The Talk

(Thursday Afternoon, July 25th)

"Desert whether can get really hot during the day and really cold at night," Aladdin informs. "These cloaks are really good for that." He shows Carlos, "The inner layer draws heat out of the skin and protects from sunburn. The outer layer will trap the heat from the inner layer. At night you wear both layers, but during the day you unzip the top layer." He demonstrates before facing him, "Got it?"

Carlos slightly nods, "I think so."

"There's no black or red," Aziz points out.

Carlos takes a cloak from the rack, "I'm okay with white." before he contemplates. "It would look better with fur." He notices them stare at him, "What? I'm just saying."

"If you wear fur," Aziz points out, "people will think it's real."

"You won't want to carry something so bulky with you anyway," Aladdin inputs. "A fur layer is going to take up more room in your bag than a fleece one."

Carlos frowns, "I guess you're right."

"Come on," he smiles. "I know you want some shorts."

Carlos and Aziz follow Aladdin to where the pants are, but then Carlos hears something. He turns and notices one of the security men tearing a leather rope through the air, and the shirtless teenager yelps. "Wow."

"Uh. Yeah." Aziz addresses, "Most places in Agrabah will offer a whipping option to shoplifters. A lot of people prefer to keep a clean record."

The whips are steady, and Carlos partly smiles, "How long does it go on for?"

"It's one whip per dollar of the stolen item," he informs before unsurely continuing. "A lot of people say it's bad, but at least it's better than getting your hand cut off."

Carlos continues to stare, "I don't see a problem with it." and he can't help but grin. "I mean, talk about tall, dark, and handsome."

Aziz looks from the muscular security guy to Carlos, before he nudges him, "Hey."

Carlos laughs, "What?" before he looks back at the scene. "I'm just saying, I wouldn't mind taking a turn." His expression falls, "Oh, no."

"What is it?" Aziz concerns, before Carlos glances down and he sees it.

"Why did these pants have to be so light?" he worries.

Aziz takes his cloak off, "Here." before he gives it to Carlos.

He covers himself, "Thanks."

"Hold on," he comments, before he walks over to his father. "Dad?"

"Is Carlos the same size as you?" he questions.

"Uh, yeah," he answers, before he watches his father looks through the shorts. "I think he would prefer the darker colors."

"This isn't about what he prefers." His dad reminds him, "He's not used to the heat like you. He's going to need lighter colors."

"Um, Dad," Aziz starts. "Carlos kind of had an accident."

He raises his eyebrows, "An accident?"

"Of a sexual nature?" he clarifies.

Aladdin looks from Carlos to Aziz, "Right. Um." He thinks, "Show him to the bathroom, and then go to the car." He hands him the keys, "Okay?"

"Yeah," he agrees, before he hesitates. "Um, and, I'm not sure what they were taught on the Isle, but I do know none of the VK's were offered a sex ed course when they got here."

His dad nods, "Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

After Aziz switches on the car and unlocks the doors, he turns on the air conditioning and moves to the back. He notices Carlos's expression, "You don't need to feel ashamed. This happens to a lot of guys at some point."

Carlos faces him, "Has it ever happened to you?"

"Well, no," he answers, and Carlos looks away. "But that's just because I practice self-discipline. I've trained myself to think about more important things." Carlos takes a deep breath. "Maybe next time you get turned on, you should just think about something else."

"Just think about something else?" Carlos frustrates. "The last study I saw said that guys documented thinking about sex an average of eighteen times a day. That's once every waking hour, and you're telling me that you've just trained yourself not to think about it?"

Aziz quiets, "I fast. That probably helps."

Carlos shakes his head, "I spent most of my life living on one meal a day. I'm not going to fucking fast."

He frowns, "You don't have to. What happened to you is normal. You don't have to do anything about it if you don't want to."

Carlos widens his eyes at him, "You're going to turn this into a choice now?" before the door opens. "How about you just frickin' eat, so you're not so sexually repressed?"

Aladdin shuts the door and looks in the back. Both of the boys quiet, before he eyes from Carlos to Aziz, "Why does he think you're not eating?" He eyes down, and his father sternly asks, "Aziz Ali, are you fasting?"

"Yes," he whispers, and he watches his father turn to the front.

Aladdin gulps, as tears intrude his eyes, "You realize your mom is in the hospital?"

"Yes," Aziz answers.

"Then why are you doing this?" He looks into the mirror, "I told you that if you wanted to prove you didn't have a problem, then you could wait to fast for Ramadan."

He hesitates, "I know."

"But you still did it?" Aziz fails to answer. "Why?"

He takes a moment, "I thought I had to."

"Why?" he asks again.

Aziz shakes his head, "I don't know why." and he hears his dad cry. "I just feel better when I do it, and it's just intermediate fasting. I still eat. It's not like Mom. I'm fine."

After a minute of quiet, Carlos looks between Aziz and Aladdin, "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Aladdin breathes, pulling himself together. "You did nothing wrong, Carlos." He hands him the shopping bag, "Here. I got a few things for you."

