OH. EM. GEE.

Hello peoples, it's been a while, ja? I have no excuse except severe depression, school and illness...oh, and my computer crashed. I really haven't been moved to write anything. But I guess it came back...sort of. I wrote the first half of this while I was sugar high (it's artificial happiness!) and the rest just this morning...with a massive stomach ache and a freezing house (shivers)

Yeah...can't feel my hands or feet...but at least the chapter is done! YES! I feel like I've actually accomplished something with my meaningless life! WHOOTS!

Disclaimer: Own nothing...really...I don't...m'poor...(sniffles)

You all had your say, and here's the result. We get a deeper insight into what Demyx is up to and MELISSA IS BAAAAAACK!!

So sit back and enjoy, eh? (is pretending to be Canadian...eh)

The next few days passed in a haze. I sat around the house, did pretty much nothing aside from jump at random noises and stare at the newly painted walls that made the house significantly brighter than before, but not in an obnoxious way. Melissa had good taste in decorating…even if she did it all in the name of Feng Shui.

I just wished that she would come home…

After how my last visit to Demyx and Axel's…yes, I'd managed to train myself to overcome that natural urge I seemed to have for calling him Akuseru in the seemingly endless days I'd spent laying on the freaking couch and staring at my hand and the ceiling. Really…I didn't go anywhere, except the bathroom occasionally…when I wasn't too lazy to move, and I didn't eat all that much…or at least, not that I can properly recall.

Wow, got off topic. Let's try that thought again.

After how my last visit to their place had gone, I didn't bother going anywhere near their house. It freaked me out to even think about the dream I'd had…how real it felt being choked…all that malice…and the more I thought about it, the more my mind kept telling me that it was Axel who'd been trying to kill me in the dream, despite the familiar growling I'd hear in my room earlier that day in the dream as well.

Maybe there was a perfectly good explanation for what happened in that dream. One, I was scared from that growling sound, not sure where it had come from and freaked over what could have caused it and why. So that was obviously on my mind and stressing, so it made sense that I would express that in a negative way in my subconscious. As for Axel being the attacker…well, we'd argued before I'd fallen asleep, and he was quite intimidating in his own way. Especially with how he made me feel whenever I was around him. Hell, whenever I thought about him. So that could be why I saw him as an antagonist in a bad dream.

Yeah, I'd done some reading while laying here.

And no, unfortunately we don't have fiction in this house…all that we have are the Zen books mom collects religiously, new age guides to crystals and their meditative importance, and a large, tome-like book about dreams and dream interpretation.

Freud…you bastard.

I glanced at the clock again, noting absently that it was nearing two in the afternoon. It felt like it had been two in the afternoon for the past four days…or maybe that's the same time I ever bothered to glance over…though why, I have no idea. Time didn't really mean anything to me at this point. I just sat, stared, and thought.

Yes…as a matter of fact, it is boring as all hell.

I decided I'd try to sleep, that's a great way to waste time. So I settled into the couch and closed my eyes, sighing lightly. Even with them closed, I could still see every little detail of the ceiling…how sad, I'd really been looking at it all day, every day for nearly a week.

And yes, it has occurred to me that this is unhealthy behavior.

I actually started to drift in and out when I suddenly felt a presence standing over me. It wasn't the aura at first that roused me completely. Just that natural instinct everyone has when they know they're being watched. I tensed, ready to freak out and run screaming like a girl out of the house, unashamed if it meant getting me away from a would-be attacker…when the aura finally hit me.

Soft, warm, almost enveloping me in comforting waves…yeah, only one person I knew (and I didn't know many) had an aura like that. And my suspicions were confirmed when the person sat next to me and starting to sing quietly, stroking my hair gently.

"Let me tell you about this little boy I know,

With hair like sunbeams and eyes as deep as the ocean blue,

His smile brings meaning to my world,

And his tears can tear my heart in two,

He loves me, and I love him,

And the two of us will never be apart,

Because I am his mother, and he is my child,

And it has forever been that way from the start."

I blinked my eyes open, already knowing I'd see the familiar, slightly round face dominated by nearly the same blue eyes I saw in the mirror whenever I bothered to look, sun-streaked blonde hair tickling my face. "Hi, mom," I whispered.

Melissa smiled warmly at me and pulled me up into her arms. "Hello my darling one. I missed you so much."

I could tell…she was suffocating me. At first I really didn't mind, hugging her back just as hard, but when she didn't let up after a few minutes, I started flailing a bit. "MOM! CAN'T BREATHE!"

She giggled madly and let me drop back onto the couch in a heap. "Oh, Roxas, you're so silly."

