Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Out of My Element ❯ Beside Miss Ocean Blue ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10: Beside Miss Ocean Blue

 

The ceremony lasted all too long for Axel. The priest saying sweet farewells took his dandy time, drawing out the pain and misery. However, Axel could at least praise the cemetery for its incredibly aesthetic view. Among the headstones, which were lined with flowers blanched with sorrow, were numerous flower bearing trees, some of which were in bloom. Each was grand, large and eloquent guardians of the dead, and none were sickly or feeble. As centerfold, a large lonely oak kept watch upon a hill. Its billowing branches weighed down from the years, waved in the soft breeze. Beyond these epitaphs and soldiers, the sea, as vast as the sky over head, lapped at the ocean shore rhythmically and quietly. The shallow waters held shadows of fish and sharks mingling amongst stone and forests of plants. As the waters deepened, so did the blue to conceal its inhabitants.

In spite of Axel's distaste for water, the concept of its beauty was not beyond him. As long as he stood clear of its cold touch, the pale waves and smooth beat were enchanting even to him. So lost he was in the scenery, Axel didn't even notice when the speaker had finished his acclamations and those who'd shown for the burial began to leave.

“Axel?” For a long moment, he stared just as he had before, then he reluctantly tore his eyes away to look to his side at Demyx, “Beguiled by sweet Madam Blue?” Asked Demyx with a wily grin.

“Ah…” Axel looked back over at the sea, “I suppose I was.” He hummed, standing up slowly from his seat. His eyes ran across the scene, Rufus was speaking with a few of the attendees with both Rude and Reno by his side, looking out for who knows what.

“Do you like the water then?” Inquired Demyx standing up as well.

“Not particularly.”

“Why not?”

“The feel of it on my skin is… Unpleasant.” He said slowly, unsure if that was actually the reason he disliked it, “Yes… Unpleasant.” He affirmed, “I don't like the way it covers me and clings to my body, it's like it's trying to smother me with its purity… But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy looking at it, I understand that it is indeed beautiful and its motions are relaxing… So I don't hate the water; I hate its feel.”

Demyx laughed, making Axel look back towards him in interest. Smiling, Demyx shook his head a little, “Sorry, it's funny… You're talking like an old man. `It is indeed beautiful'.” Demyx chuckled stepping close and taking Axel's hand in his own, “Why don't we take a closer look now? I'll give you the scenic tour.” Giving Axel a light tug, Demyx then began to lead him through the plains of tombstones.

The first few minutes, neither spoke. Axel was the one to break the silence, “You can play the piano and guitar.” He stated; it was an obvious fact, “Can you play any other instrument?”

“Hum…” Demyx thought, “I can do the drums a little... Oh, and I used to have a keyboard. I had a lot of stuff loaded on it to mix my own music and load it onto my computer. I couldn't play anything like the violin so with the keyboard I could create the sound without having to know how to play.” He explained happily, “I'm really glad that I didn't lose everything when they took our stuff, I had it backed up on a disk.”

“Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a touchy subject.” Apologized Axel at the mention of Demyx's belongings being taken away from him.

“Don't worry. It's all right, that disk is all I need. As long as I have that, I'm happy. Actually, I have some music my mom and dad put together on it too, they even had some lyrics. I don't have them typed anymore or the original copies, but their words are in the songs so it doesn't matter… One day I'll get back to working on my own stuff and I'll start paving my golden road to fame.”

“So you've decided that you're going to be a singer, huh?”

“Yeah, that's all I've ever really thought of doing. I'm too stupid to be a doctor or accountant or anything like that. I just don't have the book smarts for those kinds of careers. I need to do something fulfilling, use my talents, live a little. My spirit's too wild to be cooped up in an office all day. I want to be heard, free like the birds that fly the seas, ya know?” Demyx glanced up at him, giving his hand a light squeeze. Blankly, Axel stared back at him.

There was a long pause before he carefully chose his answer, “I… No, not in that sense anyway. I like living the way I do, having no one really bothering me. I don't like attention, attention smothers me. I'm just antisocial… Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to be lead or controlled, because that's smothering too. I just want to be left alone to do as I please, that's why I'm entering a more scientific field. I want to create things on my own and expand without all the publicity.”

“I think that's where our differences lay, publicity. I love attention, not like pity or anything, but real attention like admiration and stuff.” Demyx noted, “I guess you were never really popular at school huh?”

“No, I was popular enough. They seemed to like the idea of being aloof. I was well known throughout the school as a genius slacker and a tough guy. In class, I rarely participated or worked, but my grades were substantial because I did the work at home. Roxas tells me I was really nasty to people who tried to talk to me, and that I was quite good at avoiding social situations… I don't there wasn't a kid at the school who didn't know my name by the time I left. Actually, Roxas told me a while ago that there's a picture posted of me in the `hall of fame'. It's actually just a wall to put all the considerable accomplishments in the school and since I did so well on the national tests I was put up.” Axel explained, “I guess my plan of making myself invisible backfired.” At this Demyx chuckled.

“Doesn't help that your hair is fire truck red either.” He added with satisfaction before continuing on a more serious note, “I take it you didn't date much.”

“No… If you want to get technical, I've never really been on a date. I had plenty of offers but I always refused-“

“Politely?”

“Doubt it.” Axel shrugged, thinking back. Alienating himself probably hadn't been the best idea in the world. Of course, he did remember the embarrassment he felt whenever anyone talked to him. Embarrassment was never something he took well; it usually resulted in an aggressive defense, like yelling or insulting someone. In his mind though, the kids deserved it. After all, he gave them enough signs he didn't want to talk. There was always a preliminary glare.

“Did you just not have any interest?” Asked Demyx.

“Interest? As in getting to know people? I never really cared to know anyone. I got all the attention I needed at home; Reno and Rude were always pretty caring. Since I grew up in a small social environment I never really cared to be in large groups. Having to be around more than 3 people at once is just too much for me to handle, I get stressed.” Admitted Axel, “At least in college I don't have to talk to anyone… It's more like being alone than being in a classroom filled with over a hundred students.”

There was another moment of temporary silence, “What did you do in class then? If you weren't doing the work or talking…”

“If the teacher was talking I was paying attention, but other than that, I don't know. School was pretty much a blur of unwanted situations. I could have been sleeping.” Axel shrugged.

