Disclaimer: I don't own them. Sadly. D: (Wow that was uncreative…)
Author's Note: OH GOD. I worked on this like a DOG! So, at 6092 words, I end Chapter One! At… 3:15! This is EASILY the longest thing I have EVER written, and my first chapter story, ever. I mean, I attempted once, but… it didn't work! So!
Read and Review!
Dedicated to Pira, (Pira the Sarcastic, CHECK HER OUT! SHE'S AWESOME.) who is responsible for my love of this couple AND the entire fic. Giving me these words to work with:
Song:
What I Go to School For- Busted
And
Bored.
Also, Australian, Chemistry Teacher Xaldin? Sexy.
Never Quite There
Chapter 1
--
"Get your ass to class, kid."
"Eventually."
"What was that?"
"You heard me, Xigbar."
"Professor. I also heard the bell, and I'll hear you when you walk in to detention Monday."
"…Shit."
"And take off those damn earphones."
Sighing, the mullet-ed teen unplugged his MP3 player and shoved it in his pocket and strolled down the hall to class. (Which he was already ten minutes late for. Perfect.) The halls were empty (Albeit the graying teacher walking back to his respected teaching space) and that was just how he liked it. Quiet, nobody to bug him, just him and the space he was forced to be in for a full six and a half hours. He could just walk, by himself, hear his footsteps echo off the empty halls. Maybe once and a while, glare at the passing kid rude enough to interrupt his only time alone in the educational hell-hole, and this was exactly what he did. Every fourth period, he didn't care about the five minutes in between periods, it was as long as he wanted it, and he wanted it late. When the faceless teenagers were hurrying to class, he was smirking and passing them by, drowning out their complaints with his MP3 player, him and whatever band played.
Yet here he was, walking to class, ten minutes late, ready to get whatever lecture came his way, he hated it when he was caught. He easily drowned out his Mrs. Aerith's squawking, and took his assigned seat at the back, before taking his MP3 player out of his pocket again and replacing it on his head, letting the music drown out the unnecessary lesson being taught at the front, and slipped into a daydream.
"Class dismissed!" The teenagers filling the room let loose a group sigh, and shuffled out of the classroom to the next class, along with the blonde who yawned and made his way out. He dodged kids left and right, shoving an unfortunate freshman out of his path who scurried away, his books and papers still cluttered on the linoleum. Smirking, he made his way to his locker, and let the day pass in a haze, as it usually did. He then grabbed his backpack, and made his way home, ready to eat, do his homework, watch T.V., sleep, and let the cycle repeat all over again.
____________6/9____________
"I'm home! How was your day sweetie?"
"Hey Mom." replied the unenthusiastic voice of the previously alone teenager, staring at the T.V., lounging on the couch in the "family" room, it was more his room, his family, meaning his mom, was barely home. "How was work?"
"You don't care."
"Nope."
Snickering, the bleach blonde woman dropped her keys on the front table, then made her entrance into the "family" room, and promptly sat next to her son.
"What'd you do at school?"
"Nothing interesting." he replied dully, flipping through the channels. It was silent for a few moments, he then heard his mom sigh, and felt her weight lift off the couch. He heard her steps fade, then heard her make her way upstairs, not sparing her a glance once.
His ears twitched as the sound of the phone interrupted his train of thought, sighing and rising, he picked the phone off the receiver and brought the phone to his ear.
"Hello?" he started, his voice monotone.
"Hey!"
"Hey, Axel! What's up?" he replied, his lips curving into a smile.
"Hey man, we're heading to the movies, you comin'?" replied said teen.
"Let me guess, 'Thank God It's Friday' night?"
"Movies, T.G.I. Fridays, the usual. You in or what?"
"Who's going?"
"Whoever's there when we arrive, meet me at the movies with cash." said the red-haired teen on the other line before hanging up and letting the dial tone begin. Sighing, the teen made his way out the door, not bothering to tell the only other living thing in the household he was leaving, and got in the door of his black Ford Escape, put the keys in the ignition and brought the car to life.
