"Dem," called a soft, rough voice. "Demyx?"

Demyx sprung awake, staggering awkwardly to his feet.

"Xiggy!" he whispered excitedly.

"Hey kid."

"How do you feel?"

"Remember how it felt to become a Nobody?" he asked, trying to push himself up, but failing and remaining on his back.

"Yeah sorta."

"Well, kinda like that, only add going through a meat grinder filled with salt and acid."

"That good, huh?" asked Demyx, grimacing.

"Hey, with you here, I feel great."

"Xiggy." There was a pause in which they just looked at each other, too happy at being in each other's gaze once more to even speak. At length, Demyx broke the silence. "Everyone thought you were dead," he told Xigbar quietly.

"Really?" he asked, trying to sound assumed, although he had assumed this was the case.

"I tried to tell them that you'd come back, but they wouldn't listen to me. I had a bit of a fight with Six about a minute before you showed up, as a matter of fact," he said, remembering this encounter for the first time since Xigbar had finally RTCed.

"You? Fighting? Really?" Xigbar laughed and coughed up blood.

"Xig!" cried Demyx.

"I'm fine," he said, wiping blood from his chin with the back of his hand. "Really," he added sternly. "I'm sorry I was gone so long, Dem."

"Don't worry about it. You came back; that's all that matters."

"I told you I would, didn't I?" He smirked. "Anyway, you didn't think I wouldn't come see you on Valentine's Day, did ya?"

"Oh yeah! I guess it is Valentine's Day by now," said Demyx, remembering why he had been so touchy what was now the day before when Six had set him off.

"Yup and here I am."

"Here you are." Demyx gazed happily down at the man lying on the bed.

"I'd sit up and kiss you, but I don't think I can." He grimaced.

"No problem," said Demyx, bending down and wrapping his arms around Xigbar.

Demyx couldn't help thinking "finally." Despite still being weak and exhausted, Xigbar pulled Demyx down to him, kissing him with a tender passion.

"Ugh, I need a shower," said the Freeshooter, allowing himself to fall back down onto the bed. "You have no idea how gross I feel."

"I just put my fingers in your hair; I've got an idea."

"Ah, you're awake," said a curt voice.

"Tell me he just came in here and he hasn't been watching us," muttered Demyx.

"Yeah, he just showed up."

"How do you feel?" asked Vexen, striding across the room to the bed and brushing Demyx aside.

"As far as you're concerned, pretty shitty."

"Well, you seemed to have stopped bleeding," he said, peering under Xigbar's bandages.

"He just coughed up blood," Demyx put in.

"Did you get him excited?" he asked sternly.

"Leave the kid alone, Vexen," said Xigbar, suddenly sounding tired.

"You need to rest, Xigbar. You shouldn't even be alive. You've lost a massive amount of blood, I doubt you've slept or eaten properly in well over a month, and what do you do when you get back? Are you that determined to kill yourself?"

"Chill out, dude. I was just asleep."

"You still need to rest." The scientist turned to the musician. "Demyx, I need you to leave."

"But-."

"Demyx, he needs to rest."

"But-!"

"Number IX-."

"Let him stay, Vexen."

"Xigbar, I somehow doubt you'll rest properly if-."

"As your number II superior, Demyx stays."

"Fine, but I'm making the calls from here on out."

Xigbar nodded, but Demyx heard him mutter, "as if."

"Alright, I'm going to change your bandages. If you'd hold still..."