Denial and Perseverance

A/N: I got reviews so quickly on my last installment. O.O I have no idea how to feel... Terrific 'cause people really like this fanfiction ( : Loves you all, but horrible since updates will be as slow as molasses. (DD:)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

An Invitation to Escape

"So, let me get this straight... Demyx is not, well, straight?" Lexeaus asked as we walked to my house. I nodded; pretty damn sure that Demyx was indeed gay. Maybe Axel rubbed off of him. Ew. That came out wrong in my mind.

"And..." Lexeaus started, trying to piece everything together. "He's gay... For you?" He turned his head towards me and arched an eyebrow. Again, I nodded.

Lexeaus still furrowed his brow; I guess this was a bit of a shock. I mean, it's not everyday one of your peers that you have known since middle school is suspected of being a cockmuncher. That and the aforementioned cockmuncher wants to... Oh god, I can't even bring myself to finish that last sentence.

We continued to walk in silence yet again. On the way to my home, I pondered on why Demyx would like me of all the guys around here. I mean, I don't think I'm all that sexually appealing. I'm on the skinny side, though not Axel skinny. Yes, Axel is his own type of skinny. I barely have any strength in my poor excuses for muscles. My eyes are pretty dull looking and my hair is a shade of purple. C'mon, fucking purple! Who finds that attractive?

"Demyx apparently does," said inner self. No, I mentally beat my inner self; I was not in the mood to deal with my conscience. I blamed my dad. He was the cause of this.

My hair color, not Demyx's gayness.

Then did Demyx like me for my intelligence? Well, that was probably it. I can't think of anything else, so that must be it.

"Hey, Zexion. Are we going inside or are we staying outside?" Lexeaus asked, poking the side of my head in order to get me out of my thoughts. I glanced around and noticed we were at my house already. Wow, time flies when you're wondering how another fellow male would like me.

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, we're going inside." I said, digging out my keys from my pockets. Flipping to the bronze, medium sized key and unlocked the front door and entered. The house was smelling slightly fruity. Great, now my mind is making everything sound gay.

Lexeaus and I made our way to the kitchen and he placed our bags on the table. He sat down as I went to get some chips for me and celery for Lexeaus. He's not a vegetarian, but he is a bit of a health nut.

We took out our English worksheets and silently completed them. It was so easy it was sad. Just a two sided paper about Latin roots, nothing major, just a quick review. For Government, well, I already finished and let Lexaeus copy them as I munched on my sour cream and onion toasted chips. Mm, these things were good and had forty percent less fat!

"Are you sure..." Lexaeus asked as he kept scribbling away.

"That Demyx is gay?" I finished for him. He nodded and my face turned serious, meaning it pretty much stayed the same. Funny how expressive my thoughts are compared to my poker face. "I'm pretty sure he's gay and what he said in the tree confirmed it."

"How so?"

"Well, Demyx isn't exactly the hardest person to figure out. He's an open book!" Which was true. Oh so very, very true. "I could tell by the way he stared and what he said..." My voice faded, remembering the events that had taken place not too long ago.

That desperate look he had meant that he wanted to tell me something, most likely "I like you." and when he said, "Careful what you wish for...", well I'll explain that little part just in case you didn't get it. He probably (And when I say probably, I mean that I am positive on the matter.) was being shy and sputtered nonsense that sounded "romantic" and "hard to get".

It made my stomach feel as though it was being punctured with one thousand, two hundred forty- nine blue tipped pins at the same time and then get tossed upward and then slammed with... Okay, a bit descriptive and I'll stop there. For the gist of it, overrated romantic crap rubs me the wrong way.

Maybe I was jumping to ego-filled conclusions that Demyx liked me. Maybe I'm wrong.

But I had never felt this sure before.

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The week slowly progressed with little excitement. Nothing out of the norm, except for the weather. The temperatures seemed to just lower with each passing day, but I didn't pay close attention. My attention was focused on avoiding Demyx even more now.

Praise the fucking lord for band. They have some kind of showcase coming up in the spring and they need to practice big time for it, I think they get a rating too. His practices are very long, for about four hours and that's not an exaggeration. I forgot what he plays, not that I care. As long as it kept him away, he could play the flutter-rump for all I know. But the bad part was that his practices were only on Tuesday and Thursdays. Meaning, I had to hide somewhere whenever he caught sight of me on the other days. Sometimes, I think he sniffs me out like dog.

Yeah, it's that stalker-ish.

Today I went home sick. I never mentioned that? Silly me. Well, I am. I almost fainted in chorus so with that they dragged my ass to the clinic where they called my mother to pick me up, which she did. Icky mucus still hasn't stopped leaking out of my poor nose. It was like Demyx talking. Gah that was a stupid (But accurate.) simile.

Once in the car, my mother asked how I was feeling, leaving me to answer, "Eh."

So much for being coherent. It's too much effort.

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The best state of mind ever is when you're half asleep and half awake. You are still dreaming, but you can actually enjoy your dreams. Take the one I was having before Larxene barged in, I was dreaming of being on a beach with a good book. I have no idea what the book was about, but it made me smile. The wind was but a gentle breeze, teasing the sand around me. I felt warm, the nice kind of warm.

