Where's Your Head At?
Characters: Kid Ashtear and Axel Harkin
Content: So a thief and a gangster walk into a bar...
Setting: Axel's room
Time: Before 4423 plays hero
Warnings: Childishness, mostly.
The past, and therefore first, week on the 4423 had been relatively uneventful on Kid's end, but she wasn't in much of a position to complain. She could always find something to do when nothing was going on, and now that they were headed for... well, she actually wasn't sure where they were headed, and the crew seemed to be a tad more lively than usual. One of the crew members mentioned to her in passing -- after she'd asked, that was -- that they'd been doing repairs, but for some reason, she didn't think to find him after leaving port to see if they'd completed them.
Nevertheless, off they were into the air, and no one could really do work on the outside of the ship unless they knew how to fly. Or if they were daredevils and hung off the side of it by a rope, but even she knew that was a ridiculous idea. (Nevermind that she thought of it first.)
Kid rubbed her bare hands together, having left her gloves back in her room. It was pretty chilly, but she never wore much anyway, so she was used to the cold. Heading down the hallway without a set final destination, the thief admired the doors as she passed them, wondering just who was inside each room.
One door was open. Inside was a familiar red head, who Kid knew as Axel. He was rearranging his items, having just found a new cabin room not too long ago. He just looked as if he walked into the room, bending over to set down a box. Also inside was his red dragon, Ifrit, who sat neatly on his bed, his tail wagging once he saw the blond in the doorway.
The small dragon bounded off Axel's bed, Axel having his back turned at the time as he was setting something down on the nightstand. His claws scraped against the wooden floor as he bounded towards her. He didn't really jump at her. He stopped before her and stood up on his hind legs, tail curled up curiously and his front paws rested against her shoulders. Through the month or so since Axel had gotten the creature, it had gotten bigger, to about the size of an average dog. Ifrit outstretched his wings behind him, letting his snake like tongue tickle at her nose, smelling her and taking in her scent.
Kid's first instinct was to run like hell when she peripherally noticed something bounding at her from within the room. She hadn't taken notice of Axel, seeing as there was a bleeding dragon hurling itself at her, and instead took up a defensive stance, like she was going into battle -- even though she was without her dagger. Still, she could pack quite a punch.
... if it wasn't, you know, a dragon.
But then it suddenly was very close and nearly up against her, and she was torn between punching it in the snout and screaming. Fortunately, neither side won.
"Blimey!" she cried out in surprise, hands sort of flailing around since she wasn't really sure where to put them. Staring Ifrit in the eye -- which, apparently, wasn't supposed to be a good idea -- the girl stood perfectly still, waiting for it to toast her face off.
Axel perked up in the room and glanced over his shoulder to see the red dragon nearly toppling over the young girl. He dropped his clothes on the bed and rushed over, grabbing the thick leather collar around the beast's throat. Ifrit squawked in surprise at the powerful tug from his master and lifted his front paws off of her, being dragged behind his owner.
"Ifrit! How many time have I told you...!" Axel snapped at his pet as the dragon cowered behind him the best he could, having still being held by the collar. The red head rolled his eyes and released the dragon, watching him scramble back on the bed and bury his face under the pile of clothes.
Axel sighed and looked to Kid, laughing, slightly forced, in embarrassment. "Heh, sorry about that. He likes to see people, since he and I have been stuck in the forge pretty much, since he was hatched and all. He wouldn't hurt a fly really. He doesn't even know how to blow fire yet."
"Bloody hell, Axel," the blond muttered, readjusting her jacket in case the thing had messed it up. "And whaddya mean 'yet'? That ain't such a good thing to say on a ship made of wood, mate." He did seem pretty apologetic, but it didn't excuse the fact that he had a pet dragon running around wherever it pleased. And with the door open, too! Kid somehow got the feeling that if it'd been anyone else, that dragon would be chopped in half right then.
Crossing her skinny arms over her chest, she huffed in irritation.
"So Ifrit, eh? That mythological or something?"
Axel laughed lightly and waved his hand in the air. "Penelo, the doctor here, suggested it. Something that had to do with magic or something she worships." He shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the dragon, whose yellow eyes stared at him through a collar hole in one of his shirts. Axel shifted his weight on one foot before he waved his head, beckoning her inside.
"Don't just stand there. Come in, take a load off." He said enthusiastically as he went over to gather his clothes away from his pet, shoving them into a drawer.
The teenager took a moment to consider the offer, and then stepped inside, figuring that she hadn't really been going anywhere in particular, and his room was probably warmer than out in the hallways. With watchful eyes, she noted that pile of clothes and smiled to herself, deciding not to comment on it.
Without waiting for another invitation, Kid dropped herself down onto his bed, hands spread out next to her against the mattress. "Your captain's pretty young, ain't she?"
