Early update.

2.1

"You are certain? He is not the one you want to be with?"

"I'm cerain. He is not worthy of me."

"A Return to Ancestry is not worthy of you?"

"…No. He is not."

"If that's the case…then there's no need for him to wear that, now is it?"

"…Wear what?"

"The blind you put on him. If he is not worthy to be your betrothed, then he is unworthy of wearing your blind."

"…"

"Remove it from him."

"…"

"If you don't remove your blind form him, then you will cause unnecessary stress to your true betrothed. Do you want to cause stress to your mate? The Madararui who will carry your child?"

"…All right."

"Ugh!"

Madarame Kunimasa pitched forward in his seat, pressing a hand to his chest. An intense, burning pain suddenly erupted from that spot. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth. He tried to exhale, but it was difficult to do so. What is this?!

"Madarama-sama?" Kunimasa's driver called from the front. "Are you all right?"

Kunimasa finally exhaled, and leaned back into the backrest of the carseat. The pain still lingered but he could breathe now at least. "It's fine. Are we almost home?"

"Yes, Madarame-sama."

"Good." Then I can put the whole day behind me.

It was for the best. He knew that it was for the best. Kunimasa knew what his life was going to be like moving forward, and he dreaded it immensely. It was a fate he wouldn't wish upon anyone.

"Yes! I will marry you!"

Kunimasa gritted his teeth. Even though he knew that he had made the right choice, his heart was betraying him. Whenever he had a moment to relax he saw…his face. His beautiful smile, and the way his big eyes lit up every time he saw Kunimasa. He was so…innocent and good. He was too good for the world Kunimasa lived in. He deserved everything good, and Kunimasa knew that he would only give him pain.

Noririn…

He let the name whisper over his mind briefly..but then he focused his mind. Hardened his heart. Strengthened his resolve. It's for the best. It's for the best. He's in a safe place. He'll be happier this way.

Kunimasa focused his mind on this mantra, concentrating his breathing. His chest started to ache less, and the muscles in his arms and shoulders relaxed. He became aware of little less but the mantra, and his breathing. It was easier to focus on it, because he knew he was right.

"Madarame-sama, we are here," the driver suddenly announced, bringing Kunimasa back to awareness. It was night, but he recognized his street. He knew he was back at the family home. He nodded. "Thank you."

Frantic pounding on the window to his left startled him. "Kunimasa! Onii-chan! Get out of here, they're coming!"

What?! Kunimasa turned and saw his little brother, Tokashiki Manami, standing outside the car wearing a worried expression. He was hitting Kunimasa's window with closed fists. Kunimasa rolled down the window. "What are you talking about? Who are "they"?"

"Never mind, just tell your driver to drive away!" Manami exclaimed. He suddenly shoved his upper body into the car. "Driver! Get Onii-chan out of here!"

"Manami, just tell me what's going on!" Kunimasa snapped. "You're not making any sense!"

"I—ACK!"

Manami was suddenly dragged back out of the car and out of sight. Kunimasa immediately felt dread when he saw the face that replaced his. "Good evening, Kunimasa," Madarame Yonekuni greeted him. Kunimasa's older twin brother was wearing a smile that did not reach his pale eyes. "We need to talk."

Without waiting for Kunimasa's response, Yonekuni reached inside the car, unlocked the door, and then opened it. "Come on," Yonekuni said.

"Sir?" Kunimasa's driver asked uncertainly.

"It's fine," Kunimasa said. "You're dismissed, have a good night." He climbed out of the car and Yonekuni closed the door behind him. The car pulled away and drove off.

"Oh, WHY didn't you just leave?!" Manami whined, waving his arms childishly.

"Let's go," Yonekuni said, grabbing Kunimasa by his arm and dragging him towards the main doors. Manami followed behind them protesting loudly, "Don't manhandle Onii-chan like that!"

"I'm your brother too," Yonekuni snapped at him over his shoulder. "And I'm older than you both, so shut up and follow me!"

"You may be older than me, but I'm the head of the family," Kunimasa said, pulling his arm free. Manami lunged forward and grabbed and clutched his arm. "Tell me what's going on right now!"

