Chapter Text
“We traveled half the globe and came back, and that thing still hasn’t been broken.” Senkuu points at his head over drinks one night. “The most we could do is delay the decaying effect for now.”
“Whose fault is that?” Ryuusui retorts.
Senkuu grumbles, sloshing the cider in his glass. “It’s hard, ok? When the condition is something as abstract and unpredictable as love. And this mentalist is no help.”
Gen smiles awkwardly. “I was right though, wasn't I? It’s just that our cure vanished as soon as we had it…”
More accurately, by the time that Ryuusui realized it, it was already too late. How considerate of Gen to phrase it as though he wasn't the one at fault.
“I must say,” the mentalist continues, “you’re holding on pretty well, Ryuusui-chan, considering you’re basically half reptile now.”
Ryuusui leans back in his seat. “I’m surprised myself. Guess my mental strength is better than I thought.”
After all, that’s what you loved about me, isn’t it?
“Well, there’s also Senkuu-chan’s potion, but your mental fortitude is definitely top-notch~”
“Anyway,” Senkuu begins, “I'd like to extend the deadline for the job, no extra charge.”
“Hm, tempting. And you’d like to extend it until when?”
“Until it is done.” Senkuu says unblinkingly.
Ryuusui widens his eyes, before bursting out laughing. “Very well! It's a deal!”
“By the way, Ryuusui-chan,” Gen says later, “we have another thing to ask of you.”
“Would you like to come with us to Ukyou-chan's home?”
Ukyou died accompanying Senkuu on his quest, which is why the alchemist feels compelled to report to his god what happened and return his corpse to his place of origin. After their victory, his body gradually dulled and cracked until it crumbled. The shattered pieces, akin to the broken remains of a marble sculpture, were all gathered into an urn and brought back on the returning voyage.
The Millennium Tree Forest stretches far and wide. Ryuusui has never visited it before. It's seen as a spiritual and sacred place, definitely not a place people expect him to be for sure.
He looks around at the trees surrounding them on all sides. “I have a feeling we're being watched.”
“That's just the forest spirits, don't worry~” Gen tells him. “If you get up to no good, they'll kick you out instantly~”
“That's what Ukyou told us anyway. We didn't actually do anything like that.” Senkuu clarifies.
“Say, Ryuusui-chan, did Ukyou-chan ever tell you how we met him?”
Hm? Ryuusui glances at him.
Gen recounts. “Senkuu-chan needed some aged wood when we were fighting Tsukasa-chan, so the two of us went into the Millennium Tree Forest. We weren’t going to risk finding out the punishment for vandalizing this place though, so we went looking for the Millennium Tree to ask for permission.”
“If she didn’t give her permission, then we would have to resort to illegal deforestation.” Senkuu chimes in with half-moon eyes and a lazy smirk.
“Hush, Senkuu-chan! He doesn’t need to know that! Anyway, the Millennium Tree said some stuff about how the petrification disease needed to be stopped, then she told us to ‘wait till the next day and help will come’. Well, we were sleeping on the ground the next day when Ukyou-chan woke us up.”
“He showed us where to get the wood then said that he’d join our party.” Senkuu continues. “Fine by me. More manpower that way.”
“Hehe, if not for Ukyou-chan, we wouldn’t have won against Tsukasa-chan~ He was an amazingly reliable ally~”
“Look, we're here.” Senkuu points up ahead.
Just as he said, the moment they make it past the dense greenery, they're greeted by a wide clearing. The reason the flora thins out is to make space for the ancient tree standing tall in the center. Its body is as thick as a house and its canopy reaches so far that the sky is barely visible.
They climb up the slight slope leading to the tree. Ryuusui reaches it first, followed by the other two.
“Oi Millennium Tree, we're back.” Senkuu calls out. As the words come out of his mouth, the grooves on the massive trunk warp, forming an elderly human face.
“We meet again, Senkuu, Gen.” A woman's voice replies to him. “And this is…”
Her wooden eyes are trained on Ryuusui’s face. Gen chimes in to introduce him. “This is Nanami Ryuusui, a prince who lent us his ship to travel to the source of the petrification~”
“Hmmm,” she hums thoughtfully, “you're more lizardy than I expected.”
What? Ryuusui blinks. Out of all the things she might say, that's not what he expected. His half man half dragon appearance isn’t intentional, it’s a result of the curse worsening combined with his mental state after the final fight, where he couldn’t be bothered to try to hide anything except the bulky wings. Ironically, in a way, it has helped him accept that part of himself he’s never really been fond of.
“Very handsome though.”
??????
“...Thanks.” The corner of his mouth lifts up with a touch of confusion. “It's an honor to receive praise from a beautiful woman.”
“Oh my!” She giggles. “You're just like I've been told.”
He glances at his companions, who appear about as awkward as he feels. “I didn't know talk of me reaches even this place.”
“Hoho, make no mistake – I may be rooted in one place, but I am fully aware of what goes on in the world.”
“Then you're probably aware that the petrification disease is no more.” Senkuu cuts in to steer the conversation in the original direction. “We eradicated it.”
The wooden face moves minutely in a nod. “Yes, the air is much clearer now. I knew I could trust you to do it.”
“Well… we did it, but… Ukyou… he lost his life in the process.” Senkuu groans, eyes downcast. “I didn't ask him to run headfirst into danger, but without him we wouldn't have made it.”
“Hmmm, there's a reason I entrusted that child to aid you on your quest and no one else. If he felt like it needed to be done, he would carry it out with no hesitation.”
Hearing that nonchalant tone, Ryuusui feels a flash of anger for Ukyou’s sake. This is his god whom he loved so much, and yet she acts like his death is nothing. Bitterly, he questions in a way that would get him yelled at for irreverence.
“Aren’t you sad? Or angry? Don't you love him?”
“Ryuusui…”
The Millennium Tree remains as calm as ever. “All things will return to dust eventually. Even I will one day become nutrition in the soil to nurture new saplings. Even so, my heart hurts knowing that my child went through such pain. I’m blessed to have him with me.”
Senkuu and Gen both put a hand on each of his shoulders. Before the god of the forest, he thinks of Ukyou’s gentleness, and decides to push down the turbulence in his heart.
