Who Do You Think You're Fooling

Chapter 23

Author's Quick Note: IF YOU COULD READ THE BOTTOM NOTE I WOULD BE MORE THAN GREATFUL TO YOU. ;)

So Fal'Cie forbid a normal day with my family. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed hanging out with Marluxia and Lightening. It was fun to see how those two handled the holidays together, but my family was all about the holidays.

Agrias, my mother was one of everyone's favorites. Of course, after she got rid of our father she had to find some hobby, so why not open a Martial Arts school? I was skilled in a number of activities, that is until I joined the cheer team. My father wasn't a great guy but those were just my Mother's opinion. She loved the holidays though, which is why she was everyone's favorite. She host the parties, went to parties, a respectable woman, respected everyone, never cast her children aside, her children never cast her aside. We were the perfect family and the holidays showed it. Happy, gay, festive, romantic... did I mention happy?

We stayed at Balthier Heiral's, my brother's name, and I always loved coming here. They lived so far down Traverse Town in the back streets were all the apartments were. It was the most festive patio you could find, no one could miss it and Marluxia said he could spot it a mile away. Of course, he was looking for it five miles away. Well, my brother had a knack for glaring off his riches. He was the part owner of a good old fancy casino, owned part of the betting tables actually. He never wanted to move out of an apartment though, didn't want to show off his money bad enough to get a bullet through the old brain.

My Mother didn't mind as long as he didn't drink, smoke, drug himself... yet between my brother and I; sibling secrets, he drank a beer occasionally when work was bad, smoked at least once a week when he felt tired from the beer, and never touched any drugs. We would tease our mom with the drug bit though, sniffing cocaine there, smoke some pot here. It was all good fun... I just wish that stuff was contained inside the family.

"Marluxia and Lightenin' are part of the family now, they should get a feel for how we act!" Balthier pestered from the kitchen. The kitchen had a walk way into it, but looked out into the living room through the bar.

"I think it's a hoot and a holler." Marluxia laughed. His mom didn't show the same signs and I would have guessed she was not amused if not for the slight curl of the lip from there conversing. My Mother showed the same sign when she didn't want to laugh but thought the situation was funny as hell.

There were two couches. One set up against the wall and when you looked left on it you saw the bar, look right you saw the other couch and a great view of all the traffic. The other couch was to the left of the patio sliding doors, where it looked directly into the kitchen and was a roll out bed. Marluxia and I sat side by side on the black couch, facing my brother as I flipped Marluxia off. My Mother glared at my action from the blue couch while Marly's mom laughed out loud.

"Don't encourage her, Lightening!" Agrias said shaking her head.

"Oh Ma', we're just having a bit o' fun." Balthier brushed off.

"Vidina, finally went to sleep." Came a sweet and innocent voice from the hallway. A second later Alma Heiral, the lovely blond wife of my brother waltzed in. By her fancy night dress you could tell they were really well off.

There is a very good reason for why her and my brother's last name does not have any similarity to mine. My legal birth father Delita Heiral, had this last name and while my brother who is now eight years older than me, was born before my Mother divorced our father. He kept his last name.

I on the other hand did not have the name, as I was born a few months before my birth. I was left with the Oaks title and to be perfectly honest it flowed well with my name. Larxene Oaks or Larxene Heiral? I like the name I have now better. The whole situation is a mess and I am glad that I didn't have to worry about it.

"Oh good... I was hoping we were too much of a disturbance for her." Mother tells her.

"Please, Agrias. You and your family are never a disturbance here."

Lightening spoke next. "Thank you for having us as well, I know how cramped it can be here "

"Nonsense Lightenin', even if my lil' sis isn' apart o' yours, you guys are welcome anyway."

"That is a good point though, Dear." Alma's voice crept up from behind her husband. "Why don't we just get a bigger place? With my paycheck alone, we can afford it."

Did I mention that Alma was a well known respected pole dancer at his casino? Anyway, no one even thought to touch her and she seemed to like that idea. Plus my brother hired a few extra security guards around her stage so she was protected double time.

"It's not a bad idea, Balthier." My Mother chimed in.

"I don't know, I like small places." Marluxia announced.

I raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"Nothing, just let me pick the place when we live together." I chuckled sarcastically. The arm around my shoulder gave a tight squeeze and released the tension.

His mother laughed again and mine shook her head again in amusement. "Something wrong with our house, Son?"

Marluxia blushed in embarrassment and laughed it off. "Nothing, Ma'am."

I was use to these titles and therefore never questioned them the entire week. Balthier and Alma on the other hand, had questioned my Mother and I when those two weren't in the room.

