Diclaimer: I still don't own it, though this fact makes me weep.
Author's Note: Hopefully still not-awful. Reviews are always appreciated. Also I think I deserve a point for managing to use the word 'moogle' with a straight face.
Demyx Strife
I believe in the opinion that things 'will happen or they won't'. That might not make sense because obviously if something happens it happens and if it doesn't then it didn't so obviously things will happen or they won't, right?
But what I mean is; if destiny has set a course for a car to swerve around a duck and hit a tree then me hoping it won't happen isn't going to deter the fates is it? Sora is into the power of positive thinking and Namine believes in Karma, but I know that helping an old lady cross the road today won't stop me being hit by a bus tomorrow.
That is not to say that I didn't help the old lady cross the road, I did, Cloud was there, I have witnesses.
There is a point to this and what I'm trying to say is that some things are just bound to happen, I can't change them but it doesn't mean I can't be optimistic that things will go my way.
So when a couple of my friends visit me at work and the first words out of Marluxia's mouth are "I want into Coffee Boy's pants" I can hope and pray and wish and be optimistic that despite the fact that he's holding styrofoam coffee cups from The Usual Spot, despite the fact that he told me that The Usual Spot is his new favourite coffee place and despite the fact that I just watched him leave The Usual Spot and walk over here, he's actually talking about another Coffee Boy in another coffee shop and not stood in my sanctuary lusting after my cousin and very favourite Roxas.
But as I said; destiny won't change just because I'm looking hopeful.
So I sat on my swivel-stool behind the counter and stared on, appalled, as one of my very favourite people stood beside the A-D section of CD's in front of the single, large window and stared over the road –hoping to catch sight of Roxas.
I think you'd shudder too.
I also think that you – like me – would grab your optimism by its balls and demand it hurls itself into work…I don't really know where I'm going with that metaphor but what I mean is I was forcing myself into optimistic overload, because really they could be talking about anyone – anyone – else. Maybe there was some other Coffee Boy on shift today. Maybe Leon had actually sauntered in to do some work, or maybe someone was in there drinking coffee. I'd pretty much be happy if a golden retriever came skipping out through the glass doors with a name tag reading 'Coffee Boy'.
Of course then I'd have to spend some serious time worrying over Marluxia's new found bestiality fetish and why someone would make a dog wear pants.
Also why a golden retriever? Because I'm pretty sure if Roxas was a dog he'd be something else; something a little more excitable and possibly over-aggressive.
Why am I thinking this now?
I was forced to stop my doggy thoughts when Larxene pushed a hot chocolate into my hands and quirked an eyebrow at Marluxia. "Coffee Boy?" I was still too busy staring at the pink-headed-fiend in what I can only assume was shock and disgust. Not that there's anything wrong with Roxas that Marluxia shouldn't like him. Just, you know…ew.
"Yeah," Marluxia was craning his neck to try and see Roxas through the single, dusty window in the shop. "You know the blonde kid that works in the coffee shop art gallery place?"
And at this point I was still hopeful, because 'Blonde kid' isn't exactly a dead-on accurate description of Roxas is it? He could still be talking about someone else.
Now Larxene was standing at the window too. "Not seeing a blonde kid, Marl."
"He's probably on the sofa reading."
Crap.
"Does he even bat for your team?"
"He was reading a romance novel yesterday."
Shit.
"You know, Romance novels aren't always indicative of homosexuality." A soft voice called from the side room – which combined break room and store room.
"Yeah." I added feebly, because a point for heterosexuality is a point against Roxas. Or something. Mind you, I'd probably have agreed with him if he had walked in dressed as Squeaky the Wonder Guinea-Pig and told me that you should shave a camel on the third full moon of every decade. Not that he would. In fact why would anyone?
"Is he cute?" Larxene was asking, and I have to say she is a crap female because aren't women supposed to be able to detect distress in someone's voice? And I'm pretty freaking distressed right now.
Then again I might be thinking of Lassie.
"He's gorgeous. He looks kind of like the brunette kid in Ancients. Who is also extremely cute."
