goldencharms | FOR INFY!!!

[It's not Jamil who answers Kalim's knock today--but rather, a blue-haired young man casually beckoning him inside. Don't mind him trying to close the door a little faster than might be strictly polite--there have been quite a lot of creatures swarming the city and trying their best to sneak into buildings recently, after all. Golfball-sized little winged rabbits, fluttering about in little bursts of colorful light and glitter, eager to say hello to anyone hey can.....

Aren't they adorable? And so curious and friendly! Too bad they seem irresistibly drawn to bite anything they can get their little fangs on, especially exposed skin. Fingers, noses, ears..... Surely they're just playing around, right? It isn't as though anything so small could cause any real harm.]

Hey there. You must be Kalim, yeah? Your buddy's in the kitchen.

[ too bad one of those lovely little rabbits are hiding in the hood of Kalim's jacket. Greeting a new person at Jamil's though-- Kalim grins ]

Oh!! You're the person helping Jamil? Who are you?

[ he asks as he steps inside, immediately reaching out to take this stranger's hand ]

I'm glad he has a new friend!

You know it! Just signed on this morning, actually.

[Have a firm shake, Kalim. You'd better hide your little friend pretty well; you wouldn't want him getting kicked out once Jamil comes out to greet you, would you?]

Name's Erik, by the way. Nice to meet ya. Guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other, huh?

Yeah!

[ he's glad Jamil found someone. Hopefully it's someone he can rely on. Kalim won't have to worry... Maybe. ]

We should have some tea-- Jamil definitely should have some. I'm gonna go ask him!

[ he waves, and then heads into the kitchen ]

Jamil!!

Kalim. Did you find this place alright?

[He could have come picked you up from the Down, you know. But in the meantime, guess who's still cooking instead of trusting the prepared meals they could just order to spare himself the trouble? If the first thing he was offered in this place was tainted, then.....]

Yep, no problem!

So, that's your new submissive??

[ he knows how to navigate the up, after all, he works there now. the bunny that had hitched a ride, however, to get out of the cold... pops its head up out of his jacket. and then hops up onto his head from there. ]

That's right. It should be easier to live on two incomes than one--and the sooner the better, while we're still getting on our feet.

[Good, good. He knows how distracted Kalim can get; he wouldn't have been surprised to get a call and find that Kalim had lost his way, or to see him show up loaded down with shopping bags from an unexpected stop.

That said, Jamil can't help but huff in annoyance at the sight of a tiny, furry shape scampering up onto Kalim's head; he sets his spoon down, instead reaching for a dish towel to toss over it like a net.]

Ugh, another one? Hold still, I'll get it.

Huh?

[ Kalim looks up, and grins immediately ]

Oh! Where did this one come from?

[ not from him, that's for sure. While Jamil is reaching for a dish towel, Kalim simply... reaches up to grab it off of his head, without thinking ]

They're really cute...

[ he has yet to actually be bitten ]

They're pests, is what they are. Probably carniv--don't just pick it up with your bare hands!

[Idiot! Does Kalim have any idea where that thing has been? Or what kind of infection he might get if it bites him? Maybe he can get it before it causes any trouble--]

[ aww, it's cute!

it doesn't look to be doing anything right now, as Kalim pets it. though, it does give just the littlest love nibble of his fingertips~ ]

Eh??

[ he pulls his hand back ]

I wonder if it's hungry...

[ though, he is bleeding, thanks to the bite. who knows what else could happen, but... he seems fine?? he's been hurt way worse. ]

They're wild animals, of course they're probably hungry. But whatever their prey is, they're not going to find it in here. Let's get it outside, and get that bite cleaned.

[Is it any wonder he's fussing, seeing that Kalim is bleeding? Who knows, this creature could even be diseased somehow. Just because it's small doesn't mean it can't cause big trouble!]

Ah... You're probably right!

[ he frowns, looking like he's thinking. now that he's been bit, though, the rabbit seems fine with being held.

But something's bothering him, something he was ignoring before. ]

Nothing good can come of making wild animals rely on humans for food. Come on.

[Well, there's not much more harm a second bite could do, now that it's already happened. At least the creature doesn't seem to mind being held or stroked..... Kalim puts a hand on Kalim's back, gently but pointedly urging him towards the front door.]

[ the push reminds him to move and he steps forward-- though he frowns to himself while Jamil is at his back.

No, it bothers him a lot. He's been trying to keep it to himself as much as possible though, Jamil deserves the freedom. But--

He lets the rabbit go, kneeling down to urge it out the door, ]

We'll have to play more later! But Jamil says you can't be inside right now.

