I wanted to write a pure (possible) friendship fic about these two, because it's hard to find any without romance forming during the story. I don't know. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough… I'm not a fan-girl who is against the pairing with a blinding anger for no reason. I'm just not into Zemyx, and I find LexZex too delicious to just spilt them up like that… I respect those who do like Zemyx, but personally it's not my cup of milk. However, thinking about this, I thought there was no reason why I can't still write about them in a nice situation and just let them have a good time. Hence, this one-shot was created…
Characters/Pairings: Demyx, Zexion. No pairings. Time Setting: Pre-CoM. Location: Andersen Harbour.
Rating/Warnings: K+/PG - No warnings.
The little fishing town is as picturesque as a postcard, with the sun breaking in through the white clouds and pretty boats bobbing up and down with the calm movements of the waves. The townspeople are going about their daily business, opening stalls for Sunday market and sweeping the dry sand on the doorsteps of their neat-as-two-pins homes. What postcards don't show, is the shrill, hoarse calls of the seagulls high above which can really annoy travelers from far-away, and the pungent odour of fish guts and washed-up seaweed drifting in the mild summer breeze.
Zexion tugs a loose tress of shiny slate hair behind his ear and wrinkles up his sensitive nose. He can't do anything about the smell, but he could trap many of the ruddy birds into his Lexicon. Sand is collecting in his boots and the wind is tangling his hair like its own play thing.
A little in-front, Demyx is in another dimension, a big grin across his face and a boyish shine to his aqua eyes. His step has a skip and leap to it. He is a child again, way into his Element. The Schemer sighs at him.
He is too carefree for a normal Nobody.
"Demyx!" he calls out, and the Nocturne stops and turns to look at him, blinking. Zexion walks over to a cluster of boulders and perks himself on one. "This is a good spot to observe, don't you think?"
"...Ah, yeah."
Demyx jogs over and stands causally by, still smiling. Zexion stares out cross the ocean, hugging his knees to his chest. His expression is blank and doesn't give an hints of what he is thinking. Demyx shifts his weight slightly, and clears his throat. He can't stand silence. He likes noise.
"It's very nice here. Don't you think, Zex?" he says in a friendly manner. As friendly as possible. "Great scenery and perfect weather, hmm?"
Number Six all but shrugs, never looking at his companion.
"If you like this sort of thing" he says quietly.
Demyx folds his arms across his chest, and sighs loudly. He nibbles his bottom lip in a thoughtful manner, thinking to himself.
When Number Nine joined the Organization, he was the (then) youngest member, in years and physical way. He had - and still does - bare resemblance to a young man just leaving the stages of adolescent. His face is rounded, and his nose is quite stubbed. His body is tall, slim and shows only peaking muscles which don't reflect his almost inhuman strength. His hair has bounce and a glossy shine, and his eyes are wide and clear, like still, undisturbed lagoons. He is forever trapped in a teenager's body.
When he first met Zexion, he was surprised by the Elder Nobody. There is little difference of physical age between them, (Zexion's body stopped ageing at few years later then Demyx's did) as well as height (Demyx is taller by an inch and a bit) but Zexion is different to him in many ways.
The Schemer's face is more pointed and sharp with no softest, and his skin doesn't have a tan to it, like the musician's does. His blue eyes are glassy and sometimes clouded over when he was in deep thought. His shadows casts by his long hair make his features look hallow and unusually mysterious.
He acts older too. Alright, Demyx knows that Zexion has been around for a long time, for many years, but the way he thinks things through, and the conversations he has with Vexen and Lexaeus over dinner point towards the mental state of a man who knows the horrors of the Universe like the back of his slim hand.
Demyx kicks the sand below his feet and frowns.
It's a shame really.
As white foam crashes and carries shells away from the sands, Demyx's eyes dull and a small, sad frown twists on his lips.
"When I was a young boy…" he begins in a quiet tone, "I mean, when my Other was a young boy, he used to lay down on the damp sand, to see if the waves would carry him away?"
