{ Title } Q&A Night { Series } Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic [ Magi Disclaimer ] { Verse } AU [ CamWhore ] { Ship } [ Pre-Relationship ] Juhaku { Summary } [ M : For sex talk, though nothing explicit is discussed or happens. ] This has gotta be the stupidest confession. { Warning } This fic takes place in a larger overall verse being roleplayed between myself and alibaeba. Hakuryuu and Judal are not the main focus of this verse, but do come up on occasion.
Tuesday rolled around with Judal’s head high in the clouds and his heart fluttering about his chest like some kind of hyperactive bird that hadn’t been able to use its wings in too long. It was a grossly cliché kind of feeling but hey, for a guy who did his best to avoid the social norms set out for him, he felt like he deserved a bit of cliché in his life.
His talks with Hakuryuu had become a daily occurrence, even if they only took place over text message, and Judal had never been quite so happy to hear his phone ringing. Especially since a few days ago when the shy young man had sent him a tentative snapshot of himself. Judal had nearly walked straight into a wall he was so busy staring at the photo on his phone.
Granted, Hakuryuu had asked him to delete it, a little paranoid of who else might see (or maybe just concerned about a cam boy having his picture readily available), and Judal had but he could still remember what he looked like in vivid detail. Hard to forget a face like his, especially when it made his stomach do somersaults. No one else had ever achieved that level of swooning, definitely not right off the bat and definitely not when they weren’t directly in front of him.
In fact, Judal often had to remind himself that Hakuryuu was miles away and had only ever spoken to him through typed out words. More importantly, he had to remind himself that he’d met him through his work, which meant Hakuryuu had already seen him naked, sweaty, and depending on how long he’d been viewing possibly orgasmic. (Little unfair if you asked him but he wasn’t about to demand anything, it was his job after all.)
It was hard to remember all that when they had gone from brief interactions to all day long talks about everything and nothing in a matter of days after exchanging phone numbers. Nothing ever kept Judal’s interest too long and he jumped around topics like a restless flea but Hakuryuu followed him without missing a beat. Even more impressive, he could keep Judal on topic if he really wanted to for hours at a time. That was a feat even personal friends hadn’t really achieved.
Judal was in a good mood even when he got home, putting away groceries and flicking on whatever CD he’d left in his radio to sing along to. He text Hakuryuu once he was done, letting him know he was going to be getting ready for tonight’s stream so he’d be a little slow on replies. Hakuryuu asked when it was going to be and he replied before setting his phone down reluctantly.
Tuesdays were nice because they tended to be lazy nights. He did weekly question and answer sessions, mostly for whatever influx of new subscribers he had, and they tended to be pretty calm. At most he’d get a request, at most two, with a large donation and fill that but even then it was well known that whatever performance was bound to be short since most of the time was for questions. The first Tuesday of the month, which this was, was request free though, basically a day off for him.
Not that he could totally slack. He had to shower and double check he was fully shaved (unsurprisingly, he was), fix any broken or flaking nail polish on either his nails or toes if he had any on, and change clothes. Today he went with a pair of gym shorts and a crop top that fell off one shoulder because it was the closest he could come to convincing himself to even put on a shirt.
Then there was his hair to dry and braid again, loosely so it didn’t break while it dried, his makeup to do, casual jewelry to choose… The whole routine of making himself pretty for the camera was familiar and easy to go through without thinking too hard. He could let his mind wander and still perfectly apply eyeshadow (which was a talent he was both loathed and envied for thank you).
It took him a good hour to get ready and by then it was an hour till the stream was due to start. He flopped himself down into his desk chair, hooking one leg up over the other and starting everything up. He did a quick mic and camera check, fixed his lighting and adjusted sound slightly, and then he waited patiently. This turned into spinning himself in his chair repeatedly for about ten minutes, but that was hardly relevant.
When the stream was finally due to start he did one last lighting check before he took a breath, pulled his braid over one shoulder so it could be seen, and hit the button to start up the show.
Immediately the chat was flooded with people signing in and Judal graced them all with that half-Cheshire grin that people seemed to find so attractive.
