Chapter Text
Fourth sat quietly next to Gemini, the silence between them heavy but comforting. Gemini had his head gently resting on Fourth’s shoulder, and Fourth could feel the weight of everything pressing down on the both of them. He hadn’t said much, just letting the moment hang in the air. But then, as the quiet stretched on, Fourth spoke, his voice soft, almost tentative.
"Do you want to leave this place?" he asked, glancing down at Gemini, trying to gauge any reaction. But Gemini didn’t respond right away, his gaze distant, like he hadn’t really heard the question. Fourth gave a small sigh, turning his head just enough to bury his nose into the soft mess of Gemini’s hair.
"Let’s run away, Gem," he said again, his voice lower now, like a secret only meant for the two of them. "Let’s go to a place no one knows us."
Gemini shifted beside him, his body stiffening, pulling away just slightly to look up at Fourth. His eyes, still clouded with confusion, met Fourth’s with a sharpness that wasn’t there before.
"What do you mean?" Gemini asked, his voice a little shaky, trying to understand what Fourth was suggesting.
Fourth turned to face him more fully, his hand brushing through Gemini’s hair as he spoke again, this time with more conviction, more hope in his voice. "Let’s leave everything behind," he said, his words slow but sure. "We could go somewhere else. Start new. Away from all of this... all of the mess, the danger. We could just... disappear." He let that hang in the air, the possibilities lingering between them like an open door.
Gemini didn’t speak immediately. He just looked at Fourth, his eyes narrowing as though he was seriously considering what had just been said. Fourth’s heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, the fear that had settled deep in his chest seemed to lift just a little. Maybe, just maybe, Gemini would be willing to take that step, to leave the past behind.
"Where would we go?" Gemini finally asked, his voice softer, the question almost tentative, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted the answer.
Fourth didn’t hesitate. His grip on Gemini’s hand tightened just slightly, pulling the man closer. "Wherever you want," he whispered.
//
Perth showed up two days later, and this time, Gemini seemed to be in a much better state than before. He was sitting on the couch, a little less tense, his expression a bit softer, like he had been able to take a breath after everything. Perth walked in casually, offering a greeting. "Hi," he said with his usual laid-back smile.
Gemini, who had seemed so distant and fragile last time, responded with a quieter, but genuine, "Hi," back. It wasn’t much, but there was a difference, something less hollow in his tone. Perth noticed right away, the familiar smile crossing his face. "You know, you kinda remind me of my younger brother," he said, not missing a beat. "A little quiet, and you both have the same eyes."
Gemini didn’t say anything to that, but the faintest trace of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Perth dropped a stack of documents on the table, his movements easy and sure. "Got everything ready," he said, "passport, ID... all done." He leaned back, rubbing his hands together as if pleased with himself. "Thank god, I’m so well-connected."
Fourth chuckled at that, shaking his head. "Yes, thank God," he teased.
Perth shot him a playful grin, then turned to the documents with a serious look on his face. "We don’t have to liquidate much of your assets either," he said, looking at him, "You’re smart not to keep cash lying around."
Fourth nodded, flipping through the papers as he examined them. "Still, this is quick," he commented, impressed by how fast everything had come together.
Perth hummed in agreement, clearly proud of his work. "I have people everywhere," he said nonchalantly. He shuffled through the documents, stacking them neatly. "We only have one part left." He looked up, his eyes meeting Gemini’s, before dropping the next bomb casually into the room. "To stage both of your deaths," he said.
Gemini’s head snapped to attention at that. "Death?" His voice was tentative, and for the first time, there was a real sense of fear flickering in his eyes.
Perth met his gaze with a calm, almost gentle look. "Yeah," he said softly, like it wasn’t a big deal at all. "To start new, the old you need to die. No trace."
//
It all happened so quickly. By the next day, they were already packing to leave Thailand for good. Fourth was conflicted, feeling a pang of guilt deep in his chest. He was pulling Gemini away from everything, from his life, his past. But Gemini didn’t seem to mind. He kept telling Foruth that this was what he wanted.
Fourth tried to ignore the guilty weight pressing on his shoulders. He glanced around the apartment, his closet full of designer clothes, his expensive watches, rings and shoes, and couldn’t help but feel how irrelevant it all seemed. He didn’t need any of it anymore. He was barely packing anything, just a small suitcase, leaving behind most of the things that had once been part of his life. It wasn’t even hard. Everything he owned felt like a reminder of the life he was walking away from. The things in this room were just...stuff. And Fourth didn’t want any of it.
They drove to the airport in silence. The hum of the engine filled the quiet as Fourth stared out the window, lost in thought. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, seeing a text from Perth.
“I’ll take care of everything. Have a safe and nice life, Fourth. Take care of Gemini.”
Fourth paused, his fingers lingering over the screen as he typed back: “Thank you my friend.”
He hit send, and then the moment passed. Perth had made sure everything was in place, this was really happening. As they reached the airport, Fourth pocketed his phone and looked at Gemini. He seemed quieter than usual, like he was lost in his own thoughts. But that was okay. Fourth could feel how much the man had changed in the short time they’d spent together. The boy had gone from being a shaking mess to someone who, while still lost, was now resolute. He was to leave it all behind.
