Well, I was inspired to write again. Sorry I kinda forgot about this everyone! I only remembered it when someone said to me the other day, "Hey, you should read this great Marluxia/Zexion fic!" I thought awesome, but then I saw that it was my fic! GAH! Seriously, I have been planning out stuff that'll blow you mind in the later chapters, I just gotta ease them in at the right moment.

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts I, II, Chain of Memories and all of it's characters and places within it are copyrighted to Square Enix and/or Disney which is not owned by me, so therefore the characters or settings belonging to them used in this fic or mentioned in here are not owned by me either. (If I did, there'd be no such thing as Xion or w/e you call her.)

Chapter Four: Your Flawless

"They underestimate me! My work! Everything I do for them to help their work strive and they treat me this way!"

You shouldn't listen to them...

"Maybe all they see me as is a tool...that's all I'm good for right? I'm just the kid no one wants to deal with!"

You're more than that...

"I thought after all these years I'd be use to it, but now...I don't know anymore...I'm probably useless after they've taken everything I can offer."

No my dear Ienzo you're much more than that...so much more...

Marluxia's thoughts wandered back to reality as his attention went towards the other Nobody in the room. He stared towards the blond who stood there with his fist clenched. He didn't really give a damn that Vexen's little outrage was about the current orders he had given the elder, his mind drifted else where for some time during most of the scientist's little rant.

"Are you quite done?" The Nobody's tone was so cold that it had taken the scientist aback, but Vexen regained his courage and spoke out again.

"Do you even know how dangerous this experiment would be? I simply cannot..."

"I think you're done talking Number IV." Marluxia cut in bluntly while turning his back towards the elder. The Assassin felt the room grow colder very quickly, but still didn't bother to face the Academic.

"Don't you dare brush me off so easily! I'm of higher rank than you! You're nothing more than a...!" Vexen was immediately cut off by a gloved hand wrapped around his throat. Even though Vexen had made the room a freezing temperature, nothing was colder now than Marluxia's glare as he tightened his hold around the other's neck.

"I said, you're done talking." Marluxia then gave a cruel smile. "Or do you want to test my patience?" After listening to the elder choke for some air, he let the tall Nobody go. He watched Vexen have a coughing fit for a while and he turned his back on him once again. "You're to conduct a full cloning experiment under my orders simple as that. You've been studying the process far more than enough by now, correct? Unless, you consider yourself a lowly scholar who's not fit for such a task. Choose whatever test subject, I expect results within at least a month." The older Nobody snarled as he hurried himself out of the room, but Marluxia stopped him before he did. "Also, I'd like you to send Number VI to me. I've heard he's been working on something involving memories..."

It was a secret garden, one that was over run by more plants than you can count, but it was a blissful place for the botanist. The smell and atmosphere was his Eden, but sometimes it was also his prison. He was the only who knew of this place and so no others were ever around, at least not anymore. He spent most of his days here in this delightfully pleasant place, but he'd only ever socialize with his own thoughts or the unresponsive blossoming flowers. He thought he had gotten use to these days of loneliness, but he still had the happy, sad, and dear memories of the days from long ago. The fulfilling days when she was still around. Sadness filled his eyes as he reached out towards a full bloomed rose. Its reddish petals felt almost similar to soft velvet to the touch as he plucked it from the bush. His sapphire gaze was lost within the folds of numerous petals as his mind wandered. Could he have saved them back then? Could he have saved her? He shook away the thought from his mind as he crushed the rose within the palm of his hand. He thought he had blocked off such memories and thoughts a long time ago, why remember now? Ever since he met him, these thoughts have been pouring back. His lips formed a warm smile when his mind wandered to the younger male.

Amaru was nearly knocked off of his feet as a sudden gust of wind sunk up on him. He let the wind carry away with crushed petals of the rose and he watched them dance to some place beyond. He then notice some pinkish white petals being carried with the drift of the wind currents. He turned to see its origin and his face lit up when he saw some of his favorite trees with numerous flowers bloomed all over it's outstretched branches.

