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Kazuha is perched on a branch a short distance from the entrance to his home, eyes fixated on the stars. It wasn’t very often that he took a good look at them, he was almost always fast asleep shortly after sunset. He had been taught that this was for safety and never thought to question it. That is, until he noticed just how beautiful the night sky was.
One of the stars darted across the sky in an arc before winking out of sight. In front of Kazuha was another fairy, one who seemed to have guided the star’s movement. He hadn’t even noticed the other hovering in the air a short distance away. He’s heard of nocturnal fairies before but has never interacted with or seen one before and he’s struck with how beautiful the other is.
The other fairy’s wings don’t look to be a butterfly’s, instead Kazuha assumes they’re that of a moth’s. It’s a bit difficult to make out the intricate details of their wings in the dark, but Kazuha can clearly see their magnificent purples shining in the moonlight. He’s unsure how long he sits there and watches them as they guide the stars and shift the light of the moon, but soon enough he starts to nod off.
He quickly returns to his home and falls asleep, dreaming of the mysterious moth fairy all night long. Kazuha is admittedly a bit distracted the next day, his mind occupied by that alluring stranger.
“Hey, Kazuha! You ok? You look like you’ve been spacing out all day.” His friend and fellow butterfly fairy Aether asks with a slightly worried expression on his face. The sun is beginning to set and all the fairies are heading back to their homes to rest now.
“I’m doing alright, just a bit distracted is all.” Kazuha reassures, though Aether gives him a knowing look and a sly smile.
“Distracted, huh? May I ask what—or who—has your head in the clouds?”
Kazuha shakes his head, “It’s nothing, really.” Aether doesn’t look convinced in the slightest but lets it go. Soon enough, they depart and go their separate ways home. Kazuha once again tries to sleep, but finds that he can’t, his mind racing with thoughts of possibly being able to see the moth fairy once more.
He finally gives up on sleep when the sky is completely dark, quietly returning to the branch nearest his home. Sure enough, the enigmatic stranger is there, hard at work with his task of manipulating the night sky. Kazuha has a similar job himself during the daytime, directing sunlight and helping the sun change positions to match the changing of the seasons.
He once again can’t get a good look at the moth fairy, unable to make out anything but vague details on the other’s wings with the combined darkness and distance. Kazuha subconsciously moves closer along the branch and doesn’t realize how much closer he’s gotten until the stranger turns towards him with a start.
“Stars above! Don’t scare people like that.” They scold but Kazuha isn’t paying much attention to their words when the moonlight hits their face just right. He looks absolutely breathtaking, like a being crafted by the gods themselves, his beauty putting every other living creature to shame. “Stop looking at me like that!”
Kazuha snaps out of the trance he found himself in, quickly replying, “Apologies. My name’s Kazuha, what’s yours?”
“Scaramouche. What’s a butterfly fairy like you doing up so late?” Scaramouche questions, a thinly veiled suspicion to his words.
“I was having trouble falling asleep so I figured I’d come out and see the stars, though their brilliance pales in comparison to you.” Kazuha answers earnestly, earning a flush across the other’s cheeks.
Scaramouche turns his head with a huff. “I suppose I can accept that answer. Just don’t bother me, I’m trying to get my work done. Do you know how difficult it is to move a constellation?”
“I don’t, but I’ll take your word for its difficulty and leave you be. I think it’s about time I headed back to bed anyways.” Kazuha easily agrees and turns to leave.
He doesn’t hear the muttered response from Scaramouche, “I didn’t mean you have to leave…”
However, that encounter is not the end of their meetings and Kazuha returns the next night to see Scaramouche once more. He doesn’t voice his observation that the other seems somewhat relieved upon noticing his presence. Despite his sharp words, Scaramouche allows for Kazuha to recite poetry for him late into the night, and he occasionally sings as well.
In fact, it seemed to Kazuha that Scaramouche actually rather enjoyed his company. One of these nights, Scaramouche is already sitting on the tree branch before Kazuha approaches, watching the stars on his night off. Kazuha takes a seat beside him and the moth fairy doesn’t turn to him but begins to speak, as if he were addressing the cosmos themselves.
“You know, you probably shouldn’t be trying to befriend me. I am a moth fairy and you’re a butterfly fairy, after all.” Scaramouche says, his tone lacking any trace of his emotions.
