The First Day of Our Forever

I remember my past with Giyuu now. More accurately, I have dreams. I've dreamt about Urokodaki in his bright red tengu mask and his cozy wood hut near Mount Sagiri. I've dreamt of the training Giyuu and I went through together, speeding down the mountainside and avoiding the traps strewn everywhere, swimming in the waterfall, practicing water breathing, sparring day and night.

I've dreamt about splitting that boulder.

These memories have dripped steadily from my unconscious like water from a leaky faucet, and they've filled my life with a joy I never imagined. They've brought me closer to Giyuu. They're another thread knitting our lives, our very souls together. They're another something only he and I share. They've made Giyuu even more precious to me. I didn't think that was possible.

I still dream about the Hand Demon more often than I ever admit. The dream has changed though. I still roam that dense forest under that tarry night sky. I still fight those disfigured demons. But Giyuu is by my side. I hear his voice. I see his face. I hold his hand. Or rather, he holds mine.

The dream doesn't frighten me anymore. Well, that's not entirely true.

I still run off and leave Giyuu behind. I still face that demon alone.

And I don't come back.

+++

Their days had become quiet and simple. No more jumping out of bed and into the shower. No more charging out the door and rushing after crowded trains. No more long days at work and flopping exhausted on the couch, having dinner, crawling into bed, then pressing repeat. Over the last few months, Giyuu had cut everything out of his life except Sabito and whatever it would take to make him healthy again.

Mornings were the simplest. He and Sabito would wake up whenever their bodies told them to. For Giyuu, that often meant at dawn, but he didn't mind. He liked the glowing crown of golden light that adorned the horizon. He liked the moist chill in the air. He liked the quiet breath the world took before it clattered into motion. Most of all, he liked rolling over and being able to touch Sabito and hear the soft rasping of his breath. This was the best part of his day. Waking up and knowing he had Sabito.

Giyuu lay on his side and watched Sabito as he slept. The two years of cancer treatment had ravaged Sabito. He had gotten much thinner. His skin was ashen. His hair had grown back, but without its bounce and luster. Often Sabito was too weak to even get out of bed by himself, especially lately. But inside, he was still Sabito. Still smart, still stubborn, still sweet as peaches. Giyuu still loved him with everything he had.

"You're staring at me," Sabito said, his eyes still closed.

"Did I wake you?" Giyuu asked.

Sabito popped one eye open. He reached over and caressed Giyuu's cheek. "I must look awful. You have a very worried look on your face."

Giyuu shook his head, then snuggled in next to Sabito. "You feeling okay?"

"I was thinking I'd like to have pancakes. The big poofy kind. Think we can handle making those?" Sabito asked.

"I'll make anything you like."

Sabito looped his arms around Giyuu and kissed him on the forehead. "You've taken such good care of me. Have I told you how grateful I am?"

"Not since last night." Giyuu took Sabito's hand in his, kissed it. So frail his hand...

Sabito patted Giyuu on the belly. "Well, get a move on. I'm hungry."

Giyuu rolled on top of Sabito, brushed his lips across Sabito's. "How about we have breakfast in bed?"

Sabito let his fingers crawl into Giyuu's black hair and indulge in its silky thickness. He let his eyes wander across the smooth contours of his cheeks, to his soft red lips, into his ocean blue eyes. "You're so beautiful," Sabito whispered, a small smile curving his lips.