Disclamer: I own none of the characters in my story, at all...
Some Things Are Meant To Be: A Surprising Birthday
Axel's heart was pounding, even as the rest of his body was totally frozen in place. This wasn't happening. He was well aware of the lengths that everyone had gone to over the years to ensure they were kept well apart, and he couldn't believe that Luxord would ever sacrifice his precious villa, to the decimation that he and Dem in the same place, were liable to inflict. Nothing made sense. For a moment he considered the possibility of locking his door and just leaving Dem in the hall. Then he noticed that his key was missing, and that option was not going to be possible.
He looked around for a moment, wildly wondering if there was a good hiding place in the room, and then he took stock. What the hell was he, Axel, doing looking for somewhere to hide from Demyx. Demyx, for god's sake, wuss of the worlds!
The aforementioned wuss, had now decided that in the absence of any kind of response he was going to remove his blindfold anyway. He had been to Luxord's enough times to instantly recognise the immaculately appointed hall he found himself standing in. He suspected that Luxord and Hayner were not around, however, as even though Luxord was not the noisiest of people, the place was absolutely silent. He immediately wondered if a certain, usually noisy, red-head was in the upstairs bedroom. He dismissed the idea since he would definitely know that he was here, after all his yelling, and would have used the opportunity to do something unpleasant. It was then that Dem realised that if Riku hadn't locked the door behind him and Demyx, then he had locked Demyx in. This was NOT the birthday surprise that Demyx had looked forward to, he thought as he went over to the bar, helped himself to a gin and tonic, which contained rather more gin than tonic, and sat down on the couch to think. His heart was racing, and his hand was shaking, how long did Riku plan on leaving him here? What was the surprise? Where was the surprise? As he relaxed, and his drink gave him courage, he mused on the idea of having a root through Axel's room, and maybe leaving him a little surprise!
By now, Axel had recovered himself, and was trying to decide on a course of action. After his little 'moment' earlier, he was not sure he wanted to confront Demyx, unless he was going to be totally in control. He still stood there with his hand on the doorhandle, frozen in mid-movement, desperately wanting to regain control of the situation, smiling at the irony of his last words to Luxord, the conniving bastard, and Hayner, who would be on latrine duty for the foreseeable future. This thought comforted him enough for his body to start responding to his commands again, and so he slipped quietly out of the room, thankful he was wearing rubber soles, the beginnings of a plan forming, unbidden, in his mind.
Demyx, by now, had decided to ring Riku. He remembered that they'd divested him of his mobile before getting in the car, so he went over to the beautiful antique that stood on Luxord's bar. No dialling tone. This occasioned Demyx to panic slightly, he had watched far too many horror movies for his own good. He knew they wouldn't mess up the king's concert, not even for Axel, so he knew deep down inside that he would definitely be out of here by then, but he was also aware that sometimes the gang's pranks went a little too far, even if it was a long time since he had been on the end of one. He really felt miffed though, that they would do this on the eve of his birthday.
He helped himself to a refill, and then nearly jumped out of his skin, his glass shattering on the marble floor, as a very familiar voice came over the in-house intercom. "Well, waterboy, ready to apologise now?"
For a second, Demyx actually considered doing that. For a second, one where he was still stuck in horror movie mode, he would have considered doing anything! Then, thankfully, his common sense resurfaced. "I don't know how you got them to agree to this ridiculous plan, Ax, but it won't work," he shouted into the middle of the lounge. "If anyone should apologise, it's you, but I was even willing to forego that and forgive you anyway, but not now, bozo!"