Axel rolled his eyes and stared down at her almost sourly, nudging her side with a knuckle. "You're pretty young too, ya know." he commented before he sat down on the edge of the bed as Ifrit scrambled off the bed, to make himself at home under Axel's wooden desk.
"Yeah, she's young. Haven't really met her all that much. I just hear her on the network, but never face to face. But if she's got enough guts to command a pirate ship, then she's pretty tough. I've gotta admire that kind of confidence, especially for a kid that age."
His little visitor crossed one scrawny leg over the other, tilting her chin up defensively. "Heh, anyone can command a ship. I could probably do just as good a job," she retorted in confidence, knowing the second the words came out that that wasn't exactly what she really thought. Truth was, there was probably a lot to commanding a pirate crew, and if you were as young as the kid captain, it was guaranteed to be real tough.
She sounded a bit stiff, though, so Kid made a mental note to avoid that one, or at least not piss her off.
"Uh huh. Sure you could." He joked back at her. He remembered how she was back in the day when they hung around. Nothing had changed a bit. Axel crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her again. "So. You like it here so far on the 4423? I know there isn't much to do, but once we land and things... things will get a bit more exciting."
"Yeah, I've always wanted to go cave spelunking," Kid shot back sarcastically, not really meaning much harm. It was just that the captain hadn't really explained why they were there in the first place. And apparently there was a sliced off finger involved, which made her even more curious. "You thinkin' of going out for whatever she's got planned?"
Axel groaned and hung his head. "Most likely, yeah. I'm kinda on the Quartermasters' bad sides." he said almost sounding guilty. He had a scythe to his neck not too long ago, and he was probably on the naughty list with Shinji and all. He rolled his eyes. "Ya see, I didn't help much repairs, and now they're kinda pissed about it. So, best to look out for their interests yeah? I'm heading into the cave when we land and all."
That forced a laugh out of the girl. "Sounds fair enough."
On the opposite hand, Kid wasn't thinking of going anywhere near those caves. Unless her own life was being threatened, she wasn't gonna go risking her neck for something she didn't even know anything about. After all, she was a passenger, and unless her definition of "passenger" was different, that meant not actually being a part of the crew. Which meant, no jobs for her.
All she really wanted aboard the 4423 was to get away. But of course, with her wanted poster pasted in nearly every large city in Vohemar, she wasn't in much luck, so maybe sticking close to the ship was her best bet at not getting arrested.
Axel soon perked up, pointing a finger at her with a grin. "Hey! When we go down into the caves, you wanna team up? You know how great the buddy system is. That way a search party doesn't have to go in for either of us, if we were to get lost and all." Axel wasn't really looking forward to going down into a cold, and maybe, wet cave. He hated both of those things with every fiber of his being.
Oh, brother.
"Who says we're gonna--" Kid immediately cut herself off, wondering why she'd started with that. She uncrossed her legs and frowned a little, sitting up slightly. "Oi, if you think I'm gonna go in there with you just so you don't get yourself lost, forget it, mate. I've got other things to do besides..." Again, she was at a loss for words. She hated caves, and couldn't decide how to voice his distaste for them. And would he just keeping insisting until she said yes?
If that was the case, his shin was going to meet her boot very soon.
Axel sighed as he slumped his shoulders. "I think it'd be fun, ya know? Us tackling through a cave. It'd be neat." But if she wanted to say no, it was fine with him. It was just nice to hang out with someone else besides his brother all the time. Sure he was family but there was only so much you could take from your sibling.
He did sit down on the bed's edge and smiled. "Then again, we should do something together. Like old times, ya know? Always getting into trouble here and there. I was sometimes a bad influence on ya."
"That's puttin' it lightly," the little blond teased, grinning toothily as him as she brought a knee up to her chest, foot balancing against the edge of the mattress. "But don't go givin' yourself all the credit, y'hear?"
"Yeah yeah, I know. Reno was a part of it too, since I told you to pick on him once in a while. He did contribute." he grinned foxishly as he nudged his friend in the shoulder childishly. "Without him, there wasn't anyone else to pick on, ya know?"
Kid rolled her eyes and, being the least nice out of the two, turned and punched him (lightly) in the arm. "Didn't anyone ever tell ya to pick on someone your own size? Ain't that common sense around here?"
Truthfully, she didn't believe all that, especially if it was her doing the picking on, but watching it happen to other people, especially those she considered friends, was a big fat No with a capital N. It was harmless coming from Axel, and she knew beneath underneath that whole Hi I'm A Wanker attitude, he had a heart, so she never got that up in arms about it.
But she was younger then, and older now, so if he decided to tease her anymore, she'd kick his skinny ass into next week.
