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001. Angel’s Trumpet
He should not have stood in the faerie circle. He had laughed off all warnings, but as he ran through this tangled, twisted forest, he found himself full of regret. The bright, blossoming foliage around him would be a welcoming sight if not for the lack of exit and the oppressive weight of the air.
The sun twinkles mockingly through the trees, glimmering like a million eyes watching his every movement. The light should be a blessing. No such thing exists here. It exists merely to shine a spotlight upon the demise brought by his own foolishness.
The most beautiful things in the world are often poisonous, after all.
An endless trail leading nowhere but deeper and deeper, hopelessly entangled in a web weaved by the inhuman. Eventually, energy runs out. Pace slows. Hope fades. He falls to his knees, breathless, lamenting the place this path has led him. Praying for any God above to have mercy.
"Looks like you've gotten yourself into quite some trouble here," The voice is light, delicate, playful. It bears none of the seriousness of the situation.
The answer to his prayers smiles as he looks up, gold glinting against his skin and blue eyes lit from within. An angel. It must be.
"Please, you have to help me, I-"
"Shh, shh. I know. You're lost."
"Yes! Everything here is a maze, I'm so glad someone showed up to help."
His savior laughs, the sound like twinkling bells. It reads as mocking despite the brightness of it. "That's cute. Do I look that helpful to you?" It's only then that his eyes drift from the unnaturally beautiful face to the wings spreading out behind him. "Humans fall for the first shiny thing they see. All the same, every generation. Is it inherent greed, or inherent naivety? Hm, I suppose in the end it doesn't matter. Either way, it makes you easy prey. I would tell you to bear this in mind in the future, and learn from the experience..."
He leans in, victim shocked still by the horrifying turn of events, and trails a metallic-tipped finger down to pause right over the hummingbird-quick beat of a heart. The bright glint of his eyes no longer seems holy - it is predatory, a cruel god observing a lowly human. There is no mercy to be found. "But you won't be walking away."
The scream echoes emptily throughout the lovely landscape.
002. Peace Lily
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms. A world divided down the center by a war of ideals. Two rulers and the power they held, and all of humanity just outside their bubble but not beyond influence.
The fae were split between the realms of the unseelie court and the seelie court - the bad and the good, the dark and the light. The reason for their disagreement? The unseelie king despised humanity. He believed them a plight upon the world, of use only to toy with for amusement and nothing more. The seelie king disapproved of such a world view, seeing just as much goodness in humanity as in faekind.
It was this that kept both fighting and spiting each other for centuries. The only one to keep them from declaring outright war with each other was a single being, a mediator who kept a fragile peace from breaking. Only one faerie in existence had the power to make both rulers listen.
Hasumi Keito was not aligned with either realm. He resided in the slim border between both - the dusk court. Unallied faeries were few and far between. Most preferred the companionship and safety that came with serving one of the rulers. Keito did not care for such things. He had taken one look at the absolutely ridiculous, petty fights between rulers who should be old enough to behave more maturely, and decided there would be no more of it. He had designated himself peacekeeper between realms, and that was that.
No one questioned why either of the kings felt compelled to accept this arrangement. They simply had, and all else was irrelevant, not for the common fae to dare ask about.
Such was the way that balance had been maintained for hundreds of years.
~
Keito enjoyed the quietness of his regular routine. He would spend his time alone, write as he wished, and have the occasional visit from one of his… whatever Rei and Eichi were. It was easy. Peaceful. Very little broke the still, silent air of the dusk court as the stars twinkled. The chaos in the fae world remained within the seelie and unseelie lands, for the most part.
Very little.
So why was the disaster of a creature disrupting the peace?
“Who are you and what are you doing outside my home?”
Simple. Straight to the point.
“Would you believe I got lost?” Nothing about his tone implied that he was, in fact, lost. There was no edge of worry to his tone, no hesitance, not a bit of a lost look in those eyes. Which meant he was here for some other reason. Though what reason that was remained a mystery.
He could tell already that this was going to be an issue. “I wouldn’t. Explain your purpose.”
The creature tilts his head. “Hm hmm, do you greet all your visitors this way? What strange customs you have here in the Dusk Court.”
“I don’t usually receive visitors,” A bit of a lie. Certain people show up on occasion. But outside of that, few venture into the border realms, and even fewer dare get near Keito Hasumi. There are all sorts of rumors about him, all of which he was aware of. That he must be powerful or dangerous to keep such a tight leash on not one, but two rulers.
Those rumors bear little weight. It is not to say that Keito doesn’t have any power, but his influence was less about that and more about his personal ties to the two.
“Oho, really?” There was no surprise to the words. The nuisance slipped past him airily, silver hair drifting behind him as he - fuck, why was he entering Keito’s house as if he lived there- “I’m honored to be one of the few, then.”
