After what felt like an eternity, but was really only a month, their group was finally closing in on Usott. There was a small bit of debate, the stretch just far enough that they could make it in a day, though they’d be arriving at night, or they could take things easy and spend one more day on the road to get to the castle in the morning, but it was quickly decided that everyone was sick of the carriages and even if it meant navigating where they’d be spending the night while kind of tired, it was worth it to just be done with traveling. 

Still, that exasperation didn’t mean that the jitters, nerves, and worries weren’t there. There was a tension in the whole group, which made Lauriam’s small gasp from the window glaring. 

He’d just been watching out the window, seeing moonlight scatter over the hills and fields, and for a moment, he’d thought he’d fallen asleep, despite his intentions to just stay up until they were at the castle. He thought he was having some weird half dream, aware of the carriage, but mostly looking inward at his world. Because, well, what else was he supposed to think? That a place like this…

Lauriam quickly plastered himself to the window, eyes wide in disbelief, at the literal, real flower field outside of the window.

There had been lots of moments like this, heading to Usott. Mountains with breathtaking views of, somehow, more mountains on the horizon, framing the sky as far as the eye could see. Hillsides that had just gotten greener and more crowded with flora the further in they drove. Lakes and ponds just littered across the landscape, like large bodies of water were just a normal part of the landscape. 

Trees. It had been trees that had fucked Axel up, a little. There were plenty of trees in Luminary, but nothing like what he had driven through in Dicea already. Forests dense with trees, bark that was thick and went up and up, covered in vines and moss. 

Trees of different colors, changing in the spring. White, somehow. Red. Pink, each leaf like its own flower, the flowers falling from the sky in gentle pedals when the wind blew hard. 

You could smell it in the air. Axel hadn’t known plants had a scent, until they had gotten deep into Dicea. Every breath reminded him he was in a strange, new place. Somewhere entirely unlike the desert landscapes that had always been his home. It was everywhere.

The only thing that was the same was the sky above them, littered with stars. 

(That had been a comfort, to the last red-head who had taken that same road to the strange new castle, so long ago now. The thought in his mind, from a time when she had been kind to him and he could trust in her, that Kaede had been right. The stars had followed him. He wasn’t alone…)

The stars weren’t on Kaito’s mind that night, but how nervous he had been arriving to Usott was on his mind, as he looked down at his husband–bundled up, the early spring nights still a little cold and Kaito insisting on him dressing warmly–as they waited at the carriage turnabout at the front entrance together, sipping on some warm cocoa between them. “Did they sound nervous? We could still tell them to go around the sides, through the kitchen entrance. I don’t want to feel like we’re ‘sneaking’ them in, but, I mean…” 

Kaito looked around the empty entranceway, it both late and early enough that the castle was a ghost town. “Not exactly the fanfare we usually greet our castle visitors with.”

“The last three were the literal King of Luminary, returning rebel fighters, and carriages full of small children,” Maki said, before pausing, “And returning rebel fighters before that one too. And royalty again before that one. Guests visiting the castle shouldn’t be a big event every time, the last five times were just unusual.” 

Kokichi smiled guiltily up at Kaito before he looked back out into the night, trying to see if he could parse approaching carriage light from city lights. “They always sound nervous when they talk to me, I don’t think they can help it. But Kairi did seem pretty eager to be done with travel, so I can guess that’s what they’re all feeling, to be coming in the middle of the night.”

“...or they really want to ensure as little fanfare as possible,” he said softer. “It shouldn’t be a big deal, Maki-chan’s right, but it’s still significant for them. They extended a lot of trust to me, taking this offer, and I don’t want to let them down, even if there’s no way their worst case scenario is happening. Mostly, I just want to get them their IDs, offer food, then let them rest in their rooms. It’s been a long journey.”

Kokichi rolled his eyes a little. “I know you guys took a longer one and did a bunch of stressful stuff after, but we’re not comparing apples to oranges here.”

“Come on, babe, give me more credit than that, I wasn’t going to compare,” Kaito scoffed, lightly pressing his knuckles against Kokichi’s jaw, like he was mimicking punching him in the face as he just pushed his face lightly, “Be nice to your worry-wart husband. I just remember how paranoid I was about coming here, and let’s be honest, I had a lot less legitimate reasons to be afraid than they do.”

“Why do you think so?” Maki asked, her eyes focusing on three carriages that were driving closely to each other. She bet that was them at the bottom of the hill, slowly making their way up. The driving was more cautious than the others, like the roads were unfamiliar to them. “Because they might have enemies in Indentured here?”

“What? Well, sure, that too,” Kaito frowned, like he had forgotten about that, “But no, I mean they’re about to arrive to a Momota castle. I know it’s not, not really. My influence is limited here. But they don’t know that. And their lives were ruined by a program I put them in–”

“You’re doing that thing again. Don’t make me cut you, we don’t have time for it tonight.” Maki sighed. 

“Right, sorry, I just mean, they might think this could be a big trap where I, as a Momota, am trying to exploit them again,” Kaito frowned, “And I don’t know how to reassure them it’s not, so I’m just trying to think of things that might make them feel safer.”

“I think you acting like an idiot every time you’ve spoken to them probably has already helped ease those fears,” Maki pointed out dryly, “Didn’t you make them all nauseous playing with Empath messages? And get into a massive fight with one of them, just talking to them the way you usually do? If they’re capable of recognizing you’re a moron in one occasion and arguing back at you the other time, I think they’ll be just fine.”

“...” Kaito pouted, “I am both offended and reassured. Thank you, Maki.”

“Anytime.”

Down at the carriage, Axel knocked on the front of the carriage, a sign for the others to open up the window between him and them. “Castle’s dead ahead, guys. This is it.” 

“Smaller than I expected,” Even observed, “Are we sure this is the right place?”

“How is that small?? The place is bigger than even Maya’s manor!” Sora gasped, peeking through the window as well.

“Comparing a castle to a very large manor is not usually an apt comparison,” Even explained, “Though, yes, you’re correct.”

Snickering, Kokichi jutted his jaw out against Kaito’s knuckles before affectionately leaning against him. And while he gave Kaito a look, Maki cut off that line of thinking immediately, and Kokichi just sighed with a nod. “There are definitely things we can do to be kind, welcoming, and understanding, but I think only time will actually let them feel safe. It’s no reason not to explain things or answer questions, but I think there will be a part of them worried that it’s all a trick just until enough time has gone by that even worrying about a long-con is too much for paranoia to latch onto.”

“But for Kai-chan-specific fears?” Kokichi smiled up at Kaito, “I think it’ll be alright. Meeting you in person will help.”

In the carriage, Aeleus hummed in agreement, taking in the castle as best he could in the moonlight. It being on a hill was both a benefit and a detractor, for a quick escape. Running downhill was easier to do quickly, but pursuers being higher up would give them better vantage. However, they were crossing a large plaza, and he could see parks and gardens on either side, which would cut off line of sight…

“From what the others have shown, Momota Castle is an entire city unto itself,” Aeleus pointed out, “This is very much it’s own building, and it’s never been insinuated Usott is considered part of the Ouma Castle. And while it’s the biggest we’ve seen, it’s not exactly the kind of building I’d call ‘imposing’.”

Rounding into the carriage park, leading the way, Clara slowed her carriage, grinning brightly at the royal family as she climbed down from the driver’s seat. “Prince Kokichi, Prince Kaito! And you must be Miss Maki, if you’ll allow a guess,” she laughed, bowing to Kaito and Maki before giving the group a wave, “Lio’s told me a lot about you all, it’s nice to meet in person! And thanks for coming to greet the whole group.”

Coming more forward to shake hands--being the first to break the barrier between them, as the others parked and got out of the carriages--Clara introduced, “Clara Redgraves, I’m Cheri’s mom.”

Axel coaxed the horses to a stop, holding onto the reins as he warily watched Clara get out. Like Aeleus, he was also working on escape plans. If he kept to his seat, and they needed to evacuate, the others could run back into the carriage and he could just cut across the lawn if they tried to bar their way…

“…woah,” Axel said, squinting through the dark, “You’re that short in real life?”

Kaito stiffened in insultive instinct, but didn’t say anything when he felt Kokichi put a hand on one arm and Maki threateningly jab a knife against his hip. Kaito just letting out a huffed up breath until the dagger disappeared and Maki stepped forward, bowing to Clara. “Thank you for taking so much time to escort them, Clara. Consider me in a debt.”

“She’s got a sibling among this group, well, not here, but either way, she takes that sort of thing seriously,” Kaito grinned, bowing as well before reaching out to shake her hand, “The famous Clara! It’s so nice to finally meet you! I’m a friend of Lio’s, and man, Cheri is such a great kid. Well, not a kid anymore, but you know what I mean. She’s going to be so excited to see you, I’m sure!”

“Everyone, stay in the carriages,” Even decided, “Aeleus, come on. No one follow us until we give the go ahead.”

While he kept his head enough to know to caution Kaito, Kokichi snorted, his braying laugh distinctive through the night air. “I am! I don’t change much in my projection, I told you. Hi, Axel, it’s nice to see you again!”

“Hey, I won’t turn down a favor you’re offering, but this sort of job is close to my heart,” Clara said, giving Maki a thankful nod before brightening as Kaito shook her hand. “Man, she really went and hit the big two-oh this year, I can’t believe it. And trust me, I’m excited to head to Lio’s too. It’s been too long.”

But Clara had vowed to the Empaths to see them to Usott safely, and just because their carriages had stopped didn’t mean the job was done. 

Exiting with Even, seeing Linnea exit from the third carriage as well, her head high but emotions radiating nerves, Aeleus gave the princes and the Reaper a bow as they approached. “Your graces. Thank you for having us.”

Kokichi bowed back, but his expression softened. “I did promise you all, and I try to keep those. I’m glad you all got here safely.”

Kaito grinned as he saw Linnea–another pink person! And not the one he had argued with either–before noticing more eyes peeking out from the carriage windows of the third carriage. “Right! Man, I almost forgot how many of you there actually are. Well, we’re super excited to have all of you here! We’ve got all of your rooms prepared, and Maki and I can coordinate having your carriages parked–”

“Or just Kaito can do that, and I can walk you up,” Maki said.

Kaito paused, before laughing, “Ooooor that! We can do that. Unfortunately, we will need to ask you guys to carry your own luggage up. It’s just a staffing thing, it’ll be more straightforward for you all to just have your own luggage.”

Even bowed. “That’s more than alright, your grace–”

“What!?” Xigbar shouted, kicking out the door and following out behind Linnea, giving Kaito a blatantly insulted look, tilting his head dramatically with his hands shoved into his pockets, “Reeeaaaally? Come on, you can’t spare a few servants to help with the bags? You know how hard that is on my old knees? You trying to break my legs!?”

Kaito blinked, staring at this, uh…guy in a dog mask? “Uh… I mean, if you need help, I’m happy to–”

“NAH! Hahahaha! I’m kidding! It’s a joke! Don’t be so stiff!” Xigbar laughed, ignoring Even’s withering look as he strolled up, reaching out to shake Kokichi’s hand with both of his, “Your majesty! It’s so nice to finally meet you! I’ve heard so much about you!”

Linnea just sighed before tilting her head down. “Thank you for having us, your grace. We’re aware that having our group suddenly join was not part of your initial deal with these fine folks, so your graciousness in extending the invitation and your resources truly puts us in your debt.”

“O-o-oh, i-it’s no-o-o pro-o-blem!” Kokichi said, voice jittering from how enthusiastically Xigbar was shaking his hand, a small, amused smile on his face. “I’m happy to meet you all as well! And, well… I’ve said it to you guys,” he nodded to Even and Aeleus, before smiling more softly at the group, “But you’re part of my community, a part that’s been severely let down. If this can be my part in starting to treat you all with the regard that should’ve always been there, then I want to do it.”

He laughed a bit. “And joke or not, we’re happy to help you guys get settled upstairs. Oh! But first!” Taking a dossier he’d had in a bag hanging off his arm, Kokichi fished through it for a moment before handing out small cards. “We got these printed in time! So that’s one hassle off your plates!”

Aeleus gently accepted the card, blinking at the…citizenship ID with his name on it. New name, with what he’d written on the paperwork back in Grasmere. He was only broken from inspection when Kokichi pulled one out with his own name on it, showing it to the others. “And it’s not just a ‘you’ thing, promise. For the most part, people will only ask about ‘em if you’re buyin’ booze or something age restricted like that, though we use them to organize voting, and…” He smiled softer. “It’s a bit of the proof you can carry of the paperwork we have declaring you Dicean citizens. So if something from Luminary hones in on you, we can legally contest it, and consider it actionable kidnapping if someone tries to abduct you.”

Even took his and felt himself, for reasons not even he entirely understood, sighing when he read through it. Somehow both relieved and sad and oddly empty. A citizen of Dicea… he supposed that was good. Ideal, even. 

It hadn’t felt like he was a citizen of Luminary for quite some time, after all.

It was hard to imagine ‘belonging’ anywhere, that wasn’t enforced by locked doors and beatings against his back.

Xigbar gave his a glance, before calling to his carriage, “Alright, you lot! Get out here and come take your cards! And be sure to be polite about it!”

Even hesitated… before looking back at his own carriage. Nodding to them.

Out of Xigbar and Linnea’s carriage, out came a row of people, all wearing… animal masks? Kaito gave them a bewildered look, trying to figure out what he was looking at, before startling when a teenager from Even and Aeleus’ carriage suddenly bounded up to him. 

“Hi!” the boy grinned up at him, “Kairi said you’re holding some of our cards? Can we have them?”

Kaito startled at that, reaching in to pull some of the cards from his own pocket. How had they…

…oh. Empath stuff.

……oh. Empath bluff. Kaito pulled out the cards and handed them to the kid. “You can pass them out to the names you know, but maybe don’t play games like that, alright? Word to the wise? The three of us are very hard to pull thoughts from,” Kaito grinned, “So if Kairi’s trying to be intimidating? Sorry. Swing and a miss.”

Sora, to his credit, looked surprised… before he looked back at the carriage. “Kairi? Were you bluffing??” 

Kairi, who had been peeking out the window, made a small, embarrassed sound, before diving back down, hiding. 

“Aw, cute.” Kaito grinned. Luminary mind games~ he had almost missed this!

“I wonder why he’s so confident we ‘can’t’ pick thoughts out of their minds?” Hao whispered to Xehanort, “Just overly confident?”

Kokichi had doubted Kaede had time to change that law, so they were, technically, still Luminous citizens, and thus that meant that Luminary also had equal legal sway to have the group tried in Luminary courts… But, well, at least this meant it could be a battle now, and Kokichi was going to try his damnedest to make sure that no ghosts from Luminary would follow the Empaths here. 

There were some, he supposed, he couldn’t help, because they were Dicean citizens too, but the Empaths did know that coming here. 

Gula had known this was happening. The whole conceit of the trip was ‘the Dicean Royal Family’ inviting them to Dicea for safety, and he knew that Prince Kaito Momota was part of the family. He hadn’t been arrested yet when the wedding was announced. 

…Prince Kaito Momota, of the Momota family, Atua’s chosen family. The family that were representatives of the Word of God. And while Kaito had renounced his claim…

It was like every thought blanked out of Gula’s mind as Xigbar called them out and his eyes trained on Kaito. His heart beating out of his chest, catching a whiff of white sage on the wind. 

God is Here, God is Judging You, when laying your life out in front of the divine, what will it be worth? Every moment of hardship and pain was because of sin, because you displeased God and it was your penance, repent now. Repent.

Gula felt his arms itch, filled with the need to pray. 

But all those thoughts locked behind a mask?

“After the last warning we got, I’d rather do more investigation before just plunging in,” Xehanort whispered back, glancing over at Anthony peeking out of the third carriage. “Maybe Prince Kokichi’s tethered him? I don’t think pissing him off while we’re literally getting the things letting us stay in the country is wise.”

With cards distributed, Kokichi smiled and half turned towards the castle doors. “So…would you like to come in? Dinner hours have been over for a while, but there’s always leftovers to put together if you’re hungry, and your rooms are all ready for you.” More sheepishly, Kokichi explained, “I figure you guys’ll probably want to look for your own housing situations, but while you’re getting settled, I did book out rooms here.”

Housing?

Even turned back to the carriage, eyeing some of his stragglers. “Axel, Lauriam, please come out. We’ll accept their offer to move our carriages themselves.”

“....maaaaan, if we’re sure,” Axel muttered, tying the reins before hopping off, warily heading to the back of the carriage to grab his luggage. 

“Do Riku, Kairi, and I get to share a room?” Sora asked, gesturing to Riku and Kairi, who were both looking a little shy and wary, as he asked Kokichi, “Uh, your grace? We call you ‘your grace’, right? Sorry, you’re the first royal person I’ve ever met!” 

Kaito kept an eye out every time one of them approached Kokichi–he couldn’t help it. That was his husband! His small, very nice husband!!--but he found his eyes drifting away when he felt a sort of… just general pressure against him? That odd, vague feeling of being stared at.

A little panther mask was staring at him.

“...” Kaito grinned uncertainly, “So… the masks! They’re cool looking. What’s up with those? Furries?”

So it was really happening, huh. Admittedly, Lauriam was still thinking about the (real, they were real…) flower fields as they’d approached the castle, so maybe he wasn’t as cautious as he might’ve been, but as Even beckoned him, Lauriam got his things with a small sigh. 

…blatantly not looking Kaito in the eyes. He was still a little miffed at the guy, but…maybe he had overreacted a little. And that was kind of embarrassing, while he and his family were welcoming them to their home. While, yanno. Also funding everything they’d been doing these past few months. …and Kokichi had helped save his life, but who was counting debts?!

Lauriam was hoping that if he just didn’t say anything, it’d be fine. No fights!

Kokichi gave Sora a kind smile--it was good to see him again too--before laughing softly. “Just my name is perfect, Sora, no need to stress about it. And I did make sure to book enough rooms for everyone to have their own, but if you want to room together, you’re more than welcome to! Check ‘em out and let us know if you want more space, alright? We just had a convention leave, so there’ll be enough open rooms to find suitable beds if things feel too crowded.”

Invi, her head persistently bowed even with her mask on, explained quietly, “Safety precautions, your grace. For a first meeting, we find it easier to greet with some amount of facial obfuscation.”

“Oh! Okay, that’s alright. Though, I hope you guys feel safe enough to take those off at some point.” Kaito grinned, crossing his arms as he explained, “I know this is a lot and it can be pretty overwhelming. And honestly? I’ll understand if the next few days don’t ease those fears.”

“Everyone is going to be nice to you here. But in ways that’s going to feel like a trap. Or mocking. Or maybe even cruel,” Kaito explained, some of the younger Empaths all pausing from maneuvering their luggage and looking at their IDs to listen to him, “You guys have probably already noticed this a little in your travels here, but Diceans express consideration and respect and compassion a lot differently than we did in Luminary, and some of that can feel jarring. So, from one foreigner to another? If you find yourself conflicting with a Dicean? Bring it up to one of us before you feel like you need to respond. Chances are it’s a misunderstanding. And if it’s not? How you might have resolved it back at home might only make it a little tougher here. But even with all that said? Please give everyone the benefit of the doubt that they’re trying to be nice to you. Castle staff, castle visitors, us… it can be tough. And it’s always okay to be cautious, to protect yourselves. But when it comes to casual conversation? Give people the benefit of the doubt. It’ll help, I promise.”

“And if someone does try to hurt you, I’ll cut off some of their fingers,” Maki said.

“HAHAHAHA SHE KIDS! SHE’S KIDDING!” Kaito laughed way too loudly. 

Linnea’s eyes widened slightly as Kaito spoke. It was good advice, but more than that, it was kind advice. A look at reality, but with full acknowledgement of how it could feel to them, and asking not just for them to dismiss their instincts, but to try and give the benefit of the doubt. And that failing, taking the responsibility of interactions onto himself. 

(Linnea had been locked away for years before Kaito had been renounced, she had missed all the major drama of the new generation of royals. She’d heard some in retrospect, mostly just gathering that it was a different branch of the Momotas ruling now after civil war, so without so many of the biases adults in Luminary would have against Kaito?)

He…sounded just like the ‘good’ royals she’d heard about. Good leaders. Ones she’d never experienced for herself, but she’d at least heard about in hypotheticals, how a leader should act in caring for their people. 

She couldn’t fully trust a Momota. But it was a good showing. 

Huffing, Kokichi nodded. “That is illegal here. But we do intend to protect you. You’re not indebted, or caged, or left stranded here; that’s my promise.”

Marluxia snorted at Maki. “Okay, I think I see how ‘Enzy made friends with you.”

“I do tend to earn my friendships with acts of violence, yes,” Maki said, deadpan… before a small hint of a smile showed that she was (somewhat) kidding. 

Kaito was giving Maki a somewhat exasperated, sheepish grin… before he squinted through the dark at Lauriam…

It was the other pinkling!! The mean one! Oooooh, that could be a whole conversation… but nah. They really needed to go to their beds, it was late. “Alright, again, I’m taking care of the carriages! Maki and Kokichi will show you guys how to find your rooms! Welcome to Usott! Get some rest!”

-

The Festival of Colors had been canceled during the civil war, partly from the conflict and partly from the famine. Technically they were still in a famine. Food stalls and grocers had required limits of how much any particular person was allowed to buy from them on any particular day, the rationing Luminary’s attempt to slow the effects of the famine across their central cities. It made not just the Festival of Colors, but all their celebrations a little more difficult. 

But the famine was easing and the numbers were starting to look better, now that certain trade agreements with both Novoselic and Kimigashine had been settled on. And with the celebration of her reign’s first year anniversary coming up, Kaede decided to announce that they’d use the excuse of her celebration to play out one of Luminary’s most cherished yearly traditions. They’d lift the restrictions for one day, feast and dance in the streets, and throw the colors. 

The noise of the celebrations were loud. The scent of all the different foods and people intense. And the colorful dust that was passed around to everyone to throw in celebration was tough on anyone with respiratory issues. So Demyx wasn’t surprised to see he and Ienzo weren’t the only ones watching the celebrations from on high, on rooftops and wall ledges, where the air was clearer and the crowds thinner. Drinking and laughing and watching the dancing and puffs of bright, beautiful colors below. 

“...man,” Demyx smiled, listening to the music drifting up, playful and fast paced as street performers played for whoever was closest to them, “I didn’t realize I missed this as much as I did.”

“It’s marvelous,” Ienzo hummed, leaning forward off the roof to watch plumes of color continually erupt in the street, enraptured. He did regret that even trying to get close to the main festivities made him crumble, the pungent scents waaaaaay too much even for a standard nose, but watching everything from above? He didn’t feel like he was missing out, or was watching from an ‘othered’ position, especially with the other people watching from above the crowds. It was just a different experience, and one that stole his entire attention. 

Or, well, most of his attention. 

Grinning as he looked over to Demyx, the bottle of bourbon they were sharing to join in on the celebration loose but casual between his fingers, Ienzo asked, “Is the Festival of Colors your favorite holiday? Even downplaying how much spectacle this is because of being in the capital, I could see why. This is incredible…”

“There’s always a lot of music this holiday, no matter where you go. People get really into it. I mean,” Demyx smiled, still fondly watching the celebrations, “We have so many different Saints days, that, you know, different pockets of people celebrate. I mean, I’m sure you’ve noticed. If you go out on any given day, there’s someone celebrating some little Saint thing, because there’s so many Saints who mean something to so many different people.”

“But this and Lumination are the only two holidays where it feels like everyone is getting involved. Like it’s something we all really get to share together, no matter where you are or who you are… It’s just one of those days where I really felt connected to other people, growing up. Considering my parents were always taking me to different places? It was hard to sometimes feel connected to any communities outside of ‘fellow construction families’. So, yeah,” Demyx laughed, “I really loved celebrations like these. It’s nice, seeing everyone so happy, and being happy with them.”

Leaning against Ienzo, Demyx said a touch sadly, “I’m sorry you missed so many of them, Button. Actually, this will probably be your last one too. Our last one… I wonder what celebrations are like in Dicea?”

Ienzo nodded, looking back to the celebrations. It was hard to look away for even a moment, there was always so much happening in every second, all filled with the same purpose of joy that rose up to them even more effectively than the dust. He’d gone to concerts with Demyx, but music had never sounded like this before. Clashing and harmonizing and melding together from so many different sources, always flowing in and out. 

Or…no, that wasn’t quite right. He had heard something like this before, even if it wasn’t the exact same. It reminded him of what floating through Demyx’s currents on the way to his world was like. A massive wave of music. 

“I do get that feeling of…unification. And connection, as you said,” Ienzo mused, watching several puffs explode rapid-fire, likely a few people having a concentrated fight together. “This feels like the earth itself is celebrating, just from the force of the people upon it. I can understand why you love them.”

Leaning back against Demyx, Ienzo let out a breath. “All things willing, it’ll be, though I can’t imagine the case taking half a year now that it’s started. But getting to see the festival now, I do feel like I’ll be missing out on something special, missing Lumination.” Or any other myriad festivals that weren’t quite on the level of a national holiday. Demyx had even mentioned it before, the couples’ celebration, and, well, even if they wouldn’t get to participate in a more widely celebrated version, Ienzo was determined to celebrate some sort of couple’s event with his boyfriend. 

Ienzo closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath of the dusty, rich, sweet-smelling air. 

“...I can’t remember what holiday it was, I was too young that I can’t determine the time of year or any telling decorations from the memory,” he said after a moment. “But I remember my parents taking me to a festival in Seisear. A lot about it was vague, but I do recall such a sense of excitement and awe, similar to this.” Ienzo smirked, tilting his head against Demyx’s. “I somehow more clearly remember getting a massive strawberry creme crepe and thinking it was the most delicious thing in the world.”

He might’ve missed a lot of festivals, but for the ones he had gone to…they were precious memories. So he didn’t feel too bad about missing out. 

Trying to recall more, Ienzo slipped his arm around Demyx’s waist. “...if I recall correctly, there are quite a few Dicean holidays that correspond directly with the seasons, so perhaps they have festivals more focused on the natural world? And I’m fairly certain feasting is a large aspect of many of their holidays.”

“Oh man, a strawberry creme crepe to be remembered across the ages? Lucky. Now I want that.” Demyx pouted, laying his hand comfortably against Ienzo’s thigh, still just leaning against him. It was a nice, cool day. A pleasant breeze, making the colors shift and dance in the air. 

Celebrating the seasons, huh? Demyx wondered why. Maybe seasonal change was more obvious in Dicea. 

Well. Feasting was always good. Demyx loved a good meal.

He felt his boyfriend shift against him, and his eyes automatically followed the movement. Ienzo getting himself comfortable, as he brought up a leg against the railing to steady himself with…

“...oh, bud! You got something stuck on your ankle,” Demyx warned him, pointing, “Smudged it on some dirt?”

“I’d be willing to try and brave the crowds to find one, for you,” Ienzo said, full of affection and hubris. And booze. “Maybe not immediately, but it’d be worth it.”

‘Not immediately’ was apparent, with how he was cuddling up to Demyx, but Ienzo’s attention was broken again as he looked over at Demyx’s warning, making a small confused hum. Lifting his sweatpant leg--it was a holiday, and they weren’t playing to the public! Ienzo should be able to dress comfortably on a holiday if he wasn’t keeping up appearances for anyone!--to see, Ienzo tilted his head before sitting back. “Oh, no, that’s just my tattoo.”

“Oh,” Demyx hummed, nodding as he looked back down at the crowds… before sputtering, “WHAT!?”

“Mm,” Ienzo hummed back, before angling his ankle against the railing and twisting slightly, giving Demyx a clearer look. “See? Not dirt.”

“Gah! What? When!?” Demyx leaned down, peering at the–yeah, not smudge, a clear symbol–before reaching down to touch the symbol, like he might wipe it away, “...WHEN!?”

“A bit over a month ago?” Ienzo answered, looking completely unfussed. (On the outside. Inside? Zexion was cackling up a storm.) “Xiomara gave it to me, she called the method a ‘stick and poke’ tattoo, though I don’t fully know the distinctions of tattoos as a whole.” He smiled lightly. “She, Rantarou, and I all have matching ones, meant to honor our time working together on our experiments.”

“Wow,” Demyx whispered, looking closer at it… before he laughed. Loud and nearly hysterical, as he wrapped both of his arms around Ienzo and held him close and tight, laughing high and loud enough that even a few other roof dwellers glanced up at them above the din of the music and celebrations before looking back down. “You’re SO WEIRD!”

“You’re so weird! You’re so interesting!” Demyx laughed, leaning in to give Ienzo a quick kiss, before laughing again, “How did I miss this? How would you NOT tell me you got a tattoo!? You’re so STRANGE. God, I love you so much!” 

Demyx laughed again, his face flushed and red, a mixture of bourbon, the sun and his own laughing delight, before he kissed Ienzo again… and then again…

And he leaned back. Eyes alight with fondness, breathing a little heavy. His face still red. Something… electric in the air around him, as he stared at Ienzo like he hadn’t seen him in that light before, still holding him as he said, “You’re so odd.”

Ienzo couldn’t help catching Demyx’s contagious laugh, his actually audible and coming out in soft, tinkling sets as he snuggled into Demyx’s embrace, holding him back in turn. It wasn’t all that a rare occurrence that one of the others called him strange, even fondly, but, like the atmosphere around them, Demyx’s saying it like a celebration? 

Ienzo felt warm and happy as he kissed Demyx back. “I didn’t think it was pertinent information! Explaining my success in the transition factor was much more important. It’s not that strange?” 

Still, he could only laugh again as he pressed into the next kisses, arms comfortably wrapped around Demyx’s middle as they pressed close…and then his fingers entwined in the back of Demyx’s shirt, a flush more than just from kissing warming Ienzo’s face. And entirely fond, Ienzo more gently pressed his lips against Demyx’s one more time, lingering around his face. “I love you too, I hope you’re aware. And I don’t think that’s an odd quality of mine.”

Demyx felt the grip in the back of his shirt and a wobbly smile erupted across his face, still looking weirdly flushed as he accepted the gentle kiss against him. “N-no, I don’t think that’s odd! I mean, yeah! After all the effort you’ve put into me? Hah!” Demyx laughed, and there was something a touch nervous in it this time, still looking a little dazed, “I’d hope so!” 

Ienzo nodded, smirking a bit. “I wouldn’t put that sort of effort into just anyone. Myself, of course, but you were right. These are things ill-experienced alone, and there’s no one I’d rather experience everything with than you.”

Giving Demyx a softer look, Ienzo leaned in close, but this time just to be able to murmur to him. “...you know I won’t force you into anything, Demyx, for better or for worse. You don’t have to be nervous.”

Suddenly, something saddened in Ienzo’s eyes as he leaned back. “...other than the first thing I forced you into, I guess.”

{Don’t take full credit for that,} Zexion told them. {And today’s supposed to be merry and full of cheer, I gather, we don’t have to bring those things up.}

“I know! I know! And I don’t want you to, either!” Demyx said, laughing awkwardly as he freed one of his arms from his hold around Ienzo, scratching his cheek sheepishly… before saying just as earnestly, “Uh, the forcing part! Specifically that part!”

Though Demyx gave Ienzo a worried look at the sad, soft moment of regret. The conjuring of bad memories. Forcing Demyx into…

“…oh my god, dooooon’t be maaaaad at me,” Demyx whispered, brow furrowing, “But what are you talking about?”

Ienzo just blinked at Demyx for a moment, total surprise on his face. Before he broke into silent giggles, thunking his head onto Demyx’s shoulder for a moment before he collected himself, grinning brightly with flushed cheeks. Looking at Demyx’s sheepish, furrowed confusion with nothing but fondness. “Fuck, I love you.”

{Hmmm, something we forced onto you with life-long consequences, the first thing that happened when we met? Mm, no, doesn’t ring a bell.}

Rubbing Demyx’s lower back, Ienzo smiled softly. “What Zexion said then was right, that it was an inevitability, but we didn’t exactly try to help you when he realized you were an Empath. We gave you up immediately.”

{You keep using this word, ‘we’.}

Demyx was briefly still confused… before he laughed, relaxing. “Oh, that? Come on, guys, you’re still beating yourself up for that? I understood why you did it literally the first day! It was just the smart thing to do. Hiding me wasn’t going to save me, and it was only going to hurt you, or the others… I can’t blame either of you for just being smart again.”

“And I can’t blame you for the bad things that happened to me either,” Demyx mused, shrugging a tad nonchalantly, “I mean, it’s not a secret to you, at least, that I did my own share of torture in the factory. I get feeling bad about being made to hurt people in there, but also, like… I don’t know, maybe it’s just me being kind of an asshole, but I don’t feel a ton of guilt associated with it? I feel bad it happened. I get sad thinking of the memories, what I saw, what I did, because it happened at all, but…”

“I don’t feel guilty about it,” Demyx admitted, looking down at the festival. The cheering and dancing and music and colors not having eased at all, despite the change in conversation. “I didn’t choose any of that. And I don’t care what anyone says, choosing between obeying and being tortured myself isn’t a choice. Choosing between saving strangers and risking you guys wasn’t a choice. And if I had found an Empath? Choosing between volunteering it and waiting for Tengan to pick it out of my head wasn’t a choice. I don’t think I have anything to feel guilty about. Bad, plenty. But not guilty.”

“And I don’t think it’s any different for you,” Demyx said, nudging Ienzo slightly, giving him a smile, “Especially not when it comes to me. I don’t blame either of you. And you shouldn’t blame yourselves.”

“You’ve always been remarkably understanding,” Ienzo said softly, looking up at Demyx in admiration. “And intuitive. For a long time I thought you were just pretending, ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ to adapt to your new reality. But it’s just…you.”

“I did feel guilty for a while, but when it faded, due to me being more thankful for knowing you, I just felt more guilty for that. But we’ve had that conversation before, and you’re correct. I feel bad sometimes, but not guilty anymore.”

{Where it concerns you, at least. Ienzo could really use that advice, sunshine.}

Ienzo huffed a little--didn’t Zexion just say they didn’t have to bring difficult things up right now???--before pressing himself back against Demyx. “You are right, that we weren’t presented with real choices. But even if it’s the logic of the situation, and you’re just saying it, I’m…glad, you don’t blame us.”

Demyx smiled, wrapping his arms around Ienzo again… before, saying sincerely, in the context of this conversation and everything that came with it: “I’m so glad I met you both.”

Ienzo’s arms tightened around Demyx for a moment, his fingers twining more in his shirt. And as a whole bundle of flustered, deep affection filled Demyx’s mind, Ienzo smiled against his shoulder. Saying just as sincerely, “You’re one of the best parts of my life.”

“Mhm~” Demyx agreed cheerfully, resting his head on top of Ienzo’s as he burrowed into him… before he said very fast, “We-should-have-the-sex-talk-at-some-point.”

“Just! Hah!” Demyx shakily laughed, “Putting that out there!”

Ienzo blinked, still surrounded by Demyx so he only managed to tilt his head a little, looking at Demyx’s jaw. Then, his face started to flush a deeper red. “...I’d be willing to give it a try,” he said too evenly, absolutely burning up, “If that’s what you’re asking.”

Demyx’s face was on fire, as he leaned back a little, enough to look down at Ienzo. Between each other, the two looked like a couple of tomatoes left out in the sun. “I don’t know? I guess?? I guess that’s what I’m asking!?”

Ienzo made a low murmuring sound as he steamed in fluster, before he managed to untangle one of his hands from Demyx’s shirt enough to cup the back of his neck, tilting Demyx’s down enough to capture his lips. 

Without pulling away this time.

It was strange. Demyx felt like they really already had kissed a lot. They weren’t new to kissing! 

But this did feel different. He maybe had never been entirely conscious of the fact that most of their kisses, while numerous, were brief. Brief, lovely moments of warmth. Just feeling close to Ienzo, adoring, doted on and doting. 

Their kisses were calm and sweet.

…this was different. 

It was the way Demyx could feel the way Ienzo’s breath moved against him. Like they weren’t just exchanging heat, but exchanging air. As Demyx kept pressed to Ienzo–each new kiss just slightly changing the positions of their heads, the landing of their lips, until Demyx’s face felt like it was on fire–he found it harder to catch his breath. More than that, he found that he liked the idea that his air was Ienzo’s. That he was taking some piece of him that Demyx wanted to give.

…and then images of seeing the others in the house make out, get handsy, sometimes screw each other in ways they thought were subtle–then memories of sounds from the carriages, from the construction sites, from the temples that everyone around him had thought had been subtle–then memories of sitting in the brothel shows, staring, trying to understand, trying to grapple with the mixture of arousal and sheer nervous fear that came from imagining himself in either position in the shows he watched—

Demyx gasped a little, pulling back… before he flushed in embarrassment, looking down as he said, somewhat disappointed in himself, “Sorry. I need a minute.”

(What was wrong with him? It wasn’t like anyone had ever hurt him. Involved him. He wasn’t traumatized or abused like the others had been. So why was he the only one who…)

“Sorry,” Demyx said again. Pouting. Frustrated with himself.

Ienzo hadn’t lived a life completely separated from sex. Sure, they all respected the closet, and while they were a nosy bunch, every Zexion that had been stationed in the others’ worlds would always find something better to do when they noticed people enjoying each others’ company. But he had been fully aware of what sex was from a young age, and the romance and erotica sections of his library were far more robust than he would’ve ever assumed. 

Theory was not practice. 

He could…taste Demyx. They weren’t swapping spit, exactly, but even just with prolonged kisses he found Demyx pervading every sense, and that included taste. He could feel the warmth of Demyx’s breath mixing with his, the lines of them distinct, but… Again, Ienzo found himself drawing a comparison to Demyx’s currents. Feeling himself get swept up, pulled under and yet not panicking, a complete faith in--

Ienzo almost startled himself with the deep breath he pulled in when Demyx pulled away, feeling a little dizzy and a little…buzzing, almost. Like a tingling across his skin. Though as he caught his breath, he gently slid his hand forward to cup Demyx’s jaw. His gaze serious as he tried to catch his boyfriend’s. 

“No pace matters but ours,” Ienzo said firmly. “Do not apologize for setting it.”

“I know, I knoooow,” Demyx whined, pouting at Ienzo as he met his gaze, “I just… I want it. I don’t know why my stupid brain won’t let me have it.”

“I’ve always wanted sex. It’s never looked unappealing. It’s just… I don’t know why I get so nervous? Cause it is, like, real fear, you know? But I don’t understand where the fear is coming from?” Demyx sighed, lowering his head as he reached up to wipe the sweat from his brow, pouting… before his eyes widened, “Holy shit you’re hard. You are rock solid. Ienzo!? Does that hurt?!”

Ienzo wished he had an answer for Demyx. It’d be better for Demyx to have an answer for Demyx, considering they were his feelings, but with practically any question or conundrum posed to him, Ienzo craved the journey of discovery to an answer. 

But for something like this?

Tapping his chin lightly, Ienzo posed, “We could try to monitor your thoughts? It might hold a clue as to where your fears are coming from, if nothing else. That still may not actually point to a way to manage those fears, however.”

Ienzo blinked, before looking down. 

He wasn’t rock solid, actually, but he was definitely in the process of having an erection, something made obvious by the loose sweatpants he was wearing. 

He. Was hard. 

“What.” Ienzo’s voice went flat, face losing expression as he started to sweat a bit. Saying nothing, but his honest first thought being something akin to ‘??????¿¿¿¿¿??? What??? Do I do????’

“Shit!? I don’t know!?” Demyx sputtered, still just staring at Ienzo’s–okay, maybe it wasn’t rock hard, but it was sure harder than Demyx had ever seen him!!--tenting dick… before he looked around and said, his voice almost squeaking with how tightly his throat had constricted, “Button, we’re outside!”

“I’m aware of that fact,” Ienzo said flatly, still staring at the bulge in his pants. He’d told Demyx before that he genuinely couldn’t remember the last time he’d been physically hard--and it just simply hadn’t been an issue mentally--and that was still true until this very point in time. Sure, he was a young man, but he certainly wasn’t a teenager, and it was just to the point Ienzo figured he had low hormone levels or something. 

He still wasn’t really sure, and he was hard, outside, after making out with his boyfriend. 

Eyes narrowing, Ienzo sweated more as he whispered to Demyx, “Does the cold shower thing actually work, or is that just in novels?”

“Uuuuuuuh, I’ve never tried it?” Demyx admitted, “I just… you know… I mean, I’m afraid of sex, sure, but when I’m hard I just…” he blushed harder, starting to sweat, “You know!! Take care of it!”

And then, like Ienzo could possibly not understand what he meant, Demyx motioned the act of rubbing a dick. His expression, just, so earnest.

Perhaps the pantomime was needed, by the way Ienzo blankly stared at him, looking entirely lost. And then, sounding far too serious, he asked, “Would you be alright then? If I underwent your recommended method. Not outside, to be clear.”

“W-whwat–what!?” Demyx sputtered, that crooked, wobbly, mildly panicked smile back, looking around like he was half expecting someone to pop out and shout ‘psyche’! “What? What? Sure!? Where!?”

Ienzo only looked at Demyx devoid of even more expression, not saying a word. 

ó_ò Ienzo, calm down, breathe. Having an erection isn’t the end of the world, you two are freaking out far more than you need to.

The air that came out of Ienzo sounded like it’d been punched out as he gave Zexion a blank look. So there was a level of freaking out that was needed?!

Rolling his eyes a little, but maintaining a concerned frown, Zexion popped into full size beside Ienzo, exaggeratedly pantomiming breaths for Ienzo to follow. 

{Seriously… Larxene, please tell Demyx to calm down.}

{Eh? Eh? What am I calming down–HAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH MY GOD ARE THEY FINALLY DOING IT!?}

{Wait, outside in the middle of a busy celebration?}

{Wow, way to overcompensate, Demyx.}

“THIS IS NOT MY FAULT!” Demyx shouted, before suddenly gritting his teeth, and with a determined, vague ‘hnn!!’ sound, he pulled his long sleeve shirt off, wrapped it around Ienzo’s waist so that the arms rested against his front in a layered, bumpy knot, and he said entirely seriously, “We’re going to run for it and find the first piece of real covering we can.”

{Sure, your boyfriend has a hardon, and the answer is to get half naked in front of him. That’ll work great.}

Ienzo, breathing again, blinked blankly at Demyx once more…before lighting up red. “Wh-what constitutes ‘real covering’?”

Zexion rolled his eyes again. “Look, we aren’t that far from your housing. Just walk back and we can claim the master bathroom for a while.”

Ienzo looked back at Zexion, the latter giving him a mildly disparaging look back. “Or is it oh-so too difficult? The one problem the genius can’t solve, his pants?”

Ienzo made a strained noise before grabbing Demyx’s hand--don’t focus on the fact he’s shirtless, don’t look at his chest--and stiffly stalking off.

{HAHAHAHAHA alright, I’m gonna bounce.}

{What? Why!?}

{Cause, princess, if I stick around? Nothing’s gonna happen.}

{Happen?}

{Goooood luck~}

“God I really need to get around to yelling at Larxene someday,” Demyx grumbled, the two quickly hurrying across the roof. 

Ienzo resolutely didn’t look at anyone as he single-mindedly pulled Demyx back to their housing. He would think, with everything he’d heard and read, that annoyingly enough for having caused all this, by the time they’d returned his body would’ve calmed down, and they’d laugh about it before heading back out. 

His hypothesis was entirely incorrect, as it was only getting worse. Ienzo wasn’t sure how he’d missed it initially, but he could feel his briefs tightening against him, the fabric rubbing against his dick with every step, and it felt maddening. Ienzo often felt frustration and discomfort with the pure mechanical aspects of his body, but this? He felt… He felt…

Ienzo thought about the motion Demyx made--Demyx, his boyfriend who was currently shirtless next to him, who’d said he’d loved him with such joy in his eyes while kissing him so wonderfully--and he felt something in his stomach lurch like a shaken tub of jelly. 

Hardly thinking about it, bright red and sweating profusely, Ienzo marched right up to the master bedroom and over to the bathroom, entirely forgetting to let Demyx’s hand go.

“Oh, okay, we’re–oh, okay,” Demyx said, standing a tad awkwardly in the middle of the bathroom while, Ienzo–he suspected almost entirely unaware of what he was doing, following the usual muscle memory of going into a bathroom–closed the door behind them. Demyx stretched his fingers idly with his thumb, doing his hand exercises that he did to limber them up for sitar playing.

He wasn’t sure why he was doing that. 

It was only turning back from closing the door that Ienzo jumped, blinking like he was surprised to see Demyx there. (And in that moment of being startled was a naked expression of just how…overwhelmed Ienzo felt. The fear of experiencing something new and unfamiliar in his body.) “O-oh! Sorry, I…” 

Opening the door again, Ienzo stood to the side, gripping his hands tightly to keep from trying to adjust his pants in front of Demyx. “Sorry,” he apologized again, “I-I’ll be back out in a sec. Oh, um…”

Glancing down, Ienzo hurriedly tried to undo the knot in Demyx’s shirt, intending to give it back to him. 

Demyx stared down at the way Ienzo was fussing with the knot. Nervous, shaky hands…

“Do you…” Demyx frowned, “Know what to do?”

Demyx paused awkwardly, before clarifying, “Masterbation-wise? I don’t know if that’s a weird question or not. I feel like obviously you do. But also like you’ve only been back for a little bit of time. I dunno. Have you jerked it before!?”

“No,” Ienzo said quietly, frowning intently at the knot. Why did Demyx tie it so well? “From the moment I was encouraged to spend time in my head, that the physical world was only there as a means to continue my life, at any moment of physical discomfort I left things to the others. I’ve never needed to masterbate, because I’ve never experienced being aroused myself.”

Flushed, Ienzo said a bit petulantly, “It doesn’t exactly seem like brain surgery. I can figure it out.”

Demyx reached forward, and with steady, deft hands, he undid the knot in one pull. Gently pulling his shirt away from Ienzo’s hips, before staring down at the tenting fabric. Then up at his boyfriend’s stressed, frustrated face.

“...” Demyx reached around Ienzo, grabbing the edge of the door, before pushing it. Swinging it closed with a click. “...actually, we should totally lock it too, I think we’d both have a heart attack if one of the servants came in to clean.”

Fretting a little, Demyx quickly went around Ienzo, locked the door, sighed as he rested his forehead against the wood… before he turned on his heels. “Alright! Maybe the tub edge won’t be too cold on your butt!”

Ienzo looked up again, his eyes growing wide. It was a good point, he did not want to be walked in on, but, “...you want to…watch?”

Lounging on the edge of the tub himself, dully staring up at them, Zexion drawled, “Ooooor instead of making this convoluted and uncomfortable, you could just use the perfectly good private bedroom two steps backwards from you.”

“What!? No!” Demyx sputtered, going red, “I’m not a perv!”

He grasped Ienzo’s shoulders, explaining sternly, “I wanna do it for you.”

“.........also, Bitty Button is right, you literally have a bed that’s twice the size of both of us together. Let’s go use that,” Demyx said, nodding sternly, “Good job, Zexion! Team player! The bassist to every good band! Bassists being the guys! Who recognize! We have beds!! And don’t need closet equivalents!”

“Wha- but… You just said you didn’t want to…”

Zexion smirked, getting up and pushing--the feeling of his hands’ pressure feeling real--them both towards the door. “Oh? What was that about your pace being the only pace that matters? No means no--” As they fumbled the bathroom door back open, Zexion continued pushing them towards the bed, smiling a little more gently at Demyx for a moment, “And yes means yes.”

“Look, I just--!” Ienzo took a deep breath, huffing as Zexion pushed him onto the bed. “I’m not helpless, Demyx. I don’t want to pressure you this way either.”

Demyx was staring at Zexion, eyes wide and… like a mixture of wonder and bafflement, as he watched Ienzo get pushed onto the bed, looking at Ienzo, then Zexion, then Ienzo… “Oh man, are you both going to feel this at once? Is that how it works for you two? Larxene always knocks me out when she does stuff like this, so I don’t know. Is that how it works?? Double boyfriend orgasms??”

Still, like he had done for the bathroom, Demyx quickly went to check that the bedroom door was locked, saying as he did so, “You’re not pressuring me! I don’t know what’s pressuring me! Desire? Boyfriend duties!? Taking responsibility for getting you riled up!? Again, maybe, desire!?”

Turning around, door locked, Demyx shrugged awkwardly, grinning. “Or, I dunno…this feels easy. I’m just helping you get off real quick! So easy! I’m great with my hands! Might as well use them!” Demyx said, bringing up his hands and flexing them straight, gripping them, stretching them. “See?”

“As far as I’m aware, that is how it works. Most of what Ienzo feels I can also experience, if I wish. And occasionally if I don’t wish,” Zexion confirmed, avoiding the suddenly understanding look Ienzo was giving him. As much as Zexion knew Ienzo’s tells, Ienzo also knew his. Still, Zexion didn’t give up the ghost as he smirked at Ienzo. “He is good with his hands, we both know.”

Ienzo flushed a bit more from that, before taking another breath. “I’m not sure how a mastery of arpeggiated chords translates, but I’m very intrigued to find out. Alright…” …Demyx kept stressing ‘quick’. Ienzo didn’t really mind that, but… 

A wobbly smile on his face as he scrunched the bedspread on either side of him, Ienzo softly asked, “Can we kiss again?”

“Oh!” Demyx grinned, looking a little on surer footing–he was sounding very confident in this moment, but that was entirely ignoring the way his heart was pounding out of his chest–as he nodded. “Sure! If you’re not going to explode? Or something? Yeah!”

Demyx went to sit beside Ienzo. Briefly, once again, he looked a little lost. Grasping his hands together on his own lap as he sat, like he wasn’t sure how to even start this part of it… before he cleared his throat. “Alright, I don’t know what I’m so nervous about this part for. We were literally just doing this.”

Laughing at himself, shaking his head disparagingly, he looked at Ienzo… before leaning in carefully to kiss him. A peck. 

It was quiet in the room. The celebrations and music outside now distant background noise. But Demyx was having a hard time recognizing any of that. His heart was so loud in his ears. No doubt Ienzo could hear it too. Everyone had to be able to hear it. It was like thunder.

Boom, boom, boom. A storm in his chest, as Demyx let the second kiss linger. 

Ienzo sputtered, some fluster returning. He muttered something about not being that desperate before quieting as they kissed again. Their usual kind, which still sent fluttering little birds loose in his chest, and then a longer one, which made his stomach squirm. Ienzo put a hand on Demyx’s shoulder just for stability as that kiss stretched on. 

The nerves between them were still apparent, but next to Demyx, like this, Ienzo just felt…safe. 

Finally thinking of that, Ienzo let his emotions bleed over to Demyx a little more, sharing that sense of faith and trust in the guy he loved. His best friend. His boyfriend.

…eeeeee~

Demyx lit up as the warm, affectionate feelings ran through him. His response, instinctive and unrestrained. Just sending back his joy at the affection. His own {playful, bright, shining} love in return. The ways he thought Ienzo and Zexion were both cute, in different little ways. The ways he thought they were funny. The ways he thought they were impressive, even sometimes a little intimidating!

He couldn’t help but send his uncertainty. The ways he was afraid he would chicken out. That he didn’t want to let them down, as he broke the kiss and whispered against Ienzo’s lips, “Um, so… I could… I could do it sitting here like this, or, uh, I could kneel between your legs? Whatever you want, I don’t mind. You could lay down?”

Demyx would be able to feel the immediate smile Ienzo had in response to his feelings, and a little more obvious was the affectionate squeeze around his arm. All those things, the feelings of appreciation and love they had for each other reflected and echoed between them, but the uncertainty too. Ienzo’s feelings almost sighing back a {me too} in everything but clear words. 

“Lie down,” Zexion decided, watching the two of them with an interested gaze. “If you’re comfortable with it, Demyx, you can straddle him, or lie on top. If not, there are still plenty of accessible positions from that point.”

Flushing again, Ienzo shot Zexion a frustrated look even as he kicked his shoes off and scooted farther up the bed to lie down. “Where’s my ‘if you’re comfortable’?!”

Zexion raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Are you?”

Ienzo just blushed more. Aware just how obvious his tent was in this position, but, well, certainly not uncomfortable looking up at Demyx like this. “...should I take my pants off?”

This was very odd, to have what felt like a third person just sort of… directing them. 

But also it was kind of comforting! And embarrassing. But comforting in that the embarrassment felt at least purposeful. Demyx not needing to second-guess himself or wonder if his actions were wanted, because Zexion was very specifically asking for what he wanted. 

It made it a little easier for Demyx to stop and consider what Ienzo should be wearing… before he recommended, “Maybe keep your pants, but lose your shirt? Keep your shirt if you want to replace it after we’re done? …it’s probably gonna squirt up, is what I mean.” Demyx grinned sheepishly, shuffling over to Ienzo after kicking off his own sandals. “I’ve ruined a lot more shirts than pants.”

“Oh my god, I’m going to cum,” Ienzo whispered like it was a revelation, though he took Demyx’s advice, pulling his shirt over his head. From the front, Ienzo didn’t have all that many scars on his torso. He was incredibly pale, of course, but apart from a few scattered freckles and old acne scars, his front was fairly unblemished. Unless you happened to look at his right shoulder, noting what almost looked like a few day-old bruises, but were just reddish splotches of permanent discoloration. 

Now both shirtless, Demyx hovering above him, Ienzo asked, “Is there anything I should actionably do? I get the idea enough with auto-masteurbation, but,” he looked more unsure here, “it, ah, doesn’t really seem like there’s enough space for two people to act at the same time. And you would not like me to touch you during this, correct?”

“Yeah,” Demyx said automatically, as he carefully went to straddle Ienzo’s thighs. Putting more weight on him when Ienzo didn’t show any sign of pain at his weight, “...I don’t know why I don’t want you to touch me. You know it’s not because of you, right? I’m not rejecting you. I’m just…”

Demyx looked down at himself, genuinely baffled as he admitted, “...I’m not hard at all?”

“I still like this! I want to do it, no one is pressuring anyone, except maybe me pressuring myself, and maaaaaybe Zexion pressuring you a little,” Demyx admitted, giving Zexion a sheepish smile, “...but I don’t think… I don’t think I want to cum too.”

“Is that alright?” Demyx asked, guilt crossing his face. Odd, for a man who had admitted not even an hour ago that he didn’t even feel guilty about long-term torture. “I want to help you get off. But I don’t think I want to do it myself. Not now.”

Ienzo found his breath growing a little heavier as Demyx straddled him, but not from the weight. Or, at least not in that way. Instead, he just felt a rush of heat flood his stomach down to his groin, feeling hyper aware of how his dick strained against his underwear, and felt an odd contradiction of wanting to be all over Demyx at once, and also wanting to stay in this moment forever. 

Though, he could only smile softly up at Demyx, even as Zexion just gave him a shrug with a smirk. “I understand, and it’s alright,” Ienzo first assured, “It’s usually poor form to start analysis in the midst of a reaction, but if I may be allowed bad manners? Maybe some of your fears around sex are about sexual acts done to you, not you performing them. But even if that’s completely off, you’re saying you don’t want it now, and that’s all that matters in the moment.”

As a little show, Ienzo shifted his arms up to lay his hands next to his head, drumming his fingers lightly against the bedspread. “So no touching,” he promised.

Zexion tilted his head a little. “...we might like it at different times, and your hands, as discussed, are likely to be otherwise occupied, but don’t hold Ienzo’s wrists down in this position, Demyx. It’s going to put too much pressure on his shoulder.”

“Maaaaaybe?” Demyx mused, tilting his head curiously, as he reached forward to try touching Ienzo’s stomach… before he stopped, tensing for a moment.

“Larxene?” Demyx called aloud, looking around warily like she might pop up, “Are you here? You’re not here, right? You and I both know you have way more control of the wall than I do. I don’t want you watching! Or looking! I mean it!”

No response. Demyx sighed, before shrugging with a smile, “I think she’s not listening. Though, man, I really do need to talk to her properly about all of this someday. But, alright! No pinning your wrists! I don’t think I would have wanted to anyway… though, man,” Demyx frowned, reaching forward to lightly trace his fingers over the ‘bruising’ on Ienzo’s shoulder, “I didn’t realize this still looked like this. I know it’s been a bit weaker ever since it happened, but does it still hurt a lot?”

Ienzo felt a thrum of anticipation as Demyx reached towards his stomach…before he let out a little breath when he stopped to double check on Larxene. A decent question, honestly, though--

“She did say she was leaving,” Zexion noted. “With all regard, I do understand not trusting that, but she truly has zero interest in our relationship from an active perspective. In some ways I might be a little insulted, but I really don’t care.”

Ienzo made a small humming noise in agreement before smiling faintly at Demyx’s light touch and question. “Sometimes. Mostly if I move it in an aggravating way, but sometimes it’ll just start hurting out of the blue. I really am lucky to avoid the worst of nerve damage from it, but I truly didn’t come out unscathed.”

It really wasn’t the ‘sexiest’ thing to talk about, but Ienzo couldn’t help lowering his eyes a little as he noted, “None of us did, really.”

“I dunno. Some of us had an easier time of it than others.” Demyx said, lightly tracing his fingers still over the edges of the discoloration. He knew it was ultimately a bad thing they were there, but he couldn’t help but think they were pretty. Probably just because ultimately it was on Ienzo. And Ienzo was pretty. “Xaldin and I have talked about that before. Sometimes we wondered why we got so much of a pass. Xaldin said he thought it was because he looked a little more masculine than the rest of us, that maybe they all preferred slimmer builds or prettier eyes or something. But then he said he couldn’t figure me out at all, if that was the case, because I was one of the prettiest little twigs he knew.”

“...I was kinda flattered he said that, because he’s right, I didn’t understand why I was so ignored either. I thought maybe it was my teeth.” Demyx said, shrugging a little, as he traced his fingers away from the discoloration and lightly touched down Ienzo’s chest, and then his stomach. Smooth… “Or my ears? My ears are kinda goofy looking. And it wasn’t like I had never been hit on before. I told you that the others in the house had made flirting with me kind of a game. They all wanted to see who’d get me first.”

Demyx paused, before admitting, “But that never made me feel desired or anything. If anything, it kind of made me feel bad. I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. I don’t really get what’s going on in my head.”

Demyx’s eyes dipped down to Ienzo’s pants. It was now up and slightly pressed against Demyx’s thigh, waiting for something to happen to it. It was far from the first time Demyx would have seen Ienzo’s dick, but he felt shy about the idea of taking it out and looking at it in a new way. Way different from an assisted shower, or the supervisors’ mean games. 

But like Ienzo had pointed out, that shyness didn’t become panic when Demyx reached into Ienzo’s waistband. Pushing the boxers and sweatpant hemline down and around Ienzo’s balls and pulling out his cock. The fear and worry not coming back as Demyx asked, “You still alright? Also, nice~ This is a real handful, Ienzo! Not that I thought your dick was small or anything, but like… you fill out nicely! Is what I mean!” Demyx laughed, relaxing notably. “I dunno. Is that a compliment? I mean it to be!”

“I think the fact that if he tried even a little, it’d take at least three supervisors on average to maneuver him,” Ienzo said not unkindly--discussing the oddities of the supervisors’ whims was a very valid conversation--but a little dryly, “Or perhaps the time he punched Pence so hard in the face that he crumbled immediately. Though a counter to that idea is the fact that, if you ever noticed those circular scars on Orlette’s forearm? They’re from Lauriam biting her his first week.”

“And I can’t consider that your cowardice ‘took the fun out of it’,” Zexion hummed, the corner of his mouth turned down in a frown. “For the most part we were entirely passive to our punishments, which we know the supervisors didn’t find much fun in, and yet? Though, perhaps, our troublemaking ways made the punishments more of a necessity in their eyes, regardless of our demeanor during them.”

“Though, barring a few cases, I don’t think any form of attraction really mattered,” Ienzo mumbled, looking intently up at Demyx. “You are incredibly pretty, and I don’t think your ears are that goofy.” It was a miracle that Ienzo was able to keep his voice steady through that, since it felt like each breath was shaking as Demyx trailed his touch down his body.

This wasn’t entirely new, though the context certainly made it so. Touch was both a comfort and a necessity for the entire time they’d known each other. But like this?

Ienzo shivered a little as Demyx pulled down his waistband, before silently laughing. “I got that, thanks. I’ve never given much thought to the size of my dick, but I think yours is the only opinion I really care about. And yes, I’m alright.”

“I’m so thankful you didn’t literally ‘nice cock, bro’ us,” Zexion sighed, before fixing Demyx with a mildly intense look. “Touch us, but don’t ramp up speed immediately. For one, I believe that’ll feel nice, but also we’ll likely need some time to adjust.”

Demyx felt a little thrill of excitement as Zexion told him what to do next. “Got it!” he said cheerfully, the playful tone genuine, but how loudly he said it somewhat just his nerves coming out as he lightly moved his thumb up and down the hard muscle of Ienzo’s dick, the skin loosely bending with his touch. Did the loose skin mean Ienzo could get harder?

It occurred to Demyx that this was something he had only ever done to himself, or seen done to others. He had never jerked anyone off before. He had known that before this had started, but the reality of it in this moment made his skin burn, something both excited and a little genuinely embarrassed rushing through him as he grinned at Ienzo, “I’m sure Zexion would give me a heads up, but also be sure to tell me if something doesn’t feel good, Button!”

“Hehe, I kind of forgot that Xaldin punched Pence,” Demyx giggled a little, looking back fondly at the memory. It had been terrifying in the moment, no one having any idea what the supervisors were going to do. And Demyx could understand why Xaldin hadn’t thought about it when wondering why he had never been touched: Xaldin had punched out Pence when he had been shaking Riku violently, back when the heart trio had been new. It had gotten out of hand, Riku’s head shaking back and forth so violently and so close to the wall that it had looked for a moment like the back of Riku’s head was going to bash against the concrete wall. Pence just losing it on the smaller boy.

Xaldin had punched him out because for a second there it had looked like Pence was going to kill Riku.

And maybe that had been what had stopped the supervisors from retaliating. Because killing the empaths was a big no-no, and if one of them had needed to fight back to literally save one of their lives? Well, maybe that could be quietly ignored. Demyx had noticed Pence hadn’t been allowed to punish the younger empaths anymore. A pattern that perhaps the supervisors hadn’t noticed, when it had just been Ienzo around for Pence to get far too aggressive with, a sudden horde of small, thin children they needed to stop him from permanently injuring.

Demyx was glad the Heart Trio had had an easier time of it, the supervisors maybe recognizing by that point that certain things had to change if they wanted to keep them alive. But he wished they had figured that out back when Ienzo and Lauriam had been children. Easy to abuse and easy to injure.

“Looking back at it? Knowing everything we do now about how us and our Nobodies were already starting to share our bodies?” Demyx mused, still lightly, carefully rubbing his palm firmly up and down Ienzo’s cock, “It’s kind of surprising nobody called Xaldin out more on how often he hung out with us in the real world. He spent a lot of evenings after work with us. I guess I assumed at the time it was because Dilan liked to relax on the beach in the evenings, but maybe it was because that was usually when the supervisors did their checks on us. I guess I just never thought of him as the ‘protective’ type, so I didn’t really notice when he was literally doing that.”

“I won’t remain tacit, I’ll let you know,” Ienzo promised, even as his eyes widened a bit, feeling Demyx directly touch his dick. That wave of warmth flooded over his stomach again, and while for a moment the stimulation felt overwhelming? It dipped to juuuuust below ‘overwhelming’, or perhaps the more positive feelings that came with it--Ienzo felt like he was melting, a bit, at Demyx’s smile--combated his impulse against overwhelming things to run. 

“It never was a triumph, ultimately…but it always was satisfying when one of us managed to land something on a supervisor.” Ienzo smirked a bit. The most he or Zexion had ever done--other than his plan with Isa, he supposed--was mimicking startling but explainable sounds or illusions of bug-looking specks or bits of fluff around any supervisors who weren’t wearing their sigils, but every time he heard about one of the others fighting, and not immediately suffering consequences for it? 

In some ways, Ienzo was disappointed he’d only met Aeleus after his dad had significantly calmed down. He might’ve even made a cheer sign. 

His breath audibly stuttering a bit, Ienzo scrunched his toes as Demyx got more into a gentle rhythm, the heat in him starting to noticeably convalesce. Though, he let out a snort. “Demyx, if people only called me out behind me and my dads’ backs, they certainly wouldn’t call Xaldin out. A-and are you kidding? Xaldin is - aah…”

Smirking delightly at the sighed breath that came out of Ienzo, Zexion nodded at Demyx. “Good. But Xaldin is incredibly protective. He may laugh at misfortune, and especially if it’s non-urgent and something caused by one’s own actions, he may just watch in amusement, but he never hesitates to interfere before situations go too far. I believe he thinks it was all very casual and not something people noticed, but he took a great deal of care in looking after me and all the other constructs when we were younger. And I believe pointing out his soft spot for Lauriam and Marluxia is redundant.”

“Pfff. More like a ‘hard spot’, am-I-right?” Demyx grinned… before giggling. Clearly delighted with his own joke. “I still think that’s kind of weird, but, well, I guess if they’re all happy with it? I couldn’t date Xaldin though. He’s too aggressive.” 

Demyx massages his fingers against Ienzo’s underside, his pace still slow and careful, his heart still pounding lightly as he noticed Ienzo start to get affected… before he laughed. “Do you know any flute notes? See if you can guess what I’m playing.” He said, before starting to flex his fingers in rhythm against Ienzo’s dick, putting ‘random’ bits of pressure up and down it as he mimicked playing against the hole of a flute. “It’s a really simple one, you probably learned it in your first year of school.”

“Good thing he’s not asked you to date him then,” Zexion said dryly, “He’s had enough of a broken heart, though Aqua and Luis would certainly encourage drinking the disappointment away.”

“Careful now,” Ienzo smirked, glancing up at Zexion, “You’re starting to sound a little jealous simply from a hypothetical.”

Zexion rolled his eyes but he got the last smirk as Ienzo shivered, a wobbly sound getting stuck in his throat. Sharing a mind had many, many advantages. 

“T-to my later regret, I was not particularly enthused by the music education my first year,” Ienzo admitted, trying to steady his voice again. “First-graders playing recorder wasn’t exactly an adenoidal sound.” But even when he grew more of an appreciation for learning about music, his personal skill remained low. 

Still, Ienzo did his best, closing his eyes to concentrate as his eyebrows scrunched in in thought. “...Mary Had a Little Lamb?”

“You got it! Even if you didn’t know the notes, it’s a pretty recognizable beat,” Demyx laughed, “Maybe next time I can try a more complicated tune. Heh, I can ‘blow’ the flute too… heee~” 

Demyx laughed again, laughing at his own joke. The more caught up Ienzo–and now it seemed Zexion–got, the more relaxed he felt. They were liking it! That was all he had really wanted from this, and now it felt like there was a lot less pressure on him as he grinned at Zexion, “Waaaaait, Bitty-Button can get jealous? It’s honestly never occurred to me you guys could get jealous over me. I’m kinda flattered!”

“I think… I’d probably get jealous over you two too?” Demyx said, sounding a tad uncertain, “Though it’s hard to imagine you cheating on me. Or flirting with anyone else. If you did, I think it’d bother me a lot, but it’s hard to feel it now because it just sounds so unlike you.”

“...I think…” Demyx said, “...I think maybe I like to let other people take the lead too much? I didn’t realize that was something I enjoyed until Zexion started getting all domineering on us, but it’s really nice, letting someone else take control. Maybe that’s why Larxene has so much control over our body too… I dunno. But I’m thinking back to how afraid I was that you wouldn’t be romantic when you first confessed to me, and taking this new context in mind…”

“Sorry, I’m just philosophizing aloud,” Demyx sighed, “Maybe not the best way to make you horny. I can stop if you want to just focus?”

Ienzo snorted, opening his eyes again, though his voice came out softer as he said, “Maybe another time, for that. It seems like the sort of thing I’d need to work myself up to more.”

Though from those nerves, Ienzo and Zexion just stared at Demyx for a moment at his shock over their ability to be jealous. And looking a little embarrassed, Ienzo shifted under Demyx slightly, inadvertently moving his hips up as Demyx stroked down, resulting in a stronger shiver and choked sound in his throat. “I don’t believe that you’d cheat on us either, though I can feel my hackles raise at the thought of other people flirting with you, more than a kind passing phrase, at least. It’s flattering to you, of course, but…” Glaring up at the ceiling, a deeper flush spread over Ienzo’s cheeks as he frowned. His voice a bit more aggressive than he usually presented himself. “You’re mine. They should be aware.”

While he’d looked shocked at being called ‘domineering’, Zexion gave Ienzo an approving nod at his declaration before he huffed softly. “Sunshine, if there’s anyone who can get off to personal philosophy, it’s absolutely Ienzo. You can start speeding up as well.” Zexion’s eyes gleamed with dark interest. “I think he’s still a little too coherent for this situation.”

More thunder rolled in his chest. Demyx’s eyes widening like saucers as the way Ienzo said ‘mine’. Like a crack of lightning that pushed through Demyx’s mind, its currents burning through his whole body. 

He glanced over at Zexion too, the look in his eyes just making those currents more sustained. In that moment, Demyx felt… small. And vulnerable. A little out of his own control.

And he really liked that. 

Demyx sped up like he was told–he was a little worried his palms were too dry for Ienzo, that maybe the friction would be uncomfortable. But he was okay with waiting to see if someone would tell him so, rather then bringing it up–as he wobbled out a nervous, happy little giggle… before shrugging. Sheepish as he explained, “I just, I think… I knew that on some level? Whoever gets me, like, in the way that my old housemates used to talk about it? Whoever finally convinced me to let them do stuff, they were going to, well… ‘get me’. Because, like!” Demyx paused, mostly theorizing all of this on the spot. Most of these insights coming from specifically how it felt to hear Zexion tell him what to do, “I could have been romantic to you. If I really wanted romance in my life, I didn’t have to wait on someone else to be romantic to me. I could have been the one thinking of cute date ideas and buying flowers and plushies and chocolates. I could have been that to you, if it was sooooo important to me.”

“But I think what I really wanted was just knowing that whoever I’m with? Was going to be nice to me. Because, like… maybe it’s a side effect of my ‘cowardice’ traits?” Demyx mused. He knew he was a coward. He had been specifically told that his whole life, and it was a trait he recognized in himself. “But I don’t think there’s any part of me that wants to ‘fight back’ in a relationship. I’m not the leading type, I’m not really forward or aggressive, not unless it’s just being friendly and having fun with people. I think if I’m in a relationship, I just want to… be with that person. Entirely. Like… theirs. Or something…”

“And, if that’s how you’re going into a relationship? Knowing you’re gonna want to be just entirely theirs?” Demyx mused, “It becomes really, really important who you pick. Not when you’re ready to give them all of you.”

“.....dooooes that make any sort of sense?” Demyx asked. “That the reason sex and relationships are sooooo finicky to me is because I know once I’m in them, it’s just gonna be entirely up to the other person how it goes? Because I like to let others lead?”

Ienzo maintained his brighter flush as Demyx sped up, that shaking, gelatinous feeling returning to his stomach while the heat just centered more. It was as if he could feel his pulse in his dick without pressuring it himself, and the increased focused just made every sensation feel twice as much. He could hear his breathing become heavier, more audible, and he nervously turned his left hand a bit, scrunching bits of the bedspread between his fingers. 

“That logic seems,” a small, wavering sound interrupted Ienzo’s sentence, his voice softer overall, “s…s-sound to me.”

While he seemed pleased to hear that Ienzo was struggling more with words, Zexion gave Demyx a softer look himself before asking, “...permission to touch you? Without the intent of riling you up.”

Given the go-ahead, Zexion leaned over Ienzo and cupped Demyx’s jaw, bumping their foreheads together for a moment. “I’m endlessly happy, not just because you ended up with us, that you held yourself to high standards. That, even if this understanding is new, your feelings manifested as enough hesitance to refrain from engaging in a relationship that was just ‘okay’, or to the greatest tragedy, a poor one.”

Leaning back again, Zexion lightly held Ienzo’s hand, tracing shapes into his palm. “Knowing oneself is a great advantage. And recognizing your passivity is important.” He glanced back up with a small smirk. “Though I think you’re more proactive than you give yourself credit for.”

Zexion’s speech was ended by…uh, yeah. Ienzo just straight up whimpered, a stronger shiver shaking through him and he turned his head to the side into the bed in embarrassment. 

Flushing a bit himself, Zexion advised, “I believe we’re close.” Tilting his head a little, he regarded Demyx with challenge. “This is only something I’ve read, as a precaution, but try twisting your wrist a bit and thumbing his head.”

Demyx leaned his head back contently, pleased to feel Zexion so close to him as his boyfriend pressed himself against Demxy’s forehead. He liked that. The touch against his jaw, the warm, easy affection. It made him feel taken care of. Treasured. 

Watching both Zexion and Ienzo so close, holding hands as they grew increasingly flushed and dazed, was also very nice. Demyx stared at them and already knew this was a memory he’d be coming back to at some point. Probably that evening, when his hand was on his own dick. 

“Whatever you want, Bitty~” Demyx sang-songed, putting more pressure into his wrist and easily stretching his long thumb up and over the bulb of Ienzo’s head. Maneuvering their dick as easy and natural to Demyx as playing with any other instrument he had ever gotten his hands on before for the first time.

And it was a bit like playing an instrument. Even in the sound. Every press of his fingers or stroke up towards the head elicited a new, interesting sound from Ienzo. This movement made a little breathy gasp. That squeeze coaxed a small, insistent ‘hnnn’ noise. And now that Zexion was starting to get affected? It was like Demyx could find ways to make the two harmonize with each other, creating new songs as Zexion’s noises–less breathing, but more clicks and tsks, like he was trying to form words and would suddenly lose them until he pulled himself together–accompanied Ienzo’s needy, breathy little pants and keens.

Maybe, when Demyx got particularly good at this instrument, he’d ask them if he could record a song. Though, again, his own memories would work just as well. A personal record of music he pulled from his boyfriends.

“...you guys would be so surprised if you knew what I was thinking right now.” Demyx laughed. 

“Hhhh…” Ienzo could only work his jaw for a moment, words unable to properly form, before he managed, “Hhhow - how surprised?”

“I doubt that surprised,” Zexion drawled, though his own gaze was looking a little glassy now. “You come up with, mn, unexpected points often, which always makes our conversations fun, but we do know you to an extent. If you were to genuinely sh-sh--”

Zexion blipped out of view, as almost startlingly? With a certain twist, Ienzo writhed under Demyx, a quiet, but warbling cry leaving his mouth as…well, it felt like… He’d describe it as…

He couldn’t describe it. Any attempt of thought entirely too difficult to grasp as Ienzo was awash in waves of sensation and pleasure. 

…though, after a moment he could hear:

óᯅò H-hey, no, you--

…

óᯅò You didn’t do anything wrong, he’s just over

…

óᯅò Overwhelmed, it’s fine, Demyx.

It was then, hearing the words, that Ienzo realized how quickly he was breathing, quick, unsteady things as he cried, face entirely wet from tears. 

“What do you mean he’s fine!? He was unconscious! And now he’s crying!? Oh my god I handjobbed my boyfriend until he cried, I am the worst boyfriend.” Demyx whispered the last part, having haphazardly wiped his hands off on his pants before reaching over to place his fingers against Ienzo’s throat, “I can’t feel his pulse! Oh no, wait, it’s over here… wait, where is the pulse?! Ienzo, are you okay!?”

Sniffling, though unable to stop the tears, Ienzo gently pushed Demyx’s hands away from his throat before shakily sitting up. Just trying to breathe for a moment as he glanced down at the cum streaked up his lower stomach. “‘M-m o-- I’m okay,” Ienzo said unconvincingly.

Embarrassed, he wiped his face with the back of his arm futilely before letting out another shaky breath that cut into a cry. “Sorry, just…g-gimme a sec… Fuck.”

Scooting his hips out from under Demyx a little more to sit up fully, Ienzo just spent a moment crying, before he let out a small huff that was likely meant to be a laugh. “I suppose there’s more consideration I need to give myself, for our more intimate moments,” he sucked in a snotty sniff. “It wasn’t you, I promise.”

As a Chibi, Zexion sat on the bed beside them for a moment, just looking hesitant and worried, before, looking like he was hesitantly trying something, he popped into full size again. Just looking around for another moment. 

“I…think I’m good?” he mumbled warily, hugging his Lexicon.

Demyx fretted, looking nervously back and forth between his two boyfriends. It was times like these he wished he was a stronger empath. He couldn’t heal much, like Aqua could, and he couldn’t force Calm like Kairi could. Most of his abilities were purely just useful on the island, able to affect the others worlds and Larxene being a, especially at the time, surprisingly complex Nobody able to utilize Demyx’s abilities for herself nearly from day one.

He just… didn’t have any powers that could help.

So instead, teary-eyed, he just found himself reaching forward and pulling them both into a hug. “I’m sorry! I should have been paying attention! I didn’t notice anything was wrong!”

Ienzo startled for a moment before hugging Demyx back, Zexion immediately tucking himself against their boyfriend. “It wasn’t you,” Ienzo repeated, sniffing again and drawing in a breath. “I…think I might just have issues with orgasm itself.”

Nuzzling Demyx’s head, Zexion sighed, “It’s not your biggest fear, but ‘not being able to think’ is still up there. And I can’t project if our mind can’t concentrate. That was…something we perhaps should’ve been able to consider.”

“...that’s humiliating,” Ienzo whispered. “I’m so sorry, Demyx.”

“Nooooo, it’s alright!” Demyx insisted, holding them tighter, “I mean, the passing out and crying and Zexion blinking out of existence wasn’t great! But…” Demyx sighed, kissing both of their temples. First Ienzo’s, then Zexion’s. “It’s not embarrassing we found that out! How else were we supposed to know? Annnnd now we do! And that’s good! Right?”

“...knowing oneself is important,” Ienzo agreed, quoting his words from earlier, even if there was a clear pout in his voice. It wasn’t even that he felt different about it in regards to himself, rather than it being directed at Demyx. It was that passing out and crying because you came was embarrassing.

Zexion turned his head to kiss Demyx’s cheek. “...we cannot let the others know. Dad will actually use you as a test subject if he finds out Ienzo cried after being intimate with you.”

Ienzo grimaced. “Lauriam would never let me live it down. It’s not as bad as setting things on fire, but he’ll take any easy potshot he can for his own pride.”

“Oh, no, one hundred percent, your dads can never know about this. I will wake up one morning without a dick but with a brand new tail.” Demyx said, looking incredibly grim at the prospect, “And everyone will absolutely make fun of us, except Luis, who will try to check if we’re okay before getting obliterated over our ‘friendly drinks’. This goes to our graves with us.”

Demyx sighed, rubbing Ienzo’s back a little and resting his head against Zexion for a moment… before he leaned back and looked down, pouting. “Maaaaaaan. I just ruined both our pants.” He realized. Ienzo’s jizz now staining his own crotch and having been pushed down onto Ienzo’s hem in the hug. “Man, we really did not nail the landing.”

“But, still,” Demyx smiled at Ienzo, “Thanks for trying it with me.”

Did they have a great track record keeping secrets from their family? No. But this one Ienzo was going to defend as if his life depended on it. If nothing else, Demyx not being roped into truly brutal spars and exercise regimes every day would. 

Glancing down, Ienzo flushed, mumbling about how it was fine to just change clothes entirely anyway, before he gave Demyx a soft smile. “Thanks for trying it with me too. I’m glad we did.”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Zexion hummed in agreement, before smirking at them. “And regardless of the ending, there was quite a lot we gained.”

“Yeah. Like Bitty Button’s kinda a freak.” Demyx snickered. 

“I wasn’t aware that was in question. Though we learned that you are very into it,” Zexion snickered back.

Ienzo smirked a little, leaning forward to kiss Demyx’s cheek. “I didn’t think that was a question either.”

“It was pretty hot,” Demyx giggled, “I really liked most of it… again. We totally flubbed the ending. But, eh… maybe we’ll figure it out someday.”

Demyx glanced out to the other side of the room, where the window was letting in warm light. Outside there was still music, still chanting, singing, celebration…

He looked excitedly at his boyfriends, “Can we go back out soon?”

Ienzo gave Demyx a fond, amused look. “If you get off my legs so I can change my pants, yes.”

