So so sorry everyone for not updating sooner! All I can say is school sucks lol.

Zuzu cradled him in her arms. "Thank you Dennis." She wasn't smiling. She used one hand to wipe the tears off her face. "I'm going to go put him to bed."

"I'll help," volunteered Yugo. He, Selena, and Yuto helped them up the stairs. The others close behind.

"Why don't we all go to bed?" Lulu said, glancing at the clock. It was nearly midnight. "We can talk more in the morning." Everyone murmured their agreement. "Gong you can sleep in Yuto's room. He can sleep in mine. Dennis..."

"He can stay with me." Shay responded quickly. Dennis gave him a sidelong glance and grinned. "Stop smiling like that!"

Yuri opened the door to his room. He had finally stopped the persistent flow of tears but his eyes were still red. He glanced at the others, sidestepped them and walked over to the room he shared with Selena who glanced at him and understood wordlessly that he didn't want to talk.

They placed Yuya on the bed and Zuzu pulled the covers around him. He snored softly.

"Right then, I'm going to go to bed." Shay turned "Good night guys!" Dennis followed him, wishing them a good night and a smile.

Rin, Yuto, Lulu, Selena, and Yugo stood in the doorway. Yugo was fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

Zuzu was grabbing her PJ's from one of her bags. She picked up her pink duffle bag and paused thinking carefully.

Finally, she clenched her hands on the strap and tossed it to Yuto who caught it deftly. "Those are our disguises and weapons. Our laptop is under the bed." She nodded to where it was.

Yuto raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about this?"

"Hm, yeah. I'm sure. You guys can do with them what you will."

Yuto opened the bag and rummaged through it. The others peered. "Are these what they wear?" He asked the girls.

Rin took hold of a mask gingerly. It was Maestra's. "Yes."

They replaced the contents then Yuto handed it back to her, much to her surprise. "I want to be able to look forward now. I know you guys have lied to us, but we weren't there for you. You had your reasons. I trust you guys to do what is right."

She took the bag and placed it with the others. "Did you just make a decision with your heart and not your head?" Lulu teased.

"Well, perhaps I should trust my gut a little bit more. It never led me wrong. I just never listened to it."

"Well, thank you Yuto. Also, here." She withdrew a gun from the bag and twirled it around her finger so that the handle faced Yuto. "My paranoia dictated that I should take this from you. Sorry."

"Yuto I didn't know we had a gun in the house." Lulu glared at him.

"What did you expect? More than half this family is part of the cops." Selena rolled her eyes.

"Did you take mine as well? I haven't seen my revolver in awhile. I just thought Yuri or Yugo were messing with it."

"No. We didn't," Zuzu frowned. "You lost your gun?"

"Yeah…it was really cool too. Vintage."

"Wait, are you telling me you bought a revolver and didn't tell us?" Lulu asked, eyes flashing. "And you lost it?"

"Oh…w-wait perhaps I was wrong! Haha, I never actually bought the gun! I was just kidding! Haha…" Selena held up her hands nervously. Sweat beaded at the base of her neck.

"Hmm? What is it Yugo?" Zuzu asked, cocking her head to the side. The boy had been unusually quiet. He fidgeted as though he wanted to say something.

"Um this is going to sound weird…but can I sleep with you guys tonight?"

They stared at him in surprise. Zuzu gave him an appraising look.

He continued, "I just…After hearing about everything… I don't know it just feels right…I promise I won't move around too much! I wouldn't hog the blanket either."

Zuzu smiled. She stepped back a few steps and gestured. "It's fine. This is your house and he's your brother. I'm sure he would like that."

They watched the peaceful, loving expression on her face. It had a mask of tired and weary shadows hanging around it.

"If it's not too much trouble, I'll stay too," Lulu said softly.

"Me too," grinned Selena.

"Yeah me too," Yuto smiled.

"Well, I go where Yugo goes so I'll stay. Not for him, but for you guys," Rin said.

About ten minutes later, they were all comfy in the blankets and pillows pillaged from the other had sleepovers like this when they were little. The boys would huddle up together and the girls would do the same on the other side of the bed. They would tell stories throughout the night until one of their parents would walk in bleary eyed and irritated. Tonight there would be no stories.

As Yugo's snores filled the room, the door opened and Yuri stepped in quietly. He set himself down beside Yuto on the side Yuya lay. Selena rolled around kicking a sleeping Rin in the shin. She didn't notice.

