A/N: Hello, and thank you for your patience! And of course, all of your feedback in my absence. Your kind words of encouragement and praise are priceless. I would not have continued writing without it, so thank you!

I cannot believe I am saying this again (I hate myself for giving you all false hope, lol) but... this is not the final chapter. I could not stop the flow of dialogue, and the length was concerning me with all that I had left to write about. Everybody has a lot of things to get off their chest in this chapter, haha.

Please let me know your thoughts in a review, or feel free to drop me a message at my Tumblr, niceshus.

Finally, let's wish Shu a very happy birthday and commence with chapter eighteen, where he is not having a very happy day... :o

allyelle~

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

—Proverbs 28:13

.:. 18 .:.

The dagger whistled past him, so close it severed the fine, wispy strands curling around his ear. Shu released the clutch he had on his chest and quickly patted himself down. He turned to face the dead-end of the corridor where the beautiful portrait of himself hung, brushed with diamonds and shining silks. The dagger was embedded, stuck in his portrait's heart.

"You're not fucking worth it," snarled Subaru, swiping his forearm across his wet eyes.

Shu swallowed hard. He scrambled for the right words: an air-tight excuse, an explanation, a grovelling apology. Subaru could not stomach any more of his lies, and he was not willing to serve any. Shu knew eventually he would be in this situation, and a part of him felt immediate relief. He was weary of running, of denying those who truly mattered.

Subaru loitered, waiting for some sort of explanation, or even some words, but Shu only averted his eyes and exhaled.

"So that's it, that's all you have to say for yourself, huh? Just as I thought. Nothin' but a shitty coward who—"

"I—" Shu paused.

Subaru's ears sharpened. "What?"

"I love her," Shu said, rushed, like the words were hot coal scorching his tongue. "And I hate myself for it. It is the most selfish thing I have ever done."

"Love her?!" Subaru barked with laughter. "The only thing you loved was getting between her legs!"

Shu grit his teeth. "Don't test my patience, brat."

Subaru paced the hall, his fists swinging at his sides.

"I trusted her judgement. I trusted that the tricks she fell for was the doing of some respectable man. Well, fuck. I couldn't have been more wrong. At least our old man has the courage to let the world know who the hell he is fucking."

Shu's composure shattered. He snatched up his brother's shirt and hissed, "You need to learn when to stop running your mouth."

"Cricket ain't some dirty little secret," Subaru continued, unfazed. "Her loyalty and kindness isn't something you fucking take for granted. I'm sick of bastards using her and leaving her stranded in the dirt. I swear, if you weren't my brother," his gaze flickered to the dagger impaling the canvas. "I wouldn't have missed."

Subaru jerked out of his grasp and bounded towards the door; Shu crouched and sat, easing his weight into the mound of rubble. He palmed his forehead, exaspereated.

"Are you foolish enough to believe I didn't want to acknowledge her—us—this? I didn't... have a choice."

"Everyone has a fucking choice," Subaru dismissed.

"She chose to shelter this burden," Shu said. "The woman claims selflessness... but I am yet to see it. What have either of us benefited from this lie? I despise myself. I am a guilty, selfish man, forbidden from acknowledging my own child."

Subaru squatted before him, marginally calmer, but the blue veins still throbbed in his neck, his wrists.

"I am no child," he began, spraying spit. "I am your brother, your fucking blood. Yet you didn't utter a word to me. Neither of you did. You'd have me running around blind, cursing this man's name, looking after your kid!"

Shu closed his eyes and did not answer.

Abruptly, Subaru rose and tossed his hands into the air. "You're ashamed—you're ashamed of her."

"Enough," mumbled Shu, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"How long?"

Shu cracked open his eyes. "Leave it. It doesn't concern you."

"When she was married? Earlier?"

He shot his brother a warning glare.

"Whatever," Subaru spat, turning on his heel.

Shu heaved another great sigh. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think?" He scoffed. "It takes two to get in this fucking mess."

