Daisies

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/42552951.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Major Character Death
Category: Multi
Fandom: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Relationship: Amagi Rinne/Shiina Niki, Amagi Rinne & Shiina Niki
Character: Shiina Niki, Amagi Rinne, Amagi Hiiro, Kazehaya Tatsumi, Shiratori
Aira, Ayase Mayoi, Amagi Hiiro and Rinne's Father, HiMERU (Ensemble
Stars!), Oukawa Kohaku
Additional Tags: Fluff and Angst, Psychological Horror
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-10-22 Completed: 2022-12-10 Chapters: 15/15 Words:
22846

Daisies
by NekoHatesKids

Summary

Ten years after the creation of Crazy:B, Rinne proposes to Niki. However, due to some
unfortunate event, Rinne must head back to his village. Niki had decided to go with him,
knowing that there will be no going back. Yet he immediately senses something...off.

(Tbh I just wanted to try writing psychological horror.)

Notes

See the end of the work for notes

 Chapter 1

A kiss on the cheek could do so much for you, this was something Niki had learned throughout the
years. A snack? Just a kiss. Perhaps a stuffed toy from a claw machine? A kiss and Niki was sure
to get it. Ah, but there was one small rule. Never on the lips.

"Kisses on the lips are for married couples. You're gonna have to wait," Rinne would sigh, waving
his hand in the air and pushing Niki away. His cheeks thoroughly red.

Niki rolled his eyes, resting his head on Rinne's shoulder and whispering in his ear, "Until when
will I have to wait?"

The answer had always been the same for the past decade, "Some day." Niki had started to feel that
Rinne didn't mean his words. He had been waiting for Rinne for much too long now, had that all
been for naught?

Rinne smiled ever-so slightly, wrapping his arms around Niki, "Soon."

~~~

And soon the day did come. After a shocking invitation from Rinne to go out, they went to a new
restaurant. Niki had mentioned this restaurant being built months ago, yet he hadn't expected Rinne
to remember and even book a reservation for its grand opening. The thought of Rinne's unusually
kind gestures warmed Niki's heart, so he eagerly accepted Rinne's request.

The food was delicious, melting in Niki's mouth as he ate bite after bite. Rinne watched him eat
with a peculiar expression, only poking the food on his own plate occasionally.

Niki placed his fork down, wiping his face with a napkin before saying, "Is the food not to your
liking?"

Rinne smirked, "You taste better." He paused, eyes widening after a moment of realization.
"YOUR FOOD. I meant your food tastes better..."

Niki blushed, hiding a bright smile behind his napkin. He spoke teasingly, "Is that the real reason
why you invited me out tonight, Rinne~?"

Rinne choked, coughing madly and covering his red face with his hands.
"N-No. It's not. Just finish up, okay? Take your time. I'm not feeling hungry."

Niki laughed once more, propping his head up with his hand as he stared at the flustered mess that
was Rinne.
"Why would you invite me out to a restaurant if you're not hungry then? Do you enjoy watching
me e-"

Rinne scowled, shoving a spoonful of pudding into Niki's mouth, effectively shutting him up.

The pair ate in silence, only sharing glances occasionally. Niki and Rinne had a language of their
own, their bond stronger than anyone else's.

~~~

They drove up to a cliff, where the view of the bustling city below was simply stunning. Niki had
to admit that Rinne's silence scared him, but Rinne reached out a hand to squeeze his, seemingly
reading his mind. Rinne got out of the car first, running around and opening the door for Niki with
a nervous smile. He led Niki by the hand, his palms sweaty. Rinne leaned against the railing at the
ledge, staring at Niki with adoration. Niki tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.

Niki's appearance hadn't changed much throughout the years, without mentioning the length of his
hair that is. He still maintained his youthful charm and cheery personality which his fans loved.
Which Rinne loved. Not a day would go by where Rinne did not shower Niki with praise. Niki who
had once felt that he was not worthy of calling himself an "idol" was finally able to see his own self
worth thanks to Rinne. Rinne had taught Niki how to love himself.

Rinne stuttered for a moment, before sighing and reaching his hands into his pockets. Niki watched
him out of the corner of his eye, trying to maintain his composure. Rinne took a step forward,
clearing his throat as he knelt down on one knee. He gazed up at Niki, his eyes wide and watery. A
more sincere love could be found nowhere else. Without a moment for Niki to react, Rinne
repeated the phrase he had said over and over throughout Niki's life. With a twist.

"Being here with you tonight, seeing you up close, has reminded me of what a fool I've been. The
things I've done in the past are... unforgivable. Yet you found it in your heart to forgive me time
and time again. You've been by my side for many years now, and although it may sound selfish, I'd
like to keep you with me forever. So, Niki Shiina, would you make me the luckiest man in the
world and marry me?"

Niki's gaze went from Rinne's trembling lips to the enormous diamond on the ring. In the past,
Rinne could have only joked about proposing with such a magnificent ring. Rinne would propose
with anything he could get his hands on, be it a candy or an onion ring. Niki had always laughed it
off and rejected him playfully. When you're young, you don't find yourself thinking about things
such as marriage. But Rinne did. Rinne insisted on marrying Niki, for Niki was the only one for
him. He needed to marry Niki, no one else should be able to have him.

Niki and Rinne would bicker daily, which often resulted in Niki telling Rinne everything he needed
to hear. Rinne was messy, vulgar, lazy, and addicted to gambling and alcohol. Such a man was not
to fit to be anyone's husband. He wouldn't be anything more than a burden. Niki's words hurt Rinne
deeply, engraving themselves in his mind.

Rinne had first giving up alcohol, allowing Kohaku and Himeru to punish him for even mentioning
it. Next was the gambling. After one final game, he payed off his debts and left the gambling world
forever. With his newfound freedom from these vices, Rinne began to help out Ibara. Rinne was an
extremely intelligent person, but he let his talents go to waste. Niki knew that his specialty was
mathematics, since Rinne would do his homework in return for some food when they were
younger. Rinne was great with words, able to convince anyone of anything. With so much
potential, it was pointless to laze around all day.

Thanks to Rinne, Cosmic Productions would grow and become the most successful production
company, toppling even the likes of Starmaker Productions. Ibara respected him and even trusted
Rinne with management and publicity.

Many people had grown up listening to Crazy:B, and those who didn't know them had yet to
discover their love for Crazy:B's music. Crazy:B had already trained the newest generation of
talent, who they hoped would surpass them someday. Rinne, Niki, and Himeru had watched
Kohaku grow up into a respectable young man. Rinne would often cry simply remembering when
Kohaku was their "little boy". Time sure did fly, but there was nothing that could be done about.

Niki stared intensely at the man who knelt before him. He was still the same person he had found
out on the streets all those years ago, yet also not. He has grown and matured just as they had all
done. The person who knelt before him now was hardworking and responsible. He cared about
others deeply, and worked hard in order to not disappoint them. He had turned his entire life around
for Niki, to become the perfect man for Niki. But Niki knew no one was perfect, and that was what
made Rinne all the more loveable. Niki would be honored to marry this man.

Niki threw his arms around Rinne, almost causing him to stumble backwards, "Yes! I will!!! I'll
marry you Rinne!"

Rinne placed the ring on Niki's slender finger with shaky hands. He sniffled, wiping his tears with
his sleeves as he avoided Niki's gaze. Niki crouched down in front of him, taking Rinne's hands
and placing them on his own cheeks.

"Why the tears?" Niki asked teasingly.

Rinne shook his head, "I..was scared. I was scared you would reject me like you always do."

Niki laughed, "Well, you weren't being serious those times."

Rinne stared at Niki dead in the eyes, his gaze firm, "I have never not been serious when it came to
you."

Niki rolled his eyes, kissing Rinne's forehead. He made his way down to the tip of Rinne's nose. It
was cold, perhaps due to the chilly late autumn air. Niki went for Rinne's lips next, but was stopped
by a finger being placed on his.

"Don't," Rinne muttered, "We're not married yet."

Niki pinched Rinne's cheek as he replied with slight annoyance, "Are we not engaged? Isn't that
close enough?"

Rinne smiled, taking Niki's hands and helping him up.

"Believe me, it's been hard controlling myself all these years."

He pulled Niki in, embracing him tightly as he rested his head on Niki's shoulder, taking in his
sweet scent. Niki's long hair tickled his skin, but he didn't mind. In each other's arms, even the
coldest days felt sunny and warm.

However, this joy would not last for long.

 Please Take Care
Chapter Summary

Not all things go according to plan.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Rinne stared at himself in the mirror, a giddy smile forming on his face. Today he would be
choosing a wedding cake with Niki. Whenever Rinne thought about his upcoming wedding, he was
filled with so much joy he could barely contain it. Rinne had been planning this wedding for many
years now, nothing could ruin his plans. The cost was not an issue, nor was the date.

Niki was eager to try as many cakes as possible, and Rinne was eager to buy as many cakes as Niki
wanted. He could deny Niki nothing. Rinne swore that if Niki so wished, he would even bring
down the moon and the stars and place them on Niki's lap. His love for Niki had no end.

"BIG BROTHER!! BIG BROTHER," Cried a worried voice from outside the bathroom.

Rinne sighed, turning the lights off and walking out to see Hiiro standing in his living room. Hiiro's
eyes were red and puffy, his expression showed great distress. Rinne's smile vanished for the first
time in weeks.

"Come," Rinne said softly, opening his arms for Hiiro to run into them.

Hiiro hugged his brother tightly, crying quietly on his shoulder. Only now did Rinne realize how
much his little brother had grown. Yet in his eyes, Hiiro would always be a curious little boy, and
the world's most loyal person. It pained Rinne to see his usually cheerful brother in such a state.

Rinne patted Hiiro's back, "What's wrong, Hiiro?"

Hiiro sniffled, "It's about Papa. Papa is dying."

Rinne let go of Hiiro, pushing him away and grabbing his shoulders. Hiiro stared at him with wide
eyes, confused as to why Rinne would react in such a way.

Rinne tightened his grip on Hiiro's shoulders, "What happened to our father?"

Hiiro replied through tears, hesitating a bit before replying, "There's been an emergency order sent
out. You're the next monarch, big brother. You have to return before Papa dies. You have to return
now."

"I have to return? Says who?? The father who never cared about us? Thinks about it Hiiro, it’s
been ten years since you left and not once has anyone ever come to check if you lived or died. All
those people care about is continuing the family. It’s time for you to learn the truth," muttered
Rinne as he stared at his little brother.

Rinne took a deep breath in. He had known for quite a while that he would someday have to go
back to the village. Still, he selfishly prolonged his inevitable return. Rinne had grown used to the
outside world, he had even made his own little "family" there, as well. It would be too much to ask
him to leave it all behind for a dirty little village. But those people needed a leader, and if Rinne
wasn't that leader, then it would all be left to...

"Hiiro," Rinne spoke solemnly, "Tell them that I will be returning." He let go of Hiiro's shoulders
and glanced away, unable to face his brother.

Hiiro wiped his eyes with his sleeves, crystal-like teardrops still stuck to his lashes.
"Then I will come with you. It is my duty."

Rinne clenched his fists, digging his nails deep into his palms, "No. You're staying here."

Hiiro's heartbroken expression pierced Rinne's weak heart.

Rinne lowered his gaze again, speaking firmly, "You have your family here. Tatsumi, Mayoi, and
your little Aira. Think about them. Would they be happy to see you leave?"

Hiiro's lips began to tremble, his words barely audible, "W-What about your loved ones?"

Rinne gave Hiiro a bitter smile, revealing some of the jealousy and resentment he hid deep in his
heart "I hope they're prepared to say their farewells."

Hiiro couldn't believe what he was hearing. His shock quickly turned to rage, possessing him to
grab the collar of Rinne's shirt. He tugged on it with all his might, but Rinne simply wouldn't
budge.

"Rinne!!" Hiiro wailed furiously, "Will you even leave big brother Niki behind? Can you simply
toss Crazy:B away once you're done with them??"

Rinne grabbed Hiiro's wrist, "Of course. Someone has to play the villain. I will be the cruel and
heartless one who broke up the unit, never to be seen again. How does that sound, Hiiro?"

"What about Niki?!" Hiiro barked, shaking Rinne's hand off.

"I will not force him to come with me. He, like you, is free to do as he pleases. That's what I envy
about you people. The world is yours, while all I have is that little village on a mountain. That
village is my prison and I'm an escaped convict. I was bound to be dragged back there in chains
someday. I just don't want you to be pulled along with me," Rinne sneered.

Hiiro shook his head frantically, "But I'm your brother! Your sword and shield, your right hand!! I
can't let you go alone."

Rinne walked past him in long strides, he placed a hand on the doorknob of the apartment slowly.
"Then I'm cutting the chains that connect us today. My last order to you is for you to live your life
as Hiiro. And I will live mine as Amagi Rinne."

Rinne left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Niki was waiting outside, leaning against the wall with a concerned expression. Rinne tried to
quickly fake a smile, but it was already too late. Niki frowned, standing up and approaching Rinne.
Rinne closed his eyes, expecting the usual kiss on the cheek from Niki only to receive a slap on the
face instead. The force of Niki's palm hitting his skin stung horribly, since Niki had never hit him
before, let alone with full force.

"You're an asshole!" Niki growled as he shook the hand he had slapped Rinne with.
 Rinne gave Niki a cocky smile, "I only told him the truth. He's not a child anymore."

"That's no way to talk to your brother. And for your information, I'm going with you," Niki
muttered under his breath.

Rinne's eyes widened, the smug expression vanishing without a trace.

"With me where? To my village? Niki, once you go there you can never return! Would you really
do that?"

Niki grabbed Rinne's hands, squeezing them, "It's not like I can live without you. I've grown too
dependant on you. Like a plant without sunlight I'll probably wither away."

Rinne stared at him in silence, tears welling up in his eyes as Niki continued.

"In life, you'll find that things often don't go the way you plan. I had always seen myself as a chef
with his own cooking show, not as an idol. Yet I soon realized that I loved being an idol. I know
that younger me wouldn't have believed it if I told him he would one day get married to the guy he
found out on the street. What would younger me say if I told him that the day I met you was the
luckiest day of my life? Plans change for a reason, Amagi Rinne."

Rinne felt a teardrop roll down his cheek, the pain had already stopped.

Niki let go of Rinne's hands, opening the door to the apartment, "Now let me speak to him. Hiiro is
my little brother as well."

