Chapter Text
“Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question ...
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.”
If his self-surmised prophecy were to be true, in combination with the agony of Fogado’s words, Alcryst was certain the life ahead of him would be torture. Thus, he had begun to accept his fate— it was possible that Fogado’s taunt would be on loop in his mind for the remainder of his life:
“You like me! You liiike me!”
Since then, all he had been able to think about was Fogado’s words– but he couldn’t find a good reason for them to have remained in the first place. He had spent the last month of his life trying to understand why it had been so impactful, yet couldn’t come up with a sound conclusion as to why. At first glance, he assumed it was because the situation was so left-field; he had stumbled upon someone– a prince, no less– who would’ve gone to seemingly any length just for a chance at Alcryst’s friendship. However, it wasn’t unheard of for fellow royals to get along well and create friendships; due to the nature of the role, royals generally were plenty extroverted and Alcryst could get along with him just fine– no anxiety, no hesitance, no issue at all.
So what was the problem?
When he had met Fogado he was immediately put off; the Solmese were known for their high energy and they generally displayed high amounts of extroversion– and as the Prince of the Queendom, Prince Fogado was no exception. Alcryst was intimidated by his unrelenting bravado and initially avoided anything other than exchanging pleasantries with him– but Fogado had other plans. Regardless of Brodian’s hesitance toward him, it seemed either Fogado did not notice his diffidence in their daily interaction, or simply did not care– and since the induction of their friendship, Alcryst received invitations to accompany him to nearly all of his outings regardless of how big or small the events were. Fogado had also found ways to insert himself into many aspects of Alcryst’s daily routines; from breakfast to training to backing him up on the battlefield, Fogado was, indefinitely, there.
It would be a lie, however, for Alcryst to claim that Fogado was some sort of ‘root cause’ to his social anxieties; in truth, he knew that there was nothing objectively wrong with Fogado, nor was it invalid for anyone else to be as social and outgoing as he was. It was a problem he had made no progress with throughout his entire life, and perhaps it had started at the very beginning.
In the young prince’s life there was one thing that underlined every thought, every action, and every emotion he produced:
“I am mere scraps compared to Diamant.”
Prince Alcryst was– by no metric– an average Brodian Royal. Those typically in the role were strong, fierce men and women who were as sharp as they were courageous. The Royal Family made their name by organizing the toughest military in Elyos, employing thousands of brutal warriors ready to lay down their lives for their Kingdom– because their leaders would do the same. Alcryst, however, seemed to be the only exception to that tendency; though he cared very deeply for his country and its people, he was a shy, timid young man who had yet to ever show an ounce of self-confidence to anyone– or himself. It was undeniable that he was talented, however; Alcryst was perhaps one of the most skilled archers in all of Elyos. But when differentiated to his older brother, the Crown-Prince Diamant, he was incomparable. Diamant was a shining star to his kingdom: he matched all the expectations of both his father, the late King Morion, and the favor of the Brodian people– something his younger counterpart seemed he’d never earn.
The prince had spent his whole life allowing not only the world, but himself to place his destiny far, far beneath his brother’s. However, Alcryst felt the priority being towards his older brother was far more important than whatever his needs may have been and, thus, it never bothered him. It was a fact: Alcryst was second place and unworthy. However, as long as he stayed out of the way and in his place, such a status never affected anyone but himself, and he had shouldered such a conjecture. It didn’t bother him much as of late– it was an inherent fact that Diamant was simply better than him. It was fine.
With the ushering in of the war, however, such discrepancies within himself had taken a backseat within his mind– he owed both Brodia and the entirety of Elyos his service to protect the world. Once asked to join the Divine Dragon’s fleet, he and Diamant both left Brodia and relocated to the Somniel to quarter with the team. The two were separated into different combat teams and different dorms, and, as of late, had not seen each other quite as often. However, once arrived and split from his brother, Alcryst was introduced to a rather different approach to his status– he was now an ‘equal’. There was no looming sense of someone being better than him; he was treated equitably by all his new acquaintances. Though it was strange, he had taken a liking to the newfound respect.
