Chapter Song: Roxanne by The Police

Rust on the Lock.

Chapter 7.

Walk the Streets For Money.

He is two-and-a-half hours late.

Squall had promised that he would be home in time to change before they went out for dinner, but things got in the way. A surprise meeting with the press, set up by the higher-ups. They need to reassure the public, they said. Tell them how hard you are working on these cases and that you are the best of the best for this job, they said. As far as Squall was concerned, the public could shove it. He couldn't care less about the public, and now, because of them, Rinoa was going to hate him.

After taking off his shoes outside the door, Squall enters the flat as quietly as he can, stepping on tip-toes. Maybe Rinoa has gone to bed (if he was lucky.) He could just sleep in the living room so as not to disturb her, drag the spare duvet out of the hallway cupboard and at least he would be safe from argument for the night.

"Squall!"

It was all too good to be true.

Caught out, the man just drops his boots onto the floor and enters the living room. The bright ceiling light was on. Rinoa is sat on the armchair in the far corner. She looks both annoyed and very pretty. She is wearing her new satin red dress with the black ribbon around the waist, hiding her bump discreetly under carefully placed fabric. Her long coat has been cleaned, and is draped down the back of the chair. Her hair is being held back with a hairband. Her nails have been manicured, her face touched up with a little bit of make-up. Her legs are clad in sheer stockings, but currently, no shoes.

Squall took a breath and started to grovel. "Rinoa, I'm so sorry. I-"

"I don't want to hear it." Rinoa cut him off with a bitter tone and a narrowing of her eyes. "This is the second time you have cancelled on me, and this time you didn't even have the decency to phone up to say you are going to be late."

"I tried!" Squall put a hand over his chest. "Rinoa, I swear, I wanted to call, and I wanted to come home, but they kept dragging me back. They wanted me to do a press event at the very last minute. They just brought it up out of the blue."

His defence doesn't seem to be working on his girlfriend. She crosses her legs, and rests her chin on one arm, the other hand cradling her stomach. That was becoming a habit now.

"You could have said no. Say something like, 'I would love to, but I have a pregnant girlfriend at home counting on me to come home on time.'"

"Rinoa, I couldn't. They are my superiors, and my work is very important. I'm the chief of the local police force for the whole town."

"As you keep reminding me," Rinoa scoffs, looking away.

Squall blinks at her, as if allowing something to sink in. His mouth twisted into a scowl.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"…Squall; I understand how important your career is, not just for our family and wellbeing, but for your own personal being. I also understand that with this murderer on the loose, you are under a lot of pressure." Rinoa was trying to pick her words carefully. She was trying to keep face, not to fly off the handle. "However, you can't be Officer Leonhart all the time. You can't be everyone's superhero all the time." She finally looks up at him, and her eyes look soft and round again. "I tried my very best to cope with it before, to be supportive in your decisions and goals, sacrificing my time with you so you could be the thing that makes you happy. But I can't do that anymore. Not now. Squall, we are going to have a baby. You are going to be a daddy, and both I and this child will need you around. We don't need Captain Leonhart. We need Squall, that nice guy who is loyal to his friends and likes to laze around the house on Sundays. Why can't we go back to that?"

"Because it can't be like that right now!" Squall ran his hand through his hair. It felt greasy and it had lost its natural bounce. It made him feel old and even more tired. "Rinoa. My darling Rinoa. I love you, but you are asking for a lot right now. This case is big, and a lot of people are at risk. You could be at risk. The kid could be. You need to understand that I can't just drop everything to please you all the time. It's selfish."

The woman's eyes widened. "I'm being selfish now? Just because I want you to be here for our baby?"

"No. You're being selfish because you want me to bend over backwards for you. My life isn't always about you, Rinoa!"

There is silence now. Rinoa looks like she is about to cry, her bottom lip quivering. At any moment she could be burying her face into her hands and sob black tears, mascara running down her powdered cheeks. But she doesn't.

Her face twists with rage as she stands up sharply, and she grabs her coat roughly, throwing over her shoulders as she storms out of the room.

Squall follows. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know. I don't really care. I just don't want to stay here right now." She pulled out a small bag from her side of the bedroom wardrobe and started to throw stuff haphazardly into it: pyjamas, some clothes, and a change of underwear. "I'm going to stay with somebody else tonight."

"What? Where?"

"I don't know."

"Rinoa, can't we talk about this first?"

"I don't to talk to you right now." She pushes past him on the way to the bathroom to get her toothbrush. On her way out, she picked up her purse from the telephone table. "I'll call you in the morning if I feel like speaking to you."

"Rinoa, wait. I'll-"

The door slammed behind her.

It isn't until she is on the next bus to town does Rinoa realises she has nowhere to go, and she has forgotten to put some shoes on.

OOO

"…And then I came here… I didn't know where else to go and I guess I started to panic a little. I would have gone to Selphie's, but she and Irvine are decorating the place. They don't have the room right now, and the fumes might not have been healthy for the baby." Rinoa pauses for a moment as Lexaeus passes her a mug of hot chocolate, and she takes it with a little smile. "Thank you… I guess I could go to a hotel for the night so I'm not in your hair."

"Don't be silly, Rinoa" Lexaeus sighs, passing a pj-clad Lex his own mug of coco across the table before taking a seat at the kitchen table himself. "It's eleven o'clock at night on a Sunday. You will struggle to find a place. Anyway, you would be much safer staying here where at least someone can look after you."