As they walked down one of the paved path some girls spotted them. For being in a cemetery, they didn't seem very sad. In fact, they were talking and smiling, and when they looked at him and Demyx they giggled. Scowling, Axel shot them a deadly glare only resulting in them laughing more, “What the hell are you laughing at?” He snarled under his breath, not actually speaking loud enough for them to hear. When they were within earshot he spoke again, this time to them, “Hey, this isn't a playground, kitties. Got it memorized? Show some respect.” The group of girls let out some `aw's and fake `sorry's before they passed; of course, then they laughed some more. Beside him, Demyx giggled as well, “You too? What the hell's so funny?”

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Demyx raised his right hand. Bringing their hands to his face, fingers still laced, Demyx placed a kiss on the back of Axel's hand. Instantly, Axel felt his face begin to heat up, a blush appearing on his cheeks. He'd forgotten that Demyx had not released his hand. He was not blushing because those girls before had obviously thought something of it; no, he was blushing because of his reaction to the innocent kiss.

Fingers spread, Demyx released his hand and Axel quickly snatched it back nervously. Right about now, if it had been anyone else, he would have been attacking them verbally, but for some reason he found himself at a loss for words. With a smirk, Demyx hurried along the path leaving Axel behind.

Still a little stunned, Axel raised his hand in front of him to stare at the spot which had been kissed. There was nothing physically amiss, but his skin tingled and inside his heart pounded hard against his chest. The more he stared the hotter he felt and he brought his hand almost just before his face. His eyes quickly came up, making sure no one was watching. Then he pressed his own lips against the back of his hand. A shiver ran up his spine and he quickly let his hand drop before running to catch up with Demyx.

“There's a stream just up ahead, it comes down from a pond.” Demyx told him as soon as Axel was by his side again, “Here, all water runs to the ocean. We'll follow it.” No sooner had he said this, the small brook came into view and they rushed over to meet it. Its water was crystal clear; the pebbles lining the bed were smooth and beautifully colored, “That's why we have strict pollutant regulations and laws fighting against littering.” He explained, “If we didn't, the ocean would suffer.”

“Um… About what we were talking about earlier, school I mean.” Demyx glanced back questionably, but didn't stop walking, “If you don't mind, how was school for you?”

“For me? Normal I guess. I'm a C-average moron. Actually, my councilors used to tell me I had ADD, whatever the hell that is.” Demyx shrugged, “I guess I was more interested in having fun and getting to know people than learning. I never got the material anyway. Whatever came out of the teachers' mouths was like a foreign language. I don't get math, I hate history, and the only science I ever was good at was Earth science, but that's because a lot of it focused on erosion and water. I'm pretty good at languages though, I took a year in Japanese and French. I caught on in a flash, but I lost interest and focused on taking extracurricular classes in music and dance. If it has rhythm and minimal thinking, I'm pretty good at it. Not that singing and dancing doesn't have any thinking, but its more memorization than hard comprehension.”

“If you're good at language, do you like reading or writing?”

“Not really. Reading is pretty boring, I'd much rather watch something on TV, preferably something with music. I don't mind writing much, but I'm more of a poetry kind of guy, song lyrics are my thing.”

“Studying must be hard for you then.”

“HA! What studying?” Demyx laughed, “If I don't get it, I don't get it. I'm not going to waste my time reading some boring text book about something I'll never understand.”

“Then what are you always working on? You're always sitting in the front room and you seem to be concentrating pretty hard.”

“If it's homework, then it's English homework. Sometimes I'm memorizing something for choir or guitar class… Mostly I'm just catching up. I'm way behind in everything.” Demyx told him, “I'll be even more behind when I start going to class again.”

“Start going again?” Axel furrowed his brows in confusion.

“Oh…” Bowing his head, Demyx stopped walking. He looked over at Axel from the corner of his eye and let out a soft sound of sorrow. Seeing that Axel was waiting for an answer, Demyx looked away, “Um… Hey! There's the gate! We're almost there, come on Axel!” Then he darted away and ran up to a black iron fence. It was covered with moss and vines. Beyond it there was some dense vegetation but nothing they couldn't get past.

Once next to it, Demyx began to unbutton his jacket and proceeded to toss it away. Then he hopped on one foot, removing his shoe and sock, before repeating the process again. Crouching down, he bundled up the shoes and socks in his jacket and tossed it over the tall fence.

“What are you doing?” Inquired Axel curiously.

Rolling up his sleeves, Demyx backed up a bit and smiled, “Whaddya think I'm doing?” He asked before taking a running jump at the fence. The impact made a hollow banging sound and rustled some leaves, but no more, the iron stood steady. Nearly halfway up, Demyx began to climb. The act reminded Axel of his brother; Reno had always been insanely good at climbing up any surface.

In seconds, Demyx had heaved himself onto the top. However, he didn't hop down immediately. Standing straight up, he caught his balance and looked down at Axel, “You're a guy, right? Can't you climb?” He asked.

Knowing all too well he couldn't make it up smooth vertical bars, Axel looked around. In no time, he spotted his way over the fence. A tree that stood beside the barrier had some sturdy and very climbable branches, “Give me a sec.” He voiced quietly, jumping over the small stream. At the tree, he easily maneuvered his way up through the branches and leapt over the fence to meet Demyx on the other side.

“Not bad.” Demyx smirked, “But not nearly as cool as my way.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Huffed Axel dusting off his hands.

“Race ya!”

“Wai- Wha?” But Demyx was gone before Axel could even stutter the words. Chasing after him, he worked his way quickly through the brush. Demyx was fast on his feet, and his shorter stature was assisting him in fleeing from Axel's view. All too soon he'd lost Demyx and he slowed to a fast paced walk.

Suddenly the vegetation cut off and he literally stumbled out into the open. For a few feet there was grass, but it died away quickly into sheer rock and that rock dropped off suddenly to reveal the great ocean. The open ocean breeze washed over him, bringing the distinct scent of the salty waters.

The abrupt exposure to the elements had him momentarily stunned. When he'd shaken away the surprise, he noticed Demyx sitting on the edge of the rock, the bundle beside him. Leaning back, Demyx patted the earth beside him. Coming forward, Axel's heart leapt into his throat when he came near the edge. He wasn't really afraid of heights, but the cliff was unexpectedly sharp and steep making his stomach turn.

