Author's Note: Yay here we go. Poor Demy, he gets saddled with a lot of bad luck doesn't he?
The little moment between Axel and Roxas is intended to be fairly innocent (as innocent as anything involving Axel can be anyway).
Warnings: Ax/Dem
Disclaimer: I don't own KH.
Red Handed.
Demyx had offered to escort Naminé back to her room but she insisted that she'd be all right. It wasn't as though anyone was out to get her, unless you counted Roxas. She rounded the corner to her room and saw a familiar figure waiting for her.
She froze.
The Memory Witch was never certain of how she felt about Marluxia. He was at one and the same time a figure of comfort and great fear, uncaring in a caring sort of way. He looked like the fairy tale prince on a white horse, but people who tell fairy tales always forget there is another who comes in riding a white horse, and who, incidentally, carries a scythe. Marluxia combined the two with frightening perfection.
His was a demeanor used to command and he gave the impression that he had been born to it, as opposed to the "rising through the ranks" impression of earned authority Saïx gave, and he was always competing with Saïx for the Superior's favor
She knew that he could never understand why the higher ups had accepted the Lunar Diviner to such a degree that he was now, more or less, interchangeable with Xigbar the official second in command. Even Vexen seemed to forget his neophyte status. Marluxia didn't see why this courtesy shouldn't be extended to him as well.
But Xemnas had not entrusted the well being of the Memory Witch to Saïx. He had called her the key to the Keyblade Bearer's Heart (although deep within her being, she knew that she was not so much a key and a lock pick). He would never have entrusted something so delicate to the Diviner, even if he had wanted the responsibility. She knew the reason why even the Assassin didn't seem to.
Saïx would crush her.
Marluxia would and did cultivate her like one of his rare flowers, clipping here, encouraging there, and training her into the shape he wanted, which was precisely what Xemnas had had in mind. A rare treasure given to a dragon to guard.
And Marluxia was a dragon, beautiful and terrible at the same time. She knew that he would never ever harm her, but as long as he lived, she knew he would hold her captive.
"Hello Naminé," he said pleasantly as she drew near.
"Hello Marluxia," she said quietly. He presented her with a nosegay of heavily scented, tiny pink bells. She held still as he pinned the lily-of-the-valley to the front of her dress.
My timid joy has returned, she translated in her mind.
He always gave her flowers. It was one of the subtle he did to control her. He spoke to her in the language of flowers.
It was very romantic and by teaching her to understand this language he had ensnared her. Also in this way she had learned a great deal about him. It was a code language that no one else in the Organization could crack. They'd have to realize it was a code first.
"And how is the Melodious Nocturne today?" he asked, holding the door open for her.
"He's fine," she answered walking inside.
"I couldn't help but notice he wasn't at the meeting this morning."
"Yes, he's been put on household chores for awhile," a faint blush colored her cheeks as she remembered why. Behind her she heard Marluxia chuckle with what sounded like genuine mirth.
"And to think, it wasn't even because of something he did this time. By the by, did you return XIII's underwear?"
Naminé's blush darkened. "He wouldn't take them back so I just slipped them in with the rest of his laundry."
Marluxia hid a smile behind his hand. He didn't care to have a fifteen-year-old hormone factory sniffing around his precious ward. Thirty seconds of pure, unadulterated humiliation had done what no amount of threats could.
He'd made sure show Larxene how grateful he'd been. It was too bad the boy's ego would recover eventually.
"Very good," he said aloud. He pulled out the witch's chair so she could sit down. "Naminé, concerning Demyx…"
"What?" she said more sharply than she'd intended.
"Now, now. Don't jump to conclusions. I just want you to put an idea in his head."
The girl frowned. "But…" she said timidly.
"Just think of it as practicing your feminine wiles," Marluxia suggested. He began to explain what he wanted. Naminé began to sketch.
888
Roxas lay stretched out on Axel's sofa, trying to quell the uneasy butterflies in his stomach by staring down a cat. So far Hi-bana was winning.
She was perched on the arm of sofa, looking down her long, pointy nose at the Nobody. Every so often she'd squidge her eyes just a bit to make Roxas' eyes water in sympathy.
He really should have tried to find Demyx, but he had no idea of where the Nocturne was (he wasn't in his work shop or the conservatory) and limited time. So here he was, waiting for Axel, staring at a freakish little cat.
The door of the bathroom opened and the Flurry strode out, half-dressed in standard Org issue, rubbing still damp hair with a towel.
The contest forgotten, Roxas moved to make room. He sat up, ramrod straight and blushing furiously.
"What are you getting so upset about?" Axel asked as he sat down peeking at Roxas from under the towel. "It's not that big a deal."
"It is a big deal," Roxas snapped. "Even if it is just practice."
