They had sex and Vexen fell asleep afterward.

It was about three in the morning when a series of rapid and deliberately loud knocks on Marluxia's apartment door filled the otherwise silent building, followed by the sound of the doorhandle lock being tested.

Vexen sat up groggily and opened the door, naked. "What is it?" he mumbled.

In the hallway stood a man who in almost every aspect looked exactly like Marluxia, asides that his hair was slightly more brown than pink, and his eyes were more grey than blue, and he was a little gaunter. And then he spoke. In an entirely cockney accent. "Well fuck me, he's bringin' clients home now? Ain't that how one gets stalkers? Or are you robbing him? Coz if you are, I'd have to punch you in the face a few times to make it look like I tried to stop you, but he keeps his money in a box in the bottom of his closet."

"Swing and a miss," said Vexen, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you related to him? You look alike."

"Well shit, you think?" The lookalike said sarcastically as he pushed part Vexen and headed into the kitchen. "Bring my bags in? Cheers."

"I'm not exactly dressed to step outside the threshold," said Vexen, frowning. "Would you be his cousin or something? I'm not a client, by the way. Just... a friend."

"No one's out there, for fuck's sake." he said as he cracked open a beer and took a long swig. "I'm his brother."

Vexen slipped out and brought Marluxia's brother's bags in, then plopped back onto the couch and sent a text message to Marluxia informing him that his brother had just arrived.

Marluxia's brother joined him shortly after, stretching out on the couch as if it were his own as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Fag?" he said as he offered one to Vexen.

"I don't smoke," Vexen replied, familiar enough with the slang not to be offended. "At least, I don't think I do. My name is Vexen. Yours?"

"Damn, I love it when yanks have no idea what I'm saying. " he grinned, lighting his cigarette and blowing the smoke in the blond's face before replying. "Call me Al."

Vexen made a face. He turned his head away from the smoke, inhaled the relatively fresh air, and blew it right back at Al. "Too bad your manners aren't as charming as your looks," he said sourly.

"So, you banging my bro or what?" Al asked, as he kicked off his shoes and twisted to drop them into Vexen's lap. "You know he's a whore, right?"

"Yes, on both counts," said Vexen, rubbing Al's feet absentmindedly. "I expect he knows what I do for a living as well. Probably better than I do."

"Don't touch my feet, y'fag." Al growled, simultaneously slurping his beer and taking a drag on his cigarette.

"If you put them in my lap, I'm touching them by default," Vexen replied.

"It's your fault for being where my feet needa be." Al shrugged, slouching down the couch so he could move his feet up onto the arm of the couch. "So what's your deal? You ain't like nothing what Mar's dragged in before."

"I wouldn't know about that," said Vexen airily, choosing to leave it at that. He took out his cell phone again, checking to see if Marluxia had replied.

The reply from Marluxia simply said "Get him out.". Al didn't look like he was going anywhere.

"You're borin' man. I'm going to bed."

"I mean I wouldn't know what my deal is," Vexen amended. "I just woke up and I was planning to go out and do something more fun than sitting around watching movies, but then you arrived. I'll bet you know some good places, yeah? I'll get dressed." Vexen paused. "And no, I'm not coming onto you. I just need a guide."

"Slow it down, man. I just got off a flight from fucking England, I haven't been here in years. You'd be a better tour guide than me. Unless you wanna go to a cheap strip club." Al suggested with an expressive wiggle of his eyebrows as he sat up, finished off his beer and dumped it on the floor.

"Actually, I wouldn't be a better tour guide than you. I'm afraid I don't know the area," said Vexen. "Let's go to the strip club, then, and on the way, you can tell me your brother's usual type."

"Nah, I'm hungry. Let's find one of them... Twenty-four-hour diner places." Al suggested as he stood up and put his shoes back on.

"Sure," said Vexen amiably, locating his clothes and putting them on. He combed out his hair with his fingers and glanced into the TV to check his reflection. He looked somewhat effeminate, he thought to himself. He hoped they'd run into his roommate or Marluxia on the way. He didn't know how to get Al out.

"One sec'," Al said, before he dashed off into Marluxia's room, dug around the bottom of his brother's closet and reemerged with a couple of handfuls of cash. "Bro's shouting us breakfast." he grinned at Vexen.

