Chapter Text
Poe’s condition was worse than he thought. He needed 3-4 elixirs a day. With powerful substances needing to be made in small batches, Fukuzawa was always in the lab. Ranpo helped out where he could, but Fukuzawa’s mana allowed him to increase the potency of each elixir that he made. Ranpo, having no mana, couldn’t aid in that. Instead, he took on the role of researching ways to help Poe. The sooner they found the core of his curse the sooner he could go home. But eventually, months went by, and they hadn’t gotten any farther to finding a cure.
Ranpo slammed his head on the library table as he wracked his brain for any information.
“That’s 300 year old Mahogany you know.” Ranpo looked up to see the Prince inching in. His cloak was on, meaning that he was just recovering from an outburst.
“Interestingly enough, I don’t really care.” The Prince chuckled and joined the other, gently brushing his shoulder as he sat next to him. As Ranpo had learned, he was oddly touchy. Always taking the time to touch his shoulder, fix his hair, or letting his finger linger when he shared a sweet treat. Ranpo attributed it to being friendly. He mentioned early on wanting to show how grateful he was, but he saw how he interacted with his sister, and she wasn’t the same.
That isn’t to say they didn’t have plenty in common though. When he wanted too, Poe was equally as snarky as Ranpo, often critiquing the staff when they didn’t cater to Ranpo. At one point, an esteemed alchemist requested to replace Fukuzawa and Ranpo. Poe’s written response was apparently so uniquely hurtful, he took a month off to hide his shame. With challengers out of the way, Poe took the time to meet with Ranpo each week, and discuss what they’ve learned about the curse.
“So what we know so far, is that the curse flares us whenever you meet with, or discuss aspiring wives.”
“Yes”.
“So it’s safe to assume that it doesn’t want you to be in a relationship.”
“I suppose so.” Ranpo groaned.
“Every book on curses I read says the same thing for these types of curses. Only true love’s kiss can break it. Which not only seems stupid, but completely impossible.” Poe tilted his head, silently asking why?
“It’s a fairytale. A myth. True love does not exist. Love, sure. But True Love? Powerful love that transcends the laws of magic and mana. Nuh uh. If that were the case, alchemists and seers would not be so sought out.” To Ranpo’s confusion though, Poe didn’t share his passion for this opinion.
“You don’t like the idea of love being powerful enough to break a curse.”
“Do you?” Poe shrugs, looking down at his own set of notes.
“I don’t know. I like the idea of finding love. I am a writer after all. Romantic pursuits are not foreign to me”.
“That’s rich, coming from someone who’s been willingly attending proposal meetings.” He meant it as a joke. He even smiled as he patted Poe’s back. He could be funny and affectionate too.
“Shut up”.
“What?”
“I said you need to shut up”. Poe stood up, not even bothering to bid goodbye to Ranpo as he stepped towards the exit.
“H-hey wait!” Ranpo stood up as well, trying to follow Poe out. “What is it? Did I say something? Don’t walk away from me!” He sped up his pace as he tried to catch up. He grabbed Poe’s cloak without meaning too. The Prince immediately spun around, tearing the cloak away from Ranpo.
“Don’t touch me!” Ranpo looked up. He had never seen the prince so mad. He didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t often that he cared about how people treated him. But this was different. He let out an involuntary whimper, before pulling back.
“You still haven’t told me what’s going on!”
“You think I want to do all that! You think I want to be sent away to a foreign country to marry and have a child with a woman I couldn’t care less about?! You have no right to judge my hopes for love!”
“I didn’t mean too! I… I'm sorry”. The angry look immediately left Poe’s face. But it quickly came back as he stepped back again. Seeing this, Ranpo became angry as well.
“Fine! Be that way! Be a spoiled Prince then. I’ll just sit here, trying to find a cure for your curse! ” To prove a point, he push against one of the bookshelves, not realizing it was supported the pile he was pulling from.
