"Do you want a reward for that?" Xigbar said, sitting back a little. "Hold still."
Vexen gritted his teeth and complied. He really liked that vest.
Xigbar worked as quickly as clumsy fingers could allow him to, although in the end they both still had their shirts on and his pants were around his ankles. Foregoing lubricant, he positioned himself smugly between Vexen's thighs- then he heard the voice he had already grown to hate.
Marluxia grew impatient- retrieving a vest never took this long, plus he was hungry. And trusted Xigbar about as far as he could spit him. Putting down his (free) drink, Marluxia strutted over to the familiar tacky red door, yanked it open- and was only mildly surprised at what he saw. "You have got to be kidding me, Vexen!"
"Marluxia! Thank God! Get my vest!"
Vexen knew what this looked like but he'd explain it later. "Hurry! I want to get out of here and I'm not leaving without that vest!"
"For God sake's, Vexen! It's just a stupid vest!" In the same fashion as the night before, Marluxia caught Xigbar by the hair, pulling him away. "Where's his vest?" Marluxia growled at the older man, putting all his anger into his tone. Xigbar croaked that it was in the bedside table. Marluxia let him go and he scrambled out of the room. "You heard him, grab it. I want to go home."
Vexen stood shakily and retrieved his vest, stumbling into Marluxia after he grabbed it. "L-let's get out of here," Vexen sniffled.
You're an idiot." Marluxia said softly, wrapping protective arms around Vexen and nuzzling into his neck. "You should have called for me."
"I could have handled it," said Vexen defensively.
"Yes, I noticed you were doing a swell job of 'handling it'." Marluxia sighed, kissing Vexen's cheek quickly. "I want a bath, let's go." He said, and started for the door.
Vexen sniffled and clung to his vest, following Marluxia out the door
Marluixa, reluctantly, left without finishing his drink, hailing a cab so they wouldn't have to walk back to his apartment, which had never bee ore grateful to see. "Do you want a shower or something first?"
"I'll just drink the Listerine," he babbled. "He kissed me. The fucker kissed me," Vexen sobbed.
Marluxia frowned, catching Vexen's wrist and turning him so they were face to face, then he leaned up and kissed Vexen, deeply, as if he was trying to replace the taste in the blond's mouth- which he was.
Vexen pulled away. "No, don't contaminate yourself," he protested.
"Don't be silly." Marluxia chided, softly, before he drew Vexen back down to him, tangling his hands into his hair.
Vexen didn't kiss Marluxia back. He felt dirty, disgusting.
Only a little wounded, Marluxia pulled back. He caught Vexen's hand, leading him to the bathroom where he ran a bath for himself, and Vexen if he wanted.
He wanted. He undressed and clambered into the tub.
"Still want that mouth wash?" Marluxia asked as he stripped off as well, dipping a foot into the water to check the temperture before climbing in. "Or can I try to get rid of the taste again?"
Vexen lay back and pulled Marluxia on top of him. "He also pressed me against him when I refused him," Vexen said suggestively.
Marluxia chuckled a little. "My, and you seemed so upset and meek before." He said, but he leaned into the blond nonetheless.
"I'm still upset, but being around you is, strangely, making it better," said Vexen, deciding not to puzzle out the logic in that.
"Ah, that's because I have the magic touch, though." Marluxia smirked, trailing his hands along Vexen's sides lightly. He kissed him quickly, before resting his head down on Vexen's shoulder.
Vexen ran his hands along Marluxia's back. "Marluxia... have you ever seen him before?
"'Him'?" Marluixa mummbled against Vexen's neck, purring just a little at Vexen's touch. No roughness, not even a hint of it.
"Xigbar. The- the man who- who had my vest." Vexen sniffled. "Have you seen him at the club before?"
"It's not like I go there often." Marluxia said, raising his head now to meet Vexen's eye. "But... Yes, I have seen him there before. He routinely does what he did to you."
