Finally, a new chapter! I'm so sorry, but I have to put a lot of thought now into these upcoming chapters. I mean, this is a key point in the story. It's a change, a turn of feelings if you will. Any who, the mindless sex, murder intrigue and bar fights come later. Seriously! I'm getting up the courage to do a tasteful chapter that touches on physical relations. This song is by David Gray, called "White Lightening".
"Please forgive me if I act a little strange
For I know not what I do"
Mozenrath tipped his head back and drank in the sight of the sky, a rich, swirling canvas of gray and stone blue. The humidity of an oncoming rain, chasing him from the natural warmth of his indoors, makes his sleeves heavy and they flop uselessly about his wrists. His whole body is prickling, sparking with anticipation and anxiety and nerves and…
Bliss.
Confused Bliss.
He stopped his slow, steady walk, refusing to be rushed, and ran a hand over his face. He was surprised it was shaking, but shouldn't really. Every nerve ending was strung tight and ready, for when he arrived in Agrabah, he wanted to have a plan. He wanted a drawn out, perfectly executed plan, like the ones he used to craft. Ones that got him what he wanted. But what did he want? Well, to go to Agrabah for one. What was he there for? The Genie? His face twisted in disgust at the thought, and rubbed the back of his neck as he admitted to himself the only person he was interested in seeing was that damned street rat. He sighed and kept walking, cursing that same infuriatingly grinning person. He'd be damned if he let Aladdin know he was coming to see him. He snorted in derision at an image he had of Aladdin pinching his face and cooing,
"You do care!"
His face suddenly twanged and he sat down with a plop and started to laugh. It was bubbling at first, and then escalated to a painful point of hysteria. But it was a good kind of pain, he thought in retrospect, and he wiped his eyes on the back of his hand. He suddenly realized how ridiculous he'd look if anyone came along.
All humor lost, he rove his hand over his face.
"Ra, I'm going crazy."
It was Aladdin's fault, really. Why did he have to toy with his feelings like this, to unconsciously manipulate every other thought? A tendril of resentment flared in him for a moment, but passed like the cold breeze that slithered round his shoulders.
Who was he kidding? He just needed a could, clear, believable reason to come to Agrabah, and if Fate permitted, see Aladdin.
Now what would that be…?
"Feels like lightening is running through my veinsEvery time I look at you."
"Mozenrath…What exactly are you doing down there?".
The sorcerer looked up into the face of a blaringly curious, though still resenting, Princess Jasmine. Her eyebrow was cocked and a delicate hand was perched infuriatingly poised on her hip, her entourage of Agrabah's finest behind her. They all had similar looks upon their faces.
Inwardly, Mozenrath cringed at being caught by her at such a vulnerable moment, and fought down a blush.
"Whatever I please, Princess.".
Smooth.
She still did not seem satisfied, and Mozenrath realized they were getting too good at intercepting any plot against their city he might cook up.
"I promise, I have no intention of any villainous cliché. No capturing the princess, no massive undead army, and no evil weapon. I am merely enjoying the…erm…scenery."
When Mozenrath wanted to be, he could be downright dry.
Jasmine sighed, exasperated.
"So there's nothing you want? At all?"
His reply was biting, sarcastic, all he had to offer to the girl.
"Well actually, if you would be an absolute peach and run up to the palace and fetch me a cup of tea, that'd be great, oh and those little cake things -"
"Aladdin!"
Mozenrath looked up in the middle of a rant, so him, and saw a square of purple cut the sky with its color.
The Carpet.
Aladdin.
He landed easy enough, coming to Jasmine's side, curious as he quested, "What's going on?"
It occurred to Mozenrath to stand, and so he did, his heart tight, and throat dry as he was assaulted with the unexpected sight of his enemy, his constant combatant.
His balance. His skin buzzed and his head was fuzzy. Was he breathing?
That movement caught Aladdin's attention, as Mozenrath had blended into the sad, sick, pretty rainy day flawlessly.
Every time I look at you
Aladdin was quite shocked to see Mozenrath there. He knew he shouldn't stare, but it was striking. It was striking the way Mozenrath's skin blared out its rarity, pale against the quiet humidity. It was striking the way a blush seeped away from Mozenrath's face, and he couldn't tell whether it was from indignation of embarrassment. He was raw again, a look Aladdin had come to look for, to seek perhaps? When he was raw, it was like Mozenrath was out of his element. He was budding; thrust stumbling into an emotional territory he wasn't used to, pink with prospect.
