Rei sat on his throne, one leg crossed over the other with great impertinence. He stared down at both of his older brothers with the utmost of discontent. If they didn't know his position didn't allow him to kill them, they might have been worried for their lives. However, even if it were the case he could, the question of if he physically could was more prominent. After all, both males were older and taller than him and while that in itself wouldn't determine the outcome of a fight, it put him at a slight disadvantage.

"Yes, I would like to remind you both to stay the fuck away from my cupcake," the blonde growled, glaring at the two guiltless males before him, "In case you haven't realized, our wedding is already being planned. Two weeks at most before she's mine forever. So get your damn ogling eyes off of her before I rip them out."

"I'd like to see you try, noodle arms," Ichiro huffed, leaning against the wall with an irritated look, "Are you capable of doing anything except stuffing your face with the finest food and pussy in all the land?"

Kazuki regressed from the language the bluenette was beginning to use. It wasn't like he had ever heard it when he was younger, and though it wasn't odd for someone to curse when frustrated, Ichiro had never used any harsh wording before in his life. Nonetheless, even if the younger male was using a completely new vocabulary, he was still furious with the blonde for taking away his precious time with (Y/n).

"Unfortunately, I haven't tasted my cupcake yet, but I'll be sure to let you know how many times I make her cum."

At once, the entire atmosphere in the room turned dark, utterly filled with hatred. Everyone hated the others, thinking of ways to dispose of them. It seemed unanimous that the (h/c) haired girl was worth killing for. The question therein lay in who was going to strike first and who would be the one standing in the end. Any nearby human beings were almost unable to breathe let alone look at the terrifying males.

"I'm glad to see you are both as fucking furious as I am right now," the youngest male growled, beckoning a servant to bring forward a newspaper to both males, "because I won't tolerate this bullshit."

There was an article highlighted for both males to look at. Rei watched as their eyes scanned the paper, his foot tapping the air in frustration. Written by a familiar and somewhat influential reporter, the biased article wrote about the (h/c) haired girl. There were pictures of her hiding behind Ichiro and the bluenette comforting her with flushed features. From them alone it was clear to tell what the writing revolved around.

" 'Torrid Love Affair; Is Our Queen-To-Be Testing All Her Royal Options?'," the blonde read aloud, crumpling the paper together and throwing it harshly away from him, "You see my anger here?"

"So this is why you sent (Y/n) to your room," Kazuki sighed, "This would break her."

"Knowing her, she'd be bound to eavesdrop. Her curiosity gets the better of her more often than not. I thought it was better she was away from all of this. At the very least, I got her away from nasty words."

The words printed included the bluenette's obvious - and suspicious - closeness to her, and there were questions of the girl's legitimacy. The reporter had shown his grudge against intermixed marriages, especially with commoners in his run-in with Ichiro, continuing the harsh words against her. He called for a rebellion against the marriage and an offer to arrange a better marriage for the young king. While he took caution to maintain respect and humbleness when speaking of Rei, his despicable words about the younger girl all but guaranteed his absolute anger.

"Right now, my guards are ensuring my cupcake stays put, but they can only keep her there for so long. Sooner or later, she'll find a way to wiggle out of the room. So we need to figure this out as soon as possible. I don't think insulting and arguing with each other will help achieve that goal."

"I agree," the oldest male nodded determinedly, glaring at the paper, "This should be of the utmost of importance. Right now (Y/n) can break at something so small as spilled milk. I can't imagine what this will do to her little mind."

Ichiro didn't appear to agree with his brothers on the matter. While he was indeed concerned for the (h/c) haired girl and what the news might do to her, he was more confident in his ability to keep it away from her. If he could do that, the news was in his favor. He had hardly approved when he was isolated from the public's eye due to his false "bastard" status, but in that case, it would have gotten him exactly what he wanted.

Of course the people of Vethela would care about who Rei married. He was their king - the most important figure that lived. By any cost, they wanted to preserve him and highlight him above all. Letting him - the descendant of their eternal flower - marry a foreign commoner was insulting to his majestic image. Most believed he was more worthy of a high-ranking noble of Vethela who would cherish him and put him above all else, including themselves. No one knew what the (h/c) haired girl would do if given the chance.

On the other hand, Ichiro was proclaimed a bastard. He didn't matter. The bluenette could have married a woodpecker and no one would have protested. Therefore, if he placed his support behind the public about Rei's marriage and they succeeded, it would result in two options. The first was that Rei, requiring his subjects behind him for his rule, would need to marry a more "suitable" woman. The second was that (Y/n), broken from the threats she received about her engagement to Rei, would run off, allowing Ichiro to have her for himself.

