Lol, random oneshot ftw.

Seriously though, I wrote this soooo long ago, it's not even funny. I'm just so completely bored out of my mind, what with being sick all week, and found this in my looong list of randomly named documents. Honestly, this one was entitled "something...yeah" o.O

Just so ya'lls know, it's my first AkuDem submission...yeah, I strayed from the OTPness, but dudes, try roleplaying AkuDem for months and then write about a Axel with someone else. Yeah, hard isn't it? Aaaanyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: no ownie...no ownie! (flails)

"Ever heard of an Ouija board?"

I slammed my locker shut and glared up at the redhead leaning so nonchalantly against the wall next to me. That damnable shit-eating grin on his face, like usual. I sighed and readjusted the books in my arms, turning my back to him and heading down the slowly emptying hallway.

"Oh come on, Dem, where's that spirited, daring guy I used to know?"

How irritating…he was following me. Again.

It wasn't fair.

Gritting my teeth I just ignored him, continuing down the hall towards my next class. Knowing the irritating redhead behind me, he'd be skipping. As usual. I swear, how he passes every year is beyond me.

As expected, strong hands gabbed onto my arms, stopping me. I sighed again, more irritably this time and stood still. For being on the skinny side, Axel was amazingly strong.

"What happened to that open mind, hm?" he whispered against my hair.

It was all I could do not to fall for it. He was just tricking me. Like he always did.

"It closed the second it learned you where a cheating whore," I snapped back, shaking him off. "Leave me alone, Axel. We broke up last year; we aren't even friends anymore, so stop bugging me already and move on."

Axel moved to stand in front of me, intense green eyes boring into my own and making me feel vulnerable and exposed…just like always.

"This isn't about the past, Demyx. It's about the future."

"And what future could we possibly have together?" I asked quietly, eyes tearing away from his to stare at the floor.

This time, it was him who sighed as he stepped aside. "Go to class you nerd. Damned if I care anymore. I just wanted to spend some time with you since it's your eighteenth birthday and all."

I almost cried right then and there. It was a good thing I had my face down, or he would've seen the struggle to hold them back. He remembered? Even after all this time, after all the drama of going from best friends to…something more, something incredible, only to learn he'd been seeing someone else behind my back, he still cared enough to remember my birthday?

No! No it was just another one of his tricks. Another one of his manipulative tricks.

"…if you're serious then…then meet me by the tree in the courtyard after school." Damn it. He always won…it wasn't fair.

I didn't have to look up to know that grin was spreading across his face again. "Sweet, I'll see ya then, birthday boy."

Freezing when he kissed my cheek so casually, I didn't move an inch after he left. I just blinked stupidly down at the floor. My face heated up and I placed one hand over the spot his lips had touched. Despite walking in on him with someone else, despite the days of fighting that followed and the cold shoulder we'd given each other for the summer, I was still attracted to the asshole.

"So not fair…" I muttered to myself, finally heading to class before I was late.

(IFYOU'REHAPPYANDYOUKNOWITCLAPYOURHANDS!)

I lingered at my locker, not wanting to go outside and be disappointed yet again to find that Axel wasn't waiting for me. He'd done it before. A great deal actually, especially when we were dating…but then again, that could've been because he was so caught up with his other…endeavors that he could easily forget about little old me.

Once the halls were emptied, and even some of the teachers started to leave, I figured it was safe to go. I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and headed for the front doors, throwing them open and walking down the three steps leading to the narrow, cracked walkway that wound all the way down to the street.

"And where the fuck have you been?"

I whirled around with a barely restrained scream to see Axel looming over me, glowering. For some reason, the fact that he was upset caused me to become upset as well. Ugh, what did it fucking matter anyways?!

"I don't think you need a play by play of my life." Was my curt reply.

One eyebrow rose at that, but thankfully, he kept his mouth shut for once.

"What the hell do you wanna do? And if it includes any underage drinking, drug use, or the defiling of private property, is illegal in anyway and includes sex or sex-related activities of any kind, you can forget it."

He actually had the audacity to pout at me. "Aw, now you've taken all the fun out of it." When I just continued to glare at him, he finally caved. "Okay, okay, fine, we'll skip all the good stuff." He came forward and tried to take my hand, which I snatched away.

"Don't touch me."

"Fine. I'll deal with that too."

When he started away from me, I followed without thought for a while, just the two of us walking silently down the street. I didn't even know where we were going or what we were going to do. My parents were out of town, which had been a severe blow, seeing as it was my birthday, so I'd originally planned to spend the evening at home and eat junk food. Maybe blast loud music. But that was it.

The last thing I'd expected was for my stalker ex to confess he wanted to do something with me.

The simple fact that he even remembered when my birthday was…kind of astonished me.

