Summary: AU: Akise Aru had come every day to visit him, every day to see the one person he loved most... in an asylum. Yukise. Based in a world where the events of Mirai Nikki and the future diaries only existed in Yukiteru's mind.

Author's Note: An idea that refused to stop jumping around in my head. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mirai Nikki. The quote is from the game Bioshock Infinite.

To the Stars and Back

Chapter 1 - A Thousand Years

Created By: x-LittleMissAlice-x

xXx

"The mind of the subject will desperately struggle to create memories where none exist..."

R. Lutece 1889

xXx

A thousand years had passed.

A thousand years of regret. A thousand years of emptiness. A thousand years of darkness.

The stars, once twinkling so brightly - so hopefully - in the night sky were no longer there to comfort him; they had ceased to exist when the shadows of the world engulfed the Earth, a blanket of black snuffing out the light, leaving only emptiness in the abyss... New stars could always be created, just as they could be recreated, but the new world would never be the same. The stars would never shine as brilliantly as before, and they - his friends, his family - would only be cheap imitations compared to the real thing.

His parents were dead. His friends were dead. The entire world was dead, and the deceased could not be brought back to life. Even as a God he was unable to do that.

The passage of time was dully noted, but hours, days, months, years- none of it mattered to Yukiteru. As God he was untouched by time itself, or at least this was the case physically... Each moment he spent in the empty frigid darkness slowly devoured his ambition, his emotions and his psyche...

The only two things keeping him company (and relenting the ever-prominent feeling of insanity creeping on his old, broken mind) was the small girl lying in front of him, and the flickering memories of the past tormenting him, recalled as vividly as the day they occurred.

"I never wanted to become God, you know."

The rumble of his vocal cords sounded deeper. Older. Not aged with actual time, but the maturity only an eternity of sorrow could bring.

"I never wanted to kill them. I was... I was a coward. I was too afraid to die. It could have been anyone. I would have used anyone if it meant I could stay alive, even if I didn't deserve to live."

He chuckled solemnly. It sounded broken, even to his own ears. No matter how many times he said it, the words sounded like that: broken, dejected, lost. It was because he could not go back in time and change what had happened. He could not go back and live.

"I had thought it was ok... I thought I could bring them back and give everyone a happy life. So why, Murmur? Why can't I bring them back?"

His companion did not answer. Her gazed continued to look downward, fixated on the small book in her lap, her lax fingers flipping through the pages idly. Yukiteru forced the corner of his lips into a painful smile.

"You have read that manga over a thousand times. You must be bored of me, since I haven't given you anything better to do."

The small girl's eyes lifted, meeting Yukiteru's dull blue ones. "Why don't you create something, Yukiteru-kun?"

He had answered this question as many times as Murmur had read her manga, and like everything else here, his response was always the same.

"There isn't a point," he monotoned, "Not when my parents are dead... Not when I know I can never truly bring them back."

He had tried, after all. Numerous times, and each attempt ended in failure. No matter how he wished and dreamed and imagined being with his friends and family again, it would never happen. It was impossible. A lost soul could never be brought back to the body. He may have been a God, but he did not have the power to fulfill the one thing he wanted most.

"...I no longer have a purpose, do I?" Yukiteru chuckled in defeat. He hadn't created anything. He was too much of a coward to end his own life (if there even was such a way). He had thought about jumping worlds, starting over, just as Yuno had done so long ago, but he couldn't even bring himself to do that. He was... pathetic. So very pathetic.

"Murmur... do you think-"

Bang!

The mellow, soft beating of his heart leaped in his chest at the sudden noise.

What was that? Where was it coming from?

Bang bang bang!

Louder this time, more insistent. His blue eyes widened, flickering over towards Murmur with confused, furrowed brows. She was gesturing something over - something that was not him.

A part of the endless abyss shattered into an illuminated doorway of light. Yukiteru shielded his eyes as the sheer brightness of it, piercing his centuries of emptiness, of darkness. Through the gap between his fingers, a figure emerged.

A girl. Pink twin-tailed locks. Large, sparkling magenta eyes, and a sweet smile that could light up the world.

