kingdomdressing | (no subject)

[Being stared at in that way didn't escape his attention and for a little bit, he wondered if what he'd said was really all that strange. He wasn't trying to be amazing or poetic or anything like that -he'd just shared one of his strongest beliefs that he'd formed.

Unique things like a person's memories, experiences and the memories they leave preserved with others define an individual's right to live. To possess even a single unique memory gave them reason enough to exist, regardless of who said they should be allowed to or not. And it was the feelings produced by that belief that he figured resulted in him persisting after Sora absorbed him.

And so he watched her, listening for anything she might say and trying to get some idea of what thoughts must be running through her head. Then she finally spoke up.]

Of course! Maybe we weren't supposed to exist in the first place. But I don't think anyone can deny that we do. And I think even if we had no purpose or anything like that, there's a lot of reasons why we shouldn't just have to fade away.

[Loathe as he might be to admit it, he probably sounded a lot like Sora with a statement like that. But really, he didn't care. His attention had been on Xion as he'd talked, feeling her reactions; the shaking and then that look of worry in her eyes.

It was strange that not too long ago, he would have been fine existing again without any memory that she'd ever been a part of his life. And yet now, knowing what they'd been through, he felt a bond with her that he honestly wanted to say was stronger than his to their Other. That felt strange to consider -Axel was his best friend and while that was the case, something inside him said that his connection to his friend was a different kind of attachment. Admittedly, these feelings were really confusing things -even if he thought they were memories.]

But yeah... that's why I think it's okay for us both to be around again. It's why I think we should be able to find a way to have hearts of our own and then live -kind of normal lives, I guess.

[He laughs a little.]

That must sound a little silly, huh? I got so wrapped up in us just being here like this, I kind of didn't think things much further along. But what I'm getting at is that we're here together, so it'll be alright. I'm sure of it.

[While it might have seemed almost simple for him to accept, a belief that he valued, to Xion who had always found herself weighed through the worth of what she did for the Organization. For the worth of being able to be useful-- the idea that their memories alone amounted to their right to exist. It was... really different. It was something... something she really did want to believe as earnestly as he did. Bur something that was almost secretly appealing. Something that... she wasn't lost to by any measure.

He carried the appeal of it further with his words, only shaking it at the mention of the lacking purpose. They had one though, didn't they? They... They wouldn't be there otherwise, would they? To her, still existing meant that she had left something undone. Or maybe she just simply needed that comfort. That reason. A sense of security. But... part of her whispered deep down-- didn't she already have that? Wasn't he--

A heart...

Normal lives...

'...it'll be alright. I'm sure of it.'

The Sora vibe of his statements. That didn't even register to her-- because it was Roxas she was facing then. It was always Roxas. Xion would always see him first before Sora. Not like the others who saw it the other way around. But what did hit her was... that no matter how simple it sounded, there was one thing still clawing at the back of her mind. One thing she knew they had to touch base on-- something that had until then been avoided mainly due to the sudden heartless attack and then further deterred by his explanation of events since her fading. But now-- she knew she had to say something.]

...Even given this chance though. Roxas... If I still am what I am, I might... I might do that again. I don't have any control over it. I shouldn't even... [She let go of his arm in emphasis, too afraid for him to allow her reluctance to get the best of her. Fearful that she was affecting him by that touch alone. Sapping his strength as she had before.]

What if... we run out of time?

[She made a point. Maybe he was just in denial -perhaps they both were, but he refused to accept that the entirety of what transpired atop the clock tower in Twilight Town that day was her choice. Perhaps she did chose to return to Sora -that such a thing would be best. But that striking him down and taking his memories was the way to do it? That just wasn't the friend he'd gotten to know over the majority of his 'life'.

In either case, that was something he wasn't prepared to answer. He wanted to brush it off -to say that since they were standing there and that he had memories of Sora setting Kingdom Hearts free and defeating Xemnas meant that there was no reason to think that this was anything but a second chance for them. But there was no telling how Sora was here or if anything else had been going on.

For a moment though, he saw some part of her hoping and wanting to share the dream he was chasing. And he wasn't about to just let that part sink back into despair without a fight.]

For starters, we're not sure of anything right now.

[He hesitated a moment and instincts took over where thinking failed him. Roxas felt his hand react of its own volition, immediately reaching out and taking hers again -as if in some hope that such an act would steady the situation. And somewhere in that split second, he felt something -not a memory of an emotion, but something stronger. It resonated with him and before he knew it, his mouth was running with his thoughts before he could even decide how things should be said.]

We'll worry about it then. If it happens again, then we'll just find another way... but we're not even sure if it will happen again. We're not even sure how we're here.

So until we get some answers, we'll just play it by ear.

Besides... none of us were really straight with each other back then.

[He offers a smile.]

This time, I'm not hiding anything and that's a start to making things different this time around.

[Xion... honestly really wanted to believe that things would turn out better this time. That things could be simple. But she knew that nothing was like that. Again and again they had struggled. And again, they had fallen away. The pain that she had caused him through her lack of control of her unavoidable fate. A fate that would undoubtedly persist. Why would anything change now? She couldn't forget it just like she couldn't just wave off that she was a puppet. A replica whose worth wasn't even half of her friend's. She knew... She knew that it ate away at him for her to think that way. But it wasn't a thought process that she could just overturn in a matter of moments. Just like the realization of how much of an impeding danger she was to him.

And for Xion would always inevitably, at the end of the day... hold him above her. He was her best friend. And someone really important. And then Roxas would reach out as he did then both physically and with words-- as he always tried to. But this time... as they had before, the words themselves were no longer the naive ones she once knew. Things were different. More knowing. And perhaps that was why then. That and the guilt ever present. That drew her eyes to his and slowly let her fingers cup his own hand firmly but with a gentleness. Because she wanted to believe--

That things could be different. That they could exist.

And they were, she knew. Even as she watched him quizzically as she always did. This wasn't Roxas telling her that everything would be fine. Because even he wasn't lost to the seriousness of things. But despite this, despite what she was, despite what she had done to him, there he was. Telling her he would still be for her, still see this through. And a little bit of her that wanted to believe squeezed his hand a bit more tightly. Still, she dropped her gaze a moment.]

I... I won't hide anything either. Not... Not this time.

['I'm sorry.'
,˙ǝɯıʇ ʇsɹıɟ ǝɥʇ uǝǝq ǝʌɐɥ pןnoɥs ı,
'I didn't want you to see that ugly truth if I could help it.'
,˙noʎ oʇ pǝıן ǝʌɐɥ ʇ,upןnoɥs ı,
'But even so.']

...Still. Knowing that if things do... happen that way again... promise me you'll stop me.

[Her grip on his hand weakened a bit.] Maybe... No, I know it's not right of me to ask you to go through that again... but-- but if you... [Her hand tightened around his again but she remained silent.]

[Roxas watched that expression of hers, that always-troubled, always-worried look that she'd worn so much in their last days together and even a great deal since they'd met again. And then finding out that more often than not, it was because of him. It was both touching and painful at the same time. Part of him wondered just why he meant so much her, but then when he changed the question and asked himself why Xion meant so much to him, he was usually without answer. And at the same time, it hurt to know that she was this way because of him.

His experience in the Organization contrasted with how Sora had always treated and been treated by his friends. Everyone seemed to like their Other and he was always going out of his way to help his friends -just as Roxas had with Xion. He told himself that he certainly would've done the same for Axel, but somehow his other friend was just so much harder to figure out at times and was a great deal harder to follow -not that she'd been an easy mark to follow or understand in the least. But all of these experiences told him; that was just how friends were. The closer a person is to another, the more that they worried. Maybe that was why he was so adamant about trying to tackle every one of her fears and either dispel them or push them aside.]

Thanks... looking back on everything, after all Sora found while I watched. You and Axel were trying to protect me back then. It's okay though. No matter what comes up, we'll figure things out together.

[His smile was pained. Their conversation had reminded him that there were serious consequences should things go wrong, that simple optimism was not going to solve everything -at least not so easily and not on its own. It was dawning on him that just as he had almost a year's worth of resentment over being manipulated, she had a year's worth of having Saix and whoever else drill into her how worthless she was and combined with how she felt on her own. It was going to take time if he wanted to see that smile of hers again regularly.]

...

[The look on his face when she made that request -especially the way the light caught in his eyes, could easily have led a bystander to think she'd just asked him to kill her.

It wasn't until he felt her hand squeeze his again that time resumed for him and his expression turned contemplative. She was bringing up a valid point, something that would be an ultimate worst-case scenario and one that he'd never want to face again. But assuming that despite what he viewed as her heart, her body might still be whatever that replica thing that they'd made her from.

Out of the blue, he felt something inside. A sensation of something growing bolder, a refusal to accept that path. Writing it off as an automatic memory reaction, he figured that there must've been countless time their Other felt like this. His expression hardened -not grim, but defiant. Even if all of this was doomed to stray toward a repetition of what happened the last time, he was determined not to let it end that way.

He still had no idea what he would do just yet, but there was no doubt in his mind that he would not just sit and let things happen. Not again.]

We'll figure that out as we go.

[His tone was measured and serious -lacking the unsupported hope of his earlier words.]

But I will never draw my Keyblade against you again. If you suddenly turn, I'll run, restrain you, do whatever it takes... but I won't let that happen again.

[There was a tear in the corner on his eye, seemingly out of place on his otherwise defiant expression. His voice trembled, the volume dropping a notch. It wasn't fearing of being heard or a loss of resolve, but because he sincerely was starting to worry now.]

I'm not going to lose you again.

[His gratitude was taken with a wavering demeanor. Uncertain if she should even accept it really. While her and Axel... while they both had fought to find a means best for him in their own ways, in the end... it had all amounted to a painful fall out. A friendship that had fragmented and shattered in the white noise of best interests that probably would have been better off left alone to something more... something like what they were doing now.

Talking about it. Trying to wrap their minds around it-- and trying to face it together. Something that... the more they explored there on that plane of rexistence... the more a part of her whispered that they should have done it in the first place. She should have said something. She should have told him-- but then. Would a Roxas that hadn't seen the things that this Roxas had seen... Would he have believed her? ...Probably. But knowing the seriousness of the potential consequences? He would have definitely tried. She would give him that. But... Somehow, she had a feeling that the Roxas back then still would have reacted the same way to what she had become in the end. The memory of it from her side of things was terrifying alone. She could only imagine what had been going flying a thousand miles over through his mind. ...And that only made things more painful.

When silence found her last words too long for her comfort, she pushed herself to look up at him. Only for his words to fall shortly after, unaware of the expression that he had held-- but partly knowing it had been there anyway. If there was one thing about Roxas that was always certain, it was that he wore if not his heart then his thoughts, right on his sleeve. ...And she knew it was ridiculous for her to request that as soon as she had spoken it. How could she ask him to go through with that again.

But that look that followed it. That very expression. She... At first she wasn't sure what to make of it. It was something new. Not in the defiance but in the ... Just... something about it. It resonated with his words and held her to him. Made her realize that... he really had grown from being the naive nobody she had met at the early beginnings of her Organization days. The one that had offered her ice cream and a seat on the clock tower. But still the one and the same as his voice started to give and...

And then the words themselves hit her... and her eyes softened. Because right then, again... she could hear that desperation underlying in his tone. The same fear and misery that she had heard when he had mistaken her for Riku at Memory Skyscraper. It was touching in part.... but also. Really melancholic. Something deep down ached in her being. Something she had felt then, but now with things less chaotic, it was noticeable. Someone who was whole might have called it heartache. She really... Seeing him like that...

For the split second she didn't realize that she let the floodgates open, the ones that usually kept her steady and in control, Xion slid to wrap her arms around him and just held onto him again. Tightly. Almost as if doing so would will away the bad memories. Would see to it that things would go as Roxas wished them to. Words for the moment were spared-- although he could probably feel the apology in her touch, the way she rested her forehead on his shoulder, almost as if bowing to him for forgiveness for asking this of him. For doing this to him. Even if it was out of her control, it always somehow felt like it was her fault. Like she should be able to stop it from happening. Should be able to withhold herself from that power. And then, finally. Quietly.]

...I... ...I hope you're right... ...Really, I didn't... To do that to you, I... I never want it to happen again. It... ['It hurt so much to see you like that.']

[The world did that thing where it felt like it'd frozen on him again. He wasn't sure if what he said was right, but it was just how he... well, how he felt. It was an absurd gesture; Nobodies didn't have hearts to feel with -but what else could he call it? Whatever it was, it was trivial at this point.

As Roxas felt her arms around him again, he felt one of his curling around her waist while the other crossed over her back, resting his hand on her shoulder. It was a strange sensation; feeling so close to her. Just from their conversation and the past whoever-knew how many hours, he could guess that there was so much she blamed herself for. But really, he had a share of that blame too and in the grand scheme of things, neither of them had been much more than pawns of forces at least somewhat beyond their control.

Finally, he smiled a little. It was reassuring, the look in his eyes reflecting the determination in his words to come.]

We'll find a way.

[Whether they were thoughts or actually feelings, he found they were guiding him again. He didn't resist as everything just seemed to come together the way things did.

The boy leaned back a little, looking into Xion's eyes for a moment before planting a kiss on her forehead and following it up with that 'beaten-puppy' kind of smile that he tended to have when he was trying to cheer someone up when things were really going badly.]

Let's just handle this one day...

[The whole of what he just did prompted him to slow to a stop as his face flushed a mild crimson. Realization set in and at least on his end, so did the awkwardness.]

Uh...

[Feeling his arms come around her, there was a certain sort of security that came upon her. As usual, it made her feel guilty, but there was also a sense of peacefulness. Because there wasn't secrets she was hiding about what she was or why she did what she did anymore. There was only the truth of things and and hope that everything would spiral out of control once more. And maybe even... deep down...

'We'll find a way.'

She raised her head and found his eyes and him doing so in turn then. Just as calm and gentle as always. But also somehow older and wiser. Xion smiled a little in return and then--

. . .

. . . . . .

Her mouth gaped opened at the brush of his lips on her forehead. His next words lost in the static of her scrambling mind. Trying to process just what in Kingdom Hearts had happened. And why there was something just about that gesture that caused her cheeks to grow red and then redder at that gentle smile of his. Just what was... And why was... It made her want to suddenly scramble away. Only her body wouldn't budge. So, she was left staring at him with a stupefying expression until her body caught up with her mind and she turned her head away, veiling her face with her hair.]

Uh-Um--!!

[For a moment, he found himself suddenly trying to figure out what he should do. Denying it didn't feel right -what he just did, what he just did... he had no idea what he just did. There were his lips and her forehead and then they touched and it was strange and yet, it felt kind of good. Good, but genuinely confusing and definitely awkward in the aftermath. As if he should've done more or done less, but the amount of whatever he did was NOT RIGHT AT ALL.

However, he really found he wasn't able to give into a particular impulse that said he should get up and move away. The best he managed was to at least release her from their embrace, though his hand subconsciously seemed to have taken hers into his without him being entirely aware.

Doing his best not to bring that to attention, he cleared his throat as he did his best to avoid direct eye contact, probably looking almost as bright red as Axel's hair.]

Uh, so! We... we still need to figure out just where we are before we can do much else, right?

[Roxas mentally kicked himself that that was the best thing he could come up with to say. Still, having some solid form of business to focus on might be best for them at this point.

Wherever they were, he was certainly hoping that there were other people. Clearly, neither of them knew what just happened or why that just felt so confusing and having some idea of what both of them were going through would certainly be helpful.]

[It had probably ended up in his best interest to dodge that bullet. Because talking about it any further might have sent her on a downward spiral as she fought to surface from the myriad of different memories not her own-- memories that had made the whole gesture awkward in the first place as she fought to decipher what just happened. It-- It wasn't a bad thing though. But at the same time-- Oh, she didn't know.

She didn't even realize him taking her hand because she was on a mission to hide that blush for some odd reason. Her second consideration being using her other to lightly touch her forehead where he had kissed her. As brief as it was, she could still feel the ghost of it. Or maybe it was still her imagination.

Only when he cleared his throat did she pay him better mind.]

R-Right!

[Oh... Oh. That just completely came out as a squeak more than anything. But she pressed on.]

W-We really should!

[Part of him wanted to say that he was pleased to have that out of the way and yet, he really would have wanted to figure out just what exactly happened. Even as they talked of figuring out where they were, his mind was pouring over Sora's memories and what few ones he had to find some clue, similarity or feeling to at least put him on the right trail to figuring out what that gesture had been. At this point, he'd admit it to no one, but it felt nice inside -he just couldn't place specifics of anything about it.

While his thoughts were proving to be otherwise occupied, he stood up from where they'd made themselves comfortable on the fountain turning a little and giving a light tug on Xion's hand as he waited for her to follow.

It was about then that it clicked that he realized he was holding her hand. For a split second he debated on calling attention to it and letting go, but he just didn't want to. Unless she pulled away, he decided he wasn't going to push the issue.]

If I'm remembering this place right, the doors here should go to the library, the throne room and the Gummi Ship hanger. Uh, so where do you think we should look first?

[He was getting a little better. Though his face was a little brighter colored than normal, he found he was at least able to look at her again -though he resisted the temptation to brush her bangs from her face. So rather than that, he offered her a comforting smile, something that she might find familiar to her specifically.

It wasn't so much an awkward silence between them so much as it was a series of awkward pauses between similarly awkward bits of dialog. So much had happened within the last however-long-it-had-been that a person with a completed heart might be in an emotional tailspin. It goes to say that for someone believing that they lack one is metaphorically grasping at straws trying to figure out all these feelings.

And through all of this, he had to admit to himself that he was at least happy to be with his forgotten friend again.]

[He wasn't the only one still mulling over what had just gone on between the two of them. Xion, herself, was still pretty much flaking out on the inside, trying to distinguish why she was reacting the way she was. There was something about it that was similar to the embraces that they had been sharing-- a warmth. But of a different sort. One that made her mind spin circles 'round and 'round until she just had to pretend like it didn't happen or otherwise she would be completely overthinking and-- something told her that it just might make things worse somehow.

It was about then that she felt him pulling her lightly; she followed him quickly, finding her own footing soon after. Her face still felt hot and she was having a hard time looking at him. But when she saw that smile, Xion seemed to relax just a little. Part of her... wondered what he was thinking. And... how he could so easily take this in stride compare to her. But these were questions that would go unanswered. Because at the moment, he was asking her for her opinion on their next move. She managed a little nod and then her gaze became more thoughtful. Where to go, indeed...]

I guess... we could start at the library.

[It seemed like perhaps the most discreet of the areas. Although... mainly because she wasn't sure what a Gummi Ship hangar was. Throne room, on the other hand... Yeah, definitely wouldn't want to stir trouble there... right? Or...? She honestly wasn't sure, but. Well. They would be alright now either way, wouldn't they? Because... Because they were together in this. She... didn't have to worry about hiding things... because there was nothing else left to hide... and she was slowly realizing how much lighter it made her feel.]

[He gave a nod as he led her through the garden, not entirely sure what to say for the moment. He wanted to talk at this point. Roxas wanted to know how she felt about that last thing -if it made her feel as strangely nice inside as he had.

Trying to push everything aside was hard -it wasn't something he was very good at doing for very long and the last thing he'd want would be Xion worrying about him spacing out. After everything they'd been through, he just wanted to find some place where they could just relax; somewhere safe where they could just talk about happier things to do. Perhaps find a beach or some ice cream, maybe even look for a world where they could just try their hands at being regular people like what their Other was probably doing now. But this would just be something he'd have to endure for now.

As they made their way through the hedges and other plants, Roxas admittedly felt slightly on guard. While they'd yet to encounter any normal people, he was certain that the NeoShadows they fought were real and if Heartless could manifest there, certainly they could also appear here. And yet it just seemed like it never happened. It took a little more than a couple minutes at a normal walking pace, still hand-in-hand before they walked along the awning and found themselves at the rather impressive doors.

And that was where he hesitated. Old habits wanted him to be sneaky. To try and enter without being noticed, observe who, if anyone that was around and then learn what he could from the surroundings. No, that was the way the Organization worked and if a more obvious approach made others more inclined to help or listen, then that's how things would go this time.]

I'll go first.

[His comment was hushed, not quite a whisper. Loathingly, he released his grip on her hand as he grasped the handle to the large door and pulled. With more a squeak than a groan, the heavy door swung open slowly. Beyond it, the library sprawled out into more a decent-sized room than the massive room that would have been expected. And yet like the rest of the castle that they'd seen, it was devoid of life.]

That's weird...

[Roxas trailed off a little as he did as promised, going first and peering around the room as each of his steps echoed.]

Hello! Is anyone here?!

[His voice echoed as well as he walked over to the lone desk in the room, lacking papers or anything to suggest that any work was being done or any tome being researched. If either of them were aware of what it was, it would have been like walking onto a movie set.]

[A place to make their own lives... Was it really that simple to move on from things? Would they really be able to escape their fate? What if Sora had fallen asleep again when they had arrived there? She seemed to have collected some memories from Roxas again... which meant that Roxas had some of Sora's memories as well. Memories that had been the pivotal reason for their awkwardness as far as she was concerned with them, but that was only the very surface of things. Minimal and unimportant unlike the excessive damage they were doing to Roxas' Other possibly.

But... she would be lying to say that she wouldn't wish for that chance. Lazy days with him and Axel again. And this time, yeah, they could definitely go to the beach! She had looked so forward to it, but then it had never happened... and then she had never thought it would anyway. Yet now... Coupled with the funny thoughts... she almost felt a little light-headed. It was probably a good thing that Roxas hadn't pressed because the internal struggle alone was enough to make someone dizzy.

She didn't even realize where they were until he spoke up because she was so concentrated on them. Which was... admittedly a first. She had always been rather attentive considering how the Organization ran. Xion blinked and then shook her head before she nodded to him. Cringing shortly afterward at the loud groan that the door made as it was opened. So much for being discreet. But... It at least further distracted her and made her focus on their surroundings again. Shadowing her reluctance when he let go of her hand.

Xion stepped in after him, 'hm'ing at his comment as she studied the library herself. Completely vacant... Not even heartless. What the...? For being a place that had so much class kind of like Beast's Caslte, she was expecting if not talking tableware then at least someone that was keeping an eye on things or, you know, living there. She winced as Roxas shouted suddenly again and then continued along with him as they reached the desk.]

That's... That's really weird.

[She walked along a little further despite Roxas' insistence to keep one step ahead of her, trailing her hand along one of the shelves. Book after book perfectly shelved and in mint condition as if they had never been touched before. Strange... Nothing like the other library she had seen, certainly. Nothing like the other library she had seen, certainly. She pulled one out and opened it, hearing the book crackle at its spine as she did. Flipping through page after page before she finally settled on putting it back. Because as curious as she was, it wasn't telling her where they were. She looked back at him with a frown.]

Well... There has to be someone here. It's... [She gestured vaguely at the cleanliness. It was just way too well kept for her to believe that no one was here.]

...Where do you think we should go next?

[This was peculiar and a new train of thought was gradually beginning to emerge from all of this. So far, aside from each other, the only things they'd encountered were Heartless. Appreciatively, they'd only had one run in and while it was almost overwhelming, it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. And then there was the fact that they'd started in The World That Never Was, yet woke up in what he was certain was King Mickey's castle.

In both cases, the areas were completely pristine despite the fact that he was fairly sure that at least the Organization's stronghold should have been in near ruins the way he'd last seen it. While it wasn't a far stretch to think that even the whole of the King's friends could have gone out on an outing with him, there wasn't even a sign of those strange, walking brooms with buckets. And especially with the treasure in the Throne Room, he figured that someone must be around to guard it.

At this point, it made a pretty easy consideration for where they should look next. If push came to shove and that ended up being a dead-end, at least he was fairly sure the Gummi Ship hanger would at least yield a means for them to go elsewhere.

Of course, the other possibility that he wasn't caring much for was that somehow, they were still in Sora's inner world and it had just been so long that Xion had managed to recompose herself the same way he stubbornly refused to dissipate into their Other's consciousness. Of that possibility, he certainly didn't like -though making that one more of a stretch was that it wouldn't make sense for there to be Heartless here. So there was at least that making something of a positive note.]

I guess we'll just check the Throne Room and if no one's there...

[He trailed off a little, his thoughts trying to keep on the more optimistic side of things. Roxas offered that derpy, boyish smile as he chuckled a little.]

If no one else is there, then I guess we'll see if the two of us can fly a Gummi Ship.

[It wasn't a bad thought really. The idea of traveling through the other worlds like a perpetual summer vacation with her just sounded really nice.]

[Xion, herself, wasn't lost to her own questionable feelings about the castle. Although she didn't have the tangible evidence that Roxas held, other little notions that she had gathered didn't pass her up. Retcon was second nature to her, after all. From their strange parting from Never Was to the king's castle, the untouched feeling of the latest place in itself, and running into nothing but Heartless save themselves-- which was a whole 'nother mystery in itself how they had come to exist as their own selves once more. All of it pointed to something being really fishy about where they were...

Maybe, too, the idea of being in Sora's conscious shook her for a moment. But she cast the idea aside just as quick. Because after fighting off the heartless, she couldn't shake the realness of it. Not in the shoulder injury she had received nor the feelings of strain and exhaustion that had left her a barely conscious slump.

Xion 'hm'ed a little at the Throne Room comment before she blinked at the latter one. Quirking an eyebrow at his smile although the laugh got a lop-sided little one out of her. What was so amusing?]

Gummi ship?

[She started for the door back out as she echoed the name. Motioning for him to follow. Looked like she was taking point for now. Unless he decided to have a say in the matter anyway.]

[He wasn't going to complain with Xion taking the lead. Thinking back now to how Saix always called her a useless doll, he figured that giving her a chance to take point on something would probably help her feel better about herself. Plus it freed him up to think the situation over a little more -not like he felt he was making much in the way of progress, but it at least gave him a chance to come up with things for them to talk about.

However her inquiry caught his attention and he decided to answer as they made their way out of the library and toward the rather impressive doors leading into the Throne Room.]

Yeah. I know we usually use the Dark Corridors to get from world to world, but Sora and his friends always traveled by this thing called a "Gummi ship".

[He paused a moment, not really sure how to explain what he knew of the vessels without actually having a picture. Admittedly, that did bring up the option of them just trying to open a Dark Corridor, but for some reason, the concept just didn't sound appealing to him as it once did.]

I mean, I guess we could try opening a Dark Corridor. I'm just thinking that opening one of those usually attracts attention, usually the kind that comes from Heartless or other Nobodies.

Besides... I don't see why our other should have all the fun of flying one all to himself.

[A gummi ship... Xion seemed to chew on that new information carefully as they walked. It was just so bizarre to her. It wasn't like she couldn't necessarily believe that there were other means. It was just... so strange, regardless. They were so used to using dark corridors, after all. But... he had a point. And after that one nearly overwhelming battle with the heartless earlier. She would rather not risk it.

Her feet touched down in front of the throne room doors just moments after he made his last comment... and she had to double take a little. "Our other". She had heard that right... hadn't she? ...Of course. It was Roxas, after all. It was... definitely something he would say. Still... She shook her head slightly. No, she didn't want to upset him again. Consider the other context instead. Smiling a little back at him.]

I wouldn't mind trying either. To fly one. I'm sure we could figure it out. [Well, maybe. Ah-ha~ It was hard to really say. But... She didn't mind the prospect of being kind of adventurous. Perhaps it was her inner Sora speaking. Her attention turned carefully back to the double doors then. And she carefully touched both hands to one. Nodding to the other. Er, well. That had been the intent. Next thing she knew, a smaller door inside that door opened suddenly under the weight of her and she found herself falling forward abruptly with a yelp.]

[Really, he was shocked that he didn't remember that there was a much smaller door set in the throne room's doors, but for some reason the whole thing didn't just register to him. The yelp caught his attention immediately and once more, he found his body reacting leaps and bounds ahead of his thoughts.

He lunged for Xion. Completely on auto-pilot, he tried to slip one arm around her waist while the other went to grab the edge of the door and hopefully keep both of them from completely tumbling through the entry. Of course, even if he was successful in this endeavor, there'd be the somewhat compromising position of the two being pressed against each other.

But then, thinking ahead about these kinds of things was never really Roxas' strong point.]

[While she definitely hadn't anticipated the smaller door, the real shock was yet to come. She had been braced and ready to hit the ground, just seconds before. But then she had felt his arm around her and just as quickly as she had made to fall, she had been stopped right in her tracks. It took her a moment to let her fleeting surprise settle.

And that was when she registered how her face was now pressed against his chest. Her one arm, too, was tangled around him, somehow managing to get an arm uncomfortably around his neck, while the other had her fingers sprawled in wait for the floor she never hit. For a little, Xion simply stayed in that position, trying to make out why she was feeling like something was swimming in her gut all of a sudden. Why was-- But the more she thought about it, about how she was clinging to him, about how warm it felt to be so close as they were. The hotter her face became and for a good while, she just remained as they were, floored from the new sensations sweeping through her without a tangible reason she could find as to why. Just that something about this--

Frozen. She was simply frozen. Her mind going a million miles an hour to process what just occurred and what was still occurring and what in Kingdom Hearts? What was this? And why did she...?

[This was something new. He wasn't really sure of what to make of this exactly. It felt peculiar, awkward and almost strangely pleasant to be so close to Xion. For a moment he just stood there -while her mind was rushing and trying to process all of this, his just seemed to completely crash. His eyes glanced downward to see her face, waiting for her eyes to meet his as he looked for some kind of response from her.

It was almost like asking the blind to lead, but he honestly had no idea how he should feel about this or what he should do. So he waited to see just how she responded to give him at least a clue of whether or not this was even appropriate. Frankly, if left to his devices, he found this kind of closeness rather welcome -not that he'd let his expression show it.

Nope, that expression was somewhat frozen in a crimson-tinted, confused look of general surprise and uncertainty. But to his credit, he at least managed to get some semblance of a sound out.]

Uhmm... uh... should I... I -I should get us standing upright.

[As before, she was faring about as well as he was to this new concept. It sort of... Well, it completely confused her, frankly. Give or take, it wasn't like she hadn't collapsed on him before. Xion had had her fair share of dizzy, fainting spells. But... Of course, she had fallen unconscious then. Now, still alert, she was seeming to collect herself.. over and over and over again.

Especially when she realized he was looking down on her. She found herself hiding her face without knowing why, tilting it just out of his sight, flustered and lost. But her inner self feeling wanting to loosen her tense body and just rest up against him. That concept, of course, being quickly dashed by her other intense thoughts flying through her head.

And then she heard him. And then they all came to an abrupt halt as if all that chaos in her mind has never occurred. She let escape the breath and tried to get up by herself. Only then to realize the awkward sideways position her legs were in and-- One particularly awkward laugh later.]

...R-Right. I think... that would be a good idea if you would.

[He managed something of an uncertain nod in response as he shifted his center of balance a little. With a little adjustment in his footing, he managed to pull the two of them upright once more, Roxas waiting until he was sure Xion balanced herself before slowly and somewhat reluctantly letting his arm slip away from her waist.

In that moment, his heart or whatever he had for one had been pounding -it was almost as exhilarating as it was awkward. And then there they were again; it seemed that since they'd waken up here, such moments were becoming at least somewhat more frequent. Secretly, it's nothing he'd mind so much if he had some clue as to what any of it meant or any of the odd 'feelings' that came with it.]

There we go. Uhm, are you okay?

[His laugh that was to follow was nervous, unwilling to betray the aspect of him that had enjoyed the warmth and closeness, because he had so little of an understanding of it. Yet, he was hoping that they have a chance to experience it again and then however many times it took for them to understand why it caused such awkward sensations mixed with such nice ones.]

[Xion took a few uneasy steps when he pulled her up as he did, most of her weight still pressed to him until her feet were finally finding themselves grounded and he had removed his hold from her not long after. Something in her was pulsing rapidly although she didn't know what. But it didn't let up, even as she finally became aware enough to remember that he might appreciate not being used as a pillow. She also might want to answer that question.]

...Y-Yeah-- I'm alright. Y-You don't have to worry! [Why did she have to try so hard to keep her voice so steady? And why couldn't she look at him again. In fact, she was ducking off and paying mind to the throne room quick as a flash. Surprised that no one had even reacted to their little stunt come to think of it.

...Although the answer as to why came swift. Inside, the room was just as open and empty as Roxas would remember through Sora (save the heartless battle). To Xion though, it was yet another oddity and it left her transfixed on their situation again. Noticing the desk on the far end of the room, she didn't hesitate to start for it.]

Come on, Roxas...

[He was about to protest about whether or not he should worry when he figured at this point that it was simply how she was. It wasn't something he couldn't relate to; he didn't like friends spending too much time worrying about him either. Still, the way she seemed to hesitate in even giving as much as a glance in his direction was at least a little troubling.]

Yeah, I'm right behind you.

[Ultimately, he chalked it up to just nerves. Aside from having an exceptionally rapid and relatively traumatic reunion, they still had no idea what their situation was exactly or if they were even Nobodies still. There were just a number of things that didn't quite add up to him.

Pushing all of that aside, he merely followed after her into the throne room, finding himself in at least somewhat familiar territory. Still that emptiness was bothering him. Just the thrones and no sign of any life aside from the two of them. And this was supposed to be where the Cornerstone was kept. Yet there was no sign of it at all.]

This is really strange. Do you see anything?

As long as there's interest, I'll keep tagging

I'm usually the same way 8D; Unless my muse dies

no subject

/r-retypes finally sofushdfud

/fixes because he's a perfectionist... sorta

XDD It happens. L-LOL

And at least 1 new icon is go!

F-ffff.... It's so hard to pick and choose them

Yeah, picking out which ones to phase out and in... this 'll take awhile

/makes a bunch of alternate accounts. FFFF Just kidding.

Not a bad idea, but juggling accounts is a pain

|D I was just kidding-- although I have a program that lets me switch accounts faster

I probably should get one of those for myself anyway

F-Ffff... I should link you to it. I need to get off my lazy ass about it. That's all.

Speaking of lazy, I sure took my sweet time on this one

That's okay. Apparently, so did I. |D

Heh and it's not like we're timed on this one.

Well, nothing's ever timed, really. Games are just insane.

Very true. Also, short tag is slightly short.

F-Ffff. Not all tags have to be gigantic to get their point across, so. |D;

Yeah. I just get my jollies tl;dr'ing you.

Ah-ha~ "Jollies". |D

Exactly. Also, remember to send the source on that icon next time we chat.

Already taken care of~ Oh gods. The icons. @@; /brain breaks

That reminds me that I need to cycle this boy's icons within the next couple days