"Rikuo-sama."

"Yes?"

"I have been your follower for a long time…and you taught me everything I needed to learn… but…"

"But?"

"…but…there is—there is something else I have always wanted to know."

"What?"

"I want to… I want to know how to make love to you."

Sounds were coming closer. He didn't mind. His eyes were closed and there was no way he could nudge them open. But someone was calling to him. It was no more than a faint whisper but he was sure there was.

"Ri-Rikuo... sama..."

He didn't move. He couldn't even if he wanted to. Tubes were inserted in almost every part of his body, pumping air onto his lungs and warmth to his almost-frozen body and fluids and substances that were supposed to keep him alive. Alive. Lying in this wretched bed alone in the world, condemned to be alive. Death would have been a more pleasant alternative. At least to him.

Was it really?

Of course it was. Pray tell, what else was he to do? He didn't want to waste her time all over again waiting for something he knew would never come true. He couldn't be, shouldn't be, waiting. He had been waiting for how many years already and all that was given her was but another set of empty promises fated to be unfulfilled forever. A person in his sane mind would immediately realize the nullity of such, and yet, as though his keen reason had snapped, as though he weren't the world's strongest Youkai gifted with the ability to steal countless lives without batting an eyelid, he believed those promises, cherished them, clung to them, as if they were already attached to the core of his being from the time he was born, the reason of his existence.

"Rikuo."

Sounds were coming closer. Footsteps, glasses clicking, merry laughter and the sound of violins.

He was tired. A cheerful atmosphere filled the hall and the faces gracing the celebration were mostly familiar but he didn't have the heart to talk to anyone save for turning down Yomi, his sister in-law's offer of sake. The soft waltz played by the mini orchestra seemed to be a lullaby humming him to sleep and he had almost considered taking a nap in his chair if not for the hand gently touching his shoulder.

"Rikuo-sama." It was her, Tsurara Oikawa the Yuki-onna, the newly honored leader of her very own clan who officially received her title just an hour ago. She still wore that familiar gentle expression on her face and her eyes bespoke concern…and something else even her young master couldn't figure out.

He lifted his face and stared back. "Yeah?" Their eyes met.

His former servant seemed flustered for a moment, as though she had forgotten his original intent. "I-I…no, I mean, everybody was looking for you a-and…"

"And?" he said, almost chuckling, urging the young lady to go on.

"E-eh? A-and, well…yeah. Y- Yomi-sama too and... a-and... yeah."

"I could see you're still uneasy." He tossed his empty drinking dish aside and walked away.

"Can't be helped," said the young Yuki-onna running after him. "I'm just…not used to it. Seeing you like that." Was that a blush? And the other one a sigh? Rikuo thought in his mind, "Really. I should have chosen to stay your vassal forever. It would have suited you better."

His eyebrows quirked in reaction, fingers reflexively pulling Muramasa from its sheath and pointed the blade to Tsurara's throat.

Tsurara's hands went up in the air immediately, as if she were some burglar caught in the act. "I'm sorry already! I won't say anything anymore!"

He smirked, sliding Muramasa back to its sheath. They were silent for a moment, walking endlessly, wordlessly, around the decorated chamber. The guardians and the members of the Nura Clan and its associates were obviously enjoying the night, either drinking or chatting or waltzing on the dance floor, except Yomi's right hand man, Rob Lucci, who had been viciously eyeing every suspicious person sticking around the mansion. But Rikuo wasn't someone suspicious, thus escaping the former CP9 agent's glare. And so, they walked on. The silence between them was eerie yet there was no room for discomfort and Tsurara's prior uneasiness had miraculously evaporated.

"Say," said Tsurara all of a sudden. "Adonis was foolish, wasn't he?"

"What makes you say so?" the quarter-Nurarihyon asked back, realizing they had just stopped in front of a statue sculpted by Deidara, an almost perfect copy of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

"How could he refuse the goddess of love herself? Had he done otherwise, they could have been happy forever."