I really wish I knew what that book was, but Larxene had to interrupt it. And get this, she was laughing really hard when both my eyes finally opened to glare at her. I wondered what she was laughing about until she finally said it.

"I see you had a nice camping dream." She said between giggles.

Camp- Oh shit. My eyes wandered to my crotch and my suspicions were confirmed, I had pitched one hell of a tent.

"Hey, Ze-Uh..." Oh yay, the cockmuncher was here and I had a woody. I turned on my side and buried my embarrassed face in the blanket.

"Well, I think I'll take my leave now." Larxene said with her trademark malice as she waltzed happily out of my door, closing it loudly.

Damn my carnal desires. Lucky girls, if they get horny, you can't tell!

"Uh, I got your English homework. Lexaeus said he would return it, but I insisted that I would." Demyx said. I heard the "thump" of a folder falling on my desk.

"Is that all? If so, then leave." I stated impatiently. C'mon, leave. I need to go to the bathroom to get it out of my system and I'd rather not do that with you in my house.

Now, you would expect him to leave my room, but no. He just stands there with that dumb look he always seems to have etched on his face.

I lifted my head from above the covers and repeated, "Anything else? If not, see you later then."

"Uh... I, um, got you... something..." he stuttered, ticking me off. Hey, if you had a hard on, you wouldn't be patient either.

"Whatever it is, just put it next to wherever the hell you set my homework. Now, for the last time, leave!"

Finally, I heard another "thump", this one a bit heavier then the first, and a few quick and quiet steps that faded away after my door had been opened and shut once more. Yes, he has quiet footsteps due to all the years he has had to perform on stage and loud footsteps were a sin in the performance world.

With him out, I leaped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to, er, take care of business.

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As I emerged satisfied from the bathroom, my father headed toward me, phone in hand.

"Who is it?" I asked as he thrusted the phone on my hand. I'm not a phone person, either talk to me in person or write.

"Who else would ever even call you, Zexion?" my father said over his shoulder. He walked back down the stairs and I retreated back to my room.

"Hello?" I said, closing my door and flopping back down on my bed.

"Hey, Zexion! It's been awhile." said a cool as ice voice on the other end. I immediately smiled, it was Vexen. Vexen was my friends from before I moved and I've hardly ever gotten to talk to him.

"Hi, Vexen. What's with the call?" I asked. I lifted my legs on my bed and crossed them, one of my more comfortable position for talking.

"What? I have to have more of a reason than just wanting to talk to a friend?"

"Yes."

"I see you haven't changed." He chuckled. "Well, I just called to ask you if you would come with me to make this more tolerable."

"Make what less tolerable?"

"You remember the church school my mother works for, correct?"

"Mm-hm." I agreed. Vexen's mother was a teacher for a local church and always joked around. She was fun to be with.

"Well, the church is going on this field trip to Disney for Night of Joy and I can invite a few people since my mom is driving one of the vans. Would you like to come along?"

"Of course!" I exclaimed. Going to spend a day at a theme park with Vexen, who I haven't seen for a long time, was something I wouldn't pass up.

"Great!" I could hear he was pleased. "Are there any others you would like to bring along? I know that even though you aren't the most social, you probably have made a friend there, right?"

"You mean I can bring along Lexaeus?"

"Sure, I'd love to meet your new friend. I'm also inviting a friend along, besides you. Though, I'm using the term "friend" a little more loosely for him."

"What do you mean?" I asked puzzled.

"You'll see." He said, making me curious about this "friend". "Anyways, just bring some spending money and give me your address, we'll pick you up from there."

I gave him my address, then got my father to tell Vexen the directions since I had no idea how to describe it.

"So, when is this?" I asked. I never asked the important questions until the very end.

"Tomorrow." he said.

"Tomorrow? That's such short notice!"

"Sorry, I haven't been able to get a hold of you before. Some girl kept answering it. Does that mean you won't be able to come?" Vexen asked, worried that I might decline.

Man, Larxene was really out to get me and I had no idea why.

"I'll still go, don't worry." I said. Now all I need is a convincing argument for my parents so I can go and I'll be golden.

I heard him sigh on the other end of the line and then he said, "Hey, I have to go. See you tomorrow, Zexion."

"See you later, Vexen." I said. I heard him hang up and I did the same.

Unfolding my legs, I stood up and walked over to where Demyx put his gift and my homework.

The homework was just another worksheet on Latin roots, yay. I'd do that later. What I was really interested in was what Demyx had given me.

It was a book. As I set my eyes on the book, I cursed the internet and Demyx stupidity.

The book was The Catcher in the Rye.

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A/R: Finally! An update! Well, a filler, but an update no less!

I'm sorry to all of you for repeating what many before me have said, but school has got me very busy. DDD:

About the Night of Joy, I went to that with my friends and decided to include it. It was fun and with this addition, I have so many doors opened. :D

And The Catcher in the Rye addition, well, I think that most of you can figure out where that came from. xP But it is a good book, I'm currently reading that. Speaking of reading, I have to read and keep a journal on a book for English and that will slow me down. Along with me studying my butt off for Geometry, I won't be able to stay in the IB program with that D. So blame my slowness on myself and the school work. Oh yeah, and American Government. Blame that class too.

To close my author rant, I shall thank you wonderful reviewers once again. You all are wonderful.

Until next chapter! ;D