Title. Zillullah
Chapter title. Dancing in the Moonlight
Authour. ~sushisama~
Fandom. Magi
Main pairing. Sinbad/Judal (there might be more later)
Warnings. Lemons throughout, Yaoi, and Mpreg
Disclaimer. Magi does not belong to me, just having fun with the characters.
Notes. In case you missed all the earlier warnings, this is an mpreg story. If you don't know what that means, it is about a man getting pregnant. If you do not like, do not read.

Also, there will be lots of odd things. Some characters will be a little OOC. This is also severely canon divergent, one from the main timeline after Judal declares Kou and Sindria enemies, and also there will be past events re described. There is a reason for this in story to be revealed later on. So, if things aren't the way they were in the canon, don't call me out on it, it's intentional. I swear.

Were he pressed, Judal would just claim it to be a whim.

Though, in all honesty, it was a rather elaborate whim, but maybe it was the complexity he went through that was the unnecessary indulgence more than the simple act itself. Because no one could deny the fact that celebrations in Sindria were far more entertaining than anything in the Kou Empire could ever hope to compare with. And for someone who felt the itch of boredom far too quickly for his own hood, no one could fault him for venturing out to sea to go visit the lavish gatherings.

Judal had to be somewhat secretive of his destination. Since his proclamation against Sindria, his excuses to go there had to contain some ill-meaning outcome or be hidden all together. It was just a good thing the Magi was granted freedom to travel about as long as he returned within a decent amount of time (lest his handlers try to come find him). Well, really, he would leave whether or not he had that freedom, he didn't really like to be told otherwise, he just didn't want to be followed were he gone too long.

That was why when Hakuryuu caught him adorning an outfit most unfamiliar to his usual black ensemble, he freely admitted where he was going. The scarred male only nodded at the Magi, and wished him a good evening with the king of the island nation.

Judal had glared at that. It was true he would probably cross paths with the idiot (and not to freely admit it to anyone, but it would be intentionally), but it wasn't the only reason he wanted to go. No, he was looking forward to the festivities themselves, the food and drink, the dancing, the energy of it all. It was the only time the light Rukh didn't seem so offensive to him, like it was charged differently. It wasn't comprised of good will and aspiring fate, but just liveliness and spirit.

And he couldn't help the smile on his lips when he landed on the island, as black Rukh fluttered by him. It was just as the sun was setting that he arrived, and already the darker birds were showing in anticipation of the lunar eclipse. Their presence would make it a little easier to hide himself from the other seers of Rukh. He wondered briefly who all was here, if the little baby Magi was present or his buffoon of a king candidate, how many of the generals were present.

Even if his attendance was found out by someone other than the Idiot King, he was sure that the fact he came not for a fight but just an enjoyable evening would keep any rabble from razing.

After all, Sinbad would never let anything happen to him unless he was the one to instigate it. There was benefits to being in the man's good favour.

When he was behaving, of course.

It was rather easy to flit about Sindria without worry for the beginning parts of the festival. Despite the lengths he had gone through for concealing his appearance, no one in the town proper would have recognised him anyway, the peasants as they were. It would only be as he got closer to the palace he would actually have to worry about someone noticing who he was, but even then, his concern wasn't that high.

Judal grinned at the looks he got while walking along the streets, making his way to one of the many squares in the great town that surrounded the palace. People weren't even trying to hide their stares as they openly gawked at his figure. The outfit he chose for this particular celebration was quite similar to the dancers normally in the main square, and not something you would see just walking around. The white pants had slits down the sides of his legs, leaving the flesh tantalising in their exposure. His normal half shirt was replaced by a black vest and sheer cloth that wound around his arms. His chest was open for anyone to gawk at, either attracted by the sculpted work, or just following the line of his gold bracelets and choker. His hair was out of its usual braid, flowing down his back in a way it was rarely freed, only to be tied and curled up at the end only to keep it from dragging the ground. The ensemble was finished with a veil around the lower half of his face, leaving only his eyes exposed.

He loved the attention he received as he wandered throughout Sindria. It was always one thing he enjoyed: all eyes on him. He was a magnificent creature, after all, that's the way it should be. Even if his true intentions were only with one person, he was still going to relish in the gasps and words spoken as he walked by different groups of people.

The other reason he loved the attention was it made it easy to his charm and looks to distract different vendors and get things for himself. He didn't exactly have the money needed for legitimately buying anything (he didn't even have Kou currency and had rejected ever offer from Sinbad to have something for his stays on the island), so the only way to get food and anything else he pleased was by petty theft. He was far from above it, and he knew for a fact he was good at it.

