He was lucky to have the ears that he did. Through years of training, even from a distance, he could hear whoever was approaching. He had heard it all. The sound of a rabbit rustling through the grass, a bird in a tree, the gentle running of a river. All were noises he had absorbed, and let himself become apart of. The sounds of nature was Takumi's home, his calling. Although he was finding the soft breath on his side second to his favourite calling.

She was still asleep, even as morning dimly lit up the tent, invading the blissful darkness they had slept in. It had concealed the darkness of their actions, their sins, which Takumi was sure would haunt him forever. When he finally would take a wife, he would see Corrin, hear Corrin, not the woman beside him, and all too peculiarly as well, as he was certain he wasn't in love with Corrin. Lusted for her, yes. Cared deeply for her, yes. Loved her though? No.

Even in the sins of their actions, he failed to feel guilt or wrongness for what they did. He knew what he should have felt, and even wished to feel the gravity of his actions take place within, but he couldn't.

Turning onto his side with a yawn, he caressed her arm, fingers trailing around her body, eager to explore places he didn't dare dream of going before. She stirred, wiggling into his body closer as the tent held so little heat. Takumi smiled and laid his head back down, preparing for sleep again, until his ears heard it. Walking in the distance.

He couldn't be sure if the person's intent was to visit him, but he wasn't willing to take a chance and find out, exposing both him and Corrin. Takumi permitted himself one final glance at her before waking her up. She looked so...peaceful and serene, so much younger. It almost hurt to wake her up.

"Corrin..."He whispered quietly but urgently, grasping her arm with a squeeze. She stirred but remained asleep.

Takumi groaned, his patience wearing thin and his temper flaring. His bed was not a vacation.

"Corrin!" He barked, shaking her. She was awake but her eyes remained shut as she rolled onto her back, covering her face.

"Whaaaat?"She moaned.

"Someone's coming."He whispered anxiously, eyeing the entrance and then her.

Her eyes opened, bloodshot as horror and realization dawned upon her.

"Oh no...what do we do?"She asked, sitting upright as she attempted to comb her hair with her fingers quickly.

"Hide dummy!" He scolded, shooing her out of the bed.

"Right! Under the bed!" She exclaimed, jumping out from the covers.

"It's a futon." He sighed, rubbing his temples. She nervously jumped on her toes, hopelessly looking for a hiding spot.

"Uhh...uhh..."Corrin frantically moved around the tent, why did Takumi have to be so practical and keep things so minimalistic? Takumi felt his anger about to boil over. Could she ever think for herself for once?

"In the wardrobe! Right there!" He commanded, as he directed her with his index finger.

"Right!"She exclaimed in agreement before scuttling off to hide.

The closet was crowded, though not unbearable. His clothing with hung up and organized, although the clothing he had laid out was now no longer folded, as Corrin kicked it over when she jumped in.

Corrin desperately hugged herself, hoping to find a small degree of warmth in the cool closet, enviously eyeing the nightgown she had left discarded on the ground. Her hand reached up to cover her mouth, a desperate attempt to stop from crying out as the realization dawned upon her, that whoever was coming would most likely see the very obviously feminine clothing, and grow suspicious. A scandal would absolutely devastate Takumi. They might think the worst of him if they saw that, and Corrin would hate to give him a reputation. Not only that, but Takumi would definitely hate her forever. She wanted to yell out to him, to run out and scoop her clothes up, anything but watch Oboro enter the tent.

There was something about the way the two looked at each other that Corrin had felt put her stomach at unease. She knew they liked each other, everyone knew that, but the looks they were giving to each other was past a schoolyard crush. Corrin suspected the two were falling for each other, something that sent Corrin into a cold sweat. Of course she wanted her brother to be happy, he deserved that. Yet...she couldn't help but want him to look at her like that instead of a piece of meat. Oboro was pretty, yes, but what did she have that Corrin didn't? No familial relation. That's what she had.

"Lord Takumi."She chirped happily, approaching the futon with papers under her arm.

