[He carries Kitsuno bridal style across the thresh-hold, kicks off his shoes too, and sets her down gracefully, immediately turning his attention to the fox.]
Hey Mitsu, I missed you too. [He did. The fox that reminds him nothing of the bookworm Mitsunari, the coincidental namesake of her father he was named after.]
No candy on me just yet, but I promise soon. [PETS!]
[Definitely not distracting himself to buy time to think of what to say.]
[Ren, the boyfriend, has other lovers. And his own castle. Wait, Kitsuno's been staying at the castle?]
[He's not angry, like he promised. He was more furious at himself for abandoning her. Angry at whatever took him from her. Just because Nobunaga had no control of it, is no excuse in his eyes. He can't even remember how he got taken, or what he was doing.]
[He always told her though, her freedom and happiness came first. Always above his jealous, always above all else.]
[She counted the days without him, and his heart aches at that.]
[Nobunaga's usual mode is a billion questions. The endless thirst search for knowledge. The entire motivation that kept him moving in life, trying to find answers, trying to think of impossible best solutions to impossible unsolvable problems, to be the first the most daring, the best, the only one crazy enough to do what he did.]
[He's got a billion more now.]
[Who's Ren? Why does he have his own castle? Can Nobunaga defeat him in one on one combat? No no, that'd make her sad, and he's not even angry. He can't be grateful, he's a Demon King, not a saint. But he's definitely not angry. Relieved.]
[Because... she's free, right? That meant she kept her freedom.]
[Even though she still counted the days.]
[There's so many questions.]
[Finally he takes a step to her. One, two, three, and some how it only took three steps to close the distance, and he picks her up again, and sweeps her off her feet in the deepest kiss he can, throwing all his emotion and longing into it. Desire, passion, sorrow. Relief that he can see her again now. This moment. It matters.]
[Half because he missed her. He can't even say that, he wasn't here, how could he miss her? But he did. It's like some interminable longing in his heart. The first time he left and came back, it was like no time at all had passed for him. Why was this the opposite? What changed? He doesn't know.]
[He holds the kiss as long as he can, as long as she'll let him.]
[Not to wash away or override thoughts of Ren.]
[But rather... he's glad. What if he never even got this chance? What if she just missed him, never knowing what happened?]
[Demon kings destroy worlds, not solve their calamities. They ARE the calamity.]
[And yet, and yet...]
[What will it take to make sure he can keep this promise?]
[He's a tyrant, but he wants her freedom. He promised her that. One step forward, even if three steps back, he'll find the way to close the gap again.]
[Finally, FINALLY he drops the kiss, closes his eyes, and leans his head on hers all over again.]
I'm glad. I'm glad you didn't close yourself off, lock yourself up in here, hide away from people, scared of yourself or of them, or having your heart broken more. [She was stronger than him there, he wondered if she knew that.]
[He rests a finger on her lips.]
[It does hurt. Not that she found someone else in the interim. Truthfully, Nobunaga doesn't have any insecurities about that because he knows he's the best, and just has to prove it. What hurts is the failure. It's rare for him to fail. But he couldn't keep his world's Kitsuno alive, and he couldn't stay here, and what's really killing him is he doesn't know why. Yet. But he'll figure it out. No matter what.]
I'm glad. [He can't smile though.] No matter what, it means I won. I freed you from your bonds, and I told you that's what I wanted to do. [He kisses her forehead, and goes back to closing his eyes.] I'm still going to make it up to you. [Every day. Every way.]
[And find a solution. One no one else knew existed. It had to exist because he was here now. Rather than what sent him away, it was probably his stubbornness that kept him coming back. Not even Hell could contain him.]
Kitsuno I... [He falters. He needs to say something, but can't.] I'm sorry, but I won't be letting you go back to his Castle tonight. You can tell me all about him. How you met. How he makes you feel. What life is like there. How this long year has been for you. But I'll do whatever it takes to keep you with me. One hour at a time. [Eh, when in doubt, he's always the tyrant.]
I don't think I'll be able to let you go for quite some time. Hopefully that's not breaking my promise too much, just making up for lost days. [Ah. That's what this feeling is. The sorrow of all those days. He wanted them. There's never enough time. No man lives long enough. And still...] You don't have to talk about him either if you don't want to. I know I've always been childish about your first human companion. [Yahmeji. His world's Kitsuno's ex too. Such things...] Just so long as you stay with me and let me hear your voice again.
