There was something wrong with Marluxia. It didn't take long for his small group of friends (well, with the exception of Demyx, who was slower than even Axel on his worst day) to catch on to the pink-haired teen's abnormal behavior. At first, it hadn't bothered any of them, but as time went on, Larxene grew worried for her best friend, and by default, Axel, Luxord, and Demyx all had to share the concern if they wanted to remain in one piece.
It'd been over one month of school, and Marluxia wasn't crushing on anyone in school. At least, he hadn't obsessively talked about any cute boys lately. Every school year since the sixth grade, they had to suffer the beginning of the year with Marluxia's lust over another classmate. They wrote down each boy's name too. It all started with Sora Strife, who Marluxia outgrew because he was "never going to grow up" (in a sense, he was right). Then there was Riku Jenova, who came from a long line of silver-haired beautiful men, but turned out to care about nothing but Sora. (Unsurprisingly, the best friends have been a couple for almost three years now.) Next was Luxord, who was new and had "an accent to die for". Turned out he only liked older men. High school started with Sora's older brother, Cloud, who was in Marluxia's gym and always stood near him in the showers. He was involved with another senior, who was very overprotective of his boyfriend. Sophomore year was Demyx - and Axel and Larxene's lives had been threatened on many occasions if they dared to tell the blond. Last year, it was all about Seifer Almasy and his "sexy scar". Seifer, however, was in a secret relationship with someone else in their grade, and Marluxia decided after a few beatings that he should look elsewhere. So far, there was no inkling as to who his new target was.
In the cafeteria late in October, the group cornered Marluxia in the hallways after their last class.
"Mar-Mar, you need to start talking," Larxene demanded right off the bat.
"Um, what's going on?" the confused boy asked.
"Marly, Larx and I have known you since pre-school," Axel said. "For years, you've fallen head-over-heels with some poor unsuspecting stud who happens to push you away one way or another. Frankly, you annoy the shit out of me when that happens. However, you haven't gushed over a single guy all year. Care to explain?"
Marluxia glanced between his four friends. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.
"That's bullshit and you know it."
"Ax, isn't it possible that I've given up on trying to find a boyfriend in Hollow Bastion? If you haven't noticed, I really haven't had much luck in the past, and I'm not expecting to in the future either." Marluxia waited patiently to let this information sink into their brains.
Luxord spoke up first: "Marluxia, it's impossible for you to not have a crush on anyone."
"Well believe it, Luxy, 'cause I don't," the pink-haired boy said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some after-school tutoring that I'm running late for." With that, he pushed past Demyx and Larxene and stalked down the hall, clutching his notebooks to his chest.
Axel shook his head. "I don't buy his little façade for even a second," he said.
"Yeah, he's definitely hiding something," Larxene agreed.
"The question is, what's he hiding?"
"I believe I may have an idea," Luxord said. "I remember overhearing Marluxia saying he was in need of help in his science class recently."
"That's impossible," Larxene scoffed. "Marluxia's one of the best science students in school. Everyone knows that."
"Then why was it when I walked into my chemistry class earlier this week Marluxia was asking Dr. Wise for extra help from one of the students in his class."
"Who do we know whose in the same class as Marluxia?"
Demyx's face lit up. "I am!" he cried excitedly.
The others groaned. "We'll never know who the guy is now," Axel said.
"Hey! I can help you guys figure this out!"
"Sorry, Dem, but this project might be a little too big for you," Larxene told him without any hint of apology or sympathy. "Let me handle it with Ax and Lux. You go and... do whatever Demyx's do." She turned to Luxord and Axel. "Come on, guys. We'll be able to find someone else in Marly's class." The three left without Demyx, who pouted where he stood.
"I can too help," he said angrily. "And I'll prove it!"
"I-I don't understand. Your notes are impeccable. They've been copied verbatim from Dr. Wise's notes on the overhead from class all year, and then extra tidbits here and there about each topic. They're more impressive than my own notes! So neat and organized, not a single smear of black or blue - or apparently pink and purple ink as well - on any of the pages. How could you possibly be falling behind in Chemistry when you're clearly far more advanced past the others in our class, maybe even our entire grade level?"
Marluxia quietly shut his notebook and slid it across the lab table, far from the reach of Vexen Frost. "That's not the kind of science I was hoping to get tutored in," he said. "Or rather, I was hoping I could double as a tutor in this field of... expertise."
"Really?" Vexen asked with an eyebrow raise. "And what science would that be?"
"Anatomy, primarily. I've always had such a fascination with..." He ran his fingertips across Vexen's lips. They were smooth and slightly cold. "...mouths."
"I wish I could help you," the blond said shakily, "however, I'm not much of an anatomical scientist. I'm more of a biologist, chemist..." He froze when Marluxia took his hand and wound their fingers together.
"Biology works too," the pink-haired boy said in a hushed tone. "We can always do hands-on demonstrations of the functions of the male reproductive system."
"Perhaps." Vexen's tongue shot out to lick his pale lips. "It may have been a while since I've brushed up on that particular subject."
"Well, good thing I aced Biology sophomore year." With that, Marluxia finally gained the courage to lean forward and kiss Vexen. What began as soft, sweet, and innocent quickly changed at a faint whimper from the blond. Tongues were used, hands roamed bodies, and soon Marluxia was straddling Vexen on the lab table.
"I think we should start studying biology now," Marluxia suggested as his mouth ventured to Vexen's neck.
"Now?" Vexen asked breathlessly. "Here?"
"All of the teachers are at some staff meeting for another hour, and the school is empty. Besides, I believe I may have a way to piqué your interest in this subject." To emphasize his point, Marluxia took one of Vexen's frail hands and moved it over his crotch.
Said blond gulped. "You're right. Now's as good a time as any."
Demyx gasped from his hideout (which was standing out in the open barely peeking through the glass door that connected Dr. Wise's class to that of Mr. Xemnas' room). He had seen Marluxia trying to get close to Vexen in class, but he never expected it to go this far! He backed out of the room and planned on running as fast as he could to tell Larxene and the others, but his plan backfired when he crashed into another boy standing not too far behind him. They both collapsed on the floor, grunting and rubbing their heads from where they had hit the tiles. A pile of papers fluttered around them.
"Could you not try cracking my skull open, please?" the other boy snapped.
"I'm sorry!" Demyx cried. "I didn't see you, I swear!" He hastily started reaching for scattered papers. He had a messy pile in his hand when he reached for one of the last pages the same time the other boy did. He pulled away and looked up at the soft blue eye staring back at him.
"Maybe I shouldn't have stood so close behind you," the boy said after several awkward silent moments.
"Nah, it's not your fault. My friends tell me all the time I'm a klutz."
The boy picked up the paper. "I've noticed... I'm in your Chemistry class. I've seen the numerous errors you've made during labs," he explained at Demyx's confused expression. "I'm Vexen's lab partner. And you're Marluxia's, correct?"
"Yeah." He held out a hand to the boy. "I'm Demyx."
"Zexion," the boy said, shaking the proffered hand before accepting his papers back. "Well, I should get going. I need to deliver these papers to Dr. Wise's mailbox in the main lounge before I go home. It was nice meeting you, Demyx." Zexion stood up and turned to leave.
Demyx suddenly had an idea. "Hey, Zexion, I was wondering, since you seem really smart, if you'd mind tutoring me in Chemistry?"