Axel; Ⅷ; The Flurry of Dancing Flames (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
got_it_memorized) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
million_points_of_light2013-05-27 09:26 pm
got_it_memorized) wrote in million_points_of_light2013-05-27 09:26 pm
maybe we'll turn it all around
Who: Axel, Sheena, and later Riku
When: 21May2013, after this
Where: House of the Rising Tsun
Warnings: additional pain and suffering and aftermath of death.
It was dark by the time he got back to the apartment. They had been pulled back to Exsilium fairly early in the afternoon, but he hadn't gone home. He had already experienced the Empty Room phenomenon when Xion had gone home, and he wasn't prepared to do it again right away. Xion's fate had been no less tragic than Riku's, really, but she hadn't slipped away right in front of him, and he hoped wherever she was now she was giving Xemnas hell.
He didn't want to think about where Riku might have been. He wasn't sure he even believed in next lives, but they were a nice idea.
Axel had heard about death being impermanent in this place, but he wasn't quite sure how that worked. No one could really come back from being dead, right? That was ridiculous. Cure could work wonders on grave injuries (in the hands of a capable white mage, that is), but there was no magic that could return life. This wasn't one of the computer games he'd played with Isa: there was no soft reset when you borked your attack and blew the mission and died for it in real life.
He had wandered about the ruins outside the city for a while, where no one would see the blood on his hands and the scratches on his face and the way his coat was torn. He had burned his arm somewhere along the way, as he'd torn through the ranks of soldiers in Paris, and he'd forgotten how much that hurt. He hadn't burned himself on his own fire in years. Stupid, sloppy--why was this bothering him so much? It had been Riku's own choice, after all! He hadn't asked him to save his life, let alone to die in the process.
Stupid United Earth. Stupid Riku. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
When he realized it was getting dark, he headed back toward the Hold. He could have easily used a Corridor to get there in no time, but he wanted to walk. The rain misting down over his head was chilly and uncomfortable, making his hair stick to his face and neck and sliding down his spine in icy rivulets, but he only pulled his hood up and kept walking.
He had cleared his head a bit by the time he reached the apartment, and the rain had swept some of the blood off his hands and face, but he still looked rather like he'd been dragged backwards through a holly hedge. Pushing the door open, he peeked inside almost timidly. Part of him hoped Sheena hadn't returned yet--he didn't want her to see him looking like such a wreck--but the rest of him hoped she would be there, if only so he would know he wasn't about to be all alone in an empty apartment all over again.
The problem with learning how to have friends again... was remembering how much it sucked to be alone.
When: 21May2013, after this
Where: House of the Rising Tsun
Warnings: additional pain and suffering and aftermath of death.
It was dark by the time he got back to the apartment. They had been pulled back to Exsilium fairly early in the afternoon, but he hadn't gone home. He had already experienced the Empty Room phenomenon when Xion had gone home, and he wasn't prepared to do it again right away. Xion's fate had been no less tragic than Riku's, really, but she hadn't slipped away right in front of him, and he hoped wherever she was now she was giving Xemnas hell.
He didn't want to think about where Riku might have been. He wasn't sure he even believed in next lives, but they were a nice idea.
Axel had heard about death being impermanent in this place, but he wasn't quite sure how that worked. No one could really come back from being dead, right? That was ridiculous. Cure could work wonders on grave injuries (in the hands of a capable white mage, that is), but there was no magic that could return life. This wasn't one of the computer games he'd played with Isa: there was no soft reset when you borked your attack and blew the mission and died for it in real life.
He had wandered about the ruins outside the city for a while, where no one would see the blood on his hands and the scratches on his face and the way his coat was torn. He had burned his arm somewhere along the way, as he'd torn through the ranks of soldiers in Paris, and he'd forgotten how much that hurt. He hadn't burned himself on his own fire in years. Stupid, sloppy--why was this bothering him so much? It had been Riku's own choice, after all! He hadn't asked him to save his life, let alone to die in the process.
Stupid United Earth. Stupid Riku. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
When he realized it was getting dark, he headed back toward the Hold. He could have easily used a Corridor to get there in no time, but he wanted to walk. The rain misting down over his head was chilly and uncomfortable, making his hair stick to his face and neck and sliding down his spine in icy rivulets, but he only pulled his hood up and kept walking.
