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Power was better than Denji at almost everything.
No, that wasn’t true.
She was better than Denji at everything. This was a simple fact. One that would not be disputed by a single being on this Earth. Oh, Denji could try to argue, but that did not make things true.
Power would always be better than him at everything, no matter how colossal or inane the thing.
So, of course, when Denji proudly proclaimed that he was better at picking up girls than her (as well as Aki, but that didn’t matter, they could handle that squabble between themselves, such things were beneath her), she could not let such a thing stand!
“As if!” She turned her nose up. “You know very little of the fairer sex. You had not even touched a woman’s breasts until I offered you mine.”
Denji glared at her, before lunging across the couch to flick at her ear.
Power hissed and swatted his hand away.
“Well what do you know about girls, huh?” he demanded. “Jackshit, that’s what!”
Power huffed and rolled her eyes. “I am a girl, am I not?”
“Doesn’t mean you know how to flirt with girls!”
“And how many girls have you attempted to attract?” she shot back.
“Doesn’t matter!” He tried flicking her ear again, but she deftly dodged the brutal attack. “I still know more than a freak like you would! ‘Sides, girls don’t even flirt with other girls!”
That was not true. He said that as if Himeno had not been all over Kobeni. Beyond that, gender had nothing to do with it when her honor had been insulted! When it was insinuated that he was better than her in any capacity!
Power crossed her arms and sank further into the couch cushions. “As always, you speak lie upon lie—“
Denji squawked in protest, his face screwing up in irritation and indignation. “Says the compulsive liar!”
“I do not know what you are talking about,” she said.
“Oh my god. I don’t know what I even bother trying to talk to you.” Denji slouched, letting gravity tug at him until his legs splayed across the floor and it was his torso resting on the couch rather than his ass.
“I could ‘pick up’ a girl long before a cretin like you was able to manage it,” she said, refusing to let the subject drop until Denji admitted defeat.
“First of all, that doesn’t mean you’re better at it,” he grumbled, still sliding forward ever so slowly, and if he did not straighten up soon, he would find himself in the floor.
Maybe she should push him.
“Second, I’m not agreeing to any weird-ass bets with you,” he continued. “I’m saving myself for Miss Makima.”
“It matters not,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I will procure a girlfriend before you can, and that proves I am superior.”
Denji scoffed. “Whatever, Powwy.” Clearly he was done with the conversation, having lost all interest in it, and turned his attention back to the movie they had been watching previously.
That didn’t mean she was simply going to let it go, however.
If he would not graciously admit that she was so obviously superior, she would have to show him. And then rub it in his face for good measure.
She chose the obvious target. She did not have the time to chase after girls she did not see on a regular basis, nor did she care to. There was also no point in choosing a target such as Makima, who would not pay attention to her beyond her duty as a devil hunter.
It was not that Power didn’t believe she could convince a woman such as Makima to date her. Of course not! She could get anyone she pleased! She merely did not want to waste time with someone who would be more effort. She could choose her prey wisely. Besides, if Denji really wanted her, he could have her all to himself. Power could allow that, because she was a benevolent matron to her loyal followers!
That left one superior option.
Kobeni.
She had never seemed interested in any of Himeno’s advances, and reacted with flustered embarrassment. But that appeared to be her reaction to most things, from what Power had observed. She squirmed an awful lot, and always made such delightful noises. Something about her made Power want to chase her down and pounce on her, or perhaps bat her around in the same way that Meowy did with her toys.
Yes, she was a very good target indeed.
So after a mission they worked together, battling a devil and digging a teensy-tiny shard of the Gun Devil from its meaty corpse, Power sidled up next to her. She draped her arm over Kobeni’s shoulders, just like she had seen Himeno do, because there was no shame in utilizing the resources around her, and pressed her cheek against the other girl’s.
Kobeni squeaked in alarm, a positively delightful noise.
Aki shot her a warning glare, an instruction to not cause any trouble, but ultimately did nothing and went back to smoking his cigarette.
What the fuck are you doing? Denji mouthed towards her, his head tilting in confusion.
Power ignored him. He could learn from her expertise.
“Um, can I help you, Power?” Kobeni asked, in her quiet, timid voice.
