When Midnight Jokes Become Real

That they indeed were. And so were their problems, technically, otherwise all this probably wouldn’t be happening the way it was. Rika seemed to be a mess deep down pretty much at all times, to the point of the issues being his own identity in a sense. And while he did have his somewhat rare moments of crashing himself, he did not quite define himself by his weaknesses like that. He had some issues, yes, but he was well aware that they weren’t who he was in the end. Not really. And he wasn’t caught in it constantly anyway, as his condition was more on the mild side, thus he was able to draw the line between the two pretty well. Well, when he wasn’t completely shot down, that is. In the case where he was, he was quite capable of coming off as a wreck, as could have been seen before. Perhaps this was also why he hadn’t been the most forthcoming of the demon’s statement about how being in uncomfortable situations and such showed one’s real self. Yes, being in a tight spot would reveal your weak spots you would normally not show, that much was true. But a person is both their weaknesses and strengths together. You cannot just look at them when they’re at their shittiest due to something, and say that what you see in that moment is really them for who they are. He wasn’t really willing to accept that concept the way it was, for he wouldn’t believe that it was right to call what could easily just be a breakdown due to a lot of pressure one’s real self. You’d be missing out on a lot of the person if that’s the conclusion you decide to make.

Differences and all that aside, or perhaps actually due to them, they would eventually get through some rough spots and land into a rather strange kind of face off. Well, if it could even be that, since they weren’t necessarily fighting on the same ground in this. ‘’I’m not you…so I cannot say what would work in your case. However, I believe everyone is capable of standing up for themselves, even if it may require extra work for some. You need to find some way to convince yourself that running is not an option…or perhaps, you’d figure out what to do if you had to face things without being able to just run away. It’s your own mind in the end. You’ve had to learn how to run to be able to do it, yes? So you must be able to learn how to take other actions as well. People manage to pick up new skills without having a speck of knowledge about them or how to do them before they set their foot into the territory. I would say not knowing before you start is not an excuse. If that was how life worked, we’d all still be clumsy little babies, for we would have been unable to learn anything or change in any way, seeing how a newborn baby has nothing and knows nothing of how to walk forward at that point yet.’’ Backing away because of not being able to see a clear path was just an act done out of fear, was it not? You may be scared, but that does not automatically render you unable to ever pull through with your dreams/goals. You just have to find the will to tough it out and walk through the new land blindly the first time around. Or you could even seek someone’s guidance to help you a bit, if it is something one can be of assistance with. One way or another, most things are possible, unless it is something you are simply not equipped to do. A person in a wheelchair is not exactly going to become a runner when they cannot even stand up. But it’s not like the demon had some sort of detrimental disability of that caliber. The guy just needed to get a hold of his own head.

Moving onto more confusing matters however…to be honest, even if he had understood the gesture completely, he would have not approved of it. There are plenty ways to show you’re willing to trust someone with your self/life/whatever without making yourself look like an obedient puppy. He didn’t even really equal trust with something like that, because it was nearly the opposite of what he would like. How was submitting to someone like a little pet even a positive thing? It frankly did not compute in his mind. He would never do something like that himself if he had the choice to just do something else. Regardless, he wouldn’t shift for the time being, content enough with the position he had settled on before as he simply kept looking at the other. Not like there was much else he could do anyway, and he was not keen on the idea of approaching the guy right now. That probably wouldn’t help things at this moment. He was a little busy trying to not get back to being exasperated either way. How did the guy completely misinterpret his words into something they weren’t meant to be at all was totally beyond him. He would shake his head slightly. ‘’You’ve got it all wrong there. I’m not even asking you to do anything. Not in the sense of you doing what I tell you to. All I really ask is that you act on your own judgment, not keep looking over your shoulder at me for what to do next all the time. Do what you want to do. I’m not your master or something.’’ That was honestly a very ew idea, even. ‘’I don’t really get why are you so eager to act like a servant or whatever it is you’re doing. Honestly? The idea of doing this just makes me sick to my stomach. I don’t understand. Everyone has things they want to do. You’re your own person, are you not? So why do you keep pushing the idea of me deciding things for you, like you couldn’t lift a finger on your own decision? If I wanted a perfect boyfriend who never makes a single mistake, I’d get myself a human looking robot who would obey my commands without a single complaint whenever I decide I want something. I wouldn’t need a living person to have that.’’ He was pretty serious there. This was the last thing he would want. It was just not right, and rather sad on top of that. He didn’t want a well-trained dog for a partner. Well, some types of people may enjoy having that kind of natural upper hand…but he would sooner kiss a rat’s ass than that. That was very much a no for him.

That said…’’I’m not asking you to just know anyway. What’s got you sitting on needles so hard anyhow? Do you really think I’ll bite off your head if you don’t perform top-notch according to my wishes or something? I’m not anything like those people you’ve served before or whatever you did exactly, you know. And a real relationship isn't supposed to be about this either.’’ He could be pushy at times, yes, but it was not with that type of intention at all. He just liked some sort of challenge here and there. It was more fun to be able to play around without someone always having a tail between their legs about everything. He did have his own worries when things got bad in his mind, but this here was a new level, even for his standards. Still, he would answer the question the other posed after. ‘’I didn’t really think that far. Probably something verbal? Like a phrase one would just not say at random for no reason? Gestures and the like could get misinterpreted way too easily.’’ And he wouldn’t want to go down the rabbit hole of the guy thinking he was seeing something in things that weren’t quite it. At least with words, one can’t jump the gun unless they’re so out of it they’re hearing voices made of their own imagination too. At the end of the day though? He didn’t even plan to make use of this. He brought this up in hopes that it would help the guy be more forward in some way, and that was about that. He was quite open-minded with things if one actually took the time to work with him without running off too early, so he did not expect there would be many situations where he’d find himself in the need to push away flat out. With how ridiculously timid the demon was being, he doubted any of it would be coming up twice as much anyway. He could sometimes take an extended moment to be completely at ease with something, but to completely reject? It would take something he really disliked hard. Plus, he could always lean back on subtle moves just like he used the guy’s horns to shift him around back then. Depending on what was happening, such could also prevent the worst without him even needing to be so sharp about it.

Issues...that became an identity. That was probably true of the demon, though how aware he was of this fact was something questionable. What could be said is that the demon hated whatever this was he had. He had anxiety, he had scarring. He wanted to let it all go and find peace. He had thought a long time ago he had achieved this goal, but perhaps he felt that way because he didn’t allow himself to get attached to others. Didn’t let them close enough to drop his guard and act like this….didn’t truly let them in where they could see... this.

He guarded this side of him well and kept from the world because when he did let it out he wasn’t the best he could be. He was broken and he did not want the world to know that and in turn take advantage of it. So he walked as if he was proud and confident. As if nothing was wrong. For the world he pretended to be strong when in reality he was not that way at all...but still he had survived this way. So why was it that now he had something good before him, he pulled something like this? Something that could potentially destroy things? Chase the other away? Well the answer was simple: he did it because...he wanted to trust this guy. Wanted to trust him with himself and in turn have him trust him in the same way; however, in order for him to see if he could really do said things...he had to peel off the mask and reveal things less pleasant. Did this mean this was all to the demon? No, but it was a thing that had to be contended with in the end for both of them….

The demon didn’t want the other to look at him and go oh shit this is baggage. He didn’t want the other to think that by showing  him this, he was asking him to carry him alone. No...He wasn’t asking to be carried. All he was asking was for the guy to see him as he is and accept him. He let his flaws be shown, expressed his fears and then waited for whatever came. It was true they were not on the same page 99% of the time, but perhaps if they could work on it one day. One day perhaps they could see eye-to-eye and maybe the demon could actually hold his head up not due to pretending, but because he actually knew he could. It was hard to say what the future held and while some scenarios did cross the demon’s mind, he didn’t focus too much on those as he simply dealt with the mess that was before him.

He was unsure, scared and very much on the edge of running. He wanted to bolt, but he kept himself where he was. As miserable as he was, his mind didn’t focus on himself, but rather the other with him and what he may be thinking in all this. It hurt all the way around, but the demon didn’t hide this fucked up aspect of himself. He let it show and the other? The other actually didn’t push him away. The guy….somehow took what he was given and instead of slapping him down or shoving him away, he tried to help him. While it didn’t show on the demon’s face or his deflated positioning, what the guy was doing was getting through to him and slowly calming him down.

Still a bit trembly, the demon’s eyebrows would furrow a bit in thought as he looked off to the side a bit. “That makes...alot of sense….I mean I know how to learn, but….I don’t know exactly what it is I need to learn said skills….Is tools or the willpower to do? What? and like...is...” he would bite his lip, somewhat scared to ask what he was about to do, but instead of letting it drift away this time, the demon grabbed the thing he wanted to say and just said. It was hard considering, he never had the courage to do this, but….The demon’s eyes would turn to look at the other. His expression a bit timid still, but even so he tried to be a bite more up front about what he wanted. “Is...it alright to ask you to help me with this? Like I am not asking you to carry me….I know I have to do much on my own...but the support would be nice….” he would say, holding the other’s gaze for a moment, but then dropping his eyes. he would sigh quietly as he rubbed his arm a bit. It was uncomfortable asking for help with such a personal matter, but he needed to get out of this and when he couldn’t do it on his own was it wrong to ask for help….especially from someone he was suppose to trust? Was it too much to ask? The demon was unsure, but he would let that go where it would as things moved elsewhere. The fact that he even managed to ask was a miracle on its own so maybe this small step was good?

Well whether that step was good or not, it seemed the demon pretty much fell right off the cliff with the next thing that occurred. The guy didn’t seem to get the action and while the guy did speak and try to explain what he expected of the demon, the first round the demon kind of wasn’t following what he was being asked. When the guy pretty much said the same words in another fashion, the demon would blink as he looked back up at him, blinking a bit as he tried to comprehend what was being said. Do what he wanted? Be his own person? Not master and servant relationship?

These words...he had heard them once a long time ago….but it had been so long and so much stuff had happened between the then and now that he didn’t recognize that option anymore as he had relied on hiding most of the time. Asking him to stand up again...and be on equal ground with another, that request was both terrifying and wonderful at the same time, so for a moment the demon didn’t know what to do with what he heard as his eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the other quietly for a moment before trying to speak. “I...I don’t know….I guess...I guess unconsciously was pushing such an idea….” Seriously, he had no idea he was even coming off that way until the guy said something. Was that the type of relationship he really wanted? Hell no and yet due to conditioning he had unconsciously pushed that idea anyway. As for that next part…

The demon winced slightly at the question as he looked down a bit. “I….know you aren’t like those people from the past….but that still doesn’t change the fact that I am just….” he would shake his with a frown before looking up at the other forcing himself this round to keep the other’s gaze. “I am...skittish and terrified of you because...I don’t know. I don’t know what you are going to do if I do this or that..and I know it should be a simple matter of just….throwing that worry aside and just going with the flow, but the closer I want to move towards...the more scared I become and kind of just freak out. It’s dumb….I know, but...that is just what happens. I want...to move forward…..but I just freeze. Like walking to of cliff and just stopping instead of jumping of when I need to….I...I can’t say that is something that is going to change quickly...I wasn’t lying when I said, I really try, but….this hesitation and anxiety is going to be there….so….I just hope you don’t take it to horribly….It’s not that I don’t trust you...I am just scared and...I haven’t...haven’t quite figured out how to walk with that….I don’t want you to feel like you have to be all so careful with me because of this...I just...umm….” the demon would pause to swallow a bit and try to regather his thoughts there. He couldn’t get them all in order, but he could at least get the question he wanted to ask more or less out in the open. “I-is that okay? Will you be okay with me knowing that?”

He would keep the other’s gaze for as long as he could bare in the small silence between, but in time he would drop his eyes back to the bed, his stomach churning in uncomfortable ways as his heart thud at a slight quicker pace than usual, the fear and anxiety tearing at him, but still he did his best to hold on and not run. It was hard, but he needed to do this.

Time would tick on in this odd silence until the idea of a signal was proposed by the other. To this one, the demon would look back up at the other and after hearing what was said back, the demon would hum lightly in thought as he reached up to his left horn and pulled it slightly in thought. The action somehow getting him to focus despite being a mess.

“Hm...Verbal? I dunno….I mean it could work, but I am unsure if it could always pierce through the mess that is my brain when I am upset. I am not suggesting you slap me or anything….but physical contact does seem to work in getting me refocused….I just have no idea how we could make that universal,” the demon said quiet serious about the matter. If there was a sign, then perhaps this could work out and he’d know his boundaries without having to be too paranoid. It gave him some hope even if he was unaware of the other’s true intention with this whole deal. At least this whole thing gave him something to focus on and in turn was calming him, so maybe this was a good thing?

Well, in some way or form, saying that it was baggage was still correct. Compared to being with a person who had none of these problems and wouldn’t demand so much effort to be directed towards them to even keep things from crumbling, the demon would be a lot more baggage just by base. The guy was wishing for something that wasn’t easy to attain. Would there even be anyone who wouldn’t at the very least give an occasional thought to how troublesome this was compared to many other options they had? Maybe someone who was indeed into controlling people and liked having a ‘servant’, or the kind of person who thought they’d be amazing themselves if they went and played the role of a rescuer like a kind samaritan, neither of which were really the people the guy should be after anyway. It wasn’t that easy. Even if one hypothetically went and accepted what they saw, wasn’t it a bit of a stretch to say that dealing with these kinds of situations and all that came with them was not equal to doing some sort of carrying? The moment one has to put extra work and determination into something, it is already a load on top that can’t always be passed over as if it was a part of everything else by nature.