He had cleared his head a bit by the time he reached the apartment, and the rain had swept some of the blood off his hands and face, but he still looked rather like he'd been dragged backwards through a holly hedge. Pushing the door open, he peeked inside almost timidly. Part of him hoped Sheena hadn't returned yet--he didn't want her to see him looking like such a wreck--but the rest of him hoped she would be there, if only so he would know he wasn't about to be all alone in an empty apartment all over again.
The problem with learning how to have friends again... was remembering how much it sucked to be alone.
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It wasn't funny because it was true. It was funny because the person currently giving that diagnosis was Sheena, who was covered in scratches and bruises and dried blood, with her left arm in a sling. She'd made some kind of curry in the absence of her roommates; it was sitting on the back of the stove, warming, while Sheena perched on the arm of the couch and tried to eat out of a bowl one-handed.
She didn't exactly have a joyful expression before, but her face turned to something more serious when she noticed Axel was alone. She shoved the bowl onto an endtable and stood up.
"What happened? Are you okay?! Where's... Where is Riku."
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Better than dead, though, a petulant little voice in the back of his head supplied helpfully, and he stepped inside, kicking the door closed behind him. It didn't quite latch, but he was too preoccupied to notice as Sheena's face hardened and she got to her feet.
He didn't bother hiding his flinch at her question. No, it wasn't even a question, it was a demand. Figuring the two other questions didn't really matter so much, he absently rubbed at the burn on his arm, then let both hands flap sort of helplessly to his sides.
"I... He didn't make it." The words tumbled from his lips too quickly, clumsily, like he'd tripped over his own tongue saying them, and he exhaled sharply in surprise that he'd spoken at all. His looked at Sheena then, haunted and almost in expectation of being struck, before clearing his throat and glancing away again. He could never hold eye contact when giving bad news. "He, ah... there was an accident."
It was my fault, he wanted to say, it was all my fault! But he couldn't find his voice suddenly. Funny the way as soon as he wanted to tell the truth his tongue betrayed him.
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It was an answer, but not the answer she waited for. She wanted to hear that Riku was maybe grocery shopping, or resting up in the clinic-- not that he didn't even make it back to the base. "You're kidding." No, he wasn't. She could tell, having been friends with a compulsive liar for several years. This wasn't something people joked about.
She reached out, stopped, steadied herself. She bowed her head and wished fervently that this was a nightmare, that she'd wake up and the invasion would never have happened. But nothing came. It was just the two of them in this big, cold apartment.
"I should have made him go back," she said finally. "He's never seen war like that. Not like I have. I should've known he'd..." She took in a deep breath, a bit shaky. "The Initiative can revive people. I don't know if they'll help Riku, but it's all we have now."
The world was lost. She'd heard the announcement when Zelos was patching up her arm. Goddess, it was all too much. When she lifted her eyes again, she gave Axel more of an appraising eye. "... What about you? Are you hurt anywhere? It's late, but I can take you to see Z-- Kaneis."
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"I wish I were," he said candidly, cupping his elbows in his palms, arms folded uncomfortably across his abdomen. He was cold. Axel was never cold. The wet coat wasn't helping. With unsteady, bloodied hands he unclipped the chain clasp on the front of the coat and tugged the zipper down, peeling the wet fabric from his shoulders. The sleeveless shirt beneath it was soaked through to his skin as well, but at least his skin would dry relatively quickly.
He frowned at the rips in the coat and sighed softly; he would have to have it mended. Better he hadn't used a Corridor, with the coat in this condition. Pity Naminé wasn't here. She was a lousy seamstress, really, but she did a better job than he could. Hanging the coat on a peg by the door, Axel suppressed a shiver and turned over his shoulder to look at Sheena.
"He's seen war in his own right," he assured her. "Kid's fought more battles than anybody his age should ever have to, really, but... well, in a perfect world..." In a perfect world their lives would be completely different. In a perfect world... Lea would still have his heart, Riku would still have his life, and theoretically none of them would be here. He made a bit of a face then. "You 'revive' someone who's unconscious, not dead," he said, a bit tersely, though not with intent to sting. "If these nutbars who have thrown a bunch of strangers into their crusade can raise the dead I'd like to commission a few zombies from them, personally."
Hefting another sigh and biting down on the ire that wanted to seep into his words--he had no reason to be short with her; she hadn't done anything--he shook his head, testing the angry red skin of the burn on his arm with ginger fingertips.
