Chapter Text
If she pays enough attention, Kanao can hear crickets. It's summer, but the sweat at the back of her neck is cold.
The sun hasn't risen yet. Kanao lay in her bed, trying to process the dream she just had.
It's been a while since she dreamt of any of her siblings. She tries not to think about them. They didn't have names. She didn't have a name. The body she was holding so long ago didn't have a name. They were just children of their parents. Brats who can be a bit useful if they return with a dead bird or stolen money in tow.
Kanae and Shinobu had given her a name.
Kanao.
...
Kanao could hear muted chatter in the other room, the main one. It was a contrast to the stillness and quietness of her room. She could make out Shinobu's frantic worrying, some shouts and grunts that belonged to a man. The voice sounded familiar. Kanao also heard a third voice, one gentle and trying to appease the other two. Kanae.
Kanae was back.
For some unknown reason, Kanao felt a knot loosen in her chest.
She sat up and stayed like that for a little while, staring at nothing in particular, unmoving. She then scrambled frantically for the coin underneath her pillow. The room was much too dark, but Kanao's eyes were good. Finally, she spotted the gold coin resting on the futon. She grabbed it and looked at it for a while.
It was a bit dull from all the times kanao had used it or squeazed it tightly in her little fist. It wasn't too big, almost the.size of her palm.
The chatter in the other room continued, but it seemed they were trying to be quiet in case they woke anyone up. Kanao looked at the coin again, now ready to throw it.
She flipped it in the air. 𝘛𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴, 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘦. 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭. It turned in the air a bit before landing on the back of Kanao's hand. She covered it with her other hand. Her eyes were staring in anticipation.
She removed her hand. Tails.
Kanao let out a sigh of relief. 𝘞𝘩𝘺? It's not like she cares about the results. The coin was there to help her make decisions she didn't care about.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘒𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘦.
Kanao got up then, not bothering to fold the blankets. She breathed in, then slid open the door.
The halls were empty. As she walked forward, the chatter was getting louder. Finally, she stopped. She turned to the door and stared at it. Slowly she moved her hand to slide it.
-
"All I'm saying is if you were injuried, you should've taken care of it first! Stayed at an inn or somewhere!"
"That's what I was saying, but she wouldn't listen!"
"It's not that bad! It'll heal up quickly."
"That's not the-! Kanao!?"
The three people talking turned their heads to the door.
And there she was, standing at the door, clenching a coin.
Shinobu spoke first; "Ka- What are you doing here?? You're supposed to be asleep! Were we too-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Kanao walked forward and hugged Kanae by the knees. She buried her face in Kanae's clothes.
"Oh-!" Kanae exclaimed in surprise, before gently smiling and picking up the little girl.
"You've gotten heavier. That means you've been eating well, I take it?"
"She's heavier because your arm is broken!" Shinobu yelled. "Put her down!"
The third person, Sanemi, did nothing but stare at the scene. "Seriously, Kochou, you should fix that arm as soon as possible."
"I'm a doctor, I know that! Don't ruin the fun now. I'm sure Kanao's missed me." Kanae said as she sat down and kissed the crane of Kanao's haid.
-
Kanao felt warm. She was comfortable here sitting in Kanae's lap, pressing her head against the warm haori. It was nice. She wasn't cold anymore.
"Kanaooo~ Did Shinobu take care of you? Did she feed you and Aoi well? How did you spend your days?" Kanae talked and talked as Shinobu went to fetch the medical kit for Kanae's arm. Eventually as Shinobu started wrapping, she stopped talking and started humming instead. The room had gone quiet now, the sound of crickets and Kanae's humming filling the silence.
It was so warm.
Kanao doesn't remember how long she stayed like that sitting in Kanae's lap while Shinobu rummed through the medical kit. Sanemi left at some point too, telling Kanae to take care and not to strain her arm too much.
As she closed her eyes, Kanao could hear the first chirp of a bird.