Kazuha furrows his brow in confusion at the suggestion. “What does that have to do with our friendship? I don’t care what kind of fairy you are, I’d still like to be your friend.”
“Your kind don’t like moth fairies, you know. And we’re not supposed to like you all either. Generally, the daytime fairies dislike us nocturnal fairies, but they seem to despise us the most. What would everyone think if one of them tried to get close to one of us?”
“Well that’s just wholly unfair. We all pull our weight and we’re all deserving of respect, there’s no need to dislike each other just because of differences in our wings and sleep cycles. And I wouldn’t care what they’d think of our relationship regardless; that’s between you and me.” Kazuha stated firmly but calmly. He wasn’t upset but he wanted to make sure Scaramouche didn’t doubt the truth behind his sentiments.
The moth fairy fell silent and the two sat there for a long moment, the only sound that of crickets and a nearby brook. Eventually, Scaramouche responded, “When you say that, I almost believe you.” His voice cracks on the final word and Kazuha can see his frame shaking lightly with silent sobs.
Tentatively, he lays one hand over Scaramouche’s and the other allows the touch. Kazuha gives a comforting squeeze and the moth fairy interlocks their fingers before giving a small squeeze back. The pair fell into a much more comfortable silence until Kazuha finally had to head back inside before he fell asleep on Scaramouche.
The butterfly and moth fairies gradually grow closer over the span of a couple of moons, continuing to share more about themselves occasionally, along with a healthy dose of flowery poetry from Kazuha. Neither mention how his poetry seemed to take on a more romantic tone and the subject of them could be easily interpreted to be Scaramouche.
Kazuha had become slightly sleep deprived during the first moon of their nightly meetings, but he quickly adapted by returning home earlier to sleep until Scaramouche came to knock. This became their routine and their little well-kept secret, one that not even Aether could get Kazuha to talk about. In the back of his mind he knows his friend would be more than supportive but he knows that it would still be a violation of Scaramouche's hard-earned trust.
There’s a thumping against Kazuha’s hand-crafted door that wakes him and he quickly zooms out into the crisp air of the night in order to meet his friend. This fateful night was one which Scaramouche once again had a lack of tasks to complete and a night open to different possibilities.
He did seem to have his eyes set on one activity in particular. “I realized I haven’t gone on a flight with you yet.” The moth fairy tended to not ask for things he wanted directly, instead making statements hinting at his desires.
Kazuha easily picked up on this and replied, “Well we have the night to ourselves so why not go flying together now?” Scaramouche nodded, a poorly hidden sparkle in his eyes.
The two quickly took off into the sky, flying around side-by-side; over hills, along rivers, and under branches. Scaramouche led the way, showing Kazuha many places he’d already seen which looked completely transformed in the moonlight. The combination of the beautiful scenery and having the other fairy so close made him wonder whether or not he should finally directly voice his feelings.
After all, Kazuha long knew that he loved Scaramouche and he’s sure he had fallen for the other the moment he caught a glimpse back when he was just a mysterious stranger. He’s unsure if Scaramouche felt the same; it was hard to tell exactly what the other was thinking or feeling but Kazuha’s equally unsure that he can contain the full extent of his love for much longer.
He can’t give the matter much more thought when he’s suddenly pulled away from Scaramouche. “Kazuha!” The other fairy quickly gave chase as Kazuha tried and failed to wriggle free of the talons which now gripped him. He looked up and spotted an owl twice his size which was presumably headed back to its nest to deliver the killing blow.
Kazuha feels his gut twist with the foreign feeling of pure and utter fear.
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Oh fuck no. Scaramouche was not about to let this asshole rogue owl eat his one and only true friend. Desperate, the moth fairy flew as fast as he could after the bird, not falling behind but not catching up either. He’s unsure how long he’s been chasing before his wings start to ache badly, but no amount of discomfort would be able to shake his determination.
Just the sight of Kazuha trying to free himself spurred him on, a sudden and unexplainable burst of energy coursing through his system. It isn’t much further before the owl reaches its nest and drops Kazuha before quickly pouncing on him. “Get off him!” Scaramouche yelled before colliding with the owl’s head.
