~Nine ♥ Hearts~

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[Naminé is too upset to move right now.

She's sitting, away from most structures and features and whatnot, just staring at the stars on the "floor" in front of her. Her knees are pulled up to her chest and her chin is resting on top. She's tense, worried, and waiting for news that can in no way be good news.

She doesn't know who won the deathmatch yet. It would be a lie to say she doesn't care. She can't stand that it happened at all, and she'd rather not think about it, but she's so worried... She's stopped crying, for the moment, but she knows she'll start again if she so much as tries to speak to anyone, maybe if she just even thinks about the wrong thing. It's so hard to be strong in a situation like this.

So she waits, wondering which of her friends is left to come see her, if they come at all. And, not for the first time, she wishes on a star here in the Plane:]

I don't want to be alone right now...

Comments

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She looks to Axel when he says her name, and stands. She's stuck with a difficult mix of emotions -- she's so glad that he's alive, so very glad of that, but she knows that his presence means Roxas is... ...]

Axel? [Her voice shakes, along with her bottom lip, and she starts to walk toward him. Just like she thought would happen, the tears have returned.]

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

[Oh, God. It's unbearable. His heart twists in ways he hasn't felt for a year and a half, and it shows on his face. He moves toward her.

Seeing her cry is the worst.]

Come here.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She does as she's told, and stares up at him as he towers over her like always. One tear, and another, and then she has to close her eyes and tilt her head downward again. She doesn't know what to say or do, so she just waits, hoping her best friend will have some sort of advice, some sort of guidance for her. Anything.]

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

[Though he feels himself starting to tremble, he grits his teeth against it and pulls Naminé into a close hug. She can cry on him all she wants. It's his fault, anyway.]

I'm sorry, Naminé. I couldn't stop him. Once Roxas makes up his mind, he won't change it, you know? [He sighs, though it's a bit ragged— he's been crying too. And he's not a crier. So it's new for him.] He'll come back, just like last time. You can hit him then.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She's grateful for the hug, clinging to him tightly, burying herself in his arms like she could just stay there forever. She's a quiet crier, but her tears are still enough in number to rival a flood of any sort.

What he says confuses her at first since she didn't stick around to watch, but his addition of "just like last time" gives her all the information she needs about what happened.]

It couldn't have been your fault. I'm just sorry the whole thing happened at all. [She's heartbroken, so while she knows she shouldn't ask, it slips out:] Why did it have to happen at all?

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

[He strokes her hair as she cries, feeling more and more like a douche as this goes on.]

The people who run this place are sick and twisted. I think until recently we were convinced they were nothing more than a nuisance.

[lowly]

That's gonna change.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She attempts to dry her eyes, however futile that is, before looking up at him again.]

What can anyone do, then?

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

[Axel offers her a scarf to cry on.] We'll find a way. Maybe Roxas will have some kind of... epiphany when he comes back. For now, we're gonna have to wait.

[He looks down at her.] It's gonna take a little while longer for me and Roxas to get back home with this and the Nobody thing going on... But we're definitely coming back. Both of us.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She takes the scarf, cuddling it close to her face and peering up at him over it.]

I know you will. I just wish I could do something, too...

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

I know what you can do.

[He smiles, not much more than a bittersweet curve of his lips, but it's hopeful.]

Make Roxas somethin'. You can even write a letter in with it. Then, when he comes back, give it to him with a big hug and a smile and tell him to open it alone, if you want.

I think he'd appreciate something like that. It'd make both of you feel better, and it might help him back on his feet, y'know?

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She thinks about that, very carefully... then nods.]

You're right. I will. [And his smile gets a small one in return.] Thanks, Axel.

What... will you do?

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

Me? Well...

[He tilts his head, considering, then looks down at his side. The chain hanging out of his pocket jingles.]

I'll take over for Roxas temporarily in the hero department. It can't be that bad if it's just for a while, yeah?

Until then, I'll stay with you as long as you want.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

Are you sure? I mean, if you need to go, then... I'll understand.

[But the fact that she leans against him again is probably pretty telling that she doesn't want him to go.]

[smolderingdark.livejournal.com]

[He smiles softly and loops his arms around her back, holding her as close as she needs.]

Time doesn't move as long as we're here, right? If that's true, then staying here is probably the best thing I can do right now.