“You’re- don’t be honored, and furthermore, get out of there, you were not invited in-”
“Only vampires need such invitation! Do I look like one to you?”
He didn’t. Though there was something about the way he moved that was almost hypnotic. Which was surely the only reason he’d gotten this far. Distracting. Incorrigible.
“Clearly not. You are yet another faerie that believes he can do whatever he pleases without consequence, just like-”
“Shhh,” He chided, suddenly right in front of Keito again. His wings caught on the dim sunlight drifting through the window, a rainbow reflected as they fluttered behind him. “If you’d like to stop me, I welcome you to try. The ensuing fight would be quite entertaining, I believe.”
…What was wrong with this man.
Keito would continue to ask himself that for many years to come, unfortunately.
(Or was it fortunate?)
003. Lotus
This was his worst nightmare. A disaster to end all disasters. A terrible occurrence that should never have come to pass. The realms would never recover from the events of this day. It would be spoken of in hushed whispers by future historians who dared not say the horrors openly.
…Eichi and Wataru were sitting outside having tea together.
Keito debated whether he should even ask when they’d had time to set up an entire tea party without him noticing until now. The table overlaid with a lace tablecloth, delicate china, and countless sweets certainly hadn’t been there earlier. Nor had the ridiculous amount of rose petals surrounding the scene.
…It was probably best not to question too hard, lest he get an aneurysm. He was already on the verge of one just seeing them together and considering the terrible consequences of letting them meet. They were trouble enough each on their own, but heaven forbid they become close. Keito would lose what little sanity he had left.
Not that he had much, with Wataru popping in and out for the past month. Keito still has no inkling of where he'd come from or what he wanted.
One at a time, Keito. One at a time…
“Eichi,” He said, putting forth the effort to not sound strained. “What brings you here?”
“Oh, Keito. I was just talking to your new friend here. You certainly took your time arriving.”
As if he wasn’t the one who had randomly appeared and set up shop in Keito’s domain.
“He is no such thing to me. Rather, he should not be here at all. As for you, I keep reminding you to let me know before you show up. I am aware that you get some sort of kick out of making surprise appearances, but I will not have it.”
“See, Eichi, it is as I said! See, he is so unkind, acting as if we are not close!” Wataru leans back in his chair dramatically, hand upon his chest as if he has been mortally wounded. That expression on his face would be convincing if not for how the rest of the pleasant scenery and lack of blood offsets it.
“When did you two end up on a first name basis.”
“Just now,” Eichi chimed, the flicker in his eyes enough to let Keito know that he knew exactly what sort of heart attack he was causing with this little surprise visit. “Do try to keep up, Keito.”
Sometimes he truly lived up to his title as Emperor of the Unseelie, as much as Keito didn't see that side of him often.
Wataru, however, did not have that excuse.
“We may have short circuited his brain. Alas! Keito, Keito, come sit down,” He was given no chance to protest as he was seated in a chair that had somehow appeared for him between one blink and the next, a cup of tea pushed into his hands before he could realize what was going on.
This is why one didn’t let their guard down around creatures that could seemingly bend reality to their will.
Keito merely sighed, sipped at his tea, and resigned himself to his fate.
~
And here was the man himself invading for the nth time. It was becoming a common occurrence. He would show up, poke at Keito, sit down and talk about his daily activities as if Keito had asked (and dear god he had not. He did not need to hear about how Wataru was quite as bad as Eichi when it came to messing with humans), and generally get in the way.
…Well, Keito was beginning to get less irritated and more accepting of the circumstances the more often it happened, not that he would dare admit such a thing to Hibiki. The man would be far too excited about it, and Keito had no intention of indulging his delusions.
"Do you truly not have anything better to do? Or are you such a layabout that you can spend the entire day bothering me rather than being useful?"
"So cold! My my, are you sure you're not unseelie? Ah, perhaps an ice faerie! Yes, that would certainly explain your demeanor towards me!"
"Anyone would be annoyed by your bullshit, Hibiki."
Wataru draped himself over Keito, plucking his pen from his hands. "Oh, my dear Keito, you shouldn't say such things to me! It only makes me want to torment you more, you see~"
"You bastard, give that back at once," Keito reached up to make an attempt at getting his pen back despite the weight of Wataru clinging to him. His hand was batted away by the unholy cryptid that was Wataru's hair before it could even get close.
"Hm, no. Entertain me for a while and I'll consider it...! Rather, let me entertain you. Come come, you cannot sit here in the dark all the time."
"Do not speak to me of what I can and cannot do. You have no power over me. In fact, you should not even be inside my house. Magicking yourself in here is a misuse of power and is against societal standar-"
"Of course, Keito. You can get me out of here by letting me take you out, have you considered this?"
