A/N: Holy shit guys! I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean for this to take so long, I swear. I started working on Push first, but I think I might just restart it because I have no inspiration to move on or work on it at all... And when the idea for this one struck me, I couldn't let it go, so I started working on it instead! I've never written Larxene before, but I really like how I made her character come out. For those of you expecting yaoi, I'm sorry to say there's only a slight mention of it. :/ But I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! (As a side note, I finished this thing at 13,547 words. Longest thing I've ever written, by a long shot.)
Larxene didn't mean to fall in love. Really. She didn't. It just sort of happened.
She and Axel had been together for about a year. However, the past few weeks, Axel had been distant, almost avoiding her. She didn't know why. So she swore to find out.
Axel's one class for the day had just been released, and Larxene was lying in wait. Once she saw him leave the room, she followed a little farther behind, so as not to be caught. The redhead walked swiftly to his car, dropping his backpack in the passenger seat, and shutting the door and locking the vehicle again. With his burden unloaded, he picked up his pace a bit and stepped into a coffee shop a couple blocks away from the campus. When Larxene didn't see him pop back out a few minutes later, she ducked inside, assuming this to be his destination. She saw the red spikes near the back of the café, sitting at a table with some other blue-eyed blond. The mysterious blond looked to be a few years older than Larxene, holding himself with an air of maturity and the obvious "I've been in college for a couple years now" look. Larxene was just finishing her senior year in high school.
Larxene realized this was a new friend of Axel's, because she already knew his current friends quite well. Who could he be? Is he the one Axel's been avoiding her for? They laugh like they've got a million inside jokes with each other. And then Axel did something unbelievable. He leaned across the table and kissed the guy! Oh, Larxene felt a rush of adrenaline and rage building up inside her. If this were a cartoon, she'd have a face redder than Axel's hair and steam coming from her ears. She was so pissed off. Axel had been avoiding her. Axel had been avoiding her for another blue-eyed blond. Axel had been avoiding her for a guy. And worse, Axel was cheating on her with said guy. Something inside her snapped when the redhead stood, obviously preparing to leave. He was oblivious to her presence. When he and the other male were coming up on her table, she stood and blocked their path. Without uttering a word, she slapped Axel as hard as she could, leaving an already reddening handprint on his face. Axel was shocked and speechless. The blond beside him openly gaped at her, obviously not knowing about her at all. He looked about to say something when Larxene cut him off.
"Don't. Even. Say. Anything. Apparently dating someone for a year isn't enough to warrant introductions, so I'll do it. I'm Larxene, Axel's exgirlfriend as of now," she said in a low growl towards Axel's companion. "As for you, you cheating bastard," she turned to Axel, "don't you ever come near me again. Or I swear to God I'll beat your ass to the ground and your face will be a bloody pulp by the time I'm done with you." She spat in his face.
With that, she left the coffee shop, leaving an obvious electric tension between Axel, Roxas, and the rest of the guests inside.
"Axel. You never told me you were in a relationship. And with a girl? You said you weren't interested in girls. And yet you've been with her for a year? What the hell, man!" Roxas took his turn shouting at Axel, flabbergasted.
"No, Roxas let me explain. Please," Axel's eyes locked with Roxas' in a very shamed stare. "I only just recently figured out my sexuality. I've been with Larxene since before I started questioning it, and I swear I was going to break it off. I just… I didn't know how to go about doing it. And now, I can't even explain to her this whole thing without the threat of having my ass kicked – and trust me, she could do it. But now she's probably gonna go home and sit there thinking that she's the one who made me like this, made me gay. I hate to have her be so pissed off at me, because it was not my intention to cheat… I just… I figured if I turned out to be straight after all, I didn't want to lose that relationship… I mean, do you understand where I'm coming from?"
"No, Axel, I can't say that I do. Apparently we all need to sort our priorities, you especially. For the rest of the week, I'm not talking to you and if you try to talk to me, don't expect an answer. Later," Roxas left the coffee shop as well. His words may as well have been another slap in Axel's face. The other customers sent mixed reactions to the scene that just played out. Women gave him the cold shoulder, men just openly glared. The redhead decided it was his turn to go, and he left.
Larxene – already home by the time the other two left the shop – was in her room, gathering up all the gifts she'd ever gotten from Axel, all the pictures of them together, all the little reminders of him and brought them outside, dropping them onto a pile of dead leaves and setting fire to them. She sat outside, watching the flames erase any trace of the relationship she'd so foolishly believed in. She gazed into the fire, hatred written all over her face. But her eyes didn't see anything. Those sapphire eyes were clouded with tears waiting to fall, though she bid them not to and they didn't. Only when she got up, when the fire died out, did one tear dare break from the rest, leaving a small trail down her cheek.
That was the only one to escape. She suppressed the rest of her tears, her heartache, and her pain. She pushed it all deep down inside of her, because maybe if it stayed buried deep and long enough, it was never really there in the first place. But that wasn't true, it just turned bitter in her mind and Larxene found herself lashing out at everyone – teachers, classmates, her parents, her older brother Luxord, anyone that tried talking to her. She started developing severe anger issues, often threatening fights for being looked at. People nicknamed her the Crazy Bitch. She didn't care. She had been betrayed by someone she loved, and rather than show her pain to everyone else, she covered it with the protective mask of fury. Because if people didn't get close to her, and she to them, they couldn't hurt her like Axel did. At least, that was how she reasoned it.
Only when she punched the mirror in one of the bathrooms at school did her principal call her parents and the counselor in his office for a meeting on how to get the girl under control. Next thing Larxene knew, she had joined the meeting and was being put into anger management and therapy on the risk of suspension and possible expulsion if she kept her behavior up. That's when the whispering behind her back started. She knew she had to keep everything together, if only for the sake of graduating on time, lest she look like a fool in front of everyone else. Despite what anyone might think, Larxene did care about her reputation and how people saw her. If they thought her laughable, for being so smitten with someone who obviously didn't love her, if they thought her an idiot for allowing that to get in the way of her studies and academic standing, what did she have left except some empty shell of a girl everyone used to love being around?
So she went to her therapy sessions, she went to her anger management classes, but she didn't participate in either. No, after she realized the horrible mistake she'd made in pushing everyone away, she withdrew from all contact with anyone, punishing herself for everything. She became very depressed, her grades started falling, and she didn't know what to do. She didn't want anyone to know the mess she'd made of things in her life, but she didn't want to keep it all to herself anymore. She needed a stranger, someone who wasn't going to judge her because of her mistakes. She needed release from all this pressure she put herself under. By chance, on a weekend walk to escape her house, she found someone to help her with that release. They provided her with a pill, something to make her feel good again, and she paid the fifty dollars she had in her wallet. Keeping the tablet in the baggie for later, Larxene went to a shady convenience store where the clerk never carded anyone appearing to be 21. So she bought a six-pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade – a personal favorite of hers – with her credit card and went to a local haunt for people her age.
Thankfully the secluded not-quite-a-park was empty at this time of day, and Larxene could enjoy a little peace and quiet. She sat on the lone swing attached to the old oak tree there, her lemonade on the ground beside her. She grabbed a bottle, opening it with ease, and took a swig. Not too strong, but enough to alleviate the weight building itself up in her stomach. Slipping nimble fingers into the pocket of her pikachu hoodie, Larxene pulled the baggie out, examining the small pill inside. It was nondescript, the only feature setting it apart from prescription pills being a dollar sign. Almost without thinking and just doing, she opened the baggie and dumped the pill into her hand, immediately dropping it on her tongue and taking another swig of her lemonade.