"We're looking for answers."

Kunimasa swiftly turned when he heard this voice. From the main doors he saw three more people approaching them; his other brothers Tokashiki Shinobu and Hidekuni Woodville, and Yonekuni's partner Fujiwara Shirou. Shinobu wore his usual stoic expression, Hidekuni looked unsurprisingly angry, and Shirou looked worried.

"I'm surprised you haven't gone home yet," Kunimasa said to Shinobu.

"I was about to leave when Yonekuni and Hidekuni approached me," Shinobu said. "They told me that you ended your relationship with Tsuburaya Norio." his tone was blunt, but Kunimasa thought he saw a tint of anger in his otherwise calm stare.

Because of the mantra and controlled breathing he had done ealier, Kunimasa was able to display his usual cold nonchalance. "That's correct," Kunimasa said. "I decided that I didn't want to marry him after all."

"But why?!" Yonekuni demanded.

"Do I need a reason?"

"Yes, you do!" Yonekuni grabbed Kunimasa by his shoulders and shook him slightly. "Where is this coming from?! You proposed to him! Just a couple of days ago you told me that you were planning your wedding for Noririn in preparation for his answer! He gave you his answer! He said yes! Then all of a sudden you break up with him out of the blue?!"

"Who cares why Onii-chan broke up with him?!" Manami chirped, snuggling Kunimasa's arm. "That jerk was never good enough for Kunimasa anyway!"

"He's right," Kunimasa said.

"EH?!" Manami gasped, gaping at him in shock. The young man clearly did not expect Kunimasa to agree with him.

"Really?" Hidekuni demanded. His tone was breathless from suppressed rage. "A Return to Ancestry was never good enough for you?"

"I don't need to explain my reasoning to you," Kunimasa snapped, glaring at his half-brother. "But yes; a pathetic crybaby who can't control his soul appearance will never be good enough for me."

Saying the words out loud hurt a lot more than Kunimasa expected, and it was a struggle to maintain an outward appearance of cool calm.

"Kunimasa-kun, that is so unbelievably cruel!" Shirou exclaimed, pressing a hand to his throat. "How can you talk like that about Tsuburaya-kun?! He has gone through so much just to integrate into the Madararui society! And to propose marriage to him, only to break off your relationship with him when he says yes? W-Why—" he shook his head. "I-I just understand! Why did you propose to him if you had no intention of marrying him?"

The pain was resurfacing again. Kunimasa realized in the moment that he wanted to fight. He needed to fight to unleash the emotions inside of him. He looked away, and said what he knew would start a fight. "I'm not going to be lectured at by a Wolf God who fucks unconscious people."

Shirou flinched and exhaled sharply, and took a step back. Kunimasa regretted saying it immediately, but it had the desired effect. Yonekuni grabbed him by his collar and thrust his face against Kunimasa. "Don't you ever talk to him that way again," he rasped. "Apologize to Shirou right now!"

"No," Kunimasa responded.

"APOLOGIZE TO SHIROU!" Yonekuni screamed in his face.

"You're wasting your breath," Hidekuni snapped. "Kunimasa cares for no one but himself!"

Kunimasa glared at him. "So you're going to lecture me on how to treat partners? You? Your own fathers can't stop cheating on each other. How do you think Yonekuni and I were conceived?"

"You BASTARD!" Hidekuni advanced upon him.

"Everyone, stop!" Shinobu said sharply, raising his hands.

"I-I'll make you sorry if you hurt Onii-chan!" Manami squeezed.

"What a pathetic and disgraceful display."

Everyone went still and turned around. The main doors were open and Tokashiki Karen was advancing upon them with a look of annoyance and fury. Behind her had gathered a crowd of their staff. Kunimasa's calm wavered slightly when he saw Karen's rage.

"My grown sons," Karen spat as she stood beside Shinobu. "Arguing like a couple of spoiled brats! You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves!"

"But Kunimasa—" Yonekuni protested.

