(Author's Note: Written for a contest over on DA where the prompt was "beaches and summer jobs". I'm well aware that I've used Somebodies and Nobodies together but that's entirely intentional and as it is AU, it doesn't matter either way ^_^.
Enjoy!)
Unexpected
Smalls crowds of people milled around like displaced water, filling every occupiable space to bursting point before dispersing to find new land to conquer, splitting off into small ponds and streams. The sun shone proudly overhead in a cloudless sky, burning all those foolish enough to use only sparse amounts of sun block or forego it completely in order to obtain some form of tan.
Demyx sighed, wiping sweat futilely from his brow as he served another round of over-priced ice creams to a gaggle of giggling girls. They whispered behind their hands, eyeing up the blond's ass as he bent slightly to grasp the particular frozen treat they wanted from the freezer. It was over all too soon, however, as, no matter how good the frozen air felt against his flushed skin he would never hear the end of it if the machine broke down. The girls reluctantly left the stand to stalk other prey, and there was much to be had.
Summer time always brought with it several long weeks of intense heat, uncharacteristic of the country's usual bitter climate. This rarity caused inhabitants and foreigners alike to flock to the beaches and other outdoor attractions in order to enjoy it for as long as possible and to keep their risk of skin cancer at a normal level.
Summer also meant no school, no college. Days free of homework and suffocating classrooms.
It didn't mean endless frolicking, though.
Demyx had been forced to apply for a job in order to afford to do any frolicking as his wallet had a painfully shallow bottom and he needed something to live on other than busking on the streets at the weekend.
A summer job in a fun place to enjoy in the outdoors would be perfect. At the beach. Demyx loved water and loved to socialise, always having a smile for everyone he met.
A snack stand on the promenade above a popular beach was not what he had envisioned. A tiny kiosk like an island in the middle of a sea of people. It was a wonder he hadn't sunk like Atlantis within the first week.
The constant smile was becoming strained. Too many of his customers were wholly undeserving of his charm and wit and didn't appreciate it either. Their sour faces left only a bad taste on his tongue which no amount of scrubbing would shift.
The children were the worst. Screaming, whining, snotty brats who wanted an ice cream and wanted it now!
Two weeks. Two weeks since Demyx had last been free to lounge around in his bedroom and enjoy the products he was now selling.
It was grating.
He was truly, truly uncertain that any amount of money was worth the stress he was experiencing daily.
Today was quieter, thank all that was sacred. It was a Tuesday and as a rule, Tuesdays are by far the slowest day of the week being just after the dreaded Monday but still the wrong side of Wednesday. It was also late afternoon. It was much cooler than the suffocating noon heat and many people had retired home or to hotel rooms to sleep.
He was enjoying it, of course, being able to sit down for longer than five minutes and not have to rush to procure the loved treats within seconds and calculate the correct price. He had always hated maths...
It was pondering his sorry state of affairs that Demyx first noticed the boy. A child of no older than perhaps twelve, seated on the wall over hanging the sand, taking up as little space as possible it seemed.
Strange...Usually children of that age were the opposite...
Demyx shook that thought away and looked about, wondering where the boy's parents were. Nobody else took any notice, as if the wispy child wasn't even there.
Very strange...He was far too young to about on his own...And the way he was staring straight ahead at the horizon...Hmm.
Despite the bollocking he would surely get if caught, Demyx grabbed two last ice creams from the chest freezer before closing the kiosk, going over and plopping down next to the child.
The figure jumped slightly, startled, and Demyx caught sight of a deep blue eye behind the mess of slate hair. A furtive glance, sizing the teen up and registering the threat level.
Once the boy had decided Demyx wasn't going to hurt him, he turned his gaze back out onto the ocean, disinterested.
It took a long moment for Demyx to get him to notice the proffered ice cream and it was with a long stare that made Demyx feel almost violated, as if the boy had seen into his mind to find the reasoning behind the gift.
He took it all the same.
The wrapped was neatly folded and shoved into a pocket and Demyx found himself watching a small pink tongue dart out and tentatively taste the ice cream. It was...Far more captivating than it really should have been, especially considering that Demyx had to be at least five years older and had actually hit puberty...
"So...You all alone?" He asked, trying to break the silence, tearing off the casing on his own lolly, leaving it to the wind to carry it off into a nearby bin.
