#azmil

Jamil shot him a sidelong glance, his sharp eyes narrowing under the hood. "Keep it down," he hissed. "That thing out there doesn't care about how strong you are, it'll rip you to shreds anyways. It's not here for deals—it's here to tear us apart." His fingers lingered a second too long on Azul's chest before dropping away, the residual warmth prickling his skin like an unwelcome spark.

Azul's eyes gleamed in the low light, undeterred, his calculating mind already spinning threads of nonsensical logic. He leaned in slightly. "Ah, but that's precisely why I must ask. You, Jamil Viper, the ever-unassuming vice-housewarden of Scarabia, why risk your neck for me? Surely not out of the goodness of your heart. No one at this college operates on pure altruism." His voice gained a notch in volume as he warmed to the topic. "There must be something you want in return. A favor from Octavinelle? Or perhaps access to my… unique services? Name your price, and we can negotiate right here, right now."

The beast's distant growl seemed to swell in response to Azul's rising inflection, claws scraping nearer. "I told you to shut up," Jamil repeated, growing increasingly irritated.

"Come now, Viper. Let's be practical. You've saved my life—at least temporarily and in my line of work, debts like that don't go unpaid. Imagine the possibilities: a contract tailored just for you, granting whatever ambition you've buried under that hood of yours. I could make you shine, or keep you hidden, whichever suits." Azul's tone lifted further as the beast's sniffing huffs grew louder, drawn by the sound of a voice.

Stress coiled in Jamil's gut like a serpent ready to strike, his family's ingrained caution warring with the immediate threat. Years of biting his tongue, of holding back for Kalim's sake, made this outburst feel like a personal affront. Azul's words echoed too loudly in the confined space, pulling death closer.

"Stop. Talking," Jamil growled, his hand shooting out to grip Azul's shoulder, fingers digging into the fabric of his suit with restrained force. Azul's eyes widening fractionally, Jamil's pulse racing from more than just fear. But Azul only tilted his head, that sly smile returning, mistaking the tension for haggling.

"See? There it is—the spark of intent," Azul continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial hush. "You're holding back something valuable here. Let me draft the terms. What do you say to a simple exchange? Ask for anything you want and I can make it happen."

Years of restraint, of swallowing his frustrations for the sake of duty, boiled up now. Azul's relentless chatter a needle pricking at the edges of his control, drawing the danger nearer with every syllable. Jamil's fingers tightened on Azul's shoulder. "You're going to get us killed," he whispered, irritated at this yapping octopus-man.

"Now now, no need to be so shy," Azul kept speaking like the inconsiderate ink-spewer he was, instead he was good at spewing words too. "Just name it and it'll be yours, okay? I won't tell anyone, if that's what your worried about. I mean, if you're not going to speak, I can offe—"

Jamil pressed his lips against Azul's to shut him up for good but perhaps he got a bit carried away because the next thing, he knew, they were full-on making out with his fingers tangled in Azul's hair as Azul's hands laid gently on each of his shoulder.

Jamil snapped back into his senses and pulled away from the kiss, strings of saliva connected their tongues. He wiped his mouth and just turned his back to him without saying a word as a shocked Azul just stayed speechless for a moment as he reached out a gloved hand to touch his own lips, where Jamil's lips had once been. Then, of course, the shock subsided and he stirred up again.

(AZUL IS AN INCEL, VIRGIN WHO'S NEVER HAD A FIRST KISS BEFORE AND PROBABLY CRIES DURING SEX- ANY OBJECTIONS?

(Warnings for all my snowflakes(i meant it the cute way): Cussing(rarely), smut/sexual content(in later chapters))

The air at Night Raven College hung thick with chaos, shattered only by the guttural roars that shook the walls. A horde of rogue magical beasts had breached the barriers under a moonless sky. Claws scraped against cobblestones as some scrambled for safety while the braver ones ran towards the beasts. Spells lit the grounds in erratic bursts of color, but the beasts pressed on, relentless and enormous, their forms rippling with enchanted fury.

Jamil Viper moved with calculated precision through the fray, his long black ponytail swaying over his shoulder beneath the hood of his dorm uniform. The dark-red eyeliner sharpened his charcoal-grey eyes, already shadowed with the subtle brown makeup that framed his sharp gaze. He had been in route to join the fray, his mind racing through strategies honed from years of silent vigilance— potions to brew, herbs to wield, strikes to land without drawing undue attention. But as he rounded a corner of the hallways, he collided with a familiar figure: Leona, his green eyes narrowed in predatory focus.

"Watch it, Viper," Leona growled, his voice a low rumble that cut through the distant snarls. He didn't pause long, his tail flicking irritably as he sized up the situation. "These beasts are no joke. You stick with the first-years and keep 'em safe. The rest of us will handle the heavy lifting." Resentment flickered briefly in his chest. Reluctantly, he nodded, turning back toward the younger students huddled in the shadows, their faces pale with fear.

But then he saw Azul, standing oblivious just beyond the archway, his rectangular glasses catching a stray flash of spell-light. Azul's light- gray hair flipped up at the ends, one lock framing his face as he adjusted his lavender-gray scarf, murmuring calculations or perhaps some opportunistic deal amid the panic. He hadn't noticed the massive beast lumbering closer, mouth parting to reveal fangs dripping with corrosive venom. Time slowed for Jamil; instinct overrode protocol. With a swift lunge, he grabbed Azul's arm, yanking him away from the beast's fangs.

"What the fuck— Viper?" Azul stammered, his bluish-purple eyes widening behind his glasses as Jamil ran forward with his wrist in his grip. The beast's roar thundered nearer. Jamil kept his grip firm on Azul's wrist, the warmth of the other man's skin seeping through his white gloves. Jamil shouldered open a rusted door to an old, abandoned storage closet— forgotten relics of the college's arcane history, dust-choked and dim. He shoved Azul inside first, then slipped in after, pulling the door shut.

The space was cramped, barely wide enough for two, shelves of cracked potion vials and faded grimoires pressing in from all sides. Jamil's heart pounded against his chest, his hood casting his face in deeper shadow as he leaned against the door, listening. Azul pressed close— too close— the subtle scent of sea salt clinging to his suit, his breath coming in shallow huffs that brushed Jamil's neck.

For a long moment, neither spoke.

"Why did you do that?" Azul finally whispered, his voice a low murmur laced with that signature silkiness, though edged with genuine bewilderment. He adjusted his glasses with a gloved finger, the motion precise despite the tremor in his frame. "Pull me in here like some damsel in distress. You could have left me to fend for myself— I'm not weak."

(Random ass note: I know Azul smells like the saltiest of salts of the sea I swear!!!!11!!!

First-years be like: Ello, I think I lost a few limbs, pliz help me (ik it was unfunny, shut it but it is kinda funny cuz imagine u got merked by a beast and the senior who's supposed to protect u is just fucking someone)

forgive me if i made any mistakes in the characters or lore alr?