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Chapter Text

The plan to save Sei and take down Toue was flawless. Almost completely so. As Clear ran out of a sweetly decorated room with the severely weakened man in his arms, Mink took his revenge on Toue, Koujaku and his team held back guards, and Noiz was left behind in Glitter to watch over everything while disabling the α's from moving, they overlooked one simple thing.

Aoba.

More specifically, Aoba running into Virus and Trip. Before anyone even knew, Aoba was knocked out and Ren was left behind.
Koujaku was the first one to notice, as he was supposed to meet with Aoba on the way out.

"Noiz, Where the hell is Aoba!?" He barked over the phone, Noiz taking a little while to reply as he looked over the security cameras. "I can't find him. He might've slipped out of the building." Noiz answered, in an annoyingly calm tone despite the worry in Koujaku's voice. "Fuck, okay, we'll check." Koujaku answered and ran to the stairs, the entirety of Beni-Shigure following closely behind. They found no trace of the man. Noiz looked over the cams again, finally stumbling upon a clue. "Koujaku. Ren was left behind. We're too late." Noiz spoke, a certain finality in his tone.

Koujaku didn't let himself slip up in front of his friends but he felt a gripping fear emanating from his chest. The cold chill spreading throughout his back. Running back up to find Ren, Koujaku nearly ran into Clear on his way out. "Clear! Have you seen Aoba?!" He shouted after the man. "Master? No, I have not. I'll look for him as soon as Sei-san is safely in someone's care." Clear seemed confused, focusing on the task Aoba had given him. Koujaku didn't have the time to explain and ran back up to a research floor to grab Ren. If they were lucky, Ren would've seen where they went.

"Ren!" No response. Nearby was an α unit slumped over, strangely seeming to activate as Ren was called for. Koujaku didn't take any chances and scooped up the Allmate before the α got up. But as he did, Ren's voice called to him from that direction. "Koujaku! Help- Aoba!" Looking down, the dog had not awoken from sleep mode. Instead, a strange yellow hue had taken on the α's eyes. Koujaku didn't have time to think, stopping in his tracks and looking back at the suspicious robot.

"...Ren?" He asked, finding it a little bit ridiculous. "Mm. There's no time, Aoba was taken." The voice, now clearly belonging to the former dog-allmate, spoke in a grave tone. Koujaku cursed under his breath before lending a hand to the unit to get him to stand. "Let's regroup. Aoba can't be in the building anymore."

They ran, although quite clumsily, through the Tower to get out. Alarms now blaring, due to Mink's part of the plan being successful, everyone seemingly made it out alive.

A couple hours later they all met back up at Aoba's house. Greeted with a confused and perhaps also disappointed Tae-san, it became Koujaku's job to also explain that they had indeed lost her grandson but saved the other one. Sei, now attached to a multitude of tubes, had only survived due to Clear's incredible speed. He was barely conscious however, only being able to look on occasionally.

Ren, who had only been able to move his new body from the sheer adrenaline (or whatever the substitute for it in his system was) now sat on the couch, dazed and looking at his body, sometimes chiming in about facts as to where Aoba was walking before being jumped by...Morphine, according to him.

At the mention of Morphine, Sei's IV stand suddenly fell over. He himself had pushed it despite his horrible condition. "Eh? Sei, you would like to say something?" Clear asked, being the honorary caretaker for him now, leaning in as the dark haired man seemed to speak something in his ear. It didn't need to be hearable to the rest, Clear could pick it up.

"Virus and Trip?" Clear tilted his head, and repeated himself to the rest. "Sei-san only said 'Virus and Trip'. We should look into it! Noiz-san, would you?" He seemed incredibly passionate about the plan, perhaps a little bit beside himself about his "Master" being lost to an unknown group.

Noiz wasn't too interested in following his suggestions, but they had no other option. God forbid Tae has any more reasons to beat his ass. She was a formidable foe.
Tae herself had not said a word since they started explaining, looking worriedly to Sei and the ground.

"Everyone. I would prefer if you left for today. Tomorrow we will look to get more information as to where Aoba is. Clear, you stay and watch over Sei." Tae finally spoke, sounding more exhausted than anything. Mink was the first to leave, and everyone found it unlikely he would return. Then Noiz. Ren stayed, after convincing Tae that he would help around the house for the time being. He had been promptly hit on the head for assuming he wasn't part of the family.

Koujaku was the last to leave, after making sure Tae would be alright. In her own way, she made sure to let him know that she would be.

Clear and Ren were left behind to think.
"I'm concerned, about Aoba I mean." Ren spoke, looking at the ground. Clear nodded. "Did you not get to see where they went?" Clear asked, sounding serious.

"No. I'm sorry." Ren shook his head, looking regretful.

That was the end of their conversation. Sei was moved to a soft guest-room bed, Clear taking up post next to it on the chair.

The next morning, as promised, everyone gathered around the kitchen table, aside from Mink, who was sitting on the living room couch. Sei was still quite weak, but could hear the conversation about to take place.

Koujaku, unsurprisingly, was the first to speak. "According to my guys, there was a sighting of two blonde men and someone who's face was hidden with a hood on their way to the airport." He spoke gravely, looking down at his feet. Tae looked contemplative, clearing her throat. "When was this?" "A few hours ago. I'm sorry, Tae-san I-" Koujaku looked upset, clenching his fist. Tae shook her head. "It's not your fault. Let's focus on getting him back." She spoke, the harsh edge in her words worn down by the grimness of the news. Aoba was definitely already out of the island by now. Possibly even out of the country.

Noiz looked around before speaking. "I can probably look into the cameras to see where they went?" He seemed cool and collected, despite the situation. "Mm. Please do." Tae nodded. She was rarely if ever found using the word 'please' however...Aoba was quite a big part of her life. Being polite wouldn't hurt in a situation like this.

Clear looked beside himself, but soon spoke up as well. "Sei-san was awake during the night. He told me he had some ideas as to what could have happened but...it will take some time until he can explain it." He explained, his fingers fiddling with his gloves, now taken off to be able to care for Sei appropriately.

"We can't afford to wait." Koujaku spoke, his eyebrows knitted together with worry. "But we don't have a choice." He continued, after a pause which most definitely was to think about what state Aoba's beloved twin brother was in. He was in no shape to help, not right now. Rehabilitation could take anywhere from weeks to years.

Tae sighed and looked at the confusing crowd of people that had gathered here just for Aoba. That boy had just begun to calm down...now this? He was lucky Tae had a fairly strong heart.
Eventually, all the information between them was shared but the plan was still inconclusive. They didn't know much about "Virus" and "Trip", only that Koujaku had once seen them talking to Aoba. They seemed normal but...there was just something off when they looked up to see Koujaku. Like they were offended to see someone other than Aoba around.

Mink never spoke up, only absorbing the information. Ren didn't know what to say.

"For now, you will have to wait. I trust that Aoba stays strong for now. Once we get more information we can start planning our next move." Tae spoke, trying her best to sound convincing. Of course she was worried. But Aoba was surprisingly resistant so maybe..?

With everyone but Clear and Ren dispatched again, Tae sat down at the dinner table, her head in her hands. "You two should go check on Sei. Don't worry about me." She said, shooing the two men away from the kitchen before they had a chance to speak. They did as asked, crowding the small guest-room easily.
Sei seemed conscious, eyes perhaps a little unfocused. Clear sat down in his designated spot, and laid his head down on the bed.

Surprisingly, Sei's hand moved to pet the white hair, although slowly and absentmindedly. "Thank you, Sei-san. But please just focus on getting yourself better." Clear's voice was muffled by the mattress. In response, Sei only blinked and pat the head. He was lucky to even be awake right now. Tae was indeed good at her job, bringing a man from the brink of death back like this.
Ren seemed a little worried. "Please don't overwork yourself." He spoke, sitting on the foot-end of the bed. Sei nodded, only very slightly, smiling faintly to get his message through.

Within a week, Sei was already able to do much more. He ate his first proper home-cooked meal (made by Tae, of course). The expression he made when eating was something worth seeing. "....delicious..." Although quiet, his compliment was not ignored by Tae, instead she simply told the man to eat up. Clear had been an honorary Seragaki family member, as he really didn't need to sleep. He was on high alert for Sei's condition, making him an important asset.

