Originally this was planned to be the final chapter (plus some extra) of the side-story/sequel to The 13th Hour, but now we have a mini-filler/mini-old story instead. The reason? Well, my uncle, the most important father-figure in my life who taught me how to draw and got me into anime passed away. I was telling him about this story two weeks before he died, and he just randomly threw some ideas at me to goof off with, and when I mentioned a basic idea I had for Marluxia he spawned this. So part of this is with his help.

In short, this is dedicated to him. A man who passed away well before he his time.

Title—Aristocrat's Symphony
Author—Tysonkaiexperiment
Fandom—Kingdom Hearts
Challenge—None
Couplings/Characters— RikuSora, LeonCloud, AxelRoxas, and ZexionDemyx with others.
Warnings/Rating—M
Summary—Organization XIII were strong vampires that used the Strife clan for support. The biggest challenge? The Leonhart Vampire Exterminators. RiSo, AkuRoku, Zemyx, LeoClo, and XemSaï. Based of Halloween soundtrack called The 13th Hour rated for future chapters
Notes—Aristocrat's Symphony is track number 2 on the 2008 album, Noble, by Versailles -Philharmonic Quintet-. Originally I had this set to another song, but then I realized it fit Aristocrat's Symphony perfectly.

Aristocrat's Symphony

(Lyrics are in English for you all)

The instinct calls the sweet voice of the heart

The starved me smiled to that game hiding the fangs

It was almost too easy.

Sure he'd come for the wine, to see his lover, a night alone with him, possibly even a little nibble. But Sora wasn't expecting the dashing young man in front of him to have fallen so head over heels for him, especially when Sora was more focused on locating Riku to even give half of his attention to this man.

Yet here Marluxia stood, hand cradling Sora's ever so gently and handing him a goblet of deep red wine, gold across the top of the glass. He would urge Sora to drink, and Sora did as Marluxia wrapped an arm around his waist and began to present him like a trophy.

Dresses swirled across Sora's vision as he focused on looking for his silver-haired lover, but it seemed Riku was nowhere to be found. He wondered how late the man was running, Riku had stated that his job would be off in the next town and he wouldn't know the time he'd return.

Heaving in a large breath of air, Sora took another large gulp of his wine and savored the bitter fruit on his tongue. It was mixed with something he didn't recognize, maybe a spice or something close, it gave a sweet, warm after-taste.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Marluxia breathed into his ear, eyes ghosting over Sora's petite frame held comfortably in a dress of deep purple satins and black silks. The man's own hair had been secured in a black bow, allowing dark pink bangs to frame his face yet pull elegantly behind him. His outfit was a dark red, almost black, with golden designs across the elbows, arms and down his chest. A white cape flowed after him, fastened to the left of his chest with a blood red rose, it gave off a wonderful fragrance with every moment he made, and tended to make Sora's sensitive nose twitch.

"Yes." Sora murmured, hand still wrapped daintily in Marluxia's as the man led him away from the food tables they'd been at. People seemed a bit surprised that the pink-haired man blew them off so suddenly, but the conversations were quickly followed by the curious appearance of the man fitted snuggly by his side.

There was still no Riku… and he was admittedly rather hungry. A nibble wouldn't hurt, would it?

Pressing his body against Marluxia's side, Sora allowed a light whine to stretch from his throat, "Too many people."

Marluxia had looked down at him, their eyes met for the briefest moment before he pulled Sora in the direction of the kitchen. They ran passed the help and past the cooks, through a pair of solid wood doors, and into a garden full of flowers and fragrant smells.

Come on; give color with the nice blood

This world opens the white doors to the rational senses

By the time the door closed Marluxia had descended upon what he believed was his prey, nipping across Sora's jaw and hands tracing over the curves the dress gave acceptance to.

It was different from the times he'd been with Riku; the silveret always took his time and had always been rather on the gentle side. But Marluxia already had a knee between his own, fingers working the lacing of the dress and be dammed if Sora wasn't actually attracted to it. He shouldn't have been, he knew that he'd never let anyone besides Riku do it anyways, but Marluxia was coming mighty close.

Sora buried his face into the man's neck and breathed through his nose, attempting to get his emotions under control long enough to feed. His teeth seemed to be against him, his lust-clouded mind not helping in the slightest either. The sounds of Marluxia's gold clinking together rang in his ears, pulling his mind out of its haze long enough for Sora to bear his teeth. Without a moment's notice, just as Marluxia's hands finally reached into his undergarments, Sora sunk his teeth deep into the man's skin.