"I've seen worse," he said; "I'll l--" His voice caught in his throat like thin cloth snagged on thorns, and he coughed sharply, grimacing. "I'll live."
He made sure of that, the moron.
Glancing up again and mincing his way to the couch, he leaned his hip against the back of it, not wanting to get any blood on the cushions.
"You?" he asked, gesturing at the sling. "I'm a lousy healer, but if you don't wanna go to the Initiative, I can take a bash at it--er..." He shook his head. "'Bash' probably wasn't the best word to use there."
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The ninja made herself take deep, calming breaths. It was hard, especially when she was emotional. She tended to cry when she was emotional. That would be awkward around a new roommate. "No, Axel. They can. One of my friends was killed before he got here." It was still something she had trouble dealing with. "I've seen it mentioned on the network, too."
He looked cold. She moved into the kitchen, banging the pot a couple times as she tried to figure out how to dump curry into a bowl one handed. She was strong enough to lift it one-handed, at least. "It's been treated and straightened already, it just needs time to heal."
She paused, then offered the bowl with her good hand. "You should eat something, at least."
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"I'd seen it on the network too, actually," he admitted, rolling his shoulders back and grimacing as they ached fiercely in protest, "but I always figured those people, you know... weren't quite dead yet."
There was an odd banging from the kitchen, but before he could round the corner to see what was going on she had emerged again and was offering him a bowl of that awesome curry she made. Frankly eating was about the last thing on his mind right now, but he was cold and kind of numb, and that curry did smell great. He didn't really want to be rude and refuse anyway, since she'd apparently gone to the trouble to cook with a bad arm. Axel might not have had any feelings, but that didn't mean he was incapable of being aware of those of the people around him.
Accepting the bowl with a nod of acknowledgment, he sort of half-sat on the back of the couch, poking at the curry with the provided spoon.
"Dumb kid saved my life," he said quietly. He wasn't even necessarily saying it to her so much as he was simply admitting it aloud. Stabbing at the rice and then lifting a spoonful of the food from the bowl, he sighed, watching it steam silently in the cool air. "I gave him so much hell, just for the sake of giving him hell... and he had'a go and save my damn life."
Seriously, who the hell did that?
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She walked around, grabbed her bowl and sat on the other end of the couch. "I don't think he was thinking about those times when he saved you," she responded finally. "Even if you gave him a lot of hell, he gave it right back. He didn't seem hurt by any of it. Boys will be boys, you know?"
Of course Riku would do something like that. That was just the kind of guy he was. The kid tried to act aloof, but he was warm and not frosty at all, and it was easy for her to get along him. Axel, too. "He did it because he cares about you. And even if he didn't care for you, which I kinda doubt, he cares about the people around him. He didn't want to give up on that world. He said to me, 'The least I can do is fight'. That's the kind of person he is."
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He hadn't really known what to do.
He'd chosen to just sit outside the room, watching others as they reunited and revered in their revived lives, stroking Stellaluna for comfort as the Dream Eater crooned in his lap, concerned. Riku stared at his feet, not sure how to feel. He should feel happy that he was allowed to live again, he knew, but at the same time... he wondered. His stomach churned again, feeling... unnatural. There were tons of lore and legends about how people came back to life. Was he a zombie, now? (Was Stellaluna a zombie Dream Eater?) Was he some sort of freak--more of a freak than he already was, anyway?
For the first time that day--including the times on the battlefield--Riku had to run to the bathroom to retch.
He looked at himself in the mirror after he was done, trying to see any imperfections. Was he still him? Had anything been done to him? Still short hair, still pale skin and luminescent eyes. Still broad shoulders, and... there was his heartbeat, almost all-encompassing in its beating. He closed his eyes as he washed his hands, feeling the warmth, thankful for it. He needed to calm down. Masters didn't feel like this, did they? They didn't freak out at being revived. Stellaluna hopped up his arm and nuzzled his cheek, prompting a sigh out of him as he raised his eyes to the glass.
Was there ever a Master that was revived?
"Ugh," he groaned softly, deciding to splash his face with water before he dried himself off.
He needed something chocolate. Silent as ever, he decided to go to the little sweets shop in the city, unable to bring himself to care about the rain. A box of chocolates and a cake was easy and cheap; he couldn't bring himself to stand up until an hour or so later, buying a set of three napoleans as well before he headed towards the unit.
