Before the tall, white door Xion stood anxiously with a hand clenched by her chest that was soon joined by the other, clasping around it. Her chest rose and fell gently, the faintest sigh escaping from her mouth as she faced a door that led to one of her team member's rooms. She was mostly still as if unable to move anyway while being so lost in thought, deliberating deeply on something or another, maybe to knock or just open the door, or maybe something else entirely unrelated. No, the latter wasn't the case and she knew that much, making it all the harder to stick around and not run away. Nobody was even inside anyway.

Xion breathed out, her soft voice murmuring a disappointed sound as slowly her flushed face fell forward, her hands eventually resting at her sides. As quickly as she was ready to pull through with whatever idea she had conjured earlier in the day did she give up and turn away from the door that she had been staring at so intently, and quietly she began to walk toward her own room.

"This is too much," she dejectedly thought to herself. "I don't even know why…I want to do this," her thoughts persisted.

Feelings seemed too hard to understand. In fact, she didn't have any at all, right? That's how it was explained to her—as unusual as it was and difficult to comprehend given this moment in time right now where Xion felt the beat of her heart against her chest when she placed her gloved hand upon it. She was a Nobody, all of the Organization members were, and as a "Nobody" it meant that she, like them, had no "heart" and thus couldn't feel things, like happiness, frustration, anxiety, melancholy—human emotions, despite the fact that her colleagues tended to express themselves very well, and even she did. Even right now.

Xion felt apprehension. She felt excitement, or maybe it was a mix of zeal and angst. She couldn't really tell, but the root of it all was from something she had come to recognize (yet not quite understand) only days ago. Regardless of the notion that Nobodies were beings without emotions it sure had seemed that she and her fellow Organization members were full of them. She remembered having been told that sometimes Nobodies who had once obtained strong hearts kept much of themselves from their past and emulated those feelings left behind. Xion thought, perhaps, this was the reason why she carried such strong emotions, especially around her friends, Roxas and Axel. She felt deep emotions while around them.

There was someone else, too…

As Xion walked to the end of the hall she looked out into the darkness that was the sky above which held a bright light in the form of a heart-shaped moon, her blue eyes glistening and sad, she became overwhelmed, a feeling of doubt and disillusionment forcing her to once again stare down to her feet.

"I don't understand…," she muttered and felt the weak beat of her nervous heart in her chest. "Nobodies…don't feel…, do they? Do they really? Maybe…they do, and what I feel is real, too…"

Despite the sadness she had steadily come to internalize Xion couldn't suppress, however, a small smile that found its way upon her soft face. Perhaps she couldn't understand the most complex parts of being a Nobody or what a Nobody supposedly didn't feel, but she could distinguish that there was something, be it a feeling or anything otherwise, that came over her whenever she was around a particular colleague of hers.

After a somber moment she could once again look up to the sky with that same smile she wore whenever she was spending time with her friends eating sea salt ice cream atop the clock tower in Twilight Town, and Xion breathed out a gentle sigh, only standing there for a moment longer before turning her back to the outside with the intent to return where she came from minutes ago.

"Okay," she spoke aloud. "I think I can—ooh!"

Xion gasped after turning herself around and seeing before her a team member. Larxene rolled her eyes at the girl and let out a disgusted grunt as she walked past the black haired Nobody as if tired of seeing her face let alone hearing her voice. Xion felt her face become hot with embarrassment. She really hoped Larxene wasn't around for that long to hear her talking to herself like that, having some crisis concerning her being and capabilities as a Nobody. No, she hadn't heard Xion much, but it was awkward enough the scowl she was giving her just for being there.

"Ugh…," Larxene remarked uncaringly as she headed toward her own room down the corridor. "Honestly, you're such a burden, you know that?"

"Hey, I haven't done anything," Xion tried to speak up in her own defense. "I was just standing here."

"Ew, yeah, I know… That's offensive enough," she coldly retorted, offering up a laugh to follow her insult.

The young woman mumbled quietly and forced her face away from Larxene's direction knowing very well at this point if she interacted with her further it would only exacerbate the situation. She wanted to take what Axel recommended her to do in moments like these when the electric Nobody made her snide remarks; just ignore her, as hard as that was. Xion wanted to remember her thoughts from barely a minute ago and once more found herself staring at the door where she was stood at contemplating a knock.