By the time the sun was kissing the horizon, he had already filled his belly, and danced off with a gold and ruby chest piece to adorn his abdomen.

It wasn't until the first sparkle of a star had come out, the moon still low in its ascent, that he finally made his way toward the palace. The celebration was getting into swing, music filling the streets, and joyous cries. When he first got the main square, he sat down, surveilling the area long before possibly doing anything to bring attention to himself. He wanted to make sure who was around, who he could be obvious around (the Idiot and the Baby Magi) and who he had to obfuscate around (Freckles mostly there). He grabbed drink and food while he did so, the nation of Sindria one of the few places he would put his guard down any to allow the joy of a brief buzz.

Judal knew he was safe here, as strange as it sounded in what was technically enemy territory. But this kingdom was about safety towards its inhabitants, and he knew that Idiot believed, as long as he was within the earthen walls, he was one of his citizens. Maybe even its Magi, though only while he was there, as he had asked him so many times to be.

He shrugged off the notion for now. The conversation would come up later, as it always did, and the less he thought on it, the less appealing it would sound.

The usual white Rukh that disgustingly filled the air was growing with every holler and song, but as the time for the eclipse drew on, there flittered out dark Rukh as well. It was almost odd to see them, if only because they were natural, an opposing force common in the cosmos, though not to the extent that his handlers tried to draw out. Just the entropy that came with the rise, chaos and order that walked hand in hand, not battling for a victory, but an unspoken understanding of balance that was needed for true progression.

In the night sky, the two opposites danced with each other, intertwining in a dance for brief moments, and they looked like the yin yang symbols from Kou when they did. It was beautiful in its fleeting moment, and Judal was left to wonder what things would have been like if he had been allowed that path. The one of twining fates. Or would that have been his path? Would he have had the black Rukh at all, were it not for-

Judal shook his head before taking another long sip of his drink. More thoughts to be avoiding.

He didn't get the urge to start moving again until after he heard a familiar voice speaking from high above. He turned to look up at his Idiot King, giving some stupid words about how wonderful their nation was, how they should enjoy the night and their gifts, and blah blah, the usual life is good dreck that he gave. It was disgusting, really. Life wasn't that good, even here. Well, maybe it was, but it wouldn't always be. One day, they would be taken over, one day this nation would be under the control of-

He sighed, taking his crimson gaze from the tall man who was giving words of encouragement and triumph over the odds. He wondered if Sinbad knew, how when Kouen or Al-Tharmen would bring up the island nation, if he were present, he would find some excuse to go to a different kingdom, start with weaker nations. The things he said and did for just one moment more. For another chance to enjoy these celebrations, to be around the Rukh that didn't bother him. For another night next to a man he should be plotting against. Or even just one more time of thoughts of freedom, thoughts of if he were able to move on his own will, the paths he would chose.

But of course, he didn't know. How could he? Most of his conversations with the violet-haired man were either violent and threatening or an attempt to bed him. There was no time for such sentiments. After all, they led to a danger of real attachment, of possibilities of accepting Sinbad's hand when he offered it. So he would just keep driving that wedge with his words, filled with the venom of a cobra. Make the king believe he only came back because it felt good, no other reason.

Judal finished his drink, the third one in a short period, and he was already starting to feel the warmth in his belly and cheeks create a delightful buzz in his head. He watched for a moment the raised platform where Sinbad had moved to after his speech and official opening to the ceremony. Already women were surrounding him, pawing at him like cats in heat. He laughed and draped his arms around them, a sight that made the hairs on the back of the Magi's neck stand at edge. He hated the way the man always did that, every celebration, let those whores touch him. He knew the king never bedded them, but it didn't make it any easier to watch.

The dark Magi had pressed him once about it, after one of their first trysts that happened in Sindria and not in one of their chance encounters, and the man had just given him a reassuring smile. Told him that he did it more as a show for Ja'far and the others who kept demanding he find a wife and settle down. It was harder for anyone to want to marry him, if he looked like he was enjoying his bachelor life to this great extent.

And then he would follow up saying he would give it all up, if Judal would just sit beside him at the grand parties. To which the priest would laugh and turn away, lest he give himself away that he thought about it for more than a moment.