As she leaned more weight against her, Kobeni went rigid to support both of them, and Power took note of how bony Kobeni was. Her shoulder dug uncomfortably into Power’s collarbone.
“Your blood smells delicious,” she purred in Kobeni’s ear. It was the highest compliment she could bestow upon someone. It was certain to make Kobeni fall for her.
“H-Huh?” Kobeni’s cheeks had turned a bright scarlet, as if her blood was trying to force its way out of its flesh prison, to thank Power for the praise.
She ran her hand down Kobeni’s side, and her suit crinkled beneath Power’s fingers. “It smells delicious,” she repeated. “I would like to try it sometime.”
With a panicked gasp, Kobeni yanked herself out of Power’s hold and scrambled away so quickly she nearly tripped over her own feet.
“Power!” Aki snapped, and he pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a long, slow breath, like he needed to calm himself down.
Denji burst into hysterical laughter, and jabbed a shaking finger in Power’s direction. “Are you fucking kidding me? That was so bad it was funny!”
Power bared her teeth, a snarl rumbling from her chest.
“Were you seriously trying that shit with Kobeni?” Denji demanded through his laughter. “That’s how you wanna pick up girls? You tell them their blood smells good?” He shoved his hand over his mouth in an attempt to muffle his giggles.
Kobeni had retreated a fair distance away, and was pointedly not looking at any of them.
“’Twas true!” Power snapped towards Denji. “Her blood smells delicious! Surely you have noticed!”
“I don’t go around sniffing people’s blood!” Denji fired back.
“Shut up,” Aki requested with an exhausted sigh. “Stop tormenting Kobeni.”
“Tell her she’s a weirdo!” Denji said, still waggling his finger towards Power.
“She’s the Blood Fiend,” Aki said as he turned his palms up. “Who am I to tell her she’s wrong about how someone’s blood smells? Just don’t actually tell people, Power.”
Denji’s jaw dropped, but his amusement made a a swift return. “Still can’t believe that’s how you think flirting works. What kinda weirdo would be into that shit? I can’t believe you actually thought you were better than me at this!”
Power set her jaw, and glanced towards Kobeni.
The other girl had been staring at her with wide eyes, but as soon as Power turned her attention to her, she yelped and jerked her head away to look in the opposite direction.
There was no proof Denji was any better than her until one of them had a girlfriend. He would learn that Power knew what she was doing.
After all, Kobeni was a felt mouse to be bapped around at her leisure until she felt like pouncing.
She would prove it to Denji.
Of course she would.
“You are in the midst of your menstrual cycle,” Power observed.
Kobeni coughed harshly as she choked on whatever beverage she had been indulging in.
Aki and Denji both stared at her with wide, horrified eyes, and Aki’s hand shot across the table to grip Power’s wrist and give it a firm squeeze, a clear warning to keep her mouth shut. She knew it well.
That did not mean she ever listened.
“The scent is—“
She was cut off by exaggerated retching from Denji.
“Rather enticing!” she finished firmly and loudly, refusing to have her effort be interrupted by either of the boys.
Denji flopped against the table, his head smacking against it with a dull thud, and Aki was already digging his cigarettes out of his pocket with a desperate fervor.
As soon as she finished coughing and hacking, Kobeni stared at Power, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.
“’Tis a shame that so much blood goes to waste every month amongst women,” she continued.
“That’s disgusting," Denji moaned.
Aki’s lighter flicked and he clumsily jammed the end of his cigarette into the tiny flame.
“I-I-I don’t actually smell, do I?” Kobeni asked in horror.
“No!” Aki and Denji hurried to assure her.
The other girl slumped in relief, but the crimson blush across her entire face refused to abate. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“’Tis a compliment,” Power said with a solemn nod. “You should be grateful.”
“In a public restaurant,” Denji whined into his arms.
“I—Um, thank you?” Kobeni stammered.
“You are welcome!” Power said, and with that, she turned back to her meal. Her work for the day regarding that little goal was finished. She shoved a rather large chunk of chicken into her mouth, relishing in the crunch of the breading. It could not compare to the breaking of bones between her teeth, but these little pleasures would have to suffice.
“I’m—“ Kobeni shot to her feet so quickly her chair slid back with a harsh squeak against the flooring. “I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be right back!”