Since she'd just gotten home from an extended trip, I made myself refrain from glaring at her. "Yeah, so, how was it?"

Melissa sighed heavily, shifting so she perched on the edge of the couch, facing me with her legs crossed. Her white and blue skirt bunched up around her knees, the rest trailing to the floor behind her. Strangely, she didn't look as crazy today as usual. Just the skirt and a simple white blouse with pearl buttons. Maybe she'd been dressed up for other people recently and hadn't bothered to change?

"If I weren't a vegan, my dearest, I would've bitten some heads off." She suddenly said vehemently, pounding her fist into her hand. "Some people, I swear. How in the hell do they expect me to take offense from being called 'tree-hugger'? I can't even BEGIN to tell you how many times I heard that in the city. UGH!" she dramatically flung her arms wide and let her head fall back. "OH WOE TO THE ONE WHO SUFFERS THUS! MOTHER GODDESS SAVE ME!"

I raised an eyebrow at her dramatics, internally laughing. I could see where she was coming from though. Such senseless bullying based on how I was raised and chose to live was the main reason I stayed out of mainstream schools. "Tree-hugger" was the least of my problems when it came to teenaged carnivores.

Although, with Melissa, I could also see why she'd be confused as to how that is an offensive name…she really DID go dancing around hugging trees.

"But oh well, to each their own," Melissa muttered mildly, shrugging off her earlier fit. I shook my head and sat up, hugging her again just because. I really did miss her…and we've already covered that I'm a mama's boy, so I doubt we need to revisit that.

"I really, really, really missed you mom…" and she still smelled the same. Like lemons and vanilla. Clean and sweet all at once. I loved it. Almost as much as I loved her. I only say that because I'd much rather have her than something that just smells like her.

Sighing once again, Melissa wrapped her arms around me. "I missed you so much too, my angel."

We stayed like that for I don't know how long…but it was easily one of the best moments of my life. It was one of those times you wish time would just stop and make it last for the rest of eternity…

Melissa jumped up to her feet, her skirt swishing around her feet, the hem brushing the floor. "Come, my child! We shall ride the banisters until our heavy feelings are outrun!"

"What the h—'' that was all I got out before she grabbed onto my arm and hauled me to my feet and out of the living room. She nearly dragged me up the stairs to the second floor. While standing on the landing, I glanced curiously down the hall towards the door I hadn't been able to open and then quickly up to the third floor. I still hadn't had the guts to go back into my room except to snatch clean clothes.

"Now, let's get started," Melissa said a little breathlessly from our run up the stairs. I was about to ask again what we were doing, and possibly tell her about the room and the strange growling sounds when she picked me up awkwardly and sat me on the banister of the staircase.

"What?!" I squeaked, about to jump off when she climbed on behind me and suddenly…we were flying. Air rushed past furiously, whipping my hair away from my face, creating a dull roar, and we just kept going faster and faster, like we'd never come down.

And then I was staring up at the entry way ceiling on my back, hearing Melissa cackling in joy. I blinked over to see her sprawled out next to me.

"That was FUN!" she cried, throwing her arms into the air and sitting up. "Wanna go again, sweeting?"

I was still processing the fact that we'd just slid down the banister of the staircase…like we used to do with dad back in our old house three years ago. I'd almost completely forgotten what that felt like, flying through the air, going faster and faster until you were afraid you'd never stop, the rush that grew with the acceleration…

Sitting up, I grabbed onto her wrist this time and hauled her up the stairs, laughing with her. We almost collapsed at the top, exhausted from laughing and running. Once we caught our breath, again she picked me up, setting me on the banister before climbing on herself and we went down again…and again….and again…

Over the next hour, I lost count of how many times we went down. Right side, left side, forwards, backwards, it didn't matter, it was fun all the same. That same feeling came back, that same laughter followed.

It was like…life had come back home.

And her name was Melissa Anne Hikari.

--

We'd retreated into the kitchen for tea and a small fruit fight we didn't bother to clean up right away. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow, right? Lazy philosophy, but we were too busy sharing stories. The mess could wait.

"These two boys you met sound very interesting," Melissa commented, taking a slow sip of her tea after I'd finished talking about everything I'd done and learned with Axel and Demyx. "I'd like to meet them sometime."

I grinned at her, stirring more honey into my tea. "Yeah, you'd like them…and I'm positive they'd love you, everyone does."

"Oh, you're just flattering me," she waved that off, laughing. "But I already like them, so that's a start right? OH!" Melissa went off when the doorbell sounded. I sighed at her enthusiasm when it occurred to me that she hadn't yet had a chance to receive a visitor in her new home. And that was easily one of Melissa's most favorite things to do. Entertain guests.

