Title: Red Tape
Universe: Kingdom Hearts
Theme/Topic: Demyx and Xaldin know each other too well to not hurt each other.
Rating: PG-15
Character/Pairing/s: XalDem
Warnings/Spoilers: None that I'm aware of.
Word Count: 515
Summary: Demyx and Xaldin have too much to lose when they fight; it's the price that they pay for getting so close to each other.
Song: Without You – Breaking Benjamin
A/N: I have never ever written a gay pairing that wasn't two of my original characters, so this was both weird and strangely gratifying for me to do. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: If KH was mine XalDem would be an official pairing. Obviously, then, I own none of these things.
Distribution: Just tell me if you put it anywhere; please and thank you.

Demyx shook his head at the man before him.

It wasn't like he'd gone out of his way to annoy him, but Demyx couldn't help but try to get a reaction out of Xaldin.

Baiting Xaldin was as much a sport as it was a pastime; one wrong move and you could count yourself in with the sushi he was slicing for dinner.

But sometimes Demyx went too far.

Xaldin had confided a lot to Demyx in the years that they'd known each other; so much so that when they occasionally had spats and fights Demyx had enough ammunition to have Xaldin running away, tail between his legs, within five minutes.

He rarely did so, but when he and Xaldin got into an argument one night and he snapped and started insulting everything from Demyx's homeworld to his element and everything else he'd ever cared about, Demyx fought back.

Xaldin looked so hurt that night that Demyx was sure he'd never so much as look at him again, let alone talk to him like they used to.

But he did. He came back!

Apologies were made and accepted, and Demyx and Xaldin baked a celebration cake (which they defended with their existences; it was their cake!).

And Demyx smiled and smiled and smiled for days.

But that was then. And this time was worse; so, so much worse.

He'd crossed the line; he'd insulted Xaldin's sister, the only relative that he'd had before becoming a Nobody and losing track of her.

And now Xaldin was demanding an apology, and Demyx was shaking his head and nothing would ever be the same and Demyx was panicking and he was going to cry and-

Suddenly he was enveloped in a hug.

Xaldin's hugs were always the best, probably because even though he looked big and scary he could be warm and cuddly when he wanted to be.

Demyx snuggled himself into Xaldin's chest and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I was angry. I didn't mean to say that about her."

"It's okay, Dem, I know you're not bright enough to keep away from red tape."

Demyx tried to pull away and look up at Xaldin, but he held on too tight for him to move. Instead, he mumbled into the other man's chest, "I'm not stupid, you're just far too smart to be normal."

Xaldin laughed, his chest reverberating with the sound, and Demyx smiled a little smile of contentment.

"I don't know whether I should be pleased or insulted by that comment," he rumbled.

Demyx managed to worm his way out of Xaldin's arms and smiled up at him, "How about we discuss this in your room, yeah?"

He reached up and pulled the other man's head down rather roughly, tipping him off-balance for a moment, and kissed his nose sweetly.

He then proceeded to sashay in the direction of III's room, hips swinging in time to some unknown and completely internal rhythm.

Xaldin grinned and followed his younger companion, a faintly bemused yet pleased glimmer in his eyes and an ever so tiny bounce in his step.

The chorus line of the song that I listened to while writing this went "I can't face the dark without you".

Ironic, huh?