____________6/9____________
"Axel!" he called across the parking lot towards the red--head, jogging up. "So," he started, running his hand through his hair absent-mindedly, "Who else ca- HOLY SHIT, what's on your face?!" he shouted in surprise, taking a few steps back and squinting at the red, to see if what he saw was actually there.
"WHAT?!" the other shouted, smacking and wiping at his cheeks. "WHAT IS IT?! KILL IT!!! KILL IT!!!" Axel panicked, squeezing his eyes closed.
"What's with the tattoos man?! On your face?!" he questioned, wiping his eyes. The red head blinked a few times, before groaning and rubbing his face.
"I just got them alright, sheesh, they don't look THAT bad." he grumbled, running his hands through his hair, sticking back like a porcupine, wild and red, flame red. The tattoos were black, and resembled tear-drops. "Besides, they're… unique."
"You look like a talking mime."
"SHUT UP!" Snickering, the teen looked around at the other people surrounding him.
"Roxas, Marluxia, Riku, Sora." he nodded in recognition to the others. Others doing the same or muttering a greeting of sorts. "So, movie? What are we seeing, or are we planning on loitering the entire night?"
"I think," started Roxas, the shortest one in the group started, his hair was blonde, his twin Sora next to him, Riku on Sora's other side, and tapped his chin in thought, " We should see… Love, Peace, Party." he nodded, grinning at the group. "It's like, a comedy or something, heard it was good." he shrugged, waiting for the rest of the group to throw their two cents in.
"Sounds good."
"Sure."
"Why not?"
"'Kay. What about you Demyx?"
The mullet-ed blonde glanced up from the ground, he'd been drowning out the conversation as soon as he had started it, to stare back at his friends currently looking at him expectantly. "I don't care."
"Alright! Next showing is…" Roxas trailed off, squinting at the movie board through the glass "Ten minutes, we got lucky." he nodded to himself, and followed after the group as they made their way inside and to the ticket counter.
____________6/9____________
"Roxas?"
"Yeah, Axel?"
"What's happening?"
"Shut up, guys." Demyx nudged Axel in the side with his elbow, who did the same, and returned back to the conversation.
"What's happening?" he repeated to the blonde.
"Well… the movie's ending." Roxas concluded, as the lights snapped back on and the credits began to roll across the screen. Dumbfounded, Axel scowled at the screen.
"Well, that was really, really stupid. I mean, I didn't get that movie at all."
"You fell asleep." Riku noted, standing from his seat. Axel ignored him.
"Horrible movie choice Roxy. Next ti-OW!" Axel yelped, holding his side as it bruised, Roxas sliding past him as if nothing happened. "WHAT THE HELL ROXAS?" Axel shouted, drawing in the attention of leaving old couples and pre-teens.
"I don't know what you're talking about." the blonde said calmly. Snickering, Demyx whispered to Roxas as he passed.
"Nice punch." he laughed, as a smirk found it's way onto Roxas's face.
The group shuffled out of their seats, (Axel still clutching his aching side) and made their way outside. The group agreeing on meeting at T.G.I.'s and making their way to their respected vehicles.
Half-way through the meal, and Demyx still hadn't really heard one word any of his friends had said. Of course, he got the gist of what the current debate was concerning, Mrs. Lockhart, and how much of a bitch she was, but how the fact remained her boobs were colossal, but he couldn't care less about what was happening around him.
Demyx, he was noticing the more simple things that the chortling others were ignoring. For instance, the ocean the restaurant was built upon. The seagulls squawking above. The simpler things.
He liked things simple. For example, water. Water was simple. Not like juice, no, juice was not simple. Water, yes, water was simple. Clear, tasteless, required. Simple to understand.
Wait, what?
"Oi, Demyx where you going?" Axel sputtered, looking up at the now standing blonde boy.
"Um, I'm going for a walk." he replied easily, squeezing past the back of Axel's seat, and the fat man sitting behind him, and making his way down the pier. He placed the ear phones back onto his ears, and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his wool, gray sweatshirt with the word "Oblivion" blazing across the front, his favorite band. He led his way down the pier to his favorite bench, and plopped himself down, laying his head back, he sighed in contentment and closed his eyes, letting the salty wind blow on his face. This spot had been his private thinking spot since he discovered the sanctuary. Each time he came to T.G.I. Fridays, he left the table at one point or another to sit out on the dock and think.
