Seaside

After living in one place for so long, going off-world felt bizarre. Traveling by gummiship actually made Demyx a bit nauseous, and the soft light of Twilight Town had his eyes scrambling to adjust. He and Ienzo played the part of vacationers from far inland-not completely a lie-coming to the seaside for a few days. They were able to get a room in a cute bed and breakfast a short train ride from the shore. Signing the papers-seeing his new name and struggling to write it fluidly-felt strange. He was used to hiding in new places, not moving through them.

"Newlywed?" the owner, an older woman, asked.

He felt his face heat. "Still getting used to things."

She took the paper and the money from him. "I can just tell. I think you and your spouse will like it here. We keep things relaxed. Any closer to the beach and it's all college students and partiers. Let me show you to your room." She rattled off a few house rules, no pot, breakfast was at such and such a time, and so forth. The room was actually nothing special-clean, but generic-and here they settled. They hadn't brought much, hadn't planned too far ahead. Even though Ienzo claimed to be okay with it, Demyx could feel this irritated his anxiety, so he said, "Come to the balcony. It's pretty."

The building was up on a hill (signs called it a mountain, but Demyx had seen so much that it barely qualified). The vestiges of the city were spread out around them, and just barely visible in the distance, the thin blue band of the ocean.

Despite himself, he melted. It'd been so long since he'd been to a real beach or anything like it. The little lakes and springs in the corners of Radiant Garden didn't count. He felt the pull, and for the first time in a long while he found himself missing his Nobody's powers.

Ienzo slipped an arm around his waist. "It is nice," he conceded. "Though I don't think I could live in a perpetual twilight like this."

"We're not here forever."

"...I know." He took a deep breath. "Even the air is different. It's got a different flavor to it."

"You can relax for a few days. We're somebody else here."

"Sweet anonymity."

Demyx took out his phone. "Take a picture with me. We have hardly any of us together."

Ienzo groaned. "Is that really necessary?"

"I want to have it for the future. As a memory. Do you want to look back and realize you're never in a picture?"

"...That would be ideal, actually."

"Ienzo," he whined. "I promise I won't share it with anyone."

Ienzo rolled his eyes. "Alright. If you insist."

At least the light was flattering. It took some doing to get Ienzo to soften a bit, to not look like he'd swallowed something bitter on camera. Satisfied, Demyx put away the phone. "What do you want to do first?"

Ienzo thought about this, tracing small circles on Demyx's back. "Well… it's relatively late, and we had a long flight," he said slowly. "But I can… think of a thing or two, to fill the time."

Demyx caught hold of his mood immediately, and felt goosebumps raise along his arms. "Oh?"

He shrugged a little. "We are newlyweds. Might as well play the part to perfection. For realism's sake."

"Well, in that case." Demyx pulled the curtains shut and drew him close. "I'd hate to disappoint."

Maybe he'd never fully get used to this, but at least now they were comfortable with one another, knew what one another liked. He felt Ienzo fumbling at the button of his jeans and he slipped off his shirt. He brought Ienzo gently over to the bed. It was softer than he thought, almost too soft, and they overbalanced, Ienzo's forehead bumping into his. Ienzo laughed a little.

"Don't hit your head. You need that." Demyx kissed him and felt his lips part. He slid his tongue into his mouth, tasting sweetness and salt and something else entirely. Demyx felt Ienzo's hand creep down between his legs. He couldn't help but gasp, feeling himself harden. Maybe it was because this stage of their relationship was so new, but he was finding it more and more difficult to control himself when they were alone together.

"Hey," Ienzo said. "So I was thinking-"

"Another experiment?"

"Not quite." He kissed Demyx's throat. "Let me go down on you."

He laughed a little. "Are you sure?"

"I'm feeling adventurous."

A flutter of excitement made his heart beat faster. "I'd hate to take that from you."