Axel gave his friend an appraising look. "Okay Roxas. I'm not going to make you do anything. If you don't want to, we can just turn on the TV or you can leave or whatever. If you do, then you're gonna have to come over here. It's up to you."
Roxas sat still for a few seconds, and then shyly crept over until he was nearly in Axel's lap, who now smelled faintly of sandalwood and soap. The Flurry looked surprised.
"Your mind's made up?"
"Yes. I need to know how to do this…" he looked away. Warm fingers gently titled his face up. The butterflies were really going crazy now, and he knew he was still blushing.
Green eyes searched his face intensely, trying to detect even the slightest hint of aversion.
"Alright then," he said finding none, "pay attention."
888
Demyx walked down the hall humming to himself and vaguely wondering at how odd it was that he was trying to play cupid. Roxas hadn't been in his room and a quick check with Zexion later, he was headed back up the stairs towards Axel's room. Not a surprise, and he was actually quite anxious to try something.
Axel had given him an open invitation to his room. This was more than just a nicety. Without an invitation it was impossible to get into another member's private quarters. This usually consisted of the Nobody's assigned living quarters and some other room that they had claimed. An open invitation to a particular room meant that another member could come and go, as they liked.
He was quite giddy as he stood in front of the door marked VIII. He gingerly took the handle and felt a thrill when the latch clicked.
888
Roxas gasped for air as Axel released his mouth. He instinctively followed the fiery lips that had brought him to a fever pitch. If this was what a kiss was supposed to be like, he'd been doing it all wrong. No wonder Naminé hadn't been impressed.
Axel chuckled and ducked Roxas' attempt to reconnect, knowing that the hormone rush might drive the Key to do something he'd regret later.
"I think you've got it," he smirked and gave him a shake trying to snap Roxas out of it. The younger boy blinked a couple of times, and the glazed looked receded.
"Whoa," he breathed. "Does it work standing up too?"
"We could give it try that way if you want," Axel joked.
"Wouldn't work," Roxas snorted, "You're too tall."
"Am not! You're too short."
"Well it'd be awkward."
"You could stand on a chair," said a voice behind them.
Roxas felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, and one look at Axel's stricken face told him that the Flurry had the same reaction only more so. He was suddenly keenly aware that he was straddling Axel's lap and scrambled off as fast as he could.
"Demyx," the Flurry started, but stopped at the sight of a tidal wave in human form in his doorway.
"I can see you're busy," the Nocturne said in a voice like crashing surf, "Here!" he snapped something card-like at Roxas who caught it. "I was just coming to deliver that anyway. I won't be a bother."
Some of Axel's senses returned and he vaulted over the couch. "Demyx, wait!"
The door slammed. Axel didn't stop. He yanked open the door and ran out into the hall in his bare feet.
Roxas could hear arguing through the open door. His stomach twisted. It was his fault. He looked at what Demyx had given at him, and his nausea tripled. It wasn't a card. It was a folded bit of paper that had been torn out of a sketchbook. He couldn't bring himself to look at it now. He stuck it in a pocket and slunk out.
Axel was attempting to corner Demyx without doing something so stupid as actually cornering him. Demyx turned away when he saw the Keyblade master. Roxas felt he should say something.
"Don't mad Demyx, please? I just wanted to know the how to do it right." This didn't seem to have much of an effect on the Nocturne's attitude, but it distracted him long enough that Axel was able to close the distance between them and wrap his arms around the water wielder's waist. The Nocturne stiffened, not sure how to respond now that he was gently trapped.
"I should go find Luxord," Roxas said nervously. Things were going to start getting complicated between VIII and IX and he'd rather not witness anymore than he had to.
Axel nodded. "Yeah, he likes to get an early start."
Roxas couldn't leave fast enough.
When swirls of darkness dissipated, he nuzzled the back of Demyx's neck. "Are you ready to listen yet?" he asked. All he got in response was a stiff shouldered shrug. Axel tugged him back towards his room.
"Let me finished getting dressed and I'll make you some hot chocolate."
"Don't you have to leave soon?" Demyx asked in a flat voice.
"I've got time for you."
The Nocturne slowly followed Axel. He left the other in the front room as he styled his hair. When he came back in a few minutes later with the rest of his clothes, he found Demyx sitting on the couch covered in cats. Axel smiled and sat down.
"So," he asked, pulling on his boots, "who were you playing delivery boy for?"
"Naminé."
"Oh?" Axel invited Demyx to fill in the blank.
"She wants to try it again," his tone suggested that he thought that Axel should crawl under rock and die for his transgression.
"Well he should be prepared this time," the Flurry said lightly.
"Ha!"
"It was just practice Demyx. He wants to impress her." Axel pulled on his gloves.
"Why you?"
