Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rin was running as fast as he could.

He had never forced his legs to run this fast before. Rin nimbly dodged every falling debris, even some of them almost hit him. He jumped over every endless hole that began to form on where his feet landed. If Rin slacked off for a second, he could end up trapped in another universe.

Rin looked back every now and then, his breath coming out in heavy pants. Magical buildings forged from glass and crystals began to crumble as he ran past. The scene was set against a backdrop of a galaxy full of stars—an endless, beautifully haunting universe stretching out above them.

Sae was in between them. His steps were stomping in anger and haste. He chased after Rin, his expression complicated.

Sae had nearly killed his own brother just moments ago, and Rin still couldn’t spot any pity or remorse upon his face, even just a tad bit.

Rin’s mind was in turmoil, hundreds of questions running through his head. What should he do now? For his better judgment, the best decision he could make right now was to escape through another portal. Even wherever the portal would take him to didn’t matter anymore. Rin had to disappear quickly. Far away from Sae’s reach.

In between breathless gasps, Rin raised both of his hands straight forward again. He didn’t stop running—dead on couldn't. His gaze was straight and steady. His left hand formed a sign with his index and middle fingers attached, the same two fingers on his right hand moving clockwise.

Orange sparks mixed with red appeared quite far in front of Rin, like sparks that slowly formed a circle; a portal. Across from it, there were towing buildings and city lights that looked like a city.

“RIN!”

Ever since they were kids, Sae had never raised his voice. Never towards Rin. Sae had never complained when he was hurt or sick. He always gave in easily and prefer not to argue, to the point that Rin thought Sae had lost his vocal cords. But Sae was just always quiet. His bad habit was to bottle up everything he wanted to and should have said.

This was the first time Rin heard his screams echoed through the space of their universe. They were hoarse; full of despair and demands.

Rin’s grip tightened on the cursed book that he kept tucked safely into his waistband. That fucking book. If it weren’t for this thing, Sae wouldn’t have lost his mind like he did now. However, Rin knew very well that all of Sae’s nonsensical actions and behavior right now weren't entirely caused by the cursed whispers from the book.

Shidou Ryusei’s death in the Endgame War clearly left a gaping wound in Sae’s heart.

Rin did not like Shidou. Hated him, in fact. Their personalities were totally polar opposites. They often fight because they always had different opinions and perceptions over almost everything — maybe Rin just couldn’t stand him — and they forever argue over small things. Sometimes it was Shidou who started it first. Sometimes Rin just couldn't stand to see that stupid grin. And sometimes, Sae had to step in and pull on their ears to get them to shut up.

His heart burned with anger and annoyance every time he saw the strange behavior coming from the man he considered as a cockroach. The way Shidou flirted with Sae were embarrassingly cheesy and lame. Rin tried hard so hard not to vomit. Shidou once bit a rose while raising both eyebrows at Sae, and the worst part was, Sae didn’t cringe at him. He just took it there. Even remembering it alone made Rin feel nauseous. How could Sae stand somebody so idiotic?

Until one day, Sae asked Rin not to get provoked or start fights between both of them. Sae actually liked that shitty guy. Rin must be blind if he didn’t realize something so clear in front of his own eyes.

But Sae had never asked something like this from Rin. He then decided to respect them from then on. Rin gave them space and time to be together, and tried to understand gradually, as long as Shidou didn't flirt with Sae in front of him anymore. That sight gave Rin nightmares. In the meantime, Rin hoped that Sae could still change his bad taste in men. What did his brother see in him anyway?

However, once Rin saw how Sae had a hard time dealing with the reality of Shidou’s death after the war, the sight of his trembling shoulders brought a harsh realization to Rin; Sae truly loved that man.

Shidou died with honor. He was famous worldwide for his agility and incredible physical strength. People often called him a hero, other than his famous nickname; the troublemaker of the town. In the Endgame War, Shidou pushed his abilities beyond his limits. Rin and Sae both witnessed him losing an arm in the battle against the so-called aliens. He was covered in blood, yet he stood high and proud. Shidou saved a lot of people, and killed enemies who tried to get in his allies’ way, including Rin and Sae. Basically, he died protecting the Earth.

Rin did not like Shidou, but he put a lot of respect upon his sacrifice.

In his silence, Rin watched his brother who forced himself to go through his sorrowful days. The red-haired man refused to touch even a little bit of food, and preferred to lock himself away. Sae kept himself busy with sorcery practices and spells. But his gaze was empty. Like a dead fish. It was also clear that Sae was getting thinner, as if he was already a living corpse with nowhere else to go. He returned to his empty and stiff self like before he met Shidou, and maybe even worse.

Rin had tried everything to help Sae so he could live his life normally again. Sae didn't have to forget about Shidou, and Rin knew that even Shidou himself wouldn’t want him to bury himself into grief like this. But it seemed like all his efforts were in vain. If anything, Sae even got worse.

Maybe that’s why Sae saw a ray of hope in the Darkhold.

Darkhold was a cursed spell book that whispered lies that only provide momentary pleasure, and then it'd drag its victims into deeper misery. That thing never stopped offering temptations to anyone who began to fall into error. Like his brother right now, who was slowly sinking into despair. The promise of being together with his lover again perhaps lured Sae into willing to kill his own brother, all in order to seize the Darkhold.

Hypocrite! Rin scoffed inwardly, knowing fully well that Sae couldn't possibly hear him. He kept his focus on dodging the spells Sae was throwing at him.

Sae always reminded him to never touch the Darkhold. No one should ever touch the Darkhold just for personal gain. Sae called those who use it for purposes other than protecting the universe, as a selfish, egotistic person.

As someone who was more skilled and perceptive in controlling magic, Sae was given the responsibility to guard the Darkhold. If only Rin was seconds late from catching Sae red-handed opening the chains around the book, all that would be left of his universe right now would be debris.

"Brother..." Rin's gaze towards Sae softened, hoping to bring the young man back to his senses, but it seemed useless. "Don't do this. The universe will be destroyed if this book is in your hands!"

Sae had sunk far too deep to heed Rin's persuasion. Every step Sae took to approach him was filled with anger. His cold eyes pierced through Rin's. This time, he really made his brother his own enemy. Rin could never dreamt of this situation, not even the slightest. Despite everything, despite the shenanigans between both of them, Rin loved Sae. Rin would never think of him turning his back against his own little brother.

Sae’s fingers twisted slowly, as if forming something with his signature red magic.

“Get out of my way, you idiot,” he snapped coldly, his sharp gaze still fixed on his younger brother.

"You're out of your fucking mind! Are you hearing yourself right now?!"

“Since when did you care about the universe, Rin?” Sae asked back, sarcastically alluding to Rin who had previously been deaf to the universe and its contents.

He wasn't entirely wrong. Rin didn't give a shit about the universe. He never reached that level. Rin never even tried to learn the knowledge that was passed down in his family from generation to generation. Rin chose to live his life as an ordinary wizard, trying to enjoy life as he could.

The only wizards who truly protect their universe were Sae... and Yoichi.

“No. I don’t.” Rin shook his head. “But you do. Can you imagine destroying the world you’ve always wanted to protect?”

Rin took a step back as Sae approached him. He continued to try to think rationally, in contrast to Sae who was now hypnotized by the voices of the damned book.

This was not like the Itoshi Sae that Rin knew at all, who had always acted and spoke upon his common sense. Not like the Sae who had always put himself aside. “Feelings and emotions aren't important when it comes to sorcery,” he used to say. A sentence that was always stuck in Rin’s mind.

This is all that can be done now.

Locking his eyes on Sae, Rin carefully opened a portal behind him, his hands moving behind his back. A gentle breeze blew from within the portal. Rin himself didn't even know where it would take him to. He could only thought of a dimension that Sae probably never knew about in his omniscient vision. It seemed impossible indeed, but at least Rin had to take the risk.

Realizing Sae who had already noticed his action, Rin swallowed hard, once again softening his gaze and said,

“Please, big brother. This isn’t you.”

The magic in Sae's hand was now clearly formed. His red energy turned into a transparent spear with both ends pointed, almost like a Space Shard. Before Rin could see it, he quickly turned around and jumped right into the portal.