Ienzo kissed him once and then trailed down, bit by bit, each touch so present and alive that Demyx nearly felt faint. The sensation of lips against his inner thigh was bright, lush. He heard himself make a small noise, and another when Ienzo took him into his mouth.

It had taken a while for them to get comfortable doing this, mostly because it was so much more intimate than just regular sex. It meant vulnerability, even moreso, which they both struggled with in their own ways. To let go-and trust-was easier now, all things considering, helped along by the way Ienzo moved so perfectly against him. Demyx trembled, his hands curled uselessly in the sheets. He could feel his tongue wondering along the tip and shaft, each stroke lighting the nerves on fire. "Fuck," he mumbled.

Ienzo broke away. "Are you alright?"

"Don't stop. Please." There was a certain relief in letting himself come apart. Ienzo started in on him again. The world started to fray a little. "I'm going to-I don't want to-"

Things shifted a little, lips and tongue replaced by hands, and Ienzo came back up to his level. Demyx could feel the hardness of him against his thigh, and for some reason it was this more than anything that tipped him over the edge. Without hesitation, he eased Ienzo down onto the bed. He looked a bit startled.

"I'm sorry-I-" Demyx was still shaking with something like aftershocks. "Do you… do you want it too?"

He nodded, a sharp urgency in his eyes. "Yes."

There was pleasure in this too, in touching the now-familiar planes of Ienzo's body, the places that always seemed to excite him-the scar line on his throat, the softer skin of a nipple, the few centimeters between belly button and hip bone. Demyx touched him gently, stroked his dick to get him fully hard, and took him slowly.

He did like the way this felt, smooth and so alive, and the way Ienzo's thighs tensed around him. Demyx took his time, almost punishingly so if the noises he heard were any indication. By now he could almost always tell when Ienzo was at that edge, the soft vulnerability of it.

"I want to-" He heard Ienzo say, his eyes were glassy. Demyx pulled away and stroked him through it, gratifying in the flush of warmth against his hand. He lay down next to Ienzo.

"Was that "realistic" enough for you?"

He laughed a little. "I should say so. We have gotten rather… good at it."

"I mean I'd hope so. Too late to back out now."

Ienzo took his hand, leaning against his chest. "Bizarre in more ways than one. How… normal life is."

"You still feel that way?"

"More like my mind is not wired to deal with such things. We're married, we're on vacation, we have sex."

"...Water is wet. What do you mean?"

Ienzo shrugged. "I suppose a rather messy way of saying this all feels like a surprise. In a good way. Receiving good things is getting easier."

"...Sometimes literally." He kissed him once, it tasting oddly animal from the blowjob. He sat up. "Let's go," he said.

"Where?"

"Let's go look around town. Get some dinner. I worked up an appetite."

Ienzo flopped against the pillows. "Why don't we stay here?"

"We have all night to stay in bed." How did the people around here determine "night" with no change in the lighting?

"I should at least like to clean up."

Demyx crossed over to the bathroom. It had a shower; the first he'd seen in a long time. He brushed his teeth quickly and saw Ienzo in the doorway, staring at it quizzically and trying to smooth down his hair.

"You can go first," he said.

He rinsed his toothbrush. Then, trying to be as casual as possible, "why don't you come with me?"

Ienzo blinked. He turned red. "I'd hate to…" He trailed off. "This feels a little indulgent."

"I think this is the only time in our lives we can be this indulgent." He gave him another kiss. "Of course, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"You taste like peppermint." He wrinkled his nose. "I should… I want to say I'm curious."

"Come with me. Play it by ear." He started the water and got in. "Or you can have a free show. Your choice."

Ienzo laughed a little. "Alright."

There was just barely enough room for the two of them. After so long with only bathtubs, the shower felt almost too good. He wet down his hair, trying to savor the feeling. "I've missed this."

"The castle does need some… modernization." Ienzo always would look a little odd with his hair pulled back. "Pass me the soap. Please."