Within the realm of that respect Alcryst developed a high regard for his comrades, constantly in awe of their grandiose capabilities on the battlefield. In only this sense, Alcryst may have been able to chin up enough to feel he could relate to his team. Alcryst and his brother Diamant both received world-class training in combat, and Alcryst was bestowed the privilege of training with some of the best archers in Elyos. Such a résumé was abundantly clear on the battlefield, and one of Alcryst’s few prides was his status in the Divine Dragon’s fleet. Though it made him feel slightly guilty, he shared in the team’s celebrations of victory.
That was all he could celebrate, though.
Though he had fought well with and admired his team, Alcryst could not connect with them in a way that felt more than being a familiar face. Despite the equal treatment he received by his new neighbors, Alcryst could not shake the idea that he was less than. He felt every occupant of the Somniel was larger than life– and larger than the circumstance that led them there in the first place. Brilliance was found in their eyes, piercing Alcryst’s soul (a common interaction he’d experience on the island) and oftentimes it was far too intense an ordeal for the young prince. When such an encounter would occur, Alcryst would often find himself at the pond to isolate, breathe and rejuvenate. And there, in contemplation, would he find himself at the pond again and again to bring himself down from his worries and attempt to find some peace. Only this time, his relationship with the Divine Dragon and her ensemble wasn’t bringing him down, nor was it how he felt within his own status as Prince of Brodia– it was his friendship with Fogado.
According to his memory, Fogado was the first person to ever call himself a friend of Alcryst. Alcryst did not have to pursue, wonder, or pray for Fogado’s attention, nor was he even looking for it in the first place. Fogado inserted— rather, demanded— his way into Alcryst’s life. Alcryst accepted and expressed gratitude to Fogado for his friendship; however, in truth, this was not a reciprocation of Fogado’s disposition.
Put simply, Alcryst was confused. In his own words, Alcryst didn’t even know what he was confused about. Maybe in their first interaction, Alcryst could’ve justified it as not understanding why Fogado would want to be his friend, but Fogado had already resolved that question:
Fogado likes me because I’m kind, huh…
Though Fogado said it plainly, Alcryst wondered what kindness he had displayed to be so admired by the Prince of Solm. Perhaps as a fellow noble, Fogado could sense that royalistic nature within him, the one that often came embedded in the blood: a deep care of others, one that often took precedence over anything else. Regardless, Alcryst was never anything but respectful to his environment, peers and surroundings, and he came to the realization that he had never given Fogado a reason to dislike him. Though it was a slight comfort, Alcryst had drawn no conclusions and gained no closure on the subject. Alcryst and Fogado were now friends. Fogado respected Alcryst, and Alcryst felt mutually in the matter.
What was there to be confused about?
There was no answer as to why Alcryst could not stop thinking about Fogado, and as it stood it seemed that discord was going nowhere. Alcryst cracked his neck, picking his head back up to gaze at the beauty before him; it wouldn’t be too long before golden hour. The sun had effortlessly lowered deeper into the horizon– as it did, without failure, since the dawn of time. In some strange way, despite the beauty before him Alcryst found a way it paralleled his depravity; the sun had done something so grandiose quite easily, and yet Alcryst couldn’t identify why he couldn’t figure out why he was feeling such mental exertion over his friend. In an effort to extinguish some frustration, he dismissed the stretched comparison and began to clear his mind, staring ahead at the early-evening sky.
“There you are!” a velvet voice called from behind.
It seemed there would be no chance to clear his head. Alcryst jumped at the exclamation and quickly turned his body toward the source of the disruption: Fogado.
“Oh— Prince Alcryst, sorry, man! I didn’t mean to startle— here,” Fogado stuttered, approaching his friend. He helped himself to a seat next to Alcryst; the shy prince surmised Fogado felt he didn’t need to ask.
“You have a way of announcing yourself,” Alcryst quipped, a slight tremor in his voice.
Fogado laughed. “I apologize, I was just anxious to find you! I want to be the one to tell you.”
“Did I miss something?”
“Well, I’ve been hiding something from you, and I think it’s high time for me to come clean…” Fogado said, adjusting himself to face the water.
