𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞, 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

a book about you

December is a festive time. Locals decorate their homes and streets with lights and beautiful ornaments. The city grows in popularity as families visit their loved ones and the holidays begin.

The winter is a season Sanemi favour. It's cooling to his skin, the longer nights calming his mind and occasional storms that bless their sky. Though the main reason why Sanemi adores the colder weather is because of the snow that falls. Around mid-December, the sky will bless their city with a blanket of white.

He remembers playing in the snow with his younger siblings. They'd screamed with laughter when Sanemi chased them with snowballs and giggled when they planned massive attacks on Sanemi and Genya. They were the two tall older brothers, strong and fast as they'd run around with the younger ones on their backs.

Sanemi remembers the races he'd compete in during the early years of high school. Winter break had started, and the world blessed them with a fresh coat of snow. The youngest two, Teiko and Sumi, would charge into Sanemi and Genya's room at the break of dawn with excitement. They'd jump around and beg the two eldest the take them out on the field across the road. Their father woke up in a bad mood that day, so Sanemi kept everyone out of the house and used the snow as a distraction from returning home.

He missed those days when he didn't care. When he could play fight with Genya and bake sweet treats with Shuya. When his mother would laugh at Sanemi's shitty jokes and when Genya would join in on secret game nights with Sanemi. When Sanemi would watch his younger siblings show them dances they'd make while he and his mother would prepare dinner.

It became a tradition. Sanemi and Shizu would settle down as their dinner cooled on the table. The five younger children would perform their adorable mix of moves and unorganised formations while Genya was in charge of their music. They'd finish their performance, Sanemi and Shizu applauding dramatically and rewarding them with a home-cooked meal. This all happened before their father returned from work. And when he got home, Shizu and Sanemi would stay in the kitchen while Genya would keep the children upstairs. It was a system to protect the younger ones. Sanemi wouldn't care for himself and wanted to be beside his mother, unsure if his father would pull any tricks.

Since losing his siblings and mother, Sanemi found no joy in the snow. He'd admire it from the window. Awing over the glistening crystals as they met the ground with delicacy. Memories of his siblings playing with him in the winter's gift were all he could think about. It would either make him smile or make him cry. He never knew which one it would be.

He still found the snow admirable. Leaving the house to play in an empty field and race with a loved one on his back isn't appealing to Sanemi anymore. But the beauty the snow holds will forever be Sanemi's favourite thing to look at. That and Giyuu, of course.

Despite their returns to work, Giyuu remained at Sanemi's. He didn't want to go to his house where tears were cried, and his skin was harmed. And Sanemi didn't force him. He allowed Giyuu to stay for however long he needed, and quite frankly, Sanemi liked having Giyuu here. Sometimes he'd come home to Giyuu cleaning the mess they made in the kitchen the night before. Midnight baking quickly became their own tradition. Sanemi felt his house quickly becoming a home with the presence of Giyuu within the walls he hates.

Some nights consisted of good books, crappy reality shows and popcorn. Some would be full of baking in the kitchen and making a mess of Sanemi's cupboards, and some were simply quiet as the two slept.

Though not all nights were this pleasing. Sanemi still had nightmares and woke up crying, and Giyuu continued to fight the thoughts that corrupted his mind the night at the bridge. They'd hold each other close, plant kisses on each other's skin and caress each other's cheeks. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, but the two hold onto one another until the sun reappears and a stripe of colour covers the sky.