#*lexaeus

Marluxia was the one to make the first move. His hand rested gently on his thigh. Nothing sexual, just stability, comfort. But Xigbar knew how to change that.

Marluxia and Lexaeus were talking about dirt. Literal dirt. It made sense that that was what his flower elemental and the earth elemental would land on.

But it also meant when he leaned over to whisper something inappropriate in Marluxia's ear he ground to a halt. He didn't sputter or anything. He just full stopped.

"One moment," Marluxia's voice tried to be steady but his hand had tensed on his leg.

"Go ahead." Lexaeus had known Xigbar long enough to not question.

Marluxia turned away from him to stare Xigbar down. "Really, 'I'll plant you'? That's the best you got?"

Xigbar grinned at him. "I got loads better, but it got your pretty eyes to look at me."

Marluxia sighed softly and set a finger under Xigbar's chin "Honestly, you're the worst. I'll look at you plenty later."

"You promise?"

"Completely."

Marluxia placed a soft kiss to his lips and turned back away.

Lexaeus wished he had the size to leave the room quietly. He surely had the skill to but there was no way Vexen’s huge eyes or Zexion’s hyper sensitive nose would miss him leaving. 

So he sat at the table while the two of them argued about... honestly, he had no idea. The moment Zexion had lost his heart he had gained the ability to bicker with Vexen. It almost made them seem more like a family. 

But he knew, no matter the topic, the two of them would soon look to him as if they actually cared about his opinion and not to simply pick one of their sides to use as leverage. 

That’s all Lexaeus was. Leverage. A tie breaker. He’d stay neutral. Make them sort it out themselves. That was the best way to handle matters. 

Except he was staring at Zexion, and he was not sure when he had started to stare at Zexion more than Vexen. Perhaps the lack of heart had shifted him more than he had expected. 

Morals. Right. Was that not what Vexen was constantly going on about? How without a heart they lacked morals. 

So there was no harm in looking. It was not as if Zexion would look back. He had been raised by Vexen, after all, and he doubted him more observant than his father when it came to those regards. 

The only error with his plan was when the two of them did finally look to him to break their argument.