Larxene glanced back at the girl and audibly scoffed, her upper lip stiffening at the sight of her apparently dazed coworker.

"Seriously? What is wrong with you? What are you even looking at?" Larxene bothered to comment. "God, you are so weird… You look as emptyheaded as Demyx right now."

"Hey, I can hear you," Demyx answered from inside his own room, his door now opened just a crack to make visible his face that frowned at Larxene.

"Eugh…, go away," dramatically she sighed at long last to Xion's relief now going into her room. "Whatever, go ahead and be a strange, little girl. Stare at Xigbar's door all you want. The both of you are weird anyway."

Larxene gave one last sneer and guffaw before shutting her door leaving Xion to mumble again and turn away a second time.

"Huh?"

Demyx peered from Larxene's now shut door to Xion, the former's words puzzling the simple Nobody.

"Why're you staring at Xigbar's door?" he asked. "I don't even think he's here right now anyway."

"It's…"

Xion tried to make herself less obvious to him than how she had done so for Larxene. Admittedly, it was easier given her associate's lackadaisical demeanor, but it was still difficult to deny her frenetic feelings inside.

"It's nothing, Demyx. I'm sorry. I'm going to head to my room now. Goodnight," she said with a faint smile upon her face and walked off to her door.

"Uuh, okay, night," he answered, watching her leave the hallway and head off to her own room.

Inside her room, Xion expelled a deep sigh and slouched her heavy shoulders forward along with her tired head. She found her bed not but a few feet from her and sat on it with a heavy drop, another sigh slipping out of her mouth. Her hands set upon her knees clutched her fingers inward and her feet that barely reached the floor swayed lazily back and forth. Her sadness persisted while she despondently looked at the floor, her short black hair falling to the side of her face obstructing part of the view of a mostly white and gray room.

"Okay…," softly her voice uttered in whatever confidence she could muster. "Maybe tomorrow…I can try again."

The demure and timid Nobody wasn't exactly reassured in her own words but come what may perhaps she could pull through this time instead of standing at the door without doing much of anything. Even though he wasn't there today, she wanted to try harder than that weak attempt she made beforehand. Whatever Larxene had said outside didn't matter either. Xion wanted to let it go. But, even still… She couldn't uproot and shed the seed of doubt she planted within herself the moment she realized any of these so-called "feelings."

She worried. Ideas of what, if anything at all, would come from expressing her feelings to someone else, especially someone like Xigbar. Her feet stopped moving near the floor. Xion unclenched her hands and began taking off her gloves. She was mostly neat and organized with her possessions, and put them aside on a nightstand. She slipped out of her long boots and placed them nearby her door. Her coat was placed inside of a closet to drape gently on a hanger. The rest of what she wore was removed from her delicate, feminine frame and put away carefully, swapped for the clothes she usually slept in.

When the lights were out and the room was only filled with the dim light that shone down from Kingdom Hearts above Xion lay in her bed losing track of time by looking up to the ceiling and sifting through the endless thoughts that poured in and out of her conflicted mind. To love someone felt like it was impossibly hard. To have them love you back felt even more impossible.

"Love…?" quietly she breathed.

Her cheeks became warm and her hands yet for another time made their way to rest above her steadily beating heart.

"Is…that what it is? When I think about him…I feel…"

The young woman paused and sat up suddenly. She held her face and quietly gasped, her body quivering the moment such thoughts crept up on her like that. Xion let her hands rest on her mostly bare legs and her eyes gazed out her tall window into the empty world where she lived.

"I wonder… What does he feel?" she asked to no one.

Xigbar wasn't an easy character to read to everyone, often mischievous or misleading, purposefully saying anything anyone would want to hear but not enough to satiate their curiosity, cunning and sarcastic—he was a lot of things that led others astray from finding out too much about him. But, even Xion couldn't really understand how he thought she did recognize that Xigbar was, at the very most, sympathetic to her. Maybe that was why she found a fondness in his company; he was friendly to her and didn't speak so roughly at her like he did to the others. Not that Xigbar's demeanor was actually harsh—it was quite the opposite, really, given how jovial he was most days, but his language clearly showed indifference toward his colleagues.