He's probably got a whole colony to get back to, anyway. Bats and rabbits are both social creatures.

[A quick click to turn the stove off, and Jamil leaves the soup to simmer, instead heading for the bathroom to grab an alcohol wipe.]

Alright, let's see it.

[ he extends his hand, bloodied as it is and... ]

Jamil...

... I don't like that you have another submissive.

[ he admits softly-- the other person doesn't need to hear. but Kalim can't help the jealousy that's welling up all of a sudden. ]

Hmmm?

[Jamil closes the door behind them again, raising his eyebrow as he takes Kalim's hand to clean it up. Barely more than a paper cut..... He hardly even has to think, to let a trickle of healing magic tingle against Kalim's fingertips and smooth over his skin.]

Look, I don't like having to participate in this travesty any more than you do. But if we want to survive, we just have to keep our heads down and do as we're told for now.

It's not that!

[ he shouldn't say something, he shouldn't say something, he shouldn't say something.

that's what he would be thinking, anyway. but, no, he just wants to tell Jamil exactly what he thinks. ]

This was the longest we've been apart and we're still apart and I hate it!

What.....?

[He's right here. They're even touching, at least as long as he's taking care of the bite. How much more does Kalim really need to consider them to not be apart? Is he just confused because it's been so much longer for Kalim than it has been for him, or is this just..... nonsensical?

It isn't as though they could live communally like in Scarabia, in a place like this. Not without Lilia moving back into these apartments, which he obviously wouldn't be willing to do. And if he means literally living together..... It's not legal for two Dominants to share any sort of home, even if they keep their own Submissives, is it? They'd said you could let Submissives that aren't your own visit for a few days, but.....

Seven save him. With a Submissive of his own occupying the spare room now, he'd have to share his own bed. What a headache. Does Kalim seriously mean he should be Jamil's Submissive? There are so many things wrong with that suggestion, he doesn't even know where to begin. How inappropriate it is given their professional relationship, how irresponsible it is given their current circumstances.....

He should have known Kalim wouldn't actually share his feelings on the situation they're in. That's all on him, for daring to hope Kalim might understand his position a little more now.]

Kalim, you're already contracted. To one of your closest friends. You've made a commitment to Lilia for at least until its terms expire.

[ wait, what is he saying?? he places a hand to his head-- Jamil is right, but also that should be his choice. Kalim didn't want to just say something like that to influence him... No...

He steps back. ]

Ahahaha, you're right...

[ where did the desire to even say that come from?? and now... well, he's lucky that Jamil doesn't look too upset. So, maybe it didn't matter that much?

Ah. That hurts to consider, too. ]

My bad, my bad...!

[Is it any wonder that someone so keenly attuned to another's safety and comfort would note the sudden tension and confusion gripping him? He had initially assumed this was simply born of spontaneous impulse, the way so many of Kalim's schemes are--but he actually seems distressed right now. As though he hadn't actually meant to say it. As though he regrets it? Why say anything at all then, unless it was some heat of the moment confession..... in spite of the fact that the moment wasn't heated?

Since when can Kalim keep secrets from anyone, let alone him? What had happened to him? Is he sick? Drugged? Poisoned? He had seemed fine when he arrived, and he hasn't eaten or drank anything since he got here--even ignoring the fact that anything Jamil made would obviously be clean. So..... poison, then? Do any bats have venom? It's certainly possible; those damn vermin probably feed on blood. Who knows what kind of transmittable diseases they could be carrying, too?

He knew handling those things bare-handed was a bad idea. Dammit! He can circle back around to actually letting himself think about any of this when there are less pressing matters to take care of.]

If you still feel that strongly about it, we can discuss it more when your contract expires. For now, you should at least sit down. How do you feel?

No...

[ he frowns at that first statement, completely ignoring the second. instead, he shakes his head, even though he wants to drop it ]

What do you want?

[ he asks instead, more insistent. He doesn't want to be taken care of right now. and even though he wants to drop it, his mouth is moving ahead without him thinking ]

I want to figure out if you need a doctor. What else?

[Obviously. Why wouldn't this take priority? Does he need to call Lilia? He's Kalim's primary caretaker right now, after all--and with all those familiars he brought to school with him, Lilia should have some idea of what a bat--rabbit? Rabbat? Batbit?--bite might do to someone, even a strange, potentially magical chimera of one.]

I feel fine though! I don't need to be taken care of like that while we're here!

[ distracted-- and then blurting out his immediate thoughts without reservation ]

Honesty Hour

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