Unmasking Ch. 2 - Confidence
There are more than a few teasing leers and smirks to greet Zexion when he enters the Headmansion's kitchen in the morning. The most obvious offenders are Axel, Vexen, and Voxden. It's debatable if the Cheshire Cat counts; he's always smiling. As the Schemer takes the time to forage in the refrigerator, Axel strikes first in a lazy drawl. "Well, well, looks like you've added a little blind to your usual style, Zex." He nods his head to the ring on one hand. "What's the special occasion?"
"It was rather dark in the theater in AtMF on Christmas when you hopped off stage," Daisy teases, and has to stand on her chair to get a better look at him. "I heard from Minnie that you and Tony ended up together in the dark. Did you make up like good boys?"
"More like made-out," Voxden snickers.
"I suppose that would account for the pleasant mood, Vexen adds with a smirk. It's truly an odd group that's decided to agree this morning. "Why, Zexion, can that be an engagement ring? And here you had teased me about Rinoa concocting a wedding for Lucrecia and I."
"You shouldn't use 'and' at the beginning of a sentence," is all Zexion says, his tone marking the sentence seem more like an afterthought than anything else. It's so dazed, so oblivious, so obviously not a Zexion response, almost the entire kitchen has to pause and stare.
Those who obviously do not care take the time to be thieves with the others distracted. Xandra and Fuu's raid on Demyx's strawberries is successful. Sabor steals meat from Dodger's bowl with little resistance.
Clinging to the edge of the table in worry, Xion speaks up. "Zexion? Did you hear anything we said?"
The young man blinks slowly as he looks out from a cupboard. "Pardon? Did you say something, Xion?"
Everyone trades worried or confused glances with each other. A small army of Circuits make off with all of the cleaning supplies and are never questioned or interrogated about it. Leaving the kitchen rather bemused, Zexion just strides out with his breakfast in hand, looking about as dazed as he truly is while Lexaeus waits for him at the doorway. Unlike most people lost in their thoughts, he doesn't walk into any embarrassing situations. Demyx is briefly jealous. A few people get up to follow Zexion, but all Lexaeus has to say in his soft, weighty voice is "Ephebophile." The oven spontaneously combusts.
Leaving blaring alarms, screaming people, and flames in their wake (something more suited to Sev's Larxene and Marluxia), Zexion and Lexaeus make their way to the Headmansion's impressive library. Locked behind large and secure doors, Zexion finally snaps out of his daze as he sets his breakfast down. "What am I doing, Lexaeus?"
Settling down in a large armchair, as he senses a worried rant coming along, Lexaeus just clasps his hands together with his arms balanced on his thighs. "Do you want the mathematician's answer to that question, Zexion?"
For a brief moment, Zexion smiles at his friend's blunt wit before he begins to pace madly. "How is it that I of all people am about to get married? I know nothing about marriage, about close and meaningful relationships. Just look at my role in the Organization!" Both sets of his fingers rake through his hair, his teeth baring in frustration. "I am the manipulator, the schemer. Never have I been allowed to grow close to another, by my own will or that of Xemnas'. All relationships I have formed have been quick and meaningless. If anything, they were for my own benefit. The only person I'm close to is you, Lexaeus, and that's more of a mimicry and habit from our time before." Pausing, he rubs his arms. "Light above, what am I doing?" he repeats.
"You fear an empty relationship?" Lexaeus prods.
Zexion narrows his eyes at him. "Any relationship where I would not want to stab my heart, or stave off a platoon of Heartless, or give up my entire life for that one person's safety," he says softly, "is not one worth dedicating myself to."
After a moment, Lexaeus stands up and walks to his brother-friend-partner and lays a sturdy hand on his small shoulder. "You do more for him than I believe you allow yourself to see, or remember," he tells him. "Calm down. I think this will be good for you... Both of you."
"Where do you get that confidence?" Zexion asks with a slight smile. Anything else that might be said is interrupted by a loud banging from the front door, and he sighs. "That's Rinoa. If you'll excuse me, I have an escape to make."
Darkness forbid if he lets anyone else plan his role in the wedding.
