Title: Headlines (2 of ?)
Author: Lost Experiment
Rating: PG-13/T
Pairings/Warnings/Spoilers: Axel/Demyx, AU, Character Death. Some stuff unique to this chapter I won't spoil here. Het and Yaoi.
Summary: When Demyx, a poor reporter and worse writer barely clinging to his job is forced to cover the story of the death of one of his only friends, he decides to start fresh in a new world. His new boss is practically a criminal, his new colleagues are strange and he's stuck covering the very thing he wanted to escape in the first place.
Authors' Notes: Thanks for reading…and if you liked reading, or want to place it on your +faves, please review. Reviews are golden and make me happy.

Chapter Two

Axel didn't show up all week. Braig took to shrugging it off and laughing when Demyx asked with increasing concern where the redhead might be, Dilan made it quite clear that bothering the man at home would be a bad idea. He felt ridiculous though and worried about his pay. Luxord would laugh and insist Demyx not worry but how could he when he wasn't doing any real work? Island Morality: Overrated

Cloud occasionally was home from the Officers Club and when he was, he asked how things were going. Demyx told him about the problem and his brother nodded sagely. "Roxas again, huh?" He tapped the back of the copy of the Island Post he'd been reading, indicating that not even the boss could escape Xaldin's scrutiny. Demyx wondered if Axel too was afraid of Dilan. It seemed possible. "That's Axel for you, I guess. He won't be away forever."

Finally on his next Monday, the cluttered desk and its chair were occupied. Like everyone else here, Axel was not what Demyx expected of a business owner at all, particularly after Xemnas' cold professionalism. He grinned and waved up at Demyx as he talked to someone on the phone when he came in. At one time, Axel probably had been quite well-built (Demyx remembered he had once been a firefighter), but now he looked too-thin and distinctly careworn. He was also extremely good looking in spite of this, a reaction that Demyx instinctively tried to hide.

"Awesome. Yeah. Gotta go, ok? The new guy's here." The phone clicked into its cradle. "Hello, Demyx." Axel drawled. 'So, you must have heard all about me. Probably read about me too. Xaldin just can't keep his fucking nose out of my business."

Axel stared at Dilan who was actually smirking and saluted his boss. Oh right. Demyx still couldn't get a joke. Laughed a little too late.

"So, I guess you're ready to get started? Yeah? Excellent." He rolled on, not waiting for Demyx's reply. "Straight into it then. Your first assignment is all too perfect. Right up your alley. I need you to watch my kids for a few hours tonight. They're driving me up a wall and I desperately need to get drunk and laid."

Demyx's jaw dropped. Was this a joke too? He laughed, the forced, confused sound falling just a little short of his mouth.

"Nah, seriously."

"But I thought you wanted me to write for the paper, not babysit!"

Axel stared. "You have a problem with that?"

"I…guess not, Sir."

"Yes you do. Clearly you do, or you would have said 'Of course Axel, may I kiss your ass and lick your boots too please?' Not that I don't expect that, but…huh. Looks like you actually have an opinion. Maybe you ARE paper material after all."

Demyx stared. "I…what?"

"Geez, I thought those big-city papers were all about doing what you're told. But you have a spine. Not much of one, but one nonetheless. I'll put you on a few stories to start you out and we'll take it from there. Oh yeah…and I really do want you to watch the kids. I was serious about that bit."

He turned to Luxord, apparently indicating his conversation with Demyx was finished. "Hey, wasn't there some dude with a fish fetish over on Atlantica?"

The Port-Royal native nodded. "Well it was a mermaid actually but she had this poor man all trussed up with a fork and a pipe or something. Kinky stuff, so I'm sure I can do something good with it."

"Fantastic. They'll eat it up. Tag it up on my comp, and shoot it by Dilan.to boot. See if you can't put a little bit of a 'Heartless' spin on it. Keeps the good people guessing." Took a breath, turned to Braig as Dilan got up and bent over Luxord's shoulder to take a look at his screen. Apparently he was fine with these orders.

"You drunk?" Axel asked his next victim.

