Chapter Text
Rei did not consider himself a hermit. He was far too young, for one, to be called as such and he had hardly mastered astrology or handiness. He prided himself, however, in healing. It was his niche area, and for so young a centaur, it was an invaluable skill. The purple roan had left his clan a few mountains away, ready to be independent. It was a choice he had made without much hesitation. After his coming-of-age ceremony, he had bid his farewells to his tearful mother and proud brother and father with the blessings of the clan Chief and Mystic.
The centaur patted the pouch he had slung across his chest. It sagged at his waist; full of gathering tools he had made for himself. He turned around to gaze at the horse-half of himself, making sure he was perfectly groomed before setting out once again to hunt for materials. It was the best time; when the paths were illuminated by moonlight. He adjusted his glasses and stepped out of the makeshift living area he had arranged. The bed of comfortable moss was where he slept and the thick tree branches had naturally curved to form something that resembled a roof above the spacious patch of grass.
Rei was well-aware that a mountain pass away, there was a large clan of centaurs. He had not seen any of them but the wind carried traces of their scents when they came anywhere nearby. He was definitely not a hermit, but he avoided them anyway. It was rude, on some levels, to occupy the same mountain as them and not make any form of greeting but he could not bring himself just yet to go up to the Chief of the clan and introduce himself.
He pushed such thoughts out of his mind and decided to make his way past the thick brambles he usually passed through when he realised they were dotted with drops of crimson. He padded forward silently, coming to a stop as he took in the sight of the bleeding centaur before him. His dapple-grey coat was streaked with slashes caused by blunt weapons and there was an arrow embedded deeply on his flank. The centaur had most likely collapsed from the loss of blood, given the way he was leaning against the tree, knees folded in.
Rei approached cautiously; he knew how aggressive an injured centaur could be.
The centaur looked up, his crimson eyes and cherry-red hair a stark contrast against the pallor of his skin. He bared his teeth, which, to Rei, resembled those of a predator. They were long and sharp, promising much pain. No matter, Rei decided. He was injured, and injuries needed healing.
He moved a little closer and knelt on all his legs, trying to show that he was not there to hurt the other. He pointed to his pouch and took out a few herbs.
“For healing,” he explained as the wounded centaur watched him with narrowed eyes. “I can help you.”
“You sure you’re not trying to poison me?” the other centaur finally spoke, his voice raspy.
Rei frowned and leaned forward, pressing one of the herbs on the centaur’s wounds. “Why would I try to kill someone I don’t even know?”
The centaur hissed, likely from the pain, and fell silent as Rei continued the treatment. He supposed it would distract the other from the sting if they talked so he began with an introduction.
“I’m Rei. I’ve been living here for a few months. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you get such terrible wounds?”
The redhead glanced at him for a second before sighing. “The name’s Rin. This hooligan from the clan across the river kept harassing my sister so I gave him a beating. Then he grabbed a bunch of his friends and ganged up on me today. Cowards, the whole bunch of them,” Rin growled, wincing as Rei pressed harder on his coat.
“Don’t get so agitated,” Rei reminded him. “You’ll heal faster if you don’t put any additional strain on your body.”
Rin looked away, his mouth twisted into a scowl. “Fine,” he huffed. “Thank you,” he added grumpily, as if on afterthought.
Rei broke out into a smile, amused by the tough front this Rin was putting on.
“What?”
“It’s hard to explain,” Rei told him. “But I believe you’re a nicer person than you appear.”
Rin spluttered indignantly, his cheeks regaining some colour as he blushed to the tips of his ears.
Rei felt another laugh bubble up within him. Rin avoided his eyes and absentmindedly pinched a stray leaf between his thumb and index finger.
“Okay, Rin, you’re going to be in a lot of pain because I have to extricate this arrow. You can hold onto me if it hurts too much,” Rei patted a herb on the other centaur’s lower body reassuringly.
Rin merely grunted and shifted his legs. “I’ll be fine. I’ve had it worse before.”
Rei nodded and set about getting the arrow out as gently as he could. Despite tensing, Rin’s lips were pinched together tightly and he remained quiet. Both the males let out a relieved sigh at the moment Rei pulled out the arrow, its tip drenched with the red of Rin’s blood.
“Okay, you’ll be alright, Rin. Can you stand?”