I carefully eyed his back, still frustratingly attracted to the prick. He hadn't changed at all, really. He was the same as ever. The same rather tight shirts with the catchy, more often than not dirty sayings, the same torn and faded jeans, the same attitude, the same…everything. In fact, in the entire ten years I'd known Axel…I was the only one who'd changed.

The only one who'd grown up.

It wasn't fair.

When we stopped, I was so caught up in my own thoughts, I slammed into his back with a grunt. "Sorry," I muttered, backing away quickly when he turned to look at me questioningly. I glanced around and noted somewhat dumbly that we'd stopped in front of my house. "…why are we here?"

"You live here right?" Axel countered, rolling his eyes and heading towards the front door.

Frowning, I followed after him, wanting to get angry at that remark and kick him off my property…just like when he'd tried to come and make 'amends' after I'd walked in on him necking some random person. There had been rumors circulating ever since we first went past friends and into the relationship bit, but I'd ignored them all, thinking Axel could do no wrong…ever.

He held the door open for me and I quickly ducked inside, pulling my bag off my shoulder but still keeping a good grip on it, just in case I needed to defend myself. "I warned you…I don't like repeating myself. So if this is some trick…"

"It's not, Demyx, fucking chill already," Axel snapped at me, kicking off his shoes with a disgusted sigh, leaving me standing in the entry way. I wasn't sure what pissed me off more, the fact that he had the audacity to be offended at my actions, or the fact that even after our falling out last year, he still walked into my house like he owned the damn place.

Throwing my bag to the floor, I stomped into the kitchen, Axel sitting on the counter and swinging his legs, two sodas, both unopened, sitting next to him. I paused at the familiar sight. God, I remembered back when we were eight, nine years old. We'd race back here from the park, he'd always win, but be waiting just like that with a soda for me. He'd always refused to drink his own until I got back.

Sighing raggedly, I grabbed one of the cold cans and popped it open, purposefully looking away from him. "So…what did you have in mind?"

He smiled at me crookedly. An actual smile, not one of those cocky ass grins or beguiling smirks…a smile. That same, lopsided smile I remembered when we were kids. Damn it, I wanted to put my head through a wall for even thinking about him fondly.

"Remember back at school? I wasn't being random when I mentioned the Ouija board. Ever heard of one?"

I slowly shook my head no, taking a sip of my soda.

"Excellent."

That drew my eyes up from the floor. That…was never a good word coming from Axel…especially when he said it like that. So satisfied…

"Really now?" I challenged, pinning him with a glare. "And how does my lack of knowledge benefit you this time, Axel Sinclair?"

He held up his hands defensively. "Dude, I said fucking chill, alright? This doesn't benefit me…well, except in the sense that I get to spend some time alone with you."

Rolling my eyes, I left the kitchen to head for the living room, flopping down on one of the couches and staring at the ceiling.

Sure enough, a flash of red and there he was, leaning over the back of the couch, staring down at me. "Do you want to know or what?"

"Ugh, fine, alright already," I caved, setting my soda aside to cover my face with a throw pillow. His eyes were so…piercing. I always felt naked or something when he just stared at me. Like he could see right through me.

It wasn't fair.

"Great," I felt the couch dip next to me, and I knew he'd just sat down. "Okay, so it's like a game."

I peeked out at him from under the pillow. That was another bad thing coming from Axel. "What kind of game?"

"Board game, obviously." He snickered before sobering. "Alright, this is serious though. It's not really a game, but I don't know any other way to classify it."

"Just tell me what it is already."

"It's a medium to channel the energy of two or more bodies through a focal point to reach through our reality into the next world over."

I sat up slowly, the pillow falling into my lap. "English, please."

Scoffing, Axel fell back against the couch. "It lets you communicate with the dead, you dork. I'd think a nerd like you would understand all that sciencey shit."

Glaring, I beat him over the head several times with the pillow I held. "What you said didn't even make sense, you retard!" I slammed him a few more times before throwing the pillow away. God, he pissed me off. Then again…he always kinda had…getting us both in more trouble than I cared to recall…like that one time when we were twelve and—

God damn it, I have to stop thinking like that. The past is just that, the past. It's over. No point in living in it, let it go, move on.

"Anything else you'd like to add to that?"

"Yeah," I answered. "You're an idiot. Communicate with the dead? Why in fuck's name would I want to do that?"

He shrugged. "It's something different and fun."

"Oh yeah? Well guess what, Axel? I don't have fun anymore. Not since…"

"Since what?" He asked quietly, watching me.

"Never mind, where's the stupid wee-board or whatever?"

Sighing, Axel shook his head. "We're going to make one, come on," he stood and held out his hand, which I again blatantly rejected.

"How do we do that?"

"You know what? Just stay here, I'll go make it and bring it in here…actually…" he glanced around the room. "It's too bright in here…meet me up in the bathroom."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "And why would I do that?"

