A AkuZeku that I couldn't help but writing. I have no idea where this idea came from it just started. So here it is. Hope you all love it!

Summary: Zexion has an ability to be able to see past peoples' facades. All except one man that he's fallen for, for so long. But now that he has a chance to break him down and see behind the mask, he's not so sure he wants to because it just might get him killed.
Pairings: Axel/Zexion , stated Axel/Saix

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Enigmatic Charisma

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I'd never known true love and honestly, had never desired to. No one was appealing to me. Even through the make-up, muscle, and everything in between that; I saw straight through to the monsters that would hide within, whether they were pathetic or volatile. I'd pity them and they hate me for it still, I'm sure, unless maybe one understood. None were able to hold a conversation with me and they in time figured this out and stayed away from me. Only my books and music were able to help me through day after day.

But that all changed the second a pair of green-apple eyes locked onto me as I sat in the back corner of first period all those years ago.

Don't think I'm trying to tell you a sappy love story because that's the complete opposite of what my life turned into. It went from happily, boringly normal to always glancing over my shoulder, terrifying...it all happened with a day's time...

and all because he looked at me.

The morning of December seventeenth started just as every day of every other school year had. College is not like high school, but at the same time it is. My classes are still in the highest of ranking and my grades match as well. That fateful day in English, I had yet to realize the impact this teacher's decision could have.

Professor Genesis and the music Professor decided to give a combined class assignment; one that would be done over Christmas break. A student from each class will have to team with a student from the other and create a type of musical literature that could possibly be performed.

Professor Genesis strides to the back and his deep red shirt reflects his hair and eyes as he comes to stand before me. "Here you are Zexion. Your partner will be Axel Kaen." I'm handed a slip of paper before he turns to walk away, "I am sure that you will do perfectly fine with this assignment." The graceful man walks away as if he's walking on air instead of solid steps. I rest my head back onto my palm and stare at the clock.

This has potential disaster. I hope this man is somewhat competent of doing his part. Rumors circulate the campus about him and none of them are particularly decent. Yet all the while, I still haven't found a way to fall out of love for him.

With a quick glance at the clock he claps his hands together as he reaches his desk that is neatly stacked with papers and books, "You all are going to need to move to your own table. Before you leave today, I want each of you to know the other. Now my pupils, impress me!"

The door pulls open and students begin to file in. They each seem to know the partner they are paired with while my eyes travel over them in anticipation. Due to my being in the farthest corner, I already have my own table. The last one to enter surprises me into a stare I'm not used to.

Flaming hair situates around his shoulders as lively sage green oculi settle on me. Decked out in sharp tight black attire, Axel strides confidently, almost cocky, up to me. He slides into the chair next to me, pinning me into my corner that had been my haven.

"Yo, you must be Zexion. Got a nickname?" I can only shake my head slowly as he grins at me. "Well then I will be honored to give you one, Zexy!"

I half choke on the air I suck into my lungs, "Y-You can not call me t-that."

"Too little too late for that Zexy."

"Stop saying that."

"You gonna make me?" That cat-like grin stretches farther on his face as if it could touch his ears. Axel leans forward so that when I lean away, my back touches the wall. "Well Zexy?"

Swallowing hard, I try to regain the composure I had lost, "No. Now what are we going to do about this song?"

Becoming serious, Axel sits back against his seat, "I figured you could write and I can do the melody."

"Even I know it is not that easy. As much as I would rather do it your way, we need to work together if we want a decent grade."

Axel nods only slightly, "Then we will meet at your place. No need to give me the address, my younger brother hangs with your brother from time to time. I will be over say, tomorrow afternoon, is that good for you?"

"Yes, quite."

"Good, see you then Zexy." Just as the last syllable slips off his tongue, the tuneful bell chimes the end of school for several weeks.

I take my time to let the others begin to leave as I set my books into my satchel. As I stride out of the doors and toward the crosswalk, I spot the flash of red hair. At first I shrug it off but the second time it catches my eye I cannot help but turn around.

In a niche at the side of the Victorian building, Axel sits on the ground wiping at his mouth. A nicely muscled man stands over him, making his own frame appear frail. Cerulean hair shoots up and his golden eyes send chills up and down my spine.

Just from looking at this dominate male I can tell that he's possessive and will do anything to keep something his or to get rid of it. The proof is the smear of scarlet on his knuckles.

Taking a deep breath, I walk purposely over to them and insert myself in the middle of their feud. A deep growl erupts from the man's throat, "Get out of here bookworm."

"Name calling, how juvenile."

The azure haired brute pulls his arm back but a voice sounds from by my feet, "Get out of here."

But we both ignore his plea, "What's your name?"

I let my eyes narrow, "I'm not sure your puny mind could handle such a piece of elaborate and complicated information such as my title."

Axel kicks at my sneaker, "Would you just get the hell out of here Zexion!"