-

“Atua who loves all, find it in your infinite love to heed this wretched demon’s words. I offer these drops of life in your name. I beg for forgiveness, standing before your Chosen as a forsaken, I have no intentions of temptation.”

“...please, I… I’m doing everything right, aren’t I? Wouldn’t going to temple just offend you more? I don’t want to hurt anyone, I’m trying to live my life better. Please…please forgive me.”

-

For the Empaths who didn’t immediately bunk up together, their first night in Usott Castle was their first night sleeping alone since leaving Maya’s manor, and for the Ribata Empaths, for some it was their first night sleeping alone in years, period. As he came down for breakfast--Kokichi had told them the hours for breakfast service before parting for the night--bright and early (Xigbar and Linnea’s behest, of course) though, Gula didn’t exactly look…rested. 

He was fine enough, and the glower of a sleepy 18-year-old waaaay too early in the morning was enough to turn any stares that happened to come his way, but…ugh. He felt way better than he had right after prayer last night, but he still felt a little weak, and his arms ached, despite how securely he’d bandaged them. He supposed he hadn’t done a proper prayer like that--as ‘proper’ as blood-letting into the sink, just hoping the faucet was iron was--in a while, which just added to the whole bullshit of it all. 

Futilely, he could just hope Xigbar wouldn’t be too annoying and he’d feel better with some food in him. 

Gula was not the only Ribatan struggling. 

Ira had dropped this habit after a bit of time out of the factory, which was what made it surprising to see him playing with his hair. The long, blue locks over his shoulder as, instead of eating, he was nervously tying his hair into what was currently at least a decent braid, but if he was left alone to do this too long, would become just literal knots that would become so dense and difficult to untangle that it’d require either a clean cut or ripping his hair apart at the knots. And he was far more prone to just start tearing his hair apart to separate them, so that he could start the process of tying it all over again. 

It was a nervous habit, yes, but it also required him to be more than a little sleep deprived before he started doing this. The bags under his eyes as he worried his hair suggested he was deep in that sleep deprived nervous energy, as he pointedly did not look around the busy dining hall. 

Ava, in turn, was staring at the food on the center of the table like she had no idea what to do. She could see from watching the other tables that she was supposed to just take some from the center, that it was for everyone… but she was visibly shaking when she brought her hand up to try to grab something, before quickly putting her hands back in her lap. Clearly trying to hide how shaky she was. 

She also looked very tired. 

Even the younger teens looked a little worn down and on edge. Hao had that nearly blank, absent look he got when he was dissociating a little, food on his plate but it mostly ignored as he vaguely looked around. He tended to just quietly follow Xehanort around when he was like this. If asked, he wasn’t ‘nervous’. Just a little overstimulated. 

And Xigbar… was standing, looking around the dining hall towards the doors with an obvious pout. “Well, there’s Gula-lala. I swear, the other one’s gonna make me actually physically go get him before he gets off the stairs, huh? So rude! Disrespectful! Oh, we get to a cool new place and suddenly he can’t be bothered to make it to breakfast on time!” 

“Hello, Gula,” Ira said, hands still working away at his hair even as he looked to greet the teen, “Did you see Aced on the stairs? Apparently Aced has been standing on the stairs for a bit now. Xigbar’s… annoyed.”

Invi was clearly overwhelmed, the spreads of food across the tables regarded with the same mounting nerves as a new pile of whatever project they were being made to do in the factory. It was only when Xehanort made sure Hao got his own portion that she snapped into action, making up plates for Ava and Ira. Focusing just on that, and nothing else. 

Linnea had thanked her for making up a plate, but hadn’t touched it yet, just continuing to hawkishly watch the swathes of people going in and out of the dining hall, even at this early hour. Clearly not put at ease by how casual and friendly everyone else was taking the morning. 

Gula said nothing as he joined their table, sitting down a little too roughly, and after a moment he just blinked at Ira, like he’d only started to pay attention then. “...no,” he eventually got out, voice crackling slightly. Though that didn’t mean Aced hadn’t been there. Gula had been a little more focused on trying not to fall down the stairs.

Looking around a little, Gula’s pale visage regarded the rest of the room. “...so it’s just…self-serve here?”

“Is it?” Ira asked, glancing down… before his eyes widened when he saw the plate in front of him. Having entirely missed Invi put it down. Though, when he glanced up, Ava pointedly nodded towards Invi. “Oh! Uh, thank you, Invi. Sorry, I was…”

Ira, looking embarrassed, tried to undo the brain he had been working on. A few rounds easily came undone, but the second he got to a knot… yep. He tore his hair, ignoring the ripping sound, finishing unparting all of it before he nervously pushed his hair back over his shoulder. Clumps of his hair falling off onto his back as he focused on the food. “This looks… interesting.”

“I think I overheard someone say they were dumplings,” Ava said, looking at the bit that had caught Ira’s attention too, “Maybe like a really condensed lasagna?”

“Would you guys stop staring at the plates like you’ve never seen food before? People are going to think I starve you. It’s food, just eat it!” Xigbar insisted, glaring at the door before sighing, “Alright, I’m gonna go get him–”

“Ah, look at that! You two were right, it was right around the corner! Guess I didn’t need to hurry after all, huh?” Aced said, walking in between two women–one very tall, strong looking, the other with a fascinating mix of dark to light blue hair–as he laughed, the blue haired one laughing with him while the tall one just gave him a pleasant, amused smile. “Ah, there’s my people! Thanks again for showing me the way, ladies! And the conversation! I’m definitely going to check out that ramen stuff, it sounds amazing!” 

The group watched as Aced gave the girls a wave before hurrying over to the table. Grinning easily as he said, “Wow, can you guys believe the rooms we were given?! I don’t know about you, but I took full advantage of the crazy bath sizes they have, it was like sitting in a hot tub! And I slept like a rock in those beds. And I have no idea what the prince was saying last night, there’s nothing mean about how nice everyone is: they’re just nice! Isn’t this great!?”

“...g-guys?” Aced said, his grin faltering when he did not get an immediate answer. 

Gula gave Aced a tiredly withering look. “Who shit sprinkles into your mouth this morning?”

“Gula,” Linnea lightly chastised before smiling kindly at Aced. “The castle amenities are pretty generous, aren’t they? I’m glad you had a good night, Aced, and…” her focused gaze latched onto the two women Aced had walked in with, “...that you seem to be making friends among the people here already. Who are those two, may I ask?”

Invi gave Xigbar a nervous look, asking him quietly, “Should we investigate them, sir?”

Xehanort let out a rough huff as he dug into one of his griddle muffins, slathered with cherry jam. “Look, we’re new and among the unfamiliar, and our hosts know and are expecting that. Even the Nobodies aren’t sure we weren’t walking right into a trap. But we have beds, baths, and enough food to feed a small village here and we aren’t going to help anything on empty stomachs.”

He glowered more tiredly at the group. “So let’s just eat? And have our respective breakdowns after breakfast.”

“Far from your worst idea,” Gula grumbled, starting to tuck into his own plate that Invi had put together.

“Sir?” Ira asked, looking to Xigbar. 

Xigbar ground his teeth a little, his one visible eye staring absently into nothing for a bit… before he refocused and chuckled, sitting down. “Nooo, don’t investigate. I have no idea who the tall one is still, but if you look into it, you find out the short one is The Reaper’s girlfriend, who does not appreciate us stalking her.”

“W-well, yeah! I could have told you that. Was there a future where you went to investigate without just letting me tell you that?” Aced frowned, sitting down, “Katsuki is the blond woman, she’s a guard! Very funny, has a dry sense of humor that’s just delightful. And the other one was Elia! I didn’t catch either of their last names, but yeah, Elia is Maki’s girlfriend. She’s super nice, she was offering me ideas of where we could go for our first day in Usott. Apparently ramen is a popular food item around here.”

“Where are the Nobodies?” Ava asked, “You don’t think they all slept in, do you?”

“...they didn’t get captured in the night?” Ira asked, the question sounding like a worried, whispered concern. 

“Who got captured in the night?” Kaito asked from behind Gula. 

Gula’s ‘fight or flight’ instincts had been a bit of an…issue to navigate when he had come to the factory. He could be hot-headed, sure, but other than gripes and sharp words, he didn’t really seek out confrontation. When things looked bad, he was the kind of guy to look for an exit before getting involved. 

Unless something startled him.

“Fuck!” Gula gasped, jolting and looking awake for the first time that morning as his grip tightened around his fork, jabbing his arm back before he even had a chance to look--

Wide-eyed, Invi grabbed his arm before Gula could hit Kaito, causing a flinch and little gasp of pain, before he turned the rest of the way. And once Gula’s brain caught up with that moment of panic?

The teen’s expression dropped, paling even more than the bloodloss had caused, staring at Kaito like he was looking death in the face. 

Kaito gave them both a startled, wide-eyed stare… before he laughed, “Hah! Almost got my first beating from this group of teens the first morning! That has got to be breaking a record, I almost wish you had let it land. Still, nice catch!” Kaito grinned at Invi, before looking around the table. “Anyway, just swung by to give you guys a heads up! Your friends got a bit nervous at the idea of coming down for food, so they’re eating in the third floor kitchen. Do you guys want to join them? I know the Dining Hall can be a lot, the third floor kitchen’s just a bit smaller and more private if you want a break from all the noise.”

“How did I not see any of that coming?” Xigbar muttered, before looking to Linnea, “Got a preference, Linn?”

Oh God you almost just stabbed a Momota, forget being forgotten by the trials, you’re getting picked up for a thousand more just to ensure you know how corrupt you are, you deserve every pain and every sorrow in your life you’re the reason you’re all going to be trapped right back in another factory--

Several of the group had perked, apologies on their lips before Kaito started laughing, and given a bone like that? Linnea softly waved the others down. If he was brushing it off, then they shouldn’t bring it back up. Though as she looked over her group, Hao spacing out, Ava shaking, Ira wringing himself to shreds, and Gula panicking enough that she could almost feel her own heart start speeding from it…

“I think it’s a good idea, thank you for letting us know, your grace,” Linnea bowed her head to Kaito, “While we’re figuring out our next steps forward, it’d probably be easier for all of us to be in one place anyway.” Not to collect, but there was power in numbers if they had to fight, and if Xigbar was asking for a preference, he’d likely seen that they weren’t just going to be walking into a room full of warding sigils.

“Great! Collect your plates and follow me!” Kaito said. 

He led them up the stairs, then up the stairs again. They could hear the Nobodies before they saw them, as Kaito opened the door for them, the Ribata Empaths shuffling inside to the sounds and smells of pans frying a variety of easy breakfast foods. Riku stood in front of a stove, glancing up to see who had arrived, “Ha! I knew they were coming. Told you, Kairi.”

“They went downstairs, I thought they’d eat there.” Kairi pouted, leaning against the counter next to Riku, a pile of pancakes next to her that Riku was steadily adding to. “Fine, you win, whatever.”

“Hi guys! You found us!” Sora called cheerfully, waving from a stool from a massive center kitchen island, the other Nobodies all nodding at the approaching Ribatans as they sat around it, working on their plates, “Riku made us all food! Grab a plate, he made some for you too!”

“Sora, again, just… turn it down a notch. Or five.” Even sighed, rubbing his eyes. The teens the only ones looking particularly well rested. “I have such a headache…”

“Oh! Hold on, hold on…” Kaito patted at his pockets, pulling out a few items from them–smelling salts, a small flask of heart medicine, nausea tablets–before patting his jacket and triumphantly pulling out a small cylinder, “Pain killers! Wait, is this the head stuff? Hold on,” Kaito read the label before grinning, “Yep, this is it! One of these guys will clear you right up!”

“Uuuuh… why are you walking around with a pharmacy on you, your grace?” Axel asked warily. 

“Oh, you know, all the hardcore fights I get into all the time. Gotta make sure I have some first aid stuff around for the enemies I defeat.” Kaito chuckled, passing the bottle to Even, who peered at the label before opening it up. Taking out a pill. But instead of taking it, he inspected it, breaking it in half and sniffing it. Kaito just watched him with a grin, before taking his bottle back, putting it back into his jacket, “Kidding, by the way! Most types of fighting is illegal here. Everyone good? Anyone need anything? If not, I’ll give you all some space, feel free to use the kitchenette as long as you want!”

Just sidling around Kaito like he was some giant spiked structure coated in potent poison, Gula headed over to the stove, hands in his pockets as he quietly asked Riku and Kairi if they needed any help. As the rest of the Ribatans uneasily settled around the various seating areas, though, Marluxia looked up from his food, giving Kaito a dismissive look that bordered on disparaging. 

“Clara already told us about Prince Ouma’s notoriety, if you’re clearly set on poorly avoiding questions,” he drawled. Though he’d barely taken a breath for his next sentence before immediately sitting up more, the lazy, unimpressed look snapping into frustrated stress, hissing quietly, “Shut up.”

Aeleus just raised his eyebrows a little at Lauriam and Marluxia before bowing his head to Kaito. “For us, at least, I believe we’re settled. Thank you for your hospitality, your grace.” He didn’t pay any more mind to the expressions wobbling over Lauriam’s face.

“...hmm.” Kaito hummed, staring at Lauriam… before smiling brightly at the rest of the group, “Alright! Have a great first day!”

Even watched as the prince left… before he sighed into his hand when Xigbar, without a word, left as well, trailing after him. “I swear, I’m cursed. Linnea, what are the odds he’s not going to do something bizarre to the prince if I leave him to it?”

Lauriam made a short, consternated noise. Aeleus just gave him a pat on the back as he returned to his breakfast. 

“Hmm…I’d guess about a 75-25 in favor of bizarreness, though the type of strange occurrence is far more likely to be a weird conversation than anything else,” Linnea said lightly, though the slight concern in her eyes was enough evidence to prove she wasn’t taking Even’s concern lightly. “Xigbar does realize we’re here on the royals’ charity, in the most optimistic version of events to happen, he won’t antagonize Prince Kaito.”

“It might be a little too late for that, honestly,” Marluxia snorted, before Lauriam just gave an exasperated huff. 

Glancing around the room, as if waiting for anyone else to speak up first, Invi asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, you know~ La-La met the prince some time ago, on a favor for The Ouma, and in true fashion immediately got into a fight with Momota~”

“He was being a dick!” Lauriam snapped, before more sheepishly sighing and looking away from the group. “...it wasn’t on purpose. But weirdly enough, he apologized, so I don’t think that’ll be a grudge carried over.” …for the treatment of the group, at least. 

He hoped. 

“I’m going to lose all of my hair,” Even muttered, finally deciding to take the pill Kaito had offered, it seeming legit as he gulped it down with some orange juice, “...so. Did you find the room to be alright?” Even asked, looking again to Linnea. “I’ll confess, I had some difficulty sleeping, though the bed was well enough. I didn’t realize how dependent I had become on the shape and feeling of those coffins we used as bedding in the caravans. What an odd thing to miss, in the comfort of luxuries.”

“You should have tried their baths! I swear, I’ve never been so relaxed.” Aced grinned, “It was magical, sir.”

“We’ve told you, you can drop honorifics with us.” Even said again. “If a situation like ourselves doesn’t allow for a degree of informality, what does?”

“Sorry. Habit.” Aced grinned more sheepishly now.

Ira, in turn, was frowning at Lauriam, leaning in to ask in a whisper, “I’m sorry, what happened?”

A small smile turned up Linnea’s lips. “They do say familiarity is the greatest comfort of all…for whatever that’s worth. But I did find the room to be quite nice.” She tilted her head a little to the side in contemplation. “The kind of niceness I’d expect from a reputable hotel, actually. I suppose that might be the standard for guest accommodations here, but it is bizarre to juxtapose with the knowledge that we’re under the same roof as royalty.”

Grimacing, Lauriam sighed, his expression twitching with a more smug one for a moment. “Back when our Nobodies were the only ones awake, through what felt more like happenstance than anything, The Ouma agreed to help them wake the rest of us up. By now, I really don’t think he did it just to get a favor, but we weren’t in a position to refuse when he did ask for one, and he did, for testing Prince Momota’s defenses.”

Marluxia rolled his eyes. “Which he has, like, a million of, by the way, and they are creepily developed.”

Xehanort raised his eyebrows a bit at that, storing that information. That was probably the reason he was so confident Kairi hadn’t been able to read him, then. 

Frowning, Lauriam continued. “The test went fine, actually, but…I guess because Amaina was there? She woke up his surface consciousness and he wanted to talk to me.”

And the talk had started out alright. As frustrated as Lauriam got with Kaito for other things, they weren’t enemies, just through mutual hatred of Tengan alone. …he wondered if Kaito knew about what Ienzo had told them, of what became of Tengan. 

Lauriam hesitated a moment before flushing lightly, gritting his teeth. “...look, I know how stupid it sounds…”

Marluxia bit out a snort, laughing lightly. “Momota was pushing at La-La’s Protective Big Brother Button, which in turn apparently pushed Momota’s Protective Husband Button. And that state is suuuuper rich, snobby asshole.” In an odd-looking move, Marluxia patted his own cheek, cooing, “Don’t get so down~ You’d literally just woken up from a coma, were you expecting anything to go well~?”

“Shut up,” Lauriam grumbled, quickling bringing his arm back down into his lap.

“.........okay, but,” Ira was practically grimacing over his warm, sweet pancakes, “The Momota prince? Lauriam? The Momota prince. That’s who you wanted to have a fight with? And then walk across the continent to come right up to his doorstep? The royal family isn’t exactly known for their level-headedness in the first place, and maybe you were too young to hear or know much about this, but Kaito Momota is famously insane.”

“As in, actually insane.” Ava whispered, having been quietly listening in on their discussion while the older empaths discussed their accommodations and the teens discussed what they might want to do with their first ‘free’ day in ages. “They say he used to tear rooms and furniture apart, throw priceless artifacts off of buildings, beat peasants and servants from when he was just a child, and when people asked why, he’d tell them Atua compelled him to. They say that you could see him on an average day wandering around talking to himself or randomly screaming at nothing… no offense.” Ava said to Lauriam, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just doubt he had your reasons. He’s dangerous. Unstable.”

At first, Lauriam just wilted, grimacing as he nodded knowingly. Yeah, he knew that he fucked up big time arguing with royalty, and especially royalty that was helping them, and royalty he knew was kind of in…sane…

Slowly, Lauriam looked back up, eyes widening as Ira and Ava filled him in on apparently? Nation-wide gossip? Of Kaito Momota being a famously unhinged and volatile religious nutcase. 

Sweating nervously (that was not the impression he’d gotten inside the dude’s head, but then again his most developed construct, A LITERAL ATUAN SAINT, had beaten down a door to force him out), Lauriam off-handedly mumbled, “I’m not talking to myself.”

“Darling, that’s absolutely the impression we give,” Marluxia scoffed, though he didn’t look entirely at ease with the new information. But he then frowned, crossing his arms. “...okay, but how many of those rumors, or even incidents, were caused by the Head Secretary, though? Believe me, I’m not looking to get buddy-buddy with a prince, but I’d doubt he’s half the threat those things imply if they were spurred on by a perverted sadist to a child.”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Hao smiled, having turned away from the earnest ramblings of the Heart Trio to eavesdrop on the older empaths, “Rumors of insanity take on a new significance when you know for a fact that he was growing up with an empath. And we all know how much abuse our abilities can allow us… but!” Hao tilted his head, smiling curiously, “It’s still also true that the Momota’s have always been a weird family. Maybe they’re all insane and the prince is just the most obvious one? And he did just make that ‘joke’ about keeping medical supplies on him to deal with the repercussions of fights. Perhaps he’s only sometimes like the rumors say? And we’ve only ever seen him when he’s not being violent.”

“...though, I hope that’s not the case,” Hao said, turning back to his food, “Since if it is, Lauriam’s probably in real trouble. Since it sounds like he’s the only one who’s made an enemy out of Kaito by this point. I hope nothing bad happens to you, Lauriam, I really do.”

Ira and Ava both looked warily at Hao. Who was back to happily snacking on his food. How sincere his concern was just… entirely up in the air. 

“Nnng,” Lauriam groaned, hunching into his shoulders as he went back to his pancakes. You would’ve thought he’d learned the trouble getting into fights could bring, but apparently not. And Kaito had apologized before, so it felt kind of…useless bringing it up again. 

God dammit. He was already enough dead-weight for his family, he couldn’t be the reason they got fucked over by a Momota again. Even if that meant…

Sighing, Lauriam got up, muttering that he’d be back soon. 

There was no sign of Kaito or Xigbar out in the hall, of course, but with a determined look Lauriam headed for the main stairwell, figuring Kaito would likely be getting his own breakfast after checking in with all of them.

-

When Kaito had walked out, it actually took him a moment before he noticed that he had gained a shadow, glancing over his shoulder and only feeling a touch nervous as he realized, “Oh! Did you… need something?”

Xigbar–Kaito was pretty sure his name was Xigbar, though he had been mentally calling him the ‘hot one with the scar’--just smiled at him. “Nah. Your majesty.” 

“It’s just ‘your grace’,” Kaito said, before his whole body seemed to stutter, a small twitch in his face as his brain hiccuped, before saying immediately afterwards, “Only not that either. Kaito! Call me Kaito, please.”

“Will do, Kaito.” Xigbar smiled. 

Kaito returned the smile lightly, rubbed the back of his neck, before giving Xigbar a nod. Heading off.

…after a moment, he looked over his shoulder again, “Are you sure you don’t need something?”

“So, Kai~” Xigbar said, Kaito’s eyes going bug-eyed when the older man suddenly wrapped his arms around Kaito’s bicep, hanging off of him as he smiled, the smile sharp despite the lower pouty lip and slight lines of age that softened the edges on either side, “The dining hall seems too common, and I can have food with Linnea and the kids any day. Where do you go to eat? Can I come?”

Kaito gave Xigbar a look like he had two heads growing off of his shoulders, and [suddenly frowned. Some of the flush that had spread across his face fading rapidly as he said, something stern in his voice, “Actually, don’t call me Kai. Only my husband calls me–]

“Sorry, maybe ‘Kai’ is too informal.” Xigbar said, bowing his head sheepishly, though he kept his arms where they were, “I think that only popped into my head because I heard the heir-apparent call you something like that.”

Any frustration that was starting to build in Kaito’s face eased, as he grinned appreciatively, “He does, yeah. Kai-chan, but ‘chan’ is just, like, an honorific that goes with ‘Kai’. So really he calls me Kai. And yeah, I’m a little attached to it, good guess… um.” Kaito looked down at his arm, still captured by Xigbar, “...are you feeling… dizzy?”

“No, I just want you to take me somewhere nice to eat. I want to get to know the royals who are doing so much for us! Come ooooon, certainly I could tempt you with some good company, to show me some good food. Where do the royals eat?”

“Our bedroom, mostly.” Kaito mused, looking around and [suddenly growing deeply uncomfortable when he spotted some staff members heading off the main staircase onto their floor, shaking Xigbar off as he said suddenly, “I have to go, but if you need anything, please feel free to ask really anyone–”]

Xigbar let go of Kaito’s arm, taking a step back. Kaito gave him a surprised look, now not noticing the staff members at all as he started heading towards the main staircase again. “Yeah, whatever you’re imagining? It doesn’t work like that here. The royals eat with everyone else, or we eat in our own bedroom. Or out in town! But there’s nothing special about that, everyone does.”

Xigbar thought about insisting, and saw [Kaito start to get frustrated, before leading Xigbar down to the dining hall and knocking on the kitchen door. Asking a woman working inside, “Chako, could you please have the super special royal food delivered to the super special royal quarters?” “...what? Kokichi wants his cinnamon roll early this year? Tell him no, we don’t have the ingredients prepped.”] another dead end that led to nothing useful. “Well, maybe you should take me out to town then. Trust me, give me five minutes to get dressed up and you can take me anywhere.”

“What…?” Kaito gave Xigbar a bewildered look… before he squinted. “Is this what talking to me sounds like? I feel like this is what talking to me sounds like. This is exhausting.”

“I couldn’t say. I’m enjoying talking to you,” Xigbar snickered, placing his hand on his hip and leaning on it as he sighed, “Allllriiiiight, cards on the table. Cards on the table? I did ask about you before coming here. Did you know!? I was actually put into the factory before you were ever born?”

Kaito’s eyes widened at that… before they grew heavy with guilt. Looking Xigbar up and down, at the small signs of his age, with new uncertain anxiety as he asked a touch weakly, “...really?”

“It’s true! I was still around for Prince Byakuya’s birth, of course. Hell of a celebration, I think I woke up literally two days later in a gutter. Had a great time.” Xigbar snickered, scratching his upper lip as he reflected on genuinely fond memories, “But entirely missed out on yours. Which is a shame! I should have partied hard for the party prince! Instead of being all locked up in a boring dungeon, I mean. Very disrespectful, to you.”

“I… I’m really sorry you were in that long…”

Interesting. Xigbar was trying really, really hard to {feel} if Kaito was actually sorry or not… but he couldn’t catch anything. It was like there was just nothing even low-frequency emitting from Kaito’s mind. A total locked box… unless Kaito just generally didn’t feel anything at all… was he faking it? 

Kaito was lingering at the top of the staircase now, not having started descending as he and Xigbar talked. Xigbar stepped closer, briefly considering just to see what would happen if [he tried pushing the prince down the stairs. Kaito was startled, genuinely shocked as he was shoved backwards… but he caught himself on the railing, stopping his fall by squaring his feet before he had managed to slide down too many steps. Glaring up at Xigbar with furious eyes as he demanded, “How dare you–”]

“Are you okay?” Kaito asked, gently taking Xigbar’s shoulder and shaking him slightly, pulling him out of the vision before he could see anything useful, “You’re grinding your teeth.”

“It’s a horny reaction.” Xigbar said off-handedly, trying desperately to get the vision back.

“What??”

“Pfff, ha!” Marluxia laughed. “Look, see? You shouldn’t be so worried, La-La, if anyone’s going to make a mortal enemy here, it’s certainly not going to be you. First, at least.”

“Would you just--!” Lauriam took a deep breath from his strained grumble before looking between Xigbar and Kaito. Then looking to the side as he shallowly bowed. “Sorry to interrupt. And to call you back, Kaito,”--he had said he’d just get made fun of for titles, so…Lauriam was trying, “but if it’s alright, could I speak with you for a moment?”

“Uuuuuh, I mean…” Kaito looked back and forth between Xigbar and Lauriam, “I don’t know, I’m half considering dragging this guy to a healer. I think he has brain worms.”

“Hah!” Xigbar laughed, before scowling, “Oh dammit, I lost it. Uuuuugh. Auuuugh–fine. I’ll try again later.”

“Try what again later?” Kaito asked. 

“Anyway, be careful, kiddo! I’d say you're the princes type, but I think that might just be a meaningless statement. Just look out for yourself~” Xigbar said, patting Lauriam’s shoulder before strutting off.

Kaito’s look became increasingly dry as Xigbar left. “Oooooh. Okay, sure. Haha, very funny… eh, whatever. I still think he has brain worms. Anyway!” Kaito laughed, trying to shake all of that off as he turned to Lauriam, “Yeah, of course! Did you need something Lauriam? It was Lauriam, right?”

Even trying to be cordial, Lauriam gave Xigbar a look that was so unamused it bordered on disgusted. So it was with such a lack of inflection it’d make Ienzo proud that he said, “Thank you, Xigbar.”

“Whatever you want to define ‘brain worms’ as, that’s just how he is,” Marluxia scoffed, before giving Kaito a lackadaisical shrug. “Partly right.”

Lauriam’s expression tensed for a moment. “Ah, you two didn’t meet, sort of--if you heard from Kokichi, about our situation… That was Marluxia.”

“Charmed,” Marluxia rolled his eyes. 

“Though that’s not why I came by,” Lauriam quickly confirmed. Balling his fists to force himself, he gave Kaito a low bow. “I know we settled things before, but I really don’t want to make an enemy of you. And…at the very least…”

Lauriam grimaced tiredly as he looked to the side and partially rose. “...if you ever do want…I don’t know, to act on a grudge or act sporadically if those are more than rumors, please just take it out on me. My family deals with enough from my mistakes, I don’t want to add more.”

“.......charmed!” Kaito agreed good-naturedly, though he still looked a little confused. 

But his confusion over the Lauriam/Marluxia situation didn’t have long to fester. Kaito at first just raising an eyebrow when Lauriam bowed, politely bowing back, though he frowned at the request… “Act on a grudge?”

Kaito paused, “...okay, actually, to reference what you’re currently saying,” Kaito said, remembering rule number one: deal with the reality in front of you rather than trying to correct it, “Theeeeen yeah. Agreed. If I did have an issue with you, I wouldn’t want to take it out on the people closest to you. That’d be really shitty. Though, I feel like whatever you’re imagining me doing to ‘take it out’ on you probably isn’t what I’d actually do… or I dunno, maybe it is. I can be kind of brainwormy sometimes too. But you’re not in any danger around me, even if I was mad at you.”

Another pause, before Kaito added in, “I am doing so much better about it these days, but I cannot guarantee, if I was reeeaaally upset, that the nearest, say, chair or desk wouldn't be a casualty. But it wouldn’t be a person, and it wouldn’t be you.”

(For 90% of things, but Kaito felt like he didn’t need to say ‘Don’t hurt my kids’. It was implied.)

“All that explained! I don’t have a grudge against you. You’re the one who doesn’t like me.”

Lauriam sighed softly. If Kaito was ‘doing better’, then maybe some of the rumors Ira and Ava referenced weren’t so blown out…so, this was probably necessary, as much as it seemed that Kaito was taking it for a given not to punish Lauriam’s family for his own mistakes. But…well, good. With that established, Lauriam didn’t need to stay awake at night wondering if he’d just screwed over everyone else by opening his big, dumb mouth. 

For the most part. Probably. 

“Furniture’s definitely a casualty we can take,” Marluxia snorted in soft amusement, “Sounds almost pleasant, actually.” He then leveled a cool gaze at Kaito, standing back on his hip and fully out of the bow. He had nothing to apologize for, after all. “Sure, sure, but Lauriam’s far from expecting you to just placidly take things. He’s just being a little pre-emtive for any shitshows.”

Kaito stared at the new stance… before he stared up at the ceiling. Skin reddening as he muttered, “Seriously, was it a prison of models?” before he sighed, running a hand over his face before looking down again, “Aaaaaanyway, sure. Look, honestly? It’s fine if you’re just being preemptive to argue with me later. I don’t care if we argue. I don’t care if you get sarcastic or mean or take any cute little potshots at my colorful past like Old Hot Scar guy did. But if you don’t want any really heated fights? Just be nice to my family, alright? Especially Kokichi. Kokichi can take a lot of abuse, but he shouldn’t have to, he bends over backwards for people and I’m really sick of people not acknowledging that. And if I seem quick to jump on it? It’s because Kokichi in a million years isn’t going to ask anyone to be nice to him. He was raised to take abuse as part of the Ouma name, and I, as his prince-consort? Am not going to let him.”

Kaito paused… before shrugging, “That’s my line in the sand, if you’re really trying to set some boundaries.”

Lauriam’s expression went puzzled at Kaito referencing a ‘colorful past’--he…didn’t think Xigbar had referenced any of that stuff--before he let out a small huff. “‘Old Hot Scar guy’? …look, you and your husbands seem dedicated, so I don’t mean it like that, but Xigbar’s a whole issue you’d be better swerving.” Lauriam’s lips twisted in distaste. “I think he and my mom are just friends, somehow, but I’m not entirely sure.”

Though as Kaito set his boundaries, Lauriam gave him a small nod, before looking away more sheepishly. “...I can admit I might’ve…overreacted a bit, before, and that wasn’t fair to Kokichi. He really has been nothing but overwhelmingly kind to us, and I do appreciate that. And, as it turns out, Ienzo really didn’t care…”

Cutting himself off with a short sigh, Lauriam looked back at Kaito. “Then my line’s messing with my little siblings. We’re good?”

“I’m not gonna mess with any of the family! And I’m not fucking anyone! Whole issue, swerved! Sheesh!” Kaito groaned, digging his palms into his eyes, “Swerved, purged, scourged! Ooooh, that was pretty good.” Kaito said, lighting up a bit as he let his hands fall, clearly pleased with himself, “I gotta tell Kokichi about that one later.”

“Anyway, yeah, we’re good. Annnnnnd whenever we’re inevitably not good again? We’re still good. You have a temper, I have a temper, and we both seem very annoying. I’m sure we’ll get into some sort of fight,” Kaito said, rolling his eyes, “And like I said, honestly, that’s fine. Fights happen. We’re allowed. No one’s gonna get hurt. I could teach you how to dance spar! It’s great! It’s just dancing and arguing. You should try it with your friends, it’s very cathartic.”

It…was probably inevitable. Lauriam had no fucking clue what the plan was from here, what ‘setting up base’ for the others even looked like, but he had a feeling that whatever living an actual life now looked like would have them avoiding the royal family at least for the time being. And if he didn’t want to be an overly-optimistic idiot about it? Then he should probably expect to butt heads with Kaito again. 

So…good to set this understanding up ahead of time. 

Though--

“Right,” Marluxia scoffed a laugh. “Maybe we know one person who’d get a kick out of that, but it certainly isn’t you. Bye-bye, fancy-pants,” Marluxia bade, heading back to the kitchen now that Lauriam’s business was finished, “Have the morning you deserve~”

“Sorry, bye!” Lauriam half-turned, quickly giving a shallow bow.

“Awww… they turned down my spar-dancing offer.” Kaito pouted, watching Lauriam leave. Shame. They had great hips…

….AHHHH WHY WERE ALL OF THEM SO PRETTY!? Like, seriously!? No duds in the bunch! It was like the Togami warehouses were breeding runway models! 

Or it was like someone in charge of them enjoyed his victims to be pretty.

……actually, it really probably was as simple an explanation as that. Kaito had known even as a kid that Tengan had a huge, personal hand in the running and organizing of the Indentured Program. He did probably pick which empaths they were going to keep in the factories. And he probably did have a bias towards any prisoner who was attractive. 

Kaito could only wonder how bad things were inside of the warehouses… he knew from Lauriam himself that Tengan had made personal visits. Enjoying the spoils of his labor. But how far he actually went with it… Kaito wondered if Tengan’s restraint when it came to Kaito was a universal thing, or it was Kaito’s benefit of being a prince in a castle, that Tengan had never actually touched him.

But, in his mind, Tengan had touched him. Kokichi had told him so. Kaito couldn’t remember any of it, but he supposed maybe Tengan didn’t actually have any restraint in that, outside of not being caught. 

Kaito was glad he didn’t remember. He was sorry for the empaths, if they didn’t have that luxury. Even if a lot of them were, just, so needlessly mean already, what the fuck Xigbar.

-

“‘Kichiiiii~” Kaito grinned, something clearly a little smug and proud on his face as he squatted down in front of Kokichi’s desk, resting his arms on its edge as he nestled his chin over his arms, “I got hit on by one of the new guys. He was kinda weird and mean about it, but! He focused on my bicep.” Kaito lifted his head, straightening up his arm so he could flex it at his husband, grinning proudly, “So I think the new workouts been paying off. Your husbands still a catch~” Kaito paused, before smirking, “Don’t tell Shuichi.”

Swallowing his mouthful of fruit, Kokichi grinned dreamily at Kaito. “Mhmm? Well, at least one of them was bound to have good taste and a deathwish, just from a numbers game. And Kai-chan always looks fantastic, and he’s been very dedicated to the new workout.”

Leaning forward to peck Kaito, he promised in a sing-song, “I won’t snitch~”

Though, he gave Kaito a more worried look after. “...weird and mean? Were they alright?”

Kaito preened a little–good taste AND a death wish? Flatterer–before he just shrugged. Standing up after the little kiss and leaning his hip against the desk, taking a mild peek at Kokichi’s paperwork before deciding there wasn’t anything interesting there, “It was fine, but it’s the main reason I wanted to let you know. Beyond bragging rights, I mean. I think Xigbar was testing me. He was doing that thing I do when you get really aggressively flirty and weird at someone to try to get through their defenses? It was really strange being on the other end of it for once, I haven’t experienced that for years. So I guess, just a heads up if he gets that way with you? He’s probably trying to see how you react and make some judgments based on it.”

“Otherwise! Also wanted to report that they were all spending time together in the kitchenette this morning, and I overheard them talking about their rooms and what they wanted to do today. I think the older guys were feeling a little stressed about the rooming situation, just, it being another new place? Soooo I think I’d recommend we offer them more stable housing sooner rather than later,” Kaito mused, tapping his finger against the desk edge a bit, “I think giving them a few weeks to chill out and get used to their rooming and then moving them again is just gonna stress them out more. So I was thinking maybe we could introduce them to a…”

Kaito squinted, realizing he didn’t know the name for this, “...house… getting person? Like, when you don’t inherent a house, but shop for one? That’s a thing, right?”

Kokichi frowned with a small nod, humming. “Ooooh…okay. Well, I’ll do my best. And depending on how it goes, I’ll try not to freak him out too much just trying to be direct. Not my favorite thing in the world, but I do understand them just trying to get more information about life here.”

And about the people they were putting their livelihoods in the hands of. 

Which…still wasn’t over. 

Sighing, Kokichi ran a hand through his bangs before giving Kaito a little smile. “A realtor, yeah. I have been collecting some listings that have opened up over the past few weeks, just so they can get a feel for the sorts of places that are available here, but introducing them to a realtor would let them be more in charge of the process, huh? I was gonna talk to them after breakfast about their safety deposit boxes anyway, so I’ll bring this up too.”

“Thank you, ‘Kichi~” Kaito said, leaning over to place his own kiss against Kokichi’s cheek, lingering for a moment… before he leaned back with a groan, “I probably can’t convince you to let me rail you over the desk right now, huh? God, you’re pretty right now. That dumbass got me thinking about stuff like that, like I needed the damn help. I’m probably gonna go spend some time in the shrine. Do you need anything from me today?”

“Pff, Kai-chan!” Kokichi laughed in scandal, “No, Nadya-chan’s coming in any moment now. Geez, way to make a guy feel like his morning flirts aren’t enough…” Leaning off his chair, Kokichi followed Kaito to kiss him one more time before smiling adoringly. “Just to keep an ear open if any of our guests need something, but other than that, to keep being your wonderful self. I’ll come find you after work?”

Kaito pouted–darn it, Nadya–but it was mostly just performance. His eyes lighting up with delight when Kokichi chased him with a kiss, that and the compliment making Kaito’s ears warm up red and spread across his face, “Yep! If you’re not too tired, maybe we can all grab some food out in town together. I love you, beautiful. Have a good day at work!” 

-

Gula could only attribute it to shock that they were left to their own devices. Not at first, of course--the prince had seemed more than happy to lead them all downstairs to what looked like PO box storage, proving that his explanation of all the money they were somehow getting for free from the government was real. And…if that was real, then his claims that anyone? Could own a house? And that if you lived somewhere long enough, the apartment you were renting could just be yours? Maybe…those were real too. 

The thought of living in a new house with Linnea and Xigbar and the others was not appealing. He’d been grateful for Linnea having a home they could stay in, and all things considered, he guessed they all weren’t the worst people to live with, but…if he had the option not to?

…he probably would’ve looked into moving out from his parents’ back home by now anyway. Would’ve been graduating high school soon… Gula didn’t think he would’ve applied for college, but just getting out, being independent… Some of the people in his climbing groups had even talked about getting a place together--

Gula winced at the memory, his arms aching. Maybe it was just a reminder he wasn’t praying enough. 

God, it was such bullshit though!! That was exactly the sort of thing he’d wanted to get away from, thinking about moving out! He didn’t have to go to temple four nights a week, he didn’t have to sit in during group active prayer, he didn’t…

He didn’t. Skipped so much to go live his own life. And in return, he had been imprisoned and enslaved. 

Gula had heard some murmurs about an Atuan shrine in the castle, and somehow? That’s where his feet led him as he wandered. He hesitated by the large, imposing doors for a moment before pressing one open, and inside?

Gula saw the grace of god. 

All air was punched from his chest at the literal glowing, glittering beauty inside, the red rock making up the entrance warm and inviting, while right across the room… Gula felt his knees weaken as he stumbled inside, eyes wide as he took in Saint Madison and Saint Sarah-Mei, his palms tingling as sunlight shown through the Passing of the Iron, sending it alight. 

He could only drop to his knees in front of the offering table, seeing the Good Book and centerpiece of iron. And with trembling hands, Gula pushed his sleeves up, fumbling slightly as he started unwinding his bandages. 

(His faith had never looked so…beautiful. But it was still imposing. In some ways, it felt like he was standing at the gates of paradise, Atua and the Saints right in front of him, and to not offer himself fully at their mercy…)

(It really would’ve marked him as a demon.)

The main reason Kaito had asked–well, somewhat asked, an implication of being prepared to be asked not to when he had brought it up in the office–Kokichi if it was alright to spend a good chunk of the day in his shrine, was because Kaito had wanted to indulge in his hookah for a while. While it was fun to imply he would really need the whole day just to rub one out in a bout of horny faith because he thought his husband was looking particularly nice that day, in truth what actually took a lot of time in the shrine when he spent a good bit of time in there was him lounging in the back room, chatting with Atua or reading a good book, the air heavy with pleasant smelling hookah smoke. 

It was the sort of thing that took a while and that Kaito couldn’t really invite his family to participate with him in, Shuichi watching Miyako, Maki not liking Hookah that much and Kokichi unable to breathe safely in it. So it was one of his more low-key and private hobbies, Kaito really just being with himself and relaxing. 

But he wasn’t playing any music that day. He did sometimes, but he usually just liked the quiet of the shrine. So he couldn’t help but hear the quiet sounds of someone moving around the main part of the shrine. There weren’t a lot of people who visited the shrine on their own. Maybe Waku or Priestess Selka? But even the priestess very rarely visited. Kaito couldn’t convince her for the life of him that it really was a ‘public’ place, and she tended to think of it as invading a royal area, so she tended to only come here when she was specifically invited, and otherwise went to the public Atua temple out in the city. 

With so rare visitors who just wanted to experience the shrine itself, Kaito assumed it was someone looking for him. So he put aside his book, put his hookah back on the hook, put his pants back on–look, masterbating here wasn’t the whole point, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t–and pushed open the back entrance, a cloud of smoke escaping out with him as he called, “Hey, I’m back here–oh!”

For a moment, Gula was frozen like a deer in carriage lights as he looked at Kaito, bandages loose and pooling around his wrists, exposing the littered landscape of old prayer scars and two new, healing cuts on his arms, a pocketknife in his hands. And then all at once it crashed down on Gula what exactly he was doing. 

Kneeling in the prince’s (Prince Momota, Atua’s Chosen) home shrine like he belonged, and wasn’t just an intruding stain on a holy place. 

Gula’s pupils shrank as he bolted. Couldn’t kill him if you couldn’t catch him. 

“Ooooooh, no no no, NOPE!” Kaito shouted, immediately running after him. Nope, nope, nope, a bleeding teenager was NOT running out of his shrine and around his castle! Not happening! NOT HAPPENING!

Kaito ran out of the main shrine door with Gula, saw him veer right, and immediately got flashbacks of Doppio pulling the same move he knew Gula was about to pull. Stepping left, Kaito waited a beat before he saw, yep, Gula suddenly try to jukes him by darting to the other side of the hall, Kaito already there as he reached out and grabbed Gula around the waist, hefting him off his feet. “Gotchya!”

Kaito was proud of himself for five whole seconds, before worriedly realizing, “Oh, no, I fucking kidnapped someone again? Dammit, dammit, you come here.” Kaito groaned, dragging a thrashing Gula back towards the shrine, “At least let me wrap up the damn cuts before you go running bleeding down the damn halls!”

There was a massive drop in terror in Gula’s stomach as he felt muscular arms grab around his middle. Flashbacks of others in the factory being grabbed aside out of line or shoved away, knowing in an instant that he’d never see them again once the supervisors pulled them out of sight. 

But Gula’s struggles were…odd. Because paired right along that fear was the knowledge that this was Prince Kaito Momota, Chosen of Atua, Representative of Atua’s Word in the Mortal Realm, and to attack literal mortal divinity? Dying would’ve been the least of Gula’s problems. 

So he struggled, without really hitting Kaito, only managing to gasp out in frightened breaths, “Stop, STOP, let me go!”

Kaito ignored him for now. If he let him go, the kid would bolt again. Not scaring the shit out of him was clearly already a losing man’s game. And the cuts he had seen were long. Like, if handled wrong, they were ‘could have been prayer, could have been suicide’ long. Nope. Not happening.

So Kaito carried the teen back into his shrine, and standing in front of the–still open–door, Kaito then let him go. Keeping guard in front of the door, but crossing his arms and squaring his legs as he frowned at the boy as he said, “You’ve got, like, five minutes to pull yourself together. But I’m just shoving you back if you try to leave before you’ve calmed down.”

(It didn’t matter, really, but it was maybe worth noting that Kaito was subconsciously mimicking Nekomaru’s stance. Juzo stood with his arms down, close to the hilt of his blade, when he was scolding Kaito, imposing and stern. Leon’s shoulders would hunch forward and his hands were very expressive, when he was upset. Sayaka’s shoulders went back, her hands in front of her stomach, when Kaito earned her disapproval. And Tengan’s hands went behind his back, a gesture that could appear disarming and kind, but often just made it harder to predict where his hands were suddenly going to go next.)

(Kirigiri didn’t express her anger in the form of body language. Kaito had observed that in Shuichi, not long ago. A cold, chilly stiffness that came over his husband when he was upset. It had made him wonder if Miyako would someday also recognize that stance as one of authority, and if she’d mimic it someday when she was older and scolding others. The thought had made Kaito feel warm and affectionate, imagining his daughter taking on Daddy and Dada’s traits.)

(Again. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a fun thing to notice.)

Gula was visibly shaking as Kaito let him go. And…this never would’ve worked in the factory. Once the supervisors decided someone was going to die, that was it, no amount of pleading or bargaining or threats would do anything. But as much as the same sort of mortal terror ran through him, Gula did know this wasn’t the factory. 

Quickly, Gula collapsed onto his knees again, bending forward to place his head on the ground in a submission bow. Voice hushed as hurried as he said, “And thus mercy triumphed over judgement, the true plea, forsaking transgressions, shown the nature of the soul, Saint Sarah-Mei’s act of mercy enshrining the practice for all under Atua’s eyes. All children thus born under her blessing, all children of Atua, inheriting the grace of forgiveness, Atua Be Pleased.”

“Atua be pleased.” Kaito echoed, his expression softening. Just… sad. He didn’t enjoy hearing Sarah-Mei’s passage being used in this way, though, wow, the fact that he knew the verbage word for word? And was quoting it in a shrine clearly partly dedicated to her? That was an impressive amount of theological knowledge just right there, Kaito didn’t know very many people who could do that. 

Between that and the lines of injury on the teens arms–Kaito could see better now that the one he had spotted wasn’t actually fresh, but it sure wasn’t healed either–along with the use of a submission bow in line with the prayer? 

He wasn’t just Atuan. He was the style of Atuan Kaito had been raised as by the priestesses of the Luminary castle. Technically only one secular branch of it, there were a few different ways to be Atuan, but absolutely one of the more strict versions of the teachings. One that, for Kaito, he had ultimately volunteered for, since the priestesses couldn’t really make a royal who worshipped in their temples follow or believe all of their rules, not in practice. But for most anyone else? 

The result of a strict Atuan household.

“...you’re forgiven. I’m not going to harm you. And, I’d show that more plainly by pressing a weapon against you, but… sorry, I don’t actually have a weapon on me, and I don’t feel like putting my hands on you again.” Kaito explained, showing the presence of danger and then taking that danger away a usual ritual for the submission bow. “You can raise your head, no harm will come to you…”

Kaito paused, glancing over his shoulder through the open door behind him. The teen could run again, if Kaito wasn’t careful. Buuuut the lack of an actual, bleeding wound did take some of the urgency of that away. So he could take a risk.

Kaito sat down where he was standing, crossing his legs as he said, “Well, you found my shrine! My husband made it for me. Kokichi. Isn’t it beautiful?” Kaito asked, looking around fondly, “...are you curious why one of the saints it's directly worshiping is Sarah-Mei? You seem to know her teachings.”

It felt like a lie. 

All of Atua’s children had inherited the dignity of mercy from Saint Sarah-Mei’s act of sainthood, but Gula was no child of Atua. 

Still, Gula slowly sat up, keeping his gaze low as Kaito spoke. Just crumpling his bandages in his lap to separate his healing cuts from his body. “I think this is the most beautiful room I’ve ever seen,” Gula said quietly, before swallowing. “...I have to assume it’s a personal preference, your grace.”

For once, Gula had the presence of mind not to say that it made sense for a disgraced son to have a place in his faith for mercy. He’d just been graced mercy, he really shouldn’t push the guy that was notorious for intense, destructive rages. 

Gula could barely remember when Kaito renounced his claim. He did remember a lot of heated discussion at temple, some people aghast at a Momota’s insanity, others pissed that politics were trying to silence the words of a prophet. He mostly remembered one of the older kids keeping him from falling into the toilet while he threw up from blood loss, those days being a long stretch of constant prayer. 

“It is! And while my Kokichi put a lot of care and love and time into designing this place for me, he probably still doesn’t actually know the significance of putting specific saints imagery on the walls of a shrine. He was mimicking the saints I had hung in my own, less…” Kaito tsked, smiling lightly, but the smile tinged with something almost exasperated, “...well-decorated attempt at a shrine. She was one of the saints I had brought with me to Dicea, essentially asking for protection from… well…” 

Kaito laughed, “From Kokichi. Again, I don’t know if he realizes the irony in that. That he memorialized and created a specific place of worship for my fear of him. That I’d hope he’d be kind to me. That I hoped he’d love me.” Kaito looked around fondly again. His eyes lingering on the window, the mosaic display of the Saints warmly shining down on them, filling the room with drifting color, “...I’m sorry I grabbed you. I’m sorry I scared you. What I’m trying to tell you, is that I owe Saint Sarah-Mei too much, to ever be a danger to you, or anyone, really. This room is a bright, shining example of how much mercy has been shown to me. I’d deserve to never step into it again if I couldn’t be that mercy for others.”

“...I grabbed you because I was worried about your arms.” Kaito admitted, his tone soft. “I’m sure you’re taking care of it, but can I at least put some alcohol and cream on the cuts? It’ll help with scarring and infection.”

Gula stared at his arms. He could see colored light from the mosaic windows glittering on the ground. Even those with their eyes cast down finding saintliness wherever they looked. 

“It could be the same as a submission bow, rather than irony,” Gula said hesitantly after a moment. “Giving you a space with the protection against his cruelty, like a declaration that no matter what, he’s ensuring your safety.” The smirk he pulled was more of a shaking grimace. “Though that interpretation would be a stretch for a non-Atuan to pull off.”

He let go of a shaking breath. “I’m sorry for intruding on your shrine. I…haven’t been in a proper one in a long time, guess…muscle memory just took over,” he grumbled, glancing to the side. He really shouldn’t bother the prince more. “If you’re insisting? I did take care of them last night, though.”

Gula huffed. “...really don’t know what I was thinking, this is way too soon to make another offering.”

“Oh man, I love that interpretation,” Kaito grinned, pushing his hands against the floor and getting up with a small grunt. He was young, but dad life was starting to get to him. His lower back hurt. “And yeah, I kinda am insisting. It’s the Momota in me, just bare with it.”

Still, once he was up, it was easy to dig some of the supplies he needed out of the cabinets, calling to Gula, “Come on, come sit over on the couch. I know the rug is nice, but I feel like it’s weird optics to have you sitting on the floor. And here, you can take a look at the bottle for the scar-clearer while I’m doing the alcohol swaths, confirm it’s what I’m telling you it is. It’s good stuff too. It won’t take the scarring away entirely, but it does really lighten it. See?”

Kaito put his own arm under a bright beam of light coming from the window. The light showing off the thin, white criss-crossing of scars on his tanned skin better, almost unnoticeable in the shadows.

“And good! I’m glad to hear that doing daily bloodlettings is not your usual. I know we’re taught that we should do bloodletting for really serious prayer, but honestly, I think I want to believe Atua and the Saints would hear us regardless, blood or not. And if we’re going by the book? We really only need to do it once a month. Just to honor the gift Atua was given by the lesser Goddess Khalisi. Seriously, I don’t know why Atuan’s made that such an important part of our practice, it’s barely even for Atua. What a weird interpretation.”

In a million years Gula never would’ve guessed a ‘Momota’ think would be to insist on post-prayer care, but these past two years were just full of things he’d have never been able to predict. With a small grunt, he got up from the floor, pausing for a moment to look around the shrine again. He hadn’t even noticed the luxurious looking couch and beaded sitting cushions, or even the massive wall fishtank, oh shit, too astounded by the centerpieces. 

Though as he made his way over to the couch, Gula could only give Kaito a brief, confused look. “Why would you want to lighten the scars?” If you were devout, anyway. In his temple community, they had always been seen as literal marks of pride, physical proof of one’s devout faith. Trying to ease or hide them was like renouncing god. 

Just like… Gula gave Kaito an even more weirded out look. “Sure, not daily, but offering blood is offering pieces of yourself to the divine, acknowledging that the physical body is temporary and only formed because of Atua in the first place.” The look grew unsure. “Do…you not bloodlet?”

“Mostly to not make the people who love us sad,” Kaito admitted, dousing some cotton in alcohol and gently taking one of Gula’s arms, frowning a bit as he got a closer look at the fresh cut. That was deep… “And so that people who don’t know us don’t think we’re crazy. I know those are shallow reasons in the face of religion, but how we make others feel does come into play, and you do need to make choices with that in mind. Constant bloodletting upsets my family and upsets the healers who are worried I’m hurting myself for psychological reasons. So. I stopped.”

Dabbing the alcohol against the cut, Kaito amended, “Except for once a month. Because I am still religious, at the end of the day. That hasn’t changed. And Atua doesn’t need pieces of us… heh.” Kaito suddenly chuckled. Well, mostly Atua didn’t need pieces of people. Unless he was trying to make other people. For vague, unknowable reasons. “But I do understand wanting to give him pieces anyway. It’s nice, to feel part of the divine. But not to our own detriment.”

“At least, that’s just what I think.” Kaito shrugged, asking for the next arm, “But my opinion on the matter is worth about as much as the next guys. I’m not judging you for doing it. I would just rather know you were doing it safely. Especially if you’re about to run panicked from my shrine for everyone to see. They’re going to think I’m carving you, kid.”

Gula’s jaw tightened. 

His parents were furious if he’d skipped out on temple or didn’t go up to the bowl to pray. One of the few times he could ever remember them being proud of him was while treating and wrapping up his letting cuts, proudly telling Gula that he’d done well, God was pleased with him, that they were doing everything they were supposed to and it’d serve them well on the way to paradise. 

Gula wasn’t wholly ignorant, he knew his parents and temple community were a bit intense, which was why he’d taken to wearing long sleeves and compression sleeves when he wasn’t in those spaces. But even still, everyone knew what his scars were for. 

…but that was different in Dicea? Different for a Momota?

The look Gula gave Kaito was almost affronted in how disbelieving it was, even as he gave the man his other arm. “...worth as much as the next guy’s. You. One of the literal chosen as the word of God, really don’t have as much worth in your opinion. You’re really just going to say that?”

“Mhm~” Kaito hummed, endlessly amused as he admitted, “But you have no idea how nice it is to hear someone find that baffling. What a balm on the soul that is. The last time I claimed my opinion on Atua mattered, I got yelled at by an entire pubs worth of Atuan’s for, like, hours. It might have even been a whole day? I don’t remember, I got very drunk.”

Kaito finished cleaning out the cut, putting aside the alcohol and taking one of his clean rags, dabbing the arms to clear them a bit, before asking, “Do you want the scarring cream? I won’t make you use it if the cuts are important to you. We can just wrap your arms and call it good… oh man,” Kaito frowned, “I haven’t asked your name. I’m sorry, I’m sure I heard it during intros, but I can be really bad about that sort of thing. I’m Kaito Momota, Prince-Consort of the Dicean Cacti Fields, Luminary Prince of the Stars, ex-second son, all of that. It’s nice to meet you. Can I get your name?”

…what???

Gula gave Kaito a baffled look. Yeah, he knew there were different sects, but…Momotas were integral to Atua. Denying them was denying any part of Atua’s influence on the mortal plane at all! For there to be a sect that just…didn’t care?

(Didn’t care about the rich fucks who notoriously executed anyone they didn’t like, sent demon hunts out all over the country, were too busy killing each other to handle national matters…created a program that enslaved thousands of people?)

Gula looked at the bottle, then down at his arms. The scars had never been a point of pride for him. Just something to live with. 

“...yeah, I’ll use it; thank you, your grace.” Accepting the cream, Gula bowed his head in greeting. “Gula Banica, nice to meet you.”

“Gula! Great name.” Kaito complimented, opening up the cream and slathering his hands in it, before rubbing it over one of Gula’s arms, like a dad putting sunscreen on a kid at the beach, “Named for the Healer Saint then? Or just a coincidence?”

Gula smirked a little. “Basically. Would’ve been more spot on if I’d been a girl, but, yanno.” He rolled his eyes with a shrug, wholly confident that this was something everyone had gone through growing up. “The appeal of transition never got to me, so my folks were just stuck with a kid of the unfavored sex, with a name that’s almost right.”

He nodded towards the windows. “Did know a few Sarahs and Madisons at temple too, actually. Half the time was more surprised meeting anyone who didn’t have a name from the Good Book.”

Kaito grimaced a little, “Yeah, I don’t envy sons who grow up in strict religious households. My family wasn’t very religious, so I really didn’t notice it when I was young, but the focus on women in the religion did kind of start getting to me once I became a teenager and could make the connections myself. Being raised with that understanding of being the inferior sex? Explicitly? That’s always sounded harder to deal with.”

“Okay! That should dry, and you can just leave it on till your next shower, it’s not going to hurt you.” Kaito said, the cream on Gula’s arms. “Want some help with wrapping your bandages? I don’t know if you’ll need them now, the cuts in theory should be okay, but it might be wise to just avoid opening them up again.”

“At least your folks could put on a good enough show of it,” Gula tsked, “Like, even my temple knew it was political talk, but that whole speech King Leon made about Atua deciding that enough was enough with the war with Dicea? If you mention God a few times, guess that’s good enough for people looking for religious guidance.” Of course actual guidance came from the Head Priestess, but there was a certain implication that all major decisions were at least approved by a Momota in Atua’s name. 

“Thanks, but I’ve got it,” Gula assured, starting to re-wrap his arms. “Don’t think Linnea and Xigbar are too keen on letting us too far out of their sight still, so it’s not like I’m hitching a ride out to that mountain north of here anytime soon. Plenty of time to heal.”

Kaito’s eyebrows went up a little, at Gula’s talk of what was, honestly? Very recent events… “This is going to sound like an odd question, but everyone I know who’s been through the program went to it when they were really young… did you go to the Togami warehouses recently?”

Gula let out a sigh, this point not brought up too much these days, but had definitely been emphasized for his place in the group while in the factory and while they were in hiding. “Yeaaaah, I got arrested in the middle of Late-Summer in 302. I was only in the factory for like seven months before they were closed down.”

He shrugged a little dismissively. “I’m definitely the newest, but a lot of the others were snagged in their mid or late teens too--dunno if that’s what you mean by ‘really young’. Other than, like, Hao, Xehanort, Linnea, and Xigbar? No one else was in our factory as long as Riku and his family.”

“302… I’ve been married longer than you were in the program…” Kaito whispered, staring at Gula… before his brow suddenly furrowed, “What are you doing here? Gula, you’re in Dicea. Why didn’t you go home, why didn’t… wait, so, I know like half of you went to a different ‘factory’. How many of the others were in as short as you were then?”

Gula gave Kaito a dry look…though there was something frustrated in it as he glanced away. “Dude, I was arrested then imprisoned under demon accusations. Just because it’s been a few different regimes doesn’t mean local records go away.” There was something tired in the way Gula’s shoulders hunched, wrapping up his arm tightly. “Xigbar and Linnea didn’t want us skipping off back home just to be dumped in the streets by our families. Or for someone to scoop us up for their own gain. We decided to stay together, and once Linnea discovered her precious son wasn’t six feet under, actually, and was coming here? Whatever argument about safety she made, I know that’s the real reason, even if Lauriam’s more weirded out by her than anything.”

Sighing exasperatedly, Gula looked at the ceiling as he tried to recall, “Aced got in in 300, I think, Ava the year before him, the twins the year before her. Xehanort was a few years before that, and while Hao I think was around the same time, he was just transferred from a different factory.”

Kaito mouthed the years back as Gula told him. 3 years, 4 years, 6… longer, sure, much longer than Kaito would like. But not… irreversible amounts of time. Not ‘my place in my community is gone without a trace’ sort of time. 

Kaito could understand the caution of being careful, returning to their families. Of being certain they’d have a home to go back to. But this wasn’t that. They were in Dicea. They had moved out of the country. They had…

“...did you… want?” Kaito asked uncertainly, thinking of the vitriol in the ‘precious son’ comment, “to come here? And be a Dicean?”

Gula shrugged again, that same fatigue in it. “I can’t go home. And it does seem pretty cool here, all things considered. Tons of mountains, weirdly free money. Dunno if it’d something I’d do immediately, but Prince Kokichi was even talking about, like, ways to complete school, and that just anyone can go to college?”

Pulling a face, Gula huffed. “I was supposed to graduate this year, you know? I’m not in love with school or anything, but it does sound nice having the option not to be a high school dropout forever.”

Kaito felt himself relax slightly. He wanted to help these people. Genuinely. He felt a responsibility to them, because, well… he had a responsibility to them. He was a Momota, and Momota’s had ruined their lives. Whether Kaito had done it himself or not, it was a responsibility he had inherited. His parents were dead, Tengan gone, his brother disowned and banished. And while she could always do more, Kaede had taken down the program already. It was really only Kaito left who still owed so, so much, and had given nothing back.

But he didn’t want to be an enabler for a different kind of prison for them. If Xigbar and Linnea had stolen them? Kaito understood the desire, he and Maki and Kokichi had stolen 30+ Luminary kids to keep them safe as well, against their will. But those had been smaller children with no families to return to. Gula was nearly a man, by Dicean standards, and was a man, by Luminary standards, with a family back home who might be missing him as they spoke. A life that he had only just recently lost and could theoretically have back. Kaito understood the desire to steal people for their own safety. He also understood it was rarely an actual good thing to do.

But if Gula, at least, was okay… well, at least for now. If he ever changed his mind and needed help getting home? Kaito would give him any resource he needed for that.

Kaito should tell him that, but maybe he could bring it up later, when things were less fresh and Gula–and the others–felt more stable. For now, considering they were already in Dicea? Probably better to be reassuring, as Kaito nodded, “Dicea is pretty great. Crazy mountains with beautiful views, great food, beautiful cities, with a ton of social benefits that are guaranteed to you for the act of living here. My husband, Shuichi, is actually going to school here to get his college degree. He was Indentured too, but that really doesn’t matter here, no one cares about that sort of thing. There’s no Indentured or demon stigma blocking anything from you, here. No financial wall either, college is free.”

Kaito glanced down at the cuts on Gula’s arm, and the ‘crime of being a demon’ he had mentioned, “...you know that you’re not actually a demon, right?”

At 16, the most Gula had cared about anything was the high of reaching the next peak and reveling at the view from the top. The stories traded by other climbers as they tossed chalk and water bottles around, jokingly trading favors as they discussed plans for getting back to the city. He had barely given any thought to his future, content in the teenage mundanity of a few more years of school pushing off any decisions he had to make. 

After he had been arrested and put in the factory, he hadn’t been given high hopes about his future being much longer than that in its entirety. 

…and after that? The others had made everything feel so…dire. Like death was still around every corner. And as much as something about that didn’t feel right to Gula…he had seen the truth of it himself, even in the few months he was in the factory. And he couldn’t quite bring himself to just…leave. What would he do anyway? He didn’t have any plans. 

Even as their time in Romeliad stretched on, it had almost just numbed his mind, nothing to do but go through the motions, following what the others said. 

Meeting Riku, coming to Dicea? It was like Gula had woken up and been reminded of what life was, that he actually had choices, and now a future to build with them. He still wasn’t sure what he’d do, but now the opportunity of it felt in his hands, and he was…yeah, excited to do it. Especially in a crazy place with free college that didn’t discriminate against ex-Indentureds and--

Gula jolted a little. The easy conversation with Kaito having distracted him from some of the thoughts he’d been having, and that question suddenly reminding him where he was and who he was talking to.

Tension thrumming through his body, Gula turned his re-bandaged arms inward towards himself as he glared at the floor. Saying in a low, resigned tone, “By the factory and the government’s definition, I really am. And either way, God’s forsaken us.” There was a little shaky breath as he declared that. 

Kaito didn’t respond right away to that. He had settled down in front of the couch, leaning back against it while sitting on the floor. He hadn’t liked the optics of himself standing while Gula sat on the floor, but! The rug was nice and Kaito enjoyed being able to press his palms against it, along with the side of his feet. Comforting.

(There was always something strange, too, when he was sitting on the floor next to someone sitting on a couch or a chair. It was one of the reasons he was so grateful to Korekiyo, that it wasn’t an immediately awful, tense feeling. Korekiyo hadn’t had a study they could use, nor all the information he would have needed to really understand why studies made Kaito feel so panicked. But he had noticed scenarios and fears and trauma that Kaito had and had worked with and around it, and even more than that, really had listened to Kaito about things he himself had wanted to try to change his mindset on. The inferior feeling of being made to feel ‘less’ by nature of where he was sitting had been one of them.)

(Because of Korekiyo, this position more often than not now felt a little exciting, if worth noting at all. It was rare for it to just feel bad. All because Korekiyo had listened and worked and had known how to make Kaito feel good when he felt bad.)

(Kaito had loved people who didn’t deserve it. Abusers. But he hadn’t loved them for no reason. He had made sometimes unwise compromises. But he had loved them for things that had real value to him.)

Kaito loved Atua too, still. But his reasons for loving Atua, now considering everything he knew? Were more… complicated. As complicated as Kaito’s true, genuine love for his country and kingdom, as he agreed after a moment, “Yeah, to Luminary? In a legal way, you are.”

“And Atua… didn’t save you. He doesn’t save any of us. At least not in that personal, individual way. Even the saints, who I credit for things that I prayed for, really didn’t have a direct hand in any of it, I think. I don’t even know if they hear prayers.” Kaito admitted. “Not yours. Not mine. I really don’t know.”

“...but,” Kaito said, “There’s some truths to the universe. Diceans actually have some pretty strong beliefs about that, the truths to the universe. But, I don’t always… love the way they word it. You remember last night, when I was warning you guys that their kindness can sound cruel? I think one of the first things my husband, Kokichi, ever told me was ‘The Universe doesn’t care,’” Kaito paused, before adding in, “‘So people have to.’ Or, I think how King Aiichi specifically put it was ‘I believe in a universe that doesn’t care, and people who do’. Which is a nice sentiment, if you really strongly believe that second part. But if you don’t? It can just sound like, over and over, ‘You’re worthless. You have no place. You’re insignificant.’”

“A statement that says over and over how the universe doesn’t care about you, but people do? When people are being so unkind to you… it can make it hard to think about what all of that really, actually means. Which is that everyone equally matters. That there’s no one so significant and important to the universe that it by default makes others less. And that there’s no one born so destined to be less then that others look better in comparison. It’s just us. All of us doing our best, regardless of destiny or the universe or divine or anything else.”

“Luminary might think you’re a demon, but the truth of the universe is that you’re not. You just aren’t.” Kaito said, “And maybe Atua has forsaken us, if only because he won’t help us. But you’re not forsaken. People care about you. That’s just another thing that is really, actually true. No matter what the Good Book says.”

Gula truly, honestly couldn’t have said what he expected Kaito to say to that. On one hand? He was a Momota, the Word of God, a member of the family who had seen demons like Gula and decided to enslave them for their own means. On the other? He was married to a person that was the exact same kind of demon Gula was, and seemed to love him with his whole being. Had even been given a shrine by that demon, for love and protection, and it was one of the most beautiful man-made things Gula had ever seen. 

So for Kaito to say, yes, you are a demon, no, your prayers are not heard--Gula couldn’t help the frightened flinch that went through him. 

But for him to follow it with, it doesn’t matter, you’re the same as anyone else? There was no destiny, no hierarchy, just everyone. That there was something bigger than Atua, and in it, Gula was not a demon, and he wasn’t forsaken by the world around him, that…

Gula blinked rapidly as he embarrassingly felt tears start welling in his eyes, turning away as he felt shudders of relief and denial and just feeling run through him. “...but it was my fault,” he asked in a small, higher pitched voice. Close to a man in Dicea, a man in Luminary or not, just evidence to how young Gula was. “I-I’d skip temple a lot and didn’t listen d-during sermons, and - e-everything bad that happens is your fault, because you displeased God. I don’t…”

Letting out an embarrassed, distressed scoff as a tear fell, Gula quickly rubbed it away. “...why’d it all happen, then?”

Kaito glanced at Gula over his shoulder… sighing as he looked away, “You have no idea how many people have had to yell at me to get me to not immediately try to hug you right now. I’m holding back so much right now, in your next prayer, thank a guy named Doppio that you are not suddenly being smothered by awkward prince arms.”

“I don’t think it displeases Atua to not worship him. Atua is only displeased when we don’t love each other. He’s fundamentally just a guy that cares about people, at the end of the day. Even if I don’t believe that he listens, or interferes, or talks to any of us? I do believe that still. Atua is pleased when we love each other. That’s how I choose to worship him.”

“But, like the other stuff… it doesn’t really matter, if we please Atua or not. That greater truth of the Universe again. We can please Atua and bad things still happen to us. We can displease him and get to rule an entire country. It’s not balanced and it’s not fair… and it’s another reason why I struggled so hard with my husband's beliefs. His teachings. We had so many fights over philosophy. We had a fight so bad once that I seriously talked about leaving him that was, at its core, about philosophy. And what you’re asking is really what kept infuriating me…”

“It wasn’t god that did all of that stuff to us. The things that happened to you, the things that happened to me, or any of us,” Kaito murmured, “It was people. People decided to hurt you, and that’s why you were hurt. That is also, just… a truth of the universe. You are not forsaken, there are people who really, truly care about you and will not let you down, not if they can help it. But you were also punished for things that were not your fault, or even if they were your fault, you still didn’t deserve what happened… but people did it anyway. The divine didn’t hurt you, Gula. People did… in a way, I did. If only by lack of not doing more to stop it before a program people put into place could hurt you.”

“So… I’m sorry for that.” Kaito said, voice soft, “I know sorry isn’t enough, for what happened to you. But I am sorry. It was wrong. You didn’t deserve it.”

The way Gula glared at Kaito through watery eyes was frustrated, sure, but also…helpless. “How can you just…say that?” he huffed, voice straining with desperation. “My whole fuckin’ life, years of going to temple, it’s always, always been with Atua at the center of the universe, of every folly and mortal trial being because of our own sins. If bad things happen to you? It’s because you’re sinful, and if you know what’s good for you, you better devote your life to Him to make up even an ounce of the corruption you’re putting out into the world.”

Gula’s breath stuttered as he gripped his fists tightly. “A-and…and I always said it was such bullshit, but…” He put his head in his hands. Always unable to truly fully discount it all. Always, in his most desperate moments, sure to his core that he had offended God and was being punished, and desperately tore into himself to offer penance. 

Because if it was only people? Then…why? And why couldn’t he have won?

A new wave of tears burned at his eyes as he miserably whimpered into his hands, “I think they might’ve killed my bonding cat.”

Kaito felt his stomach twist at that, genuine repulsion running through him. 

Again, he felt a strong desire to hug him, and again, he forced himself not to. It was just so hard, to see that sort of misery and not want to comfort it. To hold someone tight until it all stopped hurting, to be a barrier between them and a world that had hurt them so badly. 

But Kaito had to stop doing that. It was, fundamentally, a possessive feeling. Claiming ownership of a body. Mine, mine, this one is mine and no one is allowed to hurt it anymore.

A Momota instinct. Insisting, claiming, controlling. 

Kaito had to stop. Even when it felt awful to do so.

“...I’m so sorry,” Kaito whispered, closing his eyes. That tight, upset twist in his stomach rising to his chest. Trying his best to ignore that heat of anger. “Fuck, I’m sorry…”

If it wasn’t something inherently about Gula, if he hadn’t sinned from birth, or for the crime of trusting a friend…then that just meant that his family, the community he’d grown up in, people he’d known his whole life, even if Gula had been well-noted for his rebellion…

Then that just meant that they were forsaking him for no reason. Because they wanted to. That they’d harm an innocent creature like Mealla out of blind hatred. That he’d lost his home for nothing. 

There was no apology for that, especially from a man who had nothing to do with it. And nothing to do about it but cry. 

-

Kaito wanted sooooooo badly to help Gula.

It hadn’t felt like he helped, in the shrine. Gula had cried for a while, and when Kaito had tried to find something comforting to say, that had been apparently the straw to break the teens back. He had finally gotten up, given a flimsy excuse to leave, and was gone before Kaito could think of a slightly less flimsy excuse for the teen to stay.

To say that Kaito couldn’t exactly bring himself to go back to his hookah and book was an understatement. He had prayed a bit, but even that didn’t feel very good, in the moment. He wondered how hard it’d be to get a hold of Gula’s parents and find out about the cat, and literally screamed into one of his shrine pillows until the desire to literally harass the guy’s family went away.

He felt bad. He couldn’t just… sit in the badness. He needed to do something. 

…what had Gula said about Lauriam meeting his mom? Were the two pinklings mother and son? Gula had sounded resentful. Was there something happening there?

……..harassing a guy that he had, just the day before, warned he was probably going to annoy at some point, was faaaaaar from the least classy thing Kaito had ever done. He went looking for Lauriam. 

-

There had been a lot of business to get through. And even more to do later, Lauriam guessed, but as much as the Ouma was obviously trying to section things into bite-sized pieces, it was still A Lot. Taking a few steps into the realization of the literal home base they could set up in Dicea…the one Lauriam had as well, that…he could set one up on his own. The talks about education opportunities, and while some of the others had murmured more excitedly about finishing where they’d been abruptly cut off, or joining right in, well, Lauriam had been distinctly unenthused about going to middle school in his mid-twenties. But that thing Ouma had mentioned that was basically like private tutoring for a diploma? It…didn’t sound like the worst thing. 

But one of the biggest things had been the money. Truly, as Clara had said, an absurd amount, every month, no strings attached. And already having been collecting for them, as Ouma had started putting plans together for their arrival ever since they had agreed to come. 

Lauriam really started to feel bad about getting testy at the little guy, then, but when he tried to apologize, the prince had just grinned and told him not to worry, no hard feelings. A scary guy as ever. 

But at least in the meantime? All that money really meant that Lauriam wasn’t hard up, or would be taking resources for someone else, so…

The next morning after breakfast, Marluxia had declared he was going out, and set out of the castle to do just that. 

-

“Have you seen Lauriam? Lau–uh, one of the new people living in the castle, pink–”

-

“Hey, have you seen the new pink guy? Kind of a slender build, pretty eyes, long legs–why are you looking at me like that? Yes, I know I’m married. Double-married even, why are you–”

-

“Hey, have you seen a guy with curly-ish pink hair, skin-tone really close to mine, slender and pretty but not in a ‘I’m trying to hit on him’ kinda way, more in a ‘that’s literally just what he looks like’ kinda way…”

-

“Hey, have you seen–WAIT! NEVERMIND!” Kaito gasped, spotting Lauriam in the market, shouting and waving above the head of the random bystander he had stopped, “LAURIAM! LAURIAM! MARLUXIA! HEY!”

Marluxia paused, raising an eyebrow at the prince shouting his head off in the market before he smirked, wiggling his fingers in a small, coy wave. And, naturally, not taking a step towards Kaito as the prince caught up with him. “My, now there’s a desperate call if I’ve ever heard one,” Marluxia chuckled. “To what do I owe the pleasure today, Kaito?”

“Phoo! Found you. Been looking for you guys all day!” Kaito grinned, clearly pleased with himself… before his grin faltered a little. A bead of sweat at his temple as he echoed, “To what do you owe the pleasure……… why did I look for you….. Good question. Gooooood question…”

Kaito looked at Marluxia. Then around the market. Then up at the sky. Searching for answers. 

“You wanna hang out?” Kaito decided on. 

Marluxia raised his eyebrows a little. After settling things, Marluxia figured that Kaito would more or less want to avoid Lauriam, at least in any way not part of the whole group if Kaito was helping them with something. That had been Lauriam’s plan, at least. But for Kaito to have been seeking them out, specifically? For…no real reason?

Marluxia snorted in amusement as he turned, continuing on the way he’d been walking. “Honey, we’re taken, and so are you. But, I suppose I can’t blame you for having good taste.”

After a few steps, he looked back at Kaito and nodded his head forward. “Well, come on? If nothing else, you can suggest some good clothing stores around here, it’ll save me some guess-work.”

“I am veeeeery taken, yeah.” Kaito agreed, hurrying to catch up with Marluxia, falling in step with him once he did, “and yeah! I know some good places. What kind of clothes are you looking for? They don’t have a lot of Luminary style clothing, but they do have some really great fabrics and some pretty familiar cuts anyway. Though, it’s interesting the small things that just don’t cross the border. Like, you see your collar, right now?”

Kaito pointed to Marluxia’s hemline of his shirt, “And the way it’s threaded so that the treading is a part of the design? They don’t do that here! I didn’t realize that was even a fashion thing, until I got here and saw that no one does it, I just sort of assumed the tailors did it that way because it was necessary. Wild, right? I think it’s wild!”

“Huh,” Marluxia hummed, gamely looking at Lauriam’s collar, though the sound he made wasn’t entirely interested. “I guess country-specific styles don’t matter too much--I’ve yet to see anything here that’s truly made my head turn. But I’m certainly not looking for this.” With some distaste, he gestured to the clothes he was currently wearing. 

Also known as, Lauriam’s clothes. 

“Sure, sure, we’re not literally wearing garbage anymore, but now that we have the option? I am not dressing like this loser all the time,” Marluxia huffed, before waving a dismissive hand, “And, like, duh, I’m going to get some clothes for him too, since he’ll never get around to it otherwise. I know what looks good on him, it’ll be fine.”

Marluxia’s eyes gleamed, seeming brighter even despite being Lauriam’s hue. “But for once? I can look like me. I’m not about to spend the rest of our lives having people always mistake me for him first.” Finally answering the question, Marluxia asked, “So. Know places that sell clothes like {this}?”

Kaito didn’t think the outfit was thaaaat bad. Maybe a reserved, sure, but they had all been traveling a lot, reserved had likely been the right move. 

Though, as a specific type of clothing flashed through Kaito’s mind… “Oh, yeah, I know a place that’s exactly what you’re looking for. I try not to visit there too much, there’s too many jackets there especially I’d buy, and I have a budget I have to keep to…”

Kaito paused, suddenly uncertain, “You did send me something just now, right? I didn’t imagine that?”

A tick of annoyance went through Marluxia’s lips. He was absolutely worth a higher class place with price tags to match…but even if they had the budget now to actually get proper clothes? He knew Lauriam would make them sick with anxiety if it really broke the coin purse. Fine, whatever, he’d be smart with the purchases…ugh. 

“If you thought of cool clothes, then yeah,” Marluxia said idly, still looking around at stores even if he had more of a guide now. “What, I’m not going to debate over categories, it’s easier just to show you what I mean. And that it’s really not this.” Again, he glanced down at Lauriam’s clothes in distaste. 

Crossing his arms, peering at what looked like…a kids’ accessory store? Marluxia sighed in dismay. “...it’d really be going too far to get, like, colored contacts, huh. I wouldn’t really care, but I can absolutely see La-La giving us an eye infection out of spite or something.”

“What color are your eyes normally?” Kaito asked, motioning for him to follow as he lead the way through the market. 

