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1
One of Floyd Leech's most admirable—and terrifying— qualities was his tenacity. When Floyd wanted something, there was no force in nature able to stop him from getting it.
Unfortunately for Azul Ashengrotto, Floyd's current goal seemed to be tormenting him.
“Floyd, this is my last warning. Drop this, before someone else hears you.”
“Nuh-uh. I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell my brother how much you love him,” the eel sing-sang.
“Floyd…” Anyone with an ounce of common sense would have given up when they felt the edge in Azul's voice. Unfortunately, common sense wasn't exactly common at Night Raven College.
“Or maybe I should tell him. You know what? I'm gonna tell him right now~."
Being anyone else, Azul would have assumed those words were an attempt at blackmail. And Azul probably would have given in, no matter how unreasonable the request was: The information Floyd had in his hands was an even more delicate matter than his shameful, pathetic past.
But, of all the people who could have been present during the truth serum incident, fate had brought the personification of chaos to his side. The only worse scenario Azul could picture was Jade Leech himself taking his brother's place.
Azul grabbed Floyd's arm, with enough strength to leave marks on a normal human's skin.
"Floyd. You. Can. Not. Tell. Him."
"But if you don't tell him, how will he know that you love him? How are you going to get married and give me nephews? I want nephews!"
Those words made Azul realize that Floyd's intentions were not simply to torment him, as he had initially believed. Floyd wanted to help him. Unfortunately, that did not improve his situation.
“Truly, I appreciate your concern about my love life,” a blatant lie, “but I can handle this matter on my own.”
“Nope. You had years to do it. It's my turn.”
“It's neither your turn, nor your business.”
“Well, now it is.”
Azul's next words were probably not the most prudent, but at the moment, he thought there was nothing to lose. Neither reason, nor bribes, nor threats worked when something got in Floyd’s brain. The only alternative was to divert his attention.
“I think your own love life needs more attention right now.” Floyd's posture changed immediately, as if someone had thrown a glass of ice-cold water to his face. Azul had to suppress a smile: while Floyd hadn't taken the bait yet, he was close to it.
"What do you mean, Azul?"
“Well, before helping others, it's important to help yourself, right? So, I think the wisest thing you could do is to invest your full energy in trying to fix the mess you have sown for the last two and a half years.” Seeing Floyd's face, Azul knew he had hit the nail on the head. He had had suspicions about the true nature of Floyd's interest in a certain redhead, but had deemed it prudent to refrain from opening that can of worms —until now. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
“I don't like what you're saying.”
“Oh, I can tell.” Azul's smile revealed a hint of sadism. For the first time since that morning, he felt like a predator instead of a prey. Not bothering to feign compassion, he added, “I mean, many would even call your situation a lost cause. Even though terrestrials say that there is only one step from hate to love... Actually making a person who hates you accept your affections seems like a titanic task.”
2
As he used magic to repair the cracks in the wood that Floyd had left when he slammed the door, Azul felt a bit of guilt rising in his stomach.
Only a bit. Floyd had asked for it when he tried to corner him.
3
After almost twenty-four hours without any sign of Floyd, an unusual emotion began to grow in Azul’s gut: Guilt.
Unfortunately, the seeds of that noble sentiment barely had a chance to germinate before being uprooted, as soon as Azul opened the door to his office.
Seeing Floyd sitting at his desk—and over important documents— was an infuriatingly common experience for Azul. The novelty consisted of the person straddling Floyd, kissing him as if there were no tomorrow.
Azul didn't need to see that third person's face to know his identity. Only one person’s hair in the entire College was that bright hue of red.
“I'm sorry for the interruption, but I need my desk. Would you mind?”
Usually, Azul found some sick satisfaction in watching Riddle Rosehearts, the model student, lose his composure. It was petty, yes, but having a reminder of the only student who surpassed his grades’ imperfect nature made his days a little sweeter.
However, the river of embarrassed apologies (directed to Azul, no less) felt insipid when accompanied by Floyd's lazy, satisfied smile.
“I mean it… If I can do anything to compensate you for this shameful behavior…”
“No need, Riddle. I brought this upon myself. Congratulations on your new relationship.”
“Uh?”
4
“Come in!” Azul said, knowing in advance who was the one knocking at his door. “Did you get it?” He asked, without taking his eyes off the potion he was working on. The preparation was not particularly complex, but it was still laborious, and he did not plan to start from scratch when he was just one ingredient away from finishing it.
"Of course," Jade answered. “Honestly, it was easier than expected.”
Azul showed his acknowledgment with a quiet “hum.” Adding the saffron nectar was the most delicate step of the potion.
To his relief, after dropping the last drop the liquid in, the cauldron took on the appropriate purplish color. Now, all he needed was adding the sample.
“Where did you get it from?” Azul asked, as Jade took a small glass vial out of his jacket.
“Straight from his head. As I told you, it was easy. Floyd had him pretty… entertained.”
Azul rolled his eyes, but refrained from commenting as he accepted the vial. Using a pair of metal tweezers, he extracted the only red hair it contained, and dropped it into the cauldron.