Sae threw the spear in his hand aimlessly just before Rin's portal could close before his eyes. It didn't cross his mind whether the spear would kill Rin on the spot nor would it only give him an injury. Sae didn't care anymore. The voices inside his head were getting louder, screaming and begging for him to snatch the book from Rin's grasp as he jumped into another universe.

However, as soon as Rin disappeared from sight, along with the sparks of the portal that disappeared, Sae slowly stopped walking. There was no point in chasing Rin now. He had to find another way.

Sae lowered his gaze. Letting the ephemeral galaxy dimension envelop his empty and lonely soul. Once again, Sae was left all alone.

Rin heard the portal sparks behind him slowly disappeared.

Rin's light body floated in the night sky, all thanks to the Cloak of Levitation which was wrapped around him. He observed the quiet, modern neighborhood beneath his feet, looking for a safe place to run. Rin continued to force himself to think rationally again, as his ancestors had always taught him. He mustn't let his guard down, not even for a second.

Then Rin heard the sound of cloth tearing, followed by something sharp piercing through his flesh.

Rin's eyes widened in horror as he felt something stab his shoulder mercilessly. A loud groan escaped spontaneously. The pain followed by confusion suddenly hit him, who was already tired and anxious.

The focus he had worked so hard to maintain vanished in an instant. He stumbled—losing his balance. Before he knew it, Rin watched his view abruptly change from the night sky, then the roof of the houses, and then the night sky again. He was falling through the air without any control over his own body.

THUD!

Rin's body slammed into the rough, cold asphalt. He curled up and groaned, tightly gripping his right shoulder which was the source of the pain. Blood pooled in his trembling palm as he pulled away. Rin winced as he put his hand back against the gaping, painful wound to stop the bleeding. But he couldn't stop now. Rin struggled to stand up. His legs were weak and trembling like leaves blown by the wind. His chest heaved as he caught his breath.

This street looked awfully familiar. The posts, the houses, the road… Rin knew exactly where he is. He just needed to make sure of it.

Using all the strength he had left, Rin staggered down the quiet street. If Yoichi had seen him now, he would have laughed out loud and made a lame joke, saying that Rin also often made fun of him when he was injured, so he would totally do the same.

Rin leaned against a street lamp post to support his weight, leaving marks of blood on it. Rin couldn't imagine how the locals would react in the morning if they saw it. They would probably think someone had been murdered.

He shook his head. Why did Rin have to think about such a silly thing?

Damn Yoichi. He had managed to break into Rin's mind and indoctrinate him with his awful sense of humor.

His steps stopped in front of a simple but beautiful house. Rin had always loved the aesthetics displayed on the house. The maple trees contrasted to the soft blue walls of his house. Although some of the elements and colors were different in this universe, Yoichi's house had always been his favorite escape. The house was a candy for the eye, but of course, he would not tell that to Yoichi's face.

Rin pushed the iron gate in front of the house with a grimace. It was unlocked; very typical of Isagi Yoichi. The sound of iron colliding with the wall behind it was loud enough for anyone to notice. His breath was getting heavier. His legs were starting to feel numb. Rin screamed at himself; hang in there. Yoichi knows we're here. He knows.

Rin almost fell because he tripped over his own feet on the porch. Blame it on his blurry vision and dizziness. He blinked slowly. The porch light was bright above Rin, illuminating the young man who was already covered in blood.

All the weariness that he had ignored until now was eating him alive, added to that was the intense pain on his shoulder, also the pain from what Sae had done to him. Rin kept convincing himself that it wasn't Sae, but someone who had been affected by the Darkhold.

His relationship with Sae was not as good as people thought it was, but Sae would never hurt him intentionally, let alone kill him. Rin knew that. Deep down, Sae loved his little brother very much. Yoichi told him so, since he knew the truth in people's hearts just by guessing them.

Yoichi. Rin let out a long, trembling breath. Even as he inhaled, the pain seemed to electrocute his entire body. Yoichi. If only I could see you again.

The front door of his house creaked open. On the other side of the door, appeared the figure of the man Rin had always longed for.

In front of him, stood Isagi Yoichi from Earth-616. His eyes were puffy, his nose was red, and both ears were plugged with earphones. He looked charming as usual. The trails of tears upon his cheeks didn't go unnoticed. Yoichi's face was shocked, almost pale, as if he was seeing a ghost.

Relief washed away Rin's previously tormenting despair. He carved a weak smile before his vision darkened.

Rin finally let the gravity win and let himself fall to his knees. He would rest for a while. It’s okay. Rin found him.

"Yoichi..."

You always have a way to save me.

Chapter Text

Isagi drops Rin’s body onto the couch after struggling to carry him from the porch.

The fact that Rin is twice as big and heavier than him is not helping at all. The height difference is cute, but it can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Like right now, for the record. Or the moment when Isagi had to stand on his tiptoes to place a kiss upon Rin’s cheek. That damn guy didn’t even bother to bend down, unwilling to make it easier for Isagi.

Ah, just remembering Rin makes Isagi’s chest tightens again.

After catching his breath for a moment, Isagi kneels down next to the unconscious Rin. His forehead slightly creases, showing that he’s still in pain.

Isagi grabs his jacket which lays on the other side of the sofa, then pressed it against Rin’s shoulder to stop the bleeding. Was he attacked? Because Isagi has never seen a wound like that before. The wound looks quite severe that it concerns him. Pressing clothes on it won't be enough. Isagi has to take him to the hospital and get a professional help.

But then his face lights up as he remembers something. He quickly takes out his phone from his pocket. His trembling fingers presses the number registered in his contact. The screen of his phone is now stained with Rin’s blood, smearing all over his hand.

“Pick up, come on…” Isagi mutters when the call is still connecting. He waits anxiously, his feet tapping the floor.

“Ah, hello, sir? Sorry for calling so late. It’s, um… can you come to my house? Right now.” Isagi glances at Rin with concern. “This is urgent, sir. Yes. Mhm. Do you have a hecting set? Great. Bring it, okay? What? No, no. Not for me. I’ll explain when you're already here. Good. I’ll be waiting. Thank you.”

Thank God Isagi listened to Yukimiya’s advice about having a personal physician. That man’s advice is very helpful, considering Isagi who could be quite careless about himself, especially in matches.

Isagi mainly consulted his personal doctor about his physical health and endurance while playing soccer. When it came to injuries, Isagi only ever came with complaints of a sore thigh or sprained ankle. His poor personal physician was certainly surprised when Isagi asked him to come with a hecting set. That old man can stitch up wounds, Isagi is sure of it.

Isagi returns his focus to Rin, lying weakly in front of him. His face is so peaceful, even though it seems like he’s still in pain. He can’t help but curse the boy silently. How can Rin still look handsome like this? Isagi's hand almost flies to slap his own cheek to wake himself up, or slap Rin who, you can say, is in a total disadvantageous condition.

They had already broken up. If Rin decided to suddenly pull a prank on him like this, Isagi can already imagine the cruel words he'll scream into his ear later.

Because it won't be funny if it’s not. Rin must be planning something, Isagi knows that for sure. Rin isn't the type of person who's willing to do something drastic like this. That jerk will be satisfied seeing his reaction now, and Isagi doesn’t want to let Rin win.

Isagi brushes away the bangs that are covering Rin's face. He really is Itoshi Rin, despite his strange clothes. He looks like a wizard or something.

Strangely, it suits Rin. He’s wearing a thick, dark teal robe that reached his knees. The robe, like a soldier's uniform, is wrapped carelessly with a wide dark brown leather belt. Isagi had taken off his black boots and left them near the front door.

Isagi also notices that Rin wears a blue cloak earlier, contrasting his dark clothes. There's a tear in the robe and it's covered in Rin's blood. Isagi also had to take it off so he could see Rin’s wound clearly.

Overall, this Rin is like the main character from the fantasy comics he read, or in Kunigami's favorite superhero movies that they often watched together. This is what you call a failed cosplay, for sure.

Isagi swallows hard. Even though he has completely memorized all the details of Rin's face whom he loved, Isagi should have had no doubts about who he is with right now, but something in the back of his mind seems to sound an alarm. Something that he can't quite lay a finger on.