“Yeah.” He closes his eyes and inhales deeply. “I’ll never forget him as long as I live.”
It's impossible to understand the feeling of a god, so there's no point in getting worked up over it. Yet he can't help it, because in the end, he's still a human, with human emotions.
Really, how could you say that she and I were similar in any way? His lips tick up ruefully at the thought.
Wait… her last sentence runs through his mind. It seems Senkuu and Gen have also noticed it, as Gen speaks up before he could.
“You said ‘you are blessed’... why is it in the present tense?”
“Hm? Why, because Ukyou is still here with me.”
“Like in a spiritual sense like ‘he lives on in our hearts’ or…?”
The Millennium Tree chuckles. “Every child of the forest has a place in my memory, but in the case of Ukyou, he's still very present outside of it.”
“You've gotta be kidding me.” Senkuu gapes. “You're telling me that guy is still alive?”
The deep grooves of the trunk shift to form an enigmatic smile. “Isn't that right, my child?”
At that, they all frantically look around.
“Ukyou is… alive?” It's almost too good to believe. He can't go through that devastation again, Ryuusui demands from the Millennium Tree. “Where is he?”
“You need not look far and wide. He's right here.”
She doesn't seem bothered by his attitude in the slightest, which only serves to fuel his frustration. “Where the hell is ‘right here’?” He grounds out.
Suddenly, a tiny voice floats down from above.
“Up– up here!”
It's so small he almost doesn't catch it. Eyes round in surprise, he turns his gaze upwards. That voice… he might not have supernatural ears, but it sounds so awfully familiar that his heartbeat starts speeding up.
The thick green foliage of the ancient tree looms overhead. Everywhere he looks, it's just leaves overlaying each other in thick layers, obscuring everything.
“Over here!” That voice calls out again. Ryuusui tries to follow its direction, until he spots something glowing among the leaves.
He squints his eyes. The glowing light becomes clearer, and he can make out a tiny humanoid figure waving its arms. His mouth drops open as he nudges Senkuu with his elbow, pointing towards the canopy.
The figure observes them for a moment, before it leaves its hiding place. They all watch in astonishment as an Ukyou ten times smaller than they remember flies down to them on fluttering insect wings.
Still confused as to what exactly he’s seeing, Ryuusui holds a hand up. Ukyou touches down on his broad hand without a single noise, and the transparent webbed wings fall on his back like a cape. Senkuu and Gen huddle close to stare down at the 17 centimeter tall creature wrapped in leaf-like clothing.
“Ukyou-chan, you're a fairy?!”
Ukyou laughs awkwardly. “You look so shocked.” He blushes, ducking his head down. “Senkuu, put that magnifying glass away.”
Ryuusui and Gen glance to the side. Just as he said, Senkuu is inspecting the fairy with a magnifying glass.
“Tch.” The alchemist shoves it back into his pocket. “You have a lot of explaining to do. First of all, why do you look like that. Second of all, how did you survive that. And third of all, how did you get back here.”
“That’s a lot of questions…” Ukyou rubs the back of his neck with a helpless expression.
“Well.” His tiny feet shuffle in the palm of Ryuusui’s hand. “This is my actual form. The body I used when traveling with you guys was – a mud doll. It can't possibly take that much damage, so, I didn't survive.” He recalls matter-of-factly. “I died. My soul was ripped from the mud doll and returned here, where I was reborn.”
“I was really worried when I woke up, but at that point there was nothing more I could do, nor could I reach you guys anyway. But you were victorious, what a relief. I knew you could do it.”
He looks up and smiles, the same smile that used to soothe Ryuusui night after night. When Ryuusui sees it, a flood of complex emotions begins to fill up in him.
“Relief? How can you say it’s a relief when you left us like that?” He mutters bitterly.
“Huh?” Ukyou’s eyes widen. The hand he’s standing on shakes slightly.
“You died right before my very eyes.” The prince's face distorts in pain. “Do you know how devastated I was? Do you know what it feels like to hold your corpse in my arms as it crumbles away?”
“...Ryuusui…”
Tears leak out of his narrowed eyes. He hangs his head low in a halfhearted attempt to hide and bites his lips tightly. Faced with such a heartbreaking sight, Ukyou flaps his paper thin wings and flies up to wipe the drops of liquid away with tiny hands. His face marred with worry shines softly through Ryuusui’s blurry vision.
“I can’t believe…” He inhales deeply with a congested sound, “I got another chance to meet you.”
The wide jade eyes stare up at him in silence. Wanting to at least preserve the little dignity he has left, he wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. The movement causes Ukyou to back away from him.
“Ukyou-chan…”
He turns towards the source of the noise, and there Gen is, watery eyes and sniffling. Even Senkuu looks a little sheepish. After getting over the shock at their appearance, he smiles helplessly and flies over to pat their heads, much to Senkuu’s chagrin.
“You guys are still young, after all.” He chuckles wryly.
“Hey, don’t lump me in with these two.”
While Ukyou is trying to pacify them, Ryuusui slowly regains his composure. He takes a long deep breath, then dries his eyes with a handkerchief. When he puts it away, he can finally stand with his back straight.
“Ukyou.” He tugs on the fluttering yellow coat tail.
“Ryuusui!” The fairy swivels around to face him. “How do you feel?”
“I feel… better.” Despite his answer, Ukyou still regards him with a concerned gaze. “I also have a question I want you to answer, Ukyou.”
“Oh, what is it?” The tiny fairy tilts his whole torso to express curiosity.
“You've been watching us, ever since we stepped foot into the forest, haven’t you?”
“That's right.” He nods. “I rushed over as soon as I sensed you guys.”
“You– you have been following us this whole time, and not once did you think to reveal yourself. We wouldn’t have even known you’re alive if the Millennium Tree didn’t tell us.”
“Ah.” He startles, having been seen through. “That's, I…”
“Just as I thought.” His mouth twists downwards. “Bastard, are you really going to let us leave thinking that you're dead?”
Gen breathes out a humorless laugh. “Wow, that's cruel, Ukyou-chan.”
