Xemnas/Luxord

Humor

Written for Mog's KH Shipping Challenge.

Author's Note: I got nothing. No really, no note. Nothing. Just go read the story.

Luxord shuffled his cards and glanced around the room casually. Like most days, he was stuck waiting for his mission to be assigned. Missions were becoming increasingly scarce for him for some reason and he'd decided that if he didn't get one today, he would talk to the Superior himself. Saix didn't look at him at all, merely delegated assignments and walked out of the room. Not surprising, as the man didn't seem capable of ever holding a feeling in his body, even when he had a heart. It was impossible for Luxord to imagine him having a heart and expressing himself through his emotions. Saix clearly just didn't do emotions. That, however, was a thought for another time. For as he'd predicted, Lady Luck had not been on his side today. He was still without a mission and he was definitely coming down with cabin fever. Leaving the room, Luxord contemplated what he would say when he found the Superior. He couldn't just demand a mission. That would be too close to insubordination in the Superior's eyes. No, he had to find a way to approach the matter delicately and yet still get what he wanted out of it.

He found him where he usually was, on the platform looking up at 'his' beautiful heart-shaped moon. For once, he wasn't trying to converse with the celestial object in the sky. He merely stood there, in apparent contemplation. Luxord knew he was aware of his presence. The Superior was anything but stupid and seemed to be constantly aware of everything going on around him, even what the others tended to hide. Still, Luxord didn't immediately call out to him. He still wasn't quite sure what to say and he didn't want to incur his wrath by slipping up and making a mistake. He shuffled his cards absently, glancing up occasionally from his task to watch the older Nobody's back. Slowly an idea began to form in his mind, taking shape even as he tried to dismiss it. It was a gamble, suggesting something like this to the Superior of all Nobodies no less! He wasn't called the Gambler of Fate for nothing though, so Luxord stepped forward to give his proposition.

As if this was the very thing he'd been waiting for, the Superior turned and regarded Luxord coolly. His eyes darted over the Nobody from head to toe, briefly pausing on his shuffling hands and their lingered gaze stayed the calming movements. When he looked at him again, Luxord couldn't help but feel his measure had been taken and he'd been found wanting. He disliked that feeling immensely and not for the first time, wondered how he'd been so misfortunate that his lot had been thrown in with the Nobody before him. Still, Luxord was ever patient when it came to the games of Fate and Luck. He wouldn't make his move yet. He wouldn't throw his hand in against the Superior, not until he was sure it would undoubtedly hold a favorable outcome for him. Instead, he gave a small bow to the Superior, showing his respect, before playing his current hand. "I've noticed that recently, my missions seemed to be scarce, Superior." He began.

"This is so."

Luxord waited for a moment in case he wanted to continue but the Superior seemed to have no inclination thus. "I wish to know if I have somehow found disfavor in your eyes that you feel it necessary to keep me here." He tried again.

"If Saix has not deemed you worthy of an assignment, your qualms are with him." The Superior replied smoothly. Not me. He seemed to add with his meaningful gaze.

"Saix is a superior agent, however. I cannot lightly go to him to ask for something."

The slight raise of the eyebrow told Luxord he had messed up. He could read between the lines, that from his posture the Superior took that as a challenge. And I am not? He seemed to ask. Luxord gulped and quickly hastened to fix his mistake.

"You, however, are the Superior." He rushed, showing he did in fact, acknowledge him as such. "If it is an order from you, Saix must obey. We all must obey. I wanted to make sure my qualms were first with Saix and that I had not, in fact, done anything to displease you."

The Superior eyed him for a moment before turning his back on him, dismissing him. Defeated but not yet ready to give up, Luxord turned and left. He would try again.

A week came and went without any sign of a mission for him. He'd talked to Saix twice since then about missions but while the higher ranking Nobody had yet to give him a mission, he had at least renewed the hope in the Gambler of Fate. The Superior had not ordered Saix to withhold him from missions after his last chat. His mistake had not set him back in that regard. Feeling safe to try again, when he found he had no mission today, Luxord went in a quest to find the Superior. To his surprise, he was not on the platform. Confused, Luxord took his time and searched all of Castle Oblivion. There was no sign of the Superior anywhere. With a heavy heart, metaphorically speaking of course, he went to Saix like a defeated dog to ask if the Superior had stepped out. To his surprise, before being told to leave him to his work in peace, Saix confirmed the Superior was indeed still in the Castle. Was he avoiding him? But why would he do that?

Luxord made his way back to the platform but to his disappointment, the Superior was still not there. He didn't know where else to look. Where could he possibly be? No sooner had he thought that then a voice behind him answered his internal question.

"If you are looking for me, X, I am right here."

"Wahh!" Shivers traveled down Luxord's spine as he felt breath on his neck and ear. He jumped, whirling around, the words leaving his mouth without a second thought to rank or respect. "Don't do that!"

