Author's Notes: Well, I'm back, for one. Hi everyone! Now, the important thing I need to share is my very good friend Ramen and I are working together on this. I am the Demyx writer, and she is the Zexion. The inspiration was by me, but the idea is hers.

Apologies: It's probably not as flowing as a story should be, so I'm sorry for that.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even the idea.

Now, on with Chapter One!

xXxXxXx

Demyx groaned as he was forced out of the haven of his room and the security of being able to talk to his figurine doll Vincent in peace. It had been about a month or so since he found Vincent on the sidewalk. He had become attached to the plastic boy whose dark slate hair was flipped in front of his left eye, and used him for an imaginary friend when his real friends seemed to ignore him as a person. Shaking his head, the dirty blonde went to his welcoming group of 'friends' who at the moment were sharing what they did over the weekends. Apparently, most of them went to a party at Axel's while the rest of them were at the mall or something. He didn't really care, and when he noticed that two tables away sat a boy he's never seen at the school before, he decided greeting a new kid would be better than listening to them go on about the alcohol Axel's father served them.

Why? Zexion asked himself. Why did Mother have to drop me off at the front of the school. Though he was a logical kid, he couldn't help think someone was out to get him by giving his mother a new job, having them move, and forcing the poor kid to start his Junior year a new school when it was already three months in. What was worse is he had finally gained a few friends, and what felt like an instant, they were taken away. As he continued his useless blaming of whatever he could think of as he took out his sketch book, he didn't notice the nervous dirty blonde that had approached him and was now practically standing in front of him.

The tall boy glanced down, eyes widening when he saw that this kid looked exactly like Vincent. Maybe the talk of alcohol is magically making me hallucinate? It was the best thing he could come up with that didn't involve 'crazy' in it, and he definitely didn't need that on his mind. Biting down a gulp of uncertainty, he finally spoke up once he was maybe half a foot away from the other, "Hey there! Ya new here?"

His body not moving in the slightest, a pale blue eye looked around as much as it could to see if there were someone around him that this person could possibly be talking to. When no one else was around, Zexion concluded the person was talking to him, and looked up. This stranger was on the taller, handsomer side than he was use to seeing; slightly breath taking, he had to admit, but of course, he didn't allow himself to show it. He simply nodded before turning to his drawing pad again, hoping he would be left alone. However, everyone knows that is a wasted hope from anyone.

"Well, do you know where your classes are? It's easy to get lost here," Demyx said softly, "I still forget where I am sometimes, and I've been here since ninth grade!" he then added with a chuckle, being as friendly as he naturally could. His attempts of a friendship were getting on the small boy's nerves though. Zexion could already tell the dirty blonde was top of the social pyramid, and as happy as he should be that someone so popular would want to talk to him, he was nowhere near that emotion. Too many school years he's been treated terribly and used, even by students younger than him, so like Hell he would risk dealing with that again.

"I've taken a look at the layout of the school," he said in a quiet voice. "I think I'll be fine on my own." Not bothering to place his sketch book back into his bag, he closed and swung it over his shoulders as he stood up, "Excuse me. It was nice talking to you." Making sure not to look back at the taller boy, he made his way over to the closest bathroom.

Only, he never made it to his destination as Demyx quickly placed himself in the way. Call him childish, but the dirty blonde didn't like feeling anything other than happiness and security. He grew up with love, encouragement and every positive emotion there was, and feeling anything else made him sick to the stomach, so of course he went after the other with a little desperation. "Hey, I didn't say something to upset you, did I? I didn't mean to make you seem like you can't do anything by yourself, if that's how my offer came off, really!"

He was responded with a narrowed glare and raised brow."No, it has nothing to do with what you said." the irritated boy sighed, opening the bag at his side and placing the sketchbook back in its place before he continued staring up at the dirty blonde with arms crossed. "Alright," he said, "go ahead and come out with it already; I don't want any games. Is it a dare? Or do you want to show your friends that you can treat an underling like someone of your high status for a short period of time? How about you think I might come in use later on?" Even if only one eye was visible, his gaze was steady as he searched the taller male's face for any sort of smugness, "Am I wrong? I have more."