“W-well, I did say I'd return to the forest once my mission was over. Now that the petrification is gone, there’s no reason for me to be around you guys anymore…”
Senkuu scoffs. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. We went through all that for what? 328 days? And you have the audacity to think it’s ok to peace out on us?”
Gen adds in. “There’s no way that Ukyou-chan, who is always looking out for everyone else, would do such a thing. There must be another reason,” he side-eyes Ryuusui pointedly, “a scaly, horned, blond reason…”
Ryuusui raises an eyebrow. “You were hiding because of me?”
“Of course not! I just, uhm…”
“Ukyou.” He leans in so close that Ukyou squeaks and backs away from his fierce gaze. “Tell me right now. I think I have a right to know, after what you said to me before you died.”
Interestingly enough, Ukyou’s face turns a pink color at the mention of his dying words. After a while of internally debating with himself, he slumps his shoulders in defeat.
“I didn't know I would be reborn.” Head hanging low, he begins to say. “I thought… my life was going to end soon. Thanks to Gen, I was able to see you one last time, so I decided I wanted you to know… my feelings for you, at the very end.”
“I was going to let you know I'm alive, really! But… I was scared that you would bring it up. I'm scared of facing rejection, that's why I kept hesitating…”
“I'm not going to reject you!” Ryuusui declares passionately. “I love you, Ukyou!”
Ukyou smiles sadly. “I know that, Ryuusui loves everyone in the world…”
“No, it's not like that!” With the pads of his two fingertips, Ryuusui tilts his small face towards him. “My love for you isn’t the same as the love I have for anyone else!”
“E-eh?”
His anchor-shaped brows dip slightly, and his slit pupil eyes soften. “I only realized after I lost you what these feelings were. My desire for you is unique to you. I'm sure,” a fragile smile makes its way onto his face, “it's the same as what you're feeling now.”
Ukyou gapes at him. His mouth is ajar, but no sound comes out. Finally, he peers up at Ryuusui through his lashes cautiously.
“You're not messing with me, are you?”
Before he could reply, another voice butts in.
“There's a quick and easy way to confirm it, you know.”
Both Ukyou and he startle, before setting their eyes on Senkuu, who regards them flatly. Gen chuckles, not unkindly.
“They were so absorbed in each other that they forgot we're here.”
“I'm here, too!” The Millennium Tree exclaims.
“...!”
Hm, well, he doesn't mind it too much, but the same can't be said for Ukyou. The forest spirit is holding his burning cheeks in his hands, hunched over himself. It's cute.
“Focus.” Senkuu snaps. “Now that Ukyou is not dead, aren't you forgetting something important?” He taps the crown of his head with his nail.
Ryuusui grins. “That's right!” He snaps his fingers. “This will prove it once and for all!”
“You're kidding!” Ukyou exclaims. “You're saying that curse– a-and– me?!”
“It will definitely break this time!” Ryuusui turns to him and holds out his hand. “Believe me, Ukyou!”
Ukyou eyes the outstretched hand with apprehension. And then, he heaves a deep breath, before flying into Ryuusui’s palm. His eyes staring up at Ryuusui are shimmering. “If you’re so sure…”
“But uhm, could everyone please look away?”
“No.” Senkuu says tersely.
“I want to see the moment the miracle happens~”
“Ugh…”
Ryuusui laughs. “Let them watch! You just need to focus on me!”
Ukyou blushes. “That makes me even more nervous…”
What an adorable guy. Ryuusui smiles as he lowers his head and brings his hand with the fairy on it closer. Ukyou takes a step forward. Bracing his hands on Ryuusui’s chin, he closes his eyes and leans in.
A tiny kiss on his lower lip. It leaves a tingling sensation. All of the sudden, the dull throbbing in his head vanishes. The darkness that wraps around and constricts his mind retracts its claws. He has been living with this godforsaken curse for so long that the lightness once it’s gone feels so foreign.
Ukyou pulls away.
“Did it work?” He asks nervously.
A hand grabs the circlet on Ryuusui’s head and unceremoniously takes it off.
“Yep.” Senkuu grins lazily.
“Congrats, Ryuusui-chan~!” Gen conjures up flowers and sparkling light. “You're finally rid of that bothersome curse~ This is cause for celebration~!”
With wide eyes, Ryuusui glances at the circlet. The shine of the metal has brightened to its original silver color, and the glow of the red gemstones has dulled to translucency, like in his memory of that time long ago. His mouth slowly but surely stretches into a wide smile. He pats his hand around his head, then shakes his head to fluff out the hair that has been set in for too long like a dog drying itself.
The sound of tinkling laughter reaches his ears. Ukyou is smiling at him so earnestly. As love overflows in his heart, his long fingers close around the little fairy.
“Huh?”
Without giving him time to process what’s happening, Ryuusui rains kisses all over him. His lips easily cover Ukyou’s entire face. Ryuusui kisses his cute face, his round silvery head of hair, and even the curve of his upper body. His joy, which cannot be contained, spills out in the form of laughter between the wet kissing sound.
“Ah, Ryuusui, stop it! Not in front of the Millennium Tree!” Ukyou cries. His skin is as red as a boiled lobster, so much so that the light emitting from his body turns pink, his wings flap around in a fluster, and his legs kick the air weakly.
“But you’re so cute.” Ryuusui laughs heartily. He’s overcome with the urge to squeeze him like a plush toy. He doesn’t want to cause any pain, of course, so his hand only tightens its grip moderately as his fingers caress the miniature body.
“Hmmm, h-hehe, that, that tickles, s-stop–!”
“Ok, pack it up.” Senkuu says with mild disgust. “I’m not interested in watching any more of this.”
“Come on, Senkuu-chan, let them be~ It’s a lovers’ reunion~ Although Ryuusui-chan is basically making out with Ukyou-chan in front of his parent…”
“I don't mind.” The Millennium Tree states pleasantly. “Young love is beautiful, isn’t it?”
Then she calls. “Prince Ryuusui.”
“Hm?”
Ryuusui loosens his grip, prompting Ukyou to escape from his grasp. The forest spirit flies up to perch on his shoulder as he turns to address the Millennium Tree.
“You have stolen the heart of my precious child. Now, what do you plan to do next?”
