I really like this chapter... Saix acts so frigging stoned in this one. Lord knows he probably is. And Demyx is out of ICU and thusly a happy man. He and Axel fight briefly... but it's good for them. LoL. Roxas hangs about in this chapter. Demyx fights with him too in his own special little way... They're like oil and water for the most part. Naminé acts ungodly cute and ummm... I don't think I mentioned to dogs. Oh well. I'm thinking about devoting a section of the story to the dogs alone... like the Dog chapter... Should I?
Also, I'm working on a 100 theme list that I'll post on my LJ pretty soon... that's at http:// i-am-and-i .livejournal. com/ try to pull out the spaces in that and you'll get there. All also post a link in my front page. Hopefully this will be fun for you guys. I smile.
Off to play Okami now. Ta-ta! Farewell! Bye-bye!
PS: Read, enjoy, review, repeat! LOL
There were always small things to celebrate in times like these: namely, the removal of several very uncomfortable tubes, wires, and so on. Demyx took a moment to savor it, eyes still lidded, a small smile of contentment curling on his lips. He felt he was going to slip back into sleep, but there was a warm press of lips on his cheek and giggle that sounded so much like wind chimes that he couldn't mistake it.
"I know you're up, Demy!"
"I am," he replied, his own voice still strangely unfamiliar.
"I'm off duty so I figured I'd give Axel a call and come see you while he's on his way," Naminé informed. She smiled softly and ran a hand across his chest. "I… I wonder if this is really real sometimes."
"So do I…" He replied, taking her hand gently, "But… I know I'm happy. I've never felt so whole in my entire life. Even if this were nothing but an illusion, I'd be content."
His violently ocean blue eyes fluttered open and locked on Naminé's with a deeply intense gaze. She smiled, but it enhanced, an expression of relief when she realized what he was talking about.
"So you're enjoying your heart?"
"I am."
"Never take it for granted… and don't lose it Demy," she whispered.
"Too late," he replied with a sly little grin. "A certain redheaded demon already stole it away. It's on lease, love."
"I told you he's your husband!" she tittered, hiding her blush behind her free hand.
"Maybe," Demyx admitted, nodding a little, "But really, I'd say he's more of… a lover."
"Not quite as intimate…" she disagreed.
"You really think so? Romeo and Juliette were just lovers… they had the most beautiful love I've ever read!"
"That's a book!"
"Play, actually," he corrected, "Let me think… I don't know. I just feel like it takes more effort to stay bound to your lover, and that's what makes it more intimate. You don't have a rope tying you up with that person so you have to remind yourself every time you're tempted."
Naminé seemed to think about this, and then smiled broadly with understanding.
"Oh, I think I know what you mean."
"Naminé," he finally said after a long pause, "Did you fall in love with me?"
"What would make you think that, Demy?" she laughed, pulling her hand back. She was a bit too quick, or maybe her acting skills were a little bit crummy. He couldn't decide.
"Remember the time you kissed me?"
"I was only thirteen…" she said shakily.
"You were so embarrassed that I actually had to catch you. Xigbar thought I'd raped you for a month. I'll never forget it," he laughed. "But… do you remember what I did?"
She smiled.
"Yeah… you just held me," she whispered, "Until I fell asleep. It's one of my favorite memories."
"Me too," he admitted.
He sighed and shifted a little, winced as his staples pulled a little.
"Take it easy," she mumbled, "I can't have my big brother ripping himself open."
"I don't see why they had to cut me open like that," he rumbled irritably, "It's only a little bullet."
"Yes, but it also went into your belly," Naminé said pointedly, poking his side delicately. "Pull down the sheet and look. They had to open you up like that because the bullet wavers in its track. They had to contain the bleeding, clean every little bit of the wound and make sure there were no fragments or bones broken."
"Still," Demyx mumbled, tracing the track of the incision with a hovering finger. It was ugly, starting at the bottom of his ribs and terminating almost at the starting point of the hip.
"It'll heal. You'll have a scar, but that's sexy sometimes," Naminé teased.
"It is sexy, Demyx. Axel would say his trademark phrase, but he sounds like a dying cat at the moment," an unfamiliar voice laughed, light and mocking.
Demyx looked up and caught sight of deep blue eyes much like Naminé's, wild golden-blond hair and a snarky grin.
Axel said nothing but shoved the kid out of his way.
"Oh, hey Roxas! And Axel, welcome back." Naminé called, a cute grin on her face. She slid out of her chair and Axel seemed to settle in it just as soon as she was out of the way.
"Long time no see, Rox," Demyx practically grated.
"Damn, Demyx! Talk about attitude problems!" the blond laughed, "But then, I kind of expected you'd hate me."
"I don't hate you…" Demyx mumbled, "well… not necessarily, at least."
"I'm not going to take him from you. I don't think he wants me as it is," Roxas laughed with a shrug. "I won't push you. I just hope you can forgive me some day…"
Well, he sounded sincere at least.
"Dem…" Axel rasped, effectively drawing his lover's attention.
It was a hair-raising sound.
"Axel… what did you do?" Demyx rumbled menacingly.
The redhead looked like a naughty child all of a sudden, lowering his head guiltily.
"Um… we're going to go now," Naminé said softly, "Axel, Aerith told me she's letting Saïx go today. I went and talked to him and he said he was going to crash at your place because he shouldn't be alone with the medications he's on."
