(I'm not in a good place mentally so all I'm going to say is that I dyed my hair pink and I'm doing my best to smile. I hope this chapter makes you smile, too!

Sephiroth/Sea Bear=OTP

Obvs

GIANT GAYFEST IN THIS CHAPTER FTR

so yeah there's that

And yes, Cloud had to be a seahorse. haha sux

Anyways, be happy, okay? Whatever the problem is, it will pass. You'll be okay. Love you all. ^^

Don't own.

Dedicated to anyone who needs it.)

"Demyx, I hear you've been composing a new piece." Sephiroth said smoothly, gliding into his room. Demyx rolled his eyes at his father.

"No, I will not attend the ball, dad." He muttered darkly. "We've been over this." He said, skating his pen over the sheet music as he composed a new piece of music; it was a waltz this time, one he was rapidly becoming fond of. Sephiroth sighed.

"I'm aware of that, my darling Demyx." He replied. "What I wanted to ask is if you'd play Arpeggio-" Demyx interrupted him, holding up his sitar.

"Her name's Peggy, dad. She doesn't like being called Arpeggio, because I only call her by her full name when she's in trouble." He said slowly, as if he was explaining it to a young child. Sephiroth raised his eyebrows, but said nothing more.

"Yes. Peggy." He said slowly, as if he was talking to a senile old man. "Well then, would you play Peggy for us at the ball? Word has spread of your musical gifts, and I'm sure many of the dutchesses and ladies would enjoy hearing your music." Sephiroth said, silently cheering. He was so close! His son would be a woman's for the taking, he was sure of it!

Demyx raised an eyebrow. "I'm gay, dad. We've been over this." He said, tuning Peggy's strings. "Why don't you try to set Marluxia up with someone?" Sephiroth laughed shortly.

"Oh, you're joking, right?" He replied, shaking his head in amazement. Demyx blinked.

"But I thought he was dating that pretty blonde..." He murmured. Sephiroth groaned.

"Demyx, Prince Vexen is male. A quite attractive male, but still a male." He told his son. Demyx whooped with delight.

"Oh man, really? I have to tell Kairi she owes me her turquoise bracelet, I so called that!" He said happily. Sephiroth sighed.

"Why didn't I let Cloud do this?" He muttered darkly to himself, shaking his head in disgust. "Look, Demyx. You may be gay, but that doesn't mean you can't marry a woman." Demyx tilted his head.

"But mom's a guy." He said, wrinkling his nose in confusion. Sephiroth groaned again.

"Yes. Yes, your mother is a man. He is quite an attractive man, but he is still your mother." He said. Demyx continued to stare at him, completely bemused. Sephiroth groaned.

"We're merfolk, Demyx. Seahorse genes are as much a part of us as, say, a shark's." He snapped. Demyx rolled his eyes.

"Well then why do you want me to marry a woman, dad? What's the difference?" He snapped back, facing his father and glaring at him. Sephiroth finally lost his patience.

"Yes! You're right! There is no difference! Marry a man! Marry a woman! Marry a sea-bear! I don't care what you marry anymore, JUST PLAY YOUR SITAR AT THE BALL TONIGHT!" He screamed, storming out of Demyx's room and slamming the door so hard that a few oysters fell off the walls. Demyx rolled his eyes.

"God, dad can be such a pain, can't he, Peggy?" He asked his sitar. Peggy's strings rippled in agreement. Demyx sighed happily, cuddling her to his chest. "Peggy, you're the only one that really understands me." He told his sitar. Peggy might've rolled her eyes; as she didn't have any, her strings twanged. Demyx glared at her.

"Yeah, I know, play at the ball! I will, I will! We'll write something nice for the ball, I just know it..." He grabbed a new piece of sheet music and settled onto his bed, deep in thought. Peggy's strings rippled in a sigh of relief.