He didn't want to face Axel. He felt... awkward. Unsure.
At first, Riku stalled at the door, but upon realizing it was cracked open, he'd been about to push it open fully--before he heard Axel's voice, followed by Sheena's. If that didn't make him feel embarrassed and guilty and a little light-headed (he remembers this feeling--it came with the shock of realizing he'd been named Master, too) nothing would; awkwardly, he pushed the door open, standing there with sopping wet hair and clothes, Stellaluna in a cloth bundle in the crook of his arm as he held white plastic bags in the other.
"Uh," was the first thing out of his mouth as he saw both of them sitting. His eyes flickered to the floor, like he didn't feel he could look them in the eye, shifting clumsily.
"I'm back."
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Her words sat heavy on his shoulders, mostly because he knew they were true. Half of him resented Riku for dying in his stead... but the rest of him had to think he would have done it for just about anybody, really. He was still a little sore about what had transpired back home, but ultimately he knew that what Riku had done for Xion had been right. Shame how the right thing was always the hard thing. Shame he hadn't been strong enough to do that himself.
He was about to make a remark about whether or not Riku cared about him when the front door creaked. Axel tensed instantly and turned--he must have not pushed the door closed. He wasn't sure who might have had the gall to try and break into their apartment on a day like today, but he was not in a mood to play nice right now. Pushing away from the couch, he started to stalk toward the door--
--and stopped short when a familiar silver head appeared in the doorway.
It wasn't until Axel heard the clatter of the bowl hitting the floor that he realized he'd dropped it, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to care (it wasn't like they had to worry about getting the deposit back on the place...). Eyes wide, jaw ajar, Axel stood there for a good five seconds looking absolutely thunderstruck before he sort of fumbled sideways for the back of the couch again to steady himself.
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... No, not for nothing. But he was still pretty indignant that he'd spent the last several hours beating himself up without needing to.
For half an instant, a big stupid smile split his face.
"Riku?"
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"... Well it's about time you got back, you slacker," he said, standing akimbo now with an affected glower on his face. "Your dinner's getting cold."
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"Is it really that hard to kno—"
Then she caught a glimpse of silver hair around Axel's shoulder, and felt her breath go. Well, she didn't exactly have proof that the Initiative revived people after they'd died in Exsilium. Maybe Zelos' situation was unique. And it felt wrong, anyway, to hope for someone to come back from the dead. Hadn't their entire journey been to crusade against that sort of thing?
"Riku!" She was so worried. Without really thinking about it, she dodged around Axel and rushed forward to take Riku into a tight hug-- one-armed due to the sling. The height difference... made it interesting (and probably hard for him to breathe oh god the chest), but she didn't care at this particular moment. She released Riku after a minute and faced him, her one good arm straight at her side, her hand balled into a fist. "You're such an idiot. Who said you could go out and get yourself killed? What if you hadn't come back? What would we have to tell your friends?"
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He blinked, owlishly for a moment or two, completely caught by surprise before he stiffened a tad and pulled his head back slightly at Axel's terse response. Ah, that was more like it--but he seemed to be more concerned with taking in Axel's form, frowning when he caught sight of a burn--
right before his vision was obscured and Riku froze. Oh god, where was his face? His face was--
He wasn't going to breathe, but his cheeks got very hot, very red. Riku was never more grateful than when she pulled away, eyes on the floor. At least, until she started to speak--his head was still downturned, as a guilty expression starting to saturate across his face. "... sorry," he muttered. "I just reacted. Besides, my friends would be fine without me. And none of them are here, anyway," Riku pointed out with an awkward shift of his body, as his eyes turned to Axel again.
"You okay? You didn't get hurt, did you?"
Eyes back to Sheena. "It's pretty obvious you did. Man, and you said I shouldn't fight alone..."
Riku had been awkward before, but never this kind. It seemed like he was honestly hesitant to talk, which wasn't too far of a stretch. The day had been long, and he was... exhausted, and he felt like his death had been more of a burden than anything. As Stellaluna started to nuzzle out of her cocoon, poking her ear out and then most of her body, he let his arm fall to the side.
