eleven locks.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ Roxas appears distracted the very moment he appears on the Plane, cradling a cup of tea. His head tilts to the side, his expression open and confused. He kneels down, gently sets the cup aside, then lays himself along the 'floor' so that he can press his ear to it. ]

That's... new. [ He pauses, winces, and places his hand over his other ear. ] All right, let's use our indoor voices now.

Comments

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[Someone blonde swaggers into view.]

So you're back, too.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ He twitches, even with his ear covered, and looks up at Emil from his position along the floor. ] Yeah, I... [ And now he sits up, hand sliding off his ear.] How long? How long have I been gone?

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[flatly] Only a day or two, as far as I can tell. Still turned a few lives upside down in the process.

What did offing yourself back there even prove? I thought you were supposed to be a hero.

He certainly looks up to you. It's probably how he got himself killed before.

[lamb_of_gold]

[Somewhat distant]

Welcome back.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ He winces for some reason, then frowns at him. My, Emil, you're acting strangely bratty today. ]

It was to save a friend.

... He? He, who?

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

Ah, Roxas are you alright?

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ Roxas jumps, then lets his eyes slide toward Mu. That sort of greeting makes him look at least a little abashed. Given the options, he doesn't think he chose the wrong one, but still... ]

Uh... thanks.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ Slight jump, slight wince. ]

Yeah. Yeah, uh... I'm good. All things considered. Could you lower your voice, though?

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

[He figures Roxas has a headache or something]
Oh! Sorry....

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ You could say that. ]

Thanks. So... how long has this been going on?

[pactum.livejournal.com]

You still ended up hurting people. I saw her running away. [Not only is he bratty, he's Captain Hypocrite.] Real good job you did there.

[he ignores that question]

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

There's no need to yell, you know.

Her...? You mean—Naminé? [ Oh no... She saw it?! His face falls. ]

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[No words, no voice... just the (well, normally it would be faint) sound of running footsteps, and then Naminé is in front of him. She immediately kneels onto the floor, so that they're level, and gives him a very tight hug.]

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[Emil blinks a few times, thrown off by the remark.] ... I'm not yelling.

Blonde girl, white dress? She ran away as soon as she saw you in there.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ He looks up at the sound of footsteps, but doesn't have time to properly react before he's pulled into the hug. He knows immediately who it is, knows those arms, that scent of paper, crayons, and the town, and returns the hug with similar tightness.

It's sitting here, hugging Naminé and realizing how much his actions probably hurt her, that he also realizes he can hear the prominent thump-tump, shhh, thump-tump, shhh of something no person should be able to hear so easily. ]

Naminé...

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

Fine, you're talking loudly.

It was her... Then—she didn't see what happened?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Walking closer, but his voice is pretty quiet to begin with]

You should find Naminé.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

Naminé... I—yeah, I should. I know I should. [ He sits up, frowning to himself, taking some deep breaths. ] I will. In a minute.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She's still clinging to him when she speaks, because she's just not willing to let go right now, not just yet. She's sniffling, tears in her eyes, but she's smiling faintly... because he's here now.]

Roxas... I'm so glad you're back. That you're okay.

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu nods] She saw you fighting, but not the result.

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

Has what been going on?

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[he shrugs]

No, she didn't stay for the whole thing.

But I did.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ He looks relieved, turning his gaze to the cup of tea for the moment. ] ... That's good. I mean—you know what I mean. That she didn't see how it ended.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ Roxas tightens his grip, just for a moment, letting her know he's here. ]

Yeah, I'm here now, Naminé. Everything's okay.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

That... noise. Like gears or something.