The weirdly casual intimacy of the moment almost choked him. This really was just a shared shower. He'd turned to rinse off his back when he felt Ienzo reaching for him. For a moment they held each other under the warm water. He wasn't sure how, exactly, but soon they were kissing, and he could feel want blooming in him again, and he nearly said something but for once he thought fuck it and let things just sort of happen . They both knew they could say no if things got too weird. No questions asked.

Ienzo pulled away. "I feel as though… I can't control myself with you."

Demyx touched his face. "Then don't."

Ienzo kissed him again, more deeply, and Demyx let his hands wander over him. He could feel Ienzo trembling despite the warmth of the water and wondered if he was getting overstimulated; if he were, he didn't say. In fact, he was kissing Demyx with more insistence. Demyx slid his hand over his bare ass and for a few minutes didn't think at all, letting himself enjoy the water and his new spouse and this whole weird situation they were in. Ienzo fumbled for his dick and began to stroke it, not quite so gently, and Demyx did the same for him.

It took longer this time, the pleasure sharper in that way. Between the soft needling of the water and Ienzo's free hand touching him it was almost too much; he heard himself gasping, the tension heightening still more, and he was afraid he might slip. He was shaking now, too, and he felt Ienzo's grip on him tighten. He came suddenly, the strength of it almost making his knees gave out, and he nearly bit Ienzo's lip in surprise.

Now that things were a bit clearer, he could focus more on Ienzo, on the softness that was bleeding off him and the way he was pressing into Demyx's hand. It took another minute or two to get him all the way there, and when he did come Demyx nearly had to catch him to keep him upright.

For a moment they just breathed. "You're alright?" Ienzo asked.

"Kind of dizzy."

"Me too. We should probably take a break before we…" He was still quite breathless. "I think one more time would kill me."

Demyx laughed. "Let's actually clean up before the hot water runs out."

"Now that I think of it-I'm ravenous."

"Like I said. Appetite." He kissed the tip of his nose.

They had dinner in a cafe nearby, and when they got back they were both too exhausted to do anything other than sleep. The thick blackout curtains of the room blocked out the perpetual twilight outside. Demyx woke almost abruptly and saw Ienzo drinking tea at the small table in the room, reading from the book he'd brought along.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Ienzo said. "You were sleeping like the dead. I figured it was best to not wake you."

"Is it late?"

"By Radiant Garden standards. Early by Twilight Town's."

"Jet lagged?"

"I suppose I must be. But I'm not tired."

Demyx sat up slowly. "Did we miss breakfast?"

"Not quite. I went down for tea and the owner said she'd be happy to heat something up for you when you woke. I think they're… rather used to situations like ours."

"...People fucking all night and then sleeping in?"

Ienzo rolled his eyes at the crass language. "Something like that. Yes. You were quite worn out, weren't you?"

"...You say, as I had to catch you after you came."

He scowled. "Touche. In any case, I'm not feeling quite so sportive at the moment. What would you like to do today?"

Demyx inhaled sharply. "The beach. I want to go to it."

"We'd have to stop somewhere to get something appropriate to wear."

"Oh, there'll be shops and shit everywhere. Just you wait. People will be selling you so much crap you don't need." He was smiling. "And the food! So much food. Though I've heard even street snacks can be pricey down there."

"Lucky for us, then, that Ansem was generous with his wedding gift."

For just a moment, Demyx's excitement was dented. Ienzo had never had to struggle for money; his adoptive father had been the king , for god's sake. He had never come across as spoiled, and was extremely practical, but still, he'd never once worried.

Well. Now that they were married, it wasn't as if he had to worry either. And there was the money he was given for healing, though of course he tried not to take it…

"What's wrong?" Ienzo asked.

"Nothing," he said. "Let's go. Beat the rush."

They took the train down to the beach. It was mostly empty, this time of day; most kids were getting ready to go to school. They'd timed it perfectly. Had they gone last week, the whole place would've been mobbed with those trying to soak up the last bit of summer.

