A.N. This is the new story. Yeah, that's it. I haven't slept for days.

Disclaimer: If i owned Kingdom Hearts, Axel would be a stripper, Roxas would have no gag reflex, and i wouldn't be writing fanfiction would I?

Summary:

Once Upon a Time, Prince Charming met his beautiful princess. But the princess had a secret, a terrible dark obsession, and Prince Charming soon found himself caught in a tangled and dangerous web woven by his false true love. Is there any hope for our poor, deluded Prince?

Chapter One: A Twisted Rose Red

Unknown POV

Everyone is a character, a simple being meant to live their role, to conform to the place they were cast. Their lives are all like stories; Fairy Tales, if you will. Without the magic or happy endings like in the stories written by poor souls, burdened with the ability to see the way the Fairy Tales were supposed to be. They were no happy endings, just horrible nightmares, just horrid little stories of hate and sadness and then finally, death.

Even through all of that, the Fairy Tale was everything; life was only about the fairy tale. The fairy tale controlled every aspect of it, it was what you lived, breathed, became. It was beauty in reality, fantasy in the chaos of what was perceived as "real". Undercurrents of the magic were everywhere, in music and culture, books and movies. The Fairy Tale was all that was really real, all that was…there. It was the only thing that mattered.

He would live his fairy tale, to the utmost. Just like his mother told him, day and night for seventeen years, he would become his character. He would find his Rose Red and he would play with her, before he killed her. Just like in the story:

" Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl that had crimson hair, and her name was Rose Red. She lived with her sister and elderly mother, Snow White and Mother Dearest. They were a happy simple family, and loved each other greatly. Rose Red, the most beautiful of the two was by nature, cheerful outgoing, and sought out by all the men in their village. But she would have none of them, because they frightened her, with their false smiles and devotions.

One day, she met a bear in the woods, and invited him into her house, to get out of the snow. Snow White and Mother Dearest were upset by this, because the bear frightened them, but Rose Red refused to listen to them, and let the bear sleep in her bed, like an overgrown pet."

He liked fairy tales, and he liked crimson. He really loved his Fairy Tale, because then he could have all the crimson he wanted. The little bit, that his mother had shed for him that he had played in, wasn't enough to assuage him, to appease his appetite for the crimson. And her blood wasn't quite the right colour, either. He was still looking, months after he killed his mother, for the person with the perfect shade of hair. And then he saw him, Axel leRouge…the perfect Rose Red for his Fairy Tale.

Who's POV? You'll See POV :)

Axel peered around the dark alley, pulling at his keychain, the only weapon he had on him. The tiny rings, with their keys poking around in semi circles were hopefully enough to hold off whoever was behind him, sneaking up on him. Why did this always happen to him? Why did he get all the creeps and freaks following him around, and yet, Reno had no one stalking him besides his boyfriend Rude. But no, Axel didn't have a boyfriend, or a friend of any kind besides Reno. He had stalkers, obsessed fangirls, and crazy ass mother fucking modelling agencies following him about, in the dark, and scaring him shitless. Why didn't he buy that can of mace he saw at the store? He had been so close to it…so very close to it and yet he hadn't on second thought.

Stepping quickly, but not too quickly, he made his way down the alley, lights from the busy traffic flashing just ahead, so close to the little safety that numbers provided and yet so far away. Busy as Radiant Garden was at night, you'd think you could feel at least a little bit safe in the streets, a vain hope within you that there was a plentiful abundance of police trolling the area, to keep evil at bay. But again, no. Axel's luck wouldn't have allowed that.

Axel had a history. Not the one normal people had, mind you, but one with the police. And even then it wasn't completely normal. With all of his stalkers, attempted rapists, and "fans" Axel was the reason behind many people's jail time. And even behind some suicides, attempted rapes, attempted murder…there was something about Axel that made him irresistible. Something about his tall, gangly frame, his toxic green eyes and spiky red hair that drove people crazy. His little teardrop tattoos under his eyes, the way his lips curled as he grinned…utterly sexy and irresistible.

I should know, I was one of his many stalkers. HII!!!! I'm Demyx!!! WOOT new friend!!