His ass wasn't that skinny! He had been working out... a bit. But Axel shrugged his shoulders. "Well you know that saying. Dynamite comes in small packages. So who knows who you're supposed to pick on. Really, in this world, you're on your own, Kid. And that's how its always gonna be."
Axel knew that from experience, even though he really didn't want those experiences, nor did he want anyone else to experience them. That was life though. It had its funny ways to either make people happy or extremely paranoid with who to truly trust. Axel only trusted a hand full of people. He didn't really trust most of his crew members...
Fortunately, he did seem to trust Kid.
"Way to be a downer," she chided, propping one slender arm up on her knee. "Where'd that come from anyway?" He was right, in a sense, but it didn't mean you couldn't ask people for help. Only stupid people relied solely on themselves for support.
Axel sighed, and thought about it. He soon shrugged, resting his hands behind his own head as he stared up at the ceiling. "Mn. Dunno. I think it's because of all the time I've spent in the forge. It hasn't done anything good for me lately."
He grinned and stared back down at her. "And its been a while since I've talk to anybody else besides the lovely Quartermasters, my brother and his girlfriend. It's nice to talk to someone else for a change."
The girl snorted. "I've got a solution for ya then, mate." With a little smirk of her own, she leaned over and poked him hard in the chest so that he'd get the message.
"Get outta the forge a little more often. Sounds like you're just doin' this to yourself for no reason. You haven't become some social recluse, have ya?"
Axel frowned as he lifted his legs to let his legs stretch out behind Kid, resting his back against his headboard, hands still behind his head once again. He seemed to glare at the ceiling before he spoke again.
"I guess it's just... I hate bein' the third wheel ya know?" he said, "When I'm alone, none of that kind of stuff can be dancing around me." Axel glanced to his friend and smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair fondly. "At least you don't have a twin, huh?"
Scowling a little, the thief swatted at his hand and reached up to fix her ponytail. "Yeah, and I'm sure glad I don't."
The idea of having a sibling at all never really occurred to Kid. She'd grown up only knowing other orphans, and even they had become something like siblings. Back in those days, she'd chased other children around and playfight when she knew she shouldn't, like an excited kitten, but they were still like her brothers and sisters.
And then Lynx took it all away from her. That furfaced bastard was going to pay once she found him.
But back to the present.
"The way you talk about it, it's sounds more like babysitting." Then Kid looked surprised. "... wait, Reno's got a girl?" It may have been a bit delayed.
Axel rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his own chest tightly, frowning at the thought. "Yeah. He's got a girl, even though they both deny having a relationship. It really just...!" He pursed his lips together. "They both piss me off." Sure, Reno was his brother, he was allowed to be pissed off at him. And Anko. She had her own reasons.
"They're both stupid and it just makes me mad at how they toss around a relationship, as if it was nothin'. But whatever. It's not my problem. I don't even know why I'm so mad about it." Personal reasons? Yeah that was probably it. But he wouldn't share it with Kid. Kid would probably think of him as some kind of wimp or something, and would never let him live it down.
As he spoke, Kid started to grin to herself knowingly, but didn't share her thoughts until he stopped.
"Bet I know why. You're jealous, aren't you?"
Axel snorted and nudged her with his boot. No he wasn't really jealous he was just sick of how childish they acted with their relation ship and... well maybe there was a little jealousy being put into the mix. Yeah that was it. Just a little.
"Not really jealous no. More pissed off at the both of them." he muttered, rolling his eyes.
The girl snorted in amusement and readjusted her chin against her knee. "Sorry, don't believe ya, mate," she teased in return, glancing over briefly at Ifrit to see how he was doing. "So what're you gonna do about 'im when he gets big?" She pointed directly at the dragon so Axel could know she was talking about him and not Reno.
Axel opened his mouth to retort at Kid before her question arose. Ifrit was sitting in the corner by that time, cleaning his wings with his teeth and tongue. Axel hung his head and shrugged. "If he gets too big, I don't Isako will let him stay, or the Quartermasters, knowing them. Plus, he'll just be too big in general. I don't know how big he'll really get. I'll probably have to let him go. Into the wild ya know?"
"Poor little bugger," murmured the thief, lowering her leg to the floor as she patted her shin. "Hey Ifrit, c'mere."
There were worse things to be afraid of that a dragon, especially a little one. And while Kid wouldn't exactly call herself fearless, because there were definitely things she was scared of, she was tough enough to not be afraid of him.
Ifrit perked up and looked over to Kid and wagged his tail before he chirped and galloped over to her, sitting beside her foot as he stared up at her expectantly, his wings folded against his back and his tail curled neatly around his feet, like a proper dragon, if there was such a thing. Axel chuckled at the display.
