A/N: Happy 11/6!!!X3 A beautiful day for an M rating... erm. -sweatdrop-
Encounter 9. Touch
When he heard the dark corridor open, Zexion didn't look up from his work.
"You're late," he said crossly.
"Did you miss me?" Marluxia asked, his footsteps drawing near.
"I've been too busy pretending to be annoyed for the past four minutes and twenty-six-point-three seconds," the Schemer answered, tapping a finger on the clock lying beside his book on the desk. Marluxia leaned over his shoulder, disregarding any personal space.
"You must really have been pining for me," he purred into Zexion's ear.
"I was only surprised," Zexion said coolly. "You've never been late so far."
Marluxia chuckled, resting his chin on the seated Nobody's shoulder.
"I've had a lot to deal with," he said. "Sora is almost here."
"I know," Zexion replied. "That position can't be comfortable."
"You're not throwing me off," the Assassin reminded him. "I don't waste opportunities."
Zexion shut his book with a snap, shrugging suddenly. He smirked as he felt the taller Nobody's head jerk back.
"That wasn't very polite," Marluxia growled, rubbing his sore jaw. Zexion only smiled sweetly as he turned to face him.
"You don't seem to mind wasting time," he said. "Let's get down to business, shall we? The sooner we're finished here, the sooner you can get back to your preparations."
Marluxia sighed elegantly, sinking into his usual chair with his natural grace.
"There's no need to rush," he said, a little pout curving his lips. "To tell the truth, I'd rather spend the time with you. The others have things under control."
Zexion raised an amused eyebrow.
"I suppose it makes no sense to rush something like this," he agreed slowly. "But, even so…"
"I'm bored," Marluxia interrupted, his blue eyes bright. "Isn't there something a little more… interesting we could be doing?"
His lazy smile made it quite clear to Zexion just what he thought would be 'more interesting.' It was a tempting offer. The Schemer suppressed a shiver.
"Business before pleasure," he murmured. Marluxia pouted some more, then sighed with the air of one who is being asked to do something very unreasonable.
"Fine," he grumbled. "What are you searching for today, O mighty Schemer?"
Zexion considered his answer carefully before he replied, "How can you pretend to love me if you can't remember what it felt like?"
Before Marluxia could think up a witty response to this, Zexion reached out and laid his fingertips over the Assassin's lips.
Her hair was always soft, and changed color with the seasons—sunshine yellow in summer, the gold of ripe corn in winter. Her smile was gentle, her touch was gentle, everything about her was gentle. She had the power to transform him from a cynical, bitter youth into someone completely different.
Love was being close to someone. Love was knowing that you were always on someone's mind. Love was holding her close and listening to her voice, her voice which always sounded like she was singing, her laugh like chimes. He loved hearing her say his name. It sounded so much more wonderful when she said it. She made him feel, if only for short periods of time, that he didn't have to freeze his heart.
Something ached where his heart should have been. Zexion shook it off, knowing it was Marluxia's reaction passing through to him via his power.
What was her name? he asked, keeping them submerged in the memory.
Hair like sunshine. Laugh like bells. Lips like roses. Heart like gold.
Juliette.
It must have taken a huge effort, but Marluxia extricated himself from the surely-painful memories, smiling in his infuriating way as he lifted a hand to move Zexion's fingers, although he held onto his hand.
"Business is over with," he said softly, and smiled in a half-warning, half-inviting way. "Now, how about some pleasure?"
Zexion allowed a slow smile to twist his lips.
"You wouldn't want to waste an opportunity, would you?"
The Assassin leaned forward and fisted the front of Zexion's coat.
"Absolutely not," he answered, and darkness swirled around them, bringing them to his personal quarters. "I'm sure this will be infinitely more comfortable than that pathetic excuse for an office."
"You could provide a larger one," Zexion said, not batting an eye as the taller Nobody unfastened the chain of his coat.
"We can discuss that later," XI answered, too distracted by the smaller man's zipper to really think about it.
"Why not now?" the Schemer asked, his own fingers busy with Marluxia's clothes. "You said these were… 'diplomatic relations,' didn't you? Which essentially translates to 'negotiations.'"
"You talk too much," Marluxia told him, kissing him to shut him up. Zexion made an unhappy sound as the Assassin plunked him unceremonially down on the bed.
"Would you rather I be completely silent?" he asked, raising a doubtful eyebrow. Marluxia smirked in reply, his eyes smoldering.
"I would be insulted if I couldn't coax a few sweet cries out of you," he murmured. Zexion scowled as Marluxia tried to crawl on top of him. XI laughed out loud. "Don't tell me, you want to be on top?"
"Do you want to spend the next five years convinced that you're a nine-year-old girl?" Zexion asked irritably, trying to dislodge the larger Nobody, with little success.
"You wouldn't."
"I could have Naminé braid your hair," VI threatened. Marluxia's smile was amused, but firm.
"I'm sure you could," he said, stripping Zexion of his remaining garments, "but I think you'll find it much more enjoyable this way. Don't worry," he added when Zexion growled. He leaned down to nip at the slender man's ear. "I'll make it worth your while."
Zexion grudgingly submitted, letting Marluxia press against him. He had to admit, the other was making it worthwhile, with those enviably clever hands. He hissed and arched his back, pushing into Marluxia's grasp.
"You've… you've done this before," he said, as soon as he managed to get enough breath together.
"Things can get boring, upstairs," Marluxia responded. He studiously slid some fingers into Zexion's mouth. "Now kindly stop talking. It's quite distracting, and I'm sure there are better things you can do with that tongue of yours."
Zexion narrowed his eyes in annoyance, but wetted the fingers anyway. It would do no good to be stubborn in this area. He made himself relax around the now-slick fingers, seeing an almost admiring look spring to Marluxia's eyes.
"You've done this before, too," XI commented.
"I thought we weren't talking," Zexion replied, carefully keeping his breathing normal.
"You're not talking," corrected Marluxia. "I made no guarantees of any sort."
Zexion couldn't stop a little gasp from escaping his lips as those fingers brushed a spot inside that made his vision go white. The Assassin knew his business well, and VI struggled to maintain his composure.
"Enough," he said at last, his voice embarrassingly taut. Marluxia's hot lips brushed his throat and he shivered.
"Pushy, pushy," XI muttered, although he drew his fingers out anyway. Zexion spread his legs further in encouragement.
"Are you sure about this, Zexion?" Marluxia asked, pausing. The Schemer growled at him.
"Of course I am! Stop stalling!" he snarled. A moment later his world exploded in hazy ecstasy as Marluxia pushed inside of him. He draped his arms around the Assassin's neck, biting his own lips hard to keep from crying out. Without noticing, he opened his mind and let it flood into Marluxia's until it was uncertain whose pleasure each was feeling as the larger man rested, letting him adjust.
Marluxia buried his face in VI's neck, moving against that same spot that made Zexion moan softly. The smaller Nobody pushed back, letting the almost-feelings spread through him into Marluxia's mind, the other man's pleasure washing back into him. He trembled and gave a choked cry as he came, and the larger Nobody held him through shuddering aftershocks. Zexion felt him arch, taut as a bowstring, as he finished, could feel the contentment radiating from the Assassin. Marluxia's breath was warm on his ear.
For a moment, Zexion lay with his eyes closed, content to hold Marluxia and imagine that he could feel something other than the deep ache where his heart should have been.
Then Marluxia stirred, a little sigh leaving him.
"Begging your pardon," he said, in a voice somewhat softer than his ordinarily condescending tone, "but I have a castle to attend to."
Zexion stared at him, sitting up as the larger man went to pull his clothes on.
"What?" he asked indignantly. "Was I not good enough for you? Would you rather have Larxene or Axel?"
"That's not it," Marluxia said placatingly, bending to cup his cheek. "You were wonderful. But it's like you said: we're Nobodies. We don't have hearts. We can't feel, so don't fret."
"Are you always like this?" Zexion grumbled, standing and dressing impatiently. "You're deplorable. If you expect me to come back after that, you're cr—!"
Marluxia again interrupted him with a kiss, pulling him close. He felt the memory of anger slipping from his grasp, leaving him floundering. There was nothing to cling to but Marluxia. And cling he did, without intending to, leaning up into it, parting his lips to taste the other. After a long moment, XI just held him, whispering into his ear.
"It's just that… I feel something. I almost feel it, when you're with me. I don't know how to explain it."
"Then don't," Zexion answered. He pulled away. "I have things to do," he said briskly. "And so do you."
"Who's being tactless now?" Marluxia chuckled. "Tomorrow, then. Same time, same place?"
"Tomorrow…?" Zexion asked, mildly confused.
"We're not finished with the research, are we?"
Zexion blinked.
"Oh… oh! The research, yes… yes, of course."
This was new to him, he reflected as he stepped backwards into a portal. That man… he had scarcely shown an interest in Zexion after sleeping with him. But Marluxia, of all people, wanted a long-term "relationship…"
This was just too strange.
A/N: "That man" refers to someone other than Marluxia, in case you couldn't tell... you know, like in fan-translated manga when they talk about someone unknown, it's always "that guy" or "that man."
You know the drill! Happy 11/6!
-dives out of sight-