Zexion stared blankly out through the windscreen of his car as raindrops started to fall on the glass.
Demyx was wiping his eyes frequently now little gasps were escaping his throat as he pulled the peak of his baseball cap low over his face.
The dark haired driver glanced over at Demyx but didn't say anything before he turned into an underground car park.
The blonde although distraught was clearly on guard.
Zexion seemed trustworthy on the surface...
But why would he offer him a total stranger his apartment, his space and his time...
If there wasn't an ulterior motive?
Zexion pulled into a parking space and opened his door then walked around and opened Demyx's door for him.
The blonde stayed in his seat for a moment wondering if this was actually an apartment complex or was Zexion trying to pull something funny on him.
The dark haired male shrugged and flipped a switch.
Light filled up the dark space revealing cars parked around the place...
Demyx took in the place and quickly got out of the car trying to hide his obvious suspicion of the paramedic.
The blonde closed the car door and Zexion hit a button to lock both doors.
“This way...”
Demyx followed obediently silently cursing himself over what a naive and stupidly dangerous decision this was.
The dark haired male pushed a button on the elevator and waited for it to open on their floor...
His eyes were tired dark brown circles were always present underneath them these days...
He loved his work but it took a lot out of him.
Zexion's life was a lonely existence, always on high emotions saving people and reuniting them with their loved ones...
Or telling their loved ones that they tried their best but their beloved family member didn't make it...
It wasn't an easy task...
But the satisfaction he got out of saving someones life and returning them to their family was worth the endless hours of work...
Plus it paid the bills...
The elevator door opened with a ding and Zexion got in, Demyx hesitated momentarily...
<Is this really a good idea Demyx...?>
His eyes connected with the dark eyes of the smaller male who gazed up at him from under his sidefringe.
Without another thought the blonde male stepped into the elevator and let the doors close sealing whatever fate he'd walked himself into.
Roxas held Sora tightly and cried into his shoulder.
“Mom and dad... Are...”
Sora nodded blinking away silent tears, he'd gone through so much pain and worry in the past twenty four hours his exhaustion was making his emotions become numb.
“I know...”
“If I hadn't... They'd still be...”
The brunette put his hand lightly over his brothers mouth and shook his head.
“Don't say that...”
“But Sora it's true...”
Roxas gasped for breath becoming hysterical, Sora simply embraced him tightly and held him there whispering.
“I'm just glad you're okay... I don't know what I would have done if... If...”
He swallowed hard exhaustion forgotten as a new wave of pain washed over him, he pulled away from Roxas looking him in the eyes.
“Did you even think about what losing you would've done to me...?”
Axel was sitting in the corner of the room silently, his heart winced at this comment...
<Am I imagining things or did that comment have a double meaning?>
Roxas looked into his brothers blue eyes.
“If I had of thought for a second that doing this would hurt you... I would have never ever attempted it. I swear it.”
The brunette looked into his brothers eyes tears forming in his own...
Sora sighed and turned away from him.
“I just don't know if I can trust you again...”
Roxas shook his head at his brothers back.
“Please Sora... Please...”
His teeth were grit trying desperately to hold himself together.
Roxas took a deep shuddering breath.
“Please don't leave me again...”
Sora kept his back turned on his brother and walked towards the door of his ward.
“Sora!? Please! Sora don't leave me!?”
Roxas was trembling with the fear of losing his brother again as the brunette left the room with Axel in tow.
“Sora...”
An unknown voice called him he turned wondering who here would know him.
The small brunette nurse he'd bumped into on the way in beckoned to him.
“If I could have a word with you for a moment...”
Axel went to follow Sora...
“Alone... If you wouldn't mind...”
The redhead let go of Sora's hand and kissed him on the forehead.
“I'll be in the cafeteria.”
He nodded solemnly and followed the young nurse into an empty ward.
She closed the door behind her and started talking immediately.
“Now I'm not supposed to discuss patients with even their families unless the doctor says differently but well...”
Sora stared at the ground.
“I dont know if I want to hear this... Understand I moved out and got away from my family Roxas included for good reason...”
