Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in these stories of mine..
Some Things Are Meant To Be: Perfect Payback
Dem was elated, the only thing missing, did they only know it, was a certain fiery red-head who, though he didn't know it, was watching, much as Kairi, from the other end of a computer.
"This is why we had to stash you at Lux's last night," Riku lied glibly, as only a rising politician can, waving his arm at the decorations. "Surprised enough?"
Demyx decided to let it ride, and just beamed in appreciation, careful to conceal the fact that he knew that they had locked him in with a certain red-head.
As he opened one gift after another, he felt more and more blessed by the good fortune that had allowed him a second chance. From Riku and Olette, a small blue crystal yacht, called the Dolphin, a perfect replica of the one he one day hoped to own; from Luxord, a set of unique blue shaded crystal decanters, from Hayner, a year's subscription to the Twilight Concert Theatre, from Roxas and Namine, a very pricey gift voucher for his favourite designer shop, and from Sora and Kairi, permission to babysit for a year, attached to a large teardrop aquamarine on an intricate platinum chain. He couldn't have been happier, but what he couldn't tell them – yet – was, he couldn't have been happier, without any of their presents!
As Dem was saying his last thank you to Kairi, over the computer, Sora's phone rang and he turned to Roxas, and Riku, suddenly looking all businesslike. "Move it guys! King's due down in five!" and with that the two guys in uniform, and the young mayor departed, throwing a final, "Happy 21st! Catch you later!" over their shoulders on the way out.
Namine grabbed another croissant, her current pregnancy passion, and as she nibbled on it, treated Dem to her usual forthright but gentle speech.
"Dem, we're headed over to Kairi's balcony now, to watch Axel get his medal. If you're remotely interested it'll be on the computer channel 'cos I'm switching the camera to record it from there, they have the best view of the stage in the square. We'll come back and grab you before the luau, so if you'd prefer to just get your head down, or go for a swim, that's OK too."
They each hugged him and wished him a happy 21st as they filed out of the door. As soon as they'd all left, Demyx ran to his mobile which had now been returned to him, but as soon as it was in his hand, he realised that he did not even have the one number he wanted to dial. He wondered if Ax had left yet, and ran up to his balcony to see what was happening in the square below.
No sooner had he exited from his balcony doors, than he felt the pull to the balcony opposite. Axel was stood there looking like a demi-god in his dark green formal uniform, red hair as spiky as ever, mouthing "Happy birthday, I love you. Got it memorised?" across the distance, with an extremely cheeky and ununiformlike grin on his face.
"Anyone here lipread," asked Kairi of the gang congregated on her balcony. "Axel just mouthed something at Demyx, with an unholy grin on his face, and I think we should be prepared for trouble. Ach, no point now, he's gone, ceremony must be about to start, there's our guys, and Riku with Mickey."
Axel, Demyx noted, had exited the house, making his way across to the stage. The official party, had now arrived in position as well. Mickey and Minnie, flanked by Sora and Roxas, as their personal bodyguard for today, as on so many occasions recently, turned and saluted the other sole occupant of the stage, and then Mickey went to the microphone to address the assembled crowd.
"We, are here today to honour a man who has done more than anyone to prevent the forces of darkness and evil falling upon our worlds again. Whilst much of what he does is necessarily kept secret, to protect him and his assistants, it would be wrong for his contribution to go unrecognised. Therefore, today, I award him the the King's Medal of Honour, for service above and beyond his calling. He is a true hero of the forces of good, a man to whom friendship is worth sacrifice, and a man more than worthy of the honour we do him today."
To Demyx's joy, massive applause broke out. Axel was not the most popular officer on His Majesty's staff, partly because few people were aware of what he did, it was kept so secret, but today, with His Majesty's massive commendation, his popularity had changed, and he could see that Axel was relishing it. It gave Demyx a massive glow inside, as just at that moment Axel, caught his eye, and mouthed one phrase, "Got it memorised?"
"Lipreader, lipreader urgently," shrieked Namine. "No prob with that one," said Kairi, "even I can lip read when Axel does that!"
"Yeah, but did you see who to? We are so in for trouble today. Riku is going to be massively ticked off," concluded Olette.
"Got to speak to them all before the luau, and maybe Minnie too. Warn her that the boys are all headed for trouble, that Mickey doesn't realise."
Hope cried for the first time that morning and three young women all raced to comfort her. "Foofie," Kairi muttered, slightly frustrated, as she picked up her daughter, "I can't wait for you two to give birth and realise that this is MY baby, not everyone's!"
Namine and Olette just smiled at each other, imagining how magical it must feel to have your own little somebody, but being equally grateful that they didn't HAVE to change the nappy!
At that moment Riku walked in. "Thank heavens I'm off duty from now till lunch. He's on the tour, at the moment, my mother is showing him the young mothers facility, then it's the harbour master, and so on, until the poor sod gets to the school, then he has to watch them hula – badly – I know, I was their guinea pig audience. Then, thank god, it's lunch a la Luxord, which we all know will be amazing, and then we all jointly panic as soon as we see Demyx on stage!"
"Riku," asked his wife, "did you see what Axel mouthed from the stage? To DEMYX?"
"He mouthed something to Demyx?" Riku asked, concerned.
"Yeah, all we got was, 'got it memorised?', but Demyx didn't seem terribly pissed off."
"Hell, that means he's planning something, maybe even worse than we thought. If Ax isn't annoying him, it's because he thinks he's going to come out on top – and that meant trouble even when they were together, according to Lux! For once, I think Mickey has might actually have made a mistake. The two of them on the same world really is asking for trouble, and the longer we have to wait, the more nervous I'm getting."
