And That Includes You -- Noble Prince of Water and Schemer of Sands
Request by @darkparablesfan, who requested a fic including either one or both of their OCs, Ritsu and Risa Aurelius! Other than that, they made the mistake of giving me free reign, so this is what wound up happening. I was really interested in the detail that Ritsu hates lying but still gets with Jamil. I just thought it was an interesting dynamic, so this fic focuses mostly on those two, with Risa + Kalim admittedly used more as devices to push the other two characters.
Ps. If you’re interested in these characters, please check out requester’s fic: “Project: Get Them Together (... Wait, Not Us!)” as it’s what I used as the primary reference points for the character dynamics.
Word count: 1,613
TAGS
Fluff
Pre-relationship
Relationship Discussions
Early Mornings
OC/Canon
Jamil needs a break
Ritsu stared at the ceiling, Grim curled neatly in his lap. Risa had already drifted off to sleep, curled up on the couch with a blanket Ritsu had given her. It was quiet, for once, and he found it deeply unnerving. He’d gotten rather used to the constant noise he’d been living in, the rapid flow of life at NRC pushing him along stream. He’d always considered his goals rather simple. Help his kingdom, still fresh in a world that had long sense moved past it. Protect his sister and her golden heart. He’d dedicated himself wholly to those two tasks, adding along the way little things, like joining the Pop Music Club, or encouraging Lilia in the kitchen (an event that led to a notable amount of chaos and gotten both temporarily banned from it after-hours). Goals that gave him a momentary rush, but never outshone his burning need to protect and serve.
It was the purpose of his entire life, really. Instilled in him from the very beginning. That his role was to be responsible, to guide, to lead. To let Risa lead a care-free life in a world curated to bring her and their people joy.
But within the whirlpool that was Night Raven College, he’d found a freedom he’d never considered. He could reach out his hand and hold, put his whole being into music and performance, laugh and tease and get encouragement back.
And in that freedom, he found Jamil Viper. He was reserved and sensible, as committed to his work, Kalim, as Ritsu was to his own. Ritsu loved watching his respectable persona crack under pressure, turning to flustered expressions and desperate attempts to dodge Ritsu’s probing. It was beyond entertaining—It was a sort of thrill Ritsu had never felt before and knowing that he could continue to hold onto someone so consistent and stable. Jamil was a puzzle Ritsu desperately wanted to solve, and he finally had the opportunity.
Yet he couldn’t quite figure out where to start. How to express that affection that welled his chest as he passed time listening to Jamil’s smooth voice or running his fingers through his inky hair.
Ritsu groaned as he closed his eyes, trying to vanish the thoughts drifting through his mind. It was late. He needed to follow Risa and Grim’s example and get some rest, not waste precious time daydreaming over his... Well, whatever he was with Jamil.
Actually, no, now that he thought about it, the odds that Jamil was still up weren’t zero. Ritsu was pulsing with unspent energy; he might as well at least check if the boy was available. Shifting in his seat, he lifted Grim, the cat mumbling something vague about Risa and tuna, and set him down next to his sister, who remained undisturbed. The two of them could sleep through just about anything, Ritsu thought to himself before grabbing his uniform jacket and stepping outside.
NRC was far from quiet, even in the earliest hours, before the rest of the world was awake. Ghosts drifted throughout the halls, free to roam the place without concern. Ritsu listened as they gossiped, their dry voices rasping to one another about the prince wandering about at the unnatural hour. He ignored them and focused on the walk itself. Wall-mounted candles flickered in their wake, creating dancing shadows across the cold stone and up the vaulted walkways. Everything was so grandiose, so open, that it wound up feeling suffocating. Like he was drifting in space, lost among stars that cared little for trivial matters like young romance. Unable to breathe, much less think.
But think he did as he walked familiar paths turned foreign by the darkness, glancing around every corner and lingering on every shadow. Was this a good idea? Sevens, no, of course it wasn’t. That didn’t stop him from continuing anyways, but it did fill his body with unease, his nerves exposed to open air and the chilled breeze. At least he could count on Scarabia being warm as ever, even in the dark.
As Ritsu stepped into the mirror chamber, he again considered turning back around. What did he even hope to accomplish? Spend a little more time with Jamil? What if he wasn’t even awake? It was late, and they had class tomorrow. No doubt this was a fruitless endeavor. But then the warm feeling deep within him pulled him forward, desperate to be acknowledged and tended to. Jamil listened, truly listened, and even though Ritsu didn’t have anything to talk about, he wanted to know Jamil would listen anyways. He stepped through the mirror.