The woman furrowed a brow a little over the rim of her cup. "I don't need looking after, but I am thankful the concern, Lexaeus."

"What were you fighting about anyway?" Lex asks.

"Just things" Rinoa shrugs. "…Stupid, pointless things."

"I think it's time you go to bed, Lex" Lexaeus says point-blank.

The boy looks at him. "What? Why?"

"It's late, and you are going back to school tomorrow. You better get some sleep."

"You're going to talk to Rinoa and not let me listen."

"Bed, Lex."

The boy sighs, rolls his eyes and gets up, taking his mug in his sleeve-covered hands and moodily heads towards the door. Lexaeus chuckles at him. "Does your old man get a goodnight kiss?"

Lex pauses at the door, looks over his shoulder a touch, then shuffles back. He draws his head down to Lexaeus's, then instead of kissing his cheek, he nips it the man's skin with his front teeth, lightly but enough to make the man jump down. He then turned tail and quickly escapes down the hallway.

"The little bugger." Lexaeus rubs his cheek, a smile on his face. "How cheeky can you get?" He turns to the girl across the table, expecting her to have cracked a little grin, but Rinoa just stares down into her cup, as miserable as before. Lexaeus sighs. "I should get my bed sorted out for you. The fold-out will be a little stiff for you but it'll be fine for me for the night." He waits for a reply but nothing comes. "Are you not going to decline my offer?"

"I know better than to fight with you, Lexaeus" the girl says factually. "You are a very stubborn man, and too kind for your own good… I suppose you are going to call Squall to tell him where I am."

"It would be nicer if you called him yourself."

Rinoa thinks about it, but only for a second. She just shakes her head.

"I don't want to speak to him right now."

Lexaeus sighs, deflated and defeated.

"Very well. Can I have his number?" he asks. When Rinoa handed him her mobile phone, with Squall's name visible on contacts list, Lexaeus took it into the hallway so Rinoa could finish her hot drink in peace. It didn't take long for Squall to pick up.

"I'm sorry about dinner. I'll make it up for you. I'll make you dinner right now if you want to come home. I'll run you a bath and give you a massage if you want. Just come back home."

"Thanks for the offer, Squall, but I'm not that kind of guy."

"…Lexaeus? …Oh. She went to stay with you. Good… I was getting worried. She wouldn't answer her phone."

"Well, she was in a bit of a state when she got here." Lexaeus can hear the sound of gargling on the other end of the phone; like liquid running out of one thing to another. Squall must be drinking or something. "I could try to convince her to take a taxi home, if you want?"

"…If it's okay with you, Lexaeus, could she just stay there with you? It's not good for her to be traveling around this time of night. I'll come and pick her up tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine… Want me to try and get her on the phone at least?"

"No, no. It will be too much hassle. I'll speak to her tomorrow when she's not so… tired."

They says goodnight and Lexaeus returns to the kitchen.

"Squall was worried about you" he says, giving the girl for phone back and a quick re-fill. "He was talking about dinner and massages like an idiot. I'm jealous of you."

Rinoa finally cracks a smile, looking up from her lap to beam up at her friend.

"… He gets very grouchy sometimes, doesn't he?"

OOO

Zexion can't truly feel the lukewarm temperature of the shower water rolling down his back, but he wanted some steam around him, fogging up the window and mirror over the sink. He is sat on the floor of the bath, knees up against his cheat, hands on knees, and his eyes closed. Thoughts are plaguing him, teasing him. Thoughts of a man with a strong, warm body and big hands, rough from work but very gentle and mindful of their actions, carefully caressing Zexion's face, running up and down his neck and shoulders.

It has been years, decades even, since he was in a proper relationship, or when he had sex just for the pleasure of it and not just for money. He doesn't get many people he considered attractive; sometimes he finds them downright repulsive.

Although Zexion has met some beautiful people in his time, he has always had a preference for men; tall, broad men with wide shoulders, defined cheekbones and a natural earthy musk. The vampire could almost smell the scent of fertile dirt, feel a muscular chest press against his smooth back, and that was enough to get his arousal going. Pushing his wet, clinging hair from his face with one hand, he reaches down and curls the other around his growing erection.

Every customer has their own way of doing things. Some just want to meet up, fuck, exchange money and leave, and Zexion is fine with that. Others like foreplay and some have little kinks they like and they can't get off without it. There have been a couple of instances when the customer just needed company, or a piece of arm candy to show off at events. No matter what, Zexion would always be the means to an end for his customers.

His own hand is small and smooth, but Zexion can imagine someone else is touching him. Someone with large palms, and work-worn skin, gently stroking as he starts to nip and kiss along the vamp's shoulders and neck. He had always had a thing for being bitten.

On the rare night, Zexion would get a customer who would fall for him. A boy with suppressed urges looking for first sexual experience, or a neglected housewife looking for a guy to give them what their husbands couldn't measure up to. They would fall for his looks and his nice way of talking, his manners, and they would want him to keep coming back. Sometimes it would lead to those customers confessing their love for him. He would make up excuses: I'm poor, I have a kid, you deserve better. Most of the time it ended up with moving away and never answering calls. It's hard being a heart breaker.

