A/N: I guess this is sort of an AU since Hisoka never left his room to go outside and witness Muraki's crime. So instead, he fears the voice he hears in his home due to his empath abilities. Hisoka could have heard the Yatonokami but passed it off as something else since he probably wasn't taught about the full details of the family's curse. His parents are still scared of him but Nagare shows indications of caring for him. He's still a shitty dad though.

Trigger warning: Talk of Hisoka scratching himself until he bleeds. Indications of past abuse by the snake god but not explicit. Indication that Rui holds off eating. The scales on Nagare's body.

I hope you enjoy it and leave a review to tell what you think.

-Lucicelo

Chapter 1

Hisoka sat near the sliding doors, his nimble fingers still remained on his lap. His bright green eyes were dull, lost in his thoughts. He attempted to block his mind from the harsh emotions coming from his mother. It was impossible. She couldn't stand to look at him. When he was close to her, they grew stronger. His jaw clenched. He tucked a strand blond hair behind his ear. Keeping his eyes on the birds perched on the cherry tree near his room. He heard their chirping, the branches rustling when they took flight. Spring was in full bloom. Petals fell into the clear water of the koi pond with a slight gust of wind.

He kept an ear out for anyone coming to open his door. Informing him on when he was able to walk the grounds or leaving his lunch next to his bed. Days passed in complete boredom. The books his tutors gave him only served to entertain him for so long. Not that he could ask for any books for entertainment. Half the time, he wondered how he could escape such a monotone existence. The hatred from his parents got to him. The rest of his family only addressed him during family meetings. No true friends to speak of.

He rubbed his temples. His heart ached for company yet he trusted no one. The whole town, the servants, his relatives, no one thought about his own feelings.

It was better staying alone.

Keeping his empath abilities a secret meant that no one hurt or betrayed him. The last person he considered a friend figured out his ability. His ex-friend wasn't allowed back on the Kurosaki grounds. He heard the boy's family disappeared in the night. It wasn't hard to hide his anguish at having no friends. He made himself emotionless to anything his family whispered about him. He couldn't remember the last time he talked to someone his own age.

His tutors wouldn't engage in any conversations outside of the curriculum. He knew the family kept servants close to any rooms which served as his classroom. Only to disclose any odd occurrences between him and his tutors. They didn't want the heir of the Kurosaki line picking up anything. His mind needed to remain untainted. Just so he wouldn't get the idea to escape his duties.

A knock came to the wood near the sliding door which lead inside of the manor. Hisoka kept his eyes on the cherry blossom trees. He didn't want to go outside of his room. He had no choice in the matter though, nothing was ever his choice in this family.

If it was possible, they would control his feelings as well.

The door slid open an inch. "Young master, your math tutor has arrived."

The immense feeling of boredom and annoyance came off of this woman in waves. The polite demeanor at the manor fooled the family. Hisoka knew many despised having remained to work at the manor. Many of the staff had generations working for the Kurosaki family. Going back to the original founder of the clan. The modern era left more opportunities than working for an old family.

Plenty of the servants held onto deep resentments but never voiced it. They kept their comments hidden in whispers. Hisoka figured their true thoughts a long time ago. At least his ability made him see the inner person behind the smiles he received. Long ago, he tossed aside the naive child who believed fake assurances and smiles.

Hisoka fixed up his yukata before he got on his feet. "I will arrive shortly, thank you for informing me."

"Of course, young master."

The door closed completely and he heard the woman's steps disappearing down the hall. Her feelings didn't diminish, they only grew stronger as the distance grew larger. She might leave their employment soon.

Hisoka frowned as he rubbed his unblemished hands. He covered himself with a loose sweater to chase away the cold. Grabbing his math supplies and his gloves to stop people from touching his skin. His ability grew stronger when he touched someone. He figured this out when he touched his mother and saw some visions he never disclosed.

He didn't hate his tutors but they were such a bore.

Nagare remained seated in the middle of the room. Avoiding the spots on his body where he had not bandaged the scales yet. Every single day, new ones appeared on his skin. He needed to change his bandages and soak in the tub again. Having found new remedies for his skin, they helped a bit but didn't heal anything. It only managed to relieve the itching so he wouldn't give into the urge and do it in public. He finished his meal, one his staff sat outside of the room, waiting to take away his dishes. The door open a few inches, she remained still. Her eyes straight ahead. Members of the staff passed her in the hallway. Some kneeling down to give her information or she whispered something in their ears.

