Azir collapsed beside me, his chest rising and falling rapidly. For several moments, we lay in silence, our bodies cooling in the aftermath of our shared pleasure. I felt utterly spent, emptied in the most delicious way possible.
“That was...” I began, struggling to find words adequate to describe the experience.
“Only the beginning,” Azir finished for me, turning his head to meet my gaze with a smile that promised more delights to come.
I groaned, half in anticipation and half in mock protest. “You’re going to kill me.”
His laughter filled the room, rich and warm. “I assure you, death by pleasure is not in your future tonight. Though I do intend to test your limits thoroughly.”
He propped himself up on one elbow, his free hand tracing lazy patterns on my chest, smearing his own release into my skin. There was something oddly intimate about the gesture, more so than the sex we’d just shared.
“Why did you do it?” he asked suddenly, his expression turning serious. “Why use your one wish to free me instead of asking for something for yourself?”
I thought about it for a moment, trying to articulate feelings I hadn’t fully processed myself. “It just seemed like the right thing to do,” I said finally, shrugging. “No one should be trapped against their will. And besides...” I grinned up at him. “It looks like I got something for myself after all.”
Azir’s expression softened, something like wonder flickering in his glowing eyes. “In three thousand years, I’ve granted countless wishes. Wealth, power, vengeance, love... humans always ask for the same things. But never once has anyone wished for my freedom.” He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on my forehead. “You are unique among your kind, Waylon.”
“I’m just a plumber from Georgia,” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed by his reverence.
“You are far more than that,” he insisted. “You are kind in a world that rarely rewards kindness. You see beyond yourself. That is a rare quality in any realm.”
Before I could respond, he was kissing me again, his lips tender against mine. This kiss was different from our earlier ones, less desperate, more exploratory. When he finally pulled away, I felt oddly breathless despite the gentleness of the exchange.
“Rest now,” he murmured, waving his hand over my body. Instantly, I felt clean, the sweat and fluids vanishing from my skin. “The night is young, and if it goes well, I may be inclined to grant you another wish.”
“Another wish?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “Didn’t you say you wanted connection? Something deep, meaningful, and fulfilling in all the right ways?”
I shrugged. “Yeah. That would be nice. But it’s just a dream, right? Who could possibly be all of that for one person?”
“Perhaps,” the Djinn said, kissing me once more. “You can let me try.”
My heart skipped a beat. Could he really mean that? Could this powerful, ancient being want more than just a night of incredible sex? The idea was both terrifying and thrilling.
“You want to... be with me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Azir’s fingers traced the line of my jaw, his touch gentle yet electric. “Is that so hard to believe? You freed me, Waylon. You asked for nothing in return. Do you know how rare that kind of selflessness is?”
I swallowed hard. “But you’re... well, you’re you. And I’m just?—“
“If you say ‘just a plumber from Georgia’ again, I may have to silence you with another kiss,” he warned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “You are so much more than your profession or your origins. And youdeservehappiness, even if you don’t believe it just yet.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That doesn’t sound like much of a threat.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” he replied, leaning down to press his lips against mine once more.
As we kissed, I felt something shift between us. This wasn’t just physical anymore. There was a connection forming, something deeper and more profound than I’d ever experienced before.
When we broke apart, I stared up at his beautiful blue face, trying to process everything that had happened. “So what now?I mean, you’re free. You can go anywhere, do anything. Why would you want to stay with me?”
Azir’s expression turned thoughtful. “For three thousand years, I’ve been bound to serve others. I’ve witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, watched empires crumble to dust. I’ve granted wishes that brought joy and wishes that brought ruin.” His hand found mine, our fingers intertwining. “But in all that time, no one has ever seen me as more than a means to an end. Until you.”
“I really didn’t understand what you were when I made that wish,” I admitted.
“Exactly,” he nodded. “You wished for my freedom simply because it was right. Not because you wanted something from me. That’s why I want to stay, Waylon. Because with you, for the first time in millennia, I feel like I could be more than just a magical servant. I could be... aperson.”
The vulnerability in his voice tugged at something deep inside me. This powerful being, who could probably level cities with a thought, was laying his heart bare before me.