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Yumro had imagined that becoming Demon King would leave him exhausted. But not that it would set him with so little time to catch his breath. That, Yumro had learned rather quickly, had been a lie. There were treaties to negotiate, ancient clans to bring into the modern age, laws to rewrite, councils to endure, and more than a few old demons who seemed personally offended by the mere suggestion that demonkind should adapt to a changing world. Yumro had spent years dragging their society forward. Modern education. Better relations with humans. New systems of governance. Technology. Trade. Schools. Laws that protected demons who had once been overlooked entirely. Every change had been met with twice the resistance. And yet, slowly, impossibly, things were changing. Even the oldest demons were beginning to realize that Yumro's vision wasn't about destroying what they were. It was about making certain they survived.   Some nights Yumro would return home long after midnight, still carrying the weight of a dozen decisions on his shoulders. There were times when he barely had enough energy to remove his coat before collapsing into the nearest chair. But there was one thing he had never allowed his position to take from him. Haruhi. No matter how busy everything became, Yumro always made time for his mate. Always, because he knew from experience how it felt to be one the other end.   He had learned early that Haruhi didn't need grand gestures. Sometimes he only needed Yumro to sit beside him. Sometimes he needed an arm around his waist while they watched some ridiculous program together. Sometimes he simply needed to know that, despite being some big shot now, Yumro still belonged to him. And now, with both of their children grown enough to leave the nest, Yumro found himself realizing just how much he had missed having Haruhi all to himself. Their home had become strangely quiet. At first, Haruhi hadn't handled it well. Yumro remembered the way he had cried after Haru left. He hadn't tried to stop him. Neither of them could. Haru had always been destined to wander, to search, to discover exactly where he belonged. Keeping him home simply because his parents weren't ready to let go would have been cruel. So Yumro had supported him. He had helped arrange things when necessary, listened to Haru's plans, and reminded him that wherever he went, he would always have a home to return to.  The supported Haru that best way he knew how. Because although it broke him instead too to see him little pup all grown up. He wanted the best for his son. And the weekly calls from Haru had become sacred.   Then Shan left too. That one had been hard in an entirely different way. Shan had stayed the longest ever after he'd finished school and begun to really work on his own talents. Yumro wasn't a musical person, so he didn't get it. But he was glad Haruhi could bond with Shan about it. Shan had announced ahead of time about his thoughts of moving to a city. It was somewhere he could get more chances with his music as an artist. Yumro offered Shan the same support as he had Haru. But in a different way it didn't hurt him as deeply compared to when Haru moved out. Probably because that although both were kids Yumro had never truly seen Shan as his son like Haru. It was a weird complex with him similar but not quite the same. Shan too felt this way. Maybe because of the respect he had for Yumro and knowing what he knew about him from the time he worked closely with Yumro from the shadows. Haruhi was the only parent he really felt connected to. Without complicated feelings. Even after moving out, Shan often called Haruhi and even made it a habit to visit them once or twice every month. Yumro like to think Shan missed them too.   But some times Yumro had still found Haruhi blubbering over some piece of music Shan had wrote with watery eyes. He looked so proud while simultaneously looking as though his heart was being ripped from his chest. Yumro could only simply hold him. He understood. The kids leaving was proof that they had done their job. They had raised two young people who were brave enough to step into the world. Still, knowing that didn't make the empty rooms easier. If anything, it made Yumro cling to Haruhi more. Their relationship had always been intense. They had survived too many years of responsibilities. But with the children gone, there was suddenly room for them to rediscover each other.   And they did. Perhaps a little too enthusiastically. Yumro had noticed Haruhi becoming more emotional as the months passed, but he'd assumed it was simply the adjustment. The empty nest. Sudden realization that they were no longer needed in quite the same way. Yumro was patient. He'd held him when he cried. Kissed his forehead when he became overwhelmed. And when Haruhi needed something more than comforting words, Yumro had happily reminded him that their bond was still very much alive.     Even after Fairy had cleared Haruhi as 100% healthy nearly ten years ago, they were still not to have any more kids. Although Yumro wanted to, he had continued to hold himself back. With Haruhi already stressed about the boys being in their final year of school, it simply hadn't seemed like the right time. Then, once the kids were gone, it hadn't felt right either. But slowly, they learned how to breathe again. Last year, Yumro had finally let Haruhi meet his lycan. It hadn't been an easy decision. With Haruhi's life potentially at risk, Yumro had prolonged the meeting for as long as he possibly could. Yet deep down, he knew that doing so wasn't helping either of them. All it was doing was dragging out the inevitable. The lycan was the embodiment of everything feral within Yumro—a personality twisted, self-centered, and even cruel at times. It represented so many of the things Yumro constantly fought against within himself. When the meeting was finally arranged, Yukie made sure to talk everything through with Haruhi beforehand. On the night itself, before the full moon showed its face, Yumro gave Haruhi a gun for his own protection. The bullet was made of pure silver, but even if Haruhi managed to land a perfect headshot, it wouldn't be enough to kill him. Silver was the best defense against a lycan. But because Yumro was such a powerful mix, his healing abilities from Yukie's side counteracted the silver's effects. In the worst case, Yumro would end up in a coma for a few days. But in his lycan form, he couldn't be killed. "For a last resort," Yumro had assured Haruhi. His hands had been shaking as he reached out and touched Haruhi's face. He had been more afraid of losing Haruhi, or of killing him with his own hands, than he had ever been of anything else.   