Author's comments: Well, this is my first fic. I decided to make it a oneshot, just for practise. I hope you like it!
Summary: In the twilight, Marluxia thinks he is all alone in Castle Oblivion and fear comes upon him. Vexen is still there though, can he get rid of the darkness that tortures the Graceful Assassin?
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters.
Only in this light
The dim light in the the room made the walls look slightly gray. It was strangely silent, only the faint sound of a pen writing on paper could be heard. For the one writing, it was a deafening sound.
Marluxia looked up from his paperwork and listened intensely, but, now having stopped writing, he didn't hear a single thing. The pink haired man wondered if maybe everyone had left the castle. He felt a shiver run down his spine and then concluded that it was a frightening thought. The moment he put his pen down and stood up, a black portal opened before him.
The first thought crossing Marluxia's mind was relief; at least he wasn't alone. However, his good mood melted away when he saw the stoïc expression of the Chilly Academic appear before him.
'Number XI,' the blond began, but Marluxia made the blond stop talking with a gesture of his hand and sat back in his seat, looking away. Vexen was most surprised at the Assassin's behavior; if there was one thing Marluxia didn't do, it was looking away. He actually looked defeated and sad, though nothing special had happened to him.
'Nothing had happened, right?' Found Vexen himself thinking.
Marluxia's thoughts were racing. He had felt so happy, just not being alone anymore. However, Vexen would most likely not stay for more than a few minutes, and most certainly not any longer than needed for him. Marluxia didn't want to be alone anymore though. He didn't even notice that he grasped his bureau at the thought of being left again. Pure, cold fear took hold of him, and he knew, he had to act now, or Vexen would leave immediately. Pale as death, he looked at the Academic, swallowed, and said in a tiny voice, 'I'm sorry. Please continue.'
Said man did not continue though. He just stared at Marluxia, calculations and speculations going through his head. Narrowing his eyes he looked intently at the pink haired man in front of him. Because Vexen didn't know how to bring it tactfully, he said bluntly, 'And what in the world happened to you, number XI?' Because the Assassin stayed silent, Vexen decided to ignore flower boy's strange behavior and continue his report. After all, the faster this was over, the faster he could leave. He wouldn't feel safe again unless he was in the lab, where an experiment or two still waited for him to come back. He wouldn't let them wait.
Marluxia listened patiently to Vexen's report, despite the fact he didn't get what the Academic said at all, or just didn't even try to really get what he was saying. Something about the replica.. well, it didn't matter, as long as he wouldn't leave. Then, Marluxia was rudely awakened from his train of thoughts as the blond turned and said 'That is all, number XI. I shall now take my leave.'
All of the alarm bells in Marluxia's head went off at once. Pictures of dark, lonely rooms and deafening silence ran through his mind. Before he knew what he had done, Marluxia found himself standing close to Vexen, his chest pressed against the blond's back and his arms firmly wrapped around him. He could not, would not, make the sound, his plea for Vexen to stay, but wished Vexen would notice. Vexen was, after all, a scientist. Shouldn't he be able to put two and two together and figure out that it was crippling fear torturing the Graceful Assassin?
Vexen slowly looked over his shoulder, the surprise written on his face. His eyes met bright blue ones, holding in the tears that threatened to fall. As he saw the neophyte like this, begging for him to do something, what exactly he wasn't sure of, he could only feel confused. The pink haired man, who had always been such an arrogant bastard and who just did what he wanted, treating everyone as his subordinate, actually had something he didn't dare to speak of. Vexen didn't know what to think of it.
Just as Vexen opened his mouth to say something, he was interrupted for the second time. The Graceful Assassin sobbed, his shoulders shaking and burying his face in the blond's cloak. Marluxia tried to say something, but couldn't because of his crying, the only sounds he could make were muffled whispers and sobs. He clamped onto Vexen, refusing to let go.
'Honestly, number XI, what are you thinking?' Vexen almost shouted out as he tried to struggle himself free from the other's grasp. He felt uncomfortable, he felt uneasy about this whole situation; the leader of Castle Oblivion wasn't supposed so be upset, let alone crying like this for no reason. Vexen saw, quite literally, only one way out. He finally managed to throw off the other's arms and open a portal, hurrying towards it. He heard Marluxia hit the floor with a loud thump, though did not see more. Vexen fled through the portal, back to the safe lab.
Marluxia let his head rest on the cold floor. His shoulders were still shaking, the tears now silently running down his cheeks. He felt that fear capturing him again, slowly driving him insane. Because of the silence pounding in his ears, he covered them with his hands and pressed his eyes shut. He couldn't stand this loneliness anymore, but didn't dare to go after Vexen either. Maybe if he closed off his mind, that fear would weaken..
Vexen leaned his back against the wall of the lab, panting like a madman and only asking himself one thing; what in the world just happened?
Sure, number XI had been afraid of something, but Vexen just couldn't figure out what had been bothering him. He didn't understand either why the Assassin had been so upset and touchy all of a sudden, and thus decided to think it over for a while. He settled himself behind his desk and began taking some notes. Though there wasn't much, he believed this might help him figure this out.
Marluxia hadn't moved an inch since Vexen left. He still sat there, trembling, hugging his knees, eyes firmly shut. Softly whispering to himself, the pink haired man tried to drive the silence away. But every time he stopped speaking, it seemed even worse than before.
Vexen still sat at his desk, tapping his pen on the surface. His conscience started to infect him, and more and more he got the idea he should go check on Marluxia. Then again, it wasn't like number XI couldn't take care of himself.
But he was upset!
We're nobodies, we don't feel things like sadness or fear.
We do have the memories of it though..
Vexen couldn't stand it. If this kept up, he wouldn't be able to work anyway. Again he opened up a portal and teleported up.
When Vexen arrived, Marluxia was still on the floor, hugging his knees, slowly rocking back and forth. He didn't seem to notice Vexen, but was mumbling to himself. Vexen figured it would be about flowers. He approached the neophyte and captured his chin, forcing him to look up to him. It was then that the blond noticed how pale the other was, that he was breathing heavily, with red-rimmed eyes from crying.
'Don't leave me', mouthed the pink haired Assassin, it was barely a whisper, 'it's so dark..'
It struck Vexen like lightning. Marluxia feared loneliness. The dim light showed the rings below the pink haired man's eyes, his fearful expression, the whole room breathed fear. Vexen stood up to light an extra candle, then came back to Marluxia. He put him arm around the other, gently stroking his back.
'It's alright now, Marluxia,' he said softly, 'I've come to bring you light.'
I hope you enjoyed, and please review! It means a lot to me :)