Always On Your Side
by taitofan
Rated PG-13 for sexual situations
Disclaimer: If I owned KH this stuff would be canon. It's not, and I don't.
Author's Note: …I started this back in 2009, and I hadn't touched it since 2013. Well… It's done! Happy belated ZexMar Day!
If you have any CC, please share and I'll listen. Please read, review, and enjoy! Finished 06-12-16
All Marluxia had wanted was a drink of water. That was all. Just one simple glass of water to wet his throat and let him get back to sleep. True, he thought it was awfully unfair that even though they lacked hearts they still had to give into other annoying human urges, but alas. He was just too tired to complain about it now. So he quietly made his way down to the kitchen, positive that no one would be out and about at this hour. If anyone else was awake, they'd be in their rooms and much too occupied to bother him.
He'd considered just opening a portal to get there quicker, but the last time he'd done that when he was tired he'd ended up in Demyx's room, and the blond hadn't been alone. No, he concluded, he'd just walk. He really didn't want to take such risks.
Luckily, it didn't take him long to reach the corridor containing his salvation, but unluckily, the light was on in said room. Seeing as he couldn't hear anyone, he hoped someone had just left the light on and went in regardless. He was tired after all, and anyone up that late at night could just deal with his brief presence.
The sight he was met with when he opened the door caused him to lose all of his previous drowsiness and instead replace it with utter confusion. Unless Vexen had been fooling around in his lab again, that was Zexion in front of him. In the kitchen, long past midnight, baking what looked like cookies.
"What the hell?" he mumbled, wondering if he was dreaming. The sound alerted Zexion of his arrival, causing the younger Nobody the spin around, his visible eye wide. This only served to further confuse Marluxia. Shouldn't Zexion have smelt him or something? Or was his baking that important? Since when did he bake anyway?
"…Would you like something, XI?"
And just as quickly as Zexion's shock had come, it was gone.
"I wanted a drink," Marluxia muttered, still trying to decide if he was really awake. He was used to having dreams about the other man, but not ones like this. They were usually naked or something, but now really wasn't the time to think about that. "But suddenly I'm not so thirty anymore… Zexion, why the hell are you baking cookies at," he glanced at the clock, "two fourteen in the morning?"
"If you must know," Zexion replied, not seeming at all tired as he mixed the cookie dough, despite the hour, "I couldn't sleep with all of the noise coming from next door." Noise? If it was next door, it must have been from…
"From Lexaeus or Saix?" he asked, honestly not knowing which answer would be more surprising.
"Saix." Zexion sighed, almost as if he didn't want to think about it. "Axel was… visiting him."
Marluxia cocked an eyebrow at the information, not expecting that at all. Being able to remember a good deal of his life before losing his heart—a lot more than it seemed many of them could, or at least would admit to—he could recall two boys in school who seemed to be glued at the hip. But Saix and Axel had never seemed to share that connection. Well, perhaps the familiarity got them through the night easier. Whatever. That wasn't any of his business anyway.
"I see. So you didn't want to hear those two getting intimate, I get that. Still… Cookies?" Zexion shot him a look that clearly said he was in no mood for this. That was just too bad though, because Marluxia certainly wasn't tired anymore. When it became clear that he wasn't leaving until he had an answer, Zexion shook his head and gave in.
"Baking… When I was Ienzo, I used to like doing it, between all of the experiments I did with Even. It's familiar, so I do it now as well. Who do you think cooks the food we all eat?" Marluxia honestly hadn't thought about it. He supposed that was a good explanation as to why they never saw Zexion a lot; he spent all of his time in the library, his room, and the kitchen. Interesting indeed.
"Well… I'll admit that you're good. I just never would have thought you were the domestic type." Then again, he'd never thought Saix and Axel were screwing. Tonight was just full of surprises. What was next? Were Demyx and Xigbar—wait, yes. They most likely were. The other person in Demyx's room that time certainly had looked like Xigbar. Why wasn't he getting any?
