Valentine's Day in The World That Never Was.
Irony at it's finest.
Nobodies, beings existing without hearts, forced to awkwardly trade boxes of candy and gifts to each other in presentations of faux compassion. For the most of the senior members of Organization XIII, the annual event was excruciating.
In his dark basement laboratory, Vexen pinched the bridge of his nose as he looked at the gifts cluttering his worktable. On Xemnas's orders, each member of the Organization had to present the other twelve members with a Valentine of their choosing. On top of that, he'd sent out Demyx, Luxord and a handful of Dusks to collect as many heart decorations as they could find back to the castle. By the end of the day pink, red and white hearts and little sickeningly cute cupids would cover every available space in the World that Never Was.
"Damn Xemnas and his ludicrous heart obsession." The Chilly Academic scowled as he sat down at the table, his black-clad hands shifting through the pile of gifts covering his table.
The gifts consisted of a few boxes of cheap chocolates (Axel and Roxas's way of saying they had no idea what to get him), a pink construction paper heart decorated with white paper lace and 'Hapy Valintiens Dai Dad' written in glitter gel across the pink paper (Vexen made a silent note to himself to teach Repliku how to spell). A bottle of twenty-year old wine (from practical Xaldin, of course), a six pack of cheap beer (a collaboration by Xigbar and Luxord due to their low munny funds and figuring anyone would enjoy bottom shelf booze), a small box that smelled distinctly of roses (this Vexen was loathed to touch for fear he might get some kind of STD from what was inside), a charcoal portrait of himself from Namine (she'd happily agreed to make one for everyone and that didn't include artistic nudes, as Vexen had been forced to explain to Xigbar) and a pair of white slippers decorated with tiny red hearts (Saix's gift and, somehow, slightly damp with saliva).
From Larxene Vexen had received a single tattered sock with the word 'Test Tube Cozy' written in black marker across the pink fabric (the Savage Nymph herself had been seen earlier that morning, smugly sporting a new pair of dangling jade and gold earrings from The Land of Dragons, Xaldin's gift to her, and an industrial-sized box of chocolates from Marluxia). Zexion had taken the time to go out and find him a rare book on the history of Valentine's Day (which the Cloaked Schemer would probably be borrowing on many occasions) and Lexaeus had given him a crystal heart tinted faintly blue he'd grown himself. The Silent Hero had made one for each Nobody, each tinted with a different color.
And, to top it all off, Xemnas had gotten him a store bought card…for a wonderful daughter. That Vexen quickly had re-gifted to a Dusk that happened to be wondering by. The Heartless had held it curiously before proceeding to swallow it and wobble off on its merry way.
The scientist picked up one of the small candy boxes and pried off the plastic and cardboard lid, picking out one of the few caramels and tossing it into his mouth. Odd behavior considering he normally never had a taste for chocolate. Far too sweet, he'd always commented when Demyx offered him a bite of a candy bar or some other sweet he'd picked up in another world. Vexen picked up another candy; taking a small bite only to cringe at the discovered it was artificial strawberry inside.
'Nothing from Demyx,' He thought with slight melancholy then quickly shook his head, his air of dignity quickly returning. 'And so what if I didn't? I don't really care if he gets me anything anyway. It is impossible for me to truly care.' But still a slight nagging feeling of Valentine blues prodded at the back of his mind.
The blond scientist was halfway through his second box of chocolates when he noticed the tape. The videocassette was sitting inconspicuously on the edge of the table, as if waiting patiently to be noticed. Vexen reached out and picked up the tape and squinted at the rectangular white sticker placed in the center of the black plastic. 'Play Me'.
With an arched eyebrow, and a wary hope that it wasn't one of Marluxia's 'home videos' again, he stood from his seat and popped the tape into the combination DVD player, television and VCR (a month previous, at Xigbar's insistence and with a little manipulation from Zexion, Xemnas had agreed that every member would get their own their own television in their room. Axel and Roxas had sprung a vote for the latest game console for the Neophytes, but that was quickly shot down).
