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The morning felt quiet. Oddly quiet. Noctyx knew something was different the moment they all woke up that morning. Having experienced unfortunate events in their own timelines, they have developed an impeccable sense of intuition regarding ominous signs.
Especially Uki.
Since last night, he was tossing and turning and it was also making Fulgur uneasy. The purple-head often can't sit still when something is bothering him and he would often tell Fulgur about it but all Uki said was that he, himself doesn't know what is happening. All he knows is that he feels like he just lost something important.
"Uki... What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Those words made Uki touch his face and surely enough, fat beads of tears raced down his cheeks.
"I... I don't know, Fulgur... I feel—something is off..." Uki struggled to collect his thoughts enough to form a coherent reason. All he knows is that his chest was throbbing with uncontrollable worry about something he didn't know. "I feel... I feel like I just lost something important... I—I just—this—I—"
Seeing his boyfriend getting too distressed to function, Fulgur pulled Uki to his chest and hugged him tightly to ground him. Uki immediately nuzzled his face into the other's chest, his tears continuing to stream out of his eyes, effectively wetting Fulgur's shirt.
"Calm down, my love. Let's think about this calmly, okay? We can look for it tomorrow morning as soon as we wake up so cease your tears and come lay with me, hmm?"
Uki nodded and they held each other in silence, letting Uki feel the exhaustion from his sudden outburst of unprecedented emotions. In a few seconds, Uki was quiet and passed out in Fulgur's arms. The ashen laid the male down on the bed, pulling him closer until their bodies were pressed together.
Truth be told, Fulgur also felt that something was off. He wasn't accidentally given such powers as Uki was but Fulgur shares memories with a persona of his, Legatus, who was someone headstrong and capable. He knew something shifted in the air but like Uki, they both couldn't tell what it was. Perhaps something actually is going on but since they had no way of telling what is happening, Fulgur let his boyfriend sleep through the night.
Unnecessary frantic does no good.
"You're still awake?"
Alban flinched from his gaming chair as he turned his head around to face Sonny who was just taking off his jacket and his weighted vest. Since he used to be an officer who dealt with danger in his everyday life, taking layers off his clothing always does wonders to calm Sonny down. Knowing that he doesn't have to put a bulletproof vest or protective gear on makes him appreciate being there with the rest of Noctyx more.
"Yeah, felt weird so I'm playing to take the edge off of whatever is happening to me. Something feels different and it's bothering me."
That's odd. Alban was as transparent as he can be with his emotions and more often than not, he would be panicking if what he said was what he actually felt. Alban was sensitive to change since he uses familiarity and consistency as a barrier to stop himself from getting hurt by his own feelings. With his history of being a thief, he had to convince himself that he had to steal since it was something he had been doing ever since forever ago just so he could stomach the fact that he had to resort to such measures.
Though Sonny quickly confirmed that Alban was in fact, getting bombarded by his feelings as usual when he saw how his hand holding the mouse trembled. It was supported by the way Alban kept cursing under his breath when he misses shots because his hand wouldn't move the way he wants it to.
Sonny also felt that something was up the moment he entered their shared house. He needed the skills to feel the air with him being a commander and someone who deals with people who might attack him out of nowhere. The house was often quiet at night since Uki preferred sleeping early when he can and Fulgur accompanies him when he does since those two are gross like that. Alban does play games at night but due to what happened when he woke up Uki with his loud yelling, he usually kept his mouth shut and would just keep his malding antics to himself. Sonny was out most nights for a few hours, being a commander who needed to stay fit and agile from his timeline, he had grown accustomed to training at night and he felt antsy when he does nothing physical before going to sleep.
Fulgur and Uki share one room while Alban and Sonny share one room. Yugo has a room for himself since their arrangement is odd numbers so the ones who preferred being close to each other intimately got to share rooms. Yugo most often than not disappears by nighttime, his room was also fully padded with soundproof pads since he is a person that can't live without music so most of the time, Yugo was just gone after dinner, never to be heard from until the sun rises. So their shared house was quiet when the sky turns dark.
But not this kind of quiet.
"I also felt something was off when I entered the house. Do you want me to go around and check?" Sonny was about to remove his fingerless tactical gloves but he stopped himself from doing so as he walked closer to where Alban was playing, dropping a soft kiss on the male's forehead.
The brunet paused his game as he swivelled around with his chair, wrapping his arms around Sonny's midsection before nuzzling his cheek on the taller's abdomen. Like a cute cat, Sonny notes in his head. "I don't want to bother you. I'm probably worrying about nothing anyway."
