#* vanitas

“We are partners. I just had business to attend to with that unbearable woman and Noé that didn’t require additional assistance.” A sigh escapes from the doctor’s mouth as he finishes speaking; he couldn’t entirely tell if Maia was upset with him or getting on his case to make a big deal for fun or whatever, but whatever the answer, it was something he didn’t think her assistance necessary.

In annoyance, Vanitas twirls an empty vial between gloved fingers. 

“It was more so doing something in exchange for a future favor. It doesn’t entirely concern you right now - so, as partners, I believe it only fair that I ask that you trust me in saying it’s nothing that you won’t find out about anyway.” He had been well aware that they were getting ready to depart to London, so his small trip to Noé & Dominique served as a temporary farewell to the two of them as well. On top of that, he was able to get Dominique to look into shipping off materials to an empty warehouse that he would later collect somewhere along the district of London they were arriving at.

Affection - genuine affection, was something entirely new to him ever since meeting this absurd witch. There were things he knew he needed to work on in that regard, hence he'd been seeking the assistance of one Dominique de Sade; for all that woman's imperfections, she has treated Noé in an almost too-perfect way.

All that to say, he's done a perfectly fine job being affectionate toward her this whole time! Especially after having to put up with the constant lecturing of if he hadn't picked up his slack, that woman of avarice would indoctrinate Maia into some personal throuple!

And here they were, having what he had thought was a well planned brunch after some time spent arriving in London and getting acquainted with his surroundings; only for her to mutter something like that (after what is most definitely a back and forth that started from her teasing at him) which he definitely overheard.

At first, he was going to initially react as he normally did and make it some sort of public display where he showed that he was hurt (he wasn't), but instead, a lightbulb flickered in his head; and then came the smug face.

「 A doctor would say that sounded like a concerning medical condition you know. 」

He was very well aware of what she meant — after all, they'd recently advanced their relationship. Now they more like how Noé and that barking dog-woman were. Except unlike Noé, Vanitas wasn't as oblivious to everything Maia did — he was, however, shackled with nerves any time Maia was vocal about these things. It was still something he was getting used to, catching feelings for someone was the last thing on his mind — but there just had to be an annoyingly charming witch to throw a wrench in those plans.

For today, they were on a simple outing around Paris. It wasn't very long before he'd be leaving with her on her next trip to London, so he thought it'd be a good idea to do what normal couples would and have a little date! ...Well, really, it was her idea to take a stroll and he decided to make it his idea by saying it was a date. Worst of all, he'd forgotten she was one to say these kinds of things publicly now that they'd advanced their relationship — she'd always teased him, but there was something about the way she did it now that flustered him even worse than before.

Ah, but he thinks back to how he initially avoided what she said. It was probably going to come off the wrong way if he didn't backtrack a little, right? And after their heart-to-heart, he admittedly didn't wish to cause any kind of doubt or regretful feelings between either of them.

Vanitas' eyes scan the crowds around them. People going about their evenings, couples huddling close to one another for added warmth. Thanks to them, he hatched an idea. He clears his throat for a moment, with an awfully audible "AHEM!" and reaches down for Maia's hand, taking it into his own clawed glove.

「 ..It's a good thing I'm a doctor, and I happen to feel the same way around you. 」

Vanitas was one known to have an awful amount of stray strands of his own hair strewn about his head; perpetually bedheaded. It only made it worse whenever his head would move and his hair would sway along with it, thus keeping his messy strands about. This was especially true when he was deep in focus of his work, primarily the researching part of it. Since he’d officially re-partnered (platonically and newly romantically) with Maia, there was new work to be done and notes to be made of the witch’s own from her venture to London. 

The doctor lets out a disgruntled sigh once he reaches a dead end in one of the many paths scribbled onto a blackboard with chalk; he had decided to look into a true cure to lycanthropy. It was coming up with results, but results he hadn’t particularly cared for just yet; and it was more of a desperate last resort than a true cure. 

Nevertheless, it is then that his hair decides it wise to falter over his eyes; before he could blow air to brush it aside, the aforementioned witch who had (obviously) been researching this topic with him reaches to tidy the strand for him. He would have had a different reaction, up until her fingers lay dormant against his skin.