I love you all! You're all so bright and brilliant, I can't believe my subtle hints are so... not very vague!

So...
...sesshomaruhasafluffytail: Love for the purple dancing rhinos! Am glad you enjoy, thanks!
...Ivan's Kitsune: hahaha! "In America!" I figured that was what you meant, but for the T-rating, everything's just very implied... it'll get worse, I'll try my best to make it get worse somehow... but another woman? DemDem's not a woman! XD Squeenix was brilliant, or we fans are just very manipulative... either way, I thank them. And you. Teehee.
...Metal Chocobo: Yes, yes, all things are, indeed, explained in the following chapters. Or if not, they will be by the end of the fic! And thanks, glad you're a reader. Juu pwn!
...hanakitsunechan7: Wowz. Calm down, chica! ...that's it, no more sugar for juu! Or pancakes... -eating the sugar- Yeah... Zexy finally initiated something... DemDem's cuddly attitude rubs off, I swear. And thanks! (And calm down with all the sugar, jeez!) Oh, and Dem's dead mommy has nothing to do with the fic, except that it's a similarity with Zexion... that's really just it.
...Shattered Sanctuary: Teehee, am trying to speed up with actually posting them. To be honest, I got, like, a few more chappies written, but I haven't been around to post them. Am glad you like, though, thanks! And hopefully things start clearing up a little... blame Zexion, he's a vague person.
...blackkeyblade: Oh, Zexion just has issues... am glad you like! -giggles-
...Silva-trees: Once again, I say--you are brilliant. Yeah, YGOTAS is rather infamous now, I'm in love. And yes, RIP for Tristan's Voice. Am glad you like, thanks for the review, and juu get a cookie for figuring out Mysterious Chica! And a basket of cookies for giving DemDem a daddy.
...Mina The Forgotten Memory: Yes, prayers to rain! It's so much fun to do that, some of the best. Poor you... I just thought it would be fun for Larxene to bake cookies. The Emo flakes thing KILLED ME. I swear. Great going... and no, his mommy's--oh, wait, you'll read that in this chappy! Am glad you love, thanks for reviewing!
...Ranchdressing: You get a cookie too for figuring out Mysterious Chica! Glad you like, thanks for the review! Makes me squee! -squee-
...RulerOfChaos: Am trying, but glad you like! Thanks for reviewing!

...Random Reviewer: ooooh, mysterious person! Am glad you like, hope you guessed right! -giggles- Thanks!
...darkchild: glad you like, thanks for the review!

Once again, thanks! Love for all!

Whispered Melody
.x.
Even With My Eyes Wide Open

Lavender...

"Zexion, you can't stay in there forever..." Axel called, knocking on the door.

It had been an hour. Zexion read the letter six times, each word committed to memory, yet he was starting to worry. He didn't want her there, nowhere near him. She wasn't supposed to come near him, wasn't supposed to appear ever again. He thought he established that with the knife at her throat, and his calm, cold voice whispering three words to her: "Never come back."

Apparently, she didn't understand. Three years, and she was here. Watching, knowing, waiting...

"Zexion, just open the door!"

He couldn't do that. His potential downfall had written a letter in lavender ink. She had told him once that her favorite scent was lavender; he recognized her easily by the scent. And the six words on the page.

I've returned, and I'm not afraid.

Demyx knocked on the door once more, his pleas soft and gentle. "Zexy... please, tell us what's wrong... I'll be waiting on you, okay? I won't leave here!"

The door unlocked and slowly opened, and Zexion frowned up at him. "Demyx, you and Axel need to leave," he said.

"Hell no, punk," Axel said softly. He had been perched on the carpet, leaning on one wall with his foot on the wall across from him. Hands flicked with a lighter, and continued quietly as Zexion gave him a dull look. "You're unstable. Mentally unstable. I'm going to call Gainsborough and see if she can come here--"

"It's beyond your comprehension, Axel."

"Nothing's beyond my comprehension, except Calculus. Got it memorized?" Axel shut the lighter and sighed softly, looking up. "Zexion... what's up with the letter? The girl seemed really nice."

Zexion shook his head. "You both need to leave."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong," Demyx argued. He placed his hands on Zexion's shoulders and frowned slightly. "Zexy..."