Aladdin had gotten good at reading people, and recognized it was a look of Mozenrath's that Aladdin had come to appreciate, he thought, a look he recognized attractive.
He was secure enough to note that, right? A burning discomfort churned in his gut.
Jasmine and her company had noticed the extended exchange between the two, and spoke up.
"Aladdin?"
He shook himself.
"What are you doing here, Mozenrath?"
Not the reaction he wanted, Mozenrath steeled himself from a wince.
" I could ask you the same thing."
"Stopping you".
"From what exactly?"
Aladdin started to answer, than stopped, laughing then shrugging.
" I'm not quite sure. You're not up to something, are you?"
"Scouts honor". Mozenrath said with a smirk, exposing glinting canines.
Aladdin had never seen a thing so…casually feral.
His brow suddenly furrowed, creasing in curious suspicion.
" Do you need to talk?"
Jasmine was taken aback. "What?"
He gave her a hapless look, and then turned back to Mozenrath, prompting him.
"Well?"
"Do I need to talk…? ", he was buying time, flustered by the hero's question
Help me out here
All my words are falling short
"Yes, I mean I guess…"
"Fine, " Aladdin said briskly,
"Jasmine, if you'll excuse me", he began with rehearsed charm.
It didn't work this time.
Her features sharpened, quick as silver, and her nails dug his arm, catching it.
"Aladdin, I'm getting tired of this running off on me. You won't be back for days, I know it. What exactly are you doing? What are you too doing?"
She had the forethought to keep her words soft, not to attract the already attracted looks of her men, and they slunk hot and disorientated across his cheek.
He wilted, unsure and fifteen again, an age he forgot, barefoot and clumsy.
" I, I…" he looked to Mozenrath for help.
To me? For help?
He dropped the ball, and shrugged, a barely detectable movement.
"Nothing really "
He was aware that this wasn't a good enough answer, and the pause was excruciating.
"Really Princess, I'm not going to slice his head off and eat his bones or anything. I already ate".
She stared hard at him, feeling a flicker of an emotion sharper and more simmering than resentment, and turned away, hair catching Aladdin in the face.
He blinked in surprise at her turning back, gut twisting as he watched her back head towards the city. Panic made his fingers clench. Why was she mad at him? He was torn, quite painfully between running after her and staying. He turned, hapless with a look of anguish on his face to Mozenrath.
A cauldron of hate for the princess boiled in Mozenrath 's stomach, as he watched her perfect form sway, knowing she knew just how strong the influence she had on Aladdin was. If she batted her eyes the right way and asked him to fetch her the sun, he would.
Or die trying.
But, determined to show as little emotion as possible, Mozenrath shrugged.
"Go after her if you want. It makes no difference."
Aladdin searched his face, and then smiled.
"Eh, She'll be fine. She's all bark". He laughed, running his hand through his hair.
Look at them, talking like two guys…
" Not my choice of words, " Mozenrath replied, "But hey, it'll work".
Aladdin laughed, but felt obliged to defend her.
"You know, she really is a nice person. If you let her be".
"Whatever", Mozenrath said indifferently.
" Do you wanna…go somewhere? I mean, I don't think it would be a good idea to go into the city at this point. Especially with you being…" He stopped.
Mozenrath grinned humorlessly, " Wouldn't want to start a panic. Yeah, I was planning on paying your golden town a visit."
Aladdin gave him a curious look.
" I needed…supplies."
And there's so much I want to say
Want to tell you just how good it feels
When you look at me that way.
It had started to drizzle, random, jarring drops of warm water rain.
What a crazy climate the desserts have.
Aladdin watched as Mozenrath tipped his head back, as if inviting it to run down his ivory neck and dampen his already damp collar, stark against jarringly white skin.
Aladdin mopped away his soaked bangs and swallowed the lump in his throat.
Mozenrath felt his look, felt his stop in pace as they made their way to an oasis south of the city limits, and turned, smiling almost innocently.
" I like the rain ".
Aladdin offered a weak return, and looked away quickly, feeling like it was Mozenrath who was bearing him away, not the other way around.
" See, it's over this ridge here "
He pointed to a sand capped, steep decline, over which a green blur could be seen.
