Alright, you made it to the next installment! Read on, voyagers. Read on.
14. Axel and Roxas: "Head over heels"
Roxas examined a fingernail, eyes half-lidded in boredom.
"Y'know the term 'head over heels in love'?" he asked. The redhead answered with only a soft noise. "If they say you fall head over heels, that means you're falling, right? Falling headfirst. And if they just say you're head over heels, I mean…your head's always over your heels, isn't it? Why would—" Axel suddenly cut off his musings.
"That's nice, Roxas," he spat, head rushing with blood. "Now can you please untie my shoes from the balcony?"
15. Marluxia and Saïx: "mail"
Marluxia knocked nervously on the door. He usually avoided Saïx as much as possible. But today Saïx had been sent a message, and Marluxia was put in charge of delivering it. Since when did having free time make one a target for small jobs?
Saïx opened the door eventually, flicking strands of blue from his eyes. "Yes?"
"You've got mail," Marluxia replied blandly.
"Whaaaaaaat!" Saïx screamed. His fingers wrapped around Marluxia's neck, slamming him this way and that, berserking.
Marluxia, not a pushover himself, managed to pry Saïx's fingers off him. Gasping, he asked, "What the hell was that for! All I said was that you've got mail!"
Something dawned on Saïx's face. "Ooh. I thought you said I failed. I just sent in one of those dating tests, you know."
(lame)
16. Demyx and Xigbar: "audiotape"
Xigbar always liked waking up in Demyx's room. The air felt more personal here and less stale than the rest of the castle. And anything Demyx touched tended to be agreeable. Speaking of which, where was Demyx? Xigbar sat up and looked around. Demyx's black coat was gone from where Xigbar had thrown it last night.
The freeshooter shrugged and stretched. Demyx had probably been called awa—hey! He was alone in Demyx's room! This was the best panty raid opportunity ever!
For the next seven minutes Xigbar went through every drawer and every cupboard. He laughed at Demyx's boxers, flipped through some of his guitar magazines and notebooks of discarded songs and melodies, and sifted through Demyx's sparse closet.
There was a shoebox hidden away in here. Xigbar opened it. Cassettes were stacked up neatly. Each had Demyx's name and a date on them. The most recent was from a little more than a week ago. Xigbar looked to the side before sliding the tape into his pocket.
Later, after a trip to Vexen's for a cassette player and a shuffle back to his own room, Xigbar played the audiotape.
The sounds of the sitar began, and soon Demyx joined it, singing along. Xigbar envied IX's voice.
There was a shuffle of papers, then Demyx's voice, distorted and electronic but still his. "Um, I wrote this next one for, well, about, Xigbar." He laughed nervously. "See, the way he looks at me…really serious, but sexy, like he's undressing me with his eyes. I kinda like it. That's what this is about." Xigbar clung to every word of the next song.
He listened to the tape every moment he could after that.
17. Xemnas and Luxord: "vain"
Luxord was minding his own business, but he knew his own business was over the moment Xemnas crossed his path. All was white and silent. Luxord stared heatedly into the Superior's eyes, daring the leader to criticise him here and now, of all places.
"You should try being less vain," Xemnas pointed out.
"Me, vain?" The way the question hung pointed the blaming finger at Xemnas instead.
"You challenge me now. You challenge everyone else because you know you will always win. Do they know that your Other was a failure with a gambling addiction? Do they know he died for his addiction?" Luxord sure knew. His eyes narrowed.
"And I suppose your Other died for a better reason?"
Xemnas's face relaxed. "No, not really."
18. Xaldin and Vexen: "yawn"
Patrols were the worst, especially at night. The worlds were so dull; why would Xemnas care about them, if all that mattered was Sora?
At any rate, here they were—the scientist and the lancer, sitting idly and waiting for a flaming ice cream truck to come crashing through the clouds and put them out of their misery.
There was silence.
