It's been a long time...

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx felt like he'd been gone awhile, and maybe he had. The interlude, no matter how long it had seemed at the time, had been ultimately short in the grand scheme of things.

Then again, what did time matter to a Nobody?

He had tried desperately to hold onto the memories he made while he was gone, when the days began to blend together again into a nothingness he couldn't describe.

His mission, as anticipated, came to a head and he was fairly certain that he died.

At least, he had been, but here he was, lying on the ground and staring at the sky.

"Huh." He vocalized softly, there had been darkness there before, and he could feel the water soaked into his jacket, tell tale signs that he'd been fighting.

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[melodiouspacifist]

He smiled, because it was Jed and he expected nothing less. Somehow he remembered the way he spoke, and he wasn't worried about having to decipher what he was saying.

Demyx let out a surprised noise and returned the hug, squeezing gently. "Thanks."

"I mean, it's been awhile since..." He exhaled. Jed had hugged him before, and even kissed him, but the Organization had been back to no affection, no camaraderie. For him, at least.

"Anyway. I'm so glad to see you again. I thought it might've been a dream, you know?"

[1ozstetson]

The hug was comfort for both of them, Jed looking for some sort of reassurance that this was not a dream. That the man was back, and more importantly with him.

The exhale though, oh did that bring up a warning bell.

Jed could recall some of the things that Demyx has spun on him about what his world was like. But, he wasn't going to pity the man. That was not what anyone deserved. Instead, he wanted to just remind him. Comfort him if he needed him, but first...remind him.

"Heck, I thought this were a dream. But it ain't. Real as anything else I been able to see." He pulled back just enough to see Demyx, and he smiled slightly, "Boy, you are a sight fer sore eyes. I'm glad you're back. But you ain't headin' ter that castle. I owe ya some vitals first, alright?"

Another soft squeeze before Jed did pull away, save for a hand resting on the blond's shoulder.

[melodiouspacifist]

He probably hadn't said enough about his world, honestly, but Jed was right, pity wasn't what he was looking for.

Demyx smiled. "Yeah, thanks. I kinda...don't want to go anywhere near that castle again."

Some things had certainly changed, and he desperately wanted out at times, wasn't death that opportunity? Didn't he finally get his freedom?

He squeezed back and let Jed go as he did. "Cool. You know what I missed? Your food." He grinned, come on Jed, feed him!

[1ozstetson]

"Good." That settled it. Demyx was staying with him in the Welcome House, come hell or high water.

The cowboy pulled back, but kept his hand on Demyx' elbow. A sort of anchor, mostly for Jed but if it helped both of them, then why not? He grinned and nodded.

"Oh sure, jus' my food. Well come on. Nothin' better than home cooked, and no better home cooked 'en mine."

It was familiar. And he had sorely missed it, just seeing his friend had filled something he was still trying to place. "Come on, ya look skinnier 'en a rail."

[melodiouspacifist]

His smile was a lot more genuine, more of a grin really. "Yeah, just your food."

Demyx was just teasing, Jed had been sorely missed, at least the concept of him had been when he couldn't remember him and now that he knew that much, he retroactively missed him a great deal.

"I'm not that skinny! I'm just you know...heartless or whatever."

[1ozstetson]

He snorts and claps Dem on the back, "Well best git ya some proper videls then?" Jed couldn't help a softer smile as he cast another look at the blond before starting towards the Welcome House.

It had been way too long since he'd cooked for someone he cared about.

"Nope! Yer skin and bones, otherwise I'd git ter use bein' wax as my own excuse!"

The kitchen hadn't changed much, still looking a great deal like something out of a history book of the wild west. Though the modern conveniences were still there, Jed liking that electric stove far too much.

"So what else ya been up to? Or did that horse jockey jus' have ya workin' yer hands dry?"

[melodiouspacifist]

He snickered a little and glanced around the familiar kitchen, thinking of the meals they'd shared before, and he had that feeling in his chest of longing.

"Yeah, mostly working." He agreed with a groan. Demyx sat himself in a seat, leaning back against the back of the chair to watch him.

"A lot of traveling, but the state of everything was kinda bad, not a lot of people working right? So since I was kinda unimportant, I mean, all the lower ranked members were already gone. So you know."

He got to be the one running around doing things ill-suited to him.

"Hey, I got to steal from some Gods, that was pretty crazy, and I met the god of the Underworld. Man, what a guy." He complained. "Swear he was gonna set me on fire or something, he's got this fire hair? He gets so mad." He chuckled a little.

"But yeah, mostly it was chasing the kid down and when we met, we fought and here I am." He'd surprised himself in some ways.

"You know, I can be really violent and threatening, when I have to be." He wasn't sure if Jed knew that or not.

[1ozstetson]

Working. He had an idea what that meant, and it made his stomach feel like a dozen bricks had settled in it. But he still smiled. Smiled at the sight Demyx lounging in his proper seat again. The warm light of the kitchens falling over a very tired face.

He chuckled and started, as always, with the coffee. "Boy, you look dead tired." An indignant snort and light glare, "S'long as you remember that you ain't unimportant here. Or am I gonna have ta drill that back into your head?"

Meats went into a pan, a few vegetables went into a steamer that he'd found in the North (and was actually pretty handy) and he was grabbing a few bits of greens to fry up. There was something to this adventuring...even if Demyx was forced to do it.

But it was familiar. To hear his voice moving in the room along with Jed's movements. Familiar and dearly missed.

"Threatening?" Jed set the knife down and dumped the last bit of peppers into the stew before turning around to look Dem over, taking in the hunch of shoulders and the tired look. Letting the words settle in.

The cowboy turned the stove down to a simmer and moved in front of Dem, cupping his cheek carefully, "Yeah, I figured ya can be...but, ain't no need fer it now, right?"

[melodiouspacifist]

That had been the downside to returning, having to push that mindset back into place and ignoring his heart. He'd begun to want things, and yet this took everything away from him and he could not complain.

"Not too tired to talk to you." Demyx quipped back, because it was true, he'd give up on a lot of sleep to get this conversation. If he fell asleep now, he might find out he was only dreaming.

"It's...well I kind of am here too, but it's not like I have expectations or anything." He said, looking into the coffee cup before sipping it. He felt tired, wrung out, and the whole experience left him feeling very much like he did before. Kindness hadn't been the way of things and it chipped away at his self-esteem. Not that he had that much to begin with, and as the lowest ranking member with Luxord, he was ordered around like a servant.

The adventuring was by far the best part. The opportunity to explore new places, see new things, it satisfied his wanderlust like nothing else.

When Jed returned and cupped his cheek, he raised his eyes, looking at him.

"No...I mean I don't need to be. I don't even want to be."