Demyx's Brilliant Plan

A/N: Dedicated to Skittles and her you-know-who. Love and miss you guys! HAPPY AKUROKU DAY EVERYONE!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, my friends who inspired this story (yes I OWN YOUR SOULS not really) "Sprite" by Freezepop, or anything referenced in this story.

XXXX

"Hey ROXY!"

"Ngh," I growled, before my sleep-deprived mind finally registered the use of my annoying nickname. "It's Roxas."

"Sure, whatever, Roxy," Demyx replied. I could almost feel the Nocturne's thousand-watt grin lighting up the small, dark room we were sharing. Grumbling, I turned and smushed my pale face deeper into my fluffy feather pillow.

Stupid Demyx, I thought vehemently, Why did he have to go and flood his damn room AGAIN? And WHY am I the only one in the ENTIRE Organization that will let him share a room? I didn't even consider the fact that I was the only one with an extra bed in his room. No, that made far too much sense, after all.

I cursed my sensitive ears as they registered the slightest creak of springs, and I knew the excitable Nocturne was bouncing on the bed next to mine. I could have dealt with that, if a moment later Demyx hadn't started humming an annoying, tuneless song. Less than another minute later, the humming turned to singing, some stupid song I had never heard before but instantly hated.

"What makes the Melonball bounce,

the Melonball bounce,

the Melonball bounce?

What makes the Melonball bounce?

The ice tart taste of Sprite!

Sprite makes the Melonball bounce,

The Melonball bounce…"

"SHUT UP!" Istage whispered at the mullet-wearing musician. "What the hell do you WANT, Dem?"

"I just had a question…" I could feel IX's signature puppy-dog face boring into his back, but was too tired for it to have any effect. "Shoot," I finally growled.

"Do you like Axel?"

The question caught me completely off guard. I knew Demyx was one of the biggest gossips of the Organization (second only to Marluxia and, surprisingly, Larxene,) and he'd bugged me about one "secret" or another time and time again, but he'd never mentioned my love life.

I mean, not that I had a love life. Not that any members of the Organization XIII had a love life. I mean, we were Nobodies. You know—no heart, no emotions.

Or so most said. The "do we have emotions" question was highly debated among the thirteen. Demyx and the redhead he'd just mentioned thought "yes". The leader, Xemnas, his second in command, Saïx, and the lone female of the group, Larxene, vehemently believed "no". The others were either didn't care (like Zexion and Vexen) or were undecided (like, you guessed it, me).

As I knew the musician beside me was a firm believer that Nobodies did in fact had emotions, I didn't miss the extra weight applied to the word "like," and knew Demyx didn't just mean like as a friend. After all, that was a question so obvious even Oblivious Boy, as IX was often called, knew the answer. Axel and me were best friends, with a bond so close the others either ridiculed it or envied it. I knew Demyx meant "like" in a different sense—like as in "love".

And did I? Well, I suppose it depended on what side of the "do we have emotions" debate I resided on. If no, then I had no capacity to "love," and even my close "friendship" with the Flurry of Dancing Flames was merely an alliance of convenience.

But if yes….

…Though I tended to take forever to answer questions, liking to think out the answers first instead and hating to act impulsively, I knew the answer before I even asked myself the question. Of course I loved the pyro. The fiery personality, the sparkling wit evident from the first glance into those grass-in-April eyes, the deep, binding loyalty and drive to protect those he cared about….not to mention the wild, dare I say beautiful mane of untamed red spikes….yes, every little trait of Axel's had contributed to my falling deeply, hopelessly and helplessly in love.

There were only two words for this, this admittance, this feeling that felt so wrong, yet so right, so corrupted yet so pure,as the knowledge settled into my (possibly) empty chest cavity like a flaming hot coal….

Oh shit.

"Rox?" The absence of the annoyingly perky "y" for his nickname alerted me that my friend was waiting for a reply. I sat up, the three-letter "y" word burning on my lips, met Demyx's aqua eyes with my own….

