Her sister looked much the sa as she rembered—taller, more developed, with the sa black hair and golden eyes.
"What is she doing here?" Koneko asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she unconsciously moved closer to Leon.
"Nya, is that any way to greet your big sister?"
Then Koneko glared up at Leon, feeling betrayed.
"I am really sorry about this.." Leon apologized.
"Why?" That was all Koneko could muster,
She trusted Leon. and now he betrayed her by bringing her sister here.
The woman who abandoned him when she needed her the most.
"Koneko, I can explain—" Leon started.
"Save it." Koneko stepped away from him. Her hands curled into fists at her sides.
Kuroka tilted her head, cat ears twitching. "Now, now, Shirone. Is that any way to—"
"Don't call that."
The playful smile on Kuroka's face faltered. Just for a second. Then it was back, wider than before. "You've gotten feisty, nya. I like it."
Koneko's jaw tightened. She wanted to hit sothing. Preferably Leon. Or her sister. Maybe both.
"Why did you bring her here?" Koneko asked again.
Leon t her gaze. "Because you need this. Both of you do."
"I don't need her."
"Yes, you do." Leon's voice was calm. Firm. "You're afraid of your power, Koneko. Afraid of what happened to Kuroka. But you can't get stronger if you keep running from it."
Koneko flinched. He was right. She hated that he was right.
"And there's sothing else." Leon paused. His expression shifted—apologetic, almost pained. "Kuroka is... she's with too."
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
"What?" Koneko's voice ca out small.
"I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner, but—"
"You're dating my sister?" Her voice rose. Sharp. "My sister who killed our master? The sister who left alone?"
"I had my reasons, nya," Kuroka said softly. The teasing tone was gone.
"I don't care about your reasons!" Koneko's hands shook. "You abandoned . You made think I was a monster. And now you're sleeping with my boyfriend?"
Leon stepped forward. "Koneko, please. Just listen—"
"No." She backed away. "No, I'm done listening."
"Shirone—" Kuroka reached out again.
"Stop calling that!" Koneko's voice cracked. "My na is Koneko. Rias gave that na. You don't get to use the old one."
Kuroka's hand dropped. For once, she looked hurt. Genuinely hurt.
"I know you hate ," Kuroka said quietly. "I know what I did to you. But I can help you, nya. I can teach you Senjutsu. Show you how to control your power. Help you embrace what we are."
"I don't want your help."
"You need it." Kuroka's golden eyes held hers. "You're scared of becoming like . But you won't. Not if you learn control. Not if you understand our heritage."
Koneko looked away. Her chest felt tight. Heavy.
"She's right," Leon said. "You can't keep suppressing your Nekomata side. It's part of who you are. And Kuroka is the only one who can teach you."
"So what?" Koneko's voice was quiet. Bitter. "I'm supposed to just forgive her? Pretend everything's fine? Share you with her like it's nothing?"
Leon winced. "I'm not asking you to forgive her right away. I'm just asking you to try. For yourself. Not for her. Not for . For you."
Koneko stood there. Silent. Her mind was racing.
Too much. This was too much.
Her sister. Leon. The power she'd spent years running from.
All of it crashing down at once.
"Koneko—" Leon started.
She didn't let him finish.
She turned and walked away. Fast. Her steps quickened.
"Shirone, wait!" Kuroka called after her.
Koneko ran.
She didn't look back.
=====
Leon watched Koneko disappear into the distance. His chest ached.
Behind him, he heard a soft sound.
A sniffle.
He turned.
Kuroka stood there, her playful mask completely gone. Tears stread down her face. Her cat ears drooped.
"We shouldn't have done this," she whispered. Her voice shook. "She hates even more now, nya."
Leon stepped closer. He wrapped his arms around her.
Kuroka buried her face in his chest. Her shoulders trembled.
"I just wanted to see her," Kuroka said between sobs. "I wanted to help her. But I made it worse. I always make it worse."
"No." Leon's voice was gentle. "You didn't make it worse. She just needs ti."
"Ti?" Kuroka pulled back, tears still falling. "I've given her years, Leon. Years. And she still looks at like I'm a monster."
"Because she's scared." Leon brushed a tear from her cheek. "Not of you. Of what happened. Of what it ant."
Kuroka shook her head. "I killed our master. I beca a Stray Devil. I left her alone—"
"You saved her life."
"She doesn't see it that way."
Leon sighed. He knew this wouldn't be easy. He'd seen how it played out in the ani. In the light novels. Koneko's trauma ran deep.
It wasn't just about Kuroka killing their master.
It was everything that ca after.
The execution order. The fear. The depression. The years of believing she was a monster too. That she'd lose control just like her sister supposedly had.
Koneko almost died because of what Kuroka did. Even if it was to save her.
That kind of trauma didn't heal overnight.
"She'll co around," Leon said quietly. "But it's going to take ti. She needs space to process this. To understand that you didn't abandon her. That you were trying to protect her."
"What if she never forgives ?" Kuroka's voice was small. Broken.
"She will." Leon held her tighter. "I know she will. But you have to be patient. Let her co to you when she's ready."
Kuroka nodded against his chest. But the tears didn't stop.
Leon stroked her hair. He knew this hurt her. Knew how much she loved her sister. How much she wanted to make things right.
But Koneko wasn't ready yet.
And pushing her would only make things worse.
"Give her ti," Leon said softly. "That's all we can do right now."
Kuroka didn't answer. She just clung to him and cried.
=====
Koneko didn't know how long she'd been running. Or where she was.
Her legs burned. Her lungs ached. But she kept going until her body gave out.
She collapsed against a tree, chest heaving.
The tears ca then. Hot and bitter.
Leon. Her sister. Everything.
It all crashed down at once.
She'd trusted him. Loved him. And he'd been with her the whole ti. With Kuroka. The sister who destroyed everything.
Koneko buried her face in her hands. Her body shook.
She didn't know what hurt more—the betrayal or the fear.
The fear that maybe Leon was right. That she did need Kuroka. That she'd never be strong enough on her own.
"My, my. What do we have here?"
Koneko's head snapped up.
A young man stood a few feet away. Yellow eyes glead in the dim light. Gray hair floated behind him like a tail, with two long bangs hanging down his chest.
He smiled. But it wasn't kind.
"You're one of Leon's pets, aren't you?" The man stepped closer. "How delightful. And all alone too."
Koneko scrambled to her feet. Her instincts scread danger.
"Who are you?" Her voice ca out rough. Shaky.
"Soone who's been waiting for an opportunity like this." His smile widened. "You see, your precious Leon has caused quite a bit of trouble. And I've been very spiteful about it."
Fear shot through her chest. Cold and sharp.
She needed to run. To get away.
But her legs wouldn't move.
"Stay back," Koneko warned. Her hands ca up.
The man laughed. "Oh, don't worry. This won't hurt."
He raised his hand.
Darkness.
Koneko's vision blurred. Her body felt heavy. Wrong.
She tried to speak. To move. To do anything.
But the darkness swallowed her whole.
Her last thought before everything went black was simple.
Leon... help...
Then nothing.
====
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