"You'd be surprised what I can do," Zexion said, oblivious to Marluxia's thoughts. Of course, this only proved to give Marluxia unsavory ideas. "Now either make yourself useful and get out a cookie sheet or go back to bed."
Marluxia didn't like taking orders, superiors or not, but this time he made an exception and went about helping Zexion finish his late night baking. There was no way he was leaving now, not when he was finally getting Zexion to say more than three words to him. Supposedly, Zexion talked quite a bit to the other members of the original six, but Marluxia wasn't graced with that honor. Therefore, it didn't surprise him as Zexion fell silent. Luckily, Marluxia had always been sociable. He was rather confident that he could get his late-night companion to talk.
"I didn't like it." Sure enough, the ambiguous statement caught Zexion's attention, and he shot Marluxia a bemused look as they scooped out dough onto the cookie sheet.
"You didn't like what?"
"Cooking. When I was Lumaria, I liked gardening—"
"Surprise surprise."
"—but I used to burn anything I touched. But… this isn't as bad as I'd thought. With the present company at least."
Zexion shook his head, placing the last of the dough on the sheet. Marluxia opened the oven door and allowed his fellow Nobody to place it in. When that was done and the timer was set, he turned to Marluxia with a serious look on his face.
"That was perhaps the most disgustingly sentimental thing I've ever heard anyone in the castle say, Demyx not included. Why in the world would you like baking with me if you don't normally care for it?"
"Can't I like spending time with you, or did Xemnas suddenly forbid it? Sorry, I must have missed the memo." Truthfully, Lumaria had liked cheesy romance novels too, but he never planned on telling anyone that.
Zexion rolled his eyes and Marluxia almost laughed. Surely, Zexion realized that pulling rank wasn't a deterrent to him; he was much too observant to have missed that. His faith was rewarded when Zexion suddenly crossed his arms and smirked up at Marluxia.
"Tell me and I'll make it worth your trouble."
…It was an interesting proposal, to say the least. And Marluxia liked interesting things. Maybe, just maybe…
"All right. You see, when I still had my heart, I worked as a gardener at a castle. There was someone there I'd grown attached to, though I couldn't do anything because I was quite a bit older than him at the time. I'm not even sure he knew who I was. He spent a lot of his free time in the garden reading, but he never spoke to me." He sighed and hoisted himself up on the counter, looking down at the shorter Nobody with a pensive look on his face. "This is the first time we've ever really talked, and I've watched you for a very long time now."
Zexion looked up at his subordinate blankly for a long while before shaking his head and chuckling.
"I changed my mind… That was the sappiest thing I've ever heard." He smirked as Marluxia glared down at him. "Mmm… XI, did you know that your eyes are a lovely shade of blue when you're irritated?"
Marluxia bristled at Zexion's easy, sarcastic dismissal of his confession. Zexion was smart; there was no way he couldn't have gotten the point of his little admission. He'd just wanted to succeed where Lumaria had failed—but if he didn't have a heart, why did his empty chest feel so heavy at the thought of Zexion brushing him off?
"I see," he said shortly as he hopped back down to the floor. "I'm so glad I was able to amuse you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to bed."
As he walked out, he waited for Zexion to call out to him, to stop him, to follow him, anything.
But it never came, and Marluxia slept fitfully for the rest of that night.
Marluxia felt much better the next day, but he knew it was only for very vindictive reasons. Xigbar had shot at Demyx for calling him old, Axel was glaring at Saix for snapping at Roxas… It made his rejection not hurt as much when the other apparent "couples" were having a bad time too.
There was also the fact that he just found out he was going to be leading a group at Castle Oblivion. That was actually very nice.
He just hated that despite everything, he still found himself wanting Zexion along.
