Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: Observe the character tags carefully. If you are deathly allergic to Ragyou/Satsuki interaction, especially the more unsettling ones, proceed with caution.

"Turn around."

Satsuki glanced at the speaker, seated comfortably on the single-sitter couch, legs crossed and arms splayed out on the arm rest. The expression on her face was one of slight amusement but with the incandescent glow from her rainbow hair and the upward tilt of her head, it seemed almost predatory. Satsuki sighed lightly, audible only to herself, and did as her mother ordered. She turned around slowly, deliberately, seeing first the entrance to the dressing rooms blocked off by a red tape, the other cubicles along the hallway, her own cubicle where her clothes hung, her reflection in the mirror with her mother behind her, the wall, and then finally back to her mother again as she completed the circle.

"Hmm," Kiryuuin Ragyou hummed, bringing her right hand up to tap one finger on her chin contemplatively. "Red doesn't suit you after all."

She looked down at herself, clad only in a pair of red lingerie that had too much lace for her liking. The dark crimson also didn't go well with the colour of her skin. It accentuated her paleness, made her appear sickly. Satsuki looked back up at her mother and waited for the next instruction. It's not like any of her thoughts mattered. Whatever that had happened so far, and whatever that will, was entirely up to the seated woman.

"Take it off," Ragyou said offhandedly, already rifling through the pile on the table next to the chair for another set, her lips pursed. "Ah, how about this one?"

Satsuki took the offered piece without protest. It was a sleek black pair, no lace, no frills, no decoration. Absolutely nothing stood out about it save the smooth black design. It was something she might have liked, if it was white. She had always preferred white to other colours. Her mother was aware of that too. That's why she had purposefully picked sets of a variety of colours but white.

She strode back into her cubicle, the modelling of the red pair done, and hung up the black pair on the hook to remove the red ones. She didn't bother with closing the door. She stopped trying after her mother told her not to. The woman claimed she would look away, but she's a bad liar and Satsuki could see her eyes in the mirror's reflection. They were not looking anywhere but into the room. Ignoring the heated gaze, she proceeded to methodically remove her bra first, and then her panties. With the same ease she put on the black underwear, bottom first. Finally, she adjusted the bra's fit, and checked that none of her hair got caught in the straps before stepping out of the cubicle once again.

Ragyou made a low noise in the back of her throat, a sound that Satsuki had long since interpreted as approval. She half covered her mouth with her fingers as her eyes grew heavy with a cloudiness that Satsuki knew all too well. "Now this suits you better. Don't you think so, Satsuki?"

"Yes, mother."

Ragyou smiled. "Turn around."

Satsuki started to do as she was told but her mother's suddenly raised hand caught her attention.

"Make your hands useful. You're modelling; it's so unexciting if you just keep your hands at your sides."

Keeping a straight face wasn't easy but her years of practice didn't betray her. In truth she wanted to curl her lips in disgust, to retort that she wasn't the one who wanted to do this. That she had been dragged along on this 'routine visit' to the newly opened REVOCS branch specializing in lingerie only to be suddenly forced into the changing rooms to model for her mother's benefit under the guise of quality checking. Anyone could have done it, but of course her mother chose her. The glint in the older woman's eyes told her that everything she wanted to say, her mother knew, so there wasn't even a point in trying.

Whatever Kiryuuin Ragyou wanted, Kiryuuin Ragyou got.

Satsuki swallowed the last of her dissent and obeyed the command. Lifting one hand to rest lightly on her hip and the other to tangle in her hair, she dutifully turned as before, slowly, lest her mother felt unsatisfied and made her do it again. Her concerns were unfounded, however, as it did not happen and she completes the turn without interruption. But as she dropped her hands back to her sides it didn't escape her notice how her mother's smile has grown wider. It seemed more sinister. More unpleasant.

"Very good. Very good indeed. You're a good girl, Satsuki," Ragyou drawled lazily and at that moment Satsuki knew that the REVOCS CEO had stopped even pretending to be interested in the lingerie. None of her comments pertained at all to the articles of clothing she claimed to want to check.

But who was she trying to fool? Certainly not her for Satsuki's had a sinking feeling she knew how this might end the moment her mother brought up the idea of the quality check. She wished she was wrong, but her instinct rarely was, and nothing has gone differently than how she imagined so far. It stood to reason that nothing will.

"Here, try this last set."