“Brighter green,” Marluxia hummed, keeping pace even as he looked around. “Everything about me is, compared to La-La, really. Including the other meaning.” He smirked a bit. “As you might imagine, we had other things to focus on over the past year, but being the only one in our body for ages? Awful. I will say that’s one thing ‘Enzy and Zexy did better, since they used to look almost identical, but, hm,” Marluxia laughed to himself, “I can’t blame La-La for the ideas he had in making me.”

Kaito motioned for Marluxia to follow him down an alley–it was a shortcut to the street he was trying to get to–and their footsteps echoed on the stone flooring as the noise of the streets died down behind them. “Right, designed… does that ever feel strange to you?” Kaito asked, going up a small series of stairs, the next street over being on a hill. “To be designed? I imagine it takes self-reflection to weird places.”

Well, he could more than imagine it.

“Gives me more purpose than someone like you,” Marluxia scoffed. He’d hesitated for just a second before following Kaito down the alley, but even with tension running through him, he’d strode through it. It helped that even here there were plants everywhere. “When La-La actually gives me purpose, anyway. But he eventually screwed his head back on, as usual.”

“Considering that he went through with it because he was peer pressured, though, and then took that process to make utter perfection? Darling, a few months ago I didn’t even consider myself a person; that’s far stranger to me.”

Glancing over as they crested the stairs, the buildings opening up again--trees. Trees everywhere, even in the middle of the city--Marluxia asked, “Hey, La-La was looking at that big calendar in the hall, and there was something decorated with hearts. What’s ‘Devoted’s Day’?”

“It probably does,” Kaito agreed good-naturedly, stepping off the stairs and leading them back onto another busy street, Kaito looking around with a frown. This was always the bit he got lost in… he was pretty sure it was this way. “And I think it can be nice, to have purpose. Even if it’s always a choice, whether you fulfil that purpose or not.”

Ah! There we go, he knew he was going the right way! Heading to the door of the store, he opened it up for Marluxia, “Um, you know Saint Meridan’s day? How you’re meant to celebrate the person you’re in a relationship with? That’s basically Devoted’s Day, but without the religious side of it. Why, you want to do something with your partner? Who is your partner, anyway? I really couldn’t guess, but I’m assuming it’s one of the group.”

“That’s absolutely your ‘the standard form of human’ privilege talking,” Marluxia snickered, before shrugging. “Or just, ‘having true choices’ privilege. Surprise, surprise, they can sometimes be very hard to tell apart.”

Striding into the store, some of Marluxia’s cool facade broke apart as his eyes widened gleefully, immediately bee-lining to sets of dark button shirts and wide, low-rise pants out on display. And though it’d been some years since he’d worn any? Oh, the mesh~ Quickly finding pieces to try on, Marluxia smirked to himself as Kaito confirmed what he and Lauriam had wondered about. 

A holiday for lovers? How timely. 

“Mm,” Marluxia hummed distractedly, “I think you met one of them? With Lauriam, at least, so he’d have to confirm the memory, but you certainly haven’t met Dilan. Xaldin, cutie giant with the piercings? If he threatened to break your arm or something like that, that was definitely him.”

Marluxia rolled his eyes. “And obviously you’ve met Lauriam.”

“...oh!” Kaito’s eyes widened in recognition, “He did threaten something like that! I think it was like a broken leg or a cut off limb or something. I mean, very cruel! But also, he was right, we were just in a dream, so it wasn’t that big a deal. I think Kokichi said no, though. Probably for the best.”

“Yeah, that’s a good looking guy, good on ya.” Kaito complimented… though he raised an eyebrow at Marluxia’s add-on, “...Laaaaauriam as in… other youuuuu? Lauuuuriam? Wait, is Dilan just ‘other’ Xaldin? …are you in a foursome relationship!?” Kaito asked, sounding genuinely scandalized… and then whispering a small, impressed, “Man, lucky.” 

Marluxia nodded knowingly, a fond little smirk on his face. “You should be flattered he even brought it up, he’s very experienced.” As glib as Marluxia was, talking out in public, he at least had the presence of mind to not straight out say, ‘oh yeah, my boyfriend’s a pro torturer’. He wouldn’t indulge anyone who asked about it, sure, but it was easier just not to draw that sort of attention. 

‘That sort’, being the important part.

“Hmmmm?” Marluxia drew out, leaning towards Kaito with a hand towards his ear before grinning sharply at the prince. “Lean into that last part if you have half a brain. Yes, they are lucky to have me, I know. Somehow, despite their best efforts, they’ve managed to not fumble me.”

“Very impressive, on their part.” Kaito agreed gamely, nodding sagely, “Especially now that you get to dress in a way that suits you? Oh man, they’re going to be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars. That shirt you have your hands on right now, by the way? Great color on you.”

“Well, it sounds like things are going well for you,” Kaito mused, “Swimming in lovers, shopping new clothes. And I heard you literally found your mom on the way here? Things are really working out for you.”

Marluxia made a pleased little sound, preening. “Right? Di and Xaldin won’t know what hit ‘em when they finally get over here.” He could project new clothes any time he wanted on the island--and he did--but there was something fun about saving this to be a surprise when he got to see them in person again. There was a lot Marluxia couldn’t wait for, to see them in person again. 

Looking over a finer mesh shirt with little gems weaved into it, giving the impression that you were just wearing gems, he figured, Marluxia sighed at the last point, his mouth twisting a bit. “Ugh, where’d you hear that? Please don’t tell me you put it together yourself, I know someone’s been gossiping.”

He rolled his eyes a little, standing on his hip as he regarded Kaito. “Look, Linnea’s fine, so I guess she still fits into your ‘ooh, Marluxia, your life is so wonderful now~’ suck up-ery you’re doing.”

“I helped put together all of your ID’s,” Kaito lied, idly checking out a cape hanging on the wall. Nice pattern… “Two people sharing a last name different from everyone else, both the pinkest pinks to ever pink-ify? It doesn’t take a detective to work it out, though I guess she could have been an aunt.”

“That said? I am happy to hear that you found some family once you got out again. I’m a little worried that some of you arrived feeling like you really didn’t have the option to see your families at all. We’re hoping to be a sanctuary for you all, not another place you’re forced to be,” Kaito explained, pausing for a bit as he hesitated, “...and I remember you lost your sister, right before getting locked away. Considering that? Finding you must have been incredible, for Linnea. A miracle made real.”

Marluxia pouted a bit. He guessed that wasn’t the most subtle thing, though he wasn’t exactly upset with Lauriam for doing it. And he and Axel had talked about, a name didn’t place someone on an in or out-group, no matter what Lauriam legally wanted to be called, the others would always be his family. And that was true of Strelitzia too, but…it felt right, keeping the name the two of them had shared. 

And two others had shared too, but that wasn’t really as much on their minds. 

Heaving a sigh, Marluxia interestedly looked over some pants that looked scarily like the pair he’d made in the mindscape. “I don’t really know about the other group, I think Pony-Boy said something to La-La about his living folks being rat monsters, but most of my family don’t have people to find regardless of where we ended up. Miracle for me, coincidence, whatever, but I sure wasn’t expecting it.”

He scowled, even thumbing through more racks of pants. “Linnea had a solid answer, as only half-true it was. But La-La and I barely thought about wherever it was she’d fucked off to.”

“Pony-boy?” Kaito echoed, utterly bewildered as he tried to imagine which one was ‘pony-boy’. Maybe the red-head? Because he drove the carriage??? Before deciding it wasn’t important. At least not in comparison to what Marluxia was saying now.

“Why, what happened?” Kaito asked, reaching up to pick a vest off the rack and, holding it up to himself curiously–maybe with some altering it could give him a flattering waistline, but otherwise it was a bit boxxy–before putting it back, “I mean, I can make some more assumptions. I’m going to guess she was also stolen into the program for being too cool and talented. But the way you put it makes me think there was more to it.”

“That was only the last chapter in the book, before the sequel we’re currently in,” Marluxia grumbled. Yes, Lauriam was putting in more effort to reconnect with their mom, and he didn’t want to carry old grudges forever. He hadn’t wanted to carry them at all, just electing to never think about their parents, or their sister, at all, which was why Marluxia had had to speak up in Romeliad in the first place. 

But oooh it was tempting to set some of that progress back and bitch to a new person. 

“Similar schlock, a copper a dozen novel, paying the bills is hard,” Marluxia started, heading over to carry a pure armload of clothes over to a changing room. “Our parents, bit by bit, left us and our sister to our own devices more and more, before we got used to just being by ourselves for weeks at a time. Then, lo and behold, we get a letter from dear old mom, saying that she’s got a juicy new gig, but it’ll take her away for several months. Fast forward, and we’ve been on our own for years, before Togami stalked, murdered, and kidnapped us.”

Kaito winced at that, “Damn. Actually, that gives you and my smallest husband something in common. I’ve seen what a parent running off to live a new life for work looks like once you’re grown, that shit can really get into your head. Fuck with your self-esteem. I’m sorry to hear it, man.”

“So your sister raised you then?” Kaito guessed, “I’m guessing if someone else had helped, you wouldn’t have called it being on your own.”

“Imagine that, having something in common with royalty~ Guess that isn’t the first thing, though.” There was the clattering of hangers, some flumphs of cloth. “Mhmm~ Our other mom did come by whenever she was on leave from work, holidays here and there, but for the most part? Us and Strel.” There was an audible smirk in Marluxia’s voice as he spoke through the door. “Was a bit of a shock being adopted in the factory, as you might imagine.”

Turning and twisting in the mirror, Marluxia tilted his head a little as he took one of the new outfits in. Despite his blasé, assured demeanor…a softer smile turned up his lips as he took in the black collared sleeveless shirt and low-rise tripp pants. It was still Lauriam’s face, sure, but… He looked like him. Just a little more. 

{Hey, Larxy, look through my eyes a sec. Thoughts?}

“Nah. That I can’t imagine at all,” Kaito admitted, leaning against the wall next to the door, “We’ve had a few conversations now, I don’t know if this is something you’ve picked up yet, but I tend to try to find some way to relate to whatever I’m hearing, when someone’s confiding in me? It feels more like an equal exchange when I do that: you tell me something important to you, and I trust you with something important to me, and then neither of us are alone in it, sort of thing.”

“It doesn’t always come across that way. It can sound sort of self-involved. But the reason I bring it up, is kind of as an apology? So you get why I feel bad about saying that I just… really can’t imagine, being adopted in the scenario you were in. It just sounds daunting and intimidating. Overwhelming… I have nothing I can offer back for that. It’s just a lot. I don’t know how you coped.”

“Fancy-pants, I was the coping mechanism,” Marluxia laughed, “If you want a more pathetic take on things, you’ll have to ask Loseriam, but me? We mentioned it before, but I was made for the factory. And I was saying that you could imagine being taken off guard by being taken in in that scenario, which you just confirmed, get your head right.”

Sighing as he looked in the mirror, Marluxia admitted, “On a usual basis, the only overwhelming thing was the quotas. I knew I was in hot demand, but especially by the end, it was like…” Marluxia trailed off before opening the stall door, giving Kaito a more seriously inquisitive look. “Actually, you might know. What was with the quotas? Just in the time I was in, they kept raising the numbers over and over--were people just that much in increased demand?”

“Heh, that’s true enough.” Kaito laughed lightly, “Well, I guess just so long as we both understand each other… at least a bit? A bit. Enough to know what we wouldn’t know.”

Most of that was said to himself, a half-whisper. Admittedly, Kaito was actually trying to comprehend what Marluxia and Lauriam went through, taken off guard by how genuinely hard it was. Nothing he knew came close. It was a humbling and unnerving feeling, for a man who had learned to find connections in every experience. 

Kaito gave Marluxia an openly expressive lookover, giving his outfit a once over before humming in appreciation, “That looks really good on you. I don’t know exactly what this style is called either, but it kinda reminds me of some punk friends I had. Well, sort of friends, my goth friends had a whole ‘thing’ about them and I kinda had to choose one or the other. Not that I didn’t sneak off with a few of them sometimes, especially after breaking up with my goth…”

Kaito got distracted from his rambling. A familiar–though for different reasons–looking scar peeking from around Marluxia’s hip. Kaito knew what that was. He had kissed up and down lines of it, once, stomach squirming with uncertainty when a flog had been put into his hands. The other guy had liked it, but Kaito had found it uncomfortable from the get-go…

And that had been what it looked like on a willing participant, who could say no. Kaito couldn’t imagine…

“I can’t know for certain,” Kaito admitted, looking away. Feeling like he was leering, despite his own nausea, “...short answer? Probably my brother. Or, sorry, no, I don’t… my ex… it was probably Lord Byakuya. He was trying to get Kimigashine to agree to a trade where we’d start selling them Indentured. The deal never went through, but he was probably certain it would, so was raising the supply Luminary had in stock for the first bid. He was planning to make it our number one export, someday.” Kaito paused, “You guys, I mean.”

Kaito paused again, “...you can have a longer answer if you want. Other answers. Stuff. I don’t know. Do you like to drink?”

“Thanks, I know,” Marluxia said smugly. “I could think of a few more derogatory terms for it, but that’s so not the point. Instead, it’s just what works, hm?”

He was still waiting for his answer, of course. Marluxia was starting to get the picture that Kaito was a very distractible kind of guy, though of a different sort than the kind of tangent-going people he knew, so he was testing to see if he’d still get the answer if he just waited through the first impulsive thoughts. 

Though, it did seem like Kaito had more that he wasn’t sharing. But eventually?

“Damn,” Marluxia sighed, a twist going through his lips as his nose scrunched. “Probably would’ve needed Pony-Boy and the others to go full time if we were gonna be the main money-makers. And they still couldn’t even give us real beds, the bastards.”

There had been…a theory going around, at times, that sometimes the supervisors were just making up numbers. But Marluxia supposed this confirmed that it had been real. People really were buying up all those contracts, it wasn’t just people being rushed through the factories for amusement. 

Raising an eyebrow at Kaito for a moment, Marluxia then pouted, holding up a finger. “...hold on.”

{La-La. La-La. Lauriam. Wakey-wakey, I need to ask you something.}

{...}

{LAURIAM!!!}

{❀ȰoȰ!!!}

{Crap, Marluxia, I’m awake, what’s going on?}

{Prince Money-bags followed me out shopping and he’s offering to get drinks and answer shit about the Program and whatever.}

{...what? Why are you talking to… Whatever.}

{...isn’t it mid-morning still? Why does he want to get drinks?}

{Are you really questioning the whims of alcoholics?}

{Uuuuuuugh. Look, just…one drink, maybe. You are not getting us drunk, we’re still going to check in with everyone later.}

{Sweetheart, you really think I’d get us sloshed in a strange city in the morning with a guy we can barely trust? I’d sooner glass him.}

{Ha, yeah, you would. Okay, just…be safe. Have you found things you like?}

{Oh darling, just you wait~}

Marluxia was fully leaning against the doorframe, expression entirely glazed over.

Kaito had been married to Kokichi long enough to know what he was looking at. He waited patiently, lightly tapping the back of his heel. He smiled and nodded politely at another shopper that was moving past them, and smirked a little when he got a middle finger for his effort. Yeah, yeah, very edgy, so cool… 

With a deep breath, Marluxia straightened, blinking a few times to refocus himself. “Yeah, sure. Not usually a day drinker, but Mr. High Collar’s loosened the chains to chat. I am going to finish getting my clothes, though, I didn’t decide to head out here just for fun.”

Kaito grinned, “I’ll carry your bags for you?”

“Oh, look at you~” Marluxia cooed with a wink before shutting himself in the changing room again. “Know how to actually put those muscles to use~”

-

It turned out they didn’t need to worry about being morning drinkers, considering that Marluxia hadn’t planned on getting a whole new wardrobe at just one store. And it wasn’t just that. New clothes were important, so he had to get some for Lauriam as well, obviously, but there was so much more to having the freedom of money to spend. New soaps, so they weren’t using the most basic things possible, specifically new shoes, things that would fare better in Dicea’s climate, a stop for makeup and accessories…and Marluxia had gone starry-eyed as they passed by a certain shop called Cogito Ink. 

(Marluxia didn’t think much of their scars, normally. Even over the past year when he had been forced to really inhabit their body full-time, he really took more issue with their face than anything else. But he was aware of just…how much the factory had taken from him and Lauriam. Their body owned and harmed and just…other people doing as they pleased with it.)

(It would be nice for him to do something to it for himself.)

So, finally, with a new belly-button piercing, a dangling skull made of some sort of gem a deep, dark blue that had made something in Marluxia’s chest flutter, and just…so many bags, he finally allowed Kaito to lead the way to a cozy-looking pub.

This was a lot of bags. 

But! Kaito was a man who was not new to a shopping spree. Being one of the most wealthy people in Luminary who enjoyed dating around to the point of scandal? Kaito had hosted many a shopping spree from his latest lover. And even that was being a little generous to his history: he had just also done plenty of shopping himself. The only major difference there being that Kaito hadn’t really needed to carry bags when he was shopping for himself. He’d just set it up so that everything he wanted was delivered to his room by the end of the day. 

But carrying his dates bags had carried that touch of endearment that had often sealed the deal, so Kaito knew all the techniques. Carrying all the bags around his elbows and across his chest, Kaito even had enough flexibility and room left to be sipping on the only item he had bought for himself that day, which was a mocha with a few extra shots. 

Many stores later, many hours on top of those stores, and Kaito had decided on the journey that they’d chill out at Sakura’s pub. Greeted by said Sakura, as Kaito called, “Sakura! Hey! Hey! It’s me!” he paused, before adding in, “Kaito! …Luminary Prince of the–”

“I see you Kaito, give me a moment.” Sakura rumbled, finishing putting together a drink and passing it over to the customer waiting on it. “... no Kokichi or Maki today? Or any of the gang, I see.”

“Nope! This is Marluxia!” Kaito introduced, coming up to the bar to better introduce them, “Marluxia, this is Sakura! Her family owns this bar. No Hina, Blossom, Yuta or Daffodil, Sakura?”

“The boys are in the back. Hina’s out grocery shopping.” Sakura explained, looking Marluxia over, “...new Starburst?”

“Hah! Nah. Well…” Kaito tilted his head, “Proooobably not?”

“Oh…” Sakura squinted at Marluxia, “...he’s not a teenager, is he?”

“HAHAHAH Noooooo I am sooooo done with my meddling teenager ways!” Kaito insisted. Gula flashing to mind as he laughed awkwardly, “Mostly! Totally! For the most part!”

When Kaito had suggested the pub, Marluxia had been expecting some amount of familiarity--Kaito did live here--but apparently not to the extent that he and the barkeep actually knew each other. He’d given her a nod at the introduction--wowie. What a knock-out--but as she and Kaito continued to chat?

“The fuck is a Starburst?” Marluxia grumbled, before giving Kaito a highly unimpressed look. “La-La already gave you his biggest condition for not being the biggest bitch in the universe. You’d better be done.”

The warning given--honestly, Kaito was lucky Marluxia was feeling charitable--Marluxia gave Sakura a saccharine smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Sakura. Your pub’s sooo cozy, thanks for welcoming us in.”

“Hmmm,” Sakura hummed, nodding, “You all getting a booth or a stool?”

“Booth! Can I get the Desert Mead? It’s really good,” Kaito said, looking to Marluxia with a grin, “Sakura visited Luminary for a while, and she’s put together a mix trying to replicate meads she found there. It tastes different, just because ingredients in general taste different in Dicea, but! I think it’s a great final product! Worth trying!”

Marluxia’s eyebrows raised slightly. From looks alone, Sakura looked to be about their age, so ‘visiting Luminary for a while’ meant…during a famine, or during a war. Not exactly vacation destinations. Hmm.

As someone who’d never had Luminary mead in his life, Marluxia smiled graciously, a tinge of a laugh on his words. “Well, with a ringing endorsement like that, I’ll have to try it.” As he and Kaito moved over to a booth though,--Marluxia mentally snickering as how Kaito maneuvered to put all the bags down--he scoffed lightly. “I’d think it’d be impossible to replicate something like mead from a specific place. With all the different plants around here, honey’s got to be completely different.”

“Yeah, and honestly, I think that goes for everything?” Kaito agreed, stacking the bags up onto each other into a tiny tower that was leaning against the wall, sitting down next to them. “Some of it is more subtle than others, like salted porks and stuff. But everything tastes just a teeeeeny tiny bit different. Like, for example! Oranges?” 

Kaito scoffed, shaking his head, “All wrong. They’re way too soft and sweet. They’re supposed to be zesty! With a little bit of crunch in the skin! But their apples? Their apples are incredible. The sheer fact that their apples have a crazy amount of different flavors? They even have fun names for them. If you get the chance, try a Red & Delicious, it’s super juicy.” Kaito grinned, his eyes lighting up and Sakura came by with two meads, putting them down, “Thank you, Sakura!”

“Anything else?” Sakura asked. 

Put that together with just the wholly different recipes and foods that Diceans seemed to like. And it was a bizarre spread of food with even more familiar things just a little off. Though, Marluxia certainly wasn’t complaining. ‘Off’ was usually still tasty, which was leagues better than worm-ridden fruit and stale, molding bread. And, of course, better than nothing at all. 

Marluxia squinted at Kaito. “...do you bite through orange peels? It’s in the name, fancy-pants, you’re supposed to peel that part. And, like, candy it or make a tea or something,” he shrugged, “but not have it raw.”

Giving Sakura another nod when she came by with the drinks, Marluxia thanked her as well, figuring he was well enough with his single, totally-not-gonna-get-anywhere-near- drunk drink.

“Noooo, man, like the, you know, the sort of clear part around the fruity bit? That keeps all the fruit together after it’s peeled? That bit! I like it when it’s got a little resistance, getting my teeth around it! Just really chomping! Little bit of a snap… man, I miss my husband.” Kaito suddenly said, deflating a little, “You ever just randomly miss someone you just saw that morning? Sheesh. I hope his stupid job running the stupid kingdom is going well today. Hmph.”

Kaito pouted, taking a long sip of mead… before immediately brightening up again, “See!? It’s good stuff! Has a bit of weight to it.”

Okay, he did get what Kaito was saying, but that didn’t stop Marluxia from giving him an unimpressed look as Kaito expounded on the perfect qualities of citrus walls…though his gaze only got drier. “...Fancy-pants, my boyfriends are literally hundreds of miles away, and I saw them last night. Whatever yearning your heart pounds for, it is not an unfamiliar feeling.”

With that, Marluxia tried the mead…before immediately pulling a face as he thickly swallowed. It tasted pretty good! But… “Why the fuck is it so thick?” he whispered.

“Heheh, you get it,” Kaito chuckled, then laughing even harder at Marluxia’s reaction, “Oh man, is it your first time drinking mead!? Awwww, I feel special, getting to see that. Gulp it down, it puts hair on your chest!” Kaito grinned, his canine teeth glinting slightly as he snickered, before shrugging and taking another sip of his, “It’s thick because it’s also kinda food. I think if you gave it more time and different resources, it’d eventually be bread. Or stone. Probably stone.”

Marluxia glowered at Kaito, before taking another drink without breaking eye-contact. Ugh. He had no idea why people would want to drink slime, or how that would constitute food, but--oh.

{Hey, Luis. Is mead supposed to be disturbingly thick?}

“Some might be in amber, but just because they both linger around trees doesn’t make it the same as honey,” Marluxia scoffed. 

{Eh? Depends on the type. Some have the texture of a smoothie, but you gotta kind of work for it, and it’s not all that much fun to drink if you’re hoping to be at it for a while… why??}

{Lad are you drinking a mead??}

“I feel like, if food hardens to the point where it stops being edible, or in fact, breakable? You can call a stone a stone. What else even is a stone!? But just once soft, technically edible spicy things that are now no longer edible or spicy!”

{I was told this was supposed to try and replicate Luminary mead with Dicean ingredients? It’s like really fluid slime.}

{Mhmm~ I was invited for drinks and answers. Anything you want a potential answer for from someone who’d know a little more about factory management?}

Sticking his tongue out and blowing a quiet raspberry, Marluxia rolled his eyes. “Ugh, I feel like I know people who’d have a better answer about minerals ‘n shit… Why specifically spicy? I guess I could guess you’re talking about all the peppers people seem to throw in half the dishes here, but you’re not from here.”

“Lava,” Kaito explained, sipping his mead a bit, “Perhaps the spiciest food ever. Of all time. You can try tasting it! But only ever once.”

{Wait, what? Who? Can I peek from your eyes, you’ve got me fussing a bit now lad.}

“I think there has to be some sort of nutritional content for something to be considered food, fancy-pants,” Marluxia tsked, taking another sip of weird slime himself.

{Knock yourself out--Momota apparently decided he wanted to bother me today, and he’s feeling chatty.}

“...so,” Marluxia started. “You gave me the short answer, which is fine enough for what I was asking. But what’s the long one?”

{Momota!? Hold on, hold on, let me take a look–}

Luis did something new today. 

He didn’t realize he was about to do it. He had just wanted to take a peek through Marluxia’s eyes, something basically all of the Nobodies could do with some assistance with the other empaths, and that was the ‘motion’ of what he had tried for. Following the tether that connected Marluxia to the island, just intending to look strictly from his perspective.

But Luis hadn’t drunk much yet that day. And it felt so easy to just…step through, that he had barely noticed he had done it at all, until he was ‘sitting’ next to Marluxia at the booth. Looking around a… three dimensional… space…

“...how am I doing this in real time?” Luis muttered, looking around in absolute bafflement. It was like stepping into someone’s memory. Even had explained once that his theory as to why memories happened in out of body third person perspective was actually people utilizing a sixth sense–or seventh, eighth, depending on how many you had by that point–that allowed them to perceive their environment in the same way that cats whiskers allowed them better grasp of the small movement and space around them. That people could feel small movement somehow and their other senses filled in the details. 

It had been as good an explanation as any, though Even had admitted it was pure theory and he had no idea how people did this, just that the memories themselves were undeniable proof that people were grasping the environment behind them as much as they were the one in front of them, or memories just wouldn’t work like that. But all that said? Luis had never managed to tap into that sense when he was looking through the perspective of the other empaths before. 

And now it seemed he just… could. 

It was unnerving in the sense of how he hadn’t really meant to do it and how effortless it had been to accidentally do it, and Luis shivered as he asked Marluxia, “Are you aware of me? Shit, how did I do this?”

“PBBBBTH!” Marluxia sputtered around his drink as his eyes widened, looking at Luis in astonishment. And then he quickly glanced around the pub, only catching a few quick glances his way--likely just from the sound he’d made--before giving Luis a bewildered look. 

{WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, COIN FLIP?! TRYING TO PLAY DRESS UP AS ZEXION?!}

Trying to be more subtle about it, Marluxia reached out to poke Luis’ arm, jolting back in shock when he actually felt his uncle.

“Ooooooh god, okay, alright, this is fine, this is… fuck, I’m at a bar and literally can’t get a drink.” Luis muttered miserably, feeling anxious as he looked around, flinching when Marluxia poked him, “Oooooooh-kay. I don’t like this. I really hate when I just suddenly ‘do things’. It’s not great…oh my god that’s the Momota boy.”

“So yeah, that’s… ultimately what he was trying to accomplish.” Kaito said, looking guiltily at the mead, not paying attention to Marluxia’s freakout, “I know it doesn’t really matter why he wanted to do it. I also know it’s probably not even entirely true that’s why he wanted all the extra capital selling Indentured’s to other countries would give us. The famine was, and is important, but… well, we’ve gotten through famines before, historically, we can do it again. But more than that, I know Byakuya had dreams of expanding our borders, making Luminary more powerful… I think ultimately he was hoping to just buy our place someday as the most powerful kingdom in the world? He was hoping to be a tyrant someday.”

“None of that is an excuse.” Kaito said, “I just thought, since I have more of the whole story, you’d want to know about it. And honestly, even that’s simplifying it. I mean, that’s just what the Momota family ultimately wanted. Tengan was working with other forces who wanted, just… but either way, it all ultimately comes down to kingdoms thinking a slave program would be what would take them to the top of the food chain. And you guys were caught up in the arms race.”

What the fuck. What the fuck. Sure, they could talk to each other all the time, could see the Chibis projected in the physical world sometimes, but…one of the Somebodies doing it? And Luis felt real. Like, it didn’t sound or feel like he was talking through intent, Marluxia was just hearing him like he was in the room! And he could feel him! This was…

(...could Dilan and Xaldin do this? Or maybe he and Lauriam could?)

Marluxia’s face twitched a bit. {No shit, I told you it was him, were you listening!?}

It seemed that Marluxia had needed to listen to Kaito, though, as the prince hadn’t hesitated to answer his question. Luckily, there was enough for Marluxia to put together through context clues when he did nervously glance back over. And what it was just made his stomach turn and burn. 

“Fuckin’ surprise, surprise,” Marluxia growled quietly, tapping his finger pads against his glass. “Never would’ve guessed that elites wanted more power and got it through stomping over everyone around them. And themselves. Bet no one even thought for a second how long it actually took us to do anything successfully, but nooo~ We could always do it faster~ And we can totally take on an extra three people every six months, noooo problem~”

“Fuckin’ shit-ass bastards,” Marluxia grumbled spitefully, taking a long drink from his mead.

Kaito nodded, just sighing a bit. “Yeah… yeah.”

“...I have to ask. You don’t have to answer though,” Kaito frowned, something both worried and genuinely curious on his expression, “How… did? It work? I know some theories for how it works. Tengan and Byakuya used to discuss them and play them out and talk about how, like, it translates to larger and larger amounts of people. But none of what they talked about was really conditioning. Just manipulation tactics. So I don’t know if even Byakuya really knew how it worked.” 

Something frustrated ran through Marluxia’s face before he glanced to Luis for a moment. “I’m not entirely sure that fuck-ass secretary even knew, at least fully.” More than what he pried from hounding Luis all the time, anyway. 

Looking back to Kaito, something guarded and angry tensed Marluxia’s face. “You do realize that sort of question comes with a price tag that some people consider priceless, or at least seven figures, right? For the chance of me answering that, I could be captured, sold to the highest bidder, then tortured and locked in a dungeon for the rest of my life allllll over again.”

“...but surely someone who was in control of you knew?” Kaito asked, brow furrowing. Though, Tengan not entirely knowing how conditioning worked would make sense, based on what Kaito remembered. Kaito’s conditioning had taken a long time. Most of his childhood. And he doubted everything they had done in the study had actually contributed to that. A lot of it had just felt random and malicious, but also, with the new context in mind… experimental? Like Tengan was trying things to see what might stick. “Who taught you, if not the factory?”

“The empaths who came before us.” Luis murmured, staring at Kaito tiredly. Knowing he wouldn’t be heard as he said, “Someone, in the very beginning, must have figured out how their ability worked, and gotten caught. And then they taught other empaths. And those empaths taught other empaths…sometimes find myself wondering about who that first empath must have been. Do you think it was an accident, what they learned to do? How do you learn it by accident…”

“But, yeah, I am hearing what you’re saying.” Kaito said, leaning back against his seat, “And I’ve realized just now that it might sound like this is the reason I brought you out for a drink. It’s not. You don’t have to tell me, I won’t ask again. Maybe it’s better I don’t know. I think if ‘Kichi accidentally knew from me? It’d make him ill.”

Marluxia gave Luis a tense look. They had been told about Empaths even in contemporary time who had delighted in conditioning, no Nobody needed. Those Empaths Clara had told them about, the little detail Zexion had given them about Tengan’s offer, literally seeing the state Anthony was in. There were Empaths who didn’t give a fuck about what they were doing, only concerned with the self-satisfaction of experimentation. 

The first Empath who figured out conditioning could’ve been like that, no reason to have been caught. 

Even the Empaths that Viz, Even, and Inzi had first met, they were still family to Marluxia, for all he’d never really met them. They were part of the island, so they were part of him. 

The first Empath to discover conditioning? Marluxia’d tear that bitch apart. 

“The older Empaths,” Marluxia grumbled for Kaito’s ears. “The factory just had expectations of the things we could do, but they didn’t really know. Every now and then someone new would come in and expect us to put on a dog and pony show, but we never really went into it. It was already bad enough having them in our spaces.”

From his grumbles, though, Marluxia let out a snort, a cruel grin sharpening his expression. “Probably, but someone like Ouma? Wouldn’t even need to know how. He held a raw part of Axel’s being in his hands like it was nothing, he encased an entire part of ‘Enzy’s mind away from itself--anything he’d want to do to a person? He could do without any method, just through brute force. I get why everyone’s still shaking in their boots to be here, but Ouma doesn’t need us for power.”

Kaito had been listening somberly to the explanation of how Marluxia had learned, frowning a bit at the idea of a ‘dog and pony’ show. To who? It all meant that someone–a group of people–had known about the ‘demons’ in the Togami Warehouses that, as far as Kaito could tell even at this point, hadn’t been common knowledge among the royals it was meant to ultimately serve. His mother had been riddled by fears and anxieties of conspiracy, Kaito had to assume he’d have heard of it from her, or more likely Shuichi, if she had known something about it. And it was difficult imagining his father being able to keep a secret like that. 

Had Byakuya known? Did Kaede? It was so hard to imagine they did, and yet felt impossible that truly no one in the Momota family knew something so important. Another ‘open secret’ that Kaito couldn’t fathom truly had been a secret. It made no sense to him… you weren’t supposed to keep secrets from the royal family, and for one so important… someone had to know, they just had to…

……and then admittedly Kaito got distracted by the talk of his husband. A loopy, dreamy smile spreading across his face as, cheeks red, he practically breathed out, “Yeah. Isn’t it scary~?”

“I asked him once, if he had ever used that on me.” Kaito admitted, another dreamy little sigh escaping him, “I had changed a lot after moving to Dicea. Marrying him. I was trying to change for him, but I was so successful that I was afraid it was less ‘me’ and more just him nudging me for my own sake. He can, y’know? Like breaking apart a figurine and putting it back together into a new shape…” Kaito murmured, eyes far away. Recalling a ‘dream’ that felt like a long time ago now. “Like dying.”

Luis shivered at the way Kaito talked about it. A mixture of wariness and awe in Kaito’s tone. It felt like how people might speak of their faith, but there was an intensity even in the idle sort of wonder in Kaito’s face at it all. He wore it so openly, his sense of divine bliss… no wonder it had freaked people out, how he spoke of Atua, if this was how he spoke about his very mortal partner. 

And then Kaito grinned and the divine awe was gone, as he laughed a little, “But he doesn’t do that. He’s a good guy like that. Honestly, I got sooooo lucky who he turned out to be, considering everything. You’re right, he doesn’t need what you guys can do. But he really does want to help you. In his mind, you’re kin. Though everyone is a little bit kin to him either way. Still, he wants to look out for you guys.”

The way Marluxia raised his eyebrows as he sipped was amused, but there was an undercurrent of wariness to it all as he listened to Kaito gush about his husband squishing him like a bug. Marluxia didn’t feel guilty for what he’d done, not really. A kindness, he supposed, in how Lauriam had made him, but they hadn’t had any choices, and honestly? Some people could probably use a few things knocked around in their head. And, obviously, everyone would be better off listening to him. 

But even in the face of how Marluxia felt about his abilities and how he should use them…he truly didn’t know if it was just because he had been made from Lauriam, so some of his feelings would ring true no matter what, or if it was something Marluxia had just developed on his own. But hearing about Aerith from the others? Made him mad. Nevermind how he had achieved it, what he had done to her, taking away that assured possessiveness and teeth, was a cruelty that burned him up inside and made him want to turn that fire on the world. 

They had changed her for the worse. And maybe it was different if you were completely assured someone would change you for the better, but just entirely placing your fate and being in another person’s judgement like that?

Eeugh. Kaito was a scary guy in his own right. 

“...think I’ve gotten the picture about that, with how much he’s said it,” Marluxia grumbled after a wary moment, before his lips twisted down. “And I’ve heard that he helped save La-La’s life, so of any of us I’m not really in the position to doubt him as much.”

“No one should doubt him! He’s amazing. The Light of Dicea~” Kaito said cheerfully, sipping his mead before shrugging, “Buuuut that’s probably my bias as his husband talking, so I get that other people have some pretty valid reasons to be wary. And it’s not like he’s perfect or anything. He can make mistakes.”

“You said we were asking questions about the factory?” Luis asked, “Could you ask him why some empaths were chosen for some factories? I mean, we know that one of the Togami sites was entirely voluntarily run, but most of us never had a chance to go. I wouldn’t have wanted to, I think, but I have always wondered why we ended up where we did. Little Izzy’s smart, not to mention his father is both smart and a tad morally dubious when it comes to the sciences. And plenty of us are strong. But I feel like other than Ienzo and Kairi, no one ever had the chance. I just wonder why.”

Marluxia made a little indistinct hum, his eyes glancing over to Luis for a moment as he brought up a good question, before he sighed and fixed Kaito with a look. “Hey, here’s something--you know anything about why some of us were chosen for certain places? I have to think some of it was just due to location, but two of us had offers for the voluntary one, and if they had never brought it up to us, we wouldn’t have known. And we still didn’t grasp the extent of it until Clara told us everything.”

He rolled his eyes before glowering over his drink. “Not to mention why we got the cushy experience of the factory that just worked us to constant exhaustion, rather than the one that just executed you on a whim.”

Kaito’s eyes widened in shock, “Executed!?”

“Well, that’s not a good sign for his ability to answer.” Luis muttered. 

But to Luis’ surprised, Kaito gnawed on his lower lip a bit before leaning back and staring at the ceiling. Starting to worry his joints as he muttered to himself, “Executed… why some people and not others… come on… why some people and not others… some people, not others…”

“What’s he doing?” Luis asked.

Marluxia’s gaze lidded, like Luis not expecting much from that reaction. In full honesty, he did think that, at least between the Chonis and Ribata factories it had simply been down to the location of where they had been caught, nothing more than that. Buuuuuut for Ira’s sake, he supposed, he’d still asked. He wasn’t even sure if the others would want to know, but if it came up and Lauriam was feeling gooey-hearted, then now maybe he’d have an answer. 

And…maybe an answer after all, as Kaito…

{Thinking habits?} Marluxia guessed, watching Kaito mutter to himself, {Some people need a little extra help starting up the old thought machine.}

{In this space between answers? I’m not surprised Tengan never offered the sweet, sweet temptation of human experimentation to Lauriam and me,} Marluxia mentally hummed, amused, {With how much we always ended up fighting with the supervisors? Given an inch more freedom, we would’ve blown up that factory years ahead of schedule.}

“Feels like a reason right there that they wouldn’t offer it to ya, yeah.” Luis chuckled a little. Selfishly, he was most curious for his own sake. He had been a powerful empath with no ties to the others when he had first arrived, at least. After a few years he would have refused for his families sake, but right at the start? Why not even the temptation? What had disqualified him?

Meanwhile, Kaito was shuffling through a few memories. Lesson after lesson after lesson… Tengan had definitely said something relevant to Byakuya…

“...choices… made under duress… are faster then ones goaded…” Kaito frowned, brow furrowed as he stared to his left, still digging through memories, “...but aren’t as… good…”

“...huh?” Luis asked. 

But Kaito lit up, leaning forward excitedly as he reached for the salt and pepper shakers, taking them out of their holders and putting them in front of him as he said, “Okay, so! This is only a guess, I don’t actually know. But I can tell you that Tengan had a philosophy over who and how to recruit people to work directly for him. And I know Byakuya used this philosophy a lot and it worked out pretty well for him, his Indentured and Staff were famously loyal to him. Okay, so, meet Mr. Salt and Mr. Pepper!”

“Now, Mr. Salt here has had it really rough. Born in a rough area, not a lot of resources to his name, he scrapped and clawed and fought his way into adulthood. Or maybe not even that? Maybe he barely survived the terrible things to happen to him. Just misfortune after misfortune happened to him that beat him down and made him less, and somehow, miraculously, he’s still here. A little broken, yeah, but wiser, stronger, more resourceful, purely from need.”

“Then there’s Mr. Pepper. Mr. Pepper is, for lack of a better word? Spoiled.” Kaito said, shaking the pepper shaker around, “A lot of things were done for him. He never really wanted or needed for anything, not seriously, not to the point where he genuinely, in reality, couldn’t do without. He thinks he can work hard, and maybe he even can! But in truth, he doesn’t really have a grasp of what hard work actually is. Just what feels hard to him in comparison to his life, which again, has been more or less blessed. But, ever so recently? He’s had one kiiiinda bad thing happen to him. A setback. And he’s devastated! You’d think from the way he reacted, it was as bad as everything that happened to Salt here, but all at once, and probably still worse.”

“Now, between these two people,” Kaito said, making the pepper dance and the salt shift around sort of sadly a bit, “Who makes the better servant? Who’s loyal to you? Will die for you? Kill for you, when given a way out of their predicament?”

Marluxia gave Kaito a bit of a dry look at the play-pretend he set up--he did have a baby, Marluxia supposed--but thought about the stilted words Kaito had muttered at the start as he glared at the salt and pepper. “...”

“...that doesn’t make any sense, though,” Marluxia muttered. “Some of us came from rougher backgrounds, sure, but some had gone right from upper-class into the factory, while Nami and Zexy were the ones offered. No way you could call what Kairi came from spoiled, and by the time it came up, ‘Enzy’d spent half his life in the factory. That’s not exactly one setback.” Marluxia frowned more, trying to think about what Sora and Riku had mentioned about the other teens. “And…wasn’t Hao practically born in a factory? If he was already transferred around then…”

He let out a frustrated huff. “Well, maybe it was the initial philosophy, but it obviously didn’t work out in practice.”

“It’s not really about their background. It’s just about their reaction.” Kaito explained, lightly tipping the salt shaker back and forth with the tip of his finger as he explained, “People who handle a major problem in their life well? Coping well, not panicking, fixing it on their own? They know they can survive. They don’t need you. If they suddenly lost you, well, bummer, but they’ll figure something out. They have before, they can do it again.”

“Peppers? Ideally, you find a pepper who is a survivor, but doesn’t know it yet. They think they’d be lost without you. They’re grateful to you. The good and the bad. Living up to your expectations, paying you ‘back’ for saving them? They’ll do anything for you. And they don’t know they have other choices, because you got to them before they could find that out. Perfect servants.” Kaito mused, flicking the pepper shaker over, watching it roll around sadly, “Perfectly learned helplessness. No matter how strong they become.”

“Buuuut that’s who you get when you want a loyal to a fault servant.” Kaito explained, “Maybe Tengan wanted more from you guys? Something he could only get from the factories that had taken the people who were coping best with the fact that they were there to begin with? Or, maybe the people he asked weren’t coping as well as the rest of you? Or… or maybe my theory is entirely wrong.” Kaito smiled warily, shrugging as he picked up the shakers, putting them back, “I really only can guess. I was educated by Tengan, I learned a lot about the world, or at least how he viewed the world, directly from him in specific, tutoring style lessons… buuuuut it was still kind of not so much ‘learning’ as ‘evesdropping’. I can only tell you what I think he might have done, based on what I knew about him. The one who knows him better than I do is Lord Byakuya. And I don’t think he’d ever say.”

(It hadn’t really been Namine’s reaction. Tengan had instilled in her false panic, making her up to be her family’s sole hope of freedom. It wasn’t that she couldn’t cope or was helpless…but…)

Marluxia’s grip around his glass tightened dangerously as a hot fury started to rumble through him. His little sister was not helpless and anyone that would try to make her, HE’D TEAR THEM APART AND BLAZE THEM TO ASHES AND FUCKING USE THOSE ASHES TO MAKE MULCH!! NAMINE WAS NOT A SERVANT TO ANYONE!

As his rage built, Marluxia’s voice was much harsher as he snapped, “And it’s not exactly easy to get ahold of some exile, isn’t it. Whichever way you look at it, you’re the best answers we have.” Which was a surprisingly gracious thing to say, while starting to huff from anger.

“Easy lad,” Luis said, placing a hand on Marluxia’s shoulder, “I can feel the tension coming off of ya. He’s explaining it to us, but he didn’t do it. It’d be screaming at the air.”

But Kaito seemed to feel differently about it. Taking in the anger clearly building in Marluxia for a moment, before slightly nodding. “Yeah. I’m what you’ve got. The closest you’ll ever get to any of them, really. It’s too late to demand answers from any of them. The ones still left? They won’t answer to you. Trust me… it’s only me.”

Marluxia gave Luis a vicious glare, but he did try to take deeper breaths to calm down. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew his actual enemies weren’t in front of him. As much as he wanted an enemy to bury into the ground…there just wasn’t. So getting worked up, letting his anger bowl him ov--

“You don’t have to patronize me,” Marluxia snapped, baring his teeth a bit at Kaito, “I’m not stupid, I can figure that out myself. The supervisors were just sadist idiots, and they’re all back in Luminary anyway, and Tengan is fucking dead; I know what the situation is!”

Kaito sighed, relaxing a little. He hadn’t realized how tense his shoulders were until Marluxia had bared his teeth at him. “I know. I don’t mean to spell it out, I just…”

“It’s hard, not wanting to just ask you guys to take a piece out of me.” Kaito admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he scoffed, “To offer a submission bow? I know you won’t take me up on it. No one ever would. Even if I wasn’t a Momota? I’m surrounded by protections. Inside and out. Some of the scariest people in the world are looking out for me. I don’t even think that’s an exaggeration. I’m untouchable.”

“And I just feel… regretful for that. That I can’t offer you any sort of vengeance. I couldn’t even offer you the chance to yell at Lord Byakuya, there’s no way he’d take my call. And even if he did, he wouldn’t give you what you wanted. Neither would Kaede. No one else involved? Is ever going to apologize. They’re never going to admit they were wrong. They’re never going to be sorry. Not ever. And there is literally nothing either of us can do about it.” Kaito said dryly, eyes lidded as he said, “And that? That keeps me up at night. I want so, so, so badly for someone to just feel even just… bad. About it. To be sorry… And it’s just never going to happen.”

“I just wish I could offer you that.” Kaito said. “And I can’t. Not really… sorry.”

Marluxia wanted to say that he would absolutely take a piece of Momota. Even if Lauriam had just asked for Kaito to give their whole family an apology, Marluxia wasn’t Lauriam and he’d absolutely take more. He wanted to scream that he’d make them sorry, it didn’t matter who they were!

But…that was mostly the anger talking. Lauriam might agonize over being a burden, but Marluxia knew that taking what he wanted would without any uncertainty put his family in danger. Kaito was right. Even if he was offering, the second Marluxia made him bleed or mentally writhe, The Reaper, a saint, and God-Ouma would crush him into pieces without hesitation. And…

Well. Even in his high estimation of himself, he could admit those weren’t fights he’d win. And trying to go after the fucking queen of Luminary? Or stomping across even more countries to get at the other dude? It just…wasn’t…

“RRNNNGHGH!” That noise came right from the bottom of Marluxia’s chest, heavy with true frustration as he pressed his forehead to the table, gripping his hands tightly in his lap to keep them from doing anything else. “Wish we’d fucking killed them all,” he growled quietly through gritted teeth, literally trembling every now and then with rage, “Why didn’t Terra take me with him? Selfish asshole.”

“...” Luis looked away. Tense and regretful. He didn’t think that’d have been a good idea. But he wasn’t looking to chastise Marluxia for wishing for it. He had a lot of reasons to wish pain on the supervisors. They all did.

“Take you where?” Kaito asked, sipping his mead, tilting his head lightly at Marluxia’s true, obvious frustration. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sakura pointedly looking their direction, and he gave her a little smile and a raise of his glass. It’s fiiiiine they were fiiiiiiine. 

And Kaito really believed they were fine. He understood the regret of wishing you could have a confrontation that was impossible. His poor family had watched him have multiple breakdowns over it. It was just… something you had to work through.

“To fuckin’ be those Skid-Lickers’ nightmare,” Marluxia growled, all the little self-soothing techniques truly not doing a thing as his anger continued to snowball into itself. “Should’ve left Seifer three feet under. Would’ve left every fuckin’ alley in that city covered in blood.”

No one there would’ve been able to see it. But there was a spark of sorts. Like someone trying to light tinder, sparks flying as a precursor to an actual flame erupting. And with these particular sparks, well…

A few people around the pub sniffed, giving their shoes a cursory check. 

Kaito’s eyes immediately looked around in alarm, that a particulary harsh slur and Kaito wanting to see who would have heard them and taken offense, before remembering, right, Diceans. Though, Kaito’s nose wrinkled as something foul filled the air. A taste on his tongue. 

And a sense of rage and earnest violence that… caused Kaito to grin a little. His heart starting to thump in excitement as he rested his cheek against his palm. A bead of sweat starting to form against his skin as he gave a breathy, yearning little, “Yeah… it’d be nice if it worked that way…” the calm way he said it not truly expressing how badly he was yearning for it, in that moment. 

Luis gave Marluxia a worried look, glanced at the sweat on the prince and the way the other patrons were shifting around, and– {Namine. You remember what we talked about, lass? I could use a hand in Marluxia’s neck of the woods.}

{◑.◑}

{((u_u))}

All at once Marluxia let out a heavy breath, the tension dropping from his form as a sense of {CALM. NUMB.} came over him. Sitting back up, expression blank, Marluxia idly noted the creeping thrum of a headache threatening to form at the base of his skull. …whoops. 

{Thanks, Little Witch}

Just blankly looking at the rest of his mead for a moment, Marluxia gave a small hum. “...but it’s not. So we’ve just gotta live with it. And honestly it’s insulting for them to take up, like, any brainspace still. Their time is done.”

{((u_u))}

{◑.◑ No worries.}

“Heh. You’re better than I am.” Kaito admitted, also feeling himself ease. It had been a while since he had felt like that, but he remembered why he liked it, even as it faded away. It was a powerful, reassuring feeling, that sort of anger. Soothing. “But, you are right. Wanting and wishing and all the ‘what-if’s’ and ‘why-not’s in the world only ruins our day, not theirs.”

“Like I said, it’s so… infuriating. The reality that they’re just really, genuinely not sorry.” Kaito frowned, gripping his mug tightly… before he sighed, sipping it, “So, the only way we win is by going on and being happy despite all the shit they pulled. Bummer. But at least it’s working out.”

Marluxia gave Kaito a cool look as that numb feeling started to fade--obviously he was better than him--before sighing with a shrug and sitting back in the booth as he regarded all his shopping bags. “Seems to be, anyway. Freedom, more money than we’ve ever seen in our life, hate to admit that Xaldin was right and people really do cover their walls and ceilings with plants here, and maybe? La-La will stop fretting about it and we can figure out a living situation without our whole family literally breathing down our neck all the time. Pretty far from a bad time, all things considered.”

Especially once everyone else got there. Un-kidnapped little brother included. 

“Oh,” Marluxia tsked, the question popping up at that thought, “Here’s another question for you, more factory-adjacent than anything: how common was it for elites to go out and buy a kid? Not as part of the Program, I mean.”

“Oooooh, thinking of getting your own place? I can totally understand that. It’s so nice having your own space, I think I would have wanted it growing up even if I hadn’t had issues with my own family.” Kaito agreed, before pausing… and then snickering, “Thooouuugh that’s me being spoiled. Shuichi and Maki would absolutely be ragging on me, hearing that, and even my long suffering ‘Kichi would probably notably roll his eyes. I had a lot of space.”

“You know, this is more reassuring than I would have thought it’d be, before stumbling here.” Luis admitted, watching Kaito laugh a little, “I really felt like I had ruined this boys life. Maybe I still did, at points, but… he seems fine. A little ‘off’, but fine.”

“Makes me wonder if it’d feel the same to see other Indentured I conditioned,” Luis sighed, “Like maybe more of them, despite everything, might still just be… fine.”

At the question, Kaito raised an eyebrow, before asking as if it were obvious, “Non-heir kids? Sure. Lots of families opt to adopt or mentor a kid after their second kid. You only really need two. The heir and the backup. My family sort of did that with Kaede, though she’s a cousin. Non-heir kids are useful to a family.”

“I can’t imagine royalty was kept in a particularly small box, no,” Marluxia drawled disparagingly. “Or even one where you still can technically stand up and walk around, but you’ll soon bump into someone else.”

But as much as there was no way they would be heading out for a totally different city or anything, Marluxia was rooting for one of the apartment options Ouma had shown them amid the collection of ‘listings’ he’d passed over to the group. Regrettably, Lauriam’s feelings on the matter were right; they weren’t suited for true separation. But having a space that was just theirs, one where they could just chill out and have a moment to think without other people around? Beyond just being nice, which was reason enough, Marluxia thought that it’d be a life-saver for all the stress starting a new life would bring. 

And it’d be nice to have a bit more space than a closet when they invited Dilan and Xaldin over.

{Honestly? I think most people,} Marluxia said, though not unkindly, {Even we had our fine moments. It’s harder than you give it credit for, to live in perpetual misery. In the worst circumstances, you’re still living, so you have to find ways to live, and I think for most people? That means finding ways to be fine.}

There was a bit of pouty, embarrassed affection in Marluxia’s next bit of intent. {And you didn’t ruin shit, Uncle Luis. A conniving bastard asking you questions, no matter the way you answered them, doesn’t suddenly make you the one torturing this rich dumbass. Maybe he wasn’t a main one, but ‘nothing the supervisors do is your fault’ still counts when it’s Tengan.}

Mental pout or no, it turned into a visible grimace of disgust as Marluxia grumbled a heartfelt, “Gross,” before he glared lightly at Kaito. “Figure your family didn’t need to drop a copper on Kaede if she was already family, though.”

Luis smiled lightly at that. The kids were kind to him.

“True,” Kaito agreed, “And as royals, it’d be a much bigger deal if we were to adopt someone or take on a mentor. Whichever kid we take on for whatever reason becomes important, even if title-wise they aren’t. If an elite’s taking a kid that isn’t theirs? And is starting to act like a guardian to them? They see potential in them as a future of whatever it is they’re trying to safe-guard. The family, the business, the land, whatever. Heirs are hit or miss, but you’re still usually stuck with them in some capacity. Having a worthwhile child added to the roster just by pure potential? Means your family is likely to stay an elite in the next generation too.”

“I might even be doing that a little bit, though, I don’t have any particular goal in mind.” Kaito admitted, “I mean, I’ve already adopted my son… sort of. Not in a way Luminary would recognize, but he’s mine and I’d sooner burn the Luminary castle down then give him up.” Kaito said easily, sincere, “But Miyako is my actual heir, in the legal sense. But okay, let’s say Timothy doesn’t count as me just ‘taking’ a kid, even though I very literally did, because he was in real trouble and needed me too and I had an obligation to him by that point. There’s this girl named Cali? Great kid, amazing. She’s going to be a powerhouse of an adult, someday, and I’d love to help her reach her full potential. If I actually had anything I could really mentor her in, business wise? I’d be seriously considering it for her. I just, ya know… don’t. I’m a house-husband, at the end of the day. But that’s the only reason why I wouldn’t seriously mentor her.”

“Most elites see it like that. Taking a kid in need and giving them mobility upwards… at least, I hope they do. They usually get their extra kids from the Atuan temples. It’s pretty normal practice, adopting or mentoring the third kid. And, well, adopting is expensive.” Kaito paused, before adding, “But that’s not what you mean, is it. Did you have a specific example in mind?”

Marluxia’s expression remained twisted, but at least for the time being his anger didn’t start flaring again. Ienzo had told them what Kaede was doing with Ventus, that she hoped he’d be the next Tengan, for at least how his role within the castle would be. A powerful Empath at the queen’s disposal. Wretched…but he already knew that. And for as awkward as his little brother was, between Ienzo and Aqua, Marluxia had faith that Ventus would take the escape they were offering him.

It just…fucking sucked hearing how common it was among elites to decide what sort of kid they want for their own machinations and to pluck ‘em up. 

…less so if it was normal adoption, but…

Marluxia glowered at Kaito. “Some elite fucks high off their own fumes stole my little brother and made us all think he’s been dead until a few months ago. How. Common. Is. That?”

Kaito’s eyes widened… before he squinted. “That’s… I am almost certain… illegal. Almost certain. Probably.” Brow furrowed, he asked, “Wait, when we’re talking elites, are we talking one of the noble families? Look, I might have gotten too used to calling just trying to influence kids and teenagers ‘taking’ and ‘stealing’ them, what I’m talking about is just regular adoption and, like… well yeah, just having a somewhat paternal, informal relationship to them. I didn’t mean actual kidnapping. That’s not common, no.”

Marluxia gave Kaito a frustrated look before nodding shortly, going back to sip at his mead. “‘Enzy said Harukawa said you knew him in Luminary. Ventus Shard. And according to ‘Enzy, they’re a pretty major noble family. So. To be clear,” Marluxia said gravely, “It’s not common among elites to decide you want a super baby so you bribe the damn prison of them that so happens to have one of the prisoners pregnant, having bargained to have a kid at all, then convinced all of them that the kid is dead at birth so you can kidnap him without consequence. That doesn’t happen.”

Luis winced. He didn’t know how wise telling the Momota boy exactly who they were talking about was…he had kept quiet in a moment of trust. But truthfully, like Kaito had said, if he did go against them and take the elites side? Sabotage them? He was, well… untouchable. 

But if Ventus were to leave Luminary and go with them to Dicea? It wasn’t like they’d be able to keep it a secret once they showed up. So… trust.

Kaito’s eyes became saucer the more Marluxia spoke, eyebrow raising up. He had known the other empaths had gone to Luminary for some reason or another. He hadn’t gotten ‘assassination’ vibes from it, and hadn’t been willing to ask if there was anything like that to it. Kaito had spent his life trying to keep his head down once conspiracies poked their way into his life, and that wasn’t a habit he had kicked, apparently.

But hearing what they actually wanted… who they actually wanted… “Little Ventus?” Kaito sputtered, “Saber’s little brother?! Kind of a small kid, sweet, can jump like crazy. That Ventus?!”

Kaito blinked… before whispering, “The fuck are the odds?” 

Marluxia’s gaze snapped to Kaito at the name ‘Saber’, his eyes widening a little before he spoke a simple, soft, “Oh.” Just quiet for a few moments after that as he stared at the table. 

He guessed Lauriam hadn’t been hallucinating after all. Was it…good? That those were the vibes he gave off? 

And, eventually, he hummed. “Yeah, that Ventus. Is it that coincidental you knew his brother?”

“I mean, kinda?” Kaito said, lightly rubbing his thumb joints, “I fucked a lot of people, I didn’t date most of them. Saber was… well, I don’t know if he was a good guy, if I’m honest. But he was good to the people he liked, and great to the people he loved. He and Ventus were close. I’ve shared a lot of meals with the kid because of that.”

“...I’m not surprised that his parents would do something like that though.” Kaito admitted, “The Shard’s are ruthless and self-important. They collect kids with the goal of pitting them against each other. I once wondered if that was the reason they were called ‘Shard’. If maybe their family had named themselves over the pieces they left behind every generation… they’re a fucked up family. I distanced myself from Saber to not be a part of it.”

“Ventus… I don’t think he’s close to literally anyone else in that family. And Saber’s dead…” Kaito murmured, crossing his arms, “...it might not be the worst thing… if more families’ gone looking for him…”

Marluxia hadn’t heard much, but he’d heard a little about Saber as his family had recounted their days in the capital. That he was dead, that he’d been part of a large group of kidnappings among elite and common ranks alike of Kaito’s exes, (that the circumstances of his death were horrific even by his standards, trusting the little Ienzo had to say on the matter), and that Ventus was taking his death pretty hard, having been close to him. And, well. Whoever the guy might’ve been in life, Marluxia’s little brother had loved him, so that was enough for as much respect to the dead Marluxia could give. 

Scoffing a bit at the description of the Shards, Marluxia then glared firmly at Kaito. “It’s not a bad thing,” he impressed, before scowling more. “Mom’s not just looking to scoop him up in a suitcase and steal him back. She…”

Marluxia sighed and rubbed his temple a bit, leaning an elbow on the table. “She’s making it a ‘true choice’. We know Ventus has no fucking clue who any of us are, even if we’ve grieved him his whole life. And shitty family or whatever, if he’s looking for riches and power in life, he’s got ‘em. So she’s not forcing shit on him. Just giving him the opportunity to know her, and the option to get the fuck out of there, if he wants it.”

“He really should, though,” Marluxia grumbled, poutily drinking from his glass. 

Kaito nodded lightly, thinking it over…

“...should I…” Kaito paused, thinking it over some more as he said, “...call him?”

“I mean, to vouch for you guys? I know the kid, he might take my word for it… assuming he doesn’t hate me for what happened to his brother.” Kaito sighed, looking tired, “I’ve been avoiding talking to anyone in Luminary about… annnnnything. All of it. Everything. Just… yeah.” Kaito stared at nothing for a moment, before saying, “But! If it would help you guys out? I could reach out to him?”

Marluxia’s lips twisted. “And set up the opportunity for him to think we’ve manipulated you into it? No thanks. Plus ‘Enzy said Sahara and Komaru were pretty sour about the idea of you, so just let us handle this.”

Like he’d thought before--Aqua and Ienzo could convince Ventus. They just needed time. And, though it had started, considering the way the case was going, they had it for a while.

❀눈3눈 Boo

Crack.

Kaito blinked, before looking down at his mug. He smiled tightly. “Whoops. Broke my handle…hey, I’ll get us some refills. Do you want any food? I’m going to get some bread if you want some too.”

Kaito stood up from the booth, then gave his hand a mildly confused look. Staring at the mugless handle like he wasn’t sure what to do with it… before he laughed, looking back down at the rest of the mug, still resting on the table. “Whoops! Broke my handle! Oh man, I gotta take it easy on the arm workouts… I’m gonna go get us refills and food, alright? How does bread sound? Good?”

Kaito smiled at Marluxia for a moment, like he was waiting for a response, before turning and heading to the bar without one. Forgetting the rest of the mug on the table.

“...think you might have startled him somehow?” Luis frowned, watching Kaito greet Sakura, who asked about the handle in his hand, where Kaito once again seemed a bit surprised to see did not come with a mug attached, “Maybe I spoke too soon on him being ‘mostly fine’.”

{◑.◑}

{◑.◑ Excuse me.}

{◑.◑ Sorry, I just noticed.}

{◑.◑ Is Uncle Luis projecting himself three dimensionally like Zexion does?}

{◑.◑}

{◑.◑ and also, are you eating food with the prince by yourself?}

{◑.◑ Uncle Even isn’t going to like that, you know. He worries.}

{◑.◑}

{◑.◑ He says you made his hair turn white.}

Marluxia blinked, giving the broken mug an incredulous look for a moment, while the repetition of motions Kaito seemed to go through, not requiring any input whatsoever from him, made him narrow his eyes. Certainly not taking Marluxia off guard or making him nervous or anything, pff, duh, no. But he did watch Kaito chat with the pub owner for a moment, clenching his fists in his lap. 

{Well it’s not like we didn’t already know he was a major weirdo} Marluxia ‘scoffed’ to Luis, even if his intent betrayed far more feelings than that. However, as the fourth person in the conversation revealed herself to have been listening in since being called, even that undercurrent of nervous intent was squashed right down. 

{I guess???} Marluxia gave Luis another incredulous glance. {I mean, I can never blame any of you for wanting more substantial time with me, but I think Luis has leveled it up, Nami}

{And Even looooooves to blame his stress-management on me, it’s whatever. He knows that I was going out today--just because Prince Money-bags decided to stalk me during it doesn’t change much} 

Marluxia’s reassurance did come off confident…but the additional nervous glance he shot towards Kaito may have undercut it just a bit. 

{◑.◑}

{◑.◑;; okay but are you in danger should I do something I can do something–}

“I think I’ve already got his back with this, little lass,” Luis reassured Namine, “And you know how Marluxia is, he knows how to handle himself. Besides, he can always walk out of here… I’m pretty sure. Based on what the Ouma has told us. Yes?” Luis hesitated, watching as the prince laughed at something Sakura said before bringing back a tray with two new mugs of mead and a few different platters of appetizers. “I’m fairly certain…”

“Sorry, I was feeling hungry. You know what the number one secret to bodybuilding is? It’s getting enough calories. Can’t build muscle without them! That and sleep. And the exercise itself too, obviously, but people tend to underestimate how little is going to develop without food and sleep to go with it,” Kaito said, passing Marluxia the new mead and setting up the food to be shared between them. It was hard bread, wings and sliced, fried potato wedges. “You have some pretty good muscle definition from what I can tell, but honestly, you’re probably lacking too much nutrients to really get to your natural size. Height is probably too late, but you’re not exactly slacking there. But muscle width! You can totally still develop those outside of adolescence!”

Kaito broke off some of the bread, chewing on it a bit, before saying, “I’m really sorry about Ventus. I feel like maybe I haven’t portrayed how horrifying the situation is. I know it is. I think some of the bite of knowing he’s stolen is taken away by already knowing he’s grown to be such a good kid. He’s a great kid. Saber loved him a lot. But I bet you guys love him too. It’s a terrible situation.”

{Witch, I’m fine, don’t lose your head} Leaning on the table a little, Marluxia hid a smirk by resting on an arm, sending over the feeling of ruthlessly ruffling Namine’s hair. {It’ll be a pain to carry all of my shopping back, but that’s not an issue. I can dip whenever I want}

Again, Marluxia glanced over to Luis. {We may not be able to take a piece out of Fancy-Pants, but that means he can’t take any from us either. Weird situation here, hm?}

Looking at the collection of food Kaito brought over--and the extra drink that Marluxia knew Lauriam would be whining about if Marluxia took as much as an additional sip--Marluxia gave Kaito a dry look. “You really get the impression La-La’s looking to be a juggernaut? Don’t think I’d mind it so much when it’s my turn, but seeing him as anything but a noodle would just be strange.”

His jaw tensing a bit as Kaito got back to their conversation, Marluxia relented to taking some bread. He was quiet for a moment, just looking at the table, before shrugging with a small sniff. “Well, not like ‘terrible situations’ are new. And it’s about to all be in the past, so it’s whatever.”

{Nami, before whatever the fuck that was, Momota was answering questions about the factory, if there’s anything you wanna ask? You could ask yourself more easily than Coin Flip can, but I don’t blame you for wanting a proxy against this guy}

{◑.◑}

{◑.◑ Did the Head Secretary have a protege?}

{◑.◑ I mean in the real world.}

But before Marluxia had a chance to convey the message, Kaito startled as he stared at the center of the table between them. A flickering, ever-shifting silhouette of pure white light staring up at him, the silhouette clearly a small beam, not unlike Amaira’s size, with hair that seemed to shift with its own wind and a dress hem-line that did the same. All mixed with dark, almost liquid-like shadows, melting and mixing with the white light.  A creature made of flaming light, fueled by dark liquid at the base of every burning glow, as she stared up at Kaito…

Both intent sent and voice a soft, crackling sing-song, as she said, “Who did he actually pick?”

Kaito gave the creature–it was hard to look at Namine and not have her ‘otherness’ be the first thing that came to mind, in the form she had crafted–a bewildered look, even as the intent of who she was and what she was asking made itself clear in his mind. Still, despite her pouring all the answers he needed into his mind immediately, Kaito murmured, “Man, I really hope I didn’t have some sort of mental breakdown a year ago or something…”

“Ah, shit. I don’t know how wise any of this is,” Luis muttered, now looking worriedly between the four of them. Marluxia was already a risk for confrontation, but Namine was only a quieter version of all the dangers Marluxia posed. Just as dangerous and aggressive as he could be, with all the unassuming presence of a lily.

But it was that unassuming presence that was helping her out, as Kaito relaxed after a moment, looking her over curiously. “You want to know who he was mentoring? Can I ask why?”

“...” Namine stared up at him, the white and black coloring that made her up shifting actively while she remained very still. “In the factories, me and some others were put into competition by him, to see who he would take on as a protege and elevate from the prisons of the factories. For a long time, I wondered if I had failed some test, or had lost out to one of the others. My ego has only recently allowed me the possibility that perhaps not only was I rejected, but there was never truly a prize to begin with. That all I was competing for was to be a prisoner in a different prison. If that spot had already been filled by some free person, out in the world? I had no way of ever knowing.”

“...” Kaito considered her for a moment, before sighing as he took a long sip of mead. “More tragic stories. Damn… yeah, he had a protege. Her name was Chisa. She was the secretary being prepped to take his place as Head Secretary someday. If things had gone to Tengan’s plans, she would have been my brother’s right-hand when he was king, which in a lot of ways, would have meant she was co-leading the kingdom someday… The person you’re thinking of is Chisa Yukizome. She’s banned from Dicea and disappeared over a year ago. I have no idea what happened to her or where she is now. She might be dead.”

“Chisa…” Namine out her hands up and palms together, and out of the merging white light and black liquid, a clear flower bloomed out of her hand, within it a small, shifting nectar of water, “May I have the memory of her? This will copy the memories you have of her, if you allow it.” She paused. “It would do it if you didn’t allow it as well. But it is kinder to do so with permission.”

“Some of my memories of her are kind of bad,” Kaito told the mind creature, “You sure you want those?”

“...yes please,” Namine said.

“Wait, wait, no, ask him what kind of memories those are!” Luis suddenly jumped in, notably fretting, “Namine, young lady, this man has a bit of a skewed idea of what ‘bad’ means and frankly he’s very sexual, and sex-focused, so you ask first!”

“.................unless any of them are sexual in nature,” Namine said, her expression unchanging, but her voice sounding a little pouty.

Kaito squinted his eyes. “...I have a sexual memory that kinda involves her, but she’s not in it. Would that end up in the pile?”

“You thinking about it in connection to her would, but the actual memory wouldn’t.”

“That is a really neat trick, man, you’re a strong little Empath–”

“Okay, I’m sorry, I have to ask,” Hina said, stepping up, having been watching their booth from the bar after coming back in to greet Sakura and drop off some grocery bags, “Kaito, why are you talking at the table? I thought maybe you were just avoiding your new friends here’s eyes, but you’re not, you’re absolutely talking to the table. You’re not even talking to the bread or something, at least an item would be a focus. You’re just staring at air.”

“................................ Hina! Meet my new friend Marluxia!” Kaito said cheerfully, pointing to Marluxia, “Marluxia, Hina. She helps run the bar! She also volunteers to at the dojo too!”

Marluxia’s mouth twisted, but he had still planned on asking Kaito. However he felt about it--that Tengan wasn’t worth spending any energy on, better left in the fucking dust--didn’t matter here. His little sister getting whatever damn answers she wanted to try and salvage even a mote of catharsis from the years of manipulation she’d been put through…that’s what mattered. 

But Namine didn’t exactly need him for that. 

Eyes widening a little at the projection (that was new) and giving more wary glances to Kaito as he reacted to her too, Marluxia gave Namine a small, frustrated frown. {Hey, you do realize I haven’t just been Luis’ messenger for fun, right? Fancy-pants can’t exactly send intent back to you and circumvent looking like a loon}

But just like every fucking thing else, when would Namine ever listen to him?

(......Marluxia was listening though, and stored the name ‘Chisa Yukizome’ away. If Namine really was taking the nerds’ words to heart and was working more in tandem with Kairi now, he figured the chance of Namine getting the closure she needed just from a memory of Tengan’s protege would be most likely… But especially with Kaito pointing out that he didn’t know Chisa’s fate? He wouldn’t put it past the Witch to try and seek her out from the signature within the memories.)

(Marluxia wasn’t sure what he’d do about that yet, but…it’d be something. Anyone officially mentored by that douche was dangerous, and regardless of how dangerous Namine was by her own right, Marluxia wasn’t about to let his little sister stroll right into danger without lifting a finger.)

Looking distinctly unamused--and…mostly hiding how stressed out he was--as someone noticed exactly what he’d pointed out, Marluxia gave Hina a small nod as they were introduced. “Charmed. So this isn’t normal, hm? I was just seeing how long he’d go on.” Marluxia gave Kaito a sarcastic, twee smile. “Didn’t get much sleep last night, highness?”

“I’m probably just getting visions from Atua again. I’m a Momota messiah, if you haven’t heard,” Kaito said easily, the old joke coming back to him without a second-thought. The need for the joke had eased as time went by and people moved on and got over it, but in Kaito’s teenage years, after losing his inheritance and giving up his claims, a good way of dealing with those memories and the public scrutiny that had come with them had been leaning into jokes around them. 

Acting a little spaced out? Sorry guys, just getting a vision. Forgot something? Atua deemed it unworthy. Kaito hadn’t seen things that weren’t there, but if he had mistakenly thought he’d seen or heard something? Message from Atua. 

(The fact that Kaito did actively pray to Atua and would make notable pauses to imagine responses wasn’t part of the joke, for him. That was just something Kaito did for himself, usually where no one could hear it.)

It was an old joke that didn’t come up a lot, but Hina had been around for the days when those jokes had been more common in Kaito’s vocabulary, and it was her seeing him act ‘strange’ that brought it back instinctively… and to her credit, Hina crossed her arms and smirked a little, mildly amused, as she said, “Uh-huh. Well, tell Atua to stop getting you to act like a spaz in my bar. You’re worrying Sakura, you know she gets nervous.”

Kaito glanced over at Sakura at the bar. She was idly washing dishes. She did not seem to be at all concerned about anything.

Hina turned to Marluxia, smiling more easily. “Charmed yourself! Can I just say, I love your hair.”

“Compliment his outfit too, it’s new,” Kaito encouraged.

“Oh, wow! No, it looks great, did you just get that today? You just pull it off effortlessly,” Hina laughed, “I always feel like I’m wearing new outfits like a weird second skin, but you look like you’re in your element. Looks great! …hey, Kaito, why does that mug not have a handle?”

Kaito glanced at the mug she was pointing to, the one he had left behind to get refills. “Oh shit, yeah, look at that. Weird.”

Marluxia rolled his eyes a bit (but whatever worked worked, to keep someone from asking questions). Come to mention it, Ira and Ava had said something to Lauriam about this sort of behavior from Kaito not being that weird--really, just more evidence that it had been caused by an Empath--so at least the guy had practice. 

His smile losing some tension as Hina complimented him, Marluxia gave her a pleased little look as he preened. “Thank you~ Coming from you, that really means something~ Love the swoop your hair does in the back, very cool.” Sitting straighter, Marluxia proudly showed off more of his outfit--a little different from conception, since even for fashion he wasn’t about to go about in this frigid weather without a coat, but it was still more stylish that Lauriam’s usual fare--before he scoffed and gave Kaito an exasperated look. “Well, you did tell La-La that you’d break shit, so it’s not all that surprising.”

“Yeah, happens when I get emotional. Really bad habit, been trying to break it… no pun intended, but pun happily claimed,” Kaito grinned, though the grin turned sheepish when Hina sighed and reached for the broken mug, “Sorry, Hina.”

“It’s alright, it’s alright. Just don’t break any more of our dishes or I’m going to put you to work washing them, got it?” Hina said, the threat clearly playful as she gave Kaito a wink, before nodding cheerfully at Marluxia again. Then she headed off, returning to Sakura. 

“She’s great,” Kaito said idly, before looking around, “...wait, where did little light girl go?”

Luis, during all of that, had quietly started sharing intent back and forth with Namine, asking her a bit firmly that if she was going to copy memories out of Kaito’s head, Empath-wise, to go ask his husband for permission first. Arguing that Kaito couldn’t entirely acknowledge or control exactly what he gave her, so asking the Empath in his life to do it for him was better. 

Mostly, Luis was worried about more bad memories being given to Namine without at least someone making sure she’d be okay with what she saw. Namine was used to Horrors, of course, but that didn’t mean Luis wanted to see her volunteer herself for more if she didn’t have to. Especially to just know a little more about a person. Let someone else filter the worst she might see. 

He conveyed all of that to Marluxia as well.

Marluxia paused for a moment, his eyes unfocused, before he snorted softly in amusement. “Just slightly harder to pull grand acts of witchcraft when there’s an ‘adult’-adult here, huh.” Shaking his head a little, he glanced back to Kaito and shrugged lazily. “She’s asking Ouma about it. Little easier not to ‘accidentally’ root through every memory and association you have with some vetting help.”

His nose wrinkled a bit. “Especially if some sex story would get attached to whatever you’d give her. She’s good, but so good it becomes not that good, if you feel me.”

Kaito relaxed a little at the explanation, nodding. “I trust Kokichi, so I know he’d only give her what I’d be okay with. Honestly, probably for the best, since I don’t know if he can trust me to always give what he’d be okay with. I can be careless, sometimes.”

“...one of you talked to Sahara?” Kaito finally asked, reaching for a potato wedge and popping it into his mouth, looking at the rest thoughtfully for a moment, before he sighed and reached into his pocket. Pulling out a small pebble and a cleaning cloth with it, starting to rub at it. “Eh, better this than breaking anything else. Was starting to think ‘how weird would it be if I just started tearing little strips of potato wedges apart’, but that just means I need to do something with my hands. Sahara! One of you talked to Sahara? Can you… tell me about that?”

Blurg. It wasn’t like he needed to cover Namine’s eyes from the scandals of the world, that ship had long since sailed, but she did noooooot need memories about the princes banging. Like…no one needed memories of that. Plus one for Kaito’s weird-ass fixation with his husband. 

Giving Kaito a side-glance at the…rock he was rubbing? Marluxia half-shrugged as he nibbled his bread. “Dunno how much there is to say. ‘Enzy was apparently invited to the sob-story party with the only other guests there and he, Sahara, and Komaru talked for a while about it. He didn’t go into much detail, which means that he just doesn’t know it, but…” Marluxia trailed off for a moment, frowning. “Okay, like, you don’t know him, but my little brother is a massive weirdo. So if he’s saying something’s messed up, it’s either a guilt complex, or it really is that bad.”

Kaito winced slightly at that, rubbing his rock a little harder. “Right, okay, but did she seem… healthy or… was she whole or…”

He sighed, leaning back into the seat. “You didn’t talk to her yourself, you can’t answer these questions. Man… man… Sahara. Sahara made it. Sahara and…”

“...” Kaito’s face twisted slightly. A weird mixture of grief, guilt and… disappointment. “Komaru. Komaru-Komaru-Komaru. Man, when I first heard that name? My first, second and third thought was… who?”

“Fuck,” Kaito muttered again, sitting up and giving Marluxia a shrug, “Sorry, I know I’m acting odd. I knew a bunch of people in my life got kidnapped and killed a year ago, and I knew there were two survivors. You only just told me which two it was. It was a shitty thing for me to do, but avoiding finding out kinda let me live in this reality where, like, potentially any of them were fine now… Ugh, you ever get told you have a reoccurring problem over and over again, but then you do something or something happens that really hits you over the head with how big of a problem it is? My family’s been telling me I escape reality by ignoring it for la-la daydreams for ages now, and man, that is really hitting me now that one of those daydreams just exploded on me. Only Sahara made it. Everyone else is actually dead. Maaaaaan…”

Marluxia bit back the impulse to scoff, though his gaze went dry as he sipped his mead. Have a recurring problem that keeps blowing up in your face? It was a good thing Lauriam was taking his ‘body day off’ to sleep. The last time he’d tried to empathize with Kaito that had blown up in his face too, and that wasn’t even the related issue. 

(At least right now, Marluxia refused to acknowledge his part in it. He may be able to keep his head a little better than Lauriam, but they did still share it, and even just in recent history it hadn’t been Lauriam that was the one causing a massive scene and making things harder on their family.)

(Lauriam had told Sora he wasn’t sure he deserved their family’s acceptance and forgiveness for everything he caused. Like with so much else, Marluxia was just hoping that if he always demanded it like it was a given, then Lauriam would just have to accept it one day.)

(He didn’t know what else to do.)

There was a lot Marluxia didn’t know how to answer, but by the end he just gave Kaito a dry, lidded look. “Really just going to gloss over an entire damn person’s life, huh? Alright.” He snorted a low laugh, drinking more. “Well, that does explain the whole ‘unenthused’ vibe ‘Enzy was talking about. Mystery solved.”

Kaito nodded, wincing again. “It’s terrible, right? I’m an asshole. I’m glad Sahara is alive, even if I’m a little disappointed… no, not a little disappointed. That’s a lie. Even though a part of me wishes it had been a few of the others instead of her. I loved Sahara at one point, but she wasn’t as important to me as some of the others.”

