Characters/Pairings: Axel, Larxene, Lexaeus, Marluxia, Vexen, Zexion (plus Xemnas)/Mentioned Axel-x-Larxene and Lexaeus-x-Zexion Time Period: Pre-CoM Rating/Warnings: T/Mentioned sensual tomfoolery, swears, some after-alcohol attitude.

Remember!: Don't be like these fools and drink responsibly.

The damn room would. Not. Stop. Spinning.

Marluxia lifted his heavy head, rubbing his tired, equally heavy eyes. He looked around hazily, slowly working out where he was.

He was in the seventh floor lounge, which looked unusually messy and disorganized. (A little ironic, no?) Sheets and pillows had been thrown about the place, as were some unwanted articles of clothing, boots and cloaks here and there. No underwear, thank the Gods! Some foodstuffs were around as well, in bowls and on the floor. There was also a large amount of bottles; lots and lots of wine bottles. Some half-empty, some a little more filled up, but most were totally empty. All were open. On the side table next to the sofa was six wine glasses, all used. One had a distinctive smear of pink lip-gloss around the rim. The smell of alcohol was strong.

Slowly, Marluxia started to feel more aware of his own self. He was in his uniform pants and gloves, minus the cloak, boots and undershirt. So that means he was naked from the waist up, and was shivering as the fire had died out. His hair was more tasselled than normal, in the "pulled-through-a-hedge-backward" sort of way. No doubt his eyes were shadowed and his skin was grubby to the touch. He was handsome and usually well-groomed, but he was nothing but a dirty smudge that morning.

Then he became aware - very, very aware - of his fellow residences that were very close to him, as they all sharing the soft leather sofa as if it was a cosy nest.

To his right, there was Lexaeus and Zexion. The coat-less Silent Hero had a blanket around his bare shoulders like a cape. His wavy, copper-brown hair was more wild and untamed than usual, and his craggy, chiselled features looked peacefully still in his sleep. In his muscular arms laid a curled-up, dozy little Schemer who was doing an excellent impersonation of kitten in his slumber. He was the most scantily-clad one of them all surprisingly, wearing just boxer-briefs and an open cloak (Lexaeus'.)

To his left, there was Vexen and Larxene. Blond hair was tangled together and their bangs limp. It was hard to tell which strand belonged to which head. The girl had tucked her head under the old man's chin, into the crook of his neck and shoulder. They had the decency to keep on most of their clothes. Just. No boots and their coats were open. The Nymph's lacy black and red bra was on show. Marluxia did not even batten an eyelid at the sight.

Last and certainly least, by his feet, was Axel. The pryo's hair, weak and straggly, was in need of a good wash. He too had no coat, and his scarecrow-like body was fanned out across the floor like a sunbathing starfish. Everyone was snoring softly.

Stiff as a board, Marluxia sat up properly, running his fingers through his knotted hair. That was some… whatever they did last night. Actually, what did they do? Marluxia couldn't remember. He scrambled to his feet, feeling the cold floor against his toes as he stepped over Axel carefully. He glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. Was it really 11:37?

All of a sudden, an annoying ringing noise plagued Marluxia's poor ears. None of his fellow comrades stirred, so he had to shuffle across the room and down the hallway to the source all by himself. The ringing was coming from a small computer-like device which had been set up in a room down the hall, and that could only mean one thing: Xemnas.

Giving himself a slight slap in the face, Marluxia tried to sober up a little and pressed the accept button. He didn't turn on the screen. After all, how could explain his half-nude state to his leader of all people? Xemnas had never had a strong sense of humour with this sort of thing.

"Good morning, Superior. How is this day treating you? Well, I hope." You could say what you wanted about Marluxia, but you could never deny that he wasn't a bloody good actor. Despite his very rough tones, he managed to sound as if everything was fine.

"I'm quite well. Thank you for asking, Number XI." Xemnas' cool, emotionless voice flooded the Assassin's hearing like calm waves of the sea. "I'm just following up for today's inspection."

At that moment Marluxia really sobered up. "Inspection?"

"Yes. The one I connected your castle to tell you about five days ago."