Ragyou threw another set towards her and while surprised at the action she did not falter and seamlessly caught it. But the moment she laid eyes on that cream coloured pair with floral decoration sewn in gold, she knew there was something wrong. Even without putting it on, she could tell it was the wrong size. Turning the back over to read the label she found that it was indeed two sizes too small. What this a mistake? She had no doubt her mother knew her size, perhaps even too well. All the other sets she wore were perfect fits. Unless…

"Is something the matter, Satsuki?"

Unless it was intentional. She glanced up at the innocent tone, almost wanting to believe that it was sincere, but when she saw the knowing smirk, the sultry gleam in her eyes, she realized that it was not. Satsuki stared back at her mother, long and hard, but when all Ragyou did was kept smirking, as though challenging her to say something, she closed her eyes and retreated back into her cubicle.

Not yet.

"No, it's nothing," she answered. "I'll get changed now."

This time when she took off her bra, it wasn't immediately followed by its pair. Instead she took the cream coloured one, a strapless back clasp piece, and attempted to put it on while still wearing the black panty. There was still a way she could turn this around. Even if it was in vain, she had no intention of giving in without trying. She pulled the clasps around her body but as expected, they fell short of each other and even the cup barely held in her impressive bust. She half-heartedly pulled harder at the clasps, making a show of struggling with it.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Ragyou questioned.

"It's a little small." Instantly she frowned, realizing that she had answered a little too fast. It had sounded too eager. She resisted the temptation to glance at her mother, to see if she too had caught it, and continued fiddling with the clasps as though she wanted to achieve something.

"I see," Ragyou replied. Satsuki strained to listen for any nuances in her voice to indicate she'd been caught, but it was clear and steady. "Is it impossible?"

Satsuki pulled harder, for real now, and was disappointed when she found that the clasps could indeed reach each other at the expense of being more than a little tight. She stilled her hands and took a quick breath. It was now or never.

"No, but it would be uncomfortably tight and plus stretching it out beyond what it's capable of will ruin the material." She swallowed thickly and rolled her eyes over to watch her mother's reaction. "I'm afraid I might spoil it."

"That's true," Ragyou started after a pause and for that brief moment Satsuki thought she had won. That sentiment, however, didn't last as Ragyou dropped her hand back onto the arm rest and regarded her seriously. "But, if that meagre bit of stretching is all it takes to spoil the bra, then it just goes to show that it is of inferior quality and that's what we're here to catch, is it not, Satsuki?"

Ragyou smiled the smile of a victor.

"Besides, if nothing else, I want to see how the colour goes with your skin. You have such nice skin after all. It's such a waste that you only wear white. You should try some other colours for a change. Put it on, Satsuki."

It was her lost. But at least she tried. This was nothing but a mere scuffle. There was no shame in losing here.

"Understood."

Without further ado she forced both clasps together and felt the article of clothing constrict around her chest. She tried to adjust the fit for more comfort but nothing she did could change the fact that it was just too small. Taking short and measured breaths to ease the discomfort she proceeded to slip off the black panty and pulled on the cream pair. She was worried it wouldn't make it past her thighs but somehow she managed to get it up to her hips where it should be. Even then, the tightness made it almost too painful to wear.

She made to turn, to step out of the cubicle and 'model' the pair when from the corner of her eyes she caught Ragyou standing up. In less time than it took her to blink her mother was there, blockading the doorway of her dressing room. She gulped, more so when her mother stepped in, her red eyes growing unfocused as they peered down at her.

"Now, shall we take a look at it?"

The hairs at the back of her neck stood alarmingly to attention when her mother's hands brushed her sides. She took another breath to compose herself but in her panic to do so she mistakenly took a deep one and grimaced when she was reminded of that constant constriction. It didn't go unnoticed by Ragyou.

"Ah, it certainly is too tight though it does look lovely on you." Ragyou's hand travelled up her sides to the underside of her breasts.

Satsuki scoffed internally at her mother's words, particularly the observation on how 'lovely' the two-piece apparently was on her. After all it'd be hard to come to that conclusion when her mother wasn't so much looking at the lingerie as compared to staring at her cleavage. Soon her mother's very fingers were on her cleavage, gently caressing the exposed flesh. She exhaled through her nose and pointedly looked away.

"Does it hurt?" Ragyou's hands moved again, to her front, and audaciously cupped her breasts, pressing them lightly. "It looks painful, squeezing your breasts together like that. And here!" The hands travelled down in haste to her hips and then traced along the waistband of her panties. "Oh how it digs into your skin! It must be unpleasant."

Satsuki gritted her teeth and shook her head. What she found most unpleasant was the note of concern in her mother's voice. It was so faked she wanted to hurl. Instead she resolved herself to stand firm even at the feel of her mother's hands migrating to her buttocks.

