Author's Note: This is a Rent/Kingdom Hearts cross over. That means some of the speaking parts will be lyrics but no actual singing. ^^' I hope you enjoy! :D I don't own Rent of Kingdom Hearts

Roger=Demyx

Mark=Roxas

April=Xion

Benny=Saix

Collins=Axel

Angel=Marluxia

Maureen=Kairi

Joann=Namine

Mimi=Larxene

--

Demyx woke panting, a scream at the back of his throat but he stifled it before he could wake Roxas, who was asleep on the floor beside the couch, a blanket strewn over his small body haphazardly. He couldn't get Xion's face out of his head, that peaceful expression even as the blood around her stained the water pink. It had been two years since she had died, a note on the floor scribbled in her handwriting saying that she had HIV and that he did too. A year and half since he had quit taking drugs, at Roxas's urging. And he still had nightmares.

He laid back down on the couch, shivering as he did so, but only partially from the cold, and closed his eyes. It was his night on the couch, he had to try and enjoy it.

(BREAK)

Roxas popped his back as he grabbed his camera off the table, winding it up and then turning it towards Demyx who was sitting on the back of their tan couch, trying helplessly to tune his old guitar, which he hadn't touched in over a year.

"First shot, Demyx, attempting to tune his guitar," Roxas started.

Demyx gave him an irritated look. "Must you?" A particularly nasty sounding note made them both wince. "Ugh, this won't tune!"

"So I hear," Roxas teased. "Tell us, what are you working on?"

Demyx started a tentative melody but the phone interrupted, which resulted in a relieved look on the blond's face. Roxas smirked and zoomed up on the answering machine as their obnoxious beep echoed.

"Roxas! This is your mother! How do you like the hot plate I sent you? Don't leave it on though, you might burn something! Haha, anyways, sorry to hear about your girlfriend, Kairi is it? Well I say leave it. Let her be a lesbian! Ta-dah for now dear!"

Demyx laughed. "Nice one."

Roxas glared at him and then smiled as he turned the camera back towards him. "Well now, let's hear what you're doing."

Demyx rolled his eyes and began to play again only to be interrupted by the phone again. Both blond's looked over at the phone, waiting for the answering machine to kick on so they could see who it was.

"Hey guys, Merry Christmas!" an excited voice called.

"Axel!" they both cried.

Demyx set his guitar down as Roxas scrambled to answer the phone. They hadn't heard from the red haired man in seven months, at least.

"Axel!" Roxas answered.

"Demyx? You answered the phone?"

"No, it's me," Roxas said sheepishly. "Where are you?"

"Just outside, throw the key down! How've you been?"

Roxas gestured towards Demyx wildly and the blond guitar player grabbed the keys off the counter, moving towards the water drain pipe and tossing it down, waving down to Axel on the street as he did so.

"Hey thanks! Oh shit!" The phone hang up with a clang and Demyx checked outside the window but the red haired man was gone. Puzzled he looked back at Roxas and shrugged.

The phone rang again and Roxas answered again. "Axel?"

"Nope, Saix, hi boys."

Roxas muffled the phone. "Shit it's Saix."

"That fuck," Demyx grumbled, leaning close to hear what their ex-room mate had to say.

"Hey boys, just wanted to say your rent is due. And last years too. I'll be by in a few to pick it up."

"What? You know we're broke!" Roxas shouted into the phone. "You said last year that we were golden!"

"Yeah well, things happen you know. Oh hey, how's the drama queen, Kairi, you know your other roommate?"

"Last month I was dumped," Roxas sighed.

"Oh, she got a new man?"

"Uh, not exactly," Roxas began.

"She's in loooove!" Demyx sang, earning himself a nasty glare from Roxas.

"Well, what's his name?"

"Namine."

"Oh. Well, anyways, I'll be by to pick up the rent, bye boys!"

Roxas hung up, furious, but resisting the urge to toss the phone at the wall, and just at that moment, the power blew. "Fuck!'

"Dammit, he knows we can't pay," Demyx growled, hands fisting in his hair as he sat down on the couch, barely able to make out Roxas's face in the near darkness of morning. "Backstabbing bastard. Ever since he married Muffy-"

"Tifa," Roxas corrected.