Yeah, I was just guessing at what he was thinking, cuz I'm good like that. I know how he thinks, I'm in his mind…I love him with all my being! He was perfect, the person just for me. Of course, I couldn't have him…he belonged to a cute little uke of a blond, named Roxas Strife, cousin to Sora McRetard (not his real last name, but I think it fits), who was the younger brother of Leon Leonhart (no idea how that came to be) who was in a civil partnership with Cloud Strife, Roxas' older and estranged brother (he was raised by their dad, their parents had split). Yeah, cousins, gay ones, together. And people think I'm messed up?

Axel lives with Aerith and Kairi, his older and younger sister respectively, and his best friend-almost-brother Zexion, who I also found sexy in an emo, sullen, sulky, brooding way. He wasn't much fun though, he always threw me out when I snuck into their large, mansion like house. Oh, did I mention they're loaded? Yeah, he's as rich as sin, and getting more loaded every day.

I pulled my hand from the pipe that I was balancing myself with (I was a few feet above him, in the alley on a fire escape) to count off my "So let's see why Axel was just for me!" list:

1. He's perfect, in every way. Like Mary Poppins!

2. He's beautiful. I like beauty. It makes me all tingly inside, like the time I had too much cough syrup! That was great...ANYWAY...

3. He's rich. That's not a needed thing…but it's a definite plus! Means I can buy a lot of Moogle plushies!

4. He's beautiful. Did I already say that?

5. I understood him, his moods, his habits. I was the perfect stalk- erm…boyfriend!

Suddenly, all the fingers on my left hand were used up…I let go of the pipe with my other hand, to continue my list, as any logical person would. Let's see number six-

My list making was cut off short by my inability to balance without using both hands…an old curse that I never got used to, and as I fell the thousands of feet to the ground (in reality, only a few feet but hell, I was scared and I could exaggerate!) into a dumpster, a loud "OHMYGOSHAXELSAVEME!!" tearing itself from my lips, I cursed my inability to balance.

"Demyx…are you following me again?" his voice snaked across the street, and landed around my general ear area, which worked it's way to the general area my brain should have been though, it was being completely and totally unresponsive to the sounds he made. Besides the way that I imagined his lips made my name, all sultry and round and soft and utterly sexy saying it, my little ugly name. My name. Which I think was Demyx…idunno my brain isn't here is it, and for the life of me I couldn't remember because my brain was gone, and and that utter human shaped person of pure sex just said it so it was, right?! Yep, I was brain dead fer sure! It died and went to heaven along with my ears. OMG he said my name-

"Demyx?" AH he said it again! Worry clouded his beautiful luscious yummy voice, and I couldn't have that! So, pulling my brain from its blissful naked-Axel filled cloud, I jumped up, a banana peel falling from its perch on my head. "Are you okay? Can't have my favourite stalker injured can I?"

Oh. My. God. I'm his favourite stalker!! Time to start squealing, cue the squees!!

"Umm I- Uh" my eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "My brain won't work." I admitted sourly as I scratched the eggshells from my mull-hawk as best as I could, their slimy insides making me just itch for a good shower, I didn't even want to think of what else I may have landed in. Not at all, nope, nuh uh!

He laughed at me, a bell-like sound shooting past his beautiful lips easily and without trouble. Axel liked to laugh, even though he had a lot of problems. "You're cute. Come on, Demyx let's get out of the cold yes? And…I think I have another stalker besides you tonight. I'm scared and I don't want to be alone right now…"

He wanted to be with me!? WOO! Happy days!

"OKAY! YAY!!" I flew out of the dumpster and landed on him, straddling his waist and hugging his chest as hard as I could. Oh My God his chest feels soooo nice! Like the perfect resting place, it felt so natural! The two firm and toned pec-

"Demyx…you're thinking out loud again." he looked up at me, a delicate blush blossoming across his pale skin, and I mentally squeed again. Oh my gosh, so sexy even when he's bashful! Lucky bastard Roxas! "Want to go to the diner that's close by…I need someone to talk to. I'm worried about someone, and hey, who better to talk to than my stalker?" he chuckled.

I squeed mentally. Though, judging by his wince and flinch, I did it out loud again…oopsy! I need to work on that, cuz gee talking everything you think-

"Dem…you really need to learn to think and talk separately…I mean, that's how we all keep catching you sneaking into my house and all…and watching me shower, and change, and work out, and do business at my workplace…you're not a very good stalker when it comes to the whole 'silent' thing." I wilted, and he chuckled again, the sound making me perk back up like a…umm…Demyx flower! Yeah, a Demyx flower. They totally exist now, shut up!

