Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

1. you weren’t raised to love tender.

There are days he nearly forgets how it looks outside. Outside the Ex Libris dungeons, outside of stories. 

There are days he’s close to admitting how much he misses it. Close but never fully there. He knows better than that. Inner doubts give way to outer doubts which gave way to swift demotion and punishments or even expulsion from the Ex Libris if not worse. And why would he do that? This place is the closest he ever had to home or so he thinks. He can hardly recall what was before. 

(There are days he almost wishes he could recall more.) 

He doesn't have a name, not really. He thinks he must have had one some time ago, but certainly not anymore. It's not like he misses it anyway. Names are a liability at worst and an unnecessary fancy at best. They are not meant for people like him - names are for people who have allies and family, for those who have a conscience that calls them out for doing wrong. 

He has no use for a name. He has no need for friends. They would only interfere with his role. 

(There are days he believes it.) 

He starts as one of many, many trainees, made to clean up the library and deal with whatever mess the superiors ask them to by day and vigorously reading books by night. When he’s with the Ex Libris for long enough they allow him along with some other trainees to explore books through one of the weaker keys - the Villain’s Henchman. It’s one mission monthly per person at first, but the opportunities to borrow the key  become more and more frequent as the number of trainees using the key… decreases. 

He knows not to question that, not to ask where the other trainees went or what happened to them. It isn't like he knew the others anyway. Not by the name surely. And them leaving means there’s a higher chance he will be able to stay anyways. After a while it’s just him, which earns him the position as the permanent Henchman Key Holder. 

From there it's relatively easy - a few simple backstabbing to have his superiors recognize he was born to be the main villain. 

Well, Villainess. 

Doesn't matter. 

He wears the role like a badge of honor, and, more importantly, he wears it like a shield. 

There are many henchmen but only one Villainess key holder. His role makes him important in the eyes of Ex Libris. He is not irreplaceable (no one is irreplaceable here) but certainly valuable enough so they would at least bat an eye before getting rid of him, which is more than he could say before. 

It gives him a bit of freedom. And that matters.

(No one can argue with that.) 

He knows he's not good within the story or out of it. Knows bastards like him don't deserve a happy ending or forgiveness or friends and support they can go cry to when something goes wrong. After all, that's the point of the story. The Villainess gets punished, and the sweet innocent heroine gets her way. But that doesn't matter to him. He doesn't need a happy ending, doesn't need a true love’s kiss to break a curse, or a big fancy wedding with the charming prince.  He just needs to do his job. Be cruel and wicked and scheming two-faced and treacherous. 

He's a Villainess. Nothing more nothing less. 

He's fine with that. 

(He rarely doubts that. No, actually, he never doubts that. That is until he arrives.)

2. when he’s around all you do is tremble. when he’s around you want to get on your knees. look how much power he has over you. it’s dangerous.

He knows the new kid is bad news. Of course, he does. It’s blatantly obvious from the moment they meet. 

The blonde is - to put it simply - an arrogant spoiled brat. He barely knows how the keys operate but is too hyped on the promise of a free wish to actually try to learn more.  Initially, the Villainess wants to ignore him and go about his business. Unfortunately, that’s not an option. Not if they want to get the key back.

You have to follow him. We need to find out where he’s hiding. Not to mention, the stories with Heroine Key User present simply produce more narratonin, he's told by a superior with a malicious grin when he informs the council about the presence of the brat. After all, what is a Villainess without a Heroine? 

So he grits his teeth and follows the boy. And with each tale, he finds more things that make him dislike the kid. 

Gods are there things to dislike.

He never cared for the Heroine archetype, stupid and naive, boring and privileged. But the way this kid plays it up makes the Villainess wish he was acting out the story with a blank character instead. 

It’s insulting having to watch the brat try to get into the plot of the story only to fumble and whine and then even give up and flee whenever something mildly inconvenient occurs. What business this brat has acting as if he should get narratonin merely for the act of showing up, trying to always find a shortcut, a way to slack off. All while he had the Heroine key. The Heroine! The one character whose happy ending the entire story revolves around, no matter how annoying or boring she is. The one person every damned prince sways over. The brat doesn't even have to do more than smile and wave and yet keeps whining and evading doing his job-

And then somehow it gets even worse. The damned brat starts picking up the ante. He no longer just passes through stories - no, he starts changing them willingly, knowingly, and intentionally, twisting the endings and deviating from the plot. And why? For whose sake? The evil stepsisters? The princess that sees him like a cat? Mere roles that were never alive and never will? 

And still, he the Heroine acts as if they mattered - as if any of it mattered. As if the right ending wasn't the entire point. He shakes the story and with it, he shakes the Villainess as well with no respect for decorum or order.

(It’s impressive, the Villainess nearly thinks, but stops himself before he can finish the thought. No, not impressive. Stupid.)

And then of course there’s the bloody nickname.

The ribbon that ties it all together. A cherry on top.

Buddy. 

An insufferable embarrassing nickname he got from an insufferable and embarrassingly arrogant brat. More salt into the already open wound that is some outsider running around with one of their keys. 

It actually takes the Villainess a few meetings to fully recognize that's the nickname the brat gave him, not just a casual form of addressing him. When he does he feels faintly disgusted and chiefly disappointed. 

Buddy. 

What a name. 

Villainess at least had the nice hiss to it, the venomous v at the beginning. 

What's there to ‘Buddy’? It has no teeth, no bite. A dull noise, with no edge to latch onto.  A name for a dog more than anything else - and not even any interesting or majestic breed, but something lame like a golden retriever or a French bulldog. Like something friendly and easily tamed, good with children no doubt. Everything the Villainess is not. 

It’s frustrating but more than that it’s dangerous. Dangerous because names have power. They give shape to things, chain the giver of the name to the named in a bond as thin as a line of ink; as entangled as a string of letters in a signature. After all, they say to name something is to tame it. And to tame it is to tie its existence to you.  (That’s why you shouldn't name what’s not yours. That’s why you don’t give out your name when a stranger in the woods asks for it.)

Does that kid not get that? 

Or is this his whole point? Is he aware and is all this some cunning scheme? 

There are moments when Buddy does think it's the latter. That not even this blonde idiot can be that stupid not with how many stories he has been through.

But then again for that to be the case, the kid would have to be subtle. And there's nothing subtle about his approach. He shoves himself in the Villainess’ personal space with no tact or decency, like a battering ram - like that elderly lady who forcefully moves into the great wizard's house and insists he hires her as the cleaning lady. It's off-putting really, the way he keeps invading the Villainess’ plans; acting as if he was entitled to the Villainess’ time, to his thoughts, to his attention - as if they knew each other as if they were close, as if the Villainess wasn’t just one of a hundred thousand other Villainesses - as if he himself wasn’t just one of a hundred thousand other heroine's. 

And (the Villainess has to begrudgingly admit) it's not like the brat's treatment of the Villainess was that unique. No foolishly entitled and aggressively friendly is simply how the pipsqueak operates. He treats everything and everyone he meets like they are real and befriendable,  starting with his stupid key that he insists on addressing as she (and well, the Villainess also knows to address his key as a girl but that’s because otherwise Violet wouldn't cooperate and it’s not like he lets his supervisors know) to the birds that serve as an idyllic backdrop to the Heroine. The Villainess could swear he overheard the brat naming all of them one time. Bloody birds.

So no, clearly the kid has no clue about the power of names.

There's a sense of relief to it - to know that the damned brat has no clue how much power he could exert if he tried tiny a bit more. Relief but also a tiny hint of frustration at how easily it comes to him. The trust, the affection. The forming of ties however brief. 

As soon as Villainess has these kinds of thoughts he's quick to squash them, however. After all that sort of thinking would imply the Villainess cares. And he does not, not one bit. The brat can take the name and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. The Villainess needs no name after all.

(Still, there are times when he catches himself almost reacting to the name. And it’s awful because it almost feels right.)

3. he’s too good at forgiving and you’re too good at violence.

Chase.

That's his name. 

It nearly draws a smile on the Villainess' face. 

Chase . A fitting name considering all he does these days is chasing after this brat like his life depended on it. 

(A fitting name as one look at his stupid face makes  the Villainess’ heart race  like a hunted fox.)

He doesn’t smile though. He can’t smile when those hazel eyes look back at him with betrayal and pain. 

As if he actually did something to betray Chase's trust. As if he had it in the first place to betray it. As if Chase didn't know he was the Villainess, his nemesis, the thing that was meant to destroy the Heroine’s happiness. As if Chase didn’t see him do far worse, as if he didn’t know what the Villainess was capable of. As if they weren’t playing the same bloody game!

The arrogance of it all makes his blood boil. He always knew Chase was a spoiled brat, but this was a new low. The way he kept on acting as if he knew what the Villainess had been through - as if he really cared when it clearly was all a farce. 

So the Villainess reminds him, in the only way he knows how.  By playing his role.  Wave his spear around, scare the boy a bit. It’s not like they can really get hurt in the stories in any way it matters.

(That’s at least what he thinks initially. In hindsight he’s really stupid.)

Too bad Chase doesn’t get the goddamn hint. No, the brat has to dig his heels in deeper. He glares and snipes back at the Villainess as if he had any clue about his life, any clue, spouting his sanctimonious bullshit; keeps on acting as if he was better, like the goddamn Heroine he is. His words lash at the Villainess like thorns, petty and painful, way too painful in the light of his previous offers of help. But of course, those offers were nothing but a rouse, much like Chase’s entire being. He's a fake Heroine, Phoney, just like the rest of them selfish and hurtful and vain and-

And then there’s blood.

There’s blood across Chase’s cheek.

The Villainess knows it isn’t real. He knows it will vanish the moment Chase leaves the story and it doesn’t matter, and even if it didn’t the wound isn’t even that deep -

But none of that matters right now.

Because there’s blood across Chase’s face and tears in his eyes.

The image tightens around the Villainess’s chest like a vice not letting go.

He was the one who caused it. He messed up.

Which should be fine as well- he’s a Villainess. He’s meant to hurt Heroine, make her cry. This isn’t even the worst thing he had ever done to a Heroine.

Only this is not a mere Heroine.

This is Chase.

His apology he gives out later on is clumsy at the very best he knows that. He doesn’t have experience really neither with regret nor honesty. 

And, in his defense, it’s not like Chase is making it any easier. He’s hurt and so he’s petty which makes sense because he’s right too but it still stings. He rolls his eyes, spats back, and shoots down the apology right from the start, letting the Villainess know just what he thinks of him.

But then… he actually apologizes right back. For everything he said to the Villainess, for riling him up. And he says he thinks that the Villainess - no, that Buddy is good enough, tough enough to make the right choices.

And then he offers to start over. To clean the slate.

It’s too  little and too much at the same time. Not a real friendship, not real comradery, but still far more than Buddy would deserve. Far more than is safe for Chase.

But it is the closest Buddy gets to having his apology accepted it seems, and he’s starved for it. 

“I’ll think about it.” He says at last, which is as good as he can give.

More than he should give.

(They share a coconut afterward, which is so stupid and mundane that it should not have been in any way or shape significant. But then again neither should have been eating a damn apple and look where that got humanity, at least according to that one very long book. 

And Buddy would bet their coconut fasted far better than some damn apple.

He still feels the taste on his tongue as he lies down in his cell in the dungeons sent back without dinner as a punishment for failing to figure out the Heroine’s identity once again.

“So he offered you another chance, huh? He sounds more and more like a true Heroine,” Violet comments on it when he tells her what happened (because yes, Buddy talks to his key even more often since he met Chase not that he would ever admit that).

“I wonder what he sees in you though,” she then adds in a slightly acidic tone because after all she’s still the Villainess key, she can’t be all flowers and rainbows.

Buddy can only nod. 

Yes, what indeed.

He’s not sure if he even wants to know. )

4. you know what they say about monsters. you know what happens to the boys who love them. are you going to do that to him?

They are not friends. Chase made that abundantly clear when he made his offer that they should be no more than amicable acquaintances and Buddy never officially announced he was accepting it anyway, so they are not even that close.

But there’s one issue. The issue is that Chase is inarguably and irrevocably a Heroine. Which means he’s stubborn and privileged but also kind and caring and cannot let a wrong-doing go unnoticed. And he’s stupid and reckless. That’s the only way Buddy can explain the boy’s naive offer of truce - or his behavior afterward.

It’s not in everything obviously and not as apparent as before. Chase has learned the valuable lesson of not trusting Buddy with any personal information luckily for both of them. He’s more cautious around Buddy now, more careful not to let anything slip (though that’s also thanks to Deacon who seems to make up roughly all of Chase’s impulse control), and he rarely discusses the keys either and keeps his mouth tightly shut about what his wish is.

He does other things, however.

Stupid unnecessary Chase-typical things. Such as bringing chocolate to their missions and always “forgetting” one bar somewhere for Buddy to find - or complimenting Buddy’s outfit on occasion - or asking for clues with the plot, cracking jokes about other story characters, or simply making faces at Buddy during long romantic scenes to show his annoyance. He would simply treat Buddy like… well a buddy. 