The intercom crackled again. "Forgive me? For what? I've done nothing wrong. If you're back to that whole Luxord thing, he was facing annihilation, and I was drugged. What's the matter with you, you never heard of date rape? All I did was go to his room for a poker game to pass the time and keep my mind off the fact that you were on a mission - solo, which was screwing with my head. I didn't even have any booze – straight OJ, which turned out to be not so straight. I couldn't help it, I had no control. Got it memorised?" screamed the intercom, the red-head wondering why he felt yet again that he had to justify himself to this skimpy blond. "I didn't knee my lover, who was on the point of declaring he wanted to spend all of this new second chance he'd been given, wrapped in his lover's arms, in the face. And then kick him when he was down!" he added, remembering the power of the blows from his usually gentle boyfriend, "and then try to drown him in his own personal pool," he continued remembering the deluge that had suddenly swept through the room, whilst he was laid out flat on the floor, "and," he concluded, "as for this being my plan, nothing was further from my thoughts, and I'm pretty ticked off at the others for engineering this, but they'll pay, believe you me!"
Involuntarily, Demyx found himself giggling at the memory, and at the fact that Axel was once again in a situation beyond his control, provoking another outburst on the intercom. "What's so funny, huh? Strange I don't find anything remotely amusing about that day, or this!"
Demyx struggled to regain his voice. "I do. I just love the idea of you being vulnerable, out of your comfort zone, at least when I'm the one in control."
"I don't remember that coming up before," reminisced Axel, as he thought back to the months they had been together. "I seem to remember that you enjoyed me being in control, on top, so to speak!" The voice on the intercom had mellowed to almost husky, at the memories now flooding through his mind.
"Shut it!" yelled Demyx, into space, once again, as similar memories flooded his own mind, "I've moved on from there," he declared, feeling suddenly self-righteous again, thanks to a new helping of gin, "I'm on the threshold of my adult future, and I forgive you for being a lying, cheating, uncaring, egocentric, with the emotional depth of a goldfish!"
"Oh, yeah?" said the erstwhile voice of the intercom, now very solidly, and attractively stood in the lounge doorway. "Well, I don't accept your prissy-ass forgiveness, because I'm none of those things, and there's nothing to forgive. Got it memorised?"
Sat at Riku's table enjoying a very good cigar, Luxord wondered if he would have a home to go back to by morning, and made a mental note to ring decorators, plumbers, etc, once the king's visit was over.
Back at his pride and joy, things were definitely heating up. Unbidden, but brought on by the strength of their emotions, Ax and Dem's powers were beginning to manifest. A small rainstorm had started, and the logs in the fireplace were now burning in spite of the sultry weather outside.
Stung, by his ex-lover's outright rejection of his magnanimity, and his goddamn annoying catchphrase, Demyx had let his instincts take over, despite his better judgement. Axel, heated as he now was, was equally unable to get control over his natural abilities, and was just grateful, it was the fireplace and not his host's curtains that had taken the brunt.
"OK, Dem. This is ridiculous! I've just realised what's going on!" said Axel backing into the hallway where it was still dry. "Our friends, our mutual friends, like Sora today, have had enough! They want us to kill each other, and end their problem." Axel announced in a dramatic manner that was more Demyx's style.
"Damn, you really think so? Nah, they love us too much and no way, am I ending it before I turn 21!" said Demyx, still focussed on one of the things that mattered to him. "NOT happening! Ax, put that sodding fire out will you, it's way too hot!"
"Then stop with the goddamn rain, or use it on that fire you're moaning about, pour me a rum, straight, and let's work out the payback! Just like old times...."
Demyx, did what came naturally to Demyx, and complied with Axel's request.
Once sat on the deliciously comfy, and now dried off, white leather sofa, with fresh drinks in their hands, they began to think. Unbeknownst to either of them, not about the problem at hand, but about their mutual past.
In the end it was Axel that made the first move. He reached forward and grasped Demyx's glass, placing it on the coffee table with his own. He gently turned Demyx to face him, and leaned in for a ......slap! "Did you really think it would be that easy? That little Dem, would just roll over, you are sooooooooo wrong! I agree with the whole payback thing but, Ax, you and I, are a thing of the past and there is no way I'm letting a cheating, lying..."
"..Bastard, like me, back in your pants! Got it, Dem. Got it, goddamn well, memorised? Heard it three years ago! Old news!" rejoined Axel. "OK, we'll sort them out, but Dem, this isn't going to go away! I'm also an adult, hell, I'm older than you, and I'm going to say it if you can't! I love you, I can't get over you, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, and I still do! Get over that night and we can do it, I'll forgive you the whole day we woke up, drowning and all, but I can't be with you as long as you think I'm in the wrong. End of!"
