"E-eh?!" Lillian stammered in shock, scooting back even further from Marionette, who drew nearer by the second; the Assassin had a predatory look in her eyes.
"Why do you keep backing away, Lillian?" Marionette asked, taking off her mask, "Why do you act so fearful when I get closer? Are you... hinting that you don't belong to me?"
Lillian felt Marionette's hold on her face tighten, further limiting any thoughts of escaping.
With little room to shake her head, Lillian immediately cleared up the misconception:
"No, no, I'm not scared!" Lillian shouted, then added in a partially hurt tone, "And of course not, I'm yours, so stop thinking I'm not..."
Lillian dropped her gaze to the black veins crawling up Marionette's neck, worried.
She remembered that each second that they remain exposed, the True Darkness would cause its host unbearable, burning pain.
Before Lillian knew it, her hands were now hovering a centimetre away from Marionette's neck.
