((Author's notes; For my auntie, Jeanne.))

…

The One I Love

By mayqueen88

It was just another boring day in the Castle That Never Was, and most of the Organization was gathered in the main living room, spending some 'quality time' together.

Xigbar was sitting at the table near the fireplace along with Luxord, both absorbed in the game of poker they were currently playing.

Zexion was plopped on the cushions next to the windows, quiet as always, trying futilely to solve a jigsaw puzzle-every here and there, though, he'd sigh, and start all over again.

Demyx was taking a seat at the center of the room as always, and as the source of entertainment, was thrumming a slow and relaxing melody, with his eyes closed and head lowered lazily.

Marluxia was ducked over the great plant by the twin doors, gussying it up and talking to it cheerfully; a rare mood which he never used with any other member of the Organization.

And lastly, the only feme at the Castle lay stress-free on the huge white sofa, reading her favorite novel once again-and a hint of a smirk played on her thin lips as it was the part where lots of killing happened.

The Melodious Nocturne finished the tune, and before Marluxia could request him to play something more vivid, Demyx had turned to the two older men, a troubled look on.

"What's love?" the seventeen year old asked, and the whole room froze, pausing from what they were doing. Silence was soon interrupted, as the first to regain composure was the Graceful Assassin, who laughed timidly, waving a hand at his superior teasingly.

"Now, that's a silly question…" and then, at once his face hardened and he coldly added; "We don't have hearts, why do you care?"

Larxene snickered in clear mock seeing the blond wince and then pout, but Xigbar only frowned lightly, taken aback.

"Why do ya want to know, kid?"

Demyx shrugged, still sitting on the cold floor, but that did not seem to bother him. "Well, I was just a boy when I lost my heart. I never got to feel love."

Xigbar nodded curtly, switching his card up, making Luxord curse under his breath and draw five new cards.

"That's why th' Superior is tryin' to get the power of Kingdom 'earts. So we can be whole again, and feel."

Larxene snorted, said something about stupid matters of idiocies, and sank in the portal she summoned below her- Marluxia scowled, as well, and petting the plant, followed her in his own portal.

After a couple of minutes, when stillness fell again, Luxord gave a melodramatic sigh, resting all of his cards on the table as he had obviously won, and turned to Demyx. "Love is a wonderful thing, if I can recall. You might even say we still have some bits of it in us."

Two aquamarine eyes lit up with joy, and in an instant, he was seated close to them, looking eagerly at Luxord. "Really! Like what! Tell me!"

Both males chuckled in amusement, and the Gambler of Fate shuffled the cards this time. "It's what flowers mean to Marluxia, and why you continue to play music- my cards; and even Larx's tendency to read that book over and over again…"

Xigbar shook his head, checking the cards in his hand. "No, no, no and again, no. That's called 'passion' for something. And the two last examples ya set were 'obsessions' 'bout somethin'."

The blond musician giggled as no. X rolled his eyes, supposedly hurt, and drew a new card. "Got any fours?" "Go fish." "Well, now, dear Xiggie, where do all those come from, though? That's right. Love."

And before anyone else asked, Zexion's glum and cold voice rang. "And how do you know?"

Luxord turned to his even younger superior, and smiled in nonchalance, once again, resting all of his cards on the small table. "Simple, sonny; I had a life before all this. I knew what love was."

Zexion let a small 'tsk' and returned to his jigsaw puzzle; Demyx, however, was far from interested. He was ecstatic. "You mean you had a family, Lux?"

The second-in-command was ready to snort in disbelief and say his infamous 'as if', when the man opposite him nodded, motioning him to shuffle the cards. "Yes, indeed. My late wife's name was Cecil, and if my memory serves me right, we also had a son…but I can only remember little of him. What about you, IX?"

Yet another giggle from Demyx, who clapped hands in excitement, seeming to enjoy the talk. "I was a rockstar! Uh-huh! People loved to hear me play…But I can't recall my parents at all. What about you, Xiggie?"

Xigbar smirked, ready to rest all of his cards, but Luxord seemed to notice and finished first. So the answer came out in grumbles. "I lived in a paradise, b'lieve it or not. 'T was always sunny an' warm- nothin' like here. I used to surf all day long at that islan'; and 'ow proud my wife was…she died giving birth. That's 'ow I also followed Ansem."

The Melodious Nocturne let the information sink in his young head, before he turned to the other youth. It was somewhat funny how Zexion and Demyx were so different while they shared the same age. "And you, Zexy?"

A small grunt came from beneath the dark forelock, and the sixth assistant stood up, holding his puzzle protectively. "I don't remember anymore."

With that, he opened a small portal and disappeared quickly, making Demyx wince once again, and lower his head in shame, as if it was his fault that the boy looked so closed and miserable.

After a while, and once the musician got over the sudden state of imaginary depression, he looked up at Luxord again. "Hey, Lux? Do you think I'll find the one for me?"

Luxord smiled bitterly, and leaning back on his armchair, shook his head. "Don't be a fool, kiddo. We never will. At least not in this life."

Xigbar let a forced and croaky laugh, before vanishing in the portal he had created below him; and soon afterwards, Luxord did the same, leaving Demyx alone in a cold lounge, musing over the talk they had.

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((Author's Notes -again-; Thanks for the rockstar idea, sleepy-geeky! And don't try to figure out what were the two playing,it's a huge mix of whatever came to my mind. he heh.))