"Because it's the only fucking room in your house without a window…which I always thought odd and cruel to anyone who had to go after—''

"Axel Jay Sinclair!"

"Right, just meet me up there, okay?" He left the room, leaving me to sit on the couch and brood.

(IFYOU'REHAPPYANDYOUKNOWITCLAPYOURHANDS!)

Ten minutes later, I was upstairs, sitting on the edge of the tub and staring at the half open door. What the hell was taking so long? I was just about to get up and go find the red-haired abomination when he appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry that took so long…damn, you know, I looked high and low for something to use as a planchette and ended up just stealing one of your CDs…you don't mind do you?" He came over to kneel next to the tub. "Get in."

"Excuse me?"

"The tub, get into the tub…we need something to serve as a table and I'd rather not use the toilet."

I eyed him carefully as I sat back into the tub, tucking my knees under my chin and watching as he set a piece of paper with the entire alphabet, the numbers zero through nine, and 'hello', 'goodbye', 'yes' and 'no' written on it. He set one of my CDs label side down onto the paper, the small hole in the center showing the letter E and pretty much covering everything else.

"Alright," Axel got to his feet quickly to shut the door, lock it, and turn off the lights.

I'll admit, I squeaked when it went pitch black, only to jump away when a flame sparked in front of me to show Axel smirking behind his lighter, just staring at me for a moment before he touched the flame to the wick of a candle I hadn't noticed he'd brought in.

"Scardey cat…you've always been afraid of the dark…" he teased, putting his lighter away and setting the candle next to the paper.

"And who's fault would that be Mr. 'Watch out Demyx there's a monster under your bed'?"

"The fact that you actually believed that still amazes me."

"I was eight you freak!"

"Still."

"Ugh, let's just…do it."

Axel leaned over the edge of the tub towards me and I leaned back to get away, coming up short when I bumped into the wall. "Mm…kinky. I don't think we ever got to the 'hot bathroom sex'."

My feelings of helplessness and entrapment quickly turned to bitterness and anger. "Get the fuck away from me or get out of my house."

"Yeah, yeah," he sat back and ran a hand through his hair. It was sort of unnerving, sitting crammed in the bathtub, no real way to make a quick escape, the door was closed and locked, and the only company I had was Axel and a candle. I could barely see him through the yawning blackness. If it weren't for the flickering candle that lent barely enough light to illuminate itself, I wouldn't be able to see him even partially.

"So…what do we do?" I sat forward again.

"Place your fingertips…just the first two…like this,"

I fought not to pull away when he grabbed my hands and showed me how to place the tips of my first two fingers on each hand gently on the edge of the CD. I swallowed hard and tried not to let it show how much that simple, guiding touch affected me. How I was still hopelessly attracted to him.

It wasn't fair.

Once my hands were placed, Axel set his the same way. "Okay…now ask a question." He whispered.

"What kind of question?" I whispered back.

"Any kind. Ask if someone's here. If anyone wants to speak with us."

"Why do I have to do it?"

"You're the birthday boy,"

"Oh, fuck you."

"Thanks but no, that sounds painful,"

I glared at the half shadowed face before me before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. "Is there anyone there?" I asked aloud, rather boredly. I didn't really believe in this sort of stuff and didn't expect anything to happen.

Much to my surprise…nothing did. (sarcasm much?)

I opened my eyes to glare at the redhead in front of me. "I told you," now I was back to whispering inexplicably. "This is stupid."

"You never said that," he said quietly back with a grin.

"Well, I was thinking it," I snapped back in the same hushed tone.

With a soft sigh, Axel shook his head slightly. "Let me try,"

I was more than happy to let him make a fool of himself, and sat as still as I could what with being cramped up like I was, listening as he asked a series of questions and…hey, still nothing happened.

"Stop, this is dumb," I took my hands off the CD and stared at him, sitting back. "Axel, have you ever done this before?"

"Well…no, of course not." He answered primly, letting his hands fall into his lap.

I stared at him. "If you've never done this before, then how would you even know if it would work?"

"I didn't," he shrugged, looking away. "I just wanted to try something new…and since it was your birthday and all…you're the only person I would even think to try it with…I mean, Demyx, you're my best friend."

I hung my head, curling up tighter. "Not anymore, I'm not."

"Why? I know it didn't work out between us…and that's my fault, I take full responsibility for that but…why can't we still be friends?"

"Because…we just can't, okay? It's not the same…" I swallowed around the lump forming in my throat. "You should just go. This was a mistake…I shouldn't have let you come over and drag me into a stupid, botched mess, just like you always do."

