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To say that Alcryst was fascinated by the prince of Solm was quite the understatement.
Since the first day Fogado graced the Somniel, Alcryst swore that the clouds themselves parted in the midst of his sheer radiance. Light and levity exuded from his being in a manner so effortless that it felt inhuman — almost divine. And since that day, Alcryst retreated further into his own shadow, shying away lest Fogado’s light burn right through him.
There was something attractive yet frightening about him. Enticing yet comforting, confidence and warmth entwined in a single form. The longer Alcryst spent trying to discern his own emotions, the more potent his fearful curiosity grew. His most selfish desires manifested in the urge to be in his presence. To be like him, to be with him, to believe the kind words he uttered held truth behind them. But with every nicety exchanged, Alcryst cast himself further and further into denial.
He wouldn’t dare label Fogado a liar; he was merely a victim of deception. Anything of value that Fogado saw within him had to be a ruse-- he was certain of it. Yet with every attempt to run, hide, or turn a blind eye to his presence, escape eluded him.
Again and again, he found himself pulled back into orbit. And with each encounter, he found it more difficult to pull away.
── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──
Cafe Terrace was bustling as always.
Despite the ample space the Somniel provided, people gravitated towards the café in droves. Perhaps it was the smell of spiced meats drawing people in, or the casual, comfortable seating provided by the cafe. People congregated in groups, mingling with one another over tea and the hot meal provided by the chef on duty. As his retainers took their lunch elsewhere and Diamant elected to enjoy his meal in the company of Prince Alfred, Alcryst was left to his own devices.
While he used the fleeting moments of solitude to ponder his meal plan for the afternoon, the relentlessly jovial call of “Hey, Prince Alcryst!” rang out behind him, clear and crisp as it echoed across the courtyard. He briefly considered making a hasty retreat, but before he knew it, he found himself pressed against Fogado’s side with a toned arm around his shoulder. “There you are! Been looking for you everywhere!”
Alcryst froze in place. This is how it always began.
“Have you eaten already?”
“U-Um. Well, no, but—“
“Great! We can grab a bite together!”
“What?!” Alcryst’s voice cracked. “Why?!”
Fogado raised an eyebrow. “Because I want to spend time with you?”
“…Why?”
“Because I like you!” His lips curled into another one of his signature, shining smiles.
And once again, Alcryst was rendered powerless in its wake. His chest burned, curling into a knot so tight it sent him staggering backwards. He cast his gaze toward the stone path below, searching for a suitable distraction among the grooves.
“That’s… that’s not…!”
“C’mon, it’ll be my treat.” Fogado took a step towards him, eyes alight with intrigue. “Just you and me! Whaddya say?”
Alcryst swallowed hard. The Prince Fogado wanted to share a meal with him. Not with his friends, not with any of the other royals but him? It felt like a dream— a fantasy, if he was allowed to be so bold. The mere thought sounded (quite literally) too good to be true. If he were a better person, a stronger person, he would have said yes with no hesitation. But where Fogado was the sun, Alcryst was his shadow, cursed to always be just out of reach.
“I’m sorry,” Alcryst murmured. “But I can’t.”
A pang of guilt struck him as Fogado frowned. His cheery disposition returned before Alcryst could offer yet another apology. “Shame. Next time, yeah?”
An innumerable amount of excuses sprang to the forefront of his mind, leaving Alcryst to simmer in his own dismal nature. Fogado gently brushed past him and entered the cafe, patting him on the shoulder as he made his exit. Even after he was long gone, Alcryst could still feel the warmth of his hands lingering on his skin. Soon, Fogado vanished around the corner, flanked by people every bit as bright and beautiful as he was.
And yet, despite the ache in his chest, Alcryst knew that this was how things were meant to be.
── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──
In between training, skirmishes, and the ceaseless bouts with the Corrupted, somehow, the Somniel remained bustling with activity at all times. Undeterred by the turmoil awaiting below the clouds, laughter and merriment echoed across the boundless sky. While the others basked in the sunlight and frolicked by the poolside, Alcryst was content with resting by the makeshift campsite with a good book.