And he’s somehow still way too comfortable with invading Buddy’s personal space.  It happens at random. Chace would casually come up to Buddy, and grab him around the shoulders in greeting. When he’s angry with him, he pokes Buddy in his chest; when he wants to annoy Buddy, he ruffles his hair, and when they succeed in something he gives him high fives and fistbumps.

And Buddy… Buddy hates it. He hates how easily Chase mellows out, how quickly he forgives even if he says he won’t, and how easily he gets comfortable with Buddy being around him. 

How easily he trusts.

He hates how easily Chase can rope him into it as well. These days it’s so easy for Buddy’s cheeks to heat up from a mere touch; it’s so simple to accept the stupid chocolate; it’s ridiculously effortless to forget himself to drop from the pedestal of a wine-sipping Villainess and turn into a kid who can barely legally drink.

He hates it all. He hates it even more how quickly Ex Libris can remind him it’s all nothing but an illusion. 

It doesn't matter how friendly he and Chase get. It doesn’t matter how many times they save each other’s backs in the books. At the end of the day, Chase is still an unwanted princess that the kingdom wants dead and it doesn't matter that there's now a name tag on Buddy’s collar, he’s still but a leashed beast and the other end of the rope is being held tightly by people who won’t let go so easily. He has bit and torn and clawed through bodies for them before when they asked.  There is no reason why they wouldn’t ask him again. And there’s no way he could disobey.

Their roles are set even without the keys and so is the ending to their story which will come even faster if they are not careful enough.

And Buddy knows it’s a tragedy. He cannot escape it; any attempt to do so will only bring them closer to that cursed crossroad like that mad Thebian king. 

So Buddy tries to be careful. He tries to stall. Like that damned Danish prince he tries to stall the ending, keeping himself at arm's length from Chase while never growing so far apart as not to be able to protect him.

A tricky balance especially since Chase has such a talent for rocking the rope under Buddy’s feet. Still, Buddy keeps firm - or at least tries to, does his best to ignore the fruits hanging above his head barely out of reach. He doesn’t return the touches no matter how much he wants, he snatches the chocolates without a word of thanks; he ignores the lingering gazes and soft blush that spreads over Chase’s face when he’s caught staring. He snickers and belittles and mocks Chese’s singing and occasionally sabotages their plans, never in a big way, but enough to remind Chase who they are. 

That way when the supervisors ask he can say that no he and the rogue key user are not friends they are not allies, no, Buddy is only monitoring him. It's not like he's enjoying it either. He merely does his duty - so they should let him.

( It almost sounds like the truth. Buddy hopes it sounds like the truth enough. But there's only that much he can do when the lie is so blatant.

Violet shakes her head at him.

“You know one thing is him acting like a Heroine, but he’s starting to rub off of you…” she would say.

He ignores her. He’s no Heroine, but a self-aware Villain. There’s a difference. He’s sure of it.)

5. your hands don’t know how to be gentle. think about the last beautiful thing that shattered in your palms. the fresh rosebuds crumbling between your fingers like a bruise. you wolf-boy, you, war machine. you wouldn’t know how to hold something magic and not destroy it.

As selfish and contradictory to his long-term goals as it is, these days he’s happy the villain’s key got lost decades ago and has not been found yet. He cannot even start to imagine what he would do if he had to play the Big Bad Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood or one of those evil wizards who kidnap the princess at the beginning of the story to marry her so that the prince has to go and save her.  He doesn’t even allow himself to think of all those horrible enemies-to-lovers romances that have been around since - well perhaps since the epic of the tyrant king of Ur and his weird wildling companion. If he had to do one of those then… Ugh, he shouldn’t even go there. He should simply be glad he’s the Villain ess.

But even with the mere villainess key, he worries sometimes. 

He worries because there are only so many fairy tales where he has to play mediocre evil stepmother or stepsister. He worries about what comes next. When Chase picks up books with higher stakes and higher risks. A story where Buddy will have to show his teeth and claws were for more than a show, that he knows how to use them. A story where he will have to show just how much of a Villainess he is. 

He fears one day Chase will pick up a story where the heroine falls for the Villainess leading to her downfall. 

He fears Chase will pick a story where the Villainess turns out to be in love with the heroine.

Genuine sapphic love stories may be rare even in this day and age compared to straight and gay ones but Buddy has spent a long time acting like a Villainess and he knows his tropes and cliches. A villainous woman who tries corrupting the innocent heroine is a well-known trope since the times of Carmilla if not earlier. 

He also knows that if Chase stumbles upon such a book he would jump in without bothering to read through it or at least check out the spoilers. 

And Buddy he… Well, he has gone through such stories before. He played the malevolent part; hurt those around him. He played the seductive stranger tempting young Heroines, he acted out wicked possessive baroness chasing down the pirate girl in an act of revenge.  He knew what he was capable of doing - he knew what kind of damage he could cause.

And hopefully, there’s a part of him that almost looks forward to something like that. To be allowed to openly tease Chase. Whisper something unsettling into his ear, pin him to the wall, and tilt his chin up, smirk at the blush that would spread over the other boy’s cheeks…

Only that’s not how those stories end, is it? It cannot end with some harmless flirting and teasing. If it’s the Villainess seducing the Heroine someone has to get hurt. And first one to bleed these situations is the Heroine.

It makes Buddy sick to think about it. It makes him see red again - worse it makes him see the invisible scar across Chase’s cheek. Only this time the hurt won’t be a fluke, won’t be him miscalculating his aim. No, if he’s meant to hurt Chase like this it will be completely and absolutely intact with the plot. Premeditated. Cruel. Just as he was taught. He would do his best because he doesn't know better, he doesn’t know how to be gentle, how not to make this hurt. Even if he manages to outsmart the plot it changes nothing about the fact he knows nothing about how to be good.  

And he hopes, he prays almost that Chase would be smart enough to realize why Buddy is doing what he’s doing and that he will judge his actions as that of a Villainess he knows Buddy to play. But he cannot be sure. That boy trusts too easily and cares too strongly.  He’s too easy to hurt and Buddy is too good at hurting others.

So for now he waits, certain of his doom like Casandra and resigned like Gretchen before her execution, for such a story to arrive.

He waits and hopes he waits in vain.

(Violet says it’s stupid. He half agrees. It doesn't stop the motion from getting worse.)

6. if you hurt him it might kill you

Yes, he fears what damage he can do to Chase in the story. What he fears even more is what kind of damage he can inflict when he’s out of the story. When he comes out into the dungeons of Ex Libris and have to report to his superiors.

When they ask questions.

Their impatience grows by the day. Every time he returns back he has to be ready for an interrogation, as they try to gain any bit of information Buddy might have learned about their mysterious Heroine key holder. Their desperation is more evident by the day - the date on which the Old Man returns from his trip abroad is drawing nearer and with it the swift punishment of those who failed to retrieve the Heroine key. 

Buddy tries to resist. In a way, he can say he’s thankful for the years of training they had put him through before because it makes resisting so much easier. He's also thankful his stomach doesn’t rumble in the world of stories and his eye bags are not visible under the makeup he makes Violet put on him every time. In a way, he’s also grateful they know how to hit him where it doesn’t show, strike so it hurts but doesn’t affect his performance. He doesn’t want Chase to be asking again. 

So yes, he keeps feigning ignorance like a Shakespearean priest sworn to secrecy by star-crossed lovers, keeps his mouth shut like the girl whose silence and hand woven nettle shirts are the only thing that can deliver her brothers from the curse. 

But then they threaten to take Violet away. To pick another contestant for the role of the Villainess. He’s not as valuable as he hoped apparently

So he lets some things slip. Little insignificant details. Like that Chase had been going to dance practice for four years (or six?), that he dislikes gore and has gluten intolerance. Clues that are pointless if they don't have a name or at least a general area where they should search. Little tidbits scattered far and wide, dropped only when they grow too impatient again when their threats of taking Violet are too much. 

He tells himself it’s for Chase’s good too.  Buddy cannot risk the Ex Libris sending some other Villainess - one that would do something that would actually hurt Chase. Especially since that pale pop star wannabe with a mole under his eye came back. That one is a bloody psycho. More importantly, he was someone who could get to Chase easily. He would lure him out with his stupid charm and Chase, the good-natured look-obsessed naive child, would trust him. He would let that bastard take him anywhere, maybe even spill his name, and then… he doesn’t want to think about that then.

Yes, it’s for Chase’s sake in that way. It doesn't mean however that it doesn't feel like a betrayal every time he tells them something. With every piece of information, Buddy worries that somehow this time he did let too much slip, told them something too incriminating. That, combined with Chase’s physical description Buddy gave them when he first met Chase all those months ago, they’ll finally connect some dots and they’ll find him on some medical list or the roster of some dance class and it will be only because of Buddy’s small weakness.

His heart almost gives up when one day his supervisor comes to him with a wide grin parodying a smile and announces that the Villainess finally found something useful when he let the order know that Chase had one specific brand of chocolate bars he liked. The brand is pretty small and has distribution in one specific area of the United States apparently, narrowing the search significantly. Buddy hums and nods trying his best to play it off as smug before running to the bathroom to hurl in the toilet.

(The vomit tastes like blood chocolate and coconut for some reason. The taste alone makes him throw up even more.)

When he goes to the story that day he purposefully antagonizes Chase until the other boy sends a bank of swans after him which almost bite him bloody only to wake up back in his cell unharmed and crying.

The next time he’s asked about the Heroine, he remains stubbornly silent, evading their questions and making excuses about the Heroine growing wary, and emphasizing the need for a slow approach.

He thinks they will break his ankle for this again but surprisingly for once it works and he almost feels relief.

(In hindsight, it was stupid to feel that way. It seems time spent with Chase was rubbing down his edges too. Not a good thing.)

7. if you hurt him you might kill yourself.

“We found him.”

Books always say it takes only three little words to change one’s life upside down. Buddy used to think it was romantic nonsense, but he knows it to be true. The one thing the books got wrong was which three words they were and how they changed one’s life.

Here are Buddy’s three little words.

“We found him.”

The superior says to him during breakfast - a mundane boring occasion, and the most effective wake-up call Buddy ever got.

There’s no need for further clarification. He knows immediately who they’re talking about. There's but person who they would be talking about to Buddy. 

He tries to stay calm; tries to force his mind to cooperate, his mouth to let out any smart comment or a question that could help in this situation but his body stops listening to him, turning oddly numb except for his heart that's suddenly being boiling in acid that fills up his entire ribcage up to his throat. 

There’s nothing he can do, Nothing he can say. He didn’t do enough or he did too much and they. Found. Chase.

He can only nod and like a puppet pulled on strings follow his superior as he leads him to the “operating room” for what they call further identification.

The light of the operating room invites him from afar - bleak bluish hue, sickly and lethal. The sole room in the Ex Libris that’s allowed to hold the dreaded electronics. For a moment Buddy wishes it would spontaneously catch on fire from a broken outlet or something like that and burn to ashes. No such luck.

He barely even hears what they say to him as he steps in - could be praise, could be jabs about his lack of investigation skills, he doesn't know, he doesn't care. All that matters is that they know who Chase is, they got Chase or will soon anyway, and he-

That's not Chase.

That's what comes to mind first as he blinks at the picture on the screen before him. The kid on it looks young sure, with brown eyes and messy blonde hair, but he’s also wearing glasses and his nose is narrow and hooked and there’s a fine line of hair growing over his upper lip.

And it’s very clearly not his Chase.

He can only thank the years of acting as evil Villainess that he doesn’t show his relief outwardly, deflating like a balloon onto the floor and laughing.

They got the wrong guy! 

The superiors' words break him from his thoughts.

“So, is it him?”

Right, They brought him form confirmation. This time Buddy’s entire body doesn’t go numb. He goes stiff, every cell panicking trying to get out of the situation.

What can he say? What should he say? 

The obvious answer is yes, of course, that’s him, congratulations.  Stray them off their path, confuse them for a while. It will buy some time for Chase and Buddy to rest. 

A bit but not much - when Chase starts using the key again, they will know they got the wrong guy and it will all be naught. And if they do… What will they think of Buddy who confirmed their mistake? Sure he can lie and say it was an honest mistake on his side too, but will they believe him?

And what happens to this guy if he gets labeled as Heroine? The question comes unbidden to Buddy but he needs little to no imagination to answer. He knows what methods various members of Ex Libris prefer to use to make someone talk and most of them aren’t pretty and none of them is kind. If the man in the photo ever comes into contact with Ex Libris, he won’t be returning to real life. He would be lucky to live out the rest of his life locked in a dungeon - but even that’s unlikely. But why should Buddy care? Why was he even asking himself this?

The answer is easy once again. Because Chase would care. Because Chase wouldn’t have someone else suffer in his stead. The bleeding heart cared too much even for fairy tale characters and this was a very real person. He wouldn't allow it.

But of course, it wasn't like Chase had to know right? Buddy can simply never tell him. That should be easy enough.

But that means lying to Chase again.

It’s for his own good.

It’s cruel. And not that effective in the long run anyway.

