[CLOSED]

[heartstorage]

Date & Time: Earlier in December
Location: House of Miscommunication Hearts
Characters: Sora & Roxas
Summary: Awkward.
Warnings: So damn awkward

[Sora really hasn't spoken to Roxas much since Xion left and Lea had told him what he knew. It wasn't that he didn't care, he really did. It's just...He hadn't known what to say, or how to face him. Even if Lea had tried to insist otherwise, Sora couldn't shake the feeling that it was all his fault Xion was gone. Not only that, but to know that Xion had been slowly killing Roxas.......had anyone told him that? Should he let him know? He didn't have the first clue.]

[And so, feeling guilty and clueless, he avoided. He put up with the nightmares that came from sleeping alone, he avoided areas on the base that he knew Roxas would like to be. He almost hated himself for it, knowing how much it bothered him when people did that to him- but he didn't know what else to do.]

[But it was moving down to the planet that broke the avoidance. It was kinda hard to do that in the same household, much less the same bedroom after all. And so, it'll be when Riku and Lea are out working that he'll actually attempt to brave a conversation one-on-one with Roxas while standing in the doorway of their room.]

....Hey.

[Yeah. He's off to a great start.]

Comments

[otherness]

[Whoa. Now that is not what he was expecting at all, and Roxas stares openly at him as a result. He really cares about that random girl in his heart. If Lea told him everything, then he probably knows about that, too. And he probably knows they were friends-- not that it wasn't obvious, the way they dressed alike and spent so much time together.

Roxas takes a moment to collect himself.]

... It's okay. [Not the best beginning, but he's trying.] I still don't understand everything myself. I don't know what happened to Xion exactly, or why she had to disappear. I don't remember her at all outside of Exsilium even though we were best friends.

I was so confused and mad when she left I just... didn't talk to anyone about it. I kept it in 'cause I don't know what to do.

[A pause.]

You really worried about me?

[heartstorage]

[And he listens, bracing himself before it happens. The answer wasn't what he expected]

You...

['I don't know what happened to Xion exactly, or why she had to disappear.' Roxas doesn't know. He wasn't told the same things he was. There were things that he was kept in the dark about again.]

[Part of him feels a bit frustrated that he wasn't told. But on the other hand...how could he even tell himself? Tell him the true reasons why his best friend went away? He's...not sure he could do that. Even if he's not good at hiding things from Roxas, he's not sure he can do that.]

[He focuses on that question instead. It's easier to answer than all the painful things he has no clue how to fix]

Roxas...of course I worried about you. You're important to me.

[otherness]

[One step a time. It's the only thing Roxas can do now. He has no idea of what Sora might be thinking, as similar as they are. Now that they're separated, Roxas isn't even sure what he feels anymore. If he's allowed to feel. He's only half a person.

But Sora is honest. He's obviously okay with feeling, with admitting that he cares about his other half. For a second, Roxas feels like being real is attainable. Like he actually exists.]

... You're really something else. [As cynical as he's feeling, he can't help being a little glad too.] Most people... but you're not like most people.

[heartstorage]

[Not this again. If he sounds a bit exasperated, it's just because between Roxas and Riku he's getting real fed up of the idea he's something special because he doesn't act like a total jerk]

That's not true, Roxas. There's lots of people who'd care about you if they knew you. You're just unlucky that most of the people you've met were jerks.

[A year of life with the Organization would skew anyone's perspective on people. It hurt to think that Roxas never really had a chance to experience better. To experience all the wonderful things that Sora's seen, through his own eyes.]

Though...it doesn't help there's a lot of wrong information about Nobodies floating around either.

[Information that he willingly believed, that he went along with. It wasn't until he learned about Roxas did he even start to question it. How different could have things been if they had known the truth all along?]

[otherness]

[Roxas' eyes widen a bit, surprised at the bluntness of the statement... but maybe not too much.]

Maybe. [His tone implies that he agrees more than not. Most of the Organization were jerks, and Xemnas had purposely spread bad information. Roxas remembered that much. How could he not remember how furious Sora had been? It was Roxas who'd given him that anger, right?]

If we were like this forever...

[He hasn't allowed himself to think about this. He doesn't want to get his hopes up. In a way, he's having a hard time acknowledging that he even has a role outside of being the other half.]

I don't know. I'm not sure I can make friends like you do. I barely know anyone here in Exsilium.

[heartstorage]

[....Sure. If it makes you feel better to think your other half doesn't have anger issues of his own, you go on ahead and think that.]

