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"I can't stop thinking about yesterday." Marisa repeated, looking Seija straight in the eyes with no deception, a lighter blush on her cheeks. "It wasn't like any other kiss I've had-"

"So I'm a bad kisser then?" Seija interrupts, just to be spiteful instead of offended.

"Nope, it wasn't bad, not bad at all, if anything it was...electric."

What. The. Fuck. That sounds like a confession. Marisa did not just semi-confess to Seija. "Did you somehow convince one of those tengus to hide away and secretly record all of this with their cameras? This isn't funny."

"I'm serious. This isn't a joke, prank, or revenge thing. I want to try again."

"That's exactly what someone doing a joke, prank, or revenge thing would say. I've pulled shit like that on so many people before, so no, I don't believe you. I know you're used to people giving you what you want if you force them to, but your mouth isn't getting near me again. Just grab some other girl and boy and lay one on them without warning or consent to see how it makes you feel, because maybe it's nothing to do with me, just that you're more of a pervert than you realized. If I did it I'd get beaten up and arrested, but if you did it you'd probably get marriage proposals and a parade so it's risk-free for you."

"I feel bad about that. I didn't know it was your first kiss either."

"You feel bad? Well, that fixes everything." At this point, Seija won't correct that. It's the only real thing that's gotten through the witch's thick skull for now, so she may as well latch onto it.

Annoyed, Marisa said with a huff, "You were into it as it happened. Really into it, ze."

"I'm an innocent maiden, so don't feel flattered. Are you really surprised I'm turning you down? After we just recently declared our mutual hatred for each other? After what you did yesterday and the mean, smug, superior look on your face afterward? Also, I'm not looking for a girl- or boyfriend, I won't be anyone's secret side piece, and I don't like people."

"It started out that way, but afterward-" Marisa looked frustrated, as if Seija is the one being difficult here. "You say you're a loner, but you hang around with a lot of people for a loner. People that don't hate you as much as you boast about. Maybe you don't actually know what you want."

"A lot of people are like that. It doesn't mean I actually want you. Do you really need yet another person wanting you?" Really if the rumors are right, then the witch gets a girl attached to her hip after every major incident. So it's not like she's devoid of dozens of other potential partners.

"Since you've spent so much time studying us, I started studying you. You have a dark, hard, prickly shell, Seija Kijin, but for certain people and situations you're softer inside. Your plans involving people are often underhanded and somewhat cruel, but a lot of them involve you throwing yourself on a grenade. You're actually an idealist, willing to fight with your everything for the cause you believe in, the things you're supposed to achieve. And no matter how hard anyone pushes you back down, you always, always get back up because giving up is not in your dictionary. I think someone or something hurt you so badly when you were one of the weak ones that you went dark to protect yourself, that you started to distrust any person that's stronger than you but you still can't help hoping that something or someone will come along that'll believe in the same things you do and help you build a world where you don't have to fear anybody. You also don't like people touching you because you feel too much, but shying away from it all the time just makes you more vulnerable to the times someone does manage it, like yesterday. You can't stop thinking about it either, can you?" Marisa got that mean smile on her face again. "It doesn't feel so good when it's someone analyzing you, does it?"

So Seija hadn't managed to hide how Marisa's talk had gut-punched her. While it hadn't all been correct, especially the sob story, the witch had figured out more than enough to deeply unsettle her. The amanojaku mustn't ever forget how smart the witch is, even if she did disapprove of how the girl used her intelligence. She should be smart enough to know all of this is just fruitless effort.

"Your next line is… "You don't know what you're talking about. You're still trying to mess with my head" that's the one!" Marisa declared, rudely pointing a finger at Seija before she could speak.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You're still trying to-!?" How the hell? Did she know Seija that well? Whatever, not impressed by the stupid trick, Seija scoffs, "You're just confused." Marisa raised an eyebrow at that, but Seija continued before she could protest. "Sure, kissing feels good. But just because one kiss felt better than some other. That doesn't have to mean anything."