Shu watched him leave, wincing at the strike of the slamming door. The newfound silence jolted him into realisation. He had been lost inside his head and did not consider his surroundings. The beet-red maids had their faces turned earthward, pouncing onto the mess with broomsticks and pans. They had heard, how could they not? The secret would reach the farthest corner of the village by noon.

Unless his father intended to squash it, proclaim his innocence and dismiss it as senseless gossip. But there had been witnesses to the scene, he had confessed to the affair. The rumour had strength, and it would tarnish him as much as the truth. Shu did not care how they viewed him: indolent, incapable, ill-mannered. An adulterer was just another title to add to his collection.

It prompted the question, how did Subaru discover the truth?

The distant creak of hinges slipped to his ears, followed by a series of clipped, confident footsteps. Shu clambered to his feet and stood frozen until the person came close enough for him to catch a glimpse of black hair. Blue met red; Shu's eyes gaped, Reiji's narrowed and smiled. Ordinarily, when one comes into contact with the man who has stolen his wife, there is a battle of words, fists and vengeful promises.

Doctor Reiji Kasei held his stare and tapped two fingers against his watch, his lips moving to communicate a silent string of words.

Your time has run out.

.:.

A frown crinkled Yui Komori's forehead as she thumbed across the book-spines on the fireplace. Some had collapsed, while others leaned drunk against another, their shelf-partner missing. Oddly, things had begun to vanish—books, trinkets, small pieces of clothing.

However, Yui was a reasonable woman and did not place the blame upon something sinister. Her days were frenzied with running a house, mothering an infant, her needlework commissions, and aiding Sora with his schoolwork from the church. They could have easily been misplaced by herself or by Eve's curious hands, or perhaps Sora had borrowed a book or two to pour over by the riverbank.

"Ah!"

There was a persistent tug on her skirt. Stealth-like, Eve had evaded the confines of her crib and creeped back to demand her mother's warmth. Yui scooped her up and bumped their noses, lightly splattered with freckles from their long, sun-drenched walks.

"What do you say, Evie," she smiled. "Are you the thief?"

Suddenly, the door shuddered as fists hammered against it. Yui twitched and paled, squeezing her daughter's frame until she created tears. It was Lord Sakamaki—he had finally sent for her. A thick knotted rope flashed before her, a scream silenced by the mouth of the trap door.

The banging grew fiercer. Yui steadied her breathing and set Eve down, enticing her with a small bowl of slushy grey porridge. Unsatisfied, she hurled it from her lap and screamed, extending her arms.

"Eve, you mustn't behave so—you will grow to like it," Yui chided, throwing worried glances at the door. She hurriedly wiped the child and her mess with her apron. "Please hush now."

But her crying did not relent.

"Goodness," murmured Yui, sucking in a nervous breath.

She was thrown backwards the instant she unbolted the door, as though she was the weight of a straw-stuffed doll. She could not identify the person on the opposing side immediately; merely a pearly gleam of hair, and in the swift movement they had her pinned by the throat, a floral scent lingered.

Yui scrunched her eyes and choked out her plea. "Y-You can have me, please—please, I-I beg you, don't harm my child—!"

"Fuck," Subaru Sakamaki breathed his regret, rolling his hands down to clamp her shoulders.

"S-Subaru? Why on earth...?"

A little terror left her enough to peek through her fingers. Subaru's eyes were overflowing with the stinging tears of betrayal. He was an emotional, sensitive soul who felt deeply, and in turn, he hurt deeply. Yui was overwhelmed with a guilt-ridden sickness. She resisted the impulse to wrap her arms around him and wail and splutter apology after apology until her voice gave out.

She dragged her eyes down in shame. "You know... don't you?"

Subaru wrenched himself from her and slumped into the chair, cutting his nails through his hair. "I want to hate—shit," he pounded the table, startling the earthenware. "I want to kill you both."

Yui took several shaking steps and kneeled before him. "S-Subaru," she started, chilled at his tone. "I am sorry for how I have hurt you—of the secret I have kept from you. I regret it. I regret it with all my heart!" Her voice grew shrill as she swallowed the rising sobs. "Please, please forgive me."