The first night was full of surprises. "So, why doesn't she call him by his name?" Alma asked in a polite manner. Balthier tore the attention from his child at this.

"Well," Mother began. I finished for her as I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

"Marluxia's dad left when he was just eight years old, kind of like you."

Balthier automatically had the face of empathy and decided to nod along. I continued before Mother could continue. Alma was sitting next to her husband and helping with the baby. My boyfriend and his mom were talking and admiring the view from the patio.

"Except, she tells him he died. We know the truth though, he left and we think we know why."

"Harsh yo..." Balthier exclaimed. "Why won't his ma' tell him the truth?"

"We're not sure, bro." I thought about telling him the long about way. Then I feared that a path to Axel could be formed, so I didn't. "To save me time, let's just say his dad was a good person and a bad thing happened.

"Soldier?" He asked with a stern and direct face. When I nodded he sighed. "That still no right to force your son to call you by a military title!"

How he guessed it, I will never know. My brother always had a knack for this stuff. Could read any face like a book, guess that's why he owns part of a casino.

"Balthier!" Alma interjected with harshness.

"It's alright Balthier. Alma," Mother turned to her quickly and my Mother continued, "you have to understand that my daughter's friends don't have the cleanest of history. She has been kind enough to tell me some of the minor details and we are counting you as family now."

"You have my trust, as always Agrias."

I took a deep breath and released. I new I had only little precious time to converse and I didn't need to carry on with the little details. "Marluxia's father was a first class Soldier."

"JENOVA cells!" Balthier exclaimed in high tones.

"Shh!" We both hushed at him. The noise startled Vidina and she started to cry.

"Carry on, Agrias, Larxene. You have little time. Balthier can fill me in later."

"Sure, sure." He casually reassured her as she walked off to put her child to bed. He turned to us. "Go on!" He said, now that we had his full attention.

I spoke a bit quickly for fear that I would be interrupted. "He was the one who helped place bombs inside the Shinra Reactors."

"No!" He said amused but in shushed tones. "You' pullin' a good leg here Lar-Lar."

"He wasn't caught, but had to go into hiding after that. Lightening told Marly that he died to protect him and won't let him bring the subject to the light."

"Cruel yo..." He sighed and leaned back, taking the shock in. He glanced up to Mother. "If you lied about dad I wouldn' even let you in my apartment." Our mom gave her son a filthy look and sighed. My brother lit up again. "Wait! That means kids got JENOVA cells too!"

"No!" I said quickly. "His mom has the cancellation genes." I said quickly.

"Thought he had a cuz?"

"Does." Mother interjected.

"Cruel yo..." Balthier repeated. I bet my brother was thinking all sorts of things. He was absolutely crazy if he thought he would get more out of me though. "Tell me more, sis... I don' get it."

I shook my head. "That's all I told Mother, that's all you need to know."

He snapped his fingers in frustration. "Really killin' me hear, sis." He scoffed.

"Larx-" I snapped out of my dying dream and saw several pairs of eyes wondering on me. "You okay?" My boyfriend asks me with deepest concern.

"Huh?" I ask staring at him now. "Oh, yeah! Duh!"

Balthier smirked as he walked out of the kitchen to leave Alma with the rest of the dishes. It wasn't much as my brother took care of most of it. He walked around the bar and pulled out a stool. "So, what the plan tomorrow?"

"Well," Lightening turned to Marluxia and sighed, "as much as I hate to do it, I have no choice. I have to leave for work so I guess I'll pack tonight and give you all the slip."

Alma laughed from the kitchen. "That's an odd way to put it." A few clanks were heard before she spoke again. "Come now, Lightening. Can't you just yell at them and tell them to back off or something?"

Lightening shook her head and Mother laughed to get rid of the cloud that hug over us all. "It might work for you, Alma, but Shinra is serious business. They have a zero tolerance for kicking back."

"Ha!" Lightening laughed. "Tell that to Reno and Rude."

Marluxia and I both gave her a sudden glare. Alma called from the kitchen. "Reno and Rude?"

"No one." Agrias replied quickly. "Just a couple of friends from her office."

"Different branch actually." Lightening said in a whisper to Agrias. Mother just cocked her head and smiled.

Balthier on the other hand was coming on to something. "Reno..." He scratched his neck and sighed. "Now I know I' heard that name before." He choked the thought down.

I changed the subject quickly, afraid anything would jog his memory. I could tell by Marluxia's big wide yes that he was afraid as well. If he did know who Reno was, there was sure to be a perfect trail to Axel. "So, is Marluxia going to stay here?" I batted my eyes at his mother hoping to win her over.

