Disclaimer: ME no own, YOU no sue.
Yoru: I know it has been forever. The scourge known as writer's block was upon me.
Kuronue: And still kind of is.
Yoru: Shush. I shall now make this fic even more complicated by adding a new facet. Go me!
Kuronue: You're going to kill yourself.
Yoru: Bite me. By the way, there will be an epilogue.
Roxas made his way toward Xemnas' room, fists clenched until the knuckles were white. He obliviously counted the doors as he made his way to Number 1.
Nine…I doubt Demyx is there. He's probably in…Eight. Lucky bastards can be together without all of this.
As he passed Seven, the door opened.
"Thirteen? Where are you going at this hour?"
Roxas stopped and turned to see his golden-eyed superior watching him from the doorway.
"You didn't hear the screaming?" he asked quietly. Saix's eyebrows furrowed.
"I heard it, but Xemnas' playthings are none of our business."
"It's my business. That's my lover he's drawing those screams out of."
Saix's eyes widened slightly.
"Your lover?"
"Zexion," Roxas clarified, turning away. Saix stopped him from walking away with a hand on his arm.
"Come inside. Xemnas is giving Zexion a respite, and I must speak with you on this matter."
Roxas was torn. On one hand, Zexion had suffered so badly and Roxas wanted to comfort him. On the other, Saix was his superior and could possibly even help him. He nodded and went into Saix's room. The Berserker shut the door, gesturing to his desk chair. Roxas sat, and Saix faced him from his seat on the bed.
"How long has Xemnas been doing this?" Saix began.
"Too long. About a month, I think," Roxas replied, glancing at the door.
"I feared as much." Saix sighed and leaned back on his hands, "I wondered when he would take another lover."
"Another lover? Zexion's not his lover, he's his victim!" Roxas snapped. Saix held up a hand.
"To Superior Xemnas, they are one and the same. He doesn't care whether his uke is willing or not; he considers himself to be the power behind them anyway."
"How do you know this thought process?" Roxas asked, curious despite himself.
"I escaped him," Saix said simply. Roxas' eyes widened.
"How?"
"I'm not sure to this day. I told him that I wouldn't stand for it anymore, and he let me go. Perhaps that was when his eyes turned to Zexion." Saix put his head in his hands, sighing.
"I'm sorry for what Superior did to you, but I need to go to Zexion," Roxas said quietly, standing. Saix stood as well.
"I will go with you. I imagine that Xemnas is going to be a bit upset with you."
"You don't need to risk yourself," Roxas murmured, turning away and walking toward the door.
Zexion's nightmare became reality as Roxas stepped into the room. Xemnas sat up, glaring at the blonde with nothing less than pure loathing in his fiery eyes.
"Thirteen, turn around and walk out that door before I kill you."
"With all due respect, Superior, that is my lover on your bed. I don't think he belongs there," Roxas hissed, standing his ground. Xemnas stood, sliding his pants over his hips almost subconsciously.
"He is my lover, Thirteen. Mine." An aerial blade formed in one hand to illustrate his point. Roxas felt his body begin shaking, but he refused to back down.
"Let him go," he said loudly. Zexion forced himself to sit up, gasping as his agonized body complained at the movement.
"Roxas! Just go…ah!" he cried, cut off as Xemnas backhanded him hard across the face. Roxas' face contorted in rage, and his Keyblade formed in his hand.
"If you hit him again, I swear I will kill you," he snarled, stepping forward. Xemnas snorted.
"You really think you can defeat me?" He raised his hand, bringing it down toward Zexion. Roxas cried out, but Xemnas' hand stopped a hairsbreadth from the Cloaked Schemer's face. Zexion's eyes were wide with fear; his knuckles were white as he clutched the sheets on which he lay.
"Oh, my Zexion. I wouldn't want to mar your lovely face any more," Xemnas cooed, his hand sliding into Zexion's hair to run his fingers through. Zexion shuddered, crying out softly as the warm hand slid from his hair down to his back, stroking the pale skin.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Roxas shouted, throwing his Keyblade directly at Xemnas' face. The aerial blade snapped up and blocked it easily to Xemnas' great amusement.
"Roxas, cease your idiotic fighting. Zexion is mine; he agreed to be so to protect you. Why don't you be a grateful little child and run along?" he chuckled. Roxas caught the Keyblade as it came flying back to him.
