A/N: So... Hi. It's been a while. And I'm usually all about not disrupting the flow of a chapter with an A/N at the beginning, but I wanted to apologize for being a total asshole about updates. Seriously. If you are a fan of this story, you have my deepest gratitude, and the open invitation to punch me right in the mouth if you see me.
-.-.
That Friday, I was Skyping my family.
Axel was still at school, so I had the apartment to myself, and as such, I was sitting on the couch in boxers and nothing else. Because it's my freakin' house, that's why.
"Demyx, what do you think about this Halloween costume for the baby? Isn't it cute?"
My sister was holding up… A thing. I'm not really sure what it was. It had a tail, though; a long tail. But it was pink.
"Uh… Yeeeeahh. That's about as cute as it gets, sis."
She narrowed her eyes at me and stormed off screen in a huff while my mom made the picture jump up and down from her laughter. "Do you have to be so different Dem? Everyone else just told her it was cute." I heard my sister's voice from somewhere in the background, but I didn't hear what she said. It might have sounded like something about my fashion sense being just like every other heterosexual man's; oh, if only you knew, sis.
I shrugged, and scratched at my shoulder. "Well, I am the only dark green in the family. I might as well go all out."
My mom shook her head, still grinning. "So, will you be here for Thanksgiving? I know Dad's looking forward to seeing you and it'd be nice to have some real food, wouldn't it?"
I shrugged again, and scratched my neck. Twelve hours there and back was a mighty long time to drive for a break I'd only enjoy three days of.
To this, my mom rolled her eyes and grumbled at me a bit- same old mom stuff, me being too skinny, she'd send some cookies, do I need any money?, and how Axel was doing- before I managed to convince her I had work to do. I got a chorus of goodbyes from my family before I closed my laptop, and I'll vigorously deny it if you tell anyone, but it gave me warm fuzzies.
After getting off the horn with my mom, I stood and stretched before stumbling my way into the bathroom. There were shorts on the floor from yesterday, which was just fine by me- I wouldn't have to go out into the cold depths of my closet for clothes after my shower- so I made sure to step over them as I turned on the water, and shed what little clothing I had on.
Ten minutes later, give or take, I was pretty damn near catatonic in my shower. I'd long since washed myself, and I was just wondering if I pruned up enough, would all my tattoos wash away? And then I thought that I probably needed to get them touched up anyway, so why not enjoy the water while it lasted? I nodded to myself, agreeing with the little voice in my head that stated fervently that hot, running water was the pinnacle of modern civilization.
All too soon, though, I remembered that I would have to pay for that water, and I decided against wasting food money on a longer shower.
I hopped out, dried off, and pulled the shorts on. See, they're not dirty as long as I'm not wearing the same underwear. Totally.
Running the towel over my head, I walked out the bathroom, through the refreshingly cool air of my room, and opened the door to the living room.
To my surprise, there on the couch sat Zexion, while Axel was walking through the backdoor with his hands full of groceries and what I sincerely hoped wasn't an actual box of six 32 ounce bottles of Captain Morgan. Right behind him, the same short blonde I'd seen in the chow hall with Zexion stumbled in, carrying smaller boxes marked Jose Cuervo (Urk. Hurrrrk. Blurrrrrk.), Smirnoff, and Skyy.
I didn't really know how to react to the abrupt influx of alcohol- and cute guys- in my apartment. I just stared as I waited for Axel to notice anything outside the realm of Blonde Haired, Blue Eyed, Cute Assed Kid.
"So they juggled, right? But you'll never guess what- no, guess! Goslings. Little, fluffy, gray goslings. My hand to God, they juggled baby goslings!" That's about the point he turned around and saw me standing in my doorway. "Oh, hey Dem! Have you met Roxas? Rox, this is my roomie Demyx."
Blonde Haired, Blue Eyed, Cute Assed Kid turned a casual glance toward me as he began unpacking the contents of the grocery bags. Eh, at least Axel was right. The kid was pretty hot.
"Hi, Roxas."
"Hi, Demyx. Nice to meet you." He was quiet for a moment, furrowing his brow, before a lightbulb clicked on. "Oh, yeah! Guys, that's my roommate Zexion on the couch. Sorry I almost forgot, dude."
