You don't wanna go there, kid
Midgar was due for completion in little over a week, or thereabouts. Zexion had got in touch with Lexaeus, which Xigbar had expected, and Lexaeus had passed on the message, which Xigbar had not expected. The gist of it was simple enough; stay away from Midgar. The place was about to get very briefly lethal, and from the sound of it, very brief in
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He had, at least, showered and changed before gracing the pub with his presence. A loose fitting button up shirt and some light trousers were at least cooler than his furs, in this climate.
On entering, he paused, waiting until he spied Vexen and then, husband located, went over to grant him a kiss on the cheek. At least Saix smelled pleasant.
Xigbar had, at some point, made himself scarce. Someone had come in, and spoken to him in hushed tones, and Xigbar had nodded, and sent the guy away, and then, after finishing his drink, had headed out. He was probably up to something, but then, he usually was.
So the only other person of note was Axel, whose hair stood out immediately from the doorway, but Saix waited until he'd greeted his husband before he greeted Axel with an acknowledging nod.
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He looked a little ...on edge.
It wasn't amazingly obvious to most people, but if you happened to know him well enough, it would be fairly clear that the behaviour wasn't down to boredom.
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"Something wrong?" He asked, his voice low and level.
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"Huh? Oh... nah," he said, distractedly. "Yeah... I..." He sighed somewhat harshly. "Doesn't matter."
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A part of Saix, the part that made the hard decisions and had been in control while his heart has been missing from the equation, said to turn away and leave Axel to it. Axel's problems did not need to be Saix's concern.
The other part, which was so much harder to ignore now it didn't rely solely on memory, chastised him for even considering leaving Lea to his battles alone. They were in things together. They always were. Things had gone so drastically wrong when they'd separated, for both of them.
"I'm going to get a drink," he said, "and then you're going to explain the problem."
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He nodded, still distractedly, and glanced as Saix walked off to get his drink. This was going to be pretty tough to explain and risked him being called soft and getting similarly insulted in the process. The part of him that was still Lea didn't mind that, but the part that had coldly killed members of his own group to further himself knew that it would get him right in the pride if he did.
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"So," Saix began, his voice low, and steady, and coldly emotionless, "tell me what is bothering you."
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"Wow, you really know how to make an expression of friendly concern sound like a job interview, Saix," he said, giving a slightly forced laugh.
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Saix looked at Axel, and then looked way again as an ache of guilt, or regret, or something raced across his heart. "So tell me what it is, and I will help you."
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It was going to be a tough call. There were a hell of a lot of variables in the situation at hand and that's even just assuming that they got there in time.
"It's something Xigbar said, but he didn't want me to know." Axel said, looking across the table at him. "I don't think he wanted to tell anyone, but I pushed him into it and now I can't ignore it, y'know?"
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Still, he scowled for a reason; he'd long known that Xigbar was keeping information to himself, and was up to something, or he'd at least suspected it. He'd be more surprised if anyone didn't. Having it confirmed was only a surprise in the sense that it meant someone had found evidence, or got a confession, but it still didn't make Saix very happy.
"What is it?" Saix asked, his voice still flat and steady. He didn't really get excited, even now, and certainly not openly so.
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"Apparently someone's planning on destroying Midgar," he said, his tone barely above a whisper. "A little over a week from now, according to him. I couldn't say how accurate that information is, though."
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He realised that even now, he didn't care. Midgar was a place he'd never been, and meant no more to him than the name. A part of him should have balked at the idea of the destruction of another city, but it failed to.
He was too much of Saix, and not enough of Isa, where that was concerned. Isa would have been quietly horrified. Isa would have asked if there was any way they could help.
Saix asked, "Why does that concern you?"
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He shook that off. Of course he should be concerned. Only a complete monster wouldn't be.
"There's somebody there who saved my ass after I got out of the labs," he said, keeping his voice as low as before. "I owe it to her to warn her."
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"You're too noble," Saix said, and for a moment he sounded very nearly fond, instead of detached and severe. "I presume you don't yet have a plan," he added, in much more familiar, unaffected tones, "outside of making your way to Midgar?"
Because Axel would, and Saix knew it. Present Axel with a situation in which someone he cared for was at risk, and Axel, just like Lea, would wade into danger for them. It was foolish, and dangerous, and sometimes Saix wished he was half as good at heart as Lea had always been.
Somewhere along the way, that had changed, and sometimes he wished it hadn't.
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He hadn't really had time to plan his heroic rescue attempt out just yet. He was pretty good at things of a strategic nature, but with the bombshell, as it were, being dropped and the flood of emotion and confusion combined with worry that followed, it was difficult to think clearly. Luckily, Saix was more clear headed -- he didn't have anything personal riding on it. That, Axel figured, made it easier.
"It's not easy to get in and out, but if we can get in without being seen, I remember the way to the church, if not her house," he told him, looking thoughtful.
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