Definitions aside, he would frown slightly when the other came at his with a request and whatnot. ‘’I’m not sure what do you expect me to do. I would say that this leans heavily into the willpower half. It’s about your own mind. I can’t really do anything, since the only one who can do something about your mind is you. I can talk all I want, but I can’t make you move where you need to unless you yourself pull your head out of your ass and make yourself do it. What would I do, be your cheerleader or something? I’m not even good at doing that.’’ It wasn’t like he could really assist the guy in reprogramming his thinking in the end. All it would take for him to be completely useless would be the guy deciding he would rather hide away again. The only thing that would make things move forward the way they should was what Rika would decide. Which was sort of beyond his reach, as he could simply watch for the most part, and hope something good happened. And if this was to be some sort of vague job where he wouldn’t really be doing anything significant anyway, what was the point of it? If all he had to do is just be there, it sounded a little moot to even ask for it seeing as they were already dating and all.

Nevertheless, moving onto the more troubling waters of the exchange. Guess this time he made more sense than before? He wasn’t entirely sure, since the other responded very simply, thus he had no idea just how exactly did most of his words get interpreted in the guy’s head. He got something for it though, so…’’Thinking of yourself that way might be your undoing one day….’’, he would state simply, more of a contemplative statement rather than a direct comment towards Rika’s words. He did mean what he said however. Unconsciously or not, this only proved the guy was prone to seeing himself as the lesser person in relation to others. Which could end pretty badly, since not everyone would stop and question it. A lot of people would just take it and assume the demon enjoyed that kind of treatment and all for real and truly sought such. And if the guy was too scared to speak up against it on his own…well, he’d be more or less his own prisoner forever?

What came next however…was pretty tough to answer to. What was he supposed to say? Saying that he was entirely okay with this and that it wouldn’t really affect their relationship would just be a lie. He didn’t necessarily like or enjoy this kind of behavior being directed at him, and thus it would have a fairly large hand in the grand scheme of things, whether either of them wanted it to or not. ‘’Why would…’’ It seemed like he was going to say something at first, but then trailed off with a faint huff, as he finally moved from the position he’s been in up until now. He would flop himself down on his back, just lying flat on the bed as he stared up at the ceiling with a contemplative look. He would sigh and close his eyes soon after, deciding to finally say something. ‘’I’m…not sure what you would define as okay. I’m not the one to run meaninglessly, so I’m not about to leave. But I can’t say things are going to be simple. You see…it’s not really so much about me being careful to not do anything to you at this point. I’m sure you’ve seen that I’m not always the nicest seeming person in the room anyway. It’s just that…your kind of behavior tends to make my interest nonexistent. It’s like throwing a bucket of water at a small flame. I just don’t feel anything, and I can’t really pretend I enjoy the way you act. I don’t know what exactly are you seeking out of this relationship right now…but for as long as you are like this…well, I wouldn’t mind to have sex with you or anything on that front I suppose.., but when it comes to any other type of attraction..? Not really happening, I think. It doesn’t quite do anything for me in that area. So I guess it depends. Are you okay with that being a thing? For if you aren’t, then we might have a bit of a problem.’’ Well, that was that? He didn’t want to lie to the guy anyway. Honesty wasn’t always the best policy, but he felt like the guy needed to be aware of that, and it was probably better to put it out there sooner than later. Who knows? Perhaps it would give the demon more initiative to work on himself so that things could get better overall? Well, it could have a negative effect as well, he supposed, but it was what it was. He couldn’t bring himself to pretend to be swooning over the guy when he simply wasn’t.

However the other ended up reacting to that, he would eventually turn his head to look towards the guy directly as they spoke about signs and all. Hm. ‘’The way you put this makes it seem like you’d be upset before even knowing you’re going too far. Why would you be?’’, he would shake his head slightly. ‘’Nevertheless, I wasn’t really in favor of touches simply because they can easily be misunderstood. What kind of touch is there that is so distinct and would never normally happen, to the point where you couldn’t end up thinking I’m trying to do that even when I am not? I just want to avoid pointless assumptions from happening. And I thought this was just meant to let you know that you might want to back off? What does your focus and stuff suddenly have to do with it….? It’s not like you’re deaf and such when doing something, are you?’’ He was not exactly getting this. Was it so hard to just take some spoken statement at face value and stop? That’s all it was really for. If the other ended up upset due to having made the mistake, that was something to deal with after they already stopped, no? As for focus…when you aren’t focused, would some touch really register for what it is meant to be, unless it was really something extreme…? Might as well actually go for the slapping in that case. He was mildly confused there.

What Rika desired was acceptance. He knew his flaws were bad per se, draining on the nerve and made him a liability that folk probably did not want to deal with 99%. There were plenty of fish out their unbroken and probably way more interesting than him and he was sure if the guy wanted too, he could very easily hook himself something better. Something that wasn’t baggage and more up to his standards. He could leave and if he did the demon would have no one to blame, but himself for being a rather fucked up person. He didn’t want to be this way - skittish, anxiety riddled, and such. He wanted to be able to stand on his own two feet and not be what he was, but it was what it was. Sure he could change, but that took time. Time that he was unsure if he would have. Even less so if the other just up and left. The demon was distressed beyond belief as he kept his eyes down cast as his mind went a million directions at once in a chaotic fashion. It was enough to make the demon eventually sigh as he shook his head and shifted his position so that he was sitting on his butt, his knees raised so he could wrap his arms around his legs and rest head against one of his knees. Why couldn’t he just….be fixed….and not so much trouble? The trouble he was. That aside though….

Red eyes would look over at the other as he spoke, the demon actually smiling slightly as he shook his head. “I am not….asking for much I don’t think….sometimes just having somewhere there to talk to and help me wade through things is good...I mean….I know you can’t do things for me...but despite your way of speaking your point of view...is appreciated and kind of helps me see through the mess upstairs….kind of like a guiding light in the fog...if that makes any sense.” And honestly that is all he was asking for. He knew the guy couldn’t change him...that alot of what needed to be done all feel on him. While he was by no means asking the guy to be a cheerleader, a thing hard to imagine period, he was asking for support. He would need someone to be able to lean on and talk to outside of psychiatrist. Someone that could see things he couldn’t and in turn help him out when he was lost. He wasn’t asking for hand holding just a bit of guidance here and there. Surely that wasn’t too much to ask...was it? He supposed he would simply have to wait and see considering he wasn’t even sure how the other translated what he said yet.

Speaking of translations, the next bit would be indeed a mystery as to just how much of what was said sunk into the demon’s skull; however, what wasn’t a mystery was the fact that by stating what he did, the man had helped the demon see a flaw he never noticed before and probably wouldn’t have notice if he hadn’t put it out there. It wasn’t that the demon was dumb, but rather the flaw was something he had done so long that he didn’t even know it was wrong to begin with….because the ones that saw it took advantage of it rather than straight up tell him or point out that something was probably wrong.

“I think...it's already been my undoing multiple times…” the demon would begin and then snort lightly as he gave a sad smile as he rested his cheek against his knee. “Sad thing is….I never knew what it was doing...I’ve played servant and people pleaser for so long, I guess I kind of forgot how wrong it actually was….or how much it actually took away from me….” If he had realized things a long time ago maybe, he could’ve saved himself and not end up like he was now, but alas he was to blind...or maybe just afraid to see the truth. He wasn’t sure what the issue was, but he was kind of glad it was in front of him now. As ugly as it was...at least seeing the issue for what it was gave him a reason to be mad and in turn conquer the thing that bogged him down. It was odd how he worked sometimes, but he did what he had to do.

Speaking of doing things, it would appear that shortly after that little issue began to die down another more complicated one came up and to what was heard when he asked his question? If the demon was mopey before than it would come as quite a surprise that quite unexpectedly the demon would become quiet and calm as he watched the other for a moment and then blinking he’d speak.

“....Thank you for being honest,” he would say and then with a small sigh, he would uncurl and stretch before moving a bit to lay down on his stomach. Stretching out his legs he would fold his arms under his chin before continuing. “There is many things...I would like for this relationship to be; however, I understand where you are coming from and didn’t expect anything to be all so simple between us. At first, I thought what you would say  would make me highly upset, but the actual answer has kind of created a small calm of a sort within. I won’t say I like the answer, but...I am not going to wail and bitch about it either. I have some work to do, so yeah...I am okay with that arrangement. Besides, its not like i have much running for me at the moment anyway,” the demon would say it all in a voice that while strained was the calmest he had been during this whole exchange. He wasn’t lying about what he said and to be honest he was not surprised that thanks to his condition, he would have to work twice as hard to get what he actually wanted which was in actuality inner peace. Yes, the relationship between him and the other was a thing too, but if he could get ahold of himself, he believed that the relationship would take care of itself. Regardless, he held onto to hope despite how his words and action could seem on a surface level.  

Now how the other handled that was beyond him and something he just waited for the outcome too. In any case, he would rest for a bit before he shifted his head to the side to rest it on his arm and reopened his eyes around the same time the other decided to look at him too. Amusing as that little thing was, the demon would find himself focusing on this sign issue instead, but first…

“Ummm. No. I wasn’t saying it like that. What I was saying is like if I was already upset and in the moment. If you say something there, I am not sure how well the words would register in a mind already chaotic,” he would say and then humming a bit, he would continue. “Well that is true...and perhaps it’s not wise to get too close anyway. As for your question, a firm horn grab or something similar can quickly put me in my place or rather trip me up enough that I have to backpedal and actually come back down to earth to see better. It’s odd, but it works...still I suppose words are more reliable considering that is more consistent and doesn’t rely on me happening not to have a form with horns at a given time. Still I am coming up blank with a word or phrase. And yes, it is a way to tell me to back off. As for focus. Well, when I am going off the chart, I am not exactly focusing my energy in the right direction now am I; however, bumping me back on the rails so to speak helps me redirect the energy in the correct fashion….So it helps me refocus. Not like literally focus….literal focus really has nothing to do with this. As for being deaf… does misinterpreting what is being said count as deaf? Because I can hear alright, but how I hear is another matter….”

And so it was true. He did have the tendency to misunderstand things the other said, so if they were going to make this universal sign, then it did indeed need to be clear, so nothing was out of line, but what was that clear was the question.

Truth to be told, were he to make the effort, he could indeed most likely get a date with a lot of people. Despite his roughness around the edges here and there, he wasn’t a complete mess up. Alas, he did not care to attempt flirting and the like most of the time, and would even brush off people that gave him glances, thus it was what it was. He didn’t really go and put himself on the dating scene normally. As for having the time to change, well, the honest answer there would probably be that it’s not encouraged to saddle oneself onto other people until after you’re already better/on the way to recovery. It’s only respectful to the people who swallow the bait and agree to date you. Of course, you can do it this way too, but in that case, you kind of have to be ready to face a lot of hardships and possibly even rejection seeing as most people are not looking for an unhealthy person to be with. It’s a lot of pressure on them as well, and serving as support for someone is probably not what they have in mind when picking up a date.

‘’Well, I was kind of asking because I didn’t get the point of the question. I’m already pretty much doing what you talk about, and unless I wanted to be extra rude, it’s not like I can put plugs in my ears and not listen nor talk to you when you tell me something. This is sort of happening whether I give you my direct consent to it or not anyway. Unless you were to not say anything I guess, but then we’d be back at square one when it comes to everything.’’ One way or another, it wasn’t something he could even refuse without pretty much fueling the problems at hand? It was the kind of thing where it would be stupid to just say no. Might as well just stop hanging out with the guy instead if that was what he wanted to go towards.

Speaking of differing perspectives on matters, there were certainly many of those when it came to the two of them. Or maybe with people in general, since he personally saw little point on taking advantage of someone like that. Maybe if it was the only way to accomplish something important, but just because he could? Why would he bother? After all, as the saying goes ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. He would hate to be used, and he didn’t see much merit in using others either. Capable of it, sure, were it a necessity. Not for no real reason however, mainly if it was something as potentially serious and damaging as that. While he wasn’t a complete softy, he did have some moral conscience. And he didn’t like things that were obviously wrong anyway. ‘’It can be a dangerous game. Not to say that being nice to people is wrong, but if you don’t set some personal boundaries, you’re basically sticking a ‘use me’ sign on your forehead.’’ And a lot of people would gladly do just that once they figured out they could without even needing to fight tooth and nail for it first. Let someone exploit you too easily, and they will likely just do it for their own benefit rather than care much about you in general.

Some ups and downs later though, things seemed to be getting better from the looks of it. Or sounds, since he wasn’t really looking at the guy much during this particular exchange they were having. Nevertheless, it didn’t appear to faze him much, as he focused more on what was said than the specific intonation behind it. For the moment at least. He wasn’t all that fast to react in a grand way to changes/news most of the time until he felt he could be sure it wasn’t just a momentary spike that would fade away within minutes. Although he did seem to humor this one with some sort of amusement. Perhaps he did approve in his own way? It could be hard to tell at times. He did give the guy a faint smirk however.



And a mystery answer to boot too. How the guy would interpret it was entirely up to him for the time being though, and they would move on to a different kind of discussion a moment later anyway. He would raise an eyebrow briefly. ‘’Are we using your upset moods as a basis for this…?’’ That wasn’t exactly what he had in mind initially, so he kind of had to question why did the other immediately swerve this towards ‘if I am upset…’, as if that was the most common and go to starting point. Which would be kind of sad? He wasn’t sure what to think there, to be honest. He would shake his head at the next words though, clicking his tongue lightly. ‘’See, that is exactly why I’m skeptical though. You’re associating something like a horn grab with being told to stop or change what you are doing, which is almost entirely wrong in most situations. I could do that to direct you like I’ve done back then, but that doesn’t really have to mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. I only did it to show you something, since I felt like it at that moment. You could have kept doing what you were and there would have been nothing wrong about it either. Outside of that, I’m not the type of person that uses such moves solely as a way to show I want something different anyway. There could be a multitude of reasons, such as it simply being a way to play around for example. I just think the idea of touch for this is highly faulty, for it’s extremely easy to completely miss the point if we aren’t on the same wavelength naturally, and that is not quite what I want to happen regularly. It would destroy the point of this idea being reliable in the first place. And I think we agree that me slapping you hard and painful extremes such as that are not the smartest answer to this.’’ He wasn’t that straightforward. He typically didn’t mind some rougher handling in general, and things like tugs or moves that could seem as if they were protests of sorts could easily be a play or just a very loose suggestion that didn’t really need to be followed. He wasn’t against the idea of play-fighting either, therefore interpreting those moves as a negative signal by principle would be a very skewered notion in his case.

