Feels Like Home [Zexion]

It had been a while since the pair of them had relocated from The Castle That Never Was to Traverse Town. Luckily, because it had become more or less a giant refugee camp, things weren't extremely expensive. Or as rundown. Or crowded. By now, a lot of people had either become comfortable enough to relocate, or confident enough to strike out on their own. It was easy to rent a small house on the budget Zexion had laid out for them. It was definitely a good thing that Zexion played the role of the smart guy, because Demyx was more inclined to spend his earnings on guitar picks or pets, much to his friend's annoyance. Sometimes he felt like Zexion was a parent every time Demyx talked about buying another instrument or bringing a pet home. 


Speaking of friends... Was that what they were? It was totally awesome that Demyx had gotten the Schemer to come out of his shell. The guy had a few interesting stories to tell, and some insight as to how things had really worked within the Organization. But, ever since their time spending such close quarters at the hotel, Demyx couldn't help but look at Zexion in a different light. He'd always been the Nocturne's superior; doling out orders, scolding him, but never mean to him. They'd been acquaintances at best during they're time as co-workers, but nothing more. There had always been the joke or two from the time they had played Twister together, but Zexion had always been too busy with his books or research to really yield much in the way of being an actual friend. But now... Now he still had his books, and did research from time to time, but Zexion seemed like an actual person now. And Demyx... Well. Demyx liked that person. As in, liked. As in, if Zexion wanted to buy a puppy together and hold hands while eating ice cream or something, Demyx would be so down for that. 


Of course, that would have consequences. Like, a lot of them. If the Schemer didn't feel the same way, it'd be weird between them. He didn't think Zexion would ever throw away their friendship over something so trivial., because this set up benefited them both, but it would probably make things awkward. At least for a little while. If the liking was mutual and they entered a relationship, how would that work? Demyx still wasn't quite sure if they had hearts. They'd always had physical hearts, but not true emotions. Could Demyx even be a good boyfriend? There were memories here and there about his time as a Somebody, but they were fleeting. He felt like he could, but... 


Demyx shook his head vigorously, rubbing his face with his hands. This was way too much to think about right now. He had work to do, had to earn a living, and daydreaming about hot chocolate and kisses was not helping right now. That stuff could be figured out later. Zexipon's company was enjoyable enough right now. All of the feelings and emotions could wait. 

       

The day was still young, or at least it could be considered as such. Demyx had woken up early to meet his shift that had been put in place for him at the bookstore he had been hired at. Zexion wasn't quite sure why the blond would have chosen that place, of all places, to be his work environment, but the books that came home more times than not made it quite hard to complain, that was for certain. The steel-blue haired teen had left the hotel room that they had been calling home for a few weeks now with a set goal in mind, one that was rather simple, but was enticing enough to bring him out of the comforts of the artificially generated heat within the walled structure.

There was a thin layer of snow adorning the ground, and crunching in footstep patterns into it was a young Nobody bundled up in multiple layers of clothing. He had a tiny frame, and the surrounding chill was threatening to sink in through his flesh and strike at his core - Zexion never favored the cold weather too well, which was part of the reason why he was never sent to Arendelle. But, the sixth, after walking a few blocks, had made his way to the local coffee shop and was quick to order two large hot chocolates. He was served in only a few minutes, and he paid the munny in return for the goods and services.

Holding the two beverages in both of his hands, the walking jacket burrito began to make his way down the sidewalk, the bookstore now visible. He turned his head to the side as he heard kids making a bit of noise, his scarf grazing against the skin of his neck enjoyably; they were playing in the snow, loving the fact that they didn't have a care in the world on a day such as this one. In a way, Zexion envied them, if that was something possible for him to do at this point...

Backing up into the door of the bookstore, he opened it and felt the heat from inside rush out. He turned when he walked in, looking around for the Nocturne, who was sure to be alerted by the bell that had sounded a few moments prior. As if right on cue, he saw the body of the familiar Nobody rise up from one of the shelves, as he had probably been stocking something or doing things of the nature. Without so much as saying a word, the Schemer walked over to him and graciously handed out the drink he had gotten for him, steam still rising from the small opening in the lid. On his face was a gentle smile, one that suited his face oh-so-well, but one that he never noticed meant so much to the person before him.

There were small flakes of snow stuck in his hair and his clothes, but the chill was slowly beginning to ebb away, and he truly was beginning to feel this strange sense of being.. At home.