Corrin huffed in jealousy as the two looked at each other, enamoured with the person in front of each other, while she stood cold and isolated in a musky armoire. Their interaction could prove to be lengthy, as she was sure Takumi had forgotten about her already. The smell made Corrin gag, what was he hiding in here?

Peeking through the cracks, she saw Oboro sit on the edge of the bed, Takumi enthusiastically talking to Oboro like he never would Corrin. Her efforts last night were useless, as she only received cold chafed nipples in the morning, and an impending leg cramp that was threatening to set off any second. Corrin needed to sit.

As cautiously as she could manage, she began to find somewhat of a sitting position, settling in a corner next to a box were a bow poked out. Corrin hummed happily as she peered over at it. It was just as she had thought. It must have been Takumi's training bow. She looked out once again to find the two still deeply engrossed in each other. A peek at the bow wouldn't hurt, and she did intend on putting it back.

As stealthily as possible, she removed the bow, laying it on her knees as she inspected the carefully crafted work she was sure her father had commissioned for Takumi. Her brother had even carved his initials into it. It was so strange to think of a younger more carefree Takumi, a child.

What else did he have in here?

The books ended up being the cause of the musty smell which Corrin despised, most of which were old and boring, based off Hosidan history, exempt for one scandalous photograph of a shrine maiden with her kimono gaping open to reveal supple breasts, in which Takumi kept as a bookmark. Corrin stifled a chuckle. He really was a man deep down.

Upon further inspection, she found a patchwork doll, falling apart at the seams. The fabric and patterns were exquisite, yet the sewing itself was comparable to an inebriated child. She gently touched the arm, which threatened to drop off the doll, thumbing the nub in which there was supposed to be a hand. She felt stitching, in which a C and T was worked into the doll. She stared at it, squinting to identify the meaning of the letters. It was definitely the work of a child, as no adult could have made this. Corrin laid her head back as she thought, muttering through her repertoire of of words that began with those letters. She couldn't find any that made sense when put together, but children were puzzling.

"Wait. Could it perhaps be...no Takumi wouldn't keep anything like that."She whispered under her breath, inspecting the doll further, repeating their names over and over again in her head.

She held the doll to her chest as her heart filled, memories rushing back. She had made the doll, and he had kept it. Despite how he acted, he truly did care for her. After all that happened, she was certain that he would have destroyed her previous belongings, as he made sure she felt his hate and anger after their mother died, as he felt Corrin was the one to blame, yet, he kept it. It was as if he tried to hate her, but couldn't bring himself to. Something within him prevented the rage and hatred to overtake him, to kill her, as she became vulnerable time and time again to him. Something within him cared.

Corrin had to hold back the tears as she continued to search through her brother's box, feeling the guilt nag at her to stop looking and to respect his privacy, as she knew his wrath would be overwhelming if he were to find out what she had done. But she couldn't stop, not after the doll. He had so many secrets hidden within himself that were revealed in the box, she needed to know.

A simple shogi set was removed and gently set aside, with only a few flimsy pieces of paper at the bottom with a set of paper, and an unopened letter with his name on it, sealed with the Hoshidan crest. Her fingers brushed against the paper, scooping them up to inspect them in a pile, her eyes darting to gauge how much longer Oboro and Takumi would be speaking. She seemed to not have much time, so her snooping would have to be brief. Corrin set the doll down, and turned the pictures over, gently laying on her knees, as her breath hitched at the sight.

It was her.

All of the paper in the chest had been drawings of her, his neat and beautiful writing on the back, detailing the event of the day in which the picture was drawn, a journal of sorts, as he described how he felt, and how she looked.

Her eyes drank in every last word, reliving the moments once again, feeling his anguish and anger that she had picked up on, but never quite realized he felt so intensely. She wanted to go forth and ask him about his writing and drawing, what had they all meant, why he did it if he despised her so, why her out of all people, and not the woman infront of him that he had claimed to like so much?