She smirked and scoffed. "You're too cute." She sarcastically said. "I would hate to impose, but would you mind?" She asked to Alma as she was now drying her hands off on her apron.

"For the love of Fal'Cie, Lightening, is that even a question." She put her hands on her hips and bent over a little in irritation.

Balthier laughed. "We love the little tike."

"Thanks!" Marluxia said sarcastically. He really hated being compared to a child.

It was three hours later when we watched Lightening pass through the doors. "I do hope she's safe on her way." Alma said shyly.

"Please," Marly said coldly, "she can handle herself. She beats me in most of my training." He laughed.

"Marluxia, you do know what kind of work she does, yes?" Mother asked him sternly.

He simple squinted his eyes and shrugged off the feeling. "Yeah, I mean it's life threatening but she doesn't seem to mind." He paused and sighed. "She wouldn't had joined otherwise." He face looked somber and he was sulking in his mind now.

"Alma I say it's time to retire, what do you think?" Balthier asked his tall blond and delicate wife. After reserving a nod and yawn he yawned as well and turned to us. "Pleasant dreams to all and hope to see all tomorrow's morning."

A sweet small laugh was heard from Alma as she grabbed onto her husband's arm. With a small turn of her head she said 'good night' and we failed to see either of them till the next morning. My brother had a strange way of saying things but I figured his dialect changed after the seven years he's lived here.

We heard a bedroom door shut and Agrias turned to us

'tikes'. The thought made me laugh. "Have fun you two. Oh," she turned around and gave us both giant hugs before retiring herself, "happy Thanksgiving yet again."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Mom." Marluxia said happily. I could tell that he loved the fact he was aloud to call her Mom, not Ma'am and that he felt open around my family. It made me feel good to know he had somewhere to go if things went sour.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Mother." I said just as happy.

She nodded and sighed. She turned and we failed to see her till the next morning as well. A click sounded from her bedroom door lock and I sighed.

"Want to go to bed too?" I asked teasingly. All these nights, Marluxia and I were made to sleep in the living room because our mom's each took the spares.

He looked at me and than back at the ground. "I don't know."

"Well, why don't we talk about it in the bedroom." I said suggestingly as I stood up and brushed myself off.

He shook his head. "No, you go ahead. I'll be there in a second."

I placed my hands on my hips. "Come on." I whispered into his ear. I got a teasing shiver out of him and he laughed playfully.

"Are you serious?" He asked as he jabbed me in the side with a finger. It tickled and I snorted. "Seriously though, I just want to think about this."

I stood in front of him in my blue sweater, a ripped pair of light blue jeans, and a pair of slippers. "Up you go." I pulled him into a standing position. The fact that he let me drag him around and onto the bed let me know that he really cared about telling me. That or he was really tired.

He laid on the bed and watched me as I quickly got undressed and put some pjs on. I looked to the slug laying on the bed and laughed to myself. "What is your deal? You're away from all the mess, all week I've been feeling it off of you. It's like something is eating away at you, why won't you tell me? For Fal'Cie sake Marly, yell at me for all I care."

He just smiled at me. "I'm afraid." Was all he said.

"Oh..." I said off to the side. I sighed and smiled half hazardous... "Of what?" I tried to coach out of him.

He rolled over on his side and looked at a closed and curtain drawn window. "Of everything." He said. I didn't believe it, as it wasn't in the same tone as his first confession.

I walked over to the door and snapped it to. "No you don't." I laughed as I leaped onto the bed. I laughed as I crawled over to him and rolled him over. My face dropped instantly.

"Marluxia..." He had tears streaming down his face. He never cried, at least not in front of people. He only cried if it was for someone he cared about. "Baby, stop this. Please, what's wrong?" I said wiping some tears away.

He sighed and laid back on his back. "I'm afraid of myself." He sniffed and made an aggravated noise. "Okay, I'm just afraid."

"Well, I think you're brave." I said kissing his lips. He tried to kiss back but I moved to his feet. I took one loafer off and a sock and while massaging his foot he scoffed.

"No, don't. I'm not-"

I interrupted while removing the other shoe. "Yes, you are. You're brave and smart." I massaged that foot too.

I put a foot down as he tried to argue. "You don't understand though, I-"

I slide off his light blue short-sleeved shirt and left a trail of kisses up from his naval to his lips. All the while I received pleads to stops and soft moans. With each kiss on the lips I left a compliment. "You're protective."A pause. "Helpful." Yet another pause to kiss. "Cute." Another kiss. "Loveable."

He placed two hands behind my head and kissed back. I got him so fed up with not getting to kiss back and not being able to talk that I got him to react. It was a good reaction though. "That's more like my Marly." I teased. He laughed, but in a way that was like 'yeah right, no it's not.'

