Lotte wanted to like his laugh less than she did, desperately, but that ship had well and truly sailed, lost at sea as soon as it tore from him. There was a hopeless effort on her part to ignore it as she took the bottle back and wrapped her lips around it, let the liquid slide down her throat and sit molten in her belly.

"How does anyone know they're good at anything? How did I know I'd be able to call you up again, that second time?" Lotte shrugged, looked at the black that still tipped her fingers on each hand.

"I'm at a disadvantage too, you know."

It could have been chance the first time, but she'd had no doubts the second. Would anyone try something twice, if they didn't think it suited them just a little? And she had been good at it, clearly, whatever this was, her dealings with this - her - demon.

Lotte let her head drop to the side, cheek heavy on her shoulder and she peered up at him with a smirk.

"Guess that just means we'll have to do this again, so I can best you properly."