Ren, slowly but surely, had started to notice changes in the body he inhabited. The hair of the old α body had darkened substantially, his tattoos slowly forming along. It was as if he was shaping the body himself. The hole in his Rhyme form's throat however had not yet begun forming, which he found to be a good thing. Technically this should've been impossible. The α series was completely and utterly manmade, not made to change at all. But here he was.

Tae, worried sick but not letting it show, took great care to adjust a schedule to care for Sei while also seeing other patients. She found it to be therapeutic to spend time with Sei, of course, she had felt guilty for Sei after she found out what the project was really for back in the day.
Sei seemed to be fairly content now, slowly gathering his lost parts along the way.

Soon his consciousness would be whole again.

Chapter Text

It was a week after Aoba went missing.
With Sei's recovery, his personality started shining through just a bit. Talking in long sentences still seemed difficult, and perhaps mentally taxing after all those years spent in confinement.

Noiz made sure to share all the information he had gathered so far. Virus and Trip seemed to be yakuza, which surprised absolutely no one, but not only that. They were actually deeply ingrained with Toue. As little as Sei spoke, he was able to convey the message that Virus and Trip were his caretakers for a long while. They weren't too interested in him though. He was too dull by the time they met.

This was troubling though.

Noiz also revealed that there was almost no records of them at the airport. But that a private plane did leave the airport at a time that seemed to match the schedule. But where? There was no information.

The information did help with seeing what they were up against. The most (outwardly) worried one was Koujaku, unconsciously biting his finger. "So, how will we find him?" Clear finally asked after a couple tense minutes of silence. "I think we can manually check all connecting airports for a private plane of that model. After that we'll go by surveillance cameras." Noiz explained, avoiding eye contact with a concerned Tae. She nodded, and took a sip of her tea.

"Everyone here is likely here just for Aoba. I have a feeling we may actually have a chance to find him and bring him home." She spoke, a strange fondness in her voice. Koujaku nodded, Noiz looked on but didn't object. Mink, surprisingly there even though he wasn't a big part of the conversation, also stayed quiet and present. Clear enthusiastically nodded. Ren as well.
Sei was unable to but was there in spirit.

Suddenly Mink spoke, "Scratch's members are also looking into this. Some are staying in contact with me outside of Japan." He seemed genuine, and the information was a great help to everyone's nerves. They could get to Aoba sooner if there was someone there ahead of them. Koujaku suddenly got up. He looked over at Tae, who nodded, and headed upstairs. Everyone knew by now that it was to smoke on the balcony.

It helped him keep his nerves in check while also being in the space Aoba used to be in all the time. Creepy or not, the smell calmed him. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to check who it was.

Ren, looking awkward as always, stood behind him with his hands clasped together. "Sorry to bother. I just felt like you needed company." He spoke, looking down at his hands. Koujaku was a little taken aback but gave him a comforting smile. "Not at all, thanks Ren." He spoke, signaling the man to come over. Standing side by side, they looked over at the view from Aoba's balcony.

"Do you miss him?" Koujaku asked, although the question was technically useless. Of course he did. "Yes. I haven't been apart from him for this long...ever, I think." Ren looked sad, going back to looking at his hands. "He's going to get quite a shock from seeing you like this." Koujaku spoke, taking a long drag of the cigarette. It was mostly to lighten the mood.
"Mm. I hope he'll accept me like this." Ren nodded, a smile creeping on his lips.

Koujaku thought about it. "I'm pretty sure he will. You're Ren, after all."

Ren flashed a small smile before returning to look at the street outside. Although the house was full of people, it seemed so empty without Aoba in it. The both of them soon returned inside, back into the room where Aoba's scent was strong like he never left. It was jarring.

Koujaku had to go back downstairs before he could get sad about it, telling Tae that he would be heading home soon. Mink and Noiz seemed to have left during his time out, Clear was in the kitchen taking care of the dishes.

Then, a stumbling sound could be heard from the guest room. Clear nearly dropped the plate he was holding, speeding into the room as Koujaku was already opening the door. "Wah! Sei-san, you shouldn't be standing up so soon!" Clear called out to the figure now kneeling on the floor, obviously due to a failed walking attempt.

Sei looked calm, but there was a sense of frustration under his skin. "Could you...help me up?" He reached out, speaking voice still quiet, ignoring the fact that he was still not supposed to be on his feet. "Of course!" Clear took his hand and gently pulled the man back to a sitting position on the bed.
Koujaku had yet to properly even meet the man, but looked on as Clear checked Sei for injuries.

Sei's gaze fell on him sooner than expected, his eyes sharper than last time. The black orbs poring into him were maybe even a little scary. "Ah, I'm sorry, Clear got here a little faster. I'm Koujaku, a friend of Aoba's." It felt a bit weird to introduce himself this way but it was just basic manners. Sei smiled faintly and nodded. "Nice to meet you. Although, I think I knew who you are already." He spoke, eyes softening just a little. Koujaku was a bit confused. His face, on a closer look, was much more familiar than at first glance.

Him and Aoba did share features, but their differences in lifestyle were apparent by their appearance. Sei was much thinner, a bit paler. He looked a little bit pitiful. Tae would surely not take too long to get him to a normal state.

"You know me?" Koujaku asked, sitting in the chair next to the bed. "Yes. It's a long explanation but...I have seen all of you. I had so many copies around Midorijima it seemed impossible not to." Sei said, like it was a normal fact. Koujaku blinked a couple times before saying, "That...is interesting." He nodded, looking away from the eyes that seemed to look deeper into him than he wanted to show. Clear cut in. "Sei-san's power works very similarly to Aoba-san. However, he can create instead of destroy. Even now, he isn't fully here."

It made sense. He always had that sort of faraway look to him. Sei nodded. "They will come back to me in time. It would be easier with Aoba here but..." He trailed off, looking a little troubled. "I suggest you retrieve him as soon as possible."

This wasn't anything new in terms of information or planning, but Sei saying that was concerning.

"Do you have any ideas for what they might...what they might do to him?" Koujaku swallowed down the fear in his voice, biting his lip. Sei looked at him, his face showing his thoughts for once immediately. "I don't. He will live through it though. They wouldn't kill him." Sei shuddered. Death may actually be more of a relief for the treatment he was about to get. Aoba was very keen on living, though. In a bad and good way.

Koujaku looked down at his hands, before clasping Sei's. "We'll bring him home as soon as possible." Sei, a little taken aback from the sudden contact recovered quickly and nodded.

"Thank you, Koujaku."

Chapter Text

It was...maybe a month now? A month since he was taken.

Aoba's head throbbed, his vision swimming.
Or it would have if his eyes weren't covered.
Lying on the floor for hours, he had done his best to struggle and free himself but nothing worked. Virus and Trip...they were most likely not in the building.

He had no idea the people he once saw as friends were this well and truly fucked in the head.

Chaining him up naked on the floor was certainly a way to get him to hate them. He was fed and such, sure, but only if he behaved. Whatever that meant.
He missed home, but crying would only dehydrate him further. He was definitely marked as missing by his friends. Granny was probably furious with worry.

There was so much to think about but also nothing at all. The floor was cold and hard but there was no way for him to earn his way to the bed for the days. Not when and if he ended up lying in his own filth.

A muffled sound of a door closing was so loud for his ears, as his sight was lacking. Two sets of footsteps. They were back for him and it was terrifying. Aoba held down his impending panic attack, but the shaking never stopped.

"Ya-hoo."
"We're home, Aoba-san."

His anxiety spiked hearing the two in the room all of a sudden. He pursed his lips and didn't respond. Trip raised an eyebrow. "Ehh? Where's our 'Welcome back!' ?" Aoba shuddered again, tears already forming under his blindfold.

"Wel...welcome back." He spoke quietly, so he wouldn't sob, just to cling on whatever pride he had left. Virus seemed pleased, kneeling down somewhere close by. "We had a shorter day today, so we came to say hello as soon as possible." The content was sweet without the context, Virus managed to make it sound like a threat. "Mm, you should be glad, Aoba-san." Trip tuned in.

Aoba jumped a little, letting a tear slip. He nodded just to appease his captors.

For now, they ignored his distress, instead talking about their day, half to Aoba, half to eachother. Or themselves. It was apparent that they didn't really care that much about eachother. "Aoba-san, today is my turn, so we'll move you to my room." Virus spoke, a malicious undertone in his voice. Aoba's breath hitched.