“Don't be a baby, sit down.” Demyx rolled his eyes at him. Grumbling distastefully, Axel cautiously sat down beside him, “Isn't it beautiful?”

Axel looked out at the water, still feeling a little uneasy about the position. For a long moment, he just listened to the waves crash against the rocks and the calls of the gulls flying below. A shudder ran up his spine, the dream flashing back to him. He leaned forward, glancing unhappily at the meeting of water and land. In his head he could hear the crunching and grinding of the guitar.

“Axel?”

“Oh! Yeah… It's nice.” He quickly responded sitting back and trying to shake the dream from his thoughts.

“This is my home. My one and only... There's no where else I'd rather be than right here.” Hummed Demyx happily. Inhaling deeply, Demyx took in the smell of the coast, “The smell of the fresh ocean air… All the sounds… I feel at ease here.” Flopping onto his back, Demyx closed his eyes and laced his hands behind his head, “I'm in love with it all, even the warmth of the sun is better here.”

Axel gazed at the peaceful expression on Demyx's face for a long time, a soft smile touching his lips. Then he too lay down, hands behind his head, “Yeah.”

It was nearly an hour later when they wandered back to the parking lot of the cemetery. They had fallen asleep in the sun, or at least Axel had, and when they'd woken up they started back by going around the cemetery. Rufus, Reno, and Rude were waiting for them, standing just beside the white limo. Upon seeing them arrive, Rufus gave something of a sigh, got into the car, and was driven away. Reno on the other hand, was visibly relieved and rushed up to greet them.

“Where have you two been? We were worried sick, yo! Ya can't do that to me little bro!” Reno yowled throwing his arms around Axel and hugging him tightly, “Can't ya at least tell me where you're goin' before ya start off?”

“Get off.” Slithering out of Reno's grip, Axel brushed the wrinkles from his jacket, “I would have told you, but I didn't know where we were going. Demyx said we were going to explore in the car, so I don't know what the big deal is.”

“But you were gone so long, yo!”

“I fell asleep.” Axel shrugged, “Let's head back.” He added, opening the door for Demyx to get in, before going around and getting in the other side. Once everyone was buckled up, the drive to the hotel began. Oddly, at least to Axel, Demyx's once good mood had dropped and he was once again silent so Reno flicked on the radio. Not really listening to what was playing, Axel only caught the name `Blue October' the split second after Demyx lurched forward and turned up the volume.

 

`I'm just a normal boy that sank when I fell overboard,

My ship would leave the country but I'd rather swim ashore.

Without a life that's sadly stuck again,

Wish I was much more masculine,

Maybe then I could learn to swim,

Like thirteen miles away.

 

Now floating up and down,

I spin colliding into sound,

Like whales beneath me diving down

I'm sinking to the bottom of my-

Everything that freaks me out

The lighthouse beam has just run out.

I'm cold, as cold, as cold, as can be, be.'

 

Demyx rolled down his window and leaned on the frame, resting his head on his arms as the wind rushed by. From the angle, Axel could only slightly detect that Demyx was lip-syncing the song. Apparently, he didn't have the heart right now to actually sing.

 

`I want to swim away but don't know how,

Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean.

Let the waves up, take me down.

Let the hurricane set in motion, yeah.

Let the rain of what I feel right now come down.

Oh let the rain come down.

 

Where is the coastguard? I keep looking each direction

For a spotlight, give me something, I need something for protection.

Maybe flotsam junk would do just fine

The jetsam sunk I'm left behind.

I'm treading for my life, believe me.

How can I keep up this breathing?

 

Not knowing how to think,

I scream aloud, begin to sink.

My legs and arms are broken down

With envy for the solid ground.

I'm reaching for the life within me.

How can one man stop this ending?

I thought of just your face, relaxed and floated into space.

 

I want to swim away but don't know how,

Sometimes it feels just like I'm falling in the ocean.

Let the waves up, take me down.

Let the hurricane set in motion, yeah.

Let the rain of what I feel right now come down.

Oh let the rain come down.

 

Now waking to the sun,

I calculate what I have done.

Like jumping from the bow, yeah,

Just to prove that I knew how, yeah.

 

It's midnight's late reminder of

The loss of her the one I love.

My will to quickly end it all,

Set front row in my need to fall.

Into the ocean end it all,

Into the ocean end it all,

Into the ocean end it all,

Into the ocean end it all.'

 

When they reached the hotel, it seemed his mood had not improved much. In their room, since they were sharing, there were two beds, a nightstand, a table with two chairs, a TV, and the bathroom, which contained the essentials. Compared to Axel's very plain house, the décor was very much the same; there wasn't anything that was really unneeded. Almost instantly upon arriving in the room, Demyx collapsed onto the farthest bed and didn't move.

“Hey… If you're hungry I can run down to the lobby and get you something.” Axel offered, really unsure of what to say to Demyx. Actually, he was a little afraid of what kind of response he'd get. Demyx had been fine on the walk back around the cemetery, so he wasn't sure was wrong now.

Letting out a soft grunt, Demyx kicked off his shoes and curled up on the bed, “I'm not hungry… I just want to go to sleep.” He muttered before letting out an unhappy groan as he sat up to remove his unwanted clothing. Once stripped of nearly everything, he crawled under the covers and hid himself away from the world. Within minutes, his breathing evened out and Axel could assure himself that Demyx was now fast asleep.

Well it had been a long day; Axel couldn't blame him for wanting to sleep the rest of it away. Formal occasion were always the most trying. Deciding that he could use the rest as well, Axel set the duffle bag holding their clothes for tomorrow on the counter and got undressed before settling down. He took one last glance over his shoulder in Demyx's direction before snuggling up in the covers and going to sleep.

The sun was setting, the great star hung suspended just over the water leaving it's reflection in the waves. In the sky, there was a mixture of red, orange, and purple clouds that also gave color to the water. Both the earth and air were still warm from the sun beating down and as Axel walked by, the gulls and bay birds swooped down to settle in their nests for the night. Those who had been visiting the beach had also returned to wherever they'd come from so the coast lay quiet and still.

Coming across a stone path, Axel followed it blindly, making sure to step carefully among the lose rocks. The higher he went, the warmer the air got and the longer his shadow became. In the distance, he could hear a cricket chirping and a boy humming. He recognized the humming and quickened his pace.

