AN: So, so very sorry this is late... I've been having some health problems. That being said, I spent all of my time working on this feeling pretty lousy, so... well, hopefully it all turned out okay.

Day 43

Tsukuyomi had never been very enthusiastic about the Konoe heiress' weekly gatherings.

But she had to admit: Today had been incredibly entertaining.

"That was really uncomfortable, wasn't it?"

Setsuna winced as she trudged down the hall.

That was… one way of putting it.

"Uncomfortable" didn't do the sick feeling in Setsuna's stomach justice, though. Not that "uncomfortable" wasn't accurate, but…

She couldn't understand what had gone wrong. All she knew was that from the moment she'd stepped into the room with Tsukuyomi, everything had felt very, very awkward. And quiet. Even Negi's bright attempts at starting conversation had died off before long.

Asuna's silence could be easily explained. Her friend was still far from happy about the—kiss. Being forced to spend any time in an excessively perky Tsukuyomi's company would do little to make her feel any better about—anything, really.

But… Konoka…

Setsuna had never seen her partner so subdued before. Usually Konoka was the most outgoing of all of them, cheerful and happy to participate in any conversation. It was what made being around her so wonderful. But today…

Today she'd looked… sad.

And Setsuna didn't have any idea why.

Guilt assaulted her with every step. She should know why. If something was bothering her partner, wasn't it her duty to help fix it? Wasn't that why she'd become Konoka's partner in the first place? To be there for her?

But now, when something was actually wrong, she couldn't even do that much. She had just sat there, feeling helpless. The closest she'd gotten to doing something useful was asking Konoka what was wrong as she and Tsukuyomi stepped out the door.

Konoka had told her not to worry.

Setsuna could just as easily stop breathing. As far as she was concerned, Konoka should never have a reason to look like that; of course she was going to worry, she cared about Konoka.

Very much.

There had to be something she could do.

"Oh, are you still not talking to me?"

Setsuna's eyes shifted over to her charge automatically, derailing her thoughts. She quickly tore her gaze away before she could take in too much of Tsukuyomi's smile. "I didn't think you were looking for an answer."

"I always enjoy hearing your voice, Senpai."

Setsuna didn't think she disguised the stiffening of her shoulders very well.

"I know the princess has been in a bad mood all week," Tsukuyomi continued, "but I don't think I've ever seen your Ojou-sama so quiet. I wonder what could have happened."

The complete lack of concern in her voice came very close to being disturbing. Setsuna spun around.

"Do you know anything?"

Tsukuyomi met her eyes easily. "I might have an idea," she drawled. "But if I'm right, there's nothing you can do about it, so there's no point worrying."

It took more effort than Setsuna felt comfortable with to return Tsukuyomi's gaze. She took a deep breath and tried in vain to forget that the week she'd had meant Konoka wasn't her only concern. "That's not how it works, Tsukuyomi. What do you know?"

"It's only an idea. I'm not really fussed over what happens to her—I think I like her more when she's quiet though—"

"Tsukuyomi."

Glaring at the insufferable girl didn't seem to have much of an effect. Tsukuyomi's smile widened and her eyes glinted with unnatural happiness. Setsuna quickly looked away. "I don't really understand it either, so it's no wonder it's upsetting her so much…"

"What's upsetting her?"

For a long moment, Tsukuyomi didn't say anything. Out of the corner of her eye, Setsuna could see her playing with her hair. She still needed it cut; it was starting to get in her eyes. It would get annoying soon—assuming it wasn't already.

If she'd still been looking directly at Tsukuyomi's face, Setsuna might have caught the sudden change in expression. The warning. Instead, caught up in very strange thoughts about Tsukuyomi's hair, she was left very surprised by her roommate's sudden appearance inside her personal space.

Common sense told Setsuna to step away from Tsukuyomi and walk the few meters left to their room, where there was a witness.

But the strange, dizzy feeling she'd been having problems with all week kept her from moving.

And suddenly Tsukuyomi's face was close and her arms were around her neck and Setsuna swore her face had never felt so hot before.

