A/N: Wow guys. I really, really suck, don't I? it's been MONTHS since my last update. Well... sigh I apologize. I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long. BUT! There is good news! My dearest friend Lauren was AMAZING, AWESOME, AND SO UARGH. I LOVE YOU BABY! She helped me come up with the WHOLE plot for this fanfiction. I know what's going to happen now, so all I have to do is write it. YOU ARE ALL LUCKY.

Now, onto the chapter

Between the Tall Shelves of my Sanctuary

Chapter Seven: Affection

The two men broke apart, panting heavily from oxygen deprivation, the rain finally letting up, revealing the garden once again. Both faces were flushed, bodies still pressed together, glazed eyes connecting. Marluxia ran his fingers over Vexen's face, thumb tracing his defined cheekbone. The blonde leaned into the touch, eyelashes fluttering, but he shivered as his lust wore off, realizing that the cold rain had soaked him to the skin, clothing hugging uncomfortably everywhere, strands of hair sticking to his neck and face.

"Vexen…" Marluxia whispered. "Are you cold?"

The blonde nodded, and realizing their proximity, blushed furiously, looking everywhere but the man in front of him. "I…" A shiver wracked his body again, cutting off the words leaving his mouth.

Marluxia hugged him close, trying to warm him. "My house is close. You want to come over to get a change of clothes and warm up?"

Vexen nodded, and the pink-haired man intertwined their fingers before leading the blonde towards the gaits of the garden. Vexen shivered again when droplets of rain slid down his revealed skin, and he glanced back at the spot the two had just been standing in, ingraining the scene into his mind.

The rain had started to let up, the colors of the garden being revealed once again, flowers becoming bright and full of life in the falling rain. The blonde tried to wrap his mind around what had just happened, and was only met with a strong sense of contentment and happiness filling his being for the first time in years.

It felt good to be the loved one for once. To be held and kissed like there was no one else in the world besides the two of them in this garden.

Vexen knew too well what it felt like to see his fellows find their others, to fall into love and fall into bed. He had felt lonely for the longest time, but eventually closed those doors of his heart, locking away the stabbing feeling he got whenever he saw a couple holding hands, seeming so devoted to each other. He blocked out his want for attention, the supposed human need for love, in hope he would eventually find someone when his time came.

And now he had.

He had only known him for a week. And now, he was already opening the door to his heart little by little. The loneliness that had been locked away, that had been festering within him all these years was being let loose. But instead of eating his heart, drawing it back into the darkness, that loneliness was being replaced with affection, trust, and hope.

Vexen remembered the feelings that had rushed through his body when the two of them had kissed, and he stumbled for the second time in the rain, but Marluxia caught him this time.

"Vexen, are you ok?" The pink-haired man tried to look into his eyes, those beautiful green eyes, but they were averted. "Vexen, you're not going to fall on me again, are you?"

The blonde shook his head, and Marluxia looked at his face for a few seconds more before starting on the path again, the two finally exiting the park.

It scared him that he was giving his heart to this man he hardly knew. It scared him so much. It was frightening that he was letting Marluxia into his heart after only a week. This is what he had built up his walls for, he internally yelled at himself. This is why he always got hurt. But then, the rate this relationship was going at worried him just as much.

Did it make him a slut to be kissing a guy he hardly knew? But, Vexen contradicted himself, he did know about Marluxia. He knew his name. He knew his majors were botany and politics. He knew the two of them went to the same school. He knew his best friend, he knew his favorite place, and most of all, he knew his past! That should account for something.

But… he knew nothing of attraction. Nothing except that it was all hormones, fueling your body to do stupid things that you would regret later in your life. He knew nothing of relationships except what he had observed. His parents had never been very loving to each other except for a peck on the lips before the left for work. Namine had watched some soap operas, but Vexen assumed those weren't normal. People didn't cry that much in real life.

Should he give Marluxia the benefit of the doubt? The pink-haired man seemed to know what he was doing, and seemed to be honest with his affection. He definitely seemed a lot more experienced, if his tongue work was anything to go by…

But what was this feeling spreading through him slowly? It was too soon to know… too soon to even think about. His mind hurt even trying to fathom it.

He was afraid to let the man into his heart. If he lost him it would hurt, he knew that. But, it seemed that Marluxia was determined. To do what, he didn't know just yet.

