Ryker still felt like he wanted to stay outside and feel the rain, but he could tell Eke wanted to go back indoors... it would be the best for his health.

So he sighed quietly and allowed Eke to lead him inside.

"....you're shivering." he said.

"That can't be good." he told him.

"Maybe you should put something dry on."

Ryker offered no resistance to Eke, and allowed him to take him inside.

"I know we don't." he said.

"That's part of what concerns me." he told him.

"Look, let's worry about YOU, Eke." he then said.

"You're shivering. You're freezing cold."

"......." Ryker was stunned for a moment. Stunned and silent. However, he returned the hug and held Eke close, gently rubbing his back.

'....when...?' he thought. 'I used to not care about figuring stuff out... I was content to just be swept along in the tide of life...' he went on. '...when did I change to thinking I needed to try and steer everything?' he asked himself mentally.

He then sighed, and shook his head.

"...Eke... you're right." he said.

"Maybe I need to just... stop thinking so hard."

"......" Ryker was silent, awash with guilt now.

He just held Eke close to him, and bit his lip.

"....I'm sorry, Eke." he whispered.

"I just... I tend to get lost in thought." he told him.

"I think the demon inside me is slowly strengthening his hold." he went on, before suddenly pausing.

"Er... he says he has an explanation for you, if you're willing to hear him out." he said.

Ryker nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, his irises were crimson red, indicating that the demon was in control, but it seemed less... hostile and complete.

"Yeah, it IS my fault he gets like this." he told Eke.

"But I'm essentially digging my claws deeper into his psyche." he explained.

"And before you leap all over me, it's not as sinister as it sounds." he then said, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"For a relatively issue-free transition and melding into a true demon lord, I need to intertwine my mind with his. Otherwise his brain will be shattered, and it'll just be me. And then his body won't be able to contain it, and it'll collapse under the pressure." he went on.

"So I'm laying the groundwork, so to speak." he summarised. "A good foundation for a building, as it were." he continued. "Side effect is that Ry-guy will get lost in thought and start obsessing over the future." he shrugged.

"Just something you both gotta deal with."

"Well, it's my fault." the demon replied.

"So blame me, and don't ride him about it for something HE can't control, either." he told Eke.

"But I'll say it now... that calling song is a bloody curse, it is." he went on.

"I remember that your father hated it, too." he continued.

"Always said it was an unwanted relic of a past best forgotten."

The demon just sighed.

"Don't shout. You'll wake up your girlfriend." he muttered.

"And yes, technically, I did." he said.

"I met him ONCE." he stressed. "You hear me? ONCE." he repeated.

"All that happened in that encounter was that I was prepared to fight, he said he didn't want to, the call was heard, and he muttered to himself about it." he explained.

"Trust me, little pup, considering it's beneficial for us to be on at least somewhat good terms, don't you think I would have told you if I knew more?" he then asked.

"Besides, my wife knew more about him than I did, and she never talked about him." he added with a shrug.

"Ahhh, so THAT'S what that call is." the demon replied.

"And YOU seem to know a little more about it than you're willing to let on." he then commented.

"Hiding your own little secrets?" he asked.

"And of course I had a wife." he then added.

"Every demon lord has a wife." he reasoned.

"Not sure if she's dead, alive, or been reborn or whatever." he muttered at the end with a sigh.

The demon narrowed his eyes.

"A demon lord's eyes see the soul." he said.

"And THAT is all I will say to that. Other than Ry-guy will soon be getting these eyes of mine, and there's not a lot he won't be able to see." he warned Eke.

"And did I love her?" he then asked.

"Of course I did!" he said emphatically.

"She was the best. She made it all worthwhile." he went on, seeming to get a bit wistful and nostalgic, with a hint of an undertone of sadness to his voice now.

"Oh yeah?" the demon asked.

"That so." he said, before shrugging.

"Well, far be it for ME to tell you no to hide things from those that care about you." he told him.

"Have fun with your little life and your little secrets." he finished.

"...ungh..." Eke then heard Ryker groan.

"THAT'S a bit of a headache." he muttered.