Archive of Our Own

Snip snip snip!

Tooru sheared the leaves from the top of a mushroom very carefully, and with no small amount of precision. A smell seeped out from inside them, and the witch was glad he had a mask on cause, boy, did it stink. He crinkled his nose. Despite the fact he had perfume on his mask to keep the stink from sneaking through, he could still smell it. It was like a feeling in the back of his throat rather than an actual scent but it was still gakingly disgusting.

He capped the jar of leaves and put them in his satchel. Tooru stood from where he crouched and pulled his mask off, gasping in a breath of fresh air.  He wiped his lips, rolling his brown eyes around to look at his surroundings. His eye caught something he'd never seen before. A different plant—it was purple. How curious.

The brunet bent down, looking it over closely. Its veins were pink, and it smelt sour. It seemed very familiar. Maybe he should take a sample back home to test it.

He grabbed his clippers from his bag and lined the blade up to one of the stems. He squeezed the clippers, but it didn't snip. He did this several times, but no result came of it.

He sat back on his feet. “Well, Mister Plant—if you're not going to share, I have no choice but to take all of you.”

Tooru glanced around, knowing what he was about to do was not approved of, but he had no choice. It was for learning purposes. And money, if it sold well.

When he saw no one around he turned back to the little purple plant licking his upper lip and rubbing his hands together.  He grabbed the plant near the roots and yanked up on it. It didn't budge.

Tooru let go, sighing loudly and dramatically. He grumbled, “Alright, Plant-chan. You can make this easy for yourself, or we can do this the hard way.”

Tooru moved to his feet so he was crouching, and began pulling at the plant again, this time with his legs.

“What are you doing?” A voice said suddenly, scaring Tooru so much that he screamed and let go of the purple plant. He landed back harshly on his rear, grunting and whining. The plant swayed until it was back to the way it looked before the witch touched it.

“Iwa-chan! You scared the life out of me!” He fussed, standing and wiping his back of leaves and bark. “What do you want? I'm working.”

The fae said nothing as he leaned down to examine the plant Tooru wanted. He waved his finger over it in a circle, and the dirt dug itself up. He grabbed the stems and yanked the plant out, roots and all.

“This what you wanted?” His gold, gem-like eyes looked at Tooru questioningly. Tooru scoffed.

“I should keep you with me. Put you under a spell, or something.” He reached out for it. “Yes, that's what I wanted, thank you.”

Iwaizumi pulled it back from Tooru’s reach. “What are you using it for?”

“Research, of course.”

The fae looked away, as though he were thinking. The witch paused, looking over Iwaizumi as he usually did. He'd always wanted to do some sort of experiment on his body. His skin was fluorescent green, although it only appeared to be one layer of his skin. Beneath the nearly see through layer of green pigmented skin, there appeared to be a more human-like layer colored a dark brown. He was very interesting, and Tooru the Witch was always curious about him.

“Did you want to join me?” Tooru asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes and no.”

“Well what does that mean?” The witch asked defensively.

“Last time I went, your potion blew up and left a funny scent on me for weeks after.” Iwa turned his amber eyes back to the brunet. “You won't be doing anything with potions, will you? You're not good at that.”

“How dare you! I am good at everything, Iwa-chan!” Iwaizumi scoffed, tossing the plant into Tooru’s chest. He scrambled to get a hold of the crumbly dirt on the plant.

“Whatever you say…let’s go.” Iwaizumi turned his back to Tooru. “And don't tell anyone how you got that plant. I'll be banished for helping you.”

“Hmph!” Tooru huffed, shoving the plant in his bag.

“So, I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?” Tooru asked, plopping his knapsack on his wooden working desk. He began unloading his jars from the forest one by one. He took one out that had a special kind of frog Tooru had never seen before. The frog jumped in a failed attempt at escaping.

“Around.”

“Very interesting.” The witch rolled his eyes, adjusting his baggy brown robes. The last thing he took out was the special plant Iwaizumi helped him collect. He set it away from the rest of the items. The witch reached beneath his butcher block and produced tweezers, a knife, and a brush.

“What are you doing with that plant?” Iwaizumi asked, coming up behind the brunet. He picked up the jar with the frog in it, flipping it around. Tooru reached for the magnifying glass that was attached to a jointed arm and pulled it toward him.