His complaints were not being taken seriously in the slightest. Keito was convinced that the creature Hibiki Wataru was incapable of being serious. Yet his logic was not something that could be denied. If it would get him out...
"Fine. Let us take you outside, since clearly you cannot behave while indoors."
Wataru's smile was a self-satisfied little thing. Keito had the distinct feeling he'd just played right into his hands.
Hmph. No matter. He took Wataru by the braid and dragged him out.
~
“I called upon him first, thus I should have the right to state my case before you do.”
“I do not want to hear it, Sakuma.”
“It is not about whether you would like to hear it, but whether he-”
“Both of you be silent,” Keito growled out, hand coming up to rub at his temple. Moments into this dispute and he already wanted to end this entire interaction. This was ridiculous. “Sakuma. Explain.”
He regretted his words immediately with the way Rei’s expression shifted to something smug, while Eichi frowned. There was no satisfying either of them. “Well, Tenshouin took a human that was wandering in my realm, and he did his… His unseelie nonsense.”
“I’ll have you know that the human was on my side of the border. And do tell me, what would you have done? Let it go safely? Return it to the human realm? Terrible.”
“Don’t speak of terrible things to me when you trapped him to wander eternally in the forest-”
And there they went again. “Stop, stop. We are not going to stand here arguing all evening.”
“But Keito-”
“No. Eichi. Let the human go back to where it belongs, and we’ll forgo debating the border dispute.”
“You ruin all of my fun, Keito,” Eichi huffed out, as if he was a pouting child and not a man who thought fun was playing with the lives of humans. “You never side with me on these matters. Are you sure you’re a neutral party and not a seelie?”
“You know very well that I’m not. Stop fussing about it. If you two would stop this nonsense then there wouldn’t be a need for me to side with anyone.”
“Maybe if Sakuma wouldn’t get involved in my business I would stop.”
Rei’s eyes shot to him, voice coming out a hiss behind his veil. “Perhaps if you didn’t behave the way you do, I wouldn’t feel the need to be involved,” yet just as quickly, he softened as he returned his attention to Keito. “Thank you for your judgement on the matter. How shall I ever repay you-”
“You won’t. Do not start coming up with questionable ideas.”
“Oh, but I must.”
“Absolutely not.”
~
“-With silver hair like moonlight that drives humans mad- Why, Keito, I didn't know you felt this way about me.”
“Get your hands off of that,” Keito ripped it away before the unruly creature could protest, snapping the book shut and enchanting it to stay that way for good measure. He was getting quite sick of him breaking in and stealing things like some sort of magpie. It happened often enough that he was getting good at snatching things back from those prying hands and eyes, though. Wataru gazed down at him just a little too smugly from where he perched on Keito's desk. “And get off of there. Does that look like a chair to you?”
“Anything can be a chair if one imagines hard enough. Do use that creative mind of yours, Keito,” The gossamer of his clothing shifted like water as he got up from the desk nonetheless. “You're so good at it, after all.”
“If you think sweet talking me will get you out of trouble, you're wrong. I'm not so easy to please as some people.”
“Such as our dear mutual friends?”
Keito did not deign to answer that, which was answer in itself. He put away the now forbidden book - even knowing that Wataru seemed more tempted when he told him no to something and that this would not be the last time Keito found him getting into private things - and tried very hard not to think about how much Wataru might have seen.
“Are you going to keep standing there, or did you want something?”
“Oh, but don't you like me standing here? I am your inspiration! Your muse! You need me around-”
“You are none of those things.”
“Then why am I the main character of your little story, hm~?”
Suddenly, Wataru was close. Too close, the violet of his eyes nearly violent in intensity. Were Keito a lesser faerie, he would be inching back from the overbearing weight of Wataru's full attention. It was easy to forget, in all the ways that he constantly drew attention to himself, as if life was a show and he was its lead actor, that he, too, was observing his audience. Yet it was a rare moment where he did it so openly.
Keito would not be scared off so easily. What was one faerie in the face of the people Keito dealt with on a regular basis? In comparison to having a leash on what were the gods of the fae realms in all but name?
Wataru was unpredictable, but in many ways he was also the opposite, a contradiction wrapped up in rainbows and shifting light. As much as he didn't want to speak it, he had spent far too much time trying to pick him apart, to unravel his act, to not understand the near-challenge of the question presented to him.
…Perhaps Keito was fixated. So what? Wataru was no better, showing up at random for no reason at all.
His voice was steady as he broke the charged silence.
“You're an annoyance and an incorrigible troublemaker,” Keito told him, “...But you make for an interesting protagonist.”
And then he was sweeping past. There was much to get done today, and he did not have time to drop everything to deal with one Hibiki Wataru. There were only so many days a week he could let himself get so distracted.