I followed at a slower pace, coming around the kitchen doorway to see her clinging to…

"Demyx?" I jogged the rest of the way to the door, trying to pry Melissa off his waist, though the blond didn't seem to mind her welcome hug. "Sorry about that, this is my mother," I introduced once I'd gotten said mother off him.

"Melissa Anne Hikari, Demyx, it's absolutely WONDERFUL to meet the one who befriended my little boy! He's had no friends nearly his whole life; I was starting to get worried about the development of his mind and soul. Friends are key ingredients in finding yourself and your purpose." She said brightly, again her arms flying into the air.

I slapped my hand to my face, feeling it grow warm from embarrassment. This…this right here was why I didn't have friends…okay, I couldn't blame mom, but it was definitely why I didn't bring the few I'd ever had home. I looked up between my fingers, expecting Demyx to give me that, 'your mother is crazy and so are you, later freak' look and walk off…but he didn't. He just stood there, grinning from ear to ear and nodding along with Melissa's spiel.

"I totally and completely agree, Mrs. Hikari!" he replied. "Friends are all important in both discovering and helping to achieve our purpose in this life."

Melissa happily clapped her hands and grabbed onto his arm, towing the taller blond into the house. "You must come in, now I see why my Roxas is so drawn to you. You are positively darling, Demyx!" she ruffled his hair, though she had to strain to reach it. I would've laughed at the scene, except I'd noticed the small sachet Demyx had in his hands.

Once Melissa had us seated around the kitchen table and poured out fresh tea, I poked Demyx's arm, getting his attention quickly.

"Your mom is awesome, little dude." He whispered, still smiling.

I was taken off guard by his comment, blinking as I tried to bring my mind back on the track I wanted it to travel. "Yeah, she's great, but what's that?" I pointed at the little bag he'd set on the table.

He seemed to notice it for the first time and snatched it back up. "Oh! This is a new tea I've just created and I wanted to see if you liked it."

"You make teas, Demyx?" Melissa broke in suddenly, hopping up onto the table and crossing her legs instead of sitting in her chair…like any normal adult would. "That sounds like something you and I could talk about for hours. I brew my own teas as well!"

And taste-tested them on me…just like Demyx was thinking about doing. Ugh, was I forever to be their guinea pig?

"We should definitely compare sometime, but this tea I specially brewed for our little White witch." Demyx winked at me and I scowled at him for referring to me as 'little'.

Melissa started choking on her tea, coughing to clear it out. "Excuse me? My little Roxy? He hasn't been trained as a witch!"

Demyx held up his hand. "I know, but I saw his potential the first time we met. He's got the power, pardon the pun." He and Melissa giggled over that one and I just rolled my eyes. I still wasn't sure if I completely believed in all of his magick talk.

"Well, I've done what I can to teach him what I know, it would be good for him to learn something new, and if it is his purpose in this life to be a witch, then by all means, I say go for it."

"HE is sitting right HERE," I interrupted, glaring at them both…which only made them laugh at me and call me 'cute'.

Demyx patted my head and I ducked away with a 'humph'. "Don't be like that; Axel seemed to like the tea, so I figured you'd want to try it too. After all, you both have similar tastes…"

I peered at him curiously before taking the sachet from him and looking inside. I couldn't tell what was in there, because I wasn't that great with herbs, but judging by the smell, I'd say there was rose, lemon, and…maybe that was ginseng, I couldn't really tell. "Well…if Axel liked it…" I said to myself. For some reason, knowing that Axel liked it made me want to try it, despite my dislike of some of the things I smelled in there.

Demyx waited for me to finish the tea mom gave us before he took the kettle of hot water and dumped the contents of the sachet into my cup, filling it with steaming water. He stirred it expertly and added some sugar and honey, though how he knew that's how I liked my tea, I couldn't say.

After it settled, he pushed the cup towards me and I picked it up, taking a careful sniff. It smelled better as tea than just the powdered herbs that made it up. Demyx was whispering something in mom's ear, but I disregarded it, swearing that I could see Axel's face in the light colored liquid swirling in the cup instead of my own fogged up reflection. I couldn't stop my mind from turning back to him, despite how he seemed to want nothing to do with me, despite the dream I'd had where he was trying to kill me…

"Akuseru…" I whispered, taking a sip. Wow. That was good. Amazingly sweet but not overly so, that smallest hint of bitterness nowhere to be found like with most teas. I took another sip, and then another, and before I knew it, the cup was empty.

"Well?" Melissa and Demyx asked together, both sporting the brightest smiles.

I blinked over at them. "It was good…really good actually. What kind of tea was that, Demyx?"

He shrugged. "Just a little something I made while playing around in the kitchen."