Power waved her off.
As soon as she was gone, Aki’s horror morphed into anger. “You cannot say shit like that!”
“Why not?” Power asked around her mouthful of chicken. “I am giving compliments. I am being kind and benevolent. Is that not what you want of me?”
Aki took a long, slow drag from his cigarette and shook his head.
“She’s definitely in the bathroom makin’ sure she doesn’t stink,” Denji said as he finally lifted his head back up. “The hell did you do that for?”
Power shrugged. As if it was their business.
After a moment, Denji asked, “Can you seriously smell that kinda shit?”
“Of course I can! Blood is blood!” she declared.
“Huh…” He leaned back in his chair, some of his disgust replaced with wonder. “Crazy. But Aki’s right. I don’t think you should go around telling girls that their periods smell… good.”
“You do not tell me what to do,” she said, and shoved another bite of chicken into her mouth.
When Kobeni finally came back to the table, a tense silence settled over them.
Power didn’t dwell on it.
Kobeni winced and shook her hand, droplets of blood flying from the shallow cut on her palm. A minor injury, all things considered, but they had not fought a strong devil today. It did not contain even a speck of gun flesh.
Denji and Aki had rounded the corner of the alley they had killed it in, leaving her and Kobeni alone, gracing her with the prime opportunity.
She grabbed Kobeni’s wrist, pulled her hand to her mouth, and swiped her tongue up the length of the cut.
A pathetic little breath wheezed out of Kobeni, like air escaping a tiny hole in a balloon.
Power had been right. Her blood tasted every bit as delicious as the scent told her it would.
When Kobeni did not pull away, she took the opportunity to run her tongue along the cut again. She teased against the edges of it with her tongue, squishing more blood out of it with the pressure. It was rich in a way that devil blood simply wasn’t, thick and heavy, satisfying.
She tugged Kobeni closer, leaving their bodies to press flush against each other, but never let go of her hand, nor let her tongue leave the cut behind. Pressed against her, Power could feel Kobeni’s body tremble oh-so-slighty, and sense how her heart rate had spiked.
But it was not with fear.
Devils knew fear, the stench of fear, better than they knew themselves. And Power was no different.
Kobeni was not afraid.
She smiled against the other girl’s blood and saliva-slicked palm.
“I was right,” she murmured. “Your blood is delicious.”
The breath hitched in Kobeni’s throat.
“It makes me feel so weird when you say things like that,” Kobeni said. “I don’t—Ever since I joined Public Safety, I feel like I’m going insane. Blood shouldn’t make me feel this way.”
“Of course it should,” Power whispered. “Blood is the most wonderful thing we can offer one another. You simply know that better than most humans.”
She could not be more proud of her choice in woman. Kobeni understood it, knew it, deep within her like most humans simply didn’t.
Power grazed her teeth against her, catching the meat of her palm in them.
Kobeni squeaked, but it was not the panicked noise that Power was used to. This one was softer, and cut off, like she desperately did not want to let the sound continue.
“What is taking you two so long? We thought you were right behi—What the fuck!?”
Still refusing to relinquish Kobeni’s hand, Power looked over the other girl’s shoulder to see Denji gaping at them from down the alleyway.
“Ah—!” Kobeni squirmed her way away from Power. “De-Denji! Everything’s fine!”
Power grinned, and swiped her tongue over lips, savoring the blood still there.
Kobeni rushed out of the alley, sparing Power a conflicted glance, and brushed past Denji.
Power sauntered behind her, in no rush, her grin only widening the closer to Denji she got. “I told you I was better than you. When will you learn not to question me?”
“No way,” he breathed. “No way did she like whatever freak shit you were doing!”
“She did,” Power confirmed solemnly. “I must admit, I enjoyed it as well. I have decided I am going to do activities of that nature with her more often!” After all, what was the point in letting such a good catch go? It wasn’t in her nature to relinquish prey.
“This doesn’t prove shit!” Denji exclaimed. “You found one weirdo that this worked on! Most girls it wouldn’t work on!”
“It would,” Power said as she walked past him.
“Like hell!”
Power scoffed. It seemed that Denji still had much to learn regarding the ways of the world.