A/N: Okay, I know that there is no excuse for the lapse in updates. I think I've had the worst case of writer's block in history. But I've managed to work this out, and finally get this down, so I hope it's good. Thank you all for being patient and not harrassing me about it. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Ninny-na: It was nice to switch up the roles for a change. I was trying to show that Riku cares just as much as Zex does, and I hope it worked. Thank you for reading. It's always a delight to see your reviews!
MuffinPirate: I'm honored, and I greatly appreciate your reviews. I'm not sure what music might fit this chapter...If you find something let me know. Lol.
Oreos Are Good: That is a great name! I'm not sure about the pen name change yet...Thank you, and I'm glad you enjoy the story.
Akarui Siren: Hehe. I'd like to give fantasy a try. Problem is I can only thing of something long enough for a drabble...Perhaps a story dedicated to drabbles? Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you're here.
LiteraryMirage: Ha, thanks! Axel likes to barge in at the wrong moment. Glad you liked it, and thanks for continuing to review. :)
dark and light heart: Thanks for reviewing again. I have some summaries of future works on my profile. Let me know sometime what you would like to see next. :)
Beseiged. Infection: Well, I'll admit I was a little offended to have my writing compared to vomit...but I respect that opinion, and I'm glad you were honest about it. I don't really notice when my style changes, but I'd imagine it happens bouncing from story to story, and with the time lapses in writing in them... I don't know if this one is bad or not, but I trust you'll let me know. :) Thanks for reviewing, and for your honesty.
xcupidxstuntx: Hmm...I'm not sure if I should let this end here or not. I'm open to your opinion! Where have you been?! I need updates in your stories. *shies away* I'm just as guilty, if not worse. Thanks for reviewing!
Lipgloss-x-lies: Yes, updates are fun. Sadly, I'm bad at them. I promise there will be more Zemyx in the future! I have some little ideas on my profile if you would like to check them out. :) Thanks for your reviews!
Sadist. Schemer: Update for your inbox, though it's very late! I appreciate the GIANT smiley (I can pretend it is there). Thanks for your continued reviews, and I'm looking to read more from you as well!
nikole435: That makes me happy. I appreciate the kind words, and I'm glad you like the story. Thank you for your time!
fullmoons-wings: All nine? In one sitting? Wow, I'm honored. Thank you. I apologized if it seems rushed. I don't like to drag things out for longer than necessary. I guess it's a flaw...But I'm glad you like the story, and I appreciate your review!
youngnozomi: I'm glad to see you here. Awesome? I like that. Thank you very much. There will definitely be more Zemyx, and thank you for reviewing!
Zenxara: Thank you! I'm glad you like the characters. I mold them a little for the story content, but I try not to make them overly OOC. I love making them wait for each other in the "interrogation" mode. I think you're the only one that commented on that. Thank you for reviewing, and I hope to see you back!

I want to say that I really do appreciate all of your reviews, and they all make me smile. I apologize if there are typos. My computer seems to be delaying my typing, and I can't catch all of them.

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Demyx yawned as he climbed out of his car, still tired from his lack of sleep. He'd stayed up a good part of the night with Zexion, each of them losing track of time until Axel had returned and gone straight to bed. He blinked a few times, glancing around the work area. If all went as planned, they would be done with all of Marluxia's work today. Xaldin and Xigbar were standing near the trailer, talking quietly about something. Axel and Roxas were already there since they hadn't carpooled with Demyx. And Zexion…

Demyx blinked in confusion a few times. Zexion wasn't there?

He paused, feeling a little more awake and a lot more worried. Zexion was always on time! In fact, he was always early, perched under the nearest tree with a book in his lap. A sudden panic shot through him. What if Zexion never made it home last night? Had that old bum that was always outside the apartment complex done something to him?

Uh-oh….

Demyx knew he should have made Zexion call when he got home!

He approached Xaldin and Xigbar, who hurriedly ended their conversation. "Hey, uh…did Zexion call off?"

"Um…no," Xigbar replied, looking Demyx up and down. "He hasn't called. You haven't talked to him? I thought you two would have…you know."

"Would have reconciled your differences," Xaldin finished, arching an eyebrow.