How ideal.
Mozenrath assumingly started to go over, seeing how really sharp the incline was. His feet shifted unwillingly, heels sliding out from under him. Aladdin threw his arm out in front of his chest, effectively stopping his flailing plummet. However, he could not stop Mozenrath from falling hard on his rear.
" Oof!"
He sat sprawled like a clumsy colt, long legs helter skelter, staring as if not quite catching what just happened.
Then he looked up when he heard a stifled laugh.
Aladdin expected to be cursed when Mozenrath's features momentarily sharpened, so he was surprised when Mozenrath smile good-naturedly himself.
" Thanks."
Aladdin, pleased at the change, offered his hand.
When you look at me that way.
Mozenrath's throat tightened as he took it, slipping his hesitant hand into Aladdin's to be hefted up and straightened.
He measured Aladdin with is eyes as the hero spoke.
" See that's why I'm the leader, Moze."
His grin was positively wicked.
Mozenrath snorted.
"Then after you". He shoved Aladdin ceremoniously. A look of fear crossed Aladdin's face as he headed tails over shoulders down the sand dune, the momentum making the snatches of sky he caught a dizzying blur.
" Mozenrath!" He called out indignant.
Mozenrath laughed, lazily making his way down the hill after the speeding hero, expertly cushioning the last bump with a blue force of his magic.
Throw at stone and watch the ripples flow
Moving out across the bay
Head spinning, Aladdin glared up through his legs in an awkward position, scrambling to get up as he heard Mozenrath laugh.
Before he did however, he smirked, swinging out a leg.
Mozenrath's smile disappeared as his legs leapt out from under him, landing him next to Aladdin, head thudding softly against the tree trunk that fringed the oasis.
" Well."
Aladdin agreed.
"Well."
Mozenrath fidgeted, straightening his gauntlet, caught off guard when Aladdin shifted, asking,
" How old are you?"
" Excuse me?"
" Well, when I first met you, you made a comment about how it was my fault that I assumed we were the same age. So does that mean you're older than me?"
Mozenrath sat backs and absorbed the fact that Aladdin was being logical, a trait he had previously thought he lacked, something he now saw as unfair.
Too bad it was being used to analyze him.
He answered evenly. "Maybe a year or so. I sort of lost track of years and ages. Its not that important." He looked away, unable to maintain eye contact.
Aladdin shrugged. "Well, I don't know, some people get really excited about birthday parties. But I see your point, age doesn't really matter any more if it doesn't change how your life ends up coming and going. Thirteen or three hundred, it's not guaranteed when it's your turn."
Mozenrath looked over at Aladdin, shocked at how personal, how conscious Aladdin's dialogue was. Aladdin's chin was resting on his folded arms atop his knees, staring out ahead of him, as if forgetting the world was there.
" There's something more to that than you're letting on. What is it?" He pursued shamelessly.
Aladdin shook himself, turning at Mozenrath.
" Nothing, Nothing. This conversation was too depressing anyway".
He laughed. " Its probably the fact that we're sitting here like two outcasts."
Mozenrath snorted.
"We? Please, you're their golden boy. You could go on a killing spree and they'd still love you."
Aladdin shrugged uncomfortably,
" Its really not that big of a deal. I mean, I wouldn't notice even if it were true. Its…silly."
" How valiant ", Mozenrath commented dryly.
Aladdin laughed.
" If you're trying to irritate me, you're not doing a very good job. I don't insult easily".
Now it was Mozenrath's turn to laugh,
" Please, Aladdin, it used to be I only had to look at you and your fists clenched."
" Conceded, aren't we? Maybe I wasn't mad at you, maybe I was mad at something else."
Curiosity piqued, Mozenrath pushed further.
" Oh? And what were you mad about?"
Aladdin tried to feign indifference as he shrugged,
" About having to fight you. I know you can't make everyone like you, I just don't like having an enemy. I wasn't comfortable knowing that there was someone out there that hated me, who wished to see me dead."
The silence was deafening, as Mozenrath slowly absorbed the fact that for once, he was put off by the fact that he had hurt Aladdin. It wasn't a magnificent contest of wills he had done so, a showdown on sandy grounds with blood roaring in their ears.
It was a more delicate kind of hurt.
How to repair?
" I…I find you tolerable."
It was soft, unsure, questing.
Aladdin really didn't believe.
