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As the sky grew dark, Genya prepared himself for bed. He managed to eat some bread with cheese that bought with his daily salary helping Mr Ishikawa, who had a little bookstore in the town where he moved.
After being left alone, he walked days until he found the town of Akiharu, where he has been living all these years.
Every day, before bed, he baths, followed by eating and then read a book that he borrowed from the store he worked at, siting on the apron of the window of his room, opening it in order for sitting.
He finds peace and relaxes on the quiet of the night, only hearing the sound of the crickets and some other animals outside. Some nights like this one, he thought of his brother, and the bad and good memories blurred his mind.
—-------------------------------------
Some weeks before the incident of his family, after his father got killed, he and Sanemi used to go to the market to get some food for their family everyday.
Genya used to look at Sanemi’s eyes sometimes while they stopped somewhere, and noticed that sometimes Sanemi did the same.
He really hoped his brother doesn’t suspect that he liked him, because although it is wrong, he couldn’t help it, it just happened.
He was in love with his brother Sanemi, he doesn’t know how or when, but he found everything about him attractive.
So, every time that happened, he quickly looked away feeling his cheeks burning and feeling a huge amount of embarrassment in his chest.
At the afternoons, while their mother was with their siblings, they used to go to a hill near their house to see the sunsets.
It was there, where one day, they laid on the grass next to each other, with their bodies too close, Genya turned to Sanemi and found the other’s face very close to him. They stayed like that, looking at each other’s eyes for what it seemed ages, when, Sanemi cupped his cheek and in a quick move, pulled him for a kiss. Genya blushed at the feeling of his brother’s soft lips moving against his, he kissed him back cupping his cheeks with both hands.
The soft breeze slightly moved their hair, their cheeks red while their lips perfectly moved together. Genya could feel his heart racing when he heard a moan coming from Sanemi just before pulling him closer with his other arm wrapped around his waist.
When they finished the kiss just to get some air, he looked at his the white haired, who seemed more embarrassed than him, and looked like he wanted to say something. However, Genya said it first.
“Thank you, Nemi” the older looked at him with wide eyes, as he muttered quickly “I’ve been wanting this for so long, and… I thought you would hate me because we’re brothers and I didn’t want you to hate me for saying that-”
He felt a finger pressed against his lips quieting him.
“It was the same for me, I’ve been thinking about telling you that I like you in that way for a while now, but I was scared you would find it repulsive and just thinking that you would hate me its unbearable" now Sanemi had both arms wrapped around Genya’s waist while the other had his hands cupping the tallest cheeks.
Genya smiled making the other smiled as well “ I’m happy that I’m not the only one that felt that way” Genya said as he pulled his brother for another kiss.
As the days passed, they agreed to hide their relationship for everyone and only showed affection when they were alone. So every morning before going to the market, Sanemi dragged Genya to an alleyway on their way where they knew anyone would pass by and they used to share a few kisses.
Until that day, when everything broke, and Sanemi left after hearing his words when he killed his mother just to protect him. From that day, he only wanted to apologize to Sanemi, and see him again.
He found out that he entered the Demon Slayer corps, and he even tried to get in, but failed the test and returned to Akiharu, praying to any god to have the chance to see him again.
One day, it was a quiet night of december and he stayed a little longer at the bookstore, choosing his next read when he heard a lot of noise out the street. When he opened the door to check, in a flush, he felt a sharp pain on his belly and when he looked down saw blood coming from a deep scratch in his abdomen just before looking at a white demon running towards him.
The last thing he heard before everything went black was a voice screaming his name with incredulity just before a figure with a white haori positioned before him and ran towards the demon.
When he woke up, he could feel a pair of arms and a hard body pressed against him. Surprised to find that his brother was the one holding him when he turned around.
The older looked at him with concerned. And just before he was about to open his mouth. Genya turned around completely and hugged him tightly, apologizing over and over hiding his face on the taller’s chest.
Sanemi hold him closer, if that was even possible, apologizing to him for leaving him alone as well.
When the tears from both of them were wept by the other they connected his lips for the first time in years, as if a magnet attracted them together.
The next days, Sanemi had stayed with him to help him recovered from the demon attack completely, with them catching up on their lives and Sanemi explaining him what he did when he left. Sanemi tried to look for him when he just became a Hashira but when he went back to their hometown, Genya wasn’t there. He apologized to Genya again when he found out that he has been alone for all this time. Days passed with smile and kisses from both of them as they retook their relationship after all this time, being more in love as they’ve been before and not fearing anyone would find out.
And when it was time for Sanemi to go back to his hashira’s duties, Genya said goodbye to him at the edge of the town, at the entrance of the forest, where Sanemi kissed him deeply, his hands moving eagerly around his brother’s body as if he was scared to lose him.
Genya questioned him if they would see each other.
“I will write to you whenever I can” Sanemi hold one of Genya’s hand in both of his hands.
“That means I won’t see you..” Genya felt his eyes beginning to water.
“Hey look, we think we can end with the demons soon, and I promise you, that as soon as we defeat Muzan, I will come and get you” He kissed his hand.
“You will?”
“I will, I promise you baby” He pulled the smaller in a tight hug and kissed the top of his head.
“I love you to the moon and to Saturn”
“I promised I will come and get you” he started to separate and walked inside the forest waving at his brother.
Genya stayed there waving him off with a small smile.
After all, he will come back, right?
—----------------------------------------------------
With a sigh, he returned to his reading and, when he read the last pages, he blew the candle and closed the window, getting inside his futon and closing his eyes.
The next day was uneventful, nothing out of the ordinary when he spent another day working in the bookstore.
When the sun was setting, he went to the door and turned the “closed” signal and returned the book to the self.
He picked another book and when he was picking up his things, he heard the doorbells shaking as someone stepped in.
“Sorry! We are closed” he didn’t hear a voice replying.
With his bag on his shoulder, he went back to the counter.
“Mr Ishikawa? Did you forget anythi-” He froze when he saw the figure that was standing inside the store.
The figure turned to him with a smile on his face.
“N-Nemi? Is it really you?” He could feel tears in his eyes as his brother walked behind the counter where he was.
“It’s me, love” He replied, finally in front on Genya and holding his waist “ I promised I would come to get you”
Genya smiled and put his arms around his brother’s neck “I hoped you’d returned"
The older Shinazugawa rubbed their noses together “Everything is over now, love. We will be happy from now on”
Genya felt the words trapped in his mouth when the white-haired pulled him for a kiss.
And Genya felt an incredible feeling of happiness and love as he kissed his brother back lovingly.