Yuri lay with his arms behind his head watching Yuya and Zuzu out of the corner of his half lidded eyes. He had heard every word of the argument downstairs. He thought about what Declan had said and he seemed to be right. This darkness that Yuya was so keenly aware of, it kept on asking for more and more blood. We have no way of knowing if he was already taken over or not. Perhaps the darkness influenced him and now he himself wanted to hurt others. Perhaps it wasn't the darkness anymore. A stab of grief punctured his heart. Yuya was hurting badly and there was not a damn thing he could do. Even now after he told everyone, Yuya would have to fight this battle inside himself alone.

Yuri wanted to block out everything from his mind. He selfishly wanted to go back to before he suspected anything. He wanted to go back to that closet, the closet he and Yuya stayed in. He didn't want these emotions. They were too much for him to handle. He was fine playing the cold hearted douche if it meant that he didn't have to feel anything. He's gone through too much shit in his life to keep feeling things. Even with Selena, they had a bond made out of mutual interest. They trusted each other and would take a bullet for the other, but he stubbornly refused to call it love.

His thoughts shifted to their parents. He remembered his mother's warm smile, his father's strong arms. He remembered their love but also how it felt when they died. Did he want revenge for them? Did he want to kill Leo Akaba? He loved his parents dearly and when they died it felt like a thousand knives, but strangely he didn't want revenge. Not for them at least. Although Yuri, wondered why dad didn't tell them or yarn them about Leo. The bastard was going to pay for what he did to Yuya and Zuzu no doubt, but it was going to be on his own terms. Yuya's hatred was controlling him, telling him that the only way he was going to get revenge would be if he killed Leo Akaba and spilt his blood and Yuya agreed with it. That darkness was created by Leo for his nefarious schemes and he had manipulated Yuya. He was seized by a sudden thought. Was this all part of Leo's plan? To create a force of darkness inside Yuya, making him grow more and more powerful until finally he lost control in his thirst for revenge? Originally that's why he took him wasn't it? For his powers.

"Hm...Yuri?" Yuto yawned. The alcohol on his breath made Yuri gag slightly.

"Yuto, did you drink? I thought you said that you stopped."

"Why are you still awake?" He glanced fervently at Yuya but he was still there. He relaxed.

"Just thinking..."

"About Yuya?"

Yuri jerked his head in confirmation.

"So was I...or at least my subconscious was. My body was dead asleep. Leo has played us from the beginning—"

"So who's to say he isn't playing us now?" Yuri finished.

"Exactly."

"Yuto. Do you want revenge?" Yuri asked after a pause.

Yuto rolled to his side so that he faced his brother. "My head says no but my heart says yes. I—" He looked conflicted. "I'm an officer. I can't be saying stuff like that, but Yuya is my brother and, well, family comes first to me."

"Declan's going to kick you out for that," Yuri snorted quietly.

"Screw Declan. They hurt our baby brother. I told Mom and Dad that I would take care of you guys. Some older brother I am."

"Well true. You suck."

"Isn't this the part when you tell me that I'm not that bad of a brother?"

"No. You've got a stick up your ass. You truly do suck and anyway you wouldn't believe me."

"Alright yeah. Also, language."

"I'm an adult, I can say whatever shit I fucking want. There are things that we couldn't control. Nobody can. All we can do is learn from them and move forward in life. You've always done your best to take care of us Yuto. You've always tried."

"Wise words from someone like you. You're stuck in the past, Yuri. That's why you don't let yourself feel anything."

Yuri considered this then turned so he was facing away from Yuto. "It's a lot easier, not feeling. I guess this is also how Yuya feels. Good night." He feigned sleep as he heard the rustle of covers and Yuto slow and even breathing. Yuto knew that Yuri wasn't actually asleep.

He lay there as sleep overtook him, listening to the snores of the others.

Zuzu turned quietly. She had been listening in on the boy's conversation. She thought about the day's events. Well they had nearly killed their family, had panic attack after panic attack, shed more tears than before and told their family their biggest secret. Overall, a productive day.

She sighed mentally reaching over to Yuya, softly brushing by his arm. She looked at his serene, peaceful face, lit up a faint blue from the window. Her Yuya.

People might mistake their love for a sort of dependency built from when it was them against the world in Leo's mansion and perhaps they were right.

Perhaps their relationship wasn't healthy.

