For the ages

by BL-lover23

The mouth of the tiger on his neck slowly dripped blood as the knife carved along. Something gently touched his cheek and his eyes immediately snapped up. He inhaled sharply, eyes widening. Gold met Rusty Red. (“You’ll come find me, right?”) Bajitora Omegaverse

13. Chapter 13: Farewell, my paradise - Part

I yearned for the flames

I yearned for a beautiful fall

Even before the start, I imagined

An end where I could applaud and smile

That's what I wished for

When your feet don't touch the ground

When your own heart underestimates you

No name, that's what I have

No shame, I'm on my grave

RM ft. youjeen- Wildflower (english translation)

"Oh gods what do we do-" People were speaking to him.

His lungs constricted. He belatedly realized he was in shock most likely. He almost had him. How had he let him slip right through his fingers?

"He's going to kill us all—" his breathing hitched, uncaring for the hysterical voices srrounding him.

Keisuke.. Lightning zapped through his body. He needed to get him here. "C-Commander" he gasped. "Call for the Commander immediately" He struggled to straighten himself.

"Tell him his wife——-"

Present time

Her light footsteps rushed to the famed fields of flowers, her skirts fluttering gracefully with the wind just as she'd been taught by the kind woman who had allowed her to call her mother, even when she'd been the very reason for the woman's suffering.

"I can't believe you'd make me run through the palace. Mikey, you jerk!" huffed the girl. He was supposed to come to her fitting since Ken obviously couldn't see her in her wedding attire and she had no friends to ask since Senju. And Sanzu was not here to coerce, either..

She almost ran right past him, if it hadn't been for the scent of cinnamon and sweetened Adzuki Beans. She whirled her head left and right to nothing…?

She heard a light snore, her head snapping downwards. She huffed. Only to find him right where the seven flowerbeds met in the middle of the dirty earth beneath. The flowers represented the last Kings of every District. Strictly forbidden to be decimated by the decree of Toman's first monarch.

And here her brother was disrespecting his own ancestor by laying on the legacy of the first founder's house flowers. Sleeping.

Again.

Seriously! She could feel the vein on her forehead pulsating. "Mikey, you know damn well you're not supposed to nap in this place" It was a wonder he hadn't died by the proximity to the nightshade alone. She was already four brothers short right now! Granted only two of those were actually related to her. But that was neither here nor there.

"Mhm.. that's not very Lady-like of you, is it Emma?" Mikey mumbled rubbing the sleep from his eyes "You're my only option with Sanzu and Baji indisposed" But her brother made no move to get up, like he usually would if only to get away from her nagging. His expression unsettled her. "Mikey? Is everything alright?.."

Perhaps the news of the ambush on Omamori had rattled him more than he'd lead them to believe.

When Ken had first broken the news of the people announced injured or deceased, she'd listened with bated breath. After the usurper's rebellion had been officially declared over she'd foolishly thought that only good things could follow after. The war had taken enough from them after all.

She'd learned from a young age that death waited for no one. And as her family was on the war front she'd steeled herself for any possibility. But peace had made her idle. As if danger would bide its time and grant them reprieve.

She all but sagged in relief when Ken had assured her that Edward had naturally come out unscathed. Though most of his young recruits had not. Her heart had felt heavy when she'd heard of Keisuke's Lieutenant's grievous injury. She had only met him a handful of times. She'd been reminded of a puppy happily trailing after the dark-haired menace. But by Baji's letter, he seemed to recover well.

She was pretty sure she'd sent at least five letters in one day. It had been excessive looking back. But she'd been surprised when Keisuke had taken the time to reply to all her questions, even the most outlandish ones, where she told him to place sage on the walls to ensure no evil remained. She'd been quite embarrassed after her initial panic had faded to have even sent put such nonsense.

But if Keisuke had found an issue with it, he did not say so, dutifully promising to think about it, which in his simple words meant no, but she appreciated the kindness in his declination.

What the northerner had omitted however had been the reason the invasion attempt had failed. She had not been the only one who'd assumed that it had been due to the warden himself it had been foiled so quickly and brutally. Mikey had assumed as much.

However, the actual tale had reached all of Toman by now. The awe-inspiring fable of an omega that had single-handedly turned the tide in the gruesome battle and brought victory to the unprepared Omamori, protecting the birthplace of his husband in his absence as if it had been his own.

Kazutora Hanemiya, the southern blessing, the Northlands called him.

It had left her speechless upon discovery. A strange sensation churned in her gut, something in between marvel for his feat despite the stigma for their shared designation and immediate guilt after for the future of her kind-hearted brother that had been lost to those very same hands.

It felt too overwhelming to digest and she'd been the one who'd never actually met the infamous omega, that had managed to bring Baji to heel as Ken liked to claim. She could not even fathom what her remaining brother was feeling.

Emma had not been present when that information had reached Mikey.

But ever since he'd turned to solitude over company. Not exactly lost to them, but she couldn't call the expression on his face regular either. His depthless gaze gave nothing away, so she might never know.

She watched as one hand continued to shield his eyes from the sun while the other was caressing through the forget-me-nots absentmindedly. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.

One lone daffodill had reached the ocean of forget-me-nots.

That was certainly odd. The flowers were placed clockwise by District melting into the following up until the Sixth's pink Azelias (her favorite) merged back to the forget-me-nots of the First. Only the red camellias united them all in the middle, where her brother had so rudely crushed many of the flowers underneath his heavyweight. She guessed the novelty for the red flowers was lost on him, considering the odds they had been appointed his birthflower as well. He'd been the first in a thousand years to have been gifted that honor, only to stamp right on it.

However, the blossoms of First and Fourth Founder should not be in each other's vicinity. But somehow against all odds in the midst of blue one lone yellow flower had prevailed.

"I don't know.." her brother finally supplied making her jump before she caught ahold of herself. "was it a bad dream?" she probed. He used to have many of those.

His features narrowed, his eyebrows scrunching into an ugly scowl that had her holding a breath, his lips a grim line. It had been a while since she'd seen him so.. haunted. Her heart ached at his apparent misery.

She flinched when Mikey suddenly crushed the daffodil in his hand, ripping its petals off the stem with such brute force "What are you doing-" Her brother only ever tended to be careless around the camellias always painfully gentle with the rest of the flowers. It had been his only redeeming action in his destruction of his ancestor's pride and joy.

"Oh." Mikey looked equally taken aback. It had been unintentional then. She let out the breath she'd been unintentionally holding in "Really.. that flower did nothing to you, you know?"

Mikey blinked before he jumped up patting his pants, what remained of the flower still crushed in his fist. His fingers slowly unraveled as he let the crushed petals fall mercilessly into the dirt beneath.

"What brought this on? Is there trouble?" she asked.

Her brother rubbed the fatigue out of his face with a tiredness she had not been prepared for. "No. Nothing like that" his features softened as he placed his hand on the crown of her head to ruffle her meticulously created updo. But somehow her protests died in her throat before her mouth even readied to open for a verbal lashing as she stared at his crescent eyes and big smile. "Like you said, just a bad feelin'.."

Then why did he look like he was about to cry?

A thousand worlds away, a loud cry of a wounded animal echoed through a darkened chamber. Porcelain and Glass broke into pieces.

Two fell.

"Die!" he spat full of venom, his eyes blazing with anger or tears, he couldn't tell. It was all going too fast. Kazutora had shoved into him with his whole body.

He felt as if flesh gave away against heavy steel with no resistance at all. Why couldn't Baji just-

[Die!]

.

.

.

Specks of blood colored the marine blue collar and far too pale skin underneath, the white snow around them coated in crimson as it spilled out. His fingers shook from the cold of the biting wind, the heat of the liquid seeping through as he met the stunned, tormented expression of his husband. You betrayed him.

[…die?]

"no…" his breath hitched. no. no. no. no nonononoNO-

"you can't…" the broken plea rasped through his throat. How could he leave him-

It was cold. The biting wind dug into his stained hands, blood dripping from the fingertips down to his palms. one long since scarred, one still holding the stained dagger. He blinked, staggering away.

cling!

cling!

cling!

His ears filled with static.

When he felt it. A powerful grip against his throat, suffocating him. The callouses in the digits are foreign and familiar alike. He clawed at the hands choking him

He couldn't- He couldn't breathe—

"If all you can do is destroy the things I care for then I will destroy you right here and now, Kazutora"

Suddenly, the pressure released from his skin and he heaved, starved of air that didn't feel like enough. With it the haunting, sinister voice.

Quickly, his hand touched his throat to feel no harsh lines of fingerprints imprinted on the skin where there should be. There should be—

His eyes fluttered and the snow had faded away. Hardwood and carpet greeted him instead. The tainted snow was no more. He blinked.

"Kazutora."

He flinched, suddenly feeling the steady grip of a calloused hand holding steadily onto his own struggling, violently quivering one-

His eyes dilated. When had- How—

-had the silvery knife on the table (It had been on the table, It should be on the table, Why wasn't it on the damn table?!) "If you intend to kill me, you should aim correctly" The deep, breathy timbre shuddered through his frame.

He remained wooden as the alpha used his hold against him to guide the butter knife in Kazutora's hand from his unblemished side to the middle of his chest. The weapon shook in their combined hold as it hovered above the man's heart. "I'm giving you one shot, so you better use the opportunity"

He flinched at the temptation of the absurd offer and loosened his grip, the dull cutlery clattering out of his hand as if burned and down to the floor..

Before his horrified eyes could travel back to the wretched weapon on the floor, with a swipe that was not his it skidded to the far side of the room.

Out of his imminent reach.

His shaking irises trailed back to the person he was on top of. Unlike the omega, Baji (alive, he was alive-) was neither stunned nor angry at Kazutora's attempt at his life. He flinched at the calm expression on his face. Concession, he realized.

You tried to kill him! Your — — —.

He wrenched his head away. "I didn't.. I-It wasn't me. It wasn't m-my fault. It wasn't-" he wheezed, clutching his hair strands and pulling but even the sting did not halt his overwrought mind.

Resignation. The alpha looked as if he had been waiting for him to try and squashed his weak endeavor accordingly. There came no quip that told him to try harder next time and mock him with a haughty laugh.

No, what was reflected in the flecks of brown in his irises had been far worse than that.

Pity.

and disappointment.

Kazutora's wrist was no longer in a harsh grip, his palm now loosely against the man's chest. "I-It wasn't me.. why…" On instinct, his fingers curled into a trembling fist as the man refused to respond to the unfinished question, even Kazutora had no answer to. A shaky breath puffed through the space between them.

"…why can't you leave me be?" It sounded pitiful to his own ears. He hated it-

"because I promised"

His voice turned from an anguished whisper to a full scream in a matter of seconds, his heartbeat racing. "Who? Who did you promise, huh?! You piece of shit-" the alpha again did not elaborate. So Kazutora turned to the next best thing. He kicked and scratched him, hitting the alpha as he continued to hurl curses at him.

"Answer me!" With the clatter of previously broken dishes, and strewn food on the floor, Kazutora couldn't even make himself catch a breath as another pained scream filled with frustration and hysteria wrenched itself out of his throat.

He didn't pull his punches as he hurled all his grievances into the man's chest, who..

just let him,

not even defending himself. Not that it hurt him- it was infuriating how Baji didn't even bother to act like Kazutora wasn't more than an inconvenience, a small fly buzzing around him.

"right..- of course! Just leave me in the dark again to figure out what you mean and then be upset when I don't! Alphas are all the same-" It made him all the more livid as all his resentment burst out of him "It must be quite fun, hm? Kazutora the stupid little omega, that you can push this and that way however you please?! go away Kazutora then you're not leaving Kazutora-" he let out a hiccup but even biting his tongue until he tasted copper did not prevent it.

With a stutter in his lungs, he froze as he touched his cheeks only for his fingers to come up wet. The first of many hot tears dripped down onto the alpha. The sting in his irises had finally boiled over... He sniffled. Humiliating. This was all too humiliating to bear.

His breath faltered with the realization that he couldn't have been granted the simple act of crumbling down in the privacy of his choosing. No, of course not! It had to be in front of the one person who'd reduced him to this.

His fists were shaking, he could feel the bandages grow damp as the first spots of crimson formed under the already wet bandages. The stitches must have ripped, yet it couldn't rival the ragged shards that had become of his chest.

The alphas won and Kazutora was left with nothing. It was always the same. He should've known better. Why did he never know better?!

"…Everything has to be on your terms.." He conceded weakly, the fight draining out of him as defeat bore down on him. It was too heavy, he couldn't bear it. "I never stood a chance, did I?"

The northerner grazed his shoulder to console him and Kazutora only saw red "Don't fucking touch me!" he screamed with labored breathing before noting what a fool he was making out of himself.

A breath escaped his lips before laughter bubbled up his chest at his own absurd behavior.

…What was he doing?

Property had no right to demands.

It didn't take long for the laughter to mix with the tears still streaming down his face. Kazutora had no pretenses left to hide behind, giggling hysterically that sounded more like chokes than anything remotely humorous.

At least if he was forced to crash and burn then so could everything around him "See? This is the difference. It's not that I fear you-" liar. He feared everything.

Still, he cupped the alpha's startled face with a deranged smile, his voice ilting into an higher octave "I just can't fucking stand you, Baji Keisuke"

Finally, he could see the alpha's expression fall properly. good. He patted the man's cheek sweetly "Cheer up, husband. I'm doing my best to entertain you, hm?" he giggled. But the elation he thought he'd feel did not come. Instead, the sore in his chest only deepened with the regret of exposing his wretched insides to the world. He would only ever lose.

"I should not have pushed you-"

"don't regret it now, your grace." the words were strangled, breathless. "We are too far gone for shoddy regrets. I'm doing my best to fulfill my keeper's wishes.. demands, it's all the same to you, right?"

He tried to hold his breath to control it, but it did not work, he held his ears but the ringing did not stop. Kazutora the fool~

Yes, yes! Yes! he was always the fool. "…you didn't want to talk and now you want to. See? I listened. I learned. Let us talk" he nodded to himself.

"ding! ding! ding! you were right! That was what you wanted to hear, correct? Alphas are right and Omegas are wrong" he ignored the northerner's protest as he snapped his fingers as if the alpha had solved the puzzle to win the main prize at a fair.

Kazutora mentally clapped himself on the back for such a great display. "I wasn't pretending. I wasn't pretending at all~" The omega's fist unclenched with an unhinged smile, defeat lingering in his eyes, yet Baji didn't feel like he had been victorious at all as he met the vacant gaze.

The expression on his face was an utter tragedy. His eyes were skimming right through him, devoid of anything… but his lips were the worst of it. He watched the soft quiver, the way the omega paused at every word, just so his voice would not crack and leave him to cry through the rest of it.

The smile was no smile at all. Baji opened his mouth to… to what? He looked around the destruction he'd caused of what his insistence had done to—

"I underestimated you" Kazutora swallowed with another nod, his every word shaking "You sly dog let me believe I had a choice in the matter, but I never did. I apologize for taking so long to see through it." the deception. Kazutora clapped to applaud him, though the gauze dampened the effect to his disappointment "You got one over me!"

And giggled again before it turned into a mix of laughter and a sob. Father was right, he was always the fool, fool, fool- and had learned nothing.

He tried. He so painfully tried, but guess what? trying was not good enough!

He glanced to the side, the windows of the terrace with the perfect view of the sky above. Oh, what he wouldn't give to be up there and not here. Surely the skies would be far kinder to his butchered chest. Oh well, there was nothing left inside it now to mourn.

Baji had scooped it all out.

"go on then tell me, oh so benevolent Duke of the Northlands~ What great farce will you bestow upon me next? What is the plan?" he asked eagerly with a too-stretched grin. His fingers playing with the northerner's collar as if to righten it "Should I attempt to spread my legs for you before you cast me aside like I'm not worth the grime underneath your soles, hm? Oh wait, that was after? apologies, apologies, your grace. But that will be sufficient entertainment for tonight, right? Then you'll leave me in peace?"

This time it was Baji's turn to flinch, but even if he had tried to explain himself, Kazutora had been deaf to it, simply sliding off his waist with a shrug"No, no, no, it's okay. It is hardly the first time for me"

Somehow the words left the organ in his chest cavity miserably broken even though he'd said them. The wind had deserted his euphoric sails "..are you happy? Tell me at least one of us got something out of this" but Kazutora made no motion to get up otherwise, his hands lay defeated in his own lap "Maybe then this suffering is worth someone's while if it was not allowed to be mine"

He scratched his neck and uttered miserably, unable to control the pitch in his voice. "I wish you had spared me the illusion of a choice. The least you could have let me keep was my dignity, but even that was not enough for you. All your kind ever does is take. take. take. without concern for anyone but yourself …However, that is my fault, too" It always was.

He smiled with a nod, his gaze turning longingly back at the sky, still trapped behind the stained window glass. "That wounded pride of yours.. is it satisfied? I should give my congratulations. You have been successful in that revenge plot. I finally understand my place" There was truly nothing more frightening than an alpha's bruised ego. But he'd asked for it when he'd invited him to go toe to toe with him in father's office. He should have just handed him the win, let him take the victory he'd craved, and washed his hands off of it.

"…but somehow I can not bring myself to—" He cleared his throat "… My apologies, my Lord. I know it is unbecoming of someone in my station. Just give me a moment to gather myself " It was a testament to how truly off he'd been about it all. Before he would have never admitted to needing time to get a hold of himself but the throbbing pain would just not subside. He just couldn't shoulder it by himself.

His body, he'd thought honed into ivory was made of porcelain after all and it had taken one lucky alpha for him to fall from atop the shelf he was placed. Cracked and shattered into thousands of pieces on the ruthless floor. A graveyard to what he'd been reduced to. All his remains scattering in all four directions. Too far from each other to be glued whole again.

He laughed breathlessly. What a silly thought. He was never whole to begin with.

"Kazutora, you're misunderstanding-" Baji halted at the shrill tone of the omega. "Father was right, I never learn" The scratching turned harsher, and Kazutora could feel his nails break the skin with a sharp sting. "foolish. foolish. foolish~" he hummed. "Kazutora the fool~"

Baji scrambled up to take hold of him, shaking the omega's shoulders. How had he let it get this far? "Your father lied! Don't give his wrongs an ear-" the alpha was never able to finish that sentence.

.

.

.

"…ne, Keisuke? can you stop being mean to me?"

All air had been cruelly punched out of him. Baji hadn't heard this hopeful lilt in thirteen years. He blinked, his eyes stinging. It was Kazutora. But it wasn't this Kazutora.

The walls echoed with the ghost of a child that had been left to rot all those years past. Time stood still as he struggled to recall how long he had remained there in that memory, wooden to the spot. His breath would not dare take again. What have I done to you?

The omega's eyes trailed to him with childish innocence as he gutwrenchingly pleaded in a small tone "I'm sorry for being bad. I promise I won't do it again. I'll be good" his eyes remained hauntingly empty.

"I don't want you to be mean anymore. I'll stop being mean, too. I promise-" the omega insisted, clawing at his own chest "I only have one so it's painful, y'know? It hurts when you're mean- it hurts, it hurts-"

He abruptly dropped his hand with furrowed brows, his head tilted in concentration before tilting his head back up in genuine puzzlement, unable to find a reason. "…why can't you like me anymore?"

