Well, how about them apples, eh? I gots a new chappie just waitin' for y'alls. And I hope you like it, because it took me FOREVER to get it done.

Sorry, but the fiction and questions only grow with this little addition. And no, I really don't have too much to say...except that I quite possibly have developed another personality in the long, lonely, very odd days of this summer that is quickly drawing to a close for me (I start up school again on Tuesday).

But, as long as I have breath in my body and hands on my arms, I shall always be writing, I promise you that!

Disclaimer: I'm such the good little girl, ain't I? I don't own anything but the plot and the Familiars. Speaking of which, Orion's back, y'alls, along with a glimpse of Dem's Familiar you all have been wanting to see, I'm sure.

Enjoy.

I was too afraid to go back to my room that night. I ended up sleeping on the couch, TV still blaring; the only light in the house once the sun set. I made sure that the windows were closed and the front door locked tight before I could even relax enough to feel sleepy. Around midnight, I crashed, unable to keep my eyes open.

The next morning, or rather, early afternoon, was a bit of a disappointment.

For one thing, it was raining.

For another, I was still alone.

I'd just dragged my sorry ass into the kitchen for some breakfast, the fruit bowl from the night before left on the counter for later. What? I wasn't even awake yet…I'd wash it when I was conscious enough to know what the hell I was doing.

Unfortunately, any chance of getting a late breakfast was ruined when the doorbell rang. I let out a frustrated breath and stomped over to the front door, jerking it open and glaring through half open eyes at the men standing on the other side. "Can I help you?" I bit out, the words more like a demand than a polite question. Hey, I'm not a morning person. Deal with it.

…I KNOW it isn't morning…shut up…

"Yes, we received a call from a Mrs. Melissa Hikari for this residence?"

I raised an eyebrow, suddenly remembering how mom warned me about the painters. I stepped back and waved them in, yawning and scratching my head. "Yeah…right…just…do your thing I'll…stay out of the way…"

"Thank you, young man," the painters came in, hauling along their brushes and tools and…whatever, I didn't care. I climbed upstairs, tolerating being in my room alone only because it was day time and because I needed a change of clothes. The shower could wait. For now, I wanted in and out of the room as fast as possible.

I undressed and redressed in record time, all but sprinting down the stairs, only to nearly crash into one of the painters. "Uh…sorry…I…didn't see you there."

The man shrugged and tipped his hat at me before continuing on to wherever he was going. "She said the first floor, right?"

"Ah, yeah…" My eyes were drawn over to the room under the stairs. "E-except that one." I pointed at it when the man turned around. "That one stays as is. Everything else is whatever color she chose."

He nodded. "Alright, we'll get it done as quick as we can…though you might want to go over to a friend's house or something to avoid the fumes…hey, you're awfully young to be home alone…shouldn't you be in school?"

I didn't like how this stranger was prying into my life. So I just ran over to the front door, ignoring my waiting shoes and headed out, shutting the door behind me. The downpour had slackened, turning to a heavy misting. It was actually kinda nice, looking at if from under the eaves of the porch. There was even some low laying fog that looked more mystifying than menacing. I shrugged, figuring I'd get wet anyways and left the dry safety of the porch, walking out onto the spongy grass barefoot.

I wandered around blankly, chasing the fog, jumping in whatever little puddles I found. Falling into sinkholes…okay, that part wasn't fun, but everything else was. I felt like things had finally returned to normal again. Well, my definition of normal. I was content and able to have fun all by myself without feeling lonely.

So it was strange to find me standing in front of their door.

Titling my head to the side, I noted how the blue and green paint seemed to swirl and dance through the misting rain, almost overshadowing the red that faded into the background. Curious…

I trailed one hand along the wall, walking down the side until I came to the corner, rounding it and heading for the back. Even from the outside, I could tell where the house transitioned from Demyx to…him. I froze at the next corner, knowing that when I rounded it I'd be on his side. Oh, what was my problem? It was just a house. Stiffening my posture, I rounded the corner, both hands on the wall now. There was more red and orange on the outside back here than in the front. The rain made the colors faded and dull, almost as if they were retreating from the precipitation…but that wasn't possible. It was just paint…right?

Spying a black door I crept over to it, nearly pulling my hands away when I felt something akin to a strong static shock go through my arms. I jumped but kept my hands on the wood, curious as to why I felt all that energy. I felt around for the knob while searched the darkened windows, surprisingly finding none.

"Wha…?" I looked down at my hands, seeing just…a door. Just dark wood. There was no handle or knob, not even a lock. I looked back up at the windows, feeling a strange fluttering sensation in my stomach.