Axel shook his head, pushed me off of him and stood up, brushing snow off of his taught, round butt, and leaning over he picked bits of trash out of my hair and off of my clothes. Oh my God being this close to the man of my dreams…being the centre of his attention made me want to die of happiness. It just made me want to squee so loud the entire world could hear!

"Come one, Dem, that's enough of the inner monologue that for you isn't so inner! Let's go I'm freezing!" he hooked his arm in mine and started marching us quickly to the warm, awaiting arms of Joe's Diner.

Axel POV

"You know, after I get past the whole 'you're my stalker' thing you're actually pretty fun to be around." I took a sip of my hot coffee, while Demyx blew on his hot cocoa. I'd learned, in the few minutes we had been together, that I could easily block out his inner (yet, not so inner since he talked his thoughts out loud) ramblings. He was kinda cute, past the whole stalker thing, but I had to firmly grip my shoulders and shake myself mentally. I had an adorable, sweet if sometime non-social uke waiting for me at home, one that I cherished…one that was scaring me.

"So, what do you want to talk about Sex- I mean Axel?" I quirked an eyebrow at the almost "Sexy" and he blushed and gave me an innocent, if retarded looking grin. God, he was so like Sora, Roxas' cousin, yet, a tad bit different. More serious? Something about him held him aloof from Sora's retardedness, and frankly I didn't really care what it was, just as long as he could follow my story for more than a few minutes.

"Demyx, how do you view the world?" I asked, not meeting his eyes.

"What ya mean? Like, do I think of it pessimistically, or-"

"No, not quite like that. How do you see it? I mean, do you think of life like say, a story?" he shook his head, and I was all ears. The fact that he didn't see it that way was reassuring to me, slightly. I had to remind myself that he was indeed a bit off (stalker remember?) and that I couldn't let myself be too close to him, but it was hard. He was a sane insane person.

"No, not quite like a story. Maybe like a song?" he paused, and looked at me. Seeing that all of my attention was diverted from my coffee and on him, he beamed as if he was in a spotlight. "you have you first measure, and you start off on a certain note, and then you build up-" his hands rose higher and higher into the air, and I smiled a bit. He really was quite cute. "-to the main crescendo, then you start to ease down. And all in between, you have ups and downs and different melodies going-" he kept babbling and I couldn't help but feel attracted again to my adorable stalker, who used his hands and eyes to portray such a big theory. "-until finally you get to the end, and you can either finish fabulously and leave the audience speechless; or on a lousy note that leaves the audience angry." he stopped, cheeks flushed, and then looked a bit sheepish.

"What?"

"Sorry, I get a bit carried away when it comes to music." he singsonged at me, "I loooooove music. It makes me happy inside. Almost as happy as being with you, right now, as a friend?" he looked at me, with his huge blue-green eyes, hope and longing showing though like lights. "I mean, I know I'm your stalker guy but I want to be friends, a least. Then I wouldn't have to stalk you so much?"

I thought about it for a minute. I really needed someone to talk to, someone who I wasn't super close too, someone who wasn't close or related to me or Roxas in anyway. Someone I could trust to keep my secrets, and who better than the person who once swore undying love and fidelity to me? "Sure, Demyx. I can promote you from stalker, to friend I guess." I grinned as he squealed loudly, causing one of the waitresses to shoot us annoyed glances.

"But that's not all you want to talk about right?" he asked me, as he pointed. "You're chewing your lip, it means you're thinking and you want to say something." I gaped at him, slightly in awe. I was chewing my lip again? I thought I had stopped that habit years ago...

"I like telling stories, so you'll meet a new side of me, Dem. I'm downright poetic." And in front of my avid and adorable audience (because, he really was adorable) I launched into how Roxas and I met, and how I had fallen for him in this very café. "Well, it all started on a night like tonight…"

.::---O---::.

It had been ten months two weeks and two days since I had met Roxas (I kept track), in the very same alley I had found you, Demyx, in the very same alley that I had just felt such an irrepressible fear shudder its malevolent way through my body. It had been a cold, dark night much like tonight, snow falling softly like angel's feathers. If I hadn't been so terrified, it would have been beautiful, because even through the snow, the moon was full and bright, and gave an almost magical glow to everything around me. The usually smog filled, disgusting city seemed pure somehow, in the light.

