Summer of Oz: A Wish to Build a Dream On
On this beautiful, wonderful, historical day in the United States, I realize that my little slashy story doesn't amount to a hill of beans. But I just want to say that I have never been so proud or happy to be part of such a great fandom as Oz, where same-sex love is embraced and celebrated by such an amazing group of people. Thank you!
Title: A Wish to Build a Dream On
Pairing/Main Characters: Tobias Beecher/Chris Keller, Vern Schillinger
Rating: R (for sexual situations and references to sexual violence)
Word Count: 6,250
Summary: An AU based on the story "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," in which Tobias Beecher is a magical genie who grants Chris Keller three wishes.
Notes: This story was also influenced by the 1992 Disney animated film Aladdin and the "Je Souhaite" episode of The X-Files. Thanks to haru776 for the wonderful prompt!
Additional Note on Terminology: The position of "Grand Vizier" is similar to that of a prime minister (as compared to the Sultan, who would be similar to a king). It is basically the role played by the character named "Jafar" in the Disney movie.
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Christopher Keller was a struggling, ne’er-do-well whose antics were well-known throughout the sultanate.
Orphaned at an early age, he had survived childhood by begging and stealing his way through the streets of the marketplace. As he grew older, he had learned to use his considerable charms, striking good looks, and physical presence to manipulate many a merchant into giving him the goods he needed. (And if that did not work, he had not been above taking them by force when necessary.)
Now a mature man, he used his street smarts to engineer various money-making schemes throughout the land. While often quite successful, these schemes were also extremely dangerous and of suspect legality, prone to investigations by authorities at the behest of his numerous victims. Nevertheless, the charismatic Keller had managed to always successfully maneuver his way out of any imprisonment or punishment.
That is, until Keller's unfortunate decision to target a certain wealthy, elderly lady-a lonely woman ignored by her own son, who would gift anything in exchange for a little familial companionship.
After one of his well-received visits with the lady, Keller was leaving her home, carrying an handful of expensive baubles and jewelry, when he encountered her unnamed son. He was surprised to discover that the woman's lineage led to none other than one Vernon Schillinger, the powerful Grand Vizier of the sultanate, who was rumored to possess magical abilities and had a reputation for evil.
The Vizier quickly sized up the situation and, enraged, ordered his guards to immediately execute the presumed thief of his family's jewels. But the crafty Keller managed to escape into the familiar streets of the marketplace, thereby launching a mad chase. Using every bit of cunning he possessed, Keller eluded capture until the frustrated Schillinger summoned his dark magic to track and contain his victim.
With a sly grin on his face, Schillinger approached the captive Keller, whose hands and feet were now bound in chains. But when he addressed his prisoner, the words he spoke were surprising.
"Your actions during this pursuit indicate that you might have talents and skills that I myself do not," the Vizier acknowledged with a nod of his head. "Perhaps we can make a deal that might spare your life."
The defiance on Keller's face was quickly replaced by a look of contrition. "I am listening," he humbly spoke, his hostility successfully disguised.
"Out in the desert is a Cave of Wonders that I cannot penetrate, despite my many powers," Schillinger explained. "I wish to acquire only one item out of this cave: an old oil lamp. If you can enter this cave, find the lamp, and bring it to me, then I will allow you to go free. If you are not successful, you die-whether by my hands or by the will of the cave, it matters not to me."
"You leave me little choice. I am at your mercy," bowed Keller. "Of course I will attempt to retrieve this lamp for you."
So, the Grand Vizier, along with his army of guards from the Sultan's palace, took Keller out into the desert, leading him many miles away from the sultanate. The group eventually reached a sand drift that housed a cave, its camouflaged entrance shaped like the open mouth of a lion.
"This is the Cave of Wonders," explained Schillinger. "If you are able to enter into its depths, immediately commence search for an old, tarnished oil lamp. Once you have found it, do not tamper with it. Merely bring it to me, and you can go free. If you come out empty-handed, I will have your head. Leave the other treasures where they be-I have no interest in them. But the lamp must be mine."
Keller considered asking the Vizier why an old lamp was so important, but he decided the less he said, the better.
Keller was released from his chains and provided with a lit torch. As he slowly made his way toward the mouth of the cave, he prepared for hellfire and brimstone to block his way. Instead, however, he was able to simply walk through the cave’s entrance without encountering any difficulties at all. But just as his apprehensions began to fade, the opening of the cave sealed shut behind him, and his heightened sense of vigilance returned. He quickly prayed that there was an alternate means of egress elsewhere in the cave.
Using his torch, Keller peered into the cave’s darkness and beheld the many wonderful treasures and riches contained therein. But he was on a mission to save his life, not to obtain wealth, and he promptly began his search for the lamp desired by Schillinger.
After taking many twists and turns, avoiding several stumbling blocks, and escaping multiple booby traps, Keller came upon the lamp, resting on the floor of the cave. It was easy to spot-its tarnished, damaged surface stood out in stark contrast to the pristine condition of the other treasures that lined the cave’s interior. Setting his torch aside, Keller squatted down and picked up the lamp.
Although his intention had been to immediately place the lamp into his satchel, Keller’s curiosity was piqued-he wondered what exactly was so special about this object. He opened the lamp’s lid, but it was empty inside. He examined the lamp’s exterior, searching for any explanatory engravings, but the heavy tarnish obscured his viewing. Keller drew a breath, blew hot air onto the lamp’s surface, and began to rub the lamp with his shirt sleeve.
To Keller’s surprise, the lamp began to shake, vibrating with such an intensity that it flew out of his hands, knocking Keller down to the ground. The lamp rolled along the floor of the cave, rattling away until it came to a stop. Keller watched in amazement as a smoky presence slowly emanated from the lamp, filling the immediate area. Gradually, the smoke dissipated, revealing a man standing within it.
The man wore a small vest over a hard-muscled upper body, a loincloth around his slender waist, and a simple turban on his head. He appeared to be about Keller's age. Keller took note of the bands on his wrists and the small, sparkling, jewel-encrusted mark at the outer corner of his right eye. The man crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Keller with a somber expression on his face. Slowly, the man bowed before Keller.
"I am the genie, Tobias," said the man. "I am here to serve you, my master. I will grant three of your heart’s greatest wishes."
Keller just sat there, eyes wide and mouth open, and stared up at the genie. "What?" he finally gasped.
Tobias sighed. Once again, he bowed. "I am the genie, Tobias," he repeated, a little slower and louder this time. "I am here to serve you. I will grant three of your heart’s greatest wishes."
A grin broke over Keller’s face as the genie’s words began to sink in. "You are a genie? A real genie?" he asked. "No way!"
"Way," answered Tobias with another sigh.
Keller furrowed his brow. "What way?" he asked in confusion.
Tobias gave a slight shake of his head and mumbled, "Nevermind."
Keller quickly stumbled to his feet. "Three wishes? You will give me anything?"
Tobias looked Keller up and down, a bored expression on his face. "Of course, master," he answered with a nod of his head. "With two exceptions: I cannot kill anyone on your command, and I cannot manipulate someone into falling in love with you."
Keller laughed in delight and clapped his hands together in excitement. "This is truly wonderful!" he exclaimed. "And I know just what to wish for! I know exactly what to wish for!"
Tobias bowed again. "Anything for you, master."
Keller put his hands on his hips. "I wish for an infinite number of wishes!" he proclaimed with confidence.
Tobias narrowed his eyes and stared at Keller for a long moment. "Really?" he huffed sarcastically.
Keller nodded his head in enthusiasm. "Yes! Of course! It is the perfect wish!"
"That is not going to happen," snapped Tobias. "You cannot cheat the system. Not this system, anyway."