Scarabia’s unyielding heat had settled into a humid blanket that wrapped around Ritsu’s skin, clinging to his uniform as he tied his jacket haphazardly around his waist. He meandered through the dorm hallways, which were truly vacant instead of filled with the lingering memories of the dead, like the rest of the school. Or maybe ghosts waited here too, just silently. Ritsu didn’t know. He’d spent his whole life in what was effectively a ghost kingdom; a forgotten memory cursed to oblivion. In a way, he too was but a ghost haunting this world, holding desperately to ideals and unfinished business.
Distantly, he heard someone shuffling about, accompanied by the muffled clattering of dishes. Ritsu gravitated to the sound, following the light that leaked from the kitchen. Stopping at the rounded entrance, Ritsu was greeted by the sight of Jamil hunching over a pan, stirring absently as he mumbled something to himself. The prince stood in silence, waiting for Jamil to notice him.
Looking up from his work, Jamil startled at Ritsu’s presence, dropping the spoon he was using to stir what Ritsu assumed to be curry, from the scent. “R-Ritsu?” He exclaimed, before steadying himself and clearing his throat. “I mean, ahem... Do you need something?”
“Nah,” Ritsu admitted, sauntering into the kitchen, twirling a set-aside bottle of paprika in his fingers. He wanted Jamil to focus on him, to distract him from his task and give them both something better to do. “Just bored.”
Jamil’s eyes narrowed, and he turned away from Ritsu. “So, you wanted to talk?” He corrected, returning to his work.
“Yeah, sure,” Ritsu shrugged, setting the spice down and walking over to Jamil, resting his chin on his shoulder to peer into the pot. “Looks delicious, by the way. Most important meal of the day, y’know. Curry in the earliest hours of the morning.”
“It’s not for right now,” Jamil huffed, biting his lip and lightly pushing Ritsu away. Not enough to put meaningful distance between the two, almost teasing in the feign at annoyance. “It’s Kalim’s lunch. I make it every morning.”
Ritsu frowned. He knew Jamil did just about everything for Kalim, but waking up this early just for him? It was absurd. He never seemed to do anything for himself. At the end of it all, the growing connection between the two was ultimately connected back to Kalim. Of course, Ritsu was guilty of the same crime, since he’d started spending time with Jamil for the sake of helping fix Risa’s love life. He decided to brush it off for the time being. “Whatcha making today, then?”
“Curry with gyoza and rice,” He answered. “You could help, you know.”
“Right, right,” Ritsu nodded, glancing around the kitchen. “Uhm... How?”
Jamil sighed, shaking his head. “Never mind. Don’t worry about it. I’m almost done anyways,” he finished stirring, turning off the stove top. “I’ve got it covered.”
“Do you?” Ritsu blurted out without thinking, earning him a targeted glare from Jamil. “Not that you’re not capable, of course!” He fumbled, trying to explain himself. “I just... I just mean that you’re doing a lot on your own. Is there really not anything I can do? I’m here for you, y’know.”
A pause. Jamil looked at Ritsu, studying him carefully. “I know. And it’s just easier for me to do this on my own.”
Ritsu was starting to feel a little annoyed. “You always say that, but I want you to trust me. I can help you, I promise. Just let me. You need assistance in one way or another, I’m sure. So, stop saying you don’t need anything.”
“It’s curry, Ritsu. And technically, aren’t you banned from the kitchen?” Jamil deflected, carefully arranging the respective bento boxes and brushing away Ritsu’s meager attempts at assistance.
“The main building only! You haven’t banned me here. Yet.” Ritsu added the amendment, though he really hoped that wouldn’t change.
“You should be,” Jamil retorted, but he didn’t ask Ritsu to leave, instead closing the boxes off and turning to face him. He met his gaze for a long moment, in which Ritsu grew increasingly nervous. Before reaching out to fix Ritsu’s hair, Jamil’s steady fingers brushed against his skin. He wanted to savor the warmth forever, fleeting as it was. “... Alright. Could you go check up on Kalim, then? While I finish up in here?”
Ritsu almost rejected the request, a little hurt that Jamil was sending him away, before he realized that he wasn’t being dismissed. Jamil was trusting him not just with a simple task, but with one as critical as Kalim’s well-being. It was a subtle sign of trust that Ritsu accepted. It was trust encapsulated in the warm scent of spice and momentary contact. It was all the little motivators, little tasks, that rested neatly upon the pile of Ritsu’s responsibilities like a meal’s final garnish.
“Of course.”
He promised to protect the things he loved.
And that included Jamil.