You know I'm trying to believe
That you're never going to leave
(It's something I don't want to face,
I don't want to face)
He looked at Demyx, watching as the Nocturne made his final preparations before leaving on his mission. The younger Nobody was worried, either afraid that he might not do as well as the Superior seemed to hope he would or that he would come back and receive an even more difficult assignment. Having sat uncharacteristically silent through their last meeting, the others could tell that Luxord shared his partner's worry.
"Demyx, are you sure you want to go through with this? We could ask Xemnas to give you a different assignment, one that would serve the same purpose." The Gambler honestly meant what he suggested. He didn't want to risk the one thing he cared about more than his life, not when the odds were stacked against them. He knew that is was the Nocturne's fault that he'd been given the mission, but Luxord didn't want to lose him to a moment of false confidence.
Looking up from the few things he had spread out before him, Demyx nodded glumly. "It's my fault for speaking up in the first place," he answered. "Besides, I went easy on him last time. You should know that better than anyone else." The Nocturne gave a slight grin. "And I'll trust to luck if things take a turn for the worse. It's what you would do, right?"
Number X hesitated for a moment before smiling and nodding. "That's exactly what I would do." He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around the musician and gracing his lips with a kiss, and added, "May fortune be with you, love. I'll be awaiting your return."
Grinning, the Nocturne returned the hug and pulled away a little. "I'll be back before you know it, Luxy." With a wave and the sound of a dark portal, the water manipulator was gone, off to face Sora.
"Xaldin, it's not worth it. You don't have to do this. The kid's going to be there and you'll have to…"
Xigbar's declaration was cut short by the look he received from the other. The Lancer knew that he would be going up against the Keybearer, knew that he probably wouldn't return from his mission. "Xal, why? Xemnas couldn't stop both of us if we decided to leave."
Number III shook his head. "But he could. He could easily take what humanity we have left from us," he explained. "You've seen what he can do and neither of us would be able to stop it." He looked at the Freeshooter again. "It's better to remember you than to know nothing of how we were, better to not come back than to become something even lower than what we are…"
The marksman embraced his partner, clinging, and buried his face in the larger man's chest. "I want you to come back, Xal. I need you to."
Hugging the Freeshooter, Xaldin said, "We do what we have to." He leaned his head down and placed a kiss on the sniper's ear. "And we'll always be together, even after death."
If you fade out without me
Will you know all about me?
If you fade out without me
Will you know all?
And when my heartstrings come undone
I will wait for you, pray for you
Before I make my final run
I will stay with you, decay with you
Xaldin never did come back. Neither did Demyx. It wasn't until after he returned from his own mission that Xigbar learned of the Lancer's demise, a relief when compared to Luxord's situation, and by then it was far too late to do anything about it. There was nothing to do but wait, wait for the Keybearer to finally reach the castle. Xemnas had been clear enough about that, and so they would.
When Sora did finally come, Xigbar had asserted that he would go first. Not only was he the higher rank he had been with Xaldin for years. He had nothing else to lose, not with the Lancer gone.
The taunts he made before the battle were more memories and bitterness than anything else. He shouldn't have been able to do so much damage to the Organization and yet he had. Number II wasn't going to be polite about any of what had happened, not when the others had looked stronger. And so they fought, Sora proving yet again that he was worthy of the Keyblade.
When it was over, when Sora asked once more about why they called him Roxas, Xigbar's chuckle and responding taunt weren't even conscious reactions.