He was not around to see the way Wataru looked after him as he walked away, entangled somewhere between shock and interest.
Interlude. Hydrangea
"You make it rather difficult to know which side you support in everything. In fact, you seem to completely change your principals depending on the day."
"Oh, Rei," Wataru's tone betrayed nothing of his feelings, and yet Rei could tell exactly what answer was about to come. Time could not erase how well he understood Wataru's intent, even if he hid it well from others. "I'm on my own side, of course."
"Are you, now?"
"Not a sufficient answer for you? I suppose, if anything, I'm on his, then."
In perfect sync, both of them glanced over to where Eichi and Keito sat debating the merits of human literature imports. Or was it about faerie literature exports? Who knows, truly. It did not have to be stated which of them Wataru was speaking of.
"You don't take such a liking to people often."
"Neither do you."
A grin split Rei's face. "All three of us can agree on one thing, can't we? Though I'm sure he finds it rather detrimental for his own sanity."
"He most certainly does. Isn't it that stubborn part of him that makes it so fun?"
"Yes. It's cute when he pretends to hate you, isn't it?" Rei would know firsthand. His tone shifted on his next words. A question on his lips that he already knew the answer to, yet dared to ask regardless. "..Hm. You're sure you won't return to my court? You do know you're always welcome."
"I appreciate the sentiment. But no, I'm quite enjoying things as they are. The winds of change may one day come, but that shall not be today, I'm afraid."
Wataru was not a being to settle, after all.
005. Moonflower
The faerie ball was a rare moment in the fae world in which everything was truly bright and joyful. Once a year, the gathering would be held, and all beings would be welcomed. Fights were to be discarded at the doors and disrupting the celebration was a punishable offense.
Keito’s gaze drifted over the crowds milling about. He was, above all, the peacekeeper. Even tonight, he felt obligated to keep a close eye on everyone. Though it was difficult to be entirely tense when the air was free of threat. The lights glittered merrily, the stars above them were dazzling, and the sound rang only of laughter and chatter. Silk, velvet, the tinkle of jewels and metals. Spun sugar and bubbles. A distinct lack of sharp edges to be wary of.
There was nothing to be concerned about, but letting loose was not in his nature, he mused, as he sipped at a glass of pomegranate wine.
“Keitooo, we put so much work into these things and you never smile.”
“Indeed. It is unlike me to agree with Tenshouin, but you really must appreciate our efforts more.”
And the terrible two had arrived. “What makes you think I’m not appreciative? I am having a perfectly fine time.”
Eichi pouted a little, the childish expression at odds with the rich fabric and ethereal drape of his clothing. “You always say things like that. You really must get more involved in things, sometimes. Being distant from both courts all year and then still standing on the sidelines even at the fae ball - don’t you ever wish for a change of pace?”
“Hmph. I’d say I’ve gotten enough of a change of pace with that nuisance that hovers around me all the time now.”
“Hibiki isn’t so bad.”
“He’s delightful.”
“My goodness, we’re agreeing so much this evening. Aren’t you proud, Keito?” Rei’s tone was teasing, as it so often was, sanguine eyes glimmering without the obstruction of his usual veil. Keito did not find irritation rising so quickly as it usually did. This was not a night for lectures.
“Don’t expect praise for something so simple.”
“So harsh. Ah, always trying to shatter the heart of this poor old man-”
“You’re only a century older-”
“And yet-”
An increase in volume from the gathered crowd distracted all three of them. Three pairs of eyes looked over to find none other than the very man they had just discussed. Wataru made his entrance as dramatically as one might expect, drawing all eyes upon himself like the attention whore he was. Incorrigible.
Yet Keito, too, was just as trapped watching him as everyone else, no more able to look away despite his supposed contempt. It was a trance, hypnotic as the glimmer of those iridescent wings.
Wataru broke the spell as he waved at him from across the room, looking all too delighted in that moment, before he turned back to his little gaggle of fans. Keito huffed out a sigh.
“Oh my, do I sense romance in the air~?”
“Absolutely not. Shut up before I shut you up myself, Eichi.”
“What is that one human saying? He doth protest too much?”
The night proceeded normally. There was the usual bickering before both Rei and Eichi eventually drifted off to mingle. Keito downed another glass of wine. Time slowed into something syrupy sweet, as it often did during these parties.
Keito eventually slipped away from the noise and commotion of it all to take a moment alone. The garden was quieter, dimmer, only the moon hovering high above watchfully.
As loud and flashy as he could be, Wataru could be equally silent in his approach. Keito did not sense him until he was right next to him, standing there with that long hair catching the moonlight, as if a moonbeam all on its own.
“The moon is beautiful tonight,” There was something unusually soft in Wataru’s voice. Keito chose not to look too deeply into it. Denial had gotten him this far and it would continue to do so.