The music resumed, and the dancers were already moving to it. The one Fanalis, she was up there, her energy something erratic but appealing. The Baby Magi and his Buffoon Candidate weren't too far off, watching her happily while enjoying the company of the eight generals. For the most part, Sinbad's attention was on his friends more than the women hanging off him, a sight that eased the Magi's mind some.

Judal was almost startled when a pair of golden eyes turned to him. For a moment, he thought he might have already been found out, but the idea quickly ebbed when he realised just how long he had been staring. The veil was still in place, and the only clue who he was were the eyes, but could the king really see that from this distance? He grinned. Of course not. But he had enjoyed what the great city had to offer: now he was ready for the king's undivided attention.

Finishing the peach he had started shortly after he had downed his last drink, he threw the pit aside as he made his way to the stage. The music was fast and furious, the girl from the Dark Continent still moving swiftly with every beat. As he ascended the stairs, he gave a look to one of the drummers, and they seemed to gather the hint, as he began to slow his pace. Shortly enough, the rest of the instruments followed, causing an almost alarm to the dancers already on the stage. They looked at each other and the players, wondering the cause for the loss of momentum.

But the Dark Magi was already moving, ignoring the looks he gathered from those around. It was not often he danced, especially in front of others, but the dances he knew were meant for one thing: to entice. His hips were the first thing to move, side to side with the slow beat. His feet kept in time, but his arms were really the focal point in this first movement of the music. Above his head and down at his sides, curving and twisting.

He only gave the other dancers one look, more to make sure of where they were and that they were nowhere near him, but he did pick up that they were finally moving as well. The women (excluding the little magenta-haired girl, who stayed only for a moment before blushing deep and running off to her friends) had started to move in similar sultry movements. They allowed Judal to be the focus for this dance, which was not that uncommon. Whenever someone felt the courage to dance with the troupe that normally flitted about the stage, they made room for him or her, eager to allow someone the centre stage for a little while.

Which was more than fine by him. It meant more eyes on him, which there certain was plenty of. As the pace started to lift, so did his feet, and he increased his pattern to fit. Soon he was moving more than the little space he was originally in, and he could hear the shuffling of feet as the others made sure to be out of his way.

The entire time, through all the gazes he knew were on him, there was only one he concentrated on. He didn't need to be looking to know that golden gaze was down his backside, as he kept himself turned from the royal platform for almost all of his performance. It wasn't until the nearing climax of percussion that he turned, his chest flexed and hips moving in a way that could only invite one thing. But he kept his eyes closed, a hidden smile on his lips.

It was only a few more moments before the music was speeding up at an exponential rate, the finale so close. Judal did a grand spin, once, twice, three times, before the ending trill, where his body stopped, his whole being aligned to the platform, an arm twisted above his head and wrist at an angle, his other elbow cocked at a degree so his hand rested, palm straight up in front of his heart. A foot rested flat against the side of his knee, a perfect balance that took skill (as well as a little bit of wind magic, if only not to fall).

At the last beat of the drum, he finally opened his lids, and crimson met gold in a way that mimicked how the light and dark Rukh had been clashing all night. Sinbad looked surprised for all of only a moment, before a small smile graced his lips, one that Judal only returned because it was hidden by fabric. There was no doubt to him: Sinbad knew it was Judal.

He knew he had him. The women were forgotten, the generals ignored, as the king stared down the Magi with open want. Judal waited for the music to pick up once more before he went to move. For a moment, he thought of being bold and joining his idiot on the platform in the spot that was claimed to be his. He felt invited, the way Sinbad kept staring at him, and it encouraged him on. He relaxed his position, moving a step toward the platform.

The Magi's steps froze, however, when one of those women draped herself almost completely on top of the king, baring no shame as she took his head in her hands to bring his sight to her as she chirped in his face about something more than likely inane. Judal glared. He could not help the flare of dark Rukh at his instant disdain and anger. That idiot's attention was meant for him, no one else. That little whore was only for show, and she needed to learn her place. He took another step, the wand he concealed in his bracelet and sleeve, and paused once more. No, too obvious. A deep breath, and he was moving away from the stage, back into the throng of people.

He disappeared amidst the movement in the crowd, but not before sending a wave of wind magic to the platform that caused all those disgusting women to be momentarily pinned face first to the ground. With a laugh and a grin, he was quickly away, only to hear the edges of a commotion from those above.

