Rain

By: Axel

XxX

Darkness fell all around him, and it was all he could see, all he could feel. He felt... numb.

Emptiness swept over him, engulfing the young man, and draining the color from his skin and the life from his eyes.

Maybe he was dead... or dying at least. He couldn't feel anything, not even as his body hit the ground.

Yet there was a light, piercing through the darkness. He couldn't feel it's warmth though. He couldn't feel anything. Just.. nothing. He closed his eyes, willing the light to leave him be. It got brighter and brighter though, till he had to open his eyes.

Xemnas watched from the shadows, amused at the young man's reaction as he lifted his head and looked around at the neon lights pulsing all around him. It looked like a big city, the kind you'd see bursting with life, and people. But nobody was there.

Well... a Nobody anyway.

The young man got to his feet, shaking his head and brushing himself off. He still couldn't feel anything, even as his hands smoothed over his clothes. He was surprised they weren't covered in blood. He couldn't remember what exactly had happened, it had all been so fast. First there was light, then dark, and now... nothing.

He frowned, laying a hand over his chest. The regular thump of his heart seemed to have disappeared. He was sure it would be hammering in his chest a hundred miles an hour. But there was nothing. He tried checking his pulse on his arm, and then on his neck. Nothing.

Maybe he was dead. Maybe this was heaven. Or hell. It didn't seem like either, not a paradise or place of eternal damnation. It just seemed...sad. The buildings seemed to glare at him with sad, uninhabited eyes as he moved silently down the street. Where was he? How did he get there?

He looked up at the heavy clouds that seemed to have folded in only since he'd gotten there, shrouding out the moonlight. It wasn't bad though, the shimmering lights on the ash colored buildings provided enough light for him to see by.

And, as if his luck couldn't get worse, the sky burst open and began to weep cold bitter tears. Well now the setting seemed perfect. Maybe this was purgatory? The neutral afterlife, neither good nor bad, black nor white. Just gray.

"It's never rained here before," a voice said, a low rolling voice that sounded like thunder in the distance.

The young man jumped and spun around, seeing a hooded figure looking over him."Where is here," he asked, looking up at the elder man with wide, sea colored eyes.

Xemnas chuckled. The young man was hardly that, bordering more on boy than man. He was small, and scrawny. His hair was a mess, random strands hanging around his face while the rest was lazily spiked back.

Xemnas waved his hand and small portals opened along the ground, spawning forth pale and sickly looking creatures whose bodies stretched like rubber. "This is The World That Never Was," his voice rolled coolly, devoid of any emotion. The creatures danced back in forth, looking at the young man with hungry eyes.

"The what," the young man asked, his eyes going back and forth from the devious looking creatures to the cloaked figure before him.

"This world doesn't exist," he said, raising his arms up, then spreading them apart to indicate the world around them. He dropped one arm to his side, the other one lowering, pointing a finger at the boy before him. "And neither, do you."

He looked more confused then frightened, but he was definitely scared. He wanted to run away, but the rubber creatures surrounded him, and they'd surely catch him before he could go to steps. "I-I don't... understand."

"You shall grow to in time," Xemnas said, offering the boy his hand with a long elegant gesture. The young man stared at it for a moment, before grabbing the older man's hand. It was a simple welcome shake, though the elder man didn't seem thrilled by his presence there.

Xemnas looked at him for a hard moment, then took his hand back and waved his hand through the air again. Letters appeared in the air, glimmering in the neon lights like spirits. It was the young man's name. The letters began to shift and move, and the letter 'X' suddenly appeared and mixed itself with the others. The final result was the word 'Demyx'.

"This, is your new name," Xemnas said, looking at the young man with an amused look, who was gaping at the letters in a mix of awe and fear.

"Welcome, to the Organization."

XxX

Demyx was brought before the Organization that night. No one objected to his presence, which he answer with a goofy grin and a friendly wave hello, to which most of them rolled their eyes at.

Xemnas and the rest of the Organization explained themselves to him, and the nature of their existence. They were beings without hearts, numb and empty inside. They were searching for a way to get their hearts back, using the Kingdom Hearts.

Demyx understood, though a bit blown away by it all. By the time the introduction was over, his questions were answered, though he didn't know if he liked the answers or not. An existence without feelings? It sounded miserably. When he'd been a somebody he had always been a happy, chopper character. He departed Where Nothing Gathers, following Xemnas through the castle pathways.

"Xemnas..."

The elder man's slight shifting of his eyes back to look at Demyx was his only acknowledgment.

"Thanks...for...finding me... and... bringing me here and stuff," he said with a nod.

"We'll use your talents and powers to further ourselves on the path to revival," he said, which was a strange answer to Demyx. He nodded though, accepting it with a wide, goofy grin.

Xemnas led Demyx to the highest room in the castle, aside from the Altar of Naught, the Proof of Existence. There were seven glowing portals in the room, the names of each member inscribed on them, images of their weapons on glowing panels on the floor.

