Note: Er...should point this out. Luxord is NOT emo. Just to get that point straight. He's just suicidal...umm...yeah... this is AU. Deal with it. Oh, and Axel is a total ass. Srsly.

It wasn't exactly midnight, but it wasn't the time a fourteen year-old boy should be walking outside where it's near bellow freezing as snow piled to the ground, adding even more of the white death trap than was needed.The blonde boy didn't seem to care much either, obviously, because he wasn't even wearing the proper clothes to be out in this weather. The only thing close to being helpful was a jacket he held closer to him as he saw a house not too far away.

It was Xigbar's, the only person he felt comfortable with at the time. Luxord was on the brink of desperation. What Axel had tried to do not too long ago was the last straw, and he had to get out of that place, even without telling Fakuxi (otherwise known as Xi), which he regretted-but she wasn't there when it happened and he didn't have the time. Shivering and trying to keep feeling in his limbs as the numbness was taking hold, he stopped at the man's door and knocked on it, hard to believe he even had the strength to make even the slightest noise. He prayed Xigbar was awake...or a light sleeper.

Indeed Xigbar was awake, scanning over a book in his hands with one good eye as he sipped on a large mug of what appeared to be hot chocolate. He wasn't exactly enjoying himself, considering that being alone was truly not as great as it sounded. He looked up in response to the knock and got up, checking the LCD clock on his wall. It was late. 'Who could be knocking at this hour?' Setting down his mug and book, he trailed out of the kitchen, through a neat hallway (not that the rest of his house wasn't) and to the front door, unlatching it and opening it up. What he saw surprised him. "Luxord?" He stepped back and widened the entry space. "What are you doing outside in this weather?"

It took everything in Luxord to keep his voice steady as he shivered in the cold, "L-long story...actually..." he replied, feigning a smile to the best of his ability before he found himself about ready to break down.

"Come in," Xigbar bade him, stepping back again and pulling the door with him. "I won't have you freezing to death outside. Get in here."

Luxord nodded weakly and walked inside, staring at his snow filled shoes and sniffed, "Woops...s-sorry about the mess."

"It's fine. Not like it won't melt." Xigbar shut the door and locked it, getting a broom and sweeping off Luxord's shoes. "Just take them off so you won't track in water."

Luxord did as was told and made sure that he didn't make a worse mess with the snow. He took off his jacket soon after and put it where it belonged on the coat rack. "Um," he looked up at Xigbar, "I'm really sorry for bothering you-I didn't know where else to go..."

"Hey, I'm glad you came here," Xigbar told him, "I don't want you wandering around like that again, though, alright? If you have to, call me to come and get you." He motioned Luxord down the hall and into the kitchen, where he proceeded to go and pour Luxord a hot mug of cocoa.

"Alright," he answered, taking a seat at the table and folding his hands on his lap to keep them from shaking and so Xigbar couldn't see. Luxord had been trying to hide the fact he was an emotional and nervous wreck at this point, and was doing a pretty good job of it so far. Luxord didn't want to crack too soon.

"So..." Xigbar mused, setting the mug down in front of the boy and sitting down on the adjacent side of the table. "What's going on that sent you out into the streets and to my house like this?"

"The usual..." Luxord replied, "Just worse." His reply was short, and he kept it like that. He didn't feel like going into detail. Luxord probably never would want to in the first place. He held the mug in his hands and stared into the brown liquid, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Seems to keep getting worse everyday now..."

"So, it's Axel again, I take it?" Xigbar inquired as he sipped on his own mug, trying to remember if he had anything worth eating with the drinks they had.

Luxord nodded without saying anything and finally took a sip of the hot chocolate. "It...wasn't exactly the same thing that normally goes on when we get in a fight..." he swallowed another drink to try to keep his voice from shaking. "He was in my room...and...things got out of hand."

"Was there no one around to report to?" Xigbar asked, "He isn't allowed in your room without your consent..."

"There wasn't a point," Luxord said with a heavy sigh, "He left...before I could say anything..." Despite the fact he left out all of the details, he still looked about ready to break. He lowered his hands under the table again and held them to keep from shaking.

"What did he do...?" Xigbar looked almost half-afraid to ask, but knew that if they were going to get anywhere that something would have to be said.

Luxord didn't answer right away and he stared up at the ceiling, "We just...got in a fight...it was just worse than normal," he answered, practically giving him the same answer from a few moments ago.

"What was the fight about?" Xigbar asked him, "Obviously he rubbed you the wrong way a lot worse today if he got you to leave the school and come here in the middle of the night..."

"It really wasn't about anything in particular...it was more physical than anything," Luxord muttered, glad that no bruises had shown up anywhere just yet. That didn't mean he didn't feel the after affects. He was practically sore all over. Luxord hesitantly took another sip, careful that his sleeves covered any fresh scars from the past couple of days.

Xigbar looked over at him from where he sat, conducting a quick visual inspection of his ward. "Do you need something for pain? Ice or something?" He hadn't expected Luxord to look quite this... composed after a physical fight. He was impressed, and yet he wasn't.