Xion wondered why it was that he treated her somewhat differently than the others. Were it that it was because she was a girl maybe it would have meant some significance, but thinking on that she remembered Larxene. Then again, she wasn't like her at all. Maybe Xigbar just wanted to be nice to her, she pondered. That alone was pleasant enough to think about and Xion once more allowed herself to smile despite not knowing what it all meant. There was a sense of warmth that emanated throughout her, it was almost familiar but it felt good and comforting.

She wanted to lie back down in her bed and fall asleep but after trying once or twice without success the young woman lay there after some time feeling overwhelmed by her heart's beating and her thoughts persisting. Maybe from somewhere inside an epiphany came and it wouldn't allow her to rest until she did what she was meant to do. That scared her. Xion sat up and looked to her door, her legs bringing her to stand on her feet as she was suddenly at the end of her room about to turn the handle in front of her. Shocked at herself, the Nobody pulled her hand away and shuddered, shaking her head gently in discontent.

"I—I… I can't do this, not right now," she said, but another voice answered, "But… No, I… I really didn't think it would be this hard…"

Xion sighed.

"If I don't, then will I be brave enough tomorrow like I am now? Am I…really being brave?" she doubtfully said, her voice becoming small. "I… I don't know if what this is is real or not, but I don't think I can bear to keep it inside. I should… I have to."

That small resolve which had refused to die and continued to keep her awake brought her hand back to her door where she gripped the handle and turned it revealing the empty corridor before her. It was quiet. Xion had only paused for a moment, remembering that Xigbar might still not be back from, well, wherever it was where he had gone. Even still, she would hazard the chance, and so onward she marched with her uncovered feet barely making a sound as she scuttled down toward the Nobody's door.

This time she would knock, Nobody or no one. Her hand reached out into a tightly clenched fist and gently, almost noiselessly, she knocked against the hard, smooth surface. Whether it was received on the other side or not was something else entirely, but Xion felt good about her miniscule accomplishment until it registered to her that she was in her night clothes when she became aware of the cold floor underneath her feet. The young lady gasped quietly and held her arms, the feeling of embarrassment flashing through her.

"Oh, I shouldn't be doing this right now," she murmured to herself.

Her clothes weren't anything immodest or telling of the opposite of her typical bashful behavior, but they were pajamas, nevertheless, and, maybe, confessing your heart's desires to the person that you liked should be more appropriate in presentation, she thought. It felt too late now. Xion was already committed to the knock, and, anyway, she could hear motion from the other side of the door which caused her lift up and stiffen her posture. Was somebody actually in there? It could just be a dusk, rummaging about and being nosy (curious) like they often were. Suddenly, Xion became rather insecure.

"I…I didn't even practice what I wanted to say," she professed internally. "Maybe I'm not ready right now. Maybe this really is a bad time…"

There was an abrupt surge of energy in her legs, tempting her to flee and sprint back to her room. She was light on her feet, she could make it back in time without anyone noticing, right? But, no! She was at war with herself, one half telling her to stay and make peace with her decision to speak her mind regardless of ill-preparation, and the other half begging her to just get out of there and save herself the humiliation!

Alas and alack, there wasn't enough time to come to a proper decision and one was elected for her as the door in front of her flustered face opened to reveal the Nobody in question who stared at her in surprise to see her at all, especially this late. With a tiny pant Xion peered up at Xigbar who wore a look of bemusement and she hastily put her arms away to her back and smiled shyly at him. The least she could do now was try and pretend like she had a plan and make as imperceptible as possible that she was nervous. Briefly, she noted his attire. It was similar to hers, as was the standard in this place. But in seeing how Xigbar was clearly dressed for sleep Xion worried that perhaps she was keeping him from going to bed. Or maybe she woke him up? A frown started to form on her face but the young lady was given much time to think further on the notion when the person in front of her spoke aloud, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Well, look who it is. Up a bit late, aren't we, poppet?" Xigbar playfully remarked.

