Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Crimson eyes flew open in a panic at the sound of dead leaves crunching underfoot of some encroaching creature. The last scion of the Kaedehara clan shot to his feet, hand gripping the handle of his katana.

It wasn’t that Kazuha was afraid of nature—in fact, the young noble often found refuge away from the gilded cage of his clan’s estate by immersing himself in the whispers of the wind and the warm embrace of the natural world—but whatever was approaching him was far from natural. The malignant aura of cursed energy clung to the entity like tar, poisoning the atmosphere of the forest.

Kazuha’s brows furrowed with determination, head cocked slightly to the side as his acute senses tracked the approaching beast. His legs tensed in preparation to strike, waiting one moment… two… then SWISH! 

In a flash, he withdrew his blade from its scabbard, springing upwards and forwards while he slashed his sword towards the lurking creature, only to freeze midswing at the sight of it.

The creature was not some rift wolf like Kazuha had feared, but rather a deer, frozen in fear from the threat of his blade. Vines and small, white flowers were woven around its antlers, and its coat shone a brilliant red. Were my senses deceived somehow? How could such a gentle creature give off such a frightening aura?

Before Kazuha could ponder these thoughts any longer, the crashing of branches startled him out of his reverie—the deer took off in a sprint, careening through bushes and trees in its haste to get away from him. Concerned for the panicking creature, he chased after it, barely managing to keep up with it as it clumsily trampled through the foliage.

Just as the sky above him began to shift into gorgeous shades of gold, orange, and vermillion, Kazuha’s pounding feet carried him to a clearing in the forest. The soothing sound of waves lapping the bank of a nearby lake calmed his hammering heart as his eyes tracked the movement of the deer, which had finally begun to slow down.

When it came to a stop by the water’s edge, Kazuha finally took the time to return his blade to its sheath and catch his breath, only for a sudden gust of wind to tug his attention back to the deer before him.

He watched, transfixed, as an eerie melody suddenly echoed in the wind before the deer was engulfed in blinding light. Instinctively, his hand twitched towards his blade, but he lowered it to his side once he sensed that the cursed energy from before was dwindling rather than growing.

When the gleaming light began to fade, Kazuha’s eyes widened—the deer had vanished, and in its place stood an ethereally beautiful man. Maroon locks braided with flowers framed the delicate portrait of his face, a visage which was highlighted by the moles under each of his eyes.

The usually eloquent poet found himself rendered speechless at the sight of such a stunning being, unable to string together even a thought—much less any word of greeting—towards the man before him. Instead, Kazuha stood there in silence as the man met his stare with a scrutinizing gaze.

At first, the man seemed tense, olive eyes tracking every subtle move and breath that Kazuha made. Eventually, though, his tension eased and he broke into an amused grin.

“Oh?”  The stranger inquired. Though he maintained a teasing lilt of his voice, an undercurrent of apprehension tinged his words as he added, “have you finally gotten tired of chasing me?” 

Kazuha stared back dumbfounded at the man before him, mouth slightly agape. “You… you’re beautiful. I… I would never harm a creature as splendid as you.  It’s just your scent—”

“You’re saying that you tried to kill me because you think I’m stinky?! Also, thinking I’m pretty doesn’t give you the right to try to mount my head on a wall,” the man scoffed.

Kazuha slowly raised his hands in surrender and bowed his head in apology.  “Forgive me. Though you have done no harm unto me, I have both slighted and raised my blade against you. Please, allow me to make amends.”

“You want to make it up to me?” The man looked contemplative for a few moments. Then, his face broke out into a sly smirk as he looked Kazuha up and down. “Well, I suppose I could think of a couple fun ways for you to do that… if you think you’d be able to satisfy me, that is.”

Emboldened by the man’s daring words, Kazuha took a few steps closer to him. “If that is truly what you would wish of me,” he said, “Then I shall try my best to please you.”

Caught off guard by Kazuha’s calm acceptance of his suggestive proposal, the other man let slip a sputter of surprise. “You…” he muttered, struggling to regain his composure enough to find words.

After a few moments, though, he cleared his throat and plastered a teasing smirk back on his face before continuing, “You’re a bold one, aren’t you? How could you offer to do those sorts of things with me when you don’t even know me?”

Kazuha grinned back in reply. “Well, if you could bless me with the gift of knowing your name, then we would be one step closer to being more than just strangers.”

The man once again stared in surprise at Kazuha for a few seconds, a soft blush painting his cheeks. He finally murmured, “Heizou… my name is Heizou.”

Satisfied with the other’s answer, Kazuha bowed his head in acknowledgement. “It’s a pleasure to become acquainted with one such as you, dear Heizou. You can call me Kazuha.”

He stuck out his hand for Heizou to shake, taking the opportunity to more closely observe the other man.

As Heizou returned the handshake, Kazuha noticed something that sparked his intrigue: the malevolent scent he had detected earlier still lingered around the man despite having faded greatly after his transformation.

“What are you, exactly?” Kazuha couldn’t stop himself from asking. "You don't smell like any kind of youkai I've encountered, but you definitely aren't human... at least not anymore."

Heizou’s mossy green eyes glistened with sardonic amusement. "Man alive, you’re an observant one, aren’t you?” he asked with a bitter chuckle. “But anyways, what I actually am is... well... cursed."

Heizou paused briefly, giving Kazuha the time to process his words before continuing, “Before I was like this, I was a detective. My investigations caused me to ruffle the feathers of the wrong person, and, well… I’m sure you can probably guess the rest. Now I’m confined to these woods, stuck living as a deer every day for the rest of my life.”

