Could I have Kinoshita, an oni, fall in love with Tanizaki, the priest sent to destroy him. Tanizaki is conflicted between his job and his own feelings. You can decide what choice he makes.
My secret favorite trope is the onmyouji who can't exorcise the oni, so they just seal the oni away for years until their reincarnation has to deal with the oni, ha ha ha. -Admin Hirahara
"Welcome back." Tanizaki grimaced when he heard the ever familiar voice of a man sitting atop a shrine altar. Before the priest sat a man wearing a black kariginu who's face was covered by a mask with green eyes and two horns at the top. His relaxed posture signaled that he felt in no danger, leaning forward with his hand on his chin while fanning himself with a golden sensu. Even if Tanizaki couldn't see the expression this man was making, he knew this man was grinning by the tone of his voice.
Tanizaki didn't say anything, only holding out a wrapped package in front of him. When there was no movement to take the package, Tanizaki shook it a little, as if making it enticing.
"You know I'm not an inugami, right?" the masked man chuckled, not moving from his post. "Isn't it rather rude of you to make me fetch?"
"I think it's more rude you have me running errands for you," Tanizaki quipped. The man before Tanizaki clapped and laughed, as if the whole thing was a joke, but he did step down from the altar to take the package.
"That's your own fault," he made sure to lean close and whisper in Tanizaki's ear. "You never exorcised me."
The truth was that this man was an oni, a powerful one that lived off the land for centuries. The people of the village used to offer wine to appease him in the past, and in return - supposedly - he kept the soil fresh. Humans, due to time, eventually stopped believing in this superstition. Only by properly nourishing the land would they be able to sustain the land themselves, they thought. So what was the point of the offerings?
Hence, why they hired a priest to take care of the oni, exorcise him before he could realize that humans stopped worshiping him. At least, that was the plan.
Tanizaki's first meeting with the oni went rather horribly. He picked a fight right away, believing that his skills as a priest would be enough to exorcise the oni. But he underestimated a creature that had lived such a long life. The oni, during the first battle, easily overpowered Tanizaki with brute strength. The oni had Tanizaki pinned to the ground, claw at his neck, before he suddenly gave up the fight.
Come back when you're stronger, then we can have a proper fight. That's what the oni said before letting Tanizaki go. The experience was utterly humiliating, and Tanizaki refused to back off, so they ended up fighting until Tanizaki was covered in injuries while the oni came out perfectly unscratched. Tanizaki passed out from blood loss, only to wake up again with his head resting on the oni's lap.
At the time, Tanizaki felt like the oni was just playing with him. Why even look after someone who was sent to exorcise you? The way the oni made a joke out of everything or didn't take anything as a serious threat made Tanizaki realize the power different between them. It would have been too humiliating to return to the village like this, so Tanizaki thought it would have been better to have been killed.
But I like you, the oni had said when Tanizaki said he was better of dead than to know this defeat. How about... if you continue serving under me for a while, I can show you how to get stronger. Just keep trying to exorcise me when you can and I'm sure you'll get better at it. That's how it played out to the current situation, where Tanizaki was basically an errand boy for the oni.
The oni always had a nonchalant attitude no matter what Tanizaki did, which only frustrated the priest more. He wasn't strong enough to defeat the oni, and there was no way for him to get stronger if all he did every day was run up and down the mountain with wine. Even sneak attacks were pretty much useless to the very well guarded oni.
"Eventually, the villagers are going to ask someone else to come and exorcise you," Tanizaki finally responded with a huff. That only made the oni laugh more.
"Well then, that means you better get on it and exorcise me soon, Mr. Priest." The oni unwrapped the package and produced a bottle of wine, one which he seemed very excited about. He eagerly went to grab two wine cups, opening the bottle and pouring one for Tanizaki. The oni lifted his mask slightly so he could take a sip of the wine. Again, the nonchalant attitude frustrated the priest. He was even going as far as sharing a drink with his enemy.
Still, Tanizaki was someone with principle. If someone was going to share something with him in comradery, he felt obliged to take it. So even though Tanizaki felt unsatisfied, he sat with the oni and took the cup, sharing the wine. The two drank in silence, though the oni occasionally let out an unprompted laugh.
Tanizaki just couldn't understand this creature at all. To be honest, he was having trouble understanding himself ever since he came here. It was his job to exorcise this oni, yet he still wasted time drinking with him. He was sure if he really tried hard enough, he'd find some kind of angle to defeat the oni. After all, this creature left itself open whenever Tanizaki was around, yet Tanizaki never really took the opportunity to be underhanded. It was all rather confusing.
The oni finished the bottle of wine rather easily, letting out a satisfied sigh. Tanizaki, finishing his own drink, slowly put the cup down. It was time to move onto their next daily ritual. Without warning, Tanizaki ran at the oni, pulling out a talisman to throw at the creature's face. The oni easily dodged, standing immediately and grabbing the talisman. It burned up at his touch, but that was pretty typical, as Tanizaki came to learn.
Tanizaki continued forward, this time aiming his talisman towards the oni's arm. As soon as it made contact, the talisman became restraints, locking the oni's arm in place. Tanizaki's next move was to deliver a punch to the oni's gut.