Kazutora felt so confused. Everything was wrong and nothing was right no matter how much he tried. He didn't understand—

All of a sudden, he could feel arms around him.

He could hear the uneven, shaky breaths of the only other person with him as his head was pressed against his chest. It sounded as if something had died. Kazutora's arms remained stiffly down, like a lifeless doll waiting for his owner to be finished playing with him. Perhaps it was him. "tora- Kazutora, I never stopped-"

"but you hate me.."

"I don't hate you. I-I could never hate you. It's all my fault! ..it was all me. I'm sorry for being mean, 'tora I'm so sorry"

Kazutora just hummed, not believing a word he said as dry amusement washed over his features. Baji was playing games again. "liar, liar. pants on fire~" his fingers drew patterns on the floor absentmindedly. Cassiopeia. Cepheus. Ara. …

Father said sorry in the beginning, too sometimes. But then he hurt him really bad anyway. Father's apologies stopped. His hands did not. "It's okay hm? Mother and Father didn't like me, either.." that somehow made the alpha hold on more tightly.

"fuck them, Kazutora. It's their loss. They never fucking deserved you" The words were pressed into the crown of his head. It felt nice. Lupus. Cetus. Ursa. "sure, sure. ne Baji? will you hurt me now? I was no good" he frowned, his gaze still far off into the sky he could not see. Columba. Eridanus. Draco. Horologium.

"no! No, no Kazutora, I won't, please believe me-" Baji sounded like a broken record. It made him woozy.

"silly~ didn't you listen? only fools believe in lies. I can't be a fool" He clapped his hands together, but the bandages dimmed the sound of it.

No longer in the mood to play, he began pulling at the flesh of his exposed skin. His gaze remained far off, mumbling "I don't like this game. I don't want to be here anymore" He pulled at Baji's hand clumsily trying to place them on his neck with a helplessness to his actions as the man did not comply "Kazutora..?"

Baji's hands were so much nicer than Father's cold ones. The omega's face brightened. ".. It's not hard, okay? You just have to press your thumbs here, I think-"

"…what " Baji looked at him in horror, flinging his arms away from his neck as if burned.

"silly~ you're supposed to put an end to this?" Kazutora looked at him expectantly for a moment before his face fell when he met the terrible disbelief in the other's eyes. His chest squeezed at the realization. His hands trembled as he gave them a scornful glare, his eyes burning with unshed tears "Oh, you don't have to use your hands if you don't like it. Sorry, sorry- I should've asked. Nobody likes touching filthy things"

"don't say that. You're not- you're not filthy—" The protest was a strangled whisper but the omega prowled on, deaf to it as he picked up one of the bigger glass shards proudly "Hmm.. You can do it with this-" before he glanced once more at Baji's face, his own expression souring at what he sees.

"don't cry, Baji. crybabies are the worst" he dropped the glass, his shaking hands pulling at the alpha's cheeks instead, like a little child, with no understanding of what had brought the emotion on. His voice turned more distressed the longer Baji remained upset, vehemently using his pointy finger to pull the corner of the alpha's lips up. "stop, yeah? it's no good. Nobody likes crybabies. If you don't stop, Father will be angry at you, too-"

Kazutora's chest hurt, his throat choking as he tried to breathe and speak at the same time, terror coating his lips. He gasped when two warm hands wrapped around his own. For a scary moment, he'd thought Father had found them- before the scent of pine trees made him slump in relief.

"..I'm fine, sorry for scaring you" he could hear Baji clear his throat as he used the sleeves of his shirt to rub over his face.

Kazutora couldn't help but crack a smile "Silly ~ you're not scary" and clumsily helped wipe the stunned alpha's cheeks clean, when a streak of red was left on one side instead, making him stutter in his movement.

His heart dropped to his stomach. "oh no, I-.. I stained you. but it's not your time. I wanted to be first for once-" He tried to wipe it away but another crimson streak was left instead, he let out a terrified whimper "I'm sorry, I don't know why-" he angrily looked down at his hands, trying to find the cause when he saw the bloodied bandages.

With a shriek of panic, he turned back to Baji "I made you dirty, oh no, no no- stupid stupid stupid-" he began to hit his own head but the alpha stopped him in his movements "It's okay-" It's not- Tears sprung into the omega's eyes "I'm sorry, sorry, sorry-"

The alpha cradled his cheek, wiping away the small tears he let escape. "shhh… it's alright, nothing a bit of water can't fix. I was in need of a bath anyway"

"because.. I made you dirty…?" the omega asked hesitantly, the guilt eating at him.

"No, never. I was outside working, remember? I stink, that's why" he murmured into the crown of his head. The omega nodded, placated. "oh, then it couldn't be helped, right?"

He giggled playing with the hem of the alpha's sleeve holding him "silly me, you don't die yet" He began to hum "You're so warm.." and sighed with a shudder "Can you warm me up? The water is so cold. I don't like it"

"Of course, love. You don't have to ask" Baji didn't understand, neither Kazutora's clothes nor his skin had any water remaining. But he pressed more heat into his skin evn if he had felt too hot already. "We should probably get your hand looked at before the infection grows worse"

"no."

"then at least let us rewrap the bandages-" Baji tried but Kazutora scrambled away before the words had even properly left his lips, hiding under the table, uncaring for shards of glass in his way. "no, no no no no no nonono, I don't wanna be touched by them- I'll be good, I promise-" his breathing turned more ragged with every shuddering hiccup, Baji could tell he had difficulty taking any air in. "okay, okay- no touching, I promise"

"Liar!" he yelled "I don't like it. You're lying, because you're a liar. They always lie, lie, lie, lie, lie li-" he began talking to himself. Baji would not leave, softly using his boots to push the shattered pieces of the plate and the glass out of the way and crouched down onto his level "Doctors are pretty shitty, right?"

Kazutora stopped rambling and blinked at him with tearful confusion "y-yeah"

"then we should make sure they don't get ya"

"how?" he asked hoarsely.

"It's a secret, so you're not allowed to tell anybody," the alpha told him conspiratorially.

"I won't!" he promised with eagerness.

Baji replied with the same secrecy as before "An apple"

"apple?" he frowned with suspicion. That didn't sound right "You're trying to trick me.."

"I swear I'm not. There is a famous saying, you know" Baji'd involuntarily gone to the exclusive Mikey Academy of bullshitting in his childhood. He'd never considered stooping to such levels, but he'd done enough damage. "an apple a day…"

"keeps the doctor away!" the omega's face lit up with understanding, nodding along as if he'd cracked a code of great secrecy. "do we have to throw the apples at them, then?"

Baji let out a breathy chuckle far too fond but he couldn't help himself, still after everything, Kazutora had not changed in that regard. "I was thinking more of eating them, but why not? We can throw some of them on a healer or two as well to make sure"

"Okay!" the omega almost hit his head on the edge of the table in his excitement to get up, but Baji cushioned him in time with his own hand, forcing them into proximity again. Kazutora looked at him owlishly before laughing wetly, the previous terror had left its remnants as he shakily straightened himself. "I'm not an apple"

Baji grinned "you're not? Then we should make sure you get some" and picked him up to seat him on the loveseat. His knees had scrapes on them. From this height, it was difficult to tell whether there were any shards stuck in them "Don't move. There's still an awful amount of shit on the floor" His eyes swept over the damage, calculating his next step.

"b-but" Kazutora tried to protest.

"no buts. I'll go get the apples"

"why-"

"to keep the doctors away, remember?" Baji reminded gently. He hesitated, his gut churned at the thought of leaving the omega by himself. But his temperature was only getting worse and he had more than one inkling it was due to the infected injury. He had no proof, but if it hadn't been infected before the unsalvageable bandages were a ticking timebomb waiting to make it a reality.

He clenched his teeth, not proud of what he was intending to do however, letting this continue was not a luxury he could afford. He straightened before he left, using his coat to wrap it around the crestfallen omega. It stung.

But he should get used to that face. After tonight, he'd be lucky if Kazutora ever spared him a glance again.

"…promise, you'll come back?" Kazutora's voice cracked.

The alpha's face softened. "of course, I promise" he stretched his pinky finger out and waited. A shaking pinky finally reached his own and locked them together. "…don't make me wait again" Baji took in a sharp breath at the reminder and then stiffly nodded. Kazutora's mumbled words had sounded like a question by the end. "I'll be back before you know it" He croaked out, this time intending to keep what he hadn't back then.

"…okay" the omega accepted and reluctantly dropped his finger back, repeating the words to himself "okay"

Shortly after the door clicked shut and with it the brave front he'd put up. His face crumbled into ugly hiccups. Baji left…

He wailed. He hated it. hated it. hated it. hated it-

Kazutora felt like dying, Baji had left him-

Again.

He had left him again. Kazutora was no good. That was why. Baji didn't like him. So he left him. He left. He left. He left.

His whole body wrecked with his sobs as he curled into himself. He had to be good, to not be a baby, but no matter how badly he tried, he failed. His mouth just couldn't make the air go in properly, always short a step as he choked on his spit and runny nose.

crrreeeaaak!

He froze. Kazutora's breath hitched when the alpha walked back in with something. He'd come back! He came back, just like he promised.

He was about to jump out of his seat. 'don't move.'

the words rang through his head. And he stopped dead in his tracks. He had to be good.

Though it was awful to physically restrain himself, he followed the alpha's instructions. He barely had time to blink before the alpha was in front of him, breathing heavily yet somehow hesitant. "I'm sorry for taking so long. but I thought you'd want more than just one apple" he explained as he sat next to him.

He peered into what the alpha had brought and his eyes widened with wonder when he noticed not only the candied apple bites but pie, too, and- "Do those count?"

"Tonight they do" Kazutora nodded, accepting the answer at face value as he waited with restraint and patience for Baji to give him the first treat.

"it tastes funny" He chewed after the first bite. Baji stared at him strangely, he looked troubled as if something was weighing him down, his voice sounded odd, too "..I know"

Kazutora shrugged and continued to eat, nodding "Northern apples are weird. It's probably because it's so cold up.. here" his mouth felt funny, as if he'd placed cotton on his tongue. He rolled it sluggishly against his teeth in confusion "You… should get'em from the south... they're sweet an' not bitter" He trailed off. His vision was next as his eyes fought with his eyelids to stay open. Somehow, everything had turned hazier after.

He could feel an arm slide beneath his knees. Distantly he realized he was being carried and then placed on something softer. Bed, he darkly recalled. He had one of those now, didn't he?

Baji must have carried him back to his bed. What happened before or after he had trouble piecing together. He was neither asleep nor awake, but he couldn't understand why..

"Keep your eyes on me" Kazutora fell further into the bed, feeling more exhausted by the second. The anxiousness was draining from his body as his body leaned more sideways into Baji, relaxing. Faintly he could hear the door open, his unfocused eyes lazily trailed towards the sound, but Baji's hand guided his cheek back to meet the alpha's gaze before he had the chance to. "focus on me"

The sound of steps got closer making him grow rigid again. "b-but"

"the rest doesn't matter. focus only on me, remember?"

Kazutora nodded sluggishly, one of his fingers curling around the alpha's thick strands of hair. It was soft..

The alpha's warm expression turned cold as he turned around to their company now that the omega was successfully distracted. The commander turned his chin in the omega's direction "Don't make any sudden movements and be quick"

Ryusei immediately got to work. He waited until Baji had positioned the omega's injured hand towards him and quickly began unraveling the bloodied and soggy bandages, wrinkling his nose at the state of the inflammation. Almost all of the stitches had ripped but that was not all. It was a dark angry red color, the lines where the sword had first sliced through a jagged diagonal. This was the first time he'd seen the extent of what Sendo had outlandishly described. The duchess really had ripped a sword out with his bare hand to save Chifuyu..

He swallowed the knot in his throat and quickly made use of his aid kit, not chancing another look at his superior. He could sense it in the air. The alpha was pissed. But he made a great show of not letting the omega take note of it. It was impressive, considering less than ten minutes ago he'd gone off on a random staff member for lurking around this wing of the castle, before bashing him against a wall and relieving him of his duties in the same breath. The poor guy didn't even get to have a word out before he'd become jobless. Normally Ryusei might have tried to get him to lay off a little but when the murderous expression had turned to him he'd quickly kept his mouth shut. One half of his face still throbbed at the reminder.

He began to clean the wound and forced himself to remain still when he could hear the muffled cries of pain coming from the omega as he tried to get his injured hand away from him.

"-it hurts"

"I know" The omega was shielded from his ministrations as the alpha continued to shush him, cradling his face as the room filled with the calmest of pheromones. "…I hate it" the omega wailed weakly.

"Me too" The alpha's gaze softened.

"Done" The Beta announced quietly before gathering the old bandages and all of his supplies with a nod towards his commander. "I'll wait in your office"

That was all he could gather from the aftermath.

Kazutora knew that feeling inside of him. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like as the prior terror gave way for fatigue. The monster that held his throat, his body hostage. The sensation of knowing how to speak but no sound leaving him.

Before the alpha had left in the early settings of twilight, he had turned to him one last time.

"Kazutora, I .." Kazutora's back had been turned to the man, his eyes slammed shut, bracing himself for what would come.

Baji could do whatever he wanted with what Kazutora had revelaed to him. He could hear the alpha clear his throat, hyperaware of his every move. "if you need anything.." his voice had sounded off, stilted, forced. He heared his steps hesitate before they moved towards the door. Kazutora should have felt relieved and yet.

He'd had enough.

"anull it…" he replied barely audible but he knew the alpha heard him. He always did. "anull the marriage and send me back to Central" let them deal him the final blow and be rid of him. He couldn't do this.

The silence stretched.

"…I cannot do that" the worst thing was how genuinly apologetic Baji sounded. Kazutora was too exhausted to begin another back and forth with him. so be it. "…then I shall make you regret ever letting me step foot in this home of yours, your grace"

He didn't know what expression the alpha had made to what was essentially a declaration of war. but if he ever said anything, then Kazutora had not heard it. But as the door softly clicked shut something in his chest gave-

and he wept.

don't leave, the words were on the tip of his tongue, but there was no one there to hear them don't leave me here alone, again. you promised. but his lips were fused shut. The noose around his throat tightening.

Baji left.

He had enough.

Days later the tatters of that night had come to resemble a piss poor picture he'd wantonly wished to extinguish.

He'd tried to kill the Warden of the Northlands…

The only person standing between him and the imminent hellfire that would encompass him had he been successful. But alas he'd only been pathetic. utterly. hopelessly. pathetic.

He'd managed to dig himself deeper, too. From a decorative wife to a loose cannon threatening the legacy of the highest noble house in the First District.

It had taken him one whole day and night to understand he'd been drugged when his husband had deigned to feed him those pastries.

And gods, it had opened a sore can of worms he'd not been ready to discover. Another piece of the puzzle falling into place to the willful manipulation he'd closed his eyes to. He'd only promised himself days prior to not let himself be swept away by sweet lies and even more tempting promises only to walk blindly into the next trap set out for him.

His sire was surely turning over in his grave in laughter at his inability to the most gullible of tactics. It had been the verbatim of a stranger offering candy to a child and Kazutora had chewed and lapped it right off his hands. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Gods, what a new low.

Now as his fever had broken and the haze had cleared, the noose around his neck was no longer hidden behind sightless oblivion. It irked him for how long he'd been played for a fool. He loathed Baji Keisuke for what he'd reduced him to. But he abhorred himself far more for allowing him.

But still, it was not the prominent sensation churning in his gut in between the crippling shame, the petty bitterness and paranoia. No, that place was reserved for plain. simple. defeat.

Maybe he could have tried to scrap off what little pride he had from the floorbeds of this room. Stuck between the remains of where the shards of porcelains had grazed the expensive wood. With Sato Ryusei the only fellow witness to his lunacy, there was still the option to pretend, no matter how fragile of an illusion. However, that would have meant effort. Effort he could no longer muster up to present. And what did it matter?

What truly was the point in all of this? The alpha had no reason to keep him after Kazutora's (embarrassing and pathetic) attempt to take his life, yet the bastard refused to part from him. What benefit could he possibly yield from this?

The alpha refused to answer him. Like he refused the annulment.

And Kazutora continued to dangle on the straining thread the alpha held atop the nothingness beneath. When the day arrived the alpha had satisfied his ego enough to relieve him of his misery and cut the string.

Until then he'd remain the prisoner of the alpha's choosing. Or at least in this, he forced himself not to be. If only to be difficult. To agitate the alpha for a fraction of the sensation he'd had Kazutora burn in.

He refused to drink or eat. The alpha had rid the room of all sharp objects but Kazutora would file his nails into claws if it meant drawing blood. He was a sore loser, he had no problem admitting to it.

The thick bandages had been replaced by thinner ones now that the swelling had gone down and the infection cleared. His digits were no longer obstructed as his palm continued to heal. The cut on his middle finger and pinky had turned the tissue almost fatigued. Straightening them was a strain, so crooked they remained.

To his chagrin, the subtle scent of pine and smoke lingered. Kazutora wanted to scream. It made him irrationally angry.

Due to the fever, it had been close to impossible to face him in a conscious state. He knew he'd come when Kazutora was still asleep or foggy from the medicine. Perhaps he found satisfaction in keeping him in a compliant state. Less bitching and fighting. Fewer attempts on his life as well.

If you need anything — Kazutora was in need of one thing and did not receive it.

He stood up, stalking over to the vanity, anger filled his stomach, or was it despair, he couldn't tell. His eyes burned with unshed tears. How dare he? How dare he have the audacity.

He mustered the harrowing figure meeting him in the mirror. Hair unkempt and not cared for. Face ashen, harsh lines sharpening his hollowed cheekbones. His lips chipped and bitten raw.

He was a mess.

Kazutora wanted to throw something against the mirror only to grasp the emptiness where the letter opener should have been…. Right, the sharp objects had been removed from the premises of the unpredictable nutcase.

He'd never felt so stripped of himself. What was this sorry lump looking back at him?

Monster, you tried to kill him and now you play the victim.

Kazutora gasped as the throbbing grew in intensity. Nothing good ever came when his eye acted up.

You never learn, you foolish child. They do not care. They wish you gone.

It was right. Whether Kazutora lived or died, it made no difference. Their lives would continue as they did before his arrival. It didn't even matter to anyone.

He didn't matter to anyone.

He had no place here. Fool, fool, fool. You're a fool.

He held his ears until the mocking tone whispering into his ears vanished and he sighed in defeat. He'd humiliated himself enough as is.

Getting out of bed had felt as tiring as sleeping had felt. There was no rest for the wicked and Kazutora happened to be the most rotten creature of all. It made him wonder distantly how he'd even managed to hold a sword for so long that day when even the thought of picking up a book felt too heavy of a task now.

Mechanically he went to the edge of the bed where the satin silver day cover had been bunched together after days of neglecting to have his bed properly made. It had been some time since he'd last seen staff inside these walls. Perhaps the duke feared for his staff members' well-being around an unpredictable lunatic like him. After the destruction last time it was warranted, he guessed.

Dragging it along the ground by its tail he went back to the haunting mirror and draped over it half-heartedly, he wondered whether it would fall off before he could even turn his back on it. But at least he'd have some respite from his daunting reflection.

He stared at his pathetic attempt when noise alerted him back to the door. For a brief moment, his eyes went to the window where high up in the sky the outline of the sun was smothered behind the wall of thick clouds.