…and paused.

Because now I knew what the emotion coursing through every fiber of my being looked like. I knew the sparkle that must be infiltrating my pale blue eyes, a visible quantification of the pure, joyous inferno welling up inside of me….

…because that look was in Demyx's eyes too.

Then it clicked.

Demyx was in love with Axel too. That's why he'd asked—because he felt threatened by my own closeness and bond with the Flurry.

Again, only two words could sum up the awfulness of this situation, the tearing of my no-longer-doubted heart as the tears prickling Demyx's eyes doused the fire within myself…

More shit.

And so, with my throat burning like a vampire thirsting for the kill, every ounce of my self-control geared at keeping my own eyes dry, I adopted a small, mirthless smile and did the right thing.

"No."

"Oh," Relief was evident in the Nocturne's voice. "Really?"

I heard a flatness in my voice, turning it to a queer, level monotone that reminded me in an eerie, not entirely pleasant way of Xemnas's. "Yes really, Demyx. Axel is a very dear friend to me, a friend I wish to keep forever."

There was a pause as I thought. Eventually I decided the damage was done anyway, so might as well confirm what I already knew. "Do you like Axel?"

Silence. Then the Nocturne's voice, more high-pitched than usual and laced with apparent nervousness. "Uh….yeah."

"Oh…."

"Do you know if he um…likes…me?"

No, my mind screamed, No, he does not like you, you horrible sick little traitor! Axel is mine, you filthy brat! My inner self, a black Roxas physically similar to a Shadow Heartless, snarled at the boy (for though Demyx was physically older, he was much less mature than the Key of Destiny) who dared try and steal my love.

But I heard the flat, un-Roxas-like voice reply of its own accord. "I'm not sure. Why don't you ask him?"

Demyx squealed in what sounded like absolute terror, "N-no, Rox, I…I couldn't!!" There was silence and then his voice grew even more nervous, if possible. "C-could you?"

"Of course. Whatever you want, Dem," monotone-Roxas said as Inner Roxas began tearing a miniature doll bearing the Nocturne's likeness into a thousand tiny shreds and scattering them to Oblivion.

XXXX

(several days later)

"Come on, Roxy, please," Demyx whined. "Ask him now please!"

I didn't remember how long it had been since that fateful night when I'd chosen my friendship with the Nocturne over my burning love/desire/whatever you wanted to call it for the Flurry. My voice sounded flat and more Superior-like every day. I'd spent most of the hours not being bugged by Demyx about assisting him with his confession trying to convince myself that I was firmly on the no side of the emotions debate. (it hadn't worked)

And now I was walking. Now my black boots were clacking against the shiny floor of Naught's Skyway as I ascended towards where both my and Demyx's love stood. Ready to confess—but not the confession I wanted to make.

"Hey, Rox," Axel greeted, and shivers ran down and up my spine at the lazy, familiar yet incredibly sexy drawl that was the pyromaniac's voice. "'Sup?"

"N-ot much," I began, my nervousness adding an uncharacteristic stutter to my voice. "But um…I….that is, Demyx….have…has…had?...has…something to say t-to…you."

"You OK? Erm, is Dem OK?" the pyro corrected himself. I couldn't stop the spark that shivered in my empty chest as Axel asked about my safety before Demyx's.

"It's just that I…I mean Dem…Dem he…he….hereally…"

"You sure you OK, Rox?"

I knew the emerald eyes were raking over my face, seeking contact with my sapphires, but I did not grant it. Looking at him would make this unbearable. Instead, I peeked slightly over my shoulder. The Nocturne's aqua eyes were so full of happiness, gratefulness, and—damn it—pure, unadulterated hope that I knew I had to do it.

I gritted my teeth, died a little more inside, and spit it out. "Demyxreallylikesyou."

Despite my super-speed-speaking, Axel understood every word. And like me so many nights ago, VIII didn't miss the weight I put on like, grasping my—that is, Demyx's—meaning instantly.