He starts to stroke faster, and he bites down on his bottom lip, trying to keep the noise to a minimum. The walls in this flat are paper-thin. Maxi was asleep, but neighbours could be up in the early hours of the morning. He didn't want them to come banging at his door, ruining his pleasure. He can hear his imaginary friend mumbling against his skin, and can feel that low, deep voice rumble through that grand chest and against his back. It made him break out in goosebumps.

The only time Zexion revealed he was a vampire to customers was when he had found himself locked in a room with a sadist and his gang of friends. Zexion had agreed to an hour with one person, not to go thrown about between five creeps. When they started to slap him around to get him to do as they say, something just snapped. It could have been something in the air, in the atmosphere, or maybe something within Zexion himself, but whatever it was, all he knew was that one moment he had his teeth sinking into a hairy-knuckled fist, and the next he was standing in a destroyed room surrounded by five bleeding bodies. They were far from dead, but they were in pain. One was losing a fluid through his eye. By the next night, Zexion had packed everything up, and he and Maxi were on the next train out of town.

"Lexaeus!"

Zexion comes, and it's done. He is not with anyone special. He is just sat in the dark bathroom alone with a wilting cock and a dirtied hand. One moment he was in bliss, now he is just a lonely guy in a bathtub.

OOO

It was not quite the first day back at school Lex was hoping for.

This morning, halfway through breakfast, Squall came around to pick up Rinoa. He had to wait for her to finish her breakfast, so he just stood there in a far corner of the kitchen with a cup of tea, not joining in with the conversation. The only time he spoke was when Lexaeus directly talked to him, and only then the officer talked in short, factual sentences. He and Rinoa didn't make much eye contact.

It was much worse on the way to school. Squall offered to drop Lex off at school in his car, and the couple still didn't talk to each other. Squall focused on the icy road ahead, and Rinoa would turn around to talk to the boy sitting in the back seat from time to time, but when she didn't they sat in awkward silence. Lex couldn't wait to get into class.

When he got to first period, only Xosé was there to greet him. During lunch, he and Xaviera filled Lex in: an upper-school twat was picking on Dexter, calling him out on his mum, saying nasty stuff, so Xenia started a fight. It was like the whole school came running across the playground to encircle them, cheering for death, or at least for a broken arm. Dexter got a couple of days off for 'emotional recovery' or something like that. The older kid and Xenia got excluded from classes for two weeks.

It was weird when the conversation turned to Lex. His friends said that he still didn't look too good. Xaviera said something about blood.

"Did they punch three pints of blood out of you or something?"

"I was just in shock for a long time… Do I look that bad?"

"You're almost paler then I am, and I'm quarter-albino!"

Lulu was glad to see that Lex was in class, and was equally glad that he had done all the homework she had been sending to him. He was a good boy. She called for him to stay behind after class.

"You still look pale but I'm glad that you are well again."

"Thanks, Lulu."

"Do you think you are well enough to do me a favour?"

"Depends."

She rested a hand on a ring-binder, which was bulging with paper and worksheets. "I've been giving Dexter's work to Hayner for him to take home, but I have no one to give Xenia's work to. I would have asked Xosé but I understand he lives across town from her. Do you think you will be able to drop this off for her?"

When Lex got home, it was already past twilight, and his dad wasn't home. He was still at work, and he was going out that evening with his friends, so Lex would have been on his own anyway. Might as well go over to see Xenia for a while. He phoned her up while he was making a quick bite to eat, warning her that he was coming over, and then got dressed. When he took his turtle-neck and crisp white shirt, he caught his reflection in the mirror on his wardrobe. He found himself staring at himself, a little surprised by what he saw. From the crook of his neck, to midway across his shoulders, bruising has bloomed, with patchy purple petals and red centres where bites have turned to scabs and little welts. They were a little gruesome, but Lex thought they were kind of pretty. He likes to run his fingers over the wounds, to feel the lumps and scratches. It made them feel sore and sharp like a bee's sting, but he's grown to get used to the pain. In fact, he quite likes it. He doesn't know why, he just does. It is a bit upsetting that he has to wear collars now, but if he didn't, people would ask questions.

Now changed and ready to go, Lex makes his way outside. It is dark, and it's snowing again. Light flakes were gleaming in the street lamps, and the wind is almost still. He can hear the ice crunch under his feet with prefect clarity. The night is almost peaceful.

"Hey there!"

Lex jumps, and looks up and towards the children's playground, to find a pair of big blue eyes staring down at him from the climbing frame. They look tired, and one is bruised.

"Oh, Maxi, it's just you." Lex sighs and smiles softly. "You scared me."

"Sorry." The little vampire stands up on the bars then jumps down, landing over the fence. He doesn't tumble or bend his knees, but Lex still flinches on impact. Maxi comes running over, all smiles. "How was school?"

"Not that bad. A bit uneventful overall, but that's school for you."

"Where you off to?"

"I'm off to see a friend." He shrugs his shoulder, gesturing to the bag he had on his back. "My teacher asked me to take some homework to her."

"Why?"

"She hasn't been at school recently."

"Why?"

"Because she got excluded."

"How come?"

"She got into a fight."

"Which friend is it?"

"Why do you insist on asking all of questions?" When Lex sees that Maxi was a little hurt by that, he changes his tone. "It's Xenia. That girl I told you about, remember?"