The light she brought (and more than anything else: her smile) did little to comfort him; it made the empty void seem all the more darker.

"Yuno...?"

Yes, it was Yuno. He could never forget that deceiving innocent face, those bewitching eyes... he could never forget her true nature.

Blood. Death. Betrayal. Despair.

Her dainty hands were and always would be stained in blood. She had killed men, women, and even children with the same brilliant smile on her lips.

She was a murderer. A monster.

He could never forget that.

His gaze lingered on her pretty face, then the dip of her shoulder, and down her slim arm until it reached the palm of her hand. And there, gripped firmly between her fingers was an object - a weapon, glinting silver:

A large kitchen knife.

Yukiteru froze. His hands quaked at his sides. The heart he was convinced had frozen over so long ago raced in his chest, a feeling he had not experienced for over a thousand years finally flooding through him-

Fear.

Yes, he felt true, utter terror as he looked at this seemingly innocent girl.

He did not know exactly how or even why, but she was going to kill him.

Yukiteru's instincts screamed at him one, simple command:

Run!

But he couldn't move; his trembling feet were frozen in place.

"I-It's impossible," he choked, his throat unnaturally dry.

Was he dreaming? Was this some nightmare? This had to be a dream!

"Y-you're dead! I became God. I watched you die. How can you be here if you're dead!"

His raw vocal cords burned as he screamed that simple truth. It was the first time he had raised his voice in an eternity...

She shouldn't be here, could never be here. Yuno was dead. His Yuno was dead. This had to be a different Yuno, one from another world. But how did she get here? Did she become God? Or maybe...

His eyes widened in realization.

"Murmur!"

Yes, she had summoned Yuno somehow. She was finally tired of him. She wanted him dead!

Deaddeadeaddead!

Yukiteru did not know why he was so afraid of death when he had nothing else to lose, but after fighting for his life in a battle royale he had had little chance of winning, he could not let his life be snatched away so easily.

'Yuno' took a small step forward; Yukiteru stumbled back.

"Put the knife down!" he demanded, although his voice shook with fear (so much fear... so much fear).

"But Yukki-"

"Don't call me that. Don't call me 'Yukki' like you're the same Yuno! You're not... You're not her. You're not Yuno!"

"But-"

"Shut up! I told you to put the damn knife down"

Murmur moved to Yuno's side, eying him cautiously. Slowly, she lifted her hands in the air.

"Please, Yukiteru-kun. Just calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down?!"

He sounded hysterical now. How could he calm himself when his very life (however worthless or miserable it may be) was being threatened? Was Murmur crazy?

"You're in on this too, aren't you, Murmur?! That's why Yuno is here. You were her Murmur all along, weren't you?"

"Yukiteru-kun, please-"

"What world is she from? A third? A fourth or maybe a millionth? Is she here because I won't create anything? Is that it?! I can't believe you..."

"No, it isn't-"

Murmur stopped as Yukiteru hung his head, laughing dejectedly.

"So just like everyone else you are going to betray me too. I thought I could trust you, Murmur..." he whispered, turning his head away.

"Yukiteru-kun, I-"

He did not want to hear the excuses. He did not want her to justify why she did it. He did not want to know when she had done it, how long she had planned this exact moment. All he wanted was to live!

"Don't lie to me!"

He was already moving to take a step back but froze mid-step.

Where would he go? There was no where to run, no where he could hide, and he was not going to jump worlds-

Wait... Was this Murmur's plan all along? Was she trying to pressure him into creating something?

That had to her plan. She wanted him to make an ocean for him to swim in, then islands and continents with forests to hide in, then animals and... people.

He would never fall for her plans. He would never try to create human life again.

"No," he murmured, straightening his back, holding his ground. "I won't run."

His eyes shifted towards Yuno and the knife still gripped in her hands, aimed towards him. She could have what was left of this world if she wanted. It was hers now. He didn't need it anymore.

"If you want to be God of this realm so badly..." he sucked in a deep breath (perhaps one of his last), willing his racing heart to ease before he continued to speak, "...then go ahead. Do it, kill me! Put me out of my damn misery! I don't want to live in this empty world anymore!"

