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Being sucked out of the lamp was always an unpleasant experience. Kao felt his body compress and then he tumbled onto the ground. He’d never quite mastered landing on his feet. He let fresh air fill his longs. It feels like centuries since he got a new master. Time loses all meaning when he’s stuck in his prison. Even being out of it, the magical link tethers him to the object. It’s like a heavy weight he always carries with him.
“Are you okay?”
Kao lifts his eyes towards his new master. He’s younger than they usually are, but he looks rich. They are always rich. Kao gets to his feet and dusts himself off. He bows.
“Nice to meet you master. My name is Kao. My wish is your command, but I will only grant you three.”
His master doesn’t reply. He’s looking at Kao, eyes wide. He bites his lips softly and Kao feels his cheeks flush. It isn’t the first time a master has looked at him with appreciative eyes. He often wishes he’d been cursed into a life where he got to wear a shirt. His new master seems to pull himself together and he smiles at Kao. A smile that lights up the entire room.
“It’s real? I didn’t really expect this to work. My name’s Pete.”
“It’s an honor, master Pete.”
His master snorts. “No one has ever thought that when meeting me. And can you cut it with the ‘master’ thing.”
Kao bows his head again. “As you wish.”
“That didn’t count as a wish did it?”
“Uh, no sir.”
Kao’s getting a little confused. This is the strangest meeting with a master he’s ever had. They either have their list of wishes prepared and just want to get to it or they start ordering him around immediately.
“Can you, uh… can you just call me Pete?”
“If that’s what you want.” Kao pauses. “Pete.”
It’s not like he gets a choice, he has to please his master. It’s not the first time one has demanded not to be called master. It’s like they want to forget they’re keeping someone enslaved. Kao’s getting annoyed. He wishes Pete would just get to his wishes.
“I’m sorry, I forgot you have to do whatever I tell you. I’m so sorry I should’ve left you alone,” Pete’s voice drops, “but I’m desperate.”
Kao feels funny inside. He can see tears welling up in Pete’s eyes and he wants to walk over and hug him. It’s his instinct to want to please his master, but he’s never wanted to comfort one before.
“I wish for you to bring my mother back to life.”
Kao feels like his heart breaks. The pain was evident in Pete’s voice and now he’ll have to tell him he can’t grant his wish. Pete’s looking at him like he already knows what Kao will say, but he’s holding on to his last shred of hope.
“I’m sorry... I can’t.”
Pete closes his eyes and visibly swallows, and then the tears start falling. Kao has moved before his brain has processed any thoughts and he wraps Pete in his arms and lets him cry against his shoulder.
They stay like that, Pete pressing himself closely against Kao, until his tears stop.
“Can you take the pain away?”
Dread fills Kao from head to toe. He’s seen what happens to the people who wish their emotions away. He loathes doing it. But this wasn’t a wish.
“I can.”
Pete looks at him with red eyes and wet cheeks. “You don’t think I should do it.”
Kao shakes his head.
“I’ll think about it then.”
Kao feels relieved. “I’ll go back into my lamp then. Summon me if you need me.”
Pete opens his mouth like he’s about to say something but then he just nods his head. Kao bows and lets himself be sucked back into his lamp.
Kao is unsure how much time passes before Pete calls him out of the lamp again. It can’t have been more than a few days. Pete’s wearing different clothes and he’s smiling, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Do you have a wish for me, master?”
“No, just wondering if you wanted to hang out with me.”
Kao looks closely at Pete, still wearing that fake smile. He looks around himself. He’s in the same room as before, which he assumes is Pete’s bedroom. He didn’t look properly before. The room is large and there’s a door leading off to a private bathroom. Kao wonders how big this house is. But it doesn’t matter how big the house is, cause it’s eerily quiet.
And then he realizes why Pete summoned him.
He’s lonely.
The thought makes Kao’s heart ache.
“Sure,” Kao said. “What did you have in mind?”
Pete’s face lit up.
“Do you want to go get some coffee? I know a great place.”
“Oh, uh, I don’t really need food or drinks.”
“Right. I can just show you around the city?” Pete asked.
Kao was feeling a little uncomfortable. “I can’t really go outside wearing this,” he said gesturing towards his genie outfit.
Pete nodded. “You can borrow some of my clothes.”
Pete offered Kao jeans and a shirt and told him to change in the bathroom. Kao had never worn anything but his genie outfit before. The shirt was soft and supple and he loved how it felt on his skin.
“You look good in my clothes,” Pete said when Kao stepped out of the bathroom.
The compliment made Kao feel a little funny so he just smiled and followed Pete. They were walking out the door when Kao felt the pull of the lamp.
“Pete, wait.”
