au where seija dies instead
of ending up with a million scars, gore warning
Their revolution had failed. Everyone was out for that amanojaku's blood. And some got exactly what they wanted, only at another's expense.
"We nearly had it," the princess whispered, sprawled on Seija's chest. "We almost did it. It was almost safe."
Seija gave no response as she lay in the mud.
Somewhere within the Youkai Forest, rain poured down upon the two. The ground was muddied, lightly splattered with Seija's blood in various places. Shinmyoumaru had followed a faint trail of it to where the amanojaku lay, on her back.
Shin's tears mixed with the rain as she listened to Seija's heavy breaths. Seija had yet to respond to her desperate words.
"I'm sorry!" Shinmyoumaru cried, finally raising her voice higher than a mumble. "I wanted to go with you! To be with you, and run from everyone!" Her sadness blotted her vision, and she lifted herself to wipe it away with her sleeve. "Maybe, just maybe.. This wouldn't have happened if I did!" She sniffled, covering all but her mouth.
"But I was scared! I-I ended up turning on you with everyone else!"
Shinmyoumaru hiccuped, wiping her face with a sleeve before uncovering it. She looked down at her feet on the amanojaku's bloodstained dress. "I know you might not care. You might think I'm a crybaby, a c-coward, or just- a s-stupid idiot..! A-and you know what? Maybe I am! Caring for you of all people?! It seems ridiculous!" Shin curled her toes, wrapping her arms around herself. "B-but.. I came all the way out here to find you, Seija. At this point I d-don't care if you think I'm stupid. I'm not gonna let you push me away now. So say what you like."
She listened in anticipation, staring ahead now. All she heard was still the amanojaku's labored breath and the rain pounding away at the ground. "I only want to hear you speak, Seija."
A long pause came over the area. The sound of the rain dulled in Shinmyoumaru's ears. Her vision blurred. She laid back down on the amanojaku's chest and curled up. It lasted a good few minutes before a movement pulled her out of it.
Seija shivered.
Shinmyoumaru hadn't even noticed the cold. It was freezing. She was shivering herself.
But at least she knew Seija was still there, even if only slightly.
"Look..-" She began, her voice catching in her throat. She cleared it.
"You might tell me to go away if you would say anything. I-if you had the strength right now, you might even toss me away. I know you're awake, too," she stated, her voice thick with distress, though on the outside she seemed calm-ish. "But I know you wouldn't mean it. Y-You're nice. You don't wanna be the way you are..!" Her voice raised again, and she held her knees tighter. Shin shook, and then spoke once more. "You'd deny that though! Y-you'd say: 'I-I'm Seija Kijin! The greatest amanojaku! My only purpose is to be h-hated!'" Shinmyoumaru sobbed between her words now. "A-and you'd swear at me for 'being so fucking stupid'! I knew you didn't m-mean all of it though! And you never would!..."
"E-every youkai has a purpose. A-and your purpose isn't just 'to be hated'. Don't you remember what you told me when we first started working t-together..? W-we'd work together to make a place safe for all the weak!"
"S-Seija Kijin, t-that's your purpose..!"
Now, Shin's own breaths were heavy, and she hiccuped between each few. She could barely speak, but she had to get Seija to say something somehow. She knew that letting the amanojaku know that she knew what really went on in her head was a good way.
Again, she waited.
But nothing came.
Shin sighed between her distress. "I-I know you aren't all bad, Seija. That's all I'm trying to say."
Everything went dull once more.
"I love you, Seija."
A strained grunt, followed by a barely-heard response.
"I l-love you too, Shinmyoumaru."
The inchling's now-quieted sobs rung between the area for a long while after. When the rain finally stopped, she was asleep, still laying on the now-cooling chest of the girl she'd loved for so long.
She never ended up speaking to anyone about what happened that night, and the next time she went back, the body was gone.
She knew that amanojaku would never listen to a petty rule that said she couldn't love.
