Even stilled when Lauriam held a red rose out to him. "I thought you couldn't make these anymore."
"I cannot. I visited the World of an old friend and they were kind enough to let me take one." Lauriam explained.
Even slowly took the rose from him. "An old friend?"
"A World I saved long ago."
"Would you take me there some time?" Even questioned and brought the rose up to his face to smell it. It felt too real in his fingers.
"He's trying to get better about guests, so I should be able to manage that." Lauriam gave a small nod. "We should put it in water."
"He?" Even felt his stomach tighten. Had Lauriam given him someone else's token of affection? "I could freeze it."
"The prince of the World. Apparently Organization XIII tried to give him trouble years ago. From what Belle said it sounds like Dilan's Nobody was there." Lauriam stepped a little closer to him. "Save your magic, Even."
“Belle?” Even questioned and looked away. “/You/ told me to work on my magic, Lauriam.”
“I do not believe they have gotten married by this point in time.” Lauriam explained and reached up a hand to place on Even’s cheek and draw his attention back to him. “A touch too honest of a memory, is all. It was an ill chosen gift.”
“Right, the whole past future matter.” Even frowned down at Lauriam. “You want it back?”
“Right.” Lauriam gave a small nod. “No. It is yours. But I should have thought it through better. My intention is to build foundation on who we are now. To give you a gift that is so thoroughly Marluxia was ill chosen.” Lauriam swallowed and withdrew his hand. “But I found I could not help myself.”
Even grabbed his hand and held it awkwardly before him. “Once then. For old times sake.”
“You’ve never been one to stop at once.” Lauriam whispered. “Perhaps I should take it back.”
“Experiments need proper testing.” Even whispered back and leaned down. “No, you said it is mine. Perhaps we could use it as... closure.”
“Closure?” Lauriam hummed. “We’d need to set it on fire afterwards.”
“Exhaustion, mostly. Desperation. Sora would have done such a lovely job if only his rage had been directed properly. But it does not matter now. Pieces are back where they are meant to be.”
“It has been... odd, getting to actually know Riku.”
“Seeing Ienzo socialize, you mean.” Lauriam laughed a little.
“Yes.” Even sighed. “So. Fire.”
“Full closure.” Lauriam nodded. “And then, we go on a date. Just us. No cloud of Vexen and Marluxia.”
“Do you forgive yourself then?”
“Oh, never.” Lauriam shook his head a little. “But I don’t have to forgive myself to move on. So let’s set up our little experiment.”
“Fire, Even, Fire. Unless you learned fire magic after Esuna?”
“...Don’t make fun of your elders, Lauriam.”
Lauriam hummed and turned away. “Only you.” And then he smirked over his shoulder. “Besides, I’ve technically existed longer than you.”
“You’re terrible.” Even laughed.
“You knew that already.” Lauriam laughed back. “Fire. I have no idea how to work your lab, Even. I am much more used to synthesis.”
“Right. The Moogle like you.” Even walked past him. “I’ll teach you how to work a Bunsen Burner. Actual science.”
“There is plenty of science behind synthesis.”
“There is more magic than science.”
“One and the same at the core.” Lauriam held a finger up to silence Even’s next complaint. “Are you a scientist or a mage? You are both, Even.”
Even heaved a sigh. “You are correct, but my original point still stands.”
“Science. Yes. Show away.”
Even lead Lauriam over to a table with said Bunsen Burner along with various flasks and test tubes. “Lauriam?”
“You truly want to forget?”
“I never said forget. I want to move on. I want to feel like I am living my life. Not a shadow of Marluxia’s.” Lauriam sighed. “I recognize that the division between Vexen and Even was slim. That Vexen allowed you a moral slip that this life does not. But I am not Marluxia, and I refuse to act as if I am.”
“Okay.” Even gave a small nod and finally coated the rose he held in ice. “A date?”
“We can go wherever you like.”
“Where- where would you have gone before?”
Lauriam stared at him, eyes slightly wide. “Even you know my home world is destroyed.”
“You can travel to other Worlds I-” Even heaved a sigh. “No. Of course you would want to stay in familiar territory. I’m sorry.”
