Being a loner comes as naturally to Aulus as breathing. They don’t like people; people are obnoxious and nosy and often act curious just to turn around and be cruel. People say things they don’t mean. People look at Aulus with nothing but judgmental stares. Aulus has always found it easier ― safer, happier, easier ― to be on their own. Borlochka is their friend, he’s kind, and… he’s enough. They don’t care about anyone else.

Or they didn’t, until you moved in. The only damn human in Monstra City, running that bakery you took over from… your aunt, they think? They don’t know, because they don’t visit town; all they know comes from Borlochka’s prattling and the little opening up you’ve done, which isn’t much, because they do not pry. You don’t pry either. You’re curious, you ask questions, but you don’t pry.

Aggravatingly, the fact that you don’t make them anxious… makes them anxious. They want to simultaneously run to you to tell you everything about themself and bolt from you entirely. Ugh.

So when they hear a knock on the door of their shack at the tree farm and peer out the window to find you there, they don’t know what to do. To have you seeking them out like this hits their mind’s panic button. If not for you standing on their doorstep, they could pretend you’re not here for them. It could be to talk to Borlochka, since he’s your friend too, or it could be to get a Christmas tree (never mind that Christmas is tomorrow, so if it were that, you’d be woefully late to get one), or to set up for the party Borlochka is throwing right now or… something else. Anything else except to see them.

No, though. You’re here, where you know they live. They can’t delude themself into believing it’s for any other reason. You’re here for them, and whatever you want, you’d go away if they told you to or if they simply didn’t answer the door.

… They’re going to throttle themself for this later. They unlock the door, crack it open, and almost glare at you through that crack. They're trying. "... What?"