The younger heard the first book drop, and watched as the piles collapsed one by one until the main bookshelf tilted forward. The shadow overwhelmed him quickly.
“Ranpo look out!”
The impact of the floor against his back hurt. But he didn’t feel the expected pressure of the books. Ranpo’s eyes were squinted shut. He then realized that he was still alive. Slowly, he opened his eyes to look into a deep shade of lavender.
Poe panted over him. He had a visible expression of discomfort, but he appeared to ignore the pain as he pressed a hand to Ranpo’s cheek.
“Are… are you okay? Oh my god please tell me you’re okay. He tilted Ranpo’s face around as he searched for any injuries. The younger finally took the breath that he was neglecting.
“I-I’m okay…but, how are you holding the books back?” Poe looked behind him, and they both looked in shock as the books were brushed back by a pair of wings, the sample purple ones that Ranpo saw when he first arrived to the kingdom. This time, the scales trailed back down his chest. It’s only been an hour since the last elixir. He shouldn’t be having an outburst this soon.
“Poe! Oh god you’re already sprouting again we have to get you an-”
“Shh…”
Poe didn’t seem bothered by the presence of his scales this time. Instead he learned forward keeping one hand on Ranpo’s cheek as he kept him in place.
“You’re safe, that all that matters”. He was way too safe now. But the pain came back. Ranpo winced as his head throbbed, green and purple visions moving in his head.
He had never been in his own visions before. But these were so clearly in his point of view.
He was under Poe again, but this time he could see his warmth across his body. The Prince was looking down at him, not in anger or concern, but adoration. “My soul… my everything…” he said as he held him close.
“Send him back! To the dungeons!” The king ordered the royal nights.
“Ranpo! Get away from him!” A deep purple dragon tore through a crowd of guards. But his vision of him showed Ranpo getting closer.
This was all too much.
“Agh!” Ranpo pushed Poe off of him. He struggled with the weight of the other in his half dragon form before he was pulled back.
“What’s wrong?”
“This! Poe what are you doing?!”
“I…I thought you liked me too. You never rejected my advances.”
“What? What advances?” Poe held on tighter.
“My touches…the snacks. I thought you felt the attraction too, when we touched for the first time at your office. That’s why I invited you here! As soon as my curse hit I saw you! I see you in my dreams… in my writing… you are in my very soul!”
“Poe, no-!”
“You see us too, don’t you?”.
He couldn’t accept it.
“No! This isn’t right! You’re a prince! And… wait YOU invited me here? You said your father, the KING was the one that arranged for us to be brought. You took me from my home?!
“Ranpo please understand… I needed to meet you. My appearance is exactly what it is…a curse. But it showed you to me. It has to mean something. You must have seen something-”
“I. Saw. Nothing. We. Are. Nothing. And as soon as we find a cure for your curse I am going home, and we shall NEVER see each other again. Or are you going to be the monster you are and keep me here forever?”
He wasn’t prepared for the devastated expression on Poe’s face. The scales ran up to his brow now.
“Are you… rejecting me?”
“Yes…”
Poe, suddenly conscious of his scales again, pulled his cloak over himself. Ranpo saw less and less of him over the course of the next few weeks. Every day he used more and more of the elixir. Ranpo’s anger eventually subsided, so he tried to make time and visit the Prince. But he was blocked by the guards.
The next day, Ranpo and Fukuzawa were released from their diplomatic contracts.
It would take some time for their travel to be arranged, so they still had three more days of stay at the castle, but Ranpo couldn’t sleep. His visions were running rampant. They were aggressive, and always showed Poe. Poe reading, writing, pacing his room, hiding his scales. Despite the consistency of them, Ranpo found himself looking forward to the visions. They were all he had of Poe now.
“Poe…” Ranpo rubbed his eyes. Was he really crying? Oh well, he didn’t have the energy to scold himself.
Knocking on the door had him jumping up. He didn’t even think before running over and opening the heavy wooden doors.
