Your Sins Into Me [Prologue ]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 03:34:52 UTC
This was the only way I could write this, orz orz. Sorry that this will only make what will happen later more painful, dear OP ; ; Also, sorry it took me so long to get this up.
-
[Prologue]
The first time Arthur saw him, the human was but a child.
He was a little cherub, all rosy cheeks and golden locks bathed in sunlight. His wide, wide innocent eyes were blue constellations and Arthur felt his breath leave him at the sight of them.
He screeched to a stop, on his way to his homeland, to the evergreen forests and pure, ancient magic of long ago times. He’d run away from home in a burst of anger, enraged and feeling betrayed for he’d been engaged without his consent to a pompous asshole he’d much rather stab with a unicorn horn than wed. But in his anger, he’d run away to a place so polluted and dirtied that he’d grown sick. His pale skin lost its lustrous glow, his gossamer wings grew droopy, and his magic weakened considerably; Arthur was too pure and the air was too filthy.
It had taken the aid of some friendly critters for him to regain his strength. The inhabitants of the garden he was fortunate enough to be brought to were kind enough to explain to him where he was. In turned out he was in a land known as Washington D.C, a little kingdom that was part of an even bigger kingdom.
The People who lived near the area were few and scarce; Arthur was not surprised by this. The garden-with its buoyancy of colorful flowers and trees and its crystal-clean pond surrounded by a strange transparent wall that protected them (he was told this was a man-made garden, a greenhouse)-was clean enough, but not clean enough for a big nest of the People to flourish and live here. The polluted city outside the greenhouse was even worse.
He slept in a bed of roses for days before he felt fit enough to make the journey back home. A bit of honeysuckle lifted his spirits and he even forgot, although just for a second, that he was engaged; but he could not stay here, even if returning home meant he would be wed to that gigantic prat of a prince. Besides, he could not refuse. It was already decided that he would be wed and nothing would change that. He had his pride and he would not dishonor his name. Arthur would just have to hold his head up high and suck it up.
If he was lucky the prince would forget about him and run off the arms of another, perhaps a bubbly sprite or a devious pixie. The prince was known for being a giant, lecherous pervert; and someone like Arthur would not serve him well in his bedchamber.
And it was then, right as he was leaving, that the little cherub burst into the garden. Tinkling laughter ringing like bells and sunshine smiles coupled with his blue, blue eyes-the little human child was sunset and sunrise both. Arthur nearly crashed into a tree.
He quickly hid behind a tall, flirty Belladonna, gossamer wings fluttering anxiously along with his heart. The boy sensed nothing amiss, bouncing a bright red, round object with the brightest of smiles on his angelic face. Arthur blinked, curious, intrigued despite himself, and strangely captivated by the human child’s blue, blue eyes.
The People absolutely forbid any and all interactions with the humans. Arthur never had any problem with their strict rules-yet he fell compelled to watch this child. Suddenly, he wanted to see what would become of this human boy. Arthur dearly loved children after all. When he was not in the Great Library he could often be found in the nurseries, cooing over the new flocks of recently born sprites and faeries. Arthur liked looking over the little young ones. He would one day like to have a nest of his own, although he seriously doubted it would ever happen. Arthur was not known for his warm personality; in fact, he went out of his way to avoid his fellow brothers and sisters, preferring his solitude over loud, chattering parties. His stubborn, rough and often dry attitude left much to be desired when it came to attracting potential partners.
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue II ]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 03:39:36 UTC
Not that it mattered anymore. He would soon be wed anyways. And perhaps this was just his rearing instincts taking over, his fondness for children compelling him to watch over the human boy.
Peeking over the Belladonnas’ dewy petals, Arthur watched as the child played, laughing and smiling, blue eyes shining with mirth. He was a happy child it seemed, innocent like so very few humans were. Arthur felt himself smile in return, his chest suddenly warm.
Knowing he would be punished severely if he was ever found out, Arthur collected a bit of magic in his hand. It shimmered and coiled as he shaped it to his will, turning it into something gentle and happy. Then-he let it go.
The warmth in his chest doubled when he heard the child gasp in awe, the bright red toy bouncing away. Arthur fluttered in front of the child, suspended fluidly in the air. With an effortless flutter of his paper-thin wings, he leaned forward and tapped the child’s nose with a miniscule finger.
“Do you have a wish, little one?” he asked, chuckling lightly at the wide blue, blue eyes staring at him in wonder.
The boy’s face suddenly split into a wide smile. Excitement took over surprise. Eagerness lined his voice, “Are you a genie?” the human child said excitedly. “That’s so cool!”
Left eyebrow twitching at the innocent insult, Arthur shook his head. “I am most certainly not,” he huffed, crossing his arms.
Blinking, confused, the child lost some of his eagerness. He was still young enough to see Arthur; it was usually small children still innocent enough to believe in things like magic that were capable of seeing the People. They would think nothing of them, believing them to be real until they grew up and lost the ability to see them. Then they would think nothing them, even thinking of them as imaginary friends they’d made up in their childhood. Arthur knew this. Even so, he wanted to make this child happy. He knew he would be forgotten yet that didn’t seem to matter at the time. Arthur just wanted to make this little human child happy, see his bright blue, blue eyes light up in joy.
That was his first mistake.
Tucking a stray lock of fair hair behind a pointy ear, Arthur asked once more. “Do you have a wish, little one?”
This time, the boy jumped up in excitement, no longer interested in whether Arthur was a genie or not. Children were like that, and this one was still quite young, probably no older than six summers. He was a dear, a complete dear.
“I want to go up in space!”
Stumped, Arthur blinked. The child stared back at him, waiting and eager. The bare innocence etched on his cherubic face made Arthur itch to pet his head, run his fingers through his sun-kissed hair and tuck him into bed, spinning him happy dreams every night.