Isagi wants to believe that he is Itoshi Rin, but a part of him refuses.

It’s different. He’s different. The concern burning in Isagi's heart now turns into uneasiness. He finds himself constantly asking; is this really the Rin that Isagi knows?

Isagi shakes his head slowly. Of course this is Itoshi Rin, who was in his team, who then decided to make them enemies against each other.

Rin, who dared to confess his feelings to Isagi after the Neo Egoist League. Rin, who asked Isagi to try to have a relationship with him, then he dumped Isagi for no damn reason. He also couldn't be contacted after Isagi sent him hundreds of messages and calls. Isagi knew that Rin was someone who could be nonsensical sometimes, but he'd guarantee Rin wouldn't do something like this. At least, that's what Isagi thought.

Although, Isagi would be lying to himself if he admits that he no longer loves Rin.

No matter how hard Isagi tries to push away his feelings, he feels like he's stuck in a dead end. Isagi likes Rin too much to throw away his feelings just like that. So, he can't wait to think of another way to get revenge on him. Like beating him in the international league soon.

Isagi's feelings are mixed at the sight of the helpless Rin. It reminds him of the bitter moment that happened just a few days ago.

“I think... it's better for us to break up, Isagi. I’m sorry."

When Rin wakes up, Isagi won't let him escape his questions. Just wait and see.

Chapter Text

“Rin, look at me.”

The reflection of the city lights beneath their feet looks so beautiful, reflecting upon Yoichi's sapphire blue eyes. His gentle smile was hypnotizing. If Rin didn't know any better, Yoichi was the most beautiful person Rin had ever met. He held back a smile. It's really a shame that Rin prioritized his ego over his desire to gaze on Yoichi any longer.

“Rin…”

"Shut up," Rin interrupted as he looked away, as if he already knew what Yoichi wanted to say. “I don't need to hear it.”

Yoichi chuckled. He stepped onto the air effortlessly as if he was walking on a hard surface. The elegant step he took didn't make Rin forget that the boy was floating around with the help of his Cloak of Levitation. The cloak seemed to have its own mind and thoughts, yet also so connected to Yoichi like an old friend.

Rin's gaze followed Yoichi wherever he moved from the corner of his vision. The young man stood facing away from the moonlight, right in front of Rin who had to look up to see him. Yoichi's current position was slightly higher than him, who was standing on the roof of the building.

Rin refused to make an eye contact with him, and looked like Yoichi noticed that already. He could always pick up the hints in Rin's personality that others find hard to grasp.

Rin hated to admit that it made him feel special. Everybody always assumed that he was a complicated person, just like his older brother. But that didn't seem to apply to Yoichi. They were polar opposites, yet so perfect together.

“I don’t care whether you want to hear it or not,” Yoichi interjected. “I just have to say it once.”

Rin was reluctant to respond. He slowly lowered his head. The cool night breeze blew past them gently. In the corner of his eyes, he could see Yoichi's soft blue cloak blowing in the wind, faithfully embracing its wise master.

Yoichi then continued, “I need your help, Rin.”

“I won't obey you just because you're the Sorcerer Supreme.”

“I didn't come to you as the Sorcerer Supreme,” Yoichi argued, now flying closer to him. A small smile never left his handsome face. “I came as a friend.”

Once again, Rin looked away, rolling his eyes briefly because he knew it was pointless argue with him. Yoichi's signature cinnamon scent made his stupid heart beat even faster.

“My brother can help you. He understands everything about the universe much better than I do,” Rin said again.

He had repeatedly rejected Yoichi's requests outright. Yoichi was weird for offering something so crucial to someone like him. Although Rin indeed had a talent for sorcery — it seemed to run in his family — but, unlike Sae who made good use of it, Rin didn't want to make his life more complicated.

Rin knew very well that carrying such a responsibility would be a heavy burden upon his shoulders. He couldn't do it, at least not alone.

Yoichi grinned silently, almost mockingly. “No offense, Rin, but I don’t trust your brother.”

Rin shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “No one ever trusted him. Nobody but that damn cockroach.”

That small grumble successfully earned a laugh from Yoichi. What's so funny? Even though what Rin said was true, he laughed in amusement. Whether it was because of his hatred towards Shidou or the matter of Sae that made others always suspicious of him. His brother was indeed too… mysterious.

“I’m serious, man,” Yoichi continued, his tone grew more serious this time. “I’ve seen far into the future. A war will break out soon. A war that can't be avoided. I need an heir, Rin. You’re the only one I can trust.”

“Heir?” Rin repeated, then scoffing in annoyance. Yoichi with his emotional choice of words. “Don’t be ridiculous. What am I, your son? Besides, you say that like you’re going to die.”

Yoichi smiled faintly upon hearing this.

Then, Rin finally gathered the courage to look back at Yoichi. “You won’t die, Yoichi. You’re the Sorcerer Supreme. You won’t die that easily.”

“Aren’t you being a little too naive?” Yoichi shook his head briefly, not believing any of Rin’s words.

Rin could see Yoichi closing in the distance between them. The scent of cinnamon was getting stronger to his nostrils. “Don’t be sad, Rin. You know I hate seeing that face.” He stroked Rin’s head gently as if he were a kitten.

“Shut it. I won’t gain anything if I inherit that knowledge or anything from you at all. It'll only burden me.” Although Rin was annoyed, he didn't reject Yoichi’s touch. It felt soft and soothing.

Taking care of the countless details of the universe sounded painful to Rin, who preferred to live his life easy. Such work was extremely risky, and the responsibility, of course, was also huge.

That's why the ambitious and determined Yoichi was more suited to do those things. Ever since they were little, Yoichi had always said that he would be the Sorcerer Supreme someday. And Rin witnessed all the struggles that his beloved friend had gone through. He, to Rin, was a living example of the famous phrase; “It always seems impossible until it's done”. His perseverance and hard work brought him a step closer to his dreams.

Isagi Yoichi, the youngest Sorcerer Supreme in the history of his universe. He was only 18 years old when he was inaugurated and given the responsibility of guarding the Time Stone. When the ceremony was over, he was overjoyed. Yoichi jumped up and down, cheering like a child. He clung to Rin at dusk that day—who was secretly proud of his accomplishment.

Nobody was more suitable to do it than Isagi Yoichi himself. If he had to choose, the only person who came closest to Yoichi was Itoshi Sae. In fact, Sae had hundreds of experiences in magic, as well as extensive knowledge. Sae used his intelligence appropriately and wisely. He just didn't want to become the Sorcerer Supreme, even though his teacher and family elders had persuaded him until they gave up eventually.

So why Rin?

Without Rin himself realizing, the boy he was talking to already put both hands on his shoulders. And Rin had no choice but to look at him straight in the sapphire blue eyes. Now he had nowhere to run.

Rin's common sense and ego desperately tried to refuse, but his hand was itching to pull Yoichi closer, challenging himself to do something beyond both of their expectations.

Yoichi's gaze was always fiery with passion, like the times when he was performing sorcery or spells. This time it was different. Yoichi was truly looking at him.

Rin wanted to nail those beautiful eyes of his so that they would always look only at him.

Yoichi tilted his head slightly, his gaze fell onto the Amulet he was wearing. “You're the right person to carry this.”

Rin followed Yoichi's gaze toward the Time Stone that he always wore around his neck. He always carried the stone with him wherever he went. Before the Ancient One passed away, he passed the stone on to Yoichi, one of the best students the Sanctum had ever had. Although Rin was no less superior than Yoichi, he felt that Yoichi deserved it more than him.

But Rin shook his head gently. “No,” he refused again, “there's no one more capable than you.”

“Apart from me, you're also capable of such things, Rin.”

“The Time Stone isn’t just a piece of jewelry, Yoichi. It has its meaning. It has omnipotent power that can’t be given to just anyone. I can’t do that,” Rin stated firmly, his brows furrowed either in annoyance or to convince Yoichi.

“Yes, anyone else but you.” Isagi pressed still the young man in front of him. Was he really that desperate? What made him suddenly act like this?

Rin was silent for a moment, observing Yoichi's expression, then said, “There's something you're not telling me,” he concluded with narrowed eyes, starting to grow suspicious.