"That's fine," Axel replied. His voice really was like a dying cat's.
"Alright. Me and Roxy will take him home… oh… and what about Demy's parents?"
"They said they'd come in a few."
"Okay, well, we'll give you two some time alone," she gushed, "Bye-bye! Ta-ta!"
"See ya around!" Roxas called over his shoulder, being dragged out of the door by his flaxen-haired girlfriend.
Demyx waited until they were really gone and laced a hand into Axel's hair and tried to pull the redhead closer gently. Seeing as that didn't work, he tried to ease himself closer, only managed to raise searing pain in his stomach that left him wincing and gasping at each little movement. Well, at least it prompted Axel to jump up and come a little closer.
"What… did you do to yourself… you idiot," he panted, caressing the redhead's soft, pale cheek.
"I hurt myself," Axel admitted.
Demyx reached up and cupped Axel's cheek in his hand. Before the redhead had time to get his bearings, Demyx had given him a firm openhanded smack right across the cheekbone. Axel fell back on his ass, spine jarred from the impact. He kneaded his sore cheek while Demyx moaned from the strain he'd just put on the staples running up his torso.
"You fucking retard!" Demyx moaned, "I need you here and you were off trying to kill yourself? That's so fucking selfish!"
"Like you should talk," Axel laughed.
"Shut the fuck up you cheater!" Demyx sobs.
Well that was unexpected.
"Demyx."
"No!" he growls, hiding his face like a small child.
"Demyx, look at me."
"No! I refuse!"
"Demyx! Fucking look me in the eye right fucking now!"
The blond obeyed haltingly. He knew he'd find something he didn't want to see, and indeed that look of terrible guilt was back… a guilt that could crush even the strongest heart.
"I wouldn't cheat on you. I learned what that accomplishes the first time around, didn't I?" he asked sincerely. It was then he realized that Axel was holding his ring in his hand. "They took yours away for now… I want you to hang on to mine in the mean time…"
"You're giving it back?" Demyx moaned in despair.
"No!" Axel barked, and Demyx winced. Instantly contrite about the effect, he softened his tone again, "No… I just want you to know that… you have all of me."
At that, Demyx reached up and pulled the redhead down, tangling his hands in that thick red mane. Their mouths met roughly. As soon as it had occurred, it was over, and Demyx lay there, gripping Axel's hand in his, the ring between their palms. He stared out the window in the most strangely forlorn way, even if he had been relatively assured that Axel was true to him.
"What's wrong?" Axel asked softly, the constant harshness of his own voice causing him to wince a little.
"I hurt. And I hate being stuck in bed like this," Demyx sighed.
"What if… I bring a book next time. I'll read to you."
"I'd like that…" Demyx said, a little smile washing over him. It relieved the redhead to see that his lover was still capable of a smile.
"Do you hate Roxas?"
He knew very well that it was a bad question to ask, but he needed to know. Demyx was silent for a very long time, the expression on his face completely impassive and unreadable.
"I don't hate him," he admitted finally, "But… I just don't want to lose you again."
"So it's still competition you're freaking out about?"
"And militant, hospital-dwelling Bedside-Confession Christians…" Demyx laughed.
"Be serious for a minute… do you really think I would chose Roxas over you again? I don't even have any reason to really like him any more."
Demyx thought about making a comment on that, but he realized that he too was pretty fucking shallow and selfish in those days.
"I trust you. If I didn't there would be no point in loving you," he replied evenly.
Axel smiled. He looked like he was going to lean in and give Demyx a tender kiss, but there was a knock at the door, and they held it off. Axel left soon after Demyx's parents arrived. The kid would need some time alone, after all.
--- ---
"Axel, I honestly don't know how Saïx stays that skinny. It's not fair at all!" Naminé laughed, pointing out the blue haired man who was casually consuming a can of frozen orange juice concentrate on the couch. He really didn't seem to give a shit that Naminé was making such a fuss about his feeding habits.
"Welcome home," he called absently.
"He does that all the time, Nami. It's just about the only thing I've ever seen him eat. Leave him be," Axel sighed, a silly grin painted on his face. "How is Berserker-Boy anyway?"
"Hungry," said berserker replied instantly, "For meat. Red meat."
"Raw fucking red meat!" Roxas proclaimed, emerging from the studio. "You should paint a photorealistic portrait of a side of beef or something, Axel."
"You people are all so messed up," the redhead laughed.
"Not me!" Naminé cried.
"Alright, not Naminé. The rest of y'all are."
Roxas laughed and Saïx allowed himself a haughty, "Humph."
"I need to go shopping anyway," Axel admitted, "Come on, Nami. We'll get some stakes to feed the lion with and maybe some cheerios for the little kid."
"Hey!" Roxas grumbled.
"Scratch that," Axel laughed, "I forgot. Steaks for the lion and bananas for the monkey! We're running a veritable zoo here, Nami!"
"Oh I so hate you!" Roxas laughed, "You'll pay for that, porcupine-butt!"
"Whatever!" Axel called, dragging Naminé out the door with him. She was laughing the whole way down to the car.
"You're still a big fat jerk," she commented.
"Of course I am. Once a jerk, always a jerk."
"Never change, Axel," she said softly, pulling him into a warm hug.
In his mind, Axel felt a little twinge of guilt.
Sorry Nami. Too late.