Nightshift 20, Outside Room F1

[lustful_thing]

Lust ignored the intercom for the most part. She was tired, her body drained and in need of rest. When the damned radio began spewing nonsense, she finally roused herself from bed. She retrieved her blades and slipped them on, realizing she had no plan whatsoever. She rarely did, but at least she generally had someone to meet up with. Not

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[clockmongler]

"And you doubt the powers of addiction," he questioned, smirk returning in humor. "I'll have you know one's mind can become quite warped under such simplistic games. I've had a man lose his wife to me in a bet, once." Ah, such fond, wonderful memories of visiting that strange port town. Was her name Mia…? Perhaps it was Maya. He could not recall, but it was not as if he made an attempt to memorize it in the first place. "That was a fun night."

Sigh. It was pointless to talk in circles with the elder member, especially since he tended to become so obsessed with proving others wrong, but… Luxord enjoyed talking in circles. He could shrug it off as some side effect from scouting Wonderland, but he just preferred the challenge of dancing with words. "You've never been one to listen to reason, II. I remember telling you specifically that it would get you killed, but you just shrugged it off, telling me… what was it again?" He was grinning like the Cheshire Cat now, eyes narrowed in some misplaced determination and voice mocking. "'If that Keyblade kid steps one foot into this castle, I get first dibs'? Something similar to that."

Oh please. Xigbar couldn't charm his way out of a wet, paper bag if it was perfectly positioned for escaping. "I, personally, enjoy being a heartbreaker," the Gambler replied anyway, not seeing the hurt in such discussions. "But that's schadenfreude for you."

[numberii]

"Nah, I don't doubt the power of addiction. Easy way of making a Heartless; taunt somebody with something they need until they'll do anything to get it, and then~!" The Nobody grinned, adding, "Besides, look at yourself. You've been twitchy ever since I first saw you here; can't imagine how going cold turkey's gotta feel."

That latter comment made him go quiet for a little bit, mostly as Xigbar was a bit uncertain at that. They were talking about his future, after all; he couldn't tell if Luxord was telling the truth or was just yanking his chain. "And you listened to reason and got cut in half too; got a point in there somewhere, dude?"

And II could too woo the ladies! And the guys too, while he was at it! Inanimate objects quivered in ecstasy at his touch! He was a sexy sexy beast, no matter what Luxord may think! "That's because you haven't dumped the right girl yet, dude. You're still young and think you're ten feet tall and bullet-proof; some sheila's gonna smash that all to bits, just you wait."

[clockmongler]

The Gambler gave a low growl at that, glaring down at his own hands. They had been shaking quite a bit for the last couple of days, and he could not pin II as lacking observation skills. Still, to have such a weakness on display? "You'll get to understand yourself, never you fret."

His frown only deepened at the mention of his own actions, and he only gave a quick reply before moving on. "The point is that I offered to fight him first. You refused to listen and got yourself killed because of it." Stubborn bastard…

Ecstasy? Surely, he meant revulsion, as nothing was ever wonderful about Xigbar touching things. "I enjoy it that way, to tell the truth, and it's happened more than not." His grin slowly returned back to him, taking pleasure in the memories at hand. "You know I like them feisty. The morning after is always a gamble."

[numberii]

Oh yeah, Xigbar had totally gotten the entire thing pinned; he only had one eye, but he still saw twice as much as virtually anyone else. Comes with being a sharpshooter. And it wasn't like Luxord could really hide everything. "Naw, I think I'm going to find their stash and have a little celebration. Just a matter of time, dude."

X wanted to give just a quick reply, but that was something Xigbar wanted to harp on. Just a bit. "And you didn't think of a second that someone like me, who's the best fighter we've got, biting it might tell you that you're a bit out of your league? You've got your tricks and all, but when it gets down to brass tacks? Me and VII are top dogs. That means that if something chomps me down, you'd better run and get the heck out of there, and not become dessert. Got it?"

He let that last part of the conversation go for now. Sure, X got his kicks out of the gamble of what would happen thereafter... and II got his own jollies out of various things as well. But that wasn't exactly as pleasant for him as for the neophyte, as that was something that touched a little closer to home.

