Old Grind chapters were really short o3o

"Mr. Bullet, I do hope you've completed your test…" Xemnas trailed off, one hand leaning on the surfer's desk. Xigbar was frantically scribbling down answers when Xemnas snatched the paper rather nastily. Demyx, who had finished his test twenty minutes ago, snickered a little. "Now, class, I hope you've done well on your tests." He looked annoyed by something, like he was waiting. Demyx had an inkling of what. Stealing a glance at Zexion, his deadpan eyes confirmed it. Another little "tutoring" session… the bell was due to ring any minute.

Speak of the devil, it rung just moments after that thought crossed his mind. Hastily shoving random things into his book bag with reckless abandon, his eyes switched from his teacher to his new 'friend', searching for a change of face. Demyx smiled, an idea was formulating in that peanut brain of his.

"So, Zexion, you ready for today?" He asked casually, picking up the two skateboards from their usual stop by Mr. Xemnas' desk. His parents had put in a special request that he be allowed to have it, because he always skated home. It was allowed as long as it was kept away from him until the end of school. Zexion looked up, quickly hiding the bewilderment on his face.

"No, he is not." Mr. Xemnas stepped in. "He has specifically requested tutoring…"

"I can teach him." Demyx shrugged, shifting Xigbar's board to his left hand. Zexion's face was calm, as it always was, but the skater could sense panic in the way his eyes darted from the teacher to Demyx.

"Your grades—"

"--Are the best in the class." Demyx finished, trying in vain to make his voice casual. It took a stern, cold tone that he saved for when something or someone bothered him.

"Yeah!" Xigbar called, from the doorway. He was standing, back against the door, watching the three. Mr. Xemnas seemed thrown off by this, and Xigbar continued. "My grades have improved since Demyx started helping me."

"I am more than capable—!" Mr. Xemnas tried to begin, but was cut off once again.

"I want them… to teach me." Zexion said quietly, his voice almost hoarse. All eyes turned to him. His cheeks were the faintest of red, his eyes boring a hole into the floor. Demyx was on it in an instant.

"See? He wants us to!" Demyx hooked his arm around Zexion's neck, pulling him so their cheeks were touching. He laughed, and Zexion looked horrified. "You're outvoted, Mansex!" Mr. Xemnas' eyes widened as Demyx spoke the name.

Demyx pulled his arm away from Zexion carefully, as not to hit him with the skateboard in hand. He made his way to the door, handing Xigbar his board and turning around. "Well? Zexy? You coming?"

Eyes lifting finally from the floor, he blurted. "Y-yes!" Surprisingly quickly for such a small boy, he weaved in and out of the desks and stood by Demyx' side.

"Hah, see ya later Mansex!"

-----

"He's gonna be on your ass about the Mansex thing Monday, you know." Xigbar said, sticking several fries into his mouth at once. By now they had left the school and stopped at McGeneric Burger's for some lunch. Summer School ends at noon, so they had the rest of the day to do whatever they pleased. There wasn't school on Fridays either, so the trio wouldn't see Mansex until Monday.

"Yeah, but I got some dirt on him you wouldn't believe." Zexion visibly twitched when Demyx spoke. The smaller boy had declined food, and gotten a small lemonade, which he was sipping sparingly. Demyx had ordered a hamburger, completely plain save for the bun and beef and had already chugged his Coke.

"Like what?" Zexion twitched again.

"Can't tell you." Demyx winked at Xigbar before tipping back his head and swallowing the last few droplets of his drink. "It'sa seeeecret."

"Whatev- oh, god…" Xigbar sat perfectly still, his pupils the only thing moving. They followed a figure, that had entered the building only seconds ago. Demyx turned his head and suddenly was overtaken by snorts and giggles. Zexion blinked and looked at the newcomer, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. It was a boy in their class, Luxord Cromwell. "Shut up!" Xigbar hissed, shoving Demyx's shoulder.

"Calm down." Demyx opened one eye, previously clamped shut from laughing. "What's the worst that could happen…?" As he said that however, Luxord's head turned in their direction.

"Hallo, Demyx, isn't it? An' Xigba'? An' you, I don't seem to recall your name…" Luxord's accent was so horribly British… Demyx could hear the words, but he had no idea what the hell he was saying. Xigbar however, seemed to understand perfectly.

"That's Zexion, he's a friend of our's. He's in our class, too." He gushed, smiling brightly to Luxord. Demyx once more attempted in vain to stifle his laughter, and received a firm kick to the shin for it.

"Bugger." Luxord said, running a hand through his short hair. Zexion was looking away as usual, Demyx was poking Xigbar's leg under the table and Xigbar was smiling with everything he had. "I really should pay more attention… Well, I must be on my way. Cheerio!"

"Pip pip!" Demyx called after him as he took his food from the counter and left the building, earning him a punch in the shoulder by his friend. "What? I was trying to connect!"

"Shut up, man. Let's just go." Demyx shrugged at the statement and stood up, grabbing his board. Zexion followed suit, and Xigbar did the same. They left, not even bothering to throw their trash away. Cuz they're rebels.

---

"So… are we going to be doing any actual studying?" Zexion inquired, sitting on the side of the hill behind Generic Mart. Demyx stopped his board and looked up at him, as if he said something completely retarded. After a moment he realized that Zexion was being serious, and shook his head.

"We are, but I figured we could wait…"

Zexion pulled something out of his pocket, a horribly crumpled piece of paper. Unfolding it and attempting to flatten it on his jeans, he handed it to Demyx. He smiled in spite of himself, fairly unfitting for the 35 written at the top of the test paper in large, red letters. It was the test they had taken last week. His smiled faded when he saw a note, written under the grade.

See me after class.

"How long…?" Demyx asked softly, looking up at Zexion. He cringed, again, at the mention of what had happened.

"I..."

Awkward silence ensued.

"Y'know what I do when I'm down?" Demyx perked up, tossing the paper behind them. Standing, he motioned for Zexion to do they same. "I skate. The wind, the freedom… you've got to try it."

"I don't skate."

"You do now. Get up." Zexion obeyed, and climbed to his feet. Demyx set his board on the ground and motioned for Zexion to get on.

"But… what If I fall…?"

"I'll hold the board." Zexion hesitated, and then stepped onto it. "Balance yourself…" When Zexion's feet were place firmly on the board, Demyx slowly began to remove his hands from the grip tape. "See? You wont fall. Now try to move."

"H-how…?"

"Kick off with one foot. Slowly, okay?" Demyx felt like a kindergarten teacher as he watched Zexion's foot slowly touch the ground, giving the smallest push sending him barely two inches forward. He was still shaking, "Calm down… Here." Grabbing Zexion's wrist, he led him forward as slowly as possible. He ignoring the laughter he knew was Xigbar's, and the sound of his board stopping.

"He's blushing! And you call me a faggot." He said with a laugh. Demyx paid no mind, but Zexion did. A new wave of red hit his face as he lost his balance and stumbled forward… right into Demyx. Demyx, having turned around moments before to tell Xigbar off, grabbed the boy in his arms before he hit the ground. For once in his life, Zexion looked up. He met Demyx' gaze, and quickly pushed away.

"You okay?" Demyx asked. Zexion stumbled again, but regained his balance quickly.

"I… I'm fine… it's just…" Zexion looked away, once again. "I didn't… think anyone knew…"