Now, had Demyx been a nutcracker, his jaw would have well been close to the floor. Closing his mouth quickly, it made a clack when his teeth snapped together, his mind having difficulty registering that not only does this boy appear to loathe the dirty blonde's very existence, but he seemed to even believe that said blonde was of bad intentions. "Of course you're wrong! It's not a dare, and I don't use people for my fun. And what does it matter if you're not as well-known as I am? That has nothing to do with me going to say hi to you!" Relaxing from his small outburst, he sighed and wagged a finger in the smaller boy's face, a small smile creeping upon his own face despite the jolt of anger he had felt only moments ago. "You shouldn't judge anyone by appearance."

Perking up a fake smile, the offender placed a delicate hand on his chest, imitating something a princess from a child's movie would do, and laughed lightly. "Oh, excuse me then," he dropped his hand back to his side, letting his smile fall as well, "I suppose it's the fact that I've lived through being judged by my appearance for so long I probably picked it up. Apologies. 'Hello' to you too, but now, I'd appreciate it if you left my heart and I alone." His finale said, Zexion pushed past the boy and continued on his way. Yes, heart was the right word for it. It had been trampled and stepped on so many times, it was only natural he didn't want it to happen again.

A small tension formed over the older boy's muscles, and he could feel wrath twitching at the corner of his mouth. Why was the new kid so bent on making the world seem like it was a terrible place and that everything was a lie? Sure, Demyx had his share of unfaithful friends and companions, but that never stopped him from being cheerful. When it did affect him, he just put on his mask of a permanent smile and no one realized. Right now, he wished the mask was real so he could chuck it at the shorter boy. Shocked by the thought, he shook it away, "You're not the only one who's felt deception before, and you shouldn't act like you are either." he called, about to take a step forward and after the other when the bell rang. His face softened into surprise, his thoughts back to reality and not the stranger. With a frown, he donned his 'other face', and ran off to get his backpack from his friends, before making his way to his first class.

He really didn't mean to seem so harsh, but what he let out was only a small portion of what he wanted to say that was bottled up inside him. Well, if that boy would leave him alone, then he wouldn't have to hear more. Time went by too fast for the cranky boy, lunch already upon him. So, finding a wall out in the quad area instead of sitting by the tables again, he sat down against it and pulled out a book, basically praying that the stranger wouldn't seek him out.

Said stranger hadn't paid much attention to his classes, but seeing as he understood most of what went on, he didn't quite mind anyhow. What he couldn't grasp was how someone could be so cold! "I did nothing wrong, and he treats me like I'm the reason his life sucks, Vin!" the musician whined, talking to Vincent away from others.

You're never one to give up, why now? Came the reply from his imaginary companion, making the dirty blonde stop whimpering for a moment.

"You make a good point, Vin! You're the best!" hugging the plastic boy, he put him back into his backpack, his actual cheeriness returning as he sought out the kid from earlier. It wasn't too hard, considering his friends were eating lunch at the moment and couldn't bother him. "Hey, you're looking lively." he laughed, grinning at the boy.

At the sound of that way too familiar voice, a small hand curled up into a fist of frustration before both were placed on the covers of the book, slamming it closed harder than necessary. Zexion didn't look up due to the fact he didn't want to risk the chance that he lost his guard while looking at the handsome boy and actually became friendly with him. "Quite," he grumbled, "though, may I ask why are you still talking to me? Was I not clear enough that I did not want to associate with you at all?" The response was unwanted, but Demyx expected it, and would take rude mannerisms over being ignored any day.

"Well, no one else seems to want to talk to you because of your attitude, and since you're not making the effort to make friends, I'm going out of my way to befriend you." Of course there was that, and the fact Vincent had encouraged him to do so, but the mullet boy wasn't going to share that information. "What's so bad about talking to me anyways? I mean, if you want a new beginning, you have to let go of what's happened before. You can't expect everything to change and bend to your will, because you need to put some work into it too. Someone may make a dream, but other people have to help to reach it."