When he'd reached the top, he found himself at the cliffs again, the vegetation to his right and Demyx to his left. Demyx looked back at him and smile. Raising his hand, the musician waved to him and turned back to the ocean.

“I love the sunsets by the sea. They're always so much prettier here, don't you think?” He asked with a sigh of contentment.

“Why is that?” Asked Axel, choosing not to respond to Demyx's own question.

“It's because of the ocean, of course. The clouds form over it from the sun heat and when those clouds are painted by the setting sun, it's also reflected in the ocean waves. You can't get that from a field of grass or a valley of houses.” Demyx told him, “Only here, only where my home is can you get a view like this.” Axel came up beside him and Demyx shifted a little, looking back down at the bottom of the cliffs, “Do you ever think about it? Ever wonder what it would be like?”

“What?” Axel inquired furrowing his brows, looking over at Demyx.

“To just go… Fall and let it all just wash away.”

Axel was appalled, alarmed he took a step back, “You mean suicide? Jumping into the ocean from here?”

“Yeah… I don't want to die anywhere else but here. If I could die in the ocean… I would be so happy.” A strange look came across Demyx's face, like a peaceful trance as he stepped closer to the edge, “Then I wouldn't be so lonely and I'd never have to leave the place I love anymore. I'd be happy forever.”

“Demyx, wait, come here. Let's talk about this-“ Axel frantically tried to call him back to safety, but Demyx wasn't listening. Casting Axel one last glance he spread his arms and leaned forward. His heart stopped and he rushed forward his hand outstretched, reaching for him. The cloth slipped from his fingers.

“Axel!” He snapped awake, his fist closing and coming in close to his body. Still shaken, he turned in the sheets, looking up over his shoulder. Demyx smiled weakly, his arms were around himself and he was slouching forward a little, “Um… I don't… I don't want to sound stupid… Or like a little kid.” He began anxiously, looking around the dark room, “Um, but… I… I had a bad dream.” This last sentence he spoke in a quiet mumble. Axel stared at him; the shock of his dream had a hold on his tongue and his mind. When Axel didn't respond right away, he moved away. A trigger went off in Axel's mind, the last sequence of the dream replaying gin his head once more. “N-nevermind I-“ Axel grabbed Demyx's wrist, probably none too gently.

There was a moment of awkwardness about the action, but it was abruptly ended when Axel pulled Demyx down onto the bed with him. Demyx let out a tiny cry of surprise, but responded with no further objection as Axel turned over and wrapped his arms protectively around him. Closing his eyes again, Axel let out a sigh of relief. These dreams lately, they were going to give him a heart attack if this kept up. For now though, he was comforted by the warmth enclosed in his embrace.

“Axel?” Came Demyx's tiny voice.

“I had a bad dream too.” Whispered Axel quietly.

“Oh…” Demyx fell silent, taking Axel's arms in his hands gently; he held them in place. The silence remained and so did they in the position Axel had put them in.

Light showered in from the curtains onto Axel's face. Groaning, he buried his face down, trying to hide his eyes from the offending beams. As he did so, he recalled that the strange warmth in his arms was living and his eyes flashed open quickly. Demyx had not woken yet. His eyes were shut and a there was a peaceful look on his young face. The glow from the window framed his delicate face, causing his golden hair to shimmer and his skin to appear velvet soft. Even in his dreams Demyx was an angel.

Carefully freeing an arm, he reached over and ran his fingers down Demyx's cheek. His face was just inches from his own, he could feel the drawn out breaths on his lips. As his fingertips came down to his jaw, Axel ran his thumb gently over Demyx's soft lips. At the touch, Demyx shifted parting his lips and slightly tilting his head into the caress. Axel could feel a knot form in his gut, blood rush quickly to his cheeks, and his own breath hitch and quicken pace; in his ears he could hear his pulse hammering inside his veins.

Shifting his other arm, he half propped himself up. He waited a moment, making sure that Demyx was still sound asleep before he allowed his eyes to wander. His gaze wandered over Demyx's round shoulders, down the soft slopes of his sides, over the boy's boxers and down his smooth legs. In the night the pair had shifted some, causing Demyx's only article of clothing to ride up his leg to reveal more of his thighs than normal. At this border of where cloth gave way to skin, Axel's stare lingered.

A quiet mumble came from the sleeping form and his eyes returned to Demyx's face, which was still held in his left hand. The incoherent murmur continued for a moment longer before Demyx took in a deep breath and shifted again. This time as he pressed his face towards Axel's hand, his pink, supple tongue snaked out fleetingly to lick Axel's thumb.

Shivers running up and down his spine, Axel withdrew his hand. With no further thought he brought his thumb to his own lips and licked at the dampness there. He stopped abruptly; this time his cheek burning like fire, and he ducked his head down embarrassedly.

“I can't believe I just did that…” He voiced quietly in humiliation, his voice muffled almost to nothing by the pillow. Taking advantage of a sleeping boy, an underage one at that! And letting his eyes scour his body like he were some form of feast or eye candy! It didn't matter if no one saw him do it, Axel knew he'd done it and that was enough. He was guilty! Guilty, guilty, guilty! Demyx had come to him for support, and what did Axel do? Use the opportunity to kick up the once dormant sexual desire within him. That desire was a beast best left chained and tranquilized in the pit of his stomach.

“Mmph… Morning.” Axel lifted his head, peeking over at Demyx from his pillow. The musician had a goofy grin on his face, his eyes heavy and dilated from the lingering effects of sleep. Rolling over slightly, he pressed up against Axel and propped himself up on an elbow. Now on his stomach, he covered his mouth to stifle a happy yawn. After stretching his back, he pulled himself over and collapsed on top of Axel, wallowing over him, quite on purpose, “What time is it?” He asked hoarsely, letting his head fall to the side and rest on Axel's shoulder.

“Um…” Trying to ignore the obvious ache from down under, Axel looked around for a clock. There was one on the nightstand, but he had to stretch to turn it around and look at it. Reluctantly, he reached out for the clock; unable to reach he rolled onto his belly and stretched out further. The shift of his body forced Demyx to move as well, but not off him, of course, oh no, that would have been a godsend. Instead, Demyx crawled onto Axel's back to await his reply.

