"And you always listen to what you're told as far as to whom you speak?" His voice is fully doubtful there. "You didn't have to respond at all, but you chose to be... what was that? Unpleasant to me unprompted. The world does not revolve around me, but I've lost enough to be wary of anyone who is suddenly rude coming near my cat. And I refuse to apologize for it."

He's heard the whispers, the people who say that him having a cat is something he doesn't deserve, that he needs to understand how people have suffered as if he doesn't have quite a grasp on loss and pain already.

"I will protect her." Even when she's greatly diminishing the image of strength he's trying to present by licking at waterdroplets dangling from locks of hair. "And it's not like not having reason to want to hurt me has stopped people before, so sorry. That doesn't help."

A beat. He is being rude, though. It would cost him little to offer an attempt at peace if she truly doesn't want to hurt him. She could throw it back in his face and... what does he lose?

"If you actually want to, we could try to restart our acquaintance. But that would require you speaking with me, so perhaps that's not an option."