"Roxas!" Sora called, worried and a little desperate but trying to stay calm. "Roxas, where are you?"

Where the hell is he? The blond hadn't answered his phone any of the times Sora, Namine and Kairi had tried to call him, and no one had seen him in over an hour. They'd already checked the dorm with no luck, and Sora was starting to really worry about his twin. He couldn't figure out why Roxas would leave the dance without telling anyone, especially considering how responsible he usually was.

"Sora, did you find him yet?" he heard Kairi's voice from across the courtyard. The Masquerade was over and the other students had left a while ago, many of whom had gone to the after party Sora, Roxas, Kairi and Namine were supposed to attend. Except they had no idea where Roxas was.

"No!" the brunette called back. This whole thing would be easier if the lights hadn't turned off and they could actually see. "Roxas, seriously, where are you?"

"Sora…here…"

Whirling around, Sora searched for the sound of the voice. "Rox?" His eyes already adjusted to the dark, he moved towards where he thought the sound had come from and managed to spot the form of someone sitting among a few bushes. Relief flooded him and he tackled the blond, hugging him tightly.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," he commanded quietly, nuzzling into Roxas' neck. "Okay?"

Roxas smiled weakly and wrapped his arms around his brother's waist. "Okay. I promise." It hadn't been his intention to upset Sora, but then, the only thing he'd been trying to do when he hid in the bushes was escape Axel, and it had worked. The redheaded senior hadn't been able to find him, and none of the school's other students had noticed him in his hiding place.

"Why are you hiding like this, Rox? Did something happen?" Sora asked quietly without lifting his head from his brother's shoulder. He knew something was wrong; he could feel Roxas trembling slightly, and the blond was tense. It had to be something serous for him to hide the way he was.

Hesitating, Roxas rested his cheek on Sora's shoulder. "You…you know that guy, Axel?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He was here for the dance. I saw him and I was going to tell him that I finished reading my copy of Pride and Prejudice, since he wanted to borrow it." He stopped, his grip on Sora tightening.

"Roxas?"

"Before I got to him, he…I mean, I saw him…" The words stuck in his throat. It should have been easy for him to say it, that he'd seen Axel kissing Miss Larxene, but it wasn't. Even though it shouldn't have bothered him at all, it did. He knew Sora was waiting for him to finish, and even though he didn't want to say it, he forced the words out. "I saw him kissing Miss Larxene."

There was a moment of silence as Sora registered what his brother had just said.

"You saw him doing what?"

Roxas' face was a dark red, though he knew it was impossible for Sora to tell. "I—I saw him and I just turned and ran. He followed me, but, Sora, I couldn't look at him after that. I ran from him and I hid here and I haven't been able to move since." It was silly, he knew, but he hadn't been able to conjure up the willpower to leave his place in the bushes. Maybe he would have, if it wasn't so easy to sit in the darkness and pretend it hadn't happened.

"Okay, I get you being freaked out by seeing a teacher kiss a student cause that's really weird, but I don't see why you're still hiding," Sora admitted after a few moments, sitting up but not letting go of the blond. "I mean, you don't even like Axel. Who cares who he kisses?"

"Not me. I don't care one bit who that jerk does anything with." Roxas' tone was firm as he spoke. "It's just that he's still been trying to talk to me, you know? He's spent all year hitting on me and trying to get on my good side, but then he does that…what am I supposed to think? Does he really like me, or am I just the cute new kid he wants to add to his list of conquests?" The blond sighed and leaned against his brother, closing his eyes. "I don't know what to think."

The brunette sighed and pulled away so he could at least attempt to read his brother's face, though that wasn't easy considering how dark it was in the bushes. "We'll just have to wait and see, Rox. Maybe he doesn't think kisses mean anything important. Some people are like that."

"Yeah…okay." He sounded doubtful, and Sora ruffled his hair with a grin.

"Cheer up, Roxy. We've got a party to attend, and you're not allowed to be a downer the whole time." Standing, the brunette pulled his brother to his feet and slung an arm around the blond's shoulders. "Found him! He's fine!"

Roxas stared at his curly-toed shoes as Namine and Kairi hurried over, both looking relieved that he wasn't hurt. They were using their cell phones to light up the ground so they wouldn't trip, and aimed the dim glow towards Sora and Roxas as soon as they were close enough.

"Where were you?" Namine asked, still dressed as an angel; she reached out and brushed a few bits of grass from Roxas' sleeve.

"I…"

"He was sleeping," Sora cut in, speaking quickly so the two girls wouldn't hear the hesitation in Roxas' voice. "Right, Rox?"