Suddenly crestfallen, Keller glared back at his genie. "You said that you could grant anything, except death and love. That is what you said. Why not try it?"
"Seriously? You think you are the first person to wish for such a thing?" Tobias asked in disbelief. "Your lack of originality is tiresome. Try again. You get three wishes, and only three wishes."
"All right, all right," muttered Keller. He fixed the genie with a cold look. "You know what, Tobias? You are kind of mouthy for a genie."
For the first time, a grin tugged at the corner of Tobias’s mouth. "Tell me," he inquired, "exactly what kind of genie did you expect?"
Keller shrugged. "I don’t know. Someone happier, I guess. Singing songs, telling jokes, that kind of thing."
A smile finally materialized on the genie's face. "I think you may have heard a few too many fairy tales," he responded. He looked Keller directly in the eye, and the smile disappeared. "Try living a never-ending life of servitude, and see how happy it makes you."
Keller tilted his head in return, contemplating that. "You have a point," he agreed.
Tobias stood still, looking at Keller for a long moment before bowing again. "Back to your wishes, master," he reminded him.
Keller looked around the cave and scratched his head. "Well, I seem to have gotten myself into a bit of trouble. First, I haven't a clue as to how to get out of this cave. Second, I was supposed to give your lamp to the Grand Vizier when I got out, or else face a beheading." Keller absentmindedly rubbed his neck. "I know now why the lamp was so important to him, and why I was forbidden to tamper with it."
Keller noticed a sudden change in the genie’s demeanor-a look of concern, mixed with a flicker of fear, replaced his look of detached disinterest.
"What is the Grand Vizier’s given name?" Tobias asked. "Is it Schillinger?"
Keller looked at him in surprise. "Yes! You know of him?"
The genie’s face was momentarily distorted by disgust. "Our paths have crossed before," he muttered as he lowered his head.
They stood in silence for a moment, until Tobias finally looked back up at Keller. "Your predicament suggests that your first wish is fairly obvious, master," he prompted.
Keller smiled. "Please, call me by my given name, Christopher. 'Master' makes me sound like those types of persons whom I despise. Persons like the Grand Vizier."
Tobias returned the smile with a small one of his own. "As you wish, Christopher."
"Wait, that was not a wish!" Keller exclaimed with a wave of his hands. "I still got three, right?"
Tobias actually laughed. "Yes, of course!"
"All right, Tobias, we need to get out of this cave." Keller took a deep breath. "My first wish is for us to escape to another sultanate, one far away from where Schillinger resides."
"Your wish is my command, Christopher," the genie responded.
With a sudden blowing of wind and shaking of earth, Keller felt himself lifted from his feet just before losing all his senses. The next thing he knew, he was standing in the middle of a busy street in an unknown marketplace, with nary a familiar face in sight.
Keller breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he said to his genie.
Tobias looked at him in surprise. "You are welcome," he quietly answered.
Keller turned and began walking, taking in his new surroundings. Although this new environment provided him with a degree of safety, there was also a level of discomfort associated with its unfamiliarity. Keller's survival instincts were ingrained, but learning to properly manipulate his way through the workings of a new sultanate and its people in order to make a living would require much time and effort. A quick look toward his genie reminded him that that would be unnecessary.
Keller suddenly grabbed Tobias by the arm and pulled him into an unattended alleyway. "I know my second wish!" he told the genie.
Tobias looked slightly surprised by his announcement. "Already?"
"Yes! I wish to be financially secure! I want to live in a palace, and be one of the wealthiest people in all the land, second only to the Sultan himself!"
Tobias stared into Keller's eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Perhaps you should ponder such a wish for a time, think of the possible negative ramifications."
Keller thought he detected a note of disappointment in Tobias's voice, but he chose to ignore it. "What is wrong with being wealthy? What possible downside could there be?" he asked the genie in confusion. "Why, everyone wants to be rich!"
Tobias looked past Keller toward the bustle of people in the street beyond. He shrugged and slowly said, "It is your wish, Christopher. It is not my place to advise or instruct."
"Then that is my second wish!"
And, with that, Keller went through the same experience as before. He was whisked away, and when he came to his senses, he was standing in the luxurious banquet hall inside his new home, an ornate palace that did indeed rival that of the Sultan's. A delicious-looking, elaborate feast had already been prepared for him and laid out on the main banquet table.
As Keller sat down and prepared to gorge himself, he reflected on his breakfast of stale bread and watered-down wine from earlier that day. His turn of fate and the good fortune into which he had fallen were hard to believe. He gave Tobias a saucy grin, and motioned for the genie to join him.
And, to think, he still had one more wish to make.
*~*~*~*
Keller quickly grew accustomed to the his new affluent lifestyle. Many days went by, and he took great joy in throwing around ideas for his third and final wish, dreaming of acquisitions both ridiculous and sensible. But he felt no rush in the matter, for he was as happy as he could be, never at a want for material goods and throughly enjoying the companionship of his trusted genie. The two of them grew closer, and for all intents and purposes, Tobias became Keller's first true friend in a long time, despite his designated position as Keller's servant.
One evening, while consuming a substantial amount of the sultanate’s finest drink, Keller was sharing stories of his exploits with Tobias when he grew curious about the genie’s own personal history.
"Have you always been a genie?" he inquired.
Tobias grunted and momentarily turned away. He slowly looked back toward Keller with sad, weary eyes, and softly answered, "No."
Keller shifted forward in his seat, leaning close into the genie's personal space. "What happened?" he asked sympathetically.
Tobias sighed and absentmindedly reached up to touch the jewel at the corner of his eye. "A couple of centuries ago, I was a widowed scholar with two small children when I stumbled upon an unusual, empty bottle at an apothecary. My son was very sick, and I was desperate. The chemist said that, at one time, the bottle had allegedly contained an unknown substance which was supposed to cure anything. I purchased the bottle and took it home, hoping to be able to extract a residue of its medicine.
"As I was scraping the inside of the bottle, a genie appeared, much as I appeared to you, granting me three wishes. My first wish was obvious: I wished for my son to recover from his illness and to proceed to lead a long and happy life. My son’s fever broke immediately, and his health was restored to perfection. I was overwhelmed with joy and quickly made my second wish: I wished for my daughter’s life to be a long, healthy, and happy one as well. Although the immediate result of that wish was not as perceptible, the genie promised me that the wish had indeed been granted.
"Although I loved my children deeply, I was an arrogant and ambitious man. With their care assured, I wanted to use the final wish on myself. So, I wished not only for a long and healthy life, but one also full of great power. Apparently, I neglected to specify happiness."
Tobias paused, and Keller realized with dismay what must have happened. "Thus, you became a genie yourself," he surmised.
Tobias pointed to the jewel by his eye. "He gave me the mark of a genie then and there. It is meant to last forever." Tobias sadly shook his head. "Sort of like a prison tattoo."
Keller instinctively grasped Tobias’s hands in his own. "Were your children all right?"
The genie shrugged. "I honestly do not know what became of them. I have always assumed that they went to live with my parents, and somehow managed to lead the long and happy lives that I had wished for them."
"But without you."
Tobias nodded.
Keller fought a sudden urge to envelop Tobias in his arms. "That was a pretty nasty trick for your genie to play," he remarked.
Tobias attempted a weak smile. "Some genies are like that, I have learned."
Keller tilted his head. "Have you ever done anything like that?"
Tobias nodded. "Sometimes, my masters are people who are evil or ignorant or just plain stupid," he explained in a rising voice. "You just want shake them or punish them or, at the least, teach them a lesson."
In his exasperation, Tobias squeezed Keller's hands tight, and only loosened his grip after pausing to calm himself.