“Wow, she’s basically asking what his intention is with Ukyou-chan.” Gen whispers to Senkuu.
“Hmph,” the prince glances to his side with a smile, “there’s no way I’ll let him slip from my hands again.” He snaps his fingers. “I’ll marry him!”
“What?!” Ukyou’s feet fly off his perch.
Senkuu snickers. “A textbook fairy tale happy ending – the prince and princess get married and ride into the sunset. You sure move fast.”
“I’m not a princess! And you, Ryuusui! Don’t say such a thing out of nowhere!”
“Haha! Don’t worry! I’ll propose to you properly later!”
“That’s not the problem here!”
The Millennium Tree continues on like none of that squabble has happened. “You wish to have a spirit of the forest as your spouse. You should know that I won’t hand over my children to just anyone.”
Ryuusui grins up at her defiantly. “Hmph, rest assured that I’ll treat him more than well and do my damned best to make him happy for the rest of my life.” To punctuate his sentence, he grabs the hem of his cape and pulls it across the front of his body as he bows in an elegant manner.” I swear it on the royal family.”
“Gen, help me…” Ukyou drags himself over to Gen, who has an awkward smile on his face and a bead of cold sweat running down his temple.
“What’s wrong, Ukyou-chan? Is Ryuusui-chan’s wedding vow not to your liking?”
“Don’t even joke around.” The fairy slumps into a seat on his shoulder. “I can't believe she just went along with it like that, I might actually become an atheist for real.”
He gets reminded of the day they first met, when Ukyou asked him for help navigating human life. Gen thinks he has done a good job so far, but now Ukyou has only lived as a human for almost a year and he’s already getting married. Oof, that’s a little too fast. He saunters up to Ryuusui. Seems like the Millennium Tree has given him her blessing and now they're laughing over something. At least there's no problem with the relationship between in-laws…?
“Now, now~” Gen cuts in in front of the prince, “Don't you think you should hear Ukyou-chan's opinion in all of this?”
“Ryuusui…” Ukyou sighs, before pushing off Gen’s shoulder and flying over to face him. “I can’t leave the forest with you, not for a few more months at least.”
“Why not?” The prince tilts his head to one side, pursing his lips.
Ukyou hums thoughtfully. “We’re not supposed to show ourselves to outsiders. I can’t live among humans in this form, I’ll need another doll… But, well, I lost all my magical power at death, so I need to recuperate here until a decent amount is restored. And about marriage, uh…”
With a helpless flushed face, he wrings his hands and says. “It’s not that I don’t like the idea. I’m really happy that you return my feelings, but… this is my first relationship, I’m completely out of my depth. So please don’t move so quickly, I can’t keep up…”
Ahhh, he’s so cute. When his love asks him so shyly, all of Ryuusui’s impatience fades away.
“I understand.” A soft smile on his face, he offers up his hand. “Let’s navigate this new relationship together.”
“Mh.” Ukyou nods, holding onto the tip of his finger with both of his hands. “I'm making you wait longer, forgive me.”
He looks at Ryuusui with a melting expression, sweet as syrup. In that moment, the young prince feels truly grateful that he is given another chance to be able to witness all of the adorable faces his lover could make.
“Haha, don't think you're off the hook so easily! This only means that the wedding is put on hold. Just you wait, I'll sweep you off your feet with my proposal!”
Ukyou blinks his round eyes at him, before chuckling, his brows pulled together.
“I suppose I should count myself lucky that you'd compromise this much.”
That's right. Desire = Justice. Nanami Ryuusui never compromises on his desire. Only for his beloved, will he make a special exception. He smiles down at his lover, full of bubbling affection.
“Ryuusui, you haven’t been sleeping well, have you?”
After spreading the remains of the mud doll on the ground, they decide to spend the night in the forest, since by the time they’re out of the forest it would be dark. It’s like a camping trip. At night, when the other three lie snugly in their beddings, Ukyou asks, concern written on his face.
“I didn’t mention this before, but you look more tired, and there are bags under your eyes. Hey, how did you manage after I was gone?”
Cushioning his head on his hands, Ryuusui looks up at the spirit hovering over him and sighs. “Like before I met you.”
“But it got worse, didn’t it? I mean, you have a tail now! Well, had.” Since he has no problem concealing those inhuman features again. “Senkuu, Gen, how have Ryuusui been sleeping?”
Ryuusui stares intensely at them in hope of conveying ‘do not talk about it’ with wide eyes.
“Uhhh…”
Ukyou puts his hands on his hips. “Don’t even think about lying to me, you know I can tell when you’re lying.”
“Sometimes we use drugs, sometimes one of the fighters knocks him unconscious–” Gen concedes. “Sorry, Ryuusui-chan.”
As soon as he hears it, Ukyou’s face falls. Ryuusui sighs deep in his heart. This is why he didn’t want him to know. The spirit lands on the sleeping bag, where his chest is underneath, looking as sad as a wilted flower.
“I’m sorry. It must have been a hard time for you.”
“It’s fine.” Ryuusui reaches out his hand and gently presses Ukyou against his chest. Going with the motion, Ukyou kneels then lies down on his front. “It’s already in the past, there’s no need to dwell on it. I’m free now, and I also have you with me.”
“...”
“Don’t look so sad. If you want to make it up for me, then don’t ever pull that reckless move and disappear from my sight again.” Ryuusui says, fingers idly rubbing the tiny body in his hand.
Eventually, Ukyou’s face relaxes, and he smiles, half resigned half fond.
“Ha… you’re as cool as ever.”
“Haha! Thanks! By the way, instead of beating yourself up over things you can't change, don't you think this occasion should be celebrated with a song?”
“Haha, sure~ I miss singing you to sleep every night.” With that, Ukyou wriggles and crawls out of his grasp. “But are you fine with that? I mean, Senkuu and Gen are here.”
“Ho, are we finally going to get to hear the infamous singing voice?”
“The voice that Ryuusui-chan monopolized before anyone could hear it ~ I’m curious~”
Ryuusui blinks. He has almost forgotten that promise Ukyou made long ago.
“Haha!” He snaps his fingers in the air. “I’m in a good mood, so why not?”
