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Menou sighed and exhaled- somewhere between that- as she stretched out her arms. The day had been tiring, but she was finally in Garm. Hopefully the archbishop would be able to solve this now. Hopefully she'd have the way to kill Akari safely. She flopped onto the bed, lost in thought. After all this... did she really want Akari dead? She knew the answer should be yes, but... she couldn't be sure anymore.
Akari had entered not long after. They had a moment to breathe at last, and her journey was almost over. And now she was alone with Menou. The object of her love. The one who meant most to her. Abruptly, she would enter the room. "Menou~! I can't believe we're finally here!"
"It was quite the journey, I agree," Menou replied, not letting her thoughts shine through. She knew it was wrong, but she didn't have the heart to tell Akari that it was a lie. At the very least, Akari couldn't know of her intentions. Playing nice was the best thing she could do right now.
Akari would twirl a bit and flop down on the face down onto the bed, spreading her arms and legs. Soon this little act of hers wouldn't matter anymore. She'd be free, and so would Menou.
"So... what do you plan to do after this?" Menou asked. She knew it wasn't a good idea, but frankly, she couldn't help herself.
...And it was here that Akari froze. She knew what was going to happen. But she didn't care. She knew she was going to lose Menou, even though she wanted so desperately to stay with her. But how did she express that? "Um... er... maybe I'll... write a novel! Yes, ahaha...~"
"You still sound nervous about going back to Japan," Menou commented. She really did hate this charade, but what option did she have? Hopefully it would be over soon.
She sat back up and looked Menou in the eyes. "I suppose you're right. When I... leave... I'll lose something important. But I must..."
"Something important? You haven't been here all that long though," Menou wondered. She hoped she wasn't doing the job of playing nice too well.
She rose to her feet and inched closer. "Erm, yes! W-well!" She giggled. It was then she ran over to Menou and embraced her!
"E-Eh?! What are you hugging me for?" It was halfway between a question and a shout, Menou clearly taken aback by the surprise hug.
She gazed into her eyes. Those... beautiful eyes. They would be met with a somewhat... empty gaze. "I mean... you. I’ll lose you."
"Eh? But... surely you've got others you've known longer, that you miss more!" Menou replied, internally wincing. With each passing second, she genuinely did wish more that she could just send Akari back and not kill her. Bringing up potential loved ones did not help.
"But... there's not much there for me." Akari said with a soft, almost sad voice.
Menou wondered why that was. In the brief time she had known Akari, the otherworlder had already proven to be very friendly and- oh, what should she care? Wouldn't Akari be dead before too long anyway? And it wouldn't be her problem anymore? Yet, still...
"I'm sure that's not the case. You seem to be a very sweet person, I feel people would love to have you back."
"Maybe... and... I do intend to follow through, but..." She tightened her grip.
"But?" Menou inquired. As much as she tried to push it out of her mind, she still wondered why exactly Akari said that there wouldn't be anything for her, anyone to miss her.
"I... have one last thing I need to do." She gently tugged at Menou.
"Hm? What would that be?" Menou asked. She hoped dearly that Momo wasn't currently watching.
Akari took a deep breath, briefly exposing her fangs, before biting into her beloved's neck! Menou gasped first. Her eyes widened in shock, then horror. "A-Akari!" she cried, wincing in pain.
She would feed, blushing softly. She'd allow herself a moment of pleasure... before rewinding time. She wanted more.
"A-Akari!" It was the same cry. Menou felt a strange sense of deja vu, but didn't exactly have time to ruminate on it.
Akari would rewind to before the bite, massaging Menou's back~. She wanted something more.
"Hm? What would that be?" Menou asked. She hoped dearly that Momo wasn't currently watching. Why did that feel familiar?
"Could you... grant me one last request before we go?"
"Huh? What is it?" Menou asked. It felt wrong, after all this, not to grant at least one last wish.
"May I... share this moment with you...?"
"I... don't understand. Share this moment how?"
"Well... for tonight..." She closed her eyes... before gazing into Menou's again. "May I... make you mine?"
"Are you... are you asking to have sex with me?" Menou asked, immediately bolting up. She was pretty sure that wasn't part of her job description... though she was supposed to do anything to make sure her marks believed she was on their side…
"No... not quite that far! I could never go that far!" She blushed brightly, holding her closer.
Menou hesitantly began to lay back down. "Well, what did you mean, then?"
"Just... some passion. Tonight is our last night together." She closed her eyes and moved to kiss her.
"Well... maybe not. I'm not sure how long everything will take to set up, but... ah," Menou paused. Akari's lips looked so soft. So cute. She couldn't help it... "Just for tonight, okay?" With that, she returned the kiss, blushing.
Akari would embrace her passionately, snuggling up to her, eyeing Menou’s neck. Menou found that she enjoyed the kiss. It was surprising enough to her. She knew it was wrong. Yet, she still enjoyed it.
Akari would wrap her legs around her, gently stroking her back. She was steeling herself for this. She may have wanted Menou, but... she'd want her to enjoy this. Be left with something before her departure. Menou hugged back, albeit with a bit more reluctance. She didn't want to get too attached. She'd have to be extra sure this wouldn't change anything.
Akari exhaled softly.... before sinking her teeth into that neck, hugging Menou tightly. Menou gasped, horror and shock mixing. This definitely wasn't what she had in mind, and she definitely didn't like this part. "A-Akari?!"
She would feed. If she was to be forced to return to Japan, she'd at least have something of Menou's. Menou tried to push Akari off, but wasn't in the best position to do so. Akari only tightened her grip in response. She'd continue to drink, enjoying every drop.
"Akari, s-stop! Please!" Menou pleaded. Was Akari going to kill her? Was this really how it would end? A tear dropped from Menou's eye. She should be stronger than this! All her mixed feelings began to fade away. If she did get it off this, and would surely dedicate herself even more to following through with this job.
She would continue until Menou was barely conscious, massaging her as she did. Menou groaned weakly. It clicked in her mind why Akari wouldn't have anyone to go back to, if this is how things played out with her. Akari would stop, smiling gently. "And with this... you'll be safe. And I'll have something to remember you by~!"
"Safe?" Menou barely managed to grumble out, reaching for her scripture book. Surely there had to be something capable of healing, even if her mind wasn't quite clear at the moment.
"Yes.~. I know how this is supposed to end, and we're finally almost there."
"Nngh..." She finally grabbed ahold of her book, and after a quick invocation, she felt some strength come back to her. "This... Doesn't make sense... What do you mean safe?"
Akari looked a little sad. "If I explained it, it would hurt worse than any bite. I'm sorry..." Menou wondered why she was being so damn cryptic. There was no way Akari could know about the plan to kill her. What was all this about safety?
"Well... That's another thing that might draw attention to you if we end up still being here a few days," Menou concluded. "As much as I hate to offer, there really shouldn't be anyone else involved. If you need blood... Get it from me..."
"R...right." Akari went back to acting. But... whatever it took.
Menou realized this would make Akari likely even more difficult to kill. She supposed that knowing this was safer, it ruled out more options- more potential rewinds that got Akari closer to becoming a world-destroying incident. As she thought about this, she noticed Akari sadly avert her gaze. "Regardless, it's probably about time to turn in. Some rest will undoubtedly be nice..."
"Quite. ...Sleep well, Menou...!"
"Goodnight, Akari..."
As Menou laid under the blankets, she began to think. In spite of everything, she did enjoy Akari's kiss. But she was torn. The bite had been so abrupt. It hurt. And why would she say it made Menou safer? That part especially bugged her. Regardless, Menou would slowly drift off to sleep before she could figure out an answer...