Title: Obligatory Duty
Author: Apatheia
Characters: Xemnas and Demyx, with mentions of others
Rating: PG-13/Teen
Summary: It was utterly ridiculous for the leader of a supposedly impressive organization to be stuck with menial tasks best delegated to others, but Xemnas found himself cleaning a bathroom anyway.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Square Enix and Disney. Please don't sue; the only thing you would get is a few dollars in change and some Kingdom Hearts tee-shirts.
Obligatory Duty
It was the smell he noticed first.
Foul almost to the point of being unbearable, it was no wonder why Number VI had been exempt from this most dreadful of duties, the task instead falling upon the next name on the job wheel. Xemnas had been most displeased upon the discovery that he was the one responsible for the sanitation of the numerous restrooms that occupied the castle.
At the time of discovery, he had been sorely tempted to use his power as the Superior to override the decision of a mere toy wheel. However, he was well aware that if he used his title to shirk off simple chores he risked the chance of causing dissension among ranks.
Relationships among the members had grown increasingly strained as of late, and such blatant abuse of power on his behalf could no doubt raise questions concerning his ability as their leader. It was only with the future of his organization in mind that Xemnas had agreed to the ludicrous task of cleaning out the restrooms, but that did not mean he had to like it.
"This is an utter disgrace," Xemnas muttered to himself, vague disgust interlaced with every word. Tightly clutched in one gloved hand was a toilet bowl brush while the other hand was held over his nose in order to filter the putrid stench out, leather clad fingers carefully hiding the grimace born of revulsion that tugged at his lips.
It would forever be a mystery to him how exactly three grown men were incapable of maintaining a bathroom of all things. Sullied clothes lay piled carelessly in the corner, a good contributor to the almost unbearable smell that permeated the air. The toilet was another contributor to the foul odor in the air; the bowl had long since overflowed, leaving murky water to seep in between poorly laid tiles.
Xemnas was displeased to note that the once pristine white rugs were now a muddy brown, unfortunate enough to not be spared from the leaking water.
A quick glance to his left told him that large shards of glass littered the sink and floor, accompanied by several flimsy pieces torn from the shower curtain. All in all, the place resembled a club restroom as opposed to the original place of cleanliness it had been designed for.
"This is an utter disgrace," he reiterated, anything halfway sensible fleeing his brain under the onslaught of the damage. It certainly did not help matters that the repairs would be costly and precious time best spent on other things would be wasted on cleaning.
Despite his lack of enthusiasm for the current situation, Xemnas knew all too well that standing around any more would be an even bigger waste of time. It would be far easier on him if he began his task now rather than stand around for the sake of gawking at the mess.
The toilet bowl brush was quickly set to the side in favor of more important things at the moment, such as removing all of the fabric items that littered the floor. Face schooled into a mask of indifference, he carted the sullied rugs from the restroom and tossed them into the large black trash bag waiting out in the hallway. Immediately he noticed an improvement; without the rugs there to take up space, continuously absorb, and dispose of dirty water, the floor actually resembled something somewhat normal.
Xemnas flicked his wrists to rid his gloves of any clinging liquid before scooping up the soiled clothing sequestered in the corner. Despite their dryness, the garments were held at arms length for the entirety of their little trip to the laundry basket outside. Though by no means a weak man, even he would not have been able to stomach the combined stench of Xigbar's socks and the several pairs of dirtied underwear ensnared in the pile at such close proximity.
Before heading back into the restroom, Xemnas peeled off his leather gloves and allowed them to drop to the floor with a resounding sodden noise. In retrospection, wearing them in to begin with had been a rather unwise move. Already the water was having an adverse side effect on the material, and several drops had somehow managed to seep inside to soak his hands. Overall, wearing them was proving to be something very uncomfortable to bear, even for his superior self-control.
Gloves now discarded, he grabbed hold of the well-worn mop leaning against the wall by the restroom door and marched back inside, wheeling a near-empty bucket behind him. A large portion of the following hour was spent merely soaking up the grimy water from the tiled floor and relocating it into the bucket.
The mop, while certainly helpful, was hardly absorbent enough to clean up a large amount without needing to be wrung dry once every few minutes. While wasting the minutes to do such was beginning to take its toll on both him and his patience, he was not quite ready to resort to the use of towels to soak up the mess.
Not yet, anyway.