He hadn't noticed midday had arrived, but it would explain the clicking of the door. Like clockwork Lieutenant Matsuno entered and Kazutora grew rigid, like every day since this spiel had begun. "hope I'm not disturbing you, Kazutora-san" came the good-natured tone from the entrance that was left unanswered.

Out of all the people, it was his Right Hand the alpha had chosen to bring him his lunch. Breakfast always lay ready on the table when he woke up and supper… He clenched his jaw and forced the thought away.

Perhaps now, that the Beta had mostly recovered from his injuries, he was the only one who could defend himself against Kazutora's unpredictable temper, should it come to a boil once more.

The meals looked different as if the cooks had changed their palette. Intricate dishes, that needed several pieces of the same cutlery that had no appreciation in an audience like Kazutora were replaced by simple soups and the occasional stew. It had strangely reminded him of the food he'd been served in the barracks.

Whatever would have been placed in front of him now though, he refused to eat. It would meet the same fate as the breakfast that preceded it.

He'd be a fool to accept. And he'd been a sorry fool for too long. The alpha had drugged him with sedatives and who was to say his Lieutenant wouldn't do the same?

Kazutora had no allies here.

As soon as the metallic bowl hit the top of the vanity he flung it to the floor. It clinged! Once, twice.. thrice. Until it rolled to a halt at the edge of the carpet, spilling the contents on the floor..

They'd learned it seemed. No porcelain was brought to his chambers anymore, but that wouldn't save them from Kazutora's ire.

"I assume you're not a fan of lamb then"

Kazutora did not reply nor make any indication that he'd heard him at all, simply staring ahead at nothing. His throat filled with lead and dust.

In another life, he might have apologized. He might have asked for forgiveness for his lack of etiquette and decorum, for the injuries and loss he'd caused. But in this one, he did not, would not, could not. They want you dead either way.

If the Beta cared for his lack of apology, he did not show it, and simply shrugged, as if it all had been an accident and not on purpose. Used to his silence, the blonde prattled about some protagonist of a novel, that frustrated him as he cleaned up the mess Kazutora'd created. He should feel bad for making the boy who'd almost died because of him clean up his messes. Perhaps behind all the layers of nothingness, there was a sliver of guilt, but like the sun in the sky, it was hidden behind a wall of mist that would never reach his skin to warm it.

The end of his brief visits remained the same. With an awful kindness in his tone, Kazutora wished to suffocate him for the Beta turned back to him "Take it easy, okay? I hope dinner's at least more to your liking later" It wouldn't be.

He knew he wasn't doing himself a favor by any means. The lack of nutrition only made him weaker, and more vulnerable to these people but the thought of stomaching anything, let alone something laced with was unnerving. He'd rather take his chances starving.

But even that was not up to him, was it? He thought bitterly.

The muffled sound of voices had his eyes flying back to the window with alarm. It was too early for him to make an appearance-

"-good to see you so well, Lieutenant" That high voice dissolved his assumption. But the tension remained at the familiar sound. He could not hear much. There was some shuffling, then a kind "thank you" from the Lieutenant before the topic turned towards the trainees that had been allowed back into training. "—Miss Chiyo worried herself sick for her grandson"

Kazutora blinked in surprise. He hadn't even known the woman had ever married let alone children of her own who'd then had children of their own. He'd assumed she had lived and breathed her work. But true to her origins she had folded to tradition. It was a wonder she had found someone who tolerated her stiff personality. Envy is an ugly color on your pallor.

Kazutora clenched his teeth.

"Ah yes, I saw Arisu running laps this morning. I've not seen him so spirited since he lost the tournament" The bemusement of the blonde was hard to miss.

"Oh my, he wouldn't shut up about the favor of the audience being rigged against him"

"sounds like him"

"Mhm.. these days his favorite topic seems to be the ambush" The girl sounded exasperated but not hateful. It didn't stop the flinch he felt running through his body.

He heard some cursing from the Beta for the boy's inconsideration "My apologies, Ruki. He should know better than to talk about this with you, considering your uncle. I'll tell him to keep his mouth shut"

"It's fine~ If anything it's kind of funny, he won't stop blabbering about—"

"Yes. I can guess." The beta said in a clipped tone, visibly irate. "All these brats seem to talk about is their suicidal crush. There is only so much I can do before Baji-san gets wind of it.."

The girl winced "Ouch. I've been on the wrong end once and I barely got out with my body intact"

"If it helps he felt pretty remorseful when I last saw him"

"I am sure." the girl's voice was very skeptical "Perhaps I should've told him about the family name before" she joked. Kazutora noticed too late who she was speaking of. Not that it would have spared him. "I'm going to be truthful here. Chou-san being your uncle would've hardly changed anything. Ask Ryusei" Kazutora could barely focus on it. His mind miles away.

"Oh, I heard all about the incident. I thought it was a joke.."

"Nope. The shiner on his face was pretty real the last time I saw him" The blonde was far too happy in his tone.

"I thought you were close..?"

"Let's just call it payback" he chuckled "but was there a reason you came here? You know the commander's orders, right?"

The girl turned bashful "Ah yes. I know no one is authorized to enter this wing without explicit permission from Lord Baji, but I wondered since Uncle Chou's funeral is coming up.."

Kazutora's knuckles turned white.

"No, Ruki." The Beta interrupted in a serious tone.

"oh it is fine, His Lordship mentioned-… Lieutenant?"

"Let us continue somewhere else" He listened as the sound of steps grew more and more distant.

Kazutora shakily breathed once. In and out. Then his knees buckled under him as the crippling feeling washed over him. He'd brought nothing but misery onto these people.

He didn't mean- he didn't- he didn't mean it. He shouldn't- his breathing became more difficult as he curled into himself.

You could leave

He needed out of this room. He jumped up and out the door the Beta had only departed minutes prior.

The trees of the northern forest stood looming and tall as the snow was laid to rest on the crown of their peaks and their roots deeply buried beneath.

A human was a mere insect against their might. It was exciting, he thought. But sadly his companion was not of the same mind. Beauty was lost on fools like these. "I am still of use-"

He groaned in annoyance, his eyes rolling to the back of his head before leaning forward, his shadow casting over the useless frame of the other. "What use could you still hold? You were kicked to the curb if I recall"

He loomed over the man, who stumbled a few steps back at the sudden proximity. He'd never tire of such reactions. Though he did tire of the fool's scrambling excuses "I'm afraid you were right in his assessment. The northern warden is a hothead with no rationale to spare"

"He let you off easy. You're alive, aren't you?" His tattoed hand caressed his bruised neck as a laugh escaped him. He'd been in quite the chokehold, eh?

Well, the Bloody Hallow had not been known for his chivalry, he grinned. Quite territorial, too, he whistled. It was rather funny, that their plan had been compromised because the northern warden had been caught in a bad mood of all things, marital bliss sure was short-lived. Though he assumed his little songbird would not share his amusement. Months of work turned into nothing, it was hilarious.

"A lot of work has been invested in you and you gambled it away with your overconfidence. What a predicament for you" He couldn't keep the humor from his tone but he had not tried to begin with.

The man fell to his knees with terror. "Tell his Lordship I am still of use- The toxins have taken effect" Ah yes, the toxins had been a surefire way to augment their target's mental decay. If their little infiltrator hadn't fumbled his task, he would have turned feral before long and either killed his husband or himself. His little bird had preferred both of them, but this was no longer a possibility. Not that he'd ever thought it would be. The plan had been designed as a fail-safe that they were in no need of. It was all still too early "You're giving yourself too much credit. The tiger's been a loose cannon for more than a decade. But at least with this dilemma at hand, the wolf won't come down south for quite some time. But what to do with you?"

"I have still one more shot. I have to hand in my uniform to the old Housekeeper. This will be the perfect chance to-" He clutched the man's face to cut him off. He looked like a fish out of water with his squished face between his inked hand. "C'mon now, sinner don't be a predictable bore" and grinned, his eyes glowing. "pull it up a notch, or do not waste my time at all"

"Of course! That sorry existence of an omega- ugh!-"

The man's words once more were cut off with a hold against his throat that grew more suffocating by the second. "Now, now watch your tone. That is still royalty you're speaking of"

"r-royalty..?" His eyes grew wide with terror before the hold finally let up. He fell to the cold snow beneath heaving for air, trying to make sense of his handler's words. The duchess was a noble and only by the grace of the current King who had not stripped the House of Hanemiya of their titles. Though even the omega's current title would be more thanks to his husband's own title than much else.

"It's a jest, never heard of it?" He watched as the taller sauntered away from him "But lest you forget, I have no care for tragedies. This.." he trailed off before his bored voice turned to something much more terrifying as his lips stretched into a mad grin. His arms spread out, the inked hands held out to world like an offering and warning alike. Sin and Punishment shimmering in front of the powdery background of the forest. "This right here is an epic in the making!"

Crazy, he concluded with terror. The man was simply nuts. "W-where are you going, my lord?" he croaked when he realized him turning towards the northern path instead.

"Lord? I do not hold a title. I am the offspring of a whore" The man was made speechless as the alpha waved him off. "Nobility's not my thing. Let them fight amongst one another. I have some things to prepare for the grand party "

Two steps later the inked man disappeared into nothing. He let out a shaky breath of relief when the coast was clear. And then reality set in.

He had one last chance. He could not fail.

It had been a while since he'd left his chambers, he thought as he stumbled through the desolate halls. He had not once crossed paths with anyone. Usually, it took mere seconds to stumble on a maid or footmen whispering amonst one another. But it was as if the upper floors had been abandoned.

A bout of energy zapped through him at the realization that he was free to be without disturbance.

All the worse for it, it was that of all the places his feet had led him to, it had to be the wing where the duke's office resided. Stupid, stupid, stupid He ought to leave before the alpha accidently noticed.

It had been so long since he'd last been here. They had been at odds then as well. For reasons that seemed so insignificant in hindsight. Back then he'd become invisible to the Northerner and now he seemingly could not escape him.

A shiver went down his spine as the cold breeze touched him. He'd become used to the unnatural heat in his quarters. Perhaps it had not been the smartest of moves to run around in his state of clothing. It was hardly proper to be outside his chamber still wearing his sleepwear. Even if it had hardly been the first time. He cringed at the reminder of his reflection he'd hidden behind the bed cover. As if it would erase the unkempt birdnest on his head or the wrinkled nightdress.

He pulled the morning robe over the thin fabric like it could cover his shame. He should not have been so irrational. What use was running around?

He could not just leave. He'd been tempted by the thought for not even a moment. He was a beacon amidst the northern folk. All their eyes were on him. He could never flee the city undetected. And where would he go?

He had no home to return to. He could go to the capital and hand himself in. But he wouldn't put it past the crown to not either hand him right back over to his husband or send him to the brothels should the latter refuse to take him back.

If the slim chance of actually being hanged for his crimes was an option he could have it done here. There was no need to exert energy in a task that will not come to fruition.

But he had an inkling if Sano Manjiro found out what he'd tried to do to his first Division Commander, the dominant alpha would not be as lenient as the rest of them.

It was all too frustrating. If Kazutora had not been barred from finishing it himself by a shitty command this would have been dealt with ages ago.

"Only a fool would sneak around these halls thinking they'd go unnoticed" Kazutora jumped at the sound of Sato's gleeful voice. His head whirled towards the direction of the voice behind the corner where the door to the office was located. For a startling moment, he'd thought he'd been caught red-handed in the act of-

..nothing. He frowned, he'd done nothing wrong yet unless the unspoken rule of him not leaving his chambers had become official in a short amount of time.

He heard a muffled groan and to his surprise, the accusation had not been directed at Kazutora at all. Sato had a man he could not make out in a brutal chokehold. Neither of them had noticed him. He quickly took enough steps back away from their peripheral and hid behind the corner of the wall.

Kazutora should leave. Whatever was going on there did not concern him. He'd listened in on enough conversations for the day.

"you speak mighty for a traitor, Sato Ryusei" Kazutora closed his eyes and cursed internally. It sounded very distinctively like the voice of Yotsuya Kaidan's errand boy. "You simply cannot help yourself betraying those who put you where you are" Kazutora swallowed at the accusation his view too restricted to see much else.

"Is that so?" a loud crunch of bones snapping reverberated through the corridor. Kazutora heard a window being opened and in shock, he glimpsed at the mage dangling the now unconscious man out the window. How had it escalated so quickly…

A door opened sharply. "what's going on here?! Ryusei..?" The Lieutenant yelled as he ran over to the other Beta "What the hell are you doing-"

"taking out the trash can't you see?" the tattoed man shook the man like a ragged doll.

"stop that-" The Beta began to pull the unconscious man back up, sounding winded and exhausted "Who is he? And don't you dare say trash again, I'm not in the mood for jokes"

"He was tasked by Yotsuya Kaidan." Sato's voice was tinged with guilt for having exerted the other. Kazutora swallowed.

"oh.." The blonde was taken aback as he ran a hand through his hair "tasked to do what?- are they responsible for…"

"that was what I was trying to figure out"

"by killing him?" The pointed tone could not be missed. The mage raised his hands in surrender "Okay so maybe I jumped the barrel but after last time can ya blame me?"

The door creaked once more as a dark timbre boomed through the vicinity, forcing a shudder through his very core "Why is there an unconscious man in front of my office?"

Kazutora's feet moved before his mind could form the thought.

Several corridors bypassed him in swirls of colors. A flight of stairs, then another before he'd made it back to his rooms.

His heart beat a thousand miles a second as the situation washed over him, his lungs begging for air. Yotsuya Kaidan's errand boy had been caught. He was here for Kazutora. He'd been pretty direct about his purpose after all.

Perhaps this was good. He nodded to himself. Now the alpha would be forced to act. He could not play deaf in the face of such a charge. His lips stretched into a smile as he picked his book back up with newfound energy.

Treason. What a terrific concept.

There was hope for Kazutora yet.

At this point, Baji might as well be cursed. Just as some sort of order reigned itself in something else toppled over the cardhouse bestowed on him.

Maybe he ought to use brick. And stomp that into the likes of Youtsuya and ill-fitted glasses-wearing pieces of utter shit.

It had taken them more than three days to put two and two together. He wanted to break something. If it hadn't been for Ryusei, Baji would have continued to remain none the wiser.

Kazutora's blood had traces of poison in them. It had been pure chance it was noticed at all. Days ago when Ryusei still had the bloodied bandages on his person he'd made to discard them when he'd thrown them into the bin where his failed experiments had found their home.

When he'd gone to exterminate it days later, he found something strange.

Only poison reacted to poison, he'd said when he'd run to Baji in the early hours of the next morning. Ryusei had been out of breath and barely coherent.

"Keisuke-"

"I think I made myself very clear last time," He said with the utmost bite in him as he motioned to the shiner on the Beta's face, who winced at the reminder but held his gaze. "It concerns your wife"

Baji's nose flared. "Your conspiracy-"

"It's not about that. If you say, the duchess has no involvement then that its all I need to know" Baji relaxed again "Good." He was by far not pleased with Ryusei's actions but at least he learned his lessons quickly. "then out with it"

"I had several failed experiments— you know how I am" Baji was too stunned, unable to even comment on the Beta's unusual babbling. That had been more Chifuyu's cup of tea. "The bin was getting kind of full so I had to get rid of it, but the bandages were inside too and the color was wrong—"

The Beta seemed to brace himself for his next words"I've got high reason to believe the duchess has been poisoned"

Ryusei might as well have pulled the rug from underneath his feet. Several emotions had washed over the alpha's body. But only one had persisted as the Beta described the taupe black color they had turned.

It had not been fury as he'd expected, though it had not been far behind. He looked to the ceiling. "..what poison? Will he be alright?" Helpless, he was utterly helpless. Kazutora could be on his deathbed and Baji would never have noticed.

"I would have to conduct a proper screening, but if my first assessment is correct, then the traces I found are from the Datura blossoms"

"meaning?"

"It is fatal, but" the Beta startled at the sharp intake of breath "but only in certain doses. It's first and foremost a hallucinant used to induce a… feral frenzy" Oh. If it had been Baji he might have laughed at the irony. But no, it had to be Kazutora. Because misfortune just had it out for him.

Kazutora who was barely hanging on. Kazutora who had not asked to get in the crossfire of Baji's battles. Kazutora deserved the world but only received shit after shit because that was all the alpha was capable of.

"as I mentioned one of the symptoms is hallucinations. It's a gradual process, that would take weeks of regular intake to go unnoticed"

"so you're saying he's been poisoned for weeks, possibly months" Ryusei nodded stiffly.

His flesh burned inside of him. The sensation his pre-rut had last induced in him. Fix it. The urge overcame him. Fix it. "what are our options? an antidote-"

"I've already made a list of the ingredients if my hunch is correct. It will cleanse out any remnants in his bloodstream and he will be good as new in no time"

"and if your hunch is wrong?"

"..I will find an antidote then too" he replied "It isn't nightshade, so there is no need to fret. I am the best poison user in our time"

"I'm pretty sure, Sanzu has something to say about that"

"Hush, you prodigies with your nepotistic opportunities do not count" Baji let out a deep breath. If Ryusei was in a joking mood, then Kazutora was not yet near the pearly gates of heaven… for now.

It didn't make it easier to swallow the discoveries Ryusei uncovered throughout his investigation. His theory had been that if it needed to be consumed regularly then it only could have entered his bloodstream through either food or medication. An inspection had been conducted by Ryusei through the kitchens and the staff but found none. Only when he'd tested the remains of the last dinner Kazutora had been supposed to eat that night of the incident had Ryusei found a positive match.

The meals Kazutora had been served up to that night had been tampered with had been the verdict. Laced with the essence of Datura petals most known for their inducement of hallucinations, just as Ryusei had predicted. That was all the confirmation they needed.

It was one of the most poisonous flowers to exist and it had been used on Kazutora right under Baji's nose.

As if the omega had not gone through enough physical torture he had now been forced to undergo psychological warfare that stripped him of all his rationality, too.

But against initial suspicion the toxin had not been handled through the kitchens or the cooks. There had not been any residue that Ryusei would not have found on such short notice. Next in line were the staff members of the main house. Chifuyu had rifled through every schedule past and present and interviewed everyone on shift and he'd found a match of an unassuming Beta who'd eagerly volunteered to serve his wife his food on too many occasions to not be suspicious. Most of the time he'd been rejected by the Headmistress, who'd clakled it up to inappropiate admiration due to the recent events. Her refusal had been a blessing in disguise. To think the woman Kazutora most butted heads with had unknowingly saved him from further harm.

Despite that, Baji had been ready to kick his teeth in. Only hours- hours before Ryusei had made his first discovery had the alpha beaten the prime suspect responsible and fired him for utterly different reasons.

In his following frustration, he'd almost cut through half the forest. Firewood was now in abundance, Chifuyu had commented when he'd found him. But even as the blonde tried to get him into calmer waters, Baji could only focus on the fact that he'd let the rat that harmed his wife slip through his fingers so callously. What did that mean for Kazutora's safety now?

A search had already been conducted but so far nothing had come from it. It seemed to become a theme for him.

Yet still this was only a secondary dilemma to his most grievous concern. A battle he'd never wanted to partake in. But he'd been the one to draw blood so such luxuries were no longer permissible.

He took a steady breath as he walked inside without further fanfare. The only fighting ring that had the ability to bring him to his knees.

