[Souji nods in sympathy, because really, it's not as if he can blame Yamato. The very idea of Hijikata being gone, of having no choice but to take on some other God's name... well, it makes him feel sick. Even if that God was Ayumu, or someone like her. He just can't fit it into his head, and trying to imagine it makes him shiver, reflexively closing his free left hand over the name there.]

I understand. [Earnest, urgent, eyes wide and intent.] If- If Hijikata-san went away... I'd like to say "never". As in, "I'd never let another God have me". But I would, if I had to.

[He bites his lower lip, fidgeting a bit, his fingers now trying to follow the blood red lines in his palm.]

But... maybe it's a bit like being a cat, you know. You have someone who takes care of you and looks after you, right? [He tries for a smile, reaching up to pet Yamato's fluffy hair.] But one day your owner gets sick, and has to go to the hospital. So your neighbor comes in to look after you instead. But even though you like the neighbour and you're always happy to see them, you'll still cry by the door at night because they're not the same person that you're missing. That's not because you're ungrateful. That's because you just want a very dear person to come back to you.