"OH MY FUCKING GOD NO!"
…
Yeah that was me.
Apparently yelling is the first reaction when you suddenly imagine a close friend in a threesome with your twin cousins.
The second reaction is therapy.
"Stop imagining my cousins naked!"
Overreaction is apparently the third.
Marluxia and Larxene had jumped at my yelling and were now both stood staring at me with a look of total confusion. "What?" Marluxia asked after a second.
"Oh!" Larxene was back at the window in a second, putting much more effort into seeing into the coffee shop. "That's Cloud?"
"Roxas." I corrected.
"Right, Roxas. So then the kid in Ancients must be Sora?"
"Yeah." I agreed.
"They're your cousins?" Marluxia asked in a cross between horror and joy.
"Yes."
"Your cousins?"
"Yes."
"You understand that word right Marl?" the voice asked lazily from the side room.
"Yes, I understand familial terminology Zexion. What I'm saying is; Demyx, he is your cousin? Do you know what this means?"
"That if you touch him inappropriately I am morally obliged to tell Cloud?"
"No…what?" Marluxia shook his head to indicate that he didn't want clarification on that comment. "What it means is that you can put in a good word for me."
"'No' seems like a pretty good word." Came Zexion's disembodied voice once again, and I was definitely on the disembodied voice's side in this argument Even though I generally make it a rule to oppose disembodied voices – but that's just because I'm generally cautious of anything disembodied.
"I wasn't asking you Zex, he isn't your cousin." Marluxia responded in a snit.
"You're right, he's Demyx cousin, has it not occurred to you how awkward that would be for Dem?"
"No,"
"Well, that's because you're a bastard and you think with your penis. Please try and imagine it now."
"My penis?"
"The awkward situation, you jackass."
I smirked a little at this, but seeing the blank expression as Marluxia stared at the wall immediately killed my fleeting joy; because if he was even bothering to imagine the awkwardness he didn't give two shits about it.
"I can live with it." He declared after a few more moments of silence.
The side door banged open at that and Zexion appeared holding a box of new CD's ready to be sorted onto the shelves. Be still my heart, for there is nothing better than the sight of a slightly dusty Zexion in all his womanly-haired and tight-t-shirted glory during a discussion that could lead to my cousin being defiled.
"Ok." Zexion relented. "If you care more about your cock then about one of your best friends then we'll see how well you fair in this particular endeavour."
"…I was with you as far as cock." Marluxia responded and I won't bother telling you how many innuendos I came up with in those three seconds because they are too numerous and I'm sure you can come up with some of your own.
Though I managed to keep the innuendos in my head I did snort in a very unattractive way. But I don't think Zexion noticed. Or if he did he didn't respond to it - and really, where is the change there?
"What I'm saying is; go for it." Zexion shrugged. "But Demyx won't help you."
And for a moment I loved Zexion. Because there is no way on God's Green Earth that I was going to try and have a conversation with Roxas involving sentences like 'so your not seeing anyone right now' and 'don't you think Marluxia is kinda cute?' because for one thing it's creepy and for another it's been a while since Roxas punched anybody and I'd rather not be on the angry end of his skateboard.
"I don't need Demyx's help. I can do just fine on my own."
Larxene turned towards us at this, taking a sip of her caramel macchiato. "Well that's something I feel we need to see." I love Larxene. No one pulls of passive-aggressive like Larxene does. "You can try hitting on Coffee Boy, without the magical help of marvellous Demyx. But I think you owe it to the rest of our little gang to let us witness your epic failure."
"Why do I owe it to you?" Marluxia demanded, glossing over the part about his coming failure, because Marluxia is a cocky son of a bitch and isn't sure what 'failure' is when it comes to…what's the right metaphor? Hitting his target? Catching his prey? Chopping his wood...wait that might mean something else. I think I got the point across.
"Because many times you have stolen the object of one of our affections, purely because you could." She was trying very hard not to sound bitter. It wasn't working. "I think it would be a nice change for us to see you get told where to stick it…and not in the fun way."
