Wow. Ok, so this story is getting REALLY dark really fast. If you weren't looking for that then I don't know what to tell you. This is a HORROR ROMANCE. Key word HORROR. And it probably has a lot more horror than romance thus far.
And let me just say, BRAVO! BRAVO! Bravo for everyone's performance in this chapter. Simply stunning! I had myself twisted up in knots writing this chapter. You have no idea how thankful I am for these amazing characters being so amazingly versatile! Seriously… I don't think I could do something like this with ANY other fandom quite so flawlessly. All credit truly goes to the characters and the ever wonderful Nomura-san who created these characters. Seriously, this wouldn't be anywhere near as great if these characters weren't custom made to fit into any role.
That being said, this chapter does nothing to advance the story really. However it is still an important chapter and a lot is going on. I hope you enjoy!
Warning: If you are claustrophobic or squeamish you may want to avoid the second half of this chapter!
Marluxia sighed with discontent. Things without Zexion had gotten quite boring around. The company Axel and Larxene provided was no longer sufficient for his needs. He longed for a gossip partner whom he knew was receiving as much action from the doctors as he himself was. At the thought of doctors he realized it had been a few days since Xaldin had paid him a visit. Xaldin's visits were always violent and forceful but Marluxia only pretended to hate it. He was certain that Xaldin really knew he enjoyed their rough, nasty sex so he wondered now what kept the doctor at bay. Normally he was in every other night if not every single night. Now however, he had been entirely absent for nearly four days. Growing desperate for attention, Marluxia had probed Lexaeus with question after question about where Dr. Dilan was, when he would be back, and if he had simply got re-assigned. All of these questions had gone unanswered and now Marluxia sat in his room drumming his fingers against his lips in deep thought. Xaldin's absence seemed to coincide with Zexion's admittance in to the solitary confinement ward. It was then that panic hit him. What if Xaldin had abandoned him in favor of Zexion? He didn't know if he could handle such a thought. Quickly he fished into the area between his mattress and the metal support beneath it. There, hidden incase of severe emergency, was an employee identification card he had lifted off of Lexaeus in one of his many famous thievery escapades. This was certainly an emergency. He peered through the tiny window on his door and waited for the nurse to pass by. As Demyx flicked the light switches on the outside off Marluxia's room went dark and he could see easier the form of the nurse fading down the hall. He slid the id card in the inside slot and listened for the familiar clicking. He pushed the door open slowly and stepped out into the dimly lit hall. He knew he had to be quick.
After making certain the nurse had indeed long passed, Marluxia made his way down the long corridor. He met with little difficulty finding the solitary confinement ward. He had been there once before. His only concern was the fact that most nurses roamed the halls very frequently but as long as he could hear them coming he could avoid them. He turned around corners left and right, ducking and weaving into the dark spots of the halls to be certain he would not be seen. Finally he reached the solitary confinement ward. He slid Lexaeus' card in the slot and listened to the door click open. As soon as he stepped into the hall of doors he heard a tortured scream. He rushed down the hall until he found which door the sounds were coming from but as soon as he lifted the id card to the outside slot the noise ceased and it became eerily silent. After a moment there was a slight rustling noise from inside and the sound of tiny sobs. Marluxia furrowed his brow and lifted the card to the slot again but before he could slide it in he felt someone grab him from behind, wrapping something thin and painful around his neck. He gasped for breath, eyes searching frantically for a way to free himself or to at least find his attacker and fight back. His vision was growing darker by the second but he could see that he was being dragged into a solitary confinement cell. After a moment the restriction on his throat lifted. He began coughing violently and gasping for breath. "Wh-who the hell is there!?"
"Calm yourself or we'll be forced to restrain you again." Demyx smirked and stepped into Marluxia's line of sight. "What are you doing out of your cell?"
Marluxia stared up at Demyx frightfully. He then turned his gaze behind him to see Xigbar standing with arms crossed. "I… I…" He paused to let out a ragged cough. "I just needed to see Xaldin. That's all!"
"Aww… You hear that Xiggy? He needed to see Dr. Dilan." Demyx smirked at Xigbar who let out a soft chuckle. "Well I don't see any harm in it. I'll go fetch him."
Marluxia watched timidly as Demyx left the room. His gaze fell on Xigbar again and he trembled lightly. "H-how much trouble am I in? Truthfully?"
Xigbar mused calmly to himself before smiling at Marluxia. "You'll be free sooner than you think."
Marluxia sighed with relief although he was certain he shouldn't feel so relieved. He heard footsteps behind him and turned in time to see Xaldin entering the room. "Xaldin! Thank goodness!" He stood on shaky legs and advanced toward the doctor. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have come down here but I had to see you and I was worried that you might be giving that little boy the same special treatment that you give me and I couldn't stand the thought." Marluxia smiled and slid his hand up Xaldin's chest. "But it was stupid, right? I know I'm special… Still, I need to hear it. Tell me I'm the only one Xaldin."
Xaldin chuckled and caressed Marluxia's cheek. "Marly, Marly, Marly… Oh Marly. You silly little thing. You should know you've always been my favorite little toy." He tucked the patient's hair behind his ear and smirked. "It's a damn shame really."
Marluxia looked up at his doctor in a panic. "Wh-what's a shame?"
Xaldin looked from Marluxia to Demyx. "Nurse… You still have that fishing wire with you?"
Marluxia's eyes widened as he watched Demyx hand over a long piece of fishing wire, likely what had been used to choke him earlier. "Xaldin… What are you doing with that!?"
"It's unfortunate that things had to end this way. You shouldn't have gotten yourself so attached. You should have known you weren't the only one. Now unfortunately you must be disposed of." Xaldin motioned for Xigbar to restrain Marluxia. "Nurse, I trust you have the syringe ready?"
Demyx smirked. "Always."
Marluxia trembled and looked to Demyx fearfully. "What's in that!?"
"It's a medical concoction that will periodically put you in a state of heightened panic." Xaldin smiled as Demyx began to administer the shot via Marluxia's neck. "The pain, the fear that you feel will soon be amplified. Your heart rate will increase and if I do not kill you soon enough it is possible your heart may simply explode. Of course it's not for certain. I've never let a person live long enough to see what happens to their heart." He looked to Demyx and Xigbar seriously. "Leave now."
"Please don't leave!" Marluxia watched in horror as Xigbar and Demyx quickly exited the cell. He looked to Xaldin petrified. True to the doctor's word, the injection began to take effect and Marluxia could feel his heart began to pound harder and faster than it had been. His hands were shaking and he felt as though his knees would give way. "Please don't do this Xaldin. I'll be a good patient! I'll behave from now on! I'll…"
Xaldin wrapped the fishing wire around Marluxia's neck and pulled it tight. He watched with satisfaction as the skin beneath the wire began to break. Marluxia's terror was evident on his face. He struggled desperately to get free, gasping for breath that was unattainable and clawing at his throat to try and pull the wire away which only left him pealing away more flesh than anything and exposing the raw tissue beneath. Xaldin let out a hearty chuckle. "Yes, struggle more. Keep trying to pry it off your neck! You're doing a wonderful job! Like a trapped animal trying to gnaw his own appendage off to survive."
Marluxia began to gag and choke on his own blood. He could feel bile rise up and try to force its way out but the passage was so tightly blocked it only sat in his esophagus, curdling and burning. He could feel blood pouring from his mouth and it almost felt like it would burst from his eye sockets at any minute. Finally he felt a sudden wave of weakness. He was no longer able to struggle so he let his arms fall to his sides. Violent convulsions began to wrack his body but he was no longer conscious to feel it. His lifeless body fell to the ground. Before too long, Marluxia was dead.