Like he'd suddenly remembered; "Oh!" He looked to both of them, and then raised his arm to show off the bag he'd gotten. "Uh, I--I got dessert?"
pretend it's Riku in the icon k
"Nothing I haven't dealt with before," he said, since it was fairly obvious he hadn't escaped Paris unscathed. He took a step back when Riku's rainbow sorbet bat pillow creature flapped her wings and headed straight for him. There was an instant of panic--TRAINED ATTACK BAT COME TO SEEK VENGEANCE--and then Axel just sort of deflated where he stood as Stellaluna fell into her usual holding pattern around his head. He would never really understand why animals liked him so darn much.
When Riku held up the plastic bags and said he'd brought dessert, however, Axel's face settled into a stern expression. The pain of the day's injuries mostly forgotten for the moment, he marched over to Riku and took the bags from him, setting them down on the floor beside them. Then he stared down at him stoically.
"Y'ain't injured anymore, right?" he asked. "They... did some crazy voodoo and fixed you right up?"
Riku stared (perhaps apprehensively) back up at him and nodded slowly without speaking.
"Good." With that, Axel reached out and made a fist with one hand, lifting it into the air above Riku's head and dropping it unceremoniously on his crown. Not really hard enough to hurt, but enough to make a point. "You lunkhead, what kind of idiot comes back from the dead and buys dessert?" He gestured toward the kitchen then. "Especially when he knows darn well there's ice cream in the freezer at home?"
Well, of course, Axel had made it very clear that that ice cream was his and was not to be eaten without permission on penalty of fiery death, but he figured he could make an exception for the occasion.
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Seriously, don't fuck with a tsundere. "And my arm's fine, I got it looked at, so shush!"
Her expression softened as Axel and Riku quipped at each other. It was like having Lloyd and Zelos in the house, and the thought sobered her but warmed her heart at the same time. "Axel has a point. Is this supposed to be bribery or something? My forgiveness can't be bought, Riku." She wagged a finger at him. "Besides, I already made dinner. I don't think I can deal with a pair of matching stomachaches after everything else that's happened."
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"First of all, you made it pretty clear that was your ice cream," he grumbled as he tilted his head towards Axel. "Second of all, it's apology dessert, not a bribe. I needed something chocolate to deal, I thought I'd apologize and get you guys something too," it came out a little more sharp-edged than Riku had meant, but he didn't quite notice until Stellaluna left Axel's orbit to nuzzle up against his cheek, and his bristling seemed to suddenly leave him as his shoulders slumped and he raised a hand to brace against her back.
A moment of silence, as Riku dragged a hand through his hair. "Sorry," he muttered again. He felt... frazzled, like electricity danced through his body, too anxious not to move especially after such a boneheaded move. He just... couldn't deal with his own mortality. Or, lack thereof? "I'm a little overwhelmed. I didn't exactly expect to be back. I don't really know what the polite thing to do is when you revive from the dead, I'm not one for eating brains."
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"First of all," he said, "it is my ice cream, and eating it without permission means I get to barbecue you. However that is easily circumvented by asking permission. I think making the ultimate sacrifice to save my lousy ass gets you ice cream privileges for at least a week." Another bonk and he continued, "And secondly, what the hell are you apologizing for?" He shook his head in bafflement and took a step back looking at Riku as though the kid had grown a third eye. "'Sorry I prevented you from dying a hideous painful crushing death.' What kind of jerk do you take me for?
"--Don't answer that." He shook a finger firmly at Riku's nose then. "Look, you. I didn't ask you to save my hide, so don't... don't expect gratitude, okay?" He folded his arms. "Sora would kill me if he found out you'd died for my sake, and being on the receiving end of a Keyblade is never high on my priority list; got it memorized?" He paused, then the feigned irritation faded from his expression. "You're the one with people waiting for you back home," he said then, something quietly bitter in his tone, "so don't throw that away, stupid."
Then he snorted. "Well good, cuz I'm not sure Sheena knows how to cook brains anyway," he said, and moved past the ninja into the kitchen, stepping over the dropped bowl of food as he did so. He'd clean it up later. Scooping a mound of rice into a bowl and ladling some curry on top of it, he shoved a spoon into the bowl and emerged from the kitchen. He handed the bowl stiffly to Riku, frowning. "So curry will have to do."
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"Anyway, you boys get changed and eat something. I'll put these away." And clean up that wasted curry. She sighed to herself and grabbed a rag from the back of the sink.