I spin around to glare at him, "I was just attempting to assist you but now I can see that you are handling yourself just fine as you sit there drooling blood. I will see you tomorrow then, try to appear presentable."

Storming away I cannot help but think I should have stayed. I shake away the thought and continue on my way home.

I had not seen him show any fissure in his facade. No inner turmoil bleed through, not even when he was lying on the ground under that Saix's unrelenting gaze. What is so horribly bad that he keeps it locked away so tight? Even better...I get to work with him and see him throughout what was supposed to be a peaceful break.

My brain tells me that it is time to get up but I cannot seem to bring myself to do so. I blindly tug let my hand search for the hem of the blanket that disappeared from me at some time in the night, but cannot find it. Groaning, I wipe at my eyes and roll onto my back, dragging my hands up my face and pushing back my slate colored hair.

A chuckle sends my eyes flying open and they search for the intruder. Bolting upright in bed I catch him as he sits on the edge of it, staring at me.

Frantically I grab at the comforter and yank it from underneath him, causing him to tumble onto the floor. On my hands and knees, I crawl over to the end and peer over the side only to be knocked backward as his body weighs on top of me. Hands planted on the either side of my head prove my entrapment. Yet its those hypnotic emeralds that make me pause.

"What in the world are you doing in my room, especially while I am asleep?"

Axel laughs at the flush I know is spreading across my cheeks and neck, "Well I got here a little bit ago. Your parents let me in after I told them what was going on. Told me to go ahead and wake you if you weren't already up that they were going to the airport."

"They left you here with me?" Axel only nods. "Would you please do me the honor of removing yourself from me?" He shakes his mane.

It is almost as if yesterday hadn't happened. That I didn't see him being bullied into the ground. But I did.

I find myself staring at the thin pink lips that are his as he leans closer, "Why? I'm pretty comfortable right here."

"Axel remove yourself or I swear I will scream rape at the top of my lungs." He seems to contemplate my threat before pulling himself away. "Now leave so I can change without your perverted prying eyes."

"We're both guys Zexy."

"But I, unlike you, am not homosexual. So I would feel much more secure without you in my presence while I dress."

Axel smriks while a laugh echoes down the stairwell as he heads back to the first floor to wait on me.

On the other hand, I scurry over to my closet and pull out a long sleeved pain black shirt and a pair of worn out jeans. I slip on a pair of socks so that my feet don't freeze and hurry down the stairs to eliminate the amount of time that Axel is left alone.

I expect him to be in the living room but all that is there is his jacket and crimson guitar case. But the sound of a wooden stool scraping against the tile alerts me to the kitchen. As I round the corner I see his leather clad butt perched on the island-counter popping sweet green grapes in his mouth. With a doe like expression he turns to me, oblivious.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Eating, you never offered anything and I'm starved."

I roll my eyes and spin on my heel, leaving him and making my way back to the living room. Almost on cue he follows as I sit down next to the case. "Are you ready to get started?"

He nods and takes the seat next to me. I pick up a note pad off of the table and the pen that sits besides it. It's always there just in case any of us have ideas to write down or messages from a phone call.

"Happiness, sorrow, morbidity, apathy, what general subject?"

Silence answers me and I notice that he's fallen asleep against the arm rest. The urge to smile is beaten down by the fact that he's actually sleeping when we should be working.

The hem of his shirt has been pushed up to above his belly button, allowing me to see darkened splotches of skin. Bruises. I stand up and move back into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast when I notice that it's past noon.

Did that man do that to him? Was it because I butted in or because I left?

Once the food is in my belly, I march back over to the couch and lightly shake his shoulder. "Axel, Axel wake up."

With a few incoherent mumbles and rubs at his eyes, he sits up. "Why the hell did you let me fall asleep?"

"Excuse me but I wished to eat in silence and without your pestering abilities. Now I want you to explain where those bruises of yours have come from?"

"Why would I tell you? You don't even like me."

"I...I never said any such thing."

Axel puffs out air and jumps to his feet, instantly towering over me. That facade of his holds strong as a frown laces his those beautiful lips of his.

I'm not into guys...or at least I don't advertise it. Who would want to? I'm already avoided as it is.

"It's none of your bus-"

A sharp knock on the door and the ringing of the doorbell stops us both dead. I pivot away and head straight for the door. I throw it open without even looking through the peephole, which I guess I should have done.

Those same poisonous yellow eyes settle on me as a slow manic grin slips onto his features. Before I can blink, I'm being shoved backwards as he barges in and slams the door shut behind him.

The back of my head crashes into the tiled floor as hard as it possibly can and forces a groan from me. A fist curls into the collar of my shirt and half drags me over to where Axel is. By now the red head's calm countenance gives me no sign of being my savior. So instead, I claw at his leg before I'm slammed into the ground and lifted back up.

"A-Axel...what's g-going on?"

Saix growls and knees me in the side of the head, "Shut up you tramp."