Vexen yawned, which caused Xaldin to yawn.
Vexen yawned again. Xaldin yawned again. The dragoon was slightly annoyed.
Vexen yawned again, again. Xaldin yawned again, again.
"Stop that," the lancer barked. Vexen apologised.
Five minutes later Vexen yawned again, again, again and Xaldin also yawned (again, again, again—you get the picture).
"I said stop that," he snapped again. Vexen apologised.
Three minutes later, Vexen yawned.
Xemnas looked warily at the disgruntled scientist, who had a few strips of duct tape over his mouth.
"Care to explain this?"
19. Marluxia and Larxene: "zero-gravity"
Their first day in Castle Oblivion, Larxene was still trying to wrap her mind around the situation. The only way she could describe the mission was "lonely and pointless."
She didn't like anyone. And I don't plan for that to change, she reminded herself as she headed to the room she was told was for training. Any vent for her anger was a welcome one.
Someone was already here. It was the one whom she knew firsthand to be haughty and feline—Marluxia.
But Larxene's distaste for him soon numbed into awe; Marluxia, once in action, was less egotistical and more beautiful. His scythe, though large, seemed effortless to wield. The way he jumped defied gravity, skidding back to the ground like petals over the sidewalk. Caught in motion he was precise and flawless, all the slow, planned motions blending to a quick, seamless attack.
This was a man worth backing, a man worth his salt.
Larxene never forgot this.
20. Xigbar and Vexen: "inconvenient"
Xigbar and Vexen constantly had inconvenient moments. It seemed they were the most unlucky members when put together. Well, it was mostly unluckiness on Vexen's part and more of clumsiness on Xigbar's.
Vexen strode into a large hall holding a delicate beaker of substance for Xemnas and Xigbar, who was goofing off with his guns, shattered the thing dead-on. Xigbar would deliver a message to the lab and break everything in his path at the fault of what he said was the poor lighting. It was really a lack of depth perception. Xigbar would even walk in on the scientist showering. The sheer number of showers in the castle made that an interesting feat.
Vexen never got too angry with Xigbar. The way he figured, there was plenty of time to fix what was broken—all the time in the world. Which is why it was surprising that, when the tables were turned and Vexen was the klutz, Xigbar became absolutely furious.
Vexen didn't understand; all he'd broken was an audiotape.
21. Roxas and Xemnas: "sedative"
"Nothingness heals. Let it in, accept it. Pain can only be numbed; it's best just to accept it an move on," a soothing voice preached.
The boy knew many things at that moment. He was wet, cold, and bruised. He ached, he couldn't open his eyes. Someone's hand caressed his face and he relaxed. The voice, the beautiful voice, went on, calming him. It was like giving someone a sedative when they were already asleep.
"I'm taking you home, Roxas."
Home? Where is home? Am I…am I Rox...as?
Strong arms lifted him like a baby. The broad chest against his sore body was warm.
Roxas muttered his first word softly.
"Home."
22. Xaldin and Axel: "ensue"
Axel brought the power of laughter to the Castle that Never Was. That is to say he was a prankster, weaving a mile-wide quilt of destruction wherever he went.
There were many places in the castle to hide after said pranks, but slowly they were all discovered until the redhead resorted to hiding with others. This didn't work out for long, predictably.
Luxord thought it'd be funny to snitch Axel out, no one trusted Demyx as it was, and Roxas threw him out after Axel tried to 'hide' in the blond's underwear drawer.
Axel was running from a furious Larxene one afternoon when he passed Xaldin, who had just opened his door.
"Xaldin, man, you gotta hide me! Larxene, she—" Before he could finish Xaldin swept him into his room and shut the door. Larxene pounded on it.
"Xaldin, where is that fuc—"
"Not here, XII. What has he done this time?"
Axel was amazed that this man would cover for him. From then on he always hid with Xaldin. The latter knew exactly what would ensue every time Axel pulled a prank. He was 100 percent correct when he guessed who would go to who, who would get the most angry, and where they would search. And he was completely positive no one would suspect him. Axel loved it that way.