Both of the men were almost equally horrible. Virus, analytic and psychologically devastating for him. Trip, more physically so. Both of them were slowly chipping at his sanity. Desire, the voice that was so loud long ago, had long been quiet so there was no support from within. If only he had Ren...
As Virus and Trip undid his shackles, he could feel his head throb again.

Virus picked him up, and although Aoba didn't feel like he would fall from his hold, the possibility was always there.

The walk to his room wasn't very long, Virus and Trip had their rooms side by side. If it wasn't for the situation he would definitely laugh at that. As he was set on the bed, he could hear Virus walk away for a moment.
"Aoba-san." His tone was already cold and uncaring, bringing Aoba's tenseness to a heightened state. "We had a long day today. Won't you comfort me?" Virus was obviously smiling by the sound of it, and whatever he had planned was not good news.

Virus soon, apparently, sat down on the bed. Aoba laid there with no clue what would happen next. Virus reached for his head, even the light touch setting Aoba's nerves on fire. He still did his best to not yelp out loud, scared of the consequences. Virus lifted a piece of hair to look at it, Aoba letting out a muffled grunt.
"You know, it's kind of amazing that you can feel this. Sei hardly did by the time we met." Virus noted, and the mention of Sei alarmed Aoba.

Noticing his reaction, Virus chuckled. "You know, he apparently still is alive. At least I think so, considering I heard one of your friends ran out of the building with him." He spoke, finally letting go of the strand of hair. Aoba felt conflicted. Did they really succeed in retrieving Sei? He was in such bad shape there was a small chance he didn't even make it out of the building alive.

Were they even looking for him?
No, no that's ridiculous. Of course they would be.

"It's a shame you wont be meeting him. I would've loved to see how that would go. You two are more similar than you think." Virus spoke, moving off of the bed to retrieve something. There was a sound of pouring. At this point it was easy to guess it was that red wine Virus drank at least once every three days.

Aoba couldn't help but feel like his life would end in this building. Maybe it was the ominous way Virus had worded his sentence. Maybe just the overall situation. Why were they even interested in him?
Before he realized it himself, a tear rolled down his cheek from behind the blindfold.

"Ah." Virus had noticed.
Aoba felt like he would need to escape or roll up into a ball. This would only excite Virus further. He stayed still, like as if not moving would make Virus not notice him.

"How cute." Virus hummed, leaning in and pulling Aoba up into a sitting position. Moving to remove his blindfold, Virus pulled on his hair more than a couple times. All of those times got him a reaction that he wanted. Aoba sobbed, his whole head feeling like it was burning. The cloth slipped off and the bright room hurt his head even more. Adjusting to the light, Virus was further away now, leaning against the bedpost with his wine glass.

He looked disgustingly neutral as if he hadn't just caused Aoba unimaginable pain. Virus flashed a cold smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. It never did, to be fair.
He sat down on the bed near Aoba and patted his lap. "Lay your head down here."

There was no room to not do so, and Aoba hesitantly moved to rest his head on the lap that did not feel comfortable in any way. Nor safe.

The days only seemed to stretch for longer.

Chapter Text

Muddled colors, but no noise. The scenery was familiar. Back when Virus and Trip were testing him out. Sei remembered that day as one that broke his monotone streak.

A hand reached for him and he woke up from the dream with a start.

It was now half a year since he was rescued. And half a year since Aoba went missing. Having nightmares was something new, his drug fueled dreams in the past hardly had enough context to be startling. But this...

Sei had an idea of what was happening to his brother and it made him sick. Although he kept a brave face for Aoba's rescue crew, he slowly felt his worry increase.
Noiz had made a lot of progress tracking Aoba down but...there were still inconsistencies. Mink's lackeys would scout the places out one by one.

Clear had been a great comfort to him during this time. He was an airhead and perhaps a little defective, but he was emotionally intelligent more than anything. Even now, he had walked into the room with a worried expression. He didn't wear his mask around Sei, only around everyone else now.

"Sei-san? Is something wrong?" Clear asked, kneeling by the bedside. Sei thought for a moment, if he should share his dream with him. "Nothing is wrong, I just had a bad dream is all." Sei smiled a little, petting the other's head. "I doubt I can fall back asleep though." Sei sighed, looking at the clock. It was 4 AM.

"Would you like to see the stars?" Clear suggested. "I mean. Fresh air might help." He continued, standing up.

"Yes. I don't think I've seen actual stars yet." Sei hummed, getting up. Clear handed him a cardigan, and with his support they silently made their way upstairs. Ren was sleeping in Aoba's room, not in his bed though. He slept in a sitting position right next to it. No one had slept in that bed for months.

Clear opened the balcony door and they slipped out, closing it so no cold air came in.

Clear thought for a moment. "Perhaps we could see them better from the balcony roof. Here, I'll help you up." He spoke quietly, the moment feeling quite intimate between the two of them. Sei nodded and was scooped up into a princess carry.

Clear launched himself onto the roof, settling the man down before sitting down himself. Sei felt a little dizzy but soon stabilized, looking up into the dark night sky.

It was dim, at first, the city lights hiding all the stars in sight. But slowly he could see them. Twinkling and shining above them. Small, but visible to the naked eye if you looked long enough. Nothing like how it was in Platinum Jail. Clear was looking up as well, looking quite pleased to see stars.

"I was worried it would be cloudy after all." He spoke. "But I'm glad you finally get to see them." He continued, turning to smile at the man. Sei smiled a little before his thoughts consumed him again.
"I have to be honest. I'm worried. Even if we retrieve Aoba he will most likely never be the same." He finally said, his eyes wandering the night sky.

Clear's smile faded, replaced by a surprisingly stern expression. "I understand. That means we have to rescue him as soon as possible." He said, a certain type of persistent positivity in his tone. "Despite how he comes back, we will love him all the same." Clear nodded, cupping Sei's hand in his.

Sei blinked a couple of times before nodding. "Yes...yes of course. We will get him back." He spoke, looking at their hands. "I will gather any power I can to get him home." He said, with a glint in his dark eyes. Clear smiled and nodded.

They soon got off the roof, Sei getting a little cold, and made their way back downstairs without alerting Tae and Ren. Sei settled back in bed, he felt exhaustion seep back in.
"Clear? Come here." He mumbled, patting the bed. Clear sat down but Sei spoke again. "Lie down. There's space." He hummed. Clear was a little flustered at the thought but laid down next to him, on top of the blanket.

"This is comforting...to sleep next to someone." Sei spoke right before drifting off.
Clear kept an eye on him for the whole night.

In the morning, Sei woke up to Clear looking over him. Clear was obviously startled to see him suddenly open his eyes but then smiled. "You're awake!" He sounded glad, like he hadn't expected him to wake up.
"I am." Sei hummed, doing his best to ward off falling back asleep.

"Do you want breakfast?" "Mm. No. Not yet." Sei yawned, stretched, and got up to a sitting position. When he finally gathered enough energy to get out of bed with Clear's help, he could feel hunger.

At this point Tae and Ren were already awake and in the kitchen.
When the two of them entered the kitchen, Tae simply looked over and gave them a quick "good morning".

Sei was quick to break the silence that came after that, sitting down at the table.
"Tae-san. I'm ready to try and locate Aoba with my power." Sei suddenly announced, as food was brought to him. Tae nearly choked on her tea, looking over at the man a little flabbergasted. "Are you sure? You're still a bit weak." Ren spoke up. "Yes. I've been waiting for long enough." Sei said, determined as ever. His usually gentle expression was serious. "Just don't overdo it. I don't think my heart will take another household member dropping." Tae spoke, and through her strained voice there was a hint of worry in there.

"Mm. I can't promise anything. But I'll do my best to bring Aoba home." Sei said softly, feeling a bit guilty about his answer. Tae didn't argue about it and nodded. "As you wish." She paused. "I was thinking we should finally get you outside today." She said, getting out a box from under the table.

"It's for your eyes. It will block the light emitting from them and make it easier to look around without worrying about the consequences." She snorted, opening the box and pushing it towards Sei.
Although he was not sure if looking into people's eyes unconsciously would control them...it was better to not risk it. Even looking into Koujaku's eyes for a moment had him seeing more about him than he wanted to.

