"I assume they are the reasons some crates near the castle were on fire?" Ienzo eyed the two teens sitting on the couch.
"I'm sorry." Sora mumbled. Riku rolled his eyes at the brunet apologizing for the tenth time that day.
"Story time Ienzo!" Dyme insisted, smiling. "I want to hear the explanation for why we're here! Hurry up!"
"Dyme, you've heard it before." Leon sighed. "Why do you not remember?"
"I was distracted last time." Dyme glanced at Cloud and grinned. "So tell us!"
"Cloud, go sit in the other chair." Leon glared at the blond when he opened his mouth to argue. "No! You and Dyme just distract each other when you're together."
"Yes, I think that'd be a good idea." Aerith smiled soothingly at the two boys. "Cloud, just switch with me."
Ienzo watched as they all settled down, "May I explain now? And Dyme? Pay attention this time." Dyme huffed but nodded. "Alright, so where do I have to start?"
"Start with the part where we died!" Dyme grinned. Leon gave him a warning look and he quieted down immediately.
"I suppose that would be a good place to start." Ienzo nodded. "As Demyx and Zexion we died in the quest to regain our hearts. I was killed in Castle Oblivion and Demyx was killed by you, Sora."
"Sorry." Sora mumbled.
Ienzo nodded in acknowledgement, "Before the attack on Radiant Garden Demyx and Cloud had met. The feelings Demyx had for Cloud when he died kept him from being completely overwhelmed by the darkness after his body expired."
"Why?" Riku glanced between the two ex-Nobodies.
"His emotions had resulted in the manifesting of a makeshift heart." Ienzo took the cup of tea Aerith was offering him and thanked her. "He remained in the darkness for as long as it took for his body to regenerate most of the damaged portions and his heart to grow. Once almost completed, he was released from the darkness."
"Why was he dumped here?" Sora tilted his head to the side. "Why wasn't he dropped off into the world he originally came from?"
"I wanted to be with Cloud. Duh." Dyme rolled his eyes at the ridiculous question. "Wouldn't you want to be in the same world as the person you love?"
Sora looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "So what are you guys doing now that you're here?"
"Pretending to help rebuild the world." Yuffie smiled. "They really just end up either distracted or distracting."
"At least Cloud gets his work done before wandering off." Leon glared at Yuffie. "You just decide you're bored and walk off to find Ienzo."
"Well he's more fun than you." Yuffie stuck her tongue out at the leader. "And Cloud doesn't finish his work first! He always stops halfway through to make out with Dyme!"
"I do not always stop to make out with him." Cloud glared at the ninja as well. "And I still finish my work."
"How's Kairi doing?" Aerith turned her attention to the boys visiting. "Why didn't she come with you?"
"She kicked us out." Sora chirped.
"She kicked you out of the house?"
"Off the island actually." Riku sighed. "We were annoying her so she kicked us out for a while."
"Can she do that?" Dyme looked at them questioningly.
"I guess so." Sora shrugged, eyes landing on the sitar next to Dyme. "We are off the island now so I'd say she can. So can you control water by playing that?"
"No, not yet." Dyme pulled his legs up to his chest. "I can control water a little bit but it's still hard to really make it do anything."
"Ienzo, what's your power?" Sora smiled at the young man sipping his tea.
"Illusions." He answered shortly.
"Cool. How much control do you have other your powers right now?" Sora leaned forward.
"Not much. I can only create and maintain illusions for a few minutes." Ienzo smiled at Yuffie as she grabbed his arm.
"Let's go back to the library!" Yuffie pulled him up out of his seat. "I wanna find that book you told me about!"
"You're being rude, Yuffie. You have guests. You shouldn't ignore them." Ienzo scolded her softly.
"But I wanna read it!"
"Just go." Leon sighed. "We'll find a way to entertain them. Just don't break anything okay?"
"Yes sir!" Yuffie saluted him as she yanked Ienzo out the door, slamming it behind them.
"That was very kind of you Leon." Aerith smiled at the man. "You never let her have the rest of the day off."
"I'm tired of having her moon over him instead of working."
"Regardless of the reason it was still very kind of you." Aerith clapped her hands and smiled at Sora. "Why don't you come help me make dinner? I'm sure Riku would like to look around. Dyme can even give him a tour."
Sora nodded eagerly, "I'd love to help! Everyone was so surprised when I came back and they found out I could kind of cook!"
"You were rather bad at it when we started." Aerith giggled, leading the smaller boy into the kitchen.
"Bye Riku! Have fun on your tour!" The brunet waved goodbye to his friend before disappearing.
An awkward silence hung in the air due to three of the room's four occupants not being terribly social. Cloud and Leon glanced at each other before they both turned to stare at the two younger males in the room. Riku stared right back at them and Dyme fidgeted before sighing dramatically.
"Not that sitting here in a horrible, suffocating silence isn't fun but I think I'll give Riku that tour!" The ex-Nobody hopped up from his seat and yanked Riku out of his chair. "Yes sir! We're off to have an adventure!"
"I think I can find my way around on my own." Riku struggled against the blond's grip as he was dragged towards the door.
"Don't be silly!" Dyme threw the door open and waved goodbye to the still silent men in the room. "This will give us a chance to bond and whatnot!" Riku glanced back at the two swordsmen behind, sending them a pleading look.
Leon smirked evily, "Have fun you two."
"Don't get in trouble Dyme." Cloud warned. "I don't want to have to go looking for you because you thought rock climbing would be a good idea again."
"Love you too, bye!" The door snapped shut behind them.
"You know your lover's an idiot right?" Leon asked, still staring at the door.
"At least I have a lover." Cloud leaned back in his seat and listened to Aerith and Sora chatting idly in the kitchen. "You think he'll get to him?"
"It's Dyme." Leon snorted. "He got to you, didn't he?"
"Hey." Cid pushed the door open and walked in. "I jest saw those two walkin' t'gether. Y'sure that's a good idea?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Leon ran a hand through his hair before stretching.
"Won't the kid set off the musician?"
"Why would he do that?" Cloud turned so he could look at the older man better.
"Well when the musician heard his Nobody's name he freaked out right?" Cloud nodded. "So what's gonna happen if he's aroun' sumone who was and probly still is in some way connected ta the darkness?"
"What?" Leon raised an eyebrow. "I think that if he's been with Cloud this long and nothing's happened he'll be fine."
"Hey, Sora!" Cloud summoned the boy and stared at him intently when he appeared.
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Has Riku been in contact with the darkness?"
"Yep."
"How much contact?"
"It swallowed his heart for little while I think. Why?" Sora watched the three men as the wheels in their heads began to turn.
"Your heart wasn't swallowed by the darkness?" Leon felt a headache beginning to start.
"No. I was always in complete control." Cloud stood up and started towards the door.
"Why din't y'all think of this?" Cid rolled his eyes at the young men.
"Wouldn't the darkness have already affected him by now?" Cloud questioned to no one in particular.
"Nah. The darkness doesn't really bother him if he's with me or Kairi." Sora ducked back into the kitchen.
"So he'd have to be away from Sora for the darkness to trigger something in Dyme." Leon pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead in an attempt to stop the migraine.
"Away from Sora like he is now." Cloud groaned. "I'm going after them."
"This is not going to end well." Leon slumped down and watched Cloud hurry off after the darkness infected pair. "Cid?"
"Yeah?" The mechanic rolled his toothpick against his bottom lip.
"I don't suppose you have anything to drink? Something strong?"
"I'll go get you something." Leon nodded his thanks as the man went to his workshop to fetch something very alcoholic