The high Larxene experienced that day made her feel better than she had ever felt in her life. Suddenly, with one little, white pill, her life had picked up. Everything seemed brighter, richer, bolder, almost blinding in its beauty. It was all overwhelmingly dazzling. Her face lit up like a child in a candy store, for the first time in many months. Her smile was genuine, taking in all the sudden grandeur of her surroundings. The trees, the grass, even the old, rotting barn a little ways out into the field were more colorful, more vivid, just more. Everything about Larxene's life that had been wrong before was so right at this point and there was a definite chance that this little pill would become Larxene's new best friend. There would be hell to pay if it didn't.
To say that people were aware of the change in Larxene's behavior would be a drastic understatement. It was glaringly obvious to anyone with eyes, ears, and half a brain. She was continually happy about anything and everything in general. Her old friends, who were wary at first, began returning her sudden and unexplained affections. They simply thought she had finally gotten over whatever was causing her introversion and depression and was feeling better. Teachers noted her relaxed state of mind during classes, the carefree attitude she adopted. Her parents started commenting on her excessive weight loss, which Larxene explained as, "getting rid of her fat," in preparation for the coming summer months. She started bringing sandwich bags of candy with her everywhere, filled with a mix of colored gummies and hard candies. Skittles, M&M's, Smartees, Mike 'n Ike's, gummy bears, and a plethora of other snack items. Her addiction was cleverly disguised among the candy, and no one thought twice about what was really causing her happiness.
When Larxene wasn't under the influence of her addiction, it was almost as if the world was in grayscale and covered in a fog that blurred the details of everything. She became paranoid about things most people wouldn't ever think of. Suckers and their discarded wrappers were being found all over her room, amongst the strangest thing: baby binkies. This was when her parents became worried. They contacted a doctor who warned them to be prepared for their worst nightmare. He confirmed their fears with the simple statement that their daughter was using ecstasy.
Upon learning of this evil plaguing Larxene, they immediately pulled her from school and drove her to a rehab facility. The look on her face was reminiscent of a deer caught in the headlights. She'd been found out and now she was freaking the fuck out. Outwardly, she appeared frightened and nervous; inside, her mind was utter chaos. She wasn't ready to give up her happiness yet! What was so wrong with it anyways? Couldn't they see she was better? She didn't understand, couldn't understand. Surely her parents knew that taking away her happy pills would destroy her.
~o~
Larxene's first week in the rehab clinic was Hell on earth. Detoxing from anything was always a bitch, but when it made you paranoid, depressed, anxious and jumpy, and unable to sleep, well, that just made it worse. The nightmares started the second week. Now, Larxene had never been afraid of the dark, but when she started dreaming about these big shadows with sharp teeth and bright yellow eyes jumping out of a dark corner to eat her heart, she demanded that she be allowed to keep a light on when she slept. That's not to say she slept often, however. Most nights, she just sat up in bed, finding patterns in the textured ceiling by lamplight. When she did sleep, it was fitful, conjuring the shadow monsters in her mind again, startling her awake, most often covered in sweat and heart racing.
In her third week at the clinic, Larxene's physical reactions to the withdrawal had started to fade. Mentally, she was a train wreck. This is when the staff of nurses at the facility started letting her out of her room to get some social interaction with other patients. Larxene wasn't talking though. She observed the other patients with a criticism worthy of the preps at her high school. She thought them all a level or more below her. Like this one patient who had black hair and a grayish white streak through it – who wore an eye patch. Was he a pirate or something? No, he talked like a surfer from Cali. Whatever.
Then she noticed cotton-candy pink hair. And the striking blue eyes. And suddenly those sapphire eyes turned Larxene's way and the man started walking over to her.
"Hey, what's your name? I haven't seen you before, are you a new patient?" he spoke in an eloquent voice. It was quiet, calming, but most of all, it sounded safe. It sounded familiar in a way, but she was positive she'd never met this man before. She'd have remembered the pink hair.
"I'm Larxene," she whispered in a voice hoarse from not speaking in a few weeks. She looked up from beneath her eyelashes to meet his gaze.
"Well, Larxene, it's nice to meet you. I'm Marluxia. I'm kind of a therapist here." At that statement, the blonde quirked an eyebrow. "What I mean is, I go around the clinic and talk to the other patients about their addictions, what got them in here in the first place, and I try to help them become more dependent on themselves than the drugs they were using. That way they can get out of here quicker. Most people here find me easier to talk to than some of the actual therapists, because I'm closer to their ages, and besides that, I've been in their shoes."
"You… You used to be an addict?" she questioned him.
Marluxia nodded his head, "It's not something I'm proud of, but because of my experience, I get to help other people become stronger. And that makes it worth it. See, when I was about 13, I started trying to fit in with the popular crowd, so I would go to their parties. And at these parties, alcohol was kind of a big thing. But as I got older, the alcohol wasn't the cool thing anymore. Marijuana was. So when we all got drunk, we got high too. After a while though, that high wasn't enough for some of the partiers. So they started getting other drugs, cocaine and meth among them. I didn't want to try them, but I had gained a lot of popularity, so to keep it, I tried them. I was becoming king of the "it" crowd, and to keep getting better drugs, me and a couple of the other kids started selling the marijuana we had, and we dropped acid. I was so out of it, I couldn't even remember my name when I was tripping. Then, someone decided it would be a good idea to shoot me up with heroin and see what happened. I was still tripping on the acid when they did that, and… Heroin makes you angry… It gets your blood pumping and your heart pounding, and you get this adrenaline rush like no other feeling in the world. And I got blinded by this fury inside me. I don't know where it came from, but I was just pissed at everything, and I wanted to take my anger out on something, or someone. So that's exactly what I did. I figured out which guy shot me up and beat him nearly to death. My other so-called friends called the cops on me and I was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and battery in the first degree.
"When I found out the consequences of my actions, they said I would either be put in rehab and then jail, or I could get clean and sober, be on probation, and do a thousand hours of community service. So while I was detoxing from all the drugs in my system, I reflected on my actions, on my motivations, and I realized I had a lot of work to do if I was going to go out and live my life the way I wanted to, and not according to how the others wanted me to. I got cleaned up, went to court again and put in my guilty plea, and publically apologized to the guy's family and our friends. And because I showed remorse, and because it was my first offense, the judge sentenced me to the community service. By that point, I'd made a lot of progress with my therapists at the clinic I was in, so I started talking to the other patients and helping them out. Then I talked to the staff at the clinic about setting up a confidential program where I could speak to them all at once, to show them that there is hope for any situation.
"After I completed all the hours of community service, I'd come to love what I was doing, so I make it a point to go to different rehab facilities all around to talk to the patients there and offer them support. I usually stay about a month at each facility, but this one… I stay here for a period of three months. Because this clinic helped me to get back on my feet and gave me direction in my life. I stayed here when I was detoxing. All that happened from the time I was 13 until I was 18. I've made a lot of people change where they were headed for the future and the staff here is like my family. I think you'll come to like everyone here, Larxene. They do a spectacular job of helping you in every way possible, and I'll be right there with them to help you personally."
Larxene was speechless. She'd never pegged this guy for someone like that. And she was normally right on the dot when it came to reading people.
"Speaking of this clinic… I was high when my parents made me come here, and I don't remember the name…" Larxene looked to her feet in shame.
"You, my dear, are at the Destiny Islands Rehabilitation Clinic and Recovery Center," Marluxia informed her. "And trust me when I say that the staff here is wonderful. They might seem a little perky at first, but you get used to it." He winked at her. Larxene blushed a little bit, wondering when she'd become a fourteen year old again.
"Destiny Islands? Isn't this a resort kind of place?"
"Well yes, but you're on the other side of the main island from the resorts and tourist destinations. This side of the island is closed off from tourists to offer privacy when the patients go outside for some much needed fresh air. In fact, that sounds good right about now, care to join me?"
"Oh… Um. Well… I… Yes," she replied, obviously taken aback. No one had ever acted this nicely to her – even her closest friends.
