when y/n was young, she had been born into a family of renowned devil hunters. unlike most, she lived in a tribe, not a city. she didn't go to school, but instead studied under the tribes monks. from the moment she could walk she was conditioned to...
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❞⁀➷♡'ˎ˗ "you're... dying?"
"y/n!" yaomomo cheers happily, beckoning you beside her. she's sitting at the head of a massive dining table, a steaming cup of tea in front of her and in front of the vacant seat at her side. you offer a small wave and a smile before joining her at the dining table.
as usual, conversation flows between you both effortlessly. despite being rather... what's the word... privileged? yaomomo has always had a way of pulling words from your lips, even if you hadn't felt like talking before she began talking herself. although, this is the most you two have talked as of late. it was mentioned briefly before, but she's been off in her own world lately.
it's only halfway through reviewing the material you hadn't paid much attention to that you gather the courage to address what you should have much sooner.
"yaomomo?" you ask suddenly, looking up from your paper. she tilts her head as she pulls her attention away from the study guide she had been writing for you. "is there something you need help with?" she asks gently. "not quite. it's... can i tell you something? it's important." with a worried expression, she reaches across the table and gently rests her hand atop yours. the gesture soothes your racing mind. "what is it, y/n? i am always here to listen." she says, and you smile weakly.
"i..." you begin, but you aren't truly sure where to start. so, you start from the beginning. the tragic death of your tribe, the life you lead up until meeting makima, your first friend, your first death, and then how you ended up here. by the time you're finished recapping that, you pause to take a sip of your tea. only to realize yaomomo's eyes are sparkling with tears.
"w-wait... what's wrong?!" you ask, gripping the hand she had set atop your own with your other hand. she sniffles, bringing a hanker-chief to her eyes to dab away the escaping tears. "you've lead such a life of struggle and endured countless tragedies." she mumbles, her flushed cheeks from crying coated with salty tears. "if only... i had known sooner. if only... you had been born here. had the opportunity been given, i... i would've done anything i could to help." she sincerely confesses, and you can't help but stare.
you stare, and stare, then laugh. softly at first, before reaching across to grab the hanker-chief from her hand and wipe her tears yourself. "you're too kind, yaomomo." you reply, shaking your head in amusement. "those are all things of the past, bygone memories." you comfort gently. "all of this to say, i don't have much time left here with you all." you say, and she pauses in shock.
"you're... going home?" she asks, and you shake your head. "not quite. although, i suppose you could say that. in a few months, yumi's personality and consciousness will overwrite mine. i intend to share this with the class, but i felt i should tell you before any of the others." you say gently.
yaomomo remains in a stunned silence, for a bit longer than you'd consider comfortable.
she speaks only when you're about to fill the silence with menial chatter.
"you're... dying?"
you wish you could say what she wants to hear, but alas; "yes, i am."
you spend the rest of your time at yaomomo's cradling her while she cries. it's uncharacteristic, at first, she repeatedly tells you it isn't fair. then, she says she'll find a way to reverse it. after, she curses all those who caused this. then eventually, she asks to meet yumi. after a brief introduction, you all retire to her room and watch movies, eat snacks and enjoy some of her tea. she ends up reading books with yumi, teaching yumi all the things she'll need to know in order to live amongst humans. amidst this, you're happy to see that she and yumi seem to get along just fine.
she falls asleep, and you take your leave.
"it's dark out." you mutter, and yumi nods in agreement. she's been able to remain in a visible physical form for more than a few hours now. and, while you're fond of being with her in ways other than her being a lingering presence inside your head, you suppose it doesn't bode well for the state of your condition.
"i need to reset soon, i think." you mumble, and she agrees once more. "i... don't want to." she looks at you, bewildered. "why?! you must!" she demands, and you shake your head with a laugh. "i don't want to doesn't mean i won't." you reassure, and she huffs. "i feel as though i'm overstaying my welcome. holding onto a body that isn't mine." you mumble, and she crosses her arms. "you are far from the one who is unwelcome. it is i who is holding onto the body that does not belong to me."
you snort. "it is i? seriously? you spent too much time reading that history book with yaomomo." you tease, and she smacks the back of your head. "shut up!" you push the door to aizawa's house open, pocketing the keys. "you're home. where'd you go that you stayed out so late? and who—" aizawa pauses, raising a brow. "it's... yumi." he mumbles, and yumi turns away with an embarrassed look. "he's never even seen me before, how did he know?" she asks, and you laugh.
"pro hero intuition. don't 'ya know?" she rolls her eyes, and aizawa stares at you pensively. "you'll be visiting recovery girl tomorrow morning. there's nothing subtle about yumi's presence anymore. she's visible clear as day." he grunts out, before sighing while pinching the bridge of his nose. then, he approaches you both and puts a hand on each of your heads, ruffling your hair. "go to sleep." he instructs and you nod, yumi huffs. mumbling a small don't tell me what to do, old man that shota blatantly ignores.
"g'night, aizawa." you say with a wave as you approach the stairs leading to the bedrooms. "night, kid."
after he hears the door shut, he sighs. aizawa approaches a cabinet in the kitchen, retrieving a bottle of sake and a small glass. once he pours himself a cup, he takes a swig and grimaces. not at the taste, but at the way it does little to mitigate the burning feeling in his chest.
there must be something he can do.
but he knows such thoughts are fruitless. as far as they're aware, with the knowledge they possess, your fate is sealed. there is naught that can be done for you, and neither yumi.
he resents the thought, but he almost pities her.
she'll spend every waking day in the body of someone else. someone who cared for her and taught her how to be human. yumi will catch glimpses of herself in her reflection and be met with your gaze, and have to learn to hold solace knowing that you're gone. even though she'll see you everyday.
and he'll have to do so too. care for a child who looks the same as the one he's grown so fond of, while knowing she'll never return.
he downs the last of the glass.
something must be done.
"yes, i am." ✧‿➹
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