"I also feel off, I said so, remember? But if you don't want me to go then I won't." Sonny held back a chuckle when Alban continued nuzzling and rubbing his cheek against his tummy, thankful that he had removed his weighted vest as soon as he entered their room. Moments like these remind Sonny why he's grateful to have been accidentally sent back in time.
"Well... It's almost two in the morning so why not wait until the sun rises?" Alban sighed with closed eyes, his fists clenched as they held Sonny's shirt from the back. He feels so worried about something he can't even name.
"Let's catch some sleep instead. Can I lay in your arm?"
"Of course, I'm the commander of VSF, that's nothing."
"You're really proud of your title, aren't you? What strong boyfriend I have."
And so Alban and Sonny laid down on the bed while laughing at each other's comments. A few moments later and they were a tangle of limbs as they drifted off to a place where their worries won't be able to reach them. Like that, the whole household fell into a quiet hum, a less eerie one but still an uncomfortable kind of quiet.
Uki surely felt it when he got up, going straight to the bathroom to do his morning routine. He felt much better than last night but there was still a nagging feeling there remaining that kept whispering to him that this day will turn into a disaster. His right eye was also stinging for some reason, the same eye where the star had fallen. It hurt but not enough to bother him too much, it was just a constant reminder of his unending uneasiness.
After finishing his business in the bathroom and seeing that Fulgur was still deep in sleep, Uki went straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for five. He never cooks much for breakfast, just simple meals for others and himself. Sometimes he will cater a meal if someone requested something different. Honestly, he had become their pseudo-mom ever since the very start, they all can't take care of themselves.
The concept of cooking their own nutritious food is a foreign concept to Fulgur but Uki couldn't always allow him to order takeout when he's inside the household Uki's staying in. Sonny was used to their packed food bags that mimicked the military MRE packs so all he could do was cook basic meals that most often don't meet Uki's standards. There wasn't much Alban could eat when he was a thief and when he did land a jackpot, he buys a feast of food he wanted to enjoy which most of the time isn't healthy so Uki tries to show Alban that there are foods he can enjoy that are healthy. Yugo would often forget about eating when he was so engrossed in his stuff, relinquishing the freedom he has in this time period that he didn't get to enjoy in his own timeline. Perhaps, Uki is the glue keeping them all together, Uki had to learn how to survive on his own when his parents had sold him and after whatever happened when his powers manifested for the first time.
Moving around the kitchen with ease, Uki quickly fell into a comfortable headspace, a small smile curving on his lips since, despite all of that, he was still so thankful that he got to meet the others. He wondered how much more was he willing to go through before he just gives up on his timeline if he were to continue being there. He wondered what would happen to him if he hadn't been given a chance to change his life.
Sure, psychics and seers or anyone with mystical abilities still is a thought of a far-off future for the people of this timeline but he was able to meet wonderful people, both mystical and ordinary. He wouldn't have wished for anything more than the happiness he was experiencing now. All he wished is for the happiness to continue.
"You seem deep in thought."
Uki wasn't even surprised when arms wrapped around him and a body was pressed against his back as he tossed the fried rice in his pan. Fulgur's arms felt cold but the warmth of his chest on Uki's back compensates for it.
"I was just thinking about how thankful I am to be here."
"It's too early to be emotional, Uki."
Uki laughed as he turned the stove off before turning around in Fulgur's hold to face him. "Mayhaps. It just entered my head."
"Hmm, maybe we need to turn off your head for a little while. It has been bothering you since last night, isn't it?" Fulgur whispered with care as he looked at Uki like he hung the stars, which is ironic when he had kept a star for himself unintentionally.
"What do you plan on doing about it?"
In no less than a second, Fulgur's lips were on Uki's. They shared an unhurried exchange of sweet, soft kisses, appreciating the presence of each other. Gently, Fulgur moved Uki around so he can lean against the counter inside of the stove, making sure nothing can hurt what is his anymore. They both pulled away moments later, breathing heavily.
"You taste like toothpaste."
"So do you."
They laughed softly in unison before Uki wrapped his arms around Fulgur's neck, pulling him down so they can make out again. This time, their kisses turned desperate without them meaning to, Fulgur's tongue slipping in between Uki's lips, mapping out every part of his small mouth. An appreciative hum came from Uki as he let Fulgur's tongue dance tango with his own, one of Fulgur's hands climbing up to Uki's back up to his nape as he held the back of Uki's head with utmost care.
"Please, stop making out in the kitchen."
They had to pull away to look at where Alban was sneering with faux disgust, Sonny trailing behind him with a sheepish look on his face. The two knew they had done worse than the simple sweet morning make-out session they just witnessed so they can't say anything about it. Uki chuckled before he slipped away from Fulgur's hold, landing a quick peck on his lips as consolation for the end of their affectionate actions.