'God, it's nice out here.' he smiled to himself in thought, 'This place never ceases to amaze me.'
_________________________________________________________________________________
"Dad! It's so pretty out here!" shouted a much younger Demyx, grin plastered on his face, perched on his father's lap.
"Isn't it Demyx? Do you see the birds? They're called seagulls." his father said, a soft smile gracing his aged face. "They're very pretty aren't they?" Demyx nodded his head,, extending one arm towards the sky. The wash of waves against the side of the walls and cry of seagulls was euphonious.
"Dad, the ocean's really cool. Can I live in there one day?" Demyx asked, his voice innocent, he gazed up at his father with blue eyes. His father chuckled, looking down at his son.
"Who knows, maybe one day." he beamed at his sun, who returned the favor, and returned his attention to the ocean.
"Dad?" the youngster asked sometime later.
"Yes, Demyx?"
"Come on." he beamed, exuberant, pulling his dad to his feet by his fingers.
"Where are w- DEMYX N-!!!" he was cut off suddenly by the water rushing up around him, his son's hand still in his own. He resurfaced, as did his son, panting. "Demyx are you insane?" he'd meant his tone to be angry, but instead it popped up and octave in the humor he found in the situation. Demyx's hair was flopped down over his face, Demyx bubbling in glee, his laughter strong. His dad soon joined in, and they climbed back up onto the deck, still chuckling.
The duo were still chuckling went the sun went down almost an hour later.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Demyx sat there, basking in his nostalgia. Thirty minutes later, he was still lounging there. His focus on the spot the memory had taken place, on the empty bench half beside him. And he could have stayed there for another few hours too, just reminiscing, if his vibrating phone hadn't practically given him a stroke. After taking a deep breath, blinking a few times to make the trip from past to present complete, he swiftly pulled his cell phone from his pocket and read the text message flashing on his screen.
Sighing, he got up from the bench, and made his way back to his car, where his friends were waiting, talking amongst themselves.
"The fuck were you?" Axel scolded, whirling towards the blonde.
"Where I usually am?" he chuckled nervously, running his hand through his hair.
"Being…?"
Chuckling, the pink haired one in the circle of friends stepped forward. Shoving Axel out of Demyx's face lightly. "You sound like a mom, tear-drop face."
"Shut up Marluxia." grumbled said "tear-drop face". "Come on Roxas, let's go play Halo." he grinned, grabbing the short-blonde around his shoulders and tugging him off to his car, the blonde's face turning a few shades more red then his usual pasty skin tone.
Smiling, Riku, Sora, and Marluxia said their goodbyes and walked back to their cars, ready to repeat their own cycles over again the next day, as was Demyx.
____________6/9____________
"Welcome to detention you little shit." Professor Xigbar greeted kindly from his seat, not bothering to look up from his newspaper., "Take your seat, no talking, you do and I see you tomorrow. Good? Good."
Demyx grunted from the doorway and quickly took his seat, not bothering to take off his head-phones. "I hate waking up earlier then needed." he sighed, tapping his black painted nails against the desk top rhythmically. Doodling on his Math homework. He texted under his desk, whispered to surrounding offenders, and did anything but, well, what people in detention would do. Xigbar looked up from his newspaper rarely, and when he did, no one cared, as long as he was getting paid, and following the rules to an extent, he was absolutely fine. Dandy. Sighing in relief, Demyx rose from his seat as the first bell of three rang, allowing him permission to wander the halls until first period, meaning fifteen minutes from then. He stretched a bit, cracking his fingers and back. Twisting his neck, content as it creaked and became more loose.
"Remember, you little over-achievers, when I'm with you, I'm not by myself. I don't like that, so keep your records clean, alright? Now get out of my sight." Most people already had before he had stopped talking. Removing his headphones, Demyx fled the room, doing a mental dance at the success of surviving yet another detention from wandering the halls at fourth period. What was this… the fifth time this has happened?