Zexion looks at him with the same black expression he did for the sea, but his eyebrow does arch a touch.
"And now?" he asks.
"And now…" The Nocturne turns his face towards the Schemer and smiles brightly, eyes gaining a glint again. He laughs a little. "Now I'm surprised when they don't." His hand finds a piece of dead wood stuck in the cracks between rocks and starts to walk about a bit, his nimble fingers twirling the stick like a baton.
"He liked the beach," Demyx explains, "liked the salt water. He liked the fluidity of it and the way it could give live and chance the face to the cliffs and beaches. He thought it was incredible… I guess that's why I'm a Water Mage now. You know? His thoughts and feelings influenced my creation. I mean, he wasn't magical at all…" He trials off and stops his movements, looking at Zexion curiously. He is still following him with his eyes. "Was your Other magical to begin with, Zex?"
Zexion shrugs.
"I guess… he learned Illusions." He bows his head, sucks his bottom lip and cups his pointy chin in his gloved hand in a thoughtful manner. "There is a theory that every creature bares Power within them, however, one must learn to use it in order to use at all."
Awkwardly, Demyx nods. He is not so sure what Zexion is on about, but he doesn't dare ask to repeat himself. He goes back to playing with his stick.
"I've seen a mermaid around here before."
Zexion looks up again.
"You've seen mermaids here?"
"Don't 'mermaids', a mermaid" Demyx corrects him.
"Oh." Zexion looks out towards the sea, resting his chin on his knees. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." Demyx scratches his messy hair as he tries to remember. "She was young" he says. "Thick red hair and a long sea-green tail. I only saw her from a distance, mind. I didn't see much of her face."
"Mermaids don't come to the surface that much" Zexion muses, eyes on the horizon. "What was she doing?"
"She was collecting human junk off the rocks. Stuff that got swept up by the waves."
"Odd behaviour for a mermaid." Zexion flickes hair from his eyes, only to have to fall down again from the mild breeze. "Then again, she might have been bored. Everyone needs a hobby."
Demyx laughs, unsure if it was a joke or not. Zexion does nothing.
"…But it is nice getting away from Never Was, right?" Demyx says after a long while of wave-watching. "It gets boring up there. Same old, same old."
Zexion uncurls his body, so his bony legs are dangling over the hard rock he is sat upon. He mumbles loudly.
"I happen to like our home" he tells the boy. "It's our own kingdom and I like it."
Demyx's mouth tenses and pales. Whoops.
"I didn't mean I hate it--"
"I know what you mean." Zexion looks at him, his visible eye on him and it makes Demyx uneasy. "You should try and phrase your words more carefully, Nine."
"Of course" the boy nods, trying to appease him. "I'll remember that."
I know we don't have missions together before, but it doesn't need to be like this…
Demyx decides to do his own thing. Maybe Zexion will follow. It is a long shot but it might happen. He makes it subtle, slowly but it will get there. First, he takes off his boots. He makes it look like he is emptying them out, making the dry sand shower out of it like a golden waterfall. When all sand has spilt away, he doesn't put his boots back on. He instead lies them up neatly on the ground, right on the right, and left on the left.
He waits for a moment and a few more. Zexion doesn't say anything about his bare feet, so Demyx waits a little longer before he unzips his cloak and shrugs it off, so he is now just wearing his black pants and undershirt. And his gloves, which are now making him look silly, so he tugs them off easily with fingers and teeth.
Zexion seems to be in another world or purposely ignoring him, and Demyx furrows his brow at that.
Rude much, Zexion? Not even a 'what are you going?'
He decides to take the chance.
Casually, at normal pace, Demyx walks away from his partner and towards the waves, his Element and lifelong companion. He had been itching to embracing it from the moment they had step out of the portal. He has to. It is all he truly knows really. How the power of the swash and backwash change what type of wave is made (constructive or destructive) and the momentum of the water in a wind wave. How all different weathers and times affected everything.
He stops on the edge of the waves, the part of the shore it can only touch and can't go beyond (at the moment anyway) and treats his toes to a feeling of the cool liquid caressing them. He shivers at the temperature but smiles all the same.
