“Hey, Hamid, you got a minute?” Zolf wheeled over next to Hamid as they both found themselves at a lull in the reunion.
“Sure! How are you?”
Zolf gave a noncommittal shrug in response, and Hamid nodded knowingly. Then, Zolf added, “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a dick.”
“Zolf, I mean this in a kind way, but when has that ever stopped you before?”
For a split second, Hamid regretted his words. Zolf was actually reaching out, trying to make conversation with him despite all of the time and arguments between them, and the first thing he did was call him rude.
However, he didn’t have to worry long, as almost immediately Zolf let out a loud laugh, a sound neither of them had heard in far too long. Hamid couldn’t help but smile as he did so.
“You know, that’s fair,” Zolf said. “I guess, I just want to say, I know you’re not doing well, and-”
Hamid slumped and sighed, then tried to right himself as much as possible. “Is it that obvious?”
“I know we didn’t really spend that much time together, but when you fight alongside someone… I can tell. I think we all can. The others are just too polite to say something outright.”
With a smile, Hamid teased, “Your bedside manner did always leave something to be desired.”
“And it hasn’t gotten any better,” Zolf chuckled, then he continued. “If there’s anything I can do to help with things, let me know, yeah? I don’t know what I can do, but if you think of anything, just say the word. I know losing magic hit me hard; I can’t imagine how it’s been for you.”
Hamid scoffed into his drink. “Please. You needed magic to walk. I used it to do my makeup and tailoring. I should be handling it better.”
“Magic was a part of you, mate, part of who you were, and you lost that. It was a tie to your family and your past. Plus, I saw you in combat. Fireballs and lightning bolts and magical armor – you saved my life more than once. Your magic did a lot; we wouldn’t be standing here today, one way or another, without it.” After a pause, Zolf added, “And, listen, I never entirely understood the whole obsession with prestidigitation all the time, what between you and Wilde always worried about how your suits fit, but it was important to you, and that means that being without it is hard.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Hamid’s fingers tightened around his glass as he tried not to cry. “A lot of people have it worse, though. I have a family I can go back to, a home that was able to be repaired without too much trouble. I shouldn’t be worried about magic, or even my own line of clothing.”
“They matter to you, so they matter,” Zolf insisted. “Just because someone else has it worse doesn’t mean it can’t still hurt. I know I spent long enough dismissing my own pain because of that mentality, and it still gets me sometimes. And, Hamid, I don’t mean to upset you,” he said as he noticed the tears at the edges of Hamid’s eyes, “I just want you to know that I’m here for you.”
Hamid whipped around a little more intensely than he meant to. As he did so, Zolf looked down at his hands.
“I mean, we’re allhere for you, but I can’t speak for the others. I canspeak for me, though, and I wish there was something I could do to help you out, to help you feel more like yourself in this new world. Or to give you back your prestidigitation, if nothing else.” He smiled, briefly meeting Hamid’s gaze for a moment and then looking away.
“I think I overheard that you might be staying with Wilde for a while?” Hamid asked several moments later, choking down a sob.
“Yeah, that’s the, uh, that’s the plan.”
“I might come visit, if that’s alright.”
“Of course. I mean, it’s Wilde’s place, so you’d have to ask him, but I know I’d be happy to see you.”
Hamid chuckled, “Though, it would only be fair for me to break into his place after he broke into mine, all those years ago.”
“I think I headbutted him?” Zolf said as he scratched the top of his head.
With that, both of them burst out laughing. “We’ve had a crazy ride, haven’t we?” Hamid said.
“We have. And it’s not over yet. Come visit, or maybe I can come visit you in Cairo.”
Hamid beamed. “I’d like that.”
“Again, like, if there’s anything I can do… I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I think I kind of understand what you’re going through, in a way. You’ve lost a part of yourself.” Zolf gestured to his missing legs. “Not quite the same, of course, but…”
“Thank you, Zolf. I really appreciate it. And, obviously, if there’s anything I can do for you…”
“We’ll keep in touch, yeah? Something I want to try and do with everyone, truthfully, since I’ve never been very good at it.”
“You are entirely within your right to say no, but do you think I could give you a hug?”
Zolf rolled his eyes and sighed, but there was a smile on his lips. “Yeah, alright.”
Hamid lunged forward to embrace Zolf. Zolf was a bit slower to move his arms around Hamid, patting him on the back as if he still wasn’t quite sure what to do in a hug. Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Hamid gave a quick squeeze and then drew back, wiping his tears as he did so.
“It’s good to see you again, Zolf.”
“Yeah… I wasn’t sure I was going to come, to be honest, but… I’m glad I did.”