“So it is.”
“So are you.”
By the heavens above Hibiki Wataru needed to think before speaking sometimes. Keito’s eyes cut over to him. No, no. With that look on his face, he’d certainly thought it through. He usually did. He simply chose to say the most absolutely shameless things anyway.
“Has anyone ever told you not to flirt if you don’t mean it? I’m not one of your human victims to be charmed, Hibiki.”
“Who said I didn’t mean it, Keito?”
Now that was even more troublesome.
“You don’t.”
“Do you think I cannot be genuine?”
…Did he? Keito has to pause to consider it for a moment. Wataru was in most ways an enigma. Around one moment and gone the next, slipping in and out of people’s lives and tightrope-walking the line of black and white. And never, ever revealing anything about what lay behind that mask. He could not blame Keito for his distrust. “Not necessarily. I simply think you’re not, the vast majority of the time.”
“And if I was right now?”
“In that case, I’d ask what you’re after here.”
Wataru laughed, as if Keito had said something hilarious. Keito did not see what was funny about this. “You’re overthinking it, aren’t you? Of course you are.”
“So would anyone. I don't see your point.”
“You wouldn't,” Was he being condescended to? Keito frowned, opening his mouth to protest, but Wataru placed a finger over his lips. “No, no. How about we take a moment and put aside all of those pesky little hesitations for once, hm? If there were any night to do it, wouldn't it be tonight? We all must put away our conflicts for the ball.”
“Our interpersonal conflicts-”
“Then why not our internal ones~?”
“...What are you saying.”
“I'm saying that you should stop thinking too hard and allow yourself to accept things for what they are for once. Take my confession at face value, Keito. Is that too difficult?”
For once, Wataru… Truly did not seem to be messing with him. It was a strange development. Keito was hardly one to go along with anything without thinking it through extensively… but he supposed if he was ever going to give in to impulse without consideration for the repercussions, it would have to be here and now. Perhaps he'd regret it later. Perhaps Wataru really had simply made all this up just to see if he could get away with it. But for now… Would it hurt to play along? The moon was bright, the atmosphere was lively, and there was no place for inhibitions at a celebration.
A change of pace, as someone had said.
“...Fine. Say I believe you. What happens after that?”
A smile set Wataru's face alight as he offered a hand. “Then shall we dance, my dear Keito?”
And so Keito let himself be swept away.
006. Dogwood
“...Hibiki, what is this.”
It was very clear what it was, of course. It was hard not to recognize a dead body on his porch. He supposed he should be grateful it wasn’t someone familiar. But still, the blood.. Not to mention the ethical dilemma of it all…
“I should think it would be obvious!” Wataru chirped, as if this was entirely normal.
“Let me rephrase. What is this doing here. At my doorstep.”
“It’s a gift! A sign of my love! Surely you understand the gesture!”
Keito released a sigh. Of course. What did he expect from this creature. “What are you, a cat bringing a dead animal to it’s owner? I.. appreciate the sentiment, but I have no use for this sort of thing. I shall sit you down and lecture you about appropriate courting gifts.”
“No need! I shall adjust my list of gifts as necessary! Hm, yes, I suppose you wouldn’t like a body the way Eichi would-”
“Courting-?” Was that what they were doing? No, that shouldn’t be a surprise after the ball… Still, to say it so openly… Keito shook his head a little. “Nevermind that, how many people have you killed, Hibiki.”
Wataru waved off the words, striking out some list items on a comically long sheet of paper. “Don’t worry about such things.”
Keito was, in fact, quite worried.
~
…As he had every right to be, considering what Wataru came up with next.
“You do not enjoy lifeless humans, so I have brought you a live one! A simple solution to the problem, yes?”
Wataru had to be doing this just to fuck with him, There was no way he was serious - he was not Eichi or Rei, who were rather too oblivious to what was and wasn’t appropriate. Right? Wasn't he? Keito could feel the headache that would surely escalate already. “The issue was not just the death, Hibiki-! You cannot just be bringing me humans as a gift, for god’s sake. Have you considered trying flowers or something normal, for once?”
“You are quite picky, I see,” A- strand? Tentacle? God only knew what went on with this man - of Wataru’s hair was wrapped around that man’s arm to keep him in place. Not that he was going anywhere. That vacant stare was evidence enough that he was in a trance. Couldn’t Wataru go back to using his abilities for silly but harmless nonsense and not this? Honestly. “Don’t you like him? You like blonds, do you not?”
Keito was going to murder him.
“I- you’re insane. And you need to shut up!” Keito reached out and tugged the human away from Wataru, before the bastard could cause any more trouble. “I like you, not just any random creature you present me with, so think on that while I put this back where it belongs. Where did you pick it up from.”
