.
.
Whoever was the big spoon was the person who went to bed last, climbing into bed and wrapping their arms around the sleeping person's body. The problem was when they went to bed at the same time.
"I would like to be the big spoon tonight," Bishamon said. She tossed a pillow to the side as they climbed into bed.
"Again?" Kazuma said. Bishamon frowned at him. "Don't get me wrong, it's nice, but..."
"But?"
"But I have nothing to wrap my arms around," Kazuma said, blushing.
"Can you not hug a pillow?" Bishamon said.
"I've been hugging a pillow for centuries, I want to be able to hug you."
"Hmm." Bishamon considered. "But I want to hold you, though," Bishamon said. "Furthermore, I'm your master, so technically you do not have much of a say in this."
"Is that right?"
"It is indeed. Move." She pushed him onto his side and pressed against his back, making him laugh softly.
"Veena you're tickling me."
"You see? You enjoy this better than holding me."
He laughed again, then flopped his body over onto hers, pushing her to face away from him. Bishamon laughed.
"Kazuma-!"
"I want to be the big spoon."
"Fine, fine," Bishamon said, smiling. She felt him hitch her close, his arm circling her waist like a bracelet. She heard him sigh contentedly.
"As your master, you should be thanking me."
"Thank you," he said. She could feel him smiling against her back.
A few moments passed. Bishamon looked out into the darkness and frowned at the lack of anything to hold. This never used to be an issue before - indeed, before Kazuma joined her bed, she never slept holding anything at all - but Kazuma was hers to protect, it made sense that she should be the one holding him.
A compromise, then. She shifted to face him, but before he could complain she pulled him against her chest so that he was still in the same spooning position, but so that she could also hold him.
She felt him relax. She trailed her fingertips along his spine, quietly stroking her hand up and down his back.
"Veena?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever imagined us doing this?"
"Doing what?" Bishamon said.
"This," he said. His eyes were smiling. "Fighting over who gets to hold whom."
"Well I wouldn't call it a fight so much as an attempted negotiation."
He laughed softly. "Why 'attempted'?"
"Because it is a losing battle; you need to learn when to acquiesce."
He hugged her. She pressed a kiss against his forehead and pulled him close.
They lay there a moment in the peaceful dark before Bishamon sighed and changed positions, facing away from him. She felt him stir behind her.
"Veena?"
"Go on and be the big spoon. Be thankful that I'm merciful."
She felt his lips brush against her nape. "Thank you."