#aaaaaand that concludes everything I will write about these two for the foreseeable future

[aspiringhorrorauthor]

GX Month- Heartbeat

Times of great stress and fear give way to times of peace, and Prince Haou is looking forward to the long-awaited visit of his friend

For @gxmonth

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41403294/chapters/104847597

Warnings for this one are blood, death, and possession.

“Sir Marmoru is here to visit you, your highness.”

The words swirled around his head like a favourite song, stuck in your head and playing on repeat, a song so brilliant you wouldn’t mind if it remained there forever. The duties of the day had drawn to an end, and the universe was, for now at least, at peace. The forces of darkness and light kept in balance once more, assisted by the emissaries of both. There had yet to be such peace in Haou’s lifetime, and he was relishing every moment of it.

And they had worked long and hard to reach it, knowing too that it was but a brief respite. All too easily could any of the forces regain their strength, and threaten the twelve dimensions once more, but for the first time in ten years, there was nothing calling for the attention of either of them except for their usual day-to-day duties. Marmoru protected the Crystal Beasts, and he helped his father rule the Kingdom.

Haou traversed the corridors with practiced ease: he knew every shortcut, every alternate path. He broke into a run when no-one was looking, walking in a more dignified manner when there were people watching. Marmoru never minded all of that, he’d seen too much of Haou and Haou too much of him for either one to hold the other to any standards higher than when they’d first met, in that forest, hunting for apples and laughing until the sun set, having to sneak back into the castle without either the castle staff or the Guardian noticing.

He cut through the kitchens, stealing an apple off the side of the counter while the staff focused too heavily on their work to acknowledge him. Twenty-four years they’d known him, and they’d known for all that time how little care he gave for them to bow while they were working. The kingdom may one day be his, but the kitchens were ruled by the chefs, and he would never outrank them within their own domain.

Once out of the kitchens it was a short walk to the dias room, where he would always meet Marmoru. It saved his friend walking through the castle, especially if they decided they would rather spend time among the Crystal Beasts in Light World than remain in Dark World. Eagerly, he wrenched the door open.

But the room was almost empty. Only Yubel stood in there, looking as confused as he did.

“I heard Marmoru was coming, so I thought I should meet with him,” Yubel explained, crossing their arms. “But he mustn’t have waited for us.”

“How odd,” Haou commented. “He usually does. Maybe he has been busy and retired to his usual room instead?”

“Perhaps,” Yubel agreed slowly, cautiously. Haou turned to head towards the chambers, with Yubel following close behind. “Or perhaps he is wishing to avoid seeing you, after your last conversation.”

Haou cringed, he’d tried very hard to forget what had happened, the callous things he had said to his friend through his own stress. “I hope not, I must apologise to him, and ensure that he is well after all. Surely he must be, to travel this far.”

“I think it will take more than an apology, my prince,” Yubel warned. Haou stopped, with Yubel stopping behind him. “He was worried, and he came to you for help, and he left feeling rightfully ignored. It’s no wonder it has been so long since his last visit.”

Haou bit his cheek; he’d been working almost tirelessly for a solid month, trying to fight back the Light of Destruction with no break, when Marmoru had approached him, insisting that there was something wrong with his powers. But he couldn’t find anything, and Marmoru’s insistence had irked him badly, sending his dear friend away with a harsh tongue. He regretted every word, yet he wasn’t sure what else he could have done. There truly was nothing wrong with Marmoru, except for what was happening within his own mind.

“But he has come here now, so he must want to see me,” Haou insisted. Marmoru had never, to his knowledge, come to the castle without saying hello. He barely ever passed through Dark World without stopping to check up on him. Maybe he should’ve gone to Light World once the Light of Destruction had faded once more to apologise, but he’d been so tired. Marmoru would understand, he surely had to…

The chambers eventually came into view, with Haou rushing to the guest chamber Marmoru used; truth be told, it was just another guest chamber, and Marmoru could always return home as he pleased so it wasn’t necessary, but he had insisted. He enjoyed having his friend so close. Haou knocked on the door.

“Marmoru? It is me, please make yourself decent if you are not already,” Haou joked, lifting the latch on the door and walking in. But the room was as it was the last time he had seen it: empty, with only the furniture in it. No Marmoru, and no Crystal Beast either. Strange.

“Maybe he has gone to my room?” Haou asked, his heart starting to beat harder within his chest. “If he was searching for me.” Yubel gave an uncertain sound behind him, but Haou was too determined now, too heartbroken to think Marmoru would have left again so suddenly. He walked the short distance to his own room, opening the door without knocking, yet that one was as empty as the first. So where could he be?

Yubel’s hand reached out to hold his own. Had his friend left so quickly? Sent a false message that he wished to see Haou, only to leave him high and dry in return for his own cold behaviour last time they had met? Truly, it was all he deserved…

A sudden scraping from beyond the door to his father’s room caught Haou’s attention. His father had retired for the evening before he had, trying to show trust in his son’s ability to rule by leaving him in charge, even though Haou knew he would double check any decisions he had made in the morning. But how strange for his father to still be awake, usually he went to sleep quite quickly.

“Father?” Haou called out, walking over to the door. It would be too much to ask if the King had seen Marmoru, they generally avoided any mention of the other, but a loud hushing on the other side of the door sent dread to fill Haou’s heart, as it beat strongly through his ears. He knocked gently on the door. “Father, is everything alright?”

“Haou?” Came an all-too-familiar voice, yet in a stranger’s cadence. Haou’s brow furrowed.

“Marmoru? What are you doing in there?” Haou asked, grabbing the door handle and realising it was locked. “Open this door now!”

“It’s alright, Haou,” Marmoru answered, his voice almost dream-like, as if not fully aware of himself. Barely muffled gasping could be heard from within the room. “Everything will be alright.”

“Marmoru!” Haou yelled, trying to push the door with his shoulder. Something wasn’t right, his heart was racing and a heavy weight was settling into his guts, trying to drag him deep, deep into the floor below him. “Open the door!”

Yubel pushed Haou aside, trying to ram the door open themselves, yet the door wouldn’t open. The panic started to really settle in now; what was Marmoru doing in his father’s room? The King would be livid if he found him, and if they were in there together…

The commotion had gathered some of the castle residents to the corridor, watching with shock as Haou desperately tried to get the door open, until one of the monsters stepped up to tackle the door down instead. It flew off its hinges, as Haou rushed through the doorway, his heart thundering within his chest.

Marmoru was stood at the centre of the room, but there was something horribly, horrifically wrong. His eyes looked glazed over, his short, well-kept blonde hair had darkened and become incredibly messy, the light that he always seemed to have such good control other seemed to bathe him like a cloak. And he wielded his sword. It was dripping with blood.

“Haou!” Marmoru greeted, his face cracking into a horrific smile, seeming to stretch further than was every natural on a human face. It was like looking at a friendly dog that had gone completely rabid, yet was only stood staring for now, foaming silent at the mouth. A shiver ran down Haou’s spine. “Come see what I have done!”

The blood on the sword… it was everywhere. Pulsing out across the floor, an ever-growing puddle of wasted life, each beat only taking away more. And there, at the centre, laid like a slaughtered deer in his own blood. Was the King.

Dead.