She courageously stroked the side of his neck with her fingers, marveling at the feeling of his thick skin beneath her fingertips. "If I come visit more of'en, ya think you could keep the jumping to yourself?" Of course, she was speaking to Ifrit like he could understand. "Gotta make sure your owner over there--" cue headtilt in the redhead's direction "--doesn't cry himself ta sleep every night."
From jealousy, loneliness, not seeing her lovely face and being blessed with her charming personality, etc.
Ifirit only responded with a purring sound at the feeling of her caressing his neck. Axel glared at Kid and snorted. "I won't cry myself to sleep, sheesh!" he snapped at her. "I've got nothing to cry over in the first place. I barely cry as it is."
"Don't listen t'him," Kid whispered to the dragon, sharing her secret with him even though her voice was loud enough to be heard. "He's just trying to be manly, since boys aren't supposed ta cry."
The dragon only wagged his tail again and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek with his tongue. Axel nudged at Kid again, this time harder with his foot. "HEY! Knock it off!" he growled at them, thinking the dragon was in on it too, even though he was totally oblivious. "What makes you think I'd cry at night huh? Tell me that."
Oh, what a guy. "How about..." Preparing her dramatic scene, the blond laid back and rolled so his foot wouldn't reach her as well. A hand came to her forehead as her eyes fell shut. "I can't go on! My heart can't take this jealousy! Oh, Reno, how could you betray me like this? I thought we were brothers!"
Axel sat up and glared down at her... almost hatefully. As hateful as a friend could be. He rolled his eyes and rested his hands on his hips. "Yeah sure. Reno and I are brothers. But can I control him? Can I tell him what to do? No. He can do whatever the fuck he wants and I don't care. I don't give a damn what he does! If he wants to screw up his relationship with Anko, then let him! Let him do what he wants, because I won't be there to save him from a thing like that. Because he was asking for it."
She was unaffected by his anger, and it showed in her nonchalant expression. "Whichever lass he decides to date isn't any of your business, so maybe you should stop carin' so much and start trying to focus on your own life, eh?"
Kid was remarkably serious, but she wasn't sure how true her words rang. She wasn't the best at advice, let alone relationship advice, but if he really believed what he said earlier about always being on your own, then he would have to stop giving a crap about other people's love lives.
Axel just decided to stay stubbornly quiet as he laid back down with a huff, leaving his knees bent up. Sure he didn't care what girl he hooked up with, but he got mad that his brother ignored the fact that he was in a relationship and kept denying it. It was almost like he didn't deserve it. He...
No. That was a selfish thing to think. Kid was right. He had to focus on his own life. He did look to the empty space beside him though... But shook his head irritatedly and frowned at the ceiling as if it were its fault.
While he was lost in his own little thoughtful world, the blond was cooing at Ifrit, petting him once again and stroking over his horns in fascination. It wasn't that she didn't care about Axel. He just needed to man up, was all.
Axel sighed gently after a long moment of silence. "I guess I am jealous." he mumbled, almost embarrassed to say it with one of his best friends in the room. "But I'm not moping okay? I'm just pissed that my brother doesn't goddamn realize how much he has with Anko and just ignores it, and even denies it."
Ifrit laid his head on top of Kid's knee and stared up at her with his large blue eyes, before glancing over at his owner who rolled on his side.
The girl admired the dragon with her own big blue eyes and rolled them, grinning just a little at Axel. "Not moping, he says. Heh, yeah, and I'm the Ivonian president." Again, talking to Ifrit like the redhead wasn't even in the room.
Ifrit smiled, as much as he could as a dragon and gave another chirp of appreciation. Axel rolled his eyes. "I'm not. You two have just pissed me off is all, okay? Plus I hate talkin' about myself, you know that."
"Alright, alright, I'm goin'. If he mopes anymore," Kid said to her scaled companion, "bite his ankles, will ya?" If he understood that in any way, she'd have to start giving dragons more credit.
Axel sat up and stared at her. "You don't have to leave ya know." he mumbled but the dragon looking up at Kid wagged his tail in response, purring gently, his own eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Oh if only he understood human speech.
"Eh, it's gettin' late," she reasoned with a smirk, patting Ifrit's head one last time before standing. If they were going off cave spelunking -- well, not her, but the ship -- she was probably going to need the rest. For... something.
"You already missing me, Axel?"
Axel narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head. "No I'm not! Why are you pickin' on me so much? Isn't it the other way around?!" Because this was just plain mean, he thought, rubbing his forehead.
"Do whatever ya want," Kid told him with a smirk as she paused in the doorframe, glancing at him one last time. "But I guarantee you it's gonna end with my boot in your face, mate." She disappeared without a goodnight, the jingling sound of her necklace retreating down the hallway.