Again, wow. "Well, that was awesome."

If possible, their smiles grew wider. "Now that my mission is complete, I believe I'll get back to the house, need to wake up that lazy Pyromancer before he sleeps through to his shift at work." Demyx pushed to his feet and hugged my mom as a farewell. "See you tomorrow, Roxy."

I turned in my chair to watch as the witch let himself out, curious as to why he'd be coming over tomorrow too. Unless it was to talk to mom about teas more in depth, I couldn't think of any reason. "What did he mean 'tomorrow'?" I asked Melissa, turning back to face her.

Still seated on the tabletop, the blonde Zen maniac who called herself my mother laughed. "Honey, tomorrow is your birthday!"

"Oh…right," I'd totally forgotten. Tomorrow I turned sixteen. "Does that mean Demyx is coming over for that?"

"Well, I asked him to, and he seems like a nice enough boy to come. And he cares about you so, my little Roxy."

"Stop calling me Roxy mom," I whined. "You make me sound like a girl."

"I'm glad you aren't. Girls are so troublesome."

I glared at her. "You don't say…"

Melissa just waved me off and got herself another cup of tea. I sat back in my chair, thinking about tomorrow now. Wow, it was really that time already. Four days had dragged on by and then mom comes back, Demyx visits to give me this kick ass tea (that I'd have to demand more of later…maybe he'd bring some as a present?) and now tomorrow is my sweet sixteen. Time seemed to have developed a new way of flowing for me in this new place.

And if Demyx were coming to my birthday tomorrow…did that mean Axel would too?

I sincerely hoped so…I really wanted to see him so badly for some reason.

--

(Axel's POV)

I groaned when I heard Demyx talking to Orion in the next room. I knew he was here to wake me up so I could get ready for work and I pulled a pillow over my head, adamant about staying where I was…not that I'd slept at all since Roxas came over that last time and shared my dream.

Sighing heavily, I threw the pillow away and sat up, glaring at the far wall. That kid was bad for me, soul mate business aside. Not only did it seem I was fated to kill my true love after finally finding him, but I couldn't get him off my mind. I had this almost burning desire to see him. Just see him. Hear his voice, his laughter. It didn't make any sense, it was driving me crazy! Had been for the past week.

"Aaaaxeeeelll!" Demyx sang as he threw open my bedroom door. I just turned my glare to him. "Oh! Good, you're up, guess that's one thing to cross off my list." He turned to leave but stopped himself. "Right, I almost forgot, your little Roxas' sixteenth birthday is tomorrow, and his mother invited us. I suggest you think hard about something to get him as a serious present while you're at work."

I just stared blankly at the now empty doorway. Wait…Roxas was turning sixteen? Tomorrow? I remembered vaguely how he'd mentioned that he was going to be sixteen 'soon' the last time he'd been over…but I didn't think he meant that soon.

Running both hands through my hair, I tossed the covers back and got to my feet, finding some clothes and dressing. All the while the fact that Roxas would be sixteen in less than ten hours swam in my head.

And then I started thinking about what the hell I could get him that would be deemed as a 'serious present'.

"Great…I don't even know what he'd like." I muttered, heading off to the kitchen to get something to eat. "What do you get a sixteen year old boy who's the love of your life…and you're destined to kill eventually?"

"A card and a vow of undying love despite the fact you'll choke him in his sleep?"

I whirled around at the sound of Demyx's voice, finding the witch in my kitchen, far too bright against the dark tile.

"Get the hell out of my half of the house,"

"Aw, but you loooove me!"

"OUT!"

"Yes sir!"

"Ugh…" while that brief interlude with Demyx had been sufficiently distracting, now that he was gone, I went back to my previous thoughts.

What the hell was I going to get Roxas for his birthday?

Oooooh, what indeed, Axel? What indeed?

Anyways, that's all I gots for now. I think my biggest problem was this filler chapter to pass time until Roxy's b-day, because I've had THAT chapter (which IS next) planned since chapter six.

Well, I have nothing else to say, except PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEAAAASSSEEEE REVIEW! Seriously, I lost nearly my ENITRE fanbase when I went missing and had to get a new one (that I love just as much) with those horrid little oneshots I threw around. And for those of you who are still here and have been since the beginning...BIG HUGS, LUFFLES AND CHOCOLATES! 8D

-Ramen

P.S. (for anyone who cares) I have my camera...have had it since September 12...but since my comp crashed, I haven't been able to post any of my videos, so I'm working on a sort of overview vid that covers all the stuffs that happened, and it might take a while.

Oh right, and I'd like to thank my dedicated little reviewer/die hard fan Flurry of Destiny you ish made of awesome!