A/N: Heh heh, betcha didn't expect such a quick update. Here's a secret: I didn't either. XD Well, I cracked down on it and here it is, scarcely... um, two or three days later.
You won't get so lucky next time... chapter 7 is going to be long.
Here you are!
Encounter 6- Silence
"Well?" Vexen asked, with a smirk that was none-too-kind. "How did it go?"
"Shut it, Vexen," Zexion snarled as the portal closed behind him. The taller man pretended to be affronted.
"Not well, I take it," he persisted. With a bad-tempered flick of his hand, VI sent the papers Vexen was working on cascading to the floor. Ignoring the Academic's squawks of protest, he headed for his own quarters. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lexaeus stand and follow him, but he didn't care to stop him. He had long since accepted the bulky man's near-constant companionship.
Zexion settled himself at his desk as Lexaeus shut the door behind them. Without a word he seized a pen and paper and began his next report to the Superior. He was so used to the silence that he jumped when Lexaeus spoke.
"That wasn't very kind to Vexen," he said reproachfully. Zexion sighed.
"I was annoyed at the neophytes," he said.
"Then why take it out on Vexen?" Lexaeus asked. "He has enough on his plate without you making things more difficult."
It was hard to make Zexion sheepish; only Lexaeus could possibly have managed it.
"I'll apologize later," he said with an embarrassed shrug. V's heavy hand rested on his shoulder, and he flinched. "I promise," he added, not caring how childish he sounded. It was all right to act his age around Lexaeus. The large Nobody squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, then let go.
"What did Marluxia say?" he asked. Zexion sighed, leaning back in his chair and giving up the useless attempt at a report.
"What else," he said resignedly. "He refused, naturally. E said to bring it up with the Superior, if I was so—"
"I will not allow that," Lexaeus rumbled, his voice low and threatening.
"I wasn't going to," Zexion agreed fervently, shivering.
"He has threatened you with violence, and worse, before," the Hero reminded him.
"I know," Zexion snapped. "I don't care to reflect on it, thank you."
There was a moment heavy with words unsaid. Zexion didn't need to go into Lexaeus' mind to feel the concern radiating from him. V could be very protective of him at times.
"I'll not go to Xemnas," he said at last.
"What will you do about the memories?" Lexaeus asked. Zexion was silent for a minute, contemplating the question.
"I'll face them," he answered. "I can't run forever. They're a part of my past, and I have to accept that. And maybe, if I continue as I have been, I'll remember other things. Maybe even things from before… before the lab."
All the while he had been staring straight ahead, but Lexaeus' gloved fingers touched his face and he turned to see the larger man bending to be at his eye level, a smile on his face. Zexion relished the sight, knowing that he had been given a rare gift.
"A good answer," the Hero murmured, then leaned forward and kissed him.
Zexion's eyes flew wide in shock. For several seconds, his mind strained to comprehend. Lexaeus. Lexaeus. This is Lexaeus. And he's… oh gods…
Then his brain seemed to lose interest and shut down completely, and then it was all Lexaeus. Lexaeus' arms encircling him, Lexaeus' hands on his back and in his hair, Lexaeus' lips on his, Lexaeus' scent filling his nose, Lexaeus' eyes boring into his until he finally gave in completely and shut them. He kissed back, because it felt so good, and he reached up and wrapped his arms around Lexaeus' neck.
Through it all, the empty ache in his chest grew steadily worse, until it became almost impossible to bear. In his mind's eye, a pair of blue eyes stared at him reprovingly. They were darker than those of Lexaeus, closer to…
Zexion pulled away with a gasp. Lexaeus let go immediately, concern emanating from him once more.
"Did I hurt you?" he asked, his already raspy voice unusually husky.
"No," Zexion whispered, lifting a hand and placing it over the spot where his physical heart beat. "It's…"
Although he couldn't find the words to describe the pain, Lexaeus seemed to understand. Perhaps he, too, felt so sharply the lack of a heart with which to love.
"I'm sorry," the large man told him.
"It's not you," Zexion murmured. "I just… give me some time," he begged, looking plaintively into Lexaeus' eyes, hoping that he would understand. He must have, for he straightened.