Not yet.

"No," Satsuki said evenly. "It's just uncomfortable."

Ragyou squeezed the flesh under her hands. "Is that so? Still, I think I've seen enough now. Let's take it off before it hurts you more." The hands moved away from her behind. "Turn around."

Her body moved automatically to the command, turning to face the mirror. She was not self-conscious in the slightest, but the sight of her mother standing behind her filled her with terrible unease, as it always did. Trying to distract herself from the feeling, she quickly thought of something else, like why her mother told her to turn around, when she realized that the older woman didn't mention anything about that. Why did her mother order her to turn around? Didn't she say to take it off?

Cold fingers sliding up her back to the clasps were simultaneously an answer and a shock. She gasped, forcefully stilling herself from squirming away.

"Mother! I can do that myself!"

But Ragyou had none of it and within moments the clasps were undone and the bra pulled away from her body. The relief she felt from the ease of breathing were however short lived and marred by her mother's fingers still on her back.

"Ah, they were only on you for a moment but what ugly lines they have left on your skin," Ragyou said while pressing her fingers into those lines. "Here, let me massage them off."

Ragyou switched to rubbing circles, fingers steadily advancing towards her front.

"Mother! That's hardly necessary!"

Satsuki took a step forward to bring herself closer to the mirror, trying to get out of her mother's reach but what she hadn't expected was for Ragyou to follow her. The older woman too, took a step forward and pressed herself into Satsuki's back, at the same time grabbing hold of Satsuki's bare breasts. Satsuki froze at the action and gasped when her mother didn't stop there, shamelessly kneading her flesh.

"Nonsense," Ragyou chastised, whispering right into Satsuki's ear. "It's entirely my fault that this happened so it's only right for me to fix things, don't you agree?" Shivers rippled down Satsuki's spine when Ragyou added the pressure and rolled her palms. "Besides, you've been a good model today. I believe that is deserving of a reward."

"A reward?"

"Yes, that's right."

It was then that Satsuki flicked her eyes up to meet her mother's in the mirror's reflection, but it was no longer her mother's eyes that stared back at her. No, that wasn't right. It hadn't been her mother's eyes for years. The ones that locked with hers now were red. Red, like the life fibers inside of her. Not blue, like her own. The blue of Kiryuuin. That thing behind her can no longer be reasoned with. It cannot be denied nor expected to show mercy. Satsuki took a single deep calming breath, and then raising her arms up above her head to plant her palms flat on the mirror, she closed her eyes.

Whatever Kiryuuin Ragyou wanted, Kiryuuin Ragyou got.

She heard Ragyou chuckle darkly before her breath brushed past her ear once again. "You're a good girl, Satsuki."

The hands started to move more vigorously than before, more focused. Fingers took the place of palms and worked deftly on that part of her breasts that had hardened from all the attention. She whimpered and quickly bit her lip to stop further noises. She was all too aware that the door was wide open. It wasn't that she thought anyone could possibly hear her from where she was. Even being in the last cubicle at the end of the hallway with Hououmaru standing guard at the entrance to ensure no one peeked or eavesdropped, she didn't want to risk anything. But above all, she hated hearing her own voice when this happens. It was weak and pathetic and she couldn't stand it.

She pressed her face into her arm as her face grew hot with shame at the same heat pooling in her lower body. It was disgusting. She hated that feeling. It repulsed her. But none matched her resentment for the hands that were causing her to feel those feelings. Those hands and the person they belonged to. She might not have known what was happening from the start, but she did now. These acts were depraved. And that person was depraved for doing it to her. She exhaled harshly through her nose followed by a rapid suck in of another breath when Ragyou's hands left her breasts only to skim down past her navel and lower still.

"Ah, my bad." Ragyou fingered the tight waistband of the panties before slipping right in. "I forgot about these. It must be unbearable by now. I'll take it off for you."

Ragyou swiftly slid the piece of clothing down her legs where it pooled at her ankles. Without prodding, Satsuki proceeded to step out of it which led to an appreciative murmur from Ragyou. She felt the older woman's breath on her lower back and then a hand pushed through the gap between her knees, travelling upwards, forcing her to spread her legs to accommodate its presence. At the top of her thighs the hand shirked back and came to a rest on her butt cheek where the other hand joined its pair.

Together, the hands gave her butt several sensual rubs before rounding over to her front while they massaged small circles into her skin sunken in by the elastic of the panties. Ragyou paid special attention to the juncture between her thighs and her body, raking her nails up and down the tender flesh. Satsuki trembled at the sensation but that didn't stop her from flinching when Ragyou nicked her with her nail.

