A/N: Already I have so much I need to go back and add - intimacy between the mains is too slow, plot has some holes that need fixing. I'm getting more and more confused with the timeline....
"AHHHH." Fourth said, slamming down his bag on the floor by his desk and Paul closed the bedroom door behind him. "Why is this so hard."
Paul sat down on the chair as Fourth lay face down on his bed in frustration. The last three days they asked around to find friends of Ken but no one knew him. No one.
"Why does he no longer exist in this world?" Paul asked also frustrated they had not been able to a find single person who knew Ken.
Neither moved as silence filled the room, until Fourth shot up and sitting on the end of the bed, facing Paul, said, "What if it's a parallel universe? They exist in their world and we exist in ours."
Paul immediately shook his head. "I don't think so. The room I can understand but Ken walking freely around the campus. We've seen him multiple times until..." Paul leaned forward towards Fourth, "...until we found out he was Gemini's friend."
"You're right." Fourth rubbed his face in frustration.
"What if..." Once more Paul paused, "... what if what happened to Gemini has now happened to Ken?"
"What do you mean?" Fourth asked.
"What if whatever happened to them makes everyone forget who they are?" Paul asked.
Fourth's eyes grow wide as they moved around the room in thought. Was it possible. "Then why do we remember them?"
"Because of the connection you have with Gemini. But that doesn't explain the connection with Ken." Paul questioned.
"Unless the connection with Ken is yours?" Fourth asked.
"Mine." Paul asked.
"Think about it. Ken approached you first. You're always the one communicating with him. When ever you needed him, he appeared." Fourth suggested eagerly.
Paul stared wide eyed as he recalled all the times he and Ken had been together, including their weekend away, Paul was still to tell Fourth about. "Actually, there might be something between Ken and I." Paul said unable to look at Fourth.
Fourth shot up in surprise. "Wait! What! Why am I only hearing about this now."
Paul let out a deep sigh. "Well... I was going tell you after last weekend. Actually, the reason I didn't contact you then was because Ken and I went away together."
Fourth stared wide eyed at his friend, his mouth open in shock. "So, you're dating?"
"Not quite. He hasn't asked me yet." Paul's face turned a pale pink and he covered his lower face with his hand to hide his embarrassment.
Fourth shook his head, then looking at his friend asked gently, "Are you okay?"
Paul gave Fourth a puzzled look.
"Ken's missing. Are you okay?" Fourth asked again.
"Ah. I think so. Actually... not really." Paul had been trying to keep it together for the past week for Fourth's sake but every day that passed where he had no contact from Ken terrified him.
"Could it be possible Ken is in the same situation as Gemini now."
Paul gave it some thought, then shrugged, "I don't know. We still haven't been able to confirm what has happened to Gemini."
Fourth fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling, "I can't do this. I'm not smart enough." He whined.
"Oh. I have a thought?" Paul suddenly said and Fourth immediately sat up.
"What?" Fourth asked.
"The place we went to. Where we met Ken for drinks. I remember the people who worked there knew him."
"You're right. Let's go there now. It's not too late." Fourth suggested as he rose and went to his cupboard to change his clothes.
Paul rose and said, "I'll meet you in the foyer in twenty."
Fourth waved a goodbye after removing his shirt without a glance at Paul, as he left the room.
Twenty minutes later both friends were making their way to the bar Ken had introduced them too. On their arrival, the bar was full and after taking two empty seats at the bar, they soon discovered the Wednesday night staff was different to the Thursday night staff.
"Maybe we should come back tomorrow night and check." Paul suggested as he looked around.
At that moment, the bartender approached them and not wanting to be rude, they both ordered a drink.
"Might as well while we're here." Paul murmured despondently and Fourth agreed.
Fourth fumbled through his pockets for his key until he found it, then fumbled to get it into the lock. With a deep sigh, Fourth leaned down close to the lock and staring at the key in his hand said to it, "Get in there."
Fourth stared intently at the key with one eye open in focus until it entered the lock. At the sound of the click, Fourth grinned and congratulated himself on a job well done. He entered the bedroom and as he removed the key from the lock and closed the door, he lifted the key and put it on the hook on the wall.
The sound of the key hitting the floor startled Fourth as he looked down. In the darkened room, the light coming from the open window clearly emphasised the key and slowly glancing at the wall, Fourth realised there was no key hook. He wasn't in his room.
He stared into the room, then swayed slightly, and placing a hand on the wall steadied himself.
