As long as you keep one foot in the real world while the other foot's in a fairy tale, that fairy tale is going to seem kind of attainable. - Aaron Sorkin

Written for Halloween 2018, but I completely forgot to post it here lol.

Sakura should have known better than to listen to Ino and her stupid ideas. If only she had been firm and stayed in like she had planned, like how the magic in her bones had warned her. If only she hadn't followed Ino to this ridiculous Halloween party. Maybe then she wouldn't have been in this predicament. Maybe then she wouldn't be cornered like prey by creatures of the dark who came out to play when the gates between the worlds were weak.

Sakura hunched into herself as she tried to squeeze past the crowd laughing and dancing, drinking and eating, the music pounding around them, melding into their bones. She tried not to look too hard at the people around her, for she knew that if she looked too hard… She'd find that they weren't quite people after all. And still, her eyes caught on glinting fangs too sharp to be fake plastic, on eyes that held ethereal glows impossible with mere contacts, on features that rippled and changed if she looked too long, and on things that at second glance, didn't seem quite real.

And Ino was nowhere to be found.

She found herself in front of the refreshments table, mouthwatering food spread out on top of it, tempting drinks to the side that promised to quench your thirst. Sakura looked away once more, for she knew better than to eat from it. One could never know which was fairy food or brought from the Beneath, and Sakura had no desire to spend the rest of her mortal life trapped in some other world.

"Hello, love, fancy seeing you here."

Sakura stiffened, her thumb instinctively seeking out the ring she wore. It was engraved inside and out with protective runes, made with silver and iron and blessed by the high priest. It was enough to deter werewolves, spirits, the fair folk, and even lesser demons. It wouldn't do much against someone persistent though, she knew.

She turned around and met dark eyes, the depth them pulling her in until she was unconsciously leaning in towards the man. At the amused flicker in them, she immediately reeled back, breaking eye contact. An embarrassed flush heated up her cheeks, shame filling her at how easily he had caught her once again. She should know better by now.

"Hello," she greeted.

His lips curled into a pleased smile, his feline eyes tilted in amusement. He stepped in closer towards her, trapping her against the table, and when Sakura breathed in, his wild, earthy scent filled her until she could taste the hints of metal in the air. It was the smell of old blood and of rotting leaves, or fertilizer if she wanted to be nice. If she wanted to be honest, well. He smelled like death.

"What brings you here, love?" he murmured. He tilted his head, eyelashes fluttering, his pointed ears deceptively delicate. Everything about him was deceptively sweet, from his long eyelashes, to his pink lips, even the way he moved, smooth and languid, sensuality brought to life. It was designed to entrap her, pull her in, a farce for Sakura to let her guard down. And oh, Sakura was a fool through and through.

Electricity raced in between them, the hair on her arms standing up at how close he was, his favored storm magic acting up in her mere presence. She brought her hand in between them, iron ring glinting in the flashes of light, and Shisui flinched back.

They stared at each other, Shisui's eyes locked onto her ring, expression blank. Sakura swallowed, afraid that she had somehow ticked him off. The gentle push and pull of their little game had its own rules, and she knew far too little. He was the one playing with her, and Sakura wasn't sure if the ring was too much, if it was overstepping.

Shisui smiled, a slow, easy motion, and something in Sakura relaxed. He still wanted to play.

"I could ask you the same," she said, eyeing him carefully. The venue for the Halloween party wasn't in fairy territory, and while that didn't stop the fae from going where they pleased, they did tend to stick to their own.

He chuckled. "You know as well as I that the rules aren't quite the same tonight." He gave her a mischievous look, and it was only his teasing tone that kept her from running.

While Shisui wasn't as malicious-or outwardly, at least-as the rest of his Autumn Court, Sakura knew better than to trust him. Especially tonight, when Samhain was at its peak and in the midst of Autumn, during All Hallow's Eve itself. He was stronger tonight, and it would pay to be wary.

"May I have your hand?" he asked, holding out his hand and gesturing towards the people dancing. Sakura swallowed back her instinctive answer and boldly met his eerie, captivating eyes.

"No, you may not," said Sakura, for she knew better than to say yes to such a blatant play on words. Her hand in marriage or her hand to dance, or even simply just her hand itself were very different things. Shisui's smile turned wicked, but Sakura stayed firm as she reached out her own hand, this one bare from the iron ring, and continued, "But you may dance with me, for as long as I want."

