Xion ran from all the way from the gate to the castle to the Grey Room. Her shoes made a loud clomping sound as she made her way down the labyrinth hallways. Everyone could already hear her coming before she finally made it to the bland lounge. She ran from the dark hallway and into the Grey Room with everyone already staring her way.

She glanced frantically around the room and yelled, "Where's Demyx?!"

"In his r--" was all Saix could get out before she turned on her foot and ran back into the dark hallway.

She high tailed it to his door and knocked with extreme strength on the grey door. The door soon slid open and Demyx was standing in the doorway.

"Demy!" she squealed as she threw herself on him.

He hugged her tightly and picked her up. He swung her around in a quick circle before setting her back on the ground.

Zexion walked into the hallway from one direction as Axel did the other. The magician stopped in his tracks and turned back around to return to the Grey Room, which he just left. The excited conversation between XIV and IX soon faded behind him and all he could hear was someone new approaching him.

"Don't like seeing a girl all over your man?" the other person joked as he slapped a hand on Zexion's shoulder.

"I don't care in the least, and he is not my man, Axel," he answered as he summoned a book and began reading.

"Aww, come on, Zex! Everyone knows you have it rough for Dem," Axel said with a smirk.

"I do not "have it rough" for anybody. We have no hearts, remember?" he retorted as they entered the lounge.

Zexion walked straight to one of the light grey couches and sat in the same position with his book. He turned a page and attempted to ignore the redhead's incessant arguments.

"We do too have hearts! Don't be mad," VIII told him.

"No, we do not. We are incapable of feeling. Especially love. And the way you are all over XIII--" he was cut off by further arguing from the flame-haired member.

"Is love. I know it, and so does he. Isn't that proof enough?" he pleaded.

"No. That is something you made up in your head. A sorry excuse for love," he answered with a bleak expression.

He turned a page and continued reading.

"No it's not! Why don't you think we can have hearts, huh?!" he demanded, losing his temper.

"Superior said so," Zexion replied with another page turn.

"Oh ho-ho! You wanna bring Superior into this?" the redhead laughed.

"Yes. He told us that we won't have hearts until Kingdom Hearts is complete," he stated.

"Ahaha! And you believed him?!" he cackled, "Don't you remember when-- oh right --you were on a mission."

"What happened?" he asked, raising his eyes along with an eyebrow.

"Superior and Saix. You should've heard them! I didn't know Xemnas could make sounds like that!" the redhead attempted to whisper so that Saix wouldn't hear.

Zexion's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up. He quickly regained his composure and went back to his book. Roxas walked up behind Axel and grabbed his hand.

Axel smiled at him and went back to Zexion. "Well, Zex," he began, "I think I've traumatized you enough for today. I'll let that image roll around in your head for a while."

XIII and VIII walked away hand in hand.

"What were you guys talking about?" Roxas asked.

"Oh nothing, Roxie," Axel replied while he patted his blonde spikes.

VI simply scoffed as the pair exited the room and into the black hallway. Just as he turned his attention back to his large, leather-bound book, IX walked in from the hallway. He walked with brisk speed towards the silver-haired man. He walked up behind the couch and stared blankly at the page.

"So Zex, whatcha reading?" he asked, trying to be adorable.

"Advanced Book of Higher Magic," he replied, turning the page again.

"Ah…" he was at a short loss for words. "So, I'm gonna be the leader of a group mission soon. Ya wanna be part of my team?"

"Sure," he answered with lacking emotion.

"Okay…so, meet us in Twilight Town at the train station," he told him and he got up to walk away.

"Alright," he said.

IX smiled and walked back to his room. He slumped just as he entered the hallway. Just as he passed by, Axel waltzed out of Roxas' room. He had a devious smirk on his face and his hair was slightly out of the familiar deadly spikes. His smirk faded as he saw Demyx shuffling to his room.

"Something wrong?" he asked as he rushed over to his comrade.

"Zexy…" he simply replied.

"What's wrong now?" he asked, throwing his arm around Demyx' shoulders.

"He's never gonna feel the same way, Axel!" he cried as he twirled out of his loose grasp.

"Aww come on now, you don't know that," he reassured as he slowly approached him.

"I wanna be alone, Ax," he told him as he turned around and headed back to his room.

The door slid open automatically as he approached the slab of grey attached to the wall. He retreated into the darkness and the door shut with a "swish" behind him. The motion censor lights flicked on as he stepped further into the room. The bed made a low creek as he sat down near the middle of the mattress. He swung his legs on and rested his head on the pillow. He lifted his hands behind his head and made shapes in the ceiling. His eyes slid shut and he dozed off into light sleep. All that filled his mind was Zexion.

The blaring beep resonating from his alarm clock caused is eyes to snap open. His hand slammed on the off button as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Demyx climbed off his bed and outstretched his hand to open a portal to the meeting spot. He stepped into the darkness and was swiftly teleported to the front of the Train Station in Twilight Town.

He stepped into the orange and red light of the setting sun. The slate-haired object of his affection was waiting patiently on the steps of the Train Station. His attention was focused on that familiar book he's always seen with. Demyx skipped over to the other man and bent down in front of him to eye level.

