Kalim's Insomnia. Part 2.
(This is exactly the part I was originally supposed to see.)
(Thank you so much for waiting.)
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The next day, Jamil came to Kalim's room specifically to do his makeup. To make that bright face more vibrant and hide any signs of sleep deprivation.
Kalim and Jamil had both agreed not to tell anyone about this. Not to stutter. Nothing. All he needed was a little time and comfortable sleeping conditions. While Kalim was busy with his studies, Jamil was jotting down notes in his notebook about ways to combat insomnia.
He clearly emphasized in his notebook that insomnia was often associated with anxiety, loneliness, or pressure.
But Jamil knew loneliness could be crossed out. Because Kalim was never alone, unless he was truly alone. That could be crossed out too, since they were always together.
Jamil emphasized these feelings, but he couldn't understand why Kalim could be so anxious. And pressure? Could anyone or anything put pressure on Kalim?
In any case, he shouldn't think about it now. It would be pointless. So he began writing down ways to cope.
Meditation and visualization. Physical activity. "Night journal" (write down your restless thoughts on a piece of paper to clear your head.) "Sleep room" (thick curtains or a sleeping mask, turn on a soft noise, whether it's rain or any other calming sounds.) A cozy bed. His favorite pajamas. A calming scent. Breathing exercises. Reading a book. And a little coolness.
Jamil thought about these activities, as if trying to somehow combine them. Although the best option was simply to adapt to what was to come. Maybe Kalim would be able to sleep peacefully today? That would be the best outcome. But better to be on the safe side.
Jamil put down the notebook, pen, and phone, leaning on his arm. His gray eyes didn't seek any particular target. They simply stared at the table. The cunning serpent thought about this situation. He had never seen Kalim like this. He had always seen him cheerful, excited, crying, determined, compassionate. But never like this… Depressed?
Jamil didn't like this thought; it made him doubt his plan. Because it meant he was wrong to hate Kalim, that all these manipulations, all these attempts to overthrow him and capture him were proving… idiotic.
But he was just a servant, forced to watch Kalim, just as he was now. And this was the limitation Jamil had so painstakingly tried to remove. He was like a bird in a cage, like a snake under the influence of a flute. And these parental instructions, which he had listened to since childhood. They were ingrained in his subconscious. Submission. Second place. He literally had to hide so that Kalim could shine.
And now everything was ready to collapse so easily, because Kalim himself was caged by his status?
But… He didn't look unhappy. As if he had resigned himself to it.
This light burned too much, but it also beckoned. Jamil wasn't yet ready to forgive Kalim, or rather, these dark thoughts that still haunted him.
Viper let out a heavy sigh and rested his forehead on his other hand, which lay on the table.
He never thought that simple insomnia could lead to this. To the fact that he would actually want to help Kalim somehow. Not as a servant, but as… a friend? Yes. As the very friend Kalim had always considered him.
The more Jamil immersed himself in these thoughts, the more memories from the past began to surface in his mind. Faint memories of childhood flashed before his eyes. Their first meeting. That's when it all began… Right?
The fragile psyche of a child suffered from such events. Horrible images. Death threats. Thefts. Little Jamil didn't understand it then, but that day, those scarlet eyes were empty due to a loss of faith in people. And Jamil couldn't imagine that he was the very light of that faith that had wavered.
The sound of the door opening pulled him from his thoughts. It was Kalim, who had come to announce that classes were over. He was good at feigning joy and happiness, which now seemed completely unreal. He was so used to it that he even managed to portray these emotions accurately and without falsehood.
Their day went as usual, everything according to schedule. But while Jamil usually went straight to his room to get ready for bed, now he went to Kalim's room. He'd picked up a book, just in case. A big book. A collection of various fairy tales, but just in case Kalim couldn't sleep.
Kalim personally verified that the bedclothes were cozy, the pillow soft, and the pajamas comfortable. It was dark, only the moon was visible, somewhere outside the window, if you looked closely at the curtains. And then he was lying under the covers with his eyes closed.