With a wave of his mighty hand another swirling portal appeared, next to The Flurry of the Dancing Flames'. There was no title on it, nor a weapon panel on the ground however.

"You shall have one in time. For now, rest," Xemnas instructed.

Demyx smiled at the older man and nodded. He wasn't at all intimidated by the elder man's indifference anymore. In fact he wrapped his arms around his superior and gave him a hug before trotting over to his portal, looking back with that grin that had quickly become his trademark and a merry wave before stepping through.

Xemnas stood for a moment and blinked, looking down at himself. A hug? That had been unorthodox. Had it been any of the other members he most likely would have turned them into a dusk in a rage from the disrespect. Rather though he smirked, moving up towards the Altar of Naught.

That Demyx was a peculiar boy. He was already quite fond of him too.

XxX

Over the next few days Xemnas had been instructing Demyx on how to use his powers as a nobody, along with other things.

The boy's chipper and sunny disposition was seen as annoying to several of the other members, and while he never said anything, Xemnas secretly adored Demyx's smiles and waves. And his laugh. Demyx was so full of life in a way none of the others felt. His happiness seemed to radiate off himself, and Xemnas could feel it whenever he walked by. Feel.

"A weapon," Xemnas said casually, as Demyx was following him through the hallway like a puppy at its master's feet. "You need one."

"Oh sir, I don't fight," Demyx said, lowing his head as if he was acknowledging he'd done something bad. "I mean... I can't fighting, and I'm not very strong."

Xemnas seemed to take it into quiet consideration. "There are plenty of missions that are solely infiltration, objects we need to procure to further our goals. You would still have to be able to defend yourself should the need arise though," Xemnas said, waving it away.

"Yes sir," Demyx said timidly, lowering his head again in response.

Xemnas had to really try not to smile. "Call me Xemnas," his voice rolled casually.

Demyx looked up and nodded. "Yes sir, I mean, Xemnas sir," he said clumsily, tripping over his words in an attempt to correct himself. Xemnas couldn't help it, a fraction of a laugh escaping him. Demyx. He was hilarious.

"Yes," Xemnas said, resuming his darker demeanor. "A weapon for you... what instruments were you familiar with in you past life?"

"I wasss ummm good at the guitar," Demyx offered.

"That's not what I meant," Xemnas said, glad to have his back turned to the boy so he couldn't see his expression as he tried to hold in the bout of laughter that was bound to leak out. He was Xemnas, the leader, The Superior for gods sake! He didn't laugh! He was their dark brooding ruler.

"Sorry sir," Demyx said, then quickly amended, "Xemnas."

Xemnas stopped for a moment in contemplative silence. He raised his hand, and with a wave tendrils of darkness began to swirl around into a shape before Demyx. The dark tendrils bended and twisted, flowing into a sleek, unique shape.

"This is a sitar," Xemnas said flatly, motioning for Demyx to pick it up, which he did.

Demyx's expression was so priceless. He gazed at the weapon in awe, holding it gingerly. He slid a finger down the neck then looked at Xemnas, who was trying not to chuckle at the boy's obvious excitement. "Sir..."

"It's not a gift," Xemnas said, trying his best to maintain himself. "It's an investment, you're no use to us dead. I'll teach you to defend yourself with it," he said.

Demyx looked at the sitar, then to him again and grinned. "Gotcha, thanks boss, I won't let ya down," he said, saluting Xemnas.

Xemnas felt a little disappointed. The first few days around the castle Demyx had made a habit of flinging himself at Xemnas and hugging him when he was in a particularly good mood. More important than anything was that Xemnas 'felt' anything. What was this Demyx doing to him?

XxX

More days had passed. Xemnas suddenly had a lot to work to do, even though he was far from done training the new recruit. So he left Demyx to his own devices.

Demyx took the time to get to know the castle. He really had limited contact with the others, who were near always gone, off destroying heartless and collecting their hearts.

So Demyx was alone. That was fine with him though, seeing as he didn't really know any of the others, save the rather friendly Xigbar who'd stopped to wave hello to him once or twice.

Demyx found himself in the library often, glancing over the rows and rows of books. There was a lot of them. He wasn't a big reader, and the silence made him feel uneasy, but he kept coming back nonetheless.

While wondering about the aisles of books he stumbled across a table which he swore hadn't been there before. Across it was a large hardbound book. He started to pick it up when he heard a voice which made him jump and drop it.

"Number nine," the voice was smooth and even, sounding uninterested in whatever it was that Demyx was doing. He asked nonetheless though. "What are you up to number nine."

Demyx grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Ah, nothing. Just killing time. Xemnas is busy, and he says I'm not ready to hit the field just yet."

Zexion looked at him quite flatly, moving over and picking up the book Demyx had dropped. "He is the Superior and you should address him as such," he said coolly.

"Um... well.. he said," but Demyx was at a loss for words under Zexion's hard stare. He frowned, taking a step back. Zexion's gaze felt as if it were penetrating his skin, looking over his insides and reading what he was thinking."I... should probably go," Demyx said, taking another step back.