Maxi nods. "Yep. I remember… Can I come with you?"

Lex's mouth twists into an odd shape. "Um… I don't know."

"Oh, please, Lex." Maxi grabs for the older boy's hand and gives it a squeeze. He tries his best to look cute, batting his eyelashes. "A friend of my friend is also my friend. I would love to meet some of them. Even just the one and you said yourself that Xenia is a very nice girl."

"I did, didn't I?" Lex thinks about this for a moment. He looks up and down at Maxi's clothes. The lad is wearing shoes tonight, and he had a coat on, so he looks pretty normal. And he has been getting quite a bit of blood lately (Lex should know) so he wouldn't have cramps. "…Okay. I guess as long as you don't do any weird vampire stuff, I guess I'll take you."

"I promise I will behave." Maxi beams, drawing across his chest with a finger. "Cross my heart."

OOO

The bus ride took about twenty minutes, more or less, until they got off the bus on Salt Lake Lane. They had walked around the corner into a cul-de-sac. At the bottom of the cul-de-sac, there is a driveway leading towards a house hidden by tall trees. All the lights in the house appear to be on, but the path still seems so dark and scary; Maxi held Lex's hand all the way to the door.

"Is Xenia nice as you say she is?"

"Sure she is" Lex smiles. "I wouldn't be friends with nasty people, right?"

"I guess not…" When they step onto the porch a light above comes on, illuminating the snow around the ground and the holly wreath on the door. Lex stops for a moment, thinking, before pressing the doorbell. Maxi hears the charming of electronic bells from the other side of the wall.

"Okay. She is a little rough, and has a bit of a mouth, but she's cool. Trust me."

"'Kay…"

When the door opens, Maxi's eyes widen at the sight of their greeter: A girl, tall for her age, only an inch or so shorter than Lex, with broad shoulders but wide hips and already blooming breasts at the early stages of growth. Her hair is long, black and a mess, tied up in a high ponytail with a chopstick stabbed through the base. She is wearing a loose purple jumper, matching the colour of her eyes, and white legging with nothing on her feet.

"Hi, junior." When she smiles, you can see the wire of a removable retainer around her upper row of pearly whites. She notices Maxi for the first time, and she looks at him as if he is a little oddity, her eyes turning big and round as she leans in to get a closer look at him. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Maxi," Lex explains. "He lives on my complex. He's new in town so I'm hanging out with him."

"He's cute" the girl says in a matter-of-fact manner, saying it as if Maxi was just a deaf doll and he couldn't hear her. After a moment, Xenia stands up straight again and wakes back into the house with her arms wrapped around herself. "Come on in then. No use having you guys standing out in the cold."

The boys follow her inside, and Lex smiles when the smell of home-cooking reaches his nose. The Lance household always smells delicious, especially this time of year. It goes well with the scent of fresh pine needles.

"See. Told you Xenia was alright. She called you cute. That was nice, right? …Max?"

He turns around, finds Maxi took standing in the middle of the hallway, looking towards the kitchen door, dripping water from the melted snow all over the laminated floor. Lex looks past him, to see an angry ball of black fur growling at him. Xenia has a cat: a fully-grown, short-haired female with a bit of an attitude problem. She isn't very good around people who aren't her owners, but tonight she is more on edge than normal. She is just standing there, her back arched and her tail fluffed out, round yellow eyes staring at Maxi, and he is staring back, petrified with fright. Lex came over to Maxi and gently rests his hand on his little shoulder.

"I guess the thing about cats not liking vampires is true then?"

When the feline starts to make the most unholy of noises, Xenia came back out of the kitchen again. She blinks, and smiles at Maxi kindly.

"This is just Lani. She a bit of a grump but she's fine once she gets u-"

"Hssss!"

"Lani! Behave!" Xenia put her spoon down, pushes some hair out of her eyes. "Okay, she a little more grumpy than normal… Go into the living room or something, and I'll sort her out."

Lex nods and takes the order, having to push Maxi along to get him into the den. The boy is too shocked to walk, never taking his eyes of the cat, just in case it tried anything. The cat stares back, becoming more and more furious as the vampire moves deeper and deeper into her home. By the time they manage to get into the room and Lex closes the door, the puss is more of an angry ball of fur, and was meowing loud and harshly. As he pulled off his coat, she could hear Xenia outside:

"God's sake, Lani. What the hell is wrong with you? Did something scare yo- Ahh! The little bitch! That hurt! Out now! Out, out, out!" The front door opened again, and closed with a rage-filled bang. "Stupid cat." When the girl comes in, she has her hand to her mouth, sucking the back of it until her skin tightens and rises from the bone. "That horrid little thing scratched me."

Lex quickly glanced over to Maxi over on the sofa. The little lad was taking off his shoes, looking up at the Christmas tree in the corner with grant curiousness. Lex looks back at Xenia. "Are you okay? Not bleeding, right?"

"Nope. It just stings. I'll just put some cream on it." The girl leaves just as quickly as she came, returning to the kitchen. "Want some tea?"

"Please. Milk and sugar."

"I know. I know…"

Lex takes a deep breath in through his nose, taking in the fresh smell of pine needles. That was close. The way Lani just seemed to pick up on Maxi's scent, as if she knew all about him and his kind; it was a little unnerving.