Snagging the clock's edge, Axel shifted the device towards them. In red 9:30 blared against the black background. That was pretty late for Axel; he'd only eve slept in past eight three times before.

“That early?” Demyx groaned in complaint, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck, he buried his face in the red hair, “One more hour…” He mumbled snuggling up on Axel's back.

Mind completely grinding to a stop, Axel bit his tongue to hold in the needy moan forming in the back of his throat. The weight on top of him was feeling rather heavenly. However, his moral based brain desperately wanted to think of some way out of the situation, but his frazzled mind wouldn't hear any of it. Every time a thought occurred, it was smothered by a rather troublesome memory, which only resulted in worsening the situation. He was beginning to panic and hyperventilate.

Scooping the pillow up with his arms, he quickly hid his face again. The self-smothering made it harder to breath, but in turn forced him to take slower and deeper breaths; that was the first step to recovering.

“Hey, Axel, you all right?” Asked Demyx inquisitively leaning heavily over his shoulder. Axel only responded with a half-hearted nod and a loud hum, “You sure? You're breathin' kind of heavy.”

Axel turned his head and gulped in a deep breath of cool air, “Yeah… Fine- I -uh-er- D-didn't you want to… To, uh… G-go somewhere today?” Axel couldn't help but stumble over his words, it wasn't the brain upstairs that was trying to think for him anymore and it was hard to get out anything even semi-comprehensible.

“Oh, yeah. What about it?”

“Uh…” Axel paused a moment, closing his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the words, “Gotta… Leave soon or we won't… Uh, get home early enough… `Cause, uh…. Er…” A long pause, his mind was going so slowly, “Ah! Reno's got work tonight!”

“Aw…” Demyx let out a disgruntled whine, “All right, I'll get up. I call the shower first though!” Pushing himself up onto his hands and knees, Demyx knelt over Axel for a moment. Axel shifted to lie on his back and watched as Demyx arched his back and let out small grunt as he stretched the kinks out of his back. Once again, Axel bit back his own tongue to keep his voice from escaping. Then Demyx hopped off the bed and hurried into the bathroom.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Axel rested his arm on his head forehead, shading his eyes. After a moment, he sat up. Needless to say the blood pulsing through other regions of his body objected to such a sharp movement and he fell back down dizzy and in a black haze. The water was running in the bathroom by the time he had regained some degree of control and was able to sit up.

Upright, he placed one hand between his thighs and ran the other through his hair, “Damn it, I shouldn't have problems like this anymore…” He groaned, fighting the urge to attend to a certain craving. Slowly getting to his feet, he retrieved the extra pair of clothes and quickly got changed. His attire for today was pair of faded jeans, silver-studded leather belt, a white tank, along with a half-sleeve black and grey denim jacket. Though he hated to admit, he'd brought them because despite them being fairly simple they were flattering on him and he hopelessly wanted to look good for Demyx. It seemed even more of a crime now that the previous incident had gotten him worked up. He really needed to walk off his excitement before the teenager got out.

Axel knocked on the bathroom door, “I'm going down to the lobby. Want anything to eat while I'm down there?” He called through the door. He himself was starving, he hadn't eaten anything yesterday; those marshmallows had been the last meal he'd had. If he didn't get something in his system today, he knew he was going to get awfully irritable.

“No! I'm not hungry!” Replied Demyx. Axel's heart sunk, maybe it was normal to stop eating for a while when something like this happened. He wished he knew something about these types of situations. More than anything, he wished Demyx would eat something, it wasn't healthy this way.

“All right… I'll be back soon then.” Axel replied down-heartedly before leaving the room. Down in the lobby, there was a lot of hustle and bustle. Children ran in and out of the shops. Parents were paying for rooms and busied by luggage. In general it was happily stressful.

Through the throngs of people, Axel found himself at the food court and scrounged up something mostly edible before settling down in a chair. For some reason, he felt if he went back to the room he'd suddenly lose his appetite. Of course, that didn't stop him from feeling guilty eating at the ground floor.

When someone sat down across from him, Axel nearly leapt out of his skin, but he was calmed upon seeing it was Rude with his own tray of food.

“Where's Reno?” Axel asked casually, not having much else to say.

“Sleeping.” Gee, Axel could only imagine why that was. He might have turned a little pale from the even vague suggestion he'd made to himself, “Demyx?”

“He's getting ready in the room.”

“You're going out?”

“Yeah, I think just to the beach or something. It might help him to go around and see everything he has to leave behind, get it out of his system. When we get home, everything will be normal again- Speaking of homes, given any thought on moving in with us? I know Demyx has the guest room, but I was thinking more of you and Reno sharing his room.” Axel spoke up.

“This again? Did Reno put you up to this?” Grumbled the large bald man.

“No. I just miss you when you're not around, and I worry when you kidnap my brother for days and don't bring him back.” Axel chuckled, “Come on. You don't own a lot of stuff, anyway. It would be easy. Plus, you'll get to eat home cooked meals made by yours truly.”

Rude stared at him for a moment through the dark sunglasses before changing the subject, “I'll tell Reno that we have the rest of the day. Just be back before 4:00 p.m.”

“Yes, father.” Rolling his eyes Axel got up, “But I expect an answer next time I ask you to move in. Got it memorized? Anyway, guess it's time for me and Demyx to head out. See ya, later Rude.”

Because they didn't have the car or a lot of money, they'd walked making the journey longer than it otherwise would have been. As far as Axel could tell, they'd wandered about six miles and out of the central urban area. However, the nearly hour and a half walk had been nice. It was a pleasant day and the streets had a strangeness to them that Axel had never known before, he supposed it was just the fact he'd never been to this place and everything was new to him. After all, Axel had actually never been to the coast, he'd never really left his own place of birth.

Right now, they were walking along a rundown area. The stands and shops were small specialty places, carrying only a certain kind of good. Those who stood behind the counters were smiling and friendly, greeting most everyone by name, giving Axel the impression only locals came around this part of town.

“My family did a lot of shopping around here,” Demyx noted looking around at the shops, “On Sundays, just over there on the platform, there were open markets where we could buy fresh produce and a variety of handmade crafts. We always got fish straight from the docks though, it's cheapest there and so fresh that some of the fish still squirmed in the sack.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets of his denim cargos, Demyx tipped his head back and smiled at the sky the sun making his eyes shimmer, “I'm really gonna miss it here… I mean, I missed it a lot when I was inland but with mom still alive I thought that there might be some chance I'd be back soon.”