He’d forgotten the rules. He’d never actually tried to get away from his lamp before.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t move any further.”
Pete looked at him confused until realisation seems to hit.
“The lamp?”
Kao nodded.
“Wait here.”
Pete ran back inside and came out wearing a backpack.
“I’ve got the lamp. Let’s go.”
It became a habit. Pete would regularly let Kao out of his lamp and they’d go out. Kao loved these little trips. It made him feel almost human again. And he felt like he finally had a friend. He never really had a friend before. Not even when he was human. It was hard to remember the time before he was cursed. But the way he felt when he was with Pete felt… new. Like nothing he’d felt before.
He shouldn’t have been surprised when he got a harsh reminder of what he was.
They were walking around the city, Pete had just shown Kao where he used to go to school when someone came up and snatched Pete’s bag from him.
Pete didn’t even hesitate he bolted after him. Kao felt the pull of the lamp and it made him stumble and fall to the ground. Pete caught up with the thief shortly after and let his fists fly. Kao tried to get up, but the lamp was too far away from him and the bond was hurting him. By the time he managed to get to his feet, Pete had won the fight. He came running back towards Kao, lip bleeding, holding his bag.
“Are you okay?” Pete asked, sounding worried.
Kao looked up at him and wondered if Pete was genuinely scared for him or just worried someone would steal the lamp. Pete hadn’t brought up making a wish since Kao had told him he couldn’t bring his mother back. But that’s what he was keeping Kao around for wasn’t it? He was just figuring out what to wish for.
“I’m fine,” Kao snapped. “Let’s go back.”
Kao followed Pete blindly as they walked back to the latter’s house. He was upset with himself. He almost forgot what he is. He should be more careful. He still had never had a master who’d been this kind to him. He really wanted Pete to be happy. He wanted Pete to get his wishes. He couldn’t let himself be stolen away.
“You can’t take me outside again, Pete.” Kao said after they entered the house.
Pete just looked at him sadly and nodded.
They stopped going outside, but Pete still let Kao out of his lamp every day. Pete said that just because they couldn’t go outside, that didn’t mean he couldn’t still introduce Kao to the modern world.
Kao had seen the world around him change gradually as his lamp changed hands, but he’d never really gotten to learn much before. He got a little overwhelmed when Pete showed him his laptop and asked him what he wanted to know.
“What I want to know? Anything I want to know?”
“Anything.”
“Okay. Why is the sky blue?”
Pete laughed as he typed something in and pulled up a video explaining all about how particles in the air bent the light of the sun.
“If there’s anything you want to know, tell me and I’ll google it for you,” Pete told Kao.
Kao stared at the shapes on the screen and got frustrated. He hesitated a little before he asked.
“Pete? Can you teach me how to read?”
Pete gently put his hand over Kao’s. “I don’t think I’ll make a very good teacher, but I can try.”
Kao stood up and grabbed a random book off Pete's desk. “Let’s start now.”
Pete laughed. “Okay, but we should probably pick something simpler than Introduction to Thermodynamics.”
Weeks passed and Pete still never brought up making a wish.
Kao was making great progress with his reading, much faster than Pete must have expected, he kept complimenting Kao’s intelligence. It made Kao feel flustered, but Pete just seemed to enjoy that.
When they weren’t reading, they watched whatever movie Pete picked out for them that day. He tried to show a variety of genres, but Kao has trouble remembering any of them properly. When they watched a movie, Kao would watch Pete more often than he watched the screen.
Kao both loved and feared his time with Pete, because every day Pete let Kao out of his lamp, Kao knew he fell a little more in love with Pete.
They were huddled up on the couch, under the same blanket, watching a romance. Pete sighed when the couple professed and he looked wistful. Kao longed to touch Pete, so he scooted a little closer and dropped his head onto Pete’s shoulder.
Pete startled and jumped back a little. He turned to look at Kao and their gazes locked. Pete’s expression was unreadable. Kao felt his heart speed up as he looked into Pete’s eyes. Pete seemed to be leaning closer. And closer. Kao closed his eyes when he saw Pete’s flutter shut. He expected to feel Pete’s lips on his but instead Pete jumped back. When Kao opened his eyes Pete was sitting as far away from him as the couch allowed. He had his fist clenched and his eyes firmly locked on the screen.
They didn’t speak a word the rest of the night.
Kao sensed something was off with Pete when he appeared from his lamp. He looked angry.
“What’s wrong, Pete?” Kao asked, feeling worried.
“My dad’s not coming home this weekend. He just called.”
Kao wondered why this upset Pete so much. He’s never met Pete’s father. Kao didn’t get the sense he is home very.
“It’s the anniversary of my mom’s death,” Pete said softly.
“I’m sorry, Pete.”