He chuckles a little as he shrugs off his coat. "So I guess the thing about cats having a sixth sense about vampires is true then?" he mumbles. When Maxi doesn't answer, he blinks and looks around. "Max?"

Maxi was standing up again, scared solid, big round eyes staring at the window. The cat was on the other side of the pane, sat on the windowsill and looking in. She looked almost furious, enraged that she had been kicked out of the home when she was just trying to protect it from a monstrous enemy. It was insulting.

Carefully, Lex steps around the tree and finds the cord for the curtains. Just as he pulls it, as the curtains draw together, he is sure Lani turns to him, and gives him the scariest, iciest stare that the cat has ever given a human. He only sees it for a second, and he is unsure if it was actually real. He doesn't have the courage to look. He just turns tail and takes Maxi to the kitchen, where it is safe from cats; the windows are too steamy to look through.

Xenia isn't like other kids when it comes to food. While Lex is happy enough to just put a ready-meal into the microwave for dinner, or just to snack on something from a package, Xenia liked making fresh hot meals. Tonight, she had put some pasta on to boil, and was making a tomato sauce and potato salad for sides.

"I made some for Pa too," she says, throwing parsley into the sauce, "for when he comes home, but I think I made too much. You want some?"

"Yes please!" Lex licks his lips as he helps Maxi onto one of the stools around the counter island in the middle of the room. "I'm starved."

"You want some, Maxi?"

The little boy shakes his head, smiling sweetly. "No, thank you."

"You sure?"

"I'll already eaten."

Maxi is actually coping very well, despite the strong odour of human grub. He would normally be on the verge of throwing-up by now. Lex guesses that not breathing most of the time was helping him out.

Lex pulls a big folder out of his bag. "This is all the work Lulu wanted to give to you." He put it down on the counter. "Have fun getting through all of that."

Xenia scoffs. "Not that I have anything else to do. Pa's at the hospital all day, you guys are at school, so I have nothing to do, apart from do chores. I need more of a challenge."

"Well, it is kind of your own fault," Lex shrugs. He looks at Maxi, smiling. "I already told you she got into a fight, right?"

Xenia shook her head suddenly, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Xosé and Xavi told me you got suspended for breaking a kid from upper school's nose."

"Hey, it wasn't like I randomly attack him." As she talks, Xenia chops up the vegetables for the potato salad. "He was bullying Dexter and Hayner in the playground at lunch, calling their mum all sorts. Hayner pretended that it was nothing, you know, acting cool, but the guy wouldn't shut the hell up. He was calling her a crazy bitch and everything, and he deserved a punch to the face, so I obliged. I mean, Ms. Rivers is not mental. Depressed, yes, and has to take pills and has a wobbly from time to time, but she's not mental."

"Why is she depressed?" Maxi asks. His child-like curiosity was getting to better of him.

Xenia loses her smile altogether, and awkwardly shuffles her feet. "Well, you know- Well, I guess you don't know, but still." She is half-mumbling words. "She has four sons to look after, and she's doing it on her own. Well, Zell and Demyx can more or less look after themselves, but there's still Hayner and Dexter, and it's… like, hard on her. It's hard to look after kids when you need someone to look after you."

Maxi cocks his head. Like most little kids, he can't tell when it's time to quit. "What about their dad?"

"…He left them for another woman."

"That's horrid." Maxi furrows his brow. "What a nasty person. That other woman sounds wicked too." Without warning, Xenia's face turns red, and she rushes off and disappears through a door at the other end of the room, into the pantry where they kept various bits and bobs. After a quick moment, Maxi looks up at Lex and frowns. "Did I do something bad?"

Lex tries to appear smiley, but found it a little hard. He puts a hand on Maxi's shoulder.

"The other woman was Xenia's mum."

"…Oh." The vampire looks down at his feet. "Sorry."

"It's okay. You didn't know." He squeezes his little shoulder gently, but firmly. "You just stay here, and I'll try to drag Xenia out of her cave."

He found her aimlessly looking through bottles of wine and soft drink, none of which she needed for the meal. She was just looking for an excuse not to go back out there.

"Xenia, what the hell?" Lex walks up right up to her, crossing his arms. "You didn't have to fly off the handle like that."

Xenia doesn't turn around. "You know that I don't like talking about that crap."

"Yeah, I do, but Maxi didn't. There is no need to act like that."

"Don't tell me how to act!" When she whips around, her ponytail almost hits Lex in the face. Her violet eyes are almost black with anger. "You should you tell your little friend to keep his cute fucking mouth shut!"

"Hey! How about you shut up?" He hates shouting, and he doesn't feel too well for a yelling match, but it is the only way Lex can put the girl in her place. "You can't always act like the victim, Xenia. At least your mum's not dead!"

There is an awkward silence, and Xenia looks embarrassed. She lowers her head and rubs the back of her neck.

"I know. None of us have had the best of luck with parents, right? You lost your ma, Xosé had to go and live with his brother. Xaviera has the best situation really, and still then her folks are divorced… It just stresses me out. My mum stresses me out. We didn't even know about the affair until they decided to move out of town together. The cow even dared to try and take me with her. After she lied to me, and destroyed one of my best mate's families. The Rivers' never had a best time with their dad when he was around, but at least he was there. Now they never hear from him. And it scares me to think that me and Dex and the other boys might be family now. We could share a half-brother or sister or something. It just makes me… you know, mad." She smiles weakly. "Great, now I feel like a jerk. For freaking like that. Guess it doesn't help that my period is due in a couple of days."