[But hearing Roxas even mention that possibility? Makes Sora feel a bit glad. Glad that Roxas was growing to acknowledge the possibility that they were different. As if maybe the damage of the past could be undone.]

[Though Roxas next comment sure reminds him that they still got a long way to go.]

...That's because you never go out, Roxas. But you don't have to make friends exactly like I do, you know.

[otherness]

[A really long ways to go. But if Hercules can do it-- wait, no, bad example. He frowns a bit at the accusation. Roxas totally leaves the house sometimes... ... sometimes... but it's not his fault it's fucking cold outside.]

I don't know the first thing about making friends.

[heartstorage]

What? Sure you do! You've made friends before.

[...T-Two of them anyway]

[otherness]

But I worked with them. Here, things are a little different. We get sent on missions sometimes, but there's too many people to deal with.

[heartstorage]

[jfc he hasn't experience this sort of headache since dealing with Eeyore]

Well....what if you got a job here? Or went to a club that interests you! Then it'd be a bit like how you got to know people before, wouldn't it?

[Just...minus the truly evil boss and organ harvesting!]

[otherness]

A club?

[He's not arguing that, but... seriously, what's a club?]

[heartstorage]

[Yeeeah, he knows that clueless tone]

A club's a group of people that meet up over a shared interest! Like a baking club will meet up and bake together because they all like baking.

[otherness]

[Not a bad idea. He puts his hand on his chin.]

Is there a club for eating ice cream?

[heartstorage]

[.........................oh god he didn't want to be the one to break this news.]

[LEA WHERE ARE YOU.]

Heh heh....I dunno, I haven't checked!

But you know, it might be too cold for people to be having ice cream........I haven't seen any in the stores...........

[otherness]

[He can hear the unsureness of those ellipses.]

But... it's ice cream.

[He gives a big ol' sigh.]

I guess I can ask around... see if there are any clubs at all. I don't mind learning something new.

[heartstorage]

[Okay, no freak out. Good. He'll chuckle now that it feels safe]

Sorry, Roxas. We'll get some next time there's a mission, okay?

[If it makes Roxas happy, he doesn't mind.]

That's the spirit! Maybe you'll get to learn something cool!

[otherness]

You like sea salt ice cream, too? ... Can we bring Lea?

[PRIORITIES. HE HAS THEM.]

[heartstorage]

[Sure, who doesn't love the memorable taste of dead friends and survivor's guilt on a stick? It's the happiest flavor!]

[But he'll eat it and not say anything about that. If it makes Roxas happy, then it's worth it. He'll smile and nod]

Sure, let's bring him too! It'll be the three of us.

[That felt...weirdly familiar to say.]

[otherness]

[Good Somebody. Best friend.]

The three of us...

[He's a little surprised, too, at how nice that is to say. He wonders if Xion sleeping somewhere within Sora counts as a fourth, but he doesn't say that out loud.]

Yeah.

[heartstorage]

It'll be great.

[Something to look forward to, they could all use it. He looks over at Roxas]

But hey...listen. Even if something happens and we don't talk for awhile...don't ever think you're not important to me, okay? I'll always care about you.

And that's not...special. We're important to each other and we care about each other. That's just how it should be.

[otherness]

[Roxas isn't even aware he's not breathing until there's pressure in his chest. Once again, Sora's blindsided him with kindness. He doesn't just want to be friends. Roxas is important to him somehow-- Sora actively cares. Even though he's a Somebody, he cares about more than just being the other half.

"Sora, see? This is why it has to be you."

It's more than he could ever ask for. He ducks his head, rubbing at his eyes furiously.]

T-thanks, [he manages.] I think-- I think you're right.

People care about each other. That's how it's supposed to be.

[heartstorage]

[To Sora, it was hard to explain exactly what it was he felt for Roxas. They were different people, no doubt about that. But...it was a bit more complicated than that too. It wasn't like his other friendships. Even he couldn't fully deny they were part of one another.]

Yeah!

[He'll playfully bump Roxas's shoulder while smiling, as if to counteract Roxas's tears] Now you're getting it.

[otherness]

[He gets a little embarrassed by that and bumps Sora back.]

Yeah, yeah...

[He's done crying, at least. But he keeps rubbing at his cheeks like it'll make the red go away.]

[heartstorage]

[That's because Sora is an embarrassing person to be around, one that responds to that bump with a small snicker. And he notices that, and even contemplates pointing out that rubbing will just make it redder but...eh. He'll let it go. He just gives out a little sigh and relaxes instead]

So you okay? [Or at least...feeling just a tad better?]

[otherness]

[He nods.]

Yeah. Better than when you came in, somehow. I guess talking about things helps.