So that's what that felt like. Ienzo would love it.

♥thanks tia!

By the time Zexion had rolled into the bookstore, Demyx had been a little dead on his feet. It hadn't been too horrible outside today, so he guessed people were busy enjoying the day while they could rather than finding a book to curl up with when the weather got bad again. It had been dead. Just. Utterly... Dead. Which, of course, meant that they could alphabetize and reorganize the shelves since people somehow thought 'Pride and Prejudice' was in the same genre as 'War of the Worlds'. No. Just. No. It had him walking to all corners of the store to get things back in their rightful place; not that it was a hassle. The bookstore was actually kind of small. But still. Inconvenient. 


The bell startled him a little when it jingled. It was almost his lunch break, so any work besides this was going to be annoying. Demyx furrowed his brows at the figure, not seeing much besides a giant puff of black with some light hair sticking out. "Zexion?" He questioned, squinting as the person approached him. The closer he got, the better Demyx could recognize him. Oh man, it wasn't even that cold outside. What a goober. He smiled and nodded in thanks, grabbing the cup of liquid and sniffing it quickly. Hot chocolate. Did Zexion secretly have the ability to read minds from far away? Oh fudge. Oh dang. If... Man. If that was so, his friend definitely knew how to put on a poker face when Demyx was thinking of... Not so PG things. 


But most of that flittered out of his mind when he looked at the Schemer's face. That... Smile. There were still some snowflakes in his hair, slowly melting. Kind of like his heart. Wow, Dem. Way to be super cheesy. "Thanks, Zex. I was just thinking about hot chocolate. Didn't know you could read minds." He laughed at his own inside joke, sidling up to Zexion to give him a hug from the side to show his appreciation. "It's almost my lunch break. Wanna do something?" 

       

The younger of the two Nobodies' offering was accepted without so much as a second thought, which was exactly what the sixth was expecting from Demyx in the first place. The Cloaked Schemer let his free hand fall back to his side, the warmth of the building making it much easier to function; he removed some of the wraps of his scarf, hanging it over his shoulder and giving him a bit more range for movement.

"I can do lots of things." Zexion murmured the words with that small smile of his, bringing his own hot chocolate to his lips and taking a small sip. It was just cooled off enough for him to be able to enjoy, and the heat traveled down to the pit of his stomach, warming him from within and causing to expel a gentle sigh. Things like this always soothed the academic more than anything else, he was coming to find. It was easier to enjoy simple pleasures, which was an aspect of life he had never been allowed to experience in the Organization. Was it he that was growing, or was it the changing times around him...?

Had Zexion always been this way? The husk simply couldn't put his finger on it, but he decided it would be most efficient to shove thoughts like that out of his consciousness. Answers couldn't appear before him every time. Perhaps it was healthy to be stuck on some things and spend time trying to problem solve? It was weird, knowing that he was unsure, of all things.

"Okay. That sounds fine." Zexion gave a single, affirmative nod along with his agreement to Demyx's proposition. He wasn't sure what they would do, but he figured that they would be leaving the store, meaning that the little male would have to brave the cold weather yet again - little did he know just how willing his companion would be to warm him up. Poor Zexion; such things went over his head in ways he couldn't imagine.

Along with the scent of thick chocolate in the air, the Nobody could also pick out the lovely aroma of new books, a smell that he would always love no matter the circumstance. So many stories waiting to be told in here, so many new facts that could be added to Lexicon at any given moment if he could just read one...

But when his eyes looked up to the tall Nocturne, the undying urge of wanting to take in this information... Died down. Being cooped up didn't sound as appealing as being around this bundle of sunshine. Demyx might not have realized it, but Zexion was feeling so many new things thanks to his actions and the way he treated the introverted little bookworm - these things were all new, but Zexion was accepting them all with open arms, and he was allowing himself to adore the time that the two were able to spend together. He was able to smile, and he was able to feel this thing called laughter and comfort.

Incredible...

"Would you like to go to the music store? I think we have saved enough... You could get yourself something nice." Zexion offered, as he would be more than happy to pitch in and help in any way possible. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it would be smart for his own self to find a job, just as the ninth had.. Eh, that would be a job for when it warmed up a little outside. "I would love to listen to you play."

♥thanks tia!