He soon had his team—which lo and behold, of course had Zexion on it—and found himself giving his orders to them within the castle. He could tell right away that half of his members didn't like having to take orders from him, but he didn't really care. They would be in the basement anyway, doing whatever science nonsense they did, while he, Larxene, and Axel carried out their own plan.
Of course, he thought, it would be nice if Zexion were to join them. Maybe he would, after Vexen and Lexaeus were out of the way. No point in giving up before he'd even tried, right?
"You're dismissed." As his instructions came to a close, several portals opened, and Marluxia found himself almost alone. Almost, because Zexion hadn't been among them. "Is there a problem, VI?"
It took a few moments before Zexion did anything but stare at him blankly. Marluxia refused to be intimidated, but he did feel slightly uneasy when Zexion suddenly chuckled.
"You know, I promised you that I'd make telling me about your past worth the hassle. Forgive me for not being able to fulfill that right away." Zexion stepped closer until he was able to reach up and tuck a loose strand of pink hair behind Marluxia's ear. In that moment, Marluxia hoped that his face didn't resemble his hair. "Once we're out of this castle, I'll repay your honesty in spades. Do count on it, won't you?"
Zexion was gone before Marluxia could respond. It was probably for the best, he concluded, as he didn't quite trust his voice at that moment anyway. All he really knew was that he couldn't wait for his little coup to succeed, so he could find out just what Zexion had in mind.
The first thing Marluxia thought upon waking up was to wonder how he was doing so in the first place. He was dead, right? For real, this time. Surely the whole Castle Oblivion thing hadn't been some elaborate fever dream. And yet, there he was, quite alive in a place that looked an awful lot like…
His heart beat wildly in his chest. This was where he'd lost his heart, right there in the castle gardens where he'd worked as Lumaria, and—
And it hit him that he could feel his heartbeat.
He scrambled to his feet, shaky but determined, and hurried to the fountain at the center of the garden, looking as if it had never been destroyed. Sure enough, his reflection showed hair just a shade darker than Marluxia's, and his eyes with the tiniest hint of green. Between that and his steady heartbeat, there was no denying it—he was Lumaria again. He was alive and whole.
"I'm rather impressed that you can move so quickly after all you've gone through. Most of the others had to be carried to the infirmary, and half of them weren't even conscious."
Lumaria froze at the sound of that voice—it was one he knew very well. Considering his last days as a Nobody, he wasn't sure if this was the best case scenario or the absolute worst. Of course it would be him, of course.
"Ienzo," he greeted lightly, though his nerves were a wreck as he turned to face the other man. "Lovely to see I can impress someone as hard to please as you. Now, be a dear and tell me how many others we're talking about, exactly?"
"You're the last of us, actually." Lumaria wouldn't fool himself into imagining that was relief in Ienzo's voice. "Everyone else appeared long before Xehanort was defeated for good and his puppets were set free, awaking wherever they initially lost their heart. I—We were concerned that it was taking you so long to show up."
"That is odd, but I'm here now and I feel fine, if not confused, so I suppose there's nothing to worry about." Oh, but wasn't it nice to imagine that the slip of Ienzo's tongue actually meant something! He tried to smile, but he knew it probably looked more like a grimace than anything. Well, he'd been dead up to a few minutes ago, so he had an excuse not to be at his best. "Though I highly doubt you lost any sleep over me, hmm?
He kept his voice light, but could anyone really blame him if he sounded bitter? The briefest look of guilt flashed over Ienzo's face, so quickly that Lumaria couldn't be certain he'd even really seen it. And if he had, how could he even possibly begin to believe it? Zexion had made it clear he had no interest Marluxia's attraction, so why would it change with Ienzo?
"About that…" Ienzo slowly made his way to the fountain, sitting down at its base, closer to Lumaria than was likely necessary. How many times had Lumaria watched a younger Ienzo sit at this very fountain as he read, peaceful and putting the garden to shame with his beauty? Lumaria couldn't even begin to count. "Didn't I promise that I'd repay your honesty once we were out of Castle Oblivion?"