It’s for his safety. Didn’t Chase say he had a family that came first in any situation? Well, Chase was now Buddy’s family in a way. So why Buddy wouldn't do the same?

Chase wouldn’t forgive him this. He told Buddy he knew him to be better than this. He told Buddy he believed Buddy to be able to make the right decisions in tough situations.

What was the right decision here?

“Villainess key holder!” The superior smacks the back of his head and Buddy realizes he has been quiet for a long long time. “Is that him?”

Buddy jerks more from shock than from pain.

“Oh, that?” he says. “No, they look pretty similar. Aside from… the ears.”

He's not even sure where those words are coming from. They don’t feel like his. Perhaps he’s possessed. Possessed by the mirage of Chase trying to make do him the right thing.

“The Heroine key holder has bigger ears than that. Possibly a piercing too based on the last time I saw him, but that could have been a clip-on,” he adds the last part hastily so as not to give out too clear of qualifiers.

“You never mentioned piercings before,” The superior narrows their eyes at him. “You better not be lying, boy.”

Lying? Me a Villainess? Buddy almost retorts but stops himself. This is the sort of joke Chase or maybe even Deacon would roll their eyes, but here, it would be a sing of insubordination.

“Why would I lie about a thief that stole what’s ours?” he says instead. “I just saw the perpetrator wearing earrings once on our last mission. As I said they didn't have to be real anyways. He got his key to make him fitting outfits so it would have been simply that.”

The superior glares at him and for a moment Buddy fears the lie was an overstep. They always catch him when he lies. He should have kept quiet… 

Thankfully, however, then the superior looks away as he adds in a low voice.

“You know if the Elder comes back before we get the key, you won’t escape his wrath either. Doesn’t matter if you’re his favorite pupil.”

Buddy is this close to snarking back. Yes, favorite, in the same way, a dog has a favorite chewing toy. Solely the best thing to sink your teeth in. He cannot even imagine how sharp those teeth will be this time around.

A shiver runs down his spine.

“I know,” he whispers. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

Because that in part is true. He’s not an idiot after all. He has the Old Man and the dangers connected to him still on his mind. But that’s not his main motivation these days.

(Violet sighs wearily, when he gets back in his cell, beaten and not having eaten lunch or dinner for the crime of forgetting to inform the authorities about the earring thing early on.

“That was brave,” she says. “Stupid, but brave.”

Buddy pauses at that but then shakes his head. For once Violet is wrong. If anything he’s a coward. But he’s going to do what he can to protect Chase in any way he can. )

8. you are very bad at rehabilitation. this is one addiction you’d fail to give up. he’s going to ruin you for all other kisses and all other boys and you’ll spend the rest of your life trying to forget his name.

He sometimes wonders if he shouldn't tell Chase to leave. No, that’s an understatement. He’s painfully aware of the fact that’s exactly what he should tell Chase to leave. Push the boy until he leaves, for Chase’s own good. And for Buddy’s too.

He can never bring himself to do it of course. He always tells himself that it’s solely Chase’s raw determination and pig-headedness, the fact this kid has his eyes fixed on the green light on the other side of the harbor and he won’t give up until he gets what he wants, even if it means a bullet between the eyes. Trying to get him to leave would be like forcing a sea to part, nothing short of a miracle and Buddy was quite sure that he would have to be more liked by the Abrahamic God for that to work.

But, privately, he has to admit that’s not all of it. 

The Ex Libris never really cautioned its recruits against the dangers of addictions if for no other reason than because they didn’t see it as a risk at all. The real-life pleasures be it alcohol, drugs or simply a comfortable bed are difficult to obtain under the watchful gaze of the superiors. There are drugs and alcohol in the books too, yes, but unless they are brought from the outside, they are like the food there - as tempting as they might appear and smell and taste, they’re nothing but a fairy tale with no lasting consequences on the body.  That was one thing the Ex Libris was always quick to remind them. Keep in mind it’s nothing but a fake. Keep in mind it’s not real and doesn’t matter. It’s not real so it cannot offer you real comfort, cannot satiate you properly. Remember this comfort is a mere mirage and act accordingly.

And Buddy was always good at following those orders. It wasn't that hard in a world he knew wasn’t real.

Too bad that the Ex Libris failed to teach him how he should interact with things that are real.

Too bad Chase is real. As real and beautiful as a first ray of sunshine, not the fake one in the story but a real one outside of the Ex Libris headquarters, the one Buddy hasn’t seen in months now not since his last permitted visit outside. As real as the taste of chocolate in Buddy’s mouth after every other time they part.

And now Buddy doesn’t know how to go back. How is he supposed to? Chase taught him too many things - stupid mundane, real things, like what real chocolate tastes like, how to actually paint your nails with real nail polish instead of having your key make them black, how it feels to feel a real brain freeze from a real slushie… How it feels to have someone hug you as you for the sake of it not for the story progression, what it feels like to be close to someone, be able to make jokes without fear of retribution. 

What it feels like to have a name.

He sometimes wishes to tell Chase. Shove it into his face and show him, you did this to me. You made me miss the real world again. You made me miss you. Pay the price and stay with me forever. After all, you’re responsible for what you’ve tamed.

Because that’s what Buddy is. Tamed. And he knows even if Chase leaves one day, it’s too late, Buddy’s too used to him, he has changed too much because of him.

(It scares him to know that. It almost excites him too.)

9. you still aren’t sure he isn’t a dream.

It doesn't help that he’s a villain. Because, if there’s one problem with villains across the board it’s this. They are greedy. 

It tends to be their fatal flaw alongside pride most of the time - damned greed and need for more, both the motivator that brought them to the top and the Achilles heel that causes their downfall. They don’t know how to just yearn piously under a balcony, how to merely enjoy what’s given to them, or helplessly crave it with tears in their eyes - they always have to have more and more, gorge on what they can get and claw their way to get even more until it breaks them. 

And Buddy’s aware of this.

It doesn’t stop him from being a greedy fool himself though.

It manifests in small tricky ways. Stalling the plot, so they can hang out longer. Trying to get Chase for himself away from Deacon and that new little kid resembling an anthropomorphized squirrel who somehow got the Mentor’s key (and no Buddy doesn’t want to know how she got it at this point, it’s better if he does not). Being pettily mean to the Fairy tale Princes beyond what the plot requires.

And dreaming. Of course, a lot of dreaming. Speculation about the world outside, about what life Chase leads in that world. An endless slew of thoughts torture Buddy’s mind every moment he’s awake.

How would Chase’s hair feel in real life? (It looks so soft here in the story realm.)

How would he smell? (He didn’t smell like anything in the stories.)

Is he still wearing that stupid jacket from their earlier encounters? (Buddy wants to steal the jacket for himself and sleep in it.) 

Would he even take a second look at Buddy if they met in the real world? (Buddy hopes yes and fears no.) 

At the end of the night, he always feels like he has a real Chase within the grasp of his palm, tentative but real.

At the end of the night, he always wakes up to the lonely reality of Chase not being there and the risk that he won’t be there when Buddy arrives in the newest story either. 

Because here’s another thing - Chase is very very real, the most real thing in Buddy’s life. But his interactions with Buddy are not. They are still fairy tales no matter how much Chase twists them to his own will. And they can never be more.

It makes Buddy want to cry. It makes him try to do stupid things.

Like that time he brought a stolen voice recorder to the book. 

He doesn’t tell Chase obviously about it. Buddy doesn’t need Chase to know he actually thought his voice was good even if his choice of genre was outrageous, and that he should really stop trying to sing as a tenor when he was clearly baritone. But frankly, even if Chase sang like a sixty-year-old smoker with a lung infection; hell, if he gave up on singing and read a phone book in the most monotone voice possible, it would not matter. Buddy would still listen because it would be Chase’s voice. Proof this boy is someone who knows Buddy, who calls Buddy by his name, who’s close to him…

But of course, it would also be further evidence in the search for the Heroine key holder. So yes, it’s good the recorder breaks right after his arrival into the story. Thank the gods, books and electronics do not mix. 

(Very much like Buddy’s feelings for Chase and reality don’t mix. Or Buddy and happy endings.

And the ending to this tale is drawing near.)

10. if you kiss him, you might wake up.

When he was younger Buddy used to like that about the stories. The fact that they have an end. That - unlike in real life - there was a point to the events happening, a clear definite conclusion that he can reach if he does as he’s meant to. It didn’t matter if a definite conclusion usually meant death or at least banishment for his character in particular, ending a story meant a mission accomplished, a goal cleared, job well done. He served his purpose to the story, helped to fulfill its message. It was a feeling of satisfaction as the pieces clicked together at long last - a feeling of usefulness.

But as of recently, that has become an issue. Watching the ending; seeing the Hero and Heroine get together and ride off to the sunset.

It’s that greed again, he supposes, at least for the most part. The greed that spawns jealousy.

Sometimes he wonders if it wouldn’t feel as awful if he was the one who would get to kiss Chase at the end of the tale. If their roles were slightly more amiable or if he outright had the proper key to steal a kiss at the end. 

(He wonders how Chase would react to that. Would he be disgusted? Happy? Relieved it’s not some sleazy prince? Buddy has no clue but in the end, it doesn’t matter. Not because Chase's reaction wouldn't be important but because it won’t happen anyway. )

He tries to tell himself it’s a big deal, that he’s being childish - it’s not as if Chase himself was the one getting married to the princes, it’s not like any of it was real. The moment the Hero takes the Heroine’s hand, it’s over and-

Well, that’s another problem. Then it is over. 

They live happily ever after. 

The characters do, that is. Not the reader, not Buddy. For them the happily ever after are just three little words at the end of the book, a phrase signifying it’s time to close it and come back to reality. Back to the cold dungeon cells with no windows and no warmth, no happy endings. And no Chase.

And each story ending marks another day closer to the time they will meet last for real.

By this point, Buddy has given up on hopes that he would somehow avoid the Old Man’s anger once he returns and finds out about the debacle that arose in his absence. Buddy will be lucky if he solely loses his key privileges and gets replaced with someone else.  And then… then there will be no more Chase. And with no Chase, there will be no more Buddy either.

There are days it brings him close to despair. When he wonders if he shouldn't simply tell Chase about everything that's going on and will be going on soon. He smacks himself every time such an idea occurs to him. With some other key holder that sort of strategy would make sense. Hell, telling Deacon or that weird squirrel girl would be reasonable most likely. But telling Chase? That would be simply idiotic. What would he even accomplish? He'll only give Chase another chip on his shoulder, another green light, another northern star to follow. Chase won’t let it be - he will inquire, he will ask, and he will act rashly and recklessly and completely in accordance with his heart and in disregard to common sense. He will offer to help - he will insist to help. He will fight for Buddy as if Buddy was the Heroine and Chase the Hero. As if they will get a happy ending.

In some other world, it would work. In some other life other story, good intentions and the power of friendship would be enough. Not in this one. In the real life, Chase is a guy way over his head and Buddy is someone who definitely is not worth saving. There’s no happy ending for the two of them, no kiss that could break the curse and make this all go away. 

They are not a  fairytale. 

And, with time, Buddy realizes they’re not a tragedy either after all. Because tragedies have some point to them, some aethereal beauty, some meaning, catharsis. The ensign however tragic has a point. 

There will be no point, no deeper meaning to how Chase and he will end up if the Ex Libris get their hands on them. There will be nothing poetic or cathartic about the way they will punish Chase for rebelling.

At best they will turn into a cautionary tale - too realistic and too dry and cynical of a conclusion to be satisfying.

Which is why Chase was not allowed to know. The burden of this sad reality was there for Buddy and Buddy alone to bear. 

In his resolve he completely forgets, he has even less experience with real life and its consequences than Chase has. And how can a boy who lived through fairy tales more than real life succeed in protecting others from reality?

But then again it's not like he has many other options. He is obliged to try like that damned Greek king who pushes a boulder uphill no matter how many times it rolls back down.

And so he does.

(Too bad he forgets that despite everything Chase - much like fate and the God - likes to completely derail other people’s plans and efforts just for the fun of it.)

Chapter Text

1. because he’s beautiful. 

By this point, Buddy should be used to it. To the fact, Chase will never follow any plot or expectations the story or others set up for him. And yet, Chase always finds a way to surprise him. Sometimes in small, endearing ways. Other times, they are soul-crushing surprises that send shockwaves and leave Buddy disoriented for days.

Such as today.

It happens like this. They are in the middle of an argument between the Villainess and the Heroine, the evil fiancee of the Prince, and a stubborn but brave maid who has been in love with the Prince since childhood respectively. 

Well, at least it started as an argument between the Villainess and the Heroine.   By now, however, they have been arguing for nearly an hour, and the plot is long forgotten, irrelevant to the topic at hand. 

It’s Chase’s fault of course. He once again refuses to leave the stories no matter how much Buddy warns him. It makes Buddy want to tear his hair from his head. His parents clearly gave the brat the wrong name. Should have been named Peter with how he sits in one place unwilling to move and tough as a boulder.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Chase scoffs at Buddy’s efforts to both persuade and intimidate him into budding at least a bit and thinking of his own safety, damnit . “I told you before and I tell you again - you can’t scare me!”

