( He snorts, but it does enough to shake some of the misery from him. )

I got better at it with time. Haircuts. I didn't force them to be as self-sufficient as I was, but in the beginning they preferred for me to do it. And vice-versa. Do you know how hard it is to have a serious conversation about murdering everyone while your hair is in a wonky half braid and filled to the brim with Kuromi clips? ( He'd indulged them regardless, because they were children and he wanted them to have something kind still. ) I had to perfect the aura, you know? Have a curse bit off enough hands if they look at you funny, then no one brings it up again.

( He waves the bartender down for another round. )

How is Jinx settling in? Did she do all right this time?