"Oh, well…"

Xion attempted to bring herself back into reality and thankfully could maintain a small smile thanks to her fellow member's pleasant demeanor.

"It is late, isn't it?" Xion furrowed her brows, bringing a closed hand to her lip while her expression became visibly pensive. "I…hope I'm not bothering you, Xigbar, but… Do you think we could talk?"

She felt a lump in her throat after saying that and was reminded of her unpreparedness to embark on this midnight journey of confession.

"Talk? That seems awful serious for you," the Nobody commented.

"Oh, um, it's not so serious. I just…"

Xion hesitated.

"Well, it is serious," she corrected herself inside.

She continued, trying not to let her mind wander off.

"I just like talking to you," the girl answered in earnest.

Even if it meant that she would rob herself of some well-needed rest the shy Nobody still wanted to enjoy a nice conversation with the person that she liked. Xigbar might find her reason suspect, but if he did the look on his face clearly said that he didn't care. Whatever her excuse for knocking on his door this late was he would figure out if he truly wanted to.

"That so?" he answered in a voice full of intrigue.

With a grin Xigbar opened the door a bit further stepping to the side to make way for Xion and offered her a welcoming gesture to enter.

"Well, then come on in."

Responding first with a bashful smile the young woman walked into her colleague's room, her attention soon becoming drawn in by the minor differences in his domicile compared to hers or even the others'. It wasn't that much different than hers, really. Xigbar's room wasn't so messy (not like Demyx's), but he didn't seem to be too strict about well-orderedness, at least not to the extent that Vexen was. It was comfortable.

"I think this is the first time that I've actually been in here," Xion hummed and curiously went on to continue her investigation.

"Well, have fun treating your curiosities then," he answered as he shut the door behind them and returned to sitting at the edge of his bed.

Xigbar watched Xion as she stared intently at the various objects he kept around. It was amusing enough that she had come to him to just talk because she purportedly liked talking to him, but then to only immediately become distracted by the first thing her eyes caught in their sights was just the cherry on top for the Nobody. She was curious about the things that he brought here from other worlds like books and baubles and such. Picking up a small comic book from off of his desk she giggled at the illustration drawn on the cover.

"These look like they're fun to read," Xion said to herself. "Oh…, I shouldn't be getting distracted like this. I told him I was here to talk, not snoop around his room."

She returned the comic to its place back on the table and glanced over to Xigbar whose disposition shared that he was as entertained by her behavior as ever. Xion, feeling insecure, glanced down to the floor, her cheeks turning pink. But her timidity fleeted quickly after seeing the view from the Nobody's window. She often was captivated by their own world despite its sparseness and lack of light compared to the others she had been to thus far. Perhaps it was the neon colors that decorated the buildings and the glow from Kingdom Hearts above them that rapt her imagination.

"Not a bad view. Though, not really that different from any other room, you could say," Xigbar stated.

"It's nice," Xion answered and briefly brought her attention back to her friend. "You have a nice room. I think I should start bringing more things back from other worlds, too. Well, more than just seashells, maybe."

"Ever the optimist and an opportunist, too," he softly chuckled. "Just don't go stealing things, now, poppet. Wouldn't be like you at all."

"I won't," bashfully she promised, a smile making its way to her face. "I'll ask first before taking anything."

Seeing his grin Xion unknowingly yielded to Xigbar's charm. Compared to him she was infantile and naïve, even in contrast to the physical. With his eyepatch and scar upon his face the Nobody had the look of someone who had seen and experienced many things. Being witty and shrewd only made him that much more convincing whenever he claimed knowledge toward the ignorant. Beside him, Xion felt rather exposed well before she had said anything at all. Maybe that was what he simply wanted her (or anyone on the receiving end for that matter) to believe.

"I think I've danced around the issue long enough," her internal monolog scolded. "I need to say something about it… If I had a heart, what would it say?"

She didn't know how to be smooth or eloquent when it came to feelings that she apparently wasn't meant to have, but if she tiptoed any longer discomfort would consume her and force her to flee and Xion wasn't about to imagine building up the nerve to get this far twice after hardly gathering the gumption to knock on a door.

