What a Birthday!

Excitement was an understatement, to say in the least. And who said a heart had to be present to cause excitement? Sure, it makes the pulse quicken, but it’s all adrenaline. That’s what makes the nerves tingle and palms to sweat. And that’s what deprived one of sleep.
But that didn’t bother Demyx in the least. He leapt out of bed in a flash of navy blue sheets and sky blue comforter. Today was Wednesday. But not just any Wednesday. The only Wednesday to make his nerves ablaze and his stomach do flips and twirls. It was his birthday. Now 18, he demanded a worthwhile celebration instead of the usual single-candled cupcake and a pat on the back from whoever was nearby at the time.
He wanted to spend the whole day with his favorite person. And after cheating, yes, secretly but willingly cheating at a game of dice, he beat Luxord and won the privilege of a special birthday.
At first, he expected a bigger fuss from Xemnas for asking for such a foolish request, but he soon learned the silent man cared little of what anyone did as long as it left him and Saix alone together in the lab.
Not that it mattered. He was spending a whole day with Luxord! Whether he wanted to or not.
After quickly pulling on some old cargo pants and a pullover sweatshirt, Demyx trotted down to the dining area. And just as he hoped, Luxord sat cross-legged on the old oak chair, newspaper unfurled and enveloping everything but his long legs.
Demyx smiled and tip-toed up the Luxord, standing patiently before the blond man. Sensing another presence, Luxord tugged the seam at the middle of the newspaper so the top half fell back, his bright blue eyes glancing over the excited boy. He grunted and flipped the paper back up, resuming his reading.
Demyx normally would have been crestfallen, but not today.
“Luxord! You promised to play with me all day.” he whined, wiggling his head underneath the newspaper so he was between the man and his daily articles of depression. He saw the blond fuzz of his goatee twitch as he suppressed a snide remark.
“Negh.” he grunted, trying to read around the dirty blond mop of hair. Honestly. He told the boy many times to get his hair cut. But Demyx insisted on the punk rocker style, letting the top grow long enough to stick up in a soft mass. The sides were shaved short but the back grew several inches down the nape of his neck. And his bangs hung down in long strands across his face, always in tickling strands so he would wiggle his nose in reflex irritation. Honestly, it was quite adorable.
“I don’t care what I did. I want to finished my paper.” he snipped off briskly as he continued trying to look around the boy seated in his lap.
Demyx frowned. Now this wasn’t fair at all. He sat firmly in his spot, irritating Luxord enough to make him pay attention to him. He hoped. Luxord sighed. Demyx could smell eggs and coffee on the man’s breath.
“Honestly kiddo. You are the only one who could drive me to insanity.” he said matter-of-factly as he folded the paper and tossed it on his cold plate of massacred toast and ketchup.
Demyx made a face. “You’re the only one I know who can eat ketchup and toast together.” he stuck out his tongue in a disgusted facade and fingered the cold remains. Luxord rested his elbow on the table so he could cradle his temple with his index and middle fingers as his thumb supported his jaw. Demyx popped his finger into his mouth to remove any red tomato paste he might have picked up.
“So, today’s your birthday, huh?” Luxord asked lazily. The reaction from the boy was enough to make his heart clench, if he were to have one. He watched with amusement as the boy, now man, nodded enthusiastically like a child. Maybe he still was.
“First step into manhood I’d say. It’s finally starting to show.” He was referring to the start of sideburns on Demyx’s face. They looked more like long strands of hair, but actually they were the start of a promising beard, from his hairline of his temples down just enough to graze the top of his jaw, hardly three centimeters past the lobes of his ears.
Demyx scowled and swatted Luxord’s hand away that was playfully stroking his ‘beard’. “Enough talk! You promised a full day and I get one! So, are you going to do it or not?”
Luxord sighed in defeat, blinking slowly and rolling his two fingers against his temple to alleviate some of the pressure. He opened his eyes again and took all of the boy in. Funny as it was, he was defiantly older than he was yesterday. He was taller, and the chubbiness of his cheeks were gone, leaving a smooth and extraordinarily handsome face. True, he had yet to experience the need to shave, he was in every physical way a man.
Somehow, that found a way to depress Luxord. He remembered how young he was when he was recruited into Organization 13. He also remembered the long conversations held between the older members. They would talk about Demyx. They would get into long talks about the prettiness of the boy, who was upstairs, asleep because of enforced curfew. Another thing he had now outgrown.
Yet again, looking again at the slender shoulders and pouting lips, Demyx still had lots of growing to do. Luxord lifted his head and nodded. “Ok squirt. You win. It’s a date.”
Demyx actually, Luxord couldn’t believe it, he actually squealed with delight. “Oh Luxord! You’ve already made this the best birthday ever!” he gushed. “Oh. Ok.” Luxord reached over and opened his newspaper again to irritate the boy.
“Hey! Luxord! You’re breaking my heart.” he whimpered softly.
“Oh don’t bullshit me. You know we don’t have hearts.” Luxord chuckled gently.
“But Roxas used to say we really had hearts.” Demyx countered, climbing awkwardly out of his lap.
“Roxas was as unstable and a chimpanzee attached to an atomic bomb with a handful of petroleum jelly.” Luxord stood up reluctantly and ruffled Demyx’s unruly hair. “Ok pint-sized. Where to?” as soon as he asked, he dreaded the answer. His dread was rewarded with a large grin that split across the no-longer-boy-not-quite-man’s face. “The beach!”