Marluxia offered his hand to Larxene so they could walk outside together. She bashfully accepted it and stood, immediately noticing that his arm went around her shoulder, almost unconsciously. He was telling her a little bit about some of the staff who were still here from when he had stayed, but she wasn't really listening. She was biting her lip, wondering why this stranger was treating her like this. Obviously he was a good guy, but he didn't even know her. She realized that they'd stopped walking and looked up to see the most beautiful garden in existence. She audibly gasped, awestruck.
"Do you like it?"
"I… I'm shocked. This is gorgeous… I've never seen… Anything like it. It's so beautiful," Larxene said. She could have sworn she heard Marluxia say 'so are you.' But maybe she was just imagining it.
"Thank you. I started this garden when I stayed here, to help give me something to do. Ever since I've started talking to patients elsewhere, there's been a gardener to look after it while I'm gone, but it's stayed alive year-round since I planted it. I guess you could say I have a green thumb," he smiled at her.
"Wait, you planted this garden? How on earth… It's. Wow…"
"But enough about me, dear. What got you here anyway?" he sat down on a bench underneath a flowering pear tree, patting the seat next to him.
"Well… See, I was in a relationship with a guy for over a year, but for the last two weeks of it, he started pulling away from me, avoiding me. And one day, I tailed him from his class to a little café a short way from the college campus, and when I got inside, I saw him sitting with this other guy; coincidentally, he had blonde hair and blue eyes too. Anyway… They started laughing, and they looked really close, and then… Then they kissed," she whispered the last part. "I got up and stood in front of the exit when they were leaving and broke it off with him. That was almost two months ago. I started getting really depressed and really pissed off at everyone around me. Even my brother Luxord. And he was home for Christmas and the beginning of January when that happened. I was in anger management after I punched a mirror in the bathroom at school. After the anger faded away, I was just so depressed I didn't even want to do anything. So one day, I was on a walk, just to escape my parents and I was on the verge of telling someone what happened when this guy approached me and said I looked like I could use a 'pick-me-up.'
"He gave me a baggie with this little white pill in it, and I tried it… And that high I got. It was like nothing I've ever experienced. I felt so much better than I had at any point during my life. So I started getting more to take with me to school, mixed in with candy, so no one would know. Eventually, I started talking to my old friends again and it was like nothing happened to me. It was like old times, except they were wary of me. It wasn't until after I started losing a bunch of weight and using pacifiers to keep from grinding my teeth that my parents started catching on. The day they brought me here, I had been pulled from class, wondering what the hell was going on. I don't remember much of that day, except that they had to restrain me to get me inside…" Larxene felt tears threatening to spill now that someone finally knew the whole story. "My first week was the worst. Withdrawal was a bitch to go through, and the nightmares I got don't help at all…"
"Larxene, I don't blame you at all for doing what you did. If someone you love betrays you, I know it can be hell to go through. No one deserves to be treated like that, by anyone. And I can guarantee if I knew them, I'd make them pay for the consequences of their actions. Does he even know what he put you through?"
A lump had formed in Larxene's throat, so she shook her head. Then the tears fell.
"I haven't talked to him since I broke up with him," she said, sobbing. Everything she'd suppressed was breaking its way out to the surface and damn did it hurt. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, letting everything out. Marluxia turned towards her and just held her while she let the past encompass her. At some point during her grievance, she hugged herself closer to this new friend she'd made while he stroked her hair and rubbed soothing patterns on her back. Eventually, she wore herself out and the intense crying and lack of sleep caught up with her as she passed out on Marluxia's chest. She was still clinging to him, afraid to let him go, even unconsciously. Her nightmares didn't plague her as she rested, and Marluxia carried her back to her room.
A nurse stopped him in the hallway to ask what happened.
"I told her what I do at these clinics, and shared my story with her, and she provided hers in return. I think this is the first time she's actually thought about what happened though, and she cried herself to sleep. So I'm just taking her back to her room right now, to let her sleep. She said she's been having nightmares and I don't think she's slept the entire time she's been here. And… She's kind of attached to me, apparently, because she's clinging to me as hard as she can and won't let go, so I think I should probably stay with her until she wakes up. Just bring her dinner to her room, would you, Selphie?"
"Of course, Marly. And by the way, I'm glad you're back. We missed you," the brunette smiled at him.
"I missed everyone else, too, Selph. Always do. Anyway, I'll talk to you later this evening so I can get settled in again. Thanks!" he nodded his head at her and continued on his way. Thankfully, things hadn't changed too much from when Marluxia had been a patient and the names were still printed on tabs outside of the rooms. Her room was just off the main hallway. He stepped inside and set the blonde down on her bed, taking a seat beside her. She still had one hand clenched in his shirt. He smiled down at Larxene, unaware that he was the reason her nightmares stayed at bay.
Marluxia wasn't sure how long Larxene stayed asleep – there were no clocks in the rooms – but eventually she started stirring.
"…Xel…"
The man was taken by surprise a little bit at Larxene's sleep-slurred talking. However, he heard no more after that syllable, because she blearily opened her eyes against the light of the setting sun.
"Mmm, what happened? Where am I?" she said, obviously still waking up.
Marluxia responded in a quiet voice, "You shared your story with me, and I think that was the first time you allowed yourself to process everything, because you broke down hysterically and while I was trying to comfort you… You cried yourself to sleep on me. So I carried you back to your room to sleep properly."
"So why are you still here?" Larxene asked, confused.
"You wouldn't let go of my shirt," he chuckled.
Upon hearing his words, Larxene pulled her hand back like it had been burned. She hadn't been aware she'd been clutching onto him still.
"I didn't say I minded, did I?" Marluxia smirked at her.
Larxene swore her face was so hot, her skin would melt off. This guy that she'd only just met was hardcore flirting with her – and she was enjoying it. Even when she had been with Axel, she didn't get that much attention. But then something struck her.
"I… I, um, just realized something," she started. "I don't know how old you are now…"
"I just turned twenty three back in January. May I ask why you wanted to know?"
"Because I'm still seventeen. I'll be eighteen in July."
After a beat of silence, the pink haired man replied, "Does this mean you're interested?" He held his breath.
"I'm…curious to see where this could go."
"Oh, good," he breathed a sigh of relief. "I was afraid I was being too forward, but… There's something about you that I just feel this pull towards. I can't explain it. But the moment I saw you, I had to know you."
~o~
Larxene grew closer to Marluxia day by day, and she learned something new about him at every opportunity. He joined the therapist in the group counseling sessions, where Cali-surfer-pirate-dude admitted that he'd been put in this place by his boss to keep from losing his job. He was a stoner with hardened habits. Larxene shared her story with the group, leaving out the part about starting a relationship with Marluxia. She made tremendous progress in dealing with everything during all her therapy sessions, and soon enough, the clinic got in contact with Larxene's high school to send her the assignments she needed to make up so that she could still graduate in May.
Marluxia helped her with catching back up to her peers, and before they knew it, it was May and Larxene was all caught up on her missed assignments and projects and would be walking across the stage at the college in town (where Axel attended classes) to get her diploma. She made a point not to talk to any of her classmates – they would only try to start drama with her. Her parents, Luxord, and Marluxia – who was sitting in a separate area – had all come to see the ceremony and cheer her on when they called her name. The school's band played Pomp and Circumstance while the graduates walked in to the large gymnasium; the high school's was too small for the ceremony and this way, they could seat the graduates away from their families for an event that needed order. Once everyone was finally in the large room, the families rose from their seats, as did the staff sitting on the stage. Despite the fact that everyone in the room was an adult (except for some family members), they still did the Pledge of Allegiance.