Hiiro sat on the couch with his face buried in his hands.

"Hiiro?" Niki called out softly, "Hey...about what Rinne said-"

"I know," Hiiro replied quickly, "I understand. You two don't have to worry about me anymore. I'll
stay here."

Niki let out a sigh of relief, "I'm glad you understand, Hiiro. Your brother loves you more than
anyone else in the world! He just wants you to live freely and make your own decisions."

"That's a lie," Hiiro muttered, "he loves you more. That's why he's taking you with him. So big
brother Niki, take care of yourself. He'll break if anything happens to you."

Niki nodded, opening the door and preparing to leave. Just before he left, Hiiro called out for Niki
once more.

"Niki?"

"Yes, Hiiro?"

"Don't look at the stars' reflection in the water. It's better to stare up at the night sky directly, it
clears your mind. And avoid the meat, it tastes bitter."

"Alright, Hiiro. Thank you."

"Please take care."

Chapter End Notes

Sometimes the scariest thing is the truth.
 Farewells in the Cold
Chapter Summary

What stops you from moving forward?

Rinne watched Niki exit the room with a confused expression. Rinne’s brows twisted together as he
made his way over to Niki. Niki took Rinne’s hand, he trembled at the touch.

Niki kissed Rinne’s cheek softly as he whispered, "He’s a good kid."

Rinne sighed as he stared down at their intertwined fingers, "The very best."

Noticing that Rinne was feeling down, Niki began to swing their arms as he pulled Rinne down the
long hall. He stopped before saying, "Let’s go get married!"

Rinne gazed at Niki with a dumbfounded expression as he struggled to form words.

"Now?! But what about the wedding? The cake? My plan was to give you the amazing wedding
you deserve," Rinne pouted.

Niki pinched Rinne’s cheek as he often did whenever Rinne said something he thought was foolish.
Niki beamed a smile, "I already told you, plans change. Plus, as long as I get to marry you it’ll be
amazing! So let’s take Himeru and Kohaku with us to get our marriage certificate~!"

Rinne’s usual smirk finally returned to his face before he kissed Niki’s forehead excitedly, "We
can have a great big wedding in my village! I swear I’ll give you everything you could ever want!!"

Niki rolled his eyes and replied jokingly, "YOU are all I could ever want. Ah, I’m sure Kohaku and
Himeru will have so much fun visiting your village."

Rinne’s expression darkened, his tone icy as he said, "They cannot come."

Niki crossed his arms, "Hm? And why not?"

Rinne walked behind Niki, wrapping his arms around Niki’s waist and resting his head on the other
man’s shoulder, "Because once you enter, you can never leave. I thought you understood that,
Niki."

Niki smiled softly, "I do."

~~~~~

The man gave Niki and Rinne a forced grin as he handed the certificate to them both,
"Congratulations…to the newly weds!"

Himeru clapped with a proud smile while Kohaku wiped the tears that poured out unceasingly from
his eyes. Kohaku’s lips trembled as he watched the happy couple embrace. He had thought he had
prepared himself mentally for this moment which was bound to happen, but knowing that the pair
who guided and nurtured him were soon going to leave broke his heart. Kohaku was happy for
them, thrilled that the kind and sweet Niki could finally be with the man of his dreams. Yet,
knowing that today marked the end of Crazy:B made Kohaku unable to focus on the good parts.
Kohaku admitted that he would miss Rinne, Rinne who was like a father to him. Crazy:B with only
himself and Himeru would never be what it once was.

Niki and Rinne had already announced their engagement publicly. In usual Rinne fashion, their
announcement would have to be, well, crazy. Once their final song came to an end, Rinne grabbed
Niki’s hand and pointed at the ring. All cameras focused on the sparkling diamond on Niki’s
slender finger. Rinne dragged Niki to the front of the stage, twirling him around and kissing Niki’s
forehead before the eyes of thousands. Rinne made sure that everyone understood Niki was finally
his, and that no force on Earth could ever split them apart. Rinne ran his fingers through Niki’s
hair, tucking a strand behind his ear. Rinne helped Niki up, taking him by the hand and waving to
their excited fans. It was a touching moment for everyone who saw, and a great triumph for Rinne.

Niki once again tried to kiss Rinne on the lips, only to be stopped by Rinne’s finger.

Niki scoffed, “What now? Aren’t we officially married? Can’t we kiss now???”

Rinne laughed, hugging Niki as tightly as he could with tears in his eyes, "Not yet! Not until we go
home~!"

Himeru approached them with a mellow smile, placing a hand on Rinne’s shoulder as he said,
“Congratulations Amagi, and…Amagi.”

Rolling his eyes and punching Niki’s arm lightly, Kohaku teased, “Why did you take his last
name? Do you WANT to be remembered as Amagi Niki for the rest of your life?”

Rinne let go of Niki, turning to ruffle Kohaku’s hair instead.

“In my village, the wife of an Amagi man must always take his last name!” Rinne stated as he
puffed out his chest.

Niki pulled Kohaku away from Rinne’s grasp, clutching him tightly in his arms, “I’m not your
wife! And don’t listen to him Kohaku!! We played rock, paper, scissors and I lost. That’s why I’m
stuck as Amagi Niki~”

Kohaku embraced Niki tightly, taking in his familiar warmth one last time. These arms had
comforted him time and time again throughout the years. Kohaku had taken them for granted. So
now, in their final moments together Kohaku would make sure to never forget the kindness Niki
had shown him. Tears continued to spill out but he simply couldn’t help him. Rinne and Niki were
more than just his friends, they were his family.

Kohaku sniffled, “How could you lose? I thought you were supposed to be the lucky one, Niki.”

Niki glanced at Rinne with a soft gaze, “I am.”

Rinne wrapped an arm around Himeru cheerfully as he exclaimed, “It’s time to go!”

~~~~

Kohaku sobbed as he watched Niki and Rinne hop on the train, never to return. Himeru tried his
best to comfort him, but even he couldn’t control his own tears. Fans of Crazy:B were devasted
upon hearing of their disbanding. No one understood why the two most popular members of the
unit would leave so suddenly. Kohaku had begged them to stay, pleading with Rinne for hours only
to have him say, “Well you have Double Face, don’t you?” Kohaku felt a deep resentment towards
Rinne for splitting their happy family up, but he knew he could do nothing to change that stubborn
mule’s mind. All Kohaku could do was watch them leave, the cold, winter air hitting his teary
cheeks as he waved goodbye.

Once they had found their seats, Niki pressed his face against the window, trying to take in the
sight of his friends before leaving forever. Rinne on the other hand did not dare look back. He was
trying to act strong for Niki, but he yearned to glance out that window as well. Yet Rinne feared
that once he looked back he’ll find himself unable to move forth.

Niki turned to face Rinne with watery eyes, “Are you sure we can’t bring them with us? Rinne…
please.”

Rinne shut his eyes tightly, not daring to look at Niki’s pitiful expression. He had already
committed to this. It was his destiny to be the next monarch, just at it was Crazy:B’s destiny to
split up.

“No. I’m sorry," Rinne muttered.

 Crazy
Chapter Summary

They finally get to the village! Yes! The wait is over!! What’s inside? Uh…

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Niki had fallen asleep leaning on Rinne’s shoulder after hours upon hours of sobbing. His eyes
were red and swollen, his cheeks stained with tears. Niki continued to mutter and frown even in his
sleep, which concerned Rinne. The train had finally arrived at their destination, but Rinne didn’t
have the heart to wake Niki up from his slumber. Rinne sat in his seat unmoving, watching as each
passenger left one by one. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to stay for long since a woman came
and asked them to kindly exit the train. Reluctantly, Rinne kissed Niki’s forehead, shaking him
awake gently.

Niki’s eyelids fluttered open, his vision still blurry.

"…Rinne?" Niki called out softly as he reached out to feel Rinne’s face.

Rinne smiled, picking Niki up and nodding towards the woman, "Sorry for taking so long, Miss."

The woman flushed, instantly recognizing that smug grin which had been plastered across
billboards for years. Before Niki and Rinne could leave, she pulled out her phone stealthily, one
final picture of the celebrity couple. Who would have known that this image, a single image on a
random worker’s phone, would be the last time anyone saw the pair safe and sound.

~~~

There were no buses that led to Rinne’s village, not even any cars. In fact, when Niki went around
to ask if anyone could take them up the mountain, not many were aware that such a village even
existed. However those who did know refused to speak about how they came across it, or how they
managed to escape. Simply seeing Rinne’s fiery red hair was enough to make their skin crawl, so
they refused to say anything more.

Rinne scratched his head, sighing with dismay, "Ah this sucks! Sorry Niki, I guess we’ll be hiking
up the mountain. I hope you won’t mind. It should take about seven hours?"

Niki tried to force a smile. He hated the idea of walking anywhere for that long.
"Don’t worry about it! I’ll be fine as long as we bring plenty of snacks. How long did it take you to
get down the mountain when you left, anyways?"

Rinne’s expression turned as cold as the air around them for only a second, until it changed into a
teasing smile, "Hmm maybe three hours. It’s easier when you’re running downhill."

Niki laughed and the two left hand in hand to gather the things they would need for their hike.

~~~
They were five hours into the hike when Niki could no longer take the bitter cold. He slid his
hands out of the wool mittens he wore only to see that his fingers had turned bright red. Niki
grumbled, putting the mittens back on and sticking his hands in his pockets for extra warmth. He
suddenly felt an extra lump in his left pocket. Niki’s eyes widened as he thought, "food?" only to be
disappointed when he pulled out a small sachet. He held it up to his nose, taking in the soft smell
of lavender.

This sachet, as well as his mittens had been a gift from Mayoi. Surprisingly, Mayoi had taken the
initiative to come visit Niki after news of Crazy:B disbanding spread. He was concerned to say the
least, wondering if the disbanding was due to some internal conflict in the unit or some other
reason. With tearful eyes he sat beside Niki and handed him a neatly wrapped present as Niki
poured Mayoi a cup of tea.

Niki smiled as he began to open it, "There’s no real reason for Crazy:B splitting up other than me
and Rinne feeling like it’s time to move on. You don’t need to worry Mayoi!"

Mayoi sniffled, "O-Oh I see. Nevertheless, I wanted to bring you something. It’s nothing fancy,
simply a small gift Alkaloid put together for you two."

Niki opened the lid with a grin, "Well how can I reject a gift from dear friends!"

Inside were two pairs of hats, mittens, and scarves made of the softest wool Niki had ever felt.
Below that was a box of expensive sweets topped with gold flakes which made Niki’s mouth
water. He also found a necklace with a small, yet brilliantly blue crystal. The color reminded Niki
of something, yet at the moment he couldn’t remember what exactly it was. Finally, there at the
very bottom was a light blue drawstring sachet. Inside was lavender that emitted a soft, calming
aroma and a silver cross. Niki pulled out the cross and inspected it carefully.

Mayoi’s face reddened, “Ah, that one is a gift from Tatsumi. According to him, it’s blessed and
ready to protect you from harm. Although I’m sure with Rinne around you’ll be just fine. I-I can
just take it back if you don’t want it? It’s just that Tatsumi looked so pleased with himself after
making it and uh-"

Niki giggled, "Mayoi it’s alright! I love all your gifts so much!! We’re going somewhere different
so we’ll need all the protection we can get."

Mayoi smiled back and the pair chatted for a while about anything that came to mind. Niki asked
about Hiiro, but was disappointed to hear that he hadn’t been acting like his usual self. Although
Mayoi was unsure if anyone else has noticed his behaviour, he was certain that there was
something on Hiiro’s mind. With a sigh, Niki decided to change the topic and keep their
conversation positive.

"Hey Mayoi," Niki asked, "if you could retire from being an idol, what would you do?"

Mayoi stared at his own reflection in the tea with a conflicted smile. He spoke softly, his voice so
low that it was barely audible, "A cottage. I would like a small cottage in a little town. I could hide
away from everyone and no longer be an annoyance to them all. Yet even in that dark little corner
there would still be a ray of light shining through." Mayoi’s lips curved into a thin smile.

Niki nudged Mayoi with his elbow, causing the other man to jump from fright.
"A ray of light huh? Wonder who that is~" Niki snickered as he watched Mayoi’s face redden.

Niki would miss having conversations like these with Mayoi. His expression always said
everything his words couldn’t. Mayoi could sit and listen to Niki ramble for hours about any
subject. Kohaku was also an excellent listener, though he had more to say especially when the
topic was Rinne. Niki had made many friends during his time as an idol, yet only now had he
realized that he would never speak with them again. Had he really given up fame and friendship to
be cooped up on a mountain? No. No, he had agreed to this. Rinne had already made clear what his
life in the village would be like. But had he? What did Niki know about this village? Other than the
fact that no one came out and those who did ended up…crazy.

Niki stopped walking, his boots sinking in the deep snow as snowflakes fell furiously, feeling like
needles pricking his face. Rinne turned around once he could no longer hear the crunching of snow
beneath Niki’s feet. He saw that Niki’s complexion had paled, his eyes lifeless as he stared up at
the dreary sky. Grey clouds blocked the sun, and the falling snow blocked the clouds. Niki was
unable to tell whether it was night or day, as if they were walking in some sort of limbo, a place
between heaven and hell.

Rinne placed a gloved hand on Niki’s shoulder, startling Niki out of his trance.
"Niki? Are you alright?? If you’re tired or hungry just let me know. We can stop whenever you
want. I’ll even carry you."

Niki shook his head, staring blankly at Rinne. Perhaps it was just their surroundings that had him
thinking this way. Niki glanced back to see that the path they had taken to come up had completely
vanished. There really was no return.

"Huh?" Niki replied calmly, "I’m fine! I’m just worried about what life will be like in the village.
Will I have a role? What if they don’t accept me because…I’m a man?"

In reality this thought had never once crossed Niki’s mind. He had simply made this concern up to
give Rinne a proper reason for his unusual behaviour. Although now that he thought about it,
would the villagers be as welcoming as he had first assumed?

Rinne thought about it for a moment before replying, "The role of the wife an Amagi is to produce
the next heir. And-"

Niki smacked Rinne’s head with his hand as hard as he could, leaving him unable to finish his
sentence. Anger ran through his veins, heating his body up and giving him the strength to slap the
smug grin off of Rinne’s face again.