"At least you've calmed down now," Lex smiles. "Want a hug or something?"

"…Yeah. A hug sounds good right about now."

As Lex holds her, he catches the scent of Xenia's hair. She always made sure that it was clean and healthy, so it always smells nice. It's a familiar aroma, almost comforting. He has been friends with Xenia since they were babies, mostly because their dads were friends before they even thought about having kids, but he still liked her a lot. A lot of people have often said that they might end up going out, dating, but Lex doesn't think so. It would be too weird.

"Shit! The pasta!"

Hands push against his chest, and suddenly Lex's arms are empty, and he is standing in the pantry alone. It doesn't take long for Xenia to get over stuff.

The rest of the evening goes without a hitch. Xenia and Maxi exchange apologies, and all three of them sit around the island talking as Lex and Xenia eat their pasta, and quickly followed up with pieces of fudge cake that were sat at the back of the fringe. Maxi didn't have anything.

When it turns 9:30, Lex and Maxi put on their shoes and say goodnight to Xenia. When she opens the door for them, Lani comes running back inside and bolts up the stairs, to just sit on the top step and stare them out. She was glad to see the back of them.

As they walk to the bus stop, Lex thinks about what they are going to do when they got home. His dad isn't going to be back for a few hours now, so he could let Maxi in. They could watch a film together, or maybe he could try to teach Maxi how to play video games again; he didn't really manage to master the control pad last time. Maybe the film would be a better choice, so he could let Maxi feed on him during the first act, and just feel the buzz of blood loss for the rest. He was getting used to the good feeling.

"Sorry about the cat," Maxi says. He reaches out and clutches onto Lex's hand.

The big boy smiles. "Hey, don't worry about it… Do all animals acted up like that with vampires?"

Maxi thinks about it for a moment. "…Well, yeah, for the most part. Some animals like us. Like wolves. Mice. Lots of different birds like us."

"So why not cats?"

"They are friends of witches. Their allies and familiars. Witches can still be harmed by vampires, so their cats would warn them. I think all cats are born with that sense… but that cat was very angry for just a normal cat." A beaming smile suddenly appears on Maxi's face. "Maybe Xenia is a witch!"

"I really hope not." Lex shudders at the thought of Xenia in a pointy hat and cape, cackling wildly on a broomstick. "One creature of the night for a friend is plenty creepy for me."

OOO

Tonight's night-crawl was mostly uneventful, but pleasant. After visiting a few bars through Kalm, they ended up at 7th Heaven; they usually do. They grabbed a light, late-night dinner, and chatted with Barrett and Paine whenever they came walking by their usual table. Well, bar Demyx. He had a dinner of more beer and spent most of the time watching Rikku bounce around the bar in a cute mini-skirt and her tight little jumper, and trying to hit on her. She polite rejected him the first few times, but towards the end of dinner her Al Bhed temper came out and she slapped him across the face. He lost interest immediately.

Now, they are driving back in Xaldin's car, through the roads of young students and neon clubs. Lexaeus is in shotgun position. Vexen was against one back window, almost dozing. Saïx is at the other window, looking out with a bored expression on his face. Demyx is grumbling on the hump in the middle, still caressing his swollen cheek.

"I can't believe she slapped me. She could… could have just said no, like a normal person."

"She did," Lexaeus tells him. "You didn't listen."

"I swear she swore at me in Al Bhed or something. I was assaulted!"

"Demyx, really…"

"Ignore him." Saïx does turn from his window. "He just got rat-arsed again. His brother will probably toss him into the shower when he gets home."

"Oh fuck, I nearly forgot." Demyx forgets about his poor, beautiful face for now and bolts up in his seat. "Right. Right. Get a load of this. Zell's got himself a new bird. Not just, like, a fuck- fuck buddy or whatever, but a proper… you know, girlfriend. Buys her things and shit. Talks all night on the phone with her."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Lexaeus asks, looking over his shoulder. By now, he is the only one bothering to pay Demyx's ramblings any attention. "It means he's settling down a bit and maturing a little. If he can hold down a girlfriend then it must be a step in the right direction."

"Yeah, right. I know. But, still, she's like totally not his type. You know, with the big boobs and stuff. But she's all small and smiley and… sugar and rainbows! And she only a C-cup."

"People's tastes change, Dem. Even from one extreme to another." Lexaeus thinks about his own words for a moment, and thinks of Zexion. Every time he thinks of Zexion now, he gets a chill on his thigh, like the boy's hand is lying there again. Small, slim hands with long, sharp nails.

"Oh! Get this!" Demyx's yapping brings the old guy back to reality for the moment. "She's only six-teen! That's younger then I am!"

"You do know Rikku's only fifteen, right?"

Xaldin sighs, shaking his head. "Don't start him up ag-"

"What?"

"Too late."

"What the hell is she doing serving in a bar then? That's illegal!"

"Demyx, she's poor. I'm sure you can turn a blind-eye to that sort of… thing…"

Lexaeus trails off, as he spots something in the distance down the road. In the light of a streetlamp, he can see a small, thin figure in a scruffy little jacket with a mop of messy hair. It could have been anyone, but who often sees such a young guy with silver locks. Time just seems to stop, or perhaps stop existing at the car rolls on down the road. The figure is with another; a big one which was flailing its arms around. He seems angry at the smaller, shouting loudly, but Lexaeus can't make out what he is saying, even as they come in line with them. As time comes back into motion, a rough hand grabs a jacket collar, and Lexaeus clenches with fists.

