"Ah! Saïx, behind you!"

Before Saïx could blink, Xigbar took aim and fired his arrow gun directly at the man. It soared across the room and flew by Saïx's head so quickly that his hair was blown by the resulting breeze. The laser arrow narrowly missed him by mere inches before colliding with a small black spot on the far wall, which then exploded into a puff of smoke.

"Holy shit! Bullseye!"

The men surrounding him erupted into cheers and exclamations of awe and disbelief as Xigbar sheathed his weapon. Saïx, having recovered from the shock, turned to Xigbar with a seething glare. "Was that necessary?"

Xigbar shrugged. "Hey, I got him, didn't I? I thought you were afraid of spiders."

Saïx narrowed his eyes, lowering his voice to a sinister growl. "See to it that any others are eliminated with the same tenacity."

As soon as Saïx had exited the Grey Area, the men collapsed into fits of uproarious laughter. Xigbar opened a flask and took a swig before passing it around. Luxord shuffled his deck of cards and began to deal another hand of poker. "In his defense, I don't like spiders either. Nightmarish little creatures, really."

Xigbar piped up, tossing a few chips into the center of the table. "Ya know, urban legend has it that you swallow eight spiders a year in your sleep!"

Demyx shuddered. "Ugh, change the subject!"

"Aw, what's the matter, sport? Feeling a little rumbly in your tumbly?"

"You're grossing me out, dude."

"Ha! If you're worried about the spiders, here. Drown them with this."

Xigbar handed off the flask to Demyx, who quickly guzzled a shot and passed it along. After a few more hands of hold 'em and several rounds of the flask, the men sank into their seats, relaxing for once. Xigbar reclined sideways in his chair, dangling his legs over the armrest as he examined his cards. Demyx had pulled out his sitar and was strumming quietly between hands. He had been quiet and distracted for much of the day, and had to be prompted to complete his turn every time it came around to him. This was nothing new, and Luxord was grateful for the extra time, for even he found himself a bit lost in thought on this particular evening. If nothing else, Demyx's slow reactions diverted Xigbar's attention for the time being.

"Jeez, Demyx, are you sick or something?" Xigbar snorted. "You look like you're totally off in La-La Land."

Demyx was snapped out of his trance by Xigbar's call. He shifted in his seat, leaning forward to inspect his cards. "Sorry, just thinking too much."

"I'll say. Don't hurt yourself."

Demyx turned over his cards and returned to his sitar, ignoring the insult. "Your turn, Xiggy."

"You mean you're not gonna share with your friends? Come on, sport, you can tell us anything! Right, Luxord?"

Luxord jolted upright, having temporarily sunk into a shallow daze. He cleared his throat, hastily agreeing with his friend. "Right, yes. Of course. We're always happy to lend an ear."

Xigbar's eye narrowed suspiciously at him. It wasn't like Luxord to be caught off-guard like that. He was never the type to be inattentive, even in the most insignificant situations. Gathering information was his forte, and he could only do so by listening intently, often times in secret. Xigbar entertained the idea of confronting the man for his lapse in focus, but shrugged it off for the time being, chalking it up to a simple case of fatigue.

Unwilling to take their bait, Demyx changed the subject. "Where's Axel, anyway?"

Seeing he wouldn't be getting the gossip he wanted out of Demyx, Xigbar surrendered. "I think he's hanging out with Roxas. Apparently they're not letting him out of bed anymore."

Demyx scoffed incredulously. "Seriously? So all I gotta do is get pregnant and they'll let me sleep all day?"

"Are you kidding?" Xigbar took a large gulp from the flask and passed it to Luxord. "I would be bored to tears if I had to be stuck in bed day in day out."

"Is that so?" Luxord's lips curled into a sly grin. "I could make it interesting for you."

Demyx recoiled with a look of horror and repulsion. "Eww gross stop it! You promised you wouldn't do that!"

Luxord raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with him?"

Xigbar leaned over with a smirk, gesturing suggestively. "He doesn't like to think about us teaming up for a recon mission to—"

Demyx had his hands pressed over his ears, shouting to drown them out. "I'm not listening! I can't hear you!"

"What's all this noise you lunkheads are making?"

Axel had entered the room undetected and was standing over the group with his arms crossed. Demyx smiled widely at him with a mix of delight and relief at being rescued from Xigbar and Luxord's teasing. "Axel!"