But Zuzu didn't care. Her heart yearned for Yuya's. For his loyalty and kindness. His humor and optimism. She loved everything about him. That day she saw his dead body being withdrawn from the pool her world shattered. She would never tell him the truth of that day. The fact that he was the one who killed the men in that room and not her. She had watched as they were stabbed through the chest with a tendril of the shadows around the pool. Only her heightened senses allowed her to dodge them and pull Yuya out of the pool. His heart had stopped and she tried in vain to get it started again. The shadows coalesced around them as Yuya's skin had grown cold. Zuzu had cried over him for a good 10 minutes before his eyes cracked open the tiniest bit. His skin was still ice cold but his chest was moving up and down.

Zuzu shifted into a slightly more comfortable position. She was haunted by his dead corpse. Everytime he got hurt her mind would immediately flash back to that time and she had to constantly remind herself that her Yuya was fine. He was alive. Zuzu was self aware- she realized her shortcomings and oversights. She knew that part of the reason Yuya's body and mind had degraded so much was because of her. She encouraged Yuya's revenge and planned for them.

But now what? She realized what she did wrong, so what's the next step?

"Hey everyone! You guys ready?" Yuya bowed to his audience with a flourish and they cheered. He was performing for the kids at a children's hospital. All the children who were too ill or in critical condition and couldn't physically be there, the performance was being live streamed to their rooms. He would be making rounds later on to their rooms. Zuzu was currently down with the flu so Yuya was performing solo.

The hospital had specifically asked him for a show as Pendulum had been their main benefactor throughout the years. Most of the patients however were rescued by Entertainer. Both sides of him had created a safe haven for children going through illnesses and injuries. He often dropped by these hospitals. It was his favorite thing to do.

Sora and Dennis were currently with him playing acoustic to his singing. Yugo had accompanied him much to the chagrin of Declan who was pushing for more overtime for different cases. The Entertainer hadn't been a major threat yet, with no victims. Instead they had been freeing kids from different facilities all around the globe.

Yugo wore a facemask and hoodie to mask his identity. If the press managed to find out that he was one of Yuya's brothers, all hell would break loose. They wouldn't be able to go out without hiding their faces and their house will probably get swarmed. Plus, if a cop caught him speeding on his bike that could put him on a watchlist. Best to just wear the hot, itchy disguise. He didn't want Lulu and Yuto's holy wrath upon his head again.

He was their equipment lackey for the day as Sora put it. He watched his younger brother entertain the audience with his clownish antics and singing. He balanced himself perfectly on a big round ball and had one of the younger members of his audience sit on his shoulders laughing. The young girl was astonished and scared at first but Yuya whispered something to her and he watched as she calmed and started giggling. The audience crowded around them and Dennis handed a young boy the mic. He and his friends started belting out the rap portion to their song Fusion as Yuya set the girl down and joined them. He managed to raise everyone spirits in a huge sing along. The nurses and staff joined in and everyone was chanting and singing and dancing. Soon even Yugo joined, clapping and cheering.

F-U-S-I-O-N

Coming together as one, one

The story of us making one, one

Our hearts melding together

Making us stronger

Coming together

As one

Cause when we fuse together

Nothing can beat us

Not even the weather

From smiling

And sorrows

From sunshine

And rainbows

We are together like

F

U

S

I

O

N

Everyone cheered as the song dropped to a close. Yuya bowed and waved, the kids swarmed around him.

He signed autographs and spoke to a few of the kids, telling them jokes and performing a few simple magic tricks. Dennis was right there with him, the kids fawning over him in adoration. Sora hung back by Yugo.

"Aren't you going to play with the kids?" Yugo asked him.

"Aren't you?" Sora countered.

"Well, I would if I didn't look like a stalker in this getup. What's your excuse?"

"Hmm, well I guess I don't really have one. I just don't feel like it I guess."

"Hm?"

"Playing with kids is more of their thing." Sora pulled out a lollipop and popped it into his mouth. "It's not that I don't like it...it's just that, well, those two worked hard for this. After what I did to them, it doesn't seem right that I share their fame."

A few years ago, before he had joined Pendulum, Sora was part of another group called Academia. They were the biggest rivals during that time and Sora was often sent out to sabotage Pendulum.

One time, one of his band members had ended up injuring Yuya by accident. He had cut the practice cord on one of their trapeze routines and Yuya had fallen 20 feet. Luckily, he had fallen on a thin mattress and had known how to land in case he fell, but he still ended up with a fractured wrist. Everyone else was on their lunch break and didn't see him fall. He had screamed and screamed for someone until his voice was hoarse. Sora remembered how lucky he was. He could have died during that fall.