Her eyes scanned the drawings once more. They were magnificent, almost as if they were the work she would have seen whilst living in the fortress, they were breathtaking, and every single one was of her. They all caught the innocence and hope she held in her eyes, the way her long hair flowed behind her, and most of all, they had her only he could forget her smile and erase her from his memories. Maybe then being with her wouldn't be so hard; if only he could forget it all and start anew.

Finally, the letter laid in her hands. His name on it was written with a delicate feminine hand, light and airy, one no man could possess.

Remembrance failed her as to where she had seen such writing before, as her mind began to seek for a match. The seal eliminated a majority of the army, as only someone in the family would use it, but why did it remain unopened and at the bottom of a box? Her thumb nail edged underneath the wax, preparing to push up and find out, licking her lips in anticipation, and praying Takumi would forget about the letter he had stashed away.

The sound of fabric startled her, the delicate silk swooshing in the air, making her eyes snap up as alarm set in.

Oboro held the nightgown in her hands, her lower lip sucked in as she came to the realization that the man she had loved so fiercely had been with another woman, as evident by the crisp color in the gown, and the lingering smell of perfume and ivory soap.

She managed to take a few steps back, disbelief shrouding over her. No...he was too good, too pure for a woman to have been with him like that, it simply wasn't possible. Her eyes met his, hoping he could disprove what she had initially thought, to put her faith back in her.

He placidly sat in the futon, his mind swimming with the possibility of shame coming to his mind at the thought of Oboro spreading the word he spent the night with a woman, unwed. He couldn't bear that, not as the second son, it was mortifying to think of what they'd say, what they'd remember him for after he died, and all after the years he had spent working, just to be remembered as something more than the third brother, than insignificance. Now he would be remembered as the brother who had a whore, who brought shame, and no character. His eyes couldn't lie to Oboro, he tried, but he couldn't. He didn't love her like he once thought he did, but he did care for her tremendously. The pain in her already was devastating to him, he hated seeing her like that. Only an idiot would take her for a fool and lie to her, he couldn't cause her more pain to her.

Her hands gripped the fabric tightly, her knuckles turning white, tears threatening to run out had she not cried all of them before at the loss of her parents. The nightgown fell to the floor, like vivid ribbon in the dark night, pooling at her feet, and back on the ground where it had resided the night previously.

"I-I have to go." She said coldly, abruptly, before leaving as fast as possible. She couldn't be angry at him for this, she had no reason to, she was not his, and he was not hers. She was her retainer, that was all...It didn't stop the pain though.

"Oboro!" Takumi cried after her, reaching although she had already left. It was all over.

Corrin watched him fall down, covering his hands with his face as he groaned, allowing his hands to proceed up further and pull at his bangs at frustration and anguish. She placed the contents back where she found them before tentatively pushing the door open, the creaking noise echoing through the tent. He was aware of her, yet he failed to acknowledge her.

It only took a few movements for her to sweep across the floor and dress herself before rushing to his side, for the first time feeling fearful of him and what he was capable of. She had felt his anger before, every time she was aware he was annoyed with her, but she had never felt acrimony quite like this. It emitted out of him like downpour on a Nohrian day.

"T-Takumi..."She meekly whimpered, resting her hand on his, which was tangled up in his hair, her other cupping his face, beckoning him to just look at her, for something within him to reach her.

With considerable speed and force, he pulled her ontop of him, tightly crushing her petite wrists in his hands, his muscles flexing as he allowed no room for escape or movement. Fear ignited within Corrin, as she became aware of his asperity at full capacity, and what he intended to do to her. She sat on his lap as he rose to sit with her, his forehead pressed directly to her, the sweat plastering his hair to his brow, as a growl emitted from his throat. His dust eyes which she had become so accustomed to seeing warmth and loveliness within were hollow and rage filled. Empty.

"You..." He growled. His breath hit her skin and she winced. She knew she could protect herself, she knew it only took a few movements to remove herself from him, and yet, she remained, under his eye and grasp. She failed to believe her Takumi could hurt her. He wouldn't, that wasn't the man she knew.