“For the rest of your life?” Kazuha repeated Heizou’s last words, a frown breaking out across his face as he did so. “But surely, there must be some way to break the curse that you are under?”

Heizou threw his head back, laughing mirthlessly.  “Ha, I wish! While my curse can be broken, the conditions under which it can be undone are as impossible to fulfill as they are cliché!”

Noticing Kazuha’s confusion, Heizou added, “You see, to break the curse, someone who has never felt love before would have to truly fall in love with me, profess their undying love, and promise to love me forever. Then, and only then, will the curse be lifted.”

Kazuha let out a contemplative hum. “Surely it isn’t impossible for a person to become enamored with one as fascinating as you?”

“Well, believe it or not, being stuck in the form of a deer all day doesn’t really do much in the way of helping my dating life,” Heizou snarked back.  “And frankly, even before I was like this, many people I’ve tried to become involved with had difficulty dealing with my, ah… ‘trying personality.’” 

Affronted on Heizou's behalf, Kazuha couldn’t help but scoff before murmuring, “Perhaps those that scorned you simply did not take the effort to know you well enough.”

Heizou’s lips parted in surprise. Then, the man let out a laugh, this one a lot more genuine than the last. “Perhaps so,” he eventually conceded. “But I don’t know if proving them wrong is worth the risk. You see, should my lover betray me or fall out of love, well… my curse will become permanent. I… I don’t want to live like that.”

Kazuha nodded his head in understanding. “Risking your freedom and humanity in the hope of breaking your curse could incur a heavy toll indeed. I understand now why you don’t want to take that chance. Still, it must be difficult, bearing the burden of a curse such as this.”

Heizou shrugged with feigned nonchalance as he replied, “I won’t pretend it isn’t lonely at times, but I suppose I’ve gotten used to it. It’s been a few years, after all.”

Kazuha couldn’t help but frown at this. “Though the passage of time may dull the pain of our wounds, it makes our suffering no less cruel or unjust,” he retorted. He then paused in consideration before adding, “If it would help with the loneliness, I could visit again.”

At Kazuha’s offer, Heizou’s eyes widened, and a soft blush dusted his face. “There’s no need for all that!” he stammered out. “This forest is far out from the city, not to mention dangerous.  I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

Kazuha immediately rebuffed the other’s concerns with a soft smile and a shake of his head. “I live in my family’s estate, which is far closer to here. Besides, I long to get to know you better, so I find your company well worth the risk.”

The cheeks of the young detective flushed a deeper red as his gaze softened. “In that case… I wouldn’t mind if you visit me once again,” he admittedly meekly.

Heizou then paused, his face becoming more stern. “If you do visit again though, you better not try to stab me again.”

Kazuha let out an amused chuckle. “Of course not.”

Seeming satisfied with this answer, Heizou nodded his head in acceptance, opening his mouth to say something else when a loud shrieking sound from the forest drew the attention of both men.

“You should go now,” Heizou suddenly snapped, the abruptness of his demand startling Kazuha. “The one who cursed me is due to visit the forest tonight, and I fear it won’t be safe for you to linger here. Be careful, and, should you ever return for me, then meet me at this lake at sunset.”

Kazuha nodded his head in agreement. “I understand. Thank you for your warnings, dearest Heizou. I will make sure to heed them, so that I may return to you in one piece.”

The young noble then turned to depart, but not before sparing Heizou one last glance. “I will be back for you.  I promise,” he whispered softly, letting the breeze carry his words to the man before him. Then, finally, he turned away again, letting the gentle gale guide him safely home.

Even after the white-and-red haired nobleman departed, Shikanoin Heizou could not help but stare after him, his eyes lingering on the spot he had last seen Kazuha before he disappeared amidst the trees. Though he tried to deny it, the young man had pulled at Heizou’s heartstrings, causing him to feel things he hadn’t let himself feel in a while.

Surely, it couldn’t be helped. He’d spent years being stuck as a deer with only that monster and his minions to keep him company. It was only natural that Heizou would become so enraptured with a new variable in his life.

Besides, Kazuha was intriguing, like one of the puzzle boxes Heizou liked to solve back when he still had the privilege of freedom and full time opposable thumbs. His brain itched to learn more about the man.

And he’s quite pretty too, his mind added treacherously. Maybe he could be the one to break the curse.

Heizou quickly squashed that thought down, not letting himself hold onto that hope. How ridiculous, he scoffed to himself. You don’t even know if he’s actually going to return!

Still, despite his doubts, Heizou could not suppress the soft smile that had broken out across his face as he finally murmured his response for the wind to hear.

“Until next time, Kazuha.”

Chapter Text

Scaramouche was exhausted. Though he’d only recently returned from his latest mission, the tests that Dottore had run on him had been no less grueling than usual. His whole body screamed in protest as he moved, but he refused to let himself rest. He would not permit himself to be held back by something as pathetically human as pain, especially if doing so would show vulnerability around the sadistic Doctor or his pathetic underlings.

Thus, it was out of sheer obstinance that Scaramouche found himself squandering his limited free time by venturing out into the woods surrounding Dottore’s lair, grumbling to himself as he stomped through the forest. At least there are no stupid humans in this god-awful place.

Because the universe loved to spite him, that thought barely crossed his mind before the approaching sound of footsteps alerted him that he was not, in fact, alone. He looked up, magical energy coalescing in his hand as he prepared to strike whatever insolent worm dared to disrupt him, only to freeze and let the energy disperse at the sight of a surprisingly familiar face.

“Niwa?” he gasped softly. But it can’t be… Niwa left… he betrayed me.