“That’s a very big wish,” he said after a long pause, although not unkindly. “You’ll have to work very hard.”
The child’s eyes turned watery, his lower lip trembling.
“But I will do my best to help you,” Arthur added, this time reaching out to touch the boy’s face. It was an air-like brush of skin on skin, barely a ghost of a kiss to a human, but Arthur hoped it was comforting. “You look smart; I’m sure you will make you wish come true in time.”
The child preened at the praise. Arthur had very little time to think before he was suddenly grabbed, carefully enveloped in the warmth of the child’s tiny hands like a caged butterfly. He sputtered but did not protest when the child showed him his many different favorite places in the greenhouse, playing with him on the flower beds and grass.
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue III]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 03:45:22 UTC
“I like you!” the child said, smiling happily. Arthur felt his cheeks heat up at the human’s open sincerity; no one had ever admitted to liking him. This was a first for him. “You’re tiny too. Will you fit in my pocket?”
Arthur laughed, cheeks still dusted with heat. “I would rather you not put me in your pocket, love.”
“Besides, I like your eyes,” the child went on, blue eyes bright and beautiful. Like the ocean on a warm summer day. “That green color. Like a forest in a picture book!”
Embarrassed, not used to being anyone’s center of attention, Arthur cleared his throat. Having never received a compliment he didn’t know how he was supposed to react to the boy’s praise.
Although it felt nice, having someone’s attention focused on you and only you. Arthur felt like he suddenly understood why some of his brothers and sisters made fools of themselves to catch their beloved’s attention.
“You’re like a princess from one of those fairytales my ma reads me. Do you live in a big golden castle too?” the child asked. He frowned, biting his lower lip. “My daddy says princesses aren’t real, but I don’t really care. I think giant robots are way cooler. I’m going to make one when I’m older!”
Sitting down on top of the boy’s blonde head, Arthur crossed his legs. “You want to build things then? Those who create are very admirable.”
The child smiled widely, flailing his arms in the air. “I’m going to be a scientist like my pa! He says when I’m big and strong I can make giant robots with him.”
Arthur threaded his hands through the boy’s golden hair, curling the strands around his fingers. “If you believe hard enough and wish strong enough you can make anything come true,” he told the child.
Children were geniuses. Arthur did not doubt this boy would make his dream a reality. There was a fire in the human child’s eyes, bright and strong and beautiful. Humans like him were so rare and few in between; Arthur felt privileged to have met one.
But he could not stay forever. He felt something like guilt churn in his chest when the boy stared at him with wide, teary blue, blue eyes begging him to stay. Arthur promised him he would come back and visit him.
“You promise?” the boy said in a small voice, rosy cheeks wet with tears.
Catching one of the crystalline drops before it could fall, Arthur nodded. He caressed the boy’s cheek sweetly. “I promise, love.”
Arthur felt accomplished when he saw the child smile, his little face bright with happiness. It was a good feeling. It had not been a coincidence that of all the places in the Earth he’d ended up here; there had been a reason for it and now Arthur felt like he had fulfilled that reason.
After that, he visited the child often. His wedding day was one big, suffocating celebration. Arthur could not stand to see the prince’s pompous face, much less the feel of his slimy, wandering hands. He was prone to punching the prince on the face before disappearing for days, often weeks, to come to the greenhouse. He always left his nest feeling irritated and angry-but once he saw his human’s face happiness bubbled up to the surface and wiped away all those negative emotions.
Alfred was a dear, an absolute dear, and how Arthur loved him.
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue IV]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 03:57:09 UTC
Arthur could not help himself. Before he knew it himself his affections had grown; Alfred became precious to him, his beloved child. He took joy in making Alfred laugh, in making him happy, in finding new ways to amuse and entertain the child. He grew to care for Alfred in ways his kind was never meant to care for humans. He was scolded for it, often grounded, told that it was a mistake and that he should leave the boy alone.
Arthur knew he was putting the existence of the People at risk, that he could ruin himself and his kind, but he believed himself to be smarter than that. He’d always been too arrogant for his own good.
That was his third mistake.
He never stopped visiting Alfred, not even when the day came that Alfred forgot about him. It was painful but Arthur knew it would happen. All children grew up, it was inevitable. Wistfully and with the air of parent that knew it was time for his children to leave the nest, Arthur watched Alfred for afar.
Alfred had grown up wonderfully, and Arthur felt proud. It was silly, but it was true.
“Why do you watch him?”
Cocking his head, Arthur did not take his eyes off the child-turned-teenager. Alfred was studying with the fervor of a dying man, brow furrowed in concentration and pink tongue peeking out from between the crevice of his lips. In the last year he’d begun to wear glasses. Late nights spent in front of the computer and dozens of hours wasted playing video games day after day had damaged his eyesight. The dazzling blue of his eyes did not diminished in the slightest behind the lenses of his glasses. Arthur was still captivated by their brightness, his breath catching in a pocket of his throat every time he saw the blue, blue of Alfred’s eyes.
“Hmm?” he said, not paying attention to the annoyance at his side.
Flicking back his magnificent mane of golden hair, Francis rolled his eyes. “My beloved Arthur, apple of my eye,” he said in his atrocious and ear-shattering accent-quite inconvincibly too and not without a bucket full of sarcasm. “Again, zis’ boy is why we came here?”
“Might I remind you, frog, that I did not ask you to accompany me?” Arthur said, irritated. “You are welcomed to leave. Actually, you are more than welcome to disappear from my sight forever. I tire of seeing your ugly mug day after day.”
“Ah. This is where I know you are lying to me, ma petite.” Blowing a kiss at his reflection on the window, Francis winked. “My face is quite beautiful. There is not a sprite in the world who does not know my face. You are quite lucky to be greeted by it every morning. Go on, admit it.”