“But Komaru?” Kaito sighed, “...I feel evil, how upset I am to hear that. It’s not fair to her. It’s not a good reaction. But I’m so genuinely upset by it. I barely knew her. I don’t have any feelings for her, not really. I think her hair was brown. Komaru. Komaru and not…”

Kaito paused… before his face scrunched with sudden grief. Looking on the verge of tears… before he blinked and sighed, the grief gone. “Hey, I gotta go home. I’m sorry. If you want, I can carry your bags home for you if you’re not ready to head back. But I gotta go home.”

Marluxia was an asshole. 

(Even so, it had never even crossed his mind to wish that someone else had taken Terra’s place, his misfortune. Of course he loved the rest of his family, so it would be a different story than wishing it upon a stranger, but he’d never even been bitter about the fact that Ienzo still had his dads, or had wished that someone else had had the stress get to them instead of Inzi.)

He was an asshole…but one well acquainted with grief. 

Letting out a deeeeep, deep sigh--glancing over to Luis for just a moment--Marluxia leaned back from the table. “I guess it’s about time to head back, I don’t actually want to give Even the right to blame his impending aneurysm on me. And I’m not about to carry all this back myself. Let’s get to it, and you can go sob before you know it.”

Luis gave Marluxia a small, approving smile. That was nice of him. It seemed like the other guy just needed some time to himself, really. Marluxia was a good man.

“I guess I’m done being a weird little ghost over your shoulder. You gonna be alright, lad?” Luis asked.

There was a part of Marluxia that beamed and danced with joy seeing that sort of smile given to him. The part that, if he were in the mindscape in Chibi form, might have bright summer flowers bursting into bloom around him. 

Marluxia resolutely ignored that part, shoving it deep down as he got up, even taking on a few of his own bags to carry back. 

{Like I’m ever not, old man. Gotta say, even for us, this is one of the weirder voyeur sessions. If you wanna make it up to me, tell Xaldin and Dilan to start tying themselves in knots in anticipation for a surprise La-La and I’ll have for them}

That was mostly what only came through in intent. Marluxia could never bring himself to say it, but Luis nudging his boyfriends to ‘come over’ for a visit would be an acceptable offering too.

Luis laughed, “Understood. I’ll go nudge those lazy men to go give their partners some attention. Call for me if you need me, Marluxia.”

And he disappeared. 

-

They had agreed upon it being Marluxia’s day with the body, but that didn’t mean that Lauriam would be totally out for the whole day. If nothing else, a year with only himself had been great practice for Marluxia running their life himself, but since coming back, he’d found it…difficult. To truly spend a whole day without Lauriam. 

And in fairness, Lauriam found it difficult to spend a whole day without Marluxia, though, if he bothered to think about it, he didn’t think that was as much a ‘them’ problem, as it was that he couldn’t exactly walk off a coma so easily. (Along with other potential brain problems that he definitely wasn’t thinking about.)

So later that day, back in his room at the castle, Lauriam sighed through a yawn as he pushed himself up from where Marluxia had settled to re--????

Why??? Was his front sore????

Running a hand over his abdomen--flushing slightly at the clothes he was wearing--Lauriam’s mouth wobbled in bewilderment, before he lifted his shirt in front of the mirror.

And choked. 

“MARLUXIA?!?!?!?”

-

Luis had very firmly sent the message to Xaldin and Dilan that they should go visit their boyfriends, unsubtle enough that the two could guess he had been asked to do so. “Think it’s a good surprise or a bad surprise?” Xaldin asked, watching Dilan rotate through different outfits.

“What would a bad surprise with them be?” Dilan asked, adjusting the shirt around him, some jewelry around his neck complimenting the array of colors.

“If they’re mad at us, it’s a bad surprise. We do anything to piss off the garden duo in a bit?” Xaldin asked.

“They’re not mad at us, you sound paranoid. They just want to see us and let Luis know,” Dilan said, settling on the outfit… before he glared over his shoulder, “Did you do something to get us into trouble and that’s why you’re worried?”

“No? Now who’s paranoid?” Xaldin scoffed, “Unbutton that top button, you look stuffy.”

Dilan scoffed in turn, but did unbutton it and the two headed over to the garden. And when they arrived they saw…

For just a moment when the Archeology Duo arrived, they would’ve been able to hear indistinct, but clearly outraged shouting. But by the time they would’ve been able to take in their surroundings, they would’ve seen Marluxia and Lauriam furiously making out, Marluxia gripping Lauriam’s jaw tightly and half-pinning him to the ground, while Lauriam’s grip around Marluxia’s bicep looked tight enough to be genuinely painful. 

“G-gah! Lauria–!” 

“No, no, let’s see where this goes,” Xaldin said, grabbing the back of Dilan’s shirt and holding him back, watching the makeout session with a calm, amused smirk, “Why ruin their good time?”

Dilan sputtered in concerned outrage, gesturing to the pair like Xaldin had somehow missed it! They were fighting! Sort of!! 

Just the sound of Dilan’s scandal was enough to draw attention, though, and with a wet noise Marluxia looked up, pleasantly flushed as he smirked delightedly at the garden guests. “Well look who actually showed up~? Guess Luis really did put enough urgency into it for you two to deign to arrive this month, lucky me.”

“Get! Off! Me! You! Jerk!” Lauriam had just been left panting on the ground for a moment before he grunted fiercely, gritting his teeth at Marluxia and pushing him off, working his jaw as Marluxia snickered. He shot his Nobody a glare, but it was clear to everyone there how flustered he actually was. 

Taking a steadying breath, Lauriam gave Xaldin and Dilan a softer look. “Hey… Nice to see you.”

“Hey there, Dandelion~ I see the flowers are getting the best of you?” Xaldin smirked, giving Lauriam a wink. 

“Oh, come on, we just saw you a few days ago,” Dilan huffed, pulling out of Xaldin’s grip on the back of his shirt and going to look the two of them over. “What were you two fighting about? Are you alright?”

“Sure, sure, just like how we all see each other practically every night,” Marluxia huffed, rolling his eyes. “Hello, how was your day, miss you, well, goodnight. Riveting visits, as we all know.” 

That really was the extent sometimes, but their check-ins did tend to be more robust than that. But especially with the implication that things would be getting a little calmer on their end? The truth of the future that he and Lauriam had never really needed to consider becoming a pressing issue?

It really felt like he missed their boyfriends more and more everyday.

While some days he might’ve played more, Lauriam just huffed, blushing a bit. “Easy to do when I’m unconscious.”

Marluxia scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. “Oh please, you chose to snooze all day, you could’ve been awake. And it’s not like you didn’t know what I was doing.”

“You said you were just going shopping!” Lauriam hissed, bristling again. “Not--!” He cut himself off with a choked sound, turning pinker.

“Would you both calm a bit? I’m sure whatever Marluxia did couldn’t have been that bad,” Dilan sighed, reaching down to offer Lauriam a hand up from the ground, “Well, at least not if it ends with you two making out. I have to assume if it was truly dire, lips wouldn’t have gotten involved.”

“You say, like every reason you and I have touched each other hasn’t been connected to some sort of fight.” Xaldin scoffed, going to squat down to Marluxia’s level, resting his elbows on his knees as he smirked at the man. “Maybe whatever he did was bad, but also kinda sexy. We getting close, flower?”

Lauriam let out a slow sigh as he accepted the hand up, using the momentum to lean into Dilan a bit as he stood, giving him a more physical hello. In the moment, it always felt like on days like this he wanted nothing else but to bury himself in sod and sleep for ten million years. 

Then, of course, at the first instance of contact, you’d need a crowbar to pry him away. 

“It’s not…bad,” Lauriam grumbled, “It’s just…”

Smirking sunnily back at Xaldin, Marluxia sang-song out, “Take a look through our eyes for a sec, would you?”

Looking self-satisfied, if a bit out of it, Marluxia sat up slightly on their bed, lifting his shirt up as he looked in the mirror. Even without purposeful lighting, the dangling blue charm glittering over his belly button.

Both Xaldin and Dilan took a peek…

“Gah!” Dilan sputtered, looking increasingly flustered at the exact moment Xaldin whispered ‘nice’, though his grip around Lauriam didn’t tighten. Just wrapping his arms around him comfortingly, letting him lean against him as much as he liked as he said, “You did warn him, Marluxia!?”

“Damn, Flower,” Xaldin murmured appreciatively, his eyes focusing on the dream world again as he looked him up and down, his gaze settling on his midsection… before he pushed back on Marluxia’s shoulder, pushing him into the grass and lifting up his clothes to get a better look at his stomach as he rested on Marluxia’s hips. “Tell me you copied it here. Let me get a look.”

“No,” Lauriam grumbled, though his blush hadn’t faded. He hadn’t bothered to look as well, but that was only because he’d gawked enough before coming here to confront Marluxia. “Got all the warning in the world for drinking, but a permanent alteration to our body? Just slipped your mind, I suppose.”

Marluxia grinned like a pleased cat as Xaldin pushed him back, folding his hands behind his head. He didn’t often wear shirts in the mindscape these days, but it was worth it now just for the reveal. “Uh, of course? What was the point of getting it if I was just going to erase it here? And please, La-La, permanent?” He sniffed. “It better be. I will just get it again if you take the piercing out.”

“I’m not going to! What a massive waste of money if I did,” Lauriam mumbled to himself before shooting Marluxia a frustrated look, “I don’t… I don’t mind it! I just wish you’d told me first!”

There, for the first time, Marluxia looked a bit annoyed as he tsked. “So I need your permission for anything I do? Because you’re the ‘default’.”

“Nah, you brat. Because you’re sharing,” Xaldin scolded lightly, though his heart clearly wasn’t in it, still openly admiring the belly button ring. He traced his thumb along the dangling blue jewelry, murmuring, “Damn, that’s sexy…”

“He’s not a brat, Xaldin… but that does seem reasonable. If you’re both sharing a body, permanent alterations feels like a discussion, at least,” Dilan said, rubbing Lauriam’s back lightly, even as he gave Xaldin a dry look, “Could you stop molesting Marluxia?”

“The second he stops liking it, maybe.”

“Looks like we’ll be here all day, then,” Marluxia snickered, before he sighed, giving Lauriam a difficult, consternated look. Watching the way Lauriam was slowly melting more against Dilan as Dilan started to rub his back. “...we said fifty-fifty. I don’t want to, just, go around like my days are ones you’re just ‘letting’ me have. I…”

Averting his eyes, Marluxia scowled as his voice softened. “As much as we can call it ‘our’ body? It is your body. I don’t look like me out there. Clothes’ll help, but no matter what, it’s your face and people will always default to thinking it’s you first. It feels shitty asking for your go ahead when every fucking thing about how you look is your preference by default.”

Lauriam sagged a bit, hearing that. “...letting me know what’s going on is different than having to give in to my preferences. And…I am sorry, but I don’t…” Lauriam sighed, running a hand through his bangs as he tried to pick the right words out from the miasma of his mind. “It doesn’t sound fair, saying I’d feel just as wrong having our body look like you out there. Like it’s just something you have to deal with. But…if you’d told me about the piercing, that’s fine. But I’m really not okay with you, like…I don’t know, somehow changing our face or something,” Lauriam said, his voice wobbling a little.

“...yeah, I know,” Marluxia quietly grumbled, still looking to the side.

“What the hell are you both talking about, ‘changing the face’? From what to what? You talking about the coloring?” Xaldin asked, tracing his hands on Marluxia’s somewhat fairer skin, glancing up at his tad brighter eyes, tad brighter hair, “It’s still you. Who you are shines out, flower. A grand garden. If people out there are mistaking you for Lauriam, what they’re thinking is ‘wow, doesn’t Lauriam seem so much brighter and bolder and colorful all of the sudden’? Cause they don’t know he’s sharing a body with all of them bright, colorful flowers. It’s still obvious it’s you, even if they don’t have the words for it.”

“Lauriam’s plenty bright and colorful,” Dilan tsked a little, placing a small kiss against Lauriam’s head, “...but you’re right. It feels like the only way to mix you two up would be to just not be aware there are two of you to begin with. And Marluxia, I understand you’re feeling insecure about things. But Lauriam shouldn’t be apologizing to you for the fact that you felt like you needed to sneak a body modification on him. That’s not fair, he’s not responsible for this.”

Both Marluxia and Lauriam gave Xaldin a befuddled look. Because, well…what the hell did Xaldin mean by what the hell? It was obvious. 

(Just like someone bemoaning how they looked in pictures, the way someone saw themself would always be a little different to how everyone else did, even with all the cheats an Empath had. Lauriam and Marluxia weren’t identical, even aside from the coloring, but the differences were more subtle than the two of them had grown to think about it. Instead, to them, they looked similar, sure, but distinctly different in features. Lauriam had made Marluxia to be the pretty one, of course, and half a lifetime with that conceptual ‘fact’ in their heads deeply ingrained certain perceptions.)

Though, as Marluxia softened a bit at Xaldin’s point, he sighed, looking at the downcast way Lauriam was looking at the ground. “I’m not insecure,” he snapped, establishing that first…before he frowned softly at Lauriam. “...it won’t happen again.”

Lauriam nodded a little before smiling softly. “I think I’d be more pissed off if you got a tattoo. I would’ve wanted to talk about a design more.”

Snorting, Marluxia huffed in amusement, shifting slightly under Xaldin. “Hey, I was thinking about it. Some of the designs at the shop were pretty cool, and for a giant, the guy there had supremely steady hands.”

“Tsk,” Xaldin said, eyes narrowing at that a little. “Steady hands, huh? You out there admiring other people’s hands on you, flower? I’m pretty sure we all decided you were taken. Exclusive,” Xaldin said, running his hands up Marluxia’s body, placing his fingers around Marluxia’s nipples as he rubbed at the points a bit, feeling the uplifted skin shift in his grip, “Our tattooist giant go south or north of the naval at all?”

Dilan rolled his eyes. Xaldin was not the one, between all of them, who was actually worried about ‘exclusivity’. The jackass was clearly just horny. “Xaldin, don’t accuse Marluxia of something like that. It’s rude.”

Marluxia’s sharp little grin was indication enough that this was exactly the sort of reaction he was looking for, despite Dilan’s dismissal. “Aw, you don’t think it’s flattering, Di? A lot of the Diceans we’ve run into are weirdly professional? I certainly don’t mind the implication I can turn dedicated eyes~”

It really wasn’t out of nowhere, since they had walked in on Marluxia and Lauriam making out, and the way Marluxia unlaced his fingers to gently encircle Xaldin’s wrists as he rubbed his nipples certainly wasn’t in protest.

Lauriam watched all this with quiet intensity before he gave Dilan a soft squeeze. “...we miss you,” he quietly explained.

Dilan wanted to scold Xaldin some more, but found himself distracted by Lauriam’s quiet words. “Miss us? Lauriam, we’re right here…” 

Dilan sighed, turning and more fully drawing Lauriam into a proper hug, placing a gentle hand on the back of his head to encourage him to lean his head into his shoulder. “...I know it’s not perfect, being this far from each other. Different time zones, our days going so differently, just… the physical parts of it. Of just being so far from each other. I know… I can’t say I don’t feel it.”

“But it hurts me, seeing it affect you so hard,” Dilan admitted, sighing softly, “Not that I want you to hide it. I just wish there was more I could do. Aqua and Terra have been getting to know Ventus more and more, maybe we can leave soon, but… I can’t guarantee anything. We’re lucky the courts seem perfectly content dragging their feet in every step of this, otherwise I don’t actually know how we thought we were going to manage to convince this kid to abandon his whole life in a few conversations. I just can’t say when we’re leaving yet. And I’m sorry about that.”

“Tsk, the Diceans can look all they want. But they’re keeping their steady hands to themselves.” Xaldin smirked, leaning down and pressing a kiss against Marluxia, cupping the side of his face both in a way that was gentle and a way that kept him right where Xaldin wanted him, whispering against his lips, “I know the beauty isn’t as effortless, out there. You’re an adonis in here and everythings a bit duller out there, I get it. I think every Nobody here has a similar issue, there. They made us so damn pretty, didn’t they? But you’re still sexy as fuck in any body you’re in. And I get such a fucking thrill out of that, knowing folks are gonna want you and can’t have you. Because you’re all mine~”

Lauriam took the encouragement, closing his eyes as he hugged Dilan. It was hard, being apart. Yes, they were spending time together right now, and it was great! Lauriam couldn’t imagine being apart without their connection. But after so many years being in literally the same room, or less than five seconds apart, it was hard knowing that it’d be months before they’d physically get to see each other. 

But even still…

“There’s no way I want you guys to rush anything,” Lauriam said firmly, tightening his hug for a moment. “Not with Ventus, and not even for making stuff with the courts more difficult. Ienzo’s anxiety vomiting and Isa’s going silent every few days and that’s with everything going right. Being back together a few weeks sooner, when it’s already going to take ages to travel isn’t worth all that.”

“...but I do still miss you. I know Marluxia thinks about you guys a lot when we’re trying to consider the whole ‘maybe getting our own place’ thing.”

Sliding one of his hands over Xaldin’s arm as they kissed, slinging his arm over Xaldin’s neck, Marluxia sighed a little at the gentle touch…even if he internally squirmed a bit at the words. It wasn’t like he thought Lauriam was ugly! He was damn pretty. He just…didn’t look like Marluxia. But with his presence shining through either way…?

Snickering something of a laugh as he bit Xaldin’s lower lip, Marluxia hummed playfully. “You did stake a claim before anyone else, even the people you’re oh-so graciously sharing with, so that counts for something.” Impish excitement glittered in green eyes as Marluxia grinned up at Xaldin. “So, there’s a lovers’ holiday like Saint Meridan’s Day coming up in Dicea soon. I am not ruining my own surprise, but you should be happy to know it’s definitely something for your eyes alone.” 

Marluxia snickered more deviously. “And Dilan, if he could even stand to take his hands away from his eyes. Giving up the view of a lifetime, how ungrateful~”

“That’s exciting,” Xaldin grinned, kissing down Marluxia’s neck, and then sitting up to give his stomach another appreciative look, running his hands over the jewel again… before he glanced over at Dilan and Lauriam, whispering to each other, “Man, they’re being sappy. Can they not tell I’m trying to get laid here? Inconsiderate.”

“We were having an important conversation BEFORE you started to try to get laid, Xaldin!” Dilan shouted over his shoulder, rolling his eyes. 

“Yeah, but Marluxia was trying to get laid before the important conversation started, so really I win.” 

Lauriam hummed a little in consideration, tilting his head against Dilan’s shoulder. “...he does have a point about that. I don’t think we really have it in us to hate-bang, but there were a lot of other ways Marluxia could’ve taken our argument than to kiss me.”

Marluxia stretched his neck to the side, giving Xaldin more space, before he scoffed, using the arm around Xaldin’s neck to tilt his face back towards him. “You weren’t exactly arguing that, La-La!!”

Flushing and grumbling a bit, Lauriam took Dilan’s hand. “...let’s go more towards the trees.”

“Why not? A good hate-fuck is great,” Xaldin murmured, shifting his hips down Marluxia’s leg so that he could lean over and, gripping his waist with his hands, he kissed at his navel before running his tongue up towards the piercing. 

“...yep. Let’s.” Dilan sighed, walking with Lauriam closer to the tree line. “I swear, he’s just gotten more obnoxious ever since I entered the picture. Surely he wasn’t like this when it was just you two? He does it to get under my skin.”

“Sure, sure, but half of that word is a prerequisite for it existing, hm?” Marluxia’s breath stuttered for a moment through his hum. “We might argue, but La-La and I faaaaar from hate each other. Think I prefer this too~”

Leading the way, Lauriam laughed softly as he headed for the woods. After going through Dicea, and really even in comparison to Isa’s world, they were ‘woods’ if you were going to use the word at all, loosely clustered trees that did get denser as you went in, but barely. And he doubted the mix of fruit trees and trees of entirely different climates would ever grow together like they did here. One thing that he was sure to never actually see in reality. 

“Well, for a few weeks he was,” Lauriam said amusedly, “Considering we got together less than a month before you woke up. And before that?” Lauriam couldn’t help a sigh, exasperatedly rolling his eyes. “Kind of hard to be a relentless flirt when you’ve blown up your brain, or are recovering from that, or blew up your relationships. And from what he’s said, Marluxia and Xaldin were flirting like they always have when it was just the two of them, but just that.”

“...” Dilan stopped, suddenly looking at his feet. A tense, regretful look in his eyes. “...I still owe you a few conversations, don’t I.”

Lauriam blinked, before he grimaced a smile. “I was talking about me, but…we probably should, huh.” Looking around the trees for a moment, Lauriam anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. “...I had suspicions, while it was happening, but I wasn’t sure. But it sure didn’t take me a year to figure out. I could’ve brought it up to you literally any time.”

“...” Dilan gave Lauriam’s hand a squeeze before letting it go. Stepping back and crossing his arms a tad nervously, still uneasily looking at the ground, “...I should have told you.”

“I gave myself a thousand excuses not to. Told myself it’d be better if you never knew. Told myself it’d ruin our relationship. That it’d ruin your relationship to Xaldin. Told myself if anyone had an obligation to confess anything, it was Xaldin for going through with it. Told myself I didn’t do anything wrong.” Dilan’s face looked heavy with more regret. “...but there were plenty of times where I knew none of that was true. And I was just still too much of a coward to tell you what I had done.”

Lauriam nodded absently for a moment as he looked at the ground, smaller flowers even here bursting up among the grass and roots. 

“...why did you say yes?” he asked, voice soft and small, before he looked back up at Dilan. “You and Xaldin were the only people I was doing anything with, sure, but I thought I made it pretty clear that wasn’t an obligation. That I didn’t feel trapped, with only you as an option. That I’d be fine if you said no.”

Lauriam’s shoulders dropped a bit as he searched Dilan’s face. “...I trusted you, and I trusted your yes too.”

“...I don’t remember,” Dilan said softly.

“I know that’s the wrong answer. But I also know any answer I give you is also going to be a lie. I’ve rethought about why I did it a thousand times as well, and I think I’ve adjusted the reason why in my head so many times that I can’t even remember what the original feeling I’ve revised in my memory of that day had been,” Dilan said, tightening his arms against each other a bit, before sighing and letting his hands fall. “I know it was some sort of panic. Maybe a fear of being judged. Maybe it was a fear I really was doing something wrong… but I don’t remember what it was. I just remember that, eventually, I decided I had done it because it felt ‘wrong’. Sinful.”

“...maybe it had been less the act was sinful, but more how I felt about it,” Dilan admitted, “I didn’t like who I was, in that moment. So I ran. Left Xaldin to pick up the pieces.”

That…all was about the answer Lauriam could expect from why Dilan had run. But that wasn’t what he had asked. 

Lauriam knew about a lot of Dilan’s hangups, but he couldn’t help the way his expression dropped in hurt. “...shit, Dilan, you know I wouldn’t have judged you if you said no. I wouldn’t have held it against you at all.”

“I know, I know, and I don’t know why I didn’t just do that,” Dilan sighed, lightly running his fingers down one of his dreads hanging over his shoulder, “Maybe I was embarrassed? I know I wasn’t expecting Xaldin to…”

Lauriam smiled wanely. “To not want me to be hurt and embarrassed? That’s a pretty major mischaracterization, though I can admit there probably was a way to achieve that without having sex with me, pretending to be you.” He glanced down again, his smile straining again. “I think that was one of the bigger reasons I kept second-guessing myself. I kept telling myself that you guys would have just told me. It’s weird, right? Incongruous. Doing all sorts of things to make me feel safe and assured while pretending the whole time.”

All at once a shudder went through Lauriam before he looked to the side, a strained, nervous laugh bubbling out of him. “...sorry, I just - this is a conversation we’ve needed to have, but it hasn’t been a great day, sorry for…I dunno, saying weird stuff.”

Dilan briefly looked hurt. Not because Lauriam had said anything wrong. It was just… hurt from hearing a very real pain he had caused. And knowing he couldn’t undo that mistake. A painful feeling of facing a grim reality.

But he cleared the look of hurt from his face, frowning in concern at Lauriam’s nerves. “Lauriam… it’s not weird for you to feel betrayed by what we did. We betrayed you. I’m just… please don’t feel like you need to pretend that isn’t the case. Though… heh,” Dilan smiled sheepishly, reaching slightly for Lauriam’s hand, offering his own hand back, “I picked a bad time for this, huh? No one’s ever accused me of being socially graceful.”

…maybe. Yeah. Maybe Lauriam had finally gotten to a point where he was excited and curious about something that had once filled him with all-encompassing existential fear, and had told someone he trusted them, only to have that trust immediately betrayed by two people. But even acknowledging the hurt from it, Lauriam had a hard time holding it against Dilan and Xaldin. 

The first time he’d ever even brought it up was to point out the strength of his relationship with Xaldin. 

Lauriam gently took Dilan’s hand and squeezed it softly. “That part’s not even you being awkward. The piercing hasn’t even been the weird part of today. It’s…it’s fine. It’s as much my fault for never bringing it up, so I’m glad we’re talking about it now.” Glad enough, anyway. “Just…”

He let go of a sigh, lightly shoving himself against Dilan’s arm in affection. “It’s an insultingly low bar to ask you not to mess around with my sense of reality, but it’s still what I’m asking. I just can’t deal with something like that right now.”

“I feel like I’m missing something,” Dilan admitted, rubbing his thumb against the side of Lauriam’s hand, “Do you want to take a walk and talk about it?”

He glanced over his shoulder, where things were getting louder, and said dryly, “Maybe somewhere else?”

Lauriam followed the glance, though he really didn’t need to to hear the very loud and very pleased moan from Marluxia. Flushing, he nodded. “Your place? Or we could explore a part of Aeleus’? I haven’t really gone to see much in it, actually.”

“Let’s see if anyone is hanging out at Aeleus’ and if it’s empty, we’ll go exploring,” Dilan agreed.

-

The two eventually walked the cliff sides of Aeleus’ mind, a cool breeze running through their hair and clothes as the wind swept up and out to the sea that crashed gently into the rocks distantly beneath them. The sky warm with shifting orange colors as the sun hung above the horizon in perpetual descent. 

They hadn’t talked much, since leaving the garden. Both collecting their thoughts, using the excuse of getting to their destination as an excuse to put off the harder discussions. Dilan talked about being a little disappointed with the pastry he had eaten at lunch that day. Lauriam mentioned petting a dog half the size of himself, apparently named ‘Chief’ according to the teen walking him. Little, pointless things.

“...hey, you mentioned the piercing wasn’t the weird part of your day,” Dilan said, “What was, then? I thought you slept most of today, since Marluxia had the body.”

Lauriam paused for a moment, before giving Dilan a side glance. Soon returning his gaze to the sunset as he idly walked along the cliffs’ edge. “...do you just sleep when Xaldin’s using your body? Now, or before?”

It was something of an open secret, Lauriam had assumed, because he’d certainly never talked to any of the others about it. All the days he’d spent just asleep, instead of hanging out on the island during work hours, or spending time being engaged in literally anything in someone’s world. The closest to a confrontation about it he’d ever had was how regularly his dad would come over to check on him whenever Lauriam had a day spent trying to become soil. 

He’d never slept so much because he just enjoyed sleeping. 

“...no,” Dilan sighed, “I often spent it studying, or reading, or working on puzzles, or spending time with Luis and Aqua and Terra. I rarely sleep when I’m in here… but you usually do. So, what was different today?”

Lauriam went quiet again before shrugging lightly. Parting his lips, before hesitating… Then grimacing a smile again. “...guess it isn’t actually different. We’d already planned on Marluxia fronting today, so it’s not,” Marluxia calling Lauriam the default was very fresh in the mind, “he’s not, he doesn’t just ‘get’ to do things in the physical world when I don’t want to. That’s not how our arrangement works.”

“But he probably would’ve taken over anyway,” Lauriam said softly. “He says it just makes everything worse to lie in the muck, even if I know it feels hard to move around to him too.”

“Ah, I see…” Dilan said, even if he really didn’t. He had known Lauriam slept a lot in the gardens, and he had heard before of him… what Terra had once called ‘melting’ into the dirt. But Dilan had assumed those were one-offs. Not regular things. “...are you feeling upset? Is that what’s happening?”

Lauriam frowned softly at the sunset. “I don’t even know if I’d call it ‘upset’? But that feels dumb.” The easy part of an open secret was that you never had to explain anything. “...did Aaxqu ever pull that ‘thick water’ prank on you?”

It was meant to be a prank, at least when it was pulled on the island residents. Otherwise it was a conditioning technique. For some, the fear of water and drowning was easy to instill, especially in a populous that was largely unfamiliar with any body of water bigger than a municipal swimming pool. For others, though, there had needed to be more of a push. A bending of what was realistic to make the mind submit. 

Aaxqu had never pulled that particular prank on him, but she’d relented when he’d asked about it, curious. And the feeling of being stuck, of being trapped unfathomably deep somewhere where you couldn’t get a breath, of all your limbs moving through dense sludge and the water numbing you until even touching yourself felt like nothing at all…

It had become familiar, without him ever needing to step in the ocean.

Dilan grimaced, notably shivering. “She started to, once, but I freaked the hell out on her so she stopped mid-sink. I couldn't handle that even a little bit. I shudder thinking about what it must have been like for the poor souls she conditioned with it. I feel like that’d send anyone over the edge.”

A softer version of that nervous giggle bubbled out of Lauriam again as he anxiously fiddled with his fingers. “...that’s what it feels like, the days when I just sleep all day. Sometimes even when I don’t. And even when I manage to form thoughts through it, it’s just…worse.”

“...you sound like you go a bit numb?” Dilan tried to understand, giving Lauriam a worried, but also somewhat curious, look. Both concerned and intrigued to learn this about his partner. “Do you know why? Is there a pattern?”

“Numb, tired. Like there’s just…no use to anything, so you may as well sleep and maybe if you get lucky you’ll die in the process,” Lauriam mumbled, looking at the rocks they were walking on. It didn’t feel like the sort of thing to say while looking at the sun. “I don’t know why. It’s not even, like…just after awful things. Sometimes I’ll feel fine for ages and then I don’t.”

Lauriam glanced over to Dilan, his eyebrows pinching in with shame and concern as he tried to reassure, “I’m not going to do anything, though. I’ve never tried again since…you know. And when I was starting to feel that way again, I did reach out.”

Of course, that had just led to him becoming Vexen’s test subject, and while his uncle’s solution to ‘I’m feeling suicidal’ was, ‘let someone else run your life’, Marluxia was still a sort of solution. As the others were highly aware because Marluxia was very vocal about it, Marluxia hated when Lauriam got ‘mucky’, and throwing a fuss, drawing Lauriam into a fight, or just dragging their body around through pure spite was a solution. 

Dilan gave Lauriam a soft, concerned look. Pulling Lauriam in to press against his side, letting go of his hand only so he could put an arm around the younger man’s shoulders, their walk slow and easy as he held him close. “And that was how you felt today? I wish you had come to me today. Can’t say I’d have known exactly what to do, but sometimes just being around people is, well… something.”

Lauriam let Dilan pull him in, giving his boyfriend a small, tired, but grateful smile. “It is something. Dad really believed in that too. I would say that I wouldn’t want to bother you while you’re doing things, but I know you’ll just say I wouldn’t be a bother, so…” Lauriam let the ramble go with a small sigh before he shrugged. “...sometimes the more pressing truth is that it’s just easier to sleep than to try anything else.”

Swallowing for a moment, Lauriam just rested his head on Dilan’s shoulder before he gathered the will to speak again. “That’s only part of the reality thing. Like…a baseline to the other stuff.” Lauriam observed the jewels Dilan wore around his neck, their facets easier to focus on than anything else. A little too low, he asked, “Did Even tell you guys about the hallucinating stuff?”

“Um…” Dilan frowned, genuinely thinking about it. His instinct was to say ‘no’, that no one had mentioned hallucinating to him. But it felt alarming to not know something that important about his boyfriend, and he was wracking his mind for anything he might have missed or misunderstood. “...do you mean the hallucinations you give other people? Like the fire?”

Lauriam shook his head a little, quiet, before he forced himself to explain. “Hallucinations I get. Even said they were, like, stress-induced trauma stuff, from when I flipped out on Ira, but…” But that was before Lauriam knew he apparently had other stress-induced conditions going on, even if it wasn’t like people didn’t know something was happening before they had the diagnosis. “...I’m not sure that was even the first time? And…”

Lauriam bit the inside of his lip anxiously, words getting a little faster. “When I was trying to find Roxas and Xion, when everyone was bringing their Nobodies back, for a little bit, I… He looked like Ventus. Afterward, I thought…I dunno, I was just imagining things, he’s certainly been on all our minds, but I think that was Ventus.” Looking away, Lauriam shrugged, his eyebrows knitting. “He called me Saber. Roxas wouldn’t know that.”

And the latest--

Sighing, Lauriam held his hands up, creating a viewfinder rectangle with his index fingers and thumbs, an image of an expansive flower field shown within the boundaries. Looking up, not unfrustrated, Lauriam asked Dilan, “What does this look like to you?”

“Sora looked like Ventus? Or Roxas looked like Ventus?” Dilan asked, frowning as he tried to untangle all of that. The Ventus thing sounded like it might have been a different thing than the other things Lauriam was mentioning, but Dilan had no idea what to think about it. Had Lauriam seen Ventus up to that point? No, the timeline didn’t line up… it also wouldn’t explain knowing the name of Ventus’ dead kidnapped brother. 

And Dilan knew Lauriam had had a panic attack with the unicorn boy. But hallucinations…? Did Xaldin know?

Dilan looked through Lauriam’s fingers, peering through and trying to see if there was some sort of trick to what Lauriam was asking… “...the field? A square?”

“Roxas looked like Ventus,” Lauriam said, before his confidence in the statement immediately faltered. “I think? Like, I saw what appeared to be Ventus, we talked a little, but when I touched him, he was Roxas, and I don’t think Roxas knew about the part before. You can see why I thought I just imagined it. But I didn’t know who on earth Saber was at all, so why…?”

Letting out a frustrated breath, Lauriam nudged Dilan a bit. Smartass. “This is an area right outside of Usott. That just happens to look exactly like my world.”

(In reality, it didn’t. The flower fields outside of Usott were, well, flower fields, just like Lauriam’s world, but there were tons of differences beyond that surface level. The Usotti fields were set upon hills, where Lauriam’s world was mostly flat. The Usotti fields were filled with native wildflowers, that, between the species and colors, did look incredibly varied, but nothing even close to how haphazard Lauriam’s world was in mixing species and types of flora that would have no business being in similar conditions and climates.)

(But to Lauriam, who’d based the entire concept of a giant flower field entirely from the comfort and fiction of his mind, drawing from rambling stories his sister told him about plants and precious memories curled up next to her looking through flower guides, seeing something even marginally close was just another blow against his eroding sense of reality.)

Dilan looked around, a bit impressed. Dicea was very green… “Okay? Sorry, I’m struggling to follow. What does that have to do with your hallucinations?”

“If things I think are fake aren’t, and things that I think are real aren’t, then what - !!” Lauriam’s voice broke into a desperately frustrated noise as he threw his hands back down, fists balling at his sides, “Marluxia said I can’t just dismiss anything weird I see as a hallucination just because it’s happened a few times, but how am I supposed to know what anything is?!”

“...” Dilan frowned, brow furrowing. 

It felt like a decent question. One Dilan didn’t really have an answer for. He was educated, sure, but hallucinations in his old line of work tended to be called curses for digging up ancient tombs and in practice were often just dense mold being breathed through the recently disturbed ancient rotting air. Alarming. Explainable. Temporary.

This didn’t sound temporary. And Dilan didn’t know what he should say…

“I’m not sure,” he admitted, “But perhaps you could just ask one of us? The next time you’re unsure? And if you’re not unsure, and you’re not alarmed… maybe it’s okay, if sometimes you see things that aren’t there. If it doesn’t frighten you or mislead you? What’s the harm, in sometimes seeing different flowers in different fields? Though I know that’s simplifying it.”

Lauriam’s shoulders lowered, his quick burst of anger fading. He wasn’t mad at Dilan after all, just the situation. But for what the situation still was-- His gaze dropped as his voice softened. “...I don’t want you guys to have to babysit me all the time.”

He knew this wasn’t fair. But it was what came to mind. “Ienzo’s off with you guys fighting a legal case, he has outside friendships he can maintain, if it was possible for the world to know what he’d done for it, he’d be winning some sort of international peace prize for his anti-conditioning method. Even and Aeleus sigh proudly all the time about how successful and independent he is.”

Lauriam’s eyes squinted in shame. “...meanwhile, people regularly have to dash out in the middle of the night or nearly kill me to just…deal with my shit. I can’t do anything right on my own. And if I always have to be around someone to even grip the world around me?”

“I think you’re being too hard on yourself,” Dilan said honestly, bringing his hand up and briefly brushing it through Lauriam’s hair, floofing it up a, before letting it rest across Lauriam’s shoulder again, “You don’t have to always be around someone. You’re connected to the island, it’s just taking advantage of that. We can literally see through your eyes, if you need us to, why not ask us?”

“And if you’re comparing yourself to Ienzo, well… you’ve never been the ‘smart’ one,” Dilan admitted, smirking a little, looking briefly like Xaldin, before laughing softly, “But you are the strong one. Fierce. Aqua and Terra gushed to us about every spar where you got better and better, and you made all of us worry, constantly, by standing up to the supervisors… but it was still impressive, that you did. In a different world, a different lifetime, that sort of bravery could have earned you a knighthood. Just because the world kept punishing you for it doesn’t mean it’s not admirable, how brave you are.”

“Ienzo buried his psyche alive, and needed all of us to risk ourselves to literally kill all of the versions of himself he used to bury himself with. Namine is our strongest Empath and nearly killed half of her family in a move we’re still untangling over a year later. Demyx is our ray of sunshine and he’s terrified of doing anything for himself. Even wants to take care of all of us and needs to constantly be held back from his worst, most insane impulses. Isa is our negotiator who can’t talk half the time. There are more examples I could give, but you see my point, right?”

“None of us are in this alone,” Dilan said softly, “You’re not some special exception. You need help. Same as the rest of us.” 

(Seeing through someone’s eyes, though, wasn’t literal visual information. It was seeing as someone else did. If he was hallucinating, then wouldn’t someone else just see the hallucination too?)

Lauriam shot Dilan a dry look at the dig (even if comparing yourself in brains with Ienzo wasn’t even an insult when you came up short) before he pouted. …Even might gush about Ienzo’s scholarly successes…but he had called Lauriam the resilient one, while he’d been so damaged and weak he could barely even form his own consciousness. Did bravery and strength matter, though, when he always failed? When he was always punished for it? Did the hypothetical of it working out even matter when it didn’t in the world they lived in?

Lauriam didn’t feel brave. He felt scared and stressed out. What did it matter being good at spars when he wasn’t supposed to get into fights in the first place?

(“Ideally, I’d never get into another real fight in my life,” Aqua chuckled, soothing the angry red gash on Lauriam’s arm in the ocean. “But that’s not the point of practicing. If the people I love ever need to be defended, then, because of my practice, I can be confident that I can do it. It’s about the faith I can have in myself, not how many fights I’ve won.”)

…nothing was ever ‘on their own’, when it came to them. They’d sacrificed that sort of individualist thinking the moment each of them connected to the island. 

Lauriam sighed softly and rested against Dilan again, snaking an arm around his boyfriend’s waist. “...you’ve really just essay and thesis’ed me, huh. What I get for dating an academic. …yeah, I see your point.”

Dilan smiled, though it was tinged with an almost sheepish regret. “Sorry. I know that’s not always comforting. Maybe you just wanted to tell me what was wrong and I should have just listened… it’s just hard, not wanting to offer help, when I see you hurt. Though, I am glad to finally hear it. I should probably be one of the people to know you’re hallucinating. Feels like the sort of thing a partner should know about.”

“No, I think it is helpful,” Lauriam shook his head a little, smiling warily, “You’re definitely not the first person to tell me to get my head out of my butt recently, but I think it still helps to hear it. And…sorry.” He let out a small laugh. “Never thought I’d say this, but I might be overestimating the island gossip. Even was pissed enough about it that I thought he told everyone what happened that night. And if not from him, I figured Xaldin would’ve told you as you’ve been catching back up.”

Lauriam took a deep breath. “It’s not exactly my favorite thing to talk about, but I’ll try to keep you in the loop more.” Jaw shutting, something else relatively new but pre-Dilan waking up occurred to him as Lauriam gave Dilan a wary look. “You…did hear about me getting stabbed and all that, right?”

Lightly, he fiddled with the end of Strelitzia’s necklace over his chest.

Dilan’s eyes widened in shock… before he relaxed, realizing, “Oh, you mean Sora? Yes, I was aware of that one. Sora told me. He seemed a bit worried about it.”

Calming a bit, Lauriam nodded. “I don’t think you’ve seen me shirtless since, so I wasn’t sure…” He sighed, looking back to the sunset. “Yeah. Sora and I’ve talked a little about it. I hate being so…weird around him, but he’s really become an incredibly thoughtful person. I’m sure that us being able to talk about it has helped, but he already more or less came to terms with things himself already. It’s a little embarrassing, honestly.”

Lauriam huffed a small laugh through his nose. “It’s a little funny now too that he has a whole keyblade partially made from me, but that’s just how things go, I guess.”

“...” Dilan squinted, “What was that last bit?”

Lauriam blinked up at Dilan. “The keyblade Xion uses? That Sora apparently tore the island apart with? Other than the original, all the keyblades Sora has have been mixes of energy others have given him, and that one was from me when I was trying to figure out how to get Roxas and Xion out of the…” Lauriam trailed off there unsurely, not certain how to describe it. “The…the part of the island that’s beyond the metaphor, I think? Sorry, it’s hard to describe. It’s like base essence but for the whole island.”

“........You know, I truly don’t understand some of the things that go on with all of us,” Dilan admitted, suddenly laughing warmly. “I don’t actually mean to keep to myself so much, but it does often feel like I’m the last one who knows what’s going on with everyone. Is that what Sora’s keyblades are? I assumed they were just themed constructs.”

Dilan laughed again, before sighing, rubbing the back of his hand against his forehead. “It’s really so much to keep up with, sometimes. Some things were easier in the factory. If something happened to one of us, chances were it was happening to all of us. Now? Miles and miles apart, with everyone suddenly developing new abilities that were entirely beyond us in the dampening walls of the factories… It's so much to keep up with. Freedom can be confusing, sometimes.”

Just from Dilan’s laugh, enjoying the sound of it, Lauriam laughed softly himself. “He said he originally made his as a construct to ‘wake up’, to be able to think clearly, but all the others I think have more specific uses. I know Zexion’s been itching to analyze them more, but between everything he’s up to these days I don’t know how he’s found the time to even start.”

Letting out a breath, Lauriam gave Dilan a squeeze. “You’re telling me. I’m happy about it, no mistake, but it’s a lot.” Worrying his lip for a moment, Lauriam looked up at Dilan. “...if Marluxia and I got our own place, you’d visit, right?”

Dilan turned and gave Lauriam a borderline offended look. “What?”

Lauriam stiffened, his eyes widening. “Wh-what?!”

Dilan frowned, placing his hand on Lauriam’s hair again and this time just straight out ruffling it, as he asked, “I’m sorry, are the curls starting to suffocate your brain? What on earth makes you think you could keep me away? Didn’t we just do this whole will they/won’t they thing where we decided we will? Why wouldn’t I visit? I’m allowed to visit, yes??”

“I-I don’t know?!” Lauriam sputtered, batting at Dilan’s hand as he cringed under the ruffling. “Yes, you’re allowed to visit! I don’t know, I don’t even know if we’re even gonna do it, and I dunno if you’d…I-I don’t know, want to spend time other places, I don’t know what everyone’s going to decide to do when we’re all here, and - I-I just wanted to ask!”

“There’s being curious and then being dim, Lauriam. Don’t try that line on Xaldin, I’m the nice one and all I want to do is bully you over that.” Dilan scoffed, done ruffling Lauriam’s hair and now pulling him into a hug. “Will I visit… honestly. You do know you’re going to end up annoyed at how often the rest of us visit. Not even taking into account the ones you’re dating. You’re the teens’ eldest brother, they’re going to go to you every time they want to get away with something. Demyx is going to end up visiting to fuss because for some reason you bring out the mother hen in him. Even’s probably going to force you to visit him, because old people are lazy like that. Aqua is going to just ‘appear’, good luck keeping her and Terra out.”

“Honestly, Lauriam. Things are changing, yes… but nothing is different,” Dilan said, placing a small kiss against Lauriam’s head, “We’re not different. And even if you get your own place, you’re not escaping everyone. Your family is going to stick with you. Whether you like it or not.”

Lauriam pouted in embarrassment, flushing as he tried to put his hair back in order. A long task as ever. “I’m not trying to escape you guys, and I don’t want to either. And I’d probably just give Mom a key since she’d just find any other way to get in and I’d rather not deal with broken locks.” …honestly he’d likely give almost all of them a key. Dilan and Xaldin because, well, they were dating. The teens, because the thought of them for some reason being far from home or just not wanting to go back in the middle of the night freaked him the fuck out and he’d much rather that they had a safe place they could go whenever. He’d probably relent to give Demyx a key just so he wouldn’t bother other people if he tried to get in while Lauriam wasn’t there, but the more likely scenario would be that Ienzo would somehow get a copy made without Lauriam even knowing and Demyx would just use that, and Even would demand a copy as a matter of course for safety, and, what, like Lauriam could say no to that???

Scrunching his eyes closed at the kiss, Lauriam sighed. “I don’t know if I could get annoyed with you guys coming over because we’re all in each others’ spaces now and have been for years. Marluxia and I just thought…” another sigh as he tried to detangle a stubborn bit of his hair, “...maybe a little space would help. And even if the circumstances are way different, it’s still embarrassing planning to live with your parents in your mid-20s,” he grumbled, flushing more. “Feel like finishing school will be mortifying enough already.”

Dilan’s eyes widened in surprise… before he smiled proudly, even as he asked ‘idly’, “Oh? Are you planning to continue your education?”

Lauriam half shrugged as his blush deepened, clearly feeling embarrassed by the topic. “Maybe… According to our hosts, college in Dicea is free and open to anyone, and there are programs through the school system to get up to certain levels. If I don’t have to sit in a room with a bunch of pre-teens to pick up where I left off, then I figure that’s probably better. It’d be nice to say I finished high school in some way.”

“I like that,” Dilan admitted, before chuckling, “I’m biased, of course. I enjoyed school a lot, they were some of the highlights of my life. But I know most people don’t feel that way about it. I could say I like it because it’d help you out in some way, but… who knows. I just like the idea that you get to have an experience very literally stolen from you…”

Dilan paused, his eyes going distant. “...you know, you’re not alone in not knowing what the future is going to be. Is supposed to be. In truth, I haven’t thought about it even a little, what I’m going to do when I arrive in Dicea. When I’m not on some quest and not scrambling to survive and catching lizards behind a half-collapsed tavern, which I didn’t even do myself, my Nobody burdened with all the freedoms and choice and agency we’ve had since the factory. I haven’t made a choice, outside of dating you, yet since I left the factory. I’ve only stepped out into other people's choices, and done my best to not stumble as I fall into step with everyone around me.”

“I have no idea what a future is meant to look like,” Dilan said softly, “I lost my future at 21. I lost hope in a future by 30. Sooner than that, if I’m honest with myself. I know I’m not old, but I sure don’t feel young… What does a man my age, with so little foundation, want? What can I even hope for?”

Even in his fluster, Lauriam smiled softly. In some ways, it had been hard being the ‘not smart one’ surrounded by academics. He hadn’t been the only one, Aqua, Terra, and Viz didn’t have much nostalgia for the learning part of their school years, and Inzi didn’t tend to talk about hers either way, and once Demyx and Axel were brought in Lauriam wasn’t the only one told to use his head more. But for all that it touched on his own insecurities, Lauriam really enjoyed hearing about Dilan, Even, and Aeleus’ fondness for education. Even if he didn’t always understand, he liked hearing about the latest things Dilan was learning and trying to improve himself upon, and things from the past as well. 

In a lot of ways, it was much easier than facing the future. 

His gaze softening, Lauriam took up one of Dilan’s hands again within his own and brought it up, gently kissing his knuckles. “It actually sounds kind of fun, spending an evening or three sometime throwing ideas at a dartboard. And for being the last to join, and having to do it when so many plans have already started moving into action, I think you’re doing pretty well, Dilan.”

He gave his boyfriend an affectionate lopsided smile. “I’ve already walked past a few of what I think are graveyards here. They could be fun to check out while you try to answer those questions.”

Dilan smiled warmly at the kiss… and his eyes sparkled as he said, “Ah, right. Dicea would have foreign grave rituals… fascinating.” 

“Actually, I am curious what sort of differences there might be in our countries, when it comes to the long-term preservation of either historical artifacts, corpses, or memorials. You might have come to this conclusion yourself already just based on the things I discuss in Luminous culture, but grave and death rituals can actually pretty dramatically change over the course of eons, so we might see a wide range of rituals in Dicea that Luminary has never even heard of, taken up and abandoned and preserved and lost and found again… or at least, it would keep to that pattern if they’re anything like us, although, admittedly Luminary might be a bit of an outlier when it comes to the culture dramatically shifting over time, considering the way our historical records have this curious habit of dramatically and overarchingly resetting every few hundred years. But, that just makes the uncovering of the old ways even more fascinating! Such as–”

And he kept going like that for a while. 

Look, the only way to accurately describe the look on Lauriam’s face as Dilan rambled was smitten. Sure, sure, he didn’t understand all the points Dilan brought up, but there was such passion and genuine joy just radiating from his boyfriend that how could Lauriam not be enchanted?

He understood that it was different from actually making a plan about what to make of the lives they’d been given, and that it didn’t offset the fear and anxiety about being given choices and agency in those lives, but honestly Lauriam thought Dilan would be alright. He had such a vigor and love for history and death rites that Lauriam couldn’t imagine Dilan not finding out ways to pursue those interests in Dicea, whether it was discovering the archeology scene there or immersing himself in the pure academia of it.

With love, the details would follow.

And follow, and follow, because Dilan never ran out of things to say, and Lauriam did listen for a while, but he was only a man. So with that absolutely smitten look, he took the chance as Dilan paused for a breath to kiss him, before murmuring, “You sure you’re not looking to get laid today too?”

Dilan had been just about to start his third ‘anyway’ in his rant, before swallowing it against the breath that Lauriam stole for himself. Flustering at the sudden kiss… before he smiled warmly. “...I’m not… certainly not… against the idea…”

Smiling more, Lauriam pressed in for another kiss, running his hands down Dilan’s arms. “Anything I could do to make it more enticing, or should I start brainstorming?” Snickering softly against Dilan’s lips, Lauriam murmured, “It’s not a ton, but there still are certain things I can affect in your world, if we head that direction.”

Dilan hesitated a moment… before he nodded. “Alright then. If… if you’re sure?” Dilan asked, partly because they had yet to be alone together without Xaldin or Marluxia being involved in some way, but honestly, more because the conversation of his betrayal was fresh on his mind. 

“I know I haven’t been sending the most straight-forward messages today,” Lauriam admitted with a soft, slightly self-deprecating laugh, “But I’m sure. I…” 

Lauriam took a breath. 

(It both was and wasn’t as scary as he made it out to be. Those feelings that had freaked him out in the first place, the entanglement of danger and violence wrapped up in his sense of intimacy was still there, and while he’d ended up working on it just through the sheer stubbornness of his partners, Lauriam wasn’t sure if it was something that wouldn’t make his stomach clench. But the truth that he and Xaldin had talked about was, well, true. Regardless of what words they ever spoke, the truth was--)

“I love you, Dilan. And I like being with you. That’s something you never have to doubt.”

“... I… I love you too,” Dilan said softly, closing his eyes with a sigh, “And I’m sorry that when I say it, I always sound full of doubt. I think it’s partially just my nature. But I do love you. And I trust you. And I… am of course very attracted to you, which feels quite obvious by this point, but does feel worth saying–.”

“...” Dilan blinked, embarrassed, “Anyway. Um… yes. Is what I’m saying. Yes. Let’s go.”

And, hesitating for a second, clearly second and third and fourth guessing himself… he leaned in and kissed Lauriam. “Please.”

Laughing softly, Lauriam gave Dilan a wink and pressed into the kiss. And with Dilan’s permission? The two of them teleported over to Dilan’s world.

Okay. Here we go. 

Even as the scent of a nearby sea and brisk wind gave way to baking sand and hints of dust, Lauriam took a deep breath through his nose, still kissing Dilan. And slowly, the scent of sage increased as soft oval leaves rapidly unfurled from the quickly growing plants peeking out from the tomb. Creating more of a cushion than the wall that Lauriam pressed Dilan up against as he parted his lips and asked for his boyfriend to do the same.

Lauriam and Marluxia were unique in their ability to teleport between worlds–no one was entirely sure why, in the same way no one was sure why long-steps came so easily to Dilan and Xaldin and no one else–so even though Dilan knew it was coming, he still gasped at the unfamiliar way the world shifted and morphed around them. But he didn’t have time to let himself sit in his startlement, humming in mild surprise as Lauriam pushed him into what a second ago would have been a very scratchy and hard wall of jagged stone. 

But once his surprise was over, Dilan closed his eyes and parted his lips, wrapping his arms around Lauriam’s waist and letting Lauriam’s tongue push in and explore, matching his probes with welcoming little tastes back. Lauriam often pushed Dilan against things when they were making out, or at least had back in the day. Dilan often didn’t know what to do with himself when he did. At least until he got overly excited and pushed back.

But that was always when that feeling of ‘sin’ grew strongest.

…and… and there was no reason for it… they were dating, everyone approved, it wasn’t a secret, they were happy…

But that feeling of guilt–of sin–started to build up Dilan’s spine again as he moaned lightly at the way Lauriam pressed up against him. His arousal starting to build already. 

Lauriam hummed a small pleased noise in response, a wordless gratitude for permission, before he simply settled into a relaxed rhythm of making out. He didn’t exactly know what Dilan had been up to before he and Xaldin came over to visit, but given that they had, he couldn’t conjure a reason for a time limit. So, more rare than not for all their encounters, Lauriam felt no pressure to rush, content to take his time.

As he pressed into Dilan, Lauriam felt confident enough in his initial wall-pin to let one of his hands wander, cupping Dilan’s jaw for a moment before trailing down his body, inevitably slipping under his shirt as he got down Dilan’s torso. Tracing up over his hip, Lauriam let his fingertips gently glance over the curve to the backside, before giving a small squeeze at the moan spoken into his own mouth. 

Lauriam couldn’t help the small, happy breath snorted against Dilan’s cheek, nearby cacti swelling fuller and growing greener, flowers starting to bloom at their tops. 

“Forgot how handsy you get,” Dilan admitted, gently grazing the back of his fingernails across Laurian’s cheek, lightly tracing kisses against his temple, “Especially there. Paints you as a man with a preference.”

Dilan paused, before asking softly, “Can I ask how many times you’ve done this with Xaldin? Alone, I mean?”

Lauriam laughed quietly, leaning into Dilan more for a moment before sneaking some kisses in at the edge of his sideburns without dislodging his boyfriend. “What can I say? You have a nice butt. And nice everything, really. Feels a shame not to appreciate it.”

Pausing against him, Lauriam hummed shortly before answering. “Including the first? Twice.” Nosing against Dilan’s cheek for a moment, Lauriam hesitated before asking, “I feel like I would’ve heard him bragging, but you never know; have you…ever? Been alone with Marluxia?”

“No,” Dilan said, hesitating for a moment, “...only Xaldin. Sort of.”

There had been others. Before being trapped in the factory, and even once he was in, well, he had been there a very long time. Some of it had been prayer, some of it purely to let off some stress. Xaldin had swung and missed with Luis, and was still unaware that Luis and Dilan had a sort of game they played together. Not quite sex, but also not quite not sex. Just mutual relief. 

But even those had been rare. Every couple of years worth of rare. For the most part… “It’s been a long time, for me, since I’ve done something like this, specifically.”

…

What did that mean???

Look, Lauriam wasn’t so self-absorbed that he thought he was the only one of the two of them to claim the closet with Dilan and Xaldin for making out, but, like he’d said, Marluxia wasn’t exactly a ‘don’t kiss and tell’ sort of guy. So he figured that Marluxia was just doing the same thing he was. So…how was it ‘only Xaldin, sort of’?

(A, uh, question to maybe ask later, though.)

Because hearing what Dilan admitted, Lauriam finally laid off him for a moment, leaning back enough to catch Dilan’s eyes with a soft smile. “Don’t let me rush ahead and overwhelm you because I’m too excited, then. And, I guess one of the benefits of having a dedicated partner--” The soft, sweet look grew more coy and amused as Lauriam briefly pecked Dilan. “Is there anything in particular you want?”

!??

Dilan hadn’t really been expecting a question like that. 

….Dilan had no idea how to answer a question like that.

“The…” Dilan paused, glancing around uncertainly, “...the usual way?”

Dilan’s sexual experience, when it came to ‘variety’ had never gotten more complex than the ‘sort of’ sex he had experienced alongside Luis and the… sort of sex he had sort of had with Xaldin. 

Honestly? Unless it was ‘sort of’ sex, Dilan had only ever done it the expected sort of way. The way that most pleased Atua. Known as ‘Prayer’ position in Luminary, and ‘Vanilla/Basic/PillowPrincess’ style for the rest of the world. One person on their back, legs up, the other person on top, putting in most of the work. 

“Not quite what I was asking, but you’re going to have to be a little more specific for me,” Lauriam said with a fond laugh in his voice. Still, the light blush on his cheeks betrayed his confidence a bit as he explained, “I don’t think I’ve ever had sex the same way twice, so there isn’t any ‘usual’ for me.”

Sure, that wasn’t saying much when, if you weren’t counting hurried handjobs, he’d maybe had sex three, four times ever, depending on your definitions, but it still made the point. 

Leaning in to kiss down Dilan’s neck, Lauriam murmured, “I was asking more about, hm, lead-up, or setting, I suppose. Because of the plants here, it’s a little harder for me to do things like,” backing off again, Lauriam tilted his head with a small smile, raising his arm slightly as creosote stems wound around it, before the flowering bush relaxed back, swaying by their legs, “But I don’t mind having to find creative solutions.”

“Lead up or setting…” Dilan mused, leaning his head to the side a bit as Lauriam kissed him, each little kiss feeling hot even against Dilan’s heated skin, the desert sun warmly coming down on them. It was always a little hot in Dilan’s world. And like Lauriam had mentioned, plants could be a bit sparse at the best of times…

But there was one particularly beautiful kind of flower, that rarely, rarely, you could find out in the desert, if you knew where to look and were willing to chase what others thought were just dreams.

The sky began to rapidly change color, bright, insistent blue shifting to warm oranges, light pinks, dark purples, shadow seeming to grow from their feet, as Dilan asked in the approaching darkness, “Have you ever heard of a Desert Diamond?”

“I saw one, once,” Dilan said, closing his eyes as he remembered, “The myths don’t do it justice. My father took me out into the sands to see it, once. You see, there’s little pockets of oasis, in the sand. Too small to make up the ponds people imagine when they think of desert oasis, just little pockets of water that gradually build and get trapped in the sand, deep enough that they don’t evaporate through the heat. There’s other criteria too, for the flower to grow. It’s an unfair thing to call them, but ultimately they’re ‘death’ flowers. For them to grow, something needed to die, or be buried, with the water. No one is sure where the seeds come from. Some people guess it’s animals that eat the Desert Diamonds, and if they die in the exact right conditions, a new desert flower blooms, to be eaten and start the cycle anew. But that’s just a theory. No one’s proven it. It’d be more sound if the flowers bloomed simply wherever the corpse of an animal was buried, using the nutrients of the body to grow, but they don’t. The water has to be there. And neither the water nor the corpse explains the glow, since the glow suggests fungal qualities…”

“...anyway,” Dilan said, laughing lightly, eyes still closed. The world around them dipping into night, stars shining overhead, twinkling and vibrant and in the thousands, “They’re beautiful. They have these beautiful, strong silver stems. And their petals are blue… and they glow. Brighter than you’d expect. You could see it over the sands from a mile away, a distant blue glow. That’s the real reason they’re so rare to see. You can spot it from far away, and so can all the animals around you, and it really becomes about who’s going to get to it first. The animals to eat it, or you to, inevitably, pick it.”

“I’d like to say my father taught me to leave the beauties of the earth in the earth. To not be so selfish as to pick a rare treasure from the sand and keep it for ourselves… but we are graverobbers,” Dilan said softly, able to see in his mind’s eye the joy in his father’s eyes, as they won the race and got to the flower first, still whole and beautiful and glowing, “It’s against our nature, to leave treasures in the earth. We marveled at it for some time, and then cut it, and brought it to our mother. She kept it in a vase. It lost its glow in a week, and she pressed it into a book. Our stolen beauty from the desert…”

Dilan opened his eyes.

Lauriam looked around curiously as the sky began to darken, the desert cooling a bit, but unlike the real desert, still remaining comfortably warm. Like Lauriam’s own world, though perhaps even more so, it was rare to see the desert ruins at night. Most often it was hard to discern any time of day at all, the sky stuck in hazy reds and oranges that in other locations might’ve indicated sunset or sunrise, but were always dusky enough that they more reasonably called to mind threatening wind storms. Sometimes, like what they’d just been standing in, the sky cleared into something less looming, even if it just beat down the sun even harder…but night? Lauriam could only recall ever seeing Dilan’s desert at night a scant handful of times. 

Humming softly that, yes, he had heard of Desert Diamonds--though Lauriam’s eyes widened in surprise considering that he’d always thought they were just a story--Lauriam trailed his hands down Dilan’s arms as he spoke before leaning back to create a little space between them. The way Lauriam had always heard the story were tales about unimaginably beautiful flowers that bloomed one a year--or ten, a century, depending on the story--but had a built in ‘gift’ to offset their brief life. Once severed from their roots, a Desert Diamond would ooze sap that coated every petal and would quickly harden, making the plant more of a glittering crystal for lucky desert explorers to take with them, a treasure claimed. 

Living somewhere where most plants could only exist through meticulous and hard labor, Lauriam…understood why people liked cut flowers. They were a bit of life (even if they were literally death) and brightness that people could just go out and buy, no effort, to bring into their homes. But always he preferred living plants, and when he felt more cynical about the myth, the story of Desert Diamonds instantly preserving themselves felt like a mythical justification for cutting natural life short just for a fleeting fancy. 

Dilan’s explanation of the real flower was much more grounded, and his story of bringing one home to his mother was sweeter. 

As he listened, Lauriam took a deep breath and got onto his knees, placing his palms in the sand, still radiating warmth from the ‘day’. And with a memory shared with him, he felt out into Dilan’s world, that strumming, lively energy that from the glass and steel of Sora’s world to the carefully controlled preservation of Ienzo’s, Lauriam was always able to find, even a little bit, and pushing his own energy into it…

As Dilan opened his eyes, the darkened night would be illuminated not just by the twinkling stars above, but with an ethereal blue glow surrounding them. Bright blue Desert Diamonds blooming and nestled in the sand all around them, even tucking against the wall of the crypt, plants uncaring for the constraints of stone. 

Dilan’s breath caught into a small gasp, looking around at what Lauriam had done. A literal impossible sight, something they’d never see in the real world. The world alight with the glow of stars both above and below, the two nestled in a sparkling glow of wonder. 

Dilan wrapped his arms around Lauriam’s waist and held him close, but couldn’t stop staring over his shoulder at the beauty around him. “It’s amazing…” Dilan whispered, just openly staring… before he finally tore his gaze away from the spectacle, looking at Lauriam. Who seemed to glow in his own way, the warm earthy tones of his darker hair and darker skin shining in the reflection of the glow, making Lauriam seem like such a natural thing. A creature of the earth, a flower manifested, staring back at Dilan as he whispered again in awe, “Amazing…”

Dilan leaned forward and kissed Lauriam. And for once, the electric guilt felt far away. Dilan too distracted to let it build into the base of his spine. Just relaxed. Warm. 

“Oo-oh!” Lauriam had barely looked up with his, admittedly, smug smile before several things stole it away. First was just the sight of the Desert Diamonds surrounding them. Even being the one to ‘make’ them, unlike a lot of his own plants, Lauriam had been drawing on Dilan’s memory of the flowers to bloom them, which meant he didn’t really know what it’d all look like, so getting to see what his efforts manifested as?

Second, was the look on Dilan’s face, perfectly exemplifying the wonder of the flowers around them. Not just delight, but true wonder, and the sight made Lauriam’s knees weak and the butterflies in his stomach whirl around, outraged to not be taking part in the buffet he’d made. 

The former, though, wasn’t a problem in the slightest, as, third, Dilan all but scooped him back up from the ground into his arms, which was what prompted Lauriam’s gasp. And between all three, Lauriam could only smile sincerely before he wrapped his arms around Dilan’s shoulders and kissed him back, holding his boyfriend close. Though it wasn’t long before he giggled into Dilan’s lips, murmuring, “So I understood the assignment, then?”

“Excelled. Above and beyond. A++,” Dilan hummed against his lips, kissing Lauriam some more. That warmth still running pleasantly through him. Calm and undistracted. “...can I lay you on the ground?”

The smug look made a comeback.

“I don’t know, can you?” Lauriam smirked, lightly, playfully, threading his fingers through Dilan’s hair. “Your back’s not going to give out, is it? That’d be a shame.”

Dilan scoffed ever so slightly. “The disrespect.” 

But Dilan was careful, when he lowered Lauriam out onto the sand. Placing Lauriam down like he was vaguely afraid the other man would break if he moved too quickly, carefully wrapping his arm around the back of his shoulder and letting it buffer between Lauriam’s neck and the ground, his grip around Lauriam’s waist just as gentle but firm. Laying him down.

“...” Dilan tucked some of his hair back behind his ear, the rest cascading down as he looked down at Lauriam, “...you can ask for things from me too. But I can’t even imagine what you’d ask…”

Lauriam flushed at the gentle treatment, some of the fluttering in his stomach not…exactly exciting, but he pushed through it, just giving Dilan a soft look as he was laid out in the sand. Crooking his knees slightly, he minutely slid his leg against Dilan’s thigh affectionately. 

And, licking his lips with just the barest peek of a tongue, Lauriam smiled sheepishly. “I don’t mean it to compare you two, I don’t want to do that, okay?” With that established, Lauriam let go of Dilan, moving his hands down to push up his shirt a bit, fingers trailing the inner edges of his hips as he explained, “In the tavern, apparently my hips got scratched up here. I didn’t even notice at the time, and I never got to see them afterward.”

Smile growing a little more awkward, he said, “I’m not made of glass, you know, especially in here. Still wouldn’t get bruises or anything like that actually, but I think it’d be nice to act it out anyway. For a little while.”

While they could be together, and not hundreds of miles away. 

Dilan’s eyebrows lifted slightly, glancing down at Lauriam’s hips like maybe he’d see something… but he didn’t look shocked, or even that surprised. 

He was mostly confused, as he asked after a moment, “Act what out?”

“As if I would bruise or scratch or something.” Lauriam shrugged a little, before bringing a hand up to trace along Dilan’s collarbone. “I don’t think it would’ve scarred, though I never did ask… Xaldin took the shit out of me because apparently I bit him hard enough for perfect teeth marks our last physical time. I felt kind of bad…but it’s kind of exciting, no?”

He met Dilan’s eyes again, smiling sheepishly. “Giving your partner something to remember you by?”

It took Dilan a second… and then he sputtered, “W-what? What, like, i-injuries!?”

That guilty feeling was buzzing in the back of his spine again. Dilan hadn’t been thinking too hard about what the scratches on Lauriam’s hips might have looked like, because in truth he had just been imagining, like, the smallest little accidental scrape. Barely noticeable… but if Lauriam was comparing it to leaving a full set of teeth marks…

Dilan saw in his mind new images flash through. Skin deeply reddened, rashed, little specks of blood just from how rough the skin was being pulled from each other–no!

Teeth biting down hard on dark flesh, enough that there was a loud gasp of hissing breath, the body unable to move away without risking further injury–stop it.

Eyes beading with wide, overwhelmed tears, breathing so hard that they couldn’t even speak–what is wrong with you???

Outside of his own thoughts, Dilan just looked… worried. And maybe a little guilty, giving Lauriam a searching look, like he was trying to decipher some other way Lauriam could have meant all that… and then he looked down at his own crotch and, this time gasping in genuine guilt, pulled away from Lauriam, wrapping his arms around his own hips as he said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. This isn’t… my body just does this sometimes, it doesn’t mean… give me a m-moment.”

“What? No,” Lauriam said, frowning just from the shock. “I just meant, like…being a little rough!”

And he wasn’t lying. The bruises and scratches around his hips, the deep bites and scratches he’s left on Xaldin’s back, the fact that he’d teared up his first time? Those weren’t things Lauriam considered injuries. It was just…you know…

Lauriam incidentally followed Dilan’s eyes down to his crotch, but any anticipation he could’ve felt was dashed as Dilan pulled away. And more in concern, he sat up, putting a gentle hand on Dilan’s shoulder. “Hey, no, you’re good. Like I’d be mad about you getting hard around me,” Lauriam lightly joked before giving Dilan’s shoulder a squeeze. 

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he assured calmly, “I just…thought I’d bring it up. I’m not gonna break if you do more than brush me.”

Dilan gave Lauriam a regretful look. Taking a deep breath as he waited to calm down. “...Sorry. I’m not inexperienced, I don’t want you to think that’s what this… I don’t know what this is. I just…”

Dilan looked around at the field of Desert Diamonds. It was so beautiful… why couldn’t the inside of Dilan be as beautiful as his internal desert right now? Why must he be so… wrong? 

Displeasing?

“...Xaldin was rough with you,” Dilan said, closing his eyes again, “He was a bit rough with me too, though that was only verbally. Pushy. Demanding. Aggravating. He insulted me, quite a few times. It was… its own type of violence.”

Dilan laughed lightly, sounding tired. Opening his eyes and giving Lauriam a slightly exasperated look. “I loved it. And I hate that I loved it. This has always been something with me. Since I was small. This thing that made… acts of evil, wretched, displeasing acts, somehow appealing? As if guilt feels… good.”

“I don’t know how to stop it,” Dilan admitted, “I wish I did. I’ve prayed. I’ve experienced good, pleasing sex. Worshipped. I know what it feels like, and it does feel good, to have good sex! But nothing has ever erased the desire. The way guilt lights up my whole body. It’s like being on fire. But if fire burned pleasantly… I don’t know if Xaldin feels it.  I can’t imagine him feeling guilty, but if he does, he’s never mentioned enjoying the feeling. But I do. Sin, guilt… it doesn’t do to me, what it’s suppose to. It just arouses.”

“I’m very ashamed of it,” Dilan said softly, looking down, “It gave me so many uncomfortable, terrible moments, growing up. I played out and imagined terrible things. And then feeling bad about those things just made it worse. It builds on itself… it’s a side of myself I don’t like very much.”

Lauriam frowned a bit before scooting around to sit next to Dilan, leaning against him. “It’s no surprise you have a weird relationship with guilt, it feels like we’ve talked about that to death. Though this aspect…does make some things make more sense.”

“With Xaldin,” Lauriam sighed lightly, his eyebrows scrunching, “There’s nothing evil about how he acts, to me. Him being aggressive isn’t a bad thing, and honestly, as long as everyone involved is happy with it, I don’t think it’s ever a bad thing. I know the saying is, ‘it’s fine as long as no one gets hurt’, but I feel like that’s far too broad a statement. Mom and Dad would leave me bleeding in spars sometimes, I could be made to cry during sex, and that’s all actually fine, because…” Lauriam paused for a moment, trying to sort out what he was trying to say. “Because there’s trust and consent there, you know? Meanwhile, like…the supervisors could say objectively nice things about me, or do gentle things, and it disgusts me to the point I’d kill them all in a second if I could.”

“I think the context matters a lot more than the actual acts you’re doing,” Lauriam hummed, shrugging lightly. 

Before he went quiet, Dilan’s confessions stirring something uneasy in him. The ‘some things making sense’ spurring one particular idea. And, voice softening, Lauriam asked, “...did…you only start to like me because I made you feel guilty?” 

Dilan hesitated. “...the thought’s never occurred to me,” he admitted. “I don’t think so.”

“...I feel unprepared to make a comment on that, because I’ve refused to think about this for so long,” Dilan admitted, pushing his hair back off his shoulder, enjoying the comforting feeling of Lauriam’s weight against him, “I know I like you quite a lot. Outside of a sexual desire, I mean… but I… I can’t say that it didn’t affect my arousal, when I was with you. It doesn’t feel like the entire truth, but trying to say otherwise also feels like a lie. Like I’m trying to get away with something.”

“Me liking you as a person is because of a lot of reasons,” Dilan said, “Me finding you attractive, sexually… might have partially been jumpstarted by everything that happened. In some ways, I felt lucky it was Xaldin you kissed, and not me. When Marluxia tried it, I was so angry… I didn’t even let him get close. But I can’t say it wouldn’t have aroused me if he had managed it, that first time. And I wasn’t thinking of dating you at all, at the time.”

Lauriam let out a breath, something uncoiling in his chest. It had hurt enough, hearing that even all this time later, Xaldin still felt ashamed of himself and like he was a pedo for being with Lauriam. Hearing from Dilan that he felt the same way and had only pursued any sort of intimacy with him because he felt guilty about feeling like a pedophile? They had all sorted out a lot since officially getting together, but that felt like a devastating thing to find out. 

Dilan admitting that his attraction to Lauriam might’ve been caught up with his guilt complex, but that it certainly wasn’t the main reason enough to only be confronting the idea now was…something Lauriam could accept. 

He nodded slightly, about to say as much, before he jolted in surprise, looking up at Dilan. “Wait, wait--Marluxia tried to kiss you? Like, back then?!”

Now Dilan looked properly surprised. Giving Lauriam a startled look. “Did he not tell you? Not long after what happened between you and Xaldin, Marluxia approached me and, well… the memory is a little fogged by the anger I felt, but he essentially said he needed to ‘catch up’ to you. And asked me to kiss him to follow through on that idea.”

“I was furious with him, for how casually he was treating the situation. I had been so humiliated and my relationships had all been put under such a terrible strain, and for him to follow that up with asking me to double down on what Xaldin had done… I shouted him off, more or less,” Dilan sighed, “It took me a long time to consider that day from Marluxia’s perspective, but I do regret how I handled it. I hope he understood I wasn’t rejecting him, just… the situation. Though, I’ll admit, even then I wasn’t really considering either of you. Xaldin was quicker to accept your feelings than I was.”

Lauriam just stared at Dilan for a moment before giving a bewildered look into space. ‘Catching up’ to him? What the hell was Marluxia thinking?! It had been, more or less, an accident, and Lauriam had been mortified by how he’d kissed Xaldin. Why would Marluxia want to compare himself to that carriage-wreck at all?? 

“No, he…never did,” Lauriam said softly, frowning to himself. Maybe there were still some conversations he needed to catch up with Marluxia on. “I was kind of caught up with myself, and the most I understood about Marluxia’s feelings was how exasperated he was with me.” Lauriam huffed a quiet, tired laugh. “And I’m pretty used to that, so I didn’t think there was anything else going on…shoot.”

Sighing, Lauriam relaxed against Dilan again. “I feel like I couldn’t look you in the eye for ages, but basically right after it all happened, Xaldin caught me stuck on the top of the cave and…well, he at least assured me no hard feelings. It was easier to talk after that.” Lauriam’s eyes lowered. “I know we’ve all moved past it to the point everyone’s annoyed to talk about it, but I really am sorry for the position I put you two in. One of the things I felt the worst about is how everyone else treated you for something that, really, you were just a victim of. …’sorry’ still doesn’t feel like enough, for that.”

“...I think, Lauriam, that maybe what I really need you to understand, is that… I didn’t feel guilty, or alarmed, or upset with Xaldin, for no reason,” Dilan frowned, reaching out to pick up a bundle of sand, letting it fall from his grip, “I know you were grown at that point. We all knew. And yes, Xaldin was taken off guard. But knowing that… you felt like that? And we hadn’t noticed? Had even encouraged it, on some level, to the point where you went for it… You were our nephew, right up until that moment. It felt like such a betrayal, that we had allowed that to happen at all. Like we had failed you.”

“I don’t think that’s something you should feel sorry for,” Dilan explained, “You did everything fine. You were a young man with a crush, and god knows ‘family’ relationships in the factory were… sometimes difficult to keep straight. But I’m certain by that point, you weren’t looking at us like an uncle anymore. And we felt guilty that we hadn’t realized that shift had happened. We were the adult in your life. We should have seen it coming. At least that’s what it felt like… but you didn’t make a mistake. Just being a grown man and seeing your friend as handsome.”

“That’s how I feel about it, anyway,” Dilan said, “You didn’t do anything wrong. But we couldn’t have reacted in any other way. That was just how all of that was going to play out, no matter what.”

Lauriam took a deep breath, his eyes lidding. It really felt like they’d had this conversation over and over and over…but he really just couldn’t let it go, huh. 

“Yes, you were the adult in my life, no, I don’t blame you guys for how you reacted, or even for how the others did, even if I think it was just a little out of proportion. And it wasn’t even my fault for having feelings for Xaldin and you. But.” He glanced over, giving Dilan a mildly frustrated look. “I don’t think it’s fair to pin the blame on yourself for something I didn’t notice. You don’t get to know me more than I know myself! Yes, I’d seen you guys more as friends for years, but that didn’t mean I wanted to fuck you! So how on earth could you have noticed that and warned me off?!”

“I don’t knoooow,” Dilan groaned, covering his eyes and, neverminding Lauriam was still leaning against him, flopping backwards into the mesh of sand, Desert Diamonds and general flora that Lauriam had been growing around them. “The kiss couldn’t have actually come out of nowhere! Who goes straight from ‘crush’ to ‘kiss’!? Madness! I’d never have the courage.”

With a small, “ooph” as he fell back with Dilan, Lauriam turned on his side and propped his head up, giving Dilan a dry look. “Gee, I don’t know, it is pretty crazy, huh? That’s the sort of thing that’d have people saying, oh, that you had a spasm or blacked out. Certainly no one in their right mind would kiss their close friend out of nowhere, especially while you were talking about his last partner. Freak behavior, certainly.”

“...WHAT!?” Dilan sputtered, shifting around to lay on his own arm, giving Lauriam a baffled look, “What do you mean you were talking about… Zinxi?? You did not talk about Zinxi to Xaldin just before kissing him out of nowhere. Tell me you didn’t do that.”

“Nnng!” Groaning, Lauriam collapsed over his arm, covering his face. “You see?! Why I thought I was the grossest, worst person in the world!? Who does that?!?”

“You’re not the worst person in the world,” Dilan paused, narrowing his brows, “...it does make me think maybe we were a little hard on Xaldin in that moment, though. That’s, uh… the sheer fact he’s never even brought that up? In all of his explanations for what happened? Xaldin perhaps had more reasons to be upset than I thought.”

“...not to make you feel bad!” Dilan suddenly sputtered, giving Lauriam a sheepish look, “I just mean, that’s a lot. But yeah. I still think you were just young and impulsive. We’re all young and impulsive once. That’s okay.”

“.......I think I’ve thoroughly ruined any chance we’ve had getting intimate today, hm?” Dilan hummed, looking a little amused at himself, “Really managed to fumble a pretty young man saying ‘do whatever you want’.”

Lauriam sighed, still covering his face. The fact that Xaldin never brought it up…he wasn’t sure how, but it did feel like Xaldin was trying to cover for him, somehow. Dummy. Sure Lauriam had locked himself in a closet right after, but it really didn’t change how he’d hurt Xaldin by kissing him. 

“Think I could really do with losing a little impulsivity these days,” Lauriam groaned, before peeking back up at Dilan with a soft snort. “I suppose ‘whatever you want’ still encompasses ‘talking about hangups and dumb stuff from years ago’.”

“...ugh,” he sighed again. “Marluxia’s absolutely going to make me clean up, and I won’t even get to enjoy what made the mess in the first place.” Rolling in towards Dilan again, Lauriam slung an arm around his waist as he snuggled into his chest. “Well, I still get to enjoy a mess, at least. Can’t be too mad.”

