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Thousand-year Curse (1x1 w/DarkMudkip)

Sasuke's eyes became sad, beyond that even, he looked how Yukimura felt. He turned slightly, as if allowing Yukimura to come forward. When Yukimura reached to stand beside the Shard, he was met with Amaya still clutching tightly on to Akihime's body. The hole in her lower torso was grotesque; bits of ribs and spine could be seen, her lungs ripped apart as sinew dangled from the tear. Sasuke refused to speak, knowing that if he did, he would just end up sobbing again. But he could feel Yukimura's rage ans despair, it radiated off him in waves.
 
Akihime’s body was growing cold already, and Amaya sat on the ground holding her carefully, only glancing at Yukimura as he stopped beside Sasuke.
“What good are you..?” His voice came low, eyes staring at Akihime’s mangled body. “What goods a god if he can’t even save one person?” He didn’t look at Sasuke as he spoke, only moved forward to stand before Amaya. “Give me her body.”
 
"I did my best." Sasuke stated, voice tight as he fought fresh tears, but he couldn't speak anymore to defend himself or Amaya. He did do his best, and he wasn't fast enough and he failed, "Do as he says, Amaya."
 
Amaya looked up at Yukimura, eyes red and puffy, staring numbly at him. “Why?” She asked coldly. “We can take care of her just fine.”
“I’m not going to ask twice- give me her body.”
 
"Amaya," Sasuke's eyes were pleading, "just do it..." He didn't want to pick a brand new fight with anyone, especially Yukimura of all people. He moved over and walked passed her to an object on the ground and picked it up; Yukimura immediately recognizing it as Akihime's phone. It was flipped open, the screen cracked, but Sasuke could still see what she was doing before her final moments. It was the text she was going to send to Yukimura and his eyes burned as he read it over.
"Date followed me to the temple. Please, stay at the school, I don't want to see you hurt again. I'll be back soon, and we can get dango! I'll message you again whe" it ended there, Akihime unable to finish her message before they were attacked. Sasuke looked to Yukimura, jaw clenched, before holding the phone out to him.
 
Yukimura tore his eyes away from Amaya to look at the phone with a small frown, moving forward and taking the phone. He read the message before carefully closing the phone and putting it in his pocket. He took his jacket off and moved over to Amaya again, who reluctantly handed over Akihime’s body. Yukimura wrapped her body in his jacket so her battered body wouldn’t fall apart when he moved it. Without another word he left with Akihime’s body, holding it carefully against his chest.
 
Sasuke moved to Amaya and sat with her, his expression flat despite the tears he had been fighting.
"I'm sorry," he choked weakly, "you don't have to forgive me. But please know I'm sorry. I never, ever wanted that for her, for you. You would think after so long, seeing a dead human wouldn't bother me so much...b-but...but Aki," he inhaled sharply, "she didn't deserve that, and I should have tried harder. I should have died...not her..."

Akihime peeked out from behind the torii pillar at the bottom of the stairs, her unseen eyes watching Yukimura as he made the slow trek down. What was he carrying? It looked familiar to her, even from this distance. It made her anxious trying to figure it out.
Akihime's body was already ice cold, her blood soaking his jacket heavily. Her eyes had been closed, her expression gentle, like she was only sleeping.
 
“Don’t say shit like that.” Amaya sat on the ground, covered in blood and staring at her hands. “Don’t ever say that again.” Her voice wavered as she scolded him.

Yukimura had covered the body’s face, not wanting Akihime to see her own body- he didn’t know how it would affect her. “Akihime.” He called out to her, spotting her and relaxing slightly. “We’re leaving.”
 
His head dropped and he shut his eyes to try and stop crying. How pathetic he was, showing weakness like this.
"Yeah... sorry..." He muttered.

She came out from behind the pillar, her okobo clicking gently against the stone, smiling when he addressed her, "Hai! Where are we going?"
 
He felt Amaya lean against him. “If you’re gone… then I’ll be all alone..” She said softly.