Once most of the formalities were over, the head principal walked up to the microphone, announcing how proud he was of every student that had made it this far. He made some speech that Larxene pretended to listen to about their futures and how they each had a bright one ahead of them. Then the head of administration got up and made another, similar speech. To Larxene it was all just a bunch of bullshit that was recycled every year. They were probably just glad to get the kids out of the damn school. Or maybe that was Larxene's more cynical side speaking. Either way, it was a long and boring ceremony. A few of the teachers that were sitting on the stage got up to speak a few words to their former students before the choir got up to sing a song about the future and lifting wings or some shit like that.
Then the valedictorian got up to the stage and made a speech about how they survived the most hectic four years of their lives thus far. He made a lot of jokes about the big events that had happened, commented on the few events worth being sad about (a few students died in a car accident early on in the year), and gave a final inspiring statement about how the students should live out their lives to the best extent possible. Then it was time for each student in academic clubs to stand and receive applause for the strides they took. Then, finally, it was time for the students to walk across the stage. One by one, in alphabetical order they went as their names were called. Thankfully, Larxene was at the beginning and didn't have to wait long before her name was called.
"…Aqua Amaya," the head principal called. The girl in front of Larxene sashayed up the ramp and across the stage, stopping in the middle to shake hands with the officials of the school. At the other end of the stage, she received the long-awaited document that controlled her future. "Larxene Audra." She heard a few gasps of surprise from the families watching; apparently they didn't know she was graduating with the rest of the class. She then heard her family whooping and hollering – making total fools of themselves – for her. When she looked up into the crowd, she looked past her family and to the row where Marluxia was sitting. He winked at her and she smiled back up at him, grateful in every way that she was at this point all because of him. Had she not met him, there would have been zero chance of her graduating on time. She simply couldn't have done all the work alone.
She smiled at the officials before her, shaking their hands as the girl before her had done. At the other side of the stage another nameless face gave her the diploma she'd worked her ass off for. She followed the students who had already walked back to the row at which they were seated, finding hers with ease. Now the rest of the class had to walk like she had. All five hundred and seventy five of them. Larxene closed her eyes, deciding to get a little rest in before she went out to celebrate with her family and Marluxia. She still needed to introduce them, if she thought about it. She'd talked to her parents about him when they called, but they hadn't been able to visit her before she graduated high school, so they hadn't had the chance to meet in person before today.
The names being called never seemed to end, and most everyone seemed to be getting bored, until at last the final name had been called. "Xion Zillah." As the students returned to their seats once more, the crowds around them began cheering wildly. The valedictorian rose to the stage again saying that it was time to move the tassels on their hats. That officially marked the end of their high school careers. With yells emitting from the graduates, most of the hats were tossed into the air, only to come back down all at once, so finding your own hat again was likely to be impossible. The students were instructed to leave the gymnasium and go back to the room next door, where they'd come from at the start. Families started abandoning the bleachers they'd been seated at to find their child and take them out to celebrate.
Larxene waited by the door, eager to leave. It was noisy and hot in this room, with people laughing, yelling, and getting all the immaturity out of their veins while they could. Others stood in corners, gaggling girls crying over how they wouldn't be able to see each other after they left this place, the musclemen of the sports teams looking dejected because they had to split up and go their separate ways to take advantage of the scholarships they'd been offered at various universities around the country. She watched with disdain, her former friends glancing her way, talking amongst themselves, and then laughing. The blonde glared daggers at the group; she knew they were gossiping about her, no doubt about why she was pulled from school in the middle of the semester. Her parents told the school the real reason, but if anyone asked, there was a family crisis.
"Larxene!" her name was shouted from the adjoining hallway. She turned to see a smiling Marluxia walking towards her. Apparently he'd navigated the crowds better than her family.
"Marly!" She ran to him and gave him a hug. "Thank you, so much, for all the help you gave me. There's no way I could have done this without you. It's kind of impossible to explain how grateful I am for everything," she said as her eyes welled up with tears of happiness. She gave Marluxia her most genuine smile and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "No thanks necessary, Dollface. I'm happy to help you. Not only because that's what I do for a living, but I genuinely want to see you succeed. And I know you can do it. You're a very strong person, Larxene, very persistent and so deserving of a great future. You already had the necessary steps to do this; I just gave you the push you needed to get over the bump in the road—" Larxene cut him off with a quick kiss, just a light peck of lips on lips. The surprise on Marluxia's face disappeared as quickly as it had come while the blonde laughed and shared a grin on her pixie-like face. Looking over Marluxia's shoulder, she spied her family coming towards them, finally out of the gymnasium.
"So, not to freak you out or anything, but you're about to meet my family. Best behavior!" she let go of him and put a little bit of space between them. She walked a little bit in front of him to speak with her family before introductions were made. Luxord came up to her first, giving her a heartfelt congratulations and his customary, brotherly one-armed hug. "I could not be more proud to call you my sister, Larxene. I'm so happy for you," he smiled down at her affectionately.
"Thanks, Lux. That means a lot."
Before she could say much else, she was interrupted with a cry of, "My baby's all grown up now!" Her mother joined the two in tears, obviously overwhelmed by the situation and being very motherly. Her father wasn't far behind and squeezed her gently in his bear-like arms. "Congratulations, sweetie. You've come a long way from where you were."
"We're so proud of you, Larxene. Not even two months ago, we were scared your life was going to stay on the wrong path, and now look at where you are. Graduated from high school after missing a month and completely caught up, maintaining being clean… I'm so proud of you, baby," her mother was on the verge of hysterics when a casual 'ahem' was thrown into the conversation. Larxene stepped back from the family moment and just off to the side to make room for Marluxia.
"Mom, dad, Luxord, I'd like you to meet my peer counselor, my tutor, my whole reason for even getting this far," she grinned at him again.
"It's nice to meet you all. My name is Marluxia Vanamo. I've heard a few stories about you from Larxene," he conversed.
"Marluxia, it's so good to finally meet you. Larxene has told us so much about you," Larxene's mother replied. "My name is Celeste. This is my husband Taranis." They shook hands respectively.
"My name's Luxord, mate. Nice to meet you," he spoke in his always-there British accent, even though he wasn't really British.
"Pleasure's all mine, Luxord. I hear you like to play poker," Marluxia said. Larxene tuned that particular conversation out to watch the twenty three year old out of the corner of her eye. She had a feeling that her brother and Marluxia would grow to be close friends.
The Audras and Marluxia headed out of the building, Larxene removing her cap and gown to reveal a flowing midnight blue tank top that faded to black at the bottom, black capris, and blue and black striped heels. Her jaw length hair fell around her face in loose curls, a halo of gold. What? She could be a girly-girl when she wanted to be. Anyone who said otherwise was an ignorant ass.
Before weaving through the parking lot to find their cars, they collaborated on where to go for dinner, giving Larxene the choice. She gave the name of her favorite seafood restaurant, Atlantica. They served more exotic dishes than other seafood places, like Caribbean crab, eel, tiger shark, and manta ray. Thankfully the wait for their party wasn't long and they were seated in a large, corner booth which sat next to the aquarium the restaurant held for the customers to look at. A thin, wiry blond waiter named Hayner came and offered to start them off with some drinks and calamari. They ordered their drinks – most of which were water – and declined the appetizer. He promised to return in a few minutes with their drinks and gave them time to look over the menu.
They took a few minutes each to look at the exotic fishes offered as meals, deciding on very different dishes so they could all try something new. Upon Hayner's return, they placed the order, with Marluxia insisting he would pay for his own food, and with that, they were left to their own devices.
"So Larxene," Celeste started, "you never did tell us what happened with Axel. We haven't seen or heard from him in a long time."