Wataru blinked back at him for a long moment, as if he was the one in a trance. What was his issue this time? Was he blushing? This was no time for that. Before Keito could snap him out of it, he switched back to normal as if it hadn’t happened, as if that glimpse of whatever Keito had just seen was all in his imagination. “Perhaps I may have borrowed one of Rei’s favorites. I’m sure you can bring him to the seelie court and things will be taken care of, if you must. Oh, but now I must go back to the drawing board! I will find something you like, my dear Keito~!”
“Doubtful. Fine, stay here and do that, then. Don’t make a mess.”
He did not bother waiting for a response before taking the human away.
~
He traipsed through these halls at least a few times a year, but fae still stopped and stared as he moved past every time. Having a tumultuous reputation would do that. Keito ignored it for the most part. He had goals to accomplish and he did not have the interest in dragging it out longer than necessary.
Rei's realm was unnecessarily dark. Trees clouding over the path, ominous whispers in every shadow, only the occasional lantern to brighten things. One would think he'd let in a little light or leave some indicator of any kind that this was the supposed good realm, yet he allowed it to appear foreboding. Keito supposed he could do as he pleased, but that didn't mean he had to approve of all of Rei’s choices.
The guards outside of the seelie kingdom’s throne room knew better than to try to restrict his access. Keito outranked them, not to mention whatever it was that went on between him and the ruler of the seelie. He passed between the doors unimpeded.
“Sakuma. Take this human back.”
“Not even a hello…? Hm- oh, Kaoru. I had wondered where you got off to.”
“Blame it on Hibiki.”
“That would explain the state of him. Well, no matter,” One of Rei’s butterflies floated over gently to land on Kaoru’s shoulder. The moment it touched down, the trance snapped.
“What the-” The human shook his head, as if that would do anything to dissipate the remainder of the dreamlike haze he'd been under. It took a moment before he came back to himself enough to take in where he was. “...It happened again, didn't it.”
“Maybe so.”
Again? Implying this was a regular thing? Keito would ask, but it wasn't really the time, now was it… There were many things to be questioned here. What was Rei even doing with a human in his realm. That was a bad decision for reasons which had just been proven. Keito looked between them as Rei explained what had happened, trying to decipher what manner of nonsense this was. After a few moments, during which there was quite a lot of complaining from the human and Rei very much not taking it seriously, Kaoru turned to leave.
“What do we say to people who keep us from being entranced until we wither away, Kaoru?” His tone was chiding.
A sigh. “Thank you, Hasumi-san.”
“Don't get into trouble next time,” Was all that Keito replied with.
And then Kaoru exited the room, grumbling about faeries and their magic and who hypnotizes a random guy anyway, One would think he would be used to the oddities of the fae realms by now. Then again, the way Rei likely treated him had to be quite different from anyone from the other realms.
“You ought to give him some sort of protective token if you’re going to have him here.”
Rei shook his head. “No need. He can manage surviving the seelie realm perfectly well.”
“He just got kidnapped and hypnotized, you fool,” In what world was the managing.
“Wataru would not do anything harmful to him.”
“Wataru wouldn’t-” Did Rei just overlook anything questionable that Wataru did? Delusional. Insanity of the highest degree. “He quite literally dropped a dead body at my door the other day.”
“I cannot say I’m surprised. He would not do such a thing to anyone important, though. I assume you gave him a talking to as well.”
“I did. You shouldn’t expect him to listen to me, however.”
“I’m certain that he will,” Once again, delusional. Keito doubted that creature was capable of listening to anyone. Rei did not elaborate on his words beyond that, finally drifting down from his throne to stand before Keito. There was a thread of something in the air between them. He knew very well that Rei was about to say something questionable. “Perhaps you should remain here for the night. I haven't seen you since the ball.”
Ah.
“I should be getting back…” If only to make sure Wataru didn't cause any more disasters to clean up in the dusk court.
“Stay for dinner,” There was more insistence in the statement than before. He was quite set on Keito staying longer, wasn't he? Another hour or two probably wouldn't hurt… Though of course it was best not to give into Rei too often, lest he get spoiled. Keito had enough spoiled brats in his life.
“Fine. But only for dinner.”
Rei's eyes twinkled. “Sure, sure. Only for dinner.”
~
Wataru’s attempts to woo him became more… normal. Rare flowers from the human realm, pens to replace those he'd stolen over the past year, little trinkets. No more humans. It was almost too easy and too calm, but Keito didn't find it within him to complain. He'd grown too used to Wataru, and - he couldn't exactly say he disliked him, as annoying as he could be. He felt almost as if he'd been lured into some trap, but there was no helping it now. It had been over the moment he let Wataru start courting him on that night at the ball.
The seasons pass in a near dreamlike haze.