"It's her," he finally said softly. "Axel, you know about my mother. Remember that source I mentioned?"

Axel sat up quickly. "That's... the source? But Zex, you could--"

"I know..." He passed by them and moved to the kitchen, Demyx trailing him.

"Wait a minute. I don't understand!"

Zexion ignored him for a moment. He munched on a cookie idly as he opened a drawer, shuffling through papers until he found a photograph, which he placed on the counter. The photograph was of a man looking up from a book, a smaller boy with bluish hair biting carnivorously onto a cup, and a brown-haired woman smiling brightly, holding a small, slate-haired child who cheerfully showed off two missing teeth. "Demyx, this is my family," he said softly. "My dad's institutionalized. My mother was murdered. My brother's... elsewhere."

The blond in front of him gasped loudly. "W-wha...? Did they ever catch the murderer?" he asked. "And what do you mean by 'elsewhere'?"

Zexion ignored the second question. "No. They haven't caught me yet."

Demyx took a step back in fear, but then shook his head. "N-no... you're... you wouldn't've... not your own mother..."

Axel sighed and walked into the room, nodding. "Yeah... the only person who could prove it from when Zexion testified mysteriously vanished before the trial. But he was sent to a psychologist until she deemed him 'stable' enough."

"But... if he..." Demyx spluttered, not quite sure how to respond.

"Yes. He's crazy," Axel replied. "He hadn't meant to, but something was in his system. He likes to claim that it never got out... but this mysterious source... is back in town, I'm assuming."

"Just like Santa Clause on Christmas Eve," Zexion added simply. "I told the source that if she told, I'd slit her throat--right after the incident, and I showed up at her house with the bloody knife... and she left..."

"Who is she?" Demyx questioned.

"Her name is Naminé."

.vi...ix.

"How small can this world get?!"

Zexion actually wanted to shoot himself for this one. He had been friends with Axel for at least a year and a half, enough to know of the boy's relationship with a high schooler, of his friends who did drugs, of his friends who were into the kinky sort of things--though that was mainly Larxene--and of his friends who fit into no actual category. He even knew of Axel's troublesome cousin Reno in some odd city called Midgar.

But the one thing he never thought he'd figure out was that Axel knew Naminé's brother, personally. Well, not exactly personally. Reno had gotten in a few fights with him and called to tell him the nice details. Cloud Strife lived two apartments from Reno with some perky little blonde girl, and he worked at a bar further into the city. Reno wasn't a stalker, he just considered himself nosy and cautious about motorcycle-driving, sword-slinging neighbors with perky little blonde girls in their homes. Reno had mentioned knowing a Cloud, and Zexion immediately knew the world shrunk.

"It's pretty small, Zex... but with siblings and people moving to the popular cities, you can't exactly blame them..." he murmured with a slight grin.

Zexion sighed. "So Naminé's been living with her brother in Midgar," he deducted. "And she came all the way back to Twilight Town just to find me. No..." He shook his head and nervously snatched another cookie. "She came and she's going to have me arrested..."

"Zexy..." Demyx sighed, draping his arms around Zexion's neck quietly. "I don't want you to go," he murmured softly. He had given up in his debate on running or hugging and decided that he liked Zexion, murderous or not. And as long as Zexion stayed away from drugs and the kitchen silverware, he was safe. "I'm sure we can talk it out with her. "

Axel smiled brightly. "Now, that's an idea!"

"It is?" Demyx looked surprised at his own suggestion.

Zexion shook his head quietly. "It wouldn't work," he said calmly. "If she sees me, she's got a better description for the police."

"Sure it would. You talk to the girl, tell her you're sorry, give her flowers or something--"

"But aren't flowers romantic?" Demyx whined.

"--and wish to be friends again. While discreetly pleading for her to not send you to the police..."

Zexion glanced down. "I don't know..."

Axel rolled his eyes. "So you want to wait it out, then?"

"We'll give it a week, okay?" Zexion decided, rather annoyed with Axel's persistent nature and his want to help with this problem. Demyx was already up for it, so long as Zexion would remain out of jail. Demyx sighed softly and lifted him from his feet, hugging him tightly. "Dem--"

"Zexy, you've gotta stay safe, okay? Pleeeeeeease?"

