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Being undead was terribly lonely. It had only been a week, and already Korekiyo was missing people. What was the point of being alive, if they couldn't study their beloved humanity? No anthropologist worth their salt would attempt to do their work only through books and artifacts.
There didn't seem to be any other options for them anymore, though, no matter how they looked at it. The bandages and the mask, things they'd worn previously regardless and as such were already used to, covered up the worst of it, admittedly. But there was still something decidedly wrong about them, and unfortunately it wasn't something they could cover up. When they walked down the street, people stared. No one would get close to them.
On the bright side, they no longer required sustenance, which reduced the complications risen by their current condition quite a bit. They wished they could have a cup of tea while they read, but they'd learned the hard way that food and drink did not agree with them anymore.
But it did mean that they were left to wander in the shadows on the fringes of their former life, never quite getting close enough to anyone to observe or be observed.
Their office, at least, was one place where they could still spend time. They found themself there more and more, poring over notes and textbooks. Trying to fill the void. Visitors had never come looking for them before, and so they felt safe losing themself in their work, much like they were doing today. They were intensely focused, reading a fourth century prayer, and didn't notice footsteps approaching their door, or the sound of their door slowly creaking open.
Really, with how careful they'd been, they should have expected this.
"Kiyo?" A very familiar, shaking voice was what finally drew their attention away from their studies. Had their heart still been beating, it might have stopped at the look on her face, a heartbreaking mixture of hope and fear framed by scarlet locks of hair.
"Ah. Himiko." They stood, unsure whether to reach out to her. "I—"
The decision was made for them when she backed away, trembling like a leaf. "S-stay back. Don't make me use m-magic on you!"
They froze, one hand on their desk, and though they felt a tightness in their chest, their voice remained calm and even. They'd missed her the most out of everyone. "Of course. I wouldn't want that. What are you doing here?"
"…What am I d-doing here?" She still looked terrified, but she stepped inside, shutting the door behind herself. "You died… I wanted… I m-missed you so much. What are y-you doing h-here?"
"I have been asking myself the same question," they admitted, their voice careful. "I simply woke up."
Himiko stared at them through half lidded eyes. She looked even more tired than usual, even in the midst of this encounter. Kiyo wanted to pull her into their arms, ask her if she'd been eating, take her home to take care of her… But the look on her face was exactly why they hadn't, why they'd been hiding out here and in an empty house instead. Poor accommodations compared to what they were used to, but they had to make do.
"What h-happened?" Himiko demanded. "You d-didn't tell me you were going out. You didn't c-come home."
It was rare to see her this angry. Kiyo wasn't sure they ever had. "I had to run an errand," they said carefully, hoping she would understand what they meant. "It was better for you to not know."
Understanding dawned on her face, and then faded into a sullen pout. "…You s-still should have t-told me. I w-was so scared. W-when did you w-wake up?"
They took a deep breath they didn't need, pure habit and an attempt to gather their thoughts, and then said, "a week ago today. I would have come home but…" They trailed off, spreading their arms. They watched as Himiko's eyes moved over them, taking in every inch of their appearance. How it was ever so slightly off, in an almost imperceptible way. "I was hoping to spare you," they finished.
Her response was as unexpected as her anger had been before.
"A week ago? It worked then! Wait— how do I know you're really Kiyo? Oh. Never mind… You already proved it. You went out for Her." Slowly, taking one halting step toward them, and then another, she started around their desk. After the fourth step, she stopped and looked up at them again, sulking. "You should have come home."
"As I said, I was hoping to spare you the fright. I am sorry if I misjudged." Hesitantly, they reached for her, afraid that she might flinch away and look at them with the same disgust they'd seen on strangers' faces. "Forgive me changing the subject, but what do you mean, it worked, Himiko?"
They shouldn't have worried. The moment their hand was outstretched, she flung herself at them, forcing them to catch her and hold her close to their chest. "My magic! It worked! I cast a spell a week ago… It was such a pain… But it worked, because I'm a legendary mage!"
"I should have known it would be your magic that brought me back." They hugged her gladly, feeling tension drain from their body. Having that mystery solved made things quite a bit less concerning. "Who else could it have been but my beloved Himiko?"
"Now you have to come home…" she scolded, burying her face in their chest. She seemed determined to not let go, which suited them just fine. "I don't like being alone… And Ryu misses you too. You're not allowed to leave us ever again."
Going home with their girlfriend to cuddle their cat did sound wonderful… Maybe it was time to get another cat, to make it up to Himiko and Ryu both. "What about for work?" they asked, hoping to lighten the mood, but Himiko tightened her arms around their waist.
"Never, ever again."