"Do you remember that time you were my fake boyfriend for winter break?"

No. 9

December 15, 2021

When Tanjirou answers the polite knock on the front door, he isn't expecting to find Genya standing on the porch, but the taller man is there with pink-tinted skin and a confident air surrounding him.

"Genya?" Tanjirou whisper yells as he looks side to side frantically. "What are you doing here?"

Genya opens his mouth to respond, but Tanjirou quickly covers his mouth with his hand and pushes him further out on the porch, the door closing softly behind them. The cold air is almost as assaulting to Tanjirou as Genya's presence is to his carefully curated plan.

"I didn't realize you were into that now," Genya chuckles as he gently pries the other man's hand off his face.

Tanjirou's face darkens at the implication, and he straightens up as he draws his arms to his chest. He takes a step back, putting as much distance as he can between himself and Genya without being suspicious.

"I'm not," Tanjirou stutters after a moment. "Now, why are you here?"

Genya huffs a laugh through his nose and smiles nervously down at his feet before looking up again and making eye contact with Tanjirou.

"To be completely honest, seeing you again has brought up some unresolved feelings for me." Genya sets his jaw, eyes darkening as his tone dips into something serious. "I miss you, Tanjirou, and I want to take you on a date now that I'm back for good."

Tanjirou's mouth falls open, and his entire body freezes like he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Genya, it's been over a year, two years even," Tanjirou sputters as he looks around, refusing to look at the man in front of him anymore.

"And you're the kind of guy worth waiting for, Tanji," Genya sucks in an audible breath.

The familiar nickname pulls at Tanjirou's heart, and he chances a glance into Genya's eyes. The other man is nothing but serious with the hard set of his jaw and the determination swimming in his purple irises.

"Genya, I really don't know what to say to you right now," Tanjirou's breaths stutter, and he tries to look anywhere except the man in front of him.

"Say that you'll give me one date." Genya takes a step forward.

He reaches out and grabs Tanjirou's hands, gently bringing it up to his chest and splaying it over his heart.

Tanjirou laughs and looks around the porch, a crawling fear that he's being watched clawing at his chest.

What the hell is happening?

What kind of bullshit romance horror movie is Tanjirou living in right now?

"Will you go home if I agree to one date?" Tanjirou pushes his hand harder into Genya's chest, and he can feel the rapid, nervous beating of his heart.

Genya's eyes light up, and he nods his head, starting to slip away. "You won't regret this, Tanji! I'll text you!"

With that, Genya drops Tanjirou's hand and turns on his heels before running away to where his truck is parked on the street.

Tanjirou holds his head in his hands and halfway twirls as his brain catches up with what he just agreed to.

"What the fuuuck?" He breathes.

.oOo.

December 16, 2021

When Tanjirou wakes up in the morning, he finds Inosuke's arms tightly wrapped around his middle, firmly holding him to his chest. Inosuke's embrace is warm, and Tanjirou wants nothing more than to settle there and pretend this is how every morning will transpire for the rest of his life but his phone dings with a message notification.