The First Day of Our Forever

Why Do Demons Always Come to Mind?

I hate when I dream about it, this demon. Enormous, mud-colored, lumbering, fat with the lives of the people it has eaten. It grows hands at will, can propel those hands on long, fleshy arms in any direction with magnificent bone-crushing force. I have to fight this demon, and I have to fight it alone. And every time, no matter how hard I fight, I lose. I don't know why it's always this dream. I don't know why it's always this demon. But I jolt myself awake, gasping for air, my heart thundering in my chest, every inch of me drenched in sweat. I can never get back to sleep when I have that dream, not because it's terrifying, not because I lose. But because whenever I have it, an end is never far behind.

+++

"I'll pwn this dude."

That was Sabito's first thought upon meeting Giyuu when they were assigned to work on a college history project together. That happened to be the thought most people had when they saw Giyuu roaming the halls of their esteemed university. He was usually alone, bespectacled, head down, encumbered by an overstuffed backpack. His clothes were always clean but always plain, as if he were trying to blend in with the faded walls. He spoke infrequently, mostly in class, and only when spoken to.

"Listen, Tomioka, here's how this project is gonna go. We're gonna do it on the Tokugawa shogunate. I did a paper on it high school, so I can recycle the research. I have football practice every afternoon, so you'll have to put together the visuals and write the presentation. We can meet a couple of days before we have to present to figure out who's going to say what, then we can practice on our own. Got it?"

Giyuu looked at Sabito as if he were a lost child. There was no fear in his gaze, no cowing in his posture. He had the same static energy as a boulder in a forest clearing. "You done?" he said.

Sabito stared back into those steady eyes and tumbled into their azure depths. This guy's disturbingly hot was the second thought Sabito had about Giyuu. It wasn't a particularly helpful thought at that particular moment. In fact, it was wildly distracting. But Sabito wasn't about to concede the upper hand, not to this kid. "You have a problem with my plan?"

"Either we 50-50 this project, or there's no project," Giyuu said, doubling down on his boulder vibe.

"I said I'm contributing the research."

"50-50 from the start. That includes picking the topic."

"Look, I have football practice every afternoon."

"50-50."

"Come on, man. Cut me some slack here."

Giyuu grumbled as he turned around and walked away. "I thought you were different."

Sabito lunged for Giyuu and grabbed his arm. "What did you say?"

Giyuu heaved an obvious sigh and took out his cell phone. "Give me your number."

"Why?"

"Because we're working on a project together, are we not? Give me your number."

Sabito rattled off his number. Giyuu typed it into his phone, then typed a few things more. Sabito's phone rang a moment later.

"That's my address. Come over to my place at 7 to work on the project."

"I told you—"

"And bring snacks. I like butter cookies."

Sabito watched that disturbingly attractive man stroll down the hallway, turtle-like in his speed and verve. Sabito's whole body rattled with rage. Who does that dork think he is, ordering me around like that?