Such impure water would ruin the beige fabric beyond recovery, resulting in more that would need to be replaced once this tedious chore was complete. What's more, he had to stoop down every so often just to pluck a piece of glass or tattered shower curtain from the mess, ever mindful that his hands were not protected by leather anymore and were susceptible to deep cuts.
Throughout the time consuming task he was completely silent, save for the quietest of sighs every so often. Lesser men would have given into the urge to grumble in annoyance, yet Xemnas prided himself in his ability to endure even the most inane of things. He may not very much care for what he had resorted to doing for the sake of his organization, but he would not demean himself further by making audible complaints.
However, it was in his silence that he ended up finding someone foolish enough to rope into this most displeasing of tasks, thus resulting in his so-called salvation. Over the almost inaudible resonance of the mop gliding across the slick floor, Xemnas' ears picked up quick musical notes and soft humming.
It seemed that a certain member of the Organization had unwisely decided to wander by and play games when he was better off moving on.
Turning around, face carved into the epitome of utmost dispassion, Xemnas arched a brow at the ninth member of his organization. The younger man practically flinched in surprise, green eyes widening a fraction even as his fingers slipped over the strings of his instrument. A sharp, almost sour note was the first obvious sign that his control of the once contained water had slipped, rivulets of murky brown stopping in their mid air dance.
The disturbed liquid fell back into the confines of the bucket with an audible splash, stray drops flying in every direction. A droplet landed on Xemnas' check, quickly sliding down the side of his jaw before trickling down his neck and absorbing into his undershirt. Unconcerned with the sudden contamination – his hands had undoubtedly faced worse today – his lips quirked up in a smile that lacked any warmth.
"If you are free enough to play with dirtied mop water, then you are more than welcome to work on unclogging and cleaning out the toilet without the use of your precious sitar." Though his tone had been nothing short of serious, the smile that tilted his lips seemed to suddenly carry a slight indication of some sort of dark satisfaction.
"Um, no thank you!" Demyx protested hastily, his voice taking on a faintly panicky lilt. He gently nibbled on his bottom lip, his mind clearly racing to create some sort of excuse, any excuse, which would free him from the metaphorical noose tightening around his neck. Eyes brightening as he came up with something, he was quick to add, "I just remembered I have-"
"It wasn't a suggestion."
The smooth interception effectively cut off whatever measly excuse Demyx had come up with, tightening the figurative noose and reducing him to something most easily likened to a trapped animal. There would be no escaping his punishment for playing; to do so now after receiving a direct order from the Superior would no doubt bring about worse sufferings than cleaning out a dirty toilet.
Xemnas watched with a (not quite) sense of dark pleasure as the other man let out a soft groan of resignation, his green eyes dimming as he willed his cumbersome instrument away. The sitar disintegrated into a burst of bubbles and droplets of water that danced momentarily in the hallway before fading as well. Demyx dragged himself into the room with obvious reluctance, calloused fingers snatching the well-worn handle of a plunger.
Assured that the younger man was actually going to clean the dirty and clogged toilet – not that he had much of a doubt in the first place concerning that particular matter – Xemnas turned around and finished mopping the remaining tiles. Not even a full minute had the chance to pass before there was an unexpected distressed yelp from behind him that was closely followed by a noisy clatter.
He did not bother to glance over his shoulder to find the source of the sudden sound, nor did he bother to say the small comment that hovered on the tip of his tongue concerning the current state of the floor. Undoubtedly, Demyx had the misfortune of discovering the slippery tiles in his expected haste to complete his new chore. For Xemnas to mention it now would be redundant, and he didn't particularly care for such a triviality as redundancy.
Surmising from the loud, abrupt sounds behind him that Demyx hadn't landed fully on the floor – not yet anyway – he placed the dripping mop into the half-full bucket.
"Do take care not to break the sink, Number IX," he drawled lazily. Had he been anyone less solemn, perhaps one of the newer members, his tone would have been considered something just short of sardonic. However, Xemnas failed to free himself from the tethers of sobriety, and consequently his tone gave little indication as to what his actual mood was.
Xemnas pushed the squeaky mop bucket towards the doorway and by the fumbling man clinging to the bathroom sink, not even giving him the courtesy of a passing glance. He did, though, take the time and effort to physically move the fallen plunger closer to Demyx with his foot, even if that was only because it was in his current path.
