Disclaimer--- I don't own any Kingdom Hearts characters, I just like abusing them.

Tani is mine however.

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"What's wrong, Nene?" The rose haired man asked his ice blue eyes concerned for the blonde woman in his arms.

"Oh, Marly!" she wailed, "They're blaming everything on me. Everything that went wrong is my fault." The normally steely-eyed punk was crying, dressed in a pale blue nightgown. She kept her face down so Marluxia wouldn't see the tears streaming down her face.

"Who?" He picked her up bridal style and was surprised when she didn't protest. She just buried her face into his shoulder and he sat on his bed and held her. This crying, hurt young woman in his arms wasn't the vicious, proud Larxene he'd fallen in love with many years before.

"M… my parents. I heard them talking earlier about how I was a mistake and their life would've been better without me," Larxene quietly explained, hiccupping slightly, face still buried in Marluxia's shoulder . He scowled. He knew Luxord Savage and his tramp of a wife, Tani, favored their oldest, Demyx, and abused his precious nymph Larxene. This last revelation certainly wasn't healthy for Larxene's already precarious grip on sanity.

"Larxene, sweetheart," he stumbled over the unfamiliar endearment, "look at me." Turquoise eyes met slivery-blue ones filled with compassion. "I don't give a damn what your parents or your retarded brother think about you. You aren't worthless and you aren't a mistake."

She lurched out of his arms. "Oh Marly. If only I could believe that. I'm not worth shit. I mean look at me scars everywhere and I'm built like a prepubescent boy." She bared her wrists for him to see the lattice-work of scars on her pale skin, and then lifted her nightdress to bare her hips and tiny breasts.

"Nene, when did this happen?" he asked, standing, one slender finger tracing the white network of lines.

"Does it matter? I have no beauty to ruin anyw..." She was stopped by Marluxia's finger on her lips.

"Nene… Please."

She cut him off, "Look at me!" she ripped the nightdress off. Clad in only a pair of silken blue panties, she turned around to show her friend her back. Marluxia took one and stepped back in horror, falling back onto his bed. The blonde's back was covered in thick ropy scars and a nasty yellow scab that reached from her left shoulder to her right hip. She turned back around and covered herself with the nightdress she was holding. Marluxia's furious expression frightened her. It was angry… and hungry for something. "Marly, I'm sorry I woke you up. I should leave before my parents wake up and find me gone. She turned to leave the same way she had entered, through the window.

"Nene, wait," he put his arms around her and pulled her so her back was against her chest. "How long have the beatings and cutting been going on? Why haven't you told me before now?"

"Since I've been in middle school. Remember when I 'fell' down the stairs," she put air quotes around the word fell and he nodded against her head, "It was after I was released from the hospital. It had cost so much, because we didn't have insurance at time, that the punished me for it, even though I know they know that Demy was high and pushed me down the stairs. Marly?"

He had grown silent during her explanation and the arms around her waist were tight. Without a sound he spun her around startling her. He brought his lips down on hers. Often in his eighteen years he had wondered what is would be like to kiss Larxene, to taste her. At first, she resisted, afraid, but then she responded. She let go of her nightgown that was sandwiched between them and put her arms around his neck, threading her fingers in his soft pink locks.

He broke the kiss and groaned, "Nene, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that." He heard a sniffle from the blonde still in his arms. "Can I be greedy and keep you tonight so we can keep talking and so I don't murder your brother and parents?"

"Marly?" She looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes again. "What are we going to tell my parents when they find me gone? Marluxia, they'll beat me again."

"Nope. Put your nightgown back on. Actually wait," he dug around in his closet for a second, " Here," He tossed her a pair of skinny jeans and a rose colored oxford shirt, both of which were obviously too small for her friend.

"Whose are these?" she asked, looking at the clothes suspiciously.

"Axel, my dad. Speaking of whom I need to go talk to him real quick. Put those on and stay there," he pointed to his cream coverlet. "Don't fight me Larxene." He left her standing there holding the clothes.

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Author's Notes

Yes, I know Larxene and Marluxia are out of character. I wanted to portray a softer side to their relationship.

Don't like the pairing? Don't flame.

Comment whoring here. They are greatly appreciated and will make the next chapter come faster.

Thanks, Veve