After escaping the confines of the detention hall, Demyx made his way to the courtyard for ten minutes, Maybe I'll catch up on some sleep. he smiled to himself, sitting himself on a bench outside the back school doors.
Demyx noted, as he allowed his eyelids to ease down after a few minutes, the slight breeze and cloudy sky. Rain. Probably on his way home. Rain. "Gross." Demyx muttered to himself, rain was not fun.
"…Excuse me?" came a hesitant voice, Demyx noticed the tapping in the background had stopped. Opening his eyes, Demyx peered to his right, where on the same bench, was a slate-haired teen, with a laptop perched on his knees. "Did you say something?" he repeated, his voice was bored and polite, like he really shouldn't have troubled himself to even ask.
"Uh…not really." Demyx stared back at the teen, raising and eyebrow, and straightening his posture. "Sorry," he mumbled, "I'm just not a really big fan of rain."
"Hm." the teen replied, voice still bored, his gaze returning to the laptop. "I suppose. The air does get stuffy, uncomfortable, not very desirable." His gaze remained on the screen, not bothering to look up when replying.
Demyx had seen his face before, that was no doubt, he just needed to place a face with a place. Slate-blue hair … bored expression … icy blue eyes … Hmph.
"I guess. But that's not really what gets me." Demyx replied, expecting some sort of reaction, when none came, he continued. "I guess it's the thunder. The hard crash rattles my ears, keeps me awake, makes me feel like something bad's going to happen." Demyx shivered, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the slate-haired boy glance up from his laptop. "Just, it always happens first in horror movies yan'no? Then someone gets murdered and it all becomes one big mess." He didn't bother mentioning what else rain reminded him of. The teen sitting beside him elicited a small snort, before closing his laptop with a snap and standing.
"I suppose. Good day." said the teen, standing and parting with a nod towards the entrance to the school, no sooner did he enter the school did the second bell ring, signaling all procrastinating delinquents to enter the building and get to their classes.
Demyx drove home in heavy rain. That night, he hid his head under a pillow, blocking the sound, brief flashes of lightening, and memories from his mind's eye, and was unsuccessful in blocking all three, as the rain poured through the entire, restless night.
____________6/9____________
"Mom?! I'm on my way to school!" Demyx didn't expect a reply, but called out anyway, just incase. He hopped off the front step and made his way to his Escape. Climbing in the front seat, toast hanging from his mouth, Demyx backed out of the driveway, music blasting from the car speakers. Tuesdays were the worst. It felt like the fact you had school yesterday wasn't enough so they threw an extra four days at you, and everyone was always in a bad mood.
This was easy to observe, because only seconds after he arrived at the school's side entrance, he spotted Axel, smoking as he often did on Tuesday mornings..
"Tuesday?'
"Yup." Axel grunted, inhaling deeply, and puffing the smoke out in an angry little cloud. Smirking, Demyx grabbed the cigarette and threw it on the ground, squishing it beneath his foot.
"You know what happened last time." Demyx stated, poking the red-headed teen on the forehead, who swatted his hand away angrily.
"THEY TOTALLY OVER REACTED! I mean, Professor Squall smokes, I don't see why we can't. Suspension equals over reaction." Axel nodded, tapping his pointer finger to his temple. "Commit it to memory, my dear…Demy."
Laughing, Demyx grabbed the red-head by his collar and dragged him into the school hallway, the clock told a tale of ten minutes until the third bell. "What did you do last night?" Demyx didn't care.
"You don't care."
"Nope."
Smirking, the red-head and blonde fell in step, Axel telling every detail of the previous night's history. Demyx observed the passing faces, counting off people he knew on his mental fingers. 'Sora, Riku, Selphie, Rikku, …" Demyx noticed a slate haired head stroll by, but it was soon covered by 6,8, rusty haired, giant. He strained a bit in the opposite direction to get a better view, but to no avail.
"Hmph." Demyx mumbled to himself, shrugging it off. It didn't really matter, not like he would ever talk to that guy again.
"Demyx…? You ok?" Axel glanced curiously at his friend, eyebrows furrowed in concern. Demyx almost heard a mental pop go off as he snapped back to the "here and now."