Akuseru…

--

(Axel's POV)

I wasn't entirely sure what woke me. I'd just been lying on the couch, stretched out in front of the blazing fire and dozing. The crackling, snapping and popping like a lullaby, the oppressive heat comforting. Of course, all good things must come to an end, right?

That certainly seemed true as I felt something moving around on my chest.

"Orion, stop it," I groaned, rolling onto my side, hearing him scramble for purchase and fall to the floor. His irritation was pretty clear, and it only woke me up more. "Yeah, yeah," I waved a hand in the air, trying to get comfortable again.

Unfortunately, my suddenly restless mind coupled with a stubborn salamander kept that from happening. I sat up, tossing the pillows covering me away and got to my feet. Orion immediately started scrambling towards the back door, scratching at it before skittering back. I swear, if I weren't a freaking witch and used to crazy shit…the fact that he acted more like a dog than a lizard might seem odd to me.

I went into his room…yes, Orion, my Familiar, has a room of his own…he's spoiled rotten. I checked his box (please…don't ask…just…don't) though I knew it was clean. I'd cleaned it before trying to take a nap. I checked his food; the bowl was still half full. Water was clean too…and his bed was unmade. But hey, it's not like he could make it himself…THAT would be fucking weird.

"What is your problem?" I muttered, coming back out into the living room and rubbing my eyes tiredly. I was still half asleep, and a glance at the clock told me it was barely past one in the afternoon. "Ugh…I worked all night, you ungrateful reptile. Why are you waking me up?" yet I knew it wasn't entirely Orion's fault that I was up. I'd been woken by something else before he'd even started moving.

I froze, instantly alert when I felt a soft…well, I guess it could be described as a touch really, a flutter in the back of my mind. A ruffling. And an impression, sort of like what I shared in my connection with Orion.

'Akuseru…'

…who was calling me like that?

Orion went back to the back door, scratching at it and giving me 'the look'. Again…don't ask, please. I know my Familiar, okay? And 'the look' basically meant, 'get over here and quit being stupid, human'.

I went over and pushed the door open, knocking over the person I didn't know was even standing on the other side. I blinked down at the slight figure, my breath stopping when I recognized the sopping wet mess sprawled at my feet as… "Roxas?"

He blinked up at me, golden hair hanging in his face instead of up like usual from the rain, those celestial eyes wide. His cheeks turned a soft pink as he pushed unsteadily to his feet, barely reaching to my shoulder when he stood at full height. He was soaked completely, I could see through his clothes…not that it would've mattered if I couldn't. They were clinging to him like a second skin, they weren't hiding anything.

"Uh…um…I'm s-sorry," Roxas stuttered out, wrapping thin arms around himself. "I didn't mean to bug you…I was just outside playing and came upon your house and…" he trailed off and I just stared down at him, unable to believe he was right here by chance. Of course, then his words finally hit me like a ton of bricks.

"I was just outside playing…"

He really was just a kid…

Sighing, I stepped back and waved him in. "It's fine, just get in here before you catch pneumonia or something."

Roxas shivered as if it just occurred to him to be cold and came in without a word, dripping everywhere. Not that I minded. He was absolutely beautiful no matter what to me…and he looked incredibly adorable all wet and shivering, though there was a soft light emanating from his skin, a sure sign he was happy regardless of the discomfort. Just being around him while he was happy made me happy for some reason and I shook it off, leading him over to the couch.

"Just sit here and warm up, I'll go get a towel."

I paused inside the bathroom, sighing heavily. I had to keep my distance somehow. Even now I was replaying those images from my dream over and over, watching the light fading from wide blue eyes, all done by my hand. It didn't help that everything about him appealed to me. Then again, that was the nature of soul mates. They were supposed to complete you.

Too bad I couldn't have mine.

--

(back to Roxas' POV)

I watched the redhead go, strangely wanting to get up and follow. Now everything felt weird and awkward somehow. All the energy in the air was charging around me, though it wasn't nearly as bad this time. The fire was warm and the humidity only made me feel drowsy and relaxed instead of helpless. I jumped when a shadow worked its way onto the couch next to me. There weren't any lights, just like before. Only candles around the room gave off ambient light, along with the fire, casting dancing shadows along the walls.

As the shadow came closer, I recognized it as the large lizard Axel had shown me the other day.

"Um…hi?" I said uncertainly, scooting a bit away from the large reptile.

It skittered closer, pushing itself up on its front legs and looking up at me. It was sort of creepy how it moved. How it didn't blink, just titled its head from side to side, staring. The closer it got into the light, the more I noticed how its orange scales seemed to glow in the firelight, the effect intriguing enough that I leaned towards it, instead of away.

"You're not as scary as I first thought…" I said with a little laugh. Of course, the lizard didn't respond, but I got the feeling that it understood me. "I know this may sound weird but you're actually kinda…pretty."