The nurse looked into his eyes and silently implored him to listen.
“Please Sora... I beg you... Just listen to me for one minute and then if you still feel the same you can leave I'll say nothing more...”
The brunette looked at her.
“I don't understand why you would want to tell me anything... Like seriously how does this affect you?”
She sighed.
“I know... I shouldn't be getting involved emotionally with patients situations... But I couldn't help it in this situation... Sora ever since he came in he's been calling for you... Pleading with us even when only semi conscious to get you... He's gone through hell Sora... He really needs you... You're the only one of your immediate family he has left...”
Something inside Sora began to thaw out as he heard the muffled sounds of his twin calling out for him through the concrete walls that separated them.
The nurse looked down.
“I'm sorry this really is none of my business and I shouldn't have said anything... But I thought you should know...”
Sora bit the inside of his mouth.
“Well thanks for telling me...”
With that he walked by the nurse and out into the corridor.
<I know he needs me... But I need time to think this over... I mean he tried to rape me... But... Things are different now... Now all we have is each other...>
Slowly he walked down the corridor away from Roxas room following the signs which pointed towards the cafeteria.
<What the hell am I gonna do...?>
Music played in the elevator as they travelled upwards to Zexion's apartment the small dark haired man said nothing, he simply watched as the floor numbers ticked away on the digital counter.
Demyx couldn't help but wonder why someone who looked so small and vunerable, someone who Demyx thought he could easily overpower would invite someone, a stranger no less back to his apartment...
<Maybe he's just nuts... Maybe he's like a black belt in some weird martial art I've never heard of...>
Demyx's eyes opened wide as he dreamt up terrifying reasons as to why Zexion appeared to be so calm in such an odd situation.
Suddenly the elevator dinged the doors slid open and Zexion was walking out of it the blonde snapped out of his daydreaming and followed not uttering a word but holding himself tall to make himself look as big as possible.
<Maybe if I look bigger and tougher than him he won't try any funny stuff...>
Zexion stopped outside a white door on a long hall of identical white doors and pulled a key out of his pocket, slid it into the lock and wearily unlocked the door.
He held the door open for Demyx to come in and closed it behind him.
The dark haired man removed his shoes and left them by the door and then removed his coat and hung it on the coat rack yawning loudly.
Demyx followed suite but left his cap on...
Zexion walked into the main room of the house and Demyx followed cautiously.
What welcomed him was a large room with dark red coloured walls, one wall was painted black...
The furniture was all made of black leather...
Fresh flowers in tall glass vases adorned a coffee table and the glass dining room table...
Several dark wooden bookshelves stood against otherwise bare parts of the wall...
Each one of them was crammed full with books.
In the middle of the room near a large leather sofa and two smaller leather ones was a coffee table and a cabinet on top of which stood a large flat screen tv...
Demyx was in awe of this place and he hadn't even gotten out of the first room yet.
The dark haired paramedic cleared his throat loudly and caught Demyx's attention.
“Would you like me to show you around?”
The blonde nodded slowly.
“Well obviously this is the living room... Feel free to read anything or watch tv... Sorry if there aren't many channels... I don't bother with tv much... Usually I read... The odd time I watch movies... There are dvds in the cabinet that the tv is on top of... So feel free to watch those too.”
Zexion led Demyx out to the brightly lit kitchen.
<What is this guys obsession with dark colours...?>
Almost everything in the kitchen was dark wood along with a black oven, fridge, washing machine and coffee maker...
The walls however in striking contrast were a light sky blue...
“The fridge is here, I keep the glasses here, mugs here... Usually I just have enough food to do myself for a few days but please help yourself, I have to go shopping tomorrow anyway so if theres anything you want please let me know... I usually have fresh coffee on the stove too before I go to work so if you want some just take it, I'll leave it on minimum heat on the stove so it's hot for you when you get up.”
Zexion led Demyx to the bathroom.
“This is the main bathroom, theres a bathroom attached to your bedroom too if you choose to stay...”