Arthur felt goose-bumps rise on his skin when wandering fingers caressed the low of his back. The fingers traveled dangerously low, lower and lower still-
The resounding THAWCK startled a few butterflies. Their beady eyes glared at the couple on the windowsill before flying away indignantly, heads held high.
“Ow, you beast!” Francis cried out, tenderly holding his reddened cheek. “You absolute beast, why do you always go for my face? My beautiful face!”
“Beautiful my arse,” Arthur muttered under his breath. Turning his back to the idiot, he returned to staring at the teenager on the other side of the window, handsome face scrunched up in frustration. Alfred looked tired, exhausted even. He was studying for his exams; last night he’d had one of his games (football?) and that added to his exhaustion. From what the faery could tell the boy would be graduation from his school this year and was, like always, trying to do too much, the impossible. Alfred was smart, he’d always been smart, just like Arthur knew he would be.
“You overachieving fool,” Arthur scoffed, though a small, gentle smile made its way to his face.
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue V]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 04:04:19 UTC
“You know,” Francis announced, still rubbing his aching red cheek. “You’re supposed to look at [me] like that, cher. I don’t recall you ever looking at me with such a tender, loving expression.”
If he didn’t know any better Arthur would say the idiot sounded a little bit jealous. But this was Francis. Arthur knew better than to believe any of the notorious pervert’s sweet words and loving caresses.
Leaning his back against the window, Francis flapped his gorgeous, shimmering wings. There was a leering smile on his handsome face. “I am curious now, lovely; just what kind of other faces can you make, hmm?”
Face twisting in disgust, Arthur gave him a scathing smile. “I will sooner kiss the giant squid before I let you into my bed, frog. Don’t even try it or you’ll find an important part of your anatomy missing.”
Francis chuckled, smiling keenly. “Please, dear. Tell me something I don’t know. My bed has been cold and empty these past years. Alas, I am so very lonely.”
“At least you have the decency not to shag your lovers in our marriage bed, I’ll give you that,” Arthur said, voice dry. “Guess you aren’t entirely without shame after all.”
“You care more for this human then you care for your family, what does that say about you, my dear and sweet Arthur?”
Arthur froze, his hands clenching into fists. He grit his teeth. “That’s none of your business,” he said coldly, glaring at the whimsically smiling prince. “Alfred is-”
“-a human.” Francis stared coolly at him, blue eyes unusually serious and lacking in his usual merriness. “And he will sooner dissect you like he would a beautiful butterfly before returning your love. Arthur,” he began, no smile to be found on his face. “Enough. I have allowed this to continue for longer than I should have. It is time you got over this passing fancy of yours.”
Francis might as well have slapped him. Shoulders trembling, Arthur gave Francis a look of utmost loathing, wrapping his arms around his middle, holding himself together, his heart thrumming painfully in his chest because he knew Francis’ words to be true. He should have forgotten about Alfred years and years ago-but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Arthur had promised to make Alfred’s dream come true after all.
It was a stupid, silly promise and though he knew he could not make Alfred’s wish come true he wanted to be there when Alfred made his dream happen with his own two hands. Because Alfred would do it; he was such a smart young man after all. He was graduating early, had already been accepted to such a promising, selective school and would no doubt grow up to become something great. The tiny child Arthur had made a promise to was no more but Arthur felt as if their bond was still there, even though Alfred could no longer see him. Even though Alfred had already forgotten him.
“I’m not leaving,” he told Francis, pig-headed and stubborn to a fault. “And I’m not asking you to stay with me. I am not with you because I love you.”
Chuckling, the cold look disappearing from his face, Francis smiled dryly. “My beloved Arthur, you were never with me.”
He laid a chaste kiss upon Arthur’s cheek, his hand caressing a stray lock of his blonde hair, then his face, before tracing Arthur’s lips with his thumb. “You are beautiful when you are in love, ma petite. Let us hope you won’t be as beautiful in your death, hmm?”
Arthur scoffed, not in the mood for one of the pompous prince’s riddles. “Idiot,” he said, though he felt a pang in his chest.
He refused to admit he hurt as he watched Francis leave.
Loneliness and isolation was the price he paid for loving Alfred. His brothers and sisters looked at him with distrust in their eyes; they tried to convince him to leave the human alone, to forget about him. Arthur did not heed their council. He continued to visit Alfred throughout the years, watching him, looking after him, feeling proud when he accomplished one greatness after another. Alfred was a genius, a bright, alluring star that would not go out.
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VI]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 04:16:47 UTC
Alfred look dazzling in his white lab coat. Arthur may not know much of the human world but he knew that it was outstanding for someone of Alfred’s age to have such an important position in his field. His hands were his greatest assets, as was his brilliant mind. He did no build giant robots but he did create a grand number of things, things Arthur, as a magical being, could not fully understand. If he had, things might have played out differently.
There was one thing that made Arthur sad, and that was Alfred’s stubborn refusal to believe in anything beyond his precious cold machines and beloved numbers. He remembered the little boy who loved his magic and who smiled whenever Arthur would tell him stories of his homeland and felt even more dejected.
“What did you expect?” Francis told him, smiling wryly as he vainly inspected his nails. “The child you loved is gone. In his place is a man who plays with emotionless machines and believes magic to be a far-fetched idea thought up by fools. He is not your home, Arthur. He cannot make you happy.”
Arthur spent more and more time away from his homeland nowadays. He grew used to the air of Alfred’s new home, the cold breathing machines that inhabited the place and stared at him with unseeing, glowing red eyes. Arthur did not like them much, they made it hard to fly sometimes.
And it had been so long since he’d used his magic. Arthur missed the feeling of it, the warmth that glowed in his chest like a winter fire. Alfred did not believe in magic anymore and there was no reason to use it here, in this cold, cold metal house made up of Alfred’s glorious dreams and brilliant accomplishments.