Demyx clearly didn't catch his meaning. "That's strange! Zex is usually here by now."

Xigbar glanced toward Zexion's spot under the tree. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll show. If he's not coming, he'll call."

Demyx nodded, feeling uneasy. Xigbar and Xaldin were starting to unload the ladders, which meant they were planning on starting without Zexion. They weren't even concerned? Demyx moved away, deciding he wouldn't help until he knew what was going on. He made his way to Zexion's spot under the tree, one hand clutching the cell phone in his pocket. Should he call Zexion's house? Maybe he'd overslept. Or he could already be on his way.

In which case, he'd have to talk to Riku, and he really didn't want to.

But Zexion could be hurt, which in that case, talking to Riku didn't seem so bad.

Demyx sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket. At least he couldn't get a black eye over the phone.

He started through the contact list on the device, only stopping when he heard the sound of a stick-shift car speeding down the street. Zexion pulled up to the work site much faster than normal, practically gliding into the spot where he'd parked each day. Demyx smiled with relief and the others simply watched with an astonished look. Zexion did his best to ignore them as he got out of his car, but his cheeks still tinted a light shade of pink. He started toward Demyx, who quickly scanned the smaller male for injury

"Hey, there!" Demyx greeted as Zexion stopped before him. "You had me worried!"

"Sorry," Zexion replied. He looked exhausted. Demyx could see that his hair had been brushed, but a few strands were still poking out of place. "I slept through my alarm clock. Riku finally woke me up after he grew tired of listening to it through the walls."

Demyx gave a small chuckle, reaching to tuck Zexion's bangs behind his ear only to watch them fall back into place. Zexion blushed a little more, eyes dancing between Demyx and the ground. The blonde thought about stealing a kiss, but decided against it. He still didn't know how Zexion felt about showing their relationship in public. That, and Xigbar and Xaldin decided to approach with Roxas and Axel in their wake. Xigbar was grinning wildly for unknown reasons, and Xaldin crossed his arms. Zexion looked up at the supervisors, growing worried.

"Did you miss something?" Xigbar said, smirking.

The slate-haired man bit his lip, then looked toward the ground. "Sorry for being late. It won't happen again."

Xigbar howled with laughter. "You think you're in trouble?"

With a confused glance, Zexion looked from the eye-patched man to Xaldin. "Well, I…"

Xaldin shook his head, jabbing one finger toward the branches overhead.

"I meant," Xigbar laughed, looking into the tree. "Did you miss something?"

Both Zexion and Demyx stopped, looking at each other before craning their heads to see above. Aside from Xigbar's maniacal laughter, Axel and Roxas were chuckling, too. Demyx immediately felt himself blush when he saw what they were pointing at. Directly above himself and Zexion was a small sprig of mistletoe, still clinging to one of the branches from Xigbar's stunt before Christmas. He felt his breath catch in his throat, noticing that Zexion had gone completely still.

Zexion had to blink a few times to realize exactly what he was staring at. That was…mistletoe? But how? He'd pulled every last stupid little twig himself! There was no way that he'd missed one. Unless…

"Like I said," Xigbar grinned. "It looks like you missed something the other day."

Xigbar was setting them up! It was the only logical conclusion.

And now Zexion had to make his move. Either he could weasel his way out of this, or he could go along with it. He knew what the others were expecting. He would step down, dismissing it as a Christmas hoax, and Christmas was over, and so there was no need to uphold the childish tradition…

But Zexion, who loved order and sensibility, was feeling full of surprises today.

"So it looks like I did," Zexion smirked, deciding to play along.

Demyx shifted a bit. "Y-you guys, shouldn't be silly like this! It's just a−"

"Demyx."

Zexion smiled as the blonde's ocean-blue eyes looked down at him.

"I do believe you're supposed to kiss me."

The blonde studied Zexion's face for a moment, and Zexion knew that he was looking for any sign of uneasiness. Of course, Zexion was a little nervous about doing this in front of his co-workers. But he pushed his anxieties away. This was right. This was the way it should be. And when Demyx realized the smaller male was sure, he placed his hands on Zexion's hips and pulled him in for a kiss. He didn't waste any time either, Zexion thought, as he felt the blonde's tongue prying against his lips. Zexion acquiesced, allowing what should have been a peck to blossom into a long, passionate kiss.