Marluxia's eyes widened. Five days ago! Why didn't anyone tell him things? Was he not the Lord of this Castle? They had no respect for him, the horrible gits. It was then that he saw a piece of stuck to the side of the screen, held up with a bit of tape. Gingerly, he pulled it off and read the scruffy handwriting:

Xem phoned. Inspection on the 17th. We might need to do some cleaning and shit. Axel xxx.

He note crumbled up in his hand, his fist shacking madly. Axel, the idiot!

"Are you alright, Eleven?"

"Yes!" the Assassin lied. "When will you be dropping by?"

"Three o'clock."

Damn.

"Great. We are looking forward to seeing you." As soon as he shut down the computer, XI stormed back down the hallway and over to the couch, to the Flurry and pulled himup by the root of his over-sized hair. "Get up!"

"Ah! I'm up, I'm up! Stop pulling my frigging hair!" Axel escaped his clutches, rubbing his head. "Mother of Nothing, what's wrong with you?"

Larxene's eyes fluttered open like a child's after a good long nap, and she gave a little yawn as she sat up, carefully pushing Vexen off of her.

"Stop screaming. My head is killing me. What are you on about?"

"I'll tell you what I'm on about" Marluxia hissed. "Genius here has screwed up again."

"What did I do?"

"This." Marluxia waved the crumpled note in Axel's face. "Why did you tell me that Xemnas was coming today?"

"Xemnas is coming!" Larxene screeched.

"For an inspection."

"What? Axel!"

"I forgot. I'm sorry. I'm not perfect." Axel crossed his arms, huffing. "There is no pleasing you people."

"Great. Just perfect," the girl grumbled, pulling her cloak around her. The zipper was broken. She started to violently shake her sleeping elders awake. "Wake up, you lot."

Vexen snorted awake, pushing away her hands with a lot of force. "What's the devil is wrong with you, woman?"

"Axel blundered" Marluxia explained. "We have three hours and thirty minutes until Xemnas arrives."

"What?" Two sets of blue eyes widening as Zexion and Lexaeus came around. The smaller got off his friend, wrapping the over-sized cloak around himself, looking embarrassed for a moment. "We have to clean this place up now! And ourselves" he said, taking some order into the situation.

"I couldn't agree more." Marluxia looked around hopelessly at the mess surrounding them. "We will have to split shifts. While three of us get washed, the other three clean."

"Good idea," Axel turned on his heel and started to head towards the door, "I call the shower first."

"You're not going anywhere!" Marluxia snarled. He grabbed VIII by the roots of his hair again and pulled him back sharply.

Axel howled in pain. "What the hell is wrong with you, you sadist?"

"You are at the very moment!" XI pushed him onto the sofa and he landed with a "ooof." He looked up, and Marluxia's dark blue eyes were bearing into him like draggers. "This is entirely young fault, Axel," he hissed. "You didn't tell us about the Superior coming to see us-"

"Hey! I left the message by the screen, didn't I?"

"You can have the last turn getting washed."

"That's not fair!"

"I think it's perfectly fair" Larxene huffed under her breath.

"Says you!" Axel rolled his eyes. "This is coming from the chick who supported my idea from the start"

Lexaeus, who had not spoken at all during this argument, stroked his whisker-covered chin thoughtfully and made a low hum sound.

"How about we have a vote?" he suggested, voice raspier than normal. "Whoever thinks Number VIII should be the last to wash, say aye."

Four hands went straight up. "Aye!"

"The mop is in the closet, Axel."

Axel looked at them all in disbelieve, shocked at the fact they could just abuse him in such a nasty, cruel manner. Then he remembers they are Nobodies and it was suspected of them to be bastards. He just threw his arms up in the air and howled in frustration, storming off to get the mop and bucket. There was a smug expression shared between everyone else.

OOO

Vexen, Lexaeus and Marluxia called the showers first, so with a fuming Axel mopping up spills and stains off the floor, Larxene and Zexion got to work with disposing the clutter. The Schemer had the brilliant idea of summoning his lexicon and imprinting the empty bottles and dirty dishes into the pages, so they could properly sort out everything later after Xemnas had left. The girl was wary about touching the diabolical tome, although Zexion insured her he had made it quite safe. After a few testing pokes of the pages with her finger, Larxene believed him.

