Title: The Hunt

Rating: T/M

Pairing: AkuDemyRoku

Summary: The hunt begins for Axel, Demyx, and Roxas... And Zexion is the bait.

Word Count: 1488

Written To: the sound of people yammering in the school library

Author's Lame Excuses: Abandoned because I didn't know where to go with it... I like the idea so maybe I'll figure it out and pick it back up someday. For now, I'll leave it in here.

Zexion was a mage. A Light mage. A powerful light mage. So when he was faced with the young popobawa trying to seduce him, he scoffed. A popobawa was nothing more than a minor deemon, and certainly nothing to waste his energy on. Besides, he was late for the Circle meeting. He flipped the blonde haired creature a gold penny carelessly, watching as it reached and snatched it out of the air, examining the shiny bit of metal.

"Be off with you, I've no time for your games," he said coldly. The deemon glared at him and threw the coin back at his head. Zexion dodged with the fluid ease of long practice

"Gamessss?" he hissed in his soft, raspy voice, "Thisss isss no game. Thisss isss a hunt!"

"Well go hunt someone else, then. I'm busy," the indigo haired mage brushed past him in disgust, thinking he would never see the deemon again.

"I'll ssssee you again…" it murmured, smirking. This one was perfect for what he had in mind. He was skilled in combat, had powerful magic and above all, he was ruthless, "And when I do, you'll never essssscape."

He turned and flew back to his lair, situated in the heart of the slums. "Axssssel," he called, "I've found one!"

A redheaded demon poked his head out of the back room—the only other room in the house. His mouth was covered in blood, and he grinned, exposing bits of flesh still caught in his fangs. The blonde wrinkled his nose in disgust; flamebies had no taste, really.

"Demyx, care to join me for a meal?" Axel greeted him jovially, licking his lips. He shook his head.

"I'm afraid I have more… delicate tasstesss. Not that you care, you great brute," he sniffed, "Asss I sssaid before... I've found one. A good one."

Axel's eyes widened and he turned to call into the back room. "Roxas! Come out here, Demyx says he's found one!" his viridian eyes glittered in delight and he wrapped himself around the small blonde that had appeared at his side. Roxas was a devil's child, the result of an unwilling union between a demon and a human, giving him tiny black wings and horns and sapphire eyes that glowed with an unnatural light. He stared sullenly at Demyx, licking some of the blood from his own lips. Demyx silently thanked him for not being as messy an eater as Axel.

"What d'you mean, you've found one? Thought you said there were none," he mumbled.

"I thought ssso too, but he'ssss perfect!" Demyx smirked, "All that'ssss left to do issss ensssnare him…"

Axel and Roxas stared at him for a long moment before Roxas shrugged,

"Good luck with that then. I'm off for a nap- I'm stuffed. Axel managed to get us a nice juicy one today." he smirked in a smug sort of manner and withdrew his head from the doorway, obviously heading for the pile of blankets that served as his bed. Axel stayed longer.

"Demyx, are you sure? If you're wrong and he's not the one, it could mean disaster for all of us. You know Roxas is fragile right now, neither of them would survive this time. I can't risk that!" his eyes blazed with the fire he was born from and Demyx shivered.

"Neither can I, Axel! I love him jussssst asssss much as you do... but he'ssss the one. I'm ssssure of it. Roxssssasss and the baby will be fine," Demyx promised solemnly, "I jussst need a meal and then the hunt can begin!"

`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`

Demyx delicately wiped the semen off of his face and chest, sparing a mere glance at the pink haired man lying in the bed. He had been easy prey- a rich nobleman alone in the house, servants asleep for the night. His green eyes were half lidded as he looked at Demyx in fear, the afterglow of his release not quite giving way to his terror. The blonde sauntered up to a dresser, likely belonging to the man's wife. It was covered in jewels and little crystal trinkets- most would fetch a handsome price if sold.