He stared straight into the face of the Superior who seemed, rather than offended by his lack of distinction in rank, amused by it. Luxord, flustered and quickly backing up to get some space between them, scrambled to correct himself. "I meant, you startled me, Superior." Did he have to do that? The whispering in his ear had just been creepy. The Superior merely looked blandly amused, as if he could hear Luxord's thoughts. Luxord wouldn't put it past the man to have that ability as well.

"Is there something you need from me, X?" The Superior asked, stepping closer.

For a moment, panic overtook Luxord in place of rational thought. Why was he coming closer? What did he want? Oh god, he didn't wanted him, did he? If he wanted him, he wasn't sure how he would refuse without being insubordinate. To hell with it, he'd be insubordinate if he had to-and then his brain finally caught up with the situation. Oh. Right. He was blocking the Superior's way to the platform. He just wanted to go past him. He didn't want Luxord, didn't even care about his tenth Nobody. Suddenly, his panicked thoughts seemed very foolish and completely off kilter. How could his mind go so far off base? The Superior raised an eyebrow and his flustered mind finally registered he had failed to answer the question. "Yes!" He croaked out a little too quickly and winced. He needed to get his composure back.

The Superior looked at him, clearly waiting. Luxord scrambled for the carefully planned words he had constructed again and again in his search for the Superior but they'd flown away. Instead, what came out was something that made him cringe inwardly. "How about a game of chance?"

The Superior blinked at him, clearly not expecting this anymore than Luxord had meant to say it. Still, the Gambler of Fate had made his bed. He would wait for him to reject the idea and then be on his way to go lie in it in abstract humiliation. "A game of chance? Intriguing. What exactly would this entail?"

It wasn't a rejection. It took only a moment to process this and then Luxord was plowing on ahead. Perhaps Lady Luck was shining down on him in this unfortunate circumstances. "We play a game of cards. I won't use my powers at all." He added hastily before the Superior could object. "A completely fair game in which the loser owes a favor to the winner."

The Superior considered this for a few moments before nodding his consent. He brushed past Luxord, heading toward the platform. "You may join me up here for this game. It ends when I say, however. Are we clear, Luxord?"

"Perfectly, Superior." Luxord replied, his poker face already in place. He knew what his first favor would be already. That he would control when the game ended.

An hour later…

"I believe this is my fifth win, Superior." Luxord laid his cards before him, causing the Superior to cringe slightly.

"Name your prize."

Luxord considered for a moment, his original objective of this game already forgotten. A slow grin spread across his face. "Permission to call you by your name, Superior."

Xemnas looked at Luxord in shock. Luxord merely shrugged, as if to say you said I could ask for anything. Clearly annoyed by this, Xemnas considered his options. "Granted but upon conditions. For a limited amount of time only and never in front of the other members."

"Done. It'll be fun calling your name for a month, Xemnas." Luxord grinned.

Xemnas was determined to win this next hand and wipe that grin off his face. He'd won a grand total of three times, towards the beginning. He was already regretting the uses he'd made of those wins, knowing he would wish to change it now if he could. He watched Luxord shuffle the deck suspiciously but he could tell the Nobody was not using his powers. He didn't appear to be cheating either. Was Lady Luck real then? Was she really on his side? He looked at his hand, discarded three cards and drew the correct number. Grinning, he was sure he would win this hand-

"Superior, I need your approval for…" Saix trailed off at the sight of the Superior sitting cross-legged on the platform, a determined, almost wild abandon look on his face as he was about to reveal his hand and Luxord, looking cool as a cucumber, also holding a hand of cards. Luxord grinned as he was treated to the rare sight of a shocked Saix before quietly beginning to clean up the cards.

"What are you doing?" Xemnas protested.

"It seems our game is over for now, Superior." Luxord reminded him gently that they were in the presence of others. "We can play another around at a later date, if you wish." He grinned when he collected the cards from the Nobody's hands, seeing why he was so eager to finish this round. He would have indeed won. Shuffling his deck, he pocketed the cards and stood. Grinning, he held out a hand to offer to help up Xemnas. Xemnas ignored it and stood on his own. Accepting the snub, Luxord slipped back into his poker face. Nodding a goodbye to Xemnas, he took his leave. He paused just as he got to Saix to call over his shoulder, mostly for shock value, "Next time, let's play strip poker, Xemnas. With all the others."

Severely regretting he couldn't be born with eyes in the back of his head, and therefor see Xemnas' expression when he suggested that, he made his way to the stairs. He hadn't gone more than three down before his original objective was finally achieved. He heard the quiet voice of the Superior, Xemnas, tell Saix, "Give him a mission tomorrow. I don't care what but make it a long one. At least a month."

Luxord hummed to himself the rest of the way down. Seems Xemnas was a sore loser. No matter. Either way Lady Luck shown on his side today.