"Just enough to justify going places I shouldn't. That whatchya want Bossman?"

"Oh yeah. Go down to the school and interview some of the kids and teachers. We'll do a nice follow up on Dilan's bit about how smart the kidlets are shaping up. Take new guy here with you – we can't be so lucky as to have an accident every day. Oh! Wait never mind. Demyx. Take the camera and get some shots of my boy's damage yesterday. New angle: Kids need more constant supervision, parents ought to feel guilty about buying their kids all that nice crap."

Demyx's jaw dropped, Braig sidling up alongside him and elbowing him in the side. "Got it Boss. Camera's in the front entrance closet." He added to Demyx, steering him out the door.

Outside on the sand-covered asphalt, following dutifully after Braig, Demyx muttered to himself. "He's insane." He'd said that a bit too loud and realized it . Shaking his head, trying to dispel his nerves and wondering what this would mean for him. "I guess."

"Heh, you got it right. But the big guy's not so bad. Just give him the benefit of the doubt."

They walked to the end of the pier before Demyx realized that he was going to have to get into a boat. He blanched and Braig looked at him funny. Was going to explain how Lexaeus had died, but decided not to and clambered into the craft awkwardly anyway. Newsflash: Nobody Cares about Weird Foregin Man's Anxieties.

"Hey, so Demyx. When're ya gonna get a boat?" Braig asked. "You'll need one if you want to get around here." He added, taking the look on Demyx's face for confusion.

"I don't really want a boat. I'm not all that interested in sailing."

"Mainland's a pretty big place, though your brother'll have one to get out to the base. It's on an island a little further out. Cars are pretty useless on these roads. Nope, better off with a boat. Talk to Riku's folks sometime. They'll help you get set up. You'd look good with a boat kid."

Demyx was silent the rest of the ride, trying to interpret Braig's statement and failing. As usual.

The school it turned out was a fairly small affair. Demyx had almost expected red brick and a classic bell but it turned out that it was fairly modern, all things considered. Set in an 'L' shape around a play yard with some stairs and ramps leading inside. It was still late morning so the exterior was fairly quiet. The kids must be in lessons.

Braig wandered in and opened the nearest door while Demyx, who wasn't feeling quite so bold made his way to the office.

The woman behind the desk looked up at him and smiled brilliantly and flirtatiously, evidently hoping to make the most of her cherry flavoured lip gloss. "Goodmorning Sir, and what room would your child be in?"

"I'm looking for the science wing." Demyx stammered, flustered at her batting eyelashes.

"Science room. It's under repair at the moment though, Sir."

"Well, that's the thing. I'm from the paper. I'm supposed to get some pictures of what happened here last week."

The woman's face darkened considerably, and the screams to follow put him in mind of the policeman who'd chased him away from Lexaeus' ambulance. He couldn't even hear what was being said, he just gathered enough of his composure to duck out into the hall. Braig met him.

"Get the pictures?"

"Er, no. I don't think they want us to take pictures of that stuff"

"Of course they don't. You just gotta go do it anyway." Braig snatched the camera away from Demyx and tramped down the hallway, poking his nose in random doors. Once Demyx thought he'd caught sight of the silver-haired boy Riku, before they found the science lab.

"Nice." Braig whistled, looking around. Clearly, not enough damage to warrant a lasting police inquiry had been made, but there were some nasty black char marks on the walls and a twisted lump of metal that had once been lab equipment. He tossed the camera back to Demyx who nearly dropped it. "Do your stuff kid."

Braig waited while Demyx took a couple of pictures of the mess from all angles while his companion wandered around, occasionally muttering things under his breath like'Bet Axel loved paying for this' and 'Really let this get out of hand, didn't they?'

"Did you get your interviews?"

"C'mon, that should be good." Braig said at last. Demyx straightened and followed him out, wondering if he'd get a reply to his interview question. "Bit of interview, bit of something more."

Demyx took the piece of paper his co-worker had started waving around. It read 'Quistis Trepe,' and had a number scrawled under that name. "Teachers love scars and adventure stuff like that. Y'know, you oughtta consider gettin' a date around here. Nobody knows anything 'bout you yet, except that you're new and Cloud's brother. Not even Dilan can do anything with that. You're mysterious."