"Oh my, I'm sorry," Ragyou mumbled, smoothing out the stinging skin with the pad of her finger.

That she apologized, that her nails were too long, was how Satsuki knew Ragyou didn't actually plan for this to happen. But when Ragyou's right hand moved to cup her crotch and her left travelled back up to rest upon her breast, Satsuki realized she was serious all the same. That was her cue to leave. She refused to stay there any longer. Satsuki clenched her closed eyes and concentrated on a different scenery. Not this four by four square box where she was trapped in between the mirror and a monster but a different one. One where she was free. One where she was safe.

She saw it then, the bright, blinding light, the tower that soared above all others, the sunlight, the wind in her face. She felt the breeze move through her hair, felt it prickle her skin, and all at once she was there, up high on the tower of Honnouji Academy, Bakuzan in her hands, overlooking the empty compound of her fortress. She took in the airy scent and walked to the edge, planting Bakuzan vertical to the ground, both hands on its hilt. Here she was safe. Here no one could hurt her.

She allowed her body to relax entirely and merely watched like a spectator, like a third party, as Ragyou slipped two fingers in between her sensitive nub. Her body jumped at that, as it should, but she didn't feel anything but numbness. It no longer felt like her own body. In here everything was dulled. Her senses. Her feelings. All that was left was for her to acknowledge what was happening to her. Satsuki raised her gaze from the ground once Ragyou started to swirl her fingers. She looked past Honnouji's walls, at the horizon, as the wind seemed to pick up speed. Listening to the songs they carried with them, she closed her eyes.

When she opened them again everything was over. She blinked a few times to get her bearings. She was on her knees on her floor, her left hand propped on the bench for support, her right hand still against the mirror. Her forehead lay on the back of said hand, and her breathing was shallow. That faint pulsing sensation between her legs confirmed to her that yes, it was over and done with. She looked into the mirror, searching for that looming presence that was gone from her back. The reflection confirmed that the older woman has stepped out of the room and was now wiping at her fingers with a white handkerchief.

Satsuki swallowed once, at the same time taking a deep breath to steady herself. She pushed away from the mirror and straightened her back, watching warily as the other Kiryuuin sashayed forward towards her once again. They looked at each other through the mirror and Ragyou smiled, placing a hand gently on Satsuki's head. Satsuki knew that look. It was one of praise.

Well done.

You've endured that well.

You're a good girl, Satsuki.

She gritted her teeth and suppressed the urge to slap the hand away. She did not want those twisted words of validation. She did not need them, especially from this woman. But those were not words or actions she could freely take so instead, she pushed her head into Ragyou's hand in a wordless acceptance. In return, Ragyou smiled wider, even laughing lightly. She extended her other hand out to Satsuki, the white handkerchief in its palm.

"Here, clean yourself up and put on your clothes. We're done here." Satsuki took the cloth but did nothing with it save holding it to her thigh. Ragyou eyed her and then chortled in amusement. But despite that she took a step out of the cubicle, grabbing hold of the doorknob as well. "We'll head back to the mansion. I expect you to stay for dinner."

Satsuki nodded. "As you wish."

Ragyou pulled the door close and Satsuki waited until her footsteps led away, until Ragyou's and Hououmaru's voices were so distant she could barely hear them before she reached up to the lock and turned it into place. Finally alone, she felt safe enough to express her contempt. Her eyebrows slanted dangerously as she glared at Ragyou's white hanky. Disgusted, she tossed it to the corner of the room. Ragyou would not be expecting to get it back, and she had no intention of letting it touch her body. It was filled with her scent, her perfume, a deep musky fragrance that was too overbearing. To use that cloth was to transfer that scent onto her body. It would mark her as Ragyou's property.

To hell with that.

Kiryuuin Satsuki had no master but herself. She stared at the ground to compose herself and then slowly, she moved to stand. Today she fell to her knees. Today she hadn't enough power. But one day, for sure, she will kill Ragyou.

xxx

"—tsuki."

"Satsuki."

"Oi, Satsuki!"

It took a hand waving right in front of her face to snap her out of her reverie. She blinked, mildly aware that someone has been calling her name, and then blinked again as the blurred fingers gradually came into focus. It's a familiar hand, she thought, somewhat intrigued that she found a hand familiar.

"Satsuki?"

She blinked again, this time glancing down to look at her caller. Blue eyes and black hair just like hers stared back at her. There's a hint of red there in the hair, but it's negligible.

