A/N: Bad, Gil, Bad! Write chapter 8 of Depths of Oblivion already!

But... but... this story is so much fun... T.T

Encounter 3- Headache

Marluxia awoke from a well-deserved rest feeling like he hadn't slept at all. His head was spinning uncomfortably. The flashes of memory Zexion had given him had taunted him in his dreams, pulling him forward, following in Aramuil's footsteps, hearing the laughter of children from the darkness.

His headache did not improve. Axel faked pity when he told him, and Larxene just smirked and quoted some rather dubious methods of healing. The Dusks didn't help matters. Their presences lingered at the corner of his mind, prodding carefully until he snapped at them.

He sulked for most of the morning (at least, he thought it was morning. The time was impossible to judge in these worlds in-between), debating whether or not he should go pester Vexen just to vent some steam. That, he decided at last, would inevitably make his migraine worse. He knew he should really go to Zexion to get it taken care of, but if the Schemer was still angry… well, half-angry… about his words yesterday, that would not be the wisest idea. Even so…

Marluxia knew that memories were the entire foundation of a Nobody's existence. The subconscious memories of emotion allowed them to pretend to the rest of the world that they had hearts. Their instincts led them to act and react like ordinary people. People with hearts.

He also knew that different members of the Organisation had retained different memories. Most of the original six remembered everything. No Nobody knew how much Xemnas really remembered about his life "before." Saïx was mysterious; he never said whether or not he knew anything about his Other. Axel knew everything about his Somebody and the world he had lived in. Demyx retained about half, as did Luxord. Larxene's and Roxas's were like blank slates. As for Marluxia himself, he knew only his Other's name. The rest was just like this castle… empty.

Since joining the Organisation, Marluxia had tried anything and everything to regain his lost memories, but nothing had come back to him. Yet in the space of a few minutes, Zexion had been able to find out more about Aramuil than Marluxia had ever known.

The Assassin had developed a taste for his memories now. Even at this moment, he couldn't stop thinking about what Zexion had shown him: his home, his family, himself. In addition, he had to admit that he was growing curious about Ienzo's forgotten past, before the lab.

If Zexion could find Marluxia's memory, why shouldn't Marluxia try to do the same for him?

Finally, Marluxia decided that he would pay Naminé a visit. She was quieter than Axel or Larxene, and would probably help him with his headache if he asked. It was with this happy prospect in mind that he opened a portal straight to her chamber. Some of the papers on her table rustled as it closed, and he looked around to see her sitting silently in her straight-backed chair, drawing again.

Naturally, Zexion was there too.

Just my luck.

Zexion's visible eye narrowed as he looked up from Naminé's drawing to see the other Nobody.

"Marluxia," he said quietly.

"Zexion," Marluxia answered, drawing himself up. After all, why not? he asked himself. He had proven his worth, earning this post as Lord of Castle Oblivion. Why should he be afraid of a subordinate? "Just the Nobody I was looking for."

"How fortunate," Zexion replied. "I was looking for you as well."

Marluxia hid his surprise well by bowing to Naminé. He had assumed that Zexion would be avoiding him like the plague now.

"Sorry, princess," he said, "but we must leave you now."

He raised a hand to open a portal, but then Zexion was beside him.

"Allow me," he said, with a mocking half-bow. Marluxia considered opening the portal anyway— he knew Zexion was acting out of defiance rather than respect— but he allowed the smaller Nobody to summon the corridor of darkness instead. It turned out to open up into a hallway several levels down from Naminé's room.

"What did you want?" Zexion asked, without preamble.

"No, no," Marluxia said, the very picture of gracious nobility. "I shall attend to your problem first, of course."

"It's not so much a problem as… an acceptance," the Schemer said, not changing his slightly thoughtful expression. "I made my report to the Superior yesterday, detailing our progress in our various goals."

That made Marluxia freeze up for a moment, trying not to seem guilty as he buried his thoughts beneath an iron wall. It was difficult to hide a conspiracy from a man who could read minds with the same ease as he read his books. Perhaps that was why the Superior had assigned Zexion to Oblivion. Xemnas seemed to know everything, expect everything, damn him. He quickly herded his thoughts away from that direction as Zexion went on.

"I also brought up your concerns about my research," he said. Marluxia blinked.

"You did?" You actually acknowledged me?

Zexion narrowed his eyes disapprovingly at the interruption.

"I was confident that he would see how foolish it was." Zexion sighed, then said, "Unfortunately, the Superior agreed with you."

Marluxia, who had been expecting a reprimand, stared.

"He did?"

Zexion nodded reluctantly.

"In fact," he muttered, "he went so far as to order me to begin using a Nobody as my test subject. I had hoped to use Larxene, with your permissio—"

"No," Marluxia snapped. "You will use me."

"Number Eleven, as Lord of this castle, I'm sure you have many other pressing duties to attend to," Zexion argued, but the Assassin took his arm in an iron grip.

"No," Marluxia repeated softly. He was holding Zexion's arm hard enough to bruise, and they were standing so close together that the smaller Nobody had to crane his neck to continue looking into the other's eyes. This caused his hair to slide back, exposing his entire face, and he suddenly felt terribly exposed.

"Very well," he conceded, hoping desperately that Marluxia would let him go, which he did. Zexion exhaled slowly; he hadn't realized that he'd been holding his breath, tense and ready for… what?

"Is that why you were seeking me out?" he asked. Marluxia blinked, suddenly remembering that he had a migraine.

"Actually, no," he said. "I have a headache, you see. I heard you were the one to come to."

For a moment, Zexion looked annoyed. Then he relented.

"Of course," he said, lifting his hands. His fingers were pleasantly cool against Marluxia's temples, and the Assassin let his eyes flutter shut, relaxing.

It still felt strange, as it had the first two times, to have Zexion's mind in his own, to feel his presence moving over the surface, not into it as he had gone the other times. Zexion brushed his consciousness softly, almost like a lover, and Marluxia shivered under the touch. The Schemer was skilled at his work, and he soon located all the sensitive points. It felt good, Marluxia registered, as Zexion worked at those spots, his invisible fingers massaging gently as the pain flowed slowly nut surely out of him.

A cool cloth was draped over his forehead when he awoke.

"What…?" he tried to ask, but his speech was slurred from exhaustion.

"Shh," the girl sitting beside him whispered, stroking his sweat-dampened hair from his face. "You need to rest. Your fever's broken, but you're still in danger. Can you go back to sleep, Aramuil?"

He let himself drift off, hearing her whispering his name from time to time in a reassuring manner.

Zexion trembled and nearly fell, but Marluxia caught him.

"I'm sorry," he gasped, leaning against the larger Nobody for a moment, before recovering his composure. "I didn't mean for that to happen. The headache was more stubborn than I thought… perhaps it was an aftermath of my carelessness the first time… I almost lost track of things…"

He straightened up and brushed off his clothes, as though touching Marluxia had made them dirty. His dignity renewed, he turned to the pink-haired Nobody.

"I expect to see you in my office at this time tomorrow," he said. Marluxia was about to protest this obvious order, but Zexion fixed him with an intensely blue stare. "My research, my rules," he said softly. "Tomorrow."

He didn't look at Marluxia again as he opened a portal and vanished into it.

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