Alright. Back in action. Sorry for the short break in story, dudes. T-T I actually have an excuse. I had a two week deadline for creating a 12 page manga. And, well, I don't draw whole comic pages that often. I managed, but just barely. But, I eventually pulled myself together and wrote this for you! Because I promised and it was fun for me as well. Ah, hopefully I came out okay. Here's hoping! Once again, my editor is still MIA, so, if you see any glaring mistakes, let me know kindly, because I still don't edit it myself! (I'm so lazy ^^;)

Anyway, thanks to: calmxbeforexthexstorm, Nierx, DieChan, Ultima Phoenix, Shinimegami7, Sexy-Tacos-Emo-Waffles, FlyingTackle, Vedensolina, infinityinmirrors, A-chan, Mirror and Darkling, LoneBoy7, Yunie Tatlin, Silver Butterfly07, CloudedMirror, xLion-Heartx, Shukakku the adorable raccoon, OtakuLady, neyma, LiteraryMirage, 73n5Hl, Aindel S. Druida, FlurryDivider, Suguri Takeuchi-chan, DeNiSaY60, Kurotorachan, Zeal - the Hollow Fairy Wolf!

So many reviewers! I'll try really hard to get back to everyone but it might take a few days! You all rock, dudes! I love you all and hope you enjoy your winning pair!

O


Bonus Chapter: Zexion and Demyx


It had been four months since Sora had returned with Riku in tow, the young king happier than he had been for years. The kingdom itself was also flourishing, faster than anticipated. Spirits seemed to be appearing from thin air, flocking back to towns and villages after having gone into hiding in the woods and mountains for so long. That small population was also beginning to repopulate said towns rapidly; the kingdom had an unusually high percentage of children. With all that said, food production was up thanks to all of the earth spirits engaged in farming, business was having its own little renaissance, and the mood was generally positive and enthusiastic.

These things were, of course, all on Zexion's mind as he flipped through pages of information. Sora might be busy as the new king, but Zexion had been busy as well. Sora had promoted him to his direct advisor, much to his astonishment. His first words of advice had been not to promote people so haphazardly. After all, he hadn't always shown his best characteristics to Sora and his friends. At the time of the rebellion he had in fact been looking out for himself before anything else.

Sora had only laughed off his admonitions though. According to him, Zexion was the smartest person he knew. The best candidate for his lead advisor.

Zexion had never felt so much pressure but the challenge itself was a thrill.

He was doing his best to serve the new King and the palace staff. With a kingdom to rebuild and reform, it was impossible to do otherwise. Not only did he review all of the more mundane facts like how much food was produced for the month, but he was also in charge of the intelligence; it was his job to know all of the intrigues and who was saying what and how they felt about the new rule.

He oversaw the world from the shadows and advised Sora as well as he could, thoughts always filled with continuously updating facts and opinions. And as much as he didn't understand Sora's choice, he had to admit that he loved his new job. It occupied all of his time and energy but he needed something like that. A plus was that he had been able to stay in his beloved library instead of being part of the court life. Now that Xemnas was gone, he had been able to rearrange his favorite room as he wished. Now the library was decorated with his paper creations, geometric forms hanging from the ceiling like stalactites, twisting forms in the corners which moved on carefully balanced fulcrums, paper birds fluttering above his head. It was all nothing but a mass of paper scraps brought to life by his illusionary magic, but still, it enabled him to look at something interesting when he had a moment to glance away from his work.

At the moment, it was a fairly easy day. The town that had formed right outside the palace walls was planning for a festival in a few weeks; they had just submitted an official request to have the King and Prince Roxas present. Zexion looked down at the request. He knew Sora would be thrilled. Roxas, maybe not so much. The younger prince was growing up to be more stoic than his older brother.

Speaking of Roxas, he was supposed to be training his swordsmanship with Xigbar at the moment. The leader of the guards had thrown himself into training the two royal boys. Zexion couldn't say that it was necessary anymore, but a well-rounded ruler was better than not. Zexion sighed and pushed himself out of his chair then walked to the library window. He could see the training grounds adjacent to the barracks down below and pushed the glass pane open to get a better look at it when he saw motion. It would be interesting to see how Roxas was progressing in his fighting technique. He imagined that Xigbar would be a rather tough teacher.

But it wasn't Roxas. Zexion's eyes narrowed when he saw Sora sprint into the center of one of the training rings. Even from this distance he could tell the young man was laughing and a second later Riku flew into the ring, Way to the Dawn in his hand. Sora quickly called his Keyblade into his hand and before long the two of them were sparring. Zexion noticed though that they seemed to be more interested in playful banter than exchanging blows.

His eyebrow twitched when he saw Riku lean in intimately close over the king. He didn't need to know exactly what they were doing right now but the point was that Sora was not in the throne room as scheduled. And Roxas was gods-only-knew-where. Probably with Axel. Zexion sighed, sometimes it was a pain having princes with such reckless Guardians. At least Riku was somewhat responsible. But that didn't get him out of trouble for somehow smuggling Sora out of the throne room.