Yoichi let out a tired sigh. He pulled his cloak closer because of the night wind. “Listen closely, Rin. The only thing you can know for now is; a large-scale war is about to happen. We're talking about making one-step-ahead decisions. Our enemies will be after me, because I'm the only one who can open and close the boundaries between space and time in our dimension to the others. Not Sae, not you. Me.”

Rin bit his lower lip slightly. Yoichi was dead serious. His eyes glanced at the Amulet on Yoichi's neck, then back to him. Could it be that he had seen everything that would happen in the war?

“How big?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

Yoichi's gaze was steady. His expression was firm, staring straight at Rin.

“Destructive.” His head nodded subtly. “Everyone will be taking their own roles in the war. I saw everybody we know. Bachira, Kunigami, Chigiri, our friends… Old man Noa and Ego. Sae and Shidou were there too.”

“Did we survive?”

Yoichi was silent for a moment before responding, “If I tell you now, then it won’t happen.”

Rin snorted. He rolled his eyes. “Screw you, Yoichi.”

Though, he couldn’t blame Yoichi because the Sorcerer Supreme was right. Yoichi was able to read the future, and telling anyone about his predictions could've changed everything that might and should have happened in the future. It's best if Rin stayed blind for now.

“I'm just taking the safest way possible. Think of it as a preparation before the storm,” Yoichi said, floating towards Rin who had already turned around.

The teal-eyed man rubbed his face roughly. His fingers pushed his bangs back, exposing his attractive lower lashes. A characteristic of his that Yoichi liked.

“Rin, if not you, who else?” Yoichi’s feet finally landed on the roof of the famous Tembo Galleria of the Tokyo Skytree. Their highest place of escape because no one could find them here. He stepped closer to Rin.

Rin's lips pressed into a thin line, looking right into Yoichi's eyes that reflected the city lights.

“You were the one who had witnessed me controlling the boundaries of space and time in our universe. You were by my side ever since we were still students in the Sanctum. You've seen everything. If not me, then it's you, Rin. You're the only one.”

Rin turned toward the busy city below them, then to Yoichi again. His gaze softened as he looked at his childhood friend. It was all true. Rin had always been by Yoichi's side as they studied sorcery together. They had practically grown up together, all through the thicks and the thins.

And Rin's feelings for him also grew over those years.

“At least…” Rin took a deep breath, “at least, you have to promise me something.”

Yoichi knew he didn't have to answer. He fell silent, waiting for Rin to continue. Maybe his request would be hard for him.

“Don't die.”

Yoichi sighed.

“I swear to God, Yoichi, if you die in that war, I will kill you myself.” Rin closed the distance between them quickly. Yoichi was so close to him that Yoichi had to raise his head to look at Rin. “Do you hear me? Don’t. Die. Do you understand?”

Yoichi's lips slowly curved into a smile. The firmness upon his face faded. "I won't die," he said quietly.

Rin slowly nodded his head. His heart was beating fast, and his cheeks felt warm.

“Okay,” he mumbled awkwardly, “good.”

Oh my. Rin could see a faint blush adorning Yoichi's face. Were they too close? Had Rin crossed the line? His eyes immediately fell on Yoichi's slightly parted lips. He took a deep breath nervously. Among the many panicked and awkward voices in his head, a question arose; was Yoichi usually this beautiful?

With a swift motion, Rin's hand grabbed Yoichi's arm and he stumbled forward, it all happened so fast—and then Rin kissed him.

Wow. This is real. The warmth, the softness, the faint noises of the busy city… Yoichi looked surprised for a moment. Was he okay with this? Rin definitely had crossed a line. But when Rin opened his eyes to see, Yoichi already closed his. This is fucking real. Rin's hands sneaked to his lean waist. He could feel Yoichi gripping onto his shoulder. His head tilted to taste more, and Yoichi happily opened his mouth. It's funny yet relieving at the same time for Rin to know that Isagi Yoichi is just into this as much as he is.

The moment he had been waiting for for too long. Rin had always fantasized about his first kiss where he imagined it with Yoichi because he couldn't picture himself doing it with somebody else, and Yoichi didn't taste like candy or strawberries. It was a sweetness that Rin couldn't express with words alone, but he himself knew well that this moment would haunt him as the most beautiful memory. It didn't matter. Fuck. He was kissing Isagi Yoichi.

Blame it on the pathetic Itoshi Rin for bottling up his feelings. Pathetic for choosing to stay silent ever since they met in elementary school. Bachira once pointed out how Rin stared at Yoichi with stars in his eyes. And he did, every time. He could only look at Yoichi who enthusiastically told him about his dreams whenever they were on the roof of this building, in school uniforms and all, hoping that somehow Yoichi would notice his feelings. Moreover, Rin often found himself searching for excuses and lied every time Yoichi brought up the person he liked. Because it had always been him.

Rin considered himself pathetic for falling in love with his best friend.

And worse, now Yoichi knew.

Rin slowly opened his eyes as he pulled away, waiting for his reaction. There was a slight feeling of disappointment in his heart as Yoichi moved his face away. Now, he could clearly see Rin's embarrassed expression, his face flushed red. Yoichi chuckled. He rubbed Rin's blushing cheeks, and Rin pushed his hand away.

“Shut—shut up,” Rin stammered, realizing what he had just done. Rin had just followed his heart. God, that was embarrassing.

“I’ve known for a long time, idiot,” Yoichi replied with a lovely smile on his face.

Rin’s face fell as he realized something. “You bastard.” He shoved Yoichi by the shoulder, his heart thumping loudly. “You’ve seen this through the future. Oh, screw you. Shit. Shit — what the hell, Yoichi?!”

Yoichi could no longer hold back his cackle. He felt more than just satisfied at Rin’s reaction. Though, he didn’t see through the future about this moment. Yoichi knew that this would happen. Not because of his predictions, but because that idiot had always wanted to kiss him so badly it clearly showed. That’s why Yoichi rejected everyone that had asked him out. He was just teasing Rin so he would confess everything.

“I can’t believe it,” Rin scoffed. “You saw everything, didn’t you? You know I would do this.”

“I didn’t!” he exclaimed, his hands still holding his stomach.

“You knew!”

“I didn’t see this in my future, Rin, for crying out loud,” Yoichi stood up straighter this time. He stopped laughing, but his lips curled into a smile. “I just know that it would happen. I didn't expect this to happen now. I just know.”

Rin tried to pull himself together from the embarrassment. He closed his eyes as he nodded, concluding the thing that had happened between them. Every detail, every second. “You knew that I’m into you,” he muttered after he opened his eyes again. He looked right into Yoichi’s stupid sapphire blue eyes.

Yoichi nodded along. “Would it make you feel any better if I said I felt the same way?”

His words instantly made Rin freeze. Then he carved a grin, scoffing with his eyes closed. He shook his head. "Is this finally the time for you to confess your feelings to me?"

“I don’t need some cliché scene like in those romance movies, stupid. You know my answer already.”

Rin pulled Yoichi by the nape to kiss him again.

Chapter Text

Rin's eyes slowly open.

The first thing he sees is the white ceilings. Yoichi's figure has disappeared.

Rin rubs his face roughly. The most beautiful moment in his life turned into a nightmare that repeatedly haunts him in his sleep. Perfect. Rin has to swallow his disappointment every time he wakes up and realizes that every second that has happened at that time is just a dream.

It felt so real. Maybe it’s because Rin misses him awfully.

After blinking a few times to adjust his vision to his surroundings, Rin immediately realizes how much his head hurts. It feels like he's being stabbed by hundreds of needles. It seems to be the effect of him losing blood, considering his injuries from last night. Space Shards usually weren't fatal, but Sae had mixed it with his magic. He’s still alive right now, that means Isagi Yoichi in this universe has treated his wound.

How long has he been unconscious? Rin looks at the window beside him. He squints, adjusting his vision to the bright sunlight which is streaming in through the gaps in the curtains. The sun has risen; Rin has been unconscious all night.

Rin glances at his injured right shoulder. His brow furrows as he spots his robe; already open and stained with blood. The wound has been neatly bandaged. The pain still lingers, but not as bad as last night. He drags the fingers of his other hand through the bandage, remembering when he falls from the sky because of the spear.

