Suddenly on a Leash (1)

Chapter twenty

I stared back at Sora's sleeping figure on the bed expressionlessly. His breathing was slow and uneven, his face occasionally twisting at the probable aching in his body.
I could hardly even find the strength to swallow. Yuto's words were still ringing in my ears.
"A god... Isn't supposed to be closely associated with humans. It's a crime punishable by death..."
Death...
Sora was facing such a terrible punishment for this crime and it was all because of me...
Why... Why was he risking such a thing...?
I tried again and again to wrap my head around it, but I always came up short.
What if he didn't make it out with just a few injuries next time? What if they really killed him??
If I lost him... Because of me...
"... Sounds like the pup gave it away..."
I flinched as a gruff voice knocked me out of my thoughts and I quickly raised my gaze to see Sora staring back at me. His face was as nonchalant as usual, but light was missing in his glowing emerald eyes, and no matter how he may've tried to hide it, I could see that his condition had to be killing him...
The fool even tried to sit up to look at me straighter.
I ignored his previous comment, and grumbled, "You'll hurt yourself. Stop moving."
I had tried my best to hide the trembling in my voice, but it didn't seem to have been effective...
Sora rolled his eyes. "Relax. I'm fine." Even if he said that... He couldn't hide it from me. His body was shaking. What was he trying to do...
I could see him struggling to intake each breath. "... Idiot..." I muttered. "Lay back down.."
He raised a brow at me. "Oh, I see. Dear Ayano, please, do enlighten meー who is the God of this shrine?"

"Soraー"

"Who is who's familiar? Are you in charge, Ayano?"

I could feel the unusual hostility in his voice. The cold bite in his tone. I didn't like it.
"... You're agitated." I blatantly said it, my voice soft. I didn't meet his eyes.
"Perhaps I am. Why is that, do you think?"
I refused to raise my head as he staggered his way off the bed and over to me, where I sat in my chair, and I tried not to flinch. He shouldn't be moving...
He stopped when he was hovering over me, and though he didn't seem happy about it, used the arm of my chair to support himself as he stood before me.
"Huh?" He pressed again, and I tried to swallow. Finally, I told him in a hushed voice, "...I don't know..."

"You don't know."

He backed off me, reluctantly having to move his weight back to sit at the foot of the bed facing me, unable to stand.
There was a drawn out, uncomfortable pause that made me feel sticky in my skin. Finally, he answered his own question.
"... You're blaming yourself."
I raised my head a little, still not making eye contact. Blaming... Myself...?
"You think this happened because of you. Don't you."
I didn't answer.
"... Well, you're wrong."
I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. Sora went on.
"... You're here because I brought you here. I took you here myself. Whatever happens to me is my doing. Understand?"
I found myself rendered unable to reply if I'd even wanted to, and clenched my hands into fists. "...."
There was a beat before Sora moved towards me again, and I flinched reflectively. Before I could let out the breath I was holding, Sora was leaning over me, his arm supporting himself against the back of the chair behind me. With his free hand, he captured my chin and finally raised my head to look back at him.
"I am your master. You are here to follow my orders. Nothing more. Understand?"
My chest tightened. "...yes,sir..."
He paused, his expression beginning to soften, albeit only a little. "... Likewise, you are my familiar... And I will keep you safe. Law or no law. Understood?"
I hesitated to respond, rerunning his words over in my head. He will keep me safe... Sora will...
When I didn't answer, he pressed again. "Understood?"

"...understood..."

A small, barely visible smile seemed to play across his lips. "... Good."