He sat on an overturned log in silence. The cool breeze brushed past his cheeks, carrying the sweet sound of music through the air. With each turn of the page, his focus waned until the words ran together and lost meaning. He found himself staring off into the distance and allowing the music to pull him deeper and deeper into a trance. He rose to his feet and wandered up the narrow path, utterly entranced.
He walked until he found himself just outside of the clearing by the pond. Standing front and center between the scarlet seating was none other than Prince Fogado. Instrument in hand, focused gaze fixed upon his instrument, looking every bit as regal as a prince could be.
Alcryst took a step back. Maybe it wasn’t too late to flee. Maybe he hadn’t noticed him. Maybe the Divine Dragon had taken pity on him and he would be allowed to slip away and carry on his day without making a complete and utter fool of himself. Alcryst took a few more steps back and tucked behind the nearest bush, holding his breath as if he would drown in his own anxiety on the spot.
For a moment, everything was still. Everything was fine. His shallow, shaky breaths had slowed, and it looked as if he had gotten away with it. He allowed himself a quiet sigh of relief.
“Hey, Alcryst! Thought I recognized you!”
His world came crumbling down all over again.
It began right on cue. Sweaty palms, dry throat, the scratch at the back of his throat– the full force of his distress nearly sent him reeling. His eyes darted around in search of a place to hide, but he knew it was far too late. His fate was sealed the moment their eyes met through the gaps of the bush.
“Prince Fogado!” Alcryst squeaked. He pushed himself away from the bush, swatting away stray foliage in a frantic attempt to look casual. “I was just passing through! Just leaving! Don’t mind me!”
“Just passing through.” Fogado echoed.
“Y-Yes!”
“Through the bushes?” Fogado raised an eyebrow, his tone remaining light and playful.
“Because I... I dropped something. In the bushes. While walking. Terrible, clumsy me, haha…!”
“Riiiight.” Fogado nodded slowly, giving him a knowing look. “Well, why don’t you relax for a while?”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly! I have to…” He trailed off, struggling to pull from his near-infinite pool of excuses.
“Just for a minute or two! I’ll even take requests if you got any.”
In a rare turn of events, Alcryst was rendered speechless. Without an excuse at his disposal, he had no choice but to relent. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”
Fogado’s eyes lit up and the atmosphere itself followed suit. “Great! Take a seat!”
Alcryst slunk from his hiding place and joined Fogado in the clearing. He took a seat on one of the benches and folded his hands in his lap. While he shifted in place in an awkward attempt to get comfortable, Fogado began to re-tune his instrument.
“Got a song on your mind? Tune in your heart?”
“Sorry, music isn’t… one of my strong suits.”
“No worries. I’ll just have to give you the works.” Fogado winked. “Take a stroll through the sandy shores of Solm with a medley of our finest folk songs. Curated by yours truly, of course.”
Alcryst’s brow furrowed, but he remained silent. When Fogado began to play, he watched with rapt attention. The way his fingertips effortlessly skimmed across the strings, the contemplative look upon his face, the soft humming that followed his music, the way the setting sun gracefully fell upon his brow— he was the very picture of perfection. For a moment, Alcryst forgot himself. He gazed at the boy in front of him not with fear or envy, but full, unbridled affection.
When his performance had reached its end, Fogado turned to face the horizon. He greeted the sunset with widened eyes. “Huh! Didn’t realize it was getting so late! I didn’t mean to hold you up.”
“I didn’t mind.” Alcryst said. “It was… beautiful.”
“You think so?”
“Yes!” Alcryst rose to his feet, speaking with more fervor. “You’re incredibly talented, Prince Fogado! The way you played was captivating! It made me feel as if I was actually there and… and…!”
