A/N: Yeah... I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to take this much time to create the chapter. I won't give a long A/N so you can go ahead and read, but I would like to apologize for taking so long in updating. With vacation finally here, I can say that it definitely won't take so long next time. Thank you to everyone who has R&R-ed! Now, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts, it characters, plot, and other whatnot do not belong to me.


"Wench," Saix groaned, his bare arm lying haphazardly over his eyes. "Get over here."

No response.

"Wench," he snarled, a little more force pushed into his voice. "I told you to get over here."

No response.

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Saix muttered reluctantly, "Runa, please get over here."

Beside his bed in a matter of moments, Runa grinned down brightly at her guest. "See? Was it really so difficult?"

"Nothing is ever not difficult with you, let's just put it that way," he retorted.

Working out what his sentence in her mind, she opted to punch him lightly on the arm. Or not so lightly. "Either way, you're still stuck with me. Now, what did you want anyway?"

"I realize how, in your demented mind, this seems like a heartfelt gesture. But unlike yourself, I need—"

"Look you, the only thing you need is rest," she said firmly. "It's only been a day since you got your ass over here. I don't care if "Nobodies have the ability to regenerate cells faster than your pathetic self"; you're still staying put until I decide you can leave."

"And what when would that be precisely?" Saix asked scathingly. "And that's not what I sound like," he added underneath his breath.

"Sure, sure." Flicking him lightly on the stomach, Runa smirked at his hiss of pain. "The patient is free to go when he can at least handle that. Now, lay back down before I give you something to complain about." Hearing Saix give an uncharacteristic "humph", Runa stifled a giggle underneath her breath. It seemed like it would be a while before she had to worry about him again. While Saix had been resting the previous night, Runa had informed Alec about her current situation. After doing so, she had made it explicitly clear that he was not to come into the room at any time, seeing as Saix was currently searching for a keyblade warrior. And of course, Alec had given her his word that he would listen to—

"Hey Sis!"

Snapping around at breakneck speed, Runa's eyes widened drastically as she saw her brother enter the room.

"And who might this be?" Saix drawled behind her.

"Name's Alec!" he grinned. "And I guess you're… Saix!"

"Talking about me behind my back, Runa?" he asked smugly, his eyes glinting.

"Shut it, scarface."

Clucking his tongue, Saix shook his head. "Now, is that any way to talk in front of your… brother, is it? I certainly hope you're not trying to set an example for him."

"How about you shove—"

"Whoa! How did you get that scar?" Alec exclaimed, suddenly popping up beside Saix's bed.

"A battle," he answered, to Runa's surprise.

"With what?"

"An enemy."

"What kind?"

"A strong one."

Glaring at Saix with a look eerily similar to Runa's, Alec muttered, "Sis was right. You do make a habit of avoiding questions."

Hearing Runa chuckling in the background, Saix narrowed his eyes at her back. "What else does your… dear sister say about me?"

A thoughtful look crossing his face, he said, "Well, a lot of things. She seems to prefer calling you a—"

Slapping a hand over her brother's mouth, Runa started laughing nervously. "I think that's enough for now, Alec. I think he's had enough for today."

"No, please," Saix replied, a low growl evident in his voice. "By all means, let him finish. I'm simply dying to know what you've been saying about me." Despite the fact that she knew that Saix currently didn't have the strength to swat at a fly, Runa felt a shiver of dread travel down her spine.

Swatting her hand away from his mouth, Alec spat out, "She-male!"

Raising a blue eyebrow, Saix narrowed his eyes even more at Runa. "Excuse me?"

"That's what she calls you. A she-male."

"Thanks, Alec. Thanks," she groaned, slapping a hand against her face.

"Anytime, Sis," he smirked impishly. "I think I'll leave you alone now. If you need anything, I'll be outside." And with that, he ran out of the room before his sister could manage to get her hands around his throat.

Feeling Saix's eyes drilling a hole in her back, Runa giggled nervously. "Eh, there are always worse things to call somebody… right?"

"…Runa…" he growled.

"Yes?" she squeaked out.

"… Count yourself lucky," he said sullenly before turning away from her.

Feeling a mischievous smile drift across her face, Runa said, "You might need to specify."

Silence.

"Aw, are you mad now?"

Silence.

"Really? After all the things I've called you, you decide to get upset over "she-male"?"

Silence.

"C'mon… say something," she said as she walked closer to the bed. "It's really ticking me off. I didn't know that grown men could pout."

Silence.

Shoving at his shoulder lightly, Runa murmured, "That's not fair, I'm supposed to be the immature one in this relationship."

Smug silence.

"Okay, look. Just tell me why I'm so "lucky", and then I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day."

"… It should be obvious." Propping himself up on his elbows to face her, Saix locked eyes with her. "You have someone that genuinely looks up to you and cares for you. Us Nobodies do not have that luxury. That is why you are fortunate."

"What do you mean you don't have that luxury?"

"What?"

"I'm looking after you, whether you like it or not, remember?" she said resolutely.

Chuckling softly, Saix replied, "If you insist."

"I do."


One Week Later

"Can I please have my cloak back?" Saix asked exasperatedly, giving in to the urge to roll his eyes.

"No way in hell! Do you have any idea of how many rips are in that thing?" Runa retorted. "It's not my fault that you wear the same thing every day of your life!"

"Would you two stop bickering for once?" Alec sighed.

And as per usual, the two ignored him as they continued to exchange insults.


"Any word from VII?" Xemnas inquired as he narrowed his eyes at the members gathered before him. During Saix's absence, the Castle Oblivion group had departed and begun their mission. Naturally, that meant that Organization XIII was now down by more than half its members.

"There has been no contact with Saix for over a week, sir," Demyx said uneasily as he attempted to hide behind Xaldin. "And none of us have any idea of where he is."

Appearing to mull over his thoughts for a while, Xemnas eventually met his subordinates' gazes with a glare. "Then I will find him myself."