Of course, Jamil wouldn't sit in his room all night. He'd only be here for an hour and then leave. This was a precaution, in case Kalim did open his eyes.
Kalim tried not to think about anything. He really tried not to think about it at all. But if you dwell on heavy, disturbing thoughts even a little bit, and let them fester, they'll consume you completely.
Jamil saw Kalim's eyes narrow. Even now, he wanted to cope on his own and not disturb his friend. But he didn't want this torment to continue. Jamil got up from the chair and walked over to the bed, turning on the table lamp. Kalim cracked one eye and smiled awkwardly, as if he felt guilty about it. Or maybe it was because his gray eyes were gloomy, but not cold. It was merely a reproach. Because he should have said something sooner, instead of squinting for fifteen minutes.
Kalim exhaled heavily, silently accepting defeat. But he was sad, not because of Jamil's gaze, but because insomnia and his thoughts were still with him.
Jamil merely ran his hand lightly through his short, snow-white hair, burying his fingertips in the hair itself and gently massaging his scalp. The gentle massage helped Kalim relax a little; the sad expression on his face slowly faded, and he looked at Jamil through half-closed eyes, waiting to see what else he could come up with.
Viper sat on the edge of the bed, but not close to Kalim's head, so he could observe his reaction. Scarlet eyes watched intently, and one could see how the pupils dilated when they saw the book of fairy tales. Just the thought of it was already relaxing.
But which one to choose? The most popular ones? But Kalim had heard them so many times that he could probably memorize every phrase. Gray eyes slid over the book's contents, searching for something suitable. And…
(The Silent Princess. An Arabian fairy tale tells the story of a merchant's son who undertakes a dangerous task—to get a silent princess to talk—and, thanks to his ingenuity, succeeds and wins the princess's hand.)
Jamil turned to the right page and began quietly reading the tale.
(A brief summary will follow.)
(Once upon a time there lived a merchant's son. At first, he spent the money his father gave him carelessly. But one day, the young man decided to become a real merchant and go on a journey. His father gave him a hundred dinars, and his mother gave him her necklace in case of need. In one country, the young man saw a palace made of human skulls. From a poor woman, he learned what was going on: the local king had a daughter who never spoke a word. The king declared: whoever could get the princess to talk within three days would get her as a wife; whoever failed would be executed. The young man realized whose skulls decorated the palace. The young man had a magic box, inside which lived a little man. He agreed to help the young man. The magician advised him to hide the box under a candlestick in the palace. The young man was brought to the princess. She remained silent. Then the young man turned to the candlestick, and it began to tell a story about three brothers who were arguing over who should The girl will be given to the young man. The young man said that the girl should go to the younger brother who found the living water. The princess could not stand it and objected: in her opinion, the girl should have gone to the older brother with the all-seeing mirror. Then the young man threw a veil over the princess, saying: "Be quiet, you have bad breath!" The witnesses watching what was happening were amazed: the princess spoke! On the second night, the magical little man moved under the chair. He told a different story - about a carpenter, a tailor, and a sheikh who created a living girl. The young man decided that the girl should go to the sheikh, and the princess objected that it should go to the carpenter who made the doll. The young man again silenced her in the same way. Witnesses reported to the king that his daughter had spoken for two nights in a row. On the third night, the magical assistant moved under the young man's turban. When the princess was silent again, the young man He spoke to the turban. Seven beautiful maidens emerged from it, singing and dancing. The princess was overcome with jealousy and rushed toward the young man, who said, "Go away! Can't you see these maidens are better than you." Witnesses reported to the king that the princess was swearing out of jealousy. And this is how it all ended. The king came to witness what was happening. The princess confessed that she had fallen in love with the young man. The young man assured the king that he, too, had fallen in love with the princess at first sight. The king agreed to the wedding, and the young people lived happily ever after.)
Jamil was himself captivated by the story and didn't even notice Kalim had fallen into a deep sleep. That was the most important thing for him. He placed the book on the table and turned off the light. His gray eyes gazed a moment longer at the peacefully sleeping face. He left an ephemeral kiss on the cheek. Then he quietly left.
