This chapter of the Fabulous Fall Fic 2020 Collaboration was brought to you by: Blushweaver

Chapter Seven

"Done!" declared Kyoko, cutting the last string with a quick snip of her scissors. It had been close, but she'd managed to finish her project just in time. She'd seriously underestimated how long everything had taken, but the effort was well worth it. She couldn't wait to see the look on Kuon's face when he saw her.

Her phone buzzed and she picked it up, grinning when she saw it was a text from Kuon. It slipped away a second later.

"Sorry Princess. Work is going to go an hour longer than expected. I don't think I'll have time to come back to the hotel. I'll meet you at the ball?"

Kyoko considered the possible dangers. She was mostly concerned about him showing up to the ball without any makeup to alter his appearance. The final cosplay didn't contain any mask or changes in hair color to help hide his identity.

"What about your disguise?" she sent back.

"I'll get some makeup from the department. They should have something I can use."

Considering they were professionals that could help Kuon better than she could with such things, she consented, throwing her phone back onto the bed.

Kuon had been busy with work literally all day. The crowds for the con were at their largest, the companies making as much use of their models and actors as possible. Kuon had been forced to sit on a judge's table for a cosplay contest as well as for two other panels that morning, both of which she'd attended quietly and without a costume. He was currently busy with photo ops, which was an event where people could pay money to take pictures with their favorite celebrity.

Kyoko had considered surprising him by joining his line but had ultimately decided against it. After scolding Kuon for his reckless use of money it would be hypocritical for her to splurge hers on a picture she could have gotten for free—especially when she already had her own pictures that no one else would ever have.

She grinned, thinking of the silly picture they had taken at the beginning of Kuon with his eyes crossed and tongue sticking out. She really should have taken more pictures with just him and her.

Her phone buzzed again and she dove for it on the bed.

"Alright. See you soon, Princess."

Squealing, Kyoko hurried to put on her makeup. She kept it light, focusing on giving herself a healthy shimmer that helped enhance her natural beauty (even if she wasn't too sure it was a quality she possessed). Next came the gems and sparkles that would frame her face. They traced her brow and down her cheekbones, mimicking a butterfly's wings. She checked to make sure the sides were even. Good. The glue was solid. It would hold for the night.

Next came the wig. It consisted of two simple braids twisted across the top of her head to then gather in a bun at the base of her neck. A string of gold ribbon and white gems had been woven into the individual strands.

Last came the dress. She pulled it on, careful of her hair and makeup as she did so. The dress was heavy, a mark of the quality of the material it was made of and it took some time for her to manage the strings on the bodice herself. But after some perseverance, she was done.

Kyoko stood in front of the mirror, slowly turning as she examined herself in the mirror. Yes. This looked better than she had hoped. The Renaissance-era dress was such a gentle gold it was almost white, with an explosion of detailed beading cresting the front of her collar. The sleeves sat low on her shoulders, but there was no danger of them slipping off.

She'd been skeptical of this outfit, thinking it a random pick for R'Mandy to choose among the plethora of Cinderella sources out there. But trying on this dress had convinced her, as had watching the movie. Ever After was now her favorite iteration of the Cinderella story ever made.

And it definitely had nothing to do with the moment in the movie where Danielle had walked out wearing enormous fairy-like wings. Definitely not.

Kyoko grinned at the wings she had so painstakingly made this past week. The little beads she found on the show floor had added the perfect touch once she'd woven them into the framing. She gently swayed, watching as the wings caught the light and fluttered perfectly from her back. She couldn't wait to spend the evening with Ren.

Kuon's face hurt from smiling. The event coordinators had accidently sold over a hundred extra tickets which had forced him to spend an hour longer taking pictures with random people than he had expected. Thank goodness he had been the last celebrity of the day or it would have caused some major issues.

As it was, he'd been unable to get a professional to help him with his makeup as everyone had already left. One of the staff had been gracious enough to apply some basic contouring on his face as she was dressed in cosplay herself. It hardly covered up his identity, but it would have to do. The lights would be low anyway. There were plenty of occasions where celebrities had walked a con floor without being properly recognized. It shouldn't be a problem.