Rin's expression turns bitter. Memories of everything that had happened last night flooded his mind again. Darkhold. Sae. Yoichi. Earth-616. And how Rin found himself standing in front of Isagi Yoichi's doorstep and could only hope that this Yoichi recognized him.

Frankly, Rin wasn't thinking straight at the time. Running to Yoichi whenever he was in trouble was probably a habit of his, since Yoichi always knew what to do.

Then he frowns in confusion. Something is wrong. And a second later, his eyes widened. Rin raises his left hand to get a better look, his fingers facing away from the sunlight. The Sling Ring is gone.

Rin forces his body to get up from the couch. That thing must have slipped from his hand when his body slammed against the concrete. What if someone else had found it before him?

Pain shoots through Rin's body as he tries to sit up, making him groan loudly. His limbs are all aching and sore. Even so, he keeps forcing himself to get up. Sooner or later, Sae will find him and he certainly can not escape without the Sling Ring. Knowing the scale of Sae's chaos magic and power right now, his brother must be moving faster than he thought he would be.

“Don’t! You’re still recovering!”

Rin freezes. His eyes slowly turn toward the voice. He suddenly remembers Yoichi with his little greeting in the morning, his voice a little hoarse yet cheerful.

Yoichi of Earth-616 quickly walks over to him. His eyebrows are raised, a signature expression of his whenever he was worried. He puts his hand on Rin's left shoulder to push him back onto the cushions.

No matter how hard Rin tries to avoid his sapphire blue eyes, he’s still fixated on Isagi, almost forgetting his sole purpose of being here. He slowly lays back down, surrendering to Isagi's gentle hand.

The memory of Yoichi's smile flashes through him.

“Your wound was bad, so I had to stitch it up. Otherwise, you’ll bleed to death,” he adds. He places a cup of steaming hot tea on the table, their gazes break as Yoichi fixes Rin’s clothes, trying to make him more comfortable.

“Yoichi,” Rin calls his name like a prayer — almost a whisper.

It’s like seeing Yoichi for the first time again.

Meanwhile, Isagi frowns in confusion, then laughs awkwardly. During his relationship with Rin, he never called Isagi by his first name. Instead, Rin often called him with nicknames that were not romantic at all. Especially on the field. He was always sharp. As he suspected, this Rin was very strange.

But before Isagi could ask a question, Rin interrupts, “Yoichi, do you know me?”

And he seems polite. Wow. That's one hundred percent weird. If Rin is just acting right now, then he's one of a bad actor.

“Of course? We used to date…?” Isagi answers hesitantly with a lopsided smile on his face.

Did Rin hit his head then insanely dressed up in a costume and come to his house just to see his reaction? No way. In fact, Isagi should have done something as ridiculous as that because of Rin's temperamental actions. He could have punched Rin in the face right now, but he felt like there was something Rin would add to his explanation.

Seeing Isagi's confused reaction, Rin lets out a weary sigh as he realizes that his choice of words clearly doesn't make any sense.

“I have a lot to explain,” he says. “You have to listen to me carefully.”

“Okay… what?” There’s a slight awkwardness in Isagi’s chuckle. He crosses his arms in front of his chest, hoping that Rin will explain the reason behind their breakup. Surely it has something to do with their relationship, right?

Rin looks right into Isagi's eyes with his mouth slightly open, his words catches on his lips.

“Yoichi, I'm not the Rin you know.”

Silence falls upon them both for a moment.

Isagi gives Rin a strange look before his expression crumbles, his cheeks puffing out as he bursts out laughing. He continues laughing as he holds his stomach. It’s got to be some kind of a joke. Then he looks back at the frowning Rin, surprised at his reaction.

“What the heck? Seems like our breakup did a number on you, Rin.”

“Breakup?” Rin asks, staring at Isagi in disbelief, then shakes his head slowly. “No — Yoichi, this is serious. I’m not your Rin. I came from Earth-838.”

“Yeah… and aespa’s Karina is my girlfriend,” Isagi retorts sarcastically. One Rin is already troublesome, let alone two. He would've lost his mind by now.

Rin's lips purse in annoyance. Turns out this Yoichi is just the same as the one in his universe. Defiant and cheeky. Rin feels the same annoyance when he sees him. Almost familiar yet suffocating.

Seeing Isagi still smiling mischievously, Rin lets out another sigh. “I don’t have time for this,” he groans as he forces himself to sit up.

Sae could have found his location while he was unconscious last night. He could be anywhere right now. Rin has become too careless.

He pushes Isagi's hand away when he tries to push him back onto the couch. His face grimaces in pain, but Rin ignores it. He pulls Isagi by the wrist. It’s warm. It’s like holding Yoichi—his hand fits him perfectly.

“You don't believe me?”

Isagi almost laughed at the way Rin looked at him. He’s like a lost puppy.

He sneers. “Okay. Show me your magic, then.” He raises both of his hands playfully.

But Rin doesn’t move. His expression remains calm and collected. His teal eyes are attached to him. Isagi swallows nervously. Is he going to do something to him?

Then a rustling sound comes from behind Isagi. He turns around, finding Rin's blue cloak—which had been folded—squirming open.

Isagi lets out a muffled scream as the cloak flies across the room, passing him by quickly. Isagi stumbles backwards until he hit the table behind him. Rin’s eyes are still fixed on Isagi as the cloak rests around his shoulders perfectly.

That was one of the coolest and attractive things Isagi had ever seen.

“You— but— how?!” he shouts, pointing at the cloak. That can't be real. Magic does not exist. But the cloak indeed looks alive.

Upon witnessing Isagi’s reaction, Rin can't help but feel satisfied.

“Sit down. Listen to me,” he says firmly.

Isagi can sense that something has definitely happened. Seeing from Rin's serious face, it's probably something bad. He sits on the other side of the sofa, facing the unique Itoshi while eyeing the living cloak warily.

Rin falls silent for a moment. Should he tell him? It’s no use backing down now, because by going to Isagi, it also means he has dragged him into this. Sae would definitely look for the two of them. Sae knew that Rin would definitely go to Isagi.

Then, he continues, “Do you believe in the multiverse?”

Isagi frowns. He had often read theories about other universes. Their galaxy is vast and large, and Isagi does believe that this world isn't the only one that exists. It sounds ridiculous, but even Rin—his Rin—agreed with him. So, Isagi hesitantly nods his head.

Somehow, Rin feels relieved to know his response. He moves both of his hands in the air, gesturing as he continues his explanation, mirroring Yoichi's habit of explaining things.

“Do you believe me if I say I’m from another universe?” he asks again, still doubting Isagi’s trust in him. His face looks skeptical.

Isagi falls silent. This Rin clearly has different manners, and his way with words speaks for itself. He decides to go along with his words. This is getting interesting. "Go on.”

“I… I'm a wizard in my universe. My job—our job is to maintain the balance between universes using magic. We guard the space, time, and dimensions between the other universes and ours. We protect the Earth from supernatural dangers.”

“We?” Isagi repeats Rin’s words. “Are there any other wizards?”

Rin nods subtly. “Yes. There's plenty. In my universe, my older brother Sae, you, and I, we're one of them.”

As silly as it sounds, Isagi knows that Rin is serious. He makes the same expression as his Rin does when he’s listening to their strategy in the match.

“Were you attacked?” Isagi asks as he glances at the bandages that are covering Rin’s shoulder. There’s dried blood stains around the torn part of his robe.

Rin follows Isagi's gaze for a moment before returning to him. He nods again. “That’s why I fell into this universe. I tried to escape from him,” Rin answers, remembering Sae and his bloodshot eyes. He still can't believe that it's really Sae.

Once again, Rin frowns. His hand instinctively flies to his waist—the book is gone.

Seeing Rin’s sudden panic, Isagi glances at the worn book he had placed on the table last night. The book is ancient and weathered. The edges are ragged, as if made of metal and old leather. The texture is rough and uneven. It gives off a mystical aura, plus the fact that it’s wrapped in an old cloth.

The cover is worn and rusty. There are intricate carvings and embossed designs that show a symbol. Isagi tried to search for the pattern on the internet, and he could only find the Darkhold book; a fictional book owned by Scarlet Witch from the Marvel series.