“He’s ruined you. You stink of him,” was what his brothers and sisters told him time after time again, disgust written plainly on their faces. “He’s taken you from us. You chose him over us.”
He had, hadn’t he? Arthur had chosen a human over his family. He’d abandoned his home and his magic and everything he once held dear for a human child who could no longer see him. Maybe this was why the People didn’t associate with humans; it was so painful to love them when they couldn’t see you, when they didn’t believe you were real and so easily forgot about you.
Sighing wistfully, Arthur tucked a stray lock of Alfred’s hair behind his ear, watching him sleep, wondering if he should stay or leave him. He could not make Alfred happy in this form, he could not aid him. He did small things around the house, little things like cleaning after a man whose messy habits had not disappeared even though he was an adult now. Sometimes Arthur helped Alfred sleep when he had trouble sleeping, giving him happy dreams, but that was it.
Alfred was so close yet so far away; there was a bridge between them, separating them, pushing Arthur away.
If only Arthur had known the consequences of crossing that bridge beforehand.
--
Eh. Will post last part of the prologue later. I must finish my schoolwork first, orz. Hope this was to your liking, OP, even if a little. I will tackle the scientist kink when the prologue is done, promise :D
Re: Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VI]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 04:41:49 UTC
...Microphilia? :O *is hopeful, oh God the things this meme has done to me-!* Either way, this is a lovely fill so far. Despite the whole, ya know, Alfred forgetting about Arthur's existance. ^^; And fairy!Francis is just way too perfect. XD
Re: Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VI]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 05:15:55 UTC
YES I've been waiting for this to be filled! With such a wonderful prologue, too. You write beautifully and Arthur as a love-struck fairy suits this anon fine. /cannot wait for the microphilia *shot*
Re: Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VI]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 05:28:59 UTC
This is going to break my heart isn't it? Bring it on writer!anon I'll be camping out here with ice cream and comedy DVDs ready for aftermath damage control. On the other note, your sheer awesomeness frays my nerves in absolute joy. ;)
Re: Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VI]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 07:08:29 UTC
All I can say, authornon, is that this story is completely and utterly captivating. I can feel Arthur's soft, sweet adoration for human!Alfred, and Francis's personality is so perfect. It's just, arrgghhh...my comment is so crappy and inadequate, but what I'm trying to say is that this fill is just excellent and I'm eagerly awaiting the next update. :D
Re: Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VI]
anonymous
August 30 2010, 08:59:17 UTC
d'awwww, you got me cooing at fairy arthur like nobody's business. smoochy fairy francis makes me giggle, too <3 “My beloved Arthur, apple of my eye,” what the hell, francis? Pffff Please keep up your amazing work, author anon!! ILU ♥
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue VII]
anonymous
August 31 2010, 04:33:44 UTC
I hope the OP is still out there somewhere @^@
-
Trailing after Alfred, Arthur followed him to work.
Sometimes he rode on Alfred’s shoulder, the warmth of his human’s body comforting. It was one of the few ways Arthur could feel close to him, staring wistfully at the man, his heart churning painfully in his chest. Alfred was warm, so very warm, and his smiles were beautiful and brilliant. Arthur loved to see Alfred smile.
But lately, Alfred had begun to feel his presence.
He could not see Arthur of course; Alfred did not believe in magic and the only way Alfred would be able to see Arthur was if Arthur showed himself to the scientist. Arthur was not so far gone that he would purposely show himself to an adult human, no matter how much he loved Alfred. Arthur would be punished severely if he did, even vanished from his homeland. There was only so much Francis could do for him; it was only because he was Francis’ partner that he was even allowed to visit his human so often.
Alfred could not see him-but he had begun to feel the little touches, the ghost-like kisses on his forehead and the shimmering trails of magic Arthur left behind. He would scratch his cheek where Arthur had last kissed him, furrow his brow in confusion when Arthur sat on his shoulder, chew his bottom lip in frustration when his precious machines picked up a small signal of energy in his tightly-locked house only to disappear seconds later.
It should have sent Arthur flying home, Alfred’s sudden, quickly growing awareness of the faery, but Arthur stayed. He stayed and watched Alfred work himself into the ground trying to solve this new, bizarre puzzle he could not find all the pieces to.
Arthur had not gone home in months now. Never before had he gone so long without assuring his brothers and sisters that he was still a part of their world, that he had not given himself entirely to his beloved human.
“Your wings are all droopy,” they would tell him, mouths curled in disgust. “His magic is bad for you. His magic hurts you. His magic is no good for you; he is hurting you.”
“I will not leave him,” Arthur would tell them in return, shoulders stubborn and voice strong. Defiant. “You will not make me choose between my home and my human; I can have both. You cannot stop me.”
The High Council did not understand and neither did his brothers and sisters-but Arthur could not bring himself to separate himself from Alfred. It would be far too painful.
“The love you give him he takes and takes in strife,” they would snap back, eyes red with anger, sharp teeth bared in ferocious snarls. “He uses your love to hurt you; he is no good for you. He is a mud man, a worm of the earth and his strange magic is making you ill. Do you wish to die for him? Your love for him is killing you!”
Sneering haughtily, Arthur would reply, “My love is mine to give to whomever I choose.”
Hissing, wings flapping angrily behind them, they would hurl out, their voices shrill and hurtful, “Then go ahead and give your heart to your mud man, but lay not with the worms of the earth! Your body is yours and yours alone, you cannot give your precious human that which is not his to take! If you lay with him, Arthur, the doors of our world will be closed to you forever; you will never be able to come back!”
Arthur knew the rules of the People well, he did not need to be reminded of the consequences of crossing that last, unforgivable line. He loved Alfred, but he also loved his home too much to give one up for the other; he wanted to keep both. Arthur wanted a balance between the two.