"I never do it with their final wish, though," the genie clarified. "I always give them the opportunity to set things right with their next wish."
Keller reluctantly let go of the genie’s hands and sat back. "Tell me, what are some of the things you have done to grant these wishes?"
The genie leaned back as well, self-consciously crossing his arms over his chest. "Once there was an irritable, lazy man who felt that his wife was constantly nagging him. My impression of the situation was that the poor, suffering woman was quite reasonable in her requests of him." Tobias smirked before continuing. "So, when the husband impulsively wished to never again hear demands from his wife's mouth, I struck him deaf."
Keller snorted at that. "Serves him right!"
Tobias then leaned closer to Keller again and lowered his voice, despite the fact that they were the only two people in the room. "Another time there was a man who wished to have the largest private organ in the entire world," he whispered.
Keller looked at him, puzzled. "Why? Was he a great musician or something?"
The genie laughed out loud and shook his head. "I am not referring to that kind of organ," he replied, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
As he realized what Tobias was saying, Keller gasped and began laughing as well. "You did not!"
"Yes, I did!" the genie admitted with glee. "He needed a basket along his side in which to carry that thing around!"
The two men laughed together some more, until Keller thought of another set of questions. "What about your last master? What kind of man was he? What did he ask for?"
The genie’s laughter suddenly ceased. He studied Keller for moment, as if trying to make a decision. Then he quietly stated, "Vernon Schillinger was my last master."
Keller nearly jumped out of seat in surprise. "No!" he exclaimed.
Tobias nodded his head. "I am the reason why Schillinger is the Grand Vizier. He used his first wish to become a powerful sorcerer. His magical abilities were what allowed him to worm his way into the Sultan's good graces. He then quickly moved his way up through the Sultan's ranks until he became his Grand Vizier."
"He is an evil man, Tobias. You should not have given him those powers!" said Keller, shaking his head. " You should have played one of those tricks on him instead."
"A master's wish does not always present me with a loophole. And I must grant the wish, whether I want to or not," replied Tobias. His voice turned bitter as he muttered, "Believe me, Christopher, no one hates Vernon Schillinger as much as I do."
Keller sat looking at Tobias, sensing that there was more to the genie's story, which he appeared to be reluctant to share. "I guess Schillinger wants another set of wishes from you," he theorized. "And that is why he was so determined to get his hands on your lamp again."
Tobias shook his head. "No, a genie can only serve each master once. I assume Schillinger wants me back because he was never able to request his third and final wish."
"Why not? What happened?"
"We were traveling across the desert when a sandstorm came upon us. The camel that was carrying my lamp became lost in the storm. Eventually, the poor creature was completely devoured by a sand drift, the one that contained the Cave of Wonders. I was in my lamp at the time, and by the time Schillinger discovered what had happened, where I had gone, he was unable to retrieve me."
"So, he was not satisfied with only two of his wishes granted, he must have his third?"
"That appears to be the case."
"Seems like a man as intelligent as the Grand Vizier would have been able to fulfill his desires with just two wishes," scoffed Keller, waving his hand at his surroundings to indicate his own happiness. "What was Schillinger's second wish, anyway?"
The genie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "That is not important. What is important is that your actions have obviously made a mess of his plans. I can only serve one master at a time, Christopher. If he finds out that you are alive and in possession of me, he will spare no expense in searching for you, and, once he finds you, he will surely take your life."
The genie gave a small, sad sigh. "You should make your final wish before too much longer," he told Keller. "The sooner you are rid of me, the better."
But, suddenly, Keller dreaded the idea of asking for his third wish, as he realized for the first time that the granting of that wish would send Tobias away and out of his life forever.
*~*~*~*
Despite the genie’s warning, Keller pushed aside any thoughts of his final wish and a vengeful Schillinger, preferring to live in and enjoy the present. He developed a habit of throwing lavish parties, inviting all sorts of people from the sultanate into his elaborate home so that he could share his prosperity with them. His guests ranged from curious businessmen to grateful peasants to a variety of desirable fair maidens who were more than willing to be seduced by the charismatic new magnate who had suddenly appeared in their land.
Keller noticed Tobias often watching his antics with a mixture of both amusement and what appeared to be envy. Late one night, after several maidens had indicated their desire to visit Keller’s bedroom, he approached the genie privately and asked if he would be interested in taking one of the damsels for his own satisfaction.
Tobias gave him a small, wistful smile and shook his head. "No, Christopher. A genie is not capable of enjoying lustful pleasures."
"What!" exclaimed Keller in astonishment. He lowered his voice and continued, "Are you telling me that you have not had any carnal relations in over 200 years?"
Tobias remained silent, but his discomfort was obvious as his face turned bright red, and Keller realized after a moment that his agitated state was not due to embarrassment, but to anger and… shame?
Details and clues started to fall into place in Keller’s mind, and he gently placed his hands on the genie’s shoulders. "Tobias, tell me," instructed Keller, looking directly into his eyes. "What was Vernon Schillinger’s second wish?"
When the genie quickly dropped his gaze to the floor, Keller knew what his answer would be.
"Schillinger enjoys all manners of power," the genie quietly spat. "He used his second wish to require that I service him in his bedroom, whenever and however he wanted."
Disgusted, Keller involuntarily tightened his grip on Tobias’s shoulders. "I am going to kill that bastard!" he declared.
"No!" cried Tobias, looking back up. "To provoke Schillinger would be a losing battle. His powers, magical and otherwise, are too great."
"Please, Tobias, let me try. Let me do this for you!"
The genie reached up and gently touched Keller's cheek, just for a quick moment. Then he slowly removed Keller’s hands from his shoulders. "It is done and in the past. If you want to do something for me, make your third wish. At least then you will be free of me, and perhaps you can keep Schillinger away and out of your life. Knowing that you are safe will be enough for me."
Tobias rubbed his eyes. "I am quite tired," he continued. "I am going to retire for the night. Enjoy your time with your lovely maidens."
But as the genie bowed and retreated for his lamp, Keller found that he no longer had a desire to be with any of those ladies. His thoughts were consumed by ideas of how to keep Tobias safe, away from Schillinger, and if it was possible at all to make his genie’s existence a happy one.
*~*~*~*
Alas, before much time had passed, Keller received word from travelers visiting his palace that Schillinger had indeed become aware of his survival and new location. The Grand Vizier had reportedly assembled an army and was on his way to "pay a call" on Keller in his new home.
"How did this happen?" cried Keller to his genie. He began to pace back and forth across the floor of his ornate bedroom. "We live so far away from where we were!"
"This is what I was worried about," said Tobias as he clenched his fists. "I have seen it time and time again. Your new wealth and position were bound to attract attention and give rise to questions."
"I was not thinking properly when I made that wish," Keller muttered.
The genie did not bother to dispute Keller's claim. "Schillinger has the power and magic to obtain information in any number of ways. And there are people in this sultanate, envious of your situation despite your generosity, who would be more than tempted by his great sums of money to reveal valuable information. As you yourself once said, everyone wants to be rich."
An agitated Keller turned to face his genie. "Do not throw my own words back at me!" he ordered in frustration.
Tobias, taken aback, looked at him with a stunned expression on his face. Slowly, the genie bowed and quietly said, "I am sorry, my master."
With despair, Keller immediately regretted his words and tone, feeling as though his heart had been torn in two. "Tobias," he mumbled, "Please forgive my... "
The genie held up his hand. "Stop," he interrupted. "Now is the time for you to use your third wish. You must get yourself out of this predicament. Figure out what you need to do, and do it. I will be in my lamp, awaiting your decision."
Tobias turned and left the room.
