Xigbar snarled; He was soaking wet all the way down to his boxers and he had mud up to his knees, caked at the top and slimy where it covered his boots from constantly stepping in brown mud. When he got back... he was having a bath and he was going to soak in the water all night! And it didn't help that the scene of Axel and Roxas kissing was floating around in his head like fly. So far... no Heartless had shown up. The only thing he had seen was a green snake lazily slithering across a branch, briefly looking his way before returning to it's search for food.

He had been wandering through the jungles of Fantasia for a undermined amount of time, and he was so tired of endless trees, rocks, and bushes... Was there anything else on this world? He nearly shouted in anger, but he stopped himself, eye wide. Why..Why was he feeling this? Xigbar didn't have a heart, yet the emotion was so strong... rage and confusion swirling in his gut like a hurricane, churning; He realized he was almost nauseous.

"Why.." Xigbar growled, clenching his fists, arrow guns dropped to the ground carelessly."Why?"

He shouted loud, and in the distance a flock of birds flew off, startled at the sudden outburst. Then the bushes beside him began to rumble; He had no time to grab his guns as diamond-like horns slammed into him, grazing his side, and he was thankful to be so skinny. Blood gushed from the wound and he groaned, teeth grit as he opened his eye to see a rhino-like heartless pinning him against a tree. It was midnight black and blue with yellow zig-zag lines running up it's flank on both sides, with trademark yellow eyes and the Heartless insignia branded on it's face, horns snowy white with cracks in them, and clawed hooves. Xigbar snarled and put all his weigh on his back as he dug into the tree, bringing his legs up to kick the Heartless in the face, receiving a loud roar as he dropped to the ground. He quickly grabbed his guns through small spacial portals, jumping to his free before flipping himself upside down. The rhino charged at him, no longer stunned, horns ramming into the tree, uprooting it and sending it crashing down with a tremendous racket. Purple gun arrows stuck into the Heartless' side, and it shrieked, turning and charging again, hooves stomping in the mud.

Xigbar grit his teeth as he fired more round, teleporting around to avoid the beast's massive horns, mud splashing onto his face. More trees came down as the Heartless rhino rampaged, finally managing to snag it's horns on Xigbar's cloak. He was sent to the ground, letting out a pained roar of his own. He was glad his ribs hadn't broken, but he had to quickly roll to the side to avoid the Heartless, taking his chance to grab his guns.

What was wrong with him? He never got this beat up... he took down most Heartless without earning a scratch... This whole thing was seriously messed up, and now he was hurting over it. Xigbar let out a gasp as his side gave a pang, still bleeding though he had dismissed it in his adrenaline rush. Xigbar stood, taking a few shots at the Heartless; He could tell it was almost dead. He portaled into the nearest tree, a massive, sturdy one, sending off more rounds as the Heartless rammed the tree with amazing force. Xigbar waited for it to slam the tree to the ground before he leapt off, wound protesting as he turned himself middair, firing a burst of gun arrows into the monster. It gave a loud, animalistic shriek before it crashed to the side, black body beginning to fade as a large glowing pink heart emerged, floating into the sky to Kingdom Hearts.

Xigbar landed on his feet, but he fell to one knee, gripping his side with a crimson-covered hand; Damn, no potions... He took in a breath, resting as he de-summoned his guns. Saix said to find any Heartless... He didn't say how many. Xigbar rolled his eye as he stood, opening a portal to Vexen's lab, thoroughly covered in a mixture of rainwater, mud, and blood.

"Xigbar! Don't track that filth in my lab!" Vexen exclaimed, seeing the man's condition, more worried about his lab than anything else.

"Aww man, I already did.." Xigbar stated in a mocking tone, sarcastic as he held his side."Just fix me up."

Vexen muttered to himself, shaking his head as he walked off into his laboratory, with silver walls and various machinery everywhere, along with tables and counters with beakers of fluid. The blond returned a minute later with needle and thread, bandages, a damp rag, and a antiseptic; Xigbar removed his cloak. Vexen gently wiped around the wound, earning a growl, cleaning off the caked on mud and blood, before he threaded the needle, slipping it through Xigbar's skin.

"Shit!" Xigbar cursed, flinching slightly.

"Stand still, and straighten up! This won't go right if you slouch, you fool!" Vexen fired back, the sniper glaring at him; He was finished stitching Xigbar in a few minutes, applying some antiseptic around it.

Xigbar sighed as Vexen bandaged his stitched wound, gritting his teeth when the blond pulled it a little tighter. He had reported to Xemnas, bloody and messy, much to the man's displeasure, but he got the job done without dieing...

"Xigbar.. How did you get this?" Vexen questioned, eyebrow raised.