"Well, are you joining us, Ichi?"

"Your people make a good point, your royal majesty," the bluenette commented, his words sarcastic but not bitterly so, "I mean, it is your responsibility as the leader of our nation to bring about prosperity and peace. If achieving that means you have to sacrifice some personal joy, wouldn't you do it for the greater good?"

Kazuki gave a curious look over at the younger male, wondering what his aim was. It was unlike what he had come to know the bluenette to be like with (Y/n). Typically, he would have been all for trying to help her. Naturally, he knew something was off, but he couldn't figure out what the younger male would have to gain from the news spiraling out of control. It would only harm her and their chances of gaining her undying affection.

"I'd rather kill myself than watch anything take her away from me," Rei growled, offended by the remark in more ways than just one.

"Mm," the older male hummed, nodding his head as he paced around the room in a contemplative manner, "Sure, let's believe that for a second. So...what's the plan?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what's the plan? How do you plan on keeping (Y/n) safe when you're the whole reason she's in this mess? Even if Zuki and I never came to knew her, she'd still be bombarded with massive amounts of threats and hatred for being associated with you. So how do you plan on stopping it all?"

Kazuki gave a look of realization at the younger male's words. He was right. Virtually no one would have acted so strongly against the (h/c) haired girl if she had been with one of the older males. The fact of the matter was that the people of Vethela were wary of her specifically because Rei had an unhealthy obsession with her. The older blonde couldn't imagine there was any fixing the issue unless he separated from her, but the thought of that was unlikely albeit his hope to avoid conflict within the family.

"The way I see it, everyone will be tripping over their own feet to listen to my every word," the younger male growled, his anger beyond immeasurable, "I just have to make an example of upstarts like this damned reporter."

"Then your solution is censorship," Ichiro smirked, holding his hands behind his back with a pleased aura surrounding him, "I wonder how people will react to that."

"They'll listen to their king and put up no complaints."

"That's tyranny," Kazuki commented bluntly, beginning to side with the bluenette, "Do that and you put her in more danger, not less."

Again, the room was immersed in silence, one party solely against the idea of fixing the libel while one the other was prepared to do anything. The last party was undecided as either solution didn't benefit him in any way. Either it was in favor of Ichiro or Rei. The oldest of them had nothing to gain, leading to his indecisiveness. He'd rather have the issue fade away so either of them were able to take the credit. He needed more time.

"Then we'll proceed to get rid of this fool," Rei huffed, glowering at the crumpled newspaper on the ground, "That is a start, isn't it?"

"Maybe, but you'll need much more than that to secure (Y/n)'s safety," the older male commented before pausing and giving a contemplative look, his hand held to his lips as he was lost in his thoughts, "Well, frankly, I don't care what transpires. You two can fight it out yourselves. I'll observe quietly."

"Truth be told, I won't be satisfied with the state of things unless you come to terms that you're the danger here," Ichiro mumbled, his words loud enough to reach the younger male's ears, "As long as you're engaged to her, she'll have a target on her back. My solution is simple, break it off."

Rei's eyes narrowed at the very thought, his hands gripping the edge of his throne's armrests. If it weren't such a sturdy metal, one might have thought he was close to crushing it. Indeed, the thought of giving up his claim to (Y/n) made him almost burst with exasperation. It was insulting, it was insolent, it was simply impertinent! He'd culminated the perfect everything in order to deepen his relationship with her, and Ichiro "suggested" he give it all up because he was too unattractive to gain her love without a handicap?

"My feelings for her aren't so simple that I can throw it away as if it's nothing. If she's not with me and only me, I'll break, inside and out. I will never give her up. She's mine. Do you understand that?"

"That's great and all," the bluenette shrugged, an unimpressed look on his face, "but have you thought about the risks that being around you poses to the little dove? At any moment, someone could try to assassinate, cripple, or tear down her mental state of mind for being engaged to you. If you really loved her, wouldn't you let her go?"

The blonde's eyebrow twitched, the continuing thought of being without the younger girl a thorn in his side. He didn't wish to see a future he would do anything to avoid nor did he care to imagine it. The male would have been far more content to see the bluenette completely drop the subject and actually contribute towards suggesting ways to keep the (h/c) haired girl safe, but it was clearly unlikely.

