Let's see...this is a birthday present for Heleentje who is an amazing person and fellow Spiritshipper, and also gets megaawesome points for putting up with my insane fangirling.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! DM GX. (O RLY?)

The breeze had not blown all day, a conspicuously rare event as the oceanic winds were almost always blowing past the Duel Academia island. So the humidity seemed to be suspended in the air, thicker than usual and scheming with the heat to make themselves both more oppressive than usual. Students sought relief in their dormitories, but those of Osiris Red, lacking an air conditioning unit for their dormitory, were dispersed across the island. Most figured to find relief in the main school building while others, who were lucky enough to know Ra or even Obelisk students, hung out with them to avoid the tropical nightmare.

The remaining Red went down to the beach where it was noticeably cooler. Juudai Yuuki was among those at the beach and was joined by his newest friend Johan Andersen who was not a Red student per se, but still bunked in the small dorm. Juudai, who had thrown off his jacket and boots and rolled up his pants, stood with his feet buried in the sand and waves breaking around his ankles. Johan sat not too far away, fully clothed and grinning despite the weather. He waited as Juudai cooled down, exchanging a few words with his duel spirit Ruby in the meantime.

Soon enough Juudai retreated from the cold ocean and joined Johan in sitting. They said nothing for a while, instead staring out at the simmering horizon, empty but for the sun dipping low to the belt of the world, where other islands were usually visible.

Juudai ended the calm by asking, "Johan, aren't you warm?"

"No, not really. This shirt breathes better than you'd expect."

They were quiet for a bit longer. Then Juudai stood up again, showering grains of fine white sand as he did so. "Are you coming this time?" he asked Johan.

Shrugging, Johan stood up and glanced at the water. "Is it too cold? Because I really am fine over here."

"It's warmer than one expects," Juudai said, echoing Johan playfully. Johan smiled slightly.

"All right—I'll come." He knelt down and removed the brown material covering his pant and boots on each leg. Removing his left boot, Johan dug his toes experimentally into the sand. It burnt at first, but then he penetrated to cooler, moister layers and was left with only a vague tickling feeling. He moved his other boot and rolled his pants up past his shins. "All right!" Johan cried, running towards the water which slapped against the island.

Juudai, invigorated by Johan's burst of enthusiasm, followed after the boy.

When the two reached the water Johan, the chilly sting of the water surprising him. But he soon found it relaxing, appreciating the coolness suffusing his body. Johan waded through the shallow surf for a while before standing still and allowing the frothy waves to wash over his feet. As he stood he noticed numerous indents in the surface of the sand quickly form before being erased by a receding wave—sand crabs catching plankton and diving back into the sand in the span of a few seconds. Taken by this momentary performance, Johan marvelled, trying to catch a glance of a jumping sand crab.

"What's so interesting?" Juudai asked as he approached Johan, vaguely worried about the European who had become so transfixed. "You know, there's plenty of sand over here too."

Looking up, Johan grinned. "Right. Just looking at some sand crabs. See how they burrow into the ground so quickly?"

Juudai looked. He saw nothing but wet sand.

"Eh, I don't get it. And why crabs? Anyway, come check this out."

Johan, forgetting the crabs, looked about him curiously for what Juudai could possibly be referring too. Unable to find an answer, he tensed his shoulders and brought a hand to his chin. "Check what out, Juudai? I don't see anything besides the ocean and a few other students."

"Look behind you."

"Hmm?" Complying, Johan swivelled so he could see completely behind him. There was nothing out of the ordinary that he could find there either. From behind came a tick—Juudai beating on the water—and then his back was drenched. He spun around and looked at Juudai, taking in his sight for as long as he could before he was splashed at again. Laughing sharply, Johan fell backwards into a wave which covered him in sand and swathed him in froth. When he stood up he was shivering despite the weather. "Juudai's evil," he muttered.

Juudai simpered. "Not evil. Just having fun."

Grinning, Johan trudged back up the beach to where he had been sitting before. He peeled off his vest, wiped the sand from his shirt, and shook out his sleeves. Still, his clothing clung to his skin because of its heavy dampness. Ruby appeared next to him and gazed at him. He gazed back and then said "Don't worry about me. I'll dry out soon enough." Johan examined his sleeve absently, picking at the fabric of his sleeve made translucent by its wetness. He still shivered.

