Page 118 of A Soul to Touch

“Obviously it wanted you, so take it.” Mayumi shoved it at him, and Faunus shuffled backwards on his knees. When he shook his head, her features turned into an obvious glare. “I won’t offer it again, Faunus.” Her voice croaked, and hehopedhe mistook the hurt in it.

“Then don’t,” he stated coldly, trying to hide the pain in his voice. “I don’t want you to.”

Her mouth opened and closed as her expression fell before she drew her soul closer to look down at it.

“Why don’t you want me?” Her cheeks flared again before she added, “I mean...it.”

And just like that, the shaft of the arrow broke off, leaving the sharp head lodged within him. He never thought he’d ever see Mayumi look crestfallen like this, but he’d also never thought she’d want to take him her soul.

“I want to take it,” he answered truthfully, unable to bear that she could feel like she was the problem.

He didn’t want her to feel rejected or unwanted, not when he desired what she was holding in her palm more than anything in the world.

“Then why won’t you?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

Her pretty eyes lifted to his blue orbs, then they turned spiteful.

“Yes, you can.” Mayumi crawled on one hand and both knees to her shirt that had been discarded on the floor from the night before. “This obviously has something to do with me.”

Faunus stood when she placed her grey tunic on, and it fell to just below her arse when she rose to her feet. He hated that he was crouched forward because he didn’t fit in her house, the spikes between his shoulder blades scraping against the ceiling.

She was still holding her flaming ethereal self in her palm, and she spun to him with her other hand on her hip.

“I know you’re hiding something from me. You’ve been doing it from the very beginning.” The dark part of him wanted to chuckle when her soul stood as well and placed its hands on its hips. “Tell me the truth, Faunus. Now.”

“Are you going to tell me to leave again if I don’t?” he asked, taking a step towards the door.

He thought it might be better than telling her the truth.

Mayumi side-stepped to get in the way. “No. I won’t let you leave until you tell me why.”

A soft growl left him. “I don’t want to.”

“Too bad! You will give me a reason why my damn soul isn’t good enough for you!”

Faunus lowered himself so his skull was only an inch away from her face. “Why are you so determined to give it to me?” he bit, wondering if she would say it out loud.

Spirit of the void help him... hewantedher to say it out loud.

“Why else?” she snapped back, having no fear as she craned her neck so she could stare up at his towering form.

His growl deepened. “Why should I have to tell you the truth when you cannot even do the same?”

He started making his way to the door, needing out of this house before the truth burst from him. He would return later, when her anger had hopefully subsided, and she wouldn’t pester him about this.

Even when Mayumi got in his way again, he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her to the side – making sure his strength didn’t knock her over.

She gripped his arm and tried to tug him back with one hand. “Faunus, stop! Please tell me!”

“You are such a stubborn human, but you cannot win against me. Especially when you won’t even tell me the truth yourself.” He placed his hand on the doorknob, trying not to crush it in frustration. “You can pretend that you can control me, Mayumi, but I don’t have to–”

“I’ve never told anyone I’ve loved them in my entire life!” she half-screamed. “How am I supposed to do that with a creature that told me they don’t want me?!”

Faunus paused, his head whipping to the side to stare at her. It was indirect, but did she just admit it to him? Admit that she loved him?

She was even still holding her soul, like she didn’t want to put it back inside her body in hopes he’d suddenly take it. Pain andsympathy bubbled in his chest on her behalf, especially at her crinkled, wounded expression.

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