"You're... gah, Demyx, let go!"

Axel laughed and Zexion was sure he heard the soft mumble of "Lovebirds" behind Demyx's whimpering, incoherent noises.

When Demyx's grip tightened at his struggling, Zexion began to regret eating those cookies.

.vi...ix.

Thursday.

Zexion wanted to die, and fast. Monday afternoon, a girl named Selphie happily bounced over to Axel and gave him another note, which read, "A conference is needed. I'm seeking you. -NS." and it smelled of lavender. Tuesday, a message was scrawled on his lab table in Biology: "We need to talk. -NS." Underneath was a map to a warehouse, and Zexion was immediately on the phone that night, inviting Demyx to stay the night. Wednesday, Demyx received a heart-shaped box of chocolates at Xaldin's bar, and a note: "Your boyfriend would give you these, but he's not very romantic. -NS."

By Thursday, Zexion was afraid to leave his house. He knew he had to, sometime, but he wasn't sure it would be safe. He was huddled in his kitchen, large knife in hand, the vision of his mother and the blood--oh, so much blood--in front of his eyes. He wasn't sure whether to start attacking his furniture or begin sobbing on the phone to his therapist.

This, he was sure, was considered a relapse. And Zexion, he was sure, did not relapse.

Except when he did.

And as the front door's lock clicked, he tensed, hand tightening around the knife, other hand pulling the blanket closer over his shoulders. It slid open, the loud, vacant, heavy noise ruffling the front mat. He pulled himself to his feet and sniffed, searching for familiarity, hoping that perhaps it was chemicals, and not, definitely not, lavender.

He was surprised at what his nose caught.

Ocean. A salty breeze, water's gentle scent--

Fake. Complete and utterly. It had to be. He was definitely ready to stab, even as footsteps trudged around his house, the faint calling of his name echoing through the house. He braced himself, and soon found himself leaping to his feet as a tall, thin blond appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Zexy--omigawd." He froze, gaping as he held his hands up defensively. "Z-Zexion... put the knife down..." he said softly. "Come on... you remember me, right? Demyx... not gonna hurt you... just... please don't kill me," he squeaked.

Zexion eyed him suspiciously for a moment or so. Costume, actor, hired hitman... no, just Demyx. The knife dropped from his hand and he rushed to Demyx, shaking his head softly. Demyx took him openly, hugging him tightly and raining small, comforting kisses onto his head. It was a welcoming feel, and he looked up with a frown.

"Demyx..."

"Ssh... it's okay, Zexy..." Demyx sighed and began to lead him over to the couch. Zexion calmly collapsed onto it, and Demyx tugged the blanket further around his shoulders with a frown. "Jeez... what happened?" he asked softly.

Zexion sighed and shook his head. "You're in danger. Everyone's in danger... she's here, she knows... a-and..."

He had to stop himself. Demyx was staring worriedly, as if none of this connected, and Zexion knew one thing--Demyx was more than certain he was crazy. So he did what any other loving boyfriend would do: he hugged Zexion and promptly called a mutual friend. Strangely, with Demyx by his side, he figured that maybe he wouldn't go crazy. Demyx was strong--as proved by the cuts still healing on his back, and the fresh ones from two nights ago--and could probably hold him down and stop him from stabbing anyone.

He ended up dozing lightly, until Axel arrived, bolting awake to open the door, even though Demyx was already one step away. Demyx reached there quickly, an exasperated look on his face as he breathed, "What took you so long?" He blinked and then his eyes widened. "Oh... Dr. Gainsborough! Whoa... uh... come in..."

Zexion had frozen. Axel had gone and called his therapist?! He blinked and glowered quietly at the floor, then slowly made his way to his room.

"Zexion, wait!" Axel called out, and Demyx bounced over to grab his arms. Zexion found himself back on the couch in a few seconds, held tightly on Demyx's lap as Aerith settled in his armchair. Axel was next to the window, setting something on fire idly as he listened.

At this point, Aerith sighed and Zexion stopped wriggling around by Demyx. He hated her looks. She had that psychiatric aura around her, and she had fixed a way around Zexion's thoughts, and he could melt by just one stern look asking for information. It didn't help at all with his idea of avoiding eye contact and ignoring questions. She saw through his snide remarks, cryptic answers, and abnormal glares of silence. Most people fell for that--hell, even Axel shut up for it. But Aerith would look him to death and get him to crack.

