Yellow Tulip

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts does not belong to me. It belongs to the people who own it: Disney, Square Enix, etc

Chapter Three


The alarm clock, is definitely not my friend, Demyx decided. He was a lover, there was no denying that. A lover of sleep and a lover of the glorious snooze button. Unfortunately for Demyx, however, he would often lose track of how many times he had 'loved' the snooze button, often resulting in his being late. This was unavoidable, at least until he learned to put his alarm clock across the room, out of his reach.

Groaning, Demyx forced himself up slamming his hand down onto his alarm clock. He didn't actually have to be at the casino until Noon, but Roxas had suggested the previous night that he show early and reacquaint himself with everything. Demyx of course had merely pouted, complaining that no one had any faith in him. He grimaced as he felt his matted, grungy hair. He hadn't showered last night, opting to hit the sack after he, Axel, and Roxas came in at two in the morning. An impromptu karaoke session had followed several rounds of drinks. There was no way he was going to let either Axel or Roxas forget singing 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' in the middle of The PrideLands, nor would he let Roxas live down the attempted strip tease. The poor guy just couldn't hold his alcohol it seemed.

Deep down Demyx was looking forward to finally starting his job. His first official day of work. He had nothing to worry about really. He'd already met most of his coworkers and they seemed really nice, and his job wasn't even hard. Still, seeing Luxord after what had happened on Saturday was going to be awkward. It'd be worse if Xigbar found out about it. Demyx had a feeling that he wouldn't let him live it down. He'd probably laugh at him. A lot. Maybe he could call in sick?

Sighing, he resigned himself to his fate and dragged himself out of bed, trudging toward the shower. He made a mental note to pack tonight because he, Axel, and Roxas were heading back home tomorrow morning. It was a half hour commute from his apartment in Radiant Garden to Traverse Town, where the casino was. At least, it was a half hour the way he drove now. Axel was a bad influence on him, he admitted to himself.


As soon as he arrived, he was ambushed by the flamboyant stage manager, Marluxia who told him that Luxord wanted to see him, but wouldn't be in until much later if at all. Monday's were his days off it seemed, as well as Fridays. The next hour flew by as Demyx was ushered around the back of the stage area, being reintroduced to everything and everyone, and eventually shown to his own dressing room. A dressing room the size of a roomy closet, but it was his own personal space and he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"If you have any questions, now would be the time to ask." Marluxia said, his face void of any emotion. While the man was genial and generally friendly, when it came to work he was a shark, dead serious about his job. Demyx was intimidated by the sudden change in the man and shook his head. "Good. Here's your set list and music. You'll have all of today to practice before you go public. We'll start you off slow, one or two songs a night until you have them perfected."

The blue-eyed musician gulped and nodded again. He had no doubts of his ability to learn all of the songs within the week but the man before him was completely different from the one earlier. He wondered for a moment if he might be bipolar.

"You don't have to worry so much kid. I won't kill you." Marluxia commented lightly, the cold expression easing. "One more thing. We're pretty open around here, so feel free to bring in demos of your own work. I'll be happy to listen to it. Luxord said you were good. Got it?"

"Uh-huh."

"I was serious kid. Lighten up." He grinned deviously and leaned down to whisper in Demyx's ear. "I can smell fear."

"Marly, don't tease the new guy." a feminine voice said, as Demyx's door was pushed open. A short blonde girl stood there, clutching a garment bag, while another girl stood next to her, carrying a closed box. They were probably within an inch of each other's heights, with similar blue eyes.

"I'm Kairi, by the way. It's nice to meet you." said the girl with the box, nodding in his direction. She looked around with an irritated look on her face. "Alright, Marluxia. It our turn with him now. Shoo."

Only then did Demyx realize that Marluxia was still next to him, his hands resting on his shoulders. The stage manager straightened and gave a small wave. "Be nice to him, girls. Demyx, I'll send Luxord your way when he gets here."

"If he gets here you mean." Kairi replied. She set her box down on Demyx's small vanity and waved the pink haired man out of the tiny room. "Now then. Like I said, I'm Kairi and this is Namine. She works in the cash office, but helps me out sometimes."

Demyx looked up at the two girls. They seemed nice enough, and trustworthy. "What do you do?" He asked curiously.

"I work with you. And well, the others too. I guess you could say I'm the make up and wardrobe girl."

Namine, who had been quiet up until that point, hung up her garment bag on the back of the door and unzipped it. "We're here to plan out your costumes for your performances." She had nice voice, Demyx thought. Calm and gentle, exactly like he pictured someone's favorite aunt to sound like.

"Costumes?" He squeaked out. What were they expecting him to do? There was no way he was getting up on stage in some ridiculous get-up. Not a snowball's chance in hell. He was taken off guard when Kairi laughed at him. She pulled out a few brushes from her box which Demyx realized held a dozen or so small containers of what he identified as eye shadow, blush, foundation, eye liner, lipstick, and a few other types of make up he wasn't familiar with.

"Nothing elaborate," Namine said, with a soft smile. "Just suits, tuxedo's and the like. I think you'd look good in a pinstripe suit."

"A blue one, with a white vest." Kairi nodded along, while asking Demyx to hold still long enough for her to do her job.

"Can I have a red tie with it?" He asked stiffly. He tried not to twitch or blink, but the pencil that Kairi kept sticking in his eye was making it difficult.

"I don't see why not."


Kari and Namine stood back a few inches or so, as there wasn't very much space in the tiny room, to survey their handiwork. Luckily for Demyx the suggested red tie had worked nicely with his ensemble. The whole get up was pulled together with some heavy eyeliner, but not so heavy as to make it seem like Demyx should be in a garage somewhere belting out songs by Jack and the Skellingtons. Neither of the girls were terribly impressed by what they saw, but they were delighted none-the-less.