"I. Am. Not. Your. Wife. Say that one more time and I’m tossing you down this stupid mountain.
Also how am I supposed to give birth to heirs? I lack some of the things necessary for that, so what
then? I get sacrificed?? Kicked out and left to freeze?" Niki huffed as he adjusted Rinne’s hat
which he had knocked askew.

Rinne kissed Niki’s forehead before backing away, making sure that Niki couldn’t reach out and
hit him again. He cleared his throat loudly, "Then, you’d be an anomaly. My mother, she was the
first Amagi woman born in 500 years. 'The Anomaly' was the name they had given her. She…"
Rinne’s voice cracked before trailing off.

Niki had never heard Rinne talk about his mother in all the years they had been together, so this
sudden mention spiked some curiosity.
"How was she…your mother?" asked Niki hesitantly, worried that the subject may be too hard for
Rinne to talk about.

Rinne kicked at the snow with a bitter frown, "She was kind, and smart, and funny." Rinne
chuckled softly, "She and my dad got along so well it made all the villagers jealous! They
reminded me of the couples from fairytales which she told me. My mother…she was too big for
such a little village, ya know? To them she was just the anomaly and the wife of the village leader.
Mother died shortly after Hiiro was born, but I never blamed him for her death unlike others did. It
was meant to happen."

Niki hadn’t expected this to take such a dark turn. Rinne clenched his fists, turning away from
Niki. Niki lunged forth, stumbling as he sunk in the snow with each step. He threw his arms around
Rinne, comforting him with his embrace.

"I’m sorry for asking…" Niki whispered.

Rinne squeezed Niki’s hands, "Mm it’s fine. I haven’t thought about my mother in a while, so
perhaps coming back here brought back some memories." Rinne stared out at the vast expanse of
the mountain in silence before adding, "I suddenly though of a story Mother used to tell me. Do
you wanna hear it? It could help take your mind off of things for a while. Until we get there."

Niki nodded, unwrapping his arms and taking Rinne’s hand instead as the pair continued to march
up the mountain.

~~~

There was once a young lady as bright and radiant as the full moon. She was as charismatic as she
was caring, therefore the whole village adored her. When the young lady announced her marriage,
everyone was happy for the couple. The entire village attended, even the current monarch at the
time. Unfortunately, tumultuous times soon approached. The monarch did not care for the
villagers, abandoning them and turning to lust and alcohol. Yet even in the bad, there was good.
The lady found out that she was pregnant and the villagers were thrilled. Everything was fine
during the first half of the pregnancy, however the second was nothing less than a nightmare. Her
kind, doting husband had become distant, locking himself up in his room and muttering to himself.
When he did come out to meet his wife, they would bicker until the lady fainted from anger. She
became sickly, not even strong enough to sit up in her bed.

The worried villagers sent the Uncle to visit her and give her his diagnosis. The Uncle was what
some would call a witch doctor, or a sorcerer in a way. With only a glance, he announced that a
curse had been placed on the young lady and she would certainly die unless something is done
about it soon. The Uncle spoke of a daisy unlike any other, for it was crimson, the color of blood.
This red daisy could cure the lady and save the child, so everyone sought out to retrieve it.
Surprisingly, it was her husband who returned with the flower first, giving it to the Uncle for him
to prepare. He had arrived just in time, since his wife had already gone into labor. A few sips of the
medicine had calmed her down, allowing her to give birth with little to no pain.

The child was born with hair of a brilliant crimson color, his eyes as blue as the vast sky. When the
husband saw his newborn son, his sanity returned for only an instant before he left the child and
ran. He ran as far as he could. Presumably to his death. Meanwhile, the Uncle announced that this
child would be the next monarch, since the previous one had passed away that very evening. The
old monarch had left no children to take control after his death. All of the villagers agreed to this,
declaring the baby and all his descendants to be the only rightful monarchs. The baby’s crimson
hair was a gift from their god, a sign of his divine protection.

However, once the crowd had gone, the Uncle turned to the lady and whispered in her ear. He told
her, that this child was more of a curse than a blessing. All of his descendants would have their
lifespans cut in half. This was the price of going against nature, of going against destiny, and
saving the lady’s life. The lady refused to believe it. She shook her head and laughed, thanking the
Uncle for all he had done and leading him out of their home. It was only once she held her son’s
lifeless body in her arms that she believed, but by then it was much too late.
 Somewhere along the line, more rules were added. Such as that these cursed descendants should
have at least two children, the oldest and one to protect the oldest from harm. Should the oldest die,
then his brother would go with him. Only the oldest son could inherit the title of village leader, the
other was nothing but a shield. There was no reason for the youngest to exist without the oldest.
Luckily, this has never happened, nor will it ever.

~~~

Niki shuddered as he heard Rinne’s gruesome tale. He stared at the crimson hair which peeked out
from beneath Rinne’s hat.

Rinne noticed Niki’s strange gaze, "What’s up? It’s just a story my mother used to tell me when I
was little."

Niki’s eyes widened as he spoke, "They tell this to KIDS? Now I’m not sure if I even want to go in
there. Are all the villagers weird like you?"

Rinne snickered, covering his smile with his hand as he replied, "Maybe they are. But isn’t my
weirdness the reason you fell in love with me?"

Niki crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "Maybe. I know it sure wasn’t because of your-"

He was interrupted by Rinne exclaiming loudly, "We’re here!!"

Niki glanced over to see a large wooden wall surrounding an expansive area. In front of them was
the entrance, two enormous gates. There was no one outside, nor was there any sign that anyone
had been out there in a while. Smoke could be seen floating out from within the walls, as well as
excited chatter being heard coming from within. Niki grabbed Rinne’s hand subconsciously, his
heart beating faster than it ever had before.

Chapter End Notes

I’m sorry I really wanted to have this finished by halloween but ah

 Spring
Chapter Summary

Inside the village

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Niki wanted to turn back. He wanted Rinne to let go of his hand, free him from his grasp and allow
him to run far away. Niki shut his eyes tightly, imagining stumbling down the mountain. He did
not mind the cold anymore, any place was better than here. His whole body trembled, cold sweat
dripping down his forehead as he heard the gates creak open slowly. Niki's head spun, the world
around him becoming a white blur.

Rinne pulled him forth, walking with his head held high. He had the air of a true royal, ready to
claim the throne that was rightfully his. Niki bit his lip, he felt Rinne's hand shaking uncontrollably
yet he continued to exude confidence. For Rinne, Niki had already sword to do it all. So he
followed behind Rinne in regal steps, although it was quite hard when Niki sank in the snow.

Niki glanced up to see a huge crowd of people inside. They had dark hair and black eyes, each with
the same expressionless face. Their features were all somewhat similar, although their heights
varied. There was something off-putting about this scene, yet Niki could not understand it. Their
eyes lacked the sparkle which the Amagi brothers had. Rinne and himself stood out like sore
thumbs with their unusual hair colors.

A tall woman was the first to come out of crowd and approach the pair hesitantly. She squinted her
eyes, trying to make out the two figures before her. She slapped her hand on her mouth suddenly,
eyes widening and filling with tears as she reached out a hand.

She called out tenderly, "Rinne..?"

Rinne let go of Niki's hand, approaching the lady with open arms which she ran in to. Rinne
hugged her tightly, allowing the woman to sob on his shoulder.

"Auntie!" Rinne exclaimed as the woman grabbed his face and pinched his cheeks.

"You've grown so big!" She giggled. Her accent was strange, unlike anything Niki had ever heard
before. She continued, "Oh you look so much like your father! Except for that red hair. Hm? Who
is this??"

All eyes were on Niki, dull yet intimating gazes pierced Niki and gave him goosebumps. Rinne
quickly ran back to grab Niki's hand, comforting him with a warm smile.

"Auntie, this is Niki Shiina. My husband," he announced casually, kissing Niki's cheek.

Rinne's aunt was taken aback for a moment before she shook her head and approached Niki. She
placed a warm hand on his cold face. She stared deeply into Niki's eyes with her own dead, black
ones. Niki swore that he saw her expression turn as bitter and cold as the snow. There was an
unbelievable amount of hatred in that woman's eyes, enough to make Niki want to bend over and
vomit.

From up close, she seemed very young, about the same age as them. But as Rinne's aunt, she was
certainly much older than they were. Niki wondered what the secret to her youthful appearance
once. She was beautiful, with eyes the same shape as Rinne's and a nose as cute as Hiiro's. Niki
could only assume that this woman was their father's sister, since she had previously stated that the
only similarity between Rinne and his mother was their hair.

Rinne's aunt pinched Niki's cheek tightly, muttering, "Haru."

Niki was certain that she had said something under her breath. It sounded like a name, perhaps a
woman's? Rinne's aunt had said this name with a deep loathing, in a tone that was almost a hiss.
However, Rinne continued to smile as he watched the two of them interact.

Rinne's aunt finally stepped back, grabbing Niki's hand and raising it up, "Let's welcome Niki
Shiina to our village!! I'm sure he'll enjoy his time here!"

The crowd cheered excitedly and charged towards them, screaming and laughing about how much
they missed Rinne. Meanwhile, Rinne hugged and shook hands with the avalanche of people. Niki
almost drowned in the crowd of folks who came to congratulate them. Niki hadn't expected them to
be so...supportive. There were no objections, as if they were almost being forced to be overjoyed.
Niki could see it in their expressions, the way the corners of their lips twitched, the way their were
as dead as always when they smiled. Was this the power the future monarch had over his people?

Rinne's aunt pulled Niki away discreetly, smiling wide, "Welcome to the family Niki! Tell me,
have you and Rinne had a proper wedding?"

Niki shook his head, "No, ma'am. We've only signed the papers and then left for the village."

Rinne's aunt patted his shoulder softly, "Ma'am? Ah, that makes me sound like some old hag. Call
me Auntie!! We are family after all. And worry not, I'll give you the grand wedding you deserve."

Niki's lips curved up into a polite smile, "Thank you...Auntie. But we don't need a wedding."

Her grip on Niki's shoulder tightened, her tone betraying her cheerful expression, "Huh? Nonsense.
You need a traditional wedding. It's the only way the villagers will accept your union. Ancient
rules cannot be broken."

Niki sighed, "Then I'll discuss this with Rinne."

Auntie cackled, "My little Rinne? He already agreed to it."

Niki glanced over at Rinne, who was eagerly accepting gifts from the villagers. Rinne and him had
always discussed things before acting. Rinne could barely do anything without Niki's approval. He
had always been careful when making sure his actions wouldn't hurt the people he cared for. Rinne
also made sure that Niki always had a choice.

"When did he say that..?" Niki asked quietly as he stared down at the ground.

"Well right now of course!" Auntie clapped her hands together, "Amagi men tend to be very
domineering. Fufu~ I hope you didn't think you could tame that wild mountain lion. Oh? Did you?
Old habits die hard, Niki Shiina."

She shoved Niki aside forcefully, wiping her hands on her robes before cupping them around her
mouth.
"WE SHALL HAVE A FEAST TONIGHT!!" She exclaimed, leaving Niki behind.

Annoyed, Niki made his way to Rinne, pushing past the crowd. He grabbed Rinne's ear pulling
him down and whispering, "Did you agree to have a wedding here?"

Rinne held his hand up, instantly silencing the noisy crowd. He grabbed Niki's hand and spoke in a
soft tone, we "No. Auntie mentioned it and I said I wanted to talk to you about it before deciding.
Why do you ask?"

Niki's face turned red as he let go of Rinne's ear. Of course Rinne would have never done
something like that. It was simply that hag trying to cause chaos already. Niki had learned to never
doubt Rinne, since he always had a plan and a way to fix his mistakes.

Niki cleared his throat, "Well she told me you did."

Rinne raised a brow, "Did she? Weird...Maybe she misheard me??"

"Maybe she did," Niki replied with a nod, watching as Auntie strolled towards them with two men
following behind her.

With a snap of her fingers the men took the heavy bags off of Rinne and Niki's backs. Rinne felt
much lighter now, but Niki was still not relieved. He hated the pressure Auntie made him feel, Niki
couldn't shake the feeling that she had something personal against him.

Auntie placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "We'll begin the preparations for the banquet
tonight! Rinne, you should speak with the elders and have them brief you on the coronation
ceremony. And you can entertain yourself somehow, Niko. Ah and-"

"It's Niki," he interrupted with a sneer, "and I want to help with the banquet."

Auntie scoffed, "Oh? Do you now?"

"Auntie, Niki here is a professional chef. His food is delicious and I'm sure everyone will agree as
well when they taste it. Let him help," Rinne's tone had become more stern, shocking Auntie and
making her stumble backwards.

