#mafuyu

The hall was quiet. Soft light spilled through high windows, catching on floating dust that looked almost like stars. Mafuyu stood stiffly in the middle of the empty floor, pointed ears twitching with every small sound. Her hands were clenched at her sides, the long sleeves of her dress feeling too heavy.

Kanade watched her with a gentle, almost amused expression. White wings folded loosely behind her back, the feathers shifting whenever she moved. She stepped closer, bare feet silent against the polished stone.

“You’re thinking too much again,” Kanade said softly, reaching for one of Mafuyu’s hands, her fingers warm. “It’s only a dance.”

Mafuyu’s ears lowered slightly. She let herself be pulled closer, though her shoulders remained tense. “I don’t know the steps,” she murmured, eyes fixed on the floor between them. “I’ll step on you.”

Kanade’s quiet laugh was barely more than a breath. She placed Mafuyu’s hand on her shoulder, then slid her own arm around the elf’s waist, guiding her into position with careful ease.

“Then step on me,” Kanade replied, voice light with teasing. “I’ll survive.” Mafuyu’s cheeks warmed. She looked up at last, meeting Kanade’s calm gaze. The seraphim’s expression was soft, patient, the kind of patience that felt endless.

Kanade began to move first—slow, unhurried. One step, then another. Her wings shifted just enough to keep balance as she turned them in a gentle circle. Mafuyu followed stiffly at first, focused on her feet, on not making a mistake.

“Look at me,” Kanade whispered, and Mafuyu obeyed. The moment their eyes met, the tension in her shoulders eased a little. Kanade’s hand at her waist tightened just enough to steady her when she nearly misstepped, the seraphim only smiled, quiet and fond.

“See?” Kanade murmured, leaning in until their foreheads nearly touched. “You’re already doing it.”

They continued turning, the soft drag of fabric the only sound besides their breathing. Mafuyu’s nervous grip slowly loosened, her free hand rested more naturally against Kanade’s shoulder. The pointed tips of her ears lifted again, no longer pressed flat with worry.

Kanade guided her through another slow turn, wings brushing the air behind them like a quiet promise. “There,” she said, almost to herself. “Just like that.”

Mafuyu let out a small breath that might have been a laugh, the sound surprised even her. She leaned a little closer, letting Kanade lead without resistance.

The light through the windows seemed to soften further. Time stretched, quiet and unhurried, two figures turning slowly in the middle of an empty hall, moving as if they had all of eternity to get it right.

Kanade’s voice was barely audible when she spoke again. “You’re beautiful when you stop worrying.”

The night air was cold, the moon shining as the streetlight dimmed and flickered.

Artemis stood in the shadows of the narrow alley, just far enough to see everything, just close enough that his breath fogged against the brick. He had followed his upperclassmate for three hours, he always did. And Mafuyu never noticed, or maybe she did, simply never caring to call him out. She was always so perfect, that’s what he liked about her.

Mafuyu was walking with one of the freshman girls who recently joined the archery club. Artemis couldn’t remember the girl's name, but he remembered just how eager she was to try and befriend him. He hated people like that, especially when they tried to distract him from focusing all of his attention on his angel.

Artemis watched the way Mafuyu’s shoulders tensed as her feet slowly stopped. He watched the way her fingers curled around something small and silver, and he watched the way the girl’s smile faltered when she turned.

There was no scream, only a soft, wet sound. Then the body folded forward, collapsing against the damp concrete. Blood spread slowly beneath it, dark and almost black under the flickering streetlight.

Mafuyu looked down at the corpse for a long moment. Her expression remained empty, almost peaceful, her eyes shined as she watched the blood pour from the younger girl's chest. Then she lifted her head and looked straight into the shadows where Artemis stood.

His heart stopped. She walked toward him without hurry, her shoes making no sound. When she stopped in front of him, the smell of blood clung to her like perfume. “You’ve been following me,” she said softly. Her voice was quiet, almost gentle. “For weeks.”

Artemis couldn’t speak, his back pressed against the wall. He had watched her kill someone in less than a second, and still all he could think was how beautiful she looked with blood on her hands. He could feel his face becoming hotter, unsure if it were because of his angel being so close to him, or fear. Probably the latter.

Mafuyu reached up and touched his face with cold, sticky fingers, titling his chin so he was forced to meet her eyes. “You wanted to see me,” she murmured. “You wanted to know what I am.” Artemis swallowed, his pulse hammered against her soft fingers.

Mafuyu’s thumb brushed over his lower lip, smearing a thin line of blood across it. “I only want your heart,” she whispered, her voice filled with soft devotion. “Nothing else.”

She leaned closer, her breath cold against his mouth. “If anyone else tries to take what’s mine… I will do it again. And again. And again.”

Artemis’s hands trembled at his sides. He probabčy should have run, he should have felt horror. But he didn’t. Instead, he leaned into her touch, his eyes looking like that of a pathetic mutt. He couldn’t say a word, but his expression told Mafuyu everything she needed to know. He wanted her twisted affection more than anything.

Mafuyu smiled for the first time that night. “Good,” she said softly. “Stay where I can see you.”