Pursing his lips together, Zexion reached into his cloak and pulled out a blank piece of paper. He always kept several sheets just for moments like these. With a murmured spell to breathe life into the scrap, he tossed the paper out the window. It instantly sprang to life, fluttering over the rooftops as it headed toward the training grounds. He watched as it reached Sora and Riku, the two distracted by…less-than-innocent kissing. The paper trembled in the air before it suddenly unfolded and filled the training grounds with Zexion's voice, so loud that Zexion could hear its echo from up in his library.

"Your Majesty, I do believe you are supposed to be in the throne room right now. Please cease your flirting and return before your subjects and members of the court miss your presence. You're not scheduled for the training grounds until next afternoon."

Zexion almost smiled as he watched Sora cower against Riku, shocked by the sudden noise. He couldn't see their expressions because of the distance, but he knew they weren't happy. That was too bad for them. If he had to work then so did they. Riku didn't even have to do that much, just sit next to the throne and look imposing.

Sometimes his job really did seem like he was more a nanny than an advisor though. But, at least Sora and Riku had left the training grounds. He left the window open and walked back to his desk. A little fresh air would do him some good.

Dropping back down into his chair, he frowned before pulling out another piece of blank paper. Grabbing his quill, he scribbled a quick, "Find Xigbar. Get to the training field" onto it then folded it in fourths. He set it in the palm of his hand and murmured another spell. Again, the paper fluttered out crack. It would find Roxas eventually, no matter where he was.

After that letter was sent, Zexion bent over his papers again. Even though there wasn't much urgent to do, there were still a lot of things he could look at. He definitely needed to schedule the rest of the month's activities for the two royals. The parties they were going to, important figures they needed to meet. People he himself needed to speak to. Meetings they all needed to go to.

Zexion was able to work for nearly in hour in peace. He had just finished scanning intelligence one of his men had gathered from a village near the mountains when the faint sound of music caught his ears. His eyebrows drew together as he bent further over his desk, trying to tune it out.

Five minutes later and the music hadn't stopped. On the contrary, he could still barely hear it, but it was impossible to ignore now, an annoying little itch in the back of his mind. His grip was getting tighter and tighter on his quill until he finally snapped it in half. The sight of the broken pen finally set him off and he slammed the remains on the desk and pushed himself up. Enough was enough.

Stomping back over to the window, reprimanding himself for leaving it open, he stuck his head out, brushing his violet hair behind his ear. His anger stuck in his throat then, when he realized that the music wasn't just from any instrument.

No, it was a sitar.

Zexion pursed his lips together, hands on the window pane, ready to close it. But his fingers were frozen in place. He had grown too fond of the sound of the sitar. The thought that it could be a certain water god playing it sent an electrical charge down his body.

Maybe it was time for him to take a break. Just to see if it really was Demyx. The water god really didn't have any reason to be here though. By all accounts he was happily lording over his swamp still, which had attracted a large amount of people over the years. His old town had been completely filled again. Zexion had assumed that Demyx had been content staying at his home, taking care of his new friends. At least, Zexion guessed that Demyx had already become fast friends with the new village. He was uncannily friendly.

Feeling suddenly shy, Zexion left the library, pulling his cloak tighter around him. Despite the regime change, he had still kept his old uniform. Everyone had individually told him that he could change his clothes, but Zexion really felt most confident completely covered up. He had never had an attractive body, always so small and thin and pale, so it was just easier for him to conceal himself. It was natural to him too, since he was a spirit of illusions and shadows.

As he was walking through the second floor hallway, he passed by a series of open windows that looked down into one of the gardens. Aerith and Marluxia, who had been cleared of his past connections because of his decisions during the final battle, were tending to the gardens well, and they were flourishing now more than ever. The sight down in the garden made him freeze though.

Demyx was sitting on a stone bench in front of a series of rose bushes, the spot obviously chosen because of the small fish pond close to his feet. But the water god was truly captivating. He had his eyes closed, his sitar balanced on one thigh as he strummed it slowly, as if caught up in his own world. Now that Zexion could hear it properly, the song really was beautiful. It was slower and more serene than anything he had heard the water god play before, but it was still beautiful.

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and he drew his cloak closer about him as he hurried for the nearest staircase.

It wasn't until he reached the arch that led into the gardens that he stopped in his tracks. What was he doing, acting like some teenager in love?

Zexion frowned and pulled himself together, squaring his shoulders. He lifted his hand and cast an illusion of invisibility over himself before tentatively stepping into the courtyard. He didn't know why he was being so secretive, but it suited him better than running out with some silly smile on his face.