A second glance at the man confirmed his doubts. Though the stranger had a similar face and the same red streak of hair as Niwa, the rest of his hair was a brilliant white instead of chestnut brown, and he was clearly years younger than Scaramouche’s former caretaker.

A sudden wave of rage washed over him, drowning out all other feelings evoked by seeing the near facsimile of that man. He growled beneath his breath, once again summoning a ball of magical energy in his hand, ready to strike this imposter of his betrayer down, and yet… and yet…

He couldn’t do it. Despite the rage roiling in his chest and despite the fact that he’d struck down many humans before, he could not bring himself to harm this stranger. And even though Niwa had betrayed him, he couldn’t bring himself to attack someone with his likeness.

With a frustrated shout, he crushed the ball of energy in his fist, letting out a hiss as the magic dispersed and a flare of pain shot through him. He glared at his hand for a moment, only to look back up and freeze when he noticed that the eyes of the man he’d been watching were now fixed on him.

“What are you doing here, human?” Scaramouche snapped at the man, his face morphing into an impassive scowl.

Despite Scaramouche’s harsh tone, the man’s smile did not waver as he replied, “When in these deep woods, the sun falls like autumn leaves, my haunting muse calls.” Then, upon noticing the unamused glare on Scaramouche’s face that this answer provoked, the man added, “I suppose you could say that I’m here to visit a friend.”

Scaramouche scoffed, folding his arms. “Are you incompetent, or do you just think that I am? Other than you, the only people around here are Dottore’s victims, his goons, and his test subjects. So cut the bullshit and tell me what you’re actually doing here.”

“What I speak is the truth, for I have no reason to obfuscate it,” the man countered calmly. “Though if what you say is true, then I must wonder what part you play here. Are you yourself a victim, a goon, or a test subject?”

An indignant growl escaped Scaramouche’s throat as he advanced closer to the man. “Don’t you dare group me with those pathetic lowlives. I’m here to enact my own goals.” Despite the protests Scaramouche made, the lingering wounds from Dottore’s scalpel ached a fierce reminder of just how much he had let the Doctor tear him apart. It really is different for me, though, he assured himself. I chose this.

As if sensing Scaramouche’s doubts, the red-eyed man frowned softly before murmuring, “Whether gilded or barbed, a cage is a cage. I only hope that you can find the key.” As he spoke, the man stepped closer to Scaramouche before reaching out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

For a moment, Scaramouche stared in shock at the hand resting on his shoulder, too stunned that the man had the audacity to touch him to fully process it. Once he had, however, an angry hiss escaped him. How dare this human pity me? How dare he pretend to care?

“Shut up!” Scaramouche snapped. He surged forward, pushing the man back and slamming his fist into the tree behind him. “Don’t pretend like you know a thing about me! A pathetic mortal like you could never hope to understand!” He leveled a glower towards the man pinned beneath him, who merely met his aggression with an aggravatingly placid smile.

“It is true that I know nothing about you,” the other man conceded. “Still, I don’t have to know you to sense the pain lingering around you in the wind.”

Unable to formulate a response, Scaramouche took a step back and let his arm drop to his side, only able to stare incredulously until some distant rustling caused the man to look away from him and towards the source of the noise.

“Well…though it’s been lovely, I fear I must depart,” the man stated. “The friend I plan to meet may grow worried should I take any longer to arrive.” Then, before Scaramouche could even think to respond, he quickly slipped past him and departed, leaving Scaramouche alone to stare in surprise at the spot the man had vacated.

Well… he’s got some nerve, Scaramouche scoffed to himself. Then, with a frustrated sigh, he briskly walked off in the same direction that other man had gone.

Kazuha meandered through the forest, his eyes darting between the trees as he looked for a familiar head of burgundy hair amidst the foliage. He had visited Heizou several times since their primary encounter, and each time the other man seemed to find new, obscure spots of the forest to lurk in as he waited.

The poet had just begun making his way towards a nearby cave to expand his search when a rustling in the trees above Kazuha drew his gaze. He looked up—a familiar pair of green eyes and a mischievous smirk loomed above him.

“Well well, look who’s finally arrived… and here I’d thought you’d forgotten all about me!” As Heizou spoke, he hopped down from the tree branch that he’d been perched on with a dramatic flourish.

Still, beneath Heizou’s bravado, Kazuha could sense the man’s relief in the air. Thus, Kazuha met Heizou’s teasing gaze with an apologetic smile. “My sincerest apologies, Heizou. I did not mean to make you worry. I simply became caught up on the way here.”

The young detective’s ears flushed a slight red. “I never said I was worried about you, I just…” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat. “Well, at least you’ve returned again, I suppose.”

“Indeed, I have,” Kazuha said. “And I come bearing gifts as well,” he added, withdrawing a parcel from where he had tucked it under the sleeve of his haori and placing it in Heizou’s hands.

“A gift for lil old me? How dreamy… but you shouldn’t have!” Heizou quipped lightly, smirking as he tore open the brown paper of the package. Then, as he saw the contents, he faltered, letting the pieces of brown paper slip from his fingers. His eyes widened in surprise. “Wait… this is…?”

Unconsciously, Kazuha’s fingers twitched, itching to grasp an ink brush in his hand and record the poetry that being with Heizou always called to mind. He longed to capture the detective’s look of soft surprise, but, at least for now, he settled for inscribing it into his memory instead. Kazuha took a few steps closer—he had always been captivated by beauty, and, to him, Heizou was nothing if not the epitome thereof.

Of course, Kazuha’s musings could not last forever, so he let Heizou’s expectant gaze draw him from his thoughts and prompt him to respond. “I recall that, during the second time I visited, you mentioned that you enjoyed reading these back when you were human,” he explained as he gestured to the detective novel in Heizou’s hand. “I figured that you would appreciate some of the newer volumes, given your situation.”

