"I care about you."

How long has it been since he heard words like those directed to him?

In the eyes of Liohime Kitagami, there was no reason why anyone should truly care about him as a person. Why should they, when he had been solitary for most of his life?

Even when he was in a relationship with Tisha Marsey, he was always hesitant…no, resistant to mentioning his stresses, worries, and negative feelings about certain matters.

--Liohime Kitagami was shy at heart, unable to express his true emotions to others.

His relationship suffered as he kept everything to himself, as he rejected speaking up on things that he was concerned about, and as he failed to solve conflict, giving up easily.

He had barely any companionship. Could he even call anyone his true friend? Not when he isolated himself from others. They only one who he could deem close to him were his workmates, and even then, they were almost never in his close circle.

He always pushed everyone away, but that was how he liked it.

In his eyes, the true meaning of life was living day to day with only yourself involved in various matters. In that way, true peace could be achieved.

It would surely be boring without being in a social circle, that's for sure. But wouldn't that be better than the drama and conflict that could occur when engaging with others who contrast with different personalities, feelings, emotions and actions?

Thus, after getting a bittersweet taste of an unusual reality with Tisha, he reverted back to his solitude, convinced that this was the best life he could have. Just a repeat cycle of the same old stuff, living life like the machine built on bone, skin, muscle, organs, and blood that he was.

This was what life was truly all about.

Or so he thought, until he met that young woman with ethereal gradient green hair, two jet black horns, dark brown smooth skin, and a mischievous smile.

From the day that he had met Shihon, the Magical Beast Girl, he had been hurled into an entire new world, a world where he had been suddenly involved in so many different things that he knew he wasn't even going to be part of if he had never met her on that fated night.

Countless experiences bloomed from the time that they spent together, and it was at that moment that he had realized that life was genuinely more fun….happier….and better.

Granted, the things that he disliked when interacting with others did show up when talking to Shihon numerous times. Their personalities and feelings about different things did clash sometimes, but he found himself working through them with her.

Maybe…he did find someone who he trusted enough to rely on, and to relay his true feelings too.

But then came that mission announcement that hit him like a freight train.

He instantly shrunk back as he kept his concerns to himself.

Why did I accept the mission without thinking it through first? My loyalty was put on the line, but should my allegiance to my chief extend to risking my life just because he cared for me as a child? Will I be able to successfully talk with my chief about leaving the Shinigami Soldiers and live a new life with Shihon, the one who has brought a new light into my life? Will I lose my chief's trust? Hell, will I even survive this mission?

My parents died in that place when I was still only a little kid. But….that incident right before the chief took me in raised some questions. Are they truly dead there, or…?

Those questions and others lingered within him, and the possibilities that swirled within his mind plagued him. Instinctively unable to tell the person next to him these things, he began to work.

And work….and work…and work.

He needed closure, closure from everything. To do that, he needed to be physically ready for anything.

It did not matter if he was tired or stressed. He had to be ready.

But then, Shihon seemed to notice, and she immediately exposed his solitary methods of refraining from disclosing information to her.

He trusted her, of course, but-

This is different.

He knew that she was worried about him, but-

You don't have to worry about me.

He was sure that she wanted to listen to his problems, but-

I'm fine.

I don't want to stress you out with my problems.

I'll handle it myself. I always do.

Why do you…

Why do you want to know anyway? There's no need-

Then, those words escaped those lips….

…Those words that he swore he heard a long time ago, from a past that he had sworn not to remember, not to bring back up ever again.

"...Because I care about you."

She didn't need to know, but she wanted to.

She wanted to know, because she cared about him. She wanted the best for him. She always had.

That was why she now declared that he will not go anywhere until he talks about it, because-

***

"-BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, LIOHIME KITAGAMI."

"-hk."

Liohime stared at her, the pinnacle of someone who was truly close to him, someone who he needed a shoulder to lean on.

His helpless gaze remained locked on her with admiration, with hope, and with yearning.

"And I believe that you've handled every burden by yourself," Shihon declared, "But that won't do. We're partners, like you always told me. Partners. We stick together, we have fun together, and we always fucking rely on each other, Master. So, just as I relied on you to comfort me with how I felt after the incident with me being in Margaret's car, just as I relied on you to tell me that you'll be by my side when you accepted me as your Magical Beast Girl, just as I've continued to rely on you to help me time after time…"

She placed her hand gently on her chest where her heart pulsated within, and ended her sentence boldly:

"....Please, rely on me just this once, Master."

And after being faced with that declaration, Liohime Kitagami decided to open his heart and try, even if it was just for someone else to listen…

…To truly listen to how he felt.

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