"Xaldin. Pull over."

"What?"

"Pull over!"

Xaldin stomped the break, and the car came to a quick, sharp halt along the side of the pavement, badly parked and over double yellow lines. The three in the back are all thrown forward, and Vexen hits his head against the rim of the window, snorting awake.

"What in the name of Shiva are you doing?"

Lexaeus doesn't explain. He just unclips his seatbelt, and steps out the car, not bothering to slap the door shut behind him as he makes his way back down the street. He only focuses on the figures in the street lamp's glow, and it seems that no matter how fast he moves, he isn't getting there fast enough. It's like the spot of light is always taking a step away from him, and that feeling and distance is just making his very blood boil.

As he gets closer, he can now hear their conversation, and nothing else. Their shouting seems to drown out everything, from the car motors to the chatting to club-goers.

"So you're just going to deny me?"

"I already told you I don't do bondage! It said it on my ad."

"That's not what my mate told me!"

"Well, I don't… You haven't even paid me yet. You could just go off and find someone else who does."

"I came across two towns. Two towns! I've heard from my buddies you were the best fuck around, and didn't come this far just to have a queer little whore tell me I'm not good enough for them! What does it have to take? I'll drag you into the alleyway if I have to and-"

Lexaeus doesn't realise that he has punched the bastard until he sees him crash to the ground clutching his face, sees the passing groups of youths with startled looks, and he hears Zexion scream.

"Lexaeus! What the hell is wrong with you? What are you doing here?"

"…I was just out for a drink," the man says calmly. His knuckles start to feel numb, so he flexes his fingers over and over again. "And I just saw you as I drove by."

The guy on the ground gets up at last, and he is pissed. His cheek is bright red and it already start to swell. He looks down at Zexion, and throws a hand towards Lexaeus, pointing him out.

"Who the fuck is this? Your pimp?"

"No. He's… a friend." The boy looks up at Lexaeus with frustration and annoyance. "And he was just leaving."

"I'm not leaving you!" Lexaeus realises that he is shouting, so he tries to calm himself, uncurling his fists. "Do you really think I am going to leave you alone with this man? After I just saw him threaten you? I am not going to turn a blind eye to that."

"Hey listen, mate!" This stranger starts to prod Lexaeus in the chest. The smell of alcohol is strong on his breath, and he looks tired. Lexaeus wasn't very impressed. "This is between me and the little guy. You haven't got anything to do with this. So how about you just turn and walk away before you end up doing something you are going to regret- ah!"

"I've had quite enough of you," Lexaeus says, trying his best to keep calm as he grabbed the guy by his shirt front and lifted him off the ground by a couple of inches. The fearful expression on the twat's face is priceless. Zexion tries to get the bigger guy to drop him, but Lexaeus just gently nudges him away. "Look here, mate. First off, I'm ex-SOLDIER and an ex-cop, so I don't think it would be very wise for you to start threatening me. Secondly, you started all of this by threatening this boy in various ways, and I only came to defend him. And thirdly, I still have good friends on the force, and I think they will more likely take my side of the argument, do you understand?" He drops him carelessly to the ground. "So how about you just walk away and leave this nice young man alone, hmm?"

This only seems to make the guy even more annoyed, as he stumbled about to try and get his footing again. "I don't take orders from anybody! Even from a so-called ex-cop. How about you-" He falls back a little, and he lands on something solid and warm that wasn't there before. He looks up, into Xaldin's rage-filled face. He is flanked by Vexen and Saïx, both just as mad. Demyx stands behind them, peeking over their shoulders just out of sight."How about," Xaldin barks, "you leave before we even out the other side of your face?"

It is four-against-one, and the guy isn't that drunk to not be able to count the odds. He pushes through the crowds and takes off down the street, shouting abuse and curses at the top his voice. He calls them pussies and the like, with very little creativity. Good riddance.

Demyx looks down the street where the guy ran off to, pulling his arms around himself to keep warm. There is only a slight sign of haze in his eyes now.

"…What did he mean by pimp?"

They all stop, and turn to look at Zexion, a foot away from their little group. The boy looks away, hiding behind his fringe as best he can. The city street suddenly felt very quiet and empty

OOO

After the others had left, they look around the streets to hide a place to sit down and, Lexaeus hoped, to talk about what happened. They come across a neon-lit diner that is just about to close, but when the elderly manageress sees how miserable Zexion looks, she smiled and said they could stay until she finished counting the money in the till and cleaned up a little. She even brewed up a quick half-pot of coffee for them on request. Zexion didn't want any, so Lexaeus is now trying to drink as much as he can so as not to waste it.

They are sat in a little booth along the wall with squishy fake leather seats, across the plastic-covered table from one another. In the silence, Lexaeus looks towards the window, but keeps taking quick glances at Zexion to see if he is doing anything. The boy is as motionless as he is emotionless. He just stares down, his hair hiding him from everything around him. Two mugs of de-café later, Lexaeus finally speaks.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, Zexion. I mean, getting that guy and making… a big fuss in front of everyone… I was just worried about you, is all. That guy was being too rough with you. As soon as he put his hands on you, he was committing battery… and I guess I still have my finger on the trigger after all these years."