Back on the rock, Zexion is staring wide-eyed at Number Nine; unsure what is going on for the first time in a long time. Then he scowls, his nice, slim brows knitting together. His eyes become icy and his jaw locks. The Schemer is not in the mood to play silly beggars.
"Demyx!"
The boy by the water looks over his shoulder, cocking a eyebrow.
"Yes?"
"We are not here to mess around" Zexion calls out. He is heard loud and clear over the roll of the water and the distance between them. Demyx blinks once then smiles, wide and shows off his lovely teeth.
"I'm not doing anything wrong."
Zexion scowls so much his nose wrinkles slightly. He points sharply at the boy then just as razor sharp as his rock, like one would do for a misbehaving pup.
"Get back here. Now."
"Make me," and Demyx sticks out his tongue at him.
That's it!
Zexion runs at full speed towards Demyx like a bolt of lighting but, with a playful skip in his step as if he was tormenting the Illusionist, the Nocturne goes straight into the water, making splashes on his way. He was only gone in up to his ankles, but Zexion stops a while away from the swash, not wanting it to touch him.
The Schemer's face is now red with fury. Demyx have never seen him this angry before… He kind of likes it.
"I just want to feel of my Power on my skin" he shrugs, moving his left foot around in the sea water, making his own waves and ripples and sloshing sounds. "You know how it is."
"Get out" Zexion repeats.
"No."
"Now."
"No."
"Right now, Demyx!"
"Why don't you come in?"
Zexion snorts, waving his hand as if Demyx is talking gibberish.
"Don't be ridicules." He crosses his arms and puts his nose up in the air. "I am not going to stoop down to your pitiful level and--Ah!"
Cold aqua hits his face, sending shivers down his spine and bones. His fringe is now damp, droplets dripping off him. He grits his teeth, his irises piercing.
"Demyx!"
"Oh, don't Zexions like water?" Demyx teases, then he arches his brows in surprise.
Zexion storms back over to the rock, and Demyx thinks that is the end of it, but the Schemer is only just throwing off his cloak, and tucking off his boots and gloves quickly and quite violently. He is now running down the shore again, towards him and Demyx's face has paled quite a lot.
This can't be good.
"Hey, Zex. I'm sorry. I was just messing around. I didn't- I wasn't-I-I-No! Zexion!"
Splash!
Zexion tackles him, pushing him forcefully into the salty water and pins him down with his legs and knees, scooping up water and chucking it in his face, being quite savage. He is grinning like a madman.
"See how you like it!"
They both know he can't drown in his very own Element, but all the same, Demyx tries to attack back, trying to see through his hair and the water and the sun blinding him from above.
"Bah- ag- Zexion, get off!"
He manages to grab Zexion's wrist, and pushes him away. Zexion lands in the water on his back, and Six is laughing his head off. Alright, he is not laughing hysterically, but it's a loud, boyish laugh. Demyx spits out his mouthful of sea and saliva, trying to get the nasty taste out of his gob.
"You're crazy" he hisses, glaring at the Schemer, still cackling with glee. "What the hell are you laughing at?"
"Ha, ha. I don't know anymore" Zexion grins before dissolving back to chuckling again. Demyx blinks at him, confused for a moment, before a faint smiles creeps onto his handsome face, which quickly turns to a smirk, then breaks into howling laughter too.
The seagull look down at the boys in the shallows with curiosity.
---
"Couldn't you get any wine or something?" Zexion asks as Demyx waves a open bottle of ale in front of his face. The musician rolls his eyes.
"I couldn't afforded something more luxurious for your rich palette" he drawls. "It's this or nothing. Alcohol is alcohol, right?"
"I guess" Zexion shrugs. He takes the bottle and has a large gulp-full of beer straight away. Demyx dumps himself next to his comrade and sighs overdramatically, leaning up against the rock, stretching his legs out in front of him, wiggling his toes. He chuckles under his breath, seeing that Zexion was half-done with his drink already.