He's standing in a field that stretches beyond the horizon. The grass reaches past his knees, and the sky is pitch black. It's this dream again, he thinks, but that's the end of his control over the situation. Further ahead, canary colored fabric flutters in the wind. A spirit smiles softly at him, its twinkling evergreen eyes seem to be calling for him.
When he wades through the tall grass to reach it, blood starts to seep into its gentle appearance. Panic courses through his veins, and he hurries his pace. But no matter how far he runs, the distance between them remains the same, and his outstretched hand does not grab anything. Everything becomes hazy, until the only thing he could see is Ukyou’s dying face seared into his memory.
Ryuusui wakes up with a start. He’s breathing rapidly, and his body is drenched in cold sweat. In an attempt to calm his rushing mind, he tries to recall when and where he is.
I went with Senkuu and Gen to the Millennium Tree Forest. We walked for over one hour before we got to the Millennium Tree. And then Senkuu told her about Ukyou’s dea…
He immediately sits upright. That’s right. Ukyou is alive. By some stroke of luck, they met again in this life. Where is he now?
Conjuring up a light in his palm, he looks around. Senkuu and Gen are sleeping peacefully around their snuffed out campfire. They’re surrounded by trees and shrubs on all sides, and there's no sign of a tiny humanoid figure.
“Ukyou?” He calls out, shining the light around. The panic from the dream grips his throat. Just as he is crawling out of his bedding, a small voice reaches his ears.
“I’m here.”
Ukyou flies down from the thick canopy, glowing softly in the darkness. Ryuusui extinguishes the light in his hand, and as soon as the other is within reach, grabs him with both hands, as gently as though he would evaporate if held with too much force. Ukyou, who was still rubbing his eyes sleepily a moment ago, is startled as he's brought down at eye level. Ryuusui nuzzles into the curve of his tiny body, brows digging into the center of his chest. His eyes are closed, thick eyelashes casting a faint shadow on his skin, and long labored breaths flow in and out through the gap between his lips.
He looks tired to the bone. Thinking this, Ukyou pets his golden hair. Only when Ryuusui’s breathing settles does he dare to speak.
“Hey, what's wrong?”
His lashes vibrate before fluttering open, revealing slit pupils in deep red irises. Seems like in a stressful moment, Ryuusui’s grip on his appearance unknowingly loosens. He brings Ukyou away from his face and fixes up his slightly ruffled silvery hair.
“It's nothing.” His face, lacking the usual energy, is a rare sight. “Just a bad dream.”
“Do you… want to talk about it?”
For a moment, Ryuusui considers not telling him so as not to cause him any more worry, but ultimately decides against it.
“Oh…” is all Ukyou can mutter after he hears it.
“Do you… have that dream a lot?”
Ryuusui hesitates before answering. “Almost every time I sleep, I suppose. Don’t even try to apologize, none of this is your fault.”
The mouth that has just opened clams shut, then it parts again.
“Even if you say that…” Ukyou says, face pinched, “I’m still worried. I don’t want you to be woken up by nightmares every night.” He tilts his head, eyes flicking up in thought. “Maybe I should leave the forest with you after all. It’s dangerous, but I can just hide under your cape or in Gen’s sleeve or something, although it will take longer for my magical power to return that way.”
Ryuusui frowns. “It’s just a bad dream, not a nightmare.”
“Is that really what you’re focusing on right n–” Ryuusui pokes him in the forehead before he can finish.
“You worry too much.” He says as Ukyou rubs his head. “I’ll be fine, as long as I think of you. You should do that too. Instead of worrying your pretty little head off when I’m gone, you should think about me and how cool I am.”
He grins. Although it’s not as bright as usual, his mood is slowly improving. Ukyou can only stare at him. In the end, he sighs.
“I’ll try. You shouldn’t push yourself too hard either, you hear me?”
“Of course! Now that I’m free in every way, I plan to let loose and enjoy myself!”
“Hm, well, can I be let loose too?”
Ryuusui chuckles and settles back into the bedding, intending for them to have a chat together. But when his fingers unfurl, he’s in for a surprise.
“...You’re naked.”
“Hm? Yeah, I am.” Flapping his wings, Ukyou blinks his round eyes and tilts his head. “Should I get dressed?”
“No,” Ryuusui rests his head on his pillow, “stay like that. It’s exciting.”
“? There’s nothing to be excited about.” Ukyou flies over to sit down on the pillow, and Ryuusui rolls over on his side to face him.
Like he said, there’s no genitals or anything on Ukyou’s body, just a smooth expanse of skin on a humanoid figure like actual porcelain.
“It’s still your naked body, of course I'm excited.” Curious, Ryuusui reaches out to touch him, only for Ukyou to curl into himself with a red face at those words.
“What are you even saying?” He complains, and Ryuusui retracts his fingers.
“There’s nothing, but you’re embarrassed?” He laughs mischievously.
“How can I not get embarrassed when you say that?” Ukyou mutters sullenly, wrapping his arms around his knees. After a while, he rests his head atop his forearms and starts to explain.
“We’re spiritual beings. We look like humans, but we don’t need to eat, drink, or reproduce. Clothing is mostly a form of self-expression before anything else, so when I sleep, I take off my clothes so as not to crease them and to get more comfortable.” His eyes flit upwards in recollection. “When I became human, I was floored by how many organs I had. I had to eat and drink constantly to stay alive, the food and water I consumed got processed and I had to excrete them out of my body regularly, it’s a hassle.”
“But…” he turns to Ryuusui with a bashful smile, his voice a whisper as though telling a secret, “just between you and me, I think it’s more fun to be a human.”
Ryuusui lifts his brows slightly, and the forest spirit laughs.
“What a shock, right? But… being a human, I got to eat so much delicious food, drink delicious drinks, and experience all the fun humans have. And it’s all thanks to you. Because you were adamant about showing me human desire.”
What is this? Ukyou might as well have given him another love confession. Perhaps because he's a forest spirit unaffected by human bias, from the very beginning, Ukyou has always been open-minded about Ryuusui’s philosophy of desire. Before he could snatch up the fairy and kiss him senseless, they are interrupted by the sound of whimpering.
