"I wish you would tell me what's wrong, Axel."

There was a pause inserted here, an awkward silence that permeated the air. Both men were silent, one surveying the destruction in the room with calm, almost impassive eyes.

The other stood, with his hand pressed against the wall, his head bowed and unkept red hair sticking to his skin as the sweat trickled along his cheeks.

lying was useless, he knew Demyx could see through just about any lie might've conjured up. The blonde's existence (or lack there of) in the room was both a blessing, and a curse.

Axel's eyes were fixed to the floor, watching with disinterested eyes as the water sloshed against his boots. Well, that was too bad.

He had been planning to burn his room to a fucking crisp.

"...Axel." The blonde pressed, stepping closer to the redhead, conveniently ignoring the burn marks on the wall, the shredded sheets, and the two chakram that lay immersed in water beside his feet.

He wasn't afraid. Really, what could Axel do? He certainly couldn't burn him, even if he had tried, fire can't burn water, after all.

Part of him said that he should just leave the redhead here, alone, within the burnt, torn room, his feet immersed in water. But curiosity was rearing tapping at his skull in random, annoying intervals.

He waited in silence for a moment, watching the man in front of him before sighing, about to ask again when-

"...Dem. You think we have hearts, right?"

The question caught him by surprise, and he was taken aback for a moment, the words taking a few seconds to register in his mind, however his answer was automatic.

"Yeah Ax, I do."

Then Axel moved from the wall, stepping backwards, before tilting his head up, and craning his neck to stare into Demyx's eyes.

Despite himself, the blonde had gasped at the sight of the expressive emerald orbs, the emotions reverberating from that very gaze were enough to send a cold chill down his spine. He was struck mute, his arms hanging limply, uselessly at his sides as he just watched the man in front of him.

And when Axel's intense(piercing) gaze left his own, Demyx found that he could breathe again.

The redhead walked past him, towards the door, stopping in his steps, Demyx facing the wall, Axel facing the door, their shoulders brushing.

"What if...What if I told you, that I don't want a heart...?"

The elders tone made his breath hitch, and his breathing halt. It was only when Axel had left the room, only when Axel had closed the slightly unhinged door, was Demyx able to breathe again.

He stood in silence, eyelids gently shut as he listened to the water on the floor gently slush...Back and forth, in a slow soothing rhythm. And within the soft sounds of the miniature waves, he could hear the faint cries that once filled this room. He could hear the whispers, the laughter, the memories. And it was enough to make him shiver, make his legs ache.

He wondered if the room had always tasted of this, of charred walls and reckless whispers, he wondered if Axel could hear them as well, the whispers, the empty melodies that drifted from underneath the door of the room marked 'XIII'

-END-