The Anti-Zemyx Day Three
Title: Skates on Ice
Genre: Humor, Romance, Friendship
Rating: K, Epilogue is T
Summary: I'm gonna stick like glue, stick because I'm stuck on you. And it's not just me. My tongue's stuck to the ice as well.
A/N: Song Stuck On You by Elvis Presley, and (the tweaked) lyrics are from Tip Of The Iceberg by Owl City. Bleh. It could've been better :/
Warning: Craziness. And a heckova lotta stupid linebreaks ^^;
Welcome back, Winter Wonderland
Put on your warm, fuzzy sweater, 'cause you'll feel much better when
The snowflakes fall, gently to the ground
The temperature drops and your shivers
Freeze all the rivers around
But I'll keep you warm.
The twelve friends stood excitedly in line to enter the gates of the legendary Winter Wonderland Faire. It was a Yuletide-themed-carnival-turned-festival that only came to town when it snowed, and it barely ever snowed in their region of the world. The last Faire had come seven years ago, and everyone eagerly anticipated the arrival of the festivities once they saw the soft, frozen white ice-crystals falling from the sky above.
It had started with a holiday-themed circus-like procession: a Christmas-, Hanukkah-, and Kwanzaa-themed parade would march down the streets of the city, playing blithe music as they went, and would toss out fliers made out of recycled red-and-green paper with gold words painted on them, describing the event, and listing the opening and closing times of the holiday-carnival.
No one needed to ask where it would be held.
Close to the outskirts of the city, there was a large river which ran through and split the large city into two halves; one the size of a third. Though it rarely snowed, temperatures dropped quite low and the river never had any trouble freezing. The ice was very thick when it did solidify, and was the perfect place for the faire to be held.
Vanitas slid a little on his ice skates, unused to the feel of blades strapped to his boots, and struck an impatient pose; one that would have been perfect for tapping his feet restlessly, had they not been balancing on the sharp steel. Xion looped her arms gracefully around his waist and leaned into him, resting her head just above his folded arms.
"Xion.." he warned. You'll make me fall.
The dark-haired girl looked up at his face and smiled.
"You won't fall. Don't worry," she reassured him sweetly. "Besides, if we do fall, Axel's standing right behind you." Axel glanced at the couple over his shoulder.
"Ha-ha. I'd probably melt the ice," he said with an easy grin following the sarcastic roll of his emerald green eyes. Kairi giggled.
"Yes, you probably would!"
Axel threw her a glare, but then eyed her outfit with skepticism.
"Aren't you cold?" The mahogany-haired girl was wearing a black, shimmery tanktop with a big G emblazoned on it in silver material, as well as snow-white shorts ending just mid-thigh. She wore twin, snowy feather-bracelets on each wrist; the feathers were so small, they looked more like wispy pom-pom wristbands. On her feet were light sneakers with steel soles and skates attached. Kairi raised an eyebrow.
"No. Naminé probably is, though," she said, gesturing to the blonde. She was wearing a white shirt under a white cashmere sweater with long, elegant sleeves, and denim shorts. On her golden head sat a white, woolen French beret.
The blonde heard her name and waved at the four: she was standing with Marluxia and talking about painting flowers. She had a sketch of frozen roses in an ice-vase and was asking him if he thought it would sell. He had conferred with her, and suggested some more little details, but had liked the picture and agreed that yes, of course it would sell; after all, wasn't she one of the greatest artists of the century?
Larxene had cast an amused eye over them and had loftily commented on flattery getting him nowhere unless he was flattering her, when Kairi had said her name. She was about to skate over when the line abruptly began moving forward. The scattered group immediately gathered together and waited for their turns to pass under the gates.
The curled iron of the entryway, decorated in green and red ribbons, passed overhead soon enough, and finally the twelve friends were inside the Fairegrounds. Sora and Roxas linked hands and laughed as they spun in a circle on the ice, Sora's weight preventing Roxas from falling and vise-versa. The angle at which they were spinning also prevented their falls, and the two brothers spun happily. Naminé watched and tugged on Demyx's hand.
