FYI, Ienzo is trans and AFAB in this AU. Modern Fantasy Soulmate AU, Zemyx.

1.

The Wolf

"Ienzo, get away from the window. At least until you get that goo out of your hair. You look frightful."

Ienzo scowled. "Yes, yes. Sue me for wanting to see sunshine for the first time in weeks." He checked his timer; ten more minutes. "You're certain this will work?"

"It did on my slides. Though admittedly that is meaningless nowadays." He sighed, and kept cramming his books into boxes. "Have you at the very least packed?"

Ienzo gestured to the two suitcases at the door. "What else is there to do?"

"...Quite. Well." Even ruffled a hand through his hair. "I suppose that is that, yes? Though I admit I'm looking forward to the fresh air."

"...To think there'd be a time I'd wish I could frolic through the hills." He rolled his eyes. His right was aching again, and without the curtain of his hair it felt very naked.

"Will you be… alright, tonight?" Even asked. He pursed his lips.

"Alright enough."

"...Thankfully Aqua's given us a good head start." He sighed. "I'm hoping… after all this we'll finally shake them. The papers should be foolproof. No traces."

"I suppose it could be worse."

Even rested a hand on Ienzo's shoulder. "You deserve a taste of normalcy, at least."

Ienzo said nothing. He was apprehensive about "normalcy". What if a taste just made him want the unattainable? No point living above his current means. "...Quite. Well. I should try and wash this out."

The basement apartment was small, and for the past month or so it felt like they'd been living on top of one another. It was what they'd been able to find, given the… circumstances, but honestly Ienzo was ready to leave it behind for good. He needed breathing room, away from these walls which were always damp and smelled perpetually like mildew and fried onion, away from the strange pink mold which grew on the tiles of the bathroom no matter how diligently either of them scrubbed.

The water never got quite hot, and as he scrubbed at his scalp and eyebrows it just became cooler and cooler, until finally the water ran clear. He towel-dried his hair, shivering a little, and turned towards the mirror.

"...Shit." Ienzo sighed heavily. His hair was still, without a doubt, the strange violet-silver he'd been born with, the most visible sign of his magic abilities, his aura. It wasn't even tinted in the slightest.

"...That does not sound good," Even said, from the other room. (Another thing about this apartment; its paper thin walls.)

Ienzo opened the door and gave him a droll stare. Even pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, child. Save frying open your hair follicles, I don't think there's anything else to be done. We've already tortured your scalp enough."

Ienzo scowled at his reflection. "Do you truly think people will be looking for these signs where we're going?"

Even considered. He held up strands of Ienzo's tired, damp hair. "Perhaps not," he said. "Many college students do torrid things to their hair."

Ienzo considered his face one last time. He was glad to have his eye covered again. "I suppose that is true."

They continued gathering their meager possessions in almost silence. Ienzo took one last look at the glorified walk-in closet he'd called a bedroom. He remembered other days, better days, when he'd had windows, bookshelves, days when he'd sit with Father in that rocking chair listening to those stories-

Ienzo took a quick breath. No good dwelling on any of this. In the kitchenette, he could see the sun setting… it was growing dark. The ache in his eye was worse now. He blinked, hard.

"Ienzo?"

"Right. Yes. Coming."

The stars in the night sky were unusually bright. He could barely see through the pain in his eye, blind as it was. The illusion didn't have to last long. A few hours and they'd be away from all this nonsense. He stuffed his hair under the beanie, hurriedly penciled on some eyebrows-at least makeup worked. If he were braver he'd just shave himself bald.

Even wrinkled his nose. "You look like a ne'er do well. Come on, then."

Aqua, one of the resistance coordinators, would arrange for the pitiful remains of their things to be shipped. A black car waited for them outside, with taxi plates. Anyone would think they were going on vacation.

Even lowered his voice. "I'm told the driver knows. No need to waste your energy just yet."

Ienzo supposed he should've felt anxious; but it was hard to feel anything other than the growing pain. Why? "Good."

They loaded their bags and got in the car. It smelled like cologne, a rich, woody scent that was not at all obnoxious.

"The train station," Even said. "Please."

The driver didn't say anything. Ienzo couldn't even see their face; all he could tell was that the person was large, muscular, built. But… he fielded out with his magic timidly. Why was this person… familiar? And why was this familiarity not off-putting?

"As if Ansem would truly allow you the risk of long-haul public transport," the deep voice said, and Ienzo's heart leapt into his throat-

Even gasped a little. "Aeleus," he said. "It is you… after all this time-"

"It is… good to see the two of you," he continued. "Ienzo… you're quite the young man now, aren't you? I barely recognized you."

Ienzo couldn't quite swallow the emotion welling within him. "I'm twenty now," he said. "But… where have you been, for-"

"I'll explain everything," Aeleus said. "Let's keep things quiet, at least until we're out of town."

Ienzo leaned back in his seat. Aeleus . He hadn't even known the man was still alive, let alone expected to see him ever again. He smiled despite himself.

"So Ansem is…" Even began timidly. "He's still-"

"Yes. He sends his… regards."

Even took a quick breath. Though it felt childish to do so, Ienzo reached across to give the man's hand a quick squeeze. "The two of you arranged all this."

"Forgive me for not sending word sooner."

Even settled more comfortably. "And here I thought we'd be given over to a complete stranger."

"For Ienzo? Never."

They were all silent for a time, as the night grew darker. Ienzo wanted to ask Aeleus a thousand questions-where the man had been, what he'd been doing, how he was, how the others were. Moreover… what he thought of Ienzo now, how he looked. Being grown was the least of the changes. He hadn't fully let himself miss any of them now-better to grieve, instead.