"I see. Yes. A chef. Fine then. Follow me, Niki."

~~~

Auntie led Niki silently towards a large hut with smoke coming out of the roof. The aroma of
spices was strong enough for Niki to smell it before he even stepped inside. Although big, the hut
was packed tightly with women young and old rushing about. Two little girls around six years old
nervously sliced vegetables as an elderly woman stared at a boiling pot which she occasionally
stirred.

"Attention!" Auntie yelled with a cocky smile, "My dear nephew Niki has stated that he is a much
better cook than all of you combined! Therefore he will be in charge of cooking all the main dishes
and directing you here in the kitchen!" She shoved Niki inside the hut, "Have fun."

Niki glanced up at the women glaring at him. Their piercing gazes were all on him, knives held
tightly in their hands. Niki gulped. He wondered how he had gotten in this situation. There was no
place Niki loved more than the kitchen, yet this one made him feel like running out screaming.
However, if he did run out then he would become a laughingstock, bringing shame to both him and
Rinne. For Rinne's sake, Niki had no choice but to suck it up.

"Good evening," Niki mumbled nervously, "You can all go back to what you were doing...and
please let me know if there's anything I can help with!"

He received no reply, but seeing them turn back and get to work allowed him to breathe a sigh of
relief. Niki first made his way over to the two girls, taking the knife from them since it seemed
much too dangerous. They stared up at Niki with wide eyes, wondering why he had approached
them.

Niki explained to them the dangers that came with handling a knife, and left them to bake desserts
instead. Slowly, Niki began to make his way around the kitchen, speaking with the women and
taking careful note of what they were doing. With a single taste he could recreate the entire dish
perfectly, even making his own improvements. The women stared at him in awe, asking Niki
eagerly for advice and listening intently. Niki's friendly attitude and warmth broke the ice that kept
them at a distance. The dishes soon began to come out of the kitchen one by one to be placed on a
long table in the middle of the village. Each dish smelled better than the last, all of them made with
love.

Rinne took his seat at the head of the table, leaving the spot to his right for Niki and the left for his
aunt. With Rinne's father sick and mother gone, Auntie had become the temporary leader of the
village until Rinne returned. Although she was not an Amagi, she was treated with as much respect
as one. Alas, her time in power wouldn't last long. Rinne would soon be taking full control of the
village, and Niki would be his second in command. It was the sole law of the village that you could
not go against the orders of an Amagi. Niki was free to do as he pleased, with the only person
allowed to command him being Rinne. This angered Auntie, to the point that she refused to stay at
the banquet once Niki arrived cheerfully.

"Go see your father after this," she whispered in Rinne's ear as she got up furiously.

"Mm." Rinne muttered as he started at Niki lovingly.

Niki took his seat beside Rinne, grinning widely. Rinne blushed, but found himself unable to take
his eyes off of Niki. Niki smelled like spices, with a bit of flour still on his cheek. Rinne reached
out a hand to wipe it off gently.

"Did you have fun?" Rinne asked, propping his head up with his other hand.

Niki was so excited he didn't know where to begin. He clutched the table tightly before replying, "I
did! Oh Rinne it was wonderful! The food was delicious, I've never had anything like it. The
recipes came from this old book that was practically falling apart. I followed it exactly, but still
found some mistakes. Either way I continued to work, asking for help from the kind ladies along
the way and giving them pointers, too!!"

Niki continued to ramble happily for the entire banquet, spewing terms that made Rinne's head
spin. Nevertheless, he paid full attention to every word that came out of Niki's mouth. Rinne had
been worried that Niki would have a hard time fitting in, or that Auntie may keep bothering him.
Rinne was relieved that he had nothing to worry about. If things continued like this, then the rest of
their days could be spent living in peace.

~~
Rinne and Niki walked hand in hand to another hut that was dimly lit by a few candles. There was
man wrapped in blankets laying down inside, his skin a sickly pale color. Rinne furrowed his
brows when he saw the man who once resembled him so much.

Niki kissed Rinne's cheek, whispering, "Go. Talk to him. You never know when the last time you
two can speak will be."

Rinne stared at Niki with wide eyes before nodding and approaching his dying father. The sickly
old man seemed to have aged ridiculously fast. His skin was sagging and wrinkled, although he
wasn't nearly this bad ten years ago. Perhaps it was karma. Perhaps it was something else. Still,
Rinne couldn't bare to look at him any longer. He stood up and walked right back to where Niki
was waiting.

Niki bit his lip, he wondered what had happened between this pair of father and son to ruin their
relationship.

"Could I...speak to him? I'd at least like to meet my father-in-law once," Niki asked this question,
yet he had already made his way to Rinne's father slowly.

Rinne could no longer stop him, he could simply watch Niki do as he wished. Niki clutched the
crystal Hiiro had given him which he wore around his neck. It was warm to the touch, so warm in
fact that Niki could feel it through his clothes. He kneeled down beside Rinne's father hesitantly.

"Good evening, sir," Niki whispered.

Unexpectedly, the old man's eyelids began to open. He stared up at Niki with bloodshot eyes,
squinting them for a minute before frowning. His eyes glazed over with tears which he tried to
blink back with all his strength. They trickled down his cheeks slowly, but the man could not stop
staring.

A wrinkly hand grabbed Niki's ponytail, coiling his hair around his fingers.

"Haru..." The man whispered hoarsely.

Niki wanted to jump back, but he was still curious as to who exactly Haru was. So he played along.

"Yes?" Niki replied softly.

"Haru," the man continued, "you're here to take me away, aren't you? I've been a bad man." Rinne's
father broke into an almost silent coughing fit, but still mustered everything he had to continue,
"I've hurt our babies deeply. You told me to take care of them, but I didn't. I-I missed you so much
and I took out my frustration on them. Rinne won't speak to me anymore. And Hiiro. Our little
angel Hiiro who did nothing wrong and had to pay the price. My Hiiro, I wonder how he is now.
I'm sure you know, since you're watching over them from above. Tell me Haru, how is our Hiiro?"

Niki stared at the old man, mouth agape. So this "Haru" woman was Rinne's mother. The anomaly.
Haru Amagi.

"Is...that his necklace? Did Hiiro give you that so you can show me that he's safe?" The man's
voice interrupted Niki's train of thought. "I see. Thank you Haru. I'm so glad I can finally rest in
peace. My son has gotten married. My other son is safe and sound out there. Is this not what you
wanted Haru? Aren't you glad? I'm...so...happy."

Rinne's father slowly began to shut his eyes, his grip on Niki's hair loosening. His hand fell with a
thud, startling Niki. Niki's eyes widened with terror, but he held in a shriek.

"R-Rinne?!" Niki called out.

Chapter End Notes

IM SOOOO SORRY FOR DISAPPEARING FOR LIKE A WEEK (｡ŏ﹏ŏ) I've been
busy with school these past couple of days but I promised to start updating at least
once a day or every two days starting... NOW.
 Winter
Chapter Summary

IM SORRY

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Rinne ran towards them, but not to worry about his father, but instead to grab Niki's hands.

"Did he do anything to you?" Rinne asked gently, completely ignoring his father's violent coughing
and heavy breaths. He glared down at the dying man with disdain for a second before turning back
to face his beloved.

The old man opened his eyes as wide as they could go, the suddenness startling the couple. His
glassy eyes locked onto Rinne's face, a stream of tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Rinne? Is that you? Ah, I'm so relieved~ My Rinne is alright," He coughed up a mouthful of
blood, his head hitting the thin pillow with a thud. "Rinne. Take care of each other. You and your
new friend must not let anything get in between you. Do what I couldn't do...for Haru~"

Niki grabbed the man's wrist, his face paling when he could no longer feel a pulse.

Rinne, frightened, called out for the nurses who had been keeping an eye on his father day and
night.
"Nurses!?"

They rushed over instantly, and Rinne decided that it was time for them to leave. He grabbed
Niki's wrist tightly, pulling him outside of the tent and breathing heavily. Rinne gripped his chest
tightly, a bitter expression on his face.

"Rinne...are you alright?" Niki asked as he wiped the beads of cold sweat from Rinne's forehead.

Rinne nodded, covering his mouth with his hand as if he were about to vomit. The words his father
had uttered with his last breath had shaken Rinne to his very core, to the point he could barely
function. He wanted to stay strong and not make Niki worry, but here was all pale and sickly.

A hard smack on the back snapped him out of it, leaving only a stinging sensation. It was Auntie
who had rushed over after receiving news of her brother's sudden death. However, there wasn't a
hint of sadness on her youthful face, nor was there the smallest teardrop rolling down her red
cheeks.

To their bewilderment, she cackled loudly, exclaiming, "It seems his time finally ran out! I'm
surprised he managed to make it so long without Haru... since...well," she stared at Niki, a
conniving smile forming on her face, "I'm sure you know."

Niki turned to Rinne, who gulped and shoved his hands as deep as they could go into his pockets.
The chilling winter wind stung his face, stung his heart. He almost regretted bringing Niki up
there. Niki would have been much better off in the city living his life to the fullest as a successful
idol. Yet now he was about to enter a place he could never come out from.

Auntie continued to speak nonchalantly, "It seems your coronation ceremony has been moved up,
as well as your wedding. Wedding first, then coronation, got it?"

The pair nodded silently.

"Excellent! Rinne, you start preparing for the ritual tomorrow before the sun rises. And Niki... I'll
find some way to keep you amused. Well then, I'm off to say farewell to my brother!!"

As quickly as she had appeared, Auntie disappeared into the hut, leaving Niki and Rinne outside in
the snow.

~~~

Niki was a deep sleeper, and Rinne tossed and turned in bed all night. It was a match made in
heaven. Niki's eyelashes fluttered open like the wings of a butterfly as he gazed around at the
empty room. Niki would always spoon Rinne to sleep, so as to stop Rinne from falling off of the
bed. The bed issue wasn't a problem in this village, but nevertheless, it was hard for Niki to get rid
of this habit. He had slept in the same bed as Rinne for over a decade, yet he could count on one
hand the amount of times he had woken up and Rinne had been gone. Niki put up another finger
with a frown. And that made five. Niki wasn't the type to rise at the crack of dawn either, but when
he felt an empty, cold space beside him, he had no choice but to open his eyes and worry about
Rinne.

Rinne was absolutely not a morning person. He was the type to drag his feet and shuffle around the
room moaning and complaining as Niki did everything for him. It was only once he had his first
meal of the day that he would return to his usual energetic self. Niki sniffed the air, there was
nothing but the scent of wet wood and smoke. No one had prepared breakfast. Niki shot up, his
stomach rumbling from hunger. A cool breeze hit his bare back, causing him to shiver. He saw a
neatly folded pile of robes on the floor beside the futon.

Niki got dressed quickly, happy that the clothes fit him perfectly. He had seen robes just like these
before, in photos of Rinne and Hiiro from when they were younger. These robes were different
from the ones the rest of the villagers wore, they were more intricate and regal than theirs. Niki
poured himself a cup of tea, blowing on it gently before placing the rim against his lips.

A knock came from outside. Niki placed his cup down, rushing instead to the entrance of his new
home. Outside stood a woman bundled up tightly in winter gear. Her cheeks and nose were bright
red, but she continued to smile warmly.

Niki gasped, "Come in! Miss, please come inside!!"

The woman shook her head. She cleared her throat before speaking in a soft voice, "Your aunt has
sent me here. To give you a tour. Also, I cannot come inside your home."

Niki's eyes widened, he ran across the room, scrambling to get ready in order to not keep the
woman waiting in the cold. He shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling the lavender sachet gave
him a sense of relief. Niki followed the woman silently, waiting for her to begin their tour.

As Niki and the woman walked, villagers who were already up doing their chores would run back
into their homes. Niki could hear them whispering, but he couldn't quite make out what they were
saying. He glanced up at the bleak, gray sky with a smile. It would certainly take a while for him
to gain everyone's trust, but he was willing to try. It had been just like this with Kohaku and
Himeru as well. Himeru wasn't very talkative by nature and Kohaku, well he was certainly quite
the interesting character. However, once Niki gained Kohaku's trust, they became inseparable,
together through thick and thin. Niki's gaze moved towards the woman's back, tears forming in the
corners of his eyes.

Their first stop was a small river that ran through the village.

The woman pointed at the water, "This river provides water to the entire village, we are very
thankful for it. The water from here is the cleanest and freshest you will ever taste. Go ahead, it
never freezes over."

Niki took a step forward staring at his own reflection in the clear water. A happy young man with
long, gray hair and a bright, blue sky behind him smiled back. Niki thought about cupping his
hands and trying this miraculous water, but something stopped him.

"No thank you, Miss," Niki said as he walked away from the river.

"Suit yourself!" Smiled the woman, "Now please, follow me~"

~~~

Niki and the tour guide chatted for hours as she shared interesting facts about the village. He also
learned some facts about the woman as well. Her name was Mafuyu, a woman about their age. She
had recently gotten married and pregnant with her first child. She was four months along, so she
wanted to be as active as possible until it became too hard. Niki felt guilty for making this poor
pregnant woman struggle to walk in the snow just to guide him, but she reassured him that she had
volunteered to do so. According to Mafuyu, no other villager was willing to approach him.

Mafuyu waved farewell before disappearing into the unceasing blizzard with the promise of
returning again the following day. Niki threw himself atop the futon, letting his head sink into the
pillow. He closed his eyes, his throat suddenly felt very dry. Niki imagined the taste of the river
water, it was so clear, so clean, so thirst-quenching.

A pair of cold, slender hands slid under Niki's clothes, making Niki scream. He opened his eyes to
see Rinne sitting on top of him, squeezing his chest with his icy hands. There was still snow on
Rinne's head that had yet to melt, his nose as red as his hair.

Niki huffed, "What are you doing now?! I haven't seen you all day and this is what you do as soon
as we meet?"

Rinne pouted, looking at Niki with his signature "hurt puppy" expression. Niki could never say no
to Rinne when he acted like this. His only choice was to sigh and let Rinne do as he wished.

"I just wanted to warm my hands up..." Rinne mumbled as he removed his hands and instead
stroked Niki's cheeks with his rough hands.

A faint smile formed on Niki's face, "Did you miss me?" he asked softly.

"Too much!!" Rinne whined, "You should never leave my side again. What if someone takes you
away?"

Niki rolled his eyes and pulled Rinne's ear, "I waited ten years for you to propose to me. Do I seem
like the type to cheat?"

Rinne grinned, "I know you wouldn't leave, that's why I'm scared that someone will make you go."
 "Who could ever make me leave you?" Niki asked jokingly.

"You're right," Rinne chuckled, "I'm just tired. Hey..what's for dinner?!"

Chapter End Notes

I said I would post at least once a day but I LIED. I'm drowning in work from school
and it'd be silly if I failed English class. Anyways I'll keep trying to post as much as
possible so don't give up on me yet! If you like my work try checking out my finished
tatsumayo fic!! (Shameless plug)
Bisous! (♡ω♡ ) ~♪
 Fool
Chapter Summary

Hehe

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The following days were relatively normal, ignoring the fact that Rinne had been less present
throughout the day. In fact, it had gotten to the point where he was awake long before Niki and
went to bed much later than Niki, as well. Either way, Niki found many ways to distract himself in
the village, either by speaking with Mafuyu or helping the other village women in the kitchen.
They all adored his cooking and praised him for it. Although Rinne and Niki had yet to be
officially married in the village, they already considered him more of an Amagi than Auntie.
Auntie had slowly lost her respect and grasp on the villagers, but she remained unaware of this fact
for the moment.

Niki was the sign of a bright new future for the villagers, ready to take on the responsibility of
being a member of the prestigious Amagi family. However, Niki himself didn't see this, and still
doubted his knowledge on the village and things that concerned it. Niki hated himself for being so
clueless, he would surely drag Rinne down like this.

If they were still in the city, Niki could have vented his concerns to his friends, or to Rinne, who
was always glued to him. Rinne had never been more than an arm's length away, so this sudden
seperation made Niki miss his clinginess. Niki could only turn to the kind women in the village
who quickly felt pity for him. They explained that if he needed to know the history of the village,
there was no group better to ask than the Amagi family. But Rinne was missing, and Auntie would
certainly keep her lips sealed tightly. Niki's only solution would be to visit a small hut known as
the "village archive" wherein he could find records from hundreds of years ago. This information
was not made public, but with Niki's status he would certainly be let in.

The guards moved their spears, letting Niki enter with smiles on their faces. The little archive room
was incredibly small and dimly lit. Niki could barely make out some books tossed on shelves in
front of him, but the stench of moldy paper was strong. There were three shelves, none with labels.
Niki began to pull out the books—if they could even be called that—one at a time. These
presumably ancient pieces of paper held together flimsily were not easy to understand. The writing
was messy and rushed in the older texts, while not detailed enough in the later ones.

Niki sighed, deciding that maybe reading about his late in-laws would be more than enough. He
picked out a dusty book in the darkest corner of the room. It was almost as if it had been tossed
there to be forgotten, consumed by moths during the summer and rotting during the winter. Niki
opened the cover slowly, sighing when he realized most of the pages had been torn out. It would
not take a genius to realize who had vandalized this poor thing, but there was nothing Niki could
do about it now.

The text read as follows:

"Haru Amagi. Daughter of ——— and ———— Amagi. As the only child of that generation of
Amagis, she would find herself inheriting the title of monarch."
Niki skipped past the torn or damaged pages until he reached the very last page.

"Haru Amagi weds ————, allowing him into the Amagi family. He takes his wife's last name,
becoming bound to her for all of eternity. However, during their wedding ceremony, Haru
hesitated. She allowed ———— one last chance to run, to not make the pact and be free. She
understood the curse of the Amagis very well."

The rest was scribbled out with black ink. One word had been written over and over again.

"Fool."

Niki slid his finger across the word, ink staining his finger. He tried wiping it off on his clothes, but
to no avail. He slammed the book shut, noticing the word scribbled all across the cover and back,
each word staining his hands with black ink. The word would not come off. The word seemingly
tattooed on his skin, repeated over and over and over again. Fool. Fool. Fool. Fool. A word that
would stick with him for the rest of his days.