“Obviously since you would need some functioning brain cells to be able to notice danger!” Buddy spits back, on his last nerve. “I knew you were stupid but not this much! How many times do I have to explain to you what the Ex Libris will do if they find you?”

“You don’t need to, I heard you the first couple dozen times. I don’t care.  I have this thing called a mission, Buddy! A dream. Something to strive for! Not that you would know anything about that,” Chase snides. 

Buddy's eye twitches. 

As per usual Chase knows jack shit.

What about the fact you are my dream? He wants to shout. That you being safe and sound is my mission . One you forced onto me by being around me and now I have to do everything in my power to make it real even though it might kill me. So the least you can do is do me a favor and let me have this one thing.

He doesn't say that. Instead, he finds a weak spot and attacks there.

“Oh, yes, your dream? Your wish? You are healthy and safe and have a family that loves you! What more can you want? How spoiled are you? Risking your and your friend's life for some childish nonsense, that’s not worth it anyways-”

“How can you say that?” Chase snaps and the prison bars rattle. “This is my mom’s life you’re talking about, you jerk! Of course, it is- it’s,” his voice breaks down as if someone stepped on his throat. 

But somehow the words steal the breath from Buddy’s lungs too and he stares ahead, eyes wide, throat dry with shock. The words hit him like a metal pipe. Of course, it makes sense now.

The discomfort Chase showed whenever it was mentioned the Heroine had a dead mother. The way he dipped from that one story where one of the characters had to shave their heads. The few times Chase didn’t come to the story due to “family matters” as Deacon told him upon a way too nosy and undignified inquiry. The brief conversation he overheard a few weeks ago about a new treatment hopefully helping, a conversation he told no one about, not even Violet.

It all clicks into place and in that same moment, it falls apart.

Chase's mom is dying. It’s so absurdly fitting it makes Buddy sick. Of course, Chase’s mom is dying - the damned brat is already so much like a typical Heroine in all the other aspects, why wouldn't fate throw in one more parallel to really drive it home? 

Based on clues, it had to be some serious illness like cancer or something autoimmune in nature - and clearly, something that could not be stopped by anything short of a miracle. A miracle that would require an absurd amount of narratonin and all twelve of the keys six of which are still in possession of the Ex Libris and four lost gods know where.

“Fuck,”  he lets out under his breath and his eyes travel back to Chase only to see the other boy retreat back into the cell, his shoulders shaking as he looks at Buddy like he was some sort of poltergeist.

“I… crap, you were not supposed to hear that last part,” he mutters, looking all too much like a doe staring at the hunter in the dead of dawn, both scared but aware of what’s going to happen. What should happen. 

“Chase,” Budd says softly, raising his hand, but Chase is clearly not listening. 

“Please, forget I said anything-” he mutters, wrapping his hands around his torso defensively as he retreats deeper into the cell, a horrible pleading mess. “I don’t care what I have to do, you can’t tell your boss-”

It’s like a slap on the cheek, the words, the panic in them. The silent expectations underlying them. And Buddy could not let that slide.

“Chase, listen!” he cuts the boy off, surging to him across the cell and grabbing him by the shoulders.

“Stop it,” he says, staring right into his eyes, forcing his voice to become more steady and calmer for Chase’s sake.  “Just stop it and listen to me. No one will hear about this. You have my word.”

Not his supervisors, not the Old Man. Not as long as he lives and breathes.

He hopes Chase sees that in his eyes. He hopes he understands. 

Chase swallows back a hiccup wide eyes on Buddy. He didn’t start crying yet but tears of panic started swelling in the corner of his eyes giving them a glassy fragile look.

“You… you won't?” he asks, still sounding somewhat distrustful. 

Buddy takes a deep breath, pushing back the feeling of hurt. 

“Yes. Whatever I - we have going on with Ex Libris, your mom deserves to be out of it.” 

“You…” Chase starts tearing up again and Buddy is about to panic at the prospect of it, but then the other boy stumbles forward and  slumps against Buddy's chest, his head resting right above Buddy’s heart. 

“Thank god,” he mutters as his hands wrap around Buddy. “Thank you. “

And Buddy suddenly doesn't know what to do, how to speak or use his limbs. Really what is one meant to do in a situation like this.

“Chase?” he tries to ask to push him away if for nothing else than for the sake of his hammering heart, but Chase is fully leaning on him and doesn't seem to have strength to stand on his own. And he's… shaking. Crap. 

“Oi, Chase!” he finally manages to get out loudly enough for Chase to pull back at least a bit.  Now, there are actual tears and snot all over Chase’s face and so also over Buddy’s shirt and Buddy pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket, swiping down his shirt a bit before handing it to Chase.

“I… thanks,” the other boy accepts the handkerchief without any comment about this being old fashioned and blows into it dully.

“Sorry, I overreacted. It’s been tough and if anything happened to mom because I slipped I couldn’t… I just…” he hiccups as he tries his best to clean himself up only to make an even worse mess of his face.

“No, it’s fine, I get it,” Buddy sighs, taking the handkerchief from Chase’s hand almost as a reflex and wiping his face. “Well, I don't. But I… I’m not telling anyone so you should stop worrying.”

“Right, thanks.”

“You already said that,” Buddy jokes and realizes his mistake too late as this one comment is what makes Chase giggle and look straight at him again. 

Buddy’s hand becomes still on Chase’s cheek, his body rendered immobile by the soft chocolate gaze. Chase’s face is a bit red and puffy now and he resembles a frog more than a princess meant to kiss it but that somehow doesn’t make Chase any less pretty and shit, shit, shit, that’s not what Buddy should be thinking of right now. But too bad, it’s too late. Buddy’s own face is starting to heat up, as his heart picks up that erratic pace it likes to keep up when Chase stands too close. His mind is getting muddied and all he can see and hear and feel is Chase - his warm cheek against Buddy's hand, his shallow breathing, his face getting closer somehow as if Chase was standing up on his tiptoes, his lips parting and blush spreading over his face. Buddy is tempted to lean in as well. As if spellbound, he moves his hand under Chase’s chin to tilt it upwards a bit more, closing his eyes and-

And then something snaps.

Chase's eyes go wide and he shoves Buddy away hard, jumping into the farthest corner of the cell.

“What the hell Buddy? How can you do that!” he spits out. “God, I just told you about my sick mom! We should be focusing on her, not you wanting to kiss me! You - you brat!”

The last words echo through the prison cell like a gunshot.

Buddy’s heart stops, his mind suddenly crystal clear as his hand shoots up to his mouth. What did he try to do right now? Was he insane?

One look at Chase’s face answers that for him. He looks as he does when the princes try to kiss him, only this time a hundred times worse. He’s flustered and breathing heavily as if he ran a mile and the look on his face haunted as if the thing that's been chasing him for so long had been still on his tail. 

“Gods, you didn’t even ask! And you look so gross right now! Just how desperate are you?”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything!” The defense comes out lame and impulsive before Buddy can stop it and he immediately wants to apologize. But Chase’s expression flinches and he looks away looking absolutely horrified. 

“I have to go,” the blonde murmurs, and before Buddy can say anything, or do anything, there’s a key in Chase’s hand, and in a flash of light he’s gone, leaving Buddy behind, small and hurt and utterly lost.

He has to grab the metal door to steady himself. Feeling dizzy for no good reason other than the absolute wind whirl of emotions he’s feeling.

Well, at least now he knows how Chase would react if Buddy tried to kiss him, his mind notes humorlessly.

Oh, yes, he tries to smile for himself but fails as he notices something wet on his face.

“Elvira?” the Heroine speaks up, a tall girl with dark hair and freckles. 

Buddy jerks back. Right, the story is not over yet.

He raises his chin defiantly at the original Heroine.

“You’re too good for that bastard of a prince you know,” he says even though he knows she can’t hear his real words. “You are better off moving away into some cottage where you can live out the rest of your life safe and alone. He’s going to break your heart.”

“You can’t scare me!” the Heroine retorts, and Buddy jerks back. This again. 

“I suppose not,” he sighs. “Not unless you’re someone else, and I make the dumbest mistake of my life.”

He doesn’t wait for the Heroine to reply to whatever she thinks he said this time. Instead, he pulls his own key and with a flash of light he’s gone.

When he returns to Ex Libris, he gets greeted with an ice-cold bucket of water and an even colder warning that the Old Man’s back within a fortnight. He takes both with a shrug. Perhaps it’s for the best at this point. It’s not like Chase will want to see him again or listen to what Buddy wants to say.

( It still makes him cry himself into his sleep that night hundled under the blanket so not even Violet would hear.)

Chapter Text

2. because he asked.

Chase evades him after… that. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean he stops going into the stories altogether. He’s always there, playing his role, perhaps even more diligently than before. But never meets Buddy's gaze; never exchanges words that are not quotes lifted directly from the book.

So he can be book accurate, Buddy wonders with grim amusement. He simply needs proper motivation . 

It's a new form of torture he finds. To be so close and yet not close enough. To be able to see Chase every day but not be able to talk to him, not be able to explain himself or apologize. 

The worst part is that now the initial shock is gone, he knows he shouldn't apologize. No, he should make it worse . Make Chase regret ever coming here - ever talking to Buddy. Make him turn and go back. As noble as Chase's efforts to save his mother are - as much Buddy would hope it would work out - it's a battle against windmills, in the end . Pointless and impossible. It would only lead to Chase getting hurt more - and faster. 

And this right here - if was a golden  opportunity to prevent that. If Chase was so uncomfortable with as much as the prospect of Buddy kissing him... well, Buddy could use that against him. He wouldn't need to do much. Buddy would merely have to get an inch closer, become a bit more openly flirty, and make his desire slightly more vocal. He could make Chase disgusted, could make him scared… he could become like those Heroine-obsessed Villainesses he feared he might be one day. But it could work. And just in time. The Old Man's coming back in barely a week… 

Too bad his heart refuses to commit. The mere idea that Chase might look at him with that… that fear, that detestation in his eyes is too much.  

He wonders which makes him more wretched - the fact he's considering harassing Chase in this manner to get him to safety, or the fact he cannot commit to doing the one thing that could save the only human being that ever cared for Buddy. 

And so they avoid each other, like two moons of the same planet careful not to crash into each other's orbit, Buddy regretful and ashamed, and Chase… well, Buddy doesn't even know. He doesn’t think he wants to know. 

This is why no one is more confused than Buddy when Chase corners him in the next story. 

It's some gender-bent version of The Prince and the Pauper. Buddy is nervous initially, not sure how the story with two Heroines would handle the Heroine keyholder entering. Fortunately, the result is not two Chases running around giving Buddy twice the anxiety. Unfortunately ,  Chase gets cast as the Princess which means he's going to have a crucial encounter with Buddy as the Evil Money Lender, who mistakes the Princess for the Pauper who owes her money. Not an ideal situation.

Buddy is in his office, busy trying to find a way out of it, when something hits the window rattling it in the frame. 

“What?” He sighs in irritation and slams it wide open to shout at whatever kids were throwing rocks again as the mean harpy he was meant to be - but he quickly comes to a halt as a familiar figure appears in front of him blocking his view. 

“Hey!” Chase smiles at him, crouching in the window frame, looking somewhat breathless. 

Buddy holds his breath. He didn't even realize how long it has been since he got this close to Chase, not alone the last time Chase maintained direct eye contact with him. He completely forgot how not to stare. 

Chase doesn't seem to have time for Buddy's gaping. He jumps down for the window and pushes past Buddy into the room. 

That finally spurs Buddy into action. 

“What are you doing here? Aren't you meant to be back at the castle teaching the Pauper how to immitate the Pirncess? “

“Deacon's doing that right now. He's the Princess's butler and knows more about this kind of stuff than me anyways,” Chase shrugs nonchalantly, still facing away. However, his motions are tense and his hands  tremble ever so slightly. Buddy's starting to suspect he misread the previous breathlessness. But what was it then? Anxiety from their encounter in the story? If so, why did Chase rush it?

Buddy's insides twist into ugly knots. 

“Even if you skipped the training montage so to speak, we don't have to see each other for at least a few more hours. We're supposed to meet after you run from those vagabonds on the market. “

Wait, was that it? Did Chase push the plot so forward that he prematurely triggered the encounter with those thieves from the market as well?  

Buddy presses his lips together, throwing a cautious look to the street below, but no angry horde of low-class criminals seems to be coming their way. It gives him only a small sense of relief however because now he has no clue why Chase is here and why is behaving like this.  

“Well, our meeting was a bit public, and I wanted to meet you before that,“ Chase replies with another forced shrug. He’s still turned away so Buddy can only see the back of his ears, which is less than helpful to Buddy's mental state.

“Meet? Why?” Buddy asks, crossing his arms on his chest to hide how his own hands are trembling.

Chase jolts lightly but then quickly tries to play it off with his hands in the pockets. 

“What? Can't I go hang out with you? “ he asks with faked boredom. 

Buddy can think of about a million reasons why that alone would be a stupid idea but it's not like any of them would work on Chase. 