Dilan sighed, wrapping an arm back as he laid his head down against his bicep. “I’m sorry. I’ll do better at this next time. I don’t know what I want, but I do know it involves you. And maybe so long as it’s you, it doesn’t matter what it is. Even if it’s just the two us laying here, being mad at ourselves about things… even that’s nice. Because it’s you.”

“Sap,” Lauriam mumbled, muffled by Dilan’s chest, which was fortuitous in hiding the grin and flush across his cheeks. “I like most things when they’re with you, too, though. I love you, Dilan.”

Dilan closed his eyes, enjoying Lauriam’s warmth as he lightly rubbed his back. “Love you too.”

-

In Dicea, in the residential area that was well known for housing the city college students living on their own for the first time, Core woke up to a song in his head. 

It was comforting, now. He sure didn’t have to hear it if he didn’t want to, but he liked opening up the tether first thing in the day to let the music wake him up a bit. The beat nudging the sleep from both his eyes and his mind as Core woke up to what was inevitably going to be another awesome day. And while he didn’t always wake up like this–with his arms around his boyfriend’s chest, nuzzling up against him as their blanket tucked loosely around them, trapping their soothing heat between each other–this was admittedly often one of his favorite ways to wake up. Still cozy and in bed, with Chai’s song playing in his head.

A few years ago… well, gee, more than a few now, huh. Middle school was a while back… but back in middle school? Core had hated how Chai always had music going through his mind. It had been the bane of Core’s morning, going into the classroom that day and knowing, inevitably, his uncontrollable powers were going to force him to listen to the same song that was stuck in Chai’s head that day over… and over… and over… and over…

It was funny. Core had hated Chai, back then, because of that. The endless music. The annoying songs. 

Until one day he ‘reached’ forward and discovered, that if he really, really wanted to, he could just… {change the channel} and–

“Morning,” Core murmured with a small smile, kissing Chai’s temple, “...feeling lazy this morning? I’m hungry, you need to go get breakfast started soon, if it’s gonna be ready by the time I’m done in the bathroom.”

Chai laughed and snuggled Core affectionately, dancing his fingertips up his boyfriend’s spine in syncopated sixteenth-note runs that were all precisely on beat to the song in his heart only he could hear. “Hehe, sorry~ It’s hard to resist when you look this cute waking up, you know!! Having a treat first thing in the morning is the best way to do it!”

Leaning up and pressing a kiss to Core’s lips, he gave him a warmer smile as he started getting up. “Though breakfast can be that too, huh. Iiiiii’m thinkin’ omelettes? Best fresh as soon as you’re ready.”

It was kinda funny how life worked out. A few years back, Chai didn’t know a damn thing about cooking, wholly reliant on knowing there’d be a meal on the table when he came back home, and a purveyor of food stands and convenience stores to the highest degree. Now, ooooh BABY watch him work a pan! Wha-BAM, he could even flip like a pro! 

It definitely helped having someone he wanted to cook for, love breeding skill or whatever that saying was. 

Voice straining as he stretched, attaching his arm--it was easier to not accidentally brain Core wearing his prosthetic to sleep--there was a bounce to all of Chai’s movements as he got dressed, giving Core a wink as he left their bedroom. “Race ya, Heartstopper. Bet I can get everything decked out on the table before you wash your face.”

With a snicker and light jog out the door, Chai headed to the kitchen.

Core chuckled as he watched Chai bounce out. Cute… before stretching in bed, somewhat missing the warmth. Did he even really wanna go to class that day? Staying at home with Chai seemed like a lot more fun… ugh, he did have that presentation he had to do. He could just tell his professor he did the presentation tomorrow, but sometimes that was more work than just actually doing the homework. Especially considering his group had already done the work anyway.

Besides, Carol was in class. She was always a good time~

Groaning, telling himself he was being so brave to risk the chilly hellscape that was getting up between his covers and getting into the shower, Core got up and hurried to the bathroom. Cold, cold, cold–

Halfway through his shower, Core {decided} he wanted some sausage links cooked and laid out alongside his omelette too. Brushing his hair and his teeth, Core got dressed and headed out to the common areas of their apartment. “Smells good!” he complimented.

Oh shit, nah, you know what would really go? Sausage~ Complete breakfast, baby! Who was the best boyfriend in the world, this guy~~~

Jaunting over to the icebox to grab some links, Chai tapped his heels as he bobbed his head, the mild clatter of pans and his whisk all layering an accompanying percussive track to the song in his head. Honestly, half the time it hardly even felt like Chai needed to do anything to add to the music always surrounding him; it felt like the world itself moved to his beat. The world a perfect stage…

Pff, at least for a homemaker like him. 

Humming as he cooked, Chai sang, “I won’t be held anyone’s captive, not again, never again~ Don’t snap, won’t snap, psychoactive, I won’t be your captive~”

Though, as he heard the bedroom door open again, the lyrics transitioned into-- “Hey, hey, hey, no faaaair!” Chai whined, pouting as he--step, step, Core sitting, plate down--lost by a literal beat. “There’s no way you can look this good in that amount of time, I’m calling interference!”

“I told you, it’s the haircut. Barely have to touch it once it’s dried,” Core smirked, sitting down as Chai put down his plate in front of him. He gestured for Chai to lean down, and gave him a kiss on the cheek when he did. “Thank you~ Oh, you remembered to make some for yourself this time, right?”

“Haircuts, the silent players,” Chai muttered conspiratorially, before happily leaning down and beaming at the kiss. “Well, ya win some, ya lose some--and you’re welcome! I love cooking for you, Crisis Core, it’s my pleasure.”

Laughing sheepishly, Chai went back over to the stove to turn everything off--very important step, don’t forget it!--before taking his own plate and joining Core at the table. And then immediately jolting back up to grab two mugs of coffee, setting Core’s down in front of him with a sheepish smile. “Ha, yeah. I swear, I just get too excited, it slips my mind--wild how brain stuff works, yeah?”

Digging in--even the light tinking of the cutlery keeping time--Chai nodded to Core, just barely swallowing in time to avoid talking with his mouth full. “You have that presentation at school today, right? Sounded like your group actually pulled their weight this time, ha!”

Core relaxed slightly when he saw Chai’s plate. Ever since the two had moved in together, stuff like that had been… slipping, from Chai’s mind when he was doing things. Core wasn’t entirely certain why, it had never been a problem before. But after nearly a year of living together now, the issue seemed to finally be self-correcting, Chai remembering he had his own needs to take care of.

…good! Core loved when a problem wasn’t actually a problem. All’s well that ends well.

“Yeah, it was a lot. I understand in theory why, group projects are pretty important when you’re aiming for government positions… but maaaaan, it still feels like such a drag sometimes. I already know how to lead a group, why do I keep having to prove it over and over?” Core sighed, chewing happily through his omelette. Perfectly made, like always. “I thought Political Science would be more about theory than practical application. I don’t think my ability to get four hungover college kids to work together on a poster is going to equal being representative of a town someday.”

“You thinking of doing anything today?” Core asked, genuinely curious. 

“Ehhhh, you know how it is,” Chai drawled with a shrug, rolling his eyes with a burgeoning smirk, “Teachers always shuffle busywork into the mess; you can be on the perfect track for you and they still gotta fill up the whole quarter with stuff to do. It’s not quite ambitious enough for a smartypants like you, but I’m glad I got out of there when I could.”

Chai had never planned on college, even with his folks and school counselors urging him to just try it out for a little while to ‘broaden his horizons’ or whatever. Academia just wasn’t built for a guy like him, destined for more than hauling around textbooks and stressing about papers! 

…or, ha, well, before he got a little more realistic. But he was just as happy hanging around home. 

“Hey, you never know, it might be pretty similar. Getting some curmudgeonly old admin officers to actually get around to putting new policy or whatever into action might exactly be like herding hangovers,” Chai snickered, before lighting up. “Yeah! You know how the Battle of the Bands is coming up?” (he mentioned, as if he hadn’t brought it up multiple times before and always looked longingly at the promotional posters they passed in town) “It’s still a bit early for even out-of-townies to just be chillin’ in Usott ‘til it’s time, but there’s gonna be like a pop-up workshop-slash-like-recording space set up for peeps to collab and learn stuff. There’s no way people aren’t taking advantage of the space already, so I was gonna stop by, see what’s what on the up.”

Core listened idly to the rhythm in Chai’s head, chewing on his sausage as he considered that idea. “That sounds alright… you’re still going to be home in time for dinner?” he asked, feeling the tempo go a little faster, like excitement was racing through Chai’s veins… and almost absentmindedly ‘reaching’ in to {slow it down} a tad, wanting a calmer morning than that. Matching the rhythm to his own heartbeat.

Chai stuttered. There was a missed beat. 

It always felt like the breath was knocked out of him, his chest suddenly squeezing… Lightly, absentmindedly rubbing his chest, Chai grinned more sedately. “Hey, of course. I know I’d lose my head without you, but I remembered our plans, don’t underestimate me! Fancy hot pot night for the big-wig knocking his presentation out of the park.”

Chai loved celebrating, well, basically anything he could even sort of justify a celebration for, in Core’s life. So, lucky him there was so much to celebrate! Even if a regular school project wasn’t a big deal, marking it as an occasion, spending time with the guy he loved, it made life that much more of a party. 

Chai’s expression softened as he reached over, curling his fingers around Core’s hand left on the table. “...hey, you know I adore you, right? Even if I’ve got other stuff going on in my own life, you’ll always be my number one.”

“Oh, I know. Sorry, did I sound jealous?” Core smiled lightly, squeezing Chai’s hand in his own, “You’re allowed to have other things going on in your life, Chai. I’d never actually stop you from doing something you wanted to do.”

Bringing his hand up from under the table, taking Chai’s with him, he placed a small kiss against his knuckles… before chuckling, “I guess I’m just lucky that all you ever really want to do is spend time with me. What a lucky guy I am. I don’t know which god I pleased, that they gave me you.” Core said, giving Chai a small wink, “Maybe I was an Ouma in a past life.”

“Haha~ No, but I like reminding you! Could you blame me? I get to tell the coolest guy in the world I love him; I’m a damn hero for not saying it every breath and annoying the crap out of you,” Chai laughed. His smile at the squeeze clearly conveying that he thought he was even luckier that when he said that, Core would say he loved him back. 

Sometimes Chai didn’t even know how it happened. Looking back, it almost felt like one day Chai was doing his own thing at the fringes of their school social life, and the next the most popular guy in school was holding his hand. It was obvious that the two coolest dudes would be perfect for each other (but sometimes he was baffled why Core had done it. Why him?). 

Flushing delightedly, Chai gave Core a wink back. “The life so nice they decided on an encore, huh? Sometimes the best remixes are just with subtle changes, and I’m sure not complaining.”

Eyes flicking down for a moment, Chai asked, “Oh, hey, more coffee?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking that,” Core agreed, taking his hand back and leaning back, sighing contently, “Thank you, Chai.”

-

It’d only been a week, so it wasn’t like Ienzo and Ventus were super in the weeds, but they had met again a few times, at first setting up times to meet up at all, and then Ienzo guiding Ventus through exercises to strengthen his control with intent. But as much as dedicated learning was important, so was something Ienzo thought was vital for an Empath’s development--having fun. 

Before getting to that though, as they sat in a specially dedicated parlor in the castle the queen had furbished--and made sure to cater--specifically for their lessons, Ienzo regarded Ventus for a moment before speaking. There was something Kaede had said that had just…intrigued him, and Ienzo wanted to find out more. 

“You don’t have to answer, I do understand the position you’re in,” Ienzo gently prefaced, his expectations and asks not insultingly low, but consistently gracious in their open-endedness, “But the queen mentioned that she’d been trying to guide your abilities. Did she ever ask you to read her?”

“Her?” Ventus startled, looking genuinely scandalized as he clarified, “The queen? No, of course not!” 

“...she asks me to sit in on conversations with her, and to try to read the other person,” Ventus explained after a moment, shifting uncomfortably, “But, she says it’s people that she understands anyway. Servants she’s had forever, her Intentured, Lord Byakuya, Prince Kaito. She tries to get me to guess as much as I can what the intent behind their words were, and she feels pretty confident when I’m off or not. I don’t know how she knows. I don’t even really know when I actually know or not, or if I just guessed what she thought they were thinking anyway.”

Ienzo nodded a little. Alright, that made more sense. All her words about being surprised no Empath had come to depose her were probably meant in the most obvious meaning, being surprised that they had not come, no surprise at their failure. Not that a non-psychic would be able to tell when their sigils had warded off an attack, but it was probably all the same to her. 

“I see… That’s a lot of trust she’s extended to you, even if they are more casual conversations. Thank you for entrusting me in turn.” Ienzo gave Ventus a nod, before smiling softly at him. “If I could hazard a guess? Her grace strikes me as the sort of person that thinks they have people figured out. Any time those close to her have surprised her, it’s been a fluke, or she could rationalize the actions within the set of traits she’s assigned to them afterward. And that sense of familiarity would give her confidence to match up your assessment with hers.”

Ienzo huffed a bit of air almost like a laugh. “At the risk of doing the same thing, I’ll just caution that even for people like us, who really can know exactly what a person means, no one can truly know another completely. There’s so much that makes up any given person that, as informed as they may be, guesses are really all any of us can make.”

“Thank you for indulging a bit of my curiosity,” Ienzo bowed his head to Ventus again, before smiling a little more. “Now, as I broached our last meeting, the psychic space I share with those close to me, the island, is a place I can bring you to, if you thought over if you’d like to see it?”

Ventus wasn’t sure if that was a good thing, that he couldn’t know someone completely at some point through his powers. The queen really seemed to be betting that he could, at one point. He wasn’t sure what she would be like, if he couldn’t deliver what she wanted someday… 

But his curiosity beat his concern, as his eyes widened a bit. “Oh, the island? Really? Miss Aqua’s mentioned it before, she said it was, well… all of you guys. Are you sure you want me to see something like that? It sounds kinda vulnerable.”

“It is,” Ienzo gamely admitted. “It’s the confluence of all our minds. We do have some protections, but more or less, it is the manifestation of us, in our entirety. Inviting someone there is a significant act of trust. However, we do trust you, and further than just your reputation, Aqua trusts you, and we trust her.”

Amused, Ienzo pondered his words to himself. “One of the closest ways to know someone is to open yourself up in turn. Trust and vulnerability are dangerous, frightening things, but they are what open the gate for genuine connection and understanding. Knowledge cannot be truly understood by simply being a bystander, one must immerse themselves within it with sincerity. If we want to know you, Ventus, not just the idea of the person we lost, then…we must allow ourselves to be known by you. And for us, nothing exemplifies that more than the island.”

There was another little non-laugh as Ienzo gave Ventus a light-hearted look. “That’s a little more philosophical than what it experientially is. I’m simply extending the invitation to hang out.”

“...oh! Okay,” Ventus said, nodding… before laughing a little sheepishly, “The rest of that stuff was kinda heavy, but sure, I don’t mind coming to hang out… You talk a little funny sometimes. Is that alright to say? I gotta assume you already knew that. What does ‘confluence’ mean?”

“I’ve been informed of that before, yes,” Ienzo smirked. “A confluence is an act or process of merging, though depending on the context it can specifically refer to the geographical feature of two rivers merging together. So, said differently, what I meant was ‘the island is the place where all our minds meet’.”

Giving Ventus a little nod, Ienzo asked, “You’ve mentioned your struggles in maintaining control over your dreaming self. Going to the island will be a little like that, though you will be fully awake. I don’t mean to make this another task, but perhaps this will be of help to you in that regard as well. Are you ready?”

-

“HA! Came close~” Lauriam taunted, snickering unabashedly as he evaded Riku’s hands once again, the flag in his back pocket still fluttering victoriously in the wind. They knew, in a vague sort of way, that Ienzo was going to talk to Ventus about seeing the island today, but they really didn’t have concrete timing to look forward to. 

So in the meantime? 

Flag Tag, baby. And Lauriam was doing his part to bring his team to success.

“Man, how do you do that!?” Riku pouted, as Lauriam seemed to just appear and disappear. He knew it wasn’t the teleporting skill, Lauriam had promised not to use that during their games. He was also just really fast. 

“Riku!” Sora shouted, sending {intent} as he ran forward. Riku knelt down so that Sora could leap and then kick off his back, trying to swing at Lauriam with the extra leverage, “I’ve got this!” 

“Oh no you don’t!” Roxas shouted, leaping forward to block Lauriam, Sora colliding with him mid-air, “Ow!” 

“Don’t you ‘ow’, you threw yourself in the way!” Sora complained as the two ended up in a pile together, Riku going to check on them.

Meanwhile, Kairi, who had their team’s flag, was dodging around Axel, who while he had sheer height and arm length advantage on her, couldn’t seem to sidestep as gracefully as she did, spinning around again for another attempt at her flag before stumbling onto his side. “Hey, guys! I could use a hand here!” 

“Naaaah, you got it!” Demyx called, laughing from the other side of the field as Axel glared at him, “What!? I’m ‘backup’, remember!? You don’t look down yet!”

“How much more down do I have to be than literally in the dirt!?”

Ansem and Namine were watching from the sidelines. Well, half watching and half doodling in their notepads together. A part of the group but also doing their own separate thing. Like everyone else, they were in their ‘human’ forms, since fingers and thumbs made playing and drawing easier. 

But everyone paused, all of them feeling the extremely odd ‘other’ feeling of someone new stepping into the island. Something that hadn’t become common since they stopped bringing Indentured there to relax. Though, while ‘odd’ and ‘other’ was still correct, it was also familiar… but odd and other, in that familiar feeling. What was…?

Ventus touched down on the island’s beach with Ienzo, and gasped. Not at the island, but at the ocean. Staring at it in absolute wonder as he said, “Woah… it’s so big… it’s not that big in real life, is it?”

“Pure skill difference,” Lauriam laughed, calling a thank you over his shoulder to Roxas as he took the chaos of the collision to dash farther away. 

“You raised a monster,” Zexion flatly griped to Terra, the two of them on standby as referees. Or, well, Zexion was mostly a referee, but was also feeling out for the signal Ienzo was going to give him, to help bridge Ventus over…and was also ogling at Demyx a bit. 

Chuckling as he saw Riku help Roxas and Sora up without issue, Terra cut through the air with a hand. “Correction, ‘Ze, I raised nine monsters. Just look at Kairi go!!”

There had always been moments of fun on the island, moments between each other, or the facade they’d put up to make sure the Indentureds actually relaxed. But these days with the soft sand and glimmering water only filled with the sounds of genuine laughs…

“I couldn’t say,” Ienzo answered truthfully, giving Ventus a softer look as he watched him take it all in. “Demyx has a friend who lives right by an ocean, however, and judging by his perception, it might actually be even bigger, as absurd as that sounds.”

“Ven!” Terra called, his heart soaring as he jogged over, grinning brightly at his son. “Glad to see you made it over!”

From his space chatting with Larxene, Marluxia met Lauriam’s eyes briefly, giving him an ‘I told you so’ sort of look. Though it was short-lived as they both couldn’t keep their gazes away from Ventus for long. Their little brother in the purposeful, conscious ‘flesh’, as close as they could possibly get right now…

“Holy shit, you’re actually here.”

“GAH!” Ventus gasped, immediately struggling as someone grabbed him by the back of his jacket, hoisting him up as Ventus patted around for his weapons inside of his clothes, “LET ME GO!” 

“In a second, let me get a look at you,” Xaldin said, hefting Ventus up more as he gave the kid a look up and down, “Scrawny, huh? The fuck were they feeding you?” He paused, watching as Ventus made nervous, whining noises as he kept looking for his weapons. “Didn’t manifest your weapons, huh? Maybe that’s a good thing. To some people it comes naturally, but those people are usually ‘assholes’... god damn, you look so much like Roxas. ROXAS! COME OVER HERE! I FOUND YOUR BLUE HAIRED TWIN!”

Roxas did not actually look that much like Sora, in the same way Lauriam didn’t look that much like Marluxia, other than superficially… but as he hurried over, yep. Wow. That was eerily similar. “Uuuuh, hello,” Roxas said, as Xaldin put Ventus down next to him, “It’s nice to meet you?”

Lauriam, briefly, gave Roxas a nervous look as he was beckoned over. What he had seen in the depths of the island wasn’t just some fever dream concocted by his own mind, he had to admit now, but he still had no idea what it meant. The connection between Roxas and Ventus too pointed to just be coincidence, but…how?

Still, he gave the rest of his siblings a small smile as they started gravitating towards the dock where the greeting party was centered. 

“Xaldin, don’t treat my kid like a hacky-sack just yet,” Aqua sighed as she joined by Terra’s side, smiling warmly at Ventus right after. Though, with Roxas right in front of him? 

“...oh wow that’s uncanny,” she murmured, leaning forward a little and looking between them. “Well. Ventus, this is Roxas, and the guy manhandling you is Xaldin. Uhhh,” she laughed sheepishly. “There are a lot of introductions. You wanna take it piece by piece or just take what you can from the whole list?”

“Kid’s gotta learn how it works around here. You all are going to be gushing over him plenty,” Xaldin scoffed, though he took a step back as everyone approached.

Ventus had been looking over Roxas with curiosity–-did they? Look alike??--but as Aqua approached, the tall man who had greeted him earlier having a weird new context as the two approached him together… “Um, hello, sir.” Roxas said uncertainly, glancing at Aqua, before bowing to them both, “Uh, thank you for hosting me.”

・_・...

Ventus blinked, a tiny, doll-like, black-haired little… no, doll was the only decent word for it. Floated right in front of him. Peering at him with tiny little black eyes.

´･‿･` Hello

 ⊂ ・ ̫・⊃

“Hello???” Ventus sputtered, as the weird little doll thing hugged his face, Ventus patting it nervously on the back, “...whaaaat is on me?”

“That’s Xion! She and Roxas are my Nobodies! She’s in Chibi form right now!” Sora said excitedly, running over, before bowing low, “Hi!! I’m Sora! I’m your brother!”

“Oh!” Ventus swallowed nervously, “H-hello?”

“Leeeeet’s maybe slow down on the family titles,” Axel warned them, sauntering up, hands in his pockets, “We don’t wanna be too much, right away. For now, we’re just… brand new friends! Who are excited to have you on our island.”

Terra’s smile softened into fondness, though the pat Aqua gave his back was reassuring. Helping him fight against the impulse to scoop Ventus into his arms, now that he could, and hug the living daylights out of his kid. Because while Terra had been there for every conversation Aqua had had with Ventus, Ventus didn’t…

Terra bowed back, though he laughed brightly. “We’re happy to have you, kiddo! Though the formalities aren’t needed, unless you’re trying to butter up the Prof for something.”

“I don’t think there’s any way we’re ever going to not be ‘too much’,” Zexion drawled, watching Xion and Sora’s introduction before giving Ienzo a look, and then speaking more to the group. “We haven’t gotten around to explaining Nobodies yet.”

“Right…” Terra sighed, before he and Aqua exchanged a bittersweet smile. 

To Ventus, Aqua started, “There’s a lot that could go into it, but the long and short is that I simplified things a bit when I told you about these knuckleheads. There’s actually about double of us, and for the most part, half only live on the island, or in our worlds, which we’ll give ya a tour of later.”

“There’s some curveballs, but I think you can probably guess the connections,” Marluxia drawled, walking over with more of a swagger before he leaned against Lauriam’s shoulder with a smirk, Lauriam straightening before giving Ventus a shy smile and a wave.

Ventus smiled a tad awkwardly, waving at the… no, he was more confused. But! Maybe he’d understand more later, as he glanced away from everyone, looking at the island in equal awe to how he had looked at the ocean. “This place is amazing… I’ve only ever seen anything like this in my dreams.”

“Still technically true,” Riku said, while Kairi elbowed him in the ribs, “ow.”

“I know, but it’s so real! It feels like I’m actually somewhere, you know!?” Ventus said, maneuvering around the group of people to look at the island some more, still just in awe, “It’s amazing… I can’t imagine what it must have been like to grow up here.”

“Bad,” Ansem said, before giving Namine a confused look as she urgently tapped him on the chest, “What? It was, wasn’t it?”

“Was it?” Ventus asked, wilting a little as he looked at the very tall man with the very bright girl. “Why was it bad?”

“........” Isa, who had wandered over after feeling Ventus land, tried to say something… tried again… then sighed and looked at Axel.

“Maybe that’s another thing that can be talked about another day,” Axel said, “The island itself? IS a good thing. We love this place.”

Lauriam gave Axel a small nod. “It’s home. And regardless of circumstance around it, that home has always been a wonderful place.” Trying another smile that was still more shy than anything (he’d seen Ventus before, sure, but…this was really him now. As he said himself, ‘so real’), Lauriam took the flag out of his pocket to demonstrate. “We were playing flag tag, if you’d like to join?”

Sneering over at Riku, Marluxia sang-song, “Seems like the teams were a widdle bit unbalanced anyway, so you’d just be giving them an excuse to re-shuffle, Ventus. Do these poor saps a favor? They can only handle losing so much.”

Riku pulled down his eyelid and stuck out his tongue at Marluxia, while Axel and Demyx both looked at each other. 

“Does he mean our teams?” Axel whispered.

“Why would he mean our team, we’re doing great?” Demyx whispered back.

“Yeah, because Zexion keeps calling fouls for you out of nowhere.” 

“I don’t see the issue.”

“At least wear some real pants, man.”

“What’s wrong with the shorts?” Demyx asked, sounding genuinely confused as he looked down at his hip-hugging booty-shorts, “They’re great for flexibility!”

“Ansem, you sure you don’t wanna play, man! We could use a third!”

Ansem looked over, wrinkled his nose a little in distaste, before poofing into a black smoke. 

o.o sorry, I am too small.

“Geez, and I thought Demyx was lazy.” Axel grumbled, watching the little shadowling chibi stare up at him, “Namine?”

A white poof of smoke.

◑.◑ So small, can’t be done.

Ventus gawked at the little black monster thing and the little white shifting light thing, both which seemed perfectly content to stare back up at him. “W-well, uh… which team am I on then?” Ventus asked, before blushing a little, “...I don’t know if I’ll be any good. I’ve never played before.”

“Leave them be, and Marluxia isn’t even playing, he’s in no position to criticize how you’re playing,” Lauriam sighed, nodding to his teammates…before he glowered at Demyx lightly. “Only for those who aren’t playing.”

Ignoring Marluxia’s offended huff, Lauriam smiled at Ventus. “There aren’t too many rules. Each team has one person as the ‘flag-keeper’, and the goal is to steal the opposite team’s flag--like Capture the Flag but more mobile. It’s been me, Axel, and Demyx against Sora, Roxas, Riku, and Kairi,” Lauriam pointed to each person in turn, so Ventus would know who he was talking about, “So…you could join our team, or we could reshuffle into teams of two to make it a bit more chaotic.”

Smirking lightly, he looked back to the others. “What do you guys think?”

Of course, chaos always wins.

Somehow, Lauriam was saddled with Demyx, who just grinned at him as the man groaned into his hands about it. Axel and Kairi ended up teaming up, the two debating a bit before deciding Kairi would carry the flag. Sora and Riku were excited to pair up, though both for some reason kept arguing the other should carry the flag, a pouting Sora carrying it after a fierce game of rock-paper-scissors. And finally…

“Really put the twins together, huh?” Xaldin noted, standing with Aqua and Terra, “What, really needed to drive in the uncanny valley effect happening there? I’m not crazy, right? Outside of coloring, those two are identical.” 

Amusedly watching Lauriam get an increasing look of desperation in his eyes as he tried to patiently explain to Demyx that it didn’t matter how long he held onto the flag, they couldn’t win if they didn’t get any other flags, Aqua let out a slow breath. “...those kinds of coincidences can happen in life. People ending up looking like each other.”

Still acting as ref, but happy to chat while he was just watching, Terra shot Aqua a side-long glance, knowing where that sort of rationalization was coming from. “But that does feel like a smaller chance knowing that Roxas was made. Even with the age difference, Rox just looks like an older Ven, exactly. But…” Terra ran a hand through his hair, combing back bits that had started to get in his face. “...none of us had any idea what Ventus might’ve looked like, and Sora wasn’t around when guessing about that had been fun. So how…?”

“Ventus’ arrival did not feel like a new presence on the island,” Aeleus brought up quietly, his walk with Even on the beach making it towards where the others were chatting. 

“There he is, hm…” Even murmured, watching as Ventus and Roxas seemed to be trying to strategize together, Roxas pointing out what he undoubtedly thought were crucial weak points in the others as Ventus nodded earnestly along, “...I’m not sure what I was expecting. Doesn’t feel quite real, does it, that the boy is suddenly here. Thirteen years… feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago.”

Even looked around, before sighing slightly, “Luis couldn’t bring himself to come out then, hm?”

“I’ll go knock some sense into him in a second.” Xaldin promised, “Dilan’s doing some body maintenance right now, he’ll probably be here in a bit. Where’s Vexen?”

“Already trying to figure out why Ventus didn’t register as ‘new’ to any of us. Looking through collective memories to try to knock out some theories early, like someone just invited him earlier and we all somehow collectively missed it.” Even said. 

“Do you think it’s possible he’s always been a part of the island?” Aqua’s voice was skeptical, though she was earnestly asking Even. “It doesn’t make a ton of sense to me, since joining was always so purposeful for all of us, and needed help, but…” she shrugged a little, “when do infants even gain consciousness anyway? Would that be possible?”

Terra let go of a strained, stuttered breath, his eyebrows arching together as he watched Ventus. He and Roxas giving each other determined nods as the game began. “...if he was connected all this time, and we didn’t know?”

“Then we didn’t know,” Aeleus said, reaching over to squeeze Terra’s shoulder. “For being ours, the island holds more mysteries than we know. There is no matter of fault within it.”

“I’ll have Vexen look more closely at our collective memories of the day Ventus was stolen. We might have missed something. Some tether connected, buried in all the lines we have going in and out of this place… we wouldn’t have known to look for it, before this. We’ve never had a situation like this before.” Even said, watching the kids–in his mind, that’s what they all were–run around each other, “...I’m not sure exactly how one equals the other, but it could explain the Xion/Roxas situation. That’s always been bizarre, how that came about. Why Xion was so delayed… could Sora have potentially tapped into Ventus’ tether by accident?”

“How do you do that by accident?” Xaldin asked, crossing his arms with a frown, “...I guess other then by living in a soup made of other people’s brains. I guess it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing, finding out we cross each others wires by accident every now and again.”

“We have stumbled into each others’ dreams before,” Aqua pointed out, snorting softly as a few instances came to mind, “That’d be the most mild version, but proof it can happen.” She frowned a bit, looking over at Sora now, watching him chase after Lauriam. “...if he made a Nobody from Ventus’ essence? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Sheesh,” Terra rubbed the back of his neck, before calling, “HEY, KAIRI, NO SAND IN THE EYES! …we do know Sora and Rox are connected, though, and Rox and Xi definitely are. If that’s true, then they and Ven probably have some stuff to talk through.”

“I’m saying Roxas might have been more of a chibi than we all would have previously thought. Just one expected to keep the form of a Nobody… which, arguably, could explain how grumpy he’s always been. It takes effort for the chibis to maintain their human form. Roxas might have been working harder to maintain his expected appearance than everyone else this whole time.” Even paused, “Though that’s still mostly speculation. Again, Vexen is looking into finding any hard evidence for any of this.”

“...I know it’s not enough,” Xaldin said, watching Demyx fall into an alarmed ball on the floor when Riku went to swipe at his flag, “Let’s be clear about that from the jump, but… that’s a hell of a thought, isn’t it? That maybe at least a part of Ventus has been here for years now, getting snipey with all of us when we make fun of his flopping mess of hair and following Axel around with his sister like they’re weird little ducklings? I know it’s not enough, but… it’s something.”

“When I was younger, and first here, I remember being told that the island itself was layered by the people who came before us,” Even mused, “Or, as Larxene likes to constantly remind us: the island never forgets. That you can’t truly detangle all the memories and thoughts and influence that comes from being tethered to a place like this. That every person who arrives here? Connects? Always remains, somewhere in the sands… I’ve never known how literal to take that. It was a warning, to me, not a reassurance like it’s been given to the others. A caution for the effect tethering even briefly all the indentured we bring in could have on us. That each person added changes the island little by little, and in turn, changes us.”

“.....okay?” Xaldin said, looking a bit grim, “So?”

“I don’t know. It just came to mind when you said that… yes, I think it’s entirely possible at least a part of Ventus has always been here, connected to us. And yes, Roxas might be a literal, physical manifestation of that connection. Ventus taken from us, but…” Even shrugged, “The island never forgets.”

“Aw, kid…” Terra murmured, getting dangerously close to a pout as he watched his son bound away from Axel, the smirk on his face very telling that the two of them were exchanging some banter while in the middle of their chase. Some people were just prone to moodiness, and on top of that they were people with more reason than most to get caught up, but the potential of Roxas having been under another layer of strain all these years… 

Smiling softly at Xaldin’s thought, it turned a bit wary as Aqua glanced over to Even, before shaking her head a little. “Either way, how caught up he might’ve been all this time, it still feels like we’re getting to know each other for the first time, and right now, that’s all that matters. I’m not relying on us being connected by blood to convince him, and I won’t rely on whatever if-maybe tether he may or may not have to do it either. We’re doing this the old fashioned way.”

“Or new fashioned,” Terra snickered, giving her a cheeky look, “Since fully informed, genuine choices aren’t exactly what I’d call traditional.”

“Are we talking about the factories again? I figure with your boy right there, we’d be discussing happier things.” Dilan said, landing in the sand, before looking around, “...Xaldin–”

“Yeah, I’m gonna go talk to him. He’s probably had too much and doesn’t want to come out.” Xaldin said, giving them all a nod before heading off, aiming for Luis’ door. 

“Otherwise, it’s a full house out here, huh? Well, I suppose we’re still missing a few faces,” Dilan mused, giving Marluxia a wave, who was still chatting with Larxene, the two likely being less than kind in their commentary of the show in front of them, “Vexen not coming out?”

“He’s trying to solve mysteries for us, at the moment, he’ll meet Ventus later.” Even said, “Xion has decided to be far too small to play over with Ansem and Namine, I see. Isa’s sunning over there… oh, I didn’t realize Saix had come out. I didn’t think the construct was ready to start leaving his world yet. Perhaps he’ll develop into a Nobody after all… no, we weren’t discussing the factories. More Ventus’ unique situation to actually get to choose to be a part of this family or not. Not exactly something most of us get to choose. Honestly, even saying we all ‘choose’ each other would be a bit of an exaggeration. Being stuck in the same room for years and mind melding with each other does tend to push the point a bit.”

Aqua shared a small smile with Xaldin as he headed off to the casino. Normally, she’d be right there with him, or Terra would, at least intending to judge if the situation was better for a one-on-one before requiring that someone call for friend back-up. But even obliterating himself in guilt, they knew Luis would understand that they wouldn’t want to give up this opportunity, and he wouldn’t hold it against them when they came by to check on him later. He was a sweet guy like that. 

Too sweet, letting guilt over something that wasn’t his fault consume him like this, but that was something to affirm later too. 

Looking up from his conversation, Marluxia’s smile brightened past his smirk as he returned Dilan’s wave, lingering long enough for a light blush to color his cheeks as Larxene said something to recapture his attention, the returning smirk even shittier. 

While Terra snickered a bit, catching that, he rolled his eyes light-heartedly. “Hey, it’s choosing with a bit of pressure. Just a bit! It’d totally be a choice any of us could’ve taken to just deal with feeling everyone else’s hurt feelings or discomfort trying to disregard ‘em anyway. Totally valid.”

Ignoring his protests as she shoved his head a bit, Aqua gave Dilan a nod. “Talking about that, and just how much Ventus looks like Roxas, and the implications of that, to catch you up.”

“Yeah, I can see that. Gives more credit to Lauriam’s dream, doesn’t it?” Dilan asked, raising an eyebrow as he really got a look at Ventus and Roxas. 

“What does?” Even asked.

“The way they look so alike. Maybe Lauriam really did see Ventus.”

“...no, see, we’re missing a primary part of this observation,” Even said, a tad annoyed, “What dream?”

“Oh…” Dilan gave them all a baffled look… before putting his hand to his mouth and shouting, “OI! LAURIAM!”

Lauriam startled, looking over at the shout…only to be dogpiled by three different people, Marluxia’s barking “HA!” rising above the din of the island as he cackled over his Somebody’s misfortune.

Eventually climbing out of the pile, taking a deep, deeeeep breath before congratulating the others with a smile, Lauriam headed over to the ‘adult group’. And while his smile was sweet?

“What’s up? Dilan?”

Dilan smiled sheepishly back, “That’s my bad.”

But then he gestured to the others, “Did you not tell them about that dream you had about Ventus? I only ask because it feels, uh… very relevant.” he said, nodding towards the teens, who were all taking the opportunity to break and chat with each other as they waited for Lauriam to return. 

“Oh! Uh…” Lauriam’s eyes widened before he nervously glanced back over at Ventus…and then more sheepishly at the others. “Well, I, I mean, I wasn’t sure if it was real,” he mumbled, awkwardly shifting his weight. 

Though, seeing his mom’s imploring look, Lauriam looked between the adults as he explained. “When we were getting all the Nobodies back, you know how Sora split the island open? What he opened it to, I think… It was kind of like the base essence of the island, or what it is in non-metaphor, or something, and that’s where I found Roxas and Xion.” Frowning lightly, Lauriam rubbed the back of his neck. “But before I could talk with Roxas down there, I saw Ventus. Talking about things that I sure didn’t know at the time, but once we made our way to each other, then he turned into Roxas.”

Growing more sheepish, knowing how this looked now, Lauriam tried to explain, “I-I thought I’d just imagined it. After all, it made no sense, right? So…”

“It’s quite alright, that would have been a difficult thing to convey at the time, not even taking into account everything else that was going on then.” Even sighed, reaching over to place a quick, reassuring hand on Lauriam’s shoulder, before taking it back, “I’m not sure what we could have even done with that information anyway. It wouldn’t exactly speed up our timeline of finding him. We already had all the information on Ventus we needed by that point, so there’s no harm in missing that bit of news.”

“It does say something that apparently we can get into the inner workings of the island, if we wanted… and are willing to let out strongest empaths literally crack apart the thing we’ve all connected the core of our minds to,” Dilan said dryly, “I know I’m the resident grave robber, but I think I’d advocate for anything that doesn’t put all of us in an early grave ourselves.”

Lauriam smiled softly at the shoulder pat, the reassurance doing its job. Maybe, sure, he should’ve told his family about what he’d seen earlier, but at least it hadn’t been vital information Lauriam was hiding for no reason. 

“It’s wild, but, yeah, not that actionable,” Aqua agreed, before she gave Lauriam a more worried look. “...but, Laurie. If you have something on your mind like that, even if you’re not sure it’s real or if you’re imagining something, fuck, maybe especially in those cases? You know you can tell us, right? We’re not going to brush you off just because you’re not certain.”

Again, Lauriam squirmed uncomfortably. Looking to the side as he mumbled about knowing that. 

“Oi,” Terra sighed, slinging his arm around Lauriam’s shoulders before ruthlessly putting him into a headlock. Squishing Lauriam’s cheeks, he demanded, “Your family loves you, kiddo! Say it with me now, put your whole chest into it!”

“DED!” Lauriam shouted in scandal, trying to twist out of the hold, even as Terra expertly adjusted to compensate for each movement. 

“Mmmm, nah, that doesn’t sound like the right words to me, Laurie.”

Over at the teens, Ventus tensed up as he looked at the ruckus in the distance, “I think your friend might be in trouble,” he whispered.

“What?” Sora asked, looking where he was nodding towards, “Oh, no, dad just does that.”

“Okay, but… is he? Your dad?” Ventus asked, looking at the older teens, “That seems like a lot of kids to have.”

“Ummmm… I guess you could say he’s as much our dad as whoever you call your dad right now is actually your dad,” Riku said, shrugging as he shoved his hands into his pockets, “If we’re getting finicky about the details, I mean.”

“He was there for us when it counted,” Kairi explained softly, “Our ‘real’ parents? Were barley parents to us even when they had us. But when we ended up in the factory, Aqua and Terra took on the brunt of caring for us. I mean, the others helped too, don’t get me wrong. Our uncles and aunts, older brothers and sisters… but it was Terra and Aqua who made sure we knew we had someone to go to when we were afraid, or sad… and they were really good at making our days a little better too.”

“They gave us birthdays!” Sora said cheerfully, hopping on his heels, “Me, Riku and Kairi all got a birthday in the spring, and Ansem, Namine and Roxas all got a birthday in the fall! Because we’re older!”

“By literally a few months,” Roxas grumbled, crossing his arms.

“Well, more accurately by like a decade,” Riku smirked, “Brat~”

“Your kids are fighting.” Dilan pointed out, Roxas having tackled Riku.

“We did interrupt the game,” Aqua laughed, “They could only stand around for so long.”

Even so, she jogged over, Terra following not long after with a thoroughly pink-faced Lauriam. Blue eyes gleaming, Aqua grinned brightly. “Alright, break it up. Unless you were looking to set up a wrestling bracket. Been a while, I could definitely do to stretch those muscles.”

“Let them keep going!” Marluxia called from the side-lines. “Roxas, kick his ass!”

“Riku, you’re twice his size, what are you doing on your back!?” Larxene shouted, before nudging Marluxia, “Five copper on Riku.”

“Bet,” Marluxia nodded, smirking as he pressed his shoulder against Larxene’s. “Size isn’t everything, darling, and Roxas’ got pressurized teen angst to tap into at any moment.”

Aqua rolled her eyes a little. “Aaaaalright, only one of us can have a gambling addiction, c’mon.” Intervening more physically this time, she and Terra pulled the boys apart, Terra plonking his chin down on Riku’s head with a :3 smile as he held him. “Lay it on me, what’s this about? If you’re about to tell me that Riku stole your dessert during one of those fancy castle dinners, Rox, I’m gonna have to bully Aeleus into getting his vision checked.”

Roxas pouted, “...’wasnt nothing.”

“Riku called him a brat.” Ventus said. 

“What! Hey!” Riku sputtered, squirming beneath Terra a bit, “You don’t just tell them!”

“Oh.” Ventus blinked, shifting uncomfortably, “Sorry, I was… lying. And that didn’t happen.”

“Smooth.” Sora snickered, nudging a reddening Ventus. 

“Oh?” Terra chuckled, leaning more of his weight on Riku. “Bold words from you, kiddo. Aw, my Riki-riku’s really growing up so fast~ It seems like only yesterday Kairi pointed out a path to get up on the upper cabinets in the kitchen and you and Sora--”

“Dad,” Lauriam sighed, cutting off the embarrassing anecdote. It was standard fare for an average day on the island (though a kind of average they hadn’t had for quite a while), but…well, maybe there was a part of him that wanted to spare Riku some embarrassment in front of Ventus. “Look,” he put his hands on his hips, looking between his brothers, “Are you two going to keep fighting?”

Riku winced at the memory. Those cabinet door had not been able to hold their weight. Those doors never got replaced either. Oops.

But at the question, Riku and Roxas both glanced at each other… “No?” Riku said, at the same time Roxas huffed and said, “Fine.”

Look… Ventus couldn’t help but make comparisons to his own life.

This is not how that would have gone down in the Shard household. And it wasn’t like there hadn’t been fights among the cousins and the siblings. If anything, they were common, expected. Even Ventus and Saber had had their fights. 

It usually ended up being a first blood sort of thing. Unless father was angry, and then it was first knocked out. Ventus had a scar on his shoulder from when Saber had had to cut him, mostly as a way to appease their parents that, yes, he had put Ventus back in his place, there wasn’t anything more that needed to be done about it.

Lying to your parents was begging for a broken bone down the line. Fighting meant there needed to be an inarguable winner. Everything was competition. Everything was obedience. Everything was in purpose to making the family stronger. 

This was… not that. 

Not even a little.

“Good,” Lauriam nodded, before smirking lightly. “Now that completely baseless claims are over…” (They didn’t expect Roxas to just keep his head down and take insults sent his way, but being called a brat wasn’t worth more than the tussling they had done, and really didn’t mean much coming from Riku.) Lauriam glanced to Ventus then all the others. “Think we want to play another round, or start showing Ventus around the worlds? Ienzo didn’t exactly say how long you guys had, but I assume it’s not all day.”

“Not that you’re only getting the chance to see everything today,” Aqua assured, giving Ventus a softer smile. “If you want, I think we’d all be happy if you came by whenever you want, Ventus. So no pressure getting the full tour right now.”

“Whenever I want…?”

It was all a little intimidating, still. The older teens had taken him in easily enough, but there were so many moments, still, where Ventus felt his age here. It was intimidating, being young and small and surrounded by people who knew more than you, had a better understanding the environment then you, knew all the little injokes and the rules and the norms. 

…but it really wasn’t any different than the castle, was it.

Ventus had turned 13, and his small, carefully managed world of living entirely within the eyes of his family had exploded open in a way he could have never prepared for. Sure, some people really did become fully independent adults by 13, but Ventus had been trained and raised to believe he’d still be living under his parents tutelage, under their rules and strict guidance, well into his late teens as he was being prepped to better assist family affairs. To better assist Saber.

And then Saber had…

Ventus looked at these people, who all loved and understood each other so much… and felt a sudden deep and aching homesickness. Not for the home he had now, but for the one he had shared with Saber. When someone in his life had loved him like this. Maybe not as open and joyfully as these people did, but who, like Kairi had said, had given him a place to go when he was scared, or sad, or had brightened his days, as much as Saber had been allowed…

He missed his brother. He didn’t care if a dream version of his brother had given him permission to move on. He still missed him. Knowing what had happened to him didn’t make the ache go away. Having all these people to potentially replace him didn’t make the ache go away. 

He missed him. He was sorry. If he had just been a little bit older, or braver, or smarter, maybe he could have found him. Rescued him. 

He was sorry.

He was sad.

He missed him.

He missed him, he missed him, he was sorry, he was sad, he was–

“The fuck?” Xaldin asked.

Ventus sniffled, eyes wet and watery, even as he looked around in just as much confusion. Making a small, confused sound as across the table, Luis and Xaldin both gave him equally bewildered looks, though Luis’ eyelids were much heavier and redder. “Uuuuh… something wrong with my last batch…?”

“Nah, the kid just popped into existence in front of me too… shit, little man, you crying? What’s the matter, they talk some shit out there? Come to drink your sorrows away?” Xaldin asked, his tone light, though he sent out to Aqua and Terra {Hey, why do we have a weepy prodigal son in the drinking world??}

The feeling on the beach was very much a confused, ‘Uhhh???’ as Ventus just…disappeared. No one could really fathom how offering him a tour, and specifically one without an expiration date was offensive enough to suddenly leave, and for some, to assuage those anxieties, wondered if he was just having trouble keeping his projection stable…

{Aaaah?? Uh, no clue, we brought up giving him a tour, then he just blipped away. Hold on, I’m on my way.}

It really didn’t take long before Aqua poked her head into the casino, looking over to the bar for confirmation before coming over. Her expression softening as she saw just how much Xaldin wasn’t exaggerating ‘weepy’.

“Oh, love…” Aqua murmured, kneeling at the bench as she pulled out a handkerchief for Ventus.

“S-s-sorry,” Ventus warbled, his face just an absolute mess of tears as he instinctively tried to lean away from the handkerchief, embarrassed, “I’m f-f-fine!”

“Yeah, that’s what I always think of when I think of ‘fine’. Blowing snot bubbles and talking five notes higher–ow! What? Too much?” Xaldin winced, rubbing his stomach where Luis had drunkenly bashed the back of his hand into it.

“Welllll what’ver we’re doing, we’re nooot lettin’ him drink in here… well, maybe one.” Luis muttered, peering over at Ventus, waiting for his vision to focus… before his own eyes went round and wobbly, “Oh, he looks like his pa.”

“Can you not fucking start? I just got you calmed down.” Xaldin scowled.

Aqua gave Luis a slightly pained look for a moment before giving Ventus another gentle look. Giving up trying to dry his tears herself, but pressing her handkerchief into his hand anyway. Giving him the tools to do it himself. “It’s okay to not be fine, alright?” she said softly, grinning a bit as she nodded towards Luis. “This is the ‘not fine’ space right now anyway, so you’d fit right in.”

“I did tell you we were a lot,” Aqua laughed softly. “Though I guess any warning isn’t enough for the reality of it all.”

“N-no, you guys a-a-are fine, it’s all f-f-fine…” Ventus sniffled, taking the handkerchief and wiping his face off with it, “I don’t kn-know… I’m just b-being weird…”

“I mean, kinda. But I’d say mostly that’s from the whole ‘teleporting’ into a different world thing you did, and teleporting here of all places. Better watch your back, Marluxia and Lauriam are real proud of that technique. I don’t think they’d take kindly to the new kid coming up and showing them up.”

“I… teleporting? I didn’t do anything. I was just… here.” Ventus sniffled. 

“S’mthing on your mind?” Luis drawled, doing his best to sit up now, concern on his face even as he struggled a bit, “P’ple always coming here when some’ing on their mind… my pl’ce is the ‘being sad ‘bout stuff’ place, us’ly…” 

“...” Ventus’ brow furrowed, sniffling some more, “...yeah? I guess so? I-is that why I showed up here?”

“Uuuuh, well, usually that’s more of a metaphor than an actual damn destination–actually, ya know what, sure, fuck it. You popped up here because something was on your mind. Now you gotta pay the ‘fuck is on your mind’ tax, kid.” Xaldin said, gesturing to Aqua, “If for no one’s sake then hers. She’s gonna end up thinking she did something wrong, at this rate.”

“What? No, you didn’t. You’re… you’re great. Everyone’s great,” Ventus insisted, looking worriedly at Aqua… before his eyes wobbled again, “...seeing your family… made me miss mine, a little. My brother… I don’t know…” Ventus sniffled, tears pouring down again as he said, “...I found out what happened to him. And it didn’t change anything. And now there’s nothing else really to do. I haven’t told my parents, because I don’t see what they can do either. All it equals out to is my brothers dead. And he died terribly. And for a dumb reason… but it doesn’t change the f-fact that he’s really gone… and he’s not coming back…”

Aqua made a small, huffing amused sound. It wasn’t as if they didn’t already know Ventus was a strong Empath, and Even’s theory about the power of undiscovered limits was one well-known to all of them. Ventus performing psychic feats out of pure instinctive impulse made it a high possibility he’d outclass some of their more dedicated specialties. At least for a little while. 

Still, while it was a question of how Ventus had appeared in Luis’ world, it wasn’t the most important one right now. 

And as Xaldin and Luis pried out why Ventus was upset--if prying equated just asking--Aqua’s eyes downturned, her heart aching from Ventus’ pain. One that was his, yes, but…still one she could relate to. 

“It’s one of the cruelest jokes the world can pull, that there’s nothing to do about it. Almost as bad as the fact they died in the first place,” she started softly. Ventus had already rejected one comforting gesture, so Aqua just put a hand on the edge of the table to quell her urge to embrace him. “Nothing hurts worse than knowing they’re really gone. I’m so sorry, Ventus.”

She smiled something that didn’t look that happy. “Even around other people, sometimes that feeling of missing them just…hurts. I get that.”

Ventus nodded, sniffling as he wiped his face again with her handkerchief, “...I just wish I had been able to do something. E-especially if I had powers all along? Maybe I could have f-found him, brought him back…”

“Ah, lad…” Luis sighed, resting his face in his palm, “What weeee can do? ‘Snt worth nothi’ ‘ntil someone teache’s us how to use ‘em. ‘S like wondering why you didn’ fight ‘em off with a cross’bolt, ‘n no one’s taught ya how to load it. Doesn’ matter if there’s one around. Still couldn’t use it to help ‘nything…”

“And you could tie yourself into knots over the woulda, coulda, shoulda’s forever… and fuck, you probably will.” Xaldin admitted, lightly patting Luis’ back, “But you can’t blame yourself that you got beaten by forces way out of your control. In the factories, we had this saying, right? What the supervisors do isn’t your fault.”

“Supervisors?” Ventus asked, sniffling.

“Basically think our masters, or our bosses, whatever’s easier to get your head around. They were in control of our lives. And against a powerful opponent we couldn’t hope to defeat? What they do isn’t our fault. And sure as fuck wasn’t your fault, whatever snagged your brother.” Xaldin said, “Maybe it feels like you could have done something, but that’s just hindsight blinding ya. You couldn’t have done anything. It wasn’t your fault.”

Aqua let out a long, slow, measured sigh, giving her friends a nod. “What happened to your brother wasn’t your fault. And it doesn’t make you weak, or lazy, or any other kind of fault for someone you love to have been hurt by an opponent with more resources and opportunities.” She smiled wanely. “Xaldin’s right, that it doesn’t always help thinking to yourself what you could’ve done, but I think it does help remembering that it’s true, when your brain gives you a break. I never knew your brother, but do you think he would want to blame you for his death?”

She grimaced a smile, the expression looking remarkably like Lauriam’s for how infrequently she wore it. “I know that’s not a fair question, but one of the more brutal things I’ve learned from all these jerks I love, is that they won’t blame you for the things you want to shoulder. More likely to tell you off, actually.”

Ventus sniffed, thinking it over… before giving her a wobbly smile, “No. Saber would say I’m being an idiot, and ask me how I’d fare any better then he did, being a runt…” Ventus sniffed, wiping his face again, before looking at the handkerchief, “...I had a dream not long ago. I had it, then forgot it, and then it kinda came back in pieces…my brother was telling me he didn’t want me to stay with our family. With the queen. He was worried I was going to be taken advantage of.”

“I know it’s not really him. It was a dream, so it was me talking to myself… I don’t know what he would have wanted from me.” Ventus admitted, “He was a good heir. A good eldest. He followed all the rituals, he learned to make his weapons, he won his spars. I think he was going to beat our cousin Bailsong in gaining the head of our families, someday. He was dutiful. And I was happy for that, because I knew if he did, I would always be taken care of. If Saber was the head of our family? Then my life would be good.”

“But he’s not around anymore. And I feel really… lost and scared.” Ventus admitted, staring at his lap, “I don’t know what the future is going to be anymore. My parents say I could potentially be the next heir, but I don’t believe them. They don’t… look at me like they did Saber. Or even our cousin. I’m not one of their heirs. I’m just… something they bought…”

“I don’t know what to do…” Ventus whispered.

Aqua laughed softly, a twinkle in her eye. “He sounds like the kind of person I do know, then. It’s always so insulting the first way they call you dumb, huh. But you can’t argue it because everything they say after just makes you all gooey inside.”

She took a breath. “You might not know what he would have wanted from you, Ventus, but you knew him. I’m not even talking about what you would’ve picked up from him psychically; you two were close.” Smiling, Aqua chanced nudging her knuckles against Ventus’ arm for a moment. “The first day we met, everything you said about his sword and the smithing work he did, those are only the kinds of things you can say when you’re truly close to someone. And then as an Empath, sometimes our dreams are just dreams, but more often than not they’re pretty reflective. Your best guess of what your brother would say might be pretty close, and if not, then it might be some of what you feel, presented to yourself through a voice you know you’d trust. Manipulative, but effective.”

“...you know I’m biased, Ven,” Aqua admitted, a smile in her voice even as her eyes lowered. “I do think Kaede’s manipulating you, and it’s only your connection to them, and the danger it’d bring people I love that I’m not storming up to your parents to take vengeance for them stealing you from me. I’d love nothing more than to sit next to you in our carriage and annoy the daylights out of these two lugs,” she smirked slightly, gesturing to Xaldin and Luis, “asking if we’re there yet a thousand times as we high-tail it out of the country.”

She gripped the edge of the table again, fighting desperately against the hug she wanted to give him. “But that’s just what I want. And I’m not going to let that take away what you want, even if you don’t know what that is yet.”

Ventus’ brow furrowed a little, the idea of leaving the country still so… much. 

But he gave Aqua a small, shy smile. “You make it sound like fun. I don’t… know what I should do. It feels like I’m running away, if I leave with you all…  I mean, I’m an adult now,” Ventus said, straighting his back a bit, trying to lift his soft, round chin, “I can technically do whatever I want. I’m not an heir. I don’t have a job in an official sense. There’s nothing I’m meant to do here.”

“...but my parents aren’t going to like it.” Ventus said, deflating a bit, “They’ll be upset.”

“Y’r folks are kidnpain’ bastards.” Luis growled. 

“Buuuuut we get that you still need time to think about it, since they’re just ‘parents’ to you.” Xaldin said, placing a hand on Luis’ back again, “...though he’ right, they are bastards. You running off on them would be good for them. Humbling. Build some fucking character.”

Ventus’s brow once against worried together… but he smiled lightly, “That sounds like something my father would say.”

“Well, I’m a bastard too.” Xaldin shrugged.

“Can’t say I’m not looking forward to it, at least a little,” Aqua admitted with a small shrug. “I’ve always liked an adventure, and I miss getting to see my knuckleheads when I open my eyes too.”

It was perhaps a conversation to have another time, but by this point in her life, despite the values and the society she’d grown up in, Aqua didn’t see the shame in running away. Sure, it’d be nicer if she could just beat the circumstances she didn’t like around her, but like they’d just explained to Ventus--there had been no winning against the supervisors. Sometimes life threw you a battle you couldn’t win, and sometimes one you couldn’t even participate in. And in that case? It didn’t feel like something shameful and cowardly to no longer subject yourself to the pains of a war around you. 

Laughing softly at Xaldin, Aqua chanced reached out again, gently cupping Ventus’ cheek for a moment. “Honestly, I like the thought of upsetting your folks too…but not if that’s going to hurt and upset you. But if your decision is to upset them, then we’ll be right by your side, and we’re not the sort to let allies get hurt if we have any say about it.”

Again, maybe it was a lot, but…

“...I love you, Ventus,” Aqua said softly, her eyes only for her son. “However you feel about me, or come to, that’s true, and I just want your life to be something you choose with your own two hands.”

Ventus’ heart beat a little faster. From shock, fear, or something else, he wasn’t sure. It just raced a little more in his chest as he gave Aqua a lost, uncertain look…

“She really does, man.” Xaldin said softly, maybe feeling the need to vouch for Aqua, “Probably one of the people who loves you most in the world.”

“We all do,” Luis said, leaning heavily against the table with a sigh, “...but no one’sh qui’ like her. She’s ‘ur mum. Is’a… weight.”

“...I think maybe I need to go,” Ventus admitted, fussing with the handkerchief in his hands, “...but I could come back later? I know I messed up the tour being a crybaby…”

Aqua blew the notion away. “You kidding? You didn’t mess up a thing. One of the last tours we did, Xal ended up getting his ass handed to him, nothing you could do would be more embarrassing than that.” Smiling more, even if she would just see him during the next court session, if he didn’t drop by to see them sooner, Aqua still looked at Ventus like she was trying to commit everything about him to memory. “You can come back whenever you like. If you have trouble getting here, just send one of us a message and we’ll help you in.”

“Tsk, jokes on you, that was a damn good day.” Xaldin muttered, absentmindedly patting Luis on the back as the man just out his head in his hands and groaned.

Ventus nodded at Aqua’s explanation, standing up from the table and then looking around the casino, “...okay, but how do I get out?”

“You could play one of me games till something bonks you hard enough on the head?” Luis offered.

“It’s just a ‘letting go’ feeling, but go ask Ienzo for the specifics, he’s the teacher. For now just… see those doors? Yeah, there. Git.” Xaldin said, shooing Ventus to the casino doors, the boy distractedly looking around as he made his way over to them.

The adults watched him go for a moment… “Aqua, girl, are you okay?” Xaldin asked.

Aqua curled her fingers around the edge of the table again before plopping her head down on top. Letting out a whining groan as she moaned, “I want him to come with us so bad…”

“All the adults here for him suck!” she grunted, gritting the back of her teeth. “Do you think those fucks that have the audacity to call themselves his parents have even talked to Ventus about his brother?! More than just an asset they lost? And you heard him, he hasn’t even told them the reality of what happened…”

Letting out a breath, she tilted her head to her friends, eyebrows arching up in worry. “Do you think I came on too overbearing? It’s so damn hard not to just hug him and never let go.”

“Aqua, I honestly can’t believe how much restraint you have around him.” Xaldin scoffed, sitting down next to Luis, giving Aqua a bewildered shake of his head, “You know I’d have been right behind you if this had been a kidnapping mission, right? Kid would have learned to love us, we’d have taken turns watching him… my point is, you’re not alone in that pressing, gnawing feeling of wanting this to be decided already. Wanting him to just already feel like a part of the family.”

“It’d have been bad,” Luis murmured, “No supervisors to blame… that’d jus’ been bad.”

“Yeah, well, never said I was good.” Xaldin said.

“I keep wanting to tell your boy how sorry I am… but it’s too much, too soon. Your hugs probably scare him, my apology wouldn’t mean anythin’... Xaldin kidnapping would just be bad.” Luis sighed, rubbing his forehead, “We gotta do this the slooooow way… sucks.”

Aqua smiled fondly up at Xaldin, even through her frustration and longing and grief. “I know,” she said quietly. If either she or Terra had gone up to the group at any point and said, ‘hey, we’re kidnapping Ventus back’, Aqua knew that the immediate response would be her family brainstorming methods to do it. They were loving like that. 

However. 

“Uuuuuuugh, being good people is so much effort,” she groaned. “Damn me, caring for him beyond my own feelings.” A chuckle followed right after as Aqua picked her head off the table. She might’ve not been able to hug Ventus, but two of her guys were right here so she got up to lean across the back of the booth, slinging her arms around Xaldin and Luis. “Know you would anyway, but thanks for helping him right then. Startling thing, having the kid pop into the one place you went to not see him, Lui.”

Smile growing more concerned, she rubbed Luis’ shoulder. “How you holding up, Luis?”

Luis shook his head, waving his hand dismissively, though he looked better after the hug. His expression calmer as he sighed, “I just… didn’ wanna distract… it’s your boys first day home. Didn’t wanna ge’ weepy.”

“I’m still betting that’s why he popped over here. He probably just felt the only other person here crying and his feelings just latched onto something similar.” Xaldin theorized, before looking around, “Well, not that there’s not a seat in this place that hasn’t had someone weeping in it at some point. Could be the place… though, shit, this place is a lot of fun too, so maybe not. Likely just Luis crying.”

“My bad.”

“Not like he hasn’t seen the Border Beast’s signature waterworks before. Careful, if we follow the rule of three, one more time and you’ll be relegated to ‘Crying Uncle’,” Aqua teased, knocking her head lightly against Luis’. “And if he needed a place to get away and be in his feelings? I’m glad he had a place with people knowing that song and dance well. We’ll just make sure he sees the fun side when he comes by again for the tour, yeah?”

She let out a slow breath, closing her eyes. “...he and the kids looked like they were having fun together.” She was glad. Whatever the connection between Roxas and Ventus, they knew a Nobody didn’t have to get along with their Somebody, and vice-versa, and the rest of the kids had even less of a meta-physical-whatever connection beyond reputation to find they actually liked Ventus. But seeing them all play together like that… It was good.

“Dandelion was right to start that game. Clever move, using that as an icebreaker.” Xaldin said, tying his hair back into a knot, “Shit like that’s why I’m dating him.”

“Mmm… really should tell the other mama that at some point.” Luis muttered, rubbing his eyes, “The teens always been good at letting others into their fun. Besides, ‘m sure they’re feeling the pressure to getting along too. I doubt any of them wanna be the one’s that don’t end up liking the long-lost sibling.”

“Well, shit, even if they did, Ventus seems like a good kid. Skittish, but that just means he’s not stupid by this point. He’d be an idiot to not still be nervous of us all.” Xaldin said.

Aqua nodded with a proud hum--her kid may not be a walking encyclopedia, but Mama didn’t raise a fool--before just letting the comment of the other half of his rearing go with a side-glance. Oh, sure, she’d met Linnea, and Aqua had felt for the woman. As someone also trying to reconnect with her long lost son, it would just be a complete failure of introspection not to recognize their parallels. And it was very fun getting some pre-pre-teen stories when Linnea was able to relax enough to want to chat and reminisce. 

Still, there was an obvious tension there, and as much as it was starting to feel a little dumb how Lauriam hadn’t officially introduced Xaldin and Dilan to Linnea--because they all knew Marluxia wasn’t going to do it--Aqua did get why her son kept getting ‘distracted’ from it. 

“Would be a bit awkward, huh, even if Luminary’d freeze over before I’d put any of them in that sort of competition.” Aqua sighed, smiling softly at the table. She might’ve not been able to raise Ventus, but it was looking like that son wasn’t a fool either. “Is it harsh I’m relieved about how sweet he is? I know we got something of a heads up, but it was still just one opinion, and every bit more I learn about the Shards is just…”

Aqua flopped her head back with a groan. “Given his feelings, I think I owe Ventus’ brother even more respect and gratitude for the kid he grew up to be.”

“Sometime’s being genuinely loved is enough to soften alllll your edges…” Luis stared at his cup, blinking tiredly, “...ya’ll ever miss your hometowns these days?”

“Don’t remember it,” Xaldin shrugged, sounding unbothered, “Now that I’m dating the bitch, the separation of our memories seems more useful than ever, so nah. I don’t think about where Dilan grew up.”

“You shouldn’t call someone you’re dating a bitch.” Luis scolded. “Aqua?”

Aqua snorted, before she poked Xaldin’s temple. “Dilan gets a pass. You call Laurie or Mars a bitch to my face and, guess what, it’s sparring time again.” And yes she was aware they could have some bitchy qualities, and Marluxia even used the word for himself time to time, but it was the principle of the thing. Xaldin was one of her best friends, but for all of them in that relationship, her position as both a friend and a parent couldn’t be untangled. 

But Dilan did put Xaldin through hellfire, so at least right now he got the pass. 

“We’re here, Lui Boy,” Aqua said amusedly, before giving him a small shrug. “Sure, not right here, it was rare I even set foot in the royal district and I certainly never went to the castle, but I’ve taken trips over since we’ve been here.” Her eyes lidded a bit, smile tightening. “It’s more weird than anything, seeing places I used to hang out and all that. But it feels less like home without the people who made it that for me, you know?”

“What, missing the farm fields?” she asked, only taking a breath to get past the momentary dip into melancholy as she tousled the back of his head. “Depending on our route over, we might end up going through your stomping ground.”

Luis made a small surprised face, like he had forgotten. And he kind of had. Aqua and Isa both were within spitting distance of where they had grown up. It just felt less real than it was, since, well… like Aqua had said. The people who had made it their home were long gone. Estranged or moved or dead. 

Too long in the factories. They had all spent too long in the factories. The world they had left behind had moved on without them.

Luis smiled fondly, his hair going in every directly after the ruffle, “Maybe a bit. I’d be lucky if the folks were still around, but the farm is likely still there. But mostly I was just thinking about who we have to thank for us being the way we are. The folks who loved us… I guess that’s us, for Xaldin at least.”

Xaldin’s eyebrows raised a bit at that idea… before he chuckled, “Yeah, maybe not entirely wrong. Hey Aqua, wanna make this family tree thing even more fucking confusing than it is? Call ya ‘mama’?” 

Aqua’s expression softened as she hummed, getting what Luis was getting at. However they felt about it or not, they definitely were the old guard of the group, and that meant they were old farts. Not so old that all their parents or guardians would assuredly be in tombs, but, well, enough that it’d take some effort to see them again. 

…maybe she should see about getting some drawings made, check postage to her old man’s retirement. He’d probably get a kick out of seeing the gaggle of grandkids she’d collected. And probably sent back training regimens, assured that whatever Aqua had set up could be enhanced. 

But for as much as she was assuredly a parent?

“Pfffffft!” Aqua guffawed incredulously, before shuddering. “Mm, nope, nah, never do that. And for Mars and Laurie’s sake, never joke about it in front of Demyx either, I heard he literally only stopped the grossed out ‘uncle’ gripes like a month or two ago.”

“HA! Heheheheheh,” Xaldin laughed, crossing his arms and grinning wide, “That shrinking violet always has something to freak out about. Guys lucky Ienzo and Zexion are so eager to dote on him. What a damn princess.”

“He is a bit of a lamb, huh?” Luis snickered, “He’s good though. They’re all good. I think Ventus will learn to love us.”

“Statistically one of us had to be a coward, and he more than shines in other regards,” Aqua shrugged, unconcerned and highly amused with Demyx’s more ‘prissy’ personality traits, “And the twins seem to like having the challenge to dote on him.” And especially right now, Ienzo seemed eager for any excuse not to think about what went on in the courtroom, and attending to his boyfriend seemed to be a good outlet for that. The way they came back giggling to each other from checking out some ‘only locals know’ market the other day seemed to be a good sign of that.

She took a breath, thinking fondly of her family. And with a grin, Aqua leaned more heavily on her arms around her guys. “What’s not to love, right?”

-

Axel was laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

It was quiet. Really quiet. Kind of silence where you could hear how thick the quiet was. Like it was a cotton, lining the walls. Pulsing alongside your own breath. You breathe in, the cotton expands. You breathe out, the cotton deflates. The silence grows. The silence ebbs. The silence grows…

Axel had had his moments of the isolation room.

A room full of moons, Isa called it. Terrible moons. Circles that dampened not just the walls, but your mind. Made you silent, inside and out. Alone. Quiet. 

He had had his moments beaten too.

Some of them had gotten it rougher than others, within the factory. Axel knew Xaldin sometimes wondered how he and Dilan had gotten away with so few scars, after so long there. Forgotten by the supervisors whenever Xaldin wasn’t literally throwing himself in their faces. 

Lauriam was literally covered in scars. A favored punching bag. Perhaps Xaldin simply hadn’t been pink enough, to generate the beatings Marluxia volunteered himself for.

Axel? Axel they had often liked to beat alone. He didn’t know why. Who could guess why the supervisors did anything, but if he was in trouble? He was dragged away and made to kneel and was always told to put his arms flat alongside his head. That had been important to them, when it came ot Axel, for some reason. The beatings weren’t crazy intense, not the near fetishtistic mutilations some of the others got. But it was important to them he held a position and didn’t move much. Had perfect control of his arms.

One time Hayner–and didn’t a supervisor always have a favorite, because Axel had always gotten punished more when Hayner was in town–had placed his boot on Axel’s hand. Just laid his foot down against the knuckles. Didn’t push. Didn’t hurt. Just the weight being its own reality, as he said, “You’re going to apologize for what you did, and every time I don’t believe the apology? You’re going to know when it rains in that fingerbone for the rest of time. Now, attempt number one…”

Half of Axel’s left hand was starting to ache.

It was probably raining outside. 

It was quiet. 

It was safe in the castle and safe near his family and safe away from the strange, foreign streets outside. It was probably wet out there. His hand ached. It was quiet. Cotton inside and outside and fuck why couldn’t he just sleep—-

Axel got up and left the castle. 

He knew this was stupid. He had had little moments like this back in the tavern too. Where laying in the night there had become its own little form of torture. Axel too aware of himself in the quiet. Memories haunting him. Boots on his hand or a room full of fucked up moons or one of the kids screaming in agony and Axel not being able to do a damn thing about it.

He needed to get up and move on nights like that. A gift to be out of the factories. A gift to be able to get up and be stupid and now fucking lost in the city, where the fuck even was he??

Rain was loud. Maybe among the vast majority of those with wooden roofs in Usott, the sound was dampened a bit, but against glass or metal sheeting or peeking your head out and hearing drops slap against stone, rain was loud. 

Though, not loud enough to be insulation, at least for things beyond conversations or footsteps or--

BOOM!!

…definitely not the sort of thing that hid the sound of explosions. Or rapturous, “WOO!!!”s that followed them. 

Some people--philistines, Danna called them--would say fire and water were diametrically opposed. Who in their right mind would try to start a fire in a downpour? Deidara would call those people idiots, because when you got the itch to make some art, it didn’t matter in the slightest whether it was rain or shine, you had to make the world your canvas!

It did make his clay more, uh, melty, very quickly, but he found that was part of the fun. The rapidly decaying forms just made them even more masterpiece-ful, though they really couldn’t compare to--

BOOM!!

Deidara’s eyes were wide with delight as he watched the owl explode into pieces, embers glowing in the blue-tinged rainy gloom for just the smallest moment before going out, barely anything dropping onto the ground of the backlot. True art~

The hell was that shit?

Axel peered through the hood of his jacket, watching in open befuddlement as another boom of lights briefly flared up and then disappeared. He had been watching this for a minute now, at first just confirming he hadn’t seen lightning strike the ground, and now just mostly watching out of curiosity. What was it, fireworks or something? 

In the rain?

Curiosity pushed him forward, but it was caution that made him call out before he got anywhere close, “Ey? The hell are you doing out here?! Couldn’t find a better time for this?”

There was a pause, before a sarcastically drawling voice replied, shouting over the rain. “Oh I’m sorry, your routine rainstorm walk too improved by genius, hm?”

There was another pause, before a drenched blond head peeked up over the roof-line--Deidara had scrambled over onto the shed in the backlot he kept supplies he didn’t want to keep hauling over from his house--and gave Axel a wave. “Get over here if you wanna see something that’ll rewrite your brain chemistry, man! …unless you’re gonna call the guards, then fuck off!”

Axel tilted his head, huffing through his nose. Fucking punk… yeah, alright, he wanted to see stuff. 

Axel wasn’t the most flexible guy, these days. He had used to be, back when he was a young punk making trouble in the gangs, but a long chunk of time being mostly sedentary in the factory had taken a lot of that flexibility from him. But, thanks to Aeleus, not his strength, as Axel gave a few little, “Fuck, fuck, shits” as he hefted himself up to the punk’s level. Panting a bit when he finally got to the top. 

“Huff… huff… alright, what am I seeing?”

Deidara gave Axel a little quizzical look as he watched the guy round through the streets and got on top of his shed, but he could only chuckle to himself. At least the feat had given him enough time to sculpt out a tiger, showing it to Axel with a wink as he settled on the shed roof. 

“The pure essence of art, my man.”

Taking his lighter from his shirt pocket--outer shirt anyway, which still counted even if Deidara hadn’t fastened it closed--he deftly lit the pocket he’d poured some of his more concentrated powders into before tossing the tiger off the roof, the sculpture going off with a flash and BOOM.

Deidara felt a shiver go over his skin that had nothing to do with the rain as his smile brightened. “Amazing, yeah?”

“Geez! I could feel the heat from here. How have you not blown your hand off yet?” Axel winced, covering his face on the chance that some of the debris blew back on them. But he didn’t feel anything, and he let his hands fall, giving the punk a raised eyebrow, “Is that what you’re doing out here? Blowing up clay?”

“Gotten close a few times, but still got all ten fingers on me, hm,” Deidara laughed, giving Axel an amused look as he wiggled his fingers in the air. (Not wearing gloves, today. He hadn’t expected to see anyone out in the downpour this late at night, so he hadn’t bothered, and if the worry now occurred to him, he’d probably brush it off, assuming that the odd lines running through the center of each palm wouldn’t be able to be seen well through the dark and rain.)

Snorting, Deidara sat back down on the roof with a roll of his eyes. “If you want to get super literal with it, yeah, yeah. But it’s so much more than blowing up clay.” Eyes widening with fervent passion, Deidara clenched a fist. “You saw it for yourself. You were just walking along, when for a single, brief moment, there was something so stunning and encompassing you just had to seek it out. That’s what it’s all about, how one single moment can change everything, a whole universe unto itself. A fleeting, entire existence, hm.”

“Uh, okay…” Axel said, both kinda trying to keep up and also kinda already certain he got it, watching the punks hand for a bit–he kinda saw some markings, but mostly assumed it was soot–as he scratched his cheek a little, “So you’re doing… art or… you know, I have a friend thats a little like you, I think? She’s got a thing for lightning. The theatrics of the flash and the boom and all of that.”

“But how she describes it, is I think she likes the feeling of being electrocuted more than anything,” Axel recalled warily, Larxene having waxed poetic in much the same way this guy was, on the feeling of electricity, “She said she liked how she became something else, when lightning was going through her. Like she stopped being her, and became this force of nature… I dunno, you guys might just like big booming sounds, I think.”

At first, Deidara perked excitedly. A lot of the time, people just didn’t get it. Even when he showed them his art, they still didn’t get it, which was so fucking frustrating, and even Danna’s complete dismissal of those people--the aforementioned philistines--wasn’t a path Deidara felt like he could go down because no, don’t you see?!? So when there was someone that got it? That was huge. 

But, uh…

Deidara blinked astonishedly at Axel. “Electrocuted? …damn, that’s hardcore,” he eventually mused, absentmindedly nodding a bit in respect. “Never been myself, so guess I don’t have room to talk, but I don’t think a ton of people can talk on that, you know? I’ve thought about what being in the middle of an explosion might be like, but then you get--”

He huffed, waving a bothered hand at it all. “All that like trauma recovery stuff and suicide hotline calls, all that nonsense. Not worth the hassle of finding out unless it’s gonna be my last, ultimate art, hm.”

Looking over at Axel with a slowly creeping grin. “You say that like you weren’t lured by a boom, my man. And you really haven’t called me outright crazy, so I can’t think you were actually bothered by the raindrops being interrupted. What’d you be doing out on a night like this than looking for adventure anyway, un?”

Looking for a way out of the quiet, admittedly. 

“Couldn’t sleep,” Axel said, “And I’m a little lost too, honestly. I’m new to town. Really just meant to walk around for a bit and then head back, but that was an hour ago, so…” Axel shrugged, “What about you? Shouldn’t even big artistes be sleeping right around now? What is it, 2, 3 AM? Not exactly the best time to be making a bunch of noise. I’m surprised no one’s come to kick your ass.”

Nodding, Deidara laughed softly as he grabbed some clay from a covered bucket and started kneading it between his hands. From how he just let the rain fall onto them, though, this wasn’t likely to be one he’d detonate. “Welcome to the circus, hm~ If you know what direction you are from the castle, I could at least point you in the right direction.”

Giving Axel an amused look, Deidara half-shrugged. “I think I’ve worn down the neighbors by now, if anyone’s spending the night over in an office around here. It’s a bit limiting to stay within a studio, but I wasn’t lookin’ to get cuffed by Chief Hero tonight.” He shrugged again. “Same reason as you, actually, hm. Couldn’t sleep.” Blue eyes narrowed a bit as he looked off the roof, clay squishing between his palms. “Some nights are too quiet, man. Feels suffocating, like I’ll lose my mind if I don’t go out under the sky just ‘cause I can.”

Axel nodded at that, peeking up into the sky from under his hoody. Enough time had gone by that he hadn’t been captivated by it, the sky more familiar now. But for a little bit…

Ansem had gotten vertigo, the first time he had looked up in the sky. He had needed to sit down and hold onto the ground for a while, because he had felt like he was going to ‘fall up’. 

Xaldin had also needed to lay down, that first day. He had been fine at first, and then had come to the closest Axel had ever seen the other man come to a panic attack about it. Just laid out on the ground and staring at the sky, panting. Trying to comprehend what he was seeing. 

The older ones–the lifers who had been around long enough that the word meant something–had reached out to touch the sun rays like it was something that could burn them…

“I went almost ten years without seeing the sky once,” Axe said, “So I kinda get it, yeah.”

…

Deidara’s eyes slid over to Axel again, some of his flippant mirth dimming. And then he heaved a sigh, palms going together around the clay (the mouths, well, mouthing around the mound, shaping it even if Deidara didn’t have a solid form in mind). “Underground or above without windows?”

“Without windows,” Axel said automatically, though he gave the punk a curious look at that, “I’ll be honest, kinda thought you wouldn’t believe me. Figured I’d laugh it off, but you sound comfortable enough with the idea that I’m curious why you believe me. Have a story?”

At that, one of Deidara’s laughs did return, though he just shook his head with grim amusement (even if he had to more awkwardly flick his bangs out of his face afterward, the drenched tendrils at least sticking to his shoulder from that). “We have this conversation like, I dunno, three, four years ago? I’d’ve thought you were exaggerating and stuck up my nose. But since then it’s more interesting to hear people with stories that rival mine, and just accept that, actually, they do exist out there.”

Smirking over at Axel, he posed, “Have one that stands up to ‘was in a cult’?”