Demyx flinched at the mention of staying, he wasn't sure he trusted Zexion yet and immediately held himself upright again towering a full head and shoulders over Zexion, the dark haired male didn't even seem to notice.
“Both have fresh towels so use whichever one you want to.”
Zexion led Demyx towards a room at the end of one of the halls off the main room slowly he twisted the door handle and the door opened with a click.
Beyond the door was a large room with warm cream coloured walls a light coloured wooden floor and a wooden framed four poster bed against the wall in the centre with cream material hanging from the frame.
A bedside locker stood at either side of the bed with a lamp on it across from the bed and off to the left stood a large antique looking closet.
“This is your room, the bathroom is through that door. I'll leave you to settle in...”
He stopped again and turned around before leaving.
“Oh I almost forgot... Theres another hallway across the other side of the living room straight across from this one. The first door on the left has a computer and a phone should you want to contact anyone or use the internet. At the end of that hall is my room. If you need anything just knock on the door or call me... Right... Well I think that's everything...”
He yawned again loudly.
“Please excuse me... I must catch up on sleep... You know where everything is now so please make yourself at home...”
With that Zexion closed Demyx's bedroom door behind him and made his way across the main room to the hallway and down to his own bedroom.
Going inside he closed his door behind him and let himself fall straight onto his bed...
Within minutes he was fast asleep.
Demyx looked around his room in wonder.
<This place is amazing...>
Pulling his cap off his head he went into the bathroom and checked out inside...
A large bath with a shower attached to the wall over it caught his eye...
Slowly he went over to it and turned on one of the taps...
Warm water came out of the tap he sighed pleased with this and put the plug in the drain...
The bath filled up slowly as he collected a towel and stripped himself of the clothes he had been wearing since the crash.
The grisly scene coursed its way back through his mind...
The woman who the paramedics had been taking away from the crash site the skin ground down to bare muscle and the look of sheer terror on her face...
He shuddered as he got into the bath and started to scrub his skin as though scrubbing might somehow ease the horrible fact that he had killed this woman and her husband...
Tears ran down his face as he scrubbed his skin harder and harder.
“I'm sorry...”
He whispered as his tears dissolved into the suds of the bath.
“I didn't mean it... I didn't even see you until it was too late...”
Sobs escaped his sore throat...
He hadn't cried in years, and it was taking its toll on him...
His arms were as red as his eyes from scrubbing when he finally left the bath.
Once he was dry he pulled on his boxer shorts and climbed into the large bed, where he fell into a deep dreamless sleep...
Axel was stirring his coffee mindlessly...
<“Did you even think about what losing you would've done to me...?” Am I just being paranoid... Or was there more to that comment than I'd like to believe...?>
His legs shifted restlessly under the white counter where he sat by the window.
It had started raining again...
Or perhaps it hadn't stopped...
He wasn't sure and he didn't care...
“... Hey...”
Axel looked up from his coffee.
“Hey... How's Roxas?”
Sora sat down and looked at his hands.
“What am I supposed to do here Axel...?”
His voice was quiet but stressed.
“I know he's my brother, I know the right thing to do in everyones eyes would be to stay with him... But... I don't know if I can handle that... I don't know if I can go back to that house... I don't know if I'm ready to face it knowing that my parents aren't there and never will be there again...”
The redhead nodded.
“I understand...”
Sora's head shot up his expression was one of surprise.
“You do...?”
Axel nodded.
“Of course... Your situation is a little different to that of a for want of a better word 'normal' family... No disrespect... But Roxas was part of the reason you left... So of course this is going to take some time to think about...”
The brunette nodded slowly.
“Is feeling like a total bastard a normal part of this...?”
Axel shrugged.
“I've never been in this exact situation... But I would imagine that you would be prone to some guilt... I mean everyone feels like they owe their family... Don't they?”
Sora nodded looking hopeless.
“I think the best thing to do for the moment is distance yourself from the situation take some time to clear your head and then make a decision... Roxas won't be going anywhere for the next few days for certain anyway.”
The brunette nodded.