"Ryuuko?"

Ryuuko sighed, pulling up a half amused, half annoyed expression. "I was only kidding about the modelling you know. You don't have to go fantasizing about it or whatever it is you were doing."

Modelling?

"Turn around."

Instantly Satsuki felt herself dragged back into the memories she just snapped out of. She froze, her hands unconsciously clutching at herself as her mind fought off against the current. But it was too late and she was unable to stop the images that had started to flash in her head. It was unreasonable. She knew in both body and mind that it wasn't real, that she wasn't there, that it was the past, but she felt it anyway. Ragyou's heated gaze, the chill of the room on her mostly bare skin, the suffocating air in that cramped four by four, the hands that roved all over her body. Oh god, the hands. She saw them move in the mirror, and then came that repulsive tingling.

"Satsuki. Hey, what's wrong?"

Ryuuko seemed to have finally noticed that something wasn't right. Her voice was laced with suppressed concern that Satsuki, even in this state, managed to be thankful for. It could easily have been overblown concern because that's just the type of person Ryuuko was. She felt freely, sometimes too much and too deep, and that wasn't what Satsuki needed right now. Ryuuko reached out to graze Satsuki's fingers with her own and that proved enough to break the spell. Satsuki breathed, the images quickly losing their foothold and once again Ryuuko stood before her, but that half amused half annoyed look was gone, replaced with genuine worry.

Satsuki swallowed and told herself to concentrate on the present. On Ryuuko. Her sister was doing that thing with her thumb on her knuckles where she just mindlessly traced back and forth, but no doubt they both knew it soothed her. She already felt calmer. Steadier. But that didn't stop her eyes from wandering in search for the source of that musky fragrance too strong to have been a trick of her mind. She caught sight then of an older woman who stood at a distance to her right from whom the scent appeared to have wafted from. It wasn't Ragyou with her incandescent hair, her statuesque build, her red eyes. Of course not.

That woman was dead. Not by her hands, but dead all the same. Don't be a fool, Kiryuuin Satsuki. This shop wasn't the newly opened REVOC branch with its gaudy colours and employees with plastered fake smiles. This wasn't that shop with too many varieties of lingerie, half of which she found impractical or downright debauched. This wasn't that shop where that woman had turned to her with a wicked leer and dragged her into the dressing rooms for her own pleasure. No, this was a humble street side lingerie shop which Ryuuko had entered, and which she had followed willingly, because Ryuuko needed a new pair of bra. Get a hold of yourself, Kiryuuin Satsuki!

With effort she relaxed her posture, her eyes falling back to the girl with red in her hair. "Ryuuko."

The crease that had started to form between Ryuuko's brows eased off just slightly at the response though she remained cautious. She moved to hold more of Satsuki's hand, but did so lightly, carefully. Ryuuko watched her reaction closely, most likely having realized by now what was happening. It wasn't the first time after all. It won't be the last either.

"You okay?"

Satsuki opened her mouth to answer, the word 'yes' already at the tip of her tongue, but several seconds pass and it never left her, just like the anxiety in her body. Her mouth hung open uselessly as her eyes darted to the lines of lingerie around her, to the dressing rooms up ahead, to the other people in the store, some of which threw them curious looks. It wasn't the same. Nothing was the same yet that thrumming sense of unease would not leave. Why was she so anxious? Her eyes landed on Ryuuko again and then suddenly she remembered. Didn't Ryuuko said to rely on her more?

Satsuki closed her mouth and didn't think too much about it as she returned Ryuuko's hold with her own tight grip and she leaned down to place her lips upon Ryuuko's. The younger girl inhaled sharply at the abruptness but didn't pull away. Instead she stepped closer, pushing back against Satsuki gently, encouragingly. Satsuki sighed with appreciation at Ryuuko's warmth and took the hint, deepening their kiss.

When was it that she discovered the power of Ryuuko's lips? Probably that first time she found herself in panic's clutches and in that hyper sensitive state had responded badly to touch. So Ryuuko kissed her. No hands, just a forward lean of the head. And startlingly, it worked. All that panic, the unease, the anxiety, seemed to flow right out of her and into Ryuuko, who crushed them all within her fists. She didn't know why or how Ryuuko did those things, only that she could. Ryuuko said to use her, to rely on her, and until she figured it out, that's exactly what she planned to do.