"Evening, ladies. Room for one more?"

Luxord waved him over. "Pull up a chair, I'll deal you in."

Axel took up the table's fourth side, collapsing into his chair as if he hadn't had the opportunity to sit down all day. Xigbar, reading clearly that he was in need, passed him the flask, which Axel accepted graciously.

"So, how's Roxas?"

Axel took a sizable swig before passing it back and answering his inquiry. "He's fine. He hates being stuck in bed, but… well, he's at least taking it in stride. He's just tired."

"Gosh… Poor kid… Can you imagine?" Xigbar picked up his cards as Luxord dealt them, dropping a chip in the center of the table. "I mean, having to deal with what he's been through? Imagine all your family decides to start experimenting on you and you end up with something living inside your own body."

Demyx shivered, staring intently at his hand and battling with whether or not to call the blind. "Makes my skin crawl…"

Luxord leaned on an elbow, impatiently tapping his cards on the table while waiting for Demyx to make his play. "He's not really giving us much fuss, for all we've done to him."

Xigbar paused mid-gulp. "We?"

Luxord shrugged, laying down the flop. "It's not like we tried to stop any of it."

"We'd be erased if we did…"

"I'm just saying," Xigbar remarked, talking over Demyx's meek rebuttal. "Thinking about his situation makes me… I don't know, queasy I guess. I mean, just look at him. When you see his face, you'll know what I mean. You can feel his misery."

"Okay, that's enough guys."

All conversation halted abruptly at Axel's sharp tone, and no words were exchanged for an entire hand afterward. Luxord won the pot, sliding the chips to his pile and collecting the cards to shuffle for the next hand. Xigbar's last words rang in his mind in an endless loop. Roxas carried with him a dark sense of foreboding everywhere he went. His gradual deterioration was a disturbing event to witness, even for such a logical man as Luxord. If he didn't know better, he'd guess that he was perhaps feeling empathy for the boy.

It was no less unsettling to see the effect Roxas' decline had on Axel. The man looked positively run ragged on a daily basis, and his exhaustion only worsened when incidents like the one from the previous day occurred. When he could no longer stand the awkward silence, Xigbar clapped his friend on the shoulder with a guilty expression. "Sorry, Axel… we got a little dark for a second."

Axel waited a beat, but quickly softened in appreciation of the genuine apology. "The last thing Roxas wants is for us all to feel sorry for him. He doesn't need our pity. He needs our support. If you guys feel so guilt-ridden about the whole thing, go visit him. Talk to him. Be his friend. Just like Xemnas ordered you to do."

The game moved more slowly after that, with each man pausing generously to study his cards between each turn. Plays were made cautiously and with extra forethought, as if there were more than plastic chips on the line. After the river was dealt, Axel turned over his cards with a sigh. "I'm sorry guys, I can't concentrate. My head's elsewhere. I'm going to bed."

Xigbar reached for him, pleading apologetically. "Hey, man, we didn't mean to—"

Axel raised a hand, shaking his head. "It's fine, it's not you. I'm just tired. I'll see you later."

"All right. Later, Axel."

Axel threw him a salute and traipsed out of the room. The remaining men all watched until he was out of sight before reluctantly resuming their game.

"He seems… stressed." Luxord observed, dealing the next hand. It was an understatement, but for the first time in as long as he could remember, Luxord could not think of a better term to describe the apparent condition of Axel's mental health.

"He's gotta be a mess right now," Xigbar agreed. "Him and Roxas are practically attached at the hip. Probably worried sick over the poor kid."

Luxord nodded. "He's not the only one. Saïx is a bit more irritable than usual."

"I'll say."

"Vexen and Zexion look like they haven't slept in weeks." Demyx chimed in, feigning a casual tone.

"Ugh!" Xigbar threw his cards down, pressing his fingers to his temples in exasperation. "We need a vacation. Put us all on bedrest!"

The game continued at a snail's pace. The more fatigued each man got, the slower they played. Luxord found himself making mistakes and bad calls, struggling to read poker faces, miscounting the bets, and losing track of time as he second guessed his every move. It was growing more and more difficult to concentrate on the game, and even more so to hide his plight from Xigbar's watchful eye.

Xigbar was thankfully preoccupied with Demyx and prodded at him again when he seemed to stare right through his cards and into the table for several minutes during his turn. "Demyx, are you sure there's nothing bothering you?"

