#mindscratch

They had been at this for a good while now. It was a common thing for a kismesisitude: bickering, bickering, and more bickering. It showed the relationship was healthy at least. But Scratch had grown tired with this argument in the last 3 minutes: it had gotten to a point where they were just seeing who had the best pick up lines. It was all very boring.

So boring that, in fact, he had decided to sit himself down at his desk, organizing paperwork and not even giving her any eye contact, more focused on tidying up. Rude. In a quick motion, she propped herself up onto the wooden surface, sitting there and crossing her legs. He didn't even so much as stop what he was doing.

Wow even ruder.

But it was his turn to retort, "Do you know what that cue ball and I have in common, Aranea?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him, regardless that her back was turned to him and she was glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"We're both going to explode in your face." That's right, he made a callback to what he had done to her descendant all while twisting its meaning. Gripping a pile of papers, he tapped them upon the surface to even the stack out. She took a moment to place a hand onto her chin, thinking of how to reply and ... ah, she got it. A smile found its way onto her painted lips.

Sliding off of the desk, she placed both her hands onto the piece of furniture, leaning forward and grinning at him, "I'd prefer if you exploded inside me." Plus a wink.

He froze. For the first time, he glanced up at her, placing the papers down, "Clever." He snorted, rising up from his chair and smirking right back at her.

Excellent.

That was a point where she almost lost but, no, she would let the silence to continue for a bit longer than expected, despite how much she wanted to talk.

Mindfang silently got up from the couch and cleared her throat, testing if it will draw the other one's attention but -- nothing! She pretty much expected it actually so there was no place for surprises. The next thing she did was to take a seat right beside him, peeking over to see whatever he read. Well, now he was more aware of her presence and it bothered him. But not too much so he didn't make any remark even if he did plan on asking whatever was she doing.

She rolled her head on her shoulders and her cerulean-painted lips formed a smile. A bitter one.

"Please, tell me a story.", she politely requested with a soft tone, completely ignoring the fight from before as if nothing ever happened. She understood it was silly and didn't even want to overthink what was it all about. It didn't matter.

Her request, admittedly, surprised him. And the argue to tease her a bit about it was so great but, he could see that she didn't have the spirits for that nor he wanted to provoke her again - even if it might be amusing. And at the very least her request was told in a decently acceptable manner.

As he began to tell another long story she'd slowly lean against him, resting her head a little on his shoulder, drifting to the land of dreams and slumber.

Stomp.

Both of them ceased dancing suddenly. Unfortunately he slowed down and the woman took adventage of this. Her red-shoe rested on the back of his own white one. Obviously that she planned to stomp on his foot all along, why her movements were so rushy to start with. A smile smeared upon the cerulean lips of the female and she tilted her head to the side, breathing heavily. Moving so fast for quite a long while managed to drain a lot of her power but she was pleased that she 'won' the contest.

"I told you to keep up with me."

She removed her hand from his shoulder and yanked her hand from his. Scratch merely stood there and sighed silently. What a bothersome lady. Once she removed her foot from his he replied to her,

"So I did. You can not blame me if your leg slipped there, miss Spinneret."

She frowned at his remark. She could have argued with him day and night with having the smallest chance of winning. The only times she felt good was when she managed to surprise that man. However, even those times didn't last for too long.

Mindfang crossed her arms upon her chest, giving the other a bitter and disgusted expression.

"No, you slowed do-" "My deepest apologies for interrupting you in the middle of your speech but you were the one who rushed to start with. And you know it very well yourself, young lady."

After pointing it out he crossed his arms behind his back, his gaze stayed fixed at her, awaiting for the expected outcome. As Scratch knew, saying it would annoy her. Most of things he usually say do the same effect. And certainly, she was annoyed. This man got on her nerves in any way possible. He was so calm and collected, no matter what she did to him, no matter how she treated him, nothing. She heard that another protege of his got punished endlessly due to her behaviour. Why doesn't he punish her too? There was no use for whatever she did and it wasn't the first time she tried.

Visiting at the manor turned her almost into a regular guest, and that was the way she was always being treated in. Just another guest, nothing more than that. But it wasn't enough for her and she craved for something she could never get from him.

More attention.

A different sort of relationship.

Scratch was clearly not interested in this sort of suggestion. Each time that she'd bring up this topic he'd find creative ways to shake her off. And he knew that her proud nature won't let go off of the topic so easily. She had her eyes on him. She wanted him. And she didn't plan on giving up and stopping until he'd return those black feelings. Pitiful that such thing will never occur. 

Unlike the men she played with before he was different. Much different. Usually anyone would have given in with her beauty and charm but in other cases of resistance it wasn't a problem to put them under a spell of manipulation. And because it was so easy to charm them, she got bored with them rather quickly. Sticking up to only one made things interesting. She believed that somebody like him would make a fair optional kismesis.

But no. The other, didn't have any wish to fill a quadrant. He even wasn't a troll but a servant. Lord English came first, and then came the latter. Developing any sort of emotions would only make his job more difficult, why he avoided getting too attached to anyone. 

There was a rather awkward silence until she broke it,

"I hate you."

"I know."

"Why won't you hate me too? Do I have to dominate chaos all over the place so you would feel the same way?"

"That will be necessary because I hate you too, platonically."

Reason why you shouldn't raise your hopes up when you speak to somebody of his kind - he will break them down like a twig a moment after.

Mindfang grit her teeth, one of her eye twitched. Really? God darn he was an annoying bastard.

"I believe the conversation is ove-"

"No. I'm not done yet."

He quirked an eyebrow and looked at her, wondering whatever she had to add. He knew that she spineless and sometimes, admittedly, she could surprise him.

"Yes?"

He waited, patiently. Like he would normally do. 

Mindfang stepped towards him, her heels making faint noises that got mixed along with the sound of ticking clocks around them. Once she faced him, she looked directly into his eyes, searching aimlessly for some emotion; be it hatred or... anything. Anything will do.  Spending a few more moments gazing at him without saying anything her lips ghosted upon his but no, she didn't kiss him. She rested her head upon one of his shoulders. She hated him for plenty of reasons. One of them was that he made her feel somewhat warm and yet, cold. Like a child she would hope for a comfort from this man in front of her. Although per usual, she wouldn't get anything of this sort. Maybe that was her punishment.

Not getting any sort of remarkable attention.

Correct, she was mad and she looked pathetic. She was tired of everything. With her last powers she'd throw a lame, weak punch into his chest. He didn't stop her, knowing that this will have no effect on him but would help her slightly to ease her emotions.