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Title: Of Mice and Men
Fandoms: Castle, Fables
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, Humor, Romance
Details: Slash, genre!crack, AU, crack, unsolicited crossover, fairy tales, talking animals, author insanity, shades of "omfg what did I just write?", unbetad.
Characters/Pairings: Castle—Javier Esposito/Kevin Ryan. Fables—Bigby Wolf, Reynard, Frau Totenkinder, Rose Red, Clara, Bagheera, Stinky, others.
Wordcount: 5,321
Notes: As promised, this chapter is nearly all answers for poor Javi.
Chapter Five: Small Talk
(Which contains shoe dropping of all sizes, and related puns become completely unavoidable.)
"Okay," Kevin said. "Okay..."
He trailed off for a moment, expression contorting with a sort of harried uncertainty as he struggled visibly for the answers he had promised. To himself, Javier thought that he might yet manage to live a happy life if he never heard that word again—from his partner's lips or anyone else's. It had already been said far too many times today, and the circumstances forced him to conclude that the word okay had long since ceased to hold any kind of meaning.
"So— Okay," Kevin finally started, eyes watching Javier carefully as he hesitantly began to outline their situation. "Think of this place as a sort of...refugee camp. Like Casablanca, but without the Nazis."
"Dude, you stole that line from Men in Black."
And calling him on it sounded a little inane, even to him. Javier blamed the strain he was currently under for that being the first connection his brain decided to make. Then again, perhaps it was simply that ribbing Kevin's nerdiness was familiar. Safe. The rest of it...wasn't so much.
"Yeah, sure," Kevin allowed, releasing an exasperated breath, "but it's still a metaphor that works."
"Look, Kev," Javier said, making sure his partner met his eye. "I know you're trying to soften the blow or whatever, but I'm pretty sure I'm done trying to break, alright? So just...give it to me straight."
Kevin let out a slow breath, nodding. He turned, pulling the chair the mouse had vacated closer to the bed before he sat down, facing Javier as he considered his words carefully. From what Javier could see, Kevin wasn't happy with his options. His hands worked in vague, useless gestures between them as if bidding those words to come. Finally his partner let out a sigh that was half a groan, and the words came.
"A long time ago—like, hundreds of years ago—there was a war," Kevin said, halting, reluctantly, as if each word hurt as it was drawn out of him, like pulling a thorn. "And rather than submit to enemy rule, hundreds fled looking for a safe place—"
Kevin let out a short laugh, soft, offering a brief smile.
"Well, safer , anyway," he amended. "So they left their Homelands, and came to the New World."
Kevin paused, eyes roaming his face as if tracking how well Javier had followed so far. So far, it all sounded relatively straightforward, but Javier was painfully aware he was likely only lacking in pertinent details.
"Alright," Javier said, offering a slight nod to encourage his partner to continue.
Kevin wet his lips, forehead creasing in a way that was almost painful to watch, quiet a moment before he took in a quick breath and plowed ahead.
"The thing is though, Javi?" he said, voice lifting with an uncertain lilt. "When I say things like 'New World' and 'Old World', I mean that in a very real way. The Homelands are..."
He hesitated again, though only briefly this time, like he was finally working up the momentum he needed.
"They're a place that's not here," Kevin concluded finally, dropping the rest with a slow nod. "They aren't a part of this world."
And Javier had been following along. It was a lot to take in, but he wasn't stupid, and he thought his brain was slowly acclimating itself to how insane this whole situation was. He decided to test that theory.
"So the animals are...what?" Javier asked slowly. "Rejects from Wonderland or something?"
Oddly, Kevin seemed to bristle at the question just a little.
"Yes, Javier," Kevin answered, his tone somewhat tight. "Some of them literally."
A couple seconds passed as Javier chewed on that last detail, and Kevin finally shook off his irritation.
"So, wait," Javier interjected, trying to take a more active role in the conversation. It made him feel a bit less helpless. "Are we talking about storybook animals from actual storybooks? I mean, when you called that panther— Are you saying that was the real Bagheera? From The Jungle Book?"
"Exactly." Kevin said, seeming relieved that Javier was on board so far. "And not just animals, humans too, and other things—"
"There was a sunflower walking around out there," Javier interrupted suddenly, hardly even realizing until he had. "It, uh. It had a face."
Because he seriously wanted confirmation about that one. Thankfully Kevin nodded, and though a faint snort of amusement escaped him it was adequately sympathetic, and Javier chose not to take offense.
"Collectively, we call ourselves Fables," Kevin said next, looking him in the eye very carefully.
"And you're one of them," Javier said, slowly, and he wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling at that moment, but he was glad to have kept it out of his voice all the same.
And Kevin nodded in confirmation, even though they both knew it wasn't really a question. Javier had expected it was the case, but the admission still left him a little stunned. Javier thought that had less to do with the existence of other worlds or talking animals than it did the secrets his partner had obviously been keeping—from him. A sharp, angry spark of betrayal flared in his chest. Javier did his best to crush it, because he knew it was irrational, but he still couldn't help but feel hurt.
"We've been hiding our existence from the Mundane world for centuries," Kevin said, and Javier could tell from his tone and expression that he felt a little exposed. "And part of how we've managed that is by keeping any of us that can't pass for Mundane humans up here on the Farm, where they won't be seen."
Kevin let out a breath, then, shaking his head as he fixed Javier with a sharp stare.
"Jesus, Javi... There have been breaches and exceptions in the past, but until now no Mundy has ever seen the Farm. Your finding this place is...kind of a big deal. Huge. And it's got to have a lot of people freaked out."
"So, people are going to want me dead because I stumbled on your hidden colony of fairytale animals?"
Kevin tilted his head, weighing the words.
"Pretty much?" Kevin answered with a wince. "Or maybe not dead, but nobody's very happy about it."
Javier couldn't help but let out a snort in response to that obvious understatement.
"Right," Javier said slowly, digesting as best as he could. "I think I can work with that."
Silence returned, but it was a far easier silence than before, Kevin waiting patiently on Javier as the new information settled in his brain. There didn't seem to be any way for him to absorb it that felt remotely sane, but as long as he had enough evidence that it was real, Javier supposed it didn't really have to be.
"So," Javier said after a long moment. "I mean— I always wondered why you never talked about your family, and where you were from. Guess now I get why."
And it was kind of a stupidly obvious observation, but it was a start. Still, Kevin seemed to turn the statement over with some thought.
"Where I'm from..." Kevin repeated slowly, eyes drifting a little.
His forehead creased rather distressingly, as it often would when he worried over some very crucial decision. Whatever that decision was, Javier could tell when Kevin made it, taking in a slow, deep breath before their eyes found contact again.
"Would— Do you think you could handle a small tour?" Kevin asked, belatedly wincing as if at an unintentional joke.
"That really a good idea, Kev?" Javier asked, thinking about the frightening variety of teeth and claws he had seen out in the farmyard.
Kevin released a faint laugh.
"Probably not," he admitted with a half-smile, though it faded a little after a moment. Kevin seemed to hesitate, but whatever his doubts were he snapped out of it with a shake of his head.
"There's something I need you to see."