"ARE YOU BACK-TALKING ME?!" Karen thundered, a dangerous aura forming around her as he soul appearance started to leak out. Everyone began trembling in fear, including Kunimasa. "YOU ARE ALL ADULTS OF THE MADARAME HOUSEHOLD! ACT LIKE ADULTS AND SET AN EXAMPLE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

The men had no choice but to bow in apology to Karen. They were too afraid to act otherwise.

"Excuse me!" From the darkness of one of the side gardens, Inukai Tarou approached wearing an oblivious smile. He was carrying a large bucket with both hands. "What do I do with this water—AH!" Inukai cried out when Manami kicked the bucket out of his hands, causing water to splash upon the ground behind them.

Kunimasa straightened, but Yonekuni grabbed his collar again. "Apologize to Shirou," he growled again.

"Yonekuni, it's not necessary—" Shirou said.

"You insulted Shirou horribly!" Yonekuni insisted. "Apologize to him right now, Kunimasa!"

Kunimasa glared at him, but Karen spoke up. "You need to set an example as our leader, Kunimasa. Apoloigize to Fujiwara-kun."

"And Hideukuni," Shinobu said softly.

"You insulted Hidekuni as well?" Karen sighed heavily and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Perhaps it was too soon for you to take your necessary role."

"Especially since he callously and thoughtlessly dumped Norio!" Hidekuni snapped.

Kunimasa snapped his teeth, but he felt an unexpected jolt shake his body. From the bodily reactions of everyone else, including Karen, he knew that they sensed it too. He quickly turned around, his lips curling back in a snarl and the hairs rising on his arms. Behind them, the water that had spilled on the stones was rippling like tidal waves. Something was coming.

Suddenly, the water shot skyward as though an explosion had happened beneath the surface. Kunimasa blinked, and there was a stranger standing there. A man dressed in a fashionable Italian suit, cradling a bundle in his arms that was covered by a black trench coat. The man seemed larger than life; almost not real to them. And his scent…the soul appearance he was projecting from his body was something he had never experienced before.

Mer-lion.

Kunimasa didn't think such a Madararui pairing was possible. It was almost mythological to think about it. He looked at the man, and he had a thick scar that crossed his face horizontally. He was smiling, but it was sinister. Malicious intent.

There were shouts behind them at the intruder, but the reaction that Kunimasa heard most clearly came from Shinobu. Shinobu stumbled forward, his breathing quick and frantic. He whispered a name on his breath. "Vulnera."

The mer-lion, Vulnera, smiled in response. "Hello, Shinobu." Even his voice sounded ethereal. For a glint of a second, the smile softened. But then those peculiar eyes shifted around, and the smile darkened once more. "Well, well. The Madarame family, bringing chaos and destruction and pain as you always do."

"Who are you?!" Yonekuni shouted.

"You have made a grave mistake coming here," Kunimasa said, locking his jaw. "If you know what's good for you, you will leave."

Vulnera responded with a hollow laugh and a shake of his head. "Threats and pain. That is all your family is ever good for. You lord your power over Madararui, as though you are somehow better than everyone else, and you wantonly destroy everything you touch." His smile faded and he properly snarled at them. "For everything you have done, your family deserves to be destroyed!"

"The Madarame family is the ruling Royal Family of Japan," Karen said sharply. The staff had circled her protectively. "And you are trespassing on the property of the Madarame family. That is a grave offense."

Vulnera tilted his head back slightly. "I would say the offenses of the Madarame family far outweigh my trespassing."

"Vulnera," Shinobu whispered. His natural stoicism was gone. His face was pale and he had a look of horror on his face. "W-W…Why are you here?"

Vulnera looked at him, and his expression softened very slightly once more. "My mission is more important than to be explained by undeserving ears. But for right now, I am here for retribution."

"'Retribution'?" Shirou whispered. Vulnera took a step forward and all but Kunimasa cautiously moved away from him.

"I am the head of the Madarame family," Kunimasa snapped. "I am the protector of Japan. I will protect my people and my family from any threats. If you are a threat, then I will kill you."

Vulnera closed his eyes. After a moment he shook his head. "So," he said after a moment. "You Madarames continue to act so self-righteous. Like the world owes you a favor because you're Japan's Madararui Royal Family. That you can do no wrong."

