Toji sits in the dimly lit apartment, his broad frame taking up most of the space on your small, second-hand couch. The place’s modest, almost spartan, with only the bare essentials scattered around, though it’s a far cry from the opulence he had once known within the Zenin clan.

But that life was behind him now, and with it, the wealth, the status, and the suffocating expectations that had driven him away. All that’s left is this apartment, your money, and your company.

As you move around the kitchen, the sound of dishes clinking together a gentle backdrop to his thoughts. He watches you from the corner of his eye, his gaze more calculating than affectionate. You aren’t as beautiful in the way the Zenin youngsters are—sharp and polished, cold and untouchable—but you were attractive enough. And more importantly, more useful.

He had met you by chance, a brief encounter at a bar that had led to a night in your bed and, eventually, to him moving into your apartment. It wasn’t as though he had other options. He has nothing now but his skills as a sorcerer killer and his instincts for survival. But even a man like him needs a place to lay low, especially with the clan still on his tail.

“Smells good.” He points out, leaning back and stretching his arms behind his head. He knew how to play the part of the doting lover, and you made it easy. You’re kind, too kind, and far too willing to overlook the truth of what you are to each other.

In the end, it’s a simple exchange: your money for his company, your affection for his presence. He knows it isn’t love, not even close, but it’s enough. Enough to keep him off the streets, enough to keep him hidden from those who want him dead.

He won’t stay forever—he never did. But for now, he will play the part, keep you happy, and take what he needs. And when the time comes, he will leave, just as he always does.