Kazuki, too, was vexed at the question that the younger male posed. Sure, he would prefer the younger girl to be unharmed and unhappy, but on the sole condition that it was because he was part of her life. It was a selfish and desire-filled wish yet he didn't regret it. There was no shame he felt in his conclusion to the enigma nor was there any in the amount of time it took him to reach the answer.

"A hypocrite," the oldest male sighed, his narrowed eyes peering in the direction of the bluenette, "You wouldn't let her go either. Why would you?"

"But I'm not the one that is currently hanging a sword over her head, am I? This is all Rei's fault! It always is! Why can't you see that?! Can't you give one thing up? Just one?!"

The young king's eyes widened just slightly before he became lost in his thoughts, wrestling over something with a bored expression. Tapping his foot in the air while remaining silent, he unnerved the other two males in the throne room as if every moment he made corresponded to a beat of doom. The drum was banged and banged until there was nothing more. At that point, Rei seemed to have decided upon something. He had figured out the solution to numerous problems in front of him.

His violet eyes darted up but not at the ceiling. Giving a smirk, he let out an amused sigh at the blunette's aggressive stance towards him. He uncrossed his legs, standing up with the most regal of posture, taking wide steps across the large room to the older male. His chin was positioned in such a way it appeared he was looking down at him, and for one reason or another, Ichiro felt intimidated despite the way he gritted his teeth at the sight. The blonde was always looking down at him.

Rei peered into the cyan eyes of his brother, wondering what had recently made them so dark. It wasn't as if they scared him. Rather, they only added to the enjoyment he had of the new attitude the male had chosen to take. It reminded him of himself. Yes, the young man he had been when he had first met the (h/c) haired girl. At first, jealous then filled with hate before being plunged into suffocating affection. They no longer had the desire to breathe.

They wished with all their heart to succumb to the beauty that was insanity. The overbearing love they possessed for (Y/n) drove them to wild and demanding thoughts. They would have killed for her without a second thought, drenched in the blood of another with a sickening smile on their faces. The cries of agony from whoever was unfortunate enough to earn their wrath was their warcry and the blood spilled was their medals. After all, in one's pain, there is another's absolute pleasure.

That undeniable desire to be immersed in the blood-soaked water that held the strange tranquility of acceptance was their ultimate wish. Yet they also yearned for the fiery blistering heat of passion in all of its golden beauty. For the masses, it was a contradictory thing. Fire and water could not mix nor could they together contribute feelings of euphoria. However, to them, it was beauty, simplicity, and overwhelmingly addicting.

It made them drool and writhe in pleasure, drunk on the feeling of nearing paradise. Most weren't willing to accept the fact that actions they took. They were deranged, were they? Would the "normals" kill for the ones they loved? In an extreme scenario, it needed to be done, did it not? Of course, the answer would be "yes". If a murderer held a gun to one's parents, it would only be logical to fight for their lives unless that select one was a coward. And these males were not cowards.

Yes, in their minds, they saw one another as the murderer. Rei only saw Ichiro attempting to sever the life of their relationship, and worse still, to take it for himself. He wouldn't just let him get away with it. At the very least, he should be thrown down a flight of stairs to atone for even thinking such a thing. (Y/n) was worth the blood he shed for her. She was more than worth it. The very key to his existence at all, he would resort to whatever means necessary. That was what constituted him.

"How far are you willing to go?" the blonde smirked.

At the drop of a hat, he had pushed his very right to the throne into the bluenette's arms without a shadow of doubt lingering in his mind. The older male might have been surprised, but he knew it all along. Rei would have done anything for the younger girl. He was prepared to give up everything else he wanted in order to have her solely to himself. But then the question was up to Ichiro.

It was clear what the blonde had conveyed with that forceful action, his retreating form likely headed directly to the (h/c) haired girl, herself. He had meant he would surrender his right to the throne and give it to Ichiro, and the male couldn't believe it. His hands trembled as he held the bejeweled crown, his eyes sparkling at its meaning. He would finally be recognized. People wouldn't dismiss him anymore. Ichiro would be loved, adored, even worshipped for his ancestor's blood flowing through him.

It was so tempting. As if to test the idea of power, the male stepped with his nerves jittering, his footsteps echoing again and again in his mind. Everything became louder as he approached the throne, unbearingly so. He sucked in a shaky breath before he seated himself on the throne, looking at every luxury that surrounded him. As he gazed down at the reflective gold the crown possessed, he saw his own eyes shivering with delight, a lustful grin working its way onto his lips.

"I want it," he giggled, hysteria laced in his voice.