‘’When it comes to words…it depends on how you look at misinterpreting. This isn’t meant to be about you figuring out some statement that could mean many things based on perspective. If we were to agree on a specific set in stone statement to use, can you really just flat out hear something else? That’s like me saying dog and you hearing cat, which seems kind of ridiculous to me. We aren’t speaking a different language as far as I’m aware….’’, he would pause for a second, as if reconsidering something. ‘’Or maybe I should actually start speaking a different language on purpose in that situation, so you could know something is off easily and be unable to really misinterpret anything due to not understanding the words in the first place.’’, he would add after a moment, in a sort of amused tone. It was kind of a random thought to be honest, but for all he knew, maybe the other would like that better? He could accommodate at the end of the day, for as long as it was something that did not have a horrendously high chance of being interpreted wrongly/imagined even when it wasn’t really there.

Was Rika messed up to the point where he couldn’t date anyone else outside of this one person before him? No. Would he have to pretend he was normal in order for said relations to continue? Yes. Would he eventually break and the other walk away? More than likely. And if he were to be genuine from the get go, would someone else actually put up with his state and ride it out until he got better? Probably, but finding someone like that was a hard deal, so the demon had relied on hiding up until now. Sharaku was different in many ways not just in behavior, but also in what he expected and what he was doing.

Rika didn’t quite get why he put up with him or why he even struggled alongside of him. He didn’t know if it was because the guy actually believed in their relationship getting better or something more? He didn’t know a lot of things, but he did know that he was grateful. Grateful the guy hadn’t abandoned and even grateful that the guy gave him nowhere to run or hide. The guy didn’t break down in the normal fashion, didn’t try to comfort, didn’t try to wash things away. He brutally honest in a way that the demon had never encountered before. It was a bit scary on one hand and maybe even rude on another, but the demon liked the firm hand the other had. Perhaps somewhere inside, he was tired of all the babying. Though snuggles and cuddles would never die for him, he didn’t someone to push him. Yes alone he could move, but the extra push, the extra advice and all that it just helped make him a bit more bravery to do what he had to do...even more so when he actually had something riding on the change of his behavior. Did he want to save himself from his condition? More than anything, but he also wanted to save and make better the relationship with the other with him. He didn’t want them to be forever stuck in limbo or break up because himself. Not when he could fix it….Not when he could fight. It was a strange position to be in, but the demon took the odd position and everything that came with it as he continued to interact with the other. He didn’t wish to be a burden on the other, but he just hoped that for the time he was one, he could get himself back up on his feet and in turn make it up to the guy one day. He really wanted this to end on a good note, but he would have to see.

As happy as he wanted the future to look the present was demanding his attention and it for one was kind of questionable as to where things were going, but at least things seemed to be settling as the demon watched the other quietly for a moment before nodding lightly. “Yeah...I guess you are...I just...wanted a bit of reassurance is all. Even if you were naturally doing it due to circumstances...I guess I just needed to hear it anyway….” the demon would tell the other as he gave a very faint and sheepish grin, praying that the guy wouldn’t take that the wrong way. Honestly, even if this whole matter of trusting was a thing they were working on, didn’t trust sometimes come with reassurance of certain things? Maybe it did, but maybe it didn’t. Regardless of the end answer to that matter, the demon would take what would come with his asking and such. All he could do really was believe in the other as he let the topic pass into the next.

This next topic could’ve rubbed the demon the wrong way had he chosen to take offense at the words; however, perhaps the demon was tired or maybe he was simply learning to take the other’s blunt way of speaking. Whatever the case was the demon didn’t get upset at the words being spoken as he blinked sleepy at the other.  “I guess it is and I suppose I did put that sign out there, but didn’t realize it; however, those that I were with sure did….but even so I can’t blame them for taking what was there or I gave now can I?” The demon would say with a weak smile. Could he really throw all the blame on those that did take advantage of him. He was too kind and just like the fool in the story, let everyone eat off of him until he had nothing. He hadn’t set down rules, didn’t fight back...he just let what happened, happened...and the day he did finally buck up and actually walk away telling himself he wouldn’t allow himself to be treated that way again, it had been a big move, but at the same time what good was that step forward if he still feel back on such things when he was in a pickle. What was wrong him? Why did he do good for a bit, but then back slide so had? It was frustrating to say the least, so frustrating that at times he wanted to throw in the towel, but he didn’t. He just kept falling and getting banged up on his path, but even through all the pain, depression, and what not he still tried to push forward hoping. Was he really a fool for that? Another question without an answer, but one that always remained on the edge of his mind when he reflected on things in his life.

Reflective material aside though. It seem that things were beginning show a bit promise as the time continued to tick on the demon began to actually calm and see clearly again. As he laid on the pillow with his eyes closed for a bit, he would listen to the small calm between them before opening his eyes and looking over at the other again. The demon’s head lifted slightly as he raised his eyebrows slightly at the smirk given. Was the other amused or something? It was hard to tell, but maybe it wasn’t all bad considering the words that came afterward. To what was heard, the demon would blink a few times at the other and then resting his head back on his arms, he would smile a bit.


“Well, well. Maybe some things are…” he would say softly before trailing off, his words being just as cryptic as the other making it hard to say if the demon was just going with the flow of things or actually learned something. Whatever the case, peaceful smiles would turn into a confused frown as he blinked a few times at the other’s question.

“Mmm? Well isn’t that where brakes need to be applied…?” he would begin as he let his eyes drift upward a bit in thought. “Unless you were meaning to place a brake before that even occurred?” Goddess why? Why was it at times hard to get the pair on the same page? It should’ve been simple, but Rika had focused on the emotion being the issue while the other was at different spot before the explosion. Strange how these two worked, but it was what it was, somehow they’d make it work. Regardless of where that went, things would become a bit more straightforward as the topic of the signal took the center stage. To what was heard the demon would sit up a bit resting on his elbows as he frowned down at the pillow a bit.

“Well that does make touching a no go...I suppose it is more complicated than words…and it wouldn’t be so easy to tell apart play from other things even if it was specific to what we are trying to achieve,” the demon would say and then hearing the rest, he would look over at the other with a calm expression. “No I suppose if it was set in stone and used before I was in a state it could be misheard, then I could not misinterpret it at all. As for speaking another language, I’d say that would be double edged because on one hand yes it would trip us up, but on the other it can either make me poke at the meaning or even agitate me if you refused to tell me. Still the snap at that would be way softer than me actually becoming a mess again….It might work,” the demon said as he shifted to lean on one elbow as his left hand went to his ear. His ears that he unconsciously let go back their natural fox state as he rubbed at the left one in thought. Not noticing this, he would close his eyes with hum. “Hmmm...what to do?”

Why? That was a tough question to answer in a way that would make easy sense. To say the truth, it was hardly about him believing that things would get better and all that sappy hopeful stuff. He didn’t know what this would lead to, and in fact did not really care as much either. He was…quite neutral, as a matter of fact. Perhaps the fact that he didn’t necessarily look at it all through the lenses of ‘what I could gain/lose here’ by base was the reason why he didn’t fret too much most of the time? Well, he was aware of the possible ways this could go, yes, but he was also willing to deal with any of them rather than being really hung up on something specific. While relationships were indeed a curiosity of sorts, he didn’t have much issue with being on his own. Thus either or would be an acceptable ending for him, most likely. It was easier to take things at face value when he didn’t have to constantly fear some sort of self-imposed failure. When he was in a normal state of mind, that is. Things could be a little problematic otherwise, but he usually snapped out of it fairly quickly when it happened anyway.

When the other explained his reasoning for the question, he would blink and offer the guy a somewhat deadpan face. ‘’I’ll probably have to disappoint you there, dear. A computer would make a better delivery on that than me 99% of the time. Forgot to level up my comforting skills.’’ That was supposed to be a joke, apparently. Or so it would seem. Although, it wasn’t a lie either. Why did he decide to respond in that manner was somewhat of a mystery however. Perhaps he was trying to lighten the situation somehow? Or maybe he didn’t have a more serious sounding response at hand? Whatever it was, it happened, and it would be on the demon to decide how to take it.

Nevertheless, moving onto a slightly more tricky subject, which was luckily not crossing over any danger zones for the time being. He would half-shrug at the rhetorical sounding question the other posed there. ‘’I say it depends on how you look at it. Can’t deny that the majority of the fault is on you there, but it could be argued that the people who would willingly take advantage of someone like that and don’t even consider that it might be a selfish thing to do, too are on the wrong side of the fence in some way.’’ It’s definitely a bad choice to just offer yourself on a silver plate like that, but is it right for someone to just flat out take it as if it was okay to use others like that? Bet pretty much all of those people would protest vehemently if the situation was flipped and they were the ones being exploited left and right. What was new though? Everyone probably acted like a bit of a hypocrite at some point in their lives, maybe without even realizing they did. Certain actions were a bit more questionable though….

Speaking of matters that had no definitive answer to them however, their next exchange would go very similarly to that, the statements given being quite inconclusive and left up to personal interpretation. This time around though, it appeared to go pretty well, instead of the typical misinterpretations/assumptions happening right away and messing everything up. Well, on the outside at the very least, since there is no way to tell what either of them were thinking about it deep down, and whether they were on the same page there or completely off once again. Nevertheless, he seemed to maintain his mild air of amusement after hearing the response given, folding his arms across his stomach. ‘’A lot of things are only as hard as we make them be, are they not?’’ After all, whether something was simple or hard wasn’t always decided entirely by outside factors.

More like personal ones, seeing as what happened next was a miss which didn’t necessarily have to happen. Then again, who knows? He would furrow his brows slightly, trying to figure out what the guy was on about. ‘’I have no idea what you have in mind there….but I did this because you were saying that you worry too much about whether you’re doing anything right or wrong. I just thought that if there was a concrete way for you to know when something is in fact wrong, you wouldn’t really need to worry about it most of the time otherwise. I’m doing this so that you don’t have to become upset in the first place….’’ What would even be the point of trying to patch up when the guy was already in bad moods? It was a lot easier to try to make sure it wouldn’t even happen, and technically that was the main goal anyway, was it not? To get to a point where pointless upsetting didn’t happen on a daily basis, disrupting everything for no real reason. It’s a little too late to cry over spilt milk as they say, so it’s better to make precautions and not spill it to begin with. Theoretically speaking.

He would huff faintly. ‘’Well, you’re always free to try anyway. Guess it would be better on you if you could tell things apart too. That’s off topic right now though, but anyway.’’ Well, they did kind of need to be on the same wavelength at least a bit to make things work in general, no? For if one wanted to play and the other saw it as protests, it wouldn’t work all that well, now would it? ‘’To be honest, I would probably just come up with something else if you were upset already anyway, since this isn’t meant for that in the first place.’’, he would pause for a moment there, snorting a bit. ‘’I probably wouldn’t have much intention of telling you. The meaning of the words wouldn’t be all that important there. I could always just say something completely irrelevant that has not meaning in the given situation. All that matters is that the intention behind it gets across. For this particular matter at the very least.’’ There wasn’t much point in his giving translations if he said a few random foreign words, really. All it would do is break up the atmosphere even more, and make them focus on unnecessary things. Language sessions were not what he was aiming for, after all. That said, he would watch the other silently for a moment before he just rolled over on his stomach himself, pressing his face into the pillow under him. His voice would be slightly muffled when he answered the final question. ‘’Go to the moon? Honestly though, it’s kind of on you there. It’s just a suggestion anyway, and it’s not for me anyhow. You decide whether you really want it or not. Or how. I just want to be sure it holds some sort of meaning if it does happen, since it’d be pointless were it not reliable enough.’’ He’d do what he had to, as long as it wasn’t too ridiculous…

Being alone...Rika had done that for a while now, so to say he had an issue with it was a moot point; however, he did get attached to things pretty easily when he did commit to letting whatever it was in, even more so when he decided to let said thing get as close to him as he was letting this guy get. Naturally, he wanted things to go well and hope for something better than what it was; however, Rika was not an overly optimistic person by base and so kept the bad outcomes in sight. Not so he could mourn and make them a reality, but rather they were around to keep him from floating to high like some would in these cases. It made the fall less painful when and if it happened. His ways and processes were indeed different than than the other’s with him, but even so the demon more or less tried to swim in this strange sea.

A sea that could be complicated one second, awkard another, painful another and then just plain wtf the next. As the demon saw and heard the reactions to his words, he would frown in complete confusion for a second as he tilted his head one way and then another as he observed the other. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with the words for a moment, but after a few seconds he would just actually begin to grin. “Forgot to level up, eh? I wonder if its too late for an experience burst to help boost that?” the demon would reply back, slight play coming back to his voice showing that despite how odd the comment was, it did work in lighting the mood slightly; however, the demon was also taking this one at face value. He understood that the other was probably hinting that he wasn’t good at comforting considering he had mentioned it before too in a different setting, but even so he seriously did wonder if with experience maybe that could change. Not a ton of course, but just a bit so when situations where he actually needed comfort the matter wouldn’t feel so bleh. At times a hug or pet would be nice, but eh he wasn’t going to gripe about what he couldn’t have. The guy was his own person after all and the last thing he wanted to do was try to mold him. That would make what made him so intriguing to begin with go away.

