He pulls her in and Nana is briefly taken aback at how nice it is to feel a touch that does not hurt, to feel the warmth of a loved one. Her head tucks beneath his chin and she feels tears sting the backs of her eyes, her lower lip wobbling traitorously.

But she will not cry. Determinedly, Nana blinks them back, though her small body is trembling with too much emotion.

She can't speak, so she simply nods against him, a confirmation that she's here, that he's here, and suddenly the world feels a little more right.

Ruitō pulls back a little and Nana can't help but lean forward, unwilling to put distance between them. And then she catches herself, and her cheeks and ears burn hot in embarrassment. How needy had she become, to chase safe touch like this?

It's with a great effort that she does lean back a little, though she can't make herself move any further away than it would take for him to get a good look at her.

And she burns under his gaze.

Could he see the swell in her sides? Had she gotten all of the blood off of her nape? What if he looked and saw something he didn't want to see?

I... she begins, her voice crackling with traitorous emotion. I'm not hurt. And she isn't. She isn't.

Her mouth is dry as she speaks. I... fell from the shrine's stairs, and when I woke, I found myself here.

Close enough to the truth, while not giving too much information away. For how could she incriminate the priest so? How could she throw him to Ruitō's rage? How would this be fair to anyone?

Emotion scrunches up her face and she moves back into his space, squeezing her eyes shut.

I missed you, she admits, and can't hide how her voice warbles with the thick sound of a person holding back tears. I missed you, so much.