The body in his arm visibly relaxes and Kuro feels a warmth spread through him. [i]'Issho is a bit intimidating, but I am very glad that he is so relaxed and content with me. It means he still likes me and believes that I won't hurt him'[/i] Giving the smaller male a little squeeze as they watch Kyou run off he hums to himself, resisting the urge to rock Aoba or kiss him. He wants to, he really really does, but as the angel has just returned, and looks a little green, he knows that closer contact and focused attention would likely make him feel more unwell.

His smile widens at the question the angel poses and while his eyes slip half closed at the touch he responds quietly. “Any demon that has a problem with the way you act will answer to me, and any demon that doesn't have to answer to me is smart enough to know that angels have different ways of doing things and have brains enough to not jump to conclusions.” He shrugs slightly. “The only exception being Dani of course, but he likes you already, so you can act however you want around him. . .” He gazes back at Aoba, so content and happy that when he starts making clear efforts to get down he contemplates not letting him go.

He eventually sets the angel on his feet however, realizing that trying to trap him would likely not end well and send the wrong message, and simply contents himself with looking at Aoba with a faintly pouty, longing expression. The expression shifts as Aoba turns the calm, happy moment, into one of tenseness and sorrowful memories. His mind flashes over the incident in the barn and his insides clench. He feels as ill as the angel looks. [i]'I don't wanna think about this right now. I just wanna scoop him up and hug him and pet him and care for him in every way he'll let me. . .'[/i]

Taking a slow breath he tries to organize this thoughts, to come up with the truth despite his overwhelming urge to lie and hide things. E can't help it. It's in his very nature. Eventually however his gaze goes from his feet to the angels and he murmurs softly, “I didn't tell you because, up til that point, there really was no other option for you. It wasn't fair for me ask you to make the decision to stay with me or not when you had nowhere else to go.” He shuffles his feet, his voice trembling slightly. “I wanted to know, needed to know, that you would accept what being with me meant. That you would accept what it meant to give it all up and stay with me.”

He looks back at his feet. “I was being selfish Aoba. I. . .I wanted you to tell me that you didn't care about those things, that you would accept never going home.” His voice drops even lower, though still audible. “I wanted to hear it from you that you that you were with me because you wanted to be, not just because you had any other choice. . .You were given another option, and I wanted to see if you would choose me, after finding out what choosing me would mean.” He shakes his head. “It was selfish, and mean, and I'm sorry Aoba. I put you on the spot and said things that you're right, I should have told you before.”

He looks up at the angel sadly. I was just afraid that, if you knew, you would put up with it just because you had no other choice, and that it would eat at you inside that you never really had a choice in the matter. I feared that you would not accept it, but force yourself to put up with it anyways because there was nothing to be done about it.” He looks back to his feet, a sharp pain racing through his chest. “I had told you before that I stayed because I wanted to, that I was with you of my own choice, and I feared that, after all I have done, if I repeated those things that you would stay, not because you wanted to, but because you felt indebted to me, and would leave once you felt you'd paid me back.” he lets out a shuddering sigh. “I feared a lot of things Aoba, though you must admit, they were at least partially justified. . .”

He bites his lip, looking up into the smaller man's face with fearful, sad eyes. “You did leave. You did choose, for a moment at least, to give up what you had and try to return to the arms of those who threw you aside. .” Reaching out he gently runs a hand down the edge of Aoba's wing. “I taint you, I poison you, and that was enough to scare you away.” He sighs. “Your wings really are so beautiful Aoba, no matter the color, and so are you” He looks back at Aoba's face. “And I never want to be without you. . .In whatever capacity I can be. . .”