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When Axel turned tail, he sighed and looked to Sheena, a little thankful when she relieved him of the dessert with a small smile. "Yeah, well..." Taking the bowl, he thanked Axel quietly, giving him a one-over with his stiff posture. Jeez. He looked like he was being forcibly ordered to give him food, or something.
A moment--change, ah... he looked down at his wet clothes. "Uh, I'll be... fine?"
Sure, Riku.
Like you didn't almost catch your death last time. "Thanks."
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After shoving the bowl of food at Riku, Axel swiveled and made a swatting motion at Sheena.
"Stop, stop," he said, "let me do that; I'm a big boy and I can clean up my own stupid mess. Besides, you've got a gimp arm, my dumb pride would kick my ass if I let you clean that up."
Riku may have already seen the future proof of Axel's dark secret, but Sheena would come to learn soon enough that Axel was probably the biggest mother hen of the three of them.
There was an irony to all of this somehow, he mused as he spooned the fallen curry back into its bowl to get as much off the carpet as possible. Who would have thought that finding out Riku wasn't dead would put him in such a good mood? There had been a time when getting Riku out of the picture would have been great news... what had changed?
Granted, that was before Riku decided to, you know, save his life and all. Whatever bad blood there might have been between them before, Axel was suddenly more than prepared to sweep it under the rug. Riku was probably about the last person he would have ever expected to stick his neck out for him, but sometimes even Axel could be surprised, it seemed.
Taking the ruined curry to the kitchen and grabbing a dish towel, he ran it under hot water and squirted some dish soap on it before returning to the spot on the carpet. He was kind of glad to have something to occupy his attention for the time being, because he really didn't know what to say about all of this. How did you thank someone for dying in your stead? Even if they did recover, it seemed. Axel... didn't thank people. He didn't ask forgiveness, and he didn't say thank you, and he gave absolutely not a single damn about it! He was unapologetic and he liked it that way--when you didn't have feelings you had nothing to be sorry about, right?
He really had no answers for this. A furrow in his brow, he just focused on cleaning the carpet.
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"Oh." She may have been used to people who didn't. "Okay, go ahead." She straightened a little, her cheeks pink. "But-- but don't get the wrong idea. Just because I have a broken arm doesn't mean I'm helpless."
That said, she moved past Axel toward the living room, so she could finish off her curry.
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Changed into a clean long-sleeved shirt and jeans, he tread back out with a towel over his head, rubbing his wet hair constantly as he moved from his room to the kitchen, gathering another towel to start mopping up his soaked footsteps. By the time he got to his bowl again, he jolted and pulled his hand back, frowning at his hand and the static electricity he'd accumulated.
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He glanced up when Riku returned, and he was about to tell him not to worry about the footprints, since he was already down here, but he'd learned pretty quickly that Riku was far more difficult to dissuade. Leaving him to clean up as he saw fit, Axel headed to his room to change out of his tattered, bloody clothes and into a lazy pair of pajama pants and a tee shirt. Heading back into the kitchen and serving himself another bowl of curry (since he'd only gotten one good bite out of the first bowl), he returned to the main room in time to see Riku jerk and recoil quickly, and he chuckled.
"Larxene used to zap me all the time," he said, sinking onto the couch and propping his socked feet up on the coffee table. "She just carried that sort of charge around wherever she went. I dunno if it hurt her when she did it--she certainly wouldn't have admitted if it had, I think--but man it did a number on my hair..." And then he shook his spoon at Riku. "And don't let that give you any ideas."
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Not her style, really.
She perched on the end of the couch as before, balancing her curry between her sling, folded legs, and good arm. Riku's reaction to getting zapped was enough to catch her attention, but it was Axel who got her commentary. "I don't know how you could tell the difference."
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It fell as soon as he shook his spoon. He rolled his eyes instead. "Fine," he muttered, taking his bowl and looking back to Sheena. The bottom was still warm; he was thankful as he took a spoonful, starting to eat. "Thanks for the meal. It's a relief to come h..." A pause. Was he about to say home? --no. "... back here."
He cleared his throat and walked to sit in the loveseat across from the couch, pausing a moment to look at the back of Axel's head.
"You know, she's got a point. How could you tell?"
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When both of them turned the discussion to his hair, however, he made an indignant noise and glowered at them.