Content: So a thief and a gangster walk into a bar...
Setting: Axel's room
Time: Before 4423 plays hero
Warnings: Childishness, mostly.
The past, and therefore first, week on the 4423 had been relatively uneventful on Kid's end, but she wasn't in much of a position to complain. She could always find something to do when nothing was going on, and now that they were headed for... well, she actually wasn't sure where they were headed, and the crew seemed to be a tad more lively than usual. One of the crew members mentioned to her in passing -- after she'd asked, that was -- that they'd been doing repairs, but for some reason, she didn't think to find him after leaving port to see if they'd completed them.
Nevertheless, off they were into the air, and no one could really do work on the outside of the ship unless they knew how to fly. Or if they were daredevils and hung off the side of it by a rope, but even she knew that was a ridiculous idea. (Nevermind that she thought of it first.)
Kid rubbed her bare hands together, having left her gloves back in her room. It was pretty chilly, but she never wore much anyway, so she was used to the cold. Heading down the hallway without a set final destination, the thief admired the doors as she passed them, wondering just who was inside each room.
One door was open. Inside was a familiar red head, who Kid knew as Axel. He was rearranging his items, having just found a new cabin room not too long ago. He just looked as if he walked into the room, bending over to set down a box. Also inside was his red dragon, Ifrit, who sat neatly on his bed, his tail wagging once he saw the blond in the doorway.
The small dragon bounded off Axel's bed, Axel having his back turned at the time as he was setting something down on the nightstand. His claws scraped against the wooden floor as he bounded towards her. He didn't really jump at her. He stopped before her and stood up on his hind legs, tail curled up curiously and his front paws rested against her shoulders. Through the month or so since Axel had gotten the creature, it had gotten bigger, to about the size of an average dog. Ifrit outstretched his wings behind him, letting his snake like tongue tickle at her nose, smelling her and taking in her scent.
Kid's first instinct was to run like hell when she peripherally noticed something bounding at her from within the room. She hadn't taken notice of Axel, seeing as there was a bleeding dragon hurling itself at her, and instead took up a defensive stance, like she was going into battle -- even though she was without her dagger. Still, she could pack quite a punch.
... if it wasn't, you know, a dragon.
But then it suddenly was very close and nearly up against her, and she was torn between punching it in the snout and screaming. Fortunately, neither side won.
"Blimey!" she cried out in surprise, hands sort of flailing around since she wasn't really sure where to put them. Staring Ifrit in the eye -- which, apparently, wasn't supposed to be a good idea -- the girl stood perfectly still, waiting for it to toast her face off.
Axel perked up in the room and glanced over his shoulder to see the red dragon nearly toppling over the young girl. He dropped his clothes on the bed and rushed over, grabbing the thick leather collar around the beast's throat. Ifrit squawked in surprise at the powerful tug from his master and lifted his front paws off of her, being dragged behind his owner.
"Ifrit! How many time have I told you...!" Axel snapped at his pet as the dragon cowered behind him the best he could, having still being held by the collar. The red head rolled his eyes and released the dragon, watching him scramble back on the bed and bury his face under the pile of clothes.
Axel sighed and looked to Kid, laughing, slightly forced, in embarrassment. "Heh, sorry about that. He likes to see people, since he and I have been stuck in the forge pretty much, since he was hatched and all. He wouldn't hurt a fly really. He doesn't even know how to blow fire yet."
"Bloody hell, Axel," the blond muttered, readjusting her jacket in case the thing had messed it up. "And whaddya mean 'yet'? That ain't such a good thing to say on a ship made of wood, mate." He did seem pretty apologetic, but it didn't excuse the fact that he had a pet dragon running around wherever it pleased. And with the door open, too! Kid somehow got the feeling that if it'd been anyone else, that dragon would be chopped in half right then.
Crossing her skinny arms over her chest, she huffed in irritation.
"So Ifrit, eh? That mythological or something?"
Axel laughed lightly and waved his hand in the air. "Penelo, the doctor here, suggested it. Something that had to do with magic or something she worships." He shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the dragon, whose yellow eyes stared at him through a collar hole in one of his shirts. Axel shifted his weight on one foot before he waved his head, beckoning her inside.
"Don't just stand there. Come in, take a load off." He said enthusiastically as he went over to gather his clothes away from his pet, shoving them into a drawer.
The teenager took a moment to consider the offer, and then stepped inside, figuring that she hadn't really been going anywhere in particular, and his room was probably warmer than out in the hallways. With watchful eyes, she noted that pile of clothes and smiled to herself, deciding not to comment on it.
Without waiting for another invitation, Kid dropped herself down onto his bed, hands spread out next to her against the mattress. "Your captain's pretty young, ain't she?"