He looked at the box. Inside were glasses, ones with thin black frames. He picked them up, and put them on. They didn't affect his eyesight in any way, so the only way to see if they worked was to look at someone.
Carefully he raised his head to look Tae in the eyes. Nothing happened. "They...work." Sei spoke, quietly, as if no one else would hear. Clear clapped his hands together. "That's great!" His mask, Sei assumed, had been blocking his sight so Clear had been safe to look at. He hadn't looked at Clear without it for very long.

Sei looked over at Ren. He had begun looking a whole lot more like his Rhyme form. Koujaku had helped with his hair.

Sei was truthfully a little tired but going outside during the day could be nice. "Not to worry. We actually have a wheelchair, so you don't need to walk. We got it shortly after you came here." Ren spoke up, looking over at Tae. "I can't have you wasting away inside." Tae shrugged, getting up in her chair. "Thank you, Tae-san." He said, bowing his head. "Don't thank me. There's no need." Tae huffed, before continuing. "Now eat." She said, walking into the living room.

Sei was a notoriously slow eater, but Clear and Ren kept him company, planning the day. They decided on a cafe nearby, and then the park. Sei didn't thankfully take too long to get ready with Clear's help.

The first step outside during the day was a shock to Sei. Not in a bad way. The sunlight hitting his face warmed him up, people's voices carrying into his ears from all around. The smells of the world. Clear leaned over from behind his chair. "How are you feeling?" He checked, his voice had a worried tone to it. "It's beautiful." Sei spoke, looking around. Mundane and still so bright.
And even more importantly, it was daytime.

Sei smiled without even realizing it.
As Clear pushed him along, Ren walked beside them, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Approaching the cafe, Sei looked over at Ren again. "Ren?" Sei called out, reaching over and touching his arm. "Hmm?" "You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Sei got it right on the first try, as Ren nodded. "Hard not to. Every place...reminds me of him." Ren looked miserable, although he had hid it well before.

"We'll bring him home soon." Sei spoke softly, cupping Ren's hand in his. He looked incredibly serious. Clear tensed up at the topic. "Sei-san..how are you planning on getting to him?" He asked, simply out of curiosity.

Sei thought for a moment. He couldn't mention that looking for Aoba would weaken him severely, again. At worst he would fall into the state he was before. Comatose, barely there. At best? He didn't know. "I'll split my consciousness. I'm not sure how else I could do it. I'll need some help from...Noiz, was it?"

It was a solid plan. They had an approximate area. It had to work.

Clear nodded. "Master is strong! If someone will be able to get through this it's him!"
Sei hummed. "I just hope we aren't too late."
Walking into the cafe, Sei looked at the counter filled with pastries and cakes. He had eaten cake before, thanks to Virus and Trip, but he never had an appetite. The drugs keeping him alive made him avoid food like the plague. It was such a chore to chew, anyway.

But now? He actually wanted to see if freedom made dessert taste better.
Clear and Ren ordered first, just so Sei would see how to do it, and once it was his turn he knew what he wanted. Nervously, he looked into the eyes of the cashier and spoke his order, glad that the glasses he was given worked.

Clear had ordered a light lemon and raspberry mousse. Ren just took a coffee, and received a chocolate with his order. Sei settled on a small piece of lemon meringue pie. It was decorated with pieces of strawberry as well, making it a feast for the eyes at least.

"Ehh, so cute! Wait!! I have to take a picture of it!" Clear took out his coil, opening the camera function and snapping a few pictures of Sei and his first dessert outside. The enthusiasm eased the earlier tension, and once he was done taking his pictures, Sei picked up his spoon to take a bite.

As he thought. It did taste better now.

Clear somehow hoovered his mousse in seconds, all with his mask on. Ren was slow to sip through his coffee.

After their trip outside, Sei walking a few steps in the park, it was time to settle into position as Noiz came over to attach him to the network near where they suspected Aoba was.

As he closed his eyes while lying in his bed, he felt himself more sure than anything about this.
"Are you ready, Sei-san?" Clear asked, sitting on the floor, next to the bed. "Yes. I have to help." His voice was determined. Clear made a strangled, small sound, but didn't argue. Noiz felt the tension in the air but stayed silent.

And then, in the complete silence, Sei moved his consciousness once more.

At first, it was blurry. He had been in his body for a bit too long and now he had to adjust. He blinked and suddenly he could see himself looking through a camera feed. The room was dark, the house silent. But there was a familiar figure on the bed, just lying there motionless. Just by chance, he had successfully managed to get himself into the correct building.

He looked around. Aoba was not chained up, nor was he blindfolded. He was just lying there and staring. Staring at what? Sei moved his eyes to the direction Aoba's stare took him. On the ground was Trip's allmate, Welter.

Sei only really had neutral experiences with the animal, as it wasn't able to injure or scare him. But Aoba...there were visible marks on him of unknown origin but it was obvious something happened. His face showed fear, only a bit, but he wasn't able to steel himself to become a husk.

Sei could feel a new emotion brewing. Something like...anger? He never had time or energy for anger before. But now, it was bubbling under his skin. Sure Virus and Trip took good care of him. But this... Taking Aoba's lively nature away from him was something cruel.

Sei moved around in the building, from camera to camera. Scouting the entrance's and locks to the best of his abilities. And then he returned to Aoba. Like before, if he concentrated he could physically manifest in the world. Not for long. Nor could he touch anything if he wanted to keep himself together. But he made sure to block Aoba's sight from Welter's menacing sight.

Aoba's eyes widened just a little. He made no sound, but his mouth formed his name. Sei put on his best reassuring smile before his consciousness slipped from the room and back into his body.

Gasping, he came back to. It was surprising he hadn't slipped back into a coma from this. Tae really did have a way to prolong his health...

Clear jumped up, nearly knocking Noiz over as he did. "Sei-san!" He yelped, and Sei himself didn't understand why until the taste of iron hit his lips. Slowly bringing his hand up to his nose, he could feel a wet sensation. Ah, a nosebleed. The least of his worries. "I'm alright Clear. Now, please listen or we can't map out the building Aoba is in." Sei redirected the worry to other matters, slowly explaining the layout as Noiz listened, looking for the specific location. From the description, he was able to even find the floor plan.

The house, or more accurately hideout, was only commissioned to be built a few years ago. It had two floors, the ground floor and a basement. It was in the middle of nowhere. It was risky to bring the ex-Scratch members to scout it out because Virus and Trip would definitely move Aoba to another location.

Once Sei stopped speaking, he could feel himself becoming tired. "Please find him." He requested, before his eyes slipped shut. The monitors around him showed his heart rate slowing down, as well as new complications popping up. Clear, alarmed, yelled for Tae to come in. Noiz stood up from his spot and into the living room to look over the plans.

Once Sei woke up again, he felt pain in nearly every part of his body. Tae noticed his eyes opening and began scolding him almost immediately. "You really overdid it! What if I wasn't home to fix you up again, hmm?" She was furious from worry, looking over the monitors. Before Sei could apologize, she told him to shut up or he would strain himself even more. Cursing Toue and his team as she went, she picked up a few pills and Clear helped her to lift Sei up to help him swallow them with water.

Laying him back down, Sei felt drowsy. He was no longer in pain, and was given the okay to get some sleep and rest. Before he could fall asleep, Clear grabbed his hand (the one not attached to anything). "Sei-san...promise me you will wake up?" He whispered. Sei could almost see his eyes through the mask.

"Mm. I promise."

Chapter Text

There was a flash of white, and Sei was gone. Aoba looked at the spot he appeared in with an empty expression. Did this mean? He was alive? They found him?

He couldn't get his hopes up just yet.

He hardly remembers the last month or two. Apparently he had become docile. Not that it mattered. He had no fight left in him. Not really.

But this light...it was so warm. He would hold on for now.

Virus and Trip hadn't changed their way of treating Aoba. He did his best to stay a limp, emotionless doll, but he could never perfect that. He was too interesting for them to just give up on.

Virus and Trip occasionally spoke to him about Sei. He didn't know much, as they couldn't really describe him as a person. They kept comparing the two, saying Aoba was "more entertaining". This made Aoba sick, he had cried himself to sleep that night.

"Toue didn't like us playing around too much." Virus said one day, when the topic came up between the two. "He didn't have the strength to handle us anyway." Trip mused, lazily stirring a spoon in his tea with far too many sugar cubes to even count as a drinkable liquid. Aoba could feel his face scrunch up in disgust. "You see, Sei has been in bed for most of his life." Aoba was completely ignored as Virus explained, sitting on the bed Aoba was lying on.