Larxene paled and shifted nervously. How could she tell her parents that Axel was the cause of her drug addiction? They'd surely kill him. Just as she was about to respond, who else but the aforementioned redhead and that blond boy from before should walk in the door. Internally, Larxene facepalmed. Outwardly, however, her hands began shaking because what if he saw her? What if they both saw her? She couldn't imagine what would happen now and the men started walking right fucking over to the area they were seated at. Shitshitshit fuck shit. Dammit! Fuck! The petite blonde put her head down on the table, hiding her face. She wasn't ready to face everything that Axel was in her life. It might appear cowardly, but she was just getting her life back in order. Confronting Axel a second time, letting him know what his cheating did to her… It wasn't something she could deal with right now.
Marluxia had been texting one of the nurses at the clinic back on Destiny Islands and had so far missed out on everything — until Larxene let her forehead smack the table. He raised a pink eyebrow and leaned down to talk to her in a hushed voice.
"Larxene, what's wrong? Do you not feel good or something?" he queried.
"No, I'm fine, but my ex… the one who caused me to start using… he just walked in the door with his boyfriend. They got seated in this section of the restaurant, so now they're only a couple of tables away," she explained, a little bit afraid of what would happen.
"Who is he? I told you I'd make the bastard pay for the heartache and bullshit he started for you," Marluxia whispered, determined to keep his word.
"Just look for the tall-ass redhead and a blond guy about my size."
'Tall-ass redhead?' Marluxia mused. 'Why does that sound like someone I know?'
He looked up, spying a table to his right with the two people who matched Larxene's descriptions. His blood boiled when he realized that the redhead was indeed who he thought. He lowered his head back down to Larxene's level, his eyes burning with anger.
"Larx. Please tell me for the sake of my sanity and everyone's safety that you did not mean that Axel is your ex-boyfriend."
Her eyes widened when he spoke the name she had never mentioned to him. "How do you know Axel, Marly? I never told you his name…"
"He's my cousin, Larxene. I knew, when you were telling me what he did, that the story involving him was instantly familiar to me, but I couldn't remember where I'd heard it before. Now it all makes sense. If you'll excuse me for a minute, I simply must have a chat with him."
Before she could stop him, Marluxia had gotten up from his seat – he really must use the bathroom – walking over to the table where the two men sat.
~o~
Roxas lifted his eyes from his lap in time to see a pink haired man walking towards his and Axel's table. "Uh, Axel?"
"Yea, Rox?" he replied, fiddling with something on his phone.
"You might want to look up in about ten seconds."
The redhead unglued his eyes from the device in his hands, a cherry red eyebrow arched in question. His date nodded his head in the direction of the quickly approaching stranger.
"Marluxia? What are you doing here?" Axel stood up and greeted him.
The older man responded, "You, me, bathroom for a chat. Now." He walked swiftly past the two younger men to walk to the restroom, Axel curiously following with apologies to Roxas and a promise of, "I'll be right back. I have no idea what he wants."
The blond was utterly flabbergasted at the quick exchange but remained in his seat. Axel was going to have to explain a few things when he got back.
~o~
The door closed behind the two men with a soft thud in its frame. Marluxia looked quickly to make sure they were alone before locking said door, so as not to be interrupted.
"So, Marly, you gonna explain why you felt the nerve to disturb my—" Marluxia hauled off and punched Axel's face as hard as he could before the redhead could finish his sentence. "Ow, son of a bitch! What the fuck was that for?" A bruise was quickly forming on Axel's cheek.
"That, you idiot, was for what you did to Larxene." His expression was stony as his eyes glared poison at Axel. "And this," he punctuated his statement with another quick punch, "is from me." His redheaded cousin was going to be a myriad of colors at this rate.
"Damn it, Marluxia would you stop punching me! Fuck!" Axel shouted at him. "For the love of God, please explain what the fuck you're talking about."
"You don't know, do you?" Marluxia glared even more.
"Know what? What the hell am I supposed to know right now?"
"Larxene. You cheated on her. You broke her fucking heart, you dickwad. Or did you happen to forget that?"
"No, I didn't forget. If it hadn't been for the fact that she slapped me and refused to let me speak when she found out, I would have apologized then and there. And if it weren't for the fact that she threatened to beat my ass, and you know she could do it, I would have done it after she cooled down. But what the hell happened after that? How did you meet her?" Axel asked in an accusatory tone.
"You really don't know." It was more of a statement than a question this time. "She started using drugs, Axel. Ecstasy. So she could feel 'happy' again," Marluxia put air-quotes around the word. "When her parents finally found out, they put her in rehab. At Destiny fucking Islands. She was there for almost a month before I came back to do more lectures and such. I've been working with her since then to help her get back on track with school, and she said that thanks to my help, she was able to graduate. Which is why we came here. Because that's a big fucking accomplishment for someone who's not even at the damn school to achieve."
As Marluxia explained their knowing each other, Axel slowly became slack-jawed. He'd been fairly close to Larxene's parents and they never told him. He never thought his actions would hurt her that badly. She'd always been closed off to protect herself… How could he have done what he did? Axel was feeling more and more like the scum of the earth. He'd had no idea.
"Did you know that she had nightmares when she was detoxing, Axel? She told me about them. She told me about how she had to start leaving a light on when she tried to sleep because if she didn't, these creatures – these shadows – would come after her, baring their teeth and ready to eat her heart out. All she could ever see of them were their hideously yellow eyes." Axel looked to the ground in shame and self-loathing. "And you were the one who caused that. I hope to whatever god you believe in that you're aware of how deeply your actions cut. If she ever forgives you, you don't deserve it." With that, Marluxia unlocked the bathroom door and left, his words leaving Axel in a daze and a quickly swelling face.
Axel put a hand up to his cheek, staring blankly at the wall as he contemplated what his cousin said. He wasn't really aware of the bruises marring his face as he left the bathroom and went back to Roxas in a much more depressed mood than he'd previously been in.
~o~
When Marluxia returned from the bathroom – he felt much better – he put on his poker face. He distracted Celeste and Taranis and Luxord from questioning Larxene by asking his own questions of them. By the time their food came and they had finally eaten, they'd completely forgotten about Axel.
"Larxene," her father started, "have you thought about what you're going to do for college?"
"Uh, I actually…" she trailed off, not really knowing what to say. The truth was that she had never planned to go to college, even before she'd started using.
Marluxia interjected, "I was considering signing her on with my lecturing tours, if that's okay. I feel like Larxene's story could impact a lot of people dealing with those kinds of emotions and that she could genuinely help them. I won't if you're against it, but if you'd allow her to join me, I'd be eternally grateful."
Luxord looked to his parents. "I think you should let her go with him. Who's to say that after Marluxia leaves Destiny Islands that Larxene won't start back up again? No offense, Larxene, but I've seen it happen a lot. Users connect with someone who helps them stop and when that person leaves, they relapse. If she stayed with him, he could make sure she stayed clean and they could help more people. But that's just my opinion."
Celeste spoke up, "Marluxia, I think that's a wonderful idea. I'm sure that would be the best thing for Larxene, right honey?" she glanced at her daughter.
"I… Yea. I'm glad you're okay with it. Marly, I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me." The blonde wrapped an arm around him as best she could seated beside him and he lifted his arm to rest on her shoulders.
Dinner at Atlantica for the Audras and Marluxia finished on a high note, with Larxene and Marluxia leaving together to drive back to Destiny Islands.
~o~
The last week of May came and went without much excitement. Marluxia introduced his idea to the staff at the clinic for Larxene to join him. They all agreed that it was an excellent idea because she showed promise. She was on the verge of finishing her counseling and rehabilitation at the clinic and could then be released. June brought with it the heat and humidity of summer and melted slowly into July. Many of the patients at the clinic who were far enough along in their therapy were allowed privileges and most would swim in the ocean just outside the clinic. It helped to cool them off immensely in the intense heat.
