"—Wait wh-!"

It was all Yako could say before the orgasm hit her, making her clench her mouth shut as well as her legs around his hand. Her nails tried to dig themselves in the leather sofa, only succeeding in making a raking sound that could have been louder than what she thought; she couldn't tell, as the haziness that came with pleasure enveloped her, distorting her hearing – he couldn't have just said that.

"I said," He repeated calmly, waiting for her shudders to stop and prying her weakened knees open, getting back his trapped hand from between her thighs. "That I think we should marry."

Once she felt the last of the spasms leave her, she turned her head towards him to stare, still too weak to sit or do anything else other than pant.

"Do you not believe me?" he smirked as he said that, licking his gloved fingers clean, loudly. He was trying to make her to blush, and succeeded.

"I believe you." She said when she felt strong enough to prop herself on her elbows, but still too weak to do much more, such as gathering her scattered clothing. "I just—why?"

He didn't even blink. "Why what, Yako." He asked, sounding absent while parting her legs open and cleaning, with a handkerchief, the mess she was.

"Why now?" she winced a bit as his ministrations – she was still sensitive – but was grateful nonetheless.

"Is it a bad time for you?" suddenly, his empty smile and blank look suggested she should think her answer. The fact that his fingers were still between her legs was also dangerous.

"No-I mean-" she shut herself up before she said something that would get her punished, and decided to consider what exactly was what she meant. She loved him, of course – she had come to terms with that long ago, and was sure that in his own way, he at least cared. However- "That is—"

What should have been a moment of silence stretched for far longer than she expected. A thousand things racing on her mind, none making sense, let alone for an argument against Neuro were interrupted by a quiet "Tch." He said, and sounded bored, dabbing one last time at her crotch before putting the cloth away in a pocket. "Do let me know when that ridiculously small brain of yours comes up with a whole phrase."

Surprised, she watched him as he left the couch in favor of his computer, eyes half closed and looking thoroughly bored. A moment later and just as silently, she stood up and found her panties – though there were no signs of her bra.

She slid into them quietly, stealing glances to his face. His silence was unusual, especially when she was in such state of undress, right in front of him. But he only continued clicking absently at his keyboard, like she was not there at all.

"Are you mad?"

Her voice was low, yet the words came out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Still, she looked at him.

A second. Two.

He was looking at her, seeming entirely unimpressed. "You are stupid" was all he said, and turned back to his monitor.

He was being childish.

"Hey!" she marched over to him, turning his chair away from the computer and putting her hands on her hips. "Is this because of the marriage thing? Because I didn't say I wouldn't!"

She saw him blink once, twice, and then she realized what she had just done as well as what she had said. She could feel herself color from her soles up, but still managed to maintain her frown. "What I mean is - at this point, it's not like it makes any difference. I already love you and practically live with you. I just want to know why you care."

He was smiling at her now, obviously amused, fingers twitching at his sides. "Oh? And why would I not?"

That took her by surprise. "Uh." She wondered a moment. And then remembered Yuka's tirades after Mr. Ikeya's constant propositions. "…because it is a pointless human ritual made to claim one another property of each other in the eyes of the law?" she winced at herself and choked at his answer.

"Exactly."

"What."

He took her by the hips and sat her on his lap, pointedly pressing their hips together. She blushed, not only from the contact but from the closeness of his face and the strength of his eyes and smile. "You are my property. You know this, and every creature from hell that dares try to claim otherwise would be asking to be eliminated from this world."

She nodded.

"However." He said, pressing a hand down on her breast, over her heart – and doing the same with her right hand and his clothed chest. "It will not be long before any claim I have made, as a demon, will stand strong on this world."

Both were silent then: him looking at her, all smiles and amusement, while she looked confused, between her hand on him and his face. He was trying to show her something, and she could not see what – her hand lay flat against soft blue cloth, thin enough for her to feel the warmth and firmness of his body but not much more - while his hand, on her already sensitive breast, likely sensed everything she felt, ranging from confusion to embarrassment.

A minute passed, and then two, and she was about to give up and ask what he meant when she felt it: It was quick, small, and barely noticeable – but enough for her to wait another minute, another two – until and again, she felt the tiny ghost of heartbeat beat inside him.

"It is a strange feeling, that of growing a heart." He said, closing his eyes and not moving. The smile remained like she had never seen it before, small and quiet, looking almost peaceful.

They remained like that for a while, though she couldn't really say how long. She would have said she did it just to make sure it was real, but the truth was that she both knew and couldn't get enough of it. They were not rhythmical or strong, but they were there; when she would think they wouldn't come back they did, always tiny and weak, but there.

She would have liked to stay there forever, but the dark, ochre tints on the walls and the last rays of the sun warm on her exposed skin, told her that she would do best to dress. She reluctantly retired her hand, and noticed that her face hurt from smiling. "I always did know I was going to be stuck with you for the rest of my life."

"Is that so."

"Would you prefer I say "forever"?"

One of the hands on her hip moved to the back of her neck and pressed downwards. "Forever is really not as unreal as you humans seem to think."

"Is that so."