“I’m going to analyze it. It could have special properties.”

“You’re strange.”

“I am not! I’m just—very interested in nymphs and the forests in which they live.”

“If you were so interested, you wouldn’t want to destroy and take advantage of it.” Iwaizumi explained, leaning down and letting the frog specimen hop away.

“Hey! I need him, Iwa-chan!” Tooru pouted. Iwaizumi crowded him, suddenly, causing the witch to lean his back against his counter top. Tooru gulped. It was probably words he was swallowing.

Iwaizumi’s fiery eyes bore through Tooru like he was made of glass. This is what the brunet liked least about the fae. Their eyes were very intimidating. They each had their own unique color to them, and they all resembled gems. Iwaizumi’s were the prettiest the witch had encountered, however. They were warm like fire, with all its danger added into two, pupil-less jewels. They were so real to him and he didn’t know why.

“You must learn to appreciate the forest’s beauty to unlock its secrets, Oikawa.” He practically growled.

“B-But I do appreciate it. Th-that’s why I want to know more about it…” The witch stuttered. Iwaizumi looked his face over one more time, skeptically. He huffed, moving away from the witch. He climbed up onto one of the shelfs Tooru piled with things and sat down quietly staring down at the brunet. “What?” The witch asked.

“Just watching.”

“Hmph. Fine.” Tooru reached beneath his table again, opened a drawer, grabbed his book, and shut the drawer again. He opened it, searching for what the plant could be.

He brushed away the soil that stuck to the roots until he reached something peculiar. He brushed at it more, peering at it through the magnifying glass. Something shimmered like silver, and Tooru gasped when he realized what it could be.

“What? What is it?”

“A stone! I-It’s a—hm…” Tooru looked out of the magnifying glass at his books. Could it be what he had been searching for for so long? A gem such as the one he was looking for had never been found by anyone. The witch collected many types of gems and stones for use in magic. The load of them weren’t very useful, and he spent a long time trying to find the rare ones. He had dedicated his life to it, in fact. He wondered if this is where it had been hiding for so long. In plain sight; just a plant. He flipped through his book again, finding the section on precious gems. The witch found one, but the stone wasn’t what he was looking for. Now he knew why it was so familiar.

“Pyrite…”

“What?”

“Pyrite. It’s a…” Tooru sighed, disappointed. “A sort of second cousin to the one I’ve been searching for, for so long.”

“I didn’t know you collected stones.”

“I do.” The witch answered, trying not to let it get to him. “A lot of them have magical properties.”

Iwaizumi jumped down from the shelf, making his way over to Tooru’s side. “What...is the one you’ve been searching for?”

“Cor crystallum.”

“Cor crystallum…?”

“Yes, Iwa-chan!” Tooru frowned. “It has healing properties and encourages life! I’ve never heard of anyone possessing one, and I was just—ugh...I was so close with this.”

Iwaizumi tilted his head. “What does the Cor crystallum look like?”

“No one knows. No ones ever found it. It comes from a legend.”

“What’s the legend?”

“It goes like this: Journey through life; growing from red; through light of love; you shall be lead. Oh, generous crystal; shall you find; will glow of love; two hearts entwined.” Tooru stopped, sighing. “I still don't know what it means. Probably made more sense before it was translated and rhymed.”

“You're such an idiot.”

“Iwa-chan, how dare you! I'll have you know I am well known for my intellect and—” Tooru paused as Iwaizumi walked toward the door, and swung it open. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not going anywhere. We are.” The nymph said, waiting in the doorway. Tooru blinked, a little more than confused.

“What do you mean?”

“Pack whatever you want. I'm going to show you how to find your Cor crystallum.” Tooru gasped.

“Really!?” Tooru began rushing around, grabbing his satchel and a few extra empty jars. He took his book, his journal, and the charcoal pencil he made himself.

“Don't get too excited. It's a long journey.” Iwa said, crossing his arms as he watched the witch.

“I don't mind! And besides—how can I not get excited?” Tooru asked. This is what he always wanted. The one thing he'd been striving to find for years now. And he finally had a chance to actually do it.