I glanced back over at him- he was staring at me, and I realized I still didn't have a shirt on, before we both answered, "We've met."
It was kind of creepy. Twilight Zone style.
After that happened, and Axel and Roxas glanced between me and my project partner like they suspected we were fucking, I decided a shirt was probably in my better interest and disappeared into my room to find one.
I came back out a little later without the towel, to find Axel sitting shamefacedly on one of the stools while his boytoy bustled around the kitchen. It appeared that the kid was cooking us dinner, and therefore, he instantly became welcome at any time in my apartment. Zexion was studying my bookcase, which reached from the floor to the ceiling and was filled with mostly sci-fi stuff, before he turned to me.
It could have been my imagination, but it sure looked like there was a fleeting bit of relief in his features.
Whatever it was though, he quickly masked it with what I'd come to know as his usual expression; slight condescension and almost complete indifference. "I came with Roxas today because I noticed we didn't actually discuss any aspect of our project when we met to discuss our project, however…" he looked back up at my books, "this is quite the collection you have here. Have you read all these?"
I shrugged, grabbed my backpack full of school stuff and sat down.
"Yeah, but mostly when I was younger. I try not to buy books now 'cause they don't last. Anyway, the project!"
He glanced at me with that tiny little smile again before he sat down, pulling out a notebook from his messenger bag on the floor.
"Yes, let's."
-.-.
Tuesday came to me tapping gently on my window.
I cracked an eyelid, blinking blearily, trying to get a good look at the clock. My heart wasn't pounding. I wasn't in a cold sweat.
But I'd had the dream again.
Feeling as though I hadn't gotten any sleep at all, I sat up, trying to rub all the sleep from my eyes. The rain fell steadily outside, and though I usually loved days like this, I just couldn't bring myself to get out of bed.
I thought of Zexion- that shy, secret smile, the way he tried to hide behind his hair when I made him uncomfortable, the flavored window look- but even that didn't do much. My pulse was slow and sluggish in my veins, and there was nothing more in the world I wanted than to go right back to sleep.
Groaning, I fell back into my bed. Maybe I'd try again tomorrow.
Just not today.
-.-.
Thursday was a pretty inspirational day in that I beat Zexion to class.
Not like it was a big deal or anything- no awards were given, and I was still frustratingly celibate- but I had had some time between being let out early from my previous class and thought, well shit, wouldn't it be neat-o-rama to see the look on his face when his daily nerd hopes and dreams were crushed by big ol' devil yut me?
Unfortunately, instead of seeing his shock and awe at my being early to class, all I got was narrowed eyes and a quirked eyebrow.
"Where were you Tuesday?"
Well, he noticed my absence. That must mean he wanted me.
"Er… Sick."
He narrowed his eyes again, but I kept a perfectly straight, innocent face. He scowled like that would wring the truth from me. I remained the epitome of virtue.
We both stayed that way until another few students began trickling into the classroom- but when it comes to the waiting game, I always win, of course.
With a little huff and a roll of his eyes (which looked a lovely shade of sexy, I might add), he glanced away. He cleared his throat as he began unpacking and organizing his nerd-things.
"I do not mean to pry," he said, avoiding my gaze. "I just wondered. Seeing as how the semester is nearing an end, and you weren't here, and how you value class-"
"Aw, shucks, Zexy-" his ear twitched at the name- "you were worried about me?"
He still didn't look at me, only bent over his other side while rummaging through his pack. I waited a bit for a snarky answer- but to my honest surprise, I got none. Instead, I saw- holy mother of god, it's true- I saw a blush creeping up the back of his neck.
Ermahgerd.
"Zexy! You were worried about me!" It might be unreasonable, but when he sat back up and glared obstinately at the whiteboard with a blush dusting his visible cheek, my stomach totally did cartwheels and handstands and flips 'n shit. I went to open my mouth- but he slid his glare sideways and I thought better of it. I figured he would either confirm my totally factual evidence right then and there, and we'd spend the rest of the class period making out- or he'd give me the flavored windows look I know and love. Can't go wrong with either option.
"Axel told Roxas you weren't feeling well," he mumbled, oblivious to the sudden drop in my stomach floor his words elicited, "so I just wanted to… To make sure you weren't contagious. Or anything."