"You are a wicked woman." He snarled before pressing his lips to hers with desperation and hunger she had never known before. It caught her off guard, everything within her wailing within itself to remind her of the wrongness of this move, to have felt the want and desire within him that she reciprocated, yet she returned the kiss as eagerly as it was given.

It was long and voracious, so much so, it made her lips hurt, as he pressed his as tightly as possible against hers, just feeling her for a moment, wanting her if his name was going to go down. If he was going to be reprimanded for what he did last night with her, he wouldn't let it go by without worth.

They parted, both panting as they attempted to hold onto that one moment they both shared, wishing they could live in it forever, to be in a world they created, just the two of them. Yet they both knew that was impossible.

"Why...must I care for a wicked woman..." He respired as his face fell to her chest, his warm breath still melting into her skin. He held her wrists still, unwilling to let go. She rested her chin on the top of his head, knowing the damage she had caused, the dereliction reminiscent in the back in her mind and gut, as she began to understand what was to come if Oboro were to speak of what she had found.

Her wrists were released in order for his hands to seek her hair and a hip, both of which he tightly held onto, securing her body to his, afraid she would leave. She cupped his face, pursuing the eyes she had come to adore so much, hoping to answer his question, to validate him. He didn't need that though.

He needed her.

Words failed them, so they spoke once again with their lips pressed to each other, each holding on as tightly as possible, aware the tent may open again at any second, and that anyone could discover them. That it wouldn't just be him in trouble, it would be her as well. She didn't care. The war didn't matter right now, no one else mattered but them in that sweet sweet moment. She attempted to pull away, but the hand on her hip pushed her back in again, forcing her to remain connected to him, his lissome fingers knotting deeper and deeper into her long hair.

"Don't leave." Takumi pleaded through barely parted lips, just long enough to murmur that then return to her. Corrin's thumb pressed against his elegant high cheekbone, deepening the kiss only for a minute longer before removing herself from him.

"Someone might come in." She panted, motioning to the entrance. He laid back down with a hum, his head spinning as he ached to feel her again. Her warm hands pressed against his still bare chest, looking down at him contently. She still was almost unbelieving of what he had just done. She rolled off of him, laying next to him, wrapping an arm around his chest as she snuggled in.

"Oboro won't tell anyone about what happened. She respects you too much. She's a wonderful girl."She mused out loud. His heart twinged in pain at her name. He pictured her face and winced before looking at Corrin and feeling all worry evaporate. This was such a new feeling...he didn't know what it was, his chest had never felt such a warmth grow through it, it was like his heart was fluttering like an uncaged bird. He swallowed hard, rationale setting through.

"You need to make things right." He commanded, watching her as he leaned on his elbow, his chin resting on his palm.

"What?" She sputtered with a scoff. He toyed with the flimsy strap of her nightgown, pulling it down just enough so he could peak at a breast from where he laid.

"Hmph." Takumi watched as she raised an eyebrow, peering up at him with those big red orbs.

"If you only took a few seconds to put this silly little outfit on, I wouldn't have to worry."He snapped. She moved up, a boob escaping the gown, which his eye immediately caught. She tilted his chin with her index finger in order to ensure he kept his gaze on her face, not her chest, as she attempted to retort that the issue truly laid with him, not her. She couldn't. Not when she cared so much about him, and even Oboro. She felt for her.

With a groan she pushed herself off the futon, feeling Takumi's mind at work as he planned his next move, what he could do to ensure this was kept their secret. He was smart, he knew what move to make. Corrin tilted her head over her shoulder, looking at him one final time. They knew the gravity of what they did would come with incredible consequences if they chose to pursue the relationship. Had they not kissed, things would have been fine, but it all truly began with that kiss. He nodded at her. It was so incredibly wrong on so many levels. They both knew it and both didn't care. And so on their lives, they vowed, they wouldn't let anyone know. This was past love. This was desire, raw and in a way pure. The fire only burned for each other.

They were in too deep now.