The witch slung his prepped camping-backpack over his shoulder—complete with a rolled up blanket, pots for cooking, food supply, etc. He had prepared this pack for a journey to civilization, but now was a better time than any to use it.

When he clipped it on, Tooru looked up to find that Iwaizumi had gone. “Wait, Iwa-chan!”

He ran out the door and locked it behind him as his eyes searched for the missing fae. “Iwa-chan! Where'd you go!?”

“Up here.” A voice said from above. Tooru looked up and saw Iwaizumi in the branches above his little cottage.

“What are you doing up there?”

Iwaizumi was silent except for some rustling, and Tooru strained his eyes to see what he was doing. “Did you know…” He started, following more rustling, “...that you hand a howling flower growing above your house?”

“‘Howling flower’..?” Tooru squinted when he heard a tree branch snap.

“Yes—they are carnivorous plant.” Iwaizumi explained, raising his voice. “They prey on the unsuspecting. It takes them days to prepare for feeding.”

Suddenly, something squeaked and then a large glob of gooey, green substance plopped on top of Tooru’s head. The witch shrieked and pushed the substance to the forest floor. He shook his hands of it before feeling his hair. It was a slimy mess. “Iwa-chan! What is this!?”

“What was going to digest you.” Iwaizumi said, nonchalantly jumping out of the tree.

“The plants stomach!?” Tooru wailed, biting the inside of his lip and frantically wiped at his bangs.

“No. It doesn’t have a stomach.” Iwaizumi picked a clump of it off the ground. “This was developing into acid that was going to be dumped atop of you. You’d be decomposed until you were mush, then the plant would use its arms to scoop you up into its mouth and absorb your nutrients.”

Tooru stared at the nymph, mouth agape. “B-but—why me!?”

“Like I said. Unsuspecting.” The fae turned to start on his way and the brunet finally remembered why he came outside in the first place. Quite the start to a journey.

“B-But—Iwa-chan!” The witch called after Iwaizumi, who turned back to look. “How do I get this out of my hair?”

“There’s a waterfall a couple miles from here. You can wash up when we get there.”

“‘A couple miles’? What do I do about it now?”

“Nothing.”

Iwaizumi was getting farther away. And the farther he went, the more Tooru would have to catch up. He looked back at his house, considering going back inside to wash up. Maybe the fae would wait for him.

Iwaizumi still wasn’t stopping.

Tooru sighed, groaning as his step quickened to catch up to Iwaizumi. He brushed his ruined hair out of his face, slicking it back. Ew. He considered that he might possibly regret going with Iwaizumi. He was still very new to this forest, and if anything irreversible (or un-cleanable) happened it would be quite troublesome. Tooru figured if that did happen, Iwaizumi wouldn’t be much help. The witch got the sense that the nymph didn’t like him very much.

“Why’d you do that, anyway?” The witch asked, a bit miffed.

“I didn’t ask you to stand underneath me.”

“So it’s my fault, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Huh! Whatever. I know you probably did it on purpose.” Tooru jutted out his bottom lip. “You’re also probably lying about knowing where to find the crystal.”

Iwaizumi raised his brow at Tooru. “Doubt, eh? You’re not going to make it far with that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Iwaizumi silenced himself, not saying anything else. Tooru huffed, looking away from him. He had a feeling this trip wasn’t going to be easy.

They had been walking for around an hour now when they came upon a chasm. A deep chasm, at that, with a river as thin as a hair running beneath them. It looked as though a god of some sort had decided to use the earth as a sheath for his ax and left an enormous cut. Wind blew up from below, dry and uninviting. Tooru gulped.

“H-how do we get across?”

Iwaizumi pointed to a rickety old tree trunk that bridged the edges of the cliff. It was simply resting, unsteadily atop the cliff edging so that the thick trunk made the potential fall a few unnecessary feet longer. Tooru blinked. “We’re supposed to use that? We’re gonna die.”

“We’ll go one at a time.” The nymph stated. “I’ll go first.”

“Right…” The witch gulped. He tiptoed closer to Iwaizumi as the latter tested the sturdiness of the wood. It creaked and groaned when he put his full weight on it. Tooru grabbed his hand before he took another step. “Maybe you shouldn’t...can we just—go around?”