"Whatever! He bought the building from her dad and left us here. And now he's making us pay rent when he knows we can't!" Demyx cried. "How are we going to pay it! He'll kick us out and then we'll be even colder than we are now!"

Roxas kicked the leg of their table in frustration, but just then, the power flicked on again, and with it, the phone rang, yet again. Demyx grabbed it first but then ended up handing it to the other blond.

"Hello?" he said, looking at Demyx with puzzlement.

"Hi Roxy! I need some help," a sultry voice said. "You know my protest performance tonight? Well my speakers blew and I need you to go fix them, down in the lot."

"Kairi?"

Demyx snickered. "Sucker."

"Well?"

"Okay, alright, I'll go!" He slammed the phone shut, grabbing his ratty jacket and throwing it on over his t-shirt. "Kairi calls. Her equipment is screwed up."

"Alright, see ya lover boy," Demyx said with a laugh.

Roxas sighed, grabbing his camera. "I don't suppose you'd like to go see her show tonight? Or out to dinner afterwards?"

"Zoom in on my empty wallet," Demyx said, turning and smacking his back pocket. Was Roxas kidding? He hadn't left the apartment since he quit his drugs, what made tonight any different?

Roxas shook his head. "Take your AZT. And if you change your mind...you have to get out soon."

He left then, leaving Demyx alone with his guitar.

(BREAK)

Axel stumbled over to the bench, nearly collapsing into it as his knees gave out. Damn thugs. I feel like shit now. Foot steps approached him and he looked up, surprised to see an amazingly gorgeous man staring down at him with innocent concern, a small drum in his arms. Pink fluffy hair framed a delicate face and he was wearing a warm sweatshirt and sweatpants.

"You okay honey?" His voice was rather womanly and gorgeous on top of that.

"Unfortunately, I'd rather be dead," Axel muttered.

"Did they get any money?" he asked, kneeling before him and grabbing his hands after setting the drum down.

"No, but they stole my coat," Axel said, pulling off a ripped sleeve, all that remained of it, and throwing it on the ground.

"Oh dear," he said quietly, squeezing Axel's hands. "I'm Marluxia."

Axel smirked. "Ah. A gorgeous name for a gorgeous man."

The pinkette blushed prettily and stood, pulling Axel up with him. "And you are?"

"Axel Collins," he said.

"Oh, I have a splendid idea," Marluxia suddenly said, grabbing his drum with his other hand. "There's a life support meeting soon. I'll get you a coat and then we can go there, and eat!"

"But my friends-" Axel started, pointing to the direction of Roxas and Demyx's apartment. "They're waiting!"

"I, however, don't take no," Marluxia said with a coy grin.

Axel swallowed and then, helpless to protest any further, followed after the mysterious man.

(BREAK)

Demyx sat on the couch, mind whirling.

"it's hopeless," he muttered, setting the guitar down. "I...I can't do this. All I need is one song, one song and I'll have everyone, the world, at my feet."

But my life is so empty. I'm empty. What's so glorious to write about when I'm a hopeless song writer who can never do anything, can't make it big. Can't write that one song. One song, a song...about love? No. From the soul of a young man, me, love gone.

"Just one song! Before this virus...takes hold," he mumbled, head in his hands. "Times going too fast for me. I'll be dead before long and then what?"

A knock on the door jolted him out of his thoughts and he went to open it, only to be startled with the sight of a thin blond woman dressed only in a yellow tank top and a sweater full of holes.

"Got a light?" she asked, looking up at him, green eyes a little dazed. She raised a thin white candle into view.

"I know you," he said, mainly to himself. "Oh, you're shivering."

She looked down. "It's nothing, they just turned off my heat." Slowly, she pushed past him. "Will you light my candle?"

Demyx gulped as her sweater slid down, revealing a creamy white shoulder, which drew his gaze immediately.

"What are you staring at?" she asked suddenly.

"Um, nothing," he said, glancing back up quickly. "You look so familiar." They walked towards the table but half way there, she stumbled, barely managing to catch herself on table. "Can you make it?"

"Yeah, just haven't eaten much today," she said, smiling.

"Your smile reminds me of...someone," he said, heart constricting as Xion's face slid into his mind.

"I always remind people of...who is she?"

"She died," he muttered, pulling out some matches and lighting her candle. "Her name was Xion."

He turned away only to have the woman tap his shoulder again. "It's out again," she mumbled, showing him the smoking candle. "Sorry 'bout your friend."

