Years? Decades? Centuries? They didn’t know how long they'd been in this space. They couldn’t remember their name or even their original form anymore.  They had changed that to the taste of each master. All they remember from the before is a pair of eyes and those words etched into their memory. "I'm sorry, I can't love you. I hope you can find happiness…"

That was the last thing they heard before they were cursed to be a genie forevermore.

Things during the in-betweens were… fine. They lived lavishly in this place with almost anything they could ever desire. Their one complaint has only ever been that it is lonely. And that has also been the silver lining of every time they are found. They can leave this place and interact with others. Which is what makes it all the more painful whenever their masters used the last wish.

They feel the telltale tug. Their lamp has been found by someone new. That means a new master… Maybe whoever it is will allow them to spend time in the outside world. Well, time to make a good impression on their new master. The genie tries to sense what form would be most pleasing for the person.

Male? Female? They must be getting out of practice as it seems harder than usual. The being of magic finally feels a slight leaning towards male. He appears in a wisping smoke, a young man with long red hair pulled up in a high braid, wearing a stereotype outfit with ample gold accessories. “What is your wish, Master? Speak it and it shall be yours.”

“Oh, you must be Dewi. It’s nice to meet you.” The dark haired man holds his hand out to the confused genie. “You can call me Blake. No need for this ‘master’ thing.”

“Do you want me to be ‘Dewi’?”

“I mean, I thought that must be your name since you came out of the lamp. There are a few parts that have faded too much to be deciphered, but what I could translate was the ruby script that reads ‘Dewi’... If that’s not your name, I’ll use whatever is…” Somehow ‘Dewi’ feels familiar, like a forgotten favorite jacket. He looks at his latest master oddly.

“I do not remember my name so Dewi is fine… What do you desire, Ma- Blake? I can give you anything in the world; money, power, knowledge, pleasure beyond your wildest dreams… You need only tell me your wish so I may grant it.”

“That’s okay, I don’t need a wish.”“But everyone has desires… Surely you have things you want. I am bound to you until your last wish is made.”

“I’m sorry, Dewi. I can’t think of anything… What would you wish for?”

“I… I can’t say. I’m not allowed to have wishes…” Blake seems sad at that.

“Oh, I’m sorry… That must be so hard for you. Well, you’re free to do what you want within your restrictions while I consider what to ask for, I guess…”“You mean I don’t need to stay in the lamp while I wait?”

“Not unless you want to. Though your outfit might be conspicuous if anyone else sees you.” With the wave of his hand, Dewi changes his clothes to be more like what Blake is wearing.

Over the next few days, Dewi takes advantage of his pseudo-freedom. After ages in his lamp, this world is his to explore. As long as his lamp stays with Blake he can be summoned back at any moment but he can pretend that isn’t true for a little bit. Dewi plans to make use of every second he has before that. Except the summon never comes. 

After a week, Dewi becomes curious enough to go back to his lamp and Blake. He finds the man writing away in a notebook. “Welcome home, Dewi. I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself....”“Why…? Why haven’t you summoned me for a wish yet?”

“Don’t have one yet. Plus, even if I had one, it wouldn’t be fair to you if I pulled you away from the middle of doing something…” Dewi doesn’t know how to respond to that. He just sits down and watches Blake for a while.

His latest master is actually kinda attractive… No, he can’t think like that. Never again. Eventually the wishes will be granted and Dewi will be trapped in his lamp again. If he falls in love, it will just hurt even more. Just like it did every time before.

Days become weeks, months... Dewi tries to create what distance he can by spending time away and amongst the rest of the wide world. He comes to understand that Blake will not call him back. Still, the longing in his heart continues to grow and draw him back more and more often. Sometimes when he’s away, Dewi feels a warmth that feeds the longing, both soothing it and causing it to grow.

Then came the day Dewi came back to a dark house. He knew unoccupied buildings and this felt different. He could sense Blake was there even though the whole house felt still. Dewi enters as if trying to not disturb the silence. He discovers something he knew he wasn’t supposed to see. Blake was curled in his bed, crying.

Surely he didn’t want to be sad. It was obvious that he must be hurting so why doesn’t he make a wish that will take away that which saddens him? Anything that can make him happy, Dewi can give to him… would give to him. Why won’t he just make a wish so at least one of them can be happy? Seeing Blake so sad is breaking Dewi’s heart. The genie isn’t allowed to be happy, but his whole purpose is to make this man happy and he can’t because he doesn’t know how without Blake telling him…

“What is wrong… Blake?” The crying figure freezes and then seems to try hiding his tears.

“It… it’s nothing…”

Dewi isn’t buying his lies and slips onto the bed beside him. “You think I do not notice the tears that mar your lovely face? Speak your desires so I may grant them.”

“I… I have no wish.”

“Again with this. It is clear that is not true. Some unfulfilled desire has made you sad so just tell me it, that I can fulfill it.”

“Do whatever you want to me. I have no wish.”

Without realizing, Dewi had reached out to him at some point. “I can give you anything. Tell me already. Please tell me something that I can grant so you will be happy.”

“I have no wish.” Blake’s mask of resolve breaks as he forces the words out through tears. “I have no wish.”

Something snaps in Dewi, unable to bear seeing Blake’s sadness anymore. Dewi suddenly kisses him deeply, hating those words Blake keeps using to deny his desires. As Dewi’s hands start to wander, he knows what the human’s reaction will be. Blake will obviously wish for him to stop, thus breaking his resolve to not make wishes and he would finally start asking for things. Instead, Blake returns the kiss. Dewi pulls back slightly in surprise as Blake relaxes against the bed. “Wha…?”

“Like I said, you may do as you want. I don’t care if you use me to get what you want. Directly or through loopholes, I will deny you nothing… All I want is to be able to grant your wishes. But you said you aren’t allowed wishes, thus there is nothing I can do. I have no other wish than that one… So feel free to use me however you want until my dying breath.”

Dewi looks down stunned at this beautiful creature before him, trying to figure out what’s going on. “Why?”

Blake seems scared to answer but finally speaks. “I… I love you. Your happiness has become more important to me than anything else in the world. I wouldn’t even dream of forcing my feelings on you, but being allowed to stay at your side is all I could ever desire…”

Dewi can’t seem to process all this. Suddenly memories start flooding his brain of another man. A wizard with piercing green eyes, Dewi’s secret lover when he was still not bound to the lamp, and the words that were said to him after being summoned to the wizard’s study. ‘I'm sorry, Dewi, I can't love you. I hope you can find happiness with one who deserves you and who can mend your broken heart. You can be mad at me for this, but it’s for your own protection. We’ve been discovered…’ The wizard’s areas of study were more widespread than any other in the kingdom, but Dewi had still been taken by surprise at the spell he had trapped him in. Tears started to escape as the memories that had long become foggy became clear again. Dewi doesn’t even notice.

“Then kiss me again, Mortal. Reach out to embrace me. Cling to me, never letting me truly leave you, and by this time next year, I will grant your wish. Not even death will be able to take you from my side.”

One year and two months later, someone entered the abandoned house. Nothing had been touched in months. On Blake’s desk, among his papers sat a golden lamp inlaid with precious gems. If any could translate the writings on it, they would see the previously faded script once again read ‘The most powerful magic is that born of selfless love’ and on the other side… Dewi’s formally solitary ruby name is now entwined with the new addition of Blake’s in ebony.