Keller watched him go. He stood in his bedroom, silently thinking, all alone in the middle of his immense palace. In only a matter of minutes, he had formulated a plan, and he confidently set it in motion. He knew exactly what he needed to do, and how to use his final wish.
*~*~*~*
A few hours later, just as dusk was approaching, Keller grabbed his genie's lamp. Carrying it outside, he quietly walked alone across the palace courtyard and through the gardens, not stopping in his journey until he reached the stable at the rear of his estate.
He rubbed the lamp, set it down on the ground, and waited.
Tobias appeared in a matter of seconds. "Master," he bowed in greeting, then he quickly looked around, evaluating their surroundings.
In front of them stood two camels, each one heavily loaded with several bags stocked with supplies, obviously intended for a lengthy trip. Tobias looked back at Keller, dressed in loose-fitting traveling attire, and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Clearing his throat, the genie asked, "Have you decided upon your final wish?"
"Yes," Keller answered confidently. "I know exactly what I want." He walked up to Tobias and tenderly cradled his face in his hands, and Tobias gazed at him with his sad, solemn eyes. Then Keller leaned forward and softly kissed the mouth of the man for whom he felt so much. When his genie wrapped his arms around his waist and eagerly returned the kiss, Keller's relief and happiness were immeasurable.
Reluctantly, Keller broke away from their embrace. "Tobias, I love you," he declared. "And I wish for the two of us to spend the rest our lives together."
The genie shook his head and opened his mouth to protest, but Keller gently placed a finger against his lips.
"No, wait, listen to me," he instructed. "I want you to grant this wish of mine, but not because you have to, but because you want to. Therefore, I am setting you free. My third and final wish is for you to be released from the curse of a genie, and to become a mortal man once again. Your actions will be your own."
Tears welled in Tobias's eyes, and a look of joy spread over his face. Then he hesitated, before saying in trepidation, "But Schillinger will... "
"Oh, hang Schillinger!" Keller interrupted. "I have been running from and dodging authority all my life. I am good at it, and frankly, I get some degree of satisfaction out of it. I am confident that I can elude him." Keller reached up and ran a hand through the genie's hair. "And it will help if I have someone as cunning as yourself by my side," he added with a wink.
Tobias clasped Keller's hand in his own. "You are going to run away? What about your riches? Your beautiful palace? Can you just leave all that behind?"
Keller turned around and looked back at his magnificent home. "Yes, I can. I have learned that wealth, while nice, creates its own problems. Especially if you cannot share it with the one you love." He turned back toward Tobias and smiled. "There are other things more important in life."
Keller looked up at the darkening sky and ominous clouds. "You must grant my wish, Tobias. We need to be leaving. Perhaps Schillinger, through use of his magic, has realized what is happening. Whether that causes him to give up his quest for you, or increases his desire for revenge against me, I do not know. But we need to go."
"Are you absolutely sure, Christopher?" Tobias asked him. "It is not too late to for you to change your mind. I will not hold it against you."
"I have never been so certain of anything in my life," Keller answered as he stepped back. "I wish with all my heart for you to free yourself."
The genie closed his eyes. A moment passed, then the bands on his wrists fell to the ground, and his genie attire was replaced with traveler's clothing. The jewel at the corner of his eye slowly slid down his cheek. Tobias picked it off and threw it to the ground.
"You do not want to keep that as a reminder, I take it?" Keller teased.
"No, I want to do all that I can to forget."
Keller embraced him once more. "And I will do everything I can to help in that."
They shared another kiss, quicker this time, and Keller pointed Tobias in the direction of one of the camels. "I will help you up," he offered.
To his surprise, Tobias let out a hearty laugh. "It has been 200 years, Christopher. Believe me, I am already up."
Keller looked at him in confusion until he realized with surprise to what Tobias was referring. He joined in his laughter, and said, "Good things come to those who wait, my friend. And I will make sure that what comes to you is as good as it gets."
With a wicked grin, Keller helped Tobias up onto his camel, before boarding his own. They then headed off into the unknown… but an unknown that they would face together, until their dying days.
____________________________
Epilogue:
Christopher and Tobias wearily dismounted from their camels in front of a small, remote inn. Tobias gingerly rubbed his backside as Christopher watched in appreciation.
"I am experiencing muscles as a mortal man that I have not felt in years," Tobias groaned.
"I promise that you shall soon have an experience with another muscle that you have not felt in years," responded Christopher with a wink.
They had traveled through the night and into most of the next day, hoping to put as much distance between themselves and the evil Grand Vizier and his army. They were heading toward the sea, hoping a journey across water would provide an insurmountable obstacle to Schillinger in his pursuit of them. Christopher had packed a small portion of his wealth to assist them in their escape-enough coinage to get them to the sea swiftly and safely, but not enough to attract attention or prompt questions from others.
The innkeeper gave them a room, and they immediately fell onto the bed together, exhausted, but in no mood to sleep.
They kissed passionately, hands tearing away at clothing that was suddenly too hot and constricting. Christopher reached down and grasped Tobias’s cock, already rock-hard and leaking, and took immeasurable pleasure in the moans that the act elicited from his love. He rubbed the tip of the cock with his thumb, making a slippery surface of it, then slowly but firmly moved his hand down its shaft. He took a moment to cup and tickle Tobias’s balls, running his fingertips through the fine hairs, before pulling his hand back up… and that is when he felt Tobias dig his fingernails into his back, and heard him come with several breathless exclamations.
After Tobias had calmed himself, Keller kissed him tenderly. "That performance was completed in record time, my dear," he teased. "Apparently, you are not the only one with a magical touch."
"Two hundred years, Christopher," Tobias reminded him with a small chuckle. "It is a very long time."
Tobias collected his breath and rolled over until he was on top of Christopher. He rubbed Christopher’s shoulders and chest, grazing his nipples with his thumbs, admiring the beautiful, hard muscles.
"You do seem to have a natural talent for granting wishes," Tobias declared. "For this has been my heart’s desire since yesterday, when you proclaimed your love for me. Perhaps I should put you in an oil lamp."
Christopher’s grin indicated his approval of Tobias’s remarks. He reached around and grabbed Tobias’s ass, and thrust his hips upwards. "You can rub my lamp anytime," he hinted with a growl.
Tobias laughed. He leaned over and began planting small kisses along Christopher’s chest. Then he shifted downward, the kisses following in the same direction, and Christopher gasped as he realized Tobias’s intentions. When Tobias reached his destination, Christopher felt as though he had been sent to heaven.
For Tobias had taken his into cock into his mouth, and the soft, wet, warmth sent sensations racing throughout his entire body. He looked down at Tobias’s bronze head, bobbing up and down, and gently placed a hand at its crown, guiding, massaging, letting him know how much pleasure he was experiencing.
Without warning, Christopher suddenly became aware of Schillinger demanding this same act from Tobias, and he had to fight back an urge to jump out of the bed so that he could go track down the despicable knave. Instead, he closed his eyes and concentrated on Tobias’s tongue and the indescribable friction it created as it slowly licked up and down his cock and twisted around its head.
Then, in one long motion, Tobias devoured him completely, taking him all the way to the depths of his throat, and Christopher’s cock had never known such gratification. He ejaculated into his lover’s mouth, as an animalistic roar poured forth from his lips and filled the room.
As Christopher lay motionless, panting, eyes still closed, Tobias slowly crawled back up to kiss his mouth. Their lips met, and he tasted his own essence as Tobias stuck his tongue deep inside. He wrapped his arms around Tobias and held him.
Gradually, Tobias pulled back his tongue and broke their kiss. Making a little humming sound, he nuzzled Christopher’s jawline with his nose, and Christopher felt his soft hair tickle his cheek. Then Tobias leaned forward to shyly whisper into his ear, "I love you," for the first time, and as wonderful as Christopher had felt just a moment before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now.