"Hello, Demyx," Zexion said without lifting his eyes, "What's our mission today?"

"The usual," he replied, "Collecting hearts."

"Hmm," he said, accompanied by a page turn, "Where is everyone else?"

"Uh…" Demyx said, at loss for words, "Let's get going! I'm sure they'll catch up!"

Demyx grabbed his companion's gloved hand and pulled him off the steps. Zexion's book disappeared with the sudden loss of concentration as he was yanked to his feet. They started off toward the ramp, still hand in hand. Zexion could feel his face heating up and shook his head.

That's strange… he thought, Why am I blushing?

He was pulled back to reality when the pressure suddenly left his hand.

"We have company!" Demyx shouted to him as he summoned his sitar.

Zexion nodded and summoned his attack book. He flipped the pages with rapid speed to the particular page and fired. An ice block flew from the page and straight into the attacking heartless. The shadow figure broke apart from the sudden depleted HP.

Demyx went through a flurry of physical attacks with his sitar to little effect.

"Dance water, dance!" he commanded and ten water replicas of him rose from the ground.

The shadows were eliminated with ease and the clones slipped back into the tiles. They continued down the road towards the center of town.

"So, Zex," he began, twiddling his fingers, "You really believe we don't have hearts?"

"No I don't, IX," he answered.

"Could you call me Demyx? XI just sounds so…" he though for a moment, "Impersonal."

"If you really want me to, I suppose I could," he replied with a small smile.

Demyx blushed and stared at the ground. He'd never seen Zexy smile before and he looked so…amazing when he did. They continued towards town square in silence.

"You honestly don't believe we have hearts?" he asked with a pout.

"No, I honestly don't," he answered with slight irritation.

Demyx abruptly stopped walking and balled his hands into fists. Small tears began to fall from his eyes and onto the ground, creating tiny wet spots that dried just after they hit. Zexion hadn't noticed his partner had stopped and continued walking ahead. He eventually looked over to say something to Demyx when he noticed he wasn't there. He spun around to see the other man staring at the ground. Was he…crying? He rushed back to him and placed a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Dem?" he asked, using Axel's nickname.

Demyx gasped and unclenched his fists. He brought up his hands to wipe the salty droplets from his lashes.

"Oh…I'm uh…fine," he managed to choke out.

"Are you sure there is nothing wrong?" he asked with concern. He squeezed Demyx' shoulder and watched as the other man looked up and smiled weakly.

Zexion released his hand from the sandy blonde's shoulder. All of the sudden, as he removed his hand, Demyx' arms were around his neck. His head was resting on his shoulder and he was holding him close. Zexion slid his arms awkwardly around Demyx' waist and returned the tightness. Demyx suddenly stiffened and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. He pulled abruptly away from his companion and ran on ahead.

"We….uh…have hearts to collect!" he called as he ran off to the opening to town square.

Zexion nodded away from him and turned to follow him. He crashed into the blonde clumsily and they fell to the ground. Demyx turned under Zexion's weight to stare straight into his light purple iris'. They soon closed as Zexion bent his face closer to his comrade's and laid his lips on his. Demyx' eyes widened and then fluttered closed as the silver haired man prolonged the contact. He began to part his lips, but just as he did, Zexion pulled back and stepped off of the man beneath him. Demyx' eyes slowly opened as the weight was pulled off of his chest. He jumped onto his feet, and sent him a sweet smile.

"We need to collect hearts," Zexion said as he walked past Demyx. Their shoulders brushed against each other briefly as he passed.

"Uh, yeah. Superior will wonder why we've been gone so long!" Demyx agreed as he ran up behind him.

He brushed his fingertips against his lips and smiled. The rest of the mission ran smoothly and they RTC'd as soon as the dark portal was open. As they entered back into the Grey Room, Demyx smiled at Zexion and ran off to his room. Zexion smiled back and sat down on the same couch as before. He summoned his book, which was nearing the final page, and continued his reading. Axel soon entered from the hallway and swaggered over to Zexion. He plopped down next to him and threw his arm around his shoulders.

"Sooooo, Zex," he began as he leaned to his ear, "I heard what happened with you and Dem on your mission," he whispered.

VI's eyes widened exponentially, "H-how…" he whispered back.

"Dem told me. He was damn excited," he said in a low tone with a smirk.

Zexion sighed and rested his face in his palm. "Dem…" he said.

"Woah! Something DID happen! You used a nickname! I was totally spit-balling!" he laughed.

"What?!" Zexion cried as he launched onto his feet. His face was turning red and his hands were clenched in tight fists.

"Yeah! I totally guessed! And you told me yourself!" he cackled, grabbing his stomach.

Zexion took a deep breath and sat back down. He ignored the loud cackling coming from the man beside him and, stood up to make his way to the darkened hallway. He rushed to his room and ran inside as soon as the door slid open. Zexion threw himself onto his mattress and rested his face in his cool pillow. His eyes slid shut and he drifted into deep unconsciousness.