No, there is only one thing that might work right now. 

Buddy pushes down a heavy sigh. Well, Chase brought this one onto himself.

He lets the years of practice as a Villainess settle in as he puts on a dismissive smirk and leans against the wall.  

“Well, the last time we were together you were the one who dipped,” he notes. 

This time, when Chase  actually turns to face him. He still doesn't meet Buddy’s gaze though and Buddy cannot for the life of him figure out if that makes it better or worse.

“Well, yeah, that,” Chase says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, his eyes running all around the room. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk about. Sorta.”

Buddy blinks. He didn’t expect Chase to be this… honest.

No, Buddy, focus, You have a job.

“Oh, do tell,” he tries to get his signature purr back into his voice but feels like he’s failing. Not that Chase seems to notice anyway.

“Yes, I… Well, I know I acted a certain way and I wanted to… apologize. And explain myself.”

Apologize? Buddy blinks. What did Chase have to apologize for? Shutting down Buddy's pathetic albeit not fully conscious attempt at a kiss? Chase never felt sorry for Princes, he refused them twice as rudely as he did Buddy - not that he had any reason to be any more polite to them or to Buddy . What was going on?

Before, Buddy has a chance to ask, however, Chase speaks up again, his voice almost… embarrassed.

“And - to be clear - I’m not saying this so you feel bad for me or anything. I… I thought it would be fair for you to know. So please let me say what I need to and  don’t interrupt, alright?”

He glances at Buddy from under his lashes looking somehow both shy and petulant. Buddy knows what his reaction should be - something teasing or mocking or both - but instead, he merely nods his throat too tight to trust his own words.

Chase lets out a breath of what could be a relief but also disappointment before taking another long and deep one.

“Look I know I said some stuff back in the dungeon. Well, yelled at them, really. I just want you to know - it wasn’t actually about you. It was… about me.”

Buddy frowns.

“Are you giving me a…” he hesitates with the phrasing for a moment. “It’s-not-you-it’s-me speech?”

Chase frowns.

“What?No, I mean kinda- but not like you think!”

He seems to be at a loss of words, which under any other circumstances, would be funny, but right now is simply making Buddy feel more pathetic.

“You can save your breath, Chase,” Buddy says. “I know I messed up.”

“But you didn’t! I did!” Chase replies.

Buddy looks up confused. Chase’s expression and shoulders are tense, his face bright red.  His eyes widen even more when they meet Buddy’s, but before Buddy has a chance to react to that, Chase looks away down on the floor.

The fact he’s shaking is now undeniable.

“Chase?” Buddy asks, already stepping forward alarmed, but Chase lifts his hand stopping him.

“Just, please be quiet for a minute, alright?” he asks through gritted teeth. “It took me a long time to finally get here, and I’m really close to letting it be.”

Let what be? Buddy frowns in confusion but doesn’t say anything. Chase wants him to be quiet - he can manage that for a few seconds.

Despite that, Chase doesn't seem to be in a hurry to get out what so desperately wanted to say, either. He just stares on the floor as if still gathering courage while uncomfortable silence pours in between them like molasses. Buddy shifts his weight onto his other leg uncomfortably. He’s ready to give up and open his mouth when a shaky long breath cuts him off and Chase speaks up.

“Look, what I meant to say is that… when I yelled at you about you trying to kiss me. That wasn’t about you wanting to kiss me. Not that I'm saying you wanted to - or that you didn't! But it - It wasn't about you , “ his voice slows down for the previous frantic pace, becomes small. ”It was about me. What I wanted.”

Another beat of silence passes before Buddy realizes the meaning of the words.

“You… wanted to kiss me?” 

“No, I wanted to bite off your kneecaps. Yes, I wanted to kiss you!” Chase runs both hands across his face in frustration. “But I… I freaked out okay?  Like I am right now - damnit why is it so hard?“ 

Buddy has no clue why it’s so hard. He also knows better than anyone else why it might be so hard. Too bad he can't focus to save his life.

“Wait, “ he tries and fails to be rational about this.” Why did you want to kiss me?”

“Why?” Chase looks at him as if Buddy asked why flying to the Sun with wings held together by wax is a bad idea. “Maybe because I like your stupid face!”

The confession falls to the floor like a ball made of lead and effectively cuts off any sound that was possibly present before.

Buddy stares ahead too shocked to even blink at this point, just watching Chase’s face pale then redden again, as it slowly dawns on him what he just said.

“I… dammit it,” shock then regret settles on Chase’s face as he drops down into the nearest chair. 

“I didn’t want to tell you like this. Ugh, that was so lame!” he exclaims, throwing his arms in the air before folding his head in his hands. He stays like that for a few seconds before he drops his hands and looks up, his hair falling into his face partially obscuring his eyes.

“I guess… I can’t go back and try that again, huh?”

When Buddy is too stunned to respond to that, Chase sighs heavily l, swiping his hair back from his face in a manner that would give Buddy a small heart attack even without all the other contributing factors present right now.

“Alright, then. Yeah, I like you. Like really like you. I keep on thinking about kissing you to the point even Boris noticed something’s up with me. And this is the lamest way to tell you, but I had to do it because frankly, I was going to combust if I kept it for any longer.” His gaze is fixed on Buddy now, and it's scared but also painfully determined. 

It makes Buddy’s throat close up, and his stomach woozy.  

Chase likes him? Well yes apparently - and enough to try to initiate a kiss. Although Buddy was still a bit confused as to why he had  then said Buddy tried to do it. And more importantly, he likes Buddy enough to then come and say it to his face. And yes, Buddy could tease him about how lame and embarrassing that confession went but he has really no right to do that with how hot and flustered his face became. He's pretty sure Chase noticed too at this point because there's a glimmer of hope in his eye and oh, boy, Buddy doesn't know how to cope with that. 

Well, the plan to flirt with him to make him leave is not going to work then, a small vicious voice in his head reminds him all the sudden - a pinprick of a poisoned spinning wheel enchanted with the spell of painful wakefulness instead of dreams.

Right. This is still wrong. This can’t be happening. He’s not good enough for Chase and even if he was, they only have a week.

“Buddy?” Chase speaks up, his expression still expectant and eager like the fool he is. 

Buddy’s hands grip the window sill behind him.

“I…” he tries to figure out some clever witty response that could get him out of this predicament, that would protect them both, but he comes up empty. “You know I can’t reciprocate that.”

He can practically hear the smile on Chase's face freeze up. 

Another beat of silence falls, like the sound of the funeral bell. And then-

“You can't? Or don't?”  

Buddy’s eyes fly wide open at the question. Damn Chase and his selective perceptiveness. No, in fact, damn Buddy's inability to lie when it counts. He cannot get out a word and of course, Chase picks on that as well. 

“Is this about those  library Illuminati you work for again?”

Despite himself, the corners of Buddy’s lips twitch upwards.

“Library Illuminati?”

“Well, that’s what they are - a secretive bunch of old guys pretending to be oh so important while being completely lame and incompetent,” Chase replies without skipping a beat and Buddy’s lips quirk up even more. Gods, if the Old Man heard this…

If the Old Man heard this.

Buddy’s lips tighten into a thin line.

“And they are still my superiors. Which lest you forget makes us enemies,” his voice drops a bit, not able to hold anger for much longer.  

“Well, too bad. I haven’t considered you an enemy in some time now, ” Chase replies. “And I don't think you consider me one either.” 

Buddy winces because, of course, he doesn’t, but can he say that? Like hell he can. 

“Look, the situation is complicated-”

“Shower sex is complicated, “ Chase bites back confidently but then wavers slightly.” Or so I heard. This is not. “

“We literally stand on opposing sides-”

“So were Romeo and Juliet. And it didn’t stop them!” Chase loses his patience. 

Buddy stops dead in his tracks. That simile feels a bit strong, doesn’t it? He didn’t realize Chase’s feelings ran that deep. Or perhaps it was hyperbole on Chase’s side, the brat never knew when and how to stop always going over the top.

Doesn’t change the fact he didn’t choose the luckiest of similes.

“Chase, they died because they were from opposing sides. That's the entire point of that story. ”

“No, they died, because Romeo was a moron who couldn’t do something as basic as check for pulse! Or I dunno - wait for five minutes. Not to mention I know at least two adaptations where they actually do live. One of them includes seals but that’s not important. We can make our own story Buddy. ” 

Chase’s eyes are big with hope and determination as he reaches out a hand a promise of a better future. And Buddy wants nothing else but to take it. But… they have been before, weren't they? Buddy can practically taste the sun and the sea in the air again. The Sun, the sea, chocolate and coconut and blood . 

That's the thing about stories. They always end. And they like to repeat themselves. 

“Perhaps you can write yours,“ he draws back. ”Not me.”

“Why not? And don’t start with the whole I’m the Villainess-”

“But I am! I am the Villainess! I do evil things! That's in my job description. I literally set out to poison you like a dozen stories ago.”

“But you didn’t even do that! You actually helped me when I got sick. Frankly, I don't recall you doing anything to hurt me since like… the beach. And even that was an accident. And before - I mean you were annoying but it’s not like I was any better. In fact, in most stories, I think I may have caused you more damage than you did to me.”

He glares back at Buddy almost as if that were an accusation and Buddy freezes in place unable to argue. So Chase noticed. All of Buddy’s hesitation, all his silent displays of affection. Obviously. It was fucking Chase after all.

“Look if you don’t like me back, say so. I’m going to eat my weight in ice cream and be okay. But if you're acting like this just because you think you can’t do this - because you’re dangerous or something, then…”

He lets his words trail off. Buddy feels like crying. He grips the window sill one last time to slightly his nails dig into the wood.

“You really think so,” he exhales, bracing himself for his next words. “You truly think that because nothing happened in stories, I can cause no harm.”

When he lifts his head there's his usual cruel smirk there. This finally, finally gives Chase a pause.

“Buddy, what are you talking about?” The other boy stands up, but Buddy still has a couple of inches on him, so when he walks closer, he looms over Chase. 

Good , a voice in the back of his head approves . Intimidate him .

“I told them about you, you know,” Buddy says, his voice quiet to mask the shame. “My supervisors. They would have known about you anyways since they would sense the Heroine key being active, but I was the one who told them about you specifically.”

Chase’s eyes widen but he does not lose the determined look right away.

“Well, yes, but that was before…”  he tries but Buddy cuts him off.

“You think I stopped after the beach? Why because you were more careful about keeping things private? You slipped up plenty of times, you little idiot, for me to keep my supervisors entertained,” he snarls too late realizing the mistake in his words. But Chase's eyes widen and he visibly pales.

“No… You told them about my mom?” The hurt and fear in Chase’s voice makes Buddy react without thinking.

“No, of course not!” he exclaims too late realizing how earnest that sounded - how desperate. He clears his throat trying to maintain his composure. “I foolishly gave my word on that one which means I have to keep it. I may be a Villainess but I still have some dignity. I told them other things. Like your hobbies; your preference for chocolate; your gluten intolerance. Nothing specific since you know how to keep things vague at least, but things that give them plenty of clues when they start looking. And I have plenty more in store.”

“So, now? Do you still think it's a good idea to like me? To kiss me?”

His answer is stubborn silence Chase glaring up at him with a set jaw and clenched fists. It’s all the answers he needs.

“See? You can be clever,” he says walking to the door. “Now, I believe we are not to meet for another couple of hours. So you better not be here when I come back. “

And with that, he walks away not looking back once. When he meets the Princess later on during the planned scene, she’s precisely that - the Princess of the story, with no Chase in sight. It’s perhaps the first time since their earliest days Buddy has seen Chase dip from the story before the ending.

It’s for the best. He tells himself.

It’s for the best.

(So why does he feel like he’s the worst?)

Chapter Text

3. because he preceded please with, I’m not afraid of you. 

One story was always going to be Buddy’s last. It's inevitable, much as one breath will be his last, as one morning that he will open his eyes will be the last one he does so. Buddy knew that. However, he never expected his last story to come so fast.

He almost shakes as he heads to the main hall of the library to pick up the book, his veins burning beneath his skin as if his own blood wanted to spring out of them and escape his body. He’s more jittery than when he went on his first mission as Villain’s Henchman or when took the Key Holder test at sixteen, still unsure if he could make it or if he would vanish like the rest of the recruits.

It doesn’t feel real in a way - not the cold corridor, not the empty hollow entrance hall of the library, not the supervisor’s face as they are handing him the book.

'Last chance,' they remind him. 'Get something on the Heroine Key Holder and the Old Man might just consider sparing you.'

Buddy doesn’t listen, but he still nods mechanically as he is taught, shifting his hand slightly to better hide the small rectangular object in his sleeve. He knows bringing this with him is foolish - he might not have anyone to give this to anyway. But if there’s a chance however small that despite all the odds Chase decided to rejoin the stories despite the week of absence, then…

Then, he’s going to need it.

Buddy takes a deep breath as he pulls out Violet and places her on the cover of the book.

Well then. L et the show begin.