Heizou looked back up at Kazuha, a soft blush painting his face as he murmured, “Thank you, but… I don’t know how to repay you for this.”

“You don’t have to,” Kazuha replied. Then he paused, tilting his head in contemplation. “Although, now that you’ve offered your services, I do have a recently-developed mystery on my hands. Perhaps you would be willing to help me solve it?”

A huge grin broke out on Heizou’s face. He crowded into Kazuha’s space like an excited puppy, and Kazuha couldn’t help but grin at how endearing he was.

“Oh? A mystery, you say?” Heizou chirped. “Can’t say I’ve had the chance to solve one of those in quite some time!” He then paused, as if suddenly realizing just how close he’d gotten to Kazuha. Ears turning red, he took a step back before forcing on a more suave smile, declaring, “Very well, then… tell me about this mystery of yours.”

“I was wondering if you know of someone named Dottore, or–“

“Dottore?!” The detective’s sly smile was wiped off in an instant as his face blanched, eyes widening in panic as he scrambled back a few steps before stumbling back into a tree. “You… What business do you have with him?”

Kazuha's eyes widened. Over their past few meetings, even when Kazuha had attacked the man, Heizou had always managed to put on a happy-go-lucky disposition, brushing doubts off with a cheeky smile. Kazuha had never seen the detective afraid like this. He found himself worriedly taking a few steps closer to the man before pausing in place, hesitating to get closer and spook him further. “Heizou… are you okay?”

“I…” Heizou sighed softly, leaning his arm against the tree he’d stumbled into in a display of obviously-feigned nonchalance as he tried to regain his composure. “Dottore was the one who cursed me to be like this. You shouldn’t even be anywhere near him! Kazuha… who even told you about him?”

For a moment, Kazuha hesitated to respond. Although he wasn’t quite sure why, a part of him wanted to keep the details of his encounter to himself. When he looked back at Heizou, however, he couldn’t bring himself to maintain his silence—not with how the other was practically shaking with nerves despite his best efforts to conceal them.

Thus, Kazuha sighed softly before responding, “An eccentric man that I ran into earlier mentioned him. Said man… intrigued me. I had hoped that your intuition could shed light on his situation.”

Heizou paused, cocking his head as his eyes seemed to dissect Kazuha for clues. Then, after a few moments, he leaned closer and said, “The man you encountered… Tell me, what was he like?”

A fond grin broke out across Kazuha’s face as he conjured to mind the image of the man he’d met earlier. “He was… interesting. Abrasive, yet vulnerable. Like a rose, protected by the thorns he grew to guard from those who’ve long sought to exploit and consume his beauty.”

“Man alive, are you in love with him or something?” Heizou scoffed, turning away from Kazuha to kick at a stray pebble on the ground. Before Kazuha could even open his mouth to reply, Heizou turned back to face him again before continuing, “Well, your flowery words, pretty as they are, won’t do anything to help me identify him. I need facts. What did he look like? What did he say?”

Kazuha chuckled softly, finding Heizou’s interrogative manner to be rather endearing. “He had indigo hair and eyes,” Kazuha described. “Short… around our height. He claimed to be working with Dottore, but neither in a forced nor subordinate capacity.”

“Hmmm…” Heizou began to pace, twirling a strand of his hair as he did so. Then, suddenly, he stopped, whirling to face Kazuha. “This man… was he wearing a veiled kasa?”

Kazuha perked up at the question, grinning. “Ah, so you do know him then.”

Heizou’s expression became stony, his body tensing. He lunged forward, grasping the poet’s forearm in a bruisingly tight grip as he began to frantically steer him back in the direction he’d arrived from. “Kazuha… you need to leave,” he urged. “ Now.”

Kazuha stumbled, instinctively attempting to wrench his arm away from the unexpected grasp. “Heizou… what are you–”

Heizou let out an exasperated huff. He let go of Kazuha’s arm, biting out, “The man you encountered is the Balladeer. He’s dangerous, Kazuha. He was the one I was investigating before I got cursed, and he’s linked to a lot of dangerous stuff… the Tataratsuna incident… the missing Raiden heir… not to mention that he’s hundreds of years old and closely involved with Dottore. I don’t even know if he can die! You need to leave now before something bad happens to you, too.”

Kazuha hesitated. Although it was obvious that the man he’d encountered earlier was more than capable of harming him, something about him gave Kazuha the sense that he would not, in fact, do so. Besides, the thought of leaving Heizou alone once again pained his heart and stilled his feet. He couldn’t bear the possibility that Heizou would be left alone again, nor that his actions could have put the detective at risk too. He voiced this last thought aloud, murmuring, “But… What about you?”

Heizou’s expression softened. “Hopefully, it will soon be safe for us to meet again.” Then, after a few moments, he reached into the folds of his clothes, procuring a lone mora coin from one of the sleeves. “Look for this coin placed by the bank of the lake where we met. If you see it, that means it is safe for us to meet again.”

Kazuha gave him a solemn nod. “I will keep my eyes peeled for it. May the winds guide our paths together once more.” After a moment of hesitation, he took a few steps forward, before pausing and turning back to the other man. “Stay safe, Heizou,” he pleaded. Then he left, disappearing amidst the trees as he began the journey back home.

Heizou watched Kazuha depart with a contemplative expression, a frown marring his face. He could only hope to resolve the issue soon. After all, he’d found himself growing quite attached to the banter they’d have whenever Kazuha visited.

