Chapter Text
I woke up to the smell of the coffee from the other side of my house. Again. So what year is this? 3043? 2017? 4013? 1607? I don't know how this happened. Every time I make my mistake, I just repeat this again and again until I get it right. So tell me, is this another level where they switched up the scenario but keep doing the same thing over and over again? Tell me. Why can't you must make him love me?
"JUICHI!" The sword was pierced through the 'demon's' heart as the villagers cheered for victory, for getting rid of this horrid creature.
"SHINKAI!" Every villager looked at the kid that yelled the 'demon's' name, eyes in bewilderment and confusion. Must they get the child that tried to protect this monster?
"Get the monster! The monster is still in our village!" Swords and lances were thrusted into the air, chanting for the claim of the child's heart, yelling for the death of Fukutomi Juichi.
Fukutomi ran. He ran with no pause for breath, he just ran as far as he can. Away from all this. He bit down onto the lower half of his lip, savoring the blood that dripped down and with the final sprint, he managed to escape the visions of the horrid villagers. He hid between a narrow passageway that led to the outskirts of this town and so he had to make a choice. Follow the passage or go out and get stabbed to death? Of course there were myths floating as rumors in the town. The only reason they called it a perfect town was because they knew a monster was living out there. The walls protecting the village were meant there for a purpose other than war or invasions. It was meant for the monster. He swallowed his saliva as he remembered the tales of men and women fighting for their lives for killing this monster but none has return to their family's embrace, nor had told the stories of meeting its eyes for at last, these were only rumors.
'What do I have to lose?' Fukutomi followed down the passageway without a second thought. Killed or have a sight chance of surviving? He took that chance of survival, sprinting as the pebbles scarred his bare feet. He gasped for air, but was unable to stop himself from running. The pain replaced those memories. Tears formed at the tips of his eyes as he remembered him and his best friend talking and enjoying the evening until the blade came crashing down through his friend's heart. Why do they call him a demon? He did nothing wrong. He was just a 12 year old boy with depression. So why? Fukutomi wondered, pressing his fingernails into the palms, grunting and panting until he saw the end. And with a final step, he ran faster than ever. When he reach there, he did not except this at all.
It was a forest. A gigantic forest. Trees as tall as 25 feet were planted, grass that were uncut or even touched, and flowers that blossomed beautiful light colors. He was astounded, and mostly confused. Why did people think a monster lived here? This is a wonderful place! Natural itself, not touched by the corrupted fingers of humanity, lived outside of those walls. He forgot about his friend, looking at the midnight sky as stars sparkled at his arrival and the grass whistling at his presences. He looked around, and once again, he ran. He ran through the grass, arms in the air as he braced himself with the wind. It was all fun until the wind stopped. The wind did not response with Fukutomi's movements. It stilled with the grass. Nothing moved but him. There was silence until his arms hit his sides. He hears it. He hears the low snarls of the monster. In fear, Fukutomi looks around, turning to every direction in panic with sweat dripping across his face.
Within a second, something jumped him. The wild beast pushed him down with incredible force, causing Fukutomi to grunt in pain. Fukutomi was terrified. It was dark but the image was clear as broad daylight. It was the beast. The beast bared fangs with fresh blood seeping through its teeth, fur as black as midnight, and dark blue pupils that represented death itself. It was clear that Fukutomi would not survive so he shut his eyes at reflex. He hear the beast growl, but in a few seconds it stopped by a voice.
"Oi! That's a kid, you dumb dog!" A voice. Fukutomi's eyes torn open in relief. He looked up to see the voice but all he saw as the wolf looking down at him with droopy ears and eyes. The wolf barked almost in joy, panting with saliva spilling from both sides. "Are you okay?"
Fukutomi looked to the side to see a boy. The wolf was pushed off Fukutomi by the boy, and with that, he looked worried as if someone was going to die in any second. "Hey?! Can you understand me?" The boy shaked Fukutomi's side with no sign of stopping.
"Huh? Yeah, thank you." Fukutomi stopped the shaking by placing his hands over the boy's, causing him to stop. Fukutomi looked up to see the boy and by his surprise, the boy was red. "You're red, are you okay?"
"M-m-me! Yeah! I-I'm okay!" The stranger (no, his savior looked roughly around the same age so the he was around 12) stuttered in embarrassment.
"Are you sure? Come here." Without thinking, Fukutomi grabbed the boy's wrist, pulling the boy towards him. Fukutomi placed his hands onto the stranger's forehead, checking the temperature. "Your temperature seems fine."
"D-don't you insiders know about personal space?" The boy pushed away, tumbling back a bit while hitting the grass with a loud thump. "Ow ow ow. Tch."
"Sorry, I didn't mean that. I just never saw anyone be that red before." At that moment, the boy flushed red once more but Fukutomi ignored it, "So, you're the beasts' owner?"
"The beast? Ha! That's what you insiders call this dog?" The boy patted the wolf's fur, calmly as it purred almost as if it was a cat. "This is Bian! He's the loyalist dog out there!"
"Bian? Dogs aren't usually that big..."
"Bian is tiny! We have dogs that are much bigger!" The boy's eyes gleamed with more interested. It almost sparkled as he grabbed Bian even closer to him.
"Oh, before we go any further, my name is Fukutomi Juichi." He held his hand out to give a more proper introduction.
"Name is Yasu! Why are you holding out your hand?" Fukutomi looked at Yasu with a confused face but coughed a laugh.