He drew his illusion close to him when he rounded a bush and saw Demyx sitting on the bench. He was coming up from behind the water god and like a ghost he glided forward, listening to the sitar's tune. He had never considered himself a music lover, but he knew that this was a good sound. It lulled him, calmed his rapid thoughts so much that it frightened him a little.

Suddenly, the music stopped. Zexion's eyes widened as Demyx lifted his head and turned to the side, gaze sharp as if he had heard something. But Zexion knew that he hadn't made a sound, if nothing else the illusion spell muffled that sort of thing. He had designed it that way.

"Zexion, are you here?"

Zexion gasped, the shock of the identification momentarily causing his spell to flicker. Demyx seemed to have caught the slight movement because he smiled brightly, the expression lighting up his entire face. He set his sitar down then stood up. As he stood, Zexion couldn't help but notice that the blonde spirit was looking healthier than ever. He was still lanky and tall and had that ridiculous hair style but his blue eyes were shining even his skin seemed to be glowing. His clothes also were more form fitting now, new and brightly colored in teals and blues and completely fitting his vibrant personality. The last peaceful years had clearly done him well and Zexion realized that it really had a long time since they had seen each other.

Demyx was looking straight at him now, even though he had rebuilt his spell around him. He looked like an eager child. "Zexion, I know you're there. I'm a god, you know? I can sense the water in your body. Can we talk?"

Feeling sullen for having been discovered, and embarrassed for some reason beyond his comprehension, Zexion nevertheless dropped his spell and stood awkwardly in front of him. Demyx seemed ignorant of any uncomfortable feelings though and ran forward, throwing his arms around Zexion and pulling him into a tight hug.

"It's been forever since I've seen you! Still as mysterious as ever, right, Zexion?

Zexion could only manage a small grunt in return, his breath and ability to speak swept away in Demyx's hug. He could feel Demyx's warmth, his heartbeat against his palms as he pressed against the other's chest. It was too much, he couldn't think straight.

Demyx pouted as Zexion shoved him away a full arm's length. Zexion ignored the other's expression though and crossed his arms after running his fingers through his bangs to make sure they were properly covering most of his face. It was much easier to conceal his flustered face that way. "I don't know where you got the idea that we were intimate enough to greet me in such a way."

"Aw, we've been through so much together. I think I can give you a hug. We owe each other our lives after all."

"Hm." Huffing, Zexion flushed behind his bangs. He really hadn't done anything to save Demyx's life. He hadn't even played that large a role in the rebellion at all. The fact that Demyx mentioned that meant that the water god was either teasing him or sorely disillusioned.

Turning around, he began to walk back toward the interior hallway, Demyx following with a bounce in his step. "So what have you been doing all this time?" He asked lightly. "Have you been here in the palace this whole time? How are Axel and the others? I really should have come here sooner because I know that he's going to lecture me about leaving everyone alone."

For some reason, it was irritating to listen to Demyx talk about Axel. He knew that those two spirits had been friends for a long time but…really. Zexion's brows knit together and he sped up his pace. "If you came here for Axel, go ahead and find him. When you do, tell Roxas that he's shirking on his training with Xigbar. They're sure to be together."

"Wait, Zexion." Zexion's irritation increased when he felt a hand grasp the back of his cloak. "I'll go find him later, but…I wanted to talk to, to you, if you had the time."

Zexion stopped in his tracks, causing Demyx to run into his back. Ignoring the contact as Demyx jumped back, Zexion looked back over his shoulder. "Why would you want to talk to me?"

Zexion watched as Demyx actually blushed and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I want to get to know you better. You seem to be a really great person but I've never had a good chance just to talk to you."

With a sigh, Zexion turned back to stare at the palace walls. Anything was better than that pitiful expression on the water god's face. Besides, inside, he was happy by the other's words. But he couldn't let that happiness show on his face. He couldn't lose his composure like that. "Fine, we can talk. But let's go up to the library."

"Okay!"

The trip to the library seemed longer to Zexion. When they passed a few servants it was difficult to retain his usual mysterious and cool personality with Demyx bouncing along side him, the grinning water god dressed in such bright colors with a sitar slung over his shoulder. It didn't help that the blonde spirit was rambling during their walk, talking about apparently everything he had ever done during their time apart. Just because Zexion was listening to every word the other spirit said didn't mean that he necessarily enjoyed the constant conversation.

When they finally reached the library, Zexion could feel his hands shaking. He was so nervous. He hadn't seen this person in so long and now he was allowing him into his library, his private space that barely anyone entered.

He heard an intake of breath behind him and turned around to see Demyx looking around with wide eyes. Again like a child. "Wow. It's amazing in here. This is where you work?" He lifted his hand to gently touch a paper bird as it fluttered passed his head.

"Yes." Zexion sauntered over to his desk, sitting down as gracefully as he could. This position allowed him to hide the faint shake of his hands underneath the lip of his desk. "I tend to spend most of my day here. Those," he motioned vaguely to the paper decorations. "Are merely my distractions. It would be best if I just got rid of it all."