Few could demand from the Fall Fae their preference, and even fewer could expect their demands to be met. But while not benevolent like the Spring and Summer Court, the Autumn court repaid good deeds with great favors, and Sakura had long wormed her way into the Fall Fae's good graces.

The Fae tended to prefer females, especially little girls. There were legends of old that spoke of appeasing angry fairies by sending girls with a peace offering, and once upon a time, Sakura was that little girl. And once upon a time, she was the peace offering itself.

She was 15 when her family had fallen into misfortune after accidentally disturbing Fall Fae lands, and she was 16 by the time they were desperate enough to send her to apologize. She had stumbled upon Shisui then, injured and bleeding from his eye, and had helped him.

It had been a test, although a test she had passed, and in return for her good dead the Autumn Court had given her magic. As Autumn represented the twilight of the seasons into winter, Sakura too held great intuition on decay and death. They taught her how to connect with the already dead, how to know when someone was at death's door. She had spent a day in the Faerie Realm and came back to her parents already greying at the hair.

She was older now at 22, and wiser, but she was forever fairy-touched, marked with the Autumn Court's favor. She wasn't quite sure what it meant for her, but the magic around her and in her bones that she lived with was a fair price for the years she spent in the faerie realm. She had been blessed with 5 years of continual good fortune, but they could take it away as quickly as they had given it.

He eyed her hand and took it. With nary a glance, he took her other hand as well, uncaring to the burn of the iron of his palm. Sakura glanced at him guiltily. When she had put it on, she didn't do so with the intention to hurt him. Despite his sometimes cruel games, he was a friend- or as much a friend that a fair folk could be, anyway.

"And may I have your name, as well?" Shisui asked, and Sakura shot him a half-hearted glare. Every time he saw her, he tried this, tried to trick her into giving him her name, giving him power over her.

"You already know my name, and you know you can call me any name you wish," Sakura told him as he swept her off her feet, her skirt billowing as he danced circles with her. Shisui gave her an amused look, his teeth flashing.

"And I do." He paused, and then, deliberately, "Love."

Sakura couldn't help but laugh at that, and Shisui's eyes lit up, gaze greedy as he took in her expression of mirth. Sakura's insides fluttered. He wanted so much from her. It took everything in her to hold onto the little she had left.

The music changed around them, something more modern and upbeat, and Sakura eyed him in curiosity. They were surrounded by creatures of different times. There were vampires doing the swing, fae waltzing to their own one-two-three, and juvenile werewolves bumping and grinding. It was an odd assortment, short to say, and Sakura doubted there were any humans in this party that weren't also something or other. Halflings, fairy-touched like her, or changelings that had discovered their origins.

Shisui gave her a look full of challenge and then let go only to wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her in closer to press their bodies together. The smell of him was stronger now, and Sakura breathed it in. It was odd to feel so comforted by the smell of death, but it was the scent that followed her throughout her whole life, and she would always find comfort in it.

"Why are you here?" she asked, and Shisui was silent even as his hands roamed her body, exploring every curve and valley of her back, her side, and even dipping lower beneath her waist.

"Because I can," he answered, vague as he always did. The fair folk did not lie, but they still frequently misled. "I knew you'd be here."

Sakura swallowed, her eyes slipping closed and her head tilting back as his hand found its way into her hair, pulling it back to expose her neck. He pressed a feather-light kiss to her jaw and Sakura shivered, a low sigh escaping her.

She pressed their foreheads together, their breaths mingling, and then she whispered, "What do you want from me?"

Shisui didn't answer her, only pressed a kiss to her lips, firm and seeking for more. Sakura let him, all the while toying with the ring on her hand. When he pulled away from her, his eyes were bright and wild.

"I have something for you," he said, and Sakura drew back, eyes roving over his features. Fairy gifts were tricky, and sometimes only gifts as by definition of something given, rather than something wanted. Some fae thought that accepting a gift meant you were bonded, or that you owed them. Some even placed conditions over their gifts and breaking their conditions meant wishing you were never given the gift in the first place. They called it uncertain blessings for good reason.

And still, others rightfully claimed that a fairy gift wasn't a gift at all, for there are no gifts with faeries. Just favors, and exchanges, a give and take where humans barely won, and that it was foolish to accept a gift from the fae. Yet, it would be infinitely more foolish to refuse a fairy gift, especially from a fairy of the Autumn Court.