He quickly readjusted and began to hit the bird’s eyes to which the creature shrieked in pain, shaking its head to rid itself of him. But Scaramouche clung on tightly and continued to attack it tooth and nail, the owl finally releasing Kazuha from its beak and his body hitting the twigs with a sickening thump.
The bird gave another shriek before starting to take flight once more, finally flinging Scaramouche off with the sudden instability. However, the owl gave up on the fight and retreated to another part of the wood, its eyes battered but functional.
The moth fairy quickly crouched down beside the butterfly fairy once he was sure the danger was gone. Warm hands gently cupped his face and Kazuha’s soft lips pressed against Scaramouche’s cheek. It was sweet and gentle and his mind blanked for a good moment before the other pulled away and promptly passed out. Upon closer inspection, his friend was bleeding slightly but Scaramouche was outright horrified when he noticed the other’s wings.
One of them was torn. The moth fairy’s stomach churned as he spotted the other half of the butterfly fairy’s wing lying off to the side. It was crumpled and the once-vibrant red seemed dull and lifeless now. …There had to be a way to fix it, right?
His earlier unease was replaced with a simmering rage that settled in his heart as Scaramouche gently picked up Kazuha as well as the other half of his wing and flew back home as fast as he possibly could. Luckily, they weren’t in unfamiliar territory and he was able to find his way back rather easily. The sun was rising when they finally returned and Scaramouche made a beeline for the only healing fairy he knew.
He quickly knocked on one of the roots framing the vine doorway of the healer’s dwelling and someone sighed from inside. A bird fairy with dark green wings emerged from behind the curtain of vines, his eyes widening when he took in the sight of Kazuha’s bleeding body. Without a word, Tighnari ushered them inside and motioned for Scaramouche to place his patient on the leaf bed for examination.
Scaramouche held his breath as Tighnari checked each of Kazuha’s injuries, assessing them before treatment. He turned to the moth fairy with a grave look and a tired voice, “Look, I’m not going to ask where you two were or what on earth he was doing out at night, I don’t care. I am going to tell you that what you did was dangerous and stupid and that I can only heal all but one of his injuries.
“The damage to his wing is permanent, there’s nothing that can be done about it.”
Scaramouche let out the breath he was holding in a held-back sob, only allowing the tears to fill his eyes when Tighnari finally turned away to gather his supplies. This is all my fault, I should’ve never suggested this. I should’ve known there was a reason butterfly fairies never flew around at night. Stars, it’s all my fault.
The moth fairy took a seat on a chair off to the side of the bed, his mind reeling from the news. It seemed that for now Kazuha was asleep but Scaramouche is unsure he’ll be able to handle the look that’ll appear on his friend’s face when he hears the news. His hand subconsciously moves to his cheek as he thinks about the small kiss that was placed there.
Instead of filling him with warmth like the memory should, it makes his gut twist with guilt. His feelings were reciprocated after all, but at what cost? Was it really worth it for them to be together when Kazuha was put in such significant danger? Scaramouche isn’t so sure that his longing to be life partners with the other fairy is such a good idea anymore.
Tighnari doesn’t say anything when Scaramouche leaves before Kazuha wakes up, quickly returning to the bush he shelters in and calls his home. But he can’t fall asleep, haunted by nightmares that repeat the events of the night before over and over again. He can’t escape the memory of Kazuha being snatched up right before his eyes, regardless of if his eyes are open or closed.
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Kazuha wakes up with a start and finds himself in an unfamiliar place. He looks down at himself and wonders for a moment if the night before was just a vivid dream. But he’s covered in bandages and a voice next to him confirms that he did, in fact, kiss Scaramouche on the cheek. “You’re awake, how are you feeling? It gave me quite a shock to see that boy bring you here in such a state.”
“I feel a bit of pain all over, but nothing unbearable. How bad were my injuries?” Kazuha asks, not very focused on the pain radiating from one wing.
The bird fairy sighs before sitting down beside him. “You had some fairly minor scratches and bruises all over. The main thing was a broken arm… and a torn wing. The former is healing well but the latter I cannot fix.”
Kazuha’s heart drops to his stomach as the healer continues, “I guess you might’ve not been told this before but there’s a reason that daytime fairies do not fly at night, especially if they are butterfly fairies. Bright colors make you an easy target for predators, specifically birds of prey. Nocturnal fairies’ wings are adapted so that they blend in better with the night, which is also why they do not go out in the daytime.
