"It could be." Was promised, sweet. The hand gripping Leon Vercetti's shirt let go, both hands moving to caress his cheeks and ruffle up his hair. The tentacle slid from it's place, back into whatever it had come from, as Chu-e's weight dipped the edge of the bed.

"Lay down and lift your arms up. I want snuggles." Bullish, he was trying to force his way into Leon's bed- for some attention, at least, and nothing less savory for the moment. Chu-e could smell the alcohol thick on the other's breath. Even if he was needy, he wasn't in bad enough shape to take advantage.

"Whore." Said full of fondness and adoration. Chu-e curled against the other in an instant when Leon Vercetti was so gracious to allow the touch.

He was a bit damp, grimy, and stinky but surely Leon would understand.

"I can't stay long." It was a miracle he had slipped off to start with. Surely Cillian Quinn would be on the warpath if he didn't return to the sub, soon. Yet, he just needed.... comfort.

"It was a lot." And it was something that Chu-e needed a bit longer to process. "Will you kiss me and tell me it'll be okay?"

Being aware of the crystals under his flesh was new, feeling the overwhelming snap of hunger at the back of his mind. For the moment, Chu-e just wanted to feel normal. Loved.

"That's the hard part about being in charge... gotta make sure all the fires are put out." Both figuratively and literally. Either way, he melted into the affection like he was butter and Leon Vercetti was the hot knife. A soft sigh left him as he just... existed for a bit. Allowed Leon's kiss to center him and calm some of the shakier piece of him.

"When I get done, can I come sleep here with you?"

His own home was just as close but the idea of his cold, empty bed was just too much for him.

"I think something bad happened to me. It scared me. I don't want to be alone."

"No, you sleep." It would be enough to come and curl next to the other and enjoy being close, even if Leon Vercetti was asleep. Mostly it was the feeling of not being alne he was seeking, and if he could wake up and have the first thing he see be his boyfriend that would make it all the better.

Chu-e didn't sat up, just stayed in place and curled up further into himself. That way he could look up at Leon.

Instead of answering, he raised his hand. It took a moment, but from his palm sprouted the black crystal tentacle again, which reached out to caress Leon on the cheek before sliding back into skin. Nothing left behind, like it wasn't even there to start.

"That happened."

"Yup." Just for extra show, there was a another moment before crystals overtook his hand, encasing it and up his arm in black, before it, too, sunk back into his skin.

"You know how some gods will pick Avatars?" Gavin or Lulu were good examples, given they were prominent Avatars in Rocket. "I think it's something like that. I got punched in the face, probably would have snapped my neck, but instead all this crystal comes out and..."

Well, Chu-e hadn't really told Leon Vercetti about all the shit he had been going through with his parasite. It was easier, if selfish, to keep that... away from him. From Eris Halla. Maybe he was just a bad person.

"I've been able to feel it in the back of my head ever since."

"I don't know. Something like that? I don't know if it's good. Or even what it is."

The name Necrozma, given to him from Cillian Quinn, didn't mean anything to Chu-e. He hadn't been there, hadn't saw. Even after skimming reports it didn't tell him anything. It was dangerous. That's it. Whatever this thing was, it was just looming mystery that seemed to have taken up residence in his body.

"I think it was. It's saved me a few other times, too. But I don't like it."

How did you explain that it just didn't feel.... right?

Leon Vercetti