Getting permission from Rose Red turned out to be easier than either of them had anticipated. She was apparently heavily engrossed in the wedding arrangements—and that was something Javier knew he and Kevin still needed to talk about. Javier decided he needed to make a list. Her only stipulation was the assignment of a security detail, as much for Javier's safety as their own.
For this purpose, she asked Clara to shadow their activities on the Farm.
Clara, to Javier's infinite dismay, turned out to be the crow that had been eyeing him with predatory intent upstairs.
"I don't get it," Javier said as they stood in the foyer, watching with trepidation as Clara dove out the front door ahead of them, "what's a bird going to do if that panther comes back or I try to escape?"
Kevin opened his mouth as if to answer that question, though he seemed to reconsider with a wince.
"I'll tell you if you want," Kevin said, eyes on his in one of the most earnest expressions Javier had ever seen, "but you'll probably live a much happier life not knowing."
And really, after everything he had seen in the past few hours, Javier would have to have been a lot stupider than he was not to take that advice.
Kevin had been less than forthcoming with details about their destination, and as they walked that didn't appear likely to change. Given his partner's obvious uncertainty, Javier couldn't bring himself to ask. He was too afraid that any prying might spook Kevin into changing his mind. Now that his life wasn't in (immediate) danger, however, Javier finally had the chance to get a better sense of the place. The farmhouse itself seemed slightly out of place, but there was the barn, of course, and some kind of small workshop, which both looked fairly normal; but some of the surrounding architecture was...bizarre, to say the least. Just beyond the farmhouse they passed what honest to God looked like a giant boot. The path was lined on both sides with odd little houses and small cottages of all kinds. Animal inhabitants stared from yards and windows as they passed—
Though, to be fair, Javier was pretty shameless about staring back.
Apparently, however, none of this was part of the tour Kevin intended. As they went, he commented on very little. In fact, the most Kevin said the entire time was to offer a word of warning, not about some dangerous animal or bizarre creature, but an ordinary looking man with blonde hair that glared daggers at them as they passed.
"He's not dangerous or anything," Kevin concluded awkwardly. "Just try of avoid him. Thunderfoot and I just, uh...we don't get along."
And they pretty much lapsed into complete silence after that, because no way in hell was Javier even going to ask.
The path led them into the woods surrounding the Farm. And the wood itself was inhabited with Fable life, Javier saw, though the wildlife—if it was even appropriate to call it that—became noticeably more sparse the further they traveled. And, as they progressed, Kevin's steps became more hesitating and unsure. Finally, they came within sight of a short, crumbling stonework wall. Kevin stopped just in front of him, staring ahead. As Javier came up beside him, he caught a brief glimpse of helpless terror on his partner's face. It faded as Kevin turned to look at him, ticking a faint, reassuring smile. As if Javier were the one whose body language was screaming total panic...
"This is as close as we're allowed to go without permission," Kevin said finally, after a long, slow breath that managed to release some of the tension from his shoulders. "It's been a while, but there should still be a spot along the wall where you can see it..."
They followed the wall for several yards, Kevin's eyes carefully scanning the trees, before he apparently found what he was looking for.
"Yeah, there it is." Kevin said, voice dropping to a whisper.
Kevin set down the small bag he'd brought with him, lowering himself to his knees behind the wall. Taking his cue, Javier sank down beside him. Out of the bag, Kevin retrieved a pair of binoculars—Javier assumed he must have borrowed them from the farmhouse for this purpose—and, resting his elbows on top of the wall, he searched the woods beyond. After a short moment, Kevin passed them to Javier, pointing to some spot within the trees.
"About sixty yards from where we're at there's a large tree. You'll know it when you see it."
Kevin's voice was thin with anxiety, and Javier found himself oddly reluctant to look. After a moment, however, he did as Kevin instructed, searching the trees carefully. It took him a moment to find it, but Kevin was right, he really couldn't have missed it... Though most of the trees grew close together in this wood, this particular specimen had space cleared around it for several feet. The tree itself was tremendous, easily dwarfing its neighbors. But it was neither its size nor its prominence that made it stand out. At first glance, it seemed like there was ivy or something growing up around the tree, covering its roots and climbing up into the branches,but the coverage was too thick, too solid—too strange. Once he managed to adjust the binoculars for a clearer view, Javier quickly realized what it actually was he was seeing, and that realization literally took his breath away.
"Dios mio..." he managed, once the shock had cleared enough for him to speak. "Are those...buildings?"
And he couldn't drag his eyes away, but he felt Kevin nod beside him.
"That's Smalltown," his partner said quietly, and the note of sadness that crept into his voice finally managed to draw Javier's attention back where it really belonged. "On its own scale, it's actually the largest Fable community in this world, with a dense population, mostly of mixed Lilliputian descent."
"Lilliputian?" Javier asked. The word sounded familiar, and with a little effort he managed to place it. "Like from Gulliver's Travels?"
"Exactly like." Kevin said. He paused before he continued, drawing a sharp breath like a man about to leap. "And... I used to serve as a member of its Mounted Police."
"That's where you're from?" Javier asked, though it took a moment for his brain to parse the significant and obvious problem in his partner's claim. "Wait...you used to be one of them? A Lilliputian?"
Kevin actually let out a soft laugh, and Javier felt a stab of irritation, because if Kevin was putting him on right now, God help him...
"Uh, no," Kevin said, "not exactly."
And it was really the degree of his partner's fidgeting that saved him from an untimely end. Kevin wasn't looking at him, choosing instead to peel and pick at the moss growing between the stones of the wall.
"You know the old story, The Country Mouse and the City Mouse?" Kevin finally asked him, and the nervousness strangling his voice all but reduced it to a squeak.
"Sure," Javier said, "but I'm not sure where you're headed with the metaphor."
"It's, uh, not a metaphor," Kevin said with a wince. He finally managed to look Javier in the eye, and the expression creasing his forehead looked almost painful. "I, uh... I used to be a mouse."
Kevin's attention hung nervously, waiting on Javier's reaction. It took him an unfortunate amount of time to even begin to find one. Javier turned and sat back against the wall, needing something solid behind him. Mirroring his movements—likely unconsciously—Kevin did the same.
"Sorry..." Javier began slowly. "The way my day's been so far, I honestly cannot tell one way or the other if you're joking."
"I'm not joking," Kevin told him, very simply.
Javier took a slow breath as he tried to work that detail into his reality. It probably should have been more difficult, but somehow it just felt...right. Kevin had always been oddly unassuming—in their profession it had made him fairly unusual. Yet while in anyone else it might have seemed an ill-suited trait for a police officer, Kevin had always managed to make it work for him. Though he wasn't assertive by nature he was certainly capable of it, and people frequently underestimated him, both physically and in other ways. Many were the occasions when defense lawyers who had met Kevin in preparation for a trial assumed his testimony would be easy to counter. Their inevitable surprise once he demonstrated just how wrong that assumption was would probably never stop being amusing.
Kevin wasn't just a man frequently overlooked, he was a man who expected to be overlooked, and who had learned to use it to his advantage. As insane as his partner's confession was, oddly, it seemed to fit. All in all, Javier's mind seemed worryingly able to accept his partner's status as a former rodent.
It was probably a sign of brain damage.