Marluxia gave a sarcastically sweet smile and muttered something about Larxene needing to get over herself. I've only just noticed it now, but Marly really is a bastard. Unfortunately for us he's also fun when he gets his head out of his ass.
"Fine," He said in the end. "Same time tomorrow, Dem has the day off he can witness my brilliance whilst Zexion looks after-"
"No," Zexion cut in with a soft smirk. I love the way Zexion talks, he rarely raises his voice but he says everything with such authority that you can't help but listen. No, I'm not swooning. "Blue Sitar won't die if I close up for an hour."
Marluxia frowned but nodded anyway. "Fine."
"And Axel will be here." Larxene chirped happily at Marluxia's darkening expression.
"I'm touched by your unswerving and never ending support." Marluxia grunted, sipping his now cooler coffee.
"Aw, don't be like that Marly!" I told him with a smile, because it's not nice to think the world is against you. "We don't all want you to crash and burn."
This of course was a complete lie.
Cloud Strife
I don't really mind that I have to look after Sora and Roxas. I didn't kick up a fuss when our parents all but abandoned us, I didn't call our mom and demand she get on the next plane home, I didn't even take my irritation out on the satanic duo; but I was still pissed. I was just a couple of months short of twenty at the time, an age when I should have been out drinking till the early hours of the morning and then spending my days-off hung-over in bed trying to recover before work, not babysitting two boys old enough to take care of themselves.
You can imagine my anger didn't last long. For a start it's hard to stay mad at Sora and Roxas even when they've been little shits, impossible to stay mad at them when they haven't actually done anything wrong. They're my brothers; I snuck them their first drink of alcohol, I took them to their first club, I encouraged their crushes and gave them as much advice as I could about making out and sex and love whilst trying to make the conversation as un-embarrassing as possible. I can never be mad at those two for long.
And besides, at the first sign of trouble they turn the Double-Blues on you and suddenly I'm looking at two little kids with the biggest saddest eyes I've ever seen. Being mean to them would be like kicking a puppy – a sad puppy. So I didn't complain to my parents, I buckled up and took care of my siblings.
Demyx and Namine were unexpected, but still, memories and all that. Plus I don't need to keep much of an eye on them. Demyx is only a year younger than me and has a knack for getting himself out of trouble, and whilst Namine is supposedly only six months older than Sora and Roxas I think she is secretly thirty. But still, what kind of role-model would I be if I didn't look out for them?
One that stayed out all night and in bed all day with a hang-over, that's what kind.
The thing is, the duo is turning eighteen pretty soon and I'm in a state of uncertainty. They're almost legally old enough to look after themselves now, but it's hard to turn off the Responsible Big Brother switch: especially since while Demyx got the Avoid-Trouble gene Sora and especially Roxas seemed to get the Find-Trouble gene, which is why I'm getting nervous about Rox' recent string of victims.
"You're thinking about Roxas and Sora?"
I feel a little rude now. I've been sat on this bench staring at the fountain in the courtyard by the stairs for about twenty minutes. Seven minutes ago someone sat on the other end of my bench and only now did I realise it was Leon.
I think he got all that from the apologetic wince I shot him because he shook his head to forget it. "You always pull that face when you're worrying about them."
"What face?"
Leon shrugged.
I grunted at his unsurprising lack of response and turned back to the fountain. I've known Leon in passing for years, since we were kids really. His family owns a chain of coffee shops from here to Midgar, he's the one that hired Roxas and helped Sora get his job in Ancients. We were never really friends until a couple of years ago and we only started to really spend time together since Zack Fair – my neighbour since childhood – moved to Hollow Bastion to be closer to the college campus and his fiancé. In fact I'm pretty sure we had some childhood rivalry over a swing set in the park, or something ridiculous like that.
It's an odd relationship that we have. Neither of us is hugely talkative, that was always Zack's role and neither of us really spoke to each other despite all the time we spent together. That's the problem, when a group of three cuts down to two; you usually realise that it was the other person who kept things together. Now we spend most of our time sitting around in silence or watching movies. I love it, to be honest. I love that I can spend an entire day with Leon and say no more than three sentences. That's not to say we never speak, we do, it's just that we don't always need to. Body language speaks for itself I guess.
