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Going to the beach was, of course, Kaito's idea.
Maki was a little hard to persuade, while Kaede immediately agreed. This is how it usually is, forcing Maki a little into her own happiness.
Kaito always thinks they are his sun and moon. Kaede's brightness reflects to Maki and allows her to shine as well, even if Kaede's light is bright warm yellow and hers is silver moonlight. And Kaito is the space that hugs both of them tight, the universe that wouldn't exist without both of them in it.
"Check it out Maki-Roll, there's ducks!", Kaito calls out, roofing his eyes against the sun.
The beach is like it looks in any perfect postcard. Yellow sand and purring turquoise ocean waves arching against the edge of the beach, a clear blue sky with a couple clouds, which reflect on the calm surface of the water.
"Those are seagulls", Maki grumbles, tugging her twin tail.
She has a long silky skirt wrapped around her waist, and Kaito figures she's a little shy about her bikini. It's a pretty dark maroon with ruffles, Kaede helped her pick it out. But it exposes all of Maki's scars to curious eyes - scars that are like star constellations to Kaito at this point, waypoints he could trace with his fingers in his sleep.
The stabwound that barely missed her liver. The burn mark on her shoulder. A long machete cut on her back that still has the healed remnants of stitches visible. Some of them are protruding a little lighter on her skin, and usually, she covers them with makeup.
She doesn't today, and Kaito thinks she's come a long way.
"Lighten up Maki! Turn that frown upside down!"
Kaede barrels into her and swings her arm around Maki's shoulder, nearly causing her to drop the basket she's carrying.
"You're annoying", Maki mutters, but Kaede ignores the remark.
"You look so cute! Come on, spin it for me!"
Kaede is wearing a yellow bikini with a shell-shaped top. It compliments her curves and not only Kaito notes how stunning she looks - Maki is blushing.
"That's ridiculous", Maki says and sets down the basket.
Kaito sets up the umbrella he's been carrying, while Kaede finally gets Maki to awkwardly make her skirt fly.
"You're like a mermaid! So pretty!", Kaede beams.
Maki clutches her hands in front of her chest and averts her eyes with a pout. "Mermaids don't exist", she mumbles, "And they'd be in the water... Idiot."
She's embarrassed. Kaede doesn't let that dim her excitement.
They set up their spot together, Kaede straightens out a big beach towel next to the umbrella, and later they'll have some fruit from the cooling bag.
"Let's bury Kaito in the sand!", Kaede proclaims with a small beach shovel ready in her hand. Maki has rejected building a sandcastle (too childish), but Kaede isn't giving up that easily.
"Of course the Luminary of the stars is also the Luminary of the... Uh, beach!", Kaito responds.
Maki rolls her eyes with a sigh. Some people are looking, but at least she hasn't fled yet.
The sand is hot against Kaito's skin when he lays down, Kaede hands the shovel to Maki and digs into the sand with her bare hands. He's quickly covered in sand up to his neck, and Kaede starts giggling.
"You're so..." Maki is pursing her lips, but she's obviously trying not to laugh.
"Hey girls, what are you doing?", Kaito asks. He can't crane his neck enough to catch a glance.
"Don't worry about it", Maki says and he can see her lean over him, her back blocking his vision.
"Hey, let's take a picture", Kaede says under barely muffled further giggling, and Kaito wouldn't believe it was possible: Maki is giggling too.
Kaede grabs her phone from the basket and they both pose in front of Kaito - he can only see Kaede signing peace into the camera, and then another one where she presses a kiss against Maki's cheek. Maki is bright red when she turns back to Kaito with a death glare that would probably unsettle anyone that doesn't know her, but he knows that's just her way of having a good time.
"What did you do?", Kaito asks.
Kaede is still laughing, but she mercifully shows Kaito the picture. They have build him a very curvy body out of sand, including a very generous chest. Kaede has drawn a bikini on it, and even if Maki isn't smiling on the picture, her eyes are sparkling with amusement.
"H-hey! What's that look for a Luminary of the stars! Hey, Kaede! Don't you dare send that to anyone!", Kaito loudly complains.
He could move and destroy their sand-boob-castle on his chest, but he's not actually mad. A little bit embarrassed, maybe, but first and foremost he wants to see Maki smile.
Kaede is laughing even harder while they both hang over the phone, and Kaito already knows they probably sent that to literally everyone who knows him... Including his grand parents.
"Let's have some fruit."
Kaede stretches and bounces over to their designated spot on the beach towel.
"Hey, wait. Are you not going to dig me out?", Kaito yelps.
Maki glances over her shoulder and purses her lips. "No. Maybe the ocean will drown you."
Kaito can't help but steal a glance at the waves, but then he huffs. That's her humor, he knows by now.
The sand is actually heavier than he thought when he peels himself out, it sticks to his skin and hair and ends up even being inside his trunks. He acknowledges defeat (swimming is gonna wash it off), and joins the girls. Kaede is already munching on a slice of watermelon.
"What do you want, Maki-Roll? We've got apple, strawberry, cherry, grapes-"
Maki crosses her arms and pouts.
"What?! I asked!"
"Get creative", Kaede offers.
Kaito furrows his eyebrows and picks a couple dark grapes from the cooler. "Here comes the space ship", Kaito says, holding one in front of Maki's face.
"You're embarrassing", Maki glowers.
"I can be even more embarrassing", he teases.
Maki's eyes widen for a moment, before she scoffs and leans in to snatch the grape from him, half-heartedly biting his fingers.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"Look at that."
Kaede settles next to Kaito and points to the ocean. Far enough away from the visitors, dolphins are dancing on the water's surface, quickly attracting all the attention.
"Damn, I've never seen a wild one", Kaito whispers breathlessly.
"You've never seen a real one, anyway", Maki corrects.
"I did!"
"That was a salmon."
Kaede starts laughing again. That damn fishing trip again.
"It was huge! I could've sworn it was a dolphin!"
And this time, Maki laughs too. Loud and clear and it brings tears to his eyes hearing her cheerful.
Kaito wraps his arms around both of them and holds them close. It's a beautiful day. He's glad they came, and Maki is slowly letting down her defenses--
"Oh..."
Kaito finds himself stunned when both of his girls press a kiss against each side of his face, and he's the one blushing this time.
Maki immediately pouts, and Kaede flicks a little bit of sand at her.
He's really lucky to have them. The universe at his hands, peacefully in balance.