Oh my god, I had no right whatshowever to throw that tantrum I threw last author's note. I just... Oh my god. I bragged about being able to write this? Ha! It too me two months to come up with something that wasn't a wimpy little scene. And I rather like this epilogue-y chapter. I tried to show everyone in a good light. Did it work? On a completely positive note, out of the fourteen multi-chapter fictions I have ever started here on FFN (and who knows how many I've posted off of FFN), this is my first completed story. Yay me!

Watch out for the Demyx spinoff I'm writing. I promise it will be awesome if you like Demyx/(insert organization number here.) Coming to a fanfiction website near you.

I LOVE REVIEWERS. So I'm pimpingBubblegum Head, chicago x pillowz, m3di4h, Mikomi-Kiyoko, Iokkish, and Daitai Otonashii Ookami.Basically every one who has ever reviewed this. Special bones to chicago and Bubblegum and Mikomi, for having reviwed more than once. :3 I hope you all waited for this. I hope you think the wait is worth it. If not... go ahead and flame me to a crisp. Loves!


Carry this Picture for Luck

Chapter the end


Roxas stepped back and let Hayner shut the car trunk. He shoved his hands in his pocket and stood for a moment, looking just past Hayner's ear. "So…"

"That's it," Hayner said. He rubbed the back of his head and looked skyward. "Everything is packed. Nocturne's moving in, right?"

"Yeah," Roxas said. "He's bringing in his stuff later today."

There followed an uncomfortable silence.

"Listen, Roxas-" "Hayner, I-"

They both stopped and finally looked each other in the eye. Roxas gave a sheepish smile.

"Thanks." This was so awkward.

Without warning, but without shock, Hayner pulled the shorter man into a tight embrace. "No need, Roxas. No need."

--

So You Think You Know…

The Hikari Twins?

Column by Axel Kaze

The Hikari twins are fairly popular on campus. Sora is the friendly photographer in the junior class, and Roxas is the nice, if a little quiet, guy who used to date Squall Leonheart way back when, and was recently revealed to be the close friend of Demyx Shirabe, the artist usually known as Melodious Nocturne. How was HBU blessed with such little guys?

Roxas: Don't call us little.

Sora: Yeah!

Axel: Can't hurt to have a little fun, can it?

S: You're supposed to act professionally as an interviewer!

A: I can't help the fact that I've known you for like ever.

S: Professionalism!

A: Alright, fine. Then have some professional questions. Like, Roxas. Do you where boxers or briefs?

R: This better not be in the interview, perv. If you must know, It's-

-continued on page six-

--

"I can believe that got printed," Roxas hissed, cheeks flushing after he threw out the campus newspaper. "That column has got to be the worst column in the paper, and everyone's quoting it at me!"

"Could be worse," Demyx shrugged. "At least you didn't say something really good and have people come up to you and tell you what a great inspiration you are."

"You're famous, Dem. Get used to it. Axel, I hate your column."

It was a week later and Roxas had finally given Demyx the grand tour of Hollow Bastion University. It was hard as Demyx and Roxas were mobbed by fans every time they left the apartment; it was only after the excitement about Demyx moving in died down that they could get out, though Leon the fact that denied patronage of any Demyx-stalkers might have helped. The tour ended at Leon's Coffeehouse, where Axel served them free coffee and took his break to sit and talk with them, ignoring the sudden influx of customers at the moment.

People ogled Demyx. The rock star wore his hair in a loose ponytail, Gucci sunglasses, and designer jeans with an HBU sweatshirt. "I've decided," he told Axel, "To stay a while. Roxas has an extra room, so I thought I'd just move my stuff in. Maybe I'll take some classes."

"You think you'll get accepted?" Roxas teased, his chair next to Axel's so they brushed arms and knees. Hayner caught his eye outside the window, standing at the corner and waiting for traffic to stop. He sported a black eye and looked pleased with himself; probably another fight with Seifer. Nothing Roxas had to bother about.

"Hey, it's me!" Demyx grinned, spreading his arms out. "You think I won't?" Roxas turned his eyes back to him and grinned.

This, Roxas felt, was as close to perfection as things came.

Riku and Sora came in and pulled up chairs to their little table. They didn't touch the way he and Axel did, but Roxas could see something in their glances and smiles and that was enough.

"Can I take your order?" Their smiles faltered for a moment, softened when they looked at Kairi, notepad and pen in hand, apron tied around her waist. She smiled too, if sadly. "Just the usual frappuccinos?"

"Yeah," Sora said softly. Riku's expression hardened. "The usual."

"You know," Demyx said as Kairi bustled away. "You don't have to choose."