Even when he’d had a normal human life, Heizou had never made a bond with someone quite like the one he was beginning to develop with Kazuha. It didn’t take an ounce of Heizou’s observational skills to notice the disdainful glares of coworkers who found his work ethic lacking, the panicked avoidance of civilians who found his demeanor overbearing, and the disparaging messages left about him on community boards by his own family members.

Kazuha was different, however. Even when Heizou probed his boundaries with teasing remarks and snarky quips, Kazuha continuously met him with a gentle smile and a poetic response that always managed to catch Heizou off guard and make his heart flutter in his chest.

And so, though Heizou tried his best to avoid investing his hopes in a pipe dream, he found himself picturing himself together with Kazuha more and more, falling in love with the man’s wit, his gentleness, his connection with nature, his… everything.

Thus, Heizou’s heart sank when a new voice rang out from behind him, declaring, “You know, if you actually wanted to ensure the safety of that friend of yours, you really should have made sure that no one was in earshot before you told him your plan.”

Chapter Text

It was far from his first time in Dottore’s lab, but his senses were still overwhelmed by the strong scent of sterilization chemicals that failed to hide the cloying stench of blood. His back ached as he lay on the metal examination table, causing him to squirm in discomfort.

“Is that really all you have to say for yourself, little puppet?”

Drawn out of his thoughts, Scaramouche let his gaze flicker back to Dottore, who loomed over him, scalpel in hand. 

“Tch…what more do you want me to say?” Scaramouche scoffed, looking up defiantly to meet Dottore’s gaze. “I just told you everything.”

Dottore stared down at Scaramouche, eyes seeming to dissect him. Then, after a few moments, the man sighed. “What you told me was far from an adequate reason for you to destroy my latest experiment. This test will have to be even more…invasive than usual to make up for the data you lost me.”

Scaramouche tensed up at Dottore’s words. Dottore gave him a wide, shark-like smile. “Of course, you always have a choice in the matter, but I’m afraid you’ll outlive your usefulness if you keep costing me like this. I don’t know how you expect me to help you with your little problem if you can’t even help me with my research...unless you could tell me what you’ve really been up to these past few weeks, that is.”

Despite his trepidation, Scaramouche knew he needed Dottore’s help, just as he knew he couldn’t tell Dottore the truth of where he’d been. So with a frustrated huff, he grunted, “I don’t have anything else to tell you, so go ahead and do your worst, Doctor.”

Dottore placed the scalpel down before grasping a syringe clouded with glowing purple liquid. “Alright then…don’t fret, puppet. Just hold still, and the pain will be brief. Now, let’s see how much of this you can handle.”

Scaramouche grit his teeth and braced himself for pain. Still, as the needle loomed closer and his mind flickered back to the events of the past week, he couldn't bring himself to regret his silence.

“You know, if you actually wanted to ensure the safety of that friend of yours, you really should have made sure that no one was in earshot before you told him your plan.”

Heizou startled and whirled around. His eyes widened in horror when they landed on Scaramouche. “You-!”

“Relax~” Scaramouche drawled, eyes glinting with amusement. “If I wanted either of you hurt, then you already would be.”

Heizou remained tense, muscles taut as if ready to bolt at any moment. Still he did not run. Instead, his eyes seemed to appraise Scaramouche, until, after a few seconds of apparent deliberation, the man relaxed his posture and took a step closer.

“Alright, I believe you,” Heizou finally said. “Still, it eludes me what business you could possibly have with me if you don’t mean any harm…I doubt that Dottore would send you here just to have a pleasant conversation with little ol’ me.”

Irritation rumbled in Scaramouche’s gut. Did everyone really think him so powerless as to let the Doctor walk all over him? He closed the distance between himself and the other man and grasped his chin, forcing him to look up at him. “You think that Dottore sent me? For all of your talk about me just now with that friend of yours, you really don’t know much about me at all, do you?”

Normally, when Scaramouche even got close to one of the underlings around Dottore’s lair, they would flinch back with terrified eyes. Heizou was clearly not normal, however, as he instead leaned into Scaramouche’s hold, moss eyes glistening with intrigue as they dissected Scaramouche for clues. 

“You make a good point,” Heizou conceded, leaning in closer. “Guess I’ll just have to get to know you better then~”

For a few moments, Scaramouche could only stare blankly at Heizou, his brain rebooting itself. “What,” he finally deadpanned. “Why the hell would I let you do that?”

“Well, you said it yourself: if you wanted to hurt me, then you already would have.” A catlike smirk of satisfaction painted Heizou's face as he echoed Scaramouche's words.

“Just because I decided to spare your pathetic life for now doesn’t mean we’re all buddy-buddy now,” Scaramouche countered with a glare. His grip on Heizou's chin tightened as he spoke.

“Fair enough,” Heizou conceded, his smile not wavering despite Scaramouche’s tightening grip. “But my intuition tells me that you might want to get to know me too.”

Scaramouche found himself releasing his hold on Heizou’s chin with a gobsmacked stare. Was this man so stupid as to think he would accept something so ridiculous? The very thought of it made him nearly burst into laughter. “Intuition? How amusing…but I’ll admit I find your sheer idiocy to be entertaining. I’ll tell you what, let’s make a deal.”

“A deal? Let me guess…you’ll let me go if I return here to meet with you, am I right?”

Once again, Scaramouche was astounded by Heizou's sheer audacity, and even more so by the fact that he wasn’t wrong. Whatever expression he made as a result of this must have been entertaining to Heizou, as he began to snicker.

“You…” Scaramouche grit out. “Don’t push it. I can still change my mind.”

“Hmm, so you could…”

Heizou sounded far too flippant for the situation he’d found himself in.