Luxord blinked after hearing Xigbar's voice, as if his mind had wondered off. "What? Oh...I guess," he answered, shifting in his seat slightly. He felt tired, hurt, and about ready to keel over at any minute. He rested his head against the table and groaned, "I swear...if Axel comes near me again, I'm going to kill the bloody fuck..." It wasn't like him to curse, but Axel had pushed him to the limit and his voice cracked.

Xigbar was now rather alarmed, and in an instant, he put one hand on Luxord's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Just...try to relax. I think you could make due with some sleep."

Luxord lifted his head from off the table and looked at Xigbar tiredly, "Yeah...I haven't been getting any lately..." he muttered, looking away.

"Well, we know what needs to be done first then," Xigbar told him. "We'll finish up here and you can go to sleep. Maybe the rest will help your mind some. At least Axel can't bother you here."

Luxord sighed deeply again and sat up, staring at his mug. "I know," He took a sip of the hot chocolate and closed his eyes for a moment, "But I don't know how much more I can take in that place..."

"I figure it has to be pretty rotten back there. As if I don't already know." Xigbar worked there, after all. "But try not to think about it right now."

"Easy for you to say," the teenager muttered, finishing his drink. He appeared ready to pass out from mental and emotional exhaustion. Lux was lucky that he hadn't broken down just yet. He would kill himself later if he did.

"I know it's easier said than done," replied the one-eyed man as he gathered their mugs and stood up, taking them over to the sink and setting them down inside of the basin. "I'm only asking you to try."

Luxord shrugged his shoulders and looked on ahead as he got out of his chair and rubbed his arms to make him feel warmer. "Yeah...I know that, but..." he trailed off. "You don't know what went on...and you don't want to, either."

"If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine," Xigbar commented, heading over to the thermostat on the wall and turning it up. "For now, let's try to get some shuteye. That way we can think on this a little more clear-mindedly tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, sure," Luxord said with a yawn, running his fingers through his hair momentarily before staring blankly at the wall and shaking slightly. He suddenly didn't feel good at all. "Uh, Xigbar? Where's the bathroom again?" he asked weakly.

"I have two. The closest one is across the hall." He pointed, having a vague idea about what was about to occur.

Luxord hurried to the bathroom and shut the door, leaning onto the toilet. He didn't know exactly what set him off, but whatever he had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, was now completely out of his system after he was done spewing. With another flush, he shakily got off of his knees and went to the sink, washing his face and resting his head against the porcelain, "God, I hate my life..."

Xigbar stood outside of the door, waiting for him to come out. His arms were crossed over his chest, and if one wasn't mistaken, the slightest look of worry was on his face. "Hey.." he called in, "You okay in there?"

"Fine!" Luxord said quickly, cursing when his voice practically squeaked. "I'm...fine." He opened the door and forced a smile, "See? I'm not dead, so I must be fine."

Upon the door opening, Xig's nose caught the scent of the up-chuck, and without a word, he put his hand behind the wall and flipped the air vent switch to the "on" position. "We'll let that air out. The other bathroom is across from the guest room upstairs. Just in case you need it again. I'll get you a trashcan just in case, though."

"I don't think there is anything left inside me," Luxord said, rubbing his face, "to tell you the truth..."

"You don't need anything left aside from bile, Luxord," replied the older male as he started to lead the way up the steps. While walking, he picked up a small trashcan.

Luxord shrugged weakly and followed, feeling worse by the second, and not the feeling he had moments ago. He stared at his wrists in front of him, careful to not let Xigbar see what was under the sleeves. He felt the fabric with his fingers to try to keep his mind off of what happened before he came here. How much longer could he possibly take before he lost it completely?

Xigbar led the way up the stairs, going directly to his left and opening up a door to reveal a room that was furnished with a large bed and a couple of pieces of furniture. The man silently slid the can to the side of the bed, turning to a room across from it and opening the door up: there was the bathroom. "Alright. I think that's about everything you should need for tonight. If you need anything else, go ahead and wake me up. I'll leave my door open for you."

"All right, sure," Luxord replied with a nod, "Goodnight then..." he said quietly, walking into the bedroom. "What are you going to tell Headmaster Xemnas?" he finally asked, turning to face him. He was trying to hide the fact that he was afraid of the outcome.

"I'll tell him that I picked you up," Xigbar replied. "I won't have you getting into mud over Axel."

"Okay," Luxord actually smiled that time, "Thanks. I owe you a lot," he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Yo, it's not a problem," Xigbar replied, stepping into his room and turning around, "Just give me a yell if you need something, alright?"

"I will," Luxord said, crawling into the bed and looking ready to pass out. The bruises from the fight were already starting to show finally. He knew he was going to hurt worse in the morning.

Xigbar flipped off the lights in the hall and his room before crawling into bed, conking out upon contact with his pillow. What a night it had been already. Maybe he'd have a better time concentrating tomorrow.