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Water the crops, feed the chickens, grab the eggs, wake Grey up. Water the crops, feed the chickens, grab the eggs, wake Grey up.
It had been Fujin's morning routine for the entirety of the summer. He always made sure to water the crops first so he couldn't forget. His mind wasn't the sharpest anymore. The chickens were always hungry so the reminder to feed them was always quite the vocal one.
"Alright, alright." He said as he opened the chicken coop and let the flightless birds roam free into the closed-off area. Grey had constructed it himself, with some scrap metal and leftover wood from the coop, he wasn't very fond of having to fish out a chicken from their crops every five seconds.
"Quiet now." He sushed the chickens as he started to spread their food over the grass, watching them eagerly pick it up. He made his way over to the coop after safely putting away the bag of food. Grabbing a small basket and looking for any eggs.
One, two, three. There didn't seem to be that many today. He shrugged with slight disappointment as he walked out again into the fresh air. The sun was slowly starting to show herself from behind the trees and it beautifully illuminated the grass, the cottage, hell even the chickens seemed just a little more beautiful than before.
Fujin noticed an open window from his and Grey's bedroom, he must be up already. He peeked down and rolled up his sleeve, looking at his watch to see the time. It had been a wedding gift from Johnny, both he and Grey had been gifted the same one. Fujin could see it was ridiculously expensive, and despite its little functions, he appreciated it deeply. 6:30, Grey usually wasn't up so early, maybe the loud cackling from the hungry chickens had woken him up. He cursed the animals in his head as he walked ack to the house.
He took off his dirtied boots and stepped inside. The hot air was a relief after being in the cold morning fog, but it would be less convenient when it was just as hot outside in the daytime.
Taking the steep stairs Fujin put on a smile and prepared to be greeted by his husband. Grey wasn't a morning person. To contrast Fujin, who naturally woke up without an alarm always at the right time and immediately found himself wide awake and bored.
Knocking on the door to alert him he opened the door as soon as his fist left the wood.
Grey was sat on his side of the bed, staring at an old discolored photo in his hands, he seemed unresponsive at first but turned his body as Fujin called his name.
"Fujin." His voice was quiet, raspy, clearly sore from something. Fujin hurried to him, as fast as his mortal body let him. He knelt down in front of him, wanting to see his face, wanting to make him feel like he was in charge and the one being paid attention to here by kneeling below him. Grey held out the photograph, making it clear to Fujin after a moment he was meant to take it.
He used both hands to grab it, as delicately as possible as he didn't know how fragile the paper was. He turned it, took one look before glancing back at Grey. The photo had been aged to white and purple, it was hard to read but Fujin could make out three faces and some faint letters under them. It all came rushing back to him, as if his mind was projecting a memory onto the nearest wall.
He, Grey, and Johnny between them. The day after their wedding, the only picture proof it had happened as they found memories more important. The writing on it, to the future, clearly Johnny's handwriting. Neither of them had wanted to take the picture so the smiles were clearly forced, seeming especially somber next to Johnny showing his pearly whites.
Fujin saw Grey's lips curl into a sad smile. "Sonya gave it to me after he passed, I thought I had lost it." His hands cupped Fujin's with a warm embrace. "I guess I didn't." His voice softly broke.
Fujin lifted up, feeling as though they were now at an equal level of needing comfort, sitting next to Grey, sinking into the mattress. He put a hand on his shoulder and felt Grey melt into his touch. He couldn't bear seeing him like this, he never liked seeing friends in pain or grieving. It was the reason he was never seen at funerals.
He rested his head on Grey's shoulder and rubbed circles along his back, feeling how his breathing occasionally hitched softly. They sat in long comfortable silence, staring at the photo until it made its way back into the drawer in the nightstand.
"We've grieved long enough, we should celebrate their lives and what we have left of ours." Fujin grabbed Grey's hand and wrapped it in his.
Grey, comforted by his lover's warm hands, sighed deeply, almost out of relief.
"We may not have long Fujin." There was a slight pain in his heart but Fujin could've seen it coming, they were old. Grey's hair was thinning and had been colored gray over the years, his skin was worn and his face showed his many years of life behind it. Even his eyes, the color becoming duller as his eyes sunk deeper and deeper into their sockets.
"I can feel my body deteriorating." There was a hint of anger, jealousy towards Fujin who didn't age as fast as him. Both physically and mentally he was fitter, able to do more than the basic necessities of life. "No more than a couple years."
Fujin closed his eyes and nodded, bringing a hand up to Grey's cheek to softly stroke it.
"I have lived many lives, many without and many with you in it, Grey Cloud." He brought their foreheads together and both closed their eyes as Fujin took a deep breath in. "This will be my last, and the one I cherish most despite the losses." Grey opened his eyes again, the view was awkward but it didn't matter. He twisted his neck and bent forward, connecting his lips with Fujin's for just a brief moment before grabbing his head with both his hands and softly shaking it around.
Fujin laughed and leaned into one of Grey's hands softly putting his palm down on the other hand, and intertwining their fingers.
They stayed like that for gods now how long, simply enjoying each other's presence and being content with the moment.
However long they may have, whatever may happen, no matter who they lose or who goes first this was a moment of pure bliss that would be remembered as nothing less.