Talk Back

By Snare-chan

Ratings: K
Category(ies): General
Warning(s): Chain of Memories
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: "Ya know Zexion, I'm curious about something," Demyx spoke suddenly…

Notes: I was waiting for school to get out when I was struck upside the head with a marvelous idea, and this is the result. It was supposed to be more romantic, but in the end I think I like this general piece a lot better than for what I had planned. This is my half-assed attempt at trying to somewhat explain Demyx's attitude in KH2, because out of all the Organization XIII members he seemed the most willing to talk over things. Even if it was to save his own skin or avoid a fight.

And needed cue cards to do it. But hey, that's why we love the guy.

Disclaimer: I dun own Kingdom Hearts; wish I did like everyone else. They should put KH in stock, then I'd buy it all!

"Ya know, Zexion, I'm curious about something," Demyx spoke suddenly, his voice crashing through the silence of the Castle That Never Was. Zexion was surprisingly not too bothered by it, having long since adjusted to such random outbursts in scenarios such as the one he'd found himself in. He could often be seen in places of solitude, so when the blonde came his way, it was a sure sign that the tide was about to change.

He didn't reply in words, his single visible eye instead flickering from the lower towers, the ones in their sight thankfully empty of any invaders, to Demyx instead as sign enough he was paying attention. The blonde Nobody had been looking at him since he'd spoken and thus caught the motion to continue.

"How come they send us to do patrol?"

The question was strange at best, causing enough confusion for Zexion to squint at him as he attempted to process it. He would have thought the answer so obvious that he almost refrained from giving the other a reply, but he sensed more than knew that if he did such a thing, the sitar player wouldn't get off his back until he got something out of this conversation.

"Because it wouldn't be fair to the other Organization members if we didn't help and take our turns in this task."

"Well yeah, I guess I already knew that. But why us?" he emphasized, pointing a gloved finger between the both of them as if it would make things crystal clear. Still unable to understand, Zexion merely stared, waiting for him to clarify.

"I mean you don't...don't like to fight, right? I heard from Axel that no one has even seen your powers yet – I know I sure haven't – and it feels like we've all known each other for forever."

Zexion hm'ed softly, not denying Demyx's statement. It was all too true, and if he had his way, things would stay as such. He had his reasons. None of this was said aloud, of course, but Demyx seemed to sense it all the same.

"If that's true then...why bother sending you to patrol the castle? How can you stop an enemy you aren't willing to fight?"

Zexion finally eased up on his sharp, upright posture, his arms uncurling from their crossed position across his chest to rest firmly on the rail Demyx was currently seated on. He appeared to be thinking deeply, his eye trained on one spot but not. Absently, Demyx tried not to fidget as he waited for an answer, a hand going to muss with his hair in the mean time to keep from kicking his feet or some other thing that was sure to get annoying and then how would he get an answer to his question?

When it became apparent that Zexion had thought the entire thing through, he set his sights on him once more. "There is more than one way to accomplish something, Demyx, than physically hurting the enemy."

"Like what?" he immediately jumped into asking, glad to be able to talk.

"Like words."

Now it was Demyx's turn to be confused, his lower lip managing to stick out while his brows furrowed to form a characteristic pout. He didn't get it.

"Words? How can words stop anyone? They're just sound...like...like my music! If I didn't have magic to go behind it, it'd just be noise. Maybe I could give someone a little headache but..." and here he started to trail off, taking note of how his companion had closed his eye.

"What?"

"Words are different from your music, Demyx. They have more power than you can ever imagine."

"Mmm...uh...give me an example?" Demyx pleaded, still unable to understand.

"Then examine Larxene. She uses words against her enemies, as well as her fists. You've seen her stop grown men cold in their tracks, made little children cry by just speaking to them."

"Yeah..." he murmured thoughtfully, rubbing his chin to add to the image of the perfect scholar before laughing, the sound startling Zexion slightly. "But you barely talk at all, Zexion! You can't talk people down if you don't do that much, either."

"True," the man conceded, a thought occurring to him in that moment. He tossed it around in his head briefly, contemplating why the idea had sprung up in the first place and whether it was worth his time to ask. If he'd thought of it, then it must be.

"What about you?"

Demyx's expression did a stupendous impersonation of being thunderstruck, his eyes widening slightly at actually being willingly addressed to by 'The Cloaked Schemer' of all people. Zexion could practically hear the gears in his mind turning, grinding against one another as they were kick-started into trying to understand the situation.

"Me?"

Zexion nodded marginally, "You asked me why they put us on patrol - plural. Why do you doubt your purpose in this chore?"

The blonde's squirming was obvious as he tried to make his shifting around seem as if he were just readjusting his sitting position on the rim, his throat being cleared once or twice in the meantime. When he didn't attempt anything else, Zexion raised a brow towards him, the gesture alone causing Demyx to nearly fall off his seat as he cringed.

"Well...you know."

Zexion's blank look had the blonde sighing heavily, shoulders slumping.

"I'm not very good at fighting. Everyone knows that. I've been training ever since I got here and I still can't even compete against anyone," he paused, a small smile cracking his features, "Well, almost. I don't know if I can beat you or not; we haven't tried yet."

The conversation was quickly recycled through Zexion's brain, his mind analyzing every inch of it before he started up again. He wasn't quite sure why he bothered, but he wasn't called a schemer for no purpose at all. His instincts had been kicking in a lot this night.

"Then perhaps you need to learn how to use words."

"Bleah, I'm no good at words, either!" Demyx declared. "At least, mine aren't nearly as devastating as Larxene's, and I'm not thoughtful...like you."

"Then don't be like her and me. Try..."

His considerate tone had Demyx slowly turning to face him again, wondering what he had to say. It was very unlike the other man to not finish his sentences when he did actually manage to start them.

"Compromising."

"Compromising? As in…making deals and stuff?" At the words 'and stuff' he twirled his finger around in the shape of a circle in midair, looking quite skeptical over the idea. "But Xemnas said we...has he said anything about that?"

"No."

"Oh."

There was an entire minute of deep, contemplative silence as Demyx mulled over the idea.

"And this solves my fighting problem how...?"

"By avoiding one," Zexion clarified in his most calm tone. "If you don't want to fight, then try talking your way out of it."

"Talking my way out of it, huh? I think…I like it."

-Fin-