Nagare ignored the matter they gossiped when they were in the middle of their job. They finished their work on time and without complaint. Hearing their gossip was better than the dead silence which accompanied the manor. Ever since he was a child, his father made sure his sons didn't make noise. Both of them raised as possible heirs to the Kurosaki line. They couldn't act like normal civilians.

After he took over, he noticed the staff relaxed and retained their work ethic. Without their old master's stricter rules, the older generation felt comfortable. Although, he knew they told the new staff to follow everything to the letter.

Nagare coughed into his hand as the young lady got up from her place and went inside of his room. She was a new hire who was related to an older kitchen cook that recommended her in high regard. The girl had not messed up. He was sure her relative gave her advice about the manor and kept training her.

"Will you need dinner in your room as well, master?"

"Yes," Nagare answered as he fought the urge to rub his eyes.

"Will young Hisoka dine in here with you as well?" She inquired, her fingers gripped the tray as she realized her mistake.

Of course, Hisoka never ate a meal with his parents unless company was over. The kitchen staff warned her never to ask questions about his heir and his wife. It was better to do the job and keep from getting noticed from the head of the family. She was sure the master only knew the oldest staff he had and the new ones just went past his head. He had other things to remember, it didn't bother her.

Nagare told her. "No, let him eat in his bedroom. Stay with him until he finished everything. Tell someone else to wait on my dishes." He kept holding his cup in his hands, a coaster was right beside him on the floor. "Have the regular person from the staff sit inside with Rui until she finishes." He wasn't blind to her mess up.

She nodded her head, keeping her mouth shut, she left the room with the tray in her arms. It took her a moment to close the door with her free hand. She went down the hall toward the kitchen. Her footsteps faded and the hallway went completely quiet.

Good riddance. Your staff is so droll it's irritating to see them wander around this place.

Nagare froze. What was it doing here? He checked over his shoulder, the disgusting figure of the Yatonokami slithered into the room. A hidden door blended with the wall made it so the being wouldn't wander through the manor. At the night of his father's demise, he saw the door ajar. The scales and peeling skin. He almost emptied his stomach when he gazed at his father on his death bed. It was through full will which kept himself together. His bandages scattered around the room. Blood pooled underneath his head when he had a vicious cough fest. Through his coughs, he explained everything the master of the house entailed.

Including the presence of the snake god.

He almost ran out of he room when the snake made his first appearance. Slithering out of the open door. Piercing eyes kept him in place. His father's stern command to remain still. He didn't dare disobey the late master of the manor. His father pointed at him, appointing him as the new master. Yatonokami made his way toward him. It curled around him, his tongue running down his face. The late master took his last breath at that moment.

His older brother never let him live it down. He ranted about how his little brother stole his role. Claiming, he convinced his father in his frail mind to change his mind. He wondered if Iwao understood the obligations as the master of the Kurosaki family. Every single time they met, he saw the resentment in his eyes. His stares at every new bandage he sported. He didn't understand how someone wanted to gain this title.

With daylight still out, the snake never entered the room. He didn't understand why it made an appearance.

Turning back around, he sipped his tea. Trying to make it seem that he had not noticed it come in or hear its voice.

Nagare, don't you dare ignore me. His tongue peeked out, smelling the air. I have not smelled your heir in a while, where is he?

Nagare placed his cup onto the coaster on the floor, he couldn't ignore him for long. "Hisoka has no need to come to this section of the manor. His whole attention is in his studies not pleasantries."

Hmm..bring him around more often. His smell is so tantalizing.

Nagare curled his hand on the fabric of his yukata. Gripping it until his hand quivered from the pressure. His face impassive, his body language rigid. Keeping his mouth shut, he kept his eyes on the wood paneling of the door. He counted backwards. Trying not to lash out at the snake for fear of his punishments at night.

I will enjoy dirtying his soul. You will make due until he takes your place.

It disgusted him. He had no choice but to support this monster's wants and needs. He refused to weaken in front of it or give up his pride. He came from a proud lineage of samurai, their spirits strong and unbreakable.

"Hisoka is not my heir."

What? The snake god inquired. Nagare couldn't figure out its tone, he might assume it was curious in nature. He was born from your cursed seed, he is the heir.