"No!"

Yukiteru jolted at the new voice. His eyes shot back towards the bright light, another figure appearing in the doorway. Through the blinding beams white locks and unnaturally pale skin came into focus. His breath caught in his throat when he met a pair of vermilion eyes.

It was impossible, but... could it be...?

"Are you... Akise-kun?"

It had to be Akise. No one else looked like that. No one else smiled at him with such warmth.

"Hello, Yukiteru-kun."

...No one else said his name in such a way that both calmed him and made his heart race.

This was Akise. This was Akise Aru.

In the corner of his eye he saw Yuno quickly turn towards the albino. Her eyes flashed in irritation. "Akise Aru, go back-"

Her threat was cut short by Yukiteru's rippling scream.

"No, Akise-kun!"

It was already too late.

Akise lunged fearless towards a startled Yuno, raising the palm of his hand towards the glinting knife held tightly in her hands. Pink pigtails bouncing, feet moving, Yuno tried to jump out of the way but Akise was too fast.

"Put it down!" Akise ordered and smacked the back of her hand. The weapon slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground.

The tension in Yukiteru's neck and shoulders rushed out of his body at the sight of the fallen weapon, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. He was no longer in danger. Akise… Akise saved him.

Yes, this really was Akise... But what was he doing here? How did he get here? Why was his heart fluttering in his chest at just the sight of him?

How could Akise approach him like he had never left?

This had to be a dream. This couldn't be real because Akise was dead. Was Akise an angel sent from Heaven to help him? Was Yukiteru actually dying but hallucinating Akise in his final moments?

All these questions and more raced through Yukiteru's head the closer Akise came. There were so many unanswered questions flooding his mind he barely registered Yuno and Murmur muttering to each other.

"He recognizes Akise."

"He didn't have trouble recognizing him before. Perhaps it has something to do with his fantasies..."

What were they talking about? ...Fantasies?

Was this really just a dream then? Was he still God, drifting aimlessly through empty space?

Was Akise still dead?

Yukiteru's brain throbbed as he tried to make sense of it all, but there was one thing he noticed through his haze that was alarmingly odd:

Yuno wasn't trying to kill Akise.

Were they working together? They had both arrived through the same entrance...

No... No! Akise had protected him from Yuno. He was there to save him, wasn't he?

But what if... this Akise was a fake? What if Yuno was using this Akise so he would let his guard down?

He couldn't risk it.

"S-stay back! Don't c-come any closer."

Akise hesitated, faltering for a moment, but despite his desperate order he did not relent his approach; only continued to gaze at him, burn him with those intense irises of scarlet.

"P-please don't... please," he sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut.

There had to be something he could do to escape his fate, some way to fend him off or run away. Could he create some sort of weapon in his mind and make it part of reality? But then he would be acting like a God, and he had vowed never to create anything. But this was his life, he only had one (even Gods had only one life, didn't they?) but... could he even do it? Could he... kill Akise?

Could he watch Akise die again, knowing this time it was his fault?

The reason he had become God in the first place was because of his warning in his final moments. Akise had been his friend until the very end. But... if this was a different Akise, one that was sent here to take his life, did he even have a choice?

"D-don't make me choose... please don't m-make me. Please, I... I-"

His deep, shallow breathing hitched when two warm arms wrapped around his waist.

"Yukiteru-kun," Akise breathed, his hot exhale tickling the shell of his ear. Yukiteru's legs weakened as Akise's embrace tightened, pulling him closer - desperately closer - to his chest so his head rested on his shoulder.

His touch was... gentle. Comforting. So... warm and alive.

So much like... Akise.

But this wasn't the Akise, he knew. Yuno was watching them - smiling! This was a trick. It had to be a trick.

"Let. Me. Go!"

It hurt. Screaming those words, squirming in his grasp, pressing the palms against Akise's chest - Akise's solid and warm and very much alive body - hurt. Seeing the flash of anguish in Akise's eyes as he shoved him away, as he rejected his comforting touch hurt even more.

...Why? Why was Yuno doing this to him? Why was Yuno using Akise to purposefully make his chest clench to the point he felt like he could barely breathe? Why was she hurting him?