“Back to the school.” He said. “We need to prepare y-” He hesitated. “We need to take care of this body.”
 
He put his arm around her gently, "You're right...what would you do with me, huh...?"

Akihime stared at it quietly for an unbearably long time before she nodded, "Hai..." She muttered.
 
Yukimura made sure the covering stayed over her face as he carried the body back to the car, carefully loading the corpse into the back seat and covering it with a blanket. He cleaned the blood off his hands the best he could before getting back into the car to drive them back to the school.
 
Akihime couldn't stop staring at her body from over the seat, her energy fluctuating the longer she stared. When they reached the school, she reached and grabbed his hand gently.
"Yuki...I'm scared..." She said, "Can I hide for a while...? Until I'm not scared anymore...?"
 
Yukimura frowned, the feeling of flesh was odd, it was like she wasn’t even actually dead. “Hide?” That would actually be for the best, bringing a curse into the school with him would do no good. “Y-Yeah..” He nodded. “Stay hidden and don’t come out unless I call for you, no matter what.” He said firmly.
 
She nodded, smiling gently, "I won't, I promise. Thank you, Yuki." She agreed before she disappeared. It took him a moment to collect himself before he pulled her body from the back, carrying it carefully through the grounds on autopilot.
"Where is she?! Where is my sister?!" Mitsunari's voice was tight and strained, echoing through the halls as he yelled.
"We're looking, Mitsunari, please calm down." Shingen told him calmly.
 
Yukimura didn’t call out to Mitsunari, didn’t try to find him or Shingen, only took her body to the infirmary so he could carefully place her body in one of the beds. He didn’t know what else to do, carefully cleaning the blood from her face and brushing her hair smooth with his fingers.
 
"Sanada!! Have you seen Aki-?!" Mitsunari froze when he came in, eyes wide in horror, "I-It...It's true..." He moved over numbly, standing across from Yukimura at Akihime's other side. His hand shook as he reached to touch her cheek, and when he felt the lack of warmth in her skin he let out a pained wail. Shingen stood at the door, expression hard as he looked upon the scene.
 
“It was Date.” Yukimura said numbly, staring at Akihime’s pale face and sunken eyes. “She told me to stay here, and went to the temple alone. Date destroyed the temple and killed her.” He said quietly.
 
"And you didn't hunt him down?" Mitsunari growled, "You didn't gut him like the coward he is? Why didn't you go with her?!"
"Mitsunari..." Shingen said, moving into the room. But Mitsunari was glaring hate at Yukimura, hands shaking.
"What good are you, with your restriction, if you can't even protect people you care about?"
"Mitsunari!" Shingen snapped, "Enough!"
 
“Getting her body back was more important..” He said simply. “Date won’t be going anywhere… And I know where to find him..” He didn’t even look at Mitsunari, not seeming at all bothered by his yelling and insults.
 
"I will be taking her body to be entombed with the rest of the Otani family. With our father." Mitsunari said, not allowing any room for argument as he moved to pick Akihime up.
 
Yukimura didn’t object, didn’t try to stop Mitsunari- Akihime deserved a proper burial. He had failed to protect her in life, who was he to try and protect her corpse in death? She’d be better off with her family, and he’d be left to deal with the curse she left behind.
 
"Yukimura..." Shingen moved over, placing his hand on the young man's shoulder, "Thank you for bringing her home. It's not your fault, I know that look well. Just honor her and remember her for who she was."
 
Yukimura did something completely unlike himself, smacking Shingen’s hand off his shoulder, an angry scowl twisting his face. “What does something like that even matter?” He said lowly, turning to leave the infirmary.
 
Shingen was taken aback, watching his former student leave, but didn't do anything to scold him. Yukimura was grieving, he was bound to be destroyed by Akihime's loss.
When Yukimura left the school grounds, Akihime reappeared beside him. "Why did you do that, Yuki...?" She asked gently.
 
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