"Yah, I'm fine, just… tired I guess." Demyx sighed, staging a yawn, then rubbing at his eyes as if rubbing away the sleep. "Tuesday."
"Tuesday." Axel sighed in agreement. The second bell rang, signaling five minutes until first bell, which signaled class itself. The two slapped hands and parted ways, heading towards their own classes yet again.
When he arrived at class, books in hand, he found his seat and quickly took it, waiting for Professor Luxord to make his entrance. And shout out to the class like every other day…
"Welcome back." he smiled, voice heavy with a British accent, ran his hand through his clean cut, platinum blonde hair like every other day, then turned to face the board, while the rest of the class mimicked the previous actions in whispers, snickering to themselves. "Literature…"
Demyx pretty much dozed off on his desk right there.
____________6/9____________
"Demyx." the blonde British man spoke, shaking the shoulder of said teen. "Demyx, wake up." the blonde teen now lay very much asleep on his workbook, the classroom empty, minus the two, with the teacher hovering over his student, who drooled a puddle.
Groggily, Demyx opened his eyes, and quickly realized the situation. "Holy crap." Suddenly he stood from his seat, head-butting his teacher on the way up. Luxord's tooth pierced his lip, and bruised Demyx's cranium, killing some skin and allowing blood to flow freely from both wounds wound. The sharp pain throbbing in Demyx's head and the sharp cry of pain emitted from the Professor forced his eyes up from the textbook he was working on picking up from his desk, which he just dropped again, after meeting with the sight of blood dripping from his Professor's mouth, who's face was set in a disapproving glare.
"Geez! You okay?" he managed to squeak out to Luxord, rubbing at the aching area on his head, which he felt swelling, wet beneath his fingertips. Said man only glared, before shoving two detentions in the teenagers face and rushing out of the room, most likely to find a tissue, Demyx guessed. The blood trail left behind was thick and red, hinting at a deep cut. Nasty. Cursing, Demyx gathered his things and shuffled away from the desk, stepping around the blood as he left the room.
"It's a Tuesday, my head hurts, and I have two detentions for tomorrow and the day after." he commented coldly to himself. "And it's only second period." he groaned, kicking a trash can over on his way to his locker. "Perfect. Absolutely wonderful."
"Hey Demyx."
"HEY DEMYX!"
The two greetings coming from not far head signaled Riku and Sora were waiting for him, as they often did after first periods end.
"Hey, what's up?" Sora started, as Demyx came to a halt. I have to tell you what happened just now. Alright,solikeyouknowProfessorLuxordeveryonesawhimrunningdownthehallbleedingandstuffsoeveryonethinkshegotpunchedorsomething. Isn'tthatcoolDemyx? Isn'tit? I mean-" Sora spoke too quickly for Demyx to comprehend, so Demyx just decided to resume his walking, Riku followed, with a grunt as Sora groaned and trailed behind. "I mean really Demyx how come you always stop listening, shake your head and walk away, it's totally not nice of you. Rude." Sora mumbled, pouting at his checkered shoes.
"You're such a baby Sora." Riku snickered, eyes still set in front of him.
"Am not!"
"Point proven." Riku concluded with a smirk. A few un-intellectual sputter-ings later and Sora stormed off the other way, leaving the silverette and blonde to fall into step. "So, what's up?" Riku asked, running a hand through his abnormally long hair, boredom lacing his voice.
Groaning, Demyx held out the yellow slips of paper for the other boy's inspection,. Grabbing the pieces of paper, the silver haired boy read them over, then handed them back, eyebrows rising in surprise. "Two detentions? Seriously? Christ, Demyx, what'd you do, it's not even second period yet?!" Riku asked, astonished. "What is this, the seventh time this month you've gotten detentions?! Jeez, get yourself together Demy-Dippity-Doo. Last time I checked, detentions were NOT a good thing. I mean-"
"Shut up Riku. I don't need a lecture okay. Seriously." Demyx interrupted with a snarl shoving the teen into a passing freshman, who tumbled over easily beneath Riku's weight. The teen looked up at him from atop the freshman, his eyebrows furrowed in silent concern. "I mean for fuck's sake, it's TUESDAY." Demyx groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration, before sighing and offering his friend a hand.
