V
"What do you mean she's living next door?!" Juri spoke through clenched teeth, trying to stay as quiet as possible. After all it was impossible to tell whether their brand-new neighbour HIMEMIYA ANTHY OF ALL FUCKING PEOPLE might be listening with a glass pressed up against the wall.

Utena shrugged helplessly.

"Juri, please," she urged, also keeping her voice low. "She's … she's Himemiya." Her voice took on a meaningful edge. "Himemiya." She stared mournfully at Juri.

"That's what I'm afraid of," muttered Juri, turning her back and sliding into her side of the bed.

"It's not like that," pleaded Utena but Juri noted her partner was looking everywhere but her. "I swear it's not like that. I told you that back at Ohtori!"

Juri hmphed. It was Himemiya goddamn Anthy. How could it not be like that?

Her school-day memories might still be vague, but she remembered very well the way that Saionji Kyouichi (whom she'd previously suspected of being in unrequited love with Kiryuu Touga) had gone to crazy little pieces for love of that … freak. She remembered her good friend Miki who just wasn't interested in girls, becoming very interested. She seemed to remember Utena herself defending Anthy's every malicious move with ignorant enthusiasm.

How could it not be like that?!

"That girl … woman," she corrected herself, "is manipulation personified. I don't trust her."

"What?" Utena sounded pained and confused as she slid into her side of the bed.

"She's trouble," clarified Juri, turning to face her. "I know you don't think so but then you've always had a soft spot for her. You … helped her, right? That was admirable, but Utena … you can't save people from themselves."

"It's not like that," argued Utena desperately, passionately. "She's not like that."

Juri fought the urge to laugh in Utena's face. They had both come to understand and accept that while Utena was an incurable optimist, Juri was a realist ('dreary pessimist', Utena called it). Laughing at Utena wouldn't win her any arguments.

"I don't like it," Juri told Utena instead. "I don't want her in our lives." She hadn't meant to go as far as that, but it was true. It was only the unpalatable truth. And right now the truth needed to be said. "She'll ruin everything," Juri whispered, then turned away furiously, so Utena wouldn't see her cry. (Years later and she still struggled to let Utena see her cry…)

Seconds later Utena's warm body pressed to Juri's back, strong arms slipping around her.

"She won't," promised Utena urgently. "You'll see, Juri, with time, you'll see. I want us all to be friends, good friends! We can make this work; it's so important to me."

Juri shuddered.

Utena brushed Juri's curls aside and pressed a kiss to her neck. Juri shivered against the kiss.

"I don't like it," Juri whispered again, and felt those lips pause.

"You'll see," said Utena as firmly as if she was willing it into being, then and there.

But Juri knew she'd never see. Just as she knew that this time, stubborn and persuasive though she might be, she'd never change Utena's mind.