Sighing, he lit it once more only to have her recoil, one of her hands shaking. "Ow!"

"Oh, the wax? It's-"

"Dripping." She leaned in close, the flame flickering between them as she gave him a coy smile. "I like it between my-"

"Fingers, I figured," he interrupted, backing away hastily. "Oh well. Uh, good night." He turned away, grabbing his guitar and facing away from her, listening as she departed from the room. Only to return a moment later. "It blew out again?" he asked disbelievingly.

"No, I think that I dropped my stash," she grumbled, setting her candle on the table as she dropped to the floor before him, looking around for her stash. Of drugs, no doubt. "I think it's on the floor."

"The floor?" he asked.

She arched her back, effectively showing how tight her skirt clung to her hips and ass. "They say I have the best ass."

"W-what?" he asked, gulping and scrambling further away.

"You're staring again," she said slyly, looking up at him.

"Oh no! I mean um, you have a nice uh you look familiar," he recovered quickly, grinning.

She rolled her eyes, standing up. "Like your dead girlfriend."

"Only when you smile," he said defensively. "But I feel like I've seen you somewhere else." He moved towards the table, sitting down on it to get futher away from the temptation.

"Do you go to the Catscratch club?" she wondered. "That's where I work."

"Oh yes!" he said, enlightened. "They used to tie you up."

She frowned, looking away. "It's a living."

Demyx snickered, enjoying teasing the woman. "I didn't recognize you without the handcuffs."

"Would you light my candle?" she asked, quickly changing the subject and moving closer, slipping between his legs.

Hurriedly, he slid back and stood up, running a hand through his hair. "That was my last match, sorry. Why don't you forget that stuff, you know, your stash. You look like you're sixteen."

"I'm nineteen," she protested. A smirk graced her lips. "I was born to be bad."

"Heh, I was once born to be bad," Demyx sighed, shaking his head. "I used to shiver like that."

"I told you they cut off my heat!" she said, green eyes flashing angrily.

"Uh huh, I used to sweat."

"I've got a cold!"

"I used to be a junkie!" he cried, resisting the urge to shake her out of her addiction.

"Sometimes I like to just...feel good?" she tried weakly.

"Uh huh," he grumbled, eyes lighting on a small plastic bag full of white powder. "There it-um." He snatched it up before she could see it, shoving it in his back pocket.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at him suspiciously.

"Uh, candy wrapper," he tried, shrugging.

"Uh huh. So, you can't light my candle? It was really your last match?" she asked, frowning again.

"Sorry, it was."

"Oh well, our eyes will adjust," she said, moving closer and taking his hands in hers, rubbing them.

He was shocked by their coldness, and said as much.

"Yours too," she replied. "They're big, like my fathers." She danced away from him, spiraling once and then smiling at him, her white teeth perfect, beautiful. "Wanna dance?"

"With you?"

"No." She rolled her eyes again, folding her arms across her chest. "With my father."

"I'm Demyx," he sighed, holding out his hand and pulling her close.

She wrapped her arms around him, one his waist, the other his neck. A tongue darted out and swiped over her lips as her hand slid down over his denim clad ass, rubbing at it as she pressed in closer. "They call me, they call me, they call me, Larxene." With a shove, she pushed away, dangling the plastic bag in front of him before skipping out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

(BREAK)

Demyx looked up as the door opened yet again, only this time, it was Roxas that entered, followed quickly by Axel and a...women?

"Merry Christmas!" Axel cried, waltzing in cheerfully to stand in front of Demyx, presenting him with the keys he had dropped down the pipe earlier with a flourish. "Your keys!"

"Hey," Demyx said, snatching the keys and tossing them towards the table from his position on the couch.

"Hey? After seven months!" Axel protested, green eyes lighting up with laugher. "You need some alcohol my friend." As he said this, the man, who he now realized was actually a drag queen, came forward and handed him a full bottle of wine.

"Oh holy night!" Demyx sang, shaking the bottle in excitement. "Struck gold at MIT?"

"Nope, they expelled me," Axel sighed, sitting down beside him and wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder. "They expelled me for my theory of actual reality, but I did pick up tutoring again."

"Ah, so that's how you can afford this splurge," Roxas said, grabbing a chair and straddling it.

