It was growing more and more difficult for Roxas to drag himself out of bed in the morning. He was certain that he was sleeping through the night, yet always awoke feeling more tired than when he went to sleep. The iciest of cold showers could not rouse him from his exhaustion. As he pulled on his clothes, he struggled slightly to zip his coat, as if he'd gained weight. He tried to remember if Zexion had mentioned any side effects of the medicine he was given for his nausea, but none came to mind. He considered that perhaps he was just bloated. Too much ice cream.

Walking slightly hunched over to conceal the odd swelling, he traipsed into the Grey Area to get his mission briefing from Saïx, hoping nobody would notice his change in shape. As soon as he entered the room, Demyx came to meet him, looking far more bubbly and energetic than he usually was at this time of day.

"Roxas! 'Morning! You're with me today!"

"'Morning, Demyx. Where are we going?"

"Agrabah! It's just heart collection, thank goodness."

"All right… Let me know when you're ready."

"Are you kidding? I'm never ready! Wake me up when you're leaving, dude. I'll be on the couch."

As Demyx meandered lazily toward the sofa, Roxas considered looking around for Zexion to ask about the swelling, but decided against bringing it up, lest he get pulled from his mission for the day. He searched instead for the ever familiar head of brick red hair, supposing he had beaten Axel there today when he didn't see it. He was about to grab Demyx and head out when he heard his name.

"Roxas!" He turned at the sound of Axel's voice, glad to get the chance to see him before he left for the day. His friend approached him and discreetly handed him a bottle of cold water. "Hey, buddy. Take this with you, alright? Agrabah is hot as hell and you might get dehydrated—"

"Did Saïx put you up to this?"

Axel scratched his head and averted his eyes hesitantly before relenting. "Okay, yes, he did. But I'm pretty sure he is taking the advice from Vexen and Zexion. Don't shoot the messenger."

"Fine. Thanks, Axel."

"See you later, man!" Axel took off toward Vexen, who he would be joining for a recon mission in the new world the Organization had been investigating. Roxas headed for the sofa to collect Demyx and leave for their mission when Saïx came forward with his own advice.

"Roxas. Be careful. The sun is rather relentless, and the sand can be quite abrasive in Agrabah… and Demyx has such sensitive skin. Do keep an eye on him."

Roxas smirked at his warning, surprised to hear such a humorous remark out of him, especially so early in the morning. "Heh… Got it, Saïx. Demyx, let's go."

"Right behind you."

Roxas disappeared into his dark corridor but Saix caught Demyx before he could follow. "Demyx," He had Demyx by the arm and spoke under his breath with a fierce tone of voice. "I can't think of a task easier than 'Keep Roxas Alive,' but if anyone is sure to screw it up, it's you. Prove me wrong today."

Demyx sighed, refusing to answer him until he was released from his grasp. Saïx stared him down with a menacing glare, tightening his grip, but Demyx glared right back, refusing to be intimidated by the likes of him. Growing tired of their pointless game of chicken, he jerked his arm away and trudged through the portal without another word.

Even in the early hours of the morning, the sun was already frying the pair as they took their first steps into the sands of Agrabah. Sweat poured down Roxas' back in seconds, and his skin began to burn from the heat. He pulled up his hood as he waited for Demyx to follow him. Demyx soon came through the portal, wiping his forehead and shielding his eyes.

"Ugh, I hate sweating. Let's make this quick."

"Are you actually going to help this time?"

"Hey, my mission is just to make sure you don't die. But if it will get us home faster, then yes."

"Then let's go."

They began their search in the immediate area, ambushed by small-time Heartless every few feet they stepped. Roxas made quick work of taking them out before Demyx could even react. As soon as he'd cleared an area, he moved on to the next, defeating the creatures as they materialized out of the darkness. Over the next few hours, they combed the town, exterminating the monsters with ease, but Roxas couldn't help but notice that they were rather small in number. Previous reports had mentioned a sizeable population in the area, so where were they?

As they continued their search, the sun rose higher in the sky, blanketing the two in sweltering heat. Roxas had long since emptied the water bottle he was given, and the dry air only amplified his dehydration. He began to feel winded and slightly dizzy, but pressed onward with determination. Rather than stop to rest, forcing them to remain in the gritty, burning hellhole for any longer than necessary, Roxas endeavored to finish the job quickly so they could go back to the castle and cool off.