Demyx didn't reply. He didn't know what to say to the idea.

"Well, guess you've got to survive tonight first." Braig laughed as they climbed into the boat. "Still can't believe the boss has you doing this shit job for him."

Small Children kill Foreign Nespaper Employee. It sounded about right to Demyx.

It was with a significant amount of trepidation that Demyx knocked on the front door of Axel's two-storey house. Apparently being an ex-firefighter and editor-owner of the local newspaper paid very well. He had to check the address a number of times to be sure it was right, realizing that he could only do that for so long – the numbers weren't changing any. He rang the bell.

Demyx couldn't help but stare when Axel opened the door. Quelling the attraction response was now second nature, so his first reaction was to wonder how the man planned on sitting down in pants that tight. His second was to wonder what his kids thought of their father walking around in leather.

Forcing himself to fixate on Axel's face, he blinked. "You have um…sauce. On your nose."

"Hello!" Axel said dryly, scrubbing at his nose and removing the sauce. "I have kids." He pointed to the kitchen, which was visible through the front hall. Sure enough, Sora and Roxas – the same kids from the beach on Demyx's first day were sitting at the table, eating what appeared to be spaghetti.

"I've already suffered through most of the homework torture, so they're free to do what they want. Sora's not allowed to go over to Riku's or Kairi's until he does the last of his math" he added loudly, then turned back to Demyx. "If he says he's finished, ask to see it."

Demyx nodded, bewildered. Found a tray with shoes in it by the door and added his to the pile.

"Be good and try to do the dishes. Demyx is here now, so I'm on my way out. Finish the math now, why don't you? I don't understand why you just don't do it now." Sora gave his father an aggressive hug. "Math sucks. Have fun, Dad!" He pointed out. Axel laughed and then said more seriously. "Don't kill anyone 'kay, Roxas?"

There was no violent scuffle to get up like with Sora. In fact, if Roxas had responded at all, Demyx hadn't heard or seen it.

"Alright." Axel was back, and looked a little less enthusiastic. "I'm outta here. Help yourself to leftovers if you get hungry, and I won't be out too late. My cell's on the fridge anyway."

Demyx adjusted Roxas so he could sit upright as the sound of the door opening jostled him from his sleep. In spite of all the evidence that Roxas would have made it his business to drive Demyx to distraction, Sora seemed to be the rougher, more independent one and had gone to his bedroom to play on his own, evidently having forgotten about the detestable math work. The noises had drifted off after a few hours and Demyx had found him asleep. Not in his pajamas, but Demyx figured he could sleep in his clothes. Roxas on the other hand had ended up curled next to his 'sitter' on the couch, deep in a sleep Demyx had joined him in, halfway through the silly romantic comedy they'd found on television.

Still a little sleep-addled, thought that Axel was calling him. Nearly replied when he heard a voice, a male voice answer back. A sort of elation ran through him as he remembered Axel's claim from earlier that he planned to 'get laid'. A thought of Zexion from the Sunset. Could it be that Axel liked other men too? Did Dilan know? Post it in the paper? They still worked for him, did that mean they accepted it?

Axel said something else and a set of unsteady footsteps approached. Axel poked his head in. "Shiiiit, the kid's quiet for you? Aw Demyx. Nice work." He grinned. "Hey hey, here's some cash for this, c'mon and meet Marly."

'Marly', a somewhat formidable presence for a man with pink hair, towered over Demyx, shook his hand and said 'hello' in an incredibly smooth voice. Knew enough to see this was a formality and excused himself a second later.

"New guy on the paper." He heard Axel say as he closed the door. "Seems alright. Now where were we, Marluxia?"

Suddenly, Braig's voice came floating back to him. "…was screwing around with Marluxia…"

He turned to stare back at the closed door to Axel's house. Shock flooding him, obliterating anything else. There was absolutely no way that this could be the same 'Marluxia' whom Vexen's wife had left him for, could there? If it was, did that make Axel a potential murderer, just as everyone said?

