Seafoam and plum

Finale

Muichiro had brought up an unexpected question.

"Hey Genya, I need your advice on something. There's someone I like, and I want to tell them.

This sent Genya into a panic. Who could it be? Nezuko? Kanao? Aoi? He suddenly recalled something Tanjiro had told him at their last meeting.

"Tell him soon. You never know when he'll go on a mission, and not come back. Tell him soon, before it's too late."

Genya didn't want to tell him at a bad time, but this seemed like the right opportunity. It was a beautiful place, with romantic scenery. All he had to do was work up the courage.

You got this... he's a nice guy. You gotta seize the moment...

"Genya? You've been quiet. Are you going to say something?"

Genya took a deep breath in.

"Genya? You oka-"

"Mui, I really like you, and I know it's wrong since we're both boys, but I just figured I should tell you, in case you go on a mission and don't come back, and even if you don't like me, maybe we can still be friends?"

Genya exhaled.

He had said it. Now, he stared intently as the ground. He stared so hard that he really thought the grass might start smoldering.

The silence was unbearably loud. Genya considered abandoning any shred of dignity he still had left and just sprinting away, when he felt Muichiro lean closer...

Muichiro had learned that he liked Genya, and ever since then, he had wanted to tell him.

He tried bringing it up in a subtle manner, by talking about the crow's love lives, and then by asking Genya about 'the person he liked'.

But, Genya must've felt the same way, because when he said that, Genya went quiet and eventually everything poured out of him.

It happened so fast that it all shocked Muichiro, so he wasn't sure what to say for a minute, but he figured that an action might speak louder.

He leaned in, and gave Genya a peck on the cheek. "I like you too, Gen."

Instantly Genya turned a shade of red Mui didn't think was possible.

"I-uh, um, I...."

-------------------

As Genya wrapped his partner's gruesome wounds, he felt his heart breaking by the second. The deep gash in Muichiro's waist was too much to bear. It didn't look like he would survive until morning.

He loathed Upper One for what he'd done to someone Genya cared so deeply about. Genya himself was in bad shape too, after being cut in half, but he was able to reattach himself due to his demonic powers.

Genya looked into Muichiro's deep, beautiful eyes, and spoke softly. "Hey, when this fight is over, we'll go to the beach and make paper flying machines."

"Yeah, and we can take care of your bonsai trees together. I'll l move in with you, and we'll live there together forever. We can visit your brother too sometimes."

Tears were welling up inside both boy's eyes.

Shakily, Genya said, "please, just survive this battle for me. Then we can do whatever you want."

"Yes, but only if you survive too." Muichiro responded hesitantly, on the brink of tears.

"You promise you live and we can be together?"

Both boys reluctantly agreed, though, in truth, neither of them planned on living. They were both prepared to die to ensure the other one's safety.

After one last look at the loving face of his partner, the boy thought to himself,

My life has been worth living, just to see you smile.

~END~