"You look wonderful," One of them commented although Demyx wasn't sure which. He stood rigid on a small stool as the two girls pinned his clothing, and took measurements. "It's for your other clothes. They have to fit right after all."

"We can't have you looking like every other Tom, Dick, and Harry out there. You have to be dashing, handsome, and suave."

Demyx laughed, "And I can be all that with a well tailored suit?"

"Of course you can." Came a voice from the doorway. It was Marluxia. "You have some visitors, Demyx. I left them in the lobby for when you finish up here."

"Ah, thanks." Marluxia bowed out of the room, muttering under his breath.

"Don't worry Dem, can I call you Dem? We're finished here. So get dressed and go see your friends." Kairi said, stripping the suit off the boy carefully. She grimaced as she pricked herself with a pin.


Whatever Demyx was expecting it was most certainly not what he saw upon stepping into the lobby. There, talking to Axel, or more like being talked at by Axel, was Luxord. Demyx groaned. Axel was probably telling all sorts of embarrassing stories about him. He'd probably never be able to look Luxord in the eye again, or if he did, Luxord'd probably start laughing at him. Why wasn't Roxas stopping him? Oh Lord, he's probably telling him about the time he wore his sister's pink camisole to school instead of his tanktop.

Swallowing his pride, Demyx marched over to the three men and shot a look at Axel who managed to shoot another one back.

"What?" Axel asked innocently.

"You can't be trusted." Roxas quipped, a slight smile playing over his features.

"Yeah! You're probably trying to embarrass me or something."

Axel, of course, denied the whole thing and grinned his infamous and equally devious smile. Roxas sighed and suggested that the four of them eat lunch, something to which they all agreed.


After lunch, after Demyx had managed to wrench Luxord away from Axel, or really after Roxas had dragged Axel away insisting that they get a head start on packing, the two of them - Luxord & Demyx sat down to talk. They always seemed to end up at a bar.

"Trust me, Love, Marluxia won't say a word about this. I am his boss after all."

Demyx only nodded, and refused a drink from the bartender. "It's only two in the afternoon," he insisted.

"Too right you are. Hardly the time to start drinking. Now then, do tell me about your friends. Is the blonde, Roxas was it, always so mean to the redhead?" Luxord laughed, and Demyx laughed with him. He really did love Luxord's laugh. It was addictive. Hardy yet flightly at the same time as though he hadn't a care in the world.

Life continued around the two blonds, the hubbub of the casino drowning out Demyx's worries and putting him in good spirits. Life made simple, he thought, was splendid.

"They're like that normally. At least in public. I'm sure they're much more lovey-dovey by themselves. It's just how they are."

"Have they known each other long?"

"Mmhmm," Demyx nodded, turning his barstool around to people watch. "They met years ago, ten years actually I think."

Luxord turned his stool around but only far enough to capture Demyx's face in his eye. He raised a blond eyebrow. "Oh? Do tell."

Demyx agreed quickly. He loved Axel and Roxas' story. "I'm pretty sure it was ten years ago since Roxas was eight and Axel was ten.. Or was he eleven? Either way, they lived over two hundred miles apart, you know. Then one years Axel's family, he lived in Hollow Bastion then, decided to vacation in Twilight Town since it was the closest beach. It turns out that Roxas' family took annual trips to Twilight Town to get away from the beach; They lived on Destiny Islands.

But of course Sora..."

"I hate to interrupt, but who is Sora?"

"Oh. He's Roxas' brother. Sorry."

"That's fine. Please, continue." Luxord said. The words slid from his mouth easily. He's such a gentleman, Demyx thought.

"Yeah, so Sora can't stay away from the beach. He went everyday, and ended up meeting Axel on the first day. And Sora, being Sora, thought he'd introduce Roxas to his new friend."

It's pretty much history from there. They hit it off and Axel decided during that week that he loved Roxas. Told him the day they both left for home. Not that Roxas really listened to him. He's kind of stubborn. They met again last year, for the first time in ten long years, in a creative writing class. They just click you know? Though, I'm pretty sure Roxas punched Axel in the face that day, but neither one of them will talk about it."

Demyx swivelled back and forth on his stool, ignoring the looks Luxord was giving him.


The casino employees were very friendly to their new coworker. They all called out to Demyx as he passed them on his way backstage. He waved back and could have sworn that some of them winked at him. Demyx had known a week ago, when he first came to the casino, that he liked the place but didn't love it. He hadn't known the employees then. The casino itself was nice, but the name invoked thoughts of a seedy club on Tuesday nights.

The Crimson Jazz.

Luxord had told him that jazz music was played from opening til close except during performances. At that point Demyx, who was far too comfortable, shook his head vehemently and point out that there was blues playing right that moment, and that blues was very different from jazz. Luxord had looked away with a sly smirk on his face, one that the musician he was with didn't miss. The pierced man patted Demyx's hand soothingly and apologized for his rather careless mistake.

Demyx blushed upon recalling his lunch break with the casino's owner and he entered his small dressing room, which he was proud to call his own. He was not unobservant. He just neglected to call people out on the things they did. It often came in handy to be underestimated. Demyx's blush deepened, however, as he finally looked around the room. A new stack of sheet music had been placed on his chair and on his vanity, which served as a desk now, was a small bouquet of sunflowers which covered the length of the vanity entirely. He pulled out a small pale blue and yellow card from the folds of the tissue paper. It said only one word, "Adoration", and an elaborate L.

"I hope he doesn't think he's being subtle." Demyx said cheekily as he fingered the soft petals of the large willowy flowers.


Note: Sorry this took so long but it was so hard. It just didn't want to come out at all. And it's begging to be rewritten.