"Didn't need to shove me onto a kid. Over-react much?"
"…Sorry. Just… It's Tuesday." the blonde replied, shrugging his shoulders, slight blush dusting his cheeks.
"Hmph, right." Riku snickered, heading off in the opposite direction to class. Demyx following suit.
"I fucking hate Tuesdays." The teenager gathering his spilled papers, and rubbing absent mindedly on the developing bruise on his arm, on the ground agreed whole-heartedly.
____________6/9____________
"…Shit, Demyx, you were in here a day ago, , and you'll be here tomorrow, get your act together, man." Professor Xigbar sighed and rose from his seat, massaging the bridge of his nose in between his pointer finger and thumb.
"… Look man that's three detentions this week, I can't overlook that. Jeez…" he mumbled, grabbing Demyx by the shoulder. "Calling your mom."
Demyx gaped back at the older man, who stared back just as intensely… as a man missing his left eye could manage. "That's not fair!" he whined, stomping his feet. "THIS SUCKS!"
"Damn straight it does, now sit down while I write the stupid waver." Demyx pouted, his eyebrows furrowed, giving him an image much like one of a begging puppy, before making his way sluggishly back to his seat.
Detention passed slowly, the clock taking it's fair time moving it's hands from 7:00-8:45. Demyx fidgeted continuously, tapping his fingers, kicking the desk, eyes focused on the clock as it ticked by second by agonizingly slow second. "Hurry up." he groaned, banging his head on the desk a few times. "Let me out of this god-forsaken, pit of anguish."
"Stop whining, Demyx!" Xigbar shouted across the room, voice cross, eyes trained on the newspaper in front of him. Kids whirled around to Demyx, giving him puzzled looks. They hadn't heard anything. "I'm the God damn Batman, I hear and see everything, now turn around and shut up." he continued, not looking up once. Kids turned back to their seats, still deeply confused, Xigbar slipped a smirk onto his scarred face. Groaning, Demyx buried his face in his arms. "RING, RING, RING, RING." he mumbled into his arms. "RINGRINGRINGRINGRINGFUCKINGRING." Another ten minutes passed before the metal contraption went insane, relieving the class from their torture.
Twisting around the hallways he made his way to the back garden and collapsed on the closest bench his peripheral vision could find in as he stomped through the pathway, surrounded by waves of color. Nearby, he could see his friend Marluxia, Garden Club captain, tending to a patch of what resembled tulips before he let his eyes slide closed, releasing a heavy sigh.
"You're sitting on my folder" Opening his eyes, he scouted out who owned the quiet voice. "Right here." Whipping his head around, he found the gaze of the same teen who'd he met in this exact spot. Was the guy really so quiet he hadn't even noticed his presence? He was clutching a large, black book, and he inspected him through one eye, the other covered completely by his slate hair. "Oh, you, survived the rain I see. Did you fare well? Or did the impending doom get the better of you?"
Demyx jumped a little, and pulled the folder out from beneath him, handing it to the other teen. He blinked a few times, contemplating the teen who stared back with a bored look on his face. He raised an eyebrow after a few seconds, obviously expecting an answer. "Oh! I guess I did." he chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Cowered a bit, of course, but I guess I did."
"I see." he stated dully, re-opening his book, and sifting through the pages until he found a page, marked by tassel. Curiously, Demyx scooted over and peered into the book, gasping at the sight.
"I can't even read the words! They're freakin' tiny!" he exclaimed, squinting to make better sense of the jumble of unknown letters. "Do you, like, have Superman's eyes or something?"
Chuckling, pale skinned teen replied, "No, I don't, but I suppose they could be considered 'freaking' tiny. This book is rather large."
"Rather large?! More like 'History of Planet: Tiny Word Special!'" he pressed, poking the book in emphasis. "I mean, how the hell do you even keep interest?!"
"Well… it is an amazing tale between a god, prince, and queen. The prince chooses the most beautiful woman in the world, at a price, the beautiful woman, being a queen, falls instantly in love, and her King becomes overwhelmed with anger, starting the Trojan War, this is the third time I've read it."