“You can always come back here, you know. After you graduate, you can move back.” Axel stated, trying to be helpful.

Demyx shook his head, “No... I didn't mean like that… I know I can come back someday, but things will change. I mean that I'll miss it the way it used to be, I'll miss going out with mother. I'll miss going to the same house I lived in… All of that's in the past now… I guess it's like I've lost everything that makes it all so familiar. Walking down here now, I feel like a stranger… Not a resident-“

“Demyx!” The pair stopped and looked to an older pudgy woman manning a stand just beside them. She waved to Demyx, “Honey, I haven't seen you in ages. How are things for you and your mother?” Demyx physically wilted, his head hung low and his shoulders slumped forward, “Last time I saw her, she seemed to be having such troubles with those terrible migraines.”

“I forget that no one knows…” Demyx sighed heavily before shaking his head and smiling brightly, “Sorry Ms. Potts! I don't think you'll be seeing me or my mother around here anymore.”

“Oh, goodness, why not?”

“My mother passed away recently and… I, uh, I don't live around here anymore. I'm just passing through.” Axel could hear the pain in Demyx's voice; the boy wasn't very good at hiding the sorrow. Still, Demyx kept on smiling all the same.

“Oh! I'm so sorry! Are you all right, dear?”

“Fine, fine… Don't fuss over it; it's not your fault you didn't know… Um, just… If anyone asks about me or my mother, tell them for me all right?” His smile faltered but returned when the woman agreed to do so, then Demyx quickly lead them away from the hustle and bustle of the streets and into the back alleys so they would avoid the gaze of anyone who might recognize him.

It wasn't too long until they found a lonely road leading from the small parish to a more open grassy area. Here, they came across a large building. Its red bricks were crumbling and dingy looking; that went double for the parking lot and pavement. The lawn around it was patchy and dead. It looked like it had been abandoned long ago. Demyx paused and pointed towards it, “That's my old school. I know it looks pretty ghetto, but it's actually really nice. Our teachers were good enough to make up for the lack of quality books and equipment.” Axel gave his a questionable look and Demyx shrugged it off with a smile, “In case you're wondering, it's still used. Nobody really drives to school in their own cars so that's why there's none in the parking lot, most everyone walks, those who don't take a local van.” Then he started walking again, up a small hill, “The ocean air really takes a toll on buildings around here.” He added.

“Looks that way… If you walked, does that mean you lived nearby?” Asked Axel.

“Yeah, real close.” Smiled Demyx knowingly, “The sea's just over there too, see?” Axel looked to his right to look at the ocean. From the school to the water, it couldn't have been more than a twenty minute walk, “That's my beach. Mom and I used to go there a lot. We picked up seashells, poked around at crabs, anything really. Of course, my favorite was always surfing. Mom couldn't surf, but my dad taught me how when I was young so I got pretty good at it. She used to sit on the beach and watch me; we'd pretend I was a big shot surfer in a contest or something strange like that. Sometimes there really were contests, nothing big, just something the school put together.”

“Sounds like you had it good here…”

There was a moment of silence, “You know… I really did.” Stepping at the crest of the hill, Demyx stopped and looked over the area. A sad smile appeared on his face and, unexpectedly, he took off through the overgrown and dying grass to a single house that stood lonely on the hill slope.

The aged house was a two-story old style home. Its walls were painted a blue-gray, though much of the paint near the bottom had chipped away. The tar roof was a dark gray, the older patches varying from a musty old brown to a mossy green. The supporting planks of wood that framed the building were white, but much of the old wood was revealed and in a decaying state. In the front center, a boarded door stood between two large blocked windows. Above those two windows was anther set of covered windows and above them in the center, high at the very top, was a small vent window for the attic. Part of the second floor jutted out over the front door, creating shade for the patio. This section looked like if may fall down at any moment, the pillars holding it up were rotting and leaning ever so slightly. Much of the base of the dwelling was swallowed up by wide brush and sturdy old vines, some of which were probably keeping the house intact.

Out front, there was a single old tree. Its branches were bent wearily and its bark was shredded by the harsh wind coming in from the shore. Just beneath it was a warning sign and a large demolition Cat truck. Other than that, the scene was void of anything of particular interest, unless the perched gulls on the hill were at all intriguing.

Though he stood rather stupefied for a moment, Axel immediately knew that this abandoned place was where Demyx had lived. For a moment his mind tricked him into thinking it was better before, but reexamining the damage he figured the house must have been run down for many years. His heart sank; this sad rural-like area was where Demyx had grown up in and despite what Demyx said, it had to be rough living around here. Axel wondered how Demyx had managed to adapt so quickly to the different style of living back in the city four hours away.

When Demyx reached the door, he'd begun throwing his weight against it, kicking it with all his might. That racket was what finally brought Axel around and he quickly made his way to the house. Even as he came up from behind, Demyx didn't stop his persistent efforts to break into the house. Another pounding caused a plume of chips and dust to be loosed from the old wood. Pausing, Demyx coughed at the intrusion of the debris into his lungs before ramming against the door again.

“Demyx,” Axel placed a cautious hand on his shoulder, “You're going to hurt yourself.” Demyx slapped his hand away and glared back at him angrily. Taken aback by the angry tears in Demyx's eyes, Axel withdrew respectfully and Demyx quickly went back to work.

One of the boards shifted and Demyx quickly grabbed at it, yanking it from its place over the door. As he stumbled back, he stared at the plank. For a moment he seemed to wonder what to do before he went back to the door and shoved the board between the door and another offending lath. Using the board as leverage, he pulled down. The tactic was quick and efficient and within minutes, he'd pried away all of the blockade.

Looking over his shoulder, Demyx gave Axel a sad apologetic look, “I didn't mean to snap.” He voiced, his throat rough from the silent tears. Then he turned back to the door, standing there in the heavy stillness for a long moment. His hand reached out hesitantly for the knob. There was a moment he drew back, but then he ultimately came forward and opened the door.