"Mm. In a coma, right?" Trip hummed, sounding bored. "Yes. It made it easier to handle him. Too bad he didn't come with us this time. It would've been a nice family reunion, right, Aoba?" Virus' cold eyes settled on the man, boring a hole through him. Like he could see his soul.

Aoba made no attempt to respond.

---

Back in Midorijima, a gathering between everyone going outside of the island to save Aoba was held.

Clear, Ren and Sei would stay back and help if they could. Mink, Noiz, Koujaku and their respective team members would be traveling. Koujaku had only been on the mainland aside from the island but Mink covered the traveling experience. He did speak English. Noiz balanced it with German, and he would also be their home base.

Clear was left behind to help out Sei. Although Sei himself was adamant he would be fine, it was already decided. Ren felt responsible to go but Tae held him back.
"You'll be needed when Aoba arrives. He won't be the same."

And so, it began.

A very mundane flight to a mission they could not fail. Aoba had to be retrieved as soon as possible.

After arriving at their base of operations, Noiz briefed Koujaku and Mink on the layout and where Aoba would be. The teams would be there for backup in case they had to fight. They were only a 20 minute drive away from the location Aoba was held in, Koujaku was feeling antsy.
"Are we sure this will work?" He finally spoke, looking up from the map.

"It has to work." Mink spoke, a cloud of smoke released from his mouth. That pipe really went with him everywhere. Although, Koujaku could've sworn it had a different design on it. Did this old man have two pipes? Whatever.

Noiz spoke up. "Mink is right, we can't afford to fail this. At best if we fail, we have to deal with a grieving grandmother. At worst...our own funerals." "...Whatever they would have planned for us is worse than death." Mink cut in, his tone indicating how incredibly serious he was.

Koujaku nodded absentmindedly. "I suppose...we have to put our best efforts into this. For Aoba."

Moving out from their own base, Noiz had everyone turn off their coil, as well as their Allmates. All except Noiz, who could hide the signal of his electronics without issues.
There was a tense energy in the car, with Mink driving and Noiz in navigating, Koujaku was left to think in the backseat. He was a confident man, yes, but this was about Aoba. They only had one shot at this and if they fucked up, Aoba could get hurt.

He already was hurt, hell, he had been kidnapped for half a year. Koujaku's breath caught in his throat when he remembered that. It was cruel of them to take so long to get to him. If they didn't succeed...

"We're here. Stay vigilant." Mink's voice cut through his thoughts, as the car stopped. A very nondescript house stood in their view. Modern, isolated. No cars in the driveway. Virus and Trip were out as planned.
They hid the car they arrived in on the other side of the house. Noiz made sure to check the security cams inside to make sure no one was there, and then cut the feed to just show a static image to whoever was monitoring it.

They had not left any Morphine members to guard Aoba, however their Allmates were on at all times. They would surely attack.

Unlocking the door was easy, as they just decided on busting it open. Mink made it look easy. The first floor looked normal, like an average house. Sei had told them Aoba was in the cellar, and the cameras proved it.
Moving to the cellar door, they discovered it was metal.

Noiz produced a lockpick from his pocket and started working on getting the door open with expertise. Koujaku was about to comment on it but stayed silent, knowing it was the wrong time for that. Instead, he kept his eyes on the way they came from.
So far, nothing had gone wrong. That made him even more on edge.

As soon as the door opened, they walked in, Koujaku glancing behind himself every now and then.

A long, dark, flight of stairs took them to a cold and uncaring room decorated very lightly but expensively. Noiz sent his cubes out to deactivate the Allmates in the branching rooms. Only a small beep could be heard and they were out of commission for good. There, on the left side room, was a figure on the bed. The one they were looking for. Koujaku rushed in. "Aoba!"

The figure on the bed stirred, his glazed over eyes snapping open as Koujaku approached. "Kou....jaku?" His voice was quiet from disuse. Under the caring eye of his savior, Aoba felt disgusting. Filthy.
He had probably lost control of his bladder again considering his state, but that was the least of his worries.

A figure approached from the bathroom.

"Oh god, Aoba I'm so glad you're alright- We'll get you out of here I swear-" "Koujaku watch out!" Aoba shrieked, his voice louder than it had been in months. Koujaku just barely dodged as a knife wielding Trip attacked. Aoba felt a sob bubble up. Shit, they were all going to be killed because of him.

Mink and Noiz were alerted and Virus, wielding a gun stepped out from his room. "Tsk. What a shame." Trip groaned, the knife only barely grazing Koujaku, who made a quick grab for his sword. Aoba could only lie there in terror, he felt like his heart would pop out of his chest at any moment.

Swinging at Trip, Koujaku made sure to keep himself between Trip and Aoba. Virus didn't pay attention to their fighting, focusing on Mink and Noiz. Pointing the gun at Mink, Virus spoke. "Don't you think it's a bit ironic for you to come and "save" Aoba? You're lucky I'm not shooting you on the spot."

While he spoke, Noiz pressed a preset button to alert their backup. This could get ugly.

He rushed forward, launching at Virus to get the gun from his grip, toppling both of them over on the floor. In the struggle, a gunshot rang out. Noiz felt a dull sensation on his shoulder. Shit.

There was no pain but this could be problematic if the bullet stayed there. He punched the man's throat hard enough to be able to wrangle the gun out of Virus' grip as he was distracted.

Pointing the gun at Virus, Noiz stood up.
"You should stop while you're ahead. Or your partner will get a fun new hole in his forehead." Mink spoke to Trip, almost looking bored. Trip barely looked at them.

"Ah, how boring." His hand left their field of view, retrieving something from his pocket. Another shot rang out. "Fuck!" Koujaku barked and toppled over, gripping onto his leg. "You're lucky we have a use for you, Koujaku. You see, there was this man who was looking for someone matching your exact description." Virus chuckled even though he was still held at gunpoint.
"Shut it!" Koujaku barked. "You're not in a place to make demands." Trip cut in, stepping forward. He was barely injured, but obviously already getting tired.

Aoba was hyperventilating. He felt dizzy, and increasingly sick. But there was nothing he could eject out of his body so he was left panting and sobbing. Koujaku looked back at him. "It's alright Aoba- I'm fine-" He gasped out, hands never leaving the wound.

There was a rumbling noise. Like multiple people running upstairs.

That was when the members of Scratch and Benishigure, not all of them, but a good chunk, flooded into the basement. "Koujaku!" Kou yelped as he came to view the situation. Trip's trigger finger was dangerously close to firing.

That was when something surprising happened. Noiz, in a moment of either panic or just knowing Trip was distracted, fired at Trip's arm. It was fast and precise, the gun falling on the floor within minutes. Trip didn't have time to try and retrieve it as Koujaku launched himself at him, sword in hand. Pure adrenaline powered him as he knocked the man out with the blunt side. Possibly breaking his nose.

Virus, sighing as he realized he was going to be overpowered no matter what, put his hands up.

"You're awfully late, you know? Aoba-san is already so used to our routine. What a shame." Virus spoke, right before Mink kicked him hard enough to knock him out as well. The team members gathered to help out either cuff the two men or to support the injured. Those being, Koujaku and Noiz.

Kou patched Koujaku up, fussing over how the bullet had no exit wound. Koujaku was pretty close to passing out but remembered the man he was there for. Although sweaty and in great pain, he turned back to look at his childhood friend. The man he had begun to have romantic feelings for. And the one these two had taken from his home.

"...Aoba?" He paused, as he noted the once-again glazed over eyes looking back at him. "It will be okay, yeah? We're bringing you home."

There was no response.
Aoba went limp when Mink, with surprising gentleness, wrapped him into the blanket and lifted him up. Noiz, now also patched up for the moment, looked at the small figure with a hint of pity.

Mink parted the teams from his way like the Red Sea, making it easy to bring Aoba to the car. Sitting him down in the backseat, he said nothing to the man. Although, it almost seemed like he had said a prayer over him right before leaving. Koujaku was supported by the Benishigure members, placed next to Aoba in the backseat. He could feel his consciousness slipping. And gave in.

Apparently the building had hidden Morphine members that had only activated once the teams walked in. Half of them were fighting upstairs and the other half came downstairs. Or that was the report given to Noiz and Mink. And the unconscious bodies of multiple Morphine members were obviously there.

