Hidden Lies

Chapter 12:

A month went by and Sanemi noticed Giyuu being summoned to the Ubuyashiki manor more often than normal and it somewhat worried Sanemi because Giyuu who was very blunt and straight forward with him was being secretive. Usually before Giyuu wouldn't bat an eye when being interrogated by Sanemi but when this started and Sanemi would ask Giyuu would freak out, turn all red and hide his face.

He was obviously keeping a secret.

But Sanemi trusted his fiancé and was going to wait for the secret to reveal itself.

And eventually it did.

Sanemi was summoned to the Ubuyashiki manor by crow. Giyuu had left early that morning. It was late in the evening, the sun was setting. He got up and got ready thinking it was official matters. He walked in to the manor's gate and his eyes lit up seeing a bunch of candles and Giyuu standing at the end.

He walked closer to Giyuu and stopped in front of him. "What is this?" Sanemi asked with a smile. "I wanted to redo my proposal. It didn't sit right with me, I want it to be special for you because every moment I spend with you is special." Giyuu spoke his face all red. Sanemi smiled and grabbed Giyuu's hand.

"I love you. In any life I love you. I love everything you do, sure to you the first proposal wasn't special but I thought it was because you built up so much courage to ask me and I love that. I will marry you, in every life I want to marry you." Sanemi spoke looking at Giyuu's eyes. Giyuu cracked a smile and pulled Sanemi in for a hug. He then pulled away and kissed Sanemi.

They both knew everything was going to be okay. They had each other. And seemed to keep finding each other in the next life.

As the year passed they quickly got married. Their wedding was surrounded by loved ones. Sanemi met Giyuu's master and Sabito. Sanemi could see how the two acted like brothers. Sabito annoyed and picked at Giyuu most of the night but he could tell Sabito was happy for him. His master didn't say much but seemed happy.

The ceremony was long and Giyuu and Sanemi hadn't gotten any alone time. To just talk, or do anything. So when the ceremony was over and they had to fulfill their marital duties, Sanemi knew Giyuu wasn't going to hold back. 

Or so he thought. Giyuu held Sanemi firmly but gentle and moved at a nice pace. He kissed Sanemi very lovingly and everywhere he could. It seemed different from before but they didn't mind. Because it was an intimate moment between the two and it seemed like Giyuu was doing this so Sanemi could remember this forever.

And he would because it didn't stop until sunrise. Sanemi was so tired. Giyuu tried everything he could do and Sanemi took it all. Giyuu fell asleep like a baby right next to Sanemi. Sanemi was so tired but he just needed to relax before committing to sleeping.

He kissed Giyuu's cheek eventually and joined him in sleeping. While laying under the blanket, Giyuu reached his arm over and put it over Sanemi.

The next years of their lives were hell. A war broke out. Sanemi lost Genya. Giyuu lost Sabito. They lost most of their comrades.

Giyuu was missing a right arm and Sanemi was missing two fingers. He was lucky that it wasn't the whole hand or the whole arm. Even though they gained these hardships to live with, at least they had each other. They had their lives.

It was almost like it was fate keeping them together. 

But fate wasn't.

They both unlocked a demon slayer mark, meaning they wouldn't live past 25. But they were fine with it because they had each other. They were going to die and be reborn with each other again, they were sure of it because if they found each other again in this life meant they would find each other in the next. 

It was the day before Giyuu's 25th birthday. Sanemi wasn't ready to let him go. Giyuu was visibly sick and obviously wouldn't last that long anymore. They sat outside together on the porch. Watching the moon and stars. 

It was a comfortable silence. 

"I love you, Sanemi." Giyuu suddenly broke it. Sanemi's eyes widened and he started to cry. Giyuu reached over and pulled Sanemi into a hug. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself." Giyuu said. It seemed more like a demand than a question. Sanemi nodded and kept hugging Giyuu while crying.

They both fell asleep out there. In the morning Sanemi woke up on top of Giyuu's lifeless body. Sanemi sat up and looked at his face. He had a peaceful face. Sanemi smiled while crying and brushed his thumb back and forth on Giyuu's cheek and then kissed his forehead.

Later on, Kakushi came to remove his body and prepare it for his funeral. Sanemi knew he was next. And he wasn't scared. He was ready because that meant he got to see Giyuu again. He got to see his family again.

So when the day before his 25th birthday rolled around, he wanted to be alone. He sat on that same porch and waited for his fate to come. He fell asleep.

And eventually that fate did come.

"Sanemi." A voice called out. He was laying on something. He opened his eyes and it was that same porch but instead of the back yard he was just in, it was a great broad field. It was sunny and warm here. "Sanemi." The voice called out again and he turned his head and saw Giyuu.

His eyes widened and he jumped onto Giyuu and cried. Giyuu chucked and hugged him back. He kissed the top of Sanemi's head. Sanemi looked up at him. "Did you wait for me?" Sanemi asked. "I did." Giyuu answered.

"Come on. We should move on now so we can meet in life again." Giyuu said. "No, what if we stay here? With each other? Forever?" Sanemi asked. Giyuu stared at Sanemi then smiled and leaned his head back into the post. "I like the sound of that, you can't get hurt and I can't lose you." Giyuu said. Sanemi smiled and hugged Giyuu.

So they stayed together. Whatever this place is. It was a warm happy field but it mostly felt like home, because they were together. It was special.

End of Hidden Lives.