Demyx had noticed Roxas beginning to slow down and suggested they stop several times, but Roxas insisted each time that he didn't need a break. After awhile, they stopped encountering Heartless altogether when it was still too early to call it a day. Demyx grew excited at the prospect of getting to return early, eagerly appealing to Roxas to call off the search.

"Well, it's been half an hour since we've seen a Heartless. Guess that's all of them!"

"Let's check outside of town."

Demyx's eyes widened at the suggestion. "What? Roxas, we're supposed to stay in town."

"I have a quota to meet and I'm nowhere near it. Let's just look outside the town and see if there are any more Heartless out there."

"Come on, dude, now you're just looking for extra work…"

Roxas gave Demyx a stern look as he summoned his keyblade and made his way toward the town's entrance gate. "Demyx, if your job is to make sure I don't get hurt, then you'd better follow me and make sure I don't get hurt."

Demyx reluctantly followed Roxas outside the town's walls and into the windy desert. The sand was deeper and more difficult to trek through, but Roxas lead the way as they set off. His fatigue only intensified with the motion of the gusts around them and the blinding light of the sun seared through their coats without the protection of the town's walls. He pulled his hood tighter around his face, guarding against the sand as he panted breathlessly. In the distance, he could see what appeared to be a thick cloud of dust swirling about.

"Is that the storm? The one you guys have been tracking?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, it's pretty nasty. We should stay back."

Roxas squinted against the blowing sand as he continued in the direction of the storm. His attention was quickly drawn to its center, where he could just barely make out what looked like a tornado, surrounded by hundreds of small flying shapes. As they neared the tempest, despite Demyx's protests, he could see that the flying specks were creatures of some sort, black, winged and ugly. They didn't look like any animal Roxas had ever seen. They could only be Heartless.

"What's that? Way out in the distance?"

"Oh crap, Roxas stay away from there! That's the giant Heartless that's been causing the sandstorms. We're not supposed to go near it!"

Roxas couldn't see the giant Heartless, but the smaller creatures seemed like easy pickings. He'd make his quota in no time if he kept his distance and targeted them instead. "But it's got a swarm of smaller Heartless around it. I can handle those."

"Roxas, I'm serious, look at my arm. That thing is vicious!"

"I'll be fine, Demyx. Cover for me, I'm going in."

Roxas, wasting no time waiting for Demyx's approval, took off toward the center of the dust cloud, keyblade at the ready. The creatures began to circle him, and he effortlessly eliminated them by the dozen. To his surprise, they seemed to multiply the more he eradicated. Demyx called out to him, begging him to return. "Roxas!! Stop! Come back!"

Unable to convince Roxas to leave, Demyx ran in after him, preparing his sitar to assist in the battle. He cast a shield of water around Roxas from afar as the swarm closed in on him. "See, Roxas?! The more you kill, the more it sends out!"

Roxas continued to fight, each swing of his keyblade taking substantial energy to carry out. He struggled to maintain his balance in the deep sand, wavering as it shifted beneath his feet. The Heartless began to overwhelm him, obscuring his vision as they surrounded him in thick masses. Demyx was casting water spells left and right but could not reduce their numbers by himself.

"Roxas, watch out! Behind you!"

With his limited visibility, Roxas couldn't see the gargantuan beast emerging from the sand until it was too late. He turned around just in time to see an enormous pincer coming straight for him at full speed, far too quick for him to react. Before he realized what had happened, he was on the ground, coughing and unable to breathe.

"Roxas!!"

His chest ached and he could feel excruciating stabbing sensations in his abdomen. He tried desperately to inhale, taking in copious amounts of sand as he did so. He could feel Demyx's hands on his shoulders as he choked and sputtered. Everything grew dark for a moment, leading Roxas to believe he'd passed out, but the light soon returned to his vision, and the violent squall was gone. Demyx had taken them through a corridor of darkness, transporting them back to town.

"Shit… Roxas, can you hear me? Talk to me, man!"

Roxas tried to answer but still couldn't draw breath. He hacked and gagged on the sand that had collected in his throat, clutching at his middle to quell the shooting pains radiating from his sternum to his navel.

"Roxas, are you hurt? Did it hit you?"