Axel rolled his eyes and stared down at her almost sourly, nudging her side with a knuckle. "You're pretty young too, ya know." he commented before he sat down on the edge of the bed as Ifrit scrambled off the bed, to make himself at home under Axel's wooden desk.
"Yeah, she's young. Haven't really met her all that much. I just hear her on the network, but never face to face. But if she's got enough guts to command a pirate ship, then she's pretty tough. I've gotta admire that kind of confidence, especially for a kid that age."
His little visitor crossed one scrawny leg over the other, tilting her chin up defensively. "Heh, anyone can command a ship. I could probably do just as good a job," she retorted in confidence, knowing the second the words came out that that wasn't exactly what she really thought. Truth was, there was probably a lot to commanding a pirate crew, and if you were as young as the kid captain, it was guaranteed to be real tough.
She sounded a bit stiff, though, so Kid made a mental note to avoid that one, or at least not piss her off.
"Uh huh. Sure you could." He joked back at her. He remembered how she was back in the day when they hung around. Nothing had changed a bit. Axel crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her again. "So. You like it here so far on the 4423? I know there isn't much to do, but once we land and things... things will get a bit more exciting."
"Yeah, I've always wanted to go cave spelunking," Kid shot back sarcastically, not really meaning much harm. It was just that the captain hadn't really explained why they were there in the first place. And apparently there was a sliced off finger involved, which made her even more curious. "You thinkin' of going out for whatever she's got planned?"
Axel groaned and hung his head. "Most likely, yeah. I'm kinda on the Quartermasters' bad sides." he said almost sounding guilty. He had a scythe to his neck not too long ago, and he was probably on the naughty list with Shinji and all. He rolled his eyes. "Ya see, I didn't help much repairs, and now they're kinda pissed about it. So, best to look out for their interests yeah? I'm heading into the cave when we land and all."
That forced a laugh out of the girl. "Sounds fair enough."
On the opposite hand, Kid wasn't thinking of going anywhere near those caves. Unless her own life was being threatened, she wasn't gonna go risking her neck for something she didn't even know anything about. After all, she was a passenger, and unless her definition of "passenger" was different, that meant not actually being a part of the crew. Which meant, no jobs for her.
All she really wanted aboard the 4423 was to get away. But of course, with her wanted poster pasted in nearly every large city in Vohemar, she wasn't in much luck, so maybe sticking close to the ship was her best bet at not getting arrested.
Axel soon perked up, pointing a finger at her with a grin. "Hey! When we go down into the caves, you wanna team up? You know how great the buddy system is. That way a search party doesn't have to go in for either of us, if we were to get lost and all." Axel wasn't really looking forward to going down into a cold, and maybe, wet cave. He hated both of those things with every fiber of his being.
Oh, brother.
"Who says we're gonna--" Kid immediately cut herself off, wondering why she'd started with that. She uncrossed her legs and frowned a little, sitting up slightly. "Oi, if you think I'm gonna go in there with you just so you don't get yourself lost, forget it, mate. I've got other things to do besides..." Again, she was at a loss for words. She hated caves, and couldn't decide how to voice his distaste for them. And would he just keeping insisting until she said yes?
If that was the case, his shin was going to meet her boot very soon.
Axel sighed as he slumped his shoulders. "I think it'd be fun, ya know? Us tackling through a cave. It'd be neat." But if she wanted to say no, it was fine with him. It was just nice to hang out with someone else besides his brother all the time. Sure he was family but there was only so much you could take from your sibling.
He did sit down on the bed's edge and smiled. "Then again, we should do something together. Like old times, ya know? Always getting into trouble here and there. I was sometimes a bad influence on ya."
"That's puttin' it lightly," the little blond teased, grinning toothily as him as she brought a knee up to her chest, foot balancing against the edge of the mattress. "But don't go givin' yourself all the credit, y'hear?"
"Yeah yeah, I know. Reno was a part of it too, since I told you to pick on him once in a while. He did contribute." he grinned foxishly as he nudged his friend in the shoulder childishly. "Without him, there wasn't anyone else to pick on, ya know?"
Kid rolled her eyes and, being the least nice out of the two, turned and punched him (lightly) in the arm. "Didn't anyone ever tell ya to pick on someone your own size? Ain't that common sense around here?"
Truthfully, she didn't believe all that, especially if it was her doing the picking on, but watching it happen to other people, especially those she considered friends, was a big fat No with a capital N. It was harmless coming from Axel, and she knew beneath underneath that whole Hi I'm A Wanker attitude, he had a heart, so she never got that up in arms about it.
But she was younger then, and older now, so if he decided to tease her anymore, she'd kick his skinny ass into next week.