That aside though, the demon’s grin would eventually fade and into a somewhat contemplative look as he rubbed his arm and thought for a moment as the other spoke. “Perhaps so…” was all the demon would say back in response to that as he kept his eyes away from the other as he simply thought. There was really no way to say who was truly at fault in the case of prisoners and keepers. Both sides could be argued for and neither side would be in the right or the wrong. In the end….”I suppose...in that case it... all depends on how the one viewing the matters sees it. It my fault, but perhaps also their too...I don’t think there is any true way to say with a definite yes or no that one side is wrong or not….due to perception…” Sure they’re might be a group that would say he was the victim and in turn the keepers wrong, but he was pretty sure there were others that would try to justify the keepers and show that they were just as innocent. It was tough call, so maybe at the end of the day no one and everyone was at fault all at once. Strange perhaps, but it was the only conclusion that actually had nothing that could bounce against it.

Well those wanderings aside, the demon would eventually lay down and go from complicated matters to what appeared to be a calm between demon and human. Whether or not they were on the same page or not was questionable, but at least they seemed to be flowing well enough off of each other for the time being since no strife was happening yet. The air would continue to remain calm as the demon stretched his legs out a bit and nodded.

“Mmm. Yeah, sometimes they are really a matter of how we perceive them, but sometimes mountains are real too, so for that I think it would depend on the situation,” the demon said calmly enough as continued to rest more or less peacefully on the pillow content with the way this part of the conversation was going.

Now why the conversation couldn’t just remain with them seeming synced up we have no idea, but somehow even on a matter that should’ve been simple they were knocked off track. Not horribly though, just a bit as the demon sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck as he gave the other an apologetic look.

“Heh...I guess I was focusing on the emotion issue more so than that statement. You did propose it when I was already upset so I guess I was just thinking you were trying to find ways to stop me from going too far when upset…. A misunderstanding, but I get you now.” Well despite the derp moment it seem it was easy enough for him to get back on track. Scratching his head a bit, he would nod. “Well...I can’t say if it will or will not help, but then again I am kind of at my wits end on what to do with well myself. I am willing to give it a go because yeah...kind of would be nice if we could keep calm conversations without me destroying them.” He glanced over at the other with a small smile. He honestly meant that. It would be nice to have a peaceful conversation that lasted more than the small windows they did show up in with their recent interactions.

Anyway….

“Mmm. We could explore that aspect later to see what is what when it comes to touch, but for now I think it best to try and figure out words. That might be better for the goal we are aiming for here.” Touch was indeed an interesting thing where both parties needed to be in sync to insure the smoothness of the event in which it took place; however, with bigger fish to fry the demon didn’t see the need to touch upon well touching and what it meant to each of them just yet. It would need to be talked about yes, but not right now. Now then where were we? Oh yes...setting a phrase. Right.

“Well...I am not surprise you would. It seems you have ways  of skinning a cow in different fashions, so I would not doubt you’d come up with something to counter my madness in full swing,” the demon would say with a light smile and then hearing the rest of the words, he would sigh a bit as he continue to rub his ear in thought.

“Well…Hmm…” he would fall silent to think on that for a moment, his hand cupping his chin as his tongue poked out a bit from between his lips as an ideas bounced around upstairs not pleasing the demon with the end results they showed. Everything seemed to come with a what if...and that was highly annoying. So the demon would think rubbing his ear until the other spoke in reaction to his question to what he saw and heard the demon was quiet for a moment as he observed the other a bit and then smiling slightly to himself, he would take a small chance and reach out and stroke the other’s hair. “Heh. I would think it would be best to just shoot me out of the solar system entirely. I think the universe would be happy to be rid of someone like us that over complicates even the simplest of matters,” the demon would say the words, but unlike before there was no negative undertone to it. No it was spoken in a light amused fashion as he stroked the guy’s hair a bit more before pausing as he leaned towards the other and said in a softer tone.

“Let’s just settle with the other language. I think...that might help with more than just putting me in my place,” he would say before gently moving away as he settled on his pillow again, this time on his side, so he could face the other easier. He would use the arm under him to create a makeshift pillow to rest his head against as he kept his eyes on the other for now and just waited to see how things panned out.

Well, attachment was a rather tricky matter for him. He did not go down that path as easily as the other at all. At the very least, not when it came to people. They were a bit too unpredictable for him to get hooked super easily. In most cases, that is. There are always exceptions to a rule after all, so it couldn’t be said that it was impossible for him to like someone that much quickly. Such an occurrence would likely be a rarity though. That said, it also meant that it wouldn’t be so painful for him to let go if it didn’t work out, so he didn’t have a lot to be griping about. Of course, he was capable of falling deep in hard just like anyone else, as uncommon as it was for him, in which case it would all become a whole lot harder, but it was really something he need not worry about the majority of the time. Frankly, he hardly understood what it was like to even have a crush on someone by this point. It just never occurred to him before, and well, tolerating someone’s presence better than other people’s was probably not quite it. Seeing as that was usually as far as he landed….

Differences and oddities were nothing new though, and a perhaps somewhat strange sense of humor did seem to be his go to in many cases. ‘’I’m not sure I have any of that. Is that some sort of limited edition item?’’ Jokes aside however, it was hard to say. It wasn’t like he always failed to even try, since in case he noticed the cue and cared enough, he probably would. Except for the fact that even when he did, it often had no visible effect, due to him having somewhat atypical ways of doing certain things. His way of ‘giving comfort’ did not always fit what was considered to be the widely accepted norm, and thus tended to get passed over even during the few times he caught on and attempted to do it. Unfortunate perhaps, but that’s life for you? One way or another, hugs and the like were typically not his first choice of action, and if they for some reason were, it was awkward in some way.

‘’How you choose to answer the question is on you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion in the end. Though, the existence of several different perspectives doesn’t have to mean all of them are also correct simply because it is possible to think that way.’’ Technically, you could find reasons to argue for either side, really. Did that mean both sides were wrong and correct at the same time, because it was possible to create reasoning for each possibility? It didn’t have to. After all, wouldn’t that kind of thinking make every ‘crime’ not wrong in some way? Using smart words, one could try to explain away even murder as a justified act because they see it that way through their own eyes. So while things can indeed be perceived many ways, oftentimes a single decision needs to be reached anyway, which was why courts and the like existed. Still, he didn’t intend to stuff his own view down the other’s mouth on this subject, which was one of the reasons why he was kind of vague with his answering, rather than stating who was more in the wrong etc. flat out simply because he thought so. The guy had to pick his own beliefs by himself anyway. There wasn’t much else to do or prove there, seeing as the matters at hand were ones that happened in the past and were long over by now.

Speaking of things being over, it would seem that the present bad times floated away as well for the time being, in lieu of different types of exchanges. ‘’If it’s a real mountain, then you’d just have to get your hiking gear and climb it.’’ Well, theoretically. Still, it was possible to get over that too in some way, thus while harder than a false perception, it was manageable as well. They required a different approach, but the result could be the same with the right amount of effort. One can’t really deny the power of perception in that case either though, since the way you choose to view the mountain will affect how easily you can find the safest route to its top. Nothing is impossible with the right outlook, right…? Well, almost.

Onto more serious discussions for the time being though. At the very least, they seemed to have settled on a more or less same page at that point, if nothing else. Would that make finding an answer easier? Who knew. He would shrug slightly. ‘’I think focusing on that wouldn’t be very useful, to be honest. If the goal is to have less unnecessary blow outs, then we need to find out how to prevent you from becoming upset in the first place, not do damage control once it already happens. Since that wouldn’t really make anything different from what we’ve been doing over and over again up until now.’’ Trying to save the day once the bad mood was already on stage was the same thing as what they’ve been doing so far. And even if they did somehow find an effective way of clearing it out faster, it wouldn’t change the issue of it happening and causing cracks all over the place. Thus why he had chosen to focus on the triggers, rather than the results. What he proposed was just the first idea that came to his mind though, so there was no saying how great it really was. It was better than nothing though, and the demon could always contribute too, if he came up with something else.

‘’I think I’m fine either way.’’ Assuming that both areas needed to be visited, he had no qualms about which was done first. Even both at once, were that what the other wanted. He wasn’t all too picky in regards to that, and he wasn’t going to argue about it either. He would raise an eyebrow when the next comment came. ‘’A skinless cow was not quite the mental image I was expecting to get. But I suppose I do have a beef with a lot of things, yes.’’ …no? yes? Ahem, that aside, time to just face-smash the pillow for the time being. ‘’Mmm?’’, he would just make a muffled sound against the stuffed object when the other decided to go touch him all of a sudden. He didn’t appear to be protesting though, as intelligible as his reaction was. ‘’Wouldn’t you just end up visiting another galaxy..? The universe doesn’t end with our solar system I don’t think. It’s not that easy to exit the universe. You might want to come up with a different plan.’’, he would state, slightly amused before adding an afterthought. ‘’I meant going to the moon more as a vacation trip to get away from the problems though. I guess either works…?’’ When you run out of ideas, take a break? Eh, maybe. Or maybe not. Whatever.

‘’More…?’’, he would echo slightly when the demon gave his final answer, surprisingly enough. He had kind of expected them to take longer to settle on anything. Regardless, he was just curious what was the guy referring to by saying that. Whatever answer he would get to that though, he would soon move himself as well, seeing as it was starting to get hard to breath with his face smooshed into the pillow. Time to roll over on his back once again.

Attachment or not attach, the pair’s view on the matter were probably night and day like most things were and perhaps that was okay since the issue didn’t seem to be a matter of attachment, but rather panic and bad habits screwing things up. It was true, Rika did indeed have a crush on Sharaku. The guy had sexy and attractive body. His mind was sharp and at intelligence level that wasn’t so over top that it was hard to level with him, but also not low enough to make one feel they were dealing with someone slower than their own standards. The air around him was mysterious and intriguing, despite being blunt the guy had a way with words that kept Rika hooked provided the demon and the human weren’t butting heads that is. There was a lot around and on the outside that attracted the demon for sure, but it wasn’t enough to make him say he was in love with the guy. No at this stage it was a rather strong crush as he tried his best to get to know the other….even if they kept getting into odd ass and stressful jams. If it wasn’t for the fact that the demon actually did care enough to try, he probably would’ve thrown the towel in a long time ago not wanting this sort of stress. However, whether it was luck or stubbornness or something even more Rika did indeed stay and fight, even if it was beating him down the more he came across it. He was hurting yes, but at the same time he told himself it could get better….and he believed it would, so he kept going for now.

That aside though it would seem that rough seas would push them into calm yet odd waters where strange jokes resided.  “How did you miss the sale on that item? It was quite a steal at the time but too bad it sold out pretty fast otherwise I’d suggest go shopping for it; however, you may be in luck. I don’t think I’ve used all of mine just yet. I might have one I can give you,” the demon would say the small smile remaining on his lips as he went along with the words being heard, but at the same time he spoke truth. While it was true they both had different ways of showing comfort and care that often clashed with each other, it was also true that both of them were capable of finding a way that worked for them and in turn could learn different techniques on what to do along the way. All they had to do is remain open to the ideas and not shrink away when one door closed. Another always opened, did it not?

Well that aside, something else would come to the front as they continued to talk and the once chaotic energy between them began to settle. “Mmm,” the demon would hum lightly as he nodded at the other’s words as he remained resting, his left ear twitching slightly as he thought. “That is true. Each person will come to their own conclusions of this matter; however, even if there are many perspectives...I do have some lines that I do not wish to be crossed...even if I don’t speak on them often enough….or in the past have submitted to things, I probably shouldn’t have….” Even if he was open minded and could see both points of view…. he understood well enough that not all paths were right. It was just unfortunate that he never thought to stand up and fight before the damage had been done. Well no use and mourning over things he couldn’t undo, he could only step forward and try to do better. He had a ways to go and was a bit confused, but he knew deep down if he kept finding he’d find the clarity he sought one day and in turn that inner peace. For now though he would just deal with what he had and make the best of it all.

And it seemed by trying to go that route versus the broken one he was on, things seemed to settle and become peaceful as they slipped into other territory, the demon relaxing more and more as time passed. “Hmph,” he would let the sound out softly as a contemplative expression settled on his face. “I like that attitude, it makes those mountains seem less intimidating….even when you don’t have the climbing gear to make it easier. Still one step at time can get us to the top, no?” Mountains were indeed mountains, but perhaps the studying it and trying to understand the mountain first helped reveal possible paths that could be taken and maybe even weeded out the wrong paths. One could prepare before talking one sure, but sometimes one was already on a mountain with no idea how they got there or how to climb down or down. It was a confusing and scary position to be in. Ill equipped and no the wiser the longer one stayed in that spot, but even if it was moving into the unknown. Wasn’t moving one step at time, taking the falls, and re-evaluating your route each time….wasn’t that what it meant to learn and grow? The path becoming a bit easier the more you progressed? Perhaps there were no true answers to that, but the demon liked to believe that what he thought on the matter was true. After all, if he didn’t have his own beliefs, then what did he have that made him an individual rather than just another thing with no meaning in the world? The demon would fall silent to reflect quietly until the conversation of signals came up and caused him to refocus on the other.

“That is true….” the demon would agree there. While it did take him a moment to actually get on the same page, he saw the error of his way of thinking. Yes they could clean up a blowout, but as the other stated it wasn’t very beneficial in the end. It would just be an endless loop of meh...and he highly doubted either wanted just meh, so best work on something that would get more of yay in the end...or something like that. That little oops aside, the demon and the human would eventually fall into a chat about this signal issue.

A chat that was getting a bit complicated as the demon’s mind worked to pick apart things and put them back together again. It was true he could’ve added onto the idea pool, but honestly he didn’t feel like adding onto the choices. After all he was already over complicating and overthinking the few, so why would more choices make anything better? Besides what the other suggested wasn’t a bad idea otherwise the demon would’ve probably fought a bit harder against the matter. The fact he even considered the options meant that he wasn’t against this idea, so at least some of the work was cut down. Now if he could only settle on an exact method…Yeah that was going to take a while.

In the meantime he would respond back to other things he heard.