Xigbar's howling stopped and silence fell over the yard.

Axel leaned in for a closer look. "Holy shit….Roxas, we−"

The redhead's side was abruptly introduced to Roxas's elbow.

"I'll be damned," Xigbar mused. "I guess they really did make up."

Zexion stepped back after the kiss ended, his cheeks heating with color. Demyx, however, was glowing. He looked at the others, who were still clearly in a state of shock. They clearly didn't expect that after the argument from yesterday.

"We did more than just make up!" Demyx announced with pride. "Zexy and I are dating!"

"It's about time!" Xigbar said. "Did you release all that sexual tension from yesterday?"

"That wasn't sexual tension yesterday," Axel practically shouted. "That was the backlash from the release of the sexual tension."

Zexion's cheeks burned with embarrassment. He could see that Demyx had stopped to glare at Axel, then blushed as he looked back at Xigbar. Surprisingly, the supervisor seemed to overlook the opportunity to tease the new couple. Instead, he smiled, then motioned his hand for the others to follow.

"Well, glad that's resolved. Time to get to work."

Xaldin followed, fastening his tool belt as he walked away. Zexion didn't move from his place, and Demyx remained bolted next to him. Axel and Roxas remained a few feet away, talking in whispers to each other.

Demyx cradled Zexion's hand softly. "You okay?"

Zexion nodded. Time for another surprise. "Yes. I was just wondering…if you had any plans for New Year's…because I was hoping that…maybe you would…maybe…"

Ugh, he'd been around Demyx too much.

The blonde looked at him sweetly. "Are you going to ask me out?"

"Um…not really out. Riku wants to have a small party at our place, and Sora is going to be there, so…I was hoping you'd like to be there, too….Axel and Roxas can come, too, if they would like."

Demyx smiled. "Sounds like fun! Hey, you two! Come here!"

Axel and Roxas approached, and the four of them stood in a circle under the tree as Demyx relayed the question. Both of them accepted the invitation, and Zexion found himself feeling oddly happy about the fact that all of them would be hanging out. But Xigbar's whistle snapped him out of his reverie.

"Hey!" Xigbar called. "Unless you dudes are about to do some weird four-way kiss, I suggest you step out from under that mistletoe and help us get to work!"

Demyx knocked on the door of Zexion's apartment at around eight o'clock on New Year's Eve. Axel and Roxas stood behind him, arguing quietly about their New Year's resolutions. Demyx held a bottle of champagne in one hand, while Axel clutched a case of beer in each of his. The normally quiet apartment building entertained an array of celebration sounds. Clearly Zexion wasn't the only one having a party.

Zexion opened the door only a moment later, clad in pristine black slacks and a striped shirt, and a cute little apron. The scent of scrumptious baking drifted into the hall, and Zexion immediately pulled his apron off and tossed it aside. Both Riku and Sora rushed up behind him, each wearing a pointed party hat and blowing on noisy party horns with glee. Zexion's eyes snapped shut momentarily as the horns blasted in his ears, then offered his guests a smile. Riku and Sora stepped aside as Zexion opened the door further and motioned to let the guests inside. After entering the apartment, Demyx placed a quick peck on his boyfriend's cheek and held out the champagne bottle.

"You didn't have to bring anything," Zexion spoke, already blushing from the kiss.

Demyx grinned. "I thought it would be nice for the midnight toast."

"Toast shmoast," Axel snorted. "Let's get this party started!"

Riku grinned as Axel placed the cases of beer on the floor. "Alright! Booze!"

"Yeah, booze! Wouldn't be a party without it."

Zexion frowned, watching as Axel let his younger brother crack open a can of beer. "Axel, they're underage."

"And it's a New Year's party!" Axel declared, leaning down to pet the cat rubbing against his ankle. "Let them have some fun. It's not like they're gonna be driving anywhere, right?"