The boy just shrugged and continued to neatly devour the rapidly melting blue ice, making such a simple act look effortlessly graceful.
"...A name then?" The boy paused, looking at Demyx in that calculating manner again...
"...Ienzo." He replied, his voice a soft alto, the pitch betraying his young age and the volume hinting at shyness though Demyx was quite sure that was not the case.
"I'm Demyx." he smiled at him, "Nice to meet you."
Those startling blue eyes flicked to his for a second before the boy spoke again, "Pleasure's all mine." Ienzo responded in a tone so dry Demyx was certain couldn't have come from anyone younger than forty.
The sky had begun to darken by the time both had finished their ice creams. Ienzo had spoken very little but it had been rather pleasant, just listening to the waves and enjoying the sunset between the few clouds. It was pretty dark now, the main light coming from the street lanterns that had hummed into life as natural light had faded. Still no sign of a parent or anyone else concerned for the boy.
Demyx was kinda worried...The beach was pretty much empty now, only couples now avoiding the incoming tide. He looked at the boy again, Ienzo didn't seem at all worried about the late hour.
"So...Are you parents going to come get you soon?" He asked, watching him, "Or do you want me to walk you home?"
Ienzo didn't react for a long moment and Demyx wondered if he had fallen asleep and managed to keep his perfect posture...A small shrug indicated that he was, in fact, awake, and still didn't feel like telling Demyx anything. He couldn't be homeless, he was far too clean...And far too young to have survived...Maybe a runaway...Hmmm...
He tentatively wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders, noting the slight shivering as the temperature had dropped below comfortable for his thing shirt and trousers. Ienzo tensed up, glancing at him before slowly, very slowly, leaning into it and moving closer to Demyx's body warmth.
Demyx smiled, enjoying having the other curled up against him. It felt a lot better than any girl who had ever done the same and Ienzo was a lot cuter...
He was just about to sink his fingers into that silky looking hair when a sharp voice cut through the ambient background noise
"You! Get away from my son!"
He looked up sharply to see a thin blond man approaching them, his eyes narrowed and accusing. Demyx panicked, knowing exactly what this looked like. He drew his arm away from Ienzo and stood quickly, holding his hands up, trying to find the words to convey his innocence,
"It's not-I mean I didn't...I'm not...And besides, he's been all alone for hours!"
The other man a lot taller than he had expected, and more so when he was all but cowering under his frigid gaze. This guy was scary...And Demyx knew he shouldn't have said that, really as he looked angry now...
"Relax." They both turned to look at Ienzo as the boy nonchalantly stood and brushed stray grains of sand from himself before going over to the man, "He's okay."
The man sighed, gently petted Ienzo's hair, shaking his head, "Stop running off, Ienzo...I was worried about you." He crouched down to the boy's height, embracing him, "You could get hurt." Ienzo rolled his eyes but did return the embrace for a short moment, pulling away after.
The blond man turned to Demyx, straightening up, "I apologise. But you are aware of what it looked like."
He nodded, yeah, he was.
"My name is Vexen, I'm Ienzo's father." He held out a hand, a peace offering. Demyx took it, surprised by how cold his skin was, "We're on holiday in the area and he disappeared earlier today..." He shook his head, giving the boy a slight irritated look, which Ienzo met with a look of utter innocence.
Demyx bit back a giggle, finding it rather amusing.
"I'm Demyx." He told him once he had contained the laughter.
Vexen nodded, "Perhaps we will drop by again before we leave." He told him, the tone implying that there would be no doubt he would see them again. He took Ienzo's hand, "Thank you, for looking after him."
"It's fine, really, I mean, better me than someone who...Well, yeah..." The idea was too horrible to think about in detail, really.
The man smiled wryly and Ienzo at least had the decency to look apologetic this time, though Demyx was sure it wasn't entirely sincere.
"It's getting rather late, so I'm afraid we must depart. Goodbye, Demyx." Vexen gave him a faint smile before turning to leave, Ienzo following after delivering a quiet farewell of his own.
Demyx smiled at the two and waved, walking in the other direction once they had disappeared from sight, grinning.
Well, maybe he could give this summer job another try. The money might not be worth it, but he'd sure love to see Ienzo again!
(Post Script: So...Yeah...There might be some yaoi in there if you squint, but it's not implied. Ienzo is ten, Demyx is seventeen, in case anyone was wondering XD.
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