Demyx shifted his gaze from the bird flying around his head to Zexion. "No! Don't do that. Your magic is amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

"Indeed. It's quite unique."

The truth was that Zexion hated his magic. It was too unique, too strange. He was neither an elemental nor an animal spirit, somehow he had been "gifted" with something indefinable and in between. He could control what people saw, what they sensed. There was nothing elemental about that, it was just something strange and twisted. Until he had been able to channel his magic into paper, it had been nothing but chaos at his home. He had been amazed when the former king Zack Fair had hired him on as a servant in the palace, even more shocked when Xemnas had promoted him into the library when he had gained power. It was then that he learned that his intelligence really was superior to others, and that he could offer advice that others would actually follow.

"Oh, yeah, Zexion, look, I brought you this."

Zexion snapped out of his thoughts to see Demyx walking over to his desk with something in the palm of his hands. He set it down gently on the wood and as he removed his hands Zexion could see that it was a beautiful piece of quartz, carved into a bowl shape with an elevated platform above. It was delicate and small and Zexion could only watch as Demyx happily poured a bit of water into it from the water skin he had tied to his belt.

The water immediately began to flow down off the platform down into the bowl, pumping back up to the platform with magic alone. The sound produced was nothing but meditative and Zexion felt his whole body relax a little. Demyx smiled at the reaction. "Do you like it? I made it myself. I've been playing around with this sort of thing recently. Unfortunately, it only works when I'm in the area. It's a problem I haven't quite worked out!"

Zexion gave one hallow chuckle as Demyx laughed at himself. The little fountain was beautiful, but it represented magic far beyond his capabilities. It wasn't an illusion of water defying gravity, it was actually water. It was real, and while Zexion could mimic the sight, he could never hope to fully replicate it.

He looked up at Demyx. As carefree and young as this spirit appeared, he really was the master of his element. Suddenly embarrassed by all of the paper toys around them, Zexion stood up, the move surprising Demyx.

"I do have work to do today, Demyx. Was there anything you wanted to speak about in particular?"

Demyx frowned, blue eyes showing a hurt which cut into Zexion. But which, at the same time, annoyed him. Demyx was a god, he shouldn't be bothered with spirits like him. So, instead of bending to that expression, he held his ground and his sharp gaze.

Demyx shuffled his feet almost nervously. "There…wasn't really anything in particular. I just, wanted to see everyone. All my friends are here, sometimes I think that I should just move to the palace, you know?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You live in that swamp for a reason. You need that water to function properly, isn't that right?"

"Y-Yes." Seeing that Zexion was walking around the desk, Demyx hurried to meet him. "But, Zexion, I really would like to see everyone more often."

Crossing his arms, Zexion looked up at the taller spirit, his head only coming up to the other's chest. "Well you can't live here, you wouldn't be able to sustain yourself. Perhaps I could arrange time for Sora, Roxas, and their Guardians to visit your home for a while."

Zexion froze as Demyx saddened again then suddenly reached out, the musician's long, thin fingers lifting to push his curtain of violet bangs away from his face. Demyx's expression was soft. "And what about you?"

He jerked his head away from that touch. It was too affectionate and was distracting him again. "Me?"

"Yeah. Would you come to see me?"

With a sigh, Zexion shook his head. "Your hospitality is so overzealous some times. In any case, it's not a matter of whether or not I could go. I have so much paperwork to go over its amazing I even have time for sleep. My schedule wouldn't permit such a long vacation." He wasn't lying. Unlike Demyx, who apparently had all the time in the world, he did have work to do. While it was probable that the palace and kingdom could survive without him for a few days he imagined it would be very awkward to spend any lengthy time with Demyx. At the least, Demyx would probably realize just how dull a person he was. He looked back up at Demyx. "Now, I would appreciate it if you allowed me to return to my work. When you find Axel, do tell Roxas to return to his schedule. I sent him a note a while ago but I still don't hear anything from the training grounds."

Demyx looked a little lost for a moment. Zexion had made it sound like a definitive dismissal on purpose and it was clear that Demyx sensed that. But still, the water god was reluctant to leave for whatever reason. Finally though, after a few seconds of silence, Demyx nodded. "Alright. I'll leave you to your work then. But I might come back to see you, okay?"

"Do as you wish." Zexion backed up to sit back down into his chair. "I'm sure the others will be overjoyed to see you."

Demyx managed a small smile. "Yeah, probably. So, uh, see you later?"

"Most likely." Zexion bent down over the paperwork on his desk until he heard the door to his library close. When Demyx finally left, Zexion let out a deep sigh and dug his fingers into his hair. Once again, he was horrible when it came to interacting with people. He hadn't meant to make Demyx upset, but at the same time, it would be far worse for him to reveal his own feelings. Especially when it came to his slight attraction toward Demyx.

