Disclaimer: We no own, you no sue.
Yoru: Well, I just can't wait to add more to this fic! It gets SO EPIC later on.
Kuronue: SO EPIC, huh? How epic?
Yoru: More epic than The Odyssey!...okay, but in a different sort of way.
Kuronue: Right. Onward now.
Zexion walked toward his house from Lexaeus' car. They had dropped Demyx off first, and he and Lexaeus had made small talk on the way to his house. He got to the door and unlocked it, smiling slightly as he heard the familiar tones of his mouse's wheel squeaking.
"Hey, Galileo," he said to the room in general, hearing the wheel stop for a moment and then start up again. He set his clarinet down and went over to his fridge, looking for something to cook.
Saix sighed happily as Zexion walked into his house.
"Zexy, I could come in there right now and make you my lover, and be so happy. But I should wait, shouldn't I? After all, I did give you quite a fright today." He turned to find himself facing a very muscular, brown-haired, and extremely unhappy man.
"Wait, huh?" The man grabbed Saix's collar and picked him up, slamming him against the tree trunk, pinning his legs with his body.
"ZEXION! CALL THE POLICE!" he yelled at the top of his voice. Zexion came out of the house, eyes wide and cell phone in hand.
"What?" he asked, rather stupidly in Saix's opinion.
"It's me, Lexaeus! Call 911!" The man, Lexaeus, slammed Saix against the trunk again as the blue-haired man began to struggle. Saix saw stars, and went mostly limp. He could hear sirens in the distance. Even as the police cuffed him ad pulled him away, he looked back at Zexion. The boy's face was so beautiful, even with terror written all over it.
"One day," he swore quietly.
Lexaeus was bent over double, panting. He wasn't used to holding someone down like that. He felt a hand on his back.
"Lexaeus?" Zexion's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Sorry…I'll be…all right…in a minute…" Lexaeus gasped out.
"Okay. The police want to talk to you," Zexion murmured, looking a little embarrassed. Lexaeus finally stood up tall, looking over at the lady cop coming toward him.
"Care to explain?" was all she said.
Zexion answered the questions that the police had for him, and after a while they left, promising to be in touch. Lexaeus slid down the tree and sat on the grass, sighing.
"I was coming back to tell you that the administrator put you in my class tomorrow, and I saw him. I guess he already knew where you lived."
Zexion sat beside him, "Thanks for grabbing him."
"No problem."
Silence reigned for a long time.
"So what time is your class?"
"It's replacing your History class, so last class of the day." Lexaeus leaned his head against the tree. Sitting like this, Zexion realized that Lexaeus didn't look so much older than himself.
"Cool," he said, leaning back as well. They sat like that for a long time.
Zexion could hardly bear the next school day. Out of fear and insomnia, he hadn't gotten any sleep and he was exhausted. Finally, he dragged himself into Lexaeus' loud classroom and slid into a seat near the front. He got his book out and set it on the desk, trying to keep his eyes open. Lexaeus walked in, and the class quieted down.
"Okay, class, take out your books and read chapter 1. Once you've done that, we can discuss it. If you participate enough in the discussion, I'll let you have the rest of the period free." Lexaeus smiled. Zexion noticed no complaints as the students got their books out.
They must like him, he thought to himself, opening his book to the correct page. The classroom was silent as the students began to read, the quiet only broken by the turning of pages. Zexion finished quickly and put his head down on his desk, quickly lulled into sleep.
Lexaeus noticed Zexion's nap quickly. He frowned slightly; he'd thought the boy looked tired. Perhaps he'd just let him sleep. It didn't really matter – he was that kind of teacher. As long as the students kept their grades up and did well on homework and tests, he didn't mind if they slept in class once in a while.
The bell rang at the end of school, and Lexaeus made his way to Zexion's desk. The boy had slept the entire period, and through the bell. Lexaeus gently shook his shoulder, earning a groan and a bleary stare. Suddenly Zexion shot upright, apologizing profusely.
"Oh, God, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, it's the first day, and…oh, shit, I'm so sorry…" he babbled. Lexaeus laughed.
"It's fine! You looked like you needed the rest, so I just let you sleep. Is there a reason you can't sleep at home, though?" he asked. Zexion shrugged.
"Not really," he muttered. Lexaeus sighed.
"I don't really believe you. Want to come pass out on my couch? I'm already done with my paperwork and I'm about to head home. My roommate won't mind."
"O-okay," Zexion replied, getting up and throwing his backpack over his shoulder. Lexaeus led him to his car, opening the door for him. They made small talk until they got to Lexaeus' apartment, where he motioned Zexion to the couch and went looking for his roommate.
"Axel! Axel, dear cousin of mine, where are you?" Lexaeus called, trying to be quiet. A spiky red head poked out of the kitchen.
"Here. What's up?" Axel asked, smirking a little.
"One of my students is asleep on the couch. Don't wake him up."
Axel looked interested, "Is he cute?"
"Yes…wait, no. No, Axel, you cannot hit on him." Lexaeus pushed Axel back into the kitchen. As he was scolding his younger cousin, he heard Zexion's cell phone go off in the next room. He sighed.
"Great." He heard Zexion talking on the phone. Axel peered out from under his arm.
"Oh, he is cute. Did you call dibs yet?" he asked eagerly. Lexaeus frowned down at him.
"Axel, if you say anything to him that can be construed by the most casual of observers as a come-on, I will kill you."
"Aw, come on, Lex. Lighten up."
"Not when it comes to my underage student." Lexaeus pushed Axel away. Going back into the living room, he saw that Zexion had put his phone away and was lying back on the couch. The teacher sat next to the boy on the couch, near his feet.
"Do you need something to help you sleep? Warm milk, medicine of some kind?" he asked concernedly. Zexion shook his head.
"No, I'm just an insomniac. Thanks, though."
"Why don't you take some melatonin or something? It'll make you super-sleepy," Axel said, coming out of the kitchen and leaning against the doorframe. Zexion eyed him.
"It doesn't really help," he said, rather quietly. Axel smiled.
"Oh yeah! I'm Axel, Lexaeus' cousin and roommate. You must be Zexion; he mentioned you yesterday. He mentioned you were here, but you don't look like you're asleep to me."
Lexaeus sighed and resigned himself to his cousin's presence as Zexion introduced himself more formally.
"Mr. Lexaeus?"
Lexaeus jerked slightly at the sound of Zexion's voice.
"Sorry. You can just call me Lexaeus, privately. Why don't you lay back down and rest for a while, and you can stay for dinner? Axel's an awesome cook."
Axel smiled, "How does red beans and rice sound?"
"It sounds good. Thank you." Zexion lay back down, closing his eyes. Lexaeus smiled, thinking that Zexion was awfully cute when he was asleep.
That is a very, very dangerous thought, he berated himself. After a while, he sighed, turning on the television.
"Breaking news! The lunatic known only as Saix has escaped from his holding cell and has been seen in the Hollow Bastion area. He was arrested for attempting to strangle a young waiter and suspected of stalking another boy, who is a waiter at the same establishment, as well as for the murder of his lover Xemnas Xenahort in 2007. He is not armed, but very dangerous. If you see him, call 911 immediately. Children should be kept indoors unless accompanied by an adult..."
Lexaeus' eyes widened.
"You've got to be kidding me…"