He rolled me over to my side of the bed while going with. I smirked and went to grab his waist. His knees were beside mine and I wanted to continue our make out. I could still see a bit of pain written on his face. Was he that serious? I was giving him an advantage over me and he, well he was being a perfect gentlemen.

He grabbed my wrists and pinned them next to my head. It was a soft grip, nothing that scared me. We both were breathing heavy and we stared into each other's eyes. There was no shred of any sign he was a son of a JENOVA offspring.

"Listen to me, Larx."

I playfully smirked up at him and tried to wiggle free. I didn't want to be serious until he jolted my arms a bit to get my attention.

"Listen to me, please. You say these things about me, but think about-"

"Marly, you are those things." I laughed kindly. "You're making a big deal out of noth-"

"Larxene, what if there is a moment where I failed, or I can't protect you!? What if I make the most stupidest mistake because I was a coward!?" He announced. "It would be my fault if I lost you, I'm afraid that..." He hung his head in shame and my face dropped. His grip loosened and his hair fell on my face, it smelled so sweet and comforting. How could someone so smart be so dumb. He sighed. "I'm afraid that something that's apart of me leads me down a path where everyone dies, where I kill you because I'm too stupid to see what I have."

I pushed his hands off of mine and grabbed a hold of his wrists. Using his weight against him, I pushed him off and rolled him back onto his own side. "Now you listen to me-"

He stared wide eyed and struggled. He didn't want to hurt me so he let me take control of the situation. "Larx, please, stop feeding me lies-"

"They aren't lies!" I said breaking down. I feel on top of him and yelled the words in his ears. "This is what's going to kill me, don't you see that!? Seeing you like this and know that whatever I say that's true will never get through to you." I wailed into his collar bone.

We sat there for a few good minutes as he let me cry on him. He didn't make any move till after I cried for a while. Slowly his arms started to raise and wrap themselves around my back. "Am I really being that stupid?" He asked teasingly.

I nodded my head vigorously. "You're so blind to the good in you. You're father left you for doing something good for everyone else and all you think about is why he chose everyone over you." It seemed logical and for having so much time to think it through clearly, it made sense why he never saw the good in him. He breathed heavily and gripped me tighter. "Don't you see, he had to leave to protect you! He choose to do it because he wanted you to be safe! He didn't care about anyone else. He and Lightening cared about you, like Cloud and Tifa cared about Roxas, like Reno and Rude care about Axel, like Axel cares about Zexion, like Snow and Serah care about Demyx and Axel and you, like Mother cares about Balthier and I," I took a deep breath and shivered. I pounded heavily on his chest with every syllable afterwards. "Like. I. Care. About. You!" I continued to cry.

He started to rock me like a father or mother does to a child and nursed me back to a regular steady breath. "I love you, so I'll try to understand you."

"Thank you." I laughed. "That's all I wanted."

He pushed me back a ways and I sighed at the loss of comfort. I cocked my head and laughed childishly. He started to laugh to. "I hope you still love me." He smiled. "I'm sorry," he hung his head again, "I don't understand why I hadn't seen it before?"

"Because, you love me so much." I laughed and playfully punched him in the arm. "And by the way," I said as I climbed off his legs and slide underneath the covers on my side, "I love you more than you love me." It was a joke and I was glad he took it that way.

"Whatever." He laughed. "I just put on the tears show for you, darling." He teased. He didn't see me roll my eyes. I heard the scratching of hair. "So, uh... You still want to make out."

I followed my answer with a wonderful high screeched laughter. "Nope, you missed your chance."

"Come on now." He whined. He sighed and reached past me, turning off my lamp light. "Thank you, and happy Thanksgiving night light." With that he gave me a quick peck on the check and circled himself around my back and wrapped his arms around me. I felt safe, secure, secret. A treasure safe guarded from the greedy people of this world.

"You're welcome, Marly. Happy Thanksgiving too, my pink rose." That left a smile on our faces and with his small chuckle I fell fast asleep, pacing my breathes with his now steady heart.

Quick Author's Note:

Hey guys! I know it's been long, thanks for your patience. Actually next chapter is going places so don't miss out. Also, I recently found a pretty awesome Forum Role Play called" Key Master Academy "by YoungChaos. By the looks of it, anyone is welcome to join just make sure you follow the rules they set and it looks fairly new. Kind of boring with just two people so if you want to write along side a cool writer called YoungChaos and a lame writer like me, ;P, come join in. I'm having fun in my first Role Play, that's for sure. Anyway, thanks for the support, reviews, and amazing critiques and I will be looking forward to some feedback. Till then, auf wiedesehen.