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Hakuji knows they met in previous lives.
It’s just a feeling of deja vu when he meets Kyojuro
They first meet on a train, when his headphones die and his music blares at full volume before Hakuji scrambles to turn it off.
“Hey.” He turns his head to meet warm eyes and a wide smile. The stranger holds up his phone to show the same song. Numbers exchanged because this new person sets like a familiar fire in his heart.
It is like fate from there to Hakuji.
Dates at cafes and bookstores, walks in the park while the cherry blossom trees were in bloom and movie marathons always felt cheesy to him, like something that only happened in those stupid romance movies. But they somehow felt real with Kyojuro.
His touches were like warmth against skin he never knew was ice cold and his poorly dyed hair somehow always looked well despite it always being the same colors of red and yellow.
He tells him about dreams of a past life.
About living a tragic life before becoming a demon, a monster who ate flesh to survive and served the king of them all.
“You were called a demon slayer. There was a train...and..and others. Other demons, other slayers.” Hakuji recounts as his head lays on his boyfriends lap. He smells like campfire and sandalwood.
“Really?” Kyojuro chuckles, his voice sounding understanding as ever.
“I killed you Kyojuro. I wanted you to become a monster with me, and fight and be with me forever and ever. You refused of course.” Even if he’s wrong about this, there’s still a pit of guilt in his stomach talking about it.
“Well we’re here now. And we are happy.” He’s smiling that stupid big smile that Hakuji loves.
He had to somehow know that it was too good to last forever.
“Everyone at my workplace was talking about that new disease. They’re calling it the Ubuyashiki disease.” Kyojuro tells him while they do their laundry.
“Really? I don’t think it could come to our region, right? We are considered hygienic for this part of the area.”
“I don’t think so. I heard it can be very contagious, but we’ll just have to go out a little less often!” Hakuji loves his smile, like nothing is ever wrong.
Kyojuro is sick.
He’s seen the symptoms by now. It’s all over the news.
The doctors and health officials advise people to not come to a hospital. There’s nothing they can do with the current medical care.
“Hakuji...you can’t be here. You’ll get sick.” Kyojuro coughs out. He looks fragile, as if the slightest touch would send him shattering to pieces.
“I don’t care! I don’t care if I get sick and die alongside with you! I don’t care if I cough till I can’t breath, or if I become weak and die! You’re dying Kyojuro and I need to be with you!” His throat feels clogged and he can’t stop the salty tears from falling onto the blanket of the bed.
“You have to recover. I can’t wait for another lifetime where I might not see you again. I don’t care if there even isn’t another lifetime to come. I need you!”
Kyojuro smiles weakly. Where’s the smile Hakuji loved so much? Is it never to return?
He kisses him. He can’t stop himself and he could care less if he falls ill as well.
His lips are warm like every part of him and he tastes like fire itself if he could somehow eat it.
Kyojuro and his stupid bright hair.
Kyojuro and his loud mannerisms.
Kyojuro and his warm touch.
His Kyojuro.
His Kyojuro dies four days later.
Hakuji is at his side, reading one of their favorite books to him when Kyojuro grips his shoulder.
Hakuji hold his hand when he passes.
He curses the universe for creating such a disease, he curses fate for making his lover ill, he curses himself most of all for not keeping him in their worn down apartment and letting the virus run through without ever touching them.
He weeps. He lashes out at no one. He goes to a funeral with a family he met only a few times.
Hakuji feels his lungs start to go a week after his boyfriend passes. He feels weak and only eats when he has an ounce of strength.
There’s no one there to hold his hand for him as his heart slows, but he swears he can smell campfire and sandalwood.