Vexen returned to his seat and watched as the television slowly came to life, first a blank blue screen then shifting to a view of Demyx's bedroom. It wasn't at all hard to see whom the room belonged to with a view of the unmade waterbed, bright blue sitar leaning against the wall and the various music posters decorating the walls. The camera angle shifted and pointed at the ceiling, then the thick shag rug, and then back to the same spot it had been. A moment later the Melodious Nocturne himself sat on the edge of the bed in full view of the camera.
Demyx wasn't wearing his cloak. Instead he was shirtless with only a pair of loose cotton pants, his dark blond hair mussed as if he'd just woken up. He grinned, tilting his head in a familar fluid motion. "Heya, Vexen! First off, let me say happy Valentines Day, whoo!" He laughed, that sweet little nasal sound that made the slightest hint of a smile tug at the scientist's lips.
"Demyx, you look like a teenager who couldn't afford to buy his girlfriend anything so he's making a cheesy video." Vexen muttered in amusement, nibbling on a lemon crème.
"Now, I know you're probably thinking I look like a teenager who couldn't afford to get his girlfriend anything so he's making a cheesy video." Number Four arched an eyebrow slowly. "And...It's kind of the truth." Demyx laughed again. "But I thought this'd be better that anything I could buy you since I can't be there with you today." The mulleted blond turned around and pulled his giant sitar into his lap, drawing in a deep breath before smiling hopefully at the camera. "I really hope you like it."
The musician strummed a few chords before suddenly bursting out into the very loud, off-key first words. "My gift is my song!" Vexen quickly covered his ears, groaning slightly. Had Larxene been trying to give Demyx singing lessons again? As he slowly uncovered his ears, the boy on the tape had begun to sing again in a much softer voice, his eyes locked on the camera. "And this one's for you..." He gave a small smile. "And you can tell everybody, this is your song..."
Vexen sat up in his chair a little, frowning slightly as he listened to the words Demyx sang, his slender fingers dancing across his sitar. "It might be quite simple but...now that it's done...I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words...how wonderful life is...now you're in the world." If the Chilly Academic had had a heart, it would have skipped a beat at those words.
"Sat on the roof and I kicked off the moss," Demyx gave a small, faint laugh. "Well some of these verses, well, they got me quite cross. But the sun's been kind, while I wrote this song. It's for people like you that...keep it turned on..." Vexen smirked a little at the irony of those words.
"So excuse my forgetting, about these things I do..." He grinned suddenly, the music swelling in the air. "You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue!" His aqua eyes softened, as if he were looking directly at the scientist. "Yeah, well the thing is, what I really mean...yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen!"
Vexen stared at the screen. He was completely stunned that Demyx had actually written a song for him. No one had ever written a song for him, well unless that dirty limerick Marluxia had come up with counted. He shuddered, trying not to remember that Thanksgiving. He turned his attention back to the television.
"And you can tell everybody, this is your song!" The singing sitar player seemed to be getting very into his song, his fingers flowed and danced like the water he controlled. "It may be quite simple but now that it's done…I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words...how wonderful life is...now you're in the woooooorld!" The music slowed to a stop and the boy took a deep breath, smiling warmly at the camera. Vexen was, to say the least, blown away. "Heh...turn around." Quickly regaining his composure, the Chilly Academic did so.
Demyx, dressed in the same clothes (or lack thereof) from the video, was leaning against one of the glowing fluid-filled cylinders that characterized the lab. That particular one had a yellow sticky note firmly planted on it with 'Mom' written on it in black marker (Repliku had done that himself at Christmas time).
With a soft smile, Number Nine made his way to Vexen and planting himself snuggly in his lap, wrapping his legs around the scientist's waist. He planted a tender kiss to Vexen's pale forehead, muttering gently that he'd gotten Xigbar to switch assignments with him. "So..." Demyx rested his forehead against Vexen's, his sweet aqua eyes meeting green. "Did you like it?"
The academic's answer, a kiss that sent chills down both their spines, was answer enough.