For better or worse, though, at the moment Javier simply didn't have the energy to try and pick that apart. He decided the best thing he could do was be honest.
"Okay," he started, running a hand over his face. "Okay. Not saying it won't be weird later, but right now I've got nothing left. So...okay."
There was that word again.
Kevin frowned, quiet for a moment as he seemed to take stock of just where this left them.
"I'll accept that," he said finally, managing a jerky nod.
And, yeah, Javier could imagine a few dozen ways he could potentially have reacted that would have been much worse.
"So, uh, how?" Javier asked, once the silence threatened to stretch out into something unrecoverable. "And why?"
"The how's pretty obvious," Kevin said, though he wilted slightly under Javier's blank stare. "Er, magic."
And, okay, "magic" probably was the most obvious answer, but Javier was still getting used to there even being a question.
"Why is...harder," Kevin continued, answering the rest of Javier's question.
Or at least, he seemed willing to make the attempt, because he thought over his words for a very long moment before he managed to speak.
"Fables are flesh and blood just like anyone else," Kevin finally said, voice slowed by the efforts of what he was trying to explain, "but there's also this other dimension to us. Magic is a part of it, but there's magic and there's magic."
Kevin frowned, apparently realizing how confusing that was, then clarified.
"I mean, there's magic that does things, and then there's the magic that makes us who and what we are," Kevin explained. "And no one's really sure if the stories that exist about us here in the Mundane world only reflect who we are or if they define it. Either way, our basic nature is written into us like our DNA."
He fell silent for a moment, eyes falling to his hands where they sat in his lap.
"I never wanted to be human," Kevin admitted slowly. "I was happy with who and what I was. It was where I was that was the problem."
He cast a glance over his shoulder, over the wall, back toward the strange, small, sprawling town in the middle of the woods.
"Smalltown's a good place, it was just a bad fit for me," Kevin said, turning back to look at him. "I didn't really have a lot of options. When I signed the Fabletown Compact, I agreed to confine myself to the Farm and...well, compared to a cottage or a burrow in some field somewhere it was the lesser evil."
Kevin's shudder was almost comical.
"And I did love my job," he said, "but...all the years I lived out here it felt like a part of me was missing. And we'd hear the gossip that made it up here from the human Fables in Manhattan..."
"I dreamed about it more than once," Kevin said, "and then one day, out of the blue I had this opportunity sprung on me. A role for me to fill down in Fabletown, and the job itself was temporary, but the change that made it possible didn't have to be. And it was a choice I never would have imagined myself making, but it put everything I wanted most in my reach, so I took it, and..."
And Kevin trailed off into silence, finishing with a loose, mute gesture that Javier imagined was meant to encompass every moment of his life ever since.
"So that's why, Javi," Kevin finished sadly. "Our laws forced me to choose which was the most essential part of who I am...and in the end, species wasn't it."
Javier was left at a loss for what to say. He felt Kevin needed some reaction, though.
"Talk about 'you can't go home again'," he said, finally.
It felt trite in the face of the harsh decision his partner had been put to, but there was really no better way for him to say it. Kevin seemed to understand that, and he nodded with a sad smile.
"But I could have, Javi," Kevin countered softly, taking a breath. "I still could. That's the problem."
"What do you mean?"
"The enchantment that made me human was designed as temporary," Kevin explained. "There's no expiration date, but it isn't exactly permanent either, like curses are. It left me the option of having it reversed once my job was done."
Kevin shook his head.
"It wasn't a big deal at first," he said, "but once it was clear I didn't intend to go back things changed. I wasn't the first Fable to make a choice like this, but most that I know of either did it for love or for the common good, and those are reasons most Fables can understand. But almost no one on the Farm understood my reasons. They think I did it because I was unhappy, and—well, a lot of the Fables here are unhappy, but they felt my choice was extreme. Unnatural."
"But you did do it for love," Javier said, not realizing he had spoken until Kevin looked at him in confusion. "You love New York. I've heard you talk about your walks at night, Kev. You love the noise and the energy. You love the crowds, and you love the people even when they're rotten. You love how you can always manage to find something new, no matter how many times you've walked down the same street. I don't think anyone could hear you talk about the city and not realize what it means to you."
Kevin's eyes turned distant, soft, and a faint smile touched his lips.
"This is why you weren't sure about coming back, wasn't it?" Javier asked, emboldened. "You were worried they'd give you a hard time."
"Something like that," Kevin confirmed with a shallow nod. "Most of the Farm sees me as a deviant, but in Smalltown I'm practically a traitor. A lot of Fables in the city don't take the Farm crowd seriously—I'm told it's better now, under Rose, but for a long time complaints were just ignored. And Smalltown...well it might not even exist as far as the average Fable is concerned. But most people in Smalltown like it that way. They don't like being overlooked, but they're proud of the independence it gives them. So when I chose to leave, a lot of them saw it as showing where my loyalties really lay."
Kevin shook his head, looking back at Javier with a quirk to his lips that was hardly a smile.
"Fable or Mundane," Kevin concluded, "we're all Gullivers in Smalltown."
"I can't say I don't have my regrets," he said, after a while, "but I've never regretted the decision itself. And I don't regret coming out here, apart from the trouble it's caused. It was good seeing my cousin again. It was something I needed to do."
And Javier was relieved to hear that. He didn't doubt for a second that Kevin meant it, and he felt like several anxieties he wasn't even aware he had were laid to rest.
The walk back to the farmhouse was fairly quiet. It was a different, more comfortable quiet than the one that had lead them out that day, but it was still awkward in its own way. Because there were still questions that Javier needed to ask, and with the crow shadowing their every step it didn't seem safe to ask them. Once they came within view of the Farmyard, however, Clara abandoned their close company, landing on top of the barn for a wider view. Javier figured he had his chance.
"Okay, so what is that weird silver thing, and how did it manage to save my ass?" Javier asked.
And he had decided on the long walk that it was best to open the conversation this way. Even if it avoided the greater part of his question entirely, it also avoided touching directly the topic of their apparently looming marriage.
Kevin's step stuttered, as if he had completely forgotten. Then again, it was entirely possible that in the course of revealing so much of himself he had. Kevin flicked a searching eye toward the sky to locate Clara before he relaxed just a little. They were already close, walking shoulder to shoulder as they normally did, but Kevin apparently felt they needed more to protect the privacy of their conversation, or perhaps just to add veracity to the relationship they had claimed. Kevin drew in a little closer, resting his hand on the small of Javier's back. The warmth that rose in his stomach fought with tightness in his chest as he forcibly reminded himself that Kevin was only pretending. Still, some masochistic part of him couldn't help but cling to how good it felt. And still another, more rational, part couldn't help but point out that if everything he had seen and been told hadn't managed to shake the affection he felt for Kevin, then he really was in a whole lot of trouble...
"It's called a handfasting spell," Kevin told him, voice low and close to his ear. "Marriages between Fables and Mundanes don't happen often at all, but when they do the enchantment gives a little extra insurance that the important secrets will be kept. It's a geas—a type of spell that places constraints on the target's behavior."
And Javier tensed, not liking the idea, but Kevin seemed unconcerned.