For Christopher now knew that all his dreams had come true.
Title: A Wish to Build a Dream On
Pairing/Main Characters: Tobias Beecher/Chris Keller, Vern Schillinger
Rating: R (for sexual situations and references to sexual violence)
Word Count: 6,250
Summary: An AU based on the story "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," in which Tobias Beecher is a magical genie who grants Chris Keller three wishes.
Notes: This story was also influenced by the 1992 Disney animated film Aladdin and the "Je Souhaite" episode of The X-Files. Thanks to haru776 for the wonderful prompt!
Additional Note on Terminology: The position of "Grand Vizier" is similar to that of a prime minister (as compared to the Sultan, who would be similar to a king). It is basically the role played by the character named "Jafar" in the Disney movie.
______________________________
Christopher Keller was a struggling, ne’er-do-well whose antics were well-known throughout the sultanate.
Orphaned at an early age, he had survived childhood by begging and stealing his way through the streets of the marketplace. As he grew older, he had learned to use his considerable charms, striking good looks, and physical presence to manipulate many a merchant into giving him the goods he needed. (And if that did not work, he had not been above taking them by force when necessary.)
Now a mature man, he used his street smarts to engineer various money-making schemes throughout the land. While often quite successful, these schemes were also extremely dangerous and of suspect legality, prone to investigations by authorities at the behest of his numerous victims. Nevertheless, the charismatic Keller had managed to always successfully maneuver his way out of any imprisonment or punishment.
That is, until Keller's unfortunate decision to target a certain wealthy, elderly lady-a lonely woman ignored by her own son, who would gift anything in exchange for a little familial companionship.
After one of his well-received visits with the lady, Keller was leaving her home, carrying an handful of expensive baubles and jewelry, when he encountered her unnamed son. He was surprised to discover that the woman's lineage led to none other than one Vernon Schillinger, the powerful Grand Vizier of the sultanate, who was rumored to possess magical abilities and had a reputation for evil.
The Vizier quickly sized up the situation and, enraged, ordered his guards to immediately execute the presumed thief of his family's jewels. But the crafty Keller managed to escape into the familiar streets of the marketplace, thereby launching a mad chase. Using every bit of cunning he possessed, Keller eluded capture until the frustrated Schillinger summoned his dark magic to track and contain his victim.
With a sly grin on his face, Schillinger approached the captive Keller, whose hands and feet were now bound in chains. But when he addressed his prisoner, the words he spoke were surprising.
"Your actions during this pursuit indicate that you might have talents and skills that I myself do not," the Vizier acknowledged with a nod of his head. "Perhaps we can make a deal that might spare your life."
The defiance on Keller's face was quickly replaced by a look of contrition. "I am listening," he humbly spoke, his hostility successfully disguised.
"Out in the desert is a Cave of Wonders that I cannot penetrate, despite my many powers," Schillinger explained. "I wish to acquire only one item out of this cave: an old oil lamp. If you can enter this cave, find the lamp, and bring it to me, then I will allow you to go free. If you are not successful, you die-whether by my hands or by the will of the cave, it matters not to me."
"You leave me little choice. I am at your mercy," bowed Keller. "Of course I will attempt to retrieve this lamp for you."
So, the Grand Vizier, along with his army of guards from the Sultan's palace, took Keller out into the desert, leading him many miles away from the sultanate. The group eventually reached a sand drift that housed a cave, its camouflaged entrance shaped like the open mouth of a lion.
"This is the Cave of Wonders," explained Schillinger. "If you are able to enter into its depths, immediately commence search for an old, tarnished oil lamp. Once you have found it, do not tamper with it. Merely bring it to me, and you can go free. If you come out empty-handed, I will have your head. Leave the other treasures where they be-I have no interest in them. But the lamp must be mine."
Keller considered asking the Vizier why an old lamp was so important, but he decided the less he said, the better.
Keller was released from his chains and provided with a lit torch. As he slowly made his way toward the mouth of the cave, he prepared for hellfire and brimstone to block his way. Instead, however, he was able to simply walk through the cave’s entrance without encountering any difficulties at all. But just as his apprehensions began to fade, the opening of the cave sealed shut behind him, and his heightened sense of vigilance returned. He quickly prayed that there was an alternate means of egress elsewhere in the cave.
Using his torch, Keller peered into the cave’s darkness and beheld the many wonderful treasures and riches contained therein. But he was on a mission to save his life, not to obtain wealth, and he promptly began his search for the lamp desired by Schillinger.
After taking many twists and turns, avoiding several stumbling blocks, and escaping multiple booby traps, Keller came upon the lamp, resting on the floor of the cave. It was easy to spot-its tarnished, damaged surface stood out in stark contrast to the pristine condition of the other treasures that lined the cave’s interior. Setting his torch aside, Keller squatted down and picked up the lamp.
Although his intention had been to immediately place the lamp into his satchel, Keller’s curiosity was piqued-he wondered what exactly was so special about this object. He opened the lamp’s lid, but it was empty inside. He examined the lamp’s exterior, searching for any explanatory engravings, but the heavy tarnish obscured his viewing. Keller drew a breath, blew hot air onto the lamp’s surface, and began to rub the lamp with his shirt sleeve.
To Keller’s surprise, the lamp began to shake, vibrating with such an intensity that it flew out of his hands, knocking Keller down to the ground. The lamp rolled along the floor of the cave, rattling away until it came to a stop. Keller watched in amazement as a smoky presence slowly emanated from the lamp, filling the immediate area. Gradually, the smoke dissipated, revealing a man standing within it.
The man wore a small vest over a hard-muscled upper body, a loincloth around his slender waist, and a simple turban on his head. He appeared to be about Keller's age. Keller took note of the bands on his wrists and the small, sparkling, jewel-encrusted mark at the outer corner of his right eye. The man crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Keller with a somber expression on his face. Slowly, the man bowed before Keller.
"I am the genie, Tobias," said the man. "I am here to serve you, my master. I will grant three of your heart’s greatest wishes."
Keller just sat there, eyes wide and mouth open, and stared up at the genie. "What?" he finally gasped.
Tobias sighed. Once again, he bowed. "I am the genie, Tobias," he repeated, a little slower and louder this time. "I am here to serve you. I will grant three of your heart’s greatest wishes."
A grin broke over Keller’s face as the genie’s words began to sink in. "You are a genie? A real genie?" he asked. "No way!"
"Way," answered Tobias with another sigh.
Keller furrowed his brow. "What way?" he asked in confusion.
Tobias gave a slight shake of his head and mumbled, "Nevermind."
Keller quickly stumbled to his feet. "Three wishes? You will give me anything?"
Tobias looked Keller up and down, a bored expression on his face. "Of course, master," he answered with a nod of his head. "With two exceptions: I cannot kill anyone on your command, and I cannot manipulate someone into falling in love with you."
Keller laughed in delight and clapped his hands together in excitement. "This is truly wonderful!" he exclaimed. "And I know just what to wish for! I know exactly what to wish for!"
Tobias bowed again. "Anything for you, master."
Keller put his hands on his hips. "I wish for an infinite number of wishes!" he proclaimed with confidence.
Tobias narrowed his eyes and stared at Keller for a long moment. "Really?" he huffed sarcastically.
Keller nodded his head in enthusiasm. "Yes! Of course! It is the perfect wish!"
"That is not going to happen," snapped Tobias. "You cannot cheat the system. Not this system, anyway."
Suddenly crestfallen, Keller glared back at his genie. "You said that you could grant anything, except death and love. That is what you said. Why not try it?"
