"Are you sure about this place?"

The green-skinned kai hovered in place above the trees with his hands tucked neatly behind his back. He was facing a quaint chalet in the mountains that Black had brought to his attention. His counterpart soon came up and took his place at his side. "Yes. It seems as though no mortals have touched it in quite some time, what with the orderly state of the place. I believe that none of them will bother us all the way out here; they're all too busy cowering elsewhere."

Zamasu nodded thoughtfully as he observed the place for himself. "I suppose that's true. If anyone dared, we'd simply dispose of them, anyway."

"Of course."

The two lowered themselves to the balcony that overlooked the valley below, landing gently and gracefully on the wooden planks. Zamasu stepped over to the table that sat in the middle of the area, running his fingers lightly over the surface. Black took a moment to look over the landscape before him, taking in the fresh air before turning to his companion. "Shall we go inside so that you may determine if this is a suitable base?"

The kai looked to the entrance of the chalet before nodding again. "Very well." With that, the two gods entered through the doorway that overlooked the balcony.

Inside was fairly nice, or as nice as a human establishment could be. The decorations were tolerable, Zamasu supposed—small carved figures of Earth creatures and paintings of landscapes littered the walls and shelves. A bit redundant, he thought. There was a television, as well as a small kitchenette off to the side. Large windows allowed them to view the beautiful outside world around them.

Black stepped up behind him. "Well? Is it to your liking?"

"I suppose it's sufficient for a temporary base," Zamasu conceded. "It's far enough away from any destruction or humans that it allows us to take in the beauty of the environment. I wouldn't mind staying here while we rest."

The false saiyan turned his attention to the window. "I concur. I had the same thought when I came across this place. I had a feeling that you would share my sentiments."

Zamasu gave a slight smile, turning to his partner. "Was there any doubt that I would? We are the of the same mind, after all."

Black returned the expression. "This is true," he agreed, though he was aware that they had both known for a while that this was not completely this case anymore, thanks to Goku's body. He walked over to the kitchenette and opened a cabinet, taking out a teapot and two cups. "I found these while searching through this place when I first came across it. I believe they will come in use to us, yes?"

"Quite. I do admit, I've been craving a cup of tea for quite some time."

"I, as well." Black closed the cabinet once the tea set had been placed neatly on the countertop. He paused for a moment, his back to the other. "Truthfully, I am quite pleased that we've found somewhere away from the nuisance that is the mortals. We finally have some peace together."

Zamasu was busy observing a bear carving he'd picked up from a shelf. "I agree. It's quite nice to finally relax." He placed the item back down in its place. "For now, at least."

Black looked over his shoulder at his counterpart, allowing his gaze to linger for a moment. Yes, taking on this body had had many unforeseen effects on the past Zamasu, one of which being that he had become disconnected from his previous body. He'd grown accustomed to this saiyan's flesh and the power it held. However...this allowed him to fully take in the beauty of the future Zamasu, especially now that he had acquired an immortal body. He was truly magnificent—an immortal god, as he should be. On top of this, the two were already closer than anything, due to them literally being the same person at one point (though they'd realized there were minor differences between them now that the past Zamasu had given up his body, but it wasn't enough to come between them). This closeness seemed to only grow stronger the longer they worked together, and at this point there had begun to form a sort of mild tension between them whenever they were alone.

Now was no exception.

A silence grew between them as they stood, neither of them saying a word. Zamasu had taken to just standing there at a window gazing outside, while Black had continued to observe him from afar. However, it wasn't long before he turned on his heel, quietly heading over to the other and stopping just behind him. He flexed his fingers. "Zamasu."

The green kai turned to face him, having to look upward a bit due to their height difference, being this close. He seemed a bit surprised at how close Black was standing, but he didn't address it verbally. "Yes?" he asked gently.

Black had decided now was as good of a time as ever to voice his concerns. "I believe there's a matter that we need to discuss regarding...us."

Zamasu turned to face him fully, his head tilting a bit to the side questioningly. "Us? To what are you referring?"

"It has become apparent that something has been eating at us both for quite some time, in regards to our relationship. Am I correct?"

Zamasu seemed to hesitate at that. Black could tell he knew what he was talking about, but he seemed reluctant to address it. "... I...am unsure as to what you're referring to."

"We both know that isn't true."

