Outside the sky was as black as soot and even the dark room seemed to be bright compared to it. Vexen couldn't sleep. The first hours he had tossed and turned around his bunk, but finally he had given up and was now sitting on the messed up sheets and staring angrily at the pointers of his alarm clock, like it was their fault that he was still awake.

He had been in the same position for almost an hour now.

It was really getting boring.

Vexen stood up. He really needed to talk to someone.

The hall was expectedly empty as he walked his way to the Zexion's door. Zexion was, after all, the closest member to him, and would probably listen to him, instead of just pointing his finger and shouting "homewhecker!" like Demyx had done the very minute Vexen had returned to the Castle.

After raising the steps that led to Zexion's room, Vexen was just about to knock, when something stopped him. It came from the inside. It was weak and shrill voice, it kept gasping and saying things like "Oh Zexy, oh honey I love you, Zexyyy…"

Vexen shut his eyes and shuttered. Someone should hang those two rabbits from a bell-tower; he thought bitterly and turned around. Now Vexen had to wonder who else he could talk to. He walked on.

"Lexaeus?" Vexen asked quietly when he arrived to the door of the Silent Hero, "Are… are you awake?"

He felt like a complete idiot right after asking that, since Lexaeus was sitting in the chair, carving a giant rock into the shape of something angular.

Lexaeus didn't respond, so Vexen walked in and sat on the bed.

"I need to talk to someone"

Lexaeus nodded, not looking away from his work. Even though they didn't hang together that much, this was the thing Vexen appreciate about Lexaeus; he never said much, but he listened, he was stable, he was there.

"So… you've probably heard about… Marluxia's thing?"

He nodded again. Vexen sighed.

"I… I don't know what to do"

Another nod.

"I mean, I DO know what to do when baby is born. I – I don't want to have anything to do with it. I'm going to give it away. I never should've gotten into Marluxia's trap. But he… you wouldn't understand what I had to stand… he just wouldn't get off my back! Alright, everyone knows he's got this thing for me; has gotten for ages. He keeps saying that he even has feelings for me! Okay, I know that "We don't have hearts"-code has loosen up a bit; how couldn't I, when I have to watch Demyx and Zexion everyday, not to mention those disgustingly sweet looks that Superior gives Saix when he thinks no one notices. And after Naminé and Roxas found those lost pages of Xigbar's super-secret diary, I think everyone suspects something… But that doesn't mean I have to meddle in it! Okay, I admit that Marluxia's pretty damn gorgeous, and he knows it, but that's just a fact! It doesn't have to mean anything. And yes, it was flattering that he was after me so relentlessly. And okay, it had tempted me before I finally gave up, and that one time was really wonderful… but still! It doesn't mean we're family or anything! He should know it. We've just gotten ourselves a new life, learned how to feel again… Believe me when I say this: love will always end in tears. I've just had my heart back… I'm never going to lose it again. Especially not by giving it to anyone. Just because some wanton man has unbelievably beautiful hair and a body that practically screams "Take me!"… I'm not going to break my heart for that"

"Hmh", was Lexaeus' comment.

Vexen couldn't help but to be a little offended. He had just opened up more than probably ever before, and what had he gotten from it? Three letters that didn't even create a proper word!

He opened his mouth but Lexaeus' next words wiped all thoughts away from his head.

"Marluxia wants to get married to you"

Lexaeus still didn't remove his eyes from the rock in front of him, so he didn't see the completely stagnant expression on Vexen's face.

"W – What?!" the blond croaked, "W – Where did you heard that?"

"Zexion"

And suddenly Vexen saw it all; the church was made out of the white marble and the bells were ringing. He was standing there in the black suit. Zexion was behind him as the best man, holding two simple golden rings in his hand. Marluxia, his pink hair glowing, was walking closer in the white suit, Larxene as his bridesmaid. Xemnas was standing in front of them all, ready for the dispatch. The other members were sitting on the benches, and Demyx was playing an organ (much more musically than he really could), and there were violet and red flowers everywhere –

But this image only lasted about three seconds, and Vexen shook his head powerfully, disgusting himself.

"What are you making?" he then asked, desperately needing something else to think about.

