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Years went by with him confined to the small space provided to him by the head of the Iba clan, always leaving him looking out the small window at the outside world. Xenophobia played a role in why he was there, his mother having married a stranger from another land, although his father also being a Sirius didn ’t help either.
Wandering eyes sometimes roved, turning their heads to look up at his vivid blue eyes so uncharacteristic for someone from Japan, always startling and running from the sight, as if he were some monster—which he was indeed. Visitors outside of the person caring for him were otherwise an uncommon thing, something Yuliy—Yuri as his grandfather called him—came to not ever expect, so he was expecting anyone that particular day as he sat there with toys he ’d long since outgrown and lessons which kept seeming more and more pointless as he’d never end up outside.
“Understand that he doesn’t ever interact with anyone, that he’s likely not to know how to react to you,” said his caretaker from outside as they undid the locks out of the small storage shed that had been his home since a very young age, and—
There stood a man who Yuliy didn ’t recognize, while Yuliy’s eyes tried familiarizing himself with the stranger as his nose tried introducing himself with the man’s scent. “So, I hear you’re name is Yuri?”
Raising his chin slightly, he said, “Yuliy, not Yuri.”
“Quick came the laugh from the man at his response, making Yuliy even more nervous at the man’s presence. “Perhaps we didn’t start on the best footing there?”
Optimism wasn ’t forthcoming, even though Yuliy knew the man hoped for this kind of response for some reason. Never had someone accepted his correction so candidly.
“My name is Hideomi, and I’m your uncle,” the man said, “I’m the new family head.”
Listening to those words, Yuliy shook his head, backing away as the man came closer, knowing that his grandfather was dead.
“Know that I promise things will be different, Yuliy.”
Just because the man said, it didn ’t mean it to be true.
“I know that’s hard to believe right now, but it’s true.”
“He doesn’t know what I am, does he?”
“Goodness,” his caretaker muttered.
“Family,” Hideomi said, laughing. “Everything I need to know about you is right there in that word. Don’t you ever think that you being my older sister’s child isn’t important to me, dear boy.”
“Danger.” Clearly, the man didn’t know he posed a danger. Beasts did, after all.
“And why would I think that?”
Zillion things went through Yuliy ’s mind.
“You don’t know—don’t know what I am.”
“Xenial wasn’t your relationship with this family, was it? What was the reason they gave?” Without a second thought, his uncle said, “I’ve been informed you’re a Sirius, albeit it’s a bit hard for me to fathom given how I was never involved with any of the family’s supernatural business—the jaeger business, but I am now. Very much do I want you to understand things will be different.”
Understand Yuliy did not, as he found himself guided outside. Tomorrow came, and so did the next day, with him living out in the sun, with his uncle acting like he was an average child, even when his seventeen-year-old nephew started showing his fangs, always speaking softly to him.
Somehow, he still wasn ’t expecting his uncle to introduce him to a marriage prospect, making his confusion grow, mainly since there was absolutely no way the other family, let alone the girl, had been informed of his status as a Sirius the monstrous thing he was.
Ryoka was her name, with something about her that Yuliy couldn ’t quite place. Questioning and curious, she was also, her attention entirely on him with her father calling her out for not acting ladylike, although her simply taking an interest in him was something else.
“Perhaps this isn’t a good fit,” her father said, followed by, “This is just a formality, this introduction, as I can’t imagine anyone being interested in my daughter. Ordinarily, these marriage meetings don’t turn out well, so I can understand if you say no.”
“No, it’s fine,” Yuliy’s uncle said. “Memory serves, I forewarned that I had similar worries for Yuliy in that—well, I’ve been quite frank with you regarding his situation.”
“Let’s say I don’t buy into all this superstition nonsense,” her father said. “Kind of wish you hadn’t insisted I tell my daughter.”
“Just what did he tell them?” Yuliy wondered, watching her carefully.
“I take it she wasn’t turned off by what I said?”
“How much I wish she weren’t into that kind of thing. Goodness knows it is what turned her other prospects away. Fancying this supernatural stuff actually to be true. Even I’m bothered by it.”
“Don’t worry,” his uncle said. “Children like her are most welcome in this home, though she and Yuliy aren’t children anymore.”
“Believing in that kind of thing,” her father continued as he was led away by Yuliy’s uncle so he could speak with Ryoka on his own.
“Are you really a Sirius, or what Westerners call a werewolf?”
Zealousness was unexpected, frightening perhaps. “Yes.”
Xenas she was, not hesitating to ask so many questions to which he gave yes or no answers until her father came to fetch her to leave.
“Well?”
Very much Yuliy hadn ’t expected his uncle’s question, fidgeting slightly.
“Unusual girl, I must admit,” his uncle finally said. “Though I think, and that’s why I picked her, that’s what you need. So?”
“Really? Quit trying to act like I’m normal.”
“Perhaps I’ve been misunderstood here.”
“Only you would think marriage was a possibility for me!”
“Never did I think it not, given that marriage was possible between my sister and your father, wasn’t it? My mistake is in assuming that it wasn’t a loving relationship, that she was taken by force just as everyone else in the family said. Let me make it clear now that I don’t think that is the case, that I know your mother loved your father and you. Know that I love you as well.”
“Just because you say so doesn’t make it so! I haven’t once heard you talk about my brother!”
“His name was Mikhail, or so she told me before she died.” Generally, they didn’t talk about his mother, who was gone, something Yuliy always felt the Iba clan blamed him for. Fingers reached up to clutch his clothing, his eyes closing. “Even though there might be some issues between you and the Naoe girl, I wanted to make sure you being a Sirius, wasn’t one of them. Do you think she’s cute?”
“Cute,” Yuliy stammered, a blush on his cheeks betraying his interest in her.
“Believe me,” his uncle laughed, “I know this is rather awkward for you. All youth go through this when they fall in love, but that was what I was hoping for.”
Zeal from his uncle didn ’t cover how out there Yuliy thought his uncle’s thought process was—like never, though he did know the man meant well, trying to find someone.
“You know I just want you to be happy like your mother was with your father,” his uncle finished, making the goals quite clear—even if those goals were still confused and tumbling around in Yuliy’s head as were his feelings for Ryoko.