"What?"
" I said I don't hate you ", Mozenrath mumbled more to his folded arms than anything else.
Aladdin stared, knowing he shouldn't. Then a slow smile spread on his face.
Mozenrath, thankfully, didn't see it and uncharacteristically sprang to his heels.
" Come on, I'm not letting your battleaxe of a girlfriend keep me out of that blasted city. Plus", he added, " I'm starved."
Aladdin followed,
" Well no wonder. You're as skinny as a pole and twice as tall."
He grinned as Mozenrath commented with out turning round on their trek back to Agrabah,
" Hey, its not my fault you're short and fat", he said quite haughtily, pointed little nose in the air.
Like a stone I fall into your eyes
Deep into some mystery
Aladdin saw Jasmine sort of float between the doorframe, in the corner of his eye and attention, and knew she wasn't happy, she was angry, disappointed, regretting, whatever the case.
He could catch it off the uncomfortable, wanting air he got from her.
Oh, it wasn't always there. No, they were pleasant, consistently so when he got back the first time from the Citadel, head spinning from the further revolution in Mozenrath he had witnessed, and was surprised at how easily he could slide back into routine.
Interact with friends.
Interact with Jasmine.
Intercept bad guy like schemes.
Interact with Jasmine.
At first, they were bubbling over with justifiably curious questions. Aladdin hadn't dodged, he knew they would expect that, but calmly said,
" We had a nice time. Mozenrath is…really different." He had said, glancing back at the sorcerer uncomfortable in the background,
"You'd be surprised."
He could feel the looks they gave each other.
He turned away, knowing he would have some serious repairing to do, and realized for the first time the first time in any of the palace scribe's knowledge, Agrabah was having rain, soft, un-inspired drips of water.
The coolness of the marble bench seeped through his pant legs. It was purging really, and felt good.
The air was cool too, and bitingly thin, unlike the heavy cloak of dessert heat that usually settled across the dessert city. Most people had retreated back into their little dwellings, sitting and relying on the warmth of their own voices to soothe them from their weather woes.
It seems all people seem to do nowadays is sit around and talk.
But Aladdin liked it, it was a change of pace and lately he found himself appreciating each kind.
At one point, he knew he dreamed of a settled, domestic life with his beautiful wife, a sprawling city to protect, his smiling friends there by his side, a bouncing baby or two.
He laughed.
All he wanted to do know was live, react, and act.
Was that so bad?
He did wonder, however, with head tipped back against the sky to watch it swirl gray and blue, where did the rain come from.
He looked over to his sitting partner, and smiled.
Maybe it followed Mozenrath here.
He felt such an accomplishment at the fact that they, two formerly sworn enemies, were sitting in civil silence, musing, on the same bench in the palace fountains.
Mozenrath couldn't deny he hadn't come in malice, but something else, something that set an uncharacteristically shy air about him, which he fought down with pride.
Friendly relations.
"Something I can help you with?" Mozenrath said in a measured tone as he caught Aladdin's second stolen glance at him.
"Oh nothing Moze, just wondering if you plan on leaving that place."
"Do tell, what place?"
" I think you know", Aladdin said, with unconscious superiority in the situation, arms braced on his knees, looking out between them. The smile is still there, older now, and considering.
"My Citadel is my home, Aladdin. I don't expect you to understand that." Mozenrath said with a tired air.
"But it's…unpleasant."
He watched the objection form on Mozenrath's lips and headed it off, correcting himself.
" But you would know whether it bothered you or not. And like you pointed out, you don't have any subjects to harm with it being there."
" How diplomatic, Aladdin," Mozenrath said approvingly, glad that was settled. Aladdin could be downright reasonable when he wanted to be.
He looked over and noted the fact that the strange food they picked up on the way to the palace gardens was gone.
Well at least Aladdin's.
He laughed to himself,
" Tell me Aladdin, did you know that man?"
" Who?"
" The man you procured our…food from." He looked skeptically over at his share. It was some sort of sweet roll, dark bread wrapped round a sweet fig mixture. It was obviously typically Arabic; a culture Mozenrath had little to do with tradition and food wise. Aladdin, however, had seemed ecstatic about the whole thing, but moreover talking and chatting it up with the man who had refused payment for the food. He was the proprietor of a shady, humble little shack that had regular traffic. It sold homemade food, the smells wafting in the streets. The man himself was portly, but in a pleasing way, a wide smile across his flour dusted face. With sausage like fingers he had held Aladdin's face and had embraced him, speaking in thick Arabic, calling ford a stocky, though pretty voiced, dark-haired woman from the back, who went nuts as well. They gave Mozenrath a measuring look, but with a coaxing look from Aladdin, accepted him easily. The sorcerer was crushed into a hug as well as they were shooed out with big sandwiches each.
