"Has he not come back from his errand?" Nobunaga's smooth voice asked briskly. "Not that I can see. I've had everyone look around for him." Hideyoshi shrugged.

"I'm sure Ranmaru is fine." Nobunaga shook his head. "His brothers are worried." Hideyoshi pointed out. "Heh, well at least that's one thing they can do right." Nobunaga laughed somewhat coldly, turning to face Hideyoshi now.

"If you get worried I could send the army out after him." Hideyoshi joked. "I might know where he's at." Nobunaga said thoughtfully.

Steel grey eyes were fixated on a night sky filled with vibrant stars, taking in their glow with child-like fixation. "I thought so." Came Nobunaga's amused voice, not far from him. "My lord?" Ranmaru turned his head, taking in the sight of Nobunaga walking across the grassy field to stand next to him. Ranmaru was sitting on the ground hugging his knees, previously enchanted by the stars.

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time…" Ranmaru murmured. "You're always this way on this date." Nobunaga smiled knowingly. "Am I?" Ranmaru replied breathlessly, curling tighter and letting his cheek rest against his knee.

Nobunaga pulled his cloak loose and draped the material around Ranmaru's shoulders. "Hm?" Ranmaru turned his head upright and in an instant he felt his back connecting with armored plates, as Nobunaga wrapped his arms around Ranmaru's slender waist from behind. It was silent between the two of them, comfortably so. Ranmaru felt no uncertainty about leaning back and letting the back of his head rest against Nobunaga's shoulder.

"He'd laugh at how pitifully attached I am to his memory…" Ranmaru sighed softly, his gaze lowering to stare at the grass. "Hmm… You're right, he would laugh." Nobunaga replied, grasping the end of Ranmaru's ponytail and brushing the locks teasingly against Ranmaru's cheek, causing the boy to giggle until he shielded his face to get away from the light tickling sensations.

"You know, Ran. You actually shared a bond with your father, that's more than some ever get. The way you grieve it would make one believe you were separated on ill terms. Do you regret not telling him something?" Nobunaga asked lightly, dropping the end of Ranmaru's ponytail. "Not exactly, but I remember the feeling I felt when he died. I'd never wished such an ill fate upon anyone as much as I did for his killers." Ranmaru whispered. "I know…" Nobunaga said, tracing his finger along the scope of Ranmaru's neck.

"That's why I made them all burn. The Azai, the Asakura, those damnable monks, all that could be considered responsible joined him in the afterlife without mercy." Nobunaga whispered huskily into Ranmaru's ear. "N-Nobunaga-Sama?" Ranmaru stammered, somewhat anxiously, his breath hitching in his throat when Nobunaga lent forward slightly to nip at his earlobe.

"All for you. For the suffering I knew you'd endure, that they'd caused you. Nothing in the world could have made me forgive them." Nobunaga finished, smiling at the flustered look on Ranmaru's face and the boys rise in color.

"I… I don't know what to say." Ranmaru murmured, feeling Nobunaga's grip around his waist tighten. It was true, did he encourage such rage? Did he apologize? Show gratitude? He wasn't even sure what he was feeling himself, but something inside him felt satisfied.

"Would you condemn me?" Nobunaga whispered.

"Never." Ranmaru breathed, closing his eyes and shaking his head instantly. "Nobunaga-Sama is infallible." Ranmaru said below his breath, his fingers curling into the fabric of the cape wrapped around his shoulders.

"Is that so?" Nobunaga grinned, shaking his head lightly at Ranmaru's innocence. "Is that your only response?" Ranmaru asked playfully, huffing softly.

"I could show you a response of a different sort." Nobunaga murmured, trailing his fingers along Ranmaru's chest. "O-Outside?" Ranmaru's face began to change to a bright color. "They won't find us, they've already tried by now." Nobunaga smirked, lifting Ranmaru's chin to capture soft, plush lips with his own.