"That won't be necessary," said Vexen evenly. "I'm perfectly capable of paying for both of us." He had no idea how much was in his bank account of course, but he didn't like the idea of Al stealing.

"Alright, still free food to me." Al said, but made no move to return the money. He grabbed another beer from the fridge, and ambled out the door.

"How much have you got on you?" Vexen asked, following Al out the door.

"Hell if I know. Mar doesn't trust banks, so he keeps all his money stashed here." Al shrugged and took a swig of his beer. "Why's it matter?"

"Well, I may not look it, but I've got a huge appetite," Vexen fibbed. "Anyway, you said I'm not like the clients he usually brings home. What are they like?"

"Not clients, boyfriends. He's not thick enough to show people who hire him where he lives." Al corrected Vexen. "Well, since he looks like such a queen, he usually goes for the more buff guys, y'know? They complement his appearance, or some shit. You're just as much a queen as he is."

"I don't think we know each other well enough to be boyfriends," said Vexen, laughing. "He's just a friend with whom I happen to have had sex a couple of times, unless he tells you different." Actually, Vexen thought, since he didn't remember anything, it was a possibility that he and Marluxia were an item, but he didn't really trust Al enough to give him that kind of information.

"Well, I ain't spoken to him since he shipped me off, so I don't know shit about you an' him." Al admitted, tossing his beer bottle once they reached the street and seeming quite delighted by the way it shattered against the curb.

"I don't suppose he invited you back?" Vexen asked. "Perhaps he's jealous of your elegance and sophistication," he added sarcastically.

"Nah, he's worried I'll start peddling drugs outta his apartment again." Al said in what seemed complete seriousness. "But I am a fucking prince." he grinned, the very same way Marluxia did.

Vexen shrugged offhandedly. "Well, Prince Al, you can always stay with me. I make drugs for a living. The legal kind, usually, but I could help you out." This man seemed like a real troublemaker, Vexen thought.

Al stopped for a moment and ran a thoughtful eye over Vexen, before he shook his head. "Nah, you don't look like you live in a high-end apartment. Rich kids fucking love weed, man. Not that I even said I was gonna start selling drugs again, that was just when me and Mar first got started."

"Appearances can be deceiving," said Vexen. "Got started doing what?"

Al shrugged, which seemed to be the only gesture he was physically capable of. "Living by ourselves. He dropped out of school, I was wasting my time there, so when he moved out of the folks' house, I went with him. Twin's duty, or some shit."

"And I suppose it was his duty as a twin to send you to England?" Vexen asked, smiling slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted a vaguely familiar-looking bouncer. He was sure he knew the man from somewhere. "Let's go over there," Vexen said, pointing at the club in front of which the bouncer was stationed.

"Nah, he just got over me mooching off him. And the drugs thing." Al added as an afterthought. "I don't care where we go, so long as there is beer and food."

Vexen nodded and dragged Al over by the hand. He blinked at the bouncer, certain he knew him, but still having no damned idea from where.

"Vexen," Lexaeus greeted him. "And-"

"Marluxia's brother," finished Vexen, locking eyes with the bouncer, trying to somehow telepathically ask if he knew anything about this.

"Yo," Al said flatly, looking past the giant of a man and seeming oblivious to whatever Vexen was trying to figure out. "Is there food in there or not?"

"Yes," said Lexaeus, his face blank.

"I'll catch up with you," said Vexen. "I need to speak to the bouncer alone for a moment."

Al waved and vanished inside without protest. Lexaeus looked down at Vexen, expectantly but still stone-faced. "Yes?"

"Obviously you know me," Vexen began. "I don't know if you know Marluxia, but he's an acquaintance of my roommate's. Marluxia wants me to get rid of him, but I have the feeling he doesn't want to leave." Vexen sniffled and tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. "I am going to fail him. I don't know anybody anymore and the one person I've gotten to know again, I'm not going to be able to help."

Lexaeus nodded as Vexen spoke, seeming to take in all that Vexen was saying. "I think Zexion is the one who can help you with that, Vexen. He is the schemer."

"Yes, but you're muscular," Vexen all but whined. He paused. "Zexion would be...?"

"Your roommate, when you are not at Marluxia's." Lexaeus said, with a tiny hint of a smile. "And, even if Marluxia wishes that man gone, I don't think he'd like him to be a bloody pulp by the end of it."