Despite having his back to the other man once more, Xemnas could practically feel the sulky, almost dark look the other man gave him in return for his obvious lack of concern. Or perhaps it wasn't his lack of concern, per se, but rather his apparent concern for material things over the well being of a fellow member that earned such an expression. Whatever the reasoning behind it was, Xemnas deemed it unimportant as he walked back into the room armed with a scrub brush and a bottle of cleaner.
He had inattentively taken note earlier in the midst of his mopping that discoloration marred the inner walls of the large porcelain tub. Time and apparent lack of care had tainted the once pristine white sides an unidentifiable shade of orange, and Xemnas had a feeling that he would have much difficulty ridding the tub of the color. In the time it took from him to kneel beside the tub, Demyx had managed to reclaim some semblance of composure, the plunger once more firmly in hand.
Demyx glanced uncertainly into the toilet bowl, green eyes unable to penetrate the murky brown water that filled the moderate basin to the rim. His face twisted into a visible grimace. "What is that?" he queried loudly, one hand quickly coming up to cover his nose as the dreadful smell rose to assault his senses.
Xemnas paused for a single instant at the other man's question before returning to his current mission. The cap to the container in his hand was easily detached and cast aside and soon enough the cleaning fluid was soaking the closest side of the bathtub. Lips quirking ever so slightly, he set to finishing the menial task of scouring with as much nonexistent enthusiasm he had used when mopping.
"That would be toilet water." His voice contained the barest hint of wry amusement even as his face immediately composed itself into a dispassionate mask.
Demyx released something eerily similar to a snort and some strange, almost inaudible strangled noise. "I know that!" he muttered, his words born of exasperation. He was careful to keep his tone just short of disrespectful, to convey his obvious dislike of the current situation all the while avoiding reason for the Superior to deem him worthy of more punishment. "I mean, it's just…what's in it? It smells awful!"
Xemnas was almost half tempted to tell him that if the smell offended him so much, then he was more than welcome to cease breathing anytime he so desired. However, as quick as the temptation arrived, it flitted away, leaving behind no patience to deal with a lengthy conversation.
"Indeed," he murmured softly, leaving little room to continue the conversation. Demyx seemed to pick up the not quite spoken hint and dropped the subject, though he did not fail to make another strangled sound in obvious complaint. Eventually the room fell back into silence, the only sounds coming from their respective cleaning. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into an hour as the two busied themselves with their now shared responsibility.
Xemnas soon concluded that in spite of the unpleasant smell, Demyx was the one to have been delegated the easier of the two tasks. The toilet was naught more than clogged and dirtied, and would undoubtedly be easy enough to wash after whatever congested its pipes was cleared out.
The bathtub, on the other hand, was stained to the point where a part of him was beginning to speculate the possibility of the sides ever managing to return to their original white hue. His fingers were beginning to stiffen from their long work, the skin of his hands turning an almost worrisome reddish-pink courtesy of the harsh treatment.
There was a loud flush from the same direction where his cleaning companion and the dirtied and clogged toilet were located.
"There we go, all done!" Demyx announced cheerfully, twirling the wet plunger with his fingers like some type of boisterous hero showing off for a cheering crowd. Specks of water flew from the rubber end of the cleaning utensil and landed on the wall, creating glistening spots of light russet on the stark white paint. Xemnas only offered him the smallest of glances out of the corner of his eye before returning his attention to his scrubbing.
The sides of the large tub were finally beginning to resemble their original hue, the orange stains having been broken down to creamy yellow-orange. However, despite his progress, it would undoubtedly take far more time and effort to fully restore the porcelain tub to its initial state, and both were things that he simply could not waste on such a menial task.
Even though he was focused intently on his own responsibility, he did not fail to sense the somewhat intense pout-like scowl that twisted the other man's lips. Oddly enough, the expression seemed to emanate a vague impression of dissatisfaction and, if only for a moment, Xemnas allowed himself the luxury of toying with the notion that Demyx had expected a word or gesture of praise for his supposedly hard work.
Naturally, such an idea was pointless to even contemplate and it was hastily cast aside.
Rarely did the Superior of Organization XIII hand out such honors, and he certainly did not bestow them upon members for completing such an important task as cleaning a toilet. Dropping the scrub brush into the tub to allow the sides to soak in the dripping cleaning mixture, Xemnas stood and flicked his wrists to rid his hands of any clinging liquid. It was far more conceivable in his mind that Demyx was awaiting a word of dismissal so that his punishment would be deemed officially over and he could return to his games.