"Then go,"Zexion said neutrally. Demyx eased back another step. Zexion turned and looked at the window, rain splattering on the glass. "It never rained before you came," he said, opening his book and staring at it, not looking at Demyx again.

Demyx shifted uncomfortably, feeling as if he were under interrogation. "I don't mind it," he said trying to be friendly. "I like rain. It gets kind of depressing though." Zexion only grunted. Demyx looked out the window then and frowned. "There's no sun here is there?" Another grunt from Zexion. "Doesn't that make you feel kind of... sad?"

"We don't have hearts, we don't feel anything," Zexion said, still not looking up at Demyx.

Demyx frowned. "We do to have hearts. Don't be mad," he said.

Zexion's eyes moved over the book, narrowing at Demyx. "Foolish child," he said softly. He said nothing more, turning away with his book and vanishing into one of the corridors of darkness.

XxX

"Xemnas?"

"Nhg?"

Demyx was back to following Xemnas around within the week. Xemnas had lead him out of the castle and into the city where he'd first found Demyx. Sure, he could have done this lesson back at the castle, sure, they could have used the corridors of darkness to get here, but Xemnas had grown fond of listening to the boy's cheerful chattering, even if he pretended not to.

"Zexion said... we don't have hearts..."

"That's right," Xemnas said, looking over at the boy.

"But... I thought we did," he said with a frown. "I have feelings..."

"Those are only illusions, tricks of the mind," Xemnas said coolly.

"But I do," Demyx insisted. "I do have a heart! I can feel things," he pleaded. "It can't be all made up... It can't be." Xemnas just grunted, turning away from the boy. Demyx grabbed the sleeve of the Superior's coat to keep him from turning away. "Don't you believe me?"

Xemnas turned and looked at the boy fiercely. He could see the agonizing sorrow in his eyes. Those gorgeous sea colored eyes. Demyx wanted those feelings to be real so much. Poor boy was only fooling himself.

"No," Xemnas said evenly, pulling his sleeve from Demyx's grasp. He saw the heartbroken look in the boy's eyes as he looked downward with dissapointment. Heartbroken, that was an appropriate word. Xemnas rested his hand on the young man's shoulder, murmuring to his with a softness he never spoke with. "Come now Demyx. You still have much to learn..."

XxX

Demyx wasn't the type that sulked. He simply decided he'd prove them wrong. He had feelings, he knew he did.

So the next day when he went to Xemnas to learn more about the heartless, the creatures that had supposedly stolen his heart. He believed everything Xemnas said without a second thought, but this he was unsure of. He still had his heart.

"Sir, I'm here," Demyx said as he moved up to the Altar of Naught. Xemnas was standing at the edge of the building, looking up into the storm clouds. It was going to rain again. It did nearly everyday now. But Xemnas was focused more of the lumonous heart in the sky, his beautiful, wonderful, Kingdom Hearts.

"Demyx," he said, acknowledging Demyx was there, but not turning to face him. So Demyx trotted up to his side, looking at his Superior.

Demyx then looked skyward at it as well. "It's beautiful sir," Demyx said. He looked over at Xemnas, bathed in the cold moonlight. His eyes were closed at the moment, seeming to be in deep thought. Demyx couldn't help but find their superior amazing. He was big and strong and powerful, and, to be quite honest, beautiful. Demyx wanted to touch him, awkward as it sounded.

Demyx actually cared about not being impaled through the face with an aerial blade, so he didn't.

Xemnas then opened his eyes and looked over at Demyx with a kind of softness Demyx had never seen before. A smile, a genuine smile, spread across his face. He reached out to Demyx, gently stroking the boy's cheek.

Demyx was astounded. He froze up immediately, frightened for him life. A light chuckle escaped the superior as he gently tucked a strand of Demyx's messy hair behind his ear to get it out of his face. Demyx relaxed with and easy sigh. It had been forever since he'd been touched by another living thing, he was beginning to forget what it felt like. It was warm and fuzzy though, and he liked it.

Suddenly he felt something very different. Warm, soft lips pressed against his own. Demyx's body failed him and went limp, but Xemnas caught him easily. Xemnas looked at the boy warmly and smiled. Demyx was blown away. He buried his face into the superior's chest to hide the fact he'd turned bright red.

Xemnas's hands were incredibly gentle for what a hard man he was. He stroked Demyx's head, threading his fingers through the boy's hair. Demyx soon peeled his face away from the warmth of his leaders chest, looking up at those warm golden eyes. Xemnas chuckled again,giving Demyx another warm and hungry kiss. This time Demyx returned it.

They were so entranced in each other that they paid no heed to the roll of thunder in the background. They didn't even notice as the rain began to fall from the sky all around them. The sky could be falling all around them for all they cared, all that mattered for this moment in time was the other. Xemnas had been filled with such emptyness before, and Demyx was filled with so much life.

So While Xemnas taught Demyx to fight, Demyx taught him to feel.