They found Aoba's belongings in a closet, and took them with them as they left the building. Noiz was feeling tired and Mink was seemingly fine, advising the Benishigure team leave for Midorijima as soon as possible so they're not going to be arrested in an unfamiliar country.

Returning to the car, leaving the Scratch members to deal with the rest, including bringing the Morphine members to a hospital (considering they were in fact, mind controlled), Aoba's journey home began.

The next time he was fully coherent was at the safe-house, away from the place he was stuck in. Koujaku was nearby, now nursing his fully stitched up gunshot wound. There were new bandaids, for the grazes of a knife from Trip's attacks.

"Koujaku?" He spoke, his voice barely audible. Koujaku's head turned immediately, his expression going from concern to relief. "Aoba! Oh thank god." He smiled, although pain was still visible in his expression. "Koujaku, where are we...?" Aoba spoke, looking at his current state. He had not been clothed just yet, still dirty.

"A safe place. Just until our plane back home leaves, yeah?" Koujaku spoke, approaching the man. Aoba felt the urge to move away, and it was seemingly obvious because Koujaku didn't move any closer.
"Are they...dead?" "No. They don't deserve death." Mink's voice suddenly cut in. He had been in the room the whole time but seemingly blended in. Aoba jumped a little. "They were taken care of in other ways. Just focus on more important things now." Mink spoke, walking over and stopping right in front of Aoba.

"Get up. You need to bathe so you can dress up." Mink's voice wasn't too harsh, but Aoba could feel his body shaking despite there being no obvious danger.
"Mink, I can take care of him for now it's- too soon." Koujaku spoke, looking at the taller man. Mink let out a "hmph" and walked to a table, sitting on a chair right in front of Noiz. He was rapidly typing something into his coil.

Aoba was much more open to the idea of Koujaku helping him to move to the bath. Considering he was already naked when they arrived, there was no shame. Koujaku made sure to sit with his back to Aoba, still in the room just in case he doesn't drown.

Aoba, now left to his own devices, clumsily scrubbed his body. But something was wrong. He felt so disgusted. There was something filthy deep within him he could not wash off.

Tears filled his eyes before he even realized it, and he started weeping. Full on sobbing in the bath. Koujaku, now alarmed, rushed toward the bath. "Aoba?"
Aoba shook his head, unable to speak or stop his tears. There was something irreparably broken within him.

"Am I helping by staying here?" Aoba nodded yes. "Is there something I can do to help?" Koujaku tried, feeling desperate to somehow alleviate the pain Aoba was in. Aoba looked miserable, shaking his head, curling up even more. "It's okay, Aoba. You can let it out." Koujaku spoke, softly. Not daring to touch the man, he kept his hands on his lap, gripping onto his own kimono.

Outside, Mink and Noiz could hear it all. A pitiful cry, but there was nothing they could do about it. It was up to Koujaku for now. Until they arrived in Midorijima.

Chapter Text

Aoba had somehow survived the plane home. Through connections, and Noiz having a surprising amount of cash on hand, they had a private plane. They did need to move through the now open Platinum Jail but it would be a breeze compared to the earlier journey.

They had a car available, and although traffic would be a bit slow, it was a lot better for Aoba to be in there instead of in a mass of people.

Noiz and Koujaku were still injured. Aoba only mentally so. He spoke only a few sentences at a time, and cried every night. Koujaku was there to comfort him any time he could but not much could be done as Aoba avoided physical contact.

Instead he just spoke, just about this and that. It seemed to help a little.

Approaching the Seragaki household, Tae was already outside ready to greet them. Stepping out of the car, Aoba was a sorry sight to Tae. Thinner, tired. And crying. Tae took him into her arms to comfort him. That was the first proper physical contact he had.

Heading inside, Clear and Ren didn't want to crowd Aoba just yet. Aoba wasn't awake or even aware enough to hold a conversation. He was promptly escorted into his room and tucked in by Tae, who afterwards had a grim look in her eyes as she approached Mink and the others downstairs.

"What did you find out." She spoke, in a hushed voice. "What did they do to him." She pressed, looking over at Sei who only shook his head. Koujaku spoke up, his voice breaking in the middle of his sentence. "They practically kept him as a pet. He's been a mess, no fucking wonder why." His disgust was palpable. Sei, who had stayed out of sight in the kitchen spoke up.
"Tae-san. I think it would...be a shorter list to say what they haven't done. I'm sorry." "Don't apologize. If I ever get my hands on those two they will be apologizing instead." Tae looked practically murderous.

"About that." Noiz spoke up. "The members of Scratch should be working on that now. Considering Toue INC is now a dead company, their ties are slowly dissolving as well."

Tae sat down, burying her face in her hands. "What a mess." Her voice was uncharacteristically weak. She then straightened up and pointed at the very obvious bandages on Koujaku and Noiz. "What about these?" She asked. "Taken care of?"

Noiz nodded but Koujaku spoke up. "We were shot. Just the minimum care. I'll go to hos-" "No, just...stay there, I'll get my kit." Tae scoffed, walking over to grab her medical supplies. Koujaku was sat on a kitchen chair, and the bullet in his leg was removed swiftly and with minimum pain. Noiz got the same treatment, looking more inconvenienced than anything.

Mink had long since left after Aoba was delivered back home. Ren and Clear camped out in the living room, sleeping on spare futons.

All was quiet once Koujaku and Noiz left.
The night was still and silent.

Aoba couldn't even figure out he was in his room for real at first. He had so many dreams about coming home it seemed impossible. But there he was. When he got up, he noticed a note on the dresser.

"Good morning Aoba!

When you eventually come downstairs, don't be alarmed. Ren looks a bit different nowadays. Don't worry.

Clear is also in the house. Tae-san had to leave for an urgent check up but will be back around xx.xx.

-Sei"

Sei was there?
Aoba slowly got up, and walked downstairs in the clothes he had fallen asleep in. His head was foggy and he felt like he wasn't even in his body right now, but he had to see Ren. And his brother.

"Aoba." Ren's deep voice greeted him nearly immediately. Though, not as robotic as he remembered it. "R...en?" Aoba was confused. The man in front of him? He did resemble Ren's Rhyme form quite a bit. "Yes, it's me." Ren's face light up.

Aoba's brows knitted together. Was this a trick? No it...couldn't be. "Do you want some breakfast?" Ren spoke, moving out of the kitchen door's way. Aoba was probably a little bit hungry, he thought.

When Aoba didn't move, he offered a hand. Aoba took it, and with that they moved into the kitchen. He was in a very fragile state. However, once he saw Sei, his eyes lit up again.

"...!" His eyes filled with tears. Sei looked a bit alarmed and got up from the kitchen table. "You're awake." He gave the man a gentle smile. Aoba nodded. "You've actually been asleep for a couple of days. You woke up a couple of times during that time to eat and drink." Sei explained, sounding relieved.

Huh? He had no recollection of that.

"I'm glad you're awake." Sei's voice was almost hypnotic, as Aoba looked into his eyes. A crackle and a light. "Ugh-" Aoba staggered backwards. Sei realized his mistake as soon as he reached for his face. He had forgotten to wear his glasses. His brother was now on the floor, dazed and confused.

"Aoba, I'm so sorry." Sei kneeled down, slowly, now with his glasses on. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He reached out.

Aoba looked perhaps a bit startled, but didn't look upset. He had felt that before, back in the alley when he first saw Sei. Taking the offered hand in his, Aoba looked intently at Sei's hand. Even in his malnourished state, Sei's hand was pitifully small compared to his. A hand that would never strike him or attempt to hurt.
He brought it to his cheek and rubbed up against it, much like a cat would. He was obviously still in a state of shock.
One that would only wear off with time.

Sei looked like he pitied him, just a little. "It's alright now, Aoba. Let's eat something, hm?" Sei slowly withdrew his hand, and got up (with Ren's help).

Aoba was helped up as well, sitting down at the table.

Sei was glad to no longer wear the clothes he did when he arrived. The pin on his hat could've broken Aoba completely. He was, in the past, technically a part of Morphine. A silent, observing figure overlooking Virus and Trip.

Even then, Aoba was a little bit wary now. Clear arrived to the kitchen, announcing his arrival with a soft "good morning", to not alarm Aoba further. He had put his mask on today.