"I heard you're refusing to eat again" They've had this conversation every night the last week now that the omega was cleared from any infection. He'd tried out every option that ultimately had all failed. He'd been forced to measures he'd hardly be proud of. But a resentful Kazutora was better than a dead one. Even if that meant alienating himself further from the omega. As the latter had reminded it was far too late for regrets in the face of everything.

"You heard correctly" A page was flipped as the omega read through a book, not sparing him a glance. He sounded hoarse, this must have been the first time he'd spoken today, he concluded with an ache. It grew worse as his eyes latched onto the trembling fingers holding the thick encyclopedia.

Baji'd considered telling him of the petals that were laced into his food but ultimately decided against it. Kazutora was already on the fence. If he was made aware he'd starve himself out of paranoia. The best he could do was to oversee as the meals were made, most of which cook now had become Chifuyu of all people.

The last time he'd seen him make a meal had been in the late nights of campfires after harsh battles when the woods had been a better option than exhausting themselves to reach camp.

He owed his Lieutenant for a lot of things, though the Beta would hear none of it. However, it had not stopped him from coercing (forcing more likely) Baji into a plethora of handbooks on how to properly care for an omegan spouse. Baji had been stunned into silence when he'd brought a humble stack of sixteen books into his office, nudging him to take a look. At first, he'd been very much on the fence. But after his fifth consecutive failure against his wife's thickheaded skull that week he'd been left with no choice. It had been more helpful than he'd like to admit. The migraines that followed his habitual reading struggles had been a sacrifice he didn't mind making.

One of the last advisory books in his recent memory was straight to the point with its directions.

"you have to eat" Advice No. 1 - even when your omega is cross with you- Kazutora was definitely more than just cross with him, but finding advice for traumatizing your spouse into reverting to his child self was too much of a novel experience, he guessed-, you must remain calm but firm to not startle them out of their wits.

Kazutora narrowed his eyes in irritation, but his gaze remained on the printed words he'd long stopped reading and simply hummed, purposefully ignoring the alpha"Kazutora…" the words came out sharp. A warning tone that had him erupt into shivers. But Kazutora wouldn't back down. Yet neither was the alpha. They've been at this back and forth past the point of pleasantries "Either you eat by yourself or I will spoon-feed you. You pick."

The finger on the book stopped. Any semblance of calm vanished from him. "there he is" the omega's cold expression turned to his husband. His knuckles turned white, closing the book with a thud, and his eyes were aflame with anger "Rid yourself of the faux chivalry quite quickly today"

"You've made your disdain clear. There is nothing more for me to lose so might as well not beat around the bush"

"to be as fortunate as you" he seethed bitterly. Their definition of loss was not the same. They lived in complete disparity. Unlike Kazutora the alpha had truly nothing to lose. "But alas I am only a little old me" Baji placed the spoon in front of him. He fisted his nightdress in anger.

This could have been his favorite meal after months of food shortage, but under the circumstances, even the best of ingredients would only taste foul. Horrid. "Should I fear another sedative?" he mocked watching with satisfaction as the alpha's expression pinched in misplaced remorse. At best he regretted being caught. Like all of them. They never regretted the deed itself. "stop pretending. I detest when you feign to have a conscience. It's pathetic." He seethed and clenched his teeth as he picked the spoon up. Another loss for him. The tally continued.

"Thank you"

"Fuck you"

"Oh, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"My penchant for feeling sorry for idiots like you" The blonde rolled his eyes as he threw something at the idiot in question. He barely could hold his laugh when his expression scrunched up. It was one of his better creations. An ice sculpture made into..

"An apple? Really?"

"I heard a cold compress will help the healing process-" Maybe he choked on a laugh or two when he answered.

"You've got all these people out there believing I'm the bully meanwhile you do this to me" the other grumbled as he held the frozen gift to his injury… It did help, but that was not important.

"I only tried to aid a comrade"

"A comrade. Wow." Ryusei said fully offended. "Is that how you call every man you invite into your bed?"

"I'm pretty sure I told you to leave right after. several times"

"and I didn't. Aren't you glad for it?"

"No"

"I'm already on the ground. No need to kick me" he bemoaned the cruelty of his most beloved Lieutenant.

"At least I'm not chucking a lightning-quick projectile into your face" Chifuyu let out another chuckle before caressing his injured cheek as well "Does it hurt still?"

"As temporary injuries tend to fare, this one is hardly an inconvenience" They both turned their gaze down to his troublesome leg. It was better now than it had been when he'd initially retired. But alas the ache for this one would stick with him for life. So his current black eye was hardly worth mentioning "Is that your roundabout way of telling me you mixed too many potions again? Be honest how many fingers am I holding up?"

"All the good ones?" He received a fast slap on his shoulder for that one "Shameless Bastard"

"I try" Ryusei grinned and forced the blonde to lie down with him surrounded by the mess of spells and papers of his making. He'd been to lazy to clean after he'd made the antidote. Most of the ingredients were still scattered about as well.

They enjoyed the tranquility for a while. "I can't believe he threw an apple at me"

Chifuyu immediately burst into another fit of cackling. But Ryusei didn't mind being the one laughed at every once in a while. If you like to dish it, best to learn how to take it too. He didn't think it would be quite this literal though. "and out of nowhere too? Like, warn a guy?" he continued

"This is not making me laugh any less" perhaps that had been his goal, but the blonde did not need to hear that.

"Then he said An apple a day keeps the doctor away? I'm not a licensed doctor? Everything I do would be highly illegal in another District"

"I know. I was there"

"Right I forgot.. was so busy fighting for my life"

Chifuyu rolled his eyes at his dramatics "Hardly. Baji-san let you off easy"

"I have a black eye?"

"and others have lost their lives for less" Chifuyu shrugged, far too nonchalant about his superior's murderous tendencies. "He lifted me by my collar, my feet weren't on the ground anymore. I'm taller than him"

"It was hilarious, wish I could have preserved that moment" Ryusei flicked his forehead in retaliation. "you weren't kidding when you warned me about his attitude when his wife is involved"

"Yeah, no shit. He's ruthless"

Ryusei got that now, it was efficiently branded into his mind even if he tried to be rid of the memory. One moment he'd been speaking to Chifuyu to enquire his opinion on the dilemma when the dilemma itself had made a surprise appearance as a reddish apple careened into his face. "What the-"

For a split moment, he'd thought they were under attack once more as his head snapped to the side only to meet Chifuyu's surprised but not alarmed face. The next moment he came face to face with the reason he was even in the North and somehow the same reason, his cheek and eye were throbbing in unison. And damn, the sudden pressure in the hall had him shivering with dread like nothing else. He'd deny it if the blonde ever pointed it out, but the violent expression had him weak in the knees. "Say Ryusei who the fuck do you answer to?"

"..you? uh-" Somehow that had been simultaneously the right and the wrong answer as the alpha picked him up by his collar with a single hand as the other held a back of sweet confections..? He squinted, must have been the concussion, he told himself. "right. Then tell me why you chose to withhold Hishi Kensho's letter from me?"

Ryusei made a choked-off sound. Now he knew whatever answer he chose would be the wrong one "What's gotten into Yotsuya's grandmaster to send a letter?" Chifuyu butted it, his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as he'd spared him from answering at all. Baji's warning expression turned to the blonde who stepped back with a nod almost immediately "Sure thing", finishing the silent conversation the commander and lieutenant held in a span of a few seconds verbally. But he did not leave, looking between them with eager curiosity. It wasn't every day Ryusei was in trouble.

Baji's eyes were back glaring holes into him, his grip turning his knuckles white in fury "..I wanted to investigate the matter further before coming to you with it"

"with that investigation you mean Kazutora- my wife?" He could see Chifuyu's turqouise eyes turn bug-eyed, but the alpha had paid him no mind. "He told you" Ryusei concluded with surprise. He hadn't expected the omega to expose himself like this. The thought of whether he'd done so to manipulate the situation in his favor sprang to his mind, but he discarded it just as quickly. The duchess had urged Ryusei to inform his husband himself.

Ryusei's back hit the wall harshly, his feet had yet not found the ground again. Yikes, he grimaced. "how you fucking dared to not only accuse but also confront him without ever reporting back to me is beyond me" the alpha seethed "Do you have a death wish, Ryusei?"

"no.." not right now at least. But he might depending on whether the alpha actually made good on his threats. He looked to the blonde in hopes the golden child would maybe try to save his hide, but what he hadn't expected was for the fellow Beta to hide his face in his palms in second-hand-embarrassment of Ryusei's actions. This might have been the first time the commander-lieutenant combo had turned him speechless. "Listen here, you fucking idiotic-" A few more colorful curses followed viciously "Your ass had no right to accuse him of anything in the first place, gods do you piss me off"

He thought back to the incident in the library "The duchess claimed he didn't know of Kensho… but then he pleaded guilty to everything anyways" The words left him, still as puzzled as he'd been that day, baffled by the omega's bizarre behavior.

"of course he did…" Baji said after a long time of silence, his voice tinged with resignation. At least someone who could made sense of it.

"I… understand I should have informed you of this"

"Yes. You should have." the alpha snapped back with the same amount of anger he'd had in the beginning.

Ryusei swallowed righting his collar after he finally released him from his steel hold. "..what about… your wife?"

"what about him?" came the pointed question.

"Do you truly believe he's got no part in this?" He could hear Chifuyu groan in embarrassment at his insistence, saying something along the lines of 'How stupid do you intend to be today?' but Ryusei had to be sure. If it meant he had to be the bad guy so be it. He did not intend to let anyone else die because of complacency.

"I know so." Baji snapped back, his canines flaring "and it is in your best interest to do the same"

Message received, Ryusei nodded "And Ryusei…" he stiffened "It is me you notify. This was the last time you pulled this shit with Kazutora"

"got it." he saluted. Before crossing eyes with Chifuyu who had watched the exchange, coughing behind his fist to hide his amusement. "now follow me, you have a job to do"

He was startled when the alpha addressed him again before walking down the hall "Huh?"

"wow," Chifuyu concluded drily, his eyes hiding the mirth. As if he'd been witness to something extraordinary and not his best lay (in Ryusei's humble opinion) getting torn a new one by their superior in the middle of the night.

"move, you stupid fuck"

"yes, I'm right behind you"

He'd gotten himself into quite a sticky situation, he noted belatedly. By the end of the night, he'd only wanted to block the events from his mind only to find himself in a stickier situation with his accidental discovery. It brought all of the duchess's behavior into a new perspective he was still busy digesting. Man.. he had to apologize, didn't he?

The poor guy was battling demons of a different calibre and then Ryusei went and gave him the rest. But Chifuyu's glee was becoming a bit much "You could at least pretend you're not delighted by my misery"

"Unlike you, I don't lie"

"Yeah, yeah. I kinda got used to the nicer.. calmer if not outright friendlier side of old Keisuke. Almost forgot what he was like before" he pondered drily "No offense but I never thought he had it in him.. Especially when you consider that he's only met him a few months ago"

Chifuyu got onto his elbows to meet his gaze like an over-excited puppy "Before I start I need you to be on board with whatever I'm about to say. No judgment?"

Oh? he got up as well "Shoot"

"I have nothing to back this up, but I have this theory that the commander and his wife knew each other before—" and then began the most unhinged conspiracy theory the blonde had yet come up with. Ryusei didn't even know what to focus on. Sometimes he wondered how that mind of Chifuyu's cooked up such madness. "…So you think he's playing the long-con in pranking us?"

"that could be one of the reasons, yes"

"your brain is frightening"

"shut up" Chifuyu shook his head in exasperation before flicking his temple "I know your paranoia of our last involvement with Youtsuya got the better of you. But Kojiro is fine now. You did not betray him when you freed him from his brother. He knows that. You know that."

"It's not about that-"

"Isn't it?"

Ryusei mulled the question over.

Year X1009

"Baji Keisuke"

"You…" Baji met the grey-blue storm in the gaze of the other "So it was you after all"

"You've grown up, little Keisuke" Hishi Kensho replied in all the might he remembered from all those years ago. This reunion however was hardly out of fondness for past memories "though the same cannot be said for the little tiger" Baji clenched his teeth as the accusing words reached his ears.

With it all his calm had shattered. "Leave him the fuck out of it!"

"How can I? When he's the reason we're all gathered here today" Kensho haughtily reminded him "for the promise you failed to keep. The hell you swore to see through with him only to abandon him" The alpha flinched. "I did not forget. Now I shall bring that hell to you"

"What's it to you? All of this for what? You think that's what he meant when he told you to make this world your own?" Baji spat right back. He couldn't stand what Hishi was trying to reduce his- …friend to, he clenched his fist. In the end, they had never been allowed the chance to become anything else.

"oh, you don't know?" The grandmaster mocked "Should have guessed after you left him behind so eagerly"

Baji jerked. Against all odds he still starved for even a fraction or a glimpse of what the omega had been like after… He sobered "What do you know?"

"Well you left the Isles rather hastily, didn't you?" He was letting Kensho pull his strings like a sorry puppet "The little Tiger waited for you by the shores every day, hoping that any ship that sailed through would hold your colors just as you told him. But we both know you never intended to keep that promise"

That's not true, Baji'd almost replied before he caught himself. Did it matter what he intended? Either way, he'd failed to keep it. There was no defending that. "Every couple of months when I made landfall he would be eagerly gazing at the northern horizon. And every time it was not you that entered the Isles, the light in his eyes would be dimmer.. until one day there was none left"

Baji remained silent. It hurt to know how much he'd let him down. He'd only ever assumed it. But Kensho had given him his confirmation.

"I asked him to join me several times, but he refused. You know what he'd say?" the alpha braced himself for the impact "I promised Kei I'd wait for him. I won't break my promise to him" and yet no beat down he'd received could compare to the gutwrenching feeling demolating his body after every word the grandmaster revealed to him.

He was left a mere shell of himself. "The last was in X999. Ten long years ago. If I'd known that would be the final time I'd see him alive, I-" Even Kensho seemed to struggle with the regret of his inaction. At least that they shared in common. "His body was never recovered. I searched for his remains for forty-four days as soon as I'd made it back ashore. And I found nothing, no proof that he'd ever existed at all. But you.. oh, you made quite the name of yourself while his corpse rotted in a ditch somewhere, forgotten while you still followed that same monarchy responsible for his death!" Kensho bellowed with all his bitterness. "Toman and Sano Shinichiro are soaked with his blood and yet you heel like a dog in front of them!"

The alpha clenched his teeth. The usurper had proclaimed so many falsified stories to legitimize his treason, Baji would be damned to ever believe any of it. Least of all in the concerns of a man that had looked after Keisuke as if he'd shared his blood with him "Shinichiro didn't kill him. He wouldn't have"

"Oh were you there when it happened?"

"were you?!" His own patience snapped at Kensho's all-knowing attitude like he'd been witness to any of it. Like the bastard could have understood him with his measly visits. Baji was the only one who'd truly known him. He'd been Baji's person the moment Red met Gold on that silly festival street. Kensho could never understand the essence of what they had meant to one another. "Don't act so high and mighty. Sano Shinichiro was killed as well in case you forgot. You of all people should not put your trust in the usurper. The late crown prince would have never put his hand on a child, unlike the usurper… and unlike you, right? After all the two of you are cut from the same cloth" Baji could not shake the bitterness from his tone. Kensho was tainting everything he stood for. "Prancing after those weaker than you. Beating into those you were meant to protect. You're pathetic, Kensho. And he'd be outright disgusted by your actions if he were to see what has become of you."

"Keisuke.." Ryusei whispered.

Chifuyu was reminded of Baji's resolve before he'd requested Mikey to let Division One handle it and keep everybody else out of the battle 'Kensho was the ghost that he created', the alpha had said more to himself than anybody else. The Beta had mistakenly assumed, Baji had meant himself, but it hadn't been about Baji at all. It was about that boy from the letters, right Baji-san? he asked in the safety of his mind. He didn't need a response to his question. The sorrowful expression on his commander's face was enough of an answer.

Kensho's haughty laughter brought him back to reality "He must have seen through you long before I did. People betray each other, that was his final words to me. And you are the biggest backstabber of all!" He drew his sword.

Baji followed suit not a second later "Call me what you want. It won't erase your wrongs. I won't let you stain his kindness to fuel your degenerate desires! You've become everything about this world that he hated."

And the onslaught began.

The flurry of battle had made him lose sight of both Ryusei and Baji-san. By the time the dust had settled, Chifuyu found himself with the new title of Lieutenant, Ryusei lay on the ground with a grievous leg injury announcing retirement as Hishi Kojiro aided to his wound and Grandmaster Hishi Kensho's sword had been shattered into two, Baji's moody Rampage mere millimeters from his neck.

He ran to the injured man when he heard the grandmaster's wheezing words "If he was here, he'd—"

"He isn't. And he never will be again, so shut up" Baji barked out more calmly than he'd expected- the fire long since been drained out of him "He suffered enough. Have some decency and let him finally rest. I will not allow him to be used for the gains of others again. Least of all yours" Baji sheathed his sword and began to walk away from the kneeling man, only looking back once to meet the grandmaster's gaze "I will do for your brother what I couldn't do for him. Kojiro will be somewhere far away from you so your hands can never bring harm to him again" just as Ryusei had begged from him the night before the battle. "You may keep your life solely for what regard he once held for you"

After..

Long after they had celebrated their will and the truce had been successfully called, Kojiro had announced his departure "I wish to pursue academics in the citadel"

"The Towers of Wisdom?" Baji's melancholic mood shifted into the ghost of a smile "I'm afraid I won't be able to escort you there." belatedly tagging on with no sort of shame "I've been banned from the premises"

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me" Ryusei drily replied, his thigh wrapped in so much gauze he was afraid their whole battalion was short of any for the next campaign. His gaze turned to his very first friend, who was more nervous than ever for whatever reason. "Say something, you ass" Chifuyu seethed with a whisper, giving him a pointed look.

Oh. Ohhh, Kojiro was anxious about Ryusei's reaction to his decision. What a silly thing to worry about. "becoming a sister of the faith, are you? You always had a fable for the gods beneath"

Kojiro's head snapped to him with nervousness before he relaxed. "who said anything about joining the sisterhood, bastard.."

"Which of the two gods do you prefer? " One of their men butted in. "The statues I've seen in the Fifth are a feast to a starving man"

"A shame there are so few"

"I bet the Isles have plenty to as well, considering they primarily worship the Headless"

"The statue got no head, what the hell are you talking about?"

"You don't need a head to tap that-"

"Shut the fuck up" the commander cut in like steel and a hush befell the camp, everybody looking at each other wondering what had set the sour mood off.

But alas they never found out.

"Whatever Kazutora's involvement supposedly is in the matter does not compromise Kojiro's safety" Chifuyu began to stand back up before offering his hand. And Ryusei eagerly took it.

"I thought he was not involved?" Ryusei pointed out, not one to pass up the chance to be a smartass as they left his chaotic spae behind a protection spell. Better be safe than sorry.

"You know what I meant. You like to consider facts before anything else. But in this one, believe my word. Kazutora-san is innocent of the crime you indicted him with"

"I know, I know. But since when are you such a hardass about him? The commander I understand, but you?" he rolled his eyes. He'd not expected Chifuyu to roll out all the defenses for the omega. He'd never seen him do something like that even remotely for him "Eh, I almost died for him, then he almost died for me. Life or Death situations bring people together" the blonde nonchalantly replied.