Iwaizumi crouched down (a little too confidently in Tooru’s opinion) to look the witch in the face. He looked his face over like he did sometimes when he was trying to understand him. When Iwaizumi did this, he was usually right. His fiery eyes could read Tooru like an open book. He said that human body language was very easy to read and had proven it multiple times. “You’ll find that the forest provides what you need when you need it. Trust it. It’s very safe, I assure you.”

Tooru bit down on his cheek as Iwaizumi stood once more, taking his hand with him. The witch clasped both of his own hands together, nervousness overtaking him as Iwaizumi got halfway across. “You’re okay?” Tooru called across the ravine. The fae gave a thumbs-up—a gesture Tooru taught him a while ago. This made Tooru chuckle a bit, his uneasiness lessening.  

When Iwaizumi made it across, Tooru realized something. He’d have to go by himself. No support, no one to hold his hand, no one to catch him if he fell. His eyes widened and he crouched behind the tree trunk.

“Come on! You’ll be fine!” Iwaizumi hollered. Tooru tried to convince himself to believe what Iwaizumi was saying. Yet, doubt still lingered in the pit of his stomach.

“I think I’ll just go around and catch up with you!”

“Come on!” Iwaizumi growled. He wasn’t going to let this go, was he?

“Okay, I’m coming!” Tooru called back, standing once again. He pulled himself up onto the tree, but didn’t dare to stand. “I’m coming…” He mumbled to himself.

“Stand up?”

“I’m going to! Give me a second!” Tooru pouted. “Not all of us are as trusting and brave as Iwa-chan…” He grumbled, looking down into the ravine. Bad idea.

Chills ran up his spine, and suddenly his legs felt like that howling flower slime. “I can’t.” He said.

“Yes, you can. You’ll be fine.”

Tooru shook his head, shutting his eyes.

“If you don’t start moving right now, I’m pushing this tree off.”

The witch gasped dramatically, looking up at the nymph. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Iwaizumi responded by placing his foot on the tree.

“Okay! Okay, Iwa-chan, I’m going!” A small breeze ruffled his loose clothes as Tooru brought his feet underneath him. Slowly but surely he stood, his knees still slightly bent. He tried not looking down—he just looked at his slippered feet. He spread his arms out to control his balance and pulled his right foot in front of his left.

“Any day now.” Iwaizumi said, sarcastically.

“I’m going, okay!” Tooru wanted encouragement, but Iwa’s version just made him angry.

He got past the halfway point when he stopped, unclipping his backpack. “Iwa-chan, take my pack.”

“Why?”

“I think I’ll be more balanced that way.”

“I think you’re an idiot.”

“Please just take it—” He stopped, for a strong up breeze suddenly blew past him, throwing him truly off balance. In a split second, he felt himself falling backwards and his arms flew up, throwing his pack from his grasp. Regrettably, it started falling down the crevice, never to be seen again. He couldn’t think about that now, however, for the rest of him was following shortly after it.

Tooru closed his eyes. He knew he was going to die. It was only a matter of time. He’d have to endure the long fall for maybe an hour and then poof! Nothing.

He had already accepted death when, suddenly, he stopped falling. It felt as though something had grabbed onto his ankle. Tooru looked up to see that Iwaizumi had caught him right in the nick of time. He almost let out a sigh of relief, when he suddenly remembered his backpack.

He looked down the cavern to see his bag, not but a dot to his eyes anymore. The witch cursed the ravine, groaning at his terrible luck. At least his satchel was still twisted safely around his shoulders and arms.

A whistle pierced the air and without warning something wrapped around Tooru’s center. He looked down to see a vine coiling around him and lifting him back up to the tree trunk. He followed the vine with his eyes and saw that it came from inside the tree trunk. The witch also noticed similar vines were coiled around Iwaizumi’s feet, holding him fast to the side of the log. The vine around Tooru was soon replaced by Iwaizumi’s arms, and the witch clung around his strong neck like a lifeboat, visibly shaking and panting heavily.

When they were securely atop the log again, Iwaizumi said: “The forest provides.”

Tooru chuckled, still vibrating with adrenaline. “I guess it does.”

Iwaizumi guided the witch the rest of the way off the tree, and Tooru collapsed to the ground, not realizing how weak his knees were until they collided with solid ground again.

