Page 38 of A Soul to Touch

“And I forgive you, and I really appreciate you three coming here to check on my wellbeing.” Her eyes crinkled with humour as she gave them the biggest, malicious grin she could. “But as punishment, you three can turn around and walk home with your tails between your legs.”

A small chuckle flittered past Henry’s lips. “I half expected you to try and kick our arses, but you’re just going to hang this over our heads for the rest of our lives. Aren’t you?”

“Rest of our lives?” Yoshida shook his head. “She’ll most likely hang this over our heads in the afterlife too.”

It was a desperate attempt to lessen the weight of their conversation. She usually would have worsened it, but she decided against it.

Just as she opened her mouth to give a teasing retort, the air pressure dropped significantly, and a chilly gust of wind blew her hair wildly around her face.

They all turned their heads to the sky to see the clouds were dark and angry.

“Go home, boys,” she said while staring at the sky. “Otherwise, the next person who will be doing a wellbeing check-up will be me, wondering if you three died in the blizzard that’s coming.”

“Fuck.Of course,a blizzard is happening right now, of all days,” Yoshida bit, lifting his helmet so he could shove it on his head.

“The Gods are punishing us for our actions today,” Klaus added while shoving his own on. “They always side with her.”

They turned to start walking away while waving goodbye, rushing to beat the incoming storm. Henry remained, his intense expression boring into hers.

“Stay safe, okay?” he pleaded. “There are only a few people in the world I care about deeply enough to not want them to wind-up dead, and you’re one of them.”

“Oh,pssh,” she said while waving her hand through the air in a singular dismissive stroke. “Such gentlemanly words like that will make a girl blush, Henry. How is it you still don’t have a wife?”

He gave a snorting chuckle. “You, of all people, should know that not everyone is interested in getting married.”

“You’re a terrible role model for your son,” she retorted playfully when he turned away with his helmet under his arm. “I hope he doesn’t turn out like you.”

Henry shook his head as he walked away. “Better me than his cheating whore of a mother. Charlotte’s the reason I know lovedoesn’texist.”

Her eyes crinkled in sympathy for her friend. Henry just couldn’t catch a break, and she was sure the money he would have made from robbing her home would have gone to pampering his precious and very much beloved child.

Charlotte was Klaus’ sister. They’d met each other through Klaus and formed a relationship, only for Charlotte to become smitten with every man she could find who had coin.

Mayumi slipped back inside her house once she knew Klaus, Henry, and Yoshida were truly gone.

She was surprised to find Faunus standing but hunched forward to account for his daunting height, his orbs bright red as he waited for her to return. His fingertips twitched, causing his claws to glint in the light coming from her fireplace.

“You let them go freely when they intended to steal from you?” Faunus growled.

Since it was safe, Mayumi unclasped the loop of her weapons belt and put it away. She also removed her fur jacket.

“Did you not hear the rest of the conversation? They never intended to harm me, and they’re actually...” She scratched at the side of her neck awkwardly. “I guess they’re my friends, although distantly these days.”

She heard his heavy footsteps – hard not to be heavy with his massive, bulky size – as he crossed the room.

“But you were right, Mayumi. What if you had not been here and came home to discover your home had been stolen from?” Her name coming from him, in that gravel voice like he’d swallowed bits of rock, made her shiver. “You’re alonehere. What if they return upon knowing you often vacate your cottage?”

“But I’m not alone, am I?” She turned and placed her hands on her hips while meeting his towering gaze head on. “And they won’t. Those are good men. They’re smart and brave and kind, and if someone ever did come here to steal from me, they’d be the first to start an investigation so they could mete out retribution.”

For a moment, a flicker of green flashed in his orbs. He stepped back with a deep huff and a curt growl.

“It’s not for you to understand.” Mayumi gave a solemn sigh as she made her way to approach the kitchen counter. “If they were any other people, I would have been wary, but I don’t need to worry about those three.”

She picked up her mug and downed the rest of her now cold tea. She then reached beneath her counters and opened their doors, pulling out flour, yeast, salt, and some grains. She had a little water left, snow an easy and abundant source, and poured all five ingredients into a bowl.

Mayumi had no issue giving Faunus her back for an extended period. She knew he must be watching her, considering she hadn’t heard him move.

“A blizzard is approaching,” she said as she kneaded the ingredients together to make herself a fresh loaf of bread.

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