AN: When in doubt, write a gay oneshot. Anyways, Aokako is a very good, A+ ship, and I've always been meaning to write more for it outside of that one fairy tale AU oneshot I wrote awhile back, so I finally got around to that! As always, thanks for reading, and please leave a review if you can!

On Bewitching Witches

"Can I speak with you for a moment, Nakamori-san?"

It was almost cute, really, the way that she perked up when she called out to her. It wasn't quite a reaction that she was accustomed to from girls, though she couldn't claim that she minded the resentment that she got from a fair number of them. If anything, the more envious they were of her, the more powerful that she felt.

Nakamori Aoko, however, was different, and always had been. Perhaps it was fitting in a sense that she was childhood friends with the one man known to be able to resist her charms- which was, incidentally, the reason why she had called out to her. If she couldn't manage to snatch away his heart in a more conventional manner, then seeing him squirm in jealousy would do.

At least for the moment.

"Akako-chan!" With a smile on her face that made it clear that she was pleased to see her, Aoko set down her book. "What is it?"

"Actually, I have a bit of a problem, Nakamori-san." Akako began. She didn't even have to look his way to know that Kaito's eyes were on her- she could sense that much. So too, could she sense the rather disgruntled expression that they carried in them. "I won a pair of movie tickets the other day, but I have no one to invite with me. Seeing as we never did get to see that exhibition together, I thought I would invite you."

"Eh? Aoko?" Blinking, for a moment looking as if she hadn't fully understood her, a smile eventually broke out over Aoko's face. "Yes, Aoko would love to!"

Were she a kinder person, she might almost feel a pang of guilt for tricking her like this- but she felt no such thing. Instead, a polite, if not less than genuine, smile crossed her face, Akako merely clasping her hands behind her back. "Then I'm glad to hear it. How is this Sunday? We can meet in front of the station, a little before noon. We could even get lunch beforehand, if you'd like."

"This Sunday is fine!" Aoko said quickly. "Aoko didn't have anything planned for that day. And lunch sounds great too!"

"Then, Sunday it is." Akako said. "Don't forget."

"Don't worry, unlike some people, Aoko isn't the type to forget plans that she's made!" Even if her gaze didn't stray his way, it was obvious who she meant. Still, the sour look that crossed her face only lasted for a moment, before her expression brightened again. "But Aoko is glad!"

"Glad?" Taken a bit off guard by her words, Akako merely blinked.

"Yes!" Nodding her head, Aoko beamed up at her. "Because, this is the first time that Akako-chan has invited her out somewhere! Of course Aoko is excited about it!"

"Ah..." For a moment, unable to think of anything to say, all Akako could do was stare. Thankfully, she very quickly recovered her composure, doubtful that anyone would have noticed her slip. "I see. In that case, I'm excited for it as well, Nakamori-san."

Strangely enough, she didn't feel as if her words were a complete lie.

"What is it that you want from Aoko, Akako?"

She might not have fallen for his charm, but in a way, she could still very much predict Kuroba Kaito's actions. That he would attempt to corner her after watching such a thing was almost a given, right down to the intensity with which he was doing it. It was part of the reason why she was certain her plan this time was going to succeed, and why she had chosen it in the first place.

"Whatever do you mean, Kuroba-kun?" Akako merely asked. "Is there something wrong with inviting a friend to see a movie?"

"No." Kaito said simply. "But you and Aoko aren't friends."

"Don't be silly, Kuroba-kun." Moving to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Akako merely gave him a polite smile. "Nakamori-san and I might not have many chances to spend time together, but I can assure you of our friendship. If I recall, I was her first choice to invite to that exhibition, and not you, was I not?"

"I'm quite certain I could have protected her a little better than a certain someone, at that." She'd meant it as a light taunt, but there was a venom to her words that surprised even her. She did not spend long dwelling over it, merely putting it aside, out of mind.

"First things first, I have no idea as to what you're talking about, since it was her father that went with her," Kaito began, "...and second of all, that was on Aoko's end. You inviting her out somewhere is a different matter entirely."

"I fail to see why it would be." Akako noted simply. "I merely had a spare movie ticket, and didn't quite feel like having any male company with me. Is it so wrong?"

"It is if it's you." Kaito said sharply. "You're scheming something again, aren't you? You're not going to make Aoko wear some weird necklace that makes her act weird, are you?"

"Of course not." Akako said, closing her eyes, letting out a short sigh. "I've long since moved past such tactics. Of which this is not, I can assure you, Kuroba-kun."

She was lying, and he knew it, but that was really sort of the point.