Aoba soon got something to eat, his grandmother's donuts she had made early in the morning. He had missed the taste. Without realizing, a tear rolled down his cheek, quickly wiped away by Ren without question. Once he was done, he sat back and sighed.

"I love this place."

Sei laughed a little at his words. "Mm. Me too. Welcome home, Aoba." Sei spoke, his smile genuine. Aoba's brain was slowly getting less foggy, his social skills slowly coming back in. "I'm sorry...you had to see me like that...like this." Aoba spoke. It had been Sei there. There was no other explanation.

"I'm just glad that you're home in one piece." Sei said, his tone light despite the matter at hand. Aoba looked down. He was certainly in one piece physically. "I'm happy I get to meet you like this, as well." Sei continued, referring to the state of his body and soul improving. "I was in quite the state when I arrived." He said, sounding nostalgic.
Despite it only being half a year.

Tae was truly quick with her medical help.

"I'm glad." Aoba hummed, not quite mustering a proper smile yet. But it sounded honest.

After breakfast, Clear was left to do dishes as Ren, Sei and Aoba gathered in the living room. Aoba and Sei on the couch, more or less facing eachother, Ren on the floor.
"Sei?" Aoba started, looking up from his lap again. "Yes?" "How...how did you find me? How long was I..." Aoba spoke. It was far too early for it but he wanted to know.

Sei paused and took a moment to answer. He had to choose his words carefully. "It was...a group effort. I'm sorry we weren't there sooner." "How long was I there." Aoba repeated. Basically a demand, although spoken in a voice that had no power to it at the moment. "Six months and eight days. Far longer than you should have." Sei looked to be genuinely remorseful, showing Aoba yet another new expression.

It was strange, they were technically strangers but...it felt like they had known each other for ages. Sei looked a lot more like him at a closer look but just a little off. Their voices were so different. Aoba opened his mouth to answer, taking a little while to actually get the words out. "It's fine." He spoke quietly, shaking his head. "It's not your fault."

"I think we should consider talking more about this later, Aoba." Ren finally cut in, noting the man was shaking just a little.

"Ah. Mm, I think so too. We should focus on the happy occasion at hand." Sei nodded, before smiling and offering his hand. "Nice to meet you, brother." It was something no one would actually say to their brother, showing his own sheltered upbringing. Aoba snorted out a little laugh and took his hand, shaking it. "Nice to meet you as well."

It was a bit ridiculous but it worked to lighten the mood.

For more mundane topics, they began discussing their favorite things. Food, music, everything Sei had just began experimenting on. "You listened to my playlists...?" Aoba sounded a little hesitant. "Yes- I'm sorry." Sei apologized like he had committed a crime. "Eh? No, I'm just worried it wouldn't be to your taste..." Aoba shook his head. "What? No. I thought it was great." "Aoba has good taste." Ren nodded, only contributing occasionally.

"Haha..I'm glad." Aoba laughed properly, genuinely, for the first time.

Tae got home a couple of hours later, immediately looking for her grandsons. She quickly found them, watching an animated film on the couch, both fallen asleep under blankets. Aoba had nodded off on his older brother. Ren was awake on the floor and got up as soon as Tae entered. "They're getting along well. Thank god." Tae whispered, as if they were cats being introduced to eachother for the first time.

"Mm. Aoba seems a lot more relaxed now." Ren spoke quietly. Tae would be lying if she said seeing them reunited didn't make her a little choked up. Last time they were close like this, Aoba had been announced dead and taken away...
Despite that, here they were.

They woke up an hour after the movie finished, Sei first. He made sure not to move too much so Aoba wouldn't wake up.
When he finally did, Sei's arm had gone numb and Tae had come in the room to check on them. "Granny." Aoba spoke, getting up, looking serious. "Sit down boy, you don't need to stand up for me." Tae shook her head. Her tough love was less harsh just in case. Aoba sat back down.

"From today onwards, we will begin therapy. A rehabilitation program made just for you. You're not going to work during this time, and Ren will be personally responsible to stay with you especially outside the house." Tae announced, pointing at Ren as she mentioned him. Aoba nodded slowly. "That..thank you, granny. But- what about Haga-san?" "Haga-san has been informed of the changes and can handle orders until you come back. Don't worry your little head over it." Tae spoke, tapping at his forehead. Aoba didn't flinch away from her touch, a great start.

"Now, Aoba. Do you think you can handle Koujaku visiting? He has been calling me every day to ask about you." Tae said, her annoyance obvious. Aoba nodded slowly. Then he remembered something.

"Wasn't he injured when-" "It's taken care of, don't worry." Sei spoke, rubbing his eyes, the movie having taken a toll not even sleep could fix. "Ah, Sei. I should get your dosage adjusted." Tae sounded a little worried, looking over at the frail man.

"No, it's alright Tae-san. This has been an issue since birth. Focus on Aoba, please." Sei shook his head. Although the medicine did help a little, it only dampened the pain in his eyes. All the years of tests did not help him.

"I'll take care both of you if I so damn choose. Now, I'll tell you about your plan later, Aoba. Koujaku should be here in a few minutes, you can see him if you feel comfortable. If not? I'll send him away." Tae grumbled, moving to the kitchen.

"Mm. It's okay, I think." Aoba nodded. Koujaku was practically family. Everyone in the house, minus maybe Clear, was family.

Tae was spot on with her prediction, as the doorbell rang soon enough. Ren and Aoba went to open the door.

Koujaku came in surprisingly comfortable clothes instead of his usual flashy outfit. "Aoba..!" He smiled, walking in. Opening his arms for a hug, waiting for Aoba to accept it, Aoba noted his under-eyes were quite dark.

He slowly approached and accepted the embrace, Koujaku patting his back. "Thank you." Aoba muttered. "Of course, Aoba." He answered. Pulling away, Koujaku noted Aoba looked a little nervous. "Sorry, it's probably a bit early for hugs." Koujaku spoke, moving his hands closer to his own body.

Aoba shook his head. "It's alright. The sooner I get back to normal the better." His tone was a bit harsh on himself. "Aoba, there's no hurry. Take your time, ok?" Koujaku spoke, looking him in the eyes.
Aoba nodded.

Koujaku didn't stay for long but he seemed incredibly happy to see Aoba slowly regaining himself.

Chapter Text

Aoba's recovery was not without issues.

First, they had to note down the things that set him off most. Namely, any obvious references to Virus and Trip. Snakes. Lions. Cake, which disturbed a lot of them to find out. Wine.

Black curtains. Fully white sheets. Anything with chains.

Aoba was practically a minefield.
Thankfully, most of these would be avoidable inside the house. The further they got into his therapy, the better he would react.

Then one day they found him on the bathroom floor, curled up and sobbing quietly. Ren had taken charge, sitting down next to Aoba. Without talking, he helped to get Aoba's headphones on and turned on the playlist Aoba always listened to in order to sleep. Slowly but surely, Aoba calmed down. When asked what happened, Aoba had simply pointed at the mirror.

"I just...look so pathetic." He spoke, wiping his face. Ren shook his head. "You don't look pathetic. You're not pathetic, Aoba." He whispered, and bumped their foreheads together, similarly to their routine from back when Ren was in his original body.
Aoba had pulled him into a hug, beginning to cry again.

When Aoba and Ren finally got out of the bathroom they were met with a worried Sei and Clear.

Sei had begun moving a lot more with a simple cane to support him when his legs got tired. Aoba's presence seemed to only speed up his healing progress. It seemed to be therapeutic to have them together in the same house, for Aoba as well.
Aoba spent most of his time doing small tasks around the house for Tae just to feel a bit useful. Whenever he ran out of things to do he went to Sei's room and they talked about small things. Literally anything.

Small thoughts. Big ideas. What Sei saw through Usui's eyes back then. What Aoba experienced as a child with nerves in his hair. His Rhyme years. Sei's many surgeries, which threw Aoba off. That topic didn't go far as Sei wouldn't be able to tell the full story without mentioning his caretakers.

Occasionally they just sat there in silence, Aoba was usually asleep. And Sei watched over him. It seemed more comfortable to Aoba that way. From a third person view it probably was a strange dynamic, but it was a strange bond to begin with.