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Hey Mitsu, I missed you too. [He did. The fox that reminds him nothing of the bookworm Mitsunari, the coincidental namesake of her father he was named after.]
No candy on me just yet, but I promise soon. [PETS!]
[Definitely not distracting himself to buy time to think of what to say.]
[Ren, the boyfriend, has other lovers. And his own castle. Wait, Kitsuno's been staying at the castle?]
[He's not angry, like he promised. He was more furious at himself for abandoning her. Angry at whatever took him from her. Just because Nobunaga had no control of it, is no excuse in his eyes. He can't even remember how he got taken, or what he was doing.]
[He always told her though, her freedom and happiness came first. Always above his jealous, always above all else.]
[She counted the days without him, and his heart aches at that.]
[Nobunaga's usual mode is a billion questions. The endless thirst search for knowledge. The entire motivation that kept him moving in life, trying to find answers, trying to think of impossible best solutions to impossible unsolvable problems, to be the first the most daring, the best, the only one crazy enough to do what he did.]
[He's got a billion more now.]
[Who's Ren? Why does he have his own castle? Can Nobunaga defeat him in one on one combat? No no, that'd make her sad, and he's not even angry. He can't be grateful, he's a Demon King, not a saint. But he's definitely not angry. Relieved.]
[Because... she's free, right? That meant she kept her freedom.]
[Even though she still counted the days.]
[There's so many questions.]
[Finally he takes a step to her. One, two, three, and some how it only took three steps to close the distance, and he picks her up again, and sweeps her off her feet in the deepest kiss he can, throwing all his emotion and longing into it. Desire, passion, sorrow. Relief that he can see her again now. This moment. It matters.]
[Half because he missed her. He can't even say that, he wasn't here, how could he miss her? But he did. It's like some interminable longing in his heart. The first time he left and came back, it was like no time at all had passed for him. Why was this the opposite? What changed? He doesn't know.]
[He holds the kiss as long as he can, as long as she'll let him.]
[Not to wash away or override thoughts of Ren.]
[But rather... he's glad. What if he never even got this chance? What if she just missed him, never knowing what happened?]
[Demon kings destroy worlds, not solve their calamities. They ARE the calamity.]
[And yet, and yet...]
[What will it take to make sure he can keep this promise?]
[He's a tyrant, but he wants her freedom. He promised her that. One step forward, even if three steps back, he'll find the way to close the gap again.]
[Finally, FINALLY he drops the kiss, closes his eyes, and leans his head on hers all over again.]
I'm glad. I'm glad you didn't close yourself off, lock yourself up in here, hide away from people, scared of yourself or of them, or having your heart broken more. [She was stronger than him there, he wondered if she knew that.]
[He rests a finger on her lips.]
[It does hurt. Not that she found someone else in the interim. Truthfully, Nobunaga doesn't have any insecurities about that because he knows he's the best, and just has to prove it. What hurts is the failure. It's rare for him to fail. But he couldn't keep his world's Kitsuno alive, and he couldn't stay here, and what's really killing him is he doesn't know why. Yet. But he'll figure it out. No matter what.]
I'm glad. [He can't smile though.] No matter what, it means I won. I freed you from your bonds, and I told you that's what I wanted to do. [He kisses her forehead, and goes back to closing his eyes.] I'm still going to make it up to you. [Every day. Every way.]
[And find a solution. One no one else knew existed. It had to exist because he was here now. Rather than what sent him away, it was probably his stubbornness that kept him coming back. Not even Hell could contain him.]
Kitsuno I... [He falters. He needs to say something, but can't.] I'm sorry, but I won't be letting you go back to his Castle tonight. You can tell me all about him. How you met. How he makes you feel. What life is like there. How this long year has been for you. But I'll do whatever it takes to keep you with me. One hour at a time. [Eh, when in doubt, he's always the tyrant.]
I don't think I'll be able to let you go for quite some time. Hopefully that's not breaking my promise too much, just making up for lost days. [Ah. That's what this feeling is. The sorrow of all those days. He wanted them. There's never enough time. No man lives long enough. And still...] You don't have to talk about him either if you don't want to. I know I've always been childish about your first human companion. [Yahmeji. His world's Kitsuno's ex too. Such things...] Just so long as you stay with me and let me hear your voice again.