"It is clear... you've always had a favourite," an unexpected voice drawled, a cold truth masked behind the jest.

Yui blushed. "Shu—?"

Shu Sakamaki blocked the doorway light, half-dressed and flushed, his forehead shining. Despite his appearance, Yui thought it remarkable how he always managed to retain an air of respectability.

His lips curled in distaste as he beheld her pitiful feat. "What a bold woman you are. You will beg for the forgiveness of the man whose ego you've bruised," he said, and Subaru growled and kicked back the chair. "Yet... the man who begged you not to marry that unbearable man, who begged you to see sense when you took—" His attention was drawn to Eve, who gifted him an enormous, toothless smile. Shu softened and mumbled, "—away from me."

Her temperature spiked with panic; she could not lose the affection of two people in the space of one morning. Gathering her courage, she went to him and took his hands. He made an impatient sound and attempted to retract, but her grip tightened.

"Forgive me," she said. "I did what I thought was right. I wanted to protect you—you both. I have always brought nothing but trouble to you... and you have always protected me, cared for me. For once, I... I wanted to relieve you of this burden. I wanted to protect you."

Shu snatched back his hands. "Still," he said, joining his brother at the table. He did not spare her a glance; he studied the child with unsure eyes and flexed his fingers. "Your reasoning remains to be questionable. In addition to being a cruel woman... you have become a sadistic one."

Affronted, Yui raised her index finger. "Now, hey—!"

"Quieten down," Shu yawned. "I do not have the energy to hate you yet."

She almost smiled. "...Subaru?"

The youngest snapped out of his thoughts, his gentle, distracted expression twisting into irritation. "Don't ask me funny fucking questions. You know my feelings."

Yui recalled the scent of winter and the sound of colic-cries. 'I wouldn't... hate you, alright?' he had said, nudging his knuckles against her forehead.

Warily, Yui seated herself between them. The silence which stretched was heavy, and she desperately scrambled for words to fill the air.

"I'm sorry..." she muttered.

But no matter how many times she delivered it, it did not feel like enough.

"Shut it," Subaru groused. "I've heard enough apology shit. Both of you can preach sorry until you're blue in the fucking face—"

"Hm? I don't recall apologising to you," said Shu, testing the water. "In fact... It is you who should be grovelling at my feet for almost blinding me—"

"Hah?!"

"Please, both of you! Let us try and resolve this calmly," said Yui, raising her voice above the confrontation. "We have have known each other too long to let this come between us." For a brief moment, she took each of their hands and squeezed. A childlike thing, perhaps, but the daring act of affection muted them. "You are so dear to me. This—this is what I was afraid of. He is your brother. You cannot hate him, Subaru. He is not at fault. The fault is mine."

Subaru scowled, but said little else on the matter. "What are you waiting for? You said you'd tell me everything. So damn well tell me. Now."

"Don't hold back the details on her account," said Shu, nodding at Eve who was finger-painting the floor with porridge. "I'm sure Subaru is desperate to know where I put all of my kisses—"

Subaru lunged. "Right, that's it—!"

Yui burst to her feet and used her body as a barrier. She glared at him, and he looked back, narrow-eyed. "Shu."

"This business is not his concern," he argued. "I am not interested in the number of whores my brother has taken, nor if they were any good. You have made your peace, let that be the end of it."

Heat rushed to her cheeks. "I wasn't going to—!" She took a breath. "He deserves an explanation." Shu ground his teeth. "What is it?" she added, "Really?"

She knew the man well; well enough that she could almost hear the truth ringing in his head.

I do not want to be portrayed like him.

"Repeating myself is tiresome."

Shu turned, and she grew fearful that he would leave.

"Shu, wait—where are you going?"

But her fears settled once he lifted Eve from her pile of destruction. He would not venture far.

"Introducing her to my horse," he answered. "Where else?"