“Mmm. Well, I guess we will see what becomes of that then,” he would say as he scratched his ear a bit in thought. Touching was a thing yes and honestly he wasn’t against working it in their alongside of what they were doing. He didn’t mind doing two things at once, he just didn’t give too much thought to it at the moment because he was more focused on figuring out this sign thing over that. Well correction. He was focused until the other made a comment about the skinned cow thing. To what he heard, the demon would find his grinning widening slightly as he let out an amused snort at the pun. “Oho. And what do you plan to do with all that beef? Cook it? Freeze it?” The demon would ask his air slightly playful, but curious at the same time since he did indeed read between the lines. In any case, he seemed to be taking rather well to the play and in turn relaxing enough that he was actually letting more of his natural self come out and perhaps even became slightly braver when he made the move to touch the other.

The guy didn’t snap at him or protest so that was good and it kind of encourage the demon to linger a bit as the chat went to other places for the moment. As the other responded back to his galaxy comment, the demon’s strange bat like wings would appear on his back and his fox like tail would appear wrapped around his waist for now as he petted the other for a bit. “Well no...I suppose I can’t escape the universe as a whole, but maybe another galaxy would be nice. See some new things and air out my head a bit. As for a plan, pfft. What plan?” he would say, giving his first light chuckle since they actually began this odd chat, so maybe this was a sign of good things. Regardless of that though the demon would eventually settle a bit as he let out a thoughtful hum as he thought about the moon matter. “A vacation spot, huh? Well, I can’t say I’d complain to going there. I am sure it would be quiet up there and I would get a good view of the Earth, so I guess a visist wouldn’t be too bad. Besides that is much easier to get too than a completely different galaxy. Sounds a bit more reasonable too.” the demon would say and then thinking on something else he would look at the other who kept his face pressed against the pillow and ask. “Would you come with?”

Well whatever became of that, the demon would eventually shift the topic back to signals as he gave his decision before moving away and resting on his side, his tail shifting to rest behind and drape over the end of the bed as his wings remained relaxed against his back. When he heard the echo of more back, he would blink in a slow fashion as he responded back.

“Mhmm. We have the tendency to pick apart and over complicate things. Thinking too much on the what ifs and all that unnecessary stuff. In a nutshell, I wind myself up pretty badly. While I can’t say for sure, I think not knowing what you are saying will help me counter this way of thinking too. See it will force me to just accept it as is and trust you aren’t saying something malicious towards us. I mean I trust you in my own way, but I think by training myself not auto think bad because of things would help. If I can start small with not overthinking something as simple as phrase to put a brake on my emotional roller coasters, then perhaps I can move up to something larger and in turn expand and somewhat undo the bad. Won’t be all gone, but at least more manageable...we think,” the demon would respond back as his tail flicked the bed lightly as he thought and waited to see what the other had to say on the matter as red eyes watched the other roll back onto his back.

‘’Oh dear, now I’m a target for charity? Guess I really should start paying more attention to begin with.’’ While he was mostly joking there, it was somewhat true that it wasn’t his thing to accept free gifts easily. He could at times be pretty hardheaded and insist it wasn’t necessary. ‘’How would it work anyway?’’ Playing around aside, what exactly was the guy getting at with this? After all, in reality it is not as simple as just getting an experience boost and getting there in one fell swoop effortlessly. Things love being complicated precisely when it comes to matters that would be so much better off were they simple.

Which the next matter was not, but it was what it was. He would offer the guy a faint huff, choosing to not say anything more there. He had kind of already said his piece, and going further would only get them stuck inside that topic for much longer than was necessary. To each their own anyway, so not like his goal was to push the demon to see it his way down to a T. As long as they weren’t fighting about it, and no personal values were crossed too hard, it was probably alright the way it was. Moving onto more lighthearted things instead…or well, kind of. The mountain subject was an analogy to problems in a way, so there was a mild serious undertone to it in the end. Still, it was a lot more carefree than straight up criticism and complaining over things which tended to be a lot more common with them. ‘’If you keep your head held high, nothing is impossible.’’, he would remark, a faint hum afterwards. ‘’You have wings though, right? Ever tried to just fly over it? That would be pretty efficient.’’, he would add, a hint of amusement in his voice. After all, that was sadly not possible when referring to mountains in terms of it being intangible issues. But hey, perhaps there was a way to ‘jump’ over the obstacles in one big leap somehow? Not that one step at a time was bad. That approach usually worked wonders indeed, but the pace which was taken did depend on the participants in the end. If both were cool with it, a speedrun would be possible, yes?

Not everywhere however, since if that was as easy as it sounded in theory, they wouldn’t need to be discussing trivial details such as using signs to help things move forward. Ah well though, one can dream, right? At least this was still better than cleaning up after blowouts, just as was said. So yes, it was quite the plain truth in the end. Unless one was a masochist and liked going through the whole process of ‘get upset and then try to calm down’ each and every time.

Unlike the demon though, he was hardly focused on anything exact. He was kind of just….giving his two cents to whatever happened to come out of their talk. One way or another, this was meant to impact the other, not him, so he wasn’t really on the train of overcomplicating it more than was normal. For the time being at least. Couldn’t predict where it would all head or end, so anything was possible. Cows though. Ahem. ‘’How about steamed beef? I think letting some steam out would be beneficial in the situation.’’ …this was so getting out of hand, but so be it? But hey, the other seemed to be finding this all funny, so perhaps it wasn’t as tacky as it sounded to his own ears? Ah well.

Regardless of where those odd jokes went, he had a date with a pillow anyway. And apparently the universe and moon wanted in on it too. ‘’Hmph. Air ‘out’ indeed, seeing as there is no breathable air once you leave the atmosphere.’’ A plan to die maybe, since without oxygen, there’d be no exploring other galaxies while still alive. Whoops? ‘’I’d have a picnic on the moon. And perhaps we’d find out the moon is actually made out of emmental cheese, like some stories say. I’m game.’’ Okay, maybe not entirely for real, but still. A trip to the moon sounded exotic enough if nothing else, right?

Mooning Moving on however, there was still the more serious conversation to finish. Hmm. ‘’Well, you could probably use that, so I guess whatever works for you.’’ It’s not like he was going to try to stop the guy and make him change his decision now. And if it worked, then it could be a good thing after all. Nevertheless, he would settle on his back for a brief moment, finally glancing towards the other directly without a pillow blocking his sight, blinking a bit. He had noted something was off before, but he had no way of actually noticing the added appendages until now that he was able to look. Hmm, what was that about…? A few more blinks, and he would shift again, this time to kneel on the bed. He was honestly getting more and more restless as time went, apparently. He had already gone through lying down on the side, back, front and even sitting, but couldn’t stick to either for too long.

‘’Speaking of emotions…it seems it’s easy for you to go down the upset route, but what about the opposite? How much does it take to make you happy?’’ An odd question perhaps, but he was slightly curious. If the other was really all that emotional, how far did it go? They were dipping deep into the bad stuff so often, but was that all…? Regardless, he wouldn’t give the other a very large window to think about it for the moment, as he decided to do something more drastic. As in, moving over swiftly, and settling himself on his fours on top of the other, similarly to what they had done on the sofa way back. Well, unless the other reacted fast enough and decided to nope him somehow, making him unable to go through with it. Shock factor would perhaps be on his side though?

As a matter of fact, that would probably not be the only shock factor of the moment. It would seem his interest was slightly different this time around than it was all the way back, as he would soon be found balancing himself on one arm, using the other to poke at the demon’s tail. Guess watching from distance wasn’t enough for him right now? On top of that, he appeared to be humoring the situation, and following the other’s example himself. He did not do this typically, but he was capable of popping animal parts too. It just…wasn’t the most natural for him, and actually took some conscious effort to maintain. The more of it, the more effort of course. That is why back then in the other world when they first met, his ‘demon’ appearance was only shaped out of flames and not solid, because it was easier and wouldn’t take much concentration as he needed to spend most of it on the fight and all. He could make it real, was he aiming solely for that and could afford to stick to it though. Like right about now. A sight of him with dark blue furred ears and tail, full with black tiger stripes was probably a strange one, but the other would have to contend with it for now. He seemed to be wagging the tail side to side, so perhaps he was in a good mood to start with at least. Meow…?

“Charity?” the demon would echo and then shaking his head a bit, he would give the other a gentle smile. “No. I just felt like gifting it today. Won’t you take?" Honestly if the demon could he really would give the other something not only to make up for what had occurred here, but also because well he liked the guy and didn’t mind spending a bit of money or time trying to give something or please the other. Would he move mountains or gift all the time? No, but he did like to do the action here and there and it wasn’t like he would give something junky anyway. He gave things with meaning. Speaking of meanings, the demon would hum faintly at the question posed as closed his eyes a bit in thought. “It is hard to say, but I think in time we’d figure out each other’s ways and turn learn from doing things just what is good and not good in most cases.” He would reopen his eyes and look at the other. “I think only hands on experience can work effectively there. Yes there is talking, but things never follow guidelines presented in speech, so in order to get experience in the comfort department you kind have to stumble around a bit until you find your footing. Sure I can tell you what I prefer or vice versa, but in the end that doesn’t fully change how we try to comfort and i think if we try to please too much it becomes unnatural. It’s an odd space to play in.” And so it was as was anything dealing with emotions and showing affection. Everyone had their own ways of expressing them and offering it. The whole issue of the matter was understanding whom you were trying to show and give it all too. Understand and then adapt so that the whole matter worked out for everyone involved.Sometimes this was an easy task, but for them? Heh. Well what was easy when it came to these two anyway?

Speaking of easy, it was surprising that despite how things were before that they were sliding smoothly down into peace...and silence? Well yeah that had to come eventually didn’t it? However, the demon did not mind as he said his words and got a huff in response to them. He would just simply glance at the other calmly not really disturbed or happy about the end result. He was just calm and in turn easily slide into a reflective mood as the silence turned into the talk of mountains.

To what he heard, the demon would smile a bit at the words. “Yeah, I suppose so,” he would begin softly and then hearing the rest of what was said, he would blink as he thought for a moment. “You know, I’ve never tried to fly over the mountains considering most seem a lot larger in my mind than they really are, but perhaps I’ll give it a whirl one day and give you the results of that effort.” It was an interesting idea and maybe if he got bold enough, he would really try tackling things with less timidness and more boldness. He couldn’t be 100% sure, but perhaps some things could indeed be solved by this method versus carefully taking one step at a time. He would definitely have to experiment there to see which way was better for what. For now though he would leave the idea as food for thought and who knows perhaps with someone with him he might do better about facing the challenges a bit quicker, provided he and the other sync up that is.

That matter aside, it would seem things would go from reflective and serious to strange? Well we suppose it depended on who was looking at the scene if such a word applied. For the demon though this what was happening was more amusing than strange and the fact that the other played along with it just made the amusement that much better. While demon didn’t know if the other was doing this for his own amusement or to cheer him up, the demon found it really didn’t bother him the reason, but rather the fact that they were not fighting and actually bouncing off each other like they should’ve been a long time ago. It was amazing really how their relationship was. Up and down, up and down. It made one truly wonder where it would all go, but for now the demon did not focus on that as he instead focused on well cows and apparently food now? Yes, these beef jokes were indeed going places weren’t they?

To what was said, the demon would actually laugh lightly at what he said as he shook his head at the other with amused grin. “You’re such a goof, but I like that,” he would say as he observed the other under a different light from before. It was interesting, but the more he hung with the guy the more the other surprised him by doing things he did not expect him to do. A good thing considering he would never have to reach far for entertainment. Anyway, the observation would last for a few seconds before the demon nodded lightly. “And yes. I think steaming that beef would be quite nice. Perhaps we should throw some seasoning and veggies in there to make sure the meal is complete, hm?” he would say remaining in a good mood despite how corny or out of hand this was getting. Ah well the fun of being easily amused for the demon.

Mooving elsewhere though, it would seem the pair would go from dinner to vacations and a exotic dishes in space with a pillow coming along for the ride? Well okay, Rika didn’t care much for the third wheel, but then again he was not about to start competing with a pillow...unless of course it tried to rob his man….er we mean, Sharaku of life. However, the demon was too worried about the latter considering he didn’t find the other unstable or that dumb. Regardless of that though, he would find himself rubbing his ear his ear in thought as he let out a hum to what he heard.

“True, but that is why we prepare ourselves for that so we don’t die and freeze on the way...or burn. There is that too, but hey that is what magic and technology is for,” the demon would say not caring that what he was saying was mostly nonsensical. If one really wanted to they really could leave the earth...if they were in a job to do that or had the money to invest in such things on the tech side. As for the magic side, well there were indeed ways to get the same effect, but the prices that came were magic were a lot more dangerous and tricky than the ones that came with more normal means. Logic exit stage right. Thank you. Now then where were we? Oh yes. Madam Moon…

“That sounds pretty fun. I wonder what sort of food and drink would complement such an occasion and if the moon is really cheese then what sort of crackers or other items should we bring? Do you think we could bring some back?” Well imagination was indeed wild here, but that was fine. It was the act of imagining together that mattered to the demon vs. the actual facts here so he was content and happy in the end.

And it seemed the more they played and talked, the easier it was for the demon to relax and just be more of himself. Even serious conversation was passing by in a calm fashion versus a clash. “Mmm. Alright. We’ll start there then,” the demon would say with a nod as they seemed to settle on a signal. And that was that he supposed. Now all that was left was to actually test to see if it worked, but he hoped the other wouldn’t be speaking tongues all the time. He’d like it if they were able to just converse like they were now. It would certainly make future conversations more enjoyable and less stressful that is for sure. Well wherever that would lead would have to be seen for now though some staring?

