CHAPTER 1
Three Years Ago
Zexion panted, moans tearing from his throat as Marluxia rose up to once more thrust into him. The sharp streaks of pain mingled with the pleasure of his self-stimulated arousal. The man on top of him was moaning as well, reaching his climax around the same time. Exhausted from a long night of vigorous sex, Zexion rolled over as the pink-haired man flopped down beside him—both of them trying to catch their breath. Marluxia was never gentle with Zexion, but the scientist was careful not to show how much the rough sex actually hurt him. Good thing he was trained in basic medical sciences.
"Zexion? I think we—"
Marluxia was cut off by Zexion's finger to his lips. "I have something to say first." With a slow and deliberate movement, the small scientist positioned himself straddling the botanist in an arousing position. He felt the other man stiffen below him and rocked slightly to stroke the penis beneath him. He ran a hand down Marluxia's chest, making sure that the man beneath him was fully aroused, his eyes closed, before Zexion dared to speak. "I think I've started to love you."
Marluxia stiffened up even more, his eyes snapping open. "Love? Kid, that's not part of our deal."
"I know. That doesn't mean I won't say it."
The pink haired man shifted, forcing Zexion to have to get off him. Without meeting the smaller man's eyes, he slipped only his jeans on—having not come with a shirt. With a smirk on his lips, he finally met the searching blue eyes. "I warned you from the start. Perhaps you should've taken notes?" And with that statement, he turned and walked out of the door, slamming it behind him.
Utter disbelief slammed into Zexion as he comprehended what just happened. He'd been rejected! By the very man he had been sleeping with for the past year! What went wrong… "I warned you."… The scientist's head was pounding and he curled into a ball on the bed, savoring the remnants of Marluxia's scent and allowing the memories to crash over him.

"Zexion." A warm, sultry voice drifted from his right and the man glanced up despite the book he was reading. Standing under a blooming cherry tree a few feet from Zexion's bench was Marluxia. His hair was windblown and strewn with petals.
"Marluxia?"
With slow, deliberate steps, the botanist began to walk closer, his eyes seeming to burn into the scientist's flesh with a searing fire of a spur to kiss the pink-haired man. In fact, Zexion's whole body seemed to sing with his innate desire to kiss, touch, suck…
"Why are you alone, Zexion?"
The way Marluxia said his name sent a ripple of pleasure through his body. The scientist was surprised not only by the foreign attraction he was feeling, but also by his next words. "I'm not alone now…" The invitation was practically purring from his throat. He scooted over to allow the botanist to sit.
But instead, the man grabbed Zexion's wrist and roughly pulled him to his feet and into his chest. Fallen book forgotten, the small man's heart stopped when the botanist leaned down to suckle his ear briefly before murmuring, "Please, don't let me disturb you."
Zexion moaned slightly before allowing himself to melt into the man before him. "You're…not." His breath was slightly labored as the man slid his hand into his pants and caressed the throbbing shaft within. With a gasp, Zexion felt his body buck slightly.
"I want to show you something…" With gentleness belying earlier intensity, Marluxia scooped up Zexion and laid him on the ground. He kissed the scientist callously, rubbing the soft skin of his penis to incite the panting moan he received from Zexion. "Before I take this any further, you need to understand I will never love you."
The squirming man rotated his hips in an effort to get the botanist to stroke him once more. "Yes, I know…please…Marluxia."
Smirking with his meticulous victory, Marluxia stimulated Zexion until he came. And then he showed him more things, again, and again…

Present
"Hey!" Zexion slapped Vexen's hand as the chemist reached for the scientist's book.
Glaring, "I'll give it back, you child," Vexen rubbed the spot on his hand where he had been slapped.
"You didn't even ask, insufferable celibate!" Zexion sneered, glaring back.
"As if you ever ask, inarticulate recluse!" Vexen's eyes were laughing, obviously enjoying the banter.
"Children, children!" They both glanced up to see Kadaj walking over with three sea-salt ice cream bars. "Shield mine ears, oh Lord, lest I hear their failure afoot."
Zexion snorted, "You can't invent Shakespeare."
"Why not; he did." Grinning, the military-weaponist handed them their treats. "So how are my darling ladies?"
Vexen choked on his ice cream, looking as though he wanted to murder the man.
"Quite well," Zexion looked a bit snobbishly at choking Vexen, "You are aware that most people swallow, rather than inhale, ice cream?"
Clear-throated, the chemist bared his teeth in what was most definitely not a smile. "Yes, ass-face, I am."
"Whaa!" Kadaj interrupted the imminent argument that was bound to unfold between the two. "Boys! Please! I need help."
"That explains the bribe…' Zexion grumbled before another bite of his delicious bribe.
"Well," sheepishly, Kadaj avoided the comment. "Lt. Cloud wants me to research a method of creating anti-shatter swords. And since you both know from experience of threats and bribes that I normally get you two to research for me, I desperately need your help."
"Wait—" Vexen was cut off.
"Please, Vexen, I need you guys."
"Hang on," Zexion held up his popsicle for silence. "Lt. Cloud? As in THE Cloud? And the very man who's pants you so desperately want to invade?" Zexion smirked.
"Y-yes. Him." Looking away, Kadaj blushed, his face hopeless. "But do you guys have any ideas?"
Vexen nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, but I need to talk to Lexaeus before I commit."
Zexion tilted his head. "Who's that?"
"A guy I've known for years. Since before I met you four years ago. I was going to introduce you but you and Marly…"
Zexion frowned. "I'm sorry."
Vexen wrinkled his nose. "Nah, it's understandable. I still think my—our—ex is hot."
Kadaj chuckled. "Don't let him find out, he's been practically killing Xigbar in an attempt to get him to stalk you for him."
Vexen perked. "What?"
The weaponist rolled his eyes. "Oh dear."
Zexion poked them both. "Come on. What about this Lexaeus will help Kadaj?"
The chemist smiled. "He's a weapon's specialist too. He just happens to apply chemistry to almost every aspect, Kadaj."
"Hey, your lectures were hard to follow! It's your fault I failed!"
"Sure, blame the old man. What's this about Marluxia you were saying?"
"Well…"
Zexion's mind began to wander as he pondered upon this old acquaintance of Vexen's. Was it really possible to make shatter-resistant-swords? It must be, considering I was able to make book into a prison…
"Zexion?" He jerked back into reality at the sound of his name. He glanced up and froze, seeing as the person before him just so happened to be the man they were talking about.
"Ah," Kadaj sneered, meeting the botanist's blue eyes, "Speak of the devil."
Oh how right you are.