was wrongfully blamed. Betrayed. I sat in prison for ten years stewing on that, learning more and more about what really happened. It was my companion, the man in the cell next to mine, who pieced it all together, the whole sordid affair and how I wasn't supposed to survive at all. I should have died in that alleyway with Arata.
"Instead I survived, was buried in the Isola del tasso, where I spent all my time plotting my revenge. But as you say, all of it, from the beginning. Arata and I fell in love, had been in love that whole summer. We knew our families would never tolerate it, not when there were loftier marriages being arranged, children we'd be expected to have, the bad blood… so we decided our only chance was to run away. We planned it carefully. Left in the dead of night. I stopped at that old Neko Tavern to get some dumplings for the road… and minutes later a bandit attacked us. He didn't care about the money. He just wanted us dead." Dante lifted his left hand and flexed it, baring completely the terrible scar that went right through the middle.
Only then did Naoki realize that in all their time together, this was the first time he'd gotten a full, good look at the hand. His one other real glimpse had been only that: a glimpse, a taunting hint he should have taken instead of ignoring.
Dante dropped his hand and looked out over the garden as he continued his tale, from being dragged off to the ship where he was harassed by guards amused to have a Ferro of all people under their care. The vastly more abusive guards at the prison, the ones who tormented for sport, the ones who'd only bring extra food and medicine for Faria in exchange for sexual favors from Dante. The cold, the starving, the grueling work, the way he'd always been in one sort of pain or another. Faria's death, Dante's escape.
Finding the legendary treasure of the Lost Empress. Locating Forthwind. Building his new identity up, securing his title… arriving in Verona and setting his plans in motion by way of arranging for Naoki to be robbed on the way home so Dante could rescue him. The ball, the pirates, and so many other things, large and small.
By the time he finished, Naoki could not speak, too busy wiping tears from his eyes at the horrific story laid out for him.
"You, Haru, Kumiko… none of you were supposed to be hurt. None of you were guilty of anything. I used the three of you to further my revenge, but I never intended for Kumiko and Reina to come to harm, for them and Haru to go through so much tumult and pain."
Naoki swallowed, and finally asked the question burning in his throat. In his heart. "What about me? Us?"
Dante laughed sourly. "I thought I had learned my lesson fifteen years ago, to never get mixed up with an Ishikawa, let alone fall for one. I seem to have a weakness that I cannot overcome. I never for a moment thought I would find myself enthralled with you. So far as my research went, my plans, you were the family drunk, apathetic and easily used to my own ends. I was very, very wrong about you. I realized that from the moment we dueled.
"I tried to stay away, tried not to be stupid and reprehensible… but resisting you is like resisting a rip current: impossible. You have really been quite impossible from the moment I really saw you, Ishikawa Naoki, and I don't know what to do with that. I would never be so crass as to ask forgiveness, but my feelings for you have always been sincere. They cracked my resolve for revenge a long time ago; I simply would not listen to myself. I should have. Maybe this whole horrible mess would not have happened." He sighed and looked away again, staring at things only he could see.
What was Naoki supposed to do? The lies, the deceit… but he could only blame Dante so far for that. He'd said very clearly that he had secrets and lies to his name, that Naoki would hate the truth. Naoki had said he didn't care. He didn't regret that decision, no matter how painful his present was.
He also couldn't deny that in Dante's place… Well, he didn't have Dante's boldness or his crafty wit. But would he have