“Are you looking for that?” Isagi asks as he points at the book.

Isagi gasps in surprise when Rin snatches it in an instant. The young man checks the surface of the mysterious book, and then he sighs in relief.

He turns to Isagi with a questioning look. "Did you open it?"

“Huh? No,” Isagi says almost immediately. He had only touched the surface of that book last night because he was curious about the symbol. Is the book that important to Rin?

“Did this book whisper something to you?”

A book? Whispering? "N-No. Books can talk?"

“You didn’t open it, did you?” Rin asks again, his face stern.

“No!” Isagi answers again, his tone half-exclaiming. Rin and his trust issues. He’s no different from the Rin he knows. All Rin’s are just the same.

Rin looks at Isagi skeptically, then nods. “Good,” he mutters before tucking the book into the slips of his belt.

According to Rin, it's possible that this Isagi doesn't believe in magic, which is why the Darkhold has no effect on him.

No one could resist the Darkhold's temptation. At least those who are able to hear its call. The damned book had called Rin's name softly several times. Only he could hear it. It used a person's weakness to drag them down, and it knew Rin's grief.

Rin intended to destroy it, but for some reason, something made him reluctant to do so.

"What's in it?" asked Isagi, who is now curious.

Rin gives Isagi a strange look before he shakes his head. “It’s better if you don’t know.” Even though he’s sure the Darkhold won’t affect Isagi, Rin is still a wizard. He had already resolved himself not to even glance at the contents of the book, but who knows if he would end up being carried away like Sae?

Isagi's lips curve in irritation. “I won’t take a peek inside. I just wanna know why the book is so important. Is it dangerous? Is it cursed?”

Rin's hand touches the edge of the book, rubbing the pattern that surrounded the cover.

“Darkhold is full of various ways to master black magic, including spells and secrets of powerful dark magic. The one who was in charge of guarding this book was my brother. Actually, I'm not allowed to hold this book,” he explains, remembering the times he and Yoichi were still students at Kamar-Taj.

“It is said that anyone who reads the Darkhold will lose their mind… or their soul. Therefore, this book is forbidden to be shown to anyone, wizard or not.”

Has Sae lost his mind because of the Darkhold? Rin can't stop wondering.

Isagi tries to draw a conclusion from Rin's explanation. He glances at Rin's hand which is still resting on the book.

“But the book is in your hands now,” he points out. “Why?”

Rin just realizes that he's still touching the book. He quickly pulls himself away, swallowing hardly. The younger Itoshi looks up to Isagi who has a pair of sapphire blue eyes already on him, observing him.

“I’ll tell you everything,” Rin replies, “as I look for my Sling Ring. I can’t go back without it.”

Isagi raises both eyebrows. “Yeah… of course. Sure. But I think you should change first,” he suggests, pointing at the tear on Rin’s robe. The hole in the cloth wasn’t actually that big to begin with, but Isagi’s personal doctor had to cut it so he could stitch Rin’s wound.

“Yeah… okay.” Rin looks back at Isagi. “Do you have any clothes that fit me?”

Chapter Text

“So… it looks like a ring?” Isagi asks again just to make sure. He frowns in confusion. “That sounds like finding a needle in a haystack.”

“As soon as you see it, you'll know,” Rin replies. Sling Ring isn't as small as a regular ring, even the others can immediately spot it for its unique look. The problem is where the ring fell.

True to his words about telling Isagi his wizard life, now they're strolling down the road Rin had fallen onto. Thank goodness it's not that far from Isagi’s house.

Isagi glances at Rin who is still looking left and right. The Itoshi has wrapped the cloak around his neck like a scarf. It does look like an ordinary scarf. Isagi also lets him borrow his sling bag to hide that old Darkhold book.

A few days before they broke up, Rin stayed at Isagi’s place for a night because of the heavy rain. They were soaked to the bone. Rin wore Isagi’s clothes—which were a lot smaller than his—and hung his shirt to dry. He must've forgotten by then because Isagi found them neatly folded in his closet.

That's why Isagi gave Rin that black shirt for him to wear, added with a navy cardigan as an outer; Isagi planned to give that cardigan to his Rin as a birthday gift. Life is funny sometimes.

It feels weird for Isagi to see Rin on the very next day after he had just dumped him. Although this Rin isn't his, but his face, his posture, his voice, everything screams Itoshi Rin. Isagi is unable to look away.

“It should be around here,” Rin mumbles, his eyes still fixed on the empty side of the road.

As they look around, Rin tells Isagi everything he knows.

Not necessarily everything.

He just tells him what Isagi should know. That boy really is a curious one. Like a little kid meeting his idol. Rin describes his world which is full of superheroes, then about powers and magics, and then his daily life of helping people and guarding the universe — after that is his life. About Sae and Shidou, about the large-scale interdimensional war, and Sae’s grief for losing Shidou which makes him act upon his despair.

Rin doesn’t mention Yoichi’s name in that war.

Rin doesn’t mention their relationship.

“So…” Isagi trails off, pulling Rin back to reality. “Sae needs that book to… rule the world?”

Rin nods curtly. “Yeah. According to him, he can take over the multiverse with Darkhold and kill another Itoshi Sae so he can be with Shidou. Yeah, something along those lines.”

Isagi walks past the plants along the sidewalk, hoping to find the Sling Ring amongst them. “Why would he do that, actually?”

Rin stares at him quietly, stopping briefly. Isagi then raises his head when Rin doesn’t answer. Did he say something wrong? Was he asking too many questions?

Then Rin looks away. “I don’t know,” he answers honestly, because he has no idea how someone as tough and rational as Sae is able to betray himself and betray the other wizards.

Using the Darkhold makes you an instant criminal in the sorcery world. There had never been a wizard in Rin’s universe to use the Darkhold for the last hundreds of years, except for Sae.

Rin feels Isagi’s eyes on his back. Remembering Yoichi’s words, he adds, “Sometimes love can make you do stupid things.”

Isagi’s lips fall agape, surprised at his words. He never knew that Rin was able to understand at least one thing or two about love if he wanted to. But still, Isagi can’t make them the same person because his Rin was his, not somebody else’s.

“True that. But what would happen if he killed the other Sae? I mean, he’s Sae too. They’re the same person, right? Technically. Like me and your Isagi Yoichi,” asks Isagi again, getting even more curious. “The other Shidou wouldn’t find out as well.”

Rin turns around to face Isagi. His forehead creases when he hears Yoichi’s name.

“Shidou isn’t the main problem. If my brother had the Darkhold and used it to destroy the other Itoshi Sae, it would cause an incursion between one universe and another. Both of them would collide and shattered in pieces. Every living being inside them would die.”

Isagi falls silent. He searches for the truth in Rin’s eyes, but all he can see is hurt.

“You just wanted to save your universe,” he mutters.

Rin chews at his bottom lip, his eyes cast down.

“I wanted to save Sae.”

Now he understands Rin a little. He’s an only child, but he knows what it feels to be betrayed by his own brother. Isagi nods subtly, agreeing with Rin.

Rin stops when he sees a pole with bloodstains left on it. It’s his blood from last night. “Shit…” he mumbles, striding across toward the pole.

Isagi follows closely. “What? Why?”

Rin bends down a little to look at the asphalt, yet still no signs of the Sling Ring. He runs his fingers through his bangs, pushing his hair to the back.

“It’s gone. It’s all useless.” Rin huffs roughly, glancing at Isagi again. “I have to go to the Sanctum. Maybe they have another Sling Ring there.”

“Okay,” Isagi responds with an excited smile. “Where’s that?”

Rin falls silent. His teal eyes squint, looking at Isagi with confusion. “In the middle of Tokyo, of course… this is Tokyo, isn’t it?”

“Y-Yeah… but I’ve never heard of a place called Santa — whatever that is.”

“Fine, then. I guess we’ll just have to find out.”

Tokyo is a city full of excitement, anywhere across the multiverse. It’s not really different from Rin’s Tokyo City, except for the constant spider web swinging across the buildings and occasional villain sightings.

Through the crowd of people and tourists, Rin still finds this Tokyo much calmer.

But as Rin and Isagi stand in front of the three-floored building in the middle of the city, Rin freezes when he finds a blinding bright and catchy anime store instead of an old Sanctum he always remembered.