His ass wasn't that skinny! He had been working out... a bit. But Axel shrugged his shoulders. "Well you know that saying. Dynamite comes in small packages. So who knows who you're supposed to pick on. Really, in this world, you're on your own, Kid. And that's how its always gonna be."
Axel knew that from experience, even though he really didn't want those experiences, nor did he want anyone else to experience them. That was life though. It had its funny ways to either make people happy or extremely paranoid with who to truly trust. Axel only trusted a hand full of people. He didn't really trust most of his crew members...
Fortunately, he did seem to trust Kid.
"Way to be a downer," she chided, propping one slender arm up on her knee. "Where'd that come from anyway?" He was right, in a sense, but it didn't mean you couldn't ask people for help. Only stupid people relied solely on themselves for support.
Axel sighed, and thought about it. He soon shrugged, resting his hands behind his own head as he stared up at the ceiling. "Mn. Dunno. I think it's because of all the time I've spent in the forge. It hasn't done anything good for me lately."
He grinned and stared back down at her. "And its been a while since I've talk to anybody else besides the lovely Quartermasters, my brother and his girlfriend. It's nice to talk to someone else for a change."
The girl snorted. "I've got a solution for ya then, mate." With a little smirk of her own, she leaned over and poked him hard in the chest so that he'd get the message.
"Get outta the forge a little more often. Sounds like you're just doin' this to yourself for no reason. You haven't become some social recluse, have ya?"
Axel frowned as he lifted his legs to let his legs stretch out behind Kid, resting his back against his headboard, hands still behind his head once again. He seemed to glare at the ceiling before he spoke again.
"I guess it's just... I hate bein' the third wheel ya know?" he said, "When I'm alone, none of that kind of stuff can be dancing around me." Axel glanced to his friend and smiled, reaching over to ruffle her hair fondly. "At least you don't have a twin, huh?"
Scowling a little, the thief swatted at his hand and reached up to fix her ponytail. "Yeah, and I'm sure glad I don't."
The idea of having a sibling at all never really occurred to Kid. She'd grown up only knowing other orphans, and even they had become something like siblings. Back in those days, she'd chased other children around and playfight when she knew she shouldn't, like an excited kitten, but they were still like her brothers and sisters.
And then Lynx took it all away from her. That furfaced bastard was going to pay once she found him.
But back to the present.
"The way you talk about it, it's sounds more like babysitting." Then Kid looked surprised. "... wait, Reno's got a girl?" It may have been a bit delayed.
Axel rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his own chest tightly, frowning at the thought. "Yeah. He's got a girl, even though they both deny having a relationship. It really just...!" He pursed his lips together. "They both piss me off." Sure, Reno was his brother, he was allowed to be pissed off at him. And Anko. She had her own reasons.
"They're both stupid and it just makes me mad at how they toss around a relationship, as if it was nothin'. But whatever. It's not my problem. I don't even know why I'm so mad about it." Personal reasons? Yeah that was probably it. But he wouldn't share it with Kid. Kid would probably think of him as some kind of wimp or something, and would never let him live it down.
As he spoke, Kid started to grin to herself knowingly, but didn't share her thoughts until he stopped.
"Bet I know why. You're jealous, aren't you?"
Axel snorted and nudged her with his boot. No he wasn't really jealous he was just sick of how childish they acted with their relation ship and... well maybe there was a little jealousy being put into the mix. Yeah that was it. Just a little.
"Not really jealous no. More pissed off at the both of them." he muttered, rolling his eyes.
The girl snorted in amusement and readjusted her chin against her knee. "Sorry, don't believe ya, mate," she teased in return, glancing over briefly at Ifrit to see how he was doing. "So what're you gonna do about 'im when he gets big?" She pointed directly at the dragon so Axel could know she was talking about him and not Reno.
Axel opened his mouth to retort at Kid before her question arose. Ifrit was sitting in the corner by that time, cleaning his wings with his teeth and tongue. Axel hung his head and shrugged. "If he gets too big, I don't Isako will let him stay, or the Quartermasters, knowing them. Plus, he'll just be too big in general. I don't know how big he'll really get. I'll probably have to let him go. Into the wild ya know?"
"Poor little bugger," murmured the thief, lowering her leg to the floor as she patted her shin. "Hey Ifrit, c'mere."
There were worse things to be afraid of that a dragon, especially a little one. And while Kid wouldn't exactly call herself fearless, because there were definitely things she was scared of, she was tough enough to not be afraid of him.
Ifrit perked up and looked over to Kid and wagged his tail before he chirped and galloped over to her, sitting beside her foot as he stared up at her expectantly, his wings folded against his back and his tail curled neatly around his feet, like a proper dragon, if there was such a thing. Axel chuckled at the display.
