Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ The Gambling Series ❯ Triple X ( Chapter 1 )

 

Characters © Square Enix

 

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No one was entirely sure they knew how things started. Organization XIII was just having a nice few days off with nothing to worry about. Besides, it was almost the holidays and despite Xemnas' finding the perfect opportunity to wreak some havoc while the innocent people from the other worlds had their guards down, he had somehow been convinced to play an innocuous card game of Luxord's. Which of course brought six other bored members of the darkness to the playing room as well. The free-shooter, Xigbar, had done a little rearranging with the room: it was smaller, with a casino-like feeling to it, a grand purple felt-top table for playing, neon lights adorning the walls, and a single hooded bulb provided light over the table where the dealer, Luxord, and seven other unsure players sat.

 

“The name of the game is strip poker, Kings are wild,” Luxord grinned, shuffling a new deck of cards, their corners edged with gold. A laser immediately shot from Xemnas' palm, threatening to take off the chuckling dealer's head, while at the same time Larxene's throwing knives had just whipped past the blonde's face, embedding themselves in the wall behind him and taking out a green neon light. Axel was grinning across at Roxas, the boy merely sitting there, nonplussed, Saix grinned next to Zexion who gave him a cold look, and Xigbar just shook his head.

 

“Don't make me kill you Luxord,” Larxene said coolly, eyes narrowed, a playfully little sadistic smile on her lips. “You might be the Dealer of Fate, but unless you want that new little pack of cards shoved up you—”

 

“Luxord, did you forget who I am already?” Xemnas taunted, holding back his anger. His laser disappeared.

 

“Heh, well okay then. How about we play something different?” Luxord asked, if at least to escape Larxene's threat of his new cards than the sake of his life.

 

“Something tells me I don't want to play,” Xigbar laughed, unsure. “See ya later.” He disappeared into a doorway of darkness. Zexion got up to leave as well, but Saix kept a hand on him, narrowing his eyes, a malicious glint eliciting a warning of rage from the younger mastermind as he took his seat.

 

Larxene nodded in approval at Luxord's choice of changing the game; Roxas nodded too but Axel just seemed disappointed.

 

“Well I thought it was a good game to play,” the pyro whined quietly, Larxene knocking him upside his head from her position beside him.

 

“Name the game and I'll tell you if it's bloody enough to play,” the snide girl remarked, daring Luxord to come up with something. The dealer shrugged, clearing his throat and regaining his composure.

 

“Alright then, the name of the game is Triple X.” Everyone at the table stared at Luxord as if he had grown a second head.

 

“Please don't tell me the name is suggesting anything about the game,” Zexion said quietly, arms crossed.

 

“Why not? I like the name,” Axel said thoughtfully, throwing an evil grin Roxas' way which he merely reflected with a cold shoulder. Larxene hit the offender on his flaming head again.

 

“This is stupid,” Roxas muttered.

 

“Never heard of it,” Xemnas said. “How do you play?” His hands were laced as if he were musing, leaning over the table and glancing at each person in turn: Luxord opposite him at the other end of the table, Larxene and Axel to his right, Roxas, Zexion, and Saix to his left.

 

“W-well,” Luxord started, placing the cards on the table, “you start off by dealing everyone a card. Anyone who gets a face card—that is, a Jack, Queen, or King—is `safe' for the round. You deal another round and faces are out again. This narrows down the number of people. The third card decides the fate of the game. Whoever's still in adds the cards respectively; Aces are one, Jacks are eleven, et cetera.” Here Luxord cleared his throat, not sure if he wanted to proceed with the explanation or not. Glancing around the table he decided to take the gamble. “Whoever has the lowest score is considered the winner, and whoever has the highest is considered the loser. Then the loser takes the dice,” he held up three dice between his fingers and placed them next to the cards. Each was colored differently; one white, one red, one blue, “and rolls. White is the `who,' red is the `action,' and blue is the `where' or `what.' Each number has a different outcome, for example, if you roll a white three, you get the person on your left. After the loser of the round rolls and decides his or her fate, that person must carry out the action. If they refuse, the winner gets to decide by either something they choose or by rolling the dice. However,” Luxord added hastily, catching Larxene's evil smile as she flashed her knives, “it cannot threaten the life of anyone and must be, for the most part, respectable.”

 

“Who decides if it's respectable or not?” Saix asked, eying Zexion, evil intent written all over his face.

 

“As dealer, I will,” Luxord claimed.

 

“And I suppose as dealer, you won't be playing either?” Xemnas asked coolly, calculating, as if the wrong answer might cost the blonde his life. The dealer laughed, a little nervously at that.

 

“No, the dealer won't play. Which is unfortunate but not a gamble I want to take.” Larxene eyed Luxord as if he were bait.