"Heartless came outta nowhere and got me, not big deal, Ice Queen." Xigbar said, shrugging as he put his cloak back on, zipping it down to his waist. He knew why though and he didn't plan on telling Vexen..ever. It was Roxas. Roxas was on his mind...

"I would prefer if you wouldn't call me that," Vexen hissed, putting away his supplies in a nearly drawer."If you'll leave... I don't need anything destroyed."

"Alright..Ice Queen." Xigbar smirked as he opened a portal and disappeared into his bathroom for Vexen could say a word, simply pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

II~XIII~II~XIII

Concentration lost in troubled mind

Waiting for feelings redefined

Rest me with your sweet voice

So that one day I may rejoice

Secret thoughts filtering below

Surely they might grow

II~XIII~II~XIII

Roxas yawned as he walked the halls, searching for Xigbar. He hadn't checked the man's room yet, but he figured that he was still on a mission to Fantasia. He passed Lexaeus' room, knowing Xigbar's was a few doors down, tears beading at the corner of his eyes as he yawned again; The standard cot's didn't exactly give a good night's sleep...

He stepped up to the silver door marked with the roman numerals for two, knocking on the door.

"Hey, Xigbar, are you back?" Roxas called out, hoping if Xigbar was there, he could hear him through the door. Inside, Xigbar cringed at Roxas' voice, growling to himself.

He didn't want to talk to Roxas, he didn't even want to hear his voice! He wasn't in the mood...but, should he act cold towards Roxas? What if he still had a chance to go out with him? Surely he couldn't go out with Axel forever.. Xigbar made a disgruntled, pained noise as he swung his feet so that he was simply sitting on his bed.

"Yeah, what is it?" Xigbar asked back.

"Can I come in?"

"Guess so."

Xigbar's door swung open and the sweet blond walked in, closing the door behind him. It almost... hurt Xigbar to see Roxas come in, and it felt like he didn't have a chance at Roxas. He sighed, attempting not to make contact with Roxas, who walked right up to him.

"Hey Xigbar, are you okay? You seemed pretty angry this morning." Roxas inquired, blond locks bouncing softly, and Xigbar couldn't help staring at the beauty in his presence; The thought of Axel and Roxas popped into Xigbar's head again and it made him angry.

"I'm fine..." Xigbar huffed, scowling. He knew in his heart that he wasn't going to get Roxas, that the blond would never like him romantically, that they weren't...going to kiss like that. It was nerve wracking to be like this... and h-he certainly wasn't desperate for Roxas or anything. He could imagine the very feel of Roxas' lips, so soft and warm, but he could never tell Roxas a thing..not with Axel here and even if he did tell... it wouldn't make a difference.

An awkward silence arose in the room, the sniper not looking up and the blond not saying a word. Roxas stared at the man in front of him, sensing the anguish, rage, and hints of confusion.

"Something's wrong, Xigbar." Roxa stated. He thought about sitting next to Xigbar... but that would seem odd considering he was going out with Axel, not to mention Xigbar didn't seem to want to talk or have anyone close to him...

"Nope, every thing's cool, kiddo," Xigbar played it off, lieing through his teeth. No, he couldn't let Roxas know.. he was fine... wasn't he?

"Are you sure? You seem angry..." Roxas trailed off as Xigbar stood up, stretching slightly, but he cringed in pain, forgetting the wound. He finally saw the bandages spotted with pale red, filtering into gradually deepening tones of crimson where the blood was freshest.

"I'm fine kid, just in a little bit of pain..." Xigbar grit his teeth, annoyed at Roxas. Roxas didn't have a clue what was going on... Even if he did, why would he care? He's already got Axel, he didn't need him... even as a friend..

"Xigbar!" Roxas blurted out, now irritated as well at Xigbar. Something was wrong, bad wrong. Why couldn't Xigbar just tell him? Maybe he did see Axel and himself kissing in the hallway..."Did you see me and Axel kiss? Is that what's bothering you?"

He whispered the last part so softly so that no one outside the room would hear and Xigbar snapped.

"Yes, I fucking did." Xigbar hissed, approaching Roxas with maniac anger flaring in his eyes, teeth clenched as he growled. "Just stay the fuck away from me!"

He suddenly lashed out at Roxas, slapping the boy onto his bed, the latter letting out a pained and surprised yelp. X-Xigbar... just hit him... in the face...

"W-why..." Roxas could only let out a sob as Xigbar ran through a portal, leaving him alone and in silence. What was wrong with Xigbar? W-why did that make him so angry... Did Xigbar like him? His thoughts were whirling around, centered on Axel, because he couldn't tell or else there would be a fight and their secret might come forth, then Xigbar, who was so bothered by seeing them kiss. He had never told the sniper that he liked him... but at the time, and even now, he liked Axel more than Xigbar..but it was getting to him... He...he just couldn't be mad at Xigbar, seeing them must have affected him..