Chapter Text
It’s the custom of the Fanalis for one’s betrothed to spend an entire day by themselves with the family of the other in order for said family to decide whether they accept them or not.
Muu had already spent the day with Alibaba’s family. The blue-haired Magi, Aladdin, had quickly forgiven him after Muu apologized despite the fact the Fanalis had tried to kill him the first time they met.
“That’s alright, Mister Alexius, sir, that’s actually how we meet Morg.”
The Aladdin boy was strange, but he'd learned long ago not to question Magi.
He also met the Fanalis girl, Morgiana, who he quickly realized must have been a former slave by the way she acted, quiet and reserve, which reminded him of his Corps, most of which had been former slaves.
His day with Aladdin and Morgiana consisted of him telling them how he and Alibaba met before asking them for the blessing of their marriage, and upon receiving it, proceeding to answer the 10,000 questions about Reim, Aladdin had. Most were normal. However, some were just plain weird.
“No, we don’t ride elephants everywhere. They’re too big and slow. We only use them to transport goods that are too heavy for horses.”
and
“No, we don’t eat mice or flamingos. Who told you that ridiculous lie?”
After they finished having lunch, Aladdin had run off with his Magician friends. The boy from Heliohapt and the new Reim Magi, Titus, leaving him alone with Morgiana.
After an awkward silence, she told him that she had never actually met another Fanalis besides Masrur, one of King Sinbad’s 8th generals. Sensing her hesitation, Muu asks her what she wished to know about their clan. Slowly she started to open up to him, asking simple questions about their history and way of life.
“I have always wondered what the piercing is for.” she asks while pointing to the bottom of her lip, where he noticed she wasn’t wearing one, “I see both you and Masrur have them as well as all the members of your Corps. My question is, why do you wear them?”
“In our culture, it’s the Mark of a Warrior. When a young Fanalis earns their first Victory, then they get their lip pierced,” he paused, an idea occurring to him. “Would you like to have one?”
She looked at him, then the ground, and then back to him and nodded. Muu nodded in agreement and went to get the materials he needed.
“I warn you, this is going to hurt,” he said, getting ready to stick the needle through her skin. Just as Fanalis were a lot stronger than regular people and had sharper senses like sight and smell, they also had tougher skin, which was extremely difficult to cut through, so many Fanalis decided to go barefoot.
“It’s okay. I can take it,” Morgiana responded.
As soon as he was done, he brought her a mirror so she could see her new piercing. Morgiana smiles as she touches the metal.
“It suits you."
Morgiana moves her gaze from the mirror towards him, and her face morphs into a serious one. Muu was surprised. Had he done something to offend her? He’s even more surprised when Morgiana bows to him.
“Please take care of Alibaba. He is very important to me,” she said while looking down at the ground.
Muu stood silently before nodding, “I promised,” he said and saluted her in the way of the Fanalis Corps. The other Fanalis seem satisfied with his answer. She raised her head and smiled at him. She had a lovely smile.
He smiled back.
Later that night he told Alibaba about his day with Aladdin and Morgiana while they lay on the large bed. Unlike Muu, Alibaba would remove his piercings from his ears and place them in the small bowl that was sitting on top of the table next to the bed and just like his, Alibaba's piercings were very important to him.
The red ones were from his brother in all, but blood and the gold ones belong to his mother which had been gifted to her by his father.
No matter how tough things got, she could never bear to sell them since it was the only reminder she had of the man who had given her her greatest treasure, her child Alibaba. They were the only item that he had brought with him into the palace as well as the only thing of value that he had taken when he left Balbadd.
Muu waited for Alibaba to finish removing his earnings and climbed into bed so the Fanalis could snuggle him who happily began purring as the other ran his finger through his long red hair. Alibaba would always jokingly ask him if he was sure the Fanalis were descendants of Red Lions and not cats.
While he had always preferred to sleep shirtless, his blonde was in his sleep clothes looking adorable and as much as Muu wanted to jump him, unfortunately, they were forbidden from doing anything besides kissing and cuddling until after they were married.
However, the rules didn't say anything about biting.
Mentally grinning, the redhead locks his arms around his smaller love to prevent him from escaping and nuzzle his face before biting him hard on the cheek.
“OW! Muu, let go!” Alibaba snapped as he started smacking his arm in an effort to make the other let go of his face. The Fanalis eventually decides to take pity of his future mate and let go leaving behind a perfect circle of his teeth marks on the other face.
Upon viewing the bite mark, Muu grin, looking like the cat that ate the cream, not the least bit sorry prompting Alibaba to pout and turn away from him to hug a large red pillow that he had deemed “Muu. The Better Version,” since to quote him, it was “large, red, felt good against his face, and better yet didn't bite him.”
Muu smiles at the blonde's back before leaning forward and started nuzzling Alibaba's bare shoulders while looking at him with puppy eyes. Alibaba knew he lost the fight before it even began “You're lucky you're so cute,” he grumbled, forgiving him. The redhead's smile grew bigger and after Alibaba blew out the candle, he nuzzles his face into the soft blonde hair, breathing in the other's scent of spices and warmth.