Why did Akise insist on coming closer although he had told him not to?

"Get back... I said get back!"

As a God who would not create nor destroy, so Yukiteru used the best counter he could muster: his weak arms flew in a frenzy, fists pounding forcefully at anything within a three feet radius. He wailed on the albino when he moved too close, desperately trying to create a safe distance between them.

Yukiteru could not see what he was hitting, or where Akise was, or Akise's facial expression, or really anything around him clearly; his vision was blurred by his unshed tears.

"Yukiteru-kun!" His fists - his only defense - was easily stopped. Akise's hands grabbed his wrists, rendering him immobile. "Please, listen."

"N-no!" he cried, tossing his head side-to-side, struggling against his fate. "Please, no! I can take Yuno killing me but not you, Akise. Anyone but you-"

"I'm not going to hurt you, Yukiteru! I love you!"

Yukiteru froze, stiffening in his hold. His gaze slowly rose, meeting the albino's, his own eyes widening in surprise.

Akise was... in love with him?

Something about the way he had said those words - the rawness of his voice, the softness of his eyes and the glimmer of pain that swirled beneath their surfaces; a pain that could only be made by the sincerity of such an emotion - made Yukiteru believe him. His heart still raced (in a way being around Akise always made it do) but the panic steadily calmed until they were just standing there, staring into the other's eyes.

"Please, listen," Akise repeated, softer this time. "Try to remember... You are in a hospital."

A... hospital?

Everything slowly came into focus. The darkness dissipated into white walls. The manga book Murmur often read morphed into a notepad. The knife Yuno had held was now nothing more than a pen lying idly on the floor. Yuno was no longer there; instead, an anxious looking nurse stood in her place, a smaller one that had been 'Murmur' standing beside her.

What was going on?

"I-impossible. Hospitals don't exist anymore. The world was destroyed. It has been destroyed for over a thousand years!"

He was dreaming, hallucinating, finally going insane... He had to be.

"Yukiteru-kun, it hasn't been a thousand years." Akise replied carefully, placing a comforting but firm hand on his shoulder. "You were institutionalized a little over three years ago. It has been a thousand days, not a thousand years."

"What... What are you saying?" Yukiteru asked, shaking his head in disbelief and fighting the urge to take a step back and run - run far, far away from all of this. "I haven't been here three entire years! I don't even remember coming here! Before I became God, I was in a battle royale between future diary holders. I saw you die Akise. This world isn't real!"

Yes, this world couldn't be real. This Akise couldn't be real. He had watched the life fade from his eyes. He had seen the blood pool around his lifeless body, had smelled the stench of death from his corpse. His body and head weren't even attached the last time he saw him. There was no way he could have survived that.

"Yukiteru-kun. I know this may seem... hard to believe, but 'future diaries' don't exist. They have never existed. It was all an illusion, a fantasy in your own mind."

"Why are you lying to me? You were there! Don't you remember your Detective's Diary?"

Akise shook his head, somewhat solemnly. "Yukiteru-kun, it never happened."

Yukiteru was frustrated now. "Stop lying! It did happen. I swear to the late Dues ex Machina it did!"

"Did he just say 'Dues ex Machina'?" one of the nurses - 'Yuno' - whispered.

"If I recall correctly, he is the God of Space and Time in his mind..." said the nurse who was 'Murmur'.

They were looking at him, watching him from the other side of the room. Like... like he was a monster.

"S-stop it... Stop! Stop looking at me like that!" he cried, "Stop looking at me like- like I'm crazy! I'm not crazy. I'm not..." he choked, his eyes stinging with hot, heavy tears.

Those warm arms pulled him into another comforting embrace and, this time, he did not fight against them.

"I know, Yukiteru-kun," Akise murmured in his ear. "I know."

xXx

A thousand years had passed.

A thousand years of regret. A thousand years of emptiness. A thousand years of darkness.

But those thousand years had never happened at all...

It had only been a thousand days, and he had spent it in an asylum.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you would like to see where this is going, or you have anything to say about the first chapter of this tale, a brief review of your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

That's all then. Have a lovely evening.

xLMAx