"I know that sounds bad, but it's not a major one," Kevin reassured him. "All it would really do is prevent you from revealing our existence to other Mundanes. And you'd be required to sign and obey the Fabletown Compact, but that's kind of like dual citizenship."
But Javier could tell from the too-earnest look on his face that that wasn't all. He chose to call his partner on it directly.
"No way there's not a catch in there, Kev."
Kevin made a faint noise, tilting his head slightly.
"Well, I'll also be responsible for any crimes you might commit under the compact," Kevin said. "Whatever punishment you would suffer, I would too, and there are laws on our books punishable by beheading."
Kevin paused. His voice had become a little thin, but he pushed forward with more strength in it.
"Anyway," he finished, "I trust you not to get us in trouble like that, so it's really not a big deal."
And Javier just flat out didn't know what to do with Kevin saying that trusting him with something like that wasn't a big deal, but as he let his thoughts drift his mind made a connection, and he spoke without thinking.
"It was meant for Jenny, wasn't it?" Javier asked.
He immediately wished he hadn't, because he knew the answer, and right now Jenny was the last thing he wanted to talk about. Kevin seemed somewhat reluctant to approach the subject himself, but after a moment he nodded.
"Yeah," Kevin admitted quietly. "If we were going to be married, I thought she deserved to know the truth, but I never got the chance before..."
"I never asked before, and you don't have to tell me," Javier said, figuring he might as well reap some benefit from the subject now that it was open. "What happened between you and her, Kev?"
And Kevin stopped, his expression showing as a slightly startled wince before it faded into one that was merely uncertain...and somewhat embarrassed. Javier waited patiently for a few seconds, and finally Kevin turned to look at him, his hand moving up to rub the back of his neck.
"She bought traps, Javi," Kevin said, voice laden with a definite horror that was balanced against his uncertainty. "Lethal traps—when I specifically asked her not to. And, okay, sure, they were Mundy rats, but it was still barbaric and unnecessary..."
Kevin trailed off, shaking his head. His expression was more than a little pained.
"I mean, that wasn't it," he said quickly, "but it's kind of what made me take a step back. And when I did I started to see a lot of things I hadn't let myself before. About how she walked all over me and I kind of let her. How I was always the one making the compromises in our relationship. I mean— Jesus, Javi, she talked me out of having you as my best man. I mean, you're not just the guy who keeps my ass alive every day, you're also my best friend."
"And... I never really meant to break it off with her, actually," Kevin admitted with a breathless laugh, seeming a bit baffled by the memory. "I just wanted to put things off for a bit, make sure I knew what I was heading into. But she took it badly, and said it was now or never, and...I tried to call her bluff. So she decided she was breaking it off. And a week later she tried to change her mind, but..."
Kevin took a slow breath, stepping back from the recollection and looking Javier in the eye.
"I'm no stranger to change, Javi—I mean obviously—but if I'm going to change who I am, I think it's important it be into someone and something I can live with."
And Javier thought that he understood that...as much as he did anything any more.
"Anyway, you can refuse the geas," Kevin said cautiously, "back out of the marriage. And I know it's kind of screwed up, but I wouldn't suggest it. There are alternatives, but none of them are really great. It's possible they might arrange to have your memories of the Farm erased, but those kinds of spells are risky. They're also expensive and hard to come by—even more than what I've got on hand, and that one cost me three times what I paid for Jenny's engagement ring."
"Of course," Kevin said, his voice dull, "it's also possible they won't authorize that expense. In which case they might—"
He cut off abruptly, and the hand at Javier's back tugged lightly in a gesture that was almost an embrace. Judging the terror which showed in his partner's eyes, however, Javier wasn't even sure Kevin was aware of it.
"I just...I don't know what I would do with myself if that happened. If they..." Kevin's eyebrows drew together as he struggled with his words.
"Hey," Javier interrupted softly, drawing Kevin's attention back to him. His face was pale in a way that made the blue of his eyes look surprisingly vulnerable. And Javier knew it was probably a terrible idea, but he slung his own arm around Kevin's waist to draw him closer. "I would be honored to be your husband in the eyes of Fabletown."
And the smile that Kevin flashed him then all but killed him. Because his partner was right, this false relationship they had to look forward too was less than ideal. Still, while it was about as far from any scenario Javier might have imagined on his drive up here, he imagined the situation could have been far worse.
After all, Kevin still didn't realize that Javier kind of wished it was real.
Chapter Six
Author's Note: Am I mean to Jenny in this one? I honestly can't tell anymore. I still haven't killed her off though. That's got to count for something, right?
Oh, and there is now a graphic for this fic. It can be seen on the main post for the story, or you can click the spoiler flag to see it here:
A minor uninteresting change was made to the last chapter. I realized that in the beginning I mentioned Twigleaf climbing up onto a small table, and in the end I had him climbing off of a chair. I've gone back and changed it to a chair in both instances because it works better for this chapter.
Oh, and it's never going to matter in this fic, but for those of you dying of curiosity about Clara the Crow: she used to be a dragon. She still breathes fire.
So, anyway...
It's funny how it only now occurs to me that I never really identified Acorn and Twigleaf as being anyone specific fairytale-wise prior to this chapter. Since it's nowbeen said outright, was it obvious who they were supposed to be beforehand, or did it need to be said here?
I know I tend to leave cracks between what the reader is supposed to know and what I've actually remembered to tell them. You know, that big gaping chasm between "being subtle" and "failing at exposition forever". I mean, this story doesn't suffer that much if you miss the connection, but with stories like Black Edelweiss and Sui Generis, losing the details could really confuse things.
Fandoms: Castle, Fables
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, Humor, Romance
Details: Slash, genre!crack, AU, crack, unsolicited crossover, fairy tales, talking animals, author insanity, shades of "omfg what did I just write?", unbetad.
Characters/Pairings: Castle—Javier Esposito/Kevin Ryan. Fables—Bigby Wolf, Reynard, Frau Totenkinder, Rose Red, Clara, Bagheera, Stinky, others.
Wordcount: 5,321
Notes: As promised, this chapter is nearly all answers for poor Javi.
Chapter Five: Small Talk
(Which contains shoe dropping of all sizes, and related puns become completely unavoidable.)
"Okay," Kevin said. "Okay..."
He trailed off for a moment, expression contorting with a sort of harried uncertainty as he struggled visibly for the answers he had promised. To himself, Javier thought that he might yet manage to live a happy life if he never heard that word again—from his partner's lips or anyone else's. It had already been said far too many times today, and the circumstances forced him to conclude that the word okay had long since ceased to hold any kind of meaning.
"So— Okay," Kevin finally started, eyes watching Javier carefully as he hesitantly began to outline their situation. "Think of this place as a sort of...refugee camp. Like Casablanca, but without the Nazis."
"Dude, you stole that line from Men in Black."
And calling him on it sounded a little inane, even to him. Javier blamed the strain he was currently under for that being the first connection his brain decided to make. Then again, perhaps it was simply that ribbing Kevin's nerdiness was familiar. Safe. The rest of it...wasn't so much.
"Yeah, sure," Kevin allowed, releasing an exasperated breath, "but it's still a metaphor that works."