“Go—od evening gentlemen and of course, lovely ladies.” There’s a few responses in the chat he doesn’t bother to skim over because they disappear too fast, replaced by another. “As some of you know and for those of you who don’t; it’s the first Tuesday of the month! Which means it’s Q&A time, so—“
He puts on a playfully stern looks that comes off much more like a pout, which is the point. His actual serious face tends to look a lot more murderous and there just aren’t enough people into that for him to wear it while on camera.
“Quick reminder of the rules. One, skim my FAQ before asking because I’m s-o-o-o bored of those questions. Two, no asking for my full name, my address, phone number, personal email, yada yada any of that stuff that could send a serial rapist and or murderer to my door.” he waves his hand dismissively. “Three, spamming gets you blocked, repeat offenses get you banned, no PMing me unless you have a donation and request. Which brings us to four, requests won’t be filled tonight because first Tuesday is when I get to just sit here and look cute and you guys pay me anyhow.”
He grins, playing the statement off as a joke by distracting people with how he tilts his head when he smiles and how the collar of his shirt dips low and reveals his sharp collarbones.
“Now then, let’s get started shall we? Ask away!”
The questions start rolling in immediately and Judal tries to catch as many as he can. Way back when he was new to all this it had been easy to answer everyone, but at this point his subscriber count was way too high to cater to every single person. There’s a smattering of those who didn’t go through his FAQ who he ignores, a few questions he’s answered before but does again anyway, and some he ignores for being too stupid to bother with.
For the most part, the questions land further up towards the promiscuous side of things than tame, which suits him just fine. It’s to be expected in his line of work, and he doesn’t have much shame anymore so he answers as honestly as he can.
Q: What’s your largest toy and how often do you use it?
“Someone sent this like, sixteen inch dildo to my P.O. Box anonymously as a gift last Christmas and like, I am literally never using it but I keep it just because it’s impressive and a little terrifying.”
Q: Ever fantasized about a celebrity while jacking it?
“Uh—Yes??? Who hasn’t??? I’m not telling you who though I’m not giving you that power over me.”
Q: Do you have a wishlist somewhere?
“I keep forgetting to put that on the FAQ—Yeah! I’ve got two one for non-sex stuff and one for sex stuff, they’re both somewhere on my main page, I’ll link them on my FAQ tomorrow.”
Q: Any unusual toys you have a preference for?
“I’ve got a couple BadDragon toys do those count?”
Q: What’s one thing you can’t stand a partner doing in bed?
“Ugh unannounced hair pulling. I mean yes I know my hair is gorgeous and it is tempting but like, ask before we’re halfway through and you feel like suddenly yanking cause that shit hurts.”
Q: What do you find attractive in a potential partner, appearance wise?
This question gives Judal a moment of unexpected pause. He reads it over again even though he really doesn’t need to and flops back in his chair, turning his eyes to the ceiling with a light hum. His other leg pulls up so he’s sitting crisscross, hands on his ankles.
“Well…” he starts, even though he has absolutely no idea how to follow that statement.
He tries to think, carefully, about what he finds attractive in people. Most of the answers he came up with sounded horribly generic, which wasn’t his style at all, and he frowned thoughtfully at the whitewash above him.
Then, all at once, an image popped into his head and he blinked, wondering why that had taken him any time at all to think of.
“Pale skin,” he started automatically, turning his gaze back to the camera. “And dark hair. Maybe not as dark as mine (but I don’t see many people with hair as dark as mine so there is that), but still closer to black… straight, also…”
He sighed out, gaze getting a little distant as he visualized the photograph he’d received a few days ago in his mind. Oh deleting it like he’d been asked to had been for the better, it showed he was trustworthy, but god he still wished he had it.
“Blue eyes, like, ridiculously blue. A sweet smile and pale lips…”
Absently, at some point, he’d started playing with the end of his braid. Judal, for a moment totally forgetting the camera on him, very visibly swooned at the thought of his long distance… conversation partner.
