Axel woke slowly as the sun began to filter through the window. It was very warm and just by the position of the sun, Axel could tell he'd overslept and missed breakfast and most likely any meetings there were. But since nobody had called for him they were either still asleep themselves or it didn't concern him. There was a low thumping in his head, but thankfully most of his hangover had been slept off. Axel lifted his head from the pillow and… wait, that wasn't a pillow. He looked up and down the bed briefly before he realised he had slept on Demyx, and took a few more bewildered moments more to grasp that his hand was laying on his cool chest. This was comfortable. No, no it shouldn't be!
Slowly he removed the hand, trying not to wake Demyx, but he never had been very subtle. Demyx's eyes flickered open at the sudden loss of heat Axel's hand had provided, and blushed deeply when he found Axel looking at him. Axel blinked and gradually began to sit up, still trying to figure out how he could get up without kneeing Dem in the ribs.
"Did you… sleep wel… last night did I… what did I do?"
Demyx sat up when Axel got off the bed and sheepishly pulled his cloak back onto his shoulders. He sat on the bed and twiddled his thumbs, trying to figure out how to put it.
"Well, we came back here… I told you to get some sleep, you were pretty drunk, and you… you called me… cute. Then you… kissed me and fell asleep."
Demyx stopped twiddling with his thumbs and looked at the floor, unwilling to make any eye contact during this somewhat awkward conversation. Axel looked up, suddenly a little annoyed at himself for not remembering instantly, and felt unexpectedly touchy all of a sudden. Why did he have to go and get drunk, make everything so complicated.
"Cute? I must have been really drunk!"
Axel sneered as he turned away from Demyx. Maybe if he pretended none of it had happened he wouldn't have to get too close to Dem. His mocking expression quickly faded when he heard a choked sob from behind him. He spun round to see Demyx stand up, tears blurring his blue eyes, and flee into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Axel cursed under his breath and thanked Kingdom Hearts the bathroom door had no lock as he rushed in to try and talk to Dem. He cursed louder as he saw a dark portal disappear in the corner of the room. He sat on the edge of the bath and let his head fall into his hands. Now he'd really messed up. Demyx could disappear for days on end if he really wanted to, nobody seemed to know where he went. He hated to admit it, but he needed help.
*
It was midday when Axel had got up, and by the time the sun was starting to set, dusk creeping round the horizon, he still had not found Demyx. He had checked every members room, most likely risking death in some.
Luckily it was Saix who had found him in Xemnas's room and kicked him out, had it been Xemnas himself he would have been in trouble. Zexion had raised an eyebrow at his entry, but other than that could have been a statue, engrossed in his book. Vexen wasn't in his room, as usual, so that was quite easy. Lexaeus merely picked him up physically and placed him out of the room before slamming the door again. It seemed none of the other members were in a good mood today. Larxene threatened him with enough electricity to power the castle for a month. Axel didn't know how much that was, and didn't want to find out. Marluxia threw a plant pot at his head (an empty one) while holding an ice bag to his own (Axel found out later that he'd had a tussle with a very drunk Xaldin and lost). Luxord offered a bet for information when he clearly didn't know while Xaldin simple yelled something undistinguishable and jumbled, along the lines of "IOutAxelOrHicWindsArrHeadAcheGoway!", so Axel left him to his hangover in peace.
Everything was beginning to seem hopeless when he bumped into Xigbar (who hadn't been in his room) and decided that now was the time to ask, even beg if he had to, for help. Xigbar stopped when Axel grabbed him by the shoulder, about to make some snide remark and tell him to move out of the way when he saw concern in his eyes. Axel never got concerned.
"Xigbar, you've got to help me. I said something to Demyx and now he's run off. I've looked everywhere in the castle and I can't find him. I'm worried I've hurt him…"
Xigbar nearly scoffed at him but refrained from doing so. Axel was being considerate for once and he really shouldn't ruin it.
"When Demyx hides he doesn't hide inside the castle. But of course you know that by now, don't you?"
Axel growled through his teeth, clenching his jaw at this stupid riddle of an answer, but though he really wanted to, he didn't lash out at the higher member.
"What do you mean by that? Xigbar, please, this is important, if you know where he is tell me!"