When they make it into the palace, Aladdin commands, "Aziz, go to your room. Carlos, sit with me, please."

Aladdin goes over to the dining table, and Carlos notices Aziz start up the stairs. He hurries over to him, "Hey." Aziz turns to him, and he notices his frown, "I'm, uh, sorry I got you in trouble."

"I told you, didn't I?" Aziz stresses. "That my dad thought I had the same illness my mom does, even though I don't?"

Carlos eyes off, "I vaguely remember."

Aziz stares at him, "I really feel like hitting you right now."

"You could, you know," he offers.

Aziz takes a deep breath, lays a hand on Carlos's shoulder, and shuts his eyes, "See you later." before he turns up the stairs.

"Carlos?" Aladdin calls. Carlos moves back over to the dining area and sits across from him. "Look. I'd like to talk about what happened."

"Okay," Carlos unsurely replies.

"Have you ever actually had an adult sit down and talk with you about sex or puberty?"

He glances down, "Not really."

"Well, the first thing you need to know is that for someone your age this is completely normal," he reassures, "especially in, um, exciting situations."

"Okay," he frowns.

"Some people find that if they try thinking about something disgusting, then it can stop an, er, erection, but that doesn't guarantee that it will stop. And it's okay if it doesn't."

"Okay," Carlos says again.

"Basically," he concludes, "it's just your body preparing you for when you do have sex."

"Yeah," Carlos agrees, "and I have."

"Right. Um." Aladdin thinks, "Do you have any questions?"

He takes a moment, "Can I have the lighter now?"

Aladdin takes a moment, "You're upset that you got Aziz in trouble."

"No," Carlos counters. "I already apologized, and he said we'd talk later. That usually means he needs to talk to someone."

"So, you don't want the lighter to hurt yourself?" he cautiously asks.

"No." Carlos's eyebrows raise, "I want it, because that whipping was hotter than any porn I've ever seen."

Aladdin frowns, "I don't feel like I'm parenting very well right now."

"Because, you don't want to give me the lighter?" Carlos assumes.

"Partly."

Carlos nods, "Well, does Aziz need permission to masturbate?"

"This is different," he counters.

Carlos unsurely expresses, "I'm not seeing a difference."

Aladdin sighs, "Fine." before he takes out the lighter and hands it to him. "You have an hour. Give it back at dinner."

"Cool," Carlos smiles, before he stands and races up the stairs.

"Be careful," Aladdin shouts, before he takes a moment, runs a hand through his hair, and heads upstairs. He moves past the living room and goes to knock on Aziz's door.

"Come in."

He enters the room, Aziz sets down his phone, and his father sits on the end of the bed, "We need to talk about this."

"I know you think I have a problem," Aziz comments, "but I don't."

"Then why are you doing this?" he frowns.

"I told you," he emphasizes. "I just feel better when I do it."

"Explain, please."

"My thoughts are clearer," he answers.

His dad takes a moment, "Are your thoughts clearer or numb, nonexistent?" Aziz doesn't speak, and he continues, "When your mom doesn't eat, it makes her numb to her feelings and the things happening around her. You know this isn't a good thing."

"For me it is," Aziz quietly insists.

"Why?" his dad asks again.

"Why do you keep asking why?" Aziz frustrates.

"For the same reason three-year-olds do," he persists. "To understand the world around them." Aziz eyes down, and he sighs, "Az. I really want to know the world you're in. I need to know why it's so important that you do this."

Aziz takes a deep breath, "When I fast, I don't think about sex."

"That's what this is about?" he sadly says. "You don't want to think about sex?" Aziz doesn't speak, and his dad reminds him, "I just got done trying to tell Carlos that sexual desires and reactions are normal. It's not any different for you."

He frowns, "You didn't give him the same talk you and Mom gave me, did you?"

His Dad takes a breath, "Carlos isn't religious, and he's had homosexual experiences. I couldn't just tell him that when God created us our lifespans were shorter, and He had to make reproduction possible at a younger age to ensure survival." Aziz doesn't say anything, and he continues, "Look. I know your mother is pretty strict about these things, but I don't care if you think about sex. And I'm not going to get upset if you have sex before marriage." He reassures, "It's a normal thing to think about. You shouldn't have to suppress it with starvation."

After a minute, Aziz looks at him, "What are you going to do about Carlos?"

"What do you mean?" he asks in confusion.

"Well, you took him in because he was having homosexual sex, didn't you?"

"I took him in because he was getting hurt," he corrects.

"So, you don't think what he's doing is wrong?" Aziz accuses.

"Az," his dad takes a moment. "Does having Carlos here bother you?"

"Kind of," he strongly admits. "Yeah."

"But you two are friends?" he slowly states.

"Yeah," Aziz comments, "but that doesn't mean I want to see him every day."

He nods, "And does that have anything to do with his homosexual behavior?"

"He tried to kiss me last year," Aziz stresses. "He can't live with us."

He thinks, "You share different rooms, and he keeps a later schedule than you do."