He wanted to do a little dance after taking a gulp of the hot chocolate. It was just on the low side of scalding, but the heat washing down his throat and through the test of his body was such a nice and familiar feeling; sometimes he got it after getting home from work and seeing Zexion reading a book he'd gotten him. The warm fuzzies also happened after composing a piece on his sitar, seeing a batch of kittens, or burritoing himself in a giant blanket. Happiness was a good thing, and it was nice that Zexion could be part of the numerous causes. 


Demyx hummed when his friend made the comment of being able to do lots of things. He was sure Zexion was more than capable of doing multiple things, unless there was a book in front of him. It was no big deal to the blonde most of the time, unless Demyx wanted to go out or needed socialization. It was hit or miss then. But... It was good to see the other Nobody opening up a little and becoming an actual person instead of the puppet that Xemnas had turned them into. Not that they weren't all aware of it to some degree, but some had given in to it a lot more than others. Or they were just more willing to follow orders without much resistance. That was the past, though. No need to worry. 


He was scrunching up his face at the thought when Zexion mentioned the music store. There was a little yelp of joy as a huge smile crossed his face, and he wrapped an arm around Zexion's shoulders tightly. "That'll be great! Thanks, Mr. Accountant." He could have kissed him at that moment. He really could have. "Just let me punch out for lunch and we'll be on our way!" Demyx turned and hopped off to the back, leaving Zexion alone for a few minutes before he came back. 


The blonde kept an arm slung around the Schemer's shoulders the whole walk to the music store. Physical closeness was a comforting thing for him and, while he didn't know how it'd been accomplished, Zexion becoming more alright with it. "Y'know, you've changed a lot. Not saying you're a totally different person, but you feel more like a person. Like... An actual person. Not a Nobody. We're no longer Nobodies I think." Demyx laughed breathily, looking at Zexion briefly. "You're the scientist. I'm just your weird sidekick." The blonde touched their heads together for a second before steering them into their destination. "Whaddya wanna hear me play?"

       

Demyx's entire demeanor was one that was healthy for the small male to be around, he was coming to realize. He was able to smile, able to begin to learn how to laugh, and he was able to put his books down for a bit and look at the world around him in a light much different than before. He had learned to enjoy that beautiful thing called music, the thing without logic that spoke to him in so many ways. At first he had figured it was only a thing in existence for the satisfaction of bringing something to completion, but now, he was beginning to realize that there was no map planned when it came to the odd subject of music. One could just go with the flow, which was a custom Zexion was becoming more and more acquainted with as the days with Demyx rolled by.

Time was ticking by so quickly these days - it was like one moment he was waking up for the day, and the next, he was getting in bed and trying to fall asleep so he could be ready for the next. But he had someone by his side, and that was making it so much more enjoyable than it used to be. He was thankful, as much as he didn't show it in the sense of "normalcy." In his own, Zexion-y way, however, he was always showing his gratitude towards the Nocturne.

"Actual person?" He responded in a bit of disbelief, though it was a quiet undertone in his calm and collected voice. He didn't quite understand what that was supposed to mean; as far as the academic was concerned, the two of them were just as much of a Nobody as when they had first been found by Xemnas to join the Organization. He then listened to the blond's statement about how he figured the two of them weren't Nobodies anymore. Blinking his steel eyes, the Schemer thought about this vigorously. It was true, he was now feeling things that the previous Zexion would probably never be able to even comprehend. He was able to smile...

That, within itself, was an incredible accomplishment by not only himself, but by the companion clinging happily onto him.

"I don't think you're weird." He said gently, followed by something else in the same tone. "And you're much more than a sidekick."

The two of them were now outside of the music store, looking in the windows to see anything that had been put up for display. "I don't mind. I enjoy everything you play." God, Zexion, talk about a neutral party. There were a few moments of silence, the sixth staring at his own reflection in the window. It was translucent, but obviously there and in great detail. He was bundled up in layers of clothing to combat the snow that was gently drifting to the ground around them to join the rest of the flakes that were atop the ground. His face was the same, but he did notice that.. He didn't look quite as dead as he used to according to his photographic memory.

"I owe it to you." He mumbled under his breath, shifting his gaze toward Demyx, knowing that he had become used to the delicate tone of the voice - it would be more than enough to grab his attention. "Thank you, Demyx." With the smallest of smiles, he reached out with his gloved hand to wrap his small fingers around the ninth's forearm in a gracious, slightly odd sign of affection.