Larxene had never trusted that thing, or the man himself. She heard along the grape vine that Zexion had made many perfectly-sound people turn insane in a matter of minutes with his lexicon. She shivered at the thought of it. If that was the truth, the Cloaked Schemer was a sick, twisted man… Then again, Larxene enjoyed frying people's inners from the inside-out with her powers so maybe they floated in the same boat.

"Can anyone remember much about last night?" the Nymph asked, emptying one bottle into another and corking the full one. There was no point wasting good booze. Zexion paused for a moment, trying to recall the evening but everything just came back blurred and muffled. He sighed as he pressed a bowl into his lexicon.

"Not really." He screwed up his nose in disgust. "I remember you and Axel bringing in the bottles and convincing us to join in with your shenanigans, but I'm lost after that."

"Oh, but you had fun in the end. Admit it." The woman's grin was cheeky and sly.

Zexion scoffed, tossing his hair over his shoulder. "If I had, I can't remember if I actually did. That's not fun."

Larxene sighed, rolling her pretty eyes overdramatically. Zexion really did act like a grumpy old man sometimes. She looked across the room and smiled sweetly in Axel's direction.

"How is the mopping getting along, Axel dear?"

"Shut up, bitch." The man was not in the mood for Larxene's teasing at that moment. The floor was marble and smooth but it was taking all his effort to get some of the marks off. He was oh-so tempted to burn the foodstuffs away with his bare hands, but he tried to remain calm enough to not do that. He didn't want to mess up his hands anyway.

"Touchy, are we?" Larxene turned back to Zexion, sighing. "Some people are just not morning people, are they, Zex?"

"Indeed they are not." Zexion let a small smile brush over his lips. "Then there are people who should have never gotten out of bed to begin with."

"Shut up." Axel dropped his mop to the ground and pointed a sharp finger at the slated-haired man. "You're not much of a happy, sunny character yourself."

"At least I don't shout and point at others like a moody child" Zexion said. Axel sniffed, picked up his mop and continued to clean. Everything was quiet for a moment, until VIII furrowed his brow at a very stubborn spot.

"What the hell this is stuff anyway?"

"We ate lots of food last night," Zexion shrugged. "What does it look like?"

"I don't know," Axel coked his brow, trying to work it out. "It's sticky and… a nasty brown-yellow colour."

"It's probably honey" Larxene shrugged. "Remember, Axel?"

"…No," Axel said innocently, shaking his head. The Nymph's eyes glittered with glee, a touch of malice. She strolled over to the guy, her chapped lips twisted into a cruel smirk.

"It's was your idea, so I'm surprised you have forgotten." Although she was a tiny woman and a good head smaller then Axel, Larxene managed to eye him up, standing toe to toe. "You wanted to play with me and a jar of honey. Why do you think your navel is so sticky?"

Axel's eyes widened in as he slowly started to remember himself licking honey off Larxene in… certain places.

Zexion was horrified. "You were licking stuff off each other!" he screeched, "in our lounge, with our honey! I put that in my tea!"

"Stop having a fit, Zexion" the girl said. "It's not like you haven't done anything similar."

"…I never use the food I share with others" Zexion stressed, not really answering. Larxene giggled at him and Axel smirked.

"What about you, Number VI?" he asked. "Did you get any fun action late night?"

Zexion's eyes became dark. How insulting! To be compared to those infantile ruffians was degrading, outrageous even. He turned his back on them, angrily shoving glasses into the lexicon, almost breaking them.

"Don't say such foolish things. I may have been a little drunk last night, but I do have self-control, unlike some other Nobodies in this castle- Hey!"

A pair of hands pulled at his over-sized cloak, and yanked it up just enough to expose his legs and hips and underwear. He tried to pull the coat back down, but then he saw the large but faint red bruising on his skin. Some of them looked like they were in the shape of handprints, and other were defiantly bite marks.

Larxene cackled as she let go. "My, my, my, what have we here? Now who in this castle has the hands big enough to be the culprit? Axel, do you know anyone who could have?"

"I can only think of one man fit for the job, Larxene" the redhead grinned.

Zexion's face was bright pink, and it was not just his cheeks. The flush had travelled across his forehead and down his neck and shoulders. It was amusing Larxene and Axel no end. They had never seen their elder so flustered before.