Arthur should have know better than to be so naïve.
Your Sins Into Me [Prologue END]
anonymous
August 31 2010, 04:36:41 UTC
Arthur should have fled when Alfred first starting suspecting the shimmering trails of fairy dust Arthur sometimes left lying around, the tiny footprints on the soil of his small garden, the opened boxes of sugar cubes he forgot to put away on occasion. Arthur’s love for Alfred made him forgetful, made him lose focus, made him less sharp and less careful of his magic. Because magic was powerful energy and Alfred’s machines were sharp, much too sharp.
Francis had once told him that Alfred would sooner dissect him like he would a butterfly before returning his love.
And he was right.
It was raining when Arthur woke up from his sleep, expecting to open his eyes to his bed or roses and sweet-scented lilies, to the dewy grass and the rich, earthy smell of wet soil from Alfred’s garden.
He woke up in a cold metallic bed inside a glass cage.
“Aha. So you were asleep.”
Bright, much too bright lights. A white cold room and a sharp, stinging pain on the side of his neck. Arthur felt his blood freeze in his veins before his brain caught up with his horrible, horrible situation.
The smile on Alfred’s face was beautiful, as were his blue, blue eyes. It was a cold, calculative smile, the kind of smile Arthur remembered seeing on Alfred’s face whenever he took apart one of his newest machines.
The snap of rubber gloves was deafening-just like the sound of Arthur’s fast beating heart.
“Now, let’s try and figure out what you are, little guy.”
--
That’s it for the epilogue :D Thanks so much for your kind comments, anons~!
-
[Prologue]
The first time Arthur saw him, the human was but a child.
He was a little cherub, all rosy cheeks and golden locks bathed in sunlight. His wide, wide innocent eyes were blue constellations and Arthur felt his breath leave him at the sight of them.
He screeched to a stop, on his way to his homeland, to the evergreen forests and pure, ancient magic of long ago times. He’d run away from home in a burst of anger, enraged and feeling betrayed for he’d been engaged without his consent to a pompous asshole he’d much rather stab with a unicorn horn than wed. But in his anger, he’d run away to a place so polluted and dirtied that he’d grown sick. His pale skin lost its lustrous glow, his gossamer wings grew droopy, and his magic weakened considerably; Arthur was too pure and the air was too filthy.
It had taken the aid of some friendly critters for him to regain his strength. The inhabitants of the garden he was fortunate enough to be brought to were kind enough to explain to him where he was. In turned out he was in a land known as Washington D.C, a little kingdom that was part of an even bigger kingdom.
The People who lived near the area were few and scarce; Arthur was not surprised by this. The garden-with its buoyancy of colorful flowers and trees and its crystal-clean pond surrounded by a strange transparent wall that protected them (he was told this was a man-made garden, a greenhouse)-was clean enough, but not clean enough for a big nest of the People to flourish and live here. The polluted city outside the greenhouse was even worse.
He slept in a bed of roses for days before he felt fit enough to make the journey back home. A bit of honeysuckle lifted his spirits and he even forgot, although just for a second, that he was engaged; but he could not stay here, even if returning home meant he would be wed to that gigantic prat of a prince. Besides, he could not refuse. It was already decided that he would be wed and nothing would change that. He had his pride and he would not dishonor his name. Arthur would just have to hold his head up high and suck it up.
If he was lucky the prince would forget about him and run off the arms of another, perhaps a bubbly sprite or a devious pixie. The prince was known for being a giant, lecherous pervert; and someone like Arthur would not serve him well in his bedchamber.
And it was then, right as he was leaving, that the little cherub burst into the garden. Tinkling laughter ringing like bells and sunshine smiles coupled with his blue, blue eyes-the little human child was sunset and sunrise both. Arthur nearly crashed into a tree.
He quickly hid behind a tall, flirty Belladonna, gossamer wings fluttering anxiously along with his heart. The boy sensed nothing amiss, bouncing a bright red, round object with the brightest of smiles on his angelic face. Arthur blinked, curious, intrigued despite himself, and strangely captivated by the human child’s blue, blue eyes.
The People absolutely forbid any and all interactions with the humans. Arthur never had any problem with their strict rules-yet he fell compelled to watch this child. Suddenly, he wanted to see what would become of this human boy. Arthur dearly loved children after all. When he was not in the Great Library he could often be found in the nurseries, cooing over the new flocks of recently born sprites and faeries. Arthur liked looking over the little young ones. He would one day like to have a nest of his own, although he seriously doubted it would ever happen. Arthur was not known for his warm personality; in fact, he went out of his way to avoid his fellow brothers and sisters, preferring his solitude over loud, chattering parties. His stubborn, rough and often dry attitude left much to be desired when it came to attracting potential partners.
Reply
Peeking over the Belladonnas’ dewy petals, Arthur watched as the child played, laughing and smiling, blue eyes shining with mirth. He was a happy child it seemed, innocent like so very few humans were. Arthur felt himself smile in return, his chest suddenly warm.
Knowing he would be punished severely if he was ever found out, Arthur collected a bit of magic in his hand. It shimmered and coiled as he shaped it to his will, turning it into something gentle and happy. Then-he let it go.
The warmth in his chest doubled when he heard the child gasp in awe, the bright red toy bouncing away. Arthur fluttered in front of the child, suspended fluidly in the air. With an effortless flutter of his paper-thin wings, he leaned forward and tapped the child’s nose with a miniscule finger.
“Do you have a wish, little one?” he asked, chuckling lightly at the wide blue, blue eyes staring at him in wonder.
The boy’s face suddenly split into a wide smile. Excitement took over surprise. Eagerness lined his voice, “Are you a genie?” the human child said excitedly. “That’s so cool!”
