When most people talk about Tifa Lockheart two words usually come up, "that bitch". So when she decided to adopt a boy she'd met one day on the street, it would be an understatement to say it was a surprise. But Tifa was a true softy at heart and when she saw a thirteen year old boy, skinny, dirty and playing guitar for his food in front of the Veiw Café, she couldn't walk away without doing anything. So she offered him coffee, which after a slight hesitation he accepted.
"You poor boy," she said after hearing his situation, "it's starting to get colder you know, you really shouldn't be sleeping out on the street."
"Well ma'am, believe me if I had a choice I wouldn'." He clutched the Styrofoam cup in his hands as he spoke, his nails were bitten to the quick and his fingers were red with cold.
"You don't have any family, friends?" Tifa seemed oblivious to the face that she was rubbing the boys pitiable life right in his nose, he merely shook in head in response, his too long bangs swishing in the air. "Why don't you stay with me for the night?" she offered.
"That's mighty fine of you ma'am, but I don' think I could do that. I ain't askin' for no trade here." He said, a blush crawling up his neck.
Tifa suddenly realized what he was implying and started shaking her hands back and forth erratically. "Oh no no no, I didn't mean anything like that." She calmed a little and looked him in the eyes, "I'm just offering a couch, an old wool blanket and roof for a few nights." The boy sipped his drink quietly, knitting his eyebrows together in thought.
"I don' think I should stay in some stranger's house, no offense ma'am, I just wouldn't feel comfortable, 'en all."
Tifa nodded and smiled, accepting the answer. "Well," she said standing up, "if you change you mind, you can call me or stop by my apartment." She left a card in front of him on the table, she paused a moment, "I'm sorry, but I never got your name…"
"Oh," the boy smiled, "My name's Demyx."
"No last name?" she queried.
"Don' really remember, figure it ain't important." She nodded and walked away, not realizing that she would be seeing him sooner than she expected.
A loud crack of thunder woke Tifa with a start, her room illuminating with a flash of lightning. She sat up for a moment, and then when the room darkened again she noticed her buzzer ringing madly. Stumbling slightly out of bed she wrapped her bathrobe around her self and walked to the door.
"Who is it?" she croaked, pressing the intercom button.
"Demyx." A small voice said, before even thinking she pressed the button to unlock the door and opened hers as well. She grabbed a spare blanket form her closet and covered the couch in some pillows and sheets.
There was a small knock on the door a few minutes later, and she walked over opening it up. A sopping wet Demyx stood in the entryway, a guitar case in hand and a small torn backpack falling off his shoulder.
"Howdy," he said with a smile, "wasn' expect'n rain tonight."
"Come in, come in." she said, ushering him inside, closing the door behind him. She stood there a moment and they both looked like they wanted the other to do something before they should act, "oh, I'm sorry. Your probably want to get out of those clothes." She said finally.
"well…" he hesitated, "I do smell something terrible."
"Ok, go down the hall first door on the right, I'll bring some clothes." She rushed down the hall and left him to stand alone in the living room/kitchen. When she finally came back Demyx smiled, put his bags on the floor and followed her into the bathroom. "I hope these fit; an old boyfriends." She muttered the last part, "Towels in the closet shampoo and what not in the shower, ok?" he nodded, "call me if you need anything." He nodded again and she left to go start a pot of tea.
They ended up staying up all night and talking. Demyx talking about his life, and Tifa talking about hers, Demyx left the next morning promising to visit, which he did; whenever the weather turned bad he'd spend a night or two on Tifa's couch and pretty soon he just started showing up when ever the hell he wanted.
Sooner or later Tifa just adopted the kid, he practically lived with her anyway. So when Demyx was fifteen he became, Demyx Lockheart, finally getting his last name.
Though technically Demyx was her only child Tifa began to house many children, helping them until they got a permanent home, she moved into an old business, changing the offices into bedrooms, and started Twilight Home, a orphanage of some sorts.
After Demyx there was Xigbar, a raucous surfer that hadn't had the best of luck, an eye patch and the scars to prove it, he was sixteen when he arrived. Naminé was only ten when she first came, Hayner was eleven and Seifer was thirteen. Another year after that Demyx brought home Axel, but he didn't stay.
It was past midnight, Tifa was pacing the floor, all the kids were in bed, or at least in their rooms staying quiet; but Demyx was still gone.
It wasn't unnatural for Demyx to go out at night, but he always came back at ten, that was the curfew she had set for him.
The steady beat of the rain against the window only helped Tifa's heart race, she trusted Demyx, she always had; it's the rest of the world she was apprehensive about. Biting into her thumb nail Tifa kept imagining Demys sprawled out in some dark alley, unconscious, hurt or dying. She tried to push the thoughts from her mind but she couldn't help but worry, she loved the damn kid.
A half hour later Demyx practically kicked down the door, Tifa jumped at the sudden noise, ready to start screaming at the boy, but something stopped her. Through the rain she could still tell, Demyx had been crying. "Tifa please," he choked, "help him."