The former smirk became a quasi-chuckle. "Even if he had done otherwise, his fate would remain tragic. She was a goddess; he was no more than a mere mortal."

"You're right," replied the Yuki-onna, and even if it was faint, Rikuo could hear a tinge of sadness in that gentle voice. "But maybe…maybe if he had just said yes, maybe he could have been happy even if it were but for a moment."

His brows quirked for a second time and his lips involuntarily smiled. What could have brought this topic on, he didn't know. Maybe it was the statue. "Adonis never cared about her. It was Venus' fault for jumping on him. She had no goddess pride at all."

The formerly forlorn aura was torn apart by a reproachful look and a protest. "Oi, Rikuo-sama! You really are so…"

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever." Rikuo just walked away nonchalantly, leaving Tsurara behind to sulk.

Tsurara sighed helplessly and complained, "Mother is right, men do change when they get older..."

"Rikuo. Are you leaving?"

Leaves were falling, dry and dead, almost crumpled, blown away by the autumn wind, whirling around as they fell down, down, down.

"Yes," he simply replied not looking back. He needed to escape. He hated showing any signs of cowardice yet he had to run away as far as he could; he couldn't be too picky, he simply had no other options to choose from.

"I see. Be well."

I will never come back.

He did his best for weeks already. Did his best ignoring those glances, those stares which seemed to undress him every time sending goosebumps on his skin. Did his best pretending not to understand the hidden meaning behind those gifts, of those flowers. He did his best and it hadn't been an easy task. And when it had gone too far, when it had been too obvious for him to pretend not to notice, for the sake of the Nura clan, for the sake of his precious vassal's reputation and for the sake of his own dignity, he chose to run away.

I will never come back.

And yet when the summons came, he couldn't refuse.

"The Tsurara Clan needs you. We need your opinion concerning delicate matters."

"The leader of the Clan is there. Couldn't he formulate decisions on his own?"

"Tsurara-sama is still too young and you know that our rival families might use her lack of experience to take advantage of both the Tsurara Clan and Nura Clan. No other person could provide the boss the guidance she needs. She needs you."

He closed his eyes. He couldn't say no. He could only sigh in despair. He needed to escape because Tsurara might just persuade him and he might just be carried away and say yes.

"It was Venus' fault…she had no goddess pride at all."

"I have been your servant for a long time…and you taught me everything I needed to learn…but…"

"But?"

"There is…there is something I have always wanted to know…"

"What is it?"

"I want to…I want to know…how to make love to you."

A warm finger touched his cheek gently. He closed his eyes. He couldn't say no.

There were flowers in his palms, fingers on his wrists, that familiar fluff of hair, that scent, that head lying face downwards, warm breathing on his neck, lips touching his collarbone. He wanted to open his eyes but the sunlight coming from the window was just too bright. He must have forgotten to close the blinds again. He moved a little. The young woman on top of him stirred, waking up, and whispered, "Dear Venus, are you awake?"

His face turned sour, disgusted at being called by such name. "Stop calling me that. And yes, I'm awake so get moving before I kill you."

It had been like this for a long time and nobody in both Clans noticed anything odd between them. Nobody knew of the promises they made, of the happiness they shared within the confinements of this little room; Rikuo's room. After all, would there be anything wrong with a male master sharing a room with his female vassal? Unless someone got it all figured out and is only keeping quiet about it.

He got up, dragging the blanket along with him, and went to lie on his hammock. He closed his eyes and sighed. He had lost his mind already and he wanted to keep his cool at least.

"For the sake of your Clan, have some shame. I already let you do what you wanted to do with me. Wasn't it enough, for you?"

"So...does it...does it mean you just…forced yourself?"

"...No, I..."

"Do you love me?"

"…Of course I do…"

"If you do, why won't you just trust me? You know that I'm ready to leave everything for you. Why don't we just tell them everything about us?"

"I want to marry you."

"You already know you can't. You are my niece after all, Yomi's kid."