[clockmongler]

As quick as the little sparkle in his eyes came at the mention of alcohol, they left the second II continued talking. Did the man seriously consider himself so high and mighty? It was pointless, arguing with him, Luxord knew. Yet he'd continue to do it anyhow, for one reason or the other.

"And where, exactly, would you propose I go? I wished to buy time, not win." He glared. "It's too late now though, isn't it? If we get out, we should go directly back from when we were stolen in Time. I'm dead."

[numberii]

"And I'm not. But I'm probably gonna die anyway, because none of you scoobies could kill a Chosen if he was blind and helpless. You think you could have won if you'd tried, dude? Lemme tell you about the Chosen." He turned around to jab his finger at Luxord and give his war stories enlighten the Neophyte as to his position, his eye narrowed in disgust.

"Back in the day, we didn't have good guys like me to swoop in and save the day like III and me keep doing now. We had our talents and we used 'em, and all of this backbiting about traitors and Time and gosh-knows-what-else wasn't even heard of. We got things done and we worked together, which is something you haven't really learned, have you? I remember what happened the last time we bothered the Huns for their Heartless, and everything else too!"

Jabbing his finger for emphasis, he added, "So don't tell me about what's too late or who can win. This little brat might be something, but he's just a kid. And if some other version of me got punked, then I bet it wasn't because of a key to the chest."

[clockmongler]

Anger or no, the Gambler almost snarled when that finger pointed at him, and he batted the hand away with more aggression than probably necessary. "I did my bloody work and you damn well know that." II seriously thought he could speak with him that way? He did not even know what happened to them! Oh yes, seniority, blah blah bullshit! Being older did not mean he knew more. If this was the way he was going to speak, Luxord was positive he knew nothing.

"You listen to me, Mr. Sanctimonious, I worked my ass off to get our fucking hearts back, and you think I'm just going to sit around and take your lecture about how I should have gotten things done? Well, guess what, I did and I'm not listening to your little egocentric shit. And I tried like hell to prevent at least one casualty, which is more than I can say for you."

He smiled and laughed, such an expression was almost disgusting itself. The smile was false, through and through; anyone with eyes could see the mind's attempt at producing some sort of hate in the absence of a heart burning in those eyes. "If you're so powerful, you should have won the first time. You should have gotten the brat first before he killed the lot of us."

Xigbar was so close to getting a good fist to the face.

[numberii]

"Dude." Xigbar turned to Luxord, his hands on his hips, and growling low in his throat. No, neophytes did not back-sass their superiors. Friendship was one thing (though it really was an odd sort of friendship, broken easily and mended just as quickly,) but this was waaay out there. Like... way out there.

"I was working to save the whole stupid Organization, back while you were in another loony bin and rambling on about whatever! If it wasn't for me, then we wouldn't even be having this little chat, 'cause Xemnas would have given up on ever making a whole group of us in the first place. So why don't you sit down and shut up like a good little boy, and let a grown dude get back to his work. I'll have that spiky head on a platter once I get my weapons handy, so lay off on something I haven't even done yet!"

[clockmongler]

No… Oh no, Xigbar did not just bring that up… At the mention of the words 'loony bin,' the Gambler was seeing the proverbial red, completely hissing through his teeth and fingernails digging into his palm. He'd never trusted anyone enough to outright tell them what became of his Other, and now, mere minutes after he told the one person he thought wouldn't dig up the past or try to degrade him because of it…

He made no verbal reply aside from an enraged wail before lunging forwards at the elder Nobody, shifting all his strength into his fist as he propelled it to Xigbar's face.

[numberii]

Yep, that was about what Xigbar had expected, and the crunch of fist impacting face filled his hearing as he promptly collapsed to the ground. Pain on pain? Not such a good thing. Nor the fact that he could barely move his limbs, let alone protect himself... so he didn't.

Instead he grinned, loving that look of almost-rage on the other's face. "If only you could see the look on your face!"