The first couple of hours of the story pass smoothly and uneventfully. The story is yet another iteration of Cinderella because, of course, it is. That’s the story Chase and he always seemed to circle back to. However, this time the main Villainess of the story isn’t the Heroine’s stepmother but the mother of the Prince, which means Buddy doesn't get to meet the Heroine in the beginning. They first see each other at the ball tonight but their first - and last - proper talk happens only near the end of the story, three days from now. Three long torturous days. Buddy's not sure if he can wait for that long. That is of course again if Chase even shows up. Technically speaking he could skip ahead in the story and just barge into Cinderella's house but he doesn't do that. No, if his last encounter with Chase proved something it was that impulsive skipping ahead might lead to disaster. But waiting for three days is out of the question. Buddy would go insane. So he makes a compromise with himself. He'll wait till the ball tonight. There should be a window in which he could encounter Chase briefly without disturbing the story. Just enough time to give him the letter. And then he can leave before things get too awkward. Brilliant. 

Now he just has to hope Chase will turn up. 

As much as the day drags for Buddy, the ball comes all too quickly. Unfortunately, the story does not specify when exactly the Heroine arrives and dances with the prince which means Buddy has to sit here for the entire thing to make sure he doesn’t miss a moment. Normally Buddy wouldn't mind that - he would have to stay for the whole scene anyway as the story dictated - but this time around he can hardly focus expecting every moment to be the one when Chase appears. It makes him jittery and distracted to the point even other characters notice in some way.

“My dear, are you feeling well? You are quieter than usual,” the King leans closer to her after Buddy huffs under his nose about Stupid Heroines, who laze around all day - not that the King heard that part. He jerks slightly frowning before turning to the king. Gotta keep up the charade.

“I am fine,” he replies. “Just a bit tired.”

The king smiles back sympathetically.

“Of course, Preparing this entire ball took a great deal on you, dearest, but look your efforts are coming to fruition. Our son is finally talking up some girl.”

Buddy bristles up. The prince did not show interest in any girl during the story aside from the titular Heroine. Which meant-

His eyes quickly find the prince standing in the center of the ballroom, with a crowd of spectators encircling him as he bows down offering his hand in a dance to the girl in front of him. She looks clearly uncomfortable with the situation, hands wringing the dark blue dress, head cast down, making her long dark hair fall over her face. Just as she was described in the books. 

Buddy’s heart drops, both from relief and something else he chooses not to name. This is the original Heroine. Which means only one thing. 

Chase is not coming. 

Good, Great.

(Awfu-)

Before he has a chance to finish the thought, something catches his attention in the corner of his eyes. A familiar mop of hair. Not blonde and soft though but slightly shorter and boring mousy brown.

Freckles.

Buddy’s heart makes a desperate leap from the pits of his stomach right back up to his throat.

So they did come? His eyes quickly search for the “Cinderella” of this story, but it’s still the dark-haired girl who is dancing with the Prince. Well, this could be bad or worse.

Or irrelevant, he corrects himself as his eyes fix on Deacon again. The small package hidden in his sleeve itches. This could be a decent opportunity - in fact, the best he could get.

But he needs to catch up to Deacon before he leaves.

Buddy ignores the King’s protests as he stands up abruptly, making an excuse about needing some fresh air before all but running into the long corridor leading from the ballroom where he had just seen Deacon disappear.

It takes more effort than Buddy expected to chase the freckled brat down. Deacon is surprisingly fast, and when he notices Buddy following him he seems to only speed up. In the end, Buddy manages to corner him in the library of all places, but even there Deacon looks more than willing to try to fight Buddy to get away.

“Hey, look, I don’t want to fight,” Buddy lifts his hands in the air. “I just want to talk.”

“Is this going to be like the “just a talk” you had with Chase?” Deacon replied with outward hostility. “Because if so, no thank you.”

Buddy tensed. Wait, did Chase tell Deacon about what happened in the Princess and the Pauper?

“What did Chase tell you?”

“Me? Nothing. Other times he would go on and on about how you annoyed him, but this time, he just went quietly into his room. I don't know what you did to him, but you messed him up pretty bad.”

The words prick at Buddy’s heart but he does his best not to show it.

“Is that why he didn't come to the story today?” he asks but before Deacon can answer he realizes himself shaking his head. “Alright, it doesn't matter. I don’t actually need to talk to him. Just give you these.”

He pulls out two small brown envelopes from his sleeve each thick enough to be a tiny book.

“One’s yours, the other one is Chase’s. Make sure he gets it - and that he opens and reads it out of the story.”

Deacon looks up at him doubtful.

“Sorry, my mother taught me not to take gifts from strangers.”

Buddy smirks despite it all.

“And I’m a stranger? You wound me.”

“Bigger stranger than you are to Chase that’s for sure. I don’t think the two of us exchanged so many words in the entire time of knowing each other as we did in this conversation. You really must have messed up if you talk to me instead,” Decon replies. “How do I know it’s not poisoned? Or containing some evil spell that’s going to cause me to become possessed by an entity that will steal my sight.”

“Why the hell would I do that? I’m a Villainess, not some mad scientist archetype,” Buddy rolls his eyes and shoves the letters into Deacon’s open hands before the other boy can protest.

“Look, what you do with it is up to you. I did my part giving it to you, so my conscience is clean.”

A big fucking lie and they both know it based on the way Deacon raises his brow.

“Didn’t know you had one of those in the first place,” he hums, turning the envelope in his hand.

That sounds so much like something Chase might say it makes Buddy wince. (Damn he could swear they were related sometimes if only they looked a bit more alike.)

He does his best to repress the pain though and instead shrugs.

“Very clever. Now, if you excuse me,” he starts turning to leave but Deaconis quick to stop him.

“Wait. You're not going anywhere till I look into it.”

“I just told you to read it outside the story,” Buddy grits his teeth, still does stop in his tracks. 

“Look, you either stay and let me open this in front of you, or I’m throwing them away,” Deacon replies. “Your call.”

Buddy tenses. If Deacon is stupid enough to throw away this golden cow Buddy is offering him, that's his problem. But that would mean he will throw away the letter for Chase as well.

“Make it quick. I don’t have all day,” to punctuate his statement he crosses his arms across his chest and taps the floor impatiently.

Deacon has the nerve to roll his eyes at him, but he rips into the envelope pulling out the carefully stashed scraps of paper Buddy had to steal from the supervisor’s office to have enough paper.

The look of skepticism on his face quickly fades as he reads through the first few lines. He skims through the entire thing almost frantically before looking up at Buddy again.

“Buddy, this is…”

“I know what’s inside Freckles, I wrote the damn thing,” Buddy snipes back, utterly irritated and somewhat humiliated. Well, at least Deacon read it. “It’s not much, but hopefully enough to keep you safe when I…” he gulps. “When I’m not here anymore.”

“But you giving this to us… Do your supervisors know?”

“Oh yes, of course, I informed them beforehand, I mean to slip any information I have on their asses to who they consider an enemy. They send hugs and kisses. Really I thought you were meant to be the clever one,” he snides hoping the other boy will finally get the message, thank him, and dip.

But somehow, Deacon has even more fucking questions.

“Right. Sorry. Obviously, you wouldn’t. So this other letter - for Chase. It’s the same as mine?” he asks and for a moment looks like he might rip it open, giving Buddy a small heart attack.

“Hey, don’t!” Buddy shouts before he can stop himself, freezing Deacon in his tracks. 

“Ehm, not exactly,” Buddy clears his throat trying his best to act cool as if that was something he could salvage at this point. “It’s similar, but a bit more… personal.”

Gods, he hopes the poor lighting of the room hides the redness of his face well enough.

“Oh,” Deacon replies eloquently, tilting his head. “Well, in that case, alright.”

And without much ado, he throws Chase’s letter back to Buddy.

“Hey,” Budd catches the letter on instinct and glares back at the other boy. “What is it now?”

“Thanks for the letter,” Deacon says. “But I’m a sidekick, not a postman. You want to give this to Chase, you do it yourself.”

Buddy glares daggers at him.

“And how am I meant to do that, genius? We both know he isn’t here. Which part of this is my last story and you won't be seeing me again again did you not get?”

“Oh, but he will get here. Eventually,” Deacon replies, putting the envelope into a pocket on his vest. 

“He wanted to hop in later to avoid some secondhand embarrassment with the Prince asking him for a dance,” he adds with a grimace. “But he will get here any minute. I’ll let him know you want to talk to him if it helps.”

Buddy freezes up because no, that definitely does not help. But before he can actually do something about it a sound of footsteps comes from outside the library door, quickly approaching. Buddy whirls around in alert. When he realizes it’s just the evening patrol and turns back to Deaon, the other boy is no longer there.

“Damnit,” Buddy runs his free hand over his face before glancing at the letter Deacon returned. His hand is shaking slightly but he grabs his wrist and takes a deep breath.

Alright, based on the story Cinderella should be in the gardens right now, talking with the Prince. Screw not running ahead in the story. He has to deal with this tonight.

The gardens are dead silent this time of the night, not even crickets can be heard. 

Well, considering what a control freak the Queen is, perhaps they aren't even allowed in here, Buddy considers with grim amusement as he stops by the tall garden wall enveloped in ivy. 

Sometime around now, the Heroine should be finishing her meeting with the Prince which concludes with her running away and this part of the garden seems like the best place to scale the walls and get out of the palace grounds. Still, there's no saying if Chase even comes this way specifically. 

Buddy leans his forehead against the wall. What is he even doing? He really should have waited till the story brought him and Chase together. But encountering Deacon unnerved him more than he expected and he wanted this to be over with. 

He closes his eyes and slowly exhales. He'll count it to one hundred and if Chase doesn't appear by then he just… leaves. Right. 

“One,” he mutters under his breath. “Two, three, four, five, six, sev-” 

“Are you talking to the wall now?” a familiar voice comes from behind him making Buddy jump up and whirl around.

“You-” his eyes widen when he comes face to face with a familiar quaff of short blonde hair and a pair of chocolate-brown eyes.

“Damnit, since when are you this quiet?” he hisses out to mask his real emotions. ”You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“It’s just this story’s Heroine's skills,” Chase replies. “I guess I have an inherent talent for sneakiness and climbing like a cat now. It’s not as neat as having animal minions but still pretty cool.”

Buddy nods. Right. The Cinderella in this version is a master thief and the reason why she goes to the ball initially is to steal back the diamond necklace the Queen took from her dead mother. She never gets to it, as she meets Prince Charming first and that distracts her enough for the plan to fail. The irony of the storyline in light of his current situation is not lost on Buddy.

“So, you're done with the prince?” Buddy arches his brow taking the opportunity to look Chase up and down. Chase’s clothes are significantly less flashy than usual, almost as if to fit his role a bit better. It's a simple dark indigo overcoat bordering on violet over an off-white shirt and black pants that help him blend with the night accompanied by a pair of surprisingly bright sky-blue gloves. What’s more striking, however, is his posture. Buddy doesn’t think he had ever seen Chase look this… serious. Not angry, not sad or upset. Only serious.

It tightens the knots in Buddy's stomach to an uncomfortable degree.

“Yeah, not much to talk about with that guy, really,” Chase replies dismissively as he usually is of the princes. Buddy has no time to analyze how even in these circumstances something like that can draw a smile on his lips. “Deacon mentioned you wanted something with me. Which is lucky since I got something to say to you too.”

“You do?” Buddy almost immediately cringes at how desperate that came out, but if Chase notices, he doesn’t show it.

“You first though,” he gestures to Buddy. “I really don’t wanna shoot myself in the foot by speaking too early again.”

Another proclamation is like a knee to the stomach but Buddy does his best to likewise pretend he didn’t care.

“Yes, well…” he pulls out the envelope, by now a bit damp with sweat, and curses himself for not having time to rewrite it so it doesn't look so pathetic. “I just wanted to give you this.”

“A… letter,” Chase’s voice wavers for a moment almost as if with disappointment but he still takes it. “That’s all?”

That’s all? What else could be there? Buddy wants to ask. Still, he only nods.

“I planned to give it to Freckles, but he said that if I want you to have this, I have to give it to you personally - hey what are you doing?” he shouts out as Chase turns the letter in his hands almost the same way Deacon did, before crumpling it to a tight ball and tossing it over his shoulder.

“Chase, what the hell?!”

“What? Are you really expecting me to  read a freaking letter when I got you right in front of me?” Chase sets his hands on his hips. “You want to tell me something - tell it to my face. Don’t hide behind paper.”

Buddy gapes. He’s not sure what to feel first - shock, aggravation, regret, hope, or dread.

He settles on shock and aggravation. Somehow the easiest emotions to handle right now.

“Chase, can you stop acting like a brat for five minutes?”

“Can you stop acting like a drama queen for two?”

“I’m not acting like one. You just tore the letter I wrote to you!”

“You wrote me a letter instead of talking to me!” Chase shoots back. “After everything that happened the last time, you owe me answers, Buddy real-life, real-time to-my-face answers!”

There it is. The anger shines right back.

Buddy takes a step back. This was a mistake. He shouldn't have come. He already left a letter with all the relevant information on Ex Libris with Deacon so what was he doing here?

