When one of his Nomu picked up a faint trace of his little brother's magic, All for One the Erlkönig nearly ignored it. After two centuries and thousands of search parties, he'd given up all hope of ever finding Yoichi alive. If King of Fae set foot on the fairy lands again, there would be diplomatic trouble. More importantly, he couldn't bear to suffer yet another disappointment.
Yet some aching, lonely part of Hisashi dragged himself off his throne and called for his elk.
Hisashi rode through a thick forest. Immediately, he detected the same thing as his Nomu—bright, fresh green magic, smelling of dirt and fresh grass. It was so strong, it left a faint glowing trail in the air.
This was not Yoichi's magic. Hisashi could never mistake such a thing, unlike his lumbering corpse underlings. But it came so close that he followed the trail with increasing fascination.
In the distance, a child wept. Hisashi dug his heels into the elk to urge it to go faster.
He emerged into a clearing with a babbling stream. A child with curly green hair crouched on the ground. Upon hearing hoofbeats, he stopped crying and looked up.
Hisashi's heart stopped. This boy had freckles and curls like his own. But those green eyes with white pupils perfectly resembled Yoichi's.
Raising his hand, Hisashi released a whisp of black magic. It wrapped around the child's arm. He flinched away.
Hisashi let out a hiss of triumph. The taste of the magic was unmistakable. This child had Yoichi's blood. Trying to sound gentle, he said, "My apologies for startling you. I detected something familiar in your magic, and I was right. I appear to be your uncle. Where is your father?"
Izuku often hid in the forest to cry somewhere his dad wouldn't see. As a half-fae, half-fairy child, his peers teased him for being unable to perform nature magic like everyone else. When his father found out, he would storm the school and call down curses that decayed half the building. Although Izuku appreciated the sentiment, he wanted to make friends, not deal with more stares and whispers in the aftermath.
He'd known better than to venture so close to the border with the fae territory. Dad had warned him about the terrifying uncle they were hiding from—All for One, the King of the Fae. Now Izuku had been caught, but he refused to take his father down with him. Nor did he want to bring down the wrath of the fae on the fairies for hiding fae royalty.
Straightening, Izuku forced his wings to hold still so they didn't betray his emotions. He lied, "My father died when I was very small."
All for One closed his eyes and groaned. He whispered, "I knew he would die if he ever left my protection. I told him so."
Izuku's wings fluttered, desperate to take flight even though he knew he couldn't possibly flee fast enough.
Shadows lashed out from All for One's hands and wrapped around Izuku. They dragged him up onto the elk and into the fae king's arms.
Izuku uttered a small cry.
All for One held him tightly. "I'll look after you from now on." With a flick of his reins, the elk leapt into motion, carrying them away.
Placing Izuku down on the sofa, All for One cooed, "Your poor feet! Those horrible fairies didn't even give you shoes?" He lifted Izuku's bare foot to examine the grass stains.
Izuku squirmed, uncomfortable with the strange man hauling him around. He felt out of place in this fancy room where gold decorated the sofa arms and gleamed from the picture frames on the walls. Fairies typically lived in migratory communities and kept few belongings so they could pack up their tents quickly. Izuku whispered, "My people don't wear shoes, Your Majesty. We like to feel the grass under our feet."
"Not your people, little one. You're a fae. Call me Uncle Hisashi. What's your name?"
"Izuku."
Hisashi smiled. It failed to make him look any less terrifying, especially with the sharpness of his teeth. "What a lovely name." He dipped a cloth in a water basin and cleaned off Izuku's feet.
Uneasily, Izuku cleared his throat. "It was nice meeting you, Uncle Hisashi, but I need to head back home."
"Nonsense, of course you'll live under my care from now on. You're my heir. I'll legally adopt you to ensure I have the full authority to protect you. You'll never need to muck around in the dirt like a common fairy again."
Izuku's head sagged. He'd known that wouldn't work, but it had seemed worth a try. He did not like to imagine being legally and magically bound to the Erlkönig forever. Hopefully, he could escape before the adoption ceremony.
A servant knocked on the door, then presented an outfit. Hisashi held it up. "This is going to look adorable on you! I used to love dressing up Yoichi when he was your age." The outfit included a frilly cream shirt with a heavily ruffled collar, an emerald green leather coat, a silver belt, puffy pantaloons, and leggings.
Izuku's wings shook at the sight. The black boots looked like some sort of torture device to a fairy-raised boy. Wouldn't they squash his feet? And this outfit had no space for his wings!
Hisashi beamed. "You're dancing with excitement! I'll help you put them on since it's your first time."