“Mmmm, maybe?” Axel smirked, bringing up a leg as he got more comfortable. “I feel like ‘cult’ is gonna be a different flavor of fucked up. I was trapped by an evil government agency. More bureaucratically approved torture, probably less chanting… the names Axel, by the way. Got it memorized?”

“Oh? Already sounds juicy, if extra horrific by the mundanity of horrors, hm.” As the mouths spit the clay back out--it now melting a little less in the rain--Deidara started molding it as he grinned more. “Got it, got it~ And you’re speaking to the best damn artist of the century, Deidara.”

“I would call out the chanting comment as being rude and stereotypical, but I’ll admit, there was chanting,” Deidara snorted, rolling his eyes. “Not so stereotypical that they had even the little kids standing around in dark robes or something, but by the time I was in my underground stint away from the sky, yeah, more chanting than I’d like, hm.”

Axel chuckled a little… 

It was the noise. He had thought it was just the wet sound of clay being molded, but there was something… sticky. Breathy. About it. It sounded familiar, and completely wrong in that familiarity, as Axel glanced down at Deidara’s hands. “...when did you grab that clay, anyway? I feel like I missed something…”

Deidara raised an eyebrow. Uhhh didn’t this guy know how this sort of thing went? They weren’t in a bar, but they were on a roof, even a low one, so in fucked up conversations on roofs you traded details for details. Rude. 

Reaching over, he rapped on the bucket by his side before returning to the clay, shaping and molding rounded segments. “Uh, like right after I sat down? What, you cataloging everything I’m doing, un?” Snorting, he smirked. “Bit weird to lure mugging targets to me like this, don’t you think?”

Axel frowned a bit–he still felt like he was missing something–but he decided to let it go. “I don’t have anything on me worth mugging anyway… that used to be something I do, actually. Before I got locked up. I mugged a few guys in my time. It didn’t feel like mugging though. See, I’d get into these fights… uh, I’m from Luminary, if it wasn’t obvious from the get-go.”

That established, he said, “So I’d run with my gang and get into these fights, right? And the fights were never about money. It was usually just who was part of who’s territory and who was in who’s area, that sort of thing. But there was this practice that I sort of picked up from watching everyone else, that if you got your ass knocked out in the fight? The winner was emptying your pockets of whatever was in there. Like a winners reward, right? It only occurred to me what I was doing was mugging people years later, when someone I told that story to pointed it out to me.”

It had been Even who had pointed it out. Axel hadn’t considered himself a thief up until that point, but yeah, the old man had a point. It had been mugging with specific victims in mind, but he sure had done that.

“All of that, fighting and mugging and running with a gang, that was why I ended up in the factory… my windowless prison,” Axel said, “Sounds like you were born into yours?”

It had been a joke, more or less--Deidara couldn’t even remember the last time he’d even heard about someone being mugged--though he gave Axel a more considering look. He’d noticed an accent, sure, but it stood out to him, the way the guy mentioned the ‘Luminary’ part so off-handedly, and instead just focused on the…

“Damn, like, mafia shit for real?” Deidara whistled. “Danna gave me the rundown of the gangs here, but he said they were mostly idiots you could ignore. Kinda hate that he was right in hindsight, with how they got rounded up so publicly it was noted in the paper.” That didn’t mean that the mafia was gone, or that any other groups weren’t around, but a kingpin going down and people getting busted through the investigation doing clean-up was an embarrassment to people still in that life, and left a power vacuum that’d leave anything more organized on hold for a bit. 

Sticking his tongue out--another wet sound from his hands too--Deidara huffed. “Sounds rule for rule in the architecture jungle, though, even if it was stealing, hm.”

Shrugging, Deidara looked down to focus more as he started pinching out details of the centipede coming to life in his hands. “Basically. Thought my folks just bit it, but in hindsight think a better guess was they bit it, like, cult specifically. I’m…not totally sure how into it Ji-ji actually was, but if he did put up a fuss, it wasn’t enough to get me out from underground once they decided it was my turn.”

“Ah, sorry your parents are dead,” Axel said, “And that you were raised by a shitty cult that locked you underground. Shits rough, man.”

Axel thought about what he might confess to next, but he noticed the noise had died down a bit. The rain letting up into a sprinkle. Pulling back his hood, Axel shook out the mist from his hair a bit, before getting a better look at his companion. Very blonde. The Larxene comparison had layers. Younger too, though Axel couldn’t guess how old. Young enough that he wasn’t spending his whole life underground, which was something at least. 

“How long were you underground?” Axel asked. “Like I said, I did my stint for about a decade. When I got out, wind scared the shit out of me. Felt like it had to be someone touching me every time I felt it, because for so long before then if your clothes ruffled, it could only be someone was touching you.”

“Damn is. Sorry you got arrested then got screwed over by that program somehow even harder than it was already screwing people over,” Deidara agreed. 

Look. Luminary, bureaucratic evil, got there because of being in the mafia? Deidara didn’t know a ton about Luminary, but he hadn’t been living under a rock the past few years, and with all those points, there were only so many things they could mean. 

The two of them made a small sound as the rain started to lighten, and as Axel tipped back his hood, Deidara took in what his chatting partner of the night actually looked like. And wow, it was like those green eyes glowed. Intense. Red of his hair looked a bit darker than Sasori’s too, though Deidara could admit that still might just be the lighting. Huh. 

Huffing a small noise, Deidara answered, “Okay, so, might’ve been all casual about it, but a decade is still a maddeningly long time, my man. Getting out after all that time sounds terrifying.” He shrugged a little, looking a little more sheepish. “I don’t actually know how long, but think it was probably around a year or something. Had been shuffled to weird meetings and events and shit for years, but I was only locked up for a little while, comparatively.”

He rolled his eyes, hand mouths matching his derisive sneer. “Being ‘prepped’ apparently means no sun or wind or anything.”

Prepped, huh? And with that, there was really only one place left for the conversation to go for either of them…

“...” Axel’s mouth thinned, debating with himself. Why was he confiding so much in a stranger anyway? The guy was pretty easy to talk to, admittedly, but Axel had only just learned his name, like, twenty minutes ago. Certainly a level of caution was necessary. A way bigger level then Axel had been giving him.

……it was tough, sometimes. Having only the others to talk to about stuff like this. Mostly because sometimes it could be hard to think of what to say. That it had sucked? Yeah, everyone knew. That it was strange? Yep, they had all been there for it too. That it had hurt? Sure, but, like… in comparison to who?

This had been the first time Axel had tried explaining what had happened to someone outside of the people who had experience it with him.

It felt kinda good.

“Why?” Axel asked. 

Deidara wasn’t exactly standing on the rooftops, shouting, “Who out here knows magic!?” There was a reason he wore gloves most days and flexed his pyrotechnic skills with powders and wicks. He was aware of the code of secrecy that most people strictly adhered to. 

But, like, he thought it was pretty dumb. Secrecy had almost gotten him slaughtered, and if it had been true secrecy then he definitely would’ve been. If he felt the vibes out enough to tell when someone was cool and someone wasn’t, then what the hell were they gonna say, huh? Not agree that the cult he’d been a part of was crazy? 

“Couldn’t tell you, I wasn’t paying a ton of attention to the fine details,” Deidara snorted, turning the clay centipede over between his hands section by section. “My best guess is that they figure demons hate things people think are nice, so that’s where the no sun thing comes in.”

“Your captors think you were special, or was it just some random fraction of people going through the program that got locked up, hm?”

“They thought we were demons. And if we are? I don’t know what to tell you. Demons seem to like sunlight and fresh air as much as anyone else does… not a big fan of sugar myself. Does that count as rejecting nice things?” Axel asked. “You know that thing the program is famous for? How it compels people to listen to orders? We were the guys who got people to do that. If you ask what the secret was, would it really shock you to hear the answer was ‘torture’?”

At that Deidara did pause, giving Axel a blatantly surprised look, before--”Pff ha HA!!”

The teen burst into laughs, literally incapable of speech until he scrunched his nose, managing a few words. “No fucking way. Ha! What are the damn chances? Awww, keeping the stereotype going with torture? Guess we can’t beat them all, un.”

Deidara kept laughing for a bit--a demon, really…--before they died down and he shook his head. He looked down at his sculpture for a moment before tossing it off the roof, keeping his arm outstretched and curling his fingers into a fist with his thumb raised slightly. Just to lower it, like clicking a button.

And the utterly drenched, rain-soaked clay (or what should’ve been that) exploded.

A dreamy joy lighting up his face in the light of the explosion, Deidara asked, “Clear this one up for me, Mr. Maybe Demon--if you don’t like sweets, is the eating human flesh thing a stereotype true or nah, hm?”

Axel winced, covering his face with his arm, again, bracing for debris. And again, not so much… though a lot of heat. Plenty of heat. “Man, those things are strong…”

“We ate a lot of lizards once we were out,” Axel said, letting his arm fall, watching the way the smoke jerked and whispered oddly through the sprinkling rain, “But nah. Zero for the whole group on the ‘eating people’ thing…so they thought you were a demon too?”

Deidara looked enthralled by the idea of eating lizards, before he gave Axel a coy grin. “Dude, no. They were trying to summon a demon inside of me to eat me alive. That’s what’s so funny.”

He grinned wider. “On nights I can’t sleep and I’m not doing this? I bust into my guardian’s room to make sure I don’t piss myself terrified of the exact thing people just thought you were.”

Axel stared at Deidara. His eyes slightly glowing in the darkness. Just the way the green orbs tended to pick up even the smallest light and reflect it back to the world, like a cat glinting through shadows… he seemed a touch thoughtful. Maybe even concerned…

Then he reached into his mouth, and hooked his fingers to the side of his face. Pulling back back the skin and opening his mouth as he said between his fingers, “Wh’ellf? Wh’anna check’ff f’r fahngs?”

Deidara snorted. “You’re really offering for me to get clay all up in your mouth? I don’t give free samples, my man, hm.” As he held up his, indeed, clay-covered hands to demonstrate, two more smirks, one in each palm, bordered the one on Deidara’s face. 

Axel jerked back in shock. 

His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the two dueling smirks, each on a palm. It was genuine fear that ran through him. The sudden, grotesque nature of what he was looking at shocking him to his core. The ‘wrongness’ of it. 

…he took a deep, frightened breath in through his nose, and then let it out through his mouth. The fear not gone, but easing in its absolute shock as he breathed out, “Hey man the actual fuck?”

Under the fourth mouth on his chest, sewn up and sealed, Deidara’s heart picked up a little faster. Though the same casual tone he had before he forced to stay the same as he drawled, “What, you never see a mouth in a guy’s hand before? I brush, I’m not an animal, hm.”

Rolling his eyes, fighting the nervous impulse to just shove Axel off the roof of the shed and bolt, he over-exaggeratedly sighed. “And before you ask, yes, and no, they don’t connect to anything.”

Another long breath… Axel forced his posture to relax a little. Still giving the hands a little wigged out look. But looking calmer. “...I mean, they connect to your hand, at least… or do you mean, like, feeding them? I guess that would have eventually occurred to me, yeah.”

“...” Axel stared at the hands. Really kinda gross… {Your hands are kinda freaking me out.}

“I meant stomach, yeah. There is space in there, and don’t even start to ask me how that works, but the most I can do is just store food in there,” Deidara clarified…before he jumped, glancing around bewilderedly before looking back to Axel. 

He’d been a little freaked out by the additional mouths at first, yeah. He’d been dealing with a little more than that at the time, but suddenly having three extra mouths that often felt like they were doing their own things without his input, and drooled had been just the cherry on top. However, these days Deidara liked his mouths, and wouldn’t have his body any other way for how better they made him able to create art. 

So he knew that ‘thought’ hadn’t come from him. 

“...rude, hm,” Deidara muttered eventually. “I didn’t say anything about you being a weird lank-monster, and here you are insulting my hands.”

“Being lanky is sexy. I have been assured I’m very sexy.” Axel said… though that was kinda a lie. He had gotten flirted with a bit before the factory, but his yakuza lifestyle had kept him pretty isolated outside of brothel shows. Then after that? Eh. It didn’t come up. Larxene didn’t count, she’d call anyone sexy to get what she wanted. “...so, I mean… I guess it shows your cult wasn’t entirely full of shit. If they managed that. Did the chanting do that?”

“And rude, hm!”

Letting out a sigh from his outburst, Deidara nodded, holding his hands palms up in his lap. His gaze a bit lower. “Would be scary enough for nightmares and all that on its own, and I was just a dumb kid, but that’s kinda what makes it worse. That the chanting and special daggers and weird cuts weren’t just the work of crazies, yeah?”

He looked back up to Axel, tilting his head slightly. “Did you ever start to believe them calling you a demon when you can actually do stuff like that?”

“No.” Axel said easily, “I had too many people assuring me it wasn’t true. The kind of people who when they say stuff, you believe them.”

Even had his flaws. He had a LOT of flaws. In many ways, he was a very childish man, stuck in an aging body surrounded by people he was attempting to lead, when every single atom in his body was begging to do irrational, dangerous, reckless experiments. 

But the man had always been deeply reassuring, about their non-demon status. No matter what the supervisors said or did, or what the others suggested, had considered it such a laughable notion that you felt dumb for even considering it, if he caught you talking about it. Even had a way of cutting through the bullshit and reminding them that ultimately they were human, and mortal, and living, and there was nothing that could change that bit of reality. For better or worse? They were just people. In a terrible situation.

“...I was convinced I was evil, for a while.” Axel admitted, “I thought I had done it to myself. Convinced myself I had changed in some fundamental way, to do the stuff that I needed to do, that made me basically a different person. Someone close to a demon… but even that I always sort of knew I was delusional about. I came close to believing a couple of times! It got confusing. But… no. I never really was convinced there was anything demonic or evil in me. Just some extra ordinary abilities to do stuff, and a bunch of people really motivated to make me do that.”

Now that surprised Deidara a bit, and it showed on his face, but he supposed assurance went both ways. It would be harder to slowly believe the stuff constantly told to you if you were also constantly hearing things to the contrary. Made it easier to just pick the truth you felt was better for you. 

Deidara couldn’t deny the existence of demons when something really had happened to him in that sanctum. …but he could believe Danna when he said that if something existed, then it could be fought against. 

Bringing his legs up to cross, Deidara gave Axel a tired, considering look. “Don’t suppose it’s exactly easy on the conscious to torture people, hm? If you had people reassuring you, though, that meant you weren’t alone.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot of us. I’m betting that was a big difference for us.” Axel guessed, “When I first arrived there, we all lived in a room together. After a few years, there were so many of us that they sort of had to give us more space, if just to let us lay down sometimes… we had these wooden pallets? The sort you move crate-boxes around? We each got one, and that was kinda our own space, for a while. Our beds. We needed enough space for those. It wasn’t much, even by the end, but over time it felt luxurious, how much space we had… what about you?”

Deidara huffed a little. “You know, the first thing that comes to mind hearing that, considering you said it was government evil? Was budget cuts, hm. Smallest space possible, most bare-bones bed, even--reeks of paper-pusher minimalism.”

Wriggling an arm out of his outer shirt and rolling the sleeve of his inner shirt up, Deidara revealed the skin an inch or two below his elbow, a hard, clear-cut line dividing his regular skin and a texture that looked mottled and was slightly off-color, enough to be visible in the night. “Just me at the time, yeah, though I was one in a long, stupid line. The room wasn’t that small, and I did have a bed, but most of the time I was chained to the wall with this weird-ass shackle that went around my elbow, couldn’t bend my arm at all, un. Sometimes I was taken to different areas, but they just led me by the chain.”

“See, I’m glad we never had anything like that.” Axel said, though he winced as he looked at the scarring, “I think they used to, before I got there. The older prisoners said when they were young, they were all pretty constantly locked away in chairs. I guess over time they decided they didn’t need to keep us so under lock and key all the time. For the most part, they were right. We never really won a fight…”

“...how’d you escape them?” Axel asked.

Deidara smirked a little as he rolled his sleeve back down. “Shame, bet they could’ve done with some humbling. Figure that’s why mine were so anal about it too--I used to like imagining the damn look on their faces, getting their shit kicked in by a 14-year-old.”

At the question of his escape, though, some of the haughty ego softened in Deidara’s face, growing fond. “Pure luck, maybe fate if you wanna go that route. Apparently Sasori no Danna had already been getting information about the cult, but it just so happened he and the others actually ended up force team go-ing the day of my ritual. One more wrong turn in the halls and they would’ve had to clear out my corpse. Or whatever was left of it if I was eaten, hm.” Deidara’s smile softened more, showing his age a little better than the smirks and sharp grins. “Instead? They got to me just in time. Cute, huh?”

“Lucky, in its own way.” Axel said, starting to shiver a little. Now that the rain was clearing, he was really starting to feel the chill. “Ours was luck too. They just kinda let us out one day. We didn’t even really believe them when it was happening. It only really started sinking in when they gave us shoes. The program was shut down, and we were sent out.”

“So this Sasori person… they rescued you, huh?” Axel asked, “You still keep in contact with them?”

Deidara hummed, before that soft look sharpened into another smirk, and he reached into his clay bucket again, pulling out another chunk. 

“Figure it must’ve been weird as all get out from the inside, hm. Heard stuff here and there about the civil war, but the biggest sign I noticed of it being over was how hard the castle started pushing culture and tourist pamphlets, and following that backwards was finding out that that program was over too. Sounds like it was just as unceremonious for you.”

More clearly letting one of his mouths gobble up the ball of clay, Deidara jerked with surprise before he laughed again. “If you can call every time I’ve mentioned Danna talking with you keeping in contact, yeah! He’s my legal guardian, un, and in terms he’d more likely use, I like to think I’ve grown on him like mold, so I think that’ll stay true even after my birthday.”

Axel frowned, “Legal guardian? Man, you’re younger than I thought you were. I would have pegged you at 18, maybe… hey, why are you putting the clay into your weird hands? Are you storing it?” 

“Oi,” Deidara tsked, “I’m 19, hm! Which is basically 20, which means I’m basically legal, but until then Danna still ‘needs’ to get snitched to every time the Guardforce decides to be the worst art critics of all time.” He never hurt anyone! That was waaaaay too lowbrow for him, and anything else that got caught up in his art, well, then it became art, which was what all things strove for anyway. Lake was just a buzzkill. 

Rolling his eyes a bit, Deidara nudged Axel with his knee. “Hey, did you see me light anything with the last one?”

“Light anything? I mean…” Axel thought about it, “...I dunno. You pushed something in your clothes or something? You didn’t have anything in your hand, I noticed that… or, I guess maybe it could have been in your mouth hand.”

Just snickering, Deidara held his hand up, his tongue pushing out a very fat chicken-looking sculpture before he tossed it off the roof. And, in the same motion as before, Deidara pressed his thumb down on his fingers. 

“Click.”

BOOM!!

“Woah!” Axel gasped, covering his face. Oh yeah, definitely some scraps of clay that time. That one had been close! “...oh! I get it, you’re not putting explosives in the clay. You’re weird hands make the clay explosive! Right?!” Axel asked, giving Deidara an excited look, clearly pleased with himself. “I got it?”

Gorgeous…

Deidara only let himself linger in his dreamy sigh for a moment. “Winner, winner~! Nice to see there’s a brain under the mane, hm.” Smirking, knowing that it’d freak Axel out a bit, he held his hand up to let the tongue waggle at the other man for a bit. “I do usually add explosives myself, just because it’s interesting and part of what I’m going to school for, but, yeah. For some reason, when I chew on clay I can make the clay itself explosive and with no need for a traditional catalyst. Pure magic, un~”

“The tongue is truly terrible, man.” Axel said, paling a bit in a grimace as he saw it wiggle around thickly, “So, does it work on anything that’s not clay? Like, could you make a banana you hide in their explode?”

Deidara snorted though he turned a little pale. “So far I haven’t found anything else that works, nah. Contemplated it once after eating shit I had stored in there, but then I spent like the next week with my stomach bruised from Kisame-san Heimliching me to oblivion. I appreciate the sentiment, hm, but it turns out it didn’t matter since it didn’t blow up.”

“Wow… I feel like it probably seems like I’m not showing you as much as you’re showing me. To be clear? I don’t actually have many more parlor tricks other then,” he closed his mouth, {Just sending sort of messages.}, “I’m not a very strong version of what I do. The only reason I was able to do what the government wanted me to do was because they basically put me in a situation that boosted what I was capable of. I’m not ‘holding back’, there’s just not much to show.”

“I’d be surprised if there was literally anything you could show off that could stand up to my art, hm,” Deidara said, lifting his head high, “so don’t get down about it. And it’s not like I can follow the natural conclusion of how helpful being able to, what, send telepathic messages is. Shit could be invaluable.”

Blinking slowly, he turned back to Axel, tilting his head a little. “Oh, actually, is that it? You’re a psychic or something?”

“Mmmm, something like that?” Axel said, shrugging, “They called us ‘empaths’, but it’s just a different flavor of psychic, I think. Like, I can send you impressions of what I want you to feel about something that kinda translates into a message? That’s what I keep doing when you’re ‘thinking’ something I send you. In a way, it’s a small version of changing how you think about something, at a microlevel. Stronger ones can get way more intense with what they do though. Like, there’s some that could change who you are as a person, if they wanted to. That’s partly what the program was for. Changing people.”

“Huh…” Deidara hummed softly, mulling that over as The Implications fell into place. He had heard that the people affected by the program were literally compelled, so that meant that the torture Axel had mentioned before wasn’t just meant for scaring or beating down people into compliance. There were literal, mechanical changes happening…which meant that the way to undo it was--

“Oh no way!” the teen hissed, eyes widening incredulously. “CDs are literally anti-mind control devices?!”

“CDs… oh, the thing the kid made? Yep. It’s pretty incredible too.” Axel said.

When they had seen the CDs, it had been a bit of a revelation. Even had wanted to know everything he could about them, though apparently talking to the young inventor and his mentor was a little… challenging, for the older man. 

It wasn’t a cure, but it handled the symptoms of the disease. Timothy, the young ‘not’-prince, had volunteered to show off what it could do to the Nobodies. Watching the CD disrupt the conditioning before it could truly compel him to do anything had been fascinating… and also strange. Timothy’s hunger not unusual for children conditioned, but no, none of them recognized the style or point of the conditioning method using rhythm and beats. Timothy not any of their victims. 

“It’s a pretty big relief, honestly, that people have been working on undoing what we did. A lot of us have at least some guilt over the impact we’ve had on people. We didn’t volunteer for it, and we sure didn’t have a choice in doing it, but it’s still this big… thing. That we did.” Axel frowned, “We had a direct hand in ruining a lot of people’s lives. I keep waiting for someone to come take vengeance on us at some point. Feels inevitable.”

“The way they’ve been advertising those things, they’re more than amazing. And given what they’re actually doing, that’s warranted, hm,” Deidara mused, still blown away. He knew he wasn’t one to talk about life feeling like some schlocky novel, but they were really living in a sci-fi now, damn. But…maybe a sci-fi following a horror. 

Frowning lightly, he pointed out, “You did kinda tell me straight up, even if we were talking about being imprisoned, which I can’t imagine is something you get up to with every stranger you bump into in the middle of the night. You think everyone would still remember you?”

“Yeah. Don’t really know why I did that.” Axel admitted, “Found some weirdo setting off bombs in the rain in the middle of the night and really just told you my life story, huh… but, you told me yours too. So it all kinda seems fine in hindsight.”

“Annnnnd I dunno. I don’t think anyone remembers us. But I do figure with everyone we conditioned, there’s gotta be someone out there with a hate-boner for the idea of us. Someone who’d want to know what happened and want their revenge… and, well, if a cult can make a guys body eat itself or little brain creatures can read your whole history in your head? It’s kinda shortsighted to think someone out there couldn’t figure us out.” Axel paused, “Doesn’t help some of us apparently can’t keep a secret either.” He laughed. 

“I dunno, would you want revenge on the cult that changed you, if you knew they were fine?” Axel asked.

“You were taken aback by true art; it happens to the most fortunate of us,” Deidara sniffed, before chuffing a small laugh. “Won’t hear it around town, as far as I’ve experienced, but I think keeping the whole magic thing a secret is pretty dumb. People get so terrified of even hinting that there’s more going on in the world, even to other people that know, it’s just,” he breathed out from his nose, “pathetic. I don’t go blabbing to everyone, ‘cause I’m not so stupid I can’t see where there’s danger in it, but I think there’d be a lot less if people weren’t so stressed out trying to hide all the time.”

Running a hand through his hair, Deidara started squeezing water out of it off the roof. “Little while back, there was this whole incident through the city. Bunch of people going nuts, hm, and in my own experience of it, this lady crashed our art meeting and tried to commit a multi-murder-suicide. Set herself on fire and straight up fought us. Bunch of us were talking about it afterward, and it was like living in blockout poetry for how convoluted some of them were talking around stuff, just because they were trying to avoid talking about magic. It was dumb, un.”

Sighing, Deidara thought it through. Thinking about all the times the old man told him to ignore things, the hushed voices petting his head and calling him special and chosen while he was chained to a wall, everything about--

“...if one of them was right in front of me and started gloating or doomsaying or something, yeah, think I’d throw hands,” he admitted softly, “But just knowing they exist? Knowing what Danna’s capable of, I’ve gotten my revenge where it counts. And I’ve come out with some kick-ass gifts, so I’m not really complaining.”

Frowning, Deidara looked back to Axel. “...but those fucks chose to do all that to me, and I really don’t equate vague ideas of ‘prosperity’ to being imprisoned, degraded, and threatened. Might not be enough for people to forgive you, but it could be understandable enough that they’d leave you alone, hm.”

“Maybe. It’s out of my hands either way. I’m sort of ‘ready’ for it in the most vague, ‘well, this may happen’ possible way of being ready for something.” Axel shrugged, “And honestly, maybe we’d be too scary to want to confront anyway. It’s partly why me and my friends never sought out the people who hurt us. Like, yeah, live and let live and all that, but also… if you seek out the people who hurt you, and you fail to get your revenge? You’re just volunteering yourself for their attention again. Opening yourself up to be hurt by them again. Some things aren’t worth the risk. Maybe the people we conditioned will feel the same way.”

Axel looked around again. The rain had mostly stopped. It was still really late in the night though. It’d be hours still before the sun rose… “Hey, it doesn’t have to be now. But later, you think you could give me directions back to the castle?”

Deidara nodded a bit at that. He didn’t think there was a chance alive he’d ever lose a fight to one of those cultists, but he could still understand how daunting it was to stand up to someone who used to crush your neck under their boot. For a moment he gave Axel a considering look, before he lightly patted his clothes, and immediately felt dumb realize that, yeah, he was completely soaked through. If he’d even brought out a notebook it would’ve been ruined. 

But, regardless-- “...hey, if you end up confronting something that’s too big for you and need an escape, if you see a place with a red cloud on it, tell ‘em Deidara’s vouching for you, hm, and you’ll be safe to lay low. Just in case, yeah?”

He and Axel were just strangers, bumping into each other by chance for a moment encounter, but…wasn’t that what it was all about? Life was a moment, and while he might get chewed out for giving that sort of information away, Deidara didn’t give a shit. This just felt right. 

Raising an eyebrow at Axel, though, Deidara snorted, before twisting and pointing up. The shadow of the castle looming clearly in the night.

“A red cloud? Okay, sure,” Axel nodded, “And, uh, if you need help… I guess just come to the castle? I dunno, we don’t have a symbol. Sorta feels like we’re missing out now, actually, maybe I could poke the artsy ones of us into making us some sort of cool symbol.”

He followed Deidara’s gaze… “Oh! Okay, look, in my defense, it was really dark a second ago.” Axel squinted at the castle silhouette, “Really can just see it from anywhere in the city, huh? The castle in Luminary was kinda like that too. Though it was more like one of the city skylines. Never got close to it myself, just always saw it from a distance… did you grow up in Usott? Or was the cult in some woods somewhere?”

Deidara snickered relentlessly before he shook his head. “Nah, though I wasn’t out in the woods, hm. Grew up in the suburbs of Dredreill. Think Danna and the others were just planning on dumping me off in a hospital after they saved me, but considering my cool new anatomy those plans got interfered with and they had to stick around to make sure I didn’t go straight from a dungeon into a lab.”

Deidara’s nose wrinkled delightedly as he grinned. “Big mistake. I got attached and after that they couldn’t just drop me off in an orphanage. I like to think I helped socialize ‘em a bit, hm--they’d interacted with kids a bit with that weasel fuck, but Itachi’s more likely to get people acting like weirdos than bringing any sort of social skills in.”

Looking Axel over, he guessed, “You, what, got brought in late teens, early 20s? You’re not half bad talking, so you didn’t miss out on too much, hm.”

“Early 20’s,” Axel agreed, “I’m in my thirties now. Eh, I heard the 20’s were overrated anyway. I’m not bummed about it.” Axel said, both joking and kinda not joking. He tried not to think about the life experiences he missed out on, being locked away in the factory. It felt shitty to obsess over that sort of thing, when the people around him had missed out on even more time, or had lost their entire childhoods to the factory. At least Axel had gotten to enjoy his life a little, before they had hidden him away. “It was good of your family to rescue you and take you in. We’re doing the whole ‘found family’ thing too. Though it gets kinda complicated, since half of us are also dating. Hard not to catch feelings when you’re locked in a room together.”

“Pff, don’t sandbag them too much now, I’m looking forward to ‘em, hm,” Deidara snorted, before his eyes darted over. Looking just a little too focused on Axel as he mentioned the relationships within his own group. 

“...complicated like, ‘everyone gets real cool with incest real fast’, or complicated like, ‘has to reconcile I watched you grow up’?”

Axel opened his mouth, closed it… opened it, sighed, rubbed his temples… “...the second one.”

He paused, “...but also kinda the first one. But if you ever tell them I said that, I’m going to straight up deny it. It’s complicated. We have these… pairs that come built into us. Sorry, I don’t know how to say it more plainly like that. Some of the pairs couldn’t be more different, other pairs I would have called siblings, right up until things got weird and complicated. For a while there, it felt like who we considered ‘family’ and who we didn’t was really clear, if still entirely symbolic. Now I’m just trying not to look too freaked out when I hear about the latest couples.”

“But yeah, also that second one. We had this one guy, he was put into the factory by the time he was barely a teenager. He’s now dating one of us who’s way older than me. When I say a lot of us had trouble accepting it, that really undersells what a shit-show that was, when it first started to happen.” Axel sighed. 

Deidara considered himself something of a genius, yeah? He could learn things quickly, he was perceptive, he was good at connecting disparate pieces of information, and all that wasn’t even getting into how he continually was able to level up his art. But he just squinted at Axel, not understanding the ‘pair’ thing at all. 

But, well, fine. Sort of sibling-dynamics, until they weren’t. So-- “Some of you dating who were basically siblings at one point, and one major age gap relationship, hm?” Deidara confirmed, mulling over that. “...wild. That dude’s not still a teenager, is he?”

“Nah, he’s 26. And they didn’t start dating until recently. Last few years. So it wasn’t crazy crazy. But it sure had everyone looking funny at the older guy. Even, our sort of leader? I think he was one bad day from castrating the guy, I had never seen him so mad. Think he felt like it was his responsibility, if one of us had gotten weird with one of the younger ones.” Axel explained. “But once it was decided that no one had groomed anyone else, that it was just a coincidence? Well… eventually it all calmed down.”

“...the guy I’m kinda dating has had its own issues, if I’m honest.” Axel admitted softly, “Days I sort of felt like I was taking advantage too, and we’re the same age. I think it’s hard to be in a relationship that feels ‘not weird’ when everything around it makes it really fucked up and toxic in normal circumstances.”

Okay, like, Deidara really wasn’t going to judge any of what Axel openly admitted was a weird and complicated situation, but that was way better. It was one thing to have things be complicated within found family, but a little more when an age gap was less ‘crossing generations’ and more ‘just blatant pedophilia’. 

“Makes sense to me,” Deidara shrugged at Axel’s thesis of it all. “People get weird enough with relationships even in circumstances we’d call ‘normal’, getting weird in a weird situation would almost make it normal, I bet.”

Giving Axel a nod and a smirk, he encouraged, “Wanna brag about the beau, hm? Give me an impression that’s more than hesitant guilt.”

Axel smiled lightly at that, his expression going a little distant and fond, “He’s amazing. His name is Isa. He’s smart. Really sophisticated. He used to be…” Axel winced, “...he is really cool and suave, but time in the factory kinda… he struggles a lot more now. Talking to people and stuff. But if you can get him on the right day, where he’s totally calm and feeling good? You can still see some of the arrogant, overconfident punk that he was before the factory. We knew each other back then, before I ended up in the factory… he came to rescue me. Can you believe that? You know how many of us actually had someone try to rescue us from the factory? I went missing and he came to find me, all playing being the hero and stuff… really makes a guy feel cared about.” Axel huffed lightly. “I just wish it hadn’t cost him so much.”

Deidara’s eyes glittered, listening to the fondness in Axel’s voice. And just from the story, holy shit??? An action hero swooping in to save the day for the former mafioso… Pity it turned out to be more of a tragedy overall. 

“That’s adorable, hm, and him risking it all for you? Very ‘special princess’-core,” Deidara laughed, before smiling more calmly. “Losing that risk does suck, but I’d think it helps that you still have each other. In the end, his goal came true, you know--you’re both free again.”

“Hah! Heh, yeah, I don’t think I would have minded being his ‘princess’ if it had worked. I was pissed at the time though. Only one person in the whole world looking for me, and he went and got locked up right alongside me. Called him a moron in a thousand different ways, and he just…” Half fond, half sad, “Kept telling me, no, don’t worry, he’s got another plan. Then another. Then… well, he tested his luck too many times. Then it was my turn to look after him a long time. He’s doing better now.”

“And yeah, you have a point~” Axel said, his tone a little sing-song as he chuckled, “We did escape eventually. And now he’s on another rescue mission. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks, can’t break an old dogs old habits either. He’s not as big or loud or confident about it anymore, but he’s still out there, thinking he can take on the world and rescue anyone who needs him… I miss him. I can talk to him because of our gifts, but it’s going to be a long time still before I see him in person again.”

Deidara laughed softly. Ah, a schemer, he saw. Even if Axel’s boyfriend was one that saw that he wasn’t actually the puppet master of the world, Deidara did know that type. Insufferable assholes the lot of them, though as fun as it was to see the shock on their faces when a plan failed, it was aggravating when it was something you were working on together. 

Sounded like an annoyance and aggravation Axel liked, though. 

Though as much as Deidara wanted to roll his eyes at the predictability of Isa only changing his approach, not his intention, he frowned a bit. “Wait, like…did all of you not get out of the factory or something? I thought that shit was illegal in Luminary now.”

“Uh, it’s a pretty simple story, really. They sold one of the kids, years ago. Once we found out the kid was still alive? Half of us volunteered to go with his mother to go get him back. Isa volunteered to go with them, I volunteered to help the other half of the family get here.” Axel said, gesturing vaguely around the city, “They’re going to succeed, but they’re going to take a while to get here, partly because of the distance, and partly because they’re trying not to traumatize the kid any further in the rescue attempt. My guess? It’s gonna take at least six more months. Maybe a year if anything goes wrong. But it’s worth it. You have to take care of your own, right?”

Deidara muttered something derisive under his breath--selling kids, huh--before he breathed out of his nose, shaking his head. “You’re really something else, my man… A year’s rough if it does take that long, but I get it, hm. Lemme know when the countdown begins of them gettin’ close,” he gave Axel a wink, “you and the boyfriend can have front row seats to my art while you’re catching up.”

“He’d probably like that. He’s ‘cultured’ like that.” Axel snorted. “He’d probably have a bunch of fancy words to describe what you do, like, uh… I dunno. Avant garde? I’ve heard that one before. Don’t know what it means, but I bet your explosions are it.”

“It’s like dramatic, experimental stuff,” Deidara explained, lighting up more hearing that someone would enjoy his art. “Because a lot of art is informed by a culture, yeah, it means because of what’s gotten commissioned or what’s been in favor through history, there are certain kinds of art that have ‘schools of tradition’, which as they get more defined, have more rules for what actually fit in those schools, hm. At this point, a lot of what people think about when talking about ‘avant garde’ art is its own school now, but originally it was a movement to directly counter traditional schools. When there was a lot of focus on realistic painting, stuff like expressionism or abstracts were avant guard, like that. You hear the term a lot in fashion, because avant guard fashion is more about the pieces purely being about art rather than something wearable or symbolic, yeah.”

Grinning wider, Deidara continued to excitedly ramble. “My art isn’t that experimental, since what it means isn’t new, but it’s dramatic and eye-catching enough that people might categorize it that way anyway. And you could make the argument that since I work in experience, not medium, that is novel enough in theory to count. But I make the argument that even hack art is experiential, hm, since it’s hardly even art at all when it’s just on an easel or in a studio--it has to be shown to other people, because art is a conversation, and that moment of people experiencing it for the first time, their gut instinct and reaction, that’s art.”

“Yeah, see,” Axel smirked, “Artsy fartsy stuff like that. I could totally see Isa nodding along and going ‘oh of course,’ and adding in his own highbrow stuff to it. I don’t really get most of that stuff. Never been to a museum in my life. Just never had a chance to.”

Deidara stuck out his tongue--three of them--though there was an undercurrent of excitement to his haughtiness. He loved talking about art with Danna, of course, but it was woefully hard to find an artist with a clear vision they were willing to talk about, which was extra depressing considering he was in the art department at school. Hearing that, in at most a year, there’d be someone new to talk art with? He couldn’t wait. 

“My man, you’re thinking about it all wrong if you think you have to go to a museum for art.” Tilting his head, Deidara gestured at Axel with a hand. “You said wind got you all fucked up the first time you felt it again, yeah? There was a single moment you experienced then, heart skipping a beat, looking at the world like you couldn’t even comprehend it, but what you felt about it was undeniable. That is art, way more than any drawing or sculpture collecting dust.”

“Mmmm, I get your point. But I think I’d like it better if art was some funky drawing on a wall I could have make fun of, and not getting jumpscared by a stiff breeze walking out the door.” Axel said, before gesturing to the clay clumps on the ground, “But, stumbling on it in some weird guys night explosions is a good middle ground. Man, it’s a good thing I don’t have anything to do tomorrow. I’m gonna be so tired later.”

Deidara scoffed a little--some designs were neat, and he could respect others’ art that they believed in, but a lot of drawings were total hack--before preening at Axel’s respect on his own art. …and then deflating a little as he pointed out that this moment had a future awaiting them. 

“...ugh,” Deidara sighed, finally letting himself acknowledge how uncomfortably waterlogged his clothes were, and how he was absolutely turning into an icicle under them. “Think as long as I’m not getting escorted home by the Guardforce, I should be fine.” He made a face. “...but I should be getting back, hm. It’d just be embarrassing to sleep through my afternoon classes.”

“...college classes?” Axel asked. 

“Yupp,” Deidara sighed, reaching over to snap the lid of his clay bucket on more securely. “First year of visual arts and chemistry. Surprisingly not a waste of time, since I already got a gig through connections for fire safety and pyrotechnics at the Capille party last year.”

Axel nodded, suitably impressed. It still surprised him that not ‘upper’class people could just casually mention they were going to college. Dicea was a strange place. 

But it was nice here. Axel had worried he might miss Luminary once they had left, but in truth, they had been separate from Luminary in a really fundamental way for a really long time. Maybe when he was a kid there had been foods and streets and sights and sounds that would have made him homesick, but now? What made him weirdly and painfully homesick was the occasional smell of wood reminding him of his pallet. Or missing the very specific brand of food they’d put into the kitchenette. Things that suddenly brought him back to the factory. But not back to Luminary.

Axel was about to open his mouth to explain that, when he startled at a sound. Looking down the shed warily as Xigbar, of all people, shouted up, “Phoooo! So this is where you went off too! Off traipsing with some pretty young thing in the pale moonlight, Axel? Didn’t know you had it in you!”

“...nnn,” Axel frowned, looking down at the older man, who was smirking knowingly back, “...did you seriously follow me? I’m not one of your ‘animals’, I can leave the castle.”

“What a rude and dismissive thing to call my friends. Soooo cruel~” Xigbar sighed, wiping a tear from his eye, “And after I was nice enough to come check on you! You wandered off in a storm! You’re lucky Even didn’t find out first, you’d be responsible for him losing the last of his wits.”

Deidara looked over in curiosity as a new voice called up, talking to Axel. One of his group, he could only presume, and he snorted a soft laugh. “Aw, look at that, you have tabs checked on ya, hm. Truly the best way the paranoid among us can show they care.”

Grabbing his bucket, Deidara jumped off the shed roof with a splortchy-sounding noise--mud, clay, and ash would do that, before grinning brightly at Axel. “Well, if we’re all heading off, lemme leave you with one last sight to dazzle the eyes before counting sheep, hm.”

Deidara tossed a tiny sparrow in the air. 

Axel watched it explode. He didn’t shield his face this time. And as pretty as the explosion was… hearing Xigbar go “WHAT THE FUCK!?” was also a sort of art. 

-

A package arrived at Momota Castle, addressed to Royal Detective Kyouko Kirigiri and Royal HoS Nekomaru Nidai, all the way from Dicea. Inside were several items, including a tin of Dicean green tea leaves, a small bottle of Pifetian 50 Year Dark Rum, several letters, and, just, so many drawings of Miyako Saihara. Many were more on the realistic side, and there were a few in that style of other members of the royal family in Usott, but there was also a larger drawing in a more cartoony style that featured every member pertinent to Kyouko and Nekomaru, Kaito tossing Miyako in the air as she delightedly giggled a speech bubble at ‘Dada’ and ‘Dee Dee’, Maki, Tim, and Shuuichi holding their arms out to catch Miyako next, while a smaller bubble in the corner just showed the artist, Kokichi, winking and sticking his tongue out at the viewer.

-

Things with the court case were trudging along. 

Once the theatrics of Ienzo’s situation had been established in the castle, after that there was just a lot of tedium. Documents written, read, adjusted, read again. It would seem that every single item Ienzo’s parents had ever owned had needed documenting and taking into account, Ienzo’s inheritance a thorough and exhausting display of bureaucratic details. 

It turned out, half the reason they had been made to wait so long was just the reality that a lot of paperwork had needed to start being gathered. Poor Ienzo and Isa both looked exhausted after every court round, and even Demyx was starting to look stressed and tired from his position assisting Isa. Luis mildly surprised to overhear Demyx and Isa earnestly going over a list of itemized motions that they were tasked with being familiar with before the next court case, Demyx whispering to Isa, “Okay, but at this point, isn’t arguing that the stables inventory needed accounting for splitting hairs, when they just established the last court case that the horses were legally given away due to the risk of neglect keeping them under a dead masters title would have caused?”

“The horses might have been legally given away, but the stables still belong to the estate. What, we fight for the manor and then arbitrarily say the stables and garden sheds belong to someone else? It’s all or nothing,” Isa whispered back.

Luis thought about reminding them that Ienzo didn’t really want any of that stuff, but decided to leave them to it, heading downstairs to the kitchens. Knocking on the kitchen door, the intimidating chef poked their head out. “Uh, ey there. I was wondering if I could have a… a coffee, but, well… my kind of coffee…?”

The chef was too professional to scoff. But Luis still felt embarrassed when the chef came back with rum-spiced coffee, as requested, but also pointedly a sandwich shoved into his hand. Food with his alcohol. “Thank you.”

“Ah, Mr Dareka.” Luis looked over his shoulder, having gotten a bit more used to the name the more he heard it, as Aerith smiled warmly at him, “Getting some lunch? Anything else we can grab for you as well? You look well-rested today!”

She meant he didn’t look obliterated yet, which was still a touch or go thing for Luis most days, even with him being more aware of his bodies limits in the real world. Luis had developed a reputation among the servants as being nice while also a total mess. They also were no longer entirely certain what Luis was in this group. Too unstable and unhealthy to be the security detail that he had presented himself as at first, but also not a lord or a lawyer or anything like that. 

Luis wondered what they had decided was going on, as they still treated him respectfully, Aerith saying, “Could I get you perhaps a new set of clothes?” which was Luis’ clue that he was still wearing the same clothes he had been wearing yesterday. Whoops…

“Uh, I might take you up on a new shirt, miss.” Luis accepted, looking down at his shirt in mild embarrassment. Oh geez, there were stains on it. He was not being subtle. “Thank you.”

Aerith nodded, motioning for Luis to follow her. Again, he felt embarrassed as she literally lead him back up to his room, motioning for him to wait as she went into his closet, pulling out some clothes while he sipped on his coffee, muttering against the mug. “Sorry, I could have… you can go, I can pull my own clothes out of…” 

“How about this!” Aerith said cheerfully, pulling out a nice shirt with warm orange tones, Luis giving it a baffled look as he stared at it’s wide neckline that had small, golden little clasps that just barely connected the sleeves, “It’s a warm day, this would be perfect. Along with the new dark green pants?”

“...” Luis gave her a continued baffled look. “Wha–?”

“You don’t remember going shopping for these, do you.” Aerith realized, her smile not leaving her face, but there was something a tad sad in them–pitying–as Luis just gave her another uncomfortable look, “Don’t worry. It was a few days ago? Mr. Riju asked me to take you clothes shopping? You haven’t worn any of it since we bought it, I assumed you weren’t aware these were in here anymore.”

“...I’m real sorry.” Luis said, embarrassed. Face turning bright red as he stared at the ground, ashamed, “Thank you for showing me. There’s more clothes in that part of the closet?”

“A few more outfits, yep! We picked them with care, you look great in all of these!” Aerith assured him. And as Luis gave a few more mumbling apologies, assuring Aerish that she could leave now, he could figure it out from here… “Mr. Dareka. Have you been out of the castle since you’ve gotten here?”

No. “Uuuuh… maybe… maybe once or twice?” Luis lied. Having not even considered leaving the castle since they arrived. He was usually too drunk to travel by the evening. Easier to just be near his bed.

Aerith seemed to know it was a lie too. She had probably known the answer before she asked. She gave him a long look… before smiling brightly, she clapped her hands together, “Can I call you Luis? Luis, me and my friends are going out tonight. You should come with us! Get away from the pressures of serving his lordship for an evening!”

Pressures of serving…? “Uh, I’m not really under any pressure. And I couldn’t intrude–”

“Nonsense, it’s decided! I’m going to come pick you up at 6! Try to stay awake until then, alright? We’ll show you a good time,” Aerith giggled, giving Luis a wink, “And you can wear one of the nice outfits we got you!”

Luis gave Aerith a hopeless, confused look which she responded to with another giggle, before heading off. What…?

-

Aerith’s friends were, unsurprisingly, a bunch of absolutely beautiful folk like herself. 

Luis also suspected they were all ex-indentured as well, though he didn’t recognize any of the others the way he had Aerith. Indentured, but not one of Luis’, as the group took Luis to some sort of dance club, called the Honeybee Inn. 

“There’s a Brothel Show downstairs,” Tifa, a woman with long brown hair and a clearly adoring, comfortable ease with Aerith, told Luis as they settled in at one of the tables of the restaurant, the dancing part of the club thumping around them, “But don’t worry, they’re pretty good around here about making sure only the people who want to go are heading downstairs to the basement. I know one of the security guards, if anyone gives you any trouble we can kick ass and no one’s gonna say boo.”

“No one’s gonna try to drag him anywhere, Tifa,” Cloud, a blond man with piercing green eyes scoffed, “Keep an eye on yourself. No one’s gonna take a second look at us with you and Aerith around.”

“Hey, anyone with conditioning needs to be told,” Aerith shrugged, giving Luis a small wink at his uncomfortable look at that, “Don’t worry, you're in good company.”

A group of ex-indentureds who were, apparently, absolutely convinced Luis was one of them. He guessed they weren’t entirely wrong, but…

Thankfully, the group was distracted pretty easily, especially when their big friend, Barret, showed up. Loud and brash, Aerith and Tifa soon got caught up in his excitement, heading out onto the dance floor with him while the two blondes stayed behind at the table, drinking and watching them have fun, drinking in silence for the most part. 

But after a while, Cloud gave Luis an openly suspicious look, “...you don’t give me ‘ex-pleasure slave’ vibes.”

“Oh,” Luis said, “...good? Was I supposed to?”

“Hmph. It’s why you’re here. Aerith said she found an ex-pleasure Indentured who’s spiraling and she wanted to give you a hand,” Cloud said, “I don’t know what she’s seeing though. Were you even Indentured?”

“.....” Luis stared down at his drink, “It’s complicated.”

Cloud narrowed his eyes at that, “...look, I don’t know what your situation was. But Aerith is too kind for her own good, sometimes. So this is your warning that if you take advantage of the fact that she both works for you and feels bad for you right now? Then we can make you disappear just as easily as any lord can. And we can do it in a way no one’s going to find the remains later.”

“Noted.” Luis said, giving Cloud a nervous, appeasing smile, before sighing in relief when the man turned away. His threat given and him clearly done with Luis by that point. 

But when Aerith came back later, she must have guessed Cloud had said something, because she took him away to scold him for a while, before coming back with a smile, “Luis, I think the nights wrapping up. Let’s head back together.”

Luis was quiet for the most part, as they headed back. Aerith kept up a string of conversation, and Luis did his best to keep up with it, but in truth he felt a bit awkward. Guilty. Aerith apparently wanting to help him from a form of abuse she was familiar with herself, that Luis hadn’t experienced and, worst, had tied Aerith’s hands in experiencing for herself. 

He wondered how she’d feel about him if he confessed who he was. What he was to her. It probably wouldn’t lead to more dance club invites, and would probably lead to whatever shallow grave Cloud was talking about, as they walked back into the center of the castle residential area, Luis saying, “Thank you for inviting me out, but–”

“We’ll do it again soon.” Aerith said, smiling at him, “But next time maybe something a little more lowkey, without my friends being weird to you. I’m sorry for whatever Cloud said. He’s protective. And maybe a little jaded. His contract owner hadn’t been very kind to him, before the program fell…”

“...” Luis smiled thinly, “He was fine. But, you should know… I’m not an ex-pleasure Indentured. I wasn’t compelled to warm anyone’s bed. Especially not Lord Ienzo’s. He’s a good man, he’s never harmed anyone in his staff. I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression.”

“Oh…” Aerith frowned, tilting her head at him. Less scandalized and more like Luis was a puzzle she was trying to figure out, “...no. You didn’t give me the wrong impression.”

“I didn’t?” Luis asked warily.

“MmmM.” Aerith shook her head, before smiling brightly at him, “I don’t know what happened to you. And you don’t have to tell me. But I still want to invite you out again. Whatever did happen to you, people like us… we should help each other out, if we can. So that’s what I’m going to do.”

“But we’re not the same.” Luis said weakly.

“Maybe. You’re still invited though.” Aerith said, giving Luis a small wink, before opening the door for him, “Have a good night, Mr. Dareka.”

-

It had felt like a pretty big deal at the time, sleeping with Lupin… but the morning had risen, they had had their conversations, and it wasn’t long before life felt like it had gone on in roughly the same way as it had before. Nill still grappling with his complicated feelings on Change and Impermanence and his religion. The ways he both pursued and failed in those ideals. Nill kept moving and trying and throwing himself into things, and still nothing felt like it had changed from those efforts…

And also more odd jobs to do. Always more odd jobs.

Nill was currently working on a team with a realtor, who had collected some odd job goons to set up a house that was apparently going to be a permanent home for the new ambassador from Luminary. It was apparently a pretty big deal, since–according to a nervous and excited realtor who had talked Nill’s ear off about it when he was hired–not only was this the FIRST Luminary ambassador Dicea had had since the start of the war, but also!! It was the king of Luminary?? Which felt like a pretty big responsibility, right?? To set up the permanent housing of the King of Luminary?? Who apparently was just?????? Living????? In Dicea now????

“It’s a lot! It’s a lot. But it’s okay! We are more than capable of handling it!” Realty–the realtor–said, looking over a clipboard with a near spastic smile as she said, “The security measures they want to install into the house is a little new???? Where can I get a contractor for…360 watch tower… installed into the center of the house?? Oh dear… Nill, you wouldn’t happen to be a contractor who can install miniature towers!?”

“No?” Nill called back, painting the recently installed gate. 

“Hahahaha no worries!! I’ll find!!! Someone!????”

Things were…exciting! There had been much celebration--or, as much as the party could get away with without King Sou looking like they were taking 30 years off his life trying to celebrate in the more appropriate Luminary style--when His Grace announced that he would be accepting King Ouma’s proposal for ambassadorship. It was exciting! But also led to some serious discussions to be had among the group. 

They had all signed on to escort King Sou during his vacation, however long it would be. They hadn’t signed on to more or less immigrate to Dicea forever. However, no one really wanted to be the first to bow out, to be the person to abandon the king and head back to Luminary with what would feel like a half-done job. 

Right now? It was looking like most of the party would be going back to Luminary, eventually, but they’d all leave in stages. First, everyone sticking around as Sou got settled into his home and role as ambassador, and likely waiting until he had anything to send back to Luminary that would take more than a phone call just to make the trip more helpful. And then little by little they’d see how much service the king would actually need in his new role, while also making sure they wouldn’t be creating any significant, sudden holes in his security for ruffians to take advantage of. 

It didn’t seem like the worst system, and definitely quelled the worries of those that were fine leaving Luminary for a year or two, but assuredly never planned on moving to Dicea. Despite the offers the Dicean Royal Family brought up. 

Caeldori didn’t think she wanted to move to Dicea permanently, for however lovely the country was. Even if she’d just be going back to armory duty, Luminary was her home, where her family was. But she was more than happy to stick around for the long haul, planning to be one of the last to leave, and that meant? Getting more used to Usott than as an important tourist. 

Getting some measurements from their contractor wasn’t exactly that, but Caeldori still had a job to do, and any task she could take from Deere’s shoulders she was perfectly happy to perform. 

Hair tied up to keep out of the way, the red-haired guard double-checked the address she’d been given as she walked down the street, heading to his grace’s new abode.

Nill took a big drink from his water bottle, taking a break on the outside of the gate he had been painting all day. Painting the gating ‘gold’ color was a hell of a choice, especially among Dicea’s natural, wooden aesthetics, but apparently gold and red was Luminary’s national colors, and Kaito Momota, one of the Luminary princes advising on the new housing, had insisted it’d make the housing ambassador nature for the country more obvious to have the most outwardly aesthetics match Luminary style.

Nill suspected the Prince just really loved the idea of a house that looked like it was made of gold and was trying to sneak the design in before the king could find out about it and presumably order it to be a less gaudy color. Nill didn’t care if he ended up repainting the whole thing later. A job was a job. But yeah, overhearing the discussions with the realtor? That was what he suspected was going on. 

It was a shiny gold too, the kind that had a metallic sheen to it. Nill was having some fun looking at the paint on his hands as he rested, drying against his skin, when he spotted out of the corner of his eyes… ooooh-ho-ho? Is that a certain sexy, sophisticated boy he recognized? Closing his blind eye to focus– his eye was blind in every way that mattered, but the damaged pupil sometimes had this grainy flashes of color that could make things a bit more confusing for his good eye–Nill smirked as he got up, following familiar red hair. 

“Guess who~” Nill coo’d out, putting his hands over Lupin’s head, covering his eyes from behind him.

There was a startled gasp, but that was the extent of outward fear as in a split second iron grips were on Nill’s arms, Caeldori twisting out beneath them and continuing the momentum to throw the man sideways, immediately pinning his legs with a knee as she locked his arms. 

(Even without a visual impairment, Nill could be forgiven for the mix-up. Wide but focused eyes stared back at him in the same shade of warm brown. Caeldori’s cheeks had a softer curve to them, but her face shape was more similar to Lupin’s than not. They were even the same height with similar builds. It was like looking at a slightly clouded mirror.)

“On behalf of His Grace King Momota of Luminary, state your business here,” Caeldori demanded sternly, even the softened quality of her voice reminiscent of Lupin, even if she had a higher pitch. 

“Oh fuck,” 

It took Nill a second to really understand what the hell had just happened, as he sort of tested the binding around his wrists not in an attempt to escape, but just confirming to himself, oh shit, yep, he was pinned down. 

And on second glance… “Oh you are not who I thought you were,” Nill realized, blinking up at the Lupin-clone. Or, well, damn near clone. The resemblance was eerie… he grinned, trying to pull off ‘casual lounging’ as he still laid crumbled beneath her pin, “Sup. Hey. How you doing? Come here often?”

It was common knowledge not to assume that just because you had someone in a bind, that didn’t mean they couldn’t push out of it. So Caeldori kept her eyes on the man, even as she tried to take in more information in her peripheries. There was paint on his hands, the front gate was wet. She wasn’t who he thought. 

“Do you make it a habit to accost anyone you do know coming here?” she asked. “I ask to ensure that if I let you up, you won’t try anything, sir.”

“It hasn’t come up before. But I mean… clearly I would have, if I had gotten the chance.” Nill smirked, “Though with my Lupin, I’d have expected more of a verbal lashing over it, and not, uuuuuuh, all of this. But no! Not planning to accost anyone else! One accostment a day is my limit.”

Oh. His Lupin. 

Enlightenment coming over her face, Caeldori stood up off of Nill, pulling him up by her grip still around his arms before stepping back with a bow. “My apologies for the hold, sir. I am Guard Caeldori Badala of King Sou’s security, pleased to make your acquaintance; I am here on business for his grace.”

“No, no, not at all, what’s a stranger who’s accidentally attacked you but a friend you haven’t met yet?” Nill chuckled, following her grip up to his feet, brushing off his outfit a bit, “Plus, Luminary! I feel like being pinned by a Luminous is the most cultural exchange I’ve ever done before. Isn’t sparring just a sort of ‘hello’ you all do?”

Nill was joking about customs, but his bow back was an earnest attempt to be friendly. Even if his bow was a little awkward and clumsy, sloppy to the point of offensive if you had grown up bowing. But for a Dicean? Earnest attempt! 

One of the major points of Sou’s new position was to try and ease the friction between Dicean and Luminous culture. In her attempts to better prepare herself, Caeldori had seen the good-faith attempts the Dicean administration had done to try and grease those wheels themselves. In all honesty, she found many of the pamphlets to be quite charming, even if she drafted a form of suggestions to revise some of the points that she’d given to the scribe department. 

So seeing Nill’s attempt of a bow, and hearing him talk about one of the few cultural pastimes he knew?

Caeldori smiled softly at the man. “More likely a ‘sorry’ or, ‘would you like to go on a date’, though despite being mistaken for one of yours, that was not my intention. Still, may I ask for your name?”

“Oh, no kidding?” Nill asked, genuinely intrigued at the answer. Sparring was a form of flirtation? But also apology? Wild! He wondered if people ever got them confused in Luminary. He bet that made a few fun ‘miscommunication’ based love stories. “The names Nill. Just Nill, no last name. You said it was… Caeldori? Can I call you Caeldori, or should I call you a title of something?”

“There are a few other meanings, but outside of a learning environment, those are the most common,” Caeldori clarified with an amused warmth in her voice, before greeting, “It’s nice to meet you, Nill. My title is Guard or Guardsman, but I’ve noticed that Diceans don’t use titles casually, so I’m happy to be called Caeldori.”

Nodding a little to the gate, she asked, “Does your partner do contract work as well? Or did you think they were just walking by?”

“Walking by,” Nill explained, considering calling her ‘guardsman’ a bit cheekily, but deciding it’d be odd for the other guardsman around, “I really can’t stress how much you look like him. Even staring at you dead-on, if it had been from a distance? I’d have probably still thought it was him. Wild resemblance. I wonder if you’re related? Got any family in Dicea?”

“Truly?” Caeldori hummed, raising her eyebrows. Given a second to think about it, she figured it was a hair color thing, but if the resemblance went beyond that? “Not that I know of, no. As far back as I can trace my family, we’ve been in NGP for generations. Still, that doesn’t discount possible branches splitting off…curious.”

Smiling amused at it, Caeldori took a step towards the house. “Well, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for my double, then, but I should get back to work. Good day, Mr. Nill.”

“It was good to meet ya, guardsman!” Nill called cheerfully, raising his hand, before looking at the paint on his palm, “Ah, right. Should get back to it. Fence won’t ‘gold’ itself.”

-

Lauriam had only half believed Xaldin when he talked about hearing how green Dicea was, the grass that grew up walls and over roofs. And even now he could hardly believe his eyes, both in the more concerning way, as he’d admitted to Dilan about seeing the flower fields outside of Usott, and just in an amazed way. This was a place that just breathed life, even with all of the buildings and roads around. A cohesion between manmade construction and the force of nature that he’d never have been able to imagine in a million years. 

As such, as they tried to settle into the new city that was going to be their home, Lauriam had started spending his days in control of his body in a massive garden near the castle. Not, you know, the four separate gardens that actually surrounded the castle, hah, duh, no, he was talking about what he’d been told was called the ‘Community Garden’. A place where every plant was directly representative of a real person who lived or had lived in Dicea. The eclectic collection just as much a landscape of memory as his own garden. 

It was beautiful. And filled Lauriam with both a longing and a settled feeling that slowed his walks through the garden to a crawl. But he didn’t mind. If he wanted, he could spend the rest of his life slowly appreciating all the plants, seeing the beginning of spring blooming the first wave of flora, and there was no limit on him to--

It felt like someone had tossed a bucket of hot water on him. That was the first, and only, thing Lauriam comprehended, his mind just…blank. Watching a woman with jet black hair amble through another path in the garden, fiddling with a kiseru. His eyes followed her every step until her path rounded away and she was hidden by trees.

And then his heart started pounding. 

The hot rush through him started to feel like fire, as Lauriam stumbled back, clutching his chest as he gasped. He wanted to tear through the garden, grab her by the jaw and see. Demand reality make things crystal clear to him if it was really…really…

“...hhhhhhhh!”

Lauriam’s throat squeaked out a pitiful keen as he fell back on his ass, the burning through him creeping into his eyes as they filled with terrified tears. 

No. No. It wasn’t her, he was just…just freaking out, they knew his brain was broken, she couldn’t be here, she couldn’t-- He needed help. Help. 

Help. Mom?! HELP

-

Across the island, there was a signal that, thankfully, hadn’t been used in a while, and most Somebodies wouldn’t remember hearing for even longer. A lot of the time, it was…useless to call for help. Either they were cut off from the others by sigils, or it was just impossible to give help until the supervisors brought the person back. Sometimes panic didn’t recognize the logic of that futility, though. Just the instinct of pure fear reaching out for help. 

-

Aqua cut herself off from her explanation of a few sword forms to Ventus, her eyes widening as she breathed, “Laurie?”

-

Terra gasped as he ran into a burning flower field.

Xaldin and Dilan were already there, but literally only just barely, having ran into the door just head of Terra turning in. Dilan looking around in alarmed confusion, this the first time he had seen the garden in this particular state, as he called out, “Lauriam!? We’re here!”

“Great, just put some targets on us why don’t you? Let’s at least make sure this isn’t the ‘kill everyone else’ kinda freakout first!” Xaldin scoffed, summoning his javelins, letting them hover around him as he looked around, “Flower?! Flower, you hear us!?”

“Oh geez, oh no, okay!” Demyx squeaked, trying to look like he was prepared for anything as he too ran in, though he stared near the ‘entrance’ of the garden as he looked around with a notable nervous energy, “W-we’re here! We’re– Larxene!? You were right behind me!”

Ψ( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )Ψ Shut up, I’m here! She said from the top of his head. Just conserving some energy! What the hell is happening!?

The most clear way to convey the messy, emotional message Marluxia sent them would be {PROBLEM!!!!}

Which, yeah, that seemed obvious. 

All the same, Marluxia couldn’t clarify much, in full Chibi form in the middle of the flames, trying in vain to try and contain the fire away from the trembling Chibi Lauriam curled up by his legs, even as globby tears ran down his cheeks. 

Terra gave the unmoving dragon--though it was posed to attack--a wary look before letting Aqua’s power run through him, summoning rain to try and douse the flames. 

However, like dumping water on an oil fire, they only flared higher. 

-

(It was lucky that there was no one nearby Lauriam in the garden. His blind, panicked attempts of safety would’ve strangled passersby with vines.)

(That didn’t mean the same energy wasn’t expended, though.)

-

“Ah, shit, I see them!” Xaldin called, stepping towards where the chibis were held up, before gasping as the heat emitting from them immediately started to scald his skin, “Fuck! Alright, hold on–”

He puffed into a small form, the bear patting down his fur before determinedly stomping towards the fire– ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ  Hey! Let me down!

“Why in the hells did you think fur would help!?” Dilan demanded, holding a struggling Xaldin in his arms as he took a step back, “Let Terra’s water ease the heat a bit before you symbolically burn yourself up for no reason!” 

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ  The hell you mean for no reason, they need a fucking hug or something! 

◑.◑ Or something.

A little, spasming ball of white light formed in the garden, shifting into the small silhouetted form of Namine’s chibi body. While it was impossible to see on her expression, she was a bit nervous as she stared around the fire. Her ability to soothe Marluxia and Lauriam dependent on her ability to overwhelm their emotions. 

This was a lot to overwhelm. But still, she had to try, as she sent out, {(((Calm)))}

-

-

The footsteps approaching Lauriam were slow. Careful. The dull thud of heavy heels on the dirt pathway, as the heavy scent of mint and tobacco filled the air. 

The metal of the sigil Orlette wore around her neck glistened in sun rays coming in through the trees, while she herself stood in the shadows of the heavy foliage. Golden eyes staring down at Lauriam, somewhat concealed and enhanced by the smoke that twisted around her body as she let out a small breath. 

“...hm.” She said, staring at Lauriam. As if she was trying to verify exactly who she was looking at… before she flicked some of the ash at her feet between them. Turning and heading back down the pathway without a word. 

-

A small bit of clarity cut through the overwhelming panic. 

And Chibi Lauriam let out a scared wail through the crackling flames, matching the whimper that escaped him in the physical world. Still, Marluxia felt relieved, since that was in place of the two of them catching on fire or exploding into rampaging plants. With that small bit of leeway, he pushed the fire farther back, Terra’s wincing second attempt at rain dampening them more--

And Lauriam was able to gasp out a frightened sound as he held onto Aeleus’ arm around him, trembling violently as blood oozed out of his nose.

A scurring of footsteps, and Even caught up. Though, perhaps surprisingly, he only glanced at Lauriam for barely a moment before standing in front of him. Pulling from the folds of his heavy black cloak the thinnest, but surprisingly long for having been concealed on his body, fencing sword. 

“Before you ask where I obtained this, consider the dullest of explanations: I bought this recently.” Even explained, mostly for Aeleus’ benefit, as he looked around the gardens, sword up as he waited for… something. 

But he couldn’t see any danger, and couldn’t {feel} it either, as he finally looked over his shoulder at Lauriam, “What’s happened? You felt like you were being attacked. Out with it, boy!”

Lauriam could only blubber incoherently for a few moments, Aeleus’ frown deepening as he thought back to all the medical papers Lauriam had tossed at him back in Grasmere. Seizures could look like a lot of different behavior, but Lauriam seemed obviously upset with something, so they needed to address that danger first--

“O-o-o-orlette,” Lauriam managed to stutter out, and Aeleus’ blood ran cold. He held his nephew closer as he looked around again, trying to find a hint of void-like black or coldly gleaming gold. 

“Orlette!?” Even said, looking around more intensely as well, “...here? Are you certain? Could it have been a trick of the shadows, or a particularly repugnant oil spill?”

“I-I--” Lauriam swallowed, shuddering as Aeleus eased his neck forward, pushing a cloth under his nose. “I don’t… I thought so!”

“Lauriam. Are you or Marluxia in a state to share your memory? We can double check,” Aeleus asked, keeping his voice even. Trying not to make any assumptions yet.

Swallowing with a wet, gaspy sound, an image appeared to Even and Aeleus…in the most generous definition of the term. It was so jittery with bits blurred and bursting into flame, the center of the memory almost like the scenery of everything around it melted into the center, obscuring anything from view but an utter sense of doom.

Aeleus held Lauriam tighter as he felt him shaking more. 

Even tsked. Unhelpful. 

{Xigbar. I could use your ability right now. You’re range for finding mental signatures is ridiculously wide. Can you tell us if this signature is in the garden with us?}

{......uuuuuh, not that I can tell? But my ability to tell gets worse the farther away I am, so take that with a bag of salt.}

Ugh. Worthless.

Even took a steadying breath… before lowering his blade. Sheathing it into his cloak again, before looking back to Lauriam. “Regardless of what’s happened, let’s bring you back to the castle. Regroup and recover.”

Aeleus felt skeptical as he felt Lauriam start straining to get up, but he just picked his nephew up entirely when he saw Lauriam’s eyes flutter. “Stay awake if you can, but just focus on that. We’ll get you back.”

Lauriam might’ve objected, burned in embarrassment, but considering he was starting to feel like he was drowning, no complaints came. 

-

❀꩜_꩜ …I think we’re passing out Marluxia muttered to Terra, his attempts at smothering the fire weakening…though that wasn’t the end of the world since the rain had taken hold. 

Dilan came closer as the fires died down in intensity, putting down Xaldin, who shuffled over to Marluxia’s side, catching him. 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ That’s probably for the best. We’ve got you both.

-

She might’ve not been the Head Gardener anymore, but Thalia wasn’t about to stop going to the Community Garden because of it. Still…maybe it would’ve been a better idea to stay at home today. 

Admittedly, she’d just been confused at first; her mental defenses did their job well and even living in a city with some insultingly strong Empaths, most of the time Thalia’s mind was her own, as by design. But eventually she had noticed that there was something getting stopped by her spell in the first place, and…well, she could’ve just gone on with her day. It was none of her business. She should’ve just ignored it. 

…the part she was able to parse sounded scared. 

Through the trees, she watched the two men leave the garden, carrying a third that seemed completely out of sorts. 

…she was no longer Head Gardener, but maybe she’d do a rounds of the garden anyway. For old time’s sake.

-

…

…!

Lauriam’s eyes snapped open with a muted gasp, and for eternities condensed into seconds, he simply stared at the ceiling. Catching his breath as he felt sweat cool on his skin. 

The hallway had felt infinite, just an echoing loop filled with hazy fog. Almost like something that would be comforting, or at least relaxing, if it were indicative of a sauna or bathhouse, but the tile was all wrong and the clinical sanitization contextualized the fog to be far more menacing. 

He couldn’t remember the exact moments of it, feeling his nails break or the strain of his arms, but cold, throbbing pain ached into his fingertips, worn down to bone and nerves. 

Tenderly, Lauriam brought his hands together, gently squeezing the tips of his fingers as he looked blankly at the ceiling above him, waiting for his heart to calm down. 

…what a horrible dream.

“Calm yourself,” Even said, his voice softer then the words spoken, a bony hand placing itself against Lauriam’s forehead as he said, “You’ve gone into fever. Likely just stress from the seizure, but it’ll need caring for regardless. Sora, have you finished mixing the flower?”

Sora looked up, a touch startled from the stone grinder he had been fussing with on his lap, an odd mush of pinkish/whitish mesh in the bowl, “Uh, yeah? I think so? Is it supposed to look like this?”

“I believe so. Mikaku swore by its results, said it was as simple as grinding and dissolving.” Even muttered, taking the bowl from Sora and putting it into a small, bubbling glass of water. The water turned pinkish, and Even squinted at it for a moment, “...I suppose I trust it. Sit up, Lauriam, we’re about to conduct an experiment.”

Lauriam’s eyes slid over to Even, surprise clear in his face, and exposing the fact he hadn’t noticed anyone else in the room until Even spoke. The room. As in…the room he was staying in at the castle. In Dicea. 

(Not his room in the factory.)

Very used to just going along with an experiment, Lauriam gingerly pushed himself up--squinting a little at the heaviness in his head as gravity’s pull changed direction--before looking over Even and Sora and frowning softly. 

“...seizure?” he asked softly, a note of disappointment in his voice. 

“Don’t pout, this is well documented by this point. You can’t berate yourself or your body from doing what we all already know it will do. It’s a futile sort of resistance and unreasonable expectation,” Even scoffed, sitting by Lauriam’s side and holding the glass to him, “I can provide a straw, if you feel weak. In truth, I’m just pleased you did ot end up in a coma. My hair would start falling out in clumps.”

“Are you alright, Lauriam?” Sora asked, giving him a worried look at the foot of the bed, “The others say you saw Orlette?!”

“Hush, Sora, at least give him a chance to recover before you send him straight back into another attack.” 

“Oh, sorry.” Sora pouted, wilting a little.

Lauriam still scowled as he took the glass, giving the weird-looking mush in the water a skeptical look before he started drinking it. Maybe it was ‘well-documented’ and ‘futile’ and ‘unreasonable’...b-but so what?! Maybe he was! It was so…so pathetic, to, what, have his brain just start to collapse for no reason? Often at the worst times, when he needed to do things and not just become a liability. 

When he needed to--

Lauriam’s eyes widened as he looked up at Sora, pausing for a moment, before it all started to flood back. 

(It wasn’t all a dream.)

“I did. I thought… I-it’s not like I just mistake anyone with dark hair for her; I…” Lauriam’s shoulders tensed and hunched in as he held the glass tightly. “How is that even possible, though? I know we made the trip, but…why would she even think to come to the Dicean capital in the first place?”

“To escape us?” Sora said immediately. He noticed Even stare at him, before insisting, “No, really! This is pretty far from the last place she saw us too. And Terra was going around beating up supervisors for a while. And didn’t she leave three days before the factory closed?”

“...hmmm,” Even hummed, looking back to Lauriam, giving him a stern look, “Drink, it’s meant to help with the after effects of seizures. And Sora does have a point. The impressions Seifer gave was that Orlette ‘stopped’ showing up for work, rather then quitting. She believed in our demonhood more than anyone… perhaps she was worried about the consequences of our freedom?”

That didn’t answer why Usott specifically, but it was an, unfortunately, reasonable answer. Terra had been tracking down the supervisors, terrorizing them. It was dangerous and had been a horrible idea to do, but admittedly there were some supervisors, as awful as they all had been, that Lauriam was a little less worried about Terra having encountered. 

Orlette was the complete opposite. 

And whatever Terra had been trying to prove, Lauriam would hope that he wouldn’t have tried to jump Orlette alone. Those hopes weren’t exactly faith. 

Drinking more of the weird water with a sigh, Lauriam cringed. “Look, I’m more happy being here than any other outcome, but you know how she talked about us. If she…” Lauriam trailed off mid-sentence, eyebrows scrunching in confusion. Really trying to think back. Had she seen him too? It had felt like his entire world had narrowed onto her, but she had just… Had she been walking through the garden? Did she pause to look back at him? Was there that grim, disgusted hatred in gold even colder than the metal as she strapped him to the table and he heard the crack of a whip…

Lauriam fumbled with the glass as he realized he was shaking, eyes starting to burn, and he murmured a soft, “Sorry…” as he tried to finish the water. 

“Ah, sorry! I didn’t mean to…” Sora pouted for a moment, worried… before he said determinedly, “You don’t have to worry about Orlette Lauriam! We’re free now! We’ll kill her!” 

“We won’t.” Even said.

“We’ll beat her into a coma!”

“Mmm,” Even paused, considering it, “...I’ll leave it on the table, but only for emergencies.”

“We’ll ask the prince to mindwipe her!”

“He will not.” Even said, reaching out to steady Lauriam’s glass, “The medicine was a gift, Lauriam, do try not to spill it.”

“Sorry,” Lauriam murmured again, before managing a faint smile for his brother. It was very Sora, immediately down for a fight. “And he might, or one of his friends might. They’re not exactly subtle in the grudges they have.”

The smile, fragile as it was, wobbled. “...guess we found out exactly what I’d do if I saw a supervisor, Sora. That’s embarrassing, just starting to cry and passing out.” Instead of fighting. Instead of marching right up to her and getting justice for everything she put them through. For what she did to Luis. Instead he just hid and sniveled like such a pathetic coward…

“Sorry.”

“That’s alright! You don’t need to be the one to fight Orlette! I’m going to do it–”

“Sora, I’d like you to go to Xigbar and let him know you need some chores today.” Even said.

“...W-what!?” Sora sputtered, genuinely shocked. “What, his stupid ‘keep busy’ chores–”

“Indeed. I’d come up with some myself, but in truth the man has a gift for menial, soul-crushing tasks. Why imitate something a true master can do?” Even mused, before tapping Lauriam’s arm, “Finish drinking.”

“But, but… I, you’re not the boss of m-me–okay I’m going.” Sora suddenly said quickly, the sheer frigid air that suddenly radiated off the old man Sora’s warning as he scrambling away from the bed, “Lauriam, I’ll come check on you later!” 

“...I’ll have a proper conversation with him later, why we’re going to avoid Orlette like the plague, if she is here.” Even sighed as the door closed behind Sora, “But for now, I need him worn down. Sora is too… reliable. His idle daydreams have a habit of becoming reality. I used to worry that as he got older in the factory, one day we might have another uprising attempt on our hands… Drink, Lauriam.”

Lauriam sighed an exasperated, “Even…” but could only give Sora an apologetic look as his little brother scurried away. Even wasn’t the boss of them…but he was kind of the boss of them. It wasn’t even that he was the oldest--even when Viz was still alive, hellfire, even when Inzi was, Even just had the head to lead them, alongside Aeleus. Whenever things felt hopeless or they weren’t sure how to handle something, everyone always deferred to those two, and as their world had gotten more and more uncertain, that seemed more important than ever, even as their freedoms expanded. 

All that to say, they usually did listen when Even was serious about telling them to do something. And most of the exception of that ‘usually’ was from Ienzo and Zexion. 

“It’s not a bad thing to dream, and he has even more of a chance to out here,” Lauriam said softly, looking at the closed door for a moment before sighing and finishing the drink. Before he frowned down at his hands. 

“...what if I just imagined it?”

“It’s not a bad thing to dream, no. But Sora makes his dreams reality. And confronting Orlette has more risks for us then just her ability to cow any of us from years practicing torturing us,” Even said, taking the drink from Lauriam and putting it aside. He placed the back of his hand against Lauriam’s forehead, “A bit better there, at least. Probably need more time for the effects to hit though. And what I fear is that we may wear out our welcome, murdering, beating, mentally destroying what to the people here would only appear to be a reasonably attractive woman who’s had more time to establish herself here than we have.”

“Our welcome has been warm and enthusiastic and more generous than I can truly comprehend, some days. But I cannot help but feel our role as ‘victims’ to the castle is largely where that generosity has lied.” Even said, “I do not want us to be perceived as dangerous here. We cannot move again. I cannot help but feel that eventually we would simply run out of places to run too.”

“And perhaps you did imagine it. Honestly, that would be the best case scenario. I can’t help but hope that you did,” Even sighed, “I know that’s not fair to you, Lauriam, but again, we know now that this is something you struggle with. We must learn to handle such setbacks, we cannot just deny them. Though admittedly, I’d prefer we find some method that does not leave you bedridden when confronting your nightmares… perhaps Dicea has some sort of medicine that would be suited for handling hallucinations…”

Lauriam scowled at the notion that anyone could perceive Orlette as just some harmless neighborhood feature, but he did understand what Even was saying. If she’d come directly to Usott after the factory closed, then she’d had nearly a year to ingratiate herself to the far too kind Diceans. And while he couldn’t believe anyone wanting to defend her, they didn’t know that. 

Still, he sighed as he leaned back against the headboard, sitting straight up starting to make him feel a little dizzy. “That’s true for a lot of people here, but it’s not like Ouma, Momota, The Reaper and Boogieman don’t know that we aren’t ‘just’ victims. Maybe he’s just fooling me, but everything Ouma’s done doesn’t feel like it was entirely motivated by pity and guilt, and we know The Reaper’s got a personal investment at least in Ienzo, and so the bare minimum for us as people connected to him.”

Still, even if some of their benefactors knew they weren’t a bunch of poor, lost ducklings, it’d…probably be better to not make themselves enemies of the state again. Even if that meant leaving Orlette with her limbs intact. 

His frown tightening, Lauriam looked away, uncomfortable, as Even discussed the actionable reality of his hallucinations. Squeezing his fingertips again, he glanced back over at the glass. “At least they already have different medicinal stuff. And it’s…supposedly free.” He paused for a moment. “...you said you see stuff too, sometimes. What do you do?”