"I don't care what you have to say," Kunimasa said sternly. "But if you don't remove yourself from here, we WILL deal with you."

Vulnera didn't acknowledge his words. Instead he knelt down and placed his bundle on the ground before them. Kunimasa looked down at the bundle, and a terrible sinking feeling surged inside of him. He suddenly became acutely aware of a familiar smell. Blood.

Vulnera looked down at the bundle for a long moment, and then he looked up at Kunimasa. His expression had darken and had become…dangerous. "Answer me this, Madarame Kunimasa."

"What?"

"If you're so flawless and can do no wrong—" he suddenly grabbed the jacket that covered the bundle and ripped it off, his voice thundering around them.

"—then WHY THE FUCK IS HE DEAD?!"

Vulnera tossed aside his coat, revealing what he had been carrying. Kunimasa looked down…and his world crumbled.

Manami was the first to act. When everyone saw what—who—was laying on the ground before them, Manami let out a horrified, frightened shriek. He fells backwards onto his backside, scrambling backwards away while he continued to scream. He finally turned and crawled on all fours before getting to his feet and running off into the darkness of the gardens. His screaming continued to linger in the air.

Shirou let out several painful puffs of air, his chest rapidly raising and falling as his eyes widened in horror. "Tsu…Tsuburaya-kun?" he whsipered.

It was Norio laying on the ground. Sweet, innocent Norio. Filthy, bruised Norio with torn clothes covered in blood. His body was soaked with blood from the chest down, and blood covered his chin. His cheeks were streaked with dried tears. His eyes were partially open, staring blankly at the night sky, but he did not move. Did not stir. Did not whine or complain about silly incidentals. No…he was silent, and laying on the ground so very still.

Karen moved towards Norio first, pushing past people and collapsing to her knees at his side. Her eyes were wide with shock as her hands quickly felt around his neck and checked his wrist. Hidekuni was the next to move and he tripped as he ran, nearly falling upon Norio. He grabbed Norio's shoulders and shook him, but other boy only moved when he moved him. Hidekuni cupped his face and looked into his eyes. They were cloudy and blank; the pupils fully dilated. "Norio…Norio!" Hidekuni rasped, shaking him slightly while he cupped his cheeks. "Norio, can you hear me?! Blink if you can hear me!"

"He doesn't have a pulse," Karen said, her usually dominating tone wavering. She pressed her hand against Norio's chest directly over his heart as Hidekuni pinched Norio's nose and started breathing into his mouth. After a few moments her breathing stuttered, and she quickly looked at Vulnera. "W—What happened to him?!" she demanded harshly.

"The evidence is there," Vulnera said bluntly, pointing to Norio's body. "The hole in his chest should tell you everything. He was shot and then he bled to death."

The crowd that had formed cried out in shock. Yonekuni stumbled forward, pushing Hidekuni aside to grab Norio in his arms. "Noririn? Noririn!" he shook Norio hard each time he said his name. Norio didn't respond.

"NORIRIN!" Yonekuni screamed in the other boy's face. Norio didn't flinch from his shout or lean away from him. His dead eyes stared unblinking back at Yonekuni. Yonekuni shook his head back and forth, faster with each passing second. "No…please no!"

"Does this bother you?" Vulnera asked, gesturing to Norio's body. "Having the corpse of one of your victims dumped at your doorstep? It's not a pretty sight, is it?"

Norio slipped out of Yonekuni's hands and fell back onto the ground. He slammed his fists against his eyes and began to cry. Loud, wheezing sobs filled the air. Shirou rushed forward and knelt beside Yonekuni, and the other young man threw his arms around Shirou and sobbed into his chest.

Yonekuni's sobs started a domino effect. One person choked on a suppressed sob, and another began loudly wailing. Soon all of the assembled staff had their faces buried in their hands and forearms sobbing. Hidekuni began to quietly sob, lowered himself down until his forehead touched Norio's arm.