Well the other did indeed stare and blink as the demon watched him with a calm gaze as he remained quite chilled as he rested his hand against his arm, the cream colored tail stained black at the end swishing lazily with contentment. He honestly wasn’t bother by being still for long periods of time, but appeared the other was more wiggly than him. He had already done a strange roll, went on his back, sat up, laid on his back again, went on his stomach, went back to his back and now was kneeling? Was the bed uncomfortable or did the guy just wiggle for other reasons? Was it bothersome? Not really. At least the guy wasn’t kicking or punching or even elbowing him like a kit did, so the demon could tolerate the other not being still. Besides how could one focus on wiggling when they were being asked serious questions?

“Mmm, I suppose I do ted to show my negative side more than anything when I am scared and try to hold onto something due to fear; however, it doesn’t take much to make me happy. You’ll find I am pretty simple and easy to get to smile and amuse if you know what you are doing,” the demon would say with a sleepy smile.

A smile that would quickly disappear as his eyes widen as the other sudden came at him. Before he could properly react, he would find himself once more underneath the other and before he could even fathom why this was a thing or adjust, the other would poke at his tail? Well that was rather risky considering some animals hated for their tails to be messed with. Luckily for the other, Rika was rather neutral on the matter unless you were seeking to do hurt him by pulling or something like that. Perhaps being with that artist and the kids had made him tolerant or maybe he was always like that. Regardless he didn’t bite or snap as he instead the demon’s would swing his tail slightly causing the extra limb to sweep up and swat the other’s arm in a firm yet harmless way, his own way of poking back; however, with so much going on the demon didn’t have a full counter attack as he became distracted by, eh? Were those tiger ears and a tail? The demon’s eyes would lock on the new attachments on the other as he blinked a few times before rolling over onto his back and reaching up.

Like he recalled the outline of a tiger back when they fought those battle back then and he remembered the Forest Guardian coming out because it was drawn to the tiger guardian that it claimed it could sense in the guy. He remembered it all, but even so he thought for sure the other was human, so these couldn’t be real...could they?

Pale hands would go for the ears and once near he would touch them cupping them gently as is he tested just how real they were….

‘’Don’t know…’’ He actually had no idea. Would he take a sudden gift, were this a real thing and not just them sort of joking around on the subject? It would probably depend on a lot of variables there. Either way, it was hard to say either yes or no, since he wasn’t the one to have grabby hands, but didn’t want to rudely refuse either. Matters like these could be pretty tricky unless you were set on what you wanted of them from the start. He would frown lightly at the answers given afterwards though. ‘’I don’t…think it’s only about changing how we do things anyway. We shouldn’t aim to turn around just for someone else’s sake. Not completely at least. Besides, comfort is really about meaning in the end, is it not? Wouldn’t simply understanding that the other person is trying to do just that even if they might not be doing it your preferred way help? Sometimes, just knowing solves a lot of problems. Not to say that trying a new method because the other side likes it is bad in small doses, but the primary goal should still be to accept the person the way they are rather than change their habits to make them more likeable for you, no? If you need to be doing that, then maybe you’re not all that compatible with them….’’ Well, it is give and take, yes? If someone is supposed to make effort to learn how to comfort you your way, then you could also make the effort to accept theirs for the intent behind them instead of wanting things to be your way more than anything else. The differences are what makes it unique, and it would be kind of boring if everyone just molded into what their partner wanted the most. And well, maybe the person isn’t the best choice for you if you need to be correcting their behavior just to make it all work? Of course, if they are doing something legitimately bad, or unacceptable by common sense, then sure…but this wasn’t really in that area, was it now?

Mini-clashes of differences aside, the conversation would slowly shift into a less serious minded topic. On the outside at least, although the fact that they weren’t disagreeing on anything yet did play into it too. He would snort faintly. ‘’Well, what’s the worst thing that could happen? You could always just make an emergency landing in case it was indeed too big, and continue the rest of the way by foot. If you aren’t too cocky and push yourself too hard, you probably won’t crash and hurt yourself badly.’’ That’s what happens if you get haughty and fly too high to show off and then don’t have enough time to land when trouble happens. A lot of stupid mistakes can be avoid with just a touch of carefulness within the bold attempt. A balance of sorts is the best way to go, yes? Or at least having both factors present in some way, even if not 50/50. Too safe or too bold could end up a disaster, each for its own distinct reasons. You just gotta figure out the right ratio to apply.

Time for jokes though, so yay? He honestly wasn’t certain as to why he did that. It kind of just happened, and it didn’t feel too out of place, so he stuck with it. It was perhaps odd from an outsider’s perspective, but as uptight as he could appear most of the time, he was able to be silly and goof off. The attitude simply didn’t shine through often enough, since it was a little harder for him to get into that mood genuinely. Nevertheless, he could probably make a decent entertainer. Albeit, he wasn’t the best faker in that area, so only for moments when it was a more or less sincere situation. Putting on an act on purpose would be tough for him. ‘’Hn, am I really?’’ Hmm, well, he couldn’t do much about that anyway. ‘’Well, that would add quite the punch to it, certainly.’’ And he was kind of starting to run out of smart comments there, slowly. Veggies weren’t all that inspiring, but he tried?

Regardless, yes, the pillow was lovely. Not really the best kind of date though, so the other didn’t have to worry all too much at the end of the day. He would snort lightly. ‘’I thought you just said you had no plan though. And I like fire and ice. Sounds like an interesting experience to me. I just want some portable oxygen so I can live to see that…’’ Or something? Well, too bad surviving in outer space was not that easy. And it’s only so much of an experience when you have to be stuffed inside of a rocket or astronaut suit. As interesting as space was though, he didn’t have much real intention of going there though. Would it really be worth the resources required? ‘’Mmm, poor moon though. It sort of needs to remain intact so we can watch it in the sky at night. I would love some cheese pizza though. It’s round, so we could pretend it’s like the moon.’’ That was something, right? He didn’t have any better ideas anyway, since no food stood out to him as especially worthy to be taken to the moon or whatever.

Heh. Well, either way, conversation would soon die down for a bit as they settled on the sign topic as well. Would he speak other languages often? Likely not, although, didn’t the demon want to learn Japanese before? Were they to go through with that, then he kind of would have to do so, for that one language at least. Random thoughts aside however, since his attention was soon taken by other matters. And yes, he indeed moved about a lot. Perhaps it was the stressing out from before in general making him have too much pent up energy from all that friction. Adrenaline maybe? He didn’t know, really. He just didn’t feel like settling down completely for the time being. It wasn’t all that unusual anyhow. He did tend to do things like pacing around when he had too much on his mind or was really alert for some reason. Thus it was time to play pounce…after asking a random question, that is. Though, he wouldn’t answer right away as he just stored the info for the time being, focusing on what was happening in the moment there.

Was it really dangerous to poke tails? He wouldn’t know. Although, it wasn’t like he was doing something intense, and it sounded like a bit of a stretch that one couldn’t do as much as touch a bit without getting bitten. He would probably question it if an animal did that to him for something as simple as that. Ah well. At least that didn’t happen, so there was no need for awkward interventions. He would blink a little when the other tail-slapped his arm, giving a low hum as he proceeded to poke some more. He didn’t appear to be paying much attention to other happenings at that moment, his own tail still wagging slightly. Guess he was focused on his target for the time being, but that would not last for very long since the demon decided to interrupt him right after.


Getting caught off guard there, it was surprising he didn’t actually jump or the like. He did however give the guy a somewhat startled look, the ears twitching lightly at the touch, now raised straight up in alert mode. He didn’t jerk away or such though, so the guy could keep his hands there easily if he wanted to. That said, yes, they were obviously enough real. Unless the guy assumed it was just a very well done fake for whatever reason.

The demon would shift his head slightly at the other’s answer as his eyebrows rose a bit curious. “So you don’t like gifts or…?” the demon would ask out of curiosity versus a complaint. It was rare that one found someone that refused or resisted gifts. Sure there were some cultures that taught their kids to do that, but still, this was an interesting quirk to the demon. Well regardless of the answer there, he would blink at the next response as his left ear folded to the side in thought as a contemplative frown crossed his face. “Hmmm. Well all that is true and I wasn’t saying change the person. I guess a compromise of a sort was what I was going with all that.” Yes comforting was indeed about meaning and maybe the other didn’t have to conform to what the other liked. Perhaps understanding was all that it took, but didn’t one get an understanding of things by at least humoring a new method here and there and trial and error until things worked? Maybe or maybe not. Regardless the demon wasn’t looking to argue with his words, so he let the topic go where it would and that was that.

Moving from that, the demon would nod lightly at the other as they continue the talk on mountains. “Yeah that is true. I do have that to fall back on if I did mess up on the flight.” And that was pretty much all that was too that. Sure the demon could’ve added more, but why do that and risk repeats and such? No the conversation despite its light air was deep enough for the demon and gave him much to think about. Maybe getting a handle on himself wasn’t as impossible as he thought at times. Maybe all he had to do was change how he viewed the matter to move forward. He would indeed have to see. Regardless it was a nice thought to consider in the end.

Speaking of thoughts to consider it would seem that talks of cows and cooking would slowly draw to an end as the demon gave the other a lopsided grin as he heard the question posed. “I think you are,” he would say quite amused  and then hearing the comment on vegetables he would let out an amused chuckle, but for the most part didn’t add onto it anymore. The joke was fun while it lasted, so best let it be before it was overcooked and ruined; however, the talk of food wouldn’t stop there as they moved onto the subject of moon travel and such.

“Well we don’t, but even so kind of need to live if we want to get to the destination. As for fire and ice, it depends but i prefer my inbetween temps instead. Guess I am a water and earthy sort of guy. Though I don’t mind going to new places. And yes will need plenty of oxygen to actually enjoy the trip.” He could handle extremes temperatures when he needed, but he was not a fan of extreme heat and cold. Perhaps it was due to the type of demon he was or maybe it was just him in general, he wasn’t sure, but the other could have all the fire and ice he wanted, he might join him for a bit here and there, but stay for too long? Nah. He wouldn’t be doing that. In any case, that talk would soon not matter as they ended up drifting into some rather odd territory where logic was forbidden to come in. Well not fully, but still…

“Perhaps, but I wonder if two people could actually take out the moon,” he would say and then hearing the comment about pizza he would blink. “You know that is not a bad idea. Pizza and drinks. Sounds like a good dinner to me,” he would say the matter seeming simple enough and with some chatting it really was simple. They would indeed be getting pizza and some nice alcohol to go with it, the latter rather easy to settle on considering they had a common ground in taste there. With dinner plans set, the demon made a note to get the pizza ordered and go pick it up so that on the way back he could hit the liquor store for said beverage. Yes, he held sake or wine in the apt, but they both agreed on something stronger than that in the end to take care of the stress that led up to this point and maybe in a way to celebrate actually getting somewhere. With this mess.

In the end, things were coming to a peaceful calm. Well almost to a peaceful calm, the pizza ordering and such would be placed on hold as the human decided to pull an unexpected stunt that placed them both in a rather interesting situation that demon was unsure of, but at the same time not worrying about as he went with the flow of things.

Tails were indeed tricky depending on the demon or animal, some didn’t mind and others would out right bite one’s hand off for daring to even try touching them in such a fashion; however, Rika didn’t seem to mind as instead he actually played back his tail whacking the other, but failing to stop him as he seemed to be interested in continuing to poke it? The demon would raise an eyebrow at this one highly amused that the other had taken such an interest in his tail, but why? The demon didn’t know as he lifted his tail a bit and actually began to move it to avoid the pokes. Not highly successful, but for each poke given fox would either whack the other back or poke the other back first in the arm and at one point in the chest; however, the demon’s tail would go back to twitching as he became fascinated with the ears and on instinct just had to touch.

The reaction was interesting to say the least and proved to the demon they were indeed real. Letting the ears shift naturally in his hands, the demon was at first amused by the ears, but then looking at the other, he would blink as he kept his hands at his ears for a bit and then smirking a bit, his tail would move, the long object coming up and round to flop easily across the other’s back before it shifted down and towards the base of the tail. Once there the tail would slid up the wagging object a bit as it curled and then slightly pulled on the other’s tail kind of curious as to what would do. He made sure when doing this he moved his hands away from the other’s ears. Didn’t want him to jump or do something drastic and injure his ears in the process, you know?

Hm. ‘’I just…I don’t hate them, but getting things for free makes me feel like I owe the person and have to do something for them in return. So I usually just choose to not take it.’’ It was an odd matter. He understood the meaning behind gifts, but he wasn’t often inclined to actually accept them. Even less so when it was a random gift that didn’t need to happen, or something he found he didn’t even want. Because then he’d have to worry about being nice back, even though he didn’t truly get all that much from it in the first place. Though, depending on the person, it could still become harder/easier due to other variables. ‘’Maybe…’’ Well, in a sense. It wasn’t that straightforward though, was it now? Is one going to understand that the other person truly means it with their actions by trying new methods themselves? Those two aren’t interconnected all that much. Both can do the situation good, but they’re more of a standalone. You can try something new and not even understand it, just like you could come to understand something without needing to test it out with your own hands. Not that everything can even be mimicked properly anyway.

That aside, he would stay mostly silent on the topics that rolled past afterwards. There didn’t seem to be much to add to them, and he wasn’t trying to force it either. He would give the guy a somewhat incredulous glance when he kept insisting that goofy was where it’s at, but that was about that. Of course, he did acknowledge what was being said and all, rather than seeming like he didn’t listen, but he just didn’t really have anything interesting to say anymore. It’s kind of like hearing a statement from a person and just going ‘ok’. Take it, but not feel much of a need to poke it apart from that point on. He had already made his comments on most of the topics, and since not a whole lot more was added since then, he was just kind of done for the moment. Besides, they ended up settling on getting food and all soon after, so that was about that for those conversations anyway. Unless the demon wanted to pipe up and invite more talk there, that is.

One way or another, they would end up switching to some playing around on the bed. If it could be called that at the moment. Well, the poke game was kind of fun, right? He did appear to be entertained by that for a good chunk of time, and maybe he would have stopped to give it a break sometime soon, but the other took the honors first by distracting him from it thoroughly.


