The acceptance of the hand he offered had not been something Dorian had expected, drawing a slight wave of surprise to him as he went through with the gesture of helping Akio to his feet. It was something he'd done for the priest earlier, that corrupted soul, but how was this so different? He reckoned that, in part, it was due to Akio's resolve. However, the warmth of a hand within his, the casual proximity of their bodies... Dorian shook his head a little and averted his gaze from the other after he had straightened himself out. What a fool he was, to allow such human thoughts to cross his mind.

However, Akio's claim that he meant him no offense drew his gaze back to the other man. Dorian's lips parted slightly for a moment of silence before his devious grin reclaimed his face. "You'll have to do much better than that to lower my opinion of myself, little prince." He responded smoothly, willing to spend no more time on the subject. "I trust in your word. Or, rather, I trust in your willingness to cooperate to spare your comrade's life." Dorian chuckled a little, "Can't trust anyone, you see. Humans can fall just as far as we." His gaze held the others for a few moments before he noted Akio's hand at his waist. For a moment, he thought an attack were to happen, and he felt a rush of excitement...

This of course was only to be stifled as he was instead offered the blade. Lifting a curious eyebrow in his direction, Dorian eyed the offer for a moment before accepting it. He held the blade with a practiced hand, though he did not care to wear his own around his manor. "I reckon it makes no difference." Dorian responded casually, though he noted the other's compliance to cooperate, even more so than was requested by him. Was it that he was eager to rid himself of the weapon, its responsibility? It was a curious thing to Dorian, to accept the sword given so willingly. Twirling the blade's handle in his hand, he lit it go from his grasp as if to drop it, but no clatter sounded as one may expect. Instead, the blade merely dissipated instead of even touching the floor. Dorian was to keep it among his others, for easy storage.

As his intents were brought into question, the grin on Dorian's face only broadened. Looking to Akio to respond, however, he found himself caught at a moment's pause. There was a genuine quality to the innocence in the other's eyes, the childish sense of curiosity held in his gaze. Dorian was drawn in, though he would not admit it, to this entirely pure look. He fancied the curiosity there mirrored his own, in a manner, though he knew too well that his golden eyes reflected more sinister intent than the other man's. What may have at once been in some ways warm, Dorian's features were each just touched with enough of a dark twist as to rid any sense of purity or warmth that humanity may have once given him.

This was only part of the reason why Dorian was caught in the moment, though it was entirely enough to have stopped him from speaking. Those genuinely innocent eyes, that radiantly warm expression-- he'd seen one like it before. He'd been looked at with that touch of childish curiosity before, though not since the beginning of his descent in the Underworld. Not since he'd forsaken his own humanity. It struck a chord deep within him as he pictured a pair of handsome blue eyes in the place of Akio's. Dorian felt his heart plummet, a fire in his chest, an emotion now foreign to him tearing at his gut as he forced his eyes closed for a moment. Marcel.

Then the moment had passed, and the only outward emotion Dorian would show would be a sudden warm, human quality in his gaze before he closed his eyes. Then, upon opening them a moment later, his regular cold edge was back and perhaps even a touch worse. "I will answer what questions I am asked, Akio." He spoke plainly, dropping his name in a more casual sense now, then sighing softly at himself before regaining his composure fully. "I am a man of mischief. I prefer to keep entertained, and I do so by dabbling in corruption." He paused, if only to gage his reaction at this point, "I mean to make entertainment of you, if you will. Your seemingly strong resolve is a refreshment... I would like to study it for so long as my superiors would like me to keep you. Perhaps longer." Dorian's words practically sung with suggestion, his voice low and woven smooth like silk as he sent what could be a rather charming smile at Akio, had it not held such a devious nature.

"Shall we? If you're to be roaming about, you may as well know where you're going." He added after a few moments, opening a door that lead up a staircase to the rest of his home.