“Honestly. I assumed you’d be ready to leave soon.” Her hands smoothed out the creases in the white silk sash as she began to fold it back up. Ayaka would need to pack it safely away now that her seal was painted on it. Ayaka was doing her best not to look him in the eyes. She didn't need to be swayed by them now.

“They aren’t that expensive to make, just time consuming - but I’ve been cooped up and dealing with the storm so it wasn’t like I had anything else to fuckin’ do.”

“Kitten.” He was close again. Damn this fucker why did he constantly do that? He just suddenly fucking loomed, like he had absolutely no concept of personal space. And why was he so damn warm? Wasn’t he a snake fuck? Shouldn’t he be cold-blooded?

“I am not going to just up and leave you.” Why the fuck did he say it like that? Like...like she was the one not wanting him to go? Like he was the one who wanted to stay? What kind of crock O shit was this?

“Why do I care if you stay or go?” Ayaka huffed as she turned her head further away from him. “If you gonna insist on staying here, I’ll have to start charging you rent. I’m not a fuckin’ charity. How the hell you gonna pay me?” Here, he jingled a rather full bag on his hip. The sound was heavy and noisy. Smart ass.

“I would prefer we settle that sort of matter more personally.” His voice was a soft hissing whisper that vibrated in her ears. “But if the matter is so drastic, then.. Well. Your issue is dealt with, and I have a bit of a surplus of funds now. But I would rather stay, yes.”

Ayaka stilled. Her fingers drummed against the table. This was not something she was expecting. How the fuck...how the fuck was she expected to deal with this? This creature just literally fell into her life and now wanted to stay? To be all buddy, buddy and cozy?

“I don’t know what you expect.” She began. “I ain’t real good nor friendly. Now - you can’t see it but I ain’t a good person. My soul is probably just as fucked as yours. If you’re expecting friendsh-”

He let out a sharp laugh, a very sharp laugh that had a dark, malicious edge to it, cutting her off. “Kitten. Your little guard worshipper, Lee. Tried to interrupt me, then accused me of stealing that sash. While I tore him a new asshole for that presumption, He was so terrified of what he was seeing in my soul that I do believe he nearly pissed himself. I am not a good person, nor a particularly moral one. As for friendly - I like you, I admit freely. But unfortunately, in my world, liking someone? You’re also useful to me, because you can keep me alive in this world. I cannot believe how lucky I was to meet you. If I hadn’t liked you - I could have just gone on. But you fascinate me. So no, I won’t just ‘expect’ friendship, nor trust. Those have to be built in my world, in my life. What I want? Is for you to give me the chance to do that.” He cut himself off abruptly, and turned away, his tail lashing about angrily.

“Surprised the kid didn’t charge over after he recovered himself to check on you.” THis was said almost as an afterthought -but he was looking towards the front door. Perhaps wondering if Lee had?

Ayaka clenched her teeth. She had hoped that he meant figuratively. Figuratively tearing Lee a new asshole. He was a good kid, mostly. Ayaka wasn’t surprised that the interaction went down, nor that Lee was scared. Most people would have been. Ayaka wasn’t because when she saw herself in the mirror she saw those same tinges of red and black around herself. Granted they weren’t nearly as deep rooted as his but they were there. Even as it spiked around him, dancing in a suffocating daze- she wasn’t afraid.

“Yanno - people constantly tell me I’m an idiot for not being more afraid.” She shook her head as she pushed frizzy strands of caramel away from tired, bloodshot eyes. “No. He didn’t come. I- I don’t know how to give you that chance.” She admitted.

He turned around to look at her, his orange eyes narrow. She couldn’t tell what that expression was. Finally he stalked to her, invading her space once more. He stood above her, silent, studying her. “Then I'll take it of my own accord. Unless you wish me to leave, I will stay. I have no pressing need to wander about, not now.”

“Ugh…” Ayaka didn’t tell him he couldn’t stay. She couldn’t lie, life had gotten more interesting with him around. Albeit frustrating as fuck. But interesting. “Do what you damn well want.” She muttered. His hand came up and cupped her chin, forcing her to look at his eyes.

“Careful with that offer, kitten.” His voice was a sibilant whisper, staring at her then her lips, before he let go again.

Ayaka fumed as she swatted at the blank air between them. The way his soul had flared up in that instant. Jeez. Fucker was almost as moody as she was. “For the damn record...Lee is probably right to be afraid. I should be too. But I ain’t. The way it does that is unnatural.”

“Does what?”

“IT’s hard to explain… here.. I actually picked this up the other day. I figured it’d come up in conversation at some point...hang on..”

Ayaka was expecting this. So she grabbed it n advance. She shifted from the alchemy desk and disappeared into her room, returning a few moments later with a glowing vial of red liquid. “My little sisters fiance is a blood alchemist. He can take a sample of your blood and infuse it into a potion that mimics their ability. Now - my sister has the same ability as me. She can see souls. You drink this you would be able to see yours in a mirror, and mine.”

Ayaka tossed it to Estus who caught it, studying the swirling red liquid with an intense gaze.

Crossing her arms the nekojin sighed. “She should have been high priestess. She can pull souls out of bodies, cut them, reattach them. Hell..she even sewed a bunch together to make a fuckin’ soul scarf.”

“Hmm. Then why wasn't she?” He asked as he uncorked the vial and downed it - trusting her on what it would do, that she hadn't poisoned him.

Ayaka’s ears flattened against her head as she watched the obsidian haired man. “She doesn’t have a soul They’d treat her worse than you.”