Roxas began to feel faint as he succumbed to the lack of air. His stomach heaved as he swallowed the sand he'd taken in, and his face flushed red with the strain of his struggle for breath. Finally he managed to cough up enough sand to create a small opening in his windpipe, allowing him to put some force behind his efforts to expel the rest from his body.

"Whoa, easy, dude! Are you alright? Can you breathe?"

Demyx, panicking, beat on Roxas' back in a misguided attempt to relieve his choking. As Roxas replenished his air, he groaned with pain, wondering just how badly he'd been injured by the gigantic creature. He tried to speak, but couldn't manage a single word.

"Okay, hang in there, buddy, I'm taking you home! Don't you die on me, Roxas!"

Demyx rose to his feet and materialized a dark portal, quickly dragging Roxas through and returning them instantly to the castle. Roxas, still feeling faint, let his eyelids droop in a daze as the room spun around him. Demyx shouted at him from over his head as he laid him on the mercifully cool floor of the Grey Area.

"No, no you don't Roxas! Stay awake, man! Open your eyes!"

"Demyx, what the hell happened?!"

"I don't know! It was so quick! I can't tell if he got hit or if he just collapsed!"

"Roxas, speak! What ails you?" He could see the shapes of bodies kneeling over him. Saïx's blue hair was easily recognizable, and Roxas could barely croak an answer for him as he tried to sit upright.

"I'm fine…"

"Are you injured? Don't try to move."

"Really, I'm okay…"

The last thing Roxas wanted was to scare Saïx into making a hasty decision to punish the both of them, but he failed to convince the man that he was unhurt. Roxas could feel hands all over him, poking at him and searching for injuries. He winced as he felt fingers prodding at his chest and abdomen, grunting with what little breath he had left at the sharp sting. His coat was unzipped, exposing his bare torso and eliciting gasps from the figures around him.

"Damn it, you had one job, Demyx!"

"I tried to stop him! He took off after the giant Heartless!"

"And you let him leave town?!"

"It's not his fault… I went after it…" Roxas tried to defend Demyx, but entered into another fit of coughing as more sand fell into his throat, desperately gasping for air, only to hack and retch even harder.

"Demyx, go and get Zexion, now!"

"What's wrong…?" Roxas began to tremble, suddenly feeling cold despite the persistent sweat on his skin.

"You're going to be fine. Lie still."

"I'm tired… Can't breathe…"

"Look at me, Roxas. Keep your eyes open."

Roxas focused on Saïx's face, unable to discern a single feature through his blurry vision no matter how many times he blinked. His eyes began to water as he endured the intense pains in his chest and abdomen with no means of communicating his plight. He winced, clutching at his middle with gritted teeth, fighting the urge to cough again.

"Are you in pain?"

Roxas nodded slowly, forcing his eyes to stay open. "How much longer…?"

"Zexion is coming. He will be here soon."

"Saïx…" Roxas whispered. "Don't punish Demyx…"

"Do not concern yourself with Demyx. He will be dealt with later. Focus on staying awake."

Roxas could soon hear hurried footsteps approaching before Saïx's blurry figure was joined by two more, leaning over him and closely inspecting him inch by inch.

"Demyx told me everything. Has there been any change?"

"No. He can hardly breathe. I believe he is choking on sand he inhaled in the storm. Then, of course, there's this…"

"That's not good… Roxas? It's Zexion. I'm just going to take a look and then we'll go and fix you up, okay?"

Sharp fingers pressed into his torso and he grunted loudly with the resulting pain. The touch lightened in response, gently prodding at the area for a few seconds more.

"Hard to tell. I need to scan him. Let's get him to Vexen's lab, quickly."

The two men carefully lifted Roxas from the ground and made their way toward the hall. Demyx, who had been watching from a few feet away, prepared to follow, but was stopped by Saïx. "You, Demyx, have a rather lengthy report to write. Consider it phase one of your punishment."

Before Demyx could respond, Saïx had left the room with Roxas in tow. Zexion lagged behind, giving Demyx a sympathetic look. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Demyx interrupted him.

"Don't worry about me. Go help Roxas."

Zexion hesitated, longing to protest, but ultimately was forced to attend to his fallen comrade. With a solemn nod, he turned and bolted out the doorway, leaving Demyx alone in the Grey Area to reflect on his latest string of failures.

