It had started out as another typical game of strip poker- Luxord always got him to play, somehow- and in no time at all the three unlucky Nobodies had been divested of their cloaks, munny, and dignity. Roxas had been the first to storm away from the game, cheeks pink with embarrassment (because Tiger insisted that they could feel something so ridiculous). He'd scampered off with his cloak and pants in hand and it hadn't taken Axel, down to his boxers and boots as well- long before he threw in the towel and sauntered off too.

"Betcha a hun'red munny the bloke's off ta find Thirteen, mate." Luxord chuckled over his latest hand- probably another winner- and threw a few more clinking coins into the growing pot at the center of the table. "Raise'ya."

Xigbar snorted. "You're only betting munny now that I have no clothes left to take off." It was true- he was completely uncovered, save for the table over his lap. Why he continued to play poker with Luxord, Xigbar would never know, but at least he never insisted on playing exclusively for munny. It was only on occasion, or whenever an opponent ran out of clothing. Xigbar's own lay in a heap beside his seat, coat and pants and boots heaped haphazardly like so many carelessly-blown autumn leaves. Luxord had been reduced to his pants and boxers, but his unworn coat had been folded neatly and draped over the back of one of the empty chairs.

"Ah, mate, but yer wrong. There's still one thing you can take off." Luxord's eyes narrowed in the same way a trap slowly closed around some small animal of prey.

"…Okay, I'll bite." Xigbar knew it was a bad idea- a really bad idea- to play into Luxord's hand like this, but he couldn't help himself. Curiosity had earned him more than a few of the scars striping his torso and mind- what would one more really matter? "What's left for me to remove, then?" He'd thought for a second that the man was going to claim his hair-tie, but even that had been taken from him three hands ago.

Luxord threw down his hand instead of answering. "Full House, mate. Let's see yer cards."

Xigbar swore. "Seriously? You cheat, damn you." His two-pair (queens and fives) was unceremoniously flapped across the table in an echo of frustration. "How can you win so damn much? "

Luxord grinned wickedly. "That's the game, mate. I win, you lose. Now off wi' it." He leaned back arrogantly in his chair, tipping it so it sat on only the rear two legs.

Xigbar's visible eye rolled. "You didn't tell me what 'it' was, yet." The Gambler couldn't be serious- here he was, stark naked, and Luxord was still insisting that there was something he could remove. What, did he want the older Nobody to hack off a finger?

Luxord's fingers, by way of response, went up to his own cheekbone and grazed lightly past an eyelid. His one eye had shut completely- clang, the door of the trap had closed. "Yer patch, mate. Off it goes."

Xigbar froze. Not that he had any emotions going through him during the game- not really, nothing more than echoes and remembered reactions- but now, he was completely still; no movement, no breathing, no blinking. Nothing. It was a nothing of tension- touchable, like them, and oh-so-delicate.

The harsh squeal of the chair against the floor only emphasized how quiet it had suddenly become as Luxord stood and walked around the table to his opponent. Xigbar could only follow with his one good eye as the expert gambler- and trickster, apparently- moved closer until he was leaning over the pepper-haired man. "Them's the rules." His fingers raised, slowly- too slowly, achingly slowly- until they were ghosting over the black fabric that hid Xigbar's right eye.

A scarred hand shot up and gripped Luxord's wrist in a painfully tight fist. Xigbar;s voice, when it came, was completely flat. There was nothing- the same nothing as them, as the tension- nothing. "That's a low blow, coming from you. You should know better than to try to pull that over on me."

"And you should know better than to gamble with me by now, mate. I win- I always do. It comes off."

And, without knowing why, Xigbar eased his grip and sat oh-so-motionless as the patch slid up, up, up-

And then it was gone.

Okay, iffy ending, I know. I'm no expert author here. This was a little piece I did as practice for XigLux day. l hope you like it! Reviews are love. 3