He bit his lip at the thought. It was true. He had to come to terms with the fact that he became distracted around Demyx because he was attracted to the water god. But he had a job to do, no time for such juvenile sensations. Besides, though Demyx seemed to be friendly with him, the water god was far too important to actually have a relationship with him. Zexion couldn't allow that sort of breach in status, and would have to treat it as he did Sora or Roxas' schedule. With calculated indifference, looking out for their best interests only.

Zexion made sure to spend the rest of the day inside his library, not even daring to leave for lunch. He didn't want to see Demyx, especially not when he would undoubtedly be chatting animatedly with Axel and the others. He did however, move the small fountain closer to his workspace, glancing over to it far too often. It flowed constantly, the water shimmering in the quartz bowl.

When Lexaeus hand-delivered his dinner, he learned that Demyx was leaving for his swamp. Lexaeus leaned against the corner of his desk, the bulky man's head scraping against the paper decorations hanging from the ceiling. "You're not going to see him off?"

Zexion didn't even bother to glance up from his book. "I think not."

Lexaeus' deep voice hit his ears again. "I saw him at the dining table during meals. He seemed quieter than I remembered."

"He seemed fine when we spoke this morning. His normal carefree self anyway."

"Perhaps you said something which upset him?"

Zexion frowned, finally looking up from his book and meeting Lexaeus' gaze. "If he is pouting, it is no concern of mine. He could do with feeling some disappointment in his life every so often, though I wouldn't think that my busy schedule should be so surprising to him."

Leaning down, Lexaeus glanced at the book before Zexion could pull it out of sight. "A book of short stories is not necessarily what I would call work. If I didn't know any better, I would say that you were avoiding Demyx."

"Think what you want."

"Zexion, I have known you ever since you arrived here at the palace. I know you can feel inadequate from time to time but if you like Demyx then I can think of no reason why you shouldn't spend time together." Zexion frowned with annoyance as Lexaeus tapped his forehead. "You don't have to only work. If you want some time for yourself, I know that the king would allow it."

Zexion snorted. He had no doubt that Sora would allow it. But he had to keep up his image, and that did not include behaving like some love-sick idiot.

Sensing the other's mood, Lexaeus only shook his head then pushed the covered tray he had brought closer to Zexion. "Very well, I won't bother you about it any more. Just put that tray outside when you're done with it or better yet return it to the kitchens yourself."

With a nod from Zexion, Lexaeus finally took his leave. Zexion only looked at the fountain Demyx had given him. The water was still tricking down from the top platform. Zexion wondered just how long the fountain would continue to work. Demyx had said that the water would stop flowing if he wasn't near, but the water god's magic definitely had to have a good range.

For hours, Zexion watched the fountain. Slowly, the trickle of water began to slow, finally stopping during the late hours of the night. So Demyx had finally left the area. For some reason, Zexion felt extremely disappointed. Collecting his empty dinner plate, he had eventually forced himself to eat, Zexion shut his book then left the library.

The hallways were dark as he walked through them, reminding him as the night always did of Xemas' reign. Nonetheless, he still felt comfortable, his feet having memorized the path to the kitchen long ago.

On the way there, he stopped in his tracks when he heard a strange noise coming from one of the hallway's alcoves. He frowned, no one should be up at this time of night, and if they were, they certainly weren't going to be hiding in one of the palace's many corners. There were still reports of Heartless skulking around, and that was his first thought as he tentatively approached, readying himself for an attack. But as he carefully peered around the corner it wasn't a Heartless that he saw.

No, it was Riku, pinning the young king against the marble wall. Kissing him quite forcefully. Sora appeared to be enjoying it though, if his fingers intertwined into the other's silver hair and soft glow meant anything. Still…when he heard Sora let out a soft moan, Zexion stepped forward and cleared his throat loudly.

Sora let out a strangled noise of surprise, shoving Riku away, his cheeks bright red. Riku glared over at Zexion, his embroidered tunic conspicuously rumbled, the top lacing undone. For someone who had recently returned to this world, he had adjusted to the fashion and life extraordinarily well. "What do you want, Zexion? Can't you see we're busy?"

"Firstly, such activities should be done in a private room, not where anyone could see. Secondly, where is your crown, Your Highness?"

Still blushing, Sora reached up to touch his brown spikes. "I left it my room. We were just going to grab a late-night snack but, uh, we got a little…distracted?"

Riku wrapped an arm around his charge, brazenly pressing his lips to the king's forehead. Ever since he and Sora had returned from Destiny Islands, they had been much more affectionate toward each other. Riku especially, though with his growing intimacy toward Sora, he had regained a cool indifference to everyone else. It suited his post though, as Guardian for the king it was right that all of his attentions should be focused on Sora. Interestingly, his attitude toward the general population had become very much like how Sephiroth had acted; the only difference was Riku's kindness to his charge and a few lucky others.