"…It is not what you think."

"Oooh!" Larxene loved his suffering. She was smiling ear-to-ear, giving the man a few playful pokes in the ribs. She cooed tunefully. "The prudish, naïve Schemer got close and cosy with the hunky, hot Hero last night."

"Get away from me, you witch." He shoved the woman back, hiding his face under his hair. "I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding, my arse" Larxene scoffed. "You probably have bites on your neck too."

"We will have to check and see," Axel growled, taking a few steps closer to the Schemer. Zexion backed away from them, pulling the coat securely around him.

"Don't you dare! Stay away from me! That is an order!"

"What are you doing?" Lexaeus asked, standing in the doorway. He had finished his shower and had a hot shave, so he was looking much better now. He still had a pounding headache however. Zexion escaped the clutches of XII and VIII, and ran straight past V without even looking at the man.

"I'm going to have my shower now. Don't disturb me."

Lexaeus watched him disappear down the corridor, than turned back to Larxene and Axel, brow arched.

"What is wrong with Zexion?" The younger Nobodies chuckled between each other and the man grows suspicious. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing, big guy," Axel said cheerfully with a wave of his hand, returning to his trusty mop. "Zexion just has some bruising."

"Bruising?" Lexaeus' expression became one of concern. "Did he hurt himself?"

Axel blinked. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

The fire mage's mouth turned into a stretched, distorted smile. He looked towards Larxene, pointing at the large man in amusement.

"He can't even remember!" He dissolved into giggles and Larxene pressed at finger to her lips, telling him to keep hush. He still laughed. The woman walked over to Lexaeus and smiled sweetly up at him.

"Don't worry about him, Lexie darling" she purred, giving the confused man a friendly pat on the arm. "Axel is just being Axel, and I'm sure Zexion will be fine."

Lexaeus nodded in agreement, than his nose wrinkled with a sniff. He looked at Larxene with a questioning gaze. "Why do you smell like honey?"

"…It's a new natural scent I'm trying out" the girl smiled. "How sweet of you to notice."

OOO

At one point during the evening, Marluxia must have thought it was a brilliant idea to make the chandelier into a decorative blooming hanging basket. Getting rid of the vines would have been a snap, if Axel didn't have an awesome idea of his own and burned the plants. Controlling living vines is one thing. Getting a reaction out of dead ones is another thing entirely. It came down to Marluxia having to climb up a ladder and cut them off with some gardening clippers. Vexen kept the ladder steady.

"It's more your fault then it is Axel's" the Academic said in a snippy tone, which Marluxia rolled his eyes at. "If you didn't grow then, he wouldn't have burnt them and we wouldn't be doing this."

Across the room, fixing and re-hooking the curtain back onto its pole, Lexaeus tried not to pay too much attention to the bickering, keeping his neutral, stoic front. As Zexion - newly clean and properly dressed in his own clothing - stepped into the room, that front cracked a little and his brow furrowed in concern. Zexion brushed some loose hair in his face back into place and walked over to the Hero. He smiled slightly.

"…Why was I wearing your cloak last night?" he asked quietly, making sure he was out of earshot from IV and XI.

Lexaeus shrugged. "I can't remember… You did spill wine down your front and took off your own coat. Maybe I though you looked cold."

"Well… if that is the case, thank you."

"…Zexion?"

"Yes."

"Axel and Larxene said you were bruised. Did you hurt yourself?"

Zexion paled rather than blushed that time. He took a deep breath, and tried to smile.

"It's nothing to worry about, Lexaeus. I must have fallen over some time during the night." He gave the man a friendly pat on the arm. "Everything is alright."

"…Well. I suppose that is fine."

"For the love of Nothing, Marluxia! Will you hurry up!"

Vexen was losing patience rather quickly. Standing around at the bottom of a ladder was not his idea for a good time, and the scientist's after-alcohol headache was not helping matters in the first ruddy place. However, he cannot move from his post or else Marluxia would likely fall… Actually that didn't sound like a bad idea. After thinking about it, Vexen stayed. If the bugger survived the tumble, he would just make IV's life more of a living hell then it already was. If he didn't, the Superior would be it instead. There was no real upside in the end.