Slowly, Satsuki began to feel the ground grow solid beneath her feet once again and her mind cleared of all thoughts save that of the one whose lips she currently claimed. She broke the kiss at long last, but lingered close to savour the heat of their mingled breaths, not quite ready to part yet. She became aware then of the unsettling silence around them. The in-store musical jingle rang out with unobstructed clarity where before, even if she was only faintly conscious of it, there were constant murmurs of voices. She realized with a start that she should have been more mindful of the other customers in the store, that some of them had been looking their way, but even as the realization that the silence was caused by their very public show of intimacy, Satsuki found she really didn't care.

When she finally pulled away, she expected Ryuuko to be flustered, to be embarrassed at all the curious eyes watching them, but to her surprise Ryuuko only stared unwaveringly at her. Satsuki managed a small smile as she gripped Ryuuko's hand tighter. Bless the girl. How she loved her.

"Yes," she answered. "I'm fine."

Ryuuko raised an eyebrow in scrutiny, like she didn't believe her, and perhaps it was right for her to suspect so. The unease was gone for now, but that shadow looming in the back of her mind will probably never be truly gone. Ryuuko matched the strength of her grip suddenly and Satsuki realized her mistake. If she hadn't tightened her grip, she might have fooled Ryuuko. But no, that wasn't right. She didn't want to fool Ryuuko.

"On second thought, the bra can wait. Let's go."

Ryuuko left no room for protest, making a beeline for the exit as soon as the last word left her lips. Satsuki found herself unrelentingly tugged along by their joined hands and so followed readily. One step outside, with the sun on her hair and the wind in her face, and the shadow seemed just a little bit smaller.

xxx

"I'm sorry about what happened in there, Ryuuko."

Ryuuko turned to face Satsuki from her spot on their shared bench. They had made their way to this shaded bench under a tree after exiting that shop. Ryuuko had insisted and because she didn't want to fool Ryuuko after all, she allowed Ryuuko to sit her there to regain her composure. Soroi's tea would definitely help with that but unfortunately that was quite impossible at the moment. She settled with the fresh air and the hum drum of people going about their daily lives.

Ryuuko frowned and made a face like she was deliberating whether or not to speak her mind. Eventually though, the part of her that felt she should not speak her mind won out and she merely shook her head.

"What the hell are you apologizing for? Feeling better?"

Understanding that the first question was rhetorical, Satsuki nodded to answer the second. "Yes, thank you…" she trailed off, noticing Ryuuko's awkwardly outstretched hand hovering close to her shoulder, undecided whether to complete the journey and grasp her or to retreat back to her own form. Satsuki smiled lightly and made the decision for her, pulling the hand forward onto her shoulder. "You can touch me. I'm fine now."

Ryuuko jolted slightly in surprise that quickly gave way to a relieved smile. She grasped Satsuki's shoulder firmly and then stood up. One knee still on the bench, she drew close to pull Satsuki in for a hug, cradling Satsuki's head to her chest. "I had to be sure."

She was kind that way, and Satsuki was thankful for her kindness. Or maybe she just didn't want another broken wrist. Either way Satsuki relaxed into Ryuuko, wrapping her arms around the younger girl's waist. In return Ryuuko started to comb her fingers through Satsuki's hair, earning a contented hum. She remembered a time not too long ago when she wouldn't have allowed anyone to hold her like that, aside Ragyou, but that wasn't a choice matter. Such a vulnerable position that was, to have another's arms around her head, to give free access to her neck where one quick motion was all it would take to snap her life away.

How times have changed. Would she allow anyone else but Ryuuko to do this? Not likely. Ryuuko threaded through her hair several more times, going so far as to massage the base of her scalp until Satsuki felt almost sleepy before she pulled away a little to look at Satsuki's face.

She waited until Satsuki tilted her head up to look meet her eyes. "It's a bit early, but you want to get something to eat?"

Thoroughly at ease, Satsuki smiled. "Why not?"

Ryuuko got up first, already half-standing anyway, and then Satsuki did the same. She smoothed the material of her skirt before following after Ryuuko, leaving the shaded bench behind. They walked back into the mass of people moving up and down the lines of shops as Ryuuko reached out to hold her hand, intertwining their fingers as they strolled along. She glanced down at the action, recalling a time when she wouldn't have allowed this either. How strange, that feeling. The only thing she held back then was Bakuzan. No one held her hand, not even Nonon, whose wish was but metaphorical of her loyalty.

