Eitsu's Nine Lives (永津の九生) [yuri/GL yokai reincarnation story]

31 - Kesshinichabe-kamuy

CW: Mental health issues

NSFW

***

"What's your troupe's name, by the way?" Eitsu asked, helping herself to a fresh slice of tuna.

"You don't know?" Tsubaki asked, voice dripping with cold judgement. "After all this time?"

"Obviously."

"Hanabira. Flower Petals."

"Cute."

Ayame toyed with her own piece of tuna. "Tsubaki-dono, won't you come back with me?"

Tsubaki shook her head.

"Why not? You're the best dancer. What will you do otherwise?"

"Aren't I Eitsubyou no Mikoto's head priestess?"

"I'll look after her, Aya-chan. Don't worry!" Eitsu said cheerfully.

Ayame's expression was too old for her face. "Can you?"

"What do you mean, Aya-chan?" Eitsu asked quietly, mid-way through her fish.

The girl shook her head. "I don't know. I'm scared." Her eyes filled with tears suddenly. "I'm scared that if I look away, Tsubaki-dono will be gone when I look back."

"That's how life is," Tsubaki said. "That's what growing up is."

"Sounds annoying," Eitsu said. "Let's finish eating and go find those Hanabira."

"I'm staying here."

"Then I'll stay too," said Ayame quietly. Standing, she moved quickly to Tsubaki's side and sat down again, her hand finding the woman's sleeve.

"Aya-chan, it's not good for you to come with us."

"Why not? Is it because you can't fool around as much when I'm here? I can just go somewhere else when you want to!"

"Uh, no, but thanks for the thought..."

Tsubaki shot Eitsu a dirty look.

"... honestly, we're not the best people to be looking after you, Aya-chan."

"I can look after myself."

"Ayame," Tsubaki said. The girl fell silent immediately. "Say you're right. That one day you look away and when you look back, I'm no longer there. Could you follow us, know that could happen any time?"

"No! Please, Tsuba-"

"Listen. I'm... I'm not well. You deserve to grow up with others your age, without the fears that keep me awake at night. This isn't for you to witness, to bear. Go and live a good life, Little Aya."

Ayame was crying in earnest, her eyes and nose streaming. "Tsubaki-dono... I ca-can't... Please..."

"Yes you can. Next time I see you, tell me how you've become a better dancer than me, okay? How happy you are. How many admirers you have."

The girl wailed wordlessly, pressing her face to the sleeve she clutched in her hand. They let her cry. There was nothing else that could be said.

At last, out of tears, out of strength, Ayame flopped limply in Eitsu's arms. Her breath shuddered as the kaibyou nodded to Tsubaki. "I'll be back soon, Tsu-bo."

Finding the Hanabira Troupe was easy. The performance hall was the largest building in the area, and Eitsu propped Ayame up on the steps, letting the girl lean against a wooden pillar. She disappeared momentarily and returned in cat form, curling up next to Ayame in a warm, purring black ball. It wasn't long until one of the troupe servants emerged from the building on some errand, and caught sight of the girl.