Well, luckily for the other, he didn’t really jump. He might have had a sharper reaction, were the demon to grab at his tail directly with his hands, but this didn’t faze him as badly. Plus, he didn’t even really manage to shake off his initial stunned moment from before completely yet, so his reaction was delayed anyway. The tail did stop wagging around though, and just kind of held still for the most part. He did give a bit to the pulling, but outside of that just offer the guy a confused face. He didn’t really understand what the other was trying to do. He couldn’t do anything significant in this position with his tail, regardless of which direction he swished it in. He would mostly just slap the bed or such. Could probably poke at the other if he really wanted to, but nothing too dramatic since the other was underneath him, and thus not in direct range. He would need to curl it around/over himself and whatnot to reach there. Just to what, wiggle it around? The other could smoosh things better since fox tails were bushy and thick, but his…while it wasn’t as thin as a thread literally, was still more akin to a long pole. If he wasn’t whipping someone/something with it, he could just poke a bit or wrap it around something, pretty much.

That said, he would snap out of his dazing after a short moment, his face still on the side of confusion, but he would speak at the very least.

The demon would hum at what he heard as he shifted the position of his head slightly on his arm to get more comfortable. “In debt, huh? I know the feeling, but not due to gifts. In any case,  I’ve never desired anything back from what I gave so even if I were to give you a gift, it’s not out of wanting something in turn. I do it because I want to and nothing more ” the demon would say and then frowning would scratch a little behind his ear in thought. “Now that I think about, I don’t think I would even know what to do with gifts. Like...I know how to give them, but receiving? Hmmm...there is only one I can recall actually getting a very long time ago. Outside of that?” the demon would shake his head as his mind went blank on that front. And why was that. Well that was simple. Outside of that one gift, he hadn’t gotten any gifts. No thank yous. No just becauses. No birthdays. Nothing. Any and everything he had, he worked his butt off to get, but he didn’t brag about this at all. He just remained humble and kind despite what life threw at him at times. Was he strange? Maybe, but that was nothing new.

Anyway gifts and such aside, it would seem conversations would begin to die off. The topic of comfort being ended by a quiet nod from the demon and from there? Well mostly silences and odd looks as things passed on. The human had nothing to add and the demon saw no need to dag bodies across the coals, so he would let it all go wherever not bothered by the silences that he was beginning to become accustom to the more he spent time with the other. And maybe things would’ve fallen into a nice little calm, if the other had not decided to take a different route and start a rather odd game. One that perhaps Rika was failing at? He wasn’t sure.

Well the poking bit was entertaining, even the demon wasn’t minding that one; however, it seemed he broke something when he decided to touch the extra things that the other showed. Was it wrong for him to be curious? Well whether it was or not, it seemed the touching had disturbed the other in some way? It certainly did seem to bring the other’s playful antic back into the web of unknown; however, the demon didn’t seem to mind as his tail slid off of the others and came to a rest across the other’s back, the long bushy object mostly still with the exception of the black tip that hung lightly over the side curling a bit as the demon watched the other, with a slight smirk.

“Hmm. What indeed? This is the first I’ve seen a human able to tap into such power. It made me curious how real it all was, thus I had to touch the ears. As for the tail, well you took such an interest in mind, I thought I’d return the favor. Perhaps I’ve overstep my bounds,” he would say not a hint of regret, sadness, or any of the usual things the demon did when he thought he had done wrong. Nope. Just calm amusement in confidence much like he had showed when they first met. Heh, wonder where that had been hiding for so long. Anyway, the demon would let that set in a bit and then shifting a bit, his left hand would go to the other’s left ear, his expression more contemplative now as he traced the outside of the ear with a finger before speaking.

“You’re were quite the catch before, but this adds a new layer of adorableness to ya that I didn’t think was possible. You really are something.”

Welp that happened...

He would shrug a bit. ‘’I don’t either, if I already give something. A lot of people would go and preach about give and take though, so it’s hard to not feel like I should at least show some copious gratitude when I get something for free myself if nothing else. Most won’t tell you straight up and just expect it…and well, I don’t really like having to put up faces and do something in return in case I didn’t even want what they gave me or didn’t like it. Or any situation that just isn’t the most favorable for me.’’ And then there are the people who will be nice and assure you they don’t want anything back…and then go silently judging you when you don’t because deep down they still expected it from you. Just didn’t want to look greedy/pushy. It’s hard to tell whether you can really afford to not reciprocate, and he typically did not enjoy playing those games. He personally didn’t care for getting things back if he gave a gift…usually, but how many people could say that genuinely and truly not hope for being appraised somehow? ‘’I’d probably rather give myself…although, I don’t think I’m good at picking the right kind of gift to give most of the time, so I don’t really for the most part. Why don’t you get any though? You must know someone outside of me at least or not?’’ Could he just…pay for someone’s dinner or such and call that a ‘gift’? Much easier than looking for some sort of trinket the person may put away and never look at/use after a short while. He’d preferably gift something practical enough that doesn’t just beg for dust gathering if anything. As for getting them….probably something similar, though he couldn’t say he got any often. Not like he wanted to accept stuff most of the time anyway.

Wherever that went, the conversations would float away completely soon, only to be replaced by poking and random touches. How fun. He would furrow his brows slightly, trying to process the response he got, his mind still a little out of whack after the mini-surprises. He didn’t seem to mind the tail on his back though as he tilted his head slightly. ‘’I’m obviously not normal. I can do more than that if you want…Though…no, it’s not like that. I just didn’t understand what were you trying to do by pulling on me…’’ He could get stuff like poking in a sense, but the guy had tried to move his tail and he got a tiny bit confused about why, or what was it supposed to result in. All he could have done is follow it or swat away pretty much, so he got stuck on what was expected of him there. Just a slight ‘eeeh?’ moment, kind of. Speaking of weird moments, time for another one? When the demon moved to touch his ear again, he would at first blink, then make a low sound in the back of his throat as his ears flattened on his head a little. On top of that, he seemed to shift himself and the demon would soon find himself with a weight sitting on his lap. Hmm, what was he doing…? Err. Well, he tried to look like nothing happened more or less as he turned his focus to the words being said, while his tail now laid down on the bed with the tip twitching slightly.

“Yeah, society does train you to give to receive almost. Christmas, birthdays, and whatever else the occasion from a young age you are trained to expect something back when you give from most cases I observe at least,” the demon would say. Maybe the reason he didn’t want anything now was because he was never condition to expect anything good and if he did get a “gift’ it usually wasn’t something pleasant, so there was that and as he got older he just never thought to ask or expect anything from anyone still. The idea just never settled into him though the giving part he did out of pleasure most of the time because he liked to see people smile...and that for the demon was enough. Weird? Maybe, but that was just how he was.

“We prefer the same. Mostly we give to charities and other organizations like that and occasionally to the homeless. I kind of like helping others. As for myself, well. I wasn’t brought up in world where that could happen. In my younger days, that was not an options. Masters don’t gift you unless you somehow became their favorite and trust me I was never it. When I got out of that the trend kind of continued. People just took advantage of my kindness and I kind of let them becauses I didn’t know better and about time I did get enough sense to pull away from such situations, I put myself into a giving business where you aren’t suppose to get gifts back. As for personal life well, most people I wound up with took and did not give,” the demon would pause to take a breathe. “As for the blonde, even if I was within him those ‘gifts’ weren’t mine and as soon as I got myself back me and that lady became strangers, so I don’t have that backing. I don’t have family and I don’t friends even though I know a ton of people. The one that was closest to me and gave me only real gift has passed so it is honestly just me and well, I don’t consider what I buy myself gifts. It kind of stuff I needed mostly with a few wants thrown in there.” The demon’s eyes would drift back up to meet the others. “And you? Do you get gifts often?”

Despite the nature of the topic and the stings it caused, the demon remained very calm as he spoke on the matter, his tail and breathing the only thing moving as he continued to rest. He’d let that conversation go where it would and when others began to lift off and go out of the room, the demon didn’t protest or try to get them to stay around as they moved onto other things that seemingly involved animal parts, poking, and confusion. Heh. Go figure that the latter would turn up, but at least it wasn’t ruining things to badly as the pair spoke.

“Mmm. Indeed you are not and more?” the demon would raise an eyebrow at that one as he gave the other a curious link. “Just how far does your power go? And does it stem from the spirit within the Forest Guardian spoke of or is it something else?” The demon was curious since that incident happened back in the forest. Just what else could the other do and why was he allowed such power. Was he perfectly in sync with the spirit or perhaps he was just hiding he had natural talent for magic all this time? It was a curious topic, but the demon wouldn’t put the other under any sort of pressure with the question allowing the other to do what he wanted with it.

As for what happened afterwards, the demon did indeed hear and see the reaction. Hi hand would hover over the other’s head slightly as the guy shifted and sat on him. Not too bothered by this the hand that was hovering would lower as his free hand rose to the other’s head. “Do you like that?” he would ask before making his next move.

Using both hands he would pet the other, the move holding gentleness despite the firmness as he let his fingers careful run over the ears before settling a bit into the other’s hair. As he did this his tail would remain on the other’s back for now much like an arm draped across. The tip would curl and uncurl as usual, but outside of that the demon wasn’t doing too much more as he observed the other and how he took to things.

“I am. At least when they are cubs. They are quite charming; however, when they get older they go from cute to majestic. It’s a beautiful creature, similar to you, but not exactly you either. Do you not like being associated with the word cute?”

….and he obviously wanted none of that. Well, in the majority of cases, at least. He technically almost never participated in these events anyway. He wasn’t a huge fan of set holidays that promoted gift giving. That makes people do it more out of obligation even, rather than because they were feeling generous of their own volition. Meh holidays are meh. That’s like Valentine’s day, and the fact that all the cute surprises didn’t necessarily have much of an impact since they were done ‘because special day’. It’s honestly more meaningful when someone does it whenever they decide to, simply because they want to, not for a commercial holiday when it’s straight up expected of them. Many likely do it just because it is an obligation of sorts at this point, and would not even think of doing so, were that holiday not there. What does that say about them?

‘’I don’t trust random people and organizations enough for that. There’s no proof that the money they typically ask for actually ends up going where it should. And a lot of homeless people beg for change just to go buy booze instead of the food they spoke of after they get some out of you. If anything, I’d rather spend where I can be sure it does what it’s supposed to.’’ He wasn’t ‘kind’ enough to just toss because it seemed like a good thing to do. It better also serve something if he was already doing it. He’d rather do/give things for people he knew, or at least when he had a way to confirm he wasn’t wasting his efforts like a fool. There are too many liars these days for one to think they aren’t about to get scammed one day for being nice blindly. He would hum faintly. ‘’And no…not really. I don’t really keep friends, and I don’t get along with my family that well. Besides, as I said before, I don’t like accepting random free things most of the time. It has to mean something after all.’’ He didn’t think much of it though. It wasn’t like he wanted it badly anyway. Most things he could just buy himself, so a gift would only be worthy if it was given in a meaningful way.

Complicated topics aside, they would eventually move onto more chill activities. For the most part, at least. ‘’Depends on what context is that meant in.’’ He could do things allright, but what determined how ‘far’? And were they just talking within the realm of actions such as what he was doing now, or everything in general? Since he wasn’t able to do anything one could think of, just what was in the reach of his powers. ‘’And I think it’s more of the former. If there is something else, I don’t know about it. I don’t really test things out much.’’ He wasn’t going to really speculate on that one. Was it even possible for humans to have that kind of power naturally? Who knew, and even if he did have some sort of talent by himself, he wouldn’t really know. The answer to those matters wasn’t going to be crystal clear like that, even more so because he didn’t make use of his powers often before. Was it all just because of the demon in him or not? He had no answer to that.


Nevertheless, this time around he would remain mostly silent when the other went to pet him. He was starting to catch onto it, so it wasn’t that surprising anymore, which also meant less thoughtless reactions. He did close his eyes at the touch though, so he did seemingly like it in some way, assuming the other could read as much. ‘’You’d like to know that, wouldn’t you?’’ Well, he was apparently in a slight sassy mood for the moment, although his poke was done mostly in a joking manner anyway. ‘’Hmph. Not sure I would see myself as cute. And hearing that makes me think more of bunnies and such.’’ Well, he wasn’t being mad about it at least, despite having a somewhat different opinion there. It was what it was though. Meanwhile, his tail was back to swishing from side to side, now slightly above the other’s legs and a bit more aggressively than before. It seemed like the moves had something to do with his mood, but could one even read them without knowing anything first…?

While the demon had heard and only observed the special occasions he spoke of, Rika  didn’t quite  understand why a particular day was designated to give gifts at all. Honestly if you wanted to give a gift to someone cared for you should just do it versus waiting for day x to roll around to go all out. It was quite strange in the demon’s eyes and quite honestly he didn’t wish to receive a gift because someone was like I must do it because it was x day. So on that front, the demon and human would line up in a way. However, on another they would not. As the demon heard the other’s words on charities and the such, he would give a light hum. “I can see where you are coming from; however, I choose to trust that the organization are doing the right thing. As for the homeless, that is true, but once that dollar is out of my hand there is not much I can really do about it. I try to help out, especially little ones, but despite my intentions I cannot control what happens to my gifts after they leave my hand. It is unfortunate, but I choose to trust the best results will come out of it even if I have no direct control over it.” That was just how he was. He was kind and giving, but not to the point that he was a fool about it. No. He may lend a hand here and there, but he thought himself smart enough to not be so easily tricked into things. He didn’t bow to every plea for help or everything that claimed it was a charity after all. He did have caution in this arena, but even still that would not stop him from doing what he did. That difference aside though… “Ah. Then we are somewhat similar in that department even if our reasons for being so are vastly different.” Hmmm...despite their personality the demon found they had a lot more in common than he previously thought. How interesting.