Neither of them had really had to think about the physical act of traveling. One quick walk through a dark corridor, and you could be wherever you wanted, granted you'd heard of the place. The rattle of the train was soothing, and they watched the band of the ocean slowly creep forward, until they arrived at the terminus.

It was so close. He could smell it. Literally. The air had a clean, salty smell, and he breathed eagerly, trying to soak it all in.

"We could've come sooner," Ienzo said. "I didn't realize how much you'd missed this."

Demyx jumped a little; his longing must have shown on his face. "Oh, it's fine," he said quickly. "It's not like leaving the world is easy."

They got some swimwear and towels at one of the many little shops that lined the boardwalk. Even in the twilight, this place seemed brighter, the pale sunlight flickering off the water in the distance. There were a few people at the beach, but not too many, and they were far enough away that it seemed pretty private. The luscious sound of the tides made the small hairs on his arms stand on end.

It felt like coming home. Of a sort.

"I know you're dying to get in the water," Ienzo said. "I'll find a spot to settle. Go on."

Demyx looked towards him. He took off his wedding ring and handed it to Ienzo for safekeeping.

The sand was welcome against his bare feet. He wasn't used to having so much skin exposed to the air, even with the thin shirt he wore to cover his scars-this was more to avoid onlookers' questions than for his own self-consciousness. The surf here was fairly gentle, and it was still a low tide, but once he felt the water against his toes tears rose in his eyes. The temperature was still fairly comfortable, not that it really would have mattered. He moved inward slowly until he could drift with the waves, the gentle push and pull.

Demyx didn't know why he was so connected to water. Daybreak Town did have an ocean, and some of the few happy memories he had from his childhood had put him there with his scattershot friends. And any time he'd gone off world, he'd find himself inevitably attracted to the lakes and rivers, and especially the oceans. There was comfort in the water, in the constance of its tide no matter where he was; nothing in his life had been constant until now.

He looked back towards shore. He could just see Ienzo, only ankle deep in the surf, holding out his phone, probably for a photo. Demyx waved. "Come in!"

He gestured at the phone.

"Well then put it down!"

He saw Ienzo wander over to a spot farther inland, then so slowly make his way in; Demyx swam out to meet him. He took Ienzo's hands. "Let's go. It's fun to float with the tide."

He hesitated a little. "I'd hate to hold you back."

"You won't," he said. "You… you can swim, right?"

"Of course, just not very well-"

"Stay with me. I don't think there's a strong riptide or anything. I'll keep you safe." He offered his hand. They went out to where the water was roughly chest-high. "Here," Demyx said. He held out his arms. "Lean back a little. Just float."

It took Ienzo a moment to relax enough to do it.

"I've got you," Demyx said. After a few moments, he could feel the tension easing in Ienzo's shoulders.

"This is nice," he admitted. "I can see why you like it. It's… soothing." He brushed the wet hair out of his eyes.

"It's like a heartbeat," Demyx said. "Listen. You can almost hear it."

For a few minutes they floated there in silence.

"I understand," Ienzo said. "I do. I always thought your music sounded like water… I didn't really know why until now."

He paused. "My power wasn't… born from pain like yours was," he said. "I think… I think it came from a place of happiness. Of stability. Really the only kind I had as a kid was when I was… well, somewhere like here. It was always here for me. The music of it. Even when my mom wasn't."

"Yes," he said simply. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

He laughed a little. "Of course. You're my husband."

"I do believe that's the first I've heard it said aloud."

"It sounds nice."

"Hm."

They drifted with the tide awhile, but eventually Ienzo needed to find a restroom, so Demyx brought him back to shore. He went back under the water, to where it was a little deeper, and looked up (despite the salt stinging his eyes) at the light above. He stayed there, giving himself over to the tide and to the future, until he needed to come up for air.

They remained there for most of the rest of the day. They got pretzels (what kind of maniac charges 2000 munny for a pretzel?) for lunch. It felt strange not to have to go anywhere, or do anything; they lay side-by-side on a blanket for the longest while.

