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The click of Shiori’s heels on the marble floor is the only sound as she approaches. Juri turns to see Shiori smiling, small and secret, as she holds something out in front of her like a peace offering. It flashes in the sunlight, the metal cover sparkling.
“You should really take better care of this,” she says and Juri can see that it’s her necklace dangling from Shiori’s fingers, twice-stolen now. She reaches out to swipe it from her grasp but Shiori lets it go, the metal clattering to the floor. “Especially now with what’s in it.”
Juri scrambles onto her knees to chase the necklace and Shiori smiles down at her, a rush of warmth flooding her veins.
Juri turns the closed locket over in her palm, running her fingers along the latch. She knows it’s a trap but her nail keeps picking at the metal. Tck. Tck. Tck. Shiori tips her head and waits.
Juri, because she is one of the strongest fencers in the country yet still so weak, because she is only human, caves and flips open the lid of the necklace. A photo of Shiori in a loosely-fitting nightgown stares back at her, the strap slipped off one of her shoulders, her eyes angled shyly up towards the camera and her mouth slightly agape, half-caught in a moan. Juri slams the necklace closed.
“You should close your mouth before you drool,” Shiori says, smiling. Juri instinctively wipes at her mouth and then curses internally when her palm comes away dry. Shiori titters above her.
Juri scrambles back up to her feet and tries to count the tiles behind her to regain some sort of normalcy. Her heartbeat roars in her ears, thunderously loud as she speaks.
“This isn’t funny, Shiori,” she says and is surprised when her voice doesn’t shake. Shiori tips her head.
“Am I laughing?”
No, she isn’t. But Shiori looks happy and Juri hates how pleasant the sight makes her feel.
“I won’t wear it,” she tries instead. Shiori takes a step towards her and reaches one hand out to cup her face. Juri flinches at the touch but she doesn’t pull away.
Shiori uses her other hand to envelop Juri’s, still clutching the necklace desperately to her chest.
“You will. Because it’s a gift from me,” she says and Juri feels shame and heat course in turns throughout her body, even as her fingers remain interlocked around the locket. “I wish you could see yourself right now, Juri. All sad and pitiful and pretty.”
Shiori tightens her grip, her nails digging hard enough to leave marks but still Juri doesn’t push her off.
Shiori takes one more look, like one last meal before death row, and finally releases her face. She stalks back off towards the exit and Juri is left standing in her wake, legs shaking as they struggle to keep her upright.
“See you around, Juri,” she says with a wave. “And take better care of your things this time.”
The door clicks behind her and Juri’s legs give out. She lies down on the floor, curled up around the necklace, and stays that way until the strength returns to her limbs.
Juri checks that the locket is shut before she loops it around her neck. She secures the clasp with trembling fingers and pauses to consider her reflection, warped and tinted green, in the window.
And then she goes out the door.