Xaldin was so close to his room when he heard the voice of the person he had been avoiding for so long.
"X-Xaldin?" Marluxia asked.
Xaldin instinctively turned around and blinked. They stared at each other for a long time, and Marluxia noticed the fear the overtook Xaldin's face. Marluxia had been in his football outfit, probably since he and Luxord had been hanging out with the other football players until he disappeared. Marluxia growled in a low voice, threatening the already frightened Xaldin.
"Xaldin," he growled again.
Xaldin stared wide eyed, not making a single reply. He squeezed Luxord unintentionally, and pinched his leg. Marluxia made another low growl, and raised his fists. Xaldin propped Luxord against the wall, and shakily raised his fists as well.
"Marluxia...we don't have to fight, if you just let me explain then-"
Marluxia interrupted Xaldin by putting his hand up to silence him. "I don't want to hear your stories, Xaldin," he said in a low ominous voice.
Xaldin sighed, "Then I'll have to make you listen to me," he growled under his breath. He pulled back his arm and with all the force possible. Marluxia stumbled backwards and wiped his mouth as a small stream of crimson blood fell down the corner of his mouth. He coughed up some blood and bent over to gather himself. Just as he was going to get up and fight back Xaldin ran up to him and took an uppercut to his stomach. Marluxia made a thumping sound and grabbed his stomach. Xaldin rubbed his fist with his hand and wiped the blood off onto his pants.
"Now will you listen?!" Xaldin asked grabbing Marluxia by the collar of his shirt.
Marluxia blinked drowsily and shook his head no, "I d-don't want to hear your s-stories..." he said again.
Xaldin pulled back his fist and punched him square in the eye, "Are you stupid!? Do you even know what I've been through for these past few days!? I have been so confused I want to strangle someone, and you have the perfect, smallest, most wringable neck," he growled.
Marluxia whimpered and began to try crawling away, but Xaldin stepped on his back and pushed him down as he squirmed around. Xaldin bent down and got really close to Marluxia's face, "Now listen, and I won't hurt you," he said softly.
Marluxia got up weakly and shook his head, "I don't want to hear-" he didn't even have enough time to finish his sentence before Xaldin kicked him in the back, and he made an impact into the wall. Xaldin grabbed Marluxia by the back of his neck, which was not a hard task due to Marluxia's shockingly scrawny figure.
"Now, are we gonna listen or do I have to snap your neck?" Xaldin asked.
Marluxia shook his head, "I don't..." he trailed off and closed his eyes tightly. As he swallowed around a lump in his throat a voice was heard traveling down the hallway around the corner. Xaldin blinked and began to come into reality, "Shit...what am I doing?" He gasped. He stepped back slowly, then turned and ran towards his room. Xemnas and Saix came around the corner and saw the beat up Marluxia, whom at this point was writhing on the floor, and the dowsing drunk Luxord, whom had been slurring a song to himself while swaying back and forth with a gentle rhythm.
Saix immediately ran to Marluxia. They had been friends ever since they were wearing diapers, and teammates since freshman year. He cradled Marluxia, and stroked his hair comfortingly. "Sensei...he needs to get his wounds tended to!" Saix said worriedly.
Xemnas was next to Luxord looking at him, "Hm..this one is drunk," he mumbled. "Okay, carry him to the nurse, and I'll follow you with Mister Luxord," Xemnas said hosting Luxord over his shoulder.
Saix nodded and held Marluxia bridal style, "Don't worry buddy, you'll be safe," he whispered softly.
Xemnas set Luxord up on one of the four beds in the nurses office. He examined him carefully, looking for a sign to see if Luxord had sobered up even a little. "Hm..well this one needs some rest, he hammered himself pretty damn good," Xemnas sighed laying Luxord down.
Saix was tending to Marluxia's wounds. Not only did he have a black eye forming and several other bruises, but he also had nail marks in his sides and neck. He whimpered as Saix put a stinging liquid on the bleeding scratches.
Xemnas looked closer at Marluxia and held his face up, "You see here?" Xemnas asked pointing to the back of Marluxia's neck. "Claw marks, someone must have grabbed him by the back of the neck-" he paused to move to the front of Marluxia's face. He grabbed Marluxia's cheeks and turned his head to the side slightly, "and as you can tell by the slight bleeding on his head, he was then thrown against the wall, hitting his head in the process." Xemnas kept on explaining to Saix about Marluxia's injuries until there came a slight mumble. The source of the mumble was Luxord. He opened his eyes and yawned, then held his throbbing head. "What happened?" He asked a slur still lingering in his voice.
"We're not very sure ourselves..." Saix sighed.
Luxord's eyes opened wide, "Oh my god! Marluxia!" He gasped jumping up. As soon as he did this his head began to twirl and his vision faded in and out. He sat back down and held his head, "Is he okay?" he asked simply.
Saix nodded, "Don't worry, we've fixed im' up!" he smiled." he just needs some good ol' fashion rest is all," he smiled trying to make Luxord feel as good as possible.
Luxord sighed, "I can't even remember what I was doing...all that I can remember is Xaldin chasing me...for some reason, then I ran into a wall and passed out, but everything before and after that is kind of a blur," he said pulling the blankets close to him.
Saix growled, "So it was Xaldin," he whispered. Xemnas heard him, "What did Xaldin do?" He asked. Saix looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You mean?!" Xemnas gasped covering his mouth. "I will see to it that he is punished the worst possible way!" He growled.
Luxord began to fall asleep. He looked at Marluxia who was also asleep, or just dozing with his eyes closed, as well. Marluxia had a different expression than Luxord did though. He had a content looking smile spread across his face. The one thing no one had known, was this was all a part of his plan, every last detail, from being beaten senseless by Xaldin to Luxord being found drunk by Xaldin to Xemnas and Saix turning the corner at the exact time that they did. he had planned it all, though it was he himself that planned it. Zexion had, but he helped in a way. Now that the hardest phase of his plan had been completed he just needed to get to the second phase before something irreversible happened.