“Yeah I guess you're right... I should probably go back and tell him I'll be back though...”
Axel nodded despite himself.
“Yeah it's probably for the best.”
Sora left Axel sitting alone again with his coffee.
<Why can't I just ask him out straight about earlier?>
Sora walked down the white clinical hall slowly thinking about Roxas...
About how things used to be...
And about how things would undoubtedly change now without their parents around...
A familiar twinge made it's way through his system as he relived a few of their more pleasurable memories together...
He pushed it away and kept moving towards his brothers ward...
Roxas had stopped shouting for him...
Sora reached the window of the ward and looked in Roxas had resumed his slumped lying down position.
The brunette rolled his eyes.
<Great he's throwing a tantrum...>
But when he walked inside loud sobs could be heard coming from Roxas.
<Maybe... Maybe he's not faking...>
Sora was exhausted at this stage and was too tired to care and simply went to his brothers bedside and said.
“Look I'll be back... But I need to sleep... I'm exhausted... I don't know what's going to happen... This whole situation leaves me with a tonne of things to sort out... I'm so tired I don't even have it in me to cry anymore...”
The blonde turned to Sora.
“T-That's okay... I think I've got enough in me to cry for us both...”
The brunette took in his brother...
Roxas looked thinner than he had been when Sora left the house for good...
And for the first time in his life Sora saw Roxas looking weak and truly in need...
The blonde looked at Sora.
“Me doing this was selfish... It really was... I don't want to hold you back from anyone or anything... You should go back and do what you have to do... I'll be fine here I promise you I won't do anything that dumb ever again...”
Tears were running down Roxas cheeks as he said this.
“I understand how important Axel is to you... And I swear I never meant to try and mess that up...”
He sobbed heavily despite trying to come off as strong.
“I swear... I'll stay out of your life as soon as I'm out of here...”
Sora's heart twinged at these words...
His hands and heart reacted quicker than his mind...
Sora's finger went to Roxas' lips to silence him...
The blonde fell silent surprised to be silenced in such a manner by his brother...
But before the surprise could fully register Sora replaced his finger with his lips...
Roxas gasped in surprise as Sora's lips gently brushed his own...
As quickly as it had started it was over...
The brunette gulped.
“Now you know I'll definitely be back... Because if I'm not...”
He scribbled Axel's number on a tissue and left it on Roxas' bedside table.
“You can tell Axel what just happened...”
Roxas shook his head.
“I would never...”
Sora put his finger to Roxas' lips again...
“Rest now... I'll be back tomorrow... I'm trusting you Roxas... So don't mess this up...”
The blonde nodded watching Sora as he left the room and passed by the window staring with blue eyes that seemed to gaze straight into his soul...
<I promise I'll never tell...>
Sora passed by the window and once he was out of sight of Roxas put his fingers to his lips to try and dull the tingling sensation that kissing Roxas had put firmly back there...
<That was not supposed to happen... I'm supposed to hate him... I was supposed to tell him I hate him, leave and never come back... Live with Axel and continue the perfect life I have been living these past months... But how can my life ever be complete when it's obvious that I still love Roxas...>
This thought stopped Sora dead in his tracks as his hand covered his mouth in realisation.
<I still love Roxas...>
Roxas lay back in his bed sighing...
His heart was thumping in his chest again...
Lips were buzzing from where Sora's had touched his...
He wanted to fight these feelings so badly...
<Maybe Sora should leave again... Before I screw up his life any worse... Even if it would break my heart... It'd be worth it to see him happy... It's about time I stopped being selfish... I owe him that much...>
Tears found their way into his eyes again.
<Question is can I willingly let him go?>
Axel sighed as he stirred his cold coffee.
<Can I really win against his brother... His twin... They're closer than anything me and Sora could ever be really... They grew up together were born together... And crossed the boundary to be lovers... How can I replace that... And if I can't replace him, can I be man enough to face the fact that they're probably never going to part?>
The redhead looked up to see Sora standing at the entrance to the cafeteria almost as if he was deciding if he should go in or not.
Axel stood up leaving his cold coffee sitting there and opened the door.