I swear those amber eyes grew wider as the lizard backed away quickly to the other side of the couch. I couldn't help but laugh at it.

"Oh, you don't like being called pretty?" I almost swore I saw that scaly head shake before the lizard crept close again. "It's true," I rubbed my arms absently, still shivering from my wet clothes.

Something warm and soft enveloped my shoulders and I jumped at the unexpected contact, craning my head back to look up and see Akuseru standing behind the couch. "There…" he said quietly, backing away into the darkness again.

"Um…that's really freaky, you know?"

"What is?" I just about had a heart attack, whirling around to see him kneeling in front of the fire, adding more wood.

I clutched the towel he'd given me closer, curling up on the couch. "That. The way you just…disappear and reappear…like a ghost or something."

"Don't joke about stuff like that in this house, kid." The redhead replied seriously, turning to face me, sitting on the floor. "Believe it or not, there is life after death…and it isn't pretty."

I shook my head at him. "I wasn't joking…you take this stuff way too seriously."

"Stuff?" Akuseru echoed in disbelief. "This stuff is my life, kid. This is how I live. Do I come over to your house and call vegans and yoga artists stuff?"

"Why are you being so defensive about this? I wasn't joking. What is your problem?" you were so much nicer before…

He raised an eyebrow at me, crossing his arms. "I have no problem, kid. I think it's you who has the problem here."

I got to my feet and threw the towel at him. "Shut up. And stop calling me 'kid' okay? I'm not four! I'll be sixteen in a few days. I'm not a child."

"Well…keep telling yourself that, kid, but you are to me."

"My name isn't KID! Okay freak? It's Roxas! R-O-X-A-S, got THAT memorized?!"

To my shock, he started laughing at me, climbing to his feet and shaking his head. "Wow," He finally said through a few chuckles. "Just…wow."

I rolled my eyes and sat back down, pouting at the floor. Hey, angry pouts are still pouts. I don't lie to myself…I'm pouting, so deal, okay?

The lizard crawled back over to me, forcing its way into my lap. I just held my hands up and stared down in horror as the large reptile made itself comfortable and practically curled up in my lap.

"Orion, that's not funny." Akuseru said in an exasperated tone.

"I agree," I added shakily, still holding myself stiff.

The redhead scoffed. "He's not going to hurt you, kid, just relax. He doesn't want us to fight, so he changed the subject."

Wait… "How do you know all that?"

"One, I raised him, I think I know his personality by now. And two, he pretty much told me."

Wow…I think I feel faint.

"A-and how…exactly…did he do that?" I asked carefully.

He shrugged then tapped the side of his head. "Like that."

I raised an eyebrow at him, totally confused. "He tapped your head?"

Green eyes rolled to the ceiling, as if asking for some kind of divine intervention before I drove him up a wall. Hey, I have that effect on people, what can I say?

"No…" he sighed, "He didn't…he sent me an impression."

"Meaning…?"

"You know what, I'm not going to explain everything right here and now. I was trying to sleep when you trespassed, so if you'll kindly be quiet, I'd like to get back to that."

I glared up at the redhead, "Why are you being such an ass to me? You were nice enough yesterday…not to mention when you were all over me on this very couch the other day. You seemed to like me enough then!"

"That was a mistake. I never should have touched you!"

"You're damn right you shouldn't have!" I shouted back. But he had…and the worst, or maybe best part, I didn't know anymore, was that I'd liked it. Dreamed of it since. I wanted to feel that power again, that energy we'd created at being so close. It was ludicrous, it was stupid, and it was true.

He gave me his back, arms crossed. "I think you should wait for Demyx to get home…in his half of the house."

I got to my feet, uncaring that the lizard fell heavily to the floor. "Gladly," I stomped past him, fighting the odd urge I had to cry, making my way down the hall, noting again how half way, the heavy, humid air disappeared as if it'd never been. A soft, clean wind rushing over me as I came out in Demyx's half of the house. It was still raining outside, and even in here, the blues and greens on the walls seemed to dance to the soft rhythm the rain made on the roof.

Sitting on the edge of the couch, I stared out the window, watching the rain fall and the fog increase. It hadn't been that bad before. Before it had just been a haze…now it was so thick I couldn't even see through it. It was just a gray mass, swarming towards the windows. And, oddly enough, it seemed as if the glass was bending in under the weight that shouldn't be there.

I took a step back, still transfixed by the swirling, silvery-white cloud pressing closer, the walls around me groaning as if under pressure. I couldn't look away, even when I thought I heard that same growl from before, but it was inside my head, not out loud.

