The House of Ill Fame. At one point Viktor never thought he would leave the place, and up until recently he thought he would never return. Yet, here he stood on its doorstep, all of the memories from his short time there swirling in his head like the snow scattered by the howling wind behind him.
He reached down and took Yuuri's hand for support. Yuuri squeezed his hand (it was his right, at last fully healed), and looked up to him with a reassuring (albeit nervous) smile. It felt so strange to be touching Yuuri so casually like this, especially within this environment. He was bravely venturing further with his affections, even though sometimes he still felt like he was sinning.
Long, heavy cloak rustling, he leaned closer to Yuuri. It was a bitter winter day. He felt Yuuri shift slightly beside him as he breathed deeply. Yuuri took a step forward and knocked on the flimsy door. They heard footsteps, and then a fairy with dusty brown, spotted wings appeared as he pulled the door open with a creak. His skin was tan, and his small eyes shimmered a dark shade of blue like lapis lazuli. His long chestnut hair was in a loose braid. Viktor did not recognize him, although his memory was so poor that he would not be surprised if they had previously met.
"Hello, what can I help you with?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe. His red kimono was loose and hanging open. Viktor imagined that he must be freezing. He stood a little bit taller than Yuuri, but certainly not as tall as Viktor. Viktor observed his thin and long face, as well as his pointed, upturned nose.
"I, uh-" Yuuri sighed and began again. "We would like to speak to the headmistress, please."
"Yeah, just come on in." He pulled the door open more and turned around. "Close it behind you. Don't want the cold getting in." The insides of his wings were a brilliant, iridescent azure color. He kept fluttering them as if by habit or perhaps to show them off.
Viktor and Yuuri stepped into the building and Yuuri pushed the door closed. It shut with a dull, solemn thud. Viktor shivered, being in those dark, cramped hallways. The smell of must and rotting wood and filth was nearly overwhelming. He kept feeling flashes of fear and caught himself in the mindset he'd been in when he had been dumped here. He tried to remind himself that the circumstances were vastly different from back then.
The pair of them trailed behind the blue-winged fairy through the hallways, which were largely empty. Viktor assumed that many of the inhabitants were still asleep. They made several turns, and a familiar curtained-off doorway with electric lights came into view. Viktor was grateful for the other fairy's help, because he would have never recalled the way. He and Yuuri were still clutching hands like they were each other's lifelines. Yuuri's was a little clammy, and Viktor knew that he must be feeling anxious. Everything would be alright. At least, he hoped so.
"Headmistress?" the blue-winged fairy called. "Headmistress!" There was a shuffling noise, and then a sickeningly familiar face appeared, poking out from behind the curtain.
"What is it, Lance?" she demanded. "I'm very busy." Her rumpled black hair, jinbei, and red sleep-lines on her face suggested that she had just awoken.
"These two want to speak with you."
She turned to Viktor and Yuuri, and her face went from surprise to a calculated smile.
"Thank you, Lance." She waved her hand dismissively. "Go and make yourself useful. Help wash laundry or something."
"Hey!" he exclaimed. The headmistress gave him a sharp look, and he walked away, grumbling.
"He's a fiesty one," she said amusedly, seemingly talking to herself. Her remark was in the tone that someone would adopt when talking about their naughty pet. "I didn't expect to see you two back here," she mused, and thrust the curtain open. She folded her arms. "What, are you here to return him? Are you unsatisfied?" She withdrew one hand and jabbed her red-nailed finger in Viktor's direction to accentuate her words. Each motion felt like a cold stab to Viktor's heart, but he kept his face expressionless.
Yuuri's hand was shaking as he clutched onto Viktor's tightly.
"No," he said firmly. "I came here to ask you some questions."
"Hm." The headmistress narrowed her blue eyes. "Come in." She brushed past the golden silk curtain, and the pair of them followed. She sat down in her worn armchair and folded her hands on her desk. Being in that room reminded Viktor of the last time he'd been there, praying that Yuuri would buy him. Viktor and Yuuri reluctantly released hands and took the remaining two seats. They clearly weren't made for fairies with their rigid backs, and Viktor subtly shifted so that his wings were off to the right side of the chair.
The headmistress leaned forward, peering at them through her spectacles.
"Well?" she prompted. Yuuri's hands were clenched and pressed against the tops of his thighs.