~~~

Niki could feel someone pecking his cheeks with their soft lips, a familiar warmth embracing him.
This person's hands were wrapped around Niki's waist, pressing Niki's face against their chest. He
whispered softly, giving Niki goosebumps as his breath tickled his ear.

"Merry Christmas Eve~!" Rinne cooed as he tightened his grip on Niki excitedly.

"Christmas eve?" Niki mumbled sleepily, his eyes still shut, "Just let me sleep in again~ I'm tired!"
Niki grumbled as he dug his face deeper into Rinne's chest.

Niki could hear Rinne's heartbeat speed up, as well as the excitement in his voice. Although Rinne
tried to hide it, the way he held Niki gave his true intentions away.

"Alright," Niki sighed, opening his eyes and pressing a finger against Rinne's chest, "what are you
so happy about?"

Rinne laughed softly, not taking his eyes off of Niki. He kissed his husband's hair before rolling out
from under the blankets and dashing away. Niki remained under the warmth of the covers,
stretching as he wondered what Rinne could possibly have brought. Rinne ran back as fast as he
had left, a small box in his hands. He knelt down on one knee, just as he had done on the most
memorable night of Niki's life.

With the same sincerity as before, Rinne spoke nervously, "There is a cave in the mountains filled
with the most beautiful gems you could imagine. There is also a gem as blue as a clear summer
sky, the Amagi stone. Every member of the Amagi family has a piece of jewelry made from it. I
hope you can forgive me for abandoning you all these days...but I wanted to find the perfect gem."

Rinne opened the box with shaky hands, revealing an exquisite gold ring with a sparkling teal
jewel. Although Niki's engagement ring had an extremely large diamond which would make others
swoon, this new one had more meaning. Rinne had found the gem with his own two hands, turning
it in a gorgeous ring all for Niki. The symbolism behind it made it more valuable than any
diamond in the world.

Niki smiled, tears forming in his eyes as Rinne slipped the ring on his finger, it was perfect.
However, as Niki stared at the jewel, he couldn't help remembering something else he had seen
with that same color.
 "Rinne!" Niki exclaimed, startling the other man, "I have something to show you."

Rinne smiled, "Go ahead."

Niki pulled out the necklace Hiiro had given him which he kept hidden beneath his shirt at all
times. Rinne's smile dropped, his face becoming dark and gloomy. His eye twitched, tears forming
at the corners as he shut both eyes tightly. Rinne couldn't control his sobs, the pained wails which
escaped his mouth. He cried as if he had been beaten a thousand times. Rinne's tears were
inexplicable, yet at the same time unceasing, making the sight quite bizarre. For Rinne to simply
burst into tears, he had to have been hurt greatly.

Rinne sobbed on Niki's shoulder until his throat was hoarse, until he could muster up enough
strength to answer.

"That necklace, is Hiiro's. That was all my mother left behind for him, that was all he had to
remember this village by," Rinne muttered quietly as Niki stroked his back.

Rinne sat up after a while, not saying a word. He cleared his throat, glancing down at Niki with a
strained smile.

"We have a big day today," Rinne stated casually, reaching out a hand to help Niki up as if nothing
had occurred.

Niki's eyes widened, "We do?"

"Of course. Today we're getting married. Today I become king," Rinne wiped the tears which
stained his cheeks.

Chapter End Notes

I got 4 days off from school which means 4 more chapters!! (Probably) and don't
worry, the fluff is about to end soon. Thanks for sticking around ( ◜‿◝ )♡
 Cherry Blossoms of the Past
Chapter Summary

Rinniki wedding

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Niki pinched Rinne's ear furiously, "Why was I not told that TODAY was MY wedding day?" He
began to pace around and he muttered frantically, "What do I do? Do I go get ready? Is there time
to eat? Please don't say I have to wear a dress. Will there be food at the wedding?"

Rinne placed a hand on Niki's shoulder, giving him a comforting look. Niki instantly felt a sense of
relief. Rinne had always been his reliable pillar of support in the most dire situations.

Rinne cleared his throat before speaking, "I haven't seen you much these days...so I forgot to tell
you. There's nothing to worry about! You can just focus on getting ready and...maybe marrying
me?"

Niki noticed that there was something off in Rinne's tone. It bothered him. It made his head pound.

"Maybe" Niki asked, raising his voice, "What do you mean 'maybe?'"

Tears began to form in Rinne's eyes. It was a very rare sight indeed. Niki only felt more worried
now.

Rinne sat Niki down slowly as he wiped his tears.

"Do you...want to know why I never let you kiss me on the lips?"

Niki nodded.

Rinne sniffled, "There's a legend here, that says that a kiss is a sacred ritual with the ability to bond
two people together forever. I never wanted to do that to you, no matter how badly I longed to kiss
your lips. I wanted you to be free. To not carry my burden with me. My mother's only regret was
kissing my father at their wedding. If not...he could have lived a long and healthy life. She told me
this every day until the day she died, so it stuck with me. An Amagi's partner can't live for long
without them, it's part of the curse."

Niki let out a soft sigh, it was nothing but a silly superstition after all. Yet Rinne's tears did not
cease. Niki did not understand why Rinne continued to wail, his father was proof that an Amagi's
spouse can definitely make it to a ripe old age without them. Although ideally Niki would rather
spend the rest of his life with Rinne until they were old and wrinkly. An shriveled up Rinne would
definitely be a sight to behold!

"I've made sure you still have time to leave the village...if that's what you want..." Rinne mumbled,
avoiding Niki's gaze.

Niki burst out laughing, he threw his arms around Rinne and squeezed him as tightly as he could.
"Rinne, I'm not leaving you! I already swore I'm sticking by your side forvever, til' death do us part
or however they say it!" Niki cackled.

"Y-You're choking me-" Rinne wheezed, making Niki let go. "But... I'm happy that you're staying
with me."

Niki kissed his cheek, "Forever."

~~~
Rinne waited at the altar, pacing back and forth nervously. Auntie sat alone with three empty seats
beside her. These seats were reserved for the family of the groom. Meanwhile on Niki's side,
Mafuyu and her family sat where Niki's family should have been. All the friends Niki had made
eagerly awaited his grand entrance. It wasn't long before a slow, yet romantic song began to play.

Niki walked on beat, with each step he made sure his chin was raised high. He locked eyes with
Rinne from far away and he watched Rinne's lips curve into a smile. Niki seemed to be glowing in
his all-white outfit, a bouquet of cherry blossoms and other pink flowers in his hand. His heart felt
as if it would explode, showering everyone in blood. Niki shook his head, now was not the time to
be nervous. Or to have such gory thoughts.

Niki's mind was blank as the Elder spoke. He was lost in Rinne's eyes which seemed to be as blue
as the summer sky. Niki could stare into those eyes for all of eternity. He held Rinne's hands in his,
feeling them shake in his grasp.

"We stand here," stated the Elder, "before our sacred river, in order to unite His Highness, Rinne
Amagi, and his beloved Niki Shiina. Now, it is time for the sacred ceremony," the old man cleared
his throat, "The ring of the Amagis symbolizes status,"

Rinne placed the beautiful ring on Niki's slender finger.

"A bouquet of cherry blossoms to signify renewal,"

Niki clenched the bouquet tightly.

"A kiss, which seals the fate of these two destined lovers,"

Rinne hesitated for a moment, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. Niki sighed, deciding to
take the initiative. He dropped the bouquet and wrapped his arms around Rinne's neck. Their lips
met. Rinne seemed to melt beneath Niki. He wanted it to last longer, but that would have to wait
for later. Their lips split apart as quickly as they had joined. They stared at each other with red
faces, not knowing what to say.

"Finally," the Elder continued, "you both shall bathe in the sacred river as a sign of your rebirth.
You enter the water as two, but you leave as one. You will be bound to each other for all of time."

Rinne took Niki's hand and gave him an encouraging nod. They walked into the river, the cold
water gave them goosebumps as they made their way towards the deepest part. Niki stared at Rinne
lovingly, ready to finally marry the man of his dreams.

"SUBMERGE!" yelled the Elder.

~~~~~~~~~~

Niki felt a pair of hands touch his face, stroking his cheeks and pulling him closer. He was
suspended in something, floating helplessly in a vast pool of emptiness. He allowed the hands to
 make their way down his body, grabbing his waist gently. Niki looked around, seeing nothing yet
feeling everything. Warm lips kissed his, sucking what little breath he had left. Niki felt his body
become weak, his heartbeat faint. He closed his eyes, allowing the darkness to take him away.

When he opened them again, Rinne was carrying him out of the water with a smile. They were both
soaking wet, and Niki was still clutching the bouquet tightly. Cherry blossoms? In the winter?
Where could one find cherry blossoms on a mountain at this time of the year? The pink color was
quite lovely, though. Where had Niki seen a pink like this?

There had once been a person with hair the color of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Or had there?
Niki looked at his own hair which continued to drip water onto his wedding attire. His long hair
was made into a braid which lay on his shoulder. This style seemed familiar, reminiscent to
someone Niki had once been close with.

Niki stared out at the cheering crowd. Perhaps he was wrong, there had had never been someone
like that. Niki wiped the river water which dribbled out of his mouth with his sleeve. This was his
home. Niki stared up at Rinne with a warm gaze, watching as Rinne smiled back. Rinne was his
home.

Chapter End Notes

AND I SAID I WOULD POST MORE FREQUENTLY THEN I VANISHED

WAHHH ( ·◌ั﹏·◌ั) sorry! this won't happen again
 Footsteps in the Snow
Chapter Summary

Quick warning for slight mentions of gore and blood (in case that makes you
uncomfy)

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Niki awoke with a prickling pain in his entire body. He rolled over grudgingly, only to see Rinne's
sleeping face. The corners of his lips were curved into a small smile, one of extreme tranquility.
Niki could have believed Rinne was dead if it wasn't for the soft snoring coming from him. Niki
sighed, moving the stray strands of hair away from Rinne's face and leaning in to kiss his lips.
Rinne had been Niki's very first kiss. In fact, Rinne had been Niki's first everything.

Rinne did not wake up, no matter how many soft pecks Niki planted on his face. Niki snorted,
holding in his laughter as he tried to get up. The pain from his waist was almost too much for him
to bear, yet he stubbornly managed to stand anyways. With wobbly legs and a heart full of joy,
Niki went off to prepare breakfast.

Niki clutched the necklace Hiiro had given him in his hand tightly, wishing that Hiiro and the
others would have been able to make it to their wedding. Niki's memories from the previous day
were fuzzy, as if enveloped in a thick fog. He was able to recall the moments prior to submerging
in the river, but the rest was a mess. Niki could remember bits and pieces of the coronation
ceremony, such as the Elder blessing both him and Rinne with a red liquid. A crown was placed on
Rinne's head as he knelt down, the crowd cheering wildly. There had presumably been a party later
that went on well into the night. Rinne pulled Niki away once he had gotten bored, and the pair ran
happily back to their home.

The pain Niki felt this morning must mean that their marriage was consummated. As Niki set out
the food for himself and Rinne, the scenes of the previous night began to flash through his brain.
Niki's face turned red as his hands trembled.

"Hey!"

Niki jumped, almost dropping their meal. He looked up to see Rinne making his way over to him
and sitting down. Niki was too nervous to reply.

"Good morning!" Rinne grinned, "It's weird to see you up so early.... it's not because you're in any
pain right? I hope you I didn't hurt you last night."

Niki lowered his head, he couldn't face Rinne in his flustered state. Niki felt bad for still acting like
this even though they were already married. He covered his face with his hands and sat down
silently in front of Rinne.

Rinne frowned, reaching over and peeling Niki's hands off of his face.
"Niki~ Why won't you answer me? Was I that bad?" Rinne pouted.
Niki had reached his limit. He burst out laughing, placing his hands on Rinne's mouth in order to
finally silence him.
"Stop!" Niki snorted, "I-It's too early to be talking about this."

Rinne's eyes widened before Niki felt something slimy touch his palms. He retracted his hands as if
he had been burnt. Niki gave Rinne a look of utter disgust, but Rinne seemed quite pleased with
himself.