The frantic nature of his words finally hit him. In his rush of euphoria, for a fleeting moment, things such as shame or modesty had no place for him. But with Fogado holding his gaze, hanging onto his every word, his composure began to slip away. Clumsy silence seeped into his words, leaving him a prisoner to his own nerves.
“Aaaaand?” Fogado prompted with a gentle nudge. “C’mon, let me hear it.”
“Sorry, what I meant was…” The knot in the pit of his stomach tightened. “I liked it. Quite a bit.”
Fogado’s silence left him feeling uneasy. Alcryst knew something had to be wrong. He had come on too strong, said too much, maybe even not enough. He prepared for another torrent of apologies, but Fogado broke the tension.
“If you liked it so much, maybe I can play for you again some time!”
“For…me?”
“Yeah! It’ll be a real good way to unwind, don’t you think? You get a private show, I stay in practice. We both come out of it with something.”
The prospect of such undeserved attention sent Alcryst into a spiral. He backed away, feeling trapped despite the open air around him. “W-Why would you do that?! You’re busy enough as is! I couldn’t possibly take up so much of your precious time!”
“Because I like spending time with you.” Fogado offered him a warm smile. “Said before and I’ll say it again. And I’ll mean it every time.”
He liked spending time with him. He liked spending time with him. No matter how many times he repeated it, it never sounded right. It never would sound right. Even if he wanted to believe that there could be a modicum of truth behind those words, such wishful thinking only filled him with an overwhelming sense of dread.
He felt exposed, as if Fogado could look right through him and see him for the dismal wretch he truly was. Unable to cope with the thought, Alcryst fled from the scene. Fogado’s cries for him to return only made him run faster.
People like Fogado simply didn’t mix with people like him; that was how things were meant to be.
── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──
It had been a close call. Too close, to be exact.
Alcryst had seen his fair share of skirmishes under the employ of the Divine Dragon, each of them proving to be more grueling than the last. But the previous battle would haunt him for weeks on end, if not for the rest of his life.
The Corrupted poured in from every direction. Steel clashed against steel. Grunts of exertion mixed with grunts of pain. With each enemy that fell, a new one rose in its place. Separated from his group and with distance as his only advantage, Alcryst grit his teeth and began picking off the enemies within his range. Bit by bit, he pierced through the sea of monsters, carving a path back towards his allies.
Beyond the fallen corpses, he could make out the blazing reds of his brother’s attire amid the sea of mottled, purple bodies, For just that moment, the tension in his shoulders relaxed. Relief lifted the weight from his shoulders and in that brief, fleeting moment, his focus wandered and–
“Alcryst!”
Alcryst snapped himself out of his haze. He scrambled to reach for another arrow but froze in place as something just barely zipped past his ear. Behind him, a gurgling shriek ripped into the open air and the impact of a heavy, rotten body struck the ground. In front of him, a certain Solmic prince brandished his bow.
As much as he wanted to marvel at such a gallant act of heroism, there were more important matters at hand.
“On your left!” Alcryst immediately threw himself to the right, regaining a grip on his bow just in time to fire another arrow at a foe creeping up behind Fogado. Alcryst could make out the faintest flicker of a smile out of the corner of his eyes before he turned to release another volley of arrows. The two picked off their foes in tandem, with Fogado swapping his bow out for a sword when the enemy got too close for comfort. Once the path was clear, the two separated, not to see each other until the battle had reached its end, and everyone regrouped to assess their injuries.
And Alcryst felt awful about it.
Not about the fact that he had saved him-- that was a blessing-- but the fact that he had to be saved troubled him. He wasn’t ungrateful, far from it really, but it was so distressing that the longer he thought about it, the more it began to bother him. In times like this, the first instinct was to apologize. But perhaps, just this once, he could find it within himself to simply thank him and leave it at that.
Alcryst felt compelled to seek him out. He checked the pond clearing, the orchard fountain, the pool— all the locations Fogado tended to frequent. But it was the barracks where he found the prince, sitting upon a crate and restringing his bow. Ignoring the sweat pooling in his palms, he approached him.
“Prince Fogado…?”
