A Perfect Euphony Chapter 2: Demyx: I'm still here I'm real, a kingdom hearts fanfic

"I am a question to the world
Not an answer to be heard
Or a moment
That's held in your arms

And what do you think you'd ever say?
I won't listen anyway
You don't know me
And I'll never be what you want me to be..."

Demyx's fingers stroked the guitars strings. He sang the lyrics with a voice like melting strawberry ice cream in summertime. Demyx played, his mind focused on nothing but the sounds of the guitar and his own voice. Playing music made him feel alive... like he had a heart...

"And what do you think you'd understand?
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man
You can't take me
And throw me away
And how can you learn what's never shown?
Yeah, you stand here on your own
They don't know me
Cause I'm not here"

The words flowed over his petal-soft lips like the water that danced in his soul. Every lyric had his emotion in it, making them more than words... if he had a heart, this feeling would be want. He wanted to feel it. Love, hate, sorrow... his song said everything he felt.

"And I want a moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change?
They're the ones that stay the same
They don't know me
Cause I'm not here..."

Every stroke of the strings brought him closer to tears. It was true. He wasn't here. Or there, or anywhere. He was nowhere. They all were. How could they fit in? It wasn't their fault they had no hearts. The world wanted them to change, but they thought the world should. Demyx hated all of this. He just wanted peace, nirvana, his beloved music... His foot tapped out the rhythym and he closed his eyes. The Melodious Nocturne's body swayed to the music, and like water, the music flowed. Mesmerizingly sweet and sad... Demyx pictured his dream of being real...

"And you see the things they never see
All you wanted I could be
Now you know me
And I'm not afraid...

And I want to tell you who I am
Can you help me be a man?
They can't break me
As long as I know who I am"

He saw his dream of being real. The world looked beautiful. Right now, everywhere he looked in the room, in the Castle, in the world, all he could see is the obstructing image of shadows and lost hearts. Demyx wanted to see music. Beauty, light, harmony, and peace. He remembered what Roxas had told him before he left. 'So what we don't have hearts? We ARE real. Maybe not like the somebodies, but we're real. Just in a different way...' When he had said that, Demyx thought of music. He was real through music.

Demyx smiled. He sensed that there were people listening, watching. His back was to the door. He knew what he wanted to say, what he wanted to sing. Everything he felt. He put his thoughts and feelings and emotions into music. Demyx knew what he felt. He raised his voice a bit and played just that much louder.

"They can't tell me who to be Cause I'm not what they see
Yeah, the world is still sleepin while I keep on dreaming for me
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe

And I want a moment to be real Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change?
They're the ones that stay the same
They don't know me
Cause I'm not here...

I'm the one now Cause I'm still here
I'm the one
Cause I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here..."

He WAS still here. Nobody or not, he was here. As he put away his guitar, he vowed to himself...

"No matter what happens, I'm still here. AS long as I can play music, I'm real. No matter what they say..." He breathed and said louder. "I'm still here... I'm real... I'M REAL!!!" Demyx laughed and stepped into his portal. He didn't know where he was going, but wherever it was, he was ready. Ready and somebody.

"I'm still here..."