Leon didn't say anything else after his comment about my facial expression and I wasn't in the mood to talk anyway. There's a small flower bed around the fountain in the courtyard and the flowers are all in bloom, the smell makes the air of the courtyard heady and the bees get drunk on nectar and buzz erratically around the bright petals, combined with the gentle trickle of water in the fountain and the sun warming my face and on days like this I'm usually left feeling kind of sleepy. I swung around so that my legs were dangling off the end of the bench and laid down with my head on Leon's thigh and then I closed my eyes and let myself doze, pretending I didn't feel Leon's eyes settled intently on my face.
I don't think he minds the physical contact so much anymore. I've been used to Roxas and Sora – and even Demyx and Namine – for so long that when I'm sleepy I have a habit of curling up with the nearest warm body, it's something left over from the way we'd puppy-pile up at family gatherings or just on the sofa watching TV when we were young and tired. Leon doesn't have any siblings so he was pretty visibly confused and tense the first time him me and Zack were watching a film and I dropped onto the sofa beside him and leant into his side to doze.
"Are you coming out tonight?" Leon asked after a few more minutes of silence. I opened my eyes a little so I could see his face while I spoke to him – good manners and all that – but he shifted his gaze away to the fountain.
"I was out last night."
"You went out on a Thursday night?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"Isn't that a pretty obscure night to be out socialising?"
"No. Tuesday's are obscure," I smiled thinking about my last foray into Traverse Town with Demyx and Sora, "Thursday's are preparatory."
"Preparatory?"
"Preparation for Friday and Saturday." I replied with a soft grin. "Get your dancing muscles nice and limber."
Leon fidgeted uncomfortably at this, because when Leon says 'go out' he maybe means to the cinema or for fast food or to do exactly what we're doing now only much later at night and possibly with a select few others. And when I say go out I usually mean into Traverse Town to the clubs. But Leon doesn't like clubs. I'm also pretty sure he doesn't like the word 'limber'.
"I was thinking we could call Yuffie and Tifa." Leon shrugged. "Go to a restaurant, or stay in and watch movies. Or both."
I thought about that for a minute, because I guess it had been a while since we just sat around at Leon's apartment and did nothing. "We could ask Aerith and Zack too. They're spending the weekend here anyway; turning up tonight instead of tomorrow morning won't alter their schedules too drastically. "
"Sure." Leon said but I felt the muscles in his leg tighten – something that's quite difficult not to notice when you're head is resting on the currently tensing thigh.
"Problem?"
"No." But I didn't really believe that because he was staring at the fountain with a darkened expression.
"Or you could come to Traverse Town with me?" I offered, thinking he was turning against the idea of being social. Then again a club wouldn't help that would it?
"Were you planning to go?" He asked looking down at me for the first time, his head tilted slightly.
I shrugged "I told Sora we'd go to Pink, but I'm sure Riku would be more than happy to go with him instead."
I'm pretty sure Leon almost chuckled when he said "I'll bet."
Having fulfilled our conversation quota for the moment I closed my eyes again in the hopes of quick bit of sleep.
"…You go to a club called Pink?"
I nodded.
This time he did chuckle. "That's so gay."
Demyx Strife
Axel and Zexion were leaning outside the Blue Sitar smoking when I turned up, admittedly groggy and probably very dishevelled. I can only hope that Zexion likes the groggy and dishevelled look, but I can't be sure since his first words were; "Christ, you look groggy and dishevelled." And that is a very hard comment to read into.
"Yeah." I relented. "But it is my day off." I said as a disclaimer to my appearance.
"Which brings me to my question; what are we doing here?" Axel asked on a yawn. "I was in bed when Larxene rang."
I grinned a little – because isn't Axel always in bed? Well, you probably don't know. But I'd hazard a guess at yes. And yet I bet he seems to get very little sleep.