“I see things…?” Even gave Lauriam a bewildered look, before his expression tempered a bit, “Oh. No, apologies, Lauriam, that’s… it’s not exactly the same, if I understand what you see correctly. What you visualize tends to be more sustained. What I experience is more like… feeling suddenly lost in a memory.”

“The memories get vivid. So vivid that sometimes I confuse myself for just a moment. Feeling like I’m existing in that moment again… but that is less a hallucination, and more just a moment when I forget a future past that moment occurred. Sometimes I’ll feel particularly stressed, and in that stressed moment something will occur… a metallic smell. Someone moves the wrong way. A color,” Even said, his eyes a little distant. Tired and sad, “And suddenly I am, oh, who knows… twenty-four? Twenty-five? I exist briefly in a memory and I suddenly just am that Even in that moment. Promising how good we’ll all be, if they’d just let us out of our chairs…”

Even closed his eyes for a moment, grimacing. “...dreaming is a wonderful thing. I’m glad so many of you didn’t lose your ability to do so. It can be… challenging. Living with the moments you gave up.”

“But you haven’t given up, Lauriam, and I don’t expect you to now,” Even said, looking to the man again, focusing, “Perhaps it was a hallucination, perhaps Orlette is here. Either way, you are going to be okay. So will all of us. This is not a moment to despair. We are capable.”

Lauriam stared worriedly back at Even’s confusion. It was a whole point of contention these days, but he was sure Even had told him that. That what was happening to Lauriam wasn’t bizarre, that he wasn’t alone, even if when it happened to him it tended to be more explosive. That was still scary, but at least Lauriam was more used to that. 

But as Even explained, that didn’t sound all that foreign either. Even as his eyes downturned in sympathy at the horror of the chairs. 

(There were a lot of things they had bargained for during the time Lauriam was in the factory. Lauriam--working together with Marluxia, mostly--had bargained personally quite a lot [though he wasn’t sure how much of that his family even knew]. But even if bargaining for Ventus had felt like them all giving everything they had, Lauriam couldn’t fathom what the older Empaths had gone through, trying to bargain their way out of the chairs. He owed everything to them that he would never have to.)

He offered his uncle a small smile. “You might’ve given up some things to keep up safe, but I don’t think you’re anywhere near defeated, Uncle Even. You sound even older than you are saying something like that.” Taking a small breath, Lauriam nodded, squeezing his fingertips. “...okay.”

The smile grew a little more awkward. “Should I start on the reassurance tour? I’m a little surprised I didn’t see Riku and Kairi scrambling away from eavesdropping by the door when Sora left.”

Even huffed a bit, before rolling his eyes and placing a finger in front of his mouth. Then, silently, subtly, he pointed to the top of the headboard…

◑.◑

Chibi Namine, her lights dimmed to the point where she could almost just be air if you didn’t notice she was there already, was hiding partially behind the headboard. Watching Lauriam. 

Lauriam tilted his head back, eyes taking a moment to find Namine even with the hint, before he sighed. Pulling himself together more to smile more sincerely at his sister. “You don’t have to hide, Namine. It’s weirder if you’re doing that to watch me sleep, actually.”

◑.◑

◑.◑

◑.◑

◑.◑ I’m not here.

◑.◑ This is the…

◑.◑;; wind.

“I swear, there’s something about being in their ‘chibi’ forms that makes otherwise sensible people act absolutely ridiculous,” Even sighed. “I’ve noticed that with Vexen too. When he’s a cat? Suddenly it’s all coy jokes and pushing things over.”

“Maybe it’s with a different theme, but you say that like Vexen hasn’t always been a troll,” Lauriam drawled, before adding, “And as if you aren’t a troll to your core too. Marluxia’s nicknames don’t come from nowhere.”

Shifting in bed, Lauriam turned enough that he could reach over the headboard to brush some of Namine’s hair back, or at least mime it depending on how ‘realistic’ her projection was at the moment. “Seriously, Namine, I’m okay, I don’t need a guardian saint watching over my shoulder.”

◑.◑ …….I want to be around.

She flopped over the headboard, landing on Lauriam’s chest as she looked up at him. Her odd mixture of light and dark elements coming in brighter as she let go of her camouflage 

◑.◑ I can help you

◑.◑ I’m sorry I didn’t get to you in time

◑.◑ I didn’t know you needed me.

“You are not responsible for every time Lauriam has a seizure, Namine. What you can do is a help, but not a necessity.” Even said.

Lauriam brought an arm around her, though his eyes lowered in shame for a moment. But his smile didn’t waver as he nodded. “You have your own life to live, I’d have to have a talk with Kairi if she changed your purpose to only ever follow me around.” Lightly rubbing her back, he sighed softly. “I do appreciate your help, but I didn’t even know I was going to need it. I’ve gone out to that garden a few times and it’s always been fine, it’s not your responsibility to suddenly know when it isn’t fine, or to try and anticipate that.”

His gaze softened more. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Namine’s expression didn’t really change. But there was subtle signs of ‘pouting’, as she leaned slightly into Lauriam’s rubs. Sora not the only one with dreams of being everyone’s everything, all the time. 

“I said it before; we know your body does this. Treating it like it was something preventable is foolish. It’s a reality of our lives, we’ll learn to cope.” Even said, reaching out to touch Lauriam’s forehead again, “Better. You should likely rest soon.”

It seemed like it could be preventable if Lauriam could go a week without flipping his shit over something. But that wasn’t his family’s responsibility. 

(...he had to try. He hated seeing his little siblings worried at his bedside, or blaming themselves for his own mistakes. He had to try to be better.) 

“...alright,” Lauriam conceded after a moment, holding onto Namine to support her as he slid back down the bed to lie down more, before he paused. Something worried going across his face as it occurred to him. “I didn’t…do anything crazy in my world or on the island, did I?”

(...he hadn’t heard Marluxia since he woke up.)

◑.◑ You made a fire.

“It was fine, it didn’t even spread outside of your world this time.” Even said dismissively.

◑.◑ Marluxia was screaming.

“He does that. One of the many reasons my hair has gone white.” Even said.

◑.◑ You cried big cartoon tears.

“Well now you’re just teasing, Namine.” Even scolded.

Lauriam’s brows knitted in worry, though he poked Namine’s puffy Chibi cheek. “Don’t make fun of me for crying, it’s something that happens to all of us.” …Marluxia was screaming? Namine’s intent was pretty blunt and factual, so he couldn’t quite tell if she meant that Marluxia had screamed in rage, wanting to tear Orlette apart, or in frustration towards Lauriam, or if he had…

“...I’ll check on him before I go back to sleep,” he murmured, mostly to himself. “And…probably let everyone else know I’m okay too.”

“Let me worry about informing everyone. Just focus on resting.” Even sighed, this time reaching out to push Lauriam’s shoulder down, pushing him to lay flat on the bed, “Rest. The world will still be here later. And so will the rest of us.”

Namine, in turn, stood up on Lauriam’s chest… before flopping down on it. Laying herself out. Clearly content to stay there.

Between the push and Namine lying on top of him, Lauriam couldn’t help but smile a bit at the trap he was forced into. And as much as he was sure Namine had more interesting things to do than to watch him sleep…he did feel a little better with her there. 

“Sure, sure, heard loud and clear, sir,” Lauriam drawled, before obediently closing his eyes. “I’ll give you an experiment update on the weird flower medicine later.”

“I’ll expect a full report.” Even agreed.

He, notably, didn’t get up to leave himself. Just settling back into his chair. Quiet. 

Weird sleep-watchers, all of them. Lauriam was grateful.

(And even if he did poke Marluxia as he let himself drift off, the responding feedback of snores was answer enough for now.)

-

The atmosphere was a little strange among the empaths of the castle, largely due to some event that happened with Lauriam in the garden. For the Ribata empaths, everything was a bit more confusing than it was for the Nobodies. They didn’t know who this ‘Orlette’ person was and frankly didn’t understand the extreme reaction to her. They weren’t sure if Lauriam setting his world on ‘fire’ was as bad as it sounded or if it was mostly metaphorical. They didn’t get why Sora was apparently volunteering to iron everyone’s clothes. 

There was just… stuff. Going on there. 

Hao and Xehanort were having much more fun spying on the wizards in the fifth floor room with the sunroof. 

It was easy. None of the three had any anti-empath magic on them–which was VERY odd for Shuichi, considering Prince Kaito was literally decked to the nines in empath protection–so it was just a matter of Hao reaching in and turning off their ability to notice himself and Xehanort. And like usual, after that it was just hanging around. Watching people do stuff.

‘Stuff’ in this case being magic, as Shuichi turned to Lluwyn from the cauldron he and Himiko were fussing over and said, “Professor, it’s turning a little green. Isn’t it supposed to be blue?”

“Nyeh… maybe it’s green because it’ll turn us into cute green animals…?” Himiko offered. 

“I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to turn us into normal colored animals, so we still have an issue there.” Shuichi pointed out.

“Ah, hmm…” Lluwyn hummed as he leaned over to observe the cauldron closer. “We did check for cross contaminants, so it shouldn’t be that, let’s double check the temperature. As far as I know, over-boiling this potion shouldn’t turn it into something dangerous, so the discoloration may just be cosmetic.”

Lluwyn was happy with his decision to stay in Usott for the time being. There were plenty of magical phenomena happening around the city to study, of course, but he was finding that the joy of watching his students progress in their magical aptitude, and his sister’s integration into public high school were things that almost felt even better. Like his presence in the capital was really worth something, specifically. 

Things were…good here. And no one had blown themselves up under his watch.

Getting one of the many thermometers they’d collected, Lluwyn started checking on the potion, when the door burst open--Xehanort quickly putting an arm around Hao’s shoulder’s to pull him out of the collision zone.

“Hey, Llu!! Oh, huh, you guys have class today?”

Startling from the slam and shout, Lluwyn could only sigh as he watched the thermometer sink into the blue-green liquid. Another one down. 

“Elthea, I’m quite clear about scheduling. If you would simply regard the time table I’ve drawn up to--”

“Yeah, yeah, I get enough of that at school,” Elthea scoffed, adjusting the strap of her backpack on her shoulders, having just gotten back after that day’s classes. “Anyway, have you guys used all the storage vials? I was gonna go out for supplies today.”

“We likely will by today. We plan to test this one a few times.” Shuichi said, immediately getting up to go fetch another thermometer from their desks of supplies–Hao gently pulling Xehanort out from Shuichi’s pathway–as he asked, “Not to dissuade a supply run, but is there something you’re looking for Elthea? We may have it.”

Rolling his eyes a little at Elthea’s responding groan, Lluwyn gave Shuuichi a grateful nod before observing the potion temperature, adjusting the flame under the cauldron slightly. 

“I was gonna try experimenting with some of the recipes Trillian gave me,” Elthea explained in a sigh. “Which means I just need ratios of Four Axis, local ingredients. I was gonna go by the apothecary anyway, but I wanted to try using some fresh stuff.”

Scowling a bit at the mention of ‘Four Axis Theory’--look, Lluwyn loved learning about different methods of magic, and he couldn’t deny that the northern chemist’s work was genuine, but the classification of all substances into four broad categories was far too ‘people keeping methods secret and just giving vague answers for curious minds to keep that secret’ for him--Lluwyn looked up at his sister with a deeper frown. 

“...you would be foraging in the Community Garden, yes?”

“Uh, duh,” Elthea lied, scoffing. 

Xehanort smirked a little, giving Hao a side glance. That sounded interesting.

Hao smiled knowingly back, giving a small nod. He agreed. 

“Well, that’s good, because… I mean, it can be dangerous to head out into the wilderness. Sounds like a pain…” Himiko yawned, taking a massive wooden spoon and spinning the contents of the cauldron a bit, “...do you think birds take a lot of effort to fly?”

“I mean, maybe? But they have very light bodies, so it might not be as tough as it sounds.” Shuichi theorized, “Though you know what the book warns: we’re just as likely to get a random animal as the one we’re hoping for.”

“I’m hoping for a bird… but one that doesn’t take a lot of effort to fly… that sounds perfect.” Himiko yawned, giving the others a lazy smile, “Either that or a hamster. They look like they have it good.”

“Mmmmmhm,” Elthea hummed in agreement, scrounging around some of the supplies the mage and wizards-in-training had accumulated in their classroom over the past few months. “Super dangerous, and while I’m a gal who can take care of herself, I’m not about to put Dear Old Brother through the wringer. Just easy walks through the park for me.”

Lluwyn gave his sister a suspicious look before sighing. “There are quite a few birds that travel mainly by gliding on wind currents, so I suppose those would be the ones to hope for, Himiko. But keep in mind--I’m only having you two test a small sample size so you’ll regain human form quickly. I’d of course cast a FeatherFall, but I’d rather not have you suddenly fall from a great height.”

Shaking his head a little, Lluwyn rifled through the supplied and held out a rolled leather satchel with myriad internal compartments to Elthea. “I don’t believe we’ll be using this today. Please be back before dark, Elthea, or send a message if you’re staying with Nela or Minnie.”

“Thanks, Llu~” Elthea sang, giving her brother a quick hug as she took the satchel, and quickly headed out. “Good luck on the potion, guys!”

“And don’t get into any fights!!” Lluwyn called after her.

Quietly, Hao and Xehanort followed Elthea out the door. 

They spent a lot of their free time like this. They enjoyed using their ability to people watch, essentially, though their level of ‘people watching’ tended to veer towards ‘brief stalking exhibitions’. The two teens watching someones’ activity or day until they lost interest and moved on to something else.

In many ways, the two would probably get along splendidly with Amaina.

“Where do you think we’re going to end up?” Hao asked Xehanort, as they followed her through the city.

Smirking a little as they followed Elthea right past the Community Garden, he guessed, “I think Himiko would be right when she talked about going into the wilderness. There’s woods right next to the outskirts of the city, isn’t there? Unless we’re about to watch flower picking for the rest of the afternoon.”

“A potion that turns you into an animal…” he mused after a moment, remarking on the potion they had been watching the three magic users in the castle make. “I guess it’d be fun just to try out the experience, but they seemed pretty excited about it beyond that. Changing biology completely seems like pretty complex magic, so maybe it was just excitement for the challenge of making a potion that advanced.”

“My guess is Shuichi, at least, just liked the implications of how much power and control you’d need to do it. Every time he brought it up, it seemed to partly be out of fascination for being able to change the body, and also a bit of disappointment that there wasn’t more definitive ways he could do it yet. I get the sense he’d enjoy being a shape-shifter.” Hao said. “...Himiko just seems like she likes maaaaaaaaagic.”

“Mm, I think you’re right, that really fits the kind of vibes he gives,” Xehanort nodded, before snorting, “She has a really distinct way of saying that, huh.”

They walked for a bit, just chatting and making comments on people they passed, before it seemed that Xehanort’s guess came true, great trees looming before them. Elthea passed into them without so much as blinking an eye, but Xehanort gave pause for a moment, regarding the forest with a slight look of wariness. 

It was…weird. They’d seen a lot of trees on their way to Usott, and there were plenty in the city itself, but seeing a real forest… He didn’t think they’d be in any danger, but there was something daunting about stepping into a metaphorical maw, the likes of which you’d never seen anything even close to before. He recalled some of the caving stories Gula had told them, the way even the most prepared spelunker had to surrender themself to the earth, and felt the same sort of feeling in his chest, regarding the massive, ancient trees. 

(At least they were to a 16-year-old.)

However, that moment was more to acknowledge the presence of danger and inexperience, and not true hesitance. 

Bringing a book out of her bag, Elthea flipped it open to a loose paper filled with notes, reading it over for a moment as she continued deeper into the woods.

Hao did not feel the same alieness and foreboding that Xehanpot did. But in truth, he wouldn’t feel that same sense of unease and non-belonging anywhere in the world. Not in the darkening caves beneath their feet or the freezing wastelands of Fein or the towering cities of Novoselic. 

Why would he? Xehanort was there.

And because Xehanort walked into the woods, so did Hao. Looking around curiously, seeing little signs of animal life everywhere. Neat… though he wasn’t a fan of the bugs, as he reached up his shirt and scratched away a bug that had crawled there, his fingers grazing over the tattoo on his stomach as, momentarily distracted, he looked down to see if he could spot the bug he had just shaken off–”Ow!”

That rock came out of nowhere. That was Hao’s first, somewhat petulant thought as he landed face-first into the grass. Totally out of nowhere! 

Xehanort could only blink in surprise as Hao tripped, immediately reaching down to pull him back up, but his attention was soon split by a quick rustle in front of them. 

“!! Oh what the hell?!”

It didn’t stop Xehanort from pulling Hao up, but his eyes locked onto Elthea at her yelp. She didn’t immediately try to attack them, though her arms were outstretched and she’d jumped back, so…good start. 

“Hey,” he greeted, lazily waving his free hand. 

“Geez,” Elthea breathed after looking them over for a moment, putting a hand to her chest. “Are you two trying to win the ‘total creeps of the year’ award, following a girl into the woods!? How long have you been following me?”

“Does following a girl into the woods make us creeps? Actually, saying it aloud, it doesn’t sound great.” Hao admitted, taking Xehanort’s help and getting up, brushing the dirt and grass of his clothes, “Can we try ‘it was a coincidence’ by this point?”

Elthea rolled her eyes. “Try not being little creeps to your sister for years before that, and maybe I’d believe you.”

A puzzled expression crossed over Xehanort’s face. “...sister?”

Elthea waved her hand dismissively. “Or whatever Invi is to you. Honestly I thought she was doing the thing all big siblings do and complain about their younger siblings, but I guess her warning was pretty warranted if this is the kind of shit you pull.”

“...so, what,” she said after a moment, a slight edge in her voice as she crossed her arms. “Clara helped all your guys out, so I really doubt you’ve managed to get grudges here already. According to Doppio, I think you’d need, like, two more weeks at least.”

Hao had also gotten a brief, befuddled look at the mention of a ‘sister’, though he tilted his head curiously at who Elthea specified. Invi? Xigbar liked to joke that they were all ‘his kids’, but that was mostly because he was a weird asshole. Hao didn’t tend to think of the others in a familial sense, and had never considered the idea before. 

“We’re not following you out of a grudge. We were curious where you were going to harvest ingredients.” Hao decided to explain truthfully, smiling warmly at Elthea as he explained, “You seemed like someone about to disobey good sense or authority, which is always a fun type of person to be around.”

“Oh.” Elthea blinked, before grinning. Jogging over to the boys, just winking at Xehanort at his careful, sustained attention on her as she approached, she threw her arms around their shoulders with gusto, moving the group forward again. “Why didn’t you just say so?! You didn’t have to get your pervert pins to do that.”

Giving another wink now to Hao, she jovially cautioned, “Just don’t go wandering off while we’re in here, ‘kay? I’m not about to try and explain to the others in your group why you two got mauled by a bear.”

“We’re not perverts,” Xehanort sighed, a little taken off-guard by how strong Elthea’s suggestion around their shoulders actually was. “Hao saves all that for fiction.”

“I save all of that for you,” Hao said without missing a beat, though like always when he said something like that, he moved the conversation on immediately as he smiled at Elthea, “Is it actually dangerous out here? What are you trying to find that’s worth that sort of risk, if there is actually bears out here ready to munch on our bones?”

With a guffaw, Elthea gave Hao an incredulously enthralled look, but when Xehanort didn’t react--he was too used to it by this point--she just shook her head with a chuckle. Taking her arms back, she pulled her book out again.

“Why does there have to be something I’m willing to risk it all for? Isn’t the risk itself fun enough?” she shot back, before laughing again, pausing by a crop of plants and flipping through the book. “It is dangerous out here, but nothing I can’t handle. Bears mostly only bother you if they smell food or you bust into their territory, same with wolves, but a lot of the wildlife will give you warnings to get the heck out of their space before they attack. There’s some poisonous or abrasive plants, there’s always the chance of bad weather stranding you too far in--” she glanced back at Hao with an amused look, “you could trip over roots or stumble in a mudslide and break something. But I think the threat makes it more fun to tempt.”

“Plus!” she chirped, getting a small knife out of her bag as she collected some fronds of the plant she’d been inspecting, “Apparently materials out in relative wilderness like this have different aspects of natural energy, and there’ll be a lot of stuff that other people haven’t handled before. This potion-maker that visited the castle a bit ago, Trillian, taught me a little, and according to them, using ingredients right around where people live makes treating their specific ails, like…it all matches up more. Like how eating local honey can ease up pollen allergies, because it’s all the same thing.”

“Interesting. A sort of physical conditioning?” Hao asked, following behind Elthea with more ease than his earlier faceplant would have suggested, “I’ve read stories of people doing the same thing to master the ingestion of poisons. Taking it in small doses enough to injure but not kill, as the body learns to adapt to it. And of course you hear about plants out in the wild whose existence becomes a part of a species evolution, used as a part of their development.”

“I’ve always thought it was a bit interesting, the contrast of the energy and power plants possess within themselves, yet the act that it takes to make any sort of use of those abilities,” Hao said, watching with a small smile Elthea cheerfully cut the plants from their roots, “Mutilation, destruction, burning, digestion… plants have all this innate abilities that are entirely unique to them in all the world. And it makes them the simplest, most natural prey in the world. Not just ease in their destruction, but incentive as well. I know it's a matter of perspective, but they seem to naturally be designed as things to be used. Which I find interesting, for a world designed where every other thing on it has a naturally instilled will to survive and to live… isn’t that neat, Xehanort?” Hao asked, suddenly smiling cheerfully at his friend, “Pretty deep, hm?”

“Oh, yeah, I think I’ve heard that that has a specific name or something?” Elthea giggled a bit. “One of my friends really loves this romance novel where that’s a minor plot point, she told me that it was such a pop-off moment the first time she heard it being read to her as a kid.”

Gaze sliding over to Hao at his musings, Xehanort smiled softly. “It is, though I think saying that plants have no will to survive is going a little far. They just fail in their attempts, if you want to talk broadly. Linnea told us about how peppers evolved spice for protection and increase their chances for seeds to spread--just bad luck, you could say that, well,” he huffed an amused sound, “at least here people are all about spice.”

“You two okay?” Elthea called, shaking her head as she inspected some claw marks on a tree, triumphantly finding some keratin shavings at its base. “Geez, use or be used, the struggle for life--that’s a pretty heavy way to think about it all.” Rolling her eyes, she smirked up at the boys. “If you’re squeamish about heat, you can always ask for more mild versions--I know Prince Kokichi double checks menus for his family.”

“It’s not unbearable or anything,” Xehanort quickly clarified, not pouting at the knowing, smug look on Elthea’s face. “It’s just different from Luminary food.”

“And it’s not much more fun on the way out than it was on the way in either.” Hao said, wincing a little, “Spice is certainly… a choice.”

“And we’re fine. Or, I’m fine. That was why I specified it was a matter of perspective, the exploitation of plants,” Hao said, laughing lightly, “From another perspective? It’s almost like plants are powerful because they are helpful. They’re easy to kill and harvest and devour, but look around at how much of them there are. Plants in the world are the expectation, not the exception, and doubly so if that expectation is that they're triple the numbers of every other organism in that area. The only real exception to that being the desert…”

Hao lazily looked up at the sky, rolling on the ball of his feet slightly as he wondered, “If we personify them a bit, I’d wonder if they’d resent the desert for that shift in dynamics. The only place in all of the world where they are not the default greatest force within it. If you’re the most powerful, plentiful, widespread thing on the planet, with roots that go miles deep into the earth and bark that lives for a thousand years, I wonder if any part of the world that doesn’t adhere to you feels almost like a challenge… but that’s just again a specific perspective on the idea. In another, maybe it’s beautiful? To see a landscape unaffected by yourself. Beauty in seeing something truly outside of yourself.”

“...or maybe personifying plants is a bit silly. Sorry, I’m having fun with the scenario, I don’t actually take any of it particularly seriously.” Hao reassured Elthea, “I’m just rambling. It’s a rambling sort of day.”

“Skill issue,” sang Elthea, with a stomach forged from Dicean winter soups. In the bitter cold, expecting to be trapped inside as a yearly occurrence, throughout time immemorial Diceans had found other ways to get their heat than from the sun. And, of course, chilis and peppers dried wonderfully.

“And, hm, maybe they outnumber everything but bugs. Llu said once that bugs outnumber every other living organism like ten to one or something crazy like that,” Elthea scoffed, “And I guess you have a point with just how many things eat and use plants, but, like, everything else is eaten and used too. That’s just the ecosystem of the world--everything depends on everything else. Trying to elevate or degrade anything is kinda short-sighted.”

And why it was so dangerous when that balance was disrupted. 

Xehanort smirked a little as he laced his hands behind his head, feeling a little more at ease with looking around the forest as they walked. “Is it really any sort of conversation if it doesn’t entirely spiral into philosophy? We’ve had a long time to get used to talking like this.”

“Sure,” Elthea snorted, before giving the boys an impish look. “But, hey, if we’re all up on contemplating ‘exploiting’ other things, have you guys experimented with talking with animals at all? One of the recipes I got has a recommendation for fox fur, and while I could just trap one, it’d be so much easier if you could just, like, ask a fox for me.”

Xehanort looked back down, eyes widening a little. “...sorry, what?”

Even Hao looked surprised, smiling uncertainly as he waited for Elthea to laugh or say ‘got ya!’ or… “Do you have something like that… ready?”

Xehanort wasn’t comforted by the smirk that grew on Elthea’s face. 

“Want a demonstration? Which of you two wanna volunteer?”

She did say she didn’t want them to get mauled, so whatever that meant she likely wasn’t planning to hurt them… Still, Xehanort glanced to Hao for a moment before giving Elthea an uneasy nod. “Sure, I will.”

“Cool~” Widening her stance, Elthea held a hand out towards Xehanort, before calling out, “Fritine!”

Before Xehanort could even question that, he gasped as what looked like chains made out of light shot through his body, embedding their ends in the ground and nearby trees. And he could. Not. Move. A. Muscle.

Hao gasped a little, staring in horror as Xehanort was… look, the only way to describe it was ‘mutilated and killed’. That was all Hao could expect, as chains and arrow-heads erupted out of his friend. Pinning him to the world around them as he gasped. Clearly still alive, but Hao had to assume, not for long. Because how could he?

Hao didn’t know what to do for a moment. Frozen by his desire to try to stem the mutilation in his friends body, to maybe save his life, and frozen by his desire to immediately attack this woman who had… had…

“...Xehanort?” Hao asked. Denial just keeping him frozen.

Xehanort grunted in amazement before stumbling as his body relaxed when Elthea put down her hand and the chains disappeared. Patting himself over, he gaped at Hao before turning his attention to Elthea. “H…how…?!”

“I know, I know, hold your applause,” she snickered, smugly flipping her ponytail back, before she took a little pity on the boys, her smile softening. “Never seen non-psychic magic before? Hey, promise, you’re fine, it’s just a binding spell.”

“Oh… okay! Good!” Hao said, a sheen of sweat on his face as he smiled warmly at Elthea, “I thought you were both going to die for a moment there. That was alarming!”

“Eh? Why’d I die?” Elthea blinked at Hao.

Gathering some of his composure back, Xehanort put an arm around Hao’s arm, giving him a reassuring squeeze as he turned him slightly away from Elthea. “Don’t worry about it. You’re right we’re not familiar with magic, it’s hard to know which rules these things play by…” Xehanort’s eyes widened a bit again. “That was…magic magic. Just true… It wasn’t an illusion at all.”

Looking between them for another moment, Elthea shrugged the weirdness off. “Yeah, I’m a mage so I use personal magic--can’t do the mental stuff like you guys, but I think I do well enough on my own~”

Hao relaxed a little, reassured by Xehanort. But now that the feeling of danger had passed, he was just as fascinated as his friend, giving Elthea a keenly interested look. “So, all of that… can Xehanort now speak to foxes? Is that what that magic did just now?”

“Wha--?” Now it was Elthea’s turn to look shocked. “No? Was that what you guys were asking? I thought you just wanted to know how I’d trap one.”

Xehanort blinked. “...then why did you ask if we talked to animals?”

“You’re Empaths,” Elthea said, voice just radiating ‘duh’.

Hao blinked, “...I don’t know if a fox would want to talk to us after that, if I’m entirely honest. Chains exploding out of your body would make anyone distrustful. And I don’t think we can communicate to animals that directly… I think the best we could offer is giving the Fox a sense that we were ‘friends’.”

He paused, “...which, again. Chains exploding out of them might not make them amicable to that idea.”

“Oh Goddess, are all boys morons?” Elthea let out a beleaguered sigh as she tipped her head back, pressing her palm to her forehead. “I asked if you could talk to foxes, so I could approach one without it freaking out so I didn’t have to use a binding spell, keep up! Like, duh, something like that is gonna freak out a wild animal! Asking consent and keeping it calm would be way easier.”

Totally not frowning at the ‘moron’ comment, Xehanort paused before asking, “...how did you know we were Empaths?”

Waving him off a little, Elthea assured, “Don’t worry, Clara wasn’t just snitching you guys out. Her daughter’s sister is one of my friends so I’m over at their place a lot, and back before your travel plans even came into being, I heard through that grapevine Prince Kaito warn Mr. Lio that the royal family was planning on helping out some ‘warehouse Empaths’. Seeing you guys arrive with Clara, I put it together.”

“...why ‘warn’?” Xehanort asked, eyebrows coming together slightly.

Though Elthea just raised an eyebrow back. “‘Cause Cheri was born in one of those warehouses and is mega traumatised by it? I figure he just didn’t want her and Mr. Lio to get freaked out learning about you guys out of the blue. It’d be like someone giving me a heads up there’s Shrine Monsters skulking around before I stumble across one myself.”

“Ooooh… I just assumed Invi told you.” Hao admitted, “I mean, it’d be a bit out of character for her, but things are strange around here. I thought perhaps she had gotten more rebellious, at least in private.”

“I understand why we’d be considered dangerous. Mass brainwashing and the like,” Hao shrugged, “But I am curious what a ‘Shrine Monster’ is. Are there shrine monsters? Monsters in general? I suppose that’s again a matter of perspective. A bear could be a ‘monster’. But I do hope you and I share similar ideas of what might constitute a ‘monster’ otherwise.”

“Unlikely,” Xehanort muttered, recalling the uneasy alertness that hadn’t really dissipated at all from Invi or Ira.

“Wow, now that’s a lack of faith. Nah, I just welcomed her to the castle and we chatted for a bit, and she warned me you two like to show up out of nowhere and scare people. Aaaand I see now why she thought to mention it.” Elthea shook her head a little before she snorted, eyes going lidded as she resumed her ingredient hunt. “There’s plenty of things you could classify as a monster, though I guess they all have their own specific names, but I’m talking about something in particular. There’s this old abandoned shrine near my home that’s a total monster nest. My parents died trying to clear it out, so it’s touchy, you know?”

Rolling her eyes, Elthea double-checked her book before taking some moss off a tree. “Unlike what my brother thinks, I don’t actually have a vendetta, so I don’t know what kinds of monsters live there. Just the broad term.”

Eyebrows raising, Xehanort considered the irreverent way Elthea mentioned losing her parents, despite calling it ‘touchy’. “...I’m sorry for your loss.”

Hao wondered why. But Xehanort has said it, so he nodded, echoing, “Sorry for your loss.”

“We can try to lure in a fox, by the way,” Hao offered, looking around, “If we’re not doing the chain exploding out of a the body thing, then I bet we could at least keep one calm enough to take some fur. It’s not a terrible idea.”

“Only took like three conversations,” Elthea chuckled, her demeanor lightening up again. “But thanks! I’ll leave it to the pros then.”

“I’ve never tried reaching out to an animal before,” Xehanort corrected, shaking his head a little at Elthea calling them professionals, “But if there isn’t anything too different from a human brain, we shouldn’t run into any roadblocks. Give us a moment.”

It was usually easier to reach out to someone you could see if you weren’t familiar with their signature--usually. The process in the factory had always been unique--but for a simpler purpose, Xehanort just felt out into the space around him, seeing what presences were nearby. 

Empaths tended to self-filter in a bid to, well… not overstimulate themselves. That was easy to forget, until you started seeking out all the entities around yourself. If you were strong enough to feel them at all? There was… a lot.

Hao, gamely, also tried reaching out… a headache already forming as he felt {Hunger/ Nervous/ Sunlight/ Water/ horny/ denied/ sleepy/ full/ tasty/ breeze/ Humans!/ babies} and other ambient feelings of the animals around them. All of the shallow purely because Hao was briefly reaching into them before moving on, looking for something specific…

“I think I found one?” Hao said a tad uncertainly, looking down a pathway through the trees, “But it’s a bit that ways.”

In some ways, it wasn’t that different from feeling the ambiance of a human crowd. Sure, sometimes the idle things on people’s minds could be a little more complex, but in general, the most surface thoughts of a person were concerned about the state of their stomach, the weather around them, and their position to the people around them. 

It was a little different trying to discern a species from surface thoughts, and Xehanort refocused on Hao as he spoke up, giving his friend an impressed little nod. 

Elthea’s hum was a bit louder in her appreciation as she turned to head down the path Hao pointed. “Let’s see if you’re right, then! Hey, since you’re actually helping me out, is there anything you want? Mostly I’ve been experimenting with medicinal potions, but I’m more than handy with a good ol’ fireball if you need a more straight-forward solution for something.”

{Could be interesting, having a mage owe us a favor. Though she might take it back if you’re leading her into a prank.}

{Oh yee of little faith. I’m being sincere.} Hao scoffed, giving his friend an amused look, before leading the way. “Let’s see if I’ve actually managed this first, and maybe in the future you can show us something cool that doesn’t look like my friend has exploded.”

It was a bit of a walk, but Hao eventually led them to a small mound of earth that, if you had walked right past it, you’d have never noticed had a hole in it. Hao squatting in front of it and staring into the dark hole inside. {...hello. We’re friendly. Come say hi?}

It took a moment, and in truth, Hao wasn’t really expect that to work… but his eyebrows went up slightly when a white nose poked out, sniffing the air. “We’re either about to get some fur or horrifically mauled by a wild animal. It’s a bit exciting.”

Xehanort quietly laughed as he followed Hao. What Elthea had posed them with was interesting enough on its own to pursue genuinely, but he didn’t put it past Hao to want to get her back a bit for the chain spell scare. Which would also be pretty fun, though perhaps less so if Elthea made good on those fireball claims in panic. 

Backing up Hao’s attempt with a general sense of {calm}, Xehanort’s eyes widened with amazement as he saw a snout poke out of the burrow, Elthea lighting up similarly. 

“Oh wow,” she said softly, not wanting to startle the animal even if Hao was communicating with it successfully, “Don’t worry, I know healing spells too, you’ll be fine.”

“Good to know my mauling would get immediate care,” Hao said, smiling warmly when the fox peeked out to get a glimpse of him, “What exactly am I asking for again? How much fur?”

“Maybe like a pinch? I wouldn’t need much for trying this potion out,” Elthea hummed. “Um… I figure the fox might prefer to groom itself or something, though I have no idea how it’d take to getting brushed.”

“I’m not sure how to convey all of that,” Hao admitted, as the fox poked its head out. Wary but curious.

Not sure how to ‘ask’, Hao instead sent an image into the fox’s head. {Friends outside. Safe to relax. Safe to groom,} before sending out pointedly, {Fur itches. Rubbed shoulder against something sticky? Everything is safe. Grooming would feel nice. Shoulder itches. Grooming would help. Itch. Safe. Groom.}

The fox wiggled its nose… before it bent it’s head and nibbled at his shoulder fur. Clearing some chunks off before licking at it, grooming it to ease the itching there. Fur falling to the ground from where he cleaned it. 

{Safe,} Hao said, reaching for the clump, {No danger. Safe.}

Smiling softly at his friend’s success, Xehanort resumed his efforts to the area around them generally. {Calm. Safe. No need to be alert, calm--}

He and Elthea both jumped at the sudden cracking noise that shattered the calm around them like a baseball thrown into a mirror. The sound was wholly unfamiliar to Xehanort, but while Elthea could identify the sound of wood cracking and splitting, she still kept her arms out in front of the boys, eyes wide as she observed the forest in the direction of the sound. 

The fox bolted back into its hole, disappearing to the safety inside. Hao still managed to grab the fur it had cleared off, but most of his attention was now entirely on the direction of the wood cracking sound, genuinely asking, “Is that a normal terrifying sound? We’re not in the woods very much, I can’t tell if we’re about to die very silly deaths.”

Elthea was quiet for another moment before speaking. “Trees do just fall over sometimes. Weakened by a storm, the last straw after a beaver’s been at it, rotted or eaten through by termites…it can happen out of nowhere.”

Slowly she started shooing the boys back. “...but we should probably get back to town.”

Looking back to them, she offered a nervous grin. “I didn’t grow up in Usott, but apparently there’s a lot of stories about people going missing in the Sorl Woods.”

“Fascinating. Though, I think more fascinating when we ourselves are not, in fact, in the Sorl Woods.” Hao said brightly, passing Elthea her fox fur, before earnestly saying, “Lead us out?”

“On it!” Taking the fur and putting it in her satchel, Elthea rolled off one of her bracelets and held it up between her palms. After a moment, it started floating, and then moving in a distinct direction, which Elthea quickly followed. “Try to keep up!”

-

Starting to stir, Marluxia took a deep breath, noting a familiar dusty, sunbaked scent. A pleasantly familiar thing. 

Opening his eyes just enough to confirm, Marluxia half-stretched and half-reached out to the person beside him. 

❀=ω= Hey baby~

“Someone sounds a bit better.” Dilan sighed, reaching down to rub his thumb gently through Marluxia’s hair. Feeling like he had to be careful, as Marluxia was currently very, very small. “You gave us a bit of a scare.”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ Is the flower finally awake?

“No, I’m talking to myself,” Dilan said dryly, looking over at Xaldin, who was sitting with a still snoozing representation of Lauriam. “Yes, he’s awake. And using pet names.”

❀=3= What, you don’t like it?

❀e3e Would you rather I just call you asshole all the time?

Opening his eyes more, for a moment confusion flitted over Chibi Marluxia’s face, the scale of everything he saw not computing in his head. With a frown, he ‘poof!’ed himself back to his normal size, even if the shaky sigh he let go of as he sat up was less subtle than he would’ve liked. 

Though, when he looked back over at Chibi Lauriam, he just sighed in disappointment. “...got us that bad, huh?”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ No, you guys did the crying, screaming fire bit again for the lols.

“The what?” Dilan asked.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Laugh out loud

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ The heart trio taught that one to me today. Apparently the Dicean kids say it

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ and now I am cool

“You had a bit of an event, yes,” Dilan said to Marluxia, deciding to ignore the small bear. “But you seem to be recovering quickly, all things considered. How do you feel?”

“Darling, if we were doing that for fun, I think you two would be sporting quite a few more burns,” Marluxia drawled, rolling his eyes a bit, before pausing at Dilan’s question and attention. Normally, he’d say he was fine, of course. Maybe chew Lauriam out a bit, but play it all off. 

…but the four of them were dating. So maybe it’d…

“...not great,” Marluxia admitted in a quiet grumble, pushing himself over to sit next to Dilan properly and lean against him. “Better than I’d expect, but we still have a headache, and however long it was that we were sleeping, we needed that.”

❀=~= Hate to admit Even’s right. Lauriam mumbled, shifting closer to Xaldin. 

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Dilan sighed, placing an arm around Marluxia’s waist and holding him closer, “We could ping someone on your side of the country, tell them to get you some painkillers.”

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ the guy usually is about stuff

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ he said he gave you all some Dicean medicine?

“Something that helps with the after effects of seizures, he explained to me,” Dilan clarified, “It’s meant to relax the muscles, battle fevers, basically just all the symptoms of an after effect of your body shaking itself into pieces.”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ He’d make better use of his time going and dumping that woman into a lake.

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ That’d solve this.

Lauriam nodded a bit at Dilan’s explanation--even if the effects of the water he drank were news to him now--before sighing.

❀-、- Even said that we’re all meant to avoid her as much as possible. Sora was all ready to take your suggestion and triple it, and Even sent him to Xigbar for the trouble.

“Ridiculous,” Marluxia derisively sighed. “Even with half of us, without the rules of the factory? There’s no fucking chance she’d--”

❀ᄒ、ᄒ Have a very public murder that we’d all be arrested for, ruining the safe base we’re supposed to be setting up and souring the good will of the people aiding us.

❀-、- I’m mad about it too, but I get Even’s point. The only better position we’re in against her is that she’s easier to avoid.

Marluxia clenched his jaw and brought his knees up, clenching his hands into fists in his lap as he leaned against Dilan. “...that’s not good enough.”

“Perhaps us ‘avoiding’ her won’t be a problem, in the long run,” Dilan tried to reassure, “Dicea is a big place, and if she saw you? She might have the good sense to leave. Yes, perhaps it’d put us in bad standing to attack her, but if she forces us to, it’s like you said: she’d stand no chance alone. We might not be worth the risk of living there.”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ We could sure pitch that to her ourselves

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ We can’t just be having this woman just… show up sometimes

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Lauriam and Marluxia both have had another fit just seeing her and Luis is getting drunk off his ass as we speak just hearing about this shit

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ We shouldn’t fucking put up with it, not if we don’t have to

“Like I said, maybe it’s a problem that’ll solve itself.” Dilan sighed. “But we should be wise about how we handle it, moving forward. If we see her, we can always just walk away.”

Lauriam visibly cringed at the mention of Luis. And as much as it was less taxing to stay in Chibi Mode, he forced himself to full size, just feeling too silly to confront this while under three feet tall. With more complex expressions, it was clear to see that the cringe wasn’t just a cringe, but was a full wave of shame. 

“It’s so humiliating…” he whispered, barring his forearms in front of his face. “I’m not sure I even got a clear look, she didn’t do anything, and I just… I’ve fought her before, why couldn’t I do anything?!”

More than not doing anything, really. Just melting down, known issue or not. 

Marluxia aimed a sneer at his own arms that was really more just a baring of teeth. “Should’ve bitten her again. Our customary hellos.”

Maybe Lauriam wanted more range of emotion in his expressions and body… but Xaldin seemed to take this as an invitation to shuffle into Lauriam’s lap, plopping down determinedly in his legs and leaning against his stomach. A very stern teddy bear as he said ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ she took you by surprise. I’d have freaked too.

“I think there might be something to say in that your seizures have gotten worse since we left the factory,” Dilan theorized, “In retrospect there were moments in the factory that could be explained as seizures, but… nothing to the extent you’ve had since we left. I couldn’t guess why though. Perhaps too much stimulation out here?”

Lauriam peeked out from his arms as he felt Xaldin shuffle into his lap, and while he was still feeling too shame-faced to not just cringe into himself, he did bring down one arm to loosely circle around the bear. Though that didn’t last long, as confronted by the comfort of his boyfriend, Lauriam sat up more properly and circled his other arm around Xaldin too, dropping his head to rest lightly on the top of Xaldin’s. 

…fuzzy. 

“I don’t know? Maybe?” Lauriam said a bit helplessly. 

“I didn’t get them like this when it was just me,” Marluxia pointed out, voice haughty, but lacking the edge that such words might’ve had, implying that Lauriam was the issue. And, further, he pouted at his knees. “...but I did stay close to home more. Once Zexy and I figured out the process, I was more or less working full time to make us a stock of counterfeits.”

“Again, perhaps just a difference in stimulation. Factory life was hell, but it was a hell that most days had a very reliable, understandable routine. Especially for the Somebodies,” Dilan pointed out, lightly petting Marluxia’s hair, “In some ways, when nothing had gone wrong or we didn’t have the supervisors’ attention? We lived a very peaceful existence, not needing much and spending a considerable amount of time relaxing on the island.”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ Mmm, yeah, maybe for the somebodies

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ I wouldn’t call it ‘peaceful’ though

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Maybe there wasn’t a TON going on, but ‘supervisor attention’ tended to involve whips and nudity and regular beatings.

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ Not exactly soothing.

Marluxia leaned more into Dilan’s pets, some of the tensed, aggravated coil of his body starting to relax with the affectionate touch. “More predictable than peaceful,” he grumbled, agreeing with Xaldin. “And even then, you never knew when you’d get an Indentured that just wouldn’t have anything stick, or would be a problem in other ways, and all that’s before even considering the supervisors.”

“Stressful…but,” Lauriam started, voice unsure if this was even a point to make, “we didn’t share our body that much back then. I’m not sure if that’s a factor with the, yanno, like if it just matters we have the same mind.”

“Who knows…” Marluxia sighed as he leaned against Dilan, staring at bits of sand that got picked up by the light wind. “Maybe it really is just the surprise. I’m not arguing they didn’t get us a few times, but the supervisors could be utter losers and we’d still be fine, and maybe that was because we were expecting it.”

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ mmm maybe the body goes through a bit of stress, with all the constant back and forth

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ I mean, I take over the body all the time between me and Dilan

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ But the way you two do it? You might as well both be in there at the same time, for how much you jump.

“I’m still guessing shock,” Dilan sighed, “Like Marluxia said, the supervisors could be awful in the factory, but that was never surprising. Lauriam was in a place he thought was safe. Orlette’s presence suddenly made it not safe. That would shock anyone’s system.”

It was notable, in the silence that followed Xaldin’s observation, how both Lauriam and Marluxia glanced away. 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ …….

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ the hell am I missing?

“None of your damn business,” Marluxia grumbled.

Lauriam stayed quiet, fidgeting lightly by stroking his fingers down Xaldin’s fur, before he squirmed, mentioning, “It’s…not the easiest thing, switching back and forth quickly. Ienzo and Zexion warned us about that.”

“...” Dilan frowned, looking between the two, “...have you both been trying to be in the body at the same time?”

“No/…”

Lauriam fidgeted a bit more. Feeling Marluxia’s glare on him as he slowly said, “Marluxia isn’t…lying.”

Dilan and Xaldin glanced at each other. Both uncertain how to proceed…

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ …….

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ If one of you two doesn’t clarify, I’m about to start another seizure hitting you assholes over the head.

Marluxia just sniffed, while Lauriam pouted. 

“...you wouldn’t,” he said after a moment. “You can’t beat me in a fight anyway.”

WACK!

“Xaldin! That wasn’t even the right one,” Dilan scolded, Xaldin having jumped up from Lauriam’s lap and smacked him in the head before falling back into his lap, “Also, I feel like that might be domestic abuse.”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ keep playing games and I’ll GET to domestic abuse

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘RIGHT ONE’?!”

“Gah,” Lauriam gasped, before pouting more at Xaldin. “Mom would make sure you can never leave a crypt if she hears you say that.”

“Oh what-ever,” Marluxia huffed, pulling away from Dilan as he fumed over the ‘right one’ comment more. “We haven’t tried to be in our body at the same time, it’s just happened. We can basically do it in here too.”

“If Aqua heard the runaround you just gave us, she’d have hit you first,” Xaldin scoffed, poofing into his human form now, sitting next to Lauriam rather than in his lap, “Pulling teeth, I swear.”

“...how?” Dilan asked, giving Marluxia a concerned look, “I don’t know if that’s a ‘bad’ thing, I’ve just… none of us can do that. Dividing the body's senses like that… it sounds maddening.”

Crossing his arms, Marluxia huffed. “It doesn’t feel like ‘dividing’ when it happens. I sense everything just like normal, but with the difference that La-La’s doing the same thing at the same time. Only weird thing is when we both try to talk at the same time and it just sounds like gibberish.”

“We haven’t tried moving during it, though,” Lauriam admitted hesitantly, lightly stretching his fingers in his now-vacated lap. “And I’m not sure if what we can do in here is the same thing. And I’m not sure that’s related to our brain freaking out either. I mean…me going full rampage seems like a pretty major example, but you were in base essence then.”

“Didn’t that happen because Xaldin was a bastard who played with your heart right after railing you into a splinter covered box?”

“Okay, it wasn’t ‘splintered’, it was scratchy, there’s a difference.”

“I notice you’re not defending yourself from the ‘playing with his heart’ allegations.”

“We already know that alone isn’t enough to spark it, after you pulled that shit in the factory,” Xaldin said dryly, before sighing, “Look, let's be honest, there’s not much of a pattern. Maybe it’s just bad luck, when the seizures do or don’t happen. Mind sharing, shock, pain, whatever it is… maybe just sometimes it has an effect, and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Lauriam’s cheeks colored as he let out a huff of a sigh before he just shrugged and looked at his lap. “Even kept telling me that it’s just a fact of life to know now. Just something to deal with.” He frowned more as his gaze dropped even more. “It never feels random after the fact, though. It always feels like if I could just hold things together even the tiniest bit better then it’d be fine…”

“Won’t say maybe a few fewer freakouts wouldn’t be nice,” Marluxia grumbled, before he leveled a dry look on Lauriam, “But that’s not exactly in your capabilities, sweetie.”

WACK!

“Xaldin,” Dilan sighed, the teddy bear chibi having now jumped and wacked Marluxia’s head, “Stoooooop.”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ He deserved it.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Stop being a dick to the dandelion, flower. You weren’t exactly ‘calm, cool and composed’ during all of that either.

Marluxia’s eye twitched. “Oh sorry, next time I’m trying to manage acres of fire and trying to keep the both of us from going up in ashes I’ll be completely stone-faced, since that’s apparently what you’re looking for!” His face only grew more thunderous as he stood up, glowering over Xaldin. “I’d like to see you try to deal with half of what’s second nature now!”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Look, I get it

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ It’s not easy, what you’re going through. 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ I just don’t think mocking Lauriam is the way to go about this.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ And mocking you for it also was maybe the wrong move…

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ I dunno this shit’s fucking hard what do you want from me.

“Kinda seems like we’re all floundering a bit here,” Dilan sighed, rubbing his temple, “Though, if we’re putting it to a vote, I vote less hitting anyone across the head.”

“Sorry…” Lauriam mumbled, just looking tired as he slumped. 

While Marluxia had just glared at Xaldin, hearing that made him whirl on his Somebody. “Stop apologizing!! And I’m not mocking you! You really aren’t capable of keeping your head more, so blaming yourself over and over like you think you should be is dumb and always makes you feel ten times worse! Accept that you need more help than you think, you fucking m…nng…”

With a croak, Marluxia’s voice dwindled down from his outrage, the man swaying a little before in another ‘poof’ his Chibi form was on his knees back on the ground, eyes glittering with pretty little swirls in them. 

With a muttered, “Shit…” Lauriam sat up and reached over to Marluxia, supporting him with a worried look. 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Ah, shit…

Xaldin also hurried over, giving Marluxia a worried look as he reached over to rub the other Chibi’s back. 

Dilan watched over all of this, sighing as he scooted closer, reaching over to rub Lauriam’s back. “I’m not sure if any of this helps anything, but… I suppose this is just what being there for each other looks like, in practice. I wish there was less fighting, but getting to the point where we admit there was nothing else to be done feels like… soooome sort of progress? Perhaps?”

Dilan paused, considering his own words… before shrugging. “We’re at least together.”

Lauriam took a deep breath, looking over his Nobody with concern. 

Sometimes Marluxia’s words were just harsh. That was just how his Nobody was. When Lauriam had made him, following a wish for someone who’d always win, who wasn’t concerned with the rules and feelings of others so that he would always be able to do what was best for himself, Marluxia had come out loud and brash and completely unapologetic for how he was. People could either fawn at his feet or be destroyed. 

…but Marluxia wasn’t wholly unconcerned with others’ feelings. And he wasn’t so caught up in his own ego that others were inconsequential. He actually cared a significant amount about their family, and whether that was shown through indulging the kids’ games or drawing attention to himself so it wouldn’t be put on anyone else…or…

As harsh as they were, more often than not? When Marluxia was shouting at someone, he had a point he was trying to make. Often one he identified that the other person was trying to avoid in themself. More often than not, something Lauriam was trying to avoid in himself. 

Marluxia said time and time again that people didn’t listen to him. 

“...I don’t know what to do if there’s nothing I can change about how I’m acting, though,” Lauriam said after a moment, voice soft and vulnerable. “I hate having to give empty apologies, but saying nothing, knowing it’s not my fault feels worse. I don’t know what to do…” Shoulders falling with a breath, he glanced up to Dilan with the motions of a smile. “I guess being together is one of the better things.”

“... I don’t mind the apologies, personally,” Dilan said.

WACK!

“XALDIN!?”

 ʕง•ᴥ•ʔง I will fucking fight the next person that blames Lauriam for this shit.

“Would you just… ugh,” Dilan sighed, rubbing his head, “I mean that the apology doesn’t feel empty. It’s not hollow. Yes, it sucks when Lauriam has a fit and suddenly the island is on fire, and we’re all in emergency mode. Yes, it’s not Lauriam’s fault that these things happen; who was it, Even? That said this is ‘just how it goes’ now? But also…”

Dilan frowned. “Yes, it’s nice to be apologized to for how crazy it all gets… or maybe at least thanked? For helping? We all know we’re about as helpless to stop everything from happening as Lauriam is from starting it, and it’s nice to be acknowledged that we still tried anyway. It makes the effort appreciated if nothing else. It doesn’t mean blame, it just means… acknowledging what it puts everyone through. Which doesn’t feel meaningless to me.”

“I don’t know, maybe there’s some middle ground we’re missing in this discussion, but I know that if the future is Lauriam occasionally melting down at us and attacking us or destroying things, and I didn’t get an apology or a thank you for helping afterwards? I’d start to resent all of this,” Dilan said, “And I don’t want it to get to that point.”

Lauriam knew he had told the others how grateful he was, in the midst of his apologies. Definitely. And for as much as Dilan even considering the possibility of starting to resent everything (as much as that felt right, like he’d talked about with Sora, that he put his family far past what was reasonable to deal with out of love) made his heart feel like it’d turned to cement…maybe that was something else he could do. 

Giving Marluxia one last careful look, making sure he wasn’t about to fall over if Lauriam pulled away, Lauriam turned and hugged Dilan. 

“...” He turned pink. “...don’t feel too special you’re getting the first; you’re just right next to me. …thank you, Dilan. You and Xaldin both have always kept by our sides when it’s hard even to sit up. It’s immeasurably comforting to wake up to someone I l…” Lauriam’s voice choked over a frog, his flush deepening and betrayed by red ears. “L-love. Knowing that whatever happened, it’s over, because you’re here with me.”

“Ah… thank you, Lauriam,” Dilan said softly, hugging him back. Comforted by his words… before smiling lightly. “But, in truth, I’m probably the least deserving one here. And the one stressed out and spiraling on your lap is the one you should really thank. Marluxia does a lot for you. It’s a lot. We all owe him for how much he works to keep us together.”

“I love you,” Dilan said easily, kissing Lauriam’s temple, “And I love Marluxia. And I don’t like seeing either of you stressed or depressed.”

“I know!” Lauriam squawked, burning red, “That’s why I said you were the first! I don’t want to thank Mars when he can barely focus on it!”

❀꩜﹃꩜ Fuck you

❀꩜u꩜ And yeah, I put the damn work in, appreciate me more~

Sighing, losing a little of his fluster, Lauriam pulled out of the hug to look back at Marluxia. “I know it’s another apology, but I am sorry I don’t thank you enough. I do appreciate you all the time, Marluxia, I guess I’m just…not great at expressing it.”

He smiled softly as he watched Marluxia blink the spirals out of his eyes, hand finding the Chibi’s more simplistic one. “Ever since we met you’ve always been helping me. The world would be a utopia by now if we all just listened to you, right? No matter how much utter shit gets thrown at you, you’ve always tried to help all of us as much as you can…it’s admirable. I get jealous sometimes, but you’ve always just called me a loser for it. Why be jealous when I could be better?”

Feeling a rush of heat go across his face, though not from a blush this time, much to Marluxia’s horror Lauriam’s eyes started to fill with tears. “I love you, Mars. I’m so grateful you’re my Nobody, and I wouldn’t have anyone else.”

As much as he had demanded it, as Lauriam gave Marluxia true praise, things he genuinely felt from the heart…

Poofing back to full size--though it seemed this time by accident--Marluxia’s eyes widened almost seemingly in horror, a bright, flustered blush blooming over his face as he went near boneless in Lauriam’s lap. Averting his eyes as his breath stuttered. “Don’t… Y-you don’t have to cry about it, that’s…that’s a bit much,” he murmured weakly. 

“I don’t know. I think it’s a nice touch,” Dilan said softly, leaning against Lauriam, but reaching down to pet through Marluxia’s hair. Lightly scratching his scalp, “And a part of me really does think this helps. We can’t ‘fix’ any of this, it’s just a reality of what we’re doing, but…supporting each other through it? Being there for each other? Appreciating each other… I think it helps. I don’t think it’s empty.”

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ …yeah. 

Xaldin rested himself against Marluxia’s back. Lightly rubbing his paw up and down his spine. So long as it’s not all on just one of us? I get it. This helps. And yeah… we all owe Marluxia a lot. He steps up a lot. I don’t like blaming Lauriam. But I do like thanking Flower. 

Marluxia just flustered more at the appreciation, kind words, and affectionate touches, expression growing increasingly overwhelmed. What was even more telling, perhaps, were the soft pink roses and chrysanthemums that started blooming around him, despite the obvious energy drain he and Lauriam were recovering from. 

And maybe the small, shaky whimper that escaped him. 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ …

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ alright he’s whimpering, how’d we fuck this up?

“I think it’s good whimpering?” Dilan chuckled, lightly petting down the back of Marluxia’s neck now, “What do you think, Lauriam, you know him best. Good or bad whimpering?”

Lauriam’s gaze had crinkled happily at the flowers he recognized, though as he wiped his tears, he just gave Dilan and Xaldin a befuddled look. Sniffing, he asked, “...have you guys really never tried complimenting Marluxia while you’re together?”

“Sh-shut up,” Marluxia weakly muttered from his doted-upon puddle.

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ I mostly just argue with him

“I would like to stress that I’ve only been awake for a short period of time now,” Dilan said, sweating slightly. “But, I can see the results are absolutely worth the effort. He’s very cute right now.”

“Quiet,” Marluxia huffed, looking further flustered being called cute, “A-and it’s been weeks, you - you’ve barely even made out with me or anything. Jerk.”

“He’s always very cute,” Lauriam mused, before smiling softly at Xaldin. “You usually don’t have issues, but do you want a moment to compose yourself?”

ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ …

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Eh? Compose what? 

Lauriam’s shoulders shook with a quiet laugh, his expression growing warm as he lightly squeezed Marluxia’s hand, knowing that at least if Xaldin wasn’t preparing himself, Marluxia would take the time of attention being off him to put himself back in sorts. 

“You’ve been my best friend for over a decade, Xaldin. After so much time, it sort of feels like gratitude just becomes this unsaid but constant background noise. But if I owe Marluxia a lot of overdue thanks, that definitely applies to you too.”

Lauriam’s smile warmed more as he looked over his boyfriend. “I couldn’t tell you what I was thinking, the first time my world set on fire. Maybe just that I actually remembered where your world was, and that it was close. But ever since then, you’ve never hesitated in the face of flames or blades or pissed off teenagers to brush all them aside to help me. And I don’t have the words to adequately express how much that means to me, Xaldin.”

Once again Lauriam started to blush, but the softer pink on his cheeks just looked pleased this time. “I told you before you’re someone I always feel safe with, even when I don’t feel safe with myself. You’re an invaluable part of my life, and I love you, Xaldin. Thank you.”

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ

ʕ•͡///•ʔ

ʕ•͡///•ʔ Awww, you don’t have to thank me dandelion.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ I don’t think I find this as hard as the other two do, if I’m honest.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Nothing’s been ‘hard’ since those first few weeks you kissed me…

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ Except maybe the day we slept together at the tavern.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ But that wasn’t you, that was me getting in my own damn head about stuff.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ You?

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ None of it's been hard, Flower. 

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ It’s easy cause it’s you.

Okay, now Lauriam’s blush ramped back up, but he could only let out a laugh as he grinned off to the side. “I might not have to, but I want to. You shouldn’t only be thanked when your efforts feel like a burden.” Looking back up at the bear, Lauriam’s eyes went lidded. “...and I think I might call you out on that. There were more than a few issues going on even after I woke up in Maya’s manor.”

He huffed another laugh. “...okay, this does feel a lot better than apologizing. Thanks, guys.”

“Yeah, I was going to say, you literally just talked about how hard this was, like, twenty minutes ago,” Dilan said dryly, poking Xaldin.

ʕ•͡ω•ʔ I’m being romantic, leave me the fuck alone.

But the atmosphere had shifted. It had been too hard twenty minutes ago, the reality of the situation crushing the group. Dilan floundering for something to say, Xaldin trying to brute force everyone into feeling better, Marluxia offended by the disregard for him while Lauriam was burying himself in guilt that only made the others feel worse, trying to navigate it.

It had been suffocating, simply because there truly was no way to just… undo everything that had happened. Ensure it wouldn’t happen again. Those things were impossible for them. Pretending otherwise just made it harder.

But being grateful for each other… there for each other? That was a different thing, than placing blame and struggling futility against their reality. It just…in some ways, reminded them during a hard moment, what they still had. Comfort in each other. 

There’d be hard moments again. Like Even said, that was just reality now. It wouldn’t always be Lauriam’s seizures, but it would sometimes be that. It’d be Dilan struggling with what he was willing to give to the others. It’d be Xaldin furious and acting out. It’d be Marluxia, screaming to the sky. It’d be something… 

But there’d be moments like this again too.

And these moments counted.

-

This was more an adventure for Kaito at this point, than it was Miyako. 

Miyako was just a little baby out about town, strolling through the park on her little baby feetsies, mostly steadied by the little baby wheelie seat that Miu had made for her. It had, originally, come with an engine and a cord that would in theory turn it into a little baby automatic carriage, but Kaito had immediately gone to Souda and begged for help taking it off. And now it was just Miyako’s cool little steady chair that allowed her to practice walking until she could figure out balance on her own.

And boy was she walking… and walking… and walking…

Kaito knew he should have stopped her when they got to the park edge. But he was so damn curious how far she’d go as she toddled out into the town streets, bouncing in her little chair as she kicked the floor. Atua smite him, she literally hadn’t looked back once to see if Kaito was still there. Was it because she was feeling him? Kaito had no idea. It sure looked like she just didn’t think it mattered, if she was alone or not. She was booking it. 

Where the heck was she going? 

There were more than a few stares, some surprised and some delighted, as the baby started rolling down the sidewalk of the market. Kaito wondered idly if she was this strong that she could ‘walk’ this far, if maybe it was time to let her out of the baby wheel seat. He suspected she could manage walking a few steps at least, by this point. Look at her powerful baby legs go! She would have to get tired at some point, right!?

A few of the vendors were peeking over their market stalls, curiously watching the baby go by. Miyako was unimpressed and unconcerned with most of them, until she stalled in front of one. Looking up curiously, something having caught her attention. 

It was the smell. Miyako really, really liked apples. Apple sauce and, these days, apple slices. It was an apple stall. The apples on display in boxes around it. 

Juuuuuust close enough for a little baby to reach out for one of the apples, as the vendor watched her in open amusement…

“Uh, one apple, please.” Kaito said, watching as Miyako clumsily but determinedly grabbed the stem of one of the apples, pulling it towards her. “How much?”

“Just one apple? Eh, bit of a hassle to make change for that. Just take one.” The vendor said, shrugging, eyes entirely on Miyako, who now that she had an apple was a little bewildered on how to get to the good bit. Her little nubby baby gums not good for eating apples without help. “She yours?”

“Mhm~” Kaito hummed, kneeling down and pulling out a small blade from his pocket, Miyako looking startled to see him as he took her apple and started to cut it into pieces, placing it back down on the shelving of her wheely seat, “And thanks. You know, I think you gave me an apple my very first day in the city? Next time I’ll buy a bundle.”

“Did I? Eh, what’s one apple, sometimes.” The vendor shrugged. Smiling warmly as the baby began to triumphantly gnaw on her apple slices. Her adventure into the market place a success!! “Yeah, it’s easy to tell you’re her dad at a second glance. Dead ringer for you.”

“Heh, that’s what people say,” Kaito grinned, endlessly pleased… before chuckling as Miyako, now with her prize of apple slices, immediately started booking it down the sidewalk again, “Gotta run. Thanks again!”

-

To say Chisa’s life had been ruined was, in her opinion, an understatement. 

She had thought often and, sometimes, very seriously, about just ending it all. She thought about it so much that it became almost an impulse. When she had gotten onto the boat to Wonderland, she had considered it idly–idly, like an afterthought, like when one half considers a walk through the park on a sunny day–almost every time she had gone up to the deck, peering down at the water as it turned from bright blue, to darker blue, to green, to a purple and red…

“The red sea is how you know you’re getting close to Wonderland,” a ship hand who Chisa suspected found her charming to look at told her, as she stared down at the strange mixture of red and purple in the ocean shift below them. “There’s a myth that Wonderland gets all of their wine from the ocean floor, but nah, it’s not true.”

“Checked, did you?” Chisa asked, voice monotone. 

“Hah!” the sailor laughed boisterously, like she had made a joke, “You’re a real card!” 

Maybe she’d grab him and throw herself into the ocean with him. Give the sailor a kiss on the way down, as a reward for dying with her. People would think it was romantic. Myths would be made around her. A siren had snuck onto the ship, dressed as a human, luring sailors to drink wine with them in the ocean deep…

That had been a long time ago. Chisa didn’t remember how long anymore. She had denounced time, at some point through her journey to Wonderland. She couldn’t remember when she had done that, but it had seemed to stick. One day, aloud, she had said, “I think I’m quite done with time as a concept.” And ever since? She never even noticed when a clock was in the room. Wasn’t sure if she could read them either. Hadn’t tried. She never saw a calendar. Never noticed a date on a pamphlet or newspaper. She was barely conscious of when the sun rose or set.

Chisa couldn’t tell if she had lost her mind, or if time was just not that easy to track in Wonderland society. She had once, staring a long time at a knife as she sat on a bed that was hers for the night, wondered if it was the little Dicean prince, playing some trick on her. A bit of vengeance. Marrying him off to one ruined prince, in exchange for no longer being able to track time.

Chisa didn’t consider it seriously. Head Secretary Tengan had been very earnest, convincing her that the Dicean prince didn’t have the reputation to take vengeance, and that the necklace around her neck would protect her from Empath influence anyway. Chisa had tossed the necklace into the ocean back when it was blue, challenging the prince to do his worse.

She thought it was pathetic that he hadn’t. Even with all the power in the world, the little princling was still just as cowardly and helpless as his body suggested he was. Chisa imagined the Momota boy was miserable, with a husband like that. Weak, unwilling to take action. 

How did he change Tengan into… that? Then?

Chisa didn’t know. She didn’t know anything. She couldn’t even keep track of the day.

…how had this narrative started?

Right.

Her life had been ruined. She had denounced time. She was in Wonderland, where the sea was red. 

Tengan–Kazuo, as he kept insisting she call him–had assured her she’d be safe in Wonderland. That he had secured work for her, a home. Chisa would work for a Dutchess, as her personal assistant. She was due to have a child soon, and she needed additional help maintaining her home during the trying time. That once Chisa arrived to Wonderland, she’d go there, and no Flora, nor Empath, nor Luminary Assassin, would be able to find her there. Chisa free from her past, ready to start a new life.

Chisa had stepped off the ship that she hadn’t thrown herself off of, and hadn’t bothered looking for the servant that was meant to meet her at the dock, to guide her to her new home. She just walked off and kept walking. Carrying her bag of essentials and a purse. Heels already cracked and worn by that point clicking against the black tile stone.

“Why is the stone black?” An innkeeper had asked, bewildered, “Next you’ll ask me why we paint the flowers black! You’re on one of the Black Queen’s territories! Pretty deep into the square too, I’m surprised you wandered this far off course.”

“...the black queen?” Chisa asked, frowning, “I thought the queen went by the title Red queen.”

“Hmph! If you believe the word of the usurpers, maybe! But you just wait! The Black queen is going to end up ruling all of the territories someday! First she just has to win all the traveling territories from the White queen, and once that’s done? The Red Queen and Yellow Queen don’t stand a chance!”

Four Queens was too many queens. And Luminary only recognized the Red queen. Chisa hadn’t even realized there were ‘other’ queens within the kingdom. It all sounded very stupid. 

…Chisa had been going to rule a country.

How did we start this narrative again?

Chisa’s life had been ruined. She had been picked by the Head Secretary to be his direct assistant. He had been mentoring her. Chisa was going to be Head Secretary someday. Head Secretary Tengan was getting old, the sort of old where one had to consider what the future would look like without you, and a new Head Secretary needed to be prepped to step in for him any year now. 

He had singled Chisa out when she was young. When she was just a young lawyer, in her first firm, aspiring to be a Secretary someday. She had done some legal work for the king alongside her senior partner, and Tengan had observed her, and told her she was something else. Special. A prodigy in the making. 

With the right refinement, he had said, she could do amazing things.

Chisa had eagerly accepted a job offer to be his assistant. With his guidance, she had become a Secretary at record speeds. She assisted him still, reporting directly to him, his number one in command for everything he did. The assistant to the assistant to the King. The ear for the voice of the monarch. The voice of the monarch. The monarch.

How did we start this story again?

Once upon a time, two spoiled, stupid princes both ran away from their power and privilege to go pretend to be poor for a day, and met, and fought bitterly. They were like water and oil, entirely unsuitable for each other, and Chisa had recommended to her mentor, well, if their relationship was already ruined, perhaps control would be easier to estrange them further. Prince Kaito was an easily cowed whore that, despite everything, his family still doted on. Prince Kokichi already had a reputation for being weak and unreliable and already didn’t have the trust of the people from his conception. Subdue Kokichi, blackmail Kaito, and Dicea was practically theirs. A new puppet colony. 

It’d be easy. Simple. All the characters just had to be exactly who they were…

“ I can’t fix you,” Kazuo had said sadly, “I would need to destroy you. Rebuild you. All I can do is take away the more obvious constructs, but… I don’t know what there will be left. When I do.”

Chisa’s life had been ruined. She lived in a kingdom now full of ruined women who once thought they were going to run a kingdom. She sometimes thought that was funny. Not enough to laugh. Chisa hadn’t laughed in a long time. Not since the day she waited to be gutted in the Dicean dining hall. Waiting to be struck down by an enraged, silly prostitute who thought he was a prince. As if his job wasn’t literally just to fuck another prince now. Chisa had practically been doing him a favor. His husband had hated him, up until that point. Chisa had sold Kaito to Kokichi as an adequate bed warmer. He had just needed to be convinced he wanted that. And Kaito had been accepted.

Chisa’s life had been ruined. She had realized that the moment she had been accused of drugging Kokichi’s drink. She hadn’t bothered to hide it. Accusing her was already a massive step to take, she didn’t think anyone would believe her if she denied it by that point. So she had realized her life was ruined and that she was not going to be Head Secretary after all, and she had seen the princes’ arrive to the dining hall, both looking like two beaten dogs, the princling looking half dead, the prostitute looking like a fussing nurse who didn’t know the first thing about his job, and she had laughed at them, and gotten pushed into the wall, and idly–idly, idly, idly–waited to die. 

That was the last time it was funny. There were moment on the trip where she had pretended to have a good time, but then, having a good time among that slaughter was how you stayed alive through it. Chisa followed Tengan’s death march to Danganronpa and thought to herself idly–I was going to be Head Secretary. The voice of the king. I was going to…

Chisa didn’t know where she was now. The flowers were painted red, so probably one of the Red Queen's territories, but that actually didn’t mean much. The queens constantly took territory from each other, and for the citizens to keep track of which queen they served now, the roads and stones and houses and flowers were all painted the color of their current monarch. The citizens were surprisingly on board, each time the color changed. If the White queen got a new territory, citizens who had been praising the Red queen the day before would boast of their new status as they painted their doors white. Covering the red. Which covered the black. Which covered the yellow.

Wonderland was a kingdom with four queens and no loyalty. 

It was a land of no time and no purpose.

Somewhere, a Dutchess had a baby, and was very annoyed her new servant never arrived.

Somewhere, one of the many lost rulers of Luminary wandered the ever shifting colorful landscape. 

How did this fairytale start? 

Once upon a time, a stupid girl with dreams in her head followed a white rabbit down a hole that, eventually, eventually, had led to a place called Wonderland…

-

O.O

O.O

O.O

OoO Hello!

OOO I’m AMAINA CHAN! 

OoO I am very small and cute

O.O and P O W E R…

O.O

O.O

OvO wanna play a game?

Ventus blinked, staring at the little, floating fairy-like creature. “...What kind of game?”

-

OOO IT’LL BE A SUPER SCARY, SUPER EDGY, SUPER HORNY–

“Pass,” Shuichi sighed, crossing his arms, “Can I wake up now?”

“Come on, Shuichi, hear her out! One of those things sounded fun!” Kaito grinned, nudging his husband a little. 

“I’m sure a game headed by you would be a ton of fun,” Kokichi smiled at Amaina, before tugging the back of his hair sheepishly, “But I’m not sure how much fun of a player I’d be. I don’t want to ruin things for everyone else because I can ‘problem solve’ in a way that could break the game.”

That said, though…

Kokichi tilted his head, thinking before a more impish smile turned up his lips. “...if you need a merchant, though? Games where you progressively get power-ups are a lot of fun!” He turned to Shuuichi, smile only growing more coy. “And it’d be really fun being a cool seller of items and spells with a rivalry against the master wizard who has a totally different ethos of spells to give our adventurers.”

“Oh… hmmm.” Shuichi hummed, considering that idea as he lightly tapped his chin. “That does sound more fun…”

“What, hey! Come on, I don’t wanna be a merchant the whole time.” Kaito pouted.

OoO I can use both NPCs and players! 

OoO You two could be your funky little salesman/wizards selves

OoO And dungeon prisoner could be something liiiiiiiike–

-

“I feel a little offended at the implication I’d be a villain in your story, Amaina Chan,” Dr. Mariah said, smiling lightly in amusement, “Is it the ‘demon’ thing? It’s a bit of a stereotype.”

OOO WOW FORGIVE ME FOR WANTING YOU TO BE A COOL SEXY DEMON QUEEN

OoO I just thought you’d want to do something new

OoO Since you two won the last game.

“That last game…?” Dr. Mariah frowned, “...Amaina, we were fighting for our literal lives then. That wasn’t a game.”

Mike knew about Empaths, thank you very much, and especially since the Dream and knowing there were psychics all around him, he had read up on these sorts of things. 

It was still weird as hell to suddenly be aware in a dream, and even more to be in one with Ava and…uh. This Amaina thing. That he sort of remembered. 

Still looking around with wonder, Mike sniffed. “You barely even set that thing up too. I remember you sobbing and moaning about not being able to do shit, and being all worried about what was going on, like the rest of us.” But if it was something she set up?

Mike finally looked back at Amaina, his eyes gleaming. “...could we have cool tech in the game? And I wouldn’t have to be bipedal if you’re asking Ava to openly be a demon, right?”

QnQ

QOQ LIES I NEVER CRY

OoO But see? You two would make great villains! 

OOO AND YOU ALREADY DID THE HERO THING

OoO But yeah, everyone can be explained away by game rules

O.O have all the legs you want

O.O

OOO WOULD YOU LIKE EIGHT LEGS???

-

“Sheesh, would you stop yelling?” Xaldin winced, sticking his pinky in his ear, “You know it being musical shouting doesn’t make it less annoying, yeah?”

OOO LIES

OoO I sound amaaaazing.

“I’m still struggling to understand what sort of game you’re inviting us to,” Even frowned, “What, will we be asked to give up a night of sleep to play make believe at each other? Sounds like a waste.”

OoO noooo no no no no that’d be silly…

O.O

OOO I’M GONNA ASK FOR TWO HOURS A NIGHT

OvO Until someone wins

ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ THIS SOUNDS LIKE A BLAST!! A REAL DUNGEON CRAWLING, ASS-KICKING ADVENTURE!!

( •̀ ◡ •́ ) THAT ISN’T A BUNCH OF POTENTIAL LEGAL TROUBLE OR WOULD MAYBE GET US ARRESTED

“What you’re talking about does sound like a bunch of fights,” Marluxia noted, an intrigued look starting to shine through his attempts of neutrality. “I could use an excuse to stretch my legs, things have been way too cramped lately.”

ㅍ_ㅍ I already agreed to help with your game, so this is a more explicit yes, Amaina.

“It does sound intriguing,” Ienzo hummed in agreement, tapping his Lexicon. “All sorts of people in a collaborative psychic space and enacting their own wills within it? We have been deeply intrigued about the massive psychic collaboration you were involved with before, but since we cannot look at those memories, this would be a rare opportunity to get to observe such a phenomenon.”

“This sounds cool! But, uh, not to be a bummer like the old man,” Demyx said, grinning from the safety of being beside his boyfriends, Even just glaring at him from the other side, “What kind of game is this? You said we’re going to be playing until someone ‘wins’. What does that mean?”

Ψ(☆ｗ☆)Ψ Yeah! How do I win!?

OoO I’ll explain the rules in detail the first night of the game, but ultimately??

OOO COLLECTING ARTIFACTS

OvO Gotta collect them all!

“Oh…” Axel frowned, tilting his head a bit, “That’s… pretty straightforward. How many do we have to collect? 

OvO

OvO;;

OvO Like 8 to 10.

“You don’t know??” Dilan frowned, crossing his arms, “How well have you planned this out yet, if you don’t even know the winning criteria?”

OOO;; ENOUGH

O.O Just waiting for my bosses to decide who’s playing.

-

“Bosses?” Arven asked, he and Doppio having long agreed to play Amaina’s game, just listening to her ramble about recruiting her players. “Who’s the bosses?”

OoO you all haven’t met them

OOO BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT AS SOCIAL AS ME

O.O I know everyone

“True,” Doppio agreed with a sheepish laugh, “So you’re just finalizing things with them? I feel like designing a whole supervillain persona could be fun, but I know I wouldn’t be able to take it seriously enough for the tone you’re setting, Angelo. Glad you found people who want to commit to it.”

“Some people live for the bit,” Josie chuckled, of course having agreed to the game ages ago. “I would’ve been happy to fill in for another enemy, but it sounds like you found a whole crew. Still, just lemme know if you need a surprise betrayal plot.”

As Josie winked at Amaina, Doppio just shook his head a little before giving the group an excited look. “A-and I’ve gotten way better with my own abilities, so that ‘pause’ thing you asked for before, I think I can pull it off! One more mechanic included.”

OOO I NEED PLAYERS

OoO Got NPCs out the BUTTERBALL HOLE

O.O;; wasn’t expecting to be so efficient at recruiting npcs. 

OOO I’M TOO INFLUENTIAL

“Yeah, that’s probably the problem,” Arven said dryly, before pausing, “...so we don’t know the bosses personally, and we don’t know a lot of the Empaths. Anyone else outside of our friend group you’re inviting?”

O.O

-

OOO DO YOU WANNA PLAY A GAME?!

“Gah!” Sebastian gasped, falling off the dock and into the water, “Gah!”

“Sebastian! You took the whiskey bottle with you! NOOOOO!” Abigail wailed.

O.O

OoO I’ll wait.

“Oh, hey Amaina,” Sam greeted with a sniff before he leaned half off the dock, plunging his arms into the lake, trying to feel around for--ahh, there’s the hoodie he knows and loves~ With a series of grunts and huffs, he tried to pull Sebastian back up to the surface, all the while introducing, “Abby, this is Amaina, one of my bandmates, Amaina, Abigail and Sebastian.”

“--achoo!! Aw damnit…”

Fishing around for his friend again, Sam asked through a sniffle, “What kind of game?”

-

“...I don’t think I want to play a horror game,” Maki decided.

QOQ WHAT!?

QoQ Nooooooooooo

QOQ I WAS EXPECTING YOU TO BE MY HEAVY HITTER 

OoO Why not?

Amaina and Maki were ‘fishing’ in a lake, when Amaina had proposed her game to the dragon-wielding P O W E R house. Amaina, certain Maki would love it, had proposed Maki join a game where her abilities would be a clear advantage, ripping through a hellish landscape to take out the other opponents and face the concept of divinity itself! 

Maki had listened to the whole thing patiently, pretending to fish. It had been Maki who had proposed the fishing scenario. She didn’t actually want to catch any fish though, and no fish bought their lines, as Maki asked, “Why do you want to play a game like that?”

O.O

OoO Because it’ll be fun?