After a few second, he let go, proceeding to move into the store, obviously now having enough of the bitter cold that he despised. Zexion held the door open for the male behind him, and he took in the scent of all of the new instruments. It almost reminded him of the scent of new books like the place Demyx worked in, but it was.. Much different.

"Take your pick." He made a gesture with his hand to allow the blond full reign of the place. This was going to be quite the field day.

♥thanks tia!

"....much more than a sidekick...I owe it all to you..."


His breath momentarily caught in his throat. Zexion- number six in command, Mr. Bookworm Smarty Pants, loner in command of his own everything- was putting value in him? Genuine value for something other than fighting or skills in deception or whatever trivial thing most members of his former co-workers would hold him up to. Of course, he couldn't blame them- being able to shred on a sitar or being the self-proclaimed master of puns hadn't gotten them hearts or destroyed Heartless. But... It certainly didn't help morale. Well, his morale. And Roxas'. If Roxas wasn't happy, Axel wasn't happy. Axel did dumb stuff when he wasn't. And on and on. You're mentally rambling again, Dem.


Demyx's face lit up when Zexion gave him free reign of the store; as free as the employees would allow at least. "C'mon! I've had my eye on this one for a while!" He gently grabbed the Schemer's forearm and dragged him over to a section of guitars. Secretly, the blonde had gone to the music store nearly every day after work, examining their selection of stringed instruments with a hunger in his eyes. Arpeggio was great, don't get him wrong; but nothing was better than a new instrument to play. The feel of unused strings strings beneath his calloused fingertips, the smell of new wood, the sound of soundwaves hitting his ears that were all his to tune and manipulate to his will. It gave him shivers. 


He set up a couple of stools across from each other, although it was a bit crowded. The acoustic guitars were on a wall behind the drum sets, so the two of them sitting across from each other meant personal space bubbles were going to get popped; not that Demyx paid much mind after he'd gotten a hold of the guitar he'd been talking about earlier. There was so much joy swelling up in his chest that he thought it was going to explode. Zexion was going to actively listen to him play. He'd asked for it. Of course, this request wasn't too rare; it'd happened a couple times before. But this was in public, on an instrument that was going to be his soon. And... And other things. Maybe he should try out the song he'd been working on? It was a very vague confession of feelings, but it couldn't be directly applied to the way Demyx felt (or how he was pretty sure he felt) about Zexion. Then again, it could totally backfire and Zexion would be like "nope see ya bye loser" but he was also kind of tired of just letting things he wanted slip through his fingers. It'd happened too many times. Yeah. "Okay! Okay. Okayokayokay." Demyx took in a deep breathe, adjusting his hands and the guitar once more before playing the first chord and beginning the song.

       

The crowd around him was nothing compared to the how the streets got sometimes, so there was no such thing as worry in the mind of the young Nobody. Even if the amount of people within the small building was doubled, he would be more than happy to be here; just seeing the smile on the ninth's was more than enough to keep him glued to the floor. His arm was grabbed and he was yanked, his feet almost tripping over one another, which would have been catastrophic.

When they had stopped, Demyx had lead them to a set of acoustic guitars hanging against the wall. It was obvious that the blond had known where to go, so it lead the scholar to believe that he had come to this shop more than just a few times to look around. The thought was amusing to the sixth, and it showed upon his face in the form of a gentle smile. Zexion sat in the stool that ws available to him, the cramped quarters causing them to sit so close that their knees touched. Honestly, the physical contact was comforting to the smaller male, so he didn't mind it in the slightest whenever they happened to get a little too close for some people's comfort.

The musician began to do what he did best and strum at the strings, bringing out some beautiful notes and incorporating his voice in with it as well, giving it a wonderful harmony between the two noises. Zexion closed his eyes for a moment began to lightly sway to the sound, taking in deep breaths as he did so. Music was one of the few things that he was able to enjoy without knowing the rhyme or reason behind it. There needn't be anything like that in the form of music, so it made it easy to love without using his intellect. It gave the Nobody a chance to truly be at ease, if only for a few minutes.

He listened to the words carefully, noting that there were a few things said that brought out some similarities, and it proceeded to speak of the "heart," which was a concept that the two of them were beginning to understand. He couldn't help but think about the emptiness he felt within his chest at a consistent pace, and came to a position that he never would have thought possible.

