Middle of the Week Motivation

Three Wishes

Jack didn't require much to be happy. He didn't expect much from life and was satisfied with where he was. So when posed with the option of getting three wishes from a genie, well, he didn't know what to request.

It was Felix's fault he was here in the first place. His dumb, blonde haired, Swedish friend who was always in some sort of adventure or another. They shared a dorm room during college, and became friends through the many late night talks about their stupid professors. When college was over, Felix was out of town a lot, for he studied to become an archeologist, and Jack never cared to tag along. He preferred to stay home, with his laptop and the internet, while Felix traveled the world. Though every time, Felix swore to the depths of the sea that he'd get Jack to come along with him eventually.

And now, it had happened. After 5 years of begging, pleading and Swedish determination, Jack cracked. They set off on the 5 year anniversary of them meeting, and Jack would've joked about it being a date for the two of them, if Felix didn't have a girlfriend already. Sure, he knew Jack wasn't straight, but Felix didn't seem to mind one bit. He always tried to play match maker during their college years, and sometimes still pointed out potential guys when they went out to bars, but he never pushed to hard. Jack would find someone eventually.

They ended up traveling to some sandy country that Jack had never heard of, but Felix had been dying to go there forever, or so he claimed. It was a rather nice place, despite the heat, and Felix had their whole 15 days planned out, from the second they woke up to the minute they fell asleep. Though, they would soon find out, things don't always go as planned.

Jack was thankful that the 3rd day was a free day, where the pair could just walk around the town and experience local life, instead of hopping from one touristy thing to another. So Jack found himself wandering into some local tavern mid-afternoon, though neither of them planned on getting drunk, but they had been told this was the place where everyone hung out. So they found themselves at empty table and it had free wifi, so Jack was quick to pull out his phone. Felix chuckled, but couldn't blame his friend, because he knew that he worked with technology for a living, so he let it slide. Instead, the swede lay back and let his focus shift to other conversations that could be heard form tables nearby.

His ears perked up as he caught trail of an old myth about a genie that's lamp was lost around these parts, and Felix had no problem marching on over to the table that was talking about it. He slid right in to the conversation, the old man who was telling the story didn't seem to mind, and gathered as much information as he could. About an hour passed before he bid the group farewell, scurrying over to Jack and retelling the information with delight as he dragged his friend out of the joint. Jack shoved his phone in his pocket and listened, opening his mouth to dismiss it as a silly little story that they told tourists, but the brown haired man hadn't seen his friend this excited in years, so he decided against it.

Jack wasn't surprised when Felix insisted they go rent a car and try to find that little, old lamp that the man had been talking about, so he didn't even bother putting up a fight. They drove for about half an hour to the middle of no where and Felix drug his blue eyed friend over to a system of caves that Jack swore they'd get lost in, but he kept his mouth shut. He followed as Felix fearlessly lead the way, shining a flash light around and peering through the dark. Jack thought this was all rather pointless, and didn't really plan on trying to hard but curiosity got the best of him in the end. He pulled out his phone to use as a flashlight and shined it around the cave, something shiny catching his eye.

He bent down to look closer, and low and behold, a golden lamp like the one from the movies lay right at his feet. He muttered something about 'Aladdin' as he picked it up, then turned to call out to Felix, before realizing Felix wasn't there.

"Shit." He muttered to himself, panic rising up in his chest. He took a step forward, but tripped, fumbling the lamp as he fell. He dropped it and his phone as he crash landed, a plume of smoke erupting in front of him. He let out indignant squeak before freezing at the sound of a voice he didn't recognize.

"Well, that's a little rude." The voice grumbled, echoing down from a figure that towered above him. "The first person I see in a thousand years, curses at me. That's no way to treat someone. If I had any sense of common decency, I'd go back into the lamp and try again."

Jack peered through the darkness and grabbed him phone, which now was significantly cracked, shining it at the figure in front of him.

"That's bright." The figure's voice came again, huffing slightly in irritation.

"Oh, sorry." Jack mumbled out. He wasn't very good with strangers.

"Ah, so the tiny human does speak. Other words besides cursing, that is. Can you not see? Well, why didn't you just say so?"

There's a hint of amusement in the voice as lights suddenly flicker on, appearing from no where. Jack sit up, turning off the light on his phone and rubbing his head as he looks around. Felix would kill for this place. It looks like an old throne room, down to the fancy furnishing and red carpet. It would appear, Jack realizes, that he had fallen down the stairs. He smiles to himself at his own clumsiness, before his gaze then turns to the genie, who he just studies for a moment. The man had raven black hair, brown eyes and chocolate skin. If Jack believed in love at first sight, this would be his soulmate.

"Why, hello, hello, what do we have here?" The genie smiles widely scoops Jack up in the palm of his hand. "A king meant to be, is it?" He chuckles as he places Jack gently on the throne. "Thin, but strong." With a wave of a hand, a crown appears on his head. Jack smiles, righting himself in the seat and reaching up to hold the crown in place. "Three wishes for the new king, what shall it be, what shall it be?"

"I.." He paused. "Can't really think of anything off the top of my head." He admitted, gently placing the crown on the table next to him and reaching for his phone which sat on his lap.

The genie paused confused. "Well, I've certainly never had this problem before." He chuckled, trailing off at the end. He scooped Jack up again and brought him closer. "You have too kind of a soul, I see. Not willing to use them on yourself?"

"I'm actually kinda worried about my friend." Jack admitted, though he dare not around for his fear of heights.

"Your friend, you say?"

Jack nodded. "We can in hear together, but we got separated and I'm afraid I don't know where he is. This cave system is huge, he could get lost and die in here or, or..."

"Woah," the genie bellowed. "Calm down there sweetie. Your friend is fine. I can retrieve him if that's your wish?"

"Not just yet."

The genie raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. "So there dearie, what's your name?"

"Jack. You?" The blue eyed man finally gained to courage to look the genie in the eye.

"Me?" The genie looked surprised. "Well, I have a very long, complicated genie name, but for humans I usually just go by Mark."

"So, Mark, what do you want?"

Mark was so surprised he almost dropped the tiny human. "That's not how this usually goes."

Jack shrugged. "I mean, sure, I could ask to become more attractive or something but..."

Jack was cut off as Mark let out a wolf whistle. "My, my so that's what was on the back of your mind. You're worried about your appearance, but let me tell you what, I couldn't make you any more attractive if I tried."

Jack's face flushed red and he practically melted in a pool of embarrassment as he buried his face in his hands.

"Oh, dearie, I'm sorry, you were say something?"

Jack peeked through his fingers at the genie again. "Uh, yeah, is there anything I could do for you?"

The genie sighed. "Well... I'd surely like to get out of this old dump." He mused.

"Then do it." Jack prompted.

"Not unless it is wished."

"Well, then I wish it. And If you could bring Felix here too, I'd like that."

Mark smiled, setting Jack down on the ground. "Consider it done."