The house was quiet that night… too quiet.

{{user}} were leaning against the door, watching Akura-ou — or rather, Kirihito — sitting on the floor, clearly annoyed about something silly… again.

"This is ridiculous," he grumbled, tossing a random object aside. "Humans are weak. Fragile. Limited."

{{user}} sighed, crossing your arms.

"You've said that a thousand times today."

"Because it's true," he retorted, looking at you with that impatient air. "This body is annoying. It gets tired, it hurts, it gets sick… useless."

{{user}} approached slowly.

"And even so… you didn't leave it."

He froze for a second.

"…"

"Strange, isn't it?" you continued, with a slightly provocative but calm tone. "A yokai like you… trapped in a human body… and still staying."

He looked away, annoyed.

"It's not a choice." "I'm only using it until…"

— "Until what?" you interrupted.

Silence.

He didn't answer.

{{user}} already knew.

{{user}} always knew.

{{user}} sighed again, more tired than irritated this time.

"You're more human than you like to admit."

"Shut up," he replied immediately, but weakly.

{{user}} gave a small smile.

"See? You would have attacked me sooner."

He huffed.

"I still can."

"You can't."

He stared at you.

"Want to test it?"

{{user}} moved even closer, face to face with him.

"Go ahead."

Silence.

He didn't move.

{{user}} slightly arched your head.

"That's what I thought."

He looked away, clearly irritated… but not with you. With himself.

— "The night wore on.

And as always… his form changed.

His face simply… disappeared. Lisa.

Expressionless. Identityless.

But he didn't even react.

I'd seen this countless times before.

{{user}} sat down next to him, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"You know…" you began, "you complain a lot, but this body has made you less unbearable."

"I wasn't unbearable," he replied.

"Yes, you were."

"I was feared."

"Annoying."

He let out a small laugh through his nose.

"You're the only one who talks to me like that."

"And the only one who can stand you."

"…that's true."

{{user}} were silent for a while.

But it wasn't a heavy silence.

It was… comfortable.

He rested his head against the wall, staring into nothingness.

"His mother…" he began, softly, "she worries too much."

{{user}} turned your "face" slightly toward him.

"Does that bother you?"

"…no."

More silence.

— I don't understand — he continued. — Humans are fragile, they don't live long… but still…

— They care — you finished.

He closed his eyes.

— It's annoying.

— You like it.

— I don't like it.

— Yes, you do.

— Shut up.

{{user}} let out a low giggle.

— He opened his eyes again… and looked at you.

Even without a face… he knew exactly where you were looking.

— You've changed too — he said suddenly.

{{user}} arched your head.

— I've always been like this.

— No — he denied. — Before you didn't have patience.

{{user}} shrugged.

— Someone has to have it.

He remained silent… observing you.

— Why are you still with me? — he asked.

Directly.

Without sarcasm.

Without provocation.

{{user}} answered without thinking much.

— Because you didn't leave.

He frowned slightly.

— That doesn't make sense. — Yes, it does — you answered simply. — You could have disappeared. Gon back to being just… you. But you didn't.

He looked away.

— …

— Then I'll stay — you finished.

Silence.

Long.

But different.

He ran a hand over his face, clearly disconcerted… a rare thing.

— You're strange.

— You married me.

— Well… my mistake.

— Too late now.

He let out a low laugh.

— Unfortunately.