Interlude: Kalmia
Light spilled out across the scene, rays perfectly aligned as if placed there purposefully to frame the central figure. Knowing how things were, that was quite possibly the case. It wouldn’t be above a man like the unseelie king to manipulate even the smallest detail, now would it?
Eichi’s smile was all sunlight. He was every bit the delicate porcelain vase that held a blooming bouquet of flowers, gold dripping like filigree over his crown and across the pristine white silk wrapped around him. It was no wonder why people got tricked into believing he was seelie. He looked the part, if one ignored the tumultuous hurricane beneath the serene surface.
Luckily, Wataru was quite the same. The rainbows, the glimmering gauze he pulled over the eyes of those around him… It could only do so much to hide the fact that he was born a predator.
Though the act he chose to put on was as much himself as anything else, he supposed. It was in his nature. A changeling became whatever role they took on, after all.
“You're always welcome, but I must ask - to what do I owe the visit?” The question was framed casually. Eichi continued to pluck at the rose in his hand, gold tipped fingers against delicate white petals.
“Can one not merely choose to visit with no ulterior motive?”
The birds were silent.
“One can. But one usually makes arrangements in advance. You know I'm quite a busy man.”
“Mhm, busy tormenting human visitors, I assume!”
Eichi laughed. “My, my, is that what you think of me? You're not much better. I heard you brought poor Keito a human.”
“I thought I would see what reaction it would elicit. Things get too predictable otherwise,” It wasn't a lie. He got most of his entertainment from prying whatever reaction he could get out of others. Keito was no exemption. Though it was quite a different task with him than it was to lure unsuspecting humans into damning deals or befuddle them until they were too entangled in the fae realms to ever escape. It was different, too, from choosing benevolence and leading them back out again or granting them their requests.
No, Keito Hasumi was fae as much as the rest of them. Though it was great fun to push at his boundaries. It was easy to see where the loyalties and morality of one from the seelie or unseelie realms lay. But Keito's ethical limits could be poked and prodded at, an enigma of a sort he rarely got his hands on. It was what had first drawn him in.
What kept him after - no need to state the obvious, now was there? There was little that could make a creature like him settle.
“Do you ever intend to tell him?”
“What, that we have played as if we didn't already know each other? I think the act is far too amusing to quit.”
“Were you still a subject of my realm I'd remind you not to play dumb with me, my Wataru.”
“Should we count ourselves lucky or unlucky that I'm not?” The bird had long flown from its cage. Or should he say it had been thrown from it? Irregardless - “Does it matter, truly? I have lived in all four realms and I have chosen none of them. My origin has no bearing on anything.”
“You’ve chosen none of them? That’s quite the bold statement.”
“What would you call it?”
The last of the rose petals fall from Eichi's hand, dissipating into ash in the breeze. “Nothing at all.”
“Oho~? Really?”
“Sure. But, Wataru?”
“Yes?”
“Just remember that he's not yours alone~”
007. Honeysuckle
“...Marriage? You two?”
“There's no need to sound so disbelieving, Keito. You should be glad we've decided to take peacemaking measures without you forcing us to,” Eichi leaned forward, chin resting on his folded hands. The picture of innocence.
“Indeed. I would've expected you to be delighted.”
There's got to be a catch. There was absolutely no way they were serious. Right…? Keito cannot conceive a world in which these two willingly come to him talking about getting married to unite the realms.
No. This absolutely can't be real.
Keito shook his head. “You're all playing another one of your little jokes. Do you think that I'm so gullible?”
“This is quite serious. Why do you think you were called? You'll be mediating the marriage contract.”
…Rei had a point, though he didn't want to admit as much. It made sense that they would call him, if this was serious. Deals and contracts were very, very serious in the fae realms. They were the lifeblood of magic, deeply woven into the world, something unbreakable that could chain or free a soul. Marriage fell under that umbrella - it was for this very reason that marriage was considered both drastic and intimidating to many. Messing with a wishful human was one thing, but to tie your life to another faerie… And for the two most important figures in their society to suggest doing this…
…Keito tried not to think too deeply about his own personal feelings on the matter.
“Fine. Have you written up anything yet?”
Eichi smiled, waving a hand for the papers to materialize in front of Keito. He adjusted his glasses with a sigh, reading through the marriage contract. He was still not entirely convinced that this whole thing was serious, but there was no harm in playing along…
It seemed fairly reasonable. Framing it as an additional measure to maintain peace between the seelie and unseelie. Though Keito highly doubted that was all it was. For all their bickering and ethical conflict, no one spent so much time together if they truly despised one another…
Keito nearly choked on air as he got to the clause section on the last page. Were his glasses broken? What? His gaze shifted between Rei and Eichi. Then to the ever present nuisance standing behind his chair. “Did you know about this?”