There were those tears again falling from those yellow eyes and he couldn't help but kiss them away.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault, isn't it, dragging you into this? I'm sorry. But I promise, I will stay with you even if I die. I know there will come a time when I can just marry you without minding what other people would say."

He almost laughed, bitterly that is, at such foolish vow. But she believed.

An invitation was given to her.

Yomi looked surprised. "Ara ara, I already know about you and Tsurara being fuck-buddies already, maybe I just forgot everything about it. Thank you for reminding me."

Yomi then gulped her share of sweet sake, then continued.

"At last, you decided to tie the knot, eh. Please take care of my daughter. And congratulations~!"

Then, at the Final Valley...

The feud between Rikuo and Tsunayoshi Sawada drew to an end, with Tsunayoshi emerging as the winner; Rikuo defeated and battered to the point of being half dead, Muramasa is destroyed by Axle burner, the age of the Nura Clan came to an untimely end.

Rikou Nura is now in his deathbed, he can move, but only with a burst of his remaining Chakra, he use up those Chakra, he will really die.

Sounds were coming closer. Tears were in his eyes. There was that voice calling him.

"Rikuo-sama. Are you awake?"

'Yes.'

"Dear Venus, do you still remember what I promised you?"

'Of course I do. How can't I? And stop calling me that. It pisses me off.'

Tsurara giggled, Rikuo opened his eyes, Tsurara was wearing a Kimono similar to the one she wears everyday, but today was different, it was more of a traditional white Kimono that Japanese women wear on their wedding.

Rikuo just snorts, as he reached his hand out, a storm of lily petals blew in his face...

Kubinashi was startled by the commotion outside. There were rings in his eyes and his nerves were too frayed to be disturbed. But he walked nevertheless till he heard something disturbing.

"Tsurara is gone!"

He frowned. Such foolishness. He couldn't blame the person yelling such absurdity though. The Clan and the Youkais of Eastern Japan had been very reliant upon their head and everyone couldn't just imagine Rikuo gone. But there was no running away from the truth. Tsurara was dead, blown up to pieces by Hayato Gokudera, in the game of Choice held in Karakura town. And since his defeat at the hands of Tsunayoshi, Rikuo suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined in the Nura mansion, barely alive and in a comatose state.

"Kubinashi-sama, Tsurara's body is gone from the graveyard!"

He frowned all the more, running towards the coffin where the broken pieces of Tsurara was supposed to lie. And his mouth opened in shock when he actually found it empty, his feet stepping backwards as he saw footsteps on the floor, white lilies scattering all around. His phone rang. He answered the call, still in a daze.

"Rikuo is gone!" It was Tobi, who had been stationed where their leader was confined. Kubinashi could hear his comrade panting and he could hear sounds, other voices, besides the ninja's.

'Didn't you notice anything Tobi?'

'There was nothing in there Deidara-senpai! We looked for evidence already!'

'It must have been those Vonogla Bastards taking advantage of Rikuo-sama.'

'But still, how couldn't there be a proof of the kidnapping? Are you trying to tell us he just disappeared Sasori-danna?'

'Look. There were footsteps all over. And these white flowers!'

The masked ninja froze. Footsteps? Flowers? Just then, there was the sound of violins, as though coming from a performing orchestra. "S-S-Senpai…"

"What?"

"I think I know where they are..."

Everybody was startled. What could have happened? What could have happened?

They found themselves following the music towards that lonely hall. And before them, there were the white curtains, white flowers, wineglasses and tables as if there had been a wedding. Above the piano was a music box playing endlessly and beside it was the statue of Venus torn into pieces.

"What in the world is this..?" whispered Sasori.

"Argh! My Venus! My finest work! NO!" Deidara cried in despair.

For there on the floor filled with fresh lilies was Tsurara, whose body somehow glued back together, and Rikuo, locked in a tender embrace.

Sasori smacked Deidara in the face for ruining the moment as he kept howling for his statue.