" Oh, Meeham? Of course! I grew up knowing that man. When she was alive, my mother and I went down there to get our groceries from him."
His face softened in afterthought.
" Of course we couldn't always afford what we needed. He and his wife Aster were some of the few people who…helped us."
He blushed with shame, but was encouraged by Mozenrath's prompting look.
" After she died, I needed a way to pay off our debts. Meeham gave me a job. I really appreciated it, but he wasn't getting as good as business as he does now, and really couldn't afford to…pay me. He wouldn't fire me on his own, oh no, so I sort of excused myself. They wanted me to stay, but hey, I made it in the end, right?"
He looked at Mozenrath, eyes warm and flecked with gold in the limited light, with an innocent plea for confirmation.
Mozenrath found his breath took away, noting he had never noticed Aladdin's eyes before. Surprised at his reaction, he answered.
"Right".
Wanting to get the consideration off him, Aladdin pointed to Mozenrath's untouched food.
" You should try it, you snob."
Mozenrath resisted the urge to stick out his tongue at Aladdin, and gave in. He pinched off a bit. It was sweet, gooey, absolutely indulgent, and perfect for a rainy day that was rapidly getting chilly. The palace ledge overhanging the benches shielded them from most of it, but some swept in. He was warmed instantly.
" You like?" Aladdin prompted.
Without saying a word, Mozenrath reached over to get another bite.
Aladdin laughed.
Deep into that mystery
Abu scampered up the rain slicked sides of the bench the two almost friends sat, climbing up to his usual place at Aladdin's side. He gave a sidelong look at Mozenrath, but if Aladdin was ok with him being here, then so was he. He just sat on Aladdin's other side, that's all, nipping at Mozenrath's food when he could.
Aladdin sighed, leaning back on his arms as their conversation, far from winding down, was tension strewn by the site of curious onlookers, and one tell tale streak of turquoise.
" Mozenrath, I'm probably going to have to go back to them soon."
His voice was disappointed; it was such a thrill breaking down the barriers between them.
" Not just yet."
Aladdin was surprised, and turned to look over at Mozenrath, who had braced his elbows on his knees, letting water run down his head and onto his hands. Down pouring of feeble sunlight shed on patches of ground. The rain would end soon.
The Earth was heaving a sigh of relief, but something haunting and unwilling made their breathing uneven.
I got half a mind to scream out loud
I got half a mind to die
So I won't ever have to lose you girl
Won't ever have to say goodbye
A furious battle ragged inside Mozenrath, hot, molten, confused, aching and twisting. He avoided Aladdin's eye contact, his hands clenching. He felt like screaming out,
" Because I like being here with you! I do!"
But his face turned hot, as he knew, internally, just knew he was a fool. He felt like melting into his shoes. He felt like dying.
" What do you mean?" Aladdin mercilessly asked once more.
I don't want to leave.
He had to say something.
" Because…"
He looked up at the sky, and watched the greasy gray of the clouds soften and die was the sun pierced it, glorious and hot. The rain was dying.
He smiled.
I won't ever have to lie
" Because it's raining."
" Oh," Aladdin replied, completely confused. It seemed like Mozenrath was going to say…
Nah.
Aladdin saw Mozenrath off, unsure why the sorcerer seemed so adverse to just magicking himself. Maybe he wanted to walk, it seemed like a lonely prospect. They passed by silently fuming guards out of the city, the pair barely talking.
Aladdin turned to Mozenrath, hands in his pockets.
" Well-"
Won't ever have to say goodbye
A part of Mozenrath bucked at the prospect of a goodbye.
He didn't want a goodbye.
"-See ya."
Mozenrath sighed.
" Yeah, see ya Aladdin".
Mozenrath turned, hands deep in his pockets.
Please forgive me if I act a little strange.
The last raindrop that escaped the sun's upcoming, beaming on a now bustling Agrabah fell onto Mozenrath's hand.