“Will you doubt me anymore, Oikawa?” Iwaizumi questioned, crouching in front of the panting boy. Tooru paused, thinking about what Iwaizumi meant by that. Did he mean the forest? That’s what he’s been trying to tell the witch to learn about and trust. That must be it.

Tooru shook his head in response and his eyes found the nymphs face. Iwaizumi smiled—a rarity Tooru was glad to witness. “Alright—let’s get going then.”

They continued on their journey through the trees for another few hours until Tooru had finally started having enough. “Iwa-chan. You said it was only a few miles away—we’ve been walking for hours and I haven’t heard a drop of water yet.”

“We’re taking a detour.”

“Detour!?” Tooru exclaimed. His hair was already crispy with the flower slobber and he was worried he’d never get it out. “Iwa-chan—I didn’t sign up for detours! I nearly die and you’re taking me on a detour?”

“You didn’t nearly die. Not even close.” Iwaizumi replied, and Tooru groaned. He recalled just then what Iwaizumi had asked him after he saved his life. He said he wouldn’t doubt anymore, so he bit his tongue on the renouncing words that threatened to escape his mouth.

“Fine. Where are we going now? I’m hungry, and I don’t have any food.”

“You’ll see.” Then he paused, sniffing the air. “Wait—we’re here.”

“Where?” Tooru glanced around. It looked like the same identical trees and plants to him.

“Do you smell it?”

Tooru took a deep breath through his nose. “Um...flowers?”

“Exactly.” The nymph got down on his knees appearing to be looking for something. Upon looking down, Tooru noticed little grooves in the dirt. He raised an eyebrow, pulling his knapsack over his head and placing it on the ground next to him. He traced his finger along one of the lines and, to his surprise, it sank deeper. He reached to begin digging at the ground, but Iwaizumi stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

“You were on the right track.” Iwaizumi continued where Tooru stopped, tracing the divot with his index finger. The dirt fell in, and suddenly the smell of flowers became stronger. The perfume smelt like nothing Tooru ever heard of. It was earthy, yet not as heavy as other earthly smells.

Iwaizumi traced the groove until he came back to where Tooru sat, completing an invisible circle. In a sudden rush, the ground in the circle flew up in a tornado-like cloud of dirt and grass. Tooru covered his eyes as the dust settled. The nymph behind him prodded his elbow to get him to look.

The witch squinted at first, but his eyes were wide with wonder in seconds. Before him laid a furrow of beautiful, cloud-white flowers. Light puffs of fluff fluttered around them like pollen flying from the trees.

“Give me your hand.” Iwaizumi said. Tooru looked down at the meaty hand being offered to him before his touched his thin fingers to it. The fae guided his hand to one of the flowers and used his fingers to tap on the flowers petals. It burst into several of the fluffs he saw dancing around before him. He blinked, then grinned excitedly at Iwaizumi. The fae looked back at him with a blank expression, yet his eyes twinkled with something Tooru couldn’t identify.

The witch, for some reason, was disappointed that Iwaizumi let go of his hand. He was starting to get used to the lightness his hand had when it was in the fae’s.

Iwaizumi nodded his head for Tooru to continue touching the flowers. He did—tapping them one at a time, gently, until they burst into tiny white puffs. He laughed lightly, and paused when an idea came to mind.

He smiled over at Iwaizumi, who looked a bit taken aback. Tooru stood and urged Iwaizumi to do the same. The nymph, however skeptical, stood next to the witch. “What?”

Tooru took his hands again and began to fall, pulling the nymph down with him. He laughed at the face Iwaizumi made and continued to do so when they landed in the flowers, and tens of thousands of flower puffs flew up around them.

Their vision was clouded and they couldn’t see anything for a second until the wind pushed the fluffs away. When their vision was cleared, Tooru gazed at Iwaizumi through his long eyelashes and was ecstatic to see that Iwaizumi was laughing—actually and genuinely laughing. In the few years the witch had lived in the forest and known Iwaizumi, he had only seen the fae chuckle sarcastically. Overall, he was very reserved. And seeing that look of sheer joy made Tooru wish to see it all the time.

“Ah, that was amazing.” Tooru marveled almost to himself, still brushing some of the pollen fluff off. “Truly a wonder of nature. How'd you find that, anyway?”