Vexen pushed Marluxia off him gently and exited the tub, going to curl up in bed. He was so confused. He'd slept with an escort, almost slept with a lecher two nights in a row, and broken all of his parents' rules. What had seemed exhilarating and liberating earier only confused him and made him feel soiled.
Somewhat stunned, it took Marluxia a while to garther himself and climb out of the tub, wrapping a towel around his waist before he went down to the bedroom. "Vexen...? A you okay?" He hated asking such a stupid question, but what else could he say?
A muffled "No!" came from the direction of the bedroom, where Vexen was curled up into a little ball.
Cautiously, Marluxia climbed onto the bed, coming to sit beside the lump that was Vexen. "Talk to me."
The lump scooted itself away from Marluxia. "Don't touch me," it mumbled.
"Vexen..." Marluxia said quietly. "Come on. I'm sorry for whatever I've done wrong."
"You didn't," said the lump.
"So stop being like this." Marluxia huffed, exasperated. He was not good at this kind of talk, it irritated him.
The lump snarled unhappily. "I can't act just to suit you, Marluxia," it said.
Marluxia scowled. "Then why don't you just leave?" he snapped.
Vexen sat up and threw the covers off his body. "Well if yiou don't want me here, I will!" he said, wiping away the tears that had come while he'd been hiding under the covers.
"I don't want you here when you are like -this-!" Marluxia couldn't help but have his voice raise, pulling himself off of the bed. "Especially when everything was going so well before."
Vexen shook his head. He knew Marluxia wouldn't understand. He was tempted to accuse Marluxia of being shallow, but then, hardly anyone could comprehend what went on in Vexen's twisted brain. He took a deep breath and tried to explain. "I was... your client... and for Xigbar..." he bit out haltingly, "I was just... another cheap drunkard in the back room. I'm not- I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here," he said, going back for his clothes and pulling them on hastily.
"My 'client'?" Marluxia stormed after Vexen- he knew the blond was upset, but gods he was angry. "For God's sake, have you not learnt anything the entire time you have been with me? And Xigbar- well, I should've warned you about him today, but last night had nothing to do with me. You can't take it out on me."
Vexen whirled around, blond hair fanning out. "You wouldn't have given me a second look if Zexion hadn't paid you to talk to me," he seethed, "and as for Xigbar, I told you before that that wasn't your fault. I'm not taking out anything on you. I'm telling you this because some deluded part of me thought that I should try to explain myself to you so you'll understand why I'm upset, but clearly my first instinct about you was right. You're vain, shallow, and don't give a thought to how your actions might affect other people!"
Before he could think the action over, Marluxia slapped Vexen. Tears were gathering in his eyes, but he didn't seem to notice. "How dare you! You don't know me, so how dare you judge me! True, maybe I wouldn't've talked to you if it wasn't for Zexion, but I'm glad I did. I've just been trying to help you!" Finally, he noticed the tears, wiping at them fiercely with the back o his hands.
Vexen stopped crying and looked at Marluxia, green eyes wider than usual. He tugged at a corner of the sheet and gently wiped Marluxia's face with it, then his own. "I hate being reminded how cheap I am and how easily I get attached to people," he said softly. "I like you too much for my own good, and ... I would have slept with Xigbar if you hadn't intervened the first time because for just that moment, he made me feel special."
"There's nothing wrong with getting attached to people." Marluxia said quietly, pulling away from Vexen's touch. He was a reeling, trying to gather his thoughts. He leant against the wall, trying to calm down. "I just wanted to show you that life doesn't have to be scrutinized and planned at all times..."
"It's the way I was brought up," said Vexen, frowning. "It's not something I can just push aside. It's ingrained." He sat back down on the bed and pulled the sheet around him protectively.
Marluxia only sighed. "I have to get ready for work." He said. It wasn't often that he surrended, but he was out of words.
"Of course," sighed Vexen. "Do you mind if I stay here? I...don't want to go home right now."
"Sure." Marluxia only shrugged. He went to his wardrobe, picking out a few items. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. Feel free to make yourself some dinner."