It wasn't until Demyx said 'him' that Tifa noticed the slumped form cradled in Demyx's arms. Tifa ushered Demyx in, laying the unconscious boy on the couch.
"Jesus Demyx? What happened?"
"I don't know…I-I just went to go see him, at his…" Demyx stuttered, "friend's house." He was shaking slightly as he talked, Tifa doing her best to listen and check the boy for signs of injuries. "He was just lyin' there on the floor, completely out of it. I didn't know anywhere else to take him." Demyx sobbed, "he made me promise, promise not to take him to a hospital…somewhere along the way here he just passed out completely." Tifa stared at the boy, paler than any human should be, bruises all up his arms and body, she was afraid to touch him, fearing he might break. She wondered how Demyx managed to carry him, he seemed so much bigger, but he was practically skin and bone, not weighing a thing.
"Help me carry him upstairs, he may have overdosed, we have to give his body a shock." Tifa ran upstairs, down to her shower, Demyx followed the limp boy in his arms. Tifa took him and braced his still body against the wall of the shower, turning the cold on full blast.
"Axel please for the love of god, wake up. Please, please." Demyx echoed, standing next to the shower watching the red head with worried eyes.
Suddenly Axel's eyes burst open and inhaled a large breath. He started coughing erratically, his heart was racing and he felt sick. Tifa turned off the water and let Axel sink to the ground, trying to take in his breath. She grabbed a towel from the closet and handed it to Demyx, leaving them alone for a moment.
Demyx kneeled in front of Axel in the shower, and wrapped the towel around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Axel lay in Demyx's arms for a moment before either of them spoke. "Fuck." He said half laughing, "I thought ya died." Demyx kissed his neck and cheek, still holding the red head tightly.
"Jeeze Dem, you're such a drama queen." Axel said sarcastically. Demyx pulled back and looked into Axel dulled eyes.
"Axel, you overdosed." Demyx said seriously, brushing his thumb over Axel cheek as he spoke. "You told me you stopped; you said you wouldn' go back." Demyx sounded angry but held Axel's gaze.
"Come on Dem, it was just one time." Axel said with a smile that Demyx did not return.
"Axel, it's never just one time, ya gotta stop!" he raised his voice this time pulling away from Axel, starting to stand, but Axel grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down.
"I promise ok?" he brushed his cold lips over Demyx, making him shiver (and not in the good way), "I promise." Axel said again before stealing another kiss.
Demyx lead Axel to his room, and gave him some extra clothes, then leaving him alone to change, Demyx nearly had a heart attack when he walked out of his room. Tifa stood against the opposite wall, arms crossed over her chest and a steady glare on her face. 'Jesus she's scary.' Demyx thought to himself.
"Demyx, we need to talk." She turned to her room, and Demyx followed hanging his head like a guilty child.
"Demyx," she said in a sigh sitting on her bed, Demyx stood in front of her, waiting for his punishment. "Are you…" she started then stopped her self, re-phrasing, "What is your relationship with this boy?" Demyx stuttered then muttered something under his breath. "Are you dating?" she asked; that's not exactly what Demyx would call it, theirs was a strange relationship, but he nodded the same not wanting to dig deeper into his hole. "Have you had sex?" Tifa asked as calmly as she could, Demyx's mouth dropped, his neck turned bright red and he shook his head no quickly. "How long have you known him?"
"Um…" Demyx thought, it really hadn't been that long, "about six months." He said quietly.
"How old is he?" Tifa asked an edge of worry in her voice.
"Eighteen." Demyx said with slight hesitation.
"Eighteen!" Tifa burst out, Demyx flinched away, she finally looked up at him, locking him in her gaze. "Demyx what were you thinking?" she screamed, "He's nearly four years older than you! Not to mention it's illegal."
"I already told you we haven' done nothing like that!" Demyx shouted back, "I'm fifteen, he's only two years and few months other than me! I'm not a kid; I know what I'm doin'."
"No," Tifa said, "no you don't. You may think that you do, but you're wrong what ever you're thinking." She paused and took in a breath, lowering her voice "I forbid you to see him." She said finally.
Demyx stared at her is shock at first then glared angrily. "This isn't some stupid fairy tale, this is my life. You can't lock me away like some fucking princess…" Tifa was about to yell again but he kept screaming. "You think because you've know me for two years you know everything about me! You stupid bitch," the room filled with silence, neither spoke. Demyx tore his gaze away and stormed out of the room, slamming her door loudly.
When he walked into his room, Axel was asleep in the bed, curled up like a little kitten, purring slightly. Demyx smiled down at him, slipping into his pajama's he laid down next to the red head and curled up against him.
When Demyx woke up, the next morning Axel was gone.
AN: I've been debating on posting this one for awhile now. I'm not sure if I like it or not, based on the views and comments on this one will be what determines whether or not I post it. If this is any incentive, next chapter is more Roxas, and a little more Axel.
Thanks R&R
Hako 3