"Free love doesn't work out in the real world," Sora muttered. "You have to choose the person you love more." Riku grabbed his hand and squeezed.

--

Roxas had missed Demyx sitting on the couch with his guitar, strumming absently whatever came to mind. He had missed that lovely singing tenor Demyx possessed that drove the groupies insane. And while Demyx looked amazing in only a pair of low slung jeans, Roxas could not even think of why he ever went out with this boy. He knew Roxas better than he knew himself in that weird psychic twin way. Even better than Sora, if only marginally.

"Letters to you from the postbox,
Send all the love you can give.
Why is it nothing goes the way that you want?
Guess that's just the way that life lives."

"New song?" Roxas asked, putting down his textbooks.

"Your song," Demyx told him, putting out a cigarette in the ashtray. "Mystery Boy Part Two."

Roxas rolled his eyes and read from the lyrics.

"You give up forever for love that just lasts
That ephemeral second in space.
Love just like this comes only this once,
So give it the all you can take.
So give all the love you can make.

And in the end, leave it with grace."

Demyx had the decency to duck his head and blush as he played the lasts chords, his long hair falling to the side of his face. But he brought his face up quickly and asked, "How is it?"

"Amazing," Roxas told his friend with a wide grin.

They sat grinning at each other like fools. "I love you," Demyx voiced eventually, and it was the truth, and Roxas wasn't uncomfortable, because he took it for the platonic, 'I could never have done this without you' feeling that it was.

"I love you too," Roxas echoed, and he meant it.

--

Kairi wasn't bitter. She was the girl of Sora's dreams; she couldn't be. She could never be bitter at Riku. It's a fair turn, she thought. Sora took her to the burger joint on her lunch break and they worked out the details over a meal. Sora wished she hadn't hidden Riku's feelings from him. He wished he didn't have to break her heart. He wanted to stay friends.

"I'm fine," she assured him, even when she wasn't. But Kairi was strong. She would live through this, and she would be fine. She could love Sora as the amazing person she had come to know. She would love Riku for the amazing person he was. Kairi was very loving.

And as Sora gave a relieved smile, so wide his face might crack, the world lit up and Kairi felt a million pounds lighter.

--

Axel and Demyx became fast friends. Apparently Reno worked for the recording studio Demyx used, which made the blond that much more open to him.

Although another major factor was Demyx's undying crush on Axel's roommate. Beside the concert, Roxas had yet to see Zexion show signs of personality, but Demyx continued tenaciously to pester Axel about the slate haired man.

"You better not be using my roommate," Axel growled. "He's one of my closest friends, and if you hurt him…"

"Hey! I didn't give you that kind of speech when I found out about you and Roxas!" Demyx exclaimed. "Tell him Roxas."

The surly blond folded his arms and said in monotone, "He didn't threaten you when you claimed to be my boyfriend."

"Demyx still a rock star. You know what those guys do," Axel said, and shrugged his shoulder to let the rock star into his dorm room.

"Hi!" Demyx greeted brightly, and the student at his desk turned his head and instantly turned red in the face. "I was wondering if you wanted to take a break and we could go get coffee?"

Roxas slammed the door behind him and a loud clamor of voices arose from the hallway. Someone shrieked that Melodious Nocturne should father his baby.

"Or maybe," Axel suggested, reaching for the miniature fridge under his desk and reaching for beer. "We can just take a break here."

--

Roxas and Riku sat on the couch watching TV and waiting for Sora and Axel to get back from the darkroom, where Axel wanted to make sure that Sora did every shot perfectly.

"I'm sorry, you know, if I ever hurt you," Riku said suddenly Mickey continued talking on screen. "I really did love you."

"I know," Roxas sighed as he reached for the popcorn. "But in that little high school puppy love kind of way."

Riku nodded. His eyes didn't leave the screen. "You were in love with me though."

"For years," Roxas agreed. "And whatever Axel thinks about you, I'm more of a bitch than you ever were. I hurt you, I hurt Demyx, I hurt Axel, I hurt Hayner. I'm ashamed Demyx knew that I never loved him... not like that. Not the way he loved me. Have you heard the things he wrote?"

"Bad mouthed me in every piece," Riku grinned.

"Want to hear his latest song?"

Riku shifted so he was facing Roxas and shrugged. "Sure."

Roxas opened his mouth and he sang.

--

That fall, Demyx Shirabe attended Hallow Bastion University.

In September, the single titled Mysterious Boy Part II, Falling With Style premiered quietly and exclusively at Leon's Coffeehouse.

When Melodious Nocturne produced his fifth album, titled Us, he was not alone. There was a lighter, sweeter voice singing next to his, and this singer was credited only as Mystery Boy.

And Roxas Hikari became famous.


story end