"The couch folds out, so you and Roxas can sleep there….It would be best not to let you drive, either." The slate-haired man gave a resigned sigh as Axel dipped the tip of his finger into his beer and offered it to the cat. "And please refrain from getting my cat drunk."

Demyx approached the small kitchen table. It was covered with food of all kinds: desserts, cheeses, vegetables, and even delicious-smelling chicken marinated in some kind of broth. He looked back at Zexion, who was discreetly hanging his apron on the coat rack, and raised an eyebrow.

"Zexy, did you make all of this?" the blonde questioned.

Zexion nodded, almost embarrassed, as he walked toward the table. "Yes."

"That had to have taken forever! It all looks really good!"

"You can help yourselves. A lot of it…came from my mother's recipe book."

Demyx cupped his boyfriend's cheek, seeing the pain the memories brought. "I wish I could have met them. I'm sure they'd be proud of everything you've done."

"They would've liked you a−" Zexion jumped as Axel honked a party horn in his left ear. "Damn it, Riku! Why did you buy those things?"

"Never mind that," Axel defended, handing the horn back to the silver haired teen. "You got any cards or something? Have a beer, Zex. Let loose a bit. No pain in getting a little tipsy."

Zexion directed his thumb toward the table drawer near the door. "Cards are in there."

"Great!" Axel swiftly retrieved the cards from the drawer, then took a seat in the middle of the living room floor. "Card games mixed with alcohol make for a very interesting night! Everyone plays, or else I get the supplies for Beer Pong and we all play that!" He sent a shrug toward Zexion. "It's your choice."

Demyx watched as Zexion sighed, that sole blue eye looking up at him. The blonde shoved his hands in his pockets, a sneaky gleam in his eyes. He had a feeling Zexion knew what he meant. Then, the slate-haired man grabbed a can of beer and one of Demyx's hands, and started to the living room.

"Fine," Zexion smirked as the group started to form a circle on the floor. "But don't you dare throw up on my carpet or furniture."

Zexion stood up from his seat on the floor, blinking a few times to set his vision straight. Demyx was next to him, hands on his shoulders in an attempt to help the smaller male steady himself. Even in his current state, Zexion couldn't lie to himself. He was tipsy. And the buzz was kind of fun. They'd spent the past few hours switching between card games, board games, eating, talking, watching Axel and Roxas play Beer Pong, watching TV, putting out one of Axel's brief fires, and playing some more card games. All of the above involved some drinking.

But Zexion had yet to reach the point of being totally smashed.

At least, he thought so.

His blurry vision caught sight of Riku sprawled out on the floor; Sora was slumped by Riku's feet. Zexion glanced at Demyx, who seemed to be giving him an odd look.

"They're drunk," Zexion spoke, pointing at the teens with an unsteady hand. "They shouldn't have more."

Demyx looked at him with an even stranger look. And Zexion realized that Demyx had leaned forward to catch him as he stumbled a bit. "Zexy, I didn't understand a word you just said….I think we should put you to bed."

The slate haired man pouted. "But we didn't watch the New Year's Ball fall yet."

"Zexy…we watched that three hours ago….I think you've had too much to drink."

Zexion tried to think back to exactly how much he'd drank. He'd lost several rounds during their card games, and was sipping one during their conversations. Then there was that round of Truth of Dare…and that round of Beer Pong he'd played, and…

…Wait, he'd played Beer Pong?

Okay, so he was totally drunk.

He hiccupped, feeling a strange sensation in his throat.

Ugh…

"Demyx…I think I'm going to be sick!"

Demyx closed the door to Zexion's room as softly as he could. He had no doubts that every little sound seemed amplified to his now passed out lover, and he didn't want to disturb him. It had ended up being a very interesting night. He'd seen a side of Zexion he thought he'd never see. The slate-haired man definitely had a…well, crazy side, but it took a substantial amount of alcohol to release it. And he was sure that Zexion would be feeling every drop of it in the morning. And he was positive that Axel would never let him live it down.

Demyx turned the corner into the small hallway of the apartment. Poor Zexion barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up. And Demyx, being the wonderful boyfriend that he was, wanted to take care of his lover the best he could. So he figured he would start with cleaning the little mess on the bathroom floor.

"Demyx?"

