Hello, friends. It's been 10,000 years since I last wrote anything but somehow I managed to write this little oneshot. Writer's block is a curse. I'm trying to write more but it's hard. Uhh, happy belated Zemyx Day?

Minimally edited lmao

Inspired by a fanart I can't seem to figure out how to give the link to. oops

Awkwardness was not something Demyx was unfamiliar with. In fact, he embarrassed himself on a regular basis. Once, at school, he tripped on his own shoelace and knocked some kid over in the hall. Of course he'd apologized immediately, but then when he reached over to help the other kid up, he'd stopped in his tracks, holding his hand with his mouth flopping open like an idiot. This only earned him a wary and mildly disgusted look from the kid, who, to add insult to injury, removed his hand from Demyx's, stood up on his own, dusted himself off, picked up his books, and left.

He was just as suave as ever the next time they met, a week later, in the hall in front of what Demyx guessed was the kid's locker. He didn't even know his name, but his locker was number 600. While the kid was still rooting through his locker, Demyx leaned against the one next to it, the only words going through his head being, "Okay, apologize for making the biggest ass of yourself the other day, you can do this, Dem." But when the kid closed his locker door and finally noticed Demyx, he jumped nearly out of his skin. Laying a hand over his chest to calm his heart, he glared up at the blond.

"What do you want?" he interrogated. Demyx offered a hammy smile, trying to ignore how he'd just startled the poor guy.

"Ummmmm, sooo," he began smartly. "Sorry about that the other day. And also just now." He paused. "Sorry."

"Apology not accepted," 600 shot back, and turned on his heel, about to stalk off to his next class.

Demyx grabbed his arm before it was just out of reach, getting his attention back with a, "H-hey, wait!" and when he was met with an expectant look, coughed into his other hand. "Um, I didn't get your name?"

600 only rolled his eyes, or rather, Demyx could only see one of them, since the other was shrouded by his low fringe. "It's Zexion," he replied. "Can you let go of me now? I have to get to AP Physics."

"Yeah, sure," Demyx said, letting his hold on Zexion's arm slip. "I'm Demyx, by the way."

"I didn't ask for that," Zexion said, starting to make his leave again.

"Apology accepted?"

"Go to class, Demyx."

Deciding to turn it up a notch, Demyx showed up at Zexion's locker the next day with a new plan in mind. Right as his class let out, he'd booked it and ran as fast as he could to Zexion's locker so he could beat him there. Lo and behold, a disgruntled Zexion appeared about a minute later, tightly gripping the strap of his book bag. He narrowed his eyes at the smiling Demyx.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I have a proposition," the blond offered. When the shorter of the two only raised his eyebrow in question, he cleared his throat. "Zexion. Would you. Like. To."

"Get on with it."

Demyx took a deep breath, and in a jumbled rush of speech-sounds, squeaked, "Wouldyouliketojoinmeforacupofcoffeelaterperhaps?"

Zexion blinked at him. "Why?"

"O-oh. Well, uh, I just wanted to get to know you better, I guess," Demyx mumbled, scratching at the back of his neck. He glanced down at his dusty chucks.

"Why?"

"Why?"

"What's so special about me? Why are you bothering with me?" Zexion asked, and he looked genuinely confused. Jeez, didn't the kid have any friends?

Because I think you're really cute, Demyx didn't say. Instead he shrugged, trying to look like he didn't just think that. "Well, I like getting to know people," he said. "Which, ultimately, includes you, too."

Zexion only stared at him, milling over the offer in his head with a frown. Demyx fluttered his eyelashes and grinned down at him, hoping maybe that might make him more charming and agreeable. He really hadn't hoped for much, and was about to leave dejectedly with his tail between his legs when Zexion finally spoke up.

"Alright, sure."

Demyx's eyes widened. "Really?"

Zexion looked around, wringing his hands together. He groaned. "Yeah, really." Then he added, "after school is fine, so meet me outside, I suppose. Now move, I need to get to my locker."

Demyx did as he was told in favor of heading to his own locker before he was late to class. He set off with a smile and wave toward Zexion, who gave his own little wave back, if Demyx was seeing correctly.

The end of school found the pair standing inside a small nearby cafe called the Traveler's Cafe, both shuffling nervously around each other in line. The place was simple, just a few tables on a veranda, but the drinks were pretty good. How Demyx knew the name, he wasn't sure, as the wooden sign hanging off the roof of the veranda only depicted a cup and saucer.

Other than a three-line conversation ("So, Zexion, did you just move here?" "Yeah." "Oh, that's cool."), the pair had spent the brief walk over in silence. Zexion, because he was naturally quiet, and Demyx, because he couldn't think of a single thing to say. Earlier, when they met in front of the school, he had noticed Zexion glancing around at the other kids who were on their way home as if he expected them to say or do something. He didn't push it.

When neither of them spared each other so much as a word for a good minute and a half, Demyx finally spoke up.

"So, AP Physics, huh?" he asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets and glancing up at the overhead menu. What did people even do in AP Physics? Test gravity? Demyx was pretty good at that.

"Yeah," Zexion replied shortly, gripping the strap of his bag like he did before.