"Oh, um, yes. I was tired from dancing and decided to sit down. Guess I was more tired than I thought." The blond's cheeks even turned an embarrassed shade of pink, adding to the ruse. He was still looking down at his feet and pretended to yawn quietly, as if he'd just woken up.

Kairi was skeptical. "If you say so. Let's just go change so we can get to the party." The other three students nodded and began to split up to head back to their respective dorms, though Kairi caught Sora's hand before the brunette had gone very far. He turned to look at her, curious as to why she'd stopped him, and she leaned close to him.

"Nice job with Riku," she whispered in his ear, "but I don't believe you about Roxas." Then she released him and ran off after Namine to catch up with her blonde cousin, leaving Sora to stare after her before he hurried after Roxas.

He didn't think he was ever going to get used to the way she always seemed to know everything.

XXX

Laughter, loud music and snatches of conversation bombarded Demyx's ears as he wandered through the crowded house. This was the first after party he'd ever bothered to visit while attending Kingdom High, and he had already decided it would be his last. Nothing about the drinking, smoking and dancing attracted him—he was much too shy for this—but he had to try. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be here.

The blond junior made his way from room to room, his hope dwindling with each failure.

This is useless. I barely know what he looks like. I don't even know his name! How on earth am I supposed to find him?

But he couldn't give up, no matter how pointless his efforts might be. He refused to leave the party without being sure that the blue-haired boy wasn't there, and continued to search each room of the house.

In all honesty, Demyx didn't know what he would do if he managed to find the blue-haired boy. What could he do? He'd only talked to him twice, and had been lectured both times, but it was the second time that drove him to search for the stranger. He had to find him; he had to know. A kiss like that couldn't mean nothing, and the blond was determined to find out what that kiss had meant. Even though he had no idea how to bring it up if he found the older student.

It had been a shock, finding himself suddenly pressed against a tree with the stranger not quite yelling at him but definitely very upset, and then he'd felt guilty for being such a burden and did his best to apologize while trying not to cry. The next thing he'd known he was being kissed, and despite the fact that it had been unexpected and even a little rough, he'd liked it, which was strange. The kisses he'd gotten from Mister Marluxia had sometimes been a little rough, but he'd never liked those, and he'd certainly never wanted to see the teacher any time soon after. That kiss at the dance was different, it was special, and he needed to know why the older boy had done it.

If Demyx didn't find out, he'd drive himself crazy thinking about it, and so he kept looking.

Things were getting out of hand in a hurry.

"Just let me talk to him! I can explain!"

"No! He doesn't want to see you, so go away!" Huffing angrily, Sora stood his ground between his brother and the redheaded jerk who had caused so much trouble in only a few months. Axel knew he could force his way past the sophomore, but he also knew that doing so would only make his situation with Roxas even worse, so he held back.

"Please, I need to talk to him. I know he saw, and it wasn't what he thinks. Honest. If you'd just let me talk to him—"

"I already told you, no! Now back off before I make you!"

Surprised by the threat, Axel took a step back and stared at the brunette boy. He'd never seen him so angry before, but that wasn't surprising. Usually, Sora was the happiest person around and was enthusiastic about just about everything, at least, that was the only side of him Axel had seen. Regardless, his current anger was completely understandable. If Axel'd had a twin—or even a sibling, for that matter—he certainly wouldn't let anyone hurt them, and he knew he had hurt Roxas more times than the blond deserved. None of those times had been intentional, but that didn't matter. He was still going to try to apologize, but he had to be calm about it or Sora would get even angrier, and the senior had no doubt the smaller boy would carry out his threat.

"Come on, Sora. Just let me talk to him," Axel beseeched, his hands held out with his palms up in a begging gesture. "He doesn't have to talk back and you can stand there and watch me the whole time. If I do anything you don't like you can throw me out and I'll stop bothering you. Just let me tell him what happened. Let me explain."

Unsure, Sora glanced to where Kairi and Namine were standing with Roxas a few feet behind him then back to Axel as he considered what the senior had said. "Roxas? You okay with that?"

The blond shook his head and spoke quietly. "No. I don't want to hear anything about it, not right now. Go enjoy the party, Axel. A good time's all you really want, anyway, and I want to try and have fun at this party without it ending like the last one."

Axel sighed but nodded, dropping his hands, and forced himself to hide the hurt Roxas' accusation caused. "Okay, okay. I'll leave you alone. But, if you want to know the truth, Roxas, all you have to do is ask." Resigned to being on the blond's bad side once again, he turned and walked off into the crowd of students.

Why did this keep happening!? Every time he managed to make a little bit of progress, that slut came along and ruined everything! Axel wouldn't have been surprised if someone told him the math teacher was stalking him solely for the purpose of being able to make him look like an ass in front of Roxas. She certainly wasn't unhappy when she did manage to do so.