"Let's do that, too!" she giggled.
Zexion felt a small, black snake wrap around his beating heart and tightly squeeze it with jealousy as he saw the tall, mullethawked blond link hands with his friend/girlfriend, but he brushed it off and erased his feelings; instantly, the snake was gone, dissolved into nothing more than dust, blood, and smoke, and it was as if he had not felt the envy in the first place. After all, they weren't officially dating, and if she liked Demyx, then he would respect her choice, even if he was bisexual.
"Well, that's a lot better than you, Mr. I'm-Asexual," Axel had teased once. Zexion quickly put the memory out of his mind and admired the rare environment.
The wide, wide river was definitely a perfect choice. Had all of the tents and stalls disappeared, the large bridge in the background would have made for a beautiful painting, with bare trees lining the banks gracefully, snow sitting on their brittle branches.
But even with the colourful, striped tents and food- and game-stalls, it looked nice. Maybe nice enough for a postcard...
"Alright guys!" called out Axel. "We should split up into small groups, so that way there's no fighting about what we'll see when and why. So... Sora, you're too cheerful. Go with Larxene," ordered Axel with a wink. Sora looked crestfallen, but lit up when he remembered how generous with her money Larxene could be on a good day. Maybe I'll finally taste cotton-candy!
"Roxas, you go with Zexion..." Zexion strode over to the shorter blond and draped a black-sleeved arm over his shoulders.
"I've got my cell phone," he said with a hint of forced cheerfulness. Demyx looked at him curiously.
"Why–– "
"Xion, with your boyfriend." Marluxia's mouth quirked upwards as he protested.
"Why does Vanity get to be with his girlfriend?" Xion laughed at her boyfriend's nickname, causing him to turn red.
"It's Vanitas," he snarled lightly, before mocking Kairi's hairflip and walking away with Xion's hand in his. Naminé laughed.
"I guess I'll go with Demyx, since Zexion's already taken," she winked. Axel then paired Kairi and Saïx together, before leaving with Marluxia to go to the game-stalls.
Kairi, Saïx, Zexion, and Roxas stared at each other before awkwardly waving goodbye.
"So, where do you want to go?" asked the slate-haired young man. The two were passing through the souvenir stands, and the taller of the two was keeping his right hand close to his pocket of money. Roxas looked up at the unnaturally almost-cheerful college junior.
"Er, I guess the Rink's cool..." What was up with him? he wondered. Did something... He froze.
Could it be possible that Zexion was jealous? After all, Naminé and Demyx were––
"Something wrong, Roxas?" Zexion stopped skating and looked back at the high-school senior. The blond shook his head, an almost-smile tugging at his pale lips.
"No. Nothing's wrong. Let's go to the Rink."
Kairi and Saïx were skating through the crowds and were examining the ice-sculptures on display under the arch of the brown-brick bridge.
"Wow! Sai, look at this!" The stylish redhead pointed at a particularly large statue. It was a large castle, but with sideways towers and a many roofs. But though the architecture was bizarre, the minute details chiseled into the frozen water were what truly caught the eye. Each individual brick was painstakingly tapped in, and the windows looked almost real.
"Like it?" came a sudden voice. Both Kairi and Saïx jumped (though the latter hid his surprise with a cough) and looked at the speaker. He was a handsome young man, with silver hair just passing his shoulders, and clear aquamarine eyes twinkling coldly, though with a friendly amusement's tell-tale feel to them. Kairi stared at him in awe.
He's... almost kinda cute!
"It's called Castle Oblivion. Some guy named Ventus made it. It's crazy detailed, isn't it?" Kairi nodded shyly.
"It's very good. Is it for the contest?" The silver-haired youth regarded her with a strange, knowing look. He wore a top hat, purple with gold stars, and it caught her attention.
"Yes... Are you entering?" She shook her head.
"No, I can't. I'm not artistically talented at all." She giggled. "But thank you, Mr...?"