"Seriously? You think you are the first person to wish for such a thing?" Tobias asked in disbelief. "Your lack of originality is tiresome. Try again. You get three wishes, and only three wishes."
"All right, all right," muttered Keller. He fixed the genie with a cold look. "You know what, Tobias? You are kind of mouthy for a genie."
For the first time, a grin tugged at the corner of Tobias’s mouth. "Tell me," he inquired, "exactly what kind of genie did you expect?"
Keller shrugged. "I don’t know. Someone happier, I guess. Singing songs, telling jokes, that kind of thing."
A smile finally materialized on the genie's face. "I think you may have heard a few too many fairy tales," he responded. He looked Keller directly in the eye, and the smile disappeared. "Try living a never-ending life of servitude, and see how happy it makes you."
Keller tilted his head in return, contemplating that. "You have a point," he agreed.
Tobias stood still, looking at Keller for a long moment before bowing again. "Back to your wishes, master," he reminded him.
Keller looked around the cave and scratched his head. "Well, I seem to have gotten myself into a bit of trouble. First, I haven't a clue as to how to get out of this cave. Second, I was supposed to give your lamp to the Grand Vizier when I got out, or else face a beheading." Keller absentmindedly rubbed his neck. "I know now why the lamp was so important to him, and why I was forbidden to tamper with it."
Keller noticed a sudden change in the genie’s demeanor-a look of concern, mixed with a flicker of fear, replaced his look of detached disinterest.
"What is the Grand Vizier’s given name?" Tobias asked. "Is it Schillinger?"
Keller looked at him in surprise. "Yes! You know of him?"
The genie’s face was momentarily distorted by disgust. "Our paths have crossed before," he muttered as he lowered his head.
They stood in silence for a moment, until Tobias finally looked back up at Keller. "Your predicament suggests that your first wish is fairly obvious, master," he prompted.
Keller smiled. "Please, call me by my given name, Christopher. 'Master' makes me sound like those types of persons whom I despise. Persons like the Grand Vizier."
Tobias returned the smile with a small one of his own. "As you wish, Christopher."
"Wait, that was not a wish!" Keller exclaimed with a wave of his hands. "I still got three, right?"
Tobias actually laughed. "Yes, of course!"
"All right, Tobias, we need to get out of this cave." Keller took a deep breath. "My first wish is for us to escape to another sultanate, one far away from where Schillinger resides."
"Your wish is my command, Christopher," the genie responded.
With a sudden blowing of wind and shaking of earth, Keller felt himself lifted from his feet just before losing all his senses. The next thing he knew, he was standing in the middle of a busy street in an unknown marketplace, with nary a familiar face in sight.
Keller breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he said to his genie.
Tobias looked at him in surprise. "You are welcome," he quietly answered.
Keller turned and began walking, taking in his new surroundings. Although this new environment provided him with a degree of safety, there was also a level of discomfort associated with its unfamiliarity. Keller's survival instincts were ingrained, but learning to properly manipulate his way through the workings of a new sultanate and its people in order to make a living would require much time and effort. A quick look toward his genie reminded him that that would be unnecessary.
Keller suddenly grabbed Tobias by the arm and pulled him into an unattended alleyway. "I know my second wish!" he told the genie.
Tobias looked slightly surprised by his announcement. "Already?"
"Yes! I wish to be financially secure! I want to live in a palace, and be one of the wealthiest people in all the land, second only to the Sultan himself!"
Tobias stared into Keller's eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Perhaps you should ponder such a wish for a time, think of the possible negative ramifications."
Keller thought he detected a note of disappointment in Tobias's voice, but he chose to ignore it. "What is wrong with being wealthy? What possible downside could there be?" he asked the genie in confusion. "Why, everyone wants to be rich!"
Tobias looked past Keller toward the bustle of people in the street beyond. He shrugged and slowly said, "It is your wish, Christopher. It is not my place to advise or instruct."
"Then that is my second wish!"
And, with that, Keller went through the same experience as before. He was whisked away, and when he came to his senses, he was standing in the luxurious banquet hall inside his new home, an ornate palace that did indeed rival that of the Sultan's. A delicious-looking, elaborate feast had already been prepared for him and laid out on the main banquet table.
As Keller sat down and prepared to gorge himself, he reflected on his breakfast of stale bread and watered-down wine from earlier that day. His turn of fate and the good fortune into which he had fallen were hard to believe. He gave Tobias a saucy grin, and motioned for the genie to join him.
And, to think, he still had one more wish to make.
*~*~*~*
Keller quickly grew accustomed to the his new affluent lifestyle. Many days went by, and he took great joy in throwing around ideas for his third and final wish, dreaming of acquisitions both ridiculous and sensible. But he felt no rush in the matter, for he was as happy as he could be, never at a want for material goods and throughly enjoying the companionship of his trusted genie. The two of them grew closer, and for all intents and purposes, Tobias became Keller's first true friend in a long time, despite his designated position as Keller's servant.
One evening, while consuming a substantial amount of the sultanate’s finest drink, Keller was sharing stories of his exploits with Tobias when he grew curious about the genie’s own personal history.
"Have you always been a genie?" he inquired.
Tobias grunted and momentarily turned away. He slowly looked back toward Keller with sad, weary eyes, and softly answered, "No."
Keller shifted forward in his seat, leaning close into the genie's personal space. "What happened?" he asked sympathetically.
Tobias sighed and absentmindedly reached up to touch the jewel at the corner of his eye. "A couple of centuries ago, I was a widowed scholar with two small children when I stumbled upon an unusual, empty bottle at an apothecary. My son was very sick, and I was desperate. The chemist said that, at one time, the bottle had allegedly contained an unknown substance which was supposed to cure anything. I purchased the bottle and took it home, hoping to be able to extract a residue of its medicine.
"As I was scraping the inside of the bottle, a genie appeared, much as I appeared to you, granting me three wishes. My first wish was obvious: I wished for my son to recover from his illness and to proceed to lead a long and happy life. My son’s fever broke immediately, and his health was restored to perfection. I was overwhelmed with joy and quickly made my second wish: I wished for my daughter’s life to be a long, healthy, and happy one as well. Although the immediate result of that wish was not as perceptible, the genie promised me that the wish had indeed been granted.
"Although I loved my children deeply, I was an arrogant and ambitious man. With their care assured, I wanted to use the final wish on myself. So, I wished not only for a long and healthy life, but one also full of great power. Apparently, I neglected to specify happiness."
Tobias paused, and Keller realized with dismay what must have happened. "Thus, you became a genie yourself," he surmised.
Tobias pointed to the jewel by his eye. "He gave me the mark of a genie then and there. It is meant to last forever." Tobias sadly shook his head. "Sort of like a prison tattoo."
Keller instinctively grasped Tobias’s hands in his own. "Were your children all right?"
The genie shrugged. "I honestly do not know what became of them. I have always assumed that they went to live with my parents, and somehow managed to lead the long and happy lives that I had wished for them."
"But without you."
Tobias nodded.
Keller fought a sudden urge to envelop Tobias in his arms. "That was a pretty nasty trick for your genie to play," he remarked.
Tobias attempted a weak smile. "Some genies are like that, I have learned."
Keller tilted his head. "Have you ever done anything like that?"
Tobias nodded. "Sometimes, my masters are people who are evil or ignorant or just plain stupid," he explained in a rising voice. "You just want shake them or punish them or, at the least, teach them a lesson."
In his exasperation, Tobias squeezed Keller's hands tight, and only loosened his grip after pausing to calm himself.
"I never do it with their final wish, though," the genie clarified. "I always give them the opportunity to set things right with their next wish."