It took Lumaria a moment to realize what Ienzo was talking about. Right—during that baking-cookies-at-an-obscenely-late-hour thing, Zexion had asked why Marluxia wanted to spend time with him before he'd completely brushed off Marluxia's round-about confession. He had made that promise at Castle Oblivion, hadn't he? Back then it had been frustrating to be so blatantly ignored, and it only got worse while he was trying in vain to overthrow Organization XIII. But he'd at least had the excuse that he didn't have a heart, so it was ridiculous for him to want Zexion's attention in the first place.
But now…
Now his heart was beating just fine. Perhaps even more than fine, what with Ienzo looking so expectantly at him, patiently waiting for a response.
"You really don't have to explain anything," Lumaria finally said, despite his unbridled curiosity of Ienzo's intentions. Realistically, he knew that it wouldn't be what he truly wanted to hear, though he desperately wanted to cling to his hope. Was it so wrong to want to be happy for once? "I realize it wouldn't have been feasible while we had hearts due to your age, and without hearts it was a hopeless cause, and now—"
Lumaria was cut off by a sensation that almost lost him his heart for a second time. Ienzo's lips were soft and smooth and Lumaria was highly disappointed that they were only pressed to his for a few short moments before Ienzo pulled away. That brat wasn't even blushing. How unfair. Lumaria was sure that his own face must have been rivaling the carnations growing just feet away from them.
"Yes, I was young back then, that's true. But if you had any idea why I always came out to the garden to read, or how little reading I actually did versus how often I found myself staring at the gardener, perhaps you wouldn't feel as if nothing can ever change." Lumaria would one day look back at that moment and be disgusted by how terribly ungraceful he was, but in the moment, all he could do was stare and flush and wish Ienzo was still kissing him. "My, how rare to find you with so little to say. Should I put your mouth to better use?"
Apparently, Ienzo wasn't expecting a reply, as he leaned in to kiss Lumaria again regardless. For his part, Lumaria's mind and body finally caught up with each other, and he eagerly returned the kiss. More eagerly than Ienzo had seemed to count on, as he let out a rather undignified sound when Lumaria tilted his head and deepened the kiss considerably. He didn't stop the moan that escaped him—Ienzo's mouth was simply too sweet, and he meant that literally. Ienzo tasted of sugar, as if he'd been eating sweets before he'd come out to the garden. Cookies, perhaps.
"You should teach me how to bake," he murmured between kisses, barely letting their lips part.
"You think baking is dull."
Lumaria chuckled; that wasn't exactly a no, was it?
"Not if it's with you."
Their lips were about to meet again, when a soft beeping came from one of the pockets of Ienzo's lab coat. Ienzo cursed softly and got to his feet, motioning for Lumaria to follow suit. Despite still not being keen on taking orders, he figured he could make an exception in this case and did as was asked of him.
"My apologies. I didn't actually expect to find you today, and I've lost track of time." Ienzo actually did look apologetic for needing to leave, and it amazed Lumaria to no end. Was he sure he wasn't dreaming? "I need to get back to the lab and help Even with more tests. We all might be alive, but we're taking every precaution that Xehanort's influence is completely gone from Isa and Braig before we let them go. And I fear if we take too much longer to release Isa, Lea will start setting fire to the curtains or something else ridiculously juvenile. And if Myde doesn't stop whining about how much he misses that traitorous idiot, I'll—"
It was Lumaria's turn to shut Ienzo up with a kiss, and finally—finally!—he saw a touch of color on Ienzo's face as he pulled away. It was a nice start, but he was confident he could do better.
"I understand. Go help Even get the fools their lover's back. Then you and I can start making up for all of that lost time."
Ienzo nodded, but he didn't make a move to leave. His concerned gaze from earlier was back, and this time he wasn't even trying to hide it.
"Are you sure you're alright? I realize your strength was actually ranked higher than most of us, but you were still badly injured, if Sora's stories are to be believed, and I am inclined to believe them. Should I take you to the infirmary before I get to work?"