Wounded the man pulled back, howling in pain, yet it wasn't enough to deter the brunet. Sora stood calmly in place, licking the traces of blood from his teeth and lips, looking content as Marluxia gaped at him horror-struck.

He was strong for a human, good; Sora hadn't had a challenge in a while.

One foot made a motion towards him and Marluxia flinched, hand rising to cradle his neck. Sora's own rose, he held it out as if waiting for the man to take it again.

"What's wrong?" The brunet questioned gently, the lightest of smirks across his tanned skin, "I thought you wanted this?"

Marluxia mumbled incoherently, blood beginning to ooze from his wound and trickle through his fingers. He began to force himself away from the brunet, beginning a slow but determined walk towards his room; his safe-haven at the back of his castle.

Fine, Sora would play it that way. Allow the mouse to run before he'd be caught.

"He sure runs fast, doesn't he?"

Looking for the roses that go flowing in the white chalk walls

The stupid person still has hesitation towards my contract

His head turned sharply to the side, Sora's eyes narrowed as he lowered his arm, "Let the chase begin."

"Mmm, before you do, I was looking for him." The man answered calmly, stepping from the shadows to give Sora a view of his washed out dark yellow suit. It was only outdone by his amber-gold eyes, peering eerily against his tanned skin. He reached out and snagged Sora's hand, silver-white hair falling across his shoulders as he bowed to place a light kiss upon it. "Do you mind?"

Sora pulled his hand back and tucked it into his dress to ever so gently wipe the feeling of the other man's lips away, "Quite, actually."

"Hmmm…" A smirk raised across the man's tanned lips, his fingers lightly pressed upon his chin, "Picky things, you vampires. Do all of you get this moody?"

"Only when we haven't eaten," The brunet pressed, "Like right now."

"Then I have no choice, I can do without Marluxia for now, go and catch your prey little one."

With nothing more than a blink he'd vanished, the smell of metal and fire lingering nearby. Quickly Sora fixed the back of his dress, still undone from the pink-haired man's nimble fingers, before he began to walk in a direction away from the way Marluxia had started.

Come on; give color with the nice blood

This world that goes to the rational senses

Tearing to pieces the white bodies

Marluxia pressed himself against the wall, hissing as his wound began to pound. It was worse than the time he remembered his cousin had accidentally stabbed him during their fencing training. Two small pricks in his skin shouldn't have caused this much pain to him, this was impossible. Just what the hell had that little bitch done to him?

"I see you're looking mighty tired."

The pink-haired man turned on his heel so fast he toppled onto his backside, but it still wasn't detouring him from trying to back away from the brunet.

Sora squatted enough that the edges of the dress licked the man's heels and made him fear the boy even more. "For a human you're stronger then you look."

By now Marluxia was shaking, not even able to muster up the courage to shout insults like he'd usually done. His mind a blank mess, unknowing of what to do next.

Placing his elbows on his knees and chin in his palms, Sora quietly watched the pink-haired man struggle to continue keeping his breath even, "… I guess its fate, isn't it? I can force Roxas but I get a chance to ask you…"

Tears began trickling down the man's pale cheeks, breathing labored and finally becoming harsh, "… Ask?"

"You wanna live?"

Caught off-guard, the pink-haired man coughed up a handful of blood before being able to look Sora in the eye, "… I'm…. dying?"

"Well, I was going to drink and then leave you alone." Sora summarized, looking rather annoyed with it all, "But that man interrupted and now you're just running out of time."

Nothing was said, the others eyes wide and glistening with tears as he looked at the smaller.

"It's up to you, obviously, what do you want to do?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out this moment in his life when it all went so wrong.

All because—…

All because he fell in love with Sora.

"I can easily go drink from more people at the party, but your little cousin is there isn't she? I'll have to watch my ways."

He could see her now, dimpled six-year-old smile and all before that-cute-boy-in-a-dress leaned over to tell her a "secret", and in actuality he would be leaning over to feast upon her neck.

His hand was shaking as he reached forward, grasping onto Sora's clothes and leaving a light trail of blood across the top of it, "Me…" He gasped, hand shaking so hard Sora had to lean over and clutch it to even get it to slow down, "… Use me instead…"

Sora's lips pulled into a gentle smile, even then Marluxia could only think of how beautiful he looked, "Rather brave of you."