Keller reluctantly let go of the genie’s hands and sat back. "Tell me, what are some of the things you have done to grant these wishes?"
The genie leaned back as well, self-consciously crossing his arms over his chest. "Once there was an irritable, lazy man who felt that his wife was constantly nagging him. My impression of the situation was that the poor, suffering woman was quite reasonable in her requests of him." Tobias smirked before continuing. "So, when the husband impulsively wished to never again hear demands from his wife's mouth, I struck him deaf."
Keller snorted at that. "Serves him right!"
Tobias then leaned closer to Keller again and lowered his voice, despite the fact that they were the only two people in the room. "Another time there was a man who wished to have the largest private organ in the entire world," he whispered.
Keller looked at him, puzzled. "Why? Was he a great musician or something?"
The genie laughed out loud and shook his head. "I am not referring to that kind of organ," he replied, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
As he realized what Tobias was saying, Keller gasped and began laughing as well. "You did not!"
"Yes, I did!" the genie admitted with glee. "He needed a basket along his side in which to carry that thing around!"
The two men laughed together some more, until Keller thought of another set of questions. "What about your last master? What kind of man was he? What did he ask for?"
The genie’s laughter suddenly ceased. He studied Keller for moment, as if trying to make a decision. Then he quietly stated, "Vernon Schillinger was my last master."
Keller nearly jumped out of seat in surprise. "No!" he exclaimed.
Tobias nodded his head. "I am the reason why Schillinger is the Grand Vizier. He used his first wish to become a powerful sorcerer. His magical abilities were what allowed him to worm his way into the Sultan's good graces. He then quickly moved his way up through the Sultan's ranks until he became his Grand Vizier."
"He is an evil man, Tobias. You should not have given him those powers!" said Keller, shaking his head. " You should have played one of those tricks on him instead."
"A master's wish does not always present me with a loophole. And I must grant the wish, whether I want to or not," replied Tobias. His voice turned bitter as he muttered, "Believe me, Christopher, no one hates Vernon Schillinger as much as I do."
Keller sat looking at Tobias, sensing that there was more to the genie's story, which he appeared to be reluctant to share. "I guess Schillinger wants another set of wishes from you," he theorized. "And that is why he was so determined to get his hands on your lamp again."
Tobias shook his head. "No, a genie can only serve each master once. I assume Schillinger wants me back because he was never able to request his third and final wish."
"Why not? What happened?"
"We were traveling across the desert when a sandstorm came upon us. The camel that was carrying my lamp became lost in the storm. Eventually, the poor creature was completely devoured by a sand drift, the one that contained the Cave of Wonders. I was in my lamp at the time, and by the time Schillinger discovered what had happened, where I had gone, he was unable to retrieve me."
"So, he was not satisfied with only two of his wishes granted, he must have his third?"
"That appears to be the case."
"Seems like a man as intelligent as the Grand Vizier would have been able to fulfill his desires with just two wishes," scoffed Keller, waving his hand at his surroundings to indicate his own happiness. "What was Schillinger's second wish, anyway?"
The genie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "That is not important. What is important is that your actions have obviously made a mess of his plans. I can only serve one master at a time, Christopher. If he finds out that you are alive and in possession of me, he will spare no expense in searching for you, and, once he finds you, he will surely take your life."
The genie gave a small, sad sigh. "You should make your final wish before too much longer," he told Keller. "The sooner you are rid of me, the better."
But, suddenly, Keller dreaded the idea of asking for his third wish, as he realized for the first time that the granting of that wish would send Tobias away and out of his life forever.
*~*~*~*
Despite the genie’s warning, Keller pushed aside any thoughts of his final wish and a vengeful Schillinger, preferring to live in and enjoy the present. He developed a habit of throwing lavish parties, inviting all sorts of people from the sultanate into his elaborate home so that he could share his prosperity with them. His guests ranged from curious businessmen to grateful peasants to a variety of desirable fair maidens who were more than willing to be seduced by the charismatic new magnate who had suddenly appeared in their land.
Keller noticed Tobias often watching his antics with a mixture of both amusement and what appeared to be envy. Late one night, after several maidens had indicated their desire to visit Keller’s bedroom, he approached the genie privately and asked if he would be interested in taking one of the damsels for his own satisfaction.
Tobias gave him a small, wistful smile and shook his head. "No, Christopher. A genie is not capable of enjoying lustful pleasures."
"What!" exclaimed Keller in astonishment. He lowered his voice and continued, "Are you telling me that you have not had any carnal relations in over 200 years?"
Tobias remained silent, but his discomfort was obvious as his face turned bright red, and Keller realized after a moment that his agitated state was not due to embarrassment, but to anger and… shame?
Details and clues started to fall into place in Keller’s mind, and he gently placed his hands on the genie’s shoulders. "Tobias, tell me," instructed Keller, looking directly into his eyes. "What was Vernon Schillinger’s second wish?"
When the genie quickly dropped his gaze to the floor, Keller knew what his answer would be.
"Schillinger enjoys all manners of power," the genie quietly spat. "He used his second wish to require that I service him in his bedroom, whenever and however he wanted."
Disgusted, Keller involuntarily tightened his grip on Tobias’s shoulders. "I am going to kill that bastard!" he declared.
"No!" cried Tobias, looking back up. "To provoke Schillinger would be a losing battle. His powers, magical and otherwise, are too great."
"Please, Tobias, let me try. Let me do this for you!"
The genie reached up and gently touched Keller's cheek, just for a quick moment. Then he slowly removed Keller’s hands from his shoulders. "It is done and in the past. If you want to do something for me, make your third wish. At least then you will be free of me, and perhaps you can keep Schillinger away and out of your life. Knowing that you are safe will be enough for me."
Tobias rubbed his eyes. "I am quite tired," he continued. "I am going to retire for the night. Enjoy your time with your lovely maidens."
But as the genie bowed and retreated for his lamp, Keller found that he no longer had a desire to be with any of those ladies. His thoughts were consumed by ideas of how to keep Tobias safe, away from Schillinger, and if it was possible at all to make his genie’s existence a happy one.
*~*~*~*
Alas, before much time had passed, Keller received word from travelers visiting his palace that Schillinger had indeed become aware of his survival and new location. The Grand Vizier had reportedly assembled an army and was on his way to "pay a call" on Keller in his new home.
"How did this happen?" cried Keller to his genie. He began to pace back and forth across the floor of his ornate bedroom. "We live so far away from where we were!"
"This is what I was worried about," said Tobias as he clenched his fists. "I have seen it time and time again. Your new wealth and position were bound to attract attention and give rise to questions."
"I was not thinking properly when I made that wish," Keller muttered.
The genie did not bother to dispute Keller's claim. "Schillinger has the power and magic to obtain information in any number of ways. And there are people in this sultanate, envious of your situation despite your generosity, who would be more than tempted by his great sums of money to reveal valuable information. As you yourself once said, everyone wants to be rich."
An agitated Keller turned to face his genie. "Do not throw my own words back at me!" he ordered in frustration.
Tobias, taken aback, looked at him with a stunned expression on his face. Slowly, the genie bowed and quietly said, "I am sorry, my master."
With despair, Keller immediately regretted his words and tone, feeling as though his heart had been torn in two. "Tobias," he mumbled, "Please forgive my... "
The genie held up his hand. "Stop," he interrupted. "Now is the time for you to use your third wish. You must get yourself out of this predicament. Figure out what you need to do, and do it. I will be in my lamp, awaiting your decision."
Tobias turned and left the room.
Keller watched him go. He stood in his bedroom, silently thinking, all alone in the middle of his immense palace. In only a matter of minutes, he had formulated a plan, and he confidently set it in motion. He knew exactly what he needed to do, and how to use his final wish.
