Chapter Seven: Whoever Brings the Night

After the school day was finished, Zexion found himself walking to the nearest bookstore. Instead of buying a replica of the book now residing in the bottom most reaches of a dumpster, the bookworm figured he would try something a bit more different. Maybe the gruesome fairytales of the Brothers Grimm? Or a complete works of Hans Christian Anderson? He was still feeling a bit… Love sick.

He piled all the collections of fairy tales that he could before heading towards Shakespeare. Maybe something in there would be a bit more towards his current attitude. He left the bookstore with ten more books than he had planned leaving with, however his heart was lighter and his face was already buried in the pages of The Tempest. Zexion only needed to walk a few streets and turn a corner or two and he'd find his way back home.

Home, apparently, wasn't where he was meant to go.

"Well, well, if it isn't little mouse." Seifer's voice came from behind him. The senior unwillingly shut the book and turned to the school yard bully. Surprisingly he didn't have his little fan-club with him, but Zexion was well aware Seifer didn't need the others to harm him. Partly he regretted buying so many books, they would make it more difficult to escape. "I'm surprised you managed to sneak past me after school."

"Wasn't too hard," Zexion mused, surprised at how truly easy it was to put on a façade. "There is only one of you after all." The beanie-wearing bully scowled, crossing his arms. Zexion slipped the book back into one of the bags and took a deep breath. "What do you want from me, Seifer? You wait less than three more weeks and I graduate and you'll never have to see me again."

"Three weeks is far too long."

"Patience would do you some good." Zexion managed to cross his arms, almost wincing at the feeling of the bags digging into his arms. People continued to walk passed, all continuing about their lives as if there was not about to be some kind of showdown on the sidewalk between two high school teenagers.

Seifer took a few steps closer and Zexion tensed. He knew if he let Seifer get too close the minor conversation they hand could come to blows. However the timing was in Zexion's favor. The crowds were beginning to grow with post-work traffic, so if Zexion decided to run for it there was a possibility of losing the bully. And then, when Seifer seemed to practically bow up, Zexion took off running.

Seifer yelled out after him, the cry getting lost in the noises of the town. However, no matter how easily Zexion slipped between groups of people, using his slightly shorter height to his advantage, the clammering of his bags and the sounds of people complaining made it easier for Seifer to follow. He burst through a large group, and while he could no longer see Seifer, quickly darted in-between two buildings, ducking behind an overly large garbage bin.

The bags crinkled at his sides, and Zexion tried his hardest not to breathe so loud from all the running, but it was difficult. When a couple minutes passed, Zexion grabbed the bags and left out the back side of the alley, into another crowded walkway. He stood there, at the edge of the moving crowd and waited for an opening so he could slip inside. Finally there was an opening, and the senior easily stepped inside. He moved with the wave of people, quickly exiting when nearing the next big street.

It was on this main street Zexion was spotted by Raijin and Fujin, the two goons Seifer tended to having hanging off his arms. Upon spotting him, the two stood immediately and Raijin began calling Seifer on his cell. Zexion tensed before trying to lose everyone once again in the busy streets of downtown. However, in his rush to burst into the crowd…

"Zexion?"

The high school senior whirled about, almost colliding once again with the twins standing behind him. Sora and Roxas stood side by side, arms linked and matching eyes wide. "Everything okay?" Roxas asked, stepping forward slightly.

"Yes," Zexion assured quickly. "Nothing is wrong. I apologize for running into you." His slate eyes kept darting to Sora's face, darkening in sadness as the other boy kept his gaze adverted.

Roxas crossed his arms; his brother's getting caught up in the tangled limbs. "Then why are you in such a hurry?"

As if through an old filter, Zexion watched as time slowed and in-between a gap of people in the crowd, he spotted Seifer standing with Raijin and Fujin. Zexion took a deep breath, adjusting his grip on the bags. "Seifer."

Roxas and Sora shared a look before nodding. Roxas took the bags from Zexion and Sora grabbed a free hand. "Follow me!" Sora proceeded to drag Zexion through the crowd, losing both Roxas and Seifer in the sea of bodies. Zexion knew his hand was undoubtedly hot and probably sweaty from feeling of plastic bags digging into the skin, but another flare of heat hit him when he noticed Sora wasn't letting go.

Sora dragged him through alleyways Zexion wasn't even aware existed until they ended up near the pier, the cloudy skies hinting at a rain later that night. But it was the bright colors of orange, red yellow and purple that reflected off the ocean onto the massive clouds. The two came to a stop, Zexion panting with overexertion; he wasn't sure he'd run that long in the entirety of his eighteen years. Taking deep breaths in an attempt to slow his heart down, he brushed his bangs out of his face for a moment and glanced at Sora.

He was standing at the very edge of the pier, eyes closed as an ocean breeze blew passed the two and ruffled their clothes. The senior was reluctant to ruin the picturesque moment, especially because of all the things that were bound to occur when he did. However he somehow found his voice and spoke. "Sora?"

The brunette turned, offering Zexion a smile. "You know, it made things very difficult when you ran away that night." Zexion felt his face flush and his heart race once again. So much for trying to calm down. Sora turned and crossed his arms, eyes never meeting the senior's gaze. "I was trying to tell you it was okay. I don't mind if you like me like that."

Zexion took a few steps back, lowering his eyes and feeling the flush get warmer. Basically Sora was just verbally clarifying what he knew all along. Sora wouldn't look at him like that. Ever.

"I mean, it's hard to not appreciate it somewhat." Zexion could spot the blush rising on Sora's face. "I mean, who doesn't want to be liked like that? Much less loved? It's…"

Zexion turned away. "There's no need to continue, I understand."

Sora laughed, and even to Zexion's ears it sounded forced. "No, I don't think you do. For being so smart, you can be so blind some times."

…what?

"Zexion, I like you. Like that." Sora rushed to stand in front of him, as if blocking him from leaving. Why would he leave now? "I'd like to date you and have reasons other than schoolwork, or needing help in Lionheart's class as an excuse to speak with you." He nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Honestly Roxy was getting so annoyed with me, constantly going on and on about you whenever I could. At one point even Riku was threatening to out me."

The senior was pretty sure that there was more to that train of thought, but he couldn't help the faint temptation that he had. Zexion quickly kissed Sora on the cheek, unable to help the grin that split his face at the darkening of Sora's blush. After a pause, he held one of Sora's hands in his own, and Sora couldn't help but link their fingers together, offering a nervous grin.

Both their phones beeped from their pockets, and both quickly fished them out and read the message contained. Sora's blush seemed to calm down in mortification at whatever his brother sent, and Zexion couldn't help the sappy grin hidden partially behind bangs. /you ok?/

He typed in a reply and hit send, pulling his love interest/friend/boyfriend(?) into a hug.

/yeah, definitely/

Figured I'd get this part posted here. This is the final chapter of Academia. Maybe one day I'll come back and revisit this pairing and give them an epilogue, but for now I'm happy to have finished my first every multi-chapter fic here on ffnet. It's been a long time coming, and I apologize to all of you who patiently waited all these years. I thank you all who reviewed and shared your opinions, and I greatly appreciate my dear Tysonkaiexperiment who sits and chats with me online, dealing with my procrastination and pushing me to finish this thing. If it wasn't for her, you'd still be waiting for this.

Thanks again everyone, and I look forward to seeing you in my other fics. Ta~