Something that wasn't quite fear jolted through her.

Entirely against her will, she found herself looking straight into Tsukuyomi's eyes. The look was back. That burning, all-consuming look that Setsuna really wanted to hate. Her heart pounded in her chest, and for a bizarre moment she wondered if Tsukuyomi would kiss her again—and why the idea didn't scare her as much as it should have.

Using what little sense she had available, she tried to focus her attention on something else—anything else—but her mind felt jammed. Slow. Like the only thing that existed was the warm (loving) look Tsukuyomi was giving her. That and Tsukuyomi's breath against—

Completely forgetting that Tsukuyomi might have a bad reaction, Setsuna yanked herself away as quickly as she could, taking solace in the sudden, cold wave of sanity that washed over her the second she was out of Tsukuyomi's grasp.

She was sweating.

Next to her, Tsukuyomi seemed perfectly composed—ignoring the way her fingernails were digging into the palms of her hands.

"I told you," she said after nearly a minute of silence. "It's just an idea."

She'd forgotten just how badly she would want Setsuna when her Senpai pulled away like that. Thoughts of blood and screams and fighting and lust were screeching in Tsukuyomi's head. She wished her nails were longer. The pain in her hands wasn't nearly enough to distract her.

It didn't help that this was the first time she'd touched Setsuna in a while.

Blissful thoughts of her Senpai screaming flitted through her head, making her moan softly.

No, it didn't help at all. Her fingers were longing for one more touch, and she didn't think much of the survival instinct keeping her from reattaching herself to Setsuna. One more second—just one—and she could have stolen a second kiss from her Senpai.

And she would have. If Setsuna could have regained her senses just a little bit later…

Tsukuyomi shivered. Frustration and wanting and the all too weak pain in her hands coursed through her relentlessly, and the heady visions in her mind responded with a luscious intensity that left her feeling short of breath. Thoughts of kissing Setsuna everywhere, of lapping up blood seeping from slices she would engrave in her pale, perfect skin were consuming her, and—

And—

Don't think about killing her don't think about killing her don't think about how fun

Tsukuyomi's nails dug even further into her palms. She could feel the faintest stirrings of panic growing outside of her pleasurable thoughts, ruining the moment. Already she was coming far too close to imagining what it would be like to drive her sword slowly into Setsuna's chest cavity and twisting—

Maybe providing an example hadn't been the best idea.

But how was she supposed to resist when Setsuna was acting so very adorable?

Tsukuyomi glanced at her ever-mortified Senpai. Setsuna was staring at the floor, face bright red, looking as miserable as Tsukuyomi had ever seen her.

She was probably still worrying about Konoka. Her partner.

Almost at once, Tsukuyomi's racing—forbidden—thoughts calmed. Her hands relaxed slightly, and she bit back a laugh. She tried to focus on that feeling. The happiness. She militantly dismissed the thought of taking the root of that happiness away and slicing it to pieces. Yes, it would be fun, but—

But.

She took another look at Setsuna.

That horribly unhappy expression could have been worrying under different circumstances.

But these circumstances…

Suddenly Tsukuyomi couldn't help herself. She laughed.

The noise seemed to startle Setsuna out of her perusal of the floor. She looked up, caught between glaring and looking horrified. Still bright red, she had to open and close her mouth several times before any sound came out.

"It's not funny," she said at last.

"Yes, it is."

Because it was, and Setsuna could refuse to see it all she wanted, but it would still be the funniest, most fantastic thing Tsukuyomi had come across in all her time at Mahora.

She was winning. And Konoka knew it.

Tsukuyomi wasn't naïve enough to think that Setsuna would ever return her feelings. She had a few indulgent fantasies about the possibility—more than a few, most of which had appeared after the wonderful kiss and made her feel ridiculously happy—but Setsuna didn't even like her. The chances of anything more developing were depressingly slim.

However… given recent events, she was starting to think that she might be able to do something about certain other aspects of their relationship even if she couldn't do anything about the feelings side of things.

