Standard Disclaimers: Don't own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. I own nothing except my fan-boy fantasies which I chose to share with all of you, because I am a horrible, horrible person.
The problem with chemo was that it ate up so much of your time. Thus, when you were off it, you had no idea what to do with yourself. And you ended up worrying about a certain red-head who was getting his leg amputated.
Roxas cursed Demyx and Zexion for leaving him alone. They gust had to have chemo scheduled at the same time.
A light pair of knuckles rapped against the door. The door was gently pushed open revealing the younger blonde nurse.
"Oh... Ms. Namine, right?"
The petite nurse nodded, "Everyone's coming out to the dayroom, if you want to come."
"Eh... I'd rather not."
"Oh come on." Namine smiled, "It's better than sitting in an empty room."
"I don't really like kids."
"Oh, come on." She gave him a small smile. "Get out and stretch your legs some." She motioned with her head as if the matter had already been settled.
Roxas sighed and swung his legs off the bed. Namine accompanied him down the hall.
"Is everything ok?" Namine asked, "Nothing huts, no problem?"
"Naw," Roxas shook it off, "I'm feelin' good."
"That's good, and the others?" Roxas raised an eyebrow. The other blonde gave Roxas a small smile, "Some guys on the ward cling to the whole 'macho-man' persona. Sometimes it's good to get a second opinion."
By now they'd reached the dayroom. Breathing a sigh of relief Roxas slumped down into a chair. Namine perched delicately in a seat next to him. When it didn't look like she was going to leave Roxas racked his brain for something that resembled conversation. Nothing came to mind. He was really losing all semblance of social skills. Or maybe he just didn't have the energy to care anymore. Heh, pretty soon he'd be like Zexion.
That brought a smile to Roxas' face.
It was like a completely different world on the ward. No one got upset if you were too tired to do anything. No one make fun of you if you cried yourself to sleep at night. No one called you on it the next morning. With Hayner any sign of weakness was immediantly jumped upon and then made the subject of teasing for the next few weeks. He'd be a total wuss, when he got out, if he got out. Roxas shuttered.
"So," Namine picked up the conversation, "What do you like to do for fun?"
Roxas shrugged, "Not... baby sit kids...?"
The blonde nurse shrugged, "Um... well." She laughed slightly.
"Oh, right your job."
"I do more then baby sit!" Namine replied, "I'm studying to be an RN--a registered nurse."
Roxas rolled his eyes at the medical jargon he didn't care about, "If you're studying you should just go to be a doctor then."
Chuckling, Namine crossed her delicate fingers in front of her, "I like helping people. Doctors are more concerned with... well making them better. I want to help people feel better."
Roxas shook his head, "Ok, whatever Ms. Namine."
"Namine!"
The little blonde stood, "That would be my cue." Her hand gently touched Roxas' shoulder, "Take care, Roxas."
"I will." Roxas nodded.
The blond barely had time to blink before the children swarmed him.
By the time Roxas' ordeal was over, he was completely exhausted. He nearly dragged himself back to his room. Roxas slinked back into the room and flopped down face first on the bed. Nobody acknowledged his presence.
Pushing himself up from the bed, Roxas looked around. Both Demyx and Zexion were in the room. Zexion's book lay in his lap; he himself was pretending to read it. His blue eyes were stuck on one line.
Demyx lay curled on his bed. His eyes were closed, as though he were sleeping. Roxas knew better, "Hey, Dem." Roxas tried to keep his voice low, "You feeling' ok?"
The older blond nodded slightly. By now Zexion had completely given up on his book. Slowly, hesitantly Zexion dog eared his page and slipped out of bed. His pale hand lingered over Demyx's shoulder before lightly, gently touching it. He had barely enough pressure on Demyx's shoulder for the blond to feel it. Still the blond cracked his eyes some and looked up at Zexion. A weak smile came to his face. Zexion allowed his hand to slip down Demyx's arm and brought it back to his side. His eyes darted away.
His eyes still partially closed Demyx sat up some in bed. "Gimme a hand." Hesitantly Zexion help Demyx into an upright position. His hands fell limp to his sides.
Roxas caught Zexion's eyes, trying to ask the slate-haired teen what was wrong with Demyx. The other teen shrugged, slightly. He seemed more put off than usual.
Demyx made a small noise, causing both Zexion and Roxas to look over at him. By now Demyx was sobbing, his hands over his ears.
"Demyx...?" Zexion touched Demyx's shoulder again.
"Dem...?" Roxas sat up in bed, "Are you-- is he?"
Demyx opened his mouth and screamed. As impossibly loud sound for someone so frail looking.
"Roxas! Go get a nurse!" Zexion tried to keep an even to an even tone to his voice, but the hysteria was difficult to contain.
Suddenly feeling reenergized Roxas shot off the bed. Even out in the hall he could hear Demyx's screaming. Something about turning the noise off. Whatever that meant. The nurses must have heard the racket as well. Both Larxene and Namine were rushing down the hall already.
"He--I--" The two nurses rushed past Roxas, "Right, ok."
Back in his room Demyx had quieted some, every now and again a little sob would escape from his lips. Almost like he was in pain. The blond was leaning against Zexion, unable to support himself anymore.
Larxene bent down next to him. With her thumb she raised one of Demyx's partially closed eyelids, "His pupils are dilated."
Dr. Lexaeus rushed into the room "What's happening?"
Her strong fingers at Demyx's wrist, Larxene replied, "I think he's seizing, Doctor."