"Look, Kev," Javier said, making sure his partner met his eye. "I know you're trying to soften the blow or whatever, but I'm pretty sure I'm done trying to break, alright? So just...give it to me straight."
Kevin let out a slow breath, nodding. He turned, pulling the chair the mouse had vacated closer to the bed before he sat down, facing Javier as he considered his words carefully. From what Javier could see, Kevin wasn't happy with his options. His hands worked in vague, useless gestures between them as if bidding those words to come. Finally his partner let out a sigh that was half a groan, and the words came.
"A long time ago—like, hundreds of years ago—there was a war," Kevin said, halting, reluctantly, as if each word hurt as it was drawn out of him, like pulling a thorn. "And rather than submit to enemy rule, hundreds fled looking for a safe place—"
Kevin let out a short laugh, soft, offering a brief smile.
"Well, safer , anyway," he amended. "So they left their Homelands, and came to the New World."
Kevin paused, eyes roaming his face as if tracking how well Javier had followed so far. So far, it all sounded relatively straightforward, but Javier was painfully aware he was likely only lacking in pertinent details.
"Alright," Javier said, offering a slight nod to encourage his partner to continue.
Kevin wet his lips, forehead creasing in a way that was almost painful to watch, quiet a moment before he took in a quick breath and plowed ahead.
"The thing is though, Javi?" he said, voice lifting with an uncertain lilt. "When I say things like 'New World' and 'Old World', I mean that in a very real way. The Homelands are..."
He hesitated again, though only briefly this time, like he was finally working up the momentum he needed.
"They're a place that's not here," Kevin concluded finally, dropping the rest with a slow nod. "They aren't a part of this world."
And Javier had been following along. It was a lot to take in, but he wasn't stupid, and he thought his brain was slowly acclimating itself to how insane this whole situation was. He decided to test that theory.
"So the animals are...what?" Javier asked slowly. "Rejects from Wonderland or something?"
Oddly, Kevin seemed to bristle at the question just a little.
"Yes, Javier," Kevin answered, his tone somewhat tight. "Some of them literally."
A couple seconds passed as Javier chewed on that last detail, and Kevin finally shook off his irritation.
"So, wait," Javier interjected, trying to take a more active role in the conversation. It made him feel a bit less helpless. "Are we talking about storybook animals from actual storybooks? I mean, when you called that panther— Are you saying that was the real Bagheera? From The Jungle Book?"
"Exactly." Kevin said, seeming relieved that Javier was on board so far. "And not just animals, humans too, and other things—"
"There was a sunflower walking around out there," Javier interrupted suddenly, hardly even realizing until he had. "It, uh. It had a face."
Because he seriously wanted confirmation about that one. Thankfully Kevin nodded, and though a faint snort of amusement escaped him it was adequately sympathetic, and Javier chose not to take offense.
"Collectively, we call ourselves Fables," Kevin said next, looking him in the eye very carefully.
"And you're one of them," Javier said, slowly, and he wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling at that moment, but he was glad to have kept it out of his voice all the same.
And Kevin nodded in confirmation, even though they both knew it wasn't really a question. Javier had expected it was the case, but the admission still left him a little stunned. Javier thought that had less to do with the existence of other worlds or talking animals than it did the secrets his partner had obviously been keeping—from him. A sharp, angry spark of betrayal flared in his chest. Javier did his best to crush it, because he knew it was irrational, but he still couldn't help but feel hurt.
"We've been hiding our existence from the Mundane world for centuries," Kevin said, and Javier could tell from his tone and expression that he felt a little exposed. "And part of how we've managed that is by keeping any of us that can't pass for Mundane humans up here on the Farm, where they won't be seen."
Kevin let out a breath, then, shaking his head as he fixed Javier with a sharp stare.
"Jesus, Javi... There have been breaches and exceptions in the past, but until now no Mundy has ever seen the Farm. Your finding this place is...kind of a big deal. Huge. And it's got to have a lot of people freaked out."
"So, people are going to want me dead because I stumbled on your hidden colony of fairytale animals?"
Kevin tilted his head, weighing the words.
"Pretty much?" Kevin answered with a wince. "Or maybe not dead, but nobody's very happy about it."
Javier couldn't help but let out a snort in response to that obvious understatement.
"Right," Javier said slowly, digesting as best as he could. "I think I can work with that."
Silence returned, but it was a far easier silence than before, Kevin waiting patiently on Javier as the new information settled in his brain. There didn't seem to be any way for him to absorb it that felt remotely sane, but as long as he had enough evidence that it was real, Javier supposed it didn't really have to be.
"So," Javier said after a long moment. "I mean— I always wondered why you never talked about your family, and where you were from. Guess now I get why."
And it was kind of a stupidly obvious observation, but it was a start. Still, Kevin seemed to turn the statement over with some thought.
"Where I'm from..." Kevin repeated slowly, eyes drifting a little.
His forehead creased rather distressingly, as it often would when he worried over some very crucial decision. Whatever that decision was, Javier could tell when Kevin made it, taking in a slow, deep breath before their eyes found contact again.
"Would— Do you think you could handle a small tour?" Kevin asked, belatedly wincing as if at an unintentional joke.
"That really a good idea, Kev?" Javier asked, thinking about the frightening variety of teeth and claws he had seen out in the farmyard.
Kevin released a faint laugh.
"Probably not," he admitted with a half-smile, though it faded a little after a moment. Kevin seemed to hesitate, but whatever his doubts were he snapped out of it with a shake of his head.
"There's something I need you to see."
Getting permission from Rose Red turned out to be easier than either of them had anticipated. She was apparently heavily engrossed in the wedding arrangements—and that was something Javier knew he and Kevin still needed to talk about. Javier decided he needed to make a list. Her only stipulation was the assignment of a security detail, as much for Javier's safety as their own.
For this purpose, she asked Clara to shadow their activities on the Farm.
Clara, to Javier's infinite dismay, turned out to be the crow that had been eyeing him with predatory intent upstairs.
"I don't get it," Javier said as they stood in the foyer, watching with trepidation as Clara dove out the front door ahead of them, "what's a bird going to do if that panther comes back or I try to escape?"
Kevin opened his mouth as if to answer that question, though he seemed to reconsider with a wince.
"I'll tell you if you want," Kevin said, eyes on his in one of the most earnest expressions Javier had ever seen, "but you'll probably live a much happier life not knowing."
And really, after everything he had seen in the past few hours, Javier would have to have been a lot stupider than he was not to take that advice.
Kevin had been less than forthcoming with details about their destination, and as they walked that didn't appear likely to change. Given his partner's obvious uncertainty, Javier couldn't bring himself to ask. He was too afraid that any prying might spook Kevin into changing his mind. Now that his life wasn't in (immediate) danger, however, Javier finally had the chance to get a better sense of the place. The farmhouse itself seemed slightly out of place, but there was the barn, of course, and some kind of small workshop, which both looked fairly normal; but some of the surrounding architecture was...bizarre, to say the least. Just beyond the farmhouse they passed what honest to God looked like a giant boot. The path was lined on both sides with odd little houses and small cottages of all kinds. Animal inhabitants stared from yards and windows as they passed—
Though, to be fair, Javier was pretty shameless about staring back.