"We are gathered on this momentous occasion to witness the upcoming catastrophe in the love life of one of our nearest and dearest." Zexion smirked, dropping his cigarette to the floor and crushing it with his converse clad foot.
"Please tell me it's Marluxia." Axel asked, wanting no further explanation on the situation.
"It is." I admitted cheerfully. "Speaking of, where is he?"
"He's already inside." Zexion said nodding his head towards The Usual Spot.
"What?" I asked and my head snapped around so fast I nearly fell over.
Axel blew out his last lungful of smoke before also dropping his cigarette butt to the ground and drawling. "He's got his coffee and has spent the last five minutes staring aimlessly at the menus on the wall with Larxene – who is no doubt whispering love-filled pleasantries in his ear. Is this part of a plan I haven't been filled on?"
"Zexion will tell you." Was all I said because I was already crossing the road at speed in a desperate attempt to defend Roxas' honour and protect his chastity.
And let's pretend for a minute that I didn't watch him shove some poor guy out the door at five o'clock this morning whilst I was on an early hour's snack-hunt. Because let's be honest, Roxy doesn't have much chastity to defend these days. But we won't tell Marluxia that. Or anyone. Because I am a good cousin.
I pushed open the glass doors and slid onto a stool at the counter, pretending I hadn't just rocketed across the road. Roxas turned his head to me with a vaguely amused smirk and pushed a cup towards me. It was filled with hot chocolate and marshmallows. Extra marshmallows. I love Roxas.
"I saw you across the street." He said for by way of explanation. "Figured you'd be coming in."
"Cheers Roxy." I beamed. Partly because I love The Usual Spot's hot chocolate more when it's free but also because I noticed the way he was pointedly ignoring Marluxia and Larxene, who was muttering jibes and sarcastic comments to the pink haired fiend. Not that I'm holding any grudges about his hopes to nail my cousin. Noooo, no, no, none at all.
Bastard.
The door pushed open behind me and I glanced over my shoulder to see Zexion and Axel stroll in at a much more leisurely pace than I'd used, both smirking knowingly. Axel paused in the doorway, his smirk dropping and his eyes widening slightly and his expression twisting into something that looked vaguely reminiscent of a puppy that's just seen a treat dangling unguarded between someone's fingers. A second later it was back to normal though. I can't really blame him; I have the same reaction whenever I know there's this much hot chocolate in one room too.
Zexion sat gracefully down on the stool next to me and the next thing that happened was possibly one of the most incredible events to ever occur.
"Roxas, right?" Zexion asked, leaning on the countertop.
"Yeah, you Zexion?" Roxas responded without even a hint of sarcasm. And I mean not even a little bit.
"Yeah." Zexion responded holding out his hand - actually holding it out. And you know what? Roxas shook it. They shook hands. "Cappuccino please."
"Sure. On the house." Roxas responded shooting me a sideways grin before turning to the coffee machine.
I turned to Zexion and I'm pretty sure my jaw was hanging open a little bit. "What?" he asked.
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Did you just tame Roxas?"
He responded with a quirked eyebrow and the ghost of a smile hovering on his lips. I pretty much got it then. There is a secret camaraderie among those who can communicate without words. Cloud and Roxas sometimes sit on the couch staring at nothing and saying nothing but I'm always pretty sure they're communicating telepathically because they'll both start grinning at nothing or one of them will get the other a drink without them having exchanged any requests. I bet Zexion could join in.
Roxas put the cappuccino in front of Zexion and glanced over my shoulder, I looked over as well. Hm. Axel was still stood in the doorway.
"You ok?" Zexion asked Axel, following my gaze.
"Yeah." Axel said, snapping out of his daze and striding towards the stool on the other side of me. "I'm fine."
Roxas raised his eyebrows at me, and I raised mine back – because nobody understands Axel sometimes.
"You a black coffee?" Roxas asked casually – pretending like Axel hadn't been staring vacantly at him for the last five minutes.
"What?"
"Black Coffee?"
"Oh, yeah. Whatever you want."
"…Right." Roxas said with a confused frown, turning to the coffee machine.