Turning his head in the direction of the noise, Ukyou pushes off the pillow, and Ryuusui follows close behind. The source is Gen, who tosses and turns in his bedding, a name creeping out between his trembling lips.
“Ukyou-chan…”
That’s right, Ryuusui recalls somberly. Gen was the one who dragged Ukyou back to the base. He knew about Ukyou’s death before anyone else. They have all been grieving for a long time.
Hovering over Gen, Ukyou pats his head, and the lines of his face relaxes somewhat.
“You’ve all been working hard.” The forest spirit whispers, fond yet sad, before letting loose his sweet voice. The words he sings are awfully familiar.
“If I could meet you again, there’s something I want to tell you
If only we could be reborn
If I could be reborn…”
All the tension leaves Gen’s body as he settles down. After Ukyou smoothes down the furrow in his brows and tucks him in, the two of them quietly trace their step back.
“Hey Ryuuusui,” Ukyou speaks up when he kneels down, “do you still remember that song?”
Ryuusui lifts the blanket. “Of course. A love story between a human and a forest spirit who couldn’t be together, I used to think it was horribly similar to us.” He slips under the blanket and pulls it over his body.
“Well, you fell asleep before I could tell you, but they actually got to meet one more time.” Ukyou’s face hovers above him as he lies in bed. “The forest spirit was reborn as a sapling, and thanks to a sorceress, the human was able to talk to her soul. The two of them confirmed their feelings for each other before they said their final farewell. It’s not too bad, right? Although they couldn’t get together in the end, they had closure.”
Ryuusui huffs. “Hmph, it may be a happier ending, but there’s no way I’d be satisfied with just that.”
“Haha, I figured you’d say something like that.” Ukyou smiles down at him. “Ryuusui, what would you do if I was reborn as a sapling?”
“I’d definitely find a way to reanimate you.”
“Hmmm, but what if you couldn’t though?”
“Ha! What are you saying? You should know that I’d never give up on my desire! However, to entertain your theoretical scenario,” Ryuusui hums in thought, “I would learn gardening to take care of you and visit you as much as I can, and establish a ranger station that will protect the forest even after my passing.” He pauses, a grin making its way on his face. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. What do you think? I think I know what I’ll do while waiting for you.”
“Eh?” His smile frozen on his face, Ukyou blinks his big eyes at him. “I don’t know why, but somehow you end up with a new project? But the Millennium Tree wouldn’t be opposed to it…”
“Haha! It’s a great idea, don’t you think? Would you like yours to be the name of the station?”
“What?!” Ukyou shakes his head frantically. “No, no, isn’t something like the Millennium Tree Forest ranger good enough? If you name it after me, the other forest spirits will tease me to death.”
“Huh, come to think of it, are there other spirits? I haven’t seen anyone but you here.”
“They’re definitely around, we just don’t show ourselves to outsiders. I have been teased so much for having a handsome prince ask for my hand in marriage.”
Ryuusui laughs in curious amusement. “Is that so?”
Sitting on the pillow, Ukyou slumps against his head of blond hair and complains in an almost whiny tone of voice. “You loudly declared it for all to hear in the center of the forest, it spread around in no time.”
As though to make up for all the lost time, when they’re together, words spill out of their mouths naturally and they never run out of things to talk about. Just like that, they end up keeping each other company for hours on end.
The next morning, when they’re one step away from exiting the forest, Ukyou ties a bracelet around his wrist, a simple cord made by braiding blades of grass and miscellaneous leaves together.
“It’s a charm to ward off bad dreams and help calm your mind.” Ukyou says when he brings his wrist up for a closer look. “I didn’t have much time, so it’s probably not very effective, but if you miss me, please look at it and think of me.”
The lines of his face loosen and the corners of his mouth turn up at those words. He replies in an almost whisper. “Thanks, I’ll treasure it.”
Ukyou responds to him with a sweet close-eyed smile. The little forest spirit slowly flies up to him to peck him on the cheek. “Safe travel.”
Unsatisfied with the kiss that’s more like a mosquito bite, Ryuusui grabs him and kisses his face, making a loud smacking sound. When he pulls back, he’s met with the sight of Ukyou holding his bright red cheeks in his hands and laughs. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Senkuu-chan, would you like a goodbye kiss too~?”
“We’re going to the same place, why would I want one!”
As he’s let go, Ukyou laughs awkwardly. “You guys, take care of each other, ok?”
“Of course, Ukyou-chan~”
“Well, bye then.” Senkuu bids his farewell, as unromantic as ever.
As the three of them walk away, Ryuusui twists his torso around and waves at his love. It takes a while before he turns forwards again. Even though he only has a few hours of sleep, he feels full of life, light on his feet. He takes a deep breath of the fresh air, then barks out a laugh.
Argh, he can’t do it! Sai runs out of the ballroom into one of the many balconies. When he catches a glimpse of him, his fight or flight reflex kicks in, the awkwardness from not seeing each other for years makes him clueless as to what to do, and before he knows it, he’s backing away. While he’s trying to calm his nerves, an unfamiliar voice rings out of nowhere.
“Excuse me.”
“AHHH!!!” His heart almost jumps out of his rib cage. He jumps exaggeratedly, arms flailing around. They end up thrusting out in an odd defense pose towards the source of the voice. Staring at him with wide green eyes is a white-haired boy, whose hands are loosely held up in surrender.
Pale face, he retracts his arms and bows deeply. “I’m sorry! I didn’t notice you were here and got startled! I didn’t mean to–”
“Uhm, it’s ok.” The boy assures him, holding out a hesitant hand. “Are you alright? You seem… nervous.”
That would be the understatement of the century. Despite thinking that, Sai tells the boy he’s fine. The other regards him with concern in his big eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“Y-yeah, it’s just been a while since I attended these kinds of things, that’s all.”
The boy doesn’t seem convinced, but he nods his head and shows a small smile. “I understand, this is also my first time going to such a big party, I don’t know what to do or say sometimes.”
Huh? Sai looks at him in surprise. Now that he mentions it, he doesn’t recognize this boy at all. But he normally tries to avoid these events, not to mention he hasn’t been in the country for years, so he couldn’t be sure.