The blonde turned at the sound of his name, seeing Riku standing in the threshold of the hall and the living room. Despite Zexion's drunken accusations, both Riku and Sora were perfectly sober. Tired enough to fall asleep on the living room floor, but not passed out drunk. Demyx hadn't tried to make it noticeable, but he'd carefully avoided being alone with Riku all night. So much for well calculated plans…

Demyx slapped on a casual smile, unsure of what to think. "Hey, Riku. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Sora fell asleep on the floor, so I was going to make up the bed before I tell him to go bed. How about Zex?"

"He's passed out cold. He doesn't feel a thing right now, but he won't be so lucky in the morning."

"Yeah…Guess he didn't know when to stop, huh?"

"I guess not."

There was a long, awkward silence for several minutes, and Demyx considered just finishing his journey to the bathroom. But this was Zexion's brother. As such, he was part of the package that came with dating Zexion. With the recent string of events, Demyx couldn't honestly say he was happy about that little bonus gift.

Finally, Riku sighed and took a step closer to Demyx. "Actually, I'm glad I ran into you here. You've made Zexion really happy. I don't know if you can see that, but I definitely do. Ever since Mom and Dad died, he's had this overwhelming sense of having to be a perfect role model, and never letting himself have any fun…but, you've changed that. I mean, I won't use tonight as an example, or apparently Christmas night, but…um…Well, after that whole episode, he was really upset when you left. And it bothered me to see him that way, because I know that Zexion only gets broken up about people he really cares about. And when I saw him so hurt, it just…drove me a little crazy, so…"

Demyx blinked as the silver haired teen sighed.

Riku cocked an eyebrow. "Look, I'm trying to apologize here, so if you could just say that it's okay, it would be really nice."

Demyx laughed, trying not to wake everyone up. "Of course it's okay! If I hadn't been an idiot, it never would have happened. You don't have to apologize. You were just…knocking some sense into me!"

"That's exactly what I said!" Riku smiled, but Demyx could tell he was about to get serious again. "Like I said, you make Zex happy. I'm just glad that he's found someone that makes him feel the way you do. Just…don't hurt him, okay?"

"You don't have to worry about that," Demyx assured, dead serious. "I won't make any stupid mistakes like that again."

"Good….Well, good night, Demyx."

"Good night, Riku." He turned to walk away, but stopped himself. "Actually, Riku, there's some things I need to ask you…"

It felt like he'd been hit by a bus. When Zexion woke up the next day his eyelids felt heavier than lead. He groaned, turning on his side and rubbing his eyes. Even his hands felt heavy. His entire body ached. After a moment, he dared to open his eyes, only to be blinded by the light flooding through the blinds. He whimpered, snapping his eyes shut again and pulling his pillow over his head.

When did everything get so bright?

He heard the sound of his bedroom door opening. Despite the urge to see who it was, he remained trying to smother himself under the pillow. If this was how he was going to feel all day, smothering seemed a very enjoyable idea. Footsteps pattered across the room, followed by the sound of the blind slats being closed. Then, the bed shifted with the addition of more weight and the sound of Demyx's voice reached his ears.

"It's okay now, Zexy. You can open your eyes."

Zexion groaned in thanks, still not wanting to remove the pillow or open his eyes. That is, until Demyx's hand snaked around him. Skin to skin contact. As in he was only wearing his boxers. He pulled the pillow down slowly, cracking one eye open, then both. Demyx was looking at him, and Zexion found it hard to focus. Not only was he hung over, but Demyx was almost naked, a distracting sight to even the sober.

What exactly had happened here?

"Um…Demyx," the slate-haired man started. "Did we…?"

Demyx grinned. "No, we didn't. You were way too drunk for that."

"Did I…?"

"Dance around and do a strip tease for me?"

Zexion's eyes widened with horror.

The blonde laughed. "No, don't worry. You didn't do that, either. If you're wondering what happened to your clothes, you ended up throwing up all over them. I have to tell you, though, I was pretty impressed. You held your liquor pretty good up until the end. But I've never seen anyone rush to the bathroom so fast. I think even Axel would have been impressed by the flames coming off of your heels. But I'm sorry to tell you that you didn't quite make it. The first bout ended up on you and the bathroom floor….Yeah, it wasn't a pretty sight. You made it for the next few spells. Once you were done puking your guts out, I cleaned you up a bit and tucked you in. I took care of the bathroom, too."