The sublime symphony of the rose's color

Dances elegantly with the conductors' baton of sadness

The fate is a rhapsody of darkness

Revolving the arms around this back

Startled, Marluxia awoke; he opened his eyes once to a blinding light before he shut them. He leaned over and allowed the sunlight to warm him before daring to open his eyes again.

Next to him Sora lay perfectly still, sleeping ever so quietly on the makeshift bed they'd made out of sheets and pillows. The brunet wanted a fort, but Marluxia was feeling particularly lazy that day and wouldn't give into the others wishes. Of course Sora had thrown a fit, but Marluxia promised chocolates and small cakes upon return from his next mission, and Sora had quickly given in.

"It's warm," he muttered, mostly to himself.

But Sora surprised him, speaking up and causing Marluxia to lightly jump in his skin, "That's why I wanted to do this today. Xemnas has this house freezing."

"Does he like kinky ice sex?" Marluxia joked, edging out of reach as Sora leaned over to attempt to smack him. The brunet missed, but a smile graced both their faces, "Your boyfriend likes the weirdest shit."

"Not my boyfriend." Sora pressed, rolling over so his back was to Marluxia.

The pink haired man looked over Sora's frame, as if waiting for a follow-up statement. "But you're choosing to stick by him. And he loves you."

"Love certainly isn't the word I would have gone with."

"Can you answer me a question honestly, Sora? If the savior wasn't in the picture—if your real boyfriend—wasn't in the picture, would you consider Xemnas?"

Sora turned his head to glance at him, their eyes met and held as he chose his next words. Almost as if they shared the same thoughts, Marluxia could see the visions in Sora's eyes. The silver-haired man in unlimited power, confident and an almost scary possessive, killing just for humor and giving Sora more blood then the boy over wanted. The brunet wanted to just be normal, just be a human again, but they all knew it didn't work that way; never had and never will.

"I think… I might've…" Sora admitted, as he turned back to have Marluxia see his back again, "Xemnas really does love me—it might've gone past that and into obsession—but it's still a form of love, right? And it's not like I have a bad life or anything, I would like to go outside some time, but I can see his reasons for keeping me in here. Besides… if he kills Riku I could do that and more. It's an interesting thought; I never really focused on it."

In these little memories they play

It was odd to look at him now, Sora had always looked like he was that young sixteen year old, and just by this conversation he looked so much older. So much more mature. Almost too easily Marluxia could blink and imagine Sora back in that dress, jewels highlighting the dark purples and shinning against the deep blacks. Even without those things the brunet looked beautiful, but sometimes Marluxia liked to close his eyes and pretend he'd gone back in time.

Where Sora was lightly on his arm, laughing quietly at jokes he made and sipping red wine from crystal goblets. Where Marluxia was able to use his then-wealth and then-popularity to show off and get the brunet to look at him with excitement. He could remember Sora's interested face when they danced together upon first interaction. Sora was admittedly easily amused, even if he was attempting to impress everyone, the brunet could still quickly be lead away by something else.

In his mind he could see Sora blinking up at him, lips parted in a silent gasp as Marluxia successfully managed to pull the cloth off a table from under a set of dishware and silver without breaking a thing. He'd clapped and laughed like a child would something shiny, even cheering him on and ignoring how loud he had been. The guests had even sent them annoyed looks, as if it were wrong to have such an enjoyable time, but Marluxia couldn't stop himself from grinning after seeing Sora's smile.

At the ball, wearing a nice dress

The aristocrats dance and sing

Not affected by the meaning of that blood either

He wondered if Sora would dance with him like they did that night, spinning across the dance floor like everyone else and yet standing out from the reds and blues there. It'd be what he dreamed about every night, a return back to the life he once knew and wished he could keep living in.

But Sora was here, next to him, sitting up at the call of his name and Xemnas at the door. Marluxia stood and helped the brunet up, watching the silver-haired vampire approach. He knew ever since Xemnas had first heard of Sora that he was fated never to again be a romantic thought in Sora's mind, but the thought still made his being ache. He wondered if Vexen had something to stop it, maybe the sciences could help him when his own plants could not ease the pain.

"I never expected you to be willing to build a fort." Xemnas smirked at him, Sora's face in his hands as the silveret stared Marluxia down.