“Okay,” he admitted aloud, still sounding dreamy. “So maybe I’m only talking about one person in specific but don’t judge me, I’m allowed to have a crush, and he’s just…” Another wistful sigh, Christ he had it bad. “Really great.”
The stream carried on another half hour before Judal wound it down to a close for the day. He ignored any teasing or subsequent questions about his mystery crush, well aware he might have already said too much. Honestly, that whole moment was weighing on him a little bit. It wasn’t like him to go off gushing about someone he liked, and definitely not to a thousand or more complete strangers.
And once the stream was down and he was officially free for the evening, Judal happened to find his phone with two next texts on it. One was from much earlier, a simple good luck for the stream (like he was always given) and the other… Judal almost turned around and slammed his head into a wall.
Christ. Of course. He’d spent that whole Q&A completely forgetting that among the many faceless, nameless subscribers who paid him for his services as beautiful eye candy, there was Hakuryuu. Hakuryuu, who he had spent a good few minutes visibly fawning over, probably while he was watching.
HAKURYUU
Did you honestly just do that?
Judal worried his bottom lip a moment, then took a deep breath and tapped out a return message.
JUDAL
In a moment of total forgetfulness and possibly insanity, yes.
He continued to gnaw at his lip, waiting for a reply before the nerves got the better of him and he sent a second message.
JUDAL
Look I’m really sorry that was really uncool of me to do out of the blue I’m sorry if I put you on the spot or made you uncomfortable or something. I wasn’t thinking.
Judal groaned loudly a few seconds after sending the text, remembering suddenly that he had very bluntly called his supposed mystery man his crush. Well, this had to be the outright stupidest confession on the face of the planet.
He was about ready to bury himself in his blankets and never come out again when his phone vibrated in his hand.
HAKURYUU
Well yes, it was considerably startling.
HAKURYUU
But I was a little more taken aback by your… tone?
Even as he typed it Judal was wincing, but he replied with;
JUDAL
Gushing. I was gushing. Swooning. Possibly both. It was gross and I do not usually do that.
HAKURYUU
Gross?
JUDAL
In the “oh god feelings” kind of way. Not the talking about you part.
HAKURYUU
Unless I am woefully mistaken wasn’t that all of it?
Judal turned pink, right up to his ears.
JUDAL
…Well, yes.
JUDAL
You know what I mean.
JUDAL
I think.
HAKURYUU
I think I get the idea, at least.
If he kept biting his lip he was going to make himself bleed. Judal let go of his lower lip and slid his tongue over it instead, absently checking he hadn’t already bitten through his skin.
JUDAL
Have I horribly screwed things up?
HAKURYUU
…No.
HAKURYUU
I just…was very much not expecting it.
JUDAL
Are you mad?
JUDAL
You’re totally allowed to be mad.
HAKURYUU
You called me your crush in front of several hundred people, I don’t think I can get mad at that.
JUDAL
You can if it made you uncomfortable or upset you somehow.
There’s a long few minutes pause between messages, and Judal waits with bated breath for whatever response he’s going to get. He doesn’t want Hakuryuu to be angry, of course he doesn’t, but he’ll understand if he is.
HAKURYUU
That’s very understanding of you, Judal.
HAKURYUU
Which is one of the reasons I like you so much too.
JUDAL
Wait what
JUDAL
Did you say “too”. As in also you.
HAKURYUU
I’m not angry, but I need to go to bed, so goodnight.
JUDAL
WAIT
JUDAL
HAKURYUU
JUDAL
WHAT DO YOU MEAN “TOO”????????
JUDAL
OH COME ON IS THIS REVENGE
JUDAL
DON’T LEAVE ME HANGING I’M NEVER GONNA GET TO SLEEP TONIGHT
JUDAL
…
JUDAL
I hope you sleep alright. Sweet dreams, Hakuryuu.
Judal did manage to get to sleep that night, somehow. But not without rereading Hakuryuu’s text message several times over and turning progressively darker shades of pink as he thought of all the implications. Of course, he could be horribly wrong and it meant nothing… But somehow, he doubted it.