The quick and dirty answer is, “Yes.”
Of course I’m able to physically stay alive apart from Him and his place of residence. The truth is more complicated.
I wholly believe a relationship is valid, regardless of space sharing. As someone who shares her home with a partner and three others still currently shorter than herself (she is absolutely not short, she is very average height for a female person, thank you!), I understand this may sound a bit facetious. But I have many treasured relationships that do not live with me. Besides, I do not need a relationship to resemble mine to respect it.
I could live away from him. Probably. Maybe.
Except I’m not very good at turning off lights.
Master chides me, but he also turns them off. I don’t like his socks on the floor, but I put them in the laundry. I have to wash his clothes, along with mine, and the kids…I feel like I do laundry ALL the time, anymore. But I also rarely do dishes, because they take care of that. I like laundry. I hate dishes. Balance.
If I left and lived on my own, I would have to do everything myself. Could I do it? I suppose I could. Technically. I wouldn’t be alone alone. Plenty of others would be like me, probably happily choosing to live alone (it isn’t that I doubt this, but that I’m sure, unlike myself, many would enthusiastically choose this lifestyle).
I don’t think I want to live alone.
I love having my master wake up with me in the morning (perhaps less so when he snores in my ear at night, but I do love how he squeezes me tight like his teddy bear!)
I love building a life that I could not do alone. I could, as stated, create my own little piece of the world. I could live without you.
So let me answer the question thus,
Each and every morning, master,
I choose to stay with you.