"Fine." Kaito said, finally seeming to relent. "But if anything happens to Aoko-"

"I can assure you, I have no intention of doing anything to harm Nakamori-san." Akako told him, taking a few steps past him, making sure to brush by his shoulder as she did so. "Though I may very well take a page from your own book, and steal something from her. Though I can't imagine she'd be unwilling to part with it."

Already seeing his lips working to respond with a sharp denial that he did no such thing out of the corner of her eye, Akako merely smiled. Not giving him so much as a chance to speak, she made her way down the hall, all in all feeling rather pleased with herself. If things kept going this smoothly, there was no way she wouldn't emerge from this as the victor.

Nakamori Aoko, on the other hand, could be a bit harder to read than the likes of her childhood friend. While she had told her that she was excited, Akako hadn't expected to find her waiting for her, well ahead of their scheduled meeting time.

She also hadn't expected to find her dressed up. For a brief moment, as Aoko caught her eye, a smile lighting up her face, she felt something stir within her heart, before she buried it deep back down within her, not wanting to deal with whatever feeling it might be.

"I hope that I didn't keep you waiting for very long, Nakamori-san." Only allowing herself that brief moment of being caught off guard, Akako gave the girl a smile. There was a bit of a genuine edge to it this time- she supposed that she could allow for that much, for someone who made it quite clear that she actually was genuinely excited for the day to come.

Though Aoko tried to step in front of the can of juice on the bench to hide it, Akako still caught it nonetheless, but chose not to say anything. Shaking her head, Aoko merely beamed all the brighter. "No, Aoko just got here!"

"I see." Akako said simply. "Then, shall we go? I know of a splendid cafe around here, that I think you should enjoy quite a bit."

"Then, Aoko will look forward to it!" To have excitement dance in her eyes from just something that small- really, Akako didn't understand it all. If she wanted to, she could instruct any man with the means who was under her thrall to treat her to a five star meal at one of the priciest restaurants in the city, so to be excited over something as small as going out to eat at a cafe...

Well, in truth, she couldn't claim that she hated that sort of thing. It was something that she herself would never be able to replicate, a natural sort of charm that was impossible for her.

"I'm glad then." Akako stated simply. "Then, shall we go? We still have plenty of time before the start of the movie, so we don't have to worry about rushing. Of course, it will be my treat."

"Eh? No, Aoko couldn't possibly-!"

"It's quite alright, Nakamori-san." Cutting her off before she could get too far, Akako smiled. Goodness though, what a difference in treatment- she had heard Kaito complain before, about the way that Aoko made him treat her every now and again. "We're friends, aren't we? Treating you to a meal is the very least that I can do."

"Then... if you really insist, then Aoko will happily accept." That bright smile of hers surfacing on her face once more, Aoko gripped her purse just a bit tighter. "Thank you, Akako-chan."

"No, no." Shaking her head, trying to pretend that she didn't feel that strange sensation in her chest once more, Akako turned slightly on her heel. "I'm more than happy to."

"You can call Aoko, Aoko, you know."

It was a statement that she hadn't been expecting, and for a moment, it was all Akako could do to blink. She wasn't even certain what had brought it on- for all the world, it had seemed to come out of the blue.

"...Pardon?" It wasn't what she had meant to say, but it had slipped out anyways. It wasn't often that one could break her guard like this- really, Nakamori Aoko should be proud of herself, if anything. The fact that she managed such a difficult feat on a regular basis was nothing to not be proud of.

"Aoko." Aoko repeated, wondering if perhaps she hadn't been heard right. "You can call Aoko, Aoko."

"If you really desire that, then I'm fine with it, but... are you quite certain?" Akako asked. Really, she should be pleased with herself, seeing as this likely meant that her plan was working even better than she could have imagined, but even so, this was somehow not a development that she had planned for.

When was the last time that she had been on first name basis with another girl, and one her own age at that? She frankly couldn't remember. She'd never been much of one for forging close ties with them, and while she'd never felt as if she were missing anything because of this, she still couldn't help but feel something almost warm rise within her chest.

It was an altogether unfamiliar feeling, and yet strangely, not one that she found herself disliking.

"Of course!" Aoko told her, nodding her head. "After all, we're friends, aren't we?"

"Friends..." The word slipped out, and for a moment, a smile that was both warmer and softer than her usual surfaced on her face. "I see. If that is the case, then I have no issue with it, Aoko-san."

Goodness, goodness. If Kaito got to see such a smile all the time, then it was no small wonder that he had fallen in love with this girl. Though he might not be honest about it, to those who watched them, it was as plain as day. If anything, she almost couldn't help but be...

Pausing for a moment, Akako could only wonder if she had seriously been thinking such a thing. After all, the purpose of this date was to make him jealous- so why was it that she had very nearly admitted to feeling the same way herself?