Something was going on. Since the kiss, something had changed in the way Setsuna looked at her. True, lately it was a very rare thing for their eyes to meet for more than a split second, but when they did… there was something there. Something that made Setsuna blush even more than she did when she looked at Konoka.

Tsukuyomi liked it.

Konoka did not.

And Setsuna was so caught up in whatever it was that she had just noticed her cherished partner's distress today.

It was almost tempting to tell Setsuna how long it had been going on, but that would probably lead to Konoka getting even more attention that she didn't deserve. Tsukuyomi wasn't about to risk that; not when their silent battle over Setsuna was finally going in her favor. She liked being the focus of her Senpai's attention, and she loved seeing the Konoe girl unhappy.

Tsukuyomi should have kissed Setsuna ages ago.

Konoka was losing.

Tsukuyomi laughed again.

"Does it really bother you that much?"

Oh, she liked that look.

Still chuckling, she walked past Setsuna and over to their door. Sometimes she forgot just how fun teasing her Senpai was.

She—

Tsukuyomi—

That—

She had to be close to passing out. There was enough blood in her head, wasn't there?

She did not want to be conscious for this.

Konoka had noticed?

Setsuna cheeks burned even as a small, cruel part of her cheered at the thought of it bothering Konoka in the first place. How had she missed that?

How could she let her new reactions to Tsukuyomi be so obvious in the first place?

Why did she have to react to Tsukuyomi at all?

Setsuna scowled halfheartedly at the person who seemed determined to be the source of all the problems in her life. Said source was just starting to get her laughter under control. And her hair was getting in her eyes. Setsuna wanted to snap at her. Not for the first time, she wished that they still had the kind of relationship where attempted murder wasn't unusual.

…Only she didn't. Not really.

She was almost starting to think that she might actually—

Setsuna shook her head. That thought had been dangerously close to completing itself lately, but thinking it through would just complicate everything even more—and it was already more confusing than she knew how to deal with.

"Are we going in?" Tsukuyomi asked helpfully.

Setsuna took a deep breath. "Yes." She walked over to the door, internally flinching at how close she had to stand to Tsukuyomi to unlock it. She could feel the other girl's eyes boring into her, and it was making her feel uncomfortably… odd. Again. Searching for some kind of distraction, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You need a haircut."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tsukuyomi fingering her bangs. "Yes, I might."

Setsuna nodded stiffly, feeling like an idiot, and shoved open the door with more force than probably necessary. She held it open for Tsukuyomi and mumbled an incoherent greeting to Mana, who was sitting on the lower bunk cleaning one of her guns. Tsukuyomi was substantially more enthusiastic about her hello. She edged past Setsuna and bounced over to sit on the bed.

"Good morning, Onee-san!"

"Good morning, Tsukuyomi," Mana said, batting Tsukuyomi's wandering hand away from her precious rifle. Tsukuyomi pouted for a moment before turning to leer at Setsuna, who was standing by the door wondering, a little belligerently, why Tsukuyomi was so eager to sit next to their other roommate.

"So," Tsukuyomi said after a few seconds of indecent staring, "does this mean you're going to let me out of the school?"

"No," Setsuna said immediately, momentarily forgetting why Tsukuyomi was asking.

"Then… that would make you the one cutting my hair?"

The mere idea was enough to bring Setsuna's already impaired mind to a screeching halt—and then send it into overdrive. Flustered thoughts flurried through her head at the seemingly innocent suggestion, the most sane of which reminded her that it probably wouldn't be too hard to find a barber shop in Academy City, and Tsukuyomi was technically allowed to go there—before she remembered that part of her guardianship over the girl included keeping her away from as many people as possible, and that there was a very good reason for that.

Over on the bed, Mana's hands had stopped dragging a rag over her gun. One of her eyebrows was raised, and there was a distinctly amused glint in her eye as she smiled at Setsuna.

Setsuna flushed under the attention, having the very disconcerting feeling—not for the first time—that Mana understood far too much of the difficulties she'd been having with Tsukuyomi all week. She was pretty sure the gunslinger's burgeoning friendship (if it could be called that) with the blonde had something to do with that, but that only made her feel more uncomfortable. Hearing nothing but Tsukuyomi's point of view on their relationship had to form a very warped picture of what was really going on.