It was beautiful, a savage garden of life. There, I could see the rich parade past in their cars, and then over there, I could see the poor huddling around tin can fires. The magic of the moon and snow seemed to, for this night alone purify those scenes, making them almost fragments of a forgotten memory. It was almost like a fairy tale.

And then, I had been attacked, right there in the magic of moonlight and angel's feather snow, the would be mugger shattering the fragile dream I had woven in a single burst of adrenaline speed-

"WOW Axel, you tell stories so purty!" he reached over and grabbed my hand in his, which I quickly shook off. I didn't want to hold his hand, I was more in favour for reaching across the table and smacking him upside the head.

"I'm not finished yet you dolt, don't interrupt!" I hissed in annoyance, and he positively wilted under my glare. Demyx flower indeed. "Sorry. Stories to me are special, like music is to you. So no more interruptions unless it's important!" his hand shot in the air so fast if his face hadn't been over a few inches, it would have taken his nose off.

"What Demyx?" I sighed. I had to pick the stalker with the attention span of a five year old, didn't I?

"I need to use the bathroom! Be right back!!" he jumped up quickly and then walked strangely slow to the back of the diner, and I chuckled a bit. He really did act like a five year old.

"Can I get you anything, hon?" the matronly waiter came over to the table as soon as the blonde left, and I couldn't blame her. Thank God I hadn't been stupid enough to get him coffee, or anything with too much sugar. I blinked owlishly at the menu, before picking something at random.

"Uh…a strawberry smoothie and two chilli-cheese fries I guess. If he won't eat them, then I will." I winked at her as she laughed and walked away.

I waited a few more minutes, in impatience. I wanted to finish the damn story already! I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts, dredging up the old memories that I didn't notice her return with the smoothie.

"Your boyfriend is really cute but a handful I'm betting." she chuckled as she set the large glass down, the cold radiating from it. "Good thing you didn't get him coffee, I bet you could harvest energy off of him if you did. Here you go hon, one of Joe's famous smoothies, and I made it a tall. You're going to need a sugar high to keep up with that!" she pointed and chuckled at the approaching blonde as he danced his way to the table. "Seriously sweetie, you might look into the monetary gain from energy harvesting."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks-" I looked at her tag. "Tifa. And he's not my boyfriend…he's more of a stalker."

"Who's sort of a stalker!? Me! I am!!" he pointed to himself as he sat down and grabbed my smoothie, taking a large sip from it. "Oh, my gosh. This is sooo goooood Axel can AGH! BRAIN FREEEZE!!!" I laughed as he clutched his head, his face gone all screwy.

"Serves you right for stealing my smoothie!!" crowing, I reached across the table and grabbed it back. "Now, ready for the rest of the story?"

"Oh! Yessir! Please?! HURRY!!" grabbing his stomach he groaned. "SO. HUNGRY! And something smells REALLY nice." he flailed a bit as Tifa brought our chili cheese fries to the table, steam wafting off of them like a pseudo smoke. "Aww!! You ordered for me! You're the best and awesomest person I've ever stalked!"

"I'm not even going to ask. Now, shut up and eat as I tell the story!"

He pouted. "Okay. I promise to be quiet. I think." he grinned really big and I smiled back. God he was cute.

..::---O---::..

A.N.

I. Suck. -epicfacepalm- I offer you...a new story...that is now on hiatus. I'm a cruel bastard, i know. The updates for He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, and for The Silver Lining...are very, very late. Haven't Even started on them yet. I have no excuses.

I got the story idea and general plot for my AerithxZack story. It'll star:

Aerith

Zack (duh...)

Aqua! ;)

Rikku

Paine

Yuna

Namine (she'll have a bigger role :D)

Lulu! (she sounded cool, i need to research her)

and an OC who has yet to be named but will be based loosely off of Puck and Ariel from Shakespeare. Plus a whole secret government association, various demons, fairies, talking flowers, angels, and even a few brownies. The kind in a pan and the kind that drink saucers of milk =]

I'm thinking of calling it "Gainsborough-Faire, Paranormal at Large" or "The Witches Seven". Yeah, a witchy fic! WOO!

Once Upon a Time, Prince Charming met his beautiful princess. But the princess had a secret, a terrible dark obsession, and Prince Charming soon found himself caught in a tangled and dangerous web woven by his false true love. Is there any hope for our poor, deluded Prince?