Yui snaked around the chairs and cried, "She bites!"

Shu's lips quirked. He did not seem concerned. "Only those who deserve it."

Exasperated, she collapsed into the seat and strained to catch a glimpse of the beast who could bite her child's fingers off in one small, sly second. But it was not the time to fuss over silly housewife trivialities. She diverted her attention to Subaru, who in turn had been watching her. His frown was sour.

"I hate this," Subaru started, pulling his eyes to the window. Shu held his horse's halter whilst Eve animatedly patted her crest, her lovely laughter echoing into the cottage. "I fucking hate it. The thought of you two, together. Shit. It makes me sick."

Startled by his vicious opinion, Yui could only nod.

"I mean, seriously, Cricket," he mumbled. "Of all the men you could've picked."

"I do not pretend to have made a wise choice in men," she said, trialing a smile. "Or friends."

Subaru jabbed her with his elbow, releasing a beat of laughter. "Fuck off."

Yui began the story on the eve of her wedding, her developing affection and his plea for her to cancel it. Followed by her refusal, and the years that went by unforgiven and unspoken.

"It is true. Nothing happened whilst I was married," said Yui, and she could almost feel the letter on her chest burning, mocking her. "Whilst Reiji was physically there, I mean. Shu barely spoke two words to me. It was terrible. And then—" she paused and swallowed thick, burying the unsurfaced grief. "Then I lost another child, and Reiji left, and I... oh, I was lost. I was so unhappy. And he came back to me, he made me laugh again. Even then, it was nothing, it was innocent. I was still married, after all. But then Reiji was declared dead and everything changed. We were both free and foolish. It was just the once... But I suppose that's all it took."

"As soon as I discovered I was with child I told him and ended it," she continued. "Shu wanted to acknowledge her—us. He was not ashamed. He was guilty. An unmarried woman, pregnant. I was ruined. My fate was inevitable—you cannot hide a swollen belly for long. But the rumours which would hurt him could be. I did not want him to be forever compared to your father. He had a greater legacy than that. I wanted him to keep the respect of you, my father, the people. Although I may have preserved outward appearances... I have damaged others. I fear that neither of you will ever forgive me."

Subaru rocked forward and breathed a curse. He had listened fairly well, regardless of his frequent input of—'disgusting', 'don't need to hear this' and 'you're both fucking stupid'. His body was still rigid, but she was content his rage-infused outbursts had cooled.

"Well," he said. "What will you do now?"

Yui shrugged. "What can I do? He is married and I will not interfere with it. It is not my place."

"Married," he scoffed. "It's a fucking business deal."

"It is still a commitment they both swore to honour."

"Bullshit," said Subaru. "You're not fighting hard enough."

Resolution had made their silence sweet and Yui gladly let it fall. Outside, the sun was ripening and the summer cicadas awoke to sing. Shu was perched on the step now, his golden-hair aglow, sleepily following the escapades of visiting honeybees. She allowed herself the pleasure of watching him, finally free from the eyes of suspicion. Curiously, Eve behaved in his company; perhaps she sensed the blood connection, or perhaps it was another instance of his irksome, animal magnetism.

"I do not understand why he would tell you," wondered Yui, sucking at her lips. "Why now... What changed?"

Subaru gave her an odd look. "He didn't tell me. I overheard 'em talking."

Her eyes pierced him. "What? Heard who, Subaru?"

"That troublesome doctor," answered Shu, entering the room with Eve slumbering over his shoulder. Dreams trembled her eyelids, her lips wet and parted, drooling a dark patch onto his back. "I saw him... before I came here," he continued, his mouth rueful in its turn. "He did not look angered. He was smiling... most likely plotting many of my potential deaths."

Yui's heartbeat quickened, her palms suddenly hot and moist; she seized the edge of the table to steady herself. "You did not think it wise to tell me this earlier?" she gushed, shrill. "Shu! He could be outside of this very door, armed—!"

"It was not necessary," he said, and although his tone did not reveal his concern, his eyes betrayed him. "I have seen little benefit of what your protection can offer."