"I was just cooking when Fuu-chan slipped in. Anyway, you guys woke up earlier than usual."
Sonny cleared his throat as they make their way to the dining table, taking a seat for themselves. "Yeah, well, we both woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep no matter what we do so we just stayed up until we heard you cooking in the kitchen."
"What's for breakfast?"
"Friend rice, fried eggs—both sunny side up and scrambled, and some bacon." Uki grabbed a couple of plates and went to the table himself to put them down. Fulgur followed suit behind him, holding a couple of plates of food himself. "Do tell me if you want something so I can make it now since I still need to cook Yugo's mackerel."
"Oh, can you toss a piece for me too, the mackerel I mean."
"Sure, just get your beverages on the fridge yourselves."
Sonny stretched before he looked at Uki. "Should I get Yugo?"
"Let him sleep for a little bit more, the fish isn't ready yet anyway."
They hang out for a bit, talking about different stuff that just came up. All of them felt uncomfortable but decided to stop thinking about their worries even though they were all worried about the same thing they can't name. Uki finished cooking the fish they wanted so he sent Sonny to get Yugo so they all can eat already.
Yugo had told him before they went their separate ways last night that he wanted to eat something that reminisces about the breakfast he had after visiting a Japanese friend of his. He had no idea how to cook most of the stuff he wanted so they compromised and decided to just cook at least the fish.
Sonny's footsteps sounded heavy on the floorboard and oddly loud, disrupting the silence that quickly enveloped him when he entered the hallway leading to their rooms. He stopped in front of Yugo's door and was about to knock when his body froze all of the sudden, hesitance spiking in his gut as his hand hovered close to the door. He felt the silence engulf him and it didn't feel good. Pushing through the incoherent worries in his brain, all he knew was that he had to get inside as soon as possible.
Without thinking anything else, Sonny kicked the door open with enough strength to open it with a loud bang. He expected to have Yugo jolt awake from it and shout at him or for him to open the bathroom door with a toothbrush in his mouth to stare defiantly at him. None of that welcomed him as he see a wrecked room with all of Yugo's things scattered everywhere and wasn't anywhere near to the room Yugo was so proud of that he always bragged about how clean and organized it is to Uki just so he can save himself from Uki's disappointed looks.
"Sonny?! What was that?!"
He heard someone yelling from the kitchen but all he can focus on was the state of Yugo's room and how much it was missing its owner's presence. He ran to check the bathroom, finding it unlocked and empty. He went to the window and it was closed with the lock Yugo had asked Alban and Fulgur to make so he can rest assured every night. It was a high-tech lock and it was still closed so that meant nobody entered Yugo's room.
So why is this place so ransacked and where is Yugo?!
"Sonny!" Alban's voice snapped Sonny out of the turmoil that was happening in his brain, the blond turned around to face the worried brunet. He hadn't meant to but his whole body was covering the doorway so Alban's focus was on him instead of the state of the room behind him. "What the—did you kick the door down? Why'd you do that?!"
"Alban..."
"Is something wrong?! What was that?!" Surely enough, Uki and Fulgur were on his tail. The two noticed the odd expression on Sonny's face way quicker than Alban did.
"Yugo... is not here..."
———
It had been a few hours and Uki had to get himself to re-organized and clean Yugo's room just to stop himself from worrying too much. He could just use his powers to do something about their friend's disappearance but Fulgur advises him not to do it, for now, saying that they should investigate first rather than rely on Uki's ability to see the future. After all, there are obvious consequences for looking into the future.
But it seemed like it was the right decision when Uki saw something on Yugo's computer the moment he was about to clean his desk. He didn't have the capacity to be surprised that Yugo's work desk seemed to be untouched unlike the rest of the room. He focused on the thing shown on the illuminated screen, something that made him shiver with realization.
"Guys... Yugo left a note."
The others crowded in front of the computer after putting two together, reading the note in the computer at their own paces as Uki stepped forward to hold onto Fulgur who quickly put a protective arm around his waist.
How ya doin'? The moment you guys read this is probably the morning after I leave. I decided to type it out because writing takes too long and I can already feel them coming. They have come to take me back to my timeline. They have tabs to keep on everyone in our world where androids reign and they probably had enough time to drag me back to that hellhole. I don't regret not informing you all but knowing your personal backgrounds, I assume you will realize everything. Just in case, do take care of my equipment there, will you? At least, that can make me feel at ease that somewhere still have the equipment I held dear in my heart. Thank you for being my friend despite my awkwardness. Alban, Uki, Sonny, Fulgur, I won't ever forget your names.