"How long did you know you had a brother?" Aoba asked, looking at his twin who was currently reading. Sei thought about it for a moment. "I think...I was 18. They...uh....mentioned you by your Rhyme handle." Sei said, skipping over Virus' and Trip's names but Aoba knew who he meant. And strangely they didn't feel so scary when Sei mentioned them. "Mm." Aoba nodded, before speaking up. "I only found out two or three days before the tower collapsed. Granny...didn't want me to worry about it."

"That seems fair. She probably wasn't sure I was even alive." Sei shrugged, but Aoba looked upset at this. "Yes but- Maybe we could've done something, ya know?" Aoba huffed, a bit frustrated at Sei's nonchalance to the matter of whether he was alive or not.

"No need to worry about it anymore. I'm here now." Sei smiled a little, petting Aoba's head. Somehow his touch didn't feel painful. Perhaps it was another strange circumstance with their birth.

"Sei. Do you have feeling in your hair?" Aoba asked reaching for Sei's head. His hand was stopped midway. "Yes. I'm sorry, Aoba but I'm-" Sei started. "No, it's okay." Aoba shook his head, putting his hand back down. "I understand. If anyone does, it would be me."

"I think the one place I still have extreme sensitivity in, is my hair. Everything else is..." Sei trailed off, his eyes wandering the room. Aoba nodded. He didn't need to say more than that. He was still just as fragile.
He moved onto other topics.

Two months into Aoba's recovery plan and he was nearly normal at home. But going outside? Outside was a little too much. So he and Clear resorted to trying out the balcony.

"Aoba-san, take my hand." Clear offered, reaching out to the man. Aoba would've probably rejected it if it wasn't for the comfort he desperately needed to get from him. And so, he grabbed Clear's hand and slowly but surely they walked onto the balcony.

Aoba felt his legs wobble as he fell on the floor, shaking uncontrollably. "Aoba-san! It's alright, here." Clear kneeled down, giving him his hand to squeeze. Sometimes it helped. The only thought Aoba was left with was "I shouldn't go outside. They'll find me."

And this time it came again. "Don't worry Aoba-san. We are safe." Clear comforted, looking into Aoba's eyes through the mask. Aoba slowly nodded and they got back inside without issues. "It's alright, Aoba-san. You did so well." Clear praised him once they were inside. "Thanks, Clear. I'm just...disappointed. I thought I could handle it." Aoba spoke, looking at his feet.

"I understand." Clear nodded, sounding a little sad. "It's just a matter of time." He continued, taking Aoba's hand. Squeezing it with a reassurance, Aoba felt a little ridiculous to be so upset. Clear was definitely good at what he did. A part of Aoba felt it was because he had been taking care of Sei while he was...away.

"When Sei first came here...what was he like?" Aoba changed the topic, feeling curious. Clear seemed to be taken aback but quickly recovered, bringing a finger to his chin (or where his chin would be) in thought. "He was...tired. Very quiet. Sei-san was very determined to get to you, Aoba-san." Clear said, turning back to Aoba. He had a fondness in his voice reserved just for Sei.

Aoba hummed. "You seem to like him." "Eh?? Ah...of course! You're still my master though!" Clear was flustered, shaking his head. Aoba laughed a little. "It's alright, Clear. You're absolutely allowed to feel whatever way you want." He patted Clear's head, laughing.

Clear suddenly got a little serious. "Aoba-san. Could you...check something for me?" His voice was unsure and wavering, but he seemed to be completely serious about whatever he wanted Aoba to check.

"Yes...?" "Can you confirm I look...normal?" Clear muttered, reaching for his mask. Aoba wasn't sure what to expect, but once Clear's mask was off he felt a little breathless. "It's bad, isn't it?" Clear assumed the worst, bringing one hand up to his face to hide it.

"It's alright, Clear. You look normal. Great, even." Aoba muttered, looking over the pale face in front of him. He even had fucking beauty marks on his chin. Had Clear never checked a mirror before? "Really?" "Really. Don't worry about your looks." Aoba nodded patting Clear's head again.

"Mmn. Thank you, Aoba-san. I feel a lot better now." Clear nodded, looking a bit teary eyed. He then put his mask back on.

For the rest of the day, Clear seemed to be a little out of it.

Sei came home from another trip outside, bringing a shopping bag with him, this time accompanied by Ren.
"Clear." Sei called out for him from the entrance as he washed dishes. No response. "Clear?" Sei walked up, speaking a little louder this time. Clear flinched. "Uwah! I'm sorry, I was lost in thought." He apologized, drying off his hands onto his apron as he turned around. "Is something wrong?"

Sei snorted. "No, no. I was just looking for you. What were you thinking about?" He asked, amused. "Ah just...today, with Aoba-san..." Clear was vague, eyes wandering. Then he straightened up. "He had some difficulty with the balcony but...he's doing his best!" Clear concluded. Sei nodded thoughtfully. "I thought he might. But I'm sure the next time will be easier." "Yes." Clear nodded, turning back towards the dishes.

"Clear?" "Yes, Sei-san?" Clear turned again, confused. "Thank you." Sei smiled, turning away to go and rest.

Ren walked upstairs, knocking on the door. "Come in." Aoba called, and Ren walked in. He was in the middle of a crossword puzzle, looking at the paper like it had offended him personally, finally looking up to see who came in. "Ah, Ren! Help me out here." Aoba patted the spot next to him on the bed. Ren walked over and sat down. Unfortunately for the both of them he was also stumped by the puzzle.

"I'm sorry, Aoba. I don't know." Ren shook his head. Aoba raised his eyebrows, before laughing. "Oh man, I keep forgetting you're no longer in your Allmate body. It's okay, Ren. We can ask granny once she's home." He giggled, putting the crossword away and turning towards Ren. "So, what were you up to today?" Aoba asked, still in a good mood. "We went to the store with Sei. He said we need a couple things because he and Clear plan on baking." Ren said, before reaching into his pocket.

"I found this while we were out and I thought you might like it." He handed a small, fluffy keychain to Aoba. "Wh...it looks almost exactly like the Allmate... Thank you, Ren." Aoba beamed, looking at the miniature Ren keychain. It obviously didn't have the collar but it was still a small, cute, dark blue dog.
Ren was about to respond but was quickly pulled into a hug that nearly crushed him.

"..Aoba?" Ren called out after Aoba didn't let go in a few seconds. "Sorry, I just...I don't know what came over me. Can I stay like this?" Aoba sniffled. "Have I upset you?" Ren checked, hesitantly bringing his arms to pat Aoba's back. Like he would shatter.
"No, no you haven't. I'm just..." Aoba talked through his tears and pulled away to speak. "I'm just so disappointed in myself."

Ren tilted his head. "What for?" "I still can't go outside. It's like as soon as I step foot outside the door I'm back to square one and- ugh." Aoba sobbed, his voice wavering. Ren shook his head, laying a hand on Aoba's hand. "These things take time. I'm sorry." He brought the hand to his head. "I don't know how else to comfort you but..you may pet me if you feel it might help." Ren spoke awkwardly, making Aoba feel a little less upset again. Ruffling the hair, Aoba took deep breaths to calm himself again, wiping his face to his sleeve.

"Aoba. May I ask something completely unrelated?" "Hmm?" Aoba looked up, the tears having stopped. "Have you been getting those headaches lately?" Ren asked. It was a necessary question, knowing the true nature of Aoba's headaches.

"Not as much. I can hear him though. Taunting me." Aoba scoffed, his annoyance obvious. "Have you considered trying to let him out?" Ren spoke, surprising Aoba with his suggestion. "What? No. What if he decides on killing someone??" Aoba got defensive but then looked like he was struck with something. It was obvious the other him was talking back. "Well?" Ren asked, waiting to hear what the other had told Aoba.

"He said...'Do you think I'm that stupid?'...But why should I let him out?" "It could actually help you in your situation. Seeing as you would probably be able to observe from the sidelines as he attempts to go outside instead." Ren explained, and although it sounded dumb at first, it was a solid idea.

"I'll think about it." Aoba said, looking towards the balcony. "I can't stay cooped up here."

Ren smiled and nodded. "Oh, right. What do you want on your pancakes?" He realized, getting up from the bed. "Ah? Pancakes?" "Sei and Clear are baking, remember?" Ren spoke, his tone neutral. "Mm...just sugar is fine." Aoba said, getting up as well. "I might as well come supervise, right?"

"Yes." Ren nodded, and they headed downstairs.