It took him awhile to get home to Cloud that night.

"So, how did Dilan get...y'know, his job." Demyx asked Braig the next morning before work, looking around in such a fashion that if the rest of the room hadn't been so fixated on their own coffee and conversation, it would have been almost as obvious as if he'd mentioned the pseudonym aloud. He'd had an idea after last night to see if perhaps Braig would tell him the story of Axel and Marluxia, but he'd decided to feel him out first. Or at least get him drunk. The trouble was, it was difficult to tell whether or not Braig was drunk or simply chatty by nature.

"Oh! Well that's an interesting story."

"I thought you kept your nose in your own business." Demyx, daring to be shrewd but barely raising his eyes above his glass.

Braig laughed at him. "I do. But this is Destiny Islands, therefore if you don't know someone's life story within the first day of living here, you clearly stopped breathing on the way...or don't read the best column in the paper. But Dilan huh? Everyone knows that story. It's a good one. It's about a girl."

Demyx blinked. "You'll probably meet her sometime. Inventor's daughter. Everyone says she's pretty, but really not my deal."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I like 'em blonde and leggy." He winked at Demyx who blanched. "I'm talking about women, you twit. If you want to know about ass-pirating, go talk to the bossman! Anywho, Dilan's pretty hung up on Belle - that's her name. The trouble is, she's got this boyfriend. Gaston. I guess you could say it speaks to her taste in men. Gaston's sorta cut from the same cloth as Dilan physically, y'know. Now, Dilan's my buddy and all - so I know I sound biased, but I think she'd be better off with Dil any day of the week. She's an inventors daughter y'know, and really likes her adventures. Gaston? I think he wants to settle down and have rugrats. Like six or seven."

Demyx thinking about Roxas and Sora piping up before he knew what he'd said. "Kids aren't so bad...but six is a bit much." he hastened to add.

"Right. Anywho, one day, bound to happen, Dilan and Gaston get into a disagreement. And by disagreement, I mean fight. And by fight, I mean drunken brawl. Dilan used to come in here mornings with me, y'know."

"A fight over Belle, right?"

"That's right. Uh. Dilan's not a nice drunk." Demyx noted at that point, Braig's hand strayed absentmindedly to his eyepatch.

"Is that how...?"

Braig cut him off. "Well, of course, Belle found out. Gaston wasted no time villifyin' Dilan as the instigator and since then she's never spoken to him. Dilan's...never quite gotten over that, and...well Axel being the right bastard he is, offered him that job the next day."

"Hm." Demyx, hand rubbing absentmindedly over the condensation forming on the outside of his water glass, was beginning to see a clear pattern. Dilan, a man humiliated by the slanderous gossip that everyone whispered about him and his rival now wrote the gossip column. Demyx had lost his best and only friend to an accident - which he too was now expected to report on."

"Do you think...it helps to confront your pain like this?" voice slow, careful, wondering what Braig and Luxord's stories were now too.

"Bit too deep for me at this hour in the morning. C'mon. Bet Axel's slept off his hangover by now."

Demyx got up to follow Braig, disappointed that he never got to ask his question about Axel, began to wonder if it was none of his business after all. After all, there were probably a dozen guys named 'Marluxia' running around. It had been a popular trend for a few years for parents to give their child a name with an 'X' in it, and Axel and himself, as well as the guy from last night fell into the correct age range.

Upon arriving at the office, Axel waved him over to the corner, where a desk had been wedged kitty-corner into the last bit of space there was left. An ancient computer sat on top of the unpolished surface. "C'mon over here Demyx." Axel beckoned him with his hand, grinning. "Gotchya a computer."

"Thank you." Demyx spluttered, sitting down at the machine and giving a small shudder as Axel's hair brushed his arm as he bent to turn the computer on. The chill of pleasure almost instantly turned to one of fear as his boss straightened muttering just soft enough for Demyx to catch him above the hum of the machine. "If you dare mention Marly to anyone, I'll kill you. Got it memorized?"

Demyx nodded imperceptibly and Axel clapped him on the back as he moved off to go talk to Dilan.Danger!