Authors Notes: This fic WILL contain such topics as self harm, suicide, and child abuse. If you don't want to read these kinds of things, please exit out of this and go read something happier. If these topics trigger you, again, please don't read this fic. If you like it, be sure to leave a review and tell me what you liked! Thank you!

"I guess there's no other way out
So just stay out
Gonna do this on my own
You're gonna see how it plays out
When I break out
When I find a new way home

~Tattered Youth, Attention"

Zexion had only just gotten home, and yet, he was already drowning in memories that only burdened him in a way that made it hard for him to even breathe. He was so tired of remembering it. So god damn tired. But what really could he do about it? Whether he wanted to or not, the memories of his father back in Japan would haunt him for what he was sure would be the rest of his life. So he quietly went into the bathroom that was connected to his bedroom, and looked around at the room. Drab white everywhere, and piercing silence that threatened to tear Zexion apart piece by piece.

He carefully opened the medicine cabinet behind his mirror, and took out a razor he had cleverly rigged to drop one of it's four shining blades when he tapped it gently on the counter. This time two fell, but he ignored it, taking one of the blades in his shaking hand, and he sat down on the edge of the tub, carefully setting the blade down beside him and pulling his pullover off of himself. It was an essential bit of his wardrobe at this point, really. His cousin had asked him so many times why he wore hoodies so often, and not a single time had he been able to provide an answer. He looked down at it and he felt his self loathing become so much more piercing, and it began to strangle him as he tossed the hoodie to the ground, taking a deep breath.

He looked at his arms, tiny white scars and some cuts that were still bright red from what? Two days ago tops? Yeah, two days clean was a miracle at this point. His shaking palm found the blade beside him and lifted it, trembling like a leaf in the wind, to his arm. He took a shaky breath as he dragged the blade slowly across his arm, the ringing of the quiet in his ears died down as the blood began to trickle slowly from the cut, his chest began to hurt only slightly less. Another, and another, and another. He was dizzy before it hit him that he needed to stop. He gasped and looked at his arms. There was so much blood. He'd failed to notice it through the peaceful haze that had been formed through his self mutilation.

Then, instead of shame, he felt a horrible, wretched guilt. It began to eat at him from the inside out, and he felt his stomach turn. What had he done? He tired to get up to grab a towel to stop the bleeding, but he fell onto the floor, and heard, like a fucking beacon of hope, his bedroom door creak open. He looked up at his bathroom door, and sat up, using the last of his energy to lean against the wall and watch it. "Zexion?" a voice, so familiar, called to him. Through his haze, he couldn't discern who was calling him, however, and that began to upset him.

He heard a knock on his door "Zexion? You in there?" all he could do in response was moan weakly in response, trying to form words. "Oh shit... Zexion? Zexion are you okay?" the voice was louder now, and Zexion figured quickly who it was. Demyx. His absolute best friend in the world. He felt his chest tighten when he heard Demyx hit the door, hard. He heard him hit it again, and again. Finally, on his fourth try, the door opened, and bounced off the wall. Zexion looked up at Demyx, who was panting, his face shining with a sheen of sweat no doubt caused by whatever he had done to break the door in.

When Demyx's green eyes laid on Zexion, that was the moment the smaller teen broke, and tear began to flow from his tired eyes. Demyx took out his phone, and all Zexion heard was panic in his voice as the world went black.

Zexion awoke to bright white artificial lights that annoyed him more than anything. But the more awake he became, the more he began to feel. The aching in his right arm, the emptiness in his chest. He closed his eyes, and cursed himself for letting it happen again, and go far enough for Demyx to- His mind stopped in it's tracks at that phrase. Demyx had found him. Oh, dear lord. Zexion looked around the room, and saw his friend asleep in a chair nearby, with his hands folded in his lap. His hair had fallen out of it's typical style, and it made Zexion wonder just how long Demyx had been here. There were wicked dark circles around his eyes that killed Zexion knowing he full well could be the reason they were there.

He closed his eyes and frowned, staring at his best friend looking so broken and sad, all because of a stupid mistake he'd made. Zexion had never felt worse, and probably it wouldn't get any better from here. "Demyx?" he said hoarsely, trying to see if his friend would wake up. He prayed he didnt', but seemingly, the moment he spoke, Demyx's eyes were open.

"Yeah Zexion?" he said, clearly happy that he was okay, and awake. It broke Zexion's heart all over to hear his tone.

"How long have I been out?"

"You were in the ICU for a day, and then you were in here for another. They gave you a blood transfusion and stitches..." he paused "Why... Why did you do that?" Demyx's voice got quiet and sad, and Zexion couldn't feel worse if he tried to.

Zexion paused and smiled "That's a story for another day, Demyx." he stopped and closed his eyes again, getting tired faster than he could ever have assumed he would. "I just need to get back to school and hang out with you and Riku and I'll be okay..." he murmured.

"You're not coming back for the rest of senior year, Zexion..." Demyx said, like he would rather not have been the bearer of bad news. "Your brothers told me that you were going to a treatment center as soon as you were released." he stopped for a moment, and Zexion opened his eyes again to see what he was doing. He saw Demyx's eyes looking around thoughtfully. "They didn't really seem happy you were going though. Kadaj even said he doesn't think you need to be there..."

"No, I understand, I need to be there." Zexion nodded, closing his eyes again. "I also need to sleep, Demyx."

"Oh! Yeah, I'll shut up for you now."

Zexion stayed in the hospital for a week and three days before he was released to go home. Demyx came back every day after school to sit by him and make sure he was okay, and they would talk, and Zexion had never so easily forgotten his situation. On the way home, Demyx held his hand, and spent plenty of time telling Zexion how much he was going to miss him while he was gone.

Zexion only had the time to pack his clothing before his brothers had to take him out of Twilight Town and into another town that had the most daunting name he'd ever heard for a name. Oblivion.