"I like vacation Ienzo," Demyx said. "He's chill."

Ienzo opened his eyes. "It is peculiar, isn't it, how going somewhere else lets you be someone else."

"Is this someone you want to be forever?"

"I don't know if I would want to be freed like this indefinitely," he said. "It is lovely to rest in the short term, but I don't think I could go my whole life without researching again. ...The remaining sixty years of it."

"Ugh, don't remind me."

"Demyx," Ienzo said, this time with a trace of something almost like panic. "We're… we're going to get older. We're…"

"I know," Demyx said slowly. "Didn't think we would get this far, huh?"

"No." He took a deep breath.

"Me either." Demyx fumbled for his hand. "We've got each other, though. We can learn how to be old. Go gray. Er. I will, I guess."

"I feel so… insignificant."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. Not at all." He laughed. "I look forward to seeing you old and gray."

"I'll grow the most obnoxious beard and complain about kids these days."

He laughed again, though more quietly. "Demyx?"

"Mm?"

"What do you think about kids?"

His heart gave a weird beat. "Like… in general?"

"Having them. As a hypothetical. This isn't like my proposal. I realize I never asked."

He exhaled. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "Guess I should have thought more about that before we got married. I guess… I mean, we didn't kill Beans, right? If it happens, it happens."

A pause. "There's one obvious hitch. Neither one of us has a uterus. It couldn't just "happen" by happy accident, the way these things do. It would take… a lot of thought. It would have to be wanted."

"Well… yeah." Demyx bit his lip and continued his contemplation of the sky. "How do you feel about it?"

"I'm not sure either. It goes back to Beans." He thought a moment. "I found myself wanting to nurture her, and I never felt that before. But considering our… histories. I'd hate to go through all the effort of finding or having a child, only to be… raised like I was."

"You wouldn't do that to your kid, though."

"How can you know that?"

Demyx looked at him. Ienzo kept his eyes on the sky. "Because you're you," he said. "You hate seeing people suffer. Hell, you almost killed yourself to help with the Heartless' pain. You…" He swallowed. "If anyone can do it, it's you. You wouldn't lie, or neglect. You'd listen."

He blinked hard, and Demyx saw one single tear run down his face. He sat up. "This isn't an urgent thing to think about, obviously," he said. "This is… I mean, ten, fifteen years down the line. We're so… stupidly young, Demyx. I'm twenty-one, you're twenty-three."

"Look who learned to count."

He smiled a little.

"According to science, ours brains aren't even done developing yet. So let's not worry about it until after that, okay?"

Ienzo nodded. "Admittedly, hearing you bring up neuroscience is something of a turn on."

"Well, keep it in your pants." He smirked. "Plenty of time for that later."

The next morning, Demyx woke up to his phone chiming. Ienzo groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. "Shit. Sorry. I forgot to mute it last night." They'd been kind of busy. As he reached over to shut it, he noticed it was a text from Lea.

Heard you lovebirds were in town. Mazel tov. When were you gonna visit?

Demyx sighed.

Ienzo sat up. His hair was a mess. "Well, I guess I'm awake now," he said. "Who is it?"

"Lea. He wants to hang out. Should I just ignore him?"

"No. It is late." He yawned.

We're in a bnb by the beach, Demyx wrote. I guess we can meet you there?

Awesome. Kids would love a beach day . Wave emoji.

Kids?

Roxas. Xion. Naminé. I acquire children with ease, apparently.

Aren't you only like twelve years older than them?

Your point?

Demyx sighed.

Isa's here too. So what do you say? We can probably be there in a few hours. I'll have them skip school. Third day doesn't really count, right?

Sure. You're a terrible father, you know?

Eh, I strive for more of a cool uncle vibe. Peace sign emoji. See you soon. That is. IF you can get out of bed. Wink.

You're gross.