“Make him come home.”
Kao was caught off guard. “Is that a wish.”
“No, that wouldn’t really solve the problem, would it. Make him love me. I wish my dad loved me.”
Kao felt his heart break for Pete. “You can’t wish for love.”
Pete scoffed at that. “Just my luck, huh. Guess I’m just doomed to be unloved. My own father doesn’t even love me, why would anyone.”
He looked at Kao with tears in his eyes.
“I’m sure your father loves you.”
“Then why is he never here?”
“Maybe it hurts too much.”
Kao felt himself being shaken as he was forced outside the lamp. It clattered to the floor next to him. He looked up to see Pete.
Pete was unsteady on his feet. He looked like he’d accidentally stumbled into the bedside table and knocked over Kao’s lamp. It took him a while to realize Pete was drunk.
“Pete? How much did you drink tonight?”
“Not enough. Not enough to forget you!”
Kao’s heart skipped a beat. He’s been afraid to hope that Pete might feel the same way he does. Pete turned his eyes on Kao and walked over to him. He held out his hand and pulled Kao to his feet. And then he grabbed onto Kao’s hips and pulled him closer. He leaned in, and Kao could feel Pete’s breath on his neck before Pete whispered into his ear.
“I want you.”
This was all wrong. Kao pushed himself out of Pete’s grasp.
“But I can’t have you can I. Can’t wish for love.” Pete scoffed.
Kao couldn’t believe his ears. Pete wanted him to love him. But he didn’t have to wish for that. Kao already wanted Pete.
“Pete,” Kao said carefully. “Pete you don’t have to wish for me. I care about you, Pete.”
Pete turned towards him, eyes unfocused. He looked pained.
“You only care about me because I’m your master!”
Tears welled in Kao’s eyes. It feels strange, foreign. He must have cried when he was human before, but it’s been so long he can’t remember.
“That’s not true.”
Kao didn’t believe it. He had to have hope he knew his own heart. But deep down he can’t be sure. Being around Pete makes him feel so happy. Like he can be somebody again, not just a slave to the lamp. But he can’t know for sure. The bond’s still tying him down.
“Stop lying and just get back into your lamp.”
It was an order and Kao couldn’t resist it even if he’d tried. The last thing he saw before he disappeared inside was Pete sinking to the floor.
Pete was gentle this time when he grabbed Kao’s lamp, and when he rubbed it Kao landed softly on Pete’s bed.
“How are you feeling?” Kao asked Pete. “Hungover.”
Pete shook his head. “Yesterday. But not today.”
“Oh.”
Kao had gotten so used to Pete letting him out every day he hadn’t even noticed the difference.
“I’m sorry, Kao. I’m so ashamed. I won’t force you into your lamp again. I promise.”
“What if I never go inside again?”
Pete smiled widely. “You don’t have to.”
“But you’ve been wanting me to go inside. You didn’t ask but I could feel it.”
Pete’s face fell. “I was afraid to always have you near me. I was afraid you’d know how much I want to hold you at night. And I was afraid you’d let me, because you have to.”
Kao couldn’t bear to look at Pete. “Maybe I want you to,” he whispered.
“Do you want me to wish you free?”
Kao’s head snapped up. Pete had a steady gaze on him. Kao felt his breath hitch in his throat.
“I…”
“Isn’t that what you want the most? To be human? To be free?”
“Not anymore.” Kao whispers.
“Then what? If you could have anything, what would you wish for?”
Kao lifted his hand to Pete’s face and cupped his cheek. “I’d wish for you.”
“You can’t wish for love,” Pete echoed his earlier words.
“I know.”
Pete’s hand came up and grabbed on to Kao’s wrist. Their eyes locked and Pete looked at him with so much affection Kao was sure he was imagining. A sick reflection of his deepest wish.
“Kao,” Pete said clearly, “I wish you free.”
Kao felt it when the bond broke, like a pressure on his skin being lifted. He turned his eyes towards his lamp on the bedside table just in time to see it disintegrate.
“Pete, what did you do? You still had all your wishes left.”
“There’s nothing I want that I could wish for.”
Kao’s heart was beating harder than ever. Even recently, since he’s met Pete and his heart has been going wild, it hasn’t thumped this hard. And Kao got exactly what he wished for. Because his head was clear now and he still felt exactly like he thought he did: he was in love with Pete.
“How do you feel?” Pete asked, sounding unsure.
Kao took a step closer to Pete. “From now on,” he paused as he wrapped his arms around Pete’s neck, “you can hold me whenever you want.”
And Pete smiled his dazzling smile again, before he grabbed onto Kao’s waste, pulled him closer, and kissed him.
“I love you, Kao,” Pete said after they broke apart.
“I love you, too.”