Endling (Kaito x Gakupo)

Chapter 14

By the time Gakupo and Kaito went down to the caves at ground level, IA was already trying out an elaborate white and pale pink outfit. Her hair and ears were covered by a silken robe and hood, so radiant and pristine that it was hard to believe it was merely cloth and not a spell of some kind. The delicate fabric of her flower-shaped skirt had been embroidered with intricate patterns that could only be seen from certain angles. Then, the thin threads shone like fresh dew in the light. It was quite a sight to behold, and Kaito couldn't help but wonder about the origin of all this luxury. The cavern claimed by the fae seamstresses was modestly furnished and had nothing in the way of looms or vats of tincture. Clearly, the fabric had been woven and treated somewhere else. He had always thought the old tales about the majestic fae court were exaggerations meant to arouse the greed of humans and stir anti-fae sentiment, but apparently there was some truth to it after all. The piles of treasure from the day before were another obvious clue, although he had neglected to think about the implications at the time.

He was still pondering the subject when the fae seamstresses ushered Gakupo behind a screen set up in a corner of the cave. The girls took upon themselves to help their future king change with more enthusiasm than Kaito would've liked, eyeing one another and smiling meaningfully. Kaito looked away, feigning indifference. On the other side of the room, IA was practicing some dance moves in front of a big bronze mirror. Considering how restrictive her outfit seemed at first glance, it was an impressive feat. IA noticed his gaze and regaled him with a rude hand gesture and a smile, without missing a beat.

I wish I could smash your head against that damned mirror, Kaito thought, then immediately felt surprised at his own fury. He quickly directed his eyes towards the opening of the cave, just in time to see his father and Yuki walking in his direction. His father was wearing a casual suit and was freshly shaven. With Yuki in her beautiful kimono, they looked like a father and daughter on their way to a ceremony at the nearest temple.

"Dad!" Kaito called out, and then immediately felt silent. Now that the moment had come, he felt completely unable to form coherent sentences. Still, he walked towards the pair to meet them outside the cave. IA wasn't going to get more ammunition to make fun of him, if he could avoid it.

"Good day, Kaito," Yuki said as pleasantly as always.

"Son." Mr. Fuuga's face was a stoic mask. "Yuki just told me how you spent the past few days."

For most of Kaito's life, his father had been constantly warm and kind, never raising his voice in anger. But now he had twice heard him speak in that calm, terribly disappointed tone, as worn down as a rock constantly submerged in a stream. And it was his fault. Kaito felt so ashamed that his innards seemed to twist into ribbons. He immediately bowed and apologized profusely.

"She said that the two of you had a talk...That she admired your determination," his father continued as if he had heard nothing. "But you didn't even let me know what you were going to do. Are those the actions of a man that believes in his own words?"

Kaito opened his mouth and closed it, eyes still glued to the ground.

A few painful seconds passed before he felt a hand land softly on top of his head. "Show me that determination on your face. Tell me you'll be happy with this choice." Now, there was anger in that voice, but worry as well and a bit of fear.

The hand went away and Kaito straightened up slowly. His father was right once again. The legacy of the ogre wasn't going to do him any good if he lacked a strong will. It's not enough to find my own answers, I have to believe in them. So, he met his father's gaze and said as evenly as he could, "I'm sorry I didn't let you know. But I want this. I'll be happy."