"I won't leave him here with you," he hissed, raising the Keyblade again. Zexion pushed himself up again, meeting his lover's eyes.
"Roxas…please, he'll kill you…" he whispered, reaching out. Xemnas grabbed Zexion's outstretched wrist and yanked him up, wrapping his arm around the Cloaked Schemer's chest and holding him close. Zexion hung there like a rag doll, his hair hiding his shamed blush. Roxas gritted his teeth.
"Xemnas…"
"Superior, let him go." Saix's voice rang out, shocking Roxas into silence. Xemnas glared at his second-in-command, his hold on Zexion faltering briefly.
"You too, Saix?" he grumbled, his hold tightening again as his aerial blade disappeared. Roxas growled low in his throat as Xemnas' now-free hand moved up to gently stroke Zexion's cheek. The Cloaked Schemer let out a quiet whimper, trying unsuccessfully to move his face away.
"You already know it's over, Superior. Let it end." Saix stepped into the room, brushing past Roxas and moving toward Xemnas. The Superior let go of Zexion, allowing him to fall back to the bed. Zexion took the chance to crawl off the bed and to the floor, gasping in pain. Roxas dropped his Keyblade and hurried to Zexion's side, grunting with effort as he lifted the Cloaked Schemer's head to his shoulder.
"Zex…Zexion…" he whispered, tears blurring his vision as Zexion reached up and touched his face.
"Don't cry," Zexion murmured, stroking Roxas's cheek, "I'll be fine."
Xemnas stared at Saix, who had come close enough to reach out and touch.
"Saix, stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you," he growled, ignoring Zexion and Roxas completely.
"It has everything to do with me. Why did your eyes wander?" Saix snapped.
"You left me!"
"You raped me!"
"I told you that I didn't realize you didn't want it!"
"Perhaps the begging and struggling should have given you a clue!"
They glared at each other, not noticing that Zexion and Roxas were staring at them in confusion. Silence reigned for a long moment.
"…you raped Saix first?" Zexion whispered. Xemnas' eyes darted to him.
"I didn't realize that it was rape until I'd satisfied my lust. Besides, we have no feelings. His anger is false," he replied flatly, his stance relaxing slightly.
"My anger is quite real, even if it is just an echo. You forced me down and took what you wanted without asking if I wanted it first," Saix hissed.
"I did ask! You said you loved me!"
"I do! You mistook it for lust!"
"It's the same thing in bodies like this! Love is lust when hearts are not involved, Saix!"
"No, it isn't! Look at them!" Saix shouted, pointing at Zexion and Roxas.
"And look at what I did to him!" Xemnas shouted back, pointing at Zexion.
"…I think I understand." At Zexion's quiet statement, the room went silent. Xemnas turned to face him, glare softening at the look in Zexion's eyes.
"I understand why you kept claiming to love me. You…did all these things to me…because you honestly…thought that…" Zexion's voice faltered, and his eyes hardened. Xemnas looked away.
"If I could feel, Zexion…"
"You can! We can! Even an echo is enough! What will it take to make you understand?" Zexion stood with Roxas' help, allowing the blonde to hold him up. Xemnas frowned.
"Where are you going?"
"To Vexen. I require potions," Zexion muttered coldly, grabbing his pants from the floor and pulling them on with difficulty, "I believe you and Saix have much to discuss."
Xemnas opened his mouth to reply, but Saix laid a hand on his arm.
"Let it go, Xemnas," he said quietly.
"Saix, as the Superior…"
"You've done enough," Saix snapped, pulling Xemnas to the bed and forcing him to sit down. Zexion looked back as he heard arguing voices.
"They belong together," he murmured. Roxas snorted.
"They will until I go back and kill Xemnas in his sleep," he snarled vehemently.
"Roxas, leave it," Zexion said tiredly, sinking down along the wall and putting his head on his knees. Roxas was beside him again instantly, taking his hands.
"Zexion?"
"It's over…" Zexion's voice came out as a sob, "It's…finally over."
"But what if he…"
"I think he won't." Zexion looked up at Roxas, tears running down his face as he cupped his lover's face in his hands.
"Zexion…"
"He won't. Saix will make him understand. And if by some small chance he does…he'll never take me away from you again. I swear it." Zexion pulled Roxas into a sweet kiss, ending all protests for a good long while.