Yui had not felt such intense fear since her long, arduous labour; since Lord Karl Sakamaki had snatched Eve from her arms to ridicule in his great hall.

"He will kill you!" Yui shrieked, her hands cupping her face. The letter on her chest seemed to pulsate with each erratic breath. "You must go, now!" She darted to the door, to the window, to the hearth. "You have to run far, far away!"

If there was not so much to do, to save, to prepare, Yui was almost certain she would faint. She could not shake the sight of Reiji's eyes, filled with a red-hot poison that was determined to kill. Now, after months of stalking, his prey had been identified, and he would not give up the chase until he secured his feast.

"You are becoming too old to be called a cricket."

The touch of his hand startled her, but it was a welcome interruption from her racing thoughts. Shu seized her wrist and drew her to him, arching his back to meet her eyes. Their force grounded her, and in that moment, she could think of nothing else but him.

"For a woman of the church," he said, "your lack of faith is alarming. Do you think me so weak?" He asked, and Yui shook her head like a scolded child. "I have no intention... to die today."

She gulped back her sobs. Yui had no right to be afraid; she was not the one who was being ruthlessly hunted. She did not deserve his pity, his comfort, nor did she warrant any concern. She was the one who had thrown Shu into the arena of conflict between his brother and her ex-husband. But worry was a habit born out of love, and he had known her too long to accept the assurance of her nod and smile.

"I am afraid," she whispered.

Her father's words came to her, his comforting mantra to purge her fears, always delivered with a soft stroke to her head and a cup of hot, creamy-headed milk. 'Do not be afraid of fear, child. To be vulnerable is to be human. It shows our true repentance to God.'

"And I have grown weary of running," replied Shu. "If this man wishes for a confrontation... then he will have it. It is the least I can do for taking his wife."

Her nostrils flared. "I am not an object to be taken, Shu. Please remember that."

He gave a devilish smile, and without warning, his lips were humming at her ear. "You're mine," he drawled each syllable, rich and thick like dripping honey. Her breath caught in her throat; her skin flushed pink. "If we run... we run together. I have no interest in living this life if I cannot live it with you."

In the corner of her eye, she saw the golden gleam of his wedding band and her heart sank, the intention buried beneath his words becoming nothing more than a wish, a dream. They had been here before and spoken words of plan and promise. But timing was an impossible skill that neither of them could master. One was always taken and unreachable, like the passing of ships.

"But I am not yours," said Yui, her lips trembling from the weight of her smile. "You are your wife's, and she is yours. I have been called many things during my twenty-five years on this earth, but... being called a mistress will not be one of them." She reached up to brush his cheek and he turned his face, his eyes wounded from the deliverance of her sting. "Shu," she continued, "that does not mean I want your safety or happiness any less. So," she paused, "afterwards, meet me at the docks. In time to board the evening ship."

Yui Komori had grown bold and reasonable with her years, and he mourned for the loss of her whimsical, love-drunk spirit who would have agreed to his fairytale promise in a heartbeat. Although she thought of him, she did not fully understand the chains which bound him. He was a fool to dangle the sweetness of freedom when he knew how quickly it would sour.

"If it were only you I held some thought for," he said, "I would not care what ruin I left behind. But the Sakamaki heir is replaceable." He closed his eyes, and when they opened, they no longer stared into hers; they were pinned to his brother across the room. "I do not have the irresponsibility to pass this unhappiness onto another when I have grown weary of it."

Shu looked down upon his hands and cringed, feeling a heavy sickness pooling in his stomach. He could already see the blood, settling deep into the rivers running across his palm. Those hands were used for riding, writing, music—could they really be used to take a life?

He thought of his unease at the sight of blood, of injury; of his childhood tears each time his arrow struck game.

Forsaking my happiness is the only way I can keep them both, he thought. I must succumb to my fate.

"No... I will meet you," he mumbled, then to himself, "this will be my burden to bear, and mine alone."