Except the oni was just one more faster and threw a kick in Tanizaki's direction, throwing up dirt as he did. It blinded Tanizaki, who immediately closed his eyes. He felt himself get kneed in the chin, almost bursting his teeth. It knocked his brain around in his head and he fell backwards, stunned.
"The talisman was good thinking, but I never understand why you try so hard to punch me," the oni laughed, his voice looming over Tanizaki. Tanizaki clicked his tongue, realizing he'd already lost this battle before it even started. He didn't want to look at the oni at all. "If you did something more underhanded, I bet I'd be caught off guard." Tanizaki didn't say anything, only staying on the ground.
When he was sure the oni went away, he finally got up and dusted himself off. He spat some blood in his mouth out, rubbing his chin to make sure it wasn't dislocated. The oni already returned to the shrine, where it would stay for the rest of the night. If Tanizaki really wanted to, he could probably try a sneak attack now, while it was resting.
But Tanizaki didn't have a heart to do it. Instead, he returned down to the village in defeat, planning to try again tomorrow. He hung his head, looking down at his feet as he walked. His steps echoed as the moon rose, stretching the shadow of the shrine behind him.
"Oh, Tanizaki, so you're alive." The sudden voice from nowhere threw the priest off, and he quickly looked up to see someone else dressed in similar attire. He knew that figure well.
"Saitou," Tanizaki mumbled, recognizing his superior from the same branch.
"You've been gone for so long on one mission without reporting back, Rokkaku thought you were dead." Saitou slowly began his slow walk towards Tanizaki. "If you're still here, then I suppose that means the oni is still alive." Tanizaki didn't want to meet Saitou's eyes, but he had to tell the truth. He gave a nod.
"He's... tough," was the only retort Tanizaki could give.
"To be honest, it's no surprise," Saitou nodded in agreement. "This oni has lived for centuries, so he's probably used to humans opposing him. Here." Saitou pressed something to Tanizaki's chest - a vile with a clear liquid. "Our researcher, Matsumoto, made this. It should help with exorcising oni more easily. It's a mixture that's poisonous to creatures like him." Saitou gestured up the shrine, where Tanizaki came from.
"Poison..." Tanizaki repeated, taking the vile into his hand. He understood the need to create something like this, but he felt troubled about using it. It seemed... underhanded. Tanizaki wasn't sure about it at all. His hesitation was not unnoticed by Saitou.
"Listen,â Saitou muttered, as if speaking any louder would let eavesdroppers hear them. âOni are tricky creatures. Itâs not our job to understand them or assist them. Itâs our job to exorcise them. And if you canât do it, then Iâll do it. And Iâll have to report back to Rokkaku everything that Iâve observed.â Although he spoke softly, Tanizaki knew that Saitou meant it in a threatening way.
He just couldnât let Rokkaku down like this. Even if the oni never seemed like that bad of a guy. Even if ultimately the betrayal was those humans who didnât want to give offerings anymore. Even if Tanizakiâs feelings towards the oni changed. He was still a priest, and he had a job to do.
âYouâre late today,â the oni said playfully when Tanizaki arrived at the shrine. Tanizaki didnât say anything at all, only holding out the wrapped package in front of him. âYou know, weâve been over this before. Itâs rude not to bring me the package directly.â
Tanizaki didnât respond or move at all. The oni, not swayed by Tanizakiâs sudden coldness, hopped off the altar to take the package. âNo quip today?â Tanizaki remained silent, looking away. The oni didnât seem all that confused by the behavior, and simply chuckled. âOkay, I see. Youâre in a bad mood today because I almost knocked your teeth out yesterday, right? Iâm sorry about that.â
As usual, the oni went to grab two wine cups, handing Tanizaki one. Although hesitant, Tanizaki took the cup in his hand. The oni poured the wine from the package, then lifted his mask to reveal his mouth.
âHey,â Tanizaki interrupted, just as the oni was bringing the cup to his lips. âWhy have you been so nice to me, even though Iâm your enemy? You could have easily killed me on the first day, and you could have left me to die instead of treating my injuries.â
"Who knows,â the oni shrugged. âMaybe I like you.â Tanizaki didnât respond to that. Deep down, he had a feeling that was the case. He just never wanted to admit it to himself. The oni, seeing that Tanizaki had nothing else to say, drank down the cup of wine.
However, the moment the oni swallowed, he felt a sharp pain in his throat and newly threw the wine back up. Something was suddenly suffocating him, and he felt like his insides were twisting. He broke out in a sweat, ripping off his mask as if it was preventing him from breathing. The oniâs green eyes locked with Tanizakiâs purple ones. Tanizakiâs expression didnât change at all.
So the wine was spiked with something⌠the oni thought. He couldnât help but laugh in this situation. It was bound to happen, eventually. A priest and an oni could never truly be friends, even if the oni had done his best to be welcoming.
âSeeâŚâ the oni mumbled, smiling at Tanizaki with the last of his strength. âI knew you could do it if you triedâŚâ