This little ditty was written for –literary licence- 's challenge/prompt/contest. I hope it came out well.

Scheming Hearts

Zexion paused in the doorway. "Why are you in Vexen's lab?"

Spiky brown hair turned toward him in surprise. "What- How are you here?"

"Where else would I be?" The slate-haired Nobody asked back.

Sora opened his mouth but shut it again after a moment. He turned back to what he had been doing. He had two books and several beakers of different colored liquids spread out before him.

"You haven't answered my question."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Well, I thought it was obvious. I'm making a potion."

Zexion arched his visible eyebrow, stepping into the room. "Those are not the ingredients to make potions. They do not even make hi-potions."

"I'm not making that kind of potion." Sora bit his lip. "What's a gill?"

"A liquid measurement; Four gills equal a pint."

"Oh, thanks."

Zexion now stood beside the teen. He skimmed the recipe Sora was studying and gave the brunette a quizzical look. "Why are you attempting to make a love potion?"

"It's for Riku and Leon." Sora explained absently, his attention focused on what he was doing. "They're never gonna get together on their own so I'm going to help them."

"These are complicated potions." Zexion flicked his bangs. "I highly doubt you have the cognitive ability to successfully accomplish your task."

Sora paused. "What?"

Zexion sighed. "Your intellect leaves something to be desired."

The boy looked at him. "Wait, are you saying I'm stupid?"

"Not stupid," The Nobody corrected. "You are simply not very bright when it pertains to certain things."

Sora glared. "So I'm stupid."

Zexion closed his eyes. Why did he bother? "Would you like any assistance?"

"No." Sora snapped, turning back to his project. "I can do this by myself."

"Fine," Zexion moved away. "At least Riku and this Leon can rest easy tonight."

Sora stared after him angrily as he left the laboratory. How dare he! Sora was not an idiot. He could make a not-so-simple love potion. It was not even going to be that strong of one. All he wanted it to do was force his friends to admit their feelings for one another.

He had no doubt Riku and Leon could handle the rest on their own.

He smacked his hand on the table irritably. Now he knew he was going to start second-guessing everything he did. Curse Zexion for putting doubts in his head. Why was the Nobody here, anyway? Didn't Riku kill him?

Suddenly, Sora got an idea. He laughed to himself and went back to work. He was going to get back at Zexion for calling him stupid.

--0—0—

Sora walked into the house, scowling a bit when he saw the extra person in the living room. He quickly got over it, however, realizing Zexion's presence made his goal that much easier to accomplish. "What's he doing here?"

Riku shrugged from the window seat, where he was sketching. "We don't know yet. Apparently, Axel's running around, too."

"Really?" That was cool. Sora wanted to see red-haired Nobody again...Or maybe it was Roxas who did… Sora did not know, nor did he really care.

The brunette teen felt Zexion's eyes on him. He flicked his own blue eyes over and felt an odd little tremor when he looked at him. He blinked and looked away. That was…weird.

"Dinner's finished," Leon called from the kitchen.

Riku shot up, setting his book to the side. At Sora's smirk, he frowned. "What?"

"Nothing," Sora answered innocently.

Riku narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he passed him. When he disappeared into the kitchen, Sora turned to Zexion. "Did you see how he jumped?"

"I have been observing them all afternoon." The intellectual stood casually. "The Twilight Keybearer is certainly smitten for the former SeeD. The feeling seems to be mutual."

"Yep."

The Nobody stepped closer. "Did you manage to formulate your little potion?"

"Maybe," replied Sora coyly. At Zexion's raised eyebrow, he chuckled and turned away. He was having much more fun with the Cloaked Schemer than he thought he would.

He entered the kitchen, pausing when he saw how closely together Riku and Leon were standing. Riku brushed past the older man when he reached for the plates and Leon touched his arm when he went for a serving dish. They traded brief looks before both went their separate ways.

Sora really wanted to throttle them both.

He grinned evilly to himself. If he did everything right, then tonight would be the end of their denial. He could not wait to see what happened.

"Hey, Sora," Riku called over. "Instead of standing there staring at Leon, you could help."