Am I wrong?

Demyx rolled his eyes and put the phone down. "They can meet us at the beach in a few hours."

"Enough time for me to go back to sleep?"

Fuck. Why did Lea have to mention anything? "...Or something else."

Presentable and fed, they waited by the train station for them to get in. They were running late, Lea said, not that Demyx expected anything else. They came in with the noon train, carting a cooler and a big umbrella. Xion was wearing a sun hat larger than her entire head, and Naminé had an inner tube around her shoulder. Demyx thought he loved the beach; they were obviously much more hardcore.

Lea was wearing a very excellent black button-up with flames on it, which matched his swim trunks. "...Can I just say," he said as greeting, "That I literally cannot believe my eyes? Is this a hallucination? A fever dream? Anyway. Congrats, I guess."

Isa was much less outwardly expressive. "Lea, I am begging you, please change your clothes. I will pay you."

He took off his sunglasses and flipped his hair. "You can't put a price on fashion."

There was something… easy about the banter than Demyx recognized immediately, and he shot Ienzo a look, who just barely nodded. Interesting.

Xion gave them both a small hug, and Roxas shook their hands. The three of them immediately went over to the ocean with all of their various props, while the grown-ups were left to find a spot. They'd even brought beach chairs, for fuck's sake. "Don't you guys live inland?" Demyx asked.

"The kids… kind of have a soft spot for the beach," Isa said. "They'd missed so much, and it means a lot to them. It's the only area where we let them really indulge."

Demyx barely stopped himself from saying, "We?" He nodded instead, and gave Ienzo's hand a small, covert squeeze.

"I'm going to go get ice cream. Isa, you want anything?"

"I'll come look," he said diplomatically. Demyx just barely saw Lea's fingertips brush Isa's. He had to pretend to cough to cover up his laughter. As soon as they were out of earshot, he looked towards Ienzo.

"They're together," he said, matter-of-fact.

"If they're not together, then they're definitely fucking."

They both laughed; they couldn't help themselves.

"It must be statistically improbable," Ienzo said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "How many of us, Demyx?"

"Four of thirteen. No, five. Larxene was definitely a lesbian. Believe me, I lived near her." He bit his lip. "And wasn't Marluxia?"

"Six, then. Confirmed, anyway." He shook his head, still smiling. "I thought the ratio was one in ten…"

"They're making fun of us for being married, but yet they're -"

"They're what?" Lea asked. He had a handful of ice cream bars.

"That was quick," Ienzo said evenly.

"We were talking about Yuffie and Cid," Demyx said quickly. "They think it's hilarious we're together."

"Isn't it?" Lea raised an eyebrow. "And why you thought you had to get married at your age, I have no idea."

Demyx shrugged.

"Anyway. Here. I'm not sure if you guys have this stuff over there." He handed them each an ice cream. "Best sea-salt I've had."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ienzo said. "If not for Even, I would have eaten one for every meal. I'm surprised I didn't end up with some sort of sugar disorder."

"I'll put the rest in the cooler for them," Isa said. "God forbid they don't get their fix."

"So how did you two end up taking care of them?" Demyx asked carefully.

Lea shrugged. "It made sense, in the moment," he said. "Unless emancipated, minors here can't live on their own. And we obviously couldn't prove parentage or anything, or pretend that they look eighteen. So, officially speaking, they're my nieces and nephew."

"I'm sure Roxas loves that," Demyx said drolly. "If there was ever a kid with an authority problem."

"Actually, he hasn't had an issue anywhere in school," Isa said. "No bullies. Nothing."

"So they're… well-adjusted kids?" Ienzo asked, incredulous.

Isa sighed. "For the most part. Having them go to school was Lea's idea, and that young man Pence helped us with the paperwork. Give them a taste of normalcy. And an education. Goodness knows they need it."

"I was thinking of taking classes myself," Lea said. "Keep me busy. I don't wear peace well."