"I, as well," Sakura answered. She had a bottle of wine in Ino's car, and she knew that Shisui was partial to it. Shisui's eyes crinkled, genuine pleasure on his face.

He took her hand in between his and raised it up to his lips. Gently, he pressed a kiss to each of her fingertips, his eyes not leaving hers. Sakura's breath hitched, her heart pounding as each kiss sent electricity racing down her hand. It was always how his magic manifested, heat and static. She knew that she must be imagining the smell of ozone.

She licked her lips. Shisui seemed to sense the uncertainty in her features and smiled impishly. "You'll see," he teased and Sakura released a nervous breath.

"But remember this." His eyes turned serious, his grip on her hand tightening painfully, almost enough to bruise. "What you will grow, you will never sell or earn from. You will give to those who come to you in need of what you grow, without receiving anything in return."

Sakura swallowed. Shisui waited patiently for her response and finally, slowly, she nodded her head. She didn't say thank you. You never said thank you to the fae. They might think you owe them, after all.

The intensity and the darkness of Shisui's gaze lightened up and he let go of her hand, smiling sweetly again at her once more.

When he started to pull her along, away from all the dancing bodies, Sakura followed. She should be wary, she knew. She should be more worried, or more careful. There were stories of fae simply kidnapping women for breeding, or to serve as nurses or babysitters to fae children, or even just for sex. Who was to say that Sakura wouldn't just be another story?

But she had to believe that Shisui wouldn't steal her away. He had given her a gift, told her to uphold his conditions, and she had to think that she couldn't do that in the Faerie Realm. And yet… They had so easily taken her away last time. It would be just as easy for her to disappear for another seven, fourteen years, maybe even forever. All that would be left of her would be stock, wood formed in the image and likeness of her that would eventually die. Her friends and family would think she had simply succumbed to illness, and no one would look for her or save her from the fae.

As they left the house, Sakura started to walk slower, aware that he was leading her into the forest. There were wolves in the forest, the sounds of their howls deafening as they romped and enjoyed the night. But it wasn't them that Sakura feared, no, the full moon was far and the werewolves had most of their mind still under their control. No, the only thing that Sakura feared tonight was the fairy who held her hand. The closer they got to the forest, Shisui would only grow stronger.

He took her away, pulling on her when Sakura started to slow too much. All the while, Sakura thumbed her iron ring, wishing that it was more powerful. The one who made it promised that it would deter all but the most stubborn, but she should have known that Shisui would count himself among that.

And then they stopped. Sakura looked around them curiously. There was no fairy ring on the ground, nothing to mark the place as fae, but she could feel the Autumn Court's magic in the air. The scent of Fall Fae filled her nose, and Sakura wasn't sure if it was maybe Shisui, or if it was just the orange leaves rotting on the ground.

"Dance with me?" Shisui asked, mischief on his lips that did more than warn Sakura. His eyes held a strange light, inhuman, and Sakura's heart stuttered, her insides protesting. Something told her not to.

"There's no music."

Shisui's eyes crinkled, and with a wave of his hand, the gentle strums of a string instrument filled the air. The music was light and airy, delicate in a way that only fae music could be. And like every time Sakura heard the music of the fair folk, she couldn't help but smile and relax, her shoulders loosening from its unconscious hold.

He raised an eyebrow, amusement playing at his lips as he held out an expectant hand. Sakura took it.

They danced. He twirled her with the rise and fall of the strings and the wind, his hands firm where they held her. Sakura couldn't bear to look him in the eye for too long, she could feel herself falling into a trance the longer she looked. She was getting drawn into his captivating gaze, even as she knew the dangers of letting him entrap her like this.

And all the while, Shisui hungrily stared down at her. Sakura wasn't sure why he hadn't just taken from what he wanted. He never had a problem with taking before, never even asked for permission to kiss or touch her.

He cupped her jaw in his hand and leaned in, his breath cool against her lips. He always ran a little cool. Not cold like Winter Fae, but certainly cooler than normal. The transition of summer to winter made into flesh.

Sakura's lips parted and a low exhale escaped her, their breaths mingling.

And yet, he still didn't kiss her.

Sakura licked her lips and then pushed up into a tiptoe, tilting her head back and pressing her lips against his. As soon as she did, he kissed her back, deep and hungry, the barest hints of teeth nipping against her bottom lip.