Isagi almost laughed at the dumbfounded look on Rin’s face.

“Uhh, Rin?”

“What the hell?” Rin grumbles, his eyes wide. “But it’s— it was here—”

“For the record, you might be the same Itoshi Rin, but we still live in a different world, dude.”

Rin grabs Isagi by the sleeve and yanks him forward, not realizing his own strength. The poor boy stumbles, instantly holding onto Rin while chuckling nervously. This feels a little too familiar.

“Hey, calm down—”

“Maybe we just came to the wrong place,” Rin glances around. There are already several curious eyes on them, and Rin actually feels out of place. People usually know him as a wizard already when he’s on the street. Turns out he’s still a misfit in another universe.

Isagi groans softly when he feels Rin’s grip tightening around his arm. “Y-You sure? How many Sanctums are there in Japan?”

Rin falls silent, his lips agape. The flash of panic in his eyes doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Rin?”

“Only this one. The Tokyo Sanctum,” Rin mutters quietly, his expression relaxing a little. He lets go of Isagi’s arm slowly before taking another step towards the building, peeking inside.

As he suspected, it’s just a normal building filled with anime drawings and aisles of manga. Rin recalls his memory when he walked inside and was surrounded by artifacts and ancient structures, not this. It’s the same place, same address. He can’t be wrong.

“Maybe there’s another Sanctum out there. Hong Kong, or New York, or London—”

“Outside Japan?” Isagi adds, his tone slightly softening. “Rin, I could be wrong for this—but if Tokyo doesn’t have a Sanctum, then doesn’t it mean other places won’t have one either?”

Rin turns toward Isagi, and he lets out a rough sigh. “Shit…”

Isagi watches him rub his palms against his face, messing up his bangs. He notices how tired Rin actually looks, how rough his life has been for the past few years, hearing from his side of the story. Isagi licks his lips, his eyes cast down.

“You know,” Isagi begins, placing a hesitant hand on his broad shoulder. He’s careful not to cause any more pain on the wound. “We haven’t had breakfast this morning. Maybe we can go somewhere to grab a bite. I’m sure you’re hungry too, don’t you?”

Rin pauses. Come to think of it, he’s actually hungry—the pain and weariness just covers it all from the surface. Rin hasn’t put anything into his mouth for the past two days. His energy is totally drained. He pulls his palms away, and he meets Isagi’s gentle gaze.

Damn, those eyes again.

“I know a good place. Wanna go? We can think of something else after.”

“... Thanks,” Rin murmurs, smiling faintly. “It would be nice.”

Oh shit! Isagi's heart leaps to his throat. They really are different, huh. His Rin would never smile or thank him that easily. Even after two years together, Isagi can count those rare moments with all ten fingers. He really is not friendly, always curt and sharp. No wonder he had no friends. But over the years, Rin softened up to Isagi, although just for a bit. Isagi still wonders how somebody like that has a whole fanbase.

Isagi almost forgot how handsome Rin actually is when he smiles.

“N-No worries!” Isagi stutters, clearing his throat out of sudden nervousness. “It’s bad to roam around with an empty stomach.”

“You’re serious? There’s no superheroes in your universe? Nothing at all?”

Isagi swallows the food in his mouth, giving Rin an annoyed glare. “How many times do I have to tell you? There’s no such thing as magic.”

Rin sits across him with his cheeks puffing out, full of food. He raises his eyebrows in curiosity. The restaurant is pretty packed, but thank goodness they’ve found a much quieter spot by the window, where they can see everything outside.

“Not even other superheroes? Star-Lord? Spider-Man? Red Panther? Wild Card? Fantastic Four?”

Those names ring a bell in Isagi’s mind. Weirdly familiar. But he shakes his head, because really—superpowers or magic isn’t real. At least not in his universe.

“No…”

“How about in other places, like America? Do they have Captain America?” Rin asks again with his muffled mouth.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Isagi scolds, actually just envious of Rin’s world. It seems like fun. A hundred times more fun, maybe. Isagi has always dreamed of flying or having a superpower.

Rin swallows them wholly, stirring his bowl of rice. It’s like Yoichi is the one snapping at him like this. But thanks to Isagi, he feels much stronger and energetic than before.

“That explains why your Tokyo doesn’t have a Sanctum.”

Isagi sighs heavily. “Told you, it all is just fantasy in this world. Just the same old people, same old life.”

Rin looks amused. Looking at his expression, Isagi finds out that Rin had no idea that a universe like that actually existed. No superheroes, no mystical arts, no aliens, nothing. Whether it’s a good thing or not, he doesn’t know.

“How is your universe still existing?” he asks. Although he sounds sarcastic, he’s actually really curious and confused.

Isagi shrugs. “Dunno, must be a miracle or something.”

Rin nods briefly—don’t know what that for. His eyebrows are raised. It seems like he’s just enjoying the fact of Isagi’s ordinary life. He seems… amused, and it makes Isagi even more annoyed.

“That must be so boring.”

He’s totally rubbing salt on his wound.

“Just eat, idiot.”

With another mouthful, Rin tries to calculate the possibilities in Earth-616. Then it flashes through his mind; when he and Yoichi were still a student at Kamar-Taj, they’ve once taught about universes where magic doesn’t exist. Some of them didn't survive and were destroyed. For Rin, who was born and raised in a family of sorcerers, he believes that magic is the foundation of a universe. The concept of a world without mystic arts doesn’t make sense to him instead.

Isagi clears his throat, grabbing Rin’s attention back. “Since there’s no magic here, how will you go back to your universe? I mean, technically you need a Sling Ring to make a portal.”

Rin lets out a long sigh. “That means I have to keep looking,” he replies, surrendering to reality. He didn’t expect this to happen at the wrong place and time.

He’s already running out of time. Sae could’ve made another move and yet here he is, having an old-fashioned breakfast time with his lover from another universe. The funny thing is that the him from this universe and Isagi aren’t even lovers anymore.

“When you mentioned that… you broke up with Itoshi Rin,” he begins, putting his tea aside. “What exactly happened?”

Isagi’s hand pauses mid air. His grip on the chopsticks tightens without him realizing. He looks up at Rin—the moment those guilty sharp eyes stared at him along with bitter words coming out of Rin’s mouth, flashes back before his eyes.

“... Yoichi?”

“... I can’t even find it out right away,” Isagi murmurs, looking at his bowl of rice instead.

“What do you mean?” Rin asks again, leaning onto the table. “Did something terrible happen? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“So there’s a silly thing called Blue Lock,” he explains instead, leaning back onto his seat. “Two years ago, a madman made a soccer program to produce the best striker. Rin and I got in. You were fucking unapproachable, so blunt and cold.”

Rin frowns when Isagi refers to him, not his Rin. But he shrugs it off anyway. “Okay.”

“You and your brother had problems, but it’s something that’ll fix itself if you two could’ve just talked it out. It’s embarrassing, really,” Isagi huffs.

“Sae and me?”

“Yes, you and Sae. Unlike your Sae, Rin’s brother acted like a total jackass.”

Rin chews his food as he lifts his palm. “My Sae is currently destroying the universe, in case you forgot.”

“At least you’re mature about it—and at least it’s not about football,” Isagi retorts with a grin. “So, yes… long story short, you pushed me away because of something that’s gotta do with Sae. But then you finally opened up to me a little. I guess you weren’t really that bad, if not for your coldness and your pride.”

“What made you choose me, then?” asked Rin with his mouth finally empty from food.

Isagi’s munching slows. Over the years, he doesn’t remember exactly why he likes Rin. He just did. He wanted to be by Rin’s side, in and outside the matches. Having Rin by his side felt just right. Isagi stares up at the other Rin across him again. Those teal eyes—it feels like he’s confessing all over again.

“I don’t know. Nobody ever knows.”

Rin nods briefly, observing the soft look on Isagi’s face. “Was I nice to you?”

Isagi recalls the moment his Rin put a hand on his head gently.

“You were the worst.”

He looks out of the window.

“But that’s what I like about you.”

Rin’s cheeks grow warm in an instant. He’s not talking about him, of course, but hearing that from Isagi’s mouth makes his heart waver. And then he spots Isagi’s cheeks blushing faintly. He’s covering his face with his palm, a classic gesture of his whenever he’s flustered.

