After talking with Vexen, Demyx and Axel raided the pantry and found several unopened bottles of alcohol. Demyx sat on the counter, cracking one open and taking the first swig. The liquid was warm but it burned his throat, making his eyes water before passing it to Axel. He jumped off the counter and dug through the fridge to find something to soothe his throat.
"For a guy that likes getting high in parks, he has a lot of alcohol," Axel says, taking Demyx's spot on the counter. "He's practically letting the opportunity fly by. He could've had parties."
Demyx pulled out ingredients for a sandwich only to stiffen at the loud echo of the front door slamming shut. He and Axel looked to see Larxene sauntering in, her face scrunched in a scowl. She settled her hands on her hips, shaking her head.
"No. Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!"
Axel frowned. "Is that all you came here to say? You could've phoned. Another great opportunity to hang up on you. What a waste, Larx."
"Fuck off," she said, walking over to him and ripping the bottle from his hand. "Why in the fuck do you two want to talk with Marluxia?"
Demyx wasn't sure about inviting Marluxia if Larxene was going to have this kind of reaction.
"I was about to ask the same thing," Xion said, entering the kitchen with her phone in hand. "Got a text from Vexen, wondering if I could phone Marluxia."
Larxene looked at the young girl, a rare look of sympathy flashing in her eyes. "You know the bastard too?"
"He went to the same institution that I and Zexion went too," Xion said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
Larxene grinned. "I always wondered who he was hiding."
"Nothing happened between the two of us."
"I wasn't talking about you, darling."
Demyx looked between the two, the exasperation on Xion's face and the half smile on Larxene's. The words spilled out in his mind in a continuous rhythm until he realized what they meant.
Larxene tilted back her head and brought the bottle to her lips, taking a long swig.
"Zexion dated Marluxia?" Axel asked, disgust marred his face.
Demyx drew in a long breath before saying, "Please tell me this guy can help."
Larxene shrugged, passing the bottle back to Axel. "Marluxia has some skills. He's not the kind of guy you want to hang around with. Punching him in the face usually shuts him up."
Demyx turned around and fixed himself a sandwich. Larxene's tactics are mostly severely injuring people, a skill that he didn't mind at all.
"He knows where Zexion lives, right?" Axel asked.
Xion nodded. "He stuck around, mocking Vexen whenever he hung out with Zexion."
Vexen walked in, glancing to everyone in the room and stopping on Xion. "Did you call him?"
"Yes. I called him.
"I spoke with Lexaeus and Luxord about the arrangement. They aren't fond of the idea, nor are they surprised," Vexen said.
Demyx took his phone out and turned it on, frowning at the text he received from Luxord.
Do be careful around Marluxia. He's a sly bastard. - Luxord.
That wasn't reassuring.
"When did Zexion and Marluxia break up?" Axel asked, opening another bottle.
Xion narrowed her eyes at him. "A year ago. He openly mocked Zexion on occasion and Zexion was fed up with it. The break up didn't go well."
"Marluxia's possessive," Larxene said, biting her nail, "when he gets here, you'll want to burn his fucking hair right off. He talks like he knows everything, so if you want to punch him, be my guest."
"Okay," Axel clasped his hands, grinning, "let's get drunk, I don't want to be sober when he arrives."
Demyx couldn't agree more. They spent the next few minutes opening bottles and downing the contents without care. They were laughing at nonsense in no time. Xion had fallen on her ass, while Axel tried to help her up. Vexen left when they started, something about not breaking anything, but none of them were listening.
"How many...did we drink?" Larxene asked, gripping the counter and staring at the bottle of Vodka, it was half finished. There were two that were empty and sitting in the sink. Three that weren't even cracked open yet. One was smashed thanks to Axel's clumsy hands.
"Why are we drinking these straight?" Xion asked, holding onto Axel's arm and squinting her eyes, while reaching for the bottle at the same time.
"I need more," Axel said, before he could grab the bottle Xion was reaching for, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He laughed when he read the caller ID, "Everyone shut the fuck up! It's my brother."
Xion tilted her head up, "You have a brother?"
Axel nodded, "Reno...His name is Reno," Axel slurred, answering the phone and greeting his brother.
Demyx stared at the bottle before straightening up. "Holy shit. We should invite Riku...he can somehow get a hold of Roxas and Sora. Why didn't anyone think of this before?"
Larxene was leaned against the counter, scowling at Demyx who was fumbling for his phone. "Maybe cause your crazy stalker is out there somewhere, trying to skin you alive and make you into his own personal blanket."
Demyx turned his head slowly toward her, glaring in utter disgust. "That's fucked up, Larx. I didn't need the image."
She laughed, tipping her head back and drinking the Vodka. Demyx dialed Riku's number and watched Axel speaking to his brother about an existential crisis. Xion was cracking open another bottle.