23. Saïx and Roxas: "detention"
Being around Saïx was not a bad experience for Roxas. Despite Saïx's blind loyalty, two-faced habits, and violent disposition, Roxas got the impression the berserker liked him. Saïx seemed so starved for emotion that he always listened to the blond, soaking up the stories. Roxas remembered only very passive aspects of his life with Sora, but they were refreshing.
"I remember school…and how it felt like a prison. The breeze through the window, counting down minutes. And detention, for daydreaming. Do you know what detention is?" he addressed Saïx.
He chuckled. "I do. My Other was a teacher." Roxas's eyes shone.
"Really? Wow." He laughed a little. Very subdued, but extreme as far as Roxas's emotions went.
No, not really, Saïx thought. But we all lie enough anyway.
24. Lexaeus and Zexion: "lime"
"So…what're you guys doin, huh?" Axel asked, highly curious. Two of the most stoic members of Orgy XIII sat facing each other, two mutilated limes and two knives before them.
"We're having a contest," Lexaeus answered calmly.
"To see who can handle the limes longest," Zexion finished, dripping a few lime droplets onto his tongue.
"Ahh. Who's winning?"
"No one," the larger competitor answered. "No one wins until someone loses."
"That sounds wise."
Lexaeus bit into his lime slice. His eye barely twitched.
"My money's on Lexaeus!" VIII announced. Zexion pouted and said, "Just wait and see." He squeezed the slice very tightly, draining all the juice. Lexaeus of course had to top this. He took the large remaining piece of his lime and squeezed. Drops fell. Suddenly his whole face puckered, disfiguring him in .03 seconds.
"What do you have to say to that?" Zexion asked Axel smugly.
Axel had nothing to say, as at this point he'd collapsed on the ground in a fit of giggles.
25. Marluxia and Roxas: "temper"
XIII was sitting gloomily on Naught's Skyway, legs kicking rhythmically. His presence spiked the interest of Marluxia, who was passing through.
"Moody today, are we?" Roxas shot him a glare. "What is it this time?"
"It's Axel," the blond grumbled.
"Oh? What'd that deadbeat do now?"
"He can be such a jerk sometimes…" Azure eyes turned stormy. "And hey! He's not a deadbeat."
"You're mad at him but you're also defending him?" XI said, amused. Roxas growled.
"Yes, I am. Get the hell off my back!" He was in no mood for this.
"Tsk. Temper, temper. You know, it's always best to turn your anger into something productive." Marluxia stalked off.
Roxas was angry at him, to be sure, but he had a point. "Productive, huh?"
The next night, Marluxia, highly put off, wondered if telling that to Roxas was the best of ideas. He sighed and went to wash the honey from his shampoo bottle.
26. Xemnas and Demyx: "wide-eyed"
"Why are you closer to Saïx than Xigbar? I mean, Xiggy's your second in command, and Saïx isn't even one of the original six."
Xemnas glared daggers at the sitar player, who had decided to camp out in his room. "Why are you still here?"
Demyx pouted. "I asked you first." There was no winning with this kid.
"Saïx and I have a lot in common. We share a special bond."
"Oh, you mean like sex?" IX resisted laughing at Xemnas's comically round eyes.
"…No, not like sex." The Superior cleared his throat. "He's very in tune with me; we're on the same wavelength."
"…Oh, you mean like sex?" Demyx said again. Come to think of it, it was exactly like sex, but Xemnas didn't want Demyx to know that.
"Out, out of my room now!" Demyx flailed and sputtered out one last sentence before being forcibly thrown from the room.
"Twenty-six drabbles and this is how she ends it!"
-Owari-
Well, I hoped you liked all those! Again, any comments, concerns, or corrections are very welcome. Don't make me beg.
Love you all!