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"Are you going to dance with him then or just stand there staring all night?" Katherine's voice came from next to him. Scott, Gem, Shrub and Katherine all stood together in the bustling Prisma Palace ballroom. They had moved to the ballroom after Lizzie and Joel's main wedding service in Mythland, everyone now dancing and laughing together celebrating the event. It was wonderful to spend time with all his friends without any diplomatic stuff, they didn't do it often enough.
The ballroom was decorated in both the vibrant overbearing colours of Mezalea and the deep blues and whites associated with the Ocean Empire. It was a perfect blend of the two empires culture both evidently present but neither of them outshining the other.
Shrub giggled slightly at Scott's confused face.
"Jimmy?" Kathrine prompted nodding her head towards where Jimmy stood with Lizzie and Joel near the snack table. Joel had one arm wrapped around Lizzie's waist, while Jimmy shoveled as much of some jelly like oceanic food ,Scott had never seen before, into his mouth. He watched Lizzie hit him on the arm obviously chastising him, though Jimmy was laughing so much he couldn't keep his mouth closed bits of jelly bursting between his teeth making Lizzie even more annoyed. Scott could imagine Jimmy's beautiful melodical laugh, a smile rising to his lips.
"God, Scott. Just go talk to him for god's sake." Gem exclaimed exasperated. Scott looked between his friends then back at Jimmy, he wanted to go talk to Jimmy, Aeor he always wanted to talk to Jimmy, but he was talking with Lizzie and Joel and it was their wedding day he wouldn't want to ruin it. Or atleast thats the excuse he told himself.
" Later. He's with Lizzie and Joel, its their wedding." Even as he said it he knew his nerves would get in the way of talking to Jimmy later but atleast he could delay their pestering for a bit. The three girls looked between eachother all exchanging knowing glances.
"What?" Scott hated when they did this, using what he can only assume is some secret girl language, communicating silently in a way he doesn't think he will ever understand.
"Nothing." Shrub answers though their wide smiles say otherwise.
Scott rolls his eyes at them turning back to admire Jimmy, from a safe distance. He takes another good look at Jimmy's outfit. He was wearing a swamp green suit, that Lizzie probably had to force him into. It looked unnatural on Jimmy, so used to seeing the cod in clothes chosen more based on comfort than looks. It looked good though, Scott would be lying if he said his face didn't blush an embarrassingly bright red when he first saw Jimmy. He wanted to reach out and touch it feel the expensive fabric in his hands it had nothing to do with the cod it was attached to, no.
He could vaguely hear Gem, Shrub and Kathrine chatting next to him, was Fwhip here now too? Scott didn't bother to check, that would mean looking away from Jimmy. As one song tapered into the next he watched Lizzie and Joel turn to look at eachother their excitement obvious at the new song before Lizzie grabbed Joel's hand and pulled him into the middle of the dance floor, leaving Jimmy stood alone smiling at the newly married couple.
It was then Scott felt a elbow nudge into his side, he turned to find Gem looking pointingly at Jimmy and then back at him.
"Oh, no, no, no, no." Scott waved his hands infront of him in dismissal.
"Yes." Shrub said grabbing his arm pulling him across the room towards Jimmy.
"No! Kathrine! Gem! Help me!" he shouted over his shoulder. Looking back at the two who were just laughing at him.
Traitors.
"Hi Jimmy." Shrub greeted voice to chirpy.
"Oh. Hi Shrub, hello-Scott." Jimmy greeted back, probably struggling to swallow some food from the table and not choked up because Scott was here. Scott just nodded awkwardly, smiling, already feeling his stupid face heat up. Shrub looked between the two feeling the awkward silence stretch between them as they both avioded eye contact.
"Beautiful wedding." Shrub commented trying to coax the men into talking with eachother.
"It exactly what they disserve" Jimmy commented looking back towards his sister and now brother-in-law, dancing, smiling and laughing together.
They stood for a moment before Scott reached towards the food table for something to eat, trying to fill the space. However looking down at the table he relised how little of the food he actually recognised, panic settling into him as his hand floated above the table, eyes flitting between the slimy, gooey and flaky foods. It was then a plate with some colourful coral wrapped in seaweed was pressed into his hand. When Scott looked up to see who had handed it to him he was met with Jimmy's bright sunshine smile.
"Its good I promise."
"I'm blaming you if I throw up all over my nice suit."
"Okay." Jimmy smiled before mumbling, "You'd still look beautiful anyway."
"What did you say?" Scott smiled at Jimmy's stupidity, even in the loud ballroom he had heard Jimmy perfectly.
"Uh...um..I-" Jimmy stuttered turning bright red.
