Genre: Humor, friendship
Ships?:
→Familyships?: vaguely hinted O5&Xion
→Friendships?: Lexaeus&Xion, Xaldin&Xigbar
Characters: Xion, Vexen, Lexaeus
→Cameos: Xaldin, Xigbar
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Only if you squint and know beforehand
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series and is not making profit.
Music: Exploration
Notes: In case you haven't noticed, I really adore familyshipping Xion with people. For some bizarre reason.
Needles and Bubblegum
Everything is perfect.
Vexen feels an old part of him thought forgotten swell up with shallow pride for his work. It's been a rough few days, but Xion will most certainly pull through. They still need to work on walking; she still hasn't remembered how to do that, but her muscles are working fine. Practice is all she needs.
"Will I be alright, Vexen?"
The scientist blinks himself out of his thoughts and smiles to the girl sitting on an operating table. It's an expression he let's slip because of his good mood, but Xion welcomes it all the same. The return smile is awkward and a bit rusty; just another thing she instinctively remembers but needs to practice. "You'll be perfectly fine," he assures her, setting down his clipboard and searching through the drawers of the infirmary portion of his labs. "There's just one more test we need to do and then we can get you back to our room, alright?" It's not that he actually likes children; he finds them annoying pests most of the time, really. However, he needs to keep a close eye on Xion until they're 200% positive she'll be alright, and she's not that much of a bother anyway. Unlike all the other neophytes, Xion is quiet and respectful. At least someone knows their place.
"What do you have to do?" As she waits, Xion kicks her dangling feet through the air. That just proves him right; she's fine with moving her legs, it's the balance and such that eludes her when it comes to walking.
"Oh, nothing much." Ah ha, finally. Smoothly, Vexen pulls out a long syringe, its needle shining in the light. "I merely need to take some blood for-" There's a crash, and Vexen starts in surprise. Making a face of bewilderment, he turns around, and is greeted by the sight of Xion staring at him with wide eyes. She's fallen off of the table, and is cowering behind it while still peering out at him. "What in Light's name-"
"No!" She shrinks at the frown forming on his face. "I don't like it!" she says, pointing an accusing finger at the syringe while her other hand fists in the pale green hospital gown she wears.
Oh, for the love of... Vexen rolls his eyes. "It is nothing more than a needle, child, and-"
"I don't like it."
"It doesn't matter if you like it or not," Vexen says, beginning to lose his patience. He takes a step forward, and she scoots backward, avoiding him. A small twitch starts up in one of his eyebrows. "Xion, stay still."
"N-No!"
The confrontation ends up into a chase, and in the ensuing struggle, chase, and increasing amount of damage a frightened Xion causes, she somehow learns to walk. If Vexen wasn't so preoccupied trying to get the thrice-damned child to stay still, he might almost be proud. The chaos eventually brings a pair of visitors to his door.
"Vexen, man!" Xigbar laughs, unable to help himself, the b*****d. "Our little poppet has you running in circles, huh?" Besides him, Xaldin gives a small smirk, arms crossed over his chest.
With a bit of sweat dripping down his face, Vexen glares at his two companions as he leans against a counter, chest heaving. "Shut up!" he snaps before glaring at Xion as well. The girl just hiccups in distress, but she doesn't move from her spot on a laboratory table, holding a beaker in warning. Whether Vexen is more concerned about his laboratory equipment or getting sliced by broken glass is hard to tell. "Xion, get down from there. You're in enough trouble as it is, and you're acting positively foolish over a trivial matter." Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Lexaeus and Zexion peer in. Apparently, it's once again "Invade Vexen's Labs Despite How Much He Says Not To" day. Thankfully, Lexaeus just leaves, having gained all the insight he needs by the scene alone: Xion panicked, Vexen annoyed, and a needle. Zexion is not nearly as obliging.
"You never have been a child person, Vexen," Zexion says conversationally as he steps inside, stopping besides Xaldin and Xigbar, both who just snort-snicker in agreement. "I'm merely hazarding a guess, but perhaps you're going about this the wrong way?"
"And what would you know about children yourself?" Vexen hisses, to which Zexion merely shrugs and smiles mysteriously. Enigmatic little b*****d. Still, he has a point: they're going nowhere with this standoff. Ugh, this is why he's always hated children! They're always making things difficult. For a few moments, the silence continues, with Xigbar mocking Vexen every few minutes and avoiding the thrown ice-balls which are tossed to his head. The audience only seems to make Xion even more nervous, as she shrinks back whenever Xaldin glances at her.
Suddenly, Lexaeus comes back and, without a word, passes the rest of his old friends. As he gets closer to Xion, she raises a beaker in warning. His only response is to work his jaw oddly... and blow a gum bubble. There is not a person within the lab who doesn't blink in confusion at this. Vexen is just about to blow up at the taller man when he notices the look on Xion's face. Her eyes are wide in curiosity, and she giggles a little bit when the bubble pops and Lexaeus has to wipe it off of his face. There's a bit of suspicion when he reaches into his pocket, but she relaxes when she sees it's just a gumball. "Would you like to try?" Lexaeus offers. After a moment's hesitation, Xion nods. Five minutes later, and the pair are besides each other, Xion sitting with her legs dangling from the table and Lexaeus simply leaning against the edge. Both are chewing gum and blowing bubbles in a comfortable sort of silence.
Vexen feels like slamming his head into some kind of flat surface.
"What is he doing?" he grumbles, palm covering his face.
Zexion just smirks at him. Out in the hallway, Xigbar seems to finally be settling down. The whole situation is simply too much. "Apparently, Vexen," Zexion answers, "Lexaeus and Xion are chewing gum together." Vexen's bitter, not-amused glare just has the young man raise his eyebrows innocently.
Meanwhile, Xion pauses, as if realizing something. Glancing at Lexaeus from the corner of her eyes, she shyly shifts and gets on her knees so that she can whisper into his ear. Something that might be a smile quirks at his lips. "Then you'll have to get a new one," he replies. "I believe Vexen has more gumballs."
Confused, Vexen looks around, and is surprised to find that, right next to him on the counter, there is indeed a bag of the colorful little candies. When Zexion raises an eyebrow, Vexen gains an idea. "You'll get more if you let me get a sample of your blood," he bargains. Xion obviously doesn't like the idea, but slowly nods and holds her arm out. Relieved that this is coming to an end at long last, he quickly strides over to the girl. The process takes a minute at best and Vexen looks at the little glass vial he has in triumph. Lexaeus coughs, and that's when Vexen remembers his side of the 'bargain'. Xion smiles slightly when he drops a few gumballs into her hands, and for the first time, walks to their room on her own, arm linked with Lexaeus' while Zexion follows, still amused by the day's events.
From then on, Vexen makes sure to keep a small bag of candy in his lab. Just in case.
