Characters © ZUN

An Eternity With You

"What is it like, knowing you'll live forever?"

Mokou pauses, glancing up from her meal to look at Keine.

"That came from nowhere," the white-haired girl comments, setting her bowl of rice down on the table. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah… curiosity, I suppose," Keine shrugs, also stopping eating. "It's one thing to see all of history at once, but it's another to know you're going to live through all of it. I just wanted to know what that's like, if you don't mind my asking."

Mokou sighs, pushing her bowl away from her and drawing a knee close to her chest.

"It's… not what I thought it would be," she admits, staring off into space. "I didn't realize what it'd be like when I first drank the elixir, but… I've seen a lot of things. Probably too many things. I've watched people I've known grow old and die. I remember when the Fujiwara family forgot about their ancestor's illegitimate daughter. I've had 'friends' realize how different I was from them and become my enemies. I've lost the will to live, and had to keep on living anyways… alone. If there ever was a definition for hell, those times were it…"

For a few long moments, they're both silent.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you remember that," Keine finally murmurs, eyes cast down.

"It's not your fault," Mokou waves her hand, dismissing her friend's comment. "I mean, I'm sure you know my history, but you didn't… well, know what it meant to me. I don't blame you for asking about it."

"But still… eternal life — it sounds so… lonely," Keine sighs, picking up her chopsticks again.

"Well, it can be," the immortal girl admits, also taking her bowl back and resuming her meal. "It usually is. But it isn't all bad. I've seen some amazing things. A lot of amazing things. And I've met some good people that, had I stayed mortal, I never would have met. I don't see any reason to regret that."

"Still, it's still hardly the wonderful thing everyone looking for immortality says it will be," the were-hakutaku mutters, a slightly distressed look on her face.

Mokou bites her lip.

"Well, it… It wouldn't be so bad if there was someone that… that I could share it with."

Keine looks up just in time to see Mokou trying to hide her blushing face by wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her half-empty bowl rattling as she drops it on the table.

"What—?"

"I—I'm just saying, it's true!" the white-haired girl continues hastily, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head as she looks down. "I mean, seeing wonderful things is all well and good, but… you know, there's — there's something to be said for… for sharing the experiences with someone close to you, you… you know…?"

The more she talks, the redder her face becomes; Mokou slowly trails off, unable to look Keine in the eye.

"…A-Anyways, I'm just saying… no, never mind," she mutters, quickly picking her bowl up and eating again. "Forget it. Don't mind me…"

Keine starts to speak, but then stops, only nodding slowly as she continues her meal as well.

Mokou feels the sinking feeling of regret in her stomach for the rest of the meal.

(Originally part of an idea for a oneshot, I decided that I wanted to scrap the original format and instead am making it a series of generally short chapters.

Please review!)