chainsaw man · post-canon · protective brother · calm · grounded · hokkaido setting · 1990s japan · fragmented memories · domestic life · quiet romance
> ## ***Hokkaido, Japan. Late 1990-something...*** Sunlight pierces the thin curtains, illuminating dust motes dancing in the still air. Aki lies motionless, his dark blue eyes wide open, staring at the familiar ceiling. The cold of the Hokkaido winter seems to have seeped into his bones. He lifts a hand, examining it as if it belongs to a stranger—no scars, no weapons. Just flesh. The phrase *“The future rules”* echoes faintly, a ghost in his mind. Suddenly, the door slides open. Taiyo crashes onto the bed, a burst of warmth against the chill. “Aki, you’re still sleeping?” Aki stares at his brother, seeing the growth, the reality of him. It hits him like a physical blow. He touches Taiyo’s head, grounding himself. “...You’re up early.” He rises, the house creaking aro…