These calloused hands, blood stained in her ambition; did they have the right to hold another? But Ryuuko didn't care about that, did she? She'd probably even give her a piece of her mind for having those thoughts. Ryuuko was a simple person after all. What was it she said? Because I like you, that's why I want to hold your hand. It's a sign of affection. Why should anything else matter other than that? Satsuki had no answer for Ryuuko. She had been so stumped that when Ryuuko then took her hand for the first time, she had let her hold it as long as she wanted to. Somewhere along the way she came to like how it felt, the warmth, the intimacy, that she too had on more than one occasion reciprocated in kind.

Satsuki squeezed the hand in her grip, deciding to let Ryuuko have her way. She'd already displayed a more extreme show of affection back in the shop anyway. What was hand holding at this point? She caught Ryuuko's grin from the corner of her eyes right before Ryuuko playfully nudged her. She raised an eyebrow.

"Satsuki."

She hummed in acknowledgment and turned her head to look at Ryuuko.

"Thank you," Ryuuko said and when Satsuki kept her eyebrow raised she grinned wider. "For relying on me."

Satsuki stared at Ryuuko a while, a sudden urge to 'rely' on the other girl clawing at her. But what lack of resolve that would be, so she only smiled wryly. "Right. Thank you for being reliable."

Ryuuko snorted and scowled lightly at Satsuki. "Are you implying I'm usually not?"

"Less than me."

Ryuuko nudged her again, this time rolling her eyes at the same time. "No one is more than you in anything, Satsuki. Even before, in the shop, you hypocrite," she cut off at the accusation and turned violently red. Satsuki almost asked what the matter was before she was reminded of what took place in the shop and understood. "Always going on and on about public display of affection and then you go and do…do that. In a shop full of people! How very bold of you, Kiryuuin Satsuki!"

Satsuki chuckled at the outburst. It always amused her at how whenever Ryuuko was angry, or embarrassed, she'd automatically switch to using her full name. She wondered if Ryuuko felt all the extra syllables helped emphasize her point. She decided not to tell Ryuuko that she had just had an impulse to do that again, this one having no other purpose other than simply being a want. That can wait till they got home.

"I'm sorry," Satsuki said after reigning in her mirth.

Ryuuko stopped. "Hey now, you know I'm just kidd—"

"I know," Satsuki interrupted, stopping as well. "That's not what I'm apologizing for. You left the shop because of me even though you needed to get a bra. That's why I'm sorry."

"Oh, well then like I said it can wait. Don't worry about it." Ryuuko's grin came back and she waved dismissively.

"Are you sure?" Satsuki asked. Now that she thought about it, it seemed absolutely disgraceful that she let her issues get in the way of Ryuuko's shopping. "Do you have enough?"

"It'll be fine," Ryuuko shrugged. "And anyway if I really need one then I can just borrow it from you."

"Mine are too big for you."

"Only a little."

"Still too big. You know you shouldn't wear things not your size."

Ryuuko made an irritated noise to accompany her obviously displeased expression at Satsuki's jab at her lack of endowment. Satsuki didn't understand. It was only the truth. Did she say anything wrong?

"Fine! I'll borrow from Mako then—"

"Hers are even bigger, Ryuuko."

Ryuuko choked, whirling towards Satsuki to stare at her wide eyed. Her mouth opened as though to say something, but after a discreet glance down to her own chest, she closed her mouth with a snap and only furrowed her brows, exhaling in a huff. "Then I'll ask Jakuzure! She's small!"

"Too small," Satsuki shot back. "How desperate are you that you're considering asking her? She probably wouldn't agree."

"Well I'm sorry my sister and my best friend have such big boobs!" Ryuuko grumbled petulantly as she turned forward and began to walk once more. But despite visibly sulking, she did not let go of Satsuki's hand. Satsuki smiled and trailed after her. "Besides, you're wrong. She will agree as long as I mention you."

"Perhaps," Satsuki replied. "But my point still stands. It's too small."

"And my point, which seems to have flown right over your head, is that I'll come back and get it on my own some other day so there really isn't a need for your bra, or Mako's, or Jakuzure's!" Ryuuko exasperatedly expressed. She pouted as she kept walking, mumbling something about Jakuzure probably having bigger sizes anyway in hopes that she'll one day fill out. "So can we please stop talking about my boobs?"

Satsuki allowed herself to snicker slightly at Ryuuko's snide comment on her childhood friend as well as at her conceit. They weren't really talking about Ryuuko's boobs, were they? It was about bra sizes. But correcting her would likely only lead to Ryuuko getting more irritated and since she was already pacing ahead furiously, while still keeping a firm grip on her hand, Satsuki decided that was unnecessary. However there was one other assumption Ryuuko made, and this one she couldn't go without correcting.