"Would you lay off already?"

Xigbar threw up his hands in surrender. "I'm just checking on you! I care about you, sport."

"Well give it a rest, will ya? I'm fine."

After busting out, Demyx decided he'd had enough poker for the night. He was so far gone that he couldn't even focus on his sitar playing anymore, and it was getting embarrassing. He rose from his chair and bid his friends a good evening.

"It's late. I'm gonna get some sleep. See ya."

He was out of the room before Xigbar and Luxord could even respond. Luxord shook his head, clicking his tongue. "Seems like everyone is a little on edge as of late."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Xigbar finally laid down his cards, handing Luxord his final victory for the evening. "Well, I'm totally wiped," he yawned, stretching his arms. "Guess it's time to call it a night."

Luxord collected the cards and shuffled the deck with a smirk. "Quitting while you're ahead, eh?"

The two swiftly cleaned up the table and sauntered into the hall, hand in hand and giggling wearily. They paused at Xigbar's door, prompting him to grin at his companion.

"You coming in?"

Luxord's voice was low and raspy. "I'm rather tired this evening…"

"You got something on your mind?"

Luxord shrugged, averting his eyes. He made to leave but Xigbar caught him by the elbow. "Hey… come inside. Let's just talk for awhile."

He tugged Luxord over the threshold by the fingers, guiding him to a chair and lowering him into it with a gentle press of the shoulders. Xigbar gave him a slow, affectionate massage on the back of the neck to sway him toward a sharing mood. One by one, he felt the knots in his muscles untie and the tension release. Pleased with the results, Xigbar leaned in and persuasively whispered in Luxord's ear. "Now, tell me what this is all about."

Luxord sighed, relaxing into his touch, having no real escape from this conversation. "Have you not felt… off… since this experiment began?"

"Off? In what way?"

"I'm not certain. I believe you used the word 'queasy' earlier?"

"You feeling sick?"

"No, not physically ill," Luxord dropped his head in his hands. "I seem to be afflicted by unwelcome thoughts. Interlopers from my memories come to torment me, I'm sure."

Xigbar, masking his concern with curiosity, knelt in front of him, resting on his knees. "You wanna talk about it?"

Luxord struggled to articulate just what it was he was feeling, if he was truly feeling anything at all. It took a few moments of thoughtful silence before he was able to collect the terminology he required and begin assembling his explanation. "Roxas… emits an aura. It's… difficult to describe. Suffice to say that his despair seems contagious. I sense it when I am in his presence, and then, to my dismay, I feel it myself."

Luxord had never discussed with anyone how he'd felt after his last mission with Roxas. He played the incident off as nothing, remaining calm for the boy's sake, but it would have been dishonest to claim that he was unaffected. The image of Roxas doubling over in pain and confusion sent a jolt of what could only be described as fear through Luxord's veins. It had been so long since he'd felt such a powerful surge of emotion that he had failed to recognize it at first. Something about seeing Roxas suffer filled Luxord with an overwhelming sense of dread, and he sprang into action, compelled to protect the boy as if responding to some long-dormant primal instinct.

"Have you not felt this?"

Xigbar rose back to his feet, stroking his chin as he slowly strolled to the bed and collapsed onto the mattress. "Oh, I don't know… Maybe? I'm just not that way, I guess. But I will say that looking at him is…" He waved his hand around for a moment, searching for the right word. "Unsettling. I just feel bad for the kid."

Luxord took a sharp breath, furrowing his brows in frustration. "He is hanging on by a thread, and not one of us is pulling him to safety. We're all just standing by and watching while he quietly suffers alone."

Xigbar softened his tone, appealing to Luxord's superior logic. "Whoa whoa, hey, calm down now. You know we'd get the axe if any of us interfered."

Luxord scowled with disgust. "Then we're all cowards. Sacrificing the boy to save our skins? Deplorable."

"Come on, Luxord, it isn't like that…"

Xigbar returned to Luxord's lap, leaning on his knees and looking up at him with a pleading eye. "Roxas isn't alone, you know. He's got all of us. He's our comrade, and we're all in this together, aren't we? Like a family!"

Luxord stared for a long time, seeming to consider his argument before slumping with a defeated sigh. "I'm tired, Xigbar. I'm going to turn in."

Luxord left his chair and was making his way toward the door when Xigbar reached out and grasped his shoulder. "Have you felt anything else? Other than misery and despair?"