Iwaizumi ignored the brunet and reached above for the low hanging branches they were passing through. He tugged it down within his reach and yanked something off of it. He turned back and tossed the something to Tooru. The witch caught it with a little difficulty and ran his fingers over it. A fruit, no doubt. But a small one.

Tooru looked to Iwaizumi who tore the fruit in half, and began eating the inside of it. The witch did the same, and he was surprised to taste—

—nothing.

“Iwa-chan...what is this? It doesn’t taste like anything...”  

“Is it supposed to?”

“Well, yes—what do you eat, Iwa-chan? Plain porridge?” Tooru teased. Naturally the joke didn't get through to the fae. “Alright, here—it's my turn to show you something.”

Iwaizumi stopped and stepped closer to Tooru as he pulled out his wand. It was made of oak branches and had a woven-patterned handle. The nymph stepped back once more.

“It's not gonna hurt you, Iwa-chan.”

“Not this time?”

“When has it ever?”

“I don't know...but I've seen you produce fire out of that thing.”

Tooru sighed, “Different spell.”

The witch turned his attention back to his fruit, and waved his wand to rehearse a spell to make things sweeter. It worked on potions (and people), and, based on that, Tooru figured it would work on the fruit.

When the spell was cast, Tooru gave half to Iwaizumi. He looked at it, skeptically. “What'd you do to it?”

“Sweetened it—go on; try it. It’s good, I promise.”

Iwaizumi bit into the fruit slowly, as though it were going to explode any moment. Tooru was pleased to see that, as soon as the nymph started chewing, his eyes widened.

“Good?” He asked, knowing what the answer would be.

The fae nodded, although his eyebrows were knitted together as though he was unsure. “It’s strange...I’ve never tasted anything like it.”

Tooru bit into his half of the fruit, finding that it did indeed taste much better than before. “But do you like it?”

Iwa scrunched up his face and he finished his fruit. “I don’t know.” He suddenly took the witches half, despite the protests coming from him and ate that half as well. Tooru glared at his confused face, unsure whether to be upset that his snack was stolen or amused at how perplexed the poor fae was.

“Is everything this tasteless here?”

“It doesn’t taste like that, I’ll say that much.” Iwaizumi reached up for more fruits, plucking a few more from the branches. He held them out in front of Tooru, who raised an eyebrow before he flicked his wrist to recite the programmed spell to sweeten the fruit.

Iwaizumi handed Tooru one of the fruit and said, bluntly, “Sorry for taking yours”

Tooru smiled, finally, taking the fruit. “I forgive you.” He said, an unwarranted superiority in his voice as though he very much deserved the apology. Which, in a way, he did. But not if he was going to act like that.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “I take it back. C’mon let’s keep going.”

“So rude!”

When they came about the waterfall Iwaizumi had promised and Tooru finally got to rinse his hair, it was nearly sunset. The witch threw his satchel to the side, using the last of the sunlight peeking through the trees to find a safe spot to stand underneath it. He scrubbed his now crusted hair free of the flower goop. He sighed, satisfied that his hair was fully washed out, when something grabbed onto him and pulled him beneath the waterfall again.

He spluttered when he came out of the water, wiping his mug to see what grabbed him. It was Iwaizumi. “Iwa-chan, what are you doing?” They were in a small crevice behind the fall, safe from the falling water above them.

“Shh…it’s sunset. Watch.”

Tooru resisted the urge to ask ‘what’ and instead listened to what the nymph said. He squinted to see through the falling water when it lit up before him in aqua blue streams. His eyes widened at the marvel as the streams formed into a shape. A horse shape.

He breathed an astonished sigh. “A kelpie…” He whispered. “I’ve never seen such a thing…”

“This forest holds many secrets, Oikawa. Secrets you don’t need to take a sample of to see.” Tooru looked to Iwaizumi who was already staring back at the witch. Looking in his face, Tooru noticed something strange about him. Something about him was glowing. Not his eyes—although they did provide a firefly amount of light—twinkling with that unidentifiable feeling. His cheeks, arms, and particularly his chest were gleaming with a red tint.