Axel slid the candle further away, moving the CD and paper to the floor so he could lean over the edge of the tub, long, slim hands sliding into my hair. I tried to lean away, but the wall stopped me, and it wasn't like I could just get up and leave. I was trapped in the damn tub.

"Why are you saying that like it's a bad thing…you used to enjoy my messes…" he murmured, leaning close enough that I could feel his warm breath fanning over my face. I knew I was blushing by now, my heart starting to pound. Damn it, it wasn't fair…

"Axel, please…don't…"

"Don't what?"

"…do…that…" I pleaded weakly.

"What? This?" I felt his lips graze my cheek, the touch feather-light yet strong enough to send shivers skittering through me. His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke again. "Or this?" warm, soft lips met mine and I sighed, both in a sort of twisted happiness in feeling what I'd never thought I'd feel again and defeat. Complete and utter defeat. I just couldn't win could I? Axel could tear me to pieces, had already, and yet come back and I'd take him in.

It wasn't fair.

A soft protest that hardly held any strength came from me, even as my hands moved up to his shoulders, leaning towards the warmth he exuded. To my surprise, he pulled back, breaking the contact. No tongue, no heated make out session, no nothing. Just that.

And as our breaths mingled in the small space between us, I could only stare at his shadowed face, wishing that just that simple touch, that simple, chaste kiss didn't make me feel weak and breathless. That I didn't still want him after all the heartache and misery he'd put me through.

It just wasn't fair.

"Be my friend, Demyx…I know I hurt you, but I need you to be my friend at least…I have nothing if not that."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes at his soft words, the pleading behind them. The sincerity of them.

"O-okay…friends, then." I whispered back in a shaky voice, still trembling from that brief kiss.

Even through the darkness, I could see his smile. How could I not? It lit up his face. And seeing that full blown Axel smile, I had to return it. I couldn't even wipe it off my face when he told me to scoot over and crammed himself next to me in the tub. I couldn't even make it go away when we hugged for a good hour.

Alright…so maybe life wasn't so unfair after all.

(IFYOU'REHAPPYANDYOUKNOWITCLAPYOURHANDS!)

When the Carters came home that night, the last thing they expected was to find the house silent. Mrs. Carter looked to her husband in slight worry while he set their suitcases aside. They'd decided that it wasn't fair to miss their only child's eighteenth birthday, especially since this year had been so hard on Demyx. What with losing his best friend and boyfriend all in one painful blow the year before.

So they'd returned home early, expecting at least loud music or their son lounging on the couch in front of the TV, either bored out of his mind or crying or…something. But not silence.

Mrs. Carter climbed the stairs, wondering if her son could be in his room sleeping. It wasn't that late, but it was the only place she could think of to look.

When she peeked into the darkened room, she became even more worried when she didn't see Demyx in there, or any evidence that he'd been in there at all since the morning. His things were downstairs though…where would he have gone without his shoes?

Confused and concerned, Mrs. Carter met her husband near the stairs, outside the bathroom door. Both of them noted the soft, flickering light under the door and looked to each other in confusion. A turn of the knob showed that it was locked for some reason.

Afraid that Demyx might've done something stupid, like hurt himself, though why he would was a mystery, Mr. and Mrs. Carter picked the lock and opened the door of the bathroom to find…

"Oh…" Mrs. Carter said quietly in surprise, reaching up to cover her open mouth.

The single candle in the room, which had melted down to almost nothing, along with the dim light from the hallway, revealed a sight neither had thought to see again.

Lying in the tub, cuddling together and sleeping, were Demyx and Axel.

"It's just like when they were little," Mrs. Carter whispered to her husband who nodded, smiling at the sight. It was exactly like when the two were young boys. Axel lying on his back, Demyx cuddled into his chest and both holding onto each other tightly, even in sleep. Although, they were much bigger now and didn't fit in the tub at all, limbs hanging over the edge, it only served to make the picture all that more adorable.

Mrs. Carter hissed quietly when there was a brief flash in the room followed by a soft beep. She turned to her husband who had his phone open, still trained on the two sleeping teens. He grabbed onto her arm and pulled her out of the bathroom, shutting the door again.

When she raised her eyebrows at him, hands on her hips, Mr. Carter just smiled at her and showed her his phone. "Blackmail."

The two snickered all the way back downstairs.

Um...please don't ask about the pagebreaks, yo. lol

As for that short, strange little update for The Stray...wow, I was amazed at how fast reviews came in for that one...o.O it's amazing what people will do for free smut, ne? Speaking of...either I phail or ffn does, because I'm like..."lawlwhut?" when it comes to counting. So far, I've come up with three different 300th reviewers (sweatdrops) but once I figure it out, I'll be on that smutty chapter ASAP....and if I can't figure it out...aaahhh...I'll just do a series of smut chapters...yeah. ahem...

LUFFLES AND HEARTS!

-Ramen