of it done after they released the songs so... thank them for me, will you? lololol. and also, new format kinda. ANYWAYYYSS, thank you to everyone who followed (animeotakugirl69, aliciakp6, Crayola Hearts [lol hello ellie], Dreaming Storm, vocaloidprinces, qurz058, humorousandparanoid, , Crosswald, and lek99), favorited (animeotakugirl69, Crayola Hearts, Arkavis, Dreamingstorm, vocaloidprincess, imafangirlforever, , and lek99) and reviewed (XFangHeartX, Blit'zeen, Guest #1, Pokkit, Guest #2, indigo, vocaloidprincess, qurz058, , and Guest #3). ALSOOOO guess who's story reached 100 followers? that's right, mine. ASDFGHJKL I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH? THANK YOU SO MUCH? HOW DO I EVEN EXPRESS THIS? AHHHHHH-

xoxo

-suka-chan