Disclaimer: Don't own much of anything; least of all a large video game franchise.
Pairings: Zexmyx, Slight AxelRoxas, SoraRiku.
Globe Trotter
"Zexy! Zexy Zexy Zexion!" The sitarist's cries rang through the halls of Castle That Never Was. The door to VI's room was thrown open, then slammed shut. The kitchen was examined, the dining room scanned. Where was the man when you needed him?
"I'd try the library," a bored sounding keybearer sighed.
"Oh, right! Thanks, Roxas!" Why didn't he think of that earlier? Roxas merely shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Demyx sprinted across the white tiled floors of the hallway. He threw open the doors of the library, and jumped in, presenting himself as a ball of dirty-blond energy.
The slate-haired man merely nodded to acknowledge his presence. Besides Demyx, Zexion was currently the only one in the library. The silence of the room immediately made Demyx antsy; he began to strum his fingers against a nearby bookshelf. That was just one of the many things Demxy didn't understand about Zexion; how he could so easily tolerate total and utter silence.
"I've been looking for you forever!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms open for a hug. When his superior made no attempt to meet the embrace, Demyx moved over to the couch and nearly strangled the elder.
"You know my schedule, Demyx. For three and a half hours, from 2:30- 6:00, it's-"
"Yeah, yeah, independent study in the library."
Zexion huffed. "Well, then, if you knew that, then why did you have to ask XIII where I was?"
"How did you know I asked Roxas for help?"
"You ask him every single day, Demyx."
Demyx thought back. "Oh. Right." He perched himself on the arm of Zexion's couch.
Zexion settled back into his chair. "Well then, tell me why you were so, ah, enthused to see me?"
Demyx broke out into a wide grin. "Because I missed you!"
Zexion stared blankly. "You saw me an hour ago. In the lab."
"Yeah, well, I can never wait to see you! I love you, Zexion!"
Zexion stiffened. "I- We- Demyx, we're Nobodies. We can't love. No matter what VIII tells you."
Demyx looked at his elder curiously. "It's not a lie, if that's what you mean. I know what I feel when I'm around you, Zexion. It's not fake."
"Yes, well-"
Demyx jumped up. "What if I can prove it to you? That Nobodies can love! Will you believe me then?"
"Well, you can certainly try." Zexion appeared unimpressed.
"Just you wait, Zexy! I'll do anything to prove it to you! I'd do anything for you!"
"Likewise, Demyx." Zexion smiled, mildly amused.
"I'll travel the worlds!" Demyx continued, eyes sparkling. "And I'll bring you something from every place that I visit! A souvenir! A gift! There has to be someplace- something that proves that love and Nobodies can coexist!"
"Why do you have to bring me something?"
"Because it's what Somebodies do- they bring their loved ones a 'token of their affections.' That's why Axel always buys Roxas those Sea-Salt Ice Cream bars he likes so much. And Axel was successful! In, getting Roxas to like him back, I mean."
"Yes," Zexion mused, "I suppose VIII did something properly."
"Just you wait, Zexion! I'll show you yet!" Zexion chuckled slightly, and watched as the younger Nobody quickly teleported out of the library.
--
First, Demyx went to Wonderland. He returned triumphant, a deck of cards held in his hands. Stepping into the library, he promptly stumbled, all 52 cards slowly cascading down to carpet the tile floor.
From his couch, Zexion sighed and moved to help. Demyx frantically stopped him.
"N-No!" He quickly shuffled through the layer of cards, seemingly searching for just... one... card... "Here!" He shouted gleefully. He shoved something at Zexion.
Zexion looked down coolly. "A... Six of Hearts?"
Demyx beamed down at him. "Yes! See, you're the six!" He pointed to the printed number on the corners of the card. "And the hearts! They're, well, they're hearts! See? The two can coexist!"
"Demyx," Zexion sighed. "They're printed. On cards."
Demxy cocked his head. "Yes... And?"
Zexion paused for a moment. "And where would you be on this, ah, card?"
Demyx looked at the card. "Why do you have to be so smart, Zexion?"
--
Later that day, he went to the Olympus Coliseum. He returned with an engraved gold plaque. Unfortunately, the plaque was very, very, heavy. Upon lugging it into Zexion's room, Demyx promptly dropped it onto his foot.
As he hopped around the room, Zexion sat up and curiously picked up the fallen award. "Um, Demyx?" he asked.
"Yeah?"
"Where did you get this plaque?"
"From this tall, blue haired guy. I think I saw him somewhere before, but he was wearing sunglasses. I don't know why; it was dark outside."
"You were... In the marketplace?"
"Uh. You see... I think I took a wrong turn somewhere. I ended up in some sort of... cave. It was cold and dark, and there was this weird sort of mist everywhere."