Rinne smirked, "We have an important ceremony today, but there's still time until then~"

~~~

Niki hobbled over to another large building. He had already tuned out Rinne's endless apologies.
There was no point in them now, the damage had been done. Rinne trailed behind Niki looking like
a dejected puppy. It was hard for Niki to be so cold towards him, but he had to make Rinne learn
that they should prioritize the village before themselves.

The snow was still blowing as harshly as it was every other day. Niki wore a large coat over his
robes, his hands shoved inside the pockets. He had brought the lavender sachet Mayoi and Tatsumi
had given him. Niki didn't see a problem with having a little extra protection.

After letting out a long sigh, Niki exposed his hand to the bitter cold, reaching over to grab Rinne's.
"Don't think that I'm not still mad at you. I just don't want the villagers thinking we've gotten into a
fight already," Niki said as he rolled his eyes.

Rinne gasped, "Is this not a fight then?"

Niki shook his head, "Of course not! It's more of a... punishment. Have you learned your lesson?"

Rinne beamed a smile, "I have!" He kissed Niki's cheek before they entered the building.

There was an altar at the front, while all of the villagers were sitting before it. When Rinne and
Niki arrived they bowed down, pressing their foreheads against the wooden floor. Niki felt bad, but
it seemed to be a custom so he had no right to change it. Rinne on the other hand appeared to be
enjoying it, his chest puffed out and head held high as he paraded around with Niki. Niki smiled,
Rinne was going to be an excellent leader.

They stood beside the Elder as he spoke, all eyes on them. Niki had long grown used to being the
center of attention, but their gazes were too eerie. Niki felt as if a hundred lifeless dolls were staring
at him. Not seeing, only staring. Piercing stares. Hateful stares. They were displeased, but why?

Rinne squeezed Niki's hand, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "Are you alright? You're looking
kinda pale."

The gazes were now on Rinne, allowing Niki to breathe easier. He smiled at Rinne in return, tuning
back into the ceremony. Rinne was handed a crown made of beautiful flowers for him to place on
Niki's head. The flowers seemed to bloom in his hands, opening and closing. Growing and then
withering again. Withering? Niki stared at the flowers closely as Rinne approached. They were no
longer flowers, there was absolutely no way that the mangled pile of flesh in Rinne's hands had
once been flowers.

Blood seeped out from between Rinne's fingers. His warm expression did not change as he lifted
the disgusting thing in the air for the crowd to see. They knelt down, muttering and praising. The
people knocked their heads against the wood floor. Thunk. Niki looked around anxiously, cold
sweat dripping down his forehead as he searched for someone who shared his concern. Thunk.
They were all hypnotized, slamming their foreheads down in perfect sync. Thunk. Niki's heart
began to race. He felt nauseous, the rotting smell coming from the thing was incredibly strong.
Thunk. Niki gagged, grabbing his stomach and bending over. Thunk.

Rinne stood before Niki, about to place the mess of guts and flesh on his head. A single drop of
blood landed on Niki's nose. It was still warm. He slapped his hand over his mouth, running out of
the building as fast as his legs could take him. He couldn't feel the cold blowing against his
exposed skin, nor could he hear Rinne calling out for him. He tried to wipe the blood off
frantically, but it would not come off. He rubbed his nose so hard it burned, his fingers red from the
cold. Niki saw the river out of the corner of his eye so he ran towards it, stumbling in the snow
along the way.

He knelt down in front of the river, cupping the water with his hands and splashing his face with it.
The water was surprisingly not cold. Niki looked at his reflection, seeing that the blood was
nowhere to be seen he smiled to himself. Niki sat down in the snow, breathing in the fresh, yet
chilling winter air. Soft footsteps came from behind Niki. Kohaku sat down beside him. He placed
an arm around Niki, nuzzling him as he often did when he was happy.

"It's nice to see ya'" Kohaku said softly as he looked up at Niki, awaiting his reply.

Niki felt upset, although he didn't know why. The words that came out of his mouth were not his.
"Where have you been!?" Niki barked at Kohaku, scaring the other man, "You missed my
wedding....I really wanted you and Himeru to be there."

Kohaku frowned, "I'm sorry, Niki. Please come back," he said as he let go of Niki, slowly backing
away.

Niki raised a brow, feeling tears begin to form, "Come back? Come back where?? What are you
talking about, Kohaku?"

Rinne placed both of his hands on Niki's cheeks, "Niki~ You're scaring me. Why did you run
out???"

Niki stared down at the ground. He couldn't see any other trail of footprints other than his own and
Rinne's. Yet the unmistakable head of hair and familiar scent was certainly Kohaku's. He had been
nearby. He was still nearby. It could not have been a hallucination or anything of the sort, it was
simply too realistic. Yet Rinne did not have a single drop of blood on him, nor did he smell of
rotting flesh. Niki pressed his head against Rinne's shoulder, trying to process what had happened.
Perhaps it had all been part of his imagination, seeing as there was no evidence that it had ever
happened.

The "Kohaku" Niki had thought he saw was probably Rinne. He had been speaking with Rinne the
entire time. Yes. That was the only possibility.

"I'm sorry," Niki murmured, "I haven't been feeling well this morning."

Rinne smiled softly, stroking Niki's hair, "It's fine. The ceremony is over anyways. I hope this
doesn't happen tomorrow. The ceremony happens daily."

The word "daily" echoed in Niki's head, making him feel nauseous once again. He left with Rinne,
body trembling from the cold. Soul shaking from the experience. Kohaku's reflection in the river
frowned, walking away and leaving behind a trail of footsteps in the snow.
Chapter End Notes

I'm writing multiple fics at once and I just saw that I put Rei instead of Rinne. Kms.
 Sachet
Chapter Summary

small warning for mentions of uh violence ig?

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

That night, Niki was unable to get a wink of sleep. He tossed and turned beside Rinne all night,
although luckily the other man was an extremely deep sleeper. The problem however, was not that
Niki wasn't tired, but that he physically felt unable to sleep. If he shut his eyes, a prickling
sensation would climb up his legs. The pain was intolerable. Therefore he'd open his eyes as wide
as he could, scanning the room for something out of place.

First corner, nothing there. Second corner, nothing either. Niki turned his head stiffly to the left
only to see an empty spot. To the right there was only darkness. So the cycle continued. First
corner, empty. Second corner, empty. Left, shadow. Right, nothing.

Niki shot up, looking over Rinne's sleeping body. By then the malignant figure had vanished,
fading into the darkness. Niki's chest rose up and down rapidly as he clenched the blanket tightly.
He glanced down at Rinne, who was still sound asleep. He snored faintly, always repeating the
same pattern. A small breath in followed by a snore. Niki closed his tired eyes, focusing only on
Rinne's snoring in order to calm himself down. He managed to time his breathing with Rinne's.

Niki lay back down, snuggling beside Rinne's warm body. Inhale, pause, and exhale. As long as
Niki could distract himself with something else, falling asleep should prove to be easy. He was
already feeling drowsy. Inhale and exhale. Niki opened one eye, there was something off with
Rinne's breathing. He pushed himself up, reaching over and pinching Rinne's nose.

"Hey!" Niki whispered angrily, "Wake up!! Your snoring is so annoying."

Rinne furrowed his brows, turning away from Niki and covering his head with the blanket.

Niki sighed, staring up at the ceiling. He felt an indescribable dread, as if he had forgotten
something important. Inhale and exhale. Niki covered his eyes with his hands, praying for the
morning to come sooner. Inhale and a growl.

Niki bit his lip. The growl had come from Rinne. His obnoxious snoring paired with the uneasy
feeling had Niki on edge. Niki wished he could go and pull on Rinne's hair for causing him so
much trouble, but he found himself unable to.

He felt an intense pressure on his chest, crushing his ribs beneath its weight. Niki gasped for air,
flailing his arms in the air frantically. He glanced at Rinne, opening his mouth to call out for him.
Two slimy hands grabbed Niki's neck, squeezing until he couldn't make a sound. Niki's eyes
bulged as he kicked his legs, shaking his entire body. He pounded on the ground, hoping that the
sound would be enough to wake Rinne up.

Drops of water dripped onto Niki's face, although he couldn't see where it was coming from. A pair
of bright blue eyes hovered over him for an instant, although Niki could have made it up. Niki
reached around for something, anything, that could possibly help him escape. He was already
feeling dizzy, his strength quickly running out. Niki grabbed something that was thrown on the
floor, placing it on his heart. Instant relief soon followed.

The room itself seemed to lighten up. The pressure was gone, and so were the pair of hands which
strangled Niki. He took in all the air he could, thrilled that he could breathe once again. Niki's eyes
had long grown used to the darkness, but in his panicked state he was unable to see what he
grabbed. He held it up above his face, the faint smell of daisies filled the air. It was the sachet
Mayoi had given him. Perhaps it did have some power in it.

Now that the danger had passed, Niki still found himself unable to fall into peaceful slumber. His
senses had been heightened tenfold. His eyes darted around the room as he heard the floor creak. It
was just the wind. The freezing cold wind which howled outside, blowing the snow. Niki could
still sniff out the lingering smell of daisies. Yes, the daisy sachet from Himeru. Niki held it close,
taking in the soothing scent. His neck still burned from being squeezed so violently, but the
fragrant daises took away his pain.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Niki had been asleep for only a moment when he felt water droplets on his face. The same pair of
blue eyes stared at him once again, this time much closer than before. Niki found that his hands
had been pinned down this time, a wet hand covering his mouth. The creature reeked of mold, it
was a pungent stench that burned Niki's nose. He bit the creature's hand, but it was only air. Only
his imagination. Yet the sensation was very much real. The water soaking the bed was real. The
drowsiness Niki felt was real. His heavy eyelids closed slowly, he was no longer able to put up a
fight. Niki gave in to sleep, leaving the creature free to do as it pleased.

~~~~

Rinne was gone in the morning. He had probably assumed that Niki was still feeling sick, so he
decided not to bother waking him up. Or at least that was what Niki thought. But then again, what
did Niki know? These past few days had only proven to Niki that there were many mysteries that
had yet to be uncovered. Niki first grabbed a mirror, examining his neck closely. Apart from a few
bites and bruises Rinne had left behind, there was nothing that looked like handprints. Niki
checked the bed next, only to find that it was dry and clean. The daisy sachet was placed beneath
his pillow, looking the same as ever. Everything was in its place, leading Niki to believe that he
had imagined everything again.

After breakfast, Niki met with Mafuyu. She held his arm as the two walked through the snow. Niki
knew that if anyone could help him understand what was wrong with him, it would be her.
Although she was kind, Niki didn't trust anyone in the village other than Rinne. Rinne was his only
pillar of support. When he had the chance, he would certainly sit Rinne down and explain
everything that he had seen. He would tell him about the constant nightmare he was living in.

Niki had grown paranoid, unable to differentiate the real from the fake. He was haunted while he
was awake, but left undisturbed while asleep. Alas, they would not let him sleep, for that would
ruin all the fun. Who were they? Only they knew. Nevertheless, Niki prefered to not tell his tale to
Mafuyu, but instead ask questions that could help him put the pieces together.

As the walked along the riverbank, Niki turned to ask the woman, "Miss, have you ever seen
anything strange...in the river?"

She pressed her lips together, her gaze becoming distant as she stared into the clear water.
 "Nothing. Not even fish. The water is always clear here," she replied with a smile after a moment.

Niki moved on to his next question, although he hesitated to ask a pregnant woman about
something so gory.
"Miss," Niki lowered his voice, "Has anyone ever...drowned in the river?"

She stopped, pulling Niki back with her. Her expression darkened as her lips trembled. She cleared
her throat, looking up at the sky.
"No one has. Not that I'm aware of."

"That you're aware of...so does that mean that there is a possibility of someone having died in this
river?" Niki asked anxiously.

"No one in this village has ever died of anything except natural causes. It's a well-known fact, not
that you would know."

Niki was not expecting the woman to be so defensive.

"If you're so curious about the river, " she continued, "why don't you go take a look?"

Niki approached the edge of the river just as he had done the day before. He shut his eyes tightly,
not wanting to imagine what otherworldly horrors would stare back at him from the other side.
Nervously, he opened one eye first. It was too blurry to see. Then the second, and by then the
image in the river was clear.

It was his own dreary face. There were dark bags under his eyes from not sleeping, his hair
disheveled. Niki moved his hand. So did his reflection. He blinked. It blinked. Niki stood up,
wiping the snow that was on his knees. He had seen enough, and it would be pointless to stay and
play with his reflection like an idiot. He turned around to call out for Mafuyu who was nowhere to
be seen. Without realizing it, he had lost his footing. Niki slipped backwards, where the water
awaited him with open arms.

Chapter End Notes

Live, love, Niki!! ꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡

 Loneliness is a Disease of the Heart
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The feeling was the same as that of the day he married Rinne. His senses weakened as he sunk into
the endless darkness. The water was cold this time, freezing his skin and his eyelids shut. Seeing
that there was no other option, Niki held his breath, letting the water pull him down.

Satisfaction. The literal meaning of the word was "deriving pleasure from something." So then,
could Niki say he was satisfied with his life up until this point? From living on his own and
worrying about whether or not he would be able to eat the following day to sparkling under the
bright lights. There had been ups and downs in his life, but even in the lowest of the lows, there
was Rinne. In his own "Rinne way" he would resolve any problem Niki had. With a wave of his
hand he would swat away the dark clouds, allowing the warm rays of sunlight to hit Niki's face.

Niki had no regrets. He had made many friends throughout the years, all of whom were successful
and thriving at that very moment. Kohaku had grown up to be an intelligent, independent young
man. He would certainly survive in the industry for many years to come. Himeru was beloved by
his fans, there was no reason for Niki to waste his time worrying about him. Therefore, if Niki
were to die now he could rest peacefully. Drowning was not as bad as people made it out to be. In
fact, Niki felt more tranquil than he ever had before.

Niki's eyes widened, he gasped for breath frantically. How could he have forgotten? He had sworn
to stay by Rinne's side forvever, yet he had only managed to be Rinne's partner for a day. A single
day. Niki thought back to all the times Rinne had saved him. The least Niki could do was continue
to live for him. Niki could not rest easy yet, not while Rinne was still alive on his own. Once the
matters in the village had been settled, then Niki could close his eyes.

Two hands gripped Niki's shoulder tightly, shaking him awake. He could sense that he was no
longer in darkness, but instead in a brightly lit room. Niki opened one eye at a time, his mind still a
mess. A pair of dull blue eyes stared back at him with worry. There were bags under those eyes.
Rinne hadn't slept waiting for Niki to wake up.

Niki shot up, gasping for breath and trying to cough up the water that had filled his lungs. There
was nothing. He turned to face Rinne, his face red and hair disheveled as Rinne watched with
shock.

Niki crawled over to Rinne, placing his hands on Rinne's thighs, "Did I drown? Am I...dead?"

