Why?

Because I am god. Because I can. Because I love you, Kagura.

Your legs are bent under you primly, hands folded in your lap. Large, naive, brown eyes stare straight through me, daydreaming. Who are you thinking about, my excitable boar? Are they truly worth ignoring me to think about them?

"Welcome, Kagura. You seem preoccupied." My voice expands and settles over the room like a blanket, somehow stifling. I watch as you return to yourself and blink.

"Yes, Akito-sama. I am worried about Isuzu. She refuses to tell me why she keeps crying." A thought seems to occur. Suspicious, you say, "Do you kow anything about that?"

I try not to smile, truly I do, but my lips pull upwards in spite of myself as I say, "Yes."

A dark, angry look passes over your eyes. "And Kyo-kun?"

I look carefully at you. How you have changed from the quiet girl that I locked up and kept in the Main House. You didn't set foot outside the grounds until after you were eight, did you know?

"Akito-sama," you start with growing anger, "What did you do to Kyo-kun?"

"We fought. It was nothing serious." I allow my eyes to drift to the open screen door insolently before snapping them back to you. "Why, what have you heard?"

"You hurt Kyo-kun!" You jump to your feet and rush toward me. I do not protest as you lift me up - my sickness has left me pitiably thin - but, just as you prepare to throw me, I reach down and touch your shoulder. You pause for just an instant, enough time for me to slide down your body to the ground. I grab your wrists from behind and hold you in that position.

I croon softly just near your ear. In a low whisper, I say, "So quick to anger, my excitable boar. You used to be so quiet..."

With out turning, you hiss, "I've heard that you've been telling everyone that you love them."

I run my hands along your arm and pull your right palm to my lips. Very, very quickly, I touch my tongue to skin, and you inhale sharply. I purr, "I kept you secluded in the Main House with no one to touch or change you. I'm sorry, my Kagura. You must hate me."

You turn to look at me, taking your wrists from my grasp and not noticing when I drop my arms around your neck. "No, Akito-sama! I could never hate you. It was your influence that made me who I am today. I wouldn't have it any other way."

You're lying, of course.

I kept you away from others so long that you begged me to attend university outside. I let you go, but it was too late to make you 'well-adjusted' by outside standards.Your personality was inverted so far that, when others tried to interact with you, you couldn't control the random bursts of overexaggerated emotion.

You will never be normal, my excitable boar...

I press my lips to yours gently, almost begging forgiveness for my sins. There is an emotion that I either can't or won't put to words. It is like fear...but it is not terror, precisely.

As you kiss me back just slightly - and so briefly I can hardly tell it happens at all - you step back.

I realize what the emotion is. I am afraid that you will reject me.

The silence is shattered with softly spoken words.

"I love you, Kagura."

You merely smile with sad eyes and walk out the door.