Ducking into an empty bathroom, he pulled out his bag. Kuon eagerly shed his business suit and tie, putting on the last R'Mandy cosplay for the week. It consisted of a white gold doublet with enormous puffy sleeves and thigh-high black boots. Pushing his hair back, he ran some product through it to give it a slight wave. Other than that, there was nothing to change.

He was grateful that R'Mandy had chosen this iteration of the Cinderella story, which meant straying from older, more traditional outfits that would have included wearing a pair of tights. As it was, the outfit was generic enough to be considered a suitable, yet well-designed medieval outfit without necessarily being tied to Prince Henry. It was a helpful selling point of the ensemble.

He was eager to see Kyoko's outfit. He was sure she'd tinkered with her own outfit as she had done so with his. Having never personally seen the movie, he wasn't sure what to expect as she'd purposefully hidden the last outfit from him in what had obviously been meant as a surprise. He'd politely pretended not to notice the extra hours she'd put in and the stealthy hidden supplies packed behind the different furniture in their room. He knew his adorable girlfriend too well to miss that she was up to something.

He briskly strolled from the room, so lost in the possibilities of what Kyoko might be wearing that he forgot to check if the coast was clear. His blood chilled when he heard a collection of shrieks from behind him. He immediately recognized the high-pitched tone.

"Shoot." His fans that had been so intent on finding him had finally done so.

He didn't bother looking. Kuon booked it, skidding across slippery tile as he rounded the corner. The sounds of pursuit followed, their hunter's call giving speed to his flight. He was running down another corridor when he realized he couldn't continue. This path would lead straight out into a main hallway which was sure to be packed with people. And nothing would draw more attention to himself than running full pelt from the entrance with a pack of hyenas in pursuit.

He had to shake them.

He rounded the last safe corner.

Someone collided with him. They almost fell, legs and arms getting in the way as they were flung about, but Kuon managed to right himself. Kuon looked down at the man he had bowled over, groaning when he saw who it was.

"Ow, where the hell are you going?" said Kijima. The man picked himself off the floor. "I didn't think you were a little kid that needed-"

Someone laughed nearby. His pursuers were almost upon them.

Kuon grabbed Kijima by the shirt, tossing him through a random door. He threw himself in after Kijima, closing the door as fast as he could without slamming it. Laughter and shrieks passed him on the other side a second later.

Kuon let out a relieved sigh. That had been way too close. He'd avoided them, for now.

Kijima laughed heartily. "I see the fans finally found you." The annoying man looked far too pleased with this notion. "They're probably desperate, since it's the last day for them to corner you."

Kuon leveled him with a measured stare. He was not in the mood to deal with this fool. Thankfully, there were windows in the room they had flown through, providing enough light to show it was an unused empty space. But turning had given Kijima the opportunity to really see what he was wearing as well as the makeup he had applied to alter his appearance. Kijima's eyes narrowed, doing a slow up and down of Kuon. Understanding bloomed in his face.

"You have been walking around the con." He looked pleased with his discovery, annoying Kuon further. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"As much as I love your company, Kijima, I was obliged to spend my time with someone else." He turned his back on Kijima, cracking the door open to see if the coast was clear. A flash of movement had him closing it. Five second later, someone tried to open the door. He held it fast, praying the person on the other side assumed it was locked. After a moment, they did.

Damn. Just how many people were there running around trying to find him? He didn't dare hope it was just other work personnel. Few people sounded that happy while on their job.

Kijima suddenly let out a triumphant "Ha!" making Kuon jump. He rounded on the fool.

"Are you trying to get us caught?" he hissed.

Kijima smiled in the face of Kuon's ire, scrolling through something on his phone.

"When you say, 'Kyoko will be mine,'" said Kijima with a teasing note in his voice. "Did you mean to say that she is yours?"

Kuon couldn't keep his face blank. Kijima's smile widened and he held out his phone for Kuon to see. It was an online forum with an extensive collection of photos and videos of him and Kyoko during the week.

Kuon numbly took the phone from Kijima, struggling to push down his sense of panic as he scrolled through the contents. The original poster (OP) had managed to identify Kyoko in each of her outfits, singling her out as the best among the other R'Mandy models roaming the con floor. Her dedication to her roles while interacting with others as well as the extra trinkets and accessories she'd created herself had been widely appreciated as a fellow cos and roleplayer.