Zexion placed a hand on his forehead. "Dem, I'm so sorry. I'm such a bad host…you didn't have to do any of that."

Demyx smiled softly and placed a delicate hand on his lover's cheek. "You don't have to apologize. It was good to see you let loose. Though I'm sorry to tell you that Axel is never going to let you live it down."

"Ugh…was I that bad?"

"You're a funny drunk. Bordering incoherent and you have the swagger of a champion. But you know what…it's the cutest thing I've ever seen. How do you feel?"

"Not good." Zexion blinked, still adjusting to the light. "How are the others?"

"Axel and Roxas are still asleep, and I'm sure they'll be feeling the after effects when they get up. Riku and Sora woke up a little while ago. They're both okay, since they didn't drink too much. I'm fine, and you…I'm sorry, Zexy. It seems you got it the worst. But don't worry. You have me to take care of you."

Zexion smiled as sweetly as he could muster. "Thank you."

"You're most welcome….Hey, Zexy?"

"Yes, Demyx?"

"You never told me last night what your New Year's resolution was."

Zexion thought about it. "I don't really have one."

"Nothing?" Demyx questioned, propping himself up on one elbow. "There has to be something you want to get done this year. It could be anything."

"Well…I'd like to see Riku graduate and go to college. That way he can have a prosperous life and be happy in the future. I'm sure the state will give him some kind of financial aid, and I can pay for the rest somehow. My dreams of graduating from college and having a successful career are over, but that doesn't mean his have to be."

"What do you mean that your dreams are over? You're still young, Zexy, and it's never too late to go back to school. It's great to be concerned about Riku's plans, but you can't forget your own!"

Zexion smiled and reached up to brush a finger along Demyx's cheek. "What about your dreams, Demyx? Didn't you move to Radiant Gardens to become a rock star?"

The blonde laughed. "That was before I realized what I really want out of life. The good things don't come with bright lights and screaming fans….I've got what I want, right here in this boring little town, and it happens to be on this bed next to me!"

"So…what is your resolution?"

Demyx's eyes focused on Zexion's face, the playful gleam not leaving even when he was serious. "I want to be here to keep you happy. That's all I really want. And I know how much you want to go back to school, so…I talked to Riku last night, and we both agree that we want to see you finish what you started."

Zexion sat up slowly, everything he hadn't felt the night before rushing to bombard his senses now. "That's a nice thought, Dem, but there's no way I could afford to put both Riku and myself through school. And I'd never have time for classes and a full time job. Plus, I'd have to commute, and then there's the car expenses, and books, and−"

"Zexion."

The tone of Demyx's voice almost made him feel drunk again, if only for a moment.

"My New Year's Resolution is to keep you happy and help you fulfill your dreams. If that means paying for you to go back to school, then that's what I'm going to do."

"Demyx…I am happy. I would love to go back to school eventually, but that's not what will keep me happy. I'm happy with just having you, and Riku, and Fortune, and my tiny apartment in this boring little town, and my job with my crazy co-workers. If I ever get the chance to go back to school, I'll take it. But if I have to keep building up houses for the rest of my life, I'm okay with that, as long as I have the people I care about with me. Because in the end, what will really build me up…is you."

Demyx smiled, reaching over and hugging Zexion tightly. "You're being sappy. You must still be drunk! Go back to sleep."

Zexion laughed weakly. "I'm not drunk! But I will take that advice to sleep, only if you promise to be here when I wake up."

The blonde sat up straight, making a lacing motion near his chest. "I'm not going anywhere this time. Cross my heart."

I want to thank everyone for reading up to this point, despite all of the updating delays.

Do you think it needs an epilogue? Opinions are appreciated!

Also, if you would like to see what's coming from me in the future, just check out my profile. And if anyone has any requests, feel free to PM me. I'm not sure if I can do it, but I think I can tackle them, I'll give it a try!

Thanks!