Work Text:
Jamil is busy a lot.
By design, he's busy a lot.
Even now, even after he's become a lot more honest with himself as a person, (which is a nice way to say he had a magically induced mental breakdown in public), he's still busy. He has to watch his grades, his attendance, there's basketball, of course, and watching over his dorm. He still cooks for Kalim, because even if he is annoying and insufferable his family's position hasn't changed.
Just because he's allowed to excel now doesn't mean he's allowed to relax.
It doesn't leave a lot of time for himself.
It's certainly better now, he's at least allowed to make his own schedules, decide what to do with himself when he isn't doing any of the hundred things on those schedules.
He made dinner twenty minutes ago, hardly hungry at all, and retreated to his room. He was done for the day. and absolutely no one was going to bother him, which is why he can really enjoy himself. He had taken a quick bath, barely five minutes, but he was clean and calm and tonight was going to be nothing short of perfect.
He pulls his shirt off first, reaching for the lotion he keeps on his night stand and starts dragging it across his arms. The shae butter is thick and takes a good amount of time to rub in, so his mind goes blank, focusing only on the motions, practically meditative.
He sees the glint of gold in his mirror.
He had gotten the piercings on a whim, gold bars pressed through his nipples with a tiny ruby on the end of the barbell. He stops what he's doing, just to watch himself in the mirror. He had gotten then done shortly after Kalim had gotten his tattoos. Jamil wanted something that beautiful on himself too, and he likes the way his piercings look again his skin.
He lifts a hand up to the metal, warm against his skin, and rolls the bar. He shivers, and raises his other hand too. His hands are still slick with the lotion, and before realizes it he's staring at his chest in the mirror and playing with his nipples.
Well, no, he's admiring his piercings is what he's doing. They just happen to be on his chest. It doesn't matter if it feels nice, because that's not the point. It's a bonus, sure, when they grow stiff and he feels a warmth coil in his belly, but that's still not the point.
The point is the way the rubies shine, and when the light from his candles hit them just right, they send pretty patterns across his skin.
When he had gotten them, he had taken care of them as instructed, making sure everything was clean and nothing got infected, and then once they healed and stopped being sensitive he had somewhat forgotten about them.
He's since piercing his tongue and his belly, but just the same, once he had made sure everything was taken care of Jamil had just left them alone.
Now though, that he's starring at himself in the mirror, he's suddenly consciously aware of the metal on his body. The small piece of onyx on his belly and the gold bar that clacks against his teeth if he's not careful feel almost heavy all of a sudden.
And the rubies on his chest-
“Jamil do you know where-”
Jamil didn't like Kalim. At the best of times he tolerated him, maybe even enjoyed a moment here or there, but he's never wanted to kill him. Before, anyway.
So, he's standing there, hands on his nipples, staring at a mirror like a complete ego maniac, and Kalim, who despite having had countless hours of etiquette lessons, decides to burst into his room with out knocking. And now Kalim is staring at him through the mirror, and Jamil is stuck staring back.
His hands are still on his chest.
Any normal person would leave, and it would be embarrassing and miserable but Jamil would be able to get over it. Kalim, because of course he fucking does, stands there like a statue.
And his door is still ajar.
Jamil drops his hands to his sides and that seems to set them both in motion, Kalim stepping into the room and slamming the door behind him. He jumps at the noise he created and Jamil grits his teeth.
“Get out, I told you I retired for the day.”
“I forgot! I mean- I forgot that you said good night and also that I forgot where I left my assignments and- and I forgot.” Kalim is still staring at him, eyes glued to his chest and the lingering warmth in Jamil's stomach only seems to get more intense.
“Kalim.” He says, in a way that Jamil hopes sounds disappointed or angry or Something, Anything, to get him to leave.