She was one of only three people who had ever seen him cry. He didn't quite understand why he was even forced into this--it was his house!--but he couldn't complain. Though firm, Demyx was gentle, arms wrapped about him in a tight, but kind hold. He kissed his neck gently, offering the bit of comfort he could.

"Zexy..."

The small one glared up. "It's a relapse. I freaked out, okay?"

And she smiled. Her cruel--not even near cruel--kind, small smile that she gave him every time he could make a breakthrough. She always let him come to his own conclusions, offering her bits of input until he realized the truth for himself. It was what bothered him about therapy--it was always a push, that one strong, silent push that ripped him from his stoic appearance and had him singing like a canary--and she just seemed to like it.

"It's okay, Zexion... you're in safe hands..."

Safe wasn't the only way to describe it.

"Can you tell us what happened?"

Zexion looked up. "I had the knife... in the kitchen... and I..." He found himself leaning back and recoiling into Demyx's shoulder. "I am so sorry," he apologized suddenly. "It was just... her, and... I freaked."

Demyx blinked and hugged him. "It's okay, Zexy..."

Axel paused from burning old lottery tickets and looked up. "Hey, lady," he called. "I think he needs to be admitted again..."

She shook her head once her eyes lay on Zexion's bold stare, both dark eyes peeking from the curtain of uncombed hair. "No, I think he'll be okay," she said softly. "We might need to find this Naminé girl and settle this situation. You said she knew, Zexion?"

He looked down and nodded, still curled up in Demyx's arms. It was warm, soft, loving even. Demyx was gentle and patient with him, oddly silent as he waited. It just didn't seem to suit him; Zexion didn't understand why Demyx could be so calm and collected, even as he held in his arms a murderous psychopath on the edge of a mental breakdown.

Zexion wanted to shoot himself. He still wanted to die, and this was bothering him. That he was still alive, in such a comfortable place yet feeling so tense. It was unnaturally paradoxical.

"I told her everything I tried to tell her," he replied quietly. "I tried... I'm not sure if it made sense, but when I threatened her life, I'm sure she figured out I was crazy."

Aerith sighed. "Zexion, don't go back to step one. You're not crazy--"

"Oh, but I am..." he insisted. "Crazier than my dad. And he's the one thrown in the loony-bin."

There was a moment of silence to follow his remark, interrupted only by the cackling of flames on a sheet of spare paper. A few seconds later, and Zexion broke it with a long sigh. "Okay... get this." He sat up, shifting to face Aerith calmly as Demyx's arms moved to hook carefully around his waist. "I'm crazy. I accept it, and I'm going to ignore that. But what I don't know is what I'm going to do. Naminé knows. She saw me, she knows what happened. And she can tell the cops."

"But if we got a lawyer and--"

"More therapy," he interrupted her. "I've already dealt with the courts once, and I got therapy. They'll just declare that I'm still crazy..."

"Might not be a bad thing," Axel murmured absent-mindedly from the window.

"Axel..." Demyx whined softly.

A flash of impatience flashed through Aerith's eyes as she glanced at the two. "Boys..."

Zexion sighed. "Look. I don't know what Naminé has planned, but I know she's not going to drastically walk into the open and rat me out. She's a cunning person, and her little messages aren't helping, but I know she's trying to draw me out... I just don't know how to confront her... or how it will end up."

"No one ever knows the future, Zexion," she said calmly. "But the most you can do is talk to her. Not knowing is liable to do you no good."

Zexion sighed. "I know..." he muttered. "I just... don't want to."

Fate sucked. He was sure it just bit him in the rear and he knew Axel was plotting.

.x. end .x.

Yeah, it's somewhat a little cliffy, but merely because I didn't want to put toooooo much in it yet. Yes, the crossdressing and whatnot comes up soon, and I must thank all who are putting up with me to write this! Am trying to post faster, but I got sick over my allergies (I hate March-to-April, I always die). Don't worry, am gonna go faster, most definitely... soon... hopefully... quota is 85!

"My hair is in love!"
-Guy with the hair, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series (by Little Kuriboh)

:Darkness Princess.