"The apple blossoms have bloomed lovely this year."

"He's late...he's never late." Ienzo paced back and forth on meeting place grounds. His patience was very thin today and he didn't seem to be in a very delightful mood. He stopped from his pacing for a moment as he recollected thoughts from a current event that must've upset him. Remembering made him clench the sides of his head as he did so. The young man made almost a growled sound towards the sky as he fell backwards towards the ground. After a while passed by, he let out a long and frustrated sigh. The apprentice had just about enough of this rut he had dug himself into. Everyday was the same, he'd do so much work to impress those around him, but no one ever accepted it or took him seriously. Was age really that much a serious matter? He tried dealing with this continuous situation by ignoring how the others act towards him, but when they take credit for his work? That was crossing the line. Ienzo hated the idea of being used, he much rather like the idea of using others to his advantage. Maybe someday, he'll pick up that technique.

The pale eyed boy sat up as he heard the soft sound of someone walking amongst the tall grass. Ienzo shot a glare up towards the man in front himself before looking away. "You're late." Amaru crossed his arms gave the other a stern look.

"Well, that was a friendly welcome. Come now, what's wrong today dear Ienzo?" He decided to sit himself beside the smaller male, but Ienzo stood as soon as he did.

"I'm going home. You've wasted your time getting here and it's almost dark now because of your delay. Good day." Amaru narrowed his brow at this and let out a long sigh before getting up.

"Oh please, let's not be childish and make excuses. We've stayed here together until the very heart of the night before, so why leave so early today? Does a child like you have a bedtime now?" The elegant looking man knew teasing would upset the messy haired boy, but it was the only way to really ever find out the root of the problem. Ienzo immediately turned and stared daggers towards the taller male. He had took the bait.

"I'm no child! How dare you assume me as one! You're just like them, aren't you?!" Ienzo huffed out with anger as shook his fists at his sides.

"Now we're getting somehow. My dear little Ienzo, you should know better than that. I'm only teasing you because of your little fit you're having this day. Now, what's wrong?" Amaru watched as Ienzo gazed towards the ground, avoiding eye contact with the other man now. The botanist took the chance to get closer to the smaller male to place a hand on his shoulder. Ienzo became completely still as he felt the other man's gentle touch.

"I don't understand. Why do they always do this? They claim they accept me when they really don't, and when I try to show them what I can do to help our research, they laugh." The boy still kept himself from looking anywhere, but the ground. He bit his lip before going on. "Then...then, they steal what I've done. They take the credit for all of our works when they know they couldn't have gotten any answers without me!"

"Ienzo...I know they don't treat you fairly, but..." The smaller male immediately stared coldly up towards Amaru.

"But what?! It's because I'm still too young, right?!" Ienzo took a quick step backwards away from the other, getting away from his touch.

"That's not what I meant." Amaru crossed his arms as his tone became more stern by the recent action of Ienzo's, but his eyes still held some understanding to them. Ienzo shook his head furiously as he ignored Amaru's comment.

"They underestimate me! My work! Everything I do for them to help their work strive and they treat me this way!" The youth's body began to shake all over as he spoke. "Maybe all they see me as is a tool...that's all I'm good for right? I'm just the kid no one wants to deal with!" He bit his lip again to stop an on-coming sob in the back of his throat. "I thought after all these years I'd be use to it, but now...I don't know anymore...I'm probably useless after they've taken everything I can offer." Amaru didn't have any words to say back to Ienzo, what could he say that Ienzo would believe? He knew Ienzo wasn't a tool, he was a brilliant young man that he could stand amongst most people he's met in his life. This young man was something he looked forward to seeing every day and to see him in this state hurt Amaru somehow. He's never been close to many people before, so why did he want to keep someone like him from being hurt in such a way? The botanist was usually cold, blunt, or straightforward with people. He hasn't felt this caring for a person since...

