CHAPTER 3

"So how was your first day of school?" Cloud asked his younger brother as they walked towards the truck.

"Ok, I guess. Just some redhead that's been tryin' to bully me around. Now he's like trying to compete with me at everything!" Demyx grumbled grouchily.

"That one kid Axel?"

"Yeah."

"I see what you mean by competing when I saw you both run two miles at the same time. Talk about someone who's a little full of himself."

"It's like he rules the school or somethin'." Demyx climbed into the passenger seat, letting Cloud buckle him in.

"He kinda does…"

"Eh?"

"His father is the principle of the school. He's a bastard too."

The young blond chuckled at his older brother's pout, knowing the man must have tried something on him. "Did he try to do something to you?"

"You could say that…" Cloud did not look at his brother when he said this, starting up the truck. "The pervert tried to get into my pants! He even grabbed my beloved left butt cheek!"

The young blond fell into heavy laughter while his older brother pouted. It was so unlike him to act this way than his normal monotone way. "Did you see anybody that matched your expertise?"

"I think so… I do gym with him. His name is Squall Leonheart, but he prefers to be called Leon," Cloud said in a serious voice as if the topic was important. "He agreed to have lunch with me tomorrow after I asked him today."

"Hmmmm. So Squall Leonheart, eh? The guy with brunette hair, grey eyes, a scar between them, and an attitude that says 'don't fuck with me,'?"

"That's him."

"You two seem like the perfect match."

"Come off it, this is not about me, this is about you. Sooooo… make any friends?"

Demyx thought for a moment. "There was this one kid with silver-blue hair that reminded me of an emo guy, he should me to my next class. He was ok, I guess. Just a little on the creepy side."

"Anyone else?"

"Then there's this kid named Sora who has a twin named Roxas. Sora's pretty cool, just too hyper all the time. Roxas, meh, I guess he's cool to hang around with since he goes to my karate class; they both do."

"You mean the blond short-stuff whose been trying to beat you for the last several years?"

"That's him. Anyways, he said there were no hard feelings, just jealousy." Demyx turned his head to look out the window, watching trees pass him by. "You know, I really like this place. It's better than where we used to live four years ago."

"What, you like Travers Town better than Hallow Bastion?" Cloud was surprised since his brother was in tears when they left Hallow Bastion. But the dirty blond seemed to be getting better.

"Yeah, it's not as crowded and there are a lot more friendly people, except for that one redheaded bastard."

"Hey, watch your tongue brat! Or I'll get the soup to wash that mouth out of yours!" Cloud threatened with a smirk.

Demyx only chuckled with a small smile.

"Just because you're seventeen, doesn't mean that you're off the hook to curse. Especially since our parents would disapprove of it," the older blond growled playfully.

"Oh, so you can?" Demyx challenged.

"I'm six years older than you, so yeah, I get too."

"So unfair!" The young blond squealed girlishly and mocked pouted. "But seriously, you're the one who's a bad influence on me for cursing around me all the time."

"So what, at least I don't do it around little kids."

"Uh, you kinda do."

"I do no-shit. I should watch my mouth sometime and think before I say anything."

"That would help a whole lot!"

Cloud grunted as he drove into their small drive of their small one story house. It always seemed to remind Demyx of a doll house by the looks of it on the outside. It was painted a steel blue with white trimming and a perfect white door. The shutters on the windows were also white as was the small porch. Inside, the walls were painted white, but the pictures of their friends and family made the house look homier. The plushy leather couches alone made the living room look like a nice place to stay.

The kitchen had dark chestnut cabinets all around the small room with grey marble lining against the wall and counters underneath the cabinets. The floor was a black marble with crimson rugs on top of them. All the rooms had, except the kitchen and bathroom, had dark wooden floors while the bathroom had white tiles with a black garnet countertop. The walls were a very bright, bright green.

Demyx's bedroom was covered in band posters and game posters. He had a small metal desk under his window with his bed beside it on the right side, across from the doorway. The closet and dresser was on the left and the walls were a light blue with dark blue carpets. His laptop resided on the desk along with his sitar that he loved to play with his feet, and he was pretty damn good at it too.

Cloud's room was across the hall from Demyx's. It had regular white walls with pictures of his loved ones back home. A few posters were here and there, but not many. He had a regular wooden desk that was on the nearest corner near the door, his computer rest there. His bed ran across under his window with his dresser at the foot of his bed on the left side of the window. Here, he would now dream of that hot sexy brunette.

Demyx slipped his shoulder bag from his shoulder, having to bow to the side enough to let it slip over his head. It fell with a small bang from his books as he fell into the couch with a heavy sigh, slipping off his shoes with his feet.