"Xigbar?" she began, her hands loosely holding each other in front of her waist. "I know earlier I said I didn't have anything serious to talk about, but…"

"Oh, don't tell me… You really didn't come in here because you just like talking to me at midnight?" he asked, feigning offense and shock.

"I…n-no, not like that…!" Xion nervously waved her hands.

Her face was warm upon hearing him let out a small laugh at her. She ought to have known by now he wasn't being serious considering that smile on his face never went anywhere.

"Well, why don't you enlighten me?" Xigbar proposed. "What's on your mind, poppet? Must be serious after all if you've come to me."

Xion wondered if he was wise to her more than she led on. It felt impossible for him to know how she was feeling given that she never gave obvious signs to anyone that she ever liked someone. Still, whether or not Xigbar knew, Xion wanted to come out with what she was keeping inside, and after fighting away some embarrassment she walked over to the Nobody, who motioned with his hand for her to sit beside him, and gently sat down at the edge of the bed.

She wanted to mindlessly stare at the floor until she fought away the cowardice that kept her from speaking, but was steered to look up at Xigbar by some invisible force from within her. The familiar sensation returned to her chest—that tight but immensely warm feeling, and the lump in her throat that probably never left was present. Sitting close to the person that she liked was overwhelming. It usually wasn't this way any other time, but now because she had something to confess it was almost too much. Xion, on any normal day she spent around her colleague, was simply content, but as she was next to him so closely to the point where she was practically making physical contact her entire temperament had been flipped upside down.

Despite his past injuries they only served to heighten his features making him that much more attractive. That was a racy thought. Xion looked away and voicelessly she sighed, the image of his face persisting in her thoughts.

"I…"

Her voice was so small, nearly a whisper as she conjured her strength.

"I wanted to tell you, but I've been having a hard time saying it," Xion somberly uttered. "I know I'm not very good at understanding things right away and I'm even worse at speaking up, but I think when I'm around you I can at least be a little more courageous."

The girl was reluctant but she looked at Xigbar who appeared anything but uninterested and indifferent to what she was professing. But his expression hadn't changed much. Xigbar was lying in wait until his diminutive friend was finished with what she had to say. Xion couldn't read his mind no matter how hard she wished she could, but she did have some equanimity seeing the expression on his face. She was comforted in the assumption that he wasn't silently judging her.

"Xigbar… I don't really know what it is, but it's something I have only for you. I know Nobodies don't have hearts and that our feelings aren't real, but to me they are," she asserted with a hand placed over her fast beating heart. "And what I "feel" is a pounding beneath my chest that I don't know how to stop, and every time I think about spending time with you I feel warm and happy—even about the little things, like when we talk in the Grey Area or share an assignment together. I've never had this kind of feeling with anyone before. I… I think I love you…"

Xion declared almost abruptly, making Xigbar's eye expressive with shock if only for a second. For a Nobody—perhaps for anyone at all—those were powerful words. Xion might not understand what she was saying but to the man beside her it was quite evident she believed in her "feelings" of love for him. He wasn't ignorant of Xion's attitude around him. Most surely she was an introverted girl but he was well aware of her fondness toward him. And so, it had seemed she was convicted in her love toward him. Xigbar grinned and took in the apprehensive but hopeful face Xion wore and after breathing out a low chuckle he turned his face away eliciting a frown from the young woman sitting beside him.

"Love… Is that all?" he questioned only to move unexpectedly closer to Xion.

Her soft voice breathed out in surprise. She instinctively moved her head back as his face was getting close to hers. She couldn't interpret what he had meant. Was he trying to dismiss her confession and say that it wasn't any big deal to him? An overbearing sense of doubt and disenchantment began to drown her. Maybe this was the wrong thing to do. Maybe she shouldn't have come here to say anything at all.

"You just love me?"

Her "emotions" could hardly keep a consistent side. Xigbar had got so close to her Xion had no choice but to back up all the way onto the bed. How he managed to sneak up on her this quickly had escaped her, but she was face to face with him as his body threatened to overtake hers. Her heart raced. How was she supposed to answer him? What did he mean? Was did she feel so hot all over? It wasn't fear, was it? No, it was something else. But what was she supposed to do? Her eyes couldn't tear away from him. That smile, the low droning of his voice; they kept her from going anywhere else.