Larxene hopped onto my lap, which is harder than it would seem when you're sat on a stool, and Marluxia sidled over to us with his steaming cup, a small smirk flitting across his lips. He shot us a look we all recognised. It's his 'let the games begin' smirk as Zexion calls it, or the 'Fucker Face' as Axel refers to it. I think Evil Grin of Doom pretty much covers it, because it's the face he pulls right before he charms some poor innocent thing into making out with him in the corner of a bar. Honestly, I couldn't tell you how he always manages it, he just does.
"How are the cherries?"
For a starting point in a conversation I'd say that's pretty random. Is it even cherry season? Do cherries have a season? Nevertheless I noticed the imperceptible-except-to-the-eyes-of-a-Strife smile that tugged at the corner of Roxas' lips for all of a nanosecond. And, God, how I hope that was a trick of the light.
"Sufficiently sexed." Roxas responded, and that was definitely humour in his tone and I am only thankful he didn't use more than two words because that is a sign of affection in Roxas Land. Although I'd have preferred if none of the words were sex related.
I almost didn't notice the way Axel hit his leg against the counter when Roxas said sex, but obviously if I hadn't noticed I wouldn't have mentioned almost noticing it so really when I say I 'almost didn't' notice what I mean is that I, uhm, did notice.
Either way I'm storing that factoid away. Axel jumping at the word sex could make for awesome blackmailing opportunities if I find out why.
"Really?" Marluxia continued in a tone that reminded me why we were here and also made me want to gag. "And what might you be focusing your attention on now?" He asked, setting his cup down and leaning over the counter. I considered kicking him in the back of the knee but Zexion was in my way. Damn him.
"Coffee." Roxas replied dully, looking at Axel curiously, rather than at Marluxia.
"Speaking of," Marluxia smiled, "Maybe you and I should go for coffee sometime. Somewhere where it isn't you working the machine; although maybe we could find another machine for you to work."
And then he winked.
Actually, genuinely winked.
And sweet merciful moogle was that ever the wrong approach to use on Roxas. And just when I was briefly concerned for Marluxia's welfare I remembered that he had been here to try and screw my cousin. And then – like the sun returning from behind a cloud – my good mood was back.
Roxas – charming, and delightful boy that he is – leant on the counter from his side, right in front of Marluxia so that even with the height difference their faces – and more importantly mouths – were only centimetres apart. A tiny pleased smirk twitched at Roxas lips, and I recognised that smirk and never before in my life have I felt such joy.
Except maybe that time Zexion's shirt fell off, but that's a different story.
Marluxia clearly misread the smile because he leant ever so slightly further forward, Larxene's jaw had dropped the tiniest amount and Axel looked like he might fall off his chair. But Zexion understood if the smug grin quirking his lips meant anything.
Sure enough two seconds later Roxas had gently pushed Marluxia's cup to the side of the counter and watched it slip over the edge and empty its steaming contents onto Marluxia's lap. For his part, Marluxia then gave some sort of yelping-yell as he jumped up and started hitting himself in the crotch. Which is an odd sentence but one you'll understand if you've ever had hot coffee all down your jeans. Which I have; also courtesy of Roxas.
"I'm not interested." Roxas said deadpan, smile gone. "So uninterested it's almost unbelievable just how uninterested I am." Then he turned to me, "I'll be in the back, shout me if you need anything."
I smiled happily as I watched the back of his happy little head walk happily away to the back room – which I am assuming is full of happiness and kittens and jellybeans. And then I turned to Marluxia who stood looking baffled and shocked and also wet and hot around the crotch but not in the good way.
"Did I forget to mention that Roxas has a violent disposition and is prone to unnecessary acts of aggression?" I beamed. Larxene was keeled over on my lap leaning against the counter laughing herself silly at Marluxia's expression, Axel was smirking in the direction Roxas had left, but Zexion turned to me and played along.
"Come to think of it, Dem, I don't think it came up."
"How very forgetful of me."
"We'll remember for next time."
"Indeed we shall, dear Zexion, indeed we shall."