He noted, with some relief, that the OP all but ignored Kuon, the poster likely male. His preferences were obvious by the attention he gave to Kyoko. The commenters, however, were more than happy to make up for this oversight. Kuon glazed past the typical thirsty posts about him, nothing in their content containing anything he hadn't seen before.

The other people in the forum had been more than happy to supply their own pictures and videos of him and Kyoko, effectively creating a comprehensive narrative of their time at the Con. They had pictures of each day's outfits, including when Kuon had dressed as a bear the first day. People gushed about the purses she'd obviously handmade and there were dozens of videos of Kuon calling out to her as Finn, the crowd parting and laughing as the two reunited.

The thread turned in a collaborative scream about how cute they looked together as a couple. Kuon couldn't help his grin as he continued to scroll through, eager to see what else they had. There was everything from GIFs of the annoyed look on Kyoko's face as someone glomped him in his Ali outfit, to pictures of him in his Beast attire dancing in the practice room with her as Bell. Someone had filmed a video of their karaoke night from start to finish along with sing-along lyrics at the bottom of the screen.

The most popular post was a video of Kyoko's sword fight with Kijima. That particular video had zoomed in on Kyoko's worsening expression as Kijima had challenged Kuon. In bold letters, the video included at the top "I'll be shooting for my own hand!" followed by a GIF of Merida shooting an arrow. They had cleverly made Kyoko's finishing blow to Kijima look like an arrow striking him down.

Out of everything though, his favorite had to be the short video of Kyoko dressed as Marian, spilling happy tears as Kuon whispered in her ear the beginning of their fairy tale story. He made a mental note to rediscover this post later and save the video, along with many others.

His heart suddenly jumped when he saw a top commenter's response to the collection.

'i didnt realize that Kyoko was a model for rmandy! i loved her role as Natsu. she was so SAVAGE! it got me into dark moon and lotus of the mire is on my watch list. of course she was the best of the models. that girl is a chameleon!'

Someone had recognized her. They all knew she was an actor.

Pride swelled for her. She had received recognition in an environment where Japanese actors were not as popular or well known. He couldn't have been happier with her success. But as happy as he was at her recognition, his smile disappeared as he read on.

Someone had also recognized him as Tsuruga Ren.

It was the poster from the forum he and Kyoko had found several days ago. He'd originally been joking of the idea of the huntsman in the picture being Tsuruga Ren. Now the person was convinced he had been right.

The other members of the forum were quick to dismiss the theory, convinced that Kyoko and her mysterious man were obviously a couple and the world would know if Tsuruga Ren was taken. But Kuon had to be sure. He scrolled madly through the forum.

The phone was suddenly snatched from his hand.

"Hey!"

"Browse on your own phone," said Kijima, scrolling through with a lazy flick of his thumb. "Serves you right for not telling me it was Kyoko who beat me at that duel. I can't believe my little champion is taken. Ugh, and I had my heart set on her too. Not only did I lose her, but I didn't get to help you two get together as I planned. Unless you're not yet together?"

Kijima raised his eyes from the phone, obviously expecting an answer. When Kuon didn't provide one, the man's delight returned.

"Need some tips?" said Kijima. "I know just the thing that can help."

"I don't need your help, thank you."

"Which means you're already together."

"Or maybe it means I wouldn't welcome whatever help you'd offer."

"It's not like- oh. Uh, that's not good." Kijima's expression was suddenly very serious, eyes zipping back and forth across the screen.

"What's wrong?" said Kuon.

"You need to go," said Kijima. "She's waiting for you."

The man held out the phone again. Kuon took it, reading the newest post.

All of them were pictures of Kyoko wearing a breathtaking dress. It was a faint gold, the skirt reaching all the way to her feet and adding some extra height to her usually small figure. Her hair had been gathered up in twist across the crown of her head, something silver shimmering in its braids. That alone would have been enough to leave him speechless. He'd seen the dress before as a sample in R'Mandy and he had been sure Kyoko would wear it very well, but it was what she had added to the ensemble that left his mouth dry.