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm just saying, if Roxas has this 'aura' you were talking about… if he can somehow make us feel emotions like that again, wouldn't we be feeling some of the good ones, too?"

There was a beat. "Perhaps. Have you?"

"I asked you first."

Luxord did not answer. He instead turned and took his companion around the waist, pulling him close and pressing his lips firmly into Xigbar's. He didn't let go for nearly a minute, allowing the kiss to grow more passionate with every passing second. Xigbar could have burst into flames from the heat. He swooned under Luxord's charm and his knees buckled, threatening to drop him to the floor.

When he finally pulled away, Xigbar chuckled while stalling for time to catch his breath. "Does that mean 'yes?'"

"It certainly doesn't mean 'no.'"

It didn't take much to coax Luxord out of his clothes and into bed, and even he could admit that there was a comforting sense of familiarity to being inside Xigbar. His long time lover had always possessed a warmth to which none could compare. A warmth that didn't grow cold with the passage of time. A stability that never faltered with age. When everything else seemed complicated, being with him was easy and natural. They fit together effortlessly like two halves of one whole.

Xigbar could get used to emotional Luxord. He exhibited such tenderness as he pressed into him, rolling his hips steadily and with hypnotizing rhythm. His lips on Xigbar's neck were softer than usual, but his breath was hotter, steaming up his skin. His hands were gentler, but no less firm either. His arms were strong, but in a different way. A protective way. They enfolded his lover tightly, desperately, lovingly. Xigbar had never before felt so secure beneath him.

Luxord was patient tonight. A perfect gentleman, as always. This rendezvous was no race, and he had no interest in rushing to the finish line without Xigbar to accompany him. A few times he found himself too far ahead and he slowed his pace. When Xigbar lagged behind, Luxord paused, biding his time until his lover could catch up, taking the scenic route and exploring his body with a tantalizingly light caress. He was in no hurry, and Xigbar was exceedingly grateful for Luxord's forbearance. There was no need to be frantic or hasty with him.

The clock soon ran out for them. The pressure became too great. They didn't speak. They didn't have to. They knew each other too well. A look, a touch, a gasp, a sigh was all the communication they needed. The glint in Xigbar's eye. The clench of Luxord's jaw. The vibration of a soft moan. The subtle tug of a bitten lip. Their signals were clear as they had always been. They were in perfect sync. They walked over the edge together, sinking into the abyss in tandem.

An overwhelming crash. A calm release. Pure ecstasy. Were Luxord a man of weaker fortitude, the climax alone might have brought him to tears. But he was strong and sensible, and he stifled the lapse until afterward when the two lovers were gazing at each other, wide-eyed and breathless, shocked by the intensity of the encounter. He couldn't contain himself. This was different. They were different. Neither of them wanted to part. It was too good to end so soon.

They were still lost for words a long while later as they cuddled beneath the sheets together, staring at the ceiling. Luxord only broke the ice when he finally could no longer stand the curiosity of trying to decipher Xigbar's facial expression. "Now you appear to be the one with something on your mind."

"Eh."

"Did I do a poor job?"

"As if!" Xigbar scoffed, climbing off the bed and standing in front of the mirror adjust his long hair. Seemingly absorbed in his own thoughts, his eye drifted into space, looking at his reflection but not really seeing.

"Come now, Xigbar," Luxord pleaded. "I give you the floor, now take it."

"It's nothing, really."

"Then it should be quite easy to discuss."

Xigbar drew out a long pause before finally replying with a heavy sigh. "Do you ever worry about Demyx?"

"Worry about him?"

Xigbar scratched his neck, seeming timid, as if he regretted bringing this up. "Yeah… I mean, you can tell something's going on, right? He's not himself."

Luxord cocked his head, perplexed by Xigbar's questions. These sorts of sentiments were a rarity for a man like him. "You've never been one to worry, my friend. Especially about Demyx."

Xigbar had been wringing his hands, pacing a few steps back and forth from the mirror. He finally stopped short with an exasperated sigh. "I can't help it. I love that little dumbass. I don't want him to get hurt, you know?"

Luxord only grinned, entertained by the endearing sight of Xigbar's uncharacteristic anxiety. "He's a big boy, Xigbar. He can take care of himself."