"I'm guessin' that Axel guy really did give you a rough time," Cloud said with a half smile, sitting next to his baby bro.

"I guess… but you know what? I'm not gonna let him get to me and I'm gonna try to befriend him no matter what it takes!" Demyx replied triumphantly.

"Right you better go get ready for your karate tournament. You're becoming a black belt tonight! I knew that tough training would help!"

"Yeah, whatever you say Cloud…"

(later that night)

"Why am I here again?" Axel whined, bored from watching the underlings get their new belts. "I mean the only reason why I'm here is to watch Roxas, but that's it."

Zexion beside him sighed in annoyance. "You've been complaining this whole time. If you really want to know, he and his group that are changing from green to brown are up next. But it's only he and Sora. Only one is going from brown into black, which is the blond named Demyx."

Axel sighed in annoyance just as the last kid karate chopped the wooden box that held his green belt. "Finally."

As the youngsters left the gym in the small recreation center building, Roxas and Sora came up, bowed to their sensei, and waited for to begin. The man held an up box in a weird way as it if he was waiting for them to kick it. Which was the whole point

Roxas went first. He took in a deep breath before doing a spinning kick in the air, breaking the box with his foot. A brown belt fell from it. Sora did the same and received his brown belt. As they went off, Demyx went on, wearing a black Giko Original.

He bowed to the sensei, waiting for the box to be held in front of him. The man held a heavy wooden box, nodding for the blond to begin. Demyx took in a small breath.

"Hiya!" He thrust his head forward and broke the box with his forehead. He stood up straight like he didn't do what he just did as the man untied the brown belt to put on the black belt.

With that, the blond left the gym to get redressed in his regular clothes.

Axel's toothpick that he was chewing on fell from his mouth. "Holy shit!"

Even Zexion was amazed. "Damn… now there's a reason why you shouldn't mess with him."

"I'm still not gonna back down from picking on him." The redhead snorted angrily, getting up from the bleachers and quickly walking outside to get to his car.

"Why do you hate him that much, anyway? It's not like he's a geek, nerd, or valley girl."

"I don't know, I just have this urge just to pick on him," Axel said with a voice that sounded like he didn't know why he was doing that to the poor blond. He just met the guy today for cryin' out loud!

"Or, you could be trying to shove these unwanted feelings by competing with him or trying to pick a fight with him. Either way, I've never seen you get this hopped up on someone you first met." Zexion couldn't help but lift an eyebrow at the redhead.

After a glare Axel gave him, the emo boy brought his black hoody over his head, smirking to himself.

Demyx sighed as he poked his food with his fork, using his foot to hold it. He saw Axel up on the bleachers. And seeing the amazed look that he gave after the blond broke that box with his head, it made him feel powerful and greater. But all that was gone when he left the gym. How could he become friends with the redhead now that he saw what he could do?

The guy was jerk and would try finding something to do to beat him at being the greater one. If the blond tried to befriend him now, the redhead would have a reason to actually call on a fight.

He sighed once more.

"My god Demyx! Could you please stop sighing? It sounds like you're having sex with yourself!" Cloud growled. "And eat your food before it gets cold."

"I'm suddenly not very hungry…" the young blond mumbled, staring at his plate.

Cloud's face softened. "Was it that guy named Axel again?"

"No… well, I did see him at the karate belt thing and when I saw how shocked he was when I broke that box, it gave a sense of pride and power. But after that, I felt ashamed because I might not be able to befriend. He has a reason now to bring on a fight at school and have a competition between me and him."

"Listen, that Axel guy may be a jerk and want to challenge you all the time, but it doesn't mean he hasn't some kindness somewhere deep inside him. Keep trying, he'll come around. Soon enough you two might become lovers."

Demyx chocked on his spit. "You're fucking kidding me right?!"

"Oh, and if he tries to pick a fight with and won't back down… kick his ass."

The young blond gave him an odd look. "You're actually encouraging me to get into a fight at school? What kind of guardian are you?"

"A cool one. Now eat you're dinner before I force you," Cloud mocked threat.

"Fine, fine, whatever you say your highness."

Demyx chuckled when his older brother rolled his eyes and left the table to start the dishwasher. He guessed he could keep trying…

A/N: woot, woot! I saw my best friend's dance show and it was awesome! It lasted for more than two hours! And damn they were good! They even have two boys in their dance group. Boys dancing, especially in ballet, are thought to be gay and are made fun of up here in Alaska. Poor Joey…

Axel: I can see why people thin that ballet boys are gay. I mean, come on!

Chocobo-san: shut up, I bet you would be great at it…

Axel: don't even get me started.

Chocobo-san: whatever… review!