Kyoko had wings. Wings. Beautiful, large wings that were both dynamic and delicate in style. The camera had obviously been unable to catch the intricacies and detail that were only partly visible, catching the occasional sparkle of light in the dark image, but it was more than enough to convey the general effect. Stunned by her beauty, it took him several seconds for the rest of the post to register.

Kyoko stood alone among a crowd of cosplayers, fists curled by her side, face blank and emotionless as something that looked suspiciously like a tear glistened in the corner of her eye. He scrolled through dozens of similar pictures, each commenter asking the same question: 'WHERE IS HER PRINCE?'

Kuon was a fool. A damn fool for making her wait. This was the event she had most been looking forward to the most and he had stood her up. He had made his princess wait.

Kuon had one foot out the door before he even registered moving. Kijima suddenly yanked him back inside, slamming the door shut.

"Did you not hear those girls?" hissed Kijima, and now Kuon did hear them. He would have walked right out into a mob of fans had Kijima not stopped him. "You can't just go waltzing out there. Not if you want to keep your relationship a secret."

Kijima was right. He couldn't escape, but waiting here would inevitably lead to his discovery. If he went out to meet the fans, then he would never escape in time to find Kyoko. That left only one option.

"Swap with me." Kuon was already unbuttoning the front of his doublet, struggling his way out of it. "You can lead them away."

Blessedly, Kijima caught on, pulling his own shirt off over his head. "Ha! You know, if we're caught like this there will be very different rumors in the tabloids tomorrow."

Kuon threw his costume at the man a little too hard, but Kijima caught it with a good-natured laugh and tossed back his own top. Kuon pulled on the red designer sweater. It had a tailored cut making it somewhat tight around the armpits leaving the sleeves and a touch short. Thankfully, Kijima's jacket was large enough to hide any ill-fitting discrepancies their different proportions created.

Kijima still struggled with the buttons on Kuon's costume, the loops off by one. The doublet paired with Kajima's jeans looked ridiculous, but Kuon prayed the deception would be enough.

Kijima finally managed the buttons, sweeping back his hair with an annoying smirk. "You owe me, Ren. I want to go on double dates."

Kuon grunted. "So long as your date can keep their mouth shut and Kyoko agrees, I don't care." He would endure Kijima for Kyoko's sake, insufferable man.

Sweeping back his hair and giving a happy salute, Kijima slipped out the door.

Fanatic screams erupted. He heard Kijima's feet pounding the hall as he ran, the noise following after them. Kuon made himself breathe for ten seconds before checking the hall again.

The coast was clear. The fans had taken the bait.

Kuon ran. He skirted the edge of the still crowded halls, glad most people were too tired to give him a second glance. He saw more than one female clutching their high heel boots, lamenting their sore feet with a tired but happy smile. Due to the size of the conference center, it took him several minutes to make his way through the stragglers and to Ballroom A.

He stopped at the entrance, the closed double doors doing little to mute the music issuing from inside. Rather than the heavy thudding of the previous party they'd attended, the room issued a signing lilt of strings and orchestra. How Kyoko would love to waltz to this in her dress, beaming and laughing in his arms.

But Kuon couldn't go in.

He was breathing hard, sweat trickling down his back and unable to take another step forward. He probably looked ridiculous, features slightly altered from makeup and wearing a mismatch of cosplay and normal clothing. If he went inside, he would be recognized as Tsuruga Ren, barely concealed as he was. The online posts guaranteed it.

Kyoko and Kuon hadn't talked about making their relationship public. That would come after telling Lory, so it made no sense to put the cart before the horse. They enjoyed their privacy and Yashiro kicked up enough fuss about the two of them, as did his mother and father. Adding Lory and the rest of the world was more than they were ready for. But did Kuon want them to know? Did he want the freedom to kiss her or pull her close without fear of who would see? The answer screamed immediate and loud in his head. Yes. Yes, he would like nothing more than to be able to do that.

But he did not know what Kyoko's feelings were.

Kuon pulled out his phone, hitting the speed dial and holding it up to his ear. It didn't connect, the ringtone sounding endlessly without catching her voicemail. He cursed, sending a text message, and then another. None of them went through. Stupid reception.