Zexion could at least say that he still respected the young dark elemental, despite his haughty attitude. "Distractions or not, either return to your task or go back to your room."

"Ah, yes. Sorry." At least Sora listened to him. "Come on, Riku."

Riku's expression softened when Sora grabbed his hand and pulled him away, though he still managed to give Zexion an annoyed glare as they brushed passed him, heading back to the royal wing. Apparently they didn't want that snack so much after all. Glancing down at his own empty dinner plate, Zexion sighed and continued on to the kitchen. Though Sora and Riku were undoubtedly heading to bed, and most everyone else was already asleep, he knew that he would be awake for a long while to come. His mind, as usual, was far too active, but this time, it wasn't because of work.

Two days after Demyx's visit, it began to rain.

It matched Zexion's personality. He knew that he was snapping at Sora and Roxas more often, but it seemed as if everything was irritating him. It didn't help that he couldn't focus on his paperwork at all. Instead, his eyes would keep flickering up to that accursed fountain. He knew that it wouldn't start working again for a long time but, still, his eyes kept going to it. He had considered storing it somewhere in the depths of the library, but when he had picked it up to move it, his hands had only brought it closer to his line of sight.

Most of the time, when he wasn't looking at the fountain, he was looking out the window at the rain. The clouds were dark, nearly black, blotting out the sun. Rain was pouring down in sheets, the wind sometime blowing so hard that the rain almost fell sideways.

He didn't mind the weather since he hardly went outside, but after a week of constant downpour, others were beginning to get restless. The palace was holding out alright, though Zexion heard that Marluxia was complaining to everyone he met about the state of his mud-filled gardens. The town on the other hand…

Zexion pulled away from the window as he heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

He was surprised when Leon walked into the room, the lion's clothes and hair soaked and plastered to his body.

Before Leon could say anything, Zexion held up his hand. "Wait. Don't come in any farther. This is a library, I won't have anything getting wet."

Leon snorted. "Do you have a towel?"

"Of course not. Why didn't you wear a cloak to keep dry?"

"I did. It's hanging in the entry hall." Sighing, he ran a hand through his wet, brown hair. "Zexion, we need some relief aid in the town. Cloud and I are doing the best, but buildings are flooding and streets are literally washing away."

Zexion frowned, returning his gaze to the storm outside. "Take Lexaeus for the day and have him lead a party of earth spirits to create drainage ditches and embankments. Have you spoken to Sora or Roxas yet?"

"Not yet. I wasn't sure where to find them this time of day."

With a soft hum, Zexion paused a moment then nodded. "Very well, let's go look for them. At the moment, both Sora and Roxas should be in the throne room with the rest of the court." They probably were anyway. It was a constant struggle to locate the two royals when they were occasionally shirking their duties, but, with the rain, there was no where for the boys to escape to. "Other than the rain, how is the reconstruction going?"

"Well enough." Zexion glanced over to the lion to see him scowl as they walked. "Or at least, it was going well until the rains hit. We had just finished our own house and the neighborhood but now even our roof is beginning to leak."

Leon and Cloud had taken it upon themselves to head the reconstruction of the town and now lived there permanently. Zexion had to admit, the two animal spirits were a good match for one another. They had equal temperaments and goals in life. Everyone had thought that Leon would have requested to become Cloud's Guardian, but Leon had surprised them all by taking one step further and had proposed that they get married instead. Well, it hadn't been as romantic as that. He and Cloud had just visited the palace one day and had announced that they were mates.

As they neared the throne room, Zexion broke their momentary silence. "As I said before, you can have Lexaeus accompany you back to the town, but I feel this is something Sora should attend to personally. He hasn't had enough difficult situations in his career yet."

"He is young and has just started ruling; it's probably better than way. Thankfully, you've been taking good care of things."

Zexion hummed thoughtfully in response as he pushed the double doors open and stepped into the throne room. It was as crowded as Zexion had ever seen it. There were at least a few dozen spirits milling about in their fine court outfits, a stark contrast to Zexion and Leon, one soaked and in street clothes and the other in a long, black coat. Nonetheless, equally indifferent to the spirits around them, Zexion navigated the way through the masses to the front of the hall.

Breaking through the last row of court members revealed the thrones, where Sora was sitting in the king's throne, wearing his crown and expensive clothes. Roxas was sitting beside him in a smaller throne; as the new heir to the throne he was still expected to attend these court sessions. And flanking them on either side were their Guardians, Riku and Axel, looking almost like opposites of fire and ice with their different dispositions. Zexion could see why not many people had been complaining about Sora's inexperience, when all four of them were up on the dais, they made a stunning image.

Sora visibly perked up when he saw them coming forward, hopping out of his chair. "Zexion!" His eyes widened as he saw Leon over Zexion's shoulder. "Leon! What are you doing here? How's Cloud?"