"...Riku. There's no 'mister' in front of it either. Just Riku." He smiled at her. Kairi furrowed her eyebrows. Riku... Riku, that name sounds so familiar! She gasped.
"Hey! Are you Sora's––"
But the man had already left.
It was Larxene, not Sora, who dragged their friend's sleeve with one hand as they ran from booth to booth excitedly, looking at all of the different games, merchandise, and food with equal interest.
"Hey, look! A darts game! How much to play?" she asked, as she skated up to the wooden counter. A man with a long ponytail and an eyepatch smirked.
"A dollar for three." Larxene did not hesitate to take out her moneybag from one of her long, black, trench-coat-like jacket's pockets, and paid the man with a bill. He took it without looking and handed her three sharp knives. They were yellow, with turquoise tinging around the center.
"Well, here goes!"
Two minutes, two misses, and one perfect bull's eye later, Larxene left the booth with a satisfied smirk on her face and a large, yellow-eyed black plushie, with two antennae just like her hair strands.
"Where should we go next?" she asked the brunet. Sora answered immediately:
"Cotton candy!"
Xion and Vanitas waltzed together in the Rink, with Xion teaching Vanitas how to keep his balance on ice, and Vanitas teaching Xion how to dance. At least now, she can't step on my toes, thought the dark-haired man with a smirk. Xion noticed.
"What's so funny?" She placed a small kiss to his chest: she couldn't tiptoe on skates to reach any higher, and didn't want to try (His jacket zipper is cold! she thought). Vanitas shrugged.
"Nothing really. You're getting better, though," he commented truthfully. They continued dancing on the ice until two large bodies bumped into them.
"Oh! Sorry!" yelped one. Xion and Vanitas looked up.
They were balloon-clowns, jokers clad in ridiculously air-filled suits, mostly for their dangerous stunts. Vanitas's girlfriend hooked a stray strand of hair back behind her ear.
"No, that's okay!" she said cheerfully. "We should have been watching where we were going. Ne, Vanitas?" He nodded sulkily.
"Yeah, okay. Sorry." As soon as the clowns turned away (after apologizing one last time), Vanitas stuck his tongue out at them quite childishly, making his girlfriend laugh.
"Vani, you look so silly!"
"So do you. Is sitting on ice in jeans really that comfortable?" queried a new voice. Both looked up.
Roxas had his arms crossed, and was grinning down at the two. Vanitas glared at him, but his gaze softened as Roxas and Zexion (who walked up) each extended a hand to the fallen skaters.
"What were you doing down there, anyway?" asked Zexion, really quite curious, but a slight disdainful tone marred the question. Xion blushed.
"We fell."
"No, we didn't. Some idiot clowns bumped into us and knocked us down." An eyebrow raised.
"I see. Are you having fun?" Xion smiled.
"Yeah! After eating some ice cream, Vanitas said he was going to take me to the ice-show!" Roxas smiled as well.
"That sounds nice. Have fun!" He turned to Zexion, a devious grin on his face.
"Race ya," he challenged. "Three laps. Loser buys the snow-cones." Zexion smirked.
"Oh, you're on."
Axel and Marluxia were riding the carousel horses, painted brightly and festively, while eating popcorn out of a paper, striped box. Both rode side-saddle-style, as it was much easier to eat their popcorn that way. As Axel munched on the popped corn, he asked his pink-haired companion a question.
"Do you like clowns?"
Marluxia glanced at him with a smirk on his face.
"Do you mean yourself? I may be bisexual, just like Demyx, but I'm already taken," he winked. Axel rolled his eyes and lightly caressed his two purple, inverted-teardrop tattoos, one under each eye.
"I am a joker. Not a clown. I meant those," he said, gesturing towards some large bodies. Both of them looked at the gathered crowd's direction, and waited for the carousel to turn again so they could continue watching the clowns.
One of them popped his suit open, and instead of being air-filled, it was filled with green, gold, blue, and red confetti, and burst them into the air, creating a colourful, dry rain. Marluxia shook his head.
"Not really..."
"Are you scared of them?" teased the redhead.