Left eyebrow twitching at the innocent insult, Arthur shook his head. “I am most certainly not,” he huffed, crossing his arms.
Blinking, confused, the child lost some of his eagerness. He was still young enough to see Arthur; it was usually small children still innocent enough to believe in things like magic that were capable of seeing the People. They would think nothing of them, believing them to be real until they grew up and lost the ability to see them. Then they would think nothing them, even thinking of them as imaginary friends they’d made up in their childhood. Arthur knew this. Even so, he wanted to make this child happy. He knew he would be forgotten yet that didn’t seem to matter at the time. Arthur just wanted to make this little human child happy, see his bright blue, blue eyes light up in joy.
That was his first mistake.
Tucking a stray lock of fair hair behind a pointy ear, Arthur asked once more. “Do you have a wish, little one?”
This time, the boy jumped up in excitement, no longer interested in whether Arthur was a genie or not. Children were like that, and this one was still quite young, probably no older than six summers. He was a dear, a complete dear.
“I want to go up in space!”
Stumped, Arthur blinked. The child stared back at him, waiting and eager. The bare innocence etched on his cherubic face made Arthur itch to pet his head, run his fingers through his sun-kissed hair and tuck him into bed, spinning him happy dreams every night.
“That’s a very big wish,” he said after a long pause, although not unkindly. “You’ll have to work very hard.”
The child’s eyes turned watery, his lower lip trembling.
“But I will do my best to help you,” Arthur added, this time reaching out to touch the boy’s face. It was an air-like brush of skin on skin, barely a ghost of a kiss to a human, but Arthur hoped it was comforting. “You look smart; I’m sure you will make you wish come true in time.”
The child preened at the praise. Arthur had very little time to think before he was suddenly grabbed, carefully enveloped in the warmth of the child’s tiny hands like a caged butterfly. He sputtered but did not protest when the child showed him his many different favorite places in the greenhouse, playing with him on the flower beds and grass.
Reply
Arthur laughed, cheeks still dusted with heat. “I would rather you not put me in your pocket, love.”
“Besides, I like your eyes,” the child went on, blue eyes bright and beautiful. Like the ocean on a warm summer day. “That green color. Like a forest in a picture book!”
Embarrassed, not used to being anyone’s center of attention, Arthur cleared his throat. Having never received a compliment he didn’t know how he was supposed to react to the boy’s praise.
Although it felt nice, having someone’s attention focused on you and only you. Arthur felt like he suddenly understood why some of his brothers and sisters made fools of themselves to catch their beloved’s attention.
“You’re like a princess from one of those fairytales my ma reads me. Do you live in a big golden castle too?” the child asked. He frowned, biting his lower lip. “My daddy says princesses aren’t real, but I don’t really care. I think giant robots are way cooler. I’m going to make one when I’m older!”
Sitting down on top of the boy’s blonde head, Arthur crossed his legs. “You want to build things then? Those who create are very admirable.”
The child smiled widely, flailing his arms in the air. “I’m going to be a scientist like my pa! He says when I’m big and strong I can make giant robots with him.”
Arthur threaded his hands through the boy’s golden hair, curling the strands around his fingers. “If you believe hard enough and wish strong enough you can make anything come true,” he told the child.
Children were geniuses. Arthur did not doubt this boy would make his dream a reality. There was a fire in the human child’s eyes, bright and strong and beautiful. Humans like him were so rare and few in between; Arthur felt privileged to have met one.
But he could not stay forever. He felt something like guilt churn in his chest when the boy stared at him with wide, teary blue, blue eyes begging him to stay. Arthur promised him he would come back and visit him.
“You promise?” the boy said in a small voice, rosy cheeks wet with tears.
Catching one of the crystalline drops before it could fall, Arthur nodded. He caressed the boy’s cheek sweetly. “I promise, love.”
Arthur felt accomplished when he saw the child smile, his little face bright with happiness. It was a good feeling. It had not been a coincidence that of all the places in the Earth he’d ended up here; there had been a reason for it and now Arthur felt like he had fulfilled that reason.
After that, he visited the child often. His wedding day was one big, suffocating celebration. Arthur could not stand to see the prince’s pompous face, much less the feel of his slimy, wandering hands. He was prone to punching the prince on the face before disappearing for days, often weeks, to come to the greenhouse. He always left his nest feeling irritated and angry-but once he saw his human’s face happiness bubbled up to the surface and wiped away all those negative emotions.
Alfred was a dear, an absolute dear, and how Arthur loved him.
That was his second mistake.
Reply
Arthur knew he was putting the existence of the People at risk, that he could ruin himself and his kind, but he believed himself to be smarter than that. He’d always been too arrogant for his own good.
That was his third mistake.
He never stopped visiting Alfred, not even when the day came that Alfred forgot about him. It was painful but Arthur knew it would happen. All children grew up, it was inevitable. Wistfully and with the air of parent that knew it was time for his children to leave the nest, Arthur watched Alfred for afar.
Alfred had grown up wonderfully, and Arthur felt proud. It was silly, but it was true.
“Why do you watch him?”
Cocking his head, Arthur did not take his eyes off the child-turned-teenager. Alfred was studying with the fervor of a dying man, brow furrowed in concentration and pink tongue peeking out from between the crevice of his lips. In the last year he’d begun to wear glasses. Late nights spent in front of the computer and dozens of hours wasted playing video games day after day had damaged his eyesight. The dazzling blue of his eyes did not diminished in the slightest behind the lenses of his glasses. Arthur was still captivated by their brightness, his breath catching in a pocket of his throat every time he saw the blue, blue of Alfred’s eyes.
“Hmm?” he said, not paying attention to the annoyance at his side.