Sighing again, Axel tried to decide if he wanted to drink or not. It hadn't ended well last time—unless stealing a kiss from Roxas could be considered a good consequence of drinking—so he forwent the alcohol. That meant he had no reason to stay at the party. The only purpose parties like this one served was to provide an opportunity to flirt and drink, and if he wasn't going to be doing either of those, then he might as well head back to campus and get some rest. Besides, Zexion had vanished partway through the dance and Axel wanted to know why. If he had to guess, he'd say the shorter senior had gotten bored and left, but that didn't explain why he'd never shown up to the after party.

Curious now, the redhead made his way out of the house and began the walk back towards Kingdom High's campus, his hands in his pockets. After he talked to Zexion, he was going to have to spend some time memorizing those lists Kairi had given him so he could try to fix things. Again.

XXX

Several empty beer bottles sat on the table, along with a few bowls of chips and some salsa. Crumbs were scattered everywhere, even on the floor, but the three adults sitting around the table didn't appear to notice or care. There had been more teachers present, but now the only ones left were Professor Luxord, Mister Marluxia, and Miss Larxene. It would seem like an odd gathering to anyone else, but these particular teachers were used to each other's company, even though they might not prefer it. Luxord and Marluxia certainly weren't what either male would call "pleased" that Larxene had chosen to stay after Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen and Lexeaus had gone.

"It's just not fair," Professor Luxord muttered, for what must have been the sixth time. Cards lay before him from the forgotten game of poker they'd been playing, and he was staring into the empty brown bottle captured in his long-fingered grasp. "They train us to educate children, and we think we can do it, no problem. Then they stick us in a classroom with hormone-driven teenagers who dress and act the way they do because they want people to look and notice them, but if we notice, that's a big no-no. We get in trouble, we lose our jobs, maybe get arrested. Can't look, definitely can't touch. Can't even tell them to dress different cause that means we were looking. It's a broken system."

"You have better restraint than I have, Luxord," the other man at the table commented, his speech clear. Marluxia didn't particularly enjoy beer and so hadn't consumed any, making him the soberest of the three adults. "At least you resist the temptation. My self-control is not as strong as yours."

An uncharacteristic giggle escaped Larxene as she covered her mouth with one gloved hand. "You wouldn't sound so gloomy if you got away with it. Got caught with your hand in the cookie jar, Marluxia?"

The art teacher's face turned almost the same shade of pink as his hair. "I hardly think you have any right to lecture me, Miss Larxene, considering your little scandal with that boy a few years ago."

Blue-ish green eyes narrowing, Larxene glared at the effeminate man as Luxord chuckled; she turned her gaze on the blond. "And just what are you laughing at, Luxord? Your eye wanders over your students faster than anyone's."

That shut him up. "At least I haven't done any more than look." He didn't mention the fact that Kairi had kissed him only a week ago. After all, that had been her choice, not his, so technically he hadn't done anything. "I'm not the one seducing some innocent kid."

It was Larxene's turn to laugh. Axel was anything but innocent—she'd made sure of that, but of course, Luxord didn't know that. "Who says I seduced anyone? If you remember, that scandal turned out to be nothing but rumors."

"Just because they couldn't prove anything doesn't mean you didn't do anything," Marluxia said quietly, looking at the blonde woman through his bangs. Her face turned red, though that was partially from the alcohol she'd already had, and she stood.

"At least I'm not lying about my age just to get a job, Marluxia. Headmaster Xemnas hired me because I'm a skilled mathematician and I can pass my knowledge onto my students for them to use in the future. You're nothing more than a has-been star who failed to keep up with the competition."

Offended, the pink-haired teacher stood as well to put himself eye-level with Larxene, his posture tense as if he wanted to slap her but was resisting with everything he had. "You know nothing about me, Miss Larxene," he said quietly, everything about him radiating a cold fury. "I would suggest you deal with your own skeletons before you try to dig up mine."

Larxene opened to mouth to reply and at that moment, someone knocked at the door to Luxord's quarters.

"Come in," the blond man called, leaning back in his chair lazily as he glanced at the clock on the wall. Who on earth would show up at this time of night?

Marluxia and Larxene sat again and the three teachers listened as the door opened and two sets of footprints entered Luxord's dwelling. They were all rather shocked when they saw who it was that had chosen to visit.

"Headmaster Xemnas, what brings you hear?" The blond professor was painfully aware of how unprofessional he looked, sitting at a table covered in empty beer bottles and snack crumbs. "I uh, wasn't expecting anyone else to come by so late."

Smiling slightly, the silver-haired man surveyed the mess that was Luxord's kitchen then examined the three teachers before him. His secretary, Saix, stood just behind him, his scarred face visible over Xemnas' shoulder.