Sora actually managed to bring a smile to Leon's lips and Zexion watched as the young king ran over to the lion, about to launch into a hug before realizing that Leon was wet. Patting Sora's shoulder, Leon answered his questions. "Cloud's fine. I'm visiting because of the weather."

"Apparently the town is being washed away," Zexion added.

Sora frowned when he heard this, blue eyes troubled. "I thought it might come to this. It's been raining for so long and the soil around here really isn't that stable. Has anyone been hurt?"

Shaking his head, Leon crossed his arms. "No. There has been some property damage, but that's the extent of the damage so far."

"That's good."

"Aren't there any water spirits living in the town?" That had been Roxas speaking up from his throne. The blond had matured since their rebellion against Xemnas but still showed no interest in taking the power from his brother. He seemed content enough to live as a prince. "They could help with the flooding, couldn't they?"

"We do have some water spirits, yes. But they are all low level at best. Most of them are children who have yet to go to any sort of formal magic training. They couldn't deal with the amount of power it would take to disperse clouds like these. Most of the town is comprised of animal spirits though."

"Well," Sora put his hands on his hips, thinking hard. "I'm sure Zexion has already suggested something, but I think the best course of action is firstly to make sure everyone is safe. After that, we should wait out the rain and when it ends, I'll send some of the palace staff into town. They can make note of the damage done and the palace will pay for the repairs."

Zexion lifted an eyebrow. "Will we now?"

"Of course! We told everyone that site was a good place for settling. This rainstorm is proving that we were wrong though. Though we can fortify the ground after this is over, we shouldn't make those who settled under our good word to have to pay for something they never saw coming. Besides, we've stored away some money for emergency relief, haven't we, Zexion?"

"I believe we have, Your Majesty." Though he spoke to Sora casually in private, in the court setting full titles were proper. "If that is your wish, I will arrange for the proper team to go to the town after this storm clears."

Sora nodded, "It is. Besides, that's where Cloud and Leon live, and I want to help them out as much as I can. They're family after all."

With a soft chuckle, Leon stepped forward. "And we thank you for your generosity." When Sora grinned wider, Leon smirked and lowered his voice. "By the way, Your Majesty, I would consider changing into a high-collared tunic if you get a break."

Sora froze then flushed red, hand flying up to cover his neck as Zexion glanced over to him. He was able to see the red kiss mark a second before Sora covered it up. Behind the young king, Roxas snickered, earning a pouty glare from his brother. "At least I'm not pretending I don't love my Guardian, unlike someone."

Roxas sputtered as Axel perked up next to him, the redhead looking like a pleased cat as Roxas got redder and redder.

Sensing an impending argument, Zexion scowled. "I would suggest that we hold this type of conversation until you are in a more private setting."

With both royal boys blushing, Zexion turned back to Leon, who was smirking. When he caught his gaze, Leon straightened up. "I think since I can almost feel myself drying off, it is a perfect time to walk back to the town. Either me or Cloud will contact you if anything serious happens with the floods, but we'll otherwise see you after the storm ends."

Zexion nodded and after farewells were made, he took his own leave from the throne room. There was no need for him to be among so many people, and no need for him to baby-sit Sora and Roxas.

He spent the rest of the day in his library. Lexaeus didn't bring him dinner so he assumed the large spirit had indeed been kidnapped by Leon. It didn't matter, he wasn't all that hungry anyway. No, his attention was still on that fountain and the sound of the rain outside. It was just his luck that the one time he didn't want to think about Demyx, he was surrounded by water.

The rain stopped three days later and by then, everyone was ready to see clear sky again. And the sky did clear abnormally fast too, it went from clouds to sun in only a few hours.

Zexion was hit full-force with that sun he woke up to find the glare right in his eyes. With a grunt, he waved his hand, creating a black shade over the window as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He had fallen asleep at his desk. Blinking, he ran his fingers down his face; how embarrassing.

He had never fallen asleep at his desk before.

But, if the sun was shining in his eyes, then why could he still hear water? Rubbing his eyes, Zexion got out of his chair and stumbled over to his window. Without dropping the shade from the glass, he peered out over the palace grounds. It wasn't raining anymore. In fact, it was late enough in the day that the sun had dried all of the roofs. Pursing his lips, he turned back to his desk. Then he froze.

The fountain Demyx had given him was flowing again.

His fingers gripped onto his cloak as he ran back to the window. Not caring about the sun, he threw the pane open only to get drenched in water. Falling backwards in shock, Zexion stared as a geyser of water shot up passed his window. His eyes widened when Demyx suddenly pulled himself out of the water, climbing happily into library threw the open window. When he caught sight of Zexion though, dripping wet and on the floor, he gasped and hurried forward. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know you'd be right there! Hold on a second." He held his hand over Zexion's chest.