"I know, I know. I just…"

Where Xigbar had previously reached in front of him and pulled the words he sought from thin air, this time he simply gave up, letting his sentence trail off. His face fell to one of the most humanly emotional expressions Luxord had ever seen him produce, instantly revealing the depth of his worries. Though Luxord was the only man Xigbar would drop his guard for, his sense of vulnerability was palpable. Sympathizing greatly with his struggling friend, Luxord lowered his voice and gently beckoned Xigbar back to his side. "Come here, you."

He extended his arms with a soft, understanding smile. Xigbar couldn't resist. He practically glided back to the bed and let himself fall into the man's embrace. Luxord held him tightly until he felt the man's rigid body finally go limp, soothed by the warmth of skin on skin. He let himself sink into the pillow, lacing his fingers through Xigbar's shimmering long hair. "Don't you fret over Demyx. He's a grown man. If he needs anything from us, I'm confident that he will ask for it."

Xigbar, resting his head on Luxord's chest, chuckled with mild embarrassment at his overreaction. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Gotta let him leave the nest. Fly like the little bird that he is."

Though the man was smiling, Luxord could clearly see the melancholy on his face. He would have given anything in that moment to take Xigbar's sorrows away for good. "You really do care for him."

Xigbar scoffed. "I don't care about anything."

"But you care about him."

"You don't?"

"Oh, I do," Luxord had no qualms with admitting that he was fond of Demyx. The two had joined the Organization around the same time, and Luxord had always appreciated his younger comrade's company. "But this is the hand fate dealt him. Demyx deserves the chance to play those cards how he sees fit. Who am I to interfere?"

Unable to really answer him, Xigbar closed his eyes, mesmerized by the steady motion of Luxord's chest as he breathed. He was tired. He longed to sleep. But he couldn't. After a few moments, he reached for Luxord's hand and linked fingers with him, sighing sadly. "This experiment could turn on a dime. Roxas could be totally erased, and we would lose all of this."

"We had this long before Roxas came into the picture."

"Yeah, but it was different then. It wasn't like this. Do you know what I'm saying?"

Luxord lifted Xigbar's hand to his lips, planting a gentle kiss on his skin. "There's no sense dwelling on 'what ifs'. We should enjoy it now while we still can."

Xigbar squeezed his fingers, raising his eyebrows in anticipation. "You still gonna leave?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Xigbar let out a hearty laugh. "As if! Come on, stay here tonight. Bed's always warmer with you in it."

Luxord stroked his chin, pretending to thoroughly consider the request. After a humorous beat, he grinned, pulling the blankets up over the both of them. "Very well. I find my dreams are more pleasant beside you anyway."

"Aww, don't get all sappy now."

"Still here, Vexen?"

Just before the stroke of midnight, Zexion was finally able to wrap up the analysis he'd been working on all afternoon. Looking forward to some sleep, he gathered his belongings and was heading out the door when he saw Vexen still at his computer, putting a report together for the next morning's meeting.

Vexen looked up from the screen with a soft expression in his eyes. "Ienzo… let's talk."

Zexion started at the sound of his human name. It had been years since Vexen had called him that. Puzzled, he pulled up a chair next to his fellow scientist, concerned by his unusually pensive demeanor. "What is it, Even?"

Vexen casually leaned on the arm of his chair, his face still unreadable. "You know you can't hide anything from me. I am well aware of what you've been up to."

Taken aback by Vexen's keen observation, Zexion froze, his face flushing, unsure of what to say in response. "I see… and you have some opinions about it?"

Vexen smirked, amused by Zexion's nervous reaction. "Oh, I have plenty, but it really isn't my business. You're a man now and you have the freedom to make your own choices."

"But…?"

"But… I cannot help but feel… concerned."

Vexen was the closest thing to a father Zexion had after his own parents were killed. For awhile, Zexion had assumed it was merely out of obligation, since he was an innocent child at the time and had no caretaker. But over the years, he came to understand that Vexen truly loved him like a son, and Zexion grew to love him back. Their relationship withstood even the loss of their hearts and the test of time as Zexion matured into a young man, but it was still surprising to see this fatherly side of Vexen re-emerge after all these years.

"In a way, I am relieved to see that you are having this experience," Vexen fiddled with some papers on the desk in front of him, seeming to avoid eye contact. "When we got caught in this mess and lost our hearts… I regretted that you would never have the chance to love someone. You were only a boy when that opportunity was stolen from you… but it seems that it wasn't beyond your grasp after all. I'm… thrilled, to be honest."