"It'd be good to get you out of the house," Isa agreed. "It's naive to think they'll forget what they've been put through, but we can give them something to work with. For the future."

There were a few moments when they all watched the three of them in the ocean, playing, splashing, laughing… happy.

Ienzo was grinning.

"What's that?" Demyx asked.

"He's a Winner," Lea said tiredly. "It means he gets a free one."

"Brings back memories," Ienzo said. "I'll save it for later. Or maybe give it to Ansem as a souvenir."

After a long (and somewhat awkward) pause, Lea said, "So what do you two assholes get up to all day? Other than f-"

Isa elbowed him hard. "Manners."

Demyx bit back another reply about "F." "Actually, I'm a healer," he said. "In training."

"He's very good," Ienzo said.

Lea raised his eyebrows. "You're kidding. So if I fell and impaled myself right now, you could fix me?"

Demyx flinched, memories of that poor boy Ryan flickering behind his eyes. "I'd rather you not. But yeah."

"Where did that come from?"

"Easing the suffering of others, yadda yadda," he said, with a shrug. "I… I like helping people."

Lea put a hand on Demyx's forehead. "Isa. Did you hear that? I think Demyx was swapped out with a pod person. This one likes working. Isa. "

"Ha ha, funny. Good joke, Lea. Did you get your validation?" Isa's eyes were closed. "But I'm glad you've found a fulfilling calling, Demyx. That's what matters."

"What about you guys?" Demyx asked.

"I do some simple programming work, to get some money," Isa said. "Educational games, things of that ilk."

"You were always good at that. I was jealous," Ienzo admitted.

The past lingered, like a ghost, even though the conversation remained light.

"And you, Lea?" Ienzo asked.

"I'm a good little housemarm," he said. "Someone's got to keep the house clean and the kids fed."

"We get an allowance from the town, to take care of them," Isa explained.

"I am serious, though, about going to school." He stretched, raising his impossibly long and thin arms. "Ironically, I was thinking about being a teacher."

"How is that ironic?" Demyx asked. "You're great with kids. If I'm understanding correctly."

"He wasn't very good in school," Isa said. "It took some doing to get his STEM skills up to snuff, to work with Ansem."

Ienzo set the ice cream stick he'd been gnawing aside. "It doesn't bother you, to talk about him?"

"We're trying very hard to move on," Isa said.

"I don't have time for that nonsense, anyway," Lea added. "Being sad, being angry, it's so tiring. And I'm old, you know. I don't have any energy to spare." He sighed. "We're here, we're new people. We're finding happiness. Hell! Look at you two."

"But are you dealing with the past, or repressing it? Because that can be-"

Lea cut Ienzo off. "Buddy, I appreciate how much you care, but if I felt I needed a therapist, I would get one. You know?"

Demyx swallowed, the previous sweetness of the ice cream turning into bitter salt. "I'm guessing you don't have anything stronger in that cooler, do you?"

"I am always prepared, with him." Isa pulled out two beers. "Anyone else?"

"I think I'd actually rather have more ice cream," Ienzo said.

"...And I think I'm going to join the kids," Lea said. Both of them headed in opposite directions. Demyx bit his lip. The beer was crisp, and tasted good in the relative heat.

"So, can I ask you-" he began.

"About Lea and I?" Isa said. "The answer is yes. I could see you were both wondering."

Demyx shrugged. "Sorry."

"No need to apologize," Isa said. "Lea is a bit… insecure about it all."

Demyx raised an eyebrow. "Him? Really?"

"Lea and I have… a complicated past, moreso than you or Ienzo. Finding true, honest security in it is… difficult. I think part of the reason he was so excited to visit you was to see how it all worked. To get some reassurance." He took a drink. "You two are the only thing he can really compare our… arrangement, to." A pause. "Demyx, are you happy?"

"Well, yes. We… we're in a good place. Obviously. But there were times it was… really hard, and really confusing. We both have… a lot of issues."

