[ Oh, he thinks. Is this what Nephthys meant, when she asked me to find joy in suffering together with humans? To find acceptance of them at their worse? Set cannot find love in his heart for humanity, even now. They are wretched, they have hunger beyond their right to possess, and greed and ugliness like insects. But, there are a few he has found that — by right of being "his", he can love. He had told Liem Talbott, that loving him and Ruby and Gen was the most painful love.

It was hard. It made him sick with it, to want to hold onto them despite their difficulties. Gen's animosity and abusive self-loathing, Liem's repression and endless self-neglect, and Ruby. Ruby, with her fear and endless need to be reassured because she cannot, and will not, believe in something that she could lose.

He supports her with one arm, the other seeking the soft curve of her cheek. The space below her eye where her tears gather and the bruises sit heavy on her pale face. When he touches, it is with hands that might not be quite sure enough about not being bruising or firm. A god of war is not a god of tenderness, though he has the capacity to be so very, very gentle. ( Part of him thinks she might not want him to be gentle, that she might wonder what lies behind a too-soft touch. So, he is always direct and firm with her. ) ]

You chose me.

[ That's all it took. ]

You can kick and scream, you can hide and lie, test me, cringe from me, curse at my rivals, cause problems, be wary of me, cry or flinch, beg and plead, cower from me or shelter in my arms — but, at the heart of you, you chose me. And you do believe me. Or in me, which is enough. Of course I will always think of you as mine.