Apparently, however, none of this was part of the tour Kevin intended. As they went, he commented on very little. In fact, the most Kevin said the entire time was to offer a word of warning, not about some dangerous animal or bizarre creature, but an ordinary looking man with blonde hair that glared daggers at them as they passed.
"He's not dangerous or anything," Kevin concluded awkwardly. "Just try of avoid him. Thunderfoot and I just, uh...we don't get along."
And they pretty much lapsed into complete silence after that, because no way in hell was Javier even going to ask.
The path led them into the woods surrounding the Farm. And the wood itself was inhabited with Fable life, Javier saw, though the wildlife—if it was even appropriate to call it that—became noticeably more sparse the further they traveled. And, as they progressed, Kevin's steps became more hesitating and unsure. Finally, they came within sight of a short, crumbling stonework wall. Kevin stopped just in front of him, staring ahead. As Javier came up beside him, he caught a brief glimpse of helpless terror on his partner's face. It faded as Kevin turned to look at him, ticking a faint, reassuring smile. As if Javier were the one whose body language was screaming total panic...
"This is as close as we're allowed to go without permission," Kevin said finally, after a long, slow breath that managed to release some of the tension from his shoulders. "It's been a while, but there should still be a spot along the wall where you can see it..."
They followed the wall for several yards, Kevin's eyes carefully scanning the trees, before he apparently found what he was looking for.
"Yeah, there it is." Kevin said, voice dropping to a whisper.
Kevin set down the small bag he'd brought with him, lowering himself to his knees behind the wall. Taking his cue, Javier sank down beside him. Out of the bag, Kevin retrieved a pair of binoculars—Javier assumed he must have borrowed them from the farmhouse for this purpose—and, resting his elbows on top of the wall, he searched the woods beyond. After a short moment, Kevin passed them to Javier, pointing to some spot within the trees.
"About sixty yards from where we're at there's a large tree. You'll know it when you see it."
Kevin's voice was thin with anxiety, and Javier found himself oddly reluctant to look. After a moment, however, he did as Kevin instructed, searching the trees carefully. It took him a moment to find it, but Kevin was right, he really couldn't have missed it... Though most of the trees grew close together in this wood, this particular specimen had space cleared around it for several feet. The tree itself was tremendous, easily dwarfing its neighbors. But it was neither its size nor its prominence that made it stand out. At first glance, it seemed like there was ivy or something growing up around the tree, covering its roots and climbing up into the branches,but the coverage was too thick, too solid—too strange. Once he managed to adjust the binoculars for a clearer view, Javier quickly realized what it actually was he was seeing, and that realization literally took his breath away.
"Dios mio..." he managed, once the shock had cleared enough for him to speak. "Are those...buildings?"And he couldn't drag his eyes away, but he felt Kevin nod beside him.
"That's Smalltown," his partner said quietly, and the note of sadness that crept into his voice finally managed to draw Javier's attention back where it really belonged. "On its own scale, it's actually the largest Fable community in this world, with a dense population, mostly of mixed Lilliputian descent."
"Lilliputian?" Javier asked. The word sounded familiar, and with a little effort he managed to place it. "Like from Gulliver's Travels?"
"Exactly like." Kevin said. He paused before he continued, drawing a sharp breath like a man about to leap. "And... I used to serve as a member of its Mounted Police."
"That's where you're from?" Javier asked, though it took a moment for his brain to parse the significant and obvious problem in his partner's claim. "Wait...you used to be one of them? A Lilliputian?"
Kevin actually let out a soft laugh, and Javier felt a stab of irritation, because if Kevin was putting him on right now, God help him...
"Uh, no," Kevin said, "not exactly."
And it was really the degree of his partner's fidgeting that saved him from an untimely end. Kevin wasn't looking at him, choosing instead to peel and pick at the moss growing between the stones of the wall.
"You know the old story, The Country Mouse and the City Mouse?" Kevin finally asked him, and the nervousness strangling his voice all but reduced it to a squeak.
"Sure," Javier said, "but I'm not sure where you're headed with the metaphor."
"It's, uh, not a metaphor," Kevin said with a wince. He finally managed to look Javier in the eye, and the expression creasing his forehead looked almost painful. "I, uh... I used to be a mouse."
Kevin's attention hung nervously, waiting on Javier's reaction. It took him an unfortunate amount of time to even begin to find one. Javier turned and sat back against the wall, needing something solid behind him. Mirroring his movements—likely unconsciously—Kevin did the same.
"Sorry..." Javier began slowly. "The way my day's been so far, I honestly cannot tell one way or the other if you're joking."
"I'm not joking," Kevin told him, very simply.
Javier took a slow breath as he tried to work that detail into his reality. It probably should have been more difficult, but somehow it just felt...right. Kevin had always been oddly unassuming—in their profession it had made him fairly unusual. Yet while in anyone else it might have seemed an ill-suited trait for a police officer, Kevin had always managed to make it work for him. Though he wasn't assertive by nature he was certainly capable of it, and people frequently underestimated him, both physically and in other ways. Many were the occasions when defense lawyers who had met Kevin in preparation for a trial assumed his testimony would be easy to counter. Their inevitable surprise once he demonstrated just how wrong that assumption was would probably never stop being amusing.
Kevin wasn't just a man frequently overlooked, he was a man who expected to be overlooked, and who had learned to use it to his advantage. As insane as his partner's confession was, oddly, it seemed to fit. All in all, Javier's mind seemed worryingly able to accept his partner's status as a former rodent.
It was probably a sign of brain damage.
For better or worse, though, at the moment Javier simply didn't have the energy to try and pick that apart. He decided the best thing he could do was be honest.
"Okay," he started, running a hand over his face. "Okay. Not saying it won't be weird later, but right now I've got nothing left. So...okay."
There was that word again.
Kevin frowned, quiet for a moment as he seemed to take stock of just where this left them.
"I'll accept that," he said finally, managing a jerky nod.
And, yeah, Javier could imagine a few dozen ways he could potentially have reacted that would have been much worse.
"So, uh, how?" Javier asked, once the silence threatened to stretch out into something unrecoverable. "And why?"
"The how's pretty obvious," Kevin said, though he wilted slightly under Javier's blank stare. "Er, magic."
And, okay, "magic" probably was the most obvious answer, but Javier was still getting used to there even being a question.
"Why is...harder," Kevin continued, answering the rest of Javier's question.
Or at least, he seemed willing to make the attempt, because he thought over his words for a very long moment before he managed to speak.
"Fables are flesh and blood just like anyone else," Kevin finally said, voice slowed by the efforts of what he was trying to explain, "but there's also this other dimension to us. Magic is a part of it, but there's magic and there's magic."
Kevin frowned, apparently realizing how confusing that was, then clarified.
"I mean, there's magic that does things, and then there's the magic that makes us who and what we are," Kevin explained. "And no one's really sure if the stories that exist about us here in the Mundane world only reflect who we are or if they define it. Either way, our basic nature is written into us like our DNA."
He fell silent for a moment, eyes falling to his hands where they sat in his lap.
"I never wanted to be human," Kevin admitted slowly. "I was happy with who and what I was. It was where I was that was the problem."
