Chapter Text
Kyojurou Rengoku was used to nightmares, but the most recent one had stuck with him much longer than he believed to be necessary. It felt so realistic and unrealistic at the same time.
In dreams, usually you wake up when you die or get severely injured. However, this dream was different. He had died, but not woken up. It was a strange sensation, existing through his death. He knew he had died in the dream, he physically felt the last bits of air leave him. Yet he stayed. He wandered around the dream world like a ghost. No one could see him. He followed everyone for a while, watching from afar as time went on. It saddened him to see everyone suffer over his death.
This went on for what felt like years in that timeline. However, he woke up only five hours after having gone to bed. When his eyes snapped open into the darkness of his bedroom, he was sweating. Kyojurou clapped a hand over his abdomen and left eye, as if to check they were still unharmed. When he got confirmation, he relaxed and rubbed his eyes. It was only 3 in the morning.
He groaned and laid back in bed. Rengoku hadn’t been an avid believer in reincarnation, but that felt too real. Not to mention the birthmark he had spreading across his abdomen. Maybe some of it was true, but he also thought that he was extremely exhausted. He had school early the next morning. Sleep was necessary.
When he kept tossing and turning, unable to find rest, he sighed and got up. The dorms were usually quiet at this hour, however he didn’t know everyone in it. Maybe someone would be downstairs to keep him company in the lounge area. The school was pretty large and he was yet to have a roommate. The term had just begun and some people were still settling in.
He groaned and pulled on a shirt and some basketball shorts that were yet to be folded and put away. Soon, grey bunny slippers- a gift from a friend at a secret santa exchange last year- were on his feet and he was shuffling down the hallway. The stairs woke him up more since he almost tripped down two flights. Once he caught his balance, he went to the lounge area. It was empty and he sighed.
Still, Kyojurou took a seat in one of the beanbags in the corner. He had grabbed his laptop and looked over his schedule once more. Then he heard a noise a few minutes later. He didn’t get up to investigate, assuming it was another exhausted and incapable-of-sleeping student. At least he would have company.
The person who entered the room took him by surprise. He felt it through his whole body. It was fear and recognition. Though he had never met this person before, he was so incredibly familiar. It rushed back to him in a hurry and he stiffened his body to keep in place. The man had fluffy pink hair, tattoos on his arms and neck, pink eyelashes, a number of piercings, and pretty gold eyes to top it off. Just like a human version of the man in his dreams.
The other noticed him and looked slightly surprised. “Oh. Sorry, I couldn’t sleep. I’ll leave if I’m interrupting something.” Kyojurou couldn’t understand why he protested. “No, it’s fine. I don’t have a roommate yet. The company would be nice. Unless of course you don’t like being around other people.” The guy laughed lightly and took a seat beside him, offering his hand.
“Well then… I’m Akaza Soyama.”
That name. Those eyes. Those tattoos. Even his voice was identical. Now Kyojurou believed in reincarnation of some kind, second lives. Another chance. However, the other didn’t seem to understand. Maybe it was him, or some sick twisted fate. He took his hand and smiled. “Kyojurou Rengoku.” There was the tiniest bit of acknowledgement in his eyes, and Kyojurou thought that maybe he would know more. He wanted to ask, but he held himself back.
“Well, Kyojurou-” It appeared that in this life the man was still accustomed to saying people’s names without permission. He made no comment on it. “What are you studying for here?” Kyojurou came back into his body and smiled lightly with a laugh. “I’m not entirely sure, honestly. I was hoping to find out. What about you?” Akaza grinned more and laid back, hands behind his head. “Nursing. I know I don’t look like one, but I promise.”
He smiled. “I’d believe it, Akaza.” The other looked surprised for a moment about hearing his name. However, Kyojurou would meet him on even ground since he wanted to make an impression. “Say… you look familiar. I must say Kyojurou, when you shook my hand, it felt familiar. You sound similar to someone I knew a while ago.” His heart beat faster. No way this was a coincidence. “You’re familiar to me as well. When you came in the room, I thought the person that was in my dreams had come alive. However, you’re slightly different.”
Akaza chuckled and winked. “I’m the man in your dreams? How about I be the man of your dreams, Kyojurou.” He winked and Kyojurou flushed bright red. He could effectively say he had no response. “I-i uh…” Akaza glanced at his watch. “Well I’ll see you around soon, Kyojurou. Maybe you’ll have fallen for me by then.” He stood and walked to the doors. “Goodnight.” On that note, Kyojurou let out a breath he didn’t realize he was even holding.
In a past life, this man had killed him. In this life he wanted to fuck him. If anything, Kyojurou would take option two. However, his brain was currently fried. He eventually made his way back up to his room and collapsed back into bed, asleep in seconds. Hopefully, his dreams weren’t Akaza-filled.
----
He was lucky he had escaped the pink-haired man for the rest of the night. No dreams of demons and his death, but some strange dream he faintly remembered about school. Not one he would prefer to remember, either. School dreams were usually chaotic and never to be spoken of anyway. That’s just a natural law. Like always missing one sock or running to get out of the room before the lights ‘fully’ went out.
Rengoku woke up to his alarm and shot out of bed, getting his day started quickly with a shower. Afterwards, he got dressed quickly and headed out the door with a smoothie in hand and still-damp hair. It would have to work for breakfast, but snacks were shoved into his bag for later. He made his way around campus before going into a building.