“Alright, you know what? Forget it. I tried,” he turns to leave, but a hand grabs him, and before he knows how he's pinned against the garden wall by both of his hands, Chase’s scowling face inches from his.

“Oh no, you don’t get to waltz out before I get my answers,” Chase snarls but this time it’s not just anger in his eyes it’s also something more. Fear. Desperation. It makes Buddy want to cry. He tries to free himself from the grasp but Chase is stronger than he looks.

“Let’s play by fairy tale rules, alright?” Chase huffs as he fights Buddy’s attempts at escape with ease. “I give you three questions, you give me three answers. Then I let you go.”

Buddy holds his breath. There is no reason why he should comply or why this would work under normal circumstances, but somehow Buddy feels his request seeping into the fabric of the story. He always knew Chase had an uncanny ability to twist the tales to his whim.

“Number one –” Chase takes a deep breath. “What the hell are you thinking? Leaving the stories?”

It’s like someone cut off Buddy's strings. He suddenly stops moving, his limbs turning weak and numb.

“Deacon told you.”

“Yeah, he told me. Now what’s up with that?” Chase inquires and Buddy has to look away to gather his composure.

“I mean what would be up with that? I’m leaving the stories. For good.”

“Why?”

Buddy grimaces, feeling the story demanding the answer as if it were a canonical milestone. And perhaps it is now.

“Cannot have a villainess who doesn’t do her job properly,” he replies.

“What are you talking about? You are an absolutely horrific villainess,” Chase retorts, but then the pieces finally seem to click for him.

“Oh, wait. Was this about me? Did they find me?”

“What? No!” Buddy is quick to reassure Chase as soon as he hears the hint of panic in the other boy’s voice. He sighs wearily. “It’s the opposite actually.”

Chase hesitates.

“Wait, so it’s about them… not having enough info to find me?” He tries to put the pieces together. 

“They decided I’m not doing a good enough job at getting information out of you,” Buddy replies. “They might be switching to a more seasoned spy.”

It somewhat hurts to admit that he’s lacking in something, even if it was on purpose.

Chase’s eyes widen.

“Wait, but if that’s the case… then what you told me before – about telling on me to them, that wasn’t true?” he sounds so hopeful, practically relieved, and it pains Buddy to shake his head and ruin it.

“No, it was,” he says but is quick to add more. “But I didn’t tell them about your mother, that part was true too. Or that your name is Chase. Or about Deacon and that squirrel girl you brought a couple times. Only some miscellaneous crap that should have been useless.”

And well, most of it was , wasn’t it?

Chase chews on his bottom lip.

“So they never found anything?”

Buddy hesitates a bit before answering that one.

“They found a guy they thought was you once but it was someone completely different. And lately, I figured out how to feed them small lies without them noticing so they think you have a piercing and wear contact lenses just to be clear.”

“Wait some other guy? Shit did they take him in or-”

“No, I… they called me over to confirm if it was you and I said it wasn’t you. There was not much point in lying anyway. They would just needlessly torture him and find out it wasn’t you the moment your key would unlock another story.”

“I see,” Chase breathes out with obvious relief. “Well, that’s good. I wouldn’t want anyone to suffer just because we kinda look alike.”

“Yes, I figured,” Buddy replies. “That was a part of why I didn’t tell them.”

Chase’s head shoots up and he looks at Buddy with a bewildered expression. He looks just as pretty as the day in the dungeons when they almost kissed and for the first time since Chase had pinned him to the wall, does Buddy realize in full how painfully close they are.

The expression melts away too fast in place of furrowed brows.

“Okay then, why tell them anything at all? Couldn’t you just keep quiet?” Chase pries again, his edges not as sharp as before but still enough to sting Buddy a bit.

“They already knew about you, Chase. And they won’t stop asking. I had to give them something or…”

He cuts himself off before he can finish. He already said too much. 

The frown on Chase's face only deepens but now something new seeps in. Concern. Worry.

“Or what?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Buddy,” Chase lets go of his wrists but still stands close too close for comfort. ”Would… would they have done something if you didn’t tell them? Or, no, did they do something?”

There’s a sense of apprehension hanging at the end of the last question. Buddy gulps nervously. He doesn’t want Chase to know the details, doesn't want him to know how pathetic and cowardly he is. It would be better if Chase thought Buddy did it for promotion or an extra portion of sweets, that he was just evil for no reason. Chase doesn’t need to know about the verbal berating, the starving, or the beating. But there’s one thing Buddy cannot hide from him.

“They said they’d take Violet. Give her to someone else,” he admits at last, and only as he says it out loud does it fully dawn on him how much that thought terrified him - still terrifies him. Staying alone without anyone, not even his key. And soon it will become a reality. He feels tears swelling in his eyes and turns his head upwards to force them back.

“Not that it matters – they will take her from me anyway now. When the Old Man comes back and realizes what kind of mess Ex Libris became in his absence he’s not going to leave a stone unturned.”

“Oh,” Chase tenses. “So he’s why you’re leaving now, of all times. I’m so… what is he going to do? I mean he will take your key but what else?”

Buddy looks away. He can feel where this is going – hear the agitation in Chase’s voice, the offer of help somewhere in the back of his throat.

“Your three questions are up, I’m afraid.”

“Yeah, well, my three questions have been up for the last five minutes. So don’t act clever now.”

“Why do you even care? It’s not like you’d be there and have to watch.”

A poor choice of words. This just makes Chase more wound up.

“Why do I care? Buddy, You’re my- my friend. Of course, I care! And this is partially my fault too!”

Buddy doesn’t know why either of those statements blindside him as much as they do. Chase already confessed that he liked Buddy, so him admitting out loud they’re friends is not that surprising. And for all intents and purposes, Chase is the main reason why the Old Man will be livid when he comes back. Still, both confessions hit him like a lightning strike.

“Chase,” he mumbles, not sure what he plans to say next, just hoping he could somehow deter this moron from spiraling further. Unfortunately, Chase is a train running full speed ahead and he makes no stops.

“That’s it. We’re getting you out of there.”

“What? No, Chase, you can’t do that.”

“Yeah, and who’s gonna stop me?”

Buddy never felt closer to straggling the man than he does right now which is quite ironic.

“Them? The Ex Libris, my superiors? Chase, as soon as you cross their path and they figure out who you are, they will hunt you down! Take Silver and Bronze from you.”

They’ll take you.

“They can try if they are stupid enough.”

“Chase, no really. Think about your mom for crying out loud.”

“No, I mean it, Buddy. When I started this, I promised Silver and her brother I would find her siblings – and I need them all together for my wish for my mom to work. So finding Ex Libris was always the plan. We just speed it up.”

He smiles at Buddy with that insufferable cocky grin of his but then his expression softens a bit.

“Those old hags you call your bosses are the biggest assholes to walk the Earth. They don’t deserve the keys and they don’t deserve you. So they don’t get to keep you.”

Buddy bites his lip.

“You’re saying that as if you didn’t… “ he cuts himself off. Of course, Chase doesn't know better, when did he? “Chase, I’m literally a Villain. I told them stuff about you because I was a coward who couldn’t handle the pressure-”

“Well, yeah you messed up there,” Chase admits a bit too easily, and yes it is true but it still hurts. “But honestly you were doing your best. And it’s not like they actually found me.”

“They got close.”

“Still found the wrong guy apparently. Chase one, the Library Illuminati zero.”

“You are way too nonchalant about this.”

“I prefer the term confident. But yeah we’re getting you out of there. Right as we find out where you are,” Chase looks at Buddy expectantly and it takes Buddy a moment to figure out what he wants.

He takes a deep breath.

“I… can’t tell you that.”

“What? Dude! You just agreed.”

“I never agreed,” Buddy protests. “But… even if I did, that doesn't change the fact that I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I just don’t. They won’t let us out of the dungeons often and when they do, we’re allowed only in the forest around the estate, not anywhere near people. I don’t even know any names.”

“What do you mean - no names? Like they use codenames? Also dungeons? Like demon lizard crawling, goblin-infested dungeons?”

“This is the real world, Chase. So no, only regular ones. Still pretty well guarded, but nothing too bad,” Buddy says brushing his hair away from his face. “And no, what I mean is - no one has a name in Ex Libris. Names can be dangerous. So we're better off without them - why are you looking at me like that?”

Chase gapes at him, opening his mouth but closing it a few times like a fish brought ashore before he finally settles on speaking.

“Okay, that's - I mean, Jesus. Wait, does that mean you actually don’t have a name either?”

“Not until you named me.”

Buddy allows himself a shy smile as he says that, but it’s only fleeting as he continues. ”I never had... use for it, before. Everyone would just call me the Villainess or Recruit or whatever my role was at the time. That was all I was.”

"What the hell?" For a moment Chase looks like he might break out crying. Or tackle Buddy down and smother him in a hug. Both would be understandable but Buddy really does not want to see Chase cry right now. Not because of Buddy's pathetic sob story anyway.

"It's not that bad," he tries to say. "I didn't have friends or family either way."

"That's not making it better, Buddy!"

Alright, being tackled to the ground while Chase is angry-crying looks more likely now. Buddy is mentally bracing for the option, but Chase clasps his hands and shuts his eyes tightly instead. He counts very slowly under his breath from twenty back and only then he opens his eyes.

“Okay," he says. "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm cool. Cool, cool, cool. The guy I like lives in a cult. Book-obsessed nerdy identity-stealing cult. That’s fine. We just… we need to fix this. somehow."

He takes a few long breaths before turning to face Buddy again.

"Those people are psychos. All of this is psychotic. And we have to get you out. I don’t care how far I’ll have to go and what I have to do. They can throw whatever they want on me. I’m. Not. Scared.”

He just sounds so determined and Buddy wants to cry again.

It’s not worth it, he wants to say. It’s too bloody dangerous. But he can’t because this isn’t just about him - this is about Chase’s mother and Violet and her siblings too. And even if Buddy himself is definitely not worth the struggle, they are.

“You’re an idiot,” He mutters in the end. And then. “But Damnit I wish I could help you more…”

His voice trails off.

“Hey,” Chase lifts his chin making him look back at him. “You're already doing a lot. That letter you gave to Deacon looked useful. Mine will be too once I manage to read it,” he starts looking around to pick up the crumpled ball on the garden floor, but Budy quickly stops him, grabbing his hand.

“No… need,” he mutters. “The information on Ex Libris is all the same. Most of my letter to you was just… explaining more private things..”

He hates how hot his face is right now. He hates even more that Chase seems to be enjoying it.

“Oh really?” Chase drawls. “Like what?”

Buddy gulps.

“Doesn’t matter now - hey!” he cries out as Chase gives him one devilish smirk and slips Buddy’s grip before charging for the crumpled paper.

“Stop it!” Buddy reaches to grapple Chase - but the unfortunate move combined with inconveniently situated tree roots sends them both flying to the ground, Buddy right on top of Chase.

“Hey!” Chase protests loudly, but the exclamation ends in easy laughter. And dammit, it’s been only a couple of days since Buddy last heard that sound but he’s already missed it so much. “If it’s so embarrassing you should have given it to me!”

“Please forget it,” Buddy closes his eyes burning with shame but then he looks back at Chase. The other boy’s laughter subsides as their eyes meet, now fully aware of the position in which they end up. Buddy holds his breath, heat pooling into his face. Chase’s cheeks are dusted with pink, his expression slightly exhilarated and breathless, his hair splayed around his face, reminding Buddy of a freshly plucked dandelion. His eyes are wide but slightly unfocused as he looks back at Buddy, clearly as aware of their situation as Buddy is.

A look that could launch a thousand ships, Buddy’s unhelpful book-riddled brain supplies an overused simile. 

“So… ehmm, you remember what I said about wanting to kiss you?” Chase lets out and is suddenly looking anywhere but Buddy’s eyes.  “Well, that’s still… a thing. Just to be clear.”

Buddy really thought his heart couldn't race any faster right now. Turns out he was wrong.

“Oh,” he says oh so eloquently. Chase’s expression drops.

“Don’t oh, me idiot, either kiss me or get off of me!” he starts wiggling indignantly, which gives Buddy the needed break for the sheer intensity of the moment. He chuckles, before grasping Chase’s chin delicately and pulling it up.

Well, if he’s given the choice… 

Especially if it's his last chance quite possibly. 

He quickly pushes the thought aside. 

No, he doesn't want or think of that. 

He wants to think of Chase and only Chase. Just for a moment. 

And with that, he leans in and closes the gap. 

It’s not the first kiss he’s ever given to someone. As a Villainess, he played an evil seductress or femme fatale plenty of times. He never cared for it much - it was just a role and annoyingly laborious at that, trying to seduce and swoon a guy or on occasion a girl and having to kiss them. 

He never kissed anyone as Buddy though.

No glamor, no disguises just himself.

The kiss is chaste - almost childlike, and he hopes Chase didn't notice him shaking. But when he feels Chase’s lips curl up into a smile he knows he's doing it right. The next moment, Chase grabs him by the lapels and pulls him deeper into the kiss, almost causing Buddy’s hands to give up on him and land squarely on the other boy. It’s clumsy and eager, teeth clashing more than they should and it’s overwhelming to the point of passing out.