"Vexen, stop rushing me" Marluxia barked. He hacked at the vines brutally with the blades. "This is very difficult to do."

"You're a Nobody of flowers. How can pruning be difficult for you? Just manipulate them off the light."

"There is a big difference between gaining controlling of plants which are alive and ones that are dead, Number IV. It takes up too much power to control the dead. I have to do it manually… Axel's burning didn't help matters either."

"You snarled for me."

As if summoned, the Flurry of Dancing Flames - who achieved another meaning to his title by doing a very good pop-and-lock routine of the coffee table the night before - came sauntering in through the door, now fully dressed and clean, fiery hair standing proud once more.

Marluxia glared at him. "What were you thinking when you burned these?"

"I wasn't thinking. I was drunk, Marluxia," Axel droned. The Assassin just rolled his eyes at the comment and got back to chopping. "Anywho," Axel chirped, "where is our residential little Nymph? I managed to get the last of her knives out of the pantry door," he smirked, brandishing the girl's favourite set between his spindly fingers.

"She's getting her face on" Vexen shrugged. "You know how women are like with appearance and make-up."

"And you spent how long brushing your precious blond locks today, Vex?"

"Shut up, boy."

"Yes, mother." The younger man just dumped his frame onto the cream leather sofa, curiously picking and poking the yellow and turquoise blades like playthings. "Why are you so grumpy and prissy, Number IV? …Well, more grumpy and prissy than normal?"

"I must admit I had gone over my limit yesterday." The cold elder placed a hand to his forehead, keeping the other on the ladder. "I have a terrible headache and I'm a bit irritable. Last thing I need is you neophytes annoying me." He gave the fire-boy an icy glare over his shoulder. "And while I'm on the subject, your and Number XII's behaviour last night was a disgrace. I don't ever want to see that side of you or her ever again."

"Excuse me?" Marluxia looked down towards Vexen, eyes wide and lips twisted into an amused smirk. "Did I hear that correctly?"

"They were like animals."

"And why can you remember this and I can't?" Axel growled. His grip on the knife hilts tightened.

"I don't know. Maybe I was able to keep my head and mind last night and have a better memory then you in general." Vexen brought two fingers to his temple and tapped. "Got it memorised?"

"Git!" Axel threw one of the shuriken at the man with as much strength as he come muster, but it didn't fly well for him and Vexen only had to step a few inches out of the way to make it miss. It landed on the hard floor with a metallic clatter. Axel furrowed his brow. Maybe the blades only worked under Larxene's hands.

"You really shouldn't be throwing things in the parlour, VIII" Zexion sighed, walking over to pick up the knife and place it on the bookshelf out of harm's way. "And I agree with Vexen. You really misbehaved last night."

"Not that Zexion and Lexaeus have any room to talk, mind you" Vexen sneered. The slate-haired boy whipped around instantly, his eyes bulging and his cheeks almost flushing in a Nobody's version of adolescent embarrassment, like he had been caught with filthy magazines between his book pages.

"Vexen!"

"What are you talking about?" Lexaeus asked, honestly confused now.

"Ah-ha, he still can't remember his heavy petting session" Axel gleefully sang in a high voice, covering his mouth with his hand to push back the cackling trying to come through.

"You two couldn't keep your hands off each other at one point" Vexen scoffed. "Between the four of you, it was like mating season."

Lexaeus looked surprised, which was a very rare expression indeed to see from the stoic, unruffled Hero. His eyes widened a touch, his bushy eyebrows raised a little. He turned towards Zexion and the boy was too ashamed to meet eye-to-eye, so he chose to look down at the man's boots instead.

"The bruising and marks" he said quietly. "They were in the shape of your hands, all over my hips and thighs… and my bum, but that does not give you the right to scold us, Vexen!"

"Don't try to fight a losing battle, Zexion" the scientist sighed with a wave of his hand.

"For once I agree with the little bookworm" Axel growled. "What we do is no one's business but ours, old man."

"It's everyone's business if you do it in public, you idiotic boob!"

"Maybe we should forget about all of this" Lexaeus suggests, trying to place the past in the past where it belonged.

