Page 43 of A Soul to Touch

“No,” he answered plainly. “We only steal their strength.”

“Thank goodness for that,” Mayumi chuckled, placing her plate on the ground now that she was finished with it. “Thank you for sharing with me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Mayumi moved to lean back on one hand, but she nibbled at the corner of her lips, a contradiction to the casual position she’d placed herself in. It was hard to understand her as her body language often made it difficult to decipher what she was truly feeling.

“I originally thought you didn’t want to tell me because you were worried I would give the information to the guild.”

That was something he’d considered.

“All I have just told you is useless for a Demonslayer. I revealed nothing which could aid you in killing my own kind, and have explained that your efforts are futile.”

“You don’t trust me enough to tell me, is that it?”

Although Faunus didn’t want to give Mayumi any information that could help her murder hisbrothers,or any other family tie that came from them through the brides they’d obtained, that wasn’t why he didn’t tell her.

If I tell her the truth, she will understand what the crack in my skull means.

He was sure she wouldn’t truly care if he were to perish, but he didn’t want to give her the knowledge on how to kill him. His wish was to protect her, and he couldn’t do so if he were dead.

“Perhaps we should continue?” Faunus asked while directing one of his hands towards the game board.

He needed her to set up the game as the round, button-like pieces were far too small for him to pick up with the tips of his fingers. Even sheathing his claws did little to help, and his attempts to do so had him fumbling with a single piece for so long his orbs had turned a reddish-pink in embarrassment.

She gave a huff at his redirection of the conversation.

He thought she would remain irritated, yet the way she leaned forward almost giddily to set up the pieces was once more evidence of just how hard it was for him to gauge her.

She was a conundrum. One which was beginning to annoy him because he felt as though he was one wrong move away from Mayumi attempting to stab him in the chest like the vicious little Demonslayer he knew her to be.

Could it be one wrong move, one wrong word, that caused her to have a change of mind?

I would allow her to stab me in the heart as much as she contents.

He’d known for a long time it already belonged to her. She could do what she wanted with it; he’d just rather not have it come to that.

“So, I was thinking we could change the playing field and make it more serious,” she said once she finished setting up the pieces.

“Sure.” The game had been easy enough to learn. He didn’t see any issue with there being more.

“You’re agreeing to something you haven’t even heard the rules for yet.”

She looked up with a sly little smirk curling her lips, one that almost caused him to lick at the outside of his snout to signify his want and interest in her.

He shrugged in answer.

“Fine. You can’t back out now. It’s pretty simple, actually. Whoever loses has to remove a piece of clothing.”

Faunus’ head reared back to the point he had to quickly place his hand on the ground behind him, or he would have fallen over.

“Pardon? How is this a wise addition to the game?”

“Pssh, don’t be shy. I have more to lose than you do since you’re covered in fur, and I’m not.” She picked up a singular die and rolled it so they could determine who would go first. “It makes the game more fun as there are higher stakes involved. It means you’ll choose your moves more wisely since there are consequences. The person who is completely unclothed by the end of it is the ultimate loser and must deal with the embarrassment of being naked. Humans play games like this all the time. I’ve had my share of wins and losses at strip poker.”

Faunus had no qualms about being ‘naked’ since she was correct. He had fur, and anything... private was hidden behind a seam at the centre of his groin.

That wasn’t the problem.

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