Rin grunted and steadied himself with his front legs before bucking up and standing at his full height. Rei lightly gripped the male’s lower arm to steady him, noting that they were of about the same size.
“I have better healing materials at my resting area. It’s not too far. Would you follow me?”
Rin nodded and followed him as he made his way back up the path he had come. Rei made haste and they reached his dwelling not too long later. Rin accepted Rei’s fussing and sank into the bed of moss, feeling a lot better than he had initially. He felt himself nodding off eventually, overpowered by the fragrance of the herbs all over his body and the fatigue from the fight earlier that day.
When Rin woke up, it was well past midday. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of the trees and nearly blinded him as he attempted to sit up, willing away the aching in his muscles. He looked around blearily, remembering what had happened the previous day.
“Rin, you’re awake!”
Rei walked into the dwelling, his violet eyes practically sparkling. Rin laughed but stopped midway, groaning as he felt a dull ache in his ribs. “Those bastards got me good.”
“They did,” Rei nodded, walking over to him. “But you’ll be alright if you rest a few more days. Speaking of rest, I gathered quite a number of delicious berries. Give me a moment to prepare them.”
When Rei turned his back to Rin, the redhead took the chance to study him more closely. He had a peculiar butterfly-shaped mark on his upper back and it shimmered under the light.
“That your Soul mark?”
“Huh?” Rei turned to look over his shoulder, adjusting his glasses before following Rin’s gaze to his back. He tapped the mark self-consciously, smiling lightly. “Oh. Yes, yes it is.”
“That’s pretty fascinating,” Rin murmured. “I’ve never seen a butterfly before.”
Rei shrugged and continued preparing the berries. “I’ve been told that a lot. I’m not quite sure how I resemble a butterfly but I hope that’s for time to tell.”
“Well, if it makes you feel better, mine’s a shark.”
Rei turned around, his lips quirking in amusement. “And you don’t think it suits you?”
Rin struggled for a response before giving up and simply resorted to covering his face. “It’s the teeth isn’t it?”
Rei shook with laughter as he settled down on the ground next to the moss where Rin lay and passed him a bunch of berries. “It might be the teeth, yes, but your entire demeanour kind of gives off this dangerous aura. At first glance, of course.”
Rin snorted and bit into the berries.
“You’ve barely known me a day. You think you’ve cracked down my character, oh great detective?”
“Healers are generally perceptive,” Rei shot back.
They continued their banter into the afternoon, getting to know each other better. At a point when they sat in a comfortable silence, all the colour drained out of Rei.
“What about your sister?! Is she safe?”
“She’s fine,” Rin reassured the centaur and flicked his tail to swat away a twittering bird. “She’s going to be the next Mystic of our clan so the Chief and the elders have been watching over her for a while now.”
“Ah, that’s a relief,” Rei muttered, the colour returning to his cheeks. Rin watched him for a few minutes, charmed by this centaur that barely knew him yet worried about him as if they had been friends for years.
“Say, Rei, how come you’ve never shown your face around?”
“Well… I couldn’t quite muster the courage to approach your clan,” Rei began. “I supposed I would be rather unwelcome.”
“Nonsense!” Rin exclaimed, surprising both himself and Rei. “I mean,” he stumbled over his words, flustered, “we all watch out for one another and stuff. Our herds are pretty small compared to the usual so we’re pretty close too. And it’d bother us to know there was a single individual living by himself.”
“That sounds very nice,” Rei responded, and a fleeting wistfulness flashed in his eyes.
“Hey, whenever you’re up for it, I’ll take you to meet them,” Rin pumped a clenched fist into his open palm. “They can be pretty nosy but they’ll be really happy to see someone new.”
Rei broke out into another of his dazzling smiles and resumed cluttering around with tools. “I would gladly take you up on that offer, Rin. Perhaps in a few months, when I’ve accustomed myself to this mountain, I would love to meet your clan.”
Rin found himself mirroring the expression and his mouth hurt from smiling so much in one day. It was pretty rare, considering that his daily company was usually an apathetic centaur with two fawning suitors and another overly energetic ball of fluff.
As night fell, he found himself once again lulled to sleep in the peaceful sanctuary of Rei’s dwelling.
