The two oldest brothers had gathered up all the pillows and blankets in the house and put them by the living room couch. The fairy lights had been strung up, and the movie had been selected. The only thing missing was the guest of honor, who was sleeping in his shared room, completely unaware of what his three older brothers were planning.
Tonight was the night. The night where they would tell Yuya the truth. All of it.
Now, all they needed to do was wake him up.
Being the one to share a bedroom, Yugo was chosen for this task.
The blue eyed brother quietly made his way up the stairs and gently opened the door, avoiding that pesky squeaking noise that plagued his midnight snack escapades in the past.
Yugo hadn't stepped more than a foot into the room before Yuya was sitting up in his bed, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to shake himself from that space between wakefulness and sleep that he resided in most days.
"Yugo? What are you still up for? You said you'd come to bed almost an hour ago."
Yugo walked over to his brother's bed and helped his brother stand up, the younger's movements shaky and slow due to his grogginess. "Come on, Yuya. We need to go to the living room."
"Wha-"
Yugo ignored his brother's quiet exclamation of surprise. He was shaking with worry enough without adding his brother's confusion to the mix. He instead helped his brother put on his fuzzy slippers, and took Yuya's hand to guide him down the stairs into the living room. When the fort came into view, Yugo didn't even have to look at Yuya to hear how baffled he was.
"The pillow fort? But..." Yuya paused, "don't we have school tomorrow?"
Yugo gave a quiet laugh, reaching the last step, "We all get decent enough grades to miss one day of classes." Yugo looked over his shoulder to his little brother, feeling older than his twelve year old body suggested, "And this conversation is a long time coming. We've kept you in the dark long enough."
Yugo could see the curiosity in Yuya's eyes, and gave an encouraging smile as they made their way to the couch.
The two crawled inside the pillow fort, Yugo silently hoping that the place that had given Yuya such comfort would get them all through this dreaded conversation.
Inside, Yuto and Yuri were already sitting, Yuya's usual spot left open for the younger. Yuya crawled over and then looked at each of his brothers in expectation.
Yuto, taking charge, cleared his throat. "I guess I'll get straight to the point. What we wanted to talk to you about was... your dreams."
Yuya's eyes widened. "M-my dreams? What do you-"
Yuri interrupted gently, "Try and wait until the whole story is over before asking questions, okay?"
Yuya, despite looking almost fearful of what was about to be said, nodded in consent.
Yuto continued, looking right at Yuya. "Your dreams, Yuya, are more than just dreams. They're memories."
The three older brothers shared a meaningful glance at each other. Then, Yugo took a deep breath.
By the time the horizon began to light with the early rays of the sun, they had told Yuya everything.
The first life.
The final battle.
Their capture.
Their subjugation.
YOU ARE READING
After Leaving the Bridge
Ficción General"Me and Gongenzaka were flying. But then he fell." Many lifetimes after the conclusion of The Bridge Between, Yuya is starting to remember his time in the Bridge Between during his life on Earth, just like his brothers did before him. What his broth...