He cast a glance over his shoulder, over the wall, back toward the strange, small, sprawling town in the middle of the woods.
"Smalltown's a good place, it was just a bad fit for me," Kevin said, turning back to look at him. "I didn't really have a lot of options. When I signed the Fabletown Compact, I agreed to confine myself to the Farm and...well, compared to a cottage or a burrow in some field somewhere it was the lesser evil."
Kevin's shudder was almost comical.
"And I did love my job," he said, "but...all the years I lived out here it felt like a part of me was missing. And we'd hear the gossip that made it up here from the human Fables in Manhattan..."
"I dreamed about it more than once," Kevin said, "and then one day, out of the blue I had this opportunity sprung on me. A role for me to fill down in Fabletown, and the job itself was temporary, but the change that made it possible didn't have to be. And it was a choice I never would have imagined myself making, but it put everything I wanted most in my reach, so I took it, and..."
And Kevin trailed off into silence, finishing with a loose, mute gesture that Javier imagined was meant to encompass every moment of his life ever since.
"So that's why, Javi," Kevin finished sadly. "Our laws forced me to choose which was the most essential part of who I am...and in the end, species wasn't it."
Javier was left at a loss for what to say. He felt Kevin needed some reaction, though.
"Talk about 'you can't go home again'," he said, finally.
It felt trite in the face of the harsh decision his partner had been put to, but there was really no better way for him to say it. Kevin seemed to understand that, and he nodded with a sad smile.
"But I could have, Javi," Kevin countered softly, taking a breath. "I still could. That's the problem."
"What do you mean?"
"The enchantment that made me human was designed as temporary," Kevin explained. "There's no expiration date, but it isn't exactly permanent either, like curses are. It left me the option of having it reversed once my job was done."
Kevin shook his head.
"It wasn't a big deal at first," he said, "but once it was clear I didn't intend to go back things changed. I wasn't the first Fable to make a choice like this, but most that I know of either did it for love or for the common good, and those are reasons most Fables can understand. But almost no one on the Farm understood my reasons. They think I did it because I was unhappy, and—well, a lot of the Fables here are unhappy, but they felt my choice was extreme. Unnatural."
"But you did do it for love," Javier said, not realizing he had spoken until Kevin looked at him in confusion. "You love New York. I've heard you talk about your walks at night, Kev. You love the noise and the energy. You love the crowds, and you love the people even when they're rotten. You love how you can always manage to find something new, no matter how many times you've walked down the same street. I don't think anyone could hear you talk about the city and not realize what it means to you."
Kevin's eyes turned distant, soft, and a faint smile touched his lips.
"This is why you weren't sure about coming back, wasn't it?" Javier asked, emboldened. "You were worried they'd give you a hard time."
"Something like that," Kevin confirmed with a shallow nod. "Most of the Farm sees me as a deviant, but in Smalltown I'm practically a traitor. A lot of Fables in the city don't take the Farm crowd seriously—I'm told it's better now, under Rose, but for a long time complaints were just ignored. And Smalltown...well it might not even exist as far as the average Fable is concerned. But most people in Smalltown like it that way. They don't like being overlooked, but they're proud of the independence it gives them. So when I chose to leave, a lot of them saw it as showing where my loyalties really lay."
Kevin shook his head, looking back at Javier with a quirk to his lips that was hardly a smile.
"Fable or Mundane," Kevin concluded, "we're all Gullivers in Smalltown."
"I can't say I don't have my regrets," he said, after a while, "but I've never regretted the decision itself. And I don't regret coming out here, apart from the trouble it's caused. It was good seeing my cousin again. It was something I needed to do."
And Javier was relieved to hear that. He didn't doubt for a second that Kevin meant it, and he felt like several anxieties he wasn't even aware he had were laid to rest.
The walk back to the farmhouse was fairly quiet. It was a different, more comfortable quiet than the one that had lead them out that day, but it was still awkward in its own way. Because there were still questions that Javier needed to ask, and with the crow shadowing their every step it didn't seem safe to ask them. Once they came within view of the Farmyard, however, Clara abandoned their close company, landing on top of the barn for a wider view. Javier figured he had his chance.
"Okay, so what is that weird silver thing, and how did it manage to save my ass?" Javier asked.
And he had decided on the long walk that it was best to open the conversation this way. Even if it avoided the greater part of his question entirely, it also avoided touching directly the topic of their apparently looming marriage.
Kevin's step stuttered, as if he had completely forgotten. Then again, it was entirely possible that in the course of revealing so much of himself he had. Kevin flicked a searching eye toward the sky to locate Clara before he relaxed just a little. They were already close, walking shoulder to shoulder as they normally did, but Kevin apparently felt they needed more to protect the privacy of their conversation, or perhaps just to add veracity to the relationship they had claimed. Kevin drew in a little closer, resting his hand on the small of Javier's back. The warmth that rose in his stomach fought with tightness in his chest as he forcibly reminded himself that Kevin was only pretending. Still, some masochistic part of him couldn't help but cling to how good it felt. And still another, more rational, part couldn't help but point out that if everything he had seen and been told hadn't managed to shake the affection he felt for Kevin, then he really was in a whole lot of trouble...
"It's called a handfasting spell," Kevin told him, voice low and close to his ear. "Marriages between Fables and Mundanes don't happen often at all, but when they do the enchantment gives a little extra insurance that the important secrets will be kept. It's a geas—a type of spell that places constraints on the target's behavior."
And Javier tensed, not liking the idea, but Kevin seemed unconcerned.
"I know that sounds bad, but it's not a major one," Kevin reassured him. "All it would really do is prevent you from revealing our existence to other Mundanes. And you'd be required to sign and obey the Fabletown Compact, but that's kind of like dual citizenship."
But Javier could tell from the too-earnest look on his face that that wasn't all. He chose to call his partner on it directly.
"No way there's not a catch in there, Kev."
Kevin made a faint noise, tilting his head slightly.
"Well, I'll also be responsible for any crimes you might commit under the compact," Kevin said. "Whatever punishment you would suffer, I would too, and there are laws on our books punishable by beheading."
Kevin paused. His voice had become a little thin, but he pushed forward with more strength in it.
"Anyway," he finished, "I trust you not to get us in trouble like that, so it's really not a big deal."
And Javier just flat out didn't know what to do with Kevin saying that trusting him with something like that wasn't a big deal, but as he let his thoughts drift his mind made a connection, and he spoke without thinking.
"It was meant for Jenny, wasn't it?" Javier asked.
He immediately wished he hadn't, because he knew the answer, and right now Jenny was the last thing he wanted to talk about. Kevin seemed somewhat reluctant to approach the subject himself, but after a moment he nodded.
"Yeah," Kevin admitted quietly. "If we were going to be married, I thought she deserved to know the truth, but I never got the chance before..."
"I never asked before, and you don't have to tell me," Javier said, figuring he might as well reap some benefit from the subject now that it was open. "What happened between you and her, Kev?"
And Kevin stopped, his expression showing as a slightly startled wince before it faded into one that was merely uncertain...and somewhat embarrassed. Javier waited patiently for a few seconds, and finally Kevin turned to look at him, his hand moving up to rub the back of his neck.