"I agree. All of you are being foolish" Marluxia hissed. He cut a huge clump of cindered greenery ruthlessly and let it drop onto the ground. "Just be quiet."

The men fell silent for a moment. Lexaeus and Zexion continued to string up the curtains, Marluxia chopped, Vexen held the ladder and Axel started to pick his nails with the knives, sucking them every time he carelessly pricked his fingers before it could draw blood. Things were uncomfortably silent.

Then the redhead had to open his big mouth again. "…I'm surprised you and Marlu didn't get some either."

"You conniving, perverted little-!"

"Ahh!"

Vexen moved so quickly he knocked the ladder off its legs and it clattered onto the floor loudly. Marluxia, however, did not come tumbling after it. Instead he was suspended in air, hanging onto the chandelier for dear existence. He was like a scared cat with its claws in the ceiling. The four other men just look at him.

"…Don't just stand there and stare" the Nobody barked. "Get me down!"

"…Can't we just leave him up there?" Axel asked. He smiled cheekily. "He makes for such a lovely lampshade."

"Quiet you! Vexen, get the ladder! Now!"

The older man sighed. "Yes, Marluxia. Don't lose your head." Vexen picked up the wooden frame again and paused. "…Um. I think it's broken."

"What? Don't be ridiculous! You're just trying to annoy me now."

"Now when ever do I what to do that to you? But on a more serious note, I do believe it's broken."

Lexaeus walked over to give his two-cents, looking over the ladder in a studious manner. He gave a small nod.

"The hinge that keeps the ladder standing has snapped" he mused out-loud. "We don't have a replacement either."

"I told you all a metal ladder would be more practical" Zexion sassed, crossed his arms. "But no. Munny was an object that day, wasn't it?"

"You can't just leave me up here" Marluxia snapped. "And I'm not jumping down either. It's too far."

"Sorry I took so long!" Larxene was positively beamed as she strutted into the room, walking confidently on high heels, with her make-up and hair well-done to perfection. "But I'm all fresh-faced and ready for the day. How's it going in… here…" She stopped and blinked skyward, up at the man dangling like a piñata above. She cocked her head to the side. "…Why is Marlu on the chandelier?"

"Vex broke the ladder," Axel grinned.

"Oh, come. I didn't mean to do it…" Vexen thought about his statement. "…Much."

"Larxene, you have to help me down" Marluxia pleaded.

The girl laughed a soft titter. "Ha-ha. What do you want me to do? Just pick you down like a cherry off a tree? I can't reach you. I'm the smallest one here, for pity sake… I can always send a current down the lights and you will be down in no time."

"I think that would just does us more bad then good" Zexion sighed.

Larxene shook her head. "Correction: It will do him more bad then good."

"Maybe we can hold a blanket tight between us and Marluxia can fall onto that" Vexen suggested.

"I sent the last on the blankets to the laundry room" Axel said. Then an idea sprung to his mind, and he smiled. He gave the Silent Hero a friendly nudge in the side. "Hey, Lex. Do you think you will be able to catch him if he drops down?"

The man saw the boy's logic and nodded. "I suppose so."

"I rather fall into the wingspan of a pigeon!" Marluxia bellowed. Lexaeus narrowed his brilliant blue eyes at the screamer.

"Sadly, you have no other options" the earth-worker grumbled, voice rough and full of danger. He pushed the useless ladder on the floor out of the way with his foot and stood under the young man, arms out. "We haven't got forever to wait for the ceiling to crumble and break."

Marluxia finally gave in and swallowed his pride, closed his eyes and let go. He gave a little yelp, and he crashed into the embrace of the Lexaeus' large, strong arms. He was a little disorientated but the older Nobody managed to place him on the ground onto his own two feet again. Marluxia took one step, staggered then stood still for a moment.

"See" Larxene smiled. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" She gave him a slap on the back and he just toppled over like a dizzy domino. They all blinked down at their fallen leader with wideeyes.

Vexen sighed and shook his head. "Fool."

OOO

"I must admit I'm quite impressed, Marluxia." Xemnas walked in perfect pace with the Assassin at the head of the group, the others quietly trailing behind them. Mentally, Marluxia breathed a sigh of relief. Apart from the odd hiccup, things turned out for the best. Nothing incriminating was left out, nothing was askew or untidy. His backside was - figuratively and literally - safe for another day. He wasn't going to turn into Dusk anytime soon.