 

“Good choice,” she said with a smile, putting her knives away.

 

“So then shall we start?” Zexion asked in his quiet voice, his expression mild as half the people at the table gave him an odd look. Xemnas smirked and nodded toward Luxord. The blonde dealt the first hand.

 

“I'm out,” Larxene said, hands behind her head as she threw her card on the table. Zexion put his card on the table too. Saix's expression seemed to fall but he quickly masked it. Luxord looked around. No one else had faces. He set the two cards aside and dealt the next hand.

 

“Heh, I'm out,” Roxas commented, flashing a Jack of Spades. Axel huffed, looking at his cards.

 

“So Axel, Xemnas, and Saix are left?” Luxord asked and shrugged, suppressing a smile as if keeping something from them. Number 1 only continued to watch Luxord with steely eyes.

 

The third card was dealt.

 

“Okay, count em up and lay em down.” Axel nonchalantly lay down his cards, a total of seventeen. Xemnas had eighteen, and Saix had twenty-three.

 

“Aw you won by a point,” Xemnas pointed out to Axel, “how lucky.” Axel shrugged, proud that he had made the hand. He winked at Roxas who only ignored him.

 

“So what the hell do they have to do?” Larxene commented, leaning back in her chair. Luxord offered the dice to Saix.

 

“Let the roll decide.” Saix took the dice, apprehensive. What kind of things did these numbers represent anyway? Taking the gamble to be a fair sport he rolled.

 

“White two, red three, blue five,” the blonde observed. “Let's see that's, the person on your right, take off, his shirt.” Saix blinked.

 

“So in English you said that wuss has to take Zexion's shirt off?” Larxene smirked.

“Good luck Saix.” Saix swallowed. “What the hell kinda game is this anyway Cluxy?” Number 12 and the only female of Organization XIII asked. Luxord only laughed, hands held up in defense.

 

“You're sure you're not just making this up?” Roxas asked, disbelieving. Xemnas, said nothing, still surveying from behind laced fingers.

 

“Um well, how about cloak first?” Saix asked, looking sideways at Zexion. Luxord, Larxene, and Xemnas nodded their approval.

 

Zexion sat, tipped back in his chair like Larxene, only his feet were not on the table as were the girl's, much to Luxord's distaste, and allowed Saix to somewhat nervously take his cloak off. Black pants, tight at the hips, belted with a studded leather belt, a choker dog collar along with his bracelets, and a shirt that crisscrossed across this chest, hugging him tightly and revealing part of his belly, made up his attire. He rubbed his arms, as if cold and grunted. Saix backed away, eyes glued to Zexion's body. Axel complimented 6's body in his mind but still made fun of him. Roxas, he noticed, wasn't the least bit impressed, but Axel's toned body would definitely turn his head.

 

“Alright cards in, round two.”

 

“If I have to do anything like that to anybody I'm gonna have your head,” Larxene eyed Luxord and smiled.

 

“Then I suggest you leave now, because you're likely to have his head,” Xemnas observed, a wicked grin slashed across his face. Larxene pondered the situation but decided to stay, for now. Another hand was dealt, Roxas again lucking out with a face card.

 

“So the winner is Xemnas with twelve and the loser is Axel with twenty-nine.” Axel picked up the dice and threw them across the table, praying it would be something to his advantage, like molesting the person across from him, which happened to be Roxas. No such luck.

 

“White four, red one, blue three. Kiss Saix, and you got a freebie. You can save the freebie until you have two, and the winner, Xemnas, can choose the `where' part, or you can re-roll the freebie.”

 

Axel looked around, as if for an encouragement towards an option.

 

“Well, I'll um……” Xemnas leaned forebodingly towards Axel, making up the pyro's mind. Whatever the leader had planned, Axel didn't want a part of it. “I'll re-roll.”

 

“Blue four; the neck.” Axel paled. Saix looked slightly shocked; Xemnas was amused. Roxas didn't seem to care. Larxene just looked a little disgusted.

 

“Kiss? I'm not kissing him!” Axel fumed, crossing his arms in a pout.

 

“Gee thanks, guess I'm too good for you?” Saix responded. Luxord shrugged at Axel.

 

“Well you did re-roll. If you wanted to bend the rules your only other option is to let Xemnas decide for you. He can roll what you have to do or he can just pick something.” Larxene smirked.

 

“Axel, I like you and all, for a friend. But man are you cowardly. What kind of person can I call a friend who runs away from something like a little kiss huh?”

 

“Easier said than done,” the pyro muttered, looking carefully at Saix.

 

“Do you need to sit here?” Zexion asked in his smooth, quiet voice, cocking an eyebrow at the disgruntled man. Axel sighed heavily.

 

“Just do it Axel,” Xemnas smiled. There was something evil in that smile, more so than usual, that scared Axel. He really didn't want Xemnas to decide for him. Glancing at Luxord and cursing him under his breath, at least glad that he or some of the others in Organization XIII weren't playing, Axel put the hope that he'd get an open shot and a good reason to do something to Roxas.

 

Rounding the table and reciting every swear word he knew he cautiously approached Saix.

 

“You won't uh, go berserk on me will you?” Axel had to ask, eliciting a glare. Saix wasn't too happy about having Axel on him. Of course he would have preferred Zexion on him, but a game was a game and he had to play by the rules.

 

“Just get on with it,” he muttered, yellow eyes narrowing. Hands on either side of the back of Saix's chair, Axel leaned forward, determined yet hesitant.

 

“Oh get on with it already, ya overdone chicken,” Larxene chided. Axel rolled his eyes, talking Saix by the chin with one hand, delicately for fear that Number 7 might bite. Taking a deep breath he revealed Saix's pale neck, leaning forward.

 

“I don't like my throat—” Axel's lips delicately brushed the skin of his neck and he felt a shiver. “Being……exposed.” Despite trying to keep his demeanor, Saix couldn't help but blush faintly, his voice faltering as Axel placed a sweet, nearly lingering kiss on his neck. Realizing his disposition, he shoved the pyro-maniac away from him, glaring but unable to meet his gaze. He pulled his cloak tighter about his neck and as Axel took his seat sheepishly, Xemnas hiding his smile, he heard Zexion taunt under his breath, “Enjoy that Sassy?” Saix's blush deepened as he pulled his hood up.

 

“It's Saix,” he muttered back, Zexion's grin piercing him.

 

“Round three,” Luxord declared. Larxene rolled her eyes. This round, Larxene lost and Zexion won.

 

“My knives are ready in case I need to kill you,” she said, throwing the dice in the air with a `hah!' and hitting them down with her knives, attaching them to the wall behind Roxas.

 

“White five, red three, blue two.” Larxene glared at Luxord, a sweet smile crossing her face. The dealer, said nothing as opposed to dying if he said something wrong.

 

“You have to give Xemnas a hickie on the chest,” Zexion translated, his words soft, yet taunting. Larxene looked incredulously to Luxord who nodded in confirmation. Axel looked to Zexion in question, hands splayed on the table.

 

“And how do you know this?” he demanded.

 

“Well if you haven't picked up on some of the ones we've already done…..”

 

“We haven't gotten any of those,” Axel pointed out, his head cradled in one hand. Zexion merely winked, leaving the red head even more confused.

 

“Luxord,” Larxene breathed, “what the hell kinda game is this? I refuse.”

 

“Well then, Zexion? What do you uh… want her to do?” Luxord asked, inching away from the blood thirsty woman.

 

The bishonen shrugged.

 

“Well…. I could say use you for target practice but you said nothing to endanger lives, so….” Everyone stared at Zexion as he thought. “She can leave. Either the entire game or just quit the game. Her choice.” Everyone seemed mildly surprised, save Axel who just seemed relieved.

 

“You want her out?” Xemnas asked, a little shocked himself, eyes wide in amazement, but narrowed into amusement as he nodded toward Larxene. She shrugged, hand to her forehead.

 

“This game is stupid anyway,” she muttered as she opened a doorway to darkness and disappeared.

 

“Okay then, round four.” Luxord dealt the cards.

 

“Aww I got face,” Axel said with a slight pout as he threw in his Queen of Hearts. Zexion snickered, Saix looked forlorn and Xemnas just grinned.

 

“Queen of Hearts, does that make me the King?” the leader asked, leaning towards Axel whose eyes went wide, shaking his head. Saix threw in a Jack.

 

“Okay, lay em down.” Luxord mused over the cards on the table. “Nineteen, ten, and nineteen.” The table looked to Luxord for an explanation on the tie. “Well in the case of two losers tying, someone will roll and whatever they roll they have to do to the other person.”

 

“Xemnas and Zexion? Who would roll?” Axel asked, sure that he was about to get up, steal Roxas and leave for good.

 

“I will,” Xemnas smirked, stealing the dice through his power of Nothingness. Grinning, he rolled the cubes of fate across the table.

 

“No cheating,” Zexion smirked.

 

“Well in this case white doesn't matter, but red six, blue five.” Xemnas stood, walking around Roxas and towards Zexion who only looked at him smugly.

 

“Care to tell me what I'll be doing to you Sexy?” Number 1 asked, tilting Zexion's face towards his.

 

“Well red's a `your choice,' so whatever you want as long as you don't endanger his life, and blue is his…. Stomach,” Luxord explained sheepishly. Larxene was gone now, so he didn't really want to keep up the game, but as a dealer he wasn't just going to throw his cards in. If one more person left, he would have to stop the game. Roxas looked bored, maybe he would leave. He had been safe so far anyway. Xemnas smirked, pulling Zexion up by the collar and pushing his shirt up, undoing his belt to leave his pants riding dangerously low. The leader of Organization XIII chuckled to himself, a maliciously evil glint in his eyes as he got on his knees, watching Saix's face contort into an odd bout of jealousy before overcoming his emotions and looking away.

 

Zexion cried out when Xemas nipped his skin, stomach shying away from curious lips. Of course Number 1 had to take advantage to clutch narrow hips in one hand, his other hand fondling Zexion's ass. Zexion grunted as Xemnas molested him, one hand gingerly finding silver hair to entangle itself in, the other hand supporting him on his chair. Xemnas laughed against Zexion's skin, daring to kiss a little lower, until a shudder rippled through his companion's slender body. His next kiss, just a little lower, elicited a groan, silver hair being grabbed roughly as the uke spasmed. That was enough. Saix coughed into his hand, still blushing and staring straight forward. Axel was watching the entire scene but instead replaced Zexion with Roxas and Xemnas with himself. Roxas might as well as have not been there. Zexion pulled Xemnas away, and took his chair again, fixing his shirt over a belly now patterned with red marks. Xemnas grinned, licking his lips as he took his seat again.

 

“Round five,” he said coolly, hands clasped together as if nothing had happened. “Somehow I don't think this game will last much longer.” Luxord cleared his throat and dealt out the cards, shaking his head helplessly. One or two more rounds would probably do it, but it seemed as if everyone at the table had lost their bearings. Zexion got a king for his second card, leaving Roxas as the winner and Axel as the loser once again.

 

The pyro took the dice, staring at them with burning rage, as if threatening them like a child would whole-heartedly threaten to kill her friend if that friend didn't do as told, and meant every word. He rolled and crossed his fingers.

 

“White one, red four, blue six, oh God I regret this game now,” the dealer put a hand over his eyes in exasperation. “Just tell me when you're done.” Zexion smirked as Axel looked to him with a blank expression, hope that he had one hell of a roll screaming with fireworks in his mind.

 

“You can touch him, wherever you'd like Axel,” Zexion said with a lopsided grin.

 

“Hot damn come here boy,” Axel said, jumping from his chair a little too hastily and knocking it over. Roxas looked scared, standing and backing into the wall, looking to Xemnas for help. The leader only smiled and nodded his approval before the ever-anxious red head was upon Number 13. Unsure of what happened first, Roxas could only think that Axel was abusing the situation, and there wasn't much the boy could do but disappear into the darkness, and even then Axel would go with him. That wouldn't hinder the circumstances in the least bit; just give Axel an even better advantage. Number 8 of the Organization had hiked Roxas' cloak up and had slipped one hand down his pants, feeling him up and oh gods if he rubbed any harder…… to top it off, Axel now also wielded teeth and lips, relentlessly attacking his love's neck, no doubt leaving marks. The arm that linked around Roxas' waist didn't provide any means for escape either.

 

All the boy could do was stand, take it, and try not to melt into a fit full of moans and protests. Now Axel was pushing it a little too far. Roxas was already furiously flustered, hands pressed against Axel's chest, and by the feel of Axel's pace he wasn't about to stop any time soon.

 

“A-Axel,” Roxas managed between slight pants as he was bounced roughly against the wall.

 

“I hear ya,” the pyro panted breathlessly, his free hand opening a door to darkness and the pair fell through, leaving Xemnas laughing, Saix blushing, Zexion slightly perplexed, and Luxord wishing he had never thought of this game.

 

“Triple X huh?” Xemnas laughed as he tossed the dice towards Zexion and Saix. The game was over, but as short as it was, it was fun. The leader disappeared into the darkness, thanking Luxord on his way out.

 

“Thanks dealer. Anytime you want to play again with this group, I'll be sure to play.” He grinned maniacally before he left. Luxord sighed heavily and gathered his cards and dice.

 

“I'm not playing that game with any of these people again,” he said, shaking his head in shame and doubt as he too began to disappear.

 

“Only with Larxene, right?” Zexion asked, but Luxord only shook his head.

 

It was quiet with only Zexion and Saix now.

 

“You know what was rolled?” Zexion asked. Saix looked up from his brooding thoughts. He shook his head, eyes soft.

 

“White six, red one, blue one.” Saix wore a quizzical expression. Bemused, Zexion took his hand and gently kissed the back of it, eyes watching Saix. The bishonen blushed, eyes averted.

 

“Well then, coming?” Zexion asked as another portal to darkness was opened, tugging the moon bearing nobody along. As the darkness wrapped around the two, Zexion wrapped an arm around Saix and they left with a kiss.