::*~~*::

Judal found himself just outside the palace within moments of leaving the main square. His shoulder was against the sandstone as he munched on yet another piece of fruit. He was still grinning, veil hanging from one ear, humming to himself around the sweet pulp of his peach, hidden away in an alcove rarely patrolled by the palace guards. He had found the little retreat on one of his first trips to the island, on a night when his intent had been one of chaos and ill-meaning.

Didn't matter that he had been thwarted by the Idiot King, since the misdirection offered by the man was not one he regretted. The night had been more than pleasant, even if he had spent it mostly against the wall he now leaned against.

His smile lingered when he felt the familiar presence behind him, but he didn't turn. He just continued to eat his fruit, even when his middle was encircled by strong arms, and a warm breath graced his neck. Judal simply adjusted to it, his arms lifting just enough that he could be held properly, relaxing his lithe body against the muscular taunt one, and tilting his chin just right that it invited a soft touch of the lips under his jawline. He made an almost pleasant noise at the contact, but kept it in: no matter how he enjoyed the heat of Sinbad's body, he would not give it away so easily.

The Idiot had to earn it, after all.

"You know, it wasn't easy trying to explain away that convenient breeze."

Despite himself, he shuddered at the feel of those words over his skin. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Judal replied, his voice playful.

"Of course you wouldn't," Sinbad chortled. His fingers played over the expanse of Judal's bare abdomen. "Aladdin thought he felt you, but it was easy to deter him. After all, why would you be messing with those girls, hmm?"

"Ch'." Judal's brows furrowed a little at the accusation, and he went to move away, but Sinbad only held him tighter. He sighed, deciding it best not to fight him, though his body tensed at the captivity. After all, he would just pursue the matter.

Sinbad hummed in his ear. "Next time, you could just join me."

He threw the remainder of his peach in a corner of the alcove before relaxing once more against the man, this time angling his body to fit almost too perfectly against the sculpted body behind him. He took one of those large hands, moving it to rest more on his chest. His other arm reached behind him, taking a hold of the back of Sinbad's hair.

"It's more fun to get your attention this way," he practically purred, accented by a roll of his hips back into the man.

Sinbad chuckled once more, his other hand coming to rest on Judal's exposed thigh and moving just enough under the fabric that his intended destination was clear. "One day, Judal."

"I'm sure you say that to all the boys who dance for you."

"So it was just for me?"

Judal gritted his teeth. How foolish of him, letting such a thing slip. He recovered by distracting the king with another move, this time his backside rubbing up against the man's already growing desire. He knew he was successful with his diversion when teeth met the bottom of his earlobe, and a simple turn to push him further against the wall. He smirked. If things were going to continue like this, there would be a repeat of the first time in the alcove.

Not that he really minded.

Sinbad's one hand continued to move, caressing his inner thigh, the other crossing his chest to hold him in place as he laid more kisses down his jawline. Judal kept his fingers tight in the violet locks, his body still moving in a teasingly slow rhythm. He put his other arm back, resting on Sinbad's hip, encouraging him to press in further, a request he didn't have to ask twice as he felt his body being driven further into the sandstone. The soft touches of his lips were getting harsh, turning into nips and bites, and small growls at the gold neck adornments that kept him from the pale flesh of Judal's throat.

"Judal," Sinbad murmured in the Magi's ear, his breath heavy with his need. How much he loved to hear the king like this, a man of so much power, the whisper of a plea in just the one mention of his name. All for him.

"Ah, now see, isn't this-"

They both froze when they heard Sinbad's name being called from afar.

"Damn it, I can't even leave for a moment," Sinbad breathed with exasperation. He was slow to move, but he was definitely detaching himself from the Magi's body. Something Judal didn't appreciate at all.

"Are you really-"

Judal was turning around, his best glare already in place as those golden eyes met his. Sinbad looked truly torn, his eyes on the Magi, but still darting to the entrance of the alcove. He finally settled on the shorter male, his mouth opening to say something, but Judal silenced him, pulling him in for a heavy and haphazard kiss.

When he finally allowed the man some space, he had gained his grin back. "Go tell Freckles you're turning in for the evening."

"They'll expect the king for the eclipse."

"And I expect the idiot to keep me entertained tonight."

Sinbad seemed to be thinking it over, meaning he had to make him realise where his time was better spent. He moved away just enough that he could get enough room to use floating magic, until he was eye level with the taller male. He leaned in for a brief, gentle touch of the lips, before pulling away but keeping close proximity.

"Don't keep me waiting long."

And for the second time in the evening, he left the king gawking as he turned and floated off and out of his sight.