Ienzo was trying so hard to not cry and he definitely didn't want to do so in front of this person most of all. He shut his eyes tight to keep himself from the verge of tears, he truly must be a child for acting in such a way. Feeling the urge to just run away, the youth was about to do so when he felt someone embrace their arms around him. Ienzo's eyes immediately shot open as he realised he was being held in the arms of the botanist. After becoming as still as a board, he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. All his mind was thinking about how warm it was to be held this way.

"My dear Ienzo, you're so much more than that. I'd say you're foolish for ever thinking yourself as low as a tool. Someone with such a mind as yours would never be anything close to the sort. You're flawless." While he spoke his hold on Ienzo became firmer, almost as if he'd let the small male slip from his arms, he'd break. Ienzo stood there in surprise the whole while, he didn't know how to respond to this at all. He slowly felt himself grip onto the front of Amaru's shirt as he laid his head against the taller man's chest. The youth didn't understand why he did so, but all logic didn't matter at the moment. After a while, Amaru finally released the other and held his hand. "Come with me."

With that, the botanist lead the younger towards the direction of his own place of escape. While their walk there, Ienzo's mind raced with many thoughts. Why had Amaru done that? Was it just comfort? Why didn't he push this man away when it happened? Why doesn't he just run away now? It wasn't like Amaru was forcing him to follow, but something ate at the back of his mind, edging him to just let this man lead him to wherever.

After traveling past many old run down stone buildings and nearly tripping over the holes and lose stones from the rocky path, they came upon a gated stone wall. The walls surrounded the area were very high, but you could see vines and other plants crawling all over the white walls. Amaru dropped Ienzo's hand from his grip, as he reached to his small belt pouch in which he pulled out a ring of very old keys. The pale blue eyed boy finally shook his head as he decided to speak to the other man.

"W-why are we here and what was that about back there? I mean, t-this...umm...you're acting strange...well, stranger than usual. I-I don't mean it as an insult but..." He heard the older male chuckle softly at the stuttering youth. Amaru glanced towards the younger as he started fiddling with the keys to unlock the gate.

"I think I should be the one asking why you're acting so strange. Why so flustered now my dear boy?" A click was heard and then the long creaking sounds of age from the gates being opened came after. "It was just a hug after all." Amaru smiled teasingly as he motioned for the boy to follow again.

"I'm not acting strange and stop calling me boy." Ienzo mumbled as he followed the other into a vast garden full with various plants, flowers, and vegetation he's never laid eyes upon before. Thousands of scents filled the air as the soft breeze from the dusk skies flowed through this curious place. Truly, this was a fine place for a botanist to work, especially one who focuses on using plant life for alchemy. "So then you wanted to show me your lab? It truly is a wondrous place to conduct your experiments and studies." Amaru smiled at the comment as he kept leading him deeper into the seemingly endless gardens.

"Yes, I suppose you could call this my lab. Though it isn't really mine. It first belonged to the family I once served for, so I just keep watch over it."

"You mean that Athair family you've been telling me about?" The auburn haired man nodded without looking back towards the other.

"The Athair spent most of their free time here. Most of them were doctors who used these gardens mainly to make medicines."

"Oh." Ienzo tried hard to make small talk in order to try and not reflect too much on what happened earlier. "Umm...so it must have been generous of them to accept someone outside of their family to study along with them." Finally, Amaru came to a stop, but still didn't look back at Ienzo.

"They didn't." There was silence between the two for a moment or so. It seemed Ienzo had caused yet another sad memory to come to Amaru. He was getting better at doing that to the older man even though he didn't want to. Eventually, Amaru turned and grabbed Ienzo's hand again and started leading him farther into the garden.

"Come, it's just a bit further."

Soon, they came upon a part of the garden that was mostly clear, mainly because it had a small orchid of trees in this specific area. All of the trees were exactly the same, for they all had the same pinkish white blossoms on all of them. When the evening winds stirred up, they carried the loose petals off of the trees. If you stood in the center of the orchid, it looked as if delicate pinkish snow was falling all around you. Ienzo wasn't very much into flowers and such like Amaru was, but he had to admit, it was a beautiful sight. It sure did ease the young man's mind to see such a site. He then faced Amaru who seemed lost watching the site of the dancing petals amongst the gentle breezes.

