Chapter Text
The Oikawa family were the most praised and honored family in the village. The four kingdoms were at the brink of war, and the Oikawa family was known to take in any refugees or openly welcome anyone in need of any help. Most strangers would show gratitude by giving flowers to the lovely wife or lend a helping hand to the working husband at his welding shop. Then the Oikawas met the Iwaizumis, truly these families were polar opposites. The Iwaizumi family would come to the town every other year and stay for a single day at an inn while passing through the town.
The whole village knew of them, a husband and wife so rude and disrespectful even the Oikawas could barely handle them staying in their house for a single day. The reason why the Iwaizumi family stayed at the Oikawa house and not an inn was that they were banned from every inn within the village. Every innkeeper had had enough of the married couple. Everyone had prayed that the couple would never have a child. Yes, it was a harsh this to wish for, but the intentions were good. No one wanted an innocent child to be raised by such awful people.
In the end, fate went against everyone's wishes.
The war between all four kingdoms began, and it was known as the Great Holy War. It seemed to split the nation in half, those who sided with the Holy Knights and those who sided with the demons. The Holy Knights fought for those who lived the two northern kingdoms, while the demons took over the two southern kingdoms. There was even talk amongst the country citizens that there were humans turning into demons to fight in the Great Holy War.
It was during this time of horrible war that the Iwaizumi couple had stayed with the Oikawa couple. They said they had no other place to go while the war was going on because the demons had taken over their village, so they stayed in the Oikawa house for the next year. By the time winter came, both couples were expecting children. The village was in a weird state of joyfulness and disappointment. They were happy that they were going to have another great Oikawa member running around and bringing smiles to everyone, but the villagers did not want another Iwaizumi creating havoc wherever they would walk.
Summer came to the village, and the citizens received two members into their society. It was this summer that the demons getting closer and closer to the northern kingdoms. To bring joy back to the kingdoms, the families decided to have a celebration for the birth of their children. It took a lot to talk the Iwaizumi family into having their child be part of the celebration.
It was in the town square that baby Tōru and baby Hajime met for the first time, despite living in the same household. Hajime was just one month older than Tōru, but it was already noticeable that he would be bigger.
As time went on, the war went on. It seemed the Holy Knights had stopped the demons from advancing into the northern kingdoms; but even so, they were not able to push them back towards the south. The Iwaizumi family moved to the house next door to the Oikawas and Tōru, and Hajime grew up together, they were the best of friends. Not a single villager could say that they saw one walking through town without the other tagging along. It was safe to say that they were attached to each other, and by the grace of heaven Hajime took on the Oikawa family personality. He was kind and patient with all those around him, except Tōru. Although, his meanness towards his closest friend seemed more of teasing manner than a cruel one. Tōru appeared to be the one that looked down at all the villagers around him and had a distinct sweetness reserved for Hajime.
Once they grew older, the village was filled with rumors that the two boys were in love with each other. Few said that it was a lustful kind relationship, that forbidden things would happen behind closed doors. Most thought that their form of love was almost like a vow of chastity. The maidens of the village were all disappointed that the young men would always deny their advances. Hajime was the one to always hold on to Tōru, leading him around the town and taking care of him whenever he could. The love of chastity. Behind closed doors, nothing would happen between them, but Tōru lusted for Hajime and wanted to make all the rumors about them real. Yet, they didn't, and Tōru still cared for Hajime as much as Hajime cared for Tōru. They seemed to value each other more than anyone else in the village.
This showed true the day the demons took the front line from the Holy Knights and began to take over their kingdom. It was the day that Tōru was forced to work in the welding shop with his father and Hajime's mother forced him to go to the market, one of the few times they would separate from each other.
Tōru was the first one who saw the demons coming to the village, because the shop was towards the outskirts of town, and he was horrified the moment he saw what real horrors a demon can poses. He saw so many disfigured creatures running toward him and humans with eyes the colors or blood red, burning yellow, and hollow black. He was afraid, so much so that he couldn't move.
"Tōru let's go! We need to get your mother and leave this place! Now, Tōro!" he could hear his father shouting out to him.
"Leave" he whispered "Iwa-chan, " and with that, he sprinted towards the village.
He thought of no one else, not his mother and not his father. All he could think was getting Hajime out of the village. He ran as fast as he could, feet hitting cobblestone so fast it was beginning to hurt him. Tōru thought of everything he had planned with Hajime, their love was still so innocent, and Tōru lusted for Hajime. They wouldn't do anything until Hajime was ready and if the demons came and destroyed their village and killed them, then Oikawa would never get to fulfill his lust for Hajime.
"Hajime! Hajime where are you?!" He stopped in the market section of the town. There was chaos everywhere he looked. It seemed that the demons had gotten closer to town than he had expected. He began to panic because he couldn't find Hajime anywhere he looked. Tears started streaming from his eyes, he couldn't lose him. Not now. Not ever.
Suddenly he felt an arm on his shoulder, he swung around full force. Tōru was expecting Hajime to be there with arms open and ready to run to safety.
"Iwa-chan! Let's leave-"