"She bought traps, Javi," Kevin said, voice laden with a definite horror that was balanced against his uncertainty. "Lethal traps—when I specifically asked her not to. And, okay, sure, they were Mundy rats, but it was still barbaric and unnecessary..."
Kevin trailed off, shaking his head. His expression was more than a little pained.
"I mean, that wasn't it," he said quickly, "but it's kind of what made me take a step back. And when I did I started to see a lot of things I hadn't let myself before. About how she walked all over me and I kind of let her. How I was always the one making the compromises in our relationship. I mean— Jesus, Javi, she talked me out of having you as my best man. I mean, you're not just the guy who keeps my ass alive every day, you're also my best friend."
"And... I never really meant to break it off with her, actually," Kevin admitted with a breathless laugh, seeming a bit baffled by the memory. "I just wanted to put things off for a bit, make sure I knew what I was heading into. But she took it badly, and said it was now or never, and...I tried to call her bluff. So she decided she was breaking it off. And a week later she tried to change her mind, but..."
Kevin took a slow breath, stepping back from the recollection and looking Javier in the eye.
"I'm no stranger to change, Javi—I mean obviously—but if I'm going to change who I am, I think it's important it be into someone and something I can live with."
And Javier thought that he understood that...as much as he did anything any more.
"Anyway, you can refuse the geas," Kevin said cautiously, "back out of the marriage. And I know it's kind of screwed up, but I wouldn't suggest it. There are alternatives, but none of them are really great. It's possible they might arrange to have your memories of the Farm erased, but those kinds of spells are risky. They're also expensive and hard to come by—even more than what I've got on hand, and that one cost me three times what I paid for Jenny's engagement ring."
"Of course," Kevin said, his voice dull, "it's also possible they won't authorize that expense. In which case they might—"
He cut off abruptly, and the hand at Javier's back tugged lightly in a gesture that was almost an embrace. Judging the terror which showed in his partner's eyes, however, Javier wasn't even sure Kevin was aware of it.
"I just...I don't know what I would do with myself if that happened. If they..." Kevin's eyebrows drew together as he struggled with his words.
"Hey," Javier interrupted softly, drawing Kevin's attention back to him. His face was pale in a way that made the blue of his eyes look surprisingly vulnerable. And Javier knew it was probably a terrible idea, but he slung his own arm around Kevin's waist to draw him closer. "I would be honored to be your husband in the eyes of Fabletown."
And the smile that Kevin flashed him then all but killed him. Because his partner was right, this false relationship they had to look forward too was less than ideal. Still, while it was about as far from any scenario Javier might have imagined on his drive up here, he imagined the situation could have been far worse.
After all, Kevin still didn't realize that Javier kind of wished it was real.
Chapter Six
Author's Note: Am I mean to Jenny in this one? I honestly can't tell anymore. I still haven't killed her off though. That's got to count for something, right?
Oh, and there is now a graphic for this fic. It can be seen on the main post for the story, or you can click the spoiler flag to see it here:
A minor uninteresting change was made to the last chapter. I realized that in the beginning I mentioned Twigleaf climbing up onto a small table, and in the end I had him climbing off of a chair. I've gone back and changed it to a chair in both instances because it works better for this chapter.
Oh, and it's never going to matter in this fic, but for those of you dying of curiosity about Clara the Crow: she used to be a dragon. She still breathes fire.
So, anyway...
It's funny how it only now occurs to me that I never really identified Acorn and Twigleaf as being anyone specific fairytale-wise prior to this chapter. Since it's nowbeen said outright, was it obvious who they were supposed to be beforehand, or did it need to be said here?
I know I tend to leave cracks between what the reader is supposed to know and what I've actually remembered to tell them. You know, that big gaping chasm between "being subtle" and "failing at exposition forever". I mean, this story doesn't suffer that much if you miss the connection, but with stories like Black Edelweiss and Sui Generis, losing the details could really confuse things.
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Date: Friday, 10 August 2012 08:43 am (UTC)From:These are the comments I wrote while reading:
1. Okay... Clara. Am I going to know later what she can do, or is that a funny reference for people that know Fables?
2. You spell it geas? I've read (and written) Geis (in a weird, BTVS/Veronica Mars crossover). From what you're describing it seems to be referring to the same thing.
3. Aww... the traps! That's just awesome. It made me wanna laugh and cringe at the same time. I can relate on a level you can't imagine. I've always despised my parents for using those because mice are just adorable and breaking one in two with a metal rod is just too cruel. If I ever have any in my home (unlikely, because I have a kitty, but who knows?), I'll use the ultra sound thing that just makes them not want to be around. No need to kill.
Now for the post reading review:
I'm glad some of the things are cleared up. For Javi, and for me. For a fleeting moment I thought Cinderella's mice were called Gus and Ace and tried to picture Kevin making someone's dress, but... No. I feel kind of relieved somehow.
It kind of sent me for a loop when Kevin explained the punishment are shared. It makes sense, in a way, he's responsible for the Mundane he brings around. But him saying that he's willing to bet that Javier will behave according to their rules on his life is... wow.
That's love for ya.
No. Javier is a little torn (little, eh. Talk about a euphemism). He gets to marry Kevin, so he gets to not pretend his gestures and looks and play the dangerous game of allowing himself these things. But he also knows all the while that he can't have it. It's fake.
Or so he thinks, right?
Those situations are a torture.
Now, here's to hoping you break the pattern and make them both realize quickly that they're both not really pretending and maybe making all the suspence and danger and angst about something else. Or just make it crack.
I can just imagine Beckett and Castle's faces when they come back, like, 24h hours after Javier went after Kevin for morale support at a funeral and announce they're married.
Castle would have a field day.
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Date: Saturday, 11 August 2012 05:01 pm (UTC)From:And I did want to work it into the actual story, but I couldn't figure out a way. :(
Looking it up, apparently it's spelled both ways. One the actual Irish (geis) and one the English from the Irish (geas). Interesting to know.
And I don't know what my deep trauma is about rodent traps apparently. I mean, I really think they're horrible, but I've gone on at length in another journal about my legitimate trauma with poison (I think), and generally think its a lesser evil, since sonic seems like it would be kind of hard on pets if you've animals in the house (which we do). But apparently my subconscious equates traps with bad things (or, you know, unwholesome snacks) happening to Kev or Javi.
(Pfft. Who am I kidding? My subconscious equates almost everything to screwing around with Kev or Javi.)
Yeah, it really is a good thing, then. There're a lot of mice in fairytales. And there are plans I have that might have made that particular misunderstanding kind of unfortunate.
Because the first words out of Javi's mouth when he gets back are going to be that he eloped with his partner? When they hadn't even been dating? Within Castle's hearing? And Kevin's going to want to answer the inevitable questions (you know, the ones that hypothetically could get he and his partner beheaded)?
I mean, sure, no way in hell are Beckett and Castle not going to realize something's up, and maybe they'll come up with an official story eventually, but I don't see either of the boys helping them out with that right away.
I get tunnel vision when it comes to the boys sometimes and forget to do anything with Castle and Beckett, but this is one of those stories where the plot is what gets in the way rather than forgetfulness.