The boy laughs lightly. “I’m not a noble or anything like that. I’m only here to accompany my partner.” And then, as though he’s suddenly remembered something, he eyes Sai warily. “Speaking of which, you’re not some big name I have to watch my words around, are you?”
“What? No, of course not! You can talk to me normally!”
The boy’s laughter is pleasant to the ears. “That’s great. Anyway, I agreed to come to this party, but honestly, it’s a little overwhelming, so I came here to get away from the noise for a bit. What about you?”
Sai hesitates on whether to tell this stranger about his problem. But considering he doesn’t seem to know who Sai is, and mostly because this boy just exudes a pleasant aura from his gentle demeanor, he decides ‘fuck it, what can the worst be?’
“I, I didn’t want to go to this party at all.” He rests his forearms on the parapet, looking down at the well tended garden below. “I wasn’t even in the country until a few days ago. I only came to see my brother.”
“Your brother?” Mimicking him, the boy also leans on the parapet and asks.
“Yeah. I heard that he was in danger of losing his life, so… The two of us were born in similar circumstances. When we were kids, he was pushy and would always chase me around to get me to do what he wanted. It was… one of the reasons I left the country. But after I got that news, I started to think really hard about our relationship, and I realized he was just trying to spend time with the only person who understands what it’s like.”
“I was going to talk to him and even offer my help if I could, but…” His face scrunches up awkwardly, he slumps his head, and the somber atmosphere turns stale. “When I came here, I found out that the issue already got resolved, and he’s living life as carefree as ever. What even is the point of me returning? Now it’s all awkward, what am I going to say? Hey I heard you were dying, sorry I only came back months after you took care of it yourself?! Argh, he probably hates me after I left without a word!”
He holds his head in despair, almost ripping his hair out, and yells to the sky, startling his conversation partner. Before the other’s bewildered eyes, his arms fall back by his sides as he closes his eyes in resignation. After a while, the boy finally speaks up.
“Uhm, mister…”
“Sai is fine.”
“Uhm, Sai, can I tell you what I think?”
“Please do.”
“Ok, well,” he mulls over his words carefully, “I think that… even if you couldn’t be there for him in those times, he’d still appreciate you reaching out to reconnect with him. He probably doesn’t hate you, just as you still care about him to come back to check on him, but you won’t know if you never talk to him. In the first place, does your brother seem like a person who holds grudges?”
Sai stares at him in a daze. No, there’s no way that greedy guy would turn his back on anyone. He wants everyone, including Sai. When he comes to that conclusion, his face muscles relax. Seeing this, the boy gives him a gentle smile that sweeps away all his worries.
“Thank you for telling me that, err…”
“Ukyou.”
“Thank you, Ukyou.” He nods with a tentative smile. “That really helped me sort out my thoughts.”
“Haha, I’m glad I could help.”
“Yeah, I’ll definitely go find my brother after this–!”
For some reason, the boy giggles mischievously. “I don’t think you’ll have to look for him at all.”
Huh? What does that mean? While he’s still confused, the glass door to the balcony creaks open.
“Uky–” Stepping over the threshold, Ryuusui calls out the name Sai has just learned a moment ago. “...ou…”
Sai stiffens like he has been caught doing something he shouldn’t as the reddish brown eyes of his estranged brother lay on him. After years of not seeing each other, the annoying brat back in the day has grown to surpass him in both height and width, which is simultaneously unsurprising and unwelcomed. The fancy garments he wears only serve to make him appear more mature, and nestled atop his head of blond hair is a pair of gnarly horns curving along the line of his head.
Sai watches in real time as Ryuusui’s mouth slowly stretches into a wild grin, and he shudders like an ingrained reflex.
“Haha!” His younger brother props his hands on his hips. “I heard that you came to this party, I’ve been wondering where you could’ve been, but I didn’t expect that you’d be with Ukyou. It’s been a long time, Sai!”
Ugh, his voice is deeper too. Is there anything the universe let Sai have over his brother in terms of physique? As he laments this in his head, the boy beside him speaks up.
“Were you looking for me, Ryuusui?”
“Hm? Yeah, you’ve been gone for quite some time, so I went looking. They’re going to bring out the cake soon.”
Ukyou’s eyes sparkle as he clasps his hands together. “Really? I’ve been waiting to have a bite!”
“Haha! I know you wouldn’t want to miss that!”
“Hehe, you know me so well, thanks for–”
“Wait, wait, wait–! Hold on a minute!” Sai throws out his hand, motioning for them to stop. “What’s going on right now?” Before their blank faces, he turns to Ukyou with wide eyes. “Ukyou-kun, is, is this the partner you mentioned?”
“Haha, that’s right.” He walks over to Ryuusui, exposing his back to Sai for the first time. It’s then that Sai notices the cape falling over the back of his formal clothes, which is split in the middle into two and made out of some type of translucent fabric with embroidery that resembles webbing. It looks like… insect wings.
Ryuusui smiles down at the boy when he gets close, putting an arm around his shoulders. “Hm? Have the two of you already introduced each other?”
“No, we only exchanged names.” Ukyou smiles up at him. “Why don’t you introduce us?”
Ryuusui squeezes his shoulder and laughs. “Of course! That’s my plan from the beginning!”
Saying that, the blond snaps his fingers at Sai, a quirk that hasn’t changed since childhood. “This is my brother, Sai! He’s the eighth prince, meaning he’s the second youngest.”
“Sai, this is Saionji Ukyou.” His other arm also wounds itself around the boy in a loose sideway hug as he beams. “He’s my fiancé!”
“Huh?”
“HUH???”
In front of him, Ukyou blushes. Although his expression is a little awkward, he looks happy to be in Ryuusui’s arms.
“Wait! Back it up a little!” Sai waves his hand frantically. “I had a feeling when you said partner, but fiancé?! You mean to tell me– that you’re in a romantic relationship?!”
“Haha! That’s exactly what I’m saying!”
“That’s, that’s just not right!” Ukyou startles at the sudden outburst, and Ryuusui raises his eyebrows. “Because–!” Sai gestures at Ukyou. “That’s a boy, isn’t it?”
The two of them stare at him in confusion. Then, seeming to have realized what he’s alluding to, instead of showing remorse, a smirk starts spreading on Ryuusui’s face.