“You didn’t answer my question earlier, about why the two of you broke up,” Rin states again, playing it cool after the awkward moment.

Isagi sighs again as he rubs his face. “I told you… I don’t know. It was one-sided. I didn’t even get to ask why. He just left me there.”

“Have you tried calling?” Rin suggests with a small grin. “That usually annoys me. But if it’s you, it doesn’t matter.”

“What does that have to do with—”

“I know,” Rin interrupts quickly, straightening his back. “I know you think that we’re different. Maybe we are. But if there’s something I know about, it’s the small things, like our habit. Like you—” Rin points at his face, “rubbing your face when you’re blushing.”

Isagi’s eyes widen. He immediately runs his palm down his face. “I don’t do that!”

“Your favorite animal is the shiny lobster.”

“Well…”

“You have a thing for thighs.”

“That’s enough!” Isagi slams his fist against the table, making the plates and cups rattle around. His face grows even redder than before, and Rin can’t help but chuckle a little.

“Now you believe me?” Rin asks teasingly, finally finishing his meal.

Isagi slumps against the seat after he just got exposed in an embarrassing way. He sighs roughly, giving Rin a grumpy glare.

“Anyways, how about me?”

“What about you?”

Isagi grabs his half-empty bowl of rice. “The me in your universe. Your Isagi Yoichi, what happened to him?”

The grin on Rin’s face wipes away in an instant. His fingers curl in nervously as he stares at the table instead. Rin swallows, suddenly remembering Yoichi in the war years ago. The look on Yoichi’s face as he put on the gauntlet haunted him for life.

“He… uh,” Rin stutters, clearing his throat. Isagi’s brow furrows at that.

“Did something happen?”

Rin finally raises his head at Isagi. Somehow he feels his heart drop further just that moment. He lets out a shaky breath, his shoulders relaxing a bit.

“My Yoichi was the Sorcerer Supreme,” Rin begins, and he finds Isagi to be listening intently. “He bore the burden of guarding the Time Stone and the safety of the universe upon his shoulders. He was the youngest Sorcerer Supreme in the history of my universe. He was kind, selfless, wise beyond his age… and he was stronger than any other sorcerers in our generation.”

His heart feels lighter as he speaks, his eyes trailing off at the scenery outside the window. Rin hasn’t really talked about Yoichi after his passing. Other than him just not having time to grieve — since the world was in shambles after the war — Rin probably just didn’t want to think about Yoichi at the moment. Not because he wanted to forget about him. But it hurt him to come to terms with the reality of no longer having Yoichi by his side.

“This cloak was his giving.” Rin presses his hand against the disguised scarf around his neck. “Actually, this was his. He said he would pass it down onto me after he died. It was ridiculous to hear, because I thought Yoichi was going to live forever. Firstly, he was the Sorcerer Supreme. Secondly—he once promised we would have gray hairs together.”

But talking about Yoichi so freely like this makes Rin realize just how much he actually misses him.

“But, you know, with great power comes great responsibility,” Rin adds with a weak smile. “My Yoichi had a crucial role to play in the war back then. If it weren’t for him, we would all be dead to dust and ashes. He put himself in the front lines to save us all.”

Isagi notices the faint sparks growing in his teal eyes. He slowly lowers his bowl onto the table, his lips agape.

“I told him a lot of times to be careful. But he was just so— so damn stubborn. He was so selfless that it grossed me out. I told him to stay close to me, but we got separated. And before I realized it, Yoichi already knelt there with the Infinity Gauntlet in hand.”

Rin’s chest tightens. As he suspected, the memory still has him on a chokehold. He looks down, letting out a shaky breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“I wished—” Rin rubs his face roughly whilst his throat closes up inside. “I wished I had gotten there just a few seconds earlier.”

Silence falls between them, then fills with the faint rustling sounds coming from the other tables along with spoons and plates clattering. Isagi can only gaze at Rin’s weak shoulders. He doesn’t know what to say. He had never seen Rin so vulnerable before. It hurts him to hear his voice growing hoarse at each word.

Rin buries his face into his palms—his tea suddenly tastes bitter. Now he’s just making himself look so weird and weak in front of him. His Yoichi would’ve leaned his head against Rin’s shoulder by now to calm him down. But sitting across from him wasn’t the Isagi Yoichi he knew. They’re the same variant, but Rin only loves one Yoichi. They’re not the same person.

“Rin—”

“Sorry. I’m sorry,” Rin cuts his words off, sighing roughly. He’s lucky he doesn’t cry easily. “It’s just… whenever I think about it, I could’ve at least done something.”

Isagi puts down his chopsticks. “I’m probably not in a place where I can say this, Rin, but you should know that it wasn’t your fault.”

Rin stares at Isagi for a brief moment before he nods. “Thank you.”

Before Isagi can speak again, Rin shifts uncomfortably in his seat, swallowing back down his overwhelming emotions.

“Sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Perhaps I’m just tired. I can’t think straight ever since I came here,” he says. He leans back against the cushion, his fingers tangling with each other.

Isagi looks down at his half-finished food. Oddly, he can’t picture himself doing something as selfless as that. He’s a striker, the one taught to be an egoist at that matter. But he understands why the other Isagi would do such a thing. While he’s trying to win all by himself, his Isagi was trying to save everyone to win.

“I’m sorry about your Yoichi. That must be hard for you,” he whispers, his voice softening audibly.

Rin swipes his tongue across his suddenly dry lips. He looks up at Isagi again, the corners of his lips tug upwards faintly. “Everything happens for a reason.”

Isagi can only nod. The rays of sun from outside the window reflect upon his sapphire eyes, and Rin’s heart aches.

“You look exactly like him,” Rin voices mindlessly, and he catches the surprise on Isagi’s face. He continues instead. “But my Yoichi had longer hair. Just a little bit longer than yours.”

“Really?”

“Mmhm. And a small scar on his left eyebrow,” he adds quietly. “He got it from a failed spell practice when we were 7. I liked that scar. I told him it looked like a small star. Then I got a smack across the face because he thought I was just messing with him.”

Isagi chuckles. He also smacked Rin once when he showed up out of nowhere back when he was in the Germany Stratum. He had just finished his night training and was about to head back to the dorms when Rin suddenly called his name from behind. Isagi swears his heart jumped right to his throat that time. But from the looks of it, it was almost like Rin sneaked in just to see him.

“Can I ask you something?” Isagi speaks, which is answered with a nod from Rin.

“Were you two that close? Good friends? Best friends?”

Rin pauses when he realizes he forgot to mention the status of their relationship.

“... He was someone I can’t afford to lose.”

That’s already enough as an answer, so Isagi falls silent again. He nods briefly. He doesn’t intend to make Rin elaborate any further, because he catches the gentle look upon his face.

But when Rin stays quiet moments after, Isagi clasps his hands together, letting out a rough breath. He raises his eyebrows with his lips curving into a smile. “You sure talk a lot more. My Rin would’ve ended his sentence right away, and then gone silent again.”

Rin’s heart feels lighter than seconds before, and he huffs. “My Yoichi would’ve finished his breakfast thirty minutes ago.”

“It’s because we’re having a talk here, okay?” Isagi grumbles, picking back his chopsticks. “So what are we gonna do next? Should we go back to my house and look for the ring?”

“Mm. I think we can start all over from there.”

The Itoshi looks out of the window again. He spots two little boys chasing each other in the park far from them. A snort escapes his lips to remember Yoichi running after him because he stole his journal.

Isagi follows Rin’s gaze as he chews his food again, then comes a shadow looming over their table. He turns around to find a waiter standing next to their table.

“How was the food?”

He frowns when he hears the familiar tone. When he looks up, he only finds a notebook in the man’s hand, covering his face from Isagi’s sight. He’s dressed in the waiter’s suit Isagi saw when he first walked into the restaurant.

But from Rin’s vision, he immediately spots his own teal eyes already staring at him.

Rin’s body moves abruptly on its own before his brain can process it.

“YOICHI!!”

Isagi hears the plates and glass breaking first before he can see Itoshi Sae pushing their bodies out of the window.