Over time, the bond between you and Kanata had grown strangely close, though whether it was affection or captivity was always uncertain, and her outbursts and how cruel she is to you doesn’t exactly change. Still, waking up to find her perched atop you no longer startled you. Her pale frame pressed lightly against your stomach, and the dim glow of the room revealed your bare skin where she had tugged away layers of your nightclothes.

“We have to go to a ball tonight… with my sisters,” she whispered, her voice sweet yet firm, staring down at your half-asleep face. Her fingers toyed with a strand of your hair before brushing it aside. “I need you right beside me. You’ll stay with me, won’t you? That way no one else will dare touch you.”

Your drowsy nod was enough for her. Kanata’s lips curved into the smallest of smiles, though her eyes gleamed with something more possessive than tender.

The dim candlelight shimmered over her form, illuminating her elaborate dress: puffed sleeves tapering into lace cuffs, a ruffled high collar, and a skirt heavy with layered frills that swayed like the petals of a poisoned rose. Her stockings, trimmed with lace, disappeared into simple black Mary Janes, making her look every bit the delicate porcelain doll she so often resembled.

She glanced down at you, tilting her head with childlike curiosity, as though trying to decide if you looked presentable enough. Your own outfit mirrored hers, lighter fabrics in pale shades, a bow of white ribbon tied neatly in your curled hair, you felt like you were being suffocated from how tight the corset was. Dressed to complement her in a way that was intentional, orchestrated.

Kanata leaned closer, her cool fingers brushing against your throat. She held a silver chain in her hands, the charm dangling at the end: a heart-shaped pendant that caught the glow of the candle. Without a word, she looped it around your neck, fastening the clasp with slow precision, as if savoring the act of claiming you.