"You were that thirsty, hm?"
Zexion shrugs. "A little." He runs a hand through his hair. It is grubby to the touch from the salt and sand. He will have to bathe as soon as he can.
"It's alright." Demyx picks up his shopping bag and waves it around. The two dozen bottle inside jingle like glass bells. "We have plenty more where that came from."
"You got all of that with just a little bit of munny?" Zexion questions, arching a brow at him.
"Well, yeah… and my flattering charm" he smirks, gloating and he gives Zexion a cheeky wink. "You know how it is. Women can't resist the stud that is me. Just had to chat her up the right way and she was blushing sweetly as she gave me some extra ale." He muses for a moment, with a lazy smirk. "Not a bad-looking damsel exactly. Nice full body, come to think of it."
Zexion rolls his eyes. "What is it about curvy wiggly hips that makes your mind travel south?"
"It's not just that," Demyx protests. "…Big boobs are a plus too."
"Demyx!"
"You know I'm kidding." He puts his arms behind his head. "Jeez. Can't take a joke."
"There is a major difference between a joke and disguising a fact as a joke" Zexion huffs childishly, moving his head so his long hair tussles. Demyx laughs at him. He takes a sip of his own beer and groans with comfort.
"Shame we didn't find a mermaid today" he sighs. He looks across the water. The sun is setting now, time about ten-to-nine, and the horizon is now a awesome watercolour of fiery oranges and tasty blood red. The sky above that is a royal violets and cool, deep blues, melting together in the most mellow way. The surviving daylight casts across the rippling ocean surface, making it glisten like liquidated crystal. "Would you look at that" Demyx mumbles, waving his hand towards the tableau in front. "People will kill to have this view everyday."
"Hmm." Zexion looks towards the near-by town. Grey smoke from chimneys rise to the clouds, and a glow of house and streetlights can be seen. "Unlike them."
The other boy shrugs. "Their loss."
---
The tide had come in quite a lot by eleven o'clock, so the young Nobodies had moved from the sand to the grassy bank farther up. They are lost in the long blades of green, and the last beam of sunlight was taken away from them, to be replaced by millions of white stars dotted and sprinkled across the black night sky. They don't get a sight like this back at Never Was, being that their World is too consumed by Darkness - they had laughed at the irony that most other places don't get many stars due to light pollution - so it's nice to have a chance once and a while.
They have had fourteen bottles between them up to now, and are a little chilly from damp clothing.
"That row of three stars there," Demyx points upwards, "that's Orion's belt, right?"
"Yep" Zexion nods, quite dopey-mannered. "They're named Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak."
Demyx smirks and laughs for the umpteenth time today. "You know the names?"
"Of course" the Schemer smiles back. He points now, drawing attention to certain specks. "I also know that Betelgeuse and Bellatrix are the shoulders, and Rigel and Saiph are the feet."
"Show-off."
"I prefer to be called a trivia buff."
They slip into silence for a moment, listening to the shushes of the waves and the chirps of crickets and other insects from a near-by swamp. So it isn't really silent, but its nice. Very nice. Peaceful and relaxing. They haven't done anything to disserve a time of quiet, but who is to say that they can't? No one. That's who.
"…Zex?"
"Mm?"
"Thanks."
Zexion leans up on his elbow and looks at Demyx, who is staring at sky, eyes large and shining.
"Why thanks?"
"Because I had fun with you today so… thanks for having fun with me today."
Zexion chuckles, shaking his head.
"No need, Demyx. I've actually had the most fun I've had in ages today." He ruffles the boy's hair in a friendly manner. "I should be thanking you."
"Alright, alright." Nine lightly pats the hand away. "Stop messing my locks up."
Zexion smirks and lies down again. Demyx nudges him on the arm.
"Maybe we should came back again some other day. I can introduce you to a friend of mine."
Zexion's eyes widen in surprise.
"You have a friend here?"
"Sure! Her and I go way back. She has the greatest personality… Although I should warn you. Ursula don't seem to understand the meaning of personal space…"