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[colorature]

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[shoelicking]

[ Tsurugi gasps playfully, putting a hand to his chest in fake shock. ]

Diva-chan, don’t tell me — you just want to get in my bedroom? I thought we had so much more than that.

[colorature]

We do!

_{[Okay he's teasing and making fun of her, sure, but still! Let her live Tsurugi!]}

I'm just curious.

[shoelicking]

[ It’s endearing that she replies earnestly, and Tsurugi smiles warmly at her. ]

Cute, cute...

[ After an exhale of air that’s almost a sigh, he finishes his dessert. It’s not as if showing her where he lives means she’ll live with him — on the contrary, he’s pretty sure living with her is something he’ll never have to worry about. She’s happy where she is, and he’s not worth upending that for. ]

Do you really want to see?

[colorature]

_{[She won't be living with him, if only because of how attached she is to Adrian. Not to mention he spoils her rotten.]}

Mm, I do. But it doesn't have to be now. _{[The last bit of her crepe is stuffed past her lips.]} When you've made things tidy you can invite me over.

[shoelicking]

Haha, I’ll keep that in mind~

[ Actively cleaning his room is another story. ]

Was it good? [ He takes what trash there is and throws it in the direction of a trash can — his aim is practically supernatural, so he sinks the shot with ease. Years of weapon training pays off sometimes.

Free of the crepe wrappers, he can easily take advantage of their closeness, and wraps an arm around her shoulders. ]

[colorature]

Yeah! It was pretty yummy. Thanks Tsurugi.

_{[A sort of calmness takes over her as she finds his arm around her shoulders. He's warm and it's cozy to be tucked against someone like this. There isn't much going on in her head as the two of them sit. She's simply enjoying the scenery and the comfort another person's company can bring.]}

[shoelicking]

Haha! You’re welcome.

[ He’s not sure why she’s thanking him considering how he got the food, but he’ll take it. ]

One day I’ll take you on a nice date.

[ He rests his cheek on the top of her head, closing his eyes. He’s always liked sitting outside; it beat being stuck in a basement anyway. ]

Oh, I was thinking...

We haven’t named them. Ah, unless you have already...

[colorature]

I haven't.

_{[The weight of his cheek pressed atop her head makes her feel even more snug. He might not think this is a nice date but she's enjoying herself. Simple doesn't necessarily mean bad.]}

They'll be girls though, so they need cute names.

[shoelicking]

Girls... [ She’d told him such before, but it is still hard to actually imagine. He’d always assumed he’d die way before having kids would ever come up. Sure, Jun had one, but that had been different — Jun actually made sense as a parent. ]

Did you have anything in mind? I’ve... never even thought about names before this.

[colorature]

Hmm...I was thinking maybe musical names would be cute? Like Arietta or Melody. I like French names too.

_{[Someone's bias is showing.]}

[shoelicking]

Musical names? Ah, that's really cute! Then you'd match! ♥

[ It makes sense for a mother to match her children, the sort of connection that Tsurugi would have killed to have. ]

I like that a lot.

[colorature]

Do you?

_{[She's delighted, putting it simply, that he agrees with her. Even so, she's curious as to what he might offer up as a suggestion.]}

What about you, Tsurugi? Is there a name you like that you would want?

[shoelicking]

Yeah! ♥

[ A name that he'd want -- it's a baffling concept to him, even now. ]

I've... never really thought about it. I don't think I'd be very good at coming up with names. I barely have one myself, ha ha!

[colorature]

What do you mean?

_{[She's fully looking at him now, head cocked slightly out of curiosity.]}

You have two names. I only have one.

[shoelicking]

Ah, that's true, isn't it...

[ His family name, he prefers not to count. Why have a family name without a family? It hardly made sense.

Tsurugi, though-- ]

I don't know what name I was born with. I don't know if I was even named, really. Tai-chan picked out 'Tsurugi.'

[ It's hard not to wonder if Touma will keep that name, his human name, when he turns him. ]

But eventually, I will forget being Tsurugi, and I guess be something else.

[colorature]

...Why would you forget?

_{[No really, she doesn't get it. Shifting a bit on the bench, their thighs touching, she looks at him a bit closer, brow furrowed.]}

Saya Dear gave me my name. No one bothered to give me one except her as they saw me as no better than an animal. Worse, I think. Pets get names.

_{[A sad truth but it's the truth none the less.]}

You're Tsurugi to me. I won't let you forget.

[shoelicking]

[ He hates the part of himself that feels understanding. He's walled off this part of himself so much that extending sympathy to someone in the same position seems like it would go against his very foundation. He can't admit it's wrong for someone else without first admitting it had been wrong for him. ]

She picked a really good one...

[ He leans against her, for the physical comfort if nothing else. ]

Tsurugi means 'sword.' [ Touma had named him what he'd always intended him to be -- a weapon. An inanimate object.

He makes no effort to elaborate on why he'd forget. He doesn't know what Kuro has told her, and part of him hopes to never find out. ]

[colorature]

Does it?

_{[Sword huh...the newfound knowledge has her lips quirking upward, fangs poking out. Snuggling against his side she looks back out at the park before speaking again, her fingers finding his.]}

Does that mean you're my sword?

[shoelicking]

If that's what you want me to be~ ♥ I said I was yours, ne~?

[ Tsurugi laces their fingers together, running the tips of his fingers gently over her knuckles. ]

[colorature]

You did.

_{[She squeezes his hand tight at that, part of her wanting to climb into his lap and tuck herself against him completely.]}

Maybe you can be my new Chevalier.

[shoelicking]

Eh? Cheva... what?

[ It's a word he hasn't heard before, so he gazes at her quizzically. ]

[colorature]

It means knight in French. Before I arrived here I had a few. They're Chiropterans like me. I turned them.

_{[There's a heavy implication there and quite obvious if he cares to let what she's saying sink in.]}

We could be together forever then. You wouldn't die.

[shoelicking]

Ah... [ He doesn't pull his hand back completely, but his grip loosens slightly. It isn't fear -- in hindsight, it only makes sense that she would offer. ]

I can't... [ He's pretty sure that after all Touma and he have done that he's no longer human, but that's terrifying to think about. ] Something like that...

It isn't okay.

[colorature]

_{[His reaction has her face falling, the smile sliding away as she feels his grip go loose. Something inside of her twists, her lips turning down with the weight of an oncoming pout.]}

Why? Why isn't it okay? Why does everyone think it's so terrible or wrong to be what I am?

_{[For how sweet the crepe had been there's a sour taste in her mouth as she finds herself pulling away from him, only to stand before him.]}

I'm not forcing you to be anything you don't want to be...but don't insult me. Is that what you're going to tell our children when they hatch? That they're not okay?

[shoelicking]

[ She's mad. She pulls away, and he reaches after her only to let his hand drop before grabbing her again. ]

No! That's not... that's not what I meant! You're scary when you're mad...

[ This time, he does try to grab her, though it's a grasp at the hem of her dress. ]

I... Tai-chan-- [ It's hard to settle on words when he's avoided saying it for so long. He tugs on her dress, only to bury his face in her hips. ]

I'm already...

I don't think I'm human anymore.