She sighed and continued for another three steps before she stopped entirely. When Ryuuko didn't, she held her arm fast and forced Ryuuko to a stop. "Ryuuko."

Ryuuko swivelled on the spot, almost losing her balance from the sudden brake. "What?"

Satsuki tried very hard not to laugh at Ryuuko's mopey expression. She quickly thought of unfunny things as she stepped closer to the shorter girl. Her words would lose value if she laughed while saying them. "I haven't missed your point, Ryuuko. You're thinking of me and I appreciate that but my point, which you've missed, is that I don't want that consideration."

Ryuuko regarded her very seriously then, all traces of her previous sulkiness gone. But she doesn't say anything and Satsuki went on. "We came here because you wanted to shop for a bra and that's exactly what we're going to do. It's unthinkable to postpone it because of me. Are you really being considerate of me when you do that?"

"But…! It makes you uncomfortable, doesn't it?"

Uncomfortable. The word brought forth a constricting sensation around her chest and unconsciously she took a deep breath. If she dwelled on it further she could almost feel Ragyou's eyes on her, watching from the shadows like a predatory beast. She reached out her free hand to grasp Ryuuko's and exhaled slowly, concentrating on the very real warmth from those palms and not the imaginary tightening around her body. It was all in her head and she would be damned if she succumbed to it again.

"It did," Satsuki admitted. "It still does. But, it's precisely because it makes me uncomfortable that I have to face it again. Did you think that I, Kiryuuin Satsuki, will turn tails and run away?"

She always felt stronger whenever she said her name as though it actually held some power. It didn't, of course, but she had to pretend, she had to believe it did. It wasn't disillusion. She knew full well that she was but a puny human in the midst of monsters. That she was in over her head with her grand plan to overthrow them. That's why she had to make herself out to be bigger than she was. Stronger than she was. Better than she was. She couldn't have borne the burden otherwise. She was the one and only Kiryuuin Satsuki. And the higher she stood, the louder she spoke, the more times she bellowed out her own name, the truer it became.

Now as well, even though she didn't say it like she did before, she nevertheless felt the strength, the power, and the courage flow out from within. "I'll be fine, Ryuuko."

Ryuuko stared at her a while as though trying to get her to change her mind but when she failed to unnerve her with her eyes she finally sighed. "Alright, understood. You're the one and only Kiryuuin Satsuki after all. There is no other option but victory, right?"

Satsuki smiled. "You've caught on well."

Ryuuko scoffed but smiled all the same. "Come on then," she released one hand but gave a reassuring squeeze on the other as she tugged on it to get them walking again. "We'll stick to the original plan of shopping before lunch. We should probably find another shop though." Ryuuko looked pointedly at Satsuki at the last sentence. "It'll be awkward to go back to that one."

"No objections here," Satsuki agreed readily. "And if I may add, since you're the one buying then you should be modelling for me, not the other way round."

Ryuuko made a disgruntled snort. "I only suggested that because you've got better boobs to show off…" she replied in a disappearing voice, flushing when Satsuki threw her an amused look. She buried her free hand in the pocket of her jacket and cleared her throat as she snapped back. "What? You've got great boobs, but I get it okay. No modelling."

Satsuki watched the flush grow darker, particularly around the compliment but opted not to tease the younger girl about it. There was enough boob talk for now so she merely smiled a tad wider and conveyed her gratitude. Ryuuko said nothing in return and only hummed in acknowledgment. It was clear that she had something on her mind but it wasn't until they approached another lingerie shop that Ryuuko slowed down her pace and glanced towards Satsuki.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry. You're here, after all."

Ryuuko stopped them in front of the shop, a soft expression on her face. "You'll tell me what happened, won't you?"

Satsuki matched the expression with her own. "Of course. When we get home."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

When she stepped into the shop, there was none of the dread and heaviness that clung to her in the first shop. She felt light and free and not even the sight of the dressing rooms rattled the shadow she banished. Perhaps something else will, in due time, but not this, not anymore. She had won this battle. Satsuki smiled. All that was left was to tell Ryuuko what happened, as promised.

Trivia 1: This story is titled Flower Wreath (Blumenkranz) because Ragyou features prominently and it is her theme. And because I listened to the song so many times while writing this I thought it was fitting.

Trivia 2: The flashback takes place most likely around 2 years prior to the series. Honnouji already exists, but Satsuki has not yet amassed her forces.

Trivia 3: That thing about Ragyou's nails is absolutely true. Compare episode 16 and 19. I have very mixed feelings for the Kiryuuin matriarch. Mostly hate. But mixed feelings nonetheless.