“Tact has never been one of your strong suits.” Lauriam gave him a small smile. “There’s a few Worlds I have not explored fully yet. I thought we could just walk around and find somewhere nice.”
“That would be nice.” Even agreed. He set the rose to the side and turned the flame on. “Tell me about back then. Your thought process.”
“Vexen had shown that he could not be loyal to me. Axel wanted to prove he could be. I was foolish enough to believe that Axel’s motives and mine would work together.” Lauriam explained softly. “I think about it frequently, Even. What would have happened if I had never told Axel the truth. That mission was not supposed to have causalities.”
“You blame yourself and not Lea.”
“The more I learn about Axel and Lea the more I understand he has always followed his heart. Axel’s loyalty, just like Vexen’s, was never Marluxia’s to hold.” Lauriam picked up the ice covered rose. “But more than anything else. I regret not doing it myself. Deep down I did not expect Axel to go through with it. I was not aware of how strong his conviction to Saix was, nor how much he wanted to see Roxas again.”
“I forgave you.” Even stated. He had never truly cared about the politics. He had been mad with Marluxia because that castle should have been Vexen’s. But the more he heard about what happened after the more it sounded like a trap. Like they were sent to slaughter.
“I know.” Lauriam sighed and held the icy petals over the open flame. “How did it feel? I remember the feel of death. That feel of unraveling. Of your emptiness finally being set free. Of your soul leaving.”
“Dreadful.” Even whispered and watched as normal fire tried to melt magic ice. Their plan might have had a hole in it. But that might have been the point. They could never let go. “I remember the smell, mostly. I remember feeling betrayed. I remember Sora looking confused. And who could blame him?” Even placed a hand to his chest. “I remember being worried. And then Axel did have the Riku Replica kill Zexion...”
“Vexen’s dying thoughts were Zexion?”
“Even’s had been Ienzo.” Even’s voice was small. “In the end I should be thankful, but the scars make it challenging.”
“Understandable.” Lauriam drew the flower away from the flame. “Perhaps we could put it in the freezer instead.”
“Not in any capacity that is satisfying.” Lauriam turned the flower, a small bit of ice was gone, but the point was for their to be flames.
Even turned the fire off. “Soak it in water and put it in the freezer it is. Do I only get that date after it is gone?”
“It does sound like this experiment will need to be picked up tomorrow. But I think you still deserve a date today.” Lauriam hummed a little. “For talking.”
“Good.” Even smiled and took the flower from him. “Tell me about the World you want to go to.”
“It’s called San Fransokyo. It’s a very technologically based world. Tall buildings. Curious transit system. And apparently it’s own team of heros.” Lauriam leaned against the table while he watched Even.
“I think some version of the Riku Replica went there. I tried to keep track of where the vessels got to.” Even waved a hand at him. “But at the same time did not truly care.”
“Where do your loyalties lay these days?”
“They’ve always been to Lord Ansem and Ienzo. /My/ king and prince.” Even dismissed his magic and turned the sink on. The rose only looked sad as he ran it under water. The freezer would only make it an awkward chunk of flower. Nothing of the intricate designs Vexen had practiced only to impress Marluxia. But that was for the best.
“Right.” Lauriam looked away. “And me?”
“Are you loyal to me, Even? Can I finally hold your loyalty?”
Even looked at Lauriam’s fragile expression for only a second. “We’ll see after our date.”
“Fair.” Lauriam let out a heavy breath. “My loyalty has never been to you, after all.”
“No, you are only loyal to yourself.”
“No, I once had many people I was loyal to. But times change. Marluxia’s loyalty was Larxene. I sent her to her death as well. You are far from the only death that is heavy on my heart, Even.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Even questioned as he turned off the sink and walked the dripping red rose over to the freezer. He’d put a note on it later. Ienzo would ask.
“No. Not at all.” Lauriam shook his head. “Only stating facts and reminders.”
“A reminder to never forgive yourself.”
Even sighed and closed the freezer. “I understand.” He walked back over to Lauriam and placed his hands on the table behind him, pinning him in place. “I want dinner and dessert.”
“Of course, Even.” Lauriam gave him a small smile. “Anything you want.”
“I want you to forgive yourself.”
“Anything but that.” Lauriam turned his head away.
