Mark's voice snapped Sasuke back to a slightly less attack-ready reality, although memory recalled an amused sort of sound a few seconds ago and by nature was half-convinced that it was at Sasuke's expense. As for Aidou -- the vampire telling someone else to handle their aggression was more than a little rich.

"I'll oblige you to remember that I'm not a child, much less yours," Sasuke snapped, but he dropped his arm nonetheless. "Offering advice does not give you status as my superior or any right to test me."

And yet as pissed off at Aidou as Sasuke was, he was almost equally angry with himself: this was nearing the sort of jumpiness that had gotten him in trouble the first day here, in 'therapy' with Muraki. If it was this easy to unsettle him, there was no way to concentrate efficiently on the more important business.