Lucy.

He knew her name now, and he knew that irked her to no end.

It rolled off Kazuma’s tongue beautifully, a new favorite word. A shame it was wasted on such a disagreeable girl.

On the other side of the wall, Lucy cringed.

"Lucy dear?" Who the hell is this man?

If her temper wasn’t burning before it was flaring now.

“Don’t call me that!” Blush be damned, she would not back down to him, not now and not ever, she silently protested to herself.

Kazuma now stood inches away, grin taught and twitching upwards as he eyed a few strands of unruly hair flicking past the door.

Day two into making this young lady's acquaintance, and Kazuma was starting to feel like he had known her for a lifetime.

A long, exhausting lifetime.

Did she really think she had enough stealth to sneak up on him? Adorable, really. He waited patiently for her to show herself as his fingers lightly traced the wall separating them.

Lucy dared not move. Sure, he knew she was there now, no getting around that one, but what was she to do? Just...stand and huff and puff in the other room while he knows she’s there? She could just return to her own room, scream into her pillow, and pray that this whole day was just a baloney dream her fried brain concocted while in a half-asleep stupor.

Or-

She could rightfully tell this man who wrenched himself into her already chaotic life to go scratch, Takahara associate or not.

She weighed her options.

The latter it is. Sorry Mieko.

Lucy sighed to herself, hands practically shaking off her body as she mustered up the courage to enter that god forsaken study.

Step.

She didn’t need to fear him.

Turn.

What was he to her?

Step.

Just another problem to deal with, that’s what.

Step step.

With every step she took his grin spread.

There was nothing, nothing at all stopping her from simply strolling out the front door to meet Mieko and the others, but she didn’t. She was specifically seeking out him. Kazuma’s satisfaction overtook reason as he absorbed the rare view standing in the doorway. It was flattering in a sense, seeing her before him with her mouth closed and jaw clenched. She truly was a pleasant sight when her mouth was shut, no longer spewing the usual vitriol that stained her otherwise charming image.

"So." he stood with his weight against the wall, a hand in his suit pocket while his other rested above his head.

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"Am I that irresistible?" His eyes glimmered down at her while a laugh threatened to pass his lips. He thought better, however, as Lucy stood there with her entire face red from either embarrassment or rage, which he wasn't entirely sure.

"Oh, honestly." Rolling her eyes towards the ceiling, she shot him a vexed frown as she crossed her arms above her chest. "You know, you really–"

"I've been told I have a knack for drawing people in." Kazuma flung himself upright with a flick of his arm, paying no mind to Lucy's defense as his voice boomed over hers. He inspected a fleck of dust that had fallen on the front of his vest, finding it to be much more engaging than whatever the girl beside him had to say.

「I must say, I was hoping for a more romantic reunion! One with less tension.」

He flicked the speck away, his gaze returning to rest on Lucy. Every step towards her, she took one step back until she was met with the wooden desk in the back of the room.

「But, as I’m sure you know by now.」 He lowered his voice, eyes closing momentarily before sinking into her once more. "Beggars can’t be choosers."

The words, rather, the swears, that she wanted to toss Kazuma's way couldn't find their way up and out of Lucy's mouth as he towered above her. She was feeling more and more like an insect burning under a magnifying glass as she watched him cock his head to the side.

She gripped the edge of the desk, wayward splinters threatening to jut up into the pads of her fingers.

「Why’d you do it?」

Kazuma didn’t say anything. He stood there for a few seconds, hands frozen behind his back, searching her for any signs of gratefulness behind that mask of unwarranted anger. He should have been stunned at her lack of gratitude, any self-respecting man would have been, but her shaking voice and wary eyes were an astronomical improvement from her usual aggressive behavior.

“Be more specific, doll.” His grin spread like oil across his face, eyes crinkling as he rested one hand on the desk. “I’m afraid my brain isn’t as spry as yours anymore.”

The uncomfortably-familiar tingle that was spreading across Lucy’s cheeks was all she needed to know she was dangerously close to losing this fight. It was the alleyway all over again–the way his voice lowered, the way he looked at her, the way he leaned down-

God, did this man never learn about the concept of personal space?

She scanned the room, itching to look at anything but him, hell, she would have even appraised the bug-filled light fixture right above them if his head wasn’t blocking it from view.

“Maybe my uncle was stupid enough to buy your sales pitch." She ignored the heat steaming off her face as she balled her hands into fists against the desk. Rage flowed through her veins, through her brain and through her heart as Lucy tried to steady her quivering voice. “But it’s going to take more than a wad of yen for me to trust you.”

"Oh, really." Upon hearing such a silly threat, Kazuma couldn't help but jerk his head back in amusement. He had to avert his gaze for a moment before regaining his composure.

「Well, for starters, it's not necessarily a sales pitch, dear.」 He chided as he drummed his fingers, idly inching them closer and closer to Lucy’s balled-up hand. Kazuma continued to stare down at her, savoring the little squirms and ticks Lucy was fruitlessly trying to conceal. 「And my intentions are pure, I assure you.」

He had to admit, he felt a tad guilty for causing her such obvious distress when all he really wanted to do was tease her. Kazuma decided to indulge her for this one time. He would pretend to care what she thought of him.

“But in any case, anything you need to feel more at ease, anything at all, I will gladly provide it for you."

Lucy just shook her head, an irritated laugh tumbling up and out of her throat. “Yeah, as if there’s anything that would suffice.”

“Excuse me?”

Oh, now that got him. He cursed inwardly as she slipped away from him, stumbling over her own legs and feet while making her way towards the door. He felt his jaw tick and eyebrow twitch.

Just who was this frail?

He had been more than accustomed to the forward and rude attitudes of American cityfolk, that he expected, but him getting this much lip from a farm girl from South Dawherever the hell these backwater yanks were from - that would never be acceptable.

「You know.」 His voice boomed throughout the room once more. She escaped him once. She disrespected him countless times. Neither of which he was going to allow again. 「I try to be agreeable towards you time and time again, but to be honest you’re becoming rather annoying.」