“Hey... Do you want to get something here or would you rather just head off home?”
Sora sighed.
“I think home would be the best choice... I'm feeling really really exhausted...”
Axel kissed his forehead gently.
“It's been a tough day for you baby... I think home and sleep would be best for you.”
The brunette nodded wearily as Axel held his hand and led him to the exit...
Away from the hospital...
Away from Roxas...
When Demyx awoke again it dark in the room and the curtains were still open...
<How long was I asleep for?>
Wiping his eyes gently he pushed his legs off the side of the bed...
The house felt comfortably warm...
Pulling his jeans on he walked out of the room his head was thumping...
The main room was gently lit with table lamps...
He gazed around it and seeing Zexion nowhere made his way into the kitchen.
Grabbing a tall glass from the press he filled it up with water and gulped it down fast.
Sighing he filled up another glass and gulped it back too...
Putting the glass down he made his way back into the living room only to see Zexion fast asleep on the sofa with an open book in his hand.
Demyx immediately rethought everything he had previously thought about Zexion.
<Could it be he's just a really nice guy...?>
Creeping over Demyx carefully removed the book from Zexion's hand...
Only to have Zexion blinking his eyes open when Demyx turned back around...
The dark mans eyes took in Demyx's toned physique before wiping his eyes sleepily.
“Hello... Sorry I must've dozed off... I meant to have dinner cooked and all by now...”
Demyx now feeling horribly exposed without a shirt on crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oh please don't worry on my account... I'm just happy to have had a place to sleep for a while...”
Zexion sat up.
“What time is it anyway?”
Demyx checked his phone.
“Twenty past 9 at night...”
The dark haired man's eyes opened wide.
“Oh wow... I really really overslept...”
Demyx shrugged.
“Well you don't have to be anywhere do you?”
Zexion shook his head.
“No... I have the next four days off...”
The blonde nodded his head.
“Uhm... I'm not much of a cook... But...”
The dark haired man shook his head.
“No no... You're a guest... I would never have you or any guest cooking in my home...”
The blonde held his hand up to his head and closed his eyes tightly.
Zexion stood up genuinely concerned and put his hand on Demyx's shoulder.
“Are you okay?”
The blondes skin was warm...
And for a moment a scene of what it would be laying next to him in bed flashed through Zexion's head.
“It's just a headache... I'll be fine...”
Zexion's hand lingered for a moment and then he quickly retracted it.
“I'll get you painkillers. You're not allergic to anything are you?”
The blonde shook his head as Zexion sat him down on the sofa and then went out to the kitchen fetching painkillers and water.
Returning to the living room Zexion held out the painkillers and the water.
“Here take these you'll feel better...”
Demyx took them from him and laid them out on the coffee table then turned to look Zexion in the eye.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
The dark haired male wanted to break eye contact...
Truthfully he had no idea why he had brought Demyx here...
Or why he trusted him so much...
Or why he had risked his job for him...
Sure Demyx was cute...
But he'd never done this for a stranger before cute or not.
Zexion tried to break eye contact but Demyx grabbed his chin and forced him to look into his aqua coloured eyes.
The smaller mans heart was beating fast and his mouth was drying up...
He wasn't sure why the blonde made him feel so nervous he'd been with guys before gone out on a few dates even fucked one or two of them but no one had ever had this effect on him and he didn't like feeling so out of control...
Usually in this situation he'd have swatted his hand away, recollected his cold demeanor made a sarcastic comment and maybe asked him to leave...
But this time for some reason he was like a deer stuck in headlights.
He was forced to stare into those big aqua eyes...
He felt like he was trying to prove his innocence in court.
“I... I...”
Demyx held his hand on Zexion's chin gently and kept his voice low.
“You've put me in a separate bedroom... You haven't asked me for money... You haven't tried anything on with me... So why...? I don't understand... I could be a psychopath for all you know...”
Zexion could feel Demyx's breath on his face, it smelled like mint toothpaste.
“I... I don't know why... Y-You needed help and you have... No one... I felt for you... I just... I just wanted to help...”