When they walked into the airport, Gemini’s gaze immediately shifted to the TV hanging in the terminal. The news was on, a segment about a drug deal gone wrong. Fourth didn’t pay much attention. The camera cut to footage of a burned-out car. The bodies inside were barely recognizable, charred and unidentifiable. But then the images in the corner of the screen caught Gemini’s eye, the passport photos of him and Fourth. The two small pictures flashed briefly, their eyes obscured. The reporter’s voice cut through the air.
“The bodies were identified as Fourth and Gemini, both 21 years of age.”
Fourth didn’t flinch. He’d been expecting it. He’d known that this was the price of disappearing. He’d known that, by the time they left Thailand, they would be as good as dead to the world. Fourth kept his composure, his gaze steady, but when he saw Gemini’s face, he could feel the panic rising in the boy beside him.
Gemini gasped, his grip tightening on the armrest of his seat. His face went pale, and his eyes darted around the airport, searching for anyone who might notice, anyone who might recognize them. His breath hitched, shallow and quick, as if the entire world was closing in on him.
Fourth gently placed his hand over Gemini’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay,” he whispered quietly.
The man’s eyes flicked back to the screen, still trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
Gemini, still on edge, glanced around the terminal. Strangely, no one was looking. The crowd of people rushing through the airport, completely oblivious to what was playing on the screen, had no idea that the two people they were watching were sitting right there, just a few feet away. No one cared. No one was watching them. He was both relieved and disturbed by the indifference of it all.
When their turn came, they walked up to the counter, passports and tickets in hand. Fourth placed them on the desk with practiced ease, like this was all part of the plan. He glanced at her, catching the officer’s eye for a brief second. She gave him a slight, knowing nod.
“Have a safe flight,” she said, handing the tickets back to Fourth. She wasn’t just a random airport officer. She was another link in the chain that Perth had built.
With one last look around, Fourth led Gemini down the terminal. The world was still unaware, and that suited him just fine. They were ghosts now. And soon enough, they would be out of the country, starting over somewhere no one could find them.
//
After an hour of flight, they finally touched down in Laos. The plane's wheels hit the tarmac with a low rumble, and Gemini glanced out the window, his eyes tracking the unfamiliar landscape below. The lush greenery and wide-open spaces felt foreign, like they were entering a world that wasn’t quite their own. As the plane taxied toward the gate, the airport slowly came into view, buzzing with activity. There were people everywhere, some rushing to catch their flights, others walking casually with suitcases rolling behind them. The sound of chatter mixed with the constant noise of wheels against the tiled floor, the hum of voices filling the air.
Gemini’s mind drifted for a moment as he took it all in, the newness of the place, the strangeness of it. No one here knew them, and that felt like a relief. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and met Fourth’s gaze. The man was standing close, his presence comforting but steady, like an anchor.
"Are you hungry?" Fourth asked, his voice soft.
Gemini managed a faint smile, shaking his head. The truth was, he wasn’t sure if he was hungry. His stomach was tied in knots, in nerves.
"When’s our flight?" he asked, trying to focus on something simple, something that didn’t carry so much weight.
Fourth glanced up, pointing at the massive LED screen overhead. Gemini followed the direction of his finger, his eyes landing on the flashing red text. Sapporo, Japan – 1 hour. A new destination, a new start.
Fourth continued, looking over at him. "It will be a long flight, almost half a day," he said. There was a casualness to his tone.
Gemini hummed softly, the sound a little lost in the sea of airport noise. He leaned his head on Fourth’s shoulder, closing his eyes for a moment, just feeling the warmth of the man beside him.
Fourth smiled, his lips curving gently as placed a soft kiss on Gemini’s head, the gesture quiet, tender.
//
"Konichiwa," the officer behind the glass greeted them, her voice bright and warm as she looked up from the screen.
"Konichiwa," Fourth replied smoothly, offering a small smile. He leaned forward slightly, sliding their passports across the counter. The woman’s fingers danced across the keyboard as she glanced at their documents, her eyes flicking back and forth between the passports and the information she was typing in.
She paused for a moment, looking up at him with a friendly expression. "Here for a vacation?" she asked, her tone light, as if the idea of tourists coming and going was just another part of the day.
Fourth took a moment before responding, a soft smile still on his face. He shook his head gently, his voice quieter now. "To stay," he said, the words leaving his lips almost like a quiet certainty. It wasn’t a vacation, it wasn’t temporary, it was the beginning of something new, something that would stay.
She smiled back, and with a few more taps on her keyboard, she quickly processed the documents. After a moment, she slid the passports back toward them with a finality that marked the end of their check-in. "Welcome to Sapporo, Japan," she said cheerfully, her eyes flicking over them for a second. "Night and North-san," she added with a nod, a small flourish as she acknowledged their entry into her country.
Fourth smiled as they walked hand in hand through the crowd. Gemini nodded politely at the officer, his eyes gentle. Fourth squeezed his hand just a bit tighter, remembering how Gemini had wished to find happiness in a simple, quiet way. It was all they needed, really, a fresh start. They were no longer Fourth and Gemini. They were Night and North now. And this time, they were walking into a new life together.