This—all of this—was so unbelievable. Being alive, having his heart, having Ienzo's affection… How did he go from fighting Sora and losing horribly to being in such a favorable situation?
"I'll be fine, as long as you tell me one little thing." Ienzo nodded easily, not hesitating even for a second. "If this is something you've felt for so long, why didn't you say anything in the kitchen that night?"
Now Ienzo did hesitate. Lumaria wasn't really sure why though; it was easy enough to assume that their lack of hearts had been the main factor. Of course, it was also high time and he and Ienzo stopped making assumptions and were honest with each other.
"I could remember having a heart just as well as you did, and that was the problem. True, I could remember my… crush on you, and with your reciprocation, perhaps we could have played off that even without hearts. We wouldn't have been the only ones attempting some semblance of a relationship based on memories." He paused and sighed, glancing at the castle before turning back to Lumaria. "I'd be lying if I said it was anyone but the imbeciles I have to tend to that I had reservations. Lea and Isa went from being attached at the hip to whatever the train wreck Axel and Saix's relationship devolved into. And Braig sneaking Myde into his room might have been the castle's worst kept secret, but Xigbar's intentions with Demyx never seemed quite genuine. I wondered—if they couldn't make preexisting relationships work, how could we? How… How could I?"
As Ienzo's insecurities spilled forth, Lumaria almost felt guilty for the way he'd reacted back then. Almost. It had still hurt, though Ienzo's reasoning was certainly solid. And when Ienzo was finished, Lumaria couldn't help himself—he leaned down and kissed Ienzo gently, affectionately. When he pulled back, he nearly grinned. It seemed a little bit of tenderness was the key to finally make Ienzo blush properly.
"You were likely right," he admitted, "especially considering my plans at Castle Oblivion. But I believe that if we can get passed that, and if those fools can rekindle their broken relationships, we should do alright. Don't you agree?"
Ienzo smiled—a genuine smile, not the smug smirks Zexion had often worn—and nodded again. The sight made Lumaria's heart flutter. It felt wonderful.
"Yes, I suppose I do…" Lumaria thought he might get another kiss, but Ienzo only ducked in for a quick hug before swiftly retreating. "I really should go before someone comes to fetch me. If you want any peace before Even decides he needs to examine you, you should stay here until I'm done working. If I'm with you, he might be too tired from dealing with Braig to resist my insistence that you're fine. If that sounds good to you…?"
"Yes, that sounds like a good plan." After all, there was no place he felt more comfortable in than the garden. "Then I'll see you once you're done?"
"Of course. I'd like to see anyone stop me." Ah, there was that familiar smirk, just as cocky and gorgeous as the last time he'd seen it. "I'll see you soon, Lumaria."
Ienzo left quickly and without looking back, which Lumaria felt was the best choice if Ienzo actually wanted to get anywhere. While he certainly didn't want his new—what were they exactly?—partner to leave, he didn't want Even—or heaven forbid, Lea or Myde—to come find him either. Perhaps later, once the whole being alive thing wasn't so novel an idea. It wouldn't be such a terrible thing to have some friends other than Relena for once. For now, though, he simply wanted to rest in the garden he'd devoted so much of his original existence to and let all of the recent developments with Ienzo sink in.
'…I didn't actually expect to find you today…'
Ienzo's words from earlier in their conversation suddenly came to Lumaria's mind, and now that he thought about it, they had interesting connotations. Everyone had been found in the spot they initially lost their heart. He had been in this very garden, but no one else had been alive at that point but Relena, and he didn't think that she and Ienzo had a lot to talk about. Still, had Ienzo known? Had he been out here before? Had Ienzo been waiting for him to appear…?
Lumaria smiled and settled back on the base of the fountain, dipping his fingers into the cool water. Yes, he was optimistic that he and Ienzo were going to do just fine.