Zexion stared up at him as the water on his body collected into the other's hands, after a few seconds leaving him perfectly dry. Smiling sheepishly, Demyx ushered the water he had collected out the window then grabbed Zexion's arm and pulled him onto his feet. Still in a state of shock, Zexion could barely react as he fell into the god's arms, head spinning when the other laughed nervously.

"Sorry about that entrance. I just…really wanted to see you again! I know it really hasn't been that long…"

When his voice trailed off, Zexion glanced up at Demyx's face to see that his gaze wasn't on him but something over his shoulder. Turning as much as he could, Zexion colored when he followed the other's gaze to the quartz fountain. "Ah…that…I was, I was going to find a good place for that…"

When he got no response, he looked up at Demyx again to see that he was grinning ear to ear. Zexion frowned, alarmed by the expression and his own growing emotion, and tried to push away. Demyx, however, wouldn't let him, quickly wrapping an arm around his waist. "You kept it!"

"Of course I did, it was a gift, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but, you moved it closer to you!" Zexion remained silent and Demyx laughed. "You're so cute!"

"Alright, that's enough. Let me go this instant!"

Demyx only shook his head and dipped his head down to peck Zexion on the lips. The contact nearly caused Zexion's mind to completely shut down. There was a shudder all around them and suddenly all of the paper decorations fell down from the ceiling, completely coming undone in his moment of weakness.

Cursing, Zexion raised his hand to block his head as Demyx did the same, the blond even giving an amusing yelp. Once everything had fallen down, Zexion straightened up, brushing scraps of paper off of his shoulders before his fingers flew to his lips. "Damn, look what you did."

"I did that?"

Zexion looked up to see that Demyx looked genuinely upset. "Those were ongoing spells. When I lose control of them, they fall apart. I can put them back up just as easily though."

Demyx sighed with relief. "Good. They were so beautiful, I thought I'd really messed up. Oh, come on, I want to show you something!"

Zexion cried out as Demyx suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the library. Zexion had no idea where they were going but Demyx kept them on the upper floors as he raced along through the hallways, somehow knowing exactly where he was going.

When Demyx finally stopped, Zexion was panting, not used to so much exercise since he had returned his library job. He was just about to berate the lanky water god when Demyx pulled him to one of the windows. "Look out there!"

Zexion tentatively approached the window then felt his eyes widen, exasperation bubbling up inside him. "What did you do?"

"You were right when you said that I couldn't live without the water of the swamp, but I really like you. So, I moved my water here!"

The window was a view out over the palace walls. Where that little stream had been, where Riku, Axel, and Cloud had sneaked in so long ago, there was now a giant lake. Zexion barely registered that Demyx was still talking.

"I didn't want it to be so dramatic, but I had to get the water here somehow, so I just turned it into rain then collected it here." There was a pause. "Uh, Zexion? You're not mad, are you?"

Zexion closed his eyes, letting out a low breath. He twitched as a hand fell on his shoulder. Yes, he was mad. That storm had caused a great amount of damage. Damage the palace would now be paying for. Of course it had been Demyx's fault, only a god could cause that much trouble without even thinking twice about it. He jerked his head up, ready to chew Demyx up. But then he came face to face with those blue eyes. Damn, those eyes were better at pitiful expressions than Sora. He tried to retain his anger but it was bleeding away quickly.

Finally, he let out a breath and leaned against the wall. Demyx was going to be the death of him. "No, I'm not angry."

"Really?"

"Don't push your luck."

Demyx grinned and leaned over him. "You're really amazing, Zexion. And smart, and cute."

Zexion covered his face with his hand. "Where did this even come from?"

"I've always felt it, ever since I first met you. I just couldn't bring up the courage to tell you sooner. Which is why I have to tell you this now," Demyx clenched his fist. "While I still have the courage. You know I'm a coward, so take pity on me! This is taking everything I have!"

Zexion closed his eyes then chuckled, speaking up when he could find his voice. "You're a god. Why should you be scared of me?"

Frowning, Demyx grabbed his arms. "Zexion. Please, I did this," he waved out to the lake beyond the window. "For you. So I could be with you. Please, can't I stay?"

"I don't think I have the power to stop you, do I?"

Demyx seemed to take this as a positive statement. "And can I see you? Romantically?"

"Don't push your luck." Zexion repeated weakly. When he only heard silence, he added grudgingly. "So long as it doesn't interfere with my work, I suppose…it wouldn't, it wouldn't hurt."

The smile on Demyx's face was enough to make Zexion's heat flutter but he buried the feeling as best he could. He had a feeling that Demyx was slowly going to win him over, and that worried him. If Demyx was already constantly on his mind, he hated to think what it would be like if Demyx actually lived in the same proximity. But, maybe, just maybe, he could learn to balance work and a relationship. It would be a new sort of challenge, but it sounded like just as much a thrill.


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