The inside of the house is larger than one would expect - like some sort of magic trick. It has a kitchen, and in it, a small wooden table and chairs. To the left of the kitchen is the bathroom, where a single brick tub sits in the center of the small room, and a sink with a rusted tap sits on the far wall. A smashed mirror sits above the sink, glass scattered across the floor beneath it. On the other side of the kitchen is another doorway, leading to a small room with a single broken wooden bed and a cushioned chair covered in mold. There's a broken window above the bed which blows a cold breeze into the room. Nai makes a mental note to himself to fix that first, so they can use the room. It's far too cold to make a child sleep in there, so Nai drags Luan over to the kitchen table, where he lifts the small demon onto the table, removing his coat as he does so. He makes Luan lie down and places his coat over him in an attempt to keep him warm.
"I'll go out first thing tomorrow and buy some blankets and something to fix the window," Nai says, taking a seat in one of the chairs beside the table. The chair legs immediately snap under his weight, but he catches himself with the table and tries the other chair. This one doesn't break. "I'll also find a few things to make this place feel a bit more like home. And some cleaning products. This place must have been abandoned for over a decade for it to be as filthy as this ... It will look so beautiful once it's done. I'm excited, are you?"
Luan blinks twice, staring at Nai with surprised eyes. Nai sounds so thrilled, like a child who got his first toy. "Yes."
Nai smiles and relaxes in his chair, spreading his legs out far in front of him. "Good. I'm glad ... Um, I'm not sure if you remember me saying that this was only a holiday when trying to convince Aelius to let me have a break, but ... I don't plan on going back there, ever. Where I came from is not a very nice place, and no place for a child, no less. Ha~ was my decision to buy this place too rash? Is it really alright to stay here? Do you even truly want to stay here, or are you just agreeing for my sake?"
Luan blinks several times again. What a drastic change in emotions. "I want to stay here. I think it's nice here ... I'd be happy anywhere as long as I can stay with you."
Nai's eyes widen and his mouth opens slightly. He stares at Luan in silence. Luan feels a sudden heavy beating in his chest and awkwardly looks away, breaking the eye contact. He had forgotten he was in a child's body. Perhaps his manner of speaking was too adult-like and got Nai confused. Or perhaps it was the part where he said he was willing to go anywhere with him, despite only knowing each other for at most two weeks. Hopefully, Nai doesn't find it weird, but seeing as his reaction is speechless, it does not seem like he took it well.
The demon looks out of the corner of his eyes. He could not have guessed what he was about to see.
A single tear rolls down Nai's soft, rosy cheeks. He wipes it away with a finger and stares at the wetness on the tip of his finger.
"It has been a while since I last cried," Nai mused to himself. "Sorry about that, I do not know why I am so upset. Or perhaps I am happy? I'm not too sure. But it has definitely been a long time since I felt such a feeling that I feel now. A sense of family, I guess is what I could call it. A sense of belonging? Uh, either way, apologies. I didn't mean to do that."
Luan blinks, stunned at the man before him. He's at a loss for words, too taken back to even think. Nai ... really cares about him this much, for him to cry at such simple words?
A painful stabbing sensation hits Luan in the chest, and a nauseous sensation in his stomach. He avoids eye contact with Nai, instead looking up at the old, worn ceiling. What was this horrible feeling? This isn't ... guilt? Is it? But demons don't feel guilt. They say it's 'useless feelings humans have, and we're too advanced to have them.' It would be strange for Luan to have this feeling if he hadn't already experienced a handful of other human emotions previously. Demons don't feel emotions. That's just how they work. And now Luan could feel his heart pumping, beating at an erratic rhythm every time Nai came to close, or every time he smiled, or every time he would speak or even look at anyone else. And now he felt ... hurt by Nai's words, even if they weren't said to cause him harm.
There was one common factor in every moment he found himself with these 'feelings': Nai. The Blessing from the Sun himself, a human man no more special than the others - if you take away his godly abilities. He's just a lump of organs and bones, covered by a sack of skin. Gorgeous, radiant, soft skin so pale you could lose him in a field of snow. This human was transforming the demon lord into a mortal, one bit at a time. He's dangerous, and making him act the opposite of who he really is ... So why can't Luan remove himself from this situation? That is a question he has yet to find the answer to. For now, he just closes his eyes and pretends to sleep, fighting back the strong urge to transform into his demonic appearance - his true self - and pounce on the man beside him, ravaging him and keeping him locked up somewhere only he can see him.
Luan had never felt this way towards anyone or anything before. He even admits to himself that these feelings are the scariest things he can think of.