Let It Snow

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Author's Note: I rock at original titles. Shut up.

Disclaimer: Sigh. You all know it's never gunna happen.

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'Where is he?'

It figured, really. The one time he wanted to find the boy, he seemed to be gone from existence. Any other time, he could just follow the sound of music. Either that or the foul moods of the others.

Both worked.

But now, it seemed that the boy was hidden way, unable to be detected by even the sharpest eyes.

Maybe he should go find Zexion.

Shaking his head as he raised a hand to his temple, thin lips twisted down into a frown, bright green eyes seeming to dim as they lowered to the floor. Gloved fingers scratched idly through crimson spikes as he thought, trying to remember all of the boy's favorite spots.

Checked the pool.

Checked the game room.

Checked his room…

Where else does he go?

Tapping his head lightly, Axel gazed around the hallway he stood in, trying to come up with a new location. Deciding to kill two birds with one stone, Axel began to move down the hall, the slow clicking of his boots echoing around him. He crossed his arms; eyes staying focused enough to keep him from walking into anything.

What about the library? No… Zexion would kick him out immediately.

The kitchen? No, that was Xaldin's domain.

His frown deepening, Axel brought himself out of his thoughts and focused on where he was going, deciding to take the nearest flight of stairs down to the next level. Stepping down into another identical hallway, Axel continued on until a voice from the room he had just passed call out to him.

"You look lost."

Stopping, the redhead glanced back over his shoulder, his face automatically putting on a look of little emotion. Instead of humoring the blond behind him, Axel posed his problem in a simple question, "Where's Demyx?"

Luxord lifted a golden brow at him, the light glinting off one of his earrings as he shifted his head to the side, arms also crossed. "Outside, if I remember correctly. Said something about seeing to a pond or something like that… gave me one of those dopey grins and left." Blue eyes glittered as he gave the fire-wielder a smug look, "Looking for a bit of target practice or something?"

"Maybe I am." He responded shortly.

Luxord only chuckled and have a small wave of his hand, before turning back into the side room.

Ignoring the blond, Axel started down the hall again, almost immediately opening a portal. As he stepped out, the redhead looked around, finding yet another blond to be standing a few feet away from him. Stepping up to his elder, Axel crossed his arms for a second time, "Where's Demyx?"

Cold, green eyes shot him an icy glare at the informality and gave a dignified "Hmph", before turning away from the row of large windows lining the wall. Vexen carried himself highly as he walked away, the hum of a portal sounding.

Mentally palming his forehead, Axel turned to face the blond man, knowing that there was only one way to get through to the ice mage.

"Superior. Wait."

Vexen paused, cocking his head to the side slightly. Taking that as a sign to continue, Axel frowned, "How… are you doing today?"

A cruel smirk slowly tugged at the Academic's thin lips. Axel didn't like that smirk at all. It was the look usually reserved for his unfortunate experiments.

"Don't hurt yourself, Number VIII. I wouldn't want to cause that pretty face of yours to crack from effort."

Feeling himself growl in growing annoyance, Axel quickly reminded himself that this was another reason why he never hung out with the old coot.

"As for your precious Bubble Boy, you don't need a scientist to figure out the neophyte's newest hide away." Vexen continued and then chuckled highly, as if he had just said something witty. "Or perhaps you did."

The disturbing laughter faded away with the portal just as Axel's eye ticked and he held up his middle finger to the empty space before him. Sneering at where the ice mage had recently been standing, Axel turned back around, muttering about 'riddle-twisted bastards'.

Focusing on the large window before him after a moment, green eyes narrowed into a squint, trying to decipher what he was seeing. The hell was covering the glass?

Pressing gloved fingertips to the window, Axel slowly swiped them down in a diagonal direction, head tilting slightly to the left as he studied the lines left behind. Pulling his hand away, he found the tips of his gloves wet and his fingers beginning to become chilled.

Frosted water?

Any type of water had to mean that Demyx was nearby.

Swiping his entire palm across the glass a few times, emerald eyes finally landed on the thin black and blond figure that he had been searching for. Pushing himself from the window, Axel trotted the few steps to the nearest door, opening a pathway into the grey garden.

Pausing a moment as he held the door open with one arm, Axel found his breath curling out of his mouth in slow puffs, indicating the drop of temperature.

Fuck, he hated the cold.

Shaking himself of the initial chill and making sure his body temperature was nice and high, the Flurry stepped forward, letting the door swing closed behind him. Keeping his eyes on the Nocturne, Axel found himself stopped again, just staring at the turned back of the boy. His golden-brown mohawk wasn't styled as carefully as it usually was, or maybe it was just from the small gusts of frigid wind. His arms were tucked up into themselves as they rested crossed over his stomach; legs parted enough to hold his distributed weight evenly as he stared up at the dark sky.