“Most certainly,” Wataru replied, not at all ruffled by this, unlike Keito himself.
Suspicious. Had this all been going on behind his back? What were these fools up to?
“You- I- why must you make everything so complicated? What even possessed you to-”
“It's love, Keito~ It's only complicated if you make it such,” Wataru chided.
Keito frowned, staring down at the papers in front of him. He felt as if he was going insane. Perhaps he'd finally lost it. This was it. The end of his sanity. This contract shall only be held valid should one Hasumi Keito and Hibiki Wataru become participants in the marriage. This is non negotiable.
“Are you really that surprised, Keito?”
His wings twitched, somewhere between irritable and flustered. “I knew Hibiki was trying to court me. I was not aware that you two were up to something.”
Rei leveled him with a gaze that said Keito was very stupid. “Do you think we simply stopped warring with one another for no reason? You do realize how insolent it would have been for anyone else to have come marching up to us and demanding an end to it?”
No, Eichi had killed for less, but-
“You do not have so much power because we view you as a friend, Keito,” Eichi leaned a little closer. “We've been courting you for years. Did you really not know?”
Keito blinked. Years? He'd honestly had no idea that any of this was going on. Perhaps he should've been able to figure it out, but… Well, they hadn't been obvious about it-! Hibiki had made himself much more clear about his intentions in a much shorter amount of time!
“...I think you both need to learn to be less cryptic about things,” A futile thing to hope, but nonetheless. “Regardless, I… I suppose we can work with this. But are you certain you wish to follow through?”
“Is that a yes, Keito?”
Keito's eyes narrowed. “Propose properly and I'll consider it,” They hadn't done the rest properly. They could do this much.
“Oh, so it's not a no!” Wataru slips into the chair next to Keito, looking just a little too smug. “I've done my part, yes? It's your turn, now~”
Eichi and Rei would spend the month before the marriage ceremony desperately trying to gain Keito's favor.
~
Human marriage ceremonies laid the scene in white, rings and long vows and an audience. A performance of grand proportion. For faeries, it was simpler. Faerie rings, as much as they could entrap a poor victim, were just as much utilized in other contracts. It was a simple matter of standing in one, linking magic with intent, and that was that.
Knowing the other three, they may desire to have some sort of celebration after all of this. They were all just a bit too showy and attention seeking. But for now, it was only them, here, alone. A location in the dusk realm, for the sake of neutrality. The eternal twilight shown down through the trees. And Wataru and Keito stood in the center of the circle.
The faerie ring around them glowed softly, light pooling around and refracting off of their wings, flowers blooming along the edges. The air around them fell still as if in reverence of the moment. There was something almost strange about it. Keito lived on the line between realms, a place the few would tread in favor of picking sides. It had been many years of quiet. Centuries of silence broken only by the occasional dispute or visit from two people who refused to live in harmony. Keito had anticipated many more years of this, and he had been perfectly fine with that. Being alone was no issue for him.
He certainly hadn't anticipated that he would ever be in this situation. Marriage. To this oddity, of all things. And not only to him. His gaze shifted over to the other two, waiting surprisingly patiently for their turn. He was surprised they were not making a fuss.
Well, there was some sort of undefined truce in place when it came to Wataru...
"Don't let your mind drift off, my dear Keito...~"
"...I'm not. Let's finish the ceremony, before something inevitably interrupts us."
“Eager, are we? Let's do it,” A strand of Wataru's magic trailed out as he took Keito's hands in his. Keito's own responded in kind. And then Keito reached towards Rei and Eichi, the faerie ring rapidly expanding. They joined the ceremony, the glow brightening as blue met gold met green met violet. It was much like the humans’ myths of strings of fate, the exchange of magical vows that entangled them within the ring. There were no further words exchanged. Such things were unnecessary, everything left on display by the marriage contract weaving itself into them.
And then it was over. The light faded, leaving the world changed and unchanged all at once. Even as their hands separated, the gentle pull of the connection remained.
Was this what a contract felt like? Out of all of them, Keito was the one least accustomed to it. He rarely dealt with humans, or even other faeries, so there was rarely occasion for it. The presence of it was not something he was used to, yet somehow it felt familiar.
The mediator was meant only to facilitate connection between others, and yet had been wrapped up in the troublesome matters of the people he watched over. Maintaining the peace, resolving the squabbles, defining the boundaries of compromise. Keeping the balance but never becoming involved personally.
Centuries of distance from all faekind swept away in an instant.
But was that a bad thing, or would it only make peace easier?
Keito brushed aside the thoughts. As Wataru had once told him, sometimes it was necessary to put overthinking aside and let the moment be. And looking at the bright smiles of the ones in front of him, warmth thrumming beneath his skin -
Perhaps this was happily ever after.