Abstinence

(Friday Afternoon, July 20th)

"How long's a council meeting, anyway?" Carlos questions.

Aziz leans his folded arms on the balcony's white stone, "Long enough for them to think it's a good idea to drag their kids along."

"I saw your father go to the meeting," Carlos comments. "Is that how your parents juggle everything? Your dad collaborates with the other kingdoms, while your mother looks after hers?"

He takes a minute, "Sometimes." as he stares out at the pool and rose garden.

"Az," Carlos concerns, moving closer to the ledge, and he sees his frown. "Az. Is something wrong?" He keeps quiet. "Aziz?"

"My mom's in the hospital," he whimpers.

"What?" Carlos disbelieves. "What for?"

"She has anorexia." He wipes the tears from his face, "After Evie had that vision, my dad found out Jafar used to hurt her really bad…" He gulps, "She stopped eating again. Her therapist thinks it has something to do with not wanting to be noticed. I don't know."

Carlos quiets, "How bad is it?"

"The last time I saw her, it was like she was in a trance." He sniffles, "Like she's still reliving everything, and she's lost so much weight." He meets his blue eyes, "What if she doesn't get better this time? I mean, someone can only be at a low weight so often until—"

"Aziz," Carlos interrupts, taking his hand. "Your mom's going to be okay. If she's getting help and has the support, she will make it."

He manages a smile, "You know, you're the only person I've told about this." before he frowns their hands and takes his away.

"Az?" Carlos notices.

He takes a moment, "Guys aren't really supposed to hold hands with girls." As he tries to pull himself together.

"I'm not a girl," Carlos points out.

"Well, no," Aziz accepts. "But with your sexuality, maybe we shouldn't either."

Carlos nods, before he smiles, pulls his sleeve over his hand, and offers it to him, "What about now?"

Aziz eyes the sleeve, "I don't know. It kind of feels like cheating."

His jaw drops, "On who?"

Aziz widens his eyes, "God."

He offers him an annoyed look, "Just take my hand." before he sighs. "Please."

Aziz half laughs, "Okay." before he takes the black sleeve, and they rest their arms on the stone railing. He catches him tug at his pants, "What about you?"

Carlos frowns, "What do you mean?"

"Are you hurting yourself?"

"What?" he huffs. "Me?" He can't help but grin, "Never." Aziz stares at him, and Carlos confesses, "Well, I mean… I might have overdone it a little with the lighter."

"In your waistband, right?" Aziz accuses.

Carlos gapes, "How did you—"

"You look like you have pantry scorpions in your pants." He narrows his eyes, "What are you doing lighting yourself on fire, anyway?"

"Okay. I do not light myself on fire," he denies. "You, you know, just wait for the metal to heat up, and then you… well. You know."

"Stop saying I know," Aziz gives a look. "I don't hurt myself, and couldn't you find a better spot to do it than where elastic and belts are going to press against?"

Carlos takes his hand away, "It's just a sensitive area. Okay?"

He takes a moment, "Does this have to do with you liking things rougher with people?"

"The problem is," Carlos bypasses, "is that if the lighter's not hot enough, then I can only feel it for like two seconds. But if the lighter's actually hot enough, then my skin gets puffy and peels and stuff."

He shakes his head, "Why do you do it?"

Carlos frowns, "The stinging is just nice… It's warm and, um, tingly."

"There has to be an easier way," Aziz suggests.

"Like what?"

He thinks, "What about a dog collar?"

Carlos furrows his brows at him, "Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?"

"A dog shock collar," Aziz clarifies. "That would sting, wouldn't it?"

"I don't know," Carlos faces forward. "I'd have to look into it."

"Hey," Audrey shouts, and Carlos rolls his eyes before slowly turning. "Uh. I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to be up here."

"Uh. Yeah," Carlos counters. "The point was to be alone."

Aziz laughs, and Audrey points between them, "I'm not interrupting?"

"Kind of," Carlos asserts.

Chad gives a look, "What could we be interrupting?"

"Sex," he immediately responds.

"Talking about sex," Aziz sternly eyes Carlos, before frowns at Audrey. "We were just talking about it."

"Well, so long as that's all you were doing," Audrey takes a deep breath, stepping forward. "I had a question for you."

"What?" Carlos irritably replies.

"Well, I was just wondering," she slowly asks, "do I have to like walk on eggshells around Mal, now that she's tried to kill herself and all that?"

"Mal wouldn't want anyone to pity her," Carlos stresses. "On the Isle if something bad happens to someone, we just say it sucks. You're there for the person. You let them vent. You can't just say sorry out of some stupid social custom and then act like they never got hurt."

"So, I don't have to walk on eggshells with her," Audrey concludes.