"This is nice." Again, Ienzo tried to make small talk with the other male. He could still leave right now if he wanted too, but he still didn't. He was sure acting strange this evening after that hug he had received from Amaru.

"They're apple blossoms. They represent something very beautiful that most hold dear..." Amaru's seemed as though he was elsewhere, unaware of the world around him. He then walked over to one of the trees and plucked an apple blossom from a branch. The slate haired boy watched as the elegant man walked back toward him. "They hold a sort of promise within them. It can be a tempting promise that might end up not being to your liking, but no one ever knows." He then brushed some of Ienzo's slate hair back with his fingers before placing the blossom within the smaller male's hair. Ienzo's eyes widen slightly as he felt his face heat up a bit. The youth was going to so with the theory that everyone was acting a bit strange today.

"My dear Ienzo, what have you done to me?" The youth caught his breath as his felt the gentle brush of the back of Amaru's hand along his cheek. He couldn't avoid eye contact with the taller man no longer, so he ended up locking his pale blue gaze with those sapphires staring down at him. "I'm not acting like I use to do before. I socialise with barely anyone these past years, let alone let them know anything about myself. So why now? Why am I letting a strange trespassing boy in? I would like to know more about you." What was going on here? Ienzo didn't know how to react to this whole situation, but he had almost the same questions. Never in his life did he ever get very much close to anyone before, even Aeleus was nearly as close as this man he met only about a month or so ago. Even though Ienzo thought he still didn't know very much about this botanist, he felt like he was closer to him than anyone else. Before he let Amaru say anymore words, he looked away and responded with his own questions.

"Have you ever wondered why I keep coming back for more? Why I've been coming to see you everyday? Why I feel I can open up more with you than anyone else? Why you haven't chased me away yet and why I haven't ran?" His pale blue gaze went to look back up at him with a want for an answer. Amaru sighed softly before touching the apple blossom he had place in Ienzo's hair earlier.

"I'm sorry, but I have no answers, but..." The elegant man leaned down close enough to brush his soft lips lightly against Ienzo's thin ones. The smaller male could've sworn his heart skipped a beat as his face became hot with his oncoming blush. Should he pull back, should he push the other away, or should he just keep standing there? Unfortunately, all logic seemed to have left Ienzo at that moment when Amaru place a firm kiss upon the younger's lips. The youth became still as he felt he heart would surely stop. What was this? What did this mean? Too many questions were being asked today, Ienzo decided to give up asking himself questions that weren't going to be answered so easily. He soon felt those arms of Amaru's slowly pulling him closer into an embrace once again which, for some reason, made Ienzo relax more easily into the kiss. After gradually closing his eyes, he returned Amaru's kiss. When they broke away after what seemed like forever, the younger male's breathing was uneven while his gaze fell towards the ground. He was unsure what to say or do now, for he had never had something like these happen to him before with someone else.

"...let's make a promise to find out why we're acting this way." Amaru whispered softly into the younger male's ear before looking at the red faced apprentice. He grinned slyly while he moved one of his hands to tilt Ienzo's chin up so he could look at him. "Why so flustered my dear Ienzo, it was just a kiss."

Zexion stared blankly towards the same doors he had came upon before when he first spoke with the Graceful Assassin. Whoever had leaked to Number XI about his current research of suppressing memories was going to pay dearly. So far, he had avoided speaking with the ruler of Castle Oblivion since that day, but he knew he couldn't stay out of Marluxia's watch for long. Without having to knock or anything this time, one of the doors opened gradually and there stood the Assassin in the entry way.

"You're late."

For cereal guys, ya'all are awesome for sticking with me even though it took like months to update. I managed to get off work today just to write out this chapter. Idk if I rushed the kiss a bit or not, tell me if I suck or not now.

BTW, just to let ya'all know, if you're interested, I have a dA account that's the same name as my fanfiction account. It has a ton of my Kingdom Hearts cosplays and a ton of other stuff posted on it if ya'all wanna see my work.

Anyways, TTFN, ta ta for now!