And yet, when Heizou stuck his hand out to shake on their deal, Scaramouche didn’t even consider refusing it.

Over the next few weeks, Scaramouche found himself slipping out of the lab at night to convene with Heizou on an increasingly regular basis. It wasn’t that he liked the man or anything, but he made for far better company than Dottore or his annoying grunts.

Niwa’s doppelganger, who Scaramouche had since learned was named Kazuha, had also begun to make himself known at these meetings. Despite his uncanny resemblance to Scaramouche’s betrayer, Kazuha had a very different demeanor, quixotic where Niwa was grounded. Soon enough, Scaramouche even found himself able to overlook their resemblance, able to tolerate Kazuha’s presence as well.

It certainly helped that, though he was loath to admit it, these humans were…not terrible to be around. Amusing, even. Scaramouche couldn’t even bring himself to pretend to fully despise their encounters.

It wasn’t too surprising, then, that he one day found himself propped against the trunk of a maple tree, watching the duo as they lay in the grass nearby and gazed up at the stars.

“Aren’t you getting bored of this?” Scaramouche grumbled, finding himself inexplicably irritated at just how engrossed they seemed with the sky above. “You know, the stars aren’t even real. The whole sky is just an elaborate tapestry of lies that was woven together at the dawn of the age of Archons.”

Heizou’s gaze flicked towards him in response to his words. “Man alive, where’d you come up with that idea?” the detective quipped. “And here I thought that I read too much fiction.”

Scaramouche opened his mouth to retort but then faltered, closing it once more. Dottore had been the one to prove that theory, and, from his conversations with the detective, it was clear that the Doctor was still a sore subject for the cursed man.

As if sensing Scaramouche’s hesitation to speak, Kazuha also glanced over, red eyes flickering between him and Heizou. Then he sat up and turned to face Scaramouche entirely. “Regardless of the veracity of those claims, the beauty of the stars remains. Illusion or reality, it matters not. So long as they glisten up above, I shall bask in their transient beauty.”

Fortunately for Scaramouche, Heizou became completely derailed from teasing him upon hearing Kazuha’s words. Unfortunately for Scaramouche, the detective instead began to behave in a disgustingly tender way, his expression softening as he reached over to gently brush aside Kazuha’s hair.

“You have such a way with words, Kazuha. It’s so dreamy…” the detective teased, gazing down upon the noble with a smirk. 

To make matters worse, Kazuha responded in an equally fond manner, looking up to Heizou as he murmured, “Dreamy, you say? Well that’s interesting coming from you, dear detective. Though I marvel at the stars in the sky, they could not dream to achieve your beauty.”

Normally, Scaramouche found himself apathetic to the romantic tomfoolery of the humans around him. For some unknown reason, however, seeing Kazuha and Heizou act in such a manner stirred something bitter in Scaramouche’s gut, prompting him to scoff, “If you’re that eager to suck each other’s faces, at least wait until I’m not around to suffer through it.”

Much to Scaramouche’s consternation, his words merely caused Heizou to giggle. “Aw, don’t be jealous, Scara! I’m not doing anything with him. And if I were… Well, I wouldn’t leave you out if you didn’t want to be.”

To Scaramouche’s horror, he could feel heat radiating from his cheeks. “You idiot human! That’s not what I…D-don’t call me that!”

Thankfully, Kazuha once again interjected before Heizou could tease him further. “Hmmm…I think Scaramouche has a point—we really aren’t including him right now.” Scaramouche opened his mouth to assert that that wasn’t his point at all, but before he could say a word, Kazuha turned to him, continuing, “Scaramouche…why don’t you come lie down next to us?” As he spoke, he patted the ground between him and Heizou in invitation.

“Why on earth would I want to be in the middle of whatever weird mating ritual you and the detective are doing?” Scaramouche scoffed. Scaramouche could admit to himself, however, that the idea of moving closer to the duo wasn’t entirely unappealing.

Kazuha and Heizou must have both picked up on his weakness, because they both stared expectantly at him until he finally relented. “Alright fine…but only because you look so pathetic that it’s getting on my nerves.”

Although Scaramouche made sure to aggressively stomp his way over in an attempt to save face, he couldn’t help but relax as he settled down between Heizou and Kazuha. Nestled between the two men, he let his thoughts drift, not even realizing how much he’d let his guard down until a gentle hand brushed against his bangs.

He blearily looked up to see Heizou’s hand gently ruffling through his hair. The part of him that had learned not to trust humans anymore wanted to recoil at the touch, and yet…

It felt nice. Certainly nicer than anything Scaramouche had felt in a while. Besides, he was still tired from all the work he had done in the day, and it would only take more effort to put the detective in his place. So perhaps, just this once, Scaramouche would let it slide.

With that decision made, he let his eyes flicker closed once more. After all, if he wasn’t going to stop the touch, then he might as well enjoy it. 

And enjoy it he did. So much so, that, before he even knew it, the gentle touch of Heizou’s hand and the warm embrace of the men beside him soothed him to sleep.

The sound of a motor clanking and a man sobbing startled Scaramouche out of his slumber. He was used to these sorts of sounds coming from Dottore’s lab, but they certainly did not belong here in the calm forest. Confused, Scaramouche looked beside him to see Kazuha already on his feet, unsheathing his katana as his eyes fixed on something unknown through the moonlit foliage.

Another clang…then two…

On Scaramouche’s other side, Heizou sleepily blinked his eyes open and grunted in confusion. He opened his mouth in inquiry when-

CRASH!