"Your report, Saïx."

The impromptu meeting was attended by only Xemnas, Saïx, and Zexion, each man appearing tired and tense. It was unusual to hold a meeting so late at night, but it was necessary to keep Xemnas updated on Roxas' condition since the incident. For the moment, Roxas was in Vexen's care, and was doing quite well.

"Roxas was involved in a battle with the giant Heartless in Agrabah. He came away with minor injuries, from which I am told he will recover fully."

"Zexion, do you concur?"

Zexion was reading from his notepad, his eyes puffy from fatigue. "He sustained a blow to the sternum, causing massive internal bruising and upsetting the vessel inside him, but there will ultimately be no lasting damage from the attack."

Xemnas listened intently with his hands clasped in front of him, staring blankly in the direction of Roxas' seat across from him. Zexion scrolled through his notes and continued his report.

"He was also dehydrated and suffering from a mild case of heat stroke. He inhaled quite a bit of sand but his airways have been cleared. I expect he could return to work in a few days if he feels up to it."

Xemnas gave him a relieved smile. "It is most fortunate that he was not permanently incapacitated. How did this occur?"

Saïx chimed in, coldly describing the events in a scathing tone. "Demyx was ordered to keep him in town, far away from the giant Heartless. It was his responsibility to keep Roxas safe."

"And you believe he faltered in that responsibility?"

"Yes. But the matter is dealt with. I have assigned an appropriate punishment for him."

"Sir, if I may speak on Demyx's behalf," Zexion leaned to the front of his seat, shooting a disapproving glare at Saïx. "Roxas left the boundaries of town and pursued the giant Heartless of his own volition. Demyx neither forced nor persuaded him to do so, and in fact made several attempts to stop him. I do not believe Demyx was at fault here."

"Roxas is small and feeble, he could have easily been overpowered if Demyx had applied himself properly."

"You think he should have tackled a pregnant teenager and dragged him back kicking and screaming?"

"Gentlemen."

Their superior swiftly silenced their argument, leaving them only to pierce through each other's corneas with the daggers in their eyes.

"Let us not dwell on what cannot be changed. Assigning blame and delivering punishment are emotional reactions, well beneath our caliber. We must not lose sight of the reality of the situation. Roxas is alive and he is well. We need not trouble ourselves with this matter any further."

Several seconds passed with no words before Saïx pulled his haunting gaze off of Zexion's face. "I will lift the punishment from Demyx. Although I will still expect his completed report by the end of this week."

Xemnas nodded in approval, closing his eyes to ponder in silence. Saïx spoke up again, expressing a concern he'd held for weeks.

"Sir, I find myself wondering how we can prepare Roxas for Castle Oblivion if Agrabah has proven too much for him."

"A reasonable apprehension. Zexion, would you suggest that we keep Roxas at the castle for the remainder of his gestation?"

Zexion could only shrug, unable to offer a suitable answer that would please all parties involved. "Well, it would certainly be safer, but…"

"Roxas is still able-bodied and wants to work. Most of the time he comes back just fine, but an incident like this can't be brushed off as a fluke. He was lucky this time. Next time, he might not be."

Saïx's warning carried enough logic to elicit a pause from his comrades. Zexion proposed a compromise. "Why not just send him on lighter missions in worlds with milder climates?"

Saïx contemplated the suggestion for a moment before stating his opinion. "The options are scarcely limited. He may grow bored, but he'll likely consider it a blessing compared to the alternatives."

"Hmm…" Xemnas closed his eyes again, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Saïx, for now, let's dial back Roxas' workload and keep him away from worlds with extreme weather conditions. It is important that we not put any undue stress on him in his condition. I suggest reducing his hours and assigning him missions that are less strenuous."

There were nods from his subordinates. Xemnas, satisfied with the conclusion, ended the meeting.

"You are dismissed."

Neither Zexion nor Saïx left right away. Now that they were alone, Zexion appealed to Saïx, hoping to reach his merciful side, if he had one. "Don't you think you're a bit hard on Demyx?"

"In order to achieve muscle growth, one must first tear that muscle through rigorous exercise. When the injuries have healed, the muscle is stronger than it was before. Pain is growth."

"Demyx isn't a muscle, Saïx."

