Their feet sink deeper into the sand, and he thinks to himself that even this feels different. The sand is courser against his now softer skin, and the water is colder as it seeps up and wraps the contours of his feet. He wiggles his toes, and smiles at the suction sound that comes from the motion. Beside him, she laughs quietly.

He glances at her, uncharacteristically shy, and wraps his hand around one of her fingers, using his thumb to rub small circles on her palm. If his skin feels softer, then her skin feels like the softest silk shimmering under his fingers. The ocean licks at the sand, keeping time with his one beating heart. He's not sure he'll ever get used to that feeling, the just one beat. He hopes he doesn't.

She leans against him as the wind pushes against her, and he drops her hand only to throw his arm around her shoulders. Her arms wrap around his waist, and he shivers with happiness. "It doesn't feel as weird as I thought it would be… coming back here." She whispers as she flicks her eyes up at him, even though she can only see the underside of his chin.

He cocks his head to one side, waiting for her to go on. "I mean, I thought it would hurt, at least just a little bit. The last time I was here the only world I had ever really wanted was running from me, about to be closed off for good. I didn't think I'd ever get over that."

"But you did." He said the three words simply, sliding them off his tongue in the way only he knew how.

She smiled a small smile. "I did. I still had you, even if you were a new you to me, and I knew that no matter how hard this all seemed to me, it was that much harder for you."

He looks down at her, his eyes twinkling. "It was easier than I imagined." He leans down to softly kiss her forehead, smiling against it.

He lingers, and she closes her eyes as his nose skims up to her hair and his lips press against her strands softly. "You don't resent being stuck here with me then?"

He smiles wider. "When the other me exiled this me here, I never felt as if anything was being taken away from me. I've traveled the stars for years and years…" He trails off.

"And years and years." She adds, muffling her laugh.

"Oi." He whispers, covering her mouth with his hand playfully. "This was just a different sort of adventure. A more dangerous one," he added slyly.

She sticks her tongue out, hitting the back of his hand. "That's just rude, really." He says, wiping it on his trouser leg with a laugh. "I don't regret doing what landed me here. If that makes me selfish, then that's what I am. I'm selfish, because I'm happy of the choices I made, the choices that landed me here with you." He replaces his hand with his mouth and for a few moments that's all they can think about.

Then, she breaks away, breathing deep breaths and grinning. "That doesn't make you selfish."

She grabs his hand, and they turn away from the water as one. "It just makes you human."