"Oh no, gentlemen, are benefactor today, is Marluxia Dumott Schunard!" Axel cried, gesturing towards the drag queen who was in the process of stripping off his coat, revealing a scandalously revealing santa claus dress. "And you should hear her beat!"

Marluxia pulled out a wad of money and dropped it in Demyx's lap.

"You earn this on the street!" Demyx cried, eyes bugging out of his head.

"Well, today was my lucky day, on avenue A," Marluxia started, sitting down on another chair. "When a lady in a limousine drove my way. She said darling be a dear, I haven't slept in a year! I need your help to make my neighbors yappy dog disappear!"

He jumped up, pink hair flying in the air. "This Akita, Evita, just won't shut up. I believe if you play non stop that pup will breath it's last high strung breath, I'm certain that cur will bark itself to death!" Quickly, he pulled out two drum sticks beating them against the back of the chair before leaping suddenly over Roxas and onto the table, heels clicking on the table. "After an hour Evita, in all her glory on the window ledge of that twenty third story like Thema and Louise did when they got the blues, swan dove into the courtyard of the gracie mews! I say today for you, tomorrow for me, today is for you, tomorrow for me!"

With the last note, he put his sticks above his head and began to bang on the pipes above, the sticks becoming a tan blur as he beat out a harsh rhythm, jumping back down once he was done. "Back on the street where I met my sweet, oh he was moaning and a groaning on the cold concrete." Marluxia cupped Axel's voice and gave him a sly grin. "The nurse took him home for some mercurochrome and I dressed his wounds and got him back on his feet! Today for you tomorrow for me. Today for you tomorrow for me!" He ended, collapsing into Axel's arms with a happy squeal, kissing him soundly on the mouth.

Their temporary good cheer was ruined quicker than what they would have liked when the door was thrown open and in strode Saix in hall his hated glory. Roxas looked away, glaring at the floor.

"Hello boys!" Saix greeted, a feral grin on his face and a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Well, where's the rent?"

"Are you joking?" Demyx growled. "You know we're broke!"

Struck by inspiration, Roxas picked up his camera and pointed it at Saix. "Zoom in, on Saix Coffin the third, our ex-roommate who left us for a wealthy woman and then bought the building from his new father-in-law."

"Haha," Saix said, sarcasm dripping thick in his voice. "Well?"

"We're broke!" Demyx stood up, pushing the man backwards and moving towards Roxas.

"Well, there is one way you won't have to pay," Saix began, moving towards them and showing that he was unfazed by their anger, dusting off his fancy suit as if the 'poorness' might have rubbed off on him.

"Heh, I knew it," Roxas sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"As you know, I own the lot next door and am planning on turning it into a Cyberarts studio. However, will all those squatters, I can't and on top of that, Kairi's got her protest tonight," Saix began, wrapping a friendly arm around each of their shoulders. "So if you get Kairi to cancel her protest in MY lot, that would be fantastic."

Roxas pushed him away, glaring at him angrily. "Why don't you just call the cops or get an injunction?"

Saix chuckled. "My investors would rather I handle this quietly, you understand. So if you cancel the protest, I promise, and on paper guarantee that you can stay here for free!" As he said this, he spread his arms with a flourish, as if their one room apartment was a grand mansion. "You'll se boys. Oh you'll see. Or you'll pack."

Saix spun around, heading for the door.

"That boy needs some prozac!" Marluxia called after him, flipping him the bird in the process.

"Or heavy drugs!" Demyx sneered.

"Or group hugs!" Roxas added, grinning at Marluxia.

"Hahaha! Well there's a life support meeting Axel and I are going to tonight. Care to join us?" Marluxia asked, standing up with Axel, hands clasped tightly together.

"First, I've got a protest to save!" Roxas said, snatching up his camera.

"What about you Demyx?" Axel asked, looking at the guitarist in concern, for his expression had grown more upset.

"Oh you'll find I'm not much company," he protested.

"You'll come around. We'll see boys," Marluxia said teasingly.

Roxas snickered and clapped his roommate on the shoulder. "We'll see boys!"

Demyx jerked away, glaring at all three of them. "Let it be boys!"

"I like boys?" Axel said in an attempt to lighten the mood, a lead that Marluxia quickly followed.

"Boys like me!"

Demyx just rolled his eyes.