"Not my room." Fourth murmured as he removed his shoes and slowly entered further. Because the room was dark, Fourth first thought the room was empty and therefore he would borrow Gemini's bed for a short while until the effects of the alcohol subsided. However, as he approached the bed and pulled back the covers to climb in, he discovered the bed wasn't empty.
As he lowered himself he paused before the sleepy voice of Gemini murmured, "Fourth. Have you been drinking?"
"Sorry." Fourth said. "I'll leave."
Fourth went to climb back out of bed, however, Gemini pulled him back down and Fourth settled beside Gemini.
"Stay." Gemini said, tucking Fourth in against him.
"Are you okay?" Fourth asked and Gemini smiled, given Fourth's state was was still worried for Gemini.
"I'm okay. You don't need to worry about me." Gemini quietly told him.
"But I do." Fourth replied. "I have to worry. Because we still haven't been able to explain why this is happening. And if I'm the one that has to find the answer, why is it so damn hard."
Gemini caressed Fourth's hair between his fingers. "It's okay. We have time."
"No. We don't. You don't. I can't find you." Fourth's voice cracked and Gemini realised he was crying.
Gemini pulled away as he pulled Fourth's face up to look at him. The tears streamed down his face and Gemini gently wiped them away. "I promise. It will be okay."
A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over Fourth as he pushed his face against Gemini's hand and murmured, "I don't want to loose you."
"You want loose me.' Gemini replied, cupping Fourth's face, his thumb brushing his jawline.
"But you disappeared and no one remembers you. You and now Ken." Fourth said, his eyes sore his heart heavy.
"It's going to be okay. We'll get through this." Gemini continued to caressed Fourth's face.
Fourth partially opened his eyes to stare into Gemini's. "You're handsome." Fourth barely murmured to Gemini.
"So are you." Gemini replied.
Fourth's voice grew softer, "We could be more than friends?"
"We could." Gemini replied as his gaze falling to Fourth's lips.
Gemini had no intension of taking advantage of Fourth in his current state but when Fourth came forward and gently placed his lips against his, Gemini didn't pull away. The kiss was gentle and soft and as Fourth's body relaxed against his, Gemini realised he had fallen asleep. Gemini pulled back and gave a silent chuckle.
"You might regret this when you wake up." Gemini whispered to Fourth as he manoeuvred his arms to be under Fourth's neck and around his waist.
Gemini woke, as the gentle light of morning streamed through his bedroom window. Without opening his eyes, he knew Fourth was still cradled in his arms. The warmth of his body gave Gemini a comfort he had not realised he needed. All the tension he had been carrying around those past weeks were lifted by Fourth being there with him. Gemini tightened his arms around Fourth and Fourth let out an anguished moan before snuggling his body even further into Gemini's.
Gemini knew if Fourth woke to them together it would become awkward and possibly embarrassing for Fourth. Reluctantly, Gemini began to uncoil himself from Fourth and slowly, carefully got up out of bed. Once standing, Gemini stared down at Fourth, who rolled over into the warmth Gemini had vacated. With a deep sigh, Gemini rubbed his face and taking the towel from the back of his chair, when to go the the bathroom. That's when he saw Fourth's shoes haphazardly left in the entrance and his key on the floor.
Gemini returned his towel to the chair and picking up the shoes and key, went back over to Fourth. Carefully, Gemini placed the shoes in Fourth's arms and the key in his pocket. As he stood, he once more stared down at Fourth reluctant to let him go. With a deep inhale of breath Gemini once more picked up his towel and went to the bathroom. No sooner had he entered, he returned to his room to find his bed empty. As Gemini let out another deep sigh he turned only then to notice the note he had left. With a shake of his head, Gemini's frustration grew more after every time they met.
Fourth rolled over to stretched and the sound of something hitting the floor startled him awake. Sitting up to see the caused the sound, Fourth raised his hand to his head, regretting the drinks he'd had the previous night. With one eye open and the other struggling to do so, Fourth looked over the side of the bed and saw his shoe on the floor. Confused, Fourth looked down and found the other one beside him in the bed.
"How?" Fourth moaned before the memories of his return to the room suddenly came flooding back. He sat up right immediately checking who's room he was in. Once confirmed it was his room, Fourth lay down heavily and once again clasped his head from pain.
"What did I do?" Fourth questioned himself as the vivid memories came flooding back. He'd kissed Gemini, that's what he'd done. Quietly screaming into his hand, Fourth sat up again, confirming he was alone and in has room. As the embarrassment creeps over his face, Fourth wondered how was he to face Gemini again after what he'd done.