Demyx blinked. Twice. Three times. "You seriously have that much stamina? It looks huge, and boring, boring as hell." he groaned, simply at the thought of reading it.
"Most would, but I find knowledge a defense. The more you have, the better prepared you are for war… or your future, I suppose. Don't you think?"
"No."
"…"
"…"
"I think," Demyx started, his voice popping up an octave, "That we should all be treated as equals."
"…What does that have to do with my statement?" the teen inquired, glancing at the watch on his wrist and rising from the bench.
"Nothing." Demyx answered easily standing as well. "I guess I don't think anything." he grinned. Grin then turning to an appalled expression.
"…Hm?" The opposite teen question, eyeing the teen warily.
"Dude.. You're like… really… really…"
"What? What am I?" the teen asked, raising an eyebrow.
"…Short."
Eyebrow twitching a bit and scowling, said really, really short teenager spun on his heel and stomped into the school, just as the bell rang.
Chuckling, the blonde began his journey into the school before stopping dead in his tracks, mentally palming himself. Others dodged him in the crowd heading into the school, giving him weird looks.
'I forgot to ask for his name. Crap, why do I recognize him?!' Sighing, Demyx continued his way into the hell-hole known as the educational system, to go learn from it's… manifestation.
____________6/9____________
Demyx made is way to his fifth period, Chemistry, struggling to keep coherent thought over the overwhelming need of sleep. He decided, right then and there, waking up early was a demon, sent from his own, personal hell. Stumbling blindly through the halls, yawning. Finally, not a minute too soon, he came to his destination, and quickly made his way to his desk. Finally, sleep!
"Class!" announced a deep voice, laced with a slight Australian accent. Voice was quickly followed by a tan, muscular man making his entrance into the classroom. His black hair was tied in neat- if they ever could actually be called that, Demyx wondered- dread-locks, and the hair grew down his face, shaved into unusual, albeit impressive, side-burns. "You should know by now, considering this routine happens at least seven times a day, that you should all be in your seats before I am present, understood?" Silence. "Delinquents." Professor Xaldin sighed under his breath, writing the beginnings of large words in Expo marker that Demyx feared.
Demyx -not paying attention, head tucked underneath both hands, trying to drown out words- got whiplash, his head shooting up faster then he probably would have preferred at the sentence as the words fell from his teacher's mouth., once the phrase was written on the board.
"Partner Project."
Groaning, displeasure,
"You guys--"
Interaction, communication,
"--will work--"
Schedules, alternating houses,
"--in pairs--"
Color coating, images, and…
"--that I have chosen randomly." Bingo.
Someone Demyx didn't know and talk with on a regular basis, effort. "Dammit." he mumbled underneath his breath, cursing the school-system.
"I'll read off the pairs, then." Xaldin continued, when he was only met with irrelevant complaints and curses. "Now then..."
Demyx fazed out. A Partner Project? groaning he slammed his fist against the desk. Please tell me this is some kind of sick, twisted joke. he pleaded silently. I'll never remember anything if I'm exhausted. Here's to hoping my partner is some kind of genius who'll do all the wo-
"--and Demyx Ehime, Yuffie…"
Wait, what? Who? Shit.
"Alright everyone, assignment? Not that you even care, choose an element. Any element. Give it's history, where it was discovered, and all that good stuff. If your five page report, centered, double-space, is clear enough, and the info is accurate, then I should be able to guess the element. Easy. In other words, fail, and you'll be in here, studying with me." Nasty. "Go talk it over."
Everyone rose from their seats, making their ways to their partners. Some high-fiving, others sluggish, some simply insulting each other straight to their faces. Demyx sat there, doing nothing, hoping his partner would make their way to him.
Which, damn them, they didn't.
Dodging some brown haired girl's butt, Demyx rose from his seat, and made is way up to the front. Rubbing at the spots he'd gotten elbowed at. Arm. Back. Side… Did someone just grab his ass?
Sliding further away, Demyx looked over the crowd- bless his parents genes, he was tall enough to see over their heads quite easily, when on tiptoe- hoping to see some other lost soul searching like him. Nope. He was alone.