The kai glanced away. Black lifted a hand and used his fingers to gingerly tilt his counterpart's chin up so that he looked at him again. This action clearly rattled him, as much as he tried to hide it, but Black's keen eye definitely caught it. He made direct eye contact. "You feel as though something has changed between us, do you not?" he asked quietly, as if he were trying to keep the conversation just between the two of them despite no one else being around.

Zamasu hesitated once more. "... I...do," he admitted after a moment. "But, I'm not certain of what it could be. I do not feel any negativity between us, but..."

Black wet his lips before speaking again, an action that was not lost on Zamasu. He swallowed as he listened. "Perhaps it is not negativity, but rather something on a deeper level? I've pondered it for a while, actually. I believe I may have come to a conclusion. Do you wish to hear it?"

"I suppose..."

Black lifted his head to look out the window behind his twin for a moment before continuing. "It is agreed that this body has affected me in ways neither of us had foreseen—mostly in strength and power, but also on a personal level. I've grown fond of this body in a way I did not expect, despite seeing as how it is that of a mortal. Having said this, I must admit that I've become...detached from my previous body. I no longer see myself in a mirror when I look at you, and I'm certain you feel the same way when you see me. Am I correct in assuming this?"

Zamasu gave a small nod. "Yes... That is part of my concern."

"That is understandable. You worry that we can no longer connect as one, do you not? That it's possible we may drift apart because of this?"

"Yes."

Black finally returned his attention to the other. "Then I propose a different outcome. I believe that instead of drifting apart, we may be growing closer. It's just that neither of us have really known how to approach this situation, yet."

Zamasu furrowed his brow a bit. "How do you see this to be the case?" he questioned.

The other's free hand moved to rest on Zamasu's hip. Zamasu straightened at his touch, his gaze faltering again.

"Right now, you feel something burning within you when I touch you. You wish to be close to me when we are alone, do you not?"

Zamasu seemed reluctant to answer. "... Yes," he said, finally.

Black leaned a bit closer so that their noses were almost touching. The kai's breath hitched in his throat as Black spoke, his voice low and almost sultry. "I feel the same. At first, I thought it was simply this body playing tricks on me. However, I have watched you closely as of late, and I've noticed that you tend to look at me the same way I look at you. I could tell that something was growing between us—a tension that I couldn't quite place my finger on until now—and I realized that it was indeed mutual." His hand snaked around his counterpart's back and pulled him closer so that their chests touched. He could feel the other's heartbeat pounding against him, which brought a small grin to his lips.

Zamasu couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from him, now; those dark eyes seemed to captivate him despite how flustered he was so obviously becoming. "And...what is this tension, as you say?" His voice was soft, as though he were afraid to speak.

Black's voice was nearly a whisper as he replied. "Desire."

The way the word left Black's lips brought a chill to Zamasu's spine, and he knew that he was right. It was desire that was forming between them. He did want to be close to Black. He had pushed the thought aside for a long time, finding this desire to be foolish; it was unlike a god to have such feelings, especially for a mortal...but, Black wasn't a mortal, was he? Yes, he had a mortal body, but the soul inside was his own. He was still Zamasu at his core, despite the changes that taking on this form had brought upon him. The future Zamasu had to agree with what he'd said earlier about there being a disconnect between the two of them, now; Black had developed into his own person, separate from him, due to Goku's mortal body affecting his mind. He had grown more vicious, more aggressive...and more forward, a trait which was clearly being displayed right now. They were the same, yet they had grown to be very different—different enough to where it had begun to draw the future Zamasu in.

There was a silence, then, as the word burned into the air. The two's eyes were locked together, unable to part gazes, and neither of them dared speak. The tension between them had only grown thicker, and Zamasu's heart had begun to race. His mouth had become dry due to his lips parting at some point, so he closed his mouth and swallowed.

After what seemed like an eternity, Black moved his hand from Zamasu's chin to rest it on his cheek, which brought a faint pink tint to the kai's face. Black grinned, gently stroking his skin with his thumb. "Such a shade is fitting for you..." He leaned in close enough to where their lips brushed when he spoke again, causing the other's eyes to almost glaze over while his own became half-lidded. "... It's beautiful," he breathed before closing the gap between their lips, and both of their eyes closed together. Zamasu's hands, stiffly resting at his sides until now, found their way around Black's body and rested on his back comfortably, as if he felt that was where they belonged.

Yes, this place would suffice for the two of them. They were alone, finally, and in that moment it seemed as though their utopia was closer than they had imagined.