After the change took over, Yumro's consciousness faded into complete darkness. The lycan pushed him down so violently that it gave him no chance to retake control once it had been taken. Yumro didn't know how things had played out before he woke again. He only received fragments of the lycan's memories, not the entire thing, but enough.   The lycan was tall as a mountain compared to Haruhi's size. His half-man, half-wolf body was enormous and heavily muscular, with a broad, refined build covered by a thick layer of pitch-black fur. His fingers and toes ended in huge, razor-sharp black claws, each one as long as a dagger. Red eyes glowed from the sockets of a canine skull. It wasn't like any lycan from the stories or books anyone had ever written. His form looked as though it had come straight out of grown mens nightmares. A thick layer of raw, unfiltered demonic power suffocated the air around him. There was no sound of birds or insects. Every living thing seemed to hold its breath in the presence of his aura. Even prey animals instinctively stayed the hell away.   The lycan stretched before abruptly turning toward Haruhi, as though curious about the sound of another heartbeat so close to his own. He watched the other being for a moment, then scented the air around him. He quickly discovered that Haruhi was coated in his own scent. "Interesting," he said. Within the blink of an eye, he stepped into Haruhi's personal space and grabbed the back of his neck. "So you're the one we bonded with?" the lycan asked with an arrogant huff. His voice was different from Yumro's—deeper, rougher, yet still similar enough to carry traces of the same voice beneath it. "You don't look like much, Horesy," he taunted, leaning down to sniff the side of Haruhi's neck. Because Yumro had bonded them to this creature, the lycan was biologically drawn to Haruhi's scent. But that didn't mean a damn thing to him. "A weak being like you?" he scoffed. "Honestly, I don't get it." Yet the lycan didn't try to kill him. Not because he couldn't. It simply wasn't necessary—not yet at least. And perhaps, he was curious.   (A year later) Yumro knew the changes happening within his mate's body too. The closest Yumro got to his rut, the sweeter scent Haruhi gave off. His body was preparing itself for them. The lycan groaned annoyed. >He is getting ready for my pup. After our first meeting it triggered it< the lycan explained. >As if< >Wouldn't it just be easier to kill him quickly? His body will break before I'd even knot.< The lycan made it almost sound like he was being merciful with his suggestion. Yumro ignore him for most parts. But he was nervous about this rut.   --------------------------------- Having Yukie back was a blessing. One he treasured every day. He showed Yukie everything that had been built while he'd been away. The school the house. He hoped Yukie liked it and could see himself living here with him. Julius included Yukie on his plans each day. But it was up to Yukie to decide what he wanted to do. Julius simply suggested Yukie trying out teaching a few classed as a trial run. The kids were all sweet but the demon ones still seemed a bit closed off. Having an adult demon around would surely make them more comfortable and engaged in their lessons. Or so Julius thought. True be told teaching was Julius passion. It didn’t mean Yukie would like it.  But he still tried.   (That morning) It was a bit unusual for Yukie to not be in their bed when Julius woke up. But he didn’t find it alarming or anything. After doing his business in the bathroom he pulled on some shorts and a loss shirt before heading out to the kitchen, where he found Yukie sitting by himself staring out the window. Julius greeted him but it seemed like his mate was far off in thoughts to respond to him. Julius however took a cup of herb tea instead of the coffee, the ritual he had before he got that coffee addiction. Then he sat down across from Yukie. Not minding the quiet. It wasn't as lonely it had used to be.   They Yukie spoke up. And Julius listened without giving much away on his face cause of shock.   When Yukie had said all he wanted to say it was quiet. Julius turned his gaze toward the rain outside and said nothing for a moment. “Tell me, have your feelings changed?” he asked, honestly turning the question back to Yukie. From the way Yukie acted around him, Julius would never have guessed these were the kinds of thoughts running through the other’s head. Sure, Yukie had changed a lot since coming back, but if it had all just been an act to please Julius… Yukie was a damn good actor. Julius tried not to think about the possibility of Yukie falling out of love with him. It was too painful to imagine. Yukie wouldn’t have been so cruel to him. He couldn’t believe he would. He tried not to think about it. But his chest still ached and felt a little heavier. Julius took a calming breath to steady himself as he waited for a response. “I understand how this changes a lot of things for you and us… but does it mean we shouldn’t be together? If so, why not tell me sooner?.. Now these past months kinda seems like a cruel joke.” Julius turned his eyes to Yukie now. His expression looked calm, but underneath, there was a storm of emotions threatening to break through.   