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I unlock his door. After Gin had texted me to check up on her brother, I had rushed over here. Sure enough, I hear violent coughing from a different room of his house.
Without hesitation, I hurry in there and rub his back. He coughs into his handkerchief for a bit longer before finally coming to a stop. I spot the blood on it, my eyebrows creasing. I know that his he has a lung disease. I've known for a little while now. But he's still my boyfriend and I can still worry about him.
He clears his throat before sighing, "Hello, my love."
I smile lightly, "Hey. You want me to get you some water?" He nods.
I return with a glass of water, handing it to him. While he takes a sip, I take the chance to look over him. He's just as skinny as usual. He looks a bit paler than usual but he was just coughing for who knows how long. His beautiful grey eyes are slightly bloodshot.
He tells me quietly after a minute, "I don't think I'm going to make it too much longer." My heart freezes. What...?
I ask quietly, "How long is too much longer...?"
He meets my eyes as he gently tells me, "Probably a year and a half at the absolute maximum." Oh. He explains further, "With all of the fighting I've been doing here recently, it's started to effect my heart as well. Since I can barely get enough oxygen as is, the over exertion isn't helping."
I huff, "Then take time off! You don't need to be there. Quit for your health. They can't make you keep working." I know that they can.
"They can and they will. You know that," he states simply. I look at the floor, lips trembling as I hold back tears. I don't want to lose him. I love him. He's one of the best things in my life.
He pulls me into a hug. Hugging him back, I lean into him. He murmurs as he strokes my hair, "You knew from the start that I wasn't going to make it. Is it just finally becoming real to you?" I nod with a sniffle. A tear tracks down my face. He brushes it away as he pulls my face back to look at me.
I mumble, "I just.... I was convincing myself we had more time than we did. That we'd have all the time." He listens to me patiently. I continue, "We've barely even been together. Just a couple of months. I want more time. Why do you have to be sick...?"
He runs his fingers through my hair, "I know. I wish we did, too. But things come to an end and that thing just so happens to be me this time. But my love for you will never end, okay? Never." My eyes blur with tears as I pull him into a kiss.
The kiss is sweet but salty with my tears. It's filled with memories and sadness but also happiness. Happiness from him that he gets to spend the rest of his life with my love given to him.
I end up just sobbing into his chest for a while while he plays with my hair and rubs my back. Once I eventually calm down a bit, he gently asks, "You wanna watch a movie? I'll try not to cough super loudly."
I grumble, "Cough as loudly as you need to, it's not your fault."
He tells me, "Coughing makes it worse overall."
"Try to cough as little as possible." He chuckles, though it turns into a cough. I huff once he's done, "And stop making jokes about it, they're not funny."
He kisses my cheek, murmuring, "I'm sorry, I'll try to stop. I just have a dark sense of humor. You know that."
I mutter, "So do I, but you're dying and making jokes about it."
He throws back, "Says the guy who literally jokes about losing his limbs."
"Yeah, cause you're the one who keeps ripping them off!" I remind angrily. He laughs. And he doesn't cough this time. I can't help but smile and look at him. There's sadness in my gaze but it's overpowered by the love I feel for this man. He really is the best thing to happen to me. Even if he's infuriating and doesn't get proper help.
He kisses me again, whispering against my lips, "I love you, Jinko."
"I love you more, Aku."