((Cross Posted from :
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The northeast wilds were quiet, the world around the man whispering promises into his mind as the woods shifted from the vibrant hues of spring, to the darkness of the dead forest. Even here, red will o the wisps lined the paths, the trees parting to guide the older Haru towards his destination.
The sad brown eyes of the man took in the place he would in his younger days use to hide from his powers, from his nightmares, a place where once he’d rendezvous with a lover, taking comfort in the shadows, and showing his Bex what he saw when looking upon them.
Now however, following the lights, the man felt nothing but sadness, he hadn’t seen the warnings, he just wanted to remember, alone, for one day, the way he had felt in his early twenties, his entire life ahead, the woman who he would one day marry giggling happily as they spent their happy moments together, unaware yet of what the future would hold.
A giggle came from beside Haru, red wisps forming together into the form of a young man, horns curled around his head, crouched on a log, one hand on a tree for balance, the other held out to a girl the man would recognize, “Bex! Take my hand, I wanna show you something!” He remembered what he had shown her, feet turning to follow the wisps, this had been their first trip to the dead forest, “There’s a good spot to catch fireflies up ahead!” his own deeper voice said the words simultaneously as the wisps, watching the girl stop in awe at the clearing, holding the hand of his younger self, “See? This is what I see when I see the dark, I see a world protecting those in the shadows, monsters don’t live in the shadows, some just take shelter within them.”
He’d remembered explaining this as he tried to explain what he was, but he remembered how much easier it was just to show. All three figures held their hands out, a golden firefly landed on the oldests finger, the wisps dissolving as red fireflies circled theirs, “Haru... This is incredible...” the words trailed off in the voice he so badly missed and so badly wanted to hear for real, just one more time, one more day finding her reading a book on the couch and slipping under the blanket beside her, they didn’t need words, this was how they said I love you, sliding under the blankets, enjoying the brush of fingertips on exposed skin, a head resting on a shoulder, little motions that said they weren’t going anywhere.
His eyes were sad as they vanished, a small gasp on his lips as arms draped around his shoulders, a familiar scent washing over him, not her, he knew it couldn't be, he always knew when she was coming, when she was near, this wasn't her. The giggle reached his ears and he shook, staring at where the wisps had been, "Come on baby, you know this is our place, you brought me here to watch the fireflies..." It was her voice, "If I come back anywhere... it would be here..."
The hands wrapped around his chest from behind, the quiet voice reaching his ears again, the faerie magic taking a hold of his weakened mind, "Come dance with me? I miss you..." Her voice was quiet, laced with magic, trying to persuade him to come with her.
There was a fight within him, the human male unable to resist the voice, knowing it was a lie, but wanting to just see her, hold her, feel her arms around him.
Within him another presence was screaming, begging him to wake up, to not fall for it, to stay with her, her voice not yet strong enough to break through.
He turned facing the impish smile of his love, facing the lie, and accepting it as truth, “Bex...” he whispered softly as she took his hands and twirled, the dark red faerie dress swirling with her movements, “I missed you...” he fell into the dance with her, the fae wisps settling into the shapes his horns and tail once took, the red light reflected in his eyes, looking as young as he once did, just as demonic.
The dance was peaceful at first, happy giggles and humming to an imaginary tune, but slowly the light of the wisps dimmed as midnight approached, wounds appearing across his Bex’s body, staining that red dress a deep crimson, “You couldn’t save me then...” her hand cupping his cheeks, “But with a deal you can save me now, you can have your peace back...”
He stumbled back, watching in horror as he was forced to relive her screams and pain, fire rippling around his hands as he begged for it to stop, to let her go, “It’s your fault I’m dead Haru, your fault Jun doesn’t have a mother... you should have taken a deal and they wouldn’t have come for me... Love...” the voice spoke with malice and hatred, a tone never heard in his memories, a voice lacking the warmth and love she had always held.
His horns and tail vanished, the searing pain of the memory ripping through his soul, “And then you couldn’t even face it so you threw your powers away, accept it Haru, I will never come home because of you... but you... you can change that, you can have the rest of your life with me, dancing and singing... so will you?” Haru was staring in horror, and shook his head as he stumbled away, her face decaying as if buried underground, maggots crawling through her flesh, “So you’ll just watch me die again?” She asks, her voice turning cold, “You know where to find me when you change your mind... Love.”
The moon hung at its highest point as the world went dark. Haru fell, clutching his knees to his chest, sobs shaking his chest, “I’m sorry... Bex... forgive me please... please...” his voice echoed, hand over his heart, “Please don’t leave me alone...”
His begging fell on the silence of the woods, his brown eyes welling up as he let out a scream, feeling the pain of losing her rip through him again and again. The screaming gave way to sobs, the smallest of flames wrapping around his hands in anger, the last remnant of the power he once held.
————
In the shadows, watching the pain with unspoken glee, feasting on it with a grin, was a red eyed shadow, watching the man rip himself apart, granting just the smallest amount of power to him as a reminder.