Sakura moaned, tilting her head back further, her eyes slipping closed. Shisui laughed, and Sakura stiffened at the edge of malice in it, at the smugness radiating from Shisui. Her cheeks burned. He hadn't kissed her because he had been waiting for her to give in, to kiss him first, to show him that she wanted him. She made a move to draw away, pushing slightly at his chest, but Shisui's grip turned tight as he kept her pressed up against him, their bodies in a sinuous line. He wouldn't let her get away.

He bit down on her bottom lip, sharp teeth savage, and Sakura pressed harder to push him away.

He took a few steps back until with a thud, he had his back to his tree and Sakura's chest was against his. "You are wonderful," he praised lowly, and Sakura squirmed, blushing at the praise. "Beautiful," he continued.

"Come with me?" Shisui asked, his lips pressed to the corner of her mouth, his hand warm against her back.

"Where?" Sakura whispered, her eyes slipping closed as Shisui nipped at her jaw, sucking bruises into her pale skin.

"Home."

Home... whose? It was a feeble trick, one that he surely knew Sakura wouldn't fall for.

Sakura swallowed, so so tempted to follow him into the Faerie Realm once more, as she did before when she was younger, but…

"I can't," she whispered, "I'm here with a friend."

If she followed him into the Faerie Realm and spent the night as she wished, who knew when and if she would come back. She was part of the lucky few that had entered and left once before, but the day she had spent there lasted fourteen in this world, and Sakura couldn't risk it.

His breath was hot against her ear, a whisper slipping from his lips, before he pressed in closer towards her, their bodies melding, his lips brushing against hers in a chaste kiss and then-

Sakura found herself alone in the forest, her forehead pressed to a tree.

Next time, he had whispered in her ear.

Promise… or threat?

xxx

When Sakura exited the forest, she found the house the party was held in dark and silent. Sakura's stomach dropped. How long had she been dancing with Shisui? It had only been a few minutes, and yet… The house seemed empty, devoid of but the barest hints of life.

"Fuck," Sakura whispered.

"Sakura!"

Sakura turned and she almost crumpled in relief at the sight of Ino, still wearing the cat costume, her blonde hair standing out in the dark of the night.

"Where have you been?" Ino demanded as she strode towards Sakura, long legs firm in their steps, "I've been looking and calling you for hours!"

"What time is it?"

Ino frowned at her question and leaned in once she was but a foot away. Sakura stiffened, the bottom of her stomach dropping when Ino inhaled, breathing in her scent.

"You smell fairy-touched," Ino said mildly. Her tone wasn't accusing, but her narrowed eyes were enough by themselves. She didn't need to specify that the metallic, earthy scent of old blood stayed on her skin, imprinted on her where Shisui had touched her, claiming her as Autumn's.

Sakura shook her head. Not a denial, but a warning for Ino not to push the subject. Ino wasn't favored by the fae like her, simply because she herself had fae blood in her, although diluted by a few generations. Sakura had known ever since their first meeting. Ino was too beautiful to be human. She would understand more than anyone else the call of the faerie realm to people like them, caught between two worlds.

"It's almost 2 AM," Ino chided, "You're lucky I felt you. I was about to leave and ask for a werewolf to help sniff you out."

Sakura bit down on her lip, her eyebrows furrowed. He had taken a few hours from her. She should be thankful that it wasn't any more.

"I need the wine we brought," Sakura said, ignoring Ino's unspoken question. Ino's lips thinned. She stepped aside and the two of them were silent as they made their way to Ino's car. Even as Sakura took out the bottle of wine and started the walk back to the forest, Ino said nothing.

Sakura debated uncorking and spilling a bit of it on the forest ground, but decided against it. She simply placed it against the tree and said aloud, "A gift, to the Fall Fae."

The wind picked up around them, the smell of rotting leaves intensifying before it subdued. A gentle tinkle of bells rung out and Sakura relaxed. Ino grabbed her hand and Sakura let her pull her away.

She gave one last glance towards the forest, and her heart stuttered in her chest as darkness solidified into a human form, just for a moment, as Shisui waved goodbye.

"See you soon," she whispered, and there was a glint of teeth as Shisui smiled.

"Sakura, come on." Ino tugged on her hand and Sakura stumbled. When she looked back up, Shisui was gone once more.