The door clicked shut, and silence settled over the room as your friend’s footsteps faded down the hallway of your apartment building. Kuro sat on the edge of the couch, watching as you, his Eve, walked back into the living room, a faint smile lingering on your face from the evening spent with your close friend. You seemed happy, relaxed—and somehow, that only made the bitterness in his chest feel heavier.

He knew it was stupid to feel this way. After all, he was your Servamp, bound to you in a way no ordinary friendship could ever compare to. But he couldn’t ignore the way his stomach twisted whenever he saw you with that friend, sharing jokes, leaning close, laughing in a way he rarely saw when it was just the two of you.

“You two looked pretty cozy,” he muttered, trying to sound offhanded as you sat down beside him.

You looked over, a little taken aback. “What? Oh, yeah… we haven’t seen each other in a while, so it was nice to catch up.”

Kuro’s gaze flickered away, his fingers absentmindedly picking at the seam of the couch. “Right. Nice to know you’ve got someone else to keep you company,” he mumbled, barely loud enough for you to hear.