He was really starting to just.. Not care about it anymore.

Hearing the music and the voice of the man in front of him, it gave him.. Comfort, in a strange sort of way. It was as if having the heart he had been fighting for this whole time wasn't that important; if he could have this, then who needed something so unnecessary? After a few minutes, the song came to an end, and he could sense the nervousness wafting off of the other in waves; once the performance halted, the performer then had to face the audience and see if they were pleased or not. Demyx, he had noticed, had a bit of trouble with that part, as he wasn't quite used to doing this for others. The Organization dutifully frowned upon the actions of the Nocturne making his music as he should have been doing his missions and chores, but.. Perhaps things would have been better if they had given this aspect more of a chance.

Zexion smiled again, leaning forward a bit. "Incredible. As always." The Nobody of few words spoke his gentle praises, always making sure that he would verbally state how much he enjoyed hearing the ninth play and sing. It was Demyx's own element - besides.. Water. Of course.

"It.. Always makes me happy." Zexion added, realizing that he probably should have explained a bit further. "When you sing. Your voice is nice." There were times when Demyx would be speaking to him with the light off while they were trying to go to sleep and start a brand new day, and Zexion would fall asleep to the sound of the other's voice, simply because of his comforting it was. Demyx's entire personality and the way it felt to be around him was no different than a breath of fresh air, one that Zexion had never had the chance to experience before now. How remarkable...

"Those words.. Were they about me?" The instant tensing up of the musician's body answered him before words could begin to do their job.

"Because I don't want to be alone, either."

♥thanks tia!

It took Demyx a few solid moments to come back to reality after ending the song. It was so easy for him to get lost when he played, to let the sound waves and images in his mind sweep him away into lala land where things were made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. Lately, Zexion had been there as well. A wave of nerves crashed into his system almost immediately, and it took a lot for Demyx to not get up and walk out. The Nocturne had performed for Zexion (and countless others, mostly outside the Organization) a number of times, and he'd never felt more on edge after them as he did now. He really hoped Zexion liked it, didn't think he was weird or creepy or just a total...total something that Zexiuon probably had a really big and fancy word for and -


Incredible. As always.
The blonde let out a loud puff of breath, as though he'd been holding his breath. Had he? The last 10 seconds hadn't really registered in his mind. Well, they had. Bodily functions just hadn't been recorded. A giant smile crossed his face, and Demyx let out a breathy laugh. "Ah! That's good. I've been working on it for a while, usually when I come here." His face began turning a light shade of pink as he talked, thinking of the times a couple of the regular employees had groaned out loud and made snide comments about being a 'lovesick loser.' Of course, Demyx had made friends with them quick enough. The ill mannered teasing had soon turned into joking around, and they'd even given him a couple tips. It was hard to not look past Zexion at the counter, where he was sure they were watching. Zexion had been a pretty big topic of interest when Demyx had finally gotten on good terms with the employees.


I don't want to be alone either.
Okay but.... What did that mean? Did that... Could he really interpret that as Zexion wanted to be with him? Like, not as friends? Demyx stuttered a little, hands fidgeting with the guitar and finally gripping it hard. There were butterflies in his stomach, nd heat was rising to his face at an alarming rate. This was... Totally uncharted territory. Could he do something like this? Zexion was his safe point, his solid foundation. Trying to go beyond friends could totally shake that up, make it crumble. But... He also wanted this enough that he was willing to risk it. Demyx made sure the guitar strap was slung around his shoulders so it would stay on his lap as he leaned forward quickly, grabbing Zexion by the face gently and awkwardly pressing his lips to the Schemers. 

       

Honestly, if he was asked what he had precisely meant by what he had just said, he wouldn't have been able to come up with an answer. He was in what he felt was a whole new universe when he realized the truth in the words that had fallen from his mouth. He was sick of being alone. He was so tired of being forced to return to a room in solitude and do nothing but read, as much as he loved books. He didn't want to be by himself anymore, and now that he knew what it was like to share a bed with someone, to do everything together.. The thought of going back..

Was terrifying.

Was it dependency? Probably. That was okay, though. Unhealthy - yes, but.. Absolutely fantastic in every way he had been able to define. Demyx's face had gained much color over the past few seconds, piquing the young Nobody's interest - what had happened to make the other's face maintain such a redness in coloration? The pigment was accompanied with a shaky hand, his whole body trying to figure out what to do, seemingly battling the fight or flight instinct that was implemented within every living thing.