"Oh!" Sora started. "Yeah, I'll get the drinks." He shot a weak glare at his friend, "And I wasn't staring at Leon!"

"Of course you weren't," Zexion's voice broke in smoothly. There was an odd glint to his visible eye as he looked at Sora. The brunette found himself blushing and scurrying toward the cabinet for glasses.

Leon glanced at him a moment before leaving the stove, food in hand.

Sora got out the glasses and looked in the fridge for a beverage that would work to disguise his little potion. He spied a pitcher of lemonade and grinned. He removed it and poured out equal amounts to three of the four glasses. The last got just a touch less.

He then took the little vile from his pocket. He quickly added the contents to the three equal glasses and re-pocketed the tube. Biting his lip happily, he schooled his feature back into a normal expression and managed to carry all four drinks to the table.

He joined the others, setting out the glasses and placing the one containing the lesser amount near him. Zexion narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, "Not very thirsty tonight, Sora?"

The teen laughed. "Oh, uh, well, I already took a big drink before I brought the glasses over."

"Of course you did." Zexion clearly did not believe him but said nothing further.

"Well, drink up, guys!" Sora announced, earning peculiar glances from both Riku and Leon.

Zexion merely smirked, taking a rather long draw from his glass. Obviously, there was no doubt in his mind that Sora had failed in his efforts.

Dinner went by uneventfully and Sora volunteered to wash the dishes. Riku and Leon retreated to the living room, stating that there were some blueprints they needed to go over. Zexion remained at the table.

Sora began on the washing, wondering how long it would be before the potion kicked in. Hopefully, it would be soon. He really should have checked on that.

"You don't honestly believe it is going to work." Zexion asked softly.

Sora turned and grinned. "You better hope it doesn't."

"Oh, I know you added it to my drink also." The Nobody waved a hand idly and a book appeared on the table. He began skimming through it. "I have no concerns."

The brunette glared at him. When the other glanced at him, however, he had to avert his eyes. He quickly went back to the dishes.

Ten minutes or so passed and Sora felt himself being watched rather closely. Biting his lip, he looked over his shoulder. Zexion was staring at him intently.

Suddenly, the slate-haired man stood. With a stunned expression, he muttered impossible and moved toward the doorway. He looked out into the living room and after a moment turned back to Sora.

His features said everything.

Sora gaped and ran over to where Zexion had just been. On the sofa, Leon had Riku pinned against the armrest and locked in a rather passionate kiss. The teen grinned widely, ducking back into the kitchen.

Zexion was gazing at him with a strange mix of shock, respect, and uncertainty. "What exactly was that potion supposed to do?"

Sora frowned, a nervous feeling settling in his stomach. "It's supposed to make whoever drinks it confess their feelings to the person they love."

Zexion continued to look at him. He went over to the table and picked up his book. Whirling around, he hit Sora in the head with it.

"Ow!" Sora jumped back, rubbing at where the book hit him. "What was that for?"

"It was for making my life significantly more difficult."

"What?"

Zexion slowly approached him. "Do you want to know why I came back?"

There was something very odd going on here. Sora found himself backed against the wall. Zexion was right before him, an intent look to his eyes.

"I came back because of you." The Nobody whispered. "I find you utterly fascinating and am oddly drawn to you. I was content to simply observe you but this little potion of yours has changed that."

A single finger traced Sora's jaw and he found himself mesmerized by Zexion's gaze. He wanted to look away but he could not. He was beginning to understand all of those odd looks and his own reaction to them.

Zexion leaned forward and brushed his lips against Sora's own. It was brief and uncertain but felt incredibly nice and Sora wanted him to do it again. When he did not, Sora kissed him instead.

When Zexion drew back, he gave Sora a contemplative look. "Perhaps you are not as dim-witted as I believed."

"Hey!"

A trace of a smile tugged at Zexion's mouth. "Making those recipes available to you was certainly worth the effort."

Sora's face twisted up for a moment. Understanding slowly crept in. "Wait… you…?"

Zexion fully smiled. "There is a reason I am referred to as the Cloaked Schemer."