The hinges let out a screech of distress as the heavy door swung open. Another cloud of dust fell from the doorway, but this time Demyx simply walked on through it with no reaction. Axel ducked in behind him, keeping his head low in some type of submission or reverence for the mourning residence. Within the confines of plaster walls was only rubble and thick dirty air; the once happy memories had been replaced with the new scarring ones made just a few weeks before. The walls had been stripped clean, only leaving the hooks, wires, and stained shadows of what used to be placed there. On the floor, there were faint imprints of where furniture once stood.

Demyx walked into the front room, to the right, staggered, and fell to his knees in its center. His shoulders shook, his body racked with quiet sobs, “I… I'm home.” Bringing his knees up, Demyx hid his face in his arm, trying to choke back the cries.

With a frown, Axel inaudibly went to Demyx's side. He couldn't understand why Demyx hadn't gone alone, or more precisely why he was here witnessing the sad breakdown of this teenage boy. It may have been some sort of privilege to have Demyx be so open with him, but currently it was more of a curse.

Running his fingers through Demyx's hair, Axel's stroked his head gently. Demyx silenced himself and angrily wiped his tears away, “You know… I used to be stubborn about crying too. Whenever I got hurt, I just shut myself up too.” Axel stopped petting Demyx's head and sat down, taking a similar position as Demyx, “My brother used to cry a lot. He told me that crying was the only way to bleed out the pain he felt inside… I don't know if it's true… But I think people cry for a reason and if it hurts that much you should.” Demyx glared over at him.

“Boys don't cry.” He muttered bitterly.

“That's because boys are boys and they're stubborn like that. Kids cry and adults cry, for some reason in between those two, when you're a boy you just try not to.” Axel gave a small sigh, “I suppose if you're still just a boy you can hold it all in if you want to. But whenever you decide to grow up, the tears will be waiting for you.” Glancing over at Demyx, he quirked a brow at the musician's unhappy expression.

“You're lying.”

“How rude.” Huffed Axel.

“If men cry then why don't I see it, when was the last time you cried?” He asked bitterly, his voice still very strained from the tears being held back.

“If men did all the time in public, I think everyone would be a bit disturbed. They cry all the same, just in private… Like you are now.” Axel paused, hoping he could get away without answering the second question. However, it didn't seem like that was going to happen, “I… I think the last time I cried…” Axel thought long and hard, he'd had nothing to cry over for a long time now, “The last time I cried was when I graduated high school. You're going to think it's really dumb, but when I thought about leaving Roxas behind… I cried a lot. Roxas has been my friend forever and I thought I'd never see him after I graduated. Of course, I was wrong and Roxas came over two days later to cheer me up.”

“I wish… That would happen to me.” Demyx fell against Axel's shoulder, “I want her to come back. I miss her so much…”

“Then cry…” Axel thought a moment, picking his words carefully to make them more meaningful to the musician, “Wash your pain away with an ocean of tears.” As he spoke the words Demyx grabbed Axel's arm roughly, surprising the redhead. Looking down at him, Axel met the strange gaze Demyx gave him. Time stood still for a moment, drawing out the eerie impression. Then Demyx threw his arms around Axel and buried his face against his chest as he began to cry. The instant had passed, but the peculiarity of that look remained and Axel couldn't help but wonder what it meant as he held the boy tenderly in his arms.

It seemed like forever before the sobs died down, but, strangely, Axel didn't mind waiting. To him the time exhausted couldn't have been used any better way; any time spent with Demyx was worth while in some way, even if it was just for the company and the comfort Axel's life wasn't as miserable as it could be.

Resting his chin on Demyx's head, Axel gave the teenager a pat on the back, “You done?” There was a muffled hum of confirmation, “Good… Feel better?” Demyx pulled back, sniffling a bit as he rubbed the tears from his face.

“My head and throat hurts, and my eyes burn, and I must look terrible… but, yeah… I feel better. Um…” Demyx looked down timidly, “Thanks, Axel… I really appreciate you being here with me. I mean, it was pretty selfish of me… Dragging you clear out here when I knew we could have stayed in the hotel and…” Slouching forward, Demyx rested his head against Axel again, “Just thanks.”

“It's no problem, I wanted to come. I like being with you… Besides, someday I might just need someone to care for me and I can count on you to be there for me, right?”

Demyx looked up at him again, the strange look flashing across his face before he quickly bowed his head, “Uh… I- Of course, I… I'd definitely be there if you wanted me- I… I'm kind of part of your family now, right?”

Axel gazed at Demyx for a moment, pondering that expression before smiling brightly, “Yeah,” Placing his hand on the blonde's head, he ruffled his hair, “If Rufus ever gives you trouble, you can come back to our house any time. Now, you ready to go? All that walking has made me pretty hungry, so why don't we grab something on the way back?”

“Sure.” Demyx scooted back, giving himself room before hauling himself up to his feet. Then he offered Axel a hand. Gratefully, Axel took it and got up as well. His legs were a little stiff from walking and then sitting down, but he could walk it off quickly enough, “Hey, about yesterday… I didn't really ever get to say anything, but… You looked nice.” Demyx let out a soft chuckle as he turned his head and looked at Axel out of the corner of his eye, “Not that you don't look striking today, `cause ya do.”

Axel grinned sheepishly, running his hands over his hips in a slightly restless gesture, “Thanks.” He murmured in kind to the compliment. Inside his heart pounded happily in his chest, delighted that he'd been noticed. He felt like such a moron, what kind of representation was he for the male paradigm? Men weren't supposed to feel giddy as a schoolgirl when they were complimented.