Izuku barely had time to squeak before his simple tunic was yanked off over his head. Hisashi folded down his wings to fit the shirt over them. Then came the coat. Izuku felt like he was about to die from the heat of so many layers and the weight pressed against his wings. He finally summoned the courage to say something to the terrifying king. "I…don't feel good…"
"You look faint." Hisashi put a hand to his forehead. "I bet those nasty fairies have been starving you, too." He leapt to his feet, shouting, "Summon the cook and prepare a feast!"
Izuku collapsed backward on the sofa, panting.
As Masaru Bakugo walked toward his tent, his neighbor Yoichi ran up to him. "Excuse me! Have you seen my son?"
Masaru winced at Yoichi's hopeful face. Katsuki had been bullying Izuku a lot lately. Masaru knew that he ought to step in, but he was terrible at confrontation. His son never listened to him anyway. Looking at the ground, Masaru said, "I heard that…someone…mocked Izuku for not being able to do nature magic, then he ran off crying into the forest."
Yoichi frowned. "I'd better go find him. It's not safe."
"I'll help you look," Masaru said, to appease his guilty conscience about who that "someone" had been.
"Thank you. I appreciate everything you and Mitsuki have done to help a single father raising his son alone." Yoichi's brilliant smile only made Masaru feel worse.
Fairies could track even the faintest of trails. They followed Izuku's path to a stream. No one was there. Masaru froze, pointing at the ground. "Elk tracks."
Yoichi wrinkled his nose. "I smell fae magic. That scent…it's unmistakable! My brother kidnapped Izuku! That crusty batch of nature hasn't changed one bit. I'll storm the royal palace, murder him, and get my son back!" Yoichi turned away as if he had every intention of following through with his insane plan.
"Wait!" Masaru grabbed Yoichi's waist. "Stop! Let's report this to the Fairy Council!"
Yoichi shook him off. "They can't help me. I'm the fae king's brother. Even by hiding me from Hisashi, they've been taking a risk. They won't start a war to get my son back, and honestly I can't blame them. Therefore, I have no choice but to take this stick—" he picked up a pointy stick off the ground "—and stab it through Hisashi's black heart like I should have done years ago."
Masaru had no idea what to make of this sudden shift from logic to bloodthirstiness. He gaped. As Yoichi turned away, he belatedly cried, "Stop! Get back here! There has to be a better solution!" Futilely, Masaru chased after the vanishing fae prince.
Hisashi had gone to the garden to pick some fresh lilacs for Izuku's welcome home dinner. A screaming white-haired gremlin dropped down from a tree and tried to stab him with a pointy stick.
By instinct, Hisashi side-stepped and cast a spell blasting the intruder away.
The man slammed into the tree. He groaned, his bangs flopping off his face, revealing two green eyes with white pupils.
"Little brother?" Hisashi whispered. "Izuku lied to me!" His anger was swamped by an even greater relief and joy.
Yoichi leapt to his feet and attacked Hisashi again. "Give back my son, you dull and muddy-mottled mildewed ear!"
Hisashi yanked the stick away and broke it. "I'm so happy that you're alive." He attempted to hug Yoichi.
Yoichi fastened his hands around his brother's throat and strangled him, shouting. "You sad wrack kidnapper! Most profane coxcomb! Fusty nut with no kernel! Infinite and endless liar and hourly promise-breaker! The devil wouldn't damn you for fear the oil in you would set hell on fire."
Hisashi wrapped a glowing rope around his younger brother's arms. "I didn't kidnap Izuku, I saved him from fairy neglect. It's so good to see your snarling face again." He attempted another hug.
Yoichi headbutted him. "Your face isn't worth sunburning! Your mother's name is ominous to children! You're not worth another word, or I'd call you a knave."
"She was your mother too, little brother."
"Then you know I'm right."
"You've got me there. At least you could appreciate me a little for removing her from our family. I still check the grave every month to make certain she stays in it." As Yoichi's teeth gnashed at Hisashi's throat, he threw his younger brother to the ground and fastened another rope around his legs. "I see that you haven't changed one bit. What a lovely family reunion!"
"Consumption catch thee!" Yoichi bit Hisashi's ankle.
Hisashi cast a sleep spell, then picked up his little brother. When he wasn't talking, Yoichi looked quite cute and delicate. Hisashi carried him into the castle. They could work on rebuilding their relationship after Yoichi had been safely tied down.
Izuku tried to tolerate the uncomfortable clothes. He feared punishment if he took them off. Better to wait and see how dangerous Hisashi proved to be before defying him or launching an escape.
But the promised meal never arrived. Hisashi didn't return. Sweat dripped into Izuku's fancy clothing. His wings twitched like an insect with its legs ripped off.
Eventually, Izuku gave in and ripped off the heavy coat. He sighed with relief as the weight lifted off his wings. He had two options concerning the shirt: tear a slit for his wings as fairies did or take it off. In the end, he decided not to damage someone else's property. Fumbling with dozens of buttons, he finally got the shirt off.