As far as Demyx concerned, however, his assignment was complete and his sentence had technically reached its end. He was oblivious to the fact that the achievement of the task was only a part of the obligation. Should the younger man's effort fall short of the high standards set upon him, Xemnas had no problem retaining him in the restroom until he completed the chore according to his expectations.
Demyx gave a small flourish of the plunger at the toilet at his side, his lips quirking up to form a smile that contained more anxiety than his typical mirth. Green eyes observed Xemnas' approach almost wearily for a moment before they dropped down to the tiles beneath his boots. Something out of the corner of his eye effectively captured his attention, causing his nervous gaze to swivel to a spot closer to the other man.
"Providing you've done a--" Xemnas began calmly, taking little note of the man's unease.
"Ah, wait!" Demyx interjected, his eyes widening in something akin to horror. Xemnas frowned deeply at the other man, his expression radiating his disapproval. He had made his dislike of interruptions, particularly those made while he was speaking, well known and-
Suddenly Xemnas' boots hit an unexpected wet spot on the floor, the rubber soles failing to offer much friction against the slickness that coated the tiles. With little time to prepare, his feet flew out from under his body, leaving the rest of him with no support. The abrupt and unanticipated lurch backwards caused his disapproving frown to slip away in favor of a firm line that was void of any true expression.
Though the seriousness of his situation did not elude him – if he was not mistaken, the back of his head would collide with the rim of the tub courtesy of several outside forces – it failed to spark what most would call a normal reaction. There had been the fleeting moment of surprise, although that had quickly subsided into a strange feeling of detached interest.
Whereas Xemnas was not all too concerned with his plight, Demyx was perhaps overly concerned. Premature accusations of murdering the Superior, or at the very least maiming him a great deal, filled his head, taking on the voices of his fellow members. The prospect of living with such a burden for the rest of his (not) life was rather daunting, so he set to rectifying the situation to the best of his ability.
Lunging forward and reaching out with the hand not clutching the plunger like some type of weapon, Demyx snagged Xemnas' wrist with deft fingers and gave a rough jerk on the ensnared appendage.
Although the counter weight was certainly helpful, Xemnas was of a broader build body wise and weighed several good pounds more than him. Demyx soon found himself dragged into the very wet spot his superior had slipped in, his feet sliding out from beneath him and sending him dropping to the ground. The resulting vibration of their combined falls was enough to rattle the cup of toothbrushes on the sink.
Demyx had the good fortune of landing flat on his rear with his plunger-wielding arm thrown out to prevent him from falling into further harm. He had almost managed to escape the rather unpleasant spill with little injuries other than bruises. However, thanks to the unexpected interference, Xemnas' head managed to miss the porcelain rim of the large bathtub, and landed directly on Demyx's ankle.
Even as a sharp pain shot up the other man's leg, Xemnas rested on his ankle, long hair fanned out beneath him like a sheet and head perfectly safe from impairment. The same could be said for the rest of Xemnas; he had sustained no real injury save for the blow to his ego. Yanking his captured wrist from the blond man who had been the cause of the entire little mishap, he massaged the slightly red area as though to rub away the foreign touch.
Demyx was too occupied with the effort of trying not to recoil from the burning twinge in his ankle to take notice the gesture, let alone be offended it.
Xemnas lingered on the ground in his sprawled position until the world ceased its spinning, not trusting his body to fully cooperate a moment before then. Once everything was perceived to be in its proper place and not several feet away, he dared to sit up. Everything around him lurched somewhat at the sudden movement before righting once more.
Taking another instant to pause in order to prevent the world from going on another impulsive dance, he glanced down at the floor beneath him. Several moderate sized puddles had, by some means, managed to escape the fall that had rocked the room, persistently gripping to the once clean tiles.
"You'll be the one responsible for mopping the floor once more," Xemnas informed the younger blond with his ever present dispassion even as he lifted himself off the ground. He straightened out his coat, smoothing out wrinkles and wiping away ever-persistent drops of water that clung to the material, with an expression of the utmost nonchalance.
