Four was truly a lonely number. Here in the confines of scientific mystery and theory settled a thick, permeating loneliness. Everything he touched whispered of another who once met him here, everything whispered of a soft voice echoing from some deep corner of literature. Everything reminded him of his beloved schemer gone away on some weekend mission. It simply amazed the Chilly Academic how his frozen soul could ache with such hurt at the mere thought of abandonment. He wasn't being abandoned, Vexen scolded himself for musing such things. Zexion was busy with his own priorities as well, he could not be so selfish. As much as he would have loved to hide Number Six away in his arms forever and listen to that sultry purr he knew it was idealistic at best.
How had he allowed himself to descend to such levels, he wondered. How had he become so hopelessly enraptured with the other nobody when they were not meant to feel? Had he become deluded as well? Driven insane by the constant demands of his work and mission? When had he begun to care, when could he comprehend such emotion? When did his whole world become swallowed in bottomless abyss whenever Zexion was away? Perhaps it was the recollection of his soul dating back to those days as a somebody when he had arrived at his master's mansion and suddenly been treated as an equal, as a person, a being. As if he had a heart that bled and hurt and felt like anyone else.
Perhaps that was when became so hopelessly enamored.
Like some lovebird isolated he ached for his beloved, shoving closed some weighty dictionary of hereditary diseases to seek solace in the delicious comfort of his fantasies. Here he cradled himself in Zexion's arms listening to his silent chest and tapping out the beat of an imaginary heart on the other's shoulder as they embraced. How he longed for that voice, that touch. He restrained himself from revealing the true depth of his loneliness to Zexion. He did not want to appear dependant and become a burden upon the younger man's shoulders. No no, he could have none of that.
How his empty heart ached.
"Vexen?" The blonde turned to face Lexaeus standing at the door with a steaming cup mug tea for the academic. "Is it safe?" Vexen was quite particular about biohazards contaminating something.
"Indeed." he motioned for the other to come in, accepting the drink. Warmth spread through him as he sipped the tea down, closing his eyes to allow himself the delusion it was that beautiful warmth Zexion spread through him during their lovemaking. The three of them had been inseperable since they were somebodies but there was a mutual understanding between Vexen and Zexion that made them much closer than the academic allowed himself to become with even Lexaeus. No one else could fathom such things as they had known before the respite Ansem had offered.
"You're lonely." Nothing pulled a wall over the Silent Hero's eyes, he was far too accustomed to sensing all the little quirks his labmates possessed.
"Perhaps." Vexen set the cup down on the desk, watching little tea ripples ebb and swirl before laying stagnant. With a deep chuckle Lexaeus reached out and gathered Vexen into his arms, staring into frozen emeral depths.
"He'll be home soon." He did his best to comfort Vexen, rubbing his back and petting his hair, "You know that. He won't be gone forever."
"Mnn.." Vexen looked down at the floor, "I realize this, ignore me. I'm just a fool."
"Now now." Lexaeus tipped his chin up, "Denounce Xemnas. He is the fool, Even." Lexaeus dared to use those names aloud, it was something only the three of them shared. "You're not stupid for having emotions."
"We're not supposed to feel." Vexen countered.
"But you do." Lexaeus shook his head, "And don't even try to convince me otherwise. I know you and I know Ienzo. He pines for you, too, when you lock yourself away in these labs for weeks at a time. He'll bury himself in some book and deny any insistence that he misses you but I know he does." Vexen tipped his head against the massive chest and toyed with thick leather in his fingers, staring off into oblivion. He could almost see him standing there at the door with that wry smirk beneath those steel blue bangs obscuring his right eye. Vexen could almost smell him thick in the air, fresh shampoo laced with the rich smell of old, leather-bound books. Almost hear him saying his name in that tone mixed somewhere between amusement and exasperation. Vexen... Vexen...
"Vexen!" Zexion shook his head as he strolled into the lab, tracing his fingers up the blonde's neck to cup his face. "You are sad."
"Ienzo?" Vexen's chill face burned with an indignant blush. "You insinuate too much." Zexion just rolled his eyes and brushed their lips together, shivering at the chill.
"S-So cold.." how needy his voice was. Vexen certainly wasn't the only one doing any pining.
"Mnn.." Vexen slid off his companion's lap and pushed the smaller frame against an empty table, bending him until he was nearly in half. Zexion moaned as those frozen lips descended on his mouth again, roaming down supple, pale skin aching for the academic's touch. The snowflake seized his lover's hand and pulled him deeper through the confines of the basement, the two tripping over clothes carelessly shedded making a trail behind them into the bedroom. Moans and whimpers replaced intelligent word as mouths clashed and hands roamed, teasing, scratching, pumping and clawing. All the places that it felt just right, all the ways they loved and craved it.
"You missed me too I see." Vexen whispered into schemer's ear, preparing him quickly. Zexion lifted his hips rocking in perfect time with the two digits deep inside him.
"And if I did...?" his eyes were already dazed with dark ecstasy, tipping closer to the fragile edge. Twin cries harmonized as Vexen took him leaving the two lovers gasping and breathless for more, more, more. Nails bit into thin shoulders as Vexen searched his smaller lover, long blonde locks plastering to his face with fresh layers of sweat. Zexion pulled himself up to lock their lips together, sucking Vexen's moans down his throat.
How he'd missed this.
"I'm.. Oh god Even I'm.." Vexen reached down, his fingers dancing swiftly along the hardening flesh watching the tiny body beneath him squirm and thrash until it finally went rigid and sweet release coated his hands. Following his lover into white oblivion they sank down together into fluffy soft sheets, gracing each other with rare, warm smiles. The loneliness that once haunted their worlds ebbed away beneath the warm blanket of security draping over the two sated lovers drifting into tender slumber.
Four wasn't such a lonely number after all.