Rinne, who sat on his knees in front of Niki, jerked backwards when he felt Niki's touch.
"No...Niki I was worried sick about you. You've been fine these past couple of days until you
suddenly got a fever and wouldn't wake up. I was so fucking worried."

Rinne hadn't used such vulgar language in a while. Once he began to clean up his act, he gave up
many old habits, including his dirty mouth. However in this case, Niki could tell that Rinne was
genuinely concerned. That was the reason why he resorted to his original crude way of speaking.

Niki squinted his eyes, "Days? Did we not get married the day before yesterday?"

Rinne's brows furrowed as his expression darkened. He picked up Niki's hands and shoved them
away, "It's been a week, Niki. Today is New Year's Eve."
New Year's Eve? But where had Niki been all of those days? He had married Rinne, then attended
that eerie ceremony. The following day he slipped and drowned. So...now Rinne was saying that
none of that was true? How was that possible? Niki's pain, his suffering, it was all real. The
experiences were much too realistic to simply be a dream. It also did not explain where all the
missing days went.

This situation was giving Niki a splitting headache, so he fell face-first onto Rinne's lap. Rinne
leaned back and away from Niki, his expression grim.

"Rinne, I'm not feeling so well," Niki mumbled through tears, "Is it too late to go home?"

Surprisingly, Rinne scoffed, rolling his eyes as he pulled Niki's ponytail, "Home? This is your
home. Your home is wherever I am. Is that not true anymore?"

Niki cried harder, his now frail body shook with each painful sob, "That's exactly why I need you
to leave this place with me! We're not meant to be here!! You belong under the spotlight Rinne,
and I will always be by your side."

"Are you saying I'm not fit to be this village's monarch?"

Niki was not expecting this question. He stammered for a moment, hoping that his tears would be
enough to move Rinne.

"This village is everything to me, Niki Shiina. I can rule it with or without you," Rinne replied
icily, pulling Niki's hair even harder.

Niki winced with pain, trying to back his head away only for Rinne to yank it angrily.

Rinne whispered coldly in Niki's ear, each world piercing Niki's heart like a knife, "You have
nowhere to go Niki Amagi. As long as your last name is Amagi you will be chained to this
godforsaken village like a dog. You can try to make your escape in the spring, but fate will always
pull you back to me. Where else would you go? We both know you can't do shit without me.
You're fucking useless."

Rinne let go suddenly, sending Niki flying backwards. Niki stared up at him, his whole body shook
as he watched Rinne get up with a soft smile. He made his way to the door in long strides.

"Remember your place. Keep your head held low and follow my lead. Only then will I keep
putting food in your dog bowl," Rinne cackled before slamming the door shut.

Niki gripped his ponytail. He tugged on it with all his might, hoping that the pain might distract
him from the loud thoughts. That was not his Rinne. Niki pinched himself. It hurt. This was not a
dream. Pain. Pain. He had escaped a painful nightmare only to experience more pain. Pain. Pain!
Pain? The word was beginning to lose its meaning as it echoed in Niki's head. Since the moment he
set foot in the village he had been in pain. But pain in the heart is the worst. Pain in the heart can
kill.

~~~~

January 1:
Niki spent the rest of the day locked in his room. Mafuyu had come to visit him, but even she was
escorted away. Niki couldn't face her now, not after the dream. Especially not in the state he was
currently in. Niki sat in a corner, clutching Mayoi's lavender sachet next to his heart, tears flowing
without end. His eyes had gotten so puffy he could barely see. Niki choked on his sobs, coughing
until his throat burned. He coughed and coughed and coughed until only blood came out. Yet even
that reminded him of Rinne. The bright red color of blood reminded him of Rinne.

Rinne hadn't returned the night before, although he did show up to drag Niki along for a New
Year's Day ritual. Niki watched with a deadpan expression as red splattered Rinne's robes. His
people cheered. The cheers were distorted in Niki's head however, making them sound more like
screeches. The sacrifice had been slain, the next would soon be prepared.

~~~~

January 4:
Today was Hiiro's birthday! Niki wondered how Hiiro was doing in the city on his own. Well, not
really. Hiiro had Alkaloid. Hiiro had his friends. What did Niki have? Nothing. His one pillar of
support had crumbled, making Niki's entire world fall on top of him.

His days were spent in a daze, never really living. Was being trapped in a place that was slowly
killing you even living?? Did Niki count as alive? He placed his hand on his heart which still
continued to beat and pump blood. But is a beating heart what really makes a person "alive"? No.
Life is spent living. Niki was a walking corpse.

~~~

February 10:
The winter had been harsh and spring did not seem to be coming anytime soon. Mafuyu had gotten
sick. She spent her days in bed, too weak to move. Niki could sympathize with her somewhat,
although he couldn't imagine how awful it would be carrying a child for nine months. Her husband
was nowhere to be seen either, so the pair had a few other things in common. Unfortunately,
Mafuyu seemed to enjoy bringing up the topic of her deadbeat husband while Niki avoided it.

Simply saying that man's name was enough to put Niki in a horrible mood. He would come
whenever that man summoned him, but afterwards Niki would feel incredibly sick. His skin would
burn as if it were on fire. He would choke violently on air, coughing until his damaged throat
couldn't handle any more. Niki had sleepless nights every other day, the image of that man's
wicked face lingered in his head forever. It had been engraved in mind, or perhaps framed and put
on display for him to be constantly tortured.

~~~

March 7:
Mafuyu is too weak to speak. She had meals specially made by Niki that are highly nutritious and
easy to eat. She is awake for roughly an hour before falling back asleep. Niki was concerned for
both her health and the child's, so he dedicated his time to helping them both. It was infinitely
better than being cooped up at home, drowning in despair. Niki had to distract himself. He had to
stay strong. Although the winter was cruel, spring would soon be approaching. Spring meant
freedom. Spring meant renewal. A new life.

~~~

May 17:
The flowers had blossomed, their petals drifting through the air leisurely. Some fell delicately upon
the surface of the water. They then floated all the way down the river to where Niki was filling up
a bucket of water. His pants and sleeves had been rolled up. He sighed as he picked a petal off of
his head. It was a cherry blossom.

Niki flicked it away, watching it land in the river. The petal formed into a smile. The smile into a
 frown. An arm grabbed Niki's, coarse fingers gripped Niki's bare skin so tightly that it left red
marks. They were much stronger than the current Niki. Perhaps, in his previous state Niki could
have been able to win or at least put up a decent struggle. Sadly, now he was like one of the many
blossoms drifting in the air. Beautiful. Frail. Moments from withering away.

Chapter End Notes

ripping off the bandaid.

 Believe half of what you see,
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Kisses. Kisses that were as soft and gentle as a cherry blossom resting upon your head. Kisses as
light as a butterfly. Kisses as warm as the sun. Kisses as loving as...as...a familiar person. Yes. The
fact that this person was familiar to Niki was undeniable. Arms that where made just for embracing
Niki wrapped around him, pulling their bodies close.

Niki saw red hair floating in the water beside him. No. It couldn't have been. But his eyes did not
deceive him. Rinne's face was ashen, tears lined the rims of his eyes. His lip trembled as he
hesitated to speak. Niki wanted to kick him. He wanted to push him away and shout until Rinne's
ears bled. But he couldn't. Niki found himself hugging Rinne tightly, pressing Rinne's head against
his chest. Rinne hated crying in front of him, so only now could he do so freely.

"I'm sorry," Rinne finally spoke, not daring to look up at him.

A simple tearful apology was not enough to make up for all the damage Rinne had caused him.
Niki remained strong, his expression still firm as he stroked Rinne's head.

"They kept me away from you. They made me hurt you," Rinne mumbled as he dug his head
deeper into Niki's embrace.

Niki was not able to ignore the pain in Rinne's voice.

"Why did you say all those things, Rinne?" Niki asked angrily, "Is that what you really thought of
me?"

"It's not!" Rinne replied immediately, "I would never do anything to hurt you. They knew that. So
they took me away from you."

"Took you away from me? How?"

"The end is nearing. My mother was killed. They wanted to take you down first, but I wouldn't let
them. So I was punished."

"They?" Niki said worriedly, "Who are they? What are you talking about? Rinne, you're not
making any sense."

Rinne could only sob more fiercely, "Come find me, Niki. Find me so I can prove that I'm not
lying. Find me so that I can prove my devotion to you all over again. Go to the cave. The cave
where the Amagi stones are. I'll wait for you there," Rinne mumbled as he let go of Niki.

Niki grabbed his arm, but it had become a million air bubbles under the water. Niki quickly swam
to the surface, taking in the warm spring air. A hand reached out to pull him out. Cold blue eyes
met Niki's. It was Rinne.

Niki blushed, "Rinne! You're here! Why are you not we-"

Rinne grabbed Niki's wrist, twisting it before pulling him away. Niki screamed in pain, but his
wails were heard by no one. Rinne shoved him inside of their home. He stood proudly as Niki
squirmed on the floor.
"I'm sorry." Rinne snickered, "But I had to bring my doggy back to his doghouse. A filthy mutt like
you doesn't deserve to be let out."

Rinne smiled. The smile grew wider, wider than humanly possible. The corners of his mouth
reached his eyelids, his teeth sharp like a wild animal. His wicked gaze was the scariest of all. Niki
could only watch in horror as Rinne's hair turned gray, growing longer by the second. Even his
eyes had changed color. Standing before Niki now was...Niki.

The second Niki laughed even louder, bending over backwards as he clutched his stomach.
"As you can see, I don't need you! I can play both roles myself. You're officially of no use to me,
Niki Shiina. Consider yourself fired! Or divorced!! Whichever works best for you."

The fake Niki locked the door before barricading it as well. No matter how much noise Niki made,
it would go unheard. His only option was to starve to death and hope his corpse would receive a
decent burial. Yet a soft cackle escaped Niki's lips. He slapped his hand over his mouth, afraid that
the thing would return if it heard Niki make a noise. However, the laughter only grew more
maniacal. A smile that came from nowhere had appeared on Niki's face. The mysterious sense of
dread was gone, his heart felt light. Of course Rinne would never hurt him! Rinne loved him!!
Rinne still loves him!!! Niki shut his eyes, too tired and confused to continue fighting or laughing.

~~~

May 18:

Niki woke up at the crack of dawn, clutching Hiiro's necklace. He dragged his aching body
towards the small window that was his only source of light. A thin ray shone through as Niki sat
under it, taking in the sunlight before he died. Niki knew his time was running out, it was
inevitable. He held the necklace up to the light, watching as it sparkled. The smell of lavender
drifted around him, since the sachet was thrown on the floor. All of a sudden, there was a second
smell in the air, that of something burning.

Niki glanced down lazily to see that the gem had burnt a small hole in the sachet. Burnt. Burn.
THAT WAS IT! Niki held the gem up at the exact spot it was before, watching eagerly as the
sachet began to sizzle.

After sitting patiently for a while, a small fire was created. Niki ran around eagerly collecting
flammable materials to help grow the fire. Niki dumped a bucket of water on a thick blanket,
throwing it over his head and praying for the best. The lack of oxygen was already making him
feel weak, his eyes closed on their own.

It wasn't long before he felt someone tap his cheek. Without a moment to spare, someone had
shoved a plastic water bottle in his hands. Niki could hear the crunching sound as he tightened his
grip on it.

"Sir?" Called an unfamiliar voice, "You're on in five."

Niki still feigned being asleep, hoping that the other man would simply leave. Soft footsteps came
from behind him as a woman sighed. Niki felt the tickling sensation of a makeup brush touching
his skin. Unable to contain his laughter, Niki awoke, hiding his smile behind his hand.

He looked around confused as to where he was. Niki was longer in the village, but instead this
seemed to be the set of a TV show.

"Where....am I?" Niki asked slowly.

"The set of your cooking show," replied the woman as she applied more blush Niki's cheeks.

"My cooking show?" Niki asked again.

The man did not have as much patience as the makeup artist.
"Yes! Your show! Now go take a seat before the commercials are over," he snapped.

Niki had his own cooking show. He had awoken from a very strange nightmare. It seemed to have
been dreams within dreams. However, Rinne was not a dream. If Niki was not an idol, then where
was Rinne now?

"Where's Rinne?" Niki said as he got out of his seat.

The man raised a brow, "Who?"

Now Niki had grown more worried. He repeated his question, "Where's Rinne Amagi?"

The man rolled his eyes, tossing Niki's phone into his lap.
"I have no idea who that is. Use your phone and check quickly for yourself."

Niki first checked his camera roll. It was full of delicious pictures of the most mouthwatering food
which apparently he had created. There were one or two pictures of himself, but no one else. Niki
typed frantically into the search bar, he couldn't shake the feeling of dread. There were no results
for Rinne Amagi anywhere, it was as if he had never existed. Niki tried Kohaku Oukawa next, but
found no information on him either. Just as Niki was about to type in the final name that came to
mind, the man snatched his phone and pulled him away.

"Niki Shiina! You're on in fifteen seconds!! We have a special celebrity guest today, so make sure
you're extra friendly." He barked angrily as he pushed Niki onstage.

Niki stumbled, walking with his head held low to the counter. He stood behind it, waiting for the
crew to announce that they were on air. Niki had no choice but to go through with it. It did not
matter how much the bright lights hurt his eyes or how his heart ached.

As soon as he was given the word, Niki raised his head up with a bright smile. He had to admit he
was a little rusty when it came to smiling, or even speaking to others.
"Good morning dear viewers~ I'm so glad to have you here for another show!! Sadly, cooking
alone can be a bit... lonely. This is why I brought a friend!" Niki turned to face the tall man beside
him, "...Himeru."

Himeru smiled back politely before turning to face the camera.

"It is Himeru's pleasure to be here with you all."

Niki began to describe the ingredients and what they would be making as Himeru washed the
vegetables. Niki shot Himeru a gloomy look, which Himeru did not notice.

"While we cook, I'll be asking Himeru some questions that I'm sure you have also been
wondering!" Niki exclaimed as Himeru placed the vegetables on the table.

"....What the hell is he saying?" hissed the producer as he glared at Niki.

"He's not supposed to be saying that," muttered another member of the crew.

Himeru leaned in behind Niki, resting his chin on Niki's shoulder as he whispered, "Going off-
script, are we? What do you want to know??"
Niki smiled as he peeled a potato, "Please take that knife and cut those tomatoes while we talk. It's
important to be as productive as possible when working in the kitchen!"