She looked at Tsukuyomi, eyeing the light strands that were starting to crawl over the girl's glasses. She did need a haircut. And if she was going to be around someone holding sharp objects, Setsuna was the best choice. The only choice, really.

And maybe if there was a little less of it, Setsuna would stop being so distracted by Tsukuyomi's hair and her weird reactions to her roommate would come to an end.

When Tsukuyomi had made the suggestion, she had briefly entertained the notion that Setsuna would take Yūnagi to her head. It wasn't anything close to an actual fight, no, but the whistle of a blade rushing through air and slicing anything sounded positively orgasmic right now.

She was starting to think it had maybe been a little too long since she'd been able to cut someone up. She should put more effort into changing that. A lot more.

Tsukuyomi tapped her fingers against her thigh and looked disinterestedly around the bathroom she'd been ordered to sit in. Maybe it was just her imagination getting the best of her, but she could feel parts of her body beginning to ache in anticipation. Regardless of the specific tool, soon Setsuna would be behind her with a sharp object. If her Senpai cared to, she could easily slit her throat. She'd be completely at Setsuna's mercy.

And even better, Mana had left the room the instant Setsuna agreed to cut her hair. Quickly enough to be considered rude, but Tsukuyomi wasn't about to mind that when it meant she got to spend time alone with Setsuna when her Senpai was being forced to invade her personal space.

Tsukuyomi craned her neck to get a better view of the room Setsuna was rummaging around in for the scissors. Apparently, she didn't trust Tsukuyomi enough to let her know where they were kept. So they weren't in the locked stash under the bed. She'd have to remember that.

It was almost surprising how enticing the prospect of a real cutting instrument being in her proximity was.

Setsuna took a deep breath and stared down at Tsukuyomi's reflection. The blonde's eyes were glued to the scissors. Every few seconds, her entire body would twitch.

"You'll need to stop fidgeting."

"I'm not fidgeting."

"If you don't stay still, I can't do a neat job."

Tsukuyomi's gaze switched over to Setsuna's reflection. "It's just hair, Senpai. It shouldn't cause you too much trouble. And even if you tried, I doubt you could do as poorly as Fate-han."

Setsuna frowned. "Fate cut your hair?"

Thinking back, she could remember noticing that the edges were a little ragged just before their fight, but she'd thought Tsukuyomi had done that herself.

"I think he was aiming for my head."

Setsuna didn't say anything in response to that—mostly because her first thought was uncomfortably violent and only further evidenced that there was something very wrong with the way her mind was working lately.

Tsukuyomi's eyes were back on the scissors. And she was still twitching.

Setsuna stared unhappily at the stray bangs that had gotten her into this situation and tried to quell the stirrings of panic reminding her that she'd have to get closer to Tsukuyomi to cut her hair. She took a step forward and took a comb off the counter.

"At least try to stay still."

That was easier said than done.

Setsuna was being careful—very careful—and avoiding any direct skin contact, but for once Tsukuyomi wasn't too concerned with where her Senpai's hands were. Her focus was on those delightfully sharp scissors. The quiet snips filled her ears and consumed her with a restless need to go out and bathe her swords in blood.

She almost regretted playing with Setsuna earlier. She was perhaps a little more… keyed up than she might be otherwise, and that was making it very, very hard to relax.

Snip. Snip.

It didn't help that relaxation was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. She eyed the scissors.

Weapons. Sharp edges that could be gouged into necks; thrust into soft, waiting flesh.

She could feel herself growing more agitated by the second.

She wanted them, and despite Setsuna's close proximity, all she could think of was that yearning.

It was familiar and sharp and with sudden clarity, she realized that it truly had been too long since she'd sunk a weapon into someone. She'd missed feeling like this—this was how she was supposed to feel. Ready and waiting. Purposed bloodlust as opposed to the haze of the normal sort that came from being around her Senpai.

She'd fallen very far indeed to be aroused so thoroughly by a pair of scissors, but the feeling was still there.