When Axel had come knocking on my door on Tuesday asking if I'd needed a ride, and I hadn't answered, he knew something was up. He barged in and saw me staring out the window, and didn't say anything- just stood there a while before dropping his bag and crawling into my bed. He stayed home all that day and made me soup and didn't ask questions. Sometimes, that's exactly what a guy needs.
I realized I was staring at my hands in my lap when Zexion asked, "Demyx?"
"Yeah. I was feeling sick. S'all."
I saw his brow furrow out the corner of my eye, but the professor walked in, and that was the end of that.
-.-.
After the prof dismissed us, I was feeling a whole lot better- today we'd had a long and heated class discussion about the topic of abortion, and I'd made sure to let the smug silver haired bastard who sat in the back row of the class know that I would assist his mother in her post-natal abortion even if her son was twenty years out of the womb.
As students filtered out of the classroom, I sat back with my feet on the desk. Zexion held his face in his hands- there was that blush again, burning up his ears, making them look all kissable and junk- but neither of us made a move when we were the only ones left.
"I can't believe you said that." His voice was muffled in the palms of his hands.
"Yup."
"Abortion is no laughing matter."
"Unless you're aborting a clown."
And he snorted- I shit you not, snorted- a laugh. Seriously, I could spend the next five days cuddling up to this guy and I still don't think it'd be enough. No homo.
He sat up then, smirking at me as he began packing his things.
"You are just… Outlandish."
"The fact that you just used the word outlandish makes you outlandish. Me, I'm just honest."
He rolled his eye at me. "Honest? Is that what you think?"
I shrugged, grinning and leaning towards him a little. It was kind of tough, considering my feet were still propped up on the desk.
"For you, darlin'? I'm as honest as it gets."
The scowl he tried to put on was spoiled by the slight upward curve of his lips, and it made me grin all the more. Messing with Zexion had taken on a new, delightful meaning ever since he decided he didn't hate me.
"I dare not ask what you think of me, then, if I'll get the same kind of honesty that Riku received- I don't know how I'll be able to cope if you say I am nothing more than a post-natal abortion."
I dropped my feet from the desk, sitting up. Lord knew, if Zexion heard all the things I thought about him in a given day…
Lucky for me, though, telepathy was not in evidence in this brainy little crush of mine. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, though, and that gave me an idea.
I know, I know- please, hold your applause.
Anyway, he was still blushing. And he didn't seem to mind our proximity, seeing as we were practically nudging elbows. And maybe I'd gotten rusty since being back stateside, but… If I was any good at reading body language like I'd once been, I could swear I was getting a green light for some moves right now.
I hoped it wasn't my imagination.
Zexion was looking down into his pack, rearranging pens or something, when I put one hand on the back of his chair and one on the table, leaning forward allllll the way into his personal space.
He froze mid pen-arrangement, and I tried to keep my voice low and smooth.
"Do you really wanna know what I think of you, Zexion?" I made sure to use his full name, so maybe he wouldn't punch me in the face, but to my surprise, he brought his gaze to mine without so much as a hint of fear or anger.
"I…" he looked in a daze. His eyes were glazed, pupils blown, and he kept glancing from my eyes to my lips. Holy moly.
I thought I had some repressed sexual cravings.
He stayed like that for a moment, and I felt his breath fan my lips, and I thought, jeez, maybe this wasn't a good idea- if he keep staring at me like this, I might have to kidnap his cute little ass. But then, what seemed like as soon as his dazed stare started, it stopped- he suddenly snapped out of it, stumbling out of his chair with a hurried and muttered, "Goodbye," before making his way out the classroom. To quote a great man, he'd left faster than a set of rims at a Puff Daddy concert.
Me, I just sat there for a minute, in a daze myself. I really didn't wanna think it was my imagination- but I could've sworn Zexion was on the verge of kissing me.
Maybe I wasn't the only one wanting this?
A/N: I know I'm super slow with updates. It doesn't mean I'm not writing, just that I don't have the time to really look over and edit my stuff. Again, I apologize. This story is kind of tough to write just 'cause of the fact it hits so close to home- it doesn't help that as a general rule, I work 60+ hours a week. HOWEVER, reviews are really appreciated and totally help the creative process, so if you contribute, I will totally give you the pound cake from my MRE. Seriously.
-ARA