Zexion still hasn't raised his head. Maybe he is more upset than the older man first thought. He might be crying under that curtain of hair. Lexaeus shook his head and frowned even more. "Zexion, please look at me. I'm not disappointed in you, nor am I going to judge you. It doesn't matter to me if you're a… 'stranger of the night.' I'm ex-police, remember? I've met all sorts of people: drug addicts, thieves, the lot. I'm not to type to prejudge. I won't turn against you just because of your lifestyle-"

Something within Zexion snaps and his head whips up, his single-visible eye staring at Lexaeus with ice-cold irises and small, dilated pupils, expression grim.

The bigger man is surprised, and a little scared. "Zex?"

"You think I like this? To have… dirty, sadistic men pay for my body and never treat me like a person? I am nothing but a doll to them. A sex toy. I feel disgusting every time, and I drag myself home and I bathe and bathe, and never feel clean. Not really. I-I am a whore, and it is horrible to look at myself and see nothing but a creature I despise… And Maxi knows too. For every goddamn night he would lay in bed, waiting for me to return, knowing that his daddy is being fucked raw for money, and is just a common prostitute! It tears me apart when he hugs me and he frowns, saying I smell bad, knowing he means the stench of semen! That's why I'm glad he's friends with Lex now, because now he isn't thinking of me all the time!"

By the end of the outburst, Zexion is on his feet screaming, so he has to sit himself down again and he hides under his hair. Lexaeus is wide-eyed and surprised, and had to look around to make sure the manageress wasn't shocked too, but the old dear just smiles at him and shakes her head like an understanding aunt as she counts her money, as if streetwalkers always come in here and wail about their self-hate.

Lexaeus sighs, and looks back at the boy. "…Zexion, why this? You don't deserve this."

"…It's the only thing I can do," Zexion mumbles, voice breaking. "I have no qualifications because… I never finished school. No one wants to hire someone with no grades."

"But you could always go to college to get those qualifications."

"But I need to look after Maxi during the day, and I wouldn't be able to afford childcare."

"…Maxi isn't in school?"

"…No." Zexion looks up with his eyes, not raising his heavy head. "That sounds horrid, right? Not putting Maxi into school, but I couldn't… I…"

"I'm sure you have your reasons." The conversation is obviously making the boy uncomfortable, and Lexaeus doesn't want to force him into anything that would stress him out. The boy looks worn-out, and he just wants to go home. Lexaeus can't blame him. He looks at his wristwatch to change the subject.

"Look, it's late. Let's just get back home, hm? I'll pay for a cab."

He throws a couple munny onto the table top, leaving a tip, and wishes the café owner good night as he escorts Zexion back into the cool streets. They wander back towards the pubs and clubs again, and manage to find a vacant taxi. The taxi driver seems happy that he has picked up someone else other than drunken children, and doesn't seemed bothered that he has to go out of town.

They sit in the back of the car in silence. Lexaeus sometimes looks over to Zexion, glancing slightly so he didn't look like he was staring, but Zexion never looks up to notice. He keeps his eyes on the floor, and does little else. When a hand rests on his shoulder, the boy jumps and he is confused when he sees Lexaeus smiling at him warmly. His hand is also warm and very big compared to Zexion's arm. The boy remembers that it was the same hand that had punched that guy in the face, and he is surprised that such a strong hand could be so gentle now.

"How about," Lexaeus says quietly, soothingly, "I give you some money every week so you don't to walk the streets anymore?"

Zexion frowns. "Thanks, but I'm not looking for charity, Lexaeus."

"Right then." Lexaeus puts his hands together, palm to palm, thinking. "…How about a loan? You find a safer job, and for the meantime I help you with your rent and necessities? Then you can pay me back when you can." He thinks that he had come up with a winning plan, but Zexion still frowns. With I sigh, Lexaeus smile weakens a little and he sits a little straighter, getting serious. "I don't want you to think I am babying you, Zexion, or that I think you can't handle things yourself. I know that you are very clear, and can look after yourself completely, but I am worried about your safety and well-being, and what would happen to Maxi if something happened to you? Please, at least consider it, because like it or not, I'm your friend and I'm involved with this now."

Zexion finally cracks a smile; a small one, but it's there. "You are not going to leave me alone to I say yes, are you?"

"What do you think?"

The boy laughs. He feels happy. "…Okay then. We can work something out." He pauses for a moment, nibbling his lip. "…I know this is going to sound weird, but can I have a hug?"

Lexaeus blinks, a little confused at first, and he becomes very aware that the taxi driver had glanced at them in the rear view mirror, but when he sees the pleading look on Zexion's tired face, he can't find it in his heart to say no. He just silently opens his arms and lets Zexion shuffle into them, enveloping him in his coat.

None of his friends are the type to hug - well, Demyx is a friendly drunk once he gets going, but that doesn't count - so Lexaeus is a little surprised that he was enjoying this hug, but it is a nice surprise. Very nice indeed.

"Is this alright, Zexion?""Yeah." The boy sighs and smiles, resting his face against the man's warm chest. "I feel much better now." He is content, but he shuffles a bit and finds that he has to hold his breath. Lexaeus smells too delicious for his own good.