"The two of us have been through plenty of Life or Death Situations-" he gasped.

"Mention one that you did not instigate"

"Okay…" Ryusei relented. "I fold"

They walked through the corridors for a bit in utter silence before Chufuyu almost made him face-plant into the stone beneath "Wild world, huh? To think that Tattoo on your neck only exists because Kazutora-san told Hishi Kensho to become his own boss"

"Now why would you say that?" His face soured at the reminder of the tattoo. The only positive thing about it was the connection to Kojiro. Anything to do with his older brother was utterly repulsing, even if the duchess seemed to be acquainted with a more bearable side of him. though-

Wait.."maybe your outlandish conspiracy was onto something"

"I told you! And you call yourself the brains" Chifuyu exclaimed

"The brains have been compromised since our dearest commander gave me brain damage"

"You're such a wuss."

Kazutora had a grand idea.

To him, at least it sounded great at least. It was the perfect meld of evening out the playing field and getting rid of the stewing sensation in his gut.

He knew the Killer Bee errand boy was in this dilemma because of him.

If Kazutora was caught he'd be stamped a traitor. But Sato and Baji already considered him as such and the Lieutenant by defacto, too so there was nothing else to lose. He was already a glorified prisoner. The cage could be as guided as possible, still, he was no stranger to confinement.

And there did not need be two of them.

And the glory of pissing Baji Keisuke off was an added bonus. The omega promised him hell, and it was time Kazutora gave him a taste of it. He'd learned to be sneaky from an early age, so he didn't worry about being caught as long as his radar of a husband made no note of him. But he had prepared for that as well. Earlier when Chifuyu had brought him his midday meal he'd answered the Beta's questioning for his well-being that had gone ignored before.

It had been a simple endeavor, the blonde immediately caught in his hook. "I'm well considering the circumstances, Lieutenant. Much like you I assume?"

He almost fell bad when the Beta's face lit up with unexpected happiness at his innocent reply. "Yea- Yes, my head's all better now" He knocked on the side of his head for emphasis.

"I'm relieved then… though I hope you're not straining yourself with too much work" He crinkled his eyebrows in concern, fully knowing the gullible Beta would soak it up.

"You don't need to worry" the Beta waved abashedly "I'm mostly doing office work and overseeing training once in a while.."

"so not much of a change?"

"uhh— I guess. Though there is nothing much for me to do since Baji-san-" the blonde halted in alarm, his eyes darting towards Kazutora in fear that Chifuyu's foot found itself in his mouth. "You can say his name. I will not shrivel up and die when hearing about him, you know?" He drily replied. "He is my husband after all" Kazutora prayed the pointed tone he could not suppress would go unnoticed by the other. "so go on. What about him?" line.

"Uh- Ah, just he's doing the load of the work. He's spending half the day at the wall to preserve the temporary seal until back up arrives and the other half he spends in his office" The corners of his mouth rose into a smile. sinker. "I see."

He stood up and stumbled purposefully and like the true chivalrous nickname that had been bestowed upon him, the Ice Prince was instantly by his side, steadying him with overexcessive concern. "Kazutora-san, are you okay? What happened? Do you need water-" Kazutora grinned internally while faux bewilderment spread through his face as he held onto the Beta. "Ah, it's fine, Lieutenant" he shrugged him off right after, which had the Beta's hands hovering instead in case he took another dive, he suspected drily. "I have not slept well last night. I just ought to take a nap"

More swift than strictly necessary he kicked the Beta out right after. The blonde had taken it in a stride and wished him a good rest, which tugged at the remnants of his moral conscience.

The untouched plate of food staring at him with accusation did not help.

Not enough to stop though. As soon as the coast was clear he fished for the sleeve of his nightdress and got the metal ring of keys out, that he'd just just pocketed from the naive Lieutenant. His smile turned more sharp as he stared at his loot.

For the first time in weeks, he visited his closet for a change of day clothes.

What had the Lieutenant said? His husband was bound to arrive back in the castle to slave off in his office. He could work with that.

It was time to put his plan into action.

"-and then he-"

"I get it. He talked to you. Congratulations" Ryusei rolled his eyes in fond exasperation.

"It was monumental, back me up Baji-san"

"yeah, yeah," Baji said, not listening to their squabble one bit. Ryusei scoffed "Why don't you care about Chifuyu chumming it up with your wife in your absence?"

Baji blinked at him, like Ryusei was stupid. "Why would I? It's Chifuyu" he replied as if that alone was answer enough. The blonde gave him a smug expression as the commander turned back to his papers.

"I can't believe how blatant this golden child privilege has become!"

"Maybe if you had minded your business.." Chifuyu trailed off innocently.

"I said sorry!"

"Baji-san doesn't count. You should be apologizing to Kazutora-san"

"I'm trying to preserve my life? This man-" he accusingly pointed his finger at the commander "will murder me if I even attempted to go anywhere near his wife right now"

"I will" the alpha agreed nonchalantly, scribbling something with his god-awful handwriting, as if he was not actively threatening one of his closest friends.

"as he should" Chifuyu blissfully nodded along. "He did not cut off your hand for flirting with him that one time. Be more thankful"

"You two are awful. I was being only being a chivalrous gentleman" he complained.

"Sure you were-"

"both of you" Baji cut in steaming "out of my office"

"got it" Ryusei saluted quickly "I had this thing anyway"

"Yeah, me too" Chifuyu was already scrambling towards the door dashing past Ryusei.

So much about golden child privilege.

It was almost disappointing how easy it was. Kazutora had not been aware where the dungeons where even placed. He walked around for close to an hour before he stumbled upon a guard on the bottom floors of the building and followed him. Soon after said guard crossed paths with another and then Kazutora had simply followed him instead until the sixth one finally seemed to be on duty for the prison cells.

And from then it was easy play. If one thing was of any importance it was confidence. You could only truly succeed if you made those around you believe the words coming out of your mouth. As if the dungeon cells were his second home (and hadn't they at one point been, he thought drily) he sauntered over to the two guards at the entrance with a serene smile on his face. He watched as they immediately straightened in alarm their eyes darting from him to each other, confirming that they were both seeing the same thing. "Hello there. I hope I'm not disturbing either of you in your hard work" he shily looked at them, his hands behind his back to appear more demure.

"O-Of course not, your grace!" both of them announced with steaming faces.

"Great. " He clapped his hands together, forcing both of them to take note of his bandages. There was barely any need for them now, but if one thing distracted the other subgenders it was an injured omega, whether for opportunistic purposes or pity for their helplessness. "I am here to release a prisoner"

"We could not possibly-" they choked out.

He held out the keys with expectance "But I was given these keys to do so. I only wished to unload some of the burden for my husband"

"uh- we must first confirm with the commander—"

"Are you refusing me?" Kazutora implored with big eyes "I guess I'll have to inform the duke then to have the matter seen through after all" he sighed, his face falling in disappointment. "I only wanted him to retire early for once…" His eyes glistened with unshed tears as his gaze turned to his feet. the keyring tightly clutched by both his hands to give the illusion of a much frailer omega.

"We understand, your grace. Perhaps we could make an exception. You are after all the duchess of the castle and your word means almost as much as the duke's-"

"you can't just-" the latter guard butted in with a harsh whisper. "He has the keys with him. They are not just given out to anyone. Only the Commander and the Lieutenant carry them. He must have them for a reason" Kazutora pretended not to hear them as he listened in. "But-"

"Listen when the commander finds out that we refused his wife, he'll skin us alive" Quite overdramatic, he drily thought but did not correct them. The rumor mil was alive and well, he mused drily. If anyone was to be skinned, it would be him. "fine.."

"I will escort you, your grace"

"No need" he waved the offer away "I'm sure I will find my way around quite easily. I thank the both of you for making an exception. You do not know how much that means to me"

As Kazutora skipped inside, he was quite pleased with the outcome. His intention had never been to go in unnoticed. If all went to plan, one of them, he bet it would be the more reluctant guard would get nervous enough to give out an alert to either Lieutenant Matsuno or the alpha himself to cover their asses. They had been stupid enough not to ask for which prisoner he intended to release. But that was hardly important. After all the main goal was to make Baji's life more strenuous. Maybe then he'd think twice about keeping him.

If he was lucky, Kazutora might just get what he wished for.

It got darker as he walked past the empty cells. The scent of iron and rot was thick in the air around him as his heartbeat quickened. He should make haste. Places like these only ever unnerved him. Hide, or Father will get you

He stumbled.

When he'd heard the first painful moans, his whole body stiffened. They were barely loud enough to make out. His steps drowned out their echoes. It made him wonder how many screams this place had swallowed if that was all that remained.

As he walked he only briefly flew over the cells, unwilling to be weakened by the states of the first men he passed. By the small candle lights on the wall their tatttered clothes were muted by dirt and blood and perhaps other excrements as the scent grew more potent. His eyes stung with it. although barely seeable he noticed the colors hidden beneath the grime.

The colors he saw in his dreams of a battle that did not want to find an end. His fingers curled unconsciously, the phantom sensation of a sword still tightly held between his hand as he swung the blade to fail in the end anyway.

He blinked and the memory was gone. His gaze quickly averting those in the cells as he hastened his pace. Only when he'd made it to the end of the corridor did he take note of the hush that had fallen. Maybe if he'd been able to smell their scent had he noticed that it had been out of utter terror for his presence.

"..y-your grace?" His head snapped to the only prisoner colored in red clothing. And unlike the others, he seemed to have taken the least damage to his body. Yes, his face was beaten beyond recognition and his shoulder and arm were angled wrong, but after what he'd discerned from the others, this was almost nothing. "Fancy seeing you here" he mocked lightly as went for his cell.

"w-what are you doing?" the man straightened.

The first key failed and he tried the next out of a few dozen. "Release you from your cell, what else does it look like?" he replied drily motioning to the keys in his hand.

"Why are you helping me.. I failed."

He'd hardly call this helping. But to each their own. "Have you? To me it seems you still have a job left to finish, errand boy" He flew over the keys. He was on the thirteenth.

"You've decided to join Yotsuya..?"

Kazutora huffed in offense. The gal "I will not leave with you. Your Grandmaster is waiting for an answer and if he does not receive it he'll be compelled to take the matter into his own hands if the letter was anything to go by" Finally on the eighteenth key the the door unlocked. He quickly made it inside hoping the shackles would not become a hassle as well.

To his dismay, he realized the size of the keyhole for the shackles was far smaller than the one used for the cells. He let out a string of curses as he tried for a solution in his mind "It is fine, your grace. The shackles are not bound to the wall or the floor. I will be able to leave despite their inconvinience"

"Are you sure? Going back south with your hands tied is not going to be easy"

"I will find a way to be rid of them"

Kazutora did not fight him on it, letting him go through the door first before stopping him. "Tell your liege, I am grateful for his offer. However, I am in no need for it. Neither for his help nor his company. I can take care of myself. Any endeavor to reach me again I will regard an insult to my steadily dwindling goodwill."

"I shall let him now" the man answered dutifully but before Kazutora could usher him down the hall he began to disappear just as he had the first time they'd met. He stood there for a moment wondering why that idiot had not tried this trick when Sato had first found him.

At least that had made the job easier he thought with a shrug as he swung the keys up and down on his way out.

Just as he walked out the entrance Kazutora was met with the two shocked faces of Lieutenant Matsuno and Sato. He should be elated his plan was coming to fruition so swiftly"…what did you do?"

His gaze turned to the guards with a mocking expression, his demeanor completely twisted from the one he'd shown them previously. "I released him, right boys?" They stiffened, panic filled their fearful eyes. The words had sounded far more satisfying in his mind.

"Kazutora-san, why.." the blonde was visibly distraught. Kazutora ignored the churning feeling in his stomach at the sight of it. They all knew what he'd admitted to. Treason.

The sensation of what he'd done was steadily sinking in.

"because I could" Kazutora replied detached and uncaring of his actions. the blonde's shoulders sagged in something akin to disappointment. Kazutora's swallowed the growing lump vehemnetly forming in his throat. What did he care what this northerner thought of him?

"I'll inform the commander" Sato did not say much else as he left for his commander's office.

"..come with me, Kazutora-san" Kazutora did not fight, expecting to be brought to a cell of some sort. Perhaps the holding cells for omegas were located on a different wing. He could see the Beta contemplate something as he walked in front of him.

"You tricked me" It was supposed to be a confirmation, but somehow the blonde still managed to make it sound like a question, waiting for Kazutora to prove him wrong.

"I did"

The Beta nodded and did not say much else as they made their way through familiar floors. Before he knew it he found himself once more in front of his chambers. Somehow it still managed to stump him. That even after all that this was the place he was brought back to.

The Beta seemed to hesitate with something before the quiet words tumbled out of him "..It wasn't your fault, Kazutora-san"

"I released him" he repeated, fearing the beta's headwound had left permanent damage after all. "that's not what I meant" Chifuyu's gaze softened "Chou-san and the others.."

Kazutora's eyes widened in shock. "they didn't blame you"

He had not expected him to venture there. It had completely thrown him. His chest squeezed painfuly at the reminder as he he tried get a hold of himself, scoffing. Nothing irritated him more than people putting words or feelings into a corpse, that could no longer do so for themselves. He, too could pretend there was no blame for him for the patricide or the murder of Sano Shinichiro. Their corpses could not claim otherwise. "They've lost the ability to. They are dead, Lieutenant."

Chifuyu recoiled at his harsh words. He opened his mouth to reply when the ozone in the air crackled with smoke and fire. Both of them turned still, their conversation forgotten "Chifuyu, you may leave" The Beta nodded and was almost around the corner instanteneosly. The alpha did not wait for him to be completely gone to address him "Get inside."

Kazutora was inside, but on the corner of the seat before he could think. He blinked. He'd been commanded. That motherfucker- "Why did you release him?"

Kazutora crossed his arms, not replying as he stared right passed him. "This is not a game, Kazutora. Is Hishi Kensho on his way here?"

Wouldn't he like to know? "I guess you'll just have to wait and see" he taunted, uncaring for the alpha's temper.

He watched the man's lips thin and expected some sort of outburst to come his way but to his bewilderment, the alpha sighed falling into the seat in front of Kazutora, dragging his palm over his face. "Fine. Since you are so fond of them, let's play your little game. what do you think will happen when he arrives?"

"Why? Are you afraid?" he prodded, still too stunned by the reaction or lack thereof. It was difficult to imagine someone like him showing any restraint at all. He'd heard hushed whispers of what the northerner had done to the leader of the failed invasion. Where was that vengeful attitude now?

"oho? Is that what you think?" Goosebumps erupted on his skin as the alpha's lips morphed into a dangerous smile. The northerner leaned further back, spreading his legs as if he owned the place.. which he did, to Kazutora's utter chagrin. He tried to avert his gaze, but somehow every time he tried his eyes were compelled to be drawn right back "It is my fault for giving you a false impression, princess" His lungs stuttered. The alpha's smile grew sharper when he noticed Kazutora's pinched expression at the very first nickname the asshole had addressed him with "I will tear him limb from limb and coat the whole city in his blood as a gift to you"

Something inside of him that definitely should not- preened at that offer. He clenched his teeth in frustration at the hold the bastard still held on him. But he'd be damned if he let him know. "aren't you full of yourself?" He rolled his eyes for good measure.

"I don't see how I am" the alpha simply shrugged as if he hadn't announced possible manslaughter a few seconds prior "I won against him once. I will do so again. If he'd been smarter he would have heeded my warning. But I guess my thanks should be to you"

Huh? "what-" he spluttered, the word had caught him completely off guard.

"you spared me the time it would have taken to go to him"

"you planned to go to his territory and do what? He's not part of this kingdom-" he weakly replied, his mind going haywire. It would have meant a declaration of war after the truce from X1009. But the alpha was completely unconcerned by that possibility "I'll finish what I didn't last time and burn his whole clan to the ground for his transgressions"

"Why did you not finish it then? A bit excessive to wait until now for a dick-measuring contest" he demanded with frustration.

"I didn't want to blemish a fond memory"

"You don't strike me as the type to show restraints for such measly reasons, such as a former friendship with Hishi Kensho" Baji seemed to read his confusion from his eyes. "not my memory. Gods know, I would have incinerated the undeserving bastard if it had been that. An old… friend held him in some regard" It was uttered with bitter spite.

However, the rush of boiling anger that bloomed inside Kazutora stunned even himself. "how gallant, spoken like a true northerner. that dear friend of yours would be elated, huh?" He sneered. The reason the alpha had been so irate by it had not been a possible ambush, but the possibility of dishonoring some bygone friendship to someone that was no longer in the picture. And Kazutoa's involvement had compromised that. Any phantom of guilt eroded from his body. Fuck that. If he'd known he would have told Killer Bee do bring the whole entourage!-

"not particularly" Kazutora did not know what made him more livid, the fact the alpha's dry reply or the ungratefulness of a faceless stranger in the face of the alpha's consideration.

"I never asked him to be" Kazutora had not realised his thoughts had escaped his lips, spluttering before he cleared his throat to recover from the embarrasment. "Of course you didn't" he scoffed. "you do know how to pick'em" Kazutora was over the subject. He'd wanted to rile the alpha up not get swept away by his own irrational behavior.

"you seem to take it rather well. That I released him"

"oh, I'm pissed" Baji pleasantly replied, his voice not at all matching his face. His irises burned with rage, which left him short of breath. "but do not continue previous misunderstandings it is not you I'm angry at"

Kazutora scoffed at the ridiculous statement "I released him, but it is not me you're furious with. Then where is your anger directed at? Do you think because I am an omega, I'm incapable of such an act?"

"I do not doubt you did it one bit"

Kazutora was dumbfounded. What did that even mean? "forget it, I almost forgot what an imbecile you are"

Baji was distinctively reminded of a rowdy cat that purposefully dropped every glass on the table to see when the last straw for retaliation would be. "Ah yes, that insult has not been used for a while"

The anger rushed right back. The alpha was not taking him or his actions seriously. He forced his mouth into a pointed smile "Am I amusing, your grace?"

"Am I laughing?"

The reply shuddered through his frame. The breath knocked right out of him as blood rushed to his face. Kazutora tried to swallow but almost choked on his spit in his miserable attempt. The alpha still very much looked as livid as he'd claimed to be. He should feel apprehensive at the very least but the sensation rushing through his body was the opposite. He distantly wondered whether he'd been drugged without noticing once more.

Sweat gathered on his neck as his eyes quickly darted to a safer spot to preserve some semblance of control as his eyes landed on the flames of the hearth. They weren't nearly as heated as those burning red eyes searing into his skull, he was sure. "There are other ways to gain my attention, you know?"

Just as the feeling had come it dissapeared replaced by a cold bucket of ice raining down on him. His chest squeezed painfully at the vile taunt of his most shameful moment. of course.. of course leave it to Baji Keisuke to stoop to the trenches.

You weren't pretending. You weren't pretending at all.

Because that was all Kazutora was good for. Everything he did was in hopes of remaining in the alpha's gravital orb. His expression fell at the cruelty of it all. Perhaps too unprepared for the depths the alpha was ready to descend to to remind Kazutora of his place.

He blinked rapidly at the sting that intended to blur his vision. Why did he think he was capable of screwing the alpha over? Had their last argument not been evidence enough of how miserable it would inevitably end for him.

