"Can I see him now?"

"He hasn't regained consciousness yet,"

"I want to see him anyway,"

"He needs to rest,"

"I won't wake him up,"

"Then why do you want to see him?"

"I want to check he's okay,"

"He's fine,"

"I want to see him,"

The doctor gave the stubborn boy an irritated look.

"You can only visit the patient outside visiting hours if you're close family or a doctor. You are neither,"

"I'm his best friend,"

"Then you can wait for him to wake up,"

"I want to be there for him when he does,"

"I'm sure he'll be fine without you,"

"He needs me," Marluxia protested.

"What he needs is medical care and a good long rest,"

"And me,"

"I think I know what's best for him,"

"Please?"

"No,"

"I won't disturb him," Marluxia promised. "I just want to see him,"

"You'll be better off coming back in a few days once he's had a chance to recover,"

"I want to be there helping him recover,"

"I'm sure he'll be able to just fine without you," The doctor patted Marluxia on the head. "Now you'd better run along now and get back to school,"

"I want to be with Vexen,"

"I'm afraid I can't let you into that room,"

"Why not?"

"Vexen's too ill too see anyone right now,"

"He's asleep. He can't see anyone,"

"Precisely. Come on, I need to go,"

"I've been waiting nearly six hours! I want to see him!" Marluxia stood up from the plastic hospital chair in protest. It wasn't too much to ask for, just to go in and see Vexen for a few minutes?

"I think it's time you went home," The doctor said. Come on,"

"Not until you let me see Vexen,"

"You can wait a few days more to see him,"

"Just five minutes. I want to talk to him,"

"He's unconscious,"

"At him then."

"You should be in bed. It's very late,"

"Don't change the subject,"

"I didn't,"

"Yes you did,"

"I don't want to argue,"

"Neither do I," Marluxia complained.

"So what is this little tiff all about, then?"

"I want to see Vexen,"

"Why?"

"Because he's my friend,"

"All his other friends have gone back to the school and are probably all tucked up in bed, and so should you be,"

"I'm special,"

"Why are you special?"

"I'm his best friend,"

"Are you now,"

"Yes! Now let me see him!" Marluxia exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but this goes against the hospital policy. Now you'll have to leave. It's very late,"

"I don't want to leave,"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Come on, I'll show you to the door,"

"I can find it without your help," Marluxia glared, and finally picked up his bloody blazer and stormed off down the corridor. He heard the doctor sigh and walk off, and as soon as the stupid man was out of earshot, Marluxia crept back around the corner and down the empty hallway. Into Vexen's hospital ward.

The boy was looking pale, but better than when he'd been in the alleyway.

"Miss me?" Marluxia whispered. His hand found its way to Vexen's, and he held on to it as if somehow Vexen would know that he was there. "I was so worried about you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you go off on your own," He watched Vexen for a long time, listened to the blonde boy's steady breaths, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Next to him, a monitor bipped with each heartbeat.

"You look so sweet when you're sleeping," Marluxia murmured. "You look sweet anyway. I wish I could have been there for you. I'm sorry. I told Roxas about what Axel and Demyx did to you. Sorry, but he asked and I didn't want to lie to him. Well. I accidentally let slip and then he asked. But still. I hope you don't mind. It's all out in the open now, isn't it? Hopefully we can get Axel and Demyx away from you. I should have acted earlier. It might have saved you from being in the hospital. Roxas said something... How I just stood by and let you get hurt. I'm really sorry. I should have told someone that you were getting bullied anyway. Because breaking a promise is better than letting you get hurt... I'm glad you're going to be okay. I thought you might have died, when we were looking for you. I was so scared. They had an announcement trying to find you, did you hear that? Probably not, since you were outside... I don't think I've ever been so scared. I didn't know if you were dying or what when I saw you." Marluxia paused for a while, just watching Vexen sleep. Everything was silent, except the steady bip, bip, bip of the heart monitor.