The potion remained the same color, and Azul felt that, as if by magic, an enormous weight was instantly lifted from his shoulders.
“Do you really see Floyd as the kind of person who would use a love philter? My dear brother would be extremely offended if he knew about your suspicions.”
“No, I don’t.” It was true. Overall, trying to predict Floyd's behavior was a complete waste of time, but Azul had known the twins since the three of them were children. He had come to notice the existence of a few patterns. For example, taking the easy way out —or what many self-righteous people called "cheating"— was killing the fun according to Floyd. “But I had to make sure. Not even Crowley could turn a blind eye to a crime of that level.”
“It’s a serious accusation.”
“It's a logical conclusion for anyone who has seen Floyd and Riddle interact. I'm sure I'm not the only person at this school who has had that same suspicion.”
When Jade said nothing more to defend his brother, Azul assumed the conversation was over.
His assumption was wrong.
“Would you consider using a love philter, Azul?”
Indignation was immediately reflected on Azul's face. Not the mocking mask he put on when someone criticized his business affairs, but something genuine. The kind of emotion that only the twins were capable of bringing to the surface.
“Of course not!”
Jade snorted.
“Well, well~” he crooned, taking a couple of steps forward. The most primitive part of Azul's brain —the one in charge of keeping him alive at the bottom of the sea—tried to make him retreat, but he refused to do so. He knew firsthand how dangerous it was to let the eels smell fear. “Since when the Azul Ashengrotto I know lets morality stop him from taking what his heart wants?”
“I'm beginning to think you have an extremely wrong perception of me, Jade.”
Jade took another step forward. Then another, and another, and another, until Azul was forced to lift his face to maintain eye contact.
“I’m sorry; I think I didn't pick my words well. I just want to understand, what’s stopping you?” One of Jade's hands rested on Azul's left cheek, with the carelessness of a lover. Azul tried to chase that thought away. “Why are you so hesitant this time to take what you want? That's not like you.”
"What makes you think I want something of that… nature?"
“You confirmed it a few seconds ago. By the way, you're not usually this careless, Azul. What is happening to you today? Are you sick? Because your face is a bit hot.”
Azul had to resist the impulse to slap Jade's hand away: he wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.
“I appreciate your concern, but I'm perfectly fine. Now, if you'll excuse me…” he tried to sound casual as he pushed Jade’s hand away from his face. “I have things to do.”
Turning his back on Jade was a rookie mistake. Azul realized it too late, when the merman's arms wrapped around his waist, preventing him from reaching safety promised by the door.
“Azul, Azul…” The way Jade said his name, whispered directly into his ear, sent a shiver down his spine. “I'm starting to think you're trying to hide something from me. Have I given you any reasons to distrust me?”
Azul’s laugh sounded dangerously close to a sob.
“If someone has reason to distrust you, that's me. Now, would you be kind enough to stop poking your nose into matters that don't concern you? And to let me go, if you don't mind. Like I said, I have things to do”
“I do mind.”
“Uh?”
“I said, I do mind.”
For a few moments, Azul was sure that the person behind him was not Jade, but Floyd, playing the cruelest joke in history on him.
"Let go of me right now, or I swear I'm going to..." Azul's next words died in choked gasp as one of Jade's hands slid to his throat.
“Be careful with the words you choose. We don't want rumors to spread about Azul Ashengrotto making oaths he doesn't intend to keep.”
"I don't know what you're playing at, but that's enough." Azul tried to keep his voice cold and calm, despite knowing that his pulse, maddened under the merman's fingers, betrayed his true emotions. “I don't want to see your face for the rest of the night.”
“You're lying.”
“I’m not.”
Jade let out a dramatic sigh.
“And with this one, there are three lies in one round. I'm starting to think I got the wrong idea about our relationship.”
“Three lies? According to you, which one was the third?”
“That this is a matter that does not concern me.”
Azul felt the temperature of the room drop suddenly.
“Floyd.” Azul made a mental note to think of an appropriate reprimand as soon as he was alone. If he survived the rest of the conversation with Jade, of course. “He told you, didn’t he?”
“You've been avoiding my questions all night. Why should I answer yours?”
"He told you," Azul muttered, horrified. He felt naïve for believing that Floyd had had enough with rubbing his success in his face: the Leech twins never stopped until they saw tears or blood. So now, Jade knew. He knew about the stupid, pathetic nature of his feelings.
Suddenly, Azul was no longer the Merchant of the Deep, nor the respected head of Octavinelle, but the chubby little octo-twerp that everyone trampled.
The feeling of sharp blades grazing his ear was what brought him back to reality.
“Do you know what makes me follow you, Azul?”
“No.” It was true. He had his theories, of course, but "being entertaining" was too vague for an answer.
Without warning, Jade let him go. Momentarily off balance, both from the panic and the sudden disappearance of his support, Azul’s hands reached for the nearest wall.
“No matter what it costs, you always take what you want. Don't get boring now, Azul.”
Jade didn't wait for an answer. Convenient, since it seemed that Azul had momentarily lost the ability to speak. Or to move.
The delicate click of the door closing was what broke the (metaphorical) spell.