Kazutora was truly pathetic.

" That's not what I meant-" The alpha said some more but Kazutora tuned him out. He didn't care he just wanted to crawl into a ball and be done with it.

"…do not worry, your grace" His face closed off completely "Yotsuya Kaidan will not pose any further issues"

"Who cares about that right now- I didn't intend to make it sound like I was mocking you. I was an asshole for that"

"Thank you for the elaboration, your grace-"

"Stop that!" the alpha cut him off with frustration.

"What, your grace?" he flatly replied. Just leave. You've won.

"Every time you shut me out you use those stupid honorific and titles. Just tell me I'm an asshole and be done with it" he urged him.

"what difference would that make?"

"What kind of question is that- you should cuss me out for it. I won't take issue with it, just say what you want to say"

"for what? I said what I wanted to say, but it did not change your opinion on the annulment. I said what i wanted to say, but it did not stop you from forcing me to divulge matters-" The words haunted him.

you didn't pretend. you didn't pretend at all.

He bit his lip until his breath returned to steadyness "The days will continue as they did before. My thoughts do not matter in the grand scheme of things. It would just be a waste of breath and energy. I'll continue to be entertainment for your boredom should you need it… your grace" He pasted on a smile that lacked any warmth, simply there to tick the alpha off.

"…I never wanted for it to get this far"

Kazutora's unfeeling gold met his frustrated gaze. "what did I tell you about regrets, your grace?"

We are too far gone for shoddy regrets

Baji swallowed with a nod. For the first time the thought crossed his mind that perhaps there was truly no saving this. Whatever he did, it only deteriorated the omega's state.

Out of all the things to be, he'd never seen himself becoming Kazutora's biggest nightmare.

Soon after the alpha had left.

He was hardly surprised by the outcome that was how all their conversation found their end these days.Some line between jabs and sarcasm that ultimately ended when the alpha pressed too much or Kazutora realized he'd let himself get swept away again.

The conversation would stop sometimes mid-sentence and the alpha would not budge further and leave him until the dust on the battleground settled before going in for another round. He was irritated by the alpha's insistence to be in his space. There was no advantage for the northerner to waste their time.

He wondered for how long the alpha intended to keep at it. If he'd at least come with the intention to take what was his due and bed the omega he could understand. After all carnal desires were hardly complicated.

But instead the alpha only came, forced him to eat and either instigated or be gifted a strenous verbal fight and left. All in that order. It was baffling. "Should you not be busy repairing the wall I destroyed?" he asked with annoyance.

"Those invaders used all their brain cells doing that and here you go taking the credit" The alpha leaned over as Kazutora tried to lean away "If it had been your plan it wouldn't have so miserably failed. Don't sell yourself short, princess" Kazutora spluttered, his stomach twisting into knots at the unexpected playfulness in his tone that evening. "s-shut up and go do your job"

"but I like keeping you company"

Kazutora's nose flared, biting the words out through clenched teeth "I'm afraid I cannot return the sentiment" He didn't even remember how their conversation had devolved into this dangerous territory. But he also couldn't make himself put a stop to it. It was maddening. "Is that how you used to pick up omegas? Rather corny I must admit"

Baji laughed as if he'd told a marvelous joke "We both know that's not true"

Kazutora had nothing to reply to that.

"you tempered with the fire" Kazutora concluded, his gaze glued to the fire pit. It had dumbfounded him that he'd taken so long to even notice the fire behave different.

"yes," the alpha did not explain himself. He didn't need to.

Kazutora's stomach dropped to his feet at the confirmation "For the same reason I have been served food that does not require a knife and fork? I didn't think you'd be afraid of your own affinity being used against you" Kazutora mocked him, bitter at the thought of Lieutenant Matsuno having divulged that shameful night to the alpha. Another point to his tally.

"It is not my safety I'm concerned for" Kazutora faltered after the words registered but for once refused to delve deeper into their meaning. It never ended well for him. Understanding the alpha was a last cause "Clearly. Otherwise, you would have done us both the favor and cut your losses"

"It's precisely because I've had one loss too many that I won't" the northerner corrected.

Understanding the alpha was as if attempting to speak a language, nobody bothered to teach him. It didn't mean the puzzling words made him any less irritated "I hope your horse kicks you in the face tomorrow"

"Don't bring Goki into this-"

One would think after his last endeavor leaving his quarters had ended rather tragically at his expense he'd learned his lesson. But alas Kazutora had never finished his academics so lessons of any sort were wasted on him.

It was almost evening and the omega had thought of a new strategy to forgo the nightly ritual he'd been coerced into by his husband. Said man could not force Kazutora to supper if he was not in his chambers. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it earlier.

He'd considered hiding out in the observatory he'd neglected in all of this but that place would certainly be one of the first places the commander would look for him. The library and the winter garden were out for that very same reason.

In theory when lost people who stayed in place were supposed to be found more easily. So the opposite should hold true as well. If you were in movement than you would have trouble being discovered and that was what he was banking on.

He'd taken a walk and seen a maid make a stop in the kitchens and quickly sneaked inside after she'd taken her leave. He was not looking for company. The last place Baji Keisuke would think him to be was the very place where the sustenance he refused to consume was being made.

And to his utter surprise and relief, the kitchens were empty. He'd expected them to be busy but it was as if they'd been deserted. Was there a different kitchen he was not aware of?

He looked around when the wall brandishing a large storage rack with amounts of liquor a bar would be envious of caught his eye. Now that sounded like a good time. He was not even that fond of alcoholic beverages. But if he couldn't have the sweet release of non-existence, this was the closest thing he might get for the night. And if his husband did find him, he could puke on him to truly end the night on a good note.

He had no idea what to pick and chose the most devious-smelling one. His nose burned as his eyes teared up. Without further thought, he took a swig of the rum. It tasted as awful as it had smelt when it burned down his throat.

It would do the job he concluded.

When he'd heard commotion he quickly left through another door and found himself outside near the training fields, where far off a group of young boys were sparring playfully with one another. A similar memory of affinity lessons flew through his mind's eye. He made a face. That was what he was trying to forget.

He strolled around for quite some time, taking a few swigs as his body turned from cold to blissfully warm. The ugly Northlands had never looked prettier in his hazy vision.

It didn't take long before he stumbled upon a group of five playing poker at the edge of the training field. None of the men looked like they belonged into the same group. The eldest looked as if he were seconds away from retirement. Sitting right next to him was a young lad that seemed to be barely out of puberty. The two across them both was ready to keel over if his flushed face and empty pint was anything to go by. But the one sticking out like a sore thumb was the one with cherry red hair and numerous pins in his hair, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else than at that table.

Curiosity got the better of him as he looked over the latter's hand and his face soured. No wonder he'd made that face. Did this guy even know how to play? "You're gonna lose, y'know?"

All of them jumped, immediately exclaiming apologies for slacking off as if Kazutora himself was the one who paid them. Kazutora gave them a judgemental look for taking this long to notice him though.

"your grace..? hello- uh I'm glad to see you well" at least somebody was, even if it was just a lie for forced pleasantry.

"mhm.. the hymn player" his mind supplied before he looked him over just as he'd done that first night he'd met him "You really suck, you should have folded a couple of rounds ago"

The man looked ppositively mortified "He gotcha there, Central boy. He's lost every round since we began, your grace" the drunkard who'd already made his acquaintance when the Lieutenant had first brought him here for lessons replied. The remaining three were still stuck in their novelty.

"I can tell"

"The poor fella bet his guitar too"

"What?!" Kazutora was aghast. "Hymn player, are you an idiot? Do not answer that, I already know you are"

The other three snickered. Kazutora did not pay them any mind. He used his healthy hand to clap the mortified man on the shoulder "don't worry I will win it back for you" and shoved him from his seat to take his place.

Everybody was floored by his boldness."your grace, you don't have to do that. This type of game is rather underhanded"

"Oh, you think because I have one hand indisposed I can not play?"

Flabbergasted they blinked at him for his unexpected pun "Well that is not what I meant when I said underhanded-"

"I don't care, deal me in. I will beat you-" he held his one useable hand up with a grin "single-handedly"

They looked between one another in counsel before the first one shrugged "What are you betting lads?"

"t-the rest of my allowance!" the youngest exclaimed nervously looking at him.

"..My cigar stash then"

"My handmade rum"

"Oh? You bringing out the big guns, eh?" the one that had foolishly bet his cigar stash, his mind supplied grinned at the last one.

"Well, it is not every day that we get to play with a duchess" The other wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

Kazutora blew an unimpressed raspberry taking another gulp of his whatever mixture before pulling out his ring from his pocket, the gem glimmering in the late afternoon light. He could hear several strangled chokes "Well then, let's get started"

"Your grace that is not necessary. My guitar is not that important as to bet your-"

"Hush and sit down already." His eyes sparkled with mischievousness "Watch and learn"

Atsushi did indeed watch as the omega somehow managed to fail his way to a win. He didn't even think the omega was seeing the numbers properly with the amount of alcohol he'd consumed by the time the third one had folded.

All of them were frozen as he'd laid out a royal flush of all things. "Get your guitar cherry boy"

"c-cherry boy?" he replied in shock. Did he mean to say Central boy and get confused? "erm, eh- T-thank you-"

"Thank me by playing a song and shut up"

"Uh- yes! Of course!"

He played as the duchess continued to wipe the floor with the northerners. It was quite amusing to watch. Every time they lost he made the play the sound jesters in the circus tended to make when embarrassing an innocent watcher. The Duchess had a blast every time he did so he saw no harm in it. It didn't hurt that the duchess had won all of Atsushi's earnings back and then some.

He didn't even think to ask for them back, but he'd rather his grace had them than any of these washed-up assholes that had cheated him out of his belongings, to begin with. Call it camaraderie between fellow foreigners.

Kazutora frowned when a strangled gasp escaped the men around him. Quite dramatic for a full house Kazutora had not even revealed yet.

The pressure in the air suddenly drastically dropped. Distantly he wondered whether the sun had set early as a sudden shadow blanketed him from the sky above.

Everybody but one single omega froze.

"Are you all folding at the same time? We barely got into the round- what are you all staring at— oh." Kazutora had finally turned to see his annoying(ly handsome) husband before unimpressedly turning his back on him again to the others' utter shock.

"Don't worry about him. He can't play for shit" he dismissed.

The duchess had dismissed his husband as if he'd been some random errand boy. Of course, he had no qualms fighting an invasion off almost by himself if this was how he treated the most terrifying man in the Northlands.

"What is your ring doing on the table?" the alpha asked testily.

"I was betting it"

One of them was close to fainting. The Wanderer was to claim their soul or how the saying went. Either way, the commander would kill them. The first one tried for damage control "Your grace, we never intended to take the ring from him-"

"All of you out."

Everybody scrambled off their seats and Atsushi was about to as well "Except you"

Fuuuuck-

"I can explain-" he could in fact not. But what else was he supposed to say-

"Asshole! I was winning and now they ran off with my hard-earned loot-" Kazutora whirled around to his husband, visibly vexed.

"You mean cheating"

"Do you have proof? Huh?" he glared not waiting for an answer "That's what I thought" The duchess was terrifying, he concluded. Unhinged Craziness. To square up to the alpha as if it were nothing.

"withhold their salary until I get my stuff!" ruthless, too.

"yeah, yeah. What did'ya win any way that you're going so far"

"One of'em said something about self-made rum, Arisu's allowance, and the cigars of the other"

"You smoke?" the commander asked, his eyebrow raised skeptically. Oh good, so Atsushi wasn't the only one astonished by the revelation.

"Nah, I just wanted to take them to see if he'll cry. He looked like it after I plucked the win out of his hands" The omega took another swig before the bottle was smoothly pried out of his hand. He made a sound of protest.

"That's enough of that"

"Hey- I was drinking that. Get your fucking own—" Atsushi shouldn't be here.

The alpha finished the last one-third of the bottle staring the omega dead in the eyes before replying "You shouldn't be drinking while you're still getting antibiotics anyway"

"Oh, so when you drug me it's fine. But when I inhibit myself, it's forbidden" the omega sarcastically finished.

"great you understand" Atsushi was pretty sure he was not supposed to be here for this. But he couldn't leave. Had the commander forgotten about his presence?

What was he being witness to? "Say Sendo, are you a glutton for punishment?"

He choked. He opened his mouth to say something to defend himself but quickly realized nothing he had to show for would help him out. Perhaps those two were made for each other, matching one another's sadistic streak so well.

"Don't be rude. They were cheating him out of his guitar" The omega came to his rescue.

"I have yet to see what that has to do with you?"

"he knows all the southern melodies, duh. I couldn't let them steal his best quality. Oh by the way.. " The duchess began to rummage in his pocket before he brought out a suspiciously familiar-looking hairpin. Shooting him would have been a mercy. "I still gotta give that back to ya" and handed it over to Atsushi who was screwed. Life was truly not fair. "er, uh It's not what it looks-"

The commander made a face that promised murder when he asked his wife "What else are you hiding in there?"

The omega smiled at him impishly rummaging through his pocket and "Ah! Here-" brought out his middle finger-

He's flipping his husband off. Sendo almost died on his spit. Gods he needed to leave yesterday. Fuck the payment increase in the first division. In Central, he would've never been in a dangerous situation like this.

"I guess I walked into that one" Baji drily replied, distinctly reminded of a blond troll lazying about in Central. For two people so opposite of each other they sure had the same range of comedy. two could play the game though. Without much fanfare he took the hand into his own, gently prying the fingers from its fist, spreading his fingers with his own, and linked them together to Kazutora's chagrin and protest "Stop it-"

"Founders keepers" He answered in the same impish tone the omega had used on him.

"Asshole- I didn't gift you my hand-"

"in marriage you did"

The omega let out a scandalized gasp that almost had him shake in suppressed laughter "-a hostage situation! I was the last one to find out we were even married-" he argued.

"I told you I found out right before you"

"Gods I hate this kingdom. Shoulda just watched you guys annihilate one another, sure might have been a couple more years of little old dad in Valhalla but whatever, it wouldn't've been ma problem" he slurred.

"Oho? Where would you've been then? Hiding out in the woods with the fireflies? By the shores enjoying the beach?"

"Huh?" the omega grumbled with a whine "Stop reading ma mind, you fucking stalker"

"Maybe you're just bad at hide and seek-"

"That's not true I'm a great hider. Even my father's men couldn't find me" he sniffed.

Kazutora was pretty sure he'd heard a good job, love which made him preen with pride. He did a great job even, in his humble opinion. "-but they could never hold a candle to me. I'd sniff you out no matter where you go. I was the first to find you, remember?"

"That was a fluke. I wasn't even trying to hide when we met" though he definitely should have in hindsight.

"Accept it. Come what may I'll always find you. You suck -" Something tickled Kazutora at the back of his mind. He knew those words!-

"..ass at hide and seek" Kazutora finished. you suck ass at hide and seek.

his mind was no longer in the dingy corner of a training field bittersweet melancholy washing over him before he was able to blink back into reality. He didn't even know where the words had come from.

Baji's features had been equally taken aback before they softened "yeah.. exactly- glad to see you agree" his voice was hoarser than before. It freaked Kazutora out.

"Anyways.." the omega croaked out before his eyes fell on the redhead. He stood stiff as a board. "…play anoth' song, hop hop!"

"uh.. maybe not.."

"What?" the duchess was far more bloodthirsty in that single word than his husband had been in any instance before. "As you wish!…" he looked between the two nobles, but the commander had yet to cut his head off, so he took his chances.

He hesitantly went to play the first cord. It was a stark contrast to that warm night of drunken comradeship many weeks ago.

Kazutora was about to steal the halfway-filled pint from one of the others when Baji slapped it away. "If you think I'd let you sip from another man's drink you have another thing coming.."

"How is that different from what you did?!" had the duchess just placed his husband in the same category as some unseated officer?

Baji let out a long-suffering sigh before picking up the ring and taking his wife's hand "Didn't know you were wearing it again"

"I'm not.." he protested trying to snatch it back but the alpha kept it out of his reach as he inspected it.

"Then what are you doing with it?"

Kazutora pursed his lips and averted the alpha's searching eyes "taking it on a walk" then muffled something about not fitting anyway.

Baji was startled by the reasoning. He'd expected a far pettier if not outright venomous reason before confusion hit. He'd been the one that had measured his finger and it had fit him perfectly fine in September and sure enough as the alpha placed the ring on his finger, it seemed too big. He absentmindedly rubbed over the bone for a while and remained silent.

Kazutora was stumped by his bizarre behavior, something about it bothering him. Far more rudely than necessary he ripped his hand free with a glare. "Keep your paws to yourself"

The Beta had expected him to reprimand him for it. But instead, the alpha shuffled around with something on his own neck and looped the ring through.

And as the ring dangled from the chain did he realize.

The commander had made a necklace out of it. He clipped it behind the omega who huffed and puffed but did not fight him.

When Atsushi had finished he didn't wait for the duchess to speak up, but went into the next song right away, ignoring the awkwardness about the situation. and it was not so bad, as long as he forced himself to ignore whatever the both of them considered flirting.

He almost stilled when he heard soft humming following his melody. He'd completely forgotten he was still playing but hearing the omega sleepily hum along made the corners of his mouth rise. Half an hour into it his fingers felt numb, playing the instrument without pause.

The omega looked like a lifeless doll that kept his gaze strictly towards the ground. Not uttering a single word anymore. He hadn't eve noticed the switch in his mood.

"It's getting late. Let's get you to bed, tora"

Atsushi saw that as his queue and quickly grabbed his things, bidding them awkwardly farewell when he caught the alpha's gaze. Chifuyu would lose his mind when he told him. If the alpha didn't put his head on a spike beforehand.

"You're bringing me back to my cell, how courteous of you~" he pulled the alpha's hand away from him and marched ahead to gain distance.

"Your quarters are hardly a prison cell" Baji replied as they entered the room.

"You can paint this cage as silvery as you like and decorate it with the softest of silks to ease your conscience. It does not change a thing. I've known my whole life what it means to have my freedom taken from me" Kazutora unexpectedly leaned into him until his lips were almost touching his ear.

"I am your property" he whispered. a glorified prisoner. He didn't think the alpha comprehended the meaning of that. "You could wake up tomorrow and decide to have me tortured on a whim. You could drag me across the market place and not one of them would dare stop you. I'm at your mercy"

"I would never do that to you"

"Others did" He repliedwith detachment. That was what father and so many others had done and yet it did not feel right to stoop the northerner in with them. Perhaps he was too clouded by bias.

With Baji Keisuke, a part of him strained to find proper anger in his actions. He should be incensed for this cage but it's as if he'd found solace in it. In being shackled. As if his instincts were saying It's fine, as long as it is him, it is fine by me. "perhaps I've grown to become too fond of punishment" as his sire used to say.

"That's not true. I told you there is no punishment for you"

"Hah. You remain deaf to reality. Your king warned'cha didn't he? I only have security as long as you allow me to have it. Terrifying of a concept for some of us. Words are fickle and mean nothing."

Baji remained silent as he stewed the words over. Kazutora was correct. The omega had many concerns that Baji would've never had to bother with thanks to his designation. His ignorance on these matters must be quite infuriating on the omega, who'd just feel invalidated by Baji's lack of tact and understanding.