I felt something brush up against my back, knowing instinctively someone…or something was standing behind me. I forced my eyes off the fog that was growing darker and darker, until it was almost black, shadowing the room. Slowly turning, I paused about halfway of looking over my shoulder when I spotted red, my mind telling me it was Akuseru. What did he want? After that little display…

I choked on my scream when strong hands wrapped around my neck, squeezing brutally. I coughed, reaching up to try and pull them off. The fog grew darker, heavier, some seeping in through the windowpanes, filling the room like smoke. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything but try fruitlessly to get free, vision fading. I was going to die.

The realization made my eyes widen even further and I tried to scream, only to open my mouth and have the dark, smoke-like fog slide down my throat. I could feel it, cold and slimy, choking me more than the hands.

Suddenly, the window exploded, glass shards raining over me and I closed my eyes, the hands and fog gone, leaving me to lay there and gasp desperately for air, coughing, eyes watering in relief.

I opened my eyes, not even aware that I'd closed them. And it was then, as I sat up from where I'd been sprawled out over Demyx's couch, the sun shining through the open windows, that I realized I'd fallen asleep.

"A dream…it was all just a dream…" I whispered to myself, rubbing a hand over my neck, the skin feeling swollen and bruised. "More like a nightmare," I dropped my hand and stared at the window, noting how the clouds had broken apart and the sun was shining freely, reflecting off of the small drops of water covering the grass. I smiled absently at the picture, instantly calmed by it.

"Well, hey there sleepy head."

I whirled around to see Demyx coming out of the kitchen, shaking his head and tsking. "You know, you really should try to keep your sleeping for night time. I mean, look at that!" He pointed out the window. "Isn't it beautiful out there? Why don't you go have fun?"

"Yes…I…I think I will." I said quietly, suddenly thinking that going outside was the greatest idea ever. "Thanks, Demyx." I smiled at him as I made my way towards the door, letting myself out and waving goodbye, pausing for a moment to enjoy the feeling of the sun warming my face before running off, laughing for some inexplicable reason.

--

(Axel's POV)

"Thanks, Demyx," I whispered from where I stood in the shadowed hallway, watching as Roxas ran off through the window.

Sighing heavily, he turned to me, watching me with sad, darkened eyes. "You had the dream again, didn't you? And he was close enough that he shared it."

I looked away from his prying eyes. I didn't have to say it; we both knew what had happened. I just wasn't sure if I was grateful or not that Roxas hadn't completely registered that it was me in the dream.

"You're trying to keep your distance, aren't you? You don't want to get close at all to him."

"Shut up," I hissed back. Sometimes, he was too damn intuitive.

Demyx shook his head at me, walking into his kitchen and I followed…because I'd asked him to direct Roxas and now he was on a spree. I hated it when he directed me, but he couldn't exactly do it unless I allowed him to, nobody could be forced to do anything unless it was of their own free will. Even when forced to do something wrong, there was always the desire there to do wrong in the first place to build from.

I sat at the counter while he fixed up one of his crazy teas.

"We've got chamomile to easy you up, and I'll add a little something special to dampen those precognitive dreams of yours." Demyx hummed as the tea brewed, adding little pinches of this and that to the kettle before letting it steep.

"Thanks again," I muttered, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I still couldn't believe that I'd shared my dream with Roxas. That never should have happened…I hadn't intended for him to be asleep while I was.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts, I jumped a bit in surprise when Demyx set a steaming mug in front of me. I glanced up and noticed the little ball of white fur curled in his arm. "When did you go get Sasha?"

Demyx raised an eyebrow at me, stroking the young rabbit with his free hand, two floppy ears rising slightly at the sound of her name. "Dude, you totally zoned. You've been sitting there for a good twenty minutes."

Sighing at that, I took a careful sip of the tea, noting that it tasted…different. Not bad, but different. It was still good though, and I kept sipping idly at it until it was gone, rinsing the cup out in the sink before thanking Demyx again.

And completely missed the grin spreading across his face as I passed him to head back into my half of the house, intent on putting today out of my mind.

Phew, I switched POVs quite a bit in this chapter, didn't I? Sorry about that. I DO have a plan for this story, sort of, but the chapters in between the large plot devices write themselves, I have little or no control over what happens. (Although I added a LOT of intrigue and was vague on PURPOSE, so don't yell at me for that)

Also...I'm running out of things to fill in the space to the next big plot device, so, I am appealing to you, dearest readers. PLEASE give me some ideas. Who wants to see Melissa again? Who wants to know what Demyx did to make him grin like that? Who wants to know what Roxas is going to do for his sweet sixteen? Who wants to see more awkward, yet still awesome AkuRoku moments? Does anybody care if Zexion shows up at all o.O?!

Answer one or more of those questions! I DEMAND you! Heck, come up with some of your own! PLEASE! (falls to her knees) I'M OUT OF FILLER IDEAS!

--Ramen