"I just thought I'd drop by and offer my compliments on the costumes you wore to the Masquerade." His voice was almost a purr, seductive and deadly. "Though it seems I was not the only one to notice your…talents."

The teachers glanced at each other nervously.

"Talents, Headmaster?" Marluxia ventured, suddenly very glad that he hadn't been drinking like his two companions. Dealing with Xemnas was hard enough when one was sober; he couldn't imagine trying to do it with alcohol in his system.

"Yes, my dear Mister Marluxia, your talents. Talents that, I'm afraid, are being put to use in a less than appropriate way."

"Less than appropriate? What do you mean?" Larxene asked, frowning slightly as she gazed up at the imposing form of her boss.

"I'm sure you're aware, Miss Larxene, that I keep a very close eye on my employees, and all three of you seem to have trouble keeping yourselves separate from our students here at Kingdom High Boarding School."

Luxord blinked. "Keeping ourselves separate? Headmaster Xemnas, what are you talking about?"

The smile on the headmaster's face turned cold and a little sadistic. "Professor Luxord, you have in one of your history classes a student named Kairi, do you not?"

Oh, shit. This is not good.

There was little he could do except play innocent and hope it worked. "Yes, Kairi is in my history class. Has she done something wrong?"

Xemnas didn't answer, instead turning his ocher gaze on Larxene. "And I would be correct in assuming you are familiar with a senior called Axel, Miss Larxene?"

The woman's eyes darted towards Luxord and Marluxia before she replied. "Yes, he's in my calculus class."

"And Mister Marluxia is, of course, aware of our school's budding young musician, Demyx," the headmaster went on as if Larxene hadn't said a word. Marluxia simply nodded, reluctant to open his mouth and say something condemning.

Headmaster Xemnas' smile grew slightly. "Good. You should all be aware that I know about everything that goes on in my school, and I know exactly what you have and have not been doing with the students I just named. If the three of you wish to keep your jobs then you will have to pay a price."

All three teachers paled visibly, and Marluxia looked like he was going to be sick. Xemnas and Saix watched their reactions with expressions of satisfaction, as if that fear was exactly what both men had wanted to see.

"What," Luxord had to pause to swallow since his throat had gone dry, "What price?"

"That will be decided only if you choose to continue your current behaviors. If you decide to cease all inappropriate relations with students and can prove that you have done so, I will allow you to continue to work for me. Otherwise, I will come up with some suitable way for you to earn the right to keep your jobs. Think hard on which you wish to do. Let's go, Saix."

"Yes, Headmaster Xemnas."

The two men exited the apartment as quietly as they'd entered it, leaving Luxord, Marluxia and Larxene sitting in stunned silence for several moments. Then Larxene stood, gathered her things, and silently left. Marluxia soon did the same, and then Luxord was alone. He was trembling, Xemnas' words running through his mind over and over again.

Continue his actions and pay a price or stop and prove he'd stopped. That was a rather unfair choice, considering he hadn't done anything. Of course, it could be argued that he could do more to prevent such behavior from being directed at him by students. One student in particular.

He couldn't figure out how Headmaster Xemnas knew anything about his troubles pertaining to the redheaded sophomore. They'd been alone when she'd kissed him, and there were no windows in his office or classroom that would have allowed anyone to peek in on them. Other than the kiss, he'd done nothing that could be considered inappropriate.

It was quiet as he sat there, half-drunk and half-asleep, his thoughts wandering about with no clear direction or goal. He thought about the dance, remembered seeing that little flirt in her she-devil costume, all dressed in red with horns and a tail and lipstick the color of blood. The way she'd danced, just because she knew he was watching, and winked and licked her lips and blew kisses at him, taunting, teasing, her every move inviting him to dance when she knew he couldn't.

Little minx…she'll be the death of me…

If Headmaster Xemnas didn't kill him first, of course.

The empty beer bottle clinked softly when he set it on the table, just one part of the mess he was going to have to clean up in the morning. For some reason, the other teachers always ended up at his quarters after school-wide events. They drank, they played cards, they talked about the event and the students, occasionally there were arguments—never anything worth mentioning afterwards—and then they all went back to their own rooms and he was left with a mess and a headache to deal with the next day.

The process was irritating, but at the moment he really didn't have the energy or focus to care, so he left the mess his kitchen had become and forced himself down the hall to his bedroom. He undressed in a haze then practically collapsed onto his bed without bothering to crawl under the blankets. In only a few moments he'd fallen asleep, his dreams plagued by a she-devil that offered him nothing but trouble but somehow made trouble sound irresistible despite the nagging little Xemnas that rode on his shoulder. It wasn't a very peaceful night for the history professor.