Juudai was splashing at Hane Kuriboh and laughing as the water flew right through her. When he grew bored he turned towards the beach and looked directly at Johan. Taking a few steps forward, he yelled "Come join us! We'll have a war!"

Johan shrugged. "I'm fine up here."

"Come on!"

"All right, all right. Just hold on a moment," Johan shouted as he stood up and brushed at the sand clinging to his pants. An affable smile, then he yelled, "You better be careful, Juudai!"

He sprinted towards Juudai, surprising the boy and delaying his reaction. When Juudai gathered himself he grinned and tossed his head back. "You're on!"

So they—still fully clothed—fought an epic battle, their artillery hands and legs and bodies and their ammo water. Eventually they made it out to deeper water so that their knees were completely submerged. As they passed into even deeper water their violence tapered and ultimately ended when they both began treading water. Johan finally called a truce so he could relax, floating on his back with his head tilted towards the waxing moon.

"So now what?" Juudai asked as he watched Hane Kuriboh float through the air, Ruby borne upon her.

"Exist," Johan breathed. His shirt had become swollen with water, ballooned, and floated out beneath him. He rose and fell with the sea, laying content on a bed of pulsing, rolling water.

"But we're already doing that."

"Yeah. Let's do it some more."

A beat. "All right. I've done it a bit more. And now even more," Juudai said.

"You do a good job at existing, Juudai. A lot better than a lot of people."

"I'm glad you think so."

For a few moments there was nothing to hear but the lapping of the sea.

"...You're a mighty, radiant star whose gravity everyone gets caught up in," Johan said.

Juudai made a face at the floating boy as well as he could provided the sea water hugging his chin. "You really think so?"

"Mmm. Maybe the whole world could revolve around you."

"Nah, I'm not that important," Juudai said. He splashed Johan, causing the boy to choke on a bit of water that had gotten in his mouth. Johan then tensed his body, sinking him so that he was treading water again. They made eye contact and held it for a time, silently bobbing the whole time. Then Juudai began swimming towards the shore. Johan wordlessly followed. By the time they reached their spot the rest of the students had left the darkened beach, leaving behind only temporary traces of their presence on the canvas of sand. The tide was coming in again, already at work erasing the proof of the day's visitors.

Johan sat down first and began to put on a boot. At first his foot slid in, but then it would go no further. Despite the particles of sand scratching at his skin, he rammed his foot in repeatedly and only stopped when it was completely in. He looked at his other boot and frowned. Deciding not to put it on, he drew his knees to his chest. Juudai joined Johan in sitting, plopping down next to the European so that their sides brushed.

Johan adjusted his weight and sighed. He could now feel the other boy's body heat radiating from behind two layers of soaked linen. Not a word was said, but Juudai agreed. So they sat side to side, watching and counting the stars as they emerged.

Some time passed, but neither boy was keeping track.

Eventually Johan resumed his shivering. Eventually he found himself covered with Juudai's dry jacket. It was a bit too small, but he did not have to put it on to enjoy its generous warmth.

They sat a bit longer, forgetting dinner, ignorant of their churning stomaches. Nothing else was really that important right now—not that Johan had on only one boot or that they still had homework to finish—for underneath the dome of the night sky all earthly matters seem so trivial.

But then, as all things must end, Johan stood up when he lost track of the emerging stars. He stretched his back, arcing it backwards and reaching out to the ocean before him. Grunting, he looked towards the Red dorm as he put on his other boot, fastened his brown leg coverings, and gathered his vest in one arm. It would be a way to walk in the dark, but he really did not mind. Johan began moving to take a step, but found his flounced sleeve tugged before his foot touched the ground again.

So he turned his body slightly, looked over his shoulder, and grinned.

"The whole world?" Juudai asked. He looked gravely at Johan, searching his eyes for any signs he would be kind enough to provide.

Johan blinked. Then, with a smile that was bright enough to burn retinas, Johan nodded. "The whole world."