Axel scoffed. "Who else? Besides…" here he leaned close to the Nocturne, gently shoving the cats out of his lap and lightly rubbed their noses together. "…he said that your reaction was proof that I'm a good kisser." And he sealed his lips over the other's.
Demyx didn't want to respond. He'd thought his bad luck had returned. This made the third time he'd walked in on a lover kissing someone else. But this was the first time said lover had chased after him. And he hadn't been "let down gently" again.
Axel was a good kisser. He shivered from the sensations building within him and gave in.
Dancing Flames smiled with relief as he sensed the waves die down. Still, the water seemed troubled, so he didn't press too hard. Gloved fingers stroked the Nocturne's face tenderly.
"Come on," he said softly. "I promised you some hot chocolate right?"
888
Luxord studied his compatriot as they sat waiting for an opportunity. Roxas was usually quiet, but this was somehow different.
"Something on your mind KD?" he asked.
"Don't call me that. It sounds like a girl's name."
"How about KoD?"
"Even worse, makes me sound like a fish."
"Alright, boring ole'Roxas it is then."
"Thank you."
"So what's bothering you?"
Roxas suppressed a groan. It could have been worse, he reminded himself. It could have been someone else. At least he could talk to Luxord.
"Axel taught me how to kiss," he said.
"So?"
"Demyx saw it."
Luxord clucked tongue ruefully. "Discretion Roxas, discretion."
"He was real upset. I knew I should have asked, but I couldn't find him."
"I thought you weren't into all of that," Luxord said giving him a quizzical look.
"Well," Roxas said blushing, "it doesn't seem so bad now. And besides, I just wanted to know how to do it right. Just practicing doesn't mean that I'm like that."
Luxord shrugged. "It's no big deal. And anyways, right about now, kissing should look really good to you."
Roxas glared. "I swear, if you start to patronize me, so help me Luxord…"
The Gambler laughed and waved a conciliatory hand.
"Xemnas already gave me 'the talk' Luxord."
"Oh? And did any of it make sense?"
Roxas thought for a moment. "Well kinda, but then he said it didn't matter since we don't have Hearts."
"Hearts are for the truly, madly deeply part of it Roxas. They don't make all those annoying hormones. The, ah…'associated organs' shouldn't be dismissed just because the Heart isn't around anymore. They won't let you."
"Well they should," Roxas huffed.
"Well they ain't gonna. If you listen to Vexen, emotions are mostly chemicals in the brain, and you've got some pretty bothersome ones sloshing around in you just now. And it's only gonna get worse before it gets better."
Roxas sighed. "That doesn't help Axel and Demyx."
Luxord patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much. MN's had some bad experiences, but if this was as innocent as you say, it'll come to right."
"It was!" Roxas protested. "I just wanted to—" he stopped.
The Gambler smiled. "See? This is why I never taught you to play poker."
"How about you teach me to play this game?" Roxas grumbled staring that stack of forty mysterious cards in his hand. He struggled with them contraption on his arm. "How's this stupid thing supposed to work anyway?"
"As far as I can tell, you just do what the cards say. I swear half of it's complete bollocks anyway. They make it up as they go."
888
It was with mild apprehension that Demyx watched Axel make the chocolate. He'd expected Axel to dump a couple of hot coco packets into some mugs, and was therefore surprised when Axel put a saucepan of water on the stove and began to assemble a huge assortment of ingredients which included cassia, ginger, cardamom, and what the Nocturne strongly suspected was chile pepper. He'd never had the Flurry's cooking before, but by the look of it he took hot chocolate seriously.
Several minutes later he was staring at a mug of something frothy with fragrance that was a dieter's downfall.
"Go on. Try it," Axel coaxed.
Demyx, used to Lexeaus's carob concoctions, was nearly floored.
He hadn't expected this. After all, he was something of a coffee aficionado and drank espresso straight up all the time, but this was like drinking a chocolate bar. Dark chocolate, heavily and heavenly spiced. It was an orgasm in a cup.
He set the mug down carefully, trying to ignore Axel's self-satisfied smirk.
"It's…alright," he managed in a husky voice. Axel continued to smirk.
"For special occasions, I put something…extra, in it," he said. He leered as the Nocturne visibly shivered.
"Perhaps we should have a special occasion. When I get back, ne?"
"I think," Demyx started uncertainly, "I think…I'd like that."
Axel got up and stood behind the Nocturne. He tipped the blonde's head back gently, so that the Nocturne was looking up at him.
"Como agua para chocolate, ne?"
Demyx gave him an unimpressed look. "I should drown you for that."
Axel laughed and leaned down to kiss his lover.
"I'll be back soon, okay?" he murmured tracing trembling lips with his fingers.
Demyx nodded. He always loved the way Axel touched his face. It seemed like it would be okay.
To be continued…