"Oh yeah?" Marisa challenges, "I think you just have no idea when someone's actually interested in you." Then Marisa was suddenly in front of Seija and gripping her upper arms. Leaning forw-

Panic struck, and the youkai moved in reflexive reaction. Pain exploded in her skull but Marisa let her go and gave Seija the chance to throw herself backward. Uncontrolled, she didn't stop until she lost balance at the edge of the river and got a sudden cold bath. Once she rose back up the surface, any fear and surprise was replaced by the icky sensation of wet clothes and shame at her reaction.

Bent over, hands at her own head. Marisa asked, "Did you just headbutt me?!"

From the results, Seija wouldn't do it again except in an emergency. "My womanly instincts kicked in when an aggressive brute forcefully grabbed me." The idea gave her some small sense of relief, that she hadn't been completely betrayed by her body and instincts. "Maybe you short-circuited them yesterday by putting your lips on me so quickly. But today they were fully prepared."

Marisa straightened up. "I'm sorry. I've been going about this wrong." She sounded genuinely apologetic and for a moment Seija is reminded that this is a young girl that she's dealing with.

"You think?" And she doesn't care or sympathize with her at all, nope, she doesn't. Never.

Marisa walked over and held out her hand to pull Seija out the river, for a moment this tempted Seija to pull her into the water instead but she ignored it and got herself out, trying to brush some water of her palm and pants as she did so. Once Seija stood still again, Marisa gently took her right hand and had her thumb rubbing 'comforting' and distracting circles on it. Why did that feel so good and make her shiver? Why did it make it harder to think? It was just her hand. Why did the sensation seem to warm up her blood? Oh, the latter wasn't just a sensation. Before she knew it, Seija was once more as dry as as rock. Marisa looking at her with a smile of victory and the mini-hakkero in the other hand. "Some easy drying spell ain't nothing to me." She shortly explained.

She also did not let go of Seija's hand after that. Some curious, hedonistic part of her wondered what… it would be like if she didn't snatch her own hand away, just for a second or two. Seija had made some life-altering decision in the past based purely on whim- mainly resulting from perceived slights- but right now, refused to let emotions and physical attractions tie her down.

Emboldened by Seija's lack of reaction, Marisa started to lift her up to her face, but Seija yanked her hand away before she could find out why and put it behind her back, asking, "What are you trying for here? I didn't say no to you just because you were forceful and handsy without my consent, so being gentler and all nice won't work either. I'm not touched or flattered, I know you have some kind of ulterior motives, and I'd really prefer to stop talking or touching you."

Why couldn't she get Marisa to go away? Seija usually excelled at that.

"I'm interested. You're interested too, even if you won't admit it, ze."

"I don't swing that way- don't try to hold my reactions towards other people against me, I'd say anything to disturb them and false sexual attraction is like the candy that keeps on giving! Besides, even if I did you're not my type and you started things off really badly. I'm not that desperate for human touch, something I usually try to avoid, and I know you have no intention of changing your entire lifestyle, the one you've worked so hard to keep, for my sake. I doubt your friends would be thrilled either, and you're such a good girl. We're just going in circles at this point, Kirisame. How many more times do you need to be rejected before it sinks in? Give up and go back to your usual life."

"Why are you complaining about that when you wouldn't actually want a public relationship with anyone?"

"Huh?"

"Public displays of affection, flirting with each other in public, everyone watching us and talking about how we are together and whether you deserve me, you possibly facing confrontations from people about it, nosy people wanting details about how we are together... that's what would result, and none of it sounds like something you'd want to be a part of. If we were publically together, you'd also get a lot of questions from my friends and yours. As for you being with another girl, she'd definitely want public displays of affection and affectionate pet names from you to show her you love her and so she could show off about having a girlfriend. She'd meet and arrange dates with you constantly, taking up your time with romantic gestures you could care less for. You wouldn't want that, and I don't want any of that from you."

That made a lot of sense, a scary amount of sense. Marisa Kirisame shouldn't make sense.