Really, it made no sense at all. After all, for her to be something so absurd, so without any sense, that would have to mean that she was somehow in love with-

No, no. Such a thing couldn't be possible.

Her? In love? And on top of that, with such a person?

Such a thing couldn't possibly be true.

By the time she saw the first tear fall, it may very well have already been too late for her. As if by some instinct that she previously hadn't known, she found herself digging into her purse, searching for something to wipe them away with, racking her brain and trying to think of what to say.

What did one even say to someone who was crying? And over something as simple as a movie, at that? This was a situation in which she had no experience, and as rare as it was to find herself out of her depth, it would seem that today was very much a day for rare experiences.

She, after all, hadn't cried once since she had inherited her mother's role as the red witch. Even if her powers weren't at risk, she'd never really seen any need to, even as she watched her mother being laid to rest deep in the earth, never to be seen again. She'd never so much as even thought to cry back then, so to see someone in front of her, shedding tears so easily... what was it that she was expected to do, to say, in this situation?

An apology, it seemed, was the first thing that she found coming to her lips, even as she offered the sobbing girl her handkerchief. "I'm sorry, Nakamori-san. If I had any idea the movie would end in such a manner, I would have never chosen it."

For a moment, all Aoko did was take the offered handkerchief, wiping her eyes with it. Surely was mad at her, for spoiling such an otherwise pleasant day with such a tragic choice in movie. Aoko had been eager to let her choose the film, but now she was beginning to regret the choice that she had made, seeing as to how it had ended up.

"It's Aoko." For a moment, her voice was almost too quiet to make out, a loud sniffle punctuating her words. Finally looking up, Aoko brushed aside the last of her tears, her voice growing stronger, even as traces her tears remained behind. "Aoko thought you were using her name now, Akako-chan."

That wasn't at all what she'd thought she would say. For a moment, Akako could only let the gears in her head run, before she finally recovered her composure. "Then, do forgive me, Aoko-san. I'm not used to it yet."

"No, it's fine." Shaking her head, Aoko reached up, dabbing her eyes once more, catching the stray bits of tears that hadn't come all the way out. "And it's not your fault the movie turned out that way, Akako-chan. And don't get Aoko wrong either! She really did enjoy it! It's nothing that you have to apologize for!"

"Nevertheless..." Akako began, finding herself unable to think of anything to say.

"If anything, Aoko is sorry about crying so suddenly. Kaito would probably make fun of her." With her tears largely over, a smile gradually returned to Aoko's face, as she carefully folded up the handkerchief that she had been leant. "Thank you, for lending Aoko this. She'll wash it and return it to you at school tomorrow."

"It's only just a few tears, there's no need to go through so much effort-" Akako began, only to find herself cut off, a slight puff to Aoko's cheeks.

"No, it's not alright!" Shaking her head, Aoko neatly tucked the folded handkerchief back away in her own bag, as if to prevent it from being taken from her. "Aoko's mother taught her that she has to properly take care of the things that were leant to her. She'll wash it first, and make sure it's as good as new before she gives it back to you!"

For a moment, Akako merely blinked, once again finding herself not knowing what to say. To her, a slightly stained handkerchief was nothing to trouble oneself over, but strangely, she didn't find the way Aoko was making such a big deal over it to be irritating. If anything, it was almost...

Charming, really.

Maybe she really should just admit to it.

Reaching out a hand, Akako carefully brushed a stray strand of Aoko's hair behind her ear, wondering what sort of expression she was making now. The soft way her lips curled... it wasn't something that she had ever felt before. The way it only grew as a hint of red crept onto the other girl's cheeks wasn't something she entirely disliked either, she decided.

"I see. In that case, I'll hold you to that promise." Pulling her hand away from her, Akako slowly rose to her feet. "Either way, I simply can't allow this date to end on such a note. Would you care for some ice cream, Aoko-san?"

Extending that same hand to her, Akako watched as the other girl carefully took it. Goodness, goodness, she truly was a girl full of unexpected developments. To think that she would end up falling in love with the person that she had set out to seduce... it would appear that even a witch's charm just couldn't win against something that one had been born with.

Or rather, perhaps right from the start, the whole thing had been a pretense. Not for making Kaito jealous, or anything like that- but merely a pretense for her own budding feelings. Going about such things in such a indirect manner... in a way, it wasn't unlike her.

"Then, Aoko would like that." Aoko spoke up, rising to her feet with the help of Akako. "But this time, Aoko will be the one to pay, understand?"

Opening her mouth to protest that it wouldn't be much of an apology if she were the one being treated, Akako quickly shut it, a smile instead forming on her face. In the end, her goal hadn't changed- though her reasons for it certainly had.

Since she had gone and done the same to her, she would simply just have to steal Aoko's heart in return.