"I am quite pretty throwing up, your right." Scott flirted pretending to flip his hair.
Cautiously Scott took a bite of the seaweed coral. It was crunchy, like really crunchy, but it actualy wasn't that bad. He looked up to find Jimmy staring at him intently, nowslight blush on his cheaks.
"It's not that bad." Jimmy's smile widened.
"See I told you it was good." He said while shoving some into his mouth, causing Scott to chuckle slightly.
As he was still chewing Jimmy looked up at the speakers as the song changed, joy erupting onto his face.
"Oh my cod, I love this song." Jimmy smiled, grabbing Scott's hand and pulling him onto the dance floor.
"Wait. Jimmy no. I'm not dancing." Scott protesting attempting to stop, but Jimmy was surprisingly strong as he pulled him into the dance floor.
"Yes you are." Jimmy smiled, continuing to pull him. Scott looked down at their joined hands acutely aware of Jimmy's touch, feeling blush rise to his cheak.
Jimmy continued to lead him into the dance floor weaving between all the guests before reaching Lizzie and Joel who were still dancing together. Jimmy dropped Scott's hand to wave wildly at them before he started dancing, Scott already missed Jimmy's and in his.
Suddenly Scott relised he was in the middle of a dance floor, a song to fast for his ballroom dancing lessons, with no idea what he was doing. Trepidly, Scott started to bounce with beat, looking around at the crowded dance floor for someone, anyone to copy. Jimmy looked back at him smiling wide, chuckling slightly at Scott's pathetic attempt at dancing.
"Don't laugh at me." Scott called over the music. Jimmy laughed louder at that, it melodical tune flowing over the music, Scott felt joy bubble in his heart that he was the one who caused it.
"Like this." Jimmy called to him. Jimmy grabbed Scott's hands, moving both of them alternatly back and forth with the beat, singing loudly along with the song. Then as the choras hit he started jumping up and down, dropping Scott's hands and throwing them in the air. Hesitantly Scott copied him smile growing.
As the song drew to a close a slower, slow dance song came on. Jimmy breathing heavily started walking of the dance floor before suddenly turning back around looking at Scott expectingly. Scott looked down noticing how his hand was now joined with Jimmy. Had he reached out to the cod? Well he couldn't exactly say nothing now.
"Huh uh. Come here." Scott told him. Pulling Jimmy's hands placing them on his hips before wrapping his own around Jimmy's shoulder. He wasn't entirely sure how this had happened, but he wasn't going to complain.
"I danced for your song. You can dance for mine." Scott told him.
Jimmy continued to stare at his hands on Scott's hips, never meeting Scott's eyes as he faced blushed a bright red. Scott laughed at him as he swayed the around, simplifying the steps after Jimmy steped on his foot for the fifth time. At the sound of Scott's laugh, Jimmy looked up at him smiling, a look in his eyes Scott couldn't quite read.
"I like your suit." Scott complimented feeling the fabric under his fingers.
"I'm glad you do. I can't wait to get home and take this thing off." Jimmy complained.
"I had a feeling Lizzie had to force you into it."
They spent a moment just looking at eachother swaying gently to the music.
Suddenly Jimmy dropped his head gently to Scott's shoulder, resting the side of his head on the elf so if his eyes hadn't been closed, he would have been looking inwardly at Scott's neck. Scott felt himself freeze for a second only continuing to move as Jimmy urged him to.
"You look pretty too." Jimmy whispered to him, he couldn't tell if Jimmy had ment to say it, the slight surprised noise Jimmy made after he said it gave him doubts. So Scott held back his usual flirty quips, pretentig he hadn't heard while his stomach bubbed at Jimmy's words.
They danced the rest of the song like that, both afraid to make a noise incase this bubble they had created burst. However as they say all good things must come to an end. So as the song drew to a close Scott gently pulled his hands away from Jimmy's neck looking away from the cod in front of him for the first time since he joined the dance floor noticing a few to many eyes looking at them. Jimmy lifted his head hands leaving Scott waist waiting for him to lead the way. Scott felt so empty without Jimmy attached to him.
Behind Jimmy, Gem stood leaning on the wall giving him a big thumbs up, while Fwhip and Sausage, started blowing kisses obnoxiously at eachother before Sausage fake fainted into Fwhip's arms, both of them waveing a hand to fan Sausage, obviously mocking Jimmy and Scott. Scott rolled his eyes at their antics causing Jimmy tilt his head at him confused , before turning around to see Fwhip and Sausage standing bolt upright smiling innocently at them.
Jimmy turned back to look at Scott confused.