Sora had heard about what his bandmates had done and had left them. He went in search of Yuya. He was at the hospital. They had a performance in 3 days and there was no way that Yuya could perform. His voice was hoarse from all the screaming and his arm wouldn't heal for at least a month. He had been rebuffed by Yuya's angry bandmates but Yuya had relented and let him in. Sora had brought flowers and tried to apologize to him, but Yuya waved him off. He had expected to see hate in Yuya's eyes but instead he saw a resigned cheer.

It was then that Yuya asked Sora to be Zuzu's backup vocalist. Sora could match Yuya's range and would be the perfect replacement. He saw it then. To Yuya, the smiles and happiness of the crowd were more important than anything else, even his own safety. Sora had accepted. The others grudgingly taught him the steps within the next few days and they put on a spectacular performance. His enthusiasm in proving himself made the others trust him a little more and they asked him to be a permanent member of their team. "Yuya's too nice for his own good."

"Yeah, but that's what makes us all love him. Do you have more candy?" Yugo asked.

"Yeah, here." Sora handed him another lolipop. "He's so naive. Do you want to know where most of our profit goes to? Yuya and Zuzu both made about $14 million in that last movie they shot. They kept $100,000. The rest went to this hospital."

"Wait a sec…" Yugo did the math in his head. "That's like 99% of it! Geez…It doesn't hurt to keep some of it."

"I know. Like I said, too nice." Sora smiled slightly. "But that's how those two roll. They wouldn't hesitate to do the right thing no matter what it have hearts as big as mountains."

"Yep that's our Yuya!"

The crowd was dispersing. Yuya jogged back to them. "Hey guys! Sora, a few of the kids were asking for you. Do you wanna come? We're doing room visits in a bit."

Sora looked surprised. "Really? But—"

"No buts. We have to keep them happy. Kids are the boss."

Sora looked miffed. Yuya looked serious but in a goofy sort of way. "Well, alright then. See ya! Yugo, you owe me for the lollipop."

"Boo you, Sora. It's grape. It sucks." Yugo stuck his tongue out as Sora jogged away.

"Did you like the performance Yugo?" Yuya hummed as he grabbed a water bottle with his name on it.

"Yeah, it was cool! The kids loved it."

"I'm glad." He took a long sip and gagged. "Dennis replaced it with gatorade."

Yugo tossed him an unopened bottle. "That was me, not Dennis."

"You suck." Yuya laughed. "Can't have gatorade. I'm on a diet for a shoot."

"You're limping slightly." Yugo noticed. He may not have been the brightest snowflake, but he was attentive.

"Hm. Oh, yeah." Yuya propped his foot up and flexed his toes, wincing. "I broke one of my toes. It doesn't hurt so much."

"Yuya..."

"I know. I know. But I couldn't miss this. And anyway, the smiles on their faces are worth the pain."

Yugo grinned. "You really do have a heart as big as a mountain."

Yuya blushed slightly, flustered. "Who said that?"

"Sora."

"Ah. Figured. This is what you guys do when I'm not around? Gossip."

"You're a very interesting person to talk about."

"Right and you're the smartest person in the world No-go."

"It's Yugo! And I am!"

"Right." Yuya stuck his tongue out and made a funny face.

Yugo laughed involuntarily. Yuya was only 19 and yet he had achieved monumental success. He hadn't let it go to his head however. He had kept his kind heart.

"Yuya. Why do you give so much away?"

"Did Sora tell you about our finances?"

Yugo nodded.

"Cause I want to be able to help in some way. It's the right thing to do. You remember what it was like for us, right?"

Yugo nodded again. He understood. They had all been broke for most of their lives. Kept apart and without much comfort or happiness. When Yugo had gotten shot, the hospital bill had been enormous. They had paid for it by taking odd jobs and internships but even so it took them about 4 years to pay off all the loans they had taken. "Well, shouldn't that make you want to keep the cash?"

Yuya shrugged, "Not really. I just don't want others to feel that way. Most of the parents here can't afford the medicines and the bill. Just makes us happy."

Yugo looked at his baby brother. He never did anything for himself and always did things to make others smile. He was a good kid with a heart of gold.

Yuya rose to his feet and stretched. "Welp. I'm going to go. Clean up equipment lackey." Yuya ducked as one of their rubber balls came sailing towards them. He ran off towards the doors exiting the gym. Moon Shadow was waiting to escort him out. "See ya, Yugo!"

Yugo waved after them. He didn't know what the future was like, but he knew that Yuya would never lose his golden heart no matter what.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Please drop a review! Take Care

Per Aspera Ad Astra