She courageously stroked the side of his neck with her fingers, marveling at the feeling of his thick skin beneath her fingertips. "If I come visit more of'en, ya think you could keep the jumping to yourself?" Of course, she was speaking to Ifrit like he could understand. "Gotta make sure your owner over there--" cue headtilt in the redhead's direction "--doesn't cry himself ta sleep every night."
From jealousy, loneliness, not seeing her lovely face and being blessed with her charming personality, etc.
Ifirit only responded with a purring sound at the feeling of her caressing his neck. Axel glared at Kid and snorted. "I won't cry myself to sleep, sheesh!" he snapped at her. "I've got nothing to cry over in the first place. I barely cry as it is."
"Don't listen t'him," Kid whispered to the dragon, sharing her secret with him even though her voice was loud enough to be heard. "He's just trying to be manly, since boys aren't supposed ta cry."
The dragon only wagged his tail again and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek with his tongue. Axel nudged at Kid again, this time harder with his foot. "HEY! Knock it off!" he growled at them, thinking the dragon was in on it too, even though he was totally oblivious. "What makes you think I'd cry at night huh? Tell me that."
Oh, what a guy. "How about..." Preparing her dramatic scene, the blond laid back and rolled so his foot wouldn't reach her as well. A hand came to her forehead as her eyes fell shut. "I can't go on! My heart can't take this jealousy! Oh, Reno, how could you betray me like this? I thought we were brothers!"
Axel sat up and glared down at her... almost hatefully. As hateful as a friend could be. He rolled his eyes and rested his hands on his hips. "Yeah sure. Reno and I are brothers. But can I control him? Can I tell him what to do? No. He can do whatever the fuck he wants and I don't care. I don't give a damn what he does! If he wants to screw up his relationship with Anko, then let him! Let him do what he wants, because I won't be there to save him from a thing like that. Because he was asking for it."
She was unaffected by his anger, and it showed in her nonchalant expression. "Whichever lass he decides to date isn't any of your business, so maybe you should stop carin' so much and start trying to focus on your own life, eh?"
Kid was remarkably serious, but she wasn't sure how true her words rang. She wasn't the best at advice, let alone relationship advice, but if he really believed what he said earlier about always being on your own, then he would have to stop giving a crap about other people's love lives.
Axel just decided to stay stubbornly quiet as he laid back down with a huff, leaving his knees bent up. Sure he didn't care what girl he hooked up with, but he got mad that his brother ignored the fact that he was in a relationship and kept denying it. It was almost like he didn't deserve it. He...
No. That was a selfish thing to think. Kid was right. He had to focus on his own life. He did look to the empty space beside him though... But shook his head irritatedly and frowned at the ceiling as if it were its fault.
While he was lost in his own little thoughtful world, the blond was cooing at Ifrit, petting him once again and stroking over his horns in fascination. It wasn't that she didn't care about Axel. He just needed to man up, was all.
Axel sighed gently after a long moment of silence. "I guess I am jealous." he mumbled, almost embarrassed to say it with one of his best friends in the room. "But I'm not moping okay? I'm just pissed that my brother doesn't goddamn realize how much he has with Anko and just ignores it, and even denies it."
Ifrit laid his head on top of Kid's knee and stared up at her with his large blue eyes, before glancing over at his owner who rolled on his side.
The girl admired the dragon with her own big blue eyes and rolled them, grinning just a little at Axel. "Not moping, he says. Heh, yeah, and I'm the Ivonian president." Again, talking to Ifrit like the redhead wasn't even in the room.
Ifrit smiled, as much as he could as a dragon and gave another chirp of appreciation. Axel rolled his eyes. "I'm not. You two have just pissed me off is all, okay? Plus I hate talkin' about myself, you know that."
"Alright, alright, I'm goin'. If he mopes anymore," Kid said to her scaled companion, "bite his ankles, will ya?" If he understood that in any way, she'd have to start giving dragons more credit.
Axel sat up and stared at her. "You don't have to leave ya know." he mumbled but the dragon looking up at Kid wagged his tail in response, purring gently, his own eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Oh if only he understood human speech.
"Eh, it's gettin' late," she reasoned with a smirk, patting Ifrit's head one last time before standing. If they were going off cave spelunking -- well, not her, but the ship -- she was probably going to need the rest. For... something.
"You already missing me, Axel?"
Axel narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head. "No I'm not! Why are you pickin' on me so much? Isn't it the other way around?!" Because this was just plain mean, he thought, rubbing his forehead.
"Do whatever ya want," Kid told him with a smirk as she paused in the doorframe, glancing at him one last time. "But I guarantee you it's gonna end with my boot in your face, mate." She disappeared without a goodnight, the jingling sound of her necklace retreating down the hallway.