“It doesn’t sound fun. Fighting, struggling, starving and facing impossible odds where any day some minor mistake or hiccup or moment of exhaustion could get you or others killed…” Maki frowned, “...I suppose some aspects of it are enjoyable. But for the most part? It’s just suffering. Are you playing this game yourself?”

OoO Yes! I wanna play it too

“Why create and participate in a game that just sounds like suffering?” Maki asked.

O.O

O.O

OoO I wanna be more like you

Maki sighed, reeling in her line, before flicking her wrists. Watching it go out again. Kaito had been right. Fishing was sort of soothing. She still didn’t want to catch anything. “I thought it was something like that. But I did think it’d take more for you to say it.”

OoO Everyone else gets to grow up

O.O Change

OoO But I’m always going to be me

O.O

OoO Small and cute

o.o dreams

O.O

OOO AND THAT’S USUALLY AWESOME DON’T GET ME WRONG

OoO but that night with that stupid mean queen and her stupid magic friend

O.O When I was trapped and struggling?

O.O Afraid?

O.O ….it was the first time I ever felt… different

OoO Older

O.O Changed.

“Change isn’t always a good thing,” Maki said, staring out the horizon, “And it’s rarely enough. I’ll admit it, when I was a teenager? I felt similarly about it. It wasn’t enough that my life was already hard, that I was already being tested and punished and my life in danger… I still wanted more. I was like you. I thought if I challenged myself more, put myself through more, conquered more? I would change into someone amazing. Someone I wanted to be. That it’d all be worth it, to grow up into someone incredible.”

O.O

OoO But you did

“I did,” Maki said tiredly, “And I guess it was worth it. I became someone I needed to be. I did things that were worthwhile… but I’m not ‘better’. I never became that person I imagined, when I put myself through all those trials and obstacles. I think that’s the issue with that mentality… it feels like there’s an end point? But there isn’t. You’re never good enough that you get to stop struggling. You just struggle more, and get to the point where you can’t keep up with it anymore. And you become a little more destroyed, every time you try to be better.”

O.O

OoO I guuuuueeeees

OoO But I’m not even CLOSE to that point!!

OOO I HAD ONE NIGHT OF BECOMING A LITTLE COOLER

O.O I hunger for more

O.O ………..also I need your dragon breath help

Maki suddenly leaned her head back and sighed. Loudly. “What?”

QOQ IT’S A BIG TOUGH MIND MELD GAME THING WITH LIKE A THOUSAND PLAYERS WHO ALL NEED SAFE TEMPORARY MIND WIPES IT’S A LOOOOT

QoQ I can do it with Dragon Breath!

“That happened once because Miyako’s life was literally in danger, and we were all falling into a coma. You want that for a nightly game now??”

QOQ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE IT’LL MAKE ME MORE COOL AND RESPONSIBLE IN THE LONG RUN!!

QOQ PLEASE I JUST NEED A LITTLE

QPQ I WANNA PLAY MY GAME SOOOOO BADLY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEAS–

“You know what? Sure. I take it all back, maybe you do need some artificial suffering.” Maki grumbled, “If you’re willing to risk being eaten by an ancient dragon every play night that I have literally no control over? Yes. You can use me as a boost.”

QVQ YAAAAAAAAY!!!

QvQ

OoO okay but seriously she won’t eat me right?

“We’ll find out.”

-

u_u

( ◎⃝⃘ )   .   ( ◎⃝⃘ )

( ◎⃝⃘ )   O   ( ◎⃝⃘ )

O H H H Yeah

( ◎⃝⃘ )   u   ( ◎⃝⃘ )

There we go

-

Almost fifty people went to sleep the next night. And when they ‘opened their eyes’, they stood in a town square, with cobblestone lined well beneath their feet. Brick buildings loomed around them, both harsh in their structure, and yet somehow charming in their design, little colorful triangle flags offsetting the harshness of the heavy wood and thick brick design. Looming over them was a bright, beautiful clock, with multiple colors indicating different times on the clock.

None of this was the first thing anyone noticed.

The first thing they noticed was a giant moon staring down at them, far too close in the sky and with manic eyes clenching too many teeth in what could generously be called a grin, but in truth was more a grimace. Like a god had peeked down through the stars to see its people up close, and had winced at what it had seen.

( ◎⃝⃘ ) = ( ◎⃝⃘ )

Hello, 

said the moon, 

And welcome to Amaina’s Game.

“...Amaina, I’m having second thoughts again,” Shuichi called up to the moon.

QOQ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

QoQ I’ve worked so hard on this

“Oh! You’re over there,” Shuichi observed from the crowd, frowning as he realized Amaina was hovering near the base of the clock tower, “...are you both there and being the moon?”

OoO Nah that’d be too hard

OoO I outsourced that to the staff.

OoO I mean I’m still helping with setup?? 

OOO BUT I CAN’T BE THE MOON AND A PLAYER!

O.O Too hard

“Oh, are you playing with us Amaina!? That’s exciting!” Sora called, before glancing at a guy next to him, shaking like a leaf, “...hey, are you okay? You know this is fake, right?”

“I-I-I w-w-was t-t-t-told,” Dimitri trembled, staring in fascinated horror up at the moon, “I g-g-guess it w-w-wasn’t a j-j-joke.”

“Hey, does anyone know this guy? I think he’s gonna pass out,” Riku called, patting the blond reassuringly on the back.

“You’re good, man,” Josie said reassuringly, joining in with Riku on the back pats. “It’s just like really, really good costumes and set-design, I told ya.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” Kaito murmured, staring up at the moon, before cupping his hands over his mouth and shouting, “HEY MOON! WHO ARE YOU!?”

( ◎⃝⃘ ) = ( ◎⃝⃘ )

Depends. 

OoO Everyone! First, before anything, meet three of the game’s biggest helpers! 

OvO Amaina’s Little Helpers! 

“We didn’t agree to that name,” Alter Ego said, stepping out from one of the numbers of the Clocktower, resting on the big hand. “Hello everyone. I’m Alter Ego. Yes, I’m a cat.”

“Oh, hell yeah!” Demyx called from the crowd, “That’s awesome!”

“Thank you,” Alter Ego said, “I’m one of the volunteers reffing the game. If anyone wants some clarity on rules, or softlocks themselves, or just seems like they’re particularly struggling and needs either a timeout or to be let out? You’ll see me, a golden cat, appear to your character to check in on you. I will also sometimes be the Moon, along with my partner here.”

“Good day,” Temp said, stepping out from a different number, standing on the small hand as he peered down into the crowd, his face hidden beneath a cloak, “I am the Templar. Same as Alter Ego, but one thing I’ll specialize in is helping with the death process. Not the ‘dying’ process, different person. But I’ll make sure based on the rules the right things happen when you die.”

“...I’m sorry, the fuck do you mean WHEN we die?” Larxene called out, “Do we die in this game?!”

“Oh my god, do we die in real life?!” Demyx shouted.

“...no?” Alter Ego said, looking down at Amaina, “Didn’t you explain?”

OoO That’s what today is for.

OOO WHERE’S MY THIRD LITTLE HELPER?

“I feel as though I’m missing thematic or cultural apparel to fit that moniker,” Ienzo drawled, sitting on the center screw of the clock face with his Lexicon in his hands. However, he lifted one to give the crowd a small wave. (Or just Demyx one, really.) “Hello, I’m Ienzo. I may help Alter Ego or the Templar if they require assistance, but for the most part I will be working behind the scenes, ensuring the ‘game rules’ for this ‘board’ remain fair and consistent, including but not limited to the abilities and available actions you will have your characters take. I’m a sort of real time ‘game balance’, if you will.”

Puffing himself up--a bit unneeded, since while Mike had already planned it for his character, he had asked Amaina if even in the ‘downtime’ during the game he could look more like an older teenager to the others, not wanting to have to deal with a bunch of strangers playing a horror game with a kid--Mike grinned fiercely at the crowd. “To help these guys do their jobs easier, one of the in-game setting pieces is that my character’s created basically live-feed video sentries across the ‘board’. So, our refs are going to be ‘tuning in’ to that to keep an eye on what’s going on everywhere at the same time.”

OoO Ah that’s a good next point!

OOO MEET MY BEAUTIFUL NPCS

OoO You all know who you are! Head out of the crowd and show off at the base of the clock tower! Introduce yourselves!

With that request, several people in the crowd moved through it, heading to the base of the tower and turning back to the rest of the crowd, giving them a wave, a few posing. 

Kaito waved his husbands off as they headed to the lineup, before raising an eyebrow at the teen who just spoke. Leaning to Josie, he whispered, “Hey, is he in your school? And the girl next to him?”

Wearing a high top ponytail, a short skirt, and round, clearly just fashion-spec glasses, Ava blew some bubble gum, popping it before nodding with Mike. “The cameras are, like, sooooo cool. The weird birds you all are going to eventually notice have a different mechanic associated with me. You’ll have to find that one out the hard way~” she said, blowing another bubble… before giggling a little to herself. Feeling very teenager.

“Never seen them before if they are,” Josie gamely whispered back, clearly unconcerned. There were a lot of people here he didn’t know, and considering everyone here was invited by Amaina? There could be people from halfway around the globe and the only issue would be sleep schedules. 

As Mike smirked fondly at Ava, giving her an approving nod at her crypticness, Kokichi’s bright, nasally voice spoke up. “My mechanic isn’t so obfuscated--hi everyone!! I’m Kokichi and you’ll find me around the board as one of your item merchants! I’m not an acting referee, but if someone needs help I’ll definitely reach out to our refs!”

Seeing the prince turn, prompting the rest of them to just go down the line, Aeleus gave the crowd a nod. “I am Aeleus, and I will be assisting in some of the weapon and ability power-ups in the game, as well as indicating a non-combat ‘safe area’ within the setting.”

Doppio, who hadn’t caught onto the pattern, nodded a bit as he listened to the other NPCs, before, noticing the eyes on him, jolted slightly. “Oh! Uh, right! I’m Doppio, I’m uh, I wanted to play Amaina’s game without being a player, mostly, so you might just see me exploring the world! A-and I’m backup for a few logistical things. Angelo’s put a ton of work into this, so please enjoy playing!!”

Arven waved gamely at Doppio, giving him an encouraging smile. Doing a great job! 

Shuichi sighed, raising his hand next, “I’m Shuichi, and I’m a bit like Kokichi, but with magical items. I will also alert the refs if I see anything off. And while I’m entirely biased on who I want to win, I won’t let it affect how much my items cost too much.”

“What does ‘too much’ mean?” Axel called.

“LOVE YOU HANDSOME!” Kaito called.

“Too much.” Shuichi said again, shrugging. “Just a little bit.”

The other NPCs also gave their names and a brief explanation of who they’d be, though some were clearly more cryptic than others. Namine bowed alongside Ansem and explained she would be able to heal some more serious wounds, for a while. Luis and Isa both admitted they mostly just wanted to be involved, nothing fancy from them other than running some businesses. Even talked more about how he wanted to observe the game than be an NPC, briefly mentioning he would be a scientist. Xigbar just giggled and said people would be excited to see him around. 

“That’s probably not a good sign,” Ira sighed to Invi. 

OoO Alright! That’s the staff all shown off! 

OvO Now for the exciting part! 

OVO

OOO;; WATCH YOUR FEET 

It was a hurried warning, as at their feet on the town square suddenly started to shine a map, forming as if it were being painted in that exact moment. The players, realizing they needed to see the whole thing, quickly started to spread out, watching in fascination as a massive map painted itself into the stone.

OvO Welcome to Termina

And then, stepping off the clock tower, Amaina fell to the floor, and when she landed, she straightened up as a fully formed woman, with long twin-tail aqua blue hair, as she walked to the center of the map and twirled. “THIS… took the LONGEST PART OF THIS GAME oh my god you all have NO IDEA!” Amaina laughed, spinning again before gesturing to the map, “Look, look! The places all have names! It’s almost entirely filled! Each place even has a neat little backstory! And you all are going to look through all the places now, read their little backstories, and theeeeeen,” Amaina smiled, practically hopping at her feet, “Make a character for the place you want to start in!”

Dimitri looked down at the map in fascination. Eyes wide with wonder. “...what kind of characters are we roleplaying?”

“Hey I really wanna go back to that whole ‘dying’ question?” Demyx called. 

“Yes, you can die in the game, no, you don’t die in real life. Death has its own mechanics! It’s part of the game!” Amaina huffed, pouting a little, “Be more excited! It’s not even roleplaying! For an hour every night, you’ll literally BE the characters! Isn’t that exciting!?”

“...be the characters?” Kairi called, frowning in concern, “...like. Believe we’re the characters?”

“Yes!” Amaina said happily.

“Believe we’re the characters who are actually going to die?” Arven called out.

“Yippy~!” Amaina said cheerfully.

“I think she’s not picking up why we’re worried,” Xaldin noticed. 

“Soooooo actuuuuaaaally,” Ava called, raising her hand, “We’ve all talked about it and that’s why we need two hours every play session. One is going to be for playing, where you all think you’re the characters, right? But the second one is just basically all of us coming back here, like this, to chat about how the session went. Self-actualize again, do some reassurance, recontextualize things that were dramatic or alarming into something fun again through observation and reflection with people we trust–”

“Aftercare!” Kaito said excitedly. 

“He’s got it.” Ava nodded, popping her bubblegum. “So long as we stick to that routine? Should be fine.”

Ienzo hummed in agreement. “We’re all here because Amaina-chan invited us, and we took the invitation with the intent of playing a game. While that knowledge may be forgotten in the midst of action, taking the time each session to remember it and refocus on the concept that we’re playing together will be beneficial not just for any trauma that may occur, but for hurt feelings that would be expected even in less immersive games. I’m sure some among us simply want to win--”

Sneering, Marluxia flipped Ienzo off, since the little nerd looked right at him as he said that.

“--but even in that pursuit, I believe it’s safe to say none among us would wish harm upon anyone else. The actuality of the game is safe, despite what it may feel like playing it.”

“And that’s why we have our refs!” Kokichi chimed in. “So if anyone really starts to not feel safe, we can pause the game and talk things out.”

Looking up from the map, Linnea smiled kindly at Amaina. “If I can claim a spot, I’d like to start in Neveram Village, as a seasoned defender of the crypts. Perhaps my call to adventure would be as a guide for someone daring to confront Godwyn, though my character would have her own ambitions, rather than just being a plot device,” she snickered, delicately covering her mouth. 

“Heck yeah! OI! LITTLE HELPERS!” Amaina called up to the clocktower, “Come down here and write her character down in the book! Everyone~” Amaina said, looking around, “To get your character settled, just talk to one of us. Me and the little helpers! We’ll manage how many people are going where and balancing and all that boring mechanical stuff, just have fun and be creative! If everyone can decide on a character early enough? We might even play a little bit of the actual game tonight!”

There was some general murmuring, the group all looking back down to the map, reading the descriptions of the towns. There wasn’t a lot on the bosses, but it was easy to get a sense that some towns meant you’d be facing certain bosses, unless the character tried something wacky, and it wasn’t long before certain groups started chatting to each other, brainstorming.

Kaito stared down at the map, thinking about what Ienzo said… and hurried over to his husbands, who were chatting to the side. 

“Hey, hey, hey!” Kaito grinned at them, clearly referring to them both, but also more clearly looking at Kokichi as he said, “Hey, sooooooo… sooooooooooo… would you guys be… disappointed in me if I… wasn’t the most super chill dude in the game?”

“Super chill in what way?” Shuichi said, narrowing his eyes, “You’re not doing anything ‘horny’. Over my dead body. I will break character and pull you out of this game in a heartbeat–”

“No, no, I won’t, I promise!” Kaito said, not sure if he could promise that–not with no memory of promising–-but figuring it probably wouldn’t come up in the short play times regardless, “I mean, like… if my character was an asshole? Who wanted to win?”

Many others were quick to secure their starting spots once Linnea got the ball rolling, not wanting to be left or re-balanced into a bad area, though some were more contemplative, wanting to think through what sort of character and strategy they wanted to play with. Marluxia had first been looking at Corona, as the closest starting town to a boss, but with a few teasing comments he had gnashed his teeth and demanded Ienzo to reserve his spot in Scaduview, not about to let anyone imply he couldn’t win with a rough start. Terra was a bit more contemplative--Aqua had decided that if everyone else was going to play, then she’d (mostly) sit out to keep an eye on the physical world--but felt relieved by the smug grin Amaina had given him, right after Ventus chose his starting place. 

Kokichi and Shuuichi, for their parts, had decided to liven up their in-game rivalry by being on opposite side of the map, at least to start, Shuuichi thriving among witches and wizards in Luna Burgh while Kokichi investigated the false peace near Unir-Elim, before looking over as Kaito called out to them. And for the question he asked, Kokichi looked momentarily surprised before coming in to give Kaito a hug. 

“Awwww, cute… Kai-chan, I’d break the game if I tried to play as a player or a boss, and it’s too much hassle for Shuu-chan. So for us?” Kokichi grinned wide, not entirely kindly. “Take the whole win, sweetie.”

Kaito beamed happily at Kokichi’s hug… and then grinned with all of his teeth. Giving both of them a quick kiss before hurrying back to the map.

-

It was a beautiful day in Ghibli’s village. A bright, sunny day, cooled by a gentle breeze and the occasional white, overcast cloud. The grass was shimmering beneath Ventus’ feet as he took a long break from his trip bringing groceries home from the market, sitting on a stone half wall with the massive bag that he’d normally be wearing against his back resting at his feet as he munched on an apple, idly watching the village below and around the hills around him.

It was peaceful and scenic, idyllic even… and Ventus couldn’t appreciate any of that. The teen had lived in this quiet, sleepy trading town his whole life. Peaceful existence to the young man little more than another long, dull day as he sighed, looking up towards the sky, bright blue and clear and endless…

When was it going to be Ventus’ turn to have an adventure? He felt like he heard about his old schoolmates all getting their families’ blessing, or even request, to go out and start exploring the opportunities of the world all the time. To the point where there were only a handful of young people left in the town at all. The people of the town sending everyone off looking for ‘hope’ past their own borders, ever since the infertility epidemic. 

But that same reason that everyone else was going off to have adventures? Looking for partners and opportunities outside of the town, since no one in Ghibli could seem to reproduce anymore and hadn’t been able to for over a decade? Was the same reason no one seemed to want Ventus to go anywhere.

It was tough, being the last born surviving baby of an entire village. Everyone had been treating Ventus like the ‘baby’ of the village his whole life, despite the fact that he was already 13 this year! He was basically an adult! He didn’t need to be coddled anymore… he could go out. Join the others. See the world… he was ready! 

It was just no one else wanted him to go… especially…

“Hey!! Ventus!”

Terra’s voice rang out over the pastures as he jogged over to Ventus, a few smithing tools clattering around his waist. Evidently, Terra hadn’t bothered to leave them in the workshop, though whether it was because he saw Ventus passing by from a window, or had simply gotten antsy during work and wanted an impulsive walk was up in the air. 

However, the other item Terra was holding in his hands spoke to the former.

“Hey, hi,” he greeted again once he got to the half-wall, grinning fondly at the young boy. He knew Ventus hated being coddled, had hated it for years even if he seemed to enjoy some of the spoiling the village doted on him with, but it was hard for Terra not to have fondness exude from every part of him when he saw Ventus. 

He and his wife had been expecting a child the same time as Ventus’ parents, before the curse of infertility had blanketed over their village--or, perhaps, he and Darya had been the first to encounter it. When the pregnancy failed, they had been crushed, but Darya had accepted Ventus’ parents’ offer to be their child’s wetnurse, and while Ventus wasn’t their son, a lot of the same wires were hit. The closest thing to a child Terra had. 

“Taking a break from market?” he asked, giving the bag a nod, before snickering, “Aah, I should check out the deals today before everyone snatches everything up. Eh, but work never sleeps--check this out!!”

Leaning towards Ventus, Terra held up one of the twin swords he’d been holding, the blade glinting in the sunlight. “Take a look at that angle, hey? Some of my best work yet, don’t’cha think?”

Ventus didn’t answer–an apple was still lodged between his teeth–but he looked at the blade with open interest, fascinated by the curve. 

There wasn’t a lot of fighting in the village itself–Ventus had literally never seen anyone injured by someone else’s hand before–but weapons were still common, entirely because of the monsters that could wander in from the wildlands on occasion. Strange creatures and shambling beasts, some that even looked eerily humanoid, that occasionally got past the defenses of the borders and threatened the people of the village warranting most households to have a weapon ready and sharp nearby, with at least one person in the household familiar with how to use it.

Ventus’ parents, worried people that they were, hadn’t really wanted Ventus to learn how to fight. They had seen too many babies die right around when Ventus was born, having apparently just barely made the cutoff for when the infertility epidemic had occurred, and then on top of that apparently there had been terrible accidents that had taken the only two other babies that had made the cutoff as they had all gotten older, one child drowning in a creek at 3 and the other caught alone by a monster at 4. Too young for Ventus to remember either of them, but both deep wounds for the village as a whole, which had made Ventus’ parents even more paranoid about keeping him out of danger.

But Terra–an adult so involved in Ventus’ life that Ventus could easily count him and Darya as a second set of parents growing up–had been determined to make sure that Ventus knew how to defend himself, despite his parents’ fears. Terra taking the opposite lesson from the other children's deaths, ensuring Ventus knew how to swim after the first kid’s death, and then ensuring Ventus knew how to wield a blade using the presence of monsters in the world as a strict justification. 

Ventus owed Terra a lot, for not being entirely helpless, as he finished chewing through his apple and whistled, “That’s really cool. Did it finish cooling just today?”

“Yupp! I was thinking of doing a cooling treatment for a rippling finish on the surface, but even our resident eccentrics enjoy more practical weapons than aesthetic ones,” Terra laughed, before giving Ventus a warm look. “And these aren’t for them anyway.”

“I know it’s late. You can blame my awful time management for that…and the fact that it took some time to bring your folks around.” Standing straight off the wall, Terra circled around to face Ventus and knelt in front of him, holding the twin swords across his hands. “Happy birthday, kiddo. Hope you like ‘em.”

It was painfully hard, sending your kids off into the world. Exposing them to the horrors in it you knew were there. That wasn’t even what was happening with Ventus, and he was only 13, but Terra felt that keeping a child in a padded cage was comparable to some of those horrors. 

One day, hopefully not for years, though it would happen, Ventus would leave Ghibli. He’d find his own calling to adventure, have his own life, go on a journey they’d only know about through messages and phone calls. Terra could only hope to prepare Ventus enough that he could face every challenge he met, and in a way that would have Ventus wanting to visit home again someday. 

Ventus gasped, looking at the twin blades with a whole new understanding and awe. “For real!? These are mine!?”

He took the blades, kicking off the wall and feeling the weight of them in his hands. Wow… Backing away from Terra to give himself some space, Ventus practiced moving the blades around. Because of Terra’s work, Ventus had been able to play with a bunch of different types of weapons, when Terra was teaching him, and for some reason, Ventus had always been more suited for shorter weapons, dual weapons helping him balance a posture in his wrists that he favored. His right weapon he could hold with his preferred stance–holding his weapon backwards, the blade pointed behind him–and his left one he could hold more traditionally, the blade pointed forwards, supporting a near spinning movement that Ventus, when he was fighting, tended to naturally fall into in his footwork. 

This showed off well now, Ventus taking a few swings, and finding himself doing full circles, able to see behind himself and in front naturally in this movement. The short blades letting him do this without losing track of where his blades were, the curve allowing him to defend his sides in the spin, both front and back.

They were blades perfectly designed for his natural movements. They made him look like a much better fighter than he was, as Ventus settled from his swings, smiling brightly in excitement… before placing both of them down, and tackling Terra in a hug. “Thank you!” 

“All yours!” Terra brightly assured before he got back up and leaned against the half-wall again, watching as Ventus tried out the swords. From rapiers to daggers, polearm spears to halberds, even taking a few swings of the blacksmith hammer in lieu of a real warhammer around, every weapon that Terra could get his hands on, either made himself or ordered to his shop for someone in town, he tried to carve out time for Ventus to try out.

Some of it was a precaution, the same reason Terra had taught Ventus all he knew about fighting. If the kid was ever in danger, he’d be able to use just about anything around him without hurting himself, and ideally to an effectiveness that could end the fight soon, one way or another. But the other big reason?

Terra watched Ventus circle and strike the air with a proud fondness that felt like bubbles of joy rushing through his body. It was exhilaration and rightness when someone found the weapon they were suited for. Alongside finding your favorite food or trying out an instrument that clicked with you, a type of art that your hands could form as easily as breathing, finding your weapon was just…amazing. And when they had found Ventus’, Terra had been twice as proud. 

Laughing full-heartedly, Terra caught Ventus’ tackling hug and wrapped his arms around him tightly, even lifting Ventus a bit in the bear hug. “You’re welcome!! I’d be a joke of a smith if I never made my favorite guy a personalized weapon--you hittin’ your teens was more of an excuse just for me.” Laughing as he set Ventus back down, Terra ruffled his hair. “Lemme know if they need sharpening or tune-ups, okay? Free of charge for you, of course.”

Ventus laughed–it was NOT a giggle, thank you very much!--but paused when a sound came over the air.

DING! DING! DING!

“Isn’t that the central town bell?” Ventus asked, glancing at his watch with a frown, “But it’s not three o’clock… and it’s still ringing. Is that the alarm bell?”

Terra’s smile faded as he straightened, looking towards the town for a moment before putting a hand on Ventus’ shoulder. “...c’mon, it’s easier to see everything from the ridge. Mai-Mai and Seb don’t usually pull pranks like this, but we should double check.”

-

“Alert! Alert! Uuuuuuh MAJOR alert!” Sebastian called, ringing the bell as he peeked down at the central square, most everyone who had been in the square now having run for their lives, Sebastian ringing the bell for fighters who could help as he shouted, “Monsters have breached the square! In a big way! Amaina, do you need help!?”

Sebastian was asking earnestly. He had a bow and arrows on his back that he could use to give her some air support, but he’d need to stop ringing for assistance to do it. And their best warrior in the village–well, more accurately the best one left in the village–seemed to be holding her own, uh… foooor the most part. If one didn’t count–

“GET OFF MY HAIR YOU CREEP!” Amaina whined, one of the monsters–strange, dog-like creatures, if a frog was a dog and also a warthog–having grabbed the edge of one of her incredibly long twin tails into its mouth and was stubbornly holding on. “AUUUUGH OFF OFF OFF!”

It put Amaina at a pretty severe disadvantage, and not just because she was surrounded by similar creatures, all trying to get a bite of her. The reason Amaina was one of their best fighters, and thus in charge of emergency response, wasn’t because she was actually all that adept at fighting. It was because along with fighting, she was one of the few people in the village with Wild Magic. Able to use spells she had learned over the years through a mixture of dancing and song. 

But she couldn’t dance with her hair caught, and that just left her with her spear, enough to keep the monsters in front of her from eating her, but not enough to let her turn around and deal with the HAIR SITUATION AUUUUGH, “Help help help!”

“Okay!” Sebastian said, letting the alarm go and pulling out his bow and arrow, aiming for the dog-frog-pig that had her hair and, concentrating… FWIP– “Oh, shit, hold on!”

“HOW DID YOU MISS!?” Amaina whined, watching the arrow ping off the stone, as the monster barely even noticed anything was happening, shaking its massive head to try to knock Amaina on her back, “OW OW OW!”

“Coming through, hold fire!” a loud voice called, before Terra slammed into the WartFrDog. Unfortunately he hadn’t exactly strapped his broadsword onto his back before catching up with Ventus, so, with just a dagger in hand Terra more shoulder-checked the beast than slashed at it. But it was still an attack!

“I’ll get its mouth, pull free when I do, Amaina!” Terra directed, grunting more in annoyance as he brought a leg up to kick the flat of his boot into another monster, shoving it back. And, doing as he’d warned, Terra plunged his dagger into the monster’s cheek, readying himself to jump back out of the way as it squealed in pain. 

Amaina shrieked in triumph just as the creature shouted in pain, jumping away from it before, immediately, spinning into a dance routine. “Shake your rump, move your trunk!”

It was a support spell–at the moment, Amaina only knew three. A support spell, a minor healing spell, and a minor long distance attack spell–but it gave a small adrenaline boost to her teammates. Sebastian moving slightly quicker to change his aim to the other WartFrDogs, this time the arrow striking true as it got one of them in the neck. The blood from the creature making Amaina frown in distaste as it pooled around her boots, before she stabbed at the other one with her spear. 

She was going to focus on the last one–not counting the one Terra was currently on top of–but she gasped when a blur sprinted out in front of her and– “Ventus!?”

“I’ve got it!” Ventus shouted, spinning triumphantly to cut the creatures neck… though the triumph was short lived as, like Amaina, Ventus stepped back in sudden disgust when the blood splattered out, coating his front as the creature wailed, falling onto its face as Ventus looked down at himself with a clear shudder. “O-oh…”

“Are you guys okay!?” Sebastian called down from the bell tower, looking around for more monsters, “I think that was all of them… but how did that many even get in here!? What are the border defenders doing!?”

As focused as he was on his own WartFrDog, finding the space in front of its clavicle to cut the beast down, Terra’s frown could only tighten as he heard Amaina call out to Ventus. As much as he wanted the kid to be prepared for a fight, he never actually wanted Ventus to be in one. He’d asked Ventus to stay back, only defend himself as they ran back towards town, but…well, the kid had a heart of gold. He’d use his blades to defend others, too. 

Wiping off his dagger in the grass before sliding it back in its holster, Terra came over to the teens, looking them over. “I’m good! Ven and I saw the outer gate busted open, but we didn’t see anyone over there!”

Shaking his head a little as he stopped shouting up to Sebastian, Terra muttered, “Hell’s going on…?”

But he soon refocused himself. Ventus and Amaina didn’t have any visible injuries as far as he could tell, but he still looked between them with concern. “You two alright? That thing didn’t jerk your neck too much, Mai-Mai?”

“I’m alright. Need a new shirt though,” Ventus muttered, looking down at himself with another shudder. He had hunted animals before, but his parents had done most of the work with the bodies. Ventus found he understood why now. Gross…

“That was nuts, right!?” Amaina frowned, rubbing her neck, “Maybe long hair isn’t the best for this sort of thing. Don’t know how that’s never happened before, actually… The gate is open? Why would–”

“H-help!” 

It was a weak sound, just further down the hill. If everyone else hadn’t already run and they were still fighting, they probably wouldn’t have heard it at all. But Amaina and Terra both followed the noise immediately, Ventus following behind, as they traced the sound to just off a pathway, one that led from the outer gate to the square.

It was one of the defenders, though at the moment that felt like a poor title for what was otherwise just Robby from the northern most house. Robby, who had turned 22 not long ago, was pretty good with a spear himself, and who was clearly dying in the grass. One of the monsters having torn open his stomach, it a borderline miracle he was even alive now as he clutched at his stomach, trying to keep his insides inside of himself.

“Oh no,” Amaina whispered, eyes wide as she approached him, wondering if she should try her healing spell and knowing already it wouldn’t be enough for something like this, “R-robby?”

“P-please help… th-them, help them,” Robby gurgled, “W-was guarding the gate with Laiya a-and Mark. Ambushed. Released monsters on us and g-grabbed them when they were injured, took them away… got away myself, but the monsters kept c-coming…”

Mark and Laiya… Ventus who, who hadn’t dared come closer, disturbed by the state Robby was in, widened his eyes. “Mom and Dad?”

Terra’s eyes widened in horror as he saw the state Robby was in, but the horror didn’t make him hesitate as he knelt by the young man, forcing himself to look at the wound. However, when no healing spell came from Amaina behind him, a grim sorrow dropped through his stomach. Amaina was eccentric, a bit silly at times, but she was in no way unreliable. If she didn’t think her magic was enough to help this kind of wound? Robby wouldn’t make it long enough for them to bring him to the village healer either. 

With a heavy sigh, Terra pulled out a star emblem from his shirt, gripping it in his palm as he held his hand up. With a shimmer of light, a blue woman appeared, her gaze softening with sorrow as she held a hand out over Robby and rain started to patter over his body. 

Not a healing spell, though Aqua was capable of it. Just numbing. Something to give the young man his last moments without pain. 

Physical, anyway. 

Terra’s eyes widened. “Which way did they go, Robby?”

Robby let out a small sigh of relief, his shuddering breaths easing. His wound was still terrible, but his expression looked more like someone on the verge of sleeping. Just a tired sort of acceptance, as he murmured, “Towards Quarry… don’t know for sure… but the clothes were that dark shade… could be followers of Ranni…”

Robert blinked sleepily, his voice quieter as he whispered, “Close still… just happened… I’m sorry I couldn’t help them… real sorry…”

Amaina felt tears start to well in her eyes; placing her hands around her neck as she stared at Robby start to drift into his own death, Amaina worried that maybe she should have at least tried, maybe she could have pulled off a miracle, she didn’t want this–

-

{Hey, Doppio. Let’s have a quick pause.} Alter Ego sent out.

-

Something truly frightened quivered within Terra. Vaguely, he knew followers of Ranni were spread throughout Termina’s entirety, everywhere shadows showed up. There was no limit, no line the Dark Moon Princess would not cross in her experiments. But there was still a part of him that was shocked. Ranni’s followers, here? In Ghibli Valley? 

Even in that fear, though, he gently stroked Robby’s forehead. “You did what you could, Robby. Just rest, kiddo, you did your best.”

Laiya and Mark were in danger, time was of the essence, but they couldn’t go running after Luna Burgh shadows unprepared, and Terra wasn’t about to abandon someone to spend their last moments alone. Heavy breaths catching in his chest.

-

Oh shit. That was fast.

-

The world went still.

-

Amaina took a deep, startled breath, and…

….wait a second.

She blinked, suddenly remembering, wait, right, this was a game. Her game! And… and… “Why did we stop!?”

Alter Ego gave the group a small nod hello as Ventus and Sebastian also looked around with startled, slightly bleary expressions. Like they had suddenly been awoken from a dream. Everything around them that wasn’t the players? Had frozen entirely. Including Robby, frozen mid-shallow breath.

“Apologies, but the Templar and I decided to edge on caution for session zero. Every group is experiencing their first NPC death or tragedy this session, and after it, we’re checking in to make sure you still want to play after experiencing it while still deep in the mindwipe,” Alter Ego explained, not just to Amaina but the group as a whole, “This is our test to see if you really can handle what the experience of this thing is meant to be. Starting with the death of Robby here.”

“Robby?” Amaina asked, looking down at the NPC, “...why would this scare me off? I don’t know this guy. And he’s fake.”

Alter Ego’s ear twitched. “You don’t, sure, but your character would have remembered seeing him often growing up. Which a second ago, you were crying over. That wasn’t overwhelming?”

Amaina shrugged. Maybe to the character it had been, but for her? Come on! Who the heck was Robby?? She wanted to keep playing her adventure!

Terra let out that deep breath in his chest slowly, before he chuckled softly, giving Amaina and Alter Ego an amused look. “Best way to vibe check is to go straight into the deep end, huh? It does set the stakes immediately, anyway…”

For a moment he regarded Amaina before smiling kindly at her. “Hey, I know what position I’m making this argument from, but I think that just qualifies me even more. Your character might not be you, Amaina, you guys care about different things, but take a second to consider things from her perspective. She cares about this world, the people in it--they’re her home. Do you think she can handle that tragedy of what will happen to it? And do you want to put her through that?”

Glancing back to Alter Ego, he grinned sheepishly, though there was distinctly something unapologetic about it. “That’s what the check-in’s for, right?”

“Um…” Alter Ego tilted their head, giving Terra a concerned look, “I don’t… entirely know if asking if the character herself should be put through what this game is going to be. There’s no functional difference between who you are as the character and who you actually are. I know the shift in memories feels real, but we’re not actually replacing your memories. If you try to remember something Terra in the game knows, you’ll notice that you don’t actually have any concrete memories of what he thinks he knows… or, what you think you know when you’re in the mindmeld. For instance, right now you can try to remember what your ‘wife’ looks like… but whatever you’re seeing in your head? Is just going to be what you’re imagining on the spot. You don’t actually have any memories of her, because we can’t give you memories that detailed. We can only suggest to you she exists, and you fill in the blank spaces as you play.”

“Like my parents,” Ventus said, though it sounded like half a question, having been tapping his foot and crossing his arms, far less concerned about the blood on him than he had been when he was the Ventus in the game, “I was trying to think of them, but I keep just picturing my actual parents. Are they going to look like my parents?”

“No. They’ll look sort of random, when you find them. But once you see them, your mind will just accept that’s what they looked like, even if you were picturing something else a minute ago,” Alter Ego explained.

“This whole thing is way more of a trip than I was expecting,” Sebastian admitted, looking to the other players, “Hey, I’m Sebastian by the way. I mean, outside of my character. I don’t think I met any of you when we were mingling as a big group. And you’re asking if we can handle experiencing this all as real to us, right? Basically?”

“Yes, more or less. Since the question of asking if the character themselves should go through it, one, gives a degree of separation that doesn’t really exist, and two… has a very obvious answer of ‘no’, if that really was the issue,” Alter Ego said, tilting his head in concern, “If we have the option to not torture a being, then we shouldn’t. But again, that’s not what’s happening.”

“Oh? Wild,” Terra gasped, before laughing with more true sheepishness this time. “Though I guess I did phrase that weird--I don’t really mean that our characters are different people. They’re us experiencing things in a different way. But if we’re struggling to be truthful about how we can handle the game, it can help to consider the things we feel as our characters as different people, and to decide if that’s something we’d be fine with happening to someone else, with the full knowledge we’re still playing. If that makes any sense?”

With a shrug as if to say, ‘eh, whatever’, Terra patted Amaina on the back. “But if you think you’re good? Then you’re good!”

Giving Sebastian a nod as he introduced himself, Terra did the same. “You went with an archer character, then? Prolly’ll be helpful if we stick together for the beginning of the game, since it looks like the rest of us are pretty short range.” He sighed a bit, looking at the dagger on his person. “Really short range. Geez, why didn’t I just choose to start with Earthshaker…”

“You did it for the speed boost, remember?” Alter Ego said, “You felt too slow with your beginner settings.”

“I think I feel pretty okay about things too,” Ventus said, looking down at Robby with a frown, “I mean, when I’m playing, this feels really bad, but… it doesn’t feel the same once I remember he’s not real. It’s easy to shake off.”

“What about potentially seeing your parents dead?” Sebastian asked, “They’ve been kidnapped, after all.”

Ventus frowned.

In truth… the most alarming thing so far, upon waking up? Was remembering being really close to Terra. Like Alter Ego said, now that he was awake, he realized he didn’t have any of the memories of being raised by Terra that he was convinced he had when he was in the game, but… hugging Terra in joy right then? That had felt really sincere. Ventus trusting Terra entirely. 

Almost… loving him.

It was a strange way to feel and then not feel but remember more clearly than fake parents who had been whisked away. Ventus wasn’t sure how to feel about it. But… “It’s interesting. I still want to play.”

“Same!” Amaina said, hopping up and down excitedly, “I can handle it! In-game Amaina can handle it too! We’ve got this!”

Terra pouted, grumbling to himself. Damn level one stats. Suuuuure, he’d picked a different background than being a swordsmaster, because this was an opportunity to do something different! And changing things up was fun!! But uuuuugh was it frustrating to see how regressed his skills were when he had the proper perspective to view them. Aqua was going to laugh her head off watching the ‘recaps’ later. 

Still, through his grumbling he did listen to the others judge the game, smiling softly at Ventus’ intent to continue, before he laughed softly at Amaina’s enthusiasm. “I’m still game too. If these are the intro mobs, I can’t wait to see what we’ll be up against later!”

Alter Ego nodded, before looking away. Like they were noticing something. “Good. You won’t notice it, but I have to check on the next group anyway. They’ve just lost one of their ‘companions’ into a hole in the ice and are likely about to realize there’s no feasible way to get her out. Gotta go make sure they’re still going to want to play next. Good luck!”

Alter Ego disappeared, and not long after that, the wind started to blow again, and–

-

Robby’s last breath was wet. A desperate, final attempt to get air into his lungs… and then his body slumped. Robby’s battle over. 

(In some ways, later, they’d reflect that perhaps Robby had been lucky. Gone, just before the moon told them the world was ending. Or, at least their world…)

(So many others would join Robby soon, fresh with that knowledge in their head.)

Amaina gasped, covering her mouth in frightened grief. “Oh, Robby…” she closed her eyes, tears trailing down her cheeks as she whispered, “I danced with him at the last Solstice…”

-

Templar, checking in on them now that Alter Ego had moved on, rolled his eyes a bit. Uh huh. Sure she had. Really had to make it more personal, huh Amaina? Such main character syndrome.

-

“I’m sorry,” Ventus whispered, before looking worriedly at Terra, “But… my parents! We have to go save them!” 

Terra bowed his head, letting his comforting touch on the young man’s forehead drift down, ensuring his eyes were closed. A soft, quiet moment of respect…

Before focused tawny eyes reopened, and Terra gave Ventus a stern look. “...if I try to stop you, will you just run after them yourself?”

“H-how can I just ignore it!? They’re my parents!” Ventus said, his words strong, but his eyes wide with fear, “I have to! If I don’t, and they get hurt? I’ll never forgive myself!”

“I’ll… I’ll come with you guys,” Sebastian said, stepping forward, “Robby said they were heading towards Quarry Town, that means they have to be on the main roads. Going up the mountain would be too hard. If they’re carrying unwilling people, I bet that’s slowed them down too. We could make it.”

“Wait, wait! It’s the main gate, right? The moped shop is right there! If we explain, I bet they’d let us use two!” Amaina said, looking to the others, “We can catch up for sure that way!”

Terra sighed softly. It wasn’t ‘ignoring it’ to head right into the maw of danger. To recognize your limits. But he knew that Ventus wasn’t just speaking with the brashness of youth. Ventus knew it was dangerous, that’s why he was worried, but it was danger he was willing to face for his parents. 

Looking to Sebastian as he volunteered himself, then Amaina, Terra laid Robby down and stood. “We’ll hurry, but not head in unprepared. If these kidnappers are followers of the Dark Moon Princess, it doesn’t matter if they’re carrying people, they’re still dangers we can’t underestimate, not to mention if we end up having to veer into the desert hills on the way to Quarry anyway.”

“Amaina, go to the moped shop and explain what’s going on. Ventus, Sebastian, go get whatever supplies you can quickly. Food, water, medical gear, anything for camping that we’d be able to carry in a pack. I’ll go to my shop and stock up on weapons and armor, and we’ll meet back here when we’re ready. Got all that?”

“Who’d be crazy enough to head to the desert? Everyone knows Radahn’s out there. He kills anyone who gets too close,” Sebastian said, though he nodded at Terra’s instruction. “Come on, Ventus, the alarm tower has a lot of emergency stuff, and we can get what it doesn’t have from the market.”

“But…” Ventus looked worriedly down the path, before sighing, following Sebastian. 

“I’ll see you at the gate!” Amaina told Terra, hurrying down the path, also rushing to follow instructions. 

And above the sky slightly darkened. Afternoon starting its descent into evening. 

The moon shifting closer.

-

No one ever came to Scaduview. Despite its dreamy, idyllic scenery, it wasn’t a tourist town in the slightest. No one ever went out of Scaduview either. The frozen wasteland and never-ending magical storm saw to that. 

There had been a part of Marluxia that always assumed he’d leave one day, and when out of the blue Sam had declared he was leaving, Marluxia wasn’t about to be left behind and not be the first person to leave in centuries, but…

They had finally started moving again, goggles on and fur-lined hoods cinched around their faces. 

“So,” Marluxia spoke into the walkie-talkie that they’d picked up before leaving town, far easier than trying to shout above howling winds, “All this worth being able to breathe through your nose?”

Sam didn’t respond, just walking a little faster.

“C-c-come on, man, it’s not…” Dimitri sniffled, rubbing his nose, an exhausted look on his face that came through even through his coverings, “It’s not his fault… i-it’s not any of our faults, she just… she…”

“She fell,” Riku said softly. Adjusting his backpack. “Any of us could fall next… it’s not like we didn’t try to get her…”

Dimitri sniffled some more, nodding at that. The death, for some reason, had hit him harder than the others. He hadn’t really stopped crying since hearing the snap of Neuro’s back. Had only been grateful that, as they realized they had no safe way down the crevasse to get to her, that she hadn’t suffered long thanks to…

Dimitri adjusted the crossbolts at his hip. Sniffling again. She hadn’t suffered. 

Marluxia tried not to sigh. The condensation in his coat would only freeze. “Any of us could slip. Any of us could take two steps in the wrong direction and never be able to find fucking anything until we freeze to death. We could be walking out into a warzone that’s somehow still happening. I’m just saying--if we’re here, we need to commit, even with a worst case scenario staring us in the face.”

Sam knew Marluxia was kind of an asshole. The older man had also been the first to try and figure out if he could rappel down to Neuro. It wasn’t that he didn’t care that she was…

Dead. She was dead. Hardly more than a day out of Scaduview, and they were down to four. 

“I’m not backing out,” he finally responded, peering out into the tundra through his goggles. White and white as far as the eye could see. “Look, man, you can think my reason for leaving is dumb, but I’m not an idiot, and I’m not gonna hinder the rest of you by being one either.”

Sam’s voice softened. “I think it matters even more to see what the rest of the world looks like, now that Neuro can’t. So we’ll get through this to the other side together, yeah?”

Dimitri gave a small, sobbing breath… and nodded. He had wanted to see the world. He had known the world was dangerous, when he had decided to leave with the others. That they might not ever make it past the tundra… but he had wanted to try. He had wanted–

-

“I think, for once, I want to start as someone weak,” Dimitri explained, Ienzo nodding as he wrote down Dimitri’s character. “All of my RPs, I’m always starting in these big positions of strength. I’m a prince, or a world renowned thief, or some famous fighter. I feel pretty outmatched here already,” he admitted, looking around warily at the large group of strangers, “But, maybe there’s something to that? To starting off not just underpowered, but as someone who isn’t really suited for it? Can I survive as someone soft and sensitive and a little perpetually overwhelmed? I think that’s what I want to try.”

“There’s quite a lot of satisfaction watching significant growth throughout the course of a story,” Ienzo hummed as he filled in Dimitri’s character sheet. “Sensitivity may prove to create a difficult time within a horror setting, but isn’t it intriguing? To see how those qualities change, or even persist in spite of the forces that would have you become stoic and jaded.”

He smiled faintly, a bit awkwardly at Dimitri. “I will do my best to avoid biases in my observation of the game, but I do look forward to your character arc, Dimitri. I have a fondness for trait subversions.”

Dimitri smiled warmly at him…

-

Dimitri sobbed. 

-

Abigail cradled her arm–for as much left of it there was–against her chest as a trembling and soot-covered Demyx helped keep her steady. They had already tried to get her into the clinic before the Baron had started to address everyone from atop the police building, but the clinic was overfilled, and an overwhelmed healer had looked over Abigail’s freshly turned stump and said, with some regret, “It’s already burned closed. It can wait. We need the beds.”

“What do you mean it can wait!? She’s lost half her arm!?” Demyx had shouted, absolutely baffled. But the healer had insisted, shooing him and Abigail out of the clinic. More people being pulled out from the mines being brought in. 

“What’s happening?” Abigail had whispered, sounding dizzy and confused in his arms, “Did it work? Did we get out?”

She had asked that three times already now. Demyx had no idea what ‘it’ was, but Abigail, in her shock, kept forgetting if what she had done had worked or not. Demyx could only guess it was pulling her arm from some rocks or something. He had found her when she was stumbling out of the darkness towards the elevator, her arm from halfway to her elbow already gone by that point. 

It was a miracle any of them had survived at all. The elevators hadn’t been working initially after the cave-in, some wires cut off. And then, out of nowhere, they had started moving again. Again, a miracle.

A miracle, apparently, for the baron too, as he announced, “While I understand today was a bit of a scare–”

“A scare?” Kairii whispered, still shaking as she stared from the crowd, giving the baron a bewildered look, “People died. People are still dying. A scare?”

“Miraculously, the elevators to the lower levels still seem to be working! Truly one of the gods showing us favor! With that, we can still head to the lowest level, and restart harvesting there–”

“What about the mid-level!?” A woman in a sundress shouted, her hands clasped together, tears in her eyes, “My husband is still down there! Are you going to clear out the mid-level!?”

“The odds of survival are slim,” the Baron said, dipping his head sadly… before adding in as an aside, “And those levels were just about depleted. Not worth the risk of losing more workers.”

It was only the fact that it took Lauriam a moment to scale the police building that the Baron got out as much as he did. 

“SHUT YOUR FUCKING TRASH MOUTH!!!” Lauriam screamed as he threw himself at their town’s leech, decking the man before trying to pummel him to bits. “People are still in danger!! Grab a shovel and help, empty your GOD-DAMNED GOLD-LINED SAFES for supplies, or SHUT THE HELL UP!!”

Dark green eyes blazed as Lauriam bared his teeth viciously, and soot-smudged as he was he was a vision of hell in his own right as he threatened, “You’ll be running right into the Starscourge’s fucking arms away from me, if you don’t start ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING HELPFUL!!”

There had been a few gasps as Lauriam attacked the baron, but even more uncertainty. “Should we…go bring him down?” someone murmured, answered by an even more hesitant, “I’m pretty sure that’s illegal…”

The Baron gasped, but barely had time to do that before another hit broke his nose, gagging him as blood dripped down into his throat. The Baron unable to stand at the next series of attacks, crumbling onto the ground, trying to protect his face from further harm as he shouted, “Guards, guards! Seize him!”

Kairi looked worriedly at the town’s police. The sheriff and his deputies having lined up at the front of the police station, most of them looking wary and uncertain in the face of the outraged miners and citizens. The sheriff himself looking grim as he stepped forward, looking up to the roof of his building with a small frown…

…the sheriff looked to one of his deputies, who looked far worse than the others. A strained, alarmed look on his face as he stood there, the two deputies on either side of him giving him worried looks over and over as he panted. The sheriff frowned again… before whispering to himself, “Fucker docked our wages anyway,” before calling to his deputy, “Steven, take Allison and Gary and go organize a line to start bringing up rocks from the midlevels. Go find your boy.” 

The deputy bolted, like he had been fighting the urge to run the entire time. Running for the mines as the other two deputies ran after him. 

Looking at his last two deputies, the sheriff said, “Go at least try to keep the Lauriam boy from killing the baron. As for this crowd…” the sheriff looked back at them, shrugging a tad helplessly, “The gods save us all. Most I can offer is not getting in the way. Go take care of yours.”

For all the worry and uncertainty in the crowd, it really was just a single word of someone saying ‘go’ that spurred a mad dash back over to the mines. And, unlike what the Baron had directed, not to just go back to work. A few more dithering folk hesitated before trying to set up more places for people to rest while the clinic was bursting. And from the top of the police building, the sounds of a beating were replaced by growls of, “Let me go, damnit!!”

But eventually Lauriam was brought back down to the ground, trembling with rage, little flickers of brightly-colored petals flashing off his body. 

At the edge of the desert, most plants were a relief, a luxury. No one was ever happy to see Lauriam’s. 

He wasn’t completely gone yet, though, and the petals disappeared as he focused on the few people still lingering around the town square, his eyes widening in worry. He was relieved, of course, to see Abigail and Demyx outside the mine, but…

Pulling away from the deputies, Lauriam snagged Kairi with an arm around her shoulders--giving her a relieved squeeze. Thank god. Thank god.--before he gave the two a worried look. Abigail wasn’t bleeding. 

“I can try?” he offered up his…not entirely reliable healing, “I should get into the clinic to heal what I can, but…Demyx, did they just cauterize and leave her like this?”

“N-no, they said she was a-already cauterized when we got in there. They said everything else could wait,” Demyx stammered, letting out a small breath of relief as he saw Kairi come through the thinning crowd to them, “Oh fuck you’re alive! Fuck! Great! Wow! I wasn’t sure!”

“Same,” Kairi frowned, tilting her mining helmet back a bit as she looked at Abigail’s arm, “...it was cut.”

“Huh?” Demyx asked, Abigail still murmuring into his shoulder as he adjusted her a bit. “What was?”

“The stump,” Kairi said, looking closer with a frown, “It’s cut, not ripped. Like–”

-

“I think I want to be smart,” Kairi admitted, biting her lower lip as she considered the stats explained to her, “But, like… useful smart? You know?”

“Useful smart… could you explain more?” Temp asked.

“I’m not sure,” Kairi admitted with a slightly embarrassed smile, “I just really want to be useful. Helpful. I grew up with a family where there was always someone better at whatever you wanted to talk about, someone stronger, or smarter, or more powerful… I want to play a character where, at least at some point, people are looking to me for answers. You know?”

“Hmmm… you’re in a starving town where most of the population is being forced into mines just to make ends meet. How about… your parents were extremely traditionally educated? Doctors, let’s say. And they raised you to be highly educated. But they passed, and you ended up in the mines anyway. But still with all sorts of high education practical medicine knowledge?”

“Oh!” Kairi said, “Can we do that? Then… yeah! I’ll be–”

-

“It was cut with a saw, and then cauterized immediately.” Kairi observed. “It’s too clean to be anything else.”

“What?” Lauriam balked. He might’ve just been beating a man to death, sure, but cutting your arm off and immediately having the presence of mind to cauterize it? He gave Abigail a wary look, but she was clearly in no state to answer questions, even ones like ‘WHAT THE FUCK ABBY?!’

Letting out a breath, Lauriam looked to Kairi for confirmation. “So she’s mostly in shock right now. I…don’t know how blood loss would work in that situation, but…” he shook his head a little before focusing in on Demyx and Kairi again, “...alright. Go make sure Abigail’s somewhere safe, and we can touch base later.”

He turned to try and shoulder his way into the clinic. Healing magic didn’t take supplies, so there was at least something he could contribute there. Lucky for the Baron that he was so needed; Lauriam had half a mind to just go raid his damn house to make sure the town had the capital they’d need to care for everyone hurt in the collapse.

Lucky for the baron indeed.

Nursing his broken nose and blackened eye, he glared down at the town from the safety of his office. “Ungrateful maggots. This town would be nothing without me. Nothing but fodder for other towns’ sacrifices. These people were always going to be used for someone’s gain, they’re lucky I got to them first. At least I let them live…”

“That Lauriam boy’s gotten away with too much for too long. I don’t care if his healing abilities have been useful, I’m done with this,” Baron scoffed, looking to his handful of goons, “I want him gone today. Before the sun’s set. Grab him, take him out to the desert. I don’t care what gets to him first, the sun or the gods, but I want him gone, capisce?” 

“Eyyy, you got it boss,” said the head goon, two feet shorter than his goon counterparts, “Tonight he’ll be neck deep in sand and out of your hair… for as much of it as you have left, of course.”

“OUT!”

“Got it boss!”

-

Kaito hadn’t been adopted by the Woodsman. He just worked for him. And slept in his basement. And had been doing this since he was 10 years old, just on the outskirts of Clock Town. 

It was a serendipitous setup, one that had worked for both Kaito and the woodsman. Kaito had been wandering the woods alone, having, from what the woodsman could recall, seemed to come from the volcano. The telling smell of sulfur on his clothes, his hands and feet blackened from extensive exposure to heat, blisters on his skin. 

Kaito hadn’t spoken much, and the woodsman hadn’t asked many questions. Today, Kaito couldn’t recall what had occurred before he had arrived to Clock Town. He just remembered the sense of relief he had gotten, when the woodsman had explained he had recently lost his own family, and that the lumber he cut for the town needed more hands to help haul, so Kaito could stay so long as he worked. 

Kaito had been incredibly grateful. So grateful, that when he saw signs over the years that the woodsman hadn’t so much as ‘lost’ his family as had just ‘been the survivor’, Kaito didn’t judge him for it at all. How could he judge? The woodsman wasn’t an unkind man. And his family hadn’t wanted to wait until the chaos of the festival. Their choice to get it over with almost its own sort of love, for each other. 

That was what Kaito had first learned to associate love with. Getting it over with quickly. 

That was how Kaito knew, before the sun had set that day, that the woodsman really had started to see Kaito as family after all. Kaito, having just been getting ready to go join the town square in this year's festival acknowledgement, had just finished lacing up his boots on his bed when the woodsman, who he hadn’t heard quietly sneaking down the staircase, had grabbed his hair and started to drag him back up. 

Kaito had screamed. He had tried to pull himself from the woodsman grip, insisting it wasn’t time yet, they hadn’t started yet! He had begged the woodsman to let go as the woodsman dragged him out of the house, towards the wooden stump he chopped all of his wood on… but Kaito gasped as he stared up at the sky when the woodsman forced his head back on the block. Kaito seeing what the woodsman had seen just as evening had started to darken enough for the moon to come through.

The eyes had opened.

Kaito stared in wonder up at the moon, realizing the woodsman was right. This was going to be the festival. It hadn’t started, not yet, no announcement made, but the woodsman was getting it over with now, holding Kaito’s head down and bringing up his axe as he said, “So you never know the horrors of the festival, in the name of Termina, I–”

-

“Kaito, do you want to take a second? It’s still session zero, you don’t have to let yourself experience the death mechanic just because–”

“Wait, wait, why’d you pause it!? Did you not notice the block I just grabbed? I’ve got this!”

-

“-GAH!” 

Kaito swung the cut wooden log he had just barely managed to grab hold of, leftover from that day’s wood cutting session and left beside the chopping block. The woodsman, twice Kaito’s size and too confident in his ability to subdue the man he had raised from a child, didn’t notice Kaito’s thrashing had become more purposeful, the wooden block knocking across his chin and knocking the older man’s head back.

With a shout, Kaito kicked himself up off the block and scrambled to grab the woodsman's arm. He felt the woodsman hand on the back of his shirt, trying to pull him back, but Kaito in a frenzy bit at his wrist, hard enough that his teeth went through his skin like the porkchop dinner they had had earlier, and ripping the axe from the woodsman’s hand, Kaito just barely felt the hand gripping the back of his neck, the woodsman still ready to subdue him, when he swung wildly. Lodging the axe into the larger man’s neck.

Kaito gasped and panted, staring at the other man in frenzied silence, the man who had raised him staring back… and then Kaito wrenched the axe out again and hit him again when the man somehow managed to tighten his squeeze on Kaito’s neck still. One last bit of strength before the woodsman’s head flew clean off. Landing in the dirt nearby.

Kaito couldn’t say for certain… but he liked to imagine that for a brief second there, the woodsman had looked proud as Kaito, panting, suddenly screamed, “THE TERMINA FESTIVAL IS UPON US!” A warning and a victory cry to anyone who might happen to be nearby. “A NEW GOD WALKS AMONG US!”

And almost as if to confirm what Kaito knew to be true, the stars started to rapidly shift across the sky, unnatural in their movement, as the moon began to speak.

-

( ◎⃝⃘ ) = ( ◎⃝⃘ )

The gods have grown weary, and so the festival begins again.

In the corners of the world, each divine holds an artifact. A symbol of themselves and the world around them.

These artifacts are the new hope of humanity.

-

Terra didn’t stop his moped as words shook through the land, his expression only growing dimmer. This rescue mission just got a lot harder.

-

Xion scrambled through the shadows, still sweating from her narrow escape. The moon’s voice–that was the moon, wasn’t it!?--bellowing loud enough that it covered the sound of her footsteps from her pursuers, as she ducked into the sewers. Alive another day.

-

Gula didn’t bother picking up his jaw from the ground. He didn’t think the stories were real. Sure, you could go out and catch a real glimpse of a god if you had a deathwish, but the Termina Festival? Yeah right, how plausible was the end of the world?

…pretty plausible, it turned out. 

He slowly closed his mouth again, turning just enough away from the moon to catch a glimpse of Frostpeak. Where their local god famously was. He wasn’t a half-bad mountain climber…hm. 

-

“It’s not just me right?” Sora whispered, standing among the crowd, the bonfires lit and the latest ill already being dragged to them, though everything had halted as everyone watched the sky, “I’m not going crazy? The moon’s talking?”

“No, I see it too,” Axel whispered back, “...fuck. Hope I’m not crazy too.”

-

Not even needing his telescope now to see the moon that had been ever-growing in the past month, Zexion sat on top of the Astral Observatory with a small, satisfied smile. He didn’t think he was wrong, of course, when he sent out those messages to a select few, stating only that ‘the moon is growing’ but it was always nice to be proven right. 

He should get going soon, even if he hadn’t utilized the headstart he’d given others, but he could indulge in the divine astrological anomaly for a little longer. It was beautiful. 

Smiling a little more at the shouts he could hear beginning to start up, Zexion gazed at the moon. It was going to be a marvelous festival.

-

ㅍںㅍ Obviously such an advantage would be cheating, if my goal were the same as the rest of the players. 

Zexion had told Amaina months ago, when she asked for his help in creating a massive game in psychic space. 

≖ں≖ But I believe it would add another layer of fun and intrigue to have a slightly different role, and a different win condition. Additionally, it would lighten the load of the others controlling the constructs if some of our players could be given motivations not by some construct that ultimately doesn’t matter. 

ㅍ_ㅍ It’s been a while since I’ve spun a good scheme.

ó^ò So pleeaaaaaaaaase can I be a secret boss?

OoO

OvO Hell yeah

OvO

OOO I’M GONNA BE SO PISSED IF YOU KILL ME JUST BEFORE THE END

OvO It’ll be fun!

OoO but I’mma gonna give you one tell, so that the game is fair. 

-

Atop Zexion’s observatory, several more crows settled down on the ledges. Cawing to each other. The demon queen keeping her eyes on things.

-

( ◎⃝⃘ ) = ( ◎⃝⃘ )

Whoever can hold one of these eight artifacts, holds the future of humanity.

There is no greater purpose now.

No other hope.

You are all participants of the festival.

Termina is in your hands.

“...do you think that’s something to worry about?” Arven asked, though even as he said it, he was struggling to hold onto exactly what he meant. Worry… about what? He had definitely heard something alarming just now… hadn’t he?

“I don’t think so,” Ira said, curiously looking up at the moon, “The sky is pretty tonight.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Arven said, though he frowned again, brow furrowing, “...I feel like I’ve forgotten something.”

“Forgotten what?” Ira asked, sipping his mead. It was light and flavorful. A small reward from a hard day's work. Well, as hard as working the farms of Sunrise Village ever was. Which was honestly often delightful, for how lovely the days were to work in. 

“I’m not sure… What’s the matter, boy?” Arven asked, looking down at his dog, who whined into his hip, “That’s odd. Hound looks nervous.”

“Maybe he spotted a rabbit?” Ira asked.

“Maybe…” Arven frowned, his dog moving away, then running back, then running away, “...I think I’m gonna follow him. Just to see where he takes me.”

“Sure,” Ira said, undisturbed, “Hurry back.”

Xehanort lazily smirked, the light ‘click-click-clack’ of his knitting needles pleasantly adding to the light ambiance of another perfect evening. “Maybe Hound’s just getting to that age he doesn’t want to use the bathroom alone again. With how Arven dotes on him, though, this will probably just be a moment of surprise before new routine.”

Sighing a little, he leaned back in his lounger, still knitting away even as he looked up to the stars. Not the easiest to make out with how beautifully bright the moon was tonight, but still there, as always. 

“It’d be fun to start a new routine,” he idly remarked, no real drive behind the words. “Maybe I’ll learn macrame. It can’t be that different from weaving, I think.”

“Pretty bold of you. But you’ve always liked things more exciting.” Ira laughed lightly, resting his mead on the picnic bench he was resting on… before frowning at his sleeve. Tracing his finger over a brownish stain coating the fabric. It was still wet… “I think I dipped my sleeve into something. Is this mud?”

Rubbing his fingers across the stained fabric some more, Ira sniffed his fingers. Iron?

Arven followed Hound into the corn field, the stalks soon covering his view of his friends. The corn stalks could be a bit intimidating, sometimes, if you didn’t know where you were going. But Arven had spent the day harvesting corn in this same field, and it felt silly to feel spooked now, just because it was nighttime. 

…but he was spooked. He didn’t know why. But he felt dread, just in the back of his mind. Something whispering to him that he hadn’t wanted to come back to the corn field, that night. Maybe not ever again.

But Hound kept pausing and looking back at Arven, whining every time Arven slowed. And Arven couldn’t ignore his dog in distress. He just didn’t have it in him.

He stumbled, briefly, looking down at the dirt beneath his feet. It was funny. He had stumbled on what he could clearly tell was his own footprint, heading the opposite direction. Probably left behind from when he was finishing up work. Funny…

…why was the ground wet?

Arven wanted to go back to his friends. The corn field was spooky at night, he’d admit it. The stalks all looked like people. Staring at him. Judging. Hanging– “O-oh! Oh no! Oh fuck!” 

Hound waited by a massive wooden stake. Where, up on the stake, was a woman. Hanging from the ropes that bound her, covered in blood and…

…breathing! Oh fuck, she was breathing!! “GUYS! GUYS, HELP!” Arven shouted, scrambling over to her. Immediately trying to figure out how to get her down. “GUYS!” 

Xehanort’s needles clattered together as he jolted hearing… It took him a second to even register what he was hearing, but Arven was calling for them, definitely. Casting a wary look over to Ira, he set his project down and jogged out to the cornfields towards Arven and whatever he was calling them about. 

With a bit more hustle than Arven had initially had just confusedly following Hound, Xehanort came to the stake, flinching back with a gasp. The start of words burgeoning up, but nothing coming out. Until, “...I-IRA!!!”

Circling the stake, Xehanort took out a spare pair of metal needles, trying to cut through some of the ropes.

Ira’s eyes widened, hesitated just for a moment as he stared at the brutalized woman. “W… we should go get the v-village leader–”

“There’s no time, look at her! It’s amazing she’s alive now!” Arven shouted, fighting with the knot–damn, this was a good knot, Arven himself did these type of knots when he wanted things to stay–before shouting, “Ira, you’re the only one who can handle the weight of bringing it down! Don’t leave us!”

Ira hesitated one more moment… before he hurried over. “Okay, back off a moment, I-I’m gonna try to–”

-

“Is it lame that I just want to put all of my stats into strength?” Ira asked, a touch sheepishly, “It feels like it could be helpful.”

“Heh,” Dimitri laughed, having been nearby and listening in, “Sounds like someone wants to be a tank… I love playing with tanks, it’s a shame we’re playing in different areas. Tanks are always fun.”

“Are they?” Ira asked, surprised.

“Everything in strength? Sure, we can do that.” Alter Ego said.

-

“--tip the the stake up and back, to bring her down. Then we can cut her out!”

“That’s a good idea, Xehanort, give him some room!” Arven called, backing up.

Ira grit his teeth, putting his hand on the back of the stake, squatting down to wrap his arm around the base part of it–this felt familiar. Why did it feel familiar?--before closing his eyes and focusing. Doing what Ira did best, what made him worth five farmhands he had been assured over and over again. Just turn off your brain and let your muscles do what they were going to do… “AuUUGH!” 

The stake pulled out of the dirt, and Ira kept his grip steady as he laid it down on the ground. Bringing the woman down from where she had been hanging several feet above them.

Scrambling back, Xehanort got out of the way, giving the woman a worried look before he took a few more steps back and sat down in the dirt, crossing his legs and lacing his fingers as he pressed his palms together. Starting to weave a prayer. 

Not to any god they knew, of course. No god of this land was reliable, or if they were about anything, it was about destruction and self-interest. Or…rather the gods on this land was more accurate to say. 

But the world itself? The land and nature and soul of the world around them…it was just as alive as anything else. And supported all life upon it.

-

“I think I’d like to be a cleric type,” Xehanort had decided after a good amount of deliberation, an amused smirk on his face. “It sounds like the ‘gods’ in this world are more obstacles than anything else, so it’d be interesting to see what healing faith would look like.”

And if he had chosen to be a healer that fought with needles, well, all the best inspiration drew from real life.

-

The woman’s breathing seemed to grow heavier, as Xehanort’s healing washed over her. Giving her more strength, more life, enough to show her distress more, as as small bit of light went over and around her neck. Ira realizing as the light criss-crossed across her lower neck, the light stitching a wound close, “Her throat was slit…”

“...” Arven frowned, taking out his dagger as he started to cut her bindings, looking at the healing neck wound, “...in a weird spot? That’s too low to cut someone’s throat… u-uh, I mean, it would be for a pig! You guys know I did that time with the butcher for a bit, it was always important to cut right so that the pigs didn’t suffer. That cut? Way too low. She’d have a bigger risk of dying to infection than suffocating on that cut.”

“Who could have done this to her?” Ira wondered, shifting the woman off the wooden stake once Arven had finished cutting her bindings, laying her out on the dirt. “Who could have done something this barbaric? We need to bring her to the village elders. They’ll know what to do–gah!”

The woman opened her eyes and, in the same moment, she reached up and grasped Ira’s neck, Ira too surprised to do anything as she suddenly moved quickly, sitting up and, still gripping his neck, throwing herself over his back, glaring at the other two as she said, “Come any closer and I rip through his neck next! I mean it!”

Ira couldn’t see it, but Xehanort and Arven could both see the woman’s hand glowing. A strange, purple glow, clasping into Ira’s neck. Arven didn’t know much about magic, but he wasn’t willing to call a bluff with his friends neck on the line as he dropped his blade and put up his hands, “Wait, wait, we’re trying to help you!”

“Trying to kill me again, more like…” the woman said, looking around rapidly. A sheen on her skin suggesting she wasn’t entirely recovered, some of her paranoia clearly the result of shock as she said, eyes too wide, “Did he send you back here to finish the job!?”

Xehanort’s brows furrowed, even as he concentrated on his prayer. Slitting someone’s throat--poorly--then trying them up to slowly die? It was more than just cruel or clumsy. That was just…pain and suffering for its own sake. Something more like a…a punishment than…

The teen peeked an eye open at Ira’s gasp, brows now arching in worry.

Before he let go of a deep sigh. “Oh nooooo, this miracle is sooooo meant to kill you twice~ Because miracles can do that, really do it more often than their primary function of healing, you caaaaaaught me~”

Even as he kept his hands clasped, Xehanort started sweating a bit, trying to keep the spell up without putting his full concentration into it. “Who’s ‘he’?”

Kill her ‘again’? The knots, the stake, where the slit had happened… But why didn’t he remember?

“The ugly old bastard who was with you before!?” the woman said, looking around desperately, “Your crazy cult leader.”

“C-cult? We don’t… we don’t have any cults here. Don’t even really have religion… who was with us before?” Arven asked, brow furrowed, “...are you saying we were here before?”

“H-hah! Here before!?” The woman scoffed, glaring furiously at Arven, “You slit my throat!”

“...I what?” Arven whispered. Blood running cold. 

The woman glared at him, hand still on Ira’s throat, glowing… before she looked away, scoffing, “What am I doing. I might as well be arguing with the dog. So the rumors of Sunrise Village is true… a village of puppet and toys, all unaware of Miquella’s strings.”

Xehanort frowned as the woman confirmed his inference, before he closed his eyes again and refocused his concentration. He could sense some infection in her wounds, so she still needed whatever healing he could manage. 

Because even if they were the ones to leave her in this state, what was happening now felt true. Xehanort…didn’t like to think of he and his friends being capable of such horrific cruelty. That they had it in themselves to kill anyone at all, let alone string someone out to slowly suffocate or die from infection in a display better suited to a horror movie. They were farmers. Ira regularly took trips out to the surrounding roads, knowing how often passing vehicles got stuck in the soft, often muddy dirt of the delta around them, and would help stranded travelers get back on their way. Arven was no stranger to the circle of life, and the realities of raising livestock, but he was a gentle soul that was always more at ease bottle-feeding new babes than the demands of his stint at the butcher’s. And while Sunrise didn’t have any enforced religion, Xehanort felt deeply for his faith, and that it would guide him on a path of helping the living world around him. 

…the woman was scared, trying to defend herself. And she hadn’t hurt Ira immediately, even if it was in negotiation. So he wouldn’t leave her to the wounds they left on her. 

Especially if she had information.

“...what do you mean?” Xehanort asked after a moment, voice more curious than defensive. “We don’t have anything to do with Miquella the Kind here. No one even goes near Unir-Elim.”

“Perhaps they keep you away from him, so you can’t make the connection of how deeply he controls you?” the woman said, sounding like she was considering this rather then informing them, “But why would you all ignore my warnings? What do you gain from ignoring the moon?”

“...um… warnings?” Ira asked uneasily. Having not moved or said much since she had taken him hostage. Just kneeling patiently and hoping his head didn’t explode. “What warnings?”

“...” the woman sighed, lowering her hand. Stepping away from him, still keeping a wary eye on all of them, as she said slowly, “...I’m on my way to Unir-Elim, but I thought I’d come here and search for potential allies. For the festival.”

“Festival?” Arven asked, placing a hand on Hounds head, wanting the comfort of his companion nearby as he asked, “What, the River-Light festival?”

“No. Gods, you all have no idea. You’re sitting ducks…” the woman sighed again, “...my name is Ava. And if you all suddenly try to kill me again, this time I won’t hold back! I… I can curse all of you! Don’t test me!”

Ira stood up, frowning at her as he stepped backwards to join the others, “Miss, we don’t usually attack random people for just introducing themselves… I know you’re hurt, and maybe even we were there. But I don’t remember hurting you. I can’t even imagine it.”

Ava gripped her hands tightly… before she lowered her hands to her side. Suddenly looking much smaller and more frail, as her hands lost her glow. The woman looking more like a girl, as she said, “Well, you did… when I realized none of you knew what was coming, I tried to tell your town. Tried to announce that Termina Festival was coming, that the moon was going to start it tonight. Look up, can’t you see it? The face?”

Ira looked up… shivering a little. “...I guess maybe the moon does seem a bit… bigger?”

“More craters?” Arven offered. 

“More eyes and teeth.” Ava said dryly.

More things he didn’t remember. And…why would someone willingly go to Unir-Elim?! It wasn’t like people were struck down just for being near Miquella, but nothing good came from being near the walking gods, everyone knew that. Ava could be lying, sure…

…but why would they, or anyone, attack her just for saying crazy things? If anything, they should’ve offered aid to a clearly confused woman. And instead…that was the part Xehanort just couldn’t get past. That she had been strung up to die a slow, agonizing death. 

“...Arven, take one of my needles from my pocket and hand it to Ava, I’m not finished healing her yet,” Xehanort directed, before belatedly greeting, “I’m Xehanort, by the way. You can just call me Xeha. In the dirt, could you draw what the moon looks like to you? If we’re just seeing different things, then we’ll be able to recognize the differences. If something’s altering our perception, then whatever you draw will just look like the moon to us.”

“Ah, uh, sure!” Arven said, digging into Xehanort’s pocket, before cautiously giving Ava said needle. Taking several steps back when she took it, Ava looking just as nervous as Arven felt. “Here you go, Ava.”

“...thank you.” Ava said tensely, before looking down at the dirt. Squatting down and, glancing up at the moon, she started to draw. 

( ◎⃝⃘ ) = ( ◎⃝⃘ )

“That,” she said, pointing to the drawing of a large, grimacing moon full of teeth, “The moon looks like that. It’s taking up half the sky.”

Arven frowned, looking at the drawing, then the moon, then the drawing, “...does it not normally look like that?”

“No.” Ava sighed, rubbing her temple, “No, it doesn’t. Not until tonight.”

As Ava drew, the threads of light finally left her body and Xehanort let out a sigh, pushing himself up from the ground before he dusted his pants off. It wasn’t perfect, he couldn’t heal the stress her body went through from the attacks in the first place, but it was enough that he was confident she wouldn’t get worse. 

And he had a feeling that if she had been driven out from their village in the first place, she wouldn’t exactly find a plush bed there for the night. 

Coming over to look at the drawing, Xehanort frowned. Just as he’d said, just seeing a drawing of the moon. And for a moment, he just leveled that frown on her, before crossing his arms. 

“...I’d be going out on a brittle limb, believing you at face value for all of this,” he said after a moment. “The thing that bothers me most is that you were definitely hurt, and severely at that. But even that could just be you having been targeted by some other group, and just blaming us to bargain.”

Xehanort’s frown softened. “But I don’t really believe that, even if everything else you’re saying is unbelievable. …why did you come here for allies, Ava? Why are you going to Unir-Elim?”

Ava placed her hand on the cut on her neck. The wound still there, but closed and healed over. A scar rather than a painful, mortal blow now. “...thank you.” She said softly. 

“I don’t know how to convince you. I could ask one of you to leave and you can see for yourselves how ‘out of sight, out of mind’ you all seem to be. But I don’t actually know how the spell you’re all under works. I might just end up looking foolish, or like I’m trying to trick you… but everything I’m about to say? Is true. And all I can do is appeal to the part of each of you that cares about others.”

“The Termina festival is the end of the world,” Ava said, “Unless humanity can bring artifacts that the gods hold to Clock Town, in offering to the moon god? There will be no future. Every person in Termina, from this moment on? Only has one goal. Kill the gods. Collect the artifacts,” Ava frowned, “Save humanity. And I’m going to do my part. I’m going to secure Unir-Elim’s artifact. With others… or alone.”

Xehanort doubted there was a way to convince them. If their perception was being altered, and even by a divine power like Ava said? Then there was no way mere words would be able to break whatever twisted sense their minds would make of them. And the other option was that she was making all of this up. 

There was no logical argument to make. There was only faith. 

Even hearing that… “...I’m sorry, the end of the world?” Xehanort gawked, just…reeling. 

…a god that was slated for death would have a vested interest in ensuring none of the people nearby would know to kill them. And would attack anyone passing though to do it. 

Xehanort looked at the drawing, then up at the moon. All he could see was the lovely night Ira had commented on before. He squinted, really…trying to see what Ava described, eyes and teeth, it taking up half the sky…

He looked back at her. “I’m not much of a fighter,” he plainly admitted, “But if I ever want more concrete answers than we’ll get talking in circles here, I think a god would be able to do that. If that ends in their death, so be it. So if you’ll have a healer, I’d like to help you, Ava.”

Ava visibly let out a small breath of relief, though she seemed immediately embarrassed about that. Trying to look composed as she nodded, “I certainly wouldn’t turn away the help of a healer…”

“The end of the world?” Arven frowned, squatting down and half hugging Hound, who licked the side of his face, “Fighting the gods… I’m a farmer from a quiet village. How can I fight a god?”

“If the whole village is in danger? The whole world?” Ira whispered, “How can we not?”

“Oh, Hound…” Arven whispered, resting his face in his dogs fur, hugging him tight, “...you’re right, Ira. Our families are here, our friends, neighbors. Everyone I’ve ever known. If they’re like us, and can’t see the danger? None of them can save themselves. We’re the only ones who have a chance. We have to.”

“I’m not the smartest fella around. Wouldn’t even call myself clever in a practical way,” Ira admitted to Ava, “But I’m strong. Maybe that could help.”

“Hounds a hunter. I don’t know how well I’d do fighting, but I could keep us fed on the road.” Arven said, straightening up, “And I have a blade… uh, sorry. You know that.”

“I do.” Ava said dryly, touching the scar on her throat… before she smiled. “But, in a way? I’m grateful for it now. You all might not think you can fight, but it’s not like I went up that pole willingly. I know you have some violence in all of you. And that’s good. We’ll need it. This isn’t going to be easy. I can’t guarantee any of us will survive.”

“If what you’re saying is true, then no one will survive if we don’t do anything,” Xehanort countered, his expression pulled into a set frown of determination…before he looked back at Ava more sheepishly. “If we didn’t remember you, then others in town might not either. I’d hate to ask you to take that chance, but if we went back to get supplies ourselves, we might entirely forget all this again.”

He paused, before shrugging out of his light jacket, offering it to Ava. “Would you be willing to come back with us so we can pack up? It’s late enough that there’s a chance people won’t give you a second glance.”

Ava shivered in fear–and that was surprising to Arven. Ava having seemed quite fierce up until this point–but she nodded as she took the jacket, wrapping it sound herself. “I guess… try not to look away from me too long? Again, I don’t know how your curse works. But I’ll stick close to you three. Just… don’t tie me to any more stakes.” 

“Okay.” Ira agreed.

“Deal.” Arven said.

“Done,” Xehanort laughed.