Axel jumped when Demyx pinched himself on the arm and yelped about it, and he was about to ask what the hell he thought was going to happen when he pinched himself but he thought better of it. Demyx was stammering, and Axel was a little concerned now--he hadn't expected him to take the news this badly. Hell, what did Demyx think they'd been when they worked for the Organization? They were practically professional bounty hunters already! The things that went bump in the night around here weren't that different from the Heartless, were they?
He caught 'how long' in Demyx's floundering words and shook his head.
"Not long," he said; "two months? Ish." He waved one hand then and opened his mouth to continue, but stopped when Demyx met his eye. There was something fierce and unexpectedly determined in his gaze and Axel's eyebrows inched upward. A promise? He sort of nodded, an invitation for Demyx to go ahead.
What Demyx said next caught Axel so very off-guard that his jaw actually slid ajar and he just sort of gaped at his friend a moment like a fish out of water. Had Demyx seriously just volunteered himself? Demyx hated to fight--hated to do anything that was dangerous or difficult or even made him sweat! It wasn't that Axel didn't think Demyx gave a damn--he knew Demyx gave a damn (or several, as he was beginning to understand)--but the idea that he was prepared to actually get his hands dirty if it came down to it left the redhead surprisingly speechless.
Axel's jaw worked soundlessly for a moment, and then he cleared his throat and found his voice.
"I..." Come on, words. "Okay." He sort of shook his head as he said it, but more in bafflement than anything else. "Okay, if... if I really get in over my head, I'll call you." He ventured a hesitant half-smile and dragged the pad of his thumb over the left side of his torso, but a bit to low to be across the space where his heart should have been. "Cross my spleen."
And then he waved his hand somewhat dismissively.
"L-look, Demyx, don't get the wrong idea; I'm not doing this just for S&G, you know? I don't actually give a hoot about the bounties," he said, hoping that perhaps his motivation would make this whole thing sit a little better with him. "I'm doing it for the intel." Demyx looked a bit perplexed by this revelation, so Axel clarified, "I figure it might be a good way to trace those Hunters. You know, the ones gunning down the newcomers." He absently picked at the tear in his sleeve. "Nobody knows who these bastards are or where they come from, or where they go once they've had their fun. I know a handful of them have been killed, but who knows how many of them there actually are, you know? I thought maybe if I was in a similar field I might have better luck finding out who they are and who they answer to, or something. Anything would be good at this point."
A shake of his head and an exasperated huff.
"So don't think I'm doing this because I want the extra cash or the glory or... whatever," he said, glowering at his lap for a moment before looking back at Demyx. "I'm doing this because I don't want Roxas or Xion or Naminé or... you... to wind up getting picked off in the next round."
Because there was going to be a next round, of that he was sure. Nothing they'd done so far had stopped them, and he had a feeling it was going to take something really drastic to even put a speedbump in their plans.
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He caught 'how long' in Demyx's floundering words and shook his head.
"Not long," he said; "two months? Ish." He waved one hand then and opened his mouth to continue, but stopped when Demyx met his eye. There was something fierce and unexpectedly determined in his gaze and Axel's eyebrows inched upward. A promise? He sort of nodded, an invitation for Demyx to go ahead.
What Demyx said next caught Axel so very off-guard that his jaw actually slid ajar and he just sort of gaped at his friend a moment like a fish out of water. Had Demyx seriously just volunteered himself? Demyx hated to fight--hated to do anything that was dangerous or difficult or even made him sweat! It wasn't that Axel didn't think Demyx gave a damn--he knew Demyx gave a damn (or several, as he was beginning to understand)--but the idea that he was prepared to actually get his hands dirty if it came down to it left the redhead surprisingly speechless.
Axel's jaw worked soundlessly for a moment, and then he cleared his throat and found his voice.
"I..." Come on, words. "Okay." He sort of shook his head as he said it, but more in bafflement than anything else. "Okay, if... if I really get in over my head, I'll call you." He ventured a hesitant half-smile and dragged the pad of his thumb over the left side of his torso, but a bit to low to be across the space where his heart should have been. "Cross my spleen."
And then he waved his hand somewhat dismissively.
"L-look, Demyx, don't get the wrong idea; I'm not doing this just for S&G, you know? I don't actually give a hoot about the bounties," he said, hoping that perhaps his motivation would make this whole thing sit a little better with him. "I'm doing it for the intel." Demyx looked a bit perplexed by this revelation, so Axel clarified, "I figure it might be a good way to trace those Hunters. You know, the ones gunning down the newcomers." He absently picked at the tear in his sleeve. "Nobody knows who these bastards are or where they come from, or where they go once they've had their fun. I know a handful of them have been killed, but who knows how many of them there actually are, you know? I thought maybe if I was in a similar field I might have better luck finding out who they are and who they answer to, or something. Anything would be good at this point."
A shake of his head and an exasperated huff.
"So don't think I'm doing this because I want the extra cash or the glory or... whatever," he said, glowering at his lap for a moment before looking back at Demyx. "I'm doing this because I don't want Roxas or Xion or Naminé or... you... to wind up getting picked off in the next round."
Because there was going to be a next round, of that he was sure. Nothing they'd done so far had stopped them, and he had a feeling it was going to take something really drastic to even put a speedbump in their plans.