"I'm sorry," he said again, and with a last, longing look, he left. Zexion sat, stunned, as the door closed quietly.
Lexaeus.
…Marluxia.
He closed his eyes, feeling again the incredible sensation of a foreign mouth on his. All too soon, however, the rocky lips went soft, the fingers in his hair slimmed noticeably, and the scent in his sensitive nose went from earthy to floral.
Zexion wrenched himself out of his… daze? daydream? as the sound of a portal opening reached his ears. He saw the now-familiar pink hair and instantly felt guilty, ashamed.
"Are you all right?" Marluxia asked, pausing on his way into the room. "You look a bit… flushed."
Zexion realized with a twinge of remembered embarrassment that he was blushing. He quickly hid the redness with a small illusion.
"I'm fine," he lied, gesturing to the other chair. Marluxia sat, relaxing somewhat. In some vague way, it irked him that the Assassin was so nonchalant around him. "Shall we begin?"
"In a rush, are you?" XI asked, smirking. Zexion caught himself staring at the other's lips and jerked his eyes back up to meet Marluxia's.
"There's nothing to chat about," he said gruffly, raising his hands to Marluxia's face. Inexplicably, he suddenly wished that he weren't wearing his gloves, but he irritably pushed the annoying desire aside. With only the slightest hesitation, he entered Marluxia's mind.
He had been nine when his father left. Mama had been pregnant with Lia at the time, and he could remember hearing his parents argue through the thin walls as he put Jean and Luc to bed. He had been so young then… he couldn't have understood why his father was going away. When he grew older he would understand a bit more, but it still made him angry.
He could remember his mother holding him back as he tried to run after Papa, to convince him not to go, to come back and play with him in the meadow again. But he hadn't once looked back to see how his eldest son was struggling to reach him. He didn't even give any sign that he had heard Ara's screams.
Then he had vanished over the hill, and Ara had known, with horrifying certainty, that he would never see his father again.
His mother's hands always smelled like the herbs she used to make soap. The smell lingered all around the house, mingled with the wildflowers that Ara always brought in from the meadow. She almost always smiled before Papa left, and almost never smiled afterwards.
Lia was a troublemaker—
—it was you, it was you you were the reason Ara lost his heart because he loved you too much, the fool—
—and the boys were playful, always rough-housing as boys do…
Boys play-fighting, boys flying through the air, boys talking to a ball of light, what was her name…
Tinkerbell, that was it, Tinkerbell…
…lost boys, Lost Boys…
Pirates, kidnappers, scientists, dark, lab, hurt…
Zexion squeezed his eyes shut tightly. This memory was a shallow one, so he could feel it as Marluxia reached up and took his hand.
It's all right. I'm here.
Zexion frowned at the touch.
I don't want…
He remembered his promise to Lexaeus. He had sworn to himself to face his memories.
To find is to lose and to lose is to find. Lose your fear… find your memories!
Marluxia's hand squeezed his and this time, instead of frowning, he took comfort in the warm grip.
Blood, darkness, lab…
It passed in a blur of remembered agony, but he refused to back down. He took it steadfastly, taking his strength from Marluxia's hand on his. Back and back he went, passing months, maybe even years in that cold metal room, dark and dark and dark and then…
Light.
A/N: Hahahahaha, cliffhanger-type-thing! Well, next chapter you finally get the whole inside scoop on Ienzo's past... but not for a while, because it's gonna be long, and I still have Depths of Oblivion to write and I'm at a long chapter in that too!
...WTF, Lexaeus? This is a MAR/ZEX fic, not Lex/Zex!
...but I just had to, because Lex/Zex is so much win, and it was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing, and it opens up lots of tragic opportunities, besides. u.u
Oh, and the thing Lexaeus mentioned with Xemnas is important later. Just so you know. Pay attention. XDDD
Poor Vexen, I'm so blah about him in this fic. (Well, he gets lots of screen time in DoO, so I guess that's okay!)
Review or Axel will burn your favorite stuffed animal. ('Cause he's mean like that. XD)