Olette started to massage his shoulders, in an attempt to calm him down.
"Let's go get Dem, keep him occupied till the concert and see if we can dig out any new info!" suggested Namine, helpfully.
"Olette and I will do that. You help Kairi get all the baby stuff together so's she can get to the luau, it'll look less suspicious if it's just us!"
Dem was taking a swim in the pool when they got home, more relaxed than he'd ever felt before a big gig. "Hey, Dem, feel like some Dutch courage for the concert? Olette's made a pitcher of daiquiris, and she's only drinking pineapple juice 'cos of the baby!"
"Sure I'll join you in one," said Dem climbing out of the pool, and towelling himself off. "I take it the medal ceremony went off without a hitch, since you are back in one piece," noted Dem, "I caught a bit of it myself from the balcony."
"Yeah, Axel behaved impeccably for once, and now he's with the king on the town tour. Dem," broached Riku, "did Axel mouth something to you earlier? Feel like letting a friend in on it?"
"As usual, it was not repeatable in company," half-lied Demyx, "but I'm not letting it bother me today." He wanted to add that he was just enjoying the moment, but that time would come, and he was enjoying eaking out the payback!"
The mysterious smile on Demyx's face now had Riku well and truly rattled. "Well, Dem, you know that whole being the bigger person thing, could you not miss out your introductory comments at the concert? Just leave things be until after his majesty has left? You know how Ax feels about it now, and you know it won't go down well!"
"Actually, Riku, I've changed my intro slightly, in light of recent events, and there is nothing that could prevent me from doing it. But I think you're wrong, I do know how Ax feels, but I'm also sure that he will see the wisdom of my words!" announced Demyx, with a broad grin on his face, that put the fear of god into Riku.
"J-Just going to check on the pregnant lady," stuttered Riku, as he jumped up and nearly ran in the direction of his bedroom.
"Disaster impending - Dem HAS got something up his sleeve and now I'm in panic mode!" her husband collapsed on the bed next to her.
Olette looked up with a small frown on her face. "Riku, it's only twenty minutes to lunch. We're just going to have to go with the flow and deal with the flack! Time we started for the beach, anyway."
"Dem," she yelled from the bedroom balcony, to the blond lounging on a dolphin float, "Time to go, and I don't think those are your concert clothes!" she pointed at his shark Bermudas.
"I'll meet you there. It's going to take me a few minutes to get ready, and I never eat before a performance! Anyway, don't want to bump into his Medalship first!" he added, to wind her up a little more. He was enjoying this more than was legal, he was sure!
Axel had had a morning like no other, forced to accompany the king on the tour of a town he knew like the back of his hand, open a hospital wing that had been functional for a year and which he had spent much of the previous day in, and then watch the primary school kids do a less than impressive version of a hula, he was more than ready for lunch, strong drink, and on pins to hear Demyx's proposal. He'd always thought it would be him that would propose to Demyx, hence the whole bended knee thing three years ago, but it looked like the guy had grown balls – so to speak.
Finally, they arrived at the beach. After the usual toasts, and the amusement of watching Roxas, Sora and Riku, in a major confab, all looking extremely worried, he settled down to a good meal. Lux could always be relied on for that. Butterflies had started in his stomach, and he felt the best cure was to eat well.
Roxas on the other hand, couldn't face the thought of eating. Right now food was anathema, they all felt this wonderful day was about to go belly up. Even more so when a blond, with a seriously questionable haircut, but an immaculate turquoise silk suit, that perfectly matched both his eyes and his matching teardrop earring and new chain, appeared on the stage.
"Hello, everyone!" yelled Demyx, to massive applause, "We all know why we're here today. A massive event happened three years ago. We defeated Organization XIII, of which, yes, I was a member, but we each had our part to play, and I wouldn't be here now if my part hadn't been a constructively good one." More applause, 'So far, so good', thought Riku.
"I have something very important to say now," his friends began to cringe, "something to one very important person in my new life," their cringing intensified, "Axel," Namine and Kairi who had just arrived next to Olette, squeezed themselves around Hope, to protect her from anything nasty that was about to emanate from the stage, or closer. "Axel, winner of the Medal of Honour, hero of my life – no – lives," Demyx repeated, wanting to make it clear at whom his message was aimed, "You know what I'm about to ask. I can't get down on one knee, the suits too good," he joked, "but the feeling is the same. Axel, my red-headed dreamboat, will you marry me?" Eight people choked, one made her first ever gurgling noise, and the king just beamed, as did Minnie, Goofy and the Ducks.
"Did you hear that?" Riku said, stunned.
"Yes, but I missed the reply because of you, you bozo!" said a very annoyed Sora.
"Well, I'm going with a big yes, or a big we're all incredibly dead," said Roxas pointing to Axel, now leaping towards the blond on stage.
Axel made it, grabbed Demyx, and the mike, and going down on one knee, he said, "Yes." One little word which over the mike, sounded very loud. "Couldn't ask you 'cos you got in first, but had to do the whole knee thing since you wouldn't."
"As for you lot out there," continued Demyx, now flushed and very happy looking, "Riku, Sora, etc, you know who you are, you're a load of prats! Why didn't you do this sooner? You'll still get invites to the wedding though, we still love you all! And now, Ax, my beloved," Demyx whispered out of mike range, to the love of his lives, now wrapped around him,"off my stage, I've got the best concert ever to deliver!"