He was about to walk inside and find a different way to get in contact with her when someone spoke. The voice was deep and masculine, completely taking Kuon off guard as he hadn't heard anyone approach. He turned to the voice, eyes widening in surprise.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

Kyoko's smile dimmed as she waved goodbye to the latest group of Cinderella iterations asking for a picture with her. There were quite a few of them here, the location and event a perfect excuse to pull out a cosplay that required a ball gown. Kyoko impatiently glanced at her phone for the hundredth time in the last hour.

No new messages from Kuon.

She typed a message wondering where he was before deleting it. She'd already sent ten others. Another one would not help. She slipped the phone into the hidden pocket she'd sewn onto the dress, willing herself not to cry. It wasn't like she didn't understand the importance of his work. They were both dedicated and professional, she really liked that about him. So she shouldn't be mad or upset that he still wasn't here despite saying he'd show up an hour ago.

But no matter how much she told herself to be reasonable, her awkwardness and misery grew worse with each minute. Her presence plastered to the wall like the wilting flower that she was had attracted some attention. More than one prince charming had come to ask her for a dance, but she'd declined, stating she was waiting for her own Prince Henry to come.

Maybe she should have waited outside the ballroom. A group of Disney princess cosplayers were looking at her, pity evident in their expression. Kyoko cracked her best smile, giving them a friendly wave to show them she was totally okay. It convinced some of them to stop staring, but she still felt their occasional looks.

She checked her phone again. Still no new messages.

She needed a drink.

Kyoko poured herself some punch at the drink table, her throat so tight it was hard to swallow the sweet liquid. Maybe she should just go back to the hotel room and wait for him there.

A pang of regret hit her heart at the thought. She'd been looking forward to this event. To showing him the result of hours of dedication and spend a magical time dancing in a beautiful dress. It was literally a childhood dream come true. But she wasn't a child anymore. She was an adult, and as such, she needed to be reasonable.

She threw her empty cup in the trash, glanced at her phone —still no new messages— and gave a large sigh.

She really should leave. How many times had she said that to herself?

Just then, someone in the most absurd cosplay walked toward her. She had no idea of the gender or age of the person as they were literally a walking 3D model of a castle, complete with several towering spires and flags. If the person wasn't moving, she'd have thought it was a well rendered prop.

They stopped in front of Kyoko, blocking her view of the dance floor.

"Danielle de Barbarac?" said the person in the cosplay. "Your prince is waiting for you."

Surprised, Kyoko was instantly wary of this stranger in the costume. She lifted her chin, sinking back into her role as Danielle.

"I'm afraid I don't understand you," said Kyoko. "Who are you?"

"A friend of your beloved Prince." The castle bobbed in a playful manner, beckoning her away. "Come. I'll show you."

Like hell she was going to walk away with someone as suspicious as this. She stood her ground. "We agreed to meet here."

"Yes, but things changed. He encountered some difficulty escaping from work. Specifically, his fans." Kyoko froze, wondering how much the mystery person knew. The castle seemed to sense this. "They were very enthusiastic, requiring some creativity for him to avoid. As such, he was unable to enter without revealing his identity."

Relief flooded her. This made sense. He was okay. It was just his crazy fans that had gotten in the way. Whoever this was obviously knew about their situation. She gestured to the castle.

"Lead on, good Sir." She assumed it was a man. "I will follow."

The castle walked out the front doors and down the hall, passing a few people on the way. The castle stopped by a door to a room, and Kyoko looked in.

And there he was. Kuon, wearing a ridiculous combination of clothing, but very much her Kuon.

Kyoko rushed inside, the door closing behind her as she flung her arms around him. Kuon met her embrace halfway, hugging her tight against his chest.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured. "Work went late and then I got cornered by some fans. They saw me in my outfit and then my phone wasn't working…"

"I understand. It's okay. I was more worried you had been hurt or something." She pulled away, now giggling at the contouring he'd applied to alter his appearance. "Your castle friend was right. You'd have been instantly recognized if you'd walked into the ballroom. How did you think this would be enough?"

But Kuon wasn't listening. He was staring, a familiar awe in his gaze that made her blush. Even after all this time, it thrilled her to be so openly admired like this by him. She'd seen it enough to know where his mind was at the moment.

"The pictures didn't do it justice." He traced the sparkling gems cresting her brow and cheeks, his finger smooth on her skin. "You are beautiful."

