Chapter Text
“Ok so I have an idea, why don't we give you a shower to try and get rid of that perfume you have on you.”
From this angle, you could see his arms tremble a bit on the sink he's leaning on, but his face remains impassive. Jamil’s eyes keep flickering back and forth from you to the floor, body tense.
“If that's what you wish, Master.” Jamil's voice slithered into your ear, He looked so calm a minute ago, why does he seem so tense now? He glides across the kitchen tile to where you stand, but you stop him in his path.
“What's wrong?”
He pauses for a moment. “Nothing you should bother with, Master.” His forked tongue flicks back and forth.
“Jamil, that's not what I asked. You can tell me you know,” you try to say this is the nicest tone possible, but the slits in his pupils still dont look at you.
“Please Master, let's go outside to get me clean.”
What? Was Jamil expecting you to hose him down? Although Kalim’s unique magic was Oasis Maker, surely he hadn't been using rainwater to clean his pets? A headache started to creep onto you for what felt like the millionth time today,
“We aren't going to go outside, we’re going to go to the bathroom. I bought a special snake shampoo for you at the store,” you taking hold of his forearm to drag him out, with the grocery bag in your other hand.
Your tub wasn't anywhere close to enough lengthwise for the naga, but he curled himself up into tiered layers. You started to run water, swatting away his very persistent efforts to help. As the tub started to fill up, an awkward sort of silence filled in.
“Do you mind taking the hair ornaments out for me? They're rather gorgeous but they'll get in the way, where did you get them?”
“My hair ornaments? Oh, I just buy them and get them as gifts from time to time. I'm not terribly particular about them.” Jamil laid the gold in a small pile beside the tub.
“Good, what do you think of my house so far?”
“It isn't so bad, it's very…uncluttered. That will make it easier to clean. There's certainly a…character to it, in a good way I assure you.”
The water was getting close to the brim so you turned off the faucet and turned behind you to take out the shampoo. His shoulders looked incredibly tense, but you still pushed forward with it, lathering his hair. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, intaking a slow breath. Amazing how even relaxing he looked so controlled.
Two sharp eyes batted open, “Your staring is starting to unnerve me, you know. Is it customary to casually touch others like this to you?”
“Well I don't really know how to act around you,” you turned on the shower head to rinse his hair out, “it's a learning process, and I hope you'll say something if I do anything wrong.”
All he did was close his eyes, but this time you could tell he loosened up just a bit more.