Lexaeus ran a hand threw his hair, watching Demyx's head jerk to one side. The doctor nodded, "All right, somebody stay with him. Larxene... call his parents." He glanced at Roxas and Zexion, "Don't worry he'll be ok."
"But-but-he isn't-" Roxas searched for the right word, "You know twitching!"
Lexaeus, Larxene and Namine didn't know how exactly to respond to this.
"That's a different type of seizure, Roxas." Zexion replied, "Different part of the brain." The other boy sounded tired.
"But-I-"
Lexaeus gripped Roxas' shoulder, "Don't worry he'll be ok. Seizures sometimes happen in patients with brain tumors."
"But can't you do something for him?" Much to his chagrin Roxas noted the hysteria in his voice.
"No, only to make sure he doesn't hurt himself... he'll be ok, Roxas. I promise." Roxas nodded, not feeling it necessary to tell the large doctor, he'd lost feeling in his shoulder, "Ok, stay with him." Thankfully, Lexaeus let go of his shoulder.
Larxene also left, probably to call Demyx's parents. Namine lingered though saying she had to time the seizure.
"Why?"
"It's relevant information." Namine replied, "If he has another seizure we need to see if they're getting longer and more violent." She looked up at the clock.
"Oh."
Demyx's head jerked to the side, causing him to gasp/sob again. Roxas noticed Zexion's brow furrowing.
"Did you notice any other symptoms?"
Zexion nodded, "He was having an auditory hallucination. Something about static or white noise." Zexion shook his head and readjusted his grip on Demyx's shoulders.
"He seemed... scared." Roxas added.
"Like he was having a panic attack." Zexion elaborated. Demyx's head jerked again.
Namine nodded, "Alright thanks." Demyx's head jerked one last time before all was still. He slumped a little more into Zexion's shoulder.
The petite nurse waited a few more moments before she stood. "Alright boys, he should be ok. Just let him sleep it off." She smiled politely before turning on her heels.
Sighing, Roxas sat down at the foot of Demyx's bed, "Well, that was terrifying. His own heart was still racing in his chest, "Eh?" He looked over at Zexion. The slate haired teen was still cradling Demyx in his arms. His nose was nestled in Demyx's dusty hair, "Aren't we supposed to let him rest, Zex?"
"Oh... right." Gently Zexion set Demyx down. Just as gently Zexion pulled the hospital sheets up around Demyx.
"... You ok?"
"Yeah." Zexion's voice was nice and even. The exact same voice he used to talk to doctors.
"He'll be ok."
"I know." Zexion sighed and sat down, "I know." All that time the teen hadn't taken his eyes off Demyx. It was starting to make Roxas uncomfortable.
"Do... do you want me to leave?"
Zexion's head shot up. "No. No." He trapped his hands between his legs.
The blond sighed and allowed a couple of tense minutes to go by before excusing himself to the bath room.
Roxas stared into the bathroom mirror willing himself not to think about Zexion and Demyx... or himself and Axel. Maybe that's why they were all so... weepy. The blond shook his head. No, nothing was happening between he and Axel, they were just friends... going through a hard time. Roxas snorted. Oh yeah, how could he possibly forget that time Hayner broke his leg skateboarding and Pence cuddled up to him.
He shook his head.
So many things were happening all at once. Puberty, Cancer... Axel. Roxas sighed vowing to nip whatever relationship was forming between he and Axel in the bud... and perhaps shove his tongue down Olette's throat when she came in, if she came in. As for Demyx and Zexion... whatever, it was better than watching Zexion pine over doctors... so long as Demyx was ok with it. Roxas figured there wouldn't be a problem.
The blond straightened, running a hand threw his blond spikes trying to get them to stand up without the use of all-powerful hair gel. It failed spectacularly. Gulping, Roxas noticed how much hair came away with his hands. Roxas shuttered.
"Hey, Zexion--" Roxas peeked his head out the door. Fortunately, Zexion had gotten his emotions under control.
The teen raised a finger to his lips, "He's waking up."
"Oh, sorry." Roxas sneaked back to the bed.
Demyx was blinking sleepily, "... hey..."
"Hey yourself." Roxas replied, "You gave up a scare."
"Yeah?" Demyx seemed confused.
"You don't remember? You had a seizure!"
"Sometimes after a seizure a patient doesn't remember them..." Zexion replied.
Demyx gave Zexion a weak smile, "You... have pretty eyes."
Both Roxas and Zexion choked.
At this point Demyx's mother rushed in, "Oh my god, Demyx." She nearly danced around Roxas and fell down next to her son. Zexion muttered something that sounded like 'hello' and trapped his hands between his legs, "Honey, how are you?"
"Ok..." Demyx murmured his eyes closed slightly.
"Did the doctors fill you in on everything?" Zexion asked.
"Oh... yeah." The woman ran her hands threw her dusty blonde hair, "The nice one... Lexaeus."
Zexion nodded.
"How are you dear...?" Her eyes jumped to Roxas, "Dears?"
The two muttered something that sounded positive.
There was a tap on the door. Roxas and Zexion's eyes jumped to each other. Fortunately, a man with a shock of fiery red hair, poke his head in the door, "Hey, just thought I'd let you know that, after six an'a half hours the goof's outta surgery, yo."
--Oh Roxas. You always mess up the good parts. First chapter without Axel, I was actually kind of upset while writing this. Stay tuned for the next chapter in which Roxas does really shove his tongue down Olette's throat--no just kidding-- or am I? You'll have to wait and see--but I really am kidding.--