As he was going in, he saw him again. Unmistakable hair. Kyojurou smiled and waved at him, but the man’s eyes widened and he looked away. He was curious, but maybe something had happened. Akaza had been so friendly hours ago, but now he wouldn’t even look at him. Kyojurou just sighed and made his way to the classroom. He was a few minutes early, and chose a seat near the middle of the room, but over near the windows. Kyojurou watched the room slowly fill up and the teacher begin class a few minutes later.
When he switched to his second class, he checked his phone. He bumped into someone and looked up to apologize. A blond man turned and smiled. “Oh, I’m sorry!” He apologized with a smile. Kyojurou shook his head quickly. “No, I should’ve watched where I was going, I’m sorry.” The other laughed and accepted the apology. Kyojurou knew he would’ve stood there and apologized for hours if he could’ve. Then the person next to him caught his eye. There he was again. Looking away frantically once again.
Kyojurou smiled once more. Then they parted and he went down the hall, glancing back once to see the other. Akaza was now avoiding him. Did he say something stupid? That was all he could focus on for the next class, and that in itself, was stupid. A man he just met and he cared that he wouldn’t talk to him? That sounded ridiculous.
He snapped out of it when a hand clapped his shoulder on the way to lunch. He looked back and smiled, seeing his friends. Kyojurou greeted them and they walked together. His group was fairly small, but it consisted of Mitsuri and her girlfriend, Shinobu. Including Mitsuri’s boyfriend, Obanai. They met up with the rest at a table outside. That was Tengen and Sanemi. They laughed and had a good time together. However, it was obvious to everyone that Kyojurou was distracted. He kept glancing around.
“Earth to Kyo!” He snapped back and looked slightly embarrassed. Sanemi rolled his eyes, having snapped in his face. “What’s going on, you usually aren’t like this.” Everyone was unsurprised at Sanemi’s sudden comment. It was fully within his personality to do so. “It’s not much… really.” No one believed him and it was obvious with the eyebrow raises he received. “I couldn’t sleep last night and so I went down to the lounge. Another guy came down there after a while and we started talking. He wanted to talk more after, but now he’s just avoiding me or looking down every time I see him. He seemed nice and I don’t know if I did something to scare him off.”
A silence. They knew his anxieties about offending people. He heard the alarm he put on his phone and sighed, standing up. Kyojurou didn't say anything as he walked away. They let him, but he knew they cared greatly for him.
----
He woke up again, but at 2am this time. Kyojurou thought about it and then went down to the lounge. This time he took a blanket along with his laptop. Sure enough, Akaza was down there. He was typing away on his phone when the other entered the room. Kyojurou and Akaza made eye contact and the other stood immediately to leave. He held up his hand and Akaza say back down. Kyojurou sat down beside him. The other stiffened and looked away.
"I thought you were the man of my dreams?" Akaza cracked a smile at that. "Look, Rengoku… it wouldn't work like that. I'm a bad person, and I'm dangerous. Specifically to you." Kyojurou put the pieces together then. Their interaction triggered his own memories. He put his hand over Akaza's. "That happened over a century ago." The gold eyes widened and his breath quickened, he pulled his hand away quickly and looked sickened at his own arm. Kyojurou whispered. "Look at me."
Akaza finally did. He looked pained, like he was only seeing the Rengoku he killed. "I don't blame you. Akaza. I've had so long to think it over and I know what you went through. Akaza, you did nothing wrong in this lifetime to me. In fact, if you feel so guilty, why not make it up to me?" Akaza stopped and it was clear he was thinking hard about it. Kyojurou didn't actually want him to make it up, per say. He wanted the other to stop feeling guilty. Akaza opened his mouth and closed it. Then he spoke. "I hurt you, I killed you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Kyojurou shushed him and offered him the blanket.
He took it and they went into a short silence. "I don't blame you. Hear me say this. Your past life, that demon. He was a product of years of internal torture. You are not him. This is your second chance. Akaza…"
"I forgive you."
He almost covered his ears, as to not hear the other man forgive him. After everything he'd done to him. Akaza rubbed violently at his eyes to keep tears back. However, he saw Kyojurou shed a few and finally let go. He launched into the other and clung to him, crying. Kyojurou sniffled and held him lightly. "I forgave you then and I forgive you still, Akaza." The former demon shook as he held onto him. He knew he had wronged so many people, but for this one to forgive him was unexpected. Akaza half expected his life to be a mirror of the last, only hurting others. He was delightfully wrong. Kyojurou forgave him. He cared about him. Even after Akaza had destroyed his body and his being. That damned interaction. The one where Akaza didn't want to kill him. Kyojurou was too precious. His strength and power at the time… Akaza was right. Now, in this day and age… Kyojurou had become his most powerful. His potential still not reached.
He blurted it out. Akaza had no filter on. "Go out with me!" There was a silence and Rengoku's cheeks were blazing. "I'll make it up to you, Kyojurou Rengoku." He looked at a loss for words before he hung his head and laughed. Kyojurou's laugh was amazing and he started to do the same. "You owe me nothing, Akaza. However, I would not turn down a date from someone who cares so much for others and myself." Akaza would not be sleeping tonight, he was too overjoyed. Kyojurou smiled and leaned in, head on his shoulder. "We should go to bed, Akaza. It's late and we have class in the morning."
"What good would going to bed do us?" Kyojurou got the underlying meaning and blushed harder. "Kidding. I'm kidding! I'll see you tomorrow and take you out tomorrow night." They stood and Akaza kissed the back of his hand in a bow. Kyojurou blushed and stumbled back up to his room. He fell asleep quickly, heart racing for tomorrow night. He had no clue what to tell his friends, though.
Maybe this one would be better off as a secret for the time being.