A/N: Happy Larxel Day, everyone! Yes, it is 8/12 today, so I honored it with a one-shot of this awesome pairing. I'm sorry if it's a bit short, but this was something I typed up a few months ago. Hope you enjoy. XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, because I'm not in Forbes magazine. So there!

The Actuality of Pain

"Larxene," Marluxia gestured to the Savage Nymph with one languid finger, "may I have a word with you—alone?"

He addressed this last word pointedly at Axel, who shrugged like he usually did and retreated to his room in silence.

In the mean time, a confused expression gathered on Larxene's face. She hoped that this discussion's topic would be Sora's idiocy and not something on a more personal level. After all, she had served as the trophy on Marluxia's arm for so long now, that she couldn't even count the days. He would bestow to her a pleased, doting expression, one a lover would give to another. She somehow didn't want to lose that almost chemical bond between them.

The pink-haired man in question paced the perimeter of the room, intentionally biding his time. His azure eyes occasionally drifted to the puzzled Larxene, the one whom he pretended to love. Of course, he possessed no love for her; if he did, he still wouldn't even bother with her. She seemed rather on the plain side to him. And the fact that she feigned returning these false emotions struck him as amusing. He would permit this silence between them for as long as it took before he broke the news to her.

As any sadistic plotter would sense, he could hardly wait until this moment.

Marluxia could practically glimpse the befuddled concern expanding in the deep teal pools that were Larxene's eyes—the only attractive quality about her, in his opinion. She worried now, and did the Nymph ever worry?

Of course not, he concluded, she normally sneered, playing the part of the seductive temptress in this Organization. With her eyes and her supposedly attractive, flexible body, she lured victims to their deaths. The Heartless dancing around her, she would watch as these said victims (typically male) would writhe in agony. Her sharp, annoying laugh afterwards would echo the whole world over, as she delighted in her Circe-like assassinating tactics.

Too bad that he would be the one laughing this time.

Gradually, the silence bored him to the point that he finally spoke again in a tone that masked his glee. "There is something that I must tell you."

The concern died in Larxene's orbs just then, though he knew that it still haunted her in the profound recesses of her mind. Waging psychological warfare on this wretched girl was more fun than he had anticipated. Coming off as nonchalant, though not very successfully, she snorted, "Humph! And what would that be, Marluxia?"

Just a few more seconds, he calculated, and her non-existent heart would shatter into a million pieces, just as he planned. "I find I am no longer interested in you."

The anxiety and hurt that showed through her eyes before she could prevent it amused him beyond compare. Yes, he had done it. He had damaged the Savage Nymph, a feat no other Organization member could master.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked in a more subdued tone, one a reproachful child would use in the midst of facing punishment from the parent.

"I would hope you would figure this out, Larxene," he purred demurely, striding over to her after his seemingly endless wandering. When she attempted to look away (oh, how priceless!), he forced her chin his way, so that he could admire the true agony written on her face.

His plan would succeed—that pathetic girl would only have a few trifle minutes left until she burst into tears...

He didn't know, however, that Larxene was much stronger than that, a tragic miscalculation.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, striking his hand away as though it might burn her with its supposed gentleness.

"Honestly, Larxene," Marluxia said coldly, affronted, "I thought it should be obvious. I haven't kissed you in weeks. I haven't held you in months. And I haven't even spoken to you in two days. I would assume that you would have already received the message I myself conveyed to you. It's over."

"You arrogant liar!" she shouted, those stupid tears glowing in her eyes now. "I actually thought you cared about me until now."

"Well, I guess I don't." A victorious smirk graced Marluxia's lips.

It was to be obliterated entirely when Larxene shocked him with her kunai; he jumped a foot in the air, surprised and infuriated.

"From now on, just leave me alone—like you used to do!"

She fled from the room before her destroyer said another word.

The tears she had so ardently fought back now streamed down her face as she sprinted down the corridor to her room, a safe refuge. Unfortunately, she disregarded the fact that Axel's room lay two doors down.

Even worse, the redhead sauntered out into the very corridor she ran while at her weakest moment.

"Larxene, are you...crying?" he asked, totally baffled. Yet he pulled this statement off with a sneer.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" she screamed louder than she had ever dared before, expressing the act of a woman in dire pain.

For some strange reason she couldn't comprehend, he put his arms around her.

"What did he do?" he whispered tenderly in her ear.

"He...he said he didn't want to see me anymore," Larxene sighed sadly, calmer as she leaned her head against his chest.

"Do you know that I won't do that to you?" Axel asked while stroking her hair.

"No."

"I mean it," he murmured sincerely.

"OK," she said with a resigned air.

A/N: I'm sorry that I couldn't make the ending any better. And, for some reason, I've always been fascinated with the love triangle of Marluxia/Larxene/ Axel. I just think it's cool.

Hope my Larxel Day one-shot didn't suck too badly. Reviews will assure me. XD