When Rin had recovered sufficiently, he left Rei’s place to return to his clan and assure them of his safety. He would gallop back in the evenings, however, snapping twigs and destroying the occasional plant in his way (really, the centaur had no concept of delicacy) to join Rei in hunting for more herbs or to help him with building a new contraption.
He grew fond of the enthusiastic centaur during the time they spent together. He found it endearing how Rei’s eyes would light up if one of his small devices worked or how his eyebrows would furl in concentration when he was trying to make some sort of herbal concoction. Likewise, Rei found it captivating how hard Rin worked to help him, and looked forward to the latter half of the day when the redhead would bound up to his place, grinning widely.
It was on one such winter evening that Rin felt the blood in his veins run cold. He had run up the mountain path to find Rei, only to see him standing at the entrance to his dwelling on full defensive mode before three larger centaurs who were quite obviously threatening him, given their body language. His eyes narrowed as he eyed the sashes around their chests.
They were from the Gelkis clan that he had been attacked by.
He knew Rei was more than capable of protecting himself but there was just so much one could do when cornered by a group. He ran to the blue-haired centaur’s side, glaring and placing himself between them.
“What do you want?” he snarled.
“Certainly not you,” one of the other centaurs offered snidely. “We’d very much prefer that dashing beauty behind you.”
A vein popped somewhere within Rin. “Back off.”
“Why’s it matter to you? Not like he’s in your clan anyway.”
“I’d prefer it if you stop talking about me as if I’m not here,” Rei glared at the offending centaur.
“Yeah, don’t worry,” the blond one leered. “I have every intention to involve you. It’s hard to make such a catch, unmated no less.”
Rei shuddered and reached into his pouch to pull out a blunt blade. “I do not wish to injure you so please leave.”
Rin pressed closer to Rei, thanking the Stars that he had brought his crossbow along.
“Seriously, get the hell away from here,” Rin growled, gripping Rei’s forearm tightly. “What ever gave you the idea he’s unmated?”
The group paused, a wave of confusion passing over them.
“He’s my mate,” he tightened his grip. As if to prove the point, he nuzzled Rei’s cheek. Rei had frozen in surprise and an involuntary rush of pink rose from his neck to the tips of his ears. Evidently beaten in their attempt to harass Rei, the group of centaurs backed off and Rin did not let his threatening façade drop until they were out of sight.
The duo remained in silence for a moment, Rin’s hand still on Rei’s before he pulled away, his heart thudding loudly in his chest.
“Sorry, sorry I know it’s only supposed to be done with-”
“No, no, it’s okay, I don’t mind, you were helping me and-”
“You can hit me if you want!”
They stared at each other, breathless and flushing a brilliant crimson in the middle of the falling snow.
“Rin, do you perhaps… I mean, I understand it was one of the options but there were so many others that you could have chosen and…” Rei babbled, his eyes wide and his voice a little higher than usual.
Rin swallowed nervously, unsure how to express the feelings that were bubbling up within him.
“Rei, this time we spent together,” he managed (and hoped his voice wasn’t breaking), “I’ve really enjoyed your company. And I think you’re beautiful,” he all but whispered, looking the centaur in the eye. “You’re beautiful even when you aren’t trying, really. So, what I’m asking is that, well, would you accept my courtship?”
Rei stood still for a second before the corners of his eyes reddened and a few stray tears escaped. He smiled his brilliant smile.
“Thank you, Rin,” he sniffled. “I do.”
Rin felt his own throat constrict and he hesitantly wrapped his arms around Rei’s torso and the two found themselves snivelling and shedding tears like a pair of young centaurs who had successfully fired their first arrow into the target.
“Took us long enough,” Rin managed when they finally separated, eyes swollen from all the crying.
“Yes, it certainly did,” Rei replied.
“Okay, then it’s high time I take you to meet my clan,” Rin announced when the two had settled on the floor of Rei’s dwelling and were exchanging crowns of thistles.
Rei looked a little flustered at the suggestion but he nodded, giving their entwined hands a squeeze.
“Tell me more about your clan, Rin.”
The centaur shook his head, grinning. “It’ll be better if you meet them in person. I promise you’ll love them.”
Raising an eyebrow skeptically at the glee on Rin’s face, Rei resigned himself to a nod and a fond glance in the redhead’s way.
“I look forward to it.”