"Don't worry." Scott said walking towards the doors on the other side of the ballroom that lead to the small outside garden, hearing Jimmy's footsteps following him.
The garden was planted on a large balcony with well trimmed bushes mixed in with beautiful wild flowers, no doubt supplied by Katherine. Scott walked further into the garden finding a bench situated in a bushy alcove facing a small collection of flower beds. Scott sat down, back straight, Jimmy collapsing next to him resting his head on one hand that was placed on his knee looking out to the flowers.
Scott watched him wordlessly for a moment noticing how he pulled at the collar of his shirt and then at the sleeves of his balzer, trying to move the itchy, uncomfortable fabric. The elf sighed as he reached into his cloak pulling out a thin, light blue cardigan handing it to the cod.
"It's more comfortable than your blazer." At Jimmy's confused look Scott continued, "It not going to kill you." He moved the cardigan closer to Jimmy, the cod tentatively slid off his blazer pulling the cardigan around his shoulders.
"Where did you get this from?" Jimmy asked.
"The bush." Scott said straight faced, Jimmy looked at him even more confused.
"My cloak you idiot."
"How do you carry a whole cardigan in your cloak?"
" There's alot more than just a cardigan in there." Scott teased. Jimmy paused for a beat his face heating up slightly,
"Thank you though."
"No problem." Scott waved him off, pushing down the way his heart turned seeing Jimmy in his clothes.
They sat for a moment watching the various butterflies, bees and other insects fly from flower to flower. Suddenly Jimmy's eyes lit up before jumping off the bench grabbing Scott hand and pulling him away.
"I have an idea!"
"Oh! Jimmy!"
Jimmy continued to pull Scott as he ran dispite the elf's protests.
Soon Jimmy slowed down after he had pulled Scott down some winding stairs almost making Scott go tumbling down. They entered another, more wild, garden still among the many balconies of the Prisma Place. However in the middle of this one was a large man-made lake.
Without looking back, Jimmy ran up to the pond pulling of his shoes dumping them with his blazer on the side of the pond, before pulling off Scott's cardigan placing it more gently on a bench nearby careful not to get it dirty. Then Jimmy flung himself into the water, his legs quickly turning into a scaly brown tail with green flowy fins, doing a quick flip in the water before turning back to look at Scott smiling wildly. Scott smiled back at him walking down to the edge of the pond laying his cloak out on the floor before sitting on it.
Jimmy's attention was drawn away by some cod swimming in the lake. Jimmy was talking enthusiastically with them, while Scott looked around at the garden, he had no idea this place even existed. It was hidden well for a massive garden on the side of a palace.
The school of cod swam off leaving Jimmy to look back at Scott as their eyes meeting when Jimmy said,
"Come in." swimming closer to Scott.
"No." Scott laughed, "I think my advisors would kill me." Jimmy rolled his eyes.
"But they're not here." Jimmy swam closer until he had to lie on his front to stay in the water, resting his face on his hands smiling wildly.
"Don't look at me like that." Scott smiled down at him.
"Like what?" Jimmy replied innocently. Scott could feel his resolve dissipating as he continued to look at Jimmy's smiley face till he finally gave in.
"I can't swim." He told Jimmy.
"Thats okay, its not that deep."
Sighing he removed his overshirt and then his undershirt, enjoying the way Jimmy's face heated up at his bare chest. Scott hesitated slightly at his trousers he didn't want to get them absolutely drenched, but also didn't think he could handle swimming practically naked with his C̶r̶u̶s̶h̶ friend. Jimmy sensing his hesitation slipped out of the water just enough for his tail to turn back into legs pulling of his miraculously dry trousers throwing them in Scott's direction before quickly sliding back in so his legs turned back into a tail.
"Wear mine." Jimmy told Scott.
Scott undid the buttons on his trousers looking down at Jimmy staring out him from the water.
"You'll have to buy me dinner first if you want to see so bad." Scott teased him. Jimmy's face went bright red, stuttering wildly, turning around.
Scott turned from his aswell quickly pulling off his trousers sliding on Jimmy's.
"Okay, you can turn back around now."
When Jimmy turned around he burst out laughing his eyes fixed on the way his trousers finished about half way down Scott's calf.
"You can't laugh their your trousers."
"Its my fault for being freakishly tall."
"Don't act like you don't like how tall I am"
Jimmy blushed again before Scott called him towards him,
"Come here, I need you to catch me if I fall. I didn't spend an hour on my hair just for you to ruin it."