Lost his in shameful thoughts, Axel jumped a little in surprise when Demyx took his arm, “Come on, I want to show you around before we go.” He voiced before pulling Axel into a room that appeared to be the kitchen, “This is the kitchen. When my dad was alive, we used to eat out back, but after the accident me and mom cooked and ate in here `cause it was big enough for two and going out as usual kind of made her unhappy. I always helped out mom with preparation, but I was never an expert at cooking.” Demyx tugged at Axel again, leading him to another room, just beside the kitchen, “This was the family room. We watched movies and stuff, it was kind of the central room of the house and when all of us were home we were always in here. Over there was the front room, we talked to guests there, but it was pretty much a useless room. My mom and dad decorated it really nice when they just married so at least it was nice to be in. Come on; let me show you my mom's room.” Demyx rushed into the empty room, which he'd just spoken of and dashed up the open spiral stairs. They creaked under his feet. Axel smiled and followed quickly, running his hand along the smooth wood railing, “I used to slide down that all the time. If I got a rag I could stand on my feet.” Demyx noted, smiling at the top. When Axel reached the top, Demyx pulled him along the railing to the far end of the hall, “This room was where we kept all dad's things, when he was still here it was his home office, and this room next to it is the master bathroom and, of course, this last room was the master bedroom. Ya gotta check out how big it is.” Opening up the closed door, Demyx ran into the center of the room and spread out his arms in a grandiose gesture, “I used to sleep in here with mom, after dad died… She was really lonely and cried a lot so I moved up from the basement to be closer to here.” Looking around Demyx pointed to the corner, “We had a king size bed that went over there, there was a stand next it, and over there was the dresser and wood wardrobe closet. Because dad used to sleep up here with mom, she didn't really like being up here by herself and never came upstairs without me…”

“Sounds like you two were really close.” Axel commented looking about the room, the emptiness of it now was rather sickening.

“Yeah… We were.” Turning Demyx laughed a little rubbing the back of his head, “I was always teased about it, `mama's boy' they said. I didn't mind though,” letting his hand drop Demyx returned to Axel's side, “I knew I was, and we needed each other so… There really wasn't anything to be upset about. All right, downstairs! The basement was my kingdom.” Back in the hallway, Demyx sprung up onto the railing, arms out for balance as they headed down the stairs. Axel could feel his gut twist in agony at the sight; if Demyx fell he could easily break his neck. Noticing Axel's apprehension, Demyx laughed, “Don't worry, I've done this since I was five. I've got the reflexes of a cat.” Grinned the teenager before hopping down at the bottom of the steps.

Heading down into the basement, the rooms were nearly pitch black, only sections lit up by below ground windows. The place seemed to consist primarily of two large room and two smaller ones. Of course, Axel couldn't be sure.

“This is where I used to spend my day. I was down here 24-7 when my parents weren't home. In the large room, just back there, we kept out instruments and computer equipment, and the room next to it was where I used to practice dancing and stuff. I had parties down here a lot with all my friends. My room is right there, with a private bathroom right next to it… Come on.” Taking Axel's hand, Demyx carefully lead him through the dark to the small room Demyx had called his own, “It's not very big, but I only came in here to sleep… Among some other things.” The second half of the sentence was stated as a hesitant after thought. Axel blushed, knowing exactly what he meant by `other things'. Somehow, these perverted thoughts had to be Luxord's fault. Axel had never entered a room and thought about those kinds of things, let alone a boy doing those things and those things making Axel blush from imagining them, “So anyway, that's my house- well, was.”

“Things should have gone better for you…”

“Should have, but didn't… I guess I'm just here to lower the standards of the `good life'. Not everyone gets on so easily, I suppose, and I was just unlucky enough for it to fall on me.” Demyx wrapped his arms around Axel's, “Whelp, we'd better hustle along before that stomach of yours gets upset.”

“Yeah… Right. Let's get out of here.”

Back outside, the pair headed down from the house to the beach, following a well trodden path. As they passed through the field, gulls took flight around them settling elsewhere so they could pass and a stray cat stalked after a mouse further along the path. Kicking a stone, Axel startled the cat and it let out a hiss as it took off and the mouse scurried away. Lucky mouse.

At his side, Axel felt Demyx slither under his arm, bringing Axel's hand around his shoulder so as they walked they could brush up against each other. Axel didn't mind, didn't speak or object, just smiled.

By the time they reached the sand, Demyx was humming something and after a moment longer, it seemed he just couldn't not sing it aloud.

“… I don't have digital, I don't have diddlysquat.

It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got.” Demyx held the hand on his shoulder, giving it a happy squeeze as they continued down the beach.

“I'm gonna soak up the sun.

I'm gonna tell everyone to lighten up.

I'm gonna tell `em that I've got no one to blame.

Well, every time I feel lame I'm lookin' up.” Leaning heavily against Axel, Demyx cast a smile up at Axel. The redhead couldn't keep his own smile from growing and looked up at the blue sky, dotted with patched of white puffy clouds.

“I'm gonna soak up the sun.

I'm gonna soak up the sun.”

“Sheryl Crow, right?” Inquired Axel at the beaming boy under his arm.

“Yup!” Chirped Demyx, obviously highly pleased that Axel had known the artist.

“What makes you sing that song?”

“Dunno.” Grinned Demyx foolishly, “I just feel really happy all the sudden and it just popped into my head, so I thought I'd sing it `cause it makes me even happier to be able share it with someone.” Axel shook his head as he smiled, if Demyx had any inhibitions Axel didn't know of them. The musician would rather look like a fool then keep a song muffled in the back of his throat.

“Cute.” Without any real thought Axel leaned down and kissed Demyx on the crown of his head, “Go on. I want to hear the rest of it.” Though Axel was not very a musically inclined person, he thoroughly enjoyed himself listening to Demyx's voice. Not only did he look like an angel fallen to earth, he sounded just as divine.

 

 

ANOTHER LONG CHAPTER WTF?!?!?! Tell me, are these long chapters annoying? (last chapter was actually ended on page 16 this one ran just onto page 18 in Microsoft Word)

More freakin' character development, hope your brains haven't ruptured from it all. It seems to me, that my favorite part of the story is the `getting together' part because I always take my time with it.

I would like to note, Demyx's waking up habits are very much like my own. If ever I have a lover, or at least someone who sleeps in the same bed as me, they'll have to deal with my wallowing. Wallowing is part of my morning routine, it can't be omitted.

Also, I know I put a lot of lyrics in this story and just so we're all clear, none of them are mine. They belong to their respected lyricists. I've just got the music in my soul, and so does Demyx so they show up… A lot… Anyway, they're there because some of us really love music and songs help get across a certain feeling.

Speaking of music, I wanted to list the songs that I think go best with Kingdom Hearts. I might add more later. Feel free to state what songs you think go best with the series (or to whom if a particular character) if you review. I'd love to know what you think.

Fastball- The Way

Natasha Bedingfield- Unwritten

The Cure- Burn (particularly for Riku)

Depeche Mode- Damaged People (the Organization)