"PTSD, anxiety, depression?"

"The works. Also, he's autistic, but that's not a bad thing, of course."

"I'd wondered." A pause. "I think I also sought some reassurance. I wanted to know if it were possible, to… move on."

"But you have. You have your job, the kids-"

Isa smiled. "You know what I mean."

Demyx drank some more of the beer. "I take medicine," he admitted. "We both do. It helps… manage things. I could get you some."

"I will consider it. Maybe I can convince him into it too." He settled more back into his chair.

"Just… take your time," he said. "You know? It's not a race. We're… we're young, Isa."

"I'm aware. Painfully so."

A few minutes passed. He'd only really had ice cream in his stomach; just the one beer was making him warm.

"I suppose you also felt the ceaseless need to apologize."

"Yes," Demyx said.

"If I may be so candid." He set his empty beer into the sand. "I… worry about the past."

"That's the PTSD."

"More than that. The way I treated all of you-not just you specifically, but everyone-was unacceptable. Is unacceptable. I feel there is no way to make up for it. Especially Xion." He swallowed. "I didn't just dehumanize her, I misgendered her, abused her, emotionally and physically. The fact that she just lets it all go… that they all do… I feel I can't swallow the guilt."

"Is this the first time you've talked to someone about this?" Demyx asked. "It… it feels that way."

"Lea is ambivalent about therapy. I'm much more practical. But alas." He thought for a moment. "Our cover story is questionable as is. Two grown men with three underage children? With nothing to prove ourselves other than some forged paperwork? How can I possibly go to a therapist without honesty? And if I were honest, it'd threaten world order."

"It's a hard situation." He looked back out at the sea-the four of them were playing chicken, boys versus girls. "You could… you could come home, Isa. For a little while. Ienzo and I can both help you, if you want it."

"It's not home," Isa said softly. "Not anymore. Home is here." He sighed. "Besides, you're yet another person I've abused."

"It doesn't help that at the time I was a complete bastard. But I've changed. And you have too. And that's not meaningless. You're better, Isa."

"I want to be."

"You are. Not to mention all the stuff you did-we did!-to take down the real Organization. It was badass."

"It was the least I could do. Very much literally."

"You can always call or text us too," Demyx said. "There's that."

"...These gummiphones would have saved us a world of trouble in the past."

"Ienzo says that a lot."

"What do I say?" He had come back, with a small cloth bag. "I brought some more water. I figured we'd need it."

"Your husband is a wise man, Ienzo," Isa said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Well. Don't inflate his ego."

"Ouch! I thought you loved me. I want a divorce." Demyx feigned swooning.

"Unfortunately for you, it's not so easy once a marriage is consu-" He covered his mouth.

Isa shrugged. "It is what it is."

Demyx and Ienzo spent a few more days by the sea. At the end of their trip they headed inland, to Little Chef's bistro, where they'd get picked up for the flight home.

Those days were nearly perfect, despite hiccups; Ienzo's horrific sunburn, thankfully easy to heal away; despite the nightmare Demyx had about Ryan the day of their visit with Lea and Isa; despite. They spent their time in the water or in seaside cafes or making love.

But in the end, they missed home, their work, their own bed. It felt strange, to know he had a place where he belonged. Strange but earned. So he wasn't sad to see Twilight Town disappear into the sky when they left. They could come back.

There was time. There was so much time.

"What are you thinking about?" Ienzo asked.

"Time," he admitted. "We have a lot of it."

"Yes."

"There's so much I want to do with you."

"I thought we'd had that covered."

"You are gross and very gay. I'm trying to be deep. "

Ienzo rolled his eyes.

"Let's try to go somewhere every once in a while. Like maybe next time somewhere with mountains. We could go hiking. Or camping."

"I'm surprised that interests you. I thought you hated being sweaty."

"Yeah, but like, we can't know we don't like something until we do it, right? So we should try to do everything once."

He smiled. "Okay. Let's."