"Reasons I'd prefer not to discuss," he says shortly, but his expression softens a little. He's a man raised to be suspicious of otherworldly beings, and it's hard to consider their contract as any normal sort of friendship. From the sound of it she has no desire to think of it that way either.

And Stratos himself... is not used to anyone else knowing so much of his inner life. Felix comes closest, but these days Felix is making an educated guess at his thoughts more often than not.

But. Nekomata was trying to help, in the way only she could. He can understand that. He can even admit that it's the kind of thing he'd do, if he thought a friend needed a nudge in the right direction.

"I don't care for such interference without my knowledge," he says. "Especially in personal matters. However. I... appreciate your intentions. And your initiative in acting in my interest."

Nekomata knows very well how deeply the man feels; he's just not given to sentimental talk and perhaps that suits her. But he does have some appreciation of what it means for the prideful demon to go out of her way to help him like this.