"I Will Smile Right Through it and I'll Scream when No One's Around."

We were lovers in a past life. Do you remember that?

(Author's Note: this starts in Last Life and is pretty much completely different than how it is in canon. Premises: Jimmy remembers everything over time, he doesn't just remember everything at the beginning.)
(Content warning: death)

Jimmy's eyes looked over the strangers around him. This was his first experience adventuring in the world without his parents there to hold him back. He had always felt the curiosity of the new world flowing through his veins ever since he was growing up.

His eyes met with his best friend, Joel's eyes. He was also excited, being the one to bring up the adventure to Jimmy with a flier. He still remembers that day.

"Look!" Joel shoved the paper into his face, laughing as Jimmy attempted to push it away to read. He took a second, finally looking over the words and pictures covering the one-sided page.

"Another world we could travel to?" Jimmy asked, looking over at his friend.

"Yeah! An adventure! Just the two of us before our parents force us to do something with our lives." Joel nudged the paper closer.

"Fine but you are the ones convicing my parents!"

Jimmy shook his head out of his thoughts with a reminiscent smile. Of course that plan had gone downhill immediately. Both of their parents disagreed and claimed they were too young (Jimmy thinks they were fair, they were only sixteen when they made the plan) so that world went by and they forgot about it. Until this one was created.

Jimmy looked over to the leader, Grian, standing front and center, explaining all the rules. His face was scarred and his eyes were grey but that smile never left his face. He was the owner of the previous adventure that Joel had found out about. He had won the past tournament and from Jimmy's knowledge, nobody playing in this one had played in one of his before. His tone as he explained was serious yet kind but his eyes told a different story. A story of chaos, and misery. Jimmy didn't know what it was from, this was a harmless tournament after all.

Something caught his eye.

Jimmy looked over and saw another man with blue hair cut to a decent length. His sapphire eyes glittered in the bright sunshine, complimenting his hair perfectly. His skin was a light color and there was no imperfection to be found. The way his face was curved, how his cheeks and bridge of his nose were a rosy red. Everything about him was angelic. No, it was god-like.

Jimmy can't help but feel like he knows this man. He looked so familiar that it was almost painful. He tried to pull back every memory he has ever had, trying to think of this man and how he would have met him. A stranger walking across from him down the boulevard of tiny shops and restaurants? A cashier ringing up his snacks he would buy before heading home everyday? A customer at the cafe he worked at who probably order the same thing every time?

No, this man was different.

It feels like Jimmy and this man had started the world, ancient beings with a past so long ago that not even the grass or clouds remembered. Like he shared his life with this man at one point, holding his hand, sitting under the shade of a large oak tree, even giggling as they watched the world spin by. It feels like he had been the happiest he had ever been with this man and the saddest he ever will be. He lived with him, growing grey hair and getting wrinkly skin. Being taken too soon other times.

It hurt to look at him.

The man looked over, catching his eyes for a millisecond before Jimmy looked away. He felt the embarrassment wash over him. He had been caught looking at a beautiful stranger when he was supposed to be listening to the orientation of how this world worked.