"How was this engraved?"
"Oh, the blue-haired guy had two assistants next to him. One kind of short and fat; the other was green and skinny."
Zexion lifted up the abused plate. It had cracked neatly in two. 'VI and I-- X To--'.
"I think it was a fake."
--
Over the next couple of weeks, Demyx traveled relentlessly to every world accessible. He was constantly summoning his dark portals, and whenever he returned, he brought with him some sort of memento.
From Traverse Town, he bought a heart shaped mood ring from the accessory shop. Unfortunately, Zexion was allergic to the metal. His finger turned red and swelled so much that Roxas finally had to saw the thing off.
-
From Halloween Town, he brought a bouquet of flowers and a box of bandaids. The flowers were beautiful; such a deep, velvety, sensual red...Zexion couldn't help but want to touch one.
"Why do you have a box of bandages?" he asked, dazedly. They were just so... "Ow!"
"Oh, yeah." Demyx said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Sally said that they might, uh, bite."
Zexion watched wordlessly as a drop of blood pooled on the tip of his finger. He took the bandaid offered to him. And threw a book at Axel when asked why the scholar had a bunch of canaries and rainbows and hearts wrapped around his finger.
-
In the Land of Dragons, Demyx found a red, stuffed dragon that pooped cinnamon candy and squawked "I LOVE YOU" when squeezed. Zexion popped a candy in his mouth, held the dragon level with Demyx's face, and stoically commented, "No resemblance."
-
In Atlantica, he brought back a heart shaped fish. It swam happily in Zexion's room for a couple of days- before Larxene flushed it down the toilet. Demyx fought back by drowning a bed of Marluxia's flowers.
-
When Demyx went to the Destiny Islands, he returned with a blush and a grin. "I brought a paopu fruit for you! The legendary one. You know- if you share it with someone, they're destinies become entwined and all that."
Zexion looked on, silently encouraging the other to continue.
Demyx shrugged happily. "It worked for Sora and Riku, didn't it?" Triumphantly, he reached into his coat pocket and found- nothing.
Blue eyes widened in horror, and he frantically began to pat himself down. Zexion tried not to laugh. "I lost it!" Demyx wailed. "I must have left it on the islands!"
-
From Port Royale, the Nocturne slowly swaggered home, clutching a large, dark bottle of liquid. "Here, Zexy!" he slurred, shoving the bottle at the Schemer. Zexion stared blankly at the offending object. "It's a bottle of loooove! Warm, hot, steaming love! Just... What... We have..." His words trailed off as he slumped against his superior's chest. Zexion sighed, and proceeded to tuck the younger into bed. The bottle of 'love' was given to Vexen; who knows whatever happened to it.
-
From Hollow Bastion, IX returned with a book. "Here!" he chirped, handing it to Zexion. "Belle recommended it to me. She said it really helped the Beast when they were just getting together."
Zexion stared cryptically at the text. How to Find and Treat the Soul Mate You Deserve. "Demyx," he said slowly. "This is a self-help book." The conversation was dropped.
-
A month after Demyx's mission had begun, he was finally ready end it. He approached Zexion one day, shifting uncomfortably. His hands were behind his back. He cleared his throat nervously. "Um, well, I went to most of the worlds that we're allowed to visit... And some of the ones we're not... And I know that I haven't found anything yet... Not that it doesn't exist! Just that I haven't found it."
Zexion stood silently, quietly observing the one in front of him.
"And, well, since I visited almost every world possible-wait- did I say that already? Well, anyways, since I couldn't find anything there yet, I decided to looks somewhere closer... to us. You know? And in my room, I- uh, I made this." He shoved a soggy piece of paper at Zexion.
Zexion raised an eyebrow and looked down. It was a handmade card, crafted out of construction paper. On a blue background, there was a hand-drawn image- a stick figure Zexion held hands with a gingerbread-man Demyx. He flipped the card over. On the back was a picture.
They were in the library; Zexion was totally engrossed in a book. A couple couches down, Demyx was (not so) successfully hiding his entranced gaze. It was a really nice picture, and for some reason, Zexion felt something twist (?) in his stomach.
"Axel took it," Demyx explained nervously. "It was back when I was still stalki- admiring you. Before you, um, noticed me and stuff. It's my favorite picture, and I thought that maybe you'd like to see it, too..."
Demyx gasped slightly as Zexion leaned over and embraced the stuttering form.
"Thank you, Demxy." He whispered coolly, silently fingering the Nocturne's black hood.
"Do you believe in love, now?" Demyx asked hopefully, unable to drop the previous topic.
"The heavens would make an exception for you, Demyx. Yes, I do. I do. I do love you."