tempting_the_fates

The party last night had been lovely, and yet... Yet this morning he felt as miserable as ever.

Sitting in his bedroom he found himself alone again. John hadn't lingered, and he wasn't sure where Hex had wound up. It was just him, his packed trunks, and his thoughts. ...And he hated it. His crown was still sitting on the nightstand and he picked it up, turning it over in his hands for a moment, before tossing it aside.

He didn't want to go back to the ship. It wasn't as though he was wanted there anyway. Perhaps Hex would miss him, but maybe he wouldn't.. He still wasn't sure how much of their relationship was just the lingering pull of the bond, and it wasn't as though they spent much time together anyway. Hex was always busy, working. That wasn't likely to change. John put up with him, but clearly wasn't attached. Bond hated him. House had been kind, but it was clear his attention was elsewhere.

He had never felt more alone, if he was honest, and for a moment he considered looking for Guy- But why? That was already complicated, and Guy had left once before already. Just like everyone did.

He could feel tears starting to prick behind his eyes, but he willed them away with a calming breath. He wasn't going to cry. Tears did nothing except leave the eyes red and the throat dry. Instead he got to his feet and looked through what remained in the wardrobe.  A silver vest and robe hung near the back, and he layered them over a sheer button down top and a simple pair of white trousers. It was bright and airy, but somehow he looked like he was in mourning.

Stepping out into the hall he found it was silent, almost eerily so, and started to make his way to the main entry. He passed Bond and Harry, who seemed to be waiting on Silver, and considered lingering. What if he left with Willy? What could anyone possibly do if he did? Hunt him down? Let them. He could just refuse to come home anyway.

But no, why would Willy want him any more than anyone else?

Moving on, he considered hunting down Pippa, maybe begging to stay, but in the end he wound up in the gardens. Passing the pixies he followed the familiar path to the secret garden, letting himself in and settling in on what had once been his favorite bench. Staring into the hedge, he almost didn't notice the tiny creature fluttering beside him.

"You look sad," Winter said. "How can you be sad? Last night was fun!"

Nyx glanced over and forced a smile. "I'm not sad, little one," he lied.

"Liar," Winter chirped happily.

Nyx nearly laughed, offering a small shrug. "If I'm sad, there's not one reason- There's many."

Winter considered that, then perched himself on the arm of the bench. "You're free now. That's a happy thing."

Nyx nodded slightly, then shrugged. "At least when I was kept, people had to pay me mind."

Winter pulled a face at that, then shook his head. "Now you can have whoever's attention though."

"It's not that simple, Winter," the fae assured him.

Winter hummed, then shrugged.

"You should get back to John," Nyx said gently. "He'll want to know where you are, I think."

The pixie lit up at that, nodding. "Yeah, he likes knowing where I am," he agreed, giggling a little, then taking off.

Nyx watched him go, his smile fading the moment the pixie was out of sight.

"You're staring," Fox noted, not looking up from where he was adding a few more glass circles to the deck. As his garden expanded, more light was needed, meaning more tiny coin sized holes filled with glass in the deck above him. "Humans think it's rude to stare," he added as he stood back up.

"Only if you do it wrong," Nyx replied. "Sometimes they like being looked at. Makes them feel wanted."

Fox glanced over, looking doubtful. Nyx just rolled his eyes, before turning his gaze on a passing pirate, offering the man full bedroom eyes. The pirate seemed surprised, and offered a little smile- Before nearly tripping over a pile of rope.

"See?" Nyx replied.

Fox considered this, then nodded. "I see."

Wandering closer, Nyx looked at the little glass circles. "Is that all the sun you need?" he asked.

"It's enough," Fox nodded. "The plants need it more than me."

The prince nodded a little, pushing his long hair back behind his ears. "You grow fruit, I was told," he said. "What do you grow? Anything sweet?"

Fox smiled, just a little, gesturing for Nyx to follow. He led them down to his rooms, then gestured at the garden and the tiny trees, inviting Nyx to look around. The fae prince did just that, leaning over to admire it all. "Clever. ...Difficult though," he noted, glancing over.

"I manage fine," Fox shrugged, plucking an apple and letting it grow in his palm before offering it to Nyx.

Nyx took it and sniffed it before biting. It was sweet and juicy, heaven on his lips. "Don't suppose you grow cherries," he said between bites.

Fox shook his head, but seemed to think on it. "I'm not sure they'd be high enough demand to warrant the space they'd take..."

"Jams though," Nyx said. "Jams, and tarts, and..."

Fox's mouth watered just a bit, and he nodded. "We could make space."

"Too bad we can't keep bees," Nyx added.

"No, I don't imagine they'd like the ship much," Fox said.

The pair were silent for a while after that, sitting on Fox's bed and eating fruit until they were both full.

"They keep you prisoner," Fox said after a while.

"Were you not ever held in such a way?" the prince asked.

Fox shook his head, pulling his feet up onto the bed as he leaned back against the wall. "No. I came by choice, made myself valuable with food."

"I was taken," Nyx replied.

"I know," Fox nodded. "They treat you poorly. What will you do?"

Nyx hesitated, then wet his lips with a flick of his tongue. "I'm not sure yet. It's no longer just my life in danger."

Fox looked confused, then seemed to catch on. "You care if your keeper lives?"

The prince offered a tiny shrug, pulling his feet up as well now. "He's not bright, didn't understand what he was doing. ...He's been kind."

Fox seemed doubtful, shaking his head. "Keepers aren't kind. That's not their job. It's not what we had them for."

"He is," Nyx insisted.

"Then teach him to be a proper keeper, or you'll both rot," Fox said, tutting a bit to himself, then switching to their native tongue. "I trained myself to not need the pain, I do not believe you have."

Nyx looked down at his hands. "I have had many kind lovers for many months at a time..."

Fox made a chittering sound, something like disbelief, or maybe disapproval. "But you found pain elsewhere," he accused.

"I managed my needs,"  Nyx huffed.

Fox just shook his head, saying nothing more about it. It wasn't his job to look after anyone but himself. "I'll bring you a basket of fruit each week," he said finally. "You need more than they realize. Do you eat the flesh they serve?"

"No," Nyx replied, pulling a face. "Do you?"

Fox nodded a bit, looking over at the other fae. "We are not all born with the privilege of being so fragile. Flesh fortifies flesh."

Nyx pulled a face, shaking his head. "I will not partake."

"No, I didn't imagine you would. So more fruit. You'll never survive if you remain frail. Royal blood holds less power this far from the realm, and with your binding you are weaker still," Fox said.

Nyx huffed slightly, but didn't argue. "I will eat the fruit you bring," he said finally, the closest thing to a thanks that he'd ever offer another fae.