"He is not fit. Another one will be born soon."

The snake let out a hollow laugh, it brought a shiver to Nagare's spine. Your wife has not laid with you since the birth of your heir. Don't lie to me.

The Kurosaki family urged him for another heir. It was in case Hisoka didn't work out to their favor. His father had two to choose from, the generations before him did the same. Only a select few knew of Hisoka's defects. This was why he needed another child to take his place. His heart clenched. Recalling his oldest child, her tombstone remained untouched after so many years. The family would kill his next child if a daughter resulted in birth again.

Rui saw the downfall of her sister but had no choice but to marry him months afterwards. When the news of her pregnancy surfaced. She prayed for a son throughout her pregnancy. When Hisoka was born, he saw the relief in the faces of the town and the whole family. Their hopes resided in this one child to keep the snake god from roaming the world. Although, he didn't know if Iwao could take his place if he had no more sons. The family records gave no sign if the master had a choice to resign his position. He wanted nothing more than to abandon this place but the snake had his hooks into him.

Death was his escape.

In a way, he wanted to distance Hisoka from this beast. His innocent son. The one born into a cursed family. He didn't understand him, afraid of what he could do with his gifts. Yet, he still cared for him but placed a barrier to keep him away from him. At least Hisoka's older sister escaped this hell. Not that Yatonokami wanted women. All the masters since the first Kurosaki were men, this never changed.

"There is an insistence for another child." Nagare furrowed his eyebrows. "Children die of diseases all the time. Hisoka is weak."

How precious. You care for the boy. The snake mocked him. Your father offered you and your brother when you two were young. He couldn't take what I did with him every single night. He was such a fragile man.

Nagare couldn't take it anymore, he turned and glared at him. "Quiet beast!"

Silence permeated the room. Nagare bit the inside of his cheek for having lost his composure.

Yatanokami moved an inch. Nagare braced himself for a reprimand when the snake's head snapped to the right. Footsteps echoed in the room, footsteps of a certain young boy. Nagare's eyes widened when he saw the sign of a smirk on the snake's face.

At times, he heard a cruel evil voice whenever he left his room. He only ever heard the voice when he walked near his father's room. Every time he heard it, his gift went on high alert. It pushed him to leave the area immediately. He would have left a long time ago but he had no accumulated money and no one to take him in. The dark thoughts made his skin crawl. He wanted to scratch different areas until he bled. The sinful release of the pain blocked away the voice. A doctor got called when his father found the patches of scratches on his arms. The doctor didn't tell anyone, only his father knew of his little tic.

He heard his father muttering to himself at times. Even if he didn't hear him with his own ears, he read his thoughts. He had such disappointment in his heir. Hisoka knew his father couldn't stand looking at him let alone speak to him. The empathy and the sudden urge to scratch certain spots for no reason. Of course, his traditional father wouldn't find what he discovered any appealing. He made sure it remained a guarded secret. Any word of his defective mannerisms was a guarded secret.

The image was already on shaky grounds. His mother slept in the room across from the main bedroom. Her appearance growing more unkempt as the years passed on. She distanced herself from everyone. His mother had not spoken to him since his empath abilities surfaced. Any time he crossed paths with her, she ignored him. Not even giving him any acknowledgement. It hurt him. She was his mother after all. Despite the lack of good memories, he had hoped she would show him some affection.

As the years passed, his hope diminished.

His father only required his presence for evaluations. To inform him of what he had done wrong, improvements, avoiding any sign of his defect. Something about his father made him shiver but not in fear. His gift flared up when he picked up a dark emotion coming around his father. He didn't want to find out the origin. There was enough anguish traveling the manor for him to play detective.

Hisoka gulped as he walked down the hall toward the outer gardens. They contained a bigger variety of flowers and he wanted to look at them for a while. The cherry blossoms were on his side of the manor. He grew tired of looking at them all the time. He carried his math books in his glove covered hands close to his chest. There was a small window of time where he wandered the gardens. His kendo instructor arrived later on in the afternoon.

Finally, he has come close to me.

Hisoka shivered, hurrying down the hall, he tried making himself quiet. He always got lectured on running down the halls. As the heir to the Kurosaki line, it prevented him from doing anything normal. The rest of the children in town avoided him now that he turned thirteen. He didn't understand. His family was the most revered in the town. If anything, they would want their children to come talk to him.