Unfortunately, at exactly that moment, Hisashi opened the door.
Izuku's wings trembled in fear.
Hisashi's gaze fastened on the wings. "Aw, you're so happy to see me that you're shaking. How sweet. But I see that your foolish father failed to teach you any manners at all. Stripping off your clothes as soon as I left? Were you raised in a tent?"
Izuku said, "Yes, actually. You see, those clothes weren't designed for people with wings—"
Hisashi spoke over him. "I can't say it surprises me. The idiot never had any manners himself. I did my best to give him a proper princely upbringing, but clearly he forgot everything I taught him as soon as he left my protection. How old were you when your father died?"
Izuku's wings flapped so hard he lifted slightly off the ground. He forced them still. "He died when I was only a toddler."
"I gave you a chance to come clean, and you failed." Hisashi clucked his tongue. "I suppose it was your father's reanimated corpse that leapt out of a tree and tried to assassinate me?"
Izuku winced. Dammit, Dad! I tried to protect you! Sadly, given his dad's personality, storming a castle and assaulting the resident monarch was exactly how he'd react to finding his son missing.
"I ought to cancel your welcome home dinner, but you're too skinny already. Those fairies can't have been feeding you right. I'll have to come up with another punishment." Hisashi's smile showed entirely too much teeth. "I suppose since you claimed your father was dead, you don't need to see him."
Izuku paled. "Stop! No! I'll skip dinner, just let me see my dad!"
"Maybe if you show adequate table manners over dinner, I'll reconsider and let you visit."
Adequate table manners. Izuku could do that. It seemed easy—too easy. He didn't like how Hisashi smiled at him.
Dinner was a nightmare. Izuku's idea of table manners involved not spilling anything and eating with silverware instead of his fingers. But it turned out that he was supposed to use different silverware for different dishes. There were three spoons and three forks of slightly different sizes. Whenever Izuku reached for the wrong one, Hisashi would humph at him. Instead of giving him a straight answer about the correct one, Izuku had to guess. It didn't help that he'd been forced into that uncomfortable coat again. Between the hunger and the heat, his eyes kept drifting shut.
There was no way he'd passed the test to see Dad. He'd never had a chance at passing. Tears stung Izuku's eyes.
He poured himself some more water. Anything to combat the heat. His hands shook. He dropped the pitcher and toppled sideways.
"My little Izuku!" Hisashi cried, running to catch him. Before the word went dark, he heard Hisashi say, "You're sick. I knew those fairies were treating you poorly. You'll be so much better off here, under proper hospitality."
If Izuku had the strength to stand up, he'd show his uncle what he thought of his hospitality.
By the time Hisashi arrived his little brother's new room, Yoichi had woken up. That was evident from the scratching sounds coming from inside.
Pushing open the door, Hisashi said cheerfully, "Magical cuffs, you can't pick them."
With a sheepish expression, Yoichi tried to hide the scrap of metal he'd been using as a lockpick. The cuff around his wrist fastened to the bedpost. Leaning back against the pillows, Yoichi glowered.
Hisashi only smiled. That murderous expression was so nostalgic that he found it cute.
"Let me see my son," Yoichi demanded.
"Why would I do that?" Hisashi raised an eyebrow. "You kept him from me for years. It's my turn."
"He's my child! You have no claim over him to begin with!"
"Siblings should share. Haven't I always been generous toward you?"
"No, and Izuku isn't an object."
Hisashi frowned. "That's ridiculous—I've always showered you with riches and gifts."
"You removed every bit of political power from the crown prince title as soon as I came of age. You refused to let my tutors teach me combat magic. You wouldn't let me have an elk because it was 'too dangerous' and I might 'fall off.'"
"I let you ride everywhere with me."
Yoichi pinched his forehead. "I'm not rehashing this argument. I want to see Izuku. He must be scared and frightened."
"He loves me already," Hisashi said.
Yoichi sneered. "He's a good actor."
"What do I get if I let you see him?"
As if the words were being dragged out of him, Yoichi muttered, "I'll stop trying to kill you?"
"Nonsense, I find your murder attempts cute and playful."
Yoichi crossed his arms, the chain on his wrist clanking. "I demand that you play a game with me for my freedom and Izuku's."
Oh-ho, how interesting. The fae had been kidnapping musicians, artists, storytellers, and others they found interesting for centuries. By ancient fae law, anyone abducted had the right to demand exactly one chance to win back their freedom and leave. Although this was far from the first time Hisashi had kidnapped Yoichi, Yoichi had always refused to play a game before. The rules stated that neither party could kill the other regardless of the result. This law had been instituted after a few too many fae proved poor losers and released their captives into the freedom of death. Still, it bound in both directions. Yoichi claimed he wasn't willing to give up his chance to kill his older brother. Hisashi suspected that Yoichi knew he'd never win.