...yeah, he had a death wish. Having a furious Gambler whaling on him wasn't his favorite position, but hey, he had to take them where he got them.

[clockmongler]

The blond immediately fell to his knees, grabbing the other by shoulder and reared back his free hand, getting ready to strike again… when Xigbar just had to say that. He blinked slowly, fixing the man with a blank stare in annoyance. In his moment of "fhgksjkfgajlsd" false rage, it had slipped his mind that the elder Nobody enjoyed it when people hated him. Beating him senseless was just going to make him laugh more, and the Gambler wanted none of that. He wanted II in pain. Lots and lots of pain.

Fine, then. Luxord could hurt the man in other ways, ways that involved no hate whatsoever.

The fist that was originally going to bludgeon the man into submission loosened, slowly stroking the other's cheek as the one on II's shoulder began knotting itself into the long hair. "You know," he began, using that creepily sweet tone he normally only used for Naminé, "I don't see why we fight so. Truly, we've been friends for, what? Almost five years on my timeline, now. Yet we continue to bicker and throw punches!" He leaned in closer, uncomfortably so. "I think we should stop."

This was killing him inside, but it was for the greater good of causing suffering.

[numberii]

"...dude!" Whoa whoa whoa! That was just creepy, and the fact that it was Luxord touching him and running a hand through his hair? Ugh ugh ugh!

"Friend zone breached, man! What do you think you're doing!?" If he wasn't in so much pain, Xigbar would have either decked him or made him pay for his teasing with his ass life. Now, though? He could barely nudge the other Nobody away. And he was suddenly very aware that he didn't have a shirt on.

[clockmongler]

The obnoxiously sweet smile faded into a sadistic smirk at the Freeshooter's reaction, a particularly evil laugh slipping through his lips in wonderful, wonderful victory. Without another word, the Gambler slid away from the other, laughter getting the slightest bit louder as he stood again.

"So it's hate you like, hm?" He tilted his head, not bothering to help the other up. Personally, he didn't want to touch the other again. "I can work around that rather quickly, I'll have you know."

Ah. He loved the smell of win in the morning. Night. Whatever.

[numberii]

"Hate you," Xigbar muttered as he tried to get back to his feet, wishing that the Gambler had stayed right there so he could have done something particularly unpleasant to wipe that stupid grin off of his face. "Stupid newbie, thinking you've got something on me...!"

He sneered at the other as he started limping off again, all wounded dignity and anger. Why were they friends, again? "It's not hate so much as I know you don't mean it. Hate's something you can wish on anyone without feeling bad about it; it's something real. So you can keep your stupid games to yourself, 'cause I'm picking up my balls and going home."

Stupid, stupid, stupid Neophyte! He was going to get an arrow to the face, and then they'd see how pretty he looked with his stupid blonde hair all stained red!

...not that he was going to hold a grudge or anything.

[clockmongler]

Again with that 'pretty' statement. Just what was II trying to say, hmm?

Xigbar's angered words mattered not to Luxord. He merely grinned to himself, picked up the journal and pen he apparently dropped in the mist of his rage, and followed the elder man once more. Nobodies had no emotions, after all. He'd need not worry about II remaining mad for long; if one thing they knew they had in common, it was the tendency to forgive or, at least, forget quickly. So the blond just followed, whistling a jaunty tune to himself in his now repaired mood.

Winning always made him feel like he was drifting on cloud nine.

After a bit, he spoke up again, still grinning ear to ear from his success. "So. We still going to the meeting before the big, bad wolf eats us alive?" Or, well, him alive, since Luxord was the one to promise to retrieve II. II would most likely get away with a slap on the wrist, the bastard.

[numberii]

"Whatever, dude. I don't care." He shrugged, now more like a petulant child than anything else. He didn't want to go anywhere with Luxord until something shiny would make him forget what he was supposed to be angry about for now, so he honestly didn't care.

Nobody hated quite like Xigbar did. Mostly because it took some effort to get him to hate like that. If it could even be called 'hating', due to the whole pesky 'no heart' thing.