"You're beautiful," He found himself whispering to the unconscious boy. "And you're so intelligent. I like being with you. I wish I could have been a better friend. I... I hope you'll forgive me for... for something. I don't know why I said that. I still hope we can stay friends. For telling Roxas, that's it. I hope you forgive me for telling Roxas. I told him you were gay too, because... It's a really long story. But I guess I've got time. I... Well, it's not really that long. Well Roxas noticed. He kept telling me to make a move, but I thought you weren't gay, and I couldn't exactly not tell him when I found out... Well, I'm making my move now, I guess. I love you, Vexen."

Half of him expected or maybe hoped that Vexen had woken up and heard, but the blonde boy just lay still, breathing deep and steady as always. Marluxia laid his head on the bed next to Vexen. "I love you so much... I'll never be able to tell you when you're awake, though. I'm too scared. You probably don't even see me that way. But I'm happy being friends with you. Even if I hardly know anything about you... except your favourite colour is blue. And... You know ages ago, you said that nobody would believe you because you had a something? And you stopped and never told me what it was? Well, I've always wondered what it could have been. But... I don't know if you'll ever tell me. I promise I won't tell Roxas this one if you do..." He yawned, exhausted. The clock on the wall told him that it was nearly midnight. "I should probably leave soon. But I don't want to. I want to stay with you, even if you're asleep," He smiled a little. "I'd laugh if you were actually awake and heard everything I said... Actually, I don't think I would. I've said some quite odd things. But I meant it all. I really love you,"

And he fell silent, breathing in time with Vexen. A few minutes later and he fell asleep.

---

When he woke up, Vexen wasn't sure where he was. What was the last thing he remembered?

Marluxia, panicked and sobbing, screaming in his face.

Reno, sneering at him from high up but next to him... falling....screaming... pain. Drizzle. Falling on the floor, Marluxia... where was he, anyway?

An ambulance. An ambulance was coming. So this must have been a hospital bed. Somebody was holding his hand. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting in the early morning light. A splash of pink was somewhere in his peripheral vision. Marluxia? He turned his head slightly, trying to see him. He was sitting in the chair next to his bed, slumped over with his head on the mattress. His hand was still clutching Vexen's.

"Marluxia?"

"Hrmm... What?" Marluxia's eyes flew open and he stared around, before settling down once he'd established where he was. "Vexen! Thank God you're okay,"

"What happened? I don't remember getting here,"

"You passed out in the alleyway. You had some kind of fit... I don't know. It's all a blur,"

"Thank you,"

"For what? I-"

"For finding me. And helping me,"

"I didn't think I helped much," Marluxia mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"You did. Just being there for me was enough,"

"Really?" Marluxia smiled.

"Yeah. Um. Marluxia?"

"Yes?"

"I have another secret I want to tell you,"

"About that.. I'm not sure if-"

Vexen stopped him.

"If you interrupt I'll never be able to tell you. Ever,"

"Sorry,"

"It's okay," Vexen took a deep breath, preparing himself. "I've been meaning to tell you this for a while," Marluxia stayed silent, watching him with those deep blue eyes. "Well. I have a crush on you. I have for a long time. I thought you should know,"

"You... You're kidding," Marluxia finally said.

"That wasn't quite the response I expected," Vexen remarked. Part of him had hoped that Marluxia would have had a crush on him too, but that was kind of stupid. Vexen wasn't exactly the easiest person to get on with, after all. But he wanted Marluxia to know his feelings because... It didn't feel right to keep anything from the pink haired boy anymore. And anyway, his slightly bemused expression was really rather cute.

"I... " Marluxia seemed lost for words, so Vexen squeezed his hand a little.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I- You did not just say what I thought you said. There is no way,"

"I meant it. Sorry if I offended you,"

"No! It's not that, I just... I like you too. In that way," Marluxia explained. "I told you last night, but you were, um, asleep," He smiled at Vexen and saw, for the first time, Vexen smiling back with an expression that was neither bitter nor melancholy but genuinely happy.

"I love you," He whispered.

"I love you too,"