“Poe! You came back!” Fukuzawa stood in front of him instead. “Oh…” Ranpo rubbed his eyes again. “Hi Pres.” He waved his hand, letting his mentor into the room. They both sat by the window, not looking at each other until Fukuzawa spoke up.
“The Prince may die if we don’t find a cure”.
“That’s his problem. I don’t care.”
“Yes you do…”
The elder man was the only one who had seen Ranpo at his worst. Here, ten years later from the moment they met, he was reminded of how weak he felt when he was all alone. The tears fell down his face again.
“I shouldn’t care. He took us from our home…all because he thinks we should be together. But I still want to be near him. I want to keep him safe.”
“Because you love him.”
His father pulled him up. And he could see the same look of stern passion and support that he gave him all those years ago.
“I know you can’t see mana. And you know I’ve never seen any mana within you, despite your visions. But as soon as you touched that Prince, I saw your core glowing, holding mana for the first time. Prince Edgar requested us, that is true. But he isn’t the reason we’re here. I wanted you to come, cause I hoped you would both spark something within each other.”
He was speechless.
“You think we belong together? Like in those stories about true love?”
“I think that’s for you to find out.”
He left Ranpo again. He had one more night to sleep on it. But sleep was not in the cards.
There was a bang. Louder than anything he had heard so far. Ranpo immediately ran to where the commotion was, knowing where to go. He made it Poe’s room, only to be stopped by a collection of guards.
“Halt!” A pair of spears blocked his way. In front of his, he could see the King. He had never met him for more than a few seconds, but he always seemed so proud. Here though, he saw dismay.
“Take him to the dungeon! But please… refrain from hurting him!”
“No!” Ranpo ducks under the spears to Poe. But he stumbles back at the sight. That was not Poe, but a dragon that stood twenty feet high. Its claws dragged against the walls and floor as the royal knights struggled to chain him down. When caught a glimpse of Ranpo, it went even more berserk, letting out a large screech that forced everyone to cover their ears. King Fitzgerald, noticing this, pushed Ranpo back.
“Haven’t you done enough?! You’ll just upset him even more!”
Ranpo ignored him. It had to be him. He had to save Poe. He ran straight for Poe. The knights were so busy trying to regain a hold of Poe, they couldn’t spare the men to catch Ranpo.
“Ranpo no!” Both Fukuzawa and the king yelled out. He managed to get close enough to Poe that he could feel the wind from his wings falling.
“Poe!” He reached out toward a wing, but winced when he was swiped at. He only got scratched, but he still felt the burn. This time he put both hands out. “Ed! It’s me! Please…” The chains around Poe tightened. And he was brought down.
“Stop it! You’re hurting him!” Desperate, Ranpo kneeled down, holding onto the dragon’s left horn as he threw his body against his side. He grabbed onto him, trying to look into his eyes the best he could.
“You know it’s me, right? You said our souls were aligned. So you can feel me, right?” He leaned forward, resting his head against him, as he tried to press a soft kiss near his head. “Come back to me… please.”
Nothing immediately happened. And when Poe let out another roar, he thought it was over. He could feel the weight of his head lift up, and he closed his eyes as he braced for the final impact.
“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry-” He was knocked onto his back. Then he felt warmth on his face. The familiar pool of lavender filled his sight. Then Poe was there. Hair messy and clothes…gone. But he was there.
“Poe!”
“Hello my dear”. They couldn’t help the yell of joy that they let out. Poe leaned forward first, kissing Ranpo fervently until they were nudged by the boots of the king. He didn’t look mad, just shocked. Poe looked up with pride. He knew that he wanted to know How he was saved.
“The curse was just looking for me to find who completes me, rejecting anyone who wouldn’t. And whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same”.
<>
“Ack Poe! Calm down! What’s the rush?” He giggled as the Prince pulled at his dress shirt, littering kisses up his chest and neck.
“I proposed every day for two years. I am tired of waiting”. The Prince pushed him down with surprising strength as his lips crashed against his. “You are mine forever. My soul, my everything…”