Attitude?! Who did this kid think he was, saying Zexion had an attitude? Okay, maybe he did have one, but for a good reason! His thoughts broken at the comment, he finally looked up at the taller male, unable to believe what he said. ". . . A new beginning?" Was he a mind reader? "I don't need your friendship." Short, simple, and to the point. There was a nice fellow he met in his science class he could always make friends with, but to befriend the king of popularity was too overboard.

"You say you don't need it, but it's really that you don't want it." he muttered, looking to the side as if he weren't really talking to the one before him, but rather just thinking aloud, "what we need and what we want are two completely different things, and are easily confused for the other. The ocean doesn't need the full moon to rise to dangerous levels, but it wants it. Fire may not want to be dependent on other objects, but it needs to be or else it can't continue burning." Demyx sort of chuckled when he realized how poetic he suddenly became, but he didn't stop there, "you just don't want to associate with me because I'm too popular, and maybe it's the rumors that are scaring you. I have a feeling that you need someone to trust but just won't admit it." Lacing his fingers behind his head, he continued the warm smile, "Am I wrong? I have more."

As the taller boy continued, and Zexion had no choice but to listen. He was about to yell at the other for accusing him of denying the need for trust, when his own words from earlier were thrown right in his face. He paused, placing a hand on his cheek as if he was smacked, unable to help but mutter a light 'Ow'. This dirty blonde was stubborn, but so was he. "Yes, you are. I do not need someone to trust. It's simply a want I have, I'll admit, but I'd rather not have it from someone like you."

The thoughts that maybe the new kid's front was finally broken went out the window at those statements, and he couldn't help feel a little irritated at how stubborn he was. Demyx didn't get all those friends because he was a quitter, though, and he wouldn't start now. "You make me sound like a bad book," he muttered, "something not worth your time reading. There are a lot of things you let pass by when you hold hatred towards something someone else has done. It's being stereotypical, and in some case, racist. Everyone's different in some way, even if it's hard to see." Letting his arms rest at his side, he put a hand out to the pigheaded boy, smiling a little expectantly, "Why not make a bit of a deal? If I can't prove to you that I'm different in maybe...A week's time, then I'll leave you alone forever. But," of course there was a catch, "you have to be open minded the entire time, or the time is extended."

With logic against him, Zexion had nothing to say in retort but of course that wouldn't be something he'd admit openly. Death glaring up at him, the irritated male got up and dusted himself up before he took the other's hand. "Fine," he hissed, "but you're not making me hang out with your friends. I simply won't allow it." This was taking a big chance as it was; he didn't need to risk anything else.

"Great! And don't worry; I wasn't planning on having you hang out with them. I'm trying to convince you that I'm different, not them. And first off," releasing the other's hand, he broke the distance between them and gave the loner a brief hug, pulling away with a smile, "I greet and say good bye with hugs, and I only do that for close friends." Bouncing slightly, he continued the wide smile, "And the name's Demyx. I didn't have a sweet sixteen like a lot of the kids here do, but I did get to visit my uncle who was staying in another country at that time," he gave a nod, taking a breath from speaking at least five sentences in one gulp of air, "so, what about you?"

At the sudden change of spirits, the bookworm felt his stomach plummet with regret as he started to think maybe he's dealing with someone bipolar. Soon, that brainstorm was calmed, and not used to human contact, he jumped slightly when the taller boy wrapped his arms around him in a hug. "Close friends?!" he couldn't help shouting out, "we've barely just met and now you're hugging me?" Clearing his throat, he tried to regain his composure before speaking again. "My name is Zexion. I moved here from the North due to my mother switching jobs."

He did flinch when the other yelled, but his smile did not falter one bit. "My mom lives up North from this very spot," he said, pointing up. Returning his attention to the smaller boy right after, he chuckled, "Hope we get along."