"I'm making a cradle for you and Marluxia", Lexaeus said. Before he had even finished his sentence, Vexen had stood up and run out of the room.

X

It was not usual for Axel to wander around the corridors before anyone else had even woken up. But this morning was different; he had already recovered from the guilty that Marluxia and Larxene had made him feel yesterday, and now it was he's time to take it back. He didn't dare to touch Marluxia now that he was pregnant – he didn't want to take any risk of hurting the baby, and what's more, he didn't want to hear Demyx crying all day about what a cruel bastard he was. But he certainly would show Larxene she didn't have any advantage over him.

Smirking, he stopped at the Nymph's door. He could hear the shower running. He could go inside safely; after all, he could teleport away the second he'd hear the shower stopping. Axel opened the door quietly and slipped in, wondering what he should do.

He remembered how sensible Larxene was over her underwear (Demyx had once tried them on in the middle of his weird periods and Larxene had twisted him into a position no one had ever thought possible). Axel smiled even more; he wasn't like Demyx, he could run and fight. If he just burned some of them… not all, he wasn't heartless anymore after all. Just a few ones… that would certainly teach Larxene a lesson.

He walked straight to the Larxene's wardrobe and opened it. It didn't take long for him to find where she kept her underwear. He made sure that the shower was still running and was just about to start to pick the ones to destroy.

"Do you often come here to paw Larxene's underwear while she's taking the shower?"

Axel would've shouted, but the sight he saw after turning around made him lose his voice. He hadn't noticed that Marluxia was lying in Larxene's bed, under the yellow blanket.

"Marly! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Look who's talking", Marluxia laughed, "I'm her best friend, remember? You, on the other hand, are nothing more than an obsessed pervert who has a sick fetish for women's silky underwear"

"I most certainly am not!" Axel shouted, feeling the heat on his cheeks, and remembering and he was still holding one of Larxene's silky, red underpants.

"Oh I see, so it's only Larxy's underwear that –" Marluxia started but fell silent when the bathroom's door flew open and Larxene stood there looking so furious that the rocks would've run away. Axel gulped.

"You!" she screamed and pointed Axel with the sponge, "Any last words?!"

"Can I get your room?" Marluxia asked eagerly.

Larxene covered her body with only a small white towel, and so it happened that Axel forgot to cool himself down. When the smell of burned silk in his hand filled the room he realized that he had accidentally fulfilled his plan after all.

The look on Larxene's face told Axel that he was still alive only because Larxene was too shocked to kill him yet.

Just then Marluxia groaned.

"What is it?" Larxene and Axel asked in unison.

"I don't know", Marluxia muttered, looking very pale, "Maybe I have morning sickness or something"

"Why is that guy here anyway?" Axel asked.

Larxene shot a mean glare at him, "Not that it belongs to you at all, but he felt sad because of you-know-who and wanted to talk"

"Oh yeah. When did you two return the castle?" Axel turned to Marluxia.

Marluxia curled up so that he looked like an enlargement of a foetus himself.

"At night", he mumbled, "Vexen was being an ass and all"

"Well, at least you got him back here now", Axel said, but Marluxia just closed his eyes and snorted. Axel looked at Larxene with the look that begged her to say something to cheer Marluxia up.

"Marly", Larxene said slowly, "You know what we could do? Go shopping. I need new underwear, after all", she shot her killer-stare at Axel again, "And we need to buy all kind of things for the baby"

Marluxia's eyes flew open. He stood up faster than Axel could even blink his eyes and started to pull his cloak on.

"Let's go already!"

"Wow, that seemed to do the trick", Axel muttered and Larxene smirked, looking at Marluxia who was know bettering his hairdo in front of the mirror.

"And you know what?" Axel said, "Let's take Vexen with us. It's time for him to start to take part to the preparations"

"He won't come", Marluxia said.

"We'll make him"

"In that case, let's take Zexion too. He's the only one who Vexen listens"

"What about Lexaeus?"

"Please! Lexaeus buying baby's clothes?"

"Zexion won't leave without Demyx"

"More help to carry all the stuff"

"So I suppose the godparents will join us too?"

"Bring the whole Organization!" Larxene interrupted angrily, "Let's just go, goddammit!"

X
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Next time… hard to guess? Shopping!