Demyx reached a hand up to rake his fingers through his hair and sighed. Way to go, blondie, the thought. The master of seduction. He shifted back and forth on his feet.

"Umm, so what're you getting? My treat," he said, glancing down at the shorter, who had already taken out his wallet. Zexion's eyes widened.

"Really? You don't have to do that," he said shakily.

"I want to. I'm the one who asked you out, after all," Demyx said, and then he wished he hadn't. His face burned when he saw Zexion's eyebrows shoot up.

"I-is this a...?"

Demyx gulped. He could feel his insides all turn to jelly. Somehow he managed to choke out a reply, "Only if you want it to be."

A short silence passed, and they were next in line. Demyx was sure the awkwardness would eat a hole through him, or he was at least certain his stomach was twisting with dread over his little slip up.

"Um," Zexion spoke up, and the suddenness of his voice nearly made Demyx jump. He seemed to notice that, and what he said next was softer. "If you're still offering... I'd like a chai latte. Thank you."

The blond stared down at him. Was this him declaring he was okay with this being a date? He was glad he was on Zexion's left side, because he could see a blush creeping up to his ears. Zexion was pointedly looking away as he slid his wallet back into his bag.

Demyx walked up to the counter, ordered his and Zexion's drinks, and the two sat down at a table while they waited. Leaning on his hand, Demyx watched Zexion, who was staring down at his hands as he messed with a stray thread on his bag.

"Hey," the blond said. "Do you have any, like, nicknames?"

"No," Zexion replied, not looking up from his hands. "I don't like nicknames."

"What about 'Zexy'?"

This made him look up. He leveled Demyx with a frown. "You're not an exception to the no-nicknames rule."

"Please?" Demyx begged. "I love nicknames, please let me call you Zexy."

"No. Don't make me regret hanging out with you."

"Oh, so now this is just a hang-out? You wound me, Zexy."

"Don't call me that."

Demyx let out a laugh that ripped through the small cafe, which only made Zexion shrink down and cover his face in a I'm-not-with-this-crazy-guy way. His cheeks were red again. Demyx leaned on his hand again once he calmed down, looking around and wondering what to say next.

"Umm," he began. "Any good books you read recently? Like, not just for school? You read, right? I think I've seen you around with your nose in a book."

"Yes, I read," Zexion replied, and Demyx would have been damned if he didn't see the sparkle in his eye when he said that. "The most recent book I've read would be Howl's Moving Castle, actually."

"Oh, was it good?"

"Was it good? Demyx, it was great," he scoffed, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Diana Wynne Jones is a wonderful author, you know, and I'd really wanted to read this book after seeing the movie, and let me tell you," he paused to wet his lips. "The movie doesn't even compare. They're almost completely different stories, and I love Miyazaki's work, but he left out one of the sisters. How could he do that? Like, why?"

Demyx only nodded, not following even one little thing Zexion was saying, but grinning because he'd never heard this many words come out of his mouth at once before.

"And, you know, I really thought the book did a much better job at showing how fickle Howl is, a real Byronic hero. Also, did you know in the book, Wizard Suliman is a man? In the movie, she's a woman. I thought that change was rather interesting. Also –"

Before he could say any more, however, someone behind the counter called out their names. It was a good thing, too, because Demyx was about to slide off the table from leaning so far in. The blond blinked, and looked over to the counter before standing and shooting Zexion an apologetic look. When he sat back down with their drinks, he noticed Zexion hadn't started talking again.

"As you were saying?" he prompted, placing Zexion's drink in front of him.

"Oh, uh," he said, taking the drink in his hands gingerly. "Are you sure I'm not boring you? Sorry for going off on some tangent like that. I just like talking about books, I guess."

"What? It's not boring," Demyx gasped. "Actually, I really like hearing you talk! You seemed really passionate just now, it was really cool."

Zexion openly gaped at that, and Demyx really just wanted to hug the heck out of him, but he didn't. Because that would be weird. Instead he took a gulp of his drink.

"Really?"

"Yeah, so like, if you wanted to keep talking, I wouldn't stop you."

"I might just take you up on that offer," Zexion said. He finally took a sip of his drink. "But not right now. I'm kind of embarrassed."

"That's alright," Demyx smiled. "But I'm always an open ear, just so you know."

If he hadn't already been watching closely, he might have missed the small smile that curled on Zexion's lips. It was there and gone just as quickly as it appeared, but it was a smile all the same.

Half an hour later and the pair was shuffling around each other again, standing right at the edge of the veranda. They didn't really know whether to part there or walk together to wherever. The bus stop. Either of their houses. Back to the school. Somewhere.

Zexion sighed and moved to adjust his bag strap on his shoulder. "I should head home."

"Yeah, me too," Demyx replied, tapping his toes on the sidewalk.

Quiet.

"That was kind of okay," Zexion broke the silence. "What we did today."

"Just okay?" Demyx asked, raising a brow at him.

"Yeah."

The blond hummed. "Would you mind if we did that again?"

"Not particularly."

"Cool."

"Yes," Zexion sniffed. After a pause, he turned on his heel and started walking away. "See you tomorrow, Demyx."

"See ya, Zexy."

"Don't push it."

As Demyx turned and walked smiling in the other direction, he tripped over his own shoelace. Smooth operator.