They had loved Norio. Norio had been loud and immature, but he had possessed a…light inside of him. He had been magnetizing; whenever he entered a room it was impossible to look away. When he spoke, everyone wanted to listen to him. He wasn't loved just because he had been Kunimasa's chosen; everyone loved him for the person he was.

And now he was dead. Died, in a very obviously brutal fashion.

Kunimasa collapsed hard to his knees, his eyes wide and his mind blank. His body hummed with cold, numbness, and pain. It was the worst sensation he had ever felt in his life. But…But he wasn't crying. There was a buffer in his brain; a disconnect that was preventing any expression of emotions. Any thoughts from processing through.

Shinobu knelt down beside Karen and reached out, using his palm to close Norio's eyes. The closed eyes did little to adjust the horror frozen on his face.

Kunimasa looked up then at Vulnera. "…You did this." it wasn't a question.

"No, Madarame Kunimasa," Vulnera responded. "You did this."

Kunimasa shot to his feet. "You killed him," he rasped. "You KILLED HIM!" his shriek caused the air to vibrate, though most did not notice in their grief.

"I did not," Vulnera said calmly, though rage rumbled in his throat. "I found this boy bleeding out on the sidewalk, alone in the city."

What?! No, no, no! He was not supposed to be in the city! I thought he was somewhere safe! This can't be! the thoughts came to Kunimasa then in a frantic, jumbled mess.

"I am not responsible for this," Vulnera said. "I was merely there for that boy's last moments and heard his last words. "Kunimasa, what did I do to deserve this?""

This cannot be, this cannot be, he wasn't supposed to be somewhere safe!

The pain stabbed him in the cut like a knife. Kunimasa gritted his teeth, but Vulnera continued. "This Madararui Return to Ancestry was alone in the city at night without a blind. What did you think would happen to a pretty boy like this?"

Kunimasa opened his mouth to speak, but he was seized from behind. He looked over his shoulder to see Yonekuni's anguished, tear-streaked face. "Kunimasa," he whispered painfully. "You…You removed Noririn's blind?"

Kunimasa's throat went dry. The horror crept over his body. I thought he was safe. He was supposed to be safe!

"Who killed him?" Karen asked Vulnera. Her tone was blunt.

"I don't know," Vulnera responded just as bluntly. "You Madarames caused his death, so you figure it out."

An involuntary growl erupted from Kunimasa's throat, and he turned to face the mer-lion. But Shinobu leapt to his feet and inserted himself between Kunimasa and Vulnera. "You need to leave," he said to Vulnera. "Please leave."

Vulnera gave him a piercing look. "If I'm leaving here, I'm taking you with me."

He reached for Shinobu, but Shinobu moved away from him. "I need to take care of this boy. Please leave, Vulnera."

Vulnera let out a loud sigh; it sounded pained. He looked away for a long moment and clenched his jaw. "…Fine," he gritted. Then he looked back at Shinobu and pointed to him. "This isn't over."

Shinobu said nothing to him. Most everyone was still crying, but Karen stood and faced Vulnera. "Thank you," she said curtly. "For bringing Norio to us. We'll take care of him from here. But you need to leave."

Vulnera looked down at Norio again. "If you're going to examine him, start with his ass," he said crudely.

The sobs abruptly ceased and everyone gaped at him in mortified horror. "W…Why would you say such a thing?" Shinobu whispered.

Vulnera's next words did not nothing to soften the horror everyone was feeling. "Because when I found him, his pants were down."

Then he dipped the tip of his foot into the puddle, and he was gone.

Norio was carried inside and into one of the small kitchens, Hidekuni holding legs and Shinobu his chest. Kunimasa could hear sobbing down the corridor as they entered the kitchen, but he still had not shed a tear. Yonekuni had retreated to his room with Shiro, still crying uncontrollably. The look that Yonekuni had given him when he revealed that he had removed Norio's blind…it lingered in his mind. Kunimasa could see it behind his closed eyelids.