Julius bit the inside of his cheek, his eyebrows pulling together into a frown. He was pissed. Angry at Yukie for doubting his feelings when he had given him absolutely no reason to. “You are such a fool! Why the hell would you think I would love you less compared to before?” Julius’s voice was angry. Angry and hurt. Although this wasn’t only about his own feelings. He couldn’t get his head around what Yukie was thinking.   “I love you!” Julius’s voice almost shook as he struggled to find another way to get his feelings across. He thought he had already made that clear for months. “Why are you so dumb that you can’t see that? Heck, Yukie, you could be just a regular human for all I care. Powerless, growing old and wrinkly like people usually do. Fuck… I AM HUMAN! It will happen to me too someday” He did his hardest to control his anger, but it snapped like a thin string. Suddenly, his eyes started filling with tears. He wiped them away with his sleeves, embarrassed and upset by it all. “Not having powers changes nothing. I love you! Not your position, not the pain you had to go through when it became too much. I know it might sound awful coming from me, but I honestly like it better now that you don’t have those powers. It means you aren’t losing yourself, or having to be afraid of hurting others or me. I love how carefree you can be now. I like waking up or coming home and not being afraid that you might have another episode. What I don’t like is that you think my love is conditional. It’s like you don’t even hear yourself when you say those things, and that makes me mad.” Julius grabbed hold of both of Yukie’s cheeks, forcing him to look at him. “I’m with you all the way, Yukie. If there’s something that can’t be done, you don’t have to fix it. We’ll adapt. But my feelings won’t change. Stop thinking nonsense. You already have me hooked, and I’m bitting down hard, not letting go.”   ───   Shan didn’t pay much attention to the person seating himself in the chair next to him right away. It wasn’t unusual for the seats to slowly fill up, after all. Around that time, Shan was still mostly paying attention to the musician. But something in him made him turn his eyes away from the live music and toward his neighbor. Although he made it seem almost effortless, he was careful not to look at the other too much and risk seeming awkward. But that long red hair was eye-catching. At first, he only got a side profile of the other, but Shan could still tell he was a guy by the way he held his posture and the build of his body. The man was lean, but not in a curvy, feminine way, and the small whiff of cologne that reached Shan wasn’t sweet or floral. It was simple, not too potent, yet still noticeable and pleasant. An earthy, fresh scent that reminded Shan of grass and morning dew. There was also something else… something weirdly familiar that he couldn’t put his finger on. Then the other turned his face toward him with what Shan took to be a maybe-shy smile. He wasn’t sure. Shan was caught the moment their eyes locked. He found himself strangely swallowing the spit in his mouth as his tongue went dry. The person before him was… well, he was… wow. Gorgeous. Stunning. The person before him was like 'the dream man'. If Shan had ever had one, it would be this guy. Shan felt a flutter in his stomach as the other spoke to him. Even his voice. That voice almost sent a shiver down his spine. It was mellow but clear, maybe a little rough around the edges, but not by much. Shan couldn’t hold himself back from smiling. The soft, pitiful tone the other used was kind of cute in a way.   “I don’t mind.” Shan smiled back at the stranger, his expression soft and warm. “I’m not much of a dancer myself, either… not unless I want to be.” Shan gently lifted his glass, offering a small toast. As their glasses clinked, Shan flashed the other man one of his best charming smiles. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you, if you want.” He winked at Haruhi before finally noticing what he was actually drinking. “First off, that right there—” He pointed toward Haruhi’s glass. “—tastes like piss. No offense to you, but do you honestly enjoy it?” Shan wasn’t a regular here, so he didn’t know the bar’s entire wine menu. But from what he could see and smell, it looked like cheap wine being served in a fancy glass. “Sorry, it’s not my business, but can I offer you something better?” he asked, suddenly worried that he was coming across as arrogant to a stranger he had just met. He wasn’t trying to be arrogant. He just wanted an excuse to keep talking to him. And maybe offer him something he might actually enjoy. Shan was surprisingly good at guessing people’s preferences.   After getting a response, no matter what it was, Shan asked the bartender for the drink menu. He looked through it for about ten seconds before glancing back at Haruhi, studying him as though he were trying to figure out what kind of taste buds the other man had. “Wine… or cocktail? Mnh.” Shan looked thoughtful. “Something flavorful with a bit of dryness. Not too sour, like lemon, but lime is okay. Some sweetness, but not overpowering…” He hummed thoughtfully before turning back to the bartender, apparently having made up his mind. “Two watermelon martinis, please… and one Red Donna. Thank you.” The bartender got to work preparing the drinks. Shan watched as the martinis were placed simultaneously in front of each of them. The bartender told them to enjoy before walking away again to retrieve the bottle of red wine Shan had ordered. Shan picked up his martini glass, an almost entertained smile tugging at his lips. “Try it.” He took a small sip from his own glass. “It’s not as strong as it sounds, but I’ll bet you fifty bucks you’ll like it.” He gave Haruhi a confident little grin. “If not… that’s my loss.”

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