Jimmy swam closer raising an arm to catch Scott in case he fell. The continued to swim/walk into the lake until they reached a section where the water kept to just under Scott's shoulders. Jimmy dove down swimming circles around Scott. Scott marvelled at the grace at which Jimmy moved under the water, in a way he never did on land, and the way the light reflected off his scales lighting up the water. After a few laps Jimmy rose back from the water smiling wildly at Scott who groaned at the water Jimmy had accidentally splashed on him.
Jimmy's face dripped with water his hair spread flat against his face. Scott reached up to push some of the hair out of his face slowly, lingering in Jimmy's space as long as posssible,
"Your very pretty when you swim." Jimmy's face went bright red his eyes quickly dropping to the water, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, words stuck in his throat.
"Your even cuter when you flustered." Scott continued placing a finger under Jimmy's chin forcing him to look at him.
They stared at eachother for a moment before Jimmy leaned forward slowly meeting their lips. Scott froze for a moment not quite believing what was happing. Jimmy was kissing him. Jimmy. Beautiful, joyful sunshine Jimmy was kissing him.
Before Scott could react Jimmy pulled back quickly, eyes dropping as he started stuttering,
"Sorry. Cod, I'm so sorry. I-I don't know what I was thinking. I'm so sorry Scott." Jimmy turned to swim away, stopped only by Scott quickly grabbing Jimmy's hand.
"Wait." was all Scott said before leaning into kiss Jimmy, the cod quickly kissing him back.
It was everything Scott had imagined it to be. No, it was better. Feeling Jimmy's lips on his, salty and rough but perfect all the same. Jimmy's hand resting on Scott's hips while Scott's own were in Jimmy's hair. Jimmy's tail wrapping around one and then rested inbetween Scott's legs. If this was what heaven felt like Scott would have ended it all right now just to feel this forever.
Jimmy lent further into him almost causing Scott to fall into the water. Jimmy pulled back slightly as Scott regained his balance holding onto his waist harder to try and stabilise him.
"Lets head to a shallower bit." Scott said kissing Jimmy's cheak before leading him by the hand to a shallower section. He stopped when he reached a bit shallow enough, laughing as Jimmy crashed into him.
The elf sat down in the water, it reaching about half way up his chest. Jimmy swam into Scott lap his tail gently beating, off to one side. Scott rested his forehead on Jimmy's smiling at him, before kissing him again. After who knows how long, Scott pulled back, kissing Jimmy's neck quickly before pulling back to hover slightly over Jimmy's neck asking,
"Is that okay?" his breath whispering over Jimmy's skin. Scott watched the blush spread from Jimmy's bright red cheaks down his neck. Waiting until Jimmy silently nodded at him before continuing. He was careful not to make any marks on Jimmy's neck, afraid of what his advisors mught say if they found out. Scott shook the thought of his advisors out his head focusing again on Jimmy and the closestness of him.
He doesn't know how long they sat there in the water exchanging kisses and flirts, but eventually passionate kisses turned to chaise touches and joyful conversation. Scott allowed his hands to wonder over Jimmy's freckle covered chest, wondering how far they went down before shaking the thought out of his head. While this was a wedding between two of his friends it was also technically a diplomatic event. It wouldn't really give the right image to be caught getting it on with another emperor in a lake. Scott chose to ignore that it also wouldn't give the right image to be caught making out with said emperor in a lake.
"We should probably get back, people will start wondering where we are." Scott mentioned eliciting a groan from Jimmy, who leaned further into Scott, burying his head into Scott's shoulder. The elf just laughed stroking Jimmy's back.
"A little longer." Jimmy pleaded his voice muffled by Scott's bare shoulder. The elf felt his stomach flip that Jimmy wanted to stay like this for as long as possible, but he knew they couldn't stay like this, afraid of what may happen if they got caught. Scott gently pulled Jimmy back upright.
"One last kiss." Scott said before kissing him again, smiling as Jimmy chased after his lips when he pulled back. Scott pushed Jimmy's shoulders guiding him off of his lap. Begrudgingly Jimmy retreated swimming back off his lap laying on his front in the shallow water watching scott climb out, looking discustingly down at his soaked body.
The elf reached down into his cloak still layed out among the grass. Crazy, that when he laided this cloak down he thought he would never have his feelings for Jimmy reciprocated and now he was having to literally pull the cod off him. Scott reached into the pocket pulling out the small towel he kept there. He turned to Jimmy who jaw was dropped in amazement.
"Seriously how do you fit all that stuff in there?!"
"A very good seamstress."
Scott dried his face and hair from where Jimmy had pulled up water into it, cursing at the futility of the hour he sat as his hairstylist did his hair this morning. He dried his chest before grabbing his trousers, looking distinctly at Jimmy who was still watching him.