"I don't care," Aziz asserts. "I don't want him here."

He pauses, "Why?"

"Because," he heavily breathes. "He has a type: male with a dark complexion. What do you think is going to happen if he sees me every day?"

"I think," he addresses, "that if Carlos does anything, you can remind him that you're just friends and that you're not interested." Aziz's breathing slows, as he tears up. "Am I wrong? Do you have any reason to believe he would ignore you if you said that?"

"No," Aziz sniffles, as the tears leave his eyes.

His dad takes a breath, "You don't need to spend any more time with him than you're comfortable with, but he needs a place to stay that's safe for him."

He gulps, "I understand."

"If you want, I can talk to him."

"No," Aziz shakes his head. "I don't want him to know about this."

"Why not?" he questions.

"Because." Aziz breathes, "I don't want him to think I hate him."

"Alright," his dad accepts. "I won't say anything."

He continues to sit with him, and after a minute Aziz says, "I heard you tell Belle that Carlos is too young to be homosexual. At what age would you believe him? Twenty-one?"

"I'm not sure," he admits, before he contemplates, "I think my doubt mostly comes from him never dating a girl before. He's never kissed or had sex with a girl, so how can he know he doesn't like it?" Aziz fails to comment, and he questions, "Would you rather have me encourage Carlos to date girls or just let him be?"

Aziz shakes his head, "I just want him to be happy."

"He's not happy right now."

"No," he admits.

"Do you think he would be happier if he dated girls?"

Aziz meets his dad's eyes, "I believe him when he says he's not attracted to girls. If he's not attracted to them, could he be happy dating one?"

"If the girl is already someone he's close to," he speculates, and Aziz turns away. "Would you be more comfortable around Carlos if he was dating a girl?"

"I don't know," he frowns. "I just hate that this thing has gotten between us."

His dad nods, "Is there anything else you would like to say?"

"No," he murmurs.

"Okay," he nods again before standing from the bed. "I'm going to cook dinner. I want you to come eat when it's done. I don't like the stress you're putting on your body."

"I'm too tired," Aziz whispers.

"It will be an hour or two," he informs. "If you want to rest, I'll come wake you up."

"Okay," he accepts.

"Okay," Aladdin confirms, before he exits the room and shuts the door.

After dinner Carlos meets Aziz at the top of the stairs, "Hey."

He turns around, "Hey."

"Did you want to talk?" Carlos unsurely reminds him.

"Um." He takes a moment, "Yeah." before he nods to the balcony. "Let's go outside." Carlos follows him past the living room, through the thick curtain, and they walk over to the stone railing. Aziz stares at the city lights, "I'm not mad at you."

"Okay," he simply responds.

Aziz turns to him, "Carlos."

After a moment, he questions, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry I got upset earlier," he apologizes.

"It's fine." Carlos thinks, "I'm sorry I yelled at you in the car." Aziz eyes down, and Carlos watches him shake, "Az?" He brings a hand to his eyes, and Carlos watches him wipe the tears away. "What's wrong?" He keeps silent, looking down into the dark courtyard. Carlos glances from the curtains to Aziz, "Do you want me to leave?" He shakes his head, and Carlos moves closer. He looks from Aziz to the lamp-lit gardens, and after a minute Aziz's breathing seem to match the slow crickets. Carlos notice's Aziz's strained posture, and he reaches for his hand. Aziz relaxes, looks from their hands to Carlos, and then kisses him. "Az," Carlos whispers, as his eyes widen.

He lets go of Carlos's hand, folds his arms, and stares back at the city, "Sorry."

"Az." Carlos stares at him, "Are you gay?"

"No one's gay," Aziz stresses. "It's a choice."

"Did Allah tell you that?" Carlos counters, but he keeps quiet. "Az. It's okay to be gay."

"If I'm homosexual," his eyes gloss over, "then I'll be killed."

Carlos takes a minute, "Why?"

"If homosexuality is a choice," Aziz informs, "then I'm choosing to be immoral. If I'm immoral, then I'm unfit to rule this holy kingdom."

"Az," Carlos comments. "No one's going to kill you."

"If my parents care about my afterlife, they're obligated to."

"But they wouldn't." He questions, "Would they?"

Aziz shakes his head, "My dad wouldn't be able to go through with it, but I don't know. And if my parents don't, then someone from my kingdom will."

"No," Carlos shakes his head. "You can't die."

"I won't," Aziz takes a deep breath, "so long as I can stay pure. No one will know."

"You can't just not be gay," Carlos denies. "It's not a choice."

Aziz faces him, "Don't you get it? I have no choice. You might have the luxury of being with whoever you want to be with, but abstinence is my only option."

He watches him cry, "Az."

He takes a deep breath, "You know, I really hate having you here." before shaking his head. "But I don't want you to leave."

Carlos evenly asks, "Do you want me to kiss you?"

"No," he rejects.

He takes a moment, "Can I hug you?" Aziz holds his breath but nods. Carlos wraps his arms around him, "It's going to be okay." and he releases a sob. "And I won't tell anyone."