He continued searching- straining his eyes this time, as he pressed further up on his tiptoes. "Demyx?"
"GAH!" he shouted, attracting the attention of the class for a moment, before the crowd decided they really didn't give a rat's ass.
"Demyx." the voice pressed. Quiet and fragile. Demyx glanced down, to see a pale haired blonde smiling up at him, a short blue-haired girl was holding her hand, blushing furiously. He recognized her to be Fuu. She was part of Seifer's gang, he remembered distantly.
"Namine… Um." he pointed at the girl's joined hands, said girl smiled a bit.
"It's a little easy to lose each other in the chaos right now." she shrugged it off. "But you look lost, weren't you listening? I know who your partner is, if you weren't."
Bless her, and her ears. "No, I wasn't." he chuckled a bit, smile slipping off his face as, out of peripheral vision, he noticed his professor give him a rather frigid glare. "Who?" he continued, forcing himself to turn away.
"Zexion Kuroki. The really quiet one." Demyx's confused expression remained securely in place. Sighing impatiently, the petite blonde snatched Demyx's hand as well and dragged him through the crowd of students disorganized in the small classroom.
They had become separated quite a few times, and often had to force themselves back through the chaos to save a member of the party. Most of the time it had been Fuu, and Namine would shriek and dive back in after her, often becoming lost herself.
Jeez, it was like there more kids in here then before. It was like a freakin' moshpit! It made Demyx feel extremely claustrophobic, and with kids sliding past left and right, the trip was awkward, and coming back through was even more awkward, when the students they'd passed moments before growled in discomfort. The trio, weaving through the angled rows of desks, eventually made it clear and safe through the expedition. A time of approximately ten minutes passing.
"Demyx, Zexion." the small blonde smiled up at the mullet-ed teen and then once again began the adventure. Fuu let out an exasperated sigh, and Demyx mouthed a quick sorry. Fuu fixed him with a glare dripping with murderous intent before disappearing, once again, in the crowd.
Sighing, Demyx spun around to examine his partner, and was shocked when his eyes rested on that exact person. "Oh." he simply said, as he looked down at the slate-haired teen, reading his book, the one he had seen no less then four hours ago. "OH! So that's where I knew you from!" he exclaimed, mentally doing a victory dance.
"I suppose." the other teen replied, not looking up. His soft voice barely audible over the pandemonium of the classroom.
"S-"
"Class dismissed!" Xaldin's Australian voice boomed, and the class responded in a chorus of excitement, almost booming right back at him.
The students surrounding the duo began to push, forcing the still standing Demyx to move, and pushed him away from the other teen, who was calmly placing his books into his messenger bag. Demyx was discarded like a shell in the sand at the doorway. Blinking, Demyx briefly wondered what the hell had just happened before turning to look for the partner he had discussed absolutely nothing relevant to the project with. When his eyes came to rest on the other's desk, the slate-haired boy had gone, leaving Demyx alone with Xaldin and a few other packing students.
Demyx made his way to his desk, a little weight off his shoulders now that he knew where the mysterious slate-haired teen had come from.
But then, remembering he had an essay which didn't yet have an announced due date, meaning you had to be finished as soon as possible, and it was five pages, and he had a partner he'd said more then a few sentences to.
Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
Sighing, Demyx picked up his bag and made his way to sixth period, Study Hall. He decided, on his way there, he had detention tomorrow, and as far as his knowledge went, Zexion would be there. He was the last two times.
So tomorrow, after detention.
Demyx would ask then. For now, he made his way through the halls, headphones placed securely over his ears. Singing quietly to himself in his sing-song voice.
"That's what I go to school for,
Even though it is a real bore,
You can call me crazy,
I know that she craves me,
That's what I go to school for,
Even though it is a real bore,
Girlfriends I've had plenty,
None like Miss Mackenzie,
That's what I go to school for,
That's what I go to school for."
I Never Am Quite There… Am I?
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Author's Note: I pretty happy with this, I think it was paced a little too fast, but then again, it's my first, very long (For me. XD;;;) fic so. READ AND REVIEW!