Snip.

Tsukuyomi's hands twitched in time with the noise.

Setsuna was embarrassed to note how soft Tsukuyomi's hair was. It was surprisingly fluid, sifting easily through her fingers. She didn't have to look at the mirror to know she was blushing. Not that she understood why it was so embarrassing to begin with—it just was.

But at the same time, the steady rhythm of the scissors was starting to relax her. She felt better now that she was focused on a specific task. Tsukuyomi's silence helped greatly too, though she was still twitching quite a bit.

It was calming, and the thought occurred to her that she probably shouldn't feel this way around Tsukuyomi. She ignored it and focused on cutting.

So for the second time that day, she missed the danger signs in Tsukuyomi's eyes.

They were too close. Shining in Setsuna's hand—taunting her—like that, they were too tantalizing to resist.

Self-control had never been her strong suit.

She didn't think about what she'd do after she got them. That was irrelevant.

Tsukuyomi lunged forward, fully intent on liberating the scissors from Setsuna's relaxed hand.

She should have known better, Setsuna thought, than to ever bring Tsukuyomi anywhere near a sharp object.

That lingering bit of common sense burst into life just as Tsukuyomi sprang up from her chair. Instincts screamed at Setsuna to move—to keep the scissors away from Tsukuyomi—but all she could do was take a surprised step back.

She shouldn't have been surprised. This was Tsukuyomi.

But she was, and she was cursing herself for not reacting properly and—when had she started thinking it was acceptable to let her guard down around Tsukuyomi?

Her grip was too relaxed around the scissors, and in the split second it took Tsukuyomi's hand to reach them, she could do nothing to remedy that.

At any other time, the blistering heat radiating off Setsuna's hand would have been intoxicating. Tsukuyomi ignored it. All that was on her mind was that the sharp object was being shielded and she needed to get it out. Memories of the last time she'd held a weapon were interfering now and she wanted it she wanted it she wanted it—

Tsukuyomi grabbed the tip of the scissors and pulled.

The scissors sprang free from Setsuna's hand and Tsukuyomi quickly flipped them so she was holding them properly. Setsuna's arm was moving rapidly in response and in no time they would be wrestling over the weapon—

And then Tsukuyomi heard it.

The rip of opening flesh.

The blood drained from Setsuna's face even as Tsukuyomi's body slammed into hers and sent her crashing to the floor. Her head hit the tiles with a crack but she barely noticed. All of her attention was focused on the dilated eyes of the girl pinning her to the floor. Eyes that were gazing hungrily down at Setsuna's arm. Something warm was slowly seeping down it.

Having a very bad day reaction-wise, Setsuna could only stare as Tsukuyomi ducked down and licked the blood off her arm. The girl moaned loudly.

That finally made her body respond the way it was supposed to. Blushing very badly, Setsuna pushed Tsukuyomi off of her and flipped her over, twisting her arms behind her back and grabbing the scissors with her spare hand.

Tsukuyomi was thrashing against her, but her movements were largely ineffective and—weak.

Since when had Tsukuyomi been this weak?

Setsuna fought to keep her voice steady. "Tsukuyomi, calm down."

Setsuna's body was so soft and hard and strong on top of hers.

The blood was burning in her mouth. She could feel it on her tongue and its ambrosial taste was unlike anything her memory or fantasies could have provided. And there was such heat pressing down against her back.

Her clarity was gone, and in its place was the wild desire to have Setsuna back under her, so that Tsukuyomi could do whatever she pleased to her. And with a weapon in hand, the possibilities became virtually, delightfully endless.

She was shivering with want, and her tongue flicked out of her mouth, searching for more of Setsuna's blood. Her body ached.

"Tsukuyomi, calm down."

She wanted to kiss Setsuna, to touch her, to leave her screaming and begging and—

The pressure on her back increased.

"Tsukuyomi."

She continued to fight against Setsuna's hold on her, moaning at the friction her movements caused between their bodies. She heard Setsuna gasp—so softly it might have been ignored if she had not been so utterly, fantastically aware of everything that made up her Senpai.