Marluxia threw the empty striped box at him.
Somewhere in the crowd, Kairi had lost Saïx, and was looking for him, when she bumped into Riku again. He smiled down at her.
"Hi again, Kairi."
"H-hi! I was wondering... er, could you..." she looked up at him. "Hang on; how do you know my name?" Riku turned his back to her and walked away.
Kairi crossed her arms and glared angrily at his back. How rude! She was just about to look for Saïx again when the strange young man returned, with an ice cream in each hand. He handed one to her, rendering the fashionable high-school junior speechless.
Oh.
"Sora told me," he said simply, as he began eating his blue sweet. Kairi blushed.
"O-oh. Thank you... for buying me this," she said, somewhat lamely. Riku laughed.
"You're welcome. Where's Bluey?"
"Blu––? Oh. Saïx. I was looking for him, but... he can take care of himself." She skated a bit closer to him. Riku smirked.
"I'm sure he can, indeed."
Meanwhile, Saïx had found his way to the snow-cone stall. A redhaired woman and a tall brunet were selling the shaved ice in a large cup with a straw, and seemed very busy indeed, when the woman caught sight of Saïx and whispered something to her partner. He grinned, and slipped out of the booth to skate quickly over to him, raising a hand in greeting.
"Hey!"
"Hello."
"Aerith says she knows you. You're Saïx?" asked the tall man. He was wearing a black jacket also, but this one ended at his waist and had a fur collar. Saïx nodded.
"Yes... And who are you?"
"I'm Leon," the man said, and smiled. "'Rith's said that you need some cash? If you're interested, you could take my place for an hour or two...?"
"Really?"
"Really." Saïx thought for a moment, then shrugged.
"Well, then, yes please!"
Demyx, holding Naminé's hand, gently tugged her along as he skated through the crowds of people, laughing along with her as they slid gradually faster on the ice.
Having so much fun, they didn't notice four other people skating towards them, and promptly collided with them.
"Ow!" Naminé winced as she landed on top of a certain slate-haired man, banging her fist against the ice. Upon recognizing him, she immediately drew back, hand covering her mouth.
"Oh, Zexion! Are you okay?" Zexion looked blankly at her for a moment, before slightly reddening and getting up, slipping a little on the ice. Brushing himself off, he shook his hair.
"I'm fine." The little blonde smiled.
"I'm glad. Sorry." Zexion was mid-shrug before laughter drew their attention away.
Demyx, who had collided with Roxas and Xion, lay sprawled on top of them both, and the three were in mirth. Vanitas stood off to the side, arms crossed, and watched them with distaste.
"Get off of my girlfriend, Dem-Dem," he said; but his words lacked the bite they usually held. He looked to be suppressing his laughter, and waltzed over to the ungainly heap and dragged Xion out, leaving Demyx nose-to-nose with Roxas.
"Heyy," he said with a wink. Roxas groaned playfully, and halfheartedly pushed him off.
"'Heyy' yourself. You're heavy!" Demyx reluctantly got up, and saw Zexion and Vanitas whispering fiercely.
"Ha! See? I told you!"
"You sound incredibly immature, Vanity."
"You're no better! Like a child!"
"Takes one to know one!" Naminé was doubled over with silent laughter, and tugged on Zexion to get him away from his pride-fight.
"Zexion, buy me a snow-cone?" she asked sweetly. Zexion sighed and nodded. The black snake sniffed the air.
"Of course. What flavour?"
"I–– Demyx, I can't see if you're there."
"But I don't know what I should get! I mean, there's lemon, lime, strawberry, pink lemonade, sea-salt, cola, grape, mango, cherry, tropical punch, Blue Hawai'i, Fruits Basket, berry, and orange!"
"Which do you want?"
"But everything sounds so gooooood," stressed Demyx, when his eye caught blue.
"Sai?"
"Demyx?"
"What are you doing there?"
"Working. Miss Aerith gave me a job." The woman smiled.
"Hello, Demyx." He waved.
"Hiii! Hey, Sai, can I get a discount?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"Cherry on top?"
