Saix sat at his desk in the office he shared with Marluxia, Lexeaus and Luxord. Most of the time he was the only one in the office except today. Everyone who had been going on missions recently had decided not to do reports and until they wrote them all they were banned from leaving the castle. That included Saix, who had to read every report to make sure it was to the Superior's standards.
"I hate reports!" Luxord whined as he dropped his head to his desk.
"How many have you finished?" Marluxia asked from his spot by the window.
"Two. I have 5 left."
"Better than me. I still have eight. I can't even remember what happened on half of these missions anymore!"
"What about you Lexeaus?"
"I have a few done." Lexeaus replied from his desk beside the door.
"This is going to take all day!"
"Luxord, its six o'clock. The day has already passed because you didn't get up until three. I was in here at eight and both Saix and Lexeaus were already here." Marluxia said. "What time did you two get here?"
"I was here at six but Saix was already working when I walked in." Lexeaus said.
"Saix?"
Saix, who had been sitting in the far back corner being as silent as usual, turned to look at them all. Everyone saw the deep, black circles around his eyes and how pale he was, paler than normal.
"It was three thirty I think." Saix said
"What? That early? Are you crazy?" Marluxia and Luxord asked.
"I need to read all of these reports, make sure they're correct then hand them to the Superior. If I don't get them done quickly then the Superior won't get any sleep."
"When do you sleep?" Luxord asked.
"I usually sleep for an hour or two depending on how many more reports I have left to get done. Sometimes I don't sleep, not like it matters. Most nights I don't sleep well anyway. Now come on you were just complaining that it would take forever so let's get back to work."
Hours passed by as they worked. Occasionally other members would pop in to bring food to them or reports to Saix. At eleven Marluxia and Lexeaus went down to get coffee for the four. Downstairs they bumped into Vexen who told them Xemnas was coming up to see them. They hurried upstairs and walked into Luxord kneeling in front of Saix's desk.
"Luxord?" Marluxia asked.
"Shh." Luxord said as they all gave him a weird look. "Saix fell asleep."
They both walked over and sure enough Saix was sleeping. He was sitting up still, hand holding up his head and pen in the other almost like he was working.
"The Superior will be up soon to see us. We should wake him up." Marluxia said.
"No, let's leave him. He is exhausted and the Superior needs to see it." Lexeaus said.
As Xemnas walked in he stared at the three and wondered why they were around Saix who was working unlike them.
"Hello Superior." Luxord said.
"How are reports coming? From what I see none of you are working." Xemnas said.
"They're coming along well. I have one left, Marluxia has one as well and Lexeaus was almost finished."
"Has Number Seven been reading them?"
"He was."
"What do you mean was?"
"You see Superior, he fell asleep while those two went to get us coffee."
Xemnas walked over to see that Luxord was telling the truth. He couldn't help but smile at the peaceful look on his second-in-commands face. As if knowing they were watching him he snapped his eyes open.
"I fell asleep... I'm very sorry Superior. I won't let it happen again." Saix said then began to work again writing note on Axel's horrible report.
"Saix. You're exhausted." Marluxia said.
"I'm fine."
"Number Seven, you need sleep. I know you've been sleeping less than even Vexen, and that man never sleeps. You are exhausted, all of us can tell. Your work will still be here in the morning." Xemnas said.
"It's fine sir."
Xemnas walked behind his desk and pulled the chair away from the desk. He took Saix's pen out of his hand then moved all his reports away.
"Come. I'll walk you back." Xemnas said.
Saix stood, and then walked to the door. Xemnas followed behind him. Once out in the hall he turned Saix the way to his giant room instead of Saix's own room.
"This isn't the way to my room..." Saix mumbled.
"If you go to your room you won't actually sleep." Xemnas said.
Saix, in his sleepy state, didn't protest. He wavered a bit and almost fell to the ground. Xemnas reached out and caught him. Instead of standing back up Saix leaned into Xemnas. Xemnas picked him up.
"Superior..." Saix mumbled closing his eyes.
"Just go to sleep. It's okay. I'll carry you." Xemnas said to him.
Saix did just that. He slowly slipped into a deep sleep he had been aching for. Xemnas smiled slightly again.
He carried Saix straight to his room, only stopping to get Xaldin to get his door for him.
He laid him on his bed then covered Saix up with his blankets.
Xemnas left to retrieve the reports from Saix's desk. When he returned he realized how small and fragile Saix looked while he slept in Xemnas's huge bed. It was a sight that Xemnas found himself enjoying. He took the reports to his own desk and prepared to read a few when Saix began to roll around and cry out. Xemnas went over to wake him up.
"Saix." Xemnas said as he sat on the bed and shook his shoulder.
Saix woke and instantly latched onto Xemnas in panic.
"Are you okay?" Xemnas asked as he returned the hug.
Saix slowly realized what he was doing but was unable to get out of the hold Xemnas had on him.
"It was just a nightmare sir. I get them all the time, but they seem to get more real every time." Saix mumbled.
"Do you get them every night?" Xemnas asked as he finished climbing onto the bed.
"Yes sir."
"Is that why you don't sleep often?"
"Yes sir. I don't like to sleep because I know they will just come back. They scare me as much as something can scare a nobody."
"What makes them go away?"
"Being around people. That's why I didn't have one when I fell asleep in the office or when I nap in the room I hand out missions."
Xemnas felt something he remembered as sadness come across him. He realized he had to do something. He pulled Saix tighter against himself and made them lay down.
"Then stay with me from now on. I will stop them from returning." Xemnas said.
From that night on no more nightmares of losing his heart plagued Saix again.