“Prince Alcryst.” Fogado grinned. “If you need me to move—”
“No! No, you’re fine right where you are. I just wanted to…” He trailed off. His fingers twitched, nails primed to begin picking at their sides. “To thank you. For what you did for me earlier.”
Fogado’s brow raised. “Oh! Well, you’re welcome for… whatever that may have been. …If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly am I being thanked for again?”
“You saved me! If it hadn’t been for you, I would’ve been terribly hurt or worse and it’s thanks to you that I can even stand here to give you my gratitude at all!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy!” Fogado rose to his feet and set his bow down on the crate. “You don’t have to thank me. I’d like to think it makes us even. You know how many times you’ve had my back out there? Way too many to even begin counting.”
Yet again, Alcryst found himself speechless. All he could do was stand there, eyes wide, absorbed in his own confusion.
“Besides, why wouldn’t I help you? Yeah, you’re my ally. And yeah, you’re a prince. But you’re my friend first and foremost. Friends gotta look out for each other.”
Friends. Prince Fogado of Solm considered him a friend. A friend worth protecting. A real, genuine friend. It was a dizzying sort of excitement, so intoxicating that it threatened to sweep him off of his feet and right into a fainting spell. They were friends! Fogado thought they were friends!
And yet, even in the sudden rush of his euphoria, his own doubt managed to seep through. It felt… wrong, somehow. Being labeled as a friend in this manner felt too easy. He hadn’t earned it. He didn’t deserve it. Why would he?
“I don’t think I can accept that.” Alcryst murmured, nails digging harder into his skin. “I’m flattered, honored even. But… I can’t be—”
“Can I ask you something?” Suddenly Fogado was right in front of him, brown eyes boring right through him. “How come you never believe me when I say things like that?”
“I’m-- I’m sorry? I don’t follow.”
“Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, I’m telling the complete and honest truth when I say I like you? That I like spending time with you? That I think of you as a friend?”
Alcryst balked. The words came out faster than he could comprehend. “No! No, it’s not that!”
“Then… what? Is it because you don’t like me?”
“Of course not!” Alcryst could feel the heat rising to his face. “It’s not you! It was never you!”
Again, Fogado pressed. “So why?”
“Because it’s me!” He blurted out. “I’m me and you’re… you! People flock to you because you’re you and I’m just me! People like you don’t seek out people like me!”
The air between them felt heavy. Each moment of silence felt loaded, straining with the weight of all of the things left unsaid between them. Alcryst braced for the worst. Tears, agitation, humiliation—anything to appease the intrusive thoughts that refused to allow him to entertain any sort of bond between them.
Fogado posed one final question. An earnest inquiry in a soft tone. “Why?”
Alcryst didn’t have an answer for that.
── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──
Alcryst was absolutely, positively, not a party person.
Between the noise, the sheer amount of people, and the sweltering temperatures that accompanied large crowds, being invited to a party felt more akin to a punishment than an honor. When met with an invitation to a celebration hosted by the Somniel’s resident party priest, Alcryst insisted that the invitation be passed along to someone else. Anyone else.
But as Pandreo had so eloquently put it, “Any friend of Fogado’s is a friend of mine!”.
And so, despite his insistence on spending his evening as far away from the festivities as possible, Alcryst found himself dragged to the center of it all, drowning in the sea of dancing bodies and raucous cheering that flooded the venue. Ears ringing, knees wobbling, Alcryst swore that he would meet his grisly end right there on the dance floor. And the howling– oh, the howling. It was a scene right out of his worst nightmares, plagued with sweat and shouting and spilled refreshments.
He clutched onto a cup of water for dear life as he squeezed through the mob of dancing partygoers. Across the room, he could just barely make out the sight of an empty seat. Clinging to his last shred of hope, Alcryst made a mad dash for the bench and collapsed upon it once he was within reach. He let out a sigh of relief, though to any other spectator, it looked as if he were having an asthmatic episode over his drink.
