Autumnal Decay

(Author's Note: This chapter begins with Xemnas' POV, and maybe...a little bit more than halfway, switches to Saïx's POV. This chapter is rather poopy, but it is a transitional period between this and the final chapter.

Enjoy. Don't forget, reviews FTW.)

I had something to say to him. He would not let me say it.

I wanted to ask him “What in the blazes is wrong with you?” but he continued to drag me along. I could feel the remnants of the wasted coffee scalding my thighs and then, as if it were the jumpy, klutzy waitress herself, cooled in apology. It left the skin of my thighs feeling clammy and sticky.

But I had no time to complain.

Saïx dragged me by the arm into the men’s room of the coffee facility, which held the same warm air on the inside as it did on the outside. I had no time to appreciate the orange and gold lighting, though, since the locking of the door to the restroom bothered me. Very much so.

“What is the meaning of this?” I asked my blue-haired companion once he let me speak. I was a little winded, not because of the hurried pace at which the other Nobody had brought me into this notably neat public restroom, but because I was rather angry.

“I am going to clean you off in here so that you do not destroy the employees and very establishment around us,” he said with a stern frown. Knowing that he meant business, I was a little less…irked.

Considering his motive, I finally nodded, but I still watched him warily as he went behind me to relieve me of my wet coat. He hung it over the sink and then examined my pants. “Sir—“

“No,” I growled, crossing my arms over my chest and giving him a certain look. A certain look which dripped with the notion that my pants would stay ON.

“…Very well, I will just have to wipe it off from the outside.” Saïx moved to the paper towel dispenser, lowered the lever a few times to extract some of the rough paper, and then ripped it off in one flick of his wrist, taking it to the sink to get it wet. Returning to me, he kneeled, gently rubbing the cool, damp towel against my seared flesh through the fabric of my coffee-covered slacks.

I would have moaned, but this was not the time, nor the place. Not to mention that in my mood, I would have found it difficult to give Saïx an explanation. I probably would have found the strength or desire to deal him a hefty right hook to that pretty face of his, however.

That cold stroking continued for another few moments as Saïx tried his best to clean my trousers with such limited supplies, and I sighed and uncrossed my arms when he stood once more and pressed a light kiss to the corner of my mouth. That press of his lips to my own lingered, leaving a pleasant tingling in its wake, and I could tell that those pale membranes were chapped. Although they were rough, they still felt and tasted like heaven.

Now completely calmed and now settled back into my usual, stoic demeanor, I idly licked my lips as I watched him toss out that soiled wad of paper towel, and then return to the problem that was my stained coat.

“I wonder if this will come out,” I heard him mutter, lifting the dirty clothing item from its place on the edge of the sink. He frowned at it and slung it over his shoulder without another word, coming to stand in front of me once again. “Shall we return to the place you have rented us for this little adventure, Xemnas?”

“Do not think that I have forgotten. I asked you a question, and I still want an answer,” I growled. My voice was not nearly as menacing as before, though, which was probably why that poised beast smirked at me.

“I have not forgotten, either. However, under the circumstances, I feel that this is not the right place for me to explain it to you,” he almost whispered, giving me a very winning smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his sleeve bunch up at the shoulder, and my eyes averted their gaze to look down at an outstretched, gloved hand.

I took it.


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(Saïx POV)


I was relieved when he took my hand.

I was scared that he would have given me a nice slap in the face with that hand that had so graciously taken hold of my own. But, instead, I felt his strong fingers wrap around mine, and they even gave a little squeeze.

With his ruined coat over my shoulder and with an idea in my mind of what to get him for Christmas (if we chose to celebrate it this year—Axel and Demyx both seemed ecstatic about it, and Vexen seemed excited about decorating), we ventured out of the men’s restroom to find our lovely, albeit clumsy waitress waiting for us. In a drink holder were two Styrofoam cups, sporting the same circular seal as on her black apron, and her face lit up when she saw us.

“There you are! I am so, so sorry for before! Please, these drinks are on me!”

//Those first two were on Xemnas,// I thought. After having a good, internal fit of laughter, I shook my head and shimmied my hand into my coat pocket, withdrawing a pouch of munny. Taking our new to-go drinks from her, I plopped that leather bag into her vacant hands, making sure she curled her fingers over the currency. “This is for the terrific service. Thank you very much.”

Her knees seemed to buckle under the weight of the munny in her hand, and she stared at it, letting her imagination run wild over the amount. “Oh, this is far too much!”

“Take it. I have no other use for it,” I replied before she could argue further. I could see Xemnas gawking out of the corner of my eye.

“Oh--oh! S-sir! Thank you! C-come back again!” I heard her say, but not before we began to walk out of the shop. It seemed she had been too stunned to speak before we’d redirected our persons to the exit.

“Do not worry, I will,” I replied over my shoulder, and then gave Xemnas my full attention, making sure my eyes overflowed with affection and a little bit of pride. “We both will.”

(Author's Note: Remember, this is a transitional chapter, so don't take off my head for its perpetual poopiness. :C Reviews FTW.)