"Oh."

A single word—more an exhalation of breath, really, than anything actually articulated. Then the drawl again, tinged with the barest hint of emotions I couldn't recognize. "This is sudden."

"He…he wants to know if you…"

Axel held up a gloved hand, silencing me. "Unfortunately, I don't feel the same way. Demyx is a dear friend, but nothing more."

Emotion after emotion sprung up within my—whatever the heck was currently residing in my chest—at those words. Sadness, because I knew fragile Demyx wouldn't take it well. Happiness, that Axel hadn't chosen Demyx over me (not that he knew of my…if I even had them…feelings). Hope that maybe, just maybe, he had rejected Demyx because he liked someone else. Guilt that I would feel happy at Demyx's suffering.

"I…should probably talk to him alone," the Flurry stated softly. It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway.

"Sorry I had you all worried—you know, you thought I wasn't OK or something…" I began, but the black-gloved hand was again silencing me. It waved languidly, stirring up the air in the formerly deathly still Skyway. My nose was assaulted with that charred-wood-and-coal scent that was one hundred percent uniquely Axel.

"S'all good," he said nonchalantly, another one (and possibly the most irritating, except for his original) of his many catchphrases. "I feel kinda bad that you had to be the middle man in this…"

I nodded, hating the fact that my voice was still the Xemnas-monotone as I spoke. "It's no big deal. Just helping out a friend."

I didn't even hear him move, but suddenly Axel was close. A lot closer. I couldn't breathe. "Roxy," he chided, using the nickname he'd picked up from the Melodious Nocturne. "There's something you're not telling me."

Damn him and his freaky perceptiveness, Inner Roxas growled, but I heard Xemnas-Roxas (as I'd come to call the monotone voice) respond. "No, there really isn't. You should really go talk to Demyx."

The Flurry went up behind the Nocturne and put a hand behind his fragile, sloping shoulder. I turned, not wanting to feel the waves of sadistic joy I knew would come with my dear friend's tears, and walked back towards the empty whiteness of my room on the top floor of the Castle that Never Was.

XXXX

Knock, knock.

Bright sunlight (or at least what passed for sunlight in the World that Never Was, but was really a lightening of the perpetual cloud cover) streamed through my window and I knew I'd slept. I felt like thousand-pound weights were gluing me to the bed as the horrible events of yesterday unfolded. Naught's Skyway. Axel. Confession.

"Roxy, can I come in?"

Demyx.

"Sure," I winced as the monotone's dullness permeated the already dull room. I heard the door creak, waited a second as Demyx moved cat-graceful across my floor….

…then the breath was knocked from my lungs as the sitar player landed with a solid whump on my chest.

I flicked open my sapphire orbs to meet….Demyx's signature thousand-watt smile? Damn, something must have happened. This was not the same tear-drowned Nocturne I'd parted with yesterday. Oh damn Oh damn did Axel feel guilty and lie about liking him Oh no…Inner Roxas babbled. Shut up, I told him/it/me.

"Why so serious, Roxas?" Demyx joked. I groaned at the horrible Batman reference as he allowed me to sit up.

"More like, Why so happy, Demyx?" I pointed out, grateful that the monotone didn't sound quite so…monotonous….as it had a few moments before.

"Because IT WORKED!" he shrieked.

I was confused. I attempted to ask, "Demyx, could you please clarify the situation and what exactly you did that worked and why you are so happy about it?" but it came out sounding more like, "Wha?"

"My PLAN!" Demyx screeched, and began talking at the speed of darkness. "I never really liked Axel see I knew you liked Axel I mean like like I mean Axel's a great friend but I don't like him that way I like Zexion anyway I knew you liked Axel so I pretended to like him to get you to admit it but unfortunately the plan went too far and I'm really really really sorry about that but at least you told Naminé you liked him I mean loved him that's the words she used and anyway she thinks he loves you too so you can go confess now and we'll all live happily EVER AFTER!" He shouted those last two words into my poor, sensitive ear.