"That was a pretty nice confession, by the way," he teasingly added. "I wouldn't've imagined it coming from you, but you do have your moments, don't you, poppet? You're full of surprises, even for me…"

Xion was frozen. She had no idea how to come back at this man with any sort of comment. She still didn't understand what he was saying at her but maybe he didn't misinterpret her declaration of love after all. But, well, he was awfully close, close enough that Xion was holding herself up by her arms that remained stiffly propped behind her.

"Well, if you love me so much then why don't you show me?"

"Ah…!"

The girl quietly gasped feeling his hand reach for hers. He didn't take roughly, but only lifted it away from its place on the bed and brought it toward his face. Xion's body fell backward with a gentle bounce and as if planned from the start Xigbar was over top her. The timorous Nobody fixated on his golden eye, her face flushed and body hot. She would never have thought this situation would have come out of her telling somebody that she loved them. Xion's thoughts flew about inside her head unable to keep focus.

The hand that Xigbar took from her was brought to the side of his face prompting Xion to breathe out. It was warm, both his face and his hand that covered hers. He coaxed her enough to encourage the girl to touch his face on her, though at first she was unsure and shy. The entire experience was new to her, as many things had been, but gradually she was comfortable enough to feel up from his cheek to the side of his forehead and into his hair. It was oddly soft but thick. As if possessed by the same allure that gazing out the window brought Xion reached out with her other hand to repeat the same actions. She stared up at Xigbar, who unexpectedly looked peaceful from her actions, having since closed his eye, and took in the sensation of his face and head whenever she touched over them. His skin was a little rough around the long, diagonal scar that ran up his left cheek, but otherwise his face was kind of smooth.

Xion didn't know why she found this mesmerizing but it was, and not much longer did Xigbar open his eye to lean in farther. The young woman was reminded of her position beneath him and tried not to seize up again, but when she could feel the warmth from his breath upon her face she was unable to act, her hands slowing in their movements and falling behind as his face had moved away toward hers. Again, his smirk never faded and he looked down upon her, his expression saying more than Xion could ever comprehend. Closer and closer, he inched toward her, time seemingly stopping as he did. His breath was warm upon her ear when he moved near, the side of his face practically brushing against hers.

"Xi…Xigbar…?"

The tiniest voice squeezed out from Xion's throat.

"What…what did you mean…when you said…"just" love…?" she attempted to ask.

"Oh…, that?"

The sound of his low voice sent shivers down her spine.

"Oh… You'll see…"

His words rang through her ears, the hairs on her body stood up, and another warmth reached her neck as Xigbar's moist lips pressed behind her ear. Her body tingled all over and she couldn't hold back a sharp and sudden inhale. Her heart nearly stopped and his lips continued moving from her neck to her jowl. The Nobody was rather swift in his actions. If Xion knew any better she could hazard to guess that he'd been in this kind of situation before… She had become, however, more than aware of all the physical feelings this moment was bringing. And although she ought to have expected it when his lips reached hers and pressed onto them she was overrun with such a surge of heat she could have shut down from the excess. Her toes curled and her hands instead of floating lost in the air above them clinched onto his shoulders.

Her voice was muffled in their fervent kiss and her eyes finally shut tightly. Xigbar barely gave either of them much time to catch their breaths knowing that Xion became trapped in the moment taking in the taste of the Nobody's lips. Giving in to the temptation, and perhaps assailed by her unspoken desires, Xion wrapped her arms around Xigbar, bringing him in closer. It took him no time at all to encourage her behavior and he returned the same zeal and lay on his side to take her into his embrace, his hand holding the back of his head as he switched their positions for her to lie on top of him.

Xion probably wouldn't have recognized herself could she look in through a window in time and see this instant taking place between her and Xigbar. His body was so warm and his hands when they squeezed her tightly exhilarated her. Each kiss he gave her sent her somewhere she wouldn't know whether she could come back from or not. Just love. Is that what he had meant before? Her brusque and unforeseen yearning for her companion was more than just love. He had her. And she would let him for now…