“So?”
“So?” Sai repeats after him in disbelief. “You can’t enter a relationship with a minor, let alone get engaged to one! In the first place, did you even get his consent? Pedophilia is illegal, Ryuusui!”
Said minor’s mouth drops open. At the same time, Ryuusui’s cheeks puff up with barely contained laughter, before he can’t hold it in anymore and bursts out laughing.
“Don’t laugh!” Ukyou chides him, red-faced.
“Hahahahaha–” Ryuusui ignores his words, holding his stomach. Laughter in his breath, he asks his partner. “What do you think, Ukyou?”
“Seriously…” Ukyou mutters, then turns to address Sai with an awkward smile.
“Um, you see, Sai,” the corner of his mouth twitches, “despite my looks, I am not a minor. In fact, I am older than Ryuusui.”
“Huh?” Sai looks closely at his baby face. “Are you sure? You look even younger than my students!”
His expression becomes strained. “I am sure. It’s great that you didn’t hesitate to speak out when you thought Ryuusui was doing something immoral, but there’s nothing like that going on.”
“Oh…” Sai deflates. “Now I feel embarrassed.”
“When do you not?” Having recovered from his laughing fit, Ryuusui quips.
Ugh! This brat. Sai glares at his brother. Beside him, Ukyou, annoyed by both of them, jabs his elbow into Ryuusui’s side. The hit doesn’t seem to inflict any pain whatsoever.
“What is it, Ukyou?”
The boy, err, man(?) smiles. “Sai has something to tell you.”
“Hm?” Sai jumps as the sharp eyes of his brother zero in on him. He glances at Ukyou, whose smile is half encouraging half menacing, and gulps.
“...I heard you got cursed by our brother.”
“...Yeah.”
“I was pretty worried, but you seem to have it taken care of.” He cold sweats. “...and you also took care of the petrification disease in the meantime?”
“Haha, that’s right!” And then something he’s never witnessed before happens – Ryuusui looks at Ukyou with a tender expression he never imagined that bratty little brother could make, holding him close with an arm around him. “It’s not just me though, it’s the collective effort of everyone.”
Ukyou smiles back at him, brows dipping slightly, and places his hand on the one on his shoulder. It is easy to guess that between the two of them exists a deep and profound bond. Sai feels like he has just discovered a new side of his brother.
“Seems like a long story.” He remarks.
Ryuusui laughs lightly. “It definitely is.”
“Do you wanna…” his gaze flickers away out of nervousness before coming back as he tries to smile, “talk about it over a game of chess?”
Ryuusui’s lips part, and sparkles light up in his eyes that have been rounded out by surprise. Then, he nods his head vigorously, laughing.
“Gladly!”
“You’re wearing your horns.” Later, when they’re eating the cake for their father’s birthday, Sai points out.
Ryuusui makes a noise of acknowledgement, then replies after swallowing. “Yeah, I am.”
“You used to hide them all the time.” It’s normal for the members of the royal family to hide those features, but in the first place, not many of them have particularly distinct traits. Ryuusui has always been an exception to the rule, ever since the moment he was born.
“Well,” his reddish brown pupils point upward, though Sai doubts he can actually see the horns like that, “they’re cute, don’t you think? Like a sheep.”
Ukyou stiffens in the seat beside him as Sai furrows his brows. “No?” No matter how he looks at it, they’re nothing like sheep horns?!
“Don’t listen to him,” Ukyou chimes in with a sheepish smile and slaps his fiancé’s arm, “he’s speaking nonsense.”
“Hey.”
“I think the horns are cool.” He continues on without letting Ryuusui get a word in. “He had them when we first met, so maybe I’m just used to seeing him with them.”
“Ukyou, how could you say your own words were nonsense? You should know I was deeply touched by–”
“Aaah, shut up! Don’t talk anymore!”
A bead of cold sweat trickles down his temple as Sai watches the two of them.
“You never told me you had a sibling that you actually like.” Ukyou says, sitting on the bed.
Ryuusui smiles wryly. “You make it sound like I hate my siblings.”
“Well,” he chuckles, “I can’t really say that you two get along with each other.”
Although Sai came back in hope of making peace, the personalities of the two brothers haven’t changed one bit, and they ended up clashing like cat and dog. But he can tell that despite that, they were genuinely having fun in the company of each other. Ukyou is glad. He hopes that Ryuusui will continue to receive a lot of love like he deserves.
“You’re thinking something weird, aren’t you?”
Ukyou jolts. “...No…?”
The prince narrows his sharp eyes, before he shrugs, coming over to sit down beside him.
“We didn’t part on the best of terms. I don’t see any point in recounting unhappy memories, so I never talked about it. Anyway, since Sai has come back, and I’m very happy with my life right now, there’s no need to talk about it, is there?”
“Of course not.” Ukyou shakes his head as he smiles, eyes curving upwards. Seeing his cute face, Ryuusui is overcome with the urge to hug him, so he wraps his arms around Ukyou and drags him down onto the bed.
“Oof.”
“It’s a shame you don’t have your wings,” Ryuusui rubs his back where the wings would be, “I’d like everyone to know I caught a cute fairy.”
“What nonsense are you talking about now?” Ukyou frowns playfully. “I can’t show that form to people, and unlike you, I don’t want to stand out.”
“Hmph, what a shame.” Ryuusui nuzzles into his neck. He rolls them around so that he’s lying on his back with Ukyou in his arms.
“Ukyou,” he says when the forest spirit recovers from the sudden movement and lifts his silver head, “give me a true love kiss.”
The big green eyes blink at him. Then Ukyou presses his lips together to stifle a laugh. If Ryuusui wants to kiss him, he’ll just do it, but sometimes he likes to act coy and ask for it. Ukyou strokes his head of blond hair and along the length of his majestic horns. Ryuusui narrows his eyes in contentment, and his arms tighten their grip.
“My prince,” Ukyou smiles down at him cheekily, hand stroking his cheek, “may your curse be undone.”
Staring into his sweet acorn-shaped eyes, Ryuusui’s lips curve up into a loving smile, just as they’re covered by another pair of lips.
The end.