Kyoko beamed. It was everything she had wanted. His reaction. The feeling in his words. She had wanted this. To not only enjoy the evening with him, but to stun him, for at least one moment, in the same way he continued to stun her everyday.

Then something he said registered. "Pictures? What pictures?"

The question jolted Kuon out of his daze. "Ah, well. It seems our presence online has expanded in the last few days."

He explained the online forum to her, Kyoko's dread rising with each second. That had been too close. If Kuon hadn't been detained by his fans, he would have walked right out onto the ballroom floor, confirming the theory of who he was and revealing their relationship to the world.

"You made the right choice." Kyoko grimaced. "I'm not ready to go public yet."

A loud voice came from the entrance of the room. "That much is obvious since you haven't even bothered to inform me yet."

The castle had entered the room, a dent in its siding suggesting the doorway had been a touch too narrow for the outfit. Just as Kyoko realized she recognized the voice, a drawbridge at the front of the castle lowered.

Kyoko blinked in surprise.

"President!"

Framed in a fully functioning castle entrance, Lory Takarada's face looked thoroughly put out.

"How many years have I supported the two of you?" he said, annoyed. "And this is the thanks I get? Not even a message about your relationship or a hint. You actively hide it from me?"

Kuon was quick to recover and defend their choice. "We didn't want too much fuss. We wanted to take it at our own pace without outside interference."

"Which is exactly why you needed to tell me," cried Lory. "I'm the head of LME. I would have made absolutely certain the two of you would have not only been left alone, but been essential in keeping your secret."

"You would have been a pain, is what you would have been," Kuon muttered.

Lory huffed indignantly. "Do you really think that if you had come to me in sincerity to ask for my assistance, I would have kicked up a fuss?"

Neither Kyoko nor Kuon hesitated in answering at the same time.

"Yes."

"Ah." Lory looked flustered. "I mean, It's only natural. I'm very excited for the two of you and why would it be such a bad thing to celebrate?"

Kyoko couldn't help it. She laughed, finding the whole thing ridiculous.

"What are you even doing here?" she said, suddenly suspicious. "Have you been spying on us the whole time?"

Lory kept a carefully blank face. "I'll let you come up with the answer to that."

Kuon scoffed, looping an arm around Kyoko's middle. She grinned, happy that she didn't have to hide it in front of Lory anymore and surprised at how good it felt. The man's teasing didn't seem so daunting anymore.

Lory eyed the two of them, his glare eventually landing on Kuon. "Really. The two of you are great actors, but you must get a touch better at subterfuge. Ordering those R'Mandy samples under a pseudonym was a good idea. Except that every costume was a perfect opposite to the ones you were given. It wasn't hard to put two and two together."

Kyoko eyed Kuon quizzically. She'd been told that her costumes had been given to him as a gift. Had he ordered them himself? She was suddenly horrified at the enormous amount of money he must have spent on her.

"Ren," she said, her voice low in an unmistakable 'You're in trouble' tone. "What have I said about spending money on me?"

He didn't even have the decency to look abashed. "I won't apologize for spoiling you. You deserve it." He waved at Lory. "Since you are so keen to help us keep our relationship a secret, would you mind standing guard outside the room? I'd like to enjoy a dance with my princess, alone."

Lory scowled, but raised the drawbridge over his face, insisting that Kuon owed him. Then he was gone, leaving Kyoko and Kuon alone in the room.

Before she could give him a proper scolding about spending habits, Kuon swept her into his arms, effortlessly leading her into a dizzying spin. A laugh bubbled out of her, dazed both from the spin and from his affection. It was only now that she realized they could still hear the strings from the ballroom. Kuon led her in perfect time to the muted song. Only a few of the room's lights were on, the space feeling increasingly more intimate as Kuon pulled her close.

"Don't think this will distract me," she scolded, but there was no real heat in it. Her heart was too full. "I mean it. You shouldn't spend so much money."

"You make it hard to resist the urge." He smiled, eyes taking in the wings on her back. "It's the most natural way for me to express my feelings for you. And when you surprise me like this…" He paused, his smile widening to a cheeky grin. "I might end up buying you a whole castle."