"Leave him out of this!"

"Now Axel, let's not rush things. I want your boyfriend to know what you're really like."

That's when the faux face he wears cracks and he falters with his next choice of words, "Saix. No don't do this. He's not my boyfriend."

"Why would anyone else stick up for trash like you unless you were in their pants?"

I feel my head growing heavier than it should be and my neck tiring from holding it up. It falls back and I stare at Axel's boots before the blotches of black finally drag me into unconsciousness.

I pry my eyelids apart to be welcomed by an unwanted site. Saix stares at me from his position on my couch...no, not my couch...

Did he run off with me?

"Bout time you woke up. I thought I killed you."

"Where am I?"

"My apartment. Not that it matters, you might be dead by the end of the night since not even Axel knows where I am, or at least I don't think he'll get here in time. Do you?"

"I'm not his boyfriend."

Saix springs to his feet only to kneel beside my battered and bound body on the floor. "So what are you to him? I saw the way he looked at you...the way he's always looked at you. It sickens me." He pulls me up by my shirt so that my face is closer to his. "I'm going to make sure no one ever loves that whore ever again."

That's right. Axel dated him a while back. Apparently he has yet to get over the rejection. It appears I was right in the beginning...he'll do anything.

The back of my head slams into the ground once more and he leaves my side to storm into another room.

I move my fingers that lie awkwardly underneath me only to realize that he must have sprained my left wrist. As I cradle it to my chest, I struggle to push myself to my feet. After a few short lived tries, I finally lean against the side of the couch as my legs throb.

Whether I was conscious or not he beat me the crap out of me. I wish I knew what he did to Axel to get the chance to get me out of my own house and over to his pitiful apartment.

Limping forward, I reach the phone cradle as a voice sounds from somewhere outside the door. I change my course to the threshold and throw push my fingers against the sliding lock on the door. I throw the latch open just as Saix rounds the corner back into the room.

Just before his hands grab at me I manage to hoarsely yell out incoherently. My forehead collides into the table in front of the couch as he throws me to the side. Cursing, I can hear him struggle to keep the door closed from the intruder.

A commanding shriek cuts through the air, "Get down on the floor, now!"

I roll onto my stomach and grasp my head in my hands even as the blood runs into my fingers and mats my hair to my face. Footfalls vibrate the floor around me as voices shout over each other to give orders from one to the other.

Strong hands roll me over and I find myself looking up into amethyst eyes, the only thing differing this officer from Axel besides the tattoos underneath their eyes. I know Axel has reverse violet teardrops and this man has crimson slants to compliment his long hair.

"Yo can you hear?"

Another groan slips past my lips, "Y-Yes."

"Alright I want you to focus on me okay? Try to stay awake."

Did I hit that hard?

The thin man easily lifts me into his arms and carries me down a few flights of stairs before finally sliding into the front seat of his cruiser. Getting behind the wheel he steers the car with the lights and siren blazing, "Didn't think you'd need medical attention or we would have gotten an ambulance to follow us all the way out there. Hey you just keep your eyes on me okay? I need to know that you're following what I'm saying to you."

Those words are the last thing I hear as I slowly feel myself falling back into the darkness...forward into mind.

Pads of fingers graze over my knuckles in such a soothing manner that I urge myself to wake from this state of suspension. Glancing to my right I see Axel sitting there with both his hands wrapped around one of mine. When our eyes connect, his own grow wide and I feel myself smile...that faux mask is finally shattered. Leaning over me he pecks my lips so softly that it is as if a feather had skimmed them.

"A-Axel what happened?"

The red head sits back down, "After Saix locked me in this closet room I called my brother Reno, he's in the force, and told him where he could find you. Way on the outskirts of town in the abandoned apartment buildings. It would take him about an hour to get out there but I knew it would take me just as long to get out and then longer to you." A sob is choked back, "The Doctor said that you suffered severe trauma to your head, a broken wrist, sprained ankle, and you had a bunch of cuts all over your chest and back. Reno said there was basically no shirt left. No one thought you would be completely okay."

"You care...about me?"

"Of course I do stupid. But if Saix had known that I did then he would've gotten to you so much sooner."

"I use to talk to you."

"That was before him Zexion."

"Don't you mean Zexy?" A sweet laugh wraps around me and into my ears, almost as if it alone could heal me. "Axel...how long do I have to stay in here? We need to work on that assignment."

Another, but more passionate, kiss rests on my lips and leaves a truer smile on my countenance, "Just get better. I'll be here with you every day. It's already been two days out of the five you need to be here but I've already jotted down some ideas and you can go over them later."

"I love you Axel."

"I love you too Zexion."

Axel's brother Reno made sure that Saix was put away for a long while, which he did. But after we graduated that last year, Axel disappeared from my life for a full year before returning and proposing to me with that same song we had wrote in college. Naturally I accepted and I couldn't be happier.