Hisashi chuckled. "So you've finally given in?" He'd taunted and at times even coaxed his little brother to play before, because after he lost, he'd never be able to escape again.
Yoichi's lip stuck out. "Izuku is more important."
Hisashi smirked. "I've never lost a game."
"Because you cheat."
"Cheating only counts if you can catch me at it." Hisashi thought that his little brother would have been far wiser to pick other circumstances to play. He could have waited for an audience to observe and an outside neutral party to prepare the materials for the game. But Yoichi had always been a fool. "Agreed. What do you want to play?" No matter what game his brother picked, Hisashi would find a way to rig it in his favor and win. A smug smirk tugged at his lips. He had no doubt that he'd already won.
Yoichi said, "A coin toss."
Hisashi blinked. "Huh?"
"You'll cheat no matter what game I pick." Yoichi pulled a worn silver coin from his pocket. "So I'm leaving it up to pure luck."
Hisashi stared. He didn't know if he should call this imbecility or brilliance. By some miracle, his foolish little brother had stumbled upon a plan that gave him a real chance at victory. He felt a stirring of concern. "I could provide a newer coin then that one…"
"Do you think I'm stupid? You do, don't you?" Yoichi snorted. "My coin, and I toss it. I call heads." He flipped.
Wait! Hisashi hadn't been ready yet! He needed a keen plan to somehow guarantee a win at this game of luck! If he simply used magic to manipulate the flow of the air, then Yoichi would immediately notice. If Yoichi caught him cheating, then he'd lose.
In a flash of panic, Hisashi activated several centuries of luck that he'd stolen from other people. Since it wasn't technically his own power, it wouldn't be detectible. It was enough luck to change the course of a war or cause a natural disaster. Hisashi tried to keep a straight face, fully confident in his victory again.
Unbeknownst to Hisashi, Yoichi had been carrying around a double-headed coin for the last two centuries with the explicit purpose of tricking his older brother. Yoichi knew full well that Hisashi would check for all kinds of magical cheating, but forget about the regular old-fashioned way.
The luck of thousands collided with a coin that couldn't possibly flip to any side except heads.
The coin bounced off the back of Yoichi's hand, hit the wooden floor, rolled, and finally lodged itself between the floor boards standing on its side.
A blaze of white magic shot forth and touched both brothers. Despite the strange result, the bet had been binding.
Yoichi stared at the sideways coin. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know." Hisashi was so shocked he actually admitted it out loud. "I'll check the Book of Law."
Izuku folded his shirt and placed it into a bag. He hated to think that he would shortly be leaving his warm, cozy tent after only just returning home. Perhaps he should count himself lucky that Hisashi had at least allowed them to pack.
Yoichi hugged his son from behind. "I'm sorry, Izuku. At least we'll be back in six months, in time to see the first snow."
As it turned out, a tie meant that Yoichi and Izuku had to spend half the year in the fae lands and half with the fairies. As far as Izuku was concerned, the deal sucked. He was already plotting how to win his freedom the instant he became a legal adult and could challenge King Hisashi to a game.
Yoichi clenched his fist. "I was so close! I used my double-headed coin, and he didn't even check it first! The clotpole always treated me like I was too dumb to cheat. I'm certain my asshole brother must cheated with magic, but I can't call him out on it, or he might stop and think about why his magic didn't work."
Izuku grunted, not wanting to think about how his fate had been decided because of a bet he hadn't even made.
"Never fear, your old dad still has a few tricks up his sleeve." Digging around in his pocket, Yoichi pulled out a paper. "Ta-da! I've been declared ambassador of the fairies. This way, Hisashi won't be able to slap us in chains or completely control our every action."
"No dress up?" Izuku asked hopefully.
"No dress up! Ambassadors wear traditional fairy costume! Best of all, I can try to murder my brother as many times as I like!" Yoichi beamed. "I have diplomatic immunity! If he doesn't like it, he can throw me out."
Izuku frowned. "I could have sworn that you're not allowed to kill him after you two have played a game."
"Oh. Right." Yoichi's shoulders sagged. "I forgot." A glint formed in his eye. "Hey, Izuku, how would you like it if I teach you how to kill your uncle? It will be a fun father-son bonding activity!"
Thinking of the events of the last day, Izuku said, "I would love that."
Yoichi beamed. "That's my boy!"
Author's Note: This AU was created as part of a discord event by LifeOfMystery, LittleLovelyLizard, TrenchcoatRats, Zyla_SweetBean, Cl3m0ntine, Marsh/Haven, and Frozenkitty. Thank you for the fun fantasy AU.