"It's not a fort." The redhead scoffed, ignoring Sora's agreement, "Sora wanted a fort but I told him no so it's just sheets."

"Close enough." The silveret replied before gently leaning down to press his lips against Sora's, "The meeting got out and I came for a reading."

"Then I'll be taking my leave." With a quick wave of his hand, Marluxia began to head towards the door, "Xemnas, let me know if I get a mission soon, I was going to have Vexen run errands for me."

He knew the silver-haired vampire hadn't heard a thing he said, too busy loosing himself in Sora, just as Marluxia had done, just as Riku Umino had done. Yet two of the three would never get the same affections, and Marluxia hated to admit that he and Xemnas had anything in common besides being vampires.

What made Riku Umino so special? What made Sora love him so much?

Perhaps he'd never know.

The sublime symphony of the rose's color

Dances elegantly with the conductors' baton of sadness

The fate is a rhapsody of darkness

Revolving the arms around this back

"I'm sorry I'm so late." Marluxia could hear the man mutter, silver hair tied in a messy high ponytail and aqua eyes blazing despite the tired shape of his body. "Been waiting long?"

"Not at all," Sora lied smoothly, his deep purples matching so perfectly with the other's crisp velvets, "I spent my time meeting the people here, they really are a different class all together."

Different his ass, Marluxia bit his tongue from calling out. Sora molded himself perfectly into the high end groups at this party, almost too perfectly. But all he could do was sit there and run his fingers over the rim of his goblet. After that it was pretend he didn't know Sora or didn't eavesdrop on this conversation.

"Are you hungry?" Sora murmured, fingers running gently up the man's crisp sleeve. He gave a mewl of enjoyment when the man leaned across to plant a lingering kiss on the brunet, Sora practically giggled and pulled away from him, "Riku, your beard tickles."

"I haven't shaved in a few days." The man admitted, looking well in his late twenties from what Marluxia could see. The silveret pulled Sora closer by the arm and gently led his petite lover away from Marluxia's table, leaving the pink-haired man alone.

"They looked like they're having fun, don't they?" A voice spoke up; a black-haired man settled into the seat next to Marluxia and plucked a glass of wine from a wait staff walking by. "And yet you're here abandoned like trash, Sora has some manners to fresh meat. He never left his brother for that long."

Peering over the rim of his goblet, Marluxia's eyes met the man's golden ones, "And you are?"

"Vanitas," Stated the black-haired man, even doing a flip of hair as if to get himself to look cooler. And Marluxia had to admit, it kinda did work. "I'm in charge of Sora over there. You could almost say… well… I guess I'm the one that turned him."

"So then it's technically your fault that I am like you and Sora now." Brushing back a piece of hair, Marluxia stared down his opponent, "You do rather look like him."

"I admit I didn't realize our looks until I slept with him." Vanitas chuckled, sipping his wine gently, "Feel free to blame me, I forced Sora to go home after our night together, didn't even tell him what he was, honestly. But he's turned you and his brother in just this half a year, that's more than I've done the past two years."

"And why did you come to me now? Sora's obviously enjoying himself over there." It was true, he was practically bouncing as he clutched the silver-haired man at his side, laughing more joyously then Marluxia had gotten him to earlier that evening.

"There's help, you know." Fetching a small piece of paper from inside his pure black jacket, Vanitas slid it across the table and stood, "It's where I was going to take Sora when he learned more, but I think he'll be fine here for a while, he's pre-occupied."

With that Vanitas disappeared into the crowd and Marluxia opened the paper to read 'Xemnas Manor'.

In these little memories a rhapsody goes playing

When Marluxia had first heard of Sora being the half-breed of legend, he hadn't believed the words coming from Luxord's mouth. He'd been on vacation too long and now found himself all-but-sprinting towards the entrance, in search of the brunet.

He reached the entrance in record time, witnessing that Xemnas was leaving and did not have the small vampire by his side. Quickly he made his way over and grabbed Xemnas by the arm, "I want to come with you."

"You're not needed." Xemnas stated, "I have Luxord, Demyx, and Xigbar with me, we're quite capable on our own."

"Yet you're taking Larxene and Vexen as well?"

"I most certainly am not!" The silver-haired vampire hissed, walking out the door with Marluxia in tow only to spot said five vampires already settled on their horses and awaiting orders. Xemnas sighed, waving off Marluxia, "Fine, get your damn belongings ready."