On the thirteenth day of the month, Larxene received a phone call from her parents, wishing her a happy eighteenth birthday. Sadly, she hadn't seen Marluxia all day. She'd been kept busy in her therapy sessions and stopped by everyone because it was her birthday. He finally met up with her at about three in the afternoon, wanting to know if they could go for a swim. She agreed and joined him in the shallow water of the ocean. They swam out a little ways, occasionally splashing each other, seeing who could hold their breath the longest, and racing each other to different places. Marluxia dove under the water and emerged directly below Larxene so that she was sitting on his shoulders. Surprised, she let out a yelp and promptly fell. After all the shenanigans were done, they lazed about in the water, lying on their backs and floating under the sun. A few seagulls from the other side of the island flew overhead, their calls muffled by the water.
Marluxia reached out and grabbed Larxene's hand, twining their fingers together. His legs sinking back down slowly, he gently pulled the blonde girl to his chest. She was startled from her floating state and her legs sank fast below her. She wrapped her arms around Marluxia's neck out of instinct and found his face rather close to hers. Her face – already red from the sun exposure – flushed and she looked away from his captivating azure gaze. His arms held her close to him in the water. She looked back up and he captured her soft lips in a brief kiss. Her eyes slipped close as she allowed herself to get lost in the lip lock. Marluxia ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and she gasped in surprise. His mouth curved into a smirk against Larxene's as he took his opportunity to deepen the kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth, exploring, tasting, memorizing. Not one to be won over easily, she pushed back to return the favor. Their legs tangled below the water in an attempt to get closer to each other. They stayed embraced for a few minutes until a light breeze hit Larxene's slowly drying skin, causing her to shiver.
Marluxia pulled back just a little bit and chuckled, pecking Larxene's lips again. "We should go inside, Larx. Get dried off, maybe eat something. Hmm?"
Larxene grinned up at him, "Yea, we probably should. Carry me inside?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.
Snorting in amusement, Marluxia shifted so that Larxene was holding onto him from the back so that he could swim to shore again. He set a slow pace to elongate the feeling of the petite blonde relaxed and pressed close to him on his back. She kissed his neck and said quietly, "Marly?"
He hummed in response. "Thank you," she said, "for making today one of the best birthdays I've had." He stopped swimming for a moment so he could properly speak to her.
"You don't have to thank me, Larx. It's why I'm here. Why I'm with you. Because I want to make you happy. And besides, who says today's done?" With that, he set back towards the shoreline, ever so slowly.
When he finally reached the point where he could walk, he hitched Larxene's legs up higher and piggy-backed her to their abandoned seats on the beach. She slid down off his back to grab her towel, wrapping it tightly around her. She wrung out her hair as best she could, watching Marluxia do the same. They packed up their few belongings and went back inside to an immediate blast of the air conditioning. Larxene huddled as close as she could to Marluxia, getting goose-bumps from the constant air flow. Picking up on the hint, he lifted an arm around her shoulders, keeping her next to him as they walked through the halls, headed back to their respective rooms. At a split in the hallway – one leading towards patient rooms; the other towards guest rooms – they had to separate.
"I'll see you again in a little bit. I think I'm gonna take a shower, wash the salt off of me, and then we can get some dinner. Sound good to you?" Marluxia stepped back, putting a very minute amount of space between them.
"Yea sounds great. And actually, I think I'm gonna do the same. See you in an hour?"
"Sure thing Dollface. See you then." He kissed her forehead and turned down his hallway, leaving Larxene to wander down the hall much like a school girl with a crush.
~o~
Returning to her room, Larxene stripped off her bathing suit and put it in her dirty clothes hamper for the cleaning staff later. Quickly brushing the knots out of her hair, she grabbed a clean pair of underwear from the small dresser in the corner, as well as a clean towel. She turned the water on, waiting for it to heat up before finally stepping in, closing the curtain behind her.
Once Marluxia heard the shower curtain close, he quietly stepped in Larxene's room. He wanted to make this day special for Larxene, and he'd hid part of his present for her in his room, since patients weren't allowed to visit the guest rooms. On her bed, he left a large box. In this box there was a pair of black satin pumps and a sundress with an angelfish design as its theme. It was lightweight, a little bit flowy, and completely perfect for the blonde. Marluxia had taped a note on top of the box, explaining its presence before leaving the room as quickly and quietly as he came.
Larxene rinsed the shampoo from her hair and lathered up with her pineapple and orange scented shower gel, feeling the grime and buildup from the sea just wash away. The gel exfoliated the blonde's skin, leaving it soft and smooth. Rinsing the suds off under the stream of water, Larxene ended her shower, grabbing her towel from the hook on the wall and mostly drying off before stepping out of the shower. She wrapped the fluffy towel around her body, tucking one corner into the rest of the material to keep it up while she fixed her hair. She opted for the quick and easy way of styling, grabbing some root lifter and spritzing her hair before scrunching it loosely with some mousse. She gave her hair a once-over with the blow dryer, just to speed up the process and set about putting on a little makeup.
Using just a little bit of primer to cover the slight redness from earlier, she covered her face in a light layer of foundation, blending it to completely erase the minor sunburn. After that, she dusted the apples of her cheeks with a faint blush, put on a bronze colored eye shadow and a thin line of black eye liner. She didn't bother with mascara – who wants to put bat feces on their eyelashes? – or with any gloss, settling for a tinted lip balm. She pulled on the underwear she'd grabbed from her dresser and removed the towel once she left the bathroom. That's when she noticed the box sitting on her bed.
Larxene eyed the box quizzically, wondering how it got there. Then she observed the note taped to the top.
Larxene, I wanted to get you something special to wear for dinner on your birthday, so I hope this dress looks as great as I think it will.
Once you're done getting ready, meet me in the garden.
~Marluxia
P.S. There's a pair of shoes to go with the dress; if they're uncomfortable, you don't have to wear them. See you soon.
Curious, Larxene lifted the lid to the box, seeing several layers of tissue paper covering her new dress. Moving it out of the way and lightly grasping the top of the dress, she lifted it out of the cardboard. It was a halter, with the bodice of it following the pattern of an angelfish. From the top right, a thick black stripe – almost the width of the front – ran diagonally to the left side of the bodice, with two pale yellow stripes on either side, where the skirt attached. The skirt itself was a series of slightly sheer panels of fabric cut at different lengths and stitched together to form a flowing train that ended in the back slightly below the knees, the front stopping at mid-thigh. It was white, yellow, and black, with the layers of fabric in the skirt a pale, buttery yellow fading to white at the edges.
Larxene stepped into the dress, pulling it up slowly, so as not to rip any seams. It fit her snugly, as though made especially for her body. She tied the halter straps behind her neck and looked back in the box for her shoes. The shoes were made of a soft, black satin, sporting a five inch heel with a one inch platform on the front. The back of the shoes held thick satin ribbon, meant to be tied around the legs like a ballet slipper. Once she had her outfit on, she glanced in her bathroom mirror to see it all together. The dress defined her subtle curves, cinched at the waist to point out her hourglass figure, and the skirt complemented her long legs, further accentuated by the heels Marluxia had supplied. Something was still missing though, and she pinned a small section of her hair back with a black lace flower hairpin. A pair of small pearl earrings completed the ensemble; giving Larxene an air of maturity and making her look older than her eighteen years. Smiling in appreciation – and feeling the butterflies stir in her stomach – she set off towards Marluxia's garden.
~o~
The twenty-three year old waited in the clinic's garden, checking off everything he'd prepared for tonight. He was fidgeting with his clothes, making sure there were no wrinkles in his slacks or shirt, messing with his hair to make it lay just right, adjusting the tablecloth so that it was the same length on all sides. He was just a tad nervous. His outfit matched Larxene's, with a butter yellow button up shirt and white silk tie, paired with lightweight black slacks and black dress shoes. His bubblegum pink hair had been straightened and flared out to show all the layers and sprayed meticulously into place. He wore simple cologne that smelled faintly like the breeze coming off the ocean waves. It was a light scent, so as not to compete the natural aroma of the flowers surrounding him.