Xigbar sighed, undressing in his room as he watched the ocean. He'd had no time to sit out on the rocks today; all day had been spent preparing for the massive celebration tomorrow. Even his court, (traitors all), had gotten in on the celebration.

He was lucky to have his friends, he knew that. His father, Ansem the Wise, was a gentle and benevolent king, and Xigbar loved him dearly. He did his best to let his son lead as normal of a life as possible, and cherished all his friends like they were his own sons.

Xaldin was Xigbar's steadfast advisor. He had a brilliant mind, and would, in time, become the best advisor to the throne that Xigbar could ask for. He and Lexaeus both had a tendency to unnerve those around them until they realized that both men were two of the most intelligent and thoughtful people that Xigbar had ever met.

Well, Xaldin's tongue was as sharp and silver as a sword, but they'd all learned to roll with it.

Lexaeus was his only match in strength, and watching them spar was striking. Xigbar knew he had a captain of the guard within Lexaeus, and he would trust the man with his life, as he would with the others.

However, for all of Lexaeus' strength, he was nothing more than putty in Zexion's hands.

The youngest of the court, Zexion was brilliant, bratty, sarcastic, and altogether a very precocious child. He'd taken to Lexaeus immediately, and the massive warrior almost never left his side. All of the court adored Zexion, both for his small stature and young age and for his ability to skewer someone on the sharp stake of his own wit within two seconds flat.

The only other prince close to his age was Roxas. Roxas was gentle, polite, and kind; he was beautiful, angelic, and altogether downright saintly.

Why the hell he'd fallen for Axel was anyone's guess.

Axel was Xigbar's most headstrong and ferocious friend; he was the type that would protect someone he cared about without batting an eyelash or paying heed to the consequences. He was unpredictable, blunt, and utterly tactless.

Yet the moment that Roxas held out his hand and shyly asked for a dance, Axel was leashed to him, and they all knew it. No matter how young Roxas was, Axel was his. Xigbar sighed.

Lucky bastards. He envied them slightly. The two meshed perfectly with each other. Where one faltered, the other would raise them up. It was sweet and pure; that saccharine kind of storybook love that most people dream about.

The other few members of his court, his cherished friends...all seemed to be in love as well, now that he thought about it.

Luxord was the only man who could match Xaldin snide comeback for snide comeback. He was careful, manipulative, and altogether the perfect verbal sparring partner for Xaldin. Although wild horses couldn't drag it out of him, Xaldin thought the absolute world of Luxord, and would do anything for him. Xigbar was pretty sure the other felt the same, but he knew that watching Xaldin fawn over Luxord was amusing, in any case.

Xemnas was a drama queen; there was no other way Xigbar could put it. However, he was brilliant, and Xigbar loved him. The two of them both somehow sought comfort in each other-when Xemnas needed someone to help him deal with his own issues with becoming ruler of his own kingdom, Xigbar would always give him advice, (and a boot in the ass when he needed it.) Xemnas managed to keep his head level when his temper became too much to keep in check, and Xigbar acknowledged that wasn't exactly easy to do.

And of course, he'd found someone too; a lovely young prince named Saix, who also happened to have been trained in the art of both swordplay and the hunt since he could walk. Xigbar laughed. Saix had devoted himself to Xemnas, and there was no doubt that the two were soulmates.

"So you're the odd one out." Zexion said, opening the door to his room. Xigbar jumped, yanking his pants off the bed.

"Zexion, damn it, I'm indecent!" He snapped. Zexion rolled his eyes.

"Big deal, Xigbar. It's not like I don't have one of my own." He replied. Xigbar glared at him. Zexion simply laughed. "Anyways, Xigbar, Xaldin wants to know-do you want gold balloons or white?" Xigbar sighed.

"What I want is to steal a boat, run away with you guys, get drunk, and then maybe toss myself into the ocean. Personally, that'd be the best birthday I could ask for." He muttered darkly.

"Right, gold balloons then." Zexion said, kissing his forehead and darting out the door before Xigbar could throw a shoe at him.