The eyes of Tamura Akiko are blessed.
Some lovingly reference ginko leaves, chrysanthemums; others bitterly reference topaz.
She thinks of lemon macrons and the glow of a lamp, as childish as she is.
Her fiance references the rising sun, amber, a...
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"I refuse."
Shinobu blinks owlishly at Akiko, thoughts halting to a stop by Akiko's sudden declaration.
"I don't want a kasugai karasu."
"You need one," Shinobu smiles. Akiko can see the annoyance radiate off Shinobu but she doesn't back down.
"I don't care. Give it to Aoi."
Aoi looks over at Akiko, face contorted into anger as she's suddenly dragged into the argument.
"Don't bring me into this," Aoi snaps, and Akiko rolls her eyes.
"I saw that!"
"You were supposed to-"
"Girls?" Shinobu sings, and the two shut up, Aoi's head bowing ever so slightly.
Lilac turns to amber, and Shinobu allows a sigh to pass from her lips. Akiko looks unwavering from her decision, jaw set and a different spark in her eyes. For some reason, Shinobu can guess the spark.
Fear.
"Akiko, you understand that this crow is supposed to tell you, personally, the status of the incoming patient. That way you have time to prepare. This allows you to become more independent from Aoi and the other girls."
Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo look at Akiko with an unsure expression. They're fine with helping Akiko, but one look from Shinou and they know to stay quiet. Kanon sits with the girls, mindlessly braiding and tying their hair for the day.
"I... I know this..." Akiko grasps her right eye, biting down onto her lips as her shoulders tire at being so tense. She's far too exhausted to raise her voice, and Shinobu has to strain to hear what Akiko says next.
"But they're cursed..."
Akiko leaves the room with a compromise.
Her kasugai karasu is to never be in the same room as Akiko, and will crow its message. If Akiko needs a message sent, Aoi will be the one to tell the crow.
No one ones how this will play out, since there are so many loopholes to work around, but Akiko is willing to accept it for now.
---
"How many girls have you killed?!"
Tanjirou's ink black blade points threateningly at the demon's throat, but the smell of rotten oil nags at him.
"Listen! If women live any longer, they turn ugly and start tasting like crap! So, we killed them for their own good!!" It yells back, focusing on regenerating its arms.
Anger courses through Tanjirou, the face of his smiling fiancée flashing through his mind briefly.
