[Along Ken's fur, Chikusa's fingers curl, and he thinks to the case of poisons that are still almost prepared up in his and Ken's room. If Gojyo goes, if Hakkai goes with him...]

[Still holding onto Ken, he reverses their usual position- Ken speaking, Chikusa quiet- to give a voice to what he's now certain is plaguing his partner just as much as it is for him.]

Hakkai. [His voice is quiet.] We don't need to go to her. [Please don't go.] Let's just not bother with the old gods.

[He forces his fingers to relax against Ken's neck.]

...Not unless it's the worst case scenario.

[Him and Ken will go to war for him, but it's not on the top of Chikusa's list.]