"Keep staring if you want to." Scott teased, watching Jimmy's face turn pink but his eyes didn't waver, Scott felt his stomach turn at Jimmy's confidence. Scott turned around pulling off Jimmy's wet trousers drying his legs slightly before pulling his own on. As he turned around Scott felt the butterflies in his stomach beat fast as Jimmy was still staring at him. Scott smiled slightly at him which Jimmy returned widly.
The elf threw Jimmy's trousers closer to him careful to not let the land in the water, in reality it wouldn't matter that much as they were already drenched but its the thought that counts. Scott started putting his shoes back on aswell as his abundance of jewelery, before pulling a small gold encrusted circular hand mirror fixing his hair. He continued to fix his hair silently cursing Jimmy before the sunshine cod put his face between Scott's own and the mirror smiling his dopey little smile.
"Hello?" Scott greeted.
"Hi." Jimmy's hair was still dripping down his face his whole body still wet. Jimmy leaned forward to kiss him, Scott quickly pulled back.
"Nuh uh." Scott said, Jimmy looking confusingly at him pulling back a little. Scott reached forward for the towel before using one hand on his jaw to stabilise Jimmy's face while using the other to gently wipe the water of Jimmy's face and then his hair, stomach flipping at the domestisity of the touch. After he had dried Jimmy's face he stared at the man for a moment before saying,
"Okay go on then." Jimmy jumped towards him kissing him hard, a lot quicker than the kisses they had shared in the water.
Scott stood up pulling Jimmy up aswell by the hand. It was at that moment he realised how disheveled Jimmy looked. His trousers were drenched, his white shirt basically see-through and stuck to his chest, his hair still tousled from Scott drying it. He looked so distinctly Jimmy in a way he hadn't before during the ceremony or the after party. Jimmy to Scott would never be the well presented, formal codfather his advisors are trying to make him be; he always will be the little cod prince who would always look like any civilian from the cod empire, the boy who never expected to rule an empire but who fits to it so well. That will always be Jimmy to Scott.
"Do you want to go get changed or something?" Scott asked him, to which Jimmy tore his eyes away from Scott to look down at himself before shrugging.
"Eh, Lizzie and Joel are used to it." Scott laughed at him before grabbing his hand leading Jimmy back to their friends.
As they reached the entrance to the main ballroom, Scott dropped Jimmy's hand distinctly aware of the few of his advisors in the ballroom who had never been to particularly excepting of him being gay, let alone him being seen with anyone before they were officially courting. Jimmy looked up at him confused a hint of sadness in his eyes, Scott just smiled a little sadly at him, making a mental note to send him a letter later detailing his actions. Almost as soon as they walked through the door a call of Jimmy's name echoed through the hall. They turned to see the distinct pink hair along with the brown with the distinct green streak bouncing towards them.
"Where did you go?" Lizzie asked looking at him questioningly.
"It's our wedding you know Jim, you can't go disappearing." Joel joked.
"Why are you so wet?" Lizzie questioned looking Jimmy up and down.
"Went for a swim." Jimmy answered nonchalantly, hoping Lizzie wouldn't bring up that his trousers should be dry due to his tail if he went for a swim.
Scott looked around the ballroom attempting to locate Shrub, Gem or Katherine. His eyes landed on one of his advisors from across the ballroom his eyes boring into him while he spoke with a Pixandria councillor. He felt his body tense up fists clenching.
Could he tell what had just happened? Would he tell the whole council? What would they all say to him when they found out? Would they tell him he couldn't see Jimmy again? He didn't know if he could deal with never kissing Jimmy again now he knew how good it was. Scott could feel himself spiralling but it was difficult to stop when-
Jimmy's laugh pulled him out of his thoughts bellowing loudly at something Joel had said. He continued his search for his allies noticing Shrub and Katherine talking with Pearl on the other side of the ballroom.
"Im going to go talk to Shrub, Katherine and Pearl. Talk to you later?" Scott said to Jimmy enjoying having Jimmy's attention back on him. Jimmy gave him a bright smile saying,
"Okay! See you later." Scott could see the slight sadness in his eyes at the prospect of Scott leaving, it made his heart skip a beat. He lifted a hand to Jimmy's shoulder squeezing it, hoping it acted well enough in lieu of giving him any blantet affection. He let his hand stay as long as possible on Jimmy's shoulder as he walked off letting it slid off Jimmy's shoulder grazing his arm before it fell back by his side again.
He stole a glance back at Jimmy as he walked away smiling at the way Lizzie shot Jimmy a questioning glance saying something to which Jimmy just laughed at. He repeated that melodical laugh in his head as he walked back towards his friends mesmerised by that laugh and the taste of those salty, sunshine lips.