Kyoko's breath caught. He probably hadn't meant to make it sound like buying them a home, but after a full week of double talk under their personas, her mind was still calibrated to read into the possible meaning of his words.

"You'd better not," she huffed. "I'll have to put a parental lock on your wallet."

He laughed, Kyoko joining him. But then his laughter died, his expression turning more somber.

"I really am sorry for not coming," he said. "I made you wait. I stood you up. No matter the circumstances, I'm sorry for doing that to you, especially when you put so much effort into the surprise."

But Kyoko shook her head, already well past forgiving him.

"You brought me on this magical week," she said. "I've lived the closest thing to a fairy tale I'll probably get. Not to mention I got to spend it with you." She tightened her arms around his neck, going up on tiptoe to pull him into a quick kiss. "I just wish it could have lasted longer. Going back to real life after this week is going to be rough."

It had all felt like a dream. This hotel and the events inside of it felt like an entirely different world from the real one they had come from. Adjusting to real life was going to take some time.

Kuon's eyes shone with warmth, bending down to kiss her once more.

"I'm not sure what you mean," he said. "I told you, didn't I? That I considered our meeting the start of a fairy tale. As the protagonist to such a tale, you can't escape it." His face remained near hers as he closed his eyes, Kyoko following suit to focus on his physical presence. His fingers brushed the nape of her neck and it sent shivers down her whole body.

"My Princess," he breathed, and Kyoko couldn't help the tears that sprang into her eyes.

"That's Fairy Princess to you," she mock chided, earning a rumble of laughter from him. "I worked hard on my wings so that I could match you."

"They're beautiful," he agreed. "You wear them well."

They continued to dance, no longer bothering with a traditional waltz. She was too comfortable wrapped in his arms, slowly spinning as they enjoyed their last evening alone together. Who knew when they'd get another moment like this to themselves?

A thought entered her head, and she groaned.

"What is it?" said Kuon.

She pulled away, giving him a sorry grin. "I just realized… I'm really not looking forward to Lory's party celebrating our relationship."

Kuon glanced toward the door and then at the window at the other side of the room.

"We could sneak out the window," he said. "It would be within my character if I were still wearing my outfit."

"Yes. Please. Let's go."

Kyoko reached behind her, undoing a series of strings and ties before pulling. The wings collapsed and folded nearly behind her back. Kuon stared with open amazement.

"So that's how you keep them hidden," he joked, and she smacked his arm.

"Hurry! Before the president comes in to check on us."

Somehow they managed to crawl out the window and make it back inside the hotel without alerting either security or Lory. They laughed the whole way, shushing each other as they fumbled for their keycard and pushed the door open to their room.

"I can't wait until next time," said Kyoko. She'd have a whole year to plan everything. Maybe she'd make the costumes herself and start completely from scratch. "What do you say?"

Kuon answered with a kiss on her nose, eliciting a squeal from her. "I can't wait," he said. "And next time, I'll make sure I'm not working."

Emboldened by their running from before, Kyoko tackled him, making Kuon fall backward onto the bed. She landed on his chest with an 'oof', grinning wickedly before smacking a loud kiss on his lips. "And next time," she said. "We'll make sure we don't have to hide our identities."

To that, Kuon was more than happy to agree.

I'd like to give a big thank you to all the wonderful authors that pulled together to create this fic. It was an honor to tie everything up and I hope I lived up to your expectations. I wanted to make sure and give a proper nod to each day and the enormous fun that cons are. You all made me miss them.

Thank you as well to Mimagren for herding us all into a comprehensive work. It was a tough job and she really stepped up leading us. Or maybe I'll just speak for myself, I'm a mess. This would not have been possible without her!

Also, I'd like to thank those wonderful editors who took the time to make my mess look like a comprehensive chapter. Thank you for your patience and hard work. Good editors are so crucial in writing and you guys did an absolutely fantastic job!

And of course, a final thank you to all those that took the time to read this collaboration. I may write for my own entertainment, but I also write to share my passion with all of you. I hope you enjoyed this and wish you all the best!

~Blushweaver

This author can be found at:

AO3: (website goes here) /users/Blushweaver/pseuds/Blushweaver

FFN: (website goes here followed by a slash) u/6331426