"Here, I'll show you." Fukutomi grabbed Yasu's hands, formed it, then placed his hands between his. Fukutomi held gripped his hands around Yasu's then shook it.
"N-no way! I'm not going to have kids with you!!" Yasu released himself, to cover his face from embarrassment and it was really obvious he was embarrassed by how his face was red.
"Kids?" Fukutomi was confused. "This is a handshake. What does it mean for you guys?"
"Really?! Wow, we have two completely different definitions of hands entwining, huh. Well, for me it means- ummmm, what I said earlier. And what do you by 'you guys' there's only me." Yasu smiled, leaning back as his hands propped him from falling.
"Seriously? You're alone? How did you adapt? How did you learn how to speak and walk and control the beast?" Fukutomi leaned in, faces almost touching with one side over energetic and the other covered in red from embarrassment.
"P-personal space!" He pushed Fukutomi back, but once it settled down, he continued, "I did have a family when I was a kid, a mom, dad, two sisters, and a dog, Aki-chan. But it was taken away from me. You insiders burned down my house in the forest, costing my family's life."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be." Yasu huffed, looking at the stars. "I'm just wishing they're okay up there."
"Yasu, from this day on. I promise I'll never leave your side!" Fukutomi stood up, clenching his fists in a ball, marking this memory forever.
Yasu stood up, keeping an eye level with Fukutomi, then coughed a laugh. "You're funny. I'll like to you see try."
***
"OI, FUKU-CHAN! HELP ME GET THIS FUCKING DEER INTO THE HOUSE!" It was 6 years since that encounter. After that faithful day, Yasu took Fukutomi to his house. He taught him how to hunt, call for wolves, find a ripe deer, and make a perfect resting spot. Meanwhile, Fukutomi taught Yasu how to cook proper meals, sew clothes, taught him how to read and write, made actual beds, taught him proper manners, and kissed each other for the first time. It was a peaceful time for both.
"Oh, sorry Yasu." Fukutomi ran out of the cottage, wiping dough's residue off his pants. Once he walked out, there was no deer. It was Yasu, sitting down with rose petals spread across the hill where they lived on.
"Happy Birthday, Juichi." Yasu gave him a toothy grin.
"Yasu...."
"What? You don't like it?"
"I love it but you didn't need to go that far for me..."
"It's okay! Anything for the person I cherish." Fukutomi walked towards where Yasu was, then sat down. Yasu laid down, looking up into the evening's sunset with his hands wrapped around Fukutomi's. Fukutomi smiled, leaning against the grass with him; just gazing into the sky with one thought in their heads. Time pasted slowly with them being silent and the grass enjoying their company. Fukutomi leaned to his side, staring at Arakita then said.
"I like you Yasu." He sat up, causing Yasu to do the same.
"Y-yeah. Me too. W-why do you have to be so s-stoic, you bast-" And at that confession, lips clashed with intensity and one thought, lust. Fukutomi pressed down, causing Yasu to stumble back, pressing his elbows into the grass. Fukutomi straddled on top of Arakita while using his legs as leverage so he doesn't crush Yasu. It was a tender kiss, a kiss that meant 'I love you' or 'I will always be with you'. Tongues overlapped each other with no signs of hesitation, the heat rising, and lovers kissing to thank one another for finding each other.
Fukutomi suddenly stopped, and when Yasu opened his eyes to see why, fear caught onto him. Fukutomi's eyes were widened with him collapsing onto Yasu.
"O-oi! What's wrong?" Yasu grabbed onto Fukutomi's sides and something was off. He felt something on his side, no, no, no, no. It can't be. Blood covered Yasu's palm, as his mind couldn't take all this in. "NO! FUKU-CHAN!"
"We got him, sir!" Yasu heard a voice and in rage, he stood up. "You dumbass! You got the human, not the monster!" And that was the limit for him. Yasu screamed as his blood began to boil. The scream allured wolves, as the branches snapped underneath their feet as they were crouching so the humans can't see. All Yasu saw as was red.
Yasu saw the five men hiding behind the bushes and once they were spotted, he yelled, "KILL THEM!" Yasu was never one for humans fighting against humans. In fact, he was totally against it. But this. This was a different matter. Yasu left the wolves to tear the skin of those who harmed his lover, so he ran back towards Fukutomi.
Yasu dropped on his knees, propping up Fukutomi with his arms behind his back and hands entwining each other.
"H-hey, Yasu?" Yasu looked Fukutomi. Why is looking at you so hard? Why is it so blurry?
"Don't talk! I'll- I'll do something!" Yasu attempted to stand off but he was stopped. Fukutomi's hands gripped around Yasu's with no signs of letting go. "LET GO OF ME! I, I HAVE TO GET YOU SOME HELP!"
"Yasu... Do you love me?" And that's when Yasu gave up. He fell back on his knees, eyes filled with tears and the mouth unable to speak. "Y-Yasu. Did you love me?"
"What?! O-of course! I love you now, I'll love you forever!" Yasu pressed his head against Fukutomi's, while he let the tear fall onto Fukutomi's face.
"Thank god..." Fukutomi closed his eyes, smiling in relief with him trying to grasp his last words. "Do you believe in miracles?" Yasu doesn't know how to answer but once his mouth opened, Yasu couldn't feel the heart beating anymore.
"NO! FUKU-CHAN! DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS! I CAN REPLACE YOU! RIGHT? RIGHT?! FUKU-CHAN. I PROMISE EVER-"