“Iwa-chan—you’re glowing…” Tooru said. Iwaizumi’s face appeared confused, and he looked down at himself. He quickly hugged his body, suddenly slipping back through the waterfall. This scared the kelpie away back into the water. “Iwa-chan! Wait!”

Tooru pushed through the fall as well, covering his face as the rushing water from the river beneath him pushed past his calves. He squinted, looking about for Iwaizumi. The sun had set quickly, and the deep darkness that usually overtook the forest had settled in. It made it almost impossible to see.

Tooru rushed to his backpack at the bank of the river, frantically yanking his wand from it. He recited a spell and four little dots of light fluttered from the tip of his wand. He commanded them to move about, guided by his wand. He sent two in the direction Iwaizumi went, illuminating his path ahead and kept two by his side just in case.

“Iwa-chan! Come back!” He called, trotting up a short hill. He switched the lights directions a bit, searching back and forth. Why did he run? Was he hiding something? What Iwaizumi had said a moment before he ran rang in Tooru’s head, and the witch realized something.

Journey through life; growing from red; through light of love; you shall be lead.

The witch tossed the lights to the sky and commanded they explode. Each one popped, creating bright flashes, then they faded, leaving the witch in the darkness. Tooru took a deep breath, closing his eyes to help them adjust to the pitch black. When he opened them, he began walking; slowly, making sure to feel his way about so he didn’t trip on or into anything.  

He suddenly heard a snapping sound and he looked up. The witch squinted, and his straining eyes saw a faint red glow up in one of the trees. “Iwa-chan? Please come down and talk to me.” Tooru said, softly. “I...I think I know what’s going on.”

Tooru waited. And waited and waited until, finally, Iwaizumi moved. He hung himself off the branch of a tree, dropping the rest of the way to the forest floor. The faint red glow grew brighter as the fae drew closer to the witch.

Tooru opened his mouth to say something, but Iwaizumi beat him to it. “It wasn’t...supposed to be this way…”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m so foolish…” The fae mumbled, and Tooru was a bit relieved to hear that his voice was less hurt, but rather its usual irritated self. So he didn’t do anything wrong.

“Iwa-chan—it’s okay. I get why you’d want to hide this from me.” Tooru tried to reassure him. “You don’t have to feel bad about it.”

“Feel bad? What are you talking about?”

Tooru pressed his lips together, his heart sinking a bit. “You mean you don’t...harbor the Cor crystallum?”

Tooru watched as Iwaizumi dug his fingers into his chest, and was horrified to see him pull it open. The witch put his hand to his own chest, a bit disturbed. “Um…”

“Do you see?” Iwaizumi asked. Tooru carefully stepped closer and looked into the fae’s open chest. His eyes widened at what he saw. A gem—glowing bright red and beating with life—stared back at him. A stone Tooru had spent most his life searching for looked out at him, showing that Tooru had it within reach for years now. It glowed brighter the closer Tooru got to it. He stepped away, suddenly, and noticed that the glow lessened.

“Is...something wrong with it?”

Iwaizumi sighed, exasperatedly. “Yes, in a way. It’s not mine anymore.”

“What does that mean?” Tooru mumbled almost to himself. “Iwa-chan—if you’re worried I’m gonna take it, I’m not going to.”

“You don’t get it, do you.” Iwaizumi averted his eyes. “You already have.”

Oh, generous crystal; shall you find; will glow of love; two hearts entwined.

Tooru put a hand to his head, as something clicked. As he finally understood the legend. Now, thinking about it, the meaning was completely obvious. Hindsight is indeed 20/20.

“You mean you—love me?”

“That should be obvious.” Iwaizumi grumbled. “Your legend is our promise. Our hearts provide life on the condition that we find someone to share it with. I hadn’t realized before now that I had chosen you. It’s not very obvious in the daylight. I’ve never been with you at night before.”

Tooru wasn’t sure what to do. His face had heated up and he was certain it was bright red.

“B-b-but—I was certain you didn't like me—” Tooru stuttered, “I thought I was just a nuisance to you.”

“No, I...I like being around you. I get to learn new things.” Iwaizumi rubbed his neck, and that was the first time Tooru had ever seen him bashful. “Plus, you're entertaining because you always make mistakes.”

