Larxene felt the traces of embarrassment at being caught talking to Namine. Axel had a bad habit of showing up at the right place at the wrong time.
For reasons unknown she hated the little twerp. Namine had to go. But how? Larxene walked quickly through the halls of castle oblivion, trying to decide what to do about the brat. So wrapped up in her thoughts was she that she ran smack into Marluxia.
"Why, hello Larxene." Despite the half pain in his chest he was happy to see her. Just like always. "You look distracted, something bothering you?"
Larxene couldn't think straight. Marluxia's cloying scent of flowers always did this to her. She shook her head trying to clear her senses. Taking this as her answer he leaned in closer to the nymph.
"You would tell me if there was something bothering you, right?" He was way too close for her comfort. Larxene tried to keep a cool head. She knew that to get what she wanted she was going to have to make some sacrifices.
"Of course." She smiled sweetly up at him. Marluxia was too distracted to notice that the smile was forced. He reached out and twirled one of her 'antennas' between his fingers. As a reflex Larxene grabbed his wrist.
"Hey!" Startled, Marluxia jumped about two feet in the air. Larxene hurriedly let go of him, cursing herself as she did so. Of course she would throw it all away on something as stupid as this.
"Sorry." She said trying to make it sound as sincere as possible. She sidled up to him batting her eyelashes and looking up at him. She tried not to laugh when Marluxia turned the same shade of pink as his hair.
They both looked up as they heard the tell tale Swish! Of a dark portal. Larxene scrambled away from Marluxia when she saw Zexion stepping out of the swirling darkness. For some reason she didn't want Zexion getting the wrong idea about her 'feelings' for Marluxia. This was a move she instantly regretted. From Marluxia's point of view it must have seemed like she was denouncing him. This was true but, probably a bad move if she wanted any share of the power later. She would figure out a way to explain this to him later.
"Ah, I thought I smelled rotten ozone."
"I do not smell rotten." Marluxia was on his guard again.
"That's irrelevant. Vexen wants to speak to you," Zexion looked at Marluxia "in the basement."
When Marluxia looked to Larxene almost as though for permission, Zexion snapped. "Now!"
"I'm going, I'm going" Marluxia looked again at Larxene before summoning his own dark portal and disappearing into it.
Zexion looked at Larxene for the first time since he had arrived. "Look I don't know what you two are planning but Vexen is suspicious. I would knock it off right away. Nothing good can come of this." Zexion said this in an almost caring way. But there was no denying the malice in his voice as he finished with "Larxene, judging by how you two were standing before I came in I would say that you need to keep your relationship strictly professional"
"That was nothing!" Larxene snapped at the cloaked schemer. "Marluxia means nothing to me! And you and I both know that we can't feel real emotions." For some odd reason Zexion's comment touched a nerve.
"Whatever you say." Zexion said quietly. He opened a portal to the darkness leaving Larxene, eyes smoldering, staring after him