The omega was playing a rigged game and Baji was frustrated at him for cheating instead of directing his anger at the fact that the game had been rigged at all. He had no right to ask for trust when Baji could not even give him the grace of compassion. He'd thought he'd done his part. But his selfish actions spoke for themselves.

"..and yet even as I lay here.." the omega trailed off never finishing his sentence.

The silence stretched lulling the room into stillness "I hate you… and then I don't" he mumbled "I spent all my life fighting the claws of greedy alphas but then went and placed my neck to your sword and gods do I hate you for it" He curled into himself his forehead resting on his kneecaps. "when you do decide to be rid of me, preserve at least a little of my pride, yeah? The bits you haven't swallowed already"

"I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself but I'd let the world burn before I'll let you go again"

"Sure." his infatuation was still alive and kicking then.

"You underestimate the lengths I am willing to-"

"Enough. Empty words mean nothing." Kazutora cut in "When push came to shove you'll sing a different tune"

The alpha's smoldering gaze met his own "This is where you're wrong. You assume I act on rationale or principles"

Kazutora quickly darted his eyes away at the heavy gaze directed at him. It was too much- "between me and your people—" he grappled to find the proper wording.

The alpha's fingers found his downturned chin and lifted it up to meet the unflinching rusted red once more "it will not end well for them" a small sound escaped the back of his throat in bewilderment. The alpha's face was mere centimeters from his own.

"Fuck off" he choked out. It sounded not even close to what he'd been aiming for. He was not in the mood for the bastard's jokes, his mood souring once more. Kazutora wouldn't let the man's smooth-talking get to him again and swiftly slapped his hand away.

The alpha let out a sigh of frustration but did not follow after him to close the distance again, Kazutora noted with an odd stinging sensation in his gut and crossed his arms over his chest to distract himself from the sensation.

Silence prevailed. Kazutora unwilling to be the one to break it and the alpha too lost in thought to do it.

"..is this how it'll be for the remainder of our lives? You ask. I respond and when the answer is not to your liking you accuse me of lying or twist my words?"

"Have I compromised your honest character?" Kazutora's lips pressed together into a thin line.

"This is what I mean. That's not what this is about"

"It is" the omega insisted and repeated "It is. You might get to decide when and what I eat. What I wear and even when I sleep. But.. But you don't get to decide how I perceive your words. I do" Kazutora swallowed the emotion building in his throat. "Remember, you cracked me open against my will. You don't get to complain about the rotting remains inside"

"Kazutora, you're not rotten"

"You don't get to decide that either"

"Fine. I guess that goes both ways then" The alpha argued leaving him floundering "w-what?"

"You don't get to decide how I perceive you either. And to me, you're not rotten. You never were and you never will be. Life's given you the short end of the stick too many times-"

"and how would you know that?" Kazutora felt off-balance, hiding his nervousness behind a biting tone ready to strike "Stop acting like you know me!"

"ask me who I am" He physically reeled back, the air punched out of him."d-don't be ridiculous"

"If you ask again, I won't leave your question unanswered, so ask" Baji urged. This was the opportunity to make sense of all the information the alpha had been keeping from him. …But Kazutora, he—

"No" he rejected, his fingers shaking. He didn't know why or when he'd suddenly turned terrified by the possibility.

The alpha sagged with barely a smidge of disappointment "okay" Kazutora hesitantly swallowed, he had expected him to put up more of a fight. "okay?"

"yeah, I won't push it"

"that's news to me" Kazutora snarked back with resentment.

Baji sounded sheepishly embarrassed "That's fair.. I made an ass out of myself that night"

"that night?" he scoffed.

"Okay, a lot of nights" the alpha admitted. "but the offer still stands, should you change your mind"

"Don't hold your breath" Kazutora turned his back on him. It all felt like too much.

"The funeral will be held tomorrow"

"And?" His hackles immediately rose again "You're out of your mind if you think I'd give a fuck about the burial of some half-rotting corpses-"

"Woah, hold your horses"

"Piss off" Kazutora croaked and threw a pillow at him which the alpha caught as if he'd expected the retaliation before even Kazutora had decided on it "I just wanted to let you know I will be in later than usual next evening-"

Kazutora sagged at the anticlimatic turn of events, "Do me the favor and don't come at all" he grumbled, ignoring the split second of disappointment gathering in the pits of his stomach for that outcome "as if I'd give a fuck about your whereabouts"

"I do give a fuck about yours so don't go running off by yourself again. At least until the lockdown is called off. Ryusei will be back earlier if there is any issue" Kazutora was taken aback. He'd forgotten there was still a possible threat in Omamori.

"Kazutora I'm serious"

"I'm not a child. Bug off already. It's been weeks. It wouldn't have taken me this long to sniff someone out"

"What do you propose then?"

"Poison" Kazutora rolled his eyes when the alpha flinched "You big baby. I don't mean actual poison. Lie, I know that option is awful to consider for such an honest man as yourself. Just say that there was leakage or send out a rumor that somebody offshooted a poisonous spell with a deadly potency in the battle that might have taken the lives of the captured invaders specifically. Make the symptoms out to be something generic as a headache or a cold"

"Which idiot would come out of hiding to show they've been exposed to such poison?"

"No one of course" Kazutora's eyes glinted with mischief "But for an antidote, anyone would be desperate. Humanity does not like being reminded of their mortality"

Then he shrugged "Well, that is what I would have done. But it's been almost been a month since the invasion. The credibility of such a method would no longer be given. The spy has most certainly left the premises after being compromised"

Baji gave him an exasperated look for wasting his time on hypotheticals that were no longer an option "Why mention it then?"

"I just wanted to remind you of your stupidity. Can't believe they let you run the largest District in the Kingdom" Kazutora quipped. But the complicated mess the alpha's face turned into made him feel nauseous with regret. The man seemed as if Kazutora's empty jabs had actually cut him. His first instinct once more was to throw a pillow at his face if only to get rid of the expression.

This time the alpha was caught off guard by a second pillow thrown at him and even more confused by the glare of the omega.

He should have caught that one as well, Kazutora serthed inside. The words hadn't even been as mean-spirited as some of the others "Stop moping like a little bitch"

"What?"

"get lost already, you piss me off"

The castle felt more deserted than usual. There was not as much of a ruckus as there should be at this time of day.

But then he remembered. The alpha had come in earlier this morning to bid him goodbye for the long-awaited funeral proceeding. It had been the first time he'd woken him up for his breakfast.

By the time he fell asleep it had been more close to dawn than it had been to night time so his sleep schedule had been too skewed to be appreciated being woken up this early in the morning. Therefore Kazutora had reacted accordingly when the alpha shook his shoulder out of the blue. his eyes had snapped open immediately. "Hey 'tora, sorry if I startled you, but-"

His fight or flight kicked in at the sudden man hovering above him and before he knew what he'd done his hand had gripped the alpha by black vest and flipped him over on the bed. Kazutora on top of him holding both of his hands hostage. That was until then adrenaline exited his body and his mind connected to his eyesight to realize who exactly was laying underneath him.

They blinked at each other in utter bewilderment. "I assume I startled you then?" came to dry question littered with amusement.

Kazutora quickly let go of the alpha and shoved him away after he scrambled away from his seat on his stomach. "W-what the fuck is your problem?! waking me up at the crack of dawn-"

"It's almost midday" the alpha straightened as he massaged the spots where Kazutora held his wrists just a few seconds prior. the omega didn't know why his eyes were glued to to them before he finally cleared his throat. "to me it isn't."

The alpha snorted "Breakfast's on the table. Since it's only the crack of dawn, I'll have Ryusei bring your lunch in a bit later than usual"

Kazutora made a face at the mention of the fellow southerner. "Don't worry, he's on a leash" he choked on his spit, what- "He'll think twice before speaking now"

This did not make the words any less bewildering. "Just ignore him if he bothers you"

"Is that the sole reason you disturbed my sleep?"

"I won't be here for most of the day, so I.." the alpha trailed off.

"you..?" he urged when nothing else came forth.

"just wanted to check in, I guess" came the admission "Anyways. Don't do anything I wouldn't"

"That doesn't exclude anything. You know that, right?"

"That's not true-"

"so if I tried to ride a snow tiger or climb the wall, let's say-"

"Okay! Don't do anything I would do" the alpha corrected, muttering something about his poor mother's blood pressure with his antics. "try to stay out of trouble for a bit"

"What is that supposed to mean?" he scoffed.

"Are you saying I am wrong? Every time I look away, you get yourself in all kinds of troublesome situations"

Kazutora couldn't refute that to his chagrin, so he remained quiet. "If everything goes well I will be back late afternoon"

"good for you" the omega rolled his eyes and flopped back into the pillows, shutting his eyes in dismissal "is that all?"

"I'll get out of you hair now" the alpha sounded as amused as when Kazutora had held his arms first hostage. He could feel the sensation of something warm almost touching the crown of his head before the sensation vanished with a sting of disappointment. "see you later"

Kazutora had shrugged, his eyes remained closed long after the alpha had shut the door behind him.

He hadn't felt the headache then. But now he curled into himself as if it would relieve the pounding behind his eyelids that resulted from yesterday's bad decisions.

Ask me again

Why had those words made him so uneasy? His whole body had been petrified, he feared what answer he would find. What disastrous sin had he committed? Had it been in the war? Had he somehow crossed paths with the alpha then?-

He scrapped that possibility immediately. Kazutora had never left the Isles and the northerner had never set foot in them before that day. He'd hardly believe, that the man could have successfully escaped Kazutora's notice for that to be the case. The alpha was a blaring beacon that even the blind would have no trouble seeing.

But what else could it be? A vendetta after all? Perhaps it had not been his pride Kazutora had injured with his actions. The war had cost many lives. Kazutora's plans had not been the most morally just when he steeled the path for Toman's troops to set foot in the Fourth District ahead of schedule. It had meant more bloodshed on both sides. Soldiers slain because Kazutora had falsified classified information. Ratted out one scheme to gain another.

He had considered it a price worth paying to bring the Isles back under Toman's protection. He got what he bargained for with no true loss to his person. Perhaps the one good thing that came with loneliness. There was no one to mourn when a sacrifice had to be made.

The alpha was the opposite. He'd never sell out his friends for an advantage. Despised the mere thought of it. But Kazutora had made that lapse of judgement before, hadnt't he? Had assumed the alpha's character out of instinct rather than factual proof.

That concluded it then.. Whatever the alpha were to tell him if he'd asked Kazutora would not believe it. He didn't trust the alpha to be truthful.. and he didn't trust himself with the answer he'd receive. He wasted enough sleepless nights on the northern warden.

It didn't matter. It wouldn't change a thing.

cling!

'it's your turn to catch now!' he whirled around his eyes darting through all the corners of the room. Behind the closed door he swore he heard the voice of a child waiting.

'did'cha grow deaf? I said it's your turn to catch me now, 'tora' At the back of his mind an intense itch formed. It was a boy, was his first deduction. It came from the hall, was his second. The child dissolved into happy laughter as if his assessment was spot on and Kazutora's feet moved to the door. He should know this voice.

He opened the door.

There. The childlike laughter appeared once more, louder. For a moment his lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. It sounded as warm and inviting as he'd remembered it. For a moment he saw a shadow of a child skipping ahead, his fiery demeanor exposing his lack of patience before he was gone again.

The laughter reverberated and Kazutora followed it in a daze. You know him, but whatever memory tried to form, it was too distorted, too fragile to make the boy anything but faceless. 'you're so slow'

I'm not, he wanted to argue, you're just too fast. He didn't know for how long he followed the dancing shadow. the echoes of a child not there.

But the thought of leaving him to wait churned his stomach. He'd come for Kazutora. Finally. How could he disappoint him with his absence? He couldn't make him wait. His vision tunneled as he tried to keep pace with him.

Something akin to relief swept over him when he arrived at an unfamiliar door. But the voice came from here. He couldn't run off now. 'Inside!" the boy sounded clearer than before.

The old door creaked loudly as he eagerly made to open it. The room was shrowded in the silhouette of a lone candle. And there in the center of it stood the young boy, his back turned to Kazutora.

The sensation of euphoria crackled in his chest. He'd made it in time. - - - had not left Kazutora behind. He quickened his pace and grabbed his shoulder before he could disappear again. This time would be different. The boy turned his head "got'cha~"

Kazutora flinched, his heart racing as the lips of the boy had stretched into a cruel smile, his razor-sharp teeth on full display. He could barely look at his eyes, what should be white was a grotesque ink as the light reflected against the monstrous sclera. This- He was all wrong, that wasn't Ke—

click!

The sound of the door shutting had him whip his head back to the entrance, his eyes widening at what he saw. "Ba.." he didn't finish, his eyes quickly turning back to the empty space in front of him. There was no one. The hair on his neck raised with trepidation. He continued to avoid the gaze of the other. Something was off. This wasn't good. He swallowed, his mind racing with every possibility as to why -"I thought you were still at the procession, your grace"

This was dangerous. Something was off about the alpha. But he couldn't pinpoint it. The mere glance at his eyes had been enough to unsettle him. The cold calculated gaze he'd last seen behind a frame of glasses didn't fit the alpha at all. He swallowed the bile in his throat. Perhaps he had chosen to be rid of Kazutora for good.

He could hear him step closer "Oh that.. I decided to come back earlier"

"…why?"

"I missed you, you know?" Kazuotra felt the arms around him and he jerked, a cold shiver shuddering with repulsion through his rattled frame. It was revolting, disgusting. Off- he needed to get him off of Kazutora. This was wrong—

"oh did you? How come?" He swallowed and tried to buy himself time to get away "Didn't you have enough yesterday?"

"I always can go for another round-"

"of what? I don't seem to recall much.. What did we do yesterday, your grace?" his throat was as dry as parchment paper.

"what didn't we do?" Kazutora's heart hammered out of his chest. If this were Baji he'd give him an exasperated look but this man simply smiled, as cold and cruel as before. This was all the confirmation he could get. An imposter. He had to alert someone. Baji had been searching for him for weeks. He couldn't let him slip away. Ryusei will be back earlier if there is any issue, his mind supplied. He had to notify the Beta without possibly alerting this man-

His omega let out a screech as a finger pressed against his scarred scent gland.

Kazutora was blinded by terror, any previous rationale to get away without alerting the fake gone out the window.

A punch to the face echoed through the walls. Get away. Off, he had to scrape him oof his skin-

"Fuc-" His knuckles throbbed. The man stumbled a couple steps back his palm holding his blood-soaked face. The shimmer had melted off the fraud's face, revealing his true features. Beady green eyes and short-cropped brown hair. A face of many, unremarkable. Someone he would under normal circumstances not even recognize if it weren't for that awful glint in his eyes that made his gut churn violently.

It clicked like a missing puzzle piece. That odd staff member that seemed to follow his every move..

There was no time to lose. Out. He needed to get out. Kazutora breathed heavily and gunned for the door but before he ever reached it he was harshly pulled by his robe. No-

His head collided with the door harshly. He couldn't even scream. White noise filled his ears. The next bits of his memory turned hazy like a montage of stilled pictures.

"—- got you by yourself. —— not so tough now, are y—-itch" Kazutora's ears rung in tandem with his body being pushed like a ragdoll.

It shouldn't have surprised him. He'd been asking for it at this point, hadn't he?

It really should not have.

If he ever had a bad streak of luck, the universe always knew how to bring him to a new low. It was hardly the first time this had happened. It really shouldn't have caught him off-guard like it had. Gods, his head throbbed where his temple had forcefully made contact with the old door.

"-oo scare- — -peak?"

there was no use fighting.. He just had to endure it. Pray it was over with quickly. Why had he thought he could ever escape this? The fate of all omegas. For a cruel moment, he thought of Baji and whether he had a hand in this. Was this the retaliation he'd chosen to enact against Kazutora?

Trick him into false lull then let his own staff have a go at Kazutora? his sire had done so, so what would stop him?

He regretted ever looking at those unhinged green eyes. They would haunt him. A faceless stranger he could take but once their faces were imprinted into your brain their touch plagued you forever.

His eyes burned.

"—-ucking bitch, " he pinched his eyes closed, the ringing growing louder. "..too loud" the man had caged him right in and continued shaking him to no end.

He just wished to be left alone ..

"-too loud? You fucking whore" he cringed, hyperaware of the man's wandering hands on him. "Did you like the hallucinations? I put so much work in grinding those Daturas for you" Kazutora's eyes snapped open, his mind reeling.

His body remained paralyzed at the revelation. All those moments he'd thought he was having another psychotic bout and it had been alloted to a Hallucinant?

No.. No. Daturas might be damaging to the mind but the ache in his eye could not be replicated. No matter the intensity of the hallucinant.

His lack of reaction seemed to agitate the man, a vein visible on his forehead as he shoved Kazutora against the door harshly, once again making it creak under the onslaught of pressure. it might break, it might not~ a voice sang in his ear, making him wince with its shrillness.

His eyes turned to the man that had been the cause of his misery. It might die, it might not.

"we were informed all about you.. and your loose reputation. there is not a corner in this world where people don't know about your promiscuity with anyone, who'd spare you a bit of attention" the man hissed before a sleazy smile appeared on his lips. don't look, don't look, don't look- "you're not picky, right? I heard that you started spreading your legs pretty young. they say all of the South had a taste of you, hm?"

Kazutora jerked, unprepared for the words that he'd left behind in a city filled with lonely heartache. The towering man chuckled darkly "It's true, then? With a face like this.. I can see the appeal" he sniffed his hair, his crotch rubbing against Kazutora. he took a deep breath. Remain calm. It would hurt more if he fought.

"a dirty little thing like you becoming the esteemed duchess of the honor-bound Northlands. The duke must be positively bewitched by your cunt to look past all the beds you've warmed, satisfied with used goods like that" Not anymore, he thought hysterically. Baji hated him.

"But then again.. Everybody can see that the northern bastard has no affection left for you. He would probably not even mind if I got to play with you a little bit…"

It would be over soon. He closed his eyes. It would be over soon. The sleazy fingers trailed along his neck again. He wanted to puke. It would be over- "Pretty thing," he recoiled.

Once.. when Baji's deep timbre had whispered it into his skin. Every letter of the word resonated against his flushed skin like worship. He had felt it with every nerve-ending.

Pretty.

but now as the words rung through his skull, te sensation had been reduced to nothingness. this wasn't what pretty was supposed to be. But it was befitting of Kazutora. He sagged against the door. staining something until it eroded all original meaning. That was him.

He was rotten to the core.

You're not rotten. The angry voice of Baji blazed through his mind like wildfire. and you are no sheep! You're a tiger, fight him. Don't let him win. Something in Kazutora reacted before his mind caught up with him.

Gripping, crushing the man's wrist as he tried to roam down his collarbone and chest. He hadn't even noticed that the man had ripped several of Kazutora's buttons, the robe was thrown in a heap on the floor. But Kazutora dismissed all of it. His grip was so tight that the man let out a yelp of pain. "no."

"agh?! you little-"

"I think I will slit your throat," Kazutora says matter of factly no light in his eyes, face a mirror of a lifeless doll. His expression stood in great contrast with the loud sound of a wrist snapping in two. The man cried out in pain. Oh. He hadn't meant to use so much strength. But the man would die by the end anyway, so what did it matter?

"you filthy bitch-"

The door behind him began to groan before it broke open, making them both fall. The man on top of him, alerting everyone near their vicinity.