"Tell everyone about thissss, or I will come back," the deemon warned, carelessly swiping about half of the valuables into his bag and smirking. The man nodded hurriedly and Demyx was gone in swirl of midnight blue cloak. He arrived back at their lair, more of a hovel really, but that was such a dirty word. It was, after all, their home—for the moment. He hoped it would stay that way for a while yet, as he really didn't feel like being chased out of yet another dwelling so soon after moving in.

"Axssssel!" he called, "I had a good haul tonight! We can feassst!"

Axel slowly emerged from the other room, a soft smile on his face. He was half clothed, dressed in naught but his leggings, and there were telltale bite marks, some still dripping blood, decorating his neck and chest.

"Shh," he whispered softly, "Roxas is still asleep."

Demyx nodded and brandished his bag of loot.

"There'ssss at leasssst 2000 munny here... that will buy ussss enough food for three weekssss, if we sssstretch it," he proclaimed.

"I'm going to put thisss away sssso one of ussss can take it to Luxsssssord in the morning."

Axel nodded, then checked the brass pocketwatch he'd nicked off of an upper class citizen some years back. It hadn't failed him once since he'd gotten it.

"It's late, Dem... Come to bed. Roxas has been asking for you. You've been hunting so much lately, it seems like you're never home." Axel moved forward and took his hands, pulling him into a gentle embrace. Demyx looked up at the flamebie quickly, then looked away.

"I know Axsssel… I'm jusssst worried about how we're going to care for a baby… we live in the sssslumssss, for Ssshiva'ssss sssake," he sighed and licked at one of the wounds thoughtfully, wrinkling his nose at the iron taste of blood. Axel pulled him up and kissed his lips gently.

"Shh, love. Come on, let's go to sleep."

The blonde nodded and followed him into the back room, smiling at Roxas's small form. He was curled around his baby bump, smooth face relaxed and rose-coloured lips curved into a soft smile. The 'bed' was really just a pile of rags and old clothing that was no longer wearable, but it was better than the dirt floor and they were grateful for it. Demyx stripped off his cloak and trousers, leaving him, like Axel, in only leggings. He quickly laid down behind the sleeping deemon, wrapping his arms around him and splaying his fingers across his stomach. He smiled when he felt a rustle of movement from within.

"Kaii isss ressstlesssss," he murmured as Axel slid in behind him, pulling a tatty blanket up to cover the three of them. The redhead kissed the back of his neck softly, shushing him.

"Well, don't follow his example," he replied, "Sleep. You have to get up at dawn tomorrow, you need the rest."

Demyx nodded slightly, already drifting off.

"Goodnight then…" he sighed, absorbing Axel's natural heat, falling asleep in just a few minutes.

'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`

Luxord was not a deemon. No, he was human. Cunning, slimy and a downright asshole… but human. And also a good friend of the three deemons, at that. He dealt in business of all kinds—mostly illegal—which was exactly why Demyx was going to see him. Luxord changed his hideouts all the time, making him notoriously hard to find, but for his regulars there were always clues as to where to find, or at least contact him.

And so Demyx headed to this new hideout, a back alley on the edge of the slums with a spring in his step and a tune on his lips.

"Luxsss!" he greeted cheerfully as he arrived, "How've you been?"

"Not bad at all, luv. Business is booming as usual—you?" he replied with a roguish grin, taking the bag handed to him by the popobawa and ran a hand through his white-blonde hair and tugging on one of his numerous piercings, peering inside.

"I'm quite well, thankssss. What do you think itssss worth?"

"Well," Luxord began, "Considering that these all appear to be genuine, I'd say about… 2950 for the lot."

Demy sucked in a breath-that was more than he'd hoped for.

"Luxsss, have I ever told you I love you?"

"I should hope not! You've got a lovely little dame and a strapping young lad waiting for you at home—said dame bein' the carrier of your child too."

Demyx laughed.

"I know, I know. Thank you, Luxsssord."

Blue eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Not at all. Now, here are your profits. Be off with you!"

The deemon gave one last grin before sauntering off, pockets heavy and heart light.

'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'