A small bouquet of flowers that were handpicked sat delicately in a vase on the table, adding a splash of color to the bland white tablecloth. Marluxia was becoming anxious. What if Larxene didn't like the dress he'd picked out for her? What if she didn't show up?
He almost started pacing by the time he heard the soft click of heels on the concrete leading to the elegant setting. When Marluxia looked up, he was breathless. The dress he'd gotten fit Larxene like a glove, hugging her in all the right places. It gave a small peak of her body, leaving the rest to the imagination. The shoes he'd found really flowed well with the dress, the ribbon ties for the legs accentuating how well toned Larxene was. Her hair was artfully scrunched, giving the appearance of beach hair, with a small, black lace flower holding a section back. The eye shadow she wore complemented her bright blue eyes, making them stand out even more.
The blonde smiled at her date, faintly blushing when she noticed him blatantly staring. It was cute how he planned their outfits, so they'd match. Not many guys would do that. She saw Marluxia shake his head, as if to get out of the daze he'd been put in upon her arrival. He walked slowly up to her, stopped, and bowed low. With a giggle, Larxene curtsied, amused by his antics.
"My lady," he greeted her. "How does it feel to be the most beautiful woman on the planet?"
Larxene sputtered, unsure how to answer him. "Such a gentleman, Marluxia. You don't look too bad yourself." The blush on her face was still very present as she replied.
"Why thank you, my dear. I do try." He grinned at Larxene, grateful that he'd done so well. "Do you fancy a dance before dinner, or after?"
"After, I think. If that's alright with you."
"Of course, Larxene. Today is all about you, so whatever you want is yours. Including me," he winked before offering his hand to the blonde to lead her to her seat.
"Hah!" Larxene laughed, smacking Marluxia lightly on the arm when he pulled her chair out for her. "I do believe you've just spoiled that 'perfect gentleman' image I had of you."
He chuckled, "I couldn't help it. You just look so tempting; I simply had to offer myself to you, my seductress." He could see Larxene subtly biting her lip, suddenly hyperaware of her surroundings.
Marluxia noticed how Larxene tensed up, just slightly, after his statement. Stopping disaster before it could start he commented, "Larxene. Relax. We don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"I… I know, Marly. I do. And it's not that I don't want to, because believe me, I really do… I just… I'm not ready to take that next step. I mean, even when I was with Axel, we never got farther than a heated make-out session… And I want to make you happy, Marluxia, and I don't want to disappoint—"
"Hey, what's all this talk about disappointment? I don't want you to feel obligated to do anything with me, Larxene. I know that you're thankful I've helped you, but you are not indebted to me because I helped you. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do. I'm not going to push you. I promise. If you want to go slow, then that's fine. I just wanted you to know that the option is there if you want it to be. Okay?" he spoke reassuringly.
"Okay," she let out a relieved breath.
Marluxia reached across the small table, grabbing Larxene's hand and twining their fingers. Their gazes met and Larxene smiled. "Marluxia?"
"Yes?"
"I know it's probably a little soon to be saying this, but… I'm pretty sure I love you."
The pink haired man's face lit up with surprise; he obviously was not expecting that. He didn't reply immediately, and Larxene was getting a little panicky. "Marly…? I'm not…pushing myself on you, am I? I mean, i-if you think it's too soon, I understand and wecanpretendIdidn'tsayanythingatallifyouwant—" He cut her off with a finger to her lips.
Gazing softly into her eyes, he said, "I love you too, Larx. I just… I think you just caught me way off guard with that. I wasn't sure how you felt about me – about us. But Larxene, do you remember what I said that first day we met? After you told me your story and fell asleep clutching my shirt?"
"That you were drawn to me…?" she hesitantly asked.
"Exactly. I'd never felt this urge to know someone before, and I felt like if I ignored it, I'd drive myself crazy with wonder. I think that pull towards you was me falling for you. I've loved you since that day, and every day afterwards has just been making me love you even more. It's like I was a drowning man and seeing you that first time was like my first breath of air." Marluxia explained to the best of his ability.
"That's kind of how I felt… I mean, I was hesitant in the beginning because I hadn't been broken up from Axel for very long and I know it's stupid to jump right into another relationship so soon, but now, Marly, I swear… It's like you're my new drug. You make me feel like I'm only just now starting to live; like I wasn't really alive before I met you. You know?"
"I do, indeed," he replied, chuckling, "we are such a cliché, aren't we?"
Larxene laughed heartily, "Yea, I think we are. But who the hell cares? I am in love with the most perfect man alive, he loves me back, and there's no other place in the world that I'd rather be."
At that moment, one of the clinic chefs brought out a rolling cart with their dinner on it. There was a large bowl of salad and two small cups of ranch dressing, a basket of breadsticks, and a covered dish with spaghetti and meatballs, courtesy of Tony's. The chef skillfully tossed the salad before putting some in a couple of bowls and setting them on the table with the ranch before serving the spaghetti and breadsticks on their plates. Two simple glasses of water completed the meal and the chef bowed out quietly, leaving the couple in silence.
"Oh wow, this looks so delicious," Larxene said, spreading her napkin across her lap. She watched Marluxia do the same, before picking up her fork to mix the ranch in the salad and taking a bite. Marluxia bit an end off one of his breadsticks and twirled his fork in the pasta, stabbing a meatball on the end. Just as he was about to bring his fork to his mouth, he heard a faint sound coming from the pathway that lead to the clinic. Looking up, he smiled as he saw Selphie carrying a violin, walking with Tidus. He hadn't arranged for anything else for this date, but he was grateful all the same. Larxene was still unaware of the pair coming closer. They stopped about ten feet away, staying out of sight behind one of the paopu trees.
Marluxia continued on as if he didn't know the pair was there, acting natural. Larxene kept eating, occasionally meeting Marluxia's eyes. Then she heard music coming from somewhere near her, the melody sounding slow and sweet. That's when a voice joined in. "Oh this is the night, it's a beautiful night, and we call it bella notte. Look at the skies; they have stars in their eyes… On this lovely bella notte." The voice sang out in baritone. "Side by side with your loved one; you'll find enchantment here. The night will weave its magic spell when the one you love is near," the voice sang louder, reaching a higher note. A soprano voice joined in, harmonizing, "For this is the night, and the heavens are right, on this lovely bella notte…" The violin played the verse again, the duo singing "ooh" along with it.
Larxene was speechless. She smiled, her eyes welling up with tears of utter joy. This was by far the kindest, sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. She abandoned the half-eaten meal in favor of pulling Marluxia up from his seat, wanting to take him up on his offer of a dance. A slight breeze blew, sending the smells of hibiscus, amazon lily, blue dawn, African tulip – and a plethora of other flowers – swirling around the couple lightly swaying in time with the song. Larxene smiled, wrapping her arms tighter around Marluxia's neck. In turn, Marluxia's arms held Larxene closer, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. They danced for several minutes, Marluxia twirling the blonde out and pulling her back so that he stood behind her, arms laced tightly around her waist. She looked up over her shoulder at him, conveying the immense love she had for the man in her eyes.
Marluxia thanked his lucky stars for granting him this night and for bringing Larxene to him. He was undoubtedly the luckiest man alive. When he met Larxene's gaze, he clearly saw just how much she adored him. He silently vowed to never hurt this beautiful young woman and captured her lips in a soft kiss. At that moment, the singing started again, this time with more than two voices. "Oh this is the night, it's a beautiful night, and they call it bella notte. Look at the skies; they have stars in their eyes, on this lovely bella notte…" They pulled back from each other, Larxene turning back around to face Marluxia to kiss him fully. One of her hands found itself tangling in the hair on the nape of Marluxia's neck as he cupped her cheek, compelling her to open her mouth for Marluxia, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His tongue explored her cavity slowly, stroking her muscle as he memorized her taste.