--

"We're here." Marluxia said. They had arrived in a apartment complex, and tall brown and red brick buildings loomed over the pair as they made their way down deserted walkways, and past empty parks, closed to the rain. The two men climbed up the steps to one of the buildings, and Marluxia unlocked the front door, holding it open for Vexen. They climbed up the stairs to the second floor, and Marluxia unlocked his apartment door, ushering Vexen in, and to the bathroom, passing through the living room and down a short hall.

"Here." Marluxia flipped the light switch, and a blue-theme bathroom was flooded with light. There was no noise except for the steady dripping of the two's clothing.

"You want to take a shower? It'll get the rain off, and make you warm again." The pink-haired man said, looking back at the other. The blonde nodded, and watched as Marluxia leaned over the tub to draw water, testing it and altering the knobs slightly before closing the curtain and turning on the shower. He turned back to Vexen, and motioned for him to put his arms up. Vexen shook his head defiantly, and began to pull his shirt off, yanking it over his head eventually. He wrapped his arms around himself in a futile attempt to cover himself, rubbing his arms a few times to rid himself of gooseflesh before moving his hands down to undo his pants.

Undoing the buttons with ease, his hands only shaking slightly, Vexen he pulled the pants down, wanting to be rid of the cold jean material sticking to his skin. The pink-haired man discarded his shirt as the other struggled to get the pants over his feet without toppling over.

When Vexen was stripped down to his boxers, Marluxia chuckled before stripping his pants off.

"Hm, red boxers Vexen? I always took you for a blue kind on guy." He chuckled as the other blushed even worse and tried to cover up his state of undress.

"Stop looking, gosh." The blonde smiled, and made shooing motions with his hands.

Marluxia just smiled and left the room. "I'll get you a clean change of clothes."

Vexen sat down on the toilet after checking to see if the water was warm enough, finding it not so, and rubbed his eyes, sighing.

"What the hell's happening to me…"

"Vexen?"

The blonde brought his head up quickly to meet with Marluxia's concerned face. "Y-yeah?"

"You ok? I'm sorry I kissed you, I know I shouldn't have, I just-"

"No, it's not that. It's not that…" Vexen rubbed his forehead. "It's nothing."

Marluxia frowned. "Are you sure?"

Vexen looked up, his eyes dutifully avoiding Marluxia's. "No, I am, it's…" He smiled. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

Marluxia looked at him for another second before nodding and retreating out of the bathroom. "When you're done, go to the living room."

Vexen nodded, closing and locking the door before stripping down fully and stepping into the shower. As he let the hot water run over him, heating his chilled skin, he kept his mind blank, keeping the thoughts of confusion and rejection out of his mind. He didn't want to think for once. He wasn't going to think about what to do with Marluxia tonight. He would decide tomorrow.

--

"Vexen?" Marluxia knocked on the bathroom door, hearing silence from within, meaning that the blonde was out of the shower. He frowned as there was no answer, and knocked again.

"Yes?" Came a quiet voice from within.

"I…" Marluxia pushed down the urge to apologize because of Vexen's tone of voice. "Do you want hot cocoa, Vexen?"

The door opened and the blonde stepped out, dressed in the shirt and pants Marluxia had lent him. The pink-haired man grinned.

"I must say, Vexen. You look quite dashing in my clothes…" He smirked. "We must do this more often."

The blonde just blushed. "Yes, I would like some cocoa, thank you."

"Ok, come on then." Marluxia lead the way to the kitchen, walking back through the living room. Vexen looked at the room for the first time.

It was normal sized, an average room, with wooden floors and a large carpet in the middle. A television was against one wall, with the couch against the other. Chairs and tables were placed in a pleasing pattern around it all. Overall, it was sparse, but still homey, the knickknacks displayed all around giving it a lived in feel.

"Go sit on the couch, I'll be right out." Marluxia motioned towards the monstrosity that took up almost the whole wall, and Vexen looked at it warily.

"Are… Are you sure it's not going to eat me?" Vexen chuckled slightly. "Sure looks big enough to."

Marluxia laughed. "Well, I wouldn't blame it, you being such a fine specimen." There was that feeling again in Vexen's stomach. " But if it did, I would just have to rip it to shreds getting you out, and that would declare the end of its life."

Vexen laughed, pushing all doubt to the back of his mind, ignoring the fluttering butterflies in his stomach. "Well, with that reassurance…"

He sat, surprised to find it the softest couch he had ever sat on. It gave in all the right places, and when he leaned back, it was like heaven. He fell to the side, smiling and closing his eyes. He heard Marluxia laugh at his reaction.

"This couch is amazing!" Vexen laughed, burrowing into the soft material. "It must have cost a fortune!"