Moving from serious conversation into something else as the demon allowed himself to remain pinned under the other as he occasionally moved his hands to stroke the other’s head in a petting like fashion as they spoke.

“Oho? The context hmm? Well, those context are numerous and varied, so I can’t list them all; however, I am curious. You mentioned ice and fire earlier. Are those elements you use? I remember back on the battlefield you took a fireball head on and didn’t even flinch. Also if you can make ears and tail appear, can you turn into a full tiger then?” the demon would ask as his tail finally slid off the other’s back and came to a rest hanging to the side and off the bed, the tail would swish slightly before settling to the slight curling and uncurling around the tip. A wag perhaps? Who knew? What was known was that the demon was rather content and relaxed at the moment, so all was good for now.

And it seemed things would continue to go well as the demon hummed to the other words heard. “Ah so the tiger lends you its power. Though...how did you come to know such a creature or even become one with it,” the demon would ask as he continued to pet the other taking note of how the  man endured the action and even closed his eyes seeming to enjoy it if the demon was reading the reaction correctly. It was cute and the action quite soothing for the demon who was relaxing more and more as time went on. He found the situation amusing on one hand and curious on the next. This guy….He could be intense, intimidating and downright biting, but on the other hand he showed playfulness, shyness, awkwardness, and even this softer and gentler side to him. While the demon had no doubt about such qualities being present, he was amazed at how this one flipped between the states without warning making him a dangerous, yet fascinating creature. Perhaps it was meant to be that he was one with a tiger like creature then. Cats in general were very mysterious and unpredictable creatures of elegance and grace. It suited him well.

“Hmph,” the demon would let out the amused sound as he received an answer to his question. “Oho playing dodge the bullet are we? Do you find it fun to toy with me so?” the demon would say, his voice playful and teasing showing that he took no offense at the words and maybe he even liked the fact the other didn’t give him everything he asked for. It kept the demon engaged for sure and made working for what he wanted that much more enjoyable. It would be no fun if the other was that easy, you know?

“Well you are most certainly not a bunny or the like, but I don’t really know how else to describe the matter. Any suggestions for future references?” A difference in opinion indeed, but at least something that didn’t seem to be causing too much strife between them yet, so that was good. In any case, the demon would fall silent from there and perhaps would’ve made a move to do something else; however, his eyes did catch the movement of the others tail. Red orbs would drift from the lashing tail back up to the other as his own tail flicked a bit.

“Hm? Something the matter?”  

‘’Well, you do you. I would personally prefer to make things happen myself rather than relying on a third party of sorts.’’ If he ever would. But there are always ways to without needing to trust fate with your money and whatnot. He would shake his head. ‘’To be honest though, I wish I could just call bullshit on all this. There wouldn’t be a need for such things if people hadn’t made the world run on money like this to begin with. And so much of it goes into random stuff, while some people can’t even get a place to live. Caring society at its best, really.’’ Sarcastically speaking, at least. Why did people really invent money anyway? You have to pay buckets for everything just to have a decent life, but at the end of the day, everything just starts with resources from nature, no? Animals can live just fine without using some man-made cash, so why can’t humans? It sure makes for a lot of inequality between people, and sometimes simply being born into the wrong kind of family is all it takes to make your life shit and force you to live on the streets. How is that fair? ‘’Perhaps…’’ Were they similar? Well, maybe so. Though they indeed had their own reasons for being that way.

Just like there were reasons for everything that happened, serious or fun. He would frown mildly at the questioning he received when he prodded for more context, trying to figure out how to answer it all. ‘’Fire, yes. Ice…I can, but I’m not all that great with it. As for animal features…well, I can do small parts separately, like claws, fangs or eye color…but flat out switch? I haven’t tried, but probably not the way I am. I hardly ever use my powers in the first place. I’m not necessarily all that proficient. Maybe if I kept trying? I don’t know.’’ To be honest, he hadn’t even entertained the idea before. He kind of never needed to become an animal, and it wasn’t that simple anyway. Tigers aren’t small animals that can roam around just because. His range of use for it would be quite limited, which is perhaps why it never came up as a pressing matter. Were he a normal cat, it would sound more tempting faster since he could fit in almost everywhere. A big wildcat though? Probably not.

Speaking of which, more questions ahoy. This one however…wasn’t among the most pleasant. He didn’t react much there, though his ears would drop a bit. Another reason why he perhaps didn’t do this often. He could keep a poker face pretty well, but these things liked to do their own thing instead, and it could be inconvenient. Curse traitorous appendages. Then again, it still depended on how well could the other manage to read from it. At least though, it didn’t make him move away from the petting or anything. Just the question and the overall wording of what the demon said seemingly making him a bit sad. Nevertheless, he would keep his eyes closed as he gave an answer after a brief moment of contemplating it all. ‘’….that’s…a long story. It’s not the nicest one either. I’d prefer to not have a second round of depression right now, but I guess the choice is yours. Do you really want to go there now?’’ If the other wanted to hear it so much, he’d concede, but it seemed like a shame to be starting this type of stuff again now that they were actually on the positive side of the fence for once.

Regardless of the demon’s decision on that matter, they would move on eventually, towards more questioning. This time a less serious one however. ‘’Why yes, it’s proving to be quite entertaining.’’ Guess? He hadn’t necessarily been attempting to toy with the guy, despite his attitude deciding to go down that path. Then again, he supposed playing around wasn’t all that bad for as long as no one was taking offense to something that was not meant to be viewed as that. So far so good? He would snort lightly when he was asked to come up with his own description. ‘’That’s too bad, dear, but I don't actually spend much time thinking about what to call myself. I don’t know.’’ Most of the time, he didn’t even care. He’d protest when he got insulted or such of course, but he didn’t have anything he’d go and insist on. He wasn’t even all that against ‘cute’ in a sense…it just came off a little bit too mushy to him, so he wasn’t sure what to really think about it at the moment.


He was a little unsure of what was the other fishing for with that sudden inquiry there. He wasn’t really aware of something being wrong. That said, reading him could indeed turn out to be tricky. Normally, he didn’t show these kinds of things all that much, but in this state, the ears and tail did tend to unconsciously reflect his mood somehow, not necessarily out of his own choice. Figuring out what the reactions there meant probably wasn’t easy though. What he was doing now…it was mostly just a result of slightly conflicted feelings and the fact that he was focusing on it. It wasn’t something he himself would recognize as problematic however, so Rika’s questioning, as vague as it was, would fly right over his head.

“Mmm. That is understandable,” the demon would respond back in easy tones accepting the other’s way of things. Some liked to give to charities and others liked to do things other ways. The matter wasn’t that big of a deal to the demon unless of course the other decided to slam him for his ways. If he had done that, then yeah. They would’ve had issues, but the guy didn’t so the topic of charities went by easily enough and flowed into money topics. To this one, the demon’s ear would fold down a bit as an understanding smile crossed his face. “It is a bit sickening when you really observe the way money works and what it does to people and society. I am unsure when or how it became so important, but it definitely shifted the mentality from community and family to all about me and what I can get for me. I sometimes wonder what would happen if money, all the fancy toys, and technology were taken away what would happen to society. Would it crash or be able to thrive in a new way?” Heh. Curious thought, but the demon often did wonder. Being mostly on the short end of the stick half of his life, he understood the struggles of having nothing and having to survive that way while he watched other live in their palaces of lust, sloth, and greed. It wasn’t pleasant to see, but he never envied them. He just always wondered if the silver spoon was taken away so to speak could those high and mighty rich folk with everyone at their beck and call actually do something for themselves. Was being spoiled and wasteful really that good? Hmmm….The demon would ponder that one for a bit before blinking as the other respond to them being similar. To the short answer back, the demon would let out a hum to show he at least acknowledged what was said, but outside of that he had nothing else to say on the matter.

In any case, things would move from there to petting and other matters. While the demon kept petting the other for the moment, he would take in the answer given in regards to power as his left hand shifted a bit so that he could get his finger slightly behind the other’s ear. From there he would begin to gently rub much like petting a cat behind their ear as he nodded a bit. “I see, so you don’t use them unless you have to...or perhaps in this case wanted too?” the demon would ask, swishing his tail a bit as he continued to focus on the other and what he was saying. Well whatever came of that, the demon would hum at the last part. “Well if you wanted to we could practice with you. I am not sure if you want to develop your powers or are fine with where they are, but the offer is there if you want to take it.” Unlike the other, the demon had no issue using his own powers of shapeshifting whenever he felt like it, it’s just most of the time he was a bit lazy or didn’t feel like changing his looks so he mainly stayed human-like, but on occasion he could shift into animals such as birds or house cats and the like if he wanted a different perspective or do something a bit different. It all depended on his mood after all. Well wherever that went, the subject would eventually change to something less pleasant?

The demon’s petting would pause as he saw the other’s ears droop as he responded back to a question. To what was the demon was quiet for a bit and then resting a hand on the right side of the other’s head, he would take to carefully massaging the ear there. “Well, you can tell me at a later time,” he would say before falling silent to just continue to pet/massage the other for. As long as the other didn’t nope the action and was actually enjoying it, the demon would remain content with what he was doing for the time being.

However, in time the silence would be broken as the conversation went back to light and playful. “Heh,” the demon would smirk at the answer given. “Well, I suppose that is quite good then. Would be a shame if you were bored instead,” the demon would say not really being serious about the matter at all as he simply played with what was given. From there things would float to the topic of cuteness and such, which caused the demon to chuckle in amusement more so than anything as he heard the response back. “No help then?”he asked and then pausing in his petting, he would position his arms so that one rested across the other’s shoulders as his free hand moved to the back of the guy’s head. From there, he would tug downward in a gentle fashion and if the other yielded a bit, the demon would shift slightly to raise himself up just enough to so they would be quite close and face-to-face. “Well then I’ll just settle on cute for now, love,” he would say before smirking and then shifting a bit plant a small lick on the other’s cheek. There was nothing slobbery about it as the demon used mostly the tip of his tongue in the action. If anything despite it being a lick it would feel more like some form kiss to the cheek. Regardless after that had happened, he would lean back slightly to watch the other and in time would release the other as he settled back on the pillow.

In time, he would take notice of the other’s tail and how it flicked and so ask his question. The response back was an interesting one that caused the demon to blink a bit as he tilted his head at the other.

“Well, you were flicking your tail in an odd fashion, so I was curious…?” the demon would say with a raised eyebrow. He wasn’t quite sure what else to say to that. Was there something wrong or was the other simply flicking his tail just because. It was always hard to say when it came to the other.

Well, he wasn’t sure what the other had been aiming to make happen there, but in his current position, he couldn’t exactly just lean forward too much without needing some sort of support if he didn’t want to end up flat on top of the guy. He hadn’t been holding himself up with his arms before after all, and while he wasn’t a weak noodle, it’s not all too easy to defy gravity pulling you down just like that. Thus, he would end up leaning over the other, supporting himself on his elbows after he had been pulled down for that random lick moment, with a somewhat odd look on his face. Shifting his weight on one of his arms, he would rub at his cheek with his other hand. ‘’I’m not sure I understand the meaning of this….’’ He kind of really didn’t. Speaking of meanings though...’’That said…I don’t really have an answer. I suppose it does relate to my mood, but I’d like to think I’m okay. Why do you assume it means something is ‘wrong’ per se?’’ More than half the time, he wasn’t even aware that his tail was doing things on its own, but to be honest, while it could be a good indicator his mood, it took being able to see nuances to make an accurate guess at times. Plus what he showed outside of that as well. If he was calm in his actions and there was nothing off, maybe it didn’t mean that he was mad or something just because the tail was being more aggressive. There are plenty states of mind one could consider….

OoC:

Conversation and things would pass smoothly, the demon remaining chilled and relaxed under the other as time progressed. It seemed that despite their ups and downs from earlier, the demon was perhaps learning when to poke at things and when not too or maybe he had just gotten lucky this round to not be too curious. It was honestly hard to say what made it all work out this round, but then again the demon didn’t try to analyze the matter too much either. No he just accepted things as they were, just like he would accept the next thing that occurred too with ease.

The demon’s lips would curl into a smile as he saw the other react and in turn question the lick. Perhaps it wasn’t the most normal thing to do, but then again what was ever normal about the demon anyway? In any case, the demon would shake his head lightly at the matter as his lips parted to respond.

“It is just a form of affection, similar to a kiss on the cheek. A bit playful, but still in the bounds of saying 'I love you' without actually saying it with words. Does that make sense?” The demon would tilt his head a bit at that pausing to give the other room to respond back if he wanted. Well wherever that went, the demon would hear the answer to his question in turn respond back with a hum as he moved his hands to settle behind the other’s ears. He would begin to gently massage/pet them as he spoke.

“Ah okay. And I don’t know. I just saw the movement and was like is something bothering him or perhaps on his mind, so I poked to see what was up is all.” Honestly, he was more curious about the meaning than assuming things were literally wrong. An aggressive tail swipe could mean agitation or thought or maybe even play. It all depended on the one doing the swishing is all.

Well, at this point he wasn't really reacting a great deal to the petting, since he was kind of already getting used to it being a thing. On top of that, he was more focused on the talk, since that did seem to be the main act of the show right now instead of the random touching that happened alongside. Not that the touching that did happen was grandiose enough to cause any large interference anyway.

''......Not necessarily. I don't quite get cheek kisses either. It just makes me think of parents doing that to their kids rather than a different kind of 'love'. Speaking of which, are you trying to make a confession or something?'' No really, the guy was just casually mentioning the phrase 'I love you', which was a little odd. Maybe it was just him though. Hmm. ''Anyway, you do not even want to know absolutely everything that is on my mind. Couldn't manage to tell you even if I wanted to.'' That would just be a neverending story, obviously enough. One's mind doesn't exactly stop to take breaks, so there is always something going on there behind the scenes.