Vexen had always been in charge of acquiring ingredients. Of taking care of their garden.
Demyx and Marluxia had proved themselves helpful ever since they had wound up in their home. He knew Marluxia came many nights to sleep. That Vexen’s natural chill helped the fairy.
Demyx often came by with rare and hard to find mushrooms and berries. While Marluxia showed with flowers.
He hadn’t expected Vexen to say yes to him leaving with Demyx. To the fairy settling on his shoulder and tugging him around.
The fairy had left his side once he spotted something useful.
It was a good hour into their hunt that Demyx stopped and stared up at him.
"Did I get something in my hair?" Zexion questioned as he brushed his hands over it.
"I heard you're not human." Demyx responded and flew up to look him in the face.
"Oh. Father did mention his nightly conversations." Zexion hummed and tilted his head at him. "I am father's son. That's all. That's all he knows." His head tilted one way than the other as he spoke.
"Mmm." Zexion's head stopped tilted just a little bit too much to the right. "Balance. There's a prince in the castle to help do the other half."
“Balance?” Demyx frowned. “I don’t-”
“You don’t need to.” His head tilted the other way. “As long as the forest is safe that is all that matters. Lord Ansem put me here to balance out the dark. Ventus was put in place to balance the light. We were created for that. What more is there to know?”
“That doesn’t answer my first question.” Demyx’s arms crossed over his chest as he pouted at him. “What /are/ you?” His foot stomped in the air.
“Do you know why babies are so important to witches?”
“A baby is innocent. Moldable. A child is already coming into shape. Vexen asked for a child knowing this. He gave Lord Ansem the opportunity to make me useful.” Zexion’s voice was slowly going into sing-song “Not that he really knows. Vexen doesn’t need to know. He’s safe. You’re safe. So why ask?”
“Because I want to know.” The fairy couldn’t see past that want. The bigger picture.
“Mm, but you have nothing to trade.” Zexion’s smile was too wide. “Unless you want to give me your pretty heart.”
Demyx stared at him before changing size to stand before him. “You’re kinda scaring me now.”
“Good.” Zexion hummed and closed his eyes. “That’s your answer.”
“You’re... fear?” Demyx’s shoulders shrugged. “Jus’ tell me.”
“Nah ah, trade first.” Zexion shook his head. “Want it.”
“You have to earn my heart, Zexion.”
His head shook more. “Want it.”
Demyx looked around them, at the forest that seemed brighter, at Zexion who did not seem himself. “You take all the negative emotions. You’re- you’re-”
“Good.” Zexion placed a hand on his chest. “I am nothing more than a vessel. A container for the dark. But Vexen’s want gave me more than that. Shaped me like this. Made ‘Zexion’.”
“I see.” Demyx swallowed and reached out a hand to place on his chest. “You’re calling the forest to you. You may hold and take the negative, but you’re over doing it. I think.”
“Mm, maybe.” Zexion breathed deeply. “I didn’t know I wanted a heart.”
“Vexen’s soul shaped me. That is all I am.”
Demyx curled his hand around Zexion’s and brought it to his chest. “Well, you can’t go around stealing them. You’re not used to being around others, are you?”
“Marluxia was the one to convince father to let me leave with you.”
“True... So, you’ve always just been cooped up in that cabin?”
“Any of the creatures we’ve helped have never visited so much...” Zexion responded. “Father’s always handled the court. I’ve never met Ventus. I just know he’s there.”
“Okay. The dark is trying to fill in gaps then.” Demyx smiled at him. He didn’t really understand, but emotions were weird for him too. “Let’s take you home. Being away from your father must be having weird side effects.”
“It must be. At home I know the dark is there. I feel it. I keep it at good levels. But out here. With you. All I can think about is that it needs to leave. I need to take it all. That’s what I’m for. That’s-” Zexion’s words froze when Demyx stepped closer to him and his other hand settled on his lower back. “Demyx?”
“Focus. You’re more than that, Zexion. You’re Vexen’s son. Forget about the forest.” Demyx’s smile was kind. “Before you get all scary again.”
Zexion breathed deeply. “Do you know the way back to my home?”
“Are you lost?” Demyx hummed. “I should be able to find it.”
“I got turned around and... the forest is...” he swallowed and stepped out of Demyx’s light hold “Hard to look at right now.”
“Okay. Focus on me. I’m going to shift my size back. I’m not really used to looking at the forest like this.”
“Okay.” Zexion breathed deeply and kept his gaze on the fairy. Zexion. He was Zexion. He had to keep his shell together.
It took some time for Demyx to find their way back to the cabin. He kept looking over his shoulder to make sure Zexion was still there. He looked okay. The shadows were doing the pooling he was used to around him, and his head wasn’t at a weird angle.
“Thank you.” Zexion whispered when the cabin came into view.
“Yeah.” Demyx nodded and shifted back. He had a sinking suspicion that Marluxia expected them to be out longer. He could feel his lust. The energy of the home. But Zexion needed to be here.
Demyx swallowed and stopped before the door. “Yes. It’s just, uh, geez,” he rubbed at the back of his neck “I’m pretty sure Marluxia wanted to be /alone/ with Vexen. If you catch my drift. Which you totally don’t.” He sighed and turned to slump back against the door. “Have you ever seen Vexen with someone?”
“Only customers.” Zexion tilted his head at him. “Father has been happier these days.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Demyx breathed deeply “So, um, how about we stay out here a little longer, okay? Being close to him should be good enough, right? We could, uh, pick berries?”
“If you think that is best...” Zexion frowned.