"It's tiring, having people watching me and commenting all the time," Marisa continued. "I'd love to have something private that's just for me, something I don't have to pretend for or put on a performance for. Something and someone that knows me and wouldn't be disgusted."

Seija did not feel curious about what a genuine Marisa would be like. She did not care. She really didn't. "So I'd be the only one to see your dark, asshole side? I'm still not flattered or interested. Sure, you and I had some fun being revolutionaries, sure I didn't think less of you when you were all 'burn everything' mode, but there's plenty, and I mean, plenty of other girls that are not ME."

"That's the problem!" Too quickly in her space again for Seija to react, lips-first, Marisa kissed her. Yesterday's kiss had been an assault, designed to dominate and degrade, so of course Seija had desperately grabbed anything in reach like a person in a hurricane fighting to stay standing in place, with "anything" turning out to be Marisa. Today's kiss overwhelmed Seija as well, but not in the same way: the gentle brush of Marisa's lips against her sending shudders through her, a hand stroking her hair, the warmth of another person radiating at her, hotter for how cold the rest of the air around them was, the way the witch being here like this pulled the youkai to her and made her press in closer, melt, and betray herself. No one had stroked her hair since she could remember existing, and any she seduced for her own purposes certainly hadn't done it like this. It all felt good, and Marisa smelled so good too...

Fewer people would get tangled up in the stupidities and weaknesses of romantic love/lust and youth if they didn't have some seductions. Some things couldn't be done alone unfortunately, but Seija had told herself that she didn't need those things. Her body apparently hadn't gotten the memo.

"Like I said, electric," Marisa murmured against Seija's lips, sending more shudders through her. "Nobody has ever made me feel like that, I'm sure you feel the same way."

If feeling like you'd been hit by lightning could be described as "electric," sure. Seija's body ached and throbbed, wanting, while her heart pounded like she'd just run a marathon. How much more intense would it have been if they hadn't been wearing puffy clothes?

Marisa is a chronic liar, having told as many of them as there are strands of sand at the Misty Lake, but the witch seemed to honestly enjoy this today, whereas yesterday she'd openly done it as just a power play. Why? How? It would be so ironic if one of the most well-known humans only wanted the most reviled youkai in the land, but Seija didn't know if she believed in it and wouldn't attach herself to someone just for the irony.

"You look so cute when you're flustered. I didn't think that would make such a difference in your looks, but it does," Marisa said with a smirky smile, but she sounded breathless, enthralled.

"True desire's kiss from an evil witch turned the youkai into a princess? Hilarious," Seija replied, unfortunately sounding the same way. Probably because Marisa hadn't stepped back much, hadn't stopped stroking Seija's hair, or stopped being so warm and attractive and distracting and smelling so good. The way Marisa looked at her, Seija nearly felt it like a heatwave sweeping along her body.

"You've said you wanted my power on your side before...Maybe you could join mine instead..."

As Marisa's stupid seductive face approached hers, lips-first, again, Seija couldn't quite find the strength to pull away and couldn't help wondering how far the witch would take this if she didn't fight her off. It made her nearly tremble with alien fear and... anticipation? What? Just what?

Did part of her want this, want to be wanted, chased, and worn down by Marisa and give in? Want this to be genuine? Especially wanted to be wanted by the witch, who could have anyone?

If so, how pathetic.

"Seija!"

Seija and Marisa both jolted at the sound of Shinmyoumaru calling out, though Marisa also turned in the direction of her voice to find out if she'd seen them. She hadn't, but they could hear her approaching from the sky. Seija's emotions were so tangled that she couldn't figure them all out, but relief seemed to be foremost, which said a lot. She stepped away from Marisa and tried not to feel too warm and fuzzy about Shinmyoumaru searching for her and coming to the rescue.

Marisa however seemed to be disappointed. "This will come up again," she said softly. "You've sneered at my group for clinging to the status quo, but haven't you been doing the same thing?"

Marisa had seen far too much, possibly more than Seija knows she knows. "...possibly, but I've never said I'm not a hypocrite." She didn't owe Marisa an explanation, and maybe if the witch looked down on her she'd finally leave her alone. "Take 'no' for an answer."