In the morning, Jamil noticed that Kalim looked more alive, but makeup would still be useful. Al Asim really did look more alive, and his eyes weren't so empty anymore, which meant the story had been an effective remedy. They were halfway to victory.
And now, while Kalim was back in class, Jamil tried to think of a pleasant combination with the reading. Music and scent. A deeper immersion in the story.
Jamil had found everything he needed in advance. Lavender-scented incense. And music… A phone would do. He just needed to find something suitable.
Jamil had also arrived in Kalim's room early to prepare everything. The window was open because he needed to use incense in a well-ventilated area. He then placed one stick in the holder so the ashes would fall on the holder, not the dresser. He'd better light it now. He briefly wished for it. It was a very unusual scent, the first he'd ever smelled. He even waved his hand a few times to disperse the scent and save his nostrils a little. Then he walked away and started searching for music on his phone.
As Kalim approached the door to his room, he caught a faint whiff of something. He was surprised, because it was something unexpected. The faint scent made it difficult to place. He carefully opened the door to peer in.
Jamil was sitting on the bed, searching for something on his phone. And there was incense on the dresser. Now Kalim understood what it was. The scent of lavender. Al Asim knew that lavender usually worked as a relaxing and calming agent. And it helped with insomnia. And, frankly, he had even forgotten about his anxiety and these thoughts. It was unclear what exactly had driven this anxiety away. The smell or Jamil's unusual behavior itself. Most likely, both.
Kalim quietly and as carefully as he could, approached the bed, trying to see out of the corner of his eye what Jamil was searching for. But Kalim's secrecy didn't last long when Viper told him to lie down on the bed, keeping his eyes on his phone. And Kalim obeyed.
The room fell silent. The scent of lavender wafted throughout and escaped through the half-open window.
Kalim lay peacefully on the bed, his hands folded on his stomach. He said nothing, but he wasn't thinking about anything either, which was a first. Jamil's presence relaxed him. And the fact that he still helped him fight his insomnia. Kalim noticed and felt that the bad thoughts no longer haunted him, but they left a residue. A negative feeling all its own. But Kalim realized that as long as Jamil was there, here and now, he had nothing to worry about. Jamil had always been there, even after Kalim learned the truth. He hadn't turned away from him, even though he should have. But Kalim would never turn away from his friend. Everyone has skeletons in the closet, right?
Kalim closed his eyes, turning on his side to face Jamil. His scarlet eyes, growing more and more vivid, watched as Jamil found the right music and placed his phone on the table.
When Jamil looked at Kalim, he saw a familiar gleam in his eyes. He sighed with relief, lightly tracing his finger across Kalim's cheek. A gentle and tender gesture, but one that conveyed Jamil's presence.
The quiet meditation music lulled his bright head, but it had no effect on Jamil, for those who hypnotize cannot be hypnotized. But watching Kalim grow lighter with each passing day was a great relief to Jamil, not only as a servant but also as a friend.
Viper sat in the room until the incense had completely turned to ash and the music stopped.
Kalim pressed himself closer, but not as tightly as before. This meant that the bad thoughts were receding.
Of course, they wouldn't disappear completely, but the important thing was that Kalim had now gained control of this fear. And at this rate, he could turn these fears into strength.
A few days later, Kalim was again alert and full of energy, as if insomnia had never existed. His scarlet eyes sparkled and were full of life again, and his voice was truly resonant, as always.
It had been a difficult time for both of them. Kalim realized that not all difficulties can be dealt with alone and that these difficulties should be addressed before they consume you. And for Jamil, these were openings. He wasn't ready to completely forgive Kalim, or rather his family, right now. But he was ready to soften just a little. Even though it felt disgusting right now. But somewhere deep down, he knew he wanted that…
【☽】 • 【☾】 • 【☽】 • 【☾】 【☽】 • 【☾】 • 【☽】 • 【☾】
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