I hear him walking closer and closer.

He couldn't remember a time he didn't hear that voice. When he was a child, he dared to ask his mother about a voice who laughed in their home. His mother only stared at him in horror before scurrying down the hall. The next time he saw her, she helped dress him for the festival. Playing the role of a doting mother. Hisoka felt her forced mannerisms the whole time. The moment they entered the manor she left him.

Also, bandages appeared on his father's right arm.

A perfect pure vessel for me to taint.

Hisoka gritted his teeth as the voice grew faint with each step he took. He entered the kitchen. Void of any servants, he closed the door behind him and went to serve himself some water. He tried ignoring the voice, the cruel laughter going through the manor. He felt safer inside of his underground room. Despite his punishments, he felt safer in there. The quietness of the room served to calm his ability and he remained in his thoughts.

The voice never traveled down there.

Gratefulness filled his body when he didn't hear anything else. At times, someone from the kitchen staff brought him food. The evil voice was at bay. Maybe it was the distance from the main section which made the voice dim.

He took a long gulp of water. His green eyes didn't move away from the door. That wooden door separated him from the voice.

Nagare stood up on his feet, the scales on his body burned.

This was a new development. He didn't expect but it turned into a common occurrence. Assuming the snake god did this on purpose, it was just sadistic. Not that it cared for anyone in his family, it enjoyed watching them in pain. It tortured Rui through psychological means. He couldn't tell her psychologist a legend caused her spiral into madness. He didn't know how it wanted to go after Hisoka. It went after heirs at the death bed of the master.

Hisoka was safe for a few more decades before he died or succumbed to the beast's torture.

Hisoka, why are you over here? He gritted his teeth as he took a step back, his back hit the wall. Sliding down, he breathed through his nose as a wave of pain went through him.

I will see you tonight. Promise of pain lingered in its tone as it went back through the door, it closed shut.

Nagare gulped as he rubbed the sections of scales with his hand. Trying to bring some sort of relief. He moved the bandages aside. Shivering when his fingers came into contact with the scales. He sighed, applying pressure as he remained where he sat. Pain still traveled through his body. He mentally cursed the beast that caused the trembles happening to his hands.

A Kurosaki never let anyone push them down, stronger than any beast.

Showing weakness was a step toward failure.

Hisoka remained still when he watched his mother roam the halls. Her dark curls, a mess over her shoulders. She wore a silk kimono in a dark color. Her eyes dull and soulless. Years had passed since he held up a conversation with her. When he was little, he thought spending time with her would ease the tension. She might show him affection but nothing came out of it. He had no idea what to even start with even if he wanted to talk to her.

His father warned him not to interact with her. The doctor wanted her free of stress and it seemed he caused the biggest one in her life. This hurt him when he heard the doctor informing his father. He saw so many children cling to their mothers and he couldn't do that with his own.

He averted his eyes when her eyes landed on him.

She took a few steps to him. Her small hand reached out and caressed his side bangs. From his peripheral vision, he saw her thin wrist. She always looked small to him but not to the extent that her hand was a twig. He worried for her from a distance, not that he could talk to her. At least, he knew that someone from the kitchen stayed with her to make sure she ate all her food. His father caught onto her delicate state and cared enough to try to give her some help.

Hisoka looked up at her and saw her fascination with his hair. His hair was similar like his father's. Soft blond tint and short. Yet, his own hair had bangs on his forehead and his father didn't have them. He inherited all his looks from him. He heard the whispering around the town on whether or not he was his mother's child. Not that they cared. The town was small enough to create boredom for gossip to start flying.

Hisoka didn't move an inch. Her soft hands ran through his hair and he thought he saw an inkling of a smile on her face. Her feelings of sadness permeated through her but Hisoka managed to keep himself together. As a child, he caught onto her concealed feelings. She never had a happy thought in her body but he felt other emotions from her. What he saw the most from her was fear. He didn't know whether her feelings directed at him or not.

Moments later, she finished touching his hair. She continued on her way and Hisoka watched her leave. He didn't question her motives for their brief interaction.

Reaching up his hand, he touched the section of his hair. The spot where his mother had paid attention to moments ago. He sighed, it was no use thinking she might hold positive emotions for him. Besides, he didn't want his father finding out. He didn't make any movement to speak to her.

It was enough for his father to punish him anyway.

TBC