"Maybe you should try the pot roast at another eatery every once in while." It couldn't be healthy for a person to only frequent all of three places. An opinion Kirsi did not apply to herself. She felt much better when her interactions with people were kept to a minimum. Smirking, she shrugged her shoulders and tucked her loose hair back behind her ear. "I only ask if they prove infectious." Then she was to inform whoever was running the house so things could be dealt appropriately.
So far Kirsi had never had to ask. But then she'd only had a small handful of such clients. Smirking, she shook her head. "No. No. You claimed a jacket cleaning army of them." His face twisted at the mention of the apprentice. Kirsi had forgotten it was a bit of a sore subject. Or hadn't much cared in her moment of spitefulness. They discussed this over dinner, she remembered. When he'd assumed she'd been sleeping with Kite.
Kite! Which reminded Kirsi to send him a letter. She'd enough marks to have Rias bedroom fully furnished now, and add a chair to her sitting room. Or maybe she would hold off and get a sofa of some sort. Something soft to curl up on in front of the fire. "I had to turn those papers in." Kirsi defended, eyebrows swooping down. "Well damn. I didn't even think of that." Shoulder rising, she had to laugh at herself. The sound mingling with a groan.
Too late now. Just like most everything in her life. Kirsi laced her fingers together, finding that the trembling in them had subsided at some point. She wasn't comfortable, but she no longer felt ready to climb out of her skin. Maybe it was the familiarity of doing something stupid. She always did manage to do opposite of what she should. But Kirsi had been curious if he knew. If he'd been the reason. Know he had, but she didn't think he'd started the rumors.
Why would he anyway? "Really? You're frowning right now." Something working across his face before it vanished into his hands. Kirsi couldn't help but laugh. A hysterical bite to the sound. His answer made her snort, eyes dipping down his body. "I can imagine." She was tempted to make more snide comments about apprentice laws, but Kirsi didn't. He was looking a little red around the edges.
"People talk to healers. I hear all sorts of things I don't need to know." She explained in attempt to make him feel better about his private business being aired. "Besides, she thought I'd already seen it. Or was trying to prepare me for when I did." Kirsi hadn't stopped her either. Too horrified to refute the lies or stop the flow of information. He looked miserable, which made Kirsi feel contrite. Which annoyed her. "She'd nothing but good to say about you, if that's what you're worried about."
She couldn't imagine she'd feel much better about someone being so cavalier with their own sexual experiences involving Kirsi. Which made her wonder how much lip flapping Peregrine did. Sucking air in through her nose, Kirsi pulled at the buckle of her belt. "Don't worry about it." Her sex life was but simple, and complicated. Currently revolving around Peregrine and whenever he got a hair up his ass to come harass her and then take her to bed.
Tucking her elbows in, she held still as he stood and came around his desk. Arkyn went around Kirsi to the painting. Naming it. First in a tongue she didn't know, but recognized, and then in common. "Pretty." And it was. The mountain and the sentiment. "Makes sense. Jewels are rainbow toned until you reach the darker sets." She ran her hands up her arms, squeezing her elbows tight as she faced him.
"I'm not worried about the gossip. I just found it strange. We've hardly been in each others company." Kirsi snorted and rolled her eyes. "I don't she's singing it from the rooftops. And I won't repeat it. The secret of the other sjef is safe for now." She teased him. Most men would have been puffed up and bragging. Kirsi wondered why Arkyn wasn't. Other than his moodiness.
Fingers tapping her skin, Kirsi gave in to her annoyance and swept his hair off the frame. "It was clinging." She explained, wiggling the hair free of her fingers before sliding her hands into the pocket of her dress. A sort of built in muff to keep your hands warm. "Anyway. Now that I've fed the rumor mill a fresh dose, I suppose I should go." Smile wry, Kirsi shrugged. People. They were infuriating. Looking at the door, Kirsi turned back, color beneath her eyes. "She was clean, by the way." She finally managed to reassure him. "Perfectly healthy except for the loose lips." She told him with a snort.