The Odd Couple

Escalus frowned slightly at his friend, who sat as he seemed to do most days, on the windowseat, one leg dangling off as he basked in the warmth from the midday sun. Icy blue eyes could make out the strands of pearly silver the red-haired fae had been trying to hide from curious eyes, the pallor that had stolen the color from his cheeks, the tired droop to his pointed ears—Mercutio was beginning to, as the humans would often say, look his age.

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed it since returning. How long had it been since his regulars had stopped seeing him? How long had it been since he’d found a new lure, since he’d dipped into that moment of bliss with another? Judging by the lackluster appearance and the way his form sort of half-shimmered in the midday sun as he tried to warm himself, he had to guess quite some time ago. He bit his lip, trying to remember back when these fits of starvation began. When had Benvolio turned him away? When did it become apparent to everyone that suddenly no one had any interest in the fae? Sure, he was great company for a tousle or two in the sheets, even he could attest to that... but no one wanted someone like him to be dependent on them.

His frown deepened to an almost scowl. He knew how this looked. It looked like no one would take care of their own, of their very king, and he had to agree, it was petty and it was selfish. But a thousand years ago, things were different. Many would have gladly stepped up. But now, there was talk that the Seelie king would fall, that he would be left not only frail and weak, but heirless, and then talk of war began to filter in, that an Unseelie might try to overthrow the other...

Shaking his head, he sighed a little, making those mismatched eyes open to look at him, bloodred lashes fluttering a moment before Mercutio smiled that pretty smile he always had.

“You’ve been thinking again... you always did too much of that...”

Escalus sighed again, moving closer to his eldest friend, Mercutio instinctively leaning on him to take advantage of the slight contact.

“Yes, well... someone around here has to do the thinking, and it may as well be the one who does that best...” Shaking his head, he looked to Mercutio, who shrugged nonchalantly in response.

“Mercutio... Why do you let yourself get this way? This is worse than I’ve ever seen you before... How can you starve yourself so?”

Mercutio’s lips drew into a fine line, those eyes looking away to a very interesting patch of floor as he contemplated his words, murmuring very carefully, “I think I’ve lived too long... And I’ve seen couples driven apart just to sate my needs... Everyone either has someone they cherish already—or they don’t want anyone to cherish...”

Escalus’ eyes rolled slightly at that before nodding slightly as he admitted that this was true. Over a thousand years within the same walls, the same faces, the same lives, the same days and weeks and years, it was hard to be one of the last ones that hadn’t found someone to spend their immortal lives with. He felt the slight pang in his chest as he remembered, yes, that’s how he’d felt when he’d realized that he had no choices available to him, any would have done it only out of loyalty to their Prince, not because of feelings for him.

Sighing, Escalus conceded. A suitable source needed to be found, and soon... It hurt to see his friend go through this and know he couldn’t be the one to save him... Bowing his head, he finally asked the question that had been burning itself into his mind.

“Why Atl, though?”

Mercutio chuckled, smiling as he sat up a bit and said, “If you must know... nosy old goat... it’s because he makes me feel... safe... Even though I’m not what he wants...” He nodded a little and said, “If Atl says no to this... I will happily bow out... I will accept my end with no qualms...”

Escalus shook his head once more. “You know... I don’t think I’d like to see a Verona without you, Mercutio...”

Mercutio grinned. “You’re just saying that because you need someone to watch the kids when you want to spend alone time with Tlaloc.”

The red-haired Fae laughed hard when Escalus’ cheeks reddened, smirking as Escalus huffed slightly. “Not only that, and you know it...”