"Well, I am weak, is the fact. The village is already barely tolerating me as is, I can't afford to antagonize anyone."

"There are some good people, to be clear. You've met the butcher, he's not very friendly but has never treated me any differently than everyone else."

"And... it's not a big deal, probably some kids on a dare, it's just a small reminder that I'm different, and alien."

"If it's just 'some kids', doing it 'on a dare', what they're going to learn is that they can fuck with people and get away with it, if they're an acceptable target. I don't even know what they did- Graffiti? But if I... I'm not going to hurt anyone, but if something is visibly not impressed, maybe instead they'll learn to be polite. Also I really want to. Petty revenge is a wonderful feeling."

Would Weiss do that for her?

Not that she condones revenge but... the feeling of someone validating her feelings feels... warm.

"...And also... Back home, kitsunes aren't universally trusted or welcome either. For good reason, sometimes, plenty of us are nice but some are also real monsters, and we can be very, uh, disruptive. Some kitsunes are real bitches, I don't deny that. So, it's not unreasonable for people to be wary. But... It sucks. People kicking you out for what you are, or too afraid of some  possible vengeance to say anything, or... I know what that feels like. If you're really trying to avoid getting that reputation, or whatever, as too scary to mess with, as dangerous and unpredictable, I'll listen and forget it. Also hug you about it. Because people shouldn't feel like they're unwelcome, like they can't exist in society. People deserve to feel safe and peaceful, and this place has some of that precious peace..."

"There is... a reason why I can't exist in society."

"It's not the magic."

Weiss rubs her face, and then tugs gently on her own ears. She shakes her tail vigorously, poofing it up a bit.

"-Sorry, I got a bit worked up there. Haah... Well. Societies do that kind of thing sometimes. I won't pry if you don't want to share. I'll listen if you do. D'you want a hug about it?"

"Yes."

Hug?

Hug. Unhesitating and skin-contact-seeking and tail-including.

"I..."

She can't. The words are not coming out. She's scared hopeful scared alone scared warm scared hug.

Hug.

Breathe in.

[1... 2... 3... 4... 5...]

Breathe out.

"There is something I've never told anyone. Well, She knows, of course, but. I'm scared. I feel like I can trust you but I'm scared."

"Mmm..."

"I feel... Sympathetically scared, I guess. If you know what I mean. There are things that are so - crushingly heavy - you can hardly do anything but work around them. Maybe, in time, learn to complain about it bitterly at every turn instead of ignoring it, like my deadbeat dad who deserves to rot in prison for what he made Mom go through... Er..."

"-I always want to ask people when they have trouble, do you want advice or do you want to complain. So. Do you want me to tell you to get it over with, or tell you that it's okay to not?"

"I... think you deserve to know the truth."

She'll slowly disentangle herself from the hug, it would be... wrong. Everything is wrong.

"I..."

"I'm not a woman. I'm sorry if I lied to you but I can't tell people or they will know what I am. And."

"Oh god, we slept together, I should have slept on the floor what was I thinking. I'm a horrible person."

She is not going to release the hug or let Selena pull away unless she really wants to-

-??? Okay, fine, hug released ???-

"I notice that I am confused. I don't think you've done anything wrong? You are pretty clearly a woman, from what I see? Or else you'd cut your hair and bind your breasts and wear pants?"

Why would she cut her hair and bind her chest??? Then everyone would know that...

"I... am only half woman. The top half."

"-Oh. Yeah no that's fine, that happens. Usually it's really hard to do anything good about it? It looks like you've done wonders with your face and uh. Body. Already. Like, damn, girl, that's sure a figure."

God, why is she - is she feeling horny about that? Apparently yes?? She's remembering the Red Dream, but with Selena in place of-

Lots of other kitsunes have teased her and messed with her before! Even used Charm on her! But it hits different when it's also hitting her stupid heady exciting Red Dream feelings!

(She shifts her hips slightly.) Mutters, "Bonk. Away foul thoughts!"

"Yeah, people do-" HRT? "-Potions about it, or shapeshifting magic if they're a kitsune. Some of them go around with girl shape and guy bits habitually."

"What do you mean that happens??? I'm wrong, I should have just accepted being a man and instead I asked Her to make me a girl and now I'm... split in half and..."

She holds her chest. "And I wanted these, I regret nothing, I am grateful to Her for her help but I feel like a liar every day, if people knew I wouldn't..."

"Potions? Do you know how to make a potion to fix me?"

"Why would they have a girl shape but keep the... thing? Wait, are you... shapeshifting?"

"Uh!"

Holy shit this is hitting Selena a lot harder than Weiss appreciated on a gut level she has to be less flippant.

"-I'm sorry. I don't have a potion to take away your penis and give you a vagina, if that is, being clear, what you're asking for. I mean... There are legends, but... Uh. About... Four out of five kitsunes have some sort of shapeshifting, as distinct from illusions which aren't quite the same even if they are for most purposes if you're good enough at them aaaand that's a sidetrack."

Pause.

"What I meant when I said 'that happens' is 'people feel that the body they were born with is wrong' is a - thing. That happens to many people. Not like, all of them, but... At least one in a hundred, I think, at least a little bit? If you wanted your breasts, and you got them, that's great and I'm happy for you!"

"I just... want to be a woman."

"Oh. I... I thought I was a freak, does it really happen to other people? I've never seen someone else like me."

"Boobs are great, though. I've always thought it and now that I have my own I'm even more convinced."

She cups them. She finds their weight... grounding.

She giggles. And maybe looks a little bit.

"I can't really deny it. I wish mine were bigger sometimes! And... Uh, if the average person that happens to you feels like you, maybe they wouldn't announce it to the heavens, right? So you wouldn't have heard."

"Remind me to tell you the story of the wise man and the boobs later."

"That... makes sense. I at least got the opportunity to have these," - jiggle - "imagine feeling your body is wrong and not being able to do anything about it."

"I wish I could find more people like me, help them. But yeah, they're probably not telling anyone, and it would be too dangerous to be public about... my lower half."

"Yeah... The world is stuck in all these - equilibriums of people holding to rules that hurt sometimes, because going against them when everyone else doesn't would be worse- You have to change them very very slowly, or get everyone to do it all at once and that never happens. It's extremely valid to not want to be the nail that sticks out and gets hammered down."

She hugs her own tail, since she wants to hug something and isn't sure if Selena is up for that again.

"Yeah..."

"Tonight you can have the bed, I... actually feel bad about having slept with you without telling you the truth."