The movement that happened next was unexpected and confusing, as well as the arms reaching up to apply gentle pressure to his cheeks with the palms of the Nocturne's sweaty hands. Zexion was completely in the dark until he felt a warmth against his lips that he had never been exposed to before. Pages upon pages of detail were being added to Lexicon as this happened, the Schemer's eyes remaining open for the first few seconds. His body, oddly enough, relaxed completely as he almost melted through the stool he was sitting on. The heat that was generated from both of their lips was incredible, unlike anything that Zexion knew even existed. How could something so intricate be fabricated through something so minimal, so simple?

What he wasn't too aware of, were the things being added to the section in the book he knew as his weapon, and his trove of all information he had gathered over his course of life as a Nobody. Things about the Nocturne were being added about how much he treasured the presence of Demyx, and how he never wanted to be apart from him. About how much he loved this brand new sensation and that he never wanted it to end. That it was the best thing he had ever felt in this miserable existence - and that he wasn't so miserable anymore.

When he felt the ninth pull away, his eyes that had fluttered closed in the midst of the kiss opened slightly to meet those of the musical wonder, and at first, Zexion looked pretty blank. Of course, that was only because of everything running in and out of his mind, his logical side trying with all of its might to make sense of the whole thing, but the new side of the sixth that had been forming recently was overpowering, telling him that.. This had no sense, just like the music he had come to adore. He could hear the people behind the counter snickering, although that didn't phase the Schemer once, as he was completely lost in the Nobody before him.

"What.. Was that?" He wasn't stupid, he had known what a kiss was, but.. He had never expected it to feel so otherworldly and extraordinary.

"It was even better than the music." He stated with a gentle voice, his eyes becoming half lidded as he began to stare too deeply into the opposing pair of eyes. They were.. Enchanting him, in a strange sort of way. He felt that the place he was lost in, he could remain lost for the rest of his days, and he would be perfectly content.

♥thanks tia!

Kissing Zexion sort of made him feel like he was drinking hot chocolate; the warmth started in his face (lips specifically) and then spread through the rest of his body in a way that made him want to experience it over and over again. Not coincidentally, he could still taste a little of the drink they'd had earlier. It was weird to associate it with Zexion, because he'd never really taken the Schemer as one who enjoyed sweet things a whole lot. But... Hot chocolate was probably his favorite thing in the world right now.


Demyx felt oddly calm when he pulled away, putting enough distance between them that he could clearly see Zexion's reaction but close enough that he could totally kiss him again if it was taken in a negative way. He was about to splutter out an apology when the other Nobody asked what that was. Definitely ready to make up some sort of excuse - could he say he just lost control of his upper body for a moment and he just happened to land that way?? - but then Zexion spoke again and it was more magical than a unicorn.


It was even better than the music.
Oh geeze. Oh man. Hot diggity damn. Demyx grabbed the Schemer's face again without saying a word. How could he? Words were Zexion's thing, not his. Music could only do so much. The blonde kissed him again, a little harder this time, trying to convey as much as he could through the limited contact. He wanted to do everything with Zexion. Wanted to kiss his dumb face off, kinda really wanted to see what Zexion looked like when he wasn't so in control. But really just wanted to kiss him a lot. "I can forget about buying the guitar if you wanna get out of here?" Demyx asked, his breaths coming out a little faster than before. If anything, he couldn't keep up the lovefest in public. That was not going to happen. "I-If you want to... I mean. We can totally just... Not? We're not really busy at the store, so I could just have my co-worker close up instead of me and we could go do something else because I won't really be in the state of mind to work but if you really don't I'm totally cool with that I'll just go back to the store and you can go back home and-"

       

Needless to say, Demyx was always showing him new things about this life. Things that Zexion didn't know existed were brought into light just because of this very special Nobody that had somehow found a way to stay in tune with his emotions, even after his heart had been ripped away from him in an awful separation. It was something that both he and Roxas had been able to do, and it was an aspect that Zexion had always secretly admired from afar - possibly even envied.