As I wiggled a finger around, ascertaining that I wasn't deaf, I begged him to repeat that at a slightly more reasonable tempo. He did, and my jaw dropped.

"Wait…you don't like Axel?"

"Yup!"

"And you pretended to?"

"Yup!"

"Because you thought I liked Axel…."

"Yup!"

"And…you thought if I was threatened by you liking Axel…I'd go ahead and confess first?"

"Yup! But you're…a better friend than I gave you credit for, Roxy. I—I didn't expect you to go all—noble on me…."

I didn't hear. "Demyx you….you…."

He looked nervous. "I'm sorry…."

But I didn't respond. Instead, I threw my arms around the Melodious Nocturne in a giant bear hug. Tears of relief ran down my cracked façade as I spoke in a voice that was anything but a monotone. "Damn you, Nocturne, you had me worried! When you were all teary-eyed like that, I thought you were in pain, damnit!" I was laughing and crying and feeling happy and shitty and that fire in my throat and mind and heart—yes, I had a heart, there was no denying—was back and it seemed to have brought with it a swarm of about a thousand butterflies but damn, I was happy!

"Oh, Dem," I laughed, breathless. "Dem…"

But suddenly, his voice got serious. "Now Roxy, please do not tell me I wasted all this effort for nothing. Go out there and get your man!"

And then, I found myself being pushed by a pair of surprisingly strong gloved hands out into the hallway, around the corner—and straight into Axel.

"Woah, hold your horses, Rox-in-socks," the Flurry drawled, catching me and setting me back on my feet nonchalantly. "Where's the fire."

I mock-groaned at yet another fire reference, but made sure to apologize. "Um, sorry for knocking into you, uh, Axel…"

Another hand wave, and I got another noseful of my personal drug. "S'all good."

I growled. As much as I loved him, that did get annoying.

"So, what were you in such a hurry to say to me?"

I swallowed, stalling for time. "How's—Dem doing…" I feigned ignorance.

He shrugged. "The kid'll be OK." I loved how we called Demyx "the kid" even though he was younger than me. His voice was softer now, more compassionate. "I hate how bad I made him feel, but you know, I just don't…."

I cut in before I lost the confidence to do what I had to. "Hey Ax—you know how there was something I wasn't telling you yesterday…"

He looked at me, those beautiful flaming emeralds blank. I hated how emotionless he acted—wasn't he supposed to be supporting the "Nobodies have emotions" cause?—it made him impossible to read. "Yeah, Rox, what is it?"

"Well…." I took a deep breath, gathered up my courage, and jumped off the metaphorical cliff. "I…it's really complicated but you see….the thing is….Dem doesn't really like you I…I like you. I mean….it's not even like I…IloveyouAxel."

Silence.

Then I was spun around, forced into eye contact with the Flurry for the first time since that fateful day. The bonfire within me burned hotter, searing my heart. I would die and explode if I didn't hear his response now…

And then my Axel spoke two words that took my breath away.

"Feeling's mutual."

I looked up into those eyes, those beautiful, entrancing eyes, and saw that sparkle, that amazing sparkle that had started this whole twisted roller coaster ride all those days ago…

And then his eyes were too close to mine to see anything anymore and he was kissing me and my mind was squealing like a fangirl, OMG I love him!

"I love you, Roxy," he whispered against my lips.

"I…I know, but I'm sorry you had to go through all of this…" I replied, my voice so full of glorious emotions.

"S'all good…" he muttered, still not breaking the kiss.

"That really gets annoying, you know. You should stick to one catchphrase," I muttered in kind.

"Anything for you, Roxy." He broke away then, our breathing heavy, our eyes filled with joy and love. "Got it memorized?"

We kissed again, and I could have sworn I heard the snap of a camera from Demyx, the mastermind behind this brilliant plan to bring me and my love together.

XXX

HAPPY AKUROKU DAY!