Saïx shrugged in exasperation. "I'm helping him to build character. The only way to thicken one's skin is to get under it on a regular basis."

Zexion crossed his arms disapprovingly. "I'm not sure I agree with that logic."

"You'll see. Demyx will grow stronger with the right motivation. He is simply a late bloomer."

Zexion leaned on his knees and made one last attempt to warm Saïx's icy disposition. "At least give him some credit here. He dove head-first into danger to pull Roxas out and bring him home. His uncharacteristic bravery and quick thinking in a crisis situation saved Roxas' life."

Saïx stared at him for a few moments, silent and expressionless. Finally, his hardened demeanor broke just enough for him to relent.

"I'll consider it. It's late and you look exhausted. Go to bed."

Before Zexion could react to the unexpected surrender, Saïx sank into a corridor of darkness and vanished for the evening.

When nothing else would cheer him up, Demyx could always rely on the company of his sitar. He lounged on his bed, absentmindedly plucking its strings, weaving together elaborate melodies with ease. Practicing his instrument was therapeutic for him to the point of being almost meditative. The sound was soothing enough to quiet all the noise in his mind so that he could relax without the use of drugs. Although he enjoyed alcohol and other substances recreationally, he hated the idea of becoming dependent on them. His heart was already gone. The last thing he wanted was to lose his mind too.

He was startled out of his trance by a knock at the door. He glanced at the clock to find that it was nearly midnight and wondered who could be calling on him at this late hour.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Demyx."

Demyx's chest fluttered at the sound of Zexion's voice. He took a couple of breaths and returned to playing his sitar, frantically trying to restore his calm state of mind.

"Okay, come in."

The door opened and Zexion entered, nervously fussing with his hair. Demyx glanced up at him, his fingers never missing a note on his sitar as he greeted his guest. "Hey, man. What's up?"

Zexion shrugged as he cautiously meandered in Demyx's direction. "I was working late and uh… I wanted to check in on you."

Demyx chuckled and returned his attention to his instrument. "Still breathing, last I checked."

Zexion smiled and took a seat at the foot of the bed, listening to Demyx play. "I thought you might want to talk."

Demyx didn't look up from his sitar, choosing not to respond for the time being. Demyx never considered himself to be very good with words, and often found that it was better for him to just say nothing at all, at the risk of looking foolish in front of people who already thought he was dumb as a brick. He communicated far more effectively with his instrument, as his improvised strumming usually reflected his current mood.

"You've been isolating yourself. I haven't seen you in the Grey Area in days—"

"Did the guys put you up to this? Luxord? Xigbar?"

Zexion paused, taken aback by the question. "N-no. I came here because I was concerned. Saïx has been really hard on you and I just… needed to know that you weren't letting it get to you."

"Pfft," Demyx scoffed. "That asshole? There's no pleasing him. I don't care what he thinks."

"Then what's bothering you?"

Demyx sighed and put his instrument away, crossing his arms and staring at the wall. It was a long time before he finally answered. "It happened so fast."

Zexion didn't interrupt, listening intently to Demyx as he slowly let his guard down. Demyx dropped is head in his hands and sighed heavily. "One minute he was right in front of me and the next… He could have died, and it would have been all because of me."

Demyx collected himself in silence for a few moments more. He had always liked Roxas and could remember quite well the strange aches he felt when he was kidnapped. He had a keen awareness of Roxas' absence and could hardly stand the sense of emptiness his friend left behind. Demyx never could quite articulate how he felt at the time, but upon reflection he came to interpret the sensations as loneliness and sorrow.

Zexion, recognizing clearly the pain in Demyx's face, gently gripped his shoulder in support. "Demyx… it wasn't your fault."

"I should have dragged his ass back to the castle instead of letting him leave town. I could see the sun was getting to him but I let him go anyway. And I couldn't protect him because I suck at combat. Saïx is right. I'm just a colossal screw-up."

"That isn't true and you know it. Demyx, think about it. What could you realistically have done any differently?"

Demyx was quiet as he went back over the events in his mind. Zexion had a point. Roxas was adamant and Demyx was in no position to stop him doing what he wanted to do. There really wasn't much else Demyx could have done in those circumstances with the resources available to him. All he could do at the time was try and keep the kid safe while he made his own bad decisions. Perhaps he was letting Saïx get to him more than he was willing to admit. He'd have been lying if he said he didn't dwell on the man's disparagement just a little.