Xigbar sighed and considered Axel for a moment. Axel clenched and unclenched his fists, waiting impatiently for an answer.
"Fine, since you're so keen to set things right. Don't tell any of the others about this though, Demyx likes to have somewhere to run to. You know all our rooms are on the same level, yes? Above some of the rooms, a few floors up, are outcroppings, ledges. Demyx seems to like the one above his room. You'll most likely find him there."
Axel very nearly hugged his informer as he ran past him and vanished into a dark portal.
*
Demyx sat cross-legged on his ledge, staring up at the bright Kingdom Hearts in the sky, the sun had set and the red light showing the last of day and start of night was fading slowly. It was beautiful now that he could see it, having run out of tears with which to blind himself. He laid his hand on his sitar that lay next to him. A small pile of his belongings were placed carefully in a little hidey-hole in the corner of the ledge. Safer here than the room.
He didn't even hear when Axel stepped out of his portal, or notice when he knelt down next to him. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a warm hand came to rest on his shoulder and Axel looked him in the eyes. Almost automatically Demyx flinched and turned away. Axel squeezed his shoulder softly.
"Dem, please listen. I'm so sorry. What I did… what I said… I was completely out of order. I really shouldn't have been so insensitive to you."
Demyx didn't turn back, or even respond for a while. He just looked out at Kingdom Hearts, watching it's glow, as though trying to read a book without words. Axel paused then did the same, trying to see what Demyx saw, wondering if it was even for his eyes. Suddenly Demyx muttered something, almost inaudible.
"But… what you said before… it's true… isn't it?"
Axel saw out of the corner of his eye that Demyx still had not turned to him, so to try and seem less confronting, also kept his eyes on the shimmering 'moon' in the sky.
"What's true?"
Demyx's head suddenly bowed as fresh tears began to form in his eyes.
"You would have to be really out of it to have wanted to kiss me… to have liked me… like that…"
At this Axel did turn, lifting his hand from Dem's shoulder to place it on the other and bring him into a tight embrace as Dem left himself limp and wept.
"Oh Dem, no I didn't mean that. Honest! I just… I guess I didn't want to believe it myself. I was a little stunned at having woken up… like that…"
Demyx looked up, tears drying slowly. Axel almost blushed in embarrassment and very nearly turned away, but kept eye contact. If he turned away now, Dem would think he was lying. Dem blinked slowly then looked down again.
"But… you don't like me… like that… do you? You didn't want to kiss me… you were just drunk…"
Axel shook his head and tilted Dem's chin up to look him in the eyes. The light radiation from Kingdom Hearts made everything seem so much clearer, Dem looked more stunning in it's illumination.
"That's not true and I'll prove it."
Axel leaned in closer to Demyx, lifting his head from it's hunched position and pulled it closer to him. He really was getting in over his head. When their lips met, Axel felt Demyx virtually melt into his arms and right then knew, Dem needed this just as much, if not more, than he did. Gentle arms wrapped round his neck as he intensified the kiss, letting his tongue roam the unexplored corners of Dem's mouth, meeting no resistance. Eventually Dem had to break for air, warm vapour mists lifting from his lips to the night sky as he panted to regain lost oxygen. Axel held him upright carefully, he was obviously not very experienced at this.
"Do you believe me now?"
Dem nodded slowly, disbelievingly, and leant forwards, touching his forehead to Axel's cheek, clinging cautiously to his shoulders, as though worried he might simply fade away like some forgotten dream. Axel held him close and they sat for a long while, into the night, until a cold wind reminded him that they couldn't stay out there all night. Axel rose to get up, lifting the clingy sitarist up with him.
"We have to get inside. Don't want to catch a cold."
Dem nodded, not speaking, as though breaking the silence might shatter the fantasy. Axel summoned a dark portal and walked through, keeping one arm wrapped always round Dem, just to be there, to keep it reality.
*
Late that night, nobody stirred. Everyone slept in silence. The redheaded flame wielder lay curled slightly on the single bed, the water weaver wrapped tightly in his arms. Both slept soundly. Dem's head nestled neatly under Axel's chin into the small dip between his neck and shoulder. If this was nothing but a dream, neither wanted it to end. If dreams were always like this, there would be no need to wake up.