At the sound of the Superior's voice, Demyx glanced up, one hand absently rubbing his injured ankle. Confusion flickered across his face before the knowledge of a new punishment registered in his mind. Brows coming together as his lips formed a displeased frown, Demyx attempted to remove himself from the floor.
"That's hardly fair!" he protested, his face contorting as he winced. It was evident that putting weight on the ankle Xemnas had landed on pained him, meaning that the man would require at the least minor medical attention. Leaning upon the sink for support, Demyx decided that it was time he made his discontentment with his present circumstances well known.
"If it wasn't for me, you would be bleeding on cheap bathroom tiles!" Xemnas very nearly arched a silvery brow in wry amusement at the surprising truth in the other man's statement. The bathroom tiles were undoubtedly cheap, having been bought by the member in charge of their finances. However, such insolence as what he was displaying was simply not tolerated, regardless of his recent assistance. "I…" Demyx trailed off, realization dawning on him as he was confronted with a particularly sharp glance.
A part of Xemnas took pride in the fact that the color seemed to drain from the other man's face under the pressure of his expression. He took a step towards Demyx, drawing himself to his full height in what could only be perceived as a menacing gesticulation.
"Number IX, if I didn't know any better I would say you objected to my way of handling matters." His voice took on an intonation that bordered on dry amusement. "But of course you would never be so foolish as to do such a thing. Am I correct?"
Demyx swallowed loudly, not failing to take note of the almost teasing tone of his superior. After all, Xemnas simply did not tease people, so for him to detect that which never happened in most occurrences was not surprising. Even if he had, he would have classified the event as a bad omen, one that deserved to be taken note of before its receiver ran as far away as physically possible in the opposite direction.
"Um, I…that is to say…what I meant was…" he trailed off, unsure of exactly how he was supposed to talk his way out of the situation. Xemnas was well aware that he lacked the skill with words that many of the other members possessed. Such inability to scheme and manipulate was uncommon in the castle, and perhaps one of Demyx's more notable qualities.
"A good leader listens to the opinions of those around him, regardless of his personal thoughts," Demyx finally said, his voice surprisingly firm as he met Xemnas' piercing gaze. His entire posture spoke of a hidden willfulness that few rarely had the pleasure of seeing. It was almost amusing to bear witness to such stubbornness, though Xemnas did not allow his lips to quiver ever so slightly no matter how vaguely tempting such a thing was.
Despite being poorly versed in the art of deception via verbal trickery, Demyx quite clearly understood at least subconsciously the value and power behind words. In his particular case, such a display of reason was far more useful rather than half-truths and outright lies.
"Very well," Xemnas conceded with a nod, striding briskly to the entryway leading to the hall. "Return the cleaning supplies to the storage closet and then you are permitted to leave." Although considerably less torturous than being forced to endure a bout of mopping, such a simple task would still produce a fair amount of pain for the other man. After all, walking about on that injured ankle of his would surely be unpleasant, the pain that came from each step a troublesome thing to bear.
Of course, that was disregarding the fact that Demyx could always easily employ his dancer and return to his quarters with a corridor of darkness. Xemnas was hardly oblivious to such a possibility, and even acknowledged the fact that there was a fair chance that the easier option would be used as soon as he left the room. Such brazen laziness was not as uncommon as he would have preferred, although he would turn a blind eye to the infraction of his rules just this once.
After all, he did owe Demyx for allegedly saving him from "bleeding on cheap tiles" as he had so eloquently put it earlier.
Not bothering to offer the one Nobody who had been his only companion over the course of a rather dull chore a final glance, Xemnas left, plucking up the basket of soiled clothing as he passed it. Before he made his way to Number IV's laboratory, he would be sure to deposit the loathsome garments into the care of the sole female of the Organization.
Hopefully, for the sake of her stomach, she would be capable of better handling the strong odor that seemed to roll off the clothes in waves. Several members had not been so fortunate in the past, resulting in the creation of an even bigger mess that was added to their list of responsibilities. Making sure to hold the basket at arms length and to breathe discreetly through barely parted lips, Xemnas descended the flight of stairs with the utmost haste.
As soon as he rid himself of this most unwanted burden he would be sure to retreat to his rooms for the next hour or so in order to regain some semblance of dignity. It was utterly ridiculous for the leader of a supposedly impressive organization to be stuck with menial tasks best delegated to others. Xemnas bit back a sigh at the stray thought.
The things he did for the sake of his organization.