With the ball back in his court, and Axel being unreasonably reasonable, and mere inches away, and smelling wonderful, Dem was not surprisingly confused. Straightening his thoughts out, was being made ridiculously difficult by Axel's proximity and admission. The words, he'd never thought he'd hear, were there, dancing in the air in front of him. Three little words that he'd yearned for, were suddenly his. Maybe if he'd let Axel explain that day, he'd have heard them sooner, but right now, all he knew was that Axel loved him, and compared to that, nothing else mattered. Payback could wait, the concert could wait. He wondered, and hoped, that nobody was planning on returning to this house any time soon as he leant into Axel, and gave him the reply that, whether he admitted it or not, he had wanted since the moment he had returned.
Hours later, in the cool stillness of the very early morning, lying entwined on the twisted mess of Axel's ridiculously slippery silk sheets, they talked in husky, muted tones, as they once had, too many years before, as they planned their latest takedown! After much talking, and other activity, not to mention all the understanding and forgiveness, they had decided that payback was very much in order - not for tonight, but because their friends hadn't done it sooner!
"Hey, Dem, what if they don't know about tonight?" mused Axel, kissing his boyfriend's eyelids, "what if they thought you'd just gone to sleep on the sofa, wasted, and I'd fallen asleep upstairs, reading. That we'd never known each other was even here? Riku wasn't here, and doesn't know I heard you scream..."
"Yell, definitely a yell, not a scream!" objected the blond with the closed eyes, once again full of his usual bouncy confidence.
"...OK, didn't hear you yell. We could have completely missed each other! So, we carry on as previously planned, and put the shit up them!"
"Couldn't be more perfect," admitted Demyx, his eyes still closed, enjoying the butterfly kisses his boyfriend was bestowing, "except that when I get up on stage, I will announce my neverending love for you, and quite possibly ask you to marry me. Will you? Is civil partnership legal in the Destinies? Or Disney Castle? I know we can get married in Twilight Town, 'cos Olette's cousin did it last year."
"Married? Honestly? Do they also do divorce?" joked Axel, as Demyx's eyes suddenly flashed open. "Well, kid, just planning ahead given our history!" smiled Axel, his look telling Demyx that that option was not on the cards, really.
As dawn crept into their room, Demyx sighed, "Better head downstairs then. I imagine we'll be invaded soon." Axel pulled him close into one last deep kiss, "Make it look good, kid. Happy birthday and remember, I love you for always." And as Dem got to the door, now fully dressed, Axel added, "Got it memorised?" and with a wink, Demyx was gone.
Pretending to be asleep wasn't difficult, as because of their recent activities they had pretty much tired themselves out, and had much to dream on.
Luxord was more than a little surprised to discover his villa intact, Demyx having carefully reabsorbed any puddles before lying down. He was even more surprised to find Demyx, apparently alive, untouched and asleep on the sofa.
"Yo, birthday boy," he shouted to the inert figure on his sofa, "Coffee? And then, it's everyone round to Riku's for presents."
"Lux, yay to the coffee but how come you're not surprised to find me here?" questioned Demyx.
"But, I am," improvised Lux, "at first I thought, you must be Axel," he wondered what in the world had gone wrong with their plan. It had been foolproof – unless, of course, those fools were Axel and Demyx. "I presume he must still be asleep upstairs. Better get you out of here before he comes down, we can do coffee at Riku's," said Luxord, unwilling to get caught in any crossfire.
With an entire free evening, Olette, had gone overboard. The entire house was redecorated with a turquoise or waterbased, 21 theme from the dolphin-shaped balloons in the front garden, the big crystal 21 hung on the front door to the dolphin floats in the back garden pool, and the sea-green '21 today' banners dangling off every wall. On the patio, on a stand in front of their small dophin fountain (a housewarming present from Demyx some years ago), was a pile of presents. Namine served coffee and croissants, while everyone clamoured to have Demyx open their present first.