Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The fairy winced, trying not to focus on the pain in his leg. The cause of his discomfort was still in place, firmly snapped onto his leg. He still didn’t know how he’d fallen for such a primitive and frankly uncreative trap such as this one. He should have paid more attention.

His attention now was on the rustling bushes in front of him. He prayed it was just a squirrel, or some other harmless creature that could not recount his humiliation. Whatever deities there may be where not on his side it seemed, as the creature that stepped out of the bushes was a human being. Just his luck. Humans were neither harmless nor silent. At least this one was pleasant to look at. One might even call him handsome by human standards, with his chestnut brown hair and vivid green eyes. There was something about those eyes that was particularly interesting. It was as if in capturing the forest’s green color, he had also captured their wildness.

“I’ve never seen a fairy stuck in a trap before.”

And this stranger had the Sight as well. There was no other way he could have seen past his disguise as a fox. This just kept getting better and better. The man titled his head to look at the trap, his face twisting into a grimace as a flash of recognition flashed into his eyes.

“This is one of theirs, isn’t it?” He muttered this under his breath, teeth clenched.

He picked up a large stick nearby and lodged it into the trap. It stung as it brushed the fairy’s injured leg, but it was worth it when he was able to wrench it free. He shifted into his human form, trying desperately to keep any dignity he had left. The human didn’t seem to understand this as he told a hold of the other’s arm and helped him up. So much for dignity.

“There. We can’t have Gary and Hodge get their hands on a fairy. Who knows what they’d use a blood debt for. Oh! What should I call you?”

The human managed to actually look interested as he asked this question. A good actor, then. But he didn’t have to pretend he wasn’t only thinking about the debt he was owed. The man was looking at him expectantly, waiting for a response. The fairy cast about for a suitable answer. He couldn’t say his real name, that would be giving the man too much leverage. Names had power and he would make sure to hold on to as much of that as he could in his current situation. What was a human name?

“You can call me Sam.”

“Sam” looked at the trap that blessedly no longer contained his leg. The names Giuseppe Payne and Mikhail Hodge were written on the side. Giuseppe Payne and Mikhail Hodge. He should have known that was who the trap belong to. The human was right. Those two would probably use their blood debt to gain untold riches from the fairy kingdom. He wouldn’t be surprised, they were renownedly greedy. There were rumors that they kidnapped human children and sold them to fairies for profit. Rather helpful of them, kidnapping children was such a hassle. Of course, he hadn’t believed the rumors at first, but suddenly it seemed more believable looking at the disgust on the man’s face. Sam prodded at his leg. It was still bleeding. That was odd. It shouldn’t be unless- they had used iron. Not only that, but the trap was located in an area of the woods known for its Fae population. It may have been a fox trap, but they weren’t hunting foxes at all. They were hunting fairies. A shiver went down his back as he imagined what might have happened if the green eyed man hadn’t saved him. Maybe this situation wasn’t so bad after all. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Except Sam didn’t have any friends and he wasn’t planning on starting now. It was best to figure out what he would have to do to pay off this stupid debt and be done with it.

“What do you want?”

“Excuse me?” The man at least had the decency to look confused.

“Riches? Fame? What?”

Understanding flashed into his eyes. After a second of thought, his face morphed into a wistful yet melancholy expression.

“I’m not sure what I want is even possible.”

Oh no. Not this again.

“It’s love, isn’t it?” He groaned, resigning himself to his fate. “Just tell me who it is, I can make them fall in love with you.”

“What? No,” the man shook his head. He looked around, and then back at Sam. “Just...come with me, okay? We can talk debts after we get that wound cleaned up.”

Chapter Text

At long last, the pair stumbled into a bustling village. Sam had almost thought the hike would never end. It would have been uncomfortable in any circumstance because of his injured leg, but the fact that he had to have the human supporting him the whole time was downright torturous.

"JB!" Sam turned his head to see a teenage boy running up to them. The boy's companions joined him, looking intrigued at what the man- at what JB had brought back with him.

"Who's that?" A blonde haired girl questioned as she looked Sam up and down suspiciously.

JB only smiled fondly.

"This is a...friend I met in the woods. He got into a bit of a tricky situation. Sam, this is Katherine, Jonah, and Chip." JB gestured to each of them as he said their names. "Katherine, why don't you go let Angela know we'll be bringing someone in. Jonah and Chip, can you help me?"

Angela, for her part, wasn't stupid. She took one look at the iron burns and her eyes widened. She hurriedly thanked the children and sent them on their way before bolting the door and rounding on JB.

"What were you thinking bringing a fairy here?!"

"I know fairies are dangerous, but if I didn't get him, Gary and Hodge would have."

Angela sighed and reluctantly looked over the wound. After she was done she looked at the two of them and skeptically asked,

"I'm sorry, did you say his name was Sam? You're calling a fairy Sam?"

JB shrugged. "It was his idea," he defended. "They never like telling you their real names. Of course it sounds weird when you put it like that."

"Oh really? You're one to talk, Jester Boy," Angela teased. JB groaned, rubbing his hand on his forehead.

"That was once..." he lamented. He looked over at Sam. "My real name's Alonzo, but JB just stuck. I have the three you met earlier to thank for that."

Sam didn't comment on this, testing out his leg. It seemed that Angela's medicine was decent at least. Perhaps she wasn't a completely incompetent alchemist.

"Will you tell me what you want now?"

JB hesitated, a guarded look coming over him. He gave Angela a look and seemed to communicate something with it.

"I'll leave you to it," and then she was gone.

JB sighed, leaning against the wall.

"I know it's unusual and maybe it's a lot to ask but I…" he trailed off, suddenly seeming very interested in the floor. Sam studied his face, searching for answers. JB looked up, and for the first time Sam saw how tired he looked. JB caught his eye and Sam was reminded again of the wildness in the forest. The man seemed hesitant.

"Are you any good at healing?"

"Why not ask the woman who fixed my leg?"

"Angela," JB corrected. "This is a little… out of her field of expertise."

Could he stop beating around the bush and spit it out already? Sam sensed that wasn't going to happen any time soon, so he took an educated guess.

"You're going mad."

JB nodded stiffly, looking away again. That was fairly unsurprising, he was a seer. Many who were gifted with the Sight went mad. There seemed to be some kind of connection.

"Maybe you could take the hallucinations away? Or maybe the Sight? It would make everything a lot less...confusing."

Of course, who could trust an mad seer? When others didn't have the Sight, who could tell what he said was truth that only he could see and what was the trick of an ill mind? It was a far more interesting case than usual, humans had a habit of wishing for shallow and boring desires. JB had resumed talking at some point, and was now babbling on about something. Oh well, it probably wasn't important anyway. Sam cut in before he got too off track.

"I can do you one better. I can cure you."

"And how do I know you won't trick me? Cure something inconsequential?"

"Be specific in your request and I won't be able to," the fairy reminded him with a smirk. JB's jaw worked for a second, seemingly deep in thought. Sam knew from his face he would give in even before he spoke. Finally, he nodded and voiced his wish. Sam noted how careful he was with his wording and felt a flash of amusement.

"We have a deal," Sam intoned, spreading his arms dramatically. The specifics of the deal were now unalterable. Now came the harder part, but Sam had never backed down from a challenge. This was far preferable to being stuck in a trap, at any rate.