"Zexion… I never took my eyes off him. I watched his every move. I told him to take a break a million times. I warned him about leaving town. I tried to stop him going after the giant Heartless. His dumb ass didn't listen to anything I said…"

Demyx was working himself up as he re-evaluated every step he took, subjecting himself once again to the unfair scrutiny under which he always seemed to be buried. "I ran in after him when he went anyway. I cast a shield around him with my crappy water spells when he got surrounded. I brought him right back as soon as the situation was out of control. Damn it, I did everything right, Zexion! What more could I have done?!"

Zexion tenderly stroked Demyx's arm as he grew more and more upset, hoping to calm him down so that he could finally let go of his guilt. "Demyx… you're right. There was nothing more you could have done. Roxas made those choices all on his own. You are not responsible for what happened to him."

Demyx kept his head down, making no outward reaction to Zexion's agreement, despite how grateful he was to hear those words. Zexion filled the silence with a continuation of his motivational lecture. "You followed every instruction and you saved your friend from lasting harm. Roxas is fine. His injuries were minor and he is returning to duty. You didn't make any mistakes, Demyx. You did everything right."

Demyx finally looked up at Zexion, comforted by his warm expression. He was certain this entire encounter violated his 'making it weird' code, but for the moment, he didn't care. Zexion had made him feel better, and for that he was extremely grateful. He smiled at him, feeling his cheeks beginning to flush. "Thanks, Zexion. That's really nice of you to say."

"Any time, Demyx. Saïx seems to think he can make you stronger by mistreating you. I wholeheartedly disagree with his methods."

"Ha! That's why he's always on my case? He's in for a world of disappointment. I don't want to be stronger. I'm fine just the way I am."

Zexion wanted very much to voice his enthusiastic agreement, but he lost his nerve, emitting no words when he opened his mouth. He remembered very clearly Demyx's code and refused to violate it out of respect for his friend.

Demyx clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back onto his pillow. "Did you really come up here just to make me feel better?"

Zexion blushed, averting his eyes. "Uh, well… I wanted to see you."

Demyx grinned, having expected that answer. "You know, I completely forgot to thank you."

"Thank me? What for?"

Demyx reached under his pillow and pulled out the stuffed Moogle toy Zexion had given him. "Do you have any idea how much better I sleep with this guy next to me? It's a miracle."

Zexion laughed, thrilled to see his old plush toy being put to good use. "I'm glad to know that after all these years, he still works."

"You mean he was yours?"

Zexion nodded, smiling at the fond memories the little doll brought up within him. "Ansem the Wise gave it to me when I was a boy. See… my parents died in a Heartless invasion, and for the longest time after that, I couldn't sleep. I had these awful nightmares… But when Master Ansem gave me this stuffed Moogle, suddenly I could sleep again. I remember the very first night when he gave it to me, I fell asleep right in his arms, almost instantly."

Demyx was silent, lost for words. He had no idea the plushie was such a meaningful item to Zexion. Just to make him feel better, Zexion gave Demyx a toy that held great sentimental value and cherished childhood memories. He was touched by the gesture.

"Ansem the Wise was like a grandfather to me. I loved him dearly, and that Moogle reminds me of him. He never failed to make me feel better when I was hurting, and I know he'll do the same for you."

Demyx smiled with gratitude. "I'll take good care of him."

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments, neither man knowing what to say next. Demyx pressed the Moogle to his chest and let its soft fur brush against his cheek. He kept his eyes closed for awhile while Zexion stared out the window, lost in thought. He found himself soothed by the sound of his steady breathing, nearly lulled to sleep just listening to it. He opened his eyes to keep himself awake, stealing a glance at Zexion as he perched on the other side of the bed.

Demyx was drawn to the handsome features of Zexion's face. The glow of the moon accentuated the soft curves of his jaw line and highlighted his cheekbones. His deep aqua-colored eyes sparkled brilliantly even in the dark of night, and the way his steel blue hair fell over his skin gave him an irresistible air of mystery.

Demyx rose to sit upright, looking out the window alongside him. Zexion smiled warmly at his company. "Hey, uh… I didn't… hurt you, did I?"