The soft rustling of a second coat must have given him away as another small wind blew over them.

Demyx turned halfway to glance over his shoulder, surprise written on his features from his slightly wide eyes and the small "Oh!" formed on his lips.

"Axel, hey!" Surprise melted into happiness, a toothy grin surfacing. "What are you doing out here?"

Axel was silent, his gaze traveling over the slightly tousled spikes, the rosy color dusting over his nose and cheeks, as well as the tips of his ears, no doubt from the cold. He couldn't help the small flip his stomach made as he pushed the feeling away. Mentally shaking himself, he replied shortly, "Looking for you."

The look of surprise was back, Demyx turning slightly to face him better, "You were looking for me?" He repeated, definitely not believing him, "Uhm…" A nervous laugh, "…why?"

Giving a nonchalant shrug, Axel moved up next to the Nocturne until he was just about shoulder to shoulder with him. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

Demyx gave his own shrug, looking slightly sheepish, "The pond was frozen…"

A delicate red eyebrow was raised, "And?"

The blond-haired male held out his hand, his grin back on his lips, "Look."

A small line of water sprouted from his open palm, the liquid slowly freezing into a curling design with a crackling sound.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Axel just gave a snort of amusement as he shook his head, "That's what you came out here to do?"

Long spikes wavered gently as he shook his head and let the small sculpture in his hand fall to the ground, ice shattering, "No… not really." The grin was a subdued smile now, blue eyes traveling back up towards the sky. There was a small silence between the two before Demyx said softly, "The sky looks different."

Axel let out a low sound of agreement, his own gaze flickering up towards the sky and then back down to the boy next to him. He felt his stomach move again as he continued to watch the other, noting that his chin was trembling lightly. It gave him an idea.

Slipping an arm around the musician's shoulders, the pyro felt him tense a bit in surprise, coat shifting gently as the blond turned to look up at him.

"You're cold."

Demyx could feel himself blushing at the contact and looked away.

"I know."

Axel gave his shoulder a small rub with his thumb and looked back to the sky, slipping his other hand down into his coat pocket.

They stood like that for a good while in silence, each content with the close proximity of their bodies. The breeze had died off a good bit and the sky had darkened further, yet seemed to gain a grey-white sheen to it.

Demyx was the first to move, his eyes closing as he gingerly laid his cheek against Axel's shoulder. Glancing down at the blond's movement, the Flurry tightened his grip on his shoulder, a small smile creeping its way onto his face as his eyes softened. Lifting his hand from his pocket, Axel gently brushed a few stray bangs from the others closed eyes, earning himself a timid smile from the musician.

Something new caught Axel's attention and his brows furrowed slightly for a moment before returning to normal. One finger brushed against the object that had landed on one rose-colored cheek, the ice melting into the heat radiating off him. Demyx's eyes opened at the touch just below his eye, looking up curiously.

"It's snowing."

Blinking, Demyx lifted his head and looked skyward, a brilliant smile lighting up his features. A few snowflakes were already floating around them, melting completely when they came too close to Axel.

The two stood there in silence again, each enjoying the increasing downpour of snow to different extents.

Axel was still glad he controlled fire.

After a moment, Demyx looked towards the pyro, a soft glow in his eyes, "Isn't it beautiful?"

Now, maybe it was the way the falling snow made his eyes stand out like precious gems. Maybe it was how close they were standing and the mood that had somehow been set. Or maybe he was just delirious from his own body heat. Whatever the reason was, when he met the gaze of the other and his stomach twisted for a third time, he couldn't say no. Of course it was beautiful; he was beautiful, partially covered in snow and face a warm pink, hair lightly tousled and eyes just seeming to glow.

He stooped over a moment, hesitated for a second and then continued, lips pressed together and moving, no resistance, just surprise. A hand on his ribs and another on his shoulder, gradually retreating to his neck. They kissed again, deeper this time and more sure as Axel's arms pulled him closer.

When they separated, Axel felt satisfied and smirked while Demyx was a ball of smiles, his face flushed a deep red and eyes glued to the zipper of Axel's coat. He pulled his hand away from the others neck and rubbed at one cheek, hoping to maybe wipe the blush away. It took a minute or two for him to meet the Flurry's gaze again and when he did, Axel slowly grinned.

"Sorry."

Demyx shook his head, slowly laying his forehead against the others collar, "Don't be."

Axel kept his arms around the Nocturne as he carefully rested his chin on the slightly drooping strand of hair.

"It's still snowing." He murmured.

Demyx nodded lightly, the smile on his lips as wide as ever.

"Let it." He whispered, "It's beautiful."