The son of Aladdin and Jasmine

Chapter 33

"What are you guys doing here?" Aziz asked, barely being able to force a smile at his parents, "I thought you wouldn't be here for another month."

His eyes flickered between both of his parents, eventually settling on his sister a few paces behind their father. She gave him the smallest shrug, shaking her head. She looked worried about him, and if Aziz looked as scared as he felt, he couldn't blame her. 

"We figured we'd surprise you," His mother said, keeping her hand tightly gripping her son's wrist, "Since you've developed a habit of running away."

"A head up would have been nice," He mumbled, shooting a look back at Xavier, who was staring at them with a surprised look in his eyes, "Why are you guys here?"

As he looked back at his parents, he could feel a buzzing in the back of his head. It wasn't loud, and it wasn't particularly noticeable. Aziz wasn't entirely even sure that it was real for a moment.

"Why do you think we're here?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow and cupping her son's face, "Get your things."

"I'm not leaving, mom," He said, pulling away from his mom, managing to twist out of the grip she had on his arm, the buzzing growing louder, "You can't make me leave."

"Aziz, we're only trying to help you," Aladdin sighed, "Just come back, and we can help you."

"By locking me up?" He asked, "Dad, I'm happy here."

Now he was sure that the buzzing was real. It was louder now and joined by a spark feeling shooting through his body.

"Happy?" Jasmine asked, "Darling, you don't know what you feel. You're not stable enough-"

"Yes, I am mom!" Aziz snapped, "I feel fine, there is nothing wrong with me!"

"That's what most ill people tend to insist," Jasmine said, "Aziz, we only want to help you."

"You don't want to help him, you want to lock him up," Jesna snapped.

All the buzzing  stopped as Aziz felt light hands on his arm, tugging him out of the reach of his parents. He glanced back at Xavier, who was continuing to pull him away from the door. He stared at him for a moment before he spoke, grateful for the break from the unknown feeling that shot through him.

"Did you know they were coming?" He asked, though he was sure that he knew the answer.

Xavier shook his head.

"If I knew, I would have told you, I promise," He said.

His look was sincere enough for Aziz to believe him. It was like his parents to just show up out of nowhere. They weren't the type to give much notice, though if they did, he most likely would have missed it.

"Look, I'm sorry you came out all this way, but I'm not going back with you," Aziz managed to force out, hoping that he sounded a lot more brave than he felt.

"Aziz don't be stubborn," His mother said, stepping closer to him and cupping his face, "You don't want to be a bad son, do you?"

"No, no of course not," Aziz said, not quite being able to ignore the stab of guilt that he felt, "I'm not trying to be a bad son, mom, I just-"

He wasn't quite able to ignore how the buzzing returned, either.

"Then come home," She said, her hand slipping around his wrist, "I don't think you want to disappoint us."

"I don't, but-"

"Good," She hummed, "It's settled then."

"Mom-"

"What about the tests?" Jesna said suddenly, "You should have gotten them back by now, is he right?"

"We'll discuss it later, Jesna," Their dad said, glancing at Xavier, "It's best talked about privately."

"Oh, so Xavier's only considered family when it's convenient to you?" She asked, making her way over to her older brother and tugging him away, abruptly stopping the noise, "What did the tests say?"

"Jesna-"

"What did they say, dad?" She demanded, "You made a promise, you can't send him away if he was right."

"We'll wait for Jay to discuss this," Their father told them.

"I'll get him," Xavier offered, glancing between the group.

Jesna gave the smallest nod to him, while their mother sighed.

"Thank you, Xavier," She said, not taking her eyes off her children, "Aziz sit down. We need to talk."