"But it would be so entertaining," Vexen muttered under his breath. "All right. Thank you, sir," Vexen said. He made to go into the club.

"Lexaeus." he corrected Vexen, before letting him through. Al was sitting at the bar with a beer and enough fries to feed a small army.

Vexen nodded and made to sit next to Al. Slender fingers lifted a bunch of fries off the younger man's plate as Vexen took out his cell phone and called Marluxia with his other hand.

Al yelled a protest and pulled the fries closer to himself, while a similar voice sounded from Vexen's phone. "Hey, Vex, where are you? I just got home, and the place is empty." Marluxia sounded mildly agitated. "Is Alrumia with you?"

"Yes, and Lexaeus says to talk to Zexion about ... it," Vexen said, practically spitting the last word. "I'd just as soon lock it in my closet for as long as it takes, but... Anyway, we're at the place. You know the one. Come quickly." His voice was pure venom as he hung up, stealing another handful of fries.

Al was grinning by the time Vexen got off the phone. "Man, he's gonna punch me in the face when he sees me." he looked down at his fries and sighed over dramatically. "My last meal!"

"Oh, what's a little wrestling match between twins?" Vexen asked, smiling and nibbling daintily at the fries. Mmmm. They were tasty. He ordered a glass of amaretto and a chocolate smoothie to go with the fries. "It's on his tab," Vexen smirked, indicating Al. He turned back to his companion. "Your name's pretty, by the way."

"What, you're into the whole twins thing?" Al asked, and tossed a couple of bills at the bartender. "And it's a fuckin' chicks name. Call me by it and I'll break ya neck."

"I'm into a lot of things," said Vexen, crossing one leg over the other and batting his eyes. What the hell was he doing? Instinct told him to just go with it, so he did. "And at least your name doesn't sound like a female fox."

"You look like a fox, man. I don't look like a chick." Al said rather flatly, with an expression that dared Vexen to say otherwise.

"Your brother looks more effeminate than you," Vexen, er, agreed, leaning in close to Al. "And as far as anyone else here is concerned," he whispered, "I am a chick."

Al was just about to reply when he saw his brother come storming in, dressed casually, but still with glitter on his cheeks. "Bro!" Al called. Marluxia did exactly what Al predicted, and as soon as he was close enough, he socked Al in the face. Al caught him in a headlock, and it was hard to tell whether they were laughing or cursing at each other. "You ass." Marluxia said, when finally freed.

Vexen dipped a fry into his chocolate smoothie and watched the tussle. When Marluxia was freed, Vexen jumped down off the stool and hugged him close.

Marluxia grinned at Vexen and kissed the tip of his nose. "I'm sorry you've had to babysit him." he said, giving a sidelong glance to his brother, who was pulling faces at the backs of their heads. "He was the last of my dirty little secrets."

"How long will he be staying with you?" Vexen asked, picking up his amaretto and drinking it like water.

Marluxia shrugged. "He's like a leech. He'll stay until he has all that he needs." he said, but didn't seem to resent that as much as it seemed he should have.

"Oi, I'm right here, man." Al grumbled.

"He stole some of your money," Vexen murmured. "Do you want me to pay you back?"

"He always steals my money. It's why I don't put it in a bank, or he would've cleaned me out from England." Marluxia said, kissing Vexen again. "Don't worry about it."

Vexen pressed against Marluxia. "I missed you," he murmured, attempting to feed him a chocolate-covered fry.

Marluxia happily ate the fry and ignored the gagging sounds coming from Al's direction. "I'm knackered, can we go home?"

"Yours or mine?" Vexen asked, rubbing Marluxia's back and giving Al the finger.

"It'll have to be mine with him around. I'm not showing him where you live, and I don't trust him at mine alone. He can trash a house in one night, it's really rather remarkable." Marluxia laughed, stretching in Vexen's arms. "So, let's go?"

Vexen saw a flash of someone in his mind's eye. Someone he also knew, but whom he couldn't place. This was getting to be annoying. "All right," he said agreeably, cuddling into Marluxia. "But I do want to show him my place at some point."

"Tomorrow, maybe." Marluxia smiled. He slipped away from Vexen and with one hand grabbed Al, and looped the other through Vexen's. "Home again, for now."

Vexen nodded and kissed Marluxia's forehead.