The city gave way to hesitant countryside, opening up into wide, empty fields. Ienzo breathed a sigh of relief, even as the pain in his eye crescendoed.

"Child," Even began. "Are you alright?"

"My… eye is hurting," he admitted. "I thought it would stop."

"...What do you sense?"

Ienzo took a breath. He cast his magic out around them. He was aware he was basically setting a beacon for those that may be listening; but they were far enough out of the city that prying eyes were unlikely. "I sense nothing ," he admitted. "Out of the ordinary, anyway." Creatures at the side of the road, their energies, an ambient current of magic from the earth itself.

"That is… strange," Even said. "Unless-"

"It's a new moon," Aeleus said. "Doesn't that affect it?"

"Not like this," Ienzo said. "Not usually. Usually only when there's-" The pain spiked, and he cried out.

"Ienzo," Even gasped. "Oh-"

Aeleus pulled over.

"Stupid," Ienzo hissed. "They were using a jammer."

"What?"

"Who?" Aeleus asked.

"The being that's been following us."

Sure enough, at the other side of the road they could see it, flickering, white, a large and graceful wolf. "How could he, during a new moon?" Even asked.

"It's why I was thrown off. I thought it was merely interference." Ienzo swallowed the fear.

"What are we waiting for?" Even asked. "Aeleus, go."

"If we go he'll make chase, and find out everything," the man said. He undid his seatbelt and pulled something from under the passenger seat. "Let me speak to the bastard."

"No," Ienzo said.

Aeleus took careful steps across the road, the headlights and the wolf the only thing illuminating the encounter. The wolf shifted, its light fading, into a man, one Ienzo had hoped to never see again.

"It doesn't make any sense," Even said. "His power never works while-"

Ienzo reached out with his own, following Aeleus's energy to hear the conversation. I'm sorry, friend, he thought. I know this is rude.

"Long live the king," the voice said smoothly.

"What is it you want, Saïx?" Aeleus asked.

"I know she's there."

Ienzo could feel Even's nails digging into his wrist.

"Whatever mutation gave you this ability is sorely mistaken," Aeleus said. "These are merely refugees. I am allowed to transport them. I have the proper paperwork."

"Then why does your car reek of royal magic?"

He shrugged. "You tell me. I just carry out the orders."

"Aeleus, I know magic was never a specialty of yours, but I know you're not an idiot." Saïx turned and took a few steps towards the car. Ienzo winced. "You're certainly hiding something . Else the spell would not have taken effect."

"You're free to talk to them. I'm sure you'll find nothing amiss."

Ienzo took a deep breath. He wished Aeleus had given him more warning. Shaping an illusion when he was in this much pain was bound to be a challenge. He chose random faces for himself and Even, random voices, though he was also acutely aware this man could smell when he was using magic-

He'd just have to be quick. Ienzo pulled the dagger out of his boot and slid it into the pocket of his hoodie. Saïx took long, languid steps towards them. He knocked on the window. Ienzo rolled it down, so slowly, bracing, already pulling for the spell-

"Don't," Even hissed.

"He already knows," Ienzo said.

"Isn't it a bit late, for a drive?" Saïx asked. "Enough with the smoke and mirrors, Princess."

Ienzo screamed and forced the spell out as hard as he could, knocking Saïx some ten yards up the street. He leapt out of the car and readied another spell, but he was already on his feet, again a glowing wolf, one running at him almost faster than he could perceive. Ienzo took a deep breath, knotting his hands, shaping the magic into blades, but they all just glanced off of the wolf's fur like they were nothing.

What had they done to him?

The wolf smashed through his magic shield and pinned him to the cold asphalt, its teeth inches from his throat-Ienzo tried to kick up a leg, to lob a spell into its ribcage, but the next thing he knew Aeleus was yanking it back by the throat with the handle of his tomahawk. Ienzo grasped at his dagger and lunged for the creature's face-he was barely able to get in more than a superficial slash or two before it vanished into nothing, a light bouncing along the horizon in the opposite direction. The pain in his eye faded.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Even yelled.

"He already knew," Ienzo said. "He smelled me." He turned to Aeleus. "Are you alright?"

He sighed. "Got in a few good scratches, but nothing major." He dabbed at his bleeding forearm. Ienzo reached for it and whispered a spell; the wound closed instantly. "I was more worried about you."

"You're lucky neither of you got killed," Even hissed, grasping Ienzo's shoulders and appraising him. "I don't know what that lunatic did to invoke lycanthropic magic without a moon-" He exhaled. "It seems like all of our precautions were for nothing."

"He still doesn't know where we were headed," Aeleus said. "Just that we're alive, and we're going somewhere. As long as we approach this with caution… we may be fine."

"I hope for Ienzo's sake you're right."

Aeleus sighed. "It looks like we might have to go with Plan B."

"I'd hoped that wouldn't be the case, but…" Even smoothed back his hair. "Yes. You are right."

"Best to go sooner than later," Aeleus said. "Off we go, little one." He looked at him more closely. "I never got to see you… after…"

Ienzo dropped his eyes. There was less pleasure in this now. "It took months, with magic," he said softly.

Aeleus gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "It suits you. No." Ienzo realized in the scuffle his hat had fallen off, leaving his hair free and, thanks to the magic use, slightly luminous. "It is who you always were, isn't it?"

Ienzo nodded, blinking back the tears.

There was a moment where they all tried to gather themselves. "Yes, yes," Even said. "Enough with the drama. We haven't got all night."

They got back in the car and drove off.