Himeru replied cooly, "Yes, of course. You are the chef, after all."

"Have you always been a solo artist, Himeru?" Niki asked with a grin.

Himeru answered quickly, "Himeru has. Himeru started his career as a solo artist over ten years
ago. Himeru owes all of Himeru's success to Himeru's fans.

"Is that so?" Niki tilted his head to the side, "Have you ever met anyone named Rinne Amagi?"

Himeru placed the diced tomatoes into a bowl and pushed them aside. He pulled out another knife,
sliding his finger across the sharp edge with a smile.
"Amagi Rinne you say? No. Himeru is afraid that Himeru has never heard of such a person. Why
do you ask?"

"Rinne is a close friend of mine. I was wondering if you knew him since he's also in the music
industry."

Himeru wiped his bloodied hands on his apron. The meat squelched beneath his knife, which
seemed odd to Niki but he was too focused on his own work to pay attention to Himeru's antics.

Himeru stabbed the meat, "Is this Amagi Rinne someone important to you? Are you two close??"

Niki bit his lip, "He's been my best friend for many years. I owe him my life, so I'd like to find him
as soon as possible."

"That does make sense," Himeru nodded, "Lovers are always drawn together by fate, you will see
him soon."

Himeru slid a plate of food towards Niki as he leaned against the counter. Niki had only just
finished peeling the potatoes, yet Himeru had already completed the meal. Niki glanced over at
Himeru's mangled "masterpiece". A pair of eyes as bright blue as a clear summer sky topped the
bloody meat on the plate. Niki knew those eyes very well. They were Rinne's.

Niki gave Himeru a stiff smile, feeling all eyes on him as he picked up a fork with a shaky hand.
Should he cause a commotion now, he would surely be in trouble.

Niki licked his lips, "Himeru, this looks delicious! Could you hand me a knife so that I can cut it?
The meat is a bit thick."

Himeru grabbed a knife with a smile, "Yes. Himeru heard that this kind of meat is better eaten
raw."

Niki looked down at the small knife and sighed, "No, no. Such a weak knife won't do. Hand me
the sharpest knife in the kitchen. The smoother the cut, the more the viewers will enjoy it," Niki
whispered.

Himeru handed him the new knife, Niki clutched it tightly.

"Come closer," Niki cooed as he beckoned Himeru to approach him, "Let me show you how we
cut human flesh~"

Niki lunged forward, digging the knife into Himeru's chest with all his might. No blood splattered,
but the crew still screamed. They yelled for someone to cut the cameras. They yelled for someone
 to stop Niki. Himeru's soft smile grew wilder by the second as his eyes squinted into crescents.

"How did you know~?" Himeru said with a sigh as he grabbed Niki's wrist and dislodged the knife
from his chest.

Niki gave him an answer, but not the kind he was expecting. Niki flipped the knife on himself,
smiling wickedly as he pierced his own heart. He fell to his knees.

Chapter End Notes

Shh no guessing. Also one more chapter left!!

 And Nothing That You Hear

When Niki opened his eyes, he could feel a chilly breeze along with the smell of smoke and ash.
The villagers were crowded around the remains of the house as they gossiped amongst themselves.
No one saw Niki sneak out of the rubble and dart away as fast as his legs could take him. He
thanked Mayoi and Hiiro for their gifts. They had saved his life and Niki would make sure to repay
them somehow.

The only thing that could stop Niki from reaching that cave was hell itself opening up and
swallowing him. Even in the perfect dream, Niki was still not content. Although being a chef with
his own cooking show had been his goal since he was young, his dream was not complete without
Rinne. It was all too good to be true. Niki had learned that in life you cannot have everything.
There will be suffering, but there will also be joy. And most of the time, at least in Niki's case, the
joy was much more memorable.

Everything he had ever gone through was a test for this very moment. Niki sprinted as if his life
depended on it. In a way, it truly did. Inside that cave were the answers to all of the questions Niki
held in his heart. Inside that cave was something wonderful. Inside that cave was the freedom that
only spring could bring. To anyone else that wouldn't make sense, but Niki knows. You know. Is
that not what matters?

The guards watching the outside of the cave had no reaction when Niki approached. As expected.
The moved their spears, eyeing each other as Niki darted past them. The muscles in their faces did
not twitch and their smiles did not fade. Niki hadn't the time to pay attention to the expressions of
strangers, all of his focus was on finding Rinne. Niki thought about what he would say to Rinne,
the real Rinne, once they finally met again. First, he would surely bash his head in. Afterwards, if
Rinne still had the strength to crawl around and beg for forgiveness, Niki would spoil him with
kisses.

The cave was lit up with millions of crystals. They were identical to the ones Hiiro and Rinne had
given Niki, but much larger. Niki gazed around in awe, almost tripping on his own feet as he took
in the cave's hidden beauty. Niki shook his head. Rinne should have taken here a long time ago, or
at least told him of the wonderful treasures inside. What was the point of keeping it a secret
anyways?

Niki felt drawn towards a large crystal, its faint flow illuminated his sickly complexion. He
reached out to touch it, a hand touched his. Not only did these crystals have a natural light, but they
are also extremely reflective. Since the last time Niki had stared at himself in the river water, he
seemed to have only gotten worse. Any more and he would be nothing but a corpse. Niki sighed as
he pinched his thin cheeks, watching how his reflection mimicked him.

"Niki~" Rinne called out softly.

Niki felt his heart skip a beat. His eyes widened as he felt a warm tear roll down his face. His
senses were heightened, his every breath reverberated around the cave and into his ears. The air
was a bit thinner in the cave, with a strange scent. It was bittersweet. Niki loved it.

"Rinne?" He called out finally, clutching his heart tightly, hoping that the pain would snap him out
of his dream.

However this time, it was no dream.

"Niki?!" Rinne's voice echoed throughout the cave, it was eerily calm.

The tone of Rinne's voice gave Niki goosebumps. As a cool breeze brushed by his exposed nape
like the gentle touch of a finger. Niki flinched, spinning around and searching frantically. He
watched as one of his reflections began to take the form of a familiar character, Kohaku.

Kohaku sighed, "How many times must I tell ya' that you're too good for him? I suggest ya' leave
him behind."

Himeru nodded from beside Kohaku, "Amagi will only trap you in his web of lies again. You are
to blame if you fall for it."

Mayoi's soft voice spoke up, "Are you certain that Rinne is here? Why not go outside? It's scary~!"

Their voices buzzed in Niki's head, swarming around him like angry bees. They seemed to come
closer, repeating their words as they watched Niki with hungry eyes.

A voice as clear as day rang through the cave, shaking the crystals. "Don't listen to them.
Remember your goal and keep your head clear!"

The three figures twisted their necks, furiously attempting to locate the source of the voice.

"There!" hissed Kohaku as the other reflections glared at a small crystal with a flickering light.

Niki could barely make out the face of the man who spoke those few comforting words.

"Hiiro..."

The crystal shattered in an instant, followed by the piercing cackles of the thousands of reflections
which surrounded Niki. Niki pressed his hands against his ears tightly, feeling warm blood touch
his palms. Nevertheless, he persisted and continued to run deeper into the cave. Hiiro had offered
him hope and encouragement, Niki would not let it go to waste.

He ran until his legs gave in, knees scraping against the rocky surface. A trail of bloody handprints
was left behind as Niki dragged his heavy body until the very end. His throat felt dry, his head was
spinning. Niki had believed the faint glow ahead of him was a mirage at first. He slammed his head
against the rocks, praying that the pain would allow him to think straight. Seeing as the light had
yet to vanish, Niki ran towards it while feeling as if chains were pulling him back down.

Niki found that the source of the light was a small pond surrounded by shrubbery. It was strange to
see such a scene deep inside of a cave. But perhaps the strangest thing of all, was the daisy in
Rinne's hand. It was bright white like the pale Moon. Rinne clutched it tightly in his hand, as if
letting go meant letting his life slip out of his grasp. His eyes were closed, a serene expression on
his face. Niki could have sworn he was only sleeping, awaiting Niki's arrival so that he may
present him with a gift.

"Rinne...?" Niki called out softly, placing a hand on Rinne's shoulder.

Rinne's eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. His gaze had yet to focus when he replied
warmly, "Niki~"

Niki dropped to his knees, practically jumping on Rinne, the real Rinne, who returned his embrace.
Rinne patted his back as Niki sobbed into his shoulder. All of the stress and worry left Niki's body,
even the air felt fresher.
"What are you doing here!?" Niki wailed as he dug his nails into Rinne's back, scared that if he
were to let go, Rinne would vanish.

Rinne stared at the daisy in his other hand and replied frankly, "I was waiting for you."

"What for?" Niki mumbled.

He only wanted to hear Rinne's voice for longer. Niki wanted to make sure that the Rinne beside
him was not an illusion. He could hear Rinne's breathing. In. Out. Rinne's body vibrated a bit when
he spoke. In. Out. Rinne smelled strongly of daisies, presumably because he held one. In. Out.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Keep breathing for as long as you can.

Rinne spoke in a monotone voice, "Come with me."

Niki's eyes widened, he grabbed Rinne's face and gave it a slight squeeze.
"Where to?"

Rinne smiled, "Somewhere beautiful, but far from here. There we can live peacefully. I don't want
to be a monarch, I want to live freely with you in a land of eternal spring."

"Did I not swear to follow you until the very end? An idiot like me doesn't need an explanation.
Wherever you go, I will go. Just don't leave me, let's stay together," Niki said as he brushed Rinne's
hair out of his face.

Rinne placed a soft kiss on Niki's cold lips, "Don't call yourself an idiot, you're the smartest man I
know."

Niki chuckled, "How do you know that."

Rinne grinned slyly, "You made the smart choice when you married me."

Niki pinched Rinne's nose teasingly, "Enough! Say Rinne, is it time to go yet?"

Rinne hesitated for a moment, "It is."

"Rinne?"

"Yes Niki?"

"I love you."

The blade pierced straight through Niki's back and through his heart. That was the sound of Rinne's
love. As Rinne pulled it back out, Niki choked on his own blood. He coughed up a mouthful of red
liquid, splattering all over Rinne's daisy. The daisy had become a daisy unlike any other, for it was
crimson, the color of blood. The knife fell from Rinne's hand, clattering on the ground as he
remained expressionless. Niki's arms fell limply to his side, a peaceful expression on his sickly
face.

A single tear rolled down Rinne's cheek as he hugged Niki as tightly as he could.
He muttered in a voice so low that he could barely hear himself, "This was the only way I could
protect you from them. You're free, Niki. We are free."
 Epilogue
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Hiiro wiped the sweat from his forehead as he bent down to catch his breath. Anger was the only
thing that kept him going, or he would have died on the way up the mountain long ago. Hiiro
pounded on the massive wooden gates around the village with all of his might. The birds which
were perched on the walls flew away in fright.

The gates opened with a creak, Auntie stood there with a warm smile.
"Hiiro, my darling!" She exclaimed happily.

Hiiro dodged her embrace, glaring at the woman with disgust.

"Where's my brother and Niki?" Hiiro growled in a low voice as he clenched his fists.

Auntie's eye twitched. She responded cheerfully, "The royal couple is preparing for an important
ceremony. You can find them in the cave of the Amagi stones!!"

Hiiro nodded, pushing past the sickeningly happy woman and making his way towards the cave.
This time there were no guards, only Auntie and a crowd that had gathered around the entrance.
Before Hiiro could even set foot inside, he was hit by the stench of blood. Worried, Hiiro decided
to go in and see if anyone was in need of assistance.

Auntie's voice echoed throughout the cave, "Today marks the end of the Amagis. You can thank
your brother and his husband for their sacrifice. It is thanks to them that the new generation can
continue."

Hiiro whipped his head around. The cave rumbled. The entrance was sealed with a stone as the
crystals fell from the ceiling with no warning. Hiiro glanced up, the last thing he saw was a blue
light as bright as a clear summer sky approaching him.

~~~~

Mafuyu drank the medicine made from the rare crimson flower and quickly regained her strength.
She was able to give birth to a beautiful baby boy. He had fiery crimson hair and blue eyes. When
she stared at this baby, she had a feeling it wasn't truly hers. But she had not the time to worry
about such trivial matters.

Auntie handed her a bouquet of flowers as announced, "This miracle child is one in a million. He is
chosen by our god to lead us all!! All hail the next monarch!"

"Next monarch?" The villagers asked themselves.

Had there ever been another monarch before that child? Certainly not.

Chapter End Notes

Someone accidentally guessed the ending plot twist and I cried. You guys are too
smart •́ ‿ ,•̀
 Author's Note
Chapter Summary

Ah just the ramblings of a maniac

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

So in case anyone is confused, Rinne and Niki are dead. So is Hiiro. Ba bam!

Explanations for things~

Niki's hallucinations: I'll leave the theories up to you. Could it have been the water? Maybe Niki's
fears manifesting in a physical form?? (Wait this isn't even an explanation my bad)

Shape-shifting creature: The god which is occasionally mentioned. It makes sure that things run
smoothly and there are no issues with the Amagi family. Its solution for Rinniki was to get rid of
them or make them want to get rid of themselves.

Repetition: NO. I DID NOT RUN OUT OF IDEAS I SWEAR. The repetition was used in order to
get the point across. Take for example "as bright blue as a summer sky." These words are used to
describe anything that is the same shade of blue as Rinne's eyes.

Daisies: They represent new beginnings and childbirth which in this case is Mafuyu's child. I
HATE making up names for characters in fics cause ewwww but I had to just this once to show
that Mafuyu isn't like anyone else. I tried to avoid saying her name as much as possible.

POV: At the beginning of the story, you (the lovely readers) are able to see what Rinne is thinking
and feeling. Rinne and Niki share the role of "main character" and the "camera" focuses on both of
them. As Rinne and Niki grow more distant, we start to see less of Rinne and no longer get that
insight into what he's thinking. At the end, once Niki is reunited with the real Rinne and Niki dies,
the camera once again focuses on Rinne who is the only star left in the show.

Thank you so much for reading!!! This marks the end of Daisies but it was super fun to make!
Angst is my favorite thing to write so please check out my future works if you can!(shameless
plug) Mwah ( ◜‿◝ )♡

Chapter End Notes

The next chapter will NOT be worse. There is no next chapter. Dead, dead, and done.

End Notes
 I guarantee the next chapter will be worse.

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