"Oi, come on, rude," he complained, and then gestured at Riku. "You should'a seen this guy the last time I did before I came back," he said, "he looked like a sheepdog, hair all in his eyes..."
Really, of all the nerve.
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Sheena waved off Riku's thank-you, spoon in hand. "Don't worry about it. I wanted something warm to eat, too. It's a lot easier cooking for three people than eight." Lloyd ate like he was three people anyway, so it was almost like eleven. Or twelve, if he was especially peckish.
Axel's ridiculous expression drew a grin and a little laugh from the ninja. "There are easier ways to wear long hair than brushing it straight up or walking around with it loose. It's like you two haven't heard of hair ties." Sheena, of course, was never without her pink ribbon unless it was pajama time; the gigantic poofy ponytail attached to her back of her head notwithstanding.
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(Sure, he coughed up several pools of blood, but he hadn't screamed or cried in pain.)
This, however... he was tired of the constant ache in his body, and shifted awkwardly again before just submitting himself to the pain. It'd fade after a while. His eyes turned back to Sheena as she mentioned their hair, before looking back away with a wave of his hand. His hair wasn't long anymore. There was nothing to worry about with him. It'd take quite a while to get back to sheepdog length, and he had no intentions of letting it get that long again.
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He snorted a laugh at Riku then.
"Well you were already wearing a blindfold," he guffawed, "what's one more cranial accessory, right?"
Pulling his feet off the table and propping his ankle on the opposite knee, he bounced his foot, the exhaustion from the day's events waning and replaced instead with a strange kind of nervous energy. Axel had never really considered himself a terribly social fellow, at least not since losing his heart, but it seemed there was a part of him that thrived on this sort of thing. Before there had been Roxas, he'd spent most of his time alone, and he had wondered if he'd actually forgotten how to smile (granted, having no feelings was a good excuse for that, but still). It hadn't been until Roxas and Xion had somehow managed to prove that maybe no heart didn't have to mean no friends that he'd really "felt" anything in the better part of a decade!
He really didn't know what to think about it all anymore. No Heart No Feelings had become his mantra, was the only way he'd really been able to live with the choices he'd made and the actions he'd carried out... But one couldn't fake the sorts of things he'd experienced lately. Roxas' departure, Xion's being taken away... Riku's sacrifice. Shame, guilt, fear, desperation--he was sure he'd never felt those things quite so acutely before, even back when he'd had a heart. It wasn't just muscle memory. It wasn't just going through the motions. It wasn't residual sentiment left behind like a film lining the hole where his heart had been.
... Was it?
He watched Riku squirm in his seat a moment and sighed. Heart or no heart, Axel had never had the stomach to really watch people suffer. Even Vexen had died quickly, he'd made sure of it. Zexion... well, that hadn't really been his call; the Replica had done that as he'd seen fit, and Axel had watched, but something about it had turned his stomach anyway. Pain was universal, regardless of how many vital organs anyone might have been missing.
Setting his bowl on the table and getting to his feet, he wordlessly moved down the hall to the bathroom and pawed through the medicine cabinet behind the mirror a moment, retrieving a bottle of Ibuprofen. Cure didn't seem to do much for bumps and bruises anyway--he supposed the body still had to absorb the blood that made those hurt, even if the injury itself was repaired. Potions were great, but these odd little white and orange pills seemed a most convenient side-order.
He made a quick pit stop in the kitchen. "Hey Sheepdog. OJ or water?" he called, pulling the fridge open. There was a beat of silence in which he had to assume Riku was trying to figure out whether or not this was a trap, and then came the slightly sullen response.
"Neither. Hot chocolate."
Axel groaned. Of course, he couldn't just make this easy. With a grating sigh he ran the faucet and filled a cup halfway with water, then stalked out to the main room and shoved it at Riku along with the bottle of pills.
"Here," he said tersely, "don't be a martyr and sit there in pain, you idiot."
And with that he returned to the kitchen, supposing that since he'd asked he might as well just make the damn hot chocolate. He was rather fond of the stuff himself. Of course he was going to have to act extra put out about it, though.
"Sheena, you want some too?" he asked. "Since apparently I'm the short order cook of the moment... Light help you both."
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Carefully, she stretched out a little bit on her perch, toes barely resting against the floor. The little arch in her back gave way to some telling pops, and she winced. "I think I'm going to bed after this. Can I trust you guys not to burn down the apartment?"