Zexion couldn't hold back his smile. Growing up, Vexen adhered strictly to his duty of teaching Zexion as many of life's lessons as any parent could, but this was a discussion that they never got to have. When their hearts were lost, they'd assumed it wouldn't be necessary, but in this moment, they were pleasantly surprised to learn that they were wrong.

"But, Ienzo…" Vexen reached out and gently took his hands. "If you have the ability to feel the joy and bliss of love, then you also have the capacity to feel the pain and anguish. I care for you like you were my own flesh and blood, and I just couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt."

Zexion was deeply touched by Vexen's affectionate musings, and his smile only widened at the man's words. It was a rare treat to see this warm and thoughtful side of him. It was in these moments that they both felt as though they still had hearts, and that the familial bond they shared had only strengthened despite the years they'd spent without them.

"Even… I know that if that happens and I do get hurt… you will be here just as you always have been."

On Vexen's face shone a look of nostalgia, anxiety, and perhaps even sadness. Zexion recognized each emotion, supposing they were what any parent who possessed a heart might feel as they watched their child grow into an adult. He saw the ache of loss etched into the man's eyes, but Vexen quickly wiped away these melancholy thoughts and smiled at Zexion, exhibiting genuine happiness for him. Zexion leaned in and threw his arms around Vexen's shoulders, holding him tightly for the first time in many years. Vexen, pleasantly surprised by the gesture, pulled him closer into a protective embrace. For a moment, neither man wanted to let go, but they reluctantly parted after some time. Vexen gave Zexion a playful pat on the head, then returned to working on his report.

Zexion considered getting up to leave, now reminded of just how tired he was, but he stayed in his chair for a while longer, hoping to sate his curiosity by voicing a question that had been on his mind for some time. "Even, have you ever been in love?"

Pouring over a stack of notes, Vexen didn't look up. "Only with my research. I simply didn't have the time for those sorts of distractions."

"Do you think you'll ever change your mind?"

"I'm an old man now, Ienzo," Vexen sighed. "I think that ship has long since sailed away."

Zexion lowered his eyes, wishing he hadn't asked. Had he been the reason Vexen never found love? Because he was too busy caring for him? Vexen, sensing Zexion's internal struggle, gave him another smile to put him at ease.

"But don't be sad for me, my boy. I am quite content with the company of my work. And you, of course," he nodded toward the young apprentice. "I've never felt lonely in all my years as a scientist. But, how I wish you didn't have to grow up so fast…"

Zexion laid his hand on Vexen's shoulder. "I won't go anywhere. I'll always be here."

Vexen smiled again, his eyes glistening briefly before he hastily blinked the shine away. "Well that's good news, because I'm going to need you here. Saïx is sending me on an extended recon mission to the new world again. I'll be gone for a few days. You'll have to keep an eye on Roxas."

"That's no problem," Zexion permitted, stroking his chin in thought. "Odd that you're being sent out there alone on such a long mission…"

"This new world is extremely vast. It appears to be uninhabited so far. We've not found any intelligent life at all. It could prove useful to the Organization."

Zexion nodded in reluctant agreement. Although he was certain he had the situation with Roxas under control, he couldn't shake the apprehensive feeling by which he became afflicted whenever he thought about all the things that could go wrong, especially without Vexen present. "When will you leave?"

"Next week, if the schedule permits."

Zexion swallowed. "If anything should happen to Roxas…"

"I trust you to use your best judgment, Ienzo," Vexen interrupted his panic spiral before it began, always having had an expert handle on Zexion's anxiety. "You're a smart lad. I have full confidence in you."

Zexion did not argue, instead leaning back in his chair and working to shut down the rapid cycling thoughts in his brain. A few moments of tense silence passed before Vexen realized Zexion hadn't yet left. He turned to face his young companion, gasping when he caught a glimpse of the boy's obvious fatigue. Zexion's eyes were dry and bloodshot from excessive screen time and outlined with dark creases from lack of sleep.

"My goodness, you look exhausted. Go and get some rest. I'll see you in the morning, son."

"But what about—"

"I will keep an eye on Roxas." Vexen waved the young apprentice away. "Goodnight, Ienzo."

Zexion, having been coaxed to the doorway, turned around to flash the man one more glowing smile before he left for the night. "Goodnight, Even."