Zexion faced him, baffled. "Hurt me?" Puzzled, he took a moment to understand what Demyx was talking about. "When did you—? Oh." It wasn't long before he realized what he was referring to, giggling nervously as it struck him. "Oh, I see. Uh… No, Demyx. You didn't hurt me."

In truth, it hurt like hell. Zexion was sore for several days following the encounter, unable to comfortably sit in his chair while he worked and eliciting numerous raised eyebrows from Vexen as he stiffly hobbled around the lab, insisting he just had an aching back. But it was worth it. He'd have done it all over again without a second thought.

Demyx battled with himself over whether he should move the conversation along. He was struggling with his pitifully limited vocabulary and was way over the 'making it weird' line by now, but was so taken to Zexion that he simply couldn't stop himself. "That's, uh… good to hear."

Zexion smiled reassuringly. "But, I hurt you, didn't I? Let me see it."

He lifted Demyx's arm, closely inspecting it as he scooted closer. "This is looking better. You've been keeping up with your after-care."

He lightly traced his fingers along the harsh grooves in Demyx's skin. Demyx hadn't thought much about the gash left by the giant Heartless in Agrabah until being forced to go back there a second time. The healing flesh was still slightly tender, and he winced as Zexion brushed over a sore spot, concerning the scientist.

"It still hurts?"

"No, not really. Itches like crazy, though."

"That's normal. It's healing pretty nicely. You can put some ice on it, if it bothers you…"

"I have a better idea."

Demyx dragged his fingertips along Zexion's jaw to his chin and over his lips. He brushed his hair off of his face and tucked it behind his ear, finally getting a good look at both of his eyes, unobscured by his long fringe. Zexion, feeling exposed, felt his cheeks heating up as Demyx stared at him with a longing gaze. He quickly understood what Demyx was suggesting, gently taking his injured arm and planting the softest kiss over the center of the mending scar.

"Is that better?"

"Hmm… try again."

A dozen kisses later, Demyx had scooted so close that he now sat only inches from Zexion. Through with playing around, he leaned in for a proper kiss, stopping only centimeters from Zexion's lips and savoring the warmth of his ragged breaths as he panted with anticipation.

"Does that hurt, too, Demyx?"

"Like the dickens."

Zexion gave in to the temptation and invited Demyx into the kiss he'd been building up. The touch of his lips caused thousands of tiny static shocks beneath Zexion's skin. He felt a surge of warmth shoot from his chest and spread through his body. He longed to take Demyx into his arms, needing to be close to him. The feeling was so powerful that it frightened him and he broke off the kiss, gasping as he tried to catch his breath. He rubbed his chest to quiet the pounding sensation, blinking the dizziness out of his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Demyx asked with a tone of concern and confusion. "You okay?"

Zexion turned away as he tried to slow down his breathing. "I'm… I'm sorry, Demyx. This is all new to me. I just…"

Normally so eloquent, Zexion was now lost for words, unable to describe the feeling he was experiencing. The sensations were completely unfamiliar, incomparable to any emotion he remembered ever feeling in his human life. He couldn't tell if he was excited or terrified, or whether he was about to laugh or about to cry.

"Hey… it's my bad. I moved too fast. I'm sorry, man."

"No, no, I…" Zexion began to tremble, feeling a sudden tension in his throat. "Demyx… I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

Demyx's face fell, realizing he must have scared Zexion off. "Yeah, I'll be there. Goodnight, dude. See you tomorrow."

Zexion gave him an anxious-looking smile before rushing out the door. Demyx stared blankly after him for a long while, trying to understand what had happened. Zexion was certainly timid during their previous encounter, and they took things quite a bit farther then. Something about tonight must have really put him off, Demyx just couldn't figure out what that could be.

After spending a long while reflecting on the evening, he gave up trying to solve the puzzle. He picked up the stuffed Moogle toy again, turning its face to his own and speaking directly to it. "I guess I can't do anything right, huh?"

The Moogle didn't respond, but Demyx squeezed it all the same, hoping it would make him feel better. He fell onto his pillow, still clutching the plushie, and closed his eyes. Thankfully, and to his pleasant surprise, the Moogle still did its job. Demyx felt himself relaxing deeply into his mattress, wrapped in the warm blanket draped over his body. In no time at all, he sank comfortably into a peaceful, restful sleep.