Chapter Text
The Genbu Ravine.
Yachiyo couldn't forget the location she had died, cruelly pushed to her death because of Shinki's pernicious wrongdoings.
It chilled her as she looked over the edge, the wind rustling her hair.
For months she had been tormented.
The guilt of killing someone in self-defence used against her so callously.
Yachiyo's mind steadied when she felt secure arms around her waist, relaxing instantly as she placed her arms above them.
"We can head back now, Yachiyo. Even coming this far speaks volumes".
Shizuha's soothing tone quelled the apprehension in Yachiyo's mind as she felt Shizuha's cheek against her own.
"I thought I could finally confront it".
"You have, darling. Just by being here".
It was true, they were close to the edge.
If she peered over, she would see the stream rushing by and maybe she feared she would see her own body laying there.
There was no need to go any further, to go down a route she didn't need to.
Yachiyo exhaled as Shizuha kissed her cheek, "I tried to fight it, Shizuha. All I kept thinking about was how I would never get to see you or the others again and it made me resist her voice".
Shinki's voice.
"But I..couldn't win".
Shizuha turned Yachiyo around in her arms and kept her hands around Yachiyo's waist, her pink dress light to the touch as her own ruffled with the wind too.
She smiled, "You did win. Yachiyo, you fought it off for so long to stay with me and we are here, together".
"I can't lose you again" Yachiyo said, voice shaky, "What if something else happens?".
"It won't" Shizuha reassured firmly, a hand going to Yachiyo's upper back, "I will never let anything take you away from me again. I lost everything when I lost you".
"You did something as ridiculous as returning to our world" Yachiyo said incredulously, "And it cost you your life".
"One that wasn't quite worth living without you".
Yachiyo's arms remained behind Shizuha's shoulders, the taller woman dipping down to kiss her.
They sunk into the sensation of each other as Shizuha's statement lingered and Yachiyo felt like she couldn't breath, holding onto Shizuha.
Looking up into those eyes, Yachiyo saw the extent of Shizuha's words and she couldn't help but smile.
And move, her hands resting on Shizuha's shoulders as the taller woman knew what Yachiyo wanted to do.
They started swaying, both chuckling as the familiar footwork of past dances returned to them, the two in synch whilst the cliff served as their dancefloor.
"That night..we danced like this, didn't we?" Yachiyo hummed.
When Yachiyo was fighting her demons but always found solace in Shizuha's arms.
"We did".
Before the event Yukari had planned, they snuck away to enjoy the exquisite scenery whilst adjusting to their new life.
And now, they had the chance again as they looked at each other lovingly, encompassed in a land which gave them so much.
The two ghosts danced together under a thousand stars which glimmered like the wings of butterflies.