That envy was now completely washed away, as he was given a chance of his own to figure it all out and to connect with the emotions he was sure were lost forever. The steel-haired teen's eyes were glossed over the more he stared at the male in front of him. Without much of a warning, another kiss was initiated, and the Schemer happily leaned into it, finding that the intensity and heat between the two of them had risen considerably this go around. Silence, unlike before, was what could be heard from behind the counter and from the people around them. Zexion could feel the stares of everyone residing on them, but.. He honestly couldn't bring himself to care about any of it. It wasn't as though he actually cared what other people thought of him, only what the one grasping at his cheeks with a gentle grasp did.

I can forget about buying the guitar if you wanna get out of here?

If the Schemer was being frank, that sounded more ideal than anything in the world at this current time. He wanted to be able to go somewhere, like their room, and just.. Do this. Much more. All day. All night. Every minute of every single day-

"Mm." He interrupted the musician through his rambling, giving a few nods and getting to his feet, grabbing his hand and walking out of the store, not paying attention to the amount of stares the two of them were getting. When they were walking outside, their hands were clasped tightly, Zexion not being able to bring himself to let go for the world. This contact was much different than the contact he had experienced before.. Who would have known that a simple outing to get hot chocolate would turn into this? Of course, the sixth wasn't complaining in the slightest.

The walk back to the hotel wasn't too terribly long, but it was tedious, especially with the cold nipping at his skin through his clothes. He couldn't wait to get to a blanket and bundle up next to the one who gave him such strange feelings, the one that made him smile, laugh, and feel things unlike anything he had ever felt. His chest was.. Warm. Using the key card in his pocket, the Schemer opened the door, not letting go of the Nobody's hand all the while. Once the door closed behind him, Zexion turned around quickly, reaching out his arms in a swift motion and wrapping them around Demyx's chest, his face burying into the blond's shirt. He breathed in the scent and was reminded of the fresh smell of oceanic waves; it was familiar...

His arms tightened, clutching the warmth as close to him as humanly possible.

"I like this." Zexion whispered out the words just loud enough to be heard. "Too much."

♥thanks tia!

It was a relief to have his rambling interrupted. He probably would've kept talking until he was blue in the face, and at this rate he was sure Zexion didn't want that. Although, really, what would the sixth Nobody want?

Thoughts of what they could do and what he wanted to do, what Demyx thought the other Nobody wanted to do, were a bit all consuming as Zexion dragged him out of the music shop. He couldn't help but throw the guitar one last glance before trying to keep up with Zexion. The kid was short, but damn was he fastwhen he was on a mission. And the hand holding? The Nocturne was almost afraid the guy would go into sensory overload. The Schemer kept to himself most of the time, only touching the pages of books or his own skin when needed. He wasn't going to argue, though. It was nice, great, awesome, like one of three things he wanted to do with Zexion today.

Impatience settled in once they stepped foot in the hotel, jitters almost making his skin crawl when they got into their room. It all stopped, though, when Zexion wrapped his arms around Demyx. It all seemed to stop, except his heartbeat; it was so /loud/, so rough. He let out a breathy laugh. "No such thing, Zexion." Came the soft reply, and Demyx wrapped the shorter Nobody in his arms tightly, nuzzling his nose into slate coloured hair and kissing the top of Zexion's head. This felt fantastic, and every synonym of the word.

A tiny voice in the back of his mind kept nagging at him to let his co worker know that he wasn't coming back, but... Zexion was there, in his arms. The two of them were in a bubble he didn't want to burst. Right now, it was too precious. "C'mon, let's pick up where we left off." The blonde murmured, turning them around and pulling Zexion toward the bed. Demyx sat down as soon as the back of his knees hit the edge of the mattress, scooting back enough that the other Nobody could comfortably straddle his lap. He kept his hands strategically placed to give the Schemer a sense of stability while still giving them mobility- if it got there. He kissed the underside of Zexion's jaw, then pulled away to look at him. Daaaaaaaannggg.

"I'll let you take the lead. I'm... I've been... Ah. I know what to do if it... Gets that far." Demyx looked away, suddenly feeling a little sheepish. It was pretty presumptuous, but the sixth Nobody had continuously surprised him, so.... "N-not saying it'll get that far!" He faced Zexion again, rubbing his thumbs against the fabric of his coat. Damn. He should've taken that off earlier. "Im open to whatever. Promise. I just don't want to make you feel pressured?" Yeah Demyx. Smooth. You're totally not gonna weird him out. Oh no. Not at all.