He observed the party from afar, watching as the dancers glided effortlessly across the floor. Twirling, gyrating, joining hands– they made it look so easy, perhaps even enjoyable. He lost himself in the spectacle. Spinning colors, the howls and shrieks of laughter, joy, joy, joy.
A resonant voice rang out over the noise. “There you are! Some night, huh?”
He tore his sight away from the dizzying display and looked up to see Fogado taking a seat next to him. Although he was out of breath and his forehead was dotted with sweat, he still managed to look picturesque under the dim lights. Amidst the shroud of unfamiliarity, Fogado’s presence was a great comfort. Surprisingly, he didn't feel the usual need to escape or create distance between them. Instead, he felt a strong desire to stay close to ensure his own safety.
Fogado smiled at him, panting slightly as he leaned back in his seat. “Hoo, it’s wild out there! You don’t even know the half of it!”
“I can tell!” Alcryst strained to speak up. “It’s…something!”
“Might be the biggest function we’ve ever had!”
At this point, Alcryst was far too exhausted to pull from his collection of sensible, normal responses for conversation. All he could do was nod in response.
“I know this isn’t your scene,” Fogado ran a hand through his hair. “But I’m glad to see you.”
There it was again. That candid compassion which never failed to make Alcryst feel lightheaded, nauseous, and giddy all at once. “I’m…glad I came too.” He offered a shaky smile, quickly masking it with a large swig of water.
Fogado’s lips pressed together in a thin line– an expression that Alcryst could recognize as telltale sign of him processing his own thoughts. His eyes suddenly lit up.
Oh no.
“Hey,” Fogado nudged him. “Wanna dance?”
Oh no.
“M-Me?! Dance?!” Alcryst felt his blood run cold. “Oh, no, I mean– I’m not much of a dancer! I’ve got two left feet and no sense of rhythm and all I know are ballroom dances but I’d probably just step on your toes and–”
“Come on, it’ll be fine!”
Alcryst yelped as Fogado pulled him off of the seat and onto his feet. His now empty cup went tumbling to the ground, crushed under his boot as he stumbled through the crowd and dodging flailing arms on all sides. They came to an abrupt stop right in the middle of the makeshift dance floor.
Oh, Divine One, spare me.
Like a deer in a hunter’s line of sight, Alcryst froze.
“Come on, eyes on me.” Fogado turned to face him, taking both of his hands.
“I can’t-- We can’t!”
“It’s just you and me.” Fogado began to move and Alcryst had no choice but to follow.
His movements were stiff and awkward, as seemed to be his natural state. But with the music blaring, the howls of the crowd vibrating through his skull, and the erratic thumping of his heartbeat ringing through his ears, the only thing he could properly focus on was the boy in front of him encouraging him with every step he took. Bit by bit, he willed his body to move in sync. It was grotesque, a mixture of half-remembered waltzes and improvised flourishes, but Fogado’s laughter pushed him to continue. His smile, the warmth of his hands, his tender gaze– Alcryst couldn’t get enough of it. For the first time, he faced the full extent of Fogado’s radiance and felt the urge to bask in it.
A sheepish grin played on Alcryst’s lips. His laughter joined the noise of the crowd as he squeezed Fogado’s hand, holding on for dear life as he was spun in circles. As they danced, his steps became more and more frenzied, struggling to stay in sync with his partner.
A single misstep was all it took to bring the world around him to a halt. Before he could even register that he was falling, he was pulled forward, nearly nose-to-nose with Fogado.
“You okay?” Fogado chuckled. Music to Alcryst’s ears.
“I…am.” Alcryst confessed.
“Got another dance in you?”
Alcryst began to laugh with him. “I think I do.”
He swore he could live in that moment for the rest of his life.
── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──
Nighttime on the Somniel was a thing of beauty.
The moon hung high in the sky, surrounded by countless stars. The clouds below moved like rolling waves, steady and hypnotic. The only sound to be heard was the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.
And the sound of Alcryst’s heart threatening to leap right out of his chest.