In a matter of seconds, they were in the company of several footmen and maids, who looked at them like a spectacle and one thought filled him. Had they always been this close by?

The man was still shouting profanities at him, accusing him of all types of uncouth sex work. He wrinkled his nose.

He opens his mouth, about to tell them to scram and let him deal with his prey when-

"…Your grace, what is going on here?" They were staring at the man in shock, then their eyes trailed back to him. Their eyes darted from him to the man, or more accurately his scandalously thin and wrinkled, three-button-ripped nightgown. And then to the discarded robe on the floor, alarm turning into repulsion and judgment.

Ah. They were making quite the picture, weren't they? The man's hard-on must have been visible still if their faces of revulsion were anything to go by. Oh my.

He nodded. So be it. The people surrounding him watched as all traces of emotions left, his face a blank canvas once again. He didn't even care about what fate befell the man anymore, whether he was dead, apprehended, or set free. He closes his eyes, steeling himself for what was to come.

He sighed, opening his eyes and shoved the man to the ground with a loud kick before he righted hisgarb, patting the dirt from it. At least the robe oddly of all looked mostly unscathed, he noted as he bent down to pick it up. "y-your grace, what are you- we still have to-"

"There is no point" there never was. You've already made up your mind, he thought, there was no need to defend himself. He was exactly what their eyes accused him of. His reputation did precede him after all, as the man so gleefully had pointed out.

"If that is all, I shall take my leave" anything to get out of this stifling atmosphere. He put on the robe and walked away stoically, hands balled into trembling fists. He was here on borrowed time anyway.

If releasing the prisoner had not done it than this for sure would. Baji's patience only extended so far and he'd just freshly tainted his spotless honor. Keep in the last shreds of his dignity had been too much to ask for after all. He'd go down in history as the short-lived duchess, hanged by his scandalous promiscuity to men that were not his lawfully wedded husband.

"your grace.."

he didn't wait to see what the aftermath would be.

He walked past several corridors until he found a familiar one and flew up the stairs, to Kazutora's far left footmen were speaking with one another. He was too far to understand what they were conversing about, but by the way they were sneaking glances at him, he could take a safe guess. The rumors had spread then. The pit in his stomach grew larger.

What a mess you made

He was foolish to think, he could escape his past. It always found its way back to him. He straightened and picked up his pace, almost bursting into his quarters and breaking the door of its hinges when he finally arrived inside as fear doused him anew.

Immediately, he shut the doors and brought the vanity chair, creakingly over to shove it underneath the doorknob, so it couldn't be opened. it wouldn't hold for long, but long enough to alert him at least.

He paced from one side to the other, biting his thumb as panic properly set it in. The whole castle would know before the hour would be up and not soon after so would Baji. Somehow the thought was devastating. Bile rose in his throat.

He had stained the alpha's honor with his shameful past. He ruined him.

He was still at the funeral otherwise Kazutora would not even have been able to flee to his quarters without being stopped.

He recoiled, he should not just stand in the middle of the room it was not safe here, his instincts told him. hide, hide, hide. His blurry eyes flew to the bed, underneath-. no, no good. He would be immediately caught. under the bed hadn't fooled his father then. It wouldn't fool him now. hide, hide- his eyes landed on the closet door.

hide away until Alpha comes back.

A harsh knock made him jump, his hand freezing on the closet door handle "-your grace? Please open the door-" the alarmed tone of the eldery headmaid rung out. awful, bitter Miss Chiyo.

His eyes closed in resignation. Out of all the people.. she was by far the worst option. He didn't think he could take her self-satisfaction right now as she would undoubtedly rain down on him all his flaws and how he'd not only embarrassed the Baji Name but also the duke himself with his whorish behavior. He scratched at his skin.

The door rattled with the force of her knocks. His eyes locked on the chair, which had not given in to the pressure coming from outside just yet. "-your grace do not do anything irrational, I have called for the duke, he will be here shortly-"

"No!" he jerked. nonnononononono, why would she call him. he didn't need him anywhere near his humiliation. What would happen now? It was all his fault. if he'd just fought properly, instead of letting the stranger get this far, it wouldn't have been such an incriminating scene, if he'd just-

the knocking stopped. "..your grace, please open the door let me check if everything is alright. I'll make sure you are not to be disturbed any further after. just-"

"no." Boiling anger bubbled in him. What did she care for anyway? Did her vindictiveness reach so high, that she could not help but force herself to enter and see the patheticness of his state for herself? "Shut up. shut up, shut up!"

The closet would be not good after all, a dead end with nowhere to flee. why couldn't he have had a few more minutes at least. He should have never come to this room. To this castle. To this city. It was all ruined now. He'd ruined it "your grace, please do not do anything haste. It will all be alright, as soon as the duke arrives, hm?"

Oh, how he wished it to be true.

But they both knew that was a lie. Her voice sounded so compelling, comforting like Nanny's. But she was tricking him. They all were. Nobody wanted him here. He was useless. A no-good. Father was right. Why couldn't he be better? Why could he never be good?!

Kazutora couldn't breath. He had dug his own grave, hadn't he? he bit his tongue until he tasted blood, his fingernails dug into his arms. Why couldn't he do anything right.

There is another way the sweet voice purred to him. They will never find you again.

.

.

.

He stilled. That was a compelling thought..

They've hurt you enough.

The purr of a beckoning friend, his eyes trailed to the balcony with an epiphany. Indeed, there was another way. His feet softly walked forward, blissfully ignoring the growing hammering of knocks against the door. They hurt me enough.

"y-your grace! please open the door!"

Today would be everybody's lucky day. They'd finally be rid of him.

"your grace! I beg you to remain put, don't do anything foolish- he ignored the alarm in her voice as she shouted at other people to force the door open, humming an old tune with a giggle. Didn't she know Kazutora was "foolish, foolish~"

the door opened without resistence he hadn't even needed to place his hand on the handle as the fresh winds of the snowy winter day greeted him. he thought for a moment and then slipped out of his slippers. where he was going he was in no need of them. somebody could still have use of them. A future duchess, that wasn't bad like him.

A shiver went down his back when his naked feet touched the ground as excitement bubbled in him. Goosebumps erupted on his skin, the wind picked up as his eyes peered down.

The castle towers were built so high, that even the pine trees on the ground around the training fields seemed like a miniature in comparison to it. He looked upon it in awe.

It was breathtaking.

shakily, he stood up on the railing, his back to the doors as he stared at the horizon.

bang!

The entrance burst open as the broken chair clattered to the ground, a crowd of staff members and guards flooding into the room. At the hem was a horrified Miss Chiyo and a surprisingly disheveled mage looking around the room before finally meeting his waiting gaze.

Ah.. he hoped at last in the nether he'd be granted the solace of peace. "y-your grace" the Beta swallowed stopping the others from coming closer "Kazutora-san, can I call you that?"

The omega shrugged with indifference. "You should call me Ryusei then. It is only fair" The light-haired man stepped closer "nice spot you chose. There is a lot to see from up there, right?"

"There is" he agreed monotone and peered ahead.

A view this pretty could only be a blessing.

It must have been what The Wanderer had felt when he'd tasted freedom for the first time. Liberty could only taste this good when one was this close to the clouds.

It reminded him of—

He turned his eyes back to the mage "Say Ryusei are you close to your mother?" if the Beta was thrown off by the odd question he didn't show it.

"We were thick as thieves" he replied with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Not anymore?"

"She has since passed"

"She died.. how?"

"A sickness claimed her years ago"

"My condolences, it must not have been easy"

"It wasn't, but I like to think I'm better now" he reassured with a smile trying to keep him engaged in conversation "And you, Kazutora-san? What about your mother?"

"Oh. Yes, I suppose it is only fair I share with you as well but where to start.." he mumbled.

"Where you close?" the beta prodded.

"..No. I don't think we were" A lopsided smile formed on his face as he looked at the vastness beneath and whirled around in one fell swoop to face the Beta. Such conversations should not be held with his back to him.

He could hear several sharp intakes of breath as he did so. He straightened, his feet were steadily balancing on top of the railing, his back facing the horizon behind him as his eyes stared once more at the sky above.

"I don't think she was capable of liking me" he mulled it over for a quiet moment, trying to remember why she could never bring herself to even look at him. It had stung, the way she'd tried to get away from his sheer presence.

"it might have been because I looked so alike to her tormentor.. I remember she trembled in fear of him." he frowned "I thought we were a team. The two of us against the monster… but then she began trembling in fear of me too" his gaze remained far off, swallowed by the ebbing flow of long forgotten memories.

"if the gods do exist, I pray they forgive me for the demon I gave life to"

And just like that she'd been gone. It was not her fault that fate had punished her with his existence. That didn't mean it hadn't hurt.

"..what?" the Beta swallowed.

"Those were her last words to me before.." his gaze fell to the ground beneath them.

In the end, he would go just like his mother had "before she flung herself out of her bedroom window"

He laughed at the irony. "I always hated that I took too much after my father. But I guess I did pick up this stray trait of hers at least"

"I think I never got to properly thank you-" Ryusei intervened before the omega grew too much of a liking to resembling the broken pieces of a dam that had been too consumed by her own victimhood to put her child first.

"thank me for what?"

The genuine confusion gutted him. Did the omega truly not understand what this city owed to him "for protecting Omamori. For saving Chifuyu and so many others" Chifuyu's been right. He jumped the gun in his irrational paranoia. Gods, allow him to make amends.

Kazutora snorted. "Are you trying to butter me up?"

"Is it working?" he croaked, half laughter, half strain.

"No, not really" the biting wind hit the omega's skin and a small shiver wrecked through his frame.

"It's cold, eh?" Ryusei was much closer now, but Kazutora paid it no mind and nodded. It was freezing. Both of them were not really cut out for this type of weather.

"I could do with a steamy cup of good old-fashioned tea, what about you?"

Kazutora imagined it, holding a hot cup of honeyed sweet tea between his freezing fingertips. "I like a bitter black tea, the more stronger the better"

The omega made a face of pure disgust. He heard a soft chuckle "I take you're more inclined to the sugary beverages. So what do you say?"

Kazutora cocked his head in confusion so the Beta continued "I think I could be persuaded by the right type of tea leaves. Care to share your favorite?" The Beta offered his hand, still far away enough that the suggestion was more symbolic than physically possible.

It didn't sound all that bad. He considered it.

Suddenly the soft sound of a melody long forgotten strummed in his ears.

The Bell in a tower far away rang seven. exact.

Clang!

A flock of birds rose into the sky. Obsidian eyes startled open, chest heavy. Hair still stuck to his face as he leaned away from the equally shaken person next to him.

Clang!

"Did you feel that?" came the choked voice, his braid coming loose.

"Yeah.." their stunned gazes met as it washed over them.

The inescapable sensation of loss.

Clang!

A sword stopped mid-swing in a field of flowers, his breath halting before releasing a heavy breath. Strands of pink dancing in the wind "…how disappointing"

"did you say something?"

He slipped his hair back into its ribbon and swiftly got back into position "It is of no importance, Commander"

Clang!

His saddle almost slipped off his horse though he'd been sure, he'd tightened it properly. "watch out!"

He shook his head, barely regaining his balance before he could fall on his ass. He took a heavy breath. "…sorry, must have not checked the belt properly"

"You should take it easy, your grace. We need not rush"

"It's aight" But somehow the heavy feeling persisted. "I'm not croaking before I'm marrying my girl"

"Listen to Matsuda! She's smarter than either of us" He didn't doubt that. For a girl from the Second District, she sure had a lot of bite in her. "the road north is gonna take some time"

His ears still echoed with the bell of a thousand citadels long after the silence had returned.

Clang!

His gloved hand came to his aching chest. The slumber he'd rested with startled out of him with the sound. "-so much fabric for the dress— Brother, is everything alright?"

Lilac eyes blinked as the sensation passed and his gaze turned to reassure his worried sisters. The carriage continued its path to Central as if nothing had happened. The same could not be said for him. His hand would not stop trembling.

"Fine.." his voice cracked "Everything is fine" he had yet to believe the hollow words.

"Look! Did you see the silver shadow in the sky?" his youngest sister exclaimed in awe.

"Ohhh, The Wanderer must be off to claim another soul-" The pit in his stomach grew. What a bad omen.

"how is it going with Kazutora-san?"

Baji stilled at the unexpected question though it should not have surprised him, considering his Lietenant's penchant for putting his nose into Baji's floundering relationship. It was as if he had the second coming of his overbearing mother with him, albeit with less nagging.

"…not great" he grumbled as the last of the funeral visitors bid their farewells. It had been a somber affair. As funerals unsurprisingly tended to be. Lighting the pyre had not become easier with time. Though he hoped at least now Chou and the other fallen were resting easier. The priest's speech about appeasing the Brother or not he did not particularly care for. However, he kept that to himself as most of the family members of the deceased were devout believers. He had at least enough decency to not shit on what they found solace in.

"The insults still raining in?" Chifuyu tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowing in sympathy.

"You've got no idea. But nothing that ain't true, so.."

"I doubt that. He's trying to get a rise out of you" To have so much optimism must be a gift.

"Well he ain't getting it" Baji drily replied.

"But why? Push back a little"

"Because that went over so well the last time" Baji looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. Out of all the things to suggest… Trying to escalate the situation had not been the advice he'd expected.

"Perhaps not that far. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. I'm not telling you to insult him back, but.."

"but what?"

"don't just take it lying down. Your wife strives to have the last word, but he doesn't want to be handed the win" Baji mulled it over. Kazutora had looked pretty pissed yesterday after Baji had stood there without disagreement to the omega's mockery. "He promised you war, so get your gear on and fight" it was a nice thought. That had been how Baji had interacted with him at the start. But…

"It's not that easy. I can't just go back to how we acted in the beginning as if nothing happened" The alpha clenched his jaw "I pushed too much once" The guilt was a constant companion by his side. "I don't want to see him in that state again. Maybe I should give him some space after all. Hovering over him is not helping him. If anything he just gets more agitated-"

"Baji-san? Can I say something that might want you to punch me?"

"wha- I guess…"

"since when were you such a whining wuss? I can guarantee you Kazutora-san didn't like the experience much either. And avoiding him- again, might I add- is not going to do anything to prevent another spiral. You have given him space for almost a month when he didn't ask for it before you left for your expedition, remember?" he grimaced. How could he forget? "there is no more space to be had"

Chifuyu caught himself "I think it is safe to say, Kazutora has some.. I can't believe I'm saying this word again- issues to work through, and his coping mechanisms are more than just self-destructive and harmful. And he knows what to say to hurt you. All of it is far from right or okay.

But unlike you and me, he is in a district that he has no connection to. The only person he could have turned to, is about to enable his self-destructive behavior by catering to it" Chifuyu side-eyed him.

"if you leave it up to him. he will avoid the issue till you're old and wrinkly and I know you would not have the same issue. and something else Baji-san?"

He motioned for him to go ahead "You haven't been candid so far"

"is it fair to have you pull most of the heavyweight in this relationship? Probably not, but let's be honest Kazutora-san couldn't even lift a sack of potatoes before toppling over. Metaphorical or literal.

And you did choose to have the hots for his grace, the self-proclaimed nutjob after following his trail of corpses, so deal with the consequences of your tastebuds, so I can go back to the second-hand embarrassment whenever the two of you decide to scandalously flaunt your relationship in public."

"you are right. I do want to punch you-" Baji glared "But you were wrong about one thing. I did not choose to have the hots for him because of a trail of corpses. I had them because he had the guts to punch me back fifteen years ago—"

"I knew it! He was the one you wrote all those letters to! Should've known Kazutora-san was just messing with me again.." he grumbled, still salty about the novice act he had pulled on him.

"he didn't mess with you"

"huh?"

"Kazutora doesn't remember"

"Oh." Chifuyu had trouble believing that, but at the same time so many weird instances finally made sense. "that explains a lot-"

Clang!

His chest painfully squeezed into itself as he gasped for air.

Something horrible—

"Baji-san are you okay? What's wrong?-" Chifuyu's alarmed face meets his. He couldn't speak. Gone. Gone. He was gone, his alpha howled-—

Who, he wanted to ask, who was gone? But the overwhelming sensation of grief swept over him before he could. It was as if he'd become frozen between time and space.

Shouldn't you already know, Keisuke? You've felt this before.

"Your Grace!" Chifuyu turned to the flailing soldier.

"Can't it wait?" Chifuyu interrupted still fretting over his superior.

"I'm afraid it cannot-"

"I need— I- Kazutora" he wheezed out, he felt as if he was about to crumble. like he did on that burning battlefield. like he did in that awful lecture hall. "Yes, Baji-san we'll go to him-" Chifuyu tried to placate him, a sense of urgency filling him as well. "Everything's fine, you'll see. He's probably shoved his face into one of his dry astronomy books as we speak"

He nodded with detachment, his soul screaming with disagreement "…yeah, you're probably right" He swallowed the lump in his throat, stupefied at his own unreasonable reaction "I don't know what got into me" he straightened with a deep breath. the sensation of dread lingered.

"He's in the safest place in the District-"

The soldier stiffened, his terrified scent permeating through the air didn't go unnoticed. Baji turns to him and with every step he punctuated, the sorrow giving way for something far uglier.

"Where. Is. My. Wife"

Kazutora dropped his hand, too stunned by what appeared next to him.

White hair parted in the middle on a small stature of a man, behind him shadows danced like a swarm of silhouettes he couldn't make out, the features of his face too blurry to make out, like a magical veil keeping Kazutora out.

A heavy crown glistened with the reflection of a thousand weeping souls as it rested on the crown of his head. Somehow the omega knew it to his very bone, the sorrow in his being.

Kazutora's mouth opened "ne, Ma——ro. was this the life you had invisioned for us?" even if they made no sense to his own ears the words left his lips without heeding and too much longing "I loathe it so. This world you created. I never asked to be your enemy"

The crowned man did not speak up once. "I cannot bear it any longer. I am not strong like the rest of you" his heart ached at the despair of it all. "He'll forgive me, right? I didn't keep my promise to him. I disappointed him-"

Kazutora felt just as lonely as he did. His eyes burned with unshed tears as the trembling whisper left his lips "I disappointed all of you"

"..who are you speaking to, Kazutora-san?" he paid Ryusei no mind as he stared at the stranger, his ears ringing. 'did you know? If a person kills someone they're a bad guy, but if you kill an enemy, you're- "..my hero"

A calloused hand reached out for the omega's head but just as the fingers brushed through the strands of his mismatched hair the King vanished into nothingness. "..That hero, who is he?"

"..I forgot" He'd forgotten great many things.

"Kazutora-san, you were cold remember? Let's get you down, okay?" Ryusei had almost reached him now and Kazutora straightened with determination.

Clang!

His head whipped towards the far horizon what are you waiting for, silly? He startled with a giggle at the beckoning voice. Let us fly

Yes, that sounded marvelous. He took a deep breath of the fresh air around him. Would the clouds catch him?

"Ryusei, I have a favor to ask of you-" He turned back to the Beta who looked at him with fear "Tell him I'm sorry for not keeping my promise"

"wait, Kazutora-" His arms stretched wide as he leaned backward, a mere hair's breadth away from the Beta's hand.

and gravity did the rest. "No!-"

He fell.

And the Bell stopped.