Tearing through the trees, a spliced-together conglomeration of man and machine clambered into the clearing—clearly one of Dottore’s latest experiments. Its eyes locked onto Scaramouche and his companions before it began to speak in a grating voice, blood dripping from its mouth from the effort. “Number 6…bring back…kill the strays…”

Scaramouche could feel Kazuha and Heizou moving behind him, readying themselves to fight, but Scaramouche moved even faster. He shoved the duo out of the way, screaming for them to run before whirling back to face the abomination and narrowly dodging a blade that whizzed above his head. 

Vaguely, he registered Kazuha and Heizou moving behind him once again, but he couldn’t focus on them long enough to figure out what they were doing—not when that cursed creation was getting ready to attack once more. No, he had to end this now.

With one last shout for the duo to flee, Scaramouche coalesced a massive purple orb of magical energy in the palm of his hand. He continued forming it, the orb crackling with electricity as it swelled in size.

When the orb finally grew big enough to guarantee a kill, Scaramouche hurled it at the abomination with a loud growl. Almost instantly, it struck its target with a thunderous crack that echoed through the forest. The damned thing was practically vaporized on the spot, leaving nothing but ashes and the smell of ozone in its wake.

Scaramouche blinked his eyes, trying to fight back the spots taking over his vision from the sheer amount of energy he spent. By the time he opened his eyes again, the clearing was once again empty, barring Scaramouche himself and the charred spot on the ground where the monster had once stood.

Well, it seemed that Heizou and Kazuha had gotten out safely for now, at least. Now, if only Scaramouche could figure out just what he was going to tell Dottore…

The Doctor let out a hum as he stitched up the skin of the unconscious puppet below him. The little thing had passed out even earlier than usual, but Dottore couldn’t complain; with the puppet’s consent to delve deeper than usual, he’d made some fascinating discoveries about its structure.

It was a shame though, that the puppet’s lies were what prompted such a breakthrough. It wouldn’t do for the little puppet to try and to cut its own strings, after all—an experiment was useless without control. Still, it wouldn’t be a problem for long. The Doctor had dealt with uncontrollable variables before, and he could certainly do it again.

The Doctor glanced at the projection before him one last time, staring at the faces that had been recorded in the memory log of his latest creation before its untimely destruction. It seemed that, even cursed, that pesky detective couldn’t keep his nose where it belonged.

Well, it was no matter. Dottore would just have to make some changes to the next phase of his experiment…

It was time to hunt a deer.

Chapter Text

A few weeks since their encounter with the abomination in the woods, both Kazuha and Heizou had yet to see either hide or hair of Scaramouche; their nighttime excursions had turned to solemn vigils in the forest as they searched for their friend and waited in vain for him to appear.

For all of his brilliant intuition, Heizou didn’t have a clue what could be keeping him. Scaramouche had defeated the monster, after all, so then why…why wasn’t he here?

As Heizou weighed the possibilities in his mind, a vision from another time flickered through his brain: a figure sprawled on the grass beneath him, crimson red soaking his hands as he did his best to staunch the other’s bleeding…the weak voice of his friend that man croaking out, “Come here to see me, did you…Heizou?”…the glassiness of his eyes as he stopped breathing…

…but no, surely that same fate hadn’t befallen Scaramouche. He was probably fine—he had to be fine, right? He was strong, clearly adept at using magic, and Heizou surely couldn’t have let sin snatch another close companion from him through his own cowardice. He couldn’t have…he…

“Heizou?” Kazuha’s voice jolted him out of his thoughts, and he nearly stumbled before Kazuha placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?” Kazuha continued, his worried gaze boring into Heizou.

Honestly, Heizou probably wasn’t okay, but he certainly wasn’t going to let himself become even more of a burden—especially to the man who’d been so kind to him when he had no one else. Thus, he forced his thoughts away and plastered on a saccharine smile. “I’m right as rain, Kazuha—you should worry more about yourself!”

If Kazuha was skeptical of Heizou’s response, he did not show it. Instead, his brow furrowed in contemplation as he murmured, “Worry about myself, huh?” His eyes trailed along the treeline of the forest before suddenly snapping back to Heizou, glinting with determination. “Actually, on the topic of myself…there is something we need to discuss.”

And, man alive, weren’t those words that absolutely no one wanted to hear. Still, Heizou wasn’t about to tell him not to share, so after taking a deep breath, he replied, “Oh, is that so? Well, go on…I’m all ears for you, after all~”

For a few moments, silence lingered between them. Kazuha shifted his weight between his feet. The tension between them was palpable, and Heizou found himself focusing on the birds flying ahead and the sound of the wind rustling the trees in an attempt to ignore his increasingly strong urge to flee from the scene. Still, his intuition wasn’t telling him that anything too awful was going to happen, so he forced himself to maintain a calm demeanor until Kazuha finally found it in him to speak.

“As I’ve mentioned to you before, I am the heir to a noble family, and, well…in two days’ time, on the eve of my twenty-first birthday, my family will be hosting a ball. By the end of the night, I will be forced to pick a betrothed amongst the suitors who attend.”

“O-oh…I see,” Heizou managed to croak out, his heart sinking in his chest. His intuition had somehow failed him, it seemed—this was an absolute disaster. Kazuha would have no choice but to leave him, and with Scaramouche missing, Heizou would be left completely alone again. 

The only thing worse than having to say goodbye at all would be to part ways without closure, so Heizou forced on a brave face. “Well, it was nice spending time with you while it lasted, I suppose.”

Kazuha took a step back, eyes wide. “Apologies—it seems my nerves have caused me to mislead you. The reason why I brought this up is, well…” Kazuha paused, reaching into his sleeve and pulling out an envelope, extending it towards Heizou. “This is for you.”