He did in record time, even urging everyone enough to make the trip in the shortest amount of time. His old village hadn't changed much, neither had his house when he rode by it. It was like going into the past, an era he rather missed, and when they reached Sora's home he wasn't expecting the little blond brat in front of the house like a guard dog.

"He won't have any memories." The blond stated to Xemnas, his words causing a sinking feeling in Marluxia's gut, "That's what I was told when I was watching over him."

"It's a sacrifice we must accept." Xemnas urged before coaxing the blond to go down and get Sora. "Roxas is his brother; we must treat him with the same respect." He told as the events happened below, "They will both be under our care starting tonight, protect them at all costs."

The brunet was beautiful when he appeared, Xigbar had given him a run for his money and Marluxia found himself reaching for the brunet to talk, to help him forget the whirlwind of events happening at that moment. Almost as if they were picking up where they left off, Sora chatted calmly with him and Demyx, even going so far as to smile gently at Marluxia. But he couldn't stand it; he couldn't sit here and share the same joy the others felt.

This wasn't his Sora. This wasn't the beautiful brunet with the sparkling eyes and ever-present smile he once knew. This… thing… was a shell, a mere fragment of the gorgeous boy he'd originally been.

He decided at this moment he'd restore him to the way he was, ignoring what Xemnas and the savior wanted. Sora needed his help most of all, even if he didn't know it and Marluxia was going to do everything in his power to restore the inspiring beauty he once knew.

"I'll make you normal again." He whispered to Sora as they made camp their first night on the way back to Xemnas' home. Sora's glowing blue orbs looked up at him in light confusion, his face a blank mask, "I'll make you remember everything, I swear it."

"A lot of people swear things." Sora murmured, brushing some hair from his face and instead looking at the water then the man in front of him. "My brother wants to return my memories out of love. Xemnas wants to return them out of help to the others. What makes your reasons so special?"

He was teasing him. Toying with him. Putting him down. Quickly Marluxia snatched up the hand that Sora was using to hold back his hair, pressing it so hard red marks were already beginning to appear across the brunet's tanned skin. "Listen you little brat." He hissed, other hand reaching up to grasp Sora's arm, the other still squeezing his wrist. "You owe me an apology for all this, for making me into what the hell I am now."

"What selfish reasons." Hollow blue eyes stared at him, and the feeling grew on Marluxia he'd already lost at that point, "You have no one to blame for your irresponsible mistakes but yourself, do not try to pin this on me, Ruusu."

Ruusu.

"It means rose in my native language." Sora told him the night they met, giggling as Marluxia stuffed a rose into the messy brunet spikes of hair, "That'll be my nickname for you, okay?" Marluxia only took the moment to place a gentle kiss upon Sora's temple, causing the boy to giggle again.

Tears sprung from Marluxia's eyes, crystal-like rivers running down his pale cheeks. Gently Sora removed himself from the pink-haired man's grip before taking a step back and smoothing out his clothes, "I suggest you get some sleep, Marluxia wasn't it? I best return to Xemnas."

With that he walked away, and Marluxia could do little but cover his mouth with his hand and weakly attempt to hold back a sob of regret. He was going to help Sora return his memories, he promised.

If not to apologize, then to just hear Ruusu again.

Come on; now give color with the nice blood to everything

Finishing dyeing to the world of roses

Well, as I said, emotional stuff is responsible for this chapter, but I did want to give Marluxia a little more backstory, he was kinda attempting to control things without me remembering to ever even explain why. I hope this appeases you all, if there's anyone's backgrounds you'd like to see, let me know, they'll be put in the side-story/sequel fic; Leon and Riku's first meeting will already be in there as will be Vanitas and Sora's, so other ideas are welcome. Also, if you get a chance, look up the song this is based off of, Aristocrat's Symphony; I enjoy the music video a lot. And the Kamijo, the lead singer, looks rather like Squall.

And my SquallSora fic, 100 Snapshots, should have an update coming soon. Or two. Or three. Or four. I forgot how many I have finished now...

I know about three or four people messaged me previously, sorry but FFN isn't letting me access my inbox at the moment. I know someone asked me if I could make Sora a girl when he's reborn in this fic, the answer is no, sorry. I don't gender-bend unless it's the main focus of the fic. And for the others—well I can't remember off-hand, sorry, but I'll attempt to answer eventually.

Please review!