"I wanted to ask you about new acquisitions that this brothel has had," he stated.
"Oh?" the headmistress questioned. "Do you want another one? Bored of this one?"
"No!" Yuuri exclaimed before recomposing himself. "We're looking for someone. A brunette fairy with green wings and olive eyes."
Viktor's heart sped up in anticipation. 'Please, please let Christophe be here,' he begged silently.
"I have purchased anyone with that description," the headmistress said. "But he sounds like he would be lucrative." Viktor's heart plummeted. He had expected this outcome, but… somehow it still hurt. He stared down at the scuffed floorboards, trying to mask his despondency.
Yuuri did not speak for a while. "Thank you for your time," he said at last, sounding tired. He stood and bowed his head to the headmistress. Viktor did the same, although he had little respect for her and the pitiful conditions her fairies endured.
They left the room, Viktor holding aside the curtain for his Yuuri, who took his hand protectively once they'd stepped out. Thankfully, Yuuri recalled the turns they had to take to reach the door.
As they traversed the hallways, Viktor saw some sleepy fairies sitting in nooks and tending to the wounds they had received from patrons. Some of them were so, so young, and it was devastating. The age of consent was non-existent for fairies, and even if there was one he was sure that people would still take advantage of and prey on these little fairies. Children.
Viktor felt like his surroundings were seeping into his skin, poisoning him. The air felt stifling, as if it was freezing his lungs. The walls and ceiling seemed to be closing in on him, threatening to trap him there forever. Escape, escape. Panic was starting to take root and grow in Viktor's chest. They hurried out the front door, Viktor ahead of Yuuri and practically pulling him.
While Yuuri surely had no desire to stay either, he seemed to be taken by surprise. As they left, their hands parted and Viktor practically ran to the sidewalk. Even the polluted industrial city air felt pure and refreshing to Viktor. He was like a bird finally freed from cage, relieved and never going back.
But then everything crashed down around him. He felt tears bite his eyes, stinging in the harsh wind that whipped around him. He stood there in his crisp white boots, the ones that made those clicking noises he loved when he walked, and nearly vomited thinking of the rows of forlorn and abandoned shoes near the entrance of the House of Ill Fame. He looked up to the dark, overcast sky. The sun had not yet risen.
Christophe was still missing. And they had absolutely zero leads. And then there were all those fairies in the brothel. The ones who hadn't managed to escape through some incredible luck. Did Viktor even deserve a single thing he had? A home, a caring master, food, clothing? Certainly no more than those other poor souls, probably less.
He gathered up some of his canary-yellow skirt in his fists. He was like an expensive, professionally decorated lemon cake in this dress. With its yellow silk skirt that had a sheer lacy layer over it, he felt like an imposter. It was one of his favorites, but after re-experiencing the brothel the mindset he'd been working so hard to overcome came flooding back. He was just a fairy. How could he have forgotten his place? How could he have-
"Viktor?" came Yuuri's concerned voice. Viktor blinked and looked over his shoulder, a tear slipping down his cheek. There was Yuuri. His soul slowly began to drift back up to reality from the murky depths of self-doubt.
Yuuri closed the distance between them and leaned against Viktor gently. Viktor glanced down to see tears glistening in his russet eyes.
"Let's go home," Viktor suggested quietly and with a soft smile. This had been difficult for both of them. Their fingers intertwined again, and Yuuri managed to wave down the next cab carriage to pass them by. Their hands were clasped tightly the entire journey back. Stepping out of the carriage and seeing the townhouse, even though it was familiar, was a bit of a jolt when compared to the slums they had come from.
Yuuri handed Viktor the money to pay the cab driver. Spirits lifted a bit, Viktor took a second to check that his ears and wings were fully covered before walking up to the woman in the front. Heart thumping in fear of being discovered and rebuked for being a fairy exchanging money, Viktor handed her the coins.
"Thank you," he said.
She accepted it, looking rather bored, and signalled her horses to start walking again. With a rush of giddiness, Viktor turned to Yuuri.
"Yuuri, did you see? She had no idea," he said excitedly. Yuuri gave him a smile, but his shining eyes were still sad. Viktor's spirits were slowly drifting back down again, like sand on the ocean floor that had been briefly stirred up. He dropped his eyes, and his concealed wings sagged again.
Without a word, Yuuri pressed close to him and they entered their home.