Marluxia smiled, watching the other happily. "Worth every penny for that reaction." He grinned at Vexen's flustered look. "Any special way I should make the cocoa? It probably won't be like your grandmother's, but…"

Vexen smiled, shaking his head. "No, just…" He paused. "Do you… do you have marshmallows?" He blushed.

Marluxia pursed his lips in though, one hand resting on his hip and the other coming up to stroke his chin comically. "I believe we have mini marshmallows. Will that suit you?" He grinned.

Vexen laughed, his grin seeming to be permanently attached to his face. Such a different experience. It usually took so much to make him smile. "That would be perfect. Thank you."

Marluxia waved it off as nothing, before heading off into the kitchen. "Pick out a movie. They're above the television." He paused. "I mean, if you want to watch a movie. It doesn't seem like the rain'll let up anytime soon."

Vexen stood up from the couch mournfully, patting its surface lovingly. "Of course I don't mind. A movie would be good." He smiled, opening the cabinet above the television, his eyes widening. "Whoa! You have so many movies!"

Marluxia laughed from the kitchen, where Vexen could hear the clinking of cups and spoons. "Well, they're not all mine. Half are Larxene's."

Vexen paused. "Are you sure she won't mind me being over?"

Marluxia laughed. "Pssh, naw. She liked you when she met you. I doubt it. And even if she did, I, one, have put up with too many of her dates that she has brought home, and two, don't care. So…"

Vexen laughed. Marluxia was so confident, not caring what anyone thought of him. Such a change. Such a refreshing change.

Vexen quickly picked out a movie, carefully taking it off the shelf (as not to disturb the placement of any of the others) and peeked into the kitchen. Marluxia looked up from where he was mixing the drinks, smiling as he watched Vexen look around the room curiously.

"Almost done." He declared, rifling through the cabinets to find the bag of marshmallows, grumbling as he pushed aside spices and such, cursing under his breath at Larxene and her cooking fetish. "Jeese… we have too many things in these cabinets!"

Vexen laughed softly, covering his smile with his hand so Marluxia wouldn't see. "Need help?"

"Naw, I got it…" Marluxia huffed, but then brightened. "Found 'em!"

And then his face dropped.

All the marshmallows had melded into a big sticky mass within the bag. Vexen's eyes widened.

"Whoa…" He inched forward and poked it. "I didn't know that they could do that!" He laughed.

Laughter bubbled out of them both, up until neither of them knew what was funny anymore, their sides hurting horribly and their eyes streaming.

"Oh god… My gut…" Marluxia chuckled, clutching his sides in agony. He slid down the front of the oven to plop onto the floor. Vexen collapsed next to him, breathing deeply, whiping his eyes.

"That was the hardest I've laughed in years." He said between residue chuckles. Marluxia smiled at him.

"Well, laughter is good for the soul, you know?"

Vexen looked up at him. "Really?"

"Mmhmm." Marluxia nodded, prodding the marshmallow lump in his lap. "It's supposed to release bad stuff… and stuff."

"Very eloquent." Vexen smiled. "Now…" He took the bag out of Marluxia's lap and looked at it for a second. "How shall we go about this?"

A few minutes, four sticky hands, and some marshmallows lost to the abyss between the stove and fridge later, the two had settled on the couch with their cocoa's in hand, both piled high with marshmallow mounds and a little dab of whipped cream each, and the movie in the DVD player. Vexen blushed and smiled as Marluxia scooted closer to him, the pink-haired man obviously not embarrassed at the show of affection. But Vexen couldn't help but admit the man was very warm, his skin tingling slightly where their thighs and arms touched.

"So, what movie have you picked out for us tonight… well, this afternoon, my dearest Vexen?" Marluxia asked, sipping at his drink. Vexen had put it in the player without letting the other see the case. "I hope it's not… dirty." He grinned as the other sputtered.

"Of course not!" Vexen blushed furiously, but smiled at the same time. "Those are for later on…"

Marluxia's expression quickly changed from smugness to shock, his eyebrows shooting up towards his hairline. "Did you just make a dirty joke?"

Vexen just chuckled victoriously at the other's reaction, sipping his drink again. Marluxia watched him, making Vexen look up at the feeling of those eyes upon him, his face lighting up when he saw Marluxia watching him.

"What?"

So nervous, so embarrassed, so sweet, so innocent.

"Nothing."

The looked at each other for a second longer before Marluxia broke the gaze, turning back towards the screen.

"Moulin Rouge?" He chuckled, leaning into Vexen slightly. "Aww, you remembered my favorite movie."