Larxene broke the kiss for air, breathing heavily. Marluxia rested his forehead against hers, out of breath as well. He pecked her lips one more time, whispering, "Happy birthday, Larxene."
Marluxia spoke softly, "Come with me. I want to show you something." With that, he linked their arms, and started walking to a place he'd never shown or told anyone else about. As they were coming up on his surprise location, he told Larxene to close her eyes.
"Marly, if I close my eyes, I'll trip wearing these shoes. I may have awesome balance, but I'll face-plant if I can't see."
"Well, if that's the case…" he trailed off, scooping her up bridal style. "Now, can you close your eyes?"
"Yes," she giggled, obeying. Even though she couldn't see, she could tell by the way Marluxia was walking that they were ascending stairs. And a fairly decent amount at that. Once he was done climbing the stairs, he set Larxene down carefully.
As Larxene opened her eyes, she saw a small island rising up out of the ocean, its only connection being a small, wooden bridge. On the island, she saw a crooked growing paopu tree, along with several palm trees. She had a perfect view of the moon sitting low in the sky, appearing as though it was going to sink into the water. She was astonished at the natural beauty of this little piece of Heaven. She'd never seen anything like it, except maybe on a postcard or in a movie. Marluxia threaded their fingers together as he led her slowly across the bridge.
"When I was allowed out of the clinic during my recovery here – when they'd figured out I wasn't going to run away to get more drugs – I decided to wander around this side of the island for some alone time. I discovered this little treasure on my first day of 'exploring,'" he explained. "I've never shown this particular place to anyone else, and as far as I know, no one else knew about it either. Whenever I needed time to think about something, or to just get away from everyone for a little while, this is where I'd go. It's so peaceful; it provided me the perfect escape. So now, every time I visit Destiny Islands, I make it a point to come here at least once before I have to leave again."
"How many times have you been here on this visit?" Larxene asked.
"This is the first time. After I met you, I really didn't have any reason to come out here… At least, not until now. But I'm so glad I got to share it with you."
"And… when do you have to leave?"
Marluxia had been expecting that question after his explanation. "As soon as I can. I've already doubled the time here that I normally spend, because I couldn't stand to leave knowing you were still here. I still have to speak and help out at other clinics. I've had them all take me off their schedules for anything until I could leave."
Larxene's face fell. She knew that she'd be going with him, but probably not this soon. Marluxia quickly caught onto her train of thought.
"Larxene. You do remember that you're going with me, right?"
"I… Yea. But, don't I still have to finish my treatment? I still have about a month here…"
"Not if I have anything to say about it. As far as I'm concerned, your treatment is continuous as long as you're with me. So by going with me, you are finishing treatment, and you're ensured to stay away from all drugs. Trust me on this. The staff here will tell you pretty much the same thing. I just… I didn't want to mention that until today, because I wanted to give you that surprise birthday date and make it one that you'd remember. I wanted it to be as special as possible, in a place that you were at least familiar with. And besides that, as soon as I started organizing everything, I knew I wanted to bring you to this secret place of mine…"
Larxene hugged him fiercely after that admission, feeling his arms snake around her waist as well. "Oh, and before I forget, there's one last thing I want to share with you," he continued, eyes staring deep into her own. He removed his arms from the blonde's body, turned towards the crooked paopu tree, and hoisted himself up. Once he was situated, he patted the spot next to him. "Come on, Larx. Join me up here."
She untied the ribbons from her ankles and stepped out of her shoes onto the ground. How best to get up there?
"Just do what I did. Use your arms and push. I'll help you," Marluxia smiled. She set her hands on the trunk of the odd tree and gave a quick jump, relying on her arms to pull herself up. She got half-way on the trunk by herself, lying on it on her stomach. She felt Marluxia's hands steady her so she could turn and sit herself up properly. Once she was finally situated, she smiled at the twenty-three year old, a light blush staining her skin. Marluxia chuckled, "You're so cute." He kissed the top of her head and her cheeks flushed darker. Before she could process the statement further, she was shaken from her reverie – literally. The tree was moving lightly, swaying with Marluxia's movements.
"Marly! Be careful!"
He was reaching for the single paopu fruit growing on the tree. With one last reach, he extended his arms and grabbed the fruit, pulling it from the small branch. When he turned back around, Marluxia was met with a quizzical glance from Larxene. He smiled softly at her, adding a wink.
"Have you ever heard the legend of the paopu fruit, Larxene?" he asked her. She shook her head from side to side. "Well, they say that should two people ever share a paopu, then those two will forever have their destinies entwined with each other's. Meaning that whatever happens in life, no matter how far apart those two may end up, they will always find their way back to the other." Larxene's mouth dropped slightly in an 'o' shape. He may as well be proposing to her. "What do you say, Dollface? Will you share it with me?"
She nodded, unable to form words. Marluxia grinned and broke one of the arms of the star-shaped fruit off. He bit one end to hold in his teeth, leaving the rest sticking out for Larxene to bite. She giggled, leaning in and biting through the fruit. Her lips pressed lightly against Marluxia's before they pulled back to chew. To Larxene, the taste of a paopu fruit was entirely unique. It was slightly citrus-y – like a grapefruit – but still sweet – like a pineapple. It was definitely the best fruit she'd ever tasted.
She felt a small trail of the juice dribble down her chin and she let out a small, "eep." Marluxia quirked an eyebrow at her before spotting the droplet. He put his hand to the side of her face and scooted a little closer. Just as the drop of juice was about to fall from Larxene's chin, he flicked the tip of his tongue out and licked it up. Following the trail to her pink lips, he kissed her once more.
And so they stayed that evening, listening to calming lull of the ocean's waves, gazing at the moon and stars, and enjoying the fact that they would now be in each other's lives forever. In that moment Larxene realized that having her heart broken was the best thing that could have ever happened to her. But in the end, she hadn't meant to fall in love; it was just a very lucky bonus.
A/N: Okay, I know this is full of clichés and such, but I couldn't help it. xD This oneshot wrote itself. As for why it took so long, well, I'm taking summer classes at my college as well as working as often as I can, and I had to put writing a little farther down on my priority list than I wanted to. But I got done, and that's what counts! Also, quick mention for the names!
Audra is a Lithuanian name meaning 'storm.' Larxene's parents names are just a play on words. Celeste means 'heavenly' and Taranis is Celtic for 'thunder.' So you have Heavenly Storm and Thunder Storm. xD I thought it was pretty clever.
Vanamo is Finnish, meaning 'twin flower.' I wanted to have a flower name for Marly, without directly using a flower's name. So I found one closer.
Amaya is Japanese name that means 'night rain.' Quite fitting for Aqua, with her first name meaning water.
And lastly, Zillah is Hebrew and means 'shadow.' I wanted something closer to 'copy' or 'doppleganger' but I couldn't find anything fitting. So I figure shadow works out just the same.
As for Larxene's birthday dress, I received permission from someone on deviantart to use their picture as inspiration for her dress. The link is flurryfox . deviantart (dot com) / gallery / 31415568 ? offset = 24 # / d42fqpy minus the spaces of course. Give flurryfox thanks for that, if you would. (:
I also want to thank my dear friends TheAnnoyingVoice and DXM Junkie (aka my fiancée xD) for giving me inspiration and feedback when I most needed it. These ladies are quite close to my heart, and I very much appreciate their opinions and honesty. As well as being awesome readers of my stories, they're also deeply good friends that I wouldn't trade for the world. So thank you, my dears, for helping me out when I needed it.
AND ONE LAST THING I SWEAR: My birthday is coming up on Saturday. As of then, I will no longer be a teenager. So if you want to leave me a review as a present, I'd very much appreciate it! Thank you so much, everyone, for being so patient with me. I'm sure you guys all understand that sometimes, life gets in the way.