Flicking back his magnificent mane of golden hair, Francis rolled his eyes. “My beloved Arthur, apple of my eye,” he said in his atrocious and ear-shattering accent-quite inconvincibly too and not without a bucket full of sarcasm. “Again, zis’ boy is why we came here?”
“Might I remind you, frog, that I did not ask you to accompany me?” Arthur said, irritated. “You are welcomed to leave. Actually, you are more than welcome to disappear from my sight forever. I tire of seeing your ugly mug day after day.”
“Ah. This is where I know you are lying to me, ma petite.” Blowing a kiss at his reflection on the window, Francis winked. “My face is quite beautiful. There is not a sprite in the world who does not know my face. You are quite lucky to be greeted by it every morning. Go on, admit it.”
Arthur felt goose-bumps rise on his skin when wandering fingers caressed the low of his back. The fingers traveled dangerously low, lower and lower still-
The resounding THAWCK startled a few butterflies. Their beady eyes glared at the couple on the windowsill before flying away indignantly, heads held high.
“Ow, you beast!” Francis cried out, tenderly holding his reddened cheek. “You absolute beast, why do you always go for my face? My beautiful face!”
“Beautiful my arse,” Arthur muttered under his breath. Turning his back to the idiot, he returned to staring at the teenager on the other side of the window, handsome face scrunched up in frustration. Alfred looked tired, exhausted even. He was studying for his exams; last night he’d had one of his games (football?) and that added to his exhaustion. From what the faery could tell the boy would be graduation from his school this year and was, like always, trying to do too much, the impossible. Alfred was smart, he’d always been smart, just like Arthur knew he would be.
“You overachieving fool,” Arthur scoffed, though a small, gentle smile made its way to his face.
Reply
If he didn’t know any better Arthur would say the idiot sounded a little bit jealous. But this was Francis. Arthur knew better than to believe any of the notorious pervert’s sweet words and loving caresses.
Leaning his back against the window, Francis flapped his gorgeous, shimmering wings. There was a leering smile on his handsome face. “I am curious now, lovely; just what kind of other faces can you make, hmm?”
Face twisting in disgust, Arthur gave him a scathing smile. “I will sooner kiss the giant squid before I let you into my bed, frog. Don’t even try it or you’ll find an important part of your anatomy missing.”
Francis chuckled, smiling keenly. “Please, dear. Tell me something I don’t know. My bed has been cold and empty these past years. Alas, I am so very lonely.”
“At least you have the decency not to shag your lovers in our marriage bed, I’ll give you that,” Arthur said, voice dry. “Guess you aren’t entirely without shame after all.”
“You care more for this human then you care for your family, what does that say about you, my dear and sweet Arthur?”
Arthur froze, his hands clenching into fists. He grit his teeth. “That’s none of your business,” he said coldly, glaring at the whimsically smiling prince. “Alfred is-”
“-a human.” Francis stared coolly at him, blue eyes unusually serious and lacking in his usual merriness. “And he will sooner dissect you like he would a beautiful butterfly before returning your love. Arthur,” he began, no smile to be found on his face. “Enough. I have allowed this to continue for longer than I should have. It is time you got over this passing fancy of yours.”
Francis might as well have slapped him. Shoulders trembling, Arthur gave Francis a look of utmost loathing, wrapping his arms around his middle, holding himself together, his heart thrumming painfully in his chest because he knew Francis’ words to be true. He should have forgotten about Alfred years and years ago-but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Arthur had promised to make Alfred’s dream come true after all.
It was a stupid, silly promise and though he knew he could not make Alfred’s wish come true he wanted to be there when Alfred made his dream happen with his own two hands. Because Alfred would do it; he was such a smart young man after all. He was graduating early, had already been accepted to such a promising, selective school and would no doubt grow up to become something great. The tiny child Arthur had made a promise to was no more but Arthur felt as if their bond was still there, even though Alfred could no longer see him. Even though Alfred had already forgotten him.
“I’m not leaving,” he told Francis, pig-headed and stubborn to a fault. “And I’m not asking you to stay with me. I am not with you because I love you.”
Chuckling, the cold look disappearing from his face, Francis smiled dryly. “My beloved Arthur, you were never with me.”
He laid a chaste kiss upon Arthur’s cheek, his hand caressing a stray lock of his blonde hair, then his face, before tracing Arthur’s lips with his thumb. “You are beautiful when you are in love, ma petite. Let us hope you won’t be as beautiful in your death, hmm?”
Arthur scoffed, not in the mood for one of the pompous prince’s riddles. “Idiot,” he said, though he felt a pang in his chest.
He refused to admit he hurt as he watched Francis leave.
Loneliness and isolation was the price he paid for loving Alfred. His brothers and sisters looked at him with distrust in their eyes; they tried to convince him to leave the human alone, to forget about him. Arthur did not heed their council. He continued to visit Alfred throughout the years, watching him, looking after him, feeling proud when he accomplished one greatness after another. Alfred was a genius, a bright, alluring star that would not go out.
Reply
There was one thing that made Arthur sad, and that was Alfred’s stubborn refusal to believe in anything beyond his precious cold machines and beloved numbers. He remembered the little boy who loved his magic and who smiled whenever Arthur would tell him stories of his homeland and felt even more dejected.
“What did you expect?” Francis told him, smiling wryly as he vainly inspected his nails. “The child you loved is gone. In his place is a man who plays with emotionless machines and believes magic to be a far-fetched idea thought up by fools. He is not your home, Arthur. He cannot make you happy.”
Arthur spent more and more time away from his homeland nowadays. He grew used to the air of Alfred’s new home, the cold breathing machines that inhabited the place and stared at him with unseeing, glowing red eyes. Arthur did not like them much, they made it hard to fly sometimes.