It’s so much like Chase.

When they finally separate, Buddy has to shamefully admit he’s more breathless than he would like to be. Luckily, Chase’s cat-like grin that stares at him from the garden floor is more than enough compensation for that.

“So,” Chase breathes out his chest rising up and down, eyes shining. “That’s what it’s like.”

He looks so stupidly proud of himself and Buddy cannot help him but let out a peal of laughter. 

“You're an idiot, Chase, “ he mutters as he runs his hand through the dandelion hair. They do feel soft. A sudden sense of unease seizes Buddy's throat. 

“I will miss this.” He doesn't even realize he said it out loud until Chase titles his head and asks. 

“What? Kissing me?“

Buddy smirks at the confident tone. 

“Getting to bicker with you, “ he replies because even if Chase is partially right Buddy's not going to admit it right away. ”Calling you an idiot. Being close to you like this. Just saying your name. “

He sighs, as with each confession the finality of it all weighs on him more and more. 

And he can see it does on Chase too. The other boy looks away, his expression suddenly dim and is almost pensive as if he's buried deep in thoughts of his own. Never a good sign. Buddy bites the inside of his cheek. He didn't want to ruin the mood like this. 

“Hey…” he tries to get the other boy’s attention back on himself when something in Chase’s eyes shifts. He sits up so quickly Buddy barely dodges the headbutt.

“Oh, my god, Buddy! That's it!” he exclaims. “I know how to find Ex Libris and save you from your boss’s wrath.”

“What?” Buddy leans back both doubtful and alarmed by what might come next.

“Yes!  My name! I simply have to tell you my name! And then you tell them.”

And there Buddy thought he was the one who ruined the moment. Not by a mile apparently.

“What? Chase. No.”

“Chase yes! You said you wanted to do more, right? We'll this is your "more"."

"How is me betraying you "doing more" ?" 

"It would allow you to stay in the game! They let you keep the key so we can keep meeting in stories and exchange information about their progress. And more importantly-”

“More importantly - they find you. Just like they always wanted, ” Buddy shoots him down quickly. Somehow however the words do not have the expected effect. Chase's face does not fall in realization. It only brightens. 

“Exactly.”

Buddy would ask if Chase was insane but the maniacal look in his eyes speaks for all.

“I hate to repeat myself, but - what the hell?”

“It's a trap Buddy - we can set out a trap. If they don’t want us to find them, we just need to get them to find us!”

“And then what ?” Buddy snipes for the third time. “Chase that’s way too dangerous. They’re cunning - you don’t know when they strike and how.”

“We can get ready-”

“No, Chase. Trust me. You can’t get ready for them. They have centuries of experience with dirty deals. You won’t even know they struck until they do. And there’s no dirty tactic they won’t swoop down to.”

He grabs the other boy's hand as if there was a risk Chase would run off any moment to do something stupid like bring Buddy his birth certificate or driver's license. Considering this was Chase, that might as well happen. 

“You can’t do that - say that you won’t do that,” he insists.” If not for me, for your family. You said you wanted to protect them - then keep your word.”

Chase looks back at him like he might argue for a moment the corners of his lips twisting down as he tries to fight back tears.

“But you’re my family too,” he says in a weak voice. Buddy feels tears prickling in his eyes again.

“I am?”

“Yes, of course!” Chase replies very eagerly, looking almost angry. It makes Buddy want to laugh again despite the severity of the situation. But. Time and place.

“Well, it goes both ways,” he says, caressing Chase’s cheek. “Which is why we can't do this. I'm not saying you should do nothing, but please, you have to find a better way. A different plan. Please. Anything but this."

Chase doesn’t reply right away, seemingly deliberately avoiding Buddy’s gaze.

“... fine,” he mutters at last. “I promise I won’t tell you my name.”

“Good. Now-” he doesn't even get to finish when Chase speaks up again. 

“Diane Forenski. Tell them that instead.” 

“Chase!”

“What, that’s clearly not my name,” Chase raises his hands in the air defensively. “It’s this lady from our town. She’s like the perfect decoy. She’s not very close to us, so they won’t be able to connect us right away. But my grandpa and she… eh, let’s say they share a special bond. If something happens to her - bad, good, inconvenient - my grandpa has details about it within the next ten minutes. So if some weirdos, who happen to look for keys or, let’s say, a super handsome blonde pop-star look-alike, appear on her doorstep, Grandpa will know like that,” he snaps his fingers enthusiastically but then pauses. “When you tell your supervisors about her, don’t mention her being frenemies for life with my grandpa, though. That might give us out too quickly. Say I mentioned her as my grandma. She has no kids whih might throw them off the loop for a bit too.”

Buddy, however, still frowns.

"Chase that's not better." 

"What, why not? Oh, are you worried for Diane?" he scoffs. “Oh, no, trust me, good old Diane will be fine. She's like if a stereotypical Karen was a Navy veteran - which she is! It’s part of the reason why she has a beef with Grandpa - aside from the grandma thing, obviously. She hates everyone who's not her yoga instructor, the local priest, and her two chihuahuas, which are a safety warning on their own, trust me. And I’m pretty sure she still has her front yard booby-trapped to prevent door-to-door salesmen from bothering her. If Ex Libris comes knocking on her door, they won't know what's coming for them.”

Buddy takes a moment to process all of that information, but then he shakes his head.

“Even if she’s… like that - if she’s from your town, it’s too risky. When they won't find you at her house they’ll start looking around the town. They still have your general description, they can spot you on the street or someone can tattle on you-”

“Good thing I rarely go out these days. By the time they’ll even suspect me, we’ll know about them,” Chase replies. “We can prepare.”

Buddy furrows his brows. 

“Deacon will never agree to this,” he tries one last line of defense.

Chase grins back with infuriating amounts of confidence.

“I've persuaded him to agree to worse stuff, trust me. Besides, he already half agreed in a way. I mean he always knew we would confront Ex Libris eventually. Worst case scenario, I'm doing this without him. But I’m doing it.”

“Chase…” 

“What?” Chase replies.” Don't try to talk me out of it. Whether you like it or not, I'm getting your damsel butt out of distress along with the keys.”

It should be funny, his weird phrasing, but he’s so earnest again, and so Buddy feels like crying instead.

“What if it goes wrong?” he replies. “What if I can’t help you? I’m not as strong as you think…”

Chase huffs in disagreement.

“Well, first of all, that’s bull because I am an excellent judge of character,” he says. “I mean, look how much you already did - put up resistance to your bosses to protect us? Giving us information on them? You are stronger than you know.”

“I’m not strong enough for this,” Budd replies.

I’m not strong enough to risk losing you. I just got you, Chase. I just got you.

Buddy hangs his head low, expecting more loud protests or smartass remarks. Instead, Chase just sighs softly, as he intertwines their fingers together.

“Look, I know it sounds scary,” he says. “But not doing anything is not going to make it better.”

“Doing this would put you in more danger. I promised myself I wouldn’t tell them anything that would put you in danger, Chase.”

Not anymore, Not after the scare with the fake Heroine Key Holder.

“Alright then,” Chase agrees so casually it takes Buddy aback. He looks up at Chase, but the boy shrugs, all-too-casual.  “I can just tell the other guy then.”

“The other guy?” Budd spats, but Chase grins back with that smirk of his that makes Buddy unsure if he wants to kiss or strangle the man.

“Yeah, the next Ex Libris agent that comes after you. I can just tell him. Not before making their life a living hell or replacing you, tho,” Chase adds, his voice colored with an unusual level of viciousness, and a shiver runs down Buddy's spine. 

Somehow, he doesn't hate the idea of Chase being petty to the next Ex Libris minion thrown his way. But then he remembers who said next minion might be and pricks up. 

“You won’t,” he glares at Chase.

As per usual Chase fails to be intimidated. Why was Buddy even trying at this point?

“Try me,” he snarks almost as if this was a fun challenge.

Buddy opens his mouth to protest but then drops his shoulders. No, this battle was lost long before he went into it.

He lets go of Chase's hand and grips his knees taking a few long breaths.

In.

Out.

Now he gets why Chase was doing this earlier.

“Alright then,” he says. “I’ll agree to your… plan.”

The way Chase’s face lights up must be visible from space.

“Wait, really?”

“Yes - don’t look so happy about it. I want to go over it first. With Deacon if possible. Gods know, out of the two of you, he’s the better planner,” Buddy replies but Chase’s excitement does not abate despite the jab.

“I mean sure, sure. Wow. I didn’t expect you to agree so easily really,” Chase mumbles more to himself than to Buddy. “Not before another screaming match at least. Wow, I’m getting good at this.”

He smiles all smug and Buddy’s brow twitch. 

What, playing me like a cheap flute? Yes, you are getting good, he thinks glumly. But he cannot let it slide and have Chase get the last word.

“What can I say,” he says confidently as he stands up offering a hand to Chase. “I would prefer my boyfriend not get into any more trouble than he already got himself into.” 

“Damn straight- wait, what did you just call me?” Chase's voice stutters but he already took Buddy's offered hand, and Buddy uses it to pull Chase up and into his arms.

“What?” he asks playfully allowing his signature pur to seep in his voice as he kisses Chase’s hand. “Why are you being so shy all of a sudden?”

The way Chase’s face goes from sheer determination to a red blubbering mess is not a complete compensation for the previous indignity and coercions, but it’s still a good image.

“Alright. Okay. I… Jesus… I mean yeah sure. Absolutely,” Chase seems to try his hardest to compose himself, clearly not sure what to do with himself.  Chase’s hands run first up to Buddy’s shoulders, before halting and going to his own face then to his hair, then to the back of his neck, before his eyes land someplace over Buddy’s shoulder. 

“… Crap, it’s past midnight!” he exclaims, eyes fixed on the church clocktower. “I have to get going! Deacon’s waiting on the drawbridge!”

He jolts back, stumbling a bit before turning around and rushing away.

“Right, be care- ful,” Buddy doesn’t even have time to finish before the other boy is gone.

“Great,” Buddy mutters into empty air, dropping his hand. The sudden anticlimax of the scene left him colder than expected. He shivers as his eyes linger at the bushes into which Chase disappeared. 

He didn't scare Chase right now, did he? He was teasing for the most part…

Is this really what you’re worried about? he reprimands himself. You just agreed to commit an act of treason against your bosses, and the boy you like freaking out about you calling him your boyfriend is what breaks you? 

Right. Dammit. He groans into his hands peering between his fingers to the night sky. 

Yes, what did he actually agree to? Was he insane? Did he completely lose it? Obviously. He would never say yes if he was in his right mind. That kiss must have messed him up more than he expected.

He bites his lip. 

Yes, he must have gotten mad. And given the circumstances that might not have been an entirely bad thing.

Despite himself, a smile starts creeping up on Buddy’s lips. It doesn't really get there, however, interrupted by the sound of panting and rapidly approaching footsteps.

Buddy looks up in confusion - just in time to see Chase, face winded and hair wild, sprinting towards him. The sound of guards coming from the bushes behind him is more than a clear indicator of why he was running so fast.

“Wrong direction. Meant to go over the wall,” Chase shouts out as he passes Buddy, but then pauses before he sets out to scale the brick facade.

“Oh, and also-” he whirls towards the slightly bewildered Buddy and grabs his face with both of his hands, planting a loud hard kiss on Buddy’s lips.

“There,” he says smugly. “Didn't think I’d leave my new boyfriend without a kiss goodbye, huh?”

He doesn’t wait for Buddy’s response before climbing up the wall with ease but pausing right on the top. 

“And don't forget! Diane Forenski!” He makes a mock scout salute and then he's gone over the wall, just as the guards finally appear, two of them shielding the “Queen” while another two attempt to scale the wall in full armor. 

“That dirty street urchin!” One of the guards raises his fist in anger before turning to Buddy. 

“Did she do something to you, Your Majesty? Your face…It's all red. ” 

Buddy blinks in surprise, his hand rising to his mouth. 

“No I…” he starts but then hesitates.

Wait, they noticed him blushing? He glances towards the wall almost accusingly. Chase and his ability to twist stories to the most unexpected ends. Too much power, too little finesse. Which is exactly why he needed Buddy.

“Hey, get down from there!” with his best queen-like he yells at the two guards who had already got near the top of the garden wall, causing them to lose their balance and crash back onto the garden floor. 

“Your Majesty?” the other guards turn to him. Buddy clears his throat and raises his head. 

“I'm fine. It was just some scoundrel. Now escort me back. I need my rest. “

He turns demonstratively away from the garden wall hiding the smile that's pulling on his lips again behind a fan.

He still had a part to play in this story.

And later on, he will have to pull Chase aside and have another longer talk about that insane plan he wanted to execute. If this was meant to work they needed more than an idea and a grumpy ex-navy seal with a tumultuous relationship to Chase’s grandfather.

But. They still had two more in-story days to do that. 

Buddy's fingers trace his lip. 

Among other things. 

He suddenly looks very much forward to their next meeting.