"Your 'no' doesn't seem to be as pure and complete as you say. You're giving me conflicting signals, you actually seem to be starving for affection, and I think you're still certain this is a prank, so I can't."

"Stop judging me by your standards. They don't fit me. Is it really so impossible to believe that even one person could say no to you?" Get some distance, Seija, keep talking, and get further away from her so she can't touch you or say anything else to you. "You're not going to say anything about this in front of the princess, and if you're any kind of friend to her or want to stay that way you already know why."

Bouncing in her personal bowl, Shinmyoumaru flew down to them. "Seija, we have a problem! It's Tenshi again."

"Of course it is. And what or who did miss celestial piss off this time?" Let a girl live in your castle and she'll bring all her troubles there too, Shinmyoumaru. Though the celestial, being, an overpowered brat with a misfortune goddess joined by the hip. Always finds a new way to escalate the stakes in someway that Shinmyoumaru's life is basically a stand-up comedy show now.

"You didn't need to ask it that way, but you're right! She like, went fishing in a place she wasn't allowed to and now we need to convince her to apologize to the Moriyas or we'll all be banned from youkai mountain!"

"Pretty sure I already am." Seija notes, then sighs at the inchling's 'come on help me' pout. "Witch, duty calls for me, so I've got to answer." Seija says to Marisa with not a hint of reluctance behind it. She didn't really give that much of a shit about it, but appreciated the excuse to leave.

"Well, our business isn't finished," Marisa answered. "We'll have to take it up again later."

Some sick part of her hoped Marisa would. "If you look at in a certain way, it is, ciao."

"Bye, Marisa!" Shinmyoumaru said as Seija left with her.

Once they flew far enough away and the ground was no longer visible, the inchling asked, "What was that about? You two looked like….really intense for a second, as if a fight is gonna happen."

Seija was really glad she could just tilt her head down and have the straw-hat hide her…excitement. "It's nothing, just a stupid girl thing, which is why she didn't want to talk it in front of you."

She kept looking at her though, then said, "Shion said you didn't look good when you came back earlier either, and now you look….Seija….you know that if you're having a problem or you're in trouble...even if it's your fault...you can come to me and the others for help...or even just to talk, right? You don't have to do everything alone anymore."

No, no, no. She needed to shut this down fast because she really didn't want her to think or talk or worry about this, and she especially didn't want the other gals to be involved in this either. She didn't want them anywhere near this situation. She needed to stop looking at her and noticing things, but her face seemed to have forgotten how to hide its feelings for today.

"I just didn't sleep well last night, so I'm not at my best. Marisa picked a bad day to ask me for a danmaku match, so things got heated. That's all." It was mostly a lie, not that Seija cared. "None of you need to worry about me." This was her problem.

Marisa had promised to take this up with her again, so she needs to figure out what to do.

Seija hoped she'd get her shit together before that. And stop being such an easy lay.

No matter what, she'll be prepared next time, today was just another fluke, is all.

She won't lose to Marisa's nonsensical view of things, that she swears as an amanojaku!

Next chapter preview:

"A good, hot meal at a nice but not too nice place, some conversation, and a look at my intentions. That's all I want from you, I promise I won't even touch you. Pinky promise~"

"Eating with me in public? What about your reputation? Oh, great Kirisame?"

"I'm thinking a restaurant on the further outskirts of Youkai Mountain, like the Road of Liminality. Not only is it far from where I usually go with my friends but even the phantoms there might not recognize us. The human village is out of the question for obvious reasons."

"You're the second best incident resolver. People know your face"

"If anyone recognizes me and asks, we're having a last meal sort of thing before I personally deliver your butt to the Yama or something. If anyone knows the both of us, they'd know I take my job seriously and that you're one hell of an asshole. I doubt that'll happen though."

.
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Dinner together was a terrible, terrible idea, but she was hungry. "Okay. Yes. But I reserve the right to run away from you at any portion of the night without you chasing me down."

No excluded lines.

TBC.