"I won't be hungry," said Vexen softly, mostly to himself. He curled up in the bed and attempted to sleep.
Marluxia quickly got changed in the bathroom and left without another look at Vexen. He was looking forward to the next easy three hours before he had to come back home.
Vexen felt even worse now than before he'd confided in Marluxia. /Stupid boy./ The voice was back. /When are you going to learn to keep your feelings to yourself?/ It went on like this for the next ten minutes before Vexen was able to cry himself to sleep.
Marluxia was exhausted when he came home, grateful to find it quiet. He made himself a quick meal and stripped out of his work clothes before pulling out a few spare blankets from the hallway cupboard and went to sleep on the couch.
Vexen woke up in the middle of the night to get himself a drink. He noticed that Marluxia had gone to sleep on the couch. He felt saddened that the younger hadn't joined him in bed, but what had he expected? They'd known each other for three days and had spur-of-the-moment sex in a changing room. That didn't make them a couple. Forgoing the milk he'd originally been seeking, he instead chose wine, which he drank like water until the bottle was empty. He took the bottle with him as he went back to bed.
Marluxia was disturbed by the racket of someone moving in his house- he was so used to it being still and empty that another's presence was blaringly obvious. Curious and almost forgetful of his guest, Marluxia stirred himself, wandering through the house until he stood in his bedroom door. He sighe when he noticed the wine bottle. "Alcohol doesn't agree with you, Vexen."
"I'm sleeping." The lie was muffled by a pillow, in which Vexen's head was deeply sunk.
"Yes, clearly." Marluxia huffed as he came to sit on the bed. "In my bed, I might add."
"Which you weren't occupying," said Vexen, giving up the charade and sitting up.
"Only because you were. You could've moved onto the couch while I was at work." Marluxia said, flopping down on to the bed with a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair so it fanned out on the sheets. "But oh well."
"You could have slept here too," said Vexen. "Your bed's comfy." He snuggled up to Marluxia, wrapping his arms around the pinket's waist.
"I didn't think it would be a good idea after... earlier." Marluxia said quietly, bringing a hand up to play with Vexen's hair. The other's touch made him feel awkward. "You're drunk, I believe."
"Maybe," said Vexen. "I'd be too inhibited to hit on you if I weren't."
"You should sleep it off, or you'll do something you'll regret." Marluxia said, albeit a little reluctantly.
"I don't want to," said Vexen stubbornly. "I don't want to sleep if you'll leave."
"I never said I'd leave." Marluxia pointed out, wriggling a little further up the bed.
Vexen clung to Marluxia. "Are we friends?" he asked. A simple, childish question that he would never ask sober.
Marluxia seemed a little surprised, staring down at vexen. "Of course we are."
Vexen smiled, a bittersweet little smile that didn't quite seem to reach his eyes. "Good" was all he said.
"...Go to sleep, Vexen, you're worrying me." Marluxia said, gently, as he rested his head down on his pillow.
Vexen snuggled closer into Marluxia. "Hold me," he said.
Marluxia sighed for what seemed to the mllionth time that night and wrapped his arms around Vexen, pulling him close.
Vexen gave a peaceful smile that belied the churning in his heart and nestled into his companion, falling into an uneasy sleep.
Marluxia lay awake for sometime despite being exhausted from work, his hands curled into Vexen's hair and plucking gently at knots. His mind was uneasy for the first time in a long time, and he wasn't sure what to do about it. In the wee hours of the morning, he finally fell asleep.
Vexen stayed asleep until around noon. When he woke up, his head was pounding, but at least Marluxia was still there. He closed his eyes and kissed the younger man's forehead softly.
Marluxia's eyes fluttered open at the contact, and he smiled just a little. "Good morning to you, too." He had to decided to act like nothing sour had ever happened between them.
"Water," Vexen moaned. "My head is pounding."
"You're the one on top of me." Marluxia pointed out, eyebrows raised.
Vexen rolled off of Marluxia and tumbled onto the floor with a yelp.