"Are you ordering?"
"It's a phrase." There was a momentary pause. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why no discount? Aren't I your bestest, bestest buddy?" Demyx fluttered his eyelashes. Saïx snorted.
"No. And no discount."
"Why not?"
"I'm being paid for this job."
"So if you were volunteering, you'd give me a discount?"
"No."
"But you said––"
"Just... PICK the flavour you want, Demyx!" His tone was exasperated but on his face was a smile. "People are waiting behind you!" And it was true: several customers were in line behind the mullethawked man and his friends, a few of them laughing behind their hands at the silly banter between the bluenett and dirty-blond (not excluding their friends themselves: Xion and Naminé found it very amusing). Demyx looked sheepish, then thought for a moment.
"Can I have some of everything?"
Zexion watched as Roxas left with Naminé's hand in his. The snake tightened in his chest for a moment, before Zexion reduced it to naught but ash once more. Vanitas and Xion had left to 'run an errand' (Run an errand, my foot.), leaving Zexion watching over a very cheerful Demyx.
"So, where do you want to go?"
"I don't care. Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere's fine. Everywhere's fine. Hey, let's go to the carousel!" he decided suddenly. Zexion shrugged and skated with him to the merry-go-round, and began noticing Demyx skating closer and closer to him, humming an Elvis song, until they were in danger of bumping.
"Demyx? Why are you so close?"
"I only stick like glue; stuck because I'm, stuck onto you.." began singing Demyx in reply, waggling his eyebrows as he did so, bringing a slight smile to Zexion's face.
"Stop that."
"Nosirree, uh huh huh." Admit it he did not want to, but Demyx's impression of Elvis was both accurate and funny. Zexion smiled and shook his head, and continued skating, trying to ignore the rest of the lyrics.
"I'm in the kitchen, I'm in the hall; it won't do you no good at all, cause once I catch ya and the kissin' starts––"
A pale hand clamped over Demyx's mouth.
"No," was all Zexion said. Demyx grinned once Zexion's hand left his mouth (It smelled nice, of parchment and coffee, and maybe a dash of brine from his sea-soap) and began singing another song.
"You're as cold as ice! Someday you'll sacrifice our love––"
Demyx let out a yelp as Zexion tackled him to the ground.
The carnival ride was fun, and the two enjoyed themselves as they rode, keeping them in good spirits until another clown bumped into them, sending Demyx crashing over to the bank.
Worry began trickling down into Zexion's blood.
"Demyx! Watch out!" He winced as the mullethawked man crashed into a lamppost. He quickly skated over and examined the damage.
"Are you alright?"
"Yah. Ahm fine. Ecthept bai tung ith thuck. Bai tung ith thuck. Theksiyoooon! Help me plethe! Theckthion? Haaaaaae! Theckth?"
But Zexion was laughing, genuinely laughing at how silly Demyx looked with his mouth open, tongue stuck to the pole.
"Haha... I'm sorry, this... hahaha! This shouldn't be funny, but... heheh... but it's...ahem," he cleared his throat, only the slightest traces of mirth left on his face. "I'll call Aerith. She'll get you loose."
Epilogue: Rated T
"You licked a pole?" asked Roxas incredulously. Aerith had expertly rescued Demyx from his predicament, and had treated them all to cotton-candy (they all already had snow-cones) while Leon took care of business. Demyx looked at the suddenly-interesting ground, and folded his hands behind his back, taking care not to let the sticky stick touch his clothes. Yeah, yeah, it was stupid. But it was an accident!
"...Yeah..." he said weakly. A blush tinted his cheeks. Axel looked at him curiously.
"Whose? Your crush? Zexion's?" Demyx looked up with confusion in his eyes.
"Wha––? No, I think the government owns them. I dunno what Zex would do with one if he bought it..."
In his disorientation, he had not caught Axel's drift. And for that, Roxas was glad.
A/N: How was it? Sucky? Eh, tomorrow should be better~ :) Thanks anyways!
Leave a review, please. It's rude not to ;)