“This is one of the consequences of trying to break that rule.” Kazuha gives a slow, contemplative nod. The other fairy finally relents, “Well, you learned your lesson. You’re free to go now, but return to me after the next half-moon to get your arm checked and re-wrapped.”
The butterfly fairy quickly gets to his feet, gives a polite goodbye, and leaves. Kazuha is very concerned about his wing, but he can’t stop thinking about Scaramouche as well. He finds his way to the place the other had pointed out the night before, his memory serving quite well despite the stark difference in the appearance of his surroundings in the sunlight.
“Scaramouche, are you there?” He asks and he hears a grumble from within the bush. Kazuha decides to take this as a reply and he quickly brushes aside the small branches and makes his way inside. Near the center, the branches curve upwards and form a small bubble where there’s enough space for a fairy to comfortably walk around without hitting their head.
Scaramouche is laying in bed and quickly gets up when he catches sight of Kazuha. Judging by the dark circles under his eyes, the other fairy hasn’t been able to sleep since the night before. “Sorry I let myself in, I just really wanted to see you.” Kazuha starts and while he’s taking a brief pause to piece his words together, Scaramouche jumps in.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other anymore.” He says, though his voice betrays his underlying sadness.
“Why?” Is all Kazuha can muster as a reply, too stunned to speak. Did he go too far last night?
“You got hurt because of me and now you won’t be able to fly again. I single-handedly ruined your life so it’d be best for you if you stayed away.”
Kazuha was a little caught off-guard by this and easily replied, “You didn’t ruin my life, you saved me from being killed. I’m really the one to blame for what happened to me, I should’ve considered the possibility that my wings would’ve attracted danger. I couldn’t expect you to have known that, you’re not a butterfly fairy.”
Scaramouche seems to ignore most of what he said, responding just to the last sentence, “Exactly. I should’ve known that pursuing a relationship between a butterfly fairy and a moth fairy would never work out. I even fell in love with you, but that’s just a childish fantasy of wanting what I can’t have.”
If not for everything else Scaramouche said, Kazuha’s heart would’ve skipped a beat upon hearing that his feelings were reciprocated. Instead, it sinks. “We can make it work, though—”
“Leave. I don’t want you to give me any more false hope. This is for your own good.” Scaramouche interrupts, turning away from Kazuha completely.
The butterfly fairy’s heart aches but he obeys the request and leaves. When he approaches the tree he lives in, he’s never been more glad for it to be covered in vines. It takes a lot more effort to climb up than if he could fly up, but he makes it work. Kazuha knows he needs to tell everyone about his injury but for right now he’s still bone-tired from the events of the previous night and collapses onto his bed.
Despite Scaramouche’s words, Kazuha once again returns to visit the moth fairy just a mere few days later. When Kazuha announces himself, there is no response but he can hear crying so he carefully makes his way in. He finds Scaramouche curled up in a ball on his bed, sobbing into the soft leaves beneath him.
Kazuha gently approaches him and interlocks their fingers like he had done so many moons ago. Scaramouche’s sobs ease significantly at the contact, the crying quickly reduced to sniffling. “Stay with me?” Asks a cracked, vulnerable voice. Without a second thought, Kazuha climbs onto the bed, laying beside the moth fairy so that they’re facing one another.
He reaches his free hand out to wipe away Scaramouche’s tears before wrapping him in a tentative embrace. The other fairy doesn’t voice any disapproval and Kazuha soon hears his breathing slow as he falls asleep. It isn’t much longer before the butterfly fairy follows suit.
When they both wake up that night still wrapped up in one another, Scaramouche doesn’t say anything and neither does Kazuha. The moth fairy quickly takes off to go do his work, but not before helping the butterfly fairy up onto the branch they always used to sit on.
The butterfly fairy is more or less out of a job due to his inability to fly and only Aether asks about his frequent disappearances. Fortunately for him, Scaramouche does eventually allow Kazuha to tell him about their relationship. A lot of the specifics are left out, particularly around Kazuha’s injury, but Aether can connect the dots on his own.
And so the pair quickly fall into a comfortable routine; Kazuha and Scaramouche sleeping together in the daytime and in the nighttime Kazuha watching as the moth fairy works. The world may be against their union, but at least they still have each other and the love that they share.