“Sorry.” Kalim's eyes finally snap up to meet Jamil's. “They're just beautiful. I mean- You're just beautiful.” He knew that, obviously, but something about hearing it said out loud- and especially from Kalim of all people. It's not like Jamil hasn't stared at Kalim and thought the same thing, but that's different, obviously. It's a purely aesthetic appreciation, and Jamil is pretty sure Kalim doesn't have it in him for purely aesthetic appreciation. Not with how flustered he sounds. “Can I touch them?”
Kalim is already moving into his space and Jamil-
He's going to let him, isn't he?
“We're not friends.” He says, and that gets Kalim to at least slow down. “Why do you think I would let you?”
“We're trying to be!” He insists as if it's the most important thing in the world. “This isn't- this isn't about that, though.”
Jamil turns back to the mirror.
“What's it about, then?”
“Fun?” He's not so much struck speechless as he is shocked that Kalim would ever be so forward.
“You need to spend less time with the Leaches.”
Kalim just grins at him, big startlingly bright smile.
They both end up in front of the mirror, with Kalim behind him, head resting on Jamil's left shoulder. Jamil's arms are by his side while Kalim's wrap around and play with the metal in his chest. Jamil feels hot, hotter then before certainly.
“When did you get them?” Kalim tugs on the bars gently, rubies still glinting in the light, sending their patterns onto Kalim's fingers.
“After you got your-” He stifles a sound. He's not moaning. Absolutely not. “Your tattoos.”
“That was over a year ago! How did you hide them for so long?”
“I don't walk around with out a shirt one.”
“You obviously should.” He obviously shouldn't. “They're so shiny.”
“Because I got lotion all over them.”
“They're really nice.” Kalim's voice trails off. “Maybe I should get some.” Jamil shakes his head, partially because it wouldn't suit him at all, partially because they're Jamil's thing. He doesn't want to be copied especially with this. Kalim's right hand trails down his chest to his belly, at the stone that dangles there. “Did it hurt?”
“Not really.”
“It's very uh- graceful! And elegant! On you. These too.” The hand still on his chest brushes along his nipples and it sends a shiver through his entire body. Kalim's hand splays out over his chest. “Do you have more?” Jamil sticks his tongue out and Kalim gets so wide eyes. “How did I never notice!?”
“Because you don't pay attention to anyone other then yourself.”
“That's not true!” Both hands are back on Jamil's chest, rolling his nipples with his fingers. “I'm paying attention to you right now, right?”
“That's-” He's so warm. So, so warm. He can't remember the last time he felt this hot. “Not the point.”
“I'm trying.” Kalim says, quieter, right into Jamil's ear. “I really am.”
This entire thing started self indulgently, and it's probably going to end that way too.
“Try harder.”
Kalim whines, dejected, and the two are back to staring, hands rubbing on Jamil's chest, rolling over his nipples, pinching and squeezing and tugging.
“I could stare at you for hours.” Head bumping against Jamil's, Kalim sighs. “And touch you for hours too, actually. Your skin is so soft.”
“I bother moisturizing.”
“You're so smart, Jamil.”
“It's just common sense.” Kalim tugs again, and Jamil coughs to hide the pleased sound he makes.
“You know, I have a lot of jewelry.” Jamil does know, because he's the one who organizes all of it. “Some people sent me piercings like this too. Some have chains.” Jamil's mind drifts for a second, imagining a thin gold chain between his to barbells, imagining Kalim tugging on it with his big smile and pulling him around. “That would be pretty too.”
“Mm.” What else is he supposed to say? That he'd want to try them on? “They would be noticeable.” He takes a deep breath. “Under the uniform.”
“I guess. Wait- does no one else know?” The basketball club must, by this point, but no one has said anything. Jamil shakes his head. Who else would have. “Just our secret? You know, friends have secrets.”
“Kalim.” He says. He means to sound irritated, but it comes across much more like a sigh.
“Jamil.” Kalim chirps back, smiling, as he tugs on his piercings on more time. “I'll keep your secret, I promise.”
He feels like he's going to combust.