He never thought they'd get drunk in a matter of fifteen to twenty minutes. He didn't mind, but he knew it was needed.
"Demyx?" Riku said on the other line.
"Ri, come over to Zexion's," he said, a bit too quickly.
"What? Why? Did Xigbar find you there?"
Demyx shook his head even though he knew Riku couldn't see him. "No. We're going to meet someone named Marluxia, and we're all drunk because we all hate him."
"Okay...What? I don't know what you're talking— Demyx...are you drunk?"
Demyx rolled his eyes and watched Axel wiping away tears from his face. "Didn't I just say that? Ri."
"I don't think you should be drunk."
"Riku."
"What?"
Demyx covered his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. "Axel's crying." Larxene laughed along with Demyx and Xion, while Axel glared at them, his eyes wet from tears.
"Fuck you guys. I'm having an emotional moment with my—" Axel looked at his phone, frowning. "I think he hung up on me."
"You really should come over, Ri."
"Fine. Give me the address and I'll come through the back."
"Bring Sora and Roxas." He hung up before Riku could say anything when Vexen wandered back in, followed by a handsome pink haired male with bright blue eyes. He was tall and was wearing a grin. From the grimaces on Axel and Larxene wore, this was the infamous Marluxia.
"Why is it every time I see you two, you're drinking." His voice was liquid, intense and a bit rough.
Larxene snickered, "I can't stand you when I'm sober."
"Me either," Axel said, reaching for the bottle in Xion's hand.
"I can't stand you in general," Xion said, her voice deadpan.
Marluxia glanced around the room, disregarding Demyx's presence. "Where's Zexion?" he asked Vexen.
"Sleeping," Vexen said, narrowing his eyes at Marluxia, "and no, you can't wake him. He's on a sedative and I'd rather he'd be asleep during this meeting."
"That's a bit much, don't you think? Zexion's not going to like it when he wakes up."
"I don't care," Vexen said.
"Who else is arriving?" Marluxia asked.
"Lexaeus and Luxord," Vexen says, lowering his voice and turning his body to the side.
Demyx staggered to Larxene, Axel and Xion, the three looked like they were sobering up by the arrival of Marluxia. There was something that bugged Demyx, and he wasn't sure about it until now.
"What kind of relationship did they have before?" Demyx asked, whispering as best he could.
"It wasn't anything sexual," Xion said, whispering herself, but her eyes were glazed and she was leaning against Axel, "it didn't last long either. Zexion isn't the type to stay with anyone for long."
Demyx nodded, but he was still cautious about the man. He couldn't rid the feeling that this was wrong, it settled in his gut, a sense that he needed to protect Zexion. Yet he barely knew them, and wasn't sure what he was meant to do besides figure out how to deal with his own problem.
A knock sounded at the back and Vexen walked over and opened it. Luxord stepped in, followed by an older man with sharp cheekbones and orange colored hair. They stopped when they noted Marluxia's presence, he smiled in return.
Luxord flicked his gaze to the others, including Demyx and scowled. "You couldn't wait?"
"Didn't want too," Larxene replied.
Luxord reached for one of the bottles that weren't cracked open and twisted the lid off himself. "He hasn't said anything yet?"
Axel shook his head. "Dumb ass is probably waiting for Zexion to wake up." Luxord raised his brow but didn't question it as he took a swig.
"Riku, Roxas and Sora are coming over too," Demyx said, almost falling over before Larxene grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet.
"Why did you invite them over? You're practically letting Xigbar find you," Luxord said, glaring at him.
Demyx shrugged. "I know. I'm going to regret it in the morning."
Marluxia, Vexen and Lexaeus walked over to them, pulling out chairs from the table and sitting down.
"From what Vexen and Lexaeus informed me of, you have a certain pest that you want gone from your life," Marluxia said, tilting his head to the side, smiling at Demyx.
Demyx nodded. "Can you help?" His skin was itchy from the stifling room, and the alcohol didn't help.
"I can help," he said.
Demyx wasn't comfortable with a man who reminded him too much of Xigbar, but there were risks that needed to be made. Vexen, Luxord and Lexaeus threw around ideas, while the other three went back to drinking.
Demyx staggered out of the room, his vision flickering in and out as he headed up the stairs. Trying his best not to remember the easy smile on Marluxia's face. There were many things he wasn't sure about, and maybe tonight with his hazy drunken mind, he didn't have to think about it for once.
Demyx sucked in a breath when he climbed to the second floor. The halls were eerie, besides the echoes of the others downstairs. He wandered toward his bedroom and before he could touch the knob, a creak coming from Zexion's room cut through the silence.
Zexion stepped out, rubbing his eyes like a sleep addled child, a yawn left his lips. His usual dark hair was unkempt, and when he looked to see Demyx, blinking as if wondering if it truly was him.
"Are you drunk?"
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