Heizou stared confusedly at Kazuha for a moment before taking the envelope, tearing it open and letting his eyes rake the page of the letter enclosed. It was…an invitation? Did that mean…? 

Kazuha suddenly reached forward, gently grasping Heizou’s hands between his own. “Heizou, I…” He paused, clearing his throat. “After Scaramouche’s disappearance, I’ve realized that the time we have together is all too fleeting. This realization—and the ever-looming day of my betrothal—has made me realize that I cannot postpone sharing my feelings any longer.”

In one swift motion, Kazuha knelt down on one knee, causing Heizou’s eyes to widen. “Heizou…When I become engaged tomorrow, I hope that you will be there with me and that you will be the one I’ll have the privilege of promising myself to. I want to walk in the sun with you and pledge every second of the rest of my life to being in your presence.” Kazuha met Heizou's gaze, looking up at him with such intense longing that Heizou’s heart skipped a beat. “I adore you, and, if you let me, I will love every part of you with every fiber of my being.”

Heizou’s cheeks burned at the man’s words. Kazuha…loved him? Surely, Heizou must be dreaming. After all, even before he had fully realized his feelings for the man, a part of him had hoped that their encounter could lead to breaking his curse. And now that Heizou actually had feelings for him, this moment was practically a dream come true. And yet…and yet…

“What about Scaramouche?” Heizou asked. He had grown quite fond of the man despite his ornery attitude and his affiliation with Dottore. In fact, if he dared to consider it, Heizou might even say that he felt the same way about him as he did for Kazuha…and that Kazuha felt similarly for Scaramouche as well.

Kazuha merely smiled. “I’ll admit that I hold feelings for him in my heart as well, but that should not make me love you any less.” As if to emphasize his point, he leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Heizou’s hand before continuing, “Let me love you, Heizou, and let me cherish you forever. Then, once we’ve broken your curse, we will find Scaramouche together, and the three of us can live happily.”

And, well, Heizou would be the first to admit that sounded amazing. Yet doubt dwelled in his heart. What if he was wrong? What if he let himself share his heart with Kazuha only for everything to blow up in his face? 

I…I don’t even know how to dance,” Heizou stuttered out. “Surely I won’t make a good impression on your family? Wouldn’t they want better for you than a low-ranking Tenryou detective who’s been missing for years?”

Kazuha squeezed Heizou’s hands tightly in a reassuring manner. “Trust me when I say there is no reason for you to fear disappointing my family. Everything about you is amazing, and I’m sure that my parents will agree. But if you are so worried about it, I will make sure to teach you what to do. Everything you need from me, I will provide to you. I want to share my whole life with you, after all.”

Kazuha then paused, carefully watching Heizou for any signs of disapproval as he repositioned one of Heizou’s arms onto his bicep and pulled him close. “So, shall we dance, my dear detective?”

And honestly, how could Heizou refuse an offer like that? With a soft smile, he finally conceded, “I’d be honored to, lovely prince of mine.”

A few hours later, Kazuha departed to get some sleep, leaving Heizou alone yet content. He could hardly believe that Kazuha had confessed to him. Surely he must be dreaming…but no. He’d lost the ability to sleep as a side effect of his curse. This was real.

Heizou let out a soft giggle, one that quickly evolved into a boisterous laugh that echoed throughout the forest. After all this time, after all these years of suffering, tomorrow he would finally be loved—loved by a man as gentle and kind and amazing as Kazuha. Tomorrow he would finally be free.

“Well you seem quite giddy, detective. Don’t tell me you gave up searching for me already?”

Heizou let out a startled yelp, whirling around so quickly that the momentum nearly sent him toppling onto the forest floor. As he registered just who it was who spoke, however, his expression quickly morphed into a large grin.

“Scara!” Heizou called out, racing towards the man. He barely restrained himself from tackling him in a hug as he skidded to a stop a few meters away. “Where have you been? Kazuha and I have been so worried!”

Scaramouche chuckled in response. “Heh, I missed you too, but there’s no need to get yourself so worked up. After all, I’m here now, aren’t I?” As he spoke, he extended his arms out, wordlessly inviting Heizou into an embrace.

 Heizou took a few steps closer, eager to accept this unspoken offer, when a sudden chill lanced up his spine. His intuition screamed at him that something was wrong. That he needed to run. But how could anything be wrong when Scaramouche was finally standing right here in front of him? Unless…unless…

“You know, Scara,” Heizou murmured, masking his wariness with a teasing tone, “it isn’t often that you’re the one that asks for a hug. Did you really miss me that much?”

Scaramouche merely raised an eyebrow in response. “Well, after all the time you and Kazuha spent searching for me, surely you deserve some kind of reward, no? Or is the little deer too flighty to back up his teasing words with action?” As he spoke, he once again beckoned for Heizou to come closer. 

Even more alarm bells sounded in Heizou’s head. Despite his abrasiveness, Scaramouche wasn’t usually this pushy, and he never really called Heizou nicknames—especially ones related to his curse. Not to mention… 

“How’d you know that Kazuha and I were looking for you, anyways?” Heizou asked, nervously rubbing the back of his neck as he took a step back. “We definitely would’ve noticed if you were close enough to watch us.”

For a few moments, both men merely stared at each other in silence. Then, sharp peals of laughter pierced the air as “Scaramouche” began to cackle, a too-wide smile breaking out across his face. Heizou’s eyes widened as shark-like canines were revealed, pointed in a way that the real Scaramouche’s teeth shouldn’t be.

“Well well, Detective Shikanoin…even after all these years, it seems you're still far too sharp for anyone’s good.”

Heizou barely had time to move before a black bolt of magic struck the ground where he’d stood.