And it had been so long since he’d used his magic. Arthur missed the feeling of it, the warmth that glowed in his chest like a winter fire. Alfred did not believe in magic anymore and there was no reason to use it here, in this cold, cold metal house made up of Alfred’s glorious dreams and brilliant accomplishments.
“He’s ruined you. You stink of him,” was what his brothers and sisters told him time after time again, disgust written plainly on their faces. “He’s taken you from us. You chose him over us.”
He had, hadn’t he? Arthur had chosen a human over his family. He’d abandoned his home and his magic and everything he once held dear for a human child who could no longer see him. Maybe this was why the People didn’t associate with humans; it was so painful to love them when they couldn’t see you, when they didn’t believe you were real and so easily forgot about you.
Sighing wistfully, Arthur tucked a stray lock of Alfred’s hair behind his ear, watching him sleep, wondering if he should stay or leave him. He could not make Alfred happy in this form, he could not aid him. He did small things around the house, little things like cleaning after a man whose messy habits had not disappeared even though he was an adult now. Sometimes Arthur helped Alfred sleep when he had trouble sleeping, giving him happy dreams, but that was it.
Alfred was so close yet so far away; there was a bridge between them, separating them, pushing Arthur away.
If only Arthur had known the consequences of crossing that bridge beforehand.
--
Eh. Will post last part of the prologue later. I must finish my schoolwork first, orz. Hope this was to your liking, OP, even if a little. I will tackle the scientist kink when the prologue is done, promise :D
Reply
Either way, this is a lovely fill so far. Despite the whole, ya know, Alfred forgetting about Arthur's existance. ^^; And fairy!Francis is just way too perfect. XD
Reply
Please don't abandon this, I'll cry.
*F5 party*
Reply
On the other note, your sheer awesomeness frays my nerves in absolute joy. ;)
Reply
Reply
Reply
And poor Arthur, why always him? QAQ
Reply
-
Trailing after Alfred, Arthur followed him to work.
Sometimes he rode on Alfred’s shoulder, the warmth of his human’s body comforting. It was one of the few ways Arthur could feel close to him, staring wistfully at the man, his heart churning painfully in his chest. Alfred was warm, so very warm, and his smiles were beautiful and brilliant. Arthur loved to see Alfred smile.
But lately, Alfred had begun to feel his presence.
He could not see Arthur of course; Alfred did not believe in magic and the only way Alfred would be able to see Arthur was if Arthur showed himself to the scientist. Arthur was not so far gone that he would purposely show himself to an adult human, no matter how much he loved Alfred. Arthur would be punished severely if he did, even vanished from his homeland. There was only so much Francis could do for him; it was only because he was Francis’ partner that he was even allowed to visit his human so often.
Alfred could not see him-but he had begun to feel the little touches, the ghost-like kisses on his forehead and the shimmering trails of magic Arthur left behind. He would scratch his cheek where Arthur had last kissed him, furrow his brow in confusion when Arthur sat on his shoulder, chew his bottom lip in frustration when his precious machines picked up a small signal of energy in his tightly-locked house only to disappear seconds later.
It should have sent Arthur flying home, Alfred’s sudden, quickly growing awareness of the faery, but Arthur stayed. He stayed and watched Alfred work himself into the ground trying to solve this new, bizarre puzzle he could not find all the pieces to.
Arthur had not gone home in months now. Never before had he gone so long without assuring his brothers and sisters that he was still a part of their world, that he had not given himself entirely to his beloved human.
“Your wings are all droopy,” they would tell him, mouths curled in disgust. “His magic is bad for you. His magic hurts you. His magic is no good for you; he is hurting you.”
“I will not leave him,” Arthur would tell them in return, shoulders stubborn and voice strong. Defiant. “You will not make me choose between my home and my human; I can have both. You cannot stop me.”
The High Council did not understand and neither did his brothers and sisters-but Arthur could not bring himself to separate himself from Alfred. It would be far too painful.
“The love you give him he takes and takes in strife,” they would snap back, eyes red with anger, sharp teeth bared in ferocious snarls. “He uses your love to hurt you; he is no good for you. He is a mud man, a worm of the earth and his strange magic is making you ill. Do you wish to die for him? Your love for him is killing you!”
Sneering haughtily, Arthur would reply, “My love is mine to give to whomever I choose.”
Hissing, wings flapping angrily behind them, they would hurl out, their voices shrill and hurtful, “Then go ahead and give your heart to your mud man, but lay not with the worms of the earth! Your body is yours and yours alone, you cannot give your precious human that which is not his to take! If you lay with him, Arthur, the doors of our world will be closed to you forever; you will never be able to come back!”
Arthur knew the rules of the People well, he did not need to be reminded of the consequences of crossing that last, unforgivable line. He loved Alfred, but he also loved his home too much to give one up for the other; he wanted to keep both. Arthur wanted a balance between the two.
Arthur should have know better than to be so naïve.
Reply
Francis had once told him that Alfred would sooner dissect him like he would a butterfly before returning his love.
And he was right.
It was raining when Arthur woke up from his sleep, expecting to open his eyes to his bed or roses and sweet-scented lilies, to the dewy grass and the rich, earthy smell of wet soil from Alfred’s garden.
He woke up in a cold metallic bed inside a glass cage.
“Aha. So you were asleep.”
Bright, much too bright lights. A white cold room and a sharp, stinging pain on the side of his neck. Arthur felt his blood freeze in his veins before his brain caught up with his horrible, horrible situation.
The smile on Alfred’s face was beautiful, as were his blue, blue eyes. It was a cold, calculative smile, the kind of smile Arthur remembered seeing on Alfred’s face whenever he took apart one of his newest machines.
The snap of rubber gloves was deafening-just like the sound of Arthur’s fast beating heart.
“Now, let’s try and figure out what you are, little guy.”
--
That’s it for the epilogue :D Thanks so much for your kind comments, anons~!
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment