very soon, the light will vanish. it will take with it all the hope and joy we've ever known.
Who: Siren's Port
When: The night of Tuesday, October 18th into the morning of Wednesday, October 19th.
Where: In the mind, in the dreams, in the unconscious of the sleepers.
Summary: --
Warnings: These dreams may be considered not safe for work, with violence, gore, death, underlying sexual themes and other mentions of graphic nature. Having them ( Read more... )
When: The night of Tuesday, October 18th into the morning of Wednesday, October 19th.
Where: In the mind, in the dreams, in the unconscious of the sleepers.
Summary: --
Warnings: These dreams may be considered not safe for work, with violence, gore, death, underlying sexual themes and other mentions of graphic nature. Having them ( Read more... )
[Back then, though, Axel had fully subscribed to that No Hearts; No Feelings mantra that Xemnas always preached about. And so when Demyx had been able to go on missions alone Axel hadn't really given much thought to sort of dissolving the partnership. Oh, sure, he had liked Demyx just fine--as much as he'd believed he was capable, anyway--but Nobodies couldn't have friends, right? It was just a work partnership, it was for training, for efficiency. How could someone without a heart make a friend? And so he and Demyx had drifted apart and he never really thought anything more about it. They still worked together, still traded mission assignments sometimes, still made eye contact in the lobby or in the mess hall.
[It had never dawned on him that Demyx had viewed things any differently than he had. No one would be sad, right? 'No one would miss me'? He still remembered how those words had stung when Roxas had been the one walking away. ... Aw, hell, he'd had it really wrong back then.
[Frowning at the ice cream again, he took an almost spiteful bite off the corner, his brow drawn together tightly and his shoulders tense enough to bounce quarters off of. It had been a while since he had genuinely felt so stupid, so foolish, like he'd just totally blown it. Honestly the only other time he'd felt that way (yes, felt.) was when Roxas had left.
[... Man, feelings are lame.]
Sorry.
[He can't quite manage words right now. He's still reeling from having seen Saïx's dream, knowing what was happening to Isa while he was powerless to do anything about it, and now having that compounded by the realization that he'd unknowingly been an asshole to Demyx too just left his brain doing somersaults. Axel rarely thought he was in the wrong--contrition was just not in his nature--but suddenly he was beginning to wonder if he'd been outfitted with blinders along with the coat.
[He gives Demyx a funny look then.]
And... Gandhi? Demyx I didn't even figure you knew who Gandhi was, let alone that you'd think to memorize anything he said. [He manages a watery smile.] Last I checked you had trouble reading cue cards.
Reply
[He forces a weak smile, nudging Axel in the ribs with his elbow. Seeing him like this--it brought back memories of when he had been Myde. He always tried looking out for his friends. He even risked his own life a couple times when it came to Ursula--eventually, that witch was the reason why Demyx came into existence in the end, but part of his old ways lingered.]
We both did some... Well, everyone has skeletons in their closets, right? ...Some people have it in a more literal sense but we've just got the idiom or whatever it's called. I hope.
[In a way, letting parts of his old personality bubble up to the surface was a good thing. He rarely, if ever, let it show to most people, but Axel is one of the exceptions.]
That's cuz they were handwritten. 'sides, just cuz I'm not all that great at reading doesn't mean I don't know how to listen.
Reply
[He takes another bite of the ice cream, feeling a bit calmer now. He's honestly not sure what upset him more: the fact that Isa had apparently been tortured, or that Saïx had never told him that. He supposes turnabout is fair play, though--he never offered up anything either. From the time they'd been separated in the castle to the time they were reunited in Traverse Town there was just a big blank space, and as curious as he had been, he had never bothered pushing Saïx for answers he knew Saïx wouldn't give.
[Maybe he should have been more persistent. There's a part of him that can't believe Saïs was loyal to Xemnas at all after that, but... well, he never claimed to understand why Saïx did a lot of the things he had done. Maybe Lea had known Isa very well, but Axel wasn't sure he ever really knew Saïx.
[Another bite of ice cream and he meets Demyx's eye briefly.]
Yeah, I'm starting to figure out you did a lot more listening than anybody gave you credit for. [A sigh and he frowns at the ice cream. On that note...] Well, anyway. Ah, sorry for waking you up. I didn't expect anybody to be... listening.
Reply
[Finishing off his stick, he nibbles on the end of it for a few seconds. Then when Axel apologizes, he glances over.]
Told'ja not to apologize, dude. S'okay. ...There's a lot of things you'll prolly figure out about me now that we're roomies. I kept it all under wraps back in the Organization so everyone would think I was just some idiot who was lucky to even become a Nobody like you guys. I figured if I slacked off, put in little to no effort in things, acted like I couldn't fight and just played the part of a dumb blond who only knew how to play an instrument I'd get out of the big workloads. [He grins.] I'm a lot smarter than you guys gave me credit for. Don't tell Roxas, but there was a second lesson in recon. Investigating suspicious spots is the first lesson. Getting someone else to do it for you is lesson number two.
Reply
[He manages half a grin.]
You told me not to apologize for the other thing. [And then a genuine laugh. Oh, Demyx. Perhaps you really are too clever.] And that's why they put me in charge of training new recruits. You'd have infused Roxas with your deplorable work ethic, you slacker.
[And then his expression sobers a bit as he takes another bite of ice cream. He looks thoughtful a moment and then looks back at Demyx.]
Hey. Look, if anything really crappy ever happens to you, tell me about it, okay? [Hello out of left field.] I mean... don't not tell me about it. I ah... I know I kept a lot of secrets 'cuz I thought it was better for people that way, but I know better now. So. [Awkward headscratch goes here.] I know you're not actually an idiot, so... don't be an idiot like me. [And like Saïx.
[His eyes go back to the ice cream and he shakes his head.]
I'm sick of all the misunderstandings.
Reply
[Then he lightly shoves Axel's shoulder with a roll of his eyes.]
Hey, I'm the best slacker the Organization'll have ever had. No one could slack off like me and get away with it.
[And his expression goes dark for a few moments as he rubs his arm a little awkwardly. Anything crazy? That's probably the understatement of the century.]
...Actually, there's a lot of stuff that happened that I never told anyone about. It's... I don't know, man. I've kept it a secret from everyone in the Organization ever since I was recruited that day on the beach. [The one he had always considered to be one of Atlantica's, but was in actuality, the one in Twilight Town. He always said it was the former when people had asked. Everything that happened between the loss of his heart and gaining his new name, he barely remembered. One of my first memories as a Nobody was hearing the waves.
Reply
[He looks a bit uncomfortable then. It's true that his knowing what happened to Isa wouldn't have undone it, but he still would have wanted to know. The same goes for Demyx, honestly; the situations people face mold them, after all. What doesn't kill you makes you who you are.
[He fidgets a bit.] Well, I mean here. Now. I ain't gonna pry into your history; that's none of my business if you want to keep it to yourself. But... we're pals now, right? [He folds his arms and frowns, a bit petulant.] So if somebody screws with you, I wanna know about it. So I can burn their mouth on noodles or some other action appropriate to the situation.
Reply
[He pauses, giving Axel a curious stare before he smiles faintly. Pals, huh?] If you're offering that, then I wanna know if someone messes with you. I'll make their facilities clog so bad they blow all their cash on plumbers.
Reply
[The next proclamation gets a full-on laugh out of him, though.] Oh man... that's... devilishly brilliant--they wouldn't be able to prove a thing!
Reply
Sounds like you've got my back and I've got yours then, huh?
Reply
[Saïx hadn't even really asked. But maybe he's just as guilty of not asking--he never knew what really happened to Isa. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to know, Saiïx just hadn't ever seemed to want to talk about it. Maybe Saïx hadn't asked for the same reasons. Maybe they'd grown apart for nothing.
[He lifts his eyes again, giving Demyx a watery grin and a nod.] Duh. Somebody's gotta make sure you stay out of trouble. Or at least get into it in good company, right?
Reply
[Then he matches the grin, jabbing Axel in the arm.] Damn right, dude. If I ever land in the slammer I'm expecting you to be right next to me going 'That was awesome.'
Reply
[And then he looks a bit guilty. In retrospect, he supposes he should have known better than to assume Demyx wouldn't be hurt by the distance he wound up putting between them. Demyx had never really subscribed to the idea that they had no hearts, not for a second. Axel wonders sometimes if the only reason he ever did was because it made it easier to stomach the change in Isa. Polishing off the ice cream, he wags the stick at Demyx.] Well, here's to making up for lost time, then, right? [Can you toast with popsicle sticks?
[And then he just laughs.] Well of course. Don't you remember that time we got sent to Port Royal? [They had strategically left the part where they'd gotten dragged into a brawl in the tavern and subsequently thrown in jail for disturbing the peace out of the report.] Xigbar gave me flak for that shiner for like two weeks.
Reply
[He tilts his head at the stick, then prods at it with his own. Man, you can toast with anything--even toast. And then he starts laughing with Axel, rubbing at his jaw at the memory of it all.]
You kidding? I lost one of my back teeth from that little fiasco! How could I not remember it? Heck, I think that was the first fist-fight I was ever involved with in a different world.
Reply
[Axel laughs aloud then. Good times, man.]
Granted, I wouldn't have gotten involved under most circumstances. [He presses a fingertip against his cheek.] But I just couldn't sit idly by after that guy insulted my tattoos.
Thank Light for portals, though, right? I don't think you would'a lasted the night with those scallywags we wound up sharing a cell with.
Reply
[And when Axel laughs, Demyx grimaces just a little.]
His buddy deserved that busted jaw after he called us those names, but I'll admit it felt kinda good punching him in the face like that.
[Then he laughs and lightly shoves the other Nobody.] Would too! I could'a just picked you up and used you as a human flamethrower!
Reply
Leave a comment