That little inhalation made her stomach tingle, and she groaned in frustration. If Setsuna would just let her free, it would feel so good for both of them—

And then the world went dark.

"Did you have to knock me out?"

Setsuna didn't look up from tying the bandage around her arm. She didn't think looking at Tsukuyomi right now was a good idea. Her cheeks were still burning. "I didn't think you were going to calm down on your own."

She heard Tsukuyomi sigh. "But it was just getting good."

The sheer absurdity of that statement made Setsuna look up. She was rather surprised at what she saw. Instead of a bright leer, the smile on Tsukuyomi's face was obviously forced.

She looked uncomfortable.

Not sure if expressing concern over someone she had recently had to physically restrain was appropriate or not, Setsuna turned back to her arm.

She should probably be more upset over Tsukuyomi losing control. Tsukuyomi was still a prisoner, and outbursts like that were definitely not appropriate. But for some reason, Setsuna mostly felt relief that Tsukuyomi was back to normal.

That couldn't be a good sign.

Tsukuyomi spent the rest of the day lying on her bed while Setsuna pretended to do homework.

In general, she didn't approve of brooding. It was dull and pointless and much more suited for someone like Setsuna. Or Fate. Or anyone else not her.

But… the feeling was gone. The focus and wanting that had come with being so close to a viable weapon had vanished.

She liked feeling like that.

She hadn't really considered it before, but except for when she'd been a very small child, this was the longest she'd ever gone without killing something. No wonder something silly like a pair of scissors could make her react so strongly.

…She missed killing.

She closed her eyes and sighed softly. She'd felt so free and happy when she'd realized that she didn't need to make escaping her top priority and she could just enjoy her time with Setsuna. Time spent with Setsuna made up for the peaceful life she was forced to endure.

But she missed killing.

Maybe Setsuna wasn't enough anymore.

By the time night fell, Setsuna and Tsukuyomi were both more tired than they had any desire to admit, and they prepared themselves for bed silently. Mana was still absent—probably off attempting to contain the school's recent demon problem. Setsuna chose not to think about how badly she wanted to join her.

All was well until Tsukuyomi asked a question very softly, without any of her usual teasing.

"Can I start sleeping with you again?"

Setsuna blinked, partly at the tone, mostly at the question. Unsure why her immediate answer wasn't a resounding "NO," she stared at the window over Tsukuyomi's shoulder.

"I—thought things were better with the different seal…"

Tsukuyomi shrugged. "They were, now they're not."

"O-oh."

An awkward silence fell between them, and Setsuna looked down at her bedding. The right answer would be that yes, they could sleep together as long as Tsukuyomi could control herself. If something was wrong, Setsuna wouldn't feel right doing nothing when she knew she could help.

On the other hand, sleeping with Tsukuyomi could very easily make her body's strange reactions to the girl act up, and she really didn't want that.

"Is that why you reacted so strongly to the scissors?" she asked uncertainly, stalling.

It took Tsukuyomi a minute to reply. "…Yes."

More silence.

Setsuna heard Tsukuyomi sigh breezily. The girl flopped herself down on the sheets on the floor and grinned up at Setsuna.

"I'm still me, Senpai. If you want me to behave, you'll have to satisfy me somehow." Her eyes flickered to the bandage on Setsuna's arm as she said that, and Setsuna quickly hid the limb behind her back, but otherwise didn't respond to the obvious baiting.

Biting her tongue, Setsuna walked over to the sheets and sat down. Tsukuyomi wasted no time in latching herself to her arm. Setsuna could feel her head about to explode, but she didn't move. She endured Tsukuyomi's hug for several moments before lying down carefully on the pillow. Tsukuyomi cuddled closer to her.

Setsuna felt something in her chest tighten, and the air she was breathing in didn't seem like enough. She looked down at Tsukuyomi's head and gulped.

She was in trouble.

She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes, letting Tsukuyomi's breathing lull her to sleep.

It was moments before she slid into unconsciousness that it hit her:

She had completely forgotten about Konoka.