Tooru made a noise between a gasp and a choke. “Iwa-chan, that's so—”

The fae was close now. So close that Iwaizumi’s core illuminated them both. So unbelievably close that their lips were touching.

Wait a second.

Tooru’s palms were sweaty and he felt his entire body erupt in goosebumps when he realized what was happening. The nymph’s strong arms had found their way around his waist and the witch couldn't recall a time in which he had been any hotter.

When they broke apart, Tooru’s eyes fluttered and his lips were open slightly. Iwaizumi’s intense eyes bore into Tooru’s, but the witch felt no uneasiness. Instead, he recognized the strange twinkle in them. They were alight with curiosity. The witch had no idea he had such an effect.

“I think that's how humans show their love.” Iwa stated as though he didn't see Tooru melting before him. “Do you know how nymphs do so?”

In his ditzy haze, Tooru found a way to shake his head.

He then felt the fae’s hand grab onto his and pull it closer to himself. Iwaizumi lead it upwards from Tooru’s side, where he placed it neatly against his chest. At some point between when Iwaizumi kissed him, the nymph’s chest had reformed together. And when Tooru touched  it, as though it were possible, his heart glowed brighter.

In turn, the nymph put his hand to Tooru’s chest, and the witch wondered if Iwaizumi could feel how rapidly it was beating. The witch imagined, for a moment, if he were a fae of the forest. Would his heart have chosen Iwaizumi? Probably. What would happen then?

“Wha...what now?” Tooru managed, keeping his hand on the fae’s chest.

Iwaizumi looked up, silently, into Tooru’s eyes. He suddenly moved away, taking a single step back. He was just out of reach. “I suppose it works the same way. We share each other.”

The witch blinked. “Oh…”

“I-if that’s alright with you—you don’t have to.” Iwaizumi looked away.

“Oh, no, no, Iwa-chan! I…” Tooru took a breath, smiling. “I think that sounds nice.”

They had started on their journey back in the morning when they could see. They spent the night beneath the canopy of a low hanging tree, enjoying each other’s company and light.

Tooru found it hard to sleep last night. He was distracted by the idea that he had actually found what he had been looking for. Although it was wrapped in the most unexpected package he’d ever received, it was still there. It lay right next to him and he couldn’t help but keep a hand on it. He remembered falling asleep with a hand on Iwaizumi’s chest and woke up to the same thing happening to himself.

Iwaizumi had awoken before him and was tracing shapes on Tooru’s chest.

Tooru decided that was his new favorite memory.

Now, he strolled with a new skip in his step, enjoying the forest on that early morning more than he ever had. The sunrise hit the trees in just the right way to cast cool shadows over the pair as they made their way back to Tooru’s cottage.

“So,” The witch started, “are you going to stay with me in my cottage then? Be my—right hand man, if you will?”

“I don’t know.” Iwaizumi replied, honestly. “Will you be using the forest for more research?”

“Well…” Tooru stopped walking to turn to look at Iwaizumi. “…only what you let me. I think I like the forest the way it is, so—maybe instead of experimenting, you could just—take me on more adventures.”

“Even if you nearly die?”

The witch huffed out a laugh, “I know Iwa-chan’ll be there to catch me.”

Iwaizumi gave him a soft smile, before walking up ahead of the brunett. “We’ll see.” He said.

“‘We’ll see’?” Tooru jogged to catch up with him. “What does that mean?”

“It means we’ll see.”

Tooru huffed. He looked up ahead to see they were passing by a rather large tree. Overgrown. Its roots were gigantic and stuck up out of the earth like waves. Tooru ran up to once they were passing and walked up it, keeping his arms out to keep himself balanced.

“You know, Iwa-chan, I could very well become king of this forest.” Tooru stated, confidently putting his hands behind his head as he continued along the root. “You could be my queen, Iwa-chan!”

A whistle sounded in through the air, and before Tooru could properly identify what it was, something snagged his foot and he fell from the humongous root with a shriek.

He landed unceremoniously in Iwaizumi’s arms when he realized what happened. A little vine slithered back into the root. Tooru pouted when he looked at Iwaizumi.

“No matter if you learn every in and out of this forest—whether you conquer it one hundred times and earn the love of a thousand of my kind—” The nymph said. “You’re still an idiot.”

But I’m your idiot…Tooru thought.