He had spent the day in its entirety trying to grant himself the strength and motivation to carry out his plot. Rehearsing, re-rehearsing, and revising what either had to be the boldest or most moronic thing he had ever prepared himself to say. It took all of his determination to invite Fogado to Lookout Ridge, and now that his arrival was imminent, the panic began to set in. Tormented by an endless cycle of ‘what if’s’, he paced along the ridge, mind racing with each passing second.
What if he didn’t show up? What if he outright laughed at him? What if he was so disgusted at the mere thought of him that he pushed him right off the ridge and watched him plummet to his untimely, gruesome death–
No, no, of course he wouldn’t. Alcryst shook the thought from his head. Fogado wasn’t like that. He was generous, kind, and forgiving. Nothing like the monster his mind tried to make him out to be. This is why he had to do this, to prove to himself that his own imagination was his worst enemy. For once and for all, he had to face the truth of the matter:
Maybe, just maybe, Fogado actually did like him, nervous disposition and all.
Prompted by the sound of footsteps behind him, Alcryst took a deep breath and steeled himself. He stole a quick glance, just to be absolutely sure it was Fogado behind him before turning around.
“Oh. You’re here!” Alcryst tried to maintain the facade of complete and utter nonchalance. “I’m sorry for summoning you this late at night–”
“No need to apologize.” Fogado interjected. “Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.”
“Right, sorry, I–” Another deep breath. “I just wanted to talk to you. Properly, this time.”
“The floor is yours, my friend.” Even in the shadow of night, Fogado’s smile managed to dazzle him.
“Th-thank you! So,this is…I-I mean, this may be speculation on my end and it might not be. Or maybe I’ve got the wrong idea entirely and I’m rambling again!” He barked out a nervous laugh. “I’m hopeless, aren’t I?”
“Alcryst,” Fogado’s tone was stern but not severe. “It’s okay. You’re okay. Just breathe.”
“Fogado– sorry, Prince Fogado– …No. Fogado.” Alcryst, summoning all of his bravery, held eye contact with him. “Are we friends?”
Fogado opened his mouth, but Alcryst continued before he could get a word in.
“Because I hope we are! I’d like to think that we are. Even if I haven’t exactly been deserving of such a thing, it’s a nice thought. Being friends with you. It’s really, really nice to think about it. S-So–”
In the gaze that met his eye, Alcryst felt a gentle warmth that touched his soul. He felt not fear, but hope. Hope that he could fix things. Hope that they could be friends. Hope that one day, maybe someday soon, that Alcryst would allow himself to enjoy the comfort and laughter that was shared so freely with him.
“Would you allow me the honor of being your friend?”
Fogado snorted. Then he smirked. Alcryst felt panic threatening to crawl its way back up his throat while Fogado spiraled into a full laughing fit., Fighting the urge to flee, he remained in place, determined to see this through to the end.
“Sorry,” Fogado stifled another set of giggles, wiping away budding tears with the back of his hand. “It’s just– kind of a shock. You’re serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious!” Alcryst snapped, surprising himself. He felt the heat rising to his cheeks.
“So you like me?”
The words were so simple, so basic, yet they carried the weight of the world with merely four syllables. “Yes.” Cadence slow and steady, he carried himself through his confession. “I like you. Very much.”
“That’s funny.” Fogado offered a hand. “Because I like you too.”
Alcryst stared at his hand, breath hitched, eyes wide with disbelief. The seeds of doubt tried to take root once again, but as he took his hand and finally, finally allowed Fogado to pull him into his orbit, the joy he felt drowned out the lingering what-if’s and hesitation. He found himself flush against Fogado’s chest, pulled into a hug that sent a thrill down his spine to reciprocate.
Fogado’s affection came without limit and expectation. His intention had been laid bare from the start, each confession laced with an honesty that almost drove Alcryst to tears.
I like you. I like being around you. I’m glad you’re here. I like you. I like you.
This time, he wholeheartedly believed him.