*~*~*~*
A few hours later, just as dusk was approaching, Keller grabbed his genie's lamp. Carrying it outside, he quietly walked alone across the palace courtyard and through the gardens, not stopping in his journey until he reached the stable at the rear of his estate.
He rubbed the lamp, set it down on the ground, and waited.
Tobias appeared in a matter of seconds. "Master," he bowed in greeting, then he quickly looked around, evaluating their surroundings.
In front of them stood two camels, each one heavily loaded with several bags stocked with supplies, obviously intended for a lengthy trip. Tobias looked back at Keller, dressed in loose-fitting traveling attire, and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Clearing his throat, the genie asked, "Have you decided upon your final wish?"
"Yes," Keller answered confidently. "I know exactly what I want." He walked up to Tobias and tenderly cradled his face in his hands, and Tobias gazed at him with his sad, solemn eyes. Then Keller leaned forward and softly kissed the mouth of the man for whom he felt so much. When his genie wrapped his arms around his waist and eagerly returned the kiss, Keller's relief and happiness were immeasurable.
Reluctantly, Keller broke away from their embrace. "Tobias, I love you," he declared. "And I wish for the two of us to spend the rest our lives together."
The genie shook his head and opened his mouth to protest, but Keller gently placed a finger against his lips.
"No, wait, listen to me," he instructed. "I want you to grant this wish of mine, but not because you have to, but because you want to. Therefore, I am setting you free. My third and final wish is for you to be released from the curse of a genie, and to become a mortal man once again. Your actions will be your own."
Tears welled in Tobias's eyes, and a look of joy spread over his face. Then he hesitated, before saying in trepidation, "But Schillinger will... "
"Oh, hang Schillinger!" Keller interrupted. "I have been running from and dodging authority all my life. I am good at it, and frankly, I get some degree of satisfaction out of it. I am confident that I can elude him." Keller reached up and ran a hand through the genie's hair. "And it will help if I have someone as cunning as yourself by my side," he added with a wink.
Tobias clasped Keller's hand in his own. "You are going to run away? What about your riches? Your beautiful palace? Can you just leave all that behind?"
Keller turned around and looked back at his magnificent home. "Yes, I can. I have learned that wealth, while nice, creates its own problems. Especially if you cannot share it with the one you love." He turned back toward Tobias and smiled. "There are other things more important in life."
Keller looked up at the darkening sky and ominous clouds. "You must grant my wish, Tobias. We need to be leaving. Perhaps Schillinger, through use of his magic, has realized what is happening. Whether that causes him to give up his quest for you, or increases his desire for revenge against me, I do not know. But we need to go."
"Are you absolutely sure, Christopher?" Tobias asked him. "It is not too late to for you to change your mind. I will not hold it against you."
"I have never been so certain of anything in my life," Keller answered as he stepped back. "I wish with all my heart for you to free yourself."
The genie closed his eyes. A moment passed, then the bands on his wrists fell to the ground, and his genie attire was replaced with traveler's clothing. The jewel at the corner of his eye slowly slid down his cheek. Tobias picked it off and threw it to the ground.
"You do not want to keep that as a reminder, I take it?" Keller teased.
"No, I want to do all that I can to forget."
Keller embraced him once more. "And I will do everything I can to help in that."
They shared another kiss, quicker this time, and Keller pointed Tobias in the direction of one of the camels. "I will help you up," he offered.
To his surprise, Tobias let out a hearty laugh. "It has been 200 years, Christopher. Believe me, I am already up."
Keller looked at him in confusion until he realized with surprise to what Tobias was referring. He joined in his laughter, and said, "Good things come to those who wait, my friend. And I will make sure that what comes to you is as good as it gets."
With a wicked grin, Keller helped Tobias up onto his camel, before boarding his own. They then headed off into the unknown… but an unknown that they would face together, until their dying days.
____________________________
Epilogue:
Christopher and Tobias wearily dismounted from their camels in front of a small, remote inn. Tobias gingerly rubbed his backside as Christopher watched in appreciation.
"I am experiencing muscles as a mortal man that I have not felt in years," Tobias groaned.
"I promise that you shall soon have an experience with another muscle that you have not felt in years," responded Christopher with a wink.
They had traveled through the night and into most of the next day, hoping to put as much distance between themselves and the evil Grand Vizier and his army. They were heading toward the sea, hoping a journey across water would provide an insurmountable obstacle to Schillinger in his pursuit of them. Christopher had packed a small portion of his wealth to assist them in their escape-enough coinage to get them to the sea swiftly and safely, but not enough to attract attention or prompt questions from others.
The innkeeper gave them a room, and they immediately fell onto the bed together, exhausted, but in no mood to sleep.
They kissed passionately, hands tearing away at clothing that was suddenly too hot and constricting. Christopher reached down and grasped Tobias’s cock, already rock-hard and leaking, and took immeasurable pleasure in the moans that the act elicited from his love. He rubbed the tip of the cock with his thumb, making a slippery surface of it, then slowly but firmly moved his hand down its shaft. He took a moment to cup and tickle Tobias’s balls, running his fingertips through the fine hairs, before pulling his hand back up… and that is when he felt Tobias dig his fingernails into his back, and heard him come with several breathless exclamations.
After Tobias had calmed himself, Keller kissed him tenderly. "That performance was completed in record time, my dear," he teased. "Apparently, you are not the only one with a magical touch."
"Two hundred years, Christopher," Tobias reminded him with a small chuckle. "It is a very long time."
Tobias collected his breath and rolled over until he was on top of Christopher. He rubbed Christopher’s shoulders and chest, grazing his nipples with his thumbs, admiring the beautiful, hard muscles.
"You do seem to have a natural talent for granting wishes," Tobias declared. "For this has been my heart’s desire since yesterday, when you proclaimed your love for me. Perhaps I should put you in an oil lamp."
Christopher’s grin indicated his approval of Tobias’s remarks. He reached around and grabbed Tobias’s ass, and thrust his hips upwards. "You can rub my lamp anytime," he hinted with a growl.
Tobias laughed. He leaned over and began planting small kisses along Christopher’s chest. Then he shifted downward, the kisses following in the same direction, and Christopher gasped as he realized Tobias’s intentions. When Tobias reached his destination, Christopher felt as though he had been sent to heaven.
For Tobias had taken his into cock into his mouth, and the soft, wet, warmth sent sensations racing throughout his entire body. He looked down at Tobias’s bronze head, bobbing up and down, and gently placed a hand at its crown, guiding, massaging, letting him know how much pleasure he was experiencing.
Without warning, Christopher suddenly became aware of Schillinger demanding this same act from Tobias, and he had to fight back an urge to jump out of the bed so that he could go track down the despicable knave. Instead, he closed his eyes and concentrated on Tobias’s tongue and the indescribable friction it created as it slowly licked up and down his cock and twisted around its head.
Then, in one long motion, Tobias devoured him completely, taking him all the way to the depths of his throat, and Christopher’s cock had never known such gratification. He ejaculated into his lover’s mouth, as an animalistic roar poured forth from his lips and filled the room.
As Christopher lay motionless, panting, eyes still closed, Tobias slowly crawled back up to kiss his mouth. Their lips met, and he tasted his own essence as Tobias stuck his tongue deep inside. He wrapped his arms around Tobias and held him.
Gradually, Tobias pulled back his tongue and broke their kiss. Making a little humming sound, he nuzzled Christopher’s jawline with his nose, and Christopher felt his soft hair tickle his cheek. Then Tobias leaned forward to shyly whisper into his ear, "I love you," for the first time, and as wonderful as Christopher had felt just a moment before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now.
For Christopher now knew that all his dreams had come true.