Demyx saw no signs of lying or distrust in Zexion's eyes...
Zexion didn't know if he should be afraid or confused those aqua eyes were still studying his face, but his grip was gentle.
Demyx slowly removed his hand from Zexion's chin and the dark haired man quickly got up from the sofa and moved into the kitchen.
His breath came in quick gasps as his shaking hands turned on the tap and got himself a glass of water...
<What the hell just happened...>
The blonde took the painkillers, sat forward and rubbed his temples with his hands.
<I think... Maybe I came on too strong... I guess its not something you ask someone who has let you into their home...>
Zexion drank the water quickly.
<Maybe this was a mistake... Although I guess I would be suspicious too if someone just let me into their house no questions asked...>
The dark haired man left the kitchen and walked to his room...
Demyx stood up from the sofa and walked down the hallway and knocked on Zexion's door.
“Zexion...?”
The dark haired man turned to look at the door, he needed time to think about this...
Demyx's behaviour had startled him and he really wasn't sure how to handle it...
“Y-Yes...?”
The blonde leaned against the wall beside the door outside.
“Look... I'm sorry... This... Has been a weird day for me... I've never crashed before... I've never...”
He gulped.
“Been responsible for the death of anyone before... I've never been treated this nicely by another human being who didn't...”
He sighed trying to hold himself together.
“Who didn't want something in return.”
Zexion turned towards the door at the mention of this.
“Now I don't expect you to forgive me... Hell you don't even know me... I'll piss off and leave you alone... I just wanted to... Fuck... It doesn't matter... I'm sorry... I'll get my stuff and go.”
The dark haired man opened the bedroom door.
“Uh... No... I mean stay... I understand why you'd be suspicious of me... And I guess all I can do is give you my word that there is no ulterior motive here... Of course... These actions and those at the hospital would give you the impression that there is... And I suppose you have no reason to trust me... But if it were to come to you or me winning any kind of physical struggle I'm guessing the odds would be on your side... So I just put myself in a dangerous situation really... Uhm... Where am I going with this...?”
Zexion looked towards his feet...
Demyx laughed a little and Zexion looked up, he was twice as handsome when he smiled.
The dark haired man cleared his throat.
“Uhm... How about we forget about this little incident and order in? I'm starving.”
The blonde man nodded the smile was gone from his face again and Zexion guessed he didn't smile a lot.
“Yeah... That sounds good...”
Zexion smiled politely.
“So what kind of food do you like... Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Italian?”
Demyx cocked his head.
“If by Italian, you mean pizza, I'm all for that.”
The dark haired man nodded and walking into the living room picked up the phone.
“Oh what do you want on yours...?”
The blonde pursed his lips and stroked his chin for a moment...
“Hmmm... Uh... Chicken and ham... Oh and peppers... I love peppers...”
With that Demyx went into his room and pulled his t shirt on.
Zexion nodded and proceeded to dial.
“Hey... Yeah I'd like two 12 inch pizzas for delivery please... One with ham chicken and peppers... And the second with sweetcorn and pineapple please... Thirty minutes yeah thats perfect thanks very much...”
Zexion hung up the phone and opened a cabinet at the end of one of his bookshelves.
“So Demyx what's your poison?”
The blonde walked back into the living room now wearing a t shirt much to Zexion's supressed disappointment.
“Uhm... What are you having?”
The dark haired male shrugged.
“Probably red wine... I'm not much of a drinker...”
Demyx shrugged.
“Got any beer?”
Zexion shook his head.
“I'm sorry... Hey let me run out and get some...”
The blonde put his hand out and holding his shoulder stopped him.
“Don't do that...”
Zexion looked from his hand up to his shoulder and up to his mesmerising eyes again.
“I mean... I'll just have what you're having...”
The dark haired man nodded feeling his heart speeding up again, technically when he asked Demyx to stay he was telling the truth... He did want to help him... Just because he was having fantasies about him now didn't change that... It just made things a little more difficult... Luckily for Zexion he could handle himself...
Most of the time...
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