As it typically would in conversation with Fogado, Alcryst’s heart sank. “Ah– what?”
“Welp– it seems Alear being reunited with her kid-sister has sparked some hidden draconic tendencies between the two, and they can’t hold it in any longer. They’ve announced they just got to hold a little kickback and celebrate their reunion– with all of us!”
Alcryst took a breath of relief. “A celebration? Huh.”
“I know!” Fogado yelped, slapping a hand down on Alcryst’s shoulder. As soon as the Solmish prince touched him a similar wave of dread came over him once again. But this time, it wasn’t the same; rather, it was a feeling of anxiety. To conceal the rush of emotion, Alcryst immediately turned his head away from Fogado.
“And– if I’m bein’ real– I’ve actually kinda known about it for a while. Sorry to hold out on ya.”
Alcryst looked back to Fogado, tilting his head, “What do you mean?”
“Alright, so,” Fogado began, clearing his throat and straightening his back, “a month or a couple weeks ago– before you started begging me for my undying friendship– I had accidentally slept through morning drills. Can’t remember exactly why– probably a rough battle the night before. But that’s obviously not like me– and, him being the attentive retainer that we all know he is– Pandreo knows that. So, by the time I had finally gotten up, I was kickin’ myself real bad over it, when suddenly Pandreo slams the door open to our dorm screaming ‘bout: ‘AROOOO! The Divine Dragon knows how to party! The Divine Dragon trusts ME to organize the party!’. I’ll tell ya, the look on his face when he saw me still in my bed; one of my favorite memories easily. But I’m a prince of my word! He told me it was a secret, so I didn’t say anything to anyone.”
Objectively speaking, it would make sense that Fogado would be excited for a party organized by his best friend– especially one on the Somniel, of all places. However, where an objective excitement for his friend should’ve been held was, instead, a looming sense of dread for the safety of everyone occupying the island. Around the time Pandreo had joined the team, he had invited the entire fleet to one of his last parties before moving to the Somniel. Alcryst was, of course, invited as well– and after lots of bickering, begging, and pleading from Fogado he finally accepted. Alcryst had attempted to stay on the sidelines of the thing, but it seemed the entirety of Elyos had been invited– and, in addition to the absolute hazard of people in attendance, Fogado repeatedly would drag him into the herds of dance circles. After about a half-hour of attempting to brave the crowds, the blaring music, and drunken screams, the constant bumping into different party-goers sent Alcryst into a meltdown; he left and did not return.
“Pandreo is in charge of this?” Alcryst breathed out, his eyes widened in horror.
“AND IT’S TONIGHT! Aren’t you excited?! This is the first night in weeks where the Somniel hasn’t been depressing!”
Alcryst gasped; Fogado got carried away and began shaking him.
“Y-yes, that’s wonderful,” Alcryst replied shakily, “I’m certain everyone will have a great time.”
Fogado let go of Alcryst.
“Oh, do not do this to me.”
“Do what?!”
“You know exactly what, Prince Alcryst! Your verbiage sucks, and you know I’m smarter than I look.”
Alcryst let out a half chuckle. “Oh, Prince Fogado, please… I-“
“Nope! You don’t wanna hit it up with me, do you?”
“I’m not fit for such an ordeal,” Alcryst defended, “surely you know me well enough to understand that. I’d bring the whole thing down with my presence.”
“I don’t accept that, actually. That’s not even what I asked you. You don’t want to go to the party at ALL?”
“This isn’t a matter of want.”
“Oh sure,” Fogado laughed, “it’s a matter of following royal code. All people of Elyos know it’s strictly forbidden for Prince Alcryst to have an ounce of fun in his entire royal life. Please, Your Highness, I came all this way to ask you to come with me.”
“I don’t even know the first thing about a gathering like that,” Alcryst shot back, “I was raised in Brodia Castle. Our version of a ‘party’ was a dinner where I was allowed to speak without being spoken to.”
Fogado shook his head, slowly stood up, and held out his hand.