Inukai closed the door behind them, leaving them be as Shinobu and Hidekuni carefully laid Norio on one of the long wooden counters. Hidekuni was breathing through his nose and his eyes were shining as he shook his head back and forth. "I can't do it," he whimpered, looking down at Norio. "I-I can't—"

"Shinobu," Karen said quietly. Shinobu nodded and moved down the counter, gently pushing Hidekuni aside. He reached under the counter and found preparation gloves and put them on. He pushed Norio onto his side, and the body rolled carelessly, arms thumping onto the surface of the counter. Shinobu reached for Norio's belt, and Hidekuni quickly turned around, covering his mouth with one hand. Kunimasa stared for a moment, certain that he could watch. But when Shinobu started jerking his pants down, he found himself turning away. He squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled. The sound was ragged and shaky.

"I see no trauma," Shinobu announced. Kunimasa turned around to see that Shinobu had rolled Norio back onto his back and was fastening his pants and belt again. "No signs of physical damage or bodily fluids. If Norio's murderers intended to rape him, I see no evidence that they succeeded."

Kunimasa nearly collapsed in relief. Hidekuni similarly exhaled in relief. Kunimasa looked at Norio then, and the relief quickly evaporated from his body. He may not have been raped…but he's still dead.

Karen walked over and stood at the front of the counter where Norio's head was positioned. She stared down at the boy for a long, chilly moment of silence before she folded her arms over her chest. "We," she began, but then stopped. She looked away. "We need to call his parents."

Kunimasa felt his stomach lurch. "And what are we to say to them?" Shinobu asked.

"This isn't something we can hide from his family," Karen said, gesturing to Norio. "They will need to know that their child is dead."

"But Norio was murdered. He was most likely murdered by Madararui who were seeking to impregnate him. We can't tell Norio's parents this."

"But we cannot hide the fact that their son is dead from them!" Karen said sharply.

Their voices became white noise in Kunimasa's ears. His eyes fell upon Norio again. He slowly approached the counter and stood at Norio's side opposite Hidekuni. He could feel Hidekuni's glare on him, but Kunimasa kept his focus on Norio. He reached for Norio's face, but his fingertips stopped short of Norio's cheek. He withdrew his hand briefly, but then reached out and grabbed Norio's limp hand.

Norio was always…warm and soft. Kunimasa didn't like being touched casually, but Norio's touch always made him feel…calm. His presence made him feel calm. Because of Norio, Kunimasa felt okay okay inside of his own skin for the first time. He had…changed Kunimasa.

But now Norio was cold, and his skin rough to the touch. He would never be warm and soft again.

I threw him away. And now he is dead. Gone from me forever.

The door to the kitchen was abruptly flung open. "My goodness! You would think none of you have seen a corpse before with how you're all acting!"

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees. Sobbing could still be heard down the hall, but Madarame Makio breezed into the kitchen as though nothing was out of the ordinary. She wore her usual sinister smile as she reached Kunimasa's side. She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Hello," she purred. There was a pause of silence. "What? No greeting for your mother, Kunimasa?"

"Makio," Karen said dangerously, fixing a glare on her wife. "I think it would be best if you return to your room."

"What? Why?" Makio approached Karen. "Whatever is the matter?"

Her obliviousness had an undertone of maliciousness. It was Hidekuni who first spoke. "D…Do you see this dead body?" He gestured to Norio on the counter. "Norio is dead! He was murdered!"

Makio gave a glance at Norio. Several long and uncomfortable moments of silence followed as she scrutinized Norio. After a moment she finally reacted—by bursting into laughter.

The temperature in the air grew even colder as Makio bellowed out a loud and jovial laugh. She pointed at Norio's body as though it were a comedic event occurring in front of her, while her other arm hugged her side. "T-That…" she tried to speak, but the hysterical laughter continued bubbling out of her throat.

Shinobu, Hidekuni, and even Karen stood frozen in horror. Kunimasa's eyes were on Norio. "T-That's what you GET!" Makio finally managed to spit out. She was laughing so hard that she had started crying. "P-Pathetic little monkey-cat! Acting like you were good enough for MY family! Well too bad, because you're dead! You're dead, and you can't poison my family—"

Before Makio could utter another word, Kunimasa lunged at her and slammed her into the wall with both hands around her throat.