Title: Bittersweet
Author: Hyuuga's Winged Guardian/bloodyangel361/bryxta
Summary: How can you grow such beautiful flowers when you don't have the love to show themMaruZeku

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or anything associated with it.

Author's Notes: I do not like MaruZeku. I do not, period. This is for RoxyOblivion aka KeyofDestiny-XIII, BondofFlames aka FlurryofDancingFlames-VIII, FlowerBoy016, and CloakedSchemer06 because I know they all like this pairing. I am perfectly aware of what actually happens in the game, thank you very much.

There were a few things the Cloaked Schemer liked. One was peace and quiet, and another one was order, which was why he liked routines. He liked going through the same thing through the days of his non-existent life. It gave him security on what basically would go on in his surroundings. However, he did not see this one order coming from the superior.

"Number XI, you will be head of this mission to Castle Oblivion. VIII, XII, VI, V, and IV will be accompanying you."

He was utterly astounded, but didn't mutter a word of objection as he obediently obeyed. His only hope was that this was going to get them closer to getting hearts.

One day (which, technically, was night time since the sun never shined in the place they were in), The Cloaked Schemer was passing by when he saw an unusual gap in the wall where the door was supposed to be closed, like all of them were. He looked inside the room and saw the cold leader of Castle Oblivion standing there tending to his flowers. The Nobody watched quietly as the pink haired man silently hummed to himself. He finally turned around to see the blunette.

"Hello, Zexion."

"Marluxia." Zexion said in acknowledgment and curtly nodded his head as he walked in. He looked up to the growing flowers that were even taller than himself.

"See something you like?" Marluxia asked with a smirk and sneer as he turned to look at the shorter man.

"Humans say it takes 'love' and 'care' to make flowers so tall and beautiful... Then how is it even if you lack a heart or emotions you can make them grow in such a way?" Zexion asked in a quiet and careful tone as he looked into the other's frozen blue eyes. "And why put so much effort into them if you can just make more?"

"Perhaps they don't know I cannot love them. Maybe they do. Whether or not they have the perception to see through our lies is not our business. They are tools, and eternally remain tools, therefore I feel obligated to take care of them so they grow into strong, powerful weapons of destruction. Making more will waste energy and we must be prepared for anything, especially if that keyblade bearer comes along."

The shorter Nobody looked at the Graceful Assassin and opened his mouth to reply back. "If hypothetically, the flowers...knew you couldn't love them, then why do you think they grew for you? And what if they knew they were being used as weapons? Would they still grow and act the same then?"

"Fairly interesting questions, VI. Maybe they feel sympathetic about it. Not having a heart and all."

Zexion walked away from the castle leader without looking back.

"Whatever you say, Marluxia. Whatever you say."

The next time that they had met, it was in the hallway. It was a mere coincidence since the hallways were usually empty. Zexion looked the taller man firm in the eye and told him what he wanted to say while clutching his precious book in his arms.

"Whatever scheme you're planning, XI, do not get me involved."

Marluxia just smirked and opened his mouth to retort. "I have no intentions of letting my 'superior' tell me what I should or shouldn't do, Zexion. I am leader of this mission, and whatever I say goes. Plus, look who's talking. You are the Cloaked Schemer after all, I should be suspicious about what you are doing."

Zexion stayed silent as the pink haired man continued to talk.

"Besides, why would you want a heart anyway? The emotions will only get in the way of your goal. The turmoil that comes with emotions and bonds is sometimes in order to get what you want, you have to severe them. Those stupid Somebodies suffer from that type of sacrifice they have to make upon themselves. If they were all without hearts like us, there would be no pain and no bonds. Hypothetically, Zexion, if I were to kill you right now, it wouldn't effect me because our bonds as Nobodies are non-existent."

The blunette spoke softly. "You do not wish to go through the experience of having emotions again, would you, Marluxia?"

"In the end, emotions are what will or have turned us all insane. If you want that instability to hang onto, fine by me. But I warn you, get in my way and I will not hesitate to eliminate you."

The Cloaked Schemer gave him one last look from his visible eye and turned away to walk off. He paused and looked back at the botanist.

"If Nobodies like us are good at lying, then certainly Marluxia, you are the best. Whatever sick game you're playing, you're winning so far."

He walked off.

They had another interesting 'conversation' while doing patrol in the castle, preparing for the keyblade wielder to come.

"Do you really want to believe those acts to comfort yourself?" Marluxia mocked. "Look at Demyx. He's so caught up in the illusion that we do have hearts that he's forgotten what we really are. Nobodies. We do not have hearts, therefore we do not feel."

Zexion slightly winced at the harsh outburst of words but calmly responded. "Sometimes, Marluxia, I really hate you."

"You cannot hate me, nor can you love me. The 'feeling's mutual if you want to think about it that way, Zexion."

Somehow it always ended with Zexion being the one to walk away.

Blood was splattered all over the ground like a painting as pants were heard. The noises of crashes and hits could be heard through out the floor.

"God, you're stubborn when you want to be..." Marluxia panted as he twisted his scythe into a body.

The Graceful Assassin stared into the visible eye of a Nobody he knew all too well. He listened to the painful screams and groans that the other emitted as he was continually twisted into disappearance.

"I told you Zexion...this wouldn't hurt at all." He dropped Zexion's body onto the floor and forcefully pulled out his scythe. The crimson that dripped from the weapon fell into Zexion's body.

The book man smirked. "Lying isn't good for the soul, Marluxia."

He trembled to support himself off his arms.

"You made yourself weak."

He fell back to the floor with a thump and laid still in the ocean of blood and disaster.

It was Marluxia's turn to walk away.