Carlos glowers at her, "No. You don't."

Aziz frowns, "You could stand being a little nicer to her, though."

"What are you talking about?" she spats. "I am nice."

Carlos and Aziz give each other a look, before Chad comments, "Hey. So, what's up with Jay? Isn't he normally with you?"

"We're not really getting along," Carlos unsurely responds.

"No. Really." He prompts, "Where is he?"

He sighs, "Belle's baby sitting him."

"Baby sitting?" Chad grins.

"Yeah." Carlos frowns, "He sort of tried to kill Ben."

"Wait," Aziz buds in. "Jay kills people?"

"Well, no," he defends. "Mal stops him."

"But Mal's not here right now," Aziz points out.

"Uh, yeah," Carlos uneasily answers, leaning back onto the balcony. "I know."

"How is he still here?" Audrey disbelieves. "Jay—"

"I know," Jay voices. "I'm irresistible."

Carlos turns back around, and Audrey excuses, "I have to go… check my lip-gloss."

Jay eyes from Audrey to Chad, "You can go too. I have to talk to Carlos."

"Yeah," Chad makes a face, patting Jay's shoulder. Jay eyes it, and Chad shies away, "Whatever you say, man."

Carlos rolls his eyes, as Chad practically runs away; however, then Jay walks up to them. He raises his eyebrows at Aziz, but he insists, "I'm staying."

"Whatever." Jay steps in front of Carlos, backing him against the balcony.

"What do you want?" he spouts.

Jay frowns, "You're upset."

"You're a fucking sociopath," Carlos stresses. "You tried killing Ben."

"He hurt you," Jay asserts. "He hurt Mal. So, what? Just because I'm willing to kill to protect the people I care about, that means I can't ask how you're doing?"

"You're faking it," Carlos accuses. "You never cared about me."

"I care," Jay frowns.

"Fuck you," Carlos counters.

"You know, I was thinking about that," he cracks a smile. "Now that I'm back, maybe you'd like to spend some time with me?"

Carlos is caught off-guard, "What?"

"You've been trying to get with me all summer," he reminds him.

"You have a girlfriend," Carlos hurries, before he lets out a breath. "She's not putting out, is she?"

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Jay," Carlos sighs.

"Come on." He places his hands onto Carlos's arms, "I'll do whatever you want." before he slides one hand down and tightens his grip. "I know you've been itching for a little action."

"You never liked to before," he concerns.

"You know, the way I feel is obviously different than how other people feel." Jay contemplates, partly smiling, "So, if you say you like something, I shouldn't say you don't." Carlos eyes down. "I'll listen to you." Jay tightens his grip further, and Carlos shakily breathes, "If you want something, I'll do it."

"Jay," Carlos tears up. "I don't know."

"It would be fun," he smiles.

"Jay," Carlos whispers.

"Here." Jay moves his other hand to lift Carlos's chin, "I'll show you."

When Jay leans in Aziz yells, "Stop it." and Jay frowns at him. "He's trying to say no. Let go of him."

Jay eyes over Carlos, before he takes his hands off him, "When you want me, you know where to find me."

After he leaves, Aziz observes his friend, "Carlos?" He doesn't speak. "Are you okay?" Carlos shakes his head, and Aziz touches where Jay's grip had been, "Did he hurt you?"

"He was just trying to get me in the mood," Carlos dismisses, before he places his hand over the sore spot.

"You're not doing anything with him," Aziz commands.

Carlos gulps, "Az. I still love him."

"He doesn't want a relationship," Aziz asserts. "He just wants sex." There's a short silence, before Aziz inserts, "With the kind of stuff you like, a psychopath is the last person you need to be having sex with."

"He's not a psychopath," Carlos defends. "He's a sociopath. That's different. He learned how to be this way to survive."

"He can't recognize when he's hurting you."

"I have a pretty pessimistic personality," Carlos counters.

"You're not having sex with him," Aziz shouts. Carlos looks down, and he takes a deep breath, placing his hands onto Carlos's shoulders. "I just don't want to see you get hurt." Carlos faces him, and he examines his face. "Promise me you won't do it with him."

Carlos slowly shakes his head, "Az. I can't promise that."

"You don't need to have sex," he stresses.

"What am I supposed to do?" Carlos counters. "Be abstinent?"

He removes his hands from him, "You masturbate, don't you? With that lighter? Why can't that just be enough?"

Carlos's frown deepens, "It's better with another person." and then he watches his eyes shine. "Az."

"Do what you want," Aziz shakily answers. "But I'll be here. When you realize I was right," he deeply breathes, "I'll be here for you." He holds his breath and shakes his head, "Just not now."

Carlos watches him walk off, "Az." but he ignores him. "Aziz. Come on."