"If I can be honest," the Superior said to all of them, as they walk into the lounge, "I sometimes have doubts about sending half of my Organization to another base without my consent supervision, but I see I have nothing to fret about."

"Oh, you have such little faith in us, Superior" Marluxia smirked, in a sort of little joke. "Are we not mature adults?"

"He would be asking the same thing if he saw us a few hours ago" Axel grinned, trying to be clever, but it only rewarded him with a smack over the head from Lexaeus. "Ouch!"

"I see everything is fine here." A ghost of a smile touched Xemnas' mouth as they waked into the parlour, the scene of the crime which was now completely spotless. "Maybe it is high time I send Naminé here as planned. I'm sure you lot can handle her."

"Watching the young witch with be no trouble, Superior" Zexion smiled from the very middle of the trope.

"Yeah. If we can handle Heartless, Dusks and each other, we can do anything" Axel said lightly, all charm. "What can go wrong?"

He closed the door behind them… then they all saw it.

They saw the graffiti of crude, slandering words and doddles on the back of the door. It was complete gibberish all together but the individual words were clear as bells, all of them dirty and unrepeatable. They didn't see it before because the door has been propped open all morning. It looks like Axel's handiwork.

"…Where did that come from?" Xemnas asked, furrowing his brow a little.

Marluxia growled as his fist tightened until it was bone-white. "Axel!"

"I don't even remember doing it!" the redhead insisted in a hurried tone, putting his hand in the air and backing away. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry is not going to cut it!" There was a flash and the enraged Assassin had his scythe in hand. "But this will!"

Axel yelped and legged it, the door banging against the wall as he threw it open. Marluxia gave chase after him down the corridor. "When I get my hands on you, I will turn your organs into hanging baskets for the garden and mount your head to the wall!"

They disappeared out of hearing range, leaving five confused Nobodies behind.

"…Um." Xemnas looked at the others, his lips pursed slightly. "Did I… miss something today?"

"It's a long story, Superior" Larxene said with a gentle tone to her voice. She smiled and placed a hand to the man's shoulder. "How about we take a break? I've been a good little woman and have a nice pot of tea waiting for us in the kitchens. We can all have afternoon tea together."

"Yes. That sounds nice right about now" Xemnas agreed, letting her lead him out of the room. "Maybe XI and VIII would have gained some sanity back by the time we are finished. What type of tea is it?"

"Oh, it's lovely and sweet" Larxene cooed. She looked over her shoulder to wink at Zexion as they slipped through the door. "It's honey tea."

The Schemer grimaced, staring daggers in the woman's back. Before he could follow out of the doorway, a large hand fell onto his rounded shoulder.

"Zexion?"

"Not now, Lexaeus."

"Look, I just…" the man trailed off for the moment, lowering his voice, "I want to apologize. I'm sorry that my actions last night embarrassed you, and if I hurt you physically, I am sorry for that too."

Zexion smiled a little. "It's alright, Lexaeus. It was my own actions as well, so we both acted somewhat unappreciated last night. Besides, I don't mind a little bit of pain-" He flushed when he realised what he had said.

Lexaeus chuckled, completely amused. "Why, Zexion. I didn't know you were that way inclined?"

"I wasn't- I mean I am- I mean I am not. I just- Ah!"

The boy escaped out of the door, covering his red face with his hands. Lexaeus laughed again, highly amused, before turning to look at Vexen. The forgotten Academic was studying the offending writing on the back of the door. Lexaeus arched a brow at him.

"Are you coming, Vexen?"

"In a moment" the blond mumbled, waving his hand in a way as if to say 'go on with me'. "I'll catch up."

Lexaeus watched him for a moment, and then shrugged, walking away. Vexen looked over the words, scratching his chin in a thoughtful way then tucked a loose lock of long hair behind his ear.

"If I remember correctly, I was the one who did this…" he admitted to no one at all. He pondered about this for a while, and then just shrugged. "Oh well." He straightened himself up, folded his hands behind his back, and walked off to receive his cup of tea. He closed the door behind him.