“Well, Prince Alcryst, you’re not in Brodia. You’re on a big chunk of land that can somehow float in the sky. Rules on regular ground don’t translate well up here. So, if not for the Divine Dragon, please, pleaaaaase do it for your best friend, Prince of Solm, Fogado!”
Alcryst stared at Fogado’s outstretched hand, feeling a sense of admiration as he gazed. He looked up at Fogado, and made a short-lived attempt to make eye contact. The people of Solm had such a shine in their eyes; something bright and sharp and serious just as it was kind. Since they met, Alcryst could hardly look him in the eye: it was blinding. Perhaps in an attempt to relieve himself of the tense eye contact, Alcryst finally accepted Fogado’s outreached hand and was immediately yanked up.
Fogado used the opportunity and, once Alcryst was flat on his feet, pulled in the shorter prince. Alcryst gasped at the tug and his gaze adjusted; he was once again looking at Fogado’s face, who was reciprocating the sentiment. Alcryst wanted to assume otherwise, but it seemed Fogado was enjoying every second of the moment, indicative by the confident, eye-reaching smile on the taller prince’s face. Alcryst felt the rush of blood into his cheekbones, which radiated heat throughout his entire face; if Alcryst’s face wasn’t red before, it certainly was now. The sense of admiration was transformed: it had deepened into a feeling of excited bewilderment.
After a few moments of intensity, Fogado repeated:
“Please? Will you go with me?”
What am I doing? Why is he still looking back at me?
“O-okay. I will try.”
Fogado gasped, and smiled widely. “Prince Alcryst! You party animal— who can say no to the party of the millennium?! I knew I could sway you!”
Though Fogado hadn’t let go of him, it seemed the moment was over. “Just, please—“ Alcryst sputtered, “I can’t do it alone. I’m serious. This is not me.”
Fogado let out a small laugh. He reached out his other arm and tenderly grabbed the Brodian prince’s free wrist. Holding what seemed to be a permanent smile on his face, Fogado let off a little breath. In an overzealous tone– one that could never match his carefree persona– Fogado proclaimed:
“Prince Alcryst. I, Fogado, Prince to the Queendom of Solm, hereby promise to escort you to the celebration of the reunification of the Divine Siblings. You have my word.”
It felt as if the wind had stopped and the rest of the air on the Somniel had suddenly dissipated. Alcryst felt a smile creep upon his face and, for the first time throughout the conversation, he was able to muster a laugh.
“Ah— okay. Sure, your Highness…” Alcryst breathed out.
Fogado’s smile slightly faded, his eyes seeming to bounce upon every speck of Alcryst’s face. He let go of Alcryst and rested his hands on his own hips.
“Seems you’ve made up your mind; then, it’s a date!”
The sentence sent Alcryst into shock.
A date… Fogado wants a date with me.
It felt as if the world had pulled some sort of joke upon him. He was completely dismayed; how could someone like Fogado want a date with someone like Alcryst?
“Damn, I’m good!” Fogado continued, “The party begins after sundown— here in a few hours. It’ll be held at the Cafe Terrace; Alear has Louis and Jade clearing out the area now. It’s a sight to behold them lifting all the cement tables and chairs like they’re made of cardboard.”
Adrenaline began to flood Alcryst’s veins, which rapidly mixed with his generally nervous demeanor. As a result, the prince was incapable of even acknowledging Fogado’s wit. It seemed Fogado could sense some nervousness; perhaps anyone could, judging by Alcryst’s now-pale face. Fogado softened his tone and took a step forward. The two were once again mere inches away from one another. Alcryst breathed in Fogado’s scent, and immediately looked up at him.
Alcryst half-attempted to maintain Fogado’s intimidating eye contact, but quickly dismissed the reciprocation as his heart immediately began to beat harder than what could possibly be healthy. Alcryst looked down, his eyes landing upon Fogado’s chest.
“Would you meet me back here around then? At sunset?”
“I—” Alcryst swallowed, “I will.”
“I’m glad. I’ll see you soon, Prince Alcryst.”
Fogado exited with a half bow, only breaking eye contact when he had completely turned toward the Cafe Terrace.