Fin

[petty_dabbler]

John had shot that fae actor a text to meet up at Poppie's at nine. Wasn't a request, more of a command. John honestly didn't expect him to show.

But he had questions. Questions like why a faerie prince had needed his magic to take care of that body,and why there was another powerful as fuck fae across town. That was too much royal bullshittery for his liking.

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[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin hadn't really wanted to go, and he was fairly sure all John was going to do was give him a headache. Still, his curiosity got the best of him, and he arrived almost on time.

He looked tired and a bit faded, the drugs having an odd effect on his magic. Though at least he wasn't climbing the walls anymore.

Without even a hello, he slid into the booth, curling up in the corner like a wounded feral cat.

[petty_dabbler]

"Well, you look like shit," John said before popping the rest of a chip in his mouth. He'd been there a bit, long enough to get his order, at least.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"What do you want?" the fae asked, leaning his head against the wall and watching John as he ate.

[petty_dabbler]

"I've got some questions," he said, pointing at him with the nub of his chip. "Why's there so much fae royalty in London right now?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You'd have to ask fae royalty other than me. I don't know any fae in London other than Willy Silver, and I would be alright with forgetting him, to be honest," he added, scowling a bit and scratching at his arm as though his magic was itching again.

[petty_dabbler]

"See, I met this pooka a few days ago. Queen's guards, you know. So I asked him why the royals were in town. Did I mention pookas are stupid as shit. He said he knows of eight princes in the city, and heard there ought to be a ninth."

He let that hang, watching Fin closely.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin just looked confused though. "I dunno. I've only seen Will. I know the solstice passed... Only because I'm the Summer King, whatever the hell that means. I also know my magic's in heat or something- But that's fine, I'm medicating."

The server came over, and Fin offered a smile as he ordered a pint.

[petty_dabbler]

"Ohh...Fuck," he said under his breath. He should have minded his own God damned business and left that little sissy werewolf alone.

"I'm really sorry, mate," he said, honest and genuine.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin snorted, pushing his hair back and sinking lower in his seat.

"People keep saying that, but no one will tell me anything. I asked Will and he just stormed off like an asshole. Can't imagine why I'm not trying to make a deeper connection with my fae roots. I mean, between Will and Isvann, how could I not be charmed?" he said, rolling his eyes a little.

[petty_dabbler]

John looked at him, utterly stunned.

"How do you not know about the Summer King? That's a bloody children's story," John said. "In between the years of the great faerie wars, nine princes are chosen. One is annointed the Summer King by, erm, well...kind of the queen-mum, I guess, on the solstice. He reigns until the equinox, blessing crops and babies and shit, and then the eight princes capture him and burn him alive until he's ash."

He picked up another chip, debating on whether to tell him the ending and how the prince came back, right as rain.

He ate the chip.

[prince_of_nymphs]

A normal person would have been shocked- Worried or scared. Fin, however, was unusually calm.

"Does it help?" he asked finally. "The blessing and burning- Does it actually help? Do they at least really believe it helps?"

[petty_dabbler]

John shrugged. "People say they're good harvest years, far back as I know of," he said. "Might as well be faeries. That's kind of your guyses thing..." he added with a vague gesture.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin nodded, and there was a flicker of sadness there. Though it wasn't for himself- It was for all the people he knew would hurt because he was gone.

The server came with his drink, and he banished that sadness, offering her a smile and a few bills- Enough to cover another round of drinks and a generous tip.

"Guess you have your answer at least," he said once they were alone again.

[petty_dabbler]

"I guess," he nodded. "Too bad about your summer, though. Hope you didn't have plans."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin said nothing at first, he just finished his pint and got to his feet. If he wanted to hear people to say shitty things to him all night, he'd reinstall twitter on his phone.

He moved to leave, then hesitated.

"If you're sniffing around fae- Stay away from Willy Silver, alright? I know he seems alright at first, but that man is a danger," he said quietly. He opened his moth to say more, then closed it and looked away.

"Just- Take care, alright?" he finished finally, tapping his fingers lightly against the table and turning to leave.

[petty_dabbler]

"More dangerous than you can possibly imagine, love," John said. "I can see him killing you, no problem. Probably slow, just for a laugh."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin sighed, turning to look at him again. He was tired, and stoned, and he watched the other man for a moment, his magic reaching out to him. it coiled around him slowly, and Fin stepped closer, resting his hands on the table as he studied him. His eyes went black and his features sharpened slightly- but only for a moment before it all snapped back.

"You poor soul," he said softly, a pained look on his face. "All that pain, and no relief to come. ...I'm so sorry," he said quietly.

And the worst part was- Fin meant it. Despite his own misery, his own hurt- In that moment he felt only for John- A man he hardly knew, a man who very much seemed to hate him for no reason.

[petty_dabbler]

It wasn't easy to unsettle him, but that did it. Those eyes. Thos were what you could never see in the dark, but you could tell you were being watched.

"Yeah, well that's no secret," he said. "Kind of you to say, though."

Actually...really kind. Odd.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin couldn't do anything to help, he knew that, but he reached out and rested his hand on the man's shoulder, closing his eyes and temporarily taking away that nasty cough.

It hurt, it always hurt when he tried to be selfless, and he visibly winced in pain, his breath catching for a moment before it passed.

If he was going to die, did it even matter if he helped people now?

[petty_dabbler]

John took his first clear breath in decades and it felt better than any orgasm.

"I didn't ask for that," he said, rather than thanks. He wasn't going to be beholden to a fae.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"It's a gift," Fin said softly. "No favours, no deals. That's not who I am. That's not what I intend to be. It never has been."

He shrugged then, stepping away from the table. He'd done what he could to be kind, for no reason other than that's who he had always wanted to be- Despite his magic's demands. Still, he wouldn't linger where he wasn't wanted.

[petty_dabbler]

"If you're going to go around blessing people, you better do it right," he said. "Magic words are 'my gift to you'. At least, that's how the stories go."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin couldn't hear him though, he was already out the door- Pausing only when their server rushed to catch up with him, begging just one selfie off him.

Once he was alone on the curb, he lit up and sank down onto a bench, trying to decide if he was going to call a cab or wander for a while.

[petty_dabbler]

John ate a few more bites before wiping his fingers and mouth and getting up to go. He had his cigarette lit before the door even shut behind him.

He had expected Fin to be long gone, but there he was at the ass end of a cigarette.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, mate," he said. "You really don't know shit, do you?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin looked up from where he was sitting on the bench. At some point he'd zoned out, his cigarette down to the filter now as he stubbed it out.

"I wasn't raised fae. I'm half human- My mother's half. My dad fucked off when I was a teenager, and my understanding is he was my fae half, but he never said anything about it, and I haven't seen him since. Don't even talk to mum anymore, she wanted nothing to do with me after he left. Even when I was fourteen with a heart condition, she was rarely at the hospital with me. ...So no, I don't know shit about shit, quite frankly. My only connection is Willy Silver, and he's not a good source of information. ...So I just figure it out as I go."