By the time they were done reading, Alban couldn't help but sob in his hands as he fell to the ground, Sonny was clenching his hands in regret that he didn't go through with his guts last night, Fulgur was frozen as he read the note over and over again, and Uki has his face buried in Fulgur's neck as he tried to control his breathing.
Yugo had left them and they couldn't even do anything to stop it because they weren't capable enough despite their abilities. All coming from different timelines, they all knew that there will be a possibility that someone can go back to their timelines. They came from different futures where different possibilities and "alternate universes" had happened.
Fulgur came from a timeline where high-tech prosthetics let people live and where time machines exist so they all thought that he would be the first to go if anything happened, given that he was sent to be with them with a time machine. It also wouldn't be farfetched to say that Sonny would have the chance to go since he is a leader of a very powerful and important organization that kept the world from going to ruin in his timeline, his colleagues would do anything just to bring him back. Uki would be one to go too if the institution have caught wind of his disappearance, he had taken himself out of their restraints but there is no telling of what they would do just to get their hands on him again. Though all of them were adamant about staying in this timeline with the others. Only Alban and Yugo have no real possibility of coming back to their timeline.
So for Yugo to suddenly go back...
"The androids... They probably entered our house last night and took him." Alban was the first to break the silence despite his painful sobs, his face kept behind his hands as he cried. "I felt so weird last night, I should've just checked everyone!"
"I also felt off... If it is what I think, all of us have felt off last night." Uki muttered as he glanced back at Yugo's prized possessions. He remembered that day when they all talked about hypothetically going back to their worlds and it would work on their own timelines. How they talked about the possibilities of being sought out or forced back. They knew something like this was possible and were prepared for anything but they still failed of stopping it from happening.
Uki walked to the broken window inside Yugo's room, looking at the sun that was shining so bright in the sky, remembering how Yugo's laugh brought happiness to his core. He hoped that Yugo can still see the sun and appreciate it. "Wherever you are, you will still shine, Yugo."
Sonny looked at Yugo's DJ mixer before he smiled faintly, remembering how he had taught Yugo how to fight for himself and the freedom he wanted. He wished that he would never give up and that he would remember his teaching."Wherever you are, you can still be free and happy, Yugo."
Alban hugged himself as he closed his eyes, remembering how warm Yugo was both inside and out. He wished that Yugo will also remember the warmth of their platonic love and appreciation for his existence. "Wherever you are, you will always be remembered, Yugo."
Fulgur looked down at his metal limbs, remembering the way Yugo had no difficulty treating him like a normal person despite his resemblance to the same thing that Yugo hated. He wished someone would make Yugo feel the acceptance in the place he had gone back to. "Wherever you are, you will always be part of us, Yugo."
"Wherever you are, you will still be with us as Noctyx, Yugo Asuma."
———
Ike felt a tear slowly roll down his cheek as he stopped stirring a bowl of ingredients he needed to bake. Vox, who was with him to supervise and also monopolize the food, immediately went beside him out of worry and concern from the sudden snap in Ike's mood.
"Ike?! What's wrong?! Are you hurt?!"
The said male looked up, the tips of his hair slowly turning pink as the same hue swirled in his pupils, evidently standing out from his normally golden eyes. Ike spoke with a voice similar to his usual but also a voice of someone Vox recognizes as someone very different from the man he had been moments ago.
"Yugo has gone back. They took him."
Ike—no, Eki looked at Vox with a smile before the pink in Ike's body disappeared and he was snapped back to reality. He felt his heart race as his hand lost all strength, making the bowl and the spatula drop to the floor, his tears multiplying as he stared into the distance.
"See you again, my dear kohai..."
———
Kotoka sighed as she stared at the headphones on her table, feeling the tears brimming in her eyes once again. The headphones had been a turning point in her life and she would take care of them better than she did with herself before. After all, they are a memory of the person who taught her how to be herself.
"Kotoka, Zaion has found a lead." Her president's voice broke through her thoughts as she composed herself and looked back at him. Ver stood there with sadness in his eyes but a comforting smile on his lips. "We might be able to bring him back."
"I... I don't need it anymore." Kotoka exhaled audibly as she smiled, mostly to herself as she convinced herself that there is no point in trying to do something their senpais couldn't do and that wherever he would be, he would come back to them if he so pleased. "I don't need to look for him."
Kotoka's eyes landed back on her headphones as she picked them up and placed them around her neck before he looked back at Ver and smiled the widest she had done ever since she heard about his forced departure.
"Because Yugo sensei will always be with me."
Kotoka felt Ver pulling her in his chest as a breathless sob ripped through her throat. She hadn't even noticed she was crying but now that she did, she couldn't stop as she felt the heavy pain in her chest.
"Sensei will always be with me..."