Chapter 8

When Tomoe awoke, he was back with Mizuki.

"I…" Tomoe started, covering his face "I can't believe I missed all of this."

"Nanami's strong," Mizuki nodded "But sometimes she thinks she's stronger than she actually is."

"This is all my fault." Tomoe replied "If I hadn't… if we hadn't… It's my fault."

"Yeah, it is a bit." Mizuki nodded with a smirk on his face. Tomoe glared at him. Mizuki let out a light laugh, which turned sour at the end.

"She won't admit it." The snake started "But Nanami is dying."

Tomoe's look turned to one of fear.

"I knew it." He said, his voice small "I knew it."

"However." Mizuki continued "There is a way we can make her better."

"How?" Tomoe asked. Mizuki raised his eyebrows at him, and Tomoe's heart leaped in his chest. "You mean like that?" He asked. Mizuki nodded.

"Make her immortal," he spoke, "And she will live forever."

"But I can't do that to her," Tomoe hung his head "She'll be forced to watch her friends, and even our daughter grow old and then eventually die. Everyone and everything she knows and loves will crumble away from her, and there will be nothing she or I can do about it."

Mizuki laid his hand on Tomoe's shoulder. Tomoe looked up.

"Talk to her." Mizuki told him. "Give her the choice. She might not want to watch Naoko die, but she might want to watch her grow up."

Tomoe nodded, and got up to go and get Nanami. He found her in the living area.

"Tomoe." Nanami smiled when she looked up and saw the fox stood there at the door. She got to her feet and walked to him, and Tomoe drew her into a hug.

"Hey." Tomoe kissed her gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Nanami relied with a little laugh "What about you?"

"I need to ask you something." Tomoe said, his tone serious. Nanami picked up on it, and her face fell.

"Yes?"

"You… you're dying, aren't you?" Tomoe looked into Nanami's eyes, which promptly filled up with tears.

"Don't tell Naoko." She said, her tears breaking free and running down her face "I don't know what I'll do if she knows I'm dying."

Tomoe hugged Nanami closer to him, letting her cry into his shoulder. He was happy to lend his shoulder to her, and angry at himself that he had let Nanami, his Nanami get to this point. He was angry that he had left her alone to shoulder this burden, yet he was also happy that he had been able to take half that burden off her shoulders.

"Nanami." Tomoe whispered into her hair, stroking her back softly "It's okay."

"It's not okay." Nanami replied "I should be stronger than this. Strong enough to fight this. But I'm not."

"Hey, hey, shh," Tomoe continued to hold her "There is a way. It's not ideal, but there is a way."

"A way?" Nanami said, looking up at Tomoe "There's a way? I'll do it. Whatever it takes. As long as I can stay with Naoko."

"Immortality." Tomoe said, his voice quiet. Nanami closed her eyes, and breathed out.

"Fine." She said, her voice small "Immortality. That's fine."

"Are you sure?" Tomoe searched Nanami's face "There are so many downsides to it. So many things that you could regret later. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." Nanami nodded again "I know. But then you're immortal, aren't you? We can stay together, forever."

"But about Naoko, our daughter-"

"I have a feeling that she is like you, an immortal." Nanami looked into his eyes. "She seems to be growing slower and slower, and I feel that soon she will stop. Maybe, since she is half human and half youkai, she will end up being immortal like you."

"And what about your friends, how will you feel watching them grow old?" Tomoe took Nanami's hands in his. He didn't want to put her off the idea of immortality, but he didn't want her to regret it later either.

"They've all moved away," Nanami said sadly "I haven't spoken to any of them in so long now. Any that stayed, I didn't have time to keep it up."

"Oh," Tomoe squeezed her hands "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She smiled up at him "It's my fault anyway. I should've kept in touch with them."

Tomoe sat with Nanami and watched her read.

"You'll have to tell her." Tomoe said, referring to Naoko "It would be cruel not to."

"Then we'll tell her when she gets home." Nanami said.

"And then, tomorrow we can sort out making you immortal." Tomoe added, hugging Nanami.

"Yeah." Nanami replied.