"Demyx…?"
Demyx opened one eye blearily, feeling his muscles
protest at the slight movement. Damn- he hadn't been dreaming; he
was still exposed, vulnerable and pinned to the cold, unforgiving
wall. He moaned pathetically and glanced down to see a very amused
looking Zexion looking back up at him.
…Well…parts of him…
Seeing Demyx's wince and the colouring of the
Nocturne's cheeks, Zexion had the decency to look up at the other's
eyes.
A moment of silence passed.
"Help…?" Demyx
mewled miserably. Zexion chuckled and nodded, shaking his head
despairingly as Demyx mumbled.
"I got gangsnapped,
Zex."
"Gangsnapped?" Zexion enquired, moving over to the
wall. Demyx nodded weakly.
"By who?"
"Buncha peoples."
Demyx mumbled.
Zexion tugged at the Nocturne's foot, then
frowned as nothing happened.
"Aaah…" He sighed wearily.
Demyx looked down at him, doe-eyed.
"What?" he asked. Zexion
grimaced.
"Xigbar did this, didn't he?"
Demyx nodded and
the Schemer bit his lip.
"Sorry Dem...I can't do anything
about this."
"What!?" Demyx exclaimed, eyes wide. "You
can't just leave me here!"
"No, no, no!" Zexion said,
trying to calm the hysterical Nocturne. "I won't leave! I
promise- I'm going to get you some clothes."
Demyx's
whimpers made the shorter Nobody feel almost guilty for putting the
fear into the other, and so he sighed, removing his coat and
carefully wrapping it around Demyx's waist, so at least the other's
dignity was preserved.
"There." He said finally, bare-chested.
"Now at least we both have clothes."
"…thankyouZexion."
Demyx mumbled, looking dejected.
"I suppose…we will have to
wait for Xigbar to turn up…" Zexion sighed, rubbing his eyelids
with thumb and forefinger. "We can't get you down until he sets
your gravity back to normal…"
"Ohhh…" Demyx whined,
before smiling weakly. "At least I'm in good company,
right?"
Zexion chuckled.
"Of course, Demyx."
"Dude!"
"…Go away."
"No, really! Dude!" Xigbar drawled, arms
outstretched. Xaldin growled at him, but the Freeshooter was not to
be deterred in wrapping his arms around the other's waist for a
bearhug. His plan was somewhat altered when a large hand smothered
his face, keeping him from moving.
"Don't touch me." Xaldin
growled.
"mmmbtttddddde!" Xigbar complained, arms flailing
wildly as Xaldin scowled at him.
"Sod off. I'm busy, you
little wretch."
"Yeah- because I can totally see that one,
Xald." Xigbar sniggered, pushing himself away from Xaldin's
hug-block. "You look busy t' me- sittin' and drinkin' sake in
a room by yerself. Yup- I can see how that's busy."
Xaldin
narrowed his eyes, so Xigbar shrugged.
"Loooookit here- I come
bearin' a proposition fer ya." The gunner drawled, leaning
against the wall. Xaldin ignored him and returned his attention back
to his glass. Unfazed, Xigbar continued.
"I don't have the
munny for the bet." He said. Xaldin shrugged and Xigbar rolled his
eyes. "Ain't you talkative today, huh? So- listen- I've got a
plan, right. We're gonna team up, you an' me- an' we're gonna
split that prize between us!"
"What happens when it becomes
necessary to have a photograph of the other?" Xaldin challenged.
Xigbar shrugged.
"Ehh- we work that out when it comes. So
whaddaya say, buddy?"
"Go to hell." Xaldin scowled, taking a
swig of his sake.
Xigbar frowned; Xaldin was the only person who'd managed to get a picture of Saix- and Xigbar needed that…or a copy, anyway. Plus Xaldin would make excellent cover whilst Xigbar took the shot…or the other way around; he wasn't fussy- but with the stake as high as it was…Xigbar couldn't afford to lose- all the other participants were damned anal about collecting what they were owed in any form necessary. This called for a little persuasion…
"Xaldy…" Xigbar purred, sidling up to him
and slipping an arm around the other's shoulders. Xaldin tensed up
visibly and narrowed his eyes.
"Still no, Xigbar." He
muttered, standing up. Xigbar stopped him and applied a small amount
of gravity to the Lancer to keep him seated.
"If we do team
up…you might like it…" Xigbar insisted, draping his arms across
Xaldin's broad shoulders. Setting his mouth close to Xaldin's
ears, he began to murmur quietly.
"I can do some pretty awesome
stuff, yanno…"
"Don't I know it?" Xaldin growled,
jerking his head away.
"You ain't leavin' till we strike a
deal, buddyboy." Xigbar said cheerfully. "An' hell; I've got
alllll day."
Xaldin growled and picked up his sake bottle,
wondering if he shouldn't bludgeon Xigbar with it, then deciding it
would be a waste of perfectly good alcohol. He could play the waiting
game- and at any rate; if Xigbar started on his ears, the gunner's
crotch was positioned at Xaldin's elebow level.
A stalemate. As usual.
"C'monnnn…" Xigbar drawled
lazily, eye closing. "We're a kickass team, you an' me."
Xaldin
said nothing, drinking from the bottle in front of him.
"Well-
have it your way- 'cause I can crack you before you can crack me."
Xigbar snorted, tightening his hold around Xaldin.
"You keep
telling yourself that, Xigbar," Xaldin said idly. "And I'll
keep ignoring you."
Xigbar yawned, shifting.
"Well then- I
guess it's just a matter of waitin', huh?"
"I suppose
so."
Xigbar paused for a moment- could be bothered to fight
Xaldin for this?
"…bring it." He smirked, settling against
the other.
Neither Freeshooter or Lancer saw Larxene and
Luxord- who had been listening in- turn to face each other.
"Now…what
was that plan of yours again?" Larxene asked, brow furrowed. "I
can't believe they've got the nerve to try and cheat us!"
"Fear
not, Larxene." Luxord